Dear families,

Welcome back to Term 4. I really enjoy the final term of each year and the first few weeks are a particularly productive time as staff prepare for the frenetic energy towards the end of term.

As well as the warmer weather at the beginning of Term 4, I also look forward to it as it is a time where some key assessments are held and key data sets are released to us too. The key data sets include Progressive Achievement Tests (PAT) in reading and mathematics, DIBELS testing, the Student Engagement and Wellbeing Survey as well as staff and family satisfaction surveys.

I know most students and perhaps staff don’t share my enthusiasm for this testing and evaluation period, but I look forward to it as this is the time that we receive the best, most current data which allows us to understand whether the strategic work of the school across the year has had an impact and begin to plan for next year’s strategic work.

As I have all year, I will continue to share key aspects from these assessment/evaluation as part of my ongoing efforts to keep you informed of our school improvement planning and actions. Three key data sets have been released over the past week:

Student Wellbeing and Engagement Survey

Earlier this week the results of our annual Student Wellbeing and Engagement Survey were released to us. The survey is one data point that indicates that the positive changes the school has made over the past few years are having a positive impact.

Notably:

• There has been an 8% increase in students reporting high wellbeing related to School Climate
• There is an 11% increase in high wellbeing associated with student self-concept and cognitive engagement
• The wellbeing measure linked to ‘connectedness to adults’ at school has improved by 10%
• There is a 10% improvement in students’ perceptions of ‘effective teaching practices’.

Staff Satisfaction Survey

Participation rates In this survey were higher than the average over the past ten years.

Of the 38 key indicators, 26 have moved higher in a way described as ‘significant’. The school exceeds the state average in many key areas, including:

• Students feel safe at this school
• Student behaviour is well managed at this school
• The school takes staff opinions seriously
• Staff use data to plan for student learning
• Staff have appropriate resources to support student learning
• I would recommend this school to others
• Staff are supported to work together to improve and coordinate learning

Family Satisfaction Survey

Participation rates in this survey were much higher than the average over the past ten years.

Of the 30 key indicators, 19 have moved higher in a way described as ‘significant’. The school exceeds the state average in many areas, including:

• I can talk to my child’s teachers about my concerns
• Student behaviour is well managed at this school
• This school looks for ways to improve
• Staff at this school motivate my child to learn
• I feel like I am part of my school community
• My child will complete Year 12
• My child feels safe at this school
• I know how the school helps my child learn to read
• The school takes families’ opinions seriously

One of the activities on the important Professional Learning student-free day next Friday (31st October) is to further interrogate these data sets with staff and work together to plan our key strategic actions into 2026.

In my next newsletter I want to talk about the upcoming ‘Social Media restrictions’ for young people under the age of sixteen, (starting on December 10th) and explain why I am supportive of these restrictions and will be asking families to support them also. If you haven’t already, please begin to tune into these restrictions here: Social media age restrictions and your family| eSafety Commissioner

I am incredibly proud of the work the school is doing and appreciate your ongoing partnership as we work to enhance CTDHS as a high expectations, high support and high achievement school. Sharing my working day with your young people and our highly skilled, passionate and caring adults is truly a joy.

David Bryant,

Acting Principal

In Grade 4 we have some amazing architects, designers and builders with fantastic imaginations!

This creation is a Christmas Arc!  Designed to carry Christmas trees for delivery to parts of Australia whose climate may not be able to grow trees suitable for Christmas trees. The trees would be transported from an imagined plantation in Tasmania!

On Wednesday, 22nd October, Grade 5 and 6 students travelled to Kings Meadows to put their problem-solving skills to the test at Entombed Escape Rooms. Despite the gloomy weather outside, students embraced the challenge of being "trapped" in small spaces, relying on their curiosity and the clues around them to escape.

Students tackled a variety of themed rooms, including Trial of the White Rabbit, The Creepy Carnival, 2218 Baker Street, Sweet Escape, and Ghost of the Leading Lady. Each scenario required teamwork, critical thinking, and code-breaking skills.

In an impressive display of perseverance and collaboration, all groups successfully escaped within 70 minutes - just in time to catch the bus back to school! The experience provided a valuable opportunity for students to apply their knowledge in a fun, engaging, and unfamiliar environment.

Dana Fry

Grade 6 Teacher

Last Thursday, intrepid students from Grade 9/10 attended an excursion to the Poatina Buffer Dam site – the start of the Tasmanian Irrigation’s Northern Midlands Irrigation Scheme. Together with students from Bothwell, we donned hard hats and safety glasses, before circumnavigating the dam wall. Contractors were spreading grass seed on the external wall, among the first to use water from the dam in the process. We passed the gates which feed Poatina race water into the dam, and the pipes which will pump it south. We learnt about technology inserted into the wall to give warning of moisture and movement, and the importance of the spillway to the structural integrity of the wall.

The students met with engineers, project managers, machinery operators and construction supervisors, learning about career pathways and the numbers of different people involved in the construction of the irrigation project. The vast amount of rock moved from Elizabeth Town for the wall involved many truck loads for months was incredible.

Students were shown how drone technology has improved timely decision making which has reduced misplaced material, improved efficiency and saved money. They got to turn on the gates (pressed the button) and see the initial area fill. It was interesting to watch as the buffers reduced the velocity of the incoming water as it spilled out into the dam. The final activity saw the sieving of a gravel sample into 12 different sizes. It is important the gravel has just the right mix of particles to ensure it holds back the water.

The day ended with the best BBQ lunch ever.  Hazell Bros turned it on with steak, salad, cheese, snags, onions and meat patties. A very big thank you to the Hazell Bros Group, Tasmanian Irrigation and the Beacon Foundation for organising the day.

Jill Bennett

AST

All students from Senior Secondary have had the opportunity to engage in Work Placement in the last week of Term 3 and/or first week of Term 4. This is an important way for them to be in a work environment they may be interested in and to see if it could be a future career path for them.

Students went to a wide range of employers including supermarkets, service stations, childcare, quarrying, building, painting, tyres and hotel catering. Some found they are heading in the right direction, while others thought a different path was for them. Thank you to the Beacon Foundation for assisting in organising some of these placements.

Earlier in Term 3, a year 9 student also stepped into a work place for a week. This led to a School Based Apprenticeship. Congratulations Mitchell.

Thank you to the following businesses for giving students the opportunity of being in their workplace:

• Peter Evans Building
• IGA Campbell Town
• IGA Oatlands
• BP Service Station Oatlands
• Thrive Group Childcare Campbell Town
• Hazell Bros Group Raeburn Quarry
• Pride Automotive & Tyres
• Hotel Grand Chancellor
• Nathan Stokes Painting
• Beaufront Farm

Jill Bennett

AST

The Senior Secondary students worked hard this year to fulfil all criteria in their Essential Cooking course. They have overcome challenges, supported each other, mastered some great knife skills and tasted new foods.

As their final assessment pieces, they produced some creative and wholesome meals. To complete their budgeting unit, students designed, shopped for and cooked a meal within a budget of $20.00, which was to be both nutritious and delicious.

Fruit salad, omelette, pasta, salmon & veggies, burritos, and a fruit smoothie, all came in under budget and presented a taste bud adventure for all.

Always ready to upskill, they made pasta from scratch. Using spinach from the school garden; creating spinach and feta ravioli. Students learned that making ravioli requires patience as it is a slow and meticulous process - the dough needs to be smooth, rolled out thin, with enough filling to taste the flavours but not too much for it to ooze out while boiling.

A great culinary journey had by all.

Yvonne Albers

Teacher

Students are working towards completing units centred around identifying and marking livestock, and supporting in the shearing shed, so this has been the main focus of recent excursions. Last term we joined the crew at Lochiel for the marking of crossbreed lambs. Thank you Georgie Burbury for allowing students to learn about the processes in lamb marking.

It has been a difficult year to get students in to shearing sheds and we finally made it to Beaufront for the last day of their wether shearing. A very big thank you to Steve Rigby, Pete and the team for taking students under their wings and having them experience most aspects. It was great to see fleeces being thrown, wool sorted and students fitting in.

Last week we were at Beaufront again, this time for lamb marking of merinos. It was a great opportunity for students to see the differences in how different properties handle this task and be involved as part of a team. Thank you to Julian and his team.

With only a few weeks to go before Senior Secondary students finish up for the year we have some theory to complete and hopefully one more day in a shearing shed. We appreciate all the on farm trips we can do which give our students experience. Thank you to all who have assisted this year.

Jill Bennett

AST