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Bayala - Term 2 Week 10 2023

'Bayala'

Welcome to our Newsletter 'Bayala'.

'Bayala' is a Darug word meaning yarning or conversation.

Our Vision

"Building a caring and safe learning environment where great teaching supports and inspires all students to grow, develop and succeed."

Upcoming Events

TERM 3

CHS Cross Country - Friday 21 July 2023
Term 3 Staff Development Day - Friday 21 July 2023
Parent/Teacher Interviews - Tuesday 25 July 2023
Hawkesbury Performing Arts Festival - Tuesday 25 July 2023
Sydnes West Athletics -  Wednesday 26 to Thursday 27 July 2023
Year 11 Biology Fieldworks Excursion - Tuesday 1 August 2023
Nan Tien Temple Excursion - Wednesday 2 to Thursday 3 August 2023
Write a Book in a Day - Friday 11 August 2023
Life Ready Bstreetsmart Excursion - Tuesday 22 August 2023
White Ribbon Cup Windsor High - Thursday 24 August 2023
Combined High Schools Athletics - Tuesday 5 to Thursday 7 September 2023
Year 11 Exams - Monday 11 to Tuesday 19 September 2023
Year 12 Graduation Ceremony- Friday 22 September 2023

TERM 4

Year 7 Gala Day - Tuesday 17 October 2023
Macquarie Cup Oz Tag - Thursday 19 October 2023
Macquarie Cup Futsal - Monday 23 October 2023
Vaccinations (Year 7 and catch-ups) - Monday 30 October 2023
Year 12 Formal - Friday 17 November 2023
Year 10 Formal - Thursday 7 December 2023

Prinicpal's Update

As we reach the end of Term 2, we can reflect on a successful and eventful term marked by a number of events that gave our students opportunities to shine in and out of the classroom. Term 2 started on a positive note with a successful parent/teacher night, the Hawkesbury Show and the AECG awards. The term also included excursions and sporting events, including the cross-country and athletics carnivals, with the highlight perhaps being the creative and performing showcase in Week 8. There is so much talent at our school, and after years of disruptions and lockdowns, it is wonderful to see our students engage in a full range of learning activities and experiences.

Year 12 students also sat the Trial HSC exams at the end of Term 2. At Hawkesbury High School we run our trials at the end of Term 2 to give students more time to act on teacher feedback. This has proven to be of benefit to students who then have a whole term to focus on improvement prior to HSC exams in Term 4.

Academic reports for students in years 7-10 will be published on the Sentral parent portal on Friday, 21 July (end of Week 1, Term 3), with the second parent/teacher night to be held the following week, on Tuesday 25 July. The second parent/teacher night will be open to parents of all year groups, and this will be an opportunity for parents to discuss their children’s progress. It was great to see the large number of parents who were able to attend the first parent/teacher night earlier this term, and I encourage you to attend the second night in Term 3 as positive partnerships with parents is one of the most important factors influencing student success.

I would also like to take this opportunity to notify you again that the School Development Day at the beginning of Term 3, will be moved from Monday 17 July, to Friday 21 July. This means that students will attend school on Monday, 17 July, but stay at home on Friday, 21 July. This change will allow school staff to combine the school development day on Friday, 21 July with the school’s Staff Conference on Saturday, 22 July. Two days of back-to-back professional learning will maximise opportunities to plan for and implement improvements that have a positive impact on student learning. While minimum supervision will be available at the school for parents who need it, regular lessons will not run and most staff will be off site for the staff conference.

This years’ NAIDOC week celebrations are taking place at the school during Week 10, culminating in a range of activities on Friday, 30 June. This year’s theme, For Our Elders, acknowledges the
importance of Elders and the important role they play in our communities and families. This year’s
NAIDOC theme also aligns with the school’s value of Respect, recognising that by working together
we can all achieve our goals.
This year also marks the 40th anniversary of Hawkesbury High School. As part of anniversary
celebrations, students and staff will be able to purchase a limited edition commemorative hoodie
from the beginning of Term 3. The commemorative hoodies will be available for purchase at the
front office from next term for $75. There is a limited number of hoodies and sizes available, and no additional orders will be made after stock runs out. However, if there is positive feedback from
students, parents and the school community, the school will look at making these hoodies part of
the regular school uniform. Please note that the commemorative hoodies are optional and that they are not replacing any existing item of the school uniform.
I wish everyone a safe and relaxing school holiday

Igor Maric

From the Deputies

Uniform
I would like to thank parents and students for maintaining the school’s STAR values by wearing the correct school uniform. Correct uniform is an important safety consideration that allows the school to manage risks around unauthorised people on the school grounds.
The following are important reminders of the HHS school uniform procedures:

UNIFORM TO BE WORN IN COOLER WEATHER

• The striped school jacket or school jumper (maroon) with the school emblem.
• The HHS track pants are the only track pants allowed as school uniform.
• A plain navy or black crew neck sweatshirt may be worn under the school uniform jacket if
an extra warm layer is needed.
• Hooded tops (hoodies), jeans, leggings and non-HHS sport shorts are non-uniform items and
cannot be worn to school.
• If a student is out of uniform, they will be provided with appropriate clothing and be
expected to change.
• Students who are out of uniform and without a note from parents, will be issued a recess
detention.

https://hawkesbury-h.schools.nsw.gov.au/content/dam/doe/sws/schools/h/hawkesbury-h/files-to-upload/2023/Uniform_Code_Booklet_2023.pdf

If you have any queries about uniform or require assistance, please contact the school on 4579 6800.

Positive Paws Program
Last week, a group of Year 10 students completed the Positive Paws Program at Guide Dogs
NSW/ACT (Glossodia).
Each term, a small group of HHS students attends the Glossodia site of Guide Dogs NSW/ACT to
participate in a program with Guide Dog puppies. The students attend once a week for
approximately two hours and participate in activities that increase the socialisation of young puppies before they leave Guide Dogs for their puppy raisers.
The Positive Paws Program is an amazing collaboration between the school and members of the
local community, that benefits both the Guide Dog puppies and our students.
If students are interested in participating in the program, they are to see Mrs Shortland.

Learning and Wellbeing Hub
The Wellbeing Hub has been in place for four years and has been an essential part of the school’s
wellbeing support resources as we assisted students impacted by the combined effects of
bushfires, flooding events and COVID.
It is now the time to focus school resources on the more proactive strategies of building student
resilience and positive thinking patterns whilst they are in the classroom. The Wellbeing Team has
developed a guide containing simple coping strategies that students can use whilst they are in the
classroom. This guide will be offered to students.
The Hub will remain as part of a suite of targeted intensive supports for a small number of
students with complex wellbeing needs, but from Term 2, the focus of the Hub will be as a
learning support space for identified students.

Kerrie Shortland

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Student Mentoring – Semester 1

This semester students have been participating in a mentoring program. Students meet every 3^rd Monday with their assigned group and mentor teacher. The aim of each session is for students to reflect on the goals they created at the beginning of the term and their progress towards meeting them. Some examples of student goals included:

By the end of the semester I will increase my maths grade from a C to a B
I would like to see an improvement in my handwriting
My attendance will improve by 10%
I will be on time to all classes
I will catch up on classwork every time I am away
For all my assessments I will give my teacher a draft at least a week before it is due
Study for 30mins each day
Read for 20min each night to help with my writing

Students will receive a new mentoring booklet for semester 2 and will have the opportunity to create new goals or build on their semester 1 goals.

Ready to learn for Semester 2

The semester break is a great opportunity to prepare for the second half of the year. Please ensure that students have a book for each subject and classwork is up-to-date. The school’s website has a list of the requirements/equipment for each subject – click on the ready to learn tab.
Students will also need to bring the following to class each day
• Blue, black and red pens
• HB pencils and pencil sharpener
• Ruler and eraser • Coloured pencils
• Pack of highlighters • Glue stick
• Scissors • Student diary
• Scientific Calculator – Casio fx-82AU Plus II

Nicole Martirena

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On Tuesday 20/6/23 Students received their subject selection booklets and were informed of the process for choosing subjects for 2024. They are now able to enter their subject preferences for next year. They will do this online; the details are outlined below.

Step 1: Check your student portal school email for an email from Edval (Tes). This will be in your inbox by Friday afternoon 23/6/23.

Step 2: Log into www.my.edval.education.

Step 3: Enter the personal Web Code which is provided in the email.

Step 4: Enter the subjects that you want in the order of preference. The subjects that you most want to do should be at the top of your list.

Step 5: Click Submit.

* We will try very hard to grant students their preferred subjects, however, where this is not possible, we will meet with students to discuss subject options.

Subject choices will close 31/7/23 students have until then to submit and then the form will be closed.

Benn McEvoy

Secondary Schools Student Leadership - Parliament of NSW

School captains Lorretta Sultana and Branden Charles joined student leaders from across New South Wales at NSW Parliament House and Government House on Wednesday 31 May. Our leaders participated in a Q&A session with members of parliament, including NSW State Member for Hawkesbury Robyn Preston, observed question time in the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council Chambers, toured Government House, and shared afternoon tea with Her Excellency, The Honourable Margaret Beazley AO QC, Governor of NSW.

Creative and Performing Arts Showcase

Hawkesbury High School's Creative and Performing Arts Showcase was held on Tuesday, 13 June with both primary and high school students showcasing their musical, dance and artistic talents. The evening was a great success. To view more photos please go to the HHS website or our Facebook page.

Didgeridoo Making Excursion

Years 7-12 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander boys attended Brewongle Environmental Education Centre and created their own Didgeridoo's. The boys got to learn about the origins of the Didgeridoos, and the traditional ways it was created as well as making the didges themselves. The boys are still learning how to play and will aim to perform for NAIDOC Week.

Student Achievements

Congratulations to our Year 9 debating team who had a win against Riverstone High on Thursday 22 June. This was the second round of the challenge for this year. The topic was Sport & Health, and the question was: “That we should ban alcohol and gambling companies from sponsoring sport”. We were the negative. Maya Watkins was 1st speaker, Cleo Franco-Lang 2nd speaker, Hayley Asmussen 3rd speaker and Ruby Drayton was 4th speaker.