Parent Information Sessions
Tom Nehmy’s parent session was well attended last week, and the feedback from our parent community has been wonderful. The Year 8 students have started the Healthy Minds Program this week, and information will be posted regularly on Verus that you can use to support open discussions at home. While the plan is to reinforce the content delivered at school, I hope you will find the resources useful for building relationships with all the young people in your family.
The Year 8 students have homework to complete at home this week before their next session. They have been asked to discuss the following questions with someone at home:
- How do other people view perfectionism?
- Can they identify any unhelpful aspects of perfectionism?
- Can they identify any healthy aspects?
- Do they consider themselves a perfectionist? Why?
Year 9 students and parents recently participated in informative sessions led by Encounter Youth, exploring the realities of vaping, alcohol, drugs and adolescent risk-taking. The presentations provided practical insights into teenage brain development, current trends in substance use, strategies for having effective conversations with young people and ways parents can positively influence decision-making.
Families are also encouraged to explore Encounter Youth’s Uncharted Parenting podcast, which offers expert advice and real-world perspectives to support parents navigating the challenges and opportunities of raising teenagers.
da Vinci Decathlon
The da Vinci Decathlon was established in 2002 as an extension of the highly successful da Vinci Program for gifted and talented students at Knox Grammar School. Named in honour of one of history’s greatest thinkers and scholars, the competition challenges students across a range of disciplines while fostering higher-order thinking, problem-solving, teamwork and creativity.
Congratulations to our Year 7 and Year 9 da Vinci Decathlon teams, who competed at St Peter’s Girls’ School last week.
Year 7 Achievements
- 1st place in Art & Poetry
Year 9 Achievements
- 2nd place overall
- 1st place in Code Breaking
- 1st place in Art & Poetry
- 2nd place in English
The competition brought together 25 schools, with students participating in 10 academic challenges: Engineering, Art & Poetry, Code Breaking, English, Mathematics, Creative Producers, Science, Cartography, Ideation and Legacy. This year’s theme, Machines and Mechanics, inspired students to apply their knowledge, creativity and collaborative skills across a diverse range of disciplines.
Lean In Girls
The 15 Middle School SRC students recently participated in the Lean In Girls curriculum, a program designed to build confidence, resilience and leadership skills in young women. Through engaging discussions and practical activities, the girls explored topics such as self-belief, effective communication, teamwork and overcoming challenges. The program empowered students to develop their leadership potential, strengthen their voices and make a positive impact within the school community.
Recent Achievements – Jessica Mah, Year 9
Jessica Mah has achieved outstanding success recently across a number of her interest areas. In 2025, she received the Governor’s Civics Award for Schools at Government House and was awarded the Flute Society of South Australia Scholarship. She also earned the AMEB Certificate of Performance in Voice and Communication, recognising years of dedication to speech and communication studies.
Her musical accomplishments include a High Distinction in AMEB Grade 8 Flute and winning the prestigious David Cubbin Memorial Competition for Flautists Under 25.
At the weekend, Jessica achieved first place in her Rostrum Voice of Youth heat and progressed through the semi-finals to qualify for the Zone Final at Parliament House. Her impromptu speech, Chasing the Rainbow, encouraged audiences to look beyond the pursuit of external rewards and instead discover the unique strengths, values and potential within themselves.
Congratulations, Jessica.
