We have had a busy term 2 for students, with a wide range of student activities including Riverland Schools Football and Knockout Cup Volleyball competitions, Stage 1 Outdoor Education local canoe expedition and a bushwalk at Mt Bryan, Stage 2 Outdoor Education Surf Trip, Riverland and Adelaide Cross Country, visits from organisations to speak to students including from MFS, Australian Defence Force, SAPOL, SA Ambulance, and Universities, we had a family event for Reconciliation Week at our fire pit, SANTOS Aboriginal power cup, calves visiting for 'Cows Create Careers', Year 6 Transition visit, Indoor Soccer Competition and much more!

Student Free Day

The recent Student Free Day on Friday 9 June was a combined event with Berri Regional Secondary College, Loxton High School, Waikerie High School and Swan Reach Area School. In the morning staff heard from our CE Martin Westwell as he spoke about the work being done in describing the Purpose of Public Education. For the rest of the day teachers and ancillary staff were involved in a range of professional development workshops. Having the combined student free day enabled staff to network and work collaboratively across sites.

NAIDOC week

Next week is National NAIDOC Week. NAIDOC week celebrations are held across Australia in the first week of July each year (Sunday to Sunday), to celebrate and recognize the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth. We will be undertaking some activities at school and we encourage our students and families to get involved in the community NAIDOC week activities held next week. 

This year’s theme is For Our Elders, and this is explained by the NAIDOC committee: 
 
Across every generation, our Elders have played, and continue to play, an important role and hold a prominent place in our communities and families. 
 
They are cultural knowledge holders, trailblazers, nurturers, advocates, teachers, survivors, leaders, hard workers and our loved ones. 
 
Our loved ones who pick us up in our low moments and celebrate us in our high ones. Who cook us a feed to comfort us and pull us into line, when we need them too.  
 
They guide our generations and pave the way for us to take the paths we can take today. Guidance, not only through generations of advocacy and activism, but in everyday life and how to place ourselves in the world

We draw strength from their knowledge and experience, in everything from land management, cultural knowledge to justice and human rights. Across multiple sectors like health, education, the arts, politics and everything in between, they have set the many courses we follow. 
 
The struggles of our Elders help to move us forward today. The equality we continue to fight for is found in their fight. Their tenacity and strength has carried the survival of our people. 

It is their influence and through their learnings that we must ensure that when it comes to future decision making for our people, there is nothing about us - without us. 

We pay our respects to the Elders we’ve lost and to those who continue fighting for us across all our Nations and we pay homage to them. 

Australian Business Week

We are very excited to be able to offer Australian Business Week for year 11 students next week. Thank you to our business mentors who are volunteering their time to assist with students throughout the week. 

Future Planning Expo

Please mark in your diaries our Futures Planning Expo Night for Wednesday 9 August. This is an important night for current students in year 6-11 for information and planning for 2024. It will be a chance to have a look through our school at the different learning areas and to ask questions of staff around subject choices. Keep an eye out for more details early next term on our Facebook page for more details.   

School Uniform

As the weather gets colder, the standard of our uniform has slipped for some students. Please use some time in the holidays to have a good look for uniform jumpers and suitable uniform pants, or purchase a new uniform from the above suppliers, ready for term 3.

Enjoy the break, stay safe, senior students make the most of the two weeks and we will see you next term!

Kind regards,

Mat Evans
Principal