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Darwin High School Term 1 Newsletter 2014
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1
From the Principal
Welcome to the first edition of Contact for the 2014 school year. It provides parents and guardians with an indication of just
how busy the beginning of the school year has been for all staff and students.
2013 NTCET Results
Darwin High School’s 2013 Year 12 results were outstanding:
94% of all Year 12s successfully completed their Northern Territory Certificate of Education and Training.
Our Dux, Asim Rasi, achieved an ATAR of 99.95 and was the top student in the Northern Territory.
Our top Indigenous student, Daniel Hamilton, achieved an ATAR of 93.5.
Six of the top 20 students for the Northern Territory were from Darwin High School.
10 perfect scores and 10 merits were achieved in a range of subjects.
47 students achieved an ATAR over 90, 78 students achieved an ATAR above 80, and 108 students an ATAR above 70.
The Northern Territory VET in Schools student of the Year was Tre Manning-Watson
The Northern Territory School Based Apprentice of the Year was Louise Austin.
These results are only possible when we have dedicated, outstanding teachers, high expectations of all students and an order-
ly, supportive, structured learning environment - which encompasses our five values - Respect, Responsibility, Integrity, Co-
operation and Achievement.
I congratulate the 2013 Year 12 students and thank the Darwin High School staff for their commitment to the students, ensur-
ing they all achieve their personal best.
Course Reimbursements and Voluntary Parent Contributions
Thank you to parents who have paid the Textbook Technology Resource Hire Scheme levy and course reimbursements. Your
assistance allows the School to offer quality educational programs. Parents can use the credit card facilities by calling on
School Newsletter—Contact Volume 14 Edition 1 Term 1 April 2014
2
8999 1283 or by visiting the Finance Office at-
tached to the School Library, 8:00 am to 4:00
pm on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Fri-
day.
Annual General Meeting
Congratulations to the following members of
the 2014 School Council elected at the AGM
held on Tuesday 11 March.
Parent Executive
Mr Hully Liveris Chair
Mr Wally Mauger Deputy Chair
Ms Diem Tang Treasurer
Ms Wendy Strawhorn Secretary
Parent Representatives
Mr Paul Usher
Mr Desmond Campbell
Dr Janice Warren (co-opted)
Mrs Nicky Purser
Mr Michael Jones
Ms Sally Hodgson (co-opted)
Mr Michael Duffy
Ms Kaye Henderson
Staff Representatives
Mr Marty Isaksen
Ms Penny McIntyre
Ms Jackie Dupe
Ms Anne Donnelly
Principal
Mr Trevor Read
Business Manager
Ms Penny Beissbarth
The next Darwin High School Council meeting
is on Wednesday 16 April at 7:00 pm in Café
Ah Toy. All welcome.
Term 1 Progress Reports
Term 1 reports are included with this edition of
Contact. These interim reports are formative.
That is, they are designed to let parents and
students know what needs to be done during
Term 2 to either maintain or improve grades.
There is still ample time to rectify problems and
I urge parents to contact relevant staff to dis-
cuss any concerns. To those students who
have done well, keep up the good work.
Our students face some very real pressures in
their senior secondary years. Courses become
Parent Teacher Night Parent Teacher Night will be on 28 April, 3:00pm—7:00pm for all year levels.
Interviews will be a maximum of eight minutes duration. We are using the internet-
based booking system called Parent Teacher On-Line (PTO).
Please access the system as follows:
Go to the school’s home page http://www.darwinhigh.nt.edu.au/
Click the Parent Teacher Online tab.
Enter you login details found on the slip provided or click ‘Obtain PIN/Password
‘and enter your email address. Your PIN will be emailed to you. If you encounter
any problems using PTO please contact the school office by phone on 89991263,
or by email to [email protected].
Please note that PTO will be available for bookings from 14 April after 3:30pm.
Assistance
If you require clarification or assistance with any matter whatsoever, you may wish to contact some of the following people:
Mr Rohan Ford Year 10 Coordinator 89991256
Mr Marty Isaksen Assistant Principal Year 10 89991202
Mr Aaron Dalgleish Year 11 Coordinator 89991234
Mr Kevin Northcote Assistant Principal Year 11 89991203
Ms Ros France Year 12 Coordinator 89991230
Ms Patricia Cryer Assistant Principal Year 12 89991204
Ms Meg Davis Careers Practitioner Year 10 89991280
Ms Anne Donnelly NTCET Coordinator 89991245
Ms Kerry Williams School Counsellor 89991290
Ms Linda Sanders Home Liaison Officer 89991205
Mr Paul McConnell Defence Liaison 89991211
Ms Barbara Tapsell AIEW 89991257
Ms Lily Zhong International Students Coordinator 89991270
more difficult and expectations escalate. It is far easier to overcome prob-
lems at this stage rather than later in the year when it becomes increasingly
difficult to salvage a situation.
Bombing of Darwin
Once again our students were outstanding in representing Darwin High
School at the Bombing of Darwin Ceremony on February 19. After the Cere-
mony, students were invited by the Chief Minister, Hon Adam Giles, to Par-
liament House to share morning tea with Veterans and other dignitaries.
Again and again members of the public and officials complimented the stu-
dents on their presentation and manner. Thanks must go to Judy Boland
who manages this important event in our School Calendar.
Trevor Read
Principal
Update Your Contact Details
If you have moved, changed work or home telephone numbers, please
contact the Darwin High School Front Office on 89991222. It is important
that the School has up to date information in case of emergencies.
3
Year 12 News
Here we are at the end of Term 1 and which means that our
Year 12 students have completed about 30% of their courses.
The pace of learning and the depth of material increase for
Stage 2 courses and most students have realised this and re-
sponded accordingly. However, there are still some who are yet
to step up. Students who are feeling stressed or in need of ad-
vice can touch base with Mrs Cryer and Mrs France for help.
Queries about NTCET patterns and completion should go to Ms
Donnelly. For apprenticeships and school to work transition
queries please contact Ms Davis.
Mentor Group News
Year 12 students are expected to attend Mentor Group. This
term students have received important information and partici-
pated in several activities including:
completing their NTCET pattern check
learning about and planning for effective time management
signing SACE board paperwork
attending a talk on Scaling and the ATAR
discussing stress management strategies
watching TED Education talks on 8 steps to success, GRIT
and Genius or 10,000 hrs of work?
Next term, the focus will continue to be on supporting student
success at school but also planning for the school formal and
graduation.
Year 12 Jerseys
Year 12 jerseys can be ordered by paying $75 to the book
room and then presenting the receipt to Mrs France. Last order
will be sent Week 5, Friday 16 May.
Dates for the Diary
External Mathematical Applications Exam 12 June
Year 12 Last Day of Attendance 24 October
End of year External Exams 3 -19 November
Year 12 Graduation and Formal 24 November
Presentation Evening 8 December
Patricia Cryer
Assistant Principal Year 12
From the Home Liaison Officer
Darwin High School has had a posi-
tive start to Term 1 2014, student
attendance is sound with the majori-
ty of students attending every day.
We are pleased that our attendance
rate for Term 1 was 93%. However,
there is room for improvement. I
would like to thank parents and
guardians who contact the school
when their child is absent.
Darwin High School closely moni-
tors student attendance. The Home
Liaison Officer, Year Coordinators
and Assistant Principals meet each week to plan and
follow up student absences. Concerns about attend-
ance will generally be followed up with a phone call,
email or letter to the parent/guardian.
There are several ways to notify the School when a
student is absent. Parents can:
email [email protected]
click on student absence button
on the DHS webpage
www.darwinhigh.nt.edu.au
Phone the Front Office 8999 1222
Give parental note to the Front Office.
We understand that there are legitimate circumstances
when students may be late for school. Darwin High
School would like parents and guardians to actively
support students to arrive on time for school. If your
child is late for school, please provide your child with a
parental note or, telephone the Front Office to notify
their late arrival. Students who are late should sign in
at the Front Office before going to classes ensuring the
time of arrival is recorded in the student’s attendance
records.
If your child needs to see a doctor and is absent as a
results of a medical condition, please ask your GP to
write a Medical Certificate. The certificate will be held
in the student’s file for any future reference.
If parents and guardians have any concerns about their
child’s attendance at school please contact the Home
Liaison Officer, Linda Sanders, on 8999 1205, or email
Linda Sanders
Home Liaison Officer
Assessment Schedules
For All Year Levels
Available on our website
under ‘Curriculum’
4
You are not alone
Of late I have been talking to many parents who are struggling with
their teenage children. At times it can be quite stressful for everyone,
but things will get better.
I have been reading some of the work by Andrew Fuller, Clinical Psy-
chologist and Family Therapist. I also attended a Well Being Confer-
ence where Andrew spoke. What he had to say made sense and
gave me some useful tips. His website is worth having a look at and
there are quite a few free articles available. Below I have republished
with permission, a summary of one of the articles. I hope you find this
useful.
Kevin Northcote
Assistant Principal Year 11
Don’t Waste Your Breath!
Realise that adolescents are not just a smaller version of adults.
The adolescent brain is in transition. It differs neuro-chemically
and anatomically from an adult brain.
Remember that adolescents’ frontal lobes are ‘closed for con-
struction’. Expecting teenagers to show a lot of forethought,
planning, consideration and impulse control is like expecting a
goldfish to recite Shakespeare.
The brain is re-structuring to become more efficient. Therefore
we need to capitalise on this re-structuring. Help them to develop
the habits and routines that allow them to work smarter not
harder.
Parents need to be their teenage children’s frontal lobes. Asking
an adolescent to do a lot of forward planning is like asking a dog
to study physics. This is also the reason why too much freedom
too soon does not seem to help too many young people.
Last but not least, never underestimate your power. Adolescents
need someone around them — an adult who has more options
than they do. Someone who they may battle with, but someone
who ultimately they imitate and emulate, and believe it or not,
that someone is you.
Reproduced with permission from www.andrewfuller.com.au
NTCET Information
Special provisions are special arrangements in assess-
ment for students who may be in a situation where an
illness, impairment, learning difficulty or an unforeseen
incident significantly impacts on their ability to participate
in assessment tasks. These special arrangements may
include granting of an extension, predicting a grade
based on other work that the student has done, or reduc-
ing the number of assessment tasks.
Special provisions cannot be used to compensate for
work that has not been done due to matters of personal
choice such as holidays, work commitments or other
things that could have been avoided. It is solely to com-
pensate students who are significantly impaired by cir-
cumstances beyond their control.
The granting of special provisions is always dependent
on the provision of evidence to demonstrate the impair-
ment. This is often from health care professionals. Stu-
dents who believe they have grounds for special provi-
sions should contact me to discuss their issues and de-
termine if they are eligible.
Consent To Release NTCET Information
This form gives consent to release NTCET results and
information to the South Australian Tertiary Admissions
Centre (SATAC), Darwin High School and the media. All
Year 12 students must complete and return this form to
the school. It must be countersigned by a parent or
guardian if the student is under 18. It is in a student’s
best interest to answer yes to questions 1 and 4. If ‘no’ is
selected for question 4, then an ATAR and TAFE selec-
tion rank will NOT be calculated.
In consenting to release information to the media, stu-
dents are consenting to release results of their subjects
ONLY in the event that they are outstanding. All complet-
ers will have their surname, initial and school published
in the paper.
The ‘Consent to Release NTCET Information’ form has
been distributed to students in Mentor Group. It is also
available in the NTCET folder on Student Public and on
the Darwin High School website by clicking on the
‘Curriculum’ tab.
Please contact me if you wish to clarify any information
regarding the NTCET.
Anne Donnelly
NTCET Coordinator
Keeping parents in the loop
We send regular emails to parents on our year level mailing
lists advising them of career opportunities, university infor-
mation and general information about what is happening in
the school.
If you are not receiving these emails and would like to, please
email [email protected] and request to be added to
the relevant year level mailing list. Students may also request
to be added.
5
From the Defence Transition Mentor
Bombing of Darwin DHS students participated in the 72th Anniversary of the Bombing of
Darwin. Students accompanied Veterans to the Darwin Experience Museum, Robertson’s
Barracks and attended the Commemorative Service at Adelaide River. The feedback
from Veterans and their families has been very positive and shows appreciation of the
students’ efforts.
Education Assistance Scheme If your child requires tuition assistance with their stud-
ies while at Darwin High School, the Department of Defence may be able to
help. For more information and an application form, contact the DTM.
DCO Family Day On 15 February, the DCO hosted a family day and expo to
welcome Defence families to Darwin and Palmerston. It was extremely well
supported by service clubs, government departments and many community
organisations, allowing defence families to take the opportunity to learn more
about living in the wonderful Top End.
The Top Ender This is a great tri-service publication created by defence fami-
lies for defence families. The February/March edition is chock full of articles,
features and useful information including an excellent directory. If you are not
receiving the this magazine, email: [email protected]
The Defence Family Helpline 1800 624 608 The Defence Family Helpline is
your first point of call for support, information and connection with your commu-
nity, including your local DCO team. The Helpline is available 24-7 and is
staffed by qualified human services professionals including social workers and psychologists. You can also email the Helpline on
[email protected] and receive a response within 24 hours.
Paul McConnell
Taylah Peters, Shannon McSkimming, Luke Jettner, Amy
Chittick and Brodie Fraser assisting with the Bombing of
Darwin Commemorative Service at Adelaide River
Australian Computational Linguistic Olympiad
On February 27, 80 students from Darwin High competed in
the Australian Computational Linguistic Olympiad (OzClo).
This competition involves students working in teams of four to
solve problems presented in languages other than English.
Students are required to apply their knowledge of languages
and language learning to crack linguistic codes. From this
three Darwin High teams were selected to compete in the na-
tional competition on March 25. These teams were: 1st Place
Senior Team, NT: Chetan Ganesh, Tarun Ponneri, Justin Hur-
ley, Jessica Harpur
2nd
Place Senior team, NT: Aurora Jan, Mariah Hender,
Rachael Dodd, Tom Burchett.
1st Place Junior team, NT: Angla Mota Torres, Harry Booth,
Jun Tao Lin, Kyung Min Baek.
Results for the national round of the competition have not
yet been released.
Congratulations to these teams, as well as the many other
Darwin High teams who received Gold, Silver or Bronze
certificates in Round One.
6
World Challenge 2013
World Challenge is a schools’ expedition organisa-
tion that takes students on exciting trips to over fifty
countries throughout the world. There are four stag-
es to the journey, acclimatising to the environment,
working on a community project, trekking and rest
and relaxation. Last year, Aaron Dalgleish and Jen-
nifer Johns accompanied our group of thirteen stu-
dents from Darwin High School, on a once-in-a-
lifetime journey to Botswana and Namibia, Africa.
No longer were we able to depend on the luxuries
that Australia can provide, or the reliance we have
on our parents. It was time to take on the challeng-
es that the world had on offer and to learn to live
with each other for a month!
Planning for the adventure started 18 months be-
forehand. We all worked part time jobs and or
joined in group fundraising activities in order to fund
the trip.
The first week we spent clambering up the rocky
escarpments of Namibia, admiring ancient rock art
and gazing at the stars. Right from the start we had
to work together. We all had a role like organising
Hanging out with the kids on the village trek
transport or accommodation, supervising the budget, purchasing and
cooking food, taking care of the environment or leading the group. We
had group meetings to discuss how to successfully manage any prob-
lems. At times stress and exhaustion got the better of us and we had to
push ourselves and support each other. Every day was jam-packed,
moving from one
activity to another
and by the time we
had set up our tents
the only energy we
had left was re-
served for sleeping.
We visited the Skele-
ton Coast to experi-
ence the thousands
of seals up close; the
smell, the noise and
the cold air thrilled us. The competition amongst the team heated up
when we went sand boarding and 75km/h was the top speed reached.
While in Namibia, we travelled to a remote community for a week where
we stayed and worked at the Ben Hur School, painting the exterior of
the 1st Grade classroom. This amazing hands-on experience gave us
the chance to help out the village and meet some of the local kids, who
were keen to spend time with us. Other people from the village invited
us to play netball and soccer and they shared their culture. Before leav-
ing we decided to use the remainder of our project money to purchase
school books, uniforms and sports equipment to donate to the school.
From the project phase behind us, we moved onto our village trek in
Botswana. Each day our team would wake early and the villagers would
treat us to a breakfast of sweet bread and tea, before walking for six or
so hours to the next village. Each new village brought new surprises as
we explored the environments and got to mingle with the local kids. At
the ‘cultural village’ we were treated to a surprise performance of Afri-
can tribal dancing.
One of the most amazing parts of the trip was going to one of the
world’s largest inland water systems, the Okavango Delta. Thin dug-out
canoes called mokoros were poled through the shallow, reedy waters of
the Delta. We camped on an island surrounded by wildlife. As our trip
came to an end in Botswana, we went on Safari in Chobe National
Park. Hippos, impala, baboons and lions were just a few of the wild ani-
mals that crossed our path.
All the team members would agree the World Challenge trip was an
experience we will never forget. This opportunity has opened our eyes
to other cultures and we have all grown from the experience.
By Jess Bloom
Being poled through the Okavango Delta
The grade 1 class room looking better after a coat of paint
Do you want to have the trip of a life time? Any Year 9 or Year 10
interested in going on a World Challenge expedition in 2015 should
email Aaron Dalgleish [email protected] to find out more.
7
Singapore Trip 2013
On 3 December, 32 stu-
dents and four teachers
travelled to both Singa-
pore and Malaysia as part
of the Centre for Excel-
lence program.
The annual Singapore
Trip kicked off at 4 pm
that day, where we, as a
group, waited eagerly in
the Darwin International
Airport. With much antici-
pation, we arrived in Singapore to be greeted by the same hu-
mid temperature as in Darwin, with the addition of captivating
city lights. Some of us experienced a bit of culture shock. How-
ever, all of us were ready for the best trip of our school life.
Over the next ten days we experienced all the tourist destina-
tions including the Singapore Zoo, Night Safari, the Genting
Highlands, the Batu Caves, the Petronas Towers and Universal
Studios. Educational adventures were also enjoyed which in-
cluded the NeWater Plant, the Singapore Discovery Centre, the
Marina Barrage in Singapore and the Elephant Sanctuary and
the Selangor Pewter Factory in Malaysia.
Throughout the whole trip, everyone bonded, new friendships
were formed and overall every single person had an excellent
time. I am honoured to have been able to be a part of this ex-
cellent program and to have been given the opportunity to go
on this trip. On behalf of all the students, I would like to thank
Ms Esther Tan, Ms
Eileen Bell, Mr Kevin
Northcote and Mr
Darren Clayton for
all their efforts.
I recommend this trip
to any future stu-
dents as it is defi-
nitely an awesome
trip and will be one
of my fondest mem-
ories of high school.
Jeremy Kimm
Year 12
8
Darwin High School Science Term 1
Year 10 Science
What a busy start to the year! The DHS Science
Faculty welcomed its Year 10s by beginning
straight away on Chemistry. We have been very
pleased with the way our newest members of the
school have embraced the topic and all of its
activities and tasks. Some Year 10 Chemistry
students taught the Year 12 Accounting students
ow to do Bohr diagrams. After all, the best way to
learn is to teach! Year 10 students have now
completed assessment this term and have
gained some valuable feedback about their pro-
gress.
All Year 10 Science teachers have access to the
Pearson e-book to study and practise the con-
cepts covered in class. The e-book can be used
on their own personal devices anywhere there is
internet, so it is great for students who may miss
school due to illness or other reasons. Please
ask your son/daughter about the e-book and for
a demo.
Stage 1 and 2
As always our Stage 1 and 2 students are busy
with formative and summative activities and
tasks across our many Science subjects. Stu-
dents are encouraged to regularly revise and
work on material they have covered in
class and to put in routine hours towards
knocking off assessment so that it does
not become insurmountable. Students
are welcome to come and see their
teachers during their study periods and
other free time if they are looking for assis-
tance.
Congratulations to Hamish Wiltshire for his
selection as a semi-finalist in the BHP Billi-
ton Science and Engineering Awards.
Hamish’s project “Bicycle Luggage and
Balance Investigation” has won him a pres-
tigious award and some very valued prize
money.
The Science Faculty runs a number of
competitions throughout the year and notes about these will have already
gone home. Should your son/daughter be interested in entering any of our
competitions please contact the Science Faculty Senior on 8999 1278.
Mandy Vale
Science Faculty Senior
DNA Modelling
Mrs Reimers’ Year 12 Biology Class
9
Secondary Intensive English Unit (SIEU)
celebrates Harmony Day
Harmony Day with its celebration of cultures was well
supported by our SIEU students. Concert items includ-
ed a Thai and Cambodian dress parade, mimes from
Mr Stretton’s Exiting ESL Drama class, a tasting com-
petition, a mini drama starring both students and bilin-
gual officers and a group quiz on general knowledge.
SIEU Health Gets Street Wise
SIEU Health class did four sessions of self-defence
with StreetWise Self-Defence at Palmerston. The
students learnt some basic skills on how to stay
safe and protect themselves in dangerous situa-
tions.
Mathematics Competitions
This year there are a number of mathematics competitions that stu-dents can enter. Australian Informatics Competition was held on 25 March. It is organised by the Australian Mathematics Trust. There were 42 stu-dents from Year 11 and 12 who sat the Senior Paper and 25 stu-dents from Year 10 who sat the Intermediate Paper. Results for this competition should be available in a month. The Olympiad Programming Competition is to be held on Thurs-day 4
September. The school will receive an invitation and more
details in June. In the meantime, check the website www.amt.edu.au/aio.html Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC) is organised by the Australian Mathematics Trust and is sponsored by the Common-wealth Bank. ‘This event was introduced in Australia in 1978 as the first Competi-tion in Australian Schools. In this time it has served almost all Aus-tralian secondary schools, providing feedback and enrichment to schools and students. It has become the largest single event on the Australian Education Calendar, allowing students to attempt the same tasks, on the same day in about 40 countries. It has become a truly international event, with countries throughout the Pacific and South East Asia, and some from even further afield taking part.’ It will be held on Thursday 7 of August. The cost is $6 per student. and the closing date for payment is Friday 2 May. Further infor-mation about this competition can be found on the Australian Math-ematics Trust website www.amt.edu.au. International Competitions and Assessment for Schools (ICAS) Mathematics Competition is organised by the University of New South Wales. Over one million student entries are accepted from over 6,300 schools in Australia and New Zealand annually. In addition, students from over 20 countries including Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa and the USA participate in ICAS each year. The ICAS Mathematics assesses students’ skills and knowledge across five strands: Algebra and Patterns, Chance and Data, Measures and Units, Number and Arithmetic and Space and Ge-ometry. There are differences in content across papers to ensure they are appropriate for year levels. In the papers that the students complete calculators are required; formal algebra and formal geom-etry is tested and students are expected to be familiar with some conventions of both of these topics. This competition will be held on Tuesday 12 August. The cost per student is $8.80 and the closing date for payment is Thursday 19
June. To find out more about the mathematics skills assessed in this competition go to the website https://www.eaa.unsw.edu.au/icas or ask the class teacher. Students are encouraged to enter these competitions as they are a fine record of their mathematical ability.
Eileen Bell Mathematics Faculty Senior
10
The World’s Greatest Shave
This year’s event at Darwin
High School on 14 March
raised even more support
compared to the past with
one of our very own students
being afflicted by Leukae-
mia. Darwin High School’s
own “World’s Greatest
Shave “ event definitely
helped to highlight the fantastic job that the Leukaemia Foundation is doing and
to raise awareness not only within the School but also publicly. As a school we
managed to raise over $4000, both in cash donations and on online. Some highly
committed students are still continuing in their efforts to reach their set targets.
More than twenty students and one staff member participated in the actual shave
with most baring it all and others going with it half way. As usual, Ms Linda Low
and Ms Samantha Deacon offered their great hair shaving skills assisted by Ms
Kimberley Buckley and Ms Natalie Stephenson.
It was also very interesting to note that people who were passing the school
grounds on their daily walks with their dogs came over to congratulate the
School for showcasing the really good things that young people are doing as
opposed to all the negativity presented in the media.
The day would not have been such a success without the support and help of so
many people. To them I want to place on record my heartfelt thanks for every-
thing they have done.
Premilla Naidoo
Organiser
11
12
A Country Too Far
On Wednesday 26 March, seven Year 11 students had an opportunity to go and listen
to award winning authors, Tom Keneally and Rosie Scott, speaking about their recent
publication of stories about Australia’s history with asylum seekers, A Country Too Far.
Students listened as the authors spoke about their thoughts and expe-
riences with asylum seekers, learning about the concept of ‘Them’ and
the basic rules of law. The renowned author of Schindler’s List, Tom
Keneally, spoke specifically about his own personal experiences from
those with the Aboriginal community he lived near as a child in north-
ern New South Wales, to his interactions with refugees in northern
Africa. Students came away from this passionate and informative presentation with a much firmer understand-
ing of Australia’s history with asylum seekers.
Christian Discussion Group
The Christian Discussion Group gives students the opportunity to
talk about what they believe and to hear what is written in the Bi-
ble. The group is held in room B17 every Tuesday lunchtime. Stu-
dents bring their lunch with them.
The Anglican Youth Minister, Rev. Bruce Chapman, also comes
to the meetings and assists with the programme. The group
meets throughout the year and financially sponsors a young girl
in India. Donations towards her sponsorship are welcome from
anyone at any time. The monthly support is $48.
Our school community has students from many different back-
grounds and faiths. This group provides a forum for discussion
and opportunities for integration with others in the school commu-
nity.
Any questions can be directed via email or in person to
Rosie Reimers
Convener
Work Experience
All Year 10 students in PLP classes this semester are expected to
participate in the DHS Work Experience Program in Week 1, Term
2. The most successful work experiences occur when students se-
lect workplaces that reflect their future career plans. Therefore,
careful planning is necessary prior to selection. The process for
Work Experience is as follows:
Students should:
arrange their own position by contacting prospective employers
themselves
collect the School Work Experience Application Form from their
teachers
have the form completed and signed by the prospective em-
ployer and their parents before they start Work Experience
return the form to their PLP teachers
Attendance at school will be compulsory for those students who are
not to be involved in the Work Experience Program. Contact details
for are 8999 1280 or [email protected] .
Ms Meg Davis
Coordinator
Uni Visits
Earlier this term, with the help of Flinders University and
Charles Darwin University, Josie Wright (a former Darwin
High Student) and Indigenous Health lecturer Cheryl Davis,
gave an informative and entertaining presentation on Medi-
cine in the NT and the part that the UMAT plays.
On 6 March, Kinetic IT presented to all the IT classes in
Darwin High. The three presenters gave some real insights
into the possible career paths for IT.
The University of New England presented on 13 March. NT
Students do very well with Bonus Points with this university.
On 26 March Monash University came to Darwin High and
students learned about the Monash Guarantee .
13
Bombing of Darwin Activities
Darwin High School students were
well to the fore at the various events
marking the 72nd
Anniversary of the
Bombing of Darwin.
The Veterans, all aged over 90, were
escorted and assisted by students on
their tour of the Darwin Military Muse-
um on Monday; accompanied by
them on their inspection of Robertson
Barracks on Tuesday and looked af-
ter by them at the Lord Mayor’s Din-
ner at the RAAF Base on Tuesday
evening.
At the Service on Wednesday, they
provided a steadying hand for the
Veterans as they approached the
Darwin Cenotaph to lay their floral
tributes. Erin Barker, Fiona Lay, Luke
Jettner and Brodie Fraser laid the
wreath for Darwin High School and
Amy Chittick, who was part of the Offi-
cial Party, recited the Ode.
After the ceremony, the students met
the Japanese Ambassador to Australia,
His Excellency Mr Yoshitaka Akimoto,
who was impressed that students from
the Japanese Language class were
able to greet him formally.
Following the Service, the senior stu-
dents moved to Parliament House
where they engaged the Veterans and
Bombing Survivors in conversation as
they enjoyed the Chief Minister’s hospi-
tality.
At the Chief Minister’s Reception, CDR
Gabe Varela, Commanding Officer of
the visiting US warship USS KIDD, in-
vited our students to a private tour of
his ship. Students were taken to the
Bridge where they sat in the Captain’s
Chair, and then walked through the nerve
centre of the ship, where everything is
bathed in an eerie blue light. They also
corrected the American pronunciation of
the word ‘Melbourne’ and extolled the
virtues of vegemite!
Thursday was a 7:00am start for the stu-
dents as they gathered at the Darwin
Civic Centre to board the buses to the
Adelaide River War Cemetery. The som-
bre service was followed by an emotional
period, as the Veterans with the help of
‘young eyes’ searched for the head-
stones of former mates. This year, the
Caretakers of the Adelaide River War
Cemetery had placed A6 sized photos of
those interred alongside their headstone.
The youthful faces so full of promise,
which gazed out at us, brought many
emotions to the surface, and the students
were magnificent in the way they com-
14
forted the deeply moved Veterans.
All students were a credit to the
School and their parents. VIP Ush-
ers Chris Bryant, Nathaniel Kelly,
Lailani and Laura Triffitt assisted
with VIP arrivals and escorted them
to the registration table; Veterans’
Bus Ushers Joyce Yeum, Lailani
Triffitt, Laura Triffitt and Erin Schipp
met the Veterans and assisted them
to their seats; VIP Ushers Bella
Macdonald, Cassie Wright, Alex
Perrett, Taylah Peters, Mickey Teng,
Joyce Yeum and Tyra Chatram es-
corted VIPs to their seats; General
Ushers Ambar Ambarwaty, Lisa Lu,
Linh Roberts and Jessica Tasawang
provided assistance to Bombing
Survivors, handing out ear plugs
and programs; Information Table
Assistants Aurora Jan, Tina Cheng,
Jacklyn Debuque, Moritz Rath and
Clara Sievering provided infor-
mation, handled public enquiries
and provided general assistance;
Coolroom attendants Laurence
Jinyola, Raissa Uwase, Chayanee
Sukkun and Monika Yin monitored
water supplies and distributed as
and when required, and Bus Escorts
Amy Chittick, Luke Jettner, Brodie
Fraser, Shannon McSkimming and
Taylah Peters made such an im-
pression on the Veterans.
The Right Honourable the Lord
Mayor Ms Katrina Fong Lim, herself
a former Darwin High student, per-
sonally thanked the students for
their valuable contribution to the
events.
Special thanks to our Bilingual Offic-
ers Jennefir Harker and Sandy Ho
for their management of the SIEU
students and to Defence Transition
Mentor, Paul McConnell, and Assis-
tant Principal, Trish Cryer, for their
supervision of the main body of DHS
students.
Judy Boland
Events Coordinator
19th National Schools Constitutional Convention
From the 12 -14 March, over a hundred student delegates across
Australia including myself, gathered in Canberra where we learnt
more about the Australian Constitution and the system of govern-
ment, at a federal and state level. The topic this year, Australian
Federalism: States’ Rights and National Priorities, provided an
understanding of how our Constitution worked by outlining the
Commonwealth and States’ responsibilities for issues concerning
everyday Australians, more specifically, who should have control
over health and water in Australia.
On Day One, students visited the Main Committee Room at Par-
liament House in which we role played the passing of a mock
Schools Resources Bill 2014. Luckily enough, I was selected to take on the role as
the NT Minister for Education. For two hours, student delegates debated and dis-
cussed the resources that schools needed in terms of the states and territories
percentage of population and number of schools (noting the fact that the NT only
took up 1%-2% of Australia’s population). Before we finished at Parliament House,
we had the pleasure of meeting The Hon Bronwyn Bishop, MP Speaker of the
House of Representatives, representing the Prime Minister. Later in the afternoon,
we boarded a bus to visit the National Archives. There, we were given a descrip-
tion on almost every element of Australia’s preserved history, such as the famous
facsimile of the 1972 Larrakia petition, which called for land rights and political rep-
resentation.
On Day Two the student delegates visited the Old Parliament House where we
were greeted by our Convention Facilitator, Emeritus Professor John Warhurst AO,
and attended a speech by Senator The Hon Scott Ryan. This was followed by pan-
el discussion with Dr Andrew Banfield and Professor Fiona Wheeler on the ques-
tion “What do we mean by Federalism?” After lunch, students worked in groups —
mix from each state and territory. Although some people in my group had conflict-
ing views and opinions, it was a pleasure to work with people who I had never met.
The working groups discussed the Australian Constitution and whether the Com-
monwealth should assume full powers over water and health. The main highlight
for me personally was the dinner at the High Court of Australia. It was a privilege to
not only have dinner at one of Australia’s most political locations, but also to attend
a speech given by Huy Nguyen (ACT Young Australian of the Year 2014). Mr Ngu-
yen, a humanitarian engineer and a mentor, entrepreneur, traveller and an advo-
cate for people with a disability, inspired delegates with his heartfelt speech and
engaged us with his description of his innovative approaches across humanitarian
engineering.
On the last day of the program, at the Old Parliament House a representative from
the Australian Electoral Commission talked about referenda - how they are initia-
tion and the process used. Delegates were also welcome to ask any questions,
and seeing as how states were much more powerful than territories, my question
for the panelists was, “Do you think it is time we conduct a referendum in order for
the NT and ACT to become states?” At around 12pm, all the delegates voted for
the referendum on health and water, and the communique was finalised incorpo-
rating referendum results.
I enjoyed every moment of this convention, and the only negative feedback I have
15
Foelsche Centenary
January 31, 2014 marked the centenary of Territory pioneer, Paul Heinrich Mathias
Foelsche, and the Darwin community took the opportunity to commemorate this lead-
ing public figure and community man. A ceremony was held in his honour at the Ma-
sonic Hall in Stokes Street.
Darwin High School students added to this important occasion by dressing in period
costume and certainly helped to connect the event to Darwin’s past. After the cere-
mony, the students were privileged to be taken upstairs to the Lodge Room, where
items of regalia and ceremony were explained to the students by The Hon Austin
Asche.
Also in his honour, the NT Archives Centre mounted a display of some of Foelsche’s
photo albums and letters; the NT Library courtesy of the SA Museum, staged a pho-
tographic exhibition of some of Foelsche’s works, officially opened by The Hon Austin
Asche AC, QC.
Paul Foelsche was born in Germany in 1831 and at the age of 23, migrated to South
Australia in 1854. In December 1869, he arrived in Port Darwin to establish law and
order in the embryonic settlement of Palmerston as Darwin was then called. Inspector
Foelsche was a remarkable man: a policeman, a freemason (assisting with the estab-
lishment of the first Freemasons Lodge in Darwin in 1896), a Justice of the Peace, a
Special Magistrate, an armourer, a dentist, a photographer, a botanist, an anthropolo-
gist, an ethnographer and an amateur linguist. Inspector Foelsche is regarded as the
father of the NT Police Force, which, until their recent colour change, proudly wore
the Brunswick Green trim with their khaki uniforms to honour their founder.
Judy Boland
Coordinator
On Your Bike!
Nathan York Morris loves his BMX
and travels regularly to compete in
State titles interstate and Australian
Champion events.
Nathan is currently a Junior BMX
coach at Jingili BMX. A “Come and
Try’ day will be held on the 25 May
2014. Bikes and equipment availa-
ble to use for all sizes.
is that it was not long enough! In three days I met so many amazing and inspirational delegates who I quickly became friends
with as they too shared a similar political and legal stance as I did. And lastly, the amount of knowledge I have gained from
the 19th National Schools Constitutional Convention 2014 is unbelievable. Being selected to represent Darwin High School
and the Northern Territory is one of my most rewarding achievements, and I could not have been more proud.
Jacinta Mu
Year 12
16
Year 10 Life at Darwin HighYear 10 Life at Darwin HighYear 10 Life at Darwin High
17
18
NT Swimming Championships
During the four days, 13 to 17 March, several Darwin High
School students participated in the NT Open and Age Swim-
ming Championships which were held at Casuarina Swimming
Pool. Lucy Quinlan, Shannon McSkimming, Amy Messenger,
Emily Milikins, Umim Shar-Manroe, Chad Blenkinship, Aaron
Berthan and Chris Milikins competed in many individual events
and club team relays over the six sessions. Swimmers, schools,
clubs and parents can be very proud of the excellent swimming
times achieved and good sportsmanship displayed. Also con-
gratulations to Lucy for winning the 15 Year Girls Age Champi-
on and being selected in the NT Schools Swimming Team. She
will compete in the Australian Schools Swimming Competition in
Melbourne in July.
Andie Mofat
Junior Coach
Lapping up the Honours
Bryce has achieved a lot in his short career, too much to
write down, but here is the short version. He is the first Terri-
torian to ever win a national title which he did in 2013 at age
14. He is a six time state title winner and apart from one
state title event, has made it onto the podium at every state
title event he has contested. He was chosen last year to be
a part of the Australian Motor Sport Foundation Rookie Pro-
gram which enabled him to go to a Motorsports camp at the
AIS in Canberra. He was also chosen in 2013 to be a
“Fujitsu Cool Driver” as part of the Fujitsu Cool Driver Pro-
gram with Gary Rogers Motorsports.
In January 2014, he was awarded the
title of the Best Junior Driver 2013 in
Australia after his outstanding results
throughout the year. He was nominated
and was chosen as one of the finalist for
the 2013 NT Junior Sportsman of the
Year Award.
Recently he won the Junior Top Guns in
Junior Clubman and J-Max held in Mel-
bourne in January and was awarded a
test drive in a Formula V. Early this
month he competed at the Victorian
State Title where he came third in Junior
Clubman and J-max.
Driving to School
Thank you to those parents and students who have had their vehicles registered with us. The
response has been excellent.
There are still some students who are leaving the school grounds with other students in their ve-
hicles who do not have parental permission. Year 10 & 11 students are not permitted to leave the
school grounds at all during the day. Year 12 students who leave the school grounds for whatev-
er reason are asked to sign in and out at the Front Office.
A reminder that the speed limit in the school grounds is 25kph and on Atkins Drive it is 40kph.
When leaving the school, students should not use the bus lane.
From top left: Chad Blenkinship (Yr10) and Ben Cooper (Yr12 2013),
Lucy Quinlan (Yr12) (left) with Leisel Jones 3 x Olympian and former
world record holder at the NT Swimming Championships. Bottom left:
Emily Milikins (Yr12), Shannon McSkimming (Yr11) and Her Honour
the Honourable Sally Thomas AC.
19
Hockey
U18 Women—Mariah Hender, Marissa
Higgins, Lauren Northcote and Natalie
Strawhorn will be representing the NT in
Melbourne in April.
U15 Women
Amy Conca , Angela Heath and Emily
Stephenson will be representing the NT
in Hobart in April.
U18 Men
Jaiden McGregor, Joshua Southwood,
Matthew Southwood, and Sheldon Wills
will be representing the NT in Canberra in
April.
U15 Men
Aaron Chin and Joseph Baronio will be representing the NT in Perth in April.
Sailing Champion
NT Sailing Team sailor, Hamish Wiltshire, takes a triple victory by winning the
2014 Australian Youth Championship and the Yachting Australia Grand Prix
Series in the Laser 4.7 Class after winning the Australian 4.7 Laser Champion-
ship. Hamish sailed consistently throughout the Youth Championship to finish
with three firsts, one fourth, seventh, eighth, ninth and eleventh after two drops
to give a final score of 42. This was equal points with Victoria’s Jack Graves.
However, after a count back, Hamish was awarded the win and is the 2014
Laser 4.7 Youth Champion. Hamish's consistent performance throughout the
year winning the Australian 4.7 Laser Championship, Australian Youth Cham-
pionship, Queensland Youth
Championship, finishing second
in the NSW State Champion-
ship and third in the ISAF World
Cup put him ahead of the rest
of the Australian Youth Sailors
giving him the Yachting Austral-
ia Grand Prix overall win.
by Gary Martin, Yachting NT
Year 12 student Grace Buxner has gone into
the National Class
Clowns competition
after winning the
Northern Territory
heat in March at
Brown’s Mart. She
will perform at the
Melbourne Town
Hall.
National Class Clowns
A huge congratulations to all students of
Darwin High School who raised $520 for
Mindil Beach Surf Lifesaving Club on Board-
ies Day last Friday.
The money will go towards buying much
needed rescue equipment for the busiest
beach in the Territory!
Thank you all for supporting your local surf
Club.
Darwin High School Students Out in the Community
In this section we would like to highlight some of the achievements and contributions our students make outside of school.
Please send items of interest with photographs to the Editor: [email protected].
U18 NT Basketball
James Smith, Tobias Dockery, Donald
Sanger, Jacob Ross, Henry Calendar
and Harry Fuge will be representing the
NT in Canberra in April.
20
Sports News
Netball
On Monday 3 March, Erin Crook and Kerryn Ful-
ton took two teams of girls, a mixture of Year 10s,
11s and 12s, to Sitzler Courts at Marrara to com-
pete in the City Cluster Championships. Both
teams did extremely well to battle the heat and
play five games each, as well as umpire and
score for other teams, in between playing.
The Darwin High 1 team won every game they
played to acquire the premiership points, and
were crowned Champions of Senior Netball 2014.
Outstanding players included Franjesca Cercarelli
as shooter, Brytne Bunnett in defence and Kynsha
Bunnett in the centre. Darwin High School 2 bat-
tled hard and played some exciting netball to end
up in fourth position. Outstanding players included
Katarina Thompson playing both ends of the court
and Euphrasie Camille in the centre, who were
consistent all day and are both new to the game.
Special mention to Sophie Clark for always put-
ting her hand up to umpire. All players should be
congratulated on their maturity, commitment and
sportsmanship throughout the long, hot but very
enjoyable day.
Darwin High School 1 (white) and Darwin High School 2 (blue) Back: Shiyon Bunnett, Jacinta Edwards, Sophie Clark, Euphrasie Camille, Kylie Brassey, Cassie Wright, Amberlyn Pratt, Katarina Thompson & Tepora Turva Front: Franjesca Cercarelli, Brytne Bunnett, Helena Bammant, Rachael Tynan, Gemma Gray, Ella Clarke, Kynsha Bunnett & Erin Schipp
Amberlyn Pratt and Katarina Thompson defending against a strong opposition Franjesca Cercarelli doing a score keeping duty in-between playing
In Term 1 Darwin High School had teams participating in netball and tennis. Our tennis players, Shianne Hawke, Joshua
Vaughan, Moss Kirby and Alan Egan were successful coming first place in the competition. Congratulations to those students.
Congratulations also goes to our netball teams. Please see their report below.
In Term 2 our students have the opportunity to participate in cross country, basketball, soccer and touch. All students will be
emailed specific details as they become available. For any further questions email [email protected].
Steve McGugan
Sports Coordinator
