It’s been a productive few weeks on campus, with students and staff turning great ideas into visible progress. Here are the highlights:

Reading focus – students in years 7 and 8 have been diving into Repeated Reading tasks in English classes and tracking their progress . They are now in the middle of mid-year testing. It has been wonderful to see the rigor associated with this learning and the positive manner in which our students are engaging in this to improve their reading fluency.

Kitchen Garden teamwork
Kitchen Garden classes have rolled up their sleeves, refining their planting beds and building protective fencing for our new broad-bean seedlings. Special thanks to our groundsman, Tony Livingston, who not only lent his expertise to the garden but has also updated the landscaping around the gym to keep it looking sharp.

Hospitality in action

• On Tuesday of Week 5 the canteen was in the capable hands of Belinda Stewart’s hospitality students. Their organisation and customer service were first-rate—an excellent example of authentic, real-world learning.
• A shout-out as well to Jason Lunden’s team for two staff-focused initiatives: the popular “Friday Night Take-Out” options and a fantastic Biggest Morning Tea. Both events showcased culinary skill, teamwork and community spirit.

Staff wellbeing afternoon
Staff swapped marking pens for hobbies in a wellbeing session that offered two choices: a textiles workshop with me (yes, the sewing machines survived!) or a games session with Mr Newton and Mr Dorrington. Laughter went a long way toward re-charging our batteries.

Long-weekend wrap-up
Friday 6 June was a student-free day so staff could attend Moderation Day at Kingston High School, followed by the King’s Birthday public holiday on Monday 9 June. Teaching staff relished the opportunity at Moderation Day to connect with peers, discuss student work and engage in professional conversations. I hope families enjoyed the break; we’re now on the downhill run to the end of Term 2.

Front-of-school facelift
You’ll have noticed the new pavement, fencing and — hard to miss — our brand-new sign at the main entrance. Once we complete the front-garden landscaping and the fence curves around toward the main path, the area will really shine. New wheel stops are also on the way to keep those buses from giving our fence an accidental nudge. Watch this space!

Say cheese!
School photos are done and dusted. We’re looking forward to seeing those smiling faces in print soon.

Key dates ahead

• Parent–Student–Teacher Interviews: Tuesday 24 June & Thursday 26 June
• Reports issued: Friday 27 June
• Last day of Term 2: Friday 4 July

Please book interview times via our Schoolzine app (more details to come soon), and as always, reach out if you have any questions. Thank you for your continued support—let’s finish the term strongly!

If a student’s laptop runs into trouble at home, please ensure it’s brought back to school immediately.

Our IT technician can assess the issue quickly and organise any necessary repairs, including those that may be covered under warranty.

A quick return can often mean a faster fix!

Don’t forget – laptops are essential learning tools and should be brought to school every day, fully charged and ready to go.

As Term 2 quickly draws to a close, we’ve been impressed by the resilience of our Year 7/8 students braving the winter months and maintaining steady attendance—well done! The positive culture within the cohort continues to grow, with students rising to meet high expectations aligned with our school’s values. Morning homeroom has been a valuable time for building connections, getting organised, and engaging in meaningful activities that prepare students for the day ahead—please remind your young person to arrive on time. Our Personal and Social Capability (PSC) focus on Effort has challenged students socially, emotionally, mentally, and physically, and we encourage families to continue exploring the themes of effort and perseverance at home.

Our Home Room program in Term 2 has centred on strong themes to support personal growth and future readiness. Year 9s have been exploring identity, emotional regulation, teamwork, and resilience under the theme “Knowing Myself, Growing Myself”, while Year 10s have focused on “Owning My Future” through activities like resume writing, career pathway exploration, and preparing for real-world job interviews with industry reps via the Beacon Foundation. While Year 9 attendance has remained steady, we’re seeing a worrying decline in Year 10 attendance, which is especially concerning during this crucial year of preparation for senior pathways. Regular attendance is essential to avoid falling behind, missing assessments, and losing peer connections. We encourage families to support strong daily routines to keep students engaged, learning, and future-focused. Last week’s Jobs Expo at the Trade Training Centre was a valuable opportunity for students to connect with regional industries and explore potential career paths.

Term 2 has been a productive and engaging time for Year 11 and 12 students as they complete Term 1 assessments and begin new units of work. A standout highlight was the 2025 SETN Jobs Expo on 7 May, where students connected with a wide range of local employers and training providers through hands-on displays and networking opportunities. Students also attended Hobart College’s Future Expo later in the month, further exploring potential career pathways. Meanwhile, students are expected to attend all classes punctually and complete essential work to the best of their ability, with teacher and teacher aide support available. This term also sees the continuation of the MacqLit literacy intervention program, supporting identified students to strengthen reading, writing and speaking skills.

A massive round of congratulations to our Year 7 and Year 8 students who have attended five full weeks of school without missing a day! Their dedication, enthusiasm, and commitment to learning are truly commendable.

Congratulations: Abby Richardson, Aiden Lucas, Alana Reddy, Alex Combes, Allie Fidler, Ash Huber Powell, Bella Clark, Cassie Pryor, Chelsey Lee, Decklin Legge, Eli Blake, Ellias Goodwin, Ethan Strong, Havana Lumley, Hunter Marsh, Jack Cracknell, Jack Stevenson, Jett Saward, Maddie Quarrier, Njal Livingston, Phoebe Ley, Tori Jackson, Xavier Armstrong, Zach Mayne, Zoey Coppleman

To celebrate this achievement, students have all received a canteen voucher. It's our way of saying thank you for showing up, participating, and being a positive member of our school community. 

In our Year 7 and 8 English classes, students have been diligently working on enhancing their reading fluency through the practice of repeated reading. This evidence-based strategy involves students reading the same passage multiple times, which helps improve their reading speed, accuracy, and expression. By engaging in repeated reading, students develop greater confidence and comprehension skills, laying a strong foundation for their literacy development .

This week, we commenced our mid-year DIBELS testing. DIBELS reading tests provide valuable insights into students' reading abilities, allowing teachers to tailor instruction to meet individual needs 

Stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks as we celebrate the growth and achievements of our students in their reading journey.

Our Kitchen Garden students have been buzzing with creativity and muddy hands thanks to some fabulous donations from the wonderful Brit, one of our much-loved teacher assistants.

Brit gifted a mushroom-themed table and stools— or should we say toadstools — and an old, leaky birdbath, sparking some seriously imaginative ideas.

Using plants taken from Ms Powell’s garden, and some cuttings that students struck in previous lessons, some of the class got to work planting out a succulent garden in the birdbath. At the suggestion of students, they also planted flowers around the base and began to create a great space to sit amongst the vegies and herbs.

At the same time, another group of students worked on creating a fence, including makeshift gate, to keep the critters from eating our new broad bean seedlings that students have been growing in their “seed snails”.

These projects are just part of the great progress being made in the garden. Students are learning valuable skills: how to grow their own food, compost kitchen waste, and look after the soil — all while making the space more functional and inviting.

The improvements have also been a win for our hospitality students, who now have a great outdoor spot to enjoy the food they’ve prepared.

If you’ve got any items you think could be useful in the garden, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact Ari Powell at the school.

This week in Home Economics, students whipped up something special — strawberry gum and wattleseed cheesecakes! Packed with native flavours and plenty of care, the results looked as good as they tasted. Two proud students showcased their creations, and we can confirm: they were absolutely delicious. A great example of combining creativity with culinary skills!

Hey everyone, our Kitchen Garden is growing—literally and figuratively—and we’d love your help turning it into something even more amazing! We're on the lookout for spare resources, quirky finds, and bits and bobs that can be given a second life in the garden.

Do you have any of the following lying around at home, in the shed, or waiting to be rehomed from the tip shop?

We’d love:

• Used tin cans (perfect for quirky planters!)
• Poly pipe (1½ – 2 inches) to fit over steel droppers
• Netting – bird netting or semi-rigid styles
• Pavers or flat rocks
• Sleepers, lattice, or rio offcuts
• Anything that could help us build a chicken coop
• Old tins of paint (still usable)
• Plant cuttings – indoor or outdoor
• Seeds from your garden
• Succulents – cuttings or pups
• Self-seeded plants you’ve got too many of
• Ceramic or terracotta pots, any size (cracks welcome!)
• Large plastic pots (20cm+)
• Random objects we could plant in or transform into garden art

♻️ Tip-shop trawlers unite! If you're out and about and spot anything useful at local tip shops or garage sales, please keep us in mind!

Thanks for helping us grow something beautiful — together.

TSO Family Concert coming soon to the Federation Concert Hall. Bring the whole family along to Australia: One Land, Many Stories!

A musical storytelling concert featuring The Kookaburra Who Laughed at the Moon with narrator Gina Rose and other Australian inspired music. All backed by the full Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra! Adults $35 | kids under 17 $15

Thursday June 19, 6pm

Buy tickets and find out more: https://www.tso.com.au/concerts/australia-one-land-many-stories/

SU Australia has two upcoming camps in the South this July for students to attend. See information and link below.

SUPA South - July 12th-15th at Orana Camp. This camp is for grades 4-6s and consists of lots of fun, games, crafts, and challenges.  

dCypher - July 11th-14th at Blue Lagoon. This camp is for grades 9-12s, and it has a tech focus for those that love their computers. Alongside playing computer games early into the morning, the camp consists of various challenges for both the mind and body. You can find out more info about dCypher at https://dcypher.org.au/.

Feel free to contact Ella ten Broeke (details below) if you have any questions or interest. Also, if you know any kids/youth outside of your school that might like to attend, you are more than welcome to extend the invitation to them. 

Ella ten Broeke
Field Development Manager Tasmania South, SU Australia
mobile 0466 873 473 | main (03) 6244 8422
ella.ten.broeke@su.org.au | su.org.au