23 May 2025

A Word from the Principal…

Welcome back to Term 2!

It’s great to see students, staff and families back and ready for another exciting term of learning and growth.

Thank You to Year 7 Parents

A huge thank you to our Year 7 parents for taking the time to complete our recent survey. Your constructive feedback is invaluable in helping us improve communication around school processes for students starting high school. Your insights will guide us in ensuring a smoother transition and better support for families during this important time.

Boosting Reading Comprehension – Vocabulary Mini Units

As part of our commitment to improving reading skills, staff are trialling mini vocabulary units with classes across all curriculum areas. Vocabulary is the key to better comprehension, and these units focus on explicit teaching of Tier 2 words—high-use academic words that enhance understanding. Students engage with these words through visual images, thoughtful questioning, peer discussions, and structured listening activities. They then consolidate their learning with short writing tasks and further applications in assessments. Take a look at the classroom photos to see these engaging lessons in action!

Celebrating Achievements at SHS:

We’re incredibly proud of our students and staff for their efforts, dedication, and accomplishments across different areas of school life.

This term, staff and students have been working hard, and we’ve seen some impressive achievements in assessments and classroom activities. A special mention goes to those students who have excelled in their learning across all curriculum areas demonstrating outstanding growth and commitment to their studies.

Leadership & Community Engagement:

Our student leaders, including House and Vice Captains, have been actively supporting school events. Their dedication was on display at the All School Cross Country Carnival at Redpa Primary School, where they helped ensure a smooth and enjoyable day for all participants. Additionally, the SEC and SRC teams worked together to raise over $250 for ‘A Day for Dolly,’ showing their commitment to social awareness and community support.

Vocational & Real-World Learning:

Our Preparation for Work Elective students had the exciting opportunity to visit Savage River Mine, gaining firsthand experience of the mining industry. Likewise, our Hospitality students showcased their skills while volunteering at the Taste the Region event at historic Highfield House in Stanley. Working alongside Master Chef finalist Josh ‘Pezza’ Perry was an incredible opportunity, allowing them to refine their skills in a real-world professional setting.

Sports & Extracurricular Activities:

Our students have been getting ready for our school Cross Country event in HPE, while our senior boys are competing in the Year 9/10 North West School Football competition.

These achievements reflect the hard work and passion of our students, staff, and wider school community. We love seeing students embrace challenges, take initiative, and make the most of every learning opportunity. Keep up the fantastic work! We look forward to a productive and rewarding Term 2 ahead!

Nikki Clark
Principal

Attendance

Our current attendance rate is 79.9% with 9.1% of our absences still unexplained. When your child is absent you will receive an SMS message. We would appreciate it if you would reply to our SMS to inform us of the reason for student absences for all our students from Years 7 to 12. You can call the school office on 6452 9222 if you prefer to speak in person. Your effort to contact us is greatly appreciated.

LARF Awards

Year 7 News

Learn, Achieve, Respect, Fairness - LARF Awards. Congratulations to our winners so far.

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Cross Country at Bryant Park

All year groups have been practising their cross country in recent weeks with classes taking in turns going to Bryant Park to run or walk a different track. It’s a challenge but the Year 7s enjoyed it and participated well.  

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Results for the whole school Cross Country will be in the next newsletter.

7.1 Portraits

Foods

Quesadillas, muffins, veggie chicken nuggets, noodle boxes and rainbow rice. These are just some of the creative things our Year 7s have been cooking during their foods classes.

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Year 8 News

Learn, Achieve, Respect, Fairness - LARF Awards

Congratulations to our week 1 and week 2 LARF award winners.

Pastoral Care

8.2 tested their teamwork, problem-solving ability and their self-control when they were challenged to build the tallest tower possible using only 10 marshmallows and uncooked spaghetti. Congratulations to Noah and Cruz for creating a tall and very stable construction.

MDT

The Year 8 MDT crew are flat out in the workshop smashing out their sliding top boxes. They’re really getting the hang of marking out and cutting nice and accurately. Awesome to see everyone so keen and getting stuck in. Great work Year 8!

Year 10 News

LARF Awards

Congratulations to all our hardworking Year 10 students, especially those who have recently received one of more LARF awards for their efforts towards their learning, achievements, respectful behaviour and fairness in their interactions in and out of class. We are very proud of their developing work habits, co-operation and respectful communications

Hoodies

Year 10 students are thrilled to have received their new 2025 leavers hoodies this week. Thanks to the SEC, which worked hard to get these hoodies out before winter.

Taste The Region

Students were invited to attend the “Taste The Region Dinner” held at Highfield House to cook alongside chef Isabelle and Josh Perry. Students were involved with meal preparation, plating and table service. These students got to help showcase our region’s wonderful selection of fresh produce. Students represented SHS to high standards and we thank both Isabelle & Josh for their time and willingness to help showcase what our students have to offer.

Preparation For Work & Business and Finance

Agfest

On Thursday 1st May, students from Mr. Coombe's Business and Finance class and Mrs Bryan's Preparation for Work class embarked on an exciting excursion to Agfest. The day began early, with the bus departing from school at 7 AM, filled with eager students ready for a day of exploration and learning.

Agfest offered a plethora of activities and displays that captivated the students' interests. They marvelled at the various machinery, enjoyed thrilling 4WD demonstrations, and explored innovative farming technology. The army display was a particular highlight, showcasing impressive equipment and skills. The students also had the chance to see the new cyber truck up close, which was a crowd favourite.

Throughout the day, students engaged with numerous businesses, discussing potential career paths and opportunities. This interaction provided valuable insights into various industries and helped students consider their future career options. Additionally, the students had a great time collecting freebies from the stalls, adding a fun element to their educational experience.

The weather was perfect, adding to the overall enjoyment of the day. The students returned to school by 5 PM, tired but happy after a day filled with learning and entertainment. Mr. Coombe and Mrs Bryan would like to extend a special thanks to TAs Melissa and Sean for their invaluable assistance throughout the day. They also commend the students for their enthusiastic engagement and for representing the school with pride.

Overall, the trip to AGFEST was a resounding success, providing students with both educational and enjoyable experiences that they will remember for a long time.

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Thanks, Ryland Coombe & Lisa Bryan

Savage River

Armed with high-vis vests, work boots and a thirst for knowledge, our group of eager students set off on a journey to the heart of Tasmania’s iron ore operations – the legendary Savage River Mines. Spirits were high, and so were the expectations.

First stop: the mill. This is where the magic happens – or rather, where giant machines crush, grind, and separate iron ore from the rest of the rock. Students got a close-up look at the process and let’s just say... it was loud, dusty, and totally awesome.

Next up: the dump truck simulator. Imagine driving a vehicle the size of a house – now imagine doing it without leaving the ground. Students took turns behind the (virtual) wheel, navigating rugged terrain and hauling imaginary ore like pros. Some even claimed they were “born for this”.

Then it was off to the workshop, where the real behind-the-scenes action happens. From massive wrenches to high-tech diagnostics, students explored the tools and techniques that keep the mine running smoothly. The mechanics were friendly, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about their work – and their toolboxes.

The grand finale: Watching a remote-controlled bulldozer in action. Yes, you read that right – a full-sized bulldozer operated from a safe distance like a giant RC car. It was like watching a sci-fi movie, except it was real, and it was flattening a mountain of dirt with precision and power. Minds blown!

This trip was a rock-solid success. Students walked away with a deeper understanding of the mining process, a newfound respect for the people who make it happen, and maybe a few dreams of becoming heavy machinery operators. 

9/10 Woodwork: Designing, Building and Creating

This term in Years 9 and 10 Woodwork, students have been sharpening both their design and practical skills through a range of exciting projects. They’ve been learning the fundamentals of technical drawing and freehand sketching—essential tools for visualising and planning their builds. These skills have been put to great use in the workshop, where creativity and craftsmanship have taken centre stage.

Students have tackled a variety of hands-on projects, starting with a small Tasmanian oak side table, where they learned about timber selection, joinery techniques, and fine finishing. Term two will see students design and build other projects such as custom work benches, designed to suit their own workspace needs—perfect for future projects. Another favourite has been the tool tidy; a practical and personalised storage solution that helps keep their tools organised and within easy reach.

Other projects have included bread boxes with hinged lids, bath shelf, and even a couple of floating shelves—each one offering a chance to explore different tools, materials, and construction methods. It’s been fantastic to see students take pride in their work, problem-solve along the way, and develop a real appreciation for the design process from concept to creation.

With more projects still to come, the workshop is buzzing with energy and ideas!

Metal Work Fabrication

The Metals class at Smithton High is powering through Term 2 with passion and precision! Students are making fantastic progress on their toolbox projects—learning key skills like marking out, cutting, folding, and welding. It’s inspiring to see such strong engagement and persistence, with some real craftsmanship starting to shine through.

But that’s just the beginning. Once toolboxes are complete, students will take on an exciting reuse and recycle challenge using old car wheel rims. This creative project is all about thinking big, using their skills in new ways, and exploring the art of transformation. We can't wait to see the incredible designs they bring to life!

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Outdoor Education

Unfortunately, the Outdoor Ed camp had to be rescheduled due to poor weather conditions. However, that didn’t stop the students from gearing up and doing some cooking in the school outdoor area. Fettuccine bolognaise was on the menu.

Fishing

The Outdoor Ed students went fishing recently. The students had a couple of bites on their rods. A gummy shark and a small salmon made it for the photos. The fish were safely returned to the water.

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9/10 Foods

Cupcakes, pretzels, Jalapeno quesadillas, chocolate roulade cake, spirals with pan-roasted vegetables – how delicious is the food our Year 9/10 Foods class is making!

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Do It For Dolly Day

On Friday 9^th May, the SEC & SRC joined Dolly’s Dream and held a “Do It For Dolly Day”. For a gold coin donation, students were encouraged to wear something blue to help end bullying. Delicious blue cupcakes were also sold at recess time. The day was a great success with staff and students all joining in. Every dollar raised makes a difference and Smithton High gladly contributed over $270 to a very worthy cause.

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Lego Club

Lego Club started at Smithton High School in Term 1 and the group meets a couple times a week to create various models.  It has been great to work as a small group and build teamwork and social skills in the process.  Here’s some of the things we have created.

By Xavier

Community News

Dates to Remember…

Term Dates 2025

Student Free Days 2025

Year 7-10
Friday 6^th June
Friday 31^st October

Years 11/12
Friday 6^th June

Office Hours

8.30am – 3.30pm daily
School Starts: 8.50am
School Finishes: 3.00pm

School Office Ph: 6452 9222
Trade Training Centre Ph: 6452 9288

SMS: 0418 220 201
Email: smithton.high@decyp.tas.gov.au
Web: http://education.tas.edu.au/smithtonhigh/Pages/Home.aspx
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Smithton-High-School/219062138251149