High School
Class 9 Science Main Lesson - Transformations of Plant Substances
The class 9 students are exploring plant chemistry this term in a main lesson called “Transformations of Plant Substances.” This is a particularly experimental and hands-on main lesson involving the burning, boiling, fermenting and decomposition of woods, leaves and fruits.
Students enjoyed fermenting raisins to make wine. How did they know they made wine? No, they didn’t taste it!
They arranged the distillation equipment to boil the alcohol from the solution and determined the alcohol smelled and burned like ethanol.
We created a compost pile with carbon, nitrogen, water and activators, and our compost pile reached 46 degrees by the end of the week. By considering composting as a responsible alternative to letting our food and garden waste decompose in land fill, students appreciated the benefits of composting to managing carbon emissions and building nutrient rich soil.
Deliberate reflection of the many relationships between our life and breath with the life and breath of plants, may bring us into an appreciation of how amazing plants are and how entwined our lives are with theirs. Some may say the carbon cycle seems prosaic, but it captures and celebrates our inescapable connection to plants.
Chris Palmer
High School Maths & Science Teacher
Class 10A Play - The Crucible by Arthur Miller
This week Class 10A will be performing their Drama Main Lesson play, The Crucible by Arthur Miller, directed by Jane Diamond. During the last three weeks the Class 10A students have been building the play, working on lines, deepening characterisation and reflecting on the powerful themes of mass hysteria and what happens when human beings lose sight of reason. In the face of a virulent flu season, both students and staff have worked collectively as a team, harnessing personal will and strength to bring this intensely dramatic and gripping play to the stage.
The play is a fictionalized exploration of the actual Salem witch trials of 1692 in Massachusetts where 25 innocent people were accused of witchcraft and died because of literal interpretations of the bible and restrictive laws of the time. It was a time thick with fear and hysteria of perceived witchcraft and the challenges of establishing life in New England. Miller wrote the play as an allegory for McCarthyism, or the fear of communism which was prevalent in the United States during the 1950’s.
The Play
Innocent citizens of Salem are condemned to death after being accused of practising witchcraft by Abigail Williams, a malicious, calculating seventeen-year-old servant whose ulterior motive is to marry her previous employer, John Proctor. Abigail requests Tituba, a Barbados servant to Reverend Parris to conjure spirits against John Proctor’s wife in the hope that she would die, and Abigail could then marry John. Abigail and other girls from the village are seen dancing in the forest by Abigail’s uncle, Reverend Parris, and she subsequently starts a litany of menacing witch accusations against other townsfolk, including Elizabeth Proctor, her former employer to deflect the blame on herself. Suspicions of witchcraft gathers momentum which leads to court orders of innocent people who are then jailed and tried in court. The court proceedings reveal that the girls have been lying about their accusations, but Abigail pretends to see a spirit in the courtroom and the ensuing hysteria leads the court proceedings to claim the lives of 20 innocent people, 19 people were hung and one pressed to death.
It is with much appreciation and thanks to all staff Eva Rinaldi for stunning costumes, Justin Crossley for lighting and stage management, Gabriela Morales for set decoration and props, Ian Lawrence for set construction, Shanelle Schramm for her musical guidance and knowledge, Leandri Hair - Class Assistant for her creative contributions and her genuine care of all students, Donna Kerr for her continued support in drama and for the students who have worked tirelessly on the production. I am truly grateful for the breadth of creativity and artistic input into the Class 10A play The Crucible.
Due to the mature and dramatic themes of the play, it is recommended for high school age students and adults.
Gold coin donation for the evening performances
Williams Hall
Thursday 28 August 2025
9.00am Cast 1
6.30pm Cast 2
Friday 29 August 2025
10.40am Cast 2
6.30pm Cast 1
Class 11 & 12 Biology Lesson
Class 11 and 12 Biology students had a wonderful opportunity to borrow and test some equipment from Murdoch University to run DNA tests on fungi found around the school grounds.
They foraged, collected, and smooshed the fungi before running it through a PCR amplification machine to make 30 billion copies of the DNA.
We then ran these sample through a gel electrophoresis machine to try and see the DNA barcodes of the fungi and sent the samples off to AGPR labs for further analysis.
There are many unidentified species of fungi in WA and there's a small chance we may find a new one!
At the very least we have contributed to fungus mapping in WA as conscientious citizen scientists.
We’re thrilled to be part of the #WABarcodeBlitz25 in partnership with @harrybutlerinstitute, @murdochuniversity, and @biobarcodeaustralia.
A big thank you to Promega Australia, Fisher Biotec, and AGRF (@AGRF_genomics on X and @agrf_genomics on Instagram) for their support.
Join us in celebrating local science, sharing discoveries, and sparking curiosity!
Class 12 Projects
Jezz Celenza
When I was in Year 10, I had a really bad sports injury at school that affected me all the way up to Year 12. At first, I didn’t plan on making this the focus of my project, but after brainstorming some other ideas, nothing felt as meaningful. In the end, I realised this was the right choice. It’s personal to me, and that gives me a stronger reason to share it with others.
The question guiding my project is: “How do sports injuries affect the mental and physical health of adolescents?”
Through my research, one of the things that really surprised me was how little most people actually do to prevent sports injuries. I found that problems can start from a young age if you’re not training correctly or not giving your body enough rest. I now believe it is very important to educate people, especially younger students, about how simple strength training, recovery, and balance can protect them in the long run.
For my practical, I have designed a lesson for Years 6 and 7 where I will share my own story, explain what I have learned, and teach a set of six exercises: calf raises, lunges, planks, step ups, squats, and push ups. These exercises help strengthen joints and improve resilience. I will also be talking about the mental side of injuries: how they can affect confidence and motivation, and how important it is to be supported during recovery. I have already done a practice run with the Year 6s, which gave me the chance to refine my plan and prepare for the bigger sessions ahead.
Along the way, I have learned from some incredible people. Peter Mayhew, a professional strength athlete and founder of Physique Training, showed me practical ways to reduce the risk of injuries, and a sports psychologist explained how athletes cope with setbacks and rebuild mentally. With support from my teachers and peers, I have been able to shape my project into something I feel confident delivering.
What I have come to realise is that not many kids make these exercises part of their daily routine, but when I share them, they are very open and interested in learning. That makes me hopeful that I can make a real difference. This project has not just taught me about injury prevention; it has also helped me discover how to teach, how to connect with others, and how to turn my own experience into something positive.
Tayrona Arias
My name is Tayrona Arias and for my year 12 Project I have been exploring the question:
“What physical and mental methods can a circus artist implement to support and increase their physical performance?”
At the start of the year, when I was trying to figure out what topic I wanted to research, I knew it needed to be something that would not only help me academically but also benefit my personal life. Circus has been a recreational hobby I have enjoyed while growing up, and I decided I wanted to take it more seriously, using the project as a stepping stone to support this goal. Upon making this decision, I investigated methods that would help me advance in the physical aspects.
A major area I focused on was flexibility, as I wanted to get my splits. There are many different forms of flexibility training, each with separate outcomes. I researched these and applied them to my stretching routines, which has greatly improved my understanding. In November, when I began my journey to achieving the splits, I was 10–15 centimeters off the ground. Just recently, I achieved my over splits. This progress showcases the power of correct flexibility training and how my project has contributed to that success.
For my Practical, I decided to delve deeper into mental imagery: one of the core techniques that I researched. Mental imagery is a technique used by athletes and performers to mentally rehearse skills using sensory-based visualization. This process activates the same parts of the brain as physical practice, helping improve technique and focus without physical strain. I find this practice really interesting as it offers artists a way to train and develop their skills outside of a training space. Circus is expensive and this can be a solution to turn to for artists that are struggling financially. As well as this, it is a way to develop skills that artists may be struggling with, as it removes the physical barrier that can often be prohibiting. I am designing a workshop that will introduce participants to the concept of mental imagery, guided through a short imagery exercise using a pre-written script. My hope is that participants will leave with the option of incorporating this practice into their own training. The process of planning for this has allowed me to put theory into practice and I hope to incorporate this into my own training in the future.
My project has been a combination of flexibility, strength and mental training techniques. Through my journey of researching and applying these methods I have learned how important it is to facilitate correct training as it leads to the best results, as well as how much work and dedication it takes to be a circus artist. My love and confidence in circus has grown as I have improved and become more involved, I even did my first performance in the holidays- something that used to only be a possibility in my dreams. This Project is designed to offer aspiring circus artists guidance in how to improve and achieve their dreams as the industry grows.
Courtney Stevens
I wanted to choose something that was relatable to me for my project question. As a teenager in my final year of high school, the idea of moving out of home has crossed my mind several times. However, the sad truth is that there is no way for me to afford a home anytime soon. This is a struggle for many young people trying to afford their own home or even rent I know this issue is already familiar to most people and has even been explored in previous Year 12 projects. However, I wanted to take a different approach — rather than focusing on what, I chose to explore why.
This led me towards my eventual choosing of a project question, which evolved over the first term, until I formed my final question:
“What are the main driving factors behind the current housing crisis?”
Through my research, I have found that it is the cumulation of multiple causes that is worsening the housing. Specifically, I researched inflation, trade shortages, government legislation, material shortages and cost increases, as well as population growth. I also investigated the common misconceptions regarding overseas investment, and how income growth is failing to keep up to the housing price increases and cost of living on a whole.
It was my Dad who started the thought process that is behind my current practical. He suggested that I construct a tiny home, specifically out of a sea container.
My practical plan changed up a lot over term 1. It was always constructing a “tiny home”, but the base medium changed multiple times. It started as a sea container, and then a Pantech truck, before it finally ended up being set in a bus. We managed to purchase a fully functional ex-school bus at auction. Given we now had a running vehicle as a bus, the plan shifted slightly again: I would do a bus-motorhome conversion.
For the purpose of my practical assessment, I will be completing a floorplan and side elevation, as well as a spreadsheet detailing all of the materials that will go into its construction and their price and source. I’ve realised that this is a huge undertaking, and the complete bus build will most likely continue into next year.
Once my planning is complete, I plan to share these designs with various online communities, aiming to support others working on motorhome builds or bus conversions. I believe this is a great way to address the current housing crisis while gaining the freedom that comes with life in a mobile home.
I look forward to the resulting trips that I can travel on in a very comfortable fully self-contained motorhome.