principal's message
COVID SAFE RETURN TO SCHOOL
Dear Students, Parents and Caregivers,
We are very much looking forward to seeing our students back at school from Monday October 25 (Week 4 B). Year 12 have been coming to the school in their study bubbles this week in large numbers and have enjoyed seeing each other again.
All other year groups will return on Monday October 25. Class times are published below. Please note that each cohort group (Years 7 and 8 Cohort, Years 9 and 10 Cohort, and Year 11 Cohort) have different start times for their lessons. All lessons are for one hour Monday – Friday. Each cohort group has a different finish time. To avoid the school having a continuous cacophony of bells ringing at different times throughout the day we will have no bells. Teachers will remind students at the beginning of the lesson of the finish time for the lesson.
Each cohort group will have separate spaces for playing, socialising and recreation during recess and lunch. Years 7 and 8 will be in the COLA, Years 9 and 10 will be in the Central Quad, Years 11 will be near the Tennis Courts and sheltered areas next to the Cottage. Students may use the Oval and Courts as well as long as they stay within their cohort group.
The Library will be open from 7:30am – 4:45pm Monday to Thursday (8:30am – 3:05pm Fridays).
The canteen will be open during recess and lunch.
On entry to the school students will be expected to sanitise their hands prior to swiping on. There will be additional swipe on stations throughout the school. Students should swipe on and move directly to their Period 1 class. Sanitiser is provided by the DoE. Students will also be reminded to sanitise between classes.
Teachers will supervise the exit of students from the school.
Over the coming weeks we will be organising for each year group to have one or two days of wellbeing activities. This will also be an opportunity for all students to meet personally with our new Student Support Officer Ms Court-Gold. Ms Court-Gold’s office is in the Wellbeing Staffroom. We encourage students to see Ms Court-Gold if they would like to discuss any concerns they have about coming back to school, friendship issues or any concerns they might be experiencing. Ms Court-Gold does not have a teaching load and is therefore available to all students everyday throughout the whole day.
If students have PE or Sport they may wear their Sport Uniform to school. If students feel more comfortable in their Sport Uniform on non-sport days they may also wear their Sport Uniform for the rest of the term.
There will be no exams in most faculties in Term 4 for Year 7 – 10 students. The 2nd Semester 2021 Report will be similar to the Semester 1 Report in 2020 where students were given grades. Some classes may have class tests and assignments. The expectation is that students will come to school to learn how to learn again in a physical classroom environment without the pressure of end of year exams.
Windows and doors in classrooms will remain open to increase ventilation. On hot days air conditioners will be used but windows must remain open.
Students and teachers will have masks on inside school buildings and classrooms. Students and staff are now not required to wear masks outside.
In the event of a COVID positive case at the school the school will report the incident and the DoE will provide advice as to the closing of the school while it is cleaned. Close contacts are now defined by NSW Health as anyone who comes into close physical contact (hugging, shaking hands, kissing) with a COVID positive person. Only close contacts of the COVID positive person will need to quarantine at home.
If your child becomes unwell at school we will request that you pick them up immediately. If your child is unwell as in non-COVID times please let the school know by phoning the school on 9476-5711.
In summary,
· new and different start and finish times
· no bells
· students and teachers are masked when indoors
· windows and doors open
· no exams in most faculties
· Sport Uniform may be worn on all days
· separate recess and lunch break times and separate areas for each cohort group
I hope to provide you with a very positive report on the maturity of our students and their return to school under such difficult circumstances in the next edition of the Torch.
LESSON TIMES
HOUSE CAPTAINS
Congratulations to our newly elected House Leaders for 2022. We are lucky to have such a great team. The presentations gave the school community an excellent insight to the outstanding credentials offered by our Year 10 students. Thank you to the students who nominated, I wish we could give you all the job.
Mrs Sheppard
PREFECT INDUCTION
On Thursday the 9th of October Hornsby Girls High School conducted virtually, for the first and hopefully last time, the Prefect Induction Ceremony for our 2022 elected Prefects (see banner photo above). Despite not being able to have family and their student cohort attend, our school leaders embraced the ceremony with the determination and resilience that characterises them. Our 2021 School Captain Kate Chipman gave a poetic farewell, as she reflected on the year past, 2021 School Vice-Captain Joylyn Jenson officiated the ceremony and our new 2022 School Captain, Penelope Brown and Vice-Captain Prisha Desai represented the new Prefect body when giving their speech and vote of thanks. They are enthusiastic about the year to come and are ready to carry on the School Torch and continue to foster a strong sense of belonging in our school.
Thank you very much to Ms Diaz (Prefect Coordinator, Languages Faculty) for organising the very successful online Prefect Induction.
VACCINATION INFORMATION
At Supersave Chemist in Asquith, we will be receiving the New mRNA Moderna Vaccine shortly and will be taking bookings from Mon the 27th of September, for anyone over 12 years of age up to 59 years of age.
We would appreciate it if you would kindly notify your school community for anyone interested to contact us as soon as possible as slots are filling up quickly. We are trying to help the community to get high school students vaccinated before school starts again.
Our opening hours for vaccinating are Mon to Fri from 10:30am till 7pm.
Booking Information: Supersave Chemist 343 Peats Ferry Road (opposite Coles Asquith) Phone: 9477 3537
Hornsby Hospital Hub is having a huge vaccination push tomorrow, Saturday 16 October 2021, to try to increase vaccination rates in the area.
So they are having a “walk in” Super Saturday clinic at the vaccination hub at the Hospital between 8am and 2pm. This is located at Gate 5 on Derby Road.
As the RN for Aboriginal Health in the area, I have offered to be available on site between 10am and 12pm for questions and discussion if necessary, to try to improve hesitancy, particularly amongst the Aboriginal Community.
DOE parent survey
Please complete the DoE survey on any concerns you may have regarding your child's return to face-to-face learning.
If you are interested in completing the survey could you please do so by Monday 11 October.
Your school’s survey link:
https://research.det.nsw.edu.au/jfe/form/SV_5BAxh4fuj5wnsWO?RID=CGC_YY8yAgPSoIBVkHa&Q_CHL=email
YEAR 12 COVID SAFE EXAM INFORMATION
year 10 term 4 arrangements
YEAR 12 farewell & clapout
We hope Year 12 enjoyed their clapout ceremony on Monday.
Thank you to all who contributed to the outstanding Clap Out Assembly and Farewell video particularly our wonderful student speakers!
To Katrina Thompson and Doug Marshall thank you for your incredible seamless editing of all the videos.
To all staff who contributed with their videos thank you - Mr Barr as Elvis and Ms Chaikin stole the show with their performances.
It was great to see and hear such heartfelt messages of support from all the staff!
To our incredible Year Advisers Tracey Sheppard and Michelle Hoogerwerf thank you for organising the event and managing the student videos.
The video was a beautiful and wonderful tribute to our very deserving Year 12s.
Well done all!
STUDENTS NOT RETURNING IN 2022
If any student is not intending to return to HGHS in 2022 could you please notify us as soon as possible. We have an extensive wait list and would like to offer places as soon as possible.
year 12 in lockdown
WELLBEING INFORMATION
Especially when things are feeling a bit tough, it can help to set some goals. Making goals achievable and ensuring that you have a few short term as well as longer term, more ambitious goals helps us feel we're making progress. It doesn't matter if your goal for the day is something really small, the important thing is to give yourself the opportunity to feel like you've achieved something and to celebrate that! With the last few months not quite going to plan for many people living in NSW and dealing with lockdown we can now see the light at the end of the tunnel. It’s time for us to be Optimistic this October. The following calendar is full of ideas to help you think about how you can put this into practice.
October is also mental health month and over the course of the month a number of resources will be shared with parents, students and school staff to improve their wellbeing.
ACTION FOR HAPPINESS CALENDAR- Optimistic October
Wellbeing support
international literacy day movie zoom fundraiser
The 8th of September marks International Literacy Day. This year, the celebration shined a light on the need to bridge the digital divide. Sadly, the COVID pandemic has affected children who have limited access to books, technology, and the internet the most. As they cannot adopt digital and remote learning solutions to relieve the effects of the pandemic, many of these students do not receive an education during this time.
To celebrate International Literacy Day and support the urgent post-COVID literacy recovery, HGHS students gathered at our movie Zoom party to watch “Wonder”. The Zoom party began with a short presentation discussing International Literacy Day and the celebration’s significance. Here, the importance of literacy and the massive difference a small donation could make in helping affected students was communicated. The presentation also featured a reveal of more literacy activities that everyone can participate in throughout October and November. Your participation and support would be greatly appreciated. These activities include:
Guess the number of pages in ‘this’ book competition at:https://forms.gle/KJB6jKjNZKo5NMSQ6Join the readathon! These holidays are a great chance for you to catch up on some reading, all while supporting a really important cause! Get sponsored by your friends and family, using the sponsor form at fhttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1jlG4x_P9FUrk_616N7e5L2rrChDq-BgH/view and track your progress using the reading log : https://drive.google.com/file/d/1W6HW44aiJKPi8ymVWFMNYc3BdPgiSUUE/view
Write letters to children in need to show your support for them and email them to: ankita.routray@education.nsw.gov.auso I can pass them on to the affected students!
Participate in the jump for literacy challenge by posting a video of you skipping while saying the alphabet on social media!
For more information about these activities, please check out these slides!
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/109OONkGT8Ug0ePeCYfVPURuZumAmnwyM04AgVfZm8TA/edit?usp=sharing
Following this presentation was a viewing of “Wonder”, a movie which everyone thoroughly enjoyed. This was a great way to wind down for the holidays; and for year 11, a relaxing way to celebrate the completion of their yearly exams.
Thank you so much to everyone who attended our movie Zoom party. So far, we have done a great job of raising donations and have already raised over $250! We need to continue helping these students as much as we can, so if you would like to donate, please do so at
https://www.mycause.com.au/page/262769/support-the-urgent-postcovid-literacy-recovery.
Donations, no matter how big or small, are greatly appreciated as they make a huge difference in the lives of students who have sacrificed their education due to COVID-19. All funds raised go towards the purchase of Sunbook tablets for disadvantaged students in Africa, so they can resume their education. The donation page remains open till the end of November, so please donate anytime. You can continue to support these children by sharing the donation page with others so they can also donate to this worthy cause. Thank you so much, for helping children affected by the pandemic to resume their education.
Ankita Routray - Year 11
SOCIAL JUSTICE
In the last edition of the Torch we mentioned fundraising for the organisation Mahboba’s Promise who are helping women and children in Afghanistan. The organisation and wonderful work they do were recently featured on Channel 10's - The Project. Find out more about the organisation here:
There is still time to join the online activity and raise money for this important fundraiser. Entry is $5 per person or join as a team for $5 each. Payment can be made online through the school website. Please select Payment Type: other and Description: Mahboba’s Promise.
Owl Awards will be given to all entries with special Owl awards given to the most creative.
Please sign up here to enter: https://forms.gle/9mEurPbBtiAjh4R68
The Social Justice Committee is open to anyone in Years 7- 12 and is a friendly and inclusive group of amazing students and staff members who are determined to help those less fortunate than us. Come along and join us, meeting dates are announced on Sentral.
Thank you in advance for your support.
The Social Justice Team
Space For Planet Earth Challenge - Reminder
Space for Planet Earth Challenge Proposal Deadline 31 Oct 2021: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vmc941h4oEg
Don't miss out on winning up to $30k NZD in cash prize, data, and mentorship to address important climate change issues using satellite data and technology. Open to secondary and university students, and startups in New Zealand, Australia, and the Pacific Islands.
Deadline to submit a proposal and join the Challenge incubator is 31 October, 2021. For more information, go to spaceforearth.org.
October 4 2021 The Importance of a Healthy School Canteen
This latest blog was written by our friends at the Healthy Kids Association. It explores the NSW Healthy School Canteen Strategy and the positive lessons about health we are aiming to impart on our kids. If you would like to learn more about healthy school canteens you can also check out our PV chat with Amy Wakem from the Healthy Eating Advisory Service.
As adults, we know that chips and pizza are not the best things to eat every day. Like everything else, these items are best when enjoyed in a balance with fruits and vegetables, wholegrains and legumes. These healthier options are the types of foods which should take priority, especially for our growing kids. They keep us full, prevent afternoon energy slumps and support healthy brain function, allowing us to take on all that our day may throw at us!
It’s important for kids to know that what we choose to fuel our bodies with is what determines our ability to run faster, jump higher and concentrate harder.
In the classroom, kids are taught about food groups and the importance of eating 5 serves of veg a day, but if the food marketing and meals made available to them outside of the classroom are not reflecting these lessons, the learning is meaningless. It is estimated that the foods consumed during school hours make up close to 40% of a child’s daily energy intake[1]. Additionally, it is recognised that dietary habits, preferences and behaviours are established in early childhood. Therefore, it is essential that the foods which are made available to children at their school canteen enable the healthy eating advice they learn in the classroom to be put into practice.
Canteens aren’t expected to be perfect. In NSW, the mandatory NSW Healthy School Canteen Strategy (the Strategy) assists schools in supporting student health by increasing the availability of healthy food and drinks in their canteens.
It is mandatory for all NSW Government schools with a canteen to meet the requirements of the Strategy by adhering to the Food and Drink Criteria, meaning:
Sugar-sweetened drinks are not for sale in the canteen or vending machines
Everyday food and drinks make up 75% of the canteen menu, with Occasional food and drinks accounting for no more than 25%
Health Star Rating (HSR)of ≥ 3.5 stars is required on all packaged Occasional foods and drinks (except diet drinks) and Everyday breakfasts
Portion limits are applied to all Occasional foods and drinks, for Everyday hot foods, ≥ 99% juices and flavoured milk [2]
Only Everyday foods and drinks should be marketed and promoted in the canteen
Everyday foods are the nutritious foods which provide healthy sources of energy for our kids. These are drawn from the five food groups, encompassing meals like your favourite chicken salad sandwiches, egg fried rice, yoghurt and fruit, tofu sushi rolls and the like. Conversely, Occasional foods are the ones we’d prefer our children to not be eating every lunch. These are the foods which are higher in energy, saturated fat, sugars and/or salt – often resulting in little nutritional value. Here we see cakes, processed meats, commercial pizza – you get the picture!
If kids are being taught about the benefits of fruits, vegetables and wholegrains and then seeing this mirrored in the options they can order for lunch, they will be forming a healthier approach to eating which will carry through to their adulthood. We all want what’s best for our kids and the NSW Healthy School Canteen Strategy allows this foresight to be maintained in and out of the classroom.
Healthy Kids Association’s team of experienced dietitians and nutritionists have been working alongside schools to improve their canteen menus. Since 2018, 339 NSW Government High Schools have been supported in meeting the criteria of the Strategy. But there is always more work to be done, Healthy Kids Association needs parent support to create change in all schools.
If you would like to see more healthy options offered and promoted, then you can advocate for these changes at your school by using the advice provided in Parents’ Voice’s 2019 ChangeMakers Program. Email the Parents’ Voice team at hello@parentsvoice.or.au to gain access today.
If this post has piqued your interest and you would like to learn more about Healthy Kids Association, don’t hesitate to call 1300 724 850 or email info@healthy-kids.com.au.
School Travel Term 4
2022 school travel applications are now open
Below is some useful information to assist with student travel enquiries.
Applications for student travel in 2022 opened on Tuesday 12 October 2021.
Students who need a School Opal card or travel pass for 2022 can apply now. A new application will need to be submitted if they are applying for a school travel pass for the first time, or if they are requesting an additional travel entitlement as a result of a new shared parental responsibility situation (e.g. joint custody).
Students who change address, school, campus location, or who have repeated a year or received an expiry notification from Transport for NSW for their school travel entitlement should renew or update their details before the end of term 4. This will ensure that schools can endorse applications and current entitlements are updated and remain valid. School Opal card holders will have the changes applied to their existing card.
If a student’s distance eligibility has changed based on their grade the system will automatically update their entitlement if they meet the new criteria. If they do not meet the new eligibility criteria, they will receive an expiry notification via email.
Students who have an entitlement approved under a medical condition that is due to expire will receive a notification advising them to re-apply.
Term Bus Pass holders will receive a notification to re-apply.
Students in the Opal network applying for an Opal card (including a Term Bus Pass) for the first time will receive their Student Opal card at their nominated postal address. Cards will be mailed out from January 2022.
Students living in rural and regional (R&R) areas should receive their travel pass at the start of the new school year from their nominated transport operator. It may come via the school or be sent directly to them at home. Note: some R&R operators do not issue travel passes. Students/parents should confirm with their nominated operator if they do not receive a pass.
School Student Transport Scheme site change
On 1 October 2021 the School Student Transport Scheme (SSTS) information and application portal was moved to transportnsw.info.
Access to the School Portal will also be via transportnsw.info. To navigate to the School Portal from the home page click Tickets and Opal, then School students, then scroll down to Information for school staff and select School portal.
School travel application endorsements
Often applicants completing the online form make mistakes, so we ask that school administrators be mindful of this and avoid endorsing applications with incorrect information.
If you identify an error you can amend the first name, date of birth or grade of a student’s travel application by clicking in the relevant row on the portal. Please ensure you have confirmed the information before making any changes. Refer to page 16 of the School Portal User Guide for further instructions. The user guide is accessible within the School Portal by clicking the arrow next to your username.
If a student’s details cannot be confirmed or they are not yet enrolled please do not endorse the application. By selecting ‘no’ the application will be rejected and the applicant will be informed. They will then need to submit a new application.
In the event that school administrators endorse an application in error, please advise our Concessions team as soon as possible via https://transportnsw.info/contact-us/feedback/passes-concessions-feedback
If school administrators require access to the School Portal, please request an account at https://transportnsw.info/tickets-opal/ticket-eligibility-concessions/school-student-travel/school-portal#register
If you have staff members who have left the school recently who had access to the school portal, please let us know at https://transportnsw.info/contact-us/feedback/passes-concessions-feedback and select ‘school/operator portal’ and then ‘remove existing user access’ so their access can be removed.
Travel from Term 1 2022
We ask that parents plan ahead and make sure their child knows which service/s to use and has a valid ticket to travel; either a School Opal card or Child/Youth Opal card (within Greater Sydney) or a School Travel Pass (outside Greater Sydney), from the start of the school year.
Applications for the School Student Transport Scheme (SSTS) open at the start of Term 4 2021 for travel in 2022, so parents/students can apply or update details early and be ready for the start of the new school year.
Most students using the Opal network will not need a new Opal card and can continue travelling on their existing card each year.
The start of the year is a difficult period for local bus operators, and students travelling without a valid ticket make service planning and operations increasingly difficult.
We recognise that for some families last minute changes to school enrolments mean they may not have a School Opal card or Travel Pass for the start of term. In the Opal network, we strongly encourage these families to have their children travel on a Child/Youth Opal card until they receive their valid School Opal card. If outside Greater Sydney, parents should contact their local bus operator to discuss their travel needs.
Bus operators are flexible and understanding, particularly at the start of the school year, and will ensure students can travel safely to and from school. But to best support our operators we encourage all students to have a valid ticket, as early as possible, from the start of the school year.
Please also remember that students using Opal cards must tap on and tap off in line with the Student code of conduct and Opal terms of use.
HILLSBUS TIMETABLES
For the attention of students who travel to school using HILLSBUS.
We are pleased to inform that all Hillsbus school services will recommence from Monday 18 October 2021.
From that date, Hillsbus will also recommence School Term timetables for all public routes for students who use public routes to school.
From the 18th October route 610X peak extensions from/to Kellyville will be curtailed to operate between Castle Hill and the City, and there are minor timing changes to routes: 602X, 607X, 610X, 611, 612X, 613X, 614X, 615X, 616X, 619, 620X, 622, 642X and 652X.
Travellers are encouraged to plan their trips on Transportnsw.info or call 131500 for travel options.