Interschool Soccer CMS vs Yirara College

The Term 2 Interschool Soccer friendly comp between Yirara College & CMS went excellently on Friday. Thank you to the many staff across the schools and community involved in making the day possible, and to all the students who participated whether in the sporting element or supporting the BBQ lunch. It was a massive team effort, and everyone had their moment to shine.

The results were:

• Round #1 Fellas- CMS vs YC: 3 Points Tie
• Round #1 Ladies- CMS vs YC: Yirara winning with 0 to 1
• Round #3 Fellas- CMS vs YC: CMS 3 -Yirara 1

It was a very positive day, with great feedback from CMS, Yirara & Football Northern Territory staff who attended. Looking forward to networking more with Yirara College and their students in the future.

See below some photos of the day!

Kind Regards

Rebecca Stephens

8.5 8.6 9.5 9.6 HPE Teacher

STARS

As Semester 1 wraps up, take a look at some of the amazing things our STARS students have been up to.

Year 9 Stars students volunteering with umpiring at the primary school gala day

Some of our Year 9 STARS students had the opportunity to volunteer at the all-girls Primary School AFL Gala Day. Whether they were on the field as umpires or at the goals, the girls stepped up with enthusiasm and confidence. They demonstrated outstanding leadership and were fantastic role models for the younger students throughout the day. They were also lucky enough to meet a few Melbourne Demons AFL players—including local superstar Ricky Mentha—which made the experience even more exciting and memorable.

Year 7 & Year 9 sleepover

Unfortunately, our planned camp to Tennant Creek for the STARS OzTag Carnival had to be cancelled due to the wet weather. Instead, we held a fun sleepover at the school to reward the girls for their hard work throughout the term. Despite the rain, we made the most of the sleepover with activities around town—including a scenic drive to Simpsons Gap, a few competitive rounds at the bowling alley, and some laughs at the driving range. It turned out to be a memorable experience after all!

Mother's Day Card Making & Candle Making

For Mother’s Day, our thoughtful STARS students created their own unique candles and handmade cards to show appreciation and love for the special women in their lives—whether it was their mum, sister, nana, or aunty. It was a beautiful way for the girls to express gratitude and give something truly personal.

We’re all looking forward to a well-deserved break but are also very excited for a busy and rewarding Term 3 ahead!

The STARS team!

Duke of Edinburgh

Congratulations to Hannah Munn!!

Hannah Munn is one of 40 students across Year 8 and 9 currently enrolled in the Duke of Edinburgh, Bronze Award at Centralian Middle School. As part of her award, Hannah's new skills were within the Prepared Reading and Recital from Memory reading in the 2025 Centralian Eisteddfod.  Hannah spent over 13 hours practicing and rehearsing for these categories. She won the Prepared Reading section and was Highly Commended in the Recital from Memory Section.

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

South Sudan Bake Sale

CMS for South Sudan

Staff and Student leaders held a successful bake sale for South Sudan on Thursday 5^th June.

After hearing about the tragic situation of children impacted by violence, displacement and disease outbreaks, teacher Adam Haack suggested the fundraiser. Two Sudanese teachers, Gatkuoth Kueth and Tethloach Ruey, encouraged the bake sale. The conflict in South Sudan affects people that have connections with some CMS staff and students. CMS partnered with Medicins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) who will turn the money raised into much needed medicine, food and essential items.

Students and staff brought in an amazing array of baked goods which they served at recess and lunch to students and staff, and then to families after school. Some people chose to make donations instead of purchases, including members of the Alice Springs Sudanese community who expressed their gratitude for the event. Over $6,000 has been raised, and the donation window is open until June 20^th.

A big thanks to Adam Haack for all his work, and to everyone who supported with time and energy. The CMS for South Sudan brought staff, students and community together through compassion and delicious food!

Year 8 English & History

Alice Springs might seem a long way from the Pacific Ocean, but despite the distance, approximately eight per cent of CMS students have some kind of Polynesian or Pacific Islander background. This term the history and culture of Pacific Islanders has been the focus of the Year 8 English and History curriculum. In English lessons, students have studied Moana, analysing film techniques and discussing the deeper meanings of the film. Is it a story about…

• overcoming fear and being true to yourself?
• a strong female character who challenges stereotypes?
• the importance of tradition especially among Pacific Islander communities?
• taking care of the environment?
• all these things and more at the same time?

In History lessons students have investigated the expansion of the Polynesian peoples across the Pacific Ocean – from Hawaii to New Zealand to Rapa Nui (Easter Island). They have used their inquiry and research skills to answer historical mysteries such as…

• where did the Polynesians originally come from - South East Asia or South America?
• why is the sweet potato so important?
• how did Polynesian wayfinders successfully navigate thousands of kilometres across the ocean?
• what caused the collapse of society on Rapa Nui?
• how were the giant stone statues (Moai) transported across the island of Rapa Nui?

To finish our study of Polynesian history and culture, students enjoyed a lesson making their own Moai statues from clay.

Joel Morrison

Year 8 English and History

General Information 2025

Uniform Shop

Student Access (opposite the CMS Front Office) will be open for purchasing uniforms and stationery packs.

Opening hours are:

Monday - Friday 8:30-4pm

The new CMS royal blue hoodie and CMS black trackpants are available for students to wear with the cold winter weather.

It's great to see students embracing the CMS Uniform and wearing with pride and respect.

Students are reminded to wear FULLY enclosed shoes to school.  Crocs, thongs or slides are not acceptable and are a safety and WHS concern. Parents/Carers are asked to remind their young person(s) to wear correct footwear.

Hello, Werte!

Werte!

Dear families,

This is our final newsletter for Term 2 with plenty to celebrate.

Student teams competed against Yirara College in an interschool soccer event last week. Student Leaders spoke up against bullying with a modest but well received ‘Do It For Dolly’ lunchtime event. They also supported the ‘CMS for South Sudan’ bake sale, which was a delicious success, raising over $6,000 for children impacted by war, displacement and disease. All our local Year 6 classes have now had their first transition visit to CMS, with students and teachers making them feel welcome and excited for next year. Thanks to the Centralian College staff for also extending a welcome to our Year 9 students in their first transition visit. And finally, music to our ears was the news that the CMS rock band took first place in their Eisteddfod event; you can hear the full song on our CMS Facebook page. Like and subscribe 😊

Of course, our core business is teaching and learning so that our young people improve in literacy, numeracy and all the skills needed to be successful in their senior years of school and beyond. It is wonderful to see the assessment tasks being completed in all subject areas. Reports will be mailed home, so please look out for them at the start of the holidays.

Attendance can drop in Term 2 with cold and flu season as well as the long weekends. Please remember to contact the school on 89552333 if your young person is sick or absent from school for any other reason. On a positive note, 117 students earned the Subway and donut attendance lunch for two weeks of excellent attendance on Friday 6^th June.

We have been focusing on our school value of ‘Respect’ lately, specifically kind and respectful language. We understand that banter and jokes are part of life, but there is no place for hurtful language, racism or other forms of bullying. Thank you for supporting us with the message that words matter, words can hurt or heal. Everyone needs to feel safe and well at school for learning.

Finally, we wish all our students a safe and relaxing three week break. Keep warm, enjoying any camping trips and see the community notices at the bottom of this newsletter for holiday activities. We look forward to welcome students back to school on Tuesday 15^th July.

Glenda McCarthy

Principal

Attendance on Compass

Our new Compass platform allows parents to check attendance and provide reasons for absence. If you haven’t received an email invitation from Compass, it might mean we don’t have a valid email address on record. Please email centralian.middle@education.nt.gov.au with your updated details.

Important Dates

SOUTHERN SUDAN BAKE SALE FUNDRAISER

WORLD NO TOBACCO DAY

Each year on May 31st, schools and communities around the world observe World No Tobacco Day, a global initiative led by the World Health Organization (WHO). This day is dedicated to raising awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco use and encouraging individuals to lead healthier, tobacco-free lives.

At Centralian Middle School, we stand united in our mission to promote wellness and informed decision-making among students. Tobacco use remains one of the leading preventable causes of illness and death worldwide. By educating young people about the dangers of tobacco and vaping, we empower them to make choices that benefit their long-term health and well-being.

🚭 Why It Matters:

• Tobacco kills more than 8 million people each year.
• Smoking and vaping can lead to serious health issues including heart disease, cancer, and respiratory illnesses.
• Second-hand smoke is also dangerous, especially to children and non-smokers.
• Parents and guardians play a vital role. Talk to your children about the risks of tobacco use and model healthy behaviours. Open conversations can be powerful tools for prevention.
• Let’s work together to create a smoke-free generation and celebrate World No Tobacco Day not just once a year, but every day.
• Stay informed. Stay healthy. Say no to tobacco.

At Centralian Middle School, we believe in supporting each other and making healthy choices. If someone you know—whether a friend, family member, or neighbour—is trying to quit smoking or vaping, remind them that help is available.

They can contact the Quitline for free, confidential support:
📞 Quitline: 13 78 48
Or visit www.quitnow.gov.au for resources, tips, and live chat support.

Kim Richards

Health Promoting School Nurse

Compass

This term all parents and carers have been sent an email invitation to sign up to Compass. The Compass platform has an array of exciting features, including the ability for parents to check attendance and provide reasons for their child’s absence. This week we have activated the SMS feature which will alert parents when their child is absent from class. If you haven’t received an email invitation from Compass, it might mean we don’t have a valid email address on record. Please email centralian.middle@education.nt.gov.au with your updated details.

Hello, Werte!

Werte! Hello CMS Community!

As the term progresses, our school is buzzing with activity and growth. It's a particularly exciting time for our Year 6 students as they embark on their transition journey to Year 7. We've already seen the first of these visits commence in Week 4, and these valuable experiences will continue through to Week 9, helping to ensure a smooth and confident step into their secondary education. We're so proud of their enthusiasm and the way they are embracing this new chapter.

On the sporting front, we have some fantastic news to share! Our students recently demonstrated exceptional talent and sportsmanship at the interschool competition. A remarkable number of our athletes finished in the top three sportspeople of the day in their respective age categories. Even more impressively, through their collective effort and dedication, CMS emerged in 2nd place overall on the day! This is a testament to the hard work of our students, the support of their families, and the dedication of our coaching staff. Congratulations to everyone involved!

Beyond the sporting arena, our classrooms are alive with outstanding learning across all year levels. Our students are diligently completing assessments in all subject areas, showcasing their understanding and growth throughout the term. These assessments provide valuable insights into their progress and will form the basis of the student reports that you will receive at the end of the term. We commend our students for their focus and commitment to their studies.

Looking ahead, we are excited to celebrate NAIDOC Week in Week 10. This important week is a time for all Australians to learn about and celebrate the rich history, diverse cultures, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The theme for NAIDOC Week in 2025 is "The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy." This theme celebrates not only the achievements of the past but the bright future ahead, empowered by the strength of young leaders, the vision of communities, and the legacy of ancestors. We encourage all our families to stay tuned to our school's Facebook channel for more details regarding the special events and activities we have planned for this significant week.

With thanks,

Josh Mapstone
Assistant Principal – Year 7 and Inclusion

Important Dates

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

Small Groups

Excursion to Adelaide House:

As part of the Culture and History sessions with Miss Mali Cavanagh and Project Based Learning program, all SGC classes visited the Adelaide House Museum in Alice Springs on Thursday, 08 May 2025.

The purpose of this excursion was for students to develop their knowledge and understanding of the history of Alice Springs by looking at buildings of historical importance and exploring how inquiry skills can be used to analyse sources and understand different perspectives.

Students enjoyed listening to and looking at Miss Mali's History Mapping project and learning about Alice Springs' first hospital from her and the museum staff. They were quite excited to see old items of historical significance and their role in the history of Alice Springs. Student participation and enthusiasm were appreciated by Miss Mali and the museum staff. 

SGC Archaeology Dig Simulation Activity: 

As part of their Project Based Learning units this term, all SGC classes participated in an archaeological dig simulation where they had to locate and extract artefacts from a dig site and use their historical inquiry skills to gather information. 

Students had to demonstrate how to safely excavate using the tools provided and how to analyse artefacts found in an archaeological dig. They were also shown how to use a grid to record their artefacts. 

Old vases, baskets, coins, and broken plates were some of the artefacts that students found in the dig. After the activity, students reflected on the learning in their classrooms by answering questions and completing worksheets that helped them understand how historians use artefacts and primary sources to tell how people lived in the past.  

HPE

HPE Excursions in Full Swing

This term, our HPE excursions have seen students step out of the classroom and into action! Year 8s have been heading to Ross Park Soccer Oval to develop their soccer skills, showing great improvement in teamwork, technique, and game sense. Meanwhile, Year 9s have been exploring stick sports, learning the fundamentals of lacrosse and hockey. Students have embraced the opportunity to try new things, step out of their comfort zones, and support one another. It’s been fantastic to see so much enthusiasm, cooperation, and growth both on and off the field!

WEIGHTLIFTING

During Year 8/9 contact times and lunchtimes, students have been re-engaging in the CMS gym space through weightlifting, led by Callum Downie. It’s been a fantastic way for students to develop physical awareness, build strength, and connect with peers who share the same passion. The space has become a welcoming environment for students to come out of their shells, learn something new, and grow in confidence. Friendships are forming, and the positive energy is lifting everyone up—literally!

Interschool Athletics Carnival

It was a fun and energetic day filled with positivity, determination, and teamwork through and through! Our CMS ladies did us proud, with Alice Strathearn placing 2nd in the 12 years girls and Lyesha Tilmouth taking 2nd in the 13 years girls. The CMS fellas brought the heat – Marshal Lord claimed 1st in the 12 years boys, Kasey Tebeck stormed to 1st in the 13 years boys, and Herbie Goodwin secured 2nd in the 14 years boys.

Out of five competing schools, CMS placed 2nd in total points and was awarded overall – an amazing effort by all!

Rebecca Stephens

8.5 8.6 9.5 9.6 HPE Teacher

General Information 2025

Uniform Shop

Student Access (opposite the CMS Front Office) will be open for purchasing uniforms and stationery packs.

Opening hours are:

Monday - Friday 8:30-4pm

With the weather cooling down the new CMS Royal Blue Hoodie and CMS Black Trackpants are available for students to wear.

It's great to see students embracing the CMS Uniform and wearing with pride and respect.

Students are reminded to wear FULLY enclosed shoes to school.  Crocs, thongs or slides are not acceptable and are a safety and WHS concern. Parents are asked to remind their young person(s) to wear correct footwear.

Community Announcements

VAPING

The Dangers of Vaping

Centralian Middle School, like many other schools, is working to address the current trend of young people vaping.

E-cigarettes, or ‘vapes’, are not safe for young people. They come in many shapes and sizes and can be hard to spot as they can look like everyday items including highlighters, pens or USB memory sticks.

Key vaping facts

• Many vapes contain nicotine. Nicotine can cause long-lasting negative effects on young people’s brain development, including impaired learning ability and altered mood, and can increase the risk of depression and anxiety.
• Vapes can contain the same harmful chemicals found in cleaning products, nail polish remover, weed killer and bug spray, which can lead to serious lung diseases.
• Young people who vape are 3 times as likely to take up smoking cigarettes.

The laws around selling vapes

It is illegal to sell vapes to anyone under the age of 18 years. Young people often purchase vapes online, from retail stores, or from friends and contacts on social media. If you suspect someone is selling vapes to minors, you can report it to NT Health via email to tobacco.control@nt.gov.au.

Talk to your child about vaping

It’s important to take the time to talk to your child about the risks of vaping. Try to start the conversation in a relaxed easy-going way, and remember your goal is to have a conversation, not deliver a lecture. Importantly, get the facts at: Vaping | NT.GOV.AU also Facts about vaping for parents fact sheet

Kim Richards

CMS Health Promoting School Nurse