deni high news - deniliquin high school · starts to sink further into your heart, it sits there...

Friday 1st April, 2016 Issue 4 - Term 1 - Week 10

Principals Report

School Development Day Term 2 Day 1 Term 2 will see staff at Deniliquin High School

involved in a range of activities. All staff will complete

the compulsory training in CPR and Anaphylaxis. This

training will take around 3 hours per group. While one

group is undertaking their mandatory training the

remainder of the staff will spend time looking at

ALARM (A Learning And Response Matrix) which is an

approach designed to improve students’ written

responses. They will also be involved in training on the

use of Sentral which is our administration software

package which was introduced into the school in Term

4 2015. After lunch the groups will swap over.

Year 12 exams

Year 12 will sit for their half yearly exams next week in

what is another step towards their Higher School

Certificate. These exams will provide both students

and teachers with a snapshot of how students are

progressing and what areas that they need to

continue to work on to improve. Best of luck to Year

12 with these exams.

Tell Them From Me Surveys

In the last two weeks students have been completing

the Tell Them From Me Surveys during their English

classes. This survey will provide us with valuable

feedback on what our students think about school life,

how engaged they are with school and the different

ways that teachers interact with them. We had 75% of

students complete the survey and are now awaiting

the results of the survey. Later in the year there will be

the opportunity for parents to complete a survey as

well as for teachers. With all of this information the

school will be able to plan ways to improve

educational outcomes for our students.

Positive Behaviour for learning (PBL)

Deniliquin High School is proud to be a Positive

Behaviour for Learning (PBL) School. Our values of

Respect, Responsibility and Cooperation are not just

three words on display around the school they are

what underpins everything that we do at Deniliquin

High School. Students are challenged to ask

themselves questions such as am I being a good

listener and using appropriate language, am I taking

responsibility for my own behaviour and giving all

learning activities my best and am I helping others to

learn. If the whole school community takes the time to

reflect on our own actions we can as a group keep

moving Deniliquin High School forward. Students are

encouraged to place high expectations on themselves

and those around them. I would encourage all

students to set themselves goals to work towards no

matter how small or how large. Michael Hyatt an

author once wrote “In life, you often get what you

expect.“ I encourage all students to aim high and

achieve higher.

Glen Warren

Principal

Deni High News Principal: Glen Warren Deputy Principal: Peter Astill

Harfleur Street, Deniliquin NSW 2710 T: 5881 1211 F: 5881 5115 E: [email protected] W: www.deniquin-h.schools.nsw.edu.au

Issue 4 - Term 1 - Week 10 Friday, 1st April, 2016

CALENDER

Week 11 Term 1

Monday 4th April—

Friday 8th April

Yr 12 Half Yearly Exams

Monday 4th April—

Tuesday 5th April

NSW CHS Swimming

(Homebush)

Friday 8th April Last day of Term

Week 1 Term 2

Monday 25th April Anzac Day Public Holiday

Tuesday 26th April Teachers return—student

free day

Wednesday 27th April Students return to school


Attendance News

Week 10 Term 1 Firstly, thank you to the many parents who took the time to complete the on-line survey regarding our attendance procedures at Deniliquin High School. The data from the 47 responses is being collated and will help to direct future policies and procedures at our school. Students are currently completing a similar survey during class time, with their responses to be used in conjunction with other stakeholders to assist in this process. This week, I have included some responses to the most common questions that are asked by parents relating to student attendance at school. Must I send my child to school every day? Yes, unless

Your child is too sick to go to school. (a medical

certificate may be required, particularly if they are a senior student or have an in-class assessment scheduled)

Your child has been injured.

Your child has to go to a special religious

ceremony.

Your child has an infectious illness (eg.

Chicken pox, mumps) There is a serious family situation which requires their involvement. Parents should not keep their children away from school for activities such as:

Shopping

Haircuts

Birthdays

Minding other children

What should I do if our family is going on holiday during school time? Families should try to arrange holidays in school vacations. If you can only arrange your family holiday during school time, you should inform the school Principal in advance and request leave. Leave can be given for up to 15 days per year per child. You can contact the Year Advisor to ask the school to provide work that can be completed while your child is absent. What should I do if my child has to stay away from school? It is important to let the school know when your child will be away and why your child was absent. The parent or carer should provide a written note addressed to the school explaining the reasons for absence. What should I do if the whole family will be in another town for a period of time? If visiting another town, a student should attend the local school of the town you are visiting. A Short Term Attendance form needs to be filled in at the school your child will be attending while visiting. The school will keep a record of your child’s attendance and fax it to our school. If you are staying longer than 1 term you should enrol in the new school

I am concerned that my child may not be attending classes, even though they catch the bus or are dropped at school? If you suspect this may be happening, you can contact the school and request that you receive an SMS text to inform you if your child is marked absent in Period 1. Please provide a current mobile phone number. These texts are usually sent out around 10am. What should I do if my child will not go to school? This happens for a variety of reasons. Contact the Year Adviser, Principal, or School Counsellor. They can also be referred to the Learning Support Team so that the underlying reasons can be investigated and outside agencies involved if necessary. If school based interventions are not effective, your child will be referred to the caseload of our local Home School Liason Officer who is based at the Deniliquin Office. Mr. Anthony Michael Head Teacher Administration.

English Student Gallery This week’s student gallery features some of the finalists of the Bullying No Way Poetry Competition. From the Shadows by Nick Hay A dark figure follows me around Holding me prisoner Keeping me captive Slowly tightening the ropes Restraining my movements

The dark figure builds the walls That block everything and everyone That try to aid me in my battle Reinforcements are cut off As the dark figure locks the gates shut

Shut off and exhausted You can’t help but think How can I end my suffering

I can’t get away from the dark figure No matter how hard I try It’s always starring back at me

The dark figure has the same eyes as me The dark figure has mimicked my every move Since it was uncovered from the shadows The longer the dark figure is around The more it moulds to my soul Changing who I am and how I feel

A Political Playground by Olivia Duffey The head of the city beats down upon us. The CEOs march past proudly. The government takes our money, Leaving us with nothing for lunch.

The homeless beg for our change. The civilians hold onto it tightly. The older citizens pass it on,


The superior burn their possessions, Not giving it another thought. The others cry over the loss of their hardwork, And the homeless sleep in the ashes of the discarded privileges. The bullies in the playground continue to torment us. Those who have the power to help, Stand by. We take each blow, But continue to stand strong. The Knife by Bayden Thompson Being bullied is like having a rusty knife stabbed into your heart, it feels like everything is draining out of you. As that knife is left unattended and unnoticed it starts to sink further into your heart, It sits there like a large metal stone, laughing at you, teasing you, stopping you from being happy. As it keeps sinking you start to wonder whether you should call the doctor, then you realise that the knife will still be there, still drawing closer to your lifeless heart. As the knife draws into the final layer it starts to make your heart slow down, it makes you feel tired and lonely and stops you from wanting to do anything. Before too long the knife makes your heart stop completely. No more fun, no more laughs, no more friends, no more happiness. You’ll never be yourself again. Bullying by Reece Hussey The homeless old man, full of fear. Feeling worthless and insecure, Threatened on a daily basis by strangers. Little children pass by In fear, Feeling helpless, Not knowing what to say, Or how to look. Unwanted by Jacob Edwards A weed in a flower bed Unwanted, feeling lost Trying to stand tall Stood on, poisoned, for not being one of them. Everything around is thriving and shining above, Sucking any strength and life you have to live The more I try to exceed above them The more I am poisoned. Back to nothing but a stem and leaf Weak and bruised The black dog stands above, Unwanted, I have nothing to live for. The Monster by Ryan Ross The ignorant monster Stares silently at me While I walk down the corridor I try not to look at it while it stands there. But it’s always there, Peering at me wherever I go Even when I sleep It’s there in the corner. I try to fight it It gets closer.

The deep, fierce eyes pierce me. One day, I just stared back And I realised it was never going to hurt me. Against the Tide by Zara Lindeman The one who sits alone Engulfed in unwanted seas of sound, Bleak blue oceans of words Swell in the lonely soul’s mind. Waves hit, Pushing him down. He sinks, Stigma drowning him. Pelicans watch nearby, Not helping. Seagulls cluster above, Keeping their distance. Not one sea urchin approaches. No driftwood dares float alongside him. No fish are willing to be unique. No one to stand for the broken. No one to speak for the oppressed. But then, Came one, It took only one, Watching eyes Listening ears, Fearless and strong. Against the tide, Soothing the wounds, Restoring hope, Saving the lonely soul.

Inquisitive Minds – Maths

On the 15th March, Deniliquin High School hosted 98

talented Maths students for a day of challenging

problem solving. Fifty-four Deniliquin High School

Year 8 and 9 students joined together with

like-minded students from Albury, Corowa, Hay and

Tooleybuc and were led by teachers from the Maths

Association of NSW. Students participated in

workshops throughout the day designed to teach

students advance problem solving strategies.

Students worked in pairs and were engaged in

hands-on competitions.


HSIE News: Year 7 Geography Fieldwork Day will be held next

Wednesday 6th April. Students will be doing

Geography Skills during Periods 1 to 4 down at

Memorial Park. They need to wear their sports

uniform including a hat as they will be outside for this

time. Students also need to ensure they have recess

and water with them as they will not be returning to

school until lunchtime. All students need to meet in

the Quad in the Year 7 area promptly at 8:55 am.

Legal Studies: HM Loddon Prison Excursion

By Mrs Hayes Year 11 Legal Studies class.

What would it be like to meet a murderer? Are they

really scary people? Do they feel sorry for their

crime? What’s it like being in jail? These questions

and many more were answered when a group of Yr

11 & 12 Legal Studies students participated in the

HM Loddon Prison Schools Program. The Deniliquin

High School students were taken through parts of the

medium security prison and for an orientation

session. They then met five inmates. They were first

asked to guess their crimes. After a general

discussion session they then broke into smaller

groups to hear each inmate’s personal story of their

offence and were able to ask any questions they

liked. In the Legal Studies course, Crime is a major

unit of the HSC and students learn about what caus-

es crime, how crimes are enforced and investigated

and sentencing for adults and young offenders. It

was extremely worthwhile for students to have a

unique opportunity to visit ‘inside’ a prison and to

take away the message of never wanting to end up

there.

Some student’s feedback:

“I liked that we actually were able to come face to

face with inmates”

“I liked the experience of being in an actual prison as

a visitor”

“I have great respect for the inmates that spoke to us,

as coming forward in front of a group of students with

preconceived thoughts on prisoners being bad

people would be intimidating. They are just normal

people who had normal lives but made one terrible

mistake.”

News from the Student Support Officer –

Tracey Page The sixth National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence was held at Deni High on Wednesday 23

rd

March. This year more than 2060 schools, and 930,000 students across Australia participated in the annual day. This is Australia's key anti-bullying event for schools, and encourages all students to 'take a stand together' against bullying and violence in schools, the classroom and beyond. At Deni High we participated in the day by allowing all students to wear casual clothing to school for the day; student’s were charged a gold coin for this privilege and we raised over $330, this money will be used around the school to promote the Anti-Bullying Message. Students were also provided with silicone wrist bands from the “Bullying No Way” organisation. Leading up to our special day students in the junior years participated in a poetry and poster design competitions. Students in the junior years were given time in class to create a poster and some were completed at home. The competition was judged by Ms Hatton, and the winners were Year 8 – Katelyn Godfrey and Year 9 – Nikiela Larcombe. The posters were displayed around the MPC during the assembly. All students wrote their poems in class and the competition was judged by Ms Forner. The winners were Year 7 – Jack Richards and Cable Fitzpatrick, Year 8 – Emma McCallum, Year 9 – Georgia Richards and – Tiana Condren and Year 10 – Tallulah McKenzie. Jack, Cable, Tiana and Tallulah read out their poems during the assembly. Georgia Smith (SRC representative) wrote and read out what bullying is and where you can go at Deni High to get support. The main focus of the speech was in regards to being an active bystander and not supporting the bully. Ms Mercer worked tirelessly throughout this term with her Year 9/10 drama class and they created a short play with regard to bullying. It was great to see so many enthusiastic students on stage. I would like to thank everyone involved in the day for making it a great success.


Science Year 12 Biology and Year 11 Chemistry students

have been learning the importance of using models

to visualise processes that we are unable to see.

Scientists use models to explain phenomena and

difficult concepts. Models can :-

Act as a summary of what we know

They demonstrate practical experiences

Help us to visualise and understand difficult

concepts and processes

Help us understand the mechanisms involved

in chemical reactions

Can be used to make predictions and lead to

further experimentations

If a model cannot be disproven over time it is

accepted but, if it is later shown to be incorrect, the

model is modified. Throughout history we have

seen this happen many times, for example;

structure of the solar system and the structure of an

atom.

It must be remembered that models do have

limitations because they are based on assumptions

and are simplifications of the process being

modelled.

Year 12 Biology Can be seen here modelling the process of how

genetic instructions are read from our DNA by the

process of transcription onto messenger RNA,

which then moves from the nucleus of a cell into the

cytoplasm to begin the process of constructing

proteins with the building blocks, amino acids. This

process should be memorable in their HSC

because lollies were used in the model. After all

students could explain the process of DNA

transcription and translation, the model was eaten.

Famous athletes visit Year 9 and 10 PASS It has been an exciting week for the PDHPE

Faculty and our Year 9 and 10 PASS classes! On

Friday 18th March, Australian swimming legend

Shane Gould visited DHS to talk with the Year 9

PASS students about her experiences in sport and

indeed life. At just 15 years of age, Shane won 5

individual Olympic medals at the 1972 Munich

Olympic Games; 3 gold, 1 silver & 1 bronze.

Shane is the only swimmer in history to hold all

freestyle world records, 100m, 200m, 400m,

800m, 1500m and the 200m Individual Medley at

the same time. She retired at 17, as at that stage

swimming was an amateur sport with limited

means of earning an income. Shane is now

studying the sociology of swimming for her

doctorate and has many other projects that she is

involved in. She spoke about her experiences in

sport and how the lives of athletes have changed

since she competed. Thank you to Kerrie Jennings

from Conargo Shire Council for organising the

visit.

Then last Tuesday 22nd

March, 3 AFL players from

the Hawthorn Football Club spoke with Year 9 and

10 PASS about life as a professional athlete,

training, nutrition, psychology and the career

opportunities within AFL. Our students had many

opportunities to ask questions and get signatures.

This week, 24 students from the Year 9 and 10

PASS classes took part in a Level O AFL

Coaching Course. Our students are so fortunate to

have these opportunities which enrich and

compliment their studies in the elective Physical

Activity and Sport Studies.

Mr.A.Michael

PDHPE Faculty


D.H.S. Competes at Barook Field & Game Shoot 2016 On Monday, 21 March, a contingent of 14 shooters travelled to Barham to compete in the Annual School’s Field and Game Shoot. Representing Deni. High were Darren Bas-sett, Ryan Brendon Erickson, Tom Fellows, Jack Gardam, Lourens Geldenhuys, Keegan Hunt, Liam Hunt, Ben Leeth-am, Billy Michael, Bethany Mills, Ryan Ross, Jack Sides, Ronnan Waters and Kane Wishart. A total of ninety five shooters competed on the day. Deni High won three out of the four Boys events with Liam Hunt winning the Junior Boys Members Section, Ben Leeth-am winning the Junior Boys Non Members Section and Brendon Erickson winning the Senior Boys Non Members Section. In the Girls Section, Bethany Mills was successful in winning the Senior Girls Members Section. Best individual performances were by Liam Hunt and Brendon Erickson who both shot eighteen targets out of a possible twenty four. Thanks to parents, Richard Leetham and Adrian Mills for travelling with the team and acting as officials on the day.

Easter Raffle

Thank you to everyone who supported the Year 12 Easter Raffle. Congratulations to our winners. 1st Paul Conallin 2nd Craig Condi 3rd Kate McCalman 4th Jill Barnett 5th Josh Hunt 6th Damien Fullerton

AFL Coaching and Umpiring Course

24 students gained their Level O AFL Coaching and Umpiring Certificate on the 29th of March. Jack Bradley, the AFL Development Officer, came to Deniliquin to deliver the course to Year 9 and 10 students. They covered topics such as effective coaching styles, injury prevention, modifying rules and session planning. This course forms part of the students’ Physical Activity and Sports Studies elective where they have been focusing on coaching primary school students. These students will now have the opportunity to be involved in coaching at Auskick next Term.

SCHOOL RULES

Attend school everyday in school uniform, bring all

necessary equipment and be prepared for work.

Mobile phones: phones will be confiscated if students are

seen using phones in class or playground.

No MP3 players to be used in class unless for

educational purposes.

No prohibited items such as aerosol cans, metal rulers,

permanent markers, liquid paper, weapons, cigarettes,

drugs and alcohol.

No hats to be worn in classrooms but hats should be

worn for all outdoor activities. No chewing gum or eating

in class


DENILIQUIN DISTRICT

SOCCER Exciting news – 2016 soccer season will include an Open Age competition. So now everyone can play soccer at Rotary Park on Saturday. One hour games commencing from 9.30 or 10.30 Saturday depending on grading level. Open age competition commences from 11.30. Welcome packs available to new Kanga registrations for 2016 season. Registration is now open to everyone who is keen to play soccer Registration fee includes optional training session on Thursday from 5pm to 6 pm with Martin Blake and Josh Perizzolo. Open Age training available on Tuesday and Thursday from 6.30. SOCCER REGISTRATION DAY Location – out the front of Intersport Bennetts Saturday 2nd April and Saturday 9th

April, 2016

from 9.30 till noon. All registrations received and paid at the registration days will receive a pair of black socks Please call Leanne Mulham 0447 357 437, Matt Crothers 0437 406 330, Martin Blake 0431 572 539 or [email protected] if you have any questions.

deni high news - deniliquin high school · starts to sink further into your heart, it sits there...

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