Middle School Social – Save the Date

Date: Friday, 15 September

Theme: TBC

Year Groups:  6-8

Time:  6pm - 8pm

Venue: PA1

Cost: $10 - includes entry, DJ, plus one cool drink and a bag of potato chips (or similar).

Student Drivers and Parking

Owing to the restricted number of parking bays, our policy at the College is that only Year 12 students may park their vehicle on the College grounds and only in the calendar year that they graduate. We must give priority to our 2023 Leavers up until the end of their WACE exams to avoid them missing out on a car bay on their exam day and consequently running late or missing the start of their exam.

If circumstances dictate that this arrangement cannot be complied with, please contact the Director of Upper School directly.

Parents should also note that the Year 12 carpark is for Year 12 students only. After-school pick-up is via the pick-up lane parallel to Bilgoman Road.

Elevate Education Visit our Year 12s

Year 12 students participated in their final Elevate Education seminar on Tuesday, 22 August. The session was titled “Finishing Line”, and it equipped our 12s with some strategies for finishing the school year strongly.

Following the presentation, our 12s filled out an exit survey. On the survey, 89.7% of our Year 12s said they ‘would recommend this program to other students’ and 82.8% said they believe ‘the time was well spent’.

There is ample time and marks still in play for all Year 12 students to make a difference to their end of year results and, by extension, their competitiveness for places in the workforce, at TAFE or university in 2024.

A reminder that Year 12 students can unlock study techniques developed by Elevate Education at https://austudent.elevateeducation.com
password: rondo

Uniform Reminder

Even though the weather remains changeable this term, where a cool morning can become a warm and sunny afternoon, we still expect students to meet the high standard of dress as an outward statement of the College’s identity and belonging to the community.

Students are reminded that no undergarments should be visible under the uniform, e.g., no round neck t-shirts under open collar shirts, no long sleeve undershirts visible below our short sleeve shirt/blouse.

A short sleeve thermal V-neck, t-shirt or tank top would be ideal for staying warm and complying with our Uniform Policy.

Webinars For Parents and/or Students

Each year, TISC conducts more than 100 presentations for schools all over Western Australia. To cater for students who did not participate, or who may have been absent on the day their school visit was organised and for parents who would like to know more about TISC and our functions, we are organising two webinars via Microsoft Teams. Georgina Ker, TISC’s Manager Application Services, will present on:

Entry requirements, marks adjustment processes and ATAR calculation

Tuesday 29 August at 6.30 pm AWST. Registration is free but required. Register here.

Applications, results and offers

Thursday 31 August at 6.30 pm AWST. Registration is free but required. Register here.

The PowerPoint presentation that TISC uses for school presentations is also available on the TISC website, with presenter notes.

TISC Early Offers

The upcoming dates for Curtin University, Edith Cowan University, Murdoch University and The University of Western Australia to make early offers to Year 12 students are:

• Monday 18 September 2023
• Monday 16 October 2023
• Monday 20 November 2023 (after the WACE examinations conclude)
• Friday 8 December 2023.

The University of Notre Dame Australia is conducting its own Early Offer process as it has done for a number of years. Students can apply directly to Notre Dame for early offers; TISC applicants with a first preference for Notre Dame will be contacted by the university. Notre Dame will be making offers on a progressive basis from Monday, 17 July through until Friday 8 December 2023.

TISC has updated its Early Offers information page in response to some queries from applicants, schools, and parents.

Collection of mobile phone numbers for Year 12 students

The School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) requests that Year 12 students sitting at least one Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) course examination provide their mobile phone numbers via the student portal: https://studentportal.scsa.wa.edu.au

Should the Authority need to contact students during the ATAR examination period to advise about any changes to the examination timetable/s and/or venue/s, this will be done via a bulk Short Message Service (SMS).

To log in to the student portal, students will need their eight-digit Western Australian student number (WASN). The Student login and navigation guide, which is available on the student portal section of the Authority website https://student.scsa.wa.edu.au/student-portal, will help students do this.

When students log in to the student portal to download their personalised examination timetables for the written and practical ATAR course examinations, they will be prompted to provide a mobile number. While this step is not compulsory, the Authority encourages students to enter a mobile number.

Tips for getting a Traineeship or Apprenticeship

These tips for getting a traineeship or apprenticeship are gold, and are from Rob Palmer, Careers Advisor at South Metro TAFE:

• Step 1: While on your work placement/experience this term, demonstrate what a great employee you are. If you are not heading off to work placement/experience, look for opportunities to volunteer. You can get insurance cover from Volunteering WA, but the range of volunteering work is limited.
• Step 2: Get information from a Jobs and Skills Centre, Midland (Corner Lloyd Street and Eddie Barron Dr, Midland WA 6056) on subsidies and workforce planning support that EMPLOYERS can get.
• Step 3: Tell the potential employer about the subsidies and ask if they will take you on.
• Step 4: If they won't take you on, ask if they know of anyone who can take you on.

Upcoming University Curtin Events

The Curtin Future Students team is available to assist you and your child with any queries as we move towards the end of the year. They can offer help and advice on applying to Curtin for all high school students, whether they are studying ATAR or General subjects.

Undergrad Course Expo

Our upcoming Undergrad Course Expo gives your students a chance to explore Curtin's range of courses, attend info sessions, and get face-to-face advice from course advisors and academics on the day. The expo is specifically geared for high school students who are considering continuing their educational journey, offering them valuable insights and helping them make an informed decision about starting study at Curtin in Semester 1, 2024.

Wednesday 13 September 2023 | 4.00 pm – 8.00 pm

• Session 1: 4.00 pm – 6.00 pm
• Session 2: 6.00 pm – 8.00 pm
  
  

Portfolio Entry Workshop

The expo will include a workshop for students looking to apply through the Portfolio Entry pathway. The workshop will show students exactly what information they need to collate for their application as well as provide valuable advice and tips on how to apply through this pathway. Portfolio entry is particularly suited to students who are studying General subjects or a mix of ATAR and General subjects.  Register HERE

Auditions for WAAPA - Applications Open

WAAPA Applications are open, and audition information can be found on the ECU “Interviews, folios and auditions page” or on the respective course page on the WAAPA website.  WAAPA applications are direct to ECU. The audition packages are comprehensive and include application deadlines, audition submission dates, application fees and other requirements.

Save the Date: Friday, 1 December 2023

This date marks the last day of Year 10 for 2023 and will incorporate some House-based challenges at school, morning tea, bus transfers to and from Barrack Street Jetty, a 3-hour River Cruise and lunch.  Watch this space for the theme of the day and ticket details.

We now find ourselves over halfway through the academic year - pleasingly moving ahead with our various teaching and learning experiences.

There have been a lot of wondrous happenings since our last newsletter, including the Year 3 assembly presentation, our Wakakirri showcase performance, Interschool Cross Country competition, Interhouse Athletics Carnival, the choir showcase at One Big Voice, Book Week, excursions and camps etc. Each occasion involves a considerable team effort - working together to make the experience both well-organised and beneficial. Thank you to each and everyone involved in our various undertakings!

On the horizon, we have one of our most treasured annual occasions - Grandparents and special friends mornings.

Children (and adults) of all ages flourish in environments in which they are nurtured and loved. They learn about the world around them when those closest to them participate in their play, share in their interests, join in their exploration and genuinely listen to their recounts and stories.

Grandparents and special friends often have the opportunity to spend more relaxed and casual time with young children - time in which they can enjoy children for who they are in the moment. 'Grandparents hold our tiny hands throughout childhood, and stay in our hearts forever.'

Therefore, it is with much delight that we again invite all grandparents and special friends to the Junior School in Week 9. The students always look forward to showing our visitors their classroom, learning experiences they have been undertaking, as well as their special / favourite location(s) around the school. For those who are able to attend, please see dates and times below.

As a reminder, parking on our campus is very restrictive at the best of times. To try and assist in relation to this matter, the occasion is held over three mornings - with parking available on the large oval.

Best wishes for the remaining half of Term 3.

Greg Miller | Head of Junior School, Kindergarten to Year 5

In March this year, our Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 students sat NAPLAN. The results have been released to families and we held an information session about the changes to NAPLAN and summarised the College results last weel.

This year saw a number of changes to NAPLAN. These included sitting the assessment earlier in the year and all schools moving to online testing for all years with the exception of Year 3 Writing. In addition, the way NAPLAN results are being reported to parents has now changed.

These changes mean that it is not possible to directly compare a student’s results with previous years. However, we can look at the performance of the College compared to the national and state averages. It was very pleasing to see that the average performances of Helena College students were higher than both National and State averages in all areas of NAPLAN in all year groups.

Students in Year 3 performed particularly strongly in Reading and Grammar and Punctuation. Year 5 and 7 students performed strongly in all aspects of NAPLAN, while Year 9 students demonstrated strengths in Numeracy, Reading and Writing. There has been a general improvement in results over the last few years which is a pleasing outcome of a greater focus on explicit instruction in literacy and numeracy.

We are able to access graphical representations of results, such as this example of the Year 7 averages. In the graph below, Helena is the green dot, while the yellow squares represent the national average, and the red diamond is the state average.

We use data such as NAPLAN and WACE to identify areas where the College is performing well and areas that may need a greater focus. We also review individual results alongside all of the other assessment data we gather to monitor student progress.

Dr Maree Baddock | Director of Teaching & Learning K‑12

Willow represents Australia

We're delighted to share the news that Senior School student, Willow, headed off last week to represent Australia at an international level in the sport of Artistic Rollerskating at the World Skate Oceania Championships in Queensland. World Skate is the international Olympic member responsible for overseeing competitive rollersports including the current Olympic sport of skateboarding. Willow has been training and competing in this sport since the age of 8 and this is her first year being eligible for selection for international competition. We are very proud of her achievements in skating and she was so excited to be an Aussie athlete and join the team. Her preparation has clearly paid off, with Willow taking a Silver medal (and her first podium place) in her Solo Dance event first ever international event, against some strong skaters from Australia, New Zealand and India! Congratulations, Willow, and well done!

PS: Have you got news to share? Please email newsletter@helena.wa.edu.au. We'd love to share your child's success, both in and outside of the College!

We had a wonderful time during our Bush Party session at the Perth Zoo. We talked about different bush animals and discovered their needs for survival. We also learned how to care for country and discussed the current Noongar season. 

The children learnt some facts about the animal that they dressed up. On return to school the children painted their picture and told us what they discovered about their animal. This is a fabulous way to discover more about our Inquiry on living things.

As part of the Visual Arts Learning Area the Year 4 classes integrated Aboriginal x-ray art with their First Contacts History Study. X-ray art is a traditional style used to depict local animals and stories in Northern Australia (Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory).

Interhouse Athletics Carnival

On Wednesday 16 August we had the much anticipated Interhouse Athletics Carnival for our Junior School Students from Years 1-5. While it was a very chilly day, the students were amazing to watch with determination and courage throughout the different events. All of our students compete in every event we offer which is something that is unique and we love the spirit that it fosters of having a go and experiencing fun and success even when things can be challenging.

Throughout the day we saw the students with huge smiles on their faces while competing in Jumps, Throws, Long Distance Running, Hurdles, Sprints, Relays and always a fan favourite, Team Games! It is always fantastic seeing the enjoyment of the students and the pride and encouragement coming from the families and staff throughout the day.

Congratulations to all the students for being brave and doing their best and a huge well done to Waughul for taking home the House Shield in a fierce battle all day.

Rebecca Bol | Physical Education Teacher

Congratulations to our choir for their wonderful performance at the RAC Arena last Friday! Our performers took to the stage with enthusiasm, grace and an undeniable passion for music. The students were also able to watch many young, talented musicians from around Perth and were mesmerised by their performances.

A special thank you to our dedicated staff members who enabled our participation in this year’s event, along with the attendance and support of family members who shared in the largest children’s choir in Australia.

In celebrating the success of our choir members, we also celebrate the collaborative essence that defines our College. The coming together of teachers, students and parents to such a memorable occasion, is a reflection of the values we hold dear. For those who had the privilege of being present, we also hope it showcased the benefits of enabling the students to engage and participate in artistic endeavours, such as One Big Voice

We look forward to continuing our choir until the end of the year with a couple of smaller events coming up next term. If your child would like to join, now is the time! Please contact aurlus@helena.wa.edu.au (Darlington Campus students) for a permission slip or come to our rehearsals in the Performing Arts room, Tuesday lunch times.

Parents to wish to view and purchase a copy of the performance please click here.

Theresa Jakovich, a professional actor and member of Bell Shakespeare, has delivered four incursions to Year 9 and 10 students this year. A few months ago, she worked with Year 10s across two Macbeth workshops and more recently, in Week 4, she delivered two Romeo and Juliet workshops to Year 9s. Bell Shakespeare is a national Shakespeare education and acting organisation that regularly puts on productions of Shakespearean plays across the country and has a strong and has active education arm that holds workshops for high school students. Theresa is a consummate acting professional and got the students involved in performing parts of the play themselves, as Macbeths and Banquos, Lord Capulets and Prince Escales, as the Three Witches and Hecates, or Romeos and Juliets. Performing parts of the play helps students to understand the context, character motivations and complexities of the plays, designed to be performed and watched rather than read. This is then reinforced in class with careful analysis of scene and language, but also the opportunity to perform ‘potted’ performances of the play and to watch a range of film versions.  

Over the years a number of our students have taken on the challenge of doing their Duke of Edinburgh Award, an internationally recognised youth program that rewards you for taking part in activities that you choose to do!

The Duke of Ed is a youth development program for all young people aged 14-24, regardless of background or circumstances, to explore their potential by learning a skill, being physically active, volunteering in the community and going on an adventure.  Best of all, it lets you design your own Award around your interests!

There are four sections, and yes you do have to do all of them: 

• Service: Develop a sense of community service by helping others in need 
• Skills: Learn something new, or develop your existing interests, skills or hobbies
• Physical Recreation: Get active!
• Adventurous Journey: Discover a spirit of adventure and work as a team with your friends

At a loss for what you might do for some of those? It’s easier than it sounds! Check out what others at Helena College have done:

For the Service Section, Natasha spent time arranging activities and forming relationships with those living at Yallambee and Josie volunteered at her local Parkrun each weekend! 

For Skills, Andrea flew FPV drones on a simulator and Lauren wanted to improve her technical playing skills on her violin. 

For your Physical Recreation, Roisin aimed to improve her bowling, batting and fielding skills in cricket and Odette aimed to progress to level one in her Tae Kwon Do. There are so many options out there! 

For the Adventurous Journey, students typically use the Cape to Cape in year 10 to complete the requirements for this section!

These are just a handful of ideas – there are a few limits to what you could do for your own Award So, if you want to have adventures, learn about new things, meet people who share your interests, help others, build confidence, resilience and employability skills, get fitter and work as part of a team…please check out the Duke of Ed website https://dukeofed.com.au/doing-the-award/ for more information and speak to Ms Murray if you’re interested.

Rebecca Murray | Duke of Ed Award Leader

Interhouse Athletics Carnival

Five points! After 250+ events only five points separated our top two houses in this years Interhouse Athletics Carnival. I have never seen anything like it and it was a great way to finish such a great event. Well done to Kiara for winning this year's Carnival and to Waughul and Cardan for providing such quality opposition.

I may be a bit biased but I truly believe that the Athletics Carnival is one of the best events on the calendar. I can't think of another event that brings together over five hundred students, all of the teaching staff and hundreds of parents/guardians and family members. Carnivals should be fun and I think the most rewarding part of the day for me is seeing students of all ages competing enjoying themselves across the many events and activities on offer. There were lots of smiles, lots of laughs and lots of friendly competition.

The final results for the day are as follows:

1st = Kiara on 2449 points
2nd = Waughul on 2444 points
3rd = Cardan on 2263 points

The Age Division Champions and Runners Up can be found below.

Well done to all competitors on the day and good luck to those students who have been selected as part of our ACC inter-school squad who head to the State athletics centre on Wednesday the 6 September.

Joe Kendall | Head of Health & Physical Eduation

James Waterhouse | Interschool Sports Coordinator

ACC Interschool Athletics

The Helena College Year 7-12 Interschool Athletics Team has been finalised and is busily preparing for the ACC Athletics E Division Carnival which takes place on Wednesday 6 September at the WA Athletics Stadium. Students have been provided with a program of their events and a schedule for training sessions to prepare in the lead up to the Carnival. Parents and carers of students participating in the ACC Athletics Carnival will receive additional information via e-mail in the coming days.

In addition, the Year 6 Interschool Athletics Team has been finalised prior to the IPSHA Athletics Carnival, scheduled to take place on Thursday, 14 September. More information will be provided to students and guardians by the Teacher in Charge, Mrs Rebecca Bol, in the near future.

NEAS Volleyball

NEAS Volleyball is well under way for the Term 3 season. Students have been competitive across all age brackets and the sportsmanship and enthusiasm on display has been brilliant. Unfortunately, the Week 6 fixtures were forfeited by the opposition school due to camps; however, the season will resume as usual in Week 7, playing an away fixture at Ellenbrook Christian college.

Languages Week - 28 August to 1 September

The theme for 2023 is “Languages for a peaceful world”. Language skills build trust and deepen diplomatic and cultural relations between countries and cultures; they allow for an appreciation that other cultures have different ways of doing things, building social cohesion and improving social mobility. Language skills facilitate in the individual the development of a wide spectrum of soft-skills and attributes including communication, diplomacy, negotiation and empathy.

We are offering a special menu at the Senior School Canteen to mark Languages Week. 

Indonesian Independence Day

The anniversary was marked on 17 August 2023, celebrating 78 years since Indonesia declared itself independent from Dutch colonial rule. Hari Kemerdekaan (Independance Day) is one of the biggest public holidays in Indonesia and is celebrated throughout the country with large ceremonies, performances, and games.

In Indonesian class, students played traditional games such as hanging kerupuk (similar to donut on a string), marble and spoon races, as well as a few team games that required students to work together to achieve a common goal.
Selamat Hari Kemerdekaan!

French Movie Night - Year 10

The Year 10 students had a great movie night last Friday! It started with a shared afternoon tea of French savoury and sweet food. Each student and myself brought something different. Everything was delicious and the conversation in French was really entertaining! We then watched a French-Belgian coming-of-age comedy-drama film called ‘La famille Bélier” about a teenage girl torn between her family (all except her are deaf) and her dream to audition for the prestigious Maîtrise de Radio France music college in Paris, which will secure her a good career and a college degree.

I had an amazing time at the French movie night. We all brought in some food to eat while watching the movie, and spoke to each other in French while enjoying the food. We watched a classic French movie, and really immersed ourselves in the French culture. The food was incredible, and we set the scene for a proper movie night. We had sweet and savoury foods, popcorn and some French dessert. It was delicious! We laid out the bean bags and had fun with the whole class. The movie was really cool, as it had many elements of French culture and it was entertaining. It was so much fun. Daisy 

The movie night was a wonderful French immersion experience. We started the night eating french food speaking French about the food - it was a really relaxed environment to practice our french speaking skills. When we watched the movie 'La Famille Béllier' seeing the way french people in normal situations act, react and interact was really beneficial for our learning. The whole night was really fun and everything was a wonderful time! Thank you Madame Archambaud! Abigail 

Farewell French Dinner

The Year 12 students had their farewell French dinner at the restaurant ‘Bloody French' last Thursday evening. Below is the menu they could choose from. It was a fun night and the plates were almost licked clean! It was a good opportunity for the Year 12 students to speak to the Year 11 students about what to expect next year. As the Year 12 course is coming to an end, we wish them ‘Bonne chance’ for their practical and written exams.

Entrée
-French onion soup Gruyère crouton
-Duck liver parfait, sourdough baguette

Mains
-Chicken coq au vin, parisienne mash, mushroom
-Gratinated crepes, asparagus, caramelised shallots, béchamel sauce, corn, roquette

Dessert
-Mousse au Chocolat
-Vanilla crème Brûlée

It was a beautiful night spent in Subiaco at Bloody French, a charming little restaurant with delicious French cuisine and fluent French staff - which was the perfect excuse for us to practise our French! Obviously I couldn’t pass up some traditional French onion soup, and the crêpes were a crowd favourite as well! Overall we had a wholesome night as a French class, reflecting on our time studying French at Helena and looking forward to where the language could take us in our futures. Merci beaucoup to Mme A and Mme P! ~ Shae 

The French dinner this year was a great night. The food was absolutely delicious, as expected; the coq au vin for the main course was my favourite. It was a nice atmosphere and it was great to take a break from the stress of school while still practicing my spoken French with my classmates. ~ Caitlin 

Indonesian Farewell Dinner

Last Thursday was also the Farewell Indonesian dinner. It took place at ‘Tempayan Bay” on Indonesian Independence day!The students and teachers shared laughs and delicious dishes. It was a good opportunity for the Year 12 student to speak to the Year 11 students about what to expect next year. As the Year 12 course is coming to an end, we wish her ‘Semoga Beruntung’ for her practical and written exams.

The Indonesian dinner was hebat sekali! This dinner was a good opportunity to emerse ourselves amongst Indonesian cuisine and culture whilst also connecting with our fellow Indonesian students and teachers. This is hopefully the first of many more Indonesian events to come! ~ Jasmine 

On the 17th of August, the combined Year 11 and Year 12 Indonesian class went to Tempayan Bay in East Perth. With a huge group of 4 people, Ibu Biggerstaff and Mr Smith had their work cut out for them. The dinner was a great experience as we were able to see traditional Indonesian food and drink such as Es Doger (a coconut ice cream dessert) and Es Cendol (a palm sugar and coconut drink). We practiced asking how to ask for take away containers as well as learning more about Indonesia from stories told by Ibu B, who had just returned from Indonesia. I really enjoyed the dinner as it was a great way to immerse ourselves in the culture and spend time with our peers and the teachers.  Thanks to Madame Archambaud, Madame Pindur and Ibu Biggerstaff for organising a great night and thanks to Mr Smith for driving us and the French students. ~ Jodie 

Children's Book Week® 2023 – Read Grow Inspire!

The GFC Library celebrated the CBCA Children’s Book Week® with a range of activities including:

• Book Hunt – students used clues to find books with the CBCA symbol hidden inside
• Name the Book – students needed to name the books from just the cover images
• Masked Reader – like the Masked Singer but students needed to name the teacher just by their eyes
• Book in a Jar – three jars, three books, where students needed to identify which popular book was in each jar
• And finally, Creative Response – the ultimate minimalist challenge where students needed to write a six word story

Other activities included a homeroom quiz and taking a photo using the Book Week frame of their favourite book. Lots of prizes and activities kept the Library busy throughout the week.

As always, keep reading!

Rebecca Murray | Teacher Librarian

Study Skills Handbook - Tip for August 

Learning Collaboratively

We all have unique preferences when it comes to learning. Some students thrive in group settings, while others prefer solitary work. Certain individuals enjoy discussing topics over the phone or video calls, while some thrive in face-to-face collaborations. The saying "two heads are better than one" holds true, and it is interesting to explore how this applies to different types of students.

If you tend to work alone most of the time, there are a few aspects worth considering:

· It's commendable that you are self-sufficient and confident in your abilities. However, it's important to recognise that at times, not asking for help when needed can make things more challenging for yourself. Don't hesitate to seek assistance when facing difficulties or struggling to comprehend something. Asking for help is a valuable skill that contributes to academic success. Become more aware of your tendency to avoid asking for help and make an effort to reach out when needed.

Engaging in discussions with others often offers fresh perspectives and the opportunity to clarify your thoughts. By collaborating and exchanging ideas with another person, you may enhance the development of your own concepts and uncover potential issues that a new perspective can identify. If you haven't explored collaboration extensively, consider giving it a try. You might be pleasantly surprised by the value it adds to your learning experience.

On the other hand, if you already enjoy working with others, here are some points to keep in mind:

Ensure that you contribute equally in group work and avoid relying on others to do all the work for you. Fair and balanced participation leads to a more productive and fulfilling collaborative environment.

Remember that collaboration is distinct from cheating. While discussing an assignment and sharing thoughts on its approach is acceptable, it is not appropriate to jointly write the assignment or submit similar pieces of work. Maintain academic integrity and respect the boundaries of collaborative efforts.

Stay focused and avoid wasting time during collaborative sessions. It's easy to get sidetracked, so make a conscious effort to remain on task and avoid distractions when working with others.

Occasionally, challenge yourself to tackle tasks independently. If you consistently rely on your friends to complete your Maths homework, you may not truly gauge your own abilities. This lack of self-assessment can become problematic during tests or exams. Consider whether collaboration will genuinely enhance your work or if it is more suitable to attempt certain tasks on your own.

Allocate specific time for independent work each night. If you prefer to collaborate while working from home, establish dedicated periods for collaboration and separate blocks for independent work. Avoid spending the entire evening on video calls with friends and instead create a balance between collaboration and individual effort.

By reflecting on these points and adapting your approach to learning, you can maximize your potential and create a well-rounded academic experience. Embrace the strengths of both solitary work and collaboration and leverage them accordingly to foster personal growth and academic achievement.

You and your parents can learn more about groupwork skills at www.studyskillshandbook.com.au. Helena’s access details are available in the Library portal on SEQTA.

As part of our commitment to creating a nurturing and diverse environment, we have spent the past two weeks investigating a topic that affects not only our College community, but society at large - racism. The significance of this issue cannot be overstated, as it shapes our interactions, beliefs, and the very fabric of our community. Racism impacts on people’s lives across this community and across the globe. Information (and disinformation) regarding racism is rife in our community. We see it through online interactions and in real life.

Helena College upholds a set of values that guide our actions and decisions. These values Integrity and Responsibility, Inclusion and Participation, Caring and Compassion, and Respect for Self, Others, and the Environment provide the framework for the transformation we aspire to achieve. By addressing racism head-on, we are reinforcing these values and helping us to look inward. To understand the power of our words.

We created an awareness program centred around understanding racism in all its forms and build an understanding the detrimental effects that racism has on individuals and groups. By speaking about these effects, we aim to cultivate empathy and build a stronger sense of community. The ultimate purpose of this awareness program is multi-faceted. Firstly, we seek to promote a deep understanding of the complexities of racism and its far-reaching consequences. This understanding forms the bedrock for meaningful change. Through empathy, we can bridge the gaps that divide us and create a more inclusive environment.

At the Middle School Assembly, Dr Annie Naveed and Dr Naveed Akram shared some personal experiences, and also the positives of living in a multicultural society. Mr Deven Reddy shared some of his experiences of racism and the impact it has had on his life. We thank them for their time and courage to share part of their journey with us. It is hard and it is raw, and we hope that our students will see the pivotal role that diverse cultures play in enhancing societies and the power of choosing different words. I want to thank the Middle School homeroom teachers for making this happen in a short space of time.

Education is more than simply learning facts and figures. It is about working with one another in shaping responsible and empathetic citizens. Working together to create an environment where every individual is valued, respected, and empowered to be the best version of themselves. A community that sees value in diversity and understands that while we are all different, we are all very human. And it is that common humanity we should be celebrating and acknowledging.

Thank you for your support as we strive to build a better future for all. We are keen to hear your thoughts on the program and how any of these conversations are happening at home.

Mr Matt Zarb | Head of Year 7

Year 12

Term 3 has been an extremely busy time down in Outdoor Education. Week 2 saw the Year 12 Outdoor Education class have their final expedition together, a week-long trek through the gorge in Kalbarri. River levels were still quite high making the going rather slow, blowing out our schedule and unfortunately missing out on some climbing and abseiling to finish off the program. A fantastic last camp together in some beautiful country saw the class bond one final time together.

Year 11

The Year 11 class have been preparing for their upcoming second expedition, a canoeing trip along the Blackwood River. Some afternoon skills sessions down at the Swan River lead up to a day trip paddling through the Swan Valley, where students got their first taste of moving water. After some early troubles skills rapidly improved and a great day was had by all. We are all looking forward to Week 7’s trip down the Blackwood River.

Year 10

Semester 2 Year 10 students have the opportunity to select a course that focuses on roping, with roughly half the course looking at rock climbing and the other half abseiling. Students have had a couple of sessions climbing at the climbing gym and have now all completed a couple of abseils down at the local quarry.

Year 9 

Outdoor Education students have been preparing for their expedition in Week 2 of next term. They have been learning about a range of different types of equipment used in the outdoors, pitching tents and different types of shelters and have just done some cooking lessons using the camping stoves. Next up they will begin some mountain biking before working on some navigation skills before the expedition early next term.

Year 9 Project Update

Countdown as of Friday 25 August - 10 weeks to go!

Project Supervisors

Students should be organising to hold meeting 5 with their supervisor towards the end of this term. This meeting should be focused on discussing the completing of the product component of the project and reflecting on their design specifications. Reflections should focus on any challenges encountered and how they may have been resolved and which of the Helena College Student Learning Goals this supports.

Final Assessment

During Connections classes in Week 7 students will be taken through the assessment process for the Project and given the questions that they will write a response to and then discuss these responses, with evidence from their process journals, during the interview in Week 4 Term 4.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any further queries regarding the project.

Rebecca Murray | Project Coordinator

Most of us spend around six and a half hours at school. We learn, read and write stuff and hang out with our friends. But, what if you only had nine and a half hours to write a whole book?

Such was the mission for four groups of intrepid writers on Friday of Week 5. Armed with only their wits, laptops, drawing material and lots of snacks, students from Years 6 to 10 wrote four books, each between 3500 and 5000 words long. Each book had to include five mystery words and other criteria, such as particular conflicts and specific non-human characters.

There was planning and snacking, illustrating and snacking, and making sure the parameters were met, and finally, by 5.30pm, four books were submitted to the competition.

The final books were:

Death En Pointe - a ballet murder mystery - by Jenna and Stella (Year 9), and Sarah, Ella, Hannah and Mia (Year 10).

The Hero of the Circus - an exciting adventure story about the power of friendship - by Bianca, Nicole, Pepin, Lani and Olivia (Year 8).

The Garden in the Smoke - a tale of mystery, magic, weddings and adventure - by Faith, Poppy, Sienna, Daisy, Eloise, Alicia and Maisie (Year 7).

The Park Bench - a creepy story of time travel with mammoths and dinosaurs - by Oscar, James, Patrick, Oliver and Emeth (Year 7).

Congratulations to all participants and thank you to all the teachers who let the English department steal their students for the day. It was a fun day and I urge newcomers to sign up next year.

Joel Cullen | Outdoor Education Teacher

Congratulations to Joel and his wife on the safe arrival of their daughter Florence.

In week four of this term students from the Year 11 and 12 Politics and Law class visited the National Capital to experience political theory in action. And what a week it was!

We began our exploration of the capital with breakfast at the amazing Haig Markets, a visit to the Australian National Museum, then to the Mt Ainslie lookout which provided brilliant view of the nation’s capital. This was followed by a tour of the Anzac parade monuments and a visit to the Australian War Memorial where we were given a tour of the museum and then participated a wreath laying ceremony. Amber Weir and Eleanor Tite laid a wreath on behalf of Helena College at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Monday morning, we arrived bright and early at parliament house and after a few photo ops we attended a law-making role play session and had a tour of the parliamentary houses. Following this we attended parliamentary Question Time in the House of Representatives, the first of four visits to Question Time during our stay.

Over the next few days we visited Government house, the Museum of Australian Democracy, the National Art and National portrait Galleries, the Australian Electoral Centre, Questacon, the Australian Institute of Sport and the High Court of Australia. At night we enjoyed a variety of multicultural cuisines, attended a play at the Canberra theatre, went to the cinema and tried a variety of ice cream shops…which, according to the students, was how we should end each day!

While in Canberra, we were fortunate enough to meet our local federal member Tania Lawrence who was generous with her time and invited us to the WA Showcase in the Great Hall in Parliament house. To our excitement, we were able to meet Prime Minister Albanese, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, Minister for Youth Dr Ann Aly, and Ngunnawal elder Aunty Violet. Thanks to Amelia Mirco and Shannon Webb for organising meetings with senators Pauline Hanson and Fatima Payman to hear the arguments for the Yes and No cases for the Voice referendum later this year - a topic that had been debated in both houses throughout the week.

At the end of our Canberra, stay we headed to Sydney staying at the YHA in the centre of Sydney and after settling in we headed to The Rocks for dinner and then on to the Sydney Opera house where the saw acclaimed conductor Simone Young, world renowned oboist Diana Docherty and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. We took in the sights of the city visiting Manly, walking over the harbour bridge to Luna Park after which we headed to Darling Harbour to watch the Matilda’s game. Unfortunately, the crowds were so big we left and had dinner in Chinatown, but we were able to watch the penalty shots of the game near the restaurant and it was a great vibe for us all. On Sunday we made our way to Watson’s Bay, The Gap and Sydney Heads and then lunched at the famous Doyle’s restaurant before heading to the airport.

This was a wonderful trip, and I would like to thank parents for investing in this opportunity for their children to experience the political theory they learn in class, in action.

To the students who attended, it was a pleasure to show you our nation’s capital, you were a wonderful group to travel with and you embraced all activities with respect, intelligence and enthusiasm (except for the walking bit, you weren’t enthusiastic about that)

To Justin Pitt and Hazel Granville, thank you so much for all your support and being flexible with the itinerary.

I would also like to acknowledge the Australian Government which contributed $510 dollars per student to help with costs of the trip. The Australian government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the national capital as part of their Civics and Citizenship education and the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program which is paid directly to the school helped ensure a rich experience. The rebate is paid directly to the school upon completion of the excursion.

I loved the opportunity we got to meet so many different people, especially Anthony Albanese (Lily).

Canberra was a great experience that I will never forget, watching question time as well as the senate was both enjoyable and extremely interesting and I enjoyed every second. Meeting politicians and seeing their experiences was very interesting and exploring the parliament that decides the fate of this country was an epic experience (Cameron).

It was a great experience and really helped enhance my understanding of the layout of the houses of parliament and how the senate and House of Representatives operate. It felt like a once in a lifetime opportunity meeting all the politicians! (Eleanor).

The Canberra trip is such a unique opportunity as a student from Perth, meeting politicians and, out of all people, the prime minister, was something I could never have dreamed of and an experience I will never forget. As well as that getting to experience the city in not only Canberra but Sydney broadened my horizons for life after school (Amber).

I loved the exclusive tour behind the scenes at Parliament (Shannon).

Parliament House was an experience to remember, with question time being a highlight of the trip. Watching politicians debate against one another was surprisingly captivating. Also, meeting the PM and leader of the Liberal Party will be a memory I treasure for life (Kyle).

The experience of going to Canberra, seeing the lively and intense discussions in Parliament House is something that I will never forget (Lucy).

Going on this trip brought everything we had learnt in class to life, watching question time was interesting and helped us understand the current issues in our democracy. We also had the chance to meet with some politicians, including the prime minister who all gave us advice about our future in politics. Overall the trip was very fun and a great way to bring everything we’ve leant in class together (Amelia).

Hot pot was great (Indigo).

On the 5 August four teams from Helena College entered the Robocup 2023 Competition which was held at All Saints College in Bull Creek.

The teams arrived there at 8.30am for registration and then started preparing for the day’s competition. This year we had two teams entering the Dance competition; first up we had Timbers made up of Ella, Mika, and Amelia. Isabella was also part of the team but unfortunately could not make it to the competition day. Their robot was programmed to dance along to Kesha’s Timber. The other team in Dance was the Bestzz made up of Evelyn, Emily and Silke, whose robot danced along to It’s Raining Tacos. Both teams put on a great performance filled with lots of energy.

This year we also had two teams entering the Soccer Lightweight category. In this event the teams had to program two robots to play soccer. The teams were the Relevants made up of Fletcher, William, Mathew, and Patrick. The second team comprised of Sabian, Jordyn, Nicole and Olivia. Both teams put on a magnificent performance on the Saturday and ended up coming first and second in the regional finalists which meant that they were invited back for the State finals on the Sunday. Both teams ended up improving their robots and going on to repeat their success. The Relevants ended up winning a tense final and taking out the Gold medal with the Irrelevants receiving the Silver medal. All in all, a fantastic day for Helena. The teams have now progressed to the National finals to be held in Melbourne. We wish them the best of luck.

Deven Reddy | Robocup Coordinator

Happy Fathers' Day 2023

Fathers' Day is a wonderful opportunity to remember the important role a Father and other significant males plays in the lives of young children through to adulthood, to become good, independent and honourable people. Please click here for a related article written by Michael Grose.

To all our terrific Helena fathers and father-figures, wishing you a Happy Father’s Day for Sunday 3 September 2023.

School Attendance

Each student’s attendance is regularly reviewed as a part of our commitment to delivering a quality education. Whilst illness and family commitments are at times unavoidable, regular non-attendance and late arrivals can affect student’s skill acquisition and performance - and this may be a source of stress for children both now and into the future.

School staff are committed to working in partnership with parents to address any issues that may be preventing full participation in school, and as such, parents are asked to let the College know if there is any way that we can work with you to help increase, where relevant, your child’s school attendance. As a reminder, students taking leave from school during term time is strongly discouraged. Parents are requested to arrange family holidays in school holiday times and are asked to read the College’s Attendance Policy, which is located in the Shared Documents portal in SEQTA Engage. 

Junior School Library

The Junior School Library is open at lunchtime on Thursday and Friday, between 12.50-1.10pm

Books can be dangerous. The best ones should be labelled ‘Warning, this could change your life’. ~ Helen Exley

Year 4 and 5 Class Placements in 2024

The welfare and well-being of our students is paramount in all discussions and actions with respect to class placements. As professional educators, the development of class lists is a matter not taken lightly and staff take great care and time in forming well-balanced classes in which all children will have an opportunity to learn and grow in their academic and social skills. Individual class placements are decided by the staff and based on professional judgement of the child’s educational needs, circumstances and interests. Classes are created to best meet the needs of all students within the constraints and resources available. 

For further information, please visit: SEQTA Engage>Documents>Parent Information>DC Classroom Placement procedures

Disclaimer: Inclusion in the Helena College Noticeboard is at the College's discretion and does not imply endorsement. Information for listings is supplied by third-party participants and organisations, with sole responsibility for the accuracy and further use.

Community Cricket Festival

Perth Hills Junior Cricket Club

Scoliosis and Colour Blindness

Spring Sports Camps

Swan Districts Tee Ball

Monet in Paris - The French Impressionist Alive

For art lovers keen to catch a glimpse of Claude Monet’s masterpieces, there’s no need for an expensive jaunt to Europe. Using state-of-the-art technology Monet’s work will be projected on the walls at Crown Perth — housed in a replica of Paris’ Le Grand Palais. Families and art lovers can wander through Monet’s collection when the show makes its debut on Thursday, 16 November.
Presale tickets are available from Tuesday August 15 and general sale from Thursday August 17. Monet in Paris runs at the Le Grand Palais, Crown Perth from Thursday 16 November to 4 February.

Click here for further details and to purchase tickets. 

Mandurah Museum Exhibition

Indonesian Independence Day is celebrated 17 August.  In order to celebrate the 78th Independence Day of the Republic of Indonesia as well as to promote the diversity of Indonesian culture to the public in Western Australia, the Indonesian Consulate General in Perth has held the launching of the exhibition "Across the Borders: from Indonesia to Mandurah" at the Mandurah Museum on 5 August 2023.
The exhibition will last until 3 September 2023 and aims to introduce the richness of Indonesian art and culture.

Click here for further details