The Music Tour to Italy, Slovenia, Croatia and Austria was an outstanding success. The seventy five students on the tour had the trip of a lifetime. Students performed concerts in Rome, Florence, Mestre and Vienna. They had workshops in Rome, Zagreb and Vienna and attended a concert in Vienna. Thank you to Mrs Sholl for organising the tour, Mr Hughson for his tour blog, Mr Marshall, Ms Pozzolungo and Dr Green for their supervision of the students. Thank you also to the six parents who attended, Mrs Wang (Band President), Dr Barnard, Mrs Gupta, Mr and Mrs Phillips and Dr Vatsayan. It is certainly something that we will all look back on in years to come with very fond memories. Our students brought great credit to the school, their families and the public education system. I had quite a few highlights including the spontaneous singing of the school song by all in front of the Minerva statue in Rome, playing guitar on stage at the Cotton Club in Rome with renowned jazz musician Attillion Troiano’s band, the school band’s performance in Scandicci (Florence), the beautiful cities of Florence and Venice, the walk around Lake Bled, Slovenia with students, parents and teachers (the views were spectacular), the pre-breakfast jogs in each city with students and teachers and Dr Vatsayan, the inspiring Italian accent of our guide Massimo, seeing our students’ very positive interactions with Italian music students from the three schools we performed in, and our final performance in Vienna. We all learnt so much about European music and culture and improved as musicians. What an adventure!

HORNSBY GIRLS’ HIGH SCHOOL Term 2 Issue 1

4 May 2018

Email Address: hornsbygir-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au Web Address: www.hornsbygir-h.schools.nsw.edu.au

Phone: 9476 5711 Fax: 9482 2525

Sophie Shead Year 12 gave a remarkable speech at the DoE’s ANZAC Ceremony on Tuesday 10 April which was held at the Hyde Park Cenotaph. Sophie was chosen by the DoE Arts Unit to speak on behalf of all students in NSW. Sophie will be participating in the National Schools Debating Championship in Perth later this month. Congratulations Sophie! Thank you also to Mrs Janet Walker (English Faculty) for her encouragement and mentoring of Sophie. An article on Sophie’s speech published by the DoE is linked below: https://education.nsw.gov.au/news/latest-news/symbol-of-armistice-holds-a-lesson-for-todays-youth

The next P and C meeting will be held on Wednesday 16 May from 7:45 – 8:45pm where Dr Green and Mr Marshall our two new Deputy Principals will be providing feedback on the recent student survey results and also on the parent portal.

The term 2 Hornsby/Normanhurst dance will be held on Friday 18 May in our school hall from 6 -9pm. Parents are kindly reminded to collect their daughters from the Thomas St exit.

Manisha Kulasinghe was selected to get professional training conducted by the Sydney North Region AFL Academy under its Talent Pathway Program while playing for the local club under 18’s team. Last weekend Manisha got an opportunity to compete for a place for U16s NSW/ACT Representative State Squad at Teralba, Lake Macquarie.

Thursday's Cross Country carnival was held at Normanhurst Boys High School. The students completed a short course around the high school. Well done students. Thank you to Mrs Shepherd (PDHPE) for her work in organising the carnival. On Friday 18 May the school travels to Homebush for our Athletics Carnival. Congratulations to Ms Gillian Rogers (Science) on being our Pride of Workmanship Nominee for 2018. A dinner in Gillian's honour will be held on Monday 14 May at Magpies Waitara, Alexandria Parade (opposite Waitara Railway Stn) from 6:30 for 7pm hosted by Rotary. It's $35 for a two course dinner to be paid on the night. Many staff members will be in attendance and parents are encouraged to attend as well. If you would like to attend please contact the school. The Mother Daughter Event is on Saturday 26 May from 2pm. Please see the flyer in this edition of the Torch. Thank you to Mrs Kulasinghe (P and C) for organising the event. The Careers Fair evening is on Wednesday 27 June. Please see the information in this edition of the Torch. Thank you to the organiser Mrs Krithivasan (P and C). Congratulations to Mr Hughson who will be the Relieving Head Teacher CAPA at Cromer High School for 2018. His secondment commences on Monday 14 May. We wish Mr Hughson all the best for his well-deserved promotion.

Justin Briggs, Principal

Sydney University Academic Excellence Award Year 10 2017 Angela Pan of Year 11, was awarded the Sydney University Year 10 Academic Excellence Award in 2017. It was an honour to attend the presentation last month for the recipients of this award at Sydney University in the Great Hall. Angela was acknowledged for her achievements and perseverance in Year 10. She received her award and medallion from Professor Pip Pattison Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education). Congratulations Angela.

Douglas Marshall, Deputy Principal

UBS YWLA 2018 – Hanna Lee

From 16 to the 19 April, I was selected to attend a resident program called the UBS Young Women’s Leadership Academy at the Women’s College in the University of Sydney. From the YWLA, I learned so much about my own personality, and how to best collaborate with other personality types according to the Myer Briggs Type Indicator to operate the most efficient team. I learnt so much about how to present myself to other business leaders and how

to build a strong image and stance, commanding stage presence and making a great first impression to business leaders. The experience was truly once in a life time and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It taught me priceless knowledge that enhanced my leadership skills and brought me amazing life-long friends that stemmed from the bonds we no doubt created. Everyone at the college was amazing and kind, being incredibly sweet to the 40 of us selected that were constantly lost around the campus. I was extremely fortunate to get in and beyond happy to be a part of it, and if you ever get the chance you should definitely apply, the opportunity grants you many great connections and knowledge that would be impossible to gain otherwise. Hannah Lee, Year 11 The President of the HGHS P&C Mrs Gai Ramesh wrote to the Hon Rob Stokes, Minister for Education seeking clarification of comments made by the Hon Matt Kean on the subject of Hornsby Girls High School remaining a fully selective high school. The full letter in response is published below, but importantly the key sentences are, ‘The Department of Education has no current plans to change the status of either Hornsby Girls High School or Normanhurst Boys High School. As selective high schools both have their enrolments capped.’

Hornsby Girls High School

P and C ASSOCIATION

"Excellence in Girls' Education"

INVITATION TO ALL PARENTS

to

our May P & C Meeting

on WEDNESDAY 16 May

at 7.45pm – 8:45pm

in the School Common Room. Our next P and C Information Meeting on Wednesday 16 May from 7:45pm will be a presentation from Dr Susan Green and Mr Douglas

Marshall on 1. Feedback from the recent student surveys

2. Using the Parent Portal on SENTRAL

Light refreshments will also be served, so please come along and meet other

parents in a relaxed and informal atmosphere. All welcome!

________________________________________________________ Regular HGHS P & C Association meetings are held on the 3rd Wednesday of each month during the school

term. Please mark the dates in your diary. With your active participation, the P & C can achieve great things to enhance your daughter’s

education. Please show your support. You will be made very welcome!