Contact Term 4 2013

School Newsletter—Contact Volume 13 Edition 4 Term 4 December 2013

Singapore /Malaysia Excursion

Welcome to the last edition of Contact for the 2013 school year. Term 4 has been extremely busy and our students have been involved in an impressive variety of activities. This edition of Contact provides just a snapshot of some of these activities.

2013 NTCET Results—Congratulations to the Class of 2013 Darwin High School’s 2013 Year 12 results were excellent.

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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.

19 perfect scores 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 is DHS’s Tre Manning-Watson

These results are only possible because we have dedicated, outstanding teachers, high expectations of all students and an orderly, supportive, structured learning environment which encompasses our five values - Respect, Responsibility, Integrity, Co-operation and Achievement.

Congratulations to all of our students and particularly the Class of 2013. Well done!

Enjoy the festive season and have safe and happy New Year.

Trevor Read Principal

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Changes to Darwin High School Timetable for 2014 The timetable at Darwin High School will change for 2014 as a result of the new teacher student ratio in senior secondary schools, the subsequent reduction of teaching staff and the desire by the school that students will still have access to a full range of subject choices.

For the past four years, Darwin High School has had a six line-ten day timetable. For 2014, the School has adopted a seven line-ten day timetable. Below is a table noting the similarities and differences between the 2014 and 2013 timetables.

Year 10 News As 2013 comes to an end, it is a good time to reflect on the Year 10 cohort and their achievements. We have witnessed some amazing changes in the maturity, attitude and dedication of this cohort as the year progressed and a solid foundation has been laid for the next two years. It has been a good year and our students should be congratulated for their efforts.

In 2014, Year 11 will bring a new set of challenges. Every subject will count towards the NTCET. The workload will increase and students will need to plan to use their time effectively. Some students will also need to consider limiting the amount of time they spend on social networking sites such as FaceBook. Setting goals and prioritising commitments will need to become the norm for all students.

Changes in 2014 There will be a number of changes next year that will affect the whole Darwin High School Community. We are introducing a new 7 line-10 Day Timetable that we hope will improve student outcomes. Every Year 11 student will have a supervised study line. Students are expected to make good use of this time and there should be no more excuses for not completing homework tasks.

Farewell A number of Year 10 students will not be returning to Darwin High School next year. We wish them all the best and we know that part of Darwin High School will remain with them always.

Finally, we would like to take the opportunity to thank all parents for their support this year, and congratulate the entire Year 10 cohort on their behaviour, attitude and dedication to their studies. We wish everyone an enjoyable and well deserved break, and look forward to seeing you all on 28 January 2014.

Kevin Northcote Assistant Principal Year 10

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Year 11 News Another eventful and exciting year has been completed and for most students in Year 11 only one year remains of their secondary schooling. We would like to congratulate all Year 11 students for their hard work this year. It has been a pleasure to see the transformation of this cohort over the past two years and we are looking forward to working with them all in 2014.

As we enter the festive season it gives us time to reflect on the year that was and to look forward to the year ahead. For those students who will not be returning to Darwin High School next year, we wish them all the best in their future endeavours and hope they leave Darwin High School with fond memories. For the students returning, they need to have a good break over the Christmas period so they are well prepared and rested for the rigours of Year 12.

Timetables for 2014 will be available at the start of the school year. Changes will be possible up until the end of Week 2, Term 1, 2014. I will be available for timetable changes in the week prior to the commencement of the school year but please email me if you intend to come in during this time —patricia.cryer@ntschools.net .

Some students have already taken up the opportunity to order their Year 12 jersey and these should arrive during January. They will have a further opportunity to order their jerseys in the first two weeks of the 2014 school year and these will be available in March. Ms France will provide more information in Week 1 of next year.

On the 23 January at 9.00am we will be having an orientation for new students entering Year 12. Any current Year 11 student who is willing to assist please send an email to: patricia.cryer@ntschools.net .

Planning will begin early in the school year for the 2014 School Formal. If you are interesting in being part of the formal committee and assisting in organising the event, please speak to Ms France at the start of the school year.

There is an expectation that Year 12 students model behaviour that supports the high behaviour and performance standards that are identified with Darwin High School. Year 12 students are the leaders of the student body of the school and one of their responsibilities is to show, through their actions, positive relationships with staff and other students in order to reinforce the behaviour expectations of our school.

We are confident the quality of our 2014 Year 12 cohort will embrace the opportunity to be role models for other students and support the school in this significant aspect of school life.

Next year, maintaining a cohesive and cooperative relationship between the student, their family and the school will be vital to the level of success the student achieves. To all the 2013 Year 11 parents and students we wish you all the best and thank you for all your support this year.

Trish Cryer Assistant Principal Year 11

Year 12 News The Graduation and Formal were held on Monday 25 November. They were both terrific events. Guest speakers, Amy Southward (Class of 2006) provided some words of wisdom and Danae Reid gave the Valedictory speech reminding us of the journey that the Class of 2013 had taken and the future ahead. It was indeed a fantastic night.

I would like to thank the students on the Formal Committee who have spent many hours raising funds and preparing for the Formal, in particular Gemma Vaughan, Danae Reid and Rebecca Smith.

I would also like to thank Justin Dawson, from our staff, who did a grand job as photographer at no cost to the school or the students. The photos can be viewed at www.1457photography.com or by coming into the school and downloading them onto a USB. An additional thank you goes to Dina Campbell-McQuillan who produced a slide show from photos celebrating the last three years at Darwin High School.

Results A reminder that students can access their final results online by logging in to Students Online using their SACE registration number and PIN. To do this students must first go to http://www.sace.sa.edu.au/. There is a special link to 2013 Results. Click on ‘Accessing your end of year results’ and follow the instructions.

Information is also available on links ‘Accessing your Tertiary Statement’ and ‘SACE Documents Explained’.

Students can reset their PIN on the login page if they can’t remember it.

When they click on the link to reset their PIN, they’ll see an online form called ‘Pin Reset’. Fill out the form and click submit, and the SACE Board will reset their PIN to its default value (their date of birth).

Finally, 2013 has been a great year. It has been an absolute delight working with the young men and women of the Class of 2013 for the past three years. On behalf of all the staff who have taught and supported them in their time at Darwin High I wish them the best in the future and hope that their lives are full of interesting challenges and successes.

Marty Isaksen Assistant Principal Year 12 3

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Great Experiences for Our Indigenous Students Chloe Howard Graetz, Year 12 student, and Jayde Hopkins, Year 11 student, are members of the Foundation for Young Australians, NT Indigenous Leadership program (IMPACT).

In October this year, Chloe and Jayde were invited to attend a function called ‘The Shoot’ at the Playhouse Theatre, Sydney Opera House. The Shoot was a national project created by Samsung to inspire and empower young filmmakers to enter a competition for the best short film.

The winners of the ‘The Shoot’ competition were judged by well-known director, Mr Baz Luhrmann and students from the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) departments of writing, directing, production design, costume design, photography and acting also contributed their skills and expertise to the project.

2013 IMPACT students

Former Darwin High School and NIDA student, Miranda Tapsell, who is making her mark nationally as a talented performer, was engaged on the project to comment on the acting in the films presented in the competition.

Samsung invited Chloe and Jayde to present a promotional film they had made at, ‘The Shoot,’ even though they were not participants in the competition. Their film was made at Darwin High School and showed IMPACT students sharing their achievements and experiences in the program. It was viewed by an audience of around 400 people at the Playhouse Theatre and was an unforgettable experience for Chloe and Jayde.

Recently Samsung, Mr Baz Luhrmann and Charles Darwin University joined forces with other Australian businesses to commit sponsorship to the future of the Foundation for Young Australians which means the program can continue.

On Wednesday 4 December 2013, at Parliament House, the Chief Minister, the Hon Adam Giles MLA and the Minister for Education, the Hon Peter Chandler MLA attended the IMPACT program’s graduation. The achievements of the Year 10 and Year 11 students were acknowledged for their participation in the program. Year 12 students Stacey Bridges, Daniel Hamilton, Jake Geer, Chloe Howard-Graetz and Nelson Rossingh were congratulated for their achievements and their completion of the IMPACT program.

In addition to the IMPACT program, it was great to have students show interest and submit applications for the University of Sydney’s Bunga Barrabugu Summer Program from 13-17 January 2014. This popular program attracted over 380 student applications from all over Australia making selection very competitive, especially for the Health stream, which was by far the most popular selection. Congratulations go to Gabriella Cameirao (Science) and Kobi Stewart (Architecture and Creative Arts) for securing a place in the program. This is a great achievement and I hope they learn a lot from their time in Sydney.

Barbara Tapsell AIEW

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Chloe Howard-Graetz and Jayde Hopkins with none other than Mr Baz Luhrmann.

DHS Study Tours Term 4 China and Japan ҉ Singapore and Malaysia ҉

Namibia and Botswana ҉

Lake Argyle

Darwin High School students have numerous opportunities to be involved in overseas and interstate study tours. Below are some of the fantastic experiences they have had. More in the next Contact.

Language Study Tour to China and Japan

DHS World Challenge

At the young age of 16 and 17 years of age, a group of students learning Chinese and Japanese have been able to tick off some big ticket items on their bucket list. In China, this included being in awe at the magnificent Terracotta Warriors, stepping into history at Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City and traversing the Great Wall. The teachers reported:

Aaron Dalgleish and 13 students have travelled to Namibia and Botswana from 25 November to 22 December as part of World Challenge. We look forward to reading stories of their adventures and seeing some photos in the next edition of Contact.

“Well our first day in China has been a big one. Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden city in the morning, a lunch big enough for an emperor; the summer palace in the afternoon, a quick stop for photos of the Olympic Bird's Nest and Water Cube, then an acrobatic show. And tomorrow it is the Great Wall and a rickshaw ride through the hutong (alleyways) of old Beijing.”

“We are in Xi'an now and students were blown away by the 2000 year old Terracotta Warriors. Tonight we enjoyed a dumpling banquet and Tang Dynasty dance and music show. Tomorrow we are going for a bike ride on the city wall.’”

“The group has been photographed by so many locals we are bound to end in family photo albums around China. I think the students are getting used to their celebrity status.’”

“The students are trying out their Chinese and even some of the students who haven't studied Chinese have mastered “Thank you” and “No, I don't want (what you are trying to sell me)”.

“The weather has still been kind to us but still cold enough for the thermals and gloves. So much so that Tilly was taking photos of her thermal socks in the Wild Goose Pagoda today as she was so impressed with how warm they were keeping her.

We are all missing warm Darwin but not tired yet of the fun we are having.’”

And on to Japan ….. (more details to follow in next year’s Contact) Mariko Ruzsicska and Marnie Foster Teachers of Japanese and Chinese

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C4E Singapore and Malaysia Trip 2013

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Canoeing and Camping at Lake Argyle

Mr Charles Pitia - An Inspiration to All "Anyone who aims to make the community a better place by making positive contributions is welcome. As my father always said, 'there are only two types of people in the world, irrespective of race or creed. There are good people and bad people. Cultivate the good and avoid the bad and you can't help but have a good life. Mr Pitia is a keeper!"

We set off a week before the September holidays—excited to be underway.

The ten hour drive took us through Katherine, Victoria River and the spectacular Gregory National Park to Lake Argyle Caravan Park for our first night’s camp. The next morning we were all up early, eager to begin our paddling adventure.

It was the first time paddling canoes for most, so it took some time to develop a rhythm but with glassy conditions we made reasonable progress. The heat was intense so a swim at the Jumping Rock was immensely enjoyed by all. By the time we paddled into the cove where our first campsite was located, the team were paddling as if they had been born in canoes. We ate dinner watching the sun set and as darkness fell, the yellow eyes of the freshwater crocodiles could be seen scattered across the lake. We were able to catch a few of the smaller ones for a closer look.

When we woke the next morning to climb Mt Misery to watch the sunrise, the stars were shining in a moonless sky. The climb was tough in the dark but the view was worth it. I think most of the students would agree that getting down was even harder because, in the dark they had not realised how steep it was, but in the clarity of the morning light, more than one heart skipped a beat as we scrambled our way back down the near vertical decent.

Next, a full day’s paddling took us to the other side of the lake. Along the way many stops were made to cool off. The fish were biting too. The long toms loved the soft plastics but we needed to keep our bait off the bottom to avoid the catfish. We set up our second night’s camp under the welcome shade of the Red Gums. It was still mid-afternoon and it felt like forty degrees in the shade, so we went for a walk up a gorge to a hidden waterhole at the base of a waterfall. The natural waterslide was a great way to cool off after a hard day paddling.

Much to our dismay, the heat on the third day was even more oppressive.

Time seemed to slow down and the distant horizon marking our final camp seemed an impossible goal. With aching shoulders and sore butts we pulled into camp only to find baked mud, radiating rocks and no trees. Fortunately, we were able to seek refuge in a shaded cove with a sandy beach. An afternoon of snorkeling, swimming and fishing was enjoyed by all and lifted our spirits.

After a short paddle back to the caravan park, a hearty lunch and we were soon set to leave early for the long drive back. However, tired and in a bit of a day-dream after an exhausting four days, before I knew it I had half-filled the bus with unleaded petrol—not ideal since the bus was a diesel! It took two hours to drain the fuel tank but finally we were on the road. Not the best way to end a trip but importantly, there had been no significant injuries and good time had been had by all.

Mr Charles Pitia is certainly making his mark and is a very active and contributing member of the Darwin community.

We have been fortunate to have had him at DHS as a Bilingual Support Officer (BLO) in the Secondary Intensive English Unit since 2007. He is now taking up a new job and sadly, but excitedly, we wish him all the best and know that he will go on to do more great things.

Charles comes from the newly formed country of South Sudan and he speaks six languages which include three Sudanese languages (Madi, Bari and Acholi), Arabic, Kiswahili and English. He has been instrumental in the Darwin community working with newly arrived families and helping them settle.

During his time at DHS, in addition to all the language and cultural support Charles has provided to both teachers and students, as well as his work in student welfare matters and liaison between the school and parents, Charles found himself swimming, canoeing, fishing on jetties at Mandorah, calming distressed students, interpreting language (some with special superlatives) and camping in tents. He has been taxi driver, bus driver, police support, minder, ambulance support person, hospital liaison, life guard, body guard, keeper of the peace, sportsperson, Tech Studies Assistant, referee for sports and job applications and mentor of principals in intercultural collaboration. His BLO role has been complex and Charles’ patience, understanding and genuine care for our students made him just the person for the job.

As well as working and raising a young family, Charles has been studying, and last year he completed his Bachelor of Humanitarian Studies at CDU. He has been asked to present at conferences around Australia, taking on leadership roles. This year he was also nominated for a Pride of Australia Medal in the Fair Go category because of his community work and involvement with the African/ Australian Friendship Association.

The Principal, staff and students of SIEU are forever grateful and feel so very privileged to have come to know Mr Charles. He is an inspiration to all.

Colleen Combe SIEU Faculty Senior

Image and quoted comment taken from NT News, Extending a hand to help others, July 11th, 2013

Aaron Dalgleish Outdoor Education Teacher / Year 10 Coordinator 8

Reprinted from NT News, 4 December 2013

Devastation that hit home The devastation of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines struck a chord with many in the Darwin High School community.

Whether they were from the region, had family in the area or were simply struck by the tragedy of it all, it became clear the school wanted to help - and quickly.

A group got together – teachers, as well as staff from the Secondary Intensive English Unit (SIEU) – to come up with ways they could raise funds for the cause, keeping in mind that many students were already taking part in or soon to start, exams.

After speaking with the Principal, Trevor Read, the school’s teachers were provided with an envelope so their students could donate if they wished. From that effort alone, and with no extra incentive, $1300 was raised for the Red Cross Typhoon Haiyan Appeal.

On top of that, students from the SIEU voluntarily gave up their lunchtime each day for a week to run a sausage sizzle to raise further funds.

The SIEU works with students who are new to the country and are learning English so they can enter the mainstream school system.

Many are from areas that have been struck by similar tragedies – such as the tsunami in Indonesia and Thailand – and so had a unique understanding of just how a natural disaster like the typhoon could affect lives.

It also gave the SIEU students a chance to be part of the school community – though it was raising money to help with a devastating event, it was a very positive school community experience for the students involved.

All the sausage sizzle goods were donated by the community – sausages from Fannie Bay MP Michael Gunner, bread from Brumby’s Bakery at Nightcliff and a voucher from Woolworths to purchase extras like cooking oil and tomato sauce.

Each day 10-15 students were involved in cooking, selling and cleaning up for the sausage sizzle.

All up, Darwin High raised over $3112.60 for this very worthwhile cause.

Dreams – Year 10 Production

Stage 1 Drama students look at Who Makes the Decisions?

Dreams was the result of a hard working Year 10 Production class.

The students spent Semester 2 learning about all facets of performance and production, from lighting to directing to choreographing and costume design. They worked in their own small scale theatre company and developed a greater understanding of what it takes to put together a show and found wonderful friendships while doing so.

Dreams followed the story of a teenage boy, forced to follow his parents’ dreams, meeting an array of colourful characters along the way. It was an hilarious show filled with dancing, mayhem and silliness that had everyone laughing all the way to the end.

See next page for photos.

Stage 1 Drama students devised a series of short dramatic pieces this term, which were performed in two separate programs over two nights. Who Makes the Decisions? was developed in the style of both physical theatre and political theatre, using satire to deliver ideas.

The students worked for five weeks in small groups, to convey their own ideas about who makes the decisions in the society we live in. The rehearsal process involved a few hiccups, which saw students gathering even greater strength in their ensembles and working hard to overcome difficulties. What resulted were highly intelligent, well researched, funny and well executed performances.

Watch out for these incredibly creative students in Stage 2 Drama in 2014.

Katie Cawthorne and Julia Quinn Drama / Dance Teachers

Katie Cawthorne Drama Teacher

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DHS Dancers—Dynamic and Dazzling Once again Darwin High School’s inspiring, young, emerging dancers were kept busy preparing for several major dance performances throughout 2013—BRAVE which showcased at Darwin Entertainment Centre Playhouse Theatre to an audience of over 3000, SECRETS, a thought provoking work-in-progress that was showcased at DHS Tank and Connections, the Stage 2 Dance Moderation Performance at Brown’s Mart Theatre. To complete our successful year of innovative dance events, on 29 November the DHS Year 11 and Year 10 Dance classes showcased their talents during a wonderful evening of dynamic and dazzling dance.

Each season supported the diverse talents of local Darwin dance students and the local dance industry. In addition, DHS hosted a dance intensive with WAAPA (Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts) teacher and ex-Sydney Dance Company performer, Kynan Hughes, prior to the WAAPA Darwin-based audition on 12 October. Nine participants from the Darwin area including students from Darwin High School and The Essington Senior School as well as graduate students took part. A hearty congratulations is extended to the following students: - Jordan Bretherton (DHS 2013) has officially been accepted into BA Dance WAAPA 2014 - Mitchell Aldridge (DHS 2012) is top of the boys’ short list - Lauren French (DHS 2012) is also on the short list.

WAAPA has been listed as one of the top 10 global performing arts tertiary institutions and the intake per year (from throughout Australia and internationally) is only 20 people. This is the third year that students from the DHS dance program have won positions at WAAPA which is a fantastic achievement, especially considering the lack of tertiary opportunities and access to professional dance in the NT. In 2014 we are planning to have another dance filled year with plans to tour BRAVE to Alice Springs, remount SECRETS for the DHS Amphitheatre and host two dance intensives with interstate guests. In addition, we will present Dance14 our annual fundraiser event, attend our annual WA Dance exchange which includes a five day residency at WAAPA and prepare Stage 2 Dance students for their Moderation Performance Season in September at Brown’s Mart Theatre.

Sarah Calver Dance Teacher

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Child Studies In Term 4, Stage 1 and Stage 2 Child Studies students undertook their group assessment activities working with children in the community.

The Stage 2 students worked with children from Nemarluk School to prepare healthy food with a focus on providing nutritious meals for dietary requirements such gluten and dairy intolerance, no artificial colours or flavours, egg free and nut free. The students came up with a wide range of nutritious dishes that were well received by the staff and students alike. They also produced a recipe book which was provided to the school for future use.

The Stage 1 classes became involved in National Children’s Week activities which had as the theme “The right of the child to play”. One group took part in the Family Fun Day at Jingili Water Gardens whilst the other ran a playgroup at Darwin High School in the Café Ah Toy area.

For both of these activities, the students collaborated to plan a range of play activities that suited the age groups and assisted children’s development through play. They provided for different types of play through making activities for the children as well as obtaining toys and activities generously loaned to us by the Darwin Toy Library. Both groups enjoyed the interaction with children and received positive feedback form both parents and children for their efforts.

Penny McIntyre Child Studies/Home Economics Teacher

DHS Science Partnership with Menzies School of Health Research The Menzies School of Health Research visited DHS during the mid-semester break.

Students were invited to take part to develop their experimental skills and gain information about Menzies gap year employment opportunities.

The visit was a fantastic opportunity for students to meet Dr Heidi Smith-Vaughan, a research scientist, Chris Wevill and Yuki Ruzsicska (a former DHS student). Chris and Yuki were the gap placements for 2013.

Students were informed about work and research opportunities for next year and provided with the experience of using equipment outside of DHS’s inventory. Students prepared microscope slides from bacterial cultures. The slides were then stained so the bacteria could be viewed and an initial identification be prepared.

I would like to thank Lisa Knight DoE’s NTCET Science Consultant who helped develop a working memorandum with Menzies and Dr Heidi Smith-Vaughan for making the visit possible. This is the second year that Menzies School of Health Research has been linked to DHS. The intention is for this event to continue each year providing our students with an opportunity to use modern research skills and to be informed on the possibilities of future employment within the health and science workforces.

Antony Valle Science Teacher

Christian Discussion Group There has been an active group of students at Darwin High who love to generate robust discussion, hear what the Bible says and sponsor a child in a developing nation. Rosie Reimers and Rev Bruce Chapman worked with the group one lunch time per week.

This year a young girl in India, Vanshika, has been sponsored by the group. Two successful sausage sizzles raised most of the money required for her support ($44 per month). I wish to commend the students whose enthusiasm and hard work made these fund raisers possible. We believe the poor do matter and love to see students engaging with this vision.

As in previous years we said our goodbyes to several Year 12 students as their examinations began.

Their leadership and enthusiasm will be missed but we know they will go on to be successful in life. In 2014 we are looking for new students to join the group—participating and benefitting from interactions with students across year levels, discussions on thought provoking material, respectful consideration of other’s beliefs and knowledge about how to balance the demands of a busy life using the age old wisdom of the Bible.

The group is open to students of any year level and participation is a voluntary opt-in, bring lunch and join in for as many meetings as takes one’s interest.

I wish you all a happy Christmas and New Year.

Rosie Reimers Coordinator

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Remembrance Day 2013 A contingent of twenty Darwin High School students endured very hot and humid conditions to represent the School at the commemoration of the 95 th anniversary of the Armistice that ended World War I at the eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918.

Victor East, James Knight, Joyce Akena, Shannon Hunt and Fiona Lay assisted the RSL organisers by acting as Poppy Orderlies. As they moved to their allocated positions, they were inundated by the 400 strong-crowd anxious to lay their poppies and escape the searing sun.

Liam Walsh, Shannon McSkimming, Luke Jettner, Courtney Buckley, Tina Cheng, Amy Chittick, Yada Katonchaleekul, Andie Moffatt, Mickey Teng, Laura Tiffitt, Lailani Triffitt and Dion Westrupp showed great initiative by helping to pack up and stack the chairs for the RSL organisers, many of whom were showing signs of heat stress.

After the Service, Shannon Hunt did an extended interview with TV Channel 9 reporter Amy Culpitt, three minutes of which featured on the 6.00pm News.

Erin Barker, always discreet and unobtrusive, took some fantastic photos which later went on display near the staff room.

The RSL values the contribution made by the Darwin High School students, and publicly acknowledged their assistance.

Judy Boland Event Coordinator

RAR Dinner

Aviators’ Commemoration The 94th anniversary of the Great Air Race which saw the first international flight land in Australia behind the Fannie Bay Gaol, was marked with a simple ceremony on Tuesday 10 December. Students from Darwin High School assisted by Year 6 students from Parap Primary School conducted the Commemoration at the monument on the corner of Ross Smith Avenue and East Point Road for the Fannie Bay History & Heritage Society.

Kae Jenn Tchia was the MC for the event and handled the protocols associated with dignitaries such as Her Honour the Administrator, the Lord Mayor and the Consul for the Republic of Indonesia in Darwin with aplomb.

The RAAF provided the Honour Guard and Eric Beale played the National Anthem as the flag was raised. Guests were met by Luke Jettner, Amy Chittick, Shannon Hunt, Mickey Teng whilst Erin Barker took photographs for the Society.

Morgan Gurry from Darwin Middle School delivered the Oration – her talk was entitled Destination Darwin: to the New World in 30 days. Representatives from Smith, Bennett, Hudson and Shiers houses at Parap Primary School (all named after early aviators) provided guests with flowers to place on the memorial.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, Kae Jenn, who has been involved with the ceremony for a number of years, was presented with a token of appreciation by the Society’s patron, the Hon Austin Asche AC, QC. Our students mixed easily and confidently with the guests and received many compliments on their dress and performance during the ceremony.

Judy Boland LOTE/Business Faculty

Ross Smith Avenue: Named after Sir Ross Smith who in 1919 became the first aviator to fly from England to Australia. A monument at Fannie Bay commemorates his landing.

Ross Smith Avenue was the original airstrip for the Darwin Civil or Ross Smith Aerodrome.

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Each year, Darwin High School students assist the members of the Royal Australian Regiment with the conduct of their Kapyong Commemoration.

The Regiment won a Presidential Citation (equates to a unit Victoria Cross) in 1953 when 1000 Australian troops held off a concerted attack by 20,000 enemy troops. The fierce fighting lasted for three days and nights, until the Australians were reenforced by elements from the Canadian and US armies. Their action was the turning point of the Korean War and is acknowledged with a diorama in the Australian War Memorial.

In appreciation of the effort of students, the Regiment invited two student representatives to join them at a formal dinner where the President of the RAR Association presented the students with a cheque. Nina Ruzsicska accepted the cheque on behalf of the School and Kae Jenn Tchia suitably responded.

Judy Boland LOTE/Business Faculty

Student Career Development Faculty

Don’t Miss Out

The year is rapidly closing and I must say that 2013 has been an interesting year with a melancholy ending.

The Student Career Development Faculty started the year with three career practitioners and during the year I have farewelled two. Janine Watt has chosen retirement and Jodie Matthews is going back to Victoria. Unfortunately, next year we will be unable to interview every student in each year level because of reduced Careers staff. Year 12 will be the priority in the first term of 2014, with Year 11 interviews being offered on a needs basis. It is highly unlikely we will be able to accommodate people asking for help during the school day due to increased interview demands. However, we will endeavour to help students and parents once the school day has finished.

There are still a number of scholarship opportunities open so please look at the University Quicklink on the Darwin High School website, as well as the Myfuture website for more information.

Some students have taken up the opportunity to do Work Experience in the final week of this term and have gained much from the experience. Finding out that the selected job is not what one wants to do after all is equally as valuable as confirming that the selected job is the one worth pursuing.

At the end of the year we are supporting thirteen confirmed School Based Apprenticeships, with another five to be signed up in the school holidays.

While Year 12 students are waiting for results which are due for release just before Christmas, a number of students have applied for scholarships and have been shortlisted for interviews. We wish everyone all the best for the new year.

Meg Davis Careers Practitioner

DHS Connections with Trinity College

SIEU Students Benefit from VETiS

In November, the Principal Mr Trevor Read hosted a visit by Mr Campbell Bairstow, Dean of Trinity College, University of Melbourne.

Founded in 1872 as the first residential college of the University of Melbourne, Trinity is a unique tertiary institution that provides a diverse range of high-quality academic programs for some 1500 talented students from across Australia and around the world.

Vocational Education and Training in Schools (VETiS) is a program which provides accredited training in job related and technical skills.

Students undertaking a VETiS course gain credits towards their NTCET.

Mr Bairstow told Mr Read that Trinity has had some fantastic Darwin High students live at the College whilst completing their studies at the University of Melbourne and he is very impressed by them.

He also told Mr Read that there are many scholarships available for students disadvantaged by by distance or financially constrained. Should any Darwin High student be contemplating a residential college placement in 2014, they should contact Mr Read in the first instance, and he will phone Mr Bairstow direct.

Another connection to Darwin at Trinity is the Academic Registrar, Ms Toni Roberts. Ms Roberts was a teacher of German at Darwin Scholarships High School and relocated to Melbourne in 2009. are available at Trinity College, Melbourne, for students disadvantaged by distance of financially constrained.

Judy Boland LOTE/Business Faculty

It covers a large number of careers and industries like trades, office work, retail, hospitality and technology. Qualifications range from Certificate II to Certificate IV, and diploma and advanced diploma. While still at school, students have the opportunity to do Certificate I and II courses.

Some Secondary Intensive English Unit (SIEU) students have found their career path through their participation in a VETiS course and have gone on to do Certificate III courses at the Charles Darwin University or attained apprenticeships or traineeships.

They are learning in a second or third language and this is a wonderful achievement.

Peter Stretton SIEU Teacher

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Best Wishes from the Defence Transition Mentor

Visiting principals impressed by DHS

It has been great to see the number of ADF students at Darwin High School involved in numerous activities and events during 2013 including: the Bombing of Darwin Ceremony, Anzac Day Assembly in Darwin and Adelaide River, Remembrance Day as well as the launch of the Ceremonial Wall at the Lee Point Military Museum. The ADF was also involved with Chief Minister’s Anzac Sprit Study Tour Award, the Defence Community Service Expo and Family Day and the Medallions for Children Ceremony.

I would like to wish ADF families good luck for the remainder of the year and congratulate those students, especially the Year 12 students who have successfully completed their secondary studies.

For families who will be relocating and leaving Darwin in the near future, I wish you all the best for the future and thank Early in December, Darwin High School hosted a visit by 12 School Principals you for your support. from Anhui Province in China. The visit was managed by the Charles Darwin University’s Centre for School Leadership, Learning and Development.

Paul McConnell The delegation was in Darwin to visit selected NT Schools and look at facilities provided for students.

Defence Transition Mentor

At Darwin High the delegation were given a presentation which outlined the school’s long connection with members of Darwin’s Chinese community, the School’s Centre for Excellence Program and the School’s plans for future development.

Following this, the visitors toured the Science and Secondary Intensive English teaching areas, then had morning tea in the Home Economics area.

Judy Boland LOTE/Business Faculty

Keahna Davidson & Laura Triffitt with Brian Windspear at Bombing of Darwin Ceremony

Support Services for ADF Families

The Top Ender magazine—simply email thetopender@aapt.net.au to receive your copy

Keeping in Touch (K.I.T) Absence from Home Support Newsletter– contact the DTM

Helpline—phone 1800624608

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Sports News Senior Schools Sports Champion Shield for 2013 Darwin High School has won the Top End Senior Schools Sports Championship for the fourth consecutive year. Points are scored for participation numbers and placing in competitions and championships. Over results were:

Place

School

Points

1st

Darwin High School

493

2nd

Casuarina Senior College

119

3rd

St John’s College

116

O’Loughlin College

115

5th

Marrara Christian School

114

6th

The Essington Senior School

75

4

th

Swimming Championships Chloe Williamson and Shannon McSkimming were our stand out swimmers at the Top End Championship held late October at Casuarina.

Chloe won the 50m Freestyle, and Breaststroke while Shannon placed second in these events and won the 50m backstroke.

Our team won the relay and DHS placed second.

Golf DHS had two teams of play in the Top End Schools Golf Day at Darwin Golf Club on October 24. Our team of Josh Heatherington, Tom McMillian, Henry Tolner and Charlie Dring won and Sophie Hill, Skye Manley, Isaac Hinchliff and Cal Mickle placed third.

Beach Volleyball Miss Samantha Deacon and Mr Nic Browning were outstanding in preparing and coaching 24 students in six teams for the Top End Schools Beach Volleyball Championship held November 6 at the Bennison Road Courts. Students played eight games in the day and DHS placed 1, 2, 3 and 5 in final placing.

Congratulations to all for their efforts Our teams were

DHS 2: Andrew Bragg, Sam Grierson, Natasha Rose, Shannon McSkimming (First) DHS 3: Joseph Pham, Peter Morris, Liam Walsh, Dakota McDowell (Second) DHS 1: Sonja Heller, Donald Sanger, Elena Manzoli, Joseph White (Third) DHS 4: Jess Lane, Christine Christou, Maria Papadakis, Fork Pah Ballah DHS 5: Junior Sebatlizi, Bafwe Benjamin, Patrina Thi, Pat Raemjanthuek, Kevin Menda DHS 6: Shanaka Siriwardana, Maleli Motonicocoka, Che-Louise Cockatoo

2014 Draft Sports Calendar Darwin High School will be part of new Darwin cluster in 2014. The calendar of events will include tennis, netball, cross country, basketball, athletics, soccer, touch, table tennis, beach volleyball swimming and golf with AFL, cricket and Rugby league being offered as after school competitions.

The 2014 Sports Calendar will be placed on the School’s website late January and emailed to all students and parents.

Email Communication

Year Level Assistant Principals send regular emails to parents with information about upcoming events, and opportunities . If you have not been receiving these emails please email dhs.emaillist@ntschools.net and request to be added to the relevant year level email list.

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