It has been a wonderful start to Term 4, and I’d like to acknowledge some of the fantastic things happening around Huonville High.

I’d like to begin by extending my sincere thanks to Clint Rottier for stepping into the Acting Principal role while I was on leave. The school was certainly in great hands during that time—thank you Clint, for your leadership, support, and commitment to our school community.

A huge thank you to our HPE team for organising such a wonderful carnival in week 2. These events are such valuable culture-building days for our school community, bringing students and staff together in a spirit of fun, teamwork, and pride.

Over the holidays, Marcus Thalmann worked tirelessly—through rain, hail, and sunshine—to complete the landscaping for our new front garden, replacing the area where the old Blackwood tree was damaged in the January storm. The result looks fantastic—thank you, Marcus, for your dedication and hard work. Marcus will be doing some lower level planting soon to complete the front landscaping.

During the term break we had new wheel stops installed in the bus park to keep the footpath clear and safe for pedestrians, as well as bollards to protect the entrance area from vehicle traffic. We also have had the pothole near the crossing on the recreation ground side, which was often a large puddle and safety concern for students during wet weather, filled. These improvements make a real difference to safety and accessibility for everyone.

Inside the school, one of our Music rooms and its practice rooms have received a much-needed fresh coat of paint. The space now looks bright and welcoming—we hope staff and students enjoy this update!

Looking ahead, there’s a lot to be excited about this term, with lots of excursions planned – check the school calendar on our internet page. Last week was our Bruny Island Camp. What a great experience and success. It’s wonderful to see our students taking part in such enriching learning experiences beyond the classroom.

Thank you to all our staff, students, and families for your ongoing support and enthusiasm. Huonville High continues to thrive because of the strength of our community.

Kindly

Janelle Reeves
Principal

Once again, Huonville High School is proud to take part in the annual Remembrance Day Service, which will begin at approximately 10:40 am at the Huonville Cenotaph.

This important occasion provides our students and community with the opportunity to honour and remember those who have served and sacrificed for our country.

We are also expecting a special RAAF Flypast at around 11:00 am, marking the moment of remembrance in a truly memorable way.

Following the service, a light morning tea will be served in the Scout Hall, and all are warmly invited to attend.

What a way to start the term! Our Athletics Carnival saw the Banksia Knights (Red), Grevillea Vikings (Blue) and Hakea Bandits (White) go head-to-head in a day full of energy, colour and school spirit. After a fierce battle across the track and field, Grevillea claimed the Carnival Crown — their first victory in over five years!

It was fantastic to see students proudly wearing their house colours and giving every event their all. A special shoutout goes to the 50+ students who joined in a dance-off featuring the Nutbush and the Macarena — serious style points all around!

Over the past few weeks, students in all grades have been busily completing their PAT (Progressive Achievement Tests) in reading and  mathematics.

Teachers have been thrilled to see the growth shown across the school, with many students improving on their results from last year. These achievements highlight the progress and hard work that has taken place in classrooms throughout 2025.

The results will help teachers continue to build on this success, ensuring every student is supported to keep moving forward in their learning.

A big thank you goes to all staff for organising and supporting the testing process so smoothly, and to our students for their focus, persistence, and positive attitude. We’re incredibly proud of everyone’s progress and growth this year and look forward to sharing more detailed results in the coming weeks.

Hello Year 7 and 8 Families

As the year draws to a close, we celebrate the growth and achievements of our students — both academically and socially. Our Year 7s are preparing to explore new option subjects, while our Year 8s get ready to transition into the senior years. It’s been a busy but rewarding year, and we’re confident our students will finish strongly!

In Homeroom, students have built strong connections and embraced the idea of being “overprepared rather than underprepared.” Morning routines and activities help set a positive tone for learning, so please remind your young person to arrive on time. Our Personal and Social Capability (PSC) program has focused on community, with students collaborating in “Community Groups” to explore what it means to contribute to our school community.

Our Teaching and Learning updates outline the focus areas for each subject this term—please take a moment to review them and discuss what’s happening in class with your young person. We appreciate your ongoing support and encourage families to attend upcoming interviews to connect with teachers and celebrate learning progress.

Hello Year 9 and 10 Families

 It’s here — the final term of 2025! Hard to believe we’ve reached this point already. It’s been a busy, full, and rewarding year — and the pace isn’t slowing down just yet. The weeks ahead promise a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it program of activity, celebration, and learning.

Our Year 10s are entering an exciting and emotional stretch — their final term together as a cohort. Over the next nine weeks, they’ll be navigating a mix of pride, anticipation, and maybe a few nerves as they wrap up their high school journey as a cohort. The PSC program in Home Room continues to play a key role, covering practical life and study skills, economics and finance, and those ever-important teamwork and leadership activities through their working groups.

Their core subject exams in Week 7 will be a major milestone, with Week 6 devoted to revision and preparation.

As always, our Year 10s will be out in force supporting the primary school swimming carnivals, continuing their reputation as capable, kind, and positive role models for younger students.

Meanwhile, our Year 9s are beginning their own transition into senior leadership — stepping up as the next group of role models. We’re incredibly proud of how far they’ve come, and we know they’ll rise to the challenge of filling those “big shoes” left by the Year 10s. This term, their PSC program will focus on leadership, teamwork, and building positive habits for success in the senior years.

Both year levels — along with student leaders and the rest of the school — will join Huonville Primary in attending the Remembrance Day ceremony at the local cenotaph on the morning of 11 November. It will be a special moment for our community to come together and honour those who served.

To wrap up the year, a number of celebration activities are planned for the final week of term — please keep an eye out for upcoming notices and permission forms with more details.

With only a few weeks of scheduled classes remaining, Year 11 and 12 students are busy finalising assessments and working hard to improve their final results based on recently received predicted internal ratings. A big thank you to our Trade Training Centre Manager and senior staff for their ongoing support during this busy time. Following Term 3’s course counselling sessions, Year 11 families will soon receive confirmation letters outlining 2026 subject enrolments and programs. Parents/Carers are encouraged to discuss these plans with their young person and reinforce the importance of completing all subjects and achieving the TCE to support future career and training opportunities.

A special highlight this term is the nomination of VET Agriculture student Laura Durdin for the TASC Outstanding Achievement in VET Awards 2025. Laura has demonstrated exceptional effort and skill in her studies and vocational training — we wish her every success ahead of the award announcements later this term. Another exciting event this term is the Bruny Island cultural camp, where Certificate II in Skills for Work and Vocational Pathways students will join Years 9 and 10 Outdoor Education participants as part of the Duke of Edinburgh’s “Adventurous Journey,” connecting with Indigenous culture and country.

More highlights from Term 3:

II Agriculture completed the Merino Challenge in Campbell Town, placing second in the Cacus Value

Cert II Hospitality visited Government House for a tour of the kitchen and kitchen garden.

Reminders:

• 2026 Enrolment Confirmations: Letters will be sent home soon; please contact Glenn Freeman or Clint Rottier with any queries.

• Final Day for Year 11/12 Students: Friday, 14 November. A farewell lunch will be held Thursday, 13 November at the TTC.

For any questions or support, please contact Glenn Freeman at glenn.freeman@decyp.tas.gov.au

The following details relate to key Year 10 into 11 Transition events over the remainder of the year.

Hobart College confirmation of enrolments will take place at Huonville High School on Wednesday, 12 November. This is an opportunity for students to sit down with Hobart College staff and make any adjustments they require to their course selection for next year. If students are happy with the courses that they have chosen, they do not need to meet with Hobart College staff on this day. In the lead up, Huonville High School staff will be meeting with Year 10 students to discuss their course selections and help determine if any adjustments are required.

Students attending Huonville High School Year 11-12 next year at the Huon Valley Trade Training Centre will have confirmation of enrolment letters mailed home in the coming weeks. This will confirm their course selection for 2026 and provide further information to prepare them for next year. In the meantime, students and parents/carers can direct questions or course change requests to Clint Rottier.

Hobart College Enrolment Adjustment Evening is an optional event taking place on Thursday, 13 November, 2:30pm – 6pm in the Hobart College Library. If you would prefer to discuss course enrolments and adjustments with your young person and Hobart College staff, this is an excellent evening to attend. If you would like to attend, please make a booking via the following link: https://www.trybooking.com/DGAMX 

Hobart College Step Up Day: Thursday, 5 December. This is a full-day orientation day for all students enrolled at Hobart College for 2026. Students will have a ‘taster’ of the courses they have currently selected. Students are expected to make their own way to this event. More detailed information to come once details are finalised by Hobart College.

If you have any questions, please contact clint.rottier@decyp.tas.gov.au, or phone on 6264 0800.

Students are doing a great job in their Gifted Online courses, with many making strong progress toward their SMART goals. The program finishes in Week 9, so there are still almost six weeks left to complete tasks and show what you’ve learned.

Students - this is your chance to finish strong! If you keep participating and submitting your work, you’ll receive a certificate from your course teachers at the end of the year. Some of you may even earn a special certificate for outstanding effort. You’ve all got what it takes!

Parents and Carers, your support makes a big difference. Encouraging your child to stay focused and motivated during these final weeks helps build their confidence and supports their success.

Let’s keep working together to celebrate effort, growth, and achievement!

Gifted Online Learning Plans – We’d Love Your Feedback

Learning Plans for students in Gifted Online courses have been sent to families. These plans help guide each student’s learning and make sure their needs are being met.

Parents and Carers, if you have any changes or suggestions, please send them to Ebony as soon as possible. Your feedback helps us personalise the learning experience and support your child’s progress.

Thanks for being part of the journey!

CAS Competitions

In August, students from Years 7–10 in the Gifted Online program took part in the ICAS competitions. ICAS is a well-known international academic challenge that has involved over 10 million students across 41 countries since 1981.

Created by education experts, ICAS tests students’ thinking skills through fun and challenging questions in core school subjects. Like achievements in sport or the arts, ICAS celebrates academic success and helps identify students’ strengths and areas for growth.

Congratulations to the following students who took part in the ICAS Creative Writing and/or Mathematics competitions last term. You’ll receive your certificates at the next whole school assembly:

• Ruby R – Creative Writing 
• Chelsey L – Creative Writing and Mathematics 
• Isabelle P – Creative Writing 
• Ethan S – Mathematics 
• Allison H – Mathematics 

Looking Ahead to 2026

As the year wraps up, students across all grades are completing their PAT (Progressive Achievement Tests). These tests help us understand how students are progressing and where they might need support.

Once testing is finished, we’ll start reviewing the results to identify students who may be invited to join the Gifted Online program in 2026. This helps us offer extra learning opportunities to students who show strong academic potential.

Parents and Carers, your encouragement is key - helping your child stay engaged and confident during testing gives us a clear picture of their abilities. 

Students, keep giving your best effort—you never know what doors it might open!

Kind regards, Ebony Taylor (ebony.taylor@decyp.tas.gov.au)

We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who came along to see our school production, "Snatched and Served," at the end of Term 3. Your support truly means the world to us!

The students performed a total of four incredible shows: two matinees for students from Hobart College, Huonville Primary, and Geeveston Primary, followed by two spectacular evening shows for parents and the public. In total, the students performed for over 320 people!

 Our students came together and worked non-stop for three terms to display their artistic vision, and they were so excited to share their creativity with you all.

We are thrilled to announce that, due to the fantastic ticket sales, we were able to purchase three new lights! This ensures we can keep our productions going and shining brightly for years to come. This is a direct result of your incredible support.

It is such an honour helping our students work together to create a production that is truly unique and displays their sense of humour, adventure, and storytelling.

I would also like to take a moment to give a huge thank you, from both myself and my students, to everyone who helped make the show such a wonderful success. From behind-the-scenes helpers to those who supported with costumes, sets, and organisation, your contributions were invaluable.

I am incredibly proud of our talented students for the masterpiece they wrote and performed. Their hard work, teamwork, and passion truly shone on stage.

Thank you once again for being part of this memorable event and for supporting the Performing Arts at Huonville High School!

It’s your turn to be snatched and served!

We were incredibly fortunate to have a wonderful team of around 18 volunteers from C3 Church visit our school to help make a real difference in our Kitchen Garden space. The team worked tirelessly to improve our school kitchen garden area and create new opportunities for our students to learn and grow.

One of the most exciting additions was the construction of a beautiful new vegetable garden, designed with accessible garden beds so that students in wheelchairs can easily take part in gardening activities—an idea inspired by Ari’s vision, which was spotted on the whiteboard and brought to life by the team!

The kitchen garden also received some more attention with all the weeds removed and fresh life added through massive punnets of vegetable seedlings, six metal garden beds (ready for assembly), and three bags of pea straw to help nurture the new plants.

We are so grateful to the C3 Church team for their time, energy, and generosity. Their efforts have made a lasting impact on our school community, creating a space that will continue to inspire and support our students for years to come.