22 June 2018

Newsletter Articles

Important dates

18 to 22nd June – Year 9 VET
20th to 22nd June – Year 8 Camp
26th to 29th June – Year 9 Camp to Uluru/Kata Tjuta and Kings Canyon
23rd June to 2nd July – Clontarf Camp to Adelaide

From the Principal

Dear families

Inconceivably Term 2 is drawing to a close with the last day of term being next Friday (29th June). It is only a three week break this year – this break has been shortened with the missing week added to the October break which is now two weeks long. School returns for students on Tuesday 24th July and it is essential that every single student returns on this day as this is when learning starts.

There has been a lot of hard work and learning going on at CMS over the last two terms. Students have grown in their learning and should be proud of their achievements. We are sending home reports next week which will summarise your young person’s achievements over Semester 1. On the afternoon/evening of Wednesday 1st August (Week 2 of next term) we will be holding learning conferences which are opportunities for the student to meet with their parent/guardian and school staff to review their achievement and refine goals for Semester 2. The basis of this conversation will be their Semester 1 report and their learning plan. Please mark this date in your diary because it is important that you attend with your young person.

It has been a very busy few weeks with camps and events. Our Year 7 students went out on camp to Glen Helen two weeks ago and our Year 8 students are currently on camp at Ross River. We also have a group of students who have just returned from Japan. Next week our Year 9s go on camp to Uluru, Kata Tjuta and Watarrka and Clontarf are taking a group to Adelaide. On top of camps our Year 7 team went on a Geography excursion to the Telegraph Station, we have held our Athletics Day (Go Fire! – see below), taken students to Interschool Athletics (where we won the U14 category) and taken students to the Robocup (where we won a number of categories). We are very fortunate to be able to offer our young people such diverse opportunities.

Recently nominations closed for the Teaching in the Territory Excellence Awards. I am proud to announce that we have a very large number of staff nominated and I want to thank the students, parents and staff who took the time to nominate one of our staff members and acknowledging the hard work and excellence that they bring to their work. There are different categories for these awards, and I list our nominees below.

Aboriginal Educator:

• Kate Axten
• Jamahl Hayes
• Kiah Smith

Support Staff:

• Denise Casey
• Tom Clements
• Luis Nankivell
• Julia Pearson
• Tayla Seymour
• Kirsten Wilson

Secondary Teacher:

• Bonnie Chapman
• Wellington Pasi
• Carly Phillips
• Elle Rasmussen
• Jack Talbot

Leadership:

• Cassie O’Bree

Please join me in congratulating these staff. The awards will be announced on World Teachers Day in October and we will certainly let you know if any of our staff are recognised on this day.

We are sadly farewelling a few staff at the end of this term. Ms Chapman will be commencing maternity leave, Ms Rasmussen is relocating to Tasmania and Mr Quin is finishing up so that he has more time to focus on his health. JP Glavimans is also leaving to take up work as a Youth Worker in Finke. We thank these staff for their contributions to the school and wish them all of the best for their next endeavours.

The semester has been long and we have noticed, especially over the last couple of weeks, that many of our students are tired and a bit worn down. The break is an important time to rest and recharge so that students are ready to bounce back in to learning at the beginning of Term 3. We hope your young person enjoys their break and, if you have the opportunity, that you enjoy the time you have together. There are many great things happening for young people over the school holiday break and you will find at the end of this newsletter a school holiday guide and information from a number of organisations around town.

Finally, thanks for your support over the first half of the year. We know that when school and families work together we unlock the best outcome for our young people.

Warm regards,
Paul van Holsteyn
Principal

Mr Paul Van Holsteyn

School Updates

Athletics Carnival & Interschool Athletics

Friday of week 7 CMS had the Athletics Carnival day where vast athletic magic and finesse was on display on top of beautiful comradery and sportsmanship that our students displayed. The day ran incredibly smoothly thanks to the amazing efforts of all of our staff and the great involvement and willingness of our students to assist wherever possible. It was a jam packed day with competition reaching further than the track and field but also into the chants and colours of the four houses Earth, Fire, Water and Air. Results flooded in and numbers were added up to determine our winning House from the Carnival day and our age champions. The house Captains did an amazing job of injecting energy and passion into their respective houses, Fire being the overall reigning champions of 2018 very closely followed by Earth, Air and water respectively. Our Age champions were more than athletically capable, they were dedicated and determined individuals who exhausted themselves and pushed through physical and mental barriers to perform their best on the day. Massive congratulations to the following students for earning Age champions and runners up:

Finally, I would also like to extend a congratulations to all students who earnt a place and competed at the Interschool Athletics Carnival Friday Week 8. These students were fierce and eager competitors earning incredible results individually and collectively. They represented CMS with such pride and competed with an immense determination that it was no surprise the student’s efforts and ability resulted in the wonderful achievement of our U14 competitors winning the U14 School Champions shield! It was also fantastic to see the support of families on the day watching and willing on our talented athletes. The day would not have been successful without the support of our wonderful Bonnie Chapman and the dedication of our students, so a heartfelt thank-you to all who participated and supported this fantastic opportunity.

HPE Team

Year 9 VET

This week our year 9 students have been taking part in their chosen VET courses. It’s always an exciting time and gives the students an insight into a number of career paths. Below are some photos taken during the week.

Classes 7.5 and 7.6 Poetry

The students in 7.5 and 7.6 have been creating some excellent poetry and would like to share their work.

Silent rock

by Izzy Ross, 7.5

I am a small sharp rock
I was found hidden in the wet green, fresh, grass
Strong like a huge mountain fighting against the wind.
I sit, sit, sit being silent all day
I smell like dirt and dust
I am a bright shimmery orange,
Bright as a camp fire
I am a stone, letting ants walk over me while I stay quiet all day.

The Wand

by Lachlan Symons, 7.5

I was a lonely wand on the ground.
Found alone and cold in the only patch without grass.
I can power your imagination and free your mind from an endless curse.
Magical like the reason it’s there.
I flew, flew and flew from the heavens above.
I smell like magical sweet stick dates with a topping of tree sap
My colors are a magical maroon, black, yellow with desert dust magic
I am a powerful wand looking for a deserving owner.
I am a wand sent from the bright heavens above.

The Weed

by Caleb Gill, 7.5

I was a weed in the ground
I got found in the ground where I sit and wait
The tree next to me felt like a big brother
I felt like, I felt like, I felt like someone dying
And dying each second I’m out of the soil
I smell like a fresh peace of grass
I am yellow and green
I’m a spider’s legs and a praying mantis’ body

The Rock

by Arama Bishop, 7.6

I was a silent rock
Found in the depths of hell
Hurt from being thrown around like a baseball in a baseball game
I flew and flew and flew in the air until I landed and I waited to be thrown again
I smell sandy and old
I am pale brown and stained with dirt
I am a dirt road out bush heading towards the horizon

THE ROCK

by Harry Rathman, 7.6

I am a shiny rock
Found on the ground
I was on a table with students around me acting like clowns
I am so still, still, still
I smell like stale plain chips
I am creamy and shiny
I am a silver screw, because I am so bright and hard

Dead Branch

by Honey Pearson, 7.6

I am a dead branch
Found in the mud outside
Alone, like a child without a home
I am a long, long, long way away from my family
And was getting colder by the second
I smell like a koala’s tree
I am a dead branch, with blood red veins and an old brown stem
I am a sad, old, dead branch waiting for another adventure

Fatal Flower

by Lucy Brown

I was a flower,
Found in the short grass.
Shining bright like the sun in the morning, I hate, hate, hate the breeze,
And here it comes faster and faster.
I now smell damp and toxic.
I was yellow and green but now I’m fading.
I am weak, I am lost, I am the walking dead.

Language Centre - Japan Study Tour 2018

During weeks 8 and 9 of this term, students studying Japanese at Centralian Senior College and Centralian Middle School had the opportunity to participate in an overseas educational study tour to Japan. The group of 11 students travelled to Tokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima and Kyoto. Students were encouraged to put their language skills to the test for everyday activities such as purchasing subway tickets, ordering meals and navigating the cities of Japan. It was great to see the students actively using their Japanese language skills.

The highlight of the study tour was the visits made to three schools, Kaetsu High School, Tsukinoki High School and Osaka Mino Jiyu Gakuen. At all schools, students were given the chance to socialise with their Japanese peers whilst enjoying activities such a traditional tea ceremony, singing, brass band performance, cheerleading and attending English classes; where the students practiced their Japanese and helped Japanese students with their English.

Whilst visiting Osaka Mino Jiyu Gakuen, students experienced home stays with Japanese families. For most students this was the highlight of the trip. Friendships were formed and Japanese families were overwhelmed that Australian students wanted to get to know them and learn their language.

Spending time at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park & Museum was an eye opener for our students. The experience was powerful and extremely moving.

Students also spent time at many shrines, temples and Zen gardens, allowing student’s time to meditate and reflect on their experiences while overseas whilst also learning about different religions and spiritual practices.

Overall the trip was a huge success and enormously valuable for language students to practice their language skills and to immerse themselves into the culture of Japan.

Events

School Holiday Calendar

Please find a copy of the Alice Springs school holiday calendar listing upcoming events in the link below.

Pop-up Discovery Trail

Activity: Pop Up Discovery Trail at the Alice Springs Telegraph Station
When: July school holidays from Saturday 30 June – Sunday 22 July, 2018
Who: self-guided school aged students with family supervision
How: Collect and drop off your laminated map from the A-Frame board near the Trail Station Café during daylight hours

Alice Springs Show

Desert Park

Red Centre Bird Festival

Margo from Friends of the Desert Park will be collecting your completed bird artwork on calico material in Week 9 – commencing Monday 18 June ready for display at the Red Centre Bird Festival from 19-23 September 2018.

Our Culture, Our Country

This year the Desert Park is excited to announce NAIDOC celebrations will be a month long of activities. Attached is our program and would love it if you are able to circulate to your networks.

Desert Explorer Program

Bookings are now open for the popular Desert Explorer Program to be held 16, 17 and 18 July. Inclusion in your newsletter would be appreciated. Booking forms can be found below.

Polly Farmer – Follow the Dream

Follow the Dream has had a very productive term, culminating with our annual Compact Signing event at the Mercure on 7th June. Students were supported at the evening event by their families and carers, representatives from Centralian Middle School and Centralian Senior College, and members of the Graham Polly Farmer Foundation.

Special guest, Ken Lechleitner, community leader, advocate, author and university graduate gave the key note address at the event and spoke about value of education for Aboriginal students. Ken’s main message was: "know who is going to be your road block in this learning journey." He discussed the value of being prepared and having strategies to combat any obstacle that impedes the attainment of a goal.

The ‘Compact Signing’ event is an important milestone in students’ educational journey. When students enrol on Follow The Dream, they make a formal commitment to the program and their education by signing a contract, known as the ‘Compact’, which is also signed by all of the Program Partners. This process is a formal acknowledgement of everyone’s role, responsibility and accountability in ensuring that the students have the encouragement and support to succeed at school and pursue their ambitions. Follow The Dream has been supporting Aboriginal students in Alice Springs for over ten years.

In the first week of term 3, selected students from both CMS and Centralian Senior College will fly to Cairns for a week of educational, cultural, career and leadership experience. Students have been selected based on their commitment to their studies both in class and at Polly Farmer; and school/Polly Farmer attendance. We will be visiting the Daintree rainforest, James Cook University, the Reef and Rainforest Research Centre, Green Island and Kuranda on the Skyrail.

Each year students receive the opportunity to travel interstate for a unique experience that is not available in Alice Springs. If you’ve just signed up, you have the chance from now to work towards another Interstate excursion in 2019.

Polly Farmer will resume at CMS in Week 2 of term 3. For those who would like to apply: forms are also available at Reception, your year group teachers and Virginia in the Polly Farmer room- and can be handed back to any of these people. I look forward to seeing you soon!

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