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Welcome to the start of 2021. We are all very exited and enthusiastic about what the year will bring us. It was great to see students arrive last week eager to catch up with friends and staff, sharing their holiday stories. Their eagerness to be prepared and well presented as ‘Team Parklands’ has continued to shine with students transitioning back into routines and structures of school life with such positive focus. The first few days has seen staff getting to know their students and invest time in building strong positive relationships.
Our school continues to grow in both size and opportunities. We take great pride in increasing experiences and diverse learning activities as we continue to enhance a personalised learning approach.
This year sees the school continuing to grow in student numbers, staffing and opportunities. We welcome our 160 new students and 10 staff to our school community. All of whom will bring their dynamic personalities to further create our positive school culture. Our new staff are: Mrs Zoe Smith, Ms Mariah Payne, Mr Andrew Hay, Mr Dean Cornwall, Ms Julia Brown, Mr Josh Triffitt, Mrs Angela Hancock, Mr Chris Bryan, Ms Carol Boyd, Mr Atifur Khan. I would also like to congratulate Mrs Bianca Munday on her appointment as Assistant Principal and Miss Emily Devlin on being Year 8 Grade Coordinator.
Staff participated in the final day of our Berry Street Education Model professional learning last Monday. This program has provided us with a suite of strategies and activities to support our students' engagement in their learning, through an inclusive practice approach. Throughout this last week, our focus has been on investing time to get to know our students and build positive relationships, through a range of class, grade and whole school activities. Embedding our core values, setting personal goals and growing our positive school culture, underpins our school and what we represent.
Over the past couple of weeks we have also communicated with many parents and carers, to ensure smooth transitions to school as well as exploring alternate learning opportunities for students to support their learning needs. We are fortunate to have a diverse range of opportunities for our students:
Seven students - including a Year 8 student - attend at Hellyer College 2 days a week as part of an extension program, enrolled in courses such as Maths Methods 3 and Physical Science. It is great to work with Hellyer College to support our students in this way. Our range of alternate learning programs are up and running with these extending to include ‘Stringalong' and Cultural Awareness, out of our Cultural Hub. More information on the range of programs will be shared over the coming weeks. We are also fortunate to have a new addition up and running with the ‘Police in Schools’ program. Senior constable Kellie Little will be onsite every second Wednesday, working across the school in a range of ways. These will include delivery of programs to classes and year levels, participating in grade and school wide activities, and working with individual students and families. This is a great resource that we are excited to have in our school.
As a way of supporting our community, I would like to remind our parents and extended community that we have the Parklands Pantry fully stocked and encourage families to come and help themselves to what they need.
Wishing everyone a happy and positive 2021
Magella Dudley
Principal
Well what a start to the year it has been! So many smiling faces above beautiful full school uniforms. Everybody is so eager to be here and find-out what PHS is all about. Year 7 has begun in a very settled manner with everyone starting to build positive, respectful relationships with those around them. It is a pleasure to wander around F-Block in the mornings and be greeted by so many friendly young people. Learning has begun in earnest with everyone settling into routines and learning tasks and even managing to squeeze a little bit of fun in there. Lets continue how we have started.
Mr Damien Gale
Year 7 Coordinator
Welcome back year 8’s!
The Year 8s have had a fantastic start to the new year, adjusting to their new grade area, subjects and core classes. It has been an absolute pleasure to see them settle into the new year, build new friendships with peers and positive working relationships with all their new teachers. We are so fortunate to have such a fantastic team supporting our Year 8s and school in 2021.
Students have been very organised this term with everyone starting the new year with a new locker and all students having their own lock, to ensure their belongings are kept safe and organised. It has also been pleasing to note how students have taken on board the responsibility of being a positive role model and support for our new and younger students in Year 7.
This week home groups are electing their new class captains for Semester 1 and we are very excited to see how our Year 8 class captains will help to build our positive school culture and contribute to our brilliant grade area.
Thank you Year 8s for a fantastic start to 2021; we look forwards to a positive, productive and fun term ahead!
Miss Emily Devlin
Year 8 Cooridinator
Year 9 has had a busy start. E Block has been abuzz with the chatter of students and staff sharing stories and discussing the year ahead. Teachers have been busy implementing some of the strategies learnt during our Berry Street training day, building student commitment to our school values, which has fostered positive relationships in classes.
Our Year 9 students have started delving into the curriculum and have settled into classroom routines. Students have adapted well to the senior school learning environment. To share their voice, some Year 9 students were interviewed. Yes Jemma, the quotes will remain anonymous.
‘I was really excited to see friends. Most of my classmates have been respectful and kind to others, building meaningful relationships. So happy to be back.’
‘Really happy with the new area; it looks fantastic. Teachers are amazing! Options can be disappointing because I didn’t get Cooking. I am surprisingly happy with Advanced Maths; I just like Algebra. I made a full new group of friends too.’
Mr Allan Frankcombe
Year 9 Coordinator
Year 10 students have hit the ground running and have settled into their classes well and adjusted to their new home rooms in Top C, with most students setting a positive example for their peers. There will be lots of opportunities for Year 10 students throughout the year and it is up to students to step outside their comfort zone to make the most of the experiences on offer.
As the year progresses, the focus for Year 10 will be on the transition to the next phase in their education. We will have visits from some industries (such as Master Builders) and work with staff from Hellyer College to ensure that students are confident in their plans for 2022.
Several students are making the most of our links with Hellyer College, with four Year 10 students studying Maths Methods Foundation and two also studying Physical Science 3. This sees them at the college for much of Tuesdays and Thursdays.
If you have any questions please email leigh.crawford@education.tas.gov.au or contact me via the school office.
Mr Leigh Crawford
Year 10 Coordinator
It has been a very positive start to the year for the Year 11 and 12 students at Parklands. This year we currently have 16 students enrolled in our VET Health Services Assistance III course. 3 of these students are returning for their second year to complete the full certificate. Students are fortunate to have the energy and experience of Hayley Wolstenholme and Jenny Garnsey as their VET coordinators, and training and assessment has already commenced in the comply with infection prevention and control policies and procedures unit. We also have a small group of students studying Year 11 and 12 at Parklands full time this year, and it’s been really pleasing to witness their level of engagement and commitment to the learning so far. We look forward to a productive and successful year.
Ms Andrea Crawford
Year 11 & 12 Coordinator
The Hub students have kicked off the year by getting to know one another and showing respect and care for our new students. We have started to form some wonderfully positive and meaningful relationships and explored the expectations we have of ourselves and others. The vibe in the Hub is extremely positive and everyone has been enjoying their alternate learning programs, especially cooking, gardening and the cultural connections subjects. We congratulate all students on their positive attitudes and look forward to a wonderful year ahead filled with exciting learning opportunities.
Ms Andrea Harding & Ms Julia Brown
Hub Teachers
Oh wow did we have some fun this week!
In the coming weeks, Burnie will host the 2021 Mapali Dawn service - the official opening of this year’s Ten Days on The Island festival. This year Parklands High School was invited to be involved again in the creative processes of this fantastic event. Yesterday we welcomed local elders David Gough, Guy Chalky Grey, and through Zoom conference, creative genius Maurice Goldberg from Goldberg Aberline Studio (GAS) Melbourne, into the Art room. They worked with a number of Year 9 and 10 students on abstract style art that will feature in the opening ceremony in March. The process was very hands on, with students responding to several creative concepts, drawing intuitively, drawing blindfolded, responding to music and channelling their inner ‘kangaroo’. The work output was beyond fantastic with so many brilliant artworks created there was barely room to move between masterpieces. We are so excited by this project and to be involved for a second time.
Mapali will be held at the Burnie foreshore on the March 5 at 6.45am. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, booking is essential as there are limited tickets available – this is a free event and staff, students and members of the community are encouraged to come along and support this fantastic festival and admire the beautiful artwork of PHS. Links to the event, the booking service and more information are below:
Laptop Payments
Laptops are in the process of being issued to participating students.
If your child will not be participating, please notify the school office.
Levies
Invoices have been processed for 2021 levies.
Please contact the school office if you are unable to pay by the due date.
The Smith Family’s ‘Learning for Life’ Program
Dear Parent/ guardian,
The Smith Family’s “Learning for Life” Educational support program is continuing to work in partnership with schools in Burnie/Wynyard for 2021.
We are reaching out to local families with students at Parklands High from year 7 upwards who have aspiration for growth in their education pathway.
Each student receives a modest financial support ($450. per child/per year) to assist with school uniforms, shoes, bags, lunch boxes etc. and extracurricular activities right through to year 12 and beyond, plus educational programs throughout the year.
To be eligible for the scholarship, you must hold a current concession, healthcare/ pension card and your child/children attending Parklands High.
Warmest Regards,
Karina 0466 850 989
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Please call / Text or Email:
Karina on 0466 850 989, Email: karina.anderson@thesmithfamily.com.au to discuss this wonderful opportunity for you and your family.