I’m incredibly proud of the work happening across our school and look forward to continuing our momentum into Term 2.
As we wrap up Term 1, I want to take a moment to reflect on what has been a vibrant, productive, and rewarding start to the year at Central Yorke School.
Meet the Teacher Night
We kicked off the term with our Meet the Teacher Night, where staff went above and beyond to present their classrooms and welcome families. The warmth and pride on display were clear. We’re already looking at ways to adjust the format next year to encourage even greater engagement.
Leaders’ Induction Ceremony
One of the highlights of the term was our Leaders’ Induction Ceremony. It was fantastic to see so many community members join us in celebrating our new student leaders across the school.
Elections were held for House Captains, Prefects, the SRC, and our Year 12 Mentors. I’m also excited to share that SRC members will be meeting with the local Rotary Club next term to present their proposal for a new seating area at school.
Special congratulations go to Kirene Newchurch for being selected as a SA Rural Youth Ambassador and to Rhys Heinrich for his appointment to the South Australian Student Representative Committee—both are fantastic achievements.
Literacy Foundations
We’ve continued to build a strong foundation in literacy this term, with our Junior Primary teachers working closely with Literacy Coach Kate Knill and internal support from Chelsey Caputo.
Di Neilson and Jackie Smart have also done an outstanding job coordinating reading intervention programs. A real highlight was the Year 7/8 Market Showcase, where students used their English and HASS skills to develop and present their own business ideas.
First Nations Program
Our First Nations programs have gone from strength to strength.
The Learning on Country sessions for Years 3–6 were a great success, and we were proud to host several SAASTA and SAASTA Connect events. These experiences continue to build confidence, cultural identity, and leadership for our First Nations students. Our ACEO team has done an incredible job connecting with families and supporting student attendance.
Other calendar highlights
It was fantastic to see families take part in our Three-Way Learning Conversations this term. Staff reported strong, meaningful discussions, and I know families appreciated the chance to connect in person.
Our calendar has been full of highlights, from the Maitland Show and the AFL Premiership Cup visit to the Year 7/8 Aquatics Camp and the Primary and Secondary Interschool Carnivals.
Just this week, we were proud to send seven CYS athletes to Mile End to represent the Yorke Peninsula at the State Athletics Championships.
Resilience & teamwork
I also want to thank our staff and students for showing resilience and teamwork during some unexpected challenges—whether it was power outages or bus disruptions, the calm and collaborative approach made all the difference.
We also ran our required evacuation and lockdown drills to keep our safety practices strong!
Thank you to all our students, staff, and families for your energy, support, and commitment this term. I’m incredibly proud of the work happening across our school and look forward to continuing our momentum into Term 2.
Wishing everyone a safe and restful break.
Kind Regards,