What's On?
- Friday 25 September: Last Day of Term 3
- Monday 28 September - Sunday 11 October: SCHOOL HOLIDAYS
- Monday 12 October: Students return for Term 4
- Tuesday 20 October: HSC Exams Commence
- Monday 19 October - Friday 23 October: Year 11 Pathway Interviews
- Thursday 12 November: Year 12 Formal
- Friday 13 November: Year 12 Graduation Assembly
- Term 4 (date to be advised): Information Evening for 2021 Enrolments
Principal's Message
Another term comes to an end, and it's the first term in 2020 that we've had the whole ten weeks on site at school. It has been great to get back into the swing of things and while we still operate with many restrictions, our teaching and learning has continued seamlessly with many great learning opportunities for our students. We aren't competing in sporting events or going on many excursions, but our students continue to be challenged in their classrooms and have engaged in some fantastic initiatives organised by staff to promote health and wellbeing over recent weeks.
In Week 7 we celebrated National Health & Physical Education Day, promoting the importance of physical and mental health with some fun afternoon activities as well as music and dancing during the lunch breaks! Activities included seated volleyball, orienteering, carnival games, indoor cricket, bocce, Gaelic football, ultimate frisbee, table tennis, badminton, European handball and more. Students were encouraged to get involved and get moving with our PDHPE staff leading by example to teach skills and pass on their knowledge of how to lead active and healthy lifestyles. Our Year 7 Enrichment class newspaper team made a brilliant website to capture the fun and action of the day. With the help of Mr Mallon, they conducted interviews with students and staff, wrote the articles and even took the photos to showcase the way we celebrated the day. Check it out at the link below:
We also recognised R U OK? Day in Week 8, reinforcing the important message for our students to check in on their friends and support each other if they are not feeling the best. Students created posters that were displayed around the school and joined in with teachers for handball competitions, soccer ball juggling and other fun activities to bring awareness to supporting others.
It's been a busy time for our senior students, with the HSC fast approaching and Year 11 students in the midst of their final exams. We got the good news that Year 12 formals and graduations will be able to go ahead, giving our graduating students something fun to look forward to after exams. The formal will be held on Thursday November 12 and the Graduation Assembly on Friday November 13 in the hope that restrictions may be reviewed after this term and parents may be allowed back on site during Term 4. It's certainly a special occasion and milestone we would like to share with parents if possible so we'll keep you posted! A reminder for our Year 12 students and parents that Week 1 of Term 4 is considered a normal school week and all students are expected to attend. Monday to Thursday will be regular classes, with themed days on the Wednesday and Thursday and a fun activity day on site at school on the Friday.
Our Information Evening for students enrolled for Year 7 2021 is another event that has been postponed in the hope that we can hold it on site next term and give our new students and families a chance to come in and have a look around our amazing school.
We'll be embracing technology to deliver our 2021 School Leaders speeches, with nominees from Year 11 currently preparing and filming speeches that will be shared on classroom screens in Week 1 next term. Voting will take place in each class and we will make the big announcement of our new school captains and prefects shortly after. Good luck to all nominees - Hunter Sports High will certainly be in good hands going forward. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank our 2020 leaders Brodie, Kayla, Zac, Tamika, Jai and Jack for the excellent job they have done in a very tough year. They have shown maturity beyond their years and pride in their school, supported each other through uncertain times, and have helped promote Hunter Sports High by being outstanding role models at school and in the community.
Thank you for your continued patience and cooperation with the new procedures for sick students, for getting your children tested and providing evidence of results. We appreciate your acceptance of the guidelines set out by the Department of Education and will update you if there are any changes to these requirements.
Further in the newsletter you'll see some of the great things our students have been up to in classes this term. Remember that if you would like an update or feedback from any of your child's teachers at any time, please contact the school office on 4943 5755 to leave a message for the teacher to contact you.
We'll be celebrating the end of term with a bacon and egg Breakfast Club extravaganza on Friday morning and a friendly game of staff versus students OzTag on the oval in the afternoon. I hope all our students and families enjoy a fabulous holiday break and make the most of the beautiful Spring weather. We look forward to seeing everyone back at school on Monday 12th October for Term 4.
Rachel Byrne - Principal
MS Byrne awarded for excellence
Congratulations to our Principal Rachel Byrne on being announced recently as a recipient of the Department of Education Secretary’s Award for Excellent Service. In the absence of the usual awards ceremony at Town Hall in Sydney, Ms. Byrne was presented with her award by our student leaders at roll call assembly on Friday of Week 8. She was nominated for the award by our Youth Worker Keira on behalf of all the students and staff of Hunter Sports High.
The Secretary's Award for Excellent Service honours Department of Education employees who have shown outstanding effort in improving the quality of teaching and student learning outcomes in public education, demonstrating improvement to leadership, school environments and commitment to education in the community.
Ms Byrne has been the driver of many of the incredible changes that have happened at the school, including the introduction of the Big Picture Academy and of course managing the redevelopment of the school from the design stage in 2014 through until construction was completed in 2018. Her vision for the new school also required a heavy investment in professional development to ensure staff were skilled in future-focused teaching and learning, including in the use of flexible learning spaces, visible learning and integrated technology. Her strong focus on innovation and inclusivity sees her advocate to provide all students with equal opportunities for quality education and the school has developed multiple learning pathways to support the specific needs of all learners.
Ms Byrne was a little embarrassed by all the attention but was deservedly chuffed with the award. "I feel really proud to have been recognised by my staff and students for the difference that I have been able to make for our school community," said Ms Byrne.
TSP & Group photos available to order
Extra-curricular school group photos are now available to view and purchase at the Advanced Life community portal. These group photos include TSP squads, school leaders, school band and other extra-curricular groups. Students have been given a note with details including the online order link and code. Follow these instructions to place your order and please contact Advanced Life at www.advancedlife.com.au/contact if you have any questions, comments or feedback regarding school photos.
evan scores basketball scholarship
Congratulations to TSP Basketball squad member Evan Kilminster who was recently awarded a scholarship for the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence in Canberra. While we were sad to say goodbye to Evan here at Hunter Sports High, he's happily settled in to his new school in Canberra and trains six days a week as he works towards his goal of getting into the NBL, and ultimately the NBA. Read more about his big move in the Newcastle Herald article in the link below. Well done Evan on this amazing achievement and opportunity and all the best in achieving your basketball dreams!
project rockit Cyberbullying training
Last week our Year 9 students participated in Project Rockit's empowering cyber-bullying webinars, thanks to a successful application for a @PROJECTROCKIT and @GoogleAustralia (cyber)bullying grant. Hunter Sports High was one of just 40 schools across Australia to be awarded this grant which resulted as a response to the dire impacts of the global pandemic on school communities and student wellbeing. Students gained skills to maintain digital wellbeing, look out for each other online, take positive social action and use tech for social connection.
Senior Booster Sessions
Our Years 11 and 12 students have been working on their critical thinking and collaborative skills in their fortnightly Booster Sessions using our new Breakout kits! Breakout EDU is an immersive learning games platform instantly transforms the classroom into an academically-focused escape room where players use teamwork and critical thinking to solve a series of challenging puzzles in order to open the locked box. Students are now working on creating their own Breakout box to challenge their peers.
homework help
Hunter Sports High's Homework Centre is available for all students each Monday-Thursday from 3.15pm - 4.30pm. The Homework Centre operates in our Innovation Centre and is supervised by HSHS staff who are available to support students with their homework and assignments.
CAPAL CREATIVES
WONDERFUL works of art
It’s been a big term in Visual Arts at HSHS with students from all year groups working hard to produce some excellent work. The kilns have been going non-stop and there have been many lunchtimes when the art rooms have been buzzing with hardworking students.
Year 7 students have been learning about portraiture and the proportions of the face in the lead up to creating their ceramic faces; Year 8 students have been busy creating sculptures inspired by fantasy including dragons, phoenixes and gargoyles; Year 9 are currently developing their skateboard designs while our Year 10 students have been learning about ceramics throughout history creating different objects and learning new techniques along the way.
Year 11 Visual Arts students have been studying the art movements of Modernism. They have created paintings that demonstrate their understanding of their chosen movement and also take inspiration from their immediate environment. They have been very dedicated in their approach to their artmaking this semester and should be proud of what they have achieved.
Year 12 Visual Arts students have just completed and submitted their HSC Body of Works. They are to be congratulated for their commitment to their artworks throughout this challenging year. While their creations are under wraps for marking now, we'll share photographs of their work at a later date. We wish them all the best for the HSC exams. Miss Smith and Mr Frazier
japanese club
Our new and exciting Japanese Club is now up and running with Mr Carter every Wednesday Lunch 1. All students are welcome. This is a space where students can enrich their understanding of Japanese culture and society. This club is entirely based on the interests of students. In our first club meet-up in Week 8, students indicated that they love anime, so in Week 9, students were able to watch the anime 'Haikyuu'. The story follows Shōyō Hinata, a boy determined to become a great volleyball player despite his small stature. For future club activities, students will learn how to draw anime characters, play Japanese traditional games, make origami and interact with resources and videos that will expand their knowledge of Japan. Tanoshimi desu ne! (Isn't this exciting?!)
School of Rock
During these highly confusing Covid times, our school rock ensemble still exists. We are small but mighty! We practice (following Covid guidelines) on Tuesday mornings and will be available for school assemblies and playground gigs when everything goes back to normal. We have performed and polished at least 15 songs thanks to our lead vocalists Emelie Jennings and Isaak Clifford. On bass we have Hayden Brown, on drums Max Baker, on keys/sax Logan Coffey-Price, on uke/flute is Breanna McGuiness, and on guitar Flynn Hellawell. This ensemble is a keen musical group who love to practice and have a wealth of talent between them.
testing student skills in tas
STage 6 HSC Industrial Technology – Timber products & furniture technologies Major Projects
Like many HSC courses, a major project makes up a large part of the course in Year 12 and culminates the end of twelve months of hard work. This year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, student works were marked internally, with their design folio sent to Sydney to be marked by external itinerant NESA markers. The Industrial Technology students' major projects were marked by Mr Davies and two teachers from Glendale Technology High School. The students should be congratulated on the effort and skills applied during the production of their projects.
Stage 4 Material Technologies - Timber and Metal
The Material Technologies context focuses on the application of specialist skills and techniques to a broad range of traditional, contemporary and advancing materials. Students develop knowledge and understanding of the characteristics and properties of a range of materials through research, experimentation and practical investigation, and when they make products to satisfy identified needs and opportunities.The Material Technologies contexts studied at Hunter Sports High School include timber and metal.
Hospitality students cook up a storm for SASS Week
Year 11 Hospitality Food and Beverage students collaborated with the Support Unit students and treated our amazing School Administrative & Support (SASS) staff to coffee and sweets on Tuesday and Friday of Week 6 for SASS Week. Our talented team of skilled students made ready to order espresso coffee served with chocolate truffles and mini-vanilla cookies - and they served it all up with a smile!
student welfare news
R U OK? Day
For R U OK? Day in Week 8 Hunter Sports High staff reinforced the important message for our students to check in on their friends and support each other if they are not feeling the best and they joined students for handball competitions, soccer ball joggling and other fun activities to bring awareness to including and supporting others. A schoolwide wellbeing lesson was also delivered to all students. The lesson was created by Year 8 students Athiana Kelly and Hannah Chicken who had researched the origins of R U OK? Day in Project REAL. Also from this class, Joshua Muddle and Reece McManus created informative posters which were displayed on electronic noticeboards around the school, while Katelyn Whitehead and Summa Bermingham made a Kahoot quiz to provide further information to students about mental health issues. Thank you to all these students for their hard work to help others.
Breakfast Club and oz harvest
Each Monday and Friday HSHS staff come in extra early to prepare and serve up a nourishing breakfast for our students, with toast and cereal available from 8.15am near S Block. This Friday, to celebrate the end of term, we'll be firing up the barbecue for a big bacon and egg breakfast extravaganza! We are also fortunate to receive deliveries each Tuesday from OzHarvest who provide a range of healthy lunch options for our students for second break.
support the hshs breakfast club at grill'd charlestown
For the month of September you can support Hunter Sports High's Breakfast Club by getting into Grill'd at Charlestown Square and ordering a delicious burger. For every burger ordered you'll receive a token to place in the Grill'd Local Matters jars. Our Breakfast Club is one of three worthy causes you can support for the month of September and we'd love your help to help us win between $100-$300 to stock up our Breakfast Club supplies for Term 4 and help nourish our hungry students!
celebrating school to work pathways
Throughout the year, many of our students apply for traineeships, apprenticeships and full-time employment and are successfully transitioning from school to work. We would like to congratulate these students and wish them all the very best for their future. They are setting a great example for other HSHS students about the positive career outcomes they can achieve through hard work and commitment. Students are encouraged to discuss career options and opportunities with our Careers and Transition staff Mr Hogan and Ms Griffin if they are interested in similar opportunities. Congratulations and good luck to the following students who've recently progressed from school to the world of work:
- Brandon Tangaroa: Full-time Employment
- Dalton White: Cabinet Maker Apprenticeship
- Reilee Perry: Electrician Apprenticeship
- Herbert Oaharo: Apprenticeship
- Meliah Baker: Trainee Dental Assistant at NIB Pacific Smiles Group. Meliah was chosen for this position after progressing through five phases of the rigorous application process. She is one very proud and happy young woman!
community notices
food boxes
A number of local charities have joined forces to put together some pantry staples boxes that are available for free for families within our community. Thanks to Oz Harvest, Food Bank and local church Convey of Hope, the boxes contain a variety of non-perishable foods such as rice, biscuits, Milo, long-life milk, pasta, pasta sauces, noodles, cereal, tea and coffee etc. Please contact our Youth Worker Keira on 49435755 if you would like one of these boxes.
