Blackwood High School

Infobox Aust school
name=Blackwood High School


motto=
established=
type=Secondary school
principal=Susan Hyde
city=Eden Hills
state=SA
country=Australia
campus=
enrollment=
colours= Green, White and Red
homepage=http://www.bhs.sa.edu.au|

Blackwood High School is a co-educational secondary school located in Eden Hills, a south-eastern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia offering the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme with six nearby primary schools and Diploma Programme as the "Mitcham Hills College". It is also a Special Interest High School offering Netball.

Blackwood High also offers an enrichment program for identified 'gifted' or 'talented' students.

Primary schools involved in the Mitcham Hills College are:
*Belair Primary School
*Bellevue Heights Primary School
*Blackwood Primary School
*Coromandel Valley Primary School
*Eden Hills Primary School
*Hawthorndene Primary School

The school developed a resource with Sturt Police on "Teenage Parties" that has been adapted by Victorian private schools Scotch College [ [http://www.scotch.vic.edu.au/Family/teengath/teengath.htm "Successful Teenage Gatherings" prepared by the Scotch Family Association with illustrations by Julian Collins. Adapted from "Teenage Parties" by Blackwood High School, SA and Sturt Police, SA] ] and Toorak College [ [http://www.toorakcollege.vic.edu.au/Menu10/Notices.html#Successful_Teenage_Gatherings Special Events and Notices ] ] .

The school is the site of the Blackwood Community Recreation Centre.

Performing Arts Centre

*The Performing Arts Centre, otherwise known as the PAC, the Auditorium, or the Blackwood Community Recreation Centre, was constructed in 2001 with funds raised in several school and community-based fund-raisers [ [http://www.mitchamcouncil.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=209&c=1364 City of Mitcham, Media Release "Blackwood Community Recreation Centre is Open for Business: Official Opening 13 February 2004"] ] . It features several sound-proofed rooms, computing equipment, musical instruments, and a large theatre and stage, with a booth for controlling the lighting and sound effects. The PAC is also used by the community as a church on Sunday mornings.
*The main auditorium seats approximately 350, with the capability to have an extended stage because of retractable seating. There are lighting grids and dark curtains which add an air of professionalism to any performance.
*The drama suite is also fitted with a lighting grid which enables students to produce shows in a more personal space.
*In addition to the main performing areas, the centre boasts a recording studio, four small practise rooms, two classrooms, offices and storerooms.
*Students are proud of their PAC, and many past scholars still speak, with affection, of their time spent wandering its hallowed halls.

Events

*In 2007, Blackwood High featured a 'Big Day In', which featured many bands that performed in the Auditorium.

*Every year, the school puts on an amateur performance. Previous plays included parodies on reality television, ghosts, gangster movies, and Superman. 1999 saw Bananacles and Adelaide Director Greg Elliot wrote and directed 2001's box office smash 'Carnivalia', a parody of Medieval Italian politics. In 2007, the play was "Rats", based on the life of Dick Wittington, starring Sam Lowe as Pirate Pete.

*Past years have seen heavy participation by various student musicians and actors in the Come Out Youth Arts festival. The Blackwood High Stage Band have also performed with the Neath Concert Band from Wales.

*Many students also participate in the annual Blackwood Christmas Pageant.

*Students, encouraged by the staff, take great pride in presenting various shows which always prove popular with the local community.

Alumni

Alumni include:
* Matt Lambert (Suffa) and Dan Smith (Pressure) of the Hilltop Hoods
* Beccy Cole (musician)
* Chloe Fox, South Australia MP in the South Australian House of Assembly
* Terry Tao, mathematician.
* Peter Rathjen, medical researcher and Rhodes Scholar
* Michael Hughes, Winner of the Martin S Lambert Award for excellence in Industrial Design (2005 and 2007)
* Brad Gibson, Recipient of an APA Scholarship to study a PhD in Aerospace Engineering
* Samuel Jozeps, Youth organiser for Carclew Off the Couch
* Brenton Ragless, weather reporter for channel 9, South Australia
* Rebecca Morse, newsreader for Channel 10, South Australia
* Sports people:
** Kerri Pottharst, Australian professional beach volleyball player and Olympic gold medallist
** Peter Motley, Australian Rules Footballer - Sturt Football Club 1982-1985 & Carlton Football Club 1986-87
** Ben Rutten, Australian Rules Footballer - Adelaide Football Club 2003-Present All-Australian selection in 2005.
** Bianca Reddy, Netballer for the Adelaide Thunderbirds

School Publications

*Each year, the school's year eleven students compile a yearbook which has, since its beginnings, been entitled 'Cambium'. Students contribute articles, photographs, artworks and written works which give a snapshot of the school-year.

Notes

External links

* [http://www.bhs.sa.edu.au Blackwood High School]
* [http://www.ibo.org/school/001878/ International Baccalaureate Organization listing for Blackwood High School]
* [http://www.mitchamcouncil.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=209&c=1364 Blackwood Community Recreation Centre]