Arts Showcase

Congratulations to the Kapunda High School Arts team for the showcase evening last Wednesday evening. The night was exceptionally well attended by friends and families, which has been an encouraging theme for events across 2025. Both Music and Drama performances were a great reminder of the talent we have at Kapunda High. Well done to Carolyn Thorne, Sarah Holty, Benjamin Forster, Ella McDonald and Scott Durand for their work in preparing students for the evening.

School Connection Belonging and Engagement

Our current cycle of Passion Projects got underway in Week 5, providing an opportunity for staff and students to share common interests outside the traditional curriculum. Some examples include; How to adult, nail art, esports and mug masters. Over the coming weeks students will be invovled in their chosen Passion Project Group with a session scheduled once a fortnight. As a school community we continue to look for opportunities to foster connection and belonging. Our Passion Project initiative is one of our success stories from recent years.

Snow Trip - Parent Information Evening

A key element to the preparation for our upcoming ski trip to Mount Hotham is connecting with families to ensure students are well prepared for the adventure that lies ahead. It was great to see lots of families attend on Wednesday night to meet the staff who are finalising preparations for the camp and to hear important information regarding travel, expectations on the mountain, and most importantly, what to expect for those who have not been to the snow before. Following the weekend weather it is encouraging that we have reports of substantial snow falls at Hotham.

Cross Site Moderation

Tuesday's staff Professional Learning day was attended by teaching and support staff from both Kapunda High School and Nuriootpa High School. Teachers worked in learning area teams to moderate student work, while support staff were involved in Microsoft training and accommodating students' varying learning needs. Connecting with a site like Nuriootpa High provides staff with an opportunity to network and foster professional relationships with colleagues outside of Kapunda High School. This benefits staff at both sites by allowing them to share understanding, combine resources, and build the capacity and expertise of all involved.

Semester Changeover

Semester changeover takes place at the beginning of Week 9 with student timetables and staffing changes expected. Students will begin receiving information regarding their class allocations for next semester in preparation. Timetable information will be updated in Daymap late in Week 8.

Governing Council Meeting

Our next Governing Council meeting is scheduled for the evening of Wednesday, 25th June.

At the meeting we will be discussing a number of items to continue progressing our school. This includes dialogue around our School Improvement Planning, such as Achievement, Attendance and Behaviour strategies as well as long-term finance, policy and asset advancement of our school.

Year 11/12 Knockout Netball Monday, 16th June (T2W8)

Operation Flinders Begins Monday, 16th June (T2W8)

White Card Course Wednesday, 18th June (T2W8)

Semester 2 Begins Monday, 23rd June (T2W9)

Year 7/8 Knockout Netball Tuesday, 24th June (T2W9)

Governing Council Meeting Wednesday, 25th June (T2W9)

Centenary Foundation Year 12 Information Session Wednesday, 2nd July (T2W10)

Last Day of Term 2 Friday, 4th July (T2W10)

Snow Trip Saturday, 19th July- Saturday 26th July (T3W1)

First Day of Term 3 Monday, 21st July (T3W1)

On Tuesday, 3rd June our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Learners visited the Barossa Bushgardens for a special Reconciliation Week event. Students were able to learn from Ngadjuri Elder, Quenten Agius, Peramangk woman, Courtney Hunter-Hebberman, Kaurna man, James Agius and Arrernte man Sonny Moray about many interesting topics. History and stories were shared, lessons on how the right fire can heal country, and knowledge about traditional tools and their uses for hunting, culture and ceremony. Students enjoyed a lunch of damper served with native jams.

On Thursday, 29th May our Year 7 & 8 Basketball teams travelled to Balaklava to participate in the Statewide Basketball Competition. Both the girls and the boys teams demonstrated amazing teamwork and sportsmanship. Hamish, one of our Year 12 students, coached the boys team. Charli (Year 10) and Tayla (Year 11) assisted with umpiring. Both teams ranked fourth, so will not advance through to the next round. However, it was still a great day out. Well done everyone!

When? From Term 3 Week 2

Approximately: July 30th-August 13th 

Details 

Kapunda High School is hosting 10 Japanese students from Meiji Universities High School in Tokyo (Hachioji), Japan. Kapunda High School will be the key contact and support for the students while they are at Kapunda High. We will organise two excursions, one to the Gorge Wildlife Park and Whispering Wall and the second to Adelaide to visit the Central Market and the South Australia Museum. 

Benefits 

• Enrich your understanding of a different culture 

• Build a personal connection with Japan 

• Free Working with Children Clearance for every member of the household over 18 

• Host family students (if they attend Kapunda High) attend the excursions as buddies to support their host students 

• A small stipend for hosting the students 

Host family responsibilities 

• Provide a bed for the student to sleep in (shared room is fine) 

• Provide meals for the student Breakfast, lunch and dinner 

• Be prepared for every member of the host family to have a Working With Children’s Check 

• Be prepared for the Supervising Teacher (Scott Durand) do a very quick home visit before the host experience 

Key Contact person for your support 

  Scott Durand 

                Contact: 85662203 

Email: scott.durand752@schools.sa.edu.au 

On Wednesday, 4th June we held our Arts Presentation Evening. For an audience of family members and staff, the Year 11 and 12 Music students performed in the Music Room.

Year 8/9 Drama Productions

As with our new semester program at KHS, students learn and perform a short play as part of their learning in Drama. We saw excellent turn outs from families who, for our Year 8 show, gave us a full house. This has humbled me and the team of teachers and students who were involved. We are seeing this group of performers really show their skills and passions. It was a pleasure to see all who came and thank everyone for their attendance, engagement and effort. Special thanks to Miss McDonald on completing her very first production as a teacher. Well done to all. 

Benjamin Forster 
Drama Teacher

On Wednesday of Week 7 (11th June), our Year 9/10 Knockout Netball team took to the courts at Immanuel College, facing off against some of the Division 1 schools in Round 1 of the Knockout competition. Despite limited preparation, the girls showcased determination, talent, and impressive teamwork throughout the day. 

The team – Jas Vanicky, Layla Valentine, Emily Gambling, Peyton Burgess, Nicole Jones, Olivia Leslie, Grace Menzel, Stella Ryan, Lorelei Markwick, and Charli Zivic – played three competitive matches. 

Game 1 vs Blackwood 
We had a slow start but came to life in the second quarter, taking a narrow two-goal lead into half-time. However, momentum shifted again, and a few errors in the second half saw Blackwood take advantage. Final score: 28–18. 
Best on court: Olivia Leslie, for her consistent pressure and strong leads. 

Game 2 vs Marryatville 
The girls bounced back brilliantly, starting with energy and purpose to lead by 8 at quarter-time. It was a full team performance with every player contributing to a commanding 35–18 win. 
Best on court: The entire team – a true collaborative effort! 

Game 3 vs Immanuel (Host School) 
Our toughest match of the day was against a well-drilled Immanuel side, many of whom play regularly together. We struggled early to adapt to their structured style, and while we improved throughout the game, the final score was 36–21. 
Best on court: Peyton Burgess, for her resilience and composure under pressure. 

A huge thank you to our drivers – Marni Vanicky, Alyssa Markwick, and Emma Valentine, and to Tania Leslie for supporting with transport to Gawler. Your help was greatly appreciated. 

Special thanks to Charli Zivic, who stepped into the coaching role for the day after sustaining an injury over the long weekend. Charli took the reins with maturity and did a great job navigating positional changes and supporting her teammates from the sideline – not an easy task! 

We also want to wish Grace Menzel a big Happy Birthday – what a way to spend it, representing your school on the netball court and Yochi afterwards.  

While we didn’t advance through, the girls proved that with a bit more training and time to gel as a team, they have what it takes to match it with the best. You’ve made your school proud. 

Megan Samain
Coach

On Monday, 2nd June our Open Girls Football team competed in round one of the Statewide Girls Football Competition. The girls won both of their games, and will advance through to the next round. Year 12 student Cooper also assisted with umpiring on the day. Amazing job everyone!

On Tuesday and Thursday of Week 5, Stage 1 Media Studies students went on a walking excursion to several locations around Kapunda. As part of their advertising unit, students selected an aspect of Kapunda to promote, and captured footage to use as part of their advertisements. The angles chosen include history, great places to eat and nature attractions. Students will use their knowledge of advertising techniques to transform their footage into moving and image-based advertisements.

Miss Ella McDonald
Media Studies Teacher

Year 10 Business Students Explore Local Enterprises in Kapunda 

As part of their Business curriculum, our Year 10 students recently took part in an engaging excursion to explore how local hospitality businesses operate in the real world. The visit included three unique and inspiring venues: Lil Mo’s Bakery & Café, 2B Nourished and the Kapunda Café and Restaurant. 

Students had the opportunity to observe how each business is run—from customer service and product offerings to pricing, signage, branding and the use of technology. They explored the ways each business targets its market, attracts and retains customers and adapts to current challenges in the hospitality industry. 

The undisputed highlight of the day? The Kapunda Café and Restaurant chicken and chips won over just about every student.  And the teachers!  The dish left a lasting impression and sparked conversations about what makes a small-town restaurant thrive.  We will definitely be visiting again.   

The excursion supports a current assessment task in which students reflect on their observations and propose a business improvement idea.  This allows them to develop their entrepreneurial thinking and real-world understanding of small business operations. 

We thank all the local businesses for their warm hospitality and for giving our students such valuable learning experiences. 

Mike Hemphill
Business Teacher

$20 Boss – Student Entrepreneurs in Action!  

This term, our Year 8students are participating in the $20 Boss program, where they each receive $20 in start-up capital to create and run their own small business.  

From handmade products to games and food stalls, students are developing real-world skills in creativity, teamwork, budgeting, and entrepreneurship. It’s learning by doing – and they’re thriving!  

We’re looking forward to seeing their hard work come to life at our upcoming Market Day on June 19th for the rest of the Y8 students 

We had to reschedule $20 Boss and it will now run at these times. 

This is a great opportunity for students in year 8 to develop a business and practical skills from running a business. 

$20 Boss Thursday 19/06 During Lesson 1 and 2. 

Y7s will have the opportunity to participate in the $20 boss as customers during lesson 1 and 2 on Thursday 19 June. 

Y7s will attend from 9:30 to 10am. 

Please bring some money to purchase food items, products and access carnival games with prizes. 

$20 Boss Thursday 19/06 During Lesson 2. 

Y9s will have the opportunity to participate in the $20 boss as customers during lesson 1 and 2 on Thursday 19 June. 

Y9s will attend from 9:50 to 10:20am. 

Please bring some money to purchase food items, products and access carnival games with prizes. 

If a student requires a bus pass, we ask that parents please send them to school with a note. The note should include:

• Name
• Date of bus trip
• Reason (sport, family, visiting a friend) 
• Parent name and signature

Students should then bring their parent note to Reception where our staff will fill out a school bus pass on their behalf. 

With the exception of the Gawler LinkSA passenger bus, and the Hewett express bus, students require a bus pass to travel on our departmental buses.