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• Principal’s Message

• MHS P&C Meeting

• P&C and SRR Awards

• Writing Friday

• Careers Capers

• English Faculty News

• The Learning Curve

• HSC and Beyond

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Principal’s Message

Second week in…

Well done the vast majority of our students who have returned to school keen and

ready to get on with the job of engaging with their studies!

It has been tough for some, surrendering their free range existences for the

organisation and structure that makes for a settled school.

Not so well done those who have used some of their online time offering up antisocial

observations and baits to their peers via social media.

It is for these reasons and others beside that we have devoted much time to

wellbeing support at MHS. An integral part of the Wellbeing Team is the Anti-Bullying

Alliance (ABA). The ABA is a central point of communication for all cases of bullying

and/ or harassment.

Students are reminded of the support available to them from the ABA through our

assemblies and more recently, with assemblies unable to proceed, through the

assembly podcast delivered each Wednesday to all students. Students are reminded

that they should report issues when they feel they have been bullied or harassed or

when they are witnesses to such acts.

Parents and carers are also encouraged to report such incidents. Even our teachers

and other school staff members use the ABA referral system to get things happening.

All cases have a Bullying and Harassment Report form created which is used to track

the case and collect data.

The ABA also engages in whole school and group education around the nature of

bullying and what all of us can do, whether as individuals or as a community, to

minimise harm. It is a positive and proactive approach that links into our Positive

Behaviour for Learning and Wellbeing Team initiatives.

Here’s the link:

https://mudgee-h.schools.nsw.gov.au/supporting-our-students/student-health-and-

safety/anti-bullying.html

If you are aware of any sniping, baiting or downright threats received by your children

from others, please do not hesitate to let the ABA know. A small number of the young

people in our care struggle with appropriate social media usage and will continue to

need assistance in making more appropriate choices now that we are back.

But we don’t know what we don’t know.

By keeping us in the loop, you help us to help your kids and to help you.

Paltering

A man breaking his journey between one place and another at a third place of

no name, character, population or significance, sees a unicorn cross his path

and disappear. That in itself is startling, but there are precedents for mystical

encounters of various kinds, or to be less extreme, a choice of persuasions to

put it down to fancy; until – “My God,” says a second man, “I must be

dreaming, I thought I saw a unicorn.” At which point, a dimension is added that

Monday

1 June

Week 6 Term 2

2020

MHS Newsletter Mudgee High School – Locked Bag 2004, MUDGEE NSW 2850

ABN: 18 246 198 266 Telephone: (02) 6372 1533 Facsimile: 6372 6321 Website: www.mudgee-h.schools.nsw.edu.au

Email: mudgee-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au https://www.facebook.com/mudgeehighschool/

makes the experience as alarming as it will ever be. A third witness, you understand, adds no further

dimension but only spreads it thinner, and a fourth thinner still, and the more witnesses there are the thinner it

gets and the more reasonable it becomes until it is as thin as reality, the name we give to the common

experience...

The extract above comes from his play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead and I make no apologies for being a

fan of playwright Tom Stoppard, the chap who wrote it.

Reality – the common experience or the experience we have in common – is an agreed construct.

It is an alignment of views and perceptions, some conflicting but most corresponding, thesis and antithesis, that

determines what is accepted as reality; the final synthesis.

If the majority of us see unicorns, then unicorns exist – at least within our heads – just as the world was once flat and

thunder the sound of Thor striking a supernatural anvil with his mighty hammer, somewhere up in the heavens.

Thankfully, with more than 40 video surveillance cameras within the school, all of which tirelessly work against the

existence of unicorns, reality has become a little more concrete. The individual who disagrees with a 1080HD

recorded reality is going to struggle to find fertile ground for their version of reality. To persist in such a situation

would seem imprudent at best, lunatic at worst.

That said, there will always be those who would seek to make

things obscure, unclear, or unintelligible who will persist – the

obfuscators; those who use ambiguous language to conceal

truths or avoid committing to direct answers – the equivocators,

and; those who only ever act or speak in ways that are evasive,

seeking to avoid accountability – the prevaricators.

They struggle in a world of cameras where their actions can be

reviewed in glorious, high definition colour.

They struggle because cameras are unswayed by partisan

concerns; cameras show neither fear nor favour.

In such a world, paltering also has little future.

Paltering, the act of telling enough of a truth to suggest a lie. It

can look like this:

Mum: Have you finished your homework?

Child: I’ve written an essay on George Orwell for my

English class.

That child may very well have written an essay on George Orwell

for English, making her response a true statement. The child’s

response, however, DOES NOT answer the question as to

whether her homework has been completed.

That essay may only be a part of what needs to be finished as

homework. It may not have been homework at all.

Her poor mother has been misled with a truthful statement.

The lure of whatever social media platform or streaming service

currently robs that girl of her day may have been so great that

there is little likelihood of any homework being completed.

… and her mother will never know until the school-sent letters of

concern begin filling the family letterbox.

Paltering can also look like this:

Child: Mum, some kid is calling me names at school.

Mother: Have you told a teacher?

Child: Teachers don’t do anything.

Where to begin with this one?

First, let’s be clear on this point. The child HAS NOT answered the mother’s question. The question was quite simple

and queried whether a teacher had been notified. Worse still, the response tendered contains a number of potential

implications that could include:

1. The child did, but teachers don’t do anything because they are an uncaring lot.

2. The child would have but as she has also been throwing about some very hurtful names, any such alert

may have the potential to draw attention to her awful behaviour.

3. The child has not told anyone for a range of reasons (the most likely scenario).

4. The child did, the teacher addressed the issue, but as the offending party has continued the name calling

the child has concluded the teacher’s powers of persuasion and ability to “cure” wrong-doers has not been

successful and, as a result, she has not been back to report a continuation of the issues that first

concerned her.

Parents are almost universally powerful advocates for their children. They will seek to support their children in

surmounting the issues with which they are confronted.

Many will seek to work with both their child and the school.

A good outcome.

A few will jump to a conclusion, often #1, grow angry with the presumably indifferent teacher and then seek to make

this upset borne on inaction known by contacting the school. After contacting the school and now better informed,

they too will seek to work with their child and the school in the best interests of that child.

Not a bad outcome.

A very smaller number will simply grow angry and seek to make that anger known in unhelpful, ineffective ways.

Carers uninformed and on the warpath; the most lamentable outcome of all, and so easily avoided.

We should all seek to know as much about any situation in which we find ourselves before moving to action. I have

been teaching for 32 years and have told thousands of students in that time this; the only silly question is the one not

asked. Acting without adequate forethought or preparation, not asking the questions that need to be asked – going

off half-cocked – is seldom good. The actions of the ill-prepared and unready have the very real potential to end

poorly.

By the way, in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, the crowd on hearing of the unicorn, cried out:

“Look, look! … A horse with an arrow in its forehead! It must have been mistaken for a deer.”

They saw the reality of the situation.

Until next week…

Wayne Eade

Principal

Writing Friday

MUDGEE HIGH SCHOOL P&C

Next meeting to be advised.

Week 5 Term 2 Awards

P&C Awards: Year 7 - Alexia Wake; Year 8 - Jackson Pascoe; Year 9 - Maceo Howes;

Year 10 - Emily Cowden; Year 11 - Sarah Gatley; Year 12 - Bayden Endacott

SRR Award:

Online access to Special Religious Education (SRE) for Term 2 2020

During the remainder of Term 2, SRE will not run in its previous format.

Christian SRE is hosting a platform of resources that are available to the various Christian faith groups for parents to

access during the at home learning period. https://www.christiansre.com.au/learningfromhome.

Of these options, MHS students have been following the Combined Christian SRE syllabus for Years 7/8 (Think

Faith): https://thinkfaith.com.au/.

Face-to-face SRE teaching will be reinstated once schools resume normal operations.

A fable is a short story which usually has an

animal as a main character. Fables are used

to teach important ideas to children. These

are called morals.

Many fables have been updated to suit

modern audiences. Re-tell a traditional fable

or fairy-tale setting it in the modern day. You

should:

• Write in the third person.

• Have an animal as the main character.

• Include the words fortitude, fortune and

fiend.

• Include a moral at the end of your story.

Careers Capers

Year 10

Year 10 students are completing an ‘Occupation Research ‘ task at present, with the compilation of resumés being

undertaken in the coming weeks. Students and parents/carers are also reminded that the school has an expectation

that (barring COVID-19 restrictions), Year 10 students will participate in 1 week of work experience during Terms 3 or

4. It is important that conversations are occurring at home regarding possible work experience destinations for your

sons and daughters. Work experience provides students with first-hand exposure to a field of work they may be

contemplating in the future.

Years 11 and 12 Work Studies

Year 11 Work Studies students have recently completed a ‘Personal Organisation’ task. Year 12 submitted a

‘Workplace Communication’ assessment. Years 11 and 12 classes will be undertaking presentations in their

respective classes on the various aspects of an occupation of choice in the near future. This task involves a

demonstration of research skills, preparation of material and delivery to a group of people.

As all work experience has been postponed until Term 3, Years 11 and 12 Work Studies students are expected to

attend timetabled classes each Wednesday.

Year 12

Although Year 12 are currently completing final assessment tasks and preparing for their upcoming trial exams, they

will also be starting to focus some of their attention on post school options.

Students who have university on their radar will be applying through UAC (University Admissions Centre –

uac.edu.au) for courses in 2021. Up to five course preferences can be selected. Hardcopy UAC Guides have arrived

at the school and there is one free copy for each student. The closing date for on-line application is 30 September

2020. Year 12 students should also be considering accommodation options for 2021 if they intend leaving Mudgee to

attend university.

All relevant information is available on the respective university websites.

SRS (School Recommendation Scheme) or ‘Early entry’ programs are an excellent pathway into university through

which students can be recommended by the school for university entry based on their school performance and offers

can be made prior to the release of HSC results and ATARs.

Year 12 are also encouraged to apply for scholarships (free money!) in the coming months. Each year, a number of

scholarships are not awarded by universities because of a lack of applicants!

Year 12 students who consider they have encountered educational disadvantage e.g. health, family disruption,

financial hardship etc., for a minimum of six months during their senior schooling, are eligible to apply for an ATAR

allowance. This is known as EAS (Educational Access Scheme) and details are available by visiting uac.edu.au/eas

or contacting the school.

Students who are considering apprenticeships or traineeships or going direct to employment are advised to have an

up to date resumé and should be actively researching possible employment opportunities. They should check out the

popular job search sites and keep in touch with local employment providers such as Skillset.

Students who are looking at TAFE courses in 2021 will have the opportunity to attend an excursion to Mudgee TAFE

in Term 3 to discuss 2021 courses, talk to TAFE staff and inspect facilities, if COVID-19 restrictions have eased.

Year 12 students will have the opportunity to discuss the above issues regarding their 2021 career aspirations with

the Careers Adviser in scheduled career interviews which will occur in the coming weeks.

If you have any questions about any of the above information, please contact the school on 6372 1533.

Mr Kempton

Careers Adviser

English Faculty News

Miss Eslick’s Year 9 English class are currently studying a unit on war poetry. As part of this topic, students have

been reading about different battles and experiences, explored what constitutes a hero, discovered people’s attitude

towards war and created visual representations. Students have read poems and listened to songs of war. They were

then required to compose their own war poem that reflects what they have learnt, including how to employ a variety

of language techniques. Dylan Frame wrote his poem ‘Another Night’ as part of his remote learning course work.

Another night

Another night falls in the trenches The smell of dead bodies is all around me

Unblinking they stare back at me I lie and I look at the stars wondering

If this is going to be my last sleep.

The sound of others snoring is like the hum of tanks during the day We all try and forget in the small hours

Of the hell tomorrow will bring.

As my tears fall, I think of the fallen They lay in the trenches beside me,

but I hope they have already gone home Tomorrow is another day same as today

but with one less mate to carry.

As Barbara Fredrickson, an expert in the field of emotions, once said, “Positive emotions don’t just make us feel

good, they transform our minds, our bodies and our ability to bounce back from hard times.” So, teaching students

how to self-generate positive emotions will benefit their wellbeing.

Self-generate means them doing challenging things to feel fulfilled. Some include:

» Every term self-assessing by doing:

• How are your elements of wellbeing growing?

• How they progressed towards achieving their three goals.

• Setting three new goals for next the term.

» Focusing on five positives for every negative, being grateful for little good things happening, accepting their full

range of emotions, enjoying respectful relationships, being kind, having personal timeouts, looking forward to several

things every day, contesting negative thinking, being with nature, applying their strengths, turning off their devices 4

times for 30 minutes daily, mindfully thinking about loved ones, writing gratitude letters and journals, sending kind

texts, savouring special times, trying new and challenging interests and making a deliberate effort to meet new

people.

Positive emotions don’t come from thinking about them, they come from doing positive things.

Acknowledgement: Lyubomirsky, Fredrickson & Branigan

Wellbeing Measurement Tool: Students, staff and parents can measure the state of their wellbeing by taking the free

PERMAH survey at https://permahsurvey.com

Acknowledgement and thanks: Dr Peggy Kern & Michelle McQuaid

“You can be whatever type of person you choose to be. Your habits, your behaviours, your responses, are all your

choice.” P.K. Shaw

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