Welcome to our School Newsletter for Week 11, Term 1.

As we come to the end of a long term, I need to acknowledge the support of staff, students and families who have contributed to a successful term. The list is long, including Common Ground Initiatives, Excursions, SRC and Prefect Induction, Swimming, Athletics, Knockout Sport, Parent Information Nights, Centenary Foundation Awards, Governing Council AGM, Student Leadership Program, and many more. It is the additional opportunities that students participate in that help to build positive culture and connection within and beyond.

Year 12 Formal

The Year 12 Formal was held on Friday, 28th March and was a great opportunity for our Year 12s to celebrate their final year of their schooling. This was the first year the event was held at Barossa Novotel Resort and was a great success. Well done to Meagan Samain and her team in supporting the students in celebrating their final year of schooling at Kapunda High School.

End Of Term Report Distribution

All Year 7-12 students will be issued with a hard copy summary report at the end of the term. This report should be read in conjunction with the DayMap continuous reports that are available through the Parent Portal.

Through the Parent Portal, parents can access individual assessment results and read comments that highlight strengths and areas for improvement.  Term one achievement information will be available early to families who attend parent teacher interviews. For students who are absent from school on the final day of school will be able to be accessed via DayMap from Friday afternoon.

Contacting the School During the Holidays

We understand that there may be a need to send non-urgent enquiries to the school during school holidays. If you are unsure who to direct your enquiry to, it is recommended that you communicate via the general school information email. This email is monitored and any queries will then be forwarded to the relevant staff. It may not result in an immediate response dl.0779.info@schools.sa.edu.au. Phone messaging services will be monitored daily if you call 8566 2203 and leave a voicemail.

Well Being and Engagement Survey

All students this term have undertaken the Wellbeing and Engagement survey. Results are included in our annual report and also provide a means of tracking our school progress. The data informs the development of  improvement strategies associated with supporting student connection and belonging at Kapunda High School.

Upcoming Open Night

Our annual Open Night will be held on Tuesday, 20th May from 4-6pm.

Open Night provides an opportunity for prospective families to visit Kapunda High School, meet staff, and explore the learning areas and opportunities available to students. 

I would like to wish all families a safe and restful holiday and look to see all students back at school on Monday, 28th April following ANZAC Day on the Friday.

Tim Jones

Principal

Last Day of Term 1 Friday, 11th April Early dismissal time of 2:15pm (T1W11)

First Day of Term 2 Monday, 28th April (T2W1)

Common Ground Parent Workshop 6pm Wednesday, 30th April (T2W1)

Asbestos Removal Works Saturday, 3rd May (T2W1)

Parent Teacher Interviews Tuesday, 6th May (T2W2)

Asbestos Removal Works Saturday, 10th May (T2W2)

Year 10 Planetarium Excursion Wednesday, 7th May (T2W2)

Year 10 Immunisations Wednesday, 14th May (T2W3)

Open Night 4-6pm Tuesday, 20th May (T2W4)

The Year 12 Formal was held on Friday 28th March at the Novotel Barossa Valley Resort.

This year, the Barossa Vintage Festival’s scarecrow competition expanded to include the Light region, offering the community and students a new opportunity to showcase their creativity. Year 10 student Niketa Walker was eager to take part in this year’s competition, choosing to honour former student Colin Thiele’s beloved novel, Storm Boy. With support from other students, Niketa created a life-sized Pelican, better known as Mr Percival bringing to life one of the novel’s most iconic characters. As there was a short timeframe, she dedicated some of her lunch breaks to completing the project, working diligently to complete the scarecrow on time.

Now proudly displayed in the windows of the Kapunda Community Gallery, alongside creations from Kapunda Primary School until April 27th, the scarecrow is accompanied by a story that ties deeply to the school’s history.

The novel Storm Boy holds a special place at Kapunda High School, as its author, Colin Thiele, was a former student. Thiele himself once said, “There is no school in South Australia like Kapunda High School. In every way, it is unique.” His beloved character, Mr Percival, has remained close to the heart of the school community.

The deep bond between Mike and Mr Percival in Storm Boy reflects the school’s core values—friendship, a connection with nature, and an appreciation of South Australia’s unique landscape. Thiele’s storytelling also highlights the values he likely embraced during his time at Kapunda High School, such as respect, honesty, and a celebration of diversity.

Through this creative project, Niketa’s scarecrow pays tribute to both a literary classic and the legacy of a cherished former student, ensuring that Thiele’s words and values continue to inspire future generations.

Jennifer Ahrens

Creative Art and Design Teacher

PAYMENT OF MATERIALS AND SERVICES 

The due date for payment of materials and services is the end of this Term. 
Thanks to those who have already paid, if you have not, please contact the Finance office ASAP to make payment arrangements.  

KHS Bank Details: 

Bank SA 

BSB 105-006 

Acc No.  057125140 

Family ID : eg SMIT10 

 (left hand side of invoice) 

INSTALMENT PAYMENT PLAN

SCHOOL CARD

Kapunda High School received the amazing opportunity to see live theatre in Adelaide on Thursday the 3rd of April. Centred around State Theatre Company South Australia and Sydney Theatre Company's production of The Dictionary of Lost Words, school students learnt about the craft of stage management and other technical roles in staging theatre before they took a seat for part of the dress rehearsal. They were able to listen in as the backstage world came alive.  

The students from Year 12 Drama and some Year 11 Media Studies students were very impressed by the professionalism and technical skills to bring the production alive. Some are already getting tickets so they can see the second half. 

We have received some amazing feedback from CentrED, the program that gave this opportunity, that the students were well behaved and represented the school to a high standard. Well done to all involved. 

Benjamin Forster and Ella McDonald

Drama Educators 

Year 11 Physics students having a "hair raising" time learning about static electricity and charge generation.

Kathy Coombs

Physics Teacher

Please see below regarding a few reminders about buses:

Bus Passes

If a student requires a bus pass, we ask that parents please send them to school with a note. The note should include:

• Name
• Date of bus trip
• Reason (sport, family, visiting a friend) 
• Parent name and signature

Students can then bring their parent note to Reception where our staff can fill out a school bus pass on their behalf. 

With the exception of the Gawler LinkSA passenger bus, and the Hewett express bus, students require a bus pass to travel on our departmental buses. 

General Reminders

Students need to wear their seatbelts at all times on the bus. 

Students should not get out of their seats until the bus has come to a complete stop. 

Year 11 Agriculture students at KHS were recently treated to an engaging and informative session with Rajesh from AgXtra, who officially launched the crop competition that the class will be entering this season—competing against several other schools across the region.

Rajesh introduced students to AgXtra, a leading agricultural research and development company that specialises in independent crop trial work. He explained how AgXtra supports the agricultural industry by running trials that test different crop varieties, fertiliser strategies, and management practices.

In the upcoming inter-school crop competition, AgXtra will handle the setup and technical management of all trial plots, while students take the reins on key agronomic decisions. Each student team will select a wheat variety, sowing rate, and base fertiliser rate. Throughout the growing season, they’ll have the opportunity to apply additional fertiliser at different growth stages, simulating the kind of in-season decisions real farmers make.

The competition isn’t just about yield—teams will be judged on profitability, with end-of-season results revealing which school made the smartest management choices.

Going head-to-head with other schools adds an exciting edge to the project, pushing students to collaborate, think critically, and apply their knowledge in a real-world context.

“It’s a fantastic way for students to see the direct impact of their decisions,” Rajesh said.

KHS students are already coming up with ideas and strategies, ready to take on the challenge and hopefully come out on top!

Karen Bromley

Agriculture Teacher

Mrs Bridge's Year 8 History class has been making castle models as part of our unit on Medieval Societies. On Friday, 28th March we built small catapults that shoot jellybeans to finish our topic.

Christie Bridge

History Teacher

In Week 10, Mr Banks' and Mrs Cummins' Year 8 Science classes participated in a Heart Dissection.