12 December 2019
Newsletter Articles
Head of Campus
Dear Parents, Students and Teachers,
It has been another year with many great developments at Pinnacle College. Opening new facilities, introducing new subjects, and new staff members who joined the Pinnacle Community that took a major role in our students’ improvements and became part of these changes. As a school that grows significantly every year, these developments are vital and require an ongoing commitment. The new and enthusiastic management team has brought a fresh insight to Pinnacle College and contributed to a great extent. I would like to thank our primary and secondary school management team for their ongoing efforts to take the school to higher standards.
We are humbled by the trust of the community to Pinnacle College. The increasing enrolment numbers is the sign of this trust. Currently, the school has around 670 students and with the new enrolments this number will exceed 700 in 2020. This growth is one of the signs of the appreciation of the community and we acknowledge the responsibility which we have to fulfil our community’s expectations.
That said, sadly, some staff members who have been part of your child’s journey leaving us this year as well. Mr Ahmet Cimen and Mrs Tuba Cimen have been very well-known by the community. Their hard-work and strong relationship with staff and parents deserve an acknowledgment. Ms Semanur Tanas has been the school counsellor for the last 3 years and she has been the friendly face around the school not only for the students but for everyone. Although Ms Emma Hughes has joined us this year, she also created an amiable bond with staff and students. I wish them all the best in their new journey ahead. I also would like to thank them for their service to Pinnacle College for the past years.
Also, I advise that Ms Davey-Summers is leaving Pinnacle College to take up an opportunity elsewhere. We wish her well with her future endeavors.
I believe we shouldn’t forget the efforts of our Parents and Friends team throughout this year. Organising Iftar dinners, involvement in fundraising and other community events were part of their continuing support to the school community. I would like to especially thank Mrs Sawsan Zadeh, Mrs Afroz Shaikh and Mrs Nadia Makdadi for being part of the organising committee and making these events possible throughout the year.
Lastly, this is my final newsletter message as the principal of Pinnacle College Elizabeth Campus. My new role will be the principal of Gilles Plains and Golden Grove campuses next year onwards. I would like to thank the Elizabeth campus staff for their warm welcome for the past 2 wonderful years and I also would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to teaching and non-teaching staff for their collaboration and during my role in the Elizabeth campus.
Thank you
Atilla Sinik
Head of Elizabeth Campus
Coordinators
Girls Coordinator
Dear parents, caregivers and students,
I would like to congratulate our students on completing another challenging learning year! They have been working hard throughout the year and it is now time for them to have a long break before they begin their next learning year in 2020.
We have had a very busy year! The opening of a new campus located at Golden Grove, opening of a new school gymnasium at Elizabeth Campus, new SACE subjects implemented for our students and the first ever end of year overseas trip for our Year 12 students are just some of the many exciting events that have happened this year. There will also be many changes next year as our Year 6 and Year 9 girls at Elizabeth Campus will be re-located to Golden Grove and we will be having the Year 6 boys from Golden Grove to Elizabeth Campus. I’d like to congratulate our Year 6 students on completing their primary years and entering their first year of high school!
At Pinnacle, our educators value the wellbeing of our learners and we encourage them to become life-long learners. It is crucial for students to understand that resilience and wellbeing are essential for both academic and social development which is optimised by safe, supportive and respectful learning environments. Providing a supportive community can help maintain healthy relationships and responsible lifestyles and aid in a child’s future. Not only do confident and resilient children with a capacity for emotional intelligence perform better academically but these skills can also contribute to their ability to create strong social bonds.
Learning is so much more than assessments and exams. Schooling and learning includes friendships, growth and development, managing stress and understanding people and situations from different perspectives. I have no doubt that our students will one day become leaders, educators and advocates. I thank all of you for your ongoing support and can’t wait to see you all back in 2020!
Enjoy your holidays!
Thank you
Afra Temizkan
Secondary Girls Coordinator
Boys Coordinator
Dear members of the Pinnacle College community
In 2019 it has been a privilege to play a more hands on role in the continued growth of our burgeoning school through the role of secondary coordinator.
Changes of note this year have been the commencement of the shift at the Elizabeth East site towards an all-boys Middle School campus, the introduction of our online uniform shop, plus the introduction of the home group program. The online uniform shop, found on the Pinnacle College website home page, has seen a significant improvement in uniform standards and I would like to thank parents and students for this.
The highlight of our home group program has been the weekly assemblies in the fantastic new gymnasium. Each home group is given the task of hosting one assembly per term. It has been fantastic to watch student’s confidence, organisation, leadership and communication skills grow through the variety of tasks that go towards preparing and running an assembly. You can keep up-to-date with the topics they are passionate about on the Pinnacle College Instagram page. A big thank you to all the home group teachers for your hard work in 2019 supporting our students.
A new cohort of year 7 students are to be welcomed to the Elizabeth East campus in 2020, including the first ever set of Primary graduates from our new Golden Grove site. To these parents of new students in a high school setting, please note that subject teachers and home group teachers are the primary point of contact for any questions or concerns. Relevant coordinators are then happy to assist as the next point of contact in any way we can.
I wish all families a safe and happy holiday period and look forward to seeing everyone refreshed for a new school year in 2020.
David Hannan
Secondary Boys Coordinator
Announcements
We advise that Ms Davey-Summers is leaving Pinnacle College to take up an opportunity elsewhere. We wish her well with her future endeavours.
End of Year Concert
End of Year Concert Primary
End of Year Concert Secondary
Class News
Primary
Year 1
And so we reach the end of another busy year, where did the time go? As part of our Science and Technology lessons this term we have been learning about recycling and how it helps our planet. We designed a model which we then had to try to make from recycled packaging. Throughout the term we have also had the chance to take part in some extra gymnastics with Tri-Skills. We have balanced, swung, climbed and rolled. We have worked really hard on our clown dance and did a great job at the concert. We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did.
I wish you all a restful holiday and look forward to seeing you all in 2020.
Amanda Mirfin
Year 2
It has been such an incredible year in the Year 2 Classroom! This year has been filled with many challenges, amazing moments, fruitful learning, and so many fun experiences. For some of the students, I have taught them for two years, and what an amazing experience it has been to see them grow and flourish in mature students. The students performed in the End of Year Concert with a showstopper dance from the movie The Greatest Showman and they were incredible! They worked so hard to make their dance extra spectacular. The students were also awarded for their incredible reading efforts in the Premier’s Reading Challenge, which they all received a medal and/or a certificate. Remember to keep reading in the holidays!!!
It’s been such a pleasure to get to know and teach all the wonderful children this year, and I wish them continued success in the future. Wishing you all a wonderful holiday and see you in 2020!
Ms Natasha Parletta
Year 3
This term in Design & Technology, we built eco-friendly sustainable villages! Check out our designs!
Year 4
Dear Parents,
I cannot believe that the end of the school year has approached so quickly. It has been a great year that has been filled with much joy and happiness. We have covered a lot of material and have gotten the opportunity to participate in many fun projects.
As your child moves from Year 4 to 5, there are some very important things that you can do this summer to help them succeed. Take the time to listen to your child read and make sure that they are reading each day for at least 15 minutes. Practice their math facts and encourage your child to write, maybe a narrative or persuasive. If you go on holiday this summer, then encourage your child to take a journal with them and write a little bit about their trip each day.
It has been my pleasure getting to know your child this school year. Having your support was an essential part of the year. I would like to personally thank each and every one of the parents and other family members. Your dedication and support has not gone unnoticed.
Thanks again for a wonderful year. Have a fantastic summer. I will miss you all!
All the best,
Miss Watkins
Music
As we near the end of the year, I asked the students what they thought about having Music lessons this year. Here is what some of them had to say:
“It felt amazing to do music.” Farwa (Yr 3)
“I am most proud of myself for learning music, because I never did music.” Nouran (Yr 3)
“I enjoy music because it’s fun to play the instruments and I’ve learnt a lot.” Maryam (Yr 3)
“This year I have learnt how to play instruments and how to play different sounds. I could not play music, but thanks to Miss Schache I have learnt how to play music. Thank you.” I (Year 3)
“I have learnt that if you tried to learn something new and kept practising you would learn it! I didn’t know how much I loved music till I had music class.” Elif (Yr 4)
“I have learnt to play lots of different instruments and improvise with different notes. I am most proud of myself for learning how to play other instruments I didn’t know about.” Rowan (Yr 4)
I have learnt how to play the glockenspiel because it is such a beautiful instrument. Thank you, Miss Schache, for a wonderful year. Everything you did helped me, even in choir.” Shaharin (Yr 5)
“This year I have learnt how to make music and how to improvise using different things. And we have learnt how to listen to music properly and use the drums and bells. Thank you, Miss Schache, for giving me the best year and an amazing opportunity to learn how to play music.” Mashaier (Yr5)
“I have learnt instrument names and how to use them. My favourite part of music lessons is I can have fun! I enjoy music because instruments are something I don’t have.” Mohammed G (Yr 5)
“I learnt different types of things in music such as riffs and playing instruments. I enjoyed music.” Hamza (Yr 5)
I look forward to building on what we have begun this year in 2020.
Tracy Schache
Music Teacher
Secondary
Art
Congratulation to Adem Herkiloglu, Ayesha Talukder, Sana Omori and Abdulloh Rejapov who received an Arts award for 2019. These students showed outstanding potential and skill across all areas of the Arts; Visual Arts, Dance, Media Arts, Drama and Music. We have so many talented artists at Pinnacle College it was hard to choose just 4 award winners. This Year’s Primary Art Exhibition at the End of Year Ceremony was a wonderful showcase of all our students’ creativity, efforts and skills in the Arts throughout the year. It has been a pleasure working as Art teachers at Pinnacle college this year and we wish all students and families a safe and well deserved break.
Jocelyn Mungall & Selen Morkoc
Humanities
Throughout this semester, our class has swept through many subjects. I have learnt about many different kinds of biomes and varying biodiversity’s situated in every part of the globe. These topics aid our knowledge of our Earth and its rapidly declining health. We must take action against these changes we have caused but in order for that to happen we must be more knowledgeable about the earth’s delicate balance. Every insect and bird, amphibian and reptile, owns a place of their own until we have destroyed their habitats due to our constant consuming of resources and energy that widens our carbon footprint. Studying economics and business has also developed our own consciousness through many experiences, such as buying Nike and how all our e-waste is sent to Agbogbloshie, in Ghana, where children don’t live past twenty. Humanities is where I will continuously learn about our hustling world.
Firdevs Sinik and Azra Bagsoken
Drama
In Drama this Semester, the Year 9 Drama class put together a short film to share at the High school End of Year Ceremony. This short film is based on the fantasy novel & film series ‘Harry Potter’, written by the British Author J. K. Rowling. The novels chronicle the lives of a young wizard, Harry Potter, and his friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We have explored all elements of film production and design while combining scenes from the first two books. We shamelessly borrowed special effects and have extended our skills in green screen and film editing. It has been a pleasure to work with these talented and creative students throughout the year and I wish them all the best for the years to come.
Music
2019 has been the first year of having Music as an elective at Elizabeth Campus. I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to teach students Music at Elizabeth, and I believe that some students have really challenged themselves, stepped out of their comfort zones, and been willing to try new things. It is amazing to watch the learning process take place, and to see students proud of their achievements.
I am particularly proud of the Year 9G group of girls who performed at the EOYC on Tuesday 3rd December. They worked so hard and overcame their fears and I am so proud of what they have achieved. Congratulations go to Azra, Sarah, Baseerah, Firdevs and Joudi. A special mention needs to be made of Firdevs who also performed her own piece of music at the Concert – what an amazing achievement!
“I learnt how to play the piano and the different scales. I learnt how to read the different notes that there are (a little bit). I also learnt how to compose my own music”.
Baseerah Azami (9G)
“I enjoy music because it takes your mind off of other things in life and just enjoy music with a couple of your friends and an amazing and fun music teacher.”
Anonymous (7/8B)
“I enjoy music because playing the keyboard/piano makes me feel happier and it makes me forget about all my problems. Not only did my mistakes inspire me to try harder but it also inspired me to buy my own keyboard.”
Azra Bagsogen (9G)
Tracy Schache
Music Teacher
Visual Art
Students arrived at the end of another year full of productive outcomes. Year 7 students completed abstract art projects inspired by Mondrian and HundertWasser. Through both references they learned about the significance of colour in expressing meaning in art and urban design. Year 8 students completed their Word Art projects. Their works display diverse themes ranging from cartoon characters to urgency of sustainability dealt within creative mindsets. Year 9 students recently attended a drawing session at the Art Gallery of South Australia under the supervision of a professional artist who was impressed by our students’ talents. Their engagement in the activities during this visit and their behaviour were also very commendable. We wish students fun during their well-deserved holidays and hope to see them next year.
Psychology
Stage 1 Psychology Excursion to CCSN at UniSA
Earlier in Term 4, the Stage 1 Psychology class visited the Centre for Cognitive Systems Neuroscience (CCSN) at the University of South Australia (Magill campus). Students were given the opportunity to view a neuroscience laboratory in action, observing and participating in a variety of experiments that researchers in cognitive neuroscience and psychology commonly use. The session included talks from academics, PHD and honours students who provided insight into their individual research projects, as well as information about study and career pathways available at the university in the field.
English
This term in English, the Year 8s have been studying poetry and learning about moral and ethical dilemmas in our society.
Earlier in Term 4, the Year 8 boys and girls attended an excursion to the Botanic Gardens, where they received a private lesson with a published author. The students learnt to draw inspiration from the surrounding gardens to produce creative pieces and explored how to write non-conventional poetry.
Recently, the Year 8s have been exploring moral and ethical dilemmas present in our society and those represented in film. Students have learnt how to distinguish between morals and ethics. Students have also explored how the boundaries which separate moral and ethical from immoral and unethical can often be unclear and require deep contemplation to identify the right decision. Soon, students will be presenting oral presentations on moral and ethical dilemmas present in the film Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
Sports, Excursions and Other
Home group
At the beginning of the year Pinnacle College introduced home group. This is a 20 minute lesson that helps us as students develop skills which prepare us for adulthood. Many of the classes have become beneficial during the year as we learned how to improve mentally and emotionally. Many of the great things that home group has taught us includes how to become resilient, respectful and responsible. These are the key factors that many students need to understand in the near future. We hope that home group continues to be a necessity in the following years as a result of enhancing each and every student’s mindset.
Ghofran, Maryam and Asraa
Year 9 girls
Year 11
The Year 11 cohort have finished their end of year examinations for 2019 and can finally take a sigh of relief. As a reward for all of their hard work during the year, and to welcome them to Year 12, the class were treated to a laser tag excursion followed by lunch. This was a great opportunity for students to bond with their classmates as well as celebrate and farewell the year. The Year 11 class demonstrated great responsibility and maturity on this day and we are excited for them to become the new leading role models of Pinnacle College.
Beach Soccer Excursion
8/9 Girls Beach Soccer
Our experience in Beach Soccer this term was extremely entertaining. We played and competed against many teams such as Salisbury and Gawler. It was very competitive and fun. We won 4 out of our 5 minor games and participated in play offs at the finals. Monera, Mariam, Israa, Basira, Sarah, Inas and Farah all scored goals. It was a time to socialise with classmates and other schools. We put in a lot of effort in every match, leading us to a “close to” winning streak. We finished in second place with smiles on our faces. As a reword, Miss Molly took us to the shops and let us buy drinks and food. It was an experience full of compassion, joyfulness and smiles.
- Nour Ouban
Year 8/9 Boys Beach Soccer
Beach soccer started off with dedication and practice. We had faith in ourselves and knew we could represent Pinnacle College and bring home a trophy. When we arrived we reunited with many friends from other schools and teams we had versed before. Although we played people bigger and stronger than us, we still had pride in playing the game and getting the win. We started off with two wins of 4-2 and 5-2, however we soon fatigued and lost the two games after. Samir, Haydar and Nasir with Ali S in goals was our strongest team scoring the most exciting goals and bringing our winning streak back. Although beach soccer was difficult we still pushed through and ended up coming 3rd place in a year 8/9 tournament.
- Nasir Ibrahim
