PRINCIPAL’S COLUMN
Kingscliff High School on the News
Last Thursday we hosted the NBN News crew as they ran a story on our school’s use of EduChat. EduChat is a generative AI App which is fed language modules from Department of Education policies and documents. It is hosted on a closed circuit network and so is far safer, with more relevant and reliable information made available to students and staff. It is important to note that the program prompts student responses rather than completing the assessments for them. The report can be watched on the following link: https://www.nbnnews.com.au/2024/09/19/new-ai-app-helping-kingscliff-high-students-with-school-work/
Uniform Shop
School shorts are due to be available for purchase this Friday in the uniform shop. The uniform shop will be open on Friday 11th October for those wishing to make purchases during the holidays. Keep an eye out on the school Facebook page for any updates on opening times and availability.
Bike Safety
We acknowledge riding bikes to school is a fantastic method of reducing our carbon footprint. A reminder that student safety in and around our school community is a priority. Any student riding bikes or e-bikes to school are reminded that they need to wear a helmet, walk their bike safely via the ramp and act in a responsible manner when in our community. Consequences, including suspending riding privileges, will be enforced with those not acting in a safe manner.
HSC Dance Special Achievement
We are excited to celebrate a remarkable achievement by Lilly in Year 12, who has received a Callback nomination for her outstanding work in the practical component of her HSC course! The Callback involves an invitation to perform in Sydney amongst the best of the best later in the year. While nominations focus on the practical elements, they represent a significant milestone in Lilly's educational journey. We couldn't be prouder of her hard work and dedication.
Bushfire Drill
Our whole school participated in a Bushfire Evacuation drill in Week 8. For practice purposes we evacuated to our fields at the rear of the school. In a real emergency event our wardens would determine the location of the emergency and whether an evacuation on-site or off-site would be most appropriate. In the event of an off-site evacuation, the TRAC Pool carpark is our emergency assembly area.
P&C Meeting
Our next P&C meeting will be held in Week 2, Monday 12 October, held in the school meeting room. New and returning parents are encouraged to come along. The November P&C meeting will be held at Cudgen Surf Club, Monday 18 November and is designed to celebrate the efforts of our members and to welcome those new to our school or enrolling in 2025. It is a wonderful opportunity to meet our principal and many of our dedicated teachers.
Year 12 Information
Our Year 12 students are celebrating their last week of class with a variety of activities this week. They have met with the HSC Presiding Officer to discuss exam expectations and processes, with all HSC exams being held in the Russell Evans Building (English Block). The Year 12 Graduation Assembly is on this Friday, starting at 9:30am. Students should arrive by 9:00am, and family members should arrive by 9:15am. At the conclusion of the assembly there will be a cake and whole year group photo in the Quad, so we ask that students do not leave until after this picture is taken.
The Year 12 Formal is scheduled for November 13, at Plantation House, Duranbah. For those coming along to watch the arrivals you are encouraged to enter via the third parking gate, so that the arrivals red carpet area is free from traffic. There will be correspondence with further details sent early next term.
Student Email Restrictions
You may have seen on the news the new government restrictions around student school email usage. Starting in Term 4, students will no longer be able to use their school email address (@education.nsw.gov.au) to access social media and similar platforms. This change is being made to ensure that student email accounts are used strictly for educational purposes and to help protect against cybersecurity risks. As a result, students will not be able to use their school emails to sign up for or recover accounts on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X, as well as instant messaging apps like Messenger, Snapchat, WeChat, and Telegram, and online gaming sites.
If your child uses their school email for these accounts, please help them update their information with a personal email address or mobile number by the start of Term 4. Thank you for your support.
CHS Athletics
Amongst our many strong sporting performances we have had a group of students competing at CHS Athletics. Special mentions to Macey and Rory who won Gold in the Hurdles as well as Neet who placed in the medals across most of his events. CHS encompasses all public high schools across NSW so these are massive achievements, well done!
Learning Walks
Our fabulous Partner Primary schools invited our staff and some from across the network to participate in learning walks in their schools. These are short visits to classrooms with a focus on a particular element of learning in the classroom (not looking at the teacher), then a shared discussion of what was working well towards those goals and sharing of quality classroom practice. Our teachers were able to visit Pottsville Beach Public School and Cudgen Public School and have been learning from the experts within those schools on how to share that practice in our school. We are all lifelong learners, staff and students and look forward to future opportunities of collaboration and learning across our network.
Primary School Sport Gala Day
On Friday we had hundreds of Primary visitors participating in our Coastal Learning Community Stage 2 Games Day. It was great to see that the participation and energy levels were not disturbed by the heat, with the weather putting on a fantastic show. I got to talk with many of the student and relished the opportunity to answer their questions. Thank you to all the Primary and High School staff in the preparation and organisation of the day, with a special mention from many of our primary partners to the efforts of Mr Hillard, who did a tremendous job on the day.
School Facebook
There are a number of sporting and educational achievements that we have been celebrating at Kingscliff High School. Many of these are highlighted on our school Facebook site and often are directly contributed by the staff members and students involved in the events. I urge you to keep an eye on the page and celebrate the achievements with your student. https://www.facebook.com/kingscliffhighschool/
GENERAL NEWS
State Senior Music Camp
Congratulations to Bodhi (Year 11) and Austin (Year 10) for their successful applications to DoE's State Senior Music Camp!
The 5 and a half day residential camp in Sydney brings together some 300 music-loving students, teachers and industry professionals. Attendees play and learn in large and small musical ensembles and vocal groups throughout the week, culminating in a public concert on the final night.
Following the camp at the end of last term, brothers Bodhi (trombone) and Austin (trumpet) said the exposure to so many talented and enthusiastic musicians was inspirational, with much knowledge gained and new friendships made!
HSC Dance
Congratulations to Lilly Andersen, HSC Dance, who has been nominated for the Call back performance in Sydney for her Core and Major Performance. This is a huge honour and means that Lilly has performed exceptionally well in those components in her HSC.
Public Speaking Finals
We are proud to announce that Kingscliff High School had the privilege of sending four of our Year 7 students to Bogangar Public School to serve as judges for the public speaking finals. These talented students: Malibu Dewar, Edith Plummer, Sadie Stock and Sophie Wheelahan had the opportunity to select finalists who will represent the region in the Far North Coast finals.
Our students excelled in their role as judges, showcasing their expertise and deliberating passionately to select the deserving finalists. This collaboration with Bogangar Public School allowed our students to act as role models for the younger students, inspiring them to aspire to greater heights.
The speeches presented during the finals were exceptional, covering a wide range of engaging topics that captivated the audience. The high calibre of the speeches has left us eagerly anticipating the potential involvement of these students in Kingscliff High School's debating team next year.
This experience was not only valuable for the participants but also for our student judges, providing them with a fantastic learning opportunity. It was indeed a wonderful day for all involved, and we are proud of the achievements of our students.
Thank you to Bogangar Public School for hosting us and for the opportunity to be part of such a rewarding event. We look forward to more collaborative initiatives in the future.
Sarah Connah
Debating & Public Speaking Co-ordinator
Kingscliff High School
Work Experience
Students in 'Inclusive Education' have had the opportunity to engage in work experience with local businesses this term. All students have displayed a great work ethic and should be proud of themselves for their efforts. Huge thankyou to the businesses below for their willingness to engage in this program:
Tweed Dog Grooming & Day Care
Kingscliff Library Richmond Tweed Regional Library
Cetnaj Tweed Heads
The Reject Shop Murwillumbah
Atlas 4x4, Touring & Mechanical
Kingscliff Meat Gallery
Pippies Early Childhood Centre
Noys Nic Nax Kingscliff
R U OK? Day
Kingscliff High School acknowledged R U OK? Day with pancakes, and by checking in on friends to make sure they R OK. Thank you to our students Kobi, Ethan, Thomas and Elynore for serving the pancakes before school.
Ancient History Excursion
On Sunday 15, a group of intrepid historians gave up their Sunday sleep-in for a day trip to Melbourne.
Students were able to marvel at the Pharaoh exhibition at the NGV, stop and smell the roses at the Botanic Garden, show gratitude at the Shrine of Remembrance and shop and eat their way around the Queen Victoria Markets and the Bourke St Mall.
We were very lucky to have none of the 'Four seasons in one day' weather Melbourne is famous for, cold though it was.
Everyone had a fantastic day, shout out to the parents/carers who did the early morning airport drop off.
Year 10 Child Studies Career Expo
On Monday 16 2024, Year 10 Child Studies conducted a Careers Expo for staff and selected students. The students selected a career of interest and created a stand for the Expo. Their presentations were outstanding.
Far North Coast Senior Dance Ensemble
A huge congratulations to the FNC Senior Dance Ensemble for performing at the State Dance Festival Tuesday 17 September. After months of rehearsing with Anouska Gammon the students gave an amazing performance and we are very proud of their efforts.
TAFE Childhood/Nursing Program
Any students in year 9 who would be interested in doing a 7 week course at TAFE one day per week in early childhood/Nursing please come see Mr Haddon in the PDHPE staff room to put your name down.
2024 VALID
Year 8 students will be participating in the mandatory VALID Science diagnostic test during Term 4, Weeks 3 and 4. A letter for parents and carers will be sent home with students in Term 4, Week 1 with specific details about the test - these are also attached to this newsletter.
The test dates for each class will be communicated on Sentral daily notices and by Science teachers. Catch-up sessions will be done for students who are absent on the scheduled test day. The test will be completed using iPads so students are asked to ensure their iPad is fully charged for the test day. Students who do not have an iPad will have access to other devices to complete the test.
Students are also encouraged to bring their earbuds/earphones for the test. Please contact Mrs O’Keeffe, HT Science, if you have any questions.
Appropriate Use of Student Email Addresses
From Term 4, students will not be able to use their school email address (@education.nsw.gov.au) to access social media and similar platforms.
To ensure all student email accounts are being used for their educational purposes and reduce cybersecurity risks, the Department of Education will be restricting the use of student email addresses for signing up for, and recovering access to, social media, gaming, instant messaging and similar platforms.
Platforms that will be restricted include:
• social networking, such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X
• instant messaging, such as Facebook Messenger, Snapchat, WeChat and Telegram
• online gaming
We know some students use their school email addresses to access third-party platforms.
Please update your accounts with a personal email address or mobile number instead of using your student email address by Day 1 Term 4.
The NSW School holidays are just around the corner!
Book now at PCYC Tweed Heads and keep your kids entertained and busy over the holidays with our ever popular School Holiday Programs (See attached Schedule).
Our programs are run by qualified coaches that have a passion for working with young people in a sport and recreation environment, our programs are a cost-effective option for all families.
With a wide variety of activities available at the PCYC Tweed Heads club, we have something to keep every child entertained and engaged.
Simply click on the link, and email or call us directly to book, it’s that simple;
https://www.pcycnsw.org.au/tweed-heads/school-holidays
OCTOBER 2024 SCHOOL HOLIDAY SCHEDULE
Monday 30 September
Basketball Camp - 6 - 16 Years, 08:00 - 15:30pm
Tuesday 1 October
Soccer Camp - 6 - 16 Years, 08:00 - 15:30pm
Wednesday 2 October
Ninja Warrior Camp - 6 - 16 Years, 08:00 - 15:30pm
Thursday 3 October
3x3 Basketball Comp - 9 - 16 Years, 08:00 - 15:30pm
Tuesday 8 October
Basketball Camp - 6 - 16 Years, 08:00 - 15:30pm
Wed 9th October
Ninja Warrior Camp - 6 - 16 Years, 08:00 - 15:30pm
Thursday 10 October
3x3 Basketball Comp - 9 - 16 Years, 08:00 - 15:30pm
If you wish to redeem and use your Active Kids Vouchers please download your voucher and then fill out the attached SHP enrolment and Medical form, you can either email them to us directly or bring them with you to the Club, we will then book you in right away!
Apply for an Active Kids voucher | Service NSW
Timing 8am - 3:30pm
(Drop off from 7:45am and pick up before 3:30pm)
Cost - $53
All participants must be Club Members and Enrollment/Health/Medical Forms must be submitted.
Book on the link below;
https://www.pcycnsw.org.au/tweed-heads/school-holidays
Get in quick, there are only a few spots left!
Sport
Gold at CHS Athletics!
Gold for Rory Mackay and Macey France at CHS Athletics in the hurdles.
Under 14/16 Boys Futsal
The Under 14 and 16 Boys Futsal teams travelled to Ballina for the North Coast Knockout Competition last Thursday. The under 14s had a strong 1st round, beating Banora Point 8 - 2 but unfortunately got knocked out 7 – 5 by the eventual winners Byron Bay.
The Under 16s won both of their opening rounds comfortably with score lines of 10 – 1 and 8 – 0 against Banora and Murwillumbah. They then faced a tough Byron side in the final where Harper Hornabrook, Josha Brown and Byron dix (double) all got on the score sheet. Dylan Lengyel and Kurt O’Meara were solid in defence whilst Aksel Wilson produced some incredible saves to win the game 4 – 1. The Under 16s will now progress to the North Coast Knockout in Coffs Harbour.
Under 14/16 Girls Futsal
U14 and U16 Girls travelled to Ballina recently to compete in the FNC Futsal competition. Both teams performed exceptionally with the U14's Girls winning 2 of 3 matches and the U16 Girls winning the competition. A special mention to Montahly Thomas who scored 20 goals throughout the day!
The 16 girls will now proceed to the North Coast finals in Coffs Harbour on October 23.
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School Calendar
We have a variety of exciting activities planned. Keep an eye on our school calendar for all the latest events.
You can access the Kingscliff High School calendar via the school’s website at:
Keep up to date with the latest announcements and events happening at Kingscliff High School. Take a moment to like our Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/kingscliffhighschool
Check out our Instagram page. Click on the link to follow us https://www.instagram.com/p/CosxzQZBcpX/...
kingscliff high school p&c
P&C Uniform Shop
P&C Uniform Shop opening hours
Please note opening hours are subject to change due to limited staff availability for the P&C Uniform Shop
Please contact the P&C for further information
https://kingscliff-h.schools.nsw.gov.au/about-our-school/what-we-offer/p---c-uniform-shop.html
- Payment at the P&C Uniform Shop is by cash, cheque, and EFTPOS.
- The P&C Uniform Shop is located near our Science block on the left-hand side of the ramp.
- For more information, please contact the P&C Uniform Shop at Email: pckingscliffhigh@gmail.com
Parent/Carer Contact Details
Updating contact details – are your contact details up to date?
Sometimes we will need to contact you, including on the day that your child is absent if you haven’t notified the school with a reason for your child being away.
If your contact details are out of date or if you’re not sure, please contact the Front Office staff so we can update our records and can contact you quickly when we need to.
Please include parent/carers name, address, phone numbers, email address and emergency contact details. Please remember to contact the school if any of these details or your circumstances change.