By Helen Richards

Year 7
Our students have had a great introduction to the kitchen focussing on safety in the kitchen, measurement and knife cutting skills. They began the unit of work using correct measurement and developing their own brownies. The students are now practising their knife cutting skills by making their own platter plates and working towards their own spaghetti bolognaise which can be used 2 ways - spaghetti and a baked potato. 

Year 8 
The students have been focussing on their knife cutting skills and developing different recipes based on stir frys. They are working towards their final cooks where they create and make their own stir fry. 
 

Year 9 
For Year 9, our focus has been on the various nutrients in food. Students have been researching different nutrients and the importance of eating a wide variety of foods to fuel their body. They have developed their own pizzas including various nutrients and completed their own food orders with accurate ingredients and measurements. 
 

Year 10 Food 
Our Year 10 Food students have been busy preparing for their picnic foods. Students have focussed on understanding the importance of working with high risk foods and transporting foods appropriately. They have developed their skills in working individually and within a group situation. Students have prepared and made food to assist with catering for the formal and we look forward to seeing their final picnic foods. 

Year 10 Cafe Culture 
The Cafe Culture class has been developing different ideas and preparing for their Cafe’s next term. Students have worked individually and collaboratively to understand the importance of reading a recipe correctly and ensuring they cost foods appropriately. They have developed skills in preparing and presenting food of higher volume in preparation for their cafes. 
 

Year 11 Food and Hospitality  
Students have been working hard to develop a range finger food ready for their main catering event, Year 12 Formal. Using Food Safety Guidelines and working collaboratively. Students have surveyed the Year 12 students to ensure they are preparing and making food that fits the theme of the formal. They have trialled their foods, gained feedback and improved the dish ready for serving on 22nd March. 

Year 12 Food and Hospitality 
Our Year 12 students have just completed their first task: Celebration Cakes. Students worked hard to design and decorate a cake for a specific occasion. They spent time researching on trend elements to cake decorating and put together an array of cakes which were produced to a solid standard. 
 

By Melanie Bennett

Friday 1st March a group of female students from years 7-10 had the opportunity to participate in a SALT (Supporting and Linking Tradeswomen) workshop. The workshop was led by 5 tradeswomen from different areas and showed the students how to use a range of both hand and power tools with confidence. All students were able to create their own box to take home and all students were so proud of what they were able to create in just a few hours.

This workshop is designed to encourage students to 'have a go' and gain confidence in a workshop. All students actively participated and the feedback was that they now feel more confident in their Tech classes, with some of the students now considering a career in the construction industry!

By Melanie Bennett

VET courses are well underway for 2024 with 12 courses offered for Year 11 and 12 students.
These include:
● Certificate 2 in Animal Care
● Certificate 2 in Automotive
● Certificate 2 in Construction
● Certificate 2 in Cookery
● Certificate 2 in Electrotechnology
● Certificate 2 in Engineering
● Certificate 2 in Salon Assistant
● Certificate 3 in Allied Health Assistant
● Certificate 3 in Early Childhood Education and Care
● Certificate 3 in Information Technology
● Certificate 3 in Screen and Media
● Advanced Skills Cluster in Carpentry
A Certificate 3 in Individual Support will begin in Term 2 with a number of students already enrolled in this course.
In 2024 we have over 150 students using a VET pathway to help them complete their SACE.
VET courses allow students to gain a qualification with hands on experience and also gain
SACE credits. These courses are held either at the Murray Bridge High School Trade Training Centre or TAFE SA in Murray Bridge. Many students have gained School Based
Apprenticeships and Traineeships as a result of their VET course and work experience.

By Kathryn Reedy

On the 14th to 16th of February 2024, the Year 12 Outdoor Ed class ventured to Middleton Beach in the Fleurieu Peninsula for their 3-day surfing camp with staff members Kathryn Reedy and Kieran Wandel. The surfing sessions were run by fully qualified Surfing instructors from the Victor Harbour Aquatics Centre. Students were given the opportunity to showcase their outdoor living skills, ability to read the waves, risk management/awareness skills, weather reading skills and all achieve success in popping up on the surfboard and riding a wave. 

A highlight of the trip was venturing to the Murray Mouth on Hindmarsh Island for an environmental investigation where the students learnt about its ecological importance and the current local environmental issues that are present from a range of perspectives. They also learnt about the value of sand dunes, oceans and the environmental impacts they are both exposed to. It was awesome to see the group working closely together and supporting each other over the 3 days. Overall, it was a very enjoyable trip. Students represented the school with pride, showed great determination and teamwork for the entirety of the trip. Well done team. Really looking forward to our two bushwalks to Mambray Creek and Deep Creek next term. 

By Blake Tabe

During week 5, the year 12 Group 2 Outdoor Education class also had the opportunity to engage in a 3 day surfing experience at Middleton Beach as a part of their stage 2 Outdoor Education program accompanied by teachers Blake Tabe and Maddie Hughes. All students found success in being able to ‘pop up’ on their surfboards and demonstrated exceptional growth over the 3 day experience. Students were challenged both physically and mentally and I am confident they all needed a big sleep to recover! 

The Victor Harbour Aquatics instructors were amazing in supporting students with their surfing development, environmental awareness and developing their appreciation for coastal environments. Students applied all of their planning and preparation for the experience including menu planning, clothing and equipment, risk management, weather reports, surfing knowledge and outdoor living skills to ensure a safe and sustainable journey. The yellow team showed great examples of teamwork and communication to win the group challenge night earning the grand prize of a box of favourites! Well done guys!!

By Kathryn Reedy

On the 23rd of February, the Year 11 Outdoor Ed class ventured to Vertical Reality Climbing Centre in Holden Hill for their Indoor Rock-climbing experience. Here they received intensive training and actively participated in a fun day of Indoor Rock-Climbing under the direct supervision of the centre's fully qualified rock-climbing instructors. 

Students learnt how to safely and correctly belay, tie the basic double figure 8 knot, how to boulder and climb with a rope. They also improved their resilience, perseverance, reduced their fear of heights, communication skills and ability to trust people and work part of an effective team. It was very rewarding to see the group working closely together and really supporting each other throughout the day. 

The Rock-climbing centre staff commented on our student’s awesome behaviour, positive attitude, good listening skills and ability to work effectively as a team, which is a true credit to them all. Well done team. 

By Aaron Noske HPE Teacher

On Thursday the 29th of February the Year 10 Physical Education class went the Murraylands Aquatic Center to participate in some stand up paddle boarding and wind surfing. This was as part of their AT1 task that involved gathering data to determine what kind of fitness certain sports require. Students had a great day out on the water learning some new skills that enabled them to gather heart rate data as well as give them a taste of what kind of activities are on offer in senior years physical education classes. 

By Shana Weston

We're thrilled to announce the outstanding achievements of our students at the recent Swimming Competition! Individual students from Murray Bridge High School showcased their skills in the pool, securing an impressive tally of medals: 3 Gold, 4 Silver, and 6 Bronze.

Congratulations to all our swimmers for their hard work and success!

By Kylie Brunato

Last Thursday in Week 5, our Creative Art students from Years 11 and 12 went on an excursion. During the trip, we got the chance to see the artworks from Sarah Beamount and the collaborative piece from 7 VAK, which were created last year. 
 
If you are in Adelaide and interested in viewing these artworks, you can check them out in the Create4adelaide exhibition, located in the Bicentennial Conservatory of the Adelaide Botanic Garden. 
 

By Catherine Alcock

Last week, the Creative, Visual and Media Arts teachers escorted a group of year 11 and 12 students to experience various performances, events, exhibitions and the atmosphere of the Adelaide Fringe and Festival. It was an entertaining, educational and exhausting day!

The bus from MBHS arrived in Adelaide at 10am, from there students went to Museum of Discovery (MOD) and experienced the interactive exhibition 'BROKEN', where they imagined new ways of being and how they could shape a better future.  The next visit was the Jam Factory, here students went on a guided tour through the different studios before viewing the 'Biennial Prize for Innovation in Australian Craft and Design' exhibition. From there we walked to the Art Gallery of South Australia (AGSA), having a lunch break on the way.

At AGSA students had an informative guided tour of 'Misty Mountain Shining Moon: Japanese landscape envisioned' and free time to explore the rest of the gallery, a student commented on how the artwork was "very meaningful".  Our first performance was at the Great Hall for 'Holst's The Planets 360 Reimagined: Full Dome Experience' here the students got comfortable on beanbags and were immersed in a journey across the solar system, whilst listening to the London Philharmonia Orchestra. 

Students then had time in the Botanic Gardens with an optional visit to the Create4Adelaide exhibition in the Bicentennial Conservatory, where some of our students' work was on display.  By this time the group were tired and hot so there was an opportunity to enjoy a short break in the shade areas before we headed across to the Garden of Unearthly Delights. There the students got to experience Kaleidoscope, a human maze of mirrors, music and lights. Students spent an entertaining 30 minutes trying to be the fastest to complete the maze, some made it through several times!

Then we had free time for dinner, shopping, carnival games and rides all within the Garden area. Despite being extremely overpriced, the students enjoyed the respite, colour and atmosphere of the Fringe as more of the general public poured into the Garden.

Our final performance was at 7pm at Her Majesty's Theatre. The luxury of the venue provided a stark contrast to the Fringe. Here we viewed Guuranda, a performance featuring Narungga Creation stories of South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula, weaving together music, dance, puppetry and visual art. The performance was a beautiful melding of the creative arts, one student describing it as "incredibly compelling".  Immediately following this the group piled on the bus to come home. We all had different opinions on what we saw, we all were exhausted and we all were richer for the experience.

By Avelin David

Investigation: Energy from food
Aim-To Investigate how much energy is released when a small piece of food burns.

During our recent practical session with Year 8 students focusing on food energy, we delved into the intriguing realm of nutrition and energy provision. Through interactive experiments, we investigated how different food types contain varying energy levels crucial for sustaining our body's functions. By measuring the heat released during combustion, we gained insights into the energy content of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Well done to all students for their active participation and enthusiasm during this enlightening experiment!

Following the experimentation phase, students proceeded to record their findings collaboratively, noting down initial and final water temperatures. In our upcoming lessons, students will analyse their gathered data and formulate answers on their worksheets, further consolidating their understanding of the topic.

By Nick Pearce

Well the Term has been moving quickly, and with that we have had some exciting events that have taken place for our Aboriginal students in the past few weeks. Weeks 4 and 5 we were also lucky to have local Aboriginal Artist Jamaya Branson attend our SAASTA Academy as a guest speaker/facilitator. As part of their Assessment tasks, our SAASTA students are in the process of designing our Academy banner and Gurnsey which we will represent at the SAASTA Power Cup in Term 2- it is with this Jamaya provided some in-depth knowledge on the customs of traditional art, and assisted students in their designs. The students got great pleasure in working with Jamaya, and we were all extremely impressed with her work. Thankyou Jamaya!

Wednesday- Week 5 we were privileged to have Port Power visit us and host our SAASTA Academy for a workshop/football training session. Students engaged in a number of tasks in the workshop- developing their culture and identity as well as assistance within their current assignments. Students then participated in a football training session- where they played multiple minni games and developed team work skills; all in preparation for the Power Cup in Term 2. 

On Friday- Week 5, our Year 10 Aboriginal students also participated in an Aboriginal Career Exploration (ACE) workshop provided by the Workabout Centre where they developed resumes and career exploration session. Former Rambler champion Ronald Rankine Jr hosted the workshop on behalf of the Workabout Centre, and went through an introductory session on what ACE has to offer and what the year looks like with the program. The Year 10 students will participate in 3x Career Immersion Week events throughout the year to explore the different career pathways on offer, and gain SACE credits as part of the program. The students have engaged well within the program and are excited for the opportunities ahead.

Celebrating success:
As the Term has been progressing, we have been working closely with our students and celebrating success on a weekly basis with the "Student of the Week". The last few weeks winners are the following:

Week 4- Keanu Wilson- Receiving numerous MB High Awards from teachers for demonstrating leadership and community spirit.

Week 5- Logan Savage- for his terrific involvement in the Clontarf morning tea, and improvement in attendance.

Week 6- Hallie Sumner- for her consistency in high attendance rate, learning and engagement within all her learning areas.

It has been a very enjoyable start to the school year so far, please stay tuned for more updates on news/events in the near future.

By Aimee Sparrow

The year 9 SAASTA class have been learning about bush tucker, and traditional and modern Indigenous foods this term. On Tuesday they went to Pipi Co to learn about the production of cockles, food and bait industry, then down to Goolwa beach with Kuti Co to learn how to fish for cockles. Stevie, Arthur and Sam taught the students about sustainable cockle fishing and how the Ngarrindjeri people have been doing this for tens of thousands of years.
The students harvested their own cockles to bring back to school to purge and cook. What a great day!

By Monika Hatcher

Members from the performance ensemble of MBHS Glee Club stunned the crowd with their performance on Saturday night, singing and dancing into the hearts of the audience, who responded with raving reviews! 
Congratulations to our performers: Eden, Matilda, Em, Ava, Zoe, Rhy and Rj. Your effort and dedication did not go unseen or unheard! The group sang 3 numbers from the musicals Six, Rent and Les Misérables, and sounded absolutely incredible! 
Don't miss our Glee Club's next performance at Winter Sounds in May! 

By Helen Peake

FAREWELL

Last Friday we farewelled our two Japanese students from Yokohama Fujimigaoka in Japan. They have spent 5 weeks studying at Murray Bridge High School while staying with local host families. During their stay we have seen both their English improve as well as their confidence as they moved from class to class. On behalf of the school I would like to sincerely thank both the Altamura and Constant families for inviting Meixuan Juang and Sota Otsuka into their homes for their short stay. If any families are interested in hosting International students please do not hesitate to contact Helen Peake at the school by email - helen.peake92@schools.sa.edu.au.

FUNABASHI HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

At the start of term 3 (last week in July and week one of August) the school is again expecting to host a group of students from Funabashi High School in Japan. At this stage we are unsure of how many students will be coming but, at this stage, we are looking for people to express an interest in hosting one of these students.

The students have varying ability in speaking English but that is the prime focus of their coming to stay in our homes for 2 weeks and to study here at Murray Bridge High School. Our host families generally see a vast improvement both in the students' speaking ability as well as their confidence in those two weeks. The students do not have to have their own room - they are able to share.

We receive profiles about the students enabling host families to choose a student who they think will fit in with their family. The school provides the students with a number of excursions while they are here (to which host buddies are often invited). There is no expectation for special meals to be cooked or special treats - the Japanese students are just treated like one of the family.

There is some money paid to host families in order to assist with covering costs while the student is in the home.

If you are at all interested in becoming a host family please do not hesitate to contact me at the school. Should you require any further information again please contact me via email and I will be happy to answer any questions you may have. helen.peake92@schools.sa.edu.au.

Please note this is an expression of interest only. We understand that circumstances change and families may not be able to host even though they have expressed an interest. At times we also have the situation where we cannot place a student in a home but we will work through that once we know how many students are coming.

HOST AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT

From time to time Murray Bridge High School is asked to host International students for a period of one, two, three or even four terms. At this stage we are looking for host families especially for students from Germany and Brazil commencing in term three. If you are at all interested in hosting one of these students or have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me - helen.peake92@schools.sa.edu.au. 

Students and families who have inadequate or no access to internet at home are eligible to apply for a free internet connection to support learning. 
There are 2 options available to eligible families:
•    wireless internet access from the Department for Education through the student home internet program
•    NBN broadband internet access until December 2025 from the Australian Government through the School Student Broadband Initiative.
You might be eligible if you:
•    have a school aged child
•    don’t have reliable home internet access or have no active NBN broadband connection.
Find out more about what options are available and how parents and carers can apply by visiting the department’s website

here

Please note that 2024 Materials & Service charges are due to be paid in full by the last day of Term 1 – Friday 12th April 2024. School Cards must be applied for each year, at each school you have a student attending.
If you feel that you would be eligible for a School Card and would like to apply online please click

here

alternatively if you would prefer to complete a paper application, contact Deb Lang.
Formal payment arrangements can also be made with Deb Lang to pay outstanding invoices by instalments.
Deb Lang
PH: 8531 9512
Email: debra.lang818@schools.sa.edu.au   

Do you have any old MBHS school skirts laying around and don't know what to do with them? We can help you out!
We are looking for any old MBHS skirts to be donated for our School of Rock performance (they will be cut up and non returnable)
Please leave any donations at reception for Ros.

Mon 11 Mar	Adelaide Cup Day
Tues 12 Mar	Student Free Day
Wed 13 - Mon 25 Mar	NAPLAN
Fri 15 Mar	Sports Day
Mon 18 - Fri 22 Mar	ACE - Career Discovery Week (ATSI Yr 10)
Tues 19 Mar	Meningie Area School Harmony Day Performance
Thur 21 Mar	Yr 11/12 SACE Art Show Excursion
Thur 21 Mar	Harmony Day
Fri 22 Mar	Senior Formal
Mon 25 Mar	SANTOS Athletics
Tues 26 - Wed 27 Mar	Yr 11 Outdoor Education Snorkelling Camp
Tues 26 Mar	Yr 8 Music Performance 3:30pm - 4:00pm
Tues 26 Mar	Finance Committee Meeting - 5:00pm
Wed 27 Mar	Yr 7 Immunisations
Fri 29 Mar	Good Friday
Mon 1 Apr	Easter Monday
Tues 2 - Fri 5 Apr	Yr 7 Aquatics
Tues 2 Apr	Governing Council Meeting 6:00pm
Tues 2 Apr	Yr 7/8 SI Performance 3:30 - 4:00pm
Thur 4 Apr	Yr 10 Immunisations
Thur 4 - Fri 5 Apr	Yr 10 Outdoor Ed - Mount Crawford Hike
Fri 5 Apr	Yr 12 Health P.A.R.T.Y Program Excursion
Fri 12 Apr	Middle Years Achievement Assembly
Fri 12 Apr	Last Day of Term - 2:00pm Dismissal