Welcome to our School Newsletter for Week 7, Term 3. 
 
Over Weeks 6 and 7, students have continued to excel in a range of areas and learning experiences: 

• Year 9 Canberra Camp 

• Half-day transition for incoming Year 7 students 

• KHS hosting the regional Country Cabinet, including Premier Peter Malinauskas MP and Education Minister Blair Boyer 

• KHS Royal Adelaide Ag Show Team 

• Subject Counselling 

• Whole School Assembly with House Points update 

School House Points 

A key focus area for our 2025 School Improvement Plan has been growing our positive school culture. At our recent Whole School Assembly, Mr McConnell shared an update on how each of the three School Houses are progressing with their points. These are earned through a wide range of measures, including attendance, achievement, and demonstrating school values. 
 
All three teams continue to progress well across the term and year – with Kidman currently in front by a small margin. Well done to all involved. 

As a result of our Positive School Culture strategies, we have seen growth in our whole school Wellbeing and Engagement Collection survey results, with an increase in the percentage of students reporting: 

• High engagement at school 

• High belonging at school 

• High connectedness at school 

Our ongoing commitment to the Berry Street Education Model aligns with our whole school approach to strive for a learning environment that is predictable and safe for all students. 

Subject Counselling 

Subject Counselling has been a major focus over the past few weeks, with continuing students considering and choosing subjects for the 2026 school year. 
 
I encourage families to read through our 2026 Curriculum Prospectus, which is a useful resource purposefully designed to support families in navigating discussions around career pathways, planning, and programs of study available at Kapunda HS. 
 
Well done to the Subject Counselling team for hosting a wide range of counselling appointments, and thank you to parents and caregivers for investing your time in these crucial discussions for your child/ren’s future. 

KHS Ag Show Team 

Congratulations to our Ag Show Team (lead by Karen Bromley), who have represented KHS proudly at the 2025 Royal Adelaide Show. The work undertaken by this team has been tremendous, with significant preparation in the lead-up to the show, including weekend work, early mornings, and late evenings. 
 
Some highlights already from the show include ribbons for both Dairy Heifers and fleece competitions. 

Staff Professional Learning 

On Tuesday, staff participated in Day 4 of the Berry Street Education Model training. 
 
The Berry Street Education Model is one of the key areas of teacher practice which informs our Whole School Wellbeing for Learning strategy. This crucial work is demonstrating strong impact on students’ engagement, belonging, and connectedness with school. 
 
Tuesday’s training centred around values, character strengths, and strategies for supporting students to be ready to learn. 

Bus Safety and Exiting the School 

At Kapunda High School, the safety of our students on school buses and when entering or leaving the school grounds is a top priority. Recently, SAPOL and Transport Services visited KHS to review safety on our bus runs. 
 
Following this, students have been reminded of their responsibilities as passengers, including wearing seat belts, showing respect for others, and ensuring their behaviour does not distract the driver. 
 
When students get off the bus in the morning, it is important they come straight into school grounds and cross roads safely. These small actions help keep everyone safe. 
 
At KHS, we are committed to working together with students and families to ensure that bus travel remains safe, respectful, and supportive for all. 

Congratulations David Marino 

On behalf of the entire Kapunda High School community, I wish to extend our congratulations to David Marino on his appointment as Principal at Nuriootpa High School. 
 
I would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge David's significant contributions to Kapunda High School, which have placed our school in a strong position moving forward. 
 
His efforts in enhancing the profile of our school, establishing consistency in expectations, and advancing VET and trade pathways—particularly the heritage trades program—have left a lasting impact. 
 
We wish you every success in your new role at Nuriootpa High School. We are confident that your leadership will strengthen connections and foster opportunities for collaboration between our schools in the future. 

Governing Council Meeting 

Our next Governing Council meeting will be held on Wednesday, 17th September. At this meeting we will be considering school business that typically occurs around this time of year, such as: 

• School Improvement progress
• Sun Protection Policy
• Materials & Services Charges for 2026 

As we approach the final weeks of Term 3, we keep our focus on students finishing the term well. Most classes have final assessments due, so I encourage students to make every effort and take every opportunity to grow their learning.

Tim Jones

Principal

Dear Kapunda High School students, parents, families, and carers.  
 
I write to inform you that following a recent merit selection process, David Marino has been appointed as Principal to Nuriootpa High School for a ten-year tenure, beginning in January 2026. 
 
This now creates a vacancy for Principal at Kapunda High School. As per the Department for Education’s policy and procedures, a Principal vacancy for Kapunda High School, also a ten-year tenure, will be advertised later this term. A panel will be formed early in Term 4, and you will be advised of the outcome once the panel has completed the process. 
 
As previously communicated, Tim Jones continues in his role as Acting Principal for the remainder of the year. 
 
Kind regards,

Tanya Oshinsky

Education Director

Wellbeing Breakfast: 8:30am–9:15am, Friday, 12th September (T3W8)

Governing Council Meeting: 6:30pm, Wednesday, 17th September (T3W9) KHS

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

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

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

In Week 6, our Year 9 students had the incredible opportunity to travel to Canberra. Over five days, students explored the national’s capital, immersing themselves in Australia’s history, culture, heritage and democratic process. 

Highlights included visiting Parliament House, where students gained a firsthand understanding of how laws are made, met with SA senator Charlotte Walker who is the youngest ever senator in Australia’s history and explored the inner workings of the building. Questacon, where they engaged with hands-on science exhibits, the Australian War Memorial where students reflected on the sacrifices made by Australians in wartime, with many describing the experience as both moving and memorable. The itinerary also featured the National Gallery, Museum of Australian Democracy, and a scenic drive along Embassy Row, giving students a broader appreciation of Australia’s place in the world. Other sites that were memorable for students included the Australian Institute of Sport, High Court of Australia and the Sydney Opera House.  

The trip wasn’t just about learning – it was also about bonding as a year level. From sharing meals and accommodation to cheering each other on in activities, the sense of teamwork and camaraderie was evident throughout the week. The Year 9s created some lifelong memories during our time away in Canberra. 

A special thank you goes to our dedicated staff for their time and support, and to families for helping prepare students for this experience. The Canberra camp was a highlight of the Year 9 calendar, and it was fantastic to see students engaging so enthusiastically with every aspect of the program. 

Michael Raschella

Year 9 Year Level Manager

Our canteen has many delicious, healthy lunch options for your child.
If you find yourself short on time, or wanting to give your student a treat, a lunch order is always an excellent option. You can place your order on the QKR! app before 8:30am each day. 

Students in our Agriculture Club worked very hard ahead of the Adelaide Show to ensure our animals were prepared.Our sheep, goats, cows, and hens were washed, groomed, and trimmed to ensure they look their best for the judges.

Nominations for the 2025 Eringa Award are now open. If there’s a student, staff member, parent/caregiver or community member that goes above and beyond for the school, please nominate them using the link provided. Nominations close Friday, 7th November.

On Wednesday, 27th August our Open Girls Netball Team played in the finals of the Statewide Schools Netball Competition. They won one of their games and finished 4th against some very tough competitiors. It was a great day out and the girls played well.

The team also wore their brand new dresses, which looked fantastic!

On Monday, 25th August we received a visit from the Minister for Education, Mr Blair Boyer and Deputy Chief Executive of the Department for Education, Mr Ben Temperly. Mr Boyer and Mr Temperly were visiting KHS ahead of the Kapunda Country Cabinet. They were able to have a tour to see the progress on the Eringa rebuild, and were also able to see the newly opened Building C.
The Country Cabinet, held in the gym, was very well attended by community members. 

During Week 5, we celebrated SSO Week, honouring our dedicated School Services Officers. Teachers and students expressed their gratitude by presenting personalised 'Thank You' cards, and hosted a morning tea to mark the occasion. These gestures were a testament to the contributions of our SSOs at Kapunda High School.