Dear Parents, Carers, Students and Friends of Prospect High School,

Covid Update

We have been fortunate at Prospect High School in having relatively low numbers of students who have contracted Covid-19. This has meant minimal disruption to learning for most students. A BIG thank you to parents for your support in following the Department of Health and Department of Education’s safety guidelines. While face masks are an inconvenience, they are a necessity indoors and will be a requirement for students and staff in Term 2. It is expected that students wear face masks. Failure to do this is considered defiance and has consequences. Prospect High School staff has been working hard navigating the effects of Covid-19 all term to ensure student learning continues. Teachers have delivered excellent learning programs despite disruptions caused by absences due to Covid-19. As we draw to the end of Term I would like to extend my appreciation of the work done by all teams of staff this term – cleaners, ground staff, canteen staff, the administration team, support staff, Teacher Assistants and teaching staff. THANK YOU.

Transition Breakfast

On Friday 25^th March most Principal’s and/or senior staff from our feeder primary schools (Hagley, Summerdale, West, Glen Dhu, Bracknell) met to discuss the 2022 transition program. We were treated to a delicious breakfast catered by Cert 1 Hospitality students and Grade 10 Catering students. These students together with Mrs Adrienne Mc Mahon had an early start to prepare, cook and serve a two-course breakfast and hot drinks.  The food and service were excellent. Thank you to Brad, Tristan, Sofia, Georgia, Hayley and Mrs Mc Mahon. Well done also to SLB Co-presidents, Jakeb and Ellina who gave an excellent opening address espousing the many educational and extra-curricular experiences they have undertaken. Many thanks to Mr Mario Bergamin and Mr Brendan Poke who shared the many opportunities and programs that Grade 6 students can look forward to as part of our transition program.

Reports

Parents will receive interim reports today 1^st April. These reports give parents/carers an indication of how their child/ren have begun the year. On the whole students have begun very positively and have been producing excellent work. 

School Association

A reminder that the School Association AGM meeting will be held next Tuesday 5^th April at 5.00pm in D block. This is an opportunity for parents to gain an understanding of the running of Prospect High School and also have an input into decision making and hence a voice at the school. There are a number of office bearing positions available that will be decided upon. New members are welcome.

NAPLAN

This year NAPLAN testing for Grade 7 and 9 will be held from the 9th to 20th May 2022. Students will complete tests online in the areas of reading, grammar, spelling, writing and numeracy. In preparation students will undertake practice questions next term. This will help students adjust to the online platform and become familiar with the types of questions asked.

End of Term

The term is very quickly drawing to a close. I would like to remind parents that students finish on Wednesday 13^th April. The final day of Term 1 for staff will be, Thursday 14^th April. This day is Moderation Day where Prospect High School staff moderate student work samples. Moderation of work samples is an important process that ensures teachers are aligning what is taught with the Australian Curriculum and that there is consistency of judgement when assessing student work using the Australian Curriculum achievement standards. 

This will be the final newsletter for Term 1. On behalf of all Prospect High School Staff, I hope that you all have a safe, restful and enjoyable holiday break.

Term 2 begins on Monday 2^nd May.

Kind regards

Lee Barker

Principal

This year we ran our annual Athletics Carnival across 2 days, and it was a huge success! Some of the highlights included the Ninja obstacle course, Fashions on the Field, 100m finals and relays, and the SLB’s BBQ. A massive thankyou to all staff for their preparation, participation and encouragement. Well done Warialda who took out the overall shield.

Track

Field

This year our SLB are supporting the Smith Family. The Smith Family has been working to improve the lives of children living in disadvantage for 100 years. This charity help Australian children get the most out of their education, so they can create better futures for themselves.

The Student Leader Board has decided to support the Smith Family with weekly charity collections on Friday mornings. Each grade is encouraged to support this charity and give what they can.

We are no longer supporting World Vision. This decision was made because we would like to support our local charities.

The Grade 9 Team celebrated the fantastic beginning to the year by acknowledging students who embody our learning dispositions. These students lead by example and should be proud of themselves. Congratulations to you all!

• Shondra for being a flexible learner and demonstrating a willingness to support her peers.
• Preston for being a persistent learner and demonstrating determination in learning a new concept in maths.
• Chance for being a respectful learner and going above and beyond to be helpful and keep our school environment clean.
• Jake for being a respectful learner and owning his own behaviours.
• Luca for being a motivated learner by consistently applying himself to his learning in all subjects and striving to always put his best foot forward.
• Jessie for being a motivated learner in maths.
• Shae for being a motivated learner by being consistently focussed in class, working productively and actioning feedback. 
• Grace for being a persistent learner by seeking feedback, negotiating pathways forward and developing a plan to help her achieve her desired outcome.

RWBY, Vol 1: The Beacon Arc by Bunta Kinami

Manga

Monsters known as the Grimm are wreaking havoc on the world of Remnant. Ruby Rose seeks to become a Huntress, someone who eliminates the Grimm and protects the land. She enrols at Beacon Academy, eager for the tests and to combat challenges to come.
Ruby knows she has the talent to achieve her goal, but is she ready to clash with Weiss Schnee, a fellow student and the haughty scion of the Schnee Dust Company?

White Rabbit, Red Wolf by Tom Pollock

Mystery Fiction

A thriller about murder, maths and the mind. An intelligent, shocking and tightly plotted psychological thriller and a revealing exploration of mental health.

Seventeen-year-old Peter Blankman is a maths prodigy. He also suffers from severe panic attacks. Afraid of everything, he finds solace in the orderly and logical world of mathematics and in the love of his family; his scientist mum and his tough twin sister Bel, as well as Ingrid, his only friend. However, when his mother is found stabbed before an award ceremony and his sister is nowhere to be found, Pete is dragged into a world of espionage and violence where state and family secrets intertwine. Armed only with his extraordinary analytical skills, Peter may just discover that his biggest weakness is his greatest strength.

 Rise of the Mythix: Mighty Minotaur by Anh Do

Fantasy Fiction                                                        Australian Author

The minotaur will be recognised by his strength.
Kelly doesn't believe in ancient prophecies. Then again, up until recently, she also didn't believe a horn could grow out of her forehead. Now the Collector is holding her mother hostage, and if Kelly wants to rescue her, she needs to learn how to wield all the powers of the Unicorn. She also needs some help. She needs to find... the Minotaur. Minh knows something epic is going on. For the last year, he has been getting stronger and stronger. He can pull a plough as well as any horse. He can lift cars. But he has no idea that this is just the beginning...

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Family/Relationships

Conor has the same dream every night, ever since his mother first fell ill, ever since she started the treatments that don't quite seem to be working. But tonight is different. Tonight, when he wakes, there's a visitor at his window. It’s ancient, elemental, a force of nature. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor. It wants the truth.

Fable by Adrienne Young

Action and Adventure

As the daughter of the most powerful trader in the Narrows, the sea is the only home seventeen year-old Fable has ever known. It's been four years since the night she watched her mother drown during an unforgiving storm. The next day her father abandoned her on a legendary island filled with thieves and little food. To survive she must keep to herself, learn to trust no one and rely on the unique skills her mother taught her. The only thing that keeps her going is the goal of getting off the island, finding her father and demanding her rightful place beside him and his crew. To do so Fable enlists the help of a young trader named West to get her off the island and across the Narrows to her father. But her father's rivalries and the dangers of his trading enterprise have only multiplied since she last saw him and Fable soon finds that West isn't who he seems. Together, they will have to survive more than the treacherous storms that haunt the Narrows if they're going to stay alive.

The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells

Science Fiction

No one would have believed in the last years of the nineteenth century that this world was being watched keenly and closely by intelligences greater than man's; that as men busied themselves about their various concerns they were scrutinised and studied. Yet across the gulf of space, intellects vast and cool and unsympathetic regarded this earth with envious eyes, and slowly and surely drew their plans against us.
Then, late one night, in the middle of the English countryside, they landed.

 Run, Hide, Fight Back by April Henry

Mystery Thriller                                          Grade 9+

When a deadly shooting breaks out in a Portland shopping mall, a group of teens ends up trapped behind a store’s security shutter. To her surprise, seventeen-year-old Miranda finds the others looking to her as their leader. But she’s hiding a big secret – and she’s not the only one. The group has just three choices: run, hide, or fight back. The wrong decision will have fatal consequences.

If not, perhaps now is the time to try as it will be free for the next 5 weeks!

Travel is free on all public and school buses from Monday, 28 March to Saturday, 30 April 2022.

This five-week fare free period is intended to encourage more people to try the bus and help family budgets.

For more information, schools, families, and students can talk to their bus driver, visit www.transport.tas.gov.au/public_transport or call 6166 3343 (9:00 am to 5:00 pm weekdays).

The Prospect High School Association Annual General Meeting, followed by a Committee Meeting, will be held on Tuesday 5^th April in the school meeting room from 5.00pm and all are welcome.   

There are three parent, one community and one staff vacancy to be filled on the Committee. Positions are for a period of two years. We encourage you to nominate and consider being an officer bearer (President, Secretary and Treasurer).  The nomination form is attached to this newsletter. 

PLEASE NOTE – successful nominee must provide evidence of vaccination.

The School Association is made up of the parents, staff, and community members of a school.  The School Association is an important part of the school, working with the Principal to achieve shared outcomes for learners attending the school and for the benefit of the whole school community.  The purpose of the School Association is to provide members with a way to participate and support the school. The following people are automatically members of the School Association:

- parents (parents or guardians who have children or young people enrolled at the school).  Should you wish to be exempt as a member please notify the School Association in writing.
- staff (permanent and fixed-term employees at the school)
- the Principal who is an automatic member of the School Association
- community members can apply to be accepted as a member

All members of the School Association can nominate to be involved in the Committee. Nominations for the School Association Committee are now open. Please complete the attached nomination form and return no later than 3:00pm on 5^th April 2022. 

Nominations can be forwarded to the Returning Officer, Debbie Chancellor, School Business Manager via email to prospect.high@education.tas.gov.au  or the school office.

The School Association Constitution provides further information on the election process and the timings of the School Association Year. ** A member of the Committee who is to retire, or who has retired, may nominate for re-election as a member of the Committee. What is the School Association Committee?

Being part of the Committee also provides an opportunity to be actively involved and engaged in the school. 

(Masks and Physical distancing apply)

SCHOOL EXECUTIVE

Principal
Mrs Lee Barker

Assistant Principals
Mr Mario Bergamin and Ms Bonnie Hall

School Business Manager
Mrs Debbie Chancellor

GRADE TEAMS

Senior Grade Leaders
Grade 7 Mr Brendan Poke
Grade 8 Mr Brendan Liddell
Grade 9 Ms Anna Collins
Grade 10 Ms Sandra De Paoli
Years 11/12 Ms Jennifer Pollard

Grade Leaders
Grade 7 Miss Kirsty Wilson
Grade 8 Mr Brad Colson
Grade 9 Mr Steven Andrews
Grade 10 Mr Will Reynolds
Years 11/12 Mrs Jan Phillips and Mr Thomas Leydon

SUPPORT STAFF

School Psychologist
Mr Gene Colgrave
(Monday and Friday)

School Social Worker
Mr Brendan Dixon
(Monday, Thursday and alternate Tuesday)

School Health Nurse
Mrs Mia Blair
(Monday and alternate Tuesday)

Chaplain
Mr Tobias Verhaegh
(Monday and Tuesday)