Parent Newsletter

May 2015 Issue 3 www.nhspa.nsw.edu.au

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

Welcome back to term 2, traditionally a busy one for everyone, particularly our showcase performers.

As you may be aware, I have returned to the school this term as Principal for three days a week. I will continue in my Principal, School Leadership role on the other two days. The reason for my decision is that, although I was enjoying my new role, I found that I was missing the role of Principal and in particular I was missing the energy of this school. Therefore, I was very pleased to take up an opportunity to convert from a full-time to a part-time Principal, School Leadership position.

So from this term, Peter Shields and I will be Co-Principals. I also acknowledge the outstanding job that Peter has done since taking on the role of Principal last August. We are very fortunate to have someone of his calibre as part of the senior leadership team of the school.

This term we also welcome Karl Pico, our new Deputy Principal. Karl replaces Betty Romeo following her promotion at the end of 2014. He comes to us from Auburn Girls High School and I know he is going to make a significant contribution to the school. I look forward to introducing Karl to you at this month’s P&C meeting.

I’d also like to thank Leisa Munns for the wonderful contribution she has made as Acting Deputy Principal over a long period of time. Again, it is gratifying to know that we have such quality of leadership within the school.

In other staff news, we welcome Ynping Mak to our Music faculty. Ynping joins us from Burwood Girls High School and I know she is looking forward to working with our students both in the classroom and through the co-curricula program.

SHOWCASE It’s that time of the year again when our students’ talents are on display at our Showcase concert series. Details of the program are included in this newsletter. Tickets for the Studio Theatre concerts can now be purchased either online (see our website), or through the school office. Tickets for the Dance Showcase at the Seymour Centre will be available through the Seymour Centre box office from Tuesday 19 May. I look forward to seeing you there.

SCHOOL PLAN Following extensive community consultation that started with last year’s School Forum, we have now completed our 2015-17 School Plan. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this important process in setting out our Strategic Directions for the next three years. I look forward to sharing the final plan with you at the next P&C meeting.

PARENT TEACHER NIGHTS Our three Parent-Teacher nights were held over the last six weeks. As always we seek to improve these important events and are in the process of evaluation. If you have suggestions we would appreciate your feedback.

SCHOOL REPORTS Term 2 is the term of reports. Year 12 reports are currently being written and will be distributed to students on Wednesday 27 May. All Year 12 students will have interviews with their curriculum advisers who will assist them in setting goals for the remainder of their HSC year. A reminder that the school provides a mentor program and the after school study centre to assist students to achieve their best.

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS I was very pleased to receive an invitation to attend an upcoming awards presentation at University of Sydney. Alfie Carslake of Year 12 2014 is receiving an award for academic excellence. It is great to be able to continue to celebrate the fine achievements of our students both past and present. Congratulations to Alfie.

Congratulations also to our Under 14 Futsal teams who last week competed at the Regional Championships at Menai. Our boys’ team made it all the way to the final and will now compete at the State Championships later this year. Our girls narrowly missed advancing to the semi-finals after finishing 5th based on goal difference. Well done to all involved.

I received an email last week commending two of our Year 7 students Sienna Kent and Ainsley Meale who, as members of the NSW Public Schools Junior Singers took part in the annual Anzac Day Remembrance Service held at the Bridge Street office of the NSW Department of Education. The choir performed two pieces “Always Remember” and “Waltzing Matilda” which I’m told were warmly and enthusiastically received by the audience of ex-soldiers, senior department figures and family and friends.

Throughout the year I would again like to use this newsletter to celebrate student successes. Please let me know of any outstanding achievements, both inside and outside school, so that your child can be acknowledged in future newsletters.

2014 ANNUAL SCHOOL REPORT Our 2014 Annual School Report is now available on our school website. If you are unable to access the internet and would like a printed copy, please contact me. We will devote some time at a P&C meeting in term 3 to discuss aspects of the report and answer any questions you may have.

Stephen Gray PRINCIPAL

DEPUTY PRINCIPALS’ REPORT

Welcome back to another busy term at Newtown High School of the Performing Arts. We hope all our students and teachers had a restful holiday break and parents/carers had an opportunity to spend some quality time with their children.

UNIFORM REQUIREMENTS Term 2 marks the beginning of the autumn and winter seasons. It is most important our students are prepared for the colder weather and are appropriately dressed in full school uniform. This school has high uniform standards and it is an expectation that all students wear the correct school uniform, including school jumpers, jackets and coats as well as black, fully enclosed leather shoes to comply with Occupational Health and Safety requirements. The Uniform Shop stocks all items of our uniform except shoes. If there is a genuine reason for your child to be out of uniform, please write a note explaining the situation and encourage them to submit the note to the office at 8.30am where they will be granted a uniform pass. If your child has lost items of uniform please contact lost property in the Office. The Uniform Shop is open every Thursday from 8.30am.

ATTENDANCE Attendance is a concern with some students who regularly arrive late to school. It is most important students leave home with sufficient time to reach the school by 8.45am. When students persistently miss parts of lessons, or whole lessons, it impacts negatively on their academic success. We want all of our students to successfully fulfil their course requirements in all subjects. When your child is absent, either for a partial or whole day, a written explanation is required within one week of their return to school. This is a Department of Education and Community requirement. After that period, absences remain unexplained. May we also remind Year 12 parents that all students are expected to be at school no later than 10am, irrespective of when they have their first timetabled lesson. They are required to be in the library/learning centre if they have do not have timetabled lessons during Periods 2 and 3. Year 12 students are permitted to leave school grounds only during lunchtime. Your support in this matter will be greatly appreciated.

YEAR 12 Year 12 will be the first year group to be issued their Semester One reports on Wednesday 27th May. Students will be issued with an interview time to meet with their curriculum advisor and it will be at this meeting where reports will be distributed and goals and strategies for improvement discussed and set for implementation over the next few terms. It is important for students to reflect on the feedback received from their teachers and seek to act on this advice as they approach their next round of assessment tasks.

YEAR 11 HALF YEARLY EXAMINATIONS The Year 11 Half Yearly examinations were held this week from Monday 27th April to 1st May. From all accounts the Year 11 students have approached their first formal assessment period very seriously and have followed the expectations the school sets in terms of appropriate behaviour and procedures. Semester One reports for Year 11 students will be issued during a meeting with Curriculum Advisers on Monday 15th June.

THE ANNUAL ATHLETICS CARNIVAL The Annual Athletics Carnival will be held on Friday 15th May from 9am at Olympic Park warm-up track and attendance is compulsory for all students. Students should be in full PE uniform for the day and when travelling to and from the venue. They can make their own way, or catch a bus from the school to and from the venue at a cost of $10. The carnival will proceed unless severe weather conditions cause its postponement. Should the carnival be called off, a message will be posted on the school’s website from 7am or you can telephone the school from 7am.

DEPUTY PRINCIPALS’ REPORT Continued...

NAPLAN NAPLAN tests for students in Years 7 and 9 will be conducted on 12th-14th May in the gym and C-Block rooms. Students will be given written information regarding these tests, including the exam timetable to bring home. It is most important students arrive at school well before the commencement of the tests and are fully prepared with the necessary equipment, including a scientific calculator, ruler, protractor, pencil and pens. If you have any questions about NAPLAN, contact Karl Pico.

SEMESTER ONE SHOWCASE SEASON Our Semester One Showcase season commences this month in Week 5. The showcase program looks fantastic and features a very comprehensive display of what our students and their teachers have been working on over the past term as part of the co curricula program. I would encourage you all to attend the evening performances over the next few weeks, particularly the new members of our school community. The showcase concerts are a true testament to the opportunities this school provides for our students and are always a very enjoyable evening out. Showcase details will be available from Wednesday 6th May on the school website through the TryBooking link and tickets will be able to be purchased through the online booking system. This will allow parents to choose their seats, pay and print their own tickets online.

Please do not hesitate to call the Deputy Principal of your child if you have any concerns. We are available to assist our parents with any specific welfare or school matters. We look forward to meeting you at the showcase concerts later this month.

UK DRAMA TOUR REPORT The inaugural Drama tour to the United Kingdom was held last month and hailed as an outstanding success by parents, students and staff. Every student reported it was the best experience of their lives and most were not keen to come home after two weeks on tour. Thirty four Year 10 and 11 Drama students and 4 supervising staff departed Sydney on QF1 bound for London on March 29

The party spent four days in London sightseeing, workshopping, visiting exhibitions and attending theatre performances before we headed for Stratford over Easter. In Stratford the students attended the Royal Shakespeare Theatre backstage tour as well as performances there. The town provided students an opportunity to gain an historical perspective of Shakespeare’s life and times. On our return to London we spent another week taking in the sights, including the Jack the Ripper walking tour, participating in further workshops, attending more performances and shopping. We returned to Sydney on April 12 feeling tired but exhilarated by this wonderful experience.

Peter Shields / Rachel Mules (Curriculum, Years 7 and 10) Karl Pico (Teaching and Learning, Years 8 and 11) Nilaufer Rajwar (Welfare, Years 9 and 12) The Deputy Principals

DEPUTY PRINCIPALS’ REPORT Continued...

2014 UK TOUR

P&C NEWS

The next P&C MEETING will be held next TUESDAY 12 MAY at 6pm in the school common room. The P&C meets on the second Tuesday of every month. Being involved in the P&C is a great way to meet other parents and play an active role in the school community. You will learn more about NHSPA, its goals, achievements and teaching staff. No fundraising is required and there are many opportunities (both big and small) to become engaged in interesting projects to support the school.

WORKING BEE Many thanks to John Caley and a small but dedicated team of volunteers who helped spruce up the school grounds at the autumn working bee on 21 March. Another working bee will be planned for spring.

P&C APPOINTMENTS The NHSPA P&C AGM was held on 10 March. Congratulations to Emma Walton who becomes the new president. Many thanks to Katie Mann who led the P&C admirably throughout 2014.

PRESIDENT Emma Walters VICE PRESIDENTS Nicki Wilkinson, Katie Mann TREASURER Ross Moffat SECRETARY Kelly Burke

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS Dennis Dumlao, Anna Nettheim, Maya Saric, Tony Ryan, Jenni Wilkins, Justin Meehan

VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS As we approach the end of the financial year, parents are reminded donations to the St Georges Hall Trust are tax deductable. These funds will be used for the hall’s refurbishment and the development of creative arts facilities and resources. Cheques can be made out to Newtown High School of the Performing Arts but must specify the donation is for the St Georges Hall Fund. Receipts for tax purposes may be obtained through the school office.

For those new to NHSPA, the P&C relies solely on the voluntary fundraising contribution (included in your 2015 schedule of fees) to deliver support and upgrade facilities within the school. The contribution is tax deductable. We do not conduct other traditional fundraising activities during the year and any additional events organised by the P&C are for social purposes rather than fundraising. We believe this is the most equitable way for busy families to contribute when most are time poor. This approach then allows the P&C executive to focus on effectively allocating funds according to the school’s greatest needs.

P&C on the NHSPA WEBSITE Follow the link below: http://web1.newtown-h.schools.nsw.edu.au/ The school website has a calendar and links for the P&C, contacts, minutes etc.

PARENT EMAIL NETWORK (GOOGLE GROUPS) We encourage all parents to subscribe to our parent email network. This is a great way to receive information from the P&C and stay in touch with other parents (including getting questions answered and sharing information). To subscribe send a blank email to: [email protected] There is a googlegroups fact sheet on the P&C page of the school website. NHSPA PARENTS CONTACT MESSAGE BOARD Follow this link for posting requests and ads for second hand uniform, instruments and equipment etc. http://nhspasecondhand.proboards.com/index.cgi?

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

A warm welcome back to the Newtown High School of the Performing Arts community for the start of Term 2. All English classes are busily engaged in studying their new units of work. Assessment Task 2 was issued to students last week, and preparation is already underway. Below is a list of current units of work being undertaken by students, and due-dates for assessment tasks:

Year 7: “Novel Study.” Multimedia presentation due Week 9. Year 8: “Perceptions, Persuasion and Propaganda.” Review due week 6. Year 9: “Auteur Study of Alfred Hitchcock.” Speeches due Week 9. Year 10: “Representations of lives / self.” Zines due Week 8. Year 11: Standard – Close Study of drama text. Essays due Week 9. Advanced – Close Study of Shakespearean Play. Essays due Week 9. Extension 1 – Film Study “Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.” Essays due Week 1 Term 3. Year 12: Standard – Module C – Extended responses due Week 7 Advanced – Module C – Extended responses due Week 7 Extension 1 – Trials in Term 3 Extension 2 – Final school submission of Major Work due Friday of Week 5

We have had numerous successes in Debating over the last few weeks. Our Year 11 and 12 teams have each had a victory against Burwood Girls High School. Year 7 won against Rose Bay Secondary College and Year 9 were victorious against South Sydney High School. I congratulate our talented debaters and I thank the debating coordinators for their time and efforts with our students. More debates are set to take place in the coming weeks. Watch this space for updates! To finish, I am pleased to welcome Stephanie Hogan, an intern who will be working in the English Department for Terms 2 and 3. She is in her final year of an Education Degree at the University of New South Wales and will join our staff for the next 5 months. We look forward to her contribution to the faculty and her enthusiasm.

Kirk Thomas HEAD TEACHER ENGLISH

DRAMA DEPARTMENT

UK TOUR Thirty-four students and four intrepid teachers left last on March 29 on the Drama Faculty’s first UK Tour. With their base camp at the Crowne Plaza on the north bank of the Thames, they experienced over seven major theatrical productions including “The Jew of Malta” at the Swan in Stratford-on-Avon, “Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time” at the Gielgud Theatre and “Death of a Salesman” at the Royal Shakespearean Theatre. They also experienced workshops at the National Theatre, visits to the Shakespeare Globe Theatre, the Tate Modern, the National Portrait Gallery to name just a few activities. After twelve action-packed days and evenings, they returned in the first week of our last term break. Our thanks to Peter Shields, Nilaufer Rajwar, Peter Mountford and Judith Hoddinott. Our thanks also to Andrew Benson for his efforts in helping to organise this very successful tour.

On the 29th of May 2015, 34 eager NHSPA drama students from year 10 and 11 flew 16,983 km to experience one of the most fantastic and eye opening excursions any school could offer. The NHSPA UK Tour. This year, I was one of the incredibly fortunate students who flew for 22 hours and 50 minutes to one of the most influential countries in the history of dramatic art and theatre. Britain.

Once we landed in London, we were incredibly tired and jet lagged, yet we powered on and began our first bus tour of the trip. Whilst on the bus, we saw the cities well known Icons, Big Ben, The London Eye, Tower of London, The Thames, Westminster Abbey and St Pauls Cathedral. After this quick but picturesque bus ride, we all woke up to the realisation that we were finally on the UK Tour.

London exceeded all of our expectations, during our two week stay we encountered an abundance of history and culture that was refreshingly different compared to Newtown. To do a brief calculation, during our stay we watched six shows including: “The Broken Heart”, “Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night time”, “The Jew of Malta”, “Death of a Salesmen”, “Treasure Island” and the new stage adaption of “Shakespeare in Love”. We watched two musicals: “Billy Elliot” and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s masterpiece, “Phantom of the Opera”. We also were lucky enough to see the highly anticipated “Savage Beauty” Alexander McQueen exhibition at the Victoria and Albert museum. We also participated in three Drama Workshops hosted by the Globe theatre and The National Theatre, both workshops were captivating and educational.

Though the National Theatre workshop was my favourite since I met and worked with peers from year eleven who I had never worked with before. Throughout the trip, I discovered so much about the history of theatre and the incredibly hard working directors, producers and light and sound technicians who really bring the actor’s stories to life. Not to mention how differently a text is interpreted on stage in comparison to class. During this journey, we all created new bonds and indulged in the ultimate Dramatic experience. Not to mention, we drove out of London to Stratford upon Avon, visited the Royal Shakespeare Company and payed a visit to Shakespeare’s grave. So really, the UK tour in one word was Exceptional. For any students who have a passion for acting and yearn for the ultimate cultural experience, this excursion is not one to miss. All of these Plays, Exhibitions and Workshops would never have been experienced without the help of teachers: Mrs Hoddinot, Mr. Mountford and deputy principals: Mrs Rajwar and Mr. Shields. Though I can’t thank the teachers without thanking my peers who made this tour one of the defining memories of life thus far. I am forever in debt to all who laughed and cried with me during performances, or shopped or danced in public before watching Phantom of the Opera. This journey will be one that will stay in my heart, as it has changed my past and directed my future, thankyou. Highlight of the trip: All of it!

ONE FINE DAY Our thanks to those of you who attended one (or more) of the five performances of “One Fine Day” that were staged in the Studio Theatre in Week 8 of last term. With a ten piece band and over twenty singers and dancers, it was probably one of our most successful and popular big ‘co-curricula’ shows. My personal thanks to Emlyn Lewis-Jones, David Ferguson, Candice Boyd, Belinda Scanlon, Danielle Barsi, Fiona Burg, Sarah Banks and Chris Miller.

Showcase begins on Tuesday May 19 and continues until Saturday June 13 with the dance show at the Seymour Centre. There will be eight drama companies performing this season: from adaptations of Roald Dahl’s ‘The Witches’ and Grimm Fairy Tales, to Greek tragedy and the modern British play ‘The Grandfathers’. Ticket are available via the school’s website. Hope to see you there.

DRAMA DEPARTMENT

HSIE DEPARTMENT

Welcome back to all the NHSPA community for another busy term ahead. Term 1 certainly seemed to race by with all the many faceted activities that regularly fill the days within our school.

I would firstly like to extend our congratulations and express our best wishes from the HSIE faculty to Mr Adrian Shipp, regarding his recent appointment as head teacher HSIE at North Sydney Boys High School. Adrian has had a massive impact within our faculty since he arrived roughly 5 years ago and was the Acting Head Teacher at the time of his departure. His presence and teaching influence will be missed by both the staff and students alike.

The end of term one saw a particularly busy time with the Year 10 Geography classes attending the annual Cronulla fieldtrip to study Coastal Management. Both days ran very successfully thanks to the help and support of all teachers involved and to the cooperation of all students who attended.

At the time of writing this, Mr Parnham’s Mock Trial team were busy preparing for their first ‘point -scoring’ round of the Mock Trial competition against St. Mary’s Cathedral College. The students involved, all show great enthusiasm for the opportunity to participate in the mock courtroom scenarios and we wish them the best of luck in their competition. Hopefully next newsletter I can report back regarding a crushing victory.

Finally I would just like to make mention of the Global Young Leaders Conference that will take place at the end of term 2. This is an event that NHSPA has participated in now for a number of years where senior students get the opportunity to travel to either the USA or Europe and represent the school at what might be described as a ‘mini United Nations’ conference. Each year the students report back on what an amazing experience it is and I’m sure this year again will see our students doing a wonderful job, proudly representing the school.

David Cole HSIE DEPARTMENT

PD/H/PE DEPARTMENT

TERM 2 - IMPORTANT DATES

NHSPA Athletics Carnival - Friday 15 May Bligh Zone Cross Country Carnival - Monday 18 May Balmoral Burn - Sunday 31 May Bligh Zone Athletics Carnival - Friday 19 June

NHSPA Cross Country Results 2015 - 20/03/2015 The top 10 in each division go though to Zone Cross Country on Monday 18 May at Sydney Park. Permission notes have been handed out to every student. Students need to pay $6 at the office and return the permission note to the yellow drop box outside the PDHPE staffroom.

Girls 12 Year Olds 3000 Metre Run Girls 13 Year Olds 3000 Metre Run

1 Buck, Sophia Fantasy 14.25 10 1 Korell, Charlotte Fantasy 13.12 10 2 Dunnallen, Ella Musical 16.01 8 2 Scheer, Rosa Fantasy 13.30 8 3 Mark, Lily Horror 16.09 6 3 Christie, Hannah Horror 14.03 6 4 Meale, Ainsley Horror 16.49 5 4 Forbes, Annabel Fantasy 15.10 5 5 Myles, Ella Action 17.26 4 5 Campbell-Smith, Aliyah Fantasy 15.15 6 Ireland, Grace Action 18.07 3 6 Fuminashi, Sumire Fantasy 15.22 3 7 Southall, Phoenix 18.16 2 7 Beattie, Ally Musical 15.43 2 8 Wallace, Ruby Horror 18.37 1 8 Jones, Charlotte Action 15.50 1 9 Stig, Georgia Horror 18.40 1 9 Raits, Chelsea Horror 16.08 1 10 Ralph, Ocea Horror 19.21 1 10 Sialeipata, Sabrina Fantasy 16.47 1 11 Saunders, Charlotte Musical 20.24 1 11 Jackson, Lillian Action 16.48 1 12 Gaspar, Natalie Fantasy 20.33 1 12 Flanagan, Flowr Musical 17.00 1 13 Christie, Zoe Horror 20.34 1 13 Robertson, Ella Action 17.09 1 14 Moore, Arkie Action 20.58 1 14 Fewtrell, Leah Fantasy 17.27 1 15 Benson, Miriam Fantasy 20.59 1 15 Wong, Aaryn Action 17.55 1 Girls 14 Year Olds 3000 Metre Run Girls 15 Year Olds 3000 Metre Run

1 Cairns, Jasmine Action 13.44 10 1 Moir, Olivia Fantasy 13.36 10 2 Wolfe, Phoebe Action 14.43 8 2 Curtis, Jarrah Musical 16.18 8 3 Thompson, Lilah Horror 14.49 6 3 Diett, Macy Fantasy 16.20 6 4 Goldsworthy, Elli Fantasy 14.51 5 4 Goodman, Aisha Fantasy 21.30 5 5 Valencic, Lucy Action 14.53 4 5 Pye, Marlee Action 23.16 4 6 Paterson, Fiona Action 15.15 3 6 Fish, Rebecca Fantasy 23.18 3 7 Clancy, Lauren Action 17.55 1.50 7 Hans-Rosenbaum, Olivia Musical 25.50 2 7 Moir-Balboa, Tallulah Fantasy 17.55 9 De Carli, Bree Horror 18.37 1 10 Sturgeon, Ashleigh Fantasy 18.38 1 11 Macken, Bridie Horror 19.49 1 12 Vanos, Olivia Action 19.50 1 Girls 16 Year Olds 3000 Metre Run Girls 17-19 3000 Metre Run

1 Calabrese, Kayla-pearl Horror 13.20 10 1 Powell, Charlie Action 14.37 10 2 Newton, Hannah Horror 13.40 8 2 Parsonage, Brianna Horror 14.39 8 3 Rodgers, Miranda Musical 13.51 6 3 Jaunzemis, Stephanie Fantasy 14.40 6 4 Cairns, Georgia Action 14.09 5 4 Idle, Matilda Horror 15.56 5 5 Seage, Tahlia Horror 14.36 4 5 Van Der Merwe, Robyn Fantasy 15.58 6 Wachtenheim, Alizee Fantasy 14.51 3 6 Thirsk, Liberty Action 16.28 3 7 Clemment, Carolina Action 15.58 2 7 Thompson, Kaitlin Action 16.40 2 8 Brunt, Emerald Action 17.26 1 8 Siljeg, Anica Musical 17.24 1 9 Gordon, Olivia Musical 17.30 1 9 Grech, Carla Action 18.21 1 10 Russell, Imogen Musical 18.00 1 10 Wellings, Isabella Action 22.00 1 11 Trent, Rachel Musical 22.34 1

PD/H/PE DEPARTMENT Continued...

Boys 12 Year Olds 3000 Metre Run Boys 13 Year Olds 3000 Metre Run

1 Hadley, Leo Fantasy 12.54 10 1 Newton, Fearghus Fantasy 13.01 10 2 Yates, Oliver Musical 13.07 8 2 Guthrie, William Fantasy 13.52 8 3 Burgess, Edyn Fantasy 13.21 6 3 Riggs, Isaac Action 13.55 6 4 Harrington, Kyle Fantasy 13.44 5 4 Salkil, Sonny Fantasy 13.56 5 5 Rodgers, Calum Action 13.46 4 5 Sharp, Lincoln Fantasy 14.04 4 6 Poppleton, Damon Horror 14.14 3 6 Dadgostar, Leo Action 14.50 3 7 Tuohy, Jaxon Musical 15.03 2 7 Woodhouse, Albie Musical 14.51 2 8 Jorgensen, Dane Musical 18.15 1 8 Fowke, Riley Musical 15.04 1 9 Bajkowski, Conrad Musical 19.00 1 9 Pastor, Ethan Fantasy 15.18 1 10 Sagar, Ollie Musical 19.55 1 10 Lang, Teilo Musical 15.20 1 11 Volkofsky, Tom Action 21.51 1 11 Laird, Rees Fantasy 15.35 1 12 Langdale, Marcus Fantasy 22.00 1 12 Rogers, Tom Fantasy 16.04 1 Boys 14 Year Olds 3000 Metre Run Boys 15 Year Olds 3000 Metre Run

1 Danoy, Raphael Fantasy 11.06 10 1 McKay, Archie Action 11.19 10 2 Craig, Angus Fantasy 11.43 8 2 Nivison-Smith, Solomon Horror 11.50 8 3 Lily-Merigan, Tully Fantasy 13.05 6 3 Caley, Broughton Horror 12.13 6 4 Tagivetaua, Emosi Musical 14.10 5 4 Marie, Sebastian Horror 12.50 5 5 Safi, Seven Horror 16.21 4 5 Shachar, Itay Musical 13.02 4 6 McAuley, Cade Musical 16.23 3 6 Bitti, Tom Fantasy 13.16 3 7 Sarkodee, Jonah Musical 17.21 2 7 Yamada, Koh Musical 13.20 2 8 Morris, Ben Horror 18.41 1 8 Forsyth, Cooper Musical 13.35 1 9 Nangolo, Numbi Action 19.25 1 9 Bray, Euan Horror 15.30 1 10 Pryde, Luther Action 19.28 1 10 O'Loughnan, Kevin Horror 16.10 1 Boys 16 Year Olds 6000 Metre Run 1 Small, Alex Action 23.27 10 Boys 17-19 6000 Metre Run 2 Henney, Christian Horror 25.27 8 1 Lynch, Matthew Fantasy 23.40 10 3 McGregor, Mungo Musical 27.30 6 2 Pooley, Ethan Musical 24.54 8 4 Morgan Young, Rio Action 27.35 5 3 Djurovic, Vaso Horror 25.30 6 5 Christie Evans, Joseph Action 30.23 4 4 Nettheim, Michael Fantasy 26.40 5 6 Grace, Marley Action 31.20 3 5 Thomson, Darren Horror 28.30 4 7 Mann, Lewis Musical 32.00 2 6 Wrenn, Max Musical 29.00 3 8 Clark, Spencer Action 33.00 1 7 Sinclair, Mali Horror 33.00 2 8 Saunders, Miro Fantasy 36.00 1 9 Delany, Luke Horror 40.00 1

PD/H/PE DEPARTMENT Continued...

Athletics Carnival Friday 15 May All students received an information note for the Athletics Carnival last week in roll call outlining the information for the day.

Students in Years 7 – 10 all returned a coloured Sports Requirement note at the beginning of the year, this note was the permission note for all school carnivals for 2015. Students in Year 11 & Year 11 need to check the PDHPE noticeboard to check whether they have handed in the purple sports requirement note.

Venue: The Carnival will be held at the Warm Up track at Sydney Olympic Park. Time: 9.00am to 2.00pm. The first event starts at 9.15am. Transport: Students are permitted to make their own way to and from the venue however the school will provide transportation should there be difficulty in arranging travel arrangements. Please note that this will be in the form of buses departing from and returning to school. This option will be dependent on sufficient numbers. Cost: Carnival payments have been included in school contributions. Please ensure that payments have been made Bus Details: Bus fee is $10 return. Please ensure that this is paid by WEDNESDAY 13 MAY. If you wish to take this option you must meet at school outside the Administration Office at 8.00am. Uniform: Students are asked to dress in FULL PE UNIFORM TO AND FROM the carnival. Those wishing to wear house colours may change AT THE CARNIVAL VENUE. Students are advised to leave valuables at home. No responsibility will be taken for lost or stolen items.

Canteen facilities will be available however these are often costly and not of sound nutrition. Students are encouraged to bring their own food and drink.

Please ensure that students are well equipped with sun protection and adequate hydration (water).

The carnival will proceed regardless of weather except severe conditions such as electrical storms. Should the carnival be cancelled a message will be posted on the school website at 7.00am and the school phone lines will also be open from 7.00am. Students are required to be at school in full school uniform with all required equipment should the carnival be cancelled.

WEBSITES For more information on Bligh Zone dates check out http://bligh.sessazones.com/

For more information on Sydney Eat check out http://www.sports.det.nsw.edu.au/syd_east/welcome.htm

MUSIC DEPARTMENT

SHOWCASE Our Showcase Season fast approaches and all ensembles are preparing works for a jam- packed program.

The music nights take place in the Studio Theatre and are as follows;

TUESDAY 19 and WEDNESDAY 20 May (with Drama)

Concert Band Junior Jazz Junior Choir WOMP (Percussion) Vocal Ensemble

TUESDAY 26 and WEDNESDAY 27 May

Orchestra String Ensemble Guitar Ensemble Junior String Quartet Saxophone Quartet Symphonic Wind Ensemble Jazz Orchestra Senior Jazz Ensemble Red Choir (years 8/9) Senior Choir

THURSDAY 28 May

Showcase Electives - Up in Lights Song Writing

SELECTED SOLOISTS This is always a great performance opportunity for students and a chance to see both our large and smaller ensembles in action.

For some students this will be the first time they have performed at Newtown High School of the Performing Arts and is a great introduction to the performance process.

It is important that all students support this in the following ways

 Students need to check uniform requirements with their director. The standard uniform is black leather shoes (not trainers), black collared shirt (no prints or logos) and black trousers (not jeans)  Students must be present at the technical rehearsal (times will be published). If there is a problem you must liaise with Mr Miller  Whilst the concert starts at 7pm, students will need to be in C block for notes and warm up by 6pm

I thank you for your support and hope to see many of you at what should prove to be great nights of music.

MUSIC DEPARTMENT Continued…..

GUITAR WORKSHOPS Our guitarists have been treated to a workshop held by Dave Fergusson on technical aspects of guitar sound production. Apart from being introduced to an amazing collection of different guitars, amplifiers and pedals, students gained an insight into many aspects of guitar sound production in live production and studio recording.

SYMPHONIC WIND ENSEMBLE Our Symphonic Wind Ensemble has been invited to take part in the inaugural Sydney Conservatorium Music Band Invitational at the Sydney Conservatorium on Sunday June 7th. Selected as representative of public schools, students will be given the opportunity to work as part of a master class as well as giving a public performance. The ensemble has been preparing for a busy performance schedule and recently attended a Sunday workshop/ master class at Newtown High School of the Performing Arts.

SONG WRITING WORKSHOPS Once again the school has worked together with APRA to present a two-day song-writing workshop for year 11 students. The workshop took place at the end of term 1 and involved 16 students, forming four new bands. The students worked with song writer Rai Thistlethwaite and producer Rob Conley to produce and record four new songs. These four songs will be combined with the five songs from last years workshops on a compilation CD that will be available shortly.

ONE FINE DAY Congratulations to Tim Ailwood, Emlyn Lewis-Jones, Dave Fergusson, the Technical Company and fantastic cast of One Fine Day which ran in week 9 of last term.

This was a completely original production and was a huge success. Whilst there is nothing quite like a live performance of a show like this, we have thankfully captured the show on video so stay tuned for a DVD release.

MUSIC DEPARTMENT Continued…..

MATHS DEPARTMENT

YEAR 8 PRACTICAL ON FRACTIONS

Welcome back to a busy Term 2 in Mathematics. A reminder that the Naplan test is in Week 4.

ASSESSMENT TASK 2 will be on: FRIDAY 6 MAY for Year 8 student THURSDAY 7 MAY for Year 9 student WEDNESDAY 13 MAY for Year 10

Please remember to bring your calculator to every lesson and especially during exams.

YEAR 7S MATHEMATICS

All our students have been issued their Mathletics password and should be using this program on a regular basis. Please feel to contact any member of the Maths staff if there are any issues concerning Mathletics.

INTERESTED IN PLAYING CHESS?

We are in the process of organising chess teams to meet during certain lunch times. Please come to the Maths Staffroom to discuss.

TOURNAMENT OF MINDS

Tournament of Minds is a problem solving programme for teams of students. They are required to solve demanding, open-ended challenges from one of the following disciplines:

 Applied Technology  Language Literature  Maths Engineering  Social Science

Tournament of Minds is an opportunity for students with a passion for learning and problem solving to demonstrate their skills and talents in an exciting, vibrant and public way.

It allows the development of diverse skills, enterprise, time management, and the discipline to work collaboratively within a challenging and competitive environment.

We are calling for expression of interest from students in Years 7 to 10. Our school has successfully competed in the Tournament of Minds over several years and we are looking forward to this year’s challenges.

Please come to the Maths Department if you would like to be involved in any of the above categories.

Joelle Pearn & Jane Gray MATHS DEPARTMENT

YEAR 9 JOURNALISM

WORLD EARTH FESTIVAL 2015

Good food, good music, World Earth Festival 2015. The World Earth Festival this year was definitely one of the best so far. All the money from selling food and drink goes towards helping the planet; planting trees or donating to environmental causes. It is a great opportunity for Newtown to show off its creativity to the parents and community. The parents and teachers were helping cook and organise the event, so everyone was involved. If you were performing or cooking you were helping out; that is why this year was such a success. The performances were great, with a wide variety of dance and music pieces.

There were a wide assortment of stalls this year, from cupcakes and cookies, vegetable and fruit juice, sausage rolls, clothes for sale and a ping pong championship. The lines for the stalls this year were especially long which proves a great turn out of students, parents and the rest of the community. The more people there are for the earth festival the more awareness and knowledge is spread about the environment and what you can do to help. Possibly the reason there was such a large amount of people this year was because of the vibe created by the music and other performances, which is important to think about for next year’s festival.

The festival allows students to be creative and do what we do best, whether its performing, organising the technical side of the festival or creating other forms of art to help gain awareness of an international issue. This shows that our skills developed at this school can be used not only to perform but to inform and deal with issues that we face today. This year’s world earth festival was really important as the world’s climate and environment continues to worsen.

HUGO LARSEN AND LIAM MORDAUNT-BUKSH

YEAR 9 JOURNALISM Continued...

WORLDS GREATEST SHAVE

Today, 31 Australians will be given the devastating news that they have leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma or a related blood disorder. That's more than 12,000 people in 2015. Although survival rates are improving, blood cancers like these are the third biggest cause of cancer death in Australia.’

Hence why Newtown High School of the Performing Arts has decided to help change these peoples’ lives. NHSPA has frequently participated in a charity event called the Worlds Greatest Shave.

The World’s Greatest Shave is a fundraising event in which participants shave their head in order to raise funds, which are then donated to the Leukemia Foundation.

The money that is donated goes towards research, which is needed to find better treatments and cures for leukemia, lymphomas, myeloma and related blood disorders.

The Leukemia Foundation also uses the funding to support families when they need it most, providing leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma patients with a free home-away-from-home near the hospital during their treatment. This also means that patients are able to be transported to appointments and are provide with as much practical assistance and emotional support as possible, all free of charge.

This year, Newtown had ten participants, and raised $16,000.00.

Just a few of the participants from left to right Angus Whitlam (Yr 9), Jasper Mastro-Sommer (Yr 9), Joe Shearer (Yr 9), Stephanie Jaunzemis (Yr 11), Ruby Newman (Yr 9), Laura Sheedy (Yr 11), Miles Bennett (Yr 11), Astrid Crane (Yr 11)

MIA BLACK AND ELLI GOLDSWORTHY

YEAR 9 JOURNALISM Continued...

2015 CANBERRA FIELD TRIP

On the 13th of March 2015, Year 9 went on an educational field trip to Canberra. For two days we visited five locations that were related to our science topic of energy efficiency and sustainability. Throughout the excursion we experienced educational talks that helped us have a thorough understanding of sustainability, tours that gave us opportunities to ask questions, interact ,and at times, to explore and see what makes a location like Canberra sustainable

On the first day we visited Veolia and CSIRO. Our first destination was a stop over at the bioreactor, Veolia. Here we explored the sustainable alternatives for energy. We toured the site stopping first at the bio digester. After this we travelled to the wind farms. The turbines stretched far into the sky towering 90meters above us. The view from where we were standing was absolutely amazing; that was definitely a highlight. We departed from Veolia at 1.15 pm. Our tour around Veolia was a great experience as we learnt about how we could improve sustainability, where and what the bioreactor does and how it helps environmental and economically.

Our second stop over was CSIRO. Here we stopped to have an educational talk on energy efﬁciency and sustainability. We got the chance to interact and ask questions about energy efﬁciency. CSIRO provided us with useful information and interesting facts about the environment and hope sustainable it really is. After our talk we got a chance to explore the cool things that were at the exhibit.

On the second day we visited the royal botanic gardens. There we toured the gardens and then got the chance to explore the gardens. It was a really fun and exciting part of the ﬁeld trip. It allowed students to get involved and learn about the history and the origins of all the plants that were there. Then we moved on and travelled to the parliament house where we ate our lunch and received a 30 minute talk from Mr Mayerhofer on the history of Canberra.

Our final stop for the trip was Questacon, which proved to be a year favourite. Not only is Questacon educational, but it is also full of fun things to see and do. Questacon has five storeys that consist of multiple rooms and gardens, such as WonderWorks, Awesome Earth, Q Lab, MiniQ, Excite Q, H20, The Science Garden and Perception Deception. Each room was filled with many things that improved our knowledge of almost everything, from the earth itself to the human mind and body.

NINA MARIC, ISLA MOWBRAY AND ELENI-GRACE BLACK