Swimming Carnival

St John’s Swimming Carnival is on at the Nowra Pool on Monday 4 March, a reminder to all 100m freestyle swimmers to meet at the pool between 8.00am - 8.20am for an 8.30am start. All other students are to come directly to school, attend PALS and will be called to travel by bus to Nowra Pool. Year 7-10 students must wear sports uniform to and from school. Year 11 & 12 students can wear appropriate house colours. All students will arrive back at school in time for their afternoon buses. A school representative team will be chosen from this carnival.

Any parent interested in assisting at the 2019 carnivals please contact the school office.

Please note: there will not be BBQ food available at the swimming carnival. Canteen facilities are available from the Nowra Pool Cafe, however students are encourage to pack a healthy lunch as there are extensive wait times for cafe food.

Year 7 

Students are provided with many opportunities to learn about and practice ways of adopting and maintaining a healthy lifestyle and a productive and active life. Term one students will  work in a range of simple movement skills being taught and revisited including some lead up work to the major school carnivals, Athletics, Cross Country and Swimming. During terms 2 and 3 students are provided with learning experiences that develop understanding around healthy habits in relation to nutrition and exercise, the current issues relating to drug use including the use and effect of alcohol, movement activities centred creative dance and Indigenous games.  In term 4 the focus shifts to physical and social/emotional issues around moving through puberty, in a relaxed environment where students are able to contribute ideas, thoughts and questions in a safe and positive learning environment.

Year 8 

Start the 2019 school year with the units; Health Matters and Strike/Catch/Throw. Health Matters provide students with an overview of what impacts their lives and how we can be proactive in decision-making processes. In term two students will commence the units Supporting Myself and Others and Athletics, in preparation for the athletics carnival. First aid quizzes in term 3 will test their knowledge on the skills taught in class, which empower them with life skills and awareness of first aid principles. The students will become the teacher in court games when they are given the opportunity to create their own game. Year 8 will finish the year with gymnastics and risky business where they explore positive relationships and communication methods to create a safe and supportive environment.

Year 9 

Students will have a physically challenging and mentally thought provoking year due to the diverse range of practical and theory units studied. Practical units include: Invasion Games, Active for Life, World Games and Celebrating Diversity. Each unit provided students with the opportunity to enhance decision-making and problem solving skills in game situations and participating in some unique non-mainstream sports. Theory units include HeadStrong, Drugs Use, Sexual Health and Celebrating Diversity, provide students with the opportunity to collaboratively discuss and individually research topics of great significance in their current lives.

Year 10 

Students have explored a variety of topics throughout the year. These topics will enabled them to challenge perspectives, develop deeper knowledge and build decision making skills to ensure they continue as lifelong learners in our community. The topics included: Planning for Safety, Road Safety Advocacy, Dance, Movement Composition/ Appraisal, Relationships, Overcoming Adversity, Planning for safety, Striking Games and Contemporary Games. The op shop ball is always a highlight in the calendar for year 10 PE and a quality fundraiser for St vincent de Paul and will take place in term 4.

Year 11 

This year we welcomed Mrs Isemonger and Mrs Frew will lead the preliminary PDHPE charge to the HSC. Year 11 PDHPE students are currently working through the unit Better Health for Individuals where they explore health behaviours and the influence of policy and promotion on individual and community health. In term 2 they will explore biomechanical principles in the Unit Body in Motion. The two options First Aid and Outdoor Recreation will be taught in term 3. Students will complete a walk from Durras to Kiola, camping overnight at Pebbly Beach - putting into practice the theory they will have learnt in the Outdoor Education unit.

Year 12 

Year 12 PDHPE students regularly challenge their knowledge and strive to expand their knowledge on the “Health of Australians” and the “Factors affecting Performance”.  The cohort is working hard in learning teams to challenge themselves and each other to work at their very best. Students demonstrate high work ethic and a passion to learn more about health, movement and sports medicine.  

Year 11 Community & Family Studies

Students are studying resource management and the intricacies that contribute to the wellness of individuals in our community. Students will identify the Individuals and Groups as to which our resources are diminished or built upon and how people can use techniques such as conflict resolution, leadership styles and group cohesion to influence overall wellness. We are analysing the effects of these techniques by viewing the Blind Side and submitting an assessment task displaying our findings. Lastly, we will study Families and Communities looking at stages of the lifespan, socialisation, the nature of change and the impacts these factors can have.

Year 12 Community & Family Studies

Students are  involved in a number of learning experiences, assessment tasks and activities that will enrich their knowledge and understanding of matters concerning our local, national and global matters within communities and family groups. The students are currently  involved in completing a class Independent Research Projects (IRPs) and will have the informal task of taking home and caring for a robotic baby overnight. Both classes are demonstrating great enthusiasm and dedication to their learning and studies.

Physical Activity Sport Studies (PASS)

The Physical Activity Sport Studies (PASS) program is a two year elective subject for students in Years 9 and 10. This subject allows students with an interest in physical activity to deepen their knowledge and skills further than the PDHPE compulsory course. PASS encourages students to be involved in new and different sports encouraging them to apply their skills and thinking in a new way. The information that students learn in theory are applied to practical lessons giving them a strong foundation of knowledge and a real-life basis for what they are learning. Students in Year 9 are studying the anatomy and physiology of the human body, Australian sporting identities and issues in sport, such as drug use and financial inequalities between athletes. In the practical setting we are looking at the intricacies in sports officiating, how to outsmart and outplay our opponents with strategic and tactical development, Hockey and lastly we undertook our Bronze Medallion. The very competitive 2019 Year 10 PASS cohort are engaging in Coaching, Tournament Games, Team Play, Nutrition, Technology in Sport. The students will draw on knowledge explored in theory classes to coach skills to the class, analyse their peers movement performances, along with organising and running sport tournaments.

Child Studies

Learning in Child Studies promotes, in students a sense of empathy for children, their parents, caregivers and those that have the potential to influence the learning environments. Students had the opportunity to put theory from the unit, Conception and Newborn Care, into practice when they will be assigned a robotic baby that they will have to care for overnight. The unit, Child Nutrition student’s will  given practical experience to create and share a nutritious meal created for a child. In the unit, Chid Service and Career Opportunities Mrs. Fulop, Mrs. Prayetno and Mrs. Gray will guide students through child care activity stations aimed to develop fundamental motor and social skill of children.

Year 10 Bush Craft

Year 10 have been busy preparing and refining their leadership skills in anticipation for the Year 7 and 9 camps. All of the students in Year 10 have been assigned activities in which the campers will participate in. Some of these activities include Canoeing, Abseiling, Bush Walking and Swimming. The maturity and care our Year 10 Bush Craft students have shown in organising engaging, fun and educational activities is extremely impressive. Well done Year 10!

Year 9 Bush Craft

Year 9 have commenced their two year course in Bush Craft with enthusiasm and high energy. Over the coming months they will be learning the basics of what Bush Craft has to offer ranging from wilderness first aid, navigation, ecology and canoeing skills. We look forward to seeing the new group of Bush Craft students achieve personal goals and learn invaluable skills!

Mrs Rachel Frew
Acting PDHPE Coordinator