Newsletter - Term 3, Week 5 2024
Principal's Update
Term 3 is always a very busy time with many significant school events taking place. The term began with the highly successful Snow Trip where 39 Year 10 and 11 students and 5 staff travelled to Falls Creek in Victoria for 5 days of skiing or snowboarding. I was lucky enough to be one of the 5 staff and we were extremely impressed with the students’ skills, determination, and resilience. We had some challenging weather and snow conditions, but everyone came away experiencing a great deal of success on the slopes. A really delightful group of young people to spend the week with.
This was quickly followed by the arrival of 19 Year 9 students and supporting staff from Koishikawa Secondary Education School in Tokyo Japan. They had a wonderful two week cultural and Australian schooling experience. A massive shout out to Elnora Schmocker who ran the English Language component of the program, and every teacher who volunteered to run an enrichment lesson. I even got the chance to share my love of disc golf with the Japanese students. We extend our deep appreciation for the support provided by our wonderful homestay families and the GGHS student buddies. International friendships were forged, and the connection between our two schools was further strengthened. In 5 short weeks Koishikawa is hosting 20 GGHS Japanese language students for 6 nights in the term 3 school holidays. This is extremely exciting news and a credit to the wonderful leadership provided by our GGHS International Team headed up by Charlotte Franz.
Last week all students in Years 8, 9, 10 and 11 chose their subjects for 2025. This was a really important event, and we really appreciated the support from families who attended a pathway conversation. If your child is yet to select their subject via Web Preferences, please support them to do so as soon as possible. A big thank you to Simon Illingworth who led the school through this process.
This week we celebrate our ancillary staff, a team of nearly 60 wonderful people who are the glue that holds our school together and make everything run so smoothly. Perhaps there is an ancillary staff member who has made a positive difference in your child’s life, and you would like to say thanks. If this is the case, I encourage you to visit our website, scroll to the bottom on the home page, and click on the tile named “Thank a Staff Member” and tell us why that person deserves recognition for the great work they do every day.
Annual Parent Survey
The annual parent survey is underway and closes at midnight on Sunday 8 September. This survey aims to get your views on:
- what we’re doing well
- where we can improve
- what’s important to you as a parent/carer.
Your answers won't identify you or your child and only collated feedback is provided to our school. You should have already received a link to the survey via email or SMS. Reminder emails are currently being sent to you unless you have completed a survey or have unsubscribed.
Please take the time to complete the survey, this is valuable information for our school. If you cannot find the previously sent link, then please use this one:
https://survey.education.sa.gov.au/sc/tlXkYrEBMNs4SwJfqqzT0g2
Only a few more days of winter to endure and then we can all begin to enjoy the beautiful spring weather.
Peter Kuss
Principal
Meet GGHS Family
NAME - Position- Cherie Dawkins - Acting DC Leader
Education (school)- Kings Baptist Grammar
Education (tertiary) – Flinders University
Interest/Hobbies – Hiking, Music, Travel, Competitive board games (I am a sore loser) Visiting Wineries, and Shopping 😕
Favourite Drink – Oat Milk Latte
Favourite Book - I am more of a podcast gal
Favourite Movies – Anything Crime and any with Will Ferrel
Overseas Travel – Vietnam, Bali, Thailand
If I could go to dinner with anyone - Whitney Housten. Have always been a fan of her music and would love to have heard life from her perspective.
Proudest Accomplishment – My proudest accomplishment is successfully navigating life's challenges and having a beautiful family.
Middle School Snapshot
Term 3 has been a busy one. We started off welcoming home a group of 50 staff and students who spent a week in the alps of Falls Creek snowboarding and skiing, for the first time returning with no trips to the hospital.
Our sub school teams held their term 3 achievement assemblies, with each of the year levels presenting large number of academic awards, something everyone should be very proud of.
We had a visit from Koishikawa Japanese High School who came to experience life in an Australian school, while visiting many of the amazing things our city and the hills have to offer.
Our wellbeing engagement collection data (WEC) was released, with results trending in a positive direction. Highlighting the amazing work our school has been doing to support students’ wellbeing, our focus has been helping students to connect with their school and their teachers, this year’s results indicate this is working. There is still much work to do in this space, including supporting students to develop resilience, but the overwhelming indicators are that we are on the right track.
Week 4 was the national bullying no way campaign where students spent time in their Groves learning about ways to make school a more welcoming and kinder place to be. The week finished with a lunch time performance by ex-student Kim Miaco and a group of performers including one of the worlds strongest men.
Our next big event will be our Week 8 Wellbeing Week focussing on learning about our wellbeing and building connections. This week coincides with RU OK Day, a day where we encourage our staff and students to check in on each other and have open dialogue about mental health. On the Thursday of week 8 we will hold a casual clothes day raising money for new equipment that will help support student wellbeing and engagement.
Kim Miaco & World Strongest Men
Celebration Assemblies & Morning Tea
During our Years 7, 8 and 9 celebration assemblies held over the first few weeks of this term we acknowledged the academic results of our students in Semester 1. We also celebrated our young people who consistently showcase our school values of pride, respect, equality, integrity and resilience. Following the assemblies we hosted a Middle School Celebration Morning Tea to reward the exceptional performance of students who received a Commended Award for their outstanding GPAs. We loved seeing all the smiles and being able to share in some yummy pastries with such a great group of young people!
Middle School Review
This year sees our first Year 7s at GGHS graduate from the Middle School – what a milestone for us!
As such, we are in our initial stages of reviewing our current Middle School model.
As we continue this review, we would love your input if you haven’t had your say yet! Your honest and constructive feedback and ideas are the most important of them all! Our feedback survey has been re-opened for the next week to give you every opportunity to help us determine our next steps in refining our model for 2025 and beyond.
Kirsty Ujhelyi
Assistant Principal - Head of Middle School
Year 8 & Year 9 Consent Workshops
This term we invited the team from SMG, an organisation dedicated to educating and supporting young people, to run a seminar for all of our year 8 and 9 cohort on consent. Consent is a crucial aspect of respectful and healthy relationships, and this seminar was designed to help students develop skills to navigate shared decisions in a way that is consistently fair and respectful. Through stories, discussion, activities, and videos, students were encouraged to put in place some positive steps in their life. The seminar explored consent in two key areas: Image sharing/image-based abuse and the act of agreeing to engage in sexual activity with another person. Students were engaged and behaved impeccably for the one and a half our session.
Pawz A While
A new initiative at GGHS this term was the introduction of 5 black Labradors to some of our students who either are looking for a break from their intensive study or need some help regulating their emotions. The Pawz A While team come to our site every Tuesday afternoon and take the dogs through some training and grooming, as students learn how to manage a large intelligent dog, while developing personal and social skills.
Senior School Snapshot
Year 12 News
Term 3 is a busy one, it is where the Class of 2024 start making plans and consider their journey beyond GGHS. Most of this work is done during ID where we have had many presentations by different university spokespeople and information regarding applying to SATAC, if further education is the pathway.
We were lucky to take a large bus of students to the Flinders University Bedford Park where they spent the day exploring opportunities and looking at what university life could be like.
Last week we challenged the Year 7 cohort to a book week parade. The Year 12’s went all out, which may or may not have had something to do with the promised ham/cheese toasties to all those who participated and looked spectacular.
With less than 7 weeks of schooling left our students are digging deep and doing their best to maximise their chances of success for the end of the year.
Year 11 News
We celebrated a successful first semester with a pancake breakfast in the last week of Term 2. We continued these celebrations with an awards assembly in Week 3, and a morning tea for high-achieving students in Week 4.
Term 3 is often the busiest term of the year, and the Year 11s have certainly hit the ground running. Students have spent most of their Individual Development lessons completing their pathways planning and selecting their subjects for Year 12. It was great to chat with students and families during our Pathway Conversations event, and to see students had put so much time and effort into ensuring their Year 12 subjects align with their chosen career pathway.
Later in the term, students will have the opportunity to attend the RAA Street Smart High presentation at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre. Teachers and students who have attended in past years have described it as a ‘must-see’ for all young drivers. As this event is part of the Year 11 calendar, there will be no lessons on the day. There will be a road safety celebration in Term 4 for all students who attend the RAA presentation.
Year 10 News
Program ID
Program ID is an important part of the Year 10 curriculum and takes place on a Monday during lesson 3. Program ID is the platform where a lot of information goes out to students and so attendance to these lessons is just as important as any other lesson. As we fast approach subject selections for 2025, please support your child in attending Program ID and engaging in the various activities and information provided. The Term 3 program is supporting a range of things such as VET applications, pathway planning and information about specific subjects at Stage 1.
Weekly Grove Challenge – Term 2 Results
In Term 2 our students had some fun in Grove time by participating in a range of challenges that earnt points towards our weekly challenge ladder. Each week we did a different challenge to win points against other Grove’s. The final ladder for Term 2 can be seen below along with the most improved award. Congratulations to 1003 and Mr. Wood. Also well done to 1001 who rose from the ashes of Term 1 to finish 3rd.
Weekly Grove Challenge - Term 3 - UNO Championship
In Term 3 our students are playing UNO during Grove time and electing a class champion to go through and represent their class in the grand final in week 10. The winner will secure a pizza party for their Grove and the legendary status that goes with this.
Celebration Assembly – Term 2
On Friday of week 3 we held our termly celebration assembly for the Year 10 students. During this assembly we celebrated a number of things from Term 2 such as Academic achievement, Positive Behaviour records, 100% attendance, school sport and subject awards. In addition to this, we showcased student work from term 2 and got to look at some of the awesome things that have been happening in our classrooms. We finished with an Olympic quiz and some sugary treats to go with the correct answers.
Senior School Morning Tea
Any opportunity to celebrate the ‘good stuff’ is always welcomed at Golden Grove High School. On Friday of week 4 we hosted a high achievers morning tea for our senior school students. These students achieved a high GPA in their Semester 1 report and by doing so have shown a commitment to their learning and achievement at Golden Grove High School. We congratulate these students and look forward to more of the same in Semester 2.
Falls Creek Snow Trip
On Saturday night 44 very excited staff and students set off on the annual Golden Grove High School Snow Trip to Falls Creek. Having had a huge dump of snow in the past week, everything was looking great for a fantastic week with some awesome skiing and snowboarding conditions.
It was a wonderful trip had by all with some challenging weather conditions, but dedicated staff and students who wanted to make the most of it and get out on the slopes as much as they could!
The Snow Trip is popular with students every year, and from the stories that our teachers and students come back with, it is one opportunity you don't want to miss in 2025! Look out for information on next year's trip early next year.
Where's the GGHS Staff??
In this edition, some of our staff have been sneaky and hidden in our beautiful lawn area. Can you spot all the staff in the photo AND name them??
This one is tricky as some are very well hidden so you will need to ZOOOOOM in!
Send your answers through to Sarah West here and the closest will receive a gift voucher to a local business!
Faculty Focus
Year 10 History – Adelaide Holocaust Museum Incursion
Over the past few years Golden Grove High School and the Adelaide Holocaust Museum-Steiner Education Centre have enjoyed a flourishing partnership. It has become a staple part of our Year 10 History curriculum for students to undertake an excursion to the museum. Unfortunately, the museum is currently closed for extensive renovations, meaning the Semester 2 Year 10 classes were unable to go to the museum in person.
Instead, we welcomed Tamas Lorincz, the education coordinator from the museum to our school in Week 4. Our Year 10 students were treated to an immersive education experience from Tamas to further their learning and understanding of the Holocaust in Year 10 History.
In their sessions students chronicled ‘themes’ related to the Holocaust and worked in pairs to learn about the experience of Holocaust survivors who made Adelaide their homes after the Second World War. They were able to view some precious artefacts that have survived the horrors of the war. The students learned of some incredible stories, including the story of Eva, who was only a baby in the final months of World War II.
Year 10 students also had the opportunity to view an interview with Andrew Steiner, the founder of the Adelaide Holocaust Museum. Andrew’s message on the importance of embracing compassion, creativity and empathy in life is an important message after everything he experienced as a young person.
We look forward to continuing our relationship with the Adelaide Holocaust Museum in 2025, and we are very excited to take students to the renovated and expanded museum in the future.
Rhys Wood
On behalf of Ms. Carrigan, Ms. Harrison, Ms. Meyers, and Ms. Train
Humanities Teaching Team
Discovery Centre
We've had a busy and rewarding start to the term at the Discovery Centre, filled with engaging activities and valuable learning experiences for our students.
Our students participated in Bullying No Way Week, where staff tailored lessons to focus on understanding what bullying is and how to seek help. The level of engagement and understanding shown by our students was truly impressive, highlighting their growing awareness of this important issue.
In our Catering Program, students have been cooking up a storm each Wednesday, honing vital skills that will be invaluable as they transition from school to independent living. The progress they are making is not only in the kitchen but in their confidence and readiness for life beyond school.
Our Senior Students have begun linking up with Cosi Kids Childcare every fortnight for work experience. This partnership is a fantastic link with our community, providing our students with invaluable hands-on experience in a real-world setting.
We also had a fantastic time during Book Week, where the entire unit got into the spirit by dressing up as their favorite characters. Congratulations to our winners, Taj and Isabella, who each received a HOYTS movie voucher for their outstanding costumes.
As always, our dedicated teachers and SSO staff are doing an incredible job of equipping our students with tailored learning experiences that focus on post-school skills. Their commitment to supporting our students in becoming independent young adults is evident in the progress we see every day.
We look forward to continuing this positive momentum throughout the term!
Cherie Dawkins
Discovery Centre Leader
Book Week
School Life
Year 7/8 Book Cup 2024: Picture Book Making and Presenting
Book Cup is a long-standing traditional competition on our ONE+ Campus involving students from Pedare, Gleeson, and Golden Grove High School. This year’s Book Cup began in Week 2, with Year 7 and 8 students spending a whole day in a picture book making workshop in Thiele Library with guest author and illustrator Adam Cece. Students actively engaged in the workshop as Adam Cece worked through some of the ways in which he creates his books, and how to engage a younger audience. The teams spent the rest of the day working collaboratively in their teams creating their original picture books featuring this year’s Children’s Book Council Book Week theme ‘Reading is Magic.’
Following a 31-year tradition, the Book Cup teams met at Thiele Library after lunch on Friday of Book Week (23 August). They read their books aloud to other teams from our three schools and to special guests, including the Mayor of Tea Tree Gully, Mariyka Ryan, and Members of Parliament, Rhiannon Pearce and Olivia Savvas.
Our Golden Grove High School Book Cup representatives all worked very hard to create inspired and original picture books. This included a book about a magical chicken sandwich called “Chicken Magic” by Arianna, Amelia, Mia and Jordan; a book about a scout trying to earn a ‘blue berry patch’ by Jessayln, Teegan, Jorja and Kelly; and a book about a surprise cake by Ella, Hannah, Alexis and Joslin. Unfortunately, the teams from our school where not successful in being judged overall Book Cup winners for 2024, 1st prize went to a book called ‘Boot’ from a team from Pedare. However, congratulations to all of our wonderful Year 7 and 8 Book Cup participants, they should be proud for the way in they worked together and represented our Golden Grove High School.
Many thanks to our ONE+ Campus Director Zsahni Karagianis for organising the prizes and catering, our English Coordinator Rebecca Prout for her judging, Blair Boyer (Member for Wright and Minister for Education), Mayor Mariyka Ryan, Rhiannon Pearse and Olivia Pearse for donating prizes, Adam Cece for his inspirational workshop, the Book Cup families who helped with the book creations, and our Thiele Library staff.
We are already looking forward to next year’s Book Cup with the CBC Book Week 2025 theme “Book an Adventure” sure to inspire some great stories for picture books.
Adam Fitzgerald
Teacher Librarian
Sports
Year 9/10 Girls Futsal Team Finish as Statewide Runners-Up!
On Monday the 26th of September, Golden Grove High School had a team of female students participate in the Year 9/10 Girls Statewide Futsal Finals. The team achieved an incredible milestone by finishing second in the competition. This achievement is a testament to their dedication, teamwork, skill, and their outstanding performances.
After advancing from the first round played earlier this term, the competition was more fierce, with all schools bringing their best to the tournament. Our girls faced tough opponents in each round, showcasing their exceptional talent and determination. From the very first game, it was clear that this team had the potential to go all the way.
Throughout the tournament, the girls demonstrated remarkable sportsmanship and resilience. They played with heart, supporting each other on and off the court, and their hard work paid off as they advanced to the finals. In the final match, they put up a valiant fight, however, the girls fell narrowly short losing 5-4 in extra time to Glenunga International High School.
A huge congratulations to the Futsal Team for their achievement in the competition. A big thank you also goes to the team’s coaches for the day, Chloe (Year 12 Student) and Ms Pocock for supporting the team in being successful.
Well Done Girls!!
International Education
2024 has been a busy year for International Education. From Term 1-3 we have welcomed 25 students from many countries including Brazil, Japan, France, and Germany. These students have come to Australia for different periods of time, some for a short cultural awareness experience of 5 weeks and others staying a semester of full year to deeply develop their skills in English. At the same time, we have our graduate students who are from Vietnam and Thailand. At this time these students plan to study at Golden Grove High School until the end of Year 12 December 2025.
Study Tours
In 2023 we reinstated study tours with students and staff from 2 schools in Japan visiting Adelaide, attending Golden Grove High School, while staying with local families. In 2024 we have welcomed students and staff from schools in Japan, Chuo University Junior High School, and Koishikawa Secondary Education School. Chuo were with us from the 18th to 25th of March and Koishikawa from 5th to 16th of August.
During the tours, students stayed with our amazing homestay families, attending school each weekday, and experiencing everyday life in an Australian family. The groups enjoyed a special program designed to give them a deeper understanding of Australian life, culture and at the same time improve their English. This included excursions to our Central Market, Museum, Gorge Wildlife Park, and Hahndorf. The credit for this program goes to Elnora Schmocker who reviews and improves it each time we have a school visit from overseas. Elnora also runs the program while the school is here, teaching, and co-ordinating classes with other curriculum areas, ensuring the groups experience the range of subjects taught at an Australian school and much more.
Over the next few weeks, we say goodbye to some of our students even as we welcome new students at the start of Term 3. It is exciting to know that International Education is continuing to grow at Golden Grove High School after the hiatus of Covid. Currently, we are actively looking for more families to host our visiting students. Hosting provides a wonderful opportunity for your family, particularly your students, to deepen their understanding of a culture outside of Australia. Some families build relationships that last for many years as one of our staff can vouch for. We understand that it costs money to support another person especially currently with rising costs. To help with this an allowance of $48.57 per student is provided per night to help cover costs. This is usually paid 1-2 days before a student arrives. If you are interested and would like to know more about becoming a homestay family, please contact Charlotte Franz, the International Study Program leader at the school on 8282 6400.
Charlotte Franz
International Education Leader
Student Support Services Parent Forum Survey
Student Support Services at the Para Hills Education Office works with preschools and schools where there are children and young people who have particular educational support needs. To further support parents and families, we are planning a series of free, accessible parent forums to help inform and support parents and the local community on a range of topics including supporting children with a disability and complex behaviour.
To ensure we provide the most relevant and useful sessions we ask that you complete a short online survey by scanning the QR code below.
Thank you for taking the time to complete this short survey.
Old Scholars Reunion Evening
We invite the graduating years of 1994, 2004 and 2014 to join us on Saturday 21st September in the DRMC Hall for a walk down memory lane and light refreshments. Our Old Scholars team work hard behind the scenes to find memorabilia and stories from your school days and invite ex-staff to share in the evening with you. Why not find some old friends and RSVP to reserve your table!
School App - SZapp
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Your key to Golden Grove High School's world - Access Code: 8254