Care | Opportunity | Success

S O U T H S Y D N E Y

Principal’s Report

HIGH SCHOOL

Newsletter | Term 4 Week 2| 20 October 2017

Can I extend a very warm welcome back to term 4 to all our students and families. We trust that the break was

restful and restorative. It was marvellous to see our students returning to school looking refreshed and

energised, buzzing with news, eager to catch up with their friends and reconnect with their teachers. We also

welcome back Ms Matthews, Mr Wiseman and Ms Sainty who return to us reinvigorated after periods of leave.

We also have some staff changes this term and into 2018. We wish Mr Hart well as he embarks on leave for

term 4. Congratulations are also in order for Leonie Stevens who has secured full-time, permanent employment

as SLSO at OLSH and our Head Teacher HSIE, Louise McNeil who will take up a position as Deputy Principal at

Randwick Boys’ High School starting in 2018. We will miss them!

I have enjoyed my time as Relieving Principal and thank Ms McNeil, Mr Davidson and Ms Kelso for their support

in relieving roles over the past few weeks.

Congratulations and thanks to:

Our students and staff who quickly and efficiently vacated the school during our Emergency Evacuation

drill

All Year 12 students who sat for their first examination on Monday. Our Presiding Officer was full of praise

for the exemplary behaviour and attitude displayed.

What a credit to our school!

Our intrepid Year 9 Bronze Duke of Edinburgh

students who set off on their qualifying walk next

week ably led by Mr Yasaman, Ms Mifsud and

Alison Maynard

Year 11 students as they enter their first term of the

HSC course and the staff who will support them

during their Stage 6 Skills for Success Day on

Wednesday, at Maroubra Surf Club. Special thanks

go to Ms Lawrence and Mr Benischke for organising the day

All Year 7 and 9 students who helped us trial the new style NAPLAN online tests last term. Thanks also to

Ms Kelso and Mr Askounis for organising and running the sessions and Ms Kite and the Maths staff for

facilitating them

Our ever supportive P and C for funding our Year 7 Virtual Reality workshop organised by Ms Mifsud and

exciting new resources to be trialled by Code Club students for wider school use

The second hand uniform shop will not be open for the next four weeks, due to the HSC exams being conducted

in the Hall. If any student requires help with second hand uniforms during this time they may see Mrs Browne in

the Student Office.

Second Hand Uniform Shop

Visual Arts Excursion

Year 7 students enjoyed a visit to the Art Gallery of NSW this week to view the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman

prize exhibitions. This was a follow up to their portrait unit and an opportunity to see a range of painting styles

and interpretations of the genre. The visit included a tour of the gallery to familiarise the students with the

variety of art on show in the gallery. After lunch in the Domain the group walked to Mrs Macquarie’s Point to

draw views of the harbour before boarding the bus for the return journey.

Principal’s Report (cont’d)

A special mention must be reserved for Mr Rick French (our School General Assistant) and Ms Alison Maynard our

hardworking Student Support Officer. Our wonderful staff members have been recognised for their contribution

to public education through receipt of Ultimo Principals Network Awards, presented by the Executive Director,

Ms Sylvia Corish.

Cathy Walton

Relieving Principal

Excursion to Australian Institute of Music

Elective Music students attended the ‘Best of Australian Rock’ concert performed by current students at the

Australian Institute of Music on Friday 13th October. All music students prepare both solo and ensemble

performances as a part of their course, so it was beneficial to observe the interpersonal dynamics of students

who at the same time presented a comprehensive history of Australia’s varied rock repertoire, which even

included a bagpipe for Johnny Farnham’s anthem ‘You’re the Voice’. The engagement of our students was

exemplary and the interest they displayed in understanding the often unspoken, instinctive aspects of musical

performance was clearly visible.

The students also toured the campus observing a recording studio in full operation and a rehearsal of ‘The

Tango Maureen’ from the musical Rent, providing our students the opportunity to experience diverse career

paths open to them as they develop their foundations in music study.

Each year the Ultimo Principals Network presents

awards to recognise the achievements of teaching

and non-teaching staff with the Department of

Education. Congratulations to Rick French (General

Assistant) and Alison Maynard (Student Support

Officer) for their success in achieving awards in the

category of non-teaching staff. These awards were

much deserved. It was a superb evening set in the

canteen/café area of Sydney Secondary College

Blackwattle Bay Campus. Blackwattle Bay provided a

stunning backdrop to the event.

Mc McNeil

Congratulations!

NSW Ministry of Health offers all school students free vaccinations recommended by the National Health and

Medical Research Council (NHMRC). These vaccines are important and protect students through to adulthood.

The 3rd vaccination visit is on Wednesday, 1st November 2017.

The following vaccines will be offered at Visit 3:

Year 7 – HPV Dose 2 and Varicella - Any catch –up doses of HPV and dTpa missed from

Visit 1.

Year 8 – HPV dose 2 or 3 only for those students who did not complete the HPV course in

2016 (the nurses have the consent cards)

Year 11 – Meningococcal ACWY only for those who missed Visit 2.

Consent forms

Please read the information provided with the consent form to understand facts about the vaccines that will be

offered and the diseases that these vaccines protect against before you sign the forms.

A Record of Vaccination will be provided to each student vaccinated after vaccination. Keep this vaccination

record in a safe place as they will be required for future work or travel.

Immunisation Records

Childhood vaccination records for children born after January 1996 can be checked by calling the Australian

Immunisation Register on 1800 653 809.

If you have any questions about the program at school please contact Ms Jaglika Corlija (school contact) on 02

9349 3868 or the Immunisation Unit, Public Health on 02 9382 8333.

For translated material on the School Vaccination Program for parents/guardians, please go to the following

website, but only fill out the English version:

http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/immunisation/Pages/school_vaccination_language.aspx

NSW School Vaccination Program 2017

On Friday the 13th a group of nine students from year 10 IST class took a small bus to visit the city. After a short trip, our intrepid party came across the mighty Microsoft Store in Pitt Street. This was only the beginning of a great & wonderful adventure. Once through the magic automatic glass door they were greeted by the friendly folk of the Microsoft company. The students gaming prowess & powers were yet to be tested. After an initial wait in the wondrous store, they were taken on a short ascent to the next floor up. Here the group was cleaved in two by one of the Microsoft staff. A group of four went one way and the remaining five stayed in the conference room.

The rest of the morning was taken up with such trials as trying on the VR visors, AR glasses and various game configurations on the many numerous devices conjured up by Microsoft's Magic Makers. Every one of the intrepid students had a trial of what was on offer. All too soon, time was up for the group and they had to say a reluctant good -bye and thank you to the Microsoft staff.

The journey back to the land of South Sydney High School was long, but filled with joy and tall tales.

Mr Shiells

Microsoft Flagship