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T: (08) 8987 0844 E: [email protected] PO Box 1096
W: http://web.ntschools.net/w/nhs/Pages/Home.aspx Nhulunbuy NT 0881
Newsletter 21 February 2014 Issue 13
FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S
DESK Welcome everyone! I hope everyone has been enjoying our big wet season as much as I have! We started off the year with an excellent number of students, and we had a
very smooth start to teaching and learning. There continues to be a small but steady number of enrolments which is very promising. We have had some unexpected staff changes. Jodie Beauchamp is now acting in the Senior Teacher role, previously undertaken by Jenny Heath, in the Senior School. Jenny has won a new position with the SACE Board in South Australia. We are very sad to say farewell but wish Jenny and sons, Declan and Will, the very best! This week we also said farewell to Linda Barrett, one of our long term teachers who will be on leave for the remainder of the semester, reuniting with her husband, Nick, in Peru. Good luck, Linda! We do understand that some families will be leaving us at different times throughout the year, and we trust that you will keep us informed of your plans. This is particularly important as it allows us to provide advice on pathways for students, especially in the senior years, and helps us to forward relevant information to new schools. In March we will be sending home a brief communication seeking updated information from you. This will certainly assist us in making future plans. At the beginning of the term, Matt Watson and I met with the Chief Minister Adam Giles, and we were able to com-municate our concerns regarding the impact of the Rio Tinto refinery closure on our schools. The Chief Executive of the Department of Education, Ken Davies, also visited and met with staff, reiterating his support for the school and confirming that current Year 11 and 12 subject offerings will remain the same for the full 2014 school year. We will continue to work hard to ensure that we provide the excellent standard of education that is ex-pected by you. When our enrolments do drop, and ad-justments are necessary, staffing decisions will be taken in full consultation with staff and school councils. There is no doubt that 2014 will be a very challenging but important year for Nhulunbuy High School. On 19 March
we will be holding our School Council AGM here at the school, at 7 pm in the Staff room. This will be followed immediately by the first School Council meeting for 2014. I encourage all parents to attend the AGM and importantly, to consider the possibility of taking on a parent representative role on the Council. Please see the article which outlines the purpose of Council and what a parent representative role looks like! Our current Council Chair Stanford Forbes, existing council members and I would be very happy to answer any questions you might have, so don’t hesitate to contact us on 08 8987 0844.
Yours sincerely
Sabina Smith
NHULUNBUY HIGH SCHOOL COUNCIL INC.
2014 ANNUAL GENERAL
MEETING
Followed by the School Council Meeting.
Will be held on
WEDNESDAY 19 March 2014
7:00pm
NHS Administration Staff Room
All welcome.
Sabina Smith Principal
What do School Councils do?
Immunisation forms will be sent out this week. Year 7, 8, 9 boys, and some Year 10 students will receive their consent forms. Please complete the form even if you do not want your child to be immunised. Please hand them in at the front office by Friday 21 Feb. Immunisations will be held in Week 6. If you have ANY questions please contact Tracy Spillman Health Promoting School Nurse on 8987 0844 or via email at [email protected] .
There is currently a measles outbreak in Darwin and Katherine. People born after 1966, who are unsure of their status, (ie have NOT had the disease or NOT had two doses of the vaccine) it is safe to have your measles vac-cination now. Please contact Gove Centre for Disease Control on 8987 0357 and ask for more information. Or contact me; Tracy Spillman, Health Promoting School Nurse 8987 0844
Health
Responsibilities of Members
The School Council is a team of people whose aim is to serve the school and its students and promote their inter-ests. We’re all in it for our children. We are there to share ideas and make our contribution.
Each member of a school council is equally important. Without you, a school council might not be able to do business because it hasn't got a quorum, or it might be taken over by one or two people with strong personalities instead of being truly representative.
The main job is to make sure the School has good governance.
Approve budget
Accept monthly statements
Help set standards for improvement
Advise on The School’s physical needs
Participate in Senior Staff selection
Employ staff and contracts
Contribute to setting of school policies'
Tips for active involvement
Its important for School Council members to attend regularly , arrive on time and try to stay for the full length of the meeting.
Start by being prepared—read and think about the paperwork, particularly financial reports.
If you don’t understand or disagree with something , make a note and raise it at the meeting.
Go into the meeting with the spirit of collaboration and cooperation.
Contribute and welcome ideas and avoid personaliz-ing issues.
Be brief in discussions and make room for others to
join in.
Effective School Councillors and School Councils
A truly effective School Council is one which recognizes and respects the contribution of each and every member.
Counsellor’s Corner What a start to 2014! I’ve been lucky to be a part of some great projects in the first few weeks of school, including motivational speaker Simon Clegg, the senior school seminar, and the Engaging Adolescents parenting program. It’s Week 3 already!!
Keep kids informed In the last newsletter of 2013 I wrote about how parents are able to assist children during this time of uncertainty (see be-low). I would like to reiterate my message by saying it is really important to keep children informed of your family’s plans. Even if you’re not sure yourself what those plans are, let your children know that, and let them know when you might have further information. Knowing that they are being considered may be enough to alleviate a lot of their stress and wor-ries.
Kasey the School Counsellor is on Facebook! Yes, I’ve joined the social media world. I am trialling a Facebook page “Kasey the School Counsellor”. The page will not be used for online counselling, but simply an alternative way to do a number of things like:
For me to contact students to make appointment times (especially for those who aren’t a fan of getting a note in homeroom).
For students to contact me and make an appointment time (as my room often has students inside at recess and lunch).
For parents to contact me to ask a quick question or make a time to meet (and vice-versa).
As a means to distribute information to students and parents regarding mental health and wellbeing. I am still available the old-fashioned way, by email, on [email protected], or the school office on 8987 0844.
Supporting your child in a time of uncertainty We have been dealt a low blow regarding the future of our town, and everyone is feeling the effects of uncertainty, stress, and grief. While parents may have some difficult decisions to make in the near future, it is vital that they are able to support their children during this time, so that they can continue to focus on the things that matter to them.
Give your child accurate information about the closure and the possible consequences for your family. Correct any misunderstandings and rumours, but do not burden them with details that are not required for their overall understanding.
Show you understand what your child is going through by naming and acknowledging their feelings.
Encourage them to express emotions and put thoughts into words. Expressing strong emotions is a natural way to come to terms with these events.
Let them know about your feelings, and how you are dealing with the situation. This will not only normalise their feelings of stress/anger/grief, but will possibly provide them with ideas about how to cope with it.
Most importantly, provide reassurance about the future. Even if you’re unsure of your plans, providing your child with some comfort that things will be okay, may ease their worries.
If you are concerned that you or your child is not coping with the situation, please seek help, through resources made
available by Rio Tinto and the NT Government, through Anglicare on 8939 3400, or by contacting me on 8987 0844 or via email at [email protected] .
Simon Clegg
Youth Motivational Speaker Simon Clegg, regarded as one of Australia’s leading youth motivational speakers, visited Nhulunbuy last week. Not your typical motivational speaker, the ex-pro-skater challenged students in a style that was humorous, raw, and by most accounts, impacting. Simon spoke at a special assembly for Year 7 to 10 students, including around 50 students from Yirrkala School. Simon also spoke to the Year 11s and 12s at the Senior School “getchaheadinthegame” conference dinner, and to parents at an “Understanding the Teenage Human” session. Speaking about self-esteem and self-worth, the impact of social media on identity, peer pressure and goal-setting, some of Simon’s key messages were: “If you rely on the praises of your peers, their criticism will destroy you”.
“Each and every part of our journey is significant. Sometimes we want to change it, but I say embrace it, grab hold of it, use it and allow it to shape you for the better”.
“There has never been a greater day than to day to make a change and follow your dreams”.
