On the back of last month’s highly successful Centenary Celebration Weekend, Port Lincoln High School will again open its gates and doors to the wider community, this time for an Open Night on Monday November 13th. An initiative of the school’s Governing Council, the event promises to offer something for everyone.
Across the October long weekend, around 600 ex-PLHS students and staff members returned to their former school to participate in a variety of 100th birthday celebrations. One of the most popular options for the alumni was a guided school tour – patrons marvelled at how much the school site had changed since their enrolment or employment, prompting them to fondly reminisce about their past experiences at PLHS.
On this occasion, the focus will be on the future, with current Year 6 students and families warmly invited to familiarise themselves with the large campus and view a range of current facilities and specialist program options. This relaxed opportunity to wander the high school grounds should be viewed as a valuable first step in any prospective student’s transition to PLHS.
The school is also offering the wider community an opportunity to view Port Lincoln’s newest (and possibly largest) artwork. A stunning 19×8 metre painting now adorns the back wall of the PLHS Hall. The “Jetty Jumping” mural is a cohesive collaboration between three highly talented artists – Thomas Readett, Shane Cook and Mike Sander. Whilst the artwork looks incredible in photos, it genuinely must be seen live to be fully appreciated.
The school is also keen to share information about a pastoral care initiative that is delivered weekly to students across all year levels – The Resilience Project (TRP), based on the bestselling book by Hugh van Cuylenburg, is an emotionally engaging program which provides practical, evidence-based mental health strategies to help build resilience and happiness. Mrs. Lenny Woods and the school’s Wellbeing Team will offer an informative TRP presentation at 6pm on the Eyre Floor.
The Open Night will also mark the opening of the school’s Year 12 Art/Design Exhibition for 2023. This year’s collection (entitled “Erstellen”, German for “create”) will be displayed inside the Specialist Building. The creative and skilful practical work (art/graphic design/architecture) and accompanying practitioner’s statements of twenty senior students is sure to impress. At 6:30pm, the participating students, their families and PLHS staff will attend an official exhibition opening – all welcome.
Other Open Night opportunities for visitors to enjoy include:
- centenary merchandise on sale in the Resource Centre
- access to 100 years of historical school archives (courtesy of Port Lincoln History Group) also in the Resource Centre
- barramundi feeding in the Aquaculture Centre
- BRIDGE (early intervention program) open in Rooms 17/18
- court sports inside the Geoff Hawthorne Gymnasium
- live music performed by PLHS Music students and Concert Band
- Lumination virtual reality lab on the Stamford Floor
- sausage sizzle (courtesy of Rotary Club of Port Lincoln) adjacent to “Jetty Jumping” mural