Hello and welcome to the last newsletter for this term.

We have had a brilliant end to the term thanks to the hard work of Ms Cullen and the Year 9/10 Drama students. On Tuesday 10^th September, the group travelled to the Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre to perform a play they wrote themselves in the annual YOH Fest Competition. This event is a competition for the performing arts and our students compete against a range of much larger senior high schools. In their second year of attending the event our students “scooped the pool”  by receiving multiple awards. “ Excellence in YOH Fest Etiquette” and also their play titled “Find Our Way” was awarded a Certificate of Merit for being “a well thought out piece”. Finally, they also won, 2024 Healthway Award for “Effective Exploration of the Theme”. We are all very proud of these talented students and the wonderful Ms Cullen. Many thanks also to Mrs Francke for driving the bus to and from the event.

At yesterday’s end of term assembly, it was a pleasure to be able to speak about and formally recognise the years of diligence and dedication that Mr John Tonai -Moore has shown not only as a LOTE teacher (Japanese) but also in his role as previous Country Week organiser and Cadet Leader. John has formally retired from his position at the school but we hope that we will see him at the school in a relief capacity. Ms Cheryl Parkin, the Assistant Director of Education for the South West, was able to attend the assembly and present John’s wife Yuko with his service medallion and a letter from the Director General of Education, Ms Lisa Rodgers.

Adding to the lustre of the end of the term, Ms Parkin was extremely impressed with the maturity and responsiveness of our students at the assembly. Coming from someone who visits schools across the region on a regular basis, this is particularly high praise. She was also very, taken with the performance of Ben Mitchell, Noah Wallis, Isaac Nichols and Linden Hyde as “The Floorboards” performed for the assembly in their usual polished style. Ms Parkin took the time to speak with and praise the talent of these boys after the assembly.

Best wishes to our Country Week squad for next week. I know the teams will perform to their usual high standard and that both their on and off court behaviour will be noticed and commented on by others. A huge thank you to Ms Reidy-Crofts, Mr Power, Ms Phillips and Big Mike who will be attending the week with the students. I also look forward to being a part of the week.

A reminder that next term kicks off for students on 8^th October. Please add to your calendar, the following dates early in the term:

• 11^th October from 3:30 – 5:00pm The Arts and Tech Exhibition – please see the flyer in this newsletter for further details
• 15^th October – Mystery Tour of Life for Year 10 students
• 18^th October – Annual Athletics Carnival at Bridgetown Sports Oval

Enjoy this lovely spring weather that seems to have arrived and I hope you have a safe and restful break at the conclusion of school next Friday.

Kind regards

Mrs C. A Thorsby

Principal