25 dispatch february 2016 week 09

Mimosa Street, Frenchs Forest, NSW 2086. Tel: 9451 0022, 9451 0199. Fax: 9975 3560 Email: davidson‐[email protected] Webpage: www.davidson‐h.schools.nsw.edu.au

Diary Dates FEBRUARY Tuesday 23 20/20 cricket match P&C mee ng Band informa on mee ng

Wednesday 24—Friday 26 Y7 camp

Friday 26 Y11 Working towards the HSC

Monday 29—Friday 3 March Y12 hospitality placement

Monday 29 Y11 biology excursion

MARCH

Tuesday 1 5pm OPEN NIGHT

Wednesday 2 Y7‐11 student support sessions

Thursday 3 Y12 drama showcase

Friday 4 School photos

Monday 7– Friday 11 Y12 business services workplacement

Monday 7 7‐8pm Y7 Elevate study skills (parents)

Tuesday 8 Y8 Medieval presenta on

Wednesday 9 Zone swimming carnival Rotary exchange expo Y12 Brainstorm produc on

Thursday 10 & Friday 11 Y11 student interviews

Thursday 10 Vaccina ons

Monday 14—Thursday 24 Y12 half yearly exams

Wednesday 16 Y7, 8, 10 & 11 student support sessions

Thursday 17 Area swimming carnival

Friday 18 GATEway entrance test applica ons due

Monday 21 7—8.30pm Y7 parent/student study skills

A community school, Davidson High School is commi ed to providing an inclusive educa onal environment that is suppor ve, innova ve and engaging. We believe that by working strategically and collabora vely we will inspire and develop future focused students who are ac ve and connected learners and cri cal and crea ve thinkers.

Davidson

February 2016

Welcome back. The new school year can be both exci ng and daun ng but it is definitely a me to think about the year ahead and to think about how you’re going to conquer it.

Every year we ask you to set goals and we discuss them with you throughout the year. If you don’t have a goal then you are moving towards nothing. Se ng goals will bring you success and failure and everything in between but that’s what helps us grow.

Here are 5 ps for ge ng it right from the start.

Get Your Free Time Under Control There are just 24 hours in each day. What you do with that me is what counts. If you don't already, start to use your diary or use a daily/weekly planner. It's easy to think you have more me than you think if you aren't careful. When you plan and map out what you need to do it is harder to avoid the truth. There is work to be done! Manage your me wisely and you'll get the maximum out of each day.

Good Learning Habits Start Here If you've got them, great. If not — well, there's s ll me to develop them. Good learning habits include the basics:

Always be prepared for class and get there promptly.

Complete assignments thoroughly and in a mely manner.

Get feedback from your teacher – they’re there to help. Ask ques ons, lots of them to gain clarity of understanding.

Set aside me each day for homework, assignments and study — the sooner you get started the sooner you’ll get it done.

Comple on of Assignments and Homework– Just Do It Teachers assign homework for a reason. While it may seem like "busywork" at mes, it definitely has a purpose. Put your homework to good use. Remember, you'll only get out of it what you put into it!

Organisa onal Skills – A Work in Progress Keeping yourself organized will save you valuable me and allow you to do everything you need to do. Keep all your study materials (calculator, planner, books, notebooks, laptop, etc.) in one convenient loca on.

Remember that organisa on, and high school in general, is a learning process. Consider yourself a work‐in‐progress. As you discover yourself, you will also discover methods and habits that will s ck throughout your life. Don't be afraid to work through trial and error, and take risks. You'll be glad you did it.

Getting it Right from the Start Ms Jann Pa nson, Principal

Mo va on You need to be mo vated to learn and work hard, whether or not you like a specific subject or teacher. Self‐mo va on can be extremely important when you aren't par cularly excited about a class. But you are in charge of your mindset – no one else. So, set your mind to it and do it — no excuses. Success is up to you!

The hardest part of ge ng things done is star ng. Commit to at least 30 minutes a day and build from there. Once you start it won’t be long before it’s a habit.

“Before anything else, prepara on is the key to success.” Alexander Graham Bell

Make 2016 your year – own it!

Supporting students’ learning at Davidson Ms Karen Witherdin, Relieving Head Teacher, Teaching & Learning

The demands of school and study are constantly changing. As with any skill we need to stay up to date to be effec ve. This year a new team has been invited into the school to equip our students in 21st century study skills.

Elevate Educa on has a dynamic team of young presenters who explain and model the latest approaches to effec ve study habits for the classroom and home. They also have a helpful website that supports students with further ideas to improve their skills. Their approach is based on over a decade’s research to discover the answer to the ques on to 'Why do the top students get the top marks?'

By examining the study habits of thousands of past students, they have iden fied a number of areas where the prac ces of the top students differ from average or lower performing students. Elevate Educa on presenters, materials and parent evenings aim to improve students performance by tapping into, replica ng and using these study skills and techniques.

Follow up sessions are planned in class me to consolidate the sessions students a ended in Week 4.

There is also an evening for parents of Year 7 and 8 students planned for week 7 of Term 1 on the 7th of March. We would love as many parents and caregivers to a end.

Science Mrs Meghan Ferguson, Head Teacher, Science

Welcome to all Davidson students and families, we are looking forward to a great year in Science class and many successful experiments.

We have welcomed a new staff member this year, Dr Sarswat who is joining us in a full me capacity from Western NSW. Also Mr Azimi will be working with Mrs Fraser in a job share arrangement.

Lots of opportuni es will be available for students this year, keep an eye on the student news for details. The ESSA Science Compe on is an example of something that will be coming up soon!

Each student will receive a textbook in Science for the year which is theirs to use at home. A reminder to all students that this textbook is on loan, and therefore must be returned in good condi on to the Science department at the end of the year. Failure to do this may result in having to pay the replacement cost of the book. If you have not returned a book from last year, please do so as soon as possible.

VALID – all students in year 8 and 10 will be si ng the VALID assessment program for Science in terms 3 and 4 2016. Students will be no fied of details closer to the date and assessed on their skill and content knowledge.

Dr Sarswat with year 7 in their first science class

Senior support sessions Mr Tom Wilson, Head Teacher, Planning and Development

This year the staff at Davidson High will be running a variety of senior support sessions aimed at helping our year 11 and 12 students achieve their best results in the HSC. Sessions will cover specific assistance with different subjects, help with exam prepara on and study skills such as summarising and promo ng coping skills such as goal se ng and me management.

The first of these sessions took place on Wednesday 10th February (Week 3) in the library. This session run by Mr Thornton (Head Teacher TAS) was targeted at and strongly recommended for students comple ng a major work in the TAS faculty.

The second session for first term will be run in week 6 and will focus on study skills, summarising and preparing for exams. This will be par cularly relevant for year 12 students as they approach their half yearly exams but year 11 students are also strongly encouraged to a end to build good study habits in their senior years. Ms Witherdin will run this session. Year 11 and 12 students are encouraged to sign up for this session on the sign up sheet outside the PE staffroom. The session will be run from 12:20pm on Wednesday 2nd March in the library and an addi onal session at the alterna ve me of Tuesday a er school may run if demand requires.

Time and loca on of all sessions throughout the year will be adver sed in The Dispatch, at year mee ngs and in the daily no ces. Hopefully this new ini a ve at Davo will help our senior students to excel in the HSC and beyond.

High achievers’ assembly

Recently our 2015 HSC high achievers were recognised in assembly which was addressed by Toni Tait. Here is an extract of her speech:

Last year I was given a book by my coach called An fragile—things that Gain from Disorder by Nassim Taleb, and the message he promoted throughout it is extremely valuable and I wanted to share that with you today.

An fragility is a term used to describe an object or human beyond resilient or robust. It describes something that benefits from shocks, something that thrives and grows when exposed to vola lity, risk, mistakes and stressors. Humans are very an fragile creatures, without us being conscious of it, for example, our muscles. As we introduce a stressor to them, in this cause a heavy object, they develop further, ge ng stronger as a result of being put under pressure. This concept can be applied to anything in life, even your study. By exposing yourself to any form of stressor, you can improve.

The most daun ng thing for me about the final HSC exams was the uncertainty and mystery behind what exactly was going to be asked. You prepare all year for this final test and have covered so many topics, what if they ask you something super specific? Or what if they ask you something you’re not confident wri ng about? The best way I found to combat those feelings was to use randomness and disorder when I studied. For example, something that helped me prepare for my English exam in par cular was picking an unseen essay ques on and wri ng it on the spot without notes. By pu ng myself in this situa on where I was exposed to the unknown, a stressor, I was able to experience similar feelings to what I would in the exam. Therefore I further improved my skills and became more an fragile through the use of uncertainty.

The biggest error I made throughout year 12 was being afraid to make mistakes. I say this because I gained absolutely nothing from the fear, it held me back from developing my ideas and improving my responses and study in general. This is not an fragile at all, rather making me robust, resis ng stressors and as a result not growing. Something that I eventually used to push me to make mistakes was se ng me limits when I answered ques ons. Not only did this imitate what it would feel like in the exam, but it put a lot of pressure on myself which led to me making more errors. Making mistakes is incredibly beneficial to your learning. By doing so you deepen your understanding of the concept and reveals op ons that you possibly hadn’t thought of. In the end, it mo vates you to improve the next me.

Overall, use the concept of an fragility in your study and life in general. Embrace vola lity risks and stressors, use them to thrive and grow. Also, make plenty of mistakes BUT learn from them and use them to mo vate you. However, the most important thing to do during this me is to be proud of yourself and your achievements. No ma er how important the HSC and your ATAR may seem, it’s not worth the stress and angst. No one, including yourself, will eventually remember your mark. You will be remembered for your love, care and integrity. Just be the best person you can and try your hardest—that’s all anyone can ever ask for.

I’d like to finish with a quota on from the book itself: “Wind ex nguishes a candle and energises fire. Likewise with randomness, uncertainty and chaos, you want to use them, not hide from them. I wish you all to be the fire, and wish for the wind.

Congratula ons to Harry Glackin (year 11 le ), who has been selected under the AIS sports dra to do sprint kayaking. He will be compe ng in the Na onal champion‐ships in Perth in March.

Meanwhile, Harry’s brother Liam Glackin (year 10) with Liam Fitzgerald (year 9) par cipated in the East Coast Challenge, the basketball championships between SA, Vic, ACT and NSW metro and country teams

Celebrating our students

It’s been a big week for Bryn and Riley Young (year 12 and 8 respec vely,

pictured le ) who have been featured on the front page of the Manly Daily and in a live cross on Chanel 9’s Today Show.

The talented downhill skateboarders competed in the Interna onal Downhill Federa on event at Mt Keira in Wollongong recently and would love to take their sport to the next level and travel overseas.

In the recent Cole Classic at Manly, Tom Doyle (year 10) came se‐

cond in the men’s 1km in a me 10.09 seconds and third in the 2km (21.44 seconds).

His sister Emily (year 10) won the women’s 1km event in a me of

11.19, and came second in the 2km with 22.57.

Fantas c swimming!

Liam Jewell (year 12 2015), le , received his Gold

Duke of Edinburgh Award from the Governor of NSW, Ret. Gen. David Hurley, at the end of last year.

Liam spent two years to reach this great achievement. He found the year of service par cularly rewarding and the many demands of the scheme has certainly taught him perseverance.

In breaking news, Ms Pa nson’s office has been taken over by a vast array of bugs, thanks to Mrs

Sears’s Year 10 Visual Arts class

New members of staff

Mr Brad Thornton, Head Teacher, TAS

I am excited to be at Davidson this year in the TAS faculty. Having worked in the school performing different roles for the past four years I became aware of the strong vision and many strengths this school community has. I have worked in Queensland and NSW as a TAS teacher for the past 30 years and have enjoyed the many and varied experiences afforded to me through teaching. I love water sports and belong to South Curl Curl S.L.S.C. and swim with the Bold and Beau ful swim team at Manly. I especially enjoy sailing and outdoor adventure ac vi es. I have coached Rugby for many years and even crossed to the dark side to coach Rugby League. I look forward to becoming involved in the school community in a meaningful way.

Ms Charlo e Pierce, English and HSIE Teacher

I am delighted to be at Davidson High School this year in both the HSIE and English facul es. From the moment I entered Davo as a casual teacher in 2015 I have been welcomed by friendly staff and students and I look forward to being a part of this posi ve school community in the year ahead.

I have previously worked at Barrenjoey High School and my passions extend beyond history and literature to the outdoors, where I enjoy a number of ac vi es including playing soccer for Harbord Seasiders United. I look forward to being involved across a number of areas throughout the school.

Dr Dinesh Sarswat, Science Teacher

I am very excited to be teaching at Davidson this year. At my previous school, Trangie Central School, I was coordinator of the Science departments across seven schools of the central western area.

I have been teaching Science for 25 years including 10 years overseas. I worked with XSEl School in the Dubbo area which was a regional selec ve school, and I have developed my teaching skills with gi ed and talented students.

I have a Ph.D. in Environmental Science and I am very passionate about conserva on and the environment. I have also wri en a couple of books on the environment.

I am looking forward to using my previous teaching experience at Davidson.

Mr Van Giang, Mathema cs Teacher

Being involved in educa on as a teacher has long been a goal in my life. A er comple ng a degree in Mathema cs with the aim of becoming a teacher, I moved to Australia as an adult, facing a number of challenges. Despite my con nuing wishes to become a teacher, to support my family I established a career in Informa on Technology (IT), ul mately becoming the Director of Sales for an interna onal IT so ware company.

In the last few years, my family has become much more se led. With my two daughters being university students, I feel that I can now pursue my own longstanding desire to become a teacher. Further, I also feel that I should contribute more to the community to return the benefits that I have received from it. I strongly believe that one way to do so is to become a teacher in NSW public schools where I can share my experiences and knowledge with the students and to help them learn more about the world and succeed in their goals. As a Chinese proverb says: 'For the benefit of decades, grow trees; for the benefit of centuries, grow people'. I believe growing people is what teachers do. Teachers help students grow for the many benefits of centuries to come.

I have found the staff and students at Davidson High School very welcoming and suppor ve; in par cular, I have found my colleagues in the Mathema cs faculty to be very friendly and helpful. I appreciate all that greatly. Thank you!

SRC Mrs June Cassidy, SRC

Welcome to new students and staff, and our returning students and staff!

On Friday 5th February the SRC hosted a Welcome Back BBQ and we would like to thank all students and staff who supported us and purchased something. Our first BBQ fundraiser was a suc‐cess. We raised $350 that will go to Stewart House, the official charity of the Department of Educa on, to support their work. Each term we will hold a fundraising day to help support a variety of chari es and causes that are important to our community and student body. We look forward to your con nued support throughout 2016.

Valentine’s Day Mrs Jayne Everingham, Head Teacher, Welfare

This year all of year 12 had the opportunity to dress up in red, white or pink to support the prefects with their Valen ne’s Day ini a ve. Year 12 were asked to bring a gold coin dona on with all money raised going to support the Heart Founda on for “Wear Red for Hearts” month.

Single stemmed roses, love heart chocolates and lolly bags were sold on Monday February 15th to raise money for this important issue in our community.

Heart disease is the single biggest killer of people in Australia and with the love heart being a symbol of love it was a great opportunity to raise support and awareness.

Congratula ons to Mr Iain McNaughtan and his wife Annalena on their wedding on Wednesday 6 January at Clontarf Point.

Administration Ms Kerry Short, School Administra on Manager

School Fees

Davidson High School relies upon the support of all parents and students to enable us to provide the quality educa onal programs of which we are so proud.

Statements of accounts are sent home twice a term. The first statement for this term will be sent out from week 6. Payment of school fees can be made at the Accounts Office by cash, cheque and credit card. On line payments can be made by logging onto the School website at www.davidson‐h.schools.nsw.edu.au , click on ‘Make a Payment’ and follow the prompts to make a payment via Visa & Mastercard.

The school is aware families have financial obliga ons and we are happy to set up a payment schedule to assist with this fee commitment.

The school and staff are unable to become involved in the payment of fees by parents involved in Family Law disputes. These are private ma ers and need to be sorted out by the relevant par es.

Contribu ons Schedules for 2016 are available for viewing from our website: www.davidson‐h.schools.nsw.edu.au

Student Absence

When your child is ill or unable to a end school or will arrive late to school, please inform the school office by;

Phoning the Front Office on 9451 0022 on the day leave is taken

Replying to the SMS message sent to you on the day of the absence

Email davidson‐[email protected]

Fax a note to 9975 3560

Forward a wri en note to the school when the student returns to school

It is the policy of the Department of Educa on and Communi es that parents inform the school of student absences within 7 days of the absence occurring.

Students arriving late to school need to scan their Iden fica on card at the front office to be issued with a late pass. A note from the parent/carer explaining the late start can be handed to the relevant office staff at this me.

If your child needs to leave school early, please send a wri en note reques ng a gate pass with the child to school on the day required. The student needs to have the le er authorised by the Deputy Principal in the morning and then sign out at the front office before leaving school premises.

Students leaving the school with a gate pass and returning to school the same day will need to scan their ID card on leaving and returning to the school.

Senior students have a flexible learning schedule. Senior classes start at 7.35am and finish a er 4.00pm. If your child does not have a period 0 or 7, they are expected to be at school between the hours of 8.30am to 3.05pm. However, with wri en parental permission, leave can be granted to senior students to allow them to arrive 10 minutes prior to their first scheduled class of the day and leave a er the final class of the day. It is the responsibility of the student to sign in/ sign out at the front office otherwise the student will be marked as a whole day absence.

Our SMS messaging system is on a rota ng number so you cannot send a message to the school only reply to an absence message sent to you by the school.

First Aid

As part of our WH&S requirements the school provides Basic First Aid for students who become unwell or injured at school.

Students who become unwell at school are best transferred to the care of a parent or guardian immediately. The aim of care provided at school for such students is to make them comfortable in the interim. If you are unable to collect your child from school, we request you contact a rela ve or family friend to collect the student on your behalf.

In case of an emergency, an ambulance will be called and we will contact you immediately to inform you of the situa on.

We do ask if students are unwell before school starts to please keep them at home, as this prevents cross infec on with other students and staff.

New Initiative! MADGE group

Vaccinations Mrs Amanda Mendham

Student health

We welcome informa on from parents about your child's health, even if you are not reques ng specific support from our school. Our school asks for medical informa on when you enrol your child. It is also important that you let us know if your child’s health care needs change or if a new health condi on develops.

Informa on about allergies, medical condi ons such as asthma and diabetes and other health care related issues (including prior condi ons such as medical procedures in the last 12 months) should be provided to the school by parents. Please provide this informa on in wri ng to the Principal. This will greatly assist our school in planning to support your child’s health and wellbeing.

We appreciate your assistance in this regard and assure you that any informa on you provide the school will be stored securely and will only be used or disclosed in order to support your son or daughter’s health needs or as otherwise required by law.

Parent Informa on

Please remember to no fy staff in the school office of any changes to your contact details or to the contact details of other people nominated as emergency contacts. In this digital age we also request you supply the school with current email addresses so that our records are up‐to‐date and current.

Informa on and Permission notes for parent/teacher interviews, excursions and camps etc will be sent home with the students. In some circumstances copies of notes will be emailed to the parents. Please note before students will be allowed to par cipate in excursions, a signed permission note from the parent/guardian with payment must be returned to the school.

NSW School Vaccina on Program In 2016 the following vaccines will be offered to Year 7 students:‐

dTpa vaccine – Diptheria, Tetanus and Pertussis (whooping cough ) – one dose

Varicella vaccine (chicken pox) – one dose

HPV vaccine (human papillomavirus) – three doses

Parents need to complete and return the permission form to the front office before the first visit. Spare forms are available at the front office. If a student misses a visit then they will be invited to a end later visits to catch up on their shots. These shots are free if your child has them at school but there is a significant cost if they have them at the doctor.

The following are the dates for the visits for 2016:‐

Thursday March 3rd

Thursday June 30th

Thursday November 10th

Students are asked to wear their sports uniform for the whole day on these dates.

If you have any ques ons please contact Amanda Mendham, Girls Adviser.

For those parents who are me poor and cannot a end on weekends, a group of us are mee ng once a week for an hour only to carry out maintenance on school garden beds. We usually meet on a Wednesday or Friday morning from 8‐9am. Many parents are dropping students at school at this me and an hour s ll leaves most of the rest of the day free. Anyone who would like to join us please contact Vanessa Baillie on 0411 528 688 or [email protected] Make a Difference to Grounds and Environment (MADGE)

English Mrs Roberta von Heupt, year 7P Teacher

7P Class Poem: What we think about high school

High school is different because there are Giant seniors, Always cool, colossal, O en startlingly Hairy like Hagrid, Evolved, experienced and elderly like the dinosaurs… Soon to be ex nct New Food, vital to a Year 7’s survival Hash browns, mini pizzas and the doopers are zooper! Athle c prowess, extreme sports and the best venue The MPC! The teachers have sooooooo much knowledge! Experts to teach us! They are funny and joke with us. Considerate and helpful we love doing all the different subjects! The colours of the school explode from the murals and the cloud sacs and Minecra library make high school a great place to be a part of. Davidson is a centre for crea vity, Friendship and learning. We hope, in future years to keep this tradi on alive.

CAPA Mrs Renee Lane, Head Teacher, Crea ve & Performing Arts

CAPA UPDATE We are off to a flying start with all of our drama, dance and music ensembles busily audi oning and rehearsing for SOPA and other fes vals and eisteddfods. For all informa on about ensembles and external compe ons for all CAPA subjects, see the no ceboard outside the staffroom, which is located upstairs in the administra on block, or ask the relevant subject teacher.

Make sure too that you visit the various CAPA classrooms at Open Night, where you are sure to be entertained by our Performing Arts students in Drama, Dance and Music, and witness ar sts at work in the Visual Arts classroom.

Our year 11 produc on is also underway, so expect some exci ng promo on... coming soon!!

BAND NEWS Our Band rehearsals are underway, and 2016 looks set to be an exci ng year with many opportuni es for Concert Band 1 and 2. We are very pleased to welcome our very talented year 7 students who have come onboard for Concert Band 2, and under the guidance of our very experienced conductor Mr Michael Votano, we are sure that they are going to have a great year. We will always have room for more students from other year groups if they would like to join the band too. Our Concert Band 1 students are sounding great and should con nue to flourish under Mr Votano’s guidance. We have a year packed with events, and this has been collated into a calendar which students can obtain from the Band Room. It is also available on our edmodo group, as are all scores and updates.

We are going to have a Band Informa on Night on Tuesday 23rd February, beginning at 6.30pm in the Jan Jones Room at school, prior to the P & C mee ng. I will be outlining events for 2016, and seeking some assistance with organisa on for Eisteddfods and future camps and tours.

Our first event for Concert Band 1 will be on Open Night, followed up by Chatswood RSL Schools Spectacular on Sunday 3rd April at 2pm. Hope to see you there!

Careers Ms Ruth Peek, Careers Adviser

2016 will be another great year for Careers at Davidson High School.

Ms Peek has moved, with the Careers office now being located in the library. Students are welcome to drop in for a chat, juniors in their recess and lunch mes, and seniors in their study periods also. Parents are welcome to contact Ms Peek for phone and email communica on or make an appointment.

Year 12 students are already thinking about universi es and ter ary study op ons, as well as appren ceships and full me work post HSC. Remember the most important piece of advice to students regarding informa on gathering is “back to the source”. Go to the website of the ins tu on or employer you are interested in. This is where you will find the latest informa on and offerings.

Year 11 are now embarking on their HSC pa ern of study. They need to begin the year focussed and on‐task in all their subjects. The HSC is a two year program and students have been able to choose subjects which will interest them and build the ground work for study and employment.

Year 10 have an exci ng year ahead, with two major milestones. Firstly, subject selec on for Years 11 and 12, which occurs during Term 2 and early Term 3, and work experience at the end of Term 3. For subject selec on, students should be thinking about:

subjects you are good at

subjects you like

and subjects which may assist you in the future

Also:

what are my interests, quali es and skills

what careers use those skills

and what courses could I study post school

Students will be provided with mountains of informa on and assistance from the Careers Adviser and all facul es within the school, including our Year 10 Subject Selec on Informa on Evening for students and their parents in Term 2 on Tuesday 21 June.

Informa on will be coming out soon to Year 10 students and parents with the work experience informa on, the meline and mandatory documenta on. Students will need to source their own employer, so now is the me to start thinking about where you would like to experience a week on‐the‐job.

As the Careers Adviser at Davidson High School I look forward to ge ng to know the 2016 Year 10 cohort, while con nuing to build posi ve rela onships with the senior students. Please do not hesitate to contact me.

Luke Montague completed a Stage 5 VET course at Northern Beaches TAFE in Terms 3 and 4 2015. Luke was studying Landscaping/Construc on. Luke learnt skills such as drainage, bricklaying, rendering and concre ng, steps, garden boxes and paths, mulching, plan ng, mber construc on, garden design and much more.

This is a hands‐on course where students work in a team environment in all types of weather.

Landscaping/Construc on Stage 5 is one of the suite of 100 hour Year 10 elec ve courses which assists with engagement, reten on and par cipa on in educa on and training.

Luke was most successful in comple ng his course and won the dis nguished Golden Trowel Award for first in course.

Congratula ons Luke!

Ruth Peek (Careers) Julie Lendrum (LSTeacher)

Languages Ms Jillian Chalker (Head Teacher Administra on/Languages) , Prof Cole a (Italian/French), Dalpadado Sensei (Japanese), Raynor Sensei (Japanese/ ICET)

BENVENUTI! ようこそ！BIENVENUE!

Welcome back to a brand new year of language learning!

Year 7 A big welcome to our Year 7 students! Year 7 won’t be commencing their languages study un l next year. Students will receive a language elec ve form towards the end of the year for their choice of language in Year 8. The 2 languages offered are Italian and Japanese.

Year 8 Students have been given a list of expecta ons and equipment and these can be found on the inside cover of their language books. This term, we are working on organisa on. Students are required to bring their correct language book, equipment and school diary every lesson and have them out on their desk at the start of each lesson. Both Italian and Japanese classes have been allocated course books and workbooks. The student workbooks have been included in the school fees. Students will get to take them home when they have been completed. The Italian classes have started working from the text Ecco Uno and have commenced with the topic of gree ngs.

The two Japanese classes started the year by celebra ng Setsubun, an annual Japanese fes val marking the division between winter and spring. In this annual fes val, people inJapan sca er roasted soy beans (mame) to cast out the demons (oni) and misfortunes of the previous year and welcome in good fortune for the coming year. Students in Japanese classes enjoyed watching videos of the bean throwing and crea ng oni (trolls) out of origami.

Year 9 The Italian class started the topic of Leisure with Ecco Uno chapter 5. Students are s ll working through the same workbook as last year. The Japanese class has been allocated their new course book and workbook Hai! 3. The cost of the workbook has been included in the school fees. The theme of this book is “Family”.

Most Year 9 students have already met our new ICET (Inter Cultural Educa on Today) and our ICET Mentors. Year 9 are having a combined excursion with year 10 and year 11 Japanese elec ve classes for an excursion to the Sydney Easter Show on Friday 24th March. Further informa on will be forthcoming.

Year 10 Year 10 Italian have finished the final Ecco Uno chapter: Italian food which was followed by a class excursion to a restaurant in Leichhardt. This year students will start the textbook Ecco! Due, where they will cover a range of exci ng topics.

The Japanese class has been allocated Hai! 5/6the final course book and workbook in the Hai! series. They will work from this book for the whole of the year unlike in previous years where they have had separate course books and workbooks for each semester. There is an accompanying audio CD that comes with the workbook that students can take home and work through independently.

The class will be joining Year 9 and 11 Japanese on an intercultural excursion to the Sydney Easter Show on Friday the 24th March. Further informa on will be forthcoming.

Year 11 All students taking up Beginners Language courses have been given relevant NSW BOSTES syllabus documents and a Beginners Languages Eligibility Declara on form which must be completed and signed by a Jus ce of Peace before being returned to their Languages Teacher. This is to ensure that all students are enrolled in the correct language course.

Year 11 French Beginners classes are held for 2 hours a er school each Monday and Thursday a ernoons.

Year 12 Year 12 Japanese Beginners classes have only one a er school class on Mondays. Their first assessment task is the half‐yearly examina on taking place in Weeks 8 and 9. Students have a supplementary resource on Quizlet. This resource will be an excellent way to revise and consolidate new language in prepara on for their exams. Students are advised that the Beginners Oral Examina on takes place in term 3 (usually at the end of August or early September) before the rest of the HSC examina ons.

Languages HSC Results Congratula ons to Courtney Lo for achieving Band 6 in French Beginners in the 2014 HSC.

The Languages staff This year we welcome a new Japanese teacher to our department, Miss Jessica Raynor, who will be working in both the Languages Department and in (ICET Inter Cultural Educa on Today).

We also have a new Head Teacher of Languages. Ms Jillian Chalker can be contacted in the PE staffroom.

We look forward to working with your son/daughter in Languages this year. Please do not hesitate to contact us via phone or email if you have any queries or would simply like to discuss your child’s progress.

ICET Mr Bre Manning, ICET Coordinator

ICET Students’ arrival Ms Raynor

The ICET class of 2016, a cohort of 29 students from Okayama, Morioka and Osaka , arrived in Sydney at around 10am on Thursday 21 January. A er a brief gree ng and head count amidst the bustle at Arrivals Gate B, the students were ushered through the crowds and hopped aboard the awai ng Forest Coach to begin the first of many Australian adventures: a 3‐night orienta on camp at Baden Powell Scout Centre located in the bushlands of Pennant Hills on the outskirts of Lane Cove Na onal Park.

En route to the site our kind coach driver facilitated a pit stop at Kirribilli, where the students delighted in taking some snap shots of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge and witnessing these Aussie icons in reality for the first me.

We made it to Baden Powell in me for lunch, which the students really tucked into! Most were familiar with the western‐style spread of bread rolls, cold meats, salads and fruit, but were somewhat puzzled by the array of coloured “water” on the tables. It didn’t take long before everyone was quenching their thirst with classic lime, raspberry and orange cordial! And they needed to hydrate, as Sydney welcomed them with a cloudless 38 degree day.

Lunch was followed by an informal introduc on to the ICET staff and scout facilitators, who then escorted everyone down into the bush for the ini al team building session, pioneering – construc ng catapults out of logs and rope in prepara on for an all‐out water bomb war! The students sweated through the labour, working effec vely in their allocated teams to build their weapons. Their efforts were rewarded when the first shot was fired and satura on of all par es ensued. The first day finished with a couple of ice‐breakers led by Mr Kolokossian, including “two truths and a lie”, and hearty helpings of lasagne (very popular) and pavlova (perhaps a bit TOO sweet for some).

Friday and Saturday started early with breakfast at 7:20am. The students took advantage of the buffet of cereals available, as well as toast and hot op ons. It was great to see them preparing themselves for the busy days ahead. The mornings involved group sessions in the conference room led by ICET staff, Ms Harada, Ms G and Mr Gavin. During these sessions students were encouraged to reflect on and share their reasons for coming to study abroad, their goals and aspira ons, their concerns and anxie es, and just generally get to know each other and establish their first support network for the year ahead. All of the students were open and made valuable contribu ons throughout the sessions, crea ng an immediately posi ve energy that carried right through the camp.

A ernoons were spent in the great outdoors doing various scout ac vi es from low ropes courses to crate staking. The highlight of the camp was no doubt a er lunch on Friday when students were challenged to take “The Leap of Faith”: climbing 14 metres up a tree to a pla orm and then a emp ng to jump out to a set of trapeze suspended about a metre or so from the ledge. Equipped with helmets and harnesses, each and every student took a turn, ignoring their fears and braving the slippery steps up to the pla orm in the rain and taking the plunge. Even the scout leaders commented on this remarkable achievement – apparently they’ve never had 100% par cipa on from a group like that! So impressive!

The good mes con nued on into the evenings. On Friday night the students were treated to a lesson in the Cha‐cha, aptly instructed and demonstrated by Mr Kolokossian and Ms Harada. The class of 2016 certainly have the moves! More talent was showcased by the students on Saturday evening during the bonfire. Before cooking damper, toas ng marshmallows and washing it all down with hot chocolate, the students earned their supper with a sing‐a‐long. Scout facilitator, Schwa, led the group through her repertoire of camp fire tunes (including the chicken dance). Then the students took charge, with Noriaki on flute, Moe on violin and Wataru conduc ng, the troupe of 29 sang a truly upli ing rendi on of “Seasons of Love” from the musical Rent. The camp really ended on a high note!

Sunday morning was about packing up and ge ng ready for the next phase, mee ng the host families. Nervous and excited, the students cleared out their cabins and a ended carefully to Ms Harada’s final camp session about making the transi on into their new homes for the year. A er a simple but sa sfying lunch, the coach arrived at Davidson High School at 2:30pm, leaving two and a half hours before the official “handover”. Just enough me to squeeze in a school tour, distribute school diaries and class metables, and answer some final ques ons to allay the natural anxiety in the air.

At 5pm on the dot all the ICET students made their way down to the main quad where their host families were eagerly wai ng to whisk them away. In a whirlwind of hellos and hugs, the students departed – me for the real adventure to begin!

ICET Mentor Day Mr Kolokossian

Mentor: an experienced and trusted advisor – The Oxford English Dic onary

On 27th January, 33 Davidson High School students gave up the last day of their holidays to share their experiences and offer advice to the ICET students about how to survive at Davidson High School. Before they met, the ICET students were excited yet nervous about what to expect. However, the warmth and friendliness of the Davidson mentors made them feel relaxed and at home in no me.

The day started with some ice‐breaking ac vi es so the students could learn more about each other. In the first game, everybody had to group themselves into different categories without using a word. Some of the categories chosen were favourite food, favourite colour and elec ve classes. The next ac vity was speed ‘da ng’ where the students had to say as much as they could about themselves for a minute. A er the minute expired, they had to listen to their partners and then move on to someone else. In the next ac vity, the ICET students were given a tour of the school by their mentors. Finally, the session ended with the ICET students sharing their feelings with the group about what it was like leaving their home country and living in a place so different. The mentors assured their mentees that they need not worry as they will be supported throughout the year.

The day finished successfully with both sides learning more about each other. The mentors are to be commended for their kindness and camaraderie. Consequently, the ICET students felt more confident about star ng school and fi ng in Davidson High School. The mentors did such a good job, it seemed they were more than just advisors; they were friends.

ICET Assembly Mr Manning

The first assembly for 2016 was to welcome the new ICET students to the school. An ex‐ICET student, Asuka Sugiyama, gave her first address to the school as Prefect. She spoke in both Japanese and English, describing her experiences and memories of being at Davidson High School. It was a moving speech, with the ICET students enthralled at her past experiences and the rest of the Davidson community amazed at her ability to switch effortlessly between two languages.

Next, the two recipients of the ICET scholarship, Harry Glackin and Aiden Byrne, spoke about their six weeks studying at Okayama Gakugeikan High School; one of Davidson’s sister schools. Harry and Aiden were well received in Japan and experienced many new opportuni es which will stay in their memories forever. Their video presenta on showed the wider school what life is like for

a student in Japan. The audience’s ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ at the cultural differences between a Japanese and Australian high school brought the viewers closer to the overseas experience and what is means to be an interna onal student. Harry and Aiden then introduced the new ICET students to welcome them to the school for 2016.

The two ICET representa ves, Sae and Shunsuke, thanked the School and Ms Pa nson for having them this year. Sae and Shunsuke spoke about some similari es and differences they had observed between Japan and Australia. Considering that the ICET students had only been in Australia for just over a week, it was amazing to see Sae and Shunsuke speak so confidently in front of over 600 students.

We look forward to a wonderful 2016.

Hello! I'm Kodai. I'm a member of the ICET. Nice to meet you. Please talk to me any me.

By the way, we came to Sydney on January 21st. I thought that Australia was very hot when we arrived at the airport. In Japan, it’s winter and it's snowing now. Australia has very strong sunlight, so I'm al‐ready tanned.

We did orienta on for the first three days a er we came to Australia. We did various ac vi es such as "Leap of Faith”, “Campfire" and "Make and Climb tour". This was the first me for me. Finally, we met a host families for the first a me I was very tense. but, my host family talked to me kindly and we became close immediately. There are many differences between Japan and Australia. For example, there are many bushes, many many hill and lifestyle. Language is just like the most differ‐ent. It is difficult for us to speak English. It is difficult for you to speak Japanese. I want to became able to speak to English well. Finally, if we say "Hello" please say "Hello" with a smile. Thank you for reading.

Hello, my name is Keisuke!

I arrived in Australia 20 days ago. Australia has a lot of different things compared with Japan.

It is not so far when I look at the world map. But when I arrived in Australia, it was too hot! In Japan, it is winter now. So, I was very surprised.

In addi on, there are many differences. For example, culture, manners, food and so on. I’m interested in various differences now.

In these 20 days, I have had many good experiences. I had an orienta on in the first 4days in the bush. There, I could feel nature nearly. I was ready in my heart for this one year study abroad. I finished these 4 days, and then it was the day to meet my host family at last. I was very nervous when I met them, but, it is very comfortable to be with them now. They are very kind, so I’m very thankful.

10 days ago, I went to “Bush walking” with my host brother Liam! I could see very beau ful view. If, I didn’t come to Australia, I wouldn’t be able to see it.

I’m glad to be able to come to Australia!

I will make every possible effort to learn English and challenge many things from now on!

Keisuke Gyoji

ICET student stories

Hello. My name is Emi Asada.

I'm sixteen years old, and I'm from Osaka in Japan. I want to talk about difference, between Australia and Japan. Three days ago, I saw a kangaroo out the front of my house. I saw a wild kangaroo for the first me. In Japan, I can't see wild kangaroos. Some think I'm lucky. There are also many kinds of birds in Australia. Many different na onali es live in Australia.

A few days ago, I went to Dee Why beach. I met people from different countries. If Japanese people look at them they will watch them for a long me. Australia is different. I think that Japan doesn't have much interna onal interac on. There are also a lot of foreign food, because, many foreign people live in Australia. It is so interes ng!

Thank you for reading.

Teacher international exchange Mr Sebas an Brunsden, HSIE and recently of Toronto RH King School

In 2015 my family and I undertook a teacher exchange with Stuart Snyder in Toronto, Canada. We swapped houses, cars and jobs and both crossed our fingers and headed off to teach in each other’s schools.

I taught Geography and Anthropology at RH King Academy which is an academically selec ve school in a highly mul cultural area of Toronto. Most students at RH King were really interested to hear about Australia and for many of them I was the first Australian they had met. It was lovely to see the wonder on their faces when I tried to explain to them what Australia is like. For most of them Australia seems like some far away sunny paradise although many of them also frequently asked about all the dangerous creatures.

Both my family and I had an fantas c year. We survived the coldest February ever recorded in Toronto with most days being at least 10 below zero. When the summer holidays came we travelled to amazing ci es such a Montreal, Quebec City, New York, Washington DC and Chicago.

I know that Stuart Snyder also had an awesome year at Davidson and we both felt really fortunate to exchange to such wonderful foreign schools. I would really like to thanks all the staff and students at Davidson High for making Mr Snyder so welcome.

Parents and Citizens Association

Welcome to 2016! We are looking forward to a fun‐filled and produc ve year working with the school and especially ge ng to know and assist our new year 7 families.

Our main objec ves this year are to:

Hold more Social Func ons across all years. Ideas are welcome at [email protected]

Build a COLA over the basketball courts

Assist the school, its students and families. Email your ideas to [email protected]

We are looking for two parents from Year 7 to join the P&C in 2016: Your job will entail as much or as li le as you are able to give. Contact us at [email protected] or come along to next Tuesday’s mee ng and bring a friend or your child’s best friends Mum or Dad. Together you can make a difference to our children’s school facili es and community.

Canteen Volunteers are DESPERATELY needed: To raise funds to build a new COLA we require volunteers to assist in the Canteen. Canteen shi s are Monday to Friday 9.30am to 1pm. Please contact our Canteen Manager Mrs Sam Shipway in the Canteen on 9451 1552. The Clothing Pool also requires volunteers to work Wednesday 8am to 9am. Even if you can only volunteer for one shi a month or a term ‐ it would be hugely appreciated.

Next P&C Mee ng: Tuesday 23rd February. 7.30 ll 9pm. Main staffroom of the Admin block at school. If you would like to become a member and receive vo ng rights it is $2 to join.

Posi ons Vacant: We have two posi ons vacant, Secretary and Grounds Commi ee Convenor. The Secretary’s posi on comes with a brand new Lenovo laptop and Google Drive cloud storage. If you are interested in either of these posi ons please contact us at [email protected] or come along to our next mee ng on Tuesday 23rd February at 7.30pm in the main staffroom of the school Administra on block. Alterna vely you may like to join any other of our commi ees. If so please contact us at [email protected]

P&C 2016 Commi ee

Davo P&C Facebook: Feel free to connect with us on Facebook at h ps://www.facebook.com/people/Davidson‐ParentsandCi zens/100010565160560

President Don Hampson

Vice President Michelle Jacquet

Vice President Peter Russell

Secretary Vacant

Treasurer Anne e Mackie

Performing Arts Convenor Anna Dobson

Grounds Commi ee Convenor Vacant

Social Commi ee Convenor Louise Stapleton

Canteen & Uniform Shop Convenor Rebecca Chappelow

Canteen Manager Sam Shipway

Canteen Secretary Melinda Ritsinias

Members Louisa Cochrane

Gail (Sam) Phillips

Sheri Hampson

Graham Johnson

David Hope

Glenn Casey

Rotary corner Mr Kos Psal s, Rotary Club of Belrose

On 2 February we held our Davidson High School‐run Rotary Mee ng. Each of the par cipa ng students held a par cular posi on for the night. Michael Wright was President, Brooke Topschij was Membership Director, Sarah McInnes was Youth Service Director, Rachael Ellio was Community Service Director, Noah Cargill was Voca onal Director and Maddi Van Es was the Sergeant. In the week leading up to the mee ng, the students met up with the respec ve Rotarian that normally holds that posi on for a briefing. The event went exceedingly well and all the students carried out their allocated task with great ease and professionalism.

As an added bonus, former Davidson student, Sarah Schooley (pictured below) gave a presenta on on her experience at the 7 day RYLA camp. This is a leadership and self‐awareness course run by Rotary.

All Davidson parents are welcome to a end any of our mee ngs on Tuesday evenings. Please contact me (mob. 0402 205 628) if you are interested.

25 dispatch february 2016 week 09

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