excelsior - bowral-h.schools.nsw.gov.au · the support of the whole community. the year began with...

Bowral High School

EXCELSIOR February 2018 Volume 1


Welcome back to Bowral High School and the 2018 school year!

A warm welcome is extended to our new students, families and staff.

Returning this term has been a time of mixed emotions for me as I know that this will be my final term as principal of Bowral High School. Although I am looking forward to the next chapter in my career, I will be sad to leave this wonderful school and will make the most of every minute of this final term. I am proud of the school; it has been an I important part of my life for many years. I know that I will be handing over a great school to the new principal and that he or she will have the support of the whole community.

The year began with the sad news about the passing of one of our past students; Hamish Harrison. Hamish was a member of the current year 12 cohort and we pass on our most sincere condolences to his family and friends. We are supporting our students but please let us know if you are concerned about your child and we will provide additional support.

Year 7 students have enjoyed a great start with lots of bright, happy faces on day one and have quickly settled in to their classes and the playground. All the students arrived in their new school uniforms and looked fantastic. Several new students have approached me in the playground to say hello and introduce themselves to me. I’ve enjoyed these conversations immensely.

The school library, hall and COLA have had some improvements over the break. Air conditioning will be installed in the library soon so that this well used space is comfortable and supports learning. The library renovation is proceeding with new furniture and technology in place. This year, major improvements will be made to the hall using the Community Building grant from the state government. Screens will be installed on either side of the stage to enable improved vision and technology. New seating will also be purchased for the hall. We are all very excited about these improvements because they will enable our hall to be more widely used as both a school and community resource.

Continued page 3

Year 7 Form the letters ‘BHS’ on Day 1

Year 7 The school welcomes our Year 7 students and parents and looks forward to an ongoing positive and successful high school experience.

Year 7 enjoyed their first day at school with lots of

interactive and fun activities: the Orienteering Challenge, Crack the (Timetable) Code , the use of the Year 7 booklet especially written by 7R (2017), for Year 7 (2018) and an introduction to School Clubs and Extra-curricular activities. Their first day was designed to help them settle into high school, its routines and to feel at home.

Last week all students began the LEXIA literacy program. This is a computer program students do for 20 minutes at the start of each day. It strengthens literacy and underpins successful learning.

Congratulations to all students for participating positively in this important program.

Mobile phones and social media use have been a problem for some Year 7s and parents are advised that students of this age should not have social media accounts and, if they must have a mobile phone, a phone plan with voice and text only is appropriate for this age group. Phones should be turned off and in bags during lesson time.

On March 5, there will be a Police Talk from Senior Constable Gary Mutton (the School Police Liaison Officer) on the use of electronic devices and safety.

At the end of February there is Year 7 Camp to be

held at Cataract Scout Camp (February 28 – March 2). Parents are encouraged to get permission notes and money into the Finance Office as soon as possible.

On March 2 (the afternoon of the student return from Camp)

there will be a Year 7 Parent BBQ to welcome the

students back and provide an opportunity for parents to meet the teachers of Year 7. At the BBQ the P&C will also be inviting Year 7 Parents to join a Year 7 BHS Parent Facebook page where parents can informally ‘meet’ and ask questions about school matters, routines and events.

It will be a busy and exciting year. Welcome Year 7!

Mr Staats Deputy Principal (Year 7)


Chloe Bakker, Noah Eirth, Jackson Haylock,

Thomas Williams, Christiana Nicolaou and Taneisha Weiss

Keira Johnson, Daliya El-Kheir and Isabella Murray

< Ethan Shobrook, Hamish Lang and Lachlan Albrighton

Continued from page 1... It was wonderful to see all our students resplendent in their school uniforms on the first school assembly. The school has a well-publicised uniform policy that is endorsed by the P & C. The school uniform promotes safety as it allows the staff to easily identify our students in the playground and isolate intruders. The uniform also promotes school pride and the school values. We have a clear and well understood policy in relation to the uniform. Students know that if they cannot wear their uniform for a particular reason then they should bring a note and give it to their roll teacher who will record it on our school welfare system. However, if a student fails to bring in a note three times or more this becomes an issue of non-compliance and disobedience and the student may be placed on a school level. We do offer uniform items to students who are unable to provide them using a confidential application process. Students or parents can collect a Student Assistance application form from the finance office or student window and support will be available. There really is no reason therefore, why any student cannot wear the uniform correctly and follow the school policy. We are very appreciative of the support from our parents and I ask that you continue to work with us to ensure that the uniform is worn correctly and with pride. Attendance at school is a legal requirement for all students. The school has prioritised school attendance in recent years, appointing a staff member, Mr Adam Miller to the attendance team who has the responsibility of tracking and following up on poor attendance. Parents are reminded that partial attendance should be minimised; the school day starts at 9am and students who arrive late are recorded as partial absences. The school staff is keen to support students and parents to attend school regularly. Please contact us at the school if you need support or advice. Parents are reminded to access the school Facebook page and website for communication. The Facebook page in particular, is widely used by staff to promote what is happening in the school and is also an easy forum for feedback. Kim Paviour PRINCIPAL


Year Advisors for 2018 are:

Tear 7: Ms Becky Howe Year 10: Mr Shane Bleasdale

Year 8: Ms Angie Harmey Year 11: Ms Anne Seton & Mr Andrew Facer

Year 9: Mr Nathaniel Camarsh Year 12: Ms Nicole Reay

The school welcomes many new staff members in 2018 ...

Ms Rebecca Meers will be providing counsellor support to students in 2018. In English, Nikki Amphlett is on maternity leave and Ms Patti Lee retired in 2017. A permanent teacher will be employed this term in English, supported by our wonderful temporary staff: Mr Owen Whittaker, Ms Anne Seton, Ms Liz Morthorpe and Ms Mel Arki. In Science, Ms Jenny Hook, Mr Jason Harris and Ms Paulina Kowalczyk will support the faculty. In HSIE, we welcome Ms Alison Lynch to the permanent staff and Ms Kaufline will replace Ms Johnson who is on maternity leave this year. We also thank Ms Lisa Mauger for her ongoing work as a temporary teacher in the school. Two new head teachers will be appointed this term; a new HT TAS and also a HT Teaching and Learning. In TAS several temporary staff continue to support us: Mr Trevor White, Ms Victoria Hansen and Ms Erin Shanks. In CAPA, Mr Ben Pearce is teaching Visual Arts and Ms Sue Brown continue to support the PDHPE faculty. In the office, we have Mrs Donna Franolic and Mrs Angelika Burke joining the team. Ms Wendy Holt is new to the Student Learning Support Officer team. We welcome all our new staff and thank our loyal team of temporary and casual teachers without whom we would not be able to function.

Other staff changes include the following:

Mr John Staats: Deputy Principal, responsible for years 7 and 10

Ms Kim Kelly: Deputy Principal, responsible for years 8 and 11.

Mr Nic Morris: Deputy Principal, responsible for years 9 and 12

Mr Michael Murton: relieving Head Teacher Mathematics

Mr Adam Miller: replacing Ms Sue Martin as Head Teacher HSIE

Mr Andrew Facer: relieving Head Teacher Teaching and Learning

In TAS: for term 1, Ms Christine Sands is relieving as head teacher, supported by Mr Tom O’Regan who will manage the Industrial Arts staff as well as Visual Arts. A new HT TAS will start in term 2.

Dear Ms. Paviour,

On February 19, I attended the 2018 Australia Day Lunch at Sydney's International Convention Centre. I had an amazing

experience listening to different speakers and meeting other student participants. I hope to use this experience to develop new ideas and help lead the school in a more effective way.

I have also attached a few photos from the day. Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity. I really appreciate it.

Kind regards

Ema

< Ema Kobayakawa

and Murat Dizdar,

Deputy Secretary,

Schools Operations

and Performance.

> NSW Australia’s local

Hero, Mathematics

teacher, Eddie Woo

with Ema and

representatives from

other schools.

Year 10

Welcome Year 10. This is an important year for attaining your RoSA and preparing for your post-school destinations. You will received your assessment booklet (in your Careers Class) to help you plan for a successful and prepare you for the rigors of Year 11 and the HSC.

Mrs Beasley (School Careers Adviser) will be working closely with Year 10 to plan career goal and study pathways. In June students will do their subject selection for Year 11 – so now is the time to think about your future, work hard, attend school, and complete all assessment tasks to the best of your ability.

On March 30, Year 10 will participate in the ‘Love Bites’ program which is designed to support students in making good decisions and conducting relationships in a positive and appropriate manner.

Mr Staats Deputy Principal (Year 10)


Support... Staff and students from Support have hit the ground running this year and are excited about 2018. We are very happy to welcome eleven new students into Year 7 and thanks to our transition program, they have all made a smooth transition into their new life at high school.

Our stage 4 students have also began their project class for 2018. This will involve learning about the local community and we will be working towards regular excursions into Bowral. Our aim is to improve student knowledge and understanding of various businesses and services and how to catch transport around the Southern Highlands.

This week we also start our All Abilities Sports program with the Bradman Foundation. This is the third year of the program and we have seen our students not only improve their physical skills in various sports, but also their teamwork, communication and leadership.

In week 4 our senior students will continue to volunteer at Bowral Library to support some primary classes from Tangara SSP. This has been a wonderful opportunity for our seniors to interact in their local community and mentor younger children. This will become part of their Work in the Community course and will take place each Tuesday and Thursday morning.

Hopefully throughout the year there will be more adventures which we look forward to sharing with you.

Amanda Sutton Head Teacher Support

NAPLAN Online in 2018

Bowral High School will be one of around 500 schools in NSW that will be transitioning to NAPLAN Online this year. This means our students in Years 7 and 9 will complete the NAPLAN assessments online this year rather than pencil and paper.

Last year we participated in a school readiness test to prepare for the transition to NAPLAN Online. Our experience with the school readiness test confirmed that our school is ready to transition to NAPLAN Online in 2018. At Bowral High School we will be using school Chrome books to complete the testing.

Our teachers and students will be involved in preparation and practice activities in the lead up to NAPLAN this year. This will include participation in a practice test during March, where students will have a further opportunity to become familiar with the types of questions they will be asked in NAPLAN Online.

More information about NAPLAN Online, including the latest fact sheet for parents and carers, can be found on the NSW Department of Education’s NAPLAN Online website:

education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/student-assessment/naplan-online/getting-ready/parent-information

TAS (Home Economics) Welcome to another year at Bowral High School… a big year ahead and lots happening.

We have two new staff members: Erin Shanks, an ex-student has returned to teach Food Technology, Textiles & Design, Hospitality and STEM. Erin is a first year out teacher and enjoying being back at her old school — a chance to give back.

Victoria Hansen is covering for Emily Nelson who is still on maternity leave. Victoria joins us for first term from Oxley College and is teaching Food Technology, Textiles & Design and Hospitality.

This year we have another Year 9 Food Technology class, bringing our total to three classes instead of two, demonstrating the popularity of the TAS subjects.

Our Hospitality is going strong with three hospitality classes, two in Year 11 and one Year 12.

Café Bowral continues in 2018 but has moved to Wednesday, managed and operated by Year 12.

TAS teachers will be participating in LEXIA this year with our Year 7 classes, our chance for us to see this program in action.

Activities of Technology Mandatory this year include…

Year 7 Textiles Technology are doing a unit called Pyjama Party where they will be making a pair a shorts to wear to a Pyjama Party, and Year 7 Food Technology will learn how to make nutritious party food to serve at the Pyjama Party they are making their shorts for.

Year 8 Textiles Technology will be constructing a reverse applique cushion and Year 8 Food Technology will be studying a unit called Lunchbox Wraps where they will make healthy nutritious lunchbox foods.

We are looking forward to teaching your children skills they will use for the rest of their lives and we hope they will enjoy the activities we have planned for them in the TAS Home Economics department.

Christine Sands R/Head Teacher TAS - Home Economics

Five of our Nine Students on ‘Graduation Day’ at the UOW Summer Master Class

Year 12 UOW Summer Master Class

Over the summer holidays nine of our Year 12 students participated in the University of Wollongong (UOW) Master Summer Class. The courses extended and challenged the students with university level work that will help them prepared for the HSC and university thereafter.

At the Master Class the students earned 6 credit points towards a future degree at UOW and were guaranteed an early-entry to university interview.

Thank you to Mrs Beasley for co-ordinating the program. Bowral High School has been an official partner school of the UOW since 2013. This partnership has supported our students from Year 7 (Learning Labs Program etc) to Year 12 in making their dreams of a university education come true, Congratulations to these Year 12 students for going the extra distance and demonstrating the school value of ‘Excelsior’! Mr Staats, Deputy Principal



Performing Arts blasts off in 2018 with…

Bowral High School

presents…

June 2018

Bowral High Hall

Rehearsals for the musical are underway on Tuesday afternoons after school and Sunday afternoons.

If you would like to help out in any way, please contact the school.

Meet the Music 1 and 2 concerts have once again been offered to our students in 2018.

Our singers are going to performing in “In Concert” at the Sydney Town Hall on 23 May with guest

artists, “The Idea of North”, a combined secondary schools choir of over 700 voices, the Public Schools

Symphony Orchestra, Stage Band and the Symphonic Wind Ensemble. Ticket information will follow

soon.

Former BHS Music teacher Jeremy Donaldson (now at Moss Vale HS), is coordinating an exciting

musical event, the Southern Highlands Schools Music Festival, to showcase the combined talents

of high school students in our area. On Wednesday 21 March at Clubbe Hall, our students will join with

over 150 other student musicians to present a top class evening of entertainment. A combined schools

concert band, stage band, string orchestra and 150 voice choir will entertain the audience. Ticket

information will follow soon.

The Music Tuition Program is running again this year. For information about lessons at school,

students should collect a note from the Performing Arts staffroom.

BHS Performing Ensembles have started rehearsals for 2018. The Concert Band rehearses at

7.45am on Friday mornings, the Jazz Band at lunch on Thursdays, the Junior Girls Vocal Ensemble

on Thursdays at recess, the Bowral High Singers (usually on Tuesdays 3.30 – 5pm but during the

musical rehearsals in Term 1, times will vary during school hours) and the Ukulele Club with

Beginners on Thursday at lunch and Intermediate on Tuesday at lunch. Interest in the Drama Club has

been strong and meeting times will be announced soon. There is a Dance Project group working on

Wednesday afternoons in period 5 in preparation for the school musical.

Keep an eye on our Facebook page for updates and news about our activities in Performing Arts!

Michelle Ware

HT Performing Arts

The School Musical… great Aussie rocks songs, hilarious plot and a live band.

This is a great opportunity for students of all years to become involved! See the

Performing Arts staff ASAP...limited places still available! June performance dates

will be notified soon - Opening night, Saturday matinee and closing night. There will

be a primary schools matinee and a special show for our own students during

school hours. Tickets available soon!

Ben Silver, HSC Visual Arts student 2017 with his ceramics work Transmigration

on display in the flagship ART EXPRESS exhibition opening night, at AGNSW, Sydney.

Ben's work was one of forty outstanding artworks selected for this exhibition.

Congratulations Ben on this exceptional achievement.

< Visual Arts teacher, Michelle Young with Ben Silver.

Natasha Marsden, Year 12 2018, successfully completed 2 units of

her HSC studies in January by graduating with a Certificate III in

Design Fundamentals that she studied through Whitehouse Institute

of Design as part of her HSC. >

There is a wide range of vocational subjects that senior students can study outside

Bowral High School that assist them achieve their career goals with a qualification

alongside their HSC credential. Applications for these courses open in July each

year. Students should speak with the Careers Advisor, Mrs Beasley, for more

information.


SWIMMING NEWS

The Bowral High Swimming carnival was held on the 2nd February. The champion house was Gibraltar followed by Hume, Fitzroy and Belmore Congratulations to the following age champions:

GIRLS Champion Runner up 12yr Jamie Graham-Considine N/A 13yr Eloise McMiles Brooke Haskins 14yr Sarah Legg Jessica Howell 15yr Maddison Laws & Emily Sargood Tori Bass

16yr Emalea Blinman Jacqueline Smith

Senior Ema Kobayakawa Alana Sargood

BOYS Champion Runner up

12yr N/A N/A

13yr Oskar Durst Thomas Sargood

14yr Ethan Youkhana Tim O’Keefe

15yr Thomas Cayzer Matthew Sutcliffe

16yr Ryan Haynes Timothy Psilos

Senior Joshua Vinczefi Alex Smith

From the school carnival a team has been

selected to compete at the Southern

Tablelands Carnival (zone) at Queanbeyan

on Thursday 1st March. Congratulations to

those students who have gained selection

in this team and good luck to all

participants.

Some Calendar Dates for Term 1 2018

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Week 4 19 Feb

Yr 11 STUDY

SKILLS DAY

20 Feb 21 Feb Girls KO Cricket P&C Meeting 6.30pm in Staff Common Room

22 Feb

UOW STEM Exc

Meet the Music 1 Concert 1

23 Feb

Snr boys Zone

Basketball Trials

Week 5 26 Feb

In Concert

Rehearsal

27 Feb 28 Feb

Yr 7 CAMP ...

Meet the Music 2

Concert 1

1 Mar

Yr 7 CAMP ...

ZONE SWIMMING

in Queanbeyan

2 Mar

Yr 7 CAMP !

Snr boys Cricket

Yr 7 Parent BBQ

Week 6 5 Mar

Red Cross Calling

6 Mar

Yr 6-7 2019 Info

Night 6pm in

the Library

7 Mar 8 Mar 9 Mar

Week 7 12 Mar 13 Mar

Regional

Swimming

14 Mar 15 Mar 16 Mar

School Photos


NSW SCHOOL VACCINATION PROGRAM

Each year NSW Health works in partnership with schools to offer the vaccines recommended by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) for adolescents as part of the school vaccination program. In 2018 the following vaccines will be offered: Year 7—Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine—2 doses at least 6 months apart Year 7—Diptheria-Tetanus-Pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine—single dose Year 10-11—Meningococcal ACWY vaccine—single dose Parent Information Kits that include an information sheet, consent form and privacy statement will be sent home to parents/guardians. To consent to the vaccination of their child, parents/guardians are advised to: read all the information provided; complete the consent form, including signing their name next to the vaccine/s they would like their child to receive; return the completed consent form to their child’s school; ensure that their child eats breakfast on the day of the school vaccination clinic.

Please note that students who commence HPV vaccination in school clinics in Year 7 but do not complete the course during the school year may be offered catch-up doses at school in Year 8. Students who have any HPV doses at their GP will be advised to complete the course with their GP.

Parents/guardians who wish to withdraw their consent for any reason may do so by writing to the school Principal or phoning the school. The Procedure for Withdrawal of Consent is available on the NSW Health website at www.health.nsw.gov.au/immunisation.

To improve vaccination completion, students will be opportunistically offered any missed doses throughout the year where possible.

A Record of Vaccination will be provided to each student vaccinated at each clinic either as a physical card or a text message sent to the mobile number recorded on the consent form (within 1 business day). Parents/guardians should ensure that this record is kept for future reference and should not assume that their child has been vaccinated if they do not receive this Record of Vaccination.

South Health District—Public Health Unit

PO Box 38 Liverpool BC NSW 1871 Tel: 1300 066 055 Fax: 8778 0838 ABN 46 738 965 845

BHS Vaccination Dates

Wed 14 February

Wed 24 October

Reminder to parents and carers—Please update any details in regard to changes for your child/rens

school records i.e. address, phone, medical and emergency contacts—please phone the school office on

48612255 or email [email protected]

excelsior - bowral-h.schools.nsw.gov.au · the support of the whole community. the year began with...

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