RUTHERFORD TECHNOLOGY

HIGH SCHOOL

18 October 2013 Email: rutherford-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au

www.rutherfordhs.nsw.edu.au Telephone: 4932 5999

Fax: 4932 8166 http:www.facebook.com/RutherfordTechnologyHighSchool

C A L E N D A R J U L Y

16 July School Development Day (students do not attend school)

17 July Students resume school for Term 3

18 July Year 7 & 9 reports sent home

24 July Parent / Teacher Evening in Library and selected classrooms

Office Opening Hours

Please be aware the office is open on Monday, to Friday between 8am and 4pm. Outside office hours a message may be left on the school answering machine. Parents and caregivers are reminded an appointment is necessary before meeting with teachers as they have class, playground duty and other commitments during the school day.

RESPECT

RESPONSIBILITY

COMMITMENT C A L E N D A R

HSC Exams

14/10/13 to 6/11/13

Year 7,8,9 Assessment

Week

21/10/13 to 1/11/13

IO TAS Concert

23/10/13

SRC Induction Day

23/10/13

Year 10 Peer Support

Training

24/10/13

IO Work Experience

25/10/13

Motivate Program

25/10/13

Yr 10 UTS Outreach

Activity Day

4/11/13

Roadwhyz

5/11/13

EXECUTIVE NEWS

Welcome back to Term 4 – the term for final student reports I hope everyone had a relaxing break and students are ready to jump back into work. HSC Exams are underway HSC exams started with English on Monday. Good luck. Year 12 students to sign in and sign out once the exams are finished – pay outstanding fees, return texts etc. I look forward to seeing the group together for the formal on Thursday 14 November. Year 11 have moved into Year 12 Year 11 have completed the process of dropping subjects etc. for Year 12 and should now be in full swing towards the HSC. School Upgrade Planning A planning day was held Thursday 10 October with the architects. Many aspects of the project are coming together, with some work starting early next year. Welcome back Leisel Allen has returned to PDHPE this term from maternity leave and will be running a targeted girls program for the rest of the year. Alison Orr is about to go off on maternity leave and we wish her all the best. Welcome back to Mary Tupou who is coming into replace Alison.

School Bus We are still searching for a quality, second hand, 12 seater bus. If anyone can assist please contact Mike Whiting Term 3 Celebration assemblies In week 1 we conducted our term 3 PBL celebration assemblies. Thank you to Mr Archbold and all those involved. In week 2 we held our 97% attendance celebration for those students with outstanding attendance at school in Term 3. Thank you to our attendance team and the students who are so diligent in their attendance.

Michael Whiting Principal

Uniform We are a uniform school. All uniform items need to be purchased from the uniform shop here at school. Students in Science, Home Economics and Industrial Arts are also expected to wear shoes with a leather upper. This is a Work Health and safety consideration. It would be great to see everyone wearing the uniform with pride this term.

You can now purchase uniforms on line. See page 3 for details.

THE 8T CHALLENGE

Students in 8T were challenged to make oversize Airzookas. After making small scale proof of concept models from cardboard , they set about building larger models from cardboard. In a brilliant display of teamwork, creative thinking, problem solving and perserverance, the students assembled their Airzookas from scratch. The two large boxes in Lab 1 had the school intrigued. What were they for - a cubby house, a doll’s house , or a naughty box? Finally , with both assembled , the students tested their creations blowing over paper skittles with compressions of air generated by their Airzookas made only from cardboard, tape and plastic bags. Kevin McMullen

CAPA Faculty

Eight of our Music students spent Saturday at Branxton Public school participating in the schools 150th Birthday Fair. Thanks to Josef Pemberton, Grace Quilty, Ashlee Brown, Liam Faustini, Ryan Paton, Lily Crockett, Lara Butler and Kate Butler for representing our school at this wonderful event. Thanks to Mr Ouvrier, Principal of Branxton PS, for the invitation to participate in their birthday celebration and to Parents of the students for taking them.

Ms L. Hornery HT CAPA

SENIOR STUDY – Year 11

Now that our 2013 Year 12 students have finished school and started their HSC exams our focus has shifted to the current Year 11 students. As of the beginning of this term they are now the most senior students at RTHS. In addition to this they have started HSC course work in all subjects. On Tuesday 8th October interviews were held with all of our new HSC students to discuss the expectations for their final year of school and to look closely at their subject patterns to ensure that all students are meeting the Board of Studies requirements. Students who have decided to drop a subject have been given the paperwork to take home and discuss with their parents. During the interviews students were also given a parent ‘Information Letter’ which has been included in this newsletter. If you have a child who is in Year 11 and you have any questions or concerns as they move from Year 11 into their HSC year please do not hesitate to contact the school. From this point onwards I will be referring to this group of students as Year 12. Kris Turner Senior Study Coordinator

UNIFORM SHOP NEWS

The Uniform Shop is located adjacent to the Library – PLEASE CHECK IN AT THE FRONT OFFICE ON ARRIVAL AT SCHOOL

TUESDAYS 8.00 am – 12.00 noon and THURSDAYS 12.30 pm – 4.30 pm

You can now purchase uniforms 3 different ways: 1. In store shopping 2. Over the phone . Order and pay by credit card and the student is to collect 3. Online ordering through the link on the school web page. *****NEW***** To assist parents with the purchase of uniforms , you will be able to browse the Catalogue. Payment is by PAYPAL or credit card via an online account. Confirmation will be sent via email. Orders are available to collect on the shops next opening day.

HELP RAISE AWARENESS FOR MENTAL HEALTH MONTH! October is Mental Health Month, and to celebrate, Orange’s Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health (CRRMH) is running a Photography Competition. Adults and children of all ages, including teachers and parents, are invited to submit up to three photographs depicting this year’s theme: Changing Landscapes, New Beginnings, Open Minds. You'll go in the running to win prizes including cameras, gift vouchers, camera accessory packs, a signed Newcastle Knights jersey and a school's prize! Not only will there be the chance to win a range of prizes, being creative is also a fantastic way to keep mentally healthy. Getting involved in the arts is enjoyable, provides a sense of achievement, and is a distraction from everyday worries. The competition is now open and will close at midnight on 21 October 2013. Please find attached a flyer, the entry form, terms and conditions and the CRRMH privacy agreement. Visit www.crrmh.com.au/photocompetition<http://www.crrmh.com.au/photocompetition> for more information. This Mental Health Month start snapping to keep mentally healthy! Lauren Dunkley Communications Project Officer Centre for Rural & Remote Mental Health Rural Adversity Mental Health Program University of Newcastle

IO CLASS NEWS

The IO class is collecting non-perishable items for the Maitland Community Centre at Rutherford. This is to go towards their Christmas appeal for families in need. If you have anything can you please drop them into the school and the class teacher can collect from the office.

Thankyou from IO Staff

SMS ALERTS Please note that SMS alerts are being sent out for whole day school absences plus late to school absences.

Welfare Newsletter Report On 21st October Years 7 and 8 girls will attend a presentation by the Butterfly Foundation. This presentation aims to help them:

A number of Year 10 students have nominated to become peer support leaders for the incoming year 7 students for 2014. The training will be held on Thursday 24th and Friday 25th October at the Baptist Church Hall. These students will then facilitate structured activities with groups of 8-10 Year 6/7 students on Orientation Day which will be held later this term. They will continue the program at the beginning of Term 1 2014 by meeting with their Year 7 Peer Support group weekly for the first 8 weeks of the term. A reminder that Breakfast Club runs Monday, Wednesday and Fridays from 8.30am in Food Lab 2. We would like to acknowledge the support of Woolworths who sponsor this valuable program. Youth Beyond Blue Fact Sheet Each newsletter we hope to provide a fact sheet on youth mental health issues. They provide parents and caregivers some background explanation of the issue and some strategies to help your young person, including where to get professional help. This week’s fact sheet is Bullying. Louise Smailes and Kris Turner Head Teacher Student Welfare

Understand body image

Be aware of the significant influences that impact the way they feel about themselves and their bodies

Build resilience

Improve body satisfaction by challenging the ideals and language in our society around beauty, shape

and size

Understand the negative impact dieting has on mental and physical health

October 2013

Information Letter Yr 12 Students and Parents

Students in Year 11 have now completed their Preliminary Courses and will begin HSC Course work at the beginning of Term 4 2013. Whilst this is the final term of the year for the rest of the school it is important that our current Year 11 students understand that for them it is the beginning of Year 12. It is vital that students attend classes until the last day of Term 4 as all work covered in class, along with assessment tasks completed during the term, will contribute to the final HSC mark. At the beginning of Term 4 students will receive a ‘HSC Assessment Booklet’ which contains assessment schedules for each of their subjects. This booklet will indicate when school based assessment tasks are due and the weighting of each task. The final HSC mark is calculated using marks from school based assessment tasks combined with marks gained during the HSC external exams. It is extremely important that students put in their best effort for each assessment task throughout the year and that these tasks are handed to class teachers on the due date. If students are unable to meet assessment task deadlines they must follow the school’s procedures for ‘Illness and Misadventure’. A copy of the Illness and Misadventure guidelines can be found on the student intranet, and is included with Assessment Task Notifications, as well as in the Yr 12 Assessment Schedule booklet given to all students. Rutherford Technology High has a Senior Study which is used by Yr 12 students when they have a study period and a teacher is timetabled to work with students at this time. During these lessons students are expected to use their time productively by revising and finishing class work, completing homework and working on assessment tasks. Assistance with study skills will also be provided to all students during study periods. These are not ‘free periods’ therefore students are expected to be in the Senior Study for timetabled study periods and are expected to follow all normal school rules and procedures during this time. The Senior Study has proven to be very successful in supporting our HSC students, however it is expected that students will still need to spend time at home doing school work if they are to keep up with the demands of the HSC year. In Year 11 it was compulsory for students to complete at least 12 Preliminary units, however in Year 12 students need only have 10 HSC units. Students doing a TAFE course will not be allowed to drop a school based subject until they are formally accepted into the course and the course has officially started. This is anticipated to be February 2014. To enable a smooth transition into Yr 12 students will be interviewed at the beginning of Week 1, Term 4 to discuss goals, career aspirations, study skills and any concerns that they have in relation to the HSC. Students and parents are encouraged to discuss any concerns regarding the HSC year with the Year 12 Year Adviser, Deputy Principal or Senior Students Coordinator. Michael Whiting Kylie Fabri Karen McLeod Kristine Turner Principal Deputy Principal Year Adviser Senior Students Coordinator

A Healthy Schools Healthy Futures Message: Recognising Strengths and Acknowledging

Improvement   Many students today are faced with a realm of stressors in their lives. It can be difficult for them to maintain focus on what teachers/parents/carers consider to be most important‐ educa on. Part of this lack of focus could be a ributed towards lack of mo va on. Mo va on is           developed throughout our lives and can be impacted upon by constant stress such as exams/NAPLAN/assessment tasks and results. It is o en those of us who are most resilient that can bounce back, re‐focus and mo vate 

ourselves for the next lot of tests or challenges.   O en parents/carers and teachers praise students for substan al examina on results. Doctor Andrew Mar n, one of Australia’s leading psychologists, explains that we o en ask students for results they have received and immediately follow this with the ques on of ‘what result did the other student’s  receive?’. This can have a detrimental impact on how mo vated and resilient a person is‐ as focus is placed on not failing rather than improvement or success.   Doctor Andrew Mar n suggests that we challenge nega ve thinking‐ focus on small improvements and congratulate and reward for these. He recommends to focus on what they can do/have done rather than what they cannot do/have not done. Encourage them to take ownership of their work and results. Essen ally‐ recognise strengths and acknowledge improvements‐ to maintain mo va on levels.  By maintaining a posi ve outlook on school work we are allowing young people to believe in their own capabili es, self‐mo vate and become more resilient learners. This will, in turn, hopefully mirror how young people live their lives‐ when something crops up that is challenging for them – they will face it and bounce back from the difficult situa on.       To find out more about mo va on and resilience please read the following website/ar cle: h p://www.genera onnext.com.au/2013/06/pushing‐the‐boost‐bu on‐for‐our‐kids‐easier‐said‐than‐done/ 

RUTHERFORD TECHNOLOGY HIGH SCHOOL NEWSLETTER - EMAIL DETAILS

The Rutherford Technology High School newsletter is issued fortnightly via email. The newsletter contains important information for parents/families. To ensure that you receive your copy please advise your email address on the form below. If you prefer to have the newsletter mailed home to you, please let us know.

The newsletter is also sent out to all student email accounts and Is available via the school website at www.rutherford-h.schools.nsw.edu.au. I would like to receive my copy of the school newsletter by: o Email o Normal Mail

Student Name/s: ………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Parents/Carers Names: ………………………………………………………………………………………….

Please send my email copy of the school newsletter to the following email address:

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STOP PRESS!

WE NOW HAVE A FACEBOOK PAGE

Rutherford Technology High School has launched its Offi-cial Facebook Page – just go to Facebook and look for “Rutherford Technology High School NSW Official Site” and click on “Like”.

We will be using the Facebook page to keep everyone in-formed about events at the school, important dates for your diary, and general information about the school.

Link: http://www.facebook.com/RutherfordTechnologyHighSchool

SKATEBOARDS & SCOOTERS are NOT to be brought to school,

except on Thursdays if doing scootering.

2013 – 2014 

Registration 

and First 

Swim for 

Kurri Kurri 

11th October 2013, 4pm @ the Kurri Aquatic Centre

Season cost $75, discounts available for families.

kurriswimclub@gmail.com or 49374367 for information.

Students are asked to have mobile phones switched OFF during class time, and out of sight. Students phones will be confiscated by the teacher if found out during class time.

Parents are asked NOT to contact students on their mobile phone during school hours. In case of emergency, please contact the school directly on 4932 5999.

Students are asked to follow correct procedures if sick or needing to go home. They must notify class teacher / obtain note / report to sick bay. The front office staff will phone parent / caregiver. STUDENTS ARE NOT TO CONTACT THEIR PARENTS USING MOBILE PHONES

If a student needs to leave school early, we ask that a note from parent / caregiver be taken to the Admin office to collect an Early Leavers Card. Unscheduled collection of students can be disruptive to classes. Parents will be asked to wait until the end of a lesson for a student to be called to the Front Office.

The school does not accept nor take responsibility for the loss, damage or theft of any device at school or school associated event.

STUDENT COMMUNICATION MOBILE PHONE POLICY

CANTEEN ROSTER—Term 3 21 October to 1 November 2013

21 October - K Cresswell 22 October - Volunteer required 23 October - K Hobbs 24 October - Volunteer required 25 October - Volunteer required 28 October - K Cresswell 29 October - K Hobbs 30 October - A Hudson 31 October - Volunteer required 01 November - Volunteer required

If you have a few hours a week free and would like to volunteer for the canteen,

please contact Jenny on 49325 999