Newsletter - Term 4, 2024

From the Principal

As the 2024 school year draws to a close, we take the time to reflect not only on the achievements of term 4, but of the school year.

This term, students have had the opportunity to participate in a range of programs including a beach safety day that was held at Glenelg beach for all students in Transition classes. 14 classes attended across three days with the focus being on learning to be safe in and around water. Swimming lessons were also held across one week for all Intermediate students.

A career education workshop was held at school thanks to Beacon, a company that has provided ongoing support to our senior students for several years. Selected students were also invited to attend a highly stimulating SOHN Hearts and Minds conference in the city. Six Transition forums were held across two days where former students shared their mainstream high school experiences and advice for our 2024 graduating students.

We designed and trialled a Peer Mentoring program to support new students of all cultural backgrounds and two of our teaching staff, Paul Coats and Emma Hills, shared the success of this program at a recent conference in Brisbane.

Throughout the year, we worked with Department for Education Community Liaison Officers, in particular with Fariba Ahmadi and Bushra Rasheed, on a range of programs, including The Respect Program for Afghan boys, which focussed on students developing their sense of respect for themselves and for others.

Our student achievement and cultural diversity assembly was held on Tuesday the 19^th of November, and we were fortunate to have Dr Afzal Mahmood, a senior lecturer at Adelaide University as our guest speaker.

We finished the school year with students attending a range of class excursions and junior students participating in an Activities Day. Our graduation assembly was held on Wednesday the 4^th of December to congratulate and farewell 245 students who will commence in their new schools in 2025.

On Thursday the 5^th of December we welcomed 30 year 6 students who will start at Adelaide Secondary School of English (ASSoE) as year 7s in 2025. To enable us to continue to meet the needs of our increasing student population, we appointed 8 teachers who will commence at ASSoE in 2025 in ongoing positions.

• Mathematics teachers – Ben Mc Clean, Sam Nicholls, Dane Oppert
• Science teacher – Mark Orchard
• Home Economics teacher – Heather Westwood
• EALD/NAP teachers – Melissa McLean, Simon Farmer, Peter Wallace

as well as 4 new leaders for 2025:

• Transition/International Student Program & Parent Engagement Coordinator – Jonathan Turland
• Inclusive Education, Pedagogy and Intervention Programs Coordinator – Raj Bhatti
• EALD Curriculum and Language Improvement Coordinator – Aramesh Zoghi
• Student Engagement and Innovative Numeracy and Mathematics Pedagogies Across the School Coordinator – Tarandeep Singh

We also appointed a Youth Worker, Martha Maiorana.

As part of our preparations for the new school year, we have made changes to our day structure/timetable to enable teachers to have more time for professional collaboration and to enable students to finish school earlier 2 days a week.

Of course, we can’t celebrate the 2024 school year without once again mentioning our highly successful Council of International Schools (CIS) visit and re-accreditation.

The end of a school year is also a time to farewell staff as they move to new positions and this term, we will farewell Leah Thornton who will be returning to Charles Campbell College, Melanie Zhan who will be studying at Melbourne University, and we wish Kingsley Watchman all the best for his year on a teaching exchange in Japan.

With the Christmas holidays almost upon us, I’d like to wish you all the best for the festive season and for the new year ahead.

Anti Macri
Principal

Premier's Reading Challenge

On Wednesday 20^th November, two students from class 7 had the honour of attending an awards function at the Adelaide Zoo. They proudly represented ASSoE to receive an Outstanding Achievement award in recognition of the many years our school has been involved in the Reading Challenge. This program is intended to encourage students to develop a love of reading and appreciate the joy it brings. The Minister for Education, Mr Blair Boyer, presented Aliza Qalandari and Mohammad Qambari with the award which was followed by the opportunity to mingle with well-known writers. They can be seen here speaking with authors Mem Fox and Roseanne Hawkes.

Ms Gayle Schipanski and Ms Indhu Jayaraj

Empowered Day

On Wednesday 30^th of October, fifteen students participated in the Empowered Day run by Power Community Limited in partnership with the South Australian Women’s Fund. The event was held for female secondary school students (Years 10-12) across South Australia, and provided our students with an opportunity to connect and be inspired by strong female role models who are having great success in diverse industries. Students were joined by Eloise Hall, Co-founder and Managing Director of TABOO, and Port Adelaide Football Club AFLW players including captain Janelle Cuthbertson. Students had an opportunity to have a kick with AFLW players and to explore Port Adelaide Football Club and Alberton oval.

Ms Koula Giannini and Ms Martha Maiorana

Mini Exploring Identities and Futures (EIF) Exhibition

Within the SACE subject EIF, we became really excited after viewing many other classes’ EIF exhibitions, so we made our own mini exhibition by reusing food packaging and bread tags! We drew pictures to represent ourselves about My Present (EIF Task 1 Part II). Here's what we felt about drawing our mini art and explaining our work to others:

• I felt very excited because I could show my art to them, talk about everything that I like (Nasrullah A)
• I felt proud when I drew the picture and I’m optimistic to be more healthy. (Aya A)
• I feel very comfortable about doing this mini art, and when the teacher came to talk with me, I keep talking without getting nervous. I love drawing, so for me doing this was really cool and made me very happy drawing about my feelings and passions. (Hugo K)
• I feel honest and little bit confident because I am learning English step by step and have a better communication skill with people. I am living in this country and I know step by step with this situation I will be more developed in future. (Yashar Y)
• I felt so excited and proud because I was able to talk and really can explained my feeling clearly. Next time, I think I will draw book about body language because I am extremely interested in it. I like to read everything about it and I always try to see the body language. (Lena A)
• When I was drawing this diagram, I was very nervous because I am not good in drawing diagram but I did it well… I love my earth and I want to research about its nature, environment, ozone layer etc. I feel very happy when I was answering teacher’s questions… (Shujaat T)

Ms Ariel Chuang

Paralympian Visitor

On the 9^th of November, class 26 and 42 hosted Matthew Cowdrey, an Australia's paralympian. Matt was talking about what it's like to grow up with a disability and what it was like to be Australia's most successful paralympian. Students then used the information to write a biography about him during their EALD lessons. Below is Sajida’s writing:

Matthew Cowdrey

Matt was born in 1988, in Adelaide. He was born with part of his arm missing.

He won 23 medals and 13 gold at the Paralympic games. He only keeps one medal at his home, his mum and his dad have some and museums have some.

In 2017, he was married and his wife's name is Lizzie.

He has two children. The girl's name is Macey and his boy’s name is Fletcher.

His parents could not go to other countries to see him swim in competitions because they did not have money for tickets. He went just with the other swimmers to China and Greece.

His parents went to Melbourne to see him swim because they could drive there.

His parents went to London to see him swim because he was winning a lot.

He woke up his dad very early and swam at 5:00 am then had school and then after school there was swimming again. After swimming he had homework.

He can do the same things as other people like drive a car, cook and tie shoelaces but he does it differently.

He doesn’t swim in competitions any more. He has a job.

I learnt about keep trying hard and it was good to see his gold medal.

Sajida Rezaee (class 42)

Bandanna Day

On the 25^th of November, students and staff wore their bandanna to school for Bandanna Day. We sold bandannas and our school community raised $782 for Canteen. Canteen is an organisation supporting young people impacted by cancer or have a family member who has been impacted by cancer.

Staff member, Mr Alex Racz, dyed his hair pink and blue and his fundraising raised a further $1,101. Thank you to all who donated and participated, and a big thank you to Mr Alex Racz!

Student Wellbeing Team

Community Service

Recently classes 7 and 8 participated in a most satisfying gardening experience at West Croydon Community Garden Project as part of their community service. The students worked very hard to spread mulch over a large expanse of garden, making light work for the volunteers who would usually carry out this task. Their commitment, attitude and teamwork were all commendable, and importantly, they appreciated the value of contributing to community. Some of the students can be seen here feeling pleased after a job well done!

Ms Gayle Schipanski and Ms Grace Leong

Flinders University Campus Visit

On Monday 2^nd December, Classes 3, 30 and 41 visited Flinders University where students participated in two well-paced, highly engaging, collaborative and competitive activities, Code Cracking and Animal Evolution. This inspired significant interest in mathematics, spy agency work, biology and ecology. Added to that, a session presented by a long-term dedicated palaeontologist, Bone Box, opened up an intriguing pathway for some fascinated students.

The day provided students with an introduction not only to studying at Flinders but also to student life. Student ambassadors were friendly and incredibly generous to share their knowledge and experience throughout the day. When leaving, students felt motivated and excited by their future study possibilities. For teachers, it was also a most enjoyable day, since students generally displayed both interest and appropriate courtesy.

Ms Fran Rydon

SOHN Hearts and Minds Conference

Teachers and students attended SOHN Hearts and Minds Conference on 15 November 2024 at the Festival Theatre. Attending the conference was a special experience for them. Teachers noticed how students learned a lot about public speaking and the importance of representing themselves, their families, and the school with pride. The students discovered many new career options, such as working in travel, beauty, finance, or even as an astronaut. They learned which industries are growing, like medical research and space exploration, and how these ideas can help them plan their future. Teachers were also inspired by hearing from people in different industries and are now better prepared to talk to students about careers during class.

Students shared that they found the conference very inspiring. They saw how successful people worked hard to reach their goals and learned that achieving dreams takes patience and effort. One student said it was a reminder to never give up, even when things feel difficult. The students felt proud to be part of such a big event and enjoyed meeting others their age who had come from different places. It was a day that made students believe that anything is possible if they work hard and follow their dreams.

Before the conference, students attended a one-day Beacon ‘Polish’ Program to prepare. This program taught them about how jobs are changing around the world and why skills like good communication and self-confidence are important. They practised speaking about their strengths, learned how to present themselves well, and even worked with business mentors to improve their networking and interview skills. The day was filled with fun, energy, and valuable lessons that helped the students feel ready and confident for the conference.

Mr Ash Parekh

RYPEN (Rotary Youth Program of Enrichment) Camp

On the 1-3 November we had four students, Zeinab Ahmadi (class 5), Robert Mora Reyes (class 5), Mely Koumphanh (class 11) and Jili Ibungu (class 20), who attended the Rotary Youth Program of Enrichment (RYPEN) camp. This camp is sponsored by the Rotary Club of SA, and provided our students with the opportunity to participate in adventure based-learning and to work on teamwork and leadership skills. Our students reported gaining lots of new and positive experiences, whilst meeting and making new friends with students from all over SA.

Student Wellbeing Team

Diwali Celebration

Our staff and students celebrated Diwali on 1^st of November. Diwali is an important religious festival originating from India. It is celebrated by Hindu and non-Hindu communities. It is one of the biggest celebrations of the year for Indian’s living in India and abroad. Diwali represents the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness and wisdom over ignorance. Diwali is a time for sharing stories and food, giving/receiving gifts, and offering best wishes for good health and prosperity. ASSoE staff dressed up in sarees and special clothing to mark the day. Staff brought food to share during recess on the day. Ms Sunitha McCarey and her talented students decorated our school by creating beautiful Ragoli around the school grounds for all to enjoy. At lunch time, activities were held for students including music, dance and henna.

Student Wellbeing Team

Excursion to the parks

On Thursday the 14^th of November, class 19 and 17 went to Elder Park and Possum Park along the Torrens River. We went there for Geography to test the water quality for animals and plants. It was a fun excursion.

Sami Ishala (class 19)

Respect Program

In Term 4, we saw the completion of our Respect Program that was facilitated by Ms Fariba Ahmadi and Ms Bushra Rasheed, a Community Liaison Officer from the Department for Education.

The program consisted of five workshops, with 40 Afghan/ Middle Eastern male students. The program was focused on working on developing positive and respectful relationships with others.

The students created a booklet that was gifted to ASSoE, that can be used to educate other students around the importance of having respectful relationships with their peers, teachers and other adults in their lives.

Student Wellbeing Team

Maths Survey

Maths Survey

Class 32 plucked up their courage to ask other classes what they preferred in a Survey for Maths. They did their best and experienced public speaking to students they did not know. They then collated the numbers and created beautiful graphs about that data. Finally, they typed up their data observations and analyses. These data displays were looked at by many students as it was displayed outside their classroom.

Ms Ariel Chuang and Class 32

Lunchtime Activity

During this term, many students have come to try knitting and crocheting at lunchtime on Tuesdays and Fridays. One of our regulars has been Dana Ji from class 52. She has learned how to crochet and finished this flower design.

Ms Ourania Svingos

Peer Mentoring

In semester two, ASSoE was very proud to launch a tailored Peer Mentoring Program. The peer mentoring program is aimed at providing all new students with support and mentoring, with a key focus on settlement support, safety, cultural pride and self-regulation. There were over 30 students who were trained as mentors. Ms Emma Hills and Ms Cassie Brian created an interactive program that mentors then delivered to over 100 new students.

Student Wellbeing Team

One and All

Three of our students, Amani Kabangu (class 5), Kapish (class 39) and Yeva Kenjayeva (class 35), had the opportunity to participate in the One and All Youth Development Voyage, sponsored by Rotary Clubs throughout Adelaide. The five-day journey on the sailing ship saw our students be part of the sailing crew, they learnt many skills and gained valuable experiences, whilst also making many new friends.  Amani recounts her experience: “When I was young, I wanted to go on a ship to explore the ocean but I never got a chance. When I heard about the One and All I wanted to give it a try. I didn’t want to waste this opportunity. When we were there, we made good friends, the crew who work there where very friendly. I would recommend this to other students, you will learn new things and have new experiences.”

Student Wellbeing Team

ARA Leadership

On Wednesday 6^th November, 30 Student Representative Council (SRC) students, along with Ms Koula Giannini and Mr Paul Coats, travelled to Salisbury to participate in a very successful Leadership Day. The day was facilitated by Mr Fida Hussain (Schools & Outreach Engagement Coordinator) from the Australian Refugee Association (ARA).

Students engaged in activities and listened to speakers including Member for Parliament Honourable Tony Piccolo. Students were given opportunities to further develop their leadership and team work skills. Thank you to ARA for all their support in co-ordinating this valuable day.

Student Wellbeing Team

Transition Forums

On Wednesday the 6^th and Friday the 8^th of November, we held our annual semester two transition forums. Over 20 alumni from a range of schools around Adelaide, returned to speak with our exiting students. The alumni spoke to students about their experiences moving from ASSoE and starting at their new high schools. The forums where very valuable for our students to ask questions around their own transition and their new schools.

Student Wellbeing Team

Incursion

In Term 4, class 28 explored their values, skills, and hopes through the PLW subject. As part of this learning journey, we had the privilege of welcoming Nash’s mother, Ms Josephine Jito, as a guest speaker to share her inspiring life story. Ms Jito, originally from the Philippines, spoke about her experiences as an immigrant in Adelaide, highlighting the resilience and courage that helped her settle successfully in a new country.

Adding a creative touch, students introduced their imaginary Aboriginal classmate named Wirri, animated through an AI-generated talking photo, to interact with Ms Jito. Wirri shared a little about himself and asked questions during the interview. The session concluded with students expressing their gratitude in their home languages and including the Kaurna language, with “Ngaityu”. Ms Jito’s story offered valuable insights into multiculturalism in Australia and inspired respect for diversity - lessons that left a meaningful impact on the students.

Ms Parky Anderson

World Teachers' Day

World Teachers' Day is an international day held annually on 5^th October to celebrate the work of teachers. ASSoE celebrated on Tuesday 22^nd October with breakfast, a hat competition and a staff morning tea on Friday 25^th October provided by student support staff (B/SSOs) to show their gratitude for all the hard work teachers do each and every day here at ASSoE.

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Health Matter - Energy Drinks

At school, we are often hearing of students drinking several cans of energy drinks, or of students having energy drinks instead of breakfast. This is very concerning, because energy drinks:

• may have harmful effects on health and especially on young people
• contain very high levels of sugar plus high levels of caffeine or guarana (which contains caffeine) and may also contain other additives.
• can lead to problems with excessive weight gain.

The major health concern regarding ‘energy' drinks by medical professionals is their high caffeine content. Caffeine, in the quantities present in most ‘energy' drinks may cause:

• Difficulty concentrating
• Difficulty sleeping
• Insomnia
• Nervousness
• Headache
• Tachycardia (rapid heart rate)
• Hypertension
• Anxiety
• Physiological dependence to caffeine.

Over time, our bodies can develop tolerance to caffeine which means more caffeine will be required to give the same effects. Withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, tiredness, anxiety and irritability are also likely to occur with a reduction in caffeine intake.

Staff have spoken to students about the harm of energy drinks and we are now asking parents to please take the time to discuss this issue with your children.