1st December, 2017, ISSUE NO. 19

W.R.A.L.S Calendar

8th December

Positive Level Excursions

11th December

Presentation Day 10am

15th December

Last Day (for students)

30th January 2018

First day Term 1 (students)

6th February, 2018

Annual Swimming Carnival

Once again this year Year 10 students completed the Work Related And

Life Skills (WRALS) program organised by Mr Declan Horan. Students

were given the opportunity to gain valuable skills and accreditation in such

courses as Barista, First Aid, RSA, RCG, Boat Licence, Aged Care,

Textiles, Master Chef, Construction and Mural Painting. Most students had

a very full and interesting week completing the courses. A large number of

students completed the Barista course so hopefully that will help them to

gain employment in the local cafes.

Students have also been involved in Work Experience over the last two

weeks . Thank you to all the local business houses who have accepted

and taken on our students. This program is extremely important to students

as it can give them an insight into what type of employment they may

prefer. To finish the WRALS program Year 10 will hold mock interviews

during Week 9 in preparation for future employment.

Thank you to Mr Horan for his organisation of the three weeks.

Principal’s Report

Dear Parents and Community

Last Saturday it was White Ribbon Day and at Tuesday’s assembly, I spoke to all students about the White Ribbon initiative, a male led campaign to end men’s violence against women and the vision of White Ribbon that all women live in safety, free from all forms of men’s violence.

STOP is the theme of this year’s White Ribbon Day

STOP stands for:

See (Your actions are important in helping to stop violence against women)

Talk (Words are part of disrespectful and abusive behaviour but words can also help stop abuse and prevent violence against women)

Offer support (Intervening doesn’t mean putting yourself in danger)

Prevent (Think about what you can do every day to promote respect towards women, educate yourself and learn the signs of disrespect and abusive behaviour and don’t be afraid to talk about it with friends)

All students received a brochure about how every one of us can help stop violence against women.

https://www.whiteribbon.org.au/2017/11/10/stop-nothing-not-option/

Next Friday we have a number of students heading for Dreamworld on the Positive Levels Excursion and in the final week of term we will have a very busy week with our Presentation Day and School of Origin competition on Monday 11th December, then activity days on Tuesday 12th December and Wednesday 13th December before all students are back in class for the remainder of the week.

Friday 15th December is the last day for students in 2017. All students return Tuesday 30 January 2018.

As always, please contact me at the school if you have any issues in regards to your child’s education.

Highlight of the fortnight:

Ngahuia Albertsen being awarded the NSW Youth Frontiers Empowering Young Women award for her collaborative mural project, which aimed to draw attention to gender inequality. Well done, Ngahuia, on this great achievement.

Simon McKinney

Principal

Final Orientation Day Year 6 students from the local area attended their last orientation day at Nambucca Heads High School on Thursday 30th

November. So far the Year 6 students have had a variety of days at Nambucca Heads High School getting a feel for high

school before they join us full time in 2018. Thursday saw the students involved in attending classes and learning to navigate

the different facilities. We look forward to them beginning the next stage of the education. Year Advisors Mr Chris Barnes, Mrs

Amanda Taylor and Mrs Laura Donnelly along with Year 9 student helpers were on hand to help students navigate their way

around the school to the different faculties. The day finished with drama and games. Thank you Year 6 students for attending

the day and being involved in the activities. We look forward to welcoming all of you in 2018. Have a great holiday.

Year 7 2018

Attendance Regular attendance at school is essential if students are to maximise their potential. Schools, in partnership with parents/carers, are responsible for promoting the regular attendance of students. While parents/carers are legally responsible for the regular attendance of their children, school staff, as a part of their duty of care, monitor part or whole day absences. If your child is marked absent at roll call, without an explanation, an SMS will be sent to the mobile number on the student’s record.

Parents/Carers are responsible for:

Enrolling their children of compulsory school age in a government or registered non-government school or

registering them with the Board of Studies NSW for home schooling.

Explaining the absences of their children from school promptly and within seven days to the school.

Ensuring that their children attend school regularly.

Taking measures to resolve attendance issues involving their children.

School Staff are responsible for:

Providing a caring teaching and learning environment which fosters students’ sense of wellbeing and belonging

to the school community.

Recognising and rewarding excellent and improved student attendance.

Maintaining accurate records of student attendance.

Implementing programs and practices to address attendance issues when they arise.

Providing clear information to students and parents/carers regarding attendance requirements and the consequences of unsatisfactory attendance.

For more information please go to the following page on the Department of Education Website:

https://education.nsw.gov.au/student-wellbeing/media/documents/attendance-behaviour-engagement/attendance/

attendance_parents.pdf

If your child is absent from school, for any reason, notification must be received by the school within 7 days, otherwise the absence will remain “unjustified”. This could affect any Government payments you or your child receives.

Vaccinations Adolescent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program In early 2017 parents/carers of Year 7 students were asked to provide consent for their children

to receive three doses of HPV vaccine in the NSW School Vaccination Program.

Most* Year 7 students who have received two doses of HPV vaccine are considered to be fully

vaccinated and do not require a further dose.

This change is based on recent international studies that show for children aged 9 - 14 years of age, two doses of HPV

vaccine provide the same protection as three doses, as long as the second dose is given at least six months after the first

dose. Based on this evidence, the World Health Organisation (WHO) now recommends a two-dose HPV schedule, and this

has already been adopted in comparable countries (i.e. the UK, Canada, USA and New Zealand) and is now being adopted in

Australia.

In 2017 Year 7 students were given the second dose of HPV vaccine at least six months after the first dose to

accommodate the urgent roll-out of the Meningococcal W Response Program to Year 11 and 12 students. Year 7

students who have received only one dose of HPV this year will be offered their second dose in 2018. Parents/carers whose

children were vaccinated in 2017 but who still wish for their child to receive a third dose of HPV vaccine can access a free

dose from their general practitioner (GP).

*Students with significantly impaired immune systems are still recommended to have three doses of HPV vaccine. Parents/

carers of these students should make arrangements to complete the vaccine course with their GP or by calling their local

public health unit on 1300 066 055.

More information is available on the NSW Health website at www.health.nsw.gov.au/hpv or by calling your local

public health unit on 1300 066055.

Don’t forget to book in to meet Santa and have a photo taken with him and your friends. Year 12 will be taking

Santa photos until Tuesday 5th December in the Performance Space. This will be one of their major fund raisers

for the formal in 2018. Have your list ready (and he knows who’s been naughty and nice)

Youth Frontiers

Once again this year students from Nambucca Heads High School were involved in Youth Frontiers. This is a wonderful

program where students are mentored by members of the community to develop and implement an idea to help the

community. Five students - Terryn Hopper, Will Mackney, Keeley Waters, Bethany Burns and Ngahuia Albertsen completed

the program. Terryn and Will organised the annual School of Origin activity which will be held after our Presentation on 11th

December, Keeley is organising a Colour Run which promotes healthiness, happiness and individuality , Bethany’s project is

to install hot showers around the Nambucca area for homeless people to be able to shower. Ngahuia completed a mural

recognising women’s rights. This week Year 9 student Ngahuia received wonderful news that her project won a State award

for Empowering Young Women. Ngahuia completed a collaborative mural which aimed to draw attention to gender

inequality. Ngahuia used ideas from traditional

Indigenous storytelling to illustrate that women, like

the rivers and mountains, are the bringers of life.

Students who study woodworking helped to prepare

the wooden canvas for the mural and two other

girls, Kelena Ashton and Elisha Linnett helped with

the painting. The mural reads “We can’t all succeed

if half of us are held back”. The school has a

number of Indigenous murals displayed around the

school which have been produced during our

WRALS program, this one will hang outside the

Deputy Principal’s office. Ngahuia was very excited

to attend the award ceremony held in Sydney. While

in Sydney she also visited Parliament House. As

part of her prize Ngahuia will be given the

opportunity to complete her work experience in

Sydney at the annual conference next year.

Congratulations to all students who were involved in

this wonderful program which will be running again at

our school next year.

Year 8 Hunger Banquet On Friday 24th November in Week 7, Year 8 participated in Oxfam’s Hunger Banquet activity. This was the culmination of studying the liveability of people around the world and seeing how poverty affects so many lives.

Around the world, there are three categories of people when looking at poverty : High-income earners (about 15% of the population who earn over $120,000 per year), middle-income earners (25% of the population who earn between $10,000 and $12,000 per year) and low-income earners (60% of the world’s population earning less than $1000 per year). Students were allocated to one of these groups and were fed typical meals for their bracket.

Low-income earners were given a handful of rice and some water, Middle-income earners were given a sandwich and some cordial, and High-income earners were given a “banquet” of roasted chicken, salad, rolls, chips, cake, fruit juice and much more.

Students learnt that the high-income earners have SO MUCH more to eat. We in Australia are classified as high-income earners according to world standards.

Year 8 raised over $150 from the Nambucca Heads community. Congratulations to Anthony GORDON-LICHAA (Nike) who raised over $35 . All money raised will be sent to Oxfam Australia who will use it to support hungry children somewhere in the world.

Ngahuia with her mural (photo courtesy of the Nambucca Guardian News)

Our School Newsletter is available to be received via email. Our eNewsletter includes

more photos and links. If you would like to be included on our email list please

contact Annette Welsh at the school with your email address.

High Ropes Course NHHS students have been utilising the High Ropes course during sport with two of our teachers who are trained instructors, Ms Sarah Magill and Mrs Lyndee Thomas. Two groups of students have rotated through the course over Terms 2, 3 and 4. The students were challenged both physically and mentally on a number of high ropes elements including the Heebie Jeebie, Two Line Bridge, Dangling Duo and Leap of Faith.

There were also a number of activities on the ground that students participated in to foster team building and learning to work cooperatively as a group.

All students should be very proud of their achievements as it can be very daunting having to push yourself out of your comfort zone. They are also to be commended on their support and encouragement of one another.

Students involved this year included: Josie Sutherland, Lily Dedman, Jayde

Robertson, Billy Robertson, Tiarna Halloran, Jackson Purcell, Cassandra

Laurence, Shaina Cohen, Monica Bognar-Major, Jerrai Dahlstrom, Chloe Colb,

Jace Salter, Mahalia Walsh, Brea Argent, Tim Ralston, Logan Birney, Jasmin

Salter, Jade Anderson, Kenisha Buchanan-Close and Tori Flanagan.

Below is a list of activities available for students to attend on Tuesday 12th and Wednesday 13th December. We

have hopefully catered for every student in some way. Please speak to one of the nominated teachers for more

information and permission notes for each activity. You will need to have returned your permission note and

money (where necessary) before 8th December. Places are on a first in first go basis, so be quick.

ACTIVITY DATE TEACHER IN

CHARGE

SUPPORTING

TEACHER

SEATS COST/GEAR

BASKETBALL 12th DECEMBER MATT RUMSEY 20 FREE, but $2 FOR HOT CHIP RUN

STONEY PARK 12th DECEMBER MEL WATERS

LOUISE LOCKYER

DECLAN HORAN

BUS DRIVER

20 $45 MUST BRING LUNCH, DRINK,

SWIMMERS, SUNSCREEN, CHANGE OF

CLOTHES

KAYAKING 12th DECEMBER SARAH MAGILL ALISON NOWLAND 8 BRING LUNCH, DRINK, SWIMMERS,

CHANGE OF CLOTHES

ROPES 13th DECEMBER LYNDEE THOMAS BEN RAYMOND 10 $5 BRING LUNCH AND DRINK

MOUNTAIN BIKES 12th & 13th

DECEMBER

PETER BARRON TRENT HYLAND 10 THIS IS AN OVER NIGHT CAMP

SEE MR BARRON

MINECRAFT & MOVIES 13th DECEMBER AMANDA TAYLOR STEPHEN ELSLEY 20 BRING LUNCH & DRINK

READING FOR PLEASURE 12th & 13th

DECEMBER

DANIELLE BOWEN BILL RICHARDSON 30 BRING LUNCH & DRINK

E SPORTS

(COMPUTER GAMES)

12th & 13th

DECEMBER

NIGEL HAZELWOOD DAVID SHRUBB 40 $5 EACH DAY. MONEY WILL BUY DRINKS &

HOT CHIPS

BEACH WALKING 12th DECEMBER LAURA DONNELLY JENNIFER DUBONT BRING LUNCH & DRINK, SWIMMERS,

CHANGE OF CLOTHES, HAT, SUNSCREEN

SURFING 12th & 13th

December

COL HOCKING TRACEY PATU

MITCHELL ADAMS

10 - 15 BRING LUNCH, DRINK, SWIMMERS,

CHANGE OF CLOTHES

NEED SURF SURVIVAL

HIKING IN RAINFOREST 13th DECEMBER ELLIE DENNIS BEV FORARTY

DAKOTA HILLERY

20 $12 BRING LUNCH & DRINK

CHRISTMAS CRAFT &

COOKING

13th DECEMBER LOUISE LOCKYER

MEL WATERS

20 $5 BRING LUNCH AND DRINK

ORIENTEERING 13th DECEMBER CHRIS BARNES 20 BRING LUNCH, DRINK, SWIMMERS,

CHANGE OF CLOTHES, HAT, SUNSCREEN

End of Year Activities - December 12th & 13th

VALLA BEACH COMMUNITY CAROLS

FRIDAY 8TH DECEMBER 6PM - 9PM

VALLA BEACH RESERVE (LIONS’ PARK)

Hot food and ice-cream will be available from

various food vendors who will be in attendance.

Glo-Candles and Glo-Sticks will be available for

purchase at the event and song sheets will be provided

Make this a date in your diary to get you off to a good

start for a great Christmas season

AUSTRALIA DAY JANUARY 26TH

FAMILY FUN DAY GORDON PARK

FOOD STALLS, MARKET STALLS, DISPLAYS

GET INVOLVED, ENJOY THE DAY PARTICIPATE,

HAVE FUN. PRIZES GALORE

Water Events: Raft Race, Paddle Boards, Kayak

Display, Dragon Boat Display

Entertainment: Country Music, Nambucca Valley

Band, Line Dancing, Boot Scooters, Salsa Dancing

Children Events: Sack Race, Boot Throwing, Egg &

Spoon Race, 3 Legged Race, Lucky Dip