30 June 2022

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

Here we are at the end of Semester One, 2022. By in large we have been very fortunate in WA with less disruption to schools through the pandemic when compared to other states. That said we have been stretched this term. The inevitability of it has enabled us to prepare for the hardship and given us some good resilience training. Staff members have had to step outside their comfort zone to ensure students continue to have a positive educational experience. The mental health and wellbeing of staff and students being the primary focus.

I returned from Long Service Leave at the beginning of Week 3, enjoying the opportunity to reconnect with my family over east. Ms Lucas took over the reins in my absence seeing out the last two weeks of Term 1 and the first two weeks of Term 2. I would like to formally thank and acknowledge her for doing such a wonderful job keeping the school running smoothly especially with the onset of Covid absenteeism.

Ironically as Covid impacted on the school, restrictions on incursions and excursions and the like were relaxed. We had Bush Animals and St John’s first Aid Course (Cadets) incursions, Dwellingup bush tucker with ‘Culinary Kevin’, Bunbury Dolphin Discovery Centre, Interschool Soccer Carnival, Kenwick ESC guitar collaboration event, Van Gough exhibition- Perth, Amaze and finally the Mandurah Fire Station for Cadets as excursions.

The students have remained positive as evidenced by their attendance at these events. The programs have kept students well engaged and everyone is looking forward to an exciting and productive second semester. Term 3 will be my final term at John Tonkin ESC as we welcome back Tash Wagstaff (Substantive Principal) after a 2-year hiatus. I have enjoyed my time here and appreciate the professional growth this opportunity has presented me with. I am thankful for the experience I have gained and the professional and personal connections I have made. I look forward to maintaining these connections across the river after I return to Dianella ESC at the commencement of term 4.

Cran Collis
Principal

Dates to Remember

Literacy

Duncan Sanders

In FG04 the students have continued their Literacy Preliminary Units. Activities have included filming examples of appropriate and inappropriate behaviour highlighting student’s capacity to understand the differences. Year 12’s in particular have focused on creating a career portfolio which has meant them researching future career and ongoing study options. Both Year 11 and 12’s have recently updated their resumes and cover letters. We have continued to view a weekly social skills video series helping students socially cope and adapt to everyday life and its challenges. In addition, students have regularly discussed the current local and international news and the impact on our lives.

Cooking

Julie Higham/Charm Guest/Trish Bradford

In cooking the Year 12’s all successfully completed their ‘I’m Alert’ Food safety certificate, receiving training in areas such as temperature control, food receipt, food storage and hygiene of food handlers. During practical sessions we have consolidated our ability to use both a stove and oven safely, and built upon or mathematical knowledge by weighing ingredients, measuring liquids and measuring with spoons, as well as adapting recipes to cater for more or fewer guests.

FG03

Tarryn Lambert

Our class has had a busy term.

In literacy our students have been learning about signs and labels. They created posters and walked around the school and community in search of their selected labels and signs. They prepared healthy sandwiches and followed the rules around the kitchen very well.

Every Wednesday our students, have been sewing Charity Bears that will be distributed locally at the end of next semester. WorkPlace Learning began this term, we were able to start our working experience on site and all our students had a great time packing lolly bags for customers at Food bank. Students decorated flowers which will be displayed at Mandurah Performing Arts Centre from Friday 1st July through to Friday 29th July as part of the Ability Arts exhibition “Grow”. We are currently building, and decorating houses made out of cardboard boxes, we can’t wait to see their end results.

Integrated Lifeskills

Danielle Du Plessis, Julie Higham, Duncan Sanders

During integrated life skills the students completed building a DIY electric guitar which was recently presented to Kenwick School. Staff and students involved in the project were invited to Kenwick to present the guitar and enjoy a combined karaoke session and a sausage sizzle. It was a great day and our school even made the local Mandurah Mail and Education Department WA news;

We have also enjoyed several excursions during Integrated Lifeskills on Fridays, including a trip to Dwellingup Forest, a visit to Bunbury Dolphin Discovery and Taffy’s Sweet shop to watch lollies being made.

We had 2 soccer teams competing at the recent Kalability Soccer Carnival. Both competed well and won 2 of their games and only lost 1 each. Another top effort from our great sporting school.

Maths

Julie Higham

In maths this term we have been learning about percentages. We have calculated GST, income tax, discounted prices, credit card payments and compared the interest charged on small loans from payday lenders.

We have also learnt about time, both telling the time and calculating durations of time, such as journey times and working out when we need to leave home to arrive at a destination by a specific time. We have also practised our measurement skills calculating area and perimeter.

We have so many mathematical whizzes!!

Leadership

Jocelyn Carosin/Lorna Craggs/Trish Bradford

Students have continued to work on their assessments on Thursdays, however on Fridays saw the introduction of workplace learning, as part of the Certificate I in Leadership course.

The Leadership students brainstormed different enterprise ideas and came up with Kanga Café coffee shop. Students created coffee menu options and budgeted the cost of running the café. Each Friday, students take turns to practice their barista training skills by making Latte's, Flat White's, Cappuccinos, and Hot Chocolates for staff to purchase. Our students have shown great leadership qualities in taking ownership of making the majority of the coffees to order and delivered on time.

After recess on Fridays, the Leadership students volunteer their time and skills by helping out at the Mandurah Community Gardens. Small jobs include mulching and seeding, potting plants and general upkeep and maintenance of the gardens.

On the days when the weather is too wet to be doing gardening at the Mandurah Community Gardens, our Leadership students are helping Vinnies by creating Emergency Clothing Relief Packs. Students have been sorting through boxes of new clothes and arranging them by size and seasons. Once all the clothing items were sorted, the students created the clothing emergency packs. These packs will be sent to a small community in Halls Creek!

On Thursdays after recess, the Leadership students have busily been working on decorating 27 pot plants that will form part of Ability Art’s art exhibition called “Grow”. All our students have shown great creativity decorating 2 pots each and will be able to keep the pots after the exhibition.

And lastly, our Leadership students handed over their tactile books to Helena, Speech Pathologist from VisAbility. It was so much fun working on the tactile books for vision-impaired children! We hope they love reading them as much as we loved creating them!

All the Leadership students have worked exceptionally hard throughout Term 2 on a Thursday and Friday. I look forward to what Term 3 will bring.

Retail

Meagan Green/Nat Harris/Nat Cook/Sue McAlpine

This term students have been busy working on their course workbooks and practical assessments through the Retail sausage sizzle and hamburger sales where all students are becoming proficient at set-up and are excelling in their customer service techniques and teamwork.

We visited the Mandurah forum to see first-hand the advantages of good customer service, store safety, stock displays and store layout. We finished the excursion with a yummy lunch at the food court.

Construction

Mark Barritt/Sharan Hegney/Jacquie Willcocks

During Term 2 students have been learning about Handling Construction Materials as well as developing their Workplace Health and Safety knowledge and skills.

Students have been practicing brick paving, learning to use a brick saw and further developing their hand skill whilst learning to render a wall and lay wall tiles.

Workshop

Mark Barritt/Danielle Du Plessis/Jacquie Willcocks/Sheri Henderson/Jessica Tipton

Workshop students have made good progress on their major personal projects during Term 2 and they are really starting to take shape. Students have been busy cutting, drilling, sanding, gluing, screwing and clamping as they are keen to get their projects finished.

Emergency Cadet Program

Duncan Sanders/Sharan Hegney/Nat Harris

In Cadets, the students have continued studying the dangers of fires and other hazards as well as further improving their knot-tying skills. A major focus this term has been first aid and DRSABCD. Students have completed an online St Johns Ambulance course as well as weekly in-house first training by Cadet staff. A team from St John’s also visited us during the term to provide all cadet students with further training.

Art

Kristin Lucas/Tess Wyllie/Charm Guest

Congratulations to Nick Arnold who won a prize in the art competition last term!

In Art this term we have been working on learning the style of POP art and artist Keith Haring using this a springboard for our own interpretation. We also have been learning about Van Gogh’s art and life. The students have learned about how to “correctly” say Van Gogh in Dutch and we are having a lot of fun with it. Ask your student to demonstrate!

We of course have been learning about his style of painting and how it developed over time. We looked at his painting “The Bedroom” and “The Yellow House” and played the game of Spot the Difference by viewing the paintings with items missing. We then made our version of the yellow house using collage and mixed media such as watercolours, Posca pens and oil crayons. We learned about other artists who were inspired by Van Gogh such as Don McLean and Tupac and listened to their songs.

We investigated Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” and created our own starry night again using mixed media of collage, oil pastels, chalk pastels and black paper. We then learned about a painting technique that Van Gogh used called impasto. The students practiced their impasto techniques with brushes, palette knives and impasto paints. They are now working on creating a painting using this technique on their own canvas. This of course is all culminating in our exciting visit to the Van Gogh Alive experience in Perth in Week 9.

WorkPlace Learning

Marg Bowman

The first group of students started their work experience in Term 2. All students have been receiving favourable comments from their employers during workplace learning. It is great to see our students are representing our school so well in the community.

We would like to remind parents/carers that should your child be unable to attend the workplace (or school), please phone as early as possible so that we are aware of any absences. Some students are supported in the workplace, and by having early notification we can redeploy our staff accordingly. You will have employer details on the paperwork sent home when the placement was confirmed. If you need another copy, please let our office know – phone 9583 0571.

Thank you to all parents/carers and students for being organised for the workday and representing our school so well within the community.

Animal Studies

Jacquie Willcocks

Byron, Montana and Emma have a had busy term in Animal Studies, they have learnt how to handle dogs on short and long leads, whilst giving them treats. They also learnt about the hazards in a workplace.

Horticulture

Charm Guest, Darlene Mallett

Coas and Harley have travelled up to Murdoch TAFE every Thursday to complete their Horticulture studies. This term they have covered raking, weeding, watering, using the leaf blower and lawn mower, and learning different types of plants and weeds.

Hospitality

Meagan Green

Shantell has made so many different drinks this term – Virgin Pina Colada, Virgin Mojito, Freakshakes, Hot Chocolate and has also learnt the find art of tea service.

Breakfast Club

Meagan Green/Sue McAlpine

This term we welcome Sue McAlpine who is cooking some great food on Tuesdays. Her favourite recipe is below.

A big thank you to Foodbank Mandurah who provide us with items such as milk, bread, cereal and fruit enabling students to make themselves breakfast if they need.

Potatoes au Gratin

Ingredients
½ cup cream
2 cloves garlic
30grms or 2 tablespoons of butter
1.25kg potatoes
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 ½ cups cheese
2 teaspoons thyme leaves (optional but recommended)

Instructions

1. Cream Mixture: Place butter, cream and garlic in a jug. Mix until combined.
2. Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (both fan and standard ovens).
3. Slice potatoes: Peel the potatoes and slice them 1/8"/3 mm thick. Or use a slicer!
4. Layer 1: Spread 1/3 of the potatoes in a baking dish, then pour over 1/3 of the Cream Mixture, scatter with 1/3 of the salt, pepper and thyme. Sprinkle with 3/4 cups cheese.
5. Layers 2 & 3: Repeat for the 2nd and third layer, but do not finish with cheese on the top layer (will add later).
6. Cover & bake: Cover with lid or foil and bake for 1 hr 15 min or until the potatoes in the middle are soft (use knife to test).
7. Top with cheese, bake again: Remove foil, top with cheese. Bake for a further 10 to 15 minutes until golden and bubbly. Stand 5 minutes before serving.

Other News

Meet our Team

I started as a relief Education Assistant at Melville Senior High School Education Support. I then moved to Mandurah Senior High School Education Support. When the new JTC College was built, the Education Support Centre was known as the Career Enterprise Centre. There was an opportunity to come work with the founding Principal Janet Neville. Many years past, Principals have come & gone, and students have graduated. Our school has grown and renamed to what it is now known as, JTC ESC.

It has been a privilege to be a part of a team that has the students’ best interest at heart. I have worked with amazing students and staff. I enjoy every aspect of my job. I have had a number of roles during my years at JTC ESC, and at present I have two. I work one day per fortnight as Manager of Corporate Services, this gives me an insight into the office and the important jobs that are done to keep our school running. The other roll is as a student support Education Assistant. I really enjoy working both my current roles. It is a joy working with the students and seeing them become responsible young individuals. I love my job and don’t plan on leaving any time soon, I intend on going out on my Zimmer frame!

Positive Behaviour Support

We have started an exciting new approach to Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) at JTCESC.

We are in the early stages of setting this up. A group of six staff members have undertaken a two-day professional development to gain an understanding of the implementation as it applies to our school. The team meets weekly to discuss and track the next steps of the implementation. The team consists of Kristin Lucas, Tarryn Lambert, Julie Woodman, Trish Bradford, Jessica Tipton and Meagan Green.

PBS is an approach to school improvement which is made up of four elements and is individualized to meet the needs of the school. We are in the early stages and have implemented a raffle ticket system where students get raffle tickets for displaying positive behaviour. Each week a student’s name is drawn from the pool of tickets for that week, and they get a choice of prize such as a $10 voucher of choice, free time once their work is finished etc…

Our next step is to work with the staff and students to create our own set of expectations for our school. Watch this space for what expectations the students and staff at JTCESC feel reflect our school.

Footy Tipping

Footy tipping has continued with lots of different winners each week – Amy, Mrs Lucas, Montana, Mrs B, Mrs Craggs, Shantell, Kyron Mrs McAlpine, Mrs Green, Elizabeth, Mrs Harris and Conner. Top student tippers are Elijah and Keira, top staff tippers are Mrs Henderson and Mrs Craggs.

School Board

2022 School Board members –

Laura Tolomei – Chairperson
Vivienne Cantem, Chelsea Parkey, Nancy Hartnett, Lisabeth Hooper, Chilambe Kaweme, Debbie Byett, Jocelyn Carosin and Cran Collis

School Uniform

JTC ESC – Code of Conduct

All Students and Staff have the RIGHT to work in a clean and safe environment.

RESPECT

• Appropriate language and behaviour
• Treat equipment appropriately
• Zero tolerance of bullying
• Be aware of personal space
• Phones of and away (8.00am-2.40pm)
• No smoking on school grounds

RESPONSIBILITY

• Follow mobile phone rules
• Wear correct uniform
• Be punctual
• Be kind to all
• Be prepared for all classes
• Stay within set boundaries – students not to leave the premises during school hours.

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