6 December 2022

Newsletter Articles

Important dates

Tuesday 6 December 5.30 to 7.30 – CMS Presentation Night – CMS Gym
Thursday 8 December to Friday 9 December – Clontarf Camp for Year 8 & 9
Monday 12 December – Colour Splash
Thursday 15 December – Last day of school for 2022
School open for uniform sales – Monday 23, Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 January 2023 (School will be closed 26,27 January)
Tuesday 31 January 2023 – First day back of school for 2023

From the Acting Principal

Werte,

I am so grateful to the students, families, and staff here at Centralian Middle School for a thoroughly enjoyable year packed with learning in many ways. I was fortunate enough to take on the Acting Principal role for Semester 2 and feel privileged to have done so.

2022 was a challenging year for us all, with COVID-19 taking over our lives for a significant portion of the year. All members of our school community came together to get us through this challenging time. Some of those little things we had always taken for granted, such as spending time with our family and friends, watching crowds cheer on our teams, or being able to go into the shopping centre mask-free, became out of reach, and this impacted us all. I can speak for most when I say we are glad those times are behind us.

I want to thank our families for their ongoing support of CMS. Staff at CMS genuinely value the knowledge, understanding and support our families bring to school, and in 2023 it would be great to have more families involved in the decisions made about our young people and their learning. Please consider joining the school council, meeting with our teachers or a leadership team member and sharing your thoughts and ideas about what could make CMS even better as we move forward together.

To our partners, including members of the School Council, Stars Foundation, Clontarf Academy, Polly Farmer, the Northern Territory Music School, the Alice Springs Language Centre, Charles Darwin University, Centralian Senior School, all our primary school partners, NT Police and the Department of Health, thank you all for the fantastic support and opportunities you provide our students.

To our students, I hope you look over this year in the future with fond memories of the friendships forged and the excellent support you received here at CMS. You have had some outstanding teachers who have supported you through this middle school journey and into your senior years, beyond school and into our community, and ultimately into the workforce. Our goal at CMS is always to help support our families to grow their young people into productive and respectful members of the Alice Springs community who will be our teachers and leaders of the future.

To our Year 9’s who leave us now and head to the next phase of their learning at Centralian Senior School or elsewhere, we wish you all the very best. We ask that you continue the challenge and be the very best version of yourself. You will always be welcome here at CMS and hold a place in our hearts. We would love to hear how you are going, especially regarding your goals and aspirations for next year and beyond. We will miss you.

Finally, to all our staff here at CMS. Amazing! I feel so proud to come and work with this incredible group of people every day. In all my years of working in education, I have yet to meet such a dedicated, caring and knowledgeable staff. You are exceptional; our students and their families know this. Your impact has been tremendous, and you have helped shape these wonderful young people's lives.

Thank you, CMS. What an adventure every day is. We are all in this together.

Simon Rowlands
Acting Principal

School news and updates

2022 CMS Presentation Night

Don’t forget that CMS presentation Night is tonight! Come and join us celebrate our student’s achievements for this school year. Join us from 5:30pm in the CMS Gymnasium.

Year 7

Japanese Class

In Japanese year 7 students have learned subject names and how to create a school calendar, below are a few examples of some of their achievements.

They have learned 七五三, a celebration in Japan for children. There is a long candy inside of the long paper bag (Y7 student’s made the bag) and students wrote “One thousand years candy” in Japanese on the bag. The event wishes all children’s long life and safe, and parents wishes our children’s wellbeing and growth. On that special day, children and parents wear “kimono” in Japan so we made “kimono” using origami.

They also cooked authentic Japanese food such has “Cold Udon noodle” called “Hiyashi Udon” in Japanese they learned about the importance of having a balanced diet and eat colourful vegetables every day.

Tennis Alice Springs

Alex from Tennis Alice Springs gave a few lessons to our Year 7s this term. A few future Ash Barty’s and Nick Kyrgious’s in our midst? We hope so!

Year 8

Roscon de Reyes – Spanish King’s Cake

In Spanish Class, year 7, 8 and 9 students got to make Roscon de Reyes, a crown-shaped Kings’ cakes that fill the windows of pastry shops every winter in Spain.

Japanese Class

Japanese students have had the chance to wear Yukata (Summer kimono) and Happi (Festival jacket). Girls were wearing Yukata and boys and girls were wearing Happi on the day.

In the week following, students wrote a letter about self-introduction in Japanese, they wrote their name, age, year grade, residence, and their favorite food. Please read this text start from on the right on the corner, top to bottom, reading goes to right to left... Our year 8’s also got the opportunity to enjoy some traditional Japanese udon noodles dish! learning about another culture does not get any better than this!

Year 9

Science

In science, year 9 students individually or in team created an instrument that can make 3 different frequencies

After mixing the primary light colours of blue, green and red. Year 9 students got to see the “parts” in real life.

Finally, our students got to dissect a cow’s eye and took a closer look!

Food Technology

In week 7, year 9 students made Focaccia bread today in Food Technology. Once the bread was made, they turned it into a canvas and created art works with various food ingredients for Focaccia Art Bread.

They also participated in a MasterChef Challenge. Students had two hours to produce a main meal and dessert in a Cob Loaf.

Design & Technology

Year 9 Design & Tech student Sephira Brenton has been bossing the wood burner to create this unique and incredible ukulele. I think she may have discovered one of her many talents! Well done Saphira!

VET Conservation & Land Management

In Vet CAEM, students have been training to respond to a chemical spill and safe manual handling. They learned about chemical storage, measuring and cleaning personal protective equipment. And because we can, we took our students to Olive Pink for their theory lesson!

Stars Foundation

As the year ends, we’ve made the most of every moment! We had our Year 9 Sleepover to farewell our class of 2022 that started off with an amazing race with clues and challenges scattered across the Alice CBD. The next day started with a relaxing breakfast at Tali restaurant and a quick walk at both Emily and Jessie’s Gap before bubble soccer at the YMCA. The day ended with a screening of Wakanda Forever.

Our Year 8s participated in an Aussie Rules clinic facilitated by David Thomas from AFL Central Australia and are now designing potential Year 9 shirts for their year as 2023 seniors. Our Year 7 Stars girls have taken the drills and skills used in their sessions with David and have practiced them in Contact Time, and we’re proud to see them practicing teamwork and inclusiveness whilst doing so!

Last week we were lucky to have Lateesha Jeffrey and Jaylene Chevalier of Lateral Empowerment, deliver a workshop with a group of our students about lateral violence and educated the group on the effects it can have on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, how to identify it and also how to respond in healthy and safe ways.

We would like to say a big thank you to all our students, families and school staff that attended our Stars Celebration Night in Week 6!

We would like to congratulate the following student’s on their achievements:

2022 Star of the Year – Bella Foster
2022 Rising Star – Tanieshia Payne
2022 Highest Attender Award – Katherine-Jade Summerfield
Top Trainer Award – Katherine-Jade Summerfield
Pride Recipient – Hadassah Sandy
Honesty Recipient – Tarnia Palmer
Respect Recipient – Jaxen Sumner
Commitment Recipient – Astra Derrington
Year 7 Highest Attender – Anthea Tilmouth
Year 8 Highest Attender – Maya Marriott

LASTLY – Stars will be holding another 10 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS! Every day till the last day of term we will have a clue up in the Stars room, so don’t miss out!

Clontarf Corner

The boys have been busy this Term getting stuck into all our activities, training, camps, and events.

This Term the Year 9 boys were tourists in their own town packing their swags and heading out to Discovery Parks after a few changes of plan. Ely won the Clontarf Spirit for the whole through always willing to lend a hand. Overall it was another successful camp and a great send off for the boys as they head off into senior school next year!

The boys have continued to be up bright and early every Tuesday and Friday for our morning training. They have been bringing great energy and we’ve had a lot of fun even for a session at the pool with our brothers at CSC. We've were lucky to be joined by Dave Thomas from AFL NT again to run AFL 9’s which the lads loved. The boys were also able to put their skills to the test again against our friends at the Yirara Academy in a great game in the sun.

A few lucky fellas went across the road Gillen Club for an Employment Celebration Lunch. This was to celebrate all the fellas who’ve been able to find work – an amazing achievement for lads so young.

Finally, a big shout out the lads who are heading off to senior schooling next year. Well done on all your efforts getting through middle school and we wish you all the best for the future!

For more about the programme check out our Clontarf Corner newsletter:

Community Announcements

Desert Sports Foundation Monster Xmas Raffle

When: Dec 8th, 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Where: Auditorium Gillen Club, Milner Road Gillen

Desert Sports Foundation's 3rd Monster Xmas Raffle Fundraiser. Support us and local businesses who support our children attending sports events outside Alice Springs. Tickets will go on sale earlier on the day. You must be present to claim your prize.

Council’s Christmas Carnival & Night Markets

When: Friday 9th Dec 5:00pm – 9:00pm
Where: Todd Mall, Todd Street, Council Lawns

Todd Street and the Council Lawns come alive with entertainment and activities into the evening. Peruse the abundant markets stalls offering an assortment of delight just in time for that ultimate Christmas bargain. Enjoy the feast of delectable global fare while meandering through the iconic Todd Mall to discover some of Alice’s talented performers.

Carols by Candlelight 2022

When: Sunday 11 December
Where: Traeger Park

Alice Springs comes alive as the town gathers to celebrate Christmas at Carols by Candlelight 2022! This community event will be held at Traeger Park Oval with gates opening at 5.30pm and the program commencing at 7pm.

Alice Polynesian Night 2022 Fundraiser

When: Friday 16 December
Where: The Marian Centre, 95 Sadadeen Rd

Māori and Pacific Performing Arts Show Bring your family to experience the BREATHTAKING Māori & Pacific Cultural Performing Arts Show in ALICE SPRINGS! The FIRST show of its kind in Alice! A delicious Hangi Kai and drink is included in every Adult/Child ticket.

Wet Wednesday @ the Pool

When: Wednesday 21 December, 2:00pm - 6:00pm
Where: Town Swimming Pool

Fun for everyone with: Free entry — Inflatables — Free BBQ — Giant games — Music!

Fab Friday @ the Pool!

When: Jan 6th 2023, 2:00pm - 6:00pm
Where: Town Swimming Pool

Join us for a fabulous & COOL Friday at the pool!

New Years Eve Splash Party

When: Dec 31st 2022, 5:30pm - 9:30pm
Where: Town Swimming Pool

Join us for a spectacular and COOL New Years Eve Splash Party at the pool!

Fun for everyone with: Free entry — Free BBQ — Giant games & Inflatables — Music!

Summer School Holidays @ Your library - The Adventure Awaits!

The theme for the Holidays is ‘Adventure Awaits’ and we know many adventures await!! Have a look for exciting program this summer!

Get Physical School Free Holiday Squash Program

Get Physical once again is running a Free School Holiday Squash Program Sponsored by the NT Government. It is a great opportunity for children to learn a great healthy, fun sport, become more engaged with the local alice springs sports and fitness community.

Abstudy For School Leavers

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students who are recent school leavers and their parents can continue getting ABSTUDY if they go on to higher education study or an apprenticeship.

For more information Click the link below to watch this short video You can also find out more here transition to higher education or an apprenticeship

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