PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

As we approach the business end of Term 4, staff and students of Colyton High are winding up for a big finish to the year. While the HSC is over and Year 12 (2015) begin the anxious wait for results and offers of university, TAFE and employment, students from

Years 7-10 are currently undergoing their final exams and assessments for the year. Year 11 has become our new Year 12 and commenced their HSC program and teachers are preparing to write their end of year reports. It is always an exciting but hectic time of the year as we lead in to the Christmas holiday period; schools are busy places in the modern era! This time of the year is also a time of year to reflect on and celebrate our achievements. It is with great pleasure that I re-cap some of the major events for Colyton High. At the start of the year, Mrs Dwyer returned as Principal after 9 months of working on projects for the Department of Education at Bridge Street in the city. She would resume leadership of the school to continue the implementation of key reforms such as Local Schools Local Decisions strategies, with increasing opportunities for the school, in consultation with the community, to have greater decision making powers including the allocation of additional school funds made available through the Resource Allocation Model. The school was able to implement more programs to support students. Semester 1 also saw us become an integral part of the Colyton Learning Community (CLC) sports program with over 500 students from Colyton, Bennett Road, Oxley Park and St Marys South Public Schools descending onto Colyton High’s sporting grounds each Friday morning to play a variety of sports against each other. A mighty congratulations to Mr Wawszkowicz who organised the program with Mr Morgan’s assistance, together with the wonderful teachers from our partner primary schools. It has

Colyton High School Trade School

November 16, 2015 Volume 4.2

COMING EVENTS

November 17 Cake Stall

November 17- ESSA Online November 18

November 20 Year 12 Formal

November 23 P&C Christmas

November 24 Primary Schools

CLC Year 5 Expo Day

December 1- Year 10 Alternate Prog. December 7

December 8 Presentation Night

December 16 Students’ Last Day 2015

The next P&C meeting

‘P&C Christmas’

will be held on November 23 at 7.00pm in the Common Room

continued to develop close partnerships, and it is great to see smiling faces of so many students engaged in sport, including our own students who acted as organisers and referees. Selected Year 8 and Year 10 students began working with Ms Zsigmond, Ms Veljanovski and later, Mrs Fryer, on improving their numeracy skills in a special program called QuickSmart. The program has achieved amazing results, improving basic numeracy of the participants beyond expectations. It has even linked us further with our partner primary, Bennett Road PS. It has been so successful it will be continued for new students in 2016. Congratulations to the organiser, Mr Humphrey and all the teachers and students involved. Another highlight was the successful participation by our students in the many sporting contests including the senior girls’ basketball team and four students from our senior boys’ league team being selected for the Zone Rugby League Team. In April we remembered the 100th anniversary of Gallipoli in a moving Anzac Day Service. Colyton High has a long and proud tradition of supporting the local RSL and this will continue into the future with our students being fine ambassadors for our school in the many formal functions of remembrance, throughout the year, ably supported by the untiring efforts of teachers such as Ms Harman. The first stage of the outdoor Indigenous Learning Space began with the laying of a concrete foundation, putting in place a two tiered sandstone amphitheatre and construction of a creek bed that is in the shape of a boomerang. Funding has been recently approved to complete most of the project during the upcoming Christmas holidays. Students from VET Construction, under the guidance of their teachers will complete the remaining sections of the project including bridges. Our Aboriginal students will have the opportunity to demonstrate their custodianship of the garden as they plan and plant the garden beds with native shrubs. Thanks must go to all involved, especially the key coordinators Mr Humphrey and Mrs Parfoot.

The final weeks of the first semester saw planning for the complete air conditioning of the school, commence. This was a massive but important job given the high temperatures and their negative impact on learning during the heat of summer. It is anticipated that the air conditioning will conclude with the air conditioning of the school hall during the Christmas holidays. While we will miss the end of year ceremonies that will be conducted in the hall, we will be able to commence 2016 with cooler school assemblies. Most significantly, the end of Term2 also saw the retirement of Mrs Dwyer as Principal of Colyton High and we thanked her for her long and committed service to public education and the Colyton community. Mr Wawszkowicz would take the reins of the school as Acting Principal and do an impressive job of moving the school forward into Semester 2. Planning would commence in Semester 2 on a coordinated approach to enhancing school uniform. This included the planning of the school’s own uniform shop at the rear of the canteen. At the time of printing

the walls had been replaced by tall glass windows and doors, fresh carpet tiles spread across the floor and the shop fittings are being readied to move in. It is anticipated the shop will be open and ready for Y6 into Y7 Orientation Day in December. Exciting times! At the start of this year Colyton High was invited to lay the tribute at the Last Post Ceremony held each evening at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. The date we were allocated was August 3, the eve of the declaration of war in Europe 101 years ago. Our students represented the school with pride and honour and our Senior Captains, Corey Davis and Alex Rimmer, laid the tribute on behalf of all NSW schools on this day. A moving moment. October saw my arrival as the new substantive Principal of Colyton High. I have enjoyed, so much, having many meetings talking to the many people responsible for leading projects at the school. Everyone has talked with such enthusiasm about the work being done in their Faculties and special programs such as CLC Literacy and Science, and Learning Support. We have projects being planned for our girls (thank you Ms Gorman) and our boys (thank you Mr Ha). I enjoyed meeting with our loyal P&C members who just keep giving and I am sure it is the beginning of a long and genuine partnership. So many projects remain unlisted and each of them so important to the education of our children at Colyton High. Thank you to all who have been involved. As we approach the end of the year and our thoughts move towards planning for 2016. There are plans to revitalise the Trade Centre (VET Construction) and we have begun making links with industry to reconnect them with the school. Our Head Teacher TAS, Mr Burton, will be driving this. Thank you! And……look out for the Construction Expo coming up! Talk to people in the industry on the night and make real connections for real jobs!

In 2016 we will also address attendance issues and improve attendance rates, reinvigorate our Positive Behaviour for Learning strategy (to ensure the consistent understanding and application of school rules) and begin those all-important conversations between teachers about Teaching and Learning. So watch this space. And our work as a key member and voice of the youth in Team Colyton, goes on! Look for their work around your neighbourhood. In conclusion, thank you to everyone for making me feel so welcome and a part of the community. I thank all the staff, parents and students for their loyal support across the whole year, including those times when we had difficult conversations. I look forward to continuing the work towards supporting your children’s education in the final weeks of 2015 and into 2016. All the best! MR D BUTLER PRINCIPAL

Deputy’s Report Throughout 2015 Colyton High School has been running a Numeracy Program called QuickSmart with students in Year 8. The program has been used as an extension program, building on basic numeracy skills while developing greater confidence in students. Ms Veljanovski and Ms Fryer have withdrawn students from classes three times per week for the past 30 weeks to engage in the program, yielding significant improvements in all students’ numeracy skills. This improvement has carried through to their Math’s classes where students are demonstrating greater engagement and substantial improvement in results.

Students graduating the Year 8 program have been invited to work with Year 10 students who completed the program in 2014 to mentor Year 4 students at Bennett Road Primary School on Thursday afternoons. Our students are demonstrating responsibility and leadership to the community. Recently, one of our Year 8 students responded to a Bennet Road Public School Year 4 student who was challenging another mentor as to why they had to do Maths with comments well beyond what I would anticipate from a Year 8 student. The Year 8 student responded with “Maths is important. What are you going to do when you leave school? Every job that you go into will require Maths!” The response settled the Year 4 student down and they were able to refocus on the program. Another mentor after a session working with Year 4 students, advised me that her students were being very naughty during the lesson and requested that we look at splitting the students up as they were not working well together. These comments show the unmeasurable power of providing leadership opportunities to our students who were excited when I described their role in the Bennett Road Public School program as ‘teachers’, with every student proving to be a superb representative of Colyton High School. Since the middle of this term, we commenced the operation of a Homework Help Centre in the Library. The Centre operates after school from 2:35pm until 4:00pm on Monday and Tuesday afternoons. So far we have been having a steady stream of students in all year groups attending the Library, completing homework and gaining assistance from teachers. The Centre is staffed with qualified teachers and is free to attend. It is intended that the Centre will operate all year round except for the first and last week of each term. Students wishing to attend the Homework Help Centre, need to return a permission note to Mr Humphrey. Today as I write this message for the newsletter, we are preparing for our 2015 Remembrance Day Assembly. In the 100th Anniversary Year of the landing at Gallipoli, we have attended and remembered the sacrifice that our men and women have made in the service of Australia. A central focus of our 2015 Remembrance Day Assembly is the collection of a gold coin donation from students to help in the building of a new school in the small village of Pozières, France, as part of the Pozières French-Australian School Project. In World War I, over 23,000 Australian men were killed or injured fighting for Pozières. The village prior to the war was vibrant with many people living in or nearby. By the end of hostilities in 1918, the village of Pozières had been completely wiped from existence. Only mud and destruction remained. In 1920, students from Victoria collected funds to rebuild the school at Villers Bretonneux that was also destroyed during the war. Today the Victoria School at Villers Bretonneux is a legacy of the connection between Australia and France. The school at Pozières is hoped to further the links between Australia and France, ensuring that the sacrifices that our service men and women made in World War I are not forgotten. Further information about this event and the Pozières School can be found at http://campgallipoli.com.au/Camp-Gallipoli-Pozieres-schools-gold-coin-day.pdf . By being involved in the collection of funds to rebuild Pozières School, Colyton High School will be remembered with a plaque on the front gate of the school. This plaque, I hope will be seen by many of our students in the future if they visit the Western Front and the Somme battlefields in France. MR P HUMPHREY DEPUTY PRINCIPAL

Wellbeing

This has been an extremely busy year for the Wellbeing team at Colyton High School. We have implemented many programs to support the needs of our students. Some of these programs are:

Sticks and Stones (Years 7 and 8) - Two energetic young performers explore the different forms of bullying in the playground, in the street and at home. It provides strategies for conflict resolution, anger management, assertiveness and breaking the cycle of violence.

School yard scenarios are used to encourage students to have empathy and understanding.

The Hurting Game (Years 9 and 10) - The Hurting Game looks at cyber safety and our cyber footprint and developing supportive friendships. It deals with peer pressure at school and on Facebook and other social websites and the long term consequences of bullying people or doing embarrassing, irresponsible things on-line (like posting provocative images). The female character deals with body image issues and media/peer pressure to look and behave in a certain way just to fit in with 'the popular group'. The male character is dumbing down, binge drinking, being homophobic and physically aggressive to try to 'be cool'.

Wired (Years 11 and 12) - Wired looks at exam anxiety, stress and depression, making good choices, resilience and goal setting. One character is a perfectionist who is putting a lot of pressure on themselves and the other character is a procrastinator who has no motivation. It looks at the many causes of stress and depression, and strategies to help students to cope when they are having problems. The audience has the opportunity to see the characters play out different scenarios and realise 'It's not what happens to you but how you deal with it' and where to get help.

I Can - This 8 week program is designed specifically for youth who are identified as being at risk of disengaging from school and family life. Using a strengths based approach, students will be equipped to: Set goals, manage emotions- including anger, understand responsibility and the consequences of actions, build resilience to overcome hard times, develop communication skills and learn workplace skills and opportunities. This group is run on Thursdays at Bridging the Gap from 9am-2.30pm and 2-3 places are available for each school.

RAGE (Boys) SCREAM (Girls) - This 4 week program is designed to assist young people to gain knowledge and skills to manage anger. Topics covered include: the faces of anger, the cycle of anger, healthy expressions of anger, getting through the guilt of anger, the impact of diet, relaxation & exercise on managing anger. This group runs each week at school for one period for 8 students.

Worth, Strength and Purpose - This 4 week workshop will focus on 3 key topics: finding worth, building resilience and setting goals. This personal development workshop is practical and experiential. It includes activities and topics which aim to help students to: build confidence, self-esteem & self-worth, develop respect & boundaries in relationships, understand personal ability to have a positive influence, build resilience and identify personal goals & strengths. This group runs each week at school for one period for 8 students.

Get that Job - This one day employment focused workshop is ideal for students in Year 9 & 10. Students are encouraged to think about their future and how their choices today have consequences for the future. Topics covered include: employer expectations, writing a good cover letter, setting goals for the future, resume construction (students leave with five copies), “ten things not to do in an interview”, hope & determination, responsibility & consequences. This group runs at Bridging the Gap from 9am-2.30pm. Leadership – A full day leadership training program for students’ leaders. It will equip young people to be able to lead a group of people effectively and encourage cooperation and teamwork.

Graffiti Awareness Program (Year 8) - Has been delivered by Penrith local government and challenges the thinking of children and adolescents during a time in their life where they are experimenting, forming attitudes and beliefs as well as being influenced. This workshop allows the students to think about and act responsibly. Drumbeat - is a therapeutic music program developed by Holyoake Institute in Western Australia and adopted by Fusion Youth Services. Drumbeat combines the benefits of music therapy using drums, with cognitive behavioural therapy so that young people can learn social skills that promote healthier relationships.

Students learn valuable social skills, which range from building positive relationships to how to express emotions in a positive manner. Students participating in the program will finish with a performance at the School assembly. Overall the group is enjoying finding the rhythm both within themselves and with the drums.

My School Matters - My School Matters is an 8-week program for young people who are interested in leadership, have leadership potential or a desire to make a positive difference in their school community. This program runs over 8 sessions and gives young people skills and training in youth leadership. It covers communication, listening skills and advocacy, how to work effectively in a team, different leadership styles, helping others grow in your school and making a positive difference in your community. It involves fun, interactive, team building activities, leadership training and personal reflection to help young people engage with the issues in their school and community that are important to them and how to effectively respond to these issues. It will equip young people to be able to lead a group of people effectively and encourage cooperation and teamwork. Young people will have an opportunity throughout the program to put into effect an outreach project in their school of their choice. They will also be encouraged to grow in their confidence as young leaders, interact in a healthy way with their peers and school community and to become advocates of positive change at their school.

Managing the Bull - Managing the Bull has been developed to help build resilience in young people who have been exposed to bullying in some way. This program focuses on empowering each individual to build resilience, communication skills, know their strengths and be able to appropriately respond to bullying. This

program teaches participants how to identify what a bully is out to do, to HURT people, and then teaches the participant how to respond to this by being SAFE. It is a hands on, engaging and interactive program that goes for 6 weeks.

Real Girls – A school-based life skills program for young women in the transition phase from primary to high school. The program focuses on empowering each individual to reach their potential within the context of a healthy community. When individuals are empowered, gain self-worth, confidence and a sense of purpose; this leads to healthy and positive living. Digital Thumbprint (Year 7 – 12) – Delivered by Optus. 3 face to face workshops tailored to meet the needs of specific year groups. Years 7 & 8 – Through a series of fun activities, this workshop brings to life the vital information students need to become discerning internet users. Concepts covered include information security, online business models and terms and conditions. Years 9 & 10 – This workshop focuses on the impact students have on themselves and others, including how to help friends who may be facing anti-social activity. Concepts covered include intention and impact, online identity. Years 11 & 12 – In this thought provoking workshop, students will be equipped with strategies to use technology to aid rather than distract from their ambition. Concepts covered include productivity and time, management techniques, online study resources. Shine Bright like a Diamond (Girls’ program) - is a 4 week program encouraging girls to get creative in regards to the issue teenage girls are faced with today. The program was developed with the idea of turning negative situations into positive ones. Shine Bright like a Diamond encourages girls to be hands on when discussing social dilemmas of Bullying, Social Network Activity, Self Respect, Self Esteem and being proud of the person they are. Shine Bright like a Diamond is encouraging to own the person they are and be proud of it. It will provide students with the tools needed to be assertive, embrace one another, be supportive of each other, make good choices and set and achieve goals in standing up for what they believe in.

Eye of the Tiger (Boys’ program) - is a boys’ program that encourages boys to develop self-confidence and resilience. It focuses on small group activities where boys improve social skills and build relationships. Some resources used were short films, chess and team building games.

Aboriginal and Pacific Project – This project is designed to provide a point of connection with students of Aboriginal and/or Pacific heritage through inspiring interactions with culturally significant artefacts that lead to the creation of individual or group artwork.

Mathematics

It is time to reflect on our progress and achievements in Year 2015 as this year has gone without even noticing. Since the introduction of the work booklets for Year 10 and Senior years as a part of their assessment it was a busy year for the teachers of Mathematics faculty. Teachers are pleased to see the working environment in most classes and even in after school tutoring lessons as students are taking pride in helping their peers and asking questions to clarify any doubts in order to complete set tasks. These work

booklets certainly have been the highlight of this year in many aspects. Course content is consistent across the year, so that all students are experiencing the same course work in order to sit for a common assessment. This is not only improving work ethic of many of our students but also lifting their self-confidence in higher achievements. I take my hat off to all Mathematics teachers for setting and marking these booklets every week and giving students continuous feedback on assessments. Year 12 Mathematics students finished HSC examination last week and we believe they have given their best shot in the exam. Teachers made lots of effort to prepare students for the exam by using past HSC exam questions and also running holiday revision lessons. We wish them good luck on their future endeavours. The Mathematics Faculty afterschool tutoring lessons are also another great service rendered by the teachers. Tutoring lessons will run for one hour from 2.35pm to 3.35pm each week. It is a pleasure to see that the number of students attending afterschool tutoring lessons has increased significantly over the course of the year, and this is reflected in their results. I urge parents to encourage their children to take this opportunity and attend tutoring lessons every week for completing their homework tasks. Once again, a group of Year 7 students attended the Maths IT day at UWS Kingswood campus with Mrs Gilyana. Maths IT day is an annual event organised by the University of Western Sydney which gives memorable and challenging experience to our gifted and talented students. Mrs Gilyana said that our students participated enthusiastically and confidently showing their talents among students from other school in solving problems. Mathematics is an essential subject which helps students to acquire skills needed for everyday living. Mathematics is also a subject which needs consistency and continuity of learning. This means the course topics are interconnected and any missing topics would impact on the following year’s learning. Therefore I urge parents to encourage their children to attend lessons regularly and participate in all class activities in order to achieve their potential. MRS J HAPUKOTUWA HEAD TEACHER MATHEMATICS

English

The English Faculty are in the second phase of implementing the changes to the NSW Syllabus. This is an exciting time for our students and our school as we are embracing BYOD and giving our students an opportunity to apply their technology skills to enhance their learning. These changes have occurred over a two year period, with 7 and 9 implemented in 2014 and 8 and 10 in 2015. In the Year 9 Novel unit, students were engaged in reading their chosen novel closely in regards to themes, setting, characterisation and narrative structure. The students were asked

to sign up to a free program online called Prezi. The students worked in small groups and collated their knowledge of the novel and wrote their draft presentations. The program allowed students to incorporate music, photos/pictures in order for their Prezi to be interactive. Students were given class time to go to computer labs to work on their tasks. On completion of the unit students then presented their Prezi to the class. Students were marked on their collaborative skills as well as the Prezi itself. In the Year 10 Novel unit, students were also asked to read their chosen novel closely in regards to narrative structure, themes and characterisation and how their composer employed language devices to shape meaning for the audience. Students were asked to individually create a V-log (Video Log) and answer three questions in detail about their novel. This is an alternative to giving a speech in front of the class. Students were encouraged to use their own devices, whether this was a phone, tablet or computer. Students were given time in class to write their drafts and also time to record and video their speaking task. Stage 4 has also benefited from these changes. In the Year 7 Identity unit, students created an individual Prezi explaining an important moment in their life and presented this to the class. This gave students the opportunity to reflect on their own identity as well as others, which encourages expression and understanding. In the Year 8 Teen Speak unit, students worked in small groups and created a website using Weebly for Education. This not only encouraged collaborative skills and the assigning of roles but also allowed students the opportunity to engage with their chosen youth cultures and sub cultures in a setting that they are always immersed in. With the implementation of these tasks, the English Faculty are confident that we are fostering a positive learning environment for our 21st Century Learners and are giving our students necessary skills but also the opportunity to succeed in tasks that may not been previously accessible to them. J GORMAN ENGLISH FACULTY Drama

Year 10 have learned about Play building through Units in Melodrama, Mask and Make-up (Shakespeare), in 2015. Small groups presented PowerPoints, in character and in costume and finally students are currently studying theatrical makeup and Shakespearean characters. Their work ranged from fantastically creative to gruesomely realistic. The Play building unit showed individual as well as small and large group work.

Comments from the Year 10 Drama Class 2015 One of the things I liked in Drama was making a mask. I had to perform and make up the backstory for the character, who was the mask. I had a great story about the person and their family. We used “hot seat” and the students asked questions to find out all about my character’s life. I like the make-up Unit where I make up a face and perform like Lady McBeth. Some of the students had some interesting make-up designs. Sharifa This Term in Drama we learned about Theatrical Make-up and how actors are judged on their analysis using the acronym HEARTH – Heredity,

Environment, Age, Race, Temperament and Health. This was my favourite thing to do in Drama this year. Monique My Favourite thing in Drama was when we were making masks. Being able to sit down and enjoy something I haven’t done since Year 7. Curtis The thing I liked most in Drama was the little mini-games we played. Aiden Year 12 Year 12 students presented group and individual projects in devised original performances. Sarah chose a Faustian style of gallows humour for her individual piece while Thomas chose a reflective monologue based on bullying and its consequences. The group devised piece was a tale about

the conscious and unconscious self and the mind tricks that alternate realities can perform. We wish Sarah and Thomas all the best in the examinations! MS J TAYLOR DRAMA TEACHER HSIE

This year has been an exciting one for teachers and students as the new Australian History Curriculum has been fully implemented this year for Years 7-10. Students have been able to engage in new topics that investigate the Ancient, Medieval and Modern past. This year, the HSIE faculty staff have worked hard to develop new and exciting programs to teach; and have acquired new and engaging resources to help raise student learning outcomes. A big thank you to all students who completed their weekly home work tasks this year by handing

them in on their designated day during the week. Many of these students saw a great improvement in their overall grade this year. A well-deserved recognition is needed for all the staff members in the HSIE faculty – Miss Harman, Mr Selems, Mr Gardner, Ms O’Connell, Miss Botros, Mr Rao and Mrs Mattes - who have once again gone above and beyond to make the learning for their students at Colyton High School a rewarding, engaging and challenging one. YEAR 7 HISTORY This year Year 7 began History by studying key concepts such as timelines and dating. They then continued on to learn about several historical mysteries from around the world. Why was stone henge built? Did aliens really build the pyramids? Students soon learned how to separate fact from the more fictional aspects of History. We

then moved on to study Ancient Egypt which sparked the curiosity of many of the students. Finally, we are finishing the year learning about Ancient China. Mr Rao Year 7 Co-Ordinator YEAR 7 GEOGRAPHY This year, Year 7 students studying Geography began by looking at what the study of Geography entails. Students developed many new skills relating to the physical geography of the work, mapping skills and the importance of protecting our environment. Students then engaged with topics relating to Deserts and Rainforests. They focused on these environments as habitats for many plant and animal species and thoroughly enjoyed discussing the many ways in which animals adapt to their environment. Ms O’Connell Year 7 Geography Co-Ordinator YEAR 8 HISTORY This year, Year 8 have studied three new and exciting topics in History. We began the semester by learning about Medieval Europe. While investigating this topic, students became familiar with what daily life was like in Medieval Europe. We also learned about significant developments and achievements that occurred during this time. Following this, Year 8 studied the Spanish Conquests and the impact of this conquest on the Americas. We finished off the semester by learning about the Polynesian Expansion Across the Pacific and where different tribes settled. Miss Botros Year 8 History Co-Ordinator 8 GEOGRAPHY Students have investigated the impact of globalisation upon our lives. Students have gained an appreciation of how electronic goods are made in Asia and imported into Australia. They also have learnt how the bulk carrier ships are collecting Australian exports in the form of minerals and agricultural products from Australia to import back into many Asian countries. Mr Selems Year 8 Geography Co-Ordinator YEAR 9 HISTORY This year in History Year 9 have been investigating the impacts of the Industrial Revolution on the Movement of People around the globe. We have spent time discovering the different experiences of slaves, convicts and free settlers from around the world and how history has been influenced by this period. We have also studied World War One and Two, comparing the scope and sequence and how Australia was involved. We have studied Gallipoli and Kokoda and students have come to a fuller appreciation of these wars. Mr Gardner Year 9 Geography Co-Ordinator YEAR 9 GEOGRAPHY This year in Geography Year 9 have studied the Physical Characteristics that make Australia unique. Students investigated Australian landforms, climate, flora and fauna, the origins of the continent and the natural hazards that affect us. Year 9 have also been given the chance to investigate Australian Communities, particularly the community of the Central Coast. They have investigated the demographic characteristics that make Australia unique. Characteristics such as life expectancy, population distribution and age structure. Students also had the opportunity to take part in an excursion to the Baden Powell Scout Centre to practice their map reading skills in an orienteering competition and team building games. Mr Gardner Y9 History Co-ordinator YEAR 10 HISTORY Year 10 began the new Australian curriculum this year, which has a greater focus on human rights issues of the past and of the present. Students thoroughly engaged with their study of The Holocaust and many of our students took the opportunity to go on an excursion to the Sydney Jewish Museum and speak to a Holocaust survivor. All students were honoured to be a part of one of the last generations to speak personally with someone who experienced the Holocaust during the 1930s and 1940s. Year 10 then began their focus on Human Rights Issues

within Australia and around world and engaged in class debates and discussions surrounding the importance of the rights we are all born with regardless of race, religion, age, gender and nationality. Mrs Dodson Year 10 History Co-ordinator GEOGRAPHY Year 10 Geography examines the issues that are affecting the Australian environment at present.

• the impact of coastal erosion on the inhabitants. • the impact of the mountains of waste that are created each year. • the problems created by the rapid growth of our urban population • our trading partners and what we trade • our growing population • human rights and reconciliation • fieldwork techniques and how to present the data to a targeted audience

Miss S Harman YEAR 11 MODERN HISTORY This year, Year 11 have studied three topics in Modern History. We began the semester by learning about The Civil Rights Movement in the USA during the 1950s and 1960s. Students learnt about segregation, discrimination and the impact of these on the daily lives of African Americans. After this, Year 11 studied Nuclear Testing in the Pacific and the impact of these tests on people in the region. We finished off the semester by completing the Year 11 Core Topic, The World at the Beginning of the 20th Century. Year 11 learnt about the Industrial Revolution, imperialism and the events leading to World War I. Miss Botros Year 11 Modern History YEAR 11 ANCIENT HISTORY Year 11 began the year by looking at ways in which we study the past. We engaged in archaeology through mock archaeological digs in the classroom as well as an excursion to The Rocks in Sydney where we used our knowledge to learn about colonial Sydney through the artefacts that remain behind today from this time period. We then moved on to learning about ‘Ancient Human Remains’ and what we can learn about human history from their bodies. Students developed theories about the deaths of these people even though their remains are thousands of years old. The study Tutankhamun’s Tomb was a highlight for many students in the class as they were able to learn more about the famous pharaoh that has fascinated the world for decades. The year ended with a study of the Rome during the Republican era. Students analysed the building remains of the city in order to analyse the society of the time. Well done to Caroline Howard for receiving first place in the class and for Tanya Moran and Jacinta Sargent for engagement in class. Mrs Dodson Year 11 Ancient History YEAR 11 BUSINESS STUDIES Year 11 Business Studies have engaged in the learning about the nature of business, business management and business planning. There are many hard working students in this class. Highlights from the year have included but have not been limited to the Salsa fresh mex presentation by Jessica Pabian and associated food sampling in class. Mr Selems Year 11 Business Studies YEAR 12 BUSINESS STUDIES 12 Business Studies have been learning about the importance of operations, marketing, finance and human resources in the overall control and running of a business. The class consisted of many diligent students who have had a genuine wish to learn about business. Corey Davis, Ben Goodwin and Joshua Witte particularly excelled in this subject. Mr Selems Year 12 Business Studies

YEAR 12 SOCIETY AND CULTURE The Year 12 Society and Culture class have participated in learning activities in relation to our social and cultural world, our personal and social identity and intercultural communication. Students also used research methods and investigation techniques to gain feedback from the community for their Personal Interest Projects. Of a particularly pleasing nature, Alyssa-Mae Chandler and Jasmina Hodzic completed most insightful projects. Congratulations to these students. Mr Selems Year 12 Society and Culture LEGAL STUDIES Are you a reasonable person? What is doli incapax? Do you know your obligations in the use of technology especially social media? Did you know that DNA can be used to solve crimes years after the event? Do you understand the difference between criminal and civil disputes? Are women treated equally in society? Do the new Anti Terror laws introduced since 9/11 restrict our freedoms? If you had studied Year 11 Legal Studies you would know the answers to these questions and many more. Do you fully understand how the Legal System works in Australia? What are our Human Rights and how are they protected? How does the law deal with Families? Should Australia recognise Same Sex marriages? Can we save the environment by ourselves or does it take a world-wide response? The greatest threat to the environment is the fact that we believe someone else will save it. Year 12 Legal Studies provides you with all the answers to these questions. YEAR 12 Year 12 this year successfully completed their HSC Examination. Throughout the year the students studied World War One through sources. This gave students the opportunity to see different perspectives of life on the Western Front. Another exciting topic that was studied was America from 1919-1941. This American study led us to our historical personality of J.Edgar Hoover, the founder of the FBI. Students learnt about the significant events in American history and how they shaped society today. Following on from our American study we studied the Conflict in the Pacific. Linking our studies of America together, we learnt about Americas involvement in World War II. The students enjoyed the social and cultural changes of our studies and the impact and reality of a life at war. Mrs W O’Connell HSIE Faculty The HSIE faculty looks forward to seeing what the students at Colyton High School can achieve next year. Thank you to all the wonderful students who have contributed to a positive learning experience while studying one of our many HSIE subjects this year. LAUREN DODSON ACTING HEAD TEACHER HSIE Creative Arts

Music Musicians and vocalists have had many opportunities to perform both here at school and in the community this year. These included a Showcase of HSC performances, Performing Arts Night outdoor concerts and Café performances. As part of the HSC Music course, students attended an HSC Study Day. I have been impressed with the maturity, discipline and professionalism of the students during

rehearsals and performances. Their willingness to take on constructive advice and refine their skills through regular practice was clearly evident in the quality of their performances. The feedback I have received from members of the audiences is very positive and complimentary.

Visual Arts Through Operation Art, HSC Body of Work Display and the Art Exhibition, art students have demonstrated the breadth of skill and creativity that they bring to their art making. Seeing student work that is completed to a high standard is very rewarding. Through excursions to Art Express, World Wild life Photographers 2015, Museum of Contemporary Art and Sculpture by the Sea, students have increased their knowledge of artists and the creative process. They enjoyed the excursions and were inspired with ideas for their own works. We do not have to be naturally talented to learn in visual and performing arts. By engaging in lessons and wanting to do your best you are taking the first step towards being successful in learning to play a piece of music or make an art work. As you learn technique and practice these skills, you become proficient and succeed. I would like to acknowledge the vision and dedication of Mr Lane, Mrs Grahovac, Mrs Johnson, Mr Panayotopoulos, Ms Dore and Ms Vandyk. Their passion for Creative Arts education is pivotal to the success of our students. Aboriginal Education Our team is focused on supporting every Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander student at Colyton High School Trade School. We want them to be proud of their culture and well informed in the rich heritage and diversity of their people. We want them to feel safe, valued and empowered to achieve and succeed both at school and throughout their lives. There are many programs that we have implemented or accessed to realise our goals. To build closer connections between the school and our Indigenous community a morning tea is held for Year 7 and 8 students and their family members in term one each year. During the morning tea, parents meet the teachers on the Aboriginal education Team, learn about Norta Norta, programs arranged for the year and how they can be involved in the development of their child’s individual learning plan. Parents who have attended so far provide us with ideas and have participated in making blankets for senior citizens at the Gilgai Aboriginal Centre. This year all parents and students were invited to see the first stage in the construction of the outdoor learning space and discussed how the students can be involved in the construction of the bridges over the dry creek bed and planting out the garden. Parents and students are very enthusiastic and are looking forward to when the space can be used. It will be available to the whole school for lessons, workshops, outdoor concerts and other events in term 2 2016. The indigenous students are the custodians of the outdoor learning space and will have the opportunity to be involved in future projects that enrich and maintain it. For NAIDOC week celebrations, artist Chris Edwards painted a mural on the external wall of the Auto Bay Cafe with indigenous students from years 7-11. Many of the students enjoyed it so much that they wanted to paint all day. Students and teachers are keen to see the mural extend around to the back wall of the café. This is a project for 2016. To gain new experiences in making art, Visual Arts students have participated in a program at the Museum of Contemporary Art where they worked with artist Vernon Ah Kee and forty students went to Koori Kids day at the Opera House where they enjoyed the Lore performance by Bangarra Dance Theatre. In 2016, we will be expanding the programs and opportunities and look forward to working again with the indigenous community. Ms S Parfoot Mrs M Grahovac Mrs J Taylor Mrs R Borland

MS S PARFOOT HEAD TEACHER CREATIVE ARTS

PDHPE

SENIOR FIRST AID As part of the Year 11 PDHPE course, students had the opportunity to complete a SENIOR FIRST AID course over 2 days. This course was run by the Royal Lifesaving Society. All students were eager to learn and

participated with great enthusiasm. All students were extremely motivated and passed with an average mark of 92%. Congratulations to all students involved. GALA DAYS Many Colyton High School teams competed in Gala Days for Werrington District throughout 2015: Girls Volleyball, Girls Basketball, Boys Basketball, Girls Touch Football, Boys Touch Football, Girls Soccer, Boys Soccer and Opens Rugby League.

All students participated with great sportsmanship, school spirit and enthusiasm. All teachers who coached students were extremely proud of their team efforts. Special congratulations to the following students who made the Werrington Zone and will be competing in the SYDNEY WEST Carnival. Fetalaiga Mataafa (Volleyball), Lydia Pio (Volleyball), Christian Pio (Volleyball), Jasmine McHugh (Volleyball), Isaac Meek (Soccer), Musab Mousa (Basketball), Lorcan Elliott (Basketball)Livingstone Samuelu (Rugby League), Patrick Scanlan (Rugby League), Fetalaiga Mataafa (Rugby League), Isaia Tone (Rugby League), Sydney Marshall (Soccer), Nicole Everson (Soccer), Tiarna Puletaha (Soccer), Felicity Daly (Soccer), Isaac Meek (Soccer), Blake Laverack (Touch Football)

Congratulations also goes to 3 of our students: Shahni Edwards, Matthew Moynahan and Keanan Baxter on being successful in making it through to Sydney West Athletics.A special congratulations goes to Shahni Edwards on securing a position in the NSW All Schools Athletics which was in October. CLC SPORTS Colyton High School took part in a interschool primary schools sports program this year which saw Primary Schools in the local area travelling to Colyton High School on a weekly basis to participate in the CLC Sports Program. This program allows all students, even the less sporty to get involved. We at Colyton High School look forward to continued success with the CLC program going into 2016. G MORGAN HEAD TEACHER PDHPE QuickSmart 2015 A selection of Year 8 students at Colyton High School participated in the QuickSmart numeracy program this year. The QuickSmart program is a numeracy program designed by the University of New England to enhance basic numeracy skills. Approximately 40 students attended QuickSmart lessons each week. The aim of the program was to develop their basic numeracy skills and increase their speed and accuracy in recalling number facts. Students were assessed at the beginning and end of the program. Results were shared with their classroom teacher and the University of New England for research purposes. Students’ names and personal details were not submitted to the university. The students who were involved in the QuickSmart numeracy program worked consistently hard all year and achieved fantastic results. Some students completed the program before the expected completion date and others showed amazing improvement with their accuracy and speed. Towards the end of the program we introduced problem solving skills where they were able to utilise their new numeracy skills to work out more difficult problem questions. The students who completed the program put their skills to good use and became involved in a numeracy mentoring program at Bennett Road Public School. These students visited the school each Thursday to mentor the primary school students in the numeracy program. It has been fantastic to watch these students grow throughout the year in ability as well as confidence with their numeracy skills. K FRYER QUICKSMART COORDINATOR LOTE

The Year In French Oh la la! What a big year it has been in our Year 8 language course at Colyton High School! This year we have been learning French, and although many of us didn’t know any French at all, we learnt so much. We can now introduce and talk about ourselves, ask each other questions, talk about our favourite teams, food and music, and many other topics. We enjoyed a French breakfast together, when we ate croissants and drank hot chocolate, we learnt about

French sports and played some crazy games which have helped us remember our vocabulary. We saw a cultural presentation, which was great. We even wrote anonymous letters all in French to our friends in other classes. I have been very impressed with what our Year 8 students have achieved in French this year, and look forward to increasing the presence of languages at Colyton High School in the future. Well done Year 8! YEAR 8 Here are some introductions the Year 8 students wrote recently: Bonjour. Je m’appelle Saleh. J’ai 14 ans. Tu as quelle âge? J’habite à Sydney. Ma couleur préférée c’est le bleu. (Hello. I’m Saleh. I’m 14. How old are you? I live in Sydney. My favourite colour is blue.) Bonjour. Je m’appelle Jessica. J’ai treize ans. J’habite à Colyton. J’ai cheveux bruns. J’adore la glâce, les bonbons et le chocolat. Il y a cinq personnes dans ma famille. (I’m Jessica. I’m 13. I live in Colyton. I have brown hair. I love ice cream, lollies and chocolate. There are 5 people in my family.) Bonjour. Je m’appelle Sateo. Ma couleur préférée est le rouge. J’ai quatorze ans. Je suis néo-zealandais. J’ai un chien noir. (Hello. I’m Sateo. My favorite colour is red. I’m 14. I’m from New Zealand.I have a black dog.) Je m’appelle Sean. J’habite à Colyton. J’ai treize ans. Ma couleur préférée c’est le bleu. J’aime le Pizza et le poulet. J’ai un chien noir et blanc et un petit oiseau. (I’m Sean. I live in Colyton. My favourite colour is blue. I like Pizza and chicken. I have a black and white dog and a small bird.) MS M POPE LOTE TEACHER Coo-ee March The original 515 km (320 miles) Coo-ee recruitment march left Gilgandra with 26 marchers on October 10 1915, and arrived in Sydney on November 12 1915, with its numbers increased to 263 marchers. The success of this route recruiting march started a snowball of other similar recruitment marches in late 1915 and early 1916 in New South Wales and Queensland: the Waratahs, Kangaroos, Wallabies, Dungarees, Men from Snowy River, Kurrajongs, Kookaburras, North Coast Boomerangs, and Central West Boomerangs. This event, as part of the 2015 Anzac centenary commemorations, will commemorate the original recruitment march being held 100 years ago. The planned 2015 re-enactment commemorating the 1915 recruitment march is significant therefore to every community in which the march stopped, to remember all of the young men who stepped into the ranks of the “Coo-ees” following the recruiting speeches and calls of “Who will join us?”, and the support that their local community provided during the march. The 2015“Coo-ee” re-enactment march, will end in Sydney on Remembrance Day November 11 2015. It stopped off at St. Marys Victoria Park on Sunday November 8 2015 where the marchers were greeted by members of the local community. A small service was held and breakfast was served before the marchers were sent on their way to Blacktown. Colyton High School Trade School was represented at this event by Corey Davis, Nelsoni Tuita’Alili Mailei, Jordan Tuita’Alili Mailei, and Jessica Pabian. They were accompanied by Miss Harman. MISS S HARMAN SRC COORDINATOR

Sculpture by the Sea On Friday the November 6, Year 10 Photography students explored the sculptures, walking and photographing the art and scenery from Bondi to Tamarama!

Leadership Camp Colyton High School students have shown their true leadership and team working skills beyond our expectations on the Leadership Camp to Canberra last week. They were responsible and respectful during the trip. On the first day students visited Parliament House and had firsthand experience in observing the Senate and the Upper House in sessions. They had the chance to hear debating of two current bills such as “The same sex marriage” in the Senate and “Amendments to Citizenship Law” in the Lower. Students were interested to see both sessions and asked questions to clarify their doubts. After the tour, students had a yummy BBQ cooked by Mr Brown and they had their lunch at a sheltered BBQ in a park near the Questacon. After lunch, we went to our accommodation at “Warrambui Centre” and students had the opportunity to experience archery, bushwalking and some ball games as we had to cancel a few activities due to wet weather. Thans to Mrs Dodson and Miss Ciacciarelli for the “Talent Quest” after the dinner. This event certainly gave the chance to show off students’ talents and everyone enjoyed watching each team’s performance. It was great to see opposite team members stepping in and filling the gaps instantly when one team was in trouble showing their initiative and leadership. Our visit to The Australia War Memorial was an eye opener for most of our students and some of them were able to locate names of their ancestors on the Hall of Honour. Members of the public commented on our students behaviour and how wonderful they looked in their full school uniform. Thanks to Mr Clark for organising the Questacon tour where students certainly had a great time, playing a table tennis game with a robot and the free fall which were some of the highlights at Questacon. Students participated and enjoyed most activities without getting bored. Thank you to all teachers and staff involved, Mr Brown, Mrs Dodson, Miss Ciacciarelli and Mr Clarke who accompanied the students on the camp and Mr Wawszkowicz, Mrs Morrissey and the Year Advisers for their contribution to making this Leadership Camp experience one I am sure the students will always remember. MRS J HAPUKOTUWA HEAD TEACHER MATHEMATICS

I have used my scholarship to pay for any excursions I have attended, my fees, and also for my first aid course. I plan on using it for my formal when the time

comes and also for any other school work, items or excursions for when it’s

needed.

Rebecca Minella (last years recipient)

Applications were submitted in September for our Senior Pathways Scholarships. The students successful in their applications will receive $1,000 scholarships for Year 11 and 12. The scholarship may be

used for the following:

• The school subject contributions and general contributions • School uniform and approved footwear including sport uniform; • Any resources, supplies or equipment which will support the student’s current education; • Excursion/camp costs • Technology equipment which would assist school work • Other (with approval by the Principal or delegate)

The following students will receive Senior Pathways Scholarships

With the scholarship I was able to buy a new printer for my assignments and

schoolwork and able to buy new school shies appropriate for my work

experience. It also helped with general things throughout the school year.

Chloe Ashmore (last years recipient)

With my school scholarship, I used my money to purchase myself a new laptop for my senior years. This will now help me to further my studies and help with

my assignments for all my subjects

Jessica Pabian (last years recipient)