Term 2 2019 SEFTON NEWS

Sincerity , Scholarship, Service

Welcome to the Sefton News for Term 2.

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE THIS ISSUE INCLUDES I have now had the honour of being at Sefton HS for just over 12 months and I must say it has taken all this time and more toBy absorb Humayra the culture, Autoshi theYear values 10  Principal's Message and the traditions of this fantastic school. People always ask me how is it  Granville School going? Or they may say “What is it like working at Sefton HS?” My answers Spectacular I suspect, always seem the same – extremely busy and extremely rewarding.  Sporting Prowess – Table It is always gratifying at the end of every week to reflect on what has occurred Tennis and Lawn Bowls across Sefton HS and then to look forward into the next week’s calendar to  Debaters see and experience the industrious activity of staff and students working in  Student Wellbeing partnership to achieve our vision of Excellence in Education for All of our  History Happenings Students. Our number one priority remains quality learning. The classroom  English Engagements maintains primacy in all that we do. By the same token, it is often the things  Mathematics Faculty News that occur beyond the classroom that students, staff and parents enjoy. It  The Inaugural Sefton High builds connection to the school and to the world around and I am grateful to School Public Speaking a committed staff who go above and beyond the call of duty to provide Challenge results students with holistic learning experiences in so many domains.  Year 11 Legal Studies In no particular order let me touch on a few issues.  Sports Report Term 2  Knockouts PARENT TEACHER EVENINGS  Visual Arts News Every school in NSW does these from K-12. These evenings are critical for  Photography Club student learning as they provide parents and staff the opportunity to  And In Other News collaborate to ensure that there is an effective partnership between the school  Anzac Day and the home. These nights are not put on for the benefit of staff. It is done  Clubs purely for the parents and the student. At Sefton HS, in an attempt to draw  Year 12 news parents into the school we hold back Mid-Year student reports so that they  Premier’s Reading can be distributed to parents on the night. We also confirm currency of contact Challenge details including email addresses. Staff have high expectations placed on  Write for Fun comp them for this evening including being available for the duration of the evening  Student Representative and ensuring that they know their students and their learning progression Council intimately. We write to every family in the week or so leading up to Parent  Driving safely in and Teacher night to ensure that they know that it is on and that we want them to around school zones come to the school. It is the same night every year. It is extensively promoted in each class with your child, and advertised on our website and Facebook page. We have interpreters booked and paid for ready to support parents. To have so many parents therefore not attend is beyond my comprehension.

Our parent teacher night for Years 7-10 will be held at the school on Wednesday 3rd July from 3,30pm until 7.30pm. Please set this date into your calendars.

It shocked me at our recent Year 11 and 12 Parent Teacher evening just how many parents did not engage in this process. I know many of our parents place high value on education and of the work of staff. But parents, we want and need you at school for these evenings. A parent teacher evening simply does not work if one of the two central players is not in attendance. Our parent teacher night for Years 7-10 will be held at the school on Wednesday 3rd July from 3.30pm until 7.30pm. Please set this date into your calendars. TWICE A TERM STUDENT PROFILE REVIEWS Our wonderful Deputy Principals, Mr Blaker and Mr Dimopoulos, and I get together twice a term in Weeks 5 and 10 to review the learning and behaviour profiles of students. This systematic process identifies areas of concern, and students are then assigned a response level letter. Level 1 simply involves a letter of concern goming home. At Level 2 the relevant Deputy Principal intervenes and interviews the student. This interview is very much a mentoring meeting designed to identify issues and get students on track. At Level 3 the letter requests parents to come to the school to discuss what strategies we may work on, in partnership with parents, to achieve the best possible outcomes for the student. It is disappointing to see, with students at risk of not meeting course completion requirements particularly in Years 10, 11 and 12, that often we are not hearing from some parents. I very much thank the parents that do respond to this communication and ask that when these letters come home that you touch base with either Deputy Principal so as to partner them in your child’s development as an effective learner. ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS YEARS 10, 11 AND 12 This segways into this next important matter. In Year 10, the first real systemic expectation for minimum levels of performance and achievement are placed on students in the form of the RoSA – Record of School Achievement. Mr Blaker, Mr Dimopoulos and I are working with staff and students alike to ensure that we are raising our already high expectations in terms of what we consider to be satisfactory participation in learning. Using the language of the NSW Education Standards Authority this involves students demonstrating sustained and diligent effort towards the set learning experiences of each course and that they are achieving some or all of the course outcomes. We are making it abundantly clear that academic credentialing for the RoSA and the HSC must be earned. It is not sufficient to simply orbit the sun for one year to progress. Progression from Year 10 into 11 must be earned. Similarly eligibility for an HSC will be stringently monitored and unless a student has a satisfactory level of attendance, engagement and achievement then they will be at serious risk of Non Completion. Please call either myself, Mr Blaker or Mr Dimopoulos if you receive a Non Completion Course Warning Letter home so that we may ensure you understand what the issue is and how to move forward. A MESSAGE TO YEAR 12 STUDENTS AND PARENTS As we move ever closer to your ultimate test – the HSC exams - what you are doing daily is laying the groundwork and foundations for success. I have worked extensively with HSC cohorts for a very long time and the elements of success remain constant. Here are my top ten tips. 1. Your teachers are your new best friend. Partner them. Use them. Listen to them. Question them. 2. Know thy syllabus. Pin it to the bedroom wall. It is the only thing you can be examined on. 3. Have a weekly to do list that incorporates all that you do inside and outside school in a week. 4. Take care of yourself physically. Sleep, exercise, diet and routine matter. 5. Turn OFF and remove from the room all devices when you study. Stop kidding yourself on this. 6. If you need help, ask. Do not ignore the problem.

7. Attend EVERY lesson. Be present both physically and mentally. 8. Holidays are now study vacations that must incorporate a balance of study and downtime. 9. Success is not a number. It is goal driven personal best, characterised by continuous improvement. 10. As would an elite athlete, practice specificity. Study by doing what the subject requires you to do. PARENT AND COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES ON TEACHER SELECTION PANELS From time to time we are required to form panels to select teaching staff based on Department of Education merit selection procedures. In every instant we have to have a parent representative on the panel and in most cases a second person, often a parent who acts as a representative of a language or ethnic community due to the cultural diversity of the school. Presently we have six people we call on for this purpose and we would love to have two or three more. The only requirement is a bit of time and a fluency in reading and listening in the English language. Please consider being a part of this vital school work. If you have questions please give me a call to discuss. UPCOMING EVENTS – SAVE THE DATE Wednesday 26 June – Beyond Year 10 Parent Information Evening (Year 10 Parents) Wednesday 3 July – Parent Teacher Evening and Reports Available – (Years 7-10) As always – to keep up to date – like us on Facebook. Mr K Humphreys Principal GRANVILLE SCHOOL SPECTACULAR

As it has been a number of years since Sefton High School has participated in the Granville School Spectacular program, it was suggested we combine Stage Band, Vocal Group and Dance Troupe to submit a performance, with the hope of performing at the Sydney Opera House later this year. It is a unique opportunity to showcase our school’s talents in the Performing Arts, and our students jumped at the opportunity. The theme this year is “Seasons” and our school chose to perform the song “Seasons of Love” from the musical Rent. Our Stage Band and Vocal group have worked hard under the tutelage of Ms Frugtniet, while our dancers were given the task of putting together original choreography, which told a story of the song and related to the theme. Ms Kacopieros & Ms Zadro oversaw morning rehearsals to put the performance together.

On Wednesday 29 May, the program’s audition panel arrived at our school to view our piece. The students performed it twice, with some feedback given in between the two performances. The feedback received was positive, with some constructive critiques given to polish up the performance. On Friday 31 May, our school received an email that we had been successful and were to be included in the concert on Thursday 29 August. We congratulate both students and staff for this fantastic and rare opportunity to perform in one of the most prestigious venues in the world, and we know that they will proudly represent Sefton High School.

SPORTING PROWESS

TABLE TENNIS SENSATION

Celine Chen (Year 7) was in Singapore at the end of March representing in U13 for the

Junior Hopes Invitational Table Tennis Tournament. She was quarter finalist in the U13 Single event and won the 2018 Oceania Hopes Challenge.

She represented Australia to compete in Oceania Hopes events hosted in Hamilton NZ at the end of April.

2018 Australian National Junior competition, Celine won Gold and Silver medals in the U11 and U13 events. Celine is currently U13 Rank 2, U15 Rank 4, U18 Rank 12 in Australia. An extraordinary effort for a great sportsperson.

KNOCK OUT LAWN BOWLS

The Sefton High School Knock Out Lawn Bowls team have been hard at work for the past two weeks, hitting the green for the past two Fridays and facing off in some epic matches.

The team, consisting of Jason He, Victor Huynh, Christopher Predic and ably led by team captain Thomas Lam, impressed in the first round of the competition – winning two of their pool matches. This first round was a great display of immense concentration, calculations of bowl bias and aggressively attacking the jack. With consistent rotation and strategic plays, all four members of the team chipped in to ensure a lock on a second-round seeding.

The following week, after intense strategising, training and preparation, Team Sefton went up against Camden High School. They dug deep, pulled out all the stops, and displayed all the skills of a seasoned lawn bowler … but came up short in what was an extremely close contest given the conditions and opposition.

Congratulations goes out to the team and we all look forward to the continued growth of the Sefton High School lawn bowls culture.

The SHS Lawn Bowls Team

DEBATERS

History Debating

History Debating is back for 2019 at Sefton High School and the Year 10 and Year 11 teams continue the long traditions of success that our school has in this competition. This year, Sefton High School is part of two history debating competitions – the JA Thompson Competition and the Les Gordon Competition. Both teams are being assisted by Ms Brown and Mr Elley through both competitions, but the whole History Faculty often manages to find an excuse to help out and advise in their areas of expertise.

Our school has a long and successful history with the JA Thompson Competition, successfully winning the Year 11 tournament in 2017. This year, both Year 10 and Year 11 teams look to go far while also learning a thing or two along the way.

The first round for the Year 11 team saw them argue the affirmative to the topic ‘That the attempts of the US Government to solve the issues of the Great Depression did more harm than good’ against St Benedict's Catholic College. In what was a very close contest, Sefton was unsuccessful in getting the win. However, the team is still well and truly in the hunt for a place in the second round, with their next pool debate against The King’s School coming up, arguing the negative to the topic ‘That the Spartans should have retreated rather than fight the Battle of Thermopylae’.

The first round for the Year 10 team was also against St Benedict's Catholic College with the topic ‘That the use of atomic bombs against Japan to end WWII was justified’. Sefton High School’s team proved up to the task and won the debate with very good feedback from the adjudicator. Their next debate is against Good Samaritan Catholic College and they will argue the negative to the topic ‘That

the collapse of the League of Nations was inevitable’. Hopefully a win in their second pool debate will see them move through to the second round with a strong position in the quarter finals.

The Year 10 team is also part of the Les Gordon History Debating Competition. This competition is a knock-out competition – you lose and you’re out! Sefton High School had their first debate against to the topic ‘That Australia Day must change or die’, arguing the affirmative. After a passionate and strong debate, Sefton came out the winners! The team has now progressed through to the second round, with a debate against the Emanuel School, and will argue the negative to the topic ‘That Kokoda was more significant than Gallipoli’.

Congratulations to both teams, and we’re all cheering on your continued success!

The History Debating Teams STUDENT WELLBEING

From the Student Wellbeing Team Semester 1 has been busy with a great range of activities addressing student well-being for all Year groups. Students in Years 7 to 11 have been engaged in a broad range of activities organised by their Year Advisors. Years 7 and 11 have attended well organised camps by their Year Advisors, Ms Wood and Mr Lu, and Ms Kacopieros is currently in the midst of organising the Year 9 camp.

It is pleasing to see so many students being involved with fundraising during 2019, with year 9 having run their ‘Beat the Blues’ day during term 1 , and Year 8 (Term 4) and Year 11 (Term 3) is the midst of planning a range of fun activities to raise money for fantastic causes.

Students in Year 10 who have volunteered for the Student Assistant Squad have had an action packed semester 1, assisting Mr Wolter and Head Teachers with a series of little jobs that make a massive contribution to the smooth running of Sefton High School.

In other Student Wellbeing Team news, the School Prefects are currently working busily on their next fundraiser, which is held annually in Term 2, Week 9. This event is known as SEMPH, which stands for Social, Emotional, Mental and Physical Health. The event aims to raise awareness and provide the platform for open discussion about topics that are still so hard for many to talk about. This year all money raised by the Prefects will be donated to ‘Youth in Motion’, hence making SEMPH fundraising an important day for the school year.

Students in Year 11 have almost completed the Life Ready program. This program is a compulsory one, and is completed progressively through engaging lessons at school, Year 11 Camp and the B Street Smart Excursion to be held in September. The program is designed to prepare and support senior students as they encounter situations related to health and safety as they become more independent and gain more responsibilities. Please note, the B Street Smart Excursion is at times filmed and photographed by media outlets and there is some chance that we may be included in footage taken on the day. If you have any concerns about this, please contact me directly.

Brainstorm Productions Students in Years 7, 8, 9, 10 and 12 are all involved in a series of Brainstorm productions during semester 1 that promote the importance of mental health, in regards to bullying, anxiety, depression and the pressures of secondary schooling. These are important productions to highlight to students the importance of recognising and seeking help should they be going through any of these issues.

Each relevant Year Advisor will have a brief follow up session with each grade, to further consolidate the importance of Mental Health to our students.

NSW Health Vaccination Program The NSW Health Vaccination Program for students in Year 7 has been initiated with stage 1 being completed in February. The 2nd Year 7 vaccination will occur in Term 3, completing the vaccination program for this grade. Ms Kacopieros has just successfully organised the Year 10 Meningococcal vaccines. A valuable and free service offered by the NSW Public Health System. If your child has recently enrolled at Sefton High School and has not received a vaccination from their previous school, please do not hesitate to contact me as there are systems in place to catch up any missed vaccinations.

Mr Beggs Head Teacher Student Wellbeing

Year 7 Camp Stepping into Year 7 can be a daunting experience for any student, which is why in Term 1 we gave students the opportunity to get to engage with their peers on a whole new level. In Week 9 of Term 1, Year 7 packed their bags and took a one and a half hour journey towards Gosford for their first overnight high school camp experience. While they were there, they had the chance to develop new friendships, to foster positive Teacher/Student interactions, as well as establish rapport with their groups and to develop and implement leadership skills through fun challenge based activities. Overall it was a fun and exciting two days that allowed all students to step outside of their comfort zone. Pictures of the activities were posted on our Facebook page while the Year 7s were still on camp.

They engaged in a range of fun activities which focused on developing teamwork, cooperation and communication, some of which included:  – Students were able to race each other in a 150m metre long track which bursts out over the campsites dam before finishing in a net on the other side.  Archery – They could test their hand eye coordination and even attempted to build a ‘cake’ based on the points they were able to score.  Giant Swing - Standing at 12m high, students were strapped into a full body harness and a helmet and then lifted to the top by their groups. They then had to build up the courage to release themselves from the top and fly through the air in an adrenalin pumping ride.  High rope - Challenges consisted of tight rope wires, ropes, bridges and hanging obstacles. This helped students in developing cooperation, decision making, self-confidence, positive risk- taking, trust, self-esteem, leadership and teamwork.  Bushwalking - year 7 were able to go for a leisurely stroll through the local bush, while experiencing some initiative exercises aimed at building team work and cooperation.

Gala Day In Term 1, Year 7 started training hard in their PE lessons for their very first Sefton High School gala day. Throughout the lessons they had the chance to develop skills, knowledge and strategic understanding of Softball and Cricket in a team based setting. They were taught the foundational skills and slowly built up their ability so that they could play each game successfully in their chosen sport and team. Unfortunately, as the big day finally arrived we were struck by some wild weather that forced the cancellation of our highly anticipated gala day. Luckily, we were able to reschedule the gala day for Week 10 … but would you believe it, only to be rained out again halfway through the day! Hopefully we have better luck in Term 3 as Year 7 get to partake in their second gala day.

Brainstorm Production In Week 8 of Term 1 Year 7 got to watch the live production, ‘The Hurting Game’. It was a short

play which focused on the issues of cyberbulling, dieting and the pressures that we students are often faced with in high school which was quite an eye opening experience for Year 7. In the following weeks they will get to engage in a follow up session as a Year group that will readdress the concepts covered and ensure all students are equipped with the knowledge and skills to maintain their safety and wellbeing.

Mid Year Exams Very shortly Year 7 will be entering the school hall to sit their mid-year exams for the very first time. Whilst we understand this can be a stressful and daunting time, please don’t forget to remind your children to take the time to look after themselves so that they can give their absolute best as they attempt each exam. Healthy eating, positive stress relief and taking time to do something fun, with an adequate balance of study and school work is all very important. All the best to Year 7 as they enter this exam period!

Year 9 Leadership Committee - Fundraising in 2019 ‘Life is about taking chances, trying new things, having fun, making mistakes and learning from it.’ Early this year, Year 9 raised money for Beyond Blue - a mental health organisation aimed to address issues associated with depression, suicide and other related mental health disorders. We believed that issues such as these were not getting adequate recognition in our society, and considered it our responsibility to contribute to an important cause. We strived towards making a difference as young people, while encountering this new experience as students. Creating an enjoyable fundraiser for both ourselves, our peers and our teachers was the perfect way to do so. In three months, we orchestrated our grade fundraiser, including a variety of entertaining stalls such as the photo booth, a gourmet food stall, a frozen yoghurt station, Bing Su, a cold drinks bar, a DJ Party area as well as a raffle. In doing this, we developed several essential skills such as multitasking, creativity, communication, organisation and cooperation as well as taking this as the perfect opportunity to learn about each other. Being first timers (including our Year Adviser Ms Kacopieros) we made some rookie mistakes, however, with the help of our team we were able to persevere and continue with our preparations. After a term of weekly meetings, intense planning, organising and advertising, we were finally ready to bring our fundraiser to life.

The anticipation and nervousness were among all of us on the day of the fundraiser. We had so many questions. What if it rains? Is the food enough? Would we be able to have everything done in time? What if we don’t make a profit? Our minds were churning with all kind of worries and fears. Despite this, when the bell rang for lunch, our entire team was ecstatic and ready to savour the day they had been planning for the last few months. As the first few teachers and students approached us, we could feel the excitement building in the air, ready to burst out like a cork from a bottle of champagne. And to our surprise...THE DAY WAS A SUCCESS. We raised a whopping $1200, which we were happy to donate to Beyond Blue. On behalf of the fundraising committee, I would like to take a moment to thank some of our school staff for allowing such a fantastic day to occur.  Ms Kacopieros - The BRAINS behind this fundraiser. Without her brilliant organisational skills and her constant supervision and coordination with our committee, we wouldn't be able to pull

this day off.  TAS Faculty, Ms Unwin and Mr Lu - for assisting us in preparations on the day as well as taking their time out especially to supervise and support us.  All the students and teachers who purchased from our stalls, and therefore contributed towards a larger cause. This experience was both entertaining and informative, and we look forward to making our next fundraiser bigger and even better. By Zara Khan Ms Kacopieros (Year 9 Year Advisor)

HISTORY

Year 7 Mummification Process

High School has been such a new experience for Year 7. It has also been so much fun, especially in history, where learning is so engaging, fun and easy to understand. Recently, we were learning about Mummies, and the mummification process, the Egyptians performed on the dead. I found myself wanting to learn more, do more, engage more. In one of our lessons we got to re-enact the mummification process by wrapping our classmates up in bandages (aka toilet paper), and made them into living mummies!

We formed groups, brought in toilet paper, then had the joy of wrapping them up. After lots of laughs, my group won the best-mummy contest! All in all, History lessons are times when you have fun, grow your knowledge and you always leave the room having learned something new! Want to make sure a body gets reunited with its spirit in the afterlife? See how the Ancient Egyptians made their mummies!

1. First wash the dead body in wine and Nile water. Make a cut in the side and take out the organs. To get to the brain, shove a hook up the nose and jiggle it about. Then pull out this useless organ* and chuck it away.

http://www.natgeokids.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/make-a-mummy.jpg

2. Clean the liver, lungs, intestines and stomach, then pop them in four special canopic jars whose lids look like the gods that guard them. The heart will need to be put back in the body, though, as it’s the centre of intelligence*. 3. Use a special Egyptian salt called natron to fill up the cavities and cover up the body. This will get rid of all the moisture. Leave it for about 40 days to dry out completely. 4. Next, scoop out the natron and stuff the body with spices, rags and plants so it doesn’t lose its shape. 5. Wrap up the body in fine linen bandages. Don’t forget to tuck in some lucky amulets, and then utter spells to activate their magical protective powers. When the wrapping is all done, put the mummy in a coffin. Then put that coffin in a coffin, and that coffin in another one and so on. Then place the whole lot in a tomb.

Cool but creepy, eh?!

Zeba Shaikh (7 History It)

YEAR 10 ELECTIVE HISTORY

Maritime Museum Excursion It was ‘all hands on deck’ when Year 10 History Elective went to the Maritime Museum at Darling Harbour to enhance our knowledge on Maritime History. Climbing on ships and submarines gave us a real insight to how sea warfare is so crucial to the defence of our country and to the international history of some of the topics we are studying in History Elective such as the Vikings, Tudors, World Wars and even the Titanic! It was very informative as well as enjoyable. Not only were we able to learn about the importance of artefacts, but also the process of discovering them. We gained an understanding of the tools used to identify underwater artefacts. In addition to this, we were able to explore a real submarine ship, the HMAS Onslow, and Australia’s largest museum vessel, the HMAS Vampire. We were allowed to get up close to the features of the ship, proving to be both an entertaining and an educational experience. The HMAS Onslow was one of the six Oberon-class submarines operated by the Royal Australian Navy named after Sir Alexander Onslow. On board, there is a narrow passageway which took us down to the torpedo room as we continued to follow the walkways. We got to experience the difficulties of what the navy suffered through from cramped spaces to stubbing our toes on the raised doorways.

The HMAS Vampire was another war machine used by The Royal Australian Navy from 1959 to 1986. Once decommissioned, it was gifted to the Maritime Museum where tourists as well as keen Elective History students are able to board and explore the wonderful creation once known for war. We also had a workshop educating us on how marine archaeologists operate. Starting from the past diving suits being made out of copper, brass and/or bronze to our modern day SCUBA diving suits. Did you know, SCUBA is actually an acronym? Neither did we until this excursion. It stands for Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. Overall, this excursion was a wonderful part of our Elective History course and would encourage many people to go and visit the Maritime Museum in their spare time to explore its magnificent ships. Judy Tran and Lynette Nhan Year 10 History Elective 2019

YEAR 11 ANCIENT HISTORY How old is your Mummy? Fun being historians at the Nicholson Museum, Sydney University. Year 11 Ancient Historians were to travel back in time to greet the mummies of Egypt, the Ancient Greek civilisations and become enthusiastic archaeologists. By the help of Sefton’s most beloved teachers, Ms Konstantaras, Ms Itzstein and Mr Collette, transporting from the future to the past was a piece of cake. At the Nicholson Museum, Sydney University, the adventure began with Ancient Egypt. The curator helped the thrilled students read hieroglyphics on Egyptian coffins, understand the religious culture and significance of mummification, and showed us a preserved brain and even a mummified cat! Our Year 11 historians analysed artefacts from the Neolithic to late Roman period, including the Mummy of the Boy Horus, the red granite capital of Hathor, and the coffin of the mummy Padiashaikhet. All students would like to thank Charles Nicholson for excavating and discovering these magnificent artefacts! Continuing the journey from Ancient Egypt, fascinated Year 11 students entered the Greek mainland during the Bronze Age. There were several antiques including ceramic vessels, terracotta figures and rich jewellery items. The most interesting artefacts from the exhibition include the Hellenistic sculpture of Eros, attic black figure amphora and geometric krater from the Dipylon cemetery. The most unforgettable part of the exhibition was the LEGO Pompeii display. It is a gigantic historical model constructed to visually represent the moment of destruction, its rediscovery and the importance it holds in the 21st century for western culture. The highlight of the excursion was the special visit to the museum’s hidden collection in the crypts. Here we got a chance to become professional archaeologists by wearing special gloves and handling 3000 year old artefacts. We had to use our archaeological skills to guess the purpose of each artefact. It was most surprising to realise how little life has changed from

the past to the 21st century! On behalf of all students, thank you Ms Konstantaras, Ms Itzstein and Mr Collette for allowing us to have this exciting opportunity to become both historians and archaeologists! This is Sparta!!! ⚔️ By: Angela Jihae Choi 11 Ancient History 2019

ENGLISH Year 12 English Extension 1 Excursions

Year 12 English Extension 1 students have recently had their minds blown after attending two enthralling and enlightening excursions. The elective module we have been studying since Term 1 is ‘Literary Mindscapes’, which is all about texts that explore the interior worlds of individuals, and alternative ways of being and thinking through representations of the mind – desires, motivations, emotions and memories. The three texts we are studying as part of this elective are Shakespeare’s Hamlet, selected poems of Emily Dickinson and the film Lost in Translation, directed by Sofia Coppola. In May, we ventured out to the Seymour Centre in Chippendale to see a symposium on Hamlet presented by the theatre company Sport For Jove. The managing director of the theatre company, Damien Ryan, provided an erudite and eloquent lecture on Shakespeare’s most famous play through the lens of ‘Literary Mindscapes’, which illuminated the internal struggle of the character of Hamlet. Already depressed by the death of his father, and troubled by his mother Gertrude’s hasty marriage to his father’s brother Claudius, Hamlet is visited by his father’s ghost, who reveals that Claudius murdered him and demands that Hamlet avenges him. Mr Ryan provided a thorough analysis of the many symbols pertinent to ‘Mindscapes’ in Hamlet, and explained that Hamlet’s angst is more than just “Should I or shouldn’t I kill Claudius? Should I or shouldn’t I kill myself instead?” His angst is the result of a brilliant mind being trapped in Elsinore castle with people he can’t trust and that he despises. Hamlet is a student at the University of Wittenberg in Germany and has returned to Denmark for his father’s funeral. He wishes to return to Wittenberg, but his uncle, the new king, prefers to keep him under close scrutiny in Elsinore - “For your intent/ In going back to school in Wittenberg,/ It is most retrograde to our desire;/ And we beseech you, bend you to remain/ Here in the cheer and comfort of our eye, /Our chiefest courtier, cousin, and our son.” The significance of Wittenberg is that it was the very university that Martin Luther pinned his 95 Theses to the door; it was the birthplace of humanism – a philosophy that values critical thinking and logic over religious dogma and superstition. Claudius literally prevents Hamlet’s brilliant mind from returning to a progressive university that represents critical thinking, instead imprisoning him in a medieval, parochial castle, where his mind is drawn to morbid thoughts of decay and despair. How’s that for a mindscape? It certainly blew my mind. Mr Ryan’s commentary was interspersed with some scenes from Hamlet superbly performed by actors from the theatre company, including Hamlet’s most famous soliloquy – arguably the most

famous lines ever written – the ‘To be or not to be’ soliloquy, acted out by two actors, to illustrate his conflicting thoughts vying for dominance.

The second excursion we attended was the English Teachers’ Association Extension 1 HSC Day held at Newington College on a sunny Sunday a few weeks ago. Students had a taste of what it is like to sit through long university lectures, simultaneously listening to and absorbing the profound things being said by the presenters, and furiously taking notes at the same time. To take notes of what they’re saying, or to take notes from what’s being projected on the screen – that is the question! Students heard some excellent lectures on both their module, Literary Worlds, and on all three of their prescribed texts for their elective module, Literary Mindscapes. While the lectures were enlightening and entertaining, sitting through so much profundity was a bit of a mind-bend. It made us all feel a bit like the persona in Emily Dickinson’s poem ‘I felt a Funeral, in my Brain’: ‘And when they all were seated, A Service, like a Drum - Kept beating - beating - till I thought My mind was going numb –’

We will endeavour to unscramble our brains before the upcoming HSC Trials!

Ms M Gyi English Extension 1 Teacher

YEAR 11 ENGLISH EXTENSION EXCURSION TO THE NSW STATE LIBRARY On Monday May 20, Year 11 English Extension students visited the NSW State Library to further their research on their chosen texts in regard to their major project. At the State Library, students were given the opportunity to delve into the online resources available through browsing the online sites and the shelves of the grand building, including the underground shelving floors where a majority of the books are stored. A State Library employee briefed the students on the process of borrowing, locating and analysing the massive amounts of information and resources stored in the online archive

of the library. This gave the students access to more books and articles that will assist them in the analysis of their chosen canonical texts. One of the most useful resources the students acquired at the library was a state library card. It allowed students to access online versions of critical essays, peer reviewed theses, papers from respected historians and authors from home. In addition to their critical study of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice earlier this term, students were able to explore Hyde Park and view the regency style architecture similar to that of Jane Austen’s period. After the students were given time to individually explore the library, Ms Castino lead the class to the Botanical Gardens. There, a picnic circle was established and snacks such as homemade brownies and quiches made by students, along with Krispy Kreme donuts supplied by Ms Castino were thrown into the middle. This resulted in a great swarm of invasive ibises attacking the stockpile of food. However, the brave students managed to successfully deflect oncoming attacks and maintain their intellectual conversations, despite several yelps of fear. The picnic was an opportunity for students to collate their knowledge and bond with their classmates, discussing many topics such as the best and worst texts studied over the years, their opinions of famous Shakespearean plays such as Othello and Romeo and Juliet, and also the controversies surrounding why the plural of ‘ibis’ is not ‘ibii’. The class departed the venue by train shortly after. Overall, the Extension English students had an enjoyable experience at the state library. Many of them have expressed their enjoyment of the excursion and believe that class trips establish a stronger connection between peers and their classroom teacher.

Written by Tiffany Yang, Sarah Quach, Vanessa Yip and Michelle Nguyen

MATHEMATICS FACULTY NEWS It has been a busy Term 2 with all teachers working hard to ensure that all students are receiving adequate support to achieve their best. Our Mid Year Mathematics Examinations and Assessment Tasks were conducted successfully, teachers worked collaboratively and tirelessly to ensure the marking and setting of exams were executed well. There has been various teacher led activities happening during this semester with experiments conducted to consolidate Ratios in Year 8 Mathematics. We also had teachers baking dome cakes to explain the concept of Volume in Extension 1 Mathematics. It was great to see the outstanding participation and results by students who competed in the CAT competition. The Coding Club has been very engaging for the students with the latest excursion to the EduTech expo a success. We have the STEAM Metro project and the Choose Maths Video competition in progress and are looking forward to the end results. It is important that the high expectations we set for our students at school be also followed through at home. Students are reminded that consistency with their studies and revision will help them achieve their full potential. Leaving revision to the last minute will not allow them to attain their personal best. We encourage students to ask questions when unsure during class and continue to have a positive attitude towards their Mathematics to succeed. Thank you for your continued support and we are looking forward to a successful Term 3. Ms Najem Head Teacher Mathematics

Edutech Expo Excursion On 6th June, students of the Coding Club were given the opportunity to experience the annual EduTech Expo at the International Convention Centre at Darling Harbour. Here, students were able to experience the latest technological developments in school technology, and even try them out. Various companies, including Samsung, Microsoft, Google, and a plethora of others brought in their newly developed technologies which could be possibly brought into schools. These included new interactive screens, virtual reality sets, new school friendly 3D printers and various other products that would improve the school environment.

As the students roamed, they were delighted to see the abundance of free goodies that were given at each stand. No person came out of the building without a few extra bags.

The students were also able to learn about the multiple aspects of education. From a team of members of the Navy, to a company selling timber for walls, students learnt of the many aspects that affect their education. Did you know that being able to see nature or have visible green space can stimulate a person’s imagination and help reduce stress?

Terrence Zhou, Brendan Cheng and Eddie Ha from Year 7.

All in all, the EduTech Expo was an exciting experience that showcased the latest developments in educational technology, and a great opportunity for the students to take a glimpse into the future of education in schools.

Tracey Ha Year 10

Coding Club Come join us at Coding Club after school on Tuesday afternoons from 2.20pm – 3.10pm. At Coding Club, we’ve been learning the coding languages Python, HTML and CSS, and also about the importance of cyber security. Now, why learn coding? Coding is another language. As a result, it teaches us how to communicate and collaborate which strengthens verbal and written skills. It combines logical and critical thinking with creativity because we need to visualise abstract concepts. It’s all about wrapping our minds around these intangible and complex ideas. When we understand the software behind devices, we can make our way around these devices at home and at school much more quickly and at the same time, appreciate how these things work. In this digital age, it’s not surprising to mention that the demand for coding and programming careers are growing. In other words, coding is great for problem-thinking and communication and can really benefit those of us wishing to pursue careers in programming. Furthermore, coding brings people together. It allows us to put all our brains together and share our creations. This year, students from all over the world participated in a web design competition on Grok Learning. Grok Learning is the online interactive platform that we use to learn programming. In the Design Tournament, students were given the HTML (coding for structure) for a travel blog and asked to use their creativity (and CSS) to style the page. Below is a screenshot of a section of Thuy Nguyen’s (Year 10) work who managed to come 7th in the Design Tournament Leaderboard. If you have any questions about Coding Club, feel free to ask Ms Li in the Maths Staffroom. Jasmine Huang, Year 10

Computational and Algorithmic Thinking Competition This year, students sat for the Computational and Algorithmic Thinking Competition (CAT) on the 2nd April. It is a one-hour problem solving competition designed to encourage student curiosity and promote multiple modes of thinking. It is run by the Australian Mathematics Trust, which also runs the Australian Mathematics Competition. Students were able to participate with no previous programming skills required. The competition helped identify students’ computer programming potential, something that they might not normally have the opportunity to demonstrate. It was a challenging and ideal activity to encourage students to solve real-world problems. The competition had a mixture of multiple-choice and integer answers. Some questions tested the ability to perform procedures, others required logical thought, while the more challenging problems required the identification and application of algorithms. Congratulations to all the students that participated in the competition and to the following students who achieved outstanding results: Junior Division High Distinction – Natalie Lam (Year 8) and Best in School Award Distinction – Jonathon Tran (Year 7), Timan Nguyen (Year 7), Paul Phan (Year 7), Nina Huang (Year 8) Credit – Jia Shao (Year 7), Joseph Duc Nguyen (Year 7), Alexander Chan (Year 7), Jack Li (Year 7), Ricky Tran (Year 7), Lucinda Ngo (Year 8), Sharon Chea (Year 8), Joshua Bui (Year 8), Kelvin Ly (Year 8), Justin Bui (Year 8) Intermediate Division Distinction – Ethan Duong (Year 9), Jasmine Khuu (Year 10) Credit – Chanel Cho (Year 9), Jason Dinh (Year 9), Alexander Paou (Year 10), Natalie Ngo-Ton (Year 10), Antonia Rizova (Year 10) Senior Division Distinction – Sarah Chea (Year 11), Anh Le (Year 11) Credit – Brendan Duong (Year 11), Joshua Luu (Year 11), Michael Trinh (Year 11), Peter Tran (Year 12) Ms J Li Mathematics Teacher

THE INAUGURAL SEFTON HIGH SCHOOL PUBLIC SPEAKING CHALLENGE RESULTS Public Speaking is a discipline that marries passion and intellect. It is an opportunity to illuminate an issue that is not often spoken about. It is a chance to lift taboos, and start conversations about difficult to understand problems that are often swept under the rug.

Not only did our public speakers engage audiences with their rhetorical flair and impassioned delivery, they managed to do something much more important: shed light on social issues that they then proposed expertly researched solutions to. Their audience, the future leaders, scholars, and voters

of Australia, were exposed to persuasive arguments and nuanced observations about our lives. Congratulations to the following students for their achievements in the Sefton High School Public Speaking Challenge:

Cindy Ly, Year 10, Finalist Muhammad Ali, Year 10, Finalist Joy Hanna, Year 12, Finalist Stephanie Duong, Year 11, Finalist Prasanna Roujouria, Year 11, Finalist Jasmine Huang, Year 10, Runner up (Junior) Daphne Ly, Year 11, Runner up (Senior) Janet Diba, Year 10, Winner of the Sefton High School Public Speaking Challenge (Junior) Christopher Predic, Year 12, Winner of the Sefton High School Public Speaking Challenge (Senior)

Cindy Ly (Year 10), Muhammad Ali (Year 10), Jasmine Huang (Year 10), Janet Diba (Year 10) and Joy Hanna (Year 12) Ms Tran English Teacher

Year 11 Legal Studies Incursion In Term 2, Year 11 Legal Studies students had the opportunity to listen and speak to two lawyers from Frank Law in Parramatta. They explained practical elements of the Legal Studies topic “The Individual and the Law” to the classes, and students had question and answer time toward the end of the presentation. It was a great experience for students to broaden their legal knowledge in a real life context. Mr Ma Preliminary Legal Studies Co-ordinator Social Sciences

SPORTS REPORT TERM 2 Zone Swimming: Congratulations to all 37 students that competed at the zone swimming carnival. Sefton placed 3rd behind Moorebank and Picnic Point High School. Also a big congratulations to Xavier Rosendale who was the 13 years zone age . Regional Swimming: Another congratulations to the 31 students who attended the regional swimming carnival with the following students qualifying for the CHS Carnival: - Justin Lang (50m Freestyle) - Xavier Rosendale (100m Butterfly) - Halil Ibrahim Kilic (50m Freestyle) - 14’s Boys relay (Kelvin Ly, Kevin Le, Halil Ibrahim Kilic and Jayden Quach) - 17’s Boys Relay Well done to all competitors from the day. School Cross Country Carnival The school Cross Country was again held at The Crest Athletics and surrounding fields on Thursday 2nd May. All students participated in the 3km or 4km track. Congratulations to the following students who were Age Champions: MALE FEMALE 12 Ali Sina Rahimi Atour Hammide 13 Adam Larosse Olive Kagi 14 Gal Agha Rahimi Josie Bennetts 15 Kevin (April) Tran Vivian Hoang 16 Nelson Jasmine Huang 17 Ali Agha Rahimi Alice Liang 18 Christian Nguyen Kylie Dang

House points were as follows: PLACE HOUSE POINTS 1 Bradman 893 2 Cuthbert 775 3 Thorpe 704 4 Court 547 Congratulations to Bradman House, which returned to winnings ways, and all of the Age Champions.

These students will receive their awards at the Presentation Day at the end of the year.

Bankstown Zone Cross Country Carnival Sefton sent 104 participants to the Zone Cross Country Carnival. The arduous running paths of Flinders Slopes stood in front of our athletes, requiring them to run anywhere from 3-6 kilometres depending on their age. Despite this daunting task, Sefton won both the male and female titles for yet another year. A fantastic achievement from our endurance athletes. We had one successful Bankstown age champion: - Alice Liang (17s Girls) Sefton High School had 24 competitors who placed in the top echelon of their age group, progressing to the Regional Carnival. These students will compete on Thursday 13th June in Camden. Good luck.

School Athletics Carnival There was a great level of participation over the one and a half days of the Athletics Carnival. Congratulations to the following students who were Age Champions:  The following students were awarded age champions of Athletics: MALE FEMALE 12 Sultan Aljaberry Eaven Nathan 13 Lucas Doan Minghuan Shi 14 Jaden Tann Julianne Cinco 15 Brian Wu Sydney Tran 16 Favour Akuete Jennifer Mati 17+ Edward Nguyen-Do Daena De Luna

The house points were as follows: PLACE HOUSE POINTS 1 Bradman 2120 2 Thorpe 1675 3 Cuthbert 1648 4 Court 1238

These students will receive their awards at the Presentation Day at the end of the year. Good luck to those of you who have qualified for zone athletics and will be participating in week 10 of this term. Sefton will be sending a strong team to this carnival, with 68 students attending day one and 89 students attending day two.

Grade Sport Season 1 Season 1 of Grade sport and Recreational sport concluded on Tuesday May 21 with Grand Finals. Sefton teams performed extremely well again, with seven teams playing in the Grand Final. Three of these seven teams won and were Champions. These teams were:

- Senior Mixed Netball A - Junior Mixed Netball - Junior Girls Volleyball

A big congratulations to these teams on an outstanding season, may there be even more success in season 2 starting Week 7.

KNOCKOUTS Basketball Senior boys The senior boys basketball team set out to a central venue earlier this term to take on some of the best schools in the area. With the squad being depleted due to earlier commitments. The boys rallied behind Justin Tek, Daniel and the rest of the Year 12’s to proceed to the second round of the central venue. Unfortunately, even after Justin Tek’s defensive prowess and due to numerous cases of muscle the boys fell short of proceeding to the next round. Although a disappointing end to the day the boys showed real grit to get themselves to the position they were in and represented the school proudly. Mr Idle

AFL U15’s: The boys under 15’s AFL team had been training relentlessly throughout the entirety of Term One and beginning of Term Two. The boys continued to show enthusiasm towards this training especially when it came to tackling. The first game was against Holsworthy and the boys found themselves in a comfortable position going into the second half and came out on top by 30 odd points. Jaffar Kabaili and Mustapha Mahfoud were stand outs on the day. After the AFL injury curse hit the team for the second time in 12 months we went into the game on Monday a little undermanned but well prepared. Unfortunately we fell short but the boys played valiantly from start to finish. Mr Beggs and Mr Idle

Open Boys Touch Football: The boys played well, resulting in an easy victory against , running away with a 10-1 win. One stand out player was the captain Moeen Mohamad of Year 12 who led the team to most of the tries and ensured that even with such a one sided game, the boys continued to play hard in practice for central venue. Moustafa Mahfoud (Year 10), Tacan Avci (Year 11) and Mohamed Ajaj (Year 12) also contributed well to the win, each scoring and assisting in at least two tries each. Mr Wotton

Girls Open Soccer The Girls open knockout soccer team made history by becoming the first girls team to make it to the 2nd round. The first game was a tough encounter coming up against a strong Cabramatta team. Kaela Goldsmith put the game out of reach with a fantastic goal late in the game to put Sefton 1 nil up and win the game. The 2nd round saw the girls take on East Hills Girls Technology High School. This was a hard-fought game with a number of our girls absent with injury. Unfortunately, the girls went down but not without fighting all the way to the end. Massive congratulations to all the girls and can’t wait to progress further with them next year. Mr Miranda

Handball Boys – Knockout report Sefton High School competed in the yearly NSW European Handball Competition on Tuesday May 28. The boys were placed in a tough pool coming up against the likes of , Hurlstone Agricultural High School, Rosebank Collage, and Hills Grammar School. The boys performed to their best standard, finishing 3rd in their pool with convincing wins over Cronulla High School and Hills Grammar School. The SHS boys team narrowly missed the semi-finals but faced some tough competition against Hurlstone and Rosebank. Congratulations boys on your effort, you represented Sefton well and should be proud of your efforts. Mrs Hillier Open Boys Cricket A hard fought victory in round one over Strathfield south, we scored 150 with major contributions from Subhan Nadeem with the bat and Phillip Do with the ball. Second round we were up a much stronger Picnic Point outfit and unfortunately couldn’t post a large enough target to defend and Picnic Point chased it down. Muhammad Talha batted bravely and was the highlight of our batting effort. Mr Atton Open Girls Softball We travelled to Homebush and came up against a number of strong sides in the competition. After beginning the day with a 2-0 victory over Hurlstone, fatigue set in and we didn’t have enough in us to make it through to the finals. Some strong performances from Whitney Pham and Trish Nguyen with Kylah Nguyen defending our goals bravely all day. Despite the results not going our way a commendable performance to see off the Year 12 girls. Mr Atton

VISUAL ARTS NEWS All our Visual Arts students have been very busy and engaged with finalising their artworks this semester and building on their knowledge of the Visual Arts through their critical and historical investigations.

Year 7 Visual Arts students completed tonal self - portraits and paintings which demonstrated well- developed technical skills in various media and techniques.

Self – portait drawings and preliminary sketches were completed in the students’ Visual Art Process Diaries where they were able to experiment with pencil and graphite using the grid drawing technique prior to the completion of their drawing and painting assessment tasks. Their artworks were stimulated by their study of self - portraiture in Visual Arts and their study of the art practice of Chuck Close and Pablo Picasso.

Self portrait drawings by Year 7 sudents Jayden Nguyen, Emma Khuu, Tracey Lam and Daniel Pili Bake

Year 7 students Daniel Pili Bake, Adam La Rosse, Anora Pham, William Ngo and Isaac Cao working on their self portrait paintings.

Self portrait paintings by Year 7 students Jeremy Rosario and Emma Khuu Our Year 8 Visual Arts students are currently refining their ceramic artworks after completing a series of very successful watercolur paintings which were inspired by their study of oceans and marine life.

Year 8 students Faiza Iqbal, Antina Chau, Melina Le, Michelle Lai, Sarah Rajab, Sharon Chea, Tranchau Nguyen, Vicky Vu, Ethan, Vo, Nicholas, Thach and Tristian Wong refining their watercolour painting skills.

Watercolour paintings by Year 8 students Nicky Au, Nabial ElDannawi, Nina Huang, Mahnoosh Murad, Sri Narayan, Sarah Rajab, Ethan Vo and Vicky Vu

Year 9 Visual Arts students completed a unit of work this semester which was inspired by their study of The Archibald Prize, an annual portrait competition held at The Art Gallery of NSW since 1921. Students studied past and present artworks and finalists in class. To consolidate their learning, our Year 9 students and Year 8 enrichment class were invited to attend the Archie in Action educational program at The Art Gallery of NSW. Students had direct access to a range of art and creative learning opportunities including a viewing of the current Archibald Prize Exhibition.

After learning about The Archibald Prize and researching the art practices of various artists, Year 8 and Year 9 Visual Arts classes had the opportunity to visit The Art Gallery of NSW on Wednesday 22 May 2019 . Firstly, we viewed the traditional Australian and European collections which depicted the changing social, cultural and political values of the 15th to 19th centuries. Later we toured the gallery’s collection of 20th and 21st century artworks where we saw the works of Australian artists such as William Dobell and Sydney Nolan who powerfully embodied their perceptions of Australian identity within their works. Our gallery guide and educator then gave us a tour of The Archibald Prize exhibition and helped us build a deeper understanding of the personal and cultural significance of each artwork. We took notice of how each and every artist had a unique approach to their art practice and we marveled at the diversity of works within the exhibtion. Our visit to the Art Gallery of NSW then ended with a viewing of The Young Archie Exhibition. We were delighted to have been invited to The Art Gallery of NSW, we enjoyed our day and appreciated the richness and sheer pleasure of being able to view art in a very engaging and inspiring space. Selina Nguyen and Elle Nguyen Year 9

Year 9 students, Jessica Lieu, Samira Alizada, Catherine Duong, Larissa Kuskoff, Jacqueline Ngo, Andrew Nguyen Victor Lee and Elle Nguyen entered The Young Archie Competition which is open to budding young artists between the ages of 5 and 18. These students completed portraits of a person, well known to them and who plays a significant role in their life such as a family member,

friend or classmate. Students were required to make choices about pose, expression, composition as well as the style of the works and the mediums used. There were over 2100 entries submitted for the Young Archie competition at the Art Gallery of NSW this year and it was a pleasure to receive the news that one of our Year 9 Sefton High School student portraits was selected to be a finalist. Congratulations to Elle Nguyen whose portrait titled My Little Sister is now on display at The Art Gallery of NSW and is also featured in the gallery’s online exhibition of works. Her portrait is also in the running to be the possible winner of her age category. This will be announced in August of this year and we wish her the best of luck with the next stage of the competition.

Young Archie finalist My Little Sister by Elle Nguyen Year 9

This semester, the Visual Arts Faculty launched The Sefton Archies competition to coincide with The Archibald Prize. The Sefton Archies is a school portrait competition and is open to interested students from all years at Sefton High School. Just like the Archibald Prize, entrants are required to create a portrait of a well known person in our community and this year that person was Mr Humphreys, our Principal. Students who entered were allowed to use any medium on paper or canvas to produce their portrait of Mr Humphreys and all entries had to be A3 to A2 in size. When the deadline for entries arrived on the May 10, the Visual Arts Faculty received many exceptional and unique entries for The Sefton Archies and afterwards put together an exhibition of the top 10 finalists which is currently on display in the Library. Thank you to all students who entered the competition, they are to be congratulated on their efforts and for making a positive contribution to our school culture. The winner of the Sefton Archies 2019 was Hannah Lee from Year 11 for her coloured pencil drawing titled Portrait of Mr Humphreys. Her portrait impressed the judges with her skilful use of

materials and for her attention to detail which enabled her to achieve a highly realistic and impressive likeness of Mr Humphreys. Our runners up were Lana Oey from Year 8 for her Watercolour painting titled Blooming Humphreys and Tan Danh from Year 11 for his painting titled The Many Faces of a Principal.

Sefton Archies Winner - Portrait of Mr Humphreys By Hannah Lee Year 11

Sefton Archies Runner Up – Blooming Humphreys Sefton Archies Runner Up – The Many Faces of a Principal By Lana Oey Year 8 By Nhat Tan Danh Year 11

A Selection of Sefton Archie Finalists Mr Humphreys by Sana Bukhari Year 10 Shiny Glasses by Tranchau Nguyen Year 8 Mr Humphreys by Alice Liang Year 11 The Thinker by Chloe Dam Year 8

Year 9 Visual Arts students also created artworks inspired by observations of their local environment and suburbia this semester. Their pen and ink drawings represented their homes, a familiar environment. A range of cross hatching and stippling techniques were used to suggest tone and texture and to suggest depth and form. Students studied the work of Howard Arkley, Robyn Sweaney and Jeffrey Smart to inform their artmaking.

Suburbia pen and ink drawings by Year 9 students Jessica Lieu, Selina Nguyen, Samira Alizada, Mary Aboutayeh, Catherine Duong and Larissa Kuskoff

All of these works and more, including completed HSC Bodies of Work and the work of the Photography Club will be on display at The Visual Arts and Photography Exhibition evening to be held on Wednesday 28 August 2019. Parents and students are invited to attend the exhibition in E16 from 5 – 7 pm. Ms Simic Visual Arts Teacher

Year 11 Visual Art Year 11 Visual Arts have been working progressively on the topic Sculpture for Term 2. Students explore renaissance periods of sculptural art and are introduced to abstraction through artistic practice and working methods. For their second project students are required to complete a realistic clay sculpture that focusses on the Renaissance period and have been experimenting with various tools and techniques.

Students are still working on completing their artworks and are moving onto completing their abstract sculpture. Images of their completed sculptures will be posted to Sefton High School’s Facebook page so please keep a look out.

Miss Unwin Visual Art and Photography Teacher

Year 11 Visual Art students Malek Sub Laban and Teauiti Moroni White completing their sculptures.

Year 11 Visual Art students Mariam Aljabery, Miaya El Masri, Jenan Alameddine and Jacob Ghamrawi completing their sculptures.

Year 10 Visual Arts This semester students have completed artwork on the topic Journals. They were required to explore their everyday life and to complete works of significance to any art practice they favoured. Student works were produced in various mediums using charcoal, watercolour paint, pencil, pen and every string. Students worked extremely hard on these projects and produced outstanding quality. This semester students are working on their Movie drawings, please keep an eye out on the Sefton Facebook page for completed projects. Miss Unwin Visual Art and Photography Teacher

Year 10 Collage of student work in their Journals.

Year 7 Visual Arts Students have been working on numerous projects throughout the semester. They have been exploring many topics including Cubism. Cubism is defined as using geometric shapes and patterns to create an artwork. Students were asked to produce their artworks using black micro pen with geometric patterns and designs on one side of their A4 page. On the opposite side students explored organic lines and patterns. This term we are working on completing their clay sculptural projects, please keep a look at on the Sefton High School Facebook page for all work samples.

Miss Unwin Visual Arts and Photography Teacher

Year 7 student work samples Henry Chao, Ibrahim Jajieh, Amber Aisha Elhassan and Zeba Shaikh.

Year 7 student work samples Andy Pham, Tania Thanh Le, Ziqiang Xue and Jason Ta Phu.

PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB Sefton High School’s photography club continues to explore various methods and techniques to help improve their technical skills using a camera. Students have been actively working across the school in all different areas of school life. These events include school assemblies, Sefton High Schools athletics carnival and photography projects. Students demonstrate works in Black and White Photography, Refraction of Light, Landscapes and Using Photoshop to slightly modify their images. Photography Club continues on every Wednesday afternoon in room F2 with. Miss Unwin Visual Arts and Photography Teacher

Year 9 Haifa Dargham Coloured Flower, 2019

Jessica Lieu Black and White Portrait 2019

Annaliese Nguyen Refraction, 2019.

Angeline Sheen Kha Landscapes, 2019.

AND IN OTHER NEWS

ANZAC DAY

At the end of Term 2, Sefton High School held their ANZAC Day assembly. Thank you to Stephenie Beales, Muhammad Ali, Zahra Winter Jean, Sreypich Wang, Daniel Chen, Isbah Rahmani, Angeline Hoang, Noelle Bahwach, Ali Mehdi who assisted and carried out the ceremonies.

CLUBS

Chess Club

Chess has taken over the SHS Library! Recently the Library has become home to nearly a dozen chess boards, including 4 BIG sets. These sets are set up permanently for students to use (quietly and responsibly) before school, during recess and lunch. It’s a great way to develop your thinking skills while also relaxing and taking a break and de-stressing. The queues for a board start before the library is even open in the morning, and whenever the opportunities present themselves there’s thirty, forty, fifty students playing, watching or quietly commentating and discussing the next moves. The games are always competitive with edge-of-your-seat action, with the full range of abilities and ages on display - from Year 7 students through to Year 12’s! Under the watchful eye of Mr. Richards – the SHS Chess Team Manager – students have been filling the library looking to develop their chess skills on their way to becoming Grand Master! Everyone is welcome to come, play and make new friends.

Book Club

Book Club fosters a love of reading and a meeting of minds where every Sefton student is welcome to share their passion for the written word. Years 7-10 meet on Wednesday’s to share a good yarn with new and old friends and to take their reading and writing strengths to the next level in the second half of lunch.

New recruits are always welcome. There’s only one requirement to join: That you absolutely love reading. Most terms, an author speaks to the groups and currently we are planning an exclusive behind the scenes excursion to the State Library. You really don’t want to miss out on all the exciting places that reading can take you. All you need to do to join is see Ms Repin or Mr Boyko on a Wednesday and they will take care of the rest.

Now that mid-year exams are coming to a close, you will probably want to replace all that studying with reading to stay active and continue exercising your mind. And, if you're wondering what books should be on your list - never fear. The Book Club has these helpful recommendations for you:

'A House of Night' Series by PG and Kirsten Last 'Eve' Series by Anna Carey 'Red Queen' Series by Victoria Aveyard 'Spark' Series by Rachael Craw 'Dragon Keeper' Series by Carol Wilkinson 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' by Jeff Kinney 'Demon Road' by Derek Landy 'The Strange and Beautiful Story of Ava Lavender' by Leslye Walton 'No More Dead Days' by Gordon Korman 'I Have No Secrets' by Penny Joelson 'Lockwood & Co – The Empty Grave' by Jonathan Stroud 'Weirdo I-II' by Ahn Do

Happy reading, and we will see you in the Library.

The Book Club

YEAR 12 NEWS

Year 12 are working hard towards completing their mandatory course hours to attain their HSC. Dedication and focus needs to remain strong leading up to their trial period. Year 12 have attended a range of incursions and excursions to further their knowledge and understanding of HSC course outcomes, allowing them to experience their learning on a deeper level. Earlier this year, they also attended brainstorm production to aid in managing exam and Year 12 pressure, with a follow up session to occur later this term in the lead up period to the trial HSC exams to reinforce key concepts, and revisit some useful strategies. It is essential that Year 12 remember to be kind to themselves and implement effective study habits and tips to maximise their chance of success. Some strategies that can help include:  Keeping yourself well rested by getting enough sleep, taking regular breaks and allocating time to unwind and relax  Develop strong support networks and groups to help you study or to keep you on track to reach your goals  Drop distractions by creating an environment that has little to no distractions such as your phone, tablets and television  If you need help, ASK. If you feel overwhelmed, take some time for yourself, ask your support network for additional assistance from your teachers or seek help from professional organisations such as Youth Beyond Blue, Headspace and Youth in Motion. Mrs Hillier

Premier’s Reading Challenge Platinum Awards The students listed below who received PRC certificates and medals have read at least twenty books for seven years. Some starting under the new system from kindergarten others maybe skipping a year but totalling seven years in all. Whilst this is their own achievement we need to acknowledge the teachers who inspired them by recommending books and talking about the books they have read, teachers who encouraged them by bringing them to the library and even the many students and friends who encouraged them by recommending books to them. As well we must acknowledge the parents, guardians, brothers and sisters who also encouraged them to read by buying them books, taking them to the library and recommending books they have enjoyed. The student who received the Platinum Award are listed below:

YEAR 8 PRC PLATINUM AWARDS YEAR 9 PRC PLATINUM AWARDS Joshua Huyen Ba Bui Ethan Duong Hugo Brayden Chan Jacquelyn Nhu Ngo Yousef Dani Anna Quynh Xuan Tran Nguyen Serina Huang Rachel Nguyen Grace Maya Huynh Tina Nguyen Javaria Iqbal Dilpreet Singh Phagura Edward Minh Khang La William Phan Kelvin Ly Charlie Ta Phu Salma Mohammed Mardawie Darren Thomas Wong Mahnoosh Murad Andy Wu Lana Mae Oey Aaron Tran Alexander Wei Zhi Wang Kevin Wong

YEAR 10 PRC PLATINUM AWARDS Arif Hussain Azimi Hayden Tri-Hue William Chau Dounia Diab Kevin Guo Jacob Hong

Christina Lee Natasha Carol Lin Cindy Ly Subhan Nadeem Alan Nguyen Leeanne Pham Sydney Lu Tran

Premier’s Reading Challenge Medal The Premiers’ Reading Challenge Medal is awarded to students who have demonstrated Outstanding Commitment to reading by completing the challenge every year from Year 3 to Year 9 consecutively. That is every year for 7 years. In NSW this year, 640 students received this medal. Which equates roughly to two students per high school. Sefton High School far surpasses this average of two , we have twenty seven - yes 27 students who have entered the Premier’s Reading Challenge since Year 3 and completed reading 20 books each year consecutively. These students have demonstrated outstanding commitment to reading (and hence their own academic growth) and have brought great honour to Sefton High School and even more importantly to their personal growth. The students are listed below. YEAR 10 PRC MEDAL & LETTER OF CONGRATULATIONS from the Premier NSW. Muhammad Ahsan Ali Kaitlyn Lee Mia Elisabeth Bennetts Alicia Liu Shebani Bhattarai Cindy Ly Wilson Viet-Hung Chu Katherine Florence H Ly Janet Chadi Diba Jiyoung Moon Jayden Eap Natalie Tran Kim Ngo-Ton Kaela Emily Goldsmith Anna Nguyen Wilson Huang Tina Phan Jessie Huynh Minh Thu Do Helen He Ta Morgan Quoc Dat Huynh Martin Son Nhan Tran Jasmine Mari Khuu Kathy Vuong Henry Hung Lam Sunni Vuong Catherine My-Phu Le Brain Minjie Wu Leanne Mai Han Le Handy Hints to achievement in Reading 1. When you return a book to the library always borrow another. 2. Always make sure you have a book to read in your bag you never know when you will have a few minutes to spare.

Write For Fun Competition Sefton students from all year groups are to be congratulated on their participation in the Write For Fun Competition. All students who submitted their entries are to be commended on their wonderful love for writing. Many students received certificates for progressing through to the second round and they will be congratulated during the school’s next assembly. To all students, I say: Keep up the enthusiasm. Mrs Schoeman

Student Representative Council We are faced with troubling times: the world is rife with issues that need to be addressed. Climate change to discrimination to the ignored population living in poverty or without homes. These are just a few in the endless many that cause people like your family, friends and yourself to suffer in this world. In Term 1, our first fundraiser, ‘Straya Meme Day, we were able to raise $1354.45 for the Black Dog Institute which will use the money to fund their services including counselling and research to better the lives of those with mental illnesses. With all your contributions we, as a collective, were able to help those living in difficulty. However, we refuse to stop there. This term we will hold the annual talent Quest, honouring our SRC motto of “For the Students, By the Students”. Although Talent Quest is as the title mentions, the Quest for Talent, the student body unites as we encourage and support those who choose to express themselves through their gifts. The SRC strives towards the Sefton ideals, ‘Sincerity, Scholarship, Service’, we uphold ourselves in a responsible manner and dedicate ourselves to the betterment of other students’ schooling experience. The SRC are here to help. SRC

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