Important change to school bus routes

Bus changes to routes of interest to South Sydney High School community are detailed below and will take effect from 5th December:

Previous route: 316

New routes (from 5th Dec):

• 397 - Eastgardens to South Maroubra
• 390X - will operate every 8 minutes during school peak times along Anzac Parade

School services:

• 730e, 731e, 732e, 733e, 734e, 735e, 736e

The following services will no longer leave from the school:

• 316 join 397 to Eastgardens & Maroubra Junction – change to 356 for travel to South Coogee and Randwick
• 397 join 392 to Matraville shops – change to 309 at Matraville shops for travel to Bunnerong Road Moorina Avenue – for travel to Phillip Bay (Anzac Parade) join 745e
• 400 join 350 from Eastgardens towards Airport for travel to Mascot. Join 350 from Eastgardens towards BJI for travel to Maroubra Junction – Rte 350 operating every 10 minutes during school peak times

School service changes - to school:

730e - departing Eastgardens at 08:10 will now depart one minute later at 08:11

Changes to services for students use may not be captured in full detail, we encourage you to plan your trip before travelling.

The TfNSW Trip Planner will be updated with the new changes by 21st November.

Opportunity Program

A gift from Maersk - our newest business partner

One of the best things that has happened to South Sydney High School this year is that Maersk Australia have joined our BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP COMMITTEE! With that, they commit to participate and assist various programs that go on in the school.

They have consolidated their membership with a tremendous gift to our school.

This gift is a 20 foot shipping container which will be used to store our PE equipment from the gym - and this will then allow us to have a weights room for those interested- more on this later.

The delivery of the container was very tricky but with the assistance of our fabulous General Assistant Mr French, it went smoothly.

We truly are thankful for this union and hope it will be long lasting and mutually beneficial. Our gratitude to Maersk.

Helen Stell - Opportunity Program coordinator

High Potential and Gifted Education

ICAS

Postponed ICAS exams will be happening this term as follows:

• English & Digital Technology: 18th November
• Science and Spelling Bee: 19th November
• Maths: 25th November

Public Speaking

Well done to our public speakers who all managed to meet up via Zoom on Fridays during lockdown with Ms de Paor. Particular congratulations go to Bronte in Year 7 and Henry in Year 9 who were wonderful representatives of our school in the online Legacy Public Speaking Competition. Public Speaking Club will resume again next year when we can hopefully meet up again in person across year groups.

Exciting possible 2022 project for High Potential and Gifted students whose area of aptitude and passion is the Creative Arts

We are currently on the lookout for actors, dancers and those who might like to work behind the scenes on a school production that we hope to be able to present to our school community next year. We have also been approached to suggest extras for a TV series that is being filmed in the vicinity of our school. If either of these opportunites may be of interest your son or daughter get them to visit the drama room on a Thursday or Friday to chat to Ms de Paor. Or e mail me: aine.depaor@det.nsw.edu.au.

If we decide to go ahead with a school production we will need parent helpers so watch this space. It could be a very exciting way for our school community to embrace 2022 with renewed energy, passion and creativity and a lovely celebration of all South Sydney High School does well.

Brainways Gifted Education Summer Camp

A number of organisations regularly approach our school about school holiday High Potential Gifted Education courses. Please see details below of the Brainways courses being offered during the summer break. While the UNSW HPGE Gerric Courses are the only ones we confidently endorse, we are providing details of this course in case it may be of interest.

Ms de Paor - High Potential & Gifted Coordinator

Year 10 into 11 uniform

There are only 4 weeks left in this term and due to current COVID restrictions etc., the Uniform Shop requests that you purchase your child's senior uniform now.

The Uniform Shop is only open by appointment. Please phone Pam on 0409 607 896 to make a booking.

Or you may prefer to order online and collect at your convenience. See a copy of the price list below.

World Kindness Day

World Kindness Day is this Saturday 13th November. It is a global day that promotes the importance of being kind to each other, to yourself, and to the world.

Kindness is a prosocial behaviour that is proven to change lives by preventing harm to others and ourselves through improved emotional and physical wellbeing.

If every Australian performed an act of kindness on World Kindness Day, we would have 25 million acts of kindness in a single day.

Choose an act from the examples listed below, or come up with your own!

Library news

New Circulation Desk

During lockdown, the library had a new circulation desk installed and it has completely transformed the space. It has enabled us to move the printer to be more accessible and also create more room for the tables in the nonfiction section. There have been so many positive comments from staff and students alike and it is a great work area for library staff.

New resources

Check out some of these fantastic recent fiction releases. They are ready to borrow right now!

Ms Maddocks - Librarian

Student wellbeing

At South Sydney High School, students and families are supported by our qualified wellbeing team members who work with wider teams within and beyond our school to develop a school culture where all individual students are valued, accepted and able to develop to their full potential.

Students and parents are able to access wellbeing support by:

• Self referral: You can contact your year advisor to discuss a referral to the Student Support officer or the School Counsellor
• Referral by South Sydney High School staff: Staff may contact the Wellbeing team to raise concerns about a student and seek assistance.

If you are in need of support, please contact our Student Support Officer, Leah at: leah.kirsner@det.nsw.edu.au

Vaping

The laws on supply and possession of nicotine vaping products changed at the beginning of October 2021. In brief, all nicotine vaping products are now regulated under Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 as Schedule 4 (prescription only) medicines in the Poison Standard. A prescription will be required from a medical practitioner to purchase nicotine vaping products from a pharmacy or when importing from overseas websites.

What is vaping?

Vaping is the inhaling of a vapor created by an electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) or another vaping device.

E-cigarettes are battery-powered smoking devices. They have cartridges filled with a liquid that usually contains nicotine, flavourings, and chemicals. The liquid is heated into a vapor, which the person inhales. That's why using e-cigarettes is called "vaping."

What are the health effects of vaping?

Vaping hasn't been around long enough for us to know how it affects the body over time. But health experts are reporting serious lung damage in people who vape, including some deaths.

Vaping puts nicotine into the body. Nicotine is highly addictive and can:

• slow brain development in teens and affect memory, concentration, learning, self-control, attention, and mood
• increase the risk of other types of addiction later in life

E-cigarettes also:

• irritate the lungs
• may cause serious lung damage and even death
• can lead to smoking cigarettes and other forms of tobacco use

Some people use e-cigarettes to vape marijuana, THC oil, and other dangerous chemicals. Besides irritating the lungs, these drugs also affect how someone thinks, acts, and feels.

How do e-cigarettes work?

There are different kinds of e-cigarettes. But many people use the Juul. This e-cigarette looks like a flash drive and can be charged in a laptop's USB port. It makes less smoke than other e-cigarettes, so some teens use them to vape at home and in school. The Juul pod's nicotine levels are the same as in a full pack of cigarettes.

Do I have to vape every day to get addicted?

Even if you don't vape every day, you can still get addicted. How quickly someone gets addicted varies. Some people get addicted even if they don't vape every day.

What bout e-cigarettes that don't have nicotine?

Most e-cigarettes do have nicotine. Even those that don't, do have chemicals in them. These chemicals can irritate and damage the lungs. The long-term effects of e-cigarettes that don't have nicotine are not known.

Why should I quit?

Wanting to be the best, healthiest version of yourself is an important reason to quit vaping. Others include:

• Unknown health effects: The long-term health consequences of vaping are not known. Recent studies report serious lung damage in people who vape, and even some deaths.
• Addiction: Addiction in the growing brain may set up pathways for later addiction to other substances.
• Brain risks: Nicotine affects your brain development. This can make it harder to learn and concentrate. Some of the brain changes are permanent and can affect your mood and ability to control your impulses as an adult.
• Use of other tobacco products: Studies show that vaping makes it more likely that someone will try other tobacco products, like regular cigarettes, cigars, hookahs, and smokeless tobacco.
• Toxins (poisons): The vapor made from e-cigarettes is not made of water. The vapor contains harmful chemicals and very fine particles that are inhaled into the lungs and exhaled into the environment.
• Sports: You want to do your best in sports, and vaping may lead to lung inflammation (irritation).
• Money: Vaping is expensive! The cost of the cartridges over time starts to add up. Instead, you could spend that money on other things you need or enjoy.
• To go against tobacco company advertising: Many e-cigarettes are made by the same companies that produce regular cigarettes. Their marketing targets young people by making fun flavours for e-cigarettes and showing young, healthy people vaping. They're trying to make you into their new, lifetime customer.

TAS news

During Remote Learning, Year 7 students worked on a variety of Mini Design Briefs in Technology. Part of the preparation for their project students needed to create moodboards.

I want to share some creative ideas that came through my Year 7 classes. Great work Year 7 - a real inspiration.