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News, Week 10, Term 2, 2025

This issue

  1. Principal’s Message
  2. Important Dates
  3. Enrichment Update
  4. NAIDOC Week
  5. International Science Fair 2025
  6. Biggest Morning Tea
  7. Pathways Update
  8. Hidden Disability Week
  9. X and Why?
  10. Engineering a Monster
  11. Sustainable Futures
  12. Year 12 Biology – Homeostasis
  13. Open Night August
  14. Push Up Challenge
  15. Sports News
  16. World Skills Competition
  17. Primary Maths Extension Group Session 1
  18. Wellbeing Update – Recharging During the Holidays

Principal’s Message

We made it! Thank you to all students, staff and our community who have helped and contributed to our learning this term. We have had over 40 excursions, incursions, and guest speakers this term- I hope you enjoy reading about them. Thank you for the positive feedback regarding the new format of Info@ASMS.

Congratulations to Deb Smith

We are delighted to announce that Debra Smith has been successfully nominated for the Boothby Volunteer Service Awards. This recognition highlights her exceptional dedication to the ASMS Service Club, going above and beyond her role to raise funds for those in need. Thank you, Deb

Staffing News:

Have a safe and restful break, ready and refreshed for July 21 2025.

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Term 3 Important Dates

Year 10 Meningococcal Vaccinations 30 July
Mini Expo – TAFE, AIE, Flinders & Adelaide Uni6 August
Primary Maths Extension Group Session 27 August
National Science Week9-17 August
Bullying No Way Day11-15 August
MASA Quiz Night13 August
Book Week16-23 August
Wear It Purple Day29 August
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Enrichment Update

Passion Project Term 2 Showcase

To close out Semester 1, our students demonstrated their learning at the Term 2 Passion Project showcase. Throughout the term, our students have been working on their projects in their aviation, film and photography, engineering, music development, sport science and nutrition, robotics and coding, languages, psychology, scientific discovery, and visual art and animation groups with some pretty fantastic results. We cannot wait to see what new Passion Projects our cohort explores in Term 3.

Junior Science Olympiad

Year 10 students Meharbir and Matthew, completed the Junior Science Olympiad exam on Wednesday 11 June, Week 7.

“The test was quite challenging, however more importantly than scores, it showed areas of improvement in my learning and encouraged me to broaden my knowledge. I would encourage students to participate in this course if only to learn more about diverse scientifical concepts as well as to become familiar with the exam environment before future tests. The JSO was overall a beneficial experience for me, and I would definitely consider doing it again” – Matthew

International Maths Challenge

On Saturday 14 June, Matthew, our Year 10 student, completed the International Maths Challenge. We are sending him well wishes for the next round.

AEL Schools Minecraft Competition

On Thursday, 19 June, the results of the AEL Schools Minecraft competition were released. Their challenge was to design ‘the workforce of the future’ complete with features specific to mechanical engineering of the future. The students designed several Non-player Characters (NPC’s) throughout the world, each featuring aspects tailored to mechanical engineering, e.g., job tasks, and pathways within engineering. We are very proud to announce that the ASMS team the ‘Powerpuff Boys’ took the 1st place title.

Sending a very big congratulations to Year 10 student Jai, and Year 12 students Kaden, Logan, and Josh. These students worked tirelessly during Passion Project and out of school hours, amongst Year 12 work to create the amazing world that they did. Congratulations again and you will be receiving your trophy, medals and prizes of a monitor, keyboard and mouse each very shortly.

Flinders University Enrichment Program

On Monday 16th June (Week 8), 40+ students went up the hill to explore a range of workshops related to each college. Hear from some of our students about their experience below:

“The Flinders Enrichment Program showed us different jobs and careers around Health Sciences. My favorite workshop was the ‘building a skeleton’ challenge.” – Beth, Year 10

“The Flinders Enrichment Program was a good opportunity to get familiar with the university environment and get an idea of the possible courses. I visited the nursing and health science college, and my favourite workshop was the one on health science in which we constructed a model skeleton.” – Amber, Year 10

“I attended College of Education, Psychology, Social Work and also got some insight into sport. My favourite workshop was the psychology workshop, as it is something that I am planning on studying in university. We were shown how simple exercises such as optical illusions when paired with visual stimuli can trick the brain into thinking something and can be used to help treat things such as phantom pain. It was a great way for me to experience what some certain degrees would look like, such as social work and a psychology degree.” – Amy, Year 11

“I attended College of Education, Psychology, Social work and Sport workshops. My favourite workshop was the psychology one, where we got to learn about different illusions. In particular I found the ‘Thatcher illusion’ cool, and it was interesting to see how this effect can influence things like eyewitness testimonies in court. Overall, the program was a great way to explore some different career paths, as well as see how some different topics overlap.” – Jess, Year 11

“Thanks for letting us attend the Flinders Enrichment program. In my opinion it was a great experience of how university is going to look in the future, it really gave me insights on how university actually works, the schedule, courses, different areas and all. I think it was a good opportunity for students to adapt to the university environment and experience practical, hands-on exercises. I applied for the Science and Engineering College, it involved 4 different choices from which I got to do Computer Science, Microplastic Pollution, and Engineering. Computer Science involves Agritech, where you use AI and robotics to influence agriculture, and Microplastic Pollution involves studying very small plastic materials which are present in the environment, affecting plants and animals around. Engineering, particularly Biomedical Engineering, required us to use simple materials (string, cups, glue, tape, etc.) to build a prototype which would assist individuals with disabilities, potentially making their life easier for everyday work. I mostly enjoyed Engineering as it was more practical and was similar to something I would be interested in.” – Meharbir, Year 10

“The Flinders Enrichment Program was a great opportunity to learn more about university life, problems facing the world and technological advances moving into the future. I attended the Science & Engineering workshop, which had four workshops – Cybersecurity, Engineering, Computer Science and Micro plastic Pollution. My personal favourite workshop was Computer Science, as this is something I am passionate about and would consider pursuing as a career. Overall, this opportunity was a great experience that encouraged further thinking on my part as to what my future looks like, whether in university, as a career, or just generally in this world.” – Matthew, Year 10

“The Flinders Enrichment Program was pretty good. I attended the College of Science and Engineering and the activities that I did were Cybersecurity, Microplastics Pollution, and Engineering. The activities were fun and engaging but would have been better if we had more time to do them and if there was a little bit more depth to the science as it felt like the science was a little bit too easy, but the engineering challenge was definitely a key highlight of my day. But the engineering one was my favourite activity as it was hands-on, and we had to be creative and come up with a solution using knowledge which we already had, and I really like being creative.” – Ishnoor, Year 10

“I quite enjoyed the Flinders enrichment program, it was good to be able to see what things are like at uni. I visited the college of business, government and law. My favourite workshop that I attended was the law workshop, as we looked at multiple different types of law and looked at cases from different role perspectives, whether that be victim, suspect, community, police and more. It was very interesting to be able see the thought processes of different perspectives, to give us a taste of what a career or uni class might be like in law.” – Maggie, Year 10

“We learnt a lot about the fields of health. We looked at the human anatomy, sport performance and sugar processed foods. I visited the university of health and nursing. My favourite activity was arranging half a human skeleton.” – Riya, Year 10

Big Day In – Braggs Theatre North Adelaide University

On Thursday, 19 June, 15 ASMS students attended the Big Day In IT conference. The BiG Day In events provide a unique opportunity for year 9-12 students to explore the world of technology and gain insight into university life. With up to 8 sessions covering various career paths, opportunities, and the latest developments in technology, students are able to make informed decisions about their future. During breaks, students were able to visit exhibitor stands to speak with company and university representatives, learn about courses, degrees, work experience, internships, and engage with hands-on demonstrations of awesome technology.

“The Big Day In was an amazing experience! I was able to hear from and chat with many industry professionals about careers in STEM and related fields. It was inspiring and encouraging, and I would recommend the experience to anyone who wants to learn more about the STEM industry.” – Matthew, Year 10

Australian Mathematics Trust – Coding challenge

On Wednesday, 18th June 4 students from Year 10-11 completed the AMT Coding Challenge and ranged in divisions from Beginners to Pathfinder. Congratulations to Karoline and Anton for receiving a merit and to Jackson Kirton for his participation.

International Maths Challenge

Congratulations to Year 10 student Matthew who has cleared Round 1 and has progressed to the Finals of the International Maths Challenge. For context, a contestant needs to score above the 70th percentile (better than 70% of the participants) to advance to the Finals taking place on 28-29th June. Matthew also participated in this round and we eagerly await the results.

Eden School Prize

A very big part of our focus this year at the ASMS is Community. What better way to both celebrate and challenge this was to have some Year 10 representation in the Department for Educations ‘Think Write Win’ Competition called the ‘Eden School Prize, where Matthew submitted an entry answering the question “How can volunteering and “being of service” make the world a better and happier place?”. Matthew is very active in the Enrichment @ ASMS program, and we are proud to see him getting so much out of it.

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NAIDOC Week

This week in Learning Studies, our students have been celebrating 50 years of NAIDOC week. On Tuesday, the cohort spent time learning about how we can all be allies, working through ideas about how to personalise an acknowledgement of country, and bush tucker/native plant research for our proposed garden at the ASMS. Later in the week they continued the activities with learning to do indigenous weaving, watched some educational videos in the Void, and could get a NAIDOC themed donut for a gold coin donation to raise funds for charity.

Thank you to our RAP team for organising this wonderful celebration of Indigenous culture and perspectives.

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International Science Fair 2025

In Week 7 of next term beginning 1 September, we are looking forward to celebrating our annual International Science Fair! Welcoming students and teachers from 5 overseas countries, 1 interstate school, and 3 regional SA schools the International Science Fair (ISF) is a week for all visiting and Year 10 and 11 ASMS students to collaboratively investigate real world issues, propose solutions and solve challenges within a topic area they are passionate about. With 9 topic areas to choose from there is no shortage of possibilities for students to explore!

We are excited for students to deep dive into our theme of Challenging Your Perspective and explore the possibilities of what their future can look like. Please note, ISF week participation is not optional, and student attendance is expected. During this week Year 12 students will sit their mock exams.

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Biggest Morning Tea Competition

Our annual Biggest Morning Tea Cake Competition was held on Monday 30 June with 9 amazing entries from our students.  The winners will be announced next term, but we raised $170.00 for the Cancer Council.  A big Thank you to the parents of students who made the wonderful cakes, and for supporting this cause.

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Pathways – SATAC

SATAC released a 3 video series on ATAR, Scaling and using SATAC for university applications found here. Year 12s Will need to have a SATAC account to apply when applications open in August. SATAC are offering select information Q&A sessions in person or online throughout July. Limited spaces are available. ASMS will run a quick local Q&A in Wk 1 for Year 12s to make sure SATAC Accounts are active in preparation for university applications.(SATAC not attending)

In-Person Sessions

Spaces are limited, and priority will be given to current Year 12 students. Attendance will be on a first in, best dressed basis. To book into either of these sessions, use the link at the bottom of this email. 

A panel of SATAC staff will be available to answer questions related to the video content. These sessions are designed to provide further clarity and guidance, we won’t be presenting the video content at these sessions, so we recommend watching the videos beforehand.

Online Sessions

To complement the in-person events, we are also offering four online hour-long Q&A sessions:

Link to book

University Open Days

Open Days are beginning to occur at the major Universities and tertiary institutions, with individual campuses having different days. Many of these events occur on weekends throughout July or August, so ASMS strongly encourages students and families to attend; however, no school excursions are planned around these dates.

There are many other institutions locally or interstate that students may also wish to investigate.

Engineering Australia

ASMS is hosting Engineering Australia in Week 2 of Term 3. There will be engineers from industry coming to share their experiences and careers, while also discussing the design process and project management and pathways into engineering. A big focus is on the broad applications within engineering and encouraging students to engage with their project based learning. For Year 10 and 11s, this will be key for their Engineering a Monster Central Study.

ASMS Mini Career Expo

In Term 3 Week 3, 6th August, ASMS will be hosting Flinders and Adelaide University, TAFESA, Academy of Interactive Entertainment, and ADF Careers on site as part of a mini career expo. This serves a different purpose for each year level.

This time of year is important for:

Flinders UniTEST

Flinders University will once again be offering uniTEST to our current Year 12 students as an entry pathway for 2026. In 2024, over 1800 students took part in Flinders UniTEST.  

UniTEST is an aptitude test that has been developed to assess the kinds of generic reasoning and thinking skills that underpin studies at higher education and that are needed for students to be successful at this level. UniTEST is offered to students at no cost and they cannot be disadvantaged by participating. ASMS highly recommends that all Year 12s take advantage of this opportunity, as UniTEST results remain valid for a period of 2 years. If students decide to change course mid-year; uniTEST results may be considered in determining a place in their newly preferred course. UniTEST results can be used for entry to all undergraduate Flinders courses except for the Bachelor of Clinical Sciences/Doctor of Medicine.

Selection Process

Flinders University will select applicants based on both their Year 12 results (60% weighting toward the ATAR selection rank) and uniTEST results (40%). Flinders will also consider applicants based on their uniTEST results (100%) as a standalone entry score (subject to SACE completion and any course pre-requisites or specific admissions requirements).

Delivery Mode

ASMS will be able to administer the online delivery of uniTEST, which must be done under examination conditions, on your preferred date and time. The test itself will take a maximum of 2.5 hours; however, 3.5 hours should be allowed. ASMS is looking to deliver 3 sessions during Tuesday Tutoring, 1:15-4:45pm as needed.

Please see the uniTEST flyer attached for additional information, and complete the EOI Link before Term 3 Friday Week 1, 3:20pm. Again, ASMS highly recommends that Year 12s register.

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Hidden Disability Week

During Week 9, the ASMS celebrated and educated ourselves on hidden disabilities as part of Hidden Disability Week. Whilst many disabilities are visible and immediately recognised, some of us have invisible disabilities, whether they’re neurodivergence to visual, physical, auditory or even diseases, the list goes on.

Together we celebrated our differences, wearing yellow and sunflowers to show our support to those around us. We held a sunflower badge art competition and had 2 winners, Isabella and Jordan. The proceeds from the sale of the badges, will be donated to charities through our Service Club.

– ASMS Changemakers

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X and Why?

In Semester 2 this year we started a brand-new Central Study called X and Why? Students have selected form a range of interdisciplinary modules that they cycle through in order to build their own unique Central Study learning experience.

The first round of these module started on Friday of Week 9. Some of the modules running in this round include:

We are always on the lookout for new ideas for modules, if you have one, please get in touch!

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Engineering a Monster

In Engineering a Monster, students are exploring Mary Shelley’s 1831 gothic novel Frankenstein through an interdisciplinary lens that merges English, Science, History and ethics. By examining Victor Frankenstein as a brilliant but flawed engineer, drawing on knowledge of physics, biochemistry, anatomy, mathematics and philosophy, students are challenged to critique the ambition and ethical implications of 19th century scientific progress.

This analysis is deepened through discussion of a 20th century case study: Fritz Haber. The subject supports the development of the ASMS Learner Attribute Operational Action, as students engage in close reading, discussion and writing to consider the responsibility for the things we create through science and technology and reflect on the critical ethical question: Just because we can – should we?

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Sustainable Futures

We are now underway with a new semester of learning. In Sustainable Futures, students have explored the concepts of equity by considering the United Nations Sustainable Development goals and which are most important to them.

This led into an equal potable water activity where groups represented different countries with equivalent economic and technological capabilities. This means that each country was provided instructions to build a water filter equivalent to the state of development of that country. In that activity, in a more developed country, instructions were clear and easy to read, and the country’s finances in a position to purchase the materials needed. Whereas a developing country might have had instructions with faded ink or winding inserts that made following the instructions challenging. They also had limited finances in which to purchase their materials. Smart operators from developing countries approached more affluent countries for ‘donations’ or alternatively purchased all the available materials that they could afford (like cotton balls) and sold them on for a profit. Students were enjoying themselves so much wheeling and dealing and making and testing their water filters that they didn’t want to finish!

Moving forward we are taking these understandings into analyses of environmental movements where students will work in groups to showcase a chronology of an environmental movement highlighting significant events and their cause and effect. Students will take responsibility for deeply analysing a choice of primary and secondary sources to contribute their ‘part’ of the timeline with a gallery walk being conducted on Thursday in Week 1 (we are even planning to have some year 12 History students come and get involved). So, lots happening with a variety of opportunities to showcase evidence of learning along the way!

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Year 12 Biology – Homeostasis

Students in Year 12 Biology were introduced to Topic 3: Homeostasis with a fun challenge to keep Homer Simpson alive (Homer – O – Stasis).  In this challenge, students simulated the body’s regulation of internal conditions by trying to keep a cup (representing Homer) filled with just the right amount of water despite it constantly leaking out. The classroom was buzzing with teamwork and laughter while reinforcing key homeostasis concepts in an engaging way.

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Open Night August

On Thursday 14 August, from 6pm to 8pm, we look forward to welcoming students and families who are considering our school to join us for Open Night. If you know families who are interested to experience the ASMS, please spread the word and welcome families to book now for Open Night.

We truly appreciate our students’ and staff involvement in Open Night as visitors tour our open learning environment and hear first-hand how our students drive their own learning, pursue their passions and explore emerging sciences.

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Push Up Challenge

The Push-up challenge is becoming a tradition at the ASMS. Raising awareness and funds for mental health is the overarching goal. Driven by a physical activity that can be push ups or sit ups or really anything that challenges you, a set number per day is executed for 23 days. Over 30 students and staff members joined the challenge and accumulated 36.922 push-ups. Our initial fundraising goal was $500. We surpassed that goal on day one!

With this early success we decided to increase the goal to $2000. The funds raised are going to have a positive impact through the push for better foundation, lifeline and headspace. To celebrate the effort and success, a fundraiser BBQ was held on Friday Week 9 during lunchtime. Students organised the event as part of their career education and planned, purchased goods, cooked sausages, hash browns and onions and cleaned up afterwards.

Before the BBQ, the school community had raised a total $1733. The proceeds of the BBQ were $160 which almost got us to the overall goal. Well done everybody!

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Sports News

It’s been a busy few weeks for ASMS sport! Both our boys’ and girls’ soccer teams competed well in their knockout matches, showing great teamwork and effort, but unfortunately didn’t make it past the first round. On the basketball court, our School Boys team had a great run, going undefeated and beating three other schools to secure their spot in round two of the knockout competition. Coming up next, we’ve got students heading out for table tennis and volleyball. Good luck to all involved!

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World Skills Competition

“The WorldSkills National Competition stands as the highest-level showcase of vocational education and training (VET) in the country, bringing together regional champions from across the nation to demonstrate their talents. This year, we had the opportunity to participate in the VET in Schools (VETiS) Information Technology (IT) division, progressing all the way to the national competition.

Representing South Australia, Nazif placed second in the country and brought home the silver medal. Our journey began with the South Australian Regional Competition, which was held at the Flinders University Tonsley campus. There, we competed against roughly ten other students, from the Australian Science and Mathematics School (ASMS) and other schools across the state and secured both first and second place in the region, earning the opportunity to represent SA at the nationals.

The National Competition was a multi-day event held over three full days, with participants arriving the day prior for the opening ceremony. In the VETiS IT division, nine finalists from across Australia came together to take on a series of tasks designed to test both technical skills and problem solving under time pressure. The competition concluded with a formal closing ceremony the day after the final challenge, where medals were awarded. Over the course of the competition, we were tasked with a wide variety of IT-related activities. These included writing and debugging code, setting up and configuring virtual machines, performing troubleshooting tasks, and delivering a technical presentation. The tasks required a blend of theoretical knowledge and hands on ability, pushing us to apply everything we had learned in real world scenarios.

One of the most memorable aspects of the experience was the chance to interact with a wide range of competitors from other disciplines including carpentry, electrical, cookery, and many more. This gave us a broader appreciation for the diversity and importance of vocational skills and it was inspiring to be surrounded by so many passionate, skilled individuals from all around the country. Participating in WorldSkills has been an incredible experience that not only allowed us to challenge ourselves technically but also connect with others who share a passion for their craft. It was an honour to be part of such a prestigious event and to represent our school and state on a national stage.”

– Nazif and Matthew

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Primary Maths Extension Group Session 1

On Thursday 12 June the Australian Science and Mathematics School welcomed over 100 Year 5 and 6 students from schools across the state for our annual Primary Maths Extension Group.

This year’s theme is ‘Growing Mathematically’, which involves exploring the growth of plants, animals, crystals, buildings or cities. Our students were so excited to lead workshops for these young mathematicians, and ran activities on probability, isometric diagrams, algebra magic, and maths in nature for our younger guests.

It was wonderful to see such enthusiasm from our visitors and to watch our students showcase their leadership skills.

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Wellbeing Update – Recharging During the Holidays

As we head into the break, it’s a great time to pause, recharge, and take care of ourselves. Whether you’re planning to dive into some personal projects, spend time with friends, or just enjoy a slower pace, the holidays are a valuable opportunity to reset. But while it’s tempting to switch off entirely, a little intention can go a long way. Below are a few reminders to help you make the most of your time – balancing fun, rest, routine, and connection.

Try to keep a routine:  This is actually harder than it sounds! A routine should be well rounded and include sleeping well, eating well and have a bit of exercise. It will make coming back easier.

Have fun: Remember your routine should still be fun! Studying and working are valid pursuits in the holiday but ensure that there is a balance. When planning your two weeks make sure there are activities to look forward to during your break that bring you some joy. They can be small or large but they need to be about taking the time for yourself. Look for opportunities to try something new. It may be your new passion.

Rest: “I don’t have time for rest!” Rest is not optional. If you want to be productive and happy then an essential ingredient is rest. Rest is also a key factor in all evidence-based study techniques. Like the joyful activities it is best to be planned into your day.

Stay connected: Make sure that you stay connected to the people that are important in your life. Remember to also look out for your friends and loved ones and check in to see how they are doing. If you are worried about them, let them know that you are there to help.

If you or a friend need someone to talk to Kids Helpline 1800 551 800 or Lifeline: 131 114 are available 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

We wish you all the best for your holiday and will see you next term!

– Wellbeing Team

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Need help? Get in touch with ICT

If you are having any issues with the portal, or Daymap, please get in touch with by emailing ict@asms.sa.edu.au.

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