Celebrating the life of Sharon Owen

It was with great sadness that we recently farewelled a former staff member Sharon Owen, who was deeply loved by staff and students.  Sharon had a long connection to the school with her family living next to the Agricultural Hall growing up.  She attended both Kalamunda PS and SHS as a student and later returned as an Education Assistant supporting our students for nearly 20 years, receiving the staff Benchmark Award in 2007 in recognition of her selfless contribution to nurturing the students at our school.

Sharon had such a positive outlook on life and much love in her heart, and she faced her battle with MND with such courage.  She will be forever remembered in our school community.

Congratulations

To our Year 12 Youth Innovation team who won their SMHS Super Preliminary Round for their pitch to the challenge statement “How might we involve young people in their healthcare planning and decisions?”  We wish them all the best for the finals.

Congratulations to Year 12 Blake Siecska who participated in the 2025 Australian U/17 squad defeating NA in the Pacific Horizon Cup series.

Congratulations to Olivia Martignoli, Zuri Matthews and Geneva Blake for finishing their Bibbulumun Track end to end journey over the school holidays.  They spent 12 days enduring torrential rain, hail, flooing, extreme cold and a bit of sunshine to complete the 1030ish km (inc diversions) in 49 days over the last 21 months.

One of our teachers Anita Phillips has recently won best overall artwork in the 2025 Cossack Art Awards sponsored by the City of Karratha.  We are very proud of her achievement as an artist.

NAIDOC Celebrations

Thank you to Elder Brett Collard who joined us for this year’s NAIDOC celebrations.  Former student Coen Fowler also participated in many of the activities.  We thank our P&C who through the EAT program organised kangaroo sausages with native ingredients to try. We hosted a parent morning tea for parents and thank teacher Shania Cuthbert (Balladong Noongar woman) for starting conversations about how we can better support our Aboriginal students.

Staff also organised a bush walk and plant identification at Jorgensen Park to end the week.

Languages Week

Thank you to our language teachers and our students who helped us celebrate Languages Week during Week 4 by hosting special visitors to the school, holding fun activities throughout the week and visiting local primary schools.  It was a fun week acknowledging the benefits of learning a language and celebrating culture and language.

Amongst the activities we had the mystery of the missing Mona Lisa painting on loan from the Louvre Museum.

There were also special visits from Marco Polo and a Venetian lady who shared their history with students and staff with gifts of spices, stamps and jewels.  Italian teacher Davide Gottardi created a game where students had to “travel” the Silk Road and exchange goods.  Soap sculptures gave an appreciation of the difficulty Michelangelo had carving the statue of David from marble and there was also mask making.

Year 11 and 12 students also enjoyed a special visit from Toni Galati who spoke about hard work, resilience and respect for people of all cultures.

Year 10 Media excursion to Murdoch University

Chef Ally visiting Hospitality classes to talk about apprenticeships

Year 11 and 12 General Outdoor Education Expedition to Margaret River

Shrek Jr

Our KPA staff and students look forward to their production of Shrek Jr on 5 and 6 Sept.  Last minutes tickets can be found here until sold out.  https://www.trybooking.com/DCAMC

Year 11 and 12 Drama students visit Beauty and the Beast

Art awards

Congratulations to Peyton Kovacevich who was awarded 2^nd place in the Shaun Tan Award.

Congratulations also to Aoife O’Toole for being selected for the St Georges Cathedral art exhibition. 

Skills West Expo at the Perth Convention Centre.

Many of our Year 9 students had the opportunity to explore career pathways and begin engaging with the world of work.

1-1 tutoring with TAFE and University representatives (Year 11 and 12)

Building update

Our students and English and Education Support teachers are really enjoying their new classrooms this year.  It was great to be able to utilise them for our parent teacher meeting earlier this term.

2026 – Year 7 enrolments

We encourage all families to finalise their enrolments for Year 7 next year as soon as possible to assist us in planning our classes.  

Year 10 Course selection

Our course selections for Year 11 2026 have been completed now and ww are finalising our timetable and staffing in preparation for next year. 

Contributions and Charges

We encourage all parents to finalise their payments for the 2025 school year particularly those in Specialist Programs.  If you have not yet completed these please contact us to arrange a payment plan.

Gifted and Talented applications for 2027

Gifted and Talented Secondary Selective Entrance programs provide the opportunity for exceptionally able students to study in learning environments that challenge, inspire and empower them to excel every day.  Students in Gifted and Talented programs learn with like-minded peers, following an enriched curriculum designed for their needs, delivered by teachers with expert skills and knowledge. Access is provided to universities, industry bodies and mentoring programs with opportunities to take part in national and international competitions.

The selection process starts when students are in Year 5, testing in Year 6, with placement starting from Year 7. Limited vacancies may also be available for entry into Years 9, 10 and 11 only.

Register your interest

Applications open in October 2025.

Best wishes for the rest of term.

The really distant light at the end of the tunnel when our class of 2025 started in Year 7, now looks like a train engine hurtling straight at us……….. and it is getting closer everyday!

Because the end is so close it is really important that we keep our focus on what is going on in classes. Attendance in all classes ( including mentor) is crucial as information will start to come forward for all the things that are happening at the end of the term.

It is also a time to make sure that work is being completed to the best of everyone’s ability. Every mark is super important in every course, so please make sure your student is staying on top of their studies.

With only weeks to go for the Year 12’s there is little time to delay! A difference can still be made but it needs to be here and now. Putting in your utmost effort and achieving the results you are capable of will provide you with not only great satisfaction, but also further opportunities to pursue your career goals. A word of caution though remember a good life balance is critical particularly at this point, being at your best will serve you best in achieving those good results.

Some important dates as we move toward the end of term are :

“Obstacles are what you see when you take your eyes off of the goal.” (Vince Lombardi)

Keep going!!!

Mark Pettit

Year 12 Coordinator

Welcome back to a busy and exciting Term 3. At the end of last term, we were pleased to take the majority of the Year 7 Cohort to the cinema for their Good Standing reward activity. It was lovely to be able to acknowledge the students who have maintained their Good Standing throughout Semester One with a day out at the movies.

The Year 7s have changed into their third set of elective classes and seem to be enjoying learning new skills, from cooking up a storm in Home Economics to creating interesting videos in Media. It has been great to see them engaging in their lessons across the school.

Speaking of engaging, we recently took the Science classroom to the Perth Zoo and students had the opportunity to learn about classification from the education team at the zoo with a wonderful and interactive session called ‘Fantastic Beasts and How to Name Them.’ At the end of the session, some students were brave enough to pat one of the snakes. We had a great day investigating the scientific names for various animals and learning about them outside of the school environment. Although the rain arrived just as we were boarding the buses to leave the zoo, I was truly impressed by the students’ resilience in the face of soggy circumstances.

There is a lot to look forward to this term, with our athletics and cross-country events taking place later this term as well as Book Week activities and other curriculum incursions and activities. I look forward to seeing the students tackle these with enthusiasm.

Kelly Walker

Year 7 Program Coordinator

English update

After a long period of watching and waiting patiently, the English department and classes finally moved into our beautiful new building at the start of term. With eight brand new classrooms, we are excited to make these spaces meaningful and functional for our students. We are setting expectations high and students have been fantastic at meeting them and adjusting to this change. It was wonderful to see how excited both staff and students have been during tours of the new building, especially regarding some of the new features like study pods, foldable walls and a more open, collaborative and welcoming environment.

Welcome Reading culture

With the new building comes new ideas, and something we are going to be starting to look at across all classes is promoting a culture of reading for pleasure. Research shows that reading for pleasure declines in high school years, and yet the academic, health and social benefits are worth making this a habit. Some of our early initiatives include posters that being visibility to the joys and positive outcomes of reading for pleasure, and some classrooms have ‘Borrowing Stations’ that students are to browse and borrow from. These are from teachers’ own personal book collections and reflect the way we are modelling reading for pleasure as an enjoyable and beneficial pastime. Students are also encouraged to ask (and be asked) ‘what are YOU currently reading?’ and to share book recommendations and anecdotes. More to come – watch this space!

Book Week

Week Five of this term is Book Week. This year’s theme is ‘Book an Adventure!’. The English and Library staff are working on a range of activities for students to get involved, such as an Amazing Race, match the staff member to their adventure, book cover design and much more.

Music Camp

On the 5^th and 6^th August 130 of our music students attended our annual music camp at Swan Leigh also known as Swan Valley Adventure Centre. Overall the camp was a huge success and I would like to thank all of our IMSS music staff, KSHS music staff and parent helpers for making the camp so memorable for our students. The talent show is always a highlight, and this year was no exception.

Our next big event is the Rock Night on Wednesday 24^th of September in the KPAC. This concert will feature contemporary music students as well as Certificate III students. Tickets and information will be forwarded closer to the event. Also not that far away is our Twilight Concert, early Term Four on Tuesday 21^st of October (with a back up date in case of bad weather Thursday 23^rd October). So please add these dates to the music calendars.

Many thanks

Marcus Roberts

YEAR 6 TRANSITION PROGRAM

What can be better than burning things as a welcome to the World of Secondary Science? Ms. Richards obviously thought so, shown here safely combusting magnesium ribbon in a Bunsen flame for our visiting Year 6 primary scientists.  

YEAR 8 EARTH AND SPACE MINEROLOGY

The Maritz Mining Company practised the ancient art of ochre-making as an extension of their study of minerals. This required patience and attention to detail, plus a bit of Masterchef mortar and pestle grinding skill. The proof was in the application of the paint produced onto paper to test the success of the process.

If students missed their vaccination at school, the immunisation team will be at school again on 4th November to provide catch ups for those students.
Alternatively they are still eligible to receive a catch-up vaccine from another immunisation provider.

Metropolitan Immunisation Clinics will provide the vaccination for free – call to make an
appointment.
You can also visit your GP or Aboriginal Medical Service (the vaccine is free, but consultation fees may apply). Speak to your immunisation provider for more information or visit more information at: Adolescent immunisation

www.healthywa.wa.gov.au

The Green Team at Kalamunda Senior High School are continuing to collect and recycle used pens to help reduce waste at the school. There are surveys and opportunities for learning about recycling shared during mentor from our sustainability team.

Watch this space for more initiatives such as containers for change coming soon, saving more waste from landfill.

If you would like to know more about sustainability initiatives, students can come to SC5 at lunchtime on Fridays to see Miss Cuthbert and the rest of the Green Team!

How to help your teen when they’re feeling lonely and isolated

When your teenager is shutting themselves away in their room, refusing to join in family activities and is being generally withdrawn, it’s hard to know what to say or do to help them. You can support them by strengthening your own connection and by helping them to connect with others.

Is your teen just introverted?

Sometimes teens need a break from social activity, and being alone gives them time to recharge. If your teen is introverted, they might prefer to spend time alone rather than hang out with friends and family all the time.

Most people are on a spectrum between introversion and extroversion and it can be difficult to tell where on that spectrum someone is. This is especially true with teens, who might try to act more extroverted than they really are in order to fit in at school.

Have a discussion with your teen about what sorts of social activities they like, and to what extent (e.g. how often, for how long, and with how many other people). This will help you to understand what will help make them feel socially connected. Teens who are more introverted still need to feel connected, just in different ways.

If your teen is being more withdrawn than usual, or is spending less time with friends, they might be feeling lonely or disconnected.

Strengthen your connection with your teen

It’s possible that your teen will reject your first offer of help. But even if they refuse to talk to you, it’s really important that you keep trying to connect with them. If your teen is feeling sad and frustrated because they’re socially isolated, your role as a parent is to provide a safe and consistent place for them.

Here are some things that can help you to strengthen your connection with your teen:

• Start a conversation. Asking your teen how they’re going and opening up a conversation can help you to figure out if they’re feeling lonely and whether there are other things going on, too. If they don’t want to talk, that’s okay – let them know that when they’re ready, you’ll be there for them.
• Be available and present. When talking to your teen, focus your attention on them and actively listen to what they’re saying.
• Do some activities together. Simple activities like taking a walk around the block after dinner or going for a drive can help your teen feel connected with you. It’ll also provide a less confronting opportunity for them to talk about how they’re feeling.
• Relate to and validate your teen. Tell them about times when you felt lonely as a teenager (or as an adult) and explain how those feelings passed. Let them know that everyone feels like this sometimes.

Help your teen connect with others

Working, volunteering and being creative are ways teenagers can contribute to their community in areas where they feel useful and knowledgeable. It’s likely they will find other people in these environments (whether in real life or online) who can become their peers and friends.

Here are some ways you can support your teen to connect with others:

• Find interest groups in your area. Check out your teen’s school, or your local library or council, or search the Ending Loneliness Directory online, for interest groups that are available for free or at a low cost.
• Find volunteering opportunities. Suggest that your teen volunteer for a cause they’re interested in. They could help out at an animal shelter or a homeless shelter, or they could coach a younger sports team. They can check out what’s listed online to get started.
• Nurture your relationships with other parents. Invite families with teenagers to visit and share meals, so that another teenager is there to connect with your child.
• Encourage your teen to find a part-time or casual job. Work can be a great way for your teen to meet new people. Help them to write a resume that outlines their skills, achievements and strengths, and the positive contribution they make to their school or community. Be prepared to help them talk with local business owners about potential jobs, then encourage your teen to apply for them. For more tips, watch our video Should I help my teen get a job?.
• Suggest other people for them to talk to. Not all teenagers want to share their feelings with their parents. You could help them to identify other trusted adults they could talk to, like an aunt, a neighbour, a friend’s older brother, a teacher or even their school counsellor. If they don’t want to talk in person, they could hop on to ReachOut PeerChat, a safe space for young people aged 16-25 to chat anonymously about what’s going on with them.

Remember to look after yourself

It’s so important to look after yourself while supporting your teen. There’s a bunch of things you can do to take care of yourself, but here are some key ones:

• Talk to other parents. You’d be surprised by how many of your friends and colleagues struggle with similar issues with their teens. Other parents might be able to share ideas or strategies that have worked for them. You can also access free personalised professional support via ReachOut Parents One-on-One Support.
• Prioritise your own wellbeing. Remember what they say on planes: in the event of an emergency, fit your own oxygen mask first, then help others. Get some ideas to help you practise self-care.

When your teen is experiencing loneliness and isolation, it’s common to feel like you’re going through it alone as well. However, many parents of teenagers have experienced the same thing, and their teen has emerged from the difficult times stronger and more connected.

Article By ReachOut Content Team, first Published 24 November 2023

If you would like to know more, you can access a wide range of resources for Parents for free by signing up to ReachOut.com.

An excellent book for understanding and supporting introversion to flourish is “The Introvert Advantage: How to Thrive in an Extrovert World” by Marti Olsen Laney.

By Aundraea Stevens

Convenor of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Committee 

Below is our August ‘Happiness Calendar’ which might have some great suggestions for you to try out!