Dear Parent/ Caregivers.
We have enjoyed a wonderful start to the term, beginning with a student-free day where staff participated in professional learning focused on strengthening collaboration between teachers and support staff. The day provided valuable opportunities to explore how we can work more effectively together to support students with complex needs and ensure every student is given the best possible opportunity to succeed.
Ministerial Visit
On Wednesday 29 April, we were pleased to welcome the Minister for Education Lucy Hood MP and Olivia Savvas MP to our school. During the visit, the Minister had the opportunity to meet with students and our Governing Council Chair, as well as participate in a tour of the school. She spoke with students about their future aspirations and engaged in valuable discussions with the Deputy Principal, Shelly Brown, the Governing Council Chair, Martin Crabb, and I about our school, the challenges we face, and our aspirations for the future. It was a wonderful opportunity to showcase the positive work taking place across our school community.
Medieval Fair Success
On Friday of Week 2, we held our much-anticipated Medieval Fair. Our Humanities teachers and Year 8 students proudly demonstrated their learning about medieval life by creating and running a vibrant and engaging fair for the school community.
Despite the wet weather, students adapted brilliantly, setting up their stalls in the gymnasium and under tents. The atmosphere inside the gym was fantastic, filled with excitement, enthusiasm, and positive energy. Outside, parents, students, and staff enjoyed participating in medieval-themed games such as archery and jousting.
The entire event was a wonderful showcase of student engagement, creativity, and understanding of medieval times. Congratulations to all students and staff involved in making the fair such a memorable success.
Parent Teacher Interviews
On Tuesday of Week 3, we held our Parent Teacher Interviews, with approximately 1,200 interviews taking place throughout the day and evening. It was extremely pleasing to walk around and hear so many positive conversations between parents, students, and teachers.
In particular, many Year 7 parents and students commented on how well students have adjusted to high school life. Teachers also shared how much they valued the opportunity to connect with families and discuss student learning and progress in such a positive environment.
Thank you to all staff who supported the interviews and to the many parents who attended despite their busy schedules. Your partnership and support play a vital role in student success.
Parent Listening Lab
On Monday 4 May, we held our Parent Listening Lab. The purpose of the session was to hear directly from parents about the experiences they would like their children to have at our school, how they would like the wider community to view our school, and the skills they believe students will need to become successful citizens in the future.
The feedback gathered from parents, along with responses from students, teachers, and support staff, will help guide our school priorities and strategic direction over the next three to four years. We sincerely thank all parents who participated and contributed their valuable insights.
School Uniform
The uniform shop has now received new supplies of one of the approved styles of girls’ trousers and skirts. If your child has been wearing a non-uniform item due to the previous shortage, we ask that families please organise to purchase the correct item as soon as possible.
We understand that some students may be reluctant to make the change; however, we ask all parents to support the school in upholding our uniform expectations. Wearing the school uniform consistently promotes a sense of unity and belonging, which is one of our school’s core values.
Student Attendance
Our School has set a target student attendance rate of 90%. Regular attendance at school is essential, as it ensures students can successfully complete their learning and achieve positive outcomes academically. Equally important, regular attendance helps students build strong relationships with their peers and teachers, which is critical for their wellbeing, confidence, and happiness at school.
If your child is experiencing difficulties attending school, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are committed to working together with families to support students and help them re-engage positively with their learning.
Thank you again for your ongoing support of our school community. We look forward to another successful and rewarding term ahead.
Ms Joanne Costa
Principal
For the Term 2 Calendar click here
This year, LINKED 7 and 8 students have been actively involved in our Community Access Program each Tuesday. Through this initiative, students practise important social and life skills while exploring a variety of free or low-cost venues in our local community and across metropolitan Adelaide. The program also fosters awareness of potential post-school employment options.
Highlights so far have included catching public transport, comparing prices at different retailers, attending events such as the Fringe Festival and Arts Festival, visiting a community garden, and touring the Adelaide Metropolitan Fire Service station. The Fire Service excursion was especially popular, with students participating in hands-on activities like using the high-pressure hose, climbing aboard a fire truck, and carrying equipment such as the 'jaws of life'.
The Community Access Program continues to provide invaluable learning and memorable experiences. Upcoming events will feature a visit to Parliament House, where students will have the opportunity to tour the facility and observe a sitting session in the lower house. LINKED 7 students will also visit Adelaide Oval to learn more about employment opportunities within the venue.
Year 8 and 9 art classes were Inspired by works from South Australian artist, Billie Justice Thomson, to create a large scale, collaborative art wall.
Each object is personalised to each student, showing their personality, hobbies, experiences or favourite things. Students drew their creations and then used an online art editing platform to add colour, gradient and tonal highlights.
As well as having their work displayed as a mural piece, each student received their designs as printed stickers to decorate books, laptops or to take home.
Fun fact: Billie justice thomson designed this year’s fringe poster!
During our Term 1 school holidays, two of our Year 7 Entrepreneurship students, Archer and Max, took their learning beyond the classroom and started their own small business!
Inspired by their new learning, the boys launched Wag & Whisk, creating homemade organic dog food. They designed their own packaging and labels, bringing their brand to life. Through their hard work and initiative, they made $50 in sales while gaining valuable real-world experience.
They are incredibly proud of their achievement and plan to continue growing their business, so keep an eye out! As a school, we are very proud of their efforts and entrepreneurial spirit.
On Friday 1st May, a group of our Year 7 students had the opportunity to return to Highbury Primary School as ambassadors, supporting their Sports Day.
Our students took on important leadership roles across a range of events, assisting with organisation, encouraging participation, and helping younger students feel confident and included. They demonstrated excellent leadership, collaboration, and teamwork skills throughout the day, representing our school with pride.
This visit was also a wonderful chance for students to reconnect with their former primary school, making the experience both meaningful and rewarding. It was fantastic to see them step into leadership roles and give back to their community.
A great day was had by all, with plenty of smiles, energy, and enthusiasm on display.
We would like to thank the following students for their outstanding contribution:
Jaiken Newport
Mia Wilde
Maili Whenan
Jai Schaefer
Alex Recabarren Dickie
Kaleera Potter-Cook
Sofia Medhurst
Zanko Lutfi
Zali Lawrence
Lexi Keatch
Kai Griffiths
Tahlia Garcia
Axle Fiedler
Eric-Gabriel Dumitrescu
Jagger Dielos
Jacob Cooper
Impahlah Carter
Bradley Carroll
Oliver Burgess
Here’s what some of our students had to say about the experience:
I enjoyed going to my primary school because its good to see all the teachers and classes and running the activities overall I had lots of fun - Lexi
I liked going to the Higbury Primary sports day because I enjoyed going back to primary school and seeing all our old teachers and classes. I liked helping the little kids and running the event. Overall it was really fun and great to go back! - Zali
Last Friday, the Year 8 cohort participated in Modbury High School’s first Medieval Fair. The fair was part of the Year 8 HASS Learning Expedition, guided by the inquiry question: “How can we use experiences to further expand our understanding of historical societies?”
Over the last several weeks, Year 8 students have worked together in groups to explore this question. With the support of their teachers and community experts, students designed and created stalls offering a range of goods, services and experiences for the school community. These included candle makers, bakers, archery contests, medieval games, and plenty of taverns to help visitors quench their thirst.
The culmination of all this hard work was the Modbury High School Medieval Fair. Members of the school community, staff and students were invited to peruse the goods and services on offer and immerse themselves in the atmosphere of the day.
Students were also encouraged to come dressed in period appropriate clothing. We had peasants, lords, ladies and even a number of monks enthusiastically manning their stalls and bringing the medieval world to life.
Ultimately, the goal of the fair was to help others experience history in a different light. Rather than being confined to the classroom, students were able to create a tangible and memorable historical experience for others. The feedback was immediate, with students, staff and community members commenting on how engaged the Year 8 students were, and how much they had learned throughout the Learning Expedition.
We hope that this fair is only the first of many to come, and that it will become a cornerstone of the Year 8 HASS curriculum for years ahead.
A special thank you goes to the Year 8 HASS teachers, who spent weeks guiding and coaching students through the creation of their stalls. Without their efforts, this project would not have been possible. A big thank you also goes to all staff members and student helpers who supported the team on the day.
Are you interested in a future in Defence, aviation, engineering, or STEM?
Students in Years 10–12 can now apply for a range of exciting Defence Work Experience Programs running in June–July 2026.
These unique programs offer:
Hands-on experiences on Defence bases
Behind-the-scenes access to Army, Navy & Air Force roles
Opportunities to explore STEM careers in real-world settings
Highlights include:
Spots are limited and applications close soon (mid-May)
Students are encouraged to apply early. For more information, see the flyer or contact:
sa.workexperienceprogram@defence.gov.au
Click here to download the flyer
Last term many of our parents and staff registered for the Wellio Webinar series and I am pleased to announce the same opportunity for Term 2, with the following online event:
FREE Parent Webinar – Raising Confident and Resilient Kids
Supporting parents through the challenges of raising kids today
Wed, 20 May 2026 | 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm AEST
In this session, we explore how parents can:
School camps provide valuable learning and personal development opportunities for students; however, we recognise that the associated costs can be challenging for some families.
Saver Plus is a free matched‑savings and financial education program that can support eligible families to plan and save for school camps and other education‑related expenses.
How the program works:
This means families could access up to $1,000 to use towards:
Families can join at any time throughout the year. Once the program is completed, matched funds are available to use for approved school expenses.
Eligibility (all criteria must be met):
Families can check eligibility or request a callback via the Saver Plus website or by calling 1300 610 355. Flyers are attached for families, including details about free information sessions.
Click here to download the PDF here
We recently hosted the North Eastern Nunga Tag carnival with an amazing turn out of over 500 people in attendance.
Our season runs from March till August but are always accepting new player throughout the season.
Under 6’s / 8’s mixed tag
Under 10’s / 12’s mixed tackle
Under 14’s boys tackle
Under 14’s girls tackle
Under 17’s boys tackle
If any students are looking for more information scan the QR code and message our Facebook page directly or alternatively
eelsrugbyleagueclub@outlook.com.au
Club Contact- Jamie McCafferty 0402 127 114
We believe in a culture of achievement in a respectful and rigorous learning environment
