Dear Parents / Caregivers, staff, and students
Welcome back to 2024 school year. We hope you had a restful and rejuvenating break and are ready to work with us in partnership to support your students into the new academic year with enthusiasm and determination. A very warm welcome to both returning families and new faces to our school community.
I am delighted to report that the start of the year has been exceptionally smooth, thanks to the collaborative efforts of our dedicated staff, and eager students. The seamless transition back into the school routine has laid a strong foundation for a successful and fulfilling year ahead.
The week prior to school commencing, all staff participated in a workshop which was facilitated by Andrew Fuller, a leading Psychologists on brain development, young adolescents, and wellbeing. The workshop provided staff with strategies to support student’s wellbeing and the development of metacognition. Through the exploration of knowing yourself he provided insight of how we learn and the implications for student learning.
A highlight of the beginning of the school year was the overwhelming turnout at our information evenings. It was heartening to see a great number of parents attending these sessions, eager to learn more about the curriculum, extracurricular activities, and ways to support their children's learning journey. Thank you to all the parents who took the time to participate, ask questions, and engage with our staff. Your involvement and partnership are invaluable, and together, we can create a nurturing and enriching environment for our students to thrive. Thank you also to all the staff who attended the information evenings without their participation the evenings would not be possible.
Our Year 7 students kicked off the year with a series of engaging incursion activities designed to help them build positive relationships with their classmates and teachers. Through team-building exercises, collaborative projects, and interactive workshops, students had the opportunity to connect with one another and form strong bonds that will support them throughout their time at Modbury. These activities not only fostered a sense of belonging but also encouraged communication, empathy, and mutual respect among our youngest learners.
Meanwhile, our Year 8 students embarked on an unforgettable overnight camp adventure to Lake Bonney. Under the expert guidance of staff from Active 8, Year Level Leader Mrs Tricker, Assistant Principal Ms Rendell and homegroup teachers, students participated in a range of fun and challenging activities. The feedback from both staff and students has been overwhelmingly positive. It is such a pleasure hear each student speak of the wonderful time they had and the friendships they formed during their time at Lake Bonney.
The Year 12 Retreat, which initiated, planned, and organised by a proactive and dedicated group of students and supported of the Year Level Leader Ms O’Brien- Dent and Assistant Principal, Mrs Woolford took place at the start of week 3. This retreat offered the students a unique opportunity for personal growth, reflection, and preparation for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Throughout the retreat, homegroup teachers facilitated workshops designed to equip students with valuable insights on maximizing their time and succeeding as Year 12 students. Additionally, we were honoured to have Ms Olivia Sava’s member of Newland, joined the students to deliver an inspirational talk, urging our students to be exemplary role models an reflect on their own journey as a student and ensure that they make the most of their time at school. Her personal anecdotes and determination to overcome obstacles resonated deeply with our students, inspiring them to strive for excellence and make a positive impact in their community.
On Friday 16 February we held our 2024 Achievement Assembly. The Assembly acknowledged the 2023 Year 12 graduates, who had achieved an ATAR over 90 and received 3 or more grades. Angelina Hansen was crowned DUX of 2023 and gave a motivational talk to the students. Following the assembly, parents and students joined the staff for light refreshments, prepared and served by our Home Economics students.
Wishing you all a fantastic and happy 2024 school year.
Ms Costa
Principal
Modbury High School Pedal Prix teams are preparing to compete in five UniSA Australian HPV Super Series races in 2024. In addition to the season’s five races, we also look forward to participating in fun, social Velodrome activities and races throughout the year with Fast Cats Racing.
The Modbury High School Pedal Prix is a co-curricular program for Years 7-12 and is taken as a Stage 1 SACE subject, potentially earning students 20 SACE credits each year of participation.
We welcome all new riders and are currently seeking interested riders to join our Pedal Prix teams. Any interested students should contact Jess Hanlin via Daymap or email, jess.hanlin802@schools.sa.edu.au, to register.
Tuesday night trainings are held each week, 7:15pm to 8:30pm, meeting in the Pedal Prix shed. Trainings are recommended for improving fitness, but are not compulsory.
Pedal Prix not only offers the benefits of developing greater fitness, confidence, independence, resilience, consideration and positive relationships with others, but students further develop their team management, delegation, time management, prioritisation and communication skills during races. Our after school and occasional lunchtime training sessions, give students an opportunity to make friends across all year levels and with members of the school community.
By Jess Hanlin
Pedal Prix Liaison
Fees are now due. If you require more time or would like a payment plan please contact the Finance Office.
Contact our finance office to order one today!
A New Year means new international students. This term we have 6 short term international students joining us. Five students are from Japan and one is from Germany. The students from Japan are in years 9 and 10 and our German student is joining year 11 for semester 1.
The students have attended an orientation session with Ms Kampes and have since settled into life at Modbury. All students are enjoying their experience so far.
Ms Kampes welcomed the students by hosting a lunch featuring Aussie food such as meat pies and lamingtons. For most of the students it was their first time trying these foods and as no food was left over I think they all enjoyed it!
Ms Kampes
Coordinator of Languages and International Education
Unlock your full potential in maths by attending Maths..? Help! sessions during lunchtime in the STEM building - with Mrs McKie on Mondays and Mr Krznaric on Thursdays. We believe in you and your ability to be successful in maths, so don’t hold back!
Get expert support with maths homework, investigations, or test preparation. All students from Years 7 to 12 are welcome.
Stay for 5, 20 or 40 minutes – YOU choose. (Yes - you can bring your lunch!)
This past Monday, February 12th, marked an exciting milestone for Modbury High School as our Year 12 students embarked on the inaugural Year 12 Retreat at Cooinda Retreat in Victor Harbor. Over a few action-packed days, students participated in a variety of activities designed to enhance their wellbeing and personal growth.
The retreat featured engaging workshops on themes such as wellbeing, being allergic to average and excelling in studies, overcoming adversity, and the importance of role models. We were honoured to have Ms. Olivia Savvas MP lead some of these insightful discussions. Additionally, students took part in diverse team-building exercises both indoors and outdoors, including sandcastle building, beach games, a sunrise beach walk, a scavenger hunt, an amazing race, and a fun-filled games night.
We extend our gratitude to the dedicated teachers at Modbury High who made this retreat possible. Their efforts in organising and facilitating the activities, coupled with their exemplary role modelling, set a high standard for our students. Special appreciation goes to Mr. Krznaric, Ms. Moeller, Mr. Dundon, Ms. Palmer, Mr. Goult, Mr. Bartlett, Mrs. Woolford, Ms. Brown, and Ms. Costa for their support.
The retreat also provided a valuable opportunity for students to take a break from their digital devices, demonstrate leadership skills, and forge stronger bonds with both their peers and teachers. We believe these experiences will significantly contribute to the success of our Year 12 cohort this year.
Finally, we would like to recognise the exceptional leadership and dedication of the student retreat committee. Their unwavering commitment, creativity, and hard work transformed their vision into reality, leaving a lasting legacy for Modbury High. Special mention goes to Caitlin Fraser and Owen Wythe for their tireless efforts and outstanding leadership, both during and outside of school hours. Their dedication, along with the invaluable support of Hana Wong, Kaiwen He, Will Bui, Anton Kastanos, Reatile Hlatshwayo, and Riley Barton, played a crucial role in the successful organisation of the retreat.
After a five-year COVID enforced hiatus, 29 excited Modbury High School students were once again allowed to return to the West Coast of the US for a basketball and cultural experience of a lifetime.
Students got to experience many different things including visiting Santa Monica Pier and Venice Beach in Los Angeles, 2 days in Disneyland, a tour of the Nike World Headquarters, an NBA game, playing in the snow at Mt Hood (Oregon), a tour of Seattle visiting iconic attractions including the Space Needle, Pike Place Markets (where Seth Clavell got to catch a fish thrown to him!), and a tour of the Seattle Seahawks NFL stadium.
The trip though, is based around American high school basketball experiences. Our teams played in games that often involved announcers, mascots, bands, cheerleaders and large crowds. Games typically started with national anthems and the exchanging of gifts between players and coaches.
The Senior Varsity boys team, for the first time ever, played the strongest team in every school they played and ended up winning six games of their 10. Senior Varsity girls won eight and lost two. The Junior Varsity boys which were the second team, won seven games and lost three and the Junior Varsity 2 boys (third team), made up of Year 9’s and 10’s, won six games and lost two. A very impressive 27 – 11 record overall.
These games were a terrific experience for our students, playing to different rules, against different people in some very impressive school gymnasiums and with an atmosphere like we see on TV and in movies.
The Senior boys provided many highlights, with some very close, exciting and loud games. They had one double overtime win, a single overtime win, a one-point loss, an overtime loss and a three-point loss amongst their 10 games. The girls beat the best Senior team of a school of 1500 students (more than twice the size of Modbury) by 50 points and our girls were mainly year 9’s and 10’s.
Team MVPs:
Varsity Boys – Bryce Sanders
Varsity Girls – Jade Pelton and Lauren Edwards
Junior Varsity Boys – Jaiden Lehman
Junior Varsity 2 Boys – Daniel Wagener
Our students did a wonderful job of representing themselves, Modbury, and in fact, Australia. The American schools loved hosting and playing us, with many providing meals for us all after games to share with their teams and are very keen for us to return.
The next trip is planned for late November/December 2025. In Term 3 this year, students will have the opportunity to register their interest to be involved in the next trip.
Student reflection:
Even reflecting on it now, I can't believe it happened. The things we saw and experienced were possibly once-in-a-lifetime opportunities and will stick with me for the rest of my life. It was so good to connect with the American students and learn about the similarities and differences. Lastly, so many friendships and memories were made.
By Jade Pelton
Ms Jess Moeller
Arts Coordinator
At Australian Red Cross we’re very excited to be launching the Youth in Emergencies Development Program.
As you may recall from our communication last year, Australian Red Cross leading this project, funded under the Disaster Risk Reduction Grants Program funded by the Australian Government and the South Australian Government, and in partnership with the Country Fire Service SA, the Commissioner for Children and Young People and The Duke of Edinburgh International Award, embarked on a co-design journey to create the Youth in Emergencies Development Program (YEDP).
We had a great time facilitating co-design workshops with young people across South Australia, and with their valuable input we’ve built a program tailored to the wants and needs of young people.
Designed by young people for young people, this program offers a unique opportunity to learn about the natural hazards we face due to our changing climate, and how to take steps to limit their exposure to them. More information about the content can be found here.
The program will teach young people how to prepare for emergencies, become leaders across the communities they’re part of, and about the varied ways diverse communities are impacted by emergencies and disasters. We’ll also make opportunities for them to have a say in decisions that impact them.
While learning all this, the participants will be working towards The Duke of Edinburgh International Bronze Award, worth 10 SACE points.
This is a program designed for young people to:
The YEDP is open to all students enrolled in years 9-12 living in South Australia, and we’re offering generous financial support so that everyone can apply.
January 30th marked another memorable Orientation Day for the newest cohort of Year 12 students, filled with a range of activities setting students up for a strong start to the year.
The day kicked off in the Flexis with a warm welcome and an overview of Year 12 expectations by Ms. O’Brien-Dent and Mrs. Woolford. This session set the tone for the year, emphasising both the challenges and the exciting opportunities ahead.
One of the highlights of the morning was the 'Mix and Mesh' M&M game, a fun activity that encouraged students to interact and get to know each other better. This was coupled with a classroom decorating session, where students took photos and created posters to make a welcoming and personalised learning environment.
Morning tea provided a fantastic opportunity for the Year 12 students to engage with class of 2022 and 23 old scholars. Our past students then formed a panel and shared their experiences and insights, offering valuable advice and perspectives on life during and after Year 12. Following this, the Study Skills presentation included vital information on study planning, a crucial aspect of achieving success in Year 12.
The afternoon saw a Home Group VS Home Group newspaper fashion design competition, not only sparking creativity but also strengthening the bonds between students. We then headed to the gym for the annual tunnel ball competition, fostering team spirit and friendly competition.
Students left the day with a sense of excitement and the knowledge and skills to make the most of their final year.
We believe in a culture of achievement in a respectful and rigorous learning environment
