Kidman House Captains after their victory at the Swimming Carnival

We were fortunate to have perfect conditions for the Swimming Carnival on Friday 31st January. Congratulations to Kidman, who won the day. It was great to see the leadership of the team by Senior House Captains Alyssa Valentine, Teisha Pollard, Tyler King, and Finn Brady. Two records were broken during the competition, with Milan Pozsgai breaking both. Congratulations to all competitors and age group winners. The entire day was run seamlessly by the HPE team, and for all students who attended, I was continually impressed with the way everyone got involved and supported each other throughout the day.

On Tuesday evening, we held the Kapunda High School Centenary Foundation Awards Presentation Evening. There was a total of 19 awardees, including 2024 DUX Amy Wilson Hall, 2025 Jim Bettison Scholarship Award recipient Ryan Isgar, and 2025 Helen James Award recipient Caitlin Both. I would like to acknowledge the contributions and support the Centenary Foundation provides to graduating students at Kapunda High School. Their work cannot be understated, and the Centenary Foundation would not be in such a secure position without their support over time. It is encouraging to see the next generation of foundation members starting to take an active role; however, there is still an opportunity for anyone interested in supporting our school community in this unique way.

Annual General Meeting of Parents

The Kapunda High School Governing Council AGM will be held on Wednesday, February 26th, commencing at 6:30pm in the Resource Centre. Apart from the election of Governing Councillors, we will also present a summary of 2024, highlighting the progress made and identifying our priorities for 2025. The report provides data and information on student performance, senior school results, school improvement priorities, and school progress.

Attending the AGM does not mean you will be coerced into joining the Governing Council. Parent representatives are not required to have any particular knowledge about how schools are run or any specific expertise. The day-to-day management of the school is the responsibility of the Principal and staff. Governing Councillors, however, offer the perspective of parents on a range of matters relating to strategic directions, policies, and budget decisions.

If you would like more information about being a Governing Councillor, please do not hesitate to contact me or complete a Governing Council Nomination Form.

I would like to encourage all families to consider attending our Year 7 welcome night, which will align with our Year 12 Parent Evening. This provides a valuable opportunity for our families to connect with teachers in an informal way. Information for both events has been emailed home to Year 7 and 12 families. This will take place on Tuesday, 18th February.

Staff Professional Learning

Underpinning one of our school improvement priorities: Increase student connection, belonging, and engagement within our school through a positive school culture focus. Ultimately, this will have a positive impact on student achievement and academic success.

Early this term, staff had the opportunity to attend professional learning delivered by the Common Ground Team, who have started the delivery of the Tomorrow Man and Tomorrow Woman program to our Year 9 and 10 students. Over the next two years, the team will collaborate with students in Years 7 to 11 across four schools to develop programs that promote healthy expressions of masculinity and challenge harmful social attitudes. Tomorrow Man fosters open conversations to improve relationships and support networks, empowering participants to lead healthier lives and positively impact their communities. Similarly, Tomorrow Woman, founded in 2018, empowers women to break free from limiting expectations through participatory workshops that encourage sharing and learning. These initiatives aim to equip individuals with the skills to author their futures and contribute positively to society. For more information, visit tomorrowman.com.au.

In addition to this, all staff attended a full-day training delivered by Bill Hansberry, a KHS Old Scholar with a strong connection to the school, who has a wealth of knowledge supporting behaviour management and restorative practices. There was a strong focus on the importance of behaviour routines and having high behavioural expectations. This connects with our focus on conditions for learning as well as the Berry Street Education Model, aiming for predictable classroom routines and an unconditional positive regard for staff and students.

Tim Jones

Principal

Lower North Swimming Carnival Monday, 17th February (T1W4)

Year 7 Family BBQ Tuesday, 18th February 4pm- 6:30pm (T1W4)

Year 12 Interviews/Meet & Greet Tuesday, 18th February 4pm- 6:30pm (T1W4)

Year 9 Canberra Camp Information Evening Tuesday, 18th February 6pm (T1W4)

SRC & Prefect Induction Tuesday, 25th February (T1W5)

Governing Council AGM  Wednesday, 26th February (T1W5)

SSSSA Swimming Carnival Marion Friday, 27th February (T1W5)

KHS Athletics Carnival Thursday, 6th March (T1W6)

Student Free Day Friday, 7th March (T1W6)

Year 12 Tourism Excursion Wednesday, 12th March (T1W7)

Lower North Athletics Carnival Thursday, 20th March (T1W8)

Year 12 Formal Friday, 28th March (T1W9)

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

Our recent swimming carnival was a fantastic day, blessed with perfect weather at around 30 degrees, which encouraged participation from both students and staff. The energy was high with numerous nominations and extra entries on the day, and the novelty events were a hit as always!

A special congratulations to Milan Pozsgai, who broke two records. Milan set a new under 15 breaststroke record with an impressive time of 19.95 seconds and also beat the under 15 freestyle record with a time of 16.20 seconds. Well done, Milan!

A highlight of the day was the responsible behaviour demonstrated by our students. With only a few reminders, they adhered to our SunSmart Policy by sitting in the shade, wearing broad-brimmed hats, and keeping their t-shirts or rashies on.

Looking ahead, our Interschool Swimming team is set to compete in Clare in week 4. We wish them the best of luck!

A big thank you to our wonderful staff for their support and flexibility, stepping in wherever needed to ensure the day ran smoothly.

AGE GROUP CHAMPIONS & HOUSE WINNERS

At this year’s Kapunda High School Centenary Foundation’s 17th Annual Awards Presentations, approximately $36,000 was distributed to 19 former Kapunda High School students, through the Country Education Foundation of Australia grants programme. This brings the total amount of funding facilitated by the Centenary Foundation since 2009, to almost $500,000.00 distributed to over 150 university students and trade trainees.

Chairman Andrew Hayward and Treasurer Steve Ruediger with grant recipients Ryan and Caitlin.

2025 Award Winners

The Year 9 males were very lucky to be able to participate in the Power to End Violence Against Women program run by the Port Adelaide Football Club. This initiative is a collaborative effort aimed at educating young men about the importance of respect and equality in relationships, ultimately working towards the eradication of violence against women. 

The workshop was run by staff and players from the club including Travis Boak and Aliir Aliir. We thank the Port Adelaide Football Club for their time and support to deliver these workshops for our students. 

Students were so engaged in the sessions and felt free to raise their hand and talk through each topic in front of their peers. The overall mood from students was very mature and as staff we were really proud of how all students represented our school in the workshop.  

The Power to End Violence Against Women program is a testament to the club's dedication to making a positive impact beyond the football field. It serves as a reminder that everyone has a role to play in creating a safer and more respectful society for all. 

Michael Raschella 
Year 9 Year Level Manager

The materials and services charges for 2025 are $480.00, less the $200 government rebate = $280.  This is used for equipment and materials used in the delivery of the curriculum.  A basic stationery pack is also supplied (which is GST Free) which includes an ID card. The invoice and statement have been sent home with your child in week 1.

PAYMENT OF MATERIALS AND SERVICES

The due date for payment of materials and services is Friday 11th April 2025 (End of Term 1).
Payment may be made by cash, cheque, EFTPOS, Visa, MasterCard or by Direct Bank Deposit (see details below). Students are to make payments prior to the start of the school day (8:50am) to avoid carrying around large sums of money through the day.  Parents/caregivers are encouraged to make payments to the Finance Desk in the Front Office Reception Building from 8:30am-3:30pm.

KHS Bank Details:

Bank SA

BSB 105-006

Acc No.  057125140

Family ID : eg SMIT10

 (left hand side of invoice)

Please remember to meet the payment deadline of Friday, 11th April 2025. If no prior arrangements are made, any unpaid amounts may be forwarded to the Department of Education Recovery Unit at the end of Term 1.

INSTALMENT PAYMENT PLAN

If you would like to opt into our instalment payment plan system, please download and return the following form to apply for paying school fees by instalment this year.

SCHOOL CARD SCHEME  

School Card is available in government schools to:

• families with children aged 4 years and over who attend a school full time
• independent full time students studying year 10, 11 or 12
• Adult re-entry students undertaking subjects to complete their SACE.

To qualify, your family's gross income in the 2023/24 financial year must be below the threshold, based on the number of dependent children you have in your family.

Information on the eligibility criteria, income limits and the application process is available at the link:

If you think you may be eligible for School Card please complete the online application form as soon as possible.

KHS Reception has hats available for students and parent/caregivers to purchase. All hats are $12. 

We have navy blue hats with the KHS logo:

Volunteers play a vital role in our school canteen being able to offer a wide variety of healthy food to our students and staff at recess and lunch times. Volunteers are encouraged to come and help in our canteen. A couple of hours once a week, or even fortnight/ month would be super helpful. Assistance during the peak preparation times, between 9:30am and 2:00pm would be most valued and appreciated. And of course, a regular commitment would enable our Canteen to stay open. Grandparents and other family members who are interested are most welcome.

What hoops do I need to jump through?

Yes, there is some paperwork and some legal requirements such as completing the online Responding to Risks of Harm, Abuse and Neglect (RRHAN-EC) course and having a Working With Children Check (WWCC). Kaye Clancy can assist with beginning the process of applying for the WWCC, which is free to our volunteers. There will also be a general induction with the Department for Education and we will share other important information before you begin.Call the school and ask to speak either to Kaye, or Deb in the canteen if you'd like to learn more about the kind of help our canteen requires.

If you're keen to begin, please contact Kaye on 8566 2203 extension 3.

If you have students passionate about wildlife and interested in a career with animals and conservation, they can join us for one of our Career Awareness Days in 2025.

We are excited to be offering the program from both Monarto Safari Park and Adelaide Zoo each term this year.

These special full day events give students a unique opportunity to learn all about the variety of careers that are needed to keep our sites running.

The Wild Learning teams will introduce students to a range of guest speakers from animal care to horticulture, marketing and administration, as well as investigate training pathways to animal-related careers.

Open to students in Years 10, 11 and 12.

All day events from 10:00am – 3:00pm (Adelaide) and 10.30am – 3.45pm (Monarto).

$52.50 per student.

For more information and dates visit the link below: