2024 wrapped up!

Term 4 is always a busy one and CMS students have continued to absolute kill it! In the classroom, on the road, in the water  ... everywhere they go! 

Hot off the back of our domination on the court at the interschool volleyball competition and absolutely lighting up the stage opening this year's Alice Can Dance with their captivating interpretation of 'anxiety', our students have again been doing themselves and CMS proud taking part in the Ethics Olympiad, celebrating their progress in FreshStart reading program and competing in the pool for our annual School Swimming Carnival ... amongst a whole bunch of other stuff.

Term 4 is equal parts hard work, reward and celebration. Let us show you how we've been enjoying it.

Swimming Carnival

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Standley Chasm

In Week 8 the year 7s and some of our year 9s headed out to Standley Chasm/Angkerle Atwatye for some learning on Western Aranda country. The crew represented CMS in style. Nathan Franks-Watts was our reporter on the ground:

Standley Chasm by Nathan

I thought Standley Chasm was a fun event, as we did some fun activities with our different groups, there were 2 groups and we each swapped over 2 activities, one was the walk, and one was the paintings. My first activity was the walk... we had lots of fun looking at different plants and learning some, we even learnt some Arrernte language along the way, this walk was an opportunity to learn about different things and talk with your friends, it was fun.

After our first activity we sat down and had some Kangaroo Tail, it was so delicious most of it was nice and crispy and I ate it down to the bone, we also had an opportunity to grab a snack and the bars was so good everyone was having 10ths and it all disappeared.

After our feed it was time for the swap over, our next activity was painting, before we got to the paint we learnt how Aboriginals paint and all the symbols on a painting, we were told we needed to create a story in our painting and make it interesting. After that we got to the painting, I thought we had paper to paint on but it was a boomerang, we were painting boomerangs. I was thinking of what to paint while everyone else was already started, so I started painting, I stared painting the background orange and I wanted this fade, so I grabbed the yellow and I accidently spilled the blue on to my boomerang and I thought maybe I can do something with this blue, and I learnt that when you paint and you accidently spill something else, include that paint...

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Clontarf

Clontarf continued to provide our young fellas with fun, fitness, support and guidance in Term 4. Whether it was early morning training sessions or visiting local businesses for insights into working life, Clontarf's work in supporting the fellas is greatly appreciated by everyone at CMS.

Stars

Stars held their End of Year Celebration on November 21st. Another stellar event arranged by Lara and Doreena and immaculately presented by Anthea and Jaxen provided the perfect evening of gathering families and the CMS community together to recognise the efforts and achievements of our young women.

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The Stars awards evening just capped off another year of our Stars team going above and beyond, day in day out, and the entire CMS family is immensely grateful for all the team does for our girls.

The year 9 girls in particular wanted to say thanks, and Anthea and Tanieshia have these words to add:

Stars Year 9

This year for year 9 Stars we had a lot of memories to remember. We recently stayed at BIG 4 for two days and one night, where we went swimming, go-karting and had a lot of exotic food! We enjoyed our stay and had a lot of fun.
We also did some work experience at KFC and McDonalds where we got the opportunity to see what it feels like to work in a fast-food restaurant.
During contact time we combined with Clontarf, which was very fun, and we played basketball, bubble soccer, after-school games and much more.

We hope that next year and in the future that the year 9s continue to get more opportunities for Stars.

-  Anthea and Tanieshia (Year 9)

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Year 9 Formal

On Tuesday evening, Centralian Middle School held the annual Year 9 Formal.

Throughout this past term, I collaborated closely with several Year 9 students to bring their vision for the night come to life. From the decorations to the food, cake, and music, the evening was truly a blast. It brought me so much joy to see all of you in your stunning outfits and to witness the smiles on your faces.

It has been a real pleasure and an honour to watch you all grow, thrive, and achieve great things this year. Thank you for your patience and support in this role. While I’m sad to see you all go, I’m excited for the journeys that lie ahead.

A special thank you to Lincoln Davies, Cooper Murphy, Tanieshia Payne, Anthea Tilmouth, and Nyagoah Thon for helping to create this memorable night with me.

Best of luck!

Honey Pearson
Executive Assistant

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CMS Presentation Night 2024

Presentation Night last week was such a joyful culmination of our school year for families, students and all those who could attend. Honouring the achievements of our students together as a community is always the highlight of our year. Thank you to all who came and who made the evening possible and, of course, thank you to all our young people for being the best they can be.

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School Holiday Program

Don't be bored this school holidays.

We've got The Gap, the Y, Brown St, the Library, the town pool and adventure park (free all holidays), 3 x 3 at Yipirinya, the skate park, the cinema, Central Craft, the Dust Bowl ... the list goes on.
Plus, roller skating and laser tag!

Check out the full program at Holiday Activities, Alice Springs | NT.GOV.AU or scan the QR code below.

Ready for 2025

Uniform Shop

Student Access (opposite the CMS Front Office) will be open for purchasing uniforms and stationery packs in the lead up to the beginning of Term 1. Opening hours are:

A reminder that CMS will have a new uniform in 2025 after students and School Council voted for a new design. The new polo shirt will be accompanied by a royal blue hoodie with the embroidered CMS logo and black shorts or trackpants. We have ordered stock in time for back to school and encourage all students to wear the new uniform next year.

In Term 1 we will accept either the old or the new uniform as families make the change over.

Back to School Vouchers

The government is again providing a $200 back to school payment which can be spent at the school to help with the purchases of uniform, stationery and swimming costs.

Vouchers expire end of Term 1

Please note, vouchers need to be used or allocated to cover future costs (e.g. swimming costs) before the end of Term 1. Any unused or unallocated funds at the end of Term 1 are forfeited. 

Term 1 commences

Students return to school for 2025 on Wednesday January 29th. Staff return one day prior on the 28th of January.

Parental Contribution

School Council has set the 2025 Parental Contribution amount at $100 per student. 

Netball in January/February

A few netball events to keep in mind over the summer. 

Central Region School of Sport Education will be hosting trials for our 15 Years & Under Girls Netball Team on 29 & 30 January 2025 from 4:30-5:30pm at the Pat Gallagher Netball Centre. This event occurs before school returns so anyone wishing to try out who hasn't already spoken to Ms France, can pick up a form to attend from the Uniform Shop or Front Office when they open on the 24th of January.

There will also be a mixed junior netball competition kicking off in February. Details below.

Free internet for eligible families

The School Student Broadband Initiative is a Federal Government voucher system that aims to make at-home internet connection affordable for all families with school-aged children. Eligible families can access free internet until the end of 2025.

Applications need to be made by 31 December 2024.

To apply:

1. Contact the National Referral Centre on 1800 954 610, from Monday to Friday 10am - 6pm (AEDT) or visit anglicarevic.org.au/student-internet.
2. Responding to questions that assess your eligibility.
3. Eligible families will be provided with a voucher they can use to connect to their chosen participating internet provider.
4. Connect before December 31st, 2024.

Facebook

Facebook - Keep up to date with all our news and updates

Head on over to ‘like’ our Facebook page to keep in touch with school news, highlights and achievements of our wonderful students. We encourage people to like and share our posts.

Please read the terms of engagement before posting comments.

Community Announcements

NT Sport voucher at the Y (students over 16 only)

Students over 16 can use their NT Sport vouchers to get a 2-month membership at Kilgariff YMCA. Scan below for details.

Hello, Werte!

Hello, Werte!

Welcome to Centralian Middle School’s last newsletter of the year.

As we approach the end of the 2024 school year, I would like to reflect on our journey and share some highlights of the past months.

For me, Term 1 was about overcoming challenges together through resilience and determination. We learnt about navigating through changes and adapting to new protocols. The new phone policy come to my mind. It was heartening to witness the steadfast commitment from our staff, students, and families, working together to build a safe school which challenges and support all students to be the best they can be emotionally and academically.

Terms 2 and 3 were filled with numerous achievements and milestones. Our students shone brightly in various academic and extracurricular fields, displaying their talents and dedication. We celebrated victories in sports, Ethics Olympiad, VET and science competitions, and many CMS students received accolades for their performance. It is a testament to their hard work and the supportive environment fostered by our wonderful staff, parents, and the wider community.

None of these successes would have been possible without the unwavering support of our families. Your involvement, whether through attending meetings, participating in events, or simply encouraging your children at home, plays a critical role in the wellbeing and success of our students. We are deeply grateful for your partnership and trust.

As we approach the end of the semester and 2024, our dedicated teachers are focused on finalizing assessments and preparing end-of-semester reports. These reports will provide a comprehensive overview of your child's progress, highlighting areas of strength and opportunities for growth. We encourage you to review these with your children and celebrate their achievements.

In closing, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to everyone in our school community for making this year a testament to resilience, collaboration, and achievement. We look forward to what 2025 will bring and are excited to continue our journey together, striving for even greater heights.

Wishing you all a restful and enjoyable holiday season.

Warm regards,

Wellington Pasi
Assistant Principal

Important dates

Around the school

Interschool Volleyball

Centralian Middle School students recently made us proud at the annual Interschool Volleyball Carnival, showcasing incredible skills, dedication, and teamwork! Our teams practiced hard, making the most of recess and lunch breaks to refine their serves, strategize plays, and build team spirit.

Their hard work paid off in a big way, as CMS claimed both 1st and 2nd place! The rest of our teams also shone, with all placing in the top six out of 14 teams competing. Their positive attitudes, excellent teamwork, and smart planning set them apart on the court. Congratulations to our students for showing what dedication can achieve. Their success is a testament to their commitment and sportsmanship—well done!

Year 9 VET

Last week saw year 9s wrapping up their final VET program for the year. Students had a great time gaining valuable hands (and feet) on experience at CDU.

"The best bit was learning new skills, like how to do lashes." — Kaitlyn

Year 7 at work

Year 7 have been using some sweet treats to help them improve the odds of success with Probability being the focus of maths classes early in Term 4!

Lunchtime activities a hit

We're glad to see students have really taken to the range of supervised lunchtime activities we have on offer each day and love seeing our young people getting involved or sharing in some friendly competitive spirit.

Teaching in the Territory Awards 2024

CMS is thrilled to congratulate year 9 teacher Brad Gill whose dedication to his students and passion for teaching was recognised by being named the NT Central Region Secondary Educator of the Year at this year's recent Teaching in the Territory Excellence Awards.

Congratulations also to Julia Pearson (Support Person of the Year) and Kenneth Braun (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Educator of the Year) for being named finalists.

Proposed Sports Development

You may have recently seen in the Centralian Today that the NT government “will pay for a new $15 million multi-sports precinct at Centralian Middle School." School Council is keen to meet with government representatives about how this can be a win-win for CMS during school hours and the community after hours. We will keep you posted as more information comes to hand.

After School Program Term 4

Coming up

Alice Can Dance — Tonight!

Final rehearsals are well under way for tonight's dance spectacular. Yesterday the dance crew headed over to Araluen Arts Centre to have their first run through on the big stage and are looking forward to bringing this year's theme — A World of Emotions — to life for those lucky enough to secure tickets for tonight's sold-out performances. 

We asked some of the dancers how they were feeling after coming off the rehearsal stage today:

"I'm looking forward to people watching us and standing on the stage dancing." — Usaia

"The moves are really dramatic and I love how the lights are. It's anxious!" — Nathan

"Exhilarating! — Julian

Kinda nervous, kinda really exciting." — Rachel

We can't wait to see our young people lighting up the stage!

2024 CMS Presentation Night

We look forward to coming together with our CMS community to celebrate the successes of our students in 2024 at our annual presentation night. Please join us on the 5th of December in the school hall. Supper, exhibitions and performance kick off the evening at 5:30 with the main event following at 6:30.

Stars & Clontarf

Stars

The Stars team have been putting in the hard yards as always, continuing to provide our girls with memorable CMS moments. Please join them to celebrate student success at their end of year celebration next week.

Clontarf

The Alice Springs academies came together at CMS last Wednesday to celebrate the achievements of our young fellas. A big congratulations to all our fellas on another successful year and especially to the Jarred, Tarynt, Joseph, Cyrus, Jakyle, Noah, Ziggy and Davern who each took home an award.

Facebook

Facebook - Keep up to date with all our news and updates

Head on over to ‘like’ our Facebook page to keep in touch with school news, highlights and achievements of our wonderful students. We encourage people to like and share our posts.

Please read the terms of engagement before posting comments.

Community Announcements

NT Sport voucher at the Y (students over 16 only)

Students over 16 can use their NT Sport vouchers to get a 2-month membership at Kilgariff YMCA. Scan below for details.

Hello, Werte!

What an exciting past two weeks at CMS! Despite the weather warming up, there is a positive energy in the air as students immerse themselves in their learning and extra-curricular activities.

This term we have seen a record number of students receive ‘Merit Awards’ for consistently demonstrating the CMS values of Respect, Responsibility and Fairness. There are plenty of exciting rewards up for grabs over the next few weeks, and we are excited to see as many students as possible celebrating their merit card achievements with Ms. McCarthy at the Gillen Club in week 10.

As our amazing year 9 students prepare to make the leap over to Centralian Senior College, we are excited to begin the process of selecting School Captains and Vice-Captains for 2025. There is no shortage of leadership potential in our year 8 cohort, and we are excited to see them vie for leadership positions. The position of School Captain comes with great honour and responsibility. They are ambassadors for the school and demonstrate an exceptional attendance and behaviour record; show commitment to the school through academic and cultural involvement; demonstrate leadership capacity and have a vision for their position at CMS.

Last week Clontarf celebrated their annual Awards Night alongside Yirara College and Centralian Senior College. It was great to see our families and school community come together to celebrate the achievements of our young men over the course of 2024. A special mention goes to the following students who won awards on the night;

• Attendance Award – Jarred Ryan
• Most Determined – Tarynt Stubbs
• Leadership Award– Joseph Brown
• Principals Award– Cyrus Maher
• Community Award – Jakyle Kelly
• Employment Award– Noah Wilson
• Clontarf Junior Spirit Award– Ziggy Tiltsen-Collins
• Clontarf Senior Spirit Award – Davern Norman

Stars have been busy supporting our CMS girls this term both inside and outside of the classroom. Last week they held a sleepover for year 8 girls, rewarding them for their attendance and behaviour in term 4. The camp involved a range of fun activities and team building opportunities. The girls had an amazing time and came back to school on cloud 9.

Despite the year drawing to a close, our lunchtime activities continue to ramp up. Multi-sports held in the hall on Friday continues to draw a crowd, providing an opportunity for students to learn new skills and compete hard against their peers. Next Wednesday students will have the opportunity to participate in a basketball competition facilitated by Mr. Haack. We have some special basketball talent amongst our students, and we are excited to see them in action!

Can I take this opportunity to remind parents and carers that CMS has a healthy food policy and does not allow students to bring junk food into school or into the classroom. This includes soft drinks and energy drinks. I would like to thank our parents and carers for their support in ensuring students are wearing correct uniform and enclosed footwear. This is important from both a safety perspective and to ensure students are representing CMS with pride.

Thanks,

Dan Lewinski
Associate Principal

New Uniform in 2025!

CMS students will have a new uniform in 2025 after students and School Council voted for a new design. The new polo is royal blue and features artwork by a local artist. This will be accompanied by a royal blue hoodie with the embroidered CMS logo and black shorts or trackpants. We have ordered stock in time for back to school and encourage all students to wear the new uniform next year. However, in Term 1 we will accept either the old or the new uniform as families make the change over.

Free internet for eligible families

The School Student Broadband Initiative is a Federal Government voucher system that aims to make at-home internet connection affordable for all families with school-aged children. Eligible families can access free internet until the end of 2025.

Applications need to be made by 31 December 2024.

To apply:

1. Contact the National Referral Centre on 1800 954 610, from Monday to Friday 10am - 6pm (AEDT) or visit anglicarevic.org.au/student-internet.
2. Responding to questions that assess your eligibility.
3. Eligible families will be provided with a voucher they can use to connect to their chosen participating internet provider.
4. Connect before December 31st, 2024.

Important dates

After School Program Term 4

Halloween in Town

Get into the spirit 👻 early as the town council kicks off Halloween tonight. Head to the town library at 3pm for some spooky stories or straight to the mall starting at 4pm for the Halloween Pop Up Party.