Junee High School

🍎 Meet One of Our Pre-Service Teachers - Jack McCarthy!

This term we're pleased to welcome Jack McCarthy to Junee High School as part of his teaching placement.

Jack is currently studying a Bachelor of Teaching (K–12) at Charles Sturt University and is working with students in 7PDHD, 8PDHB, 10PDHA and 11HMS as he develops his classroom teaching experience.

A familiar face to many staff members, Jack is a former Junee High School student and has enjoyed returning to the school in a different role. Over the coming weeks, he will be supporting student learning and continuing to build his skills as an educator.

We're very excited to have Jack as part of our school community and look forward to supporting him throughout his placement, and we wish him all the best for his future teaching career! 🏈⭐

🧪✨ Oobleck in Action! ✨🧪

As part of their study of States of Matter, Year 7 students recently investigated the fascinating properties of Oobleck – a non-Newtonian fluid made from cornflour and water.

Students created their own Oobleck mixtures and carried out a series of experiments to observe and describe how the substance behaved under different conditions.

Through their investigations, students discovered that Oobleck displays properties of both solids and liquids. When a sudden force was applied, the mixture became rigid and behaved like a solid as the cornflour particles were pressed tightly together. However, when handled slowly and gently, it flowed like a liquid because the particles had time to move past one another.

This hands-on investigation gave students an exciting opportunity to develop their scientific observation and inquiry skills while exploring how materials can behave in surprising and unexpected ways.

Well done to all Year 7 students for their enthusiasm and participation throughout the investigation!

🏁🛠️ Our Annual Year 7 Billy Cart Derby! 🛠️🏁

What a fantastic day of creativity, teamwork and high-speed fun at our Annual Billy Cart Derby!

As part of their Forces unit in Science, Year 7 students took on the challenge of designing, building and racing their very own billy carts. Working in teams, students applied their understanding of forces, motion and engineering principles to bring their ideas to life before putting them to the ultimate test on race day.

With an impressive 16 billy carts entered into the competition, the derby was filled with excitement, innovation and plenty of friendly rivalry. From unique designs to clever engineering solutions, every team demonstrated outstanding creativity, perseverance and teamwork throughout the project.

🥇 Congratulations to George and Charlie, whose billy cart raced its way to First Place in this year's derby!

⭐ Congratulations also to Layla, Joe and Tilly, whose incredible billy cart design earned them the People's Choice Award following a whole-school vote.

A huge well done to all of our Year 7 students for embracing the challenge, supporting one another and showcasing their learning in such an exciting way. You should be incredibly proud of your achievements and the effort you put into making this year's Billy Cart Derby such a success!

🍎 Meet One of Our Pre-Service Teachers – Matt Stubbs!

We are very excited to welcome Matt Stubbs to Junee High School as part of his teaching placement with Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga.

Matt is currently studying a Bachelor of Education (K–12) with a Visual Arts major and is working alongside our Stage 4 (Years 7–8) and Stage 5 (Years 9–10) Visual Arts students.

We are delighted to have Matt as part of our school community this term and hope he enjoys his time at Junee High School, gains valuable experience throughout his placement, and continues to grow in confidence as a future educator.

We wish Matt all the very best for the remainder of his studies and his future teaching career! 🎨🍎

🚑👶 Hands-On First Aid in Child Studies 👶🚑

This week in Child Studies, students have been developing practical first aid skills and learning how to create safe environments for children.

Working in pairs and small groups, students practised a range of first aid techniques including bandaging, applying slings, and administering EpiPen adrenaline injectors. They also worked through emergency scenarios using the DRSABCD action plan, taking turns performing CPR on both adult and baby manikins.

As a class, students explored the role of a defibrillator, listening to its prompts and learning when shocks should be administered during an emergency.

These hands-on learning experiences gave students valuable real-world skills, with many surprised by the physical effort involved in performing CPR. It was fantastic to see everyone actively participating and building their confidence in responding to emergency situations.

Our Year 11 Cookery students turned up the heat in the kitchen this week, creating rich molten chocolate cakes served with silky homemade ice cream, whipped ganache, and fresh strawberries 🍫🍓

From mastering baking techniques to perfecting presentation, students demonstrated fantastic skill, creativity, and attention to detail. The result? A beautifully plated dessert that tastes just as impressive as it looks!

🏋️‍♀️ Chronicle Athlete Development – Wagga Wagga 🏋️‍♂️

Health and Movement Science students recently participated in an interactive session at Chronicle Athlete Development, gaining valuable insight into movement, training, and the fitness industry.

Throughout the session, students took part in a structured warm-up and learned and refined key functional movement skills, with a focus on safety and injury prevention. They explored the importance of biomechanics, including core stability, hip hinging, and how the body moves under load. Students also gained a deeper understanding of CrossFit training and completed a challenging partner workout.

The experience concluded with a strengths-based debrief, where students received individual feedback, engaged in goal-setting, revised key concepts linking their practical learning to the course syllabus, and learned about career pathways and opportunities within the fitness industry. To conclude the session as a bonus, students observed Coach Pat demonstrate advanced Olympic weightlifting techniques.

A sincere thank you to Owner Em and Coach Shoun for their expertise, support, and the engaging learning opportunity they provided for our students.

🎓 Snow Scholarships Webinar

Students and families interested in learning more about the Snow Scholarships for study at the University of Canberra are invited to attend an online information webinar on Thursday 25 June at 5:00pm.

The Snow Scholarships support students from Canberra and regional or rural NSW who are commencing an undergraduate degree and may face barriers to higher education. The webinar will provide information about the scholarship program, including eligibility requirements, scholarship benefits and the application process.

The session will be presented by the Snow Scholarship Program Manager, with an opportunity for attendees to ask questions.

Applications for the Snow Scholarships close on 12 July, making this a valuable opportunity for students considering applying.

To register for the webinar, visit:
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_sYg99ybwTECYNEYKPfGUQQ? #/registration

If you are unable to attend the live session, you can still register to receive a recording.

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: UC Snow Scholarships Webinar - June. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar. Considering applying for a Snow Scholarship? Join our webinar to learn more about this transformative scholarship program. We’ll cover the benefits of the Snow Scholarships, eligibility requirements, and what to expect from the application process. The webinar will be led by the Snow Scholarship P...

✨ This Week’s GEM Chat: Mindfulness ✨

This week, we're reflecting on the ways we pause, reset, and stay present throughout the day.

Mindfulness can look different for everyone. It might be taking a few deep breaths before a test, going for a walk, listening to music, spending time outdoors, focusing on a hobby, or simply taking a moment to slow down and notice what's happening around you.

Being aware of the mindfulness tools we use can help us build healthy habits and make it easier to manage busy or stressful days.