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Pupil Free Day and ABC

28 Nov 2023

A reminder that this Friday is our Pupil Free Day at Hawker Area School where staff will be engaging in Professional Learning to assist us in the development of our Frog portals for Staff, Students and Parents at the school. This will form an important part of our planning for 2024. 

Also a public mention that the ABC will be airing a report on the recent Band day at Orroroo Area School on Monday November 20th. This day was a great experience for our Instrumental Music Students, who attended under the supervision of Polly Smart and Lisa O'Neill. This report will probably be on the news this Saturday night but will be available also digitally through the ABC website on their North and West section. It has been a great second half of the year for our students being in the news!

Regards,
Daren O'Neill
Principal
daren.oneill253@schools.sa.edu.au

Madison Hately Awarded Prestigious STEM Scholarship!

24 Nov 2023

Dear Parents and Caregivers, 

We are thrilled to announce that Madison Hately, one of our outstanding students, has been awarded a STEM scholarship by the Department for Education, South Australia. This incredible achievement not only recognizes Madison's exceptional talents but also highlights her dedication to the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

Madison is among the 345 students selected across South Australia to receive this highly coveted scholarship. This accomplishment is a testament to her unwavering commitment to academic excellence in Mathematics and Science. The selection panel, comprised of representatives from the Department for Education, South Australian Secondary Principals, the Aboriginal community, and industry professionals, were deeply impressed by Madison's efforts and learning commitment.

The STEM scholarship will serve as a catalyst for Madison's future endeavours in STEM. This support will play a pivotal role in fostering her passion for these subjects and propel her towards a rewarding career in the STEM field, where she is currently interested in Marine Biology. The scholarship not only acknowledges Madison's achievements but also encourages her to continue making strides in the world of STEM.

With this scholarship, Madison will have unparalleled opportunities to connect with like-minded students from across Australia. She will engage in university workshops, embark on exciting interstate excursions, participate in enlightening campus tours, and benefit from crucial academic support. These experiences will undoubtedly broaden Madison's horizons and expose her to a diverse range of perspectives within the STEM community.

Furthermore, the scholarship opens doors for Madison to partake in mentoring programs designed to enhance career awareness in STEM. These programs will provide her with valuable insights into potential career paths, helping her make informed decisions about her future in the STEM professions. Madison will have the privilege of participating in mentoring and career guidance programs, aimed at helping her realize her full potential in STEM and refining her professional and life skills.

Madison Hately's achievement is not only a source of pride for her but also a cause for celebration for our entire school community. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Madison and express our gratitude to the Department for Education, South Australia, for recognizing and supporting the bright minds that will undoubtedly shape the future of STEM.

Many thanks also to Sharon Lam, Madison’s Science and Maths teacher who worked with Madison for many hours in preparing the detailed application.

Regards,
Daren O'Neill
Principal
daren.oneill253@schools.sa.edu.au

Sporting Schools Cricket

21 Nov 2023

Hawker Area School students this week will take part in the Sporting Schools program on Thursday November 23rd and Friday November 24th, recieving cricket coaching across all three classes. Coaching will be delivered by Adam Barber across both days. The program across the two days is as follows:

Students on these days will need to be organised with the following:

• a bucket hat or equivalent
• a water bottle
• their house or school shirt to be worn

We look forward to our students taking part in the program and learning about the game of cricket - and for our more experienced players getting the opportunity to develop their game further. 

Regards,
Daren O'Neill
Principal
daren.oneill253@schools.sa.edu.au

Congratulations Will DuBois!

19 Nov 2023

It has been a great week for Will DuBois, who played for the Northern team in the SAPSASA State Cricket Carnival in Adelaide last week. His team finished up the week with two wins from five games, finishing in seventh position against the best the other regions of the state could offer. Will played the important opening bat position for his team, and also took up the ball to bowl and take a couple of wickets over the five games.

This was a well deserved reward for Will’s efforts this year and the culmination of a couple of years involvement. Selection in the SAPSASA team does not come freely, with Will having to prove his worth in a competitive environment. The road for Will started last year when he also was a reserve in the Northern team. Will’s sporting involvement does not stop here, as Will plays for Quorn in the local Port Augusta competition to add to his other sports of Football, Golf and Tennis. His involvement in golf has also seen him recognised by qualifying last year to play in SAPSASA Golf event in Adelaide after qualifying through a competition day at Port Augusta Golf Club.

Will takes up the opportunities to extend himself at school. He was one of the students who travelled to Adelaide as part of the Children’s University Graduation at Adelaide University. He has also taken up Instrumental Music and is travelling to Orroroo tomorrow to experience the Sounds of the Southern Flinders Band event. Well done Will on a great term!

Regards,
Daren O'Neill
Principal
daren.oneill253@schools.sa.edu.au

We are on Newspaper

17 Nov 2023

Dear Parents and Carers,

We are thrilled to share the exciting news that our students' outstanding achievements have been featured in today's edition of The Advertiser! This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our incredible students and the entire Hawker Area School community.

Congratulations to each and every student for their accomplishments; your efforts have not only made us proud but have also garnered well-deserved attention from the wider community. It's heartening to see our school's commitment to excellence being acknowledged.

We extend our gratitude to the students, teachers, staff, and parents for contributing to this success. Let's continue to support and encourage our students as they strive for excellence in all their endeavors.

Keep up the fantastic work, Hawker Area School!

Warm regards

Children's University Coordinator

Sharon Lam

Children's University Graduation Newsletter

07 Nov 2023

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Congratulations to Hawker Area School for its outstanding achievement in the Children's University program!

In just their first year participating, the school has demonstrated exceptional dedication and commitment. With 14 students completing the program and accumulating an impressive 1158 hours, they have undoubtedly set the bar high. Hawker Area School proudly ranks as the top school on the Children’s University portal in terms of hours completed, showcasing their students' remarkable passion for learning. What's even more remarkable is that the school was the first in the Far North to attend the Children’s University graduation ceremony at the prestigious Bonython Hall, University of Adelaide. Their journey to Adelaide, which began on November 1st, was marked with memorable experiences, including a delightful dinner and a movie night. The following day, on November 2nd, they participated in the graduation ceremony and enjoyed a campus tour, where they had the opportunity to explore the fascinating EXTERRES Laboratory, focusing on space exploration and travel. This experience has ignited the students' interest in space, emphasizing that it's not as distant as they once thought. Hawker Area School's dedication was further exemplified by notable achievements by individual students.

Lily Morgan, Leo Fels, and Oliver Du Bois stand out as the youngest graduates this year.

Lachlan Hilder excelled in sports.

Esme Teague and Eli Johnson shone in aboriginal activities and music.

Lily, Archie, and Jimmy Morgan engaged in a wide range of activities, from visits to sports and arts, showcasing their diverse interests.

Rachelle Johnson and Jim Johnson made extensive use of the Children's University online portal to complete many activities.

Leo and Ada Fels deserve special recognition for their extraordinary commitment, with Leo completing over 150 hours and Ada emerging as the most active participant at the school, astonishingly completing over 200 hours.

Thanks to the dedication of its students, Hawker Area School has not only set a high standard for itself but has also achieved the highest number of hours among mid and far north schools. This remarkable achievement is a testament to the school's dedication to nurturing a love for learning and academic excellence. Looking forward to the Children’s University program in 2024!

Many thanks to all the students who participated, their teachers, SSOs and parents who supported them in their program and also journeyed with them to Adelaide for this great experience. Especially a big thanks to Sharon Lam the coordinator the program at Hawker this year.

Best Regards,

Sharon Lam
Children’s University Coordinator

Start of Term Four

05 Nov 2023

It has been a busy start to the school term, with twelve of our students travelling to Adelaide on Wednesday and Thursday to attend the Children’s University Graduation Ceremony. This is a Newsflash to cover the start of the term and what is upcoming, due to current industrial restrictions there will not be a newsletter for the start of the term.

Industrial Action

Firstly in the next few days the community will get a communication concerning how the proposed industrial action may affect Hawker Area School. Please be ready to read any communication updates on this.

Graduation Day

Our students travelled to Adelaide on Thursday to participate in their Graduation Ceremonies at Bonython Hall in Adelaide, having a great experience on the day, which also included a tour of the University. I have included just a few photos here of the day, a more detailed report will be out soon.

First Aid Training

Last week our secondary students recieved the benefit of a one day course in Preliminary First Aid presented through the Red Cross. This project has been in the planning for a while and was worth the time as students learnt the basics of first aid in a variety of situations and got the opportunity to practice a variety of procedures including CPR and the use of epipens. Many thanks to our Parents and Friends group, in particular Mandy McAuley who put a lot of time into getting this going. 

Goodbye Sharon and hello Priya

The school said ‘See you later’ to Sharon Bates on Friday, as she completed her last day at the school. We had an assembly at the end of the day to allow students and staff to hand Sharon cards of appreciation for her time at the school and also a staff gift was given to Sharon during the assembly. Sharon has had a busy time at Hawker, starting from an SSO and moving on after gaining her teaching qualification to working in all areas of the school as a teacher. We wish her all the best in her leadership role at Ceduna Area School. In her place Priya Moyle arrived last week on Wednesday and received the opportunity to buddy up to Sharon and meet the students in her classes. Priya has experience in English and HASS but also in other areas such as Drama and Dance. She will be a welcome addition to the school for the rest of this year.

Site works project updates:

• Hardcourt Area – line painting is planned to happen on our Pupil Free Days of November 13^th and 14^th. This will include the basketball, netball, tennis lines as well as two four square court lines, which were not included in the original plans. The installation of the basketball poles on the hardcourt area will follow but this will be a complicated exercise possibly, that may take some time. The wooden benches on the Stone building will not return as they were infested with white ants, to be replaced with other more suitable benches. The rainwater tank from the end of the Stone Building is still to be placed with the our other rainwater tank at the same end whilst the water chiller has returned to the Stone Building last week providing us again with two options for our students.
• DAP Toilets – this project will be ongoing until the end of term. Student toilets are operational as from the start of this term. Our staff still have a task to get to the toilets at times, using the student toilets in lesson time when able. The other option for staff is across the road at the community gym. Our staffroom has been relocated to the Multipurpose room and kitchen, with a bit of a split at the moment.

Student Free Days coming up on November 13^th and 14^th –  A reminder about the student free days coming up soon. Our first pupil free day will focus on planning for 2024 with a look at student data collected this year, and discussion on our School Improvement Plan. On November 14^th, Jan Love will be here to present on PBL, which we are looking at implementing in 2024. We also have our third pupil free day on December 1^st which will involve planning of our FROG portals (based in the EMS) as the next stage in the implementation of our EMS.

Calendar

Our new calendar went out in week 2, to go up on the fridges or other suitable places in our homes. Please bear in mind this calendar is accurate as of the day of publication, events can change at times, and new ones can be added.

Wishing everyone a great Term Four as we head towards the end of the year.

Regards,
Daren O'Neill
Principal
daren.oneill253@schools.sa.edu.au

Farewell Sharon

29 Oct 2023

The school is saying goodbye soon to one of our staff members, Sharon Bates. Sharon first came to Hawker in Term Four of 2017, working as an SSO when she first got here. Whilst working here Sharon studied for her teaching qualification through Charles Darwin University, becoming qualified to teach in 2019 and starting as a teacher at Hawker in 2020.

Sharon has always been a high energy and caring individual at Hawker, taking on a variety of roles in her time here. She has worked in our Students with Additional Needs area as an SSO and as a teacher. Typical of an area school teacher Sharon has taught across all year levels, teaching mainly in English, HASS, HPE and the Career Ed area. In all aspects Sharon has been a professional and extremely reflective teacher, who looks at her students and reviews their learning and has not been afraid to change her approach for the benefits of her students. Her passion for moving her students forward with their learning has also formed the basis of the positive relationships that she has with those she teaches.

She has taught her present secondary students for quite a few years now, having taken them on at the Year 5-6 level and they will miss her professional manner and quick retorts in conversation. Sharon has now won a leadership position at Ceduna Area School and will be finishing her time at Hawker on Friday November 3^rd. Her replacement, Priya Moyle will be starting at Hawker Area School on Wednesday November 1st and continue at Hawker until the end of term. 

Regards,
Daren O'Neill
Principal
daren.oneill253@schools.sa.edu.au

My Child and Me family workshops

26 Oct 2023

Dear Parents and Caregivers, 

Regards,
Daren O'Neill
Principal
daren.oneill253@schools.sa.edu.au

2023 Term 4 School Calendar

24 Oct 2023

Dear Parents and Caregivers, 

Here is Hawker Area School Term 4 Calendar, hard copy will going home today.

Regards,
Daren O'Neill
Principal
daren.oneill253@schools.sa.edu.au