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talkabout Issue 10 31st October 2019 www.wollumbin-h.schools.nsw.edu.au/

wollumbin-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Phone: 02 6672 5121

P & C Meeting: Tuesday 26th November 2019 at 7.00pm in the Library

SRC 2020 NOMINATIONS

Nominations are currently being called for students

interested in being 2020 Student Representative Council

members. Year Advisers and Ms Smith have the nomination

forms. Year groups vote to elect their representatives from

students approved to run for SRC by the executive.

QUALITY PORTFOLIO INTERVIEWS

It is that time of year when we ask for your support, and

seek parent participation in our Quality Portfolio panels. If

you, your family or friends can spare us 1 day of your time

we would be very appreciative. It is fine to also just phone or

email the school and indicate your willingness to be

involved. Students from years 7 to 10 present their learning

and understandings for the year, reflecting on what they

have achieved and what they should focus on to achieve

personal best next year. This is a very important process

and students have the information needed to prepare for this

interview.

Interviews will be conducted on the following dates:

5th & 6th December – year 7

28th & 29th November – year 8

25th & 26th November – year 9

2nd & 3rd December– year 10

Please join us for one or more of the panels.

Please return the attached invitation by 8th November or

email to gail.biggs1@det.nsw.edu.au or phone and speak to

Gail Biggs in Administration on 02 6672 5121.

FAREWELL

Just days before Mr Sean Thompson was

leaving on LSL for a trip around Australia he

received notification of a transfer to Maclean

High School commencing 2020. We will

miss Mr Thompson - his involvement in our

school, his support for students and his

teaching. We wish him well on his travels

and at his new school next year. We

welcome Ms Richelle Courtney who is taking Mr

Thompson’s classes for the remainder of this term.

BEST WISHES TO YEAR 12 Year 12 have commenced their HSC examinations and we

wish them well during the next few weeks. The school held a

student assembly at the end of term where student

representatives wished year 12 well. Year 12 chose the

Murwillumbah Rural Fire Brigade as their charity to support,

donating $1000 which was accepted by Don Bentley. Year

12 gave the school some fruit trees and watering system

which was very much appreciated. The Year 12 formal was

also held at the end of last term. It was a very enjoyable

event attended by year 12, their parents/carers and staff.

Year 12 were presented with their portfolios and

acknowledged for their successes. Rebecca Merton thanked

the staff, Mitchell Walsh thanked the parents and Nicole

McKay responded on behalf of the parents. Skye Brambleby

and George Townsend thanked Mrs Quantrill for her support

of year 12 throughout their 6 years at Wollumbin High

School. Mrs Quantrill shared fond memories of year 12 and

their antics over the years. Congratulations to Ms Smith and

year 11 Hospitality for assisting The Balcony with the

catering – it was a long day and your efforts were

appreciated. Photos of the formal appear on page 6.

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CONGRATULATIONS DEPUTY PRINCIPAL’S AWARDS

Year 7 Levi Corrigan, Jaslyn Wilkes, Stephanie Conroy,

Tallulah Trotter, Zian Tim So-Begic, Sophie

Hayley, Joshua Muddle, Rohan Morrison

Year 8 Ebony Bull, Bodhi Brambleby, Lillianna Menin,

Violet Martinez, Molly Griffiths, Jet Tunsted

Year 9 Lucy Phillip, Ruben Cranney

Year 10 Amber Dhillon

CONGRATULATIONS PRINCIPAL’S AWARDS

Year 7 Jaslyn Wilkes, Hayley Taylor, Stephanie Conroy,

Lachlan Cook

Year 8 Kayla Boyd

Year 9 Ehlana Bartlett, Riley Russell, Mihaiela Pansaru

Year 10 Madison Bambach, Amber Dhillon

Year 11 Amy Edmed

CONGRATULATIONS AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

Year 7 Matilda Golds Zali Grennan Matilda Golds Ellie

Jordan

Year 8 Daniel Howarth Kaitelyn Walton

Year 9 Mihaiela Pansaru

Year 10 Amber Dhillon Jordan Maloney Natalie Wilkinson

Rebecca Lang

Year 12 Skye Brambleby Lauren Kirkby

CONGRATULATIONS AWARD OF HONOUR

Year 7 Georgie Kliendienst, Matilda Golds

Year 8 Bronte Elliott

Year 8 Mihaiela Pansaru

Year 10 Jordan Maloney

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WHAT’S ON

Term 4

4th & 5th November Exams for Year 10

25th & 26th November

Year 9 QP interviews

26th November Final P&C meeting 7pm

28th & 29th November

Year 8 QP interviews

2nd & 3rd December Year 10 QP interviews

2nd December Year 6 Parent Evening 6pm Library

3rd December Year 6 Orientation Day

5th & 6th December Year 7 QP interviews

16th December Awards Night 6.30pm Gymnasium

17th December School Picnic Day

18th December Last day students

CONGRATULATIONS

Kirra Gaedt, year 12, has received exciting

news. Her Extension Science project, The

impact of rhizobacteria bacillus subtilis on

sugarcane growth in saline conditions, has

been selected as a prize-winner in the 2019

STANSW Young Scientist Awards. Over

920 projects were submitted and the judges

indicated it was a mammoth task with all

projects being double-marked by trained judges.

Congratulations Kirra.

CONGRATULATIONS

Jarrah James Heggie, year 9, due to his

performance in the 2019 Australian

Mathematics Competition (AMC) has been

chosen to participate in digIT 2020,

involving two residential camps held at the

University of Queensland and engaging in

the personal mentoring program.

Only 60 places were available with students selected from

across Queensland, Northern Territory and Northern NSW.

digIT is designed to introduce students with potential to

algorithmic thinking by developing students problem-solving

and coding skills moving students from technology

consumers to creators. Congratulations Jarrah.

KOREAN CLASS CAPTAINS TERM 4

As common practice in Korea, each Year 7 class has

elected a class captain and vice-captain. Their

responsibilities are to lead class greetings and assist the

teacher with necessary duties. We congratulate the following

students for term 4, 2019;

Learning a new language is fun and we wish the elected

class captains and vice captains all the best with their duties

during term 4!

Homework Help

When: Every THURSDAY after school until 4pm.

Where: COMPUTER ROOM 2.

Who: Mrs Hirst and other staff on a rotational basis.

UNIFORM – GETTING READY FOR 2020

Uniforms sales are conducted through the Wollumbin High

School P&C shop, located in the school canteen. Sales for

uniforms are via Cash or EFTPOS.

On school days staff are unavailable to sell uniforms

between 10.45 and 11.30am or 12.45 and 1.30pm as staff

are involved in final preparation and serving of food to

students. We thank you for your understanding. Thursday

and Fridays are the best days for uniform sales as two staff

are employed on those days.

Uniform sales will also be conducted on the School

Development Day 2020 (Tuesday 28th January 2019)

between 8am – 2.30pm.

It is recommended that you don’t leave it too late in the term

to sort out 2020 uniform needs.

ATTENDANCE

As per the Department of Education policy all students in

Kindergarten to Year 11 are required to attend school until

Wednesday 18 December, the last day of teaching for

2019.

Captain Vice-Captain

7E Lara Byrne Rohan Morrison

7F Madison Bellew Sophie Haley

7I Jimmy Edwards Ellie Jordan

7L Josh Coates Harrison Alderson

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SPORT

SPORTING BLUE

Congratulations to Ciarn and Jaidyn Larrescy on being

recipients of a North Coast Sporting Blue Award for their

success in sport. Ciarn represented NSW in AFL and Jaidyn

won a gold medal at the Combined High Schools State

Athletics Championships. They will travel to Coffs Harbour

later in the term to attend the awards ceremony.

AQUATICS SESSIONS!!

This term, PDHPE staff will be running sessions at the pool

with Years 7 and 9. Year 7 will be Wednesday November 7th

and Year 9, December 4th and will run through periods 3, 4

and 5. We plan to look at CPR, lifesaving techniques,

waterpolo and other games. Permission notes and details

will be out in the coming weeks!

RRISK (Reduce Risk Increase Student Knowledge)

Year 11 students will be involved in the RRISK program

during Term 4.

On Thursday 24th October, students participated in the ‘Save

a Mate’ program with Mrs Doyle. Looking after your friends is

one the key RRISK messages and this program can help

students respond confidently to emergency situations. Mrs

Doyle took year 11 through;

how to assess and respond to

someone who may be

unconscious

how to effectively place

someone into the recovery

position from both lying on their

front and back

Students also learnt the correct first

aid response when someone is

overheating, having a seizure or in

shock.

Our RRISK seminar will be held at

Southern Cross Uni, Coolangatta on

November 19, with PDHPE staff.

Permission notes will be out soon.

YEAR 10 EXPECTATIONS

Year 10, are working toward attainment of the RoSA

(Record of School Achievement). Parents and students are

reminded that assessments continue until the end of the

year and that Year 10’s final day is the same as other

students – 18th December. Year 10 students must meet all

assessment, learning and attendance requirements to

successfully attain the RoSA and be able to proceed into

senior years. There are some Year 10 students who need to

work very hard at present as not all requirements are being

met. If the school is sending you letters regarding incomplete

work by students please take these letters seriously as they

indicate your student is not meeting the outcomes required.

Parents, who have received notification about incomplete

tasks should confirm with either the teacher or their student

whether they have presented this work. Learning Support

and Homework Help is available to students seeking

assistance. Year 10 exams will be conducted on the 4th and

5th November.

EXTENSION CLASS

Years 7, 8 and 9 received their application forms in the year

meetings last Wednesday. These applications are due back

Wednesday 6th November. Teachers will then be asked for

their recommendations. Following the compilation of this

information, the Extension Class Coordinator, the Year

Adviser and any other interested staff members attend a

meeting where the final decisions are made based on the

applications and the staff recommendations. Extension

classes for Years 8, 9 and 10 2020 should be finalised by

the end of Week 5. Students will be advised by letter the

following week and receive their contract with their letter.

Signed contracts to be returned to the Year Adviser.

SAFE ON SOCIAL ADVICE: Yubo....Tinder for teens and tweens

The Safe on Social team have made us aware of the app

"Yubo". In early 2018 an app called Yellow - rebranded itself

quietly as Yubo. There were very good reasons for this

name change to be made following hundreds of parental

complaints, a deserved reputation as a Tinder for teens

( and tweens) , the developers had described their own

product as a ‘virtual flirting app. The full article is on our

Website under Supporting Our Students – Students Health

& Safety – Safe on Social Guides.

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CHILDRENS THEATRE

Last term, students from 9/10 Drama and Music performed

for a crowd of over 200 kindergarten, year 1 and year 2

students as part of the annual Children's Theatre

performance. This year, the theme was "Incredizoology",

and students from 9/10 Drama and Music created a

performance from the year 7 creatures assessment task in

term 1 as well as the year 8 Adaptations assessment task in

Science. Students from Chillingham, Dungay, Crystal Creek,

Tyalgum and Murwillumbah Public were entertained and

delightened by creatures big and small! Well done to all

involved, it was a wonderful show!

5 WAYS TO BE MINDFUL WITHOUT MEDITATING

There’s a lot of evidence that mindfulness can help you to be

more aware of yourself and your environment, cope better

with stress, anxiety and depression, focus your

concentration and relax more.

1. Wash the dishes (Yes, really!). When you wash the

dishes after dinner, do you usually think about everything

you still have to do before you can finally relax? Instead,

could you try focusing only on washing the dishes? Start by

listening to the sink fill up

with water. Feel the warm

water on your hands, and

smell the dishwashing liquid.

When you notice your mind

wandering (and it will!), bring

your attention back to your

senses. What can you see/

hear/smell/feel?

2. Write a 'thank you' list. Writing a thank you list is one

way to slow down and appreciate the small (and big) things

in your life. It doesn’t need to be massively long; you could

just write down three things you’re thankful for. Maybe it’s

the delicious coffee you had this morning, the support and

love you get from your friends, or your courage in speaking

up for yourself the other day.

3. Have a quick stretch. Sometimes, we get so caught up

in our thoughts that we forget everything else. But when we

take a moment to focus on our body, such as by doing some

stretching exercises, it gives us a break from our headspace.

Take your time, and focus on how your body feels.

4. Eat a healthy snack. Instead of mindlessly eating that

bag of chips and then wondering where it all went, take your

time and pay attention to every mouthful. Notice the

delicious taste as you chew the food, feel the textures,

savour the aroma. It helps to put down your phone while you

eat, too.

5. Make a cup of tea. Brewing and enjoying a cup of tea

is another great way of

getting in touch with your

senses. You might usually

make a cup of tea without

even thinking about it.

Instead of just going through

the motions, pay attention to

each thing you do in order to

make the tea.

https://au.reachout.com/articles/5-ways-to-be-mindful-

without-meditating

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