Ava, Leopold and Joel (Year 9) are students who are completing regular physical training outside of school as well as in the "NHSPA Health & Movement Laboratory."
Each term they complete a fitness testing checklist to compare results and growth against their personal goals. It has been great to improve PB scores in vertical jump and 5km time trials!
Ensembles and Leadership
At NHSPA the Showcase season is an exciting opportunity for our HPGE students to celebrate the hard work and commitment they show all year round to their music. Students are given leadership opportunities within ensembles, such as section leaders, solos or vertical year group ensembles.
This Showcase season Khang Mai (Year 12) and Charlie Love (Year 11) both conducted ensembles. Khang conducted the Senior String Ensemble and has experience as the concert master in the Orchestra and Charlie co-directed the WOMP ensemble which she has done since 2023.
Leon (Year 9) using Desmos to showcase different layers of Mathematical equations to build a live visual.
Year 8 recently took part in an amazing cross-curricular Machine Expo, where they proudly showcased their innovative compound machines.
After weeks of research, planning, hot-gluing, cutting, and taping, the students crafted fully functioning machines that incorporated three different, interacting simple machines.
Additionally, they designed a comprehensive marketing campaign in English, which included a logo, poster, marketing strategy, and persuasive video presentation.
Well done, Year 8!
The Science faculty is hosting the Young Australians' Cancer Initiative - Cancer Masterclasses every fortnight. For the second installment, the students learnt about the immune system and the hallmarks of cancer.
Students were invited to attend the third lecture on Thursday 20 June at lunchtime in the common room. A great way to extend their understanding of science beyond the classroom!
Year 10 Design and Technology students are focusing on real-world problem-solving and tackling environmental conservation with the Possum Box project, which revolves around creating possum boxes using recycled materials.
Armed with research on Australian possum species, students are tailoring their designs to meet the specific needs of these nocturnal animals, such as the Ringtail Possum and the Brushtail Possum.
Inside the workshop, students are buzzing with creativity. Working in groups, they sketch designs, take measurements, and utilise recycled materials to craft their prototypes. Each element of the possum box is carefully considered, from the slanted roof to prevent water ingress to the strategic placement of drainage holes.
Beyond the classroom, this project has far-reaching implications for our local environment. By engaging with real-world issues, students are honing their design skills while developing a deeper understanding of their role in preserving natural habitats.
The most successful designs will be donated to a local possum shelter, providing much-needed sanctuaries for injured or orphaned possums.
As the project progresses, stay tuned for updates on the impressive creations emerging from our school.
Science Club is one of the extracurricular activities at NHSPA that any student can attend. It runs weekly on Thursdays at lunch time in the science labs. Term 2 has the focus on electronics and circuits.
19 of our NHSPA students recently attended the Perfectionism seminar. This seminar addressed 'What is Perfectionism' and an introduction to cognitive-behavioural therapy including:
Challenging Unhelpful Thinking Styles
Changing Perfectionistic Thinking
Thought Records
Mindfulness and Acceptance-based Approaches
To the right is a carousel of three resources that summarise some of what was covered in the seminar. Here is a link to the Centre for Clinical Interventions where these resources were developed:
https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/Resources/For-Clinicians/Perfectionism
Here is the link to the NHSPA HPGE (High Potential and Gifted Education) policy https://nhspa.sentral.com.au/s-g7BmZL/documents/school/#select,95 found on Sentral.