Montrose Bay High School Newsletter - Term 3 Week 4

Principal's Report

Dear Families,

Welcome to our term three, week four newsletter. Our newsletter comes out every week four and nine of each term. It is emailed to our families that are on our email list and is also uploaded to Facebook and available in printed copy at our front office. We also celebrate learning and share news every day on our Facebook Page and reminders on the digital signage on the Brooker Highway.

Brooker Highway Signage

We are currently working with Signfast a local company in revitalising our street signage by placing some branding around the digital sign. Hopefully you will see a new sign up within the next couple of months.

Uniform Changes - Updated

We have been working with our student leaders this year around some new and warmer uniform items for our students. So far, they have decided upon a new school beanie and a new ¾ zippered jumper both items are now in stock.

The feedback from students into the new hoodie design has happened and they have finalised and now ordered the new hoodie from the supplier. The new hoodie should arrive in week 7 or 8 of this term.

Tops

We have pushed uniform with our students this term as we get ready for our new uniform items. Students may wear a non-school hoodie currently under their shell jacket, but this will stop once our school hoodies arrive.

Bottoms

Our pants colour is navy, and we sell school trackpants, leggings and shorts here at the front office. However, our students can wear any navy pants that they wish as long as they don’t have overly large logos etc on them.

Reporting this term

In Term 2 we held our face-to-face learning conversations and it was fantastic to meet and see families and chat through our students progress with you especially around the new reporting format that all schools are now using.

We saw 167 families over the two evenings which is wonderful and a 365% increase from the numbers we had in 2021.

This term our reporting requirement across the state is a phone call home to every family to discuss your child’s learning by the end of week 9.

As always please keep in touch with our school and follow our journey on Facebook and through our school newsletter and school app product.

Duncan Groves

Principal

School Association-Montrose Bay High

Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of every month and usually run for about an hour.  If you are worried about being roped into fundraising committees or working bees, please don’t be. Meetings are relaxed and casual and include discussions on various topics. Meetings are a fantastic way to get an insight into the running of the school and what your child is up to.

We would love to see some new faces. Our next meeting will be 20th September at 5.15pm.

Grade 7

Grade 8

It has been a very busy start to Term 3 in the Grade 8 space. We would like to welcome Michael Taafe to the Grade 8 team. Michael will be teaching Maths and Science for the remainder of Term 3 and 4.

In Year 8 Humanities, we have begun to read and unpack our Term 3 novel: The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan. This fantasy novel offers extensive vocabulary to develop our students' understanding of texts. This text makes strong ties to our Term 3 Medieval Europe unit. Students are currently investigating the societal structure of Medieval times and beginning their development of source analysis skills. We are beginning to make comparisons between our modern lives and the experiences of those from a different time period.

Commencing in Week 5, we will begin to develop a larger understanding of the Black Death and how hygiene and medical practices have evolved over time.

In Maths we have been exploring measurement and chemistry in science. We have identified the three different states of matter of solids, liquids and gases. In the Science Lab, students have identified these different states by melting chocolate, ice and making slime.

Grade 8 Team

Grade 9

Year 9 have had a productive start to Term 3. We have a continued focus on students’ working hard by remaining in class, keeping electronic devices off and away all day and demonstrating the Montrose Mindset in everything we do. Our key focus areas fall under our school value of Respect, but this term we have changed our particularly focus areas. In Term 3, we will demonstrate our Montrose Mindset by listening and responding appropriately, supporting others to learn and letting others support us and being calm and patient with others. We are also increasing our focus ensuring that all students are in full school uniform at all times. We are working hard with students to support them to be in uniform and providing them with assistance where we can. On the topic of uniform, we look forward to communicating with Year 9 families by the end of this term on our plans to order Year 10 hoodies this year, so they are ready for students to have from the commencement of the 2023 school year.

As has been the case in each of our newsletters articles, we like to provide you with more detailed information regarding what your child is learning about at school. So far this term our Year 9 historians are pursuing their own inquiry project as a part of the National History Challenge.  Students are addressing the concepts of “cause and consequence” in any area they choose, with topics ranging from the creation of the sword to same sex marriage law reform.  Most have relished the opportunity to pursue a topic they are passionate about. In English, we are examining the perspective of refugee journeys to Australia through the novel “Boy Overboard”.  Students are responding to characters, issues and events raised in the text as classes navigate through it together.  We are also identifying techniques authors use to influence our thinking in a particular direction to incorporate in our own writing later in the year.

We look forward to Year 9 students continuing to represent themselves to their best of their ability in all aspects of school life.

Sam Cure - AP

Grade 10

To begin Term 3, Grade 10 have had a significant focus on their futures. Students have been working on resumes in SEL and have had an ongoing Connect focus of Aspiration and planning for the future.

In week 3, students went to the Hobart Showgrounds to participate in RYDA (Rotary Youth Driving Awareness). Throughout the day they engaged in a range of workshops focussed on improving students' understanding of road safety including reaction time, information from police and crash scenarios. 

On Wednesday, students attended the Claremont College Taster Day. Students pre-selected courses they were intereseted in trialling and were able to fully experience life at college. Many students uncovered a new course they didn't realise they were interested in and others confirmed their preferences for next year. In becoming familiar with the Claremont College campus, students also built relationships with staff at Claremont to help them feel more comfortable about the transition to college.

In coming weeks, students will begin working with teachers on their transition plans, discussing their next steps after completing Grade 10.

Grade 11 - 12

Studying in Year 11 and 12

How can my child achieve their Tasmanian Certificate of Education?

To achieve a Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE) students are required to meet the Everyday Adult Standards and gain 120 TCE points throughout Years 11 and 12.

The Everyday Adult Standards require students to complete study in:

• reading, writing and communication
• mathematics
• use of computers and the internet

As a Year 11/12 student within the Derwent Collective your child will have the opportunity to study the required courses to meet these standards as well as a variety of other courses to gain their 120 TCE points.

What if my child wants to go to University?

Those students planning to study at University will need to gain an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR). Students choosing this pathway must still meet the TCE requirements but will need to study level 3 and 4 subjects.

Where can my child study?

In 2023 all schools within the Derwent Collective will continue to offer programs for Year 11 and 12 students. This enables students to attend at any of the following campuses full time. Students can also opt to share their enrolment between 2 campuses.

Health Matters with Nurse Mel

Do you know what they’re vaping?

Montrose Bay High School, like many other schools, has seen a recent spike in young people vaping.

E-cigarettes or ‘vapes’ are not safe for young people. They come in many shapes and sizes and can be hard to spot as they can look like everyday items including highlighters, pens or USB sticks.

Common types of vapes:

Key Vaping Facts:

• Most vapes contain nicotine. Nicotine can cause long-lasting negative effects on young peoples brain development, including impaired learning ability and altered mood, and can increase their risk of anxiety and depression.
• Vapes can contain the harmful chemicals found in cleaning products, nail polish remover, weed killer and bug spray, which can lead to serious lung disease.
• The nicotine in 1 vape can equal 50 cigarettes. Young people who vape are 3 times more likely to take up smoking cigarettes.

Talk to your child about vaping:

It is important to take the time to talk your child the risks of vaping. Try to start the conversation in a relaxed easy-going way, and remembering your goal is to start the conversation. Importantly, if you need further information about vaping go to: E-cigarettes and vaping | Quit Tasmania

Netball News

A big congratulations to both of our school netball teams for making it through to the semi finals next Tuesday afternoon! Miss Stacey will be in touch with students with further details. You should all be extremely proud of yourselves! 

Dates to Remember

School Notices

REMINDER: Early Departure

If you wish to collect your student early please send a note with them on the day or ring before 2.30pm as it becomes quite difficult to get messages to students after this time.

A reminder that students must not use their phones during the school day. If a student needs to go home sick please remind them to go and see their Grade Leader or the office.

Student Absence

If your student is absent from school for any reason please notify us as early as possible. You can do this via:

• Student Administration – 6208 2699
• Text message – 0418 137 500
• Schoolzine or Montrose Bay High App

General enquire to school please phone 6208 2666

Student Unwell-Procedure to follow

Could you please discuss with your student the following  procedure if they are feeling unwell?

• Students should not contact their parent/guardian direct when they are unwell.

Talk with their class teacher who will send them to see a Grade Leader. Grade Leaders will contact  Student Admin who will callt home and arrange collection. Student Admin will update student attendance accordingly.

When sending a message to advise of an illness, it would be of great assistance if you noted that the absence is NOT COVID RELATED

Canteen Payments

If your child is ordering food from the canteen, the payment MUST be made via either cash or card. We are unable to accept payment using a phone.

School App 

Please sign up for our new school app. Below is a step by step instructions on how to download.

Community Noticeboard

Please see what is happening around the Glenorchy City area.