Week 1

28 April 2020 - Students return to School

Week 2

6 May 2020 - Cross Country Carnival

Welcome to our new world of learning online as we

deal with the COVID 19 pandemic. Our students’ learning continues to be our central

focus and we have rapidly developed a powerful learning presence online.

You are strongly encouraged to engage in your child’s online learning experience. Please

use the school’s website as your starting point. We have a dedicated link to learning on

line, as well as regular updates, advice and resources specifically designed to keep

families connected to learning.

We are also using our Facebook page as a site for updates and resources, but don’t

forget that old technology…the telephone.

As I write this, school is still open and staff are on site. We are here to help, so if you have any questions or queries, please don’t hesitate to ring 46 27 1800.

Ms Barnott-Clement Principal

Hello everyone and welcome to the second half of Term 1. We are living in unprecedented times as the COVID 19 pandemic takes place. As I write this, I know that things will certainly have changed somewhat between now and when you are reading this report, as the situation is evolving every day. I would like to thank our whole school community for your calm and supportive approach. It is important that we continue to give our students positive messages about good hygiene practices such as social distancing. I encourage our families to utilise our website to ensure you receive the latest news.

What hasn’t changed is our continued focus on our students’ wellbeing, and our commitment to high quality teaching and learning.

Our Year 7 students have settled into high school really well. It was very disappointing to have to cancel our Year 7 Meet and Greet due to public gathering guidelines, but we have sent home the students’ Interim Reports to ensure parents are kept up to date with their child’s initial high school experience.

This term we have had our Aboriginal and Torres Islander students engaged in a range of cultural initiative and events, including cultural paintings on our library pillars and an Aboriginal and Torres Islander flag raising ceremony.

Our Ambartour was a great success with many of our students (and of course our teachers) remaining behind into the evening to put on a show for our future students and their families. It really was an indicator of how proud we all are of our school, and how much we enjoy showing it off to others!

This year we are committing a significant amount of our funds to the enhancement of our school facilities. The English Faculty have just installed the most beautiful classroom blinds, guaranteed to spark any student’s imagination! We have some significant plans for improvements to playground areas later this year, and are currently pursuing a number of options to improve these facilities.

Ms Arts was very excited at the number of parents who contacted her following her segment in the last Ambargram on Gifted and High Potential students. A range of amazing opportunities are currently being organised.

Congratulations to Ms Nunes, who was recently appointed to our school as a permanent member of staff. We are absolutely delighted to have Ms Nunes on board as a teacher in our Science faculty.

Take care, and stay well.

Ms Barnott-Clement

Ambarvale High School would like to introduce and welcome Mr Wright who is the Aboriginal Education Learning Advisor. Mr Wright is a PDHPE and Aboriginal Studies teacher, and when he is not at work loves to be outdoors with friends and family enjoying the beach and staying healthy. A little known fact about Mr Wright is that he is passionate about soccer, and plays semi-professionally for Wollongong United and is a proud member of the Australian Indigenous Team. The entire Ambarvale High School community is very excited about the year ahead as Mr Wright has already made a significant impact within our ATSI community.

Recently, an international school teacher recorded how many different notifications her students received in one school day - and the results were staggering. Students received 801 notifications from various social networking platforms, as shown in the image, and these platforms and apps are commonly used by Ambarvale High School students on their personal devices.

In 2020, a new policy governing the ways students use and access digital devices and other online services in all NSW Public Schools will be in place. Ambarvale High School has been in consultation with relevant key stakeholders to ensure that our school implements an approach that best suits the learning needs of our students and wider community. Additional information will be shared with students and their parents in the near future. In the interim, we encourage parents who may need to contact their child during class time to make contact via the Administration Office on 4627 1800.

One of the first programs organised by Mr Wright for 2020 was the Bangarra Dance Workshop, held on Thursday, 20 February 2020. Ambarvale High School was host to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from several schools around South Western Sydney. There were 13 Ambarvale High School students ranging from Years 7 to 10 who participated in the day, enjoying cultural workshops and getting to know students from neighbouring schools. Students were split into various groups throughout the day and learnt different cultural dances and some lucky students were invited to audition for the Bangarra Dance Theatre in Sydney. Mr Wright was amazed at the skills on display, as well as Ambarvale High School students who displayed all of our TRREC values.

The Learning Centre has been given an artistic upgrade by Year 10 and Year 11 ATSI students who took part in the Dalmarri Art Project in Term 1.

The once bare poles have been given a magnificent upgrade through the artistic skills of our very talented Breanna Benson, Kalani Finneran Siulepa, Annalise Mitchell and Ashalea Wiggins. The Story Poles are a wonderful artistic creation which allow all students to share and enjoy Aboriginal culture.

The Support Faculty extended their Community Access Program in Week 5, Friday, 6 March 2020, to develop meaningful relationships with students from Mary Brooksbank School. The Community Access Program at Ambarvale High School provides students within the Support Faculty an invaluable opportunity to meet members of their local and wider community, develop essential life-long skills in organising travel to various locations and incursions.

Students were invited to Ambarvale High School for a day of activities such as cricket, lawn bowls, basketball and soccer. Both schools illustrated exceptional sportsmanship throughout the experience while Ambarvale High School students displayed exceptional leadership and excellence, in guiding the visiting students throughout these activities. The two groups further develop empathy and peer relationships whilst making friendship bracelets and engaging with technology. Mary Brooksbank students enjoyed a BBQ lunch together with the Support Faculty before returning to their school. The day was a wonderful success as commented by the staff from Mary Brooksbank School who were keen to organise another day soon with Ms Sitterlee, Ms Moroney and Head Teacher Support Mrs Whitehead. Students and staff made valuable links within the community and the Support Students demonstrated outstanding TRREC values throughout the day.

The Number 73 73 is the 21

st prime number and its mirror number, 37 is the

12th prime number. When you write 73 in binary it is

1001001 which is a palindrome (a number, or word, that reads the same backwards as forwards). Shikaku puzzle Shikaku (also known as Rectangles) is a logic puzzle with simple rules and challenging solutions. The rules are simple. You have to divide the grid into rectangular and square pieces so that each piece contains exactly one number, and that number represents the area of the rectangle. Can you solve the puzzle? Any student who brings the correct solution to the Maths Faculty before week 3, Term 2 will receive a prize!

Ambarvale High School celebrated the raising of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags for the first time on Thursday, 27 February 2020. Two new flag poles were installed in order to enable all three of our Nations flags to be displayed each day. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and families were invited to celebrate this historical event with a BBQ hosted by Mr Wright.

A big congratulations to the following students who form the Student Representative Council (SRC) for 2020.

The SRC consists of an energetic group of students. They want to help others by presenting ideas to the wider school community and key decision makers which they believe will benefit all students. The SRC also informs its peers of any important information which affects the greater student body. Another purpose of the SRC is to teach students how the school works, how decisions are made and how to achieve positive change. Being on the SRC teaches many valuable skills which can be used both at school and as a student grows into the future. In the past, various year group representatives have been very active and involved in the development and implementation of some important school improvements while working with the Principal and Deputy Principals. Mr Conca, the school SRC coordinator, is very excited to work alongside these enthusiastic young people and watch them develop into key members of the school community.

Year 7 Mykalah M Breanna N

Amy H Tuna A

Year 8

Salome H Faith L

Abigail N

Year 9 Jessica S Hanna E Hanna H

Nishalia D

Year 10 Jasmin C

Alyssa-Jade B Angie T Alisa K Zahra A

Year 11 Jesse J

Kaitlyn K

Year 12 Poi T

Jay Jay M Ibrahim Z

The Support Faculty and school community is very excited about the current development of a Sensory Garden outside the learning area of L3.5. Sensory Gardens have been found to generate countless benefits to individual’s physical health and wellbeing, especially those living with a disability. The outdoor space is currently undergoing an exciting transformation as the students in Ironman and Mystique are working collaboratively with Mr Taraboulsis and Head Teacher Mrs Whitehead. They are constructing a sensory garden which has been designed, in conjunction with the students, to better meet their needs. This includes providing them with a range of activities to help facilitate their emotional regulation during a heightened state. The garden will include fragrant flowers and a water feature. The purpose of this project is to promote connection with nature and accountability for the garden’s upkeep. It is also being built and created by students for students; utilising and developing their communication and socialisation skills. The Sensory Garden project runs alongside the Agriculture Program, and has been highly successful in introducing them to new flora, increasing student participation and ownership by jointly working with staff to select the plants and create a habitat that is calming and appealing.

Drama students across different year groups joined

Ms Nicoll to attend the OnStage performance at the

Seymour Centre on 14 February in Sydney. OnStage is a

showcase of student work from those who studied Drama

in the 2019 HSC course. Students observed a gallery of

Drama HSC Individual Projects which included costume

design, lighting and stage directions before watching a

range of individual and group performances.

All students were amazed at the talent on show and the

dedication towards their craft. Ambarvale High School

students could not wait to discuss their favourites and

return to school to put into practice what they have learnt

through the experience. According to William in the Year 9

class it was the “best thing he had ever seen”!

Ms Nicoll, the Year 9 Drama Elective teacher was very proud of the way all students represented the school and displayed TRREC values throughout the day.

On Tuesday, 25 February 2020, Ambarvale High School held the annual Swimming

Carnival at Gordon Fetterplace Aquatic Centre, Bradbury. Enthusiastic and energetic

students arrived at the venue, showing off their house colours or wearing some of their

favourite jerseys, kits and uniforms inspired by the Sports Icon theme for the event.

Teachers and other members of staff worked earnestly to ensure the day ran smoothly

but also took plenty of time to enjoy the day’s events and appreciate the excellent

sportsmanship and competition during races.

The events in the pool were both competitive and fun with long distance swimming,

50 metre freestyle and novelty races taking place on the day. The grandstand was full of

cheering and clapping during these events, especially during the Teacher vs Students

race which the student swimmers won in a thrilling finish.

A tremendous congratulations to the Ambar Gift winners for 2020, Kevin Phan and

Elisha Hampson who each took home a Rebel Sports Gift Voucher for their efforts.

Year 12 Sports Coaching students must also be congratulated for their efforts in time

keeping and recording on the day.

The event was a great success with everyone involved leaving the pool with a smile.

Thank you in particular to our Sport Organiser, Mr Sorenson and the PDHPE Faculty for

their organisation on the day and in the lead up to the carnival.

Winning house – Fraser

Age Champions

12 Years Boys Age Champion – Jeziah Papa

12 Years Girls Age Champion – Breanna Nichols

13 Years Boys Age Champion – Adrian Razza

13 Years Girls Age Champion – Aniela Williams

14 Years Boys Age Champion – Kevin Phan

14 Years Girls Age Champion – Tenisha Jell-Smith

15 Years Boys Age Champion – Muroa Mauroa

15 Years Girls Age Champion – Elisha Hampson

16 Years Boys Age Champion – Cooper Mulholland

17 Years Boys Age Champion – Michael Mihok

17 Years Girls Age Champion – Caitlin Razza