1 February May Merewether High School Bulletin 20162017
Diary Date
This Issue P & C Tuesday, 16th May P1 Principals Report
P5 Deputy's Report 7:00pm– ILC
P7 Social Science
P12 PE
P15 Hospitality
P17 Moospaper Jessica Mulhearn awarded Exclusive Place at UBS Young Women's
P23 Vaccination Leadership Academy — Program Jessica Mulhearn was selected to attend the UBS Young Women’s Leadership Academy, recognising her leadership potential and individual achievements. Jessica was one of 40 female students selected from public high schools across NSW for a 4 day residential program at Women's College, University of Sydney. The academy
aims to offer young female leaders the opportunity to build confidence, learn leadership skills and business knowledge as well as raising awareness of rising social issues. Dates to Remember UBS Academy alumni, Elizabeth Cameron, currently working at UBS on secondment from a leading law firm notes the Academy was an excellent introduction to valuable leadership skills which she has been able to apply throughout her career. “I am thankful for the chance to be 16/05 - Year 8 PLG involved and for the opportunities the Academy provided. Hearing admired female leaders’ 22/05 - 26/05 Year 11 share their experiences highlighted the variety of careers available to me.” Mid Course Matthew Grounds, UBS Chief Executive Officer Australasia said, "The academy, now inits Examinations 13th year continues to be one of the major pillars of UBS Australia’s community program, 23/05 - Year 9 PLG providing more than 750 young aspiring female leaders new experiences, knowledge and inspirations to enact real change within our community". During the week long program, students heard from a diverse group of contemporary female leaders including Nicole Sheffield, Managing Director, News DNA, Shona McPherson, Foundation for Young Australians and Dr Amanda Bell from Women's College. The students were treated to a tour of the Art Gallery of NSW and networking events at the UBS offices. The Academy ran from
Monday 3 April till Thursday 6 April.
Samyuktha Sethumadhavan’s awarded a place at the 22nd
National Schools Constitutional Convention 120 students from around Australia travelled to Canberra from 15 to 17 March 2017 to participate in the Convention. At the Convention, Emeritus Professor John Warhurst AO
led a two-day programme in which students explored ‘Indigenous Australians and the Constitution’. After hearing from a panel of experts and considering the issues in working group’s delegates voted in a mock referendum. The majority of people and majority of states agreed on proposed new sections 51A and 116A.
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51A Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Recognising that the continent and its islands now known as Australia were first occupied by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples; Acknowledging the continuing relationship of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples with their traditional lands and waters; Respecting the continuing cultures, languages and heritage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples; The Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws for the peace, order and good government of the Commonwealth with respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. 116A Prohibition of racial discrimination (1) The Commonwealth, a State or a Territory shall not discriminate on the grounds of race, colour or ethnic or national origin. (2) Subsection (1) does not preclude the making of laws or measures for the purpose of overcoming disadvantage, ameliorating the effects of past discrimination, or protecting the cultures, languages or heritage of any group. This outcome was included in the Communiqué which will be presented to the Senate for inclusion in Hansard. A copy of the Communiqué is attached, along with a photograph of all delegates. Other highlights of the Canberra trip included a Reception at Government House with Lady Cosgrove, a Welcome Reception at Parliament House and a Convention dinner at the High Court. 3 May Merewether High School Bulletin 2017
Burn to Learn Professor Hillman is in Australia to design, assess and interpret the cognitive data from the Burn 2 Learn program, being piloted at Merewether High School and Kotara High School in Newcastle. The program began last week with baseline testing of students. The world authority on the link between physical activity, cognition and learning in children and adolescents is in Australia is collaborating on a program with the University of Newcastle and the Department of Education. Professor Charles Hillman is a member of the Advisory Committee for the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans that promotes the minimum daily levels of physical activity for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. For the first time, the committee will also look at physical activity in relation to cognition and brain health. Burn 2 Learn Professor Hillman’s research has demonstrated that improving aerobic fitness can boost cognitive control, memory, and brain function in children. University of Newcastle Professor David Lubans has designed a program for Year 11 students that involves three, 10-minute, high intensity exercise sessions a week, across a range of activities including dance, combat, sport and gym. Prof Hillman is in Australia collaborating with the Burn 2 Learn research team at the University of Newcastle. He is guiding the design and analysis of cognitive testing, which will be done at baseline and then again at the end of program, which will be delivered over one school year. The large-scale study, which will start in 2018, will involve more than 800 students from 20 public secondary schools. The research team will aim to recruit 40 Year 11 students from each high school to take part in the program. Jade Conner invited to attend UBS Finance Academy 2017 Congratulations to Jade Conner who has been invited to attend the UBS Finance Academy 2017 which will be held at Dunmore Lang College, Macquarie University from 10 - 13 July, 2017. The objective of the Academy is to provide leadership in investment banking education with a particular focus on senior secondary school students. The UBS Finance Academy, established in 2003 offers selected students an opportunity to explore and learn about a wide range of career opportunities in finance. This year 40 students have been chosen from public schools in NSW. The program is a residential course designed to be a creative mix of theory, industry exposure, field visits, syndicate work and fun. A key learning tool is the finance sector case study. For the students there is a chance to explore a previously unknown career opportunity and develop new relationships with their peer group from other schools. Mental Health Educational Evening – 16th May – Newcastle University University of Newcastle Medical Society is hosting a Mental Health Educational Evening as part of their Blue Week initiative to raise awareness of mental health issues within students and the general community. It will be held on Tuesday 16th May for 6:00pm - 8:30pm at ATC 210 (Advanced Technology Centre room 210) at the University of Newcastle. There will be four speakers on the night; Craig Hamilton (Sports Commentator and renowned Mental Illness Presenter), Lily Christie (Beyond Blue Ambassador), Jaelea Skehan (Director of the Hunter Institute of Mental Health), and Associate Professor Lisa Lampe (UoN School of Medicine and Public Health). The night is a free event and some light refreshments, finger food and live music will be provided in the break between speakers. LMBR We are currently changing to LMBR as our financial management system. As a result all payments have been suspended and there is a lot of deal of work to be completed in the front office, prior to us “going live” on the 22nd May. The new system has to be set up as we switch over to the new finance package. I would ask that everyone be patient with us while this new system is implemented.
4 May Merewether High School Bulletin 2017 Cross Country Carnival Another very successful Cross Country carnival was held on Wednesday 3rd May at Blackbutt Reserve with our students participating in the runs as well as activities organised by the prefect body. The tug-o-war and sack races were highly contested with students competing across year groups and demonstrating a great deal of school pride and sense of community. Year 12 Academic Review Interviews All Year 12 students will be interviewed during Term 2 with interviews held by the Principal and Deputy Principals throughout weeks 4, 5 and 6. The purpose of these interviews is to review students’ academic progress to date and to help plan for academic success as we move towards the HSC. Congratulations Letters Congratulations to all students who received a letter at the end of Term 1 commending them for outstanding work throughout Term 1. This recognition is occurs as part of our school reward scheme in Terms 1 and 3 each year. This Term Term 2 is shaping up to be a very busy term with Mid Course Examinations for Years 7 – 11, Parent Teacher Interview afternoons for Year 12 and Year 11 and reports issued to all years other than Year 10. Year 10 reports will be issued at the beginning of Week 3, Term 3 as Year 10 exams are not held until the second last week of this term and all exams then need to be marked and returned to students for feedback and checking prior to reports being completed. We like to celebrate the outstanding achievements of our students. If your child has succeeded at either state or national level please email the details to the school email address: [email protected] Bell Times It is important all students make every effort to be at school before the first warning bell to ensure they are maximising learning time in their classrooms. Arriving late means classes and learning are disrupted as students arrive at their classrooms after the bell. The first bell goes at 8:47am with a second bell at 8:50am to indicate period 1 has begun. At 8:50am all students should be at their classrooms ready to commence lessons. Our school bell times are listed below.
Monday, Tuesday and Thursday Thursday Friday Wednesday NO ASSEMBLY
Warning Bell 8.47 8.47 8.47 8.47
1 8.50 – 9.47 8.50 – 9.52 8.50 – 10.00 8.50 – 9.50
2 9.47 – 10.40 Assembly 9.52 – 10.32 9.50 – 10.45
Recess 10.40 – 11.00 10.32 – 10.57 10.00 – 10.30 10.45 – 11.05
3 11.00 – 11.53 10.57 – 11.51 10.30 – 11.30 11.05 – 12.00
4 11.53 – 12.45 11.51 – 12.45 11.30 – 12.30 12.00 – 12.55
Lunch 12.45 – 1.05 – 1.25 12.45 – 1.05 – 1.25 12.30 – 12.50 – 1.10 12.55 – 1.05 – 1.35
5 1.25 – 2.18 1.25 – 2.18 1.10 – 2.10 1.35 – 2.30
6 2.18 – 3.10 2.18 – 3.10 2.10 – 3.10 Meetings 5 May Merewether High School Bulletin 2017
From the DP Changes to Bus Numbers Information was distributed recently to students travelling on buses for school transport. There has beena change to the way public bus services are being numbered. Whilst the actual route in most cases has not changes, the number displayed and the route number may have varied. Students are encouraged to use the online transport trip planner to confirm their travel arrangements to and from school to avoid any confusion as the changes are phased in. Student Safety All members of the school community are encouraged to observe the parking regulations and the use of the drop off zones out the front of the school. The onsite school carparks are not designed as a pickup zone. Parents are asked not to enter the school carparks when dropping off or picking up students (excepting those displaying disabled parking permits). These areas are for staff parking only and due to the high volumes of students walking through these zones at bell times, any entering or exiting traffic poses a risk to student safety. Students are also reminded about their responsibilities in being safe road users, it is important to use designated pathways and crossings when leaving the school. With high traffic volumes particularly around the nine ways and with lots of students moving to access public trains and buses, it is important to remind everyone to think safety first. Term 2 Assessment With NAPLAN the current focus for students in Year 7 and 9 this week, I would like to commend students for their efforts in preparing for these tasks within their regular classroom learning programs. Students focused on the quality of the work they produce in each lesson and in making an effort to actively edit their work they have ensured they produce quality. It has been an important and relevant skill worth reinforcing not just for NAPLAN but for personal improvement. On the back of NAPLAN, our students will be working hard in their preparation for and completion of Mid Course Exams. Throughout weeks 4, 5 & 6 students in Years 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 will complete their Mid Course Exams. Mr Kelty will release year group exam timetables to students shortly. These exams are an important part of our teaching, learning and assessment cycle where students can demonstrate their learning and achievement at this time and receive further feedback to assist them in continuing to strive towards their personal best. In working towards their exams we have supported students through a range of study skills sessions and explicit study strategies being taught in classrooms. Year 10 and 11 students had a study skills session focusing on their time management and specific study techniques. Year 10 participated in a program called study Sensei and Year 11 completed the next session in their program, titled memory mnemonics. They were also provided with an online password to access learning resources to support their study preparation. These study sessions were supplemented by a parent forum in the evening where parents were provided with some tools to assist them in further supporting their students at home. Whilst nothing beats a quality regular home study program, the following tips are useful for all students as a specific lead in to an exam phase.
Start your exam preparation early enough – a minimum of 3 weeks lead in time supports good preparation. Week 1 - ensure your notes are up to date and organised for all subjects and courses. Week 2 – revise notes and learn content through a variety of specific study strategies such as graphic organisers, study cards, summary techniques and quizzes (many strategies can be found in your student diary). Week 3 – complete practice tests and review questions
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It is important to create a task “to do” list when studying to ensure you use your time wisely. This helps to avoid procrastination and supports you to stay focussed during your study session. Some further tips and advice can be obtained from www.studyvibe.com.au For more specific study advice and strategies to assist in the preparation for exams, students are encouraged to discuss ideas with their class teacher.
Sleep: This week I have chosen to revisit a significant area of adolescent wellbeing and an area that I believe our young people often underestimate in value. Whilst Mrs Rippon spoke at last week’s assembly on the importance of physical activity to positive cognitive outcomes (and our school’s involvement in the “Burn to Learn” study), she also noted the value of general good health inclusive of sound nutrition and sleep. “The one-third of our lives that we spend sleeping plays a direct role in how full, energetic and successful the other two-thirds of our lives can be” Many young people are not getting their recommended 8 -10 hours of sleep that they need, to function at their best. This is particularly true when they experience high demands and workloads such as when completing assessments and preparing for exams. The impact of this though is significant as sleep deprivation, has a direct relationship to reduced performance. “Sleep is like a bank account. Every day you draw on the balance and if you don’t deposit around 8-10 hours a night you end up overdrawn” Evidence supports that sleep improves the brain’s ability to remember information and during sleep you can strengthen memories or ‘practice’ skills learned while you were awake.
So to address this area today, here are a few tips. Make sleep a priority, put it at the top of the to-do list not at the bottom. Light cues the brain to stay awake, so remove lights from TV’s, mobile phones, digital alarm clocks etc from near the bed. A slight drop in temperature can help promote sleep, keep your bedroom slightly cooler, quiet and dark. Exercise helps promote good night sleep. Exercise in the morning or prior to the evening meal. Keep the hour before bed as your wind down time; listen to quiet music, read a light book, do relaxation exercises or use mental imagery to help unwind from stressful situations. Try to go to bed at the same time each night; a sleep routine helps the body clock to regulate sleepiness and wakefulness. The routine should be followed both on weekdays and weekends. If you are lying in bed and can’t sleep within 20-30 mins you should get up. The delayed sleep response is known as sleep latency and this can be controlled. Your body’s sleep cycle comes in waves, if you are having difficulty getting to sleep, don’t lie there and become frustrated. Get up and move toanother darkened room, sit quietly and relax, your next sleep wave will come along and then you should return to bed.
To support this focus further, you may like to access some of the additional information listed below. Teenagers and sleep, www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au Good sleep habits, www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au Sleep, learning and memory, 2007, Harvard University 40 facts about sleep you probably didn’t know, www.abc.net.au
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Aboriginal Education: The next meeting of the Muloobinbah AECG will be held on 24th May, Parents and Community members are welcome to attend and details of the venue will be forwarded home to parents once available. The 2017 National NAIDOC Theme is Our Languages Matter. A meeting of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and families was held this week to start planning for the events to mark and celebrate NAIDOC at Merewether High School in 2017. The importance, resilience and richness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages will be the focus of national celebrations marking NAIDOC Week 2017, and this theme will also form a part of activities and celebrations in the final week of this Term. In the lead up to NAIDOC week, which officially falls in the school holidays, we will again be offering a cultural excursion day open to all students of the school. This cultural day is designed to share a greater understanding of local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and the stories of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie area. Further details of these activities will be communicated in the coming weeks through the student notices. With the assistance and leadership of community member and friend of MHS Dave Newham, our students will have the opportunity to take part in and learn from this wonderful experience. N Harvey
Social Science I would like to welcome parents and students back to Term 2. Students have been immersed in learning in the classroom and a number of extra–curricular activities are well underway. The teachers in Social Sciences continue to provide challenging classroom activities designed to promote critical thinking and problem solving with the needs of GATS learners always at the forefront of this design. Students in all subjects have been using a variety of thinking tools to showcase their learning and work collaboratively. Year 12 have reviewed their mid-course marks and received valuable feedback to inform the process of assessment for learning. It is strongly recommended that students reflect on their exam preparation and seek guidance and support from their classroom teacher to continue to develop their skills over the coming term.
Mock Trial The faculty and its students have already enjoyed successes and learning experiences across a range of areas. Our Mock Trial team won the first two rounds in the competition and we look forward to further successes with this dedicated team under the expert guidance of Mrs Tonks.
Geography In Term 1 our junior and senior Geography students were engaged in a number of mandatory fieldwork activities. These activities enabled students to apply knowledge from the classroom to examine a range of geographical issues.
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Year 7 Geography This is the first year of the NSW National Curriculum with students studying Landscapes and Landforms. An integral part of the course is students considering the processes that shape the land as well as considering the differing perspectives on the importance of landforms and their formation. In this instance students visited the Awabakal National Park at Dudley and conducted fieldwork at a variety of sites learning about the history of the area and comparing the management of the site by local Awabakal people and European settlers. The students had a fantastic day working with the Hunter Wetlands Environmental Education teachers asking insightful questions and observing the variety of landforms and vegetation and beauty ofthe park.
Enviro Group Bulletin Report The MHS Enviro Group has been running well under the direction of Year 12 students Jacob Gamble and Annaliese Turner. With assigned roles, our team has been working together to bring new environmental initiatives to the school. The fabulous Anna Carpenter of Year 12 has been our loyal minutes-keeper allowing members to keep up to date with everything that’s happening at Enviro Meetings. Arthy Mukunthan and Bianka Aranraj from Year 10 have stepped up to public Marchrelations roles, including delivering assembly announcements and running the group while Year 12 were completing Midcourse Exams. Along with Zoe Davis and Teza Sankoorikal of Year 10, they attended the ‘Environmental Education Teacher and Students 2017Network Day’ last term at the Wetlands, where they acquired new knowledge and inspiration for environmental projects within our school such as compost bins and vegetable gardens. They met with the organisation ‘Plastic Police’ who we hope to work with in the future, starting during our upcoming event Waste Awareness Week. This week-long event will be focused around raising awareness and addressing the effects of consumerism and unsustainable practices on the environment, and will include a Q and A Panel featuring local environmental activists. This is following on from our first major event of the year, MHS Survivor, a collaboration between the Enviro Group and the Social Justice Group in which six teams competed in various challenges centered around environmental and humanitarian themes. The event attracted a sizeable crowd and engaged the student population in issues such as recycling, climate change and education for women. The team ‘The Barry Bee Bensons’ from Year 10 scored the win 9 May Merewether High School Bulletin 2017
Year 7 History Presentations – Studying Ancient Sites Late last term Year 7 History students poured into MHS toting an extensive variety of jars filled with coloured sands, jelly, dirt and different forms of cake to present their first assessment task to their classmates. In this case the task asks students to research an ancient site such as Pompeii and explore the stratas involved in the site much as an archaeologist would do. Their task was to present their research with a speech exploring the significance of various artefacts and a visual summary to support it, thus the models. The Humanities staff just wanted to take a minute and showcase some of the awesome models that came in and congratulate our youngest historians on their efforts.
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Anzac Day – Gregson Park Dawn Service Each year MHS is represented at the Gregson Park Dawn Service by our full cohort of prefects who brave the cold and the dark to honour the memory of Australian servicemen and women. They were joined this year by Mrs Gilbertson from CAPA, Miss Minns and myself from Humanities. Our students took part in the march as well as roles in the ceremony that change each year. It is fantastic to have such a strong representation of our school in the local community and I hope that next year even more of our students will join us.
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PDHPE Report Burn2Learn Study
Merewether High School has embarked on a joint research study being conducted by Prof David Lubans and colleagues from the University of Newcastle and Australian Catholic University. This research study is being funded by a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) project grant. Research demonstrates that physical activity levels decline sharply during adolescence and findings reported in the 2016 Active Healthy Kids Australia (AHKA) Physical Activity Report Card suggest that only 18% of 12-17 year old youth meet national physical activity guidelines. The senior school years can be a time of significant stress for students, and recent national surveys show that a substantial proportion of Year 11 and 12 students experience moderate to high levels of psychological distress. Regular physical activity has been shown to support young peoples’ mental health, and there is growing evidence linking physical activity and fitness to cognitive functioning and academic performance. Despite these benefits, schools usually do not provide regular physical activity opportunities to students during the senior school years. 12 May Merewether High School Bulletin 2017
The primary aim of the study is to assess the impact of a physical activity program delivered in the school setting on students’ fitness, well-being and cognitive functioning. A group of 38 Year 11 students have volunteered to take part in the study, which commenced on with Wednesday 26th April with the completion of a battery of baseline fitness tests. The students were also required to wear an accelerometer and record their activity levels for a day. The next step was to provide the study participants with the knowledge and skills that they’d require to implement the High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) sessions and a two hour participant training session was conducted on Wednesday 10th May by the Burn2Learn team from the University of Newcastle. The HIIT sessions are designed to allow participant self-direction, be time efficient and conducted with minimal equipment. The HIIT sessions are safe, easily modifiable and offer participants variety as they are based on a range of exercise themes including gym, dance, sport, combat, brain, class and fun. The program is designed to motivate senior students through minimal time commitment and it is guided by the SAAFE Principles; Supportive, Active, Autonomous, Fair, and Enjoyable. The students wear hear rate monitors that provide instant feedback to the participants as well as sending a report to the research team. The study will run for fourteen weeks across Terms 2 and 3, after which further testing will be conducted to ascertain the impact of the Burn2Learn program. Please contact me at school should you require more information about the Burn2Learn study. Robyn Morrison Head Teacher PDHPE
WATER POLO
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Hospitality At the end of Term 1, Year 11 and 12 Hospitality students took part in a barista course at Crema Coffee Garage. Each group met the amazing staff at 8am and were eager and ready to learn. We were taught how to use the grinder, how to tamp, and all the functions of the espresso machine. With this knowledge, we created our first two beverages; a short black and a ristretto. Then we learnt the basics of the steam wand, and were ready to start texturing the milk. We were taught the art of stretching, and steaming milk as well as swirling and pouring after heating. We mastered the flat white and cappuccino but struggled our way through the latte with the art of pouring the correct amount of foam a challenge for some. Our last beverage of the day was the short macchiato. We then let our imagination go wild with foam art and latte art. Our creations included and were not limited to Mickey Mouse ears, smiley faces, and love hearts. A special thank you to the staff at Crema Coffee House, Jenine and Rav, for the wonderful wisdom and expertise they shared with us and a big thank you to Mrs Rosser and Mrs D’Amico for making this experience possible for us. We are now using these skills during a number of coffee shops where all money raised is being donated to the chosen charity for this year, Soul Café 15 May 2017 Merewether High School Bulletin 16 May Merewether High School Bulletin 2017
Be Brave and Shave Aden Weinmann and Jacob Gamble, Year 12
The “Be Brave and Shave” fundraiser was completed on Thursday the 16th March, where 30 participants ranging from Years 7 to 12 and an extra 3 staff members stepped-up to the challenge. The participants raised money through a variety of hair-raising methods, with some colouring their hair blue the week before going bald, while others cut off their long locks for donation. Thanks to the generous contributions of students, staff and the community, the fundraising goal for the cohort of $8,000 was smashed with over $19,000 raised so far. The group are knowledgeable on the Leukaemia Foundation’s cause: blood cancer treatment, funding for research into cures and most importantly family support to those affected. The thumbs will now live with their choices, and accept donations until the end of June. The standards set by previous years have been beaten again and we hope future years will out-do us as well: repeating this tradition and raising even more money for the worthy cause of the Leukaemia Foundation.
Earth Hour Britany So, Year 12 Earth Hour this year was organised by Arthy Mukunthan and Bianka Arunraj of Year 10 along with Merewether’s very own Enviro Group. Merewether High holds an Earth Hour annually to celebrate and raise awareness for ways that every person can help reduce electricity use. Originally initiated by WWF in 2012, Earth Hour was intended as a designated time where all electrical appliances are switched off across the world simultaneously. Although this year’s Earth Hour was officially on the 25th of March, MHS has accommodated for participation by holding it on the 31st of March. This encourages students to turn off lights, open the windows, and make the most of the natural light from outside to illuminate the room for one period. Sometimes, the most trivial things can make a difference in the big picture.
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Annabelle Cleary, Rock Climbing Guru Ashley Naylor, Year 11 Year 11 student Annabelle Cleary is one of the many Merewether students who is soon to be representing the state - albeit for the obscure yet intense sport of rock-climbing! Annabelle was introduced to this sport in Year 7 through the school. She started competing at the start of 2015 and placed 3rd at Nationals last year (in a different format however). There are 3 separate disciplines in climbing- lead climbing and bouldering, which Annabelle mainly competes in, plus speed climbing. Annabelle will be competing at the Australian Youth Championships in Melbourne, which are also tryout for the International climbing team, on the 19th of May. Making one of the top two places in her category will see her continue on to Innsbruck, Austria for the International Youth Championships at the end of the year. Due to her achievements of placing second in both the Victorian and NSW state competitions this year, her “can-do” attitude and commitment to training and her goals, we have no doubt she will excel. We look forward to hearing about the result!
Easter Raffle Alyssa Wharton and Lana Dowman, Year 8 The Easter Raffle occurred on the 23rd of March was an exciting addition to the average Thursday morning assembly. Over 40 winners approached the stage, winning prizes from a single chocolate bunny to a whopping laundry basket full of chocolate eggs and rabbits. The crowd went wild as the top three prize winners were announced, with Michelle Jonker winning 3rd prize, Annabelle Miller gaining 2nd prize, and Callum Melville (as seen in the photo), taking home the enormous 1st prize. It was a great success, and with so many people coming away with prizes, there was plenty of chocolate to go around. Annabelle Miller (2nd place) even said, “I only bought two tickets, and happened to win two prizes.” The rest of the day included students both gloating of their success and being generous by sharing around their winnings. All funds raised will contribute to the Year 12 gift to the school.
IT Club Reboots Interest In Technology Kate Edwards, Year 11 For the past two years, some of Merewether’s most tech- savvy students have been meeting with Mr Glover every Friday lunch to hone their programming skills as part of the IT Club. Comprising about 20 members, mostly juniors, the group has learned to code HTML, Python, Ruby, and Unity through various app development exercises. In past years, students from the IT Club have won prizes at the Digital Sparks Student Technology Design Challenge and Expo, an initiative to get students in years 7 and 8 interested in technology. The club’s achievements in 2016 included the construction and programming of a hologram projector.
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Recently, the club’s activities have been focused on VR, or virtual reality, technology. To provide an incentive for success, Mr Glover has promised to buy the school the necessary VR hardware - but only after the students produce a working program for it. Once acquired, the technology will be used within the school for a mixture of educational and gaming purposes. National Constitutional Convention Anna Carpenter and Timothy Whelan, Year 12 Earlier this April, Year 12 student Sammy Seth was selected to attend the state constitutional convention, after applying to attend in year 11, being only one of 80 students selected from around Australia. The convention invites students to debate and comment on a specific recommendation where they can contribute in real discussion and have their thoughts and ideas considered that can potentially affect real policy. Sammy was able to meet with these student leaders and other policy makers to discuss a referendum that would recognise indigenous people within Australia’s constitution, recommended by the Joint Select Committee of the Constitutional Recognition of ATSI people. As well as this, she was able to attend a prime minister's address, tea at the Governor General's house and dinner at the High Court. This program runs every year and is highly prestigious and worthwhile, so if you are interested on apply for next year and in year 11, talk to Sammy Seth or your careers advisor.
Harmony Day Eve Oxenham and Annabelle Miller, Year 8 On Tuesday the 21st our school participated in Harmony Day, an event to promote diversity and equality. This global day was being celebrated with orange bling, instagram worthy selfies, inspirational messages and a sausage sizzle to feed your hunger for harmony. The SRC's dream team of keen chefs with excellent culinary skills put together each sausage sandwich and fed the demands of the crowd as fast as they could. Mrs Allen would like to thank the SRC for its endless cooperation by saying that “Despite the unexpected challenges, the SRC in the end, prevailed” Harmony Day is truly about celebrating our diversity, one of Merewether High’s famous values, and whether you were first in line at the sausage sizzle, you had the most fashionable orange accessories or whether it was you selfie-skills that were ultimately superior on the day, in the end it is about people from different backgrounds coming together to celebrate diversity and treating every being with equality. Because after all- much like in High School Musical- we’re all in this together.
Merewether Celebrates Pi Day! Abbey Isaac, Year 12 It was a splendid day at Merewether High- the quad was abuzz with Pi and pie enthusiasts. Brainiacs spurted forth irrational numbers in fierce competition, Captains and Deputy Principals were hit in the face with shaving cream pies, and delicious pies were baked for judgement while others were devoured. Outside in the quad, eager students gathered to witness and participate in the pi-throwing. School Captain Priya Vakil comments that “Some kids at school have really good aim! It was probably better our glasses were covered in white shaving cream so we couldn’t see what was coming.” Fellow Captain, Samuel Macintyre, was profoundly impressed by the evident athleticism of his pie-wielding assailants, stating that “We had a variety of throwing styles; the discus hurl, the run and splat, and the sniper pie.” 19 May Merewether High School Bulletin 2017
The famous Pi recital concluded with Harrison Lack of Year 9 earning the prestigious title of Pi King, reciting an astonishing 120 digits while a magnificent pumpkin pie, masterfully created by Josephine Flates of Year 7, stole 1st place in the renowned ‘Pi’ Bakeoff. A big thank you to the Pi Team and to Mrs Jenkins who made Merewether’s celebration of our favourite irrational number a superb event.
Waste Awareness Week Jacob Gamble and Britany So, Year 12 With the over-consumption of plastics and synthetic materials, modern society has adopted an increasingly ‘disposable’ attitude towards day to day life. The result of this is the accumulation of harmful materials on the face of our planet, right under our noses. This is what Waste Awareness Week aims to address. Run by the MHS Enviro Group, this awareness campaign is aiming to help the students and teachers of Merewether become more conscious of their input to the ever growing mass of rubbish, in hopes of guiding the future into a more sustainable way of living. “Waste is an issue that we often disregard in the midst of our everyday lives,” says Annaliese Turner of Year 12, a coordinator of the school Enviro Group, “this week is all about making people think twice about using disposable plastics or contributing to harmful industries.” Waste Awareness Week kicks off in Week 4, Term 2 with a “Meat Free” Monday, a Q and A panel featuring representatives from local environmental organisations on Tuesday, a sustainable staff morning teaon Wednesday, and a soft plastic collection for recycling organisation “Plastic Police” on Thursday. It concludes with a “Fun Fact” Friday on May 19th.
Leos Club at Merewether High School Teza Sankoorikal, Year 10 The 2017 Merewether High School Leo’s club is officially up and running! Leos clubs provide a platform for young students aged 12-24 to serve others in their community and all over the world. Leos projects can range from drug awareness, youth welfare, health, school support to the environment. This year’s club kick-started with the help of Pam Bennett, the coordinator of the Merewether Leos Club. Elections were held recently and currently the newly elected president is Teza Sankoorikal, vice president Aiden Weinman, Membership Chairperson Susanna Kwok, Treasurer Lily Francis and Secretary Annabelle Miller. The group has been discussing upon suitable organizations to support, and how to go about supporting
them. Several ideas are in the talks, like supporting students with a textbook drive and supporting both international and local organizations. Recently Teza, Jacob and Aiden attended a Youth Camp for Leos and Lions winners at Morisset from the 28th to 30th of April, the camp was absolutely amazing! The opportunity to meet passionate young members of the community and share many experiences was exceptional. 20 May Merewether High School Bulletin 2017
Merewether X Evatt 2017 Fia Sankoorikal, Year 12 As another year of debating and diplomacy begins, Merewether lines up teams of avid debaters/diplomats to compete in the United Nations Youth Evatt competition. On the 4th May, Teza Sankoorikal (Year 10) and Evina Yadav (Year 9) set out to St George Girls High School as the American delegation to compete in the preliminary round of the competition, discussing issues of electoral interference, false propaganda and territorial disputes in Spain. The previous team of Sankoorikal and Yadav (Fia and Rizina of Year 12) were successful in the competition in 2015 making it to the national finals and 2016 the state finals. They extend their best wishes to all Merewether High competitors keenly awaiting their round and wish to offer one main piece of advice- “Really take on the role of the delegates of your respective nation, and become as involved as you can in the extremely stimulating, interesting and controversial issues being discussed”. We look forward to a great debating season ahead!
Cross Country Lana Dowman and Maya Cox, Year 8 It was a warm and humid morning as we quickly boarded the buses to Blackbutt Reserve, buzzing with anticipation for our Cross Country carnival. Upon arrival everyone was enjoying themselves, kicking around footballs and playing games, waiting for the races to begin. As the whistle blew feet flew across the ground with adrenaline and excitement, running across the pavement and dirt tracks. Even those who walked, happy to participate, saw the delighted and determined faces of those who were coming round the final bend before the finish line, powering through the heavy rain which had begun to drizzle down. Once the running races were over there were still Novelty Events to undertake and a sausage sizzle for those who needed to regain their energy. Students wandered back onto the buses after the carnival was over, tired but happy after the amazing day. Cross Country for 2017 was a great success, with all students keeping the area tidy and representing Merewether High School with pride.
PROFILE: DEPUTY PRINCIPAL NADENE HARVEY Andrew Brassington, Year 11 When Merewether High School Deputy Principal Nadene Harvey was in high school she never expected to return to schools with a teaching degree. As an aspiring athlete she dreamed of conquering the world stage, but also wanted to be a Doctor. This led her to begin a Science and Math degree at UNSW, but different experiences resulted in a change to studying PDHPE at Charles Sturt University in Bathurst, where she grew up, and graduating in 1991. 2017 marks her 20th year of teaching and her 6th at Merewether High School. One of the things she really enjoys most about MHS is the conversations with young people and supporting them to reach their personal goals. She loves everything about Merewether and is inspired every day. Spending four months on exchange in France while she was at school had a huge impact on her, investing the genuine belief that young people in schools deserve great opportunities and great learning. She also played the saxophone for a number of years and sports a large collection of over 100 pairs of shoes, stating “A girl can’t walk past a great pair of shoes!” 21 May Merewether High School Bulletin 2017
Indoor Soccer Comp Jules Tyrie, Year 11 The Merewether High indoor soccer comp kicked off last term with some excellent teams competing for the glory. After many triumphs and tragedies, two teams were decided to face off in the finals. In the end, crowd- favourite Screeching Eagles (hailing from year 11) saw a devastating loss to year 9 team, Genuine Winners- with a final score of -5 1. Sadly, a lack of entrants in the girls' pool saw a disappointing exclusion of a female division from the beginning. However, hopefully this loss will encourage more girls to create teams for the next competition fast approaching. All in all, MHS futsal has become a popular pastime for students and will see a speedy return, for those who want to take the victory or just have some fun with mates, the upcoming competition will surely be as exciting as the last so brush up those soccer skills and recruit your teams.
ANZAC Day 2017 Alyssa Wharton, Year 8 ANZAC day 2017 started at one of many dawn services across the hunter, Gregson Park with thousands of people attending including our captains, prefects Mrs Gilbertson and Mr Gibb. The captains and prefects marched and laid a wreath in honour of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Two days later our own school services commenced with stories of combat in France to our bugler filling the hall with the last post followed by the silence of 1080 students remembering the reason we are safely here today. With the battle of Gallipoli nearing its 100 year mark, Merewether High School will remember them.
Young Endeavour Kate Edwards, Year 11 If you’ve read the Careers Newsletter over the past few weeks, or happened to walk by Mrs Abbo’s office, you might have noticed an ad for something called the Young Endeavour. A program run by the Australian Navy allowing young Australians the opportunity to spend 11 days living aboard and learning to sail a tallship, it certainly sounds like a memorable experience. Over the most recent holidays I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to be a part of this program, accepting a berth on Voyage 08/17 from the 9th to the 19th of April, and the experience was life-changing. I boarded the ship with a cohort of complete strangers, but upon disembarking 11 days later I was saying goodbye to a boatload of true friends. The sense of camaraderie and mateship that you get spending a long time in a small space with the same people is incredible. By the end we all felt like we’d known each other for years. On the other hand there were definitely challenges. There were no phones, no TV, no contact with the outside world except for a few short trips ashore. Some youth crew battled seasickness, others fought a fear of heights climbing the mast, many faced up against both - but we overcame that and returned stronger, physically and mentally. If I could, I’d do it again in a heartbeat. The Chess Club Chloe Bassingthwaighte, Year 12 An integral part of our school culture is our good sportsmanship and team spirit. The Chess Club, which has been a program at our school for over 5 years, has started up again for this year. The Club is held every Friday in LC5 at lunch times, it is welcome to absolutely anyone who has an interest or gift for chess, you can go to learn the basics or improve your skills! It is a program for all year groups, both guys and girls. Currently the Merewether High School Chess Team is going to compete against Singleton in the second round of the competition in the fight for the winning title. At the end of term 4 there is a large chess competition for you to come and show off your skills! So get involved and meet some new people. If you have any other questions see Mr Gibb, chess team coordinator, in the Humanities staff room. 22 May Merewether High School Bulletin 2017
Head Office: Immunisation Unit Wallsend Locked Bag 10, Wallsend NSW 2287 Wallsend Office Ph: (02) 4924 6477 Fax: (02) 4924 6490 Tamworth Office Ph: (02) 6767 8653 Fax: (02) 6766 3003 Taree Office Ph: (02) 6592 6928 Fax: (02) 6592 6938
NSW Adolescent School Vaccination Program Commencement of Meningococcal ACWY vaccine program 2017 for Year 11 & 12
Vaccination clinics for Year 11 & 12 start on 1 May, dates have been negotiated with your local community health centre nurse. I have attached a sample newsletter to assist you in informing the school community regarding the changes to the school vaccination program this year.
I have arranged delivery of consent forms by TOLL couriers (some schools will receive theirs directly from their nurse at Community Health)
If the ‘Receiver Details’ noted on this email are incorrect, could you please email me to correct these details. My email address is [email protected]
The Meningococcal ACWY Vaccination for Year 11-12 students consent forms for 2017 are new and are the only forms that can be used for this Yr 11 & 12 cohort.
The envelope looks like this:
Consent forms Distribute to
Year 11 & 12 – one A5 size envelope ALL Year 11 & 12 (includes consent for Meningococcal ACWY)
Even if students say they do not require a vaccine, we still ask that every eligible student take them home for their parents to read the information inside and decide if they wish to go ahead with vaccination or not..
23 May Merewether High School Bulletin 2017
Information regarding the MenACWY vaccination program
The following links provide information regarding this program
MenACWY vaccination is also included on the main program page (www.health.nsw.gov.au/immunisation/Pages/schoolvaccination.aspx)
as well as the dedicated Meningococcal W Response Program page (www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/diseases/ Pages/meningococcal-w.aspx).
Information & consent forms for the School Based Vaccination Program in other languages are available from the following website: www.health.nsw.gov.au/schooltranslations
Catch-up for year 7 & 8 students
Any year 7 student who missed vaccines at the first visit can be caught up at the year 11 & 12 dedicated visit.
Any year 8 student who still has missed doses of HPV vaccine can also be caught up at this clinic.
NOTE: only catch-up vaccinations will be offered at this visit for year 7 & 8 students.
If you have any questions please contact your local Community Health contact or myself by email or phone, I work each Monday to Thursday. Thank you
Christine Staples
CNC Immunisation, School Vaccination Program Coordinator Population Health, HNE Local Health District Locked Bag 10, Wallsend NSW 2287 Tel 02 4924 6477 | Fax 02 4924 6490 | [email protected] http://www1.hnehealth.nsw.gov.au/hneph/immunisation.htm
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25 May Merewether High School Bulletin 2017
NEWCASTLE CITY JUNIOR AFL CLUB
Newcastle No.1 Sportsground, Newcastle West 2017 Online Registrations Now Open Visit www.newcastlecityjuniorafc.com NAB Auskick $100 5 Years to 8 Years Includes 2017 Auskick Pack U9s and U10s $100 U11s, U12s, U13s, U15s & U17s $150 Junior Girls (U12s) $100 Youth Girls (U16s) $150 A $10 discount will be given for every extra family member The first 10 girls registered will receive a $20 refund ***** NO WEEKLY FEES *****
For further information please visit www.newcastlecityjuniorafc.com or contact Simon on 0408474847 26 May Merewether High School Bulletin 2017 27 May Merewether High School Bulletin 2017 28 May Merewether High School Bulletin 2017 29 May Merewether High School Bulletin 2017 30 May Merewether High School Bulletin 2017
Information for Students regarding School Travel
If provided with a School Opal card or school travel pass the student must comply with the Student Codes of Conduct. The School Opal card or school travel pass can only be used for approved travel on school days between the student's home and school or college between 6.30am and 7pm (6.30am and 9.30pm for TAFE students) The Scheme does not cover travel to and from: before and after school care or child-minding premises before and after school activities school excursions sports events work experience Vocational Education and Training (VET) at a location away from where the student is enrolled multi-campus high schools, weekend schools, pre-schools or mini-schools (except for full-time geographically isolated distance education students).
Ticketing and Concessions Infrastructure and Services Transport for NSW
Use public transport... plan your trip at transportnsw.info Get on board with Opal at opal.com.au
31 May Merewether High School Bulletin 2016 32 May Merewether High School Bulletin 2017 33 May Merewether High School Bulletin 2017
Important Information Regarding Opal Cards
1. For students entering year 11 at a New School At the End of this year you will need to go online at www.transportnsw.info/school-students And update your information to “New School”. Print the 2 page document, sign and return to the Administration Office of your New School.
2. For students entering year 11 at a Current School At the End of this year you will need to go online at www.transportnsw.info/school-students And update your information to “Year 11”. Print the 2 page document, sign and return to the Administration Office of your School.
3. For students entering year 7 at a New School At the End of this year you will need to go online at www.transportnsw.info/school-students And update your information to “New School”. Print the 2 page document, sign and return to the Administration Office of your New School.
4. For students who have lost, Faulty or had their Opal Card Stolen To replace Lost or Stolen Opal Cards go online at www.transportnsw.info/school-students And apply for a replacement Opal Card. NB: Students are required to pay a fare whilst waiting for delivery of new Opal Card.
5. For students not eligible for free school travel Log online at www.transportnsw.info/school-students and purchase a School Term Bus Pass.
6. Student Travel Eligibility To be eligible for subsidised travel under the SSTS, school students must be:
an infant student; i.e. attending Kindergarten, Year 1 or Year 2 classes, irrespective of the distance from home to school; or
a primary student (Year 3-6), and reside more than 1.6 kilometres (straight line distance) from the school attended, measured from the centre of the school site, or 2.3 kilometres or more by the most direct practicable walking route to the nearest point of physical entry to the school; or
a secondary student (Year 7-12), and reside more than 2.0 kilometres (straight line distance) from the school attended, measured from the centre of the school site, or 2.9 kilometres or more by the most direct practicable walking route to the nearest point of physical entry to the school;
Parents/guardians of students deemed ineligible by their school or local transport operator on straight line distance grounds may apply to TfNSW for a review of the determination on walking distance or pedestrian safety grounds.
Should TfNSW, after carrying out the review, not approve subsidised travel and the applicant(s) considers that there are special circumstances, such as pedestrian safety and/or hardship issues associated with their case; they may appeal the TfNSW decision.
Appeals are heard by an independent SSTS Appeals Panel which considers each case on its individual merits.
For more information: www.transportnsw.info/school-students 34 May Merewether High School Bulletin 2017
MAY
9/5 Year 7 & 9 NAPLAN
Year 7 PLG
Year 12 Reports issued 10/5 Year 7 & 9 NAPLAN
Elevate Parent Seminar 11/5 Year 7 & 9 NAPLAN
12/5 Year 7 & 9 NAPLAN catch-up
15/5 Year 12 Academic Reviews commences
City Zone Cross Country
16/5 Year 12 Parent Teacher Interviews Year 8 PLG P&C Meeting 7:00pm– ILC 19/5 Year 11 Mid Course exams commence
22/5 Year 11 Mid Course exams
Year 7-9 Blackout Periods 23/5 Year 11 Mid Course Exams
Year 9 PLG
ICAS DIGITAL EECH JUNE
1/6 Years 7-9 Semester 1 Exams
2/6 Hunter Regional Cross Country Year 12 Academic Reviews concludes
5/6 Year 10 Blackout Period commences
12/6 Queens Birthday Weekend
13/6 ICAS Writing this week Star Struck this week 15/6 Email invites ROSA
35 May Merewether High School Bulletin 2017
16/6 Year 11 Reports issued
19/6 Year 10 Reports Semester 1 Exams
20/6 Year 7 PLG Year 10 Semester Exams
21/6 Year 10 Semester 1 Exams
22/6 Year 11 Parent Teacher Interviews Year 10 Semester 1 Exams
23/6 NAIDOC Assembly
26/6 Medieval Day Year 8
27/6 ROSA Assemblies 7, 9, 11 — 11.00am 8, 10, 12 — 1.30pm
28/6 M Factor
30/6 Years 7, 8 and 9 Reports issued End of Term JULY
17/7 School Development Day
18/7 Students Return Year 11 Jindabyne 19/7 Year 11 Jindabyne
20/7 Year 11 Jindabyne Year 7 (2018) Tour and information session—4.00pm
21/7 CHS Cross Country Year 11 Jindabyne
25/7 Year 7 & 9 Parent Teacher interviews Green Day 36 March Merewether High School Bulletin 2017
AUGUST 1/8 ICAS English
3/8 Year 8 & 10 Parent Teacher Interviews Year 9 Brainstorm 1.30pm
7/8 Year 10 (2018) 4.30pm Info Evening Year 11 (2018) Couse Info Evening 6.00pm
8/8 Year 8 (2018) 4.30 pm Year 9 (2018) 5.30pm Course In Evening 14/8 Year 12 Trial HSC Exams Commence
15/8 P & C — 7:00pm — ILC Year 12 Trial HSC Exams ICAS Maths 16/8 Year 12 Trial HSC Exams
17/8 Year 12 Trial HSC Exams
18/8 Year 12 Trial HSC Exams
21/8 Year 12 Trial HSC Exams Year 11 Blackout Period Commences
22/8 Year 12 Trial HSC Exams
23/8 Year 12 Trial HSC Exams
24/8 Year 12 Trial HSC Exams
25/8 Year 12 Trial HSC Exams Conclude
29/8 School Dance
SEPTEMBER
4/9 Year 11 Final Prelim Exams Commence Peer Support Year 9
5/9 Year 11 Final Prelim Exams Year 12 Elevate session 37 April Merewether High School Bulletin 2017
6/9 CHS Athletics Year 11 Final Prelim Exams 7/9 CHS Athletics Year 11 Final Prelim Exams 8/9 CHS Athletics Year 11 Final Prelim Exams
11/9 Year 11 Final Prelim Exams
12/9 Year 7 PLG Year 11 Final Prelim Exams 13/9 Year 11 Preliminary Exams
14/9 Year 11 Preliminary Exams
15/9 Year 11 Final Preliminary Exams Conclude
18/9 Year 12 Meeting Year 12 (2018) Extension Info Session 4.30pm Year 7 Vaccinations
19/9 P & C
20/9 Year 12 Reports Issued Sports Presentation Assembly 9.00am Year 12 Formal 22/9 Year 12 Presentation Assembly 9.30am End of Term OCTOBER
9/10 Year 12 (2018) Learning Conference / Elevate
10/10 Year 7 2019 Info Session – 4.00pm
11/10 Year 7 2018 Challenge Day - 9.30am to 1.00pm
16/10 HSC Commences
17/10 P & C - 7:00pm - ILC
23/10 Year 11 Reports Issued 38 April Merewether High School Bulletin 2017
24/10 Year 7 PLG
25/10 Year 9 Urban Challenge
26/10 Year 9 Urban Challenge
27/10 Year 9 Urban Challenge
31/10 Year 8 PLG
NOVEMBER
1/11 Year 7-10 Blackout Period Commences
6/11 Year 7-10 exams commence
7/11 Year 9 PLG Years 7-10 Exams 8/11 Year 7-10 exams
9/11 Year 7-10 exams
10/11 Last Day HSC Year 7-10 Exams
13/11 Year 7–10 Exams
14/11 Year 7-10 Exams Year 10 PLG 15/11 Year 7-10 Exams
16/11 Years 7 -10 Semester 2 Exams overflow if needed
17/11 Years 7 -10 Semester 2 Prefect’s Investiture 11.00am 21/11 Year 11 (12 2018) PLG P & C 23/11 Year Assembly 11.00am
27/11 Learning Reflection Meetings Year 8
29/11 Year 7 Lifesaving
30/11 Year 7 Lifesaving 39 May Merewether High School Bulletin 2017
DECEMBER
1/12 Year 7 Lifesaving
4/12 Learning Reflections Year 7
5/12 Year 7 (2018) Orientation Day
7/12 Christmas Photos Santa
11/12 Year 10 Assembly 9.15am Year 9 Assembly 11.00am
12/12 Year 8 Assembly—9.15am Year 7 asdsembly-11.00am
14/12 HSC Results Presentation Assembly 10.30am 15/12 Year 12 BBQ 11.00am End Of Term