principal s reflection - oakhill college · 2016-12-06 · oakhill e ulletin —7 december 2016 :...

OAKHILL eBULLETIN—7 December 2016 : Oakhill.nsw.edu.au

So long and thanks for all the fish….. A Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy The signs of a year ending are visible in the school; there are

fewer students in the canteen lines and an air of readiness amongst students and staff. As we finish our year, it is timely to remind ourselves how easily our lives can become full of things, especially at this time of the year, iPads, iPhones, Xbox or is it holidays, parties, and presents? Jesus was born into humble circumstances no “bells and whistles”. This time of year is an opportunity to bring joy to others through gifts and celebration. Notably, it is also a time for many families and friends to come together and enjoy moments that are not quite so rushed and frenetic. For the College and me, it is a time when I look back and feel a sense of pride at what has been achieved by our students and our staff. This has been a busy year. This is my last official correspondence to Oakhill families, and I am writing it tinged with some sadness at my departure. The College has finished the year with the Award Ceremonies and the College Mass, and these events acknowledge our achievements and offer thanksgiving for the year. Congratulations to the students who received major awards for the academic year. I wish all of our departing staff, especially Mr Tim Hildebrandt and Mr Andrew Millar all the best and thank them for their wise counsel and superb leadership.

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER

7 DECEMBER

Staff Development Day

Year 10 Formal 8 DECEMBER Staff Development Day 25 DECEMBER CHRISTMAS DAY 26 DECEMBER BOXING DAY

2017 16 JANUARY College Office Re-Opens 18 JANUARY New Students’ ICT Orientation 19 JANUARY

New Students’ ICT Orientation

9.30am—1pm Uniform Shop Open

20 JANUARY



23 JANUARY



Year 11 Girls’ Orientation (Carmody)

Principal’s Reflection

TERM 4 Volume 5 7 December 2016

Their work has been integral to the innovations that Oakhill has been implementing What makes Oakhill so strong is our greatest resource: the people who make up our community. Thank you to the staff, parents and members of the Oakhill community for your contribution and support during the last 6 years. My time at Oakhill has allowed me to develop a deep appreciation for how privileged I/we are. The fragility of life, and the care, compassion and respect we show as a community is without par. Oakhill’s community offers this care to those in need, and it is done with an integrity and respect that is humbling. On behalf of the College may I wish you and your loved ones a very happy and holy Christmas, with every blessing in the New Year. May the holiday season be a safe and renewing time for all, I know it will be a particularly special Christmas for my family. Mr Jonathan Byrne Acting Principal


IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Dear Parents/Guardians Based upon the cost for Oakhill to continue to provide the holistic educational experience, the Oakhill College Board of Directors has approved a 5%, fee increase for the 2017 academic year. This is in line with the increased cost for the education sector. A year group levy which will include all core compulsory activity costs will reduce the number of separate items being billed throughout the year. The year group levy will not cover elective subject costs or experiential learning opportunities that arise during the year. These opportunities will only be undertaken if they offer valuable learning experiences and are required for course content. Extra-curricular activities will be charged separately as has been done in previous years. The Building levy will be renamed the Capital Levy. This has created some confusion. These funds will be used specifically for infrastructure improvements. The College will also re-introduce a voluntary Building Fund contribution; this contribution is tax-deductible and the College will provide a statement in July to comply with tax return requirements. Your generous donation will support the building infrastructure of the College, future refurbishments and capital works. The billing process for 2017 will change to an annual billing. This means the total annual fees will be charged in January at the start of Term 1. It will provide you with certainty of the tuition costs and allows you to decide on one of the following payment options:

Term Payments: One third of the annual amount is due at:

Term 1 due date: Friday 17th February, 2017

Term 2 due date: Friday 12th May, 2017

Term 3 due date: Friday 4th August, 2017

Monthly Payments: 10 instalments from February to November: you choose 15

th of the month or 30

th of the month

2 Payments per Month: 20 instalments from February to November on the 15

th and 30

th of the month

Please use the School EasyPay Form or the Payment link on the College’s Website, to organise your preferred payment option at the start of the year and have peace of mind that your College account is in good financial standing. As stated above, extra-curricular activities payments may be required. If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact the College via email [email protected] We thank you for your continued support of Oakhill and wish you a blessed Christmas and safe holiday.

Jonathan Byrne Elke Forrest ACTING PRINCIPAL BURSAR & OPERATIONS MANAGER

mailto:[email protected]


2017 SCHOOL FEES SCHEDULE

STUDENT FEES

STANDARD FEES

FEE TYPE YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 YEAR 11 YEAR 12

Tuition Fee* $7,920 $7,920 $7,920 $7,920 $8,720 $8,720

Technology Fee $300 $300 $300 $300 $300 $300

Subject/Year Levy $1,500 $1,310 $1,150 $2,010 $1,690 $1,540

TOTAL $9,720 $9,530 $9,370 $10,230 $10,710 $10,560

SIBLING DISCOUNTS*

DISCOUNT TYPE YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 YEAR 11 YEAR 12

2nd Child (10%) $792 $792 $792 $792 $872 $872

3rd Child (20%) $1,584 $1,584 $1,584 $1,584 $1,744 $1,744

4th Child (25%) $1,980 $1,980 $1,980 $1,980 $2,180 $2,180

*Sibling discounts apply to the Tuition Fee element of your account.

FAMILY FEES

Capital Levy $410 Per Family

Voluntary Tax-Deductible Building Fund Contribution $400 per annum (suggested amount)

The school uniform can be purchased from the College shop, located in the De La Salle Building. The current price list is

available on the College website.

SCHOOL UNIFORM

Optional co-curricular and sport registrations and activities will incur additional costs. These charges will be billed to your fee

account separately or will be available for purchase through the Trybooking link on the College website.

CO-CURRICULAR AND SPORT


Events & Information

Congratulations

TERM 4 Volume 3 7 December 2016

A number of awards have been presented over the past two days and Oakhill College congratulates all its students on their fine efforts. The following students are to be especially congratulated on achieving DUX, Second or Third place in their respective Year group’s final assessments.

YEAR

7

YEAR

8

YEAR

9

YEAR

10

DUX

DUX

DUX

DUX

SECOND

SECOND

SECOND

SECOND

THIRD

THIRD

THIRD

THIRD

Jamie Marshall James Nati Thomas Lovell

Edward Joseph Nathaniel Deitch Broden Suffern

Lachlan Elliott Corey Kavanagh Simun Milicevic

Marco Tupaz Joshua Wilkinson Alexander Murrie



CHRISTMAS@OAKHILL

“The bells are ringing, the kids are cheering, the sleighs are sleighing...and so is Santa.” MC's Jake Woodhead and Jack Langford delivered this as the entertaining start to Oakhill College’s inaugural Christmas Concert which was held on the evening of Friday the 25th of November. The concert featured an outdoor stage set up for an audience of about two hundred and a small band of staff members accompanying the hugely talented Oakhill College students who provided the evening’s entertainment. Songs were sung primarily by senior students and ranged from contemporary classics such as “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” and “Baby it’s Cold Outside” to more traditional songs like “Oh Holy Night” and “Silent Night.” The night was only made more enjoyable by the light hearted humour of MC’s Jake Woodhead and Jack Langford as well as a surprise visit from Santa Claus himself. Mr Anthony Timmins, Head of Music at the College and musical coordinator on the night said, “We have been planning this event for two years and I'm so proud that we have a concert that involves the whole community of Oakhill families, staff and students. I also think audiences were blown away by the amount of good singers we have.” However the evening wasn’t just about entertainment as this was an opportunity for the school's Mission Team to interact with the local community. Members of the Mission Team as well as the student Leadership Team organised a multitude of charity fundraisers. Cupcakes were sold, sausages were cooked and faces were painted, with all raised money going to the Ronald McDonald House, which provides a home for families with extremely sick kids receiving treatment at Sydney Children's Hospital. On their website the House states, “When families have to travel far from home to receive medical care for their sick child, finding affordable accommodation in an unfamiliar city only adds to their stress and anxiety. So when families’ lives have been turned upside down, we offer a warm, welcoming place to stay that is supportive and understanding.” There were also two hampers up for grabs with all donations aiding the work of the Lasallian Foundation in an Indigenous school in Balgo, Western Australia. The night was highly successful from the perspectives of performance and mission and commenting on the night, Mrs Deborah Gillis, Senior Student Coordinator at Oakhill concluded, "Nights like this don’t just happen it takes dedication and commitment. The College is very lucky to have teaching staff and students willing to so graciously to give of their time for such a great cause. It was wonderful to see so many families. The event was full of joy; a much needed thing at this time of the year.” Lachlan MacMahon, Lasallian Captain


ADVENT


MISSION ACTION DAY

FINAL NOTE OF APPRECIATION Earlier this term The College presented a cheque for $62, 000 to the Lasallian Foundation, following our second successful Mission Action Day back in August. The letter of receipt from Miranda Chow, Lasallian Foundation CEO, reads as follows: “With your generosity you are helping to improve the Lasallian education in PNG through supporting the teachers in Hohola, as well as helping to improve the infrastructure at Albans Academy in Pakistan and Diyagala BoysTown in Sri Lanka. By supporting initiatives such as teachers’ salaries, school infrastructure and maintenance projects, you are making sure the children grow up happy, healthy and ready to learn in a safe environment. Your kindness is greatly appreciated by all those you help and on behalf of the children and their communities, we thank you for helping us to continue

Advent: the season of waiting and preparation “So stay awake, because you do not know the day when your master is coming.” (Mathew 24:42) Last Sunday saw the commencement of the Church’s new liturgical year with the lighting of the first Advent Candle. Advent marks the beginning of the Church’s new year and is a season of waiting and preparation for the coming of Christ. In fact, the season of Advent focuses on Christ’s threefold coming—past, present and future.

We await and prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ at Christmas.

We hope and give thanks for Christ’s presence within us and in the Word and sacraments.

We look to the future, waiting for Christ to come again.

In the coming three weeks we prepare with mounting expectation for the coming of Christ in a spirit of waiting, conversion and hope The word ‘advent’ means ‘coming’. Lighting the candles on the wreath symbolises the coming of light (Jesus) into the world. Advent wreaths can be used in Church, at school or at home. The first candle (violet) represents hope, the second (violet) peace, the third (rose) joy, and the fourth (violet) love. The central white candle is lit on Christmas Day and represents Christ. During Advent we can act and pray for a more just and fair world – a world full of hope, peace, joy, and love. The last week at Oakhill has seen many such acts of social justice and solidarity, including St Lucy’s Day, Jarjum Day, the inaugural Christmas Concert and White Ribbon Day March, as well as our provision of over 80 Christmas hampers to support needy families in our local community. Our End of Year mass was held on Monday 5

th

December and is an Advent Mass, which was celebrated by Fr Wim from St Michael’s Parish in Baulkham Hills. As always, parents were most welcome to join us for the Eucharistic Celebration marking the end of our successful school year. Information source: http://www.caritas.org.au/ Best wishes and prayers to all friends and family of the Oakhill community for a happy, holy festive season. Andrew Millar Assistant Principal—Mission

Oakhill College P & F is proud to

present

Art in the Hills 2017

Opening Gala Evening

Friday 24th March: 7pm-10.30pm

General Exhibition

Saturday, 25th March: 10am-5pm

Sunday, 26th March: 10am-4pm

For further details please call Melissa

Reeve on 0412 082 209 or go to

www.artoakhill.com.au

http://www.caritas.org.au/


FESTIVAL OF THE MINDS


YEAR 12 GEOGRAPHY

In the Festival Of The Minds our task was to build a bridge made of spaghetti that would be able to sustain a toy car going over it through an Earthquake up to Magnitude 9.

We started off by visiting a website called “bridge to classroom” which allows you to build a three segment bridge with four different segments available; Suspension, Beam Girder, Steel Arch, Cantilever - Truss and Cable Stay, each offering a different trait for support and structure. There were also safety features that we needed to consider that fitted on the bridge to improve the sustainability: these features included Bearings, Ductile Materials, Shock Absorbers and Shear links. We then had to choose a fault, either the Hayward or San Andreas, and then pick the magnitude from 5 to 9. After a lot of testing with different types of bridges and safety features, we realised that the suspension at the front was necessary to sustain the bridge after the quake. We also realised that the ductile Materials made the Bridge more flexible with shear links basically working against this. So we decided only to put the ductile on the suspension and no shear links on that. We then were able to maintain an unbroken bridge on a 8.5 from the San Andreas fault line. After ten more minutes of experimenting with different bridge types we realised that it would take too long to find another solution to survive a 9 magnitude quake……. so we got started on building the spaghetti bridge. We started by making pillars of 16 spaghetti bits with the long stems snapped in half taped on both ends and glued in the middle for extra support. Then we went into a presentation and Mr Bowles helped by building a support system with the piers with long stems of spaghetti with diagonal stems supporting it with hot glue to make it stick. We were then going to get some cardboard to put it on so we wouldn’t have to make a spaghetti bridge. Work and final testing was completed last week. Jackson Dunk, Year 7

Year 12 are currently studying viticulture in Geography this term. On Wednesday 29th November, we visited a winery and vineyard called Tamburlaine, in the Hunter Valley, in order gain to further understanding of the unit. 30 students departed Oakhill at 7:30am to travel to Tamburlaine. This winery and vineyard is famous for being the largest organic wine producer in Australia. Upon arrival we were greeted by our tour guide for the day, Nick, who had been working at Tamburlaine for many years, and knew everything about the property. Our first stop was the vineyard itself. Under the baking sun we analysed the vines and compared a variety of grapes that would one day become Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Shiraz. In order to cool down, we went to rest in a nearby warehouse where the wine that is about to be exported is stored. Tamburlaine exports their wine all over the world, most noticeably China, the United States and New Zealand. Nick explained how laws regarding labels differ all over the world and we saw examples of how the exact same type of wine was branded in a different way so it could be legally exported to a particular country. We went on to see a science lab, tanks where wine is fermented and an aerated biotic pond. Our final destination for the day was the wine cellar. As soon as we entered the room, we were overwhelmed by the smell of red wine. The cellar was full of hundreds of barrels where wine is protected from light and heat which could ruin the drop. The day was overall very useful for our unit this term and thanks to Nick and Tamburlaine for helping us learn about viticulture. Cameron Streeter, Year 12


WHITE RIBBON DAY—HILLS COMMUNITY MARCH 2016


Senior students and staff members from Oakhill College have joined in a one thousand-strong march through the streets of Castle Hill in Sydney to mark White Ribbon Day. Years 10 and 12 College Leaders joined with staff members in the march, held annually on 25 November to combat domestic violence, sexual harassment, and assault against women. Our school joined in a similar march last year, alongside local community groups and representatives from the NSW Police and this has now become an important annual event for our local community and the College. At the end of the march, the students

attended a White Ribbon Day Breakfast for local schools at Castle Hill RSL where former Parramatta NRL star Nathan Hindmarsh was the guest speaker. The former Eels captain and Australian representative player spoke to the students about the importance of speaking out against violence and inappropriate comments towards girls and women. Back at the College each student and staff member acknowledged White Ribbon Day by proudly wearing a ribbon on their College uniform. The bus bay was decorated with white ribbons to raise awareness. All these ribbons were made by our Year 12 LYLs and I would like to acknowledge Emma Tenaglia for her coordination of this year’s campaign. For more information and support see https://www.whiteribbon.org.au/ Mr Chris Goodman, Coordinator of Solidarity

LIBRARY NEWS

The Summer holiday break is a great time to ‘chill out’ and escape into the world of a good book. A book makes an ideal Christmas gift. Going away? Take

your book down the beach for a perfect getaway. At home? Find a shady spot and join in a great adventure. As the holidays grow longer consider a trip to your local Library. They are airconditioned and provide an interesting range of resources free of charge. Oakhill College Library will have eBooks available throughout the holidays at https://oakhill.wheelers.co/ . We will be open from January 18 from 10am to 2pm if students wish to use the facilities or grab another book to read.

10 books to read this summer by Parent Book Club.

Letter to my Teenage Self by Grace Galphen – “It made me think about what I would write to myself.”

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty – “Fascinating school yard politics set in Sydney.”

The Girl on The Train by Paula Hawkins – “The trailer looks interesting.”

A Week in December by Sebastian Faulks – “the GFC is given a human face”

The Book That Made Me - Celebrities talking about their great reads

The Light Between Oceans by ML Stedman

Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

The Art of Keeping Secrets by Rachel Johns

Amenable Women – Mavis Cheek

Next Meeting: February 282017 2.15pm- 3.15pm Discussion Book: The Girl on The Train

https://www.whiteribbon.org.au/

https://oakhill.wheelers.co/


YEAR 7 SNATCH COMPETITION


AUSTRALIA’S 1ST SPACE MISSION

Oakhill College Students Participate in Australia’s First Space Mission A little part of the Hills will be heading for the stars on 9 December as Oakhill College’s Science students will take part in the first Australian space mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The College’s Science Club has spent much of the year writing a program which will collect local weather data. The program will be launched into space on board the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The mission has been made possible by Cuberider, which delivers a revolutionary educational program designed to support Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) learning in secondary schools. Over the next 20 years, almost half of all Australian jobs will be digitally disrupted and around 75% of the fastest growing occupations will require STEM knowledge. Mrs Sandra Woodward, Science teacher and Science Club mentor said “It’s critical that today’s young people are skilled in STEM so that they can become the thinkers, innovators, makers, leaders, and problem solvers of tomorrow. STEM is a hands-on learning approach that engages and challenges students to use intellect, imagination, curiosity, critical thinking, and problem solving skills – the skills they will need to solve tomorrow’s problems. This project has allowed the students to work as a group (of differing ages) to work through problems presented in an engaging and relevant context.” Recently graduated Year 12 student Matthew D’Souza said “The space program has given us an opportunity to experience a real life project”. Quberider uses a nanosatellite called a cubesat, a 10cm-wide cube that weighs just over 1.3kg and can be fitted with a variety of sensors and cameras. Quberider’s light weight facilitates ridesharing costs and can construct itself as a satellite when launched by the ISS. The satellite integrates hardware devices with software to collect local weather data and has been tested by the students to make sure it will survive the launch and the elements of space.

The Year 7 Pastoral Team implemented an initiative which required boys to form teams of 8 players and invite a marquee player (an older student or staff member) to compete in our Snatch competition. Then each team was required to pay an entry fee which formed the basis of fundraising. The purpose of the event was to generate some funds which we would use to buy Christmas presents for children who are staying at the San Miguel Family Centre. San Miguel offers short term and transitional accommodation to help families experiencing homelessness. We began with 14 teams and each week had elimination matches. The incentive for the teams was that the winners would be rewarded with a visit to Laser Tag and then have the opportunity to have lunch together. Snatch is a game of speed, strategy and tenacity which basically involves trying to steal a ball from a designated spot on the court and get it back over your home line without being tagged. Year 7 have being very enthusiastic about playing this game since it was first introduced at camp. The final was played during the Lasallian Period which meant all of Year 7 were watching. It was a tense affair and was played in excellent spirit. A big thank you to all the teams who competed and those staff who helped with refereeing. Let’s hope we can help bring a smile to the faces of some children at San Miguel on Christmas morning. Mr John McDonnell, Year 7 Assistant Dean

Please remember the Dominello

family in your prayers.


WELCOME SYDNEY KINGS


Oakhill 13A take on the Sydney Kings Last week we had the red hot Oakhill 13A Basketball team take on an impressive outfit. The Sydney Kings came to Oakhill to play an exhibition match against our very own 13A’s. The NBL competition leaders had ex-student Julian Khazzouh alongside the Kings’ captain Kevin Lisch, and Chinese international Bo Lui on court against the Oakhill U13 team. Year 7 sharp shooter, Daniel Paino, was recruited by the Kings to be on their team as a “King for the day” and he held his own playing alongside the basketball superstars. The Sydney Kings came out winners by 10 points but the Oakhill youngsters stayed in contact with the NBL side throughout the game. The Oakhill side hit 3 pointer after 3 pointer and gave the Kings a scare. The Sydney Kings response; a couple of Bo Lui slam dunks and Kevin Lisch

hitting some 3 pointers from deep in the court just to save face. Well done to the Oakhill 13A’s and a big thank you to Oakhill “Old Boy” Julian Khazzouh and the Sydney Kings.


Dates and Canteen

Monday

30th January

A Woolnough, A Formosa,

G Durante, S Barone, M Neilson,

D Watkins.

Tuesday

31st January

K Bonello, C James, J Schwotzer,

K Mundy, A Catanese,

M Easterbrook.

Wednesday

1st February

M Cilento, S Dahlen, A Day,

S Dunkerley, M O’Leary, B Short,

L Kearney, F Tsagaris.

Thursday

2nd February

J Bautista, B Rushe, D May,

J Semaganda, K Walker, N Love,

E McLennan.

Friday

3rd February

M Kyang Hong, M Strbik, P Corso,

R Andrews, S Hillbrick, G Khamis,

S Langan, K Canning.

Monday

6th February

I Paras, F Rothwell, B Havlon,

F Pellegrini, T Dooley, C Trainor,

A Geale.

Tuesday

7th February

M Carnevale, C Brown, J Carlos,

S Ranieri, S Smith, L Basso,

D Terracciano, T Yee.

Wednesday

8th February

M Cavallo, T Skuodas, F Foote,

J Corcoran, K Koutzas, D Rankin,

S Madden, R Simic.

Thursday

9th February

C Doheny, C Galluzzo, J Stewart,

R Johnston, C Long, D Chetcuti,

D Bliss, D Youssef.

Friday

10th February

V Talty, J Alphonse, C Crowle,

G Peck, L Gallagher, E Comito,

M Jones, K King, L De Stradis.

CANTEEN ROSTER 2017

2017 IMPORTANT EVENTS—TERM 1 7th February Dedication Mass 8th February High Achievers’ Assembly and P & F Meeting 16th February Meet and Greet 24th February Senior Play Opens 26th February Year 11 Camp 2nd March OPEN DAY 8th March Young Women at Oakhill 11th March Greatest Hits Night 13th March Winter Sports Information Evening 24th—26th March ART IN THE HILLS 5th April Year 7 Camp 8th April Vietnam Trip and Girls’ Sports Tour Depart

DATES TO REMEMBER

CHRISTMAS@OAKHILL

Christmas@Oakhill was held recently as a fundraiser for Ronald McDonald House. Yesterday the Leaders handed over $1344 to Ronald McDonald House at the Sydney Children's Hospital Randwick, who were incredibly thankful to have this support at Christmas.

principal s reflection - oakhill college · 2016-12-06 · oakhill e ulletin —7 december 2016 :...

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