We acknowledge that Renmark High School students, staff and community live, study and work on Erawirung Land. We acknowledge the First Peoples of the River Murray and Mallee as Traditional Custodians of the Riverland region and pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We respect the deep connection Aboriginal people have with land, animals and waters. 

We honour the Lores and customs that cross this traditional Country, the Ancestors who taught and still teach the knowledge that is embedded forever with Aboriginal people today. 

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

Hi all,

To support our current year 11 and 12s the school has been visited by a number of tertiary and other career pathways organisations.

Adelaide University visited the school earlier this term offering great insight into all the courses and opportunities they can support students with as they begin their post-school journey.

Flinders University have also visited and offered their program called Flinders University Inspire, where any students looking at university courses are being mentored by current Flinders students studying in the same field. Students who were interested have nominated their preferred area of study and have met both face to face and online with their mentors. This follows on from the successful university camp earlier this term.

The Defence Force visited us recently with the Navy, Army and Air Force all being represented. They discussed general entry requirements and types of trades available, as well as ADFA leadership opportunities. There is also a gap year program that may suit some of our students.

This week the Rural Health pathways team presented during Beyond Tomorrow. This information was relevant for a variety of pathways including medicine, dentistry, nursing and other allied health careers.

Uni SA will be visiting us early next term to showcase their courses and answer any questions for students who wish to attend next year. 

We will also support students with their SATAC applications when all the information arrives next term. I would suggest that any interested students do some research online on the selected university websites. There is plenty of useful information about courses, applications, accommodation, scholarships and other general support networks.

Other outside agencies have also been attending the school where students can make appointments to have one to one career discussions. This has included Danielle Albanese from MAS National and Jess Linsell from mte SA. As always I advertise any local positions that I know about through the school bulletin and the school newsletter. All year 12 students will be supported with a pathway beyond school.

In other exciting news Renmark High School will be hosting the Flinders University Early Conditional Offer assessment next term on Wednesday 26 July. Students have been given information about this and must nominate to me ASAP as there are only 48 Riverland positions available on the day. If successful students, could be offered an early positon in one of their preferred courses.

Finally during the last week of school from Monday 3 July to Friday 7 July, the year 12 students will be sitting their midyear exams and the year 11s will be involved in the annual Australian Business Week program. Parents and caregivers should have received notes about both of these. They are also published in this newsletter.

Next semester, year 11 students will be able to have their supervised study at home if it is in the morning, or last lesson for the day. Students will have a parent note that needs to be signed and returned to their Care Group teacher to gain persmission. If no persmission is granted, they are to remain at school during their supervised study lines and complete work under supervision by the Senior Study Officer as per usual requirements.

Year 12 mid year exams will be occuring during week 10. Please see below the timetable for the week. 

As you can see it has been a busy term with many opportunities for students to learn about and plan for their futures.

Kind regards,

Marina Pater
Assistant Principal
Director of Operations

We were lucky enough to have a session with the Australian Defence Force on Wednesday of week 8. Students were able to ask questions and grasp a better understanding of what the Defence Force has to offer once completing school.

For those that missed the session, they do have a new virtual information session on 30 June from 11am - 12pm. Please follow the link to register: https://www.defencejobs.gov.au/events/event/UI8986B

The event is a valuable way to learn how a career in the Navy, Army or Air Force can provide adventure, travel, great pay and diverse career opportunities. Information sessions are hosted by current serving military personnel who understand the Defence application process and can answer any questions your students or job seekers may have. Even if someone is unsure of what a Defence career can offer them, there are over 200 exciting roles available and attending an information session is a great way to discover what Defence can offer.

Year 11 students engaged in the annual Road Awareness Program (RAP) presented by SA Metropolitan Fire Service in week 7. The session gave an insight into the experiences firefighters working in road crash rescue come across, providing an understanding around road trauma and how to avoid incidents on our roads.

Final outstanding materials and services charges statements were posted home last week. All payments need to be finalised by the 1 July 2023 after which the Governing Council will commence further debt recovery action. All debt recovery action is in accordance with section 106A of the Education Act which allows Governing Council to legally recover outstanding materials and services charges through the Renmark High School debt collection policy.

If you have applied for school card but have not yet received notification of acceptance, or if you have paid for school fees but still have an outstanding amount on your statement please contact our Finance Officer, Sonja Modlinski by calling 8586 6974, and selecting option 2.

For further clarification, or if you have any questions or queries please do not hesitate to contact our Business Manager, Karina Lambert or Finance Officer, Sonja Modlinski by emailing dl.0794.finance@schools.sa.edu.au

Karina Lambert
Business Manager

During week 6, approximately 30 Renmark High School students travelled to Oakbank Race Course in Adelaide for the 2023 School Sport SA Cross Country Championships. Over 2000 students braved the wet and muddy conditions to support their school and challenge themselves against some of the best runners in the state.

Congratulations and well done to the students who participated on the day. Not only did the students find the track challenging the distance ran at the interschool event (3km) was increased in most age groups.

Some of the stand out performances include:

• Ollie L 20^th (80 competitors) U15 boys
• Taj S 1^st (Multiclass event)

Taj has been selected to represent the SA School Sport Cross Country team who will compete in Canberra in term 3. All the best Taj and well done to everyone who got involved in the day. 

Aaron Camplin
Leader of HPE & Sports

In week 8, six teams from year 9 and 10 took part in the first round of Knockout Cup Volleyball. They competed in matches against Loxton High School, Berri Regional Secondary College, Waikerie High School, and Rivergum College. Due to limited playing opportunities last year, the students were slightly out of practice. However, as the day progressed, all the teams showcased some outstanding volleyball skills. Victory was achieved by both the year 10 girls and boys teams, enabling us to send them to Adelaide this week for finals.

Congratulations to all students who were involved!

Daniel Clark
PE Teacher

The 9-a-side School Sport SA Football Carnival was held at the Renmark Football Oval this year and thankfully the rain held off for the day. Renmark had 4 sides in the competition - 2 year 7/8 teams, 1 year 9 boys' team and 1 year 7/8 girls' team. There were 26 teams for the whole day competing for the different age group shields.  

Each team had a fantastic day and were very competitive in all matches. The year 9 boys team lost their first game to the team that won overall. They won all their other matches convincingly but came equal second overall.  

The Renmark Yellow year 7/8 boys team started a little slowly against Berri Regional and lost that game but made sure to correct their positioning and team work and won the rest of the games for the day. They came second for the day. The Renmark Blue year 7/8 side won a game and were very close and competitive in their other games and the girls started strongly against Loxton with a big win, then came up against some very tough Berri competition.  

A big congratulations to Emme L and Sarsho E who won the Renmark High School 'Good Sports' Award for good sportspersonship, hard work and positive attitudes. 

A very big thank you to the helpers of the day, in particular to the Renmark High umpires Rex K, Isacc M, Lachlan K, Alex C, Amir U, Ethan E and our girls goal umpire Lily B. Well done to everyone on such a fantastic day, freezing but fantastic!

Bec Keynes
HASS & PE Teacher

The year 7 Science classes have been learning about classification of animals and food webs. Cindy from Landscape SA has been visiting each of our classes to do activities based on food webs and classifying water bugs.

Cindy explained food chains and food webs. We learnt about water bugs (such as blood worms and shrimps), what they look like and their behaviours. - Jacob

I learnt about what eats what. Cod eats callop, callop eat small fish, small fish eat yabbies and the yabbies eat shrimps. - Izzy

I learnt if you get rid of something on the bottom of the food chain the whole thing collapses. We looked at some river creatures under microscopes and in bug viewers and tried to identify them using a sheet that eliminates bugs until you are left with the one you have. - Victoria

To help us understand what a food web is, we went outside and each got a river animal card. We were given a bit of string and told to find the other animals in our food chain. Everyone was linked in some way. - Summer

Chris Blanden
Science Teacher

In week 8, year 7 Science students had their second session with Cindy from the Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board, where they gained knowledge about native River Murray turtles. The session offered details on the significance of various turtle species and ways in which we can help to report their sightings in our area. At the conclusion of the session, students had the opportunity to interact with the turtles, small and large!

Chris Blanden
Science Teacher

In week 8, Miss Bor's year 9 students got to make ice-cream as a part of their chemical and physical change unit in Science. They had to follow a set of steps and use dry ice to make their ice-cream, and identify whether the change from a liquid to a solid was evidence of a chemical reaction. They have been learning about identifying chemical and physical changes in reactions. This task provided a hands-on opportunity to play with dry ice, and create a sweet treat!

Rachel Bor
Science Teacher

‘13 Reasons not to be in a play’ was performed by the year 9 Drama class on 22 June in front of the year 8 cohort. The comedy centred around early traumas involving Miss Griswold, their 2^nd grade teacher, to holding hands with someone who has warts.

Some students accepted the challenge of performing their first monologues with success, where hours of rehearsals paid off. Overall the class performed with confidence and energy keeping the audience guessing with each scene.

Wendy Matulic
Drama Teacher

The year 11 Spanish class recently had the incredible opportunity to attend the highly anticipated 'Conferencia de Estudiantes' held at Flinders University, City Campus. This engaging event, organised by the Spanish Teachers Association of South Australia and Flinders University, aimed to provide a platform for language students to immerse themselves in language-based activities and interact with fellow Spanish students from all over South Australia. Our enthusiastic and motivated group of students embarked on this journey, leaving Renmark High School at the crack of dawn, and were thrilled to be the first school to arrive at the conference.

A Day of Cultural Exploration - Upon arrival, we were greeted with an atmosphere buzzing with excitement and a sense of unity among language enthusiasts. Over 170 students from various schools came together to celebrate their shared passion for Spanish language and culture. The day was filled with a diverse range of interactive workshops, thought-provoking discussions, and engaging activities that left a lasting impact on each participant.

Immersing in Culinary Delights - To celebrate the hard work and accomplishments of the students, a special treat awaited us at the end of the day. We ventured to 'Cumbia Bar Kitchen,' a charming restaurant located just a short walk from the university. Here, we had the opportunity to savour the flavours of Spain and South America, trying traditional dishes that were new and exciting to many of us. The mouth-watering 'empanadas' and the aromatic, perfectly cooked 'paella' delighted our taste buds. However, it was the delectable dessert that truly stole the show—a plate of freshly baked 'churros' accompanied by a rich caramel sauce, leaving us craving for more.

A Cinematic Escape - Finally we were treated to an exclusive screening at the Spanish Film Festival. An entire cinema was reserved solely for our group, allowing us to enjoy a captivating film called 'The Tobacco Barns' filmed in rural Spain. This cinematic masterpiece transported us to a different world, further deepening our understanding and appreciation of Spanish culture and storytelling.

The 'Conferencia de Estudiantes' proved to be an unforgettable experience for the year 11 Spanish class. We not only had the chance to consolidate our language skills but also formed connections with fellow students who share our love for Spanish. The day was a perfect blend of educational activities, cultural exploration, and delectable culinary delights. As we left Adelaide, we carried with us a newfound enthusiasm and a deeper appreciation for the Spanish language and its vibrant culture. Thank you to the Spanish Teachers Association of South Australia and Flinders University for organising this event.

Jasmine Sotiroulis
Spanish Teacher

Renmark High School bid farewell to our Italian exchange student, Mavi. During her five month stay she made many wonderful friends and enjoyed a variety of Australian cultural experiences. This week she taught the senior French class a song in Italian. Grazie, Mavi e buon viaggio’.

Jasmine Sotiroulis
French and Spanish Teacher

Over the past term, a group of enthusiastic young artists worked with Brooke and Bob at Magic 93.1 to create an original mural for their alfresco space at their studio in Berri. After participating in radio interviews with the pair and canvasing the local community about what the mural might include, students worked together to plan four different designs, which were shared on the Magic 93.1’s social media. Once a design was chosen, we worked with our ASETO Daniel Giles to help create a mock-up design. On Thursday of week 8, students worked in Namawi Pulgi to create the mural. Working together as a team and with Daniel and Mr Ward, students developed important teamwork skills, learnt how to mix-and-match colour, use different brushes for different effects, and practised their sketching and perspective drawing. Brooke and Bob even visited us during the painting and picked up a paint brush to help. After a long day of painting the mural was completed, with Brooke and Bob loving the final piece. In the next few weeks, students will visit Magic 93.1 and be there for the unveiling of the mural in the alfresco area. We cannot wait to share the unveiling of the mural with you soon.

Alistair Ward
Senior Leader of Creative Technologies and Entrepreneurship

In week 7, Mr Thiele's Stage 1 Outdoor Education class embarked on a two day bushwalk. Students have been learning about navigation, organisation and group development to prepare for the trek.

Wilderness explorers in Miss Caputo's Stage 2 Geography class ventured to the Murray River National Park to demonstrate their skills in data collection and fieldwork techniques. Geographical fieldwork techniques encompass a wide range of methods used to collect data and conduct research in the field of geography.

Students completed transects, quadrats, field observations, and sampling, to then analyse the usefulness and limitations of each technique when completing a fieldwork study. The opportunity to illustrate practical geographic abilities, as well as the fresh air and warm sun, was appreciated by all students (and Miss Caputo)!

Kardinia Caputo
Geography Teacher

Last week saw the planting of a 'Bush Tucker' garden in the beds between Dean Semler Design centre and the Mickan Gym. This garden is something I have always wanted to do with young people, and it was a good way to involve students in a project at school. Learning about any native bush foods is a great learning resource. We can learn about the different plants, where they are from and what they can be used for. It also provides a great avenue for cultural learning that is hands-on and requires teamwork.

Being able to put this garden together with young people and being able to just go pick something raw and straight off the tree or bush is exciting. Everyone will be able to benefit from this garden, and I am really looking forward to seeing it grow, expand and be something we can all enjoy.   

Chloe Shorrock
ASETO

In week 8, a group of SAASTA connect students participated in a two day camp with Mrs Turnbull. Students have been learning on Country and participating in a range of activities involving digging for yabbies, using gecko boards and learning about the culture through significant places.

Martine Turnbull
Aboriginal Education Teacher

Our friendly library staff - Alistair, Sharen and Kerrie.

The Elaine Balfour-Ogilvy library is located next to Student Services and is versatile in many ways! Pop in and say hello to our friendly library staff. Open from 8.45am - 4pm Monday - Friday, closed at recess, with some activities happening at lunch time. 

Borrowing Information
Use your ID Card or the borrower barcode on your school diary to borrow resources or equipment from the library.

• Borrowing Items
  Junior school students (7-8) can borrow up to 8 items.
  Middle school students (9-10) can borrow up to 10 items.
  Senior school students (11-12) can borrow up to 20 items.

• • Books (Fiction) - 4 week loan
  • Books (Non Fiction) - 4 week loan
  • eBook Readers (Kindle) - 2 week loan
  • Equipment - Lesson loan
  • Class sets - either term, semester or year loan

You will receive a friendly reminder via Care Group when your items are overdue.

Renewals
If you still require an item for a longer time it can be renewed once unless someone else has reserved it. Please see the library staff if you wish to renew your item.

Returning Items
Books and equipment can be returned through the returns slot in the library circulation desk. If you are returning a text book we would prefer that you give it directly to library staff so that we can let you know that you have returned the text book borrowed in your name.

The Renmark High School library website (https://renmarkhs.sa.libguides.com/library)

Premier’s Reading Challenge (PRC)

The Book Club

Access to Technology

• Clickview (digital video collection)
• WiFi internet access
• Desktop computers for research and study
• Laptop computers (for use in the library only)
• eBook readers (Kindles)
• Digital video cameras
• Digital voice recorders
• Headphones loaned for learning needs only
• A variety of device cords for downloading
• Colour/black and white photocopying
• Scanning (you need your USB)
• Colour/black and white printing
• Reseting your curriculum email passwords

Newspaper and Magazine Access - eLibrary
Locate credible and reliable information for your research needs 24/7 in a variety of subjects. This online database includes fulltext national and interna-tional newspapers and journals. In addition, it contains information from reference books, journals, books, web-sites, pictures, maps, video and interactive simulations.
Click on the link from the Quick links box on the RHS library webpage. See our friendly library staff for the username and password.