Year 9 Drama Students showcased their amazing talent for comedy at their Drama Production Night

Welcome to our final School Newsletter for Term 3, 2025. As we reach the close of another rewarding term, I would like to take the opportunity to celebrate the achievements of our students and share some key updates with our school community.

Celebrating Achievements

This term has once again been full of accomplishments across academic and extracurricular areas. Our students have demonstrated impressive commitment, excellence in their learning, their sporting pursuits, and their contribution to our school culture. Their efforts are commendable, and I am incredibly proud of what they have achieved.

Some highlights from this term include:

• Immersive Passion Projects
• Wellbeing Community Breakfast
• Year 7 half-day transitions
• Year 9 and Year 11 Drama productions
• Year 11 RYDA road safety workshop

Academic Progress

Our Year 12 students have been working hard in preparation for their final assessments and exams, and I am confident their dedication will bring strong results. We have also observed continued growth in literacy and numeracy across all year levels, supported by the commitment of our teachers and the encouragement of families. During the upcoming school holidays, targeted study workshops will be available at Kapunda High School to further assist Year 12 students. I encourage students to attend and take advantage of this extra support, and I thank our staff for generously volunteering their time to extend students’ learning opportunities.

Extracurricular Success

Congratulations to our students and staff on another outstanding year in School Sport. This year has been marked by excellent participation, teamwork, and success. Special thanks go to HPE Coordinator Mr Mark Leslie, Sports Manager Miss Brianna Falland, and the team for their leadership and commitment to providing quality sporting opportunities. I also acknowledge the invaluable contribution of parents and caregivers, whose support and volunteering make these experiences possible. Well done to all involved!

Looking Ahead

As we turn our attention to Term 4, there are many exciting opportunities and events planned. We will continue to focus on creating a supportive, inclusive, and engaging learning environment for every student. Staff will also participate in professional learning workshops to ensure we remain at the forefront of effective teaching practice. In addition, our school re-build is progressing well, with works continuing to move forward. I look forward to keeping you updated on this important development.

Thank You

I would like to sincerely thank our staff, families, and students for the commitment and energy you bring to our school each day. Together, your efforts create a positive and thriving community. I encourage everyone to enjoy a well-earned break over the holidays, returning refreshed and ready to embrace the challenges and opportunities of the new term.

We look forward to welcoming students back for the start of Term 4 on Monday, 13th October.

Tim Jones

Principal

Centenary Foundation AGM: 7:30pm, Wednesday, 24th September (T3W10) 

Last Day of Term 3 Friday, 26th September (T3W10)

Kapunda High School Centenary Foundation Applications Close Tuesday, 30th September 

First Day of Term 4 Monday, 13th October (T4W1)

Year 12 Last Day of School Friday, 24th October (T4W2)

Eringa Award Nominations Close Friday, 7th November (T4W4)

Another great term of work was completed last Thursday, the 11th, where drama students from Years 8 and 9 showcased their amazing talent for comedy. We had an excellent turnout, and we may need to consider a new location for future shows! This event also marked the directorial debut of our very own Ella McDonald. She did an outstanding job, and the Year 8 classes appreciated her fresh ideas and direction.

Thank you to all the families who came out to see the incredible work of these talented young actors.

Benjamin Forster 

Drama Teacher 

Previous recipients of KHS Centenary Foundation Grants with Mr Paul McCarthy and Mr Andrew Hayward

As the KHS Centenary Foundation approaches 19 years of operation, it is timely to reflect on some of its achievements.

Formed in 2007 to commemorate 100 years of secondary education in Kapunda, the Centenary Foundation has provided significant financial support to over 150 former KHS students as they embark on their post-school education and training.  A higher than national average of students have achieved their goals and many have gained exceptional results on an international level.

Just on $500,00.00 in total has been granted to students to go towards miscellaneous expenses related to their learning and training.  This has been a great boost towards fulfilling their individual hopes and dreams.

This money has been provided by generous donations from local businesses, community organisations and individuals. It also has a matching funds arrangement with universities and TAFE via the Country Education Foundation of Australia, of which the KHS Centenary Foundation is a member.

With a sound financial base as it heads into the future, the local committee is now looking to welcome fresh ideas and interested local people to play a role. 

If you have an interest or connection with Kapunda High School through your own education or family members, you would be a great asset to the committee. 

A number of the current committee members are already “giving back”, with their family members having been fortunate enough to benefit through the Centenary Foundation.  

Kapunda High School provides good support to the committee and assists with the grant  application process, along with other tasks.   

The Annual General Meeting is coming up on 24th September where a number of long-standing members are relinquishing their roles;  Mr Steve Ruediger, the current Treasurer, is stepping down having supported the school over a long period, with his four daughters attending Kapunda High School. Mrs Anne Hornsey, the current Secretary, has held that role on the committee since the establishment of the Foundation and is mindful of the need to have new ideas and an eye to the future.

Mr Andrew Hayward is the current chairman, bringing enthusiasm and vision to the position. However, the positions of Secretary and Treasurer will become vacant following the AGM.  Currently a number of new faces have indicated their support and many of the administrative tasks are already being shared amongst the committee.

If you have some skills that you would like to share, you would be a very welcome addition to the committee.  Laptops are provided to assist with both the Secretary and Treasurer positions with the tasks required and the school can assist with setting up. The role of secretary requires an average of 2-3 hrs per week over a 12-month period and attendance at 4-5 meetings per year.  The Treasurer position ebbs and flows, depending upon the claims for reimbursement. The KHS Admin team will also support these roles when required.

If your family has benefitted from the KHS Centenary Foundation or you are interested in contributing towards helping young people of the local area, please contact the KHS front office (8566 2203) and leave your name and phone contact and nominate a suitable time for a member of the committee to ring you to expand upon the role you may like to play.

To find out more about the operations of the Centenary Foundation you are invited to attend the Kapunda High School Centenary Foundation Annual General Meeting which is to be held on WEDNESDAY, 24th September 2025, commencing at 7.30 pm in Kapunda High School Building C, (the newly-completed building facing West Terrace).   All welcome!

The Year 12 Tourism classes visited the Barossa Valley for their last excursion and assignment for the year. Students interviewed representatives from each business so they can represent them in a mock seminar being held in Week 10.  

Whilst the weather was not ideal, the group still got to experience what a day in the Barossa Valley might look like for a tourist. We managed to stay dry between all our stops, which was great.  

Thank you to Sarah Johnson for driving (and Penny Chappell for her car!). I’m hopeful that some families got to experience the goodies that were purchased on the day.  

Megan Samain

Tourism Teacher

2024 Student Award Winners

Kapunda High School has experienced another remarkable year, marked by milestones such as the significant progress on the Eringa rebuild and the successful transition of staff and students into the new Building C classrooms. Our students have also engaged in a number of exciting learning opportunities, and it is now time to celebrate their achievements and efforts throughout the 2025 school year.

To make this celebration possible, we rely on the generous support of local businesses, community members, organisations and the dedicated families and staff of Kapunda High School. In the past, we have been heartened by the enthusiastic response to our calls for donations, which have enabled the entire community to share in our school’s success.

We are delighted to invite you to contribute to our 2025 Awards. The school honours students in Years 7-11 with awards for Academic Achievement, Student Recognition (previously Improvement Award), Consistency, All-rounder and School Citizenship. Additionally, the highest achieving student in each Year 12 subject will be recognised with a Subject Prize. Your contribution will support a $30 voucher for selected student(s).

The prizes will be presented at our annual Award Ceremonies. Year 12 students will receive their awards on Thursday, 13th November 2025, while students in Years 7-11 will be honoured on Monday, 8th December 2025. Your generosity will be acknowledged during the ceremonies, in the program, and in our newsletter articles.

Sponsorship options are as follows:

2025 Student Award Sponsorship Packages

 
BRONZE

$30 – Contributes to one student award

SILVER

$60 – Contributes to two student awards

GOLD

$120 – Contributes to four student awards or one prestigious award

PLATINUM

$150 or greater - Your contribution will be allocated to a combination of student awards and prestigious awards

If you would like to take up this offer our bank details are:

You can also call into Reception and pay directly there.

To ensure we finalise our prize list in a timely manner, we kindly request your response by Friday, 24th October 2025.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to support our students and community.

Tab MacKenzie

Presentation Evening Coordinator

Email:Tab.MacKenzie108@schools.sa.edu.au

Phone: (08) 8566 2203

On Tuesday of Week 8 the Year 11 Sports Studies classes headed to Adelaide for an excursion, along with Miss Robinson and Mr Leslie. The purpose of the day was for students to further explore high performance habits of athletes, which is the focus of their current assessment task in Sports Studies.  

We were lucky enough to have former KHS staff member Sam Milne take us on a tour of the Adelaide Oval, before talking about his role within SACA. Students had the opportunity to ask Sam questions about his role and the impact he has on player wellbeing and performance. The students found this highly insightful and included information such as having regular check ins and meetings with the players, working with the coaches and team psychologist to implement support plans and opportunities for players to thrive on and off the field, as well as being able to continually challenge and support players so they can achieve their professional and personal goals.  

After our Adelaide Oval tour we walked to Karen Rolen Oval, where the students were then able to interview one of the rookie players at SACA. The students found this to be a valuable interview, given the fact they are only a few years younger than some of the rookie players. They were able to gain an insight into the life of a young adult working in an elite sporting environment.  

For the final part of the day, we were able to watch a training session, where there was a clear expectation that all players train to the same intensity that they play to.  

Overall, it was a valuable experience for the students. Apart from gaining useful strategies on how they can improve their own habits around sporting performance, they also learnt how to buy a train ticket and board a train. Although, this did prove to be the most challenging part of the day for some. 

Mark Leslie 

Sports Studies Teacher 

KHS Reception has hats available for students and parent/caregivers to purchase. All hats are $14. 

We have navy blue hats with the KHS logo:

We also have reversible house colours hats:

This year’s Adelaide Show was another fantastic success for Kapunda High School. Each year, the competition grows with more animals and schools entering, and 2025 was no exception. 

Dairy Heifers 

Our dairy team performed exceptionally well, with our heifers placing 2nd, 4th, and 6th in their respective classes. These results would not have been possible without the skill and dedication of our fantastic handlers, Cooper and Jessica, who worked tirelessly to prepare and present the animals. 

Merino Wether Schools Competition 

The Merino wether schools competition continues to be one of the largest and most competitive events. This year saw 77 teams entered, and both of our teams placed in the top 21, narrowly missing out on a ribbon. We also secured 8th place in the Highest Meat Value category, a strong result in such a tough field. 

Goats and Poultry 

With over 260 goats entered in the competition, our goat “Ricky Bobby” did us proud by placing 5th in his weight class. Our show layers also held their own, achieving a solid mid-range placing amongst a very competitive group. 

Student Dedication and Community Support 

All students who attended represented Kapunda High School with pride, setting high standards in behaviour, animal care, and handling. These achievements are the result of two terms of hard work preparing animals for competition. 

A massive thank you goes out to everyone who has supported the program—breeders, shearers, inspectors, teachers, SSOs, parents, students, and members of the community. Your dedication and ongoing support make this program possible. 

Kapunda High School is proud of what our students have accomplished, and we look forward to building on this success at future shows. 

Karen Bromley

Agriculture Teacher

Students on Year 10 Camp in 2024

Kapunda High School will enable Year 10 students to attend the Port Vincent Aquatics Camp in Term 4 Week 5. This will be an exciting opportunity for those students to develop their confidence with being on the ocean. The students will participate in sailing or kayaking with a day of surfing at Berry Bay. Students who are not intending to attend the camp can do a week of work experience at that time. The aquatics camp students are away from November 12th to 14th, while work experience could be from November 10th to 15th. There will be a modified program available to students who do not attend the aquatics camp or participate in work experience.