Dear Parents, Guardians and Community Members,

Since our last newsletter, I have had the privilege of attending my first Campbell Town Show. We were all extremely proud of the entries by our students on display in Exhibition Hall. The standard of the entries was exceptional and whilst we may be somewhat biased, the judges clearly agreed.

We also experienced success in the Wool Handling competition. We were represented by two teams of students who all performed extremely well. One of our teams finished in second place out of eleven teams in the competition which was an outstanding result. It was really pleasing to see students with very different backgrounds working together with skill, determination, and mutual support.

A reminder that reports will be issued for students in Prep to Year 10 on Friday 23 June and Student/Parent/Teacher Conferences are scheduled the following week. Interview times can now be booked online or by contacting our office. We really value the opportunity to discuss learning with families and hope to see you there. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concern about your child’s progress.

The scheduling of our Performance Evening for 2023 has been discussed with staff and the School Association. It has been decided that this will occur as a Christmas concert on a date to be selected in the last two weeks of Term 4. The intention behind this change is to minimise the impact on student learning and hopefully we will be clear of the winter illnesses that impacted on last year’s performance.

Our staff are working enthusiastically on the DECYP system focus on reading. Staff teams are working collaboratively to monitor the progress of all students and to design programs and supports to develop and extend the reading of all learners. Reading at home is a vital support to developing students as successful readers. The latest research confirms the benefits of reading to children and to providing reading material that is interesting and engaging to the child. If you are interested in learning more about how to support reading at home, please contact your child’s teacher.

We have a rich array of sporting and other activities occurring for students at the moment, students are participating in regular rostered sport, golf competitions, basketball clinics, excursions to the theatre and for our senior students orientations to Year 11 options, opportunities for work experience and driving lessons are just some of the things occurring this term.

Our school lunch program is continuing to provide enormous benefit to our students. We are now providing lunches to four classes per week providing rich learning experiences for those preparing and eating the food.

Looking forward to seeing many of you at school in the coming weeks.

Kind regards

Mike

In Week 10 of this term, we will be conducting our student/parent/teacher conferences. At Campbell Town District High School, we want our students to be actively involved in the process. Research clearly demonstrates that students who are actively involved in planning and communicating their learning are more engaged and successful.

Students are strongly encouraged to attend the conferences. Teachers will be supporting students to take an active role during the conversations.

Prep to Grade 10 student/parent/teacher conferences will be held on Monday 26 June from 3.15pm till 4.30pm, Tuesday 27 June from 3.15pm till 6.00pm and Thursday 29 June from 3.15pm till 6.00pm. Interviews are strictly 15 minutes.  Interviews will be held in the Secondary section of our school. 

The schedule of staff available to make an appointment with is listed below:

The link to book an appointment is below.  You can also book an interview via the Schoolzine app (SZApp) by clicking on the student/parent/teacher conference tile.

Link to book student/parent/teacher conference:

https://campbelltowndistricths.schoolzineplus.com/view-session/17

Link for assistance to book student/parent/teacher conference:

https://www.schoolzine.com/sk-booking-guide

If you need assistance with making a booking, please contact the school office on 03 63811166.

Grade 5/6 have been studying Biological Science in Term 2.

We have been exploring plant and animal adaptations. Last week, we conducted an experiment to investigate how blubber works as an insulator. We timed how long we could withstand having our hands submerged in ice water. Then, we covered our hand in margarine (blubber) and tried again. Although our experiment produced various results, we had a lot of fun conducting the experiment, asking inquiring questions and analysing our results.

Georgie Curtin

5/6 Teacher

On Wednesday 7 June, Grade 11/12 held their Celebration of Learning exhibition in conjunction with parent teacher conferences. We began with the Drama Foundation 2 class presenting their film excerpts to parents and siblings. In recent times, the class has been hit by illness, including on the night with one student too sick to perform. To the credit of each class member, they persevered, problem-solved and managed to come through when it mattered. The Biology students presented a PowerPoint, highlighting what they had learnt while away on their Biology camp. Project Implementation, Computer Graphics and Design and Mathematics, Design and Production all displayed work created by students and students shared these with their parents.

It was fantastic to see the growth in our students and the learning that occurs each day.

Parents and students then met with course teachers to discuss course learning.

Thank you to all those that contributed to the success of our Celebration of Learning exhibition.

Julie Howard

AST

Our school Cross Country Carnival was held on Tuesday 16 May. Despite the freezing weather, our students displayed remarkable resilience, camaraderie, and athleticism. The crisp air and chilly temperatures did not deter our participants. Students, teachers and parents braved the elements to make this day come together.

We would like to thank the Parent and Friends (P&F) Committee for their incredible support in holding a stall where they provided hot soup, hot drinks, and delicious slices.

One of the highlights of the day was the intense competition between our rival houses, Macquarie and Elizabeth. Macquarie emerged victorious by a small margin of points, showcasing the outstanding talent and determination of their runners. Congratulations to all the Macquarie house members for their exceptional performances!

Kaneeda and Ava both shattered existing records (by minutes) and set new benchmarks for future Cross-Country Carnivals. Congratulations both Kaneeda and Ava for their amazing efforts.

Our Cross Country Carnival exemplified the strong spirit of our school community, with students pushing their boundaries and embracing healthy competition. The event not only highlighted the importance of physical fitness but also showcased the values of sportsmanship, resilience and teamwork.

We are also delighted to share the outstanding achievements of our students who recently represented our school at the Inter-School Cross Country Carnivals. These events provided a platform for our young athletes to showcase their skills, sportsmanship and determination.

The Northern Midlands Primary School Sports Association Cross Country was held at Cressy District High School. Our selected students gave their all competing against other talented athletes from various schools. Well done to all our participants for representing our school with pride!

The Northern High Schools Sports Association Cross Country was hosted by Kings Meadows High School. A small group of our students represented our school against many schools from all over Launceston and the North of the state. They displayed immense resilience, determination and outstanding athletic ability. We commend them for their commitment and congratulate them on a job well done. We would like to acknowledge Ava for her remarkable achievement. She placed 2nd in her race within our school’s division. This is an outstanding accomplishment. Congratulations Ava!

It is important to recognize that the experience gained through these inter-school carnivals extends beyond the podium. Participating in such events fosters personal growth, resilience and a sense of camaraderie among our students. I am confident that the lessons learned and the memories made during these competitions will have a lasting impact on their lives.

Ashlee Lowe

HPE Teacher

Four students from Campbell Town DHS competed in the schools wool handling event at the Campbell Town Show. They competed against 4 other schools – Cressy, Oatlands, Lillydale and Bothwell. Henry & Ella were first up and did an excellent job of picking up and throwing their fleeces. Sadly, they missed the bucket with their belly throws. Hanna & Zoe, our second team, did a fantastic job with their fleeces, especially Zoe who picked up her first fleece the week before. This team communicated and supported each other well. Both decided to go for the lower 5-point bucket with their belly, and hit pay dirt.

Cressy won the overall event, but very well done to Hanna & Zoe who came second. The event now has a shield, and I am looking forward to Campbell Town students getting their name on it.

Jill Bennett

Ag Teacher

Students in 5/6 Curtin have been assisting with handling and teaching our wethers to lead. The class has been split in to 3 groups, with each group helping on a Wednesday afternoon.  The third group will have their first turn this week. Students have learnt how to apply a headcollar and are getting the sheep used to being around people and being touched. We still have a couple of wethers that have not settled and can still be a little jumpy. Most are eating their ration while tied to the rail. The sheep are starting to respond to pressure and stepping forward to handlers when being led. It is still small steps as we get to know their personalities. Hopefully soon we will be out, walking around the school.

Jill Bennett

Ag Teacher

Do you have half an hour to spare from 8.30am – 8.50am on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday mornings? Do you like listening to children read? We are seeking volunteers for our morning Reading Club. Reading Club is for Primary aged students to help them practice their reading skills.

If you have a current Working with Vulnerable People Card and would like to help us with Reading Club, please contact the school office and leave your name and contact details.

Mrs Lyrae Rattray and Mrs Kristyn Green

Reading is not just about reading books  – so try reading different things – fiction, non-fiction – blogs, comics, poetry, lyrics, essays, magazines, newspapers… it all counts in the PRC.

And for families – you can help your child get involved in the challenge by reading with them, talking to them about what they are reading and providing lots of encouragement!

So, grab some books and start reading!   

Challenge begins: Monday 26 June 2023     

Challenge ends: Friday 1 September 2023

Some exciting news! The Department for Education, Children and Young People has recently launched a new online information hub for families with school-aged children in Tasmania. Our new website has information to help you navigate your child's education, from birth all the way up to 18 years of age.

Visit our new webpage at Welcome to your child's Tasmanian education - The Department for Education, Children and Young People Tasmania (decyp.tas.gov.au) (https://www.decyp.tas.gov.au/information-for-families-and-students)

Some of the things you’ll find include

• tips on how to support your child’s learning at home
• information to help you keep your child safe and well
• a guide to explore courses for the career they want
• school holiday and term dates.

We hope this website will be a valuable tool for you as you help your child navigate their education journey. We would love to know what you think of our new information hub for families. You can tell us by completing a quick survey on the webpage.

TASMANIAN ALL SCHOOLS CROSS COUNTRY, SYMMONS PLAINS

The 2023 Tasmanian Primary All Schools cross country event is almost here! Get your entries in now!

Primary All Schools XC: Tuesday 27 June 2023 – entries close at noon, Wednesday 21 June

The Primary All Schools registration portal is open. Registration, event information and regular updates can be found here: https://www.tasathletics.org.au/events/161181/

The event information pages include links to registration portals for individuals and schools teams, a printable waiver form and provisional timetables.

Athletics Tasmania looks forward to seeing you at Symmons Plains.