From the Principal's Desk
The first half of Term 3 has been busy for our students and staff. Year 12 have completed their HSC Trial examinations and are currently awaiting their marks. Thank you to Mrs Lalor for her organisation and the teachers who supervised the exams.
Please note that the school has been provided updated advice from the NSW Department of Education. This necessitated some last-minute re-organisation of school sport for Years 7-10. Sports Coordinators Mrs Frankham and Ms Parker did a fantastic job organising new activities in our local area for students. We will continue to keep families updated on any changes to sport throughout the term.
Restrictions have also, unfortunately, necessitated the cancellation of Term 3 transition activities for Year 6 students. Hopefully, restrictions will lift in Term 4, and these activities can be rescheduled.
I would like to remind parents that if your child is unwell, you must not send them to school. Students and staff absent with flu-like symptoms must be tested for COVID-19. Staff and students must not return to school or work until they return a negative COVID-19 result and are symptom-free. Schools must sight the negative COVID-19 test result before allowing students and staff to return to school.
As a school, we continue to follow the guidelines supported by NSW Health and are continuously reviewing our school activities. Further information on the updated advice can be found via the link below:
It was with great pleasure that we celebrated a significant milestone for one of our staff. Ann Nosworthy was recognised for 20 years service. Ann is the laboratory assistant in the science faculty and has been an integral part of our workplace health and safety team for 15 years!
On a personal note, I would like to thank everyone for their positive comments on my inclusion in The Educator's 5th annual Hot List as one of the top 75 educators in Australia in 2020.
Dr Fiona Walsh
Year 9 check-in assessments
Year 9 students will participate in a new reading and numeracy check-in assessment in Term 3, 2020. The Check-in assessment is a NSW Department of Education online reading and numeracy assessment available to support schools to assess and monitor Year 9 student learning following the period of learning from home.
The Check-in assessments can supplement existing school practices to identify how students are performing in literacy and numeracy and to help teachers tailor their teaching more specifically to student needs.
The assessment will be scheduled for our Year 9 students from 17 August to 4 September 2020 (Weeks 5-7).
Year 9 SAIL students will complete their tests during the same time period with school learning support officer and teacher support. Students with disability may receive the same level of support during the assessment that they would normally receive in the classroom.
Please ensure that your child brings headphones to complete the testing. Students will be asked to bring headphones or earbuds that plug into a computer to enable them to hear audio during the assessment. Earbuds used for mobile phones or other portable devices may be suitable for use during the assessment. The type of computer connection needed is a jack or USB.
Headphones can be supplied if requested before the day.
Tell Them From Me surveys
Once again, our school is taking part in Tell Them From Me surveys. Surveying students, parents and teachers, these surveys will provide valuable information about our school to assist with future planning. Looking at:
- How well our learning community feels we are delivering education and supporting our students.
- How engaged our students are in their learning and how relevant they find their lessons
- The level of support our teachers feel they are receiving to deliver the required curriculum
This year has brought exceptional challenges to all members of our learning community as we have transitioned in and out of learning at school and at home. We are asking parents/carers to complete the Partners in Learning parent survey, links have been posted on our social media and sent via email to parents. For further information please read answers to frequently asked questions here.
Respect, Responsibility, Excellence (RRE) Awards 2020
Teachers are continuing to recognise students doing the right thing, contributing in class and striving for excellence. Students receive GOTCHAs (electronic awards), Excellence Certificates and Faculty Awards. Each award level is worth a specific number of RRE points which then convert to Achievement Awards. Normally students are presented with their certificates at year meetings and excellence ceremonies.
Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) RRE awards year to date data has been collated up to the end of Term 3 Week 2. Due to COVID-19 restrictions on assemblies, students qualifying for an achievement award at this time received their certificate at their connect class.
- GOTCHA - 1 RRE point
- Excellence Certificate - 5 RRE points
- Faculty Excellence Award - 10 RRE points
Bronze Achievement Awards
15 RRE points
Year 7
Lily Crouch, Morgan Fowkes, Thomas Griffis, Faith Halloran, Jessica Leedham, Sophie MacDonald, Angel Marchant, Tafara Mazorodze, Tahlia McDonald, Shelby Parker, Savanna Radovanovic, Sophie Roarty, Jewell Szerenga, Ebonie Thompson, Trinity Thompson, Landon Tomlinson and Ian Trongcoso.
Year 8
Tayla Bush, Liam Croker, Ebony Dubbelde, Bailey Ford, Chelsi Gilroy, Amelia Ivin, Corey McAlister, Glenn Millard and Riley Waller.
Year 9
Declan Coombes, Lauren Cooper, Riley Farmer, Emily Griffiths, Johanna Jenkins, Austin King, Cohen Matthews, Michael Mitchell, Sophie Paget, Sukontha Thongkao-George, Marli Walker and Jorja Yarnold.
Year 10
Harley Blair, Lillian Duke, Brenden Hardy, Ainsley Mccoll, Ryan Mott, Eleanor Pilcher, Amelia Solomons, Rory-Leigh Spicer and Zac Sutherland.
Year 11
Sofia Lawrence, Olivia O'Connell, Lillia Price, Jasmine Read, Cooper Richards, Hayden Smith and Jazmin Wheeler.
Silver Achievement Awards
30 RRE Points
Year 7
Millie Halbert, Savannah Kelly, Saxon Keysell, Ella Lewis, Tariro Mazorodze, Byron Mulheron, Aislynn Oliver, Saxyn Pickett, Abby Prest, Hallie Scarlett and Jewell Szerenga.
Year 8
Elivienne Acland, Payten Barnes, Rory Dorse, Daniel Hutton, Jules Puxty and Amity Roche.
Year 9
Kaleb Barnes, Liam Barrett, Mikayla Bourke, Rhys Bruce-Dobson, Lauren Cooper, Mahkai Corrigan, Ella Findlay, Emma Harper, MacKenzie Lovett and Riley O'Connell.
Year 10
Lucas Allan, Sarsha Barlow, Krystal Bridgman, Caleb Carmody, Jaylen Gruenert, Charlotte MacFarlane and Lara Myers.
Year 11
Tamsin Pinchen and Malcolm Quinlan.
Year 12
Mikayla Martin and Ethan Wright.
Gold Achievement Awards
50 RRE Points
Year 7
Ariya Campbell, Jai Cannings, Saxon Keysell and Chloe Preston.
Year 8
Thomas Aldridge, Kai Godwin, Jie Matthews, Corey Morgan and Mikayla O'Shea.
Year 9
Reece Bowie, Rhys Bruce-Dobson, Rebecca Hardy and Flynn Radcliffe.
Year 10
Jack Bird, Abby Kennedy-Swan and Aimee Lyle.
Year 12
Jack McGinniskin
Platinum Achievement Awards
75 RRE Points
SHOUT
(Students Helping Others Unite Together)
Our school has an active student group - SHOUT, a passionate group of young people who make a real difference in our school and community. The group meets weekly with their coordinator, teacher Emily Owen.
In 2019 they organised fundraisers for the Australian Men's Shed, Newcastle Dog Rescue and collected donations for the charity Share the Dignity's 'It's in the Bag' campaign.
So far, we have raised $730 since the program began, simply from students placing their empty plastic bottles, cartons, cans and poppers into the white baskets. The white baskets will still remain in the corridors and the blue bins can be found in the playground. All money raised goes towards school improvement projects led by SHOUT.
Many of our senior leadership team have been very active in SHOUT. As they focus on their HSC exams the team is looking for new members from all years to step up. If you would like to build your leadership skills or simply make our school or community a better place - come to our the next meeting and see if it's a good fit for you.
Leadership opportunities, include opportunities to attend off-site leadership camps, for example, the YMCA NSW Youth Parliament.
We publicise meeting dates on student daily notices. The next SHOUT initiative is Wear It Purple Day!
University of Newcastle News
Visit the University of Newcastle website to register for their online open week 14-18 September. Watch degree webinars on nearly 50 different degrees offered by the university.
TAFE NSW News
Visit the TAFE NSW website to register for their virtual open day 9-10 September. You can download the interactive edition of the TAFE NSW Career Guide 2021 on the website and access information about scholarships, apprenticeships and traineeships.