School Newsletter - Term 3 - Week 10
Principal's Report
Dear families,
Over the past few weeks, a lot of planning has been going into our transition programs. Pre-Kinder will begin next term as an important transition from pre-school to more formal schooling. As a small school within a connected community, we pride ourselves on offering big opportunities in curriculum, learning and student wellbeing and support. Enrolments are still open for Kindergarten in 2025 and all students enrolling with us are encouraged to attend the Pre-Kinder sessions.
At the other end of schooling, lots of planning and preparation has been going into introducing a VET Course for Year 11/12 students at Bothwell DHS in 2025 as part of our Senior Secondary Provision. We will be running VET Workplace Skills next year, where Year 11/12 students can obtain a Certificate qualification on successful completion of the course. The VET Course can be undertaken in combination with an enrolment in VLT (Virtual Learning Courses) as well as TCE study supported at school. All of these courses contribute towards students receiving their TCE. Students in years 9 and 10 will also be introduced to Work Readiness Modules next year with the opportunity to gain skills and knowledge about business studies and enterprise. This is all part of our aim to include Work Readiness and Experience from Year 9 at Bothwell in 2025.
We welcome all enrolment enquiries from Kinder to Year 12 via our online enrolment form: https://forms.office.com/r/1a63aTcAaX, or through calling or emailing the school.
At our most recent School Association meeting, our 2025 School Uniform and Dress Code policy was approved. Thank you to families who contributed to the recent uniform survey. A full copy of the policy can be found on our website: Uniform Policy - Bothwell District High School (education.tas.edu.au). Recently, a uniform order form has been sent home to all families and spare copies can be obtained from the front office.
If you have been following our social media posts, Seesaw and through reading the learning showcases in this newsletter below, you will see that we have had a very productive end to Term 3.
Our secondary students had the opportunity to visit the University of Tasmanian to participate in a STEM learning experience and Careers Information Session. Recently the Hobart Sustainability Centre visited our school and students participated in a series of hands-on and engaging STEAM-related activities held in our Ag Studies Building.
Our students have been cooking with school-grown produce as part of their Food and Fibre learning, including harvesting broccoli and mushrooms as well as cooking with eggs from our chickens.
This week, our Kinder to Year 2 students had the opportunity to visit Richmond and experienced the Richmond Maze. The Year 7-10 students have learnt from a number of guest speakers in relation to their local geography studies.
Seven of our senior students represented Bothwell in the Merino Challenge. The Merino Challenge is the culmination of months of learning about sheep handling through their Agricultural Studies learning with Ms Burrill. Some of our students also participated in the Sheep Expo at Campbell Town. As a part of the Expo, the students participated in a sheep judging competition. Our students stepped out of their comfort zone and participated in a sheep judging workshop, and then they took part in a competition.
Well done to Keeley who won 2nd place in the Novice section and Robert won 3rd place in the Intermediate section. The students should be proud of their efforts.
Congratulations to all of the staff and students involved in the Merino Challenge.
Our planning is continuing to progress for our Year 6 – 8 Canberra Trip for 2025. We have managed to secure a Fundraising BBQ at the Glenorchy Bunnings store in the Summer Holidays on Saturday 11th January. Please Save the Date! We hope to see many of our Bothwell families pay us a visit to purchase a sausage and drink and to support our students. We also hope to sell raffle tickets for a hamper. If you have, or know of someone, who would like to donate an item to the hamper (gift vouchers included), please get in contact with us. A reminder that we are also currently selling raffle tickets for the firewood raffle to be drawn in May next year.
Wishing everyone a safe and well-deserved end of term break. We look forward to seeing our students refreshed and ready for learning on Monday 14th October.
Once again Congratulations to all of the staff and students involved in the Merino Challenge.
Our planning is continuing to progress for our Year 6 – 8 Canberra Trip for 2025. We have managed to secure a Fundraising BBQ at the Glenorchy Bunnings store in the Summer Holidays on Saturday 11th January. Please Save the Date! We hope to see many of our Bothwell families pay us a visit to purchase a sausage and drink and to support our students. We also hope to sell raffle tickets for a hamper. If you have, or know of someone, who would like to donate an item to the hamper (gift vouchers included), please get in contact with us. A reminder that we are also currently selling raffle tickets for the firewood raffle to be drawn in May next year.
Wishing everyone a safe and well-deserved end of term break. We look forward to seeing our students refreshed and ready for learning on Monday 14th October.
Kindest regards,
Erika Boas
Principal
Reading Focus
Our teachers have been using the Bothwell Explicit Instruction Model when teaching reading this year. Miss Dilger shares each instructional step of ‘I do, you do, we do’ with her class through the representation of a dial on her classroom chart. The students have become really familiar with the lesson structure.
Our Wellbeing Focus:
As part of our Positive Behaviour Support work, we are starting to introduce the language of restorative practices at Bothwell DHS. We are supporting students to ‘deal with problems when they are small’ to help navigate dealing with conflict. Our focus value during restorative conversations is ‘Being responsible’. As we say to our students, we only ever expect you to take responsibility for your own actions. If these actions have caused hurt or harm to others, then being able to acknowledge the hurt/ harm, taking responsibility for your part in this, and then taking actions to restore the situation and move forward are all important steps. We encourage families to have conversations with young people about the value of ‘Being Responsible’ and what it means to ‘Step up and do what’s right’.
Learning Showcase:
Prep Science
Prep students in their weekly Friday science lessons with Mrs Wise have been studying the physics of movement. As a part of this course the students have been designing a toy which has a feature that enables it to move. The first week they had to draw the toy, name it and write about its features. The second week they had lots of fun making a model of their toy with clay ready to colour it in the third (this) week.
1/2
1/2s have been working with our School Health Nurse Hilary to learn about the importance of sleep. We discussed what habits we should be doing before bed, and what we should avoid. Getting off screens early to help us sleep! We made a sleep clock to show us the steps we take to get ready for bed.
3/4
3/ 4 Class have been learning about procedural texts and have been looking at the language and details used when providing instructions. After writing a text on ‘how to make a cheese sandwich’ the students watched as Miss Pennicott read and followed their recipes.
5/6 Science
The 5/6 science class with Mrs Wise have been studying a unit of work on electrical circuits. The culminating project for this unit of work was for the students to create a model of anything they like to include at least one electrical circuit. Some of the students have designed mini houses, a truck and a plane.
5/6 Learning – Natural Disasters
During term 3, we have investigated natural disasters learning about how to identify various examples and the effects they have both short term and long term on the world. Students have completed investigations and researched inquiry questions. We have also conducted various experiments that simulate types of natural disasters (including storms, floods and volcanic eruptions).
7-10 English
The students have been very excited to start rehearsing parts for the Christmas pantomime to be held in Term 4 as the culmination of our 2024 English program. Already we have seen so many students wanting to engage with the various roles and having fun trying to add a Bothwell context to the script. We have noticed a huge improvement in student ability to read out loud and the confidence that they are gaining is noticeable. We will be calling out for help with some props that we need for the performance.
7/8: Geography
The students have been learning about the Clyde River as part of their geography studies.
This has involved a trip to the Clyde River in Bothwell when it was in flood to observe how the river tracks when in flood. We also looked at the infrastructure around Bothwell that supports the water catchment, for example the stormwater drains. We witnessed the grates doing their job and keeping unwanted rubbish and materials out of the drains that ultimately land in the Clyde River.
John Ramsay came to the school to talk to the students about local farming practices and the impacts on the water catchment. He also gave us an in-depth discussion about the 3 types of irrigation systems in the Clyde River Catchment area.
This Friday we will be going on another fieldwork trip, once again to the Clyde River near Bothwell where Jonah from Inland Fisheries will be conducting an electrofishing data collection demonstration. Students will be collecting the data which they will later analyse.
9/10 Geography
The 9/10’s are undertaking a Virtual field work tour of the Upper Clarence River in NSW. While we are studying the Clarence River and the impact of the Cat’s Claw Creeper, we are trying to mirror the impacts of the Willow on the Clyde River Catchment.
As part of our field work, we have visited the Clyde River at Bothwell whilst in flood and noting the impacts that the willows had on the river. We were very lucky to have John Ramsay visit the school to give a local context to the impacts of farming in the Clyde River Catchment area and the benefits that irrigation has brought to the region. Thank you, John, for your time.
This Friday, the students are attending a field work trip to capture and record native and non-native species in the Clyde River. This is being conducted by Jonah from Inland Fisheries and Mel from the Derwent Catchment Project who will be testing the water quality in the river.
Narrative Writing
9/10:
In English, the Year 9/10 students have been crafting their own mystery narratives as well as reading a chosen suspense novel. You can read a couple of the completed stories below:
Behind the door
I glance towards my alarm clock, blinking profusely as the bright red numbers blur into each other, slowly becoming more visible as my tired eyes adjust to the light. My tiredness making sense as 3:00 am flashes back at me. Turning over, I hear a noise, a creak above me, freezing; I hold my breath, my ears burning as I’m met with silence. It’s only your vivid imagination Violet, I hear my parents reminding me and maybe it is but as another creak sounds, I know this is real. As I hide under my blankets hoping this will curb my scaredness I’m met with the realisation, it is coming from the attic.
The birds chirping outside alerts me that the world is starting to wake and the strange noises from early this morning return to my mind. I quickly sit up. Surely there must be a reasonable explanation, maybe Mum and Dad heard the noises too. I slowly make my way around the house looking to see if I can find them. When I hear heavy footsteps coming down the old rickety stairs from the attic rounding the corner I see my dad breathing heavily as he takes the last few steps meeting me at the landing.
“What are you doing? Did you hear the noises too? They were coming from the attic,” I ask a spark of curiosity biting at me as I wait for a reply.
“Just looking for something,” he replies hastily.
My Mum appears beside me humming to herself. Turning, I repeat my unanswered question to her.
They both share a look before Mum answers, “No I didn’t. I’m sure it was nothing”.
They both turn abruptly and head in the opposite direction towards the kitchen, leaving me feeling annoyed by how unfazed they were about the noises I heard. They don’t believe me unless something else was happening without my knowledge. I slowly creep along the hall towards the now shut kitchen door and listen when I hear low voices. At first, I can only make out snippets of their conversation but now my dad’s voice lifts, and I finally realise why they were vague before.
Standing back, I take in what I have just heard. My uncle is caught up in a murder investigation and is hiding from the police. My mind is blurred with confusion. How could something like this be happening? I don’t know why, but I start to think about the noises from the attic, again trying to push them away as I go back to my room and get ready for the day ahead. As I walk past the stairs leading to our attic my curiosity gets the better of me. Taking the creaky wooden steps one at a time I reach the top step, the door to the attic lurking ahead. My hand rests on the handle ready to open it when....
“STOP!! GET DOWN NOW.” I turned to see my dad’s face etched with worry.
“I just wanted to see what made the noises. Why can’t I go up there?” I ask.
“Because I said so. Stay away from the attic. It’s dangerous,” he says waiting for me to descend the stairs.
I’m worried about my dad, but I don’t want to make things worse, so I go back to my room and go over all the strange things that have taken place today. Feeling like a detective, I write down all the information I have gathered in my notebook and spend hours thinking of possible scenarios. Later that night as we sit down to our dinner of homemade pizza, I notice my parents are still acting oddly and I cannot help but wonder if there is some connection between the disappearance of my uncle and the noises I heard in the attic. Surely my parents would not help my uncle hide from the police.
Quickly demolishing my delicious Hawaiian pizza, I take my empty plate to the sink, where I am met with the scent of lime detergent. I hear Dad’s chair scrape along the wooden floor as he rises from the table and then his heavy footsteps going down the hallway. That’s strange I think to myself, where is he taking his plate? I follow behind slowly making sure to not make any noise.
CREAK…
Holding my breath, I pray he doesn’t turn and see me snooping. This would only make his secretive behaviour worse. Waiting until he is out of sight, I begin following again, hearing the familiar noise of the complaining attic stairs as I catch a glimpse of my dad climbing the final step holding the plate of pizza. He quickly opens the door and sneaks in, shutting it firmly behind him. Now I know someone is in the attic and I’m sure it is my uncle.
Standing outside waiting feels like an eternity but only a few minutes have passed. Finally, the handle of the door slowly turns, I run to my bedroom and lay down staring at the white ceiling. All I can imagine is flashing police lights outside as an officer takes my dad away. Standing up suddenly, I realise I need to see for myself. Not caring if I make any noise, I race down the hall and up the stairs until I’m standing at the door, suddenly scared. It takes all my courage as I reach for the handle.
Opening the door I am met with complete darkness. As some light filters in I look around the cluttered space. Hearing a strange noise, I freeze, and I'm met with a pair of red eyes watching me. Screaming as the eyes move closer, I hold my shaky breath, now registering what is in front of me. I can’t believe it; a brush-tail possum. Breathing a sigh of relief, I shut the door behind me and sink down on the top step listening to the hurried footsteps of my parents.
If that is a possum where is my uncle?
The Clockmaker
In the quaint village of Willowbrook, where time seemed to slow, the local clockmaker, Elbert Thorne, was a figure of both admiration and mystery. His shop, nestled between the ivy-clad walls of an ancient building, was a testament to his skill, showcasing a myriad of timepieces, each meticulously crafted.
One stormy evening, the tranquillity of the shop was shattered. Elbert was found dead beside an intricately designed grand clock, which had recently been returned for repair. The clock was peculiar, its golden face adorned with intricate patterns and a nameplate that read, “For Elbert Thorne.”
Detective Clara Hayes was called to the scene the following morning. The shop, filled with the steady ticking of numerous clocks, seemed to hold its breath in the wake of the tragedy. As Clara began her investigation, she noted something unusual about the clocks lining the walls.
Each clock had a name, and a time inscribed on its back. The inscriptions were visible only upon close inspection, revealing a chilling pattern. Clara’s attention was drawn to the grand clock beside Elbert’s body. It had a nameplate that read, “James Harrow, 2:30,” indicating that James Harrow had died at 2:30. The grand clock had stopped at 3:15, the time of Elbert’s death.
As Clara examined the shop, she found several other clocks with similar inscriptions:
- “Martha Green, 4:00”
- “Edward Blake, 7:15”
- “Lydia Shaw, 9:45”
The names and times seemed oddly specific. Clara queried Margaret, Elbert’s elderly assistant, who mentioned that the clocks had been a recent addition. “Elbert was always so secretive about his work,” Margaret said. “He started this project a few months ago. I never understood why.”
Clara interviewed the villagers connected to the names on the clocks. First was George Harrow, the grandson of James Harrow. George was anxious and evasive, his alibi for the time of James’s death uncertain. Next was Martha Green’s daughter, Emily, who was distraught over her mother’s death. Emily had an alibi for the time listed but revealed that Martha had been involved in a bitter dispute with Elbert over the grand clock’s repair.
Clara also spoke with Edward Blake, a local businessman, and Lydia Shaw, a reclusive artist. Both were puzzled by the clocks and their inscriptions. However, Edward’s alibi was solid, and Lydia, though a bit secretive, seemed genuinely surprised by the clocks’ connection to the deaths.
The breakthrough came when Clara discovered a hidden drawer in the grand clock’s base. Inside were a series of notes and documents detailing the events leading up to each person’s death. Each note had a time and name, matching those on the clocks, but also included a disturbing pattern; each person had been involved in a conflict or scandal involving Elbert.
The notes revealed that Elbert had been documenting these scandals, and the clocks were a morbid tribute to his ability to predict or perhaps influence the deaths of those he had wronged or who had wronged him. The grand clock had been designed to serve as a final statement of his control over the village’s fate.
Clara’s suspicions turned to Julian Hawke, the local historian, who had frequently visited Elbert. Julian was a person of interest in the village’s scandals and had a strained relationship with Elbert. Clara discovered that Julian had been seen arguing with Elbert about the grand clock shortly before the murder. Julian’s fingerprints were found on the clock’s glass, and the time of Elbert’s death, 3:15, aligned with Julian’s presence in the shop.
Confronted with the evidence, Julian confessed. He had been involved in the scandals documented by Elbert and feared exposure. In a desperate act to silence Elbert, Julian had killed him, intending to destroy the grand clock and the incriminating records. But he had failed to notice that Elbert had hidden crucial evidence in the clock itself.
Julian was arrested, and the village was left to grapple with the implications of Elbert’s project. The clocks, with their inscribed names and times, continued their relentless ticking, serving as a grim reminder of the dark secrets and the lives intertwined with Elbert’s enigmatic legacy.
Secondary Visit to the University of Tasmania (UTAS)
Some of our secondary students had a wonderful STEM Taster Day at the University of Tasmania recently. Thank you to Melissa, Harriet, Bianca, Dougal and Ellen for organising the hands-on activities as part of our first UTAS Big Day Out. After a big Uni lunch, the students also participated in a scavenger hunt and a talk about future career pathways. Thank you to UTAS for providing a transport grant to enable this opportunity.
7/8 Art
Students have been working on a class mural – an enlargement of Vincent van Gogh’s, Starry Starry Night. The mural will be completed soon and will be one item on display at the end of the year during the Final Presentation Assembly.
Careers
Danielle (1 day) and Isabella (2 days) had the opportunity this week to participate in a Girls in Power program being run by Tas Hydro.
On the first day, we visited Meadowbank Power Station where we were very lucky to witness the dam wall in action and overflowing though both gates. We went on a tour of the power station as well as having the opportunity to get up close to the water flowing over the gates. We were taken into the wall where there was a lot of equipment and lots of buttons and levers! We were unable to take photos, but we all thought we were very lucky to have had the opportunity to experience this.
The remainder of the day included learning about how Tas Hydro works as well as the opportunities available for women in the power and renewable energy industry. This included Speed Careering with 8 people who told us all about their pathways to Tas Hydro. They were wide and varied.
Day 2, we travelled to the Tas Hydro Cambridge workshop where we saw machinery in action and were able to see the various parts that are being refurbished and remade. There were some really cool bits of machinery, some that were the only 1 in the southern hemisphere. The students were then able to participate in activities that replicated how a power station works and how power is generated. Isabella then teamed up with other students to build a new power transmission tower. Sadly, theirs collapsed under weight but they learnt a lot and most importantly the soft skills of teamwork and communication. After lunch Isabella had the opportunity to pair with a student from Kingston High School to work out where a new Hydro Power Station should be constructed in Tasmania. This activity involved teamwork, maths, communication, budgeting and has been a wonderful experience. Thank you to Gina and the team at Tas Hydro for a wonderful 2 days and making this opportunity available to our students.
Sustainability Centre Visit
Young Archies Art Competition
Congratulations to Annie (Year 9) and Hannah (Year 10) for recently entering the Young Archies Art Competition. Their creatives portraits are shown below.
Cooking with Brigette
On the 12th, September our students made Sticky Chicken or Spicy Chicken Bao Buns.
We hope all the families are enjoying the cooking.
On the Thursday 19th September some students cooked Smartie & Rice Bubble biscuits.
They were fun to cook.
Library Book Week Activities
Self-portraits, where made by class 1/2 and 3/4 for book week activities.
'Raised by Moths' was a story read to the Class 1/2 students. They then done the activity pictured below.
This is on display in our school library.
Celebrating student success:
Award Recipients – Term 3, Week 8 Assembly
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Kinder/Prep | Brooklyn M Value: Growth Reason: For demonstrating more consistent engagement across all learning areas. | Xavier R Value: Growth Reason: For approaching all Maths learning with positivity and enthusiasm. |
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Grd /1/2 | Lukas M Value: Growth For identifying his numbers from 1-10 and participating well in activities.
| Archie E B Value: Growth For working hard to improve in his reading |
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Grd 3/4 | Evie H Value: Growth For applying herself and making sizeable progress with her reading | Jasmin P Value: Be a learner For showing growth and enthusiasm towards her learning |
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Grd 5/6 | Daniel P Value: Growth For his perseverance towards completing learning tasks. | Chloe E Value: Responsibility Being studious and productive towards her learning and new challenges. |
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Grd 7/8 | Jack W Value: Be a learner Reason: For always working to his best capacity in both his maths and his science. | Harley M Value: Be a learner & Be responsible Reason: For handing in his English Assessment task in by the due date. |
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Grd 9/ 10 | Kate B Value: Courage Reason: For having the courage to recognise and ask for help as she needs it to apply herself more fully to her maths work. | Harrison B Value: Being a learner Reason: For always working to the best of his ability in English. He repeatedly asks for feedback and acts on the feedback. | Danielle B Value: For being a learner Reason: For always working to the best of her ability in English. She repeatedly asks for feedback and acts on the feedback. |
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Specialist | PE: Kaitlyn H For exceptional participation, teamwork skills and motivating sportsmanship shown towards her peers. |
| Daniel P For his high skill level achieved on various musical instruments |
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Whole School Values | Robert P – for undertaking all tasks with enthusiasm and passion. For inspiring all students to participate in school activities. For demonstrating excellent leadership. |
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From our student leaders:
We will be holding a Colour Run and Sports Afternoon next term. More details to come. The day will include a fundraising BBQ. Students will be asked to bring a gold coin donation to go towards the purchase of Colour for the run and the BBQ. More details to come.
House Writing
Students are encouraged to enter the House Writing Competition. All entries to be submitted to your class teacher. Selected winning entries will be published in an anthology of writing.
Celebrating Student Success
Congratulations to Harley of year 7 who recently received the award for NNJFC U13 best new player.
Congratulations to Kaitlyn for being named best player in the U14 NNJFC Finals.
On Sunday, Brodie S and Brock W played in there Under 18 Grand Final for Clarence. They played against North Hobart. They both played a terrific game. Clarence came away with a 55-24 win.
Reminders:
Raffle Tickets are on sale at the front office and some of our local Bothwell businesses. The prize is 10 tonnes of firewood, and the prize includes delivery.
Other Messages:
A reminder that Pre-Kinder sessions begin next term (details in the flyer below). For enquiries around Kindergarten Enrolments, please get in touch with the main office.
