NEWYDDION RHOSNESNI Working together with you to achieve success / Gweithio gyda’n gilydd i gyflawni llwyddiant July 2016/Mehefin 2016 Issue 22/Rhifyn 22 FundraisingLead Story Headline to Preserve INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Veterans’ Standards Separate Science Mr Kevin Whitehead, 2 Visit Behaviour Support Worker, and Mrs Angela Taylor, Music 2 Learning Coach and Progress Achievements and Achievement Co-ordinator, Epraise organised a wonderful coffee morning This successful and moving event was Competition 3 for Veterans of the Armed Forces. This followed by an awards ceremony for Winners was the start of a series of mornings Year 11 students who had successfully Student Garden which will be devoted to meeting and completed their military school 3 Project working with community groups. programme at the MPCT in Kimmel Bay. Diana Award 4 Winners The veterans visited our school as part Cllr David Griffiths, Armed Forces of our support for the Wrexham Champion for Wrexham Council, said: “I Techniquest Council Standards Fundraiser. Members was incredibly pleased to see young Rollercoaster 5 Challenge of the veterans associations from across people at Rhosnesni High School take Wrexham County Borough joined our the time to speak to the veterans in Year 7 Skipathon 5 staff and students for a coffee morning in attendance, and the interest they aid of the Wrexham Council’s showed in what they had to say was Castle Building fundraising campaign to preserve admirable…it’s excellent to see the 6 Competition veterans’ standards. respect paid to them by such enthusiastic Lead Creative young people.” 7 School Bid Our Year 10 and Year 11 students, who are following a military school training As Headteacher, I was very proud of our WFC Winners 7 programme as part of their curriculum school community. This was a very along with colleagues joined the veterans rewarding event and it was especially Year 7 Head of in our Library and Learning Centre. They interesting for our students, who had the 7 Year Winners had the chance to learn about the role chance to hear the wartime stories and thatSecondary each Story veteranHeadline played in the Second experiences of the visiting veterans first- Attendance 7 hand. All of our students who attended Rewards World War and the Korean War. the coffee morning represented the The event raised more than £500 school incredibly well and we praise Year 11 Prom 8 towards the campaign, which will them for the contribution that they have safeguard the ceremonial standards of made to such a successful and important Transition Days 10 four veterans associations. The four event. veterans associations represented by the Athletic Teams 11 standards were the Burma Star Veterans May I take this opportunity to wish you Association, the Normandy Veterans all a very safe and enjoyable summer. Retiring Peer Association, the Eighth Army Veterans 11 Mentors Association and the Korea Veterans N D Harrison Association. Rocket Science 12 Headteacher/Pennaeth RESPECT, HONESTY and SUCCESS / PARCH, GONESTRWYDD a LLWYDDIANT Page 2 NEWYDDION RHOSNESNI Institute of Physics visits Separate Science Students Graham Perrin of the Institute of Physics visited the school on 27 April to give a Master Class to the Year 11 Separate Science students as part of their Physics GCSE. The topics were Nucleon Synthesis and Stellar Evolution, complex topics and the extra clarity of the lessons will hopefully be of use in boosting their grades in their upcoming exams. Previous Physics Separate Science students currently undertaking A Levels are applying for Astrophysics, Aeronautical Engineering and Maths degree courses. We wish both old and present pupils good luck in their upcoming exams. The Science Department Music Achievements There have been some great achievements for our talented students in the Music department this term. George Williams (Year 11) has recently passed his grade 4 violin piece. Natan Sitarz (Year 8) took part in the Oswestry Youth Music Festival and passed with a Merit playing the drums. Paige Goode (Year 11 - pictured left) took part in the National Youth Choir Training of Wales in the Brecon Cathedral. She spent five days there with the choir involved in many different choir workshops which will prepare her for when she wants to be involved in the National Welsh Choir when she is older. Miss E. Rogers Music Department Parent Governor Vacancy The Governing Body have a vacancy for a Parent Governor. If any parent/guardian feels that they can support us in this capacity, then please contact the Headteacher directly by telephone or by email: [email protected] We would welcome some new views and ideas and you will be well supported through your induction period as a Parent Governor. RESPECT, HONESTY and SUCCESS / PARCH, GONESTRWYDD a LLWYDDIANT 2 July 2016/Mehefin 2016 Page 3 Students Shine in Epraise Student of the Year Competition We are delighted and extremely proud to have the opportunity to announce Lauren-Jo Taylor-Fox in Year 11 has WON Student of the Year #SOTY 2016 National Competition that is organised by Epraise. Lauren-Jo was nominated by Mrs D. Payne and we couldn’t be more proud of her for winning. Well done! Every school that subscribes to epraise had the opportunity to enter up to 4 students into the competition following nominations and testimonials from their teachers. Please visit epraise.co.uk for more information Also Shortlisted: Ellie Porter-Ames - Year 8 Nominated by Mrs Lloyd- Williams Ryan Hamill – Year 11 Nominated by Mrs Payne Harri Lovett – Year 11 Nominated by Mrs Ingham Student Garden Project We welcomed the staff from The Principality last month who worked really hard in mixed conditions together with our staff and students to start the Student Garden. The garden has been a super idea which has come together from staff and students who have worked together to come up with the idea of a student driven allotment and garden. Thanks to the great leadership of Mrs Sears, Mr Whitehead and the students who access Tegfan, along with Mrs Jones and other staff who have donated tools and gar- den equipment, the idea has moved from a plan to a reality. Students and staff have installed a poly tunnel, a garden shed, allotment areas, tyres for planting, and insect habitat thanks to Miss Cheetham and mulched areas. The garden will grow and benches and signage will follow over the coming weeks. The project has demonstrated how the school community can work together to achieve creative projects. Thank you to everybody for their involvement. Mr K. Whitehead RESPECT, HONESTY and SUCCESS / PARCH, GONESTRWYDD a LLWYDDIANT 3 Page 4 NEWYDDION RHOSNESNI Year 11 Peer Mentors Win Diana Award We are delighted and proud to announce that our Year 11 Peer Mentors were winners of the ‘Diana Champion Volunteer’ Award 2016, which is awarded to a group of young people who have worked on a voluntary basis, giving their time to improve the lives of others. Head Peer Mentors, Lauren-Jo Taylor-Fox, Ryan Hamill and Olivia Legname (pictured above) were excellent representatives of the Peer Mentor team when they attended the prestigious award cere- mony, which took place at The CBSO Centre, Berkley Street, Birmingham on Friday 22nd April 2016. Inspirational young people from across the Midlands and Wales, were presented with a Diana Award as part of INSPIRE Series. These outstanding young people from the East Midlands, West Midlands and Wales invested a huge amount of energy and time to improve the lives of others and receive their awards, in memory of Princess Diana and with the Prime Minister as Patron, with pride. Birmingham news presenters Elizabeth Glinka and Rebecca Wood were presenting national awards to young people set up in memory of Princess Diana Before the award was presented, TV news presenter Elizabeth Glinka spoke very highly of Rhosnesni Peer Mentors, saying the following; “The Peer Mentors give up their free time during and after school to support Year 7 students through their transition into secondary school. The group run drop-in sessions every day where students come for 1-2-1 support as well as a regular patrol around the school grounds. They deliver transition workshops and assemblies in feeder primary schools and take the lead on their school’s anti-bullying week activities. The peer mentors work has created a team ethos around the school with all staff and students working to create a safe and happy learning environment for all”. There are 44 Peer Mentors in Year 11 and they have each received this outstanding award. This is an amazing achievement for them and we congratulate them and thank them for their hard work. Peer Mentor Senior Leadership Team with their awards Standing L-R Jordan Parry, Courtney Rees, Leah Addis, George Williams, Alicia Rogers, Suphattra Wichachai, Jaspreet Singh Front L-R Head Peer Mentors Olivia Legname Ryan Hamill Lauren-Jo Taylor-Fox Mrs D. Payne Student Wellbeing Co-ordinator RESPECT, HONESTY and SUCCESS / PARCH, GONESTRWYDD a LLWYDDIANT 4 July 2016/Mehefin 2016 Page 5 Our Retiring Peer Mentor Team 2014-2016 We would like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you and good luck for the future to all of our Year 11 Peer Mentors who have just left us. Thank you so much for everything you did in helping & supporting our younger students. You all worked extremely hard throughout Year 10 & 11, showing the Peer Mentors we have now, how it should be done! Thank you also to Mr Whitley-Lang, Progress Manager & to all of the year 11 form tutors for your continuous support in allowing the Peer Mentors, to be able to do their work. It has been very much appreciated.