Adelaide High School
News
Edition No. 2 | April 3, 2020
IN THIS EDITION From the Principal
1
Interschool Swimming Carnival
2
Premier’s Reading Challenge
3
Premier’s be active Challenge
3
Dance Report
3
Music Innovation Grant
4
Pastoral Care Worker Report
4
FROM THE PRINCIPAL I take this opportunity to thank Edward Bonnar who replaced Chris LeMay this term. Edward has made an enormous impact in a very short time and I thank him for his hard work and commitment. I acknowledge and thank Emily Waldron, Rhiannon Jones, Patricia Wu and Jana Pitsadiotis who are on maternity leave. Their commitment, hard work and dedication is greatly appreciated.
Unplugged 5 Boori Monty Prior Visit
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Vocal Ensemble
6
Drama Report
6
Music Camp
7
Voice Tutor
8
Art Report
8
CALENDAR DATES April Fri 3
End Term 1
Mon 6 - Thurs 9
Student Free Days
Mon 27 Start Term 2 For a comprehensive list of upcoming events, log onto the searchable Calendar and Events database on the website (http://www.adelaidehs.sa.edu.au/ About/Calendar-and-Events).
Adelaide High School West Terrace, Adelaide South Australia Phone 61 8 8231 9373 Facsimile 61 8 8212 7827 office@adelaidehs.sa.edu.au www.adelaidehs.sa.edu.au
Please take care. Kind regards, Ms Cez Green | Principal What an incredible year we have had so far. I thank you so much for your ongoing partnership and support. I have really appreciated the way you have responded to the changed landscape and worked in partnership with us to support your student during this time. During the past few weeks, we have adjusted the way we approach learning with our students. There are so many amazing stories that have come out of this experience and I can’t resist the opportunity to share just one of them below. Please click onto the YouTube link to see and hear how our vocal ensemble have embraced online learning: https://youtu.be/30G86mI3Cm0 I thank you too for your support in enabling us to engage in professional learning to further prepare for online learning. It is with pleasure that I welcome our new staff to Adelaide High School: • Beti Boskovic who replaces Emily Waldron • Samantha McDonnell replaces Rhiannon Jones • Aris Bakas who replaces Jana Pitsadiotis • Maria Glynatsis who replaces Patricia Wu
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3 INTERSCHOOL SWIMMING CARNIVAL On Monday, March 2 Adelaide High School participated in the School Sport SA C Grade Interschool Swimming Championships. It was a great opportunity for our AHS swimmers to compete in a high standard interschool competition. A team of 49 students represented the school on the day. It was a fantastic team effort with several students swimming out of their age group to ensure that all events were covered. Congratulations to the following students for their performances and achieving a top 2 placing in the following events: • Rei Tanaka: U15 Division 1 Freestyle 27.90 (1st and a ‘Standard’), U15 Division 1 Backstroke 32.32 (1st and a ‘Standard’), U15 Division 1 Breaststroke 34.95 (1st and a ‘Standard’), U15 Division 1, 4 x 50 m Freestyle Relay 2:00.60 (1st) • Alanna Ho: U17 Division 1 Backstroke 33.81 (1st and a ‘Standard’), U17 Division 1 Freestyle 29.04 (1st) • Brendan Ho: U15 Division 2 Backstroke 31.58 (1st and a ‘Standard’), U15 Division 2 Breaststroke 36.74 (1st and a ‘Standard’), U15 Division 2 Freestyle 28.69 (1st), U15 Division 1, 4 x 50 m Freestyle Relay 2:00.60 (1st), Open Division 1, 4 x 50 Medley Relay 2:21.40 (2nd) • Thomas McLeod: U16 Division 1 Backstroke 33.14 (1st), U16 Division 2 Breaststroke 43.53 (1st), U16 Division 1 Freestyle 27.91 (1st), U16 Division 1, 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay 2:05.13 (1st), Open Division 1, 4 x 50 Medley Relay 2:21.40 (2nd)
• Aiden Chan: U15 Division 3 Freestyle 29.78 (1st), U15 Division 1, 4 x 50 m Freestyle Relay 2:00.60 (1st) • Lee Li: U’14 Division 2 Breaststroke 44.24 (1st) • Risako Akabayashi: U18 Division 3 Freestyle 33.87 (1st) • Alfie Parker: U15 Division 1, 4 x 50 m Freestyle Relay 2:00.60 (1st) • Eddison Zhao: U16 Division 1, 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay 2:05.13 (1st) • Tom Chambers: U16 Division 2 Backstroke 38.83 (2nd), U16 Division 1, 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay 2:05.13 (1st) • Ognjen Stankovic: U16 Division 2 Backstroke 40.71 (2nd), U16 Division 1, 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay 2:05.13 (1st) • Ned Potter: U14 Division 3 Freestyle 35.10 (2nd)
PREMIER’S READING CHALLENGE
• Douglas Miller: Open Division 1, 4 x 50 Medley Relay 2:21.40 (2nd) • Patrick Healey: Open Division 1, 4 x 50 Medley Relay 2:21.40 (2nd) Numerous students also performed well by swimming personal bests or by accumulating points for the team. As a result of a solid team performance Adelaide finished 7th in the girls’ and 1st in the boys’ competitions. With 9 schools competing on the day Adelaide finished 4th overall.
students to record any book that they read. Students will not have to read 4 books from the PRC list as in previous years. Record sheets, which have been emailed to all students, need to be returned to school by the beginning of September. Further information about the Premier’s Reading Challenge can be found on the library website: https://meet.adelaidehs.sa.edu.au/ index.php/reading/. Just because public libraries are closed and students are not at school doesn’t mean that borrowing and reading have to stop, and the school is in fact encouraging students to continue to develop their literacy skills by reading.
Congratulations to all students who competed on the day and thank you to staff members Jeremy Appleton and Stevie-Lee Thompson for their organisation of the team. Mr Glen Little | Director of Sport
As mentioned in the previous newsletter, students at Adelaide High School can again be involved in the Premier’s Reading Challenge. The Challenge requires students to read 12 books between the beginning of the school year and early September. COVID-19 is affecting all of us and the Premier’s Reading Challenge is not immune. It is with this in mind that the Premier’s Reading Challenge office will make the Challenge even more accessible this year. For 2020 only, the Premier’s Reading Challenge guidelines will change to allow
Students who want to keep up with their reading while at home but have no access to the physical books in the Library can access ebooks and audiobooks through our subscriptions to Wheelers and Sora. Both platforms have a wide range of ebooks and audiobooks available and students just need to download the apps from either Google Play or the App Store. To use the apps on Windows devices, students can go to the Microsoft website.
Further information can be found on the Oliver / Books page of the Library website (https://meet.adelaidehs.sa.edu.au/index. php/oliver-books/)
To access books once the apps are downloaded: 1. Install the Sora app. 2. Find Adelaide High School. 3. Sign in with your school login details. 4. Browse the Explore tab and borrow a book. 1. Install the ePlatform by Wheelers app. 2. Sign in with your school login details. 3. Browse the Explore tab and borrow a book. 4. Search by ebook, audiobook or both. Ms Julie Ralph | Library Manager
PREMIER’S BE ACTIVE CHALLENGE We all know that physical activity can help with focus, improve behaviour, promote a positive attitude and is really good for both our physical and mental health. Any type of physical activity is good, and 60 minutes a day is best. Students should be encouraged to keep being physically active while learning from home and during the holidays. They should take breaks from continuously sitting in front of computers or phones.
The Middle School students are involved in the Premier’s be active Challenge and have been sent the record sheet to record their physical activity. The Challenge is to do at least 60 minutes of physical activity on at least 5 days of the week for 10 weeks. Pastoral Care teachers will remind students to continue physical activity and to record it on their sheets. Ms Anna Axarlis and Ms Christie Best | Middle School House Leaders
DANCE REPORT Currently in Dance, students are engaged in many different learning opportunities. We have been experimenting with video conferencing and learning from recorded videos uploaded onto our class Teams. Students have not missed a beat, being able to discover and experiment from the comfort of their own homes, and often with the addition of a family pet or two! This new way of learning, in a practical subject, has allowed students to learn at their own pace. They can replay phrases they may be struggling with and really perfect the details of each specific move.
Adelaide High School Newsletter
Next term, we look forward to creating ‘call and repeat’ dance phrases/stories online. Students will be asked to use their in-class developed composition skills to create a phrase of movement, which will then be sent to another student to use as inspiration for their own movement motif, and so on. These motifs will then be edited together to form a larger story, encompassing many movement phrases from AHS Dance students across all year levels. We look forward to the new learning opportunities we will explore in the coming months. Ms Michaela Moors | Teacher of Dance
Edition Number 2: April 3 2020
5 UNPLUGGED
MUSIC INNOVATION GRANT In 2019 Adelaide High School was successful in receiving a Music Innovation Grant from the Department for Education. This grant has allowed the music staff to implement an innovative percussion program in the form of a Street Band. This funding provided the staff the ability to purchase resources to fully equip 32 students to be involved. The need to cater for the large number of percussion students was not able to be fulfilled in the current ensemble offerings. The music staff at AHS saw that by implementing this new band, more students could be involved and play the instrument of their choice. Additional support can now be accessed from specialist educators, studying or performing in our local community. This has created an exciting and engaging opportunity for students to continue their music.
This program directly links with our school direction where we are providing students the opportunity to have a say about the direction of their own learning. This innovative concept embraces student agency and the Street Band’s debut performance was at our recent Unplugged / fringe event. The community response was outstanding when the band performed at Unplugged. The ensemble will also mentor younger students to ensure the longevity of the group exists. We have changed the face of percussion at Adelaide High School and this could only happen due to the funding received. Enjoy a video of the inaugural Street Band Performance: https:// youtu.be/xgBU9_W5x6Y Mr Tim Moors | Teacher of Music
Unplugged was redesigned in 2020. It was a delightful family-orientated night showcasing acoustic arrangements performed by students of Adelaide High School. In early March, Adelaide High’s first outdoor performance was held on the grass outside the language and music centre; an altogether unknown place that presented the perfect performance venue. The addition of fairy-lights, picnic rugs and bright cushions added to the luscious grass dazzled the expectant audience and welcomed them to a ‘fringe’-like atmosphere. Unplugged comprised 90 students who performed in a variety of performances, including heartfelt acoustic covers, originals written by members of the Song Writers Club and last, but not least, the Street Band who stunned the audience with their marching parade. The night went by without a hitch, making evident the meticulous attention to detail and the efforts of producing such a show. This was reflected by the supportive and persistent community that the Performing Arts faculty have created. Early this year, I approached the music teachers for their help with an assignment of mine, in which I had to research and be involved with a production or a performance. Unplugged appeared to be the perfect opportunity and experience for said research. Immediately, I
was welcomed into the planning committee and placed with a large portion of control on the night. My experience as a planner of Unplugged highlighted the importance of collaboration, resilience and open-mindedness to the success of a performance. Despite being a student, I was listened to and my actions were trusted. I was consistently surprised by the support and guidance that I received from both teachers and fellow students within the Performing Arts. Unplugged was a defining point for the music community. The professional sound and lighting technicians, the Media Club and the exquisite locally sourced food trucks were distinguishing factors of this high-quality event. As a performer, I felt confident that I was placed in expert hands to produce a live-music industry event for all. We will hold it in great reverence in our memories. It is with my assurance that I state that in the years to come, Unplugged will only grow, and I invite you to continue to join us in celebrating the talented and ever-growing music community of Adelaide High School. Grace Richter-Gilbert SG89 https://vimeo.com/402448370
PASTORAL CARE WORKER’S REPORT Support during this time
Pastoral Care Worker’s Role
The times are rapidly changing and we are swirling with a lot of unknowns, aren’t we? I wonder how you are feeling with it all? I know over the last few weeks I have had lot of thoughts and conversations about all the changes. In these unchartered waters, it is more important than ever to consider what we are doing to care for ourselves. For some quick, helpful ideas check out the following website: https://au.reachout.com/ articles/10-ways-to-take-care-of-yourselfduring-coronavirus. In light of everything I wanted to say that, although lots is changing around us, I will still be here to support you and journey with you through this. I will continue to work two days each week (Tuesdays and Thursdays) providing support to students, staff and families – it may just look a little different during this season. I will be available via email on those days, and will have the ability to schedule video calls as needed. If you would like to contact me, my email is rebecca.burfitt@adelaidehs.sa.edu.au. Ms Bec Burfitt | Pastoral Care Worker
Adelaide High School Newsletter
Edition Number 2: April 3 2020
7 BOORI MONTY PRYOR – YEAR 9 ENGLISH AUTHOR VISIT On Wednesday, March 4, critically acclaimed Indigenous Australian author Boori Monty Pryor visited Adelaide High to share his immensely inspirational stories, helpful tips, and hilarious anecdotes to the Year 9 student cohort. With an Emmy nominated series and many other prestigious accolades, Pryor’s perceptive insight to writing was invaluable for all students that were fortunate to attend. Each of the stories that he told were wonderfully humorous and had underlying themes, focussing on his own experiences dealing with racism and social adversity. Despite the seriousness of what Boori was telling, he laced each story with relatable facts and emotional resonance, such as explaining how his mother did not mind if
he got into fights, as long as his only white shirt was not ruined. As he ruminated about each of his professions before he became an author, all stories contained comical portrayals of his oppressors and entertaining anecdotes of the people who became crucial to the person that he is today. Boori spoke in particular about the 1967 Referendum and his experience when the Aboriginal people were given the right to become Australian citizens, and therefore, finally had the democratic right to vote. As the speech came to an end, the hall echoed with loud applause – it was an event that was simply unforgettable! Angelina Lugsden | Year 9 Student and Mr Scott Macleod | English/EAL Leader
MUSIC CAMP This year was our inaugural music camp, and during a time of uncertainty and challenges we were lucky to have this event come to fruition. Students from a range of ensembles headed to Woodhouse. The aim of this camp was to develop teamwork and ensemble skills, improve the skills of all participants within the ensembles and challenge our student leaders to take on more responsibility. Each day consisted of rehearsals, workshops and individual practice. Students rotated through these activities. I witnessed ensembles working outside, under the trees, experimenting with their pieces and challenging each other to try new ways of interpreting the score and arranging the music. Students learnt to breathe, acknowledge their audience at the end of their performance by bowing, and improving and strengthening their stage presence. Mrs Moors also taught the students how to articulate clearly and introduce their ensembles over a microphone. All of these practices improved the performance skills of our students. Mr Piliouras and Mr Moors worked with each ensemble refining skills, encouraging the students to take risks and further challenge
VOCAL ENSEMBLE
their playing. On the first evening, the students were treated to a performance by the music staff and the tutors who take private instrumental lessons with the students. The students benefited immensely seeing their mentors showcase their skills. On the final evening the students performed to each other. I say with no hesitation, the development of each ensemble was incredible! The comradery was a pleasure to observe, and I thank the staff on their efforts to ensure our students have every opportunity to strengthen their skills in instrumental playing at AHS. The camp was successful and will be a wonderful memory for the students and staff who attended. Currently we are now looking at a multitude of other ways to bring our ensembles together to have performance experiences and strengthen the skills they have developed. Feel free to see a snippet of the camp https://youtu.be/0t4tugy51vs Ms Kerry Skinner | Leader: The Arts
Adelaide High Vocal Ensemble – Performing ‘Hold Back the River’ from home https://youtu.be/30G86mI3Cm0
YEAR 8 DRAMA REPORT Year 8 Drama students have been engaging with Promenade Theatre at school. This is an art form which requires students to create an imaginary world in which each student is in character and engages with the audience members who walk through the space. This activity is student-led and requires students to productively work together to create innovative ideas, promoting student agency and positive collaboration. Through engaging in Promenade Theatre, students are building upon their improvisation, mime, and characterisation skills. So far, students have taken me on tour of Ancient Egypt, I have been scuba diving through the Great Barrier Reef and even explored a haunted mansion! Ms Jasmine Christie-Rosser | Teacher of Drama
Adelaide High School Newsletter
Edition Number 2: April 3 2020
YEAR 8 VOICE TUTOR National Songwriter Sami returns to share her vocal skills with our students Hi, I’m Sami, I graduated from Adelaide High at the end of last year. I’m now studying a Bachelor of Music (Jazz Performance) at the Elder Conservatorium of Music. I am delighted to be tutoring Year 8 voice students at Adelaide High School this year. It’s been a privilege to have the opportunity to return to Adelaide High; I had a very happy high school experience and spent a lot of time in the Performing Arts department, so I’m excited to work with the students on their vocal technique and expression to hopefully make their musical experience at AHS enjoyable as well. Sami Timcke
ART REPORT The Year 10 Drawing Folio allows students to explore and develop methods for working in a range of drawing media. Students also analyse and interpret the work of other artists in their folio, and evaluate the strength of their own pieces. Students have developed fantastic skills in using graphite, charcoal, oil pastel, watercolour paint and coloured pencil, as can be seen here.
Department for Education T/A South Australian Government Schools | CRICOS provider number 00018A © Adelaide High School 2020
Year 9 Art: Ms McDonald and Ms. O’Brien-Dent’s classes have been working on portrait drawing and patterns. Ms Grace McDonald | Teacher of Art
Edition Number 2: April 3 2020