Filter Content
This week marks the end of Semester 1, and while this semester has presented a range of challenges, the continued persistence, flexibility and support demonstrated by our school community has been both impressive and valued.
The start of the new semester, with new subjects and topics, presents us all with a fresh start and a chance to reset our goals for the rest of the year. JPSS students are supported to set clear learning goals as well as identify strategies that gives them the best chance of success.
One factor that underpins success in any learning goal is regular school attendance. In most cases, strong attendance correlates with academic success, and poor attendance correlates with academic struggles.
Regular attendance maximises life opportunities for young people by providing them with education and support networks. This helps them to develop important skills, knowledge and values which set them up for further learning and participation in their community.
Conversely, poor attendance is a strong indicator of lower levels of achievement in learning tasks, and also highlights the potential for problematic social skills and difficulty in forming and maintaining relationships. Research has shown that not completing school is a strong predictor of negative economic, physical, and mental health outcomes in adulthood and involvement with the criminal justice system.
We understand and reiterate the need for students to stay home if unwell, and this is particularly important given the current circumstances. When this is the case, please contact your child’s Care Group teacher or Student Services to provide a reason for their absence. However, when well, students need to attend as each day of school missed makes a difference, with the effect on learning accumulating over time.
Our teaching and support staff are absolutely committed to supporting each student to attend regularly. Should you need any support, please contact your child’s Care Group teacher as the first point of contact.
Well done to those students who have attended regularly during Semester 1. For others, there is no better time than the start of the new semester next week.
Staffing Update
We welcome Lisa Mathews (Maths/Science/Psychology) and Trish Dowling (Maths/Science/Technologies) to JPSS from the start of Week 9. Lisa and Trish replace Ben Pendry and Afzal Rana, who have been with us as Permanent Relieving Teachers. We thank Ben and Afzal for their contribution to the school during Semester 1.
| June 24 | Semester 1 Ends |
| June 27 | Semester 2 Commences |
| July 1 | STEM Girls Creative Challenge |
| July 5-7 | Year 12 Camp |
| July 6 | Kids on Country Induction Day |
| July 6 | Year 8 PBL Presentation |
| July 7 | Semester 1 Reports Available 3.15pm to 3.30pm |
| July 8 | End of Term 2 Early Dismissal 2.15pm |
| July 25 | Term 3 Commences |
| August 3 - 10 | Operation Flinders |
| August 10 - 12 | Stage 2 Outdoor Ed Bushwalking Camp |
| August 11 | Year 10 Immunisation |
| August 17 - 19 | Stage 1 Outdoor Ed Bushwalking Camp |
| August 22 - 26 | Year 10 SAASTA |
| August 29 | Student Free Day |
| September 1 | Year 9 - 10 Fast 5 Netball (mixed) |
| September 2 | Outdoor Ed Navigation Day |
| September 6 | Year 9 Outdoor Ed Day Walk |
| September 8 - 9 | Year 10 Outdoor Ed Camp |
| September 14 - 16 | Soccer Academy Camp |
| September 15 | Year 8 Immunisation |
| September 19 - 23 | Kids on Country Camp |
| September 22 | Uni Pathways Excursion |
| September 28 | Year 9 PBL Presentation (Gym) 2.30 - 4.30pm |
| September 30 | End of Term 3 Early Dismissal 2.15pm |
On Mabo Day, we celebrated in our very own Urumbula Garden.
The Year 10 English class learnt about the "supermarket in the garden" and how many indigenous foods can be used for fibre, medicine and food.
We crushed lemon myrtle and tasted quandong jam. We shared a sausage, faced our fear with snakes and explored the beauty that is the Urumbula Garden.
Thank you to Mr. Mules, JB and the team of students who so skillfully taught us about our indigenous heritage for Reconciliation Week.
The Year 9 food technology class completed their final practical task today, The Enterprise Task involved students using the skills they have learnt throughout the semester to create their own business enterprise selling a "food truck food".
Students had to develop a plan for the food that they wanted to sell, advertise, write the workflow plan for how they would organise themselves on the day, cost their food and packaging, prepare, and then serve their food on the day, working to time pressures and a hungry staff audience.
Student groups made popcorn chicken and chips, baked potatoes, fried rice and kebabs and pumpkin soup, garlic bread and milo balls, a complete all in one dish!
Students worked exceptionally hard all day and certainly gained an experience of what is involved in the hospitality industry.
They produced some delicious options. Our grateful thanks must go to our staff who support these students by buying what they produce and contribute to their learning.
The Stage Two Child Studies class has been studying Children who live with Disabilities. We have formed an important partnership with the Mid North Education Centre where we made learning activities for their students. The Stage Two students made a range of learning tasks including sensory tasks, emotion cubes, hand sewed mystery bags, water based play and many more. The Stage Two students positively challenged the MNEC students this year by setting their learning tasks up in a manner where the students had to extend their thinking including identifying colours, shapes and emotions. JPSS students loved their visits to the Mid North Education Centre, many lessons were learnt by all involved.
Class S81 developed and tested a range of slice and dessert recipes to sell to JPSS students as part of their Food and Hospitality course.
We successfully sold jelly, mars bar and choc mint slices, brownies, cheese cake and frogs in a pond over two days.
Students in 7A3 have created their own fractured fairytales.
They had to choose a fairytale and rewrite the narrative changing an element such as a character, the conflict or the setting.
Students have chosen to display their best line from their narrative.
Students were able to create a party style food without any form of heating or baking and using pantry staples of bread, butter, sugar, cinnamon and icing sugar. They made no bake cinnamon scrolls.
On Wednesday 8 June, students from Year 9 and 10 went to UniSA, Mawson Lakes campus, as part of our Uni Pathways program. This trip is run twice per year allowing students STEM experiences at university by the end of year 10.
This trip, students experienced the topic of Engineering. Students learnt Arduino programming for Software Engineering and were able to build their own electronic game. They had to develop the electrical engineering skills of soldering as they assembled the parts onto a printed circuit board. They could then customise their games with music of their choice.
The final Civil Engineering challenge was to build a bridge out of 5 sheets of A4 paper and 50cm of sticky tape. These bridges were put to the test with a force metre which can be seen in the video below. One group beat the record of any school group to complete the challenge holding over 10kg.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUPRD19n61Y
Well done John Pirie students!
