3 September 2024

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

As we cross the midpoint of this term, I am thrilled to share the remarkable progress and exciting activities happening at Cosgrove High School. I would like to congratulate all students for the way they are adhering to our values; and would like to especially highlight those students who received certificates aligned to our values at the recent Whole School Assembly. I am particularly pleased with the wearing of the school uniform and, also the uptake of students wearing our new Hoody.

Attendance and Behaviour Improvements

This year, our attendance rate has shown significant improvement, reaching 70% and trending upwards for the first time in five years. This positive shift reflects the hard work of our staff, students and families in fostering a supportive and engaging learning environment. Additionally, suspensions have decreased, marking another milestone in our ongoing efforts to promote positive behaviour and student well-being.

Exciting Extracurricular Opportunities

The term has been packed with enriching extracurricular activities that have engaged our students in new and exciting ways. Highlights include:

• Theatre Royal Excursion: Students had the opportunity to experience a live performance, broadening their cultural and artistic horizons.
• Dr Karl Presentation: As part of Science Week, our students were captivated by Dr Karl's presentation, sparking curiosity and a love for science.
• Children's University Excursion: One of our students had the honour of acting as MC at the event showcasing their leadership and public speaking skills.
• Book Week: Our school came alive with creativity as teachers and staff dressed up, and students participated in a variety of activities celebrating literature.
• Grade 10 Future Aspirations: Students explored potential career paths through hands-on experiences in Hospitality, Construction and a Taster Day at Claremont College. Several students also undertook Work Experience programs.
• Reclink Community Competitions: Our students proudly represented Cosgrove in the Reclink Community Netball and Football competitions, demonstrating teamwork and school spirit.
• Weekly Chess Club: Engaging minds and fostering strategic thinking, our chess club continues to be a popular activity.

Looking Ahead

As we move into the latter half of the term, we have even more to look forward to:

• House Day in Week 9: A day filled with friendly competition and school spirit.
• Sports Colours Day in Week 10: Students can showcase their team pride by wearing their favourite sports colours.
• Dojo Shop Opening: We are excited to open the Dojo Shop, where students can purchase a variety of items, including stationery, sports equipment, Nike clothing, and more using their well-earned dojo points.

New Playground Installation

We are also delighted to announce the installation of a new $50,000 playground which has been very popular and well-received by our students. This new addition provides a fantastic space for students to play, socialise and stay active during breaks.

Redevelopment News

It has been great to finally see the redevelopment works begin with Vos Construction starting the new car park and preparing the groundwork for the ongoing development. The project is on schedule, meeting the project timeline. Exciting times ahead as we see the building works begin!

NAPLAN Results

We have been thrilled with the results from the NAPLAN testing this year with the majority of measures indicating ongoing success in our teaching and learning programs. Highlights from the results are:

Year 9 Participation (School attendance 70%)

• Grammar and Punctuation - 36% improvement (78.7%)
• Spelling – 36% improvement (78.7%)
• Writing – 12% improvement (85.3%)
• Reading – 7% improvement (80%)
• Numeracy – 5% improvement (77.3%)

Year 9 Gains

• Grammar and Punctuation
  • 21% improvement (21% high gain)
  • Highest gains since 2010
• Writing
  • 6% improvement from low gains
• Reading
  • 11% improvement (16% high gain)
  • Highest gains since 2016 (25%)
• Numeracy
  • 18% improvement (21% high gain)
  • Highest gains since 2015 (28%)

Year 7 Participation: School attendance 70%

• Grammar and Punctuation – 21% improvement (94.3%)
• Spelling – 21% improvement (94.3%)
• Writing – 8% improvement (95.4%)
• Reading – 7% improvement (94.3%)
• Numeracy – 7% improvement (94.3%)

School Satisfaction Survey

The DECYP Annual School Satisfaction Survey is open to families. The survey presents a great opportunity for the school to find out what Cosgrove High School does well and where it may improve. Your feedback is very important to help us inform our school planning and decision-making. The survey is open from Monday 26 August until Friday 20 September and should take about 5 minutes to complete.

Take the online survey by clicking this link or pasting it into your browser: https://nam.dcv.ms/EBMMrtnynS The survey is carried out on a secure website and all responses are anonymous and confidential.

Student Wellbeing and Engagement Survey

All students across Tasmania are currently completing the Student Wellbeing and Engagement Survey. Our students will complete the survey during Wellbeing classes. The survey is an opportunity for students to provide feedback to the school about their wellbeing under key domains of:

• Loved, Safe and Valued
• Material basics
• Being healthy
• Learning
• Participating
• Positive Sense of Culture and Identity

The survey forms part of the Department’s Wellbeing for Learning - Child and Student Wellbeing Strategy. It helps us get a picture of the current wellbeing of our students, and what we can do to improve future wellbeing. The more students who take part, the clearer our picture will be.

Please be aware students’ answers are confidential. No one (including school staff) will use the results to identify individual students.

Purpose of the survey

Young people’s sense of wellbeing is an important part of how they learn at school. The purpose of the survey is to seek student views about their wellbeing and their engagement with school. The information collected will help in many ways. For example, it will tell us that a certain percentage of students feel like they receive the help they need. Or that a certain percentage feel like they worry a lot. This information will help our school, the Department of Education, and our school community to support young people’s wellbeing.

An Invitation to Learning Conversations

Parents/carers and students are invited to meet with teachers on Tuesday, September 17th, from 3pm to 6pm to discuss Evidence of Learning, student progress, application to learning, wellbeing and/or learning plan goals. During these conversations, we will share evidence of learning for all learning areas, including student work samples demonstrating student progress and achievement. 

Bookings for these conversations can be made online following this link:  

https://cosgrovehs.schoolzineplus.com/view-session/25 

Instructions to use the online booking system are attached to this letter but can also be found on our school website at:  

https://www.cosgrovehigh.education.tas.edu.au/noticeboard Parents/carers are also able to contact the office and have our office staff book these appointments for you too.  

We look forward to seeing parents and carers on the afternoon of the 17th of September.  

We are excited about the remainder of the term and all the wonderful opportunities that lie ahead for our community.

YEAR 7

English: In English we have been learning about survival and what challenges you’ll face.  In class we did a task where we were given a scenario and we had to come up with a solution on how to overcome it.  Some of the survival scenarios we were given were plane crash, tsunami and trapped in a cave.  We were also given a true story about a person who survived one of the scenarios and we were required to write who, what, where, when, why, and how.

Hass: In HASS we have been learning about the Roman Empire, how it ended and Julius Ceaser becoming an Emperor.  This all started by a myth with two brothers and a wolf. We have also been learning about Pompei a land in the past that was destroyed by a volcano called mount Vesuvius.  It became one of the most preserved places in the world. We also learned how some of the artifact survived the volcanic eruption.

Math: In Maths we have been learning about algebra, patterns and how to solve equations. We can use graphs, diagrams, tables, and rules to describe growing patterns.

Science: In science we have been learning about how the earth, sun and moon move in space and explain how these movements cause different things to happen on earth. We also learned how the moon and the earth position tilt and what causes day and night, eclipses, seasons and tides.

Excursion: To celebrate Science week last Wednesday all Year 7 classes went to the Sustainability Centre at Mount Nelson.

We were selected into different groups and participated in a range of different scientific activities. 

1. Beauty Products/Natural dyes and textiles
2. Weed Weaving 
3. Food Footprint; reducing food waste
4. Hydroponic STEM Challenge 
5. Escape Room – Species Survival

It was a fantastic day and we all learnt a lot about Science.

By Kaniya 7A

YEAR 8

This term has been a busy and exciting one! Each Year 8 class has either been, or, will be going to the Marine Discovery Centre at Woodbridge as part of the Science curriculum. Students participated in hands on activities with marine life as well as getting out on the water in a boat. Some students even had a turn at driving the boat! Two of the classes unfortunately had their excursion postponed due to weather but they have been rescheduled for mid-September.

On August 15^th, 25 Year 8’s were fortunate enough to participate in the Beacon Foundation Prepare Work Readiness program. Volunteers from the state came in and shared their experiences within the work force and helped students to unpack their aspirations, growth mindset, self-awareness, teamwork and life skills, personal values and identifying strengths which are all relevant to future jobs. The students all participated with enthusiasm, engaged with conversation and asked many questions.

Some girls in Year 8 are in the process of applying for the Harding Miller Scholarship and if successful, they will receive up to $20,000 worth of support and school materials over four years. The application process is quite lengthy, and these girls needed to display high academic achievement to even be considered to apply. They will be working on their applications alongside Miss Eaves, Mr Gidas and Ms Jesney over the next few weeks. We wish them luck with this and hope they are successful with their applications to be supported through the final years of schooling.

The Raise Mentor Program is continuing for a small group of students in Year 8 and 9. They have been meeting as a group with their mentors and working through team building activities and their booklets.

Year 8’s had been anticipating the installation and completion of the new outside gym playground in their area, which is now open and ready for use! Although accessible for all students in the school, it has been welcomed with open arms and enthusiasm by the Year 8’s who have been able to use it as a breakout space and area to burn off some extra energy during class or during breaktime.

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YEAR 9

As Term 3 unfolds, Year 9 students have already experienced an action-packed start, filled with events, learning, and competition. The Mini Olympics was a thrilling event, with students showcasing their athletic prowess. After some intense competition, 9C took home the gold, with 9A close on their heels as the runner-up. Congratulations to all participants for their enthusiasm and sportsmanship!

Book Week was another highlight, with students donning some of the most creative and imaginative costumes we’ve seen. The school was awash with characters from every corner of literature, making it a truly magical week.

For our sports enthusiasts, AFL 9s offered a chance to compete and have fun on the field. Our team played with great determination and displayed excellent teamwork, making us proud with their competitive spirit.

A select group of students had the unique opportunity to visit the University of Tasmania (UTAS) to watch presentations by the Australian of the Year winners. The experience was both enlightening and inspiring, leaving students with a greater sense of motivation and purpose. Following the presentations, we headed to Princes Park where our prefects organised outstanding team-building activities. They were great fun!

Thursday lunchtimes have become highly anticipated, with the ongoing staff and student basketball games in the gym. The competition is fierce, and the energy is high as everyone vies for victory. We’re all eager to see who will claim the championship in Week 10.

As we approach the middle of the term, students are diligently working on their Evidence of Learning portfolios for each subject. These will be shared during our upcoming parent-teacher conversations, and we can’t wait to show off all the hard work and progress we've made this term.

Our academic focus this term is diverse and engaging. In English, students are entering the world of poetry and focusing on the meaning behind the poems. In Maths, students are delving into statistics and probability with a focus on real-life applications, while in Science, our focus is on chemistry, particularly the periodic table, elements and atoms. In History students are studying the Frontier Wars between British Colonisers and First Nations people. In HPE, students are learning harm minimisation strategies for safety and wellbeing and exploring net sports including pickleball, badminton, tennis and volleyball. This term’s focus in Wellbeing classes is on building resilience, and during sessions, students also spend time reading for enjoyment, further developing their literacy skills.

Term 3 is shaping up to be an incredible journey of learning, growth and fun. We’re excited for what’s ahead and look forward to continuing our busy and rewarding term together!

YEAR 10

This term has been extremely busy for Year Ten students. Students have been working hard on their transition plans, making decisions for their futures and discussing options with their Wellbeing teachers. We have had two visits from Claremont College to complete enrolments for 2025 and this week will be meeting with staff from Elizabeth College to explore the possible course options that they offer. Any students who have missed the enrolment meetings will need to let their Wellbeing teachers know so that we can make alternative arrangements.

As well as this, we have had several students participate in work experience placements. These have been ongoing throughout different times of the term. Some students have had a whole week out on a placement, whilst others have one day a week ongoing for the remainder of the term. The various opportunities have been in construction, plumbing, plastering, mechanics and hospitality placements. It has been great to discuss these opportunities when students return to school to see how much they have learned about the industry and their own skills development. We look forward to many future work experience programs!

Year Ten students have had the opportunity to attend the RYDA day, which is a day program organised by Rotary Tasmania. This program was held at Claremont College and covers many aspects around driver safety. The day had sessions which covered car safety features, speed safety, and also hazard perception and awareness. Some of the sessions were confronting and covered road accidents and results of driver errors, but these examples proved valuable experiences as students were able to discuss what had happened and how they might act in similar situations. Following on from this day, students are able to submit their booklet and receive five hours towards their Learners. To do this, please see Mrs Parker.

As we approach the halfway mark of Term Three, more information will be coming out about the end of year activities, including the Celebration Dinner. Students will need to be consistently displaying the school values, wearing correct uniform and also attending regularly in order to attend these events. We want all students to be in attendance at these events and appreciate parent and family support to ensure your young person is meeting the expectations.

Students are working hard across their subject areas. In English the focus is on reading and creatively responding to the novel The Outsiders. Students are developing their skills in descriptive writing and sentence structures. Data and Statistics, including visual representations is the focus in Maths, whilst the essential skill of CPR is the focus in Health lessons. Students are looking at chemistry and the periodic table in Science, and in History, students are learning about post World War Two, and the atomic bomb. In subject areas, students are working on assessments for the Evidence of Learning portfolios which will be available at the upcoming Learning Conversations. Students in Year Ten are working hard on their assessments ready for their final End of Year reports!

Respect, Responsibility and Resilience

I would like to congratulate all award recipients on your wonderful achievement. It is tremendous that we have been able to acknowledge those students who have upheld our values of respect, responsibility and resilience.

Please see below the list of certificate winners.

Book Week

Everyone had an incredible time during Book Week! The week was filled with adventures, imagination, and of course, a lot of reading. From participating in the book quiz and designing bookmarks to showcasing creativity in the costume parade, it was a week to remember.

The book quiz was undoubtedly a highlight of the week. It was wonderful to see so many students putting their literary knowledge to the test. With questions spanning various genres and authors, it was clear that we have some serious readers among us. The competition was fierce, but it was all in good fun. Congratulations to the winning teams—you truly know your books!

Another standout event was the costume parade. Walking around the school felt like stepping into different worlds, with students and staff bringing their favourite characters to life. From classic figures like The Bananas in Pyjamas and Dorothy to superheroes and even some lesser-known characters, the creativity on display was simply amazing. It was heartening to see everyone embracing the spirit of Book Week.

What made Book Week truly special was the inclusive spirit that allowed everyone to be involved, whether participating in the quiz, the parade or simply cheering on friends. It was a week that reminded us all of the power of books to inspire and bring us together.

A big thank you goes out to all the teachers and staff who helped organise Book Week, and to all of you for making it such a memorable event. We’re already looking forward to seeing what creative costumes you’ll come up with next year!

Happy reading!

Thursday Basketball

Last Thursday our combined student and staff basketball teams had a great time competing at lunch time lunch.

2024 HIGH SCHOOL WINTER NETBALL ROSTER

Two Cosgrove High school netball teams have just completed a successful season of Winter Netball. The season ran for 12 weeks, over terms 2 and 3 and took place at the Hobart Netball and Sports Centre.

Our Cosgrove Grade 7 girls team worked tirelessly over the season, competing against several teams from Montrose, Clarence and Hobart City High. The girls combined well as a team and demonstrated great resilience through games against some tough opposition. Unfortunately, they did not make the finals, but the girls are to be congratulated for representing our school proudly.

Well done to the following team members:

Millie S                                                 Ebony M
Amelia S                                              Indigo L
Chloe L                                                Indi S
Shayla M                                              Izzy W

The Cosgrove Boys team had a more challenging season, having to play a combination of boys from Year 9 and 10 and Year 7 together. This proved to be both a challenging, yet positive and rewarding experience for both the senior leaders of the team and for the developing Grade 7 boys. The team showed great resilience when faced with towering opposition players, and the younger boys were able to learn about the game from their older teammates. The boys played off in the semifinal against HCH but were unable to secure a spot in the Grand Final.

Well done to the following players:

Brooklyn W                                            Jack B
Jaxon T                                                   Lebron D          
Ali O                                                       Lachie W         
Gabe (St Alysious)                                  Alex (HCH)

Music

On August 2^nd a group of students and Mr T went to go see The Visitors at the Theatre Royal for an excursion.

On a sweltering day in 1788, seven clan leaders gather on a sandstone escarpment overlooking the harbour. Beyond the friendly banter, protocols, and hospitality, a momentous decision is made.

A mysterious fleet of giant Nawi (ships) is amassing in the harbour and as they creep closer, these seven representatives must choose unanimously: whether to send these strangers on their way or welcome them.

The play started in an indigenous language but slowly transitioned to English. The whole play was set in Botany Bay. We really enjoyed the play and would love to go again and are excited about future opportunities like this one.

Written by Mason C and Jacob F

On the 14th of August, Mr. Morgan Tarbath took a group of Cosgrove students from year 8 to year 10 to the ‘Playhouse Theatre’ where Claremont College did a musical play named The Rock of Ages. The musical is about a small-town girl named Sherrie Christian, whose dream is to become an actress, bumping into a city boy named Drew Boley, who’s aspiring to be a famous rock and roll star. They met on the Sunset Strip while pursuing their Hollywood dreams. They fell in love but had a misunderstanding about their feelings. Sherrie mistakenly thought that Drew only considered her a ‘friend’. Drew, on the other hand, thought that Sherrie had feelings for someone else named Stacee Jax (a famous rock star). The government and a couple of scheming German developers are threatening to knock down the strip. The experience we had was fun and memorable. We had a great time watching the student actors from Claremont College do their best and have fun. The actors executed their roles and lines perfectly. The transitions between different scenarios were done flawlessly. The narrator of the story also did a wonderful job catering to the audience’s reactions and keeping the audience involved as if we were part of the play. Their voices were pleasing to the ears; hitting every note flawlessly despite doing a lot of movements shows how well they can maintain their vocals. The musicians also performed the background music at their best, creating the perfect atmosphere for different moments that made the experience even better. The experience helped us expand our knowledge about different musical theatre genres. It was a great opportunity to go somewhere new. We’re looking forward to attending more music related excursions in the future!

Written by: Trisa G and Shikar B

School Association

Next meeting

When: Wednesday 25 September
Time: 3.00pm
Where: Administration building
All welcome