Newsletter 5
Content
Kurri Kurri High School Newsletter
Making the Best of Ourselves
Deakin and Stanford Streets Kurri Kurri 2327 Ph. 4937 1877 www.kurrikurri.hs.education.nsw.gov.au/ Number 5 The Principal - Mr Hunter EdFest is a very important event in our Education Week celebrations. Through EdFest our community witnesses outstanding performances from our partner schools and our own performing arts students as well as an outstanding selection of student work in visual arts. Throughout the evening our Hospitality students prepare and serve food for the audience. Congratulations to all of the students and staff who made EdFest such a success this year. Particular thanks to Ms Dunlevie for her leadership of the organising committee, the Creative and Performing Arts staff for their efforts in preparing students and organising the art, photography and ceramics work, and Mrs Hughes and Mrs L’Green for their work with the Hospitality students. Well done! Our Parent-Teacher afternoon was very well supported by parents last Thursday and my thanks to the staff for their commitment to these meetings as well. During the afternoon a survey was completed by parents as part of our ongoing school evaluation. Every student receives a school diary at the start of the school years containing school calendar of events, as well the school calendar is published on the school website and text messages are sent out on the day of school events to remind parents. The effectiveness of the text message relies on current mobile phone numbers of parents/caregivers, so please update contact details with the school when changes are made. We are also looking at a smartphone application as another way of providing information to parents and details will be provided once this is finalised. Last week we held our Term Merit Assemblies and I am please to announce the recipients of the P&C Awards. Yr 7 Rhys Field Yr 10 Ryan Porter Yr 8 Ashlea Hay Yr 11 Brooke Watson Yr 9 Shania Kiem Yr 12 Laura Bain Congratulations to these students and thankyou to our P&C for their sponsorship of these awards. Year 12 students have been given application forms for two $1000 scholarships provided by the P&C for 2014, to assist students with further education. This is a very generous gesture by our P&C and Year 12 students need to submit their applications to me by the end of Term 3. The P&C considers the applications early in 2014 when students have finalised their study choices. At the previous P&C meeting it was decided to hold our meetings to 6:30pm rather than 7pm. P&C meetings are held in our Staff Common Room, in the main administration block and I encourage all parents to attend. Congratulations to Ashleigh Barbour, Brendan Crow, Tracy Jones and Abby White who will have their artwork exhibited at The Armory Gallery, Sydney Olympic Park, from 7 September to 27 October. Their work was chosen in the Operation Art Exhibition organised by the Children’s Hospital at Westmead. Fax. 4937 3773 9th August 2013 Year 12 Legal Studies gets a Judicial Visit - Mrs Edwards
Kurri Kurri High School Newsletter Deputy Principal Years 10, 11, 12 - Mrs Andrews Students in Year 12 have completed their Trial Examinations and are working to finalise study in all subjects. The HSC Examinations will commence on the 14th October and students should check their timetable for the HSC exams thoroughly. Many senior students also have practical examinations occurring in the few weeks. A reminder to students in Year 12 that they should be checking the HSC Online for updates and other information regarding the HSC. We wish Year 12 all the best as they move towards completing their schooling. Year 10 has been busy seeking information in order to select their subjects for study in the senior school. A parent information evening held on Wednesday 17th July was very well attended and enabled parents and carers to access information to assist students in this process and to ask questions. Representatives from TAFE and Newcastle University were present to assist with information. The next step will be to determine the most popular courses selected by students so that lines of subjects may be formulated. At this point some students will need to adjust their selections. TAFE applications for Years 11 and 12 in 2014 must be given to Mrs Dwyer by the due date. The Kurri Kurri Local Management Group schools have celebrated NAIDOC as a group. Students from Kurri Kurri High travelled to the primary schools to conduct a series of Traditional Aboriginal games. The activities were enjoyed by all students from Kindergarten through to Year 11. Many thanks to Mr Derry for his organisation along with Mrs Field, Mr Berry, Mr Bailey and all students who participated. Also as part of NAIDOC celebrations, students enjoyed a performance from the Beatty Clan, performances from the boys’ dance group from Stanford Merthyr Infants School and some students attended an Aboriginal Health and Careers Expo at Mt View High School. CAPA - Ms Dunlevie CONGRATULATIONS YEAR 9 DANCERS FOR AN OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE
9th August 2013 Deputy Principal Years 7, 8, 9 - Mrs Glasson The term has started off on a busy note. Across all years there is plenty going on, and in addition to our own students, we have also had Year 6 students from our local Primary Schools visiting us. These special visitors are part of our Year 6 GATS Enrichment Program, which involves students who express talents in particular areas of learning, coming to the school and taking part in programs to introduce them to the type of learning they will encounter once they enter Year 7. Programs will be run across all faculties, with the first program having been held earlier this month with Mrs Koswanage putting students through their paces in Science. By taking part in these programs, it is also a stepping stone for these Year 6 students to then become a part of our Gifted and Talented (GAT) class for Year 7, 2014. Therefore, in conjunction with the Enrichment Program we will be actively promoting the selection process to our Partner Primary schools to take part in. For our current Year 7 GAT class, I look forward to hearing about their excursion to the PowerHouse Museum to take part in Design and Technology Workshops with Mr Kentwell. Enriching student engagement is a key aspect of planning our work in the classroom. With this in mind, the school is looking at the purchase of approximately 22 iPads for use in our Year 7 classrooms. The use of an iPad as an effective and engaging learning tool will be an invaluable asset to the school and learning outcomes. In our last newsletter I mentioned that during this term our current Year 8 students will need to choose electives for the next two years. The booklet for parents and carers will be sent out in coming weeks to aid you in making your choices. Now though is a good time to start talking at home about where your child’s interests lie and the electives that may suit. Finally for this newsletter, I am also pleased to let parents know that for the first time we have introduced a Careers class for all Year 9 students into our timetable. The aim of these classes is not so much to prepare students for a long term career at this stage but rather to assist them to be prepared for the workforce they may enter now as a student, helping to prepare resumes and starting to think about the type of work experience they may like to undertake during Year 10.
On Thursday 27th June, Justice Stewart Austin, a judge from the NSW Family Court came to Kurri Kurri High School to visit with our Year 12 Legal Studies class. Year 12 have been studying Family Law in class as one of their optional topics for the HSC. Justice Austin is an ex-Kurri Kurri High student who graduated in 1978 and offered to speak to the students about family law and other important legal issues. His visit allowed the students to gain an insight into how the legal system functions and really brought the Legal Studies syllabus to life! Heading into the HSC, the students were able to use this opportunity to expand their knowledge and understanding of family law as well as it being an invaluable experience demonstrating the post school success of a previous Kurri Kurri High School student. Justice Austin’s education here at Kurri Kurri High School was a major stepping stone to a highly successful career in law. We thank him for his time and look forward to working further with His Honour in future Legal Studies classes.
Important Dates
12-16 Aug 2013 16 August 2013 19 - 23 Aug 2013 23 August 2013 26 - 30 Aug 2013 27 August 2013 30 August 2013 2 - 13 Sept 2013 11 Sept 2013 Yr 11 VET Work Placement Hospitality Year 10 Beacon Polish Program Yr 11 VET Work Placement Metal & Engineering Year 10 Beacon Polish Program National Literacy & Numeracy Week P&C Association Meeting 6:30pm Year 10 Beacon Lunch With the Girls Year 11 Final Exams Year 12 STARS Excursion
16 - 20 Sept 2013 Year 11 Crossroads
ATTENTION ALL PARENTS & CARERS The Ministry of Health has made available FREE HPV Vaccine for 15 year old boys in Year 10. Please see your local doctor for vaccinations and further information.
Kurri Kurri High School Newsletter Broken Melody – Book Launch
9th August 2013
Kurri Kurri High School Newsletter Nura Gili Winter School - Sky Insley-Miller Year 11 In the second week of the school holidays, I attended the 2013 Nura Gili winter school which was held at the UNSW in Sydney. It was a week long program where 150 students attended from all over Australia and I was lucky enough to be one of those participants. During the week long program I participated in many cultural events such as: NAIDOC flag raising ceremony, Indigenous games, Identity lectures, a Formal dinner and a Rock carving tour around Bondi. We broke into faculty groups for the week, with each group “faculty” focusing on a particular topic. The topic I chose was indigenous studies and it covered cultural identity, policies relating to indigenous people and all the different meanings relating to policy. The Bondi coastal walk took us to all the aboriginal rock carvings on the ground and the rock shelters that were hidden underneath the cliff edges. We learned about the significant areas and places around Sydney and the story’s that came with them. Throughout the week we did many performances relating back to our work that we were studying during indigenous studies. This culminated on Graduation Day when we presented a performance on aboriginal dancing and rock carvings. Our group was painted up and presented as if we were telling a dreamtime story, while the boys were dancing, we girls told the story of how many many years ago the Aboriginals used to tell their stories through song and dance and now in the 21st century those stories are being passed down through rock carvings. As the boys finished their dancing we all joined hands and sung “We Believe” as a symbol of how we believe that we can do anything, as long as you put in the effort to do so. At the end of the week everyone came together on the last night and threw a disco in appreciation of their hard efforts they had put in throughout the week. Everyone had enjoyed a week full of fun and exciting adventures. The main thing I liked about the Winter School Program was getting a better understanding of what I want to do when I leave school and how I can go about achieving what I want. I found this program really helped me open my eyes and has got me thinking of my future - it is really important to start thinking early. I also found it really interesting to learn about the Aboriginal culture and how the Aboriginals created their rock carvings and rock shelters, as well as learning about all the significant sites that were getting destroyed every year due to mining, rock works and many other industrial projects.
9th August 2013
For many students here at the school, Trudy Adams may well be a familiar face on a Friday in the library when she visits in a mentoring role; or perhaps they may have met her up at the Kurri Kurri Youth Centre where she is one of the coordinators. However, Trudy lives a double life and throughout this year she has also been involved with the school in her other role, that of an award winning author. Earlier this year, Trudy joined our Year 7W class to run a writing workshop, and then at the end of last term, she held the launch of her third novel here in the school library. As part of the event, Trudy also promoted literacy and creativity amongst young people by presenting awards for a writing competition she held in partnership with the school. Congratulations must go to Zac Taylor, Rhys Field and Tarnee White – winners of the Year 7-9 section, and Kali Somerville, Heidi Hyland, Rebecca Sharp and Amber Harvey – winners of the Year 10-12 section. Trudy’s novels are all teenage fiction. Broken Melody explores the story of a young girl torn between a dysfunctional past and a promising future, as the protagonist Danae Blackburn has lived a life of brokenness and fear until discovering she is a gifted pianist. ‘I wanted to explore the battlefield that takes place in a person’s mind when they have been consistently told they are “nothing” or “worthless”, but more importantly, I wanted to show that with help and time, that battle can be won,’ Trudy says. ‘Having worked with young people for almost four years, I also wanted to create a story that was relevant to the current generation - not only to inspire them to read, but to encourage them to see that life can change, that there is always hope for a better future.’ You can borrow Broken Melody and Trudy’s other novels Desolate Beauty and Judging Meghan from the library.
Counsellors Corner Having trouble getting your teenager to come to school? A completely free service that can help you is the Family Action Centre’s Hunter Outreach program. They offer case management where an individual case worker will actually visit you and your teen at home to help you work out what the problem is. They can provide support, information and encouragement as well as referral to the most suitable people or agencies to help you. This program is to help young people aged 12 to 25 and can even provide assistance in seeking work or accommodation. If you think this service may help you and your teen, please contact Kerry Bird on 4921 5758 or 0447 611 724.
NAIDOC WEEK
Kurri Kurri High School Newsletter Gallipoli 2015 Update - Ms Britton As you may be aware, the RSL club is sending one lucky student from 20 schools across the Hunter Valley on the trip of a lifetime. In 2015, one lucky student from Kurri Kurri High School will be in Turkey during the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli Landing of 1915 to participate in the celebrations. As part of this 16 day trip, they will be attending a ball, enjoying a cruise from Venice to Turkey, touring the battlefields of Gallipoli and Turkey and may have the chance to be present at the dawn ceremony on Anzac Day, April 25 2015. This is truly a once in a lifetime trip! Our seven students are required to research and present information regarding one World War I Veteran, including their life before the war, reasons for enlistment and their experiences during the war. They have combed the Edgeworth David Museum’s archives and found invaluable information to include in their research, as well as the darkest depths of the internet. A big thank you must go to Mr Andrews for putting aside his time to help these students with their research. The initial school based panels will be conducted sometime towards the end of this term. The final presentations to the regional selection committee will be held during and after the October School Holidays, so while you are all relaxing and enjoying your break, think of the students who are fighting hard for their place on this awesome trip! I have mentioned the word ‘lucky’ a few times, but the truth is that there is very little ‘luck’ involved. This is a monumental task, their research and presentation skills will be called in to question as they try to convince two separate panels they are the best candidate to represent our school. Many hours of painstaking research has gone in to this process already, and we are only just about to start preparing the presentations! Yet, it is not all about the final outcome. The practise these students have and will gain in their research and presentation skills through this opportunity will be of great benefit to them in their future studies. These skills form such a large part of senior school assessment requirements, and to have them tested in this way now will be of great benefit to them in the future. They will have the opportunity to fine tune and adjust their approach to give them the edge in their class assessments. Further, the student who is selected to go on this trip will gain priceless memories that will shape their futures and even give them an advantage in the HSC examinations. On behalf of all staff and students of Kurri Kurri High School, I wish each participant the greatest of luck in their endeavour and hope that the person who eventually wins this awesome prize has the trip of a lifetime!
9th August 2013
Kurri Kurri High School Newsletter Sports News with Mr Derry KKHS has had some great individual performances of late in a diverse variety of sports. We will start with the most current. We have sent an army of talented athletes to the regional athletics carnival at Glendale on the 24/7/13-25/7/13. Our representatives are Tristan Aspinall, Jasmine Bacon, Andrew Dures, Aden Harvey, Amber Harvey, Melissa Johnson, Nicole Kounnas, Matt Rees, Jacob Schumacher, Nick Scott, Ben Sharp, Blake Whiteley, Brodie Williams, Nikki Kennedy, Ashleigh Barbour and the boys 17 year old relay team consisting of the awesome foursome: Nick Scott, Josh Scott, Matt Rees and Brodie Williams. The time of writing these students were competing and results will be published in the next newsletter. In other news India Orrock came 1st overall in the Hunter Region Artistic Gymnastics with a 1st in the floor, Beam and Vault disciplines and a 2nd on the bars. Well done to Mollie Hargreaves who made the Hunter team in a different division and to Natalie Rushton who made the reserve list for the Hunter Artistic Gymnastics. Well done to Ranon Holstein who has had success in the AWD National Swimming titles with a 1st in the 50m Backstroke and a 2nd in the 50 m Freestyle. Over the school holidays we had 5 lads compete in the Schoolboy Golf Championship at Newcastle Golf Club; Lachlan Vassella, Justin Wood, Josh Udbinac, Josh Stig and Zac Pryor all equited themselves well at this tournament. And finally, Brodie Gordon made the Hunter Softball Team which will compete soon in the State Titles. Dramaworks - Kali Somerville Year 10 During the last week of term 2, myself and four other students from Kurri High participated in Dramaworks. Dramaworks is a weeklong drama workshop held for students from the Hunter and Central Coast which is organised by the Australian Theatre for Young People. There were five different courses - Mixed Media, Acting to Camera, Musical Mash -up, Physical Storytelling and Totally Tragic. Amber Harvey and I participated in Totally Tragic, Ethan Harvey and Hayden Gray participated in Mixed Media and Hamish McKenzie participated in Physical Storytelling. It was an amazing experience and definitely one that I would recommend to anyone who is interested in drama and acting. During the week we learnt and enhanced our vocal skills, acting skills and improvisation skills as well as developing a further understanding of Tragedy. As well as improving our drama skills, it was an opportunity to make friends and meet people who were interested in the same things that we were. At the end of the week each group made up a drama performance to perform at the Showcase. The best part of the week was definitely lunchtimes as it provided an opportunity for impromptu dances and flash mobs as well as meeting other students who weren’t in your group. Year 12 Advisor - Ms Taylor
9th August 2013
Students will be completing their assessment tasks over the coming weeks, studying their final units of work and preparing for HSC revision. Congratulations to all students who completed their practical exams and Major Works this term - it is always a challenging yet rewarding process for students and staff. I would encourage all students to reflect on their Trial HSC results in order to maximise their potential in the BIG exam. Our last merit assembly was held in Week 3 and it was wonderful to see so many students receiving acknowledgement for their efforts in class. We have many fine young men and women who have consistently applied themselves to their studies and it has been gratifying to witness their ongoing success. Congratulations to Laura Bain who received the P&C Award for her Term 2 achievements. Laura continues to prove that perseverance and diligence reaps incredible rewards. Special mention must also be made of James Lawson who received the 'Judge's Choice Award ' for his artwork entered into the EdFest Art Competition. Our Year 12 Fundraising team are also to be commended for their hard work selling chocolates in order to subsidise the school Formal. Due to their hard work we have been able to reduce the price of student tickets considerably. Jacob Perry, closely followed by James Lawson, is the Salesman of the Year! We are intending on holding a Bake Sale in Week 6 with half the funds going towards the Formal and half to a charity of the students' choice. The 19th of September is the last day for Year 12 with the Graduation Assembly to be held in the school gymnasium in the morning and the Formal at Newcastle Torn Hall - Banquet room in the evening. The Graduation Ceremony is a significant event for our School community as we recognise and celebrate the achievements of our fine students. Invitations for the Year 12 Formal will be issued in Week 4 accompanied by detailed information about this very special event. All Parents/ Caregivers should expect important news from the school over coming weeks. National Tree Planting Day - Mr Jaye
EDFEST 2013
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OUR EDFEST ARTISTS, PERFORMERS AND CATERING STUDENTS ON A JOB WELL DONE. MANY THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS AND STAFF FOR MAKING IT ALL POSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY MISS DUNLEVIE, MRS L’GREEN AND MRS HUGHES.
Coincidently Education Week and National Tree Planting Day arrived in the same week this year. Consequently Kurri Kurri High School’s contribution to greening the environment enriched the Education week Activities that occurred at the school. The occasion of National Tree Planting day was celebrated later in the week with Year 7 students planting a tree inside the school ground. These students promised undying love to this tree and inside that oath lay the promise to water it!
Kurri Kurri High School Newsletter Drumbeat - Mr Hope HT Welfare Careers - Mrs Dwyer
9th August 2013
Kurri Kurri High School Newsletter TAS - Mr Kentwell Recently our faculty was fortunate enough to receive a donation from the family of one of our students. The Hill Family has generously donated to our faculty a near new pedestal drill and a large quantity of hardwood timber. Some of the donated timber has already been put to good use, being used in the construction of the major project of one of our senior students. Once the drill is in position it will be used by a large number of students in technology, industrial technology and design and technology and serve the school for many years to come.
9th August 2013 Student of the Term - Jasmine Bacon Year 9 Each term the School Executive recognise a student for their contribution to school life. CONGRATULATIONS Jasmine! Jasmine Bacon can be described as a model school citizen. Her selection for this award comes from the fact that she participates in her school life on so many different levels. Jasmine has a high standard of academic achievement but she is able to manage this alongside her involvement in sport and an array of other activities; these include participating in the Mayoral Debating Team, designing of the Allunga House Banner, representing the school at a significant level in sport most recently in Regional Athletics, as well as being Allunga House Athletics 15 years girls champion. Jasmine, you certainly are an outstanding student, well done.
Taught and used by young people and adults across Australia, Drumbeat is a program now finding its place here at Kurri Kurri High School. In a nutshell, Drumbeat promotes social understanding and connection through a team drumming experience. Driven by HT Welfare Mr Alan Hope, a group of Year 7 boys are participating in Drumbeat with the support of Weston Public School. The group facilitator is one of their teachers, Miss Cheetham, who leads the rhythmic group on a weekly basis. Whilst creating tribal music is a key element to running the program, underlying the beats are the issues addressed by Miss Cheetham during the class, issues which include such things as how to deal with life, identity, teamwork and relationships. It is amazing how you can use the intensity, rhythm and working together as a group to create a song to relate to the real world. Mr Hope sees this first troop of boys benefitting greatly from their participation. The skills they are learning now in Year 7 will help them, as individuals and as a group, as they move through the rest of their high school years. It is the goal to introduce Drumbeat on a larger scale into the school in the near future; in the meantime, a showcase of beats that the boys are learning will be performed later in the term. Student Profile - Josh Stig, Zac Pryor and Josh Udbinac Josh Stig, Zac Pryor and Josh Udbinac are all Year 11 boys with ambition. Whilst completing the HSC is their priority for now, none would pass up the opportunity for a professional career in golf. For the past two years, the boys have been representing the Hunter District for golf. More recently, for Josh S in his age group, he tied for 11th place in the NSW State Championships whilst Josh U and Zac have been making their mark at the Newcastle School District Competition. Zac is current 16yrs and over Champion with Josh U on his tail in the comp in third place. It is within our school though that they also see place for golf. In the trophy cabinet in the entrance way to the school, gleams the silver trophy for Senior Golf. It is the boys mission to bring this competition back! They say that when you play golf, it’s challenging and it is all on yourself. You can’t blame anyone else if you’re having a bad day. They want to encourage other students to experience this too and call for other like minded golfers to join them in their bid to bring golf back into the school.
Try a Skill. On 26 July thirty one Year 9 students travelled to Maitland Showground to take part in this year’s Try A Skill. This program involves “hands on” activities in a range of trade areas. Students select the employment areas in which they are interested and attend a session for each of these areas during the day. The sessions are run by local apprentices and tradespeople which gives the students a chance to talk with young people working in the various trades and to try the different occupations by doing a task specific to that job. Many students were able to try areas that they had not previously considered. The students who attended thoroughly enjoyed the day and appreciated the dedication of presenters in making themselves available to show students a little about what their job involves. ADFA The Australian Defence Force Academy in Canberra is holding their Open Day on Saturday 31 August. The Open day is an opportunity to find out a little about life at ADFA and what it means to train to be an officer in the Defence Forces. Students and parents are invited to attend the Open Day and can attend independently. However to facilitate attendance the Newcastle branch of Defence Force Recruiting has organised a bus tour to the Open Day. Information and applications to attend this tour is available from Mrs Dwyer or alternatively you can contact Rebecca Sutcliffe from Defence Force Recruiting on 02 49745427 or by email on [email protected] TVET TVET subjects are vocational subjects that are taught through TAFE but which count towards a student’s HSC program. Students must apply to do a TVET subject. Applications are now open and students in Years 10 and 11 who wish to study a TVET subject in 2014 must see Mrs Dwyer to collect an application form. Year 11 students who are currently studying a TVET subject must still apply for a 2014 course even if they are applying to do the second year of their 2013 course.
Our thanks and gratitude goes to the Hill family for their kind donation.
Student Medical Forms
During Terms 3 and 4 we will be updating our medical records systems to ensure we have the most up-to-date information on your child’s health. If you have a child with a medical condition you will receive a copy of the new forms in the mail and will need to fill them out and return them to us as soon as you can. The good news is we have already started collecting some of this information, which means less for you to do. The new forms will help us collect your child’s important medical information and the introduction of new systems will mean we'll be able to better manage the daily and emergency health needs of your child. We appreciate your support as we start collecting the information, and if you have any questions please call.
Our next P & C Association Meeting is on: Tuesday 27th August 2013 6:30pm
Kurri Kurri High School Newsletter
Deakin and Stanford Streets Kurri Kurri 2327
POSTAGE PAID AUSTRALIA
Year 10 - Authentic Assessment - Ms Taylor All Year 10 students should be gathering their tasks together and completing relevant sections of their Authentic Assessment Booklets. During Step Up students will be receiving information and mentoring over coming weeks with a follow up
Making the Best of Ourselves
Deakin and Stanford Streets Kurri Kurri 2327 Ph. 4937 1877 www.kurrikurri.hs.education.nsw.gov.au/ Number 5 The Principal - Mr Hunter EdFest is a very important event in our Education Week celebrations. Through EdFest our community witnesses outstanding performances from our partner schools and our own performing arts students as well as an outstanding selection of student work in visual arts. Throughout the evening our Hospitality students prepare and serve food for the audience. Congratulations to all of the students and staff who made EdFest such a success this year. Particular thanks to Ms Dunlevie for her leadership of the organising committee, the Creative and Performing Arts staff for their efforts in preparing students and organising the art, photography and ceramics work, and Mrs Hughes and Mrs L’Green for their work with the Hospitality students. Well done! Our Parent-Teacher afternoon was very well supported by parents last Thursday and my thanks to the staff for their commitment to these meetings as well. During the afternoon a survey was completed by parents as part of our ongoing school evaluation. Every student receives a school diary at the start of the school years containing school calendar of events, as well the school calendar is published on the school website and text messages are sent out on the day of school events to remind parents. The effectiveness of the text message relies on current mobile phone numbers of parents/caregivers, so please update contact details with the school when changes are made. We are also looking at a smartphone application as another way of providing information to parents and details will be provided once this is finalised. Last week we held our Term Merit Assemblies and I am please to announce the recipients of the P&C Awards. Yr 7 Rhys Field Yr 10 Ryan Porter Yr 8 Ashlea Hay Yr 11 Brooke Watson Yr 9 Shania Kiem Yr 12 Laura Bain Congratulations to these students and thankyou to our P&C for their sponsorship of these awards. Year 12 students have been given application forms for two $1000 scholarships provided by the P&C for 2014, to assist students with further education. This is a very generous gesture by our P&C and Year 12 students need to submit their applications to me by the end of Term 3. The P&C considers the applications early in 2014 when students have finalised their study choices. At the previous P&C meeting it was decided to hold our meetings to 6:30pm rather than 7pm. P&C meetings are held in our Staff Common Room, in the main administration block and I encourage all parents to attend. Congratulations to Ashleigh Barbour, Brendan Crow, Tracy Jones and Abby White who will have their artwork exhibited at The Armory Gallery, Sydney Olympic Park, from 7 September to 27 October. Their work was chosen in the Operation Art Exhibition organised by the Children’s Hospital at Westmead. Fax. 4937 3773 9th August 2013 Year 12 Legal Studies gets a Judicial Visit - Mrs Edwards
Kurri Kurri High School Newsletter Deputy Principal Years 10, 11, 12 - Mrs Andrews Students in Year 12 have completed their Trial Examinations and are working to finalise study in all subjects. The HSC Examinations will commence on the 14th October and students should check their timetable for the HSC exams thoroughly. Many senior students also have practical examinations occurring in the few weeks. A reminder to students in Year 12 that they should be checking the HSC Online for updates and other information regarding the HSC. We wish Year 12 all the best as they move towards completing their schooling. Year 10 has been busy seeking information in order to select their subjects for study in the senior school. A parent information evening held on Wednesday 17th July was very well attended and enabled parents and carers to access information to assist students in this process and to ask questions. Representatives from TAFE and Newcastle University were present to assist with information. The next step will be to determine the most popular courses selected by students so that lines of subjects may be formulated. At this point some students will need to adjust their selections. TAFE applications for Years 11 and 12 in 2014 must be given to Mrs Dwyer by the due date. The Kurri Kurri Local Management Group schools have celebrated NAIDOC as a group. Students from Kurri Kurri High travelled to the primary schools to conduct a series of Traditional Aboriginal games. The activities were enjoyed by all students from Kindergarten through to Year 11. Many thanks to Mr Derry for his organisation along with Mrs Field, Mr Berry, Mr Bailey and all students who participated. Also as part of NAIDOC celebrations, students enjoyed a performance from the Beatty Clan, performances from the boys’ dance group from Stanford Merthyr Infants School and some students attended an Aboriginal Health and Careers Expo at Mt View High School. CAPA - Ms Dunlevie CONGRATULATIONS YEAR 9 DANCERS FOR AN OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE
9th August 2013 Deputy Principal Years 7, 8, 9 - Mrs Glasson The term has started off on a busy note. Across all years there is plenty going on, and in addition to our own students, we have also had Year 6 students from our local Primary Schools visiting us. These special visitors are part of our Year 6 GATS Enrichment Program, which involves students who express talents in particular areas of learning, coming to the school and taking part in programs to introduce them to the type of learning they will encounter once they enter Year 7. Programs will be run across all faculties, with the first program having been held earlier this month with Mrs Koswanage putting students through their paces in Science. By taking part in these programs, it is also a stepping stone for these Year 6 students to then become a part of our Gifted and Talented (GAT) class for Year 7, 2014. Therefore, in conjunction with the Enrichment Program we will be actively promoting the selection process to our Partner Primary schools to take part in. For our current Year 7 GAT class, I look forward to hearing about their excursion to the PowerHouse Museum to take part in Design and Technology Workshops with Mr Kentwell. Enriching student engagement is a key aspect of planning our work in the classroom. With this in mind, the school is looking at the purchase of approximately 22 iPads for use in our Year 7 classrooms. The use of an iPad as an effective and engaging learning tool will be an invaluable asset to the school and learning outcomes. In our last newsletter I mentioned that during this term our current Year 8 students will need to choose electives for the next two years. The booklet for parents and carers will be sent out in coming weeks to aid you in making your choices. Now though is a good time to start talking at home about where your child’s interests lie and the electives that may suit. Finally for this newsletter, I am also pleased to let parents know that for the first time we have introduced a Careers class for all Year 9 students into our timetable. The aim of these classes is not so much to prepare students for a long term career at this stage but rather to assist them to be prepared for the workforce they may enter now as a student, helping to prepare resumes and starting to think about the type of work experience they may like to undertake during Year 10.
On Thursday 27th June, Justice Stewart Austin, a judge from the NSW Family Court came to Kurri Kurri High School to visit with our Year 12 Legal Studies class. Year 12 have been studying Family Law in class as one of their optional topics for the HSC. Justice Austin is an ex-Kurri Kurri High student who graduated in 1978 and offered to speak to the students about family law and other important legal issues. His visit allowed the students to gain an insight into how the legal system functions and really brought the Legal Studies syllabus to life! Heading into the HSC, the students were able to use this opportunity to expand their knowledge and understanding of family law as well as it being an invaluable experience demonstrating the post school success of a previous Kurri Kurri High School student. Justice Austin’s education here at Kurri Kurri High School was a major stepping stone to a highly successful career in law. We thank him for his time and look forward to working further with His Honour in future Legal Studies classes.
Important Dates
12-16 Aug 2013 16 August 2013 19 - 23 Aug 2013 23 August 2013 26 - 30 Aug 2013 27 August 2013 30 August 2013 2 - 13 Sept 2013 11 Sept 2013 Yr 11 VET Work Placement Hospitality Year 10 Beacon Polish Program Yr 11 VET Work Placement Metal & Engineering Year 10 Beacon Polish Program National Literacy & Numeracy Week P&C Association Meeting 6:30pm Year 10 Beacon Lunch With the Girls Year 11 Final Exams Year 12 STARS Excursion
16 - 20 Sept 2013 Year 11 Crossroads
ATTENTION ALL PARENTS & CARERS The Ministry of Health has made available FREE HPV Vaccine for 15 year old boys in Year 10. Please see your local doctor for vaccinations and further information.
Kurri Kurri High School Newsletter Broken Melody – Book Launch
9th August 2013
Kurri Kurri High School Newsletter Nura Gili Winter School - Sky Insley-Miller Year 11 In the second week of the school holidays, I attended the 2013 Nura Gili winter school which was held at the UNSW in Sydney. It was a week long program where 150 students attended from all over Australia and I was lucky enough to be one of those participants. During the week long program I participated in many cultural events such as: NAIDOC flag raising ceremony, Indigenous games, Identity lectures, a Formal dinner and a Rock carving tour around Bondi. We broke into faculty groups for the week, with each group “faculty” focusing on a particular topic. The topic I chose was indigenous studies and it covered cultural identity, policies relating to indigenous people and all the different meanings relating to policy. The Bondi coastal walk took us to all the aboriginal rock carvings on the ground and the rock shelters that were hidden underneath the cliff edges. We learned about the significant areas and places around Sydney and the story’s that came with them. Throughout the week we did many performances relating back to our work that we were studying during indigenous studies. This culminated on Graduation Day when we presented a performance on aboriginal dancing and rock carvings. Our group was painted up and presented as if we were telling a dreamtime story, while the boys were dancing, we girls told the story of how many many years ago the Aboriginals used to tell their stories through song and dance and now in the 21st century those stories are being passed down through rock carvings. As the boys finished their dancing we all joined hands and sung “We Believe” as a symbol of how we believe that we can do anything, as long as you put in the effort to do so. At the end of the week everyone came together on the last night and threw a disco in appreciation of their hard efforts they had put in throughout the week. Everyone had enjoyed a week full of fun and exciting adventures. The main thing I liked about the Winter School Program was getting a better understanding of what I want to do when I leave school and how I can go about achieving what I want. I found this program really helped me open my eyes and has got me thinking of my future - it is really important to start thinking early. I also found it really interesting to learn about the Aboriginal culture and how the Aboriginals created their rock carvings and rock shelters, as well as learning about all the significant sites that were getting destroyed every year due to mining, rock works and many other industrial projects.
9th August 2013
For many students here at the school, Trudy Adams may well be a familiar face on a Friday in the library when she visits in a mentoring role; or perhaps they may have met her up at the Kurri Kurri Youth Centre where she is one of the coordinators. However, Trudy lives a double life and throughout this year she has also been involved with the school in her other role, that of an award winning author. Earlier this year, Trudy joined our Year 7W class to run a writing workshop, and then at the end of last term, she held the launch of her third novel here in the school library. As part of the event, Trudy also promoted literacy and creativity amongst young people by presenting awards for a writing competition she held in partnership with the school. Congratulations must go to Zac Taylor, Rhys Field and Tarnee White – winners of the Year 7-9 section, and Kali Somerville, Heidi Hyland, Rebecca Sharp and Amber Harvey – winners of the Year 10-12 section. Trudy’s novels are all teenage fiction. Broken Melody explores the story of a young girl torn between a dysfunctional past and a promising future, as the protagonist Danae Blackburn has lived a life of brokenness and fear until discovering she is a gifted pianist. ‘I wanted to explore the battlefield that takes place in a person’s mind when they have been consistently told they are “nothing” or “worthless”, but more importantly, I wanted to show that with help and time, that battle can be won,’ Trudy says. ‘Having worked with young people for almost four years, I also wanted to create a story that was relevant to the current generation - not only to inspire them to read, but to encourage them to see that life can change, that there is always hope for a better future.’ You can borrow Broken Melody and Trudy’s other novels Desolate Beauty and Judging Meghan from the library.
Counsellors Corner Having trouble getting your teenager to come to school? A completely free service that can help you is the Family Action Centre’s Hunter Outreach program. They offer case management where an individual case worker will actually visit you and your teen at home to help you work out what the problem is. They can provide support, information and encouragement as well as referral to the most suitable people or agencies to help you. This program is to help young people aged 12 to 25 and can even provide assistance in seeking work or accommodation. If you think this service may help you and your teen, please contact Kerry Bird on 4921 5758 or 0447 611 724.
NAIDOC WEEK
Kurri Kurri High School Newsletter Gallipoli 2015 Update - Ms Britton As you may be aware, the RSL club is sending one lucky student from 20 schools across the Hunter Valley on the trip of a lifetime. In 2015, one lucky student from Kurri Kurri High School will be in Turkey during the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli Landing of 1915 to participate in the celebrations. As part of this 16 day trip, they will be attending a ball, enjoying a cruise from Venice to Turkey, touring the battlefields of Gallipoli and Turkey and may have the chance to be present at the dawn ceremony on Anzac Day, April 25 2015. This is truly a once in a lifetime trip! Our seven students are required to research and present information regarding one World War I Veteran, including their life before the war, reasons for enlistment and their experiences during the war. They have combed the Edgeworth David Museum’s archives and found invaluable information to include in their research, as well as the darkest depths of the internet. A big thank you must go to Mr Andrews for putting aside his time to help these students with their research. The initial school based panels will be conducted sometime towards the end of this term. The final presentations to the regional selection committee will be held during and after the October School Holidays, so while you are all relaxing and enjoying your break, think of the students who are fighting hard for their place on this awesome trip! I have mentioned the word ‘lucky’ a few times, but the truth is that there is very little ‘luck’ involved. This is a monumental task, their research and presentation skills will be called in to question as they try to convince two separate panels they are the best candidate to represent our school. Many hours of painstaking research has gone in to this process already, and we are only just about to start preparing the presentations! Yet, it is not all about the final outcome. The practise these students have and will gain in their research and presentation skills through this opportunity will be of great benefit to them in their future studies. These skills form such a large part of senior school assessment requirements, and to have them tested in this way now will be of great benefit to them in the future. They will have the opportunity to fine tune and adjust their approach to give them the edge in their class assessments. Further, the student who is selected to go on this trip will gain priceless memories that will shape their futures and even give them an advantage in the HSC examinations. On behalf of all staff and students of Kurri Kurri High School, I wish each participant the greatest of luck in their endeavour and hope that the person who eventually wins this awesome prize has the trip of a lifetime!
9th August 2013
Kurri Kurri High School Newsletter Sports News with Mr Derry KKHS has had some great individual performances of late in a diverse variety of sports. We will start with the most current. We have sent an army of talented athletes to the regional athletics carnival at Glendale on the 24/7/13-25/7/13. Our representatives are Tristan Aspinall, Jasmine Bacon, Andrew Dures, Aden Harvey, Amber Harvey, Melissa Johnson, Nicole Kounnas, Matt Rees, Jacob Schumacher, Nick Scott, Ben Sharp, Blake Whiteley, Brodie Williams, Nikki Kennedy, Ashleigh Barbour and the boys 17 year old relay team consisting of the awesome foursome: Nick Scott, Josh Scott, Matt Rees and Brodie Williams. The time of writing these students were competing and results will be published in the next newsletter. In other news India Orrock came 1st overall in the Hunter Region Artistic Gymnastics with a 1st in the floor, Beam and Vault disciplines and a 2nd on the bars. Well done to Mollie Hargreaves who made the Hunter team in a different division and to Natalie Rushton who made the reserve list for the Hunter Artistic Gymnastics. Well done to Ranon Holstein who has had success in the AWD National Swimming titles with a 1st in the 50m Backstroke and a 2nd in the 50 m Freestyle. Over the school holidays we had 5 lads compete in the Schoolboy Golf Championship at Newcastle Golf Club; Lachlan Vassella, Justin Wood, Josh Udbinac, Josh Stig and Zac Pryor all equited themselves well at this tournament. And finally, Brodie Gordon made the Hunter Softball Team which will compete soon in the State Titles. Dramaworks - Kali Somerville Year 10 During the last week of term 2, myself and four other students from Kurri High participated in Dramaworks. Dramaworks is a weeklong drama workshop held for students from the Hunter and Central Coast which is organised by the Australian Theatre for Young People. There were five different courses - Mixed Media, Acting to Camera, Musical Mash -up, Physical Storytelling and Totally Tragic. Amber Harvey and I participated in Totally Tragic, Ethan Harvey and Hayden Gray participated in Mixed Media and Hamish McKenzie participated in Physical Storytelling. It was an amazing experience and definitely one that I would recommend to anyone who is interested in drama and acting. During the week we learnt and enhanced our vocal skills, acting skills and improvisation skills as well as developing a further understanding of Tragedy. As well as improving our drama skills, it was an opportunity to make friends and meet people who were interested in the same things that we were. At the end of the week each group made up a drama performance to perform at the Showcase. The best part of the week was definitely lunchtimes as it provided an opportunity for impromptu dances and flash mobs as well as meeting other students who weren’t in your group. Year 12 Advisor - Ms Taylor
9th August 2013
Students will be completing their assessment tasks over the coming weeks, studying their final units of work and preparing for HSC revision. Congratulations to all students who completed their practical exams and Major Works this term - it is always a challenging yet rewarding process for students and staff. I would encourage all students to reflect on their Trial HSC results in order to maximise their potential in the BIG exam. Our last merit assembly was held in Week 3 and it was wonderful to see so many students receiving acknowledgement for their efforts in class. We have many fine young men and women who have consistently applied themselves to their studies and it has been gratifying to witness their ongoing success. Congratulations to Laura Bain who received the P&C Award for her Term 2 achievements. Laura continues to prove that perseverance and diligence reaps incredible rewards. Special mention must also be made of James Lawson who received the 'Judge's Choice Award ' for his artwork entered into the EdFest Art Competition. Our Year 12 Fundraising team are also to be commended for their hard work selling chocolates in order to subsidise the school Formal. Due to their hard work we have been able to reduce the price of student tickets considerably. Jacob Perry, closely followed by James Lawson, is the Salesman of the Year! We are intending on holding a Bake Sale in Week 6 with half the funds going towards the Formal and half to a charity of the students' choice. The 19th of September is the last day for Year 12 with the Graduation Assembly to be held in the school gymnasium in the morning and the Formal at Newcastle Torn Hall - Banquet room in the evening. The Graduation Ceremony is a significant event for our School community as we recognise and celebrate the achievements of our fine students. Invitations for the Year 12 Formal will be issued in Week 4 accompanied by detailed information about this very special event. All Parents/ Caregivers should expect important news from the school over coming weeks. National Tree Planting Day - Mr Jaye
EDFEST 2013
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OUR EDFEST ARTISTS, PERFORMERS AND CATERING STUDENTS ON A JOB WELL DONE. MANY THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS AND STAFF FOR MAKING IT ALL POSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY MISS DUNLEVIE, MRS L’GREEN AND MRS HUGHES.
Coincidently Education Week and National Tree Planting Day arrived in the same week this year. Consequently Kurri Kurri High School’s contribution to greening the environment enriched the Education week Activities that occurred at the school. The occasion of National Tree Planting day was celebrated later in the week with Year 7 students planting a tree inside the school ground. These students promised undying love to this tree and inside that oath lay the promise to water it!
Kurri Kurri High School Newsletter Drumbeat - Mr Hope HT Welfare Careers - Mrs Dwyer
9th August 2013
Kurri Kurri High School Newsletter TAS - Mr Kentwell Recently our faculty was fortunate enough to receive a donation from the family of one of our students. The Hill Family has generously donated to our faculty a near new pedestal drill and a large quantity of hardwood timber. Some of the donated timber has already been put to good use, being used in the construction of the major project of one of our senior students. Once the drill is in position it will be used by a large number of students in technology, industrial technology and design and technology and serve the school for many years to come.
9th August 2013 Student of the Term - Jasmine Bacon Year 9 Each term the School Executive recognise a student for their contribution to school life. CONGRATULATIONS Jasmine! Jasmine Bacon can be described as a model school citizen. Her selection for this award comes from the fact that she participates in her school life on so many different levels. Jasmine has a high standard of academic achievement but she is able to manage this alongside her involvement in sport and an array of other activities; these include participating in the Mayoral Debating Team, designing of the Allunga House Banner, representing the school at a significant level in sport most recently in Regional Athletics, as well as being Allunga House Athletics 15 years girls champion. Jasmine, you certainly are an outstanding student, well done.
Taught and used by young people and adults across Australia, Drumbeat is a program now finding its place here at Kurri Kurri High School. In a nutshell, Drumbeat promotes social understanding and connection through a team drumming experience. Driven by HT Welfare Mr Alan Hope, a group of Year 7 boys are participating in Drumbeat with the support of Weston Public School. The group facilitator is one of their teachers, Miss Cheetham, who leads the rhythmic group on a weekly basis. Whilst creating tribal music is a key element to running the program, underlying the beats are the issues addressed by Miss Cheetham during the class, issues which include such things as how to deal with life, identity, teamwork and relationships. It is amazing how you can use the intensity, rhythm and working together as a group to create a song to relate to the real world. Mr Hope sees this first troop of boys benefitting greatly from their participation. The skills they are learning now in Year 7 will help them, as individuals and as a group, as they move through the rest of their high school years. It is the goal to introduce Drumbeat on a larger scale into the school in the near future; in the meantime, a showcase of beats that the boys are learning will be performed later in the term. Student Profile - Josh Stig, Zac Pryor and Josh Udbinac Josh Stig, Zac Pryor and Josh Udbinac are all Year 11 boys with ambition. Whilst completing the HSC is their priority for now, none would pass up the opportunity for a professional career in golf. For the past two years, the boys have been representing the Hunter District for golf. More recently, for Josh S in his age group, he tied for 11th place in the NSW State Championships whilst Josh U and Zac have been making their mark at the Newcastle School District Competition. Zac is current 16yrs and over Champion with Josh U on his tail in the comp in third place. It is within our school though that they also see place for golf. In the trophy cabinet in the entrance way to the school, gleams the silver trophy for Senior Golf. It is the boys mission to bring this competition back! They say that when you play golf, it’s challenging and it is all on yourself. You can’t blame anyone else if you’re having a bad day. They want to encourage other students to experience this too and call for other like minded golfers to join them in their bid to bring golf back into the school.
Try a Skill. On 26 July thirty one Year 9 students travelled to Maitland Showground to take part in this year’s Try A Skill. This program involves “hands on” activities in a range of trade areas. Students select the employment areas in which they are interested and attend a session for each of these areas during the day. The sessions are run by local apprentices and tradespeople which gives the students a chance to talk with young people working in the various trades and to try the different occupations by doing a task specific to that job. Many students were able to try areas that they had not previously considered. The students who attended thoroughly enjoyed the day and appreciated the dedication of presenters in making themselves available to show students a little about what their job involves. ADFA The Australian Defence Force Academy in Canberra is holding their Open Day on Saturday 31 August. The Open day is an opportunity to find out a little about life at ADFA and what it means to train to be an officer in the Defence Forces. Students and parents are invited to attend the Open Day and can attend independently. However to facilitate attendance the Newcastle branch of Defence Force Recruiting has organised a bus tour to the Open Day. Information and applications to attend this tour is available from Mrs Dwyer or alternatively you can contact Rebecca Sutcliffe from Defence Force Recruiting on 02 49745427 or by email on [email protected] TVET TVET subjects are vocational subjects that are taught through TAFE but which count towards a student’s HSC program. Students must apply to do a TVET subject. Applications are now open and students in Years 10 and 11 who wish to study a TVET subject in 2014 must see Mrs Dwyer to collect an application form. Year 11 students who are currently studying a TVET subject must still apply for a 2014 course even if they are applying to do the second year of their 2013 course.
Our thanks and gratitude goes to the Hill family for their kind donation.
Student Medical Forms
During Terms 3 and 4 we will be updating our medical records systems to ensure we have the most up-to-date information on your child’s health. If you have a child with a medical condition you will receive a copy of the new forms in the mail and will need to fill them out and return them to us as soon as you can. The good news is we have already started collecting some of this information, which means less for you to do. The new forms will help us collect your child’s important medical information and the introduction of new systems will mean we'll be able to better manage the daily and emergency health needs of your child. We appreciate your support as we start collecting the information, and if you have any questions please call.
Our next P & C Association Meeting is on: Tuesday 27th August 2013 6:30pm
Kurri Kurri High School Newsletter
Deakin and Stanford Streets Kurri Kurri 2327
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Year 10 - Authentic Assessment - Ms Taylor All Year 10 students should be gathering their tasks together and completing relevant sections of their Authentic Assessment Booklets. During Step Up students will be receiving information and mentoring over coming weeks with a follow up
