Community DEC Newsletter 2020 LEARNING SUCCESS FEATURED IMPORTANT DATES DATE EVENT DATE EVENT DECEMBER 1 YEAR 6 DECEMBER 3 RESCUE ED TRANSITION DAY DECEMBER 4 CAROLS IN DECEMBER 9 ACADEMIC AWARD CORRIMAL CERMONY Corrimal High School t: 42851199 e: [email protected] w: www.corrimal-h.schools.nsw.gov.au What an amazing and busy few weeks it has been. Given everything that has happened this year, I am so proud of what we as a school have achieved throughout this year. Week 5 saw a continued focus on staff consultation and feedback to inform the new Strategic Improvement Plan. It has been fantastic to see everyone getting involved in the evaluation and decision making process as we work together in the development of our new plan. Parent and community consultation will take place over the next few weeks. Please keep an eye out for information on this. PRINCIPAL’S REPORT Huge congratulations and thanks go to Mel are. Congratulations to all of our Year 12 Bourke and Sarah Whiddon for the amount students for completing their studies. Now of work that got done to prepare for both we wait in anticipation of results as well as the Graduation and Formal on the one day university and job offers. in our school hall. Of course, it took more than two people to ensure that everything Our Construction and Agriculture staff went as planned. Thank you to every single and students combined with Ron and person who contributed in some way, Dave in the Ag Farm to continue their shape or form. This includes the staff who improvement projects to ensure that we donated something for decorations, people provide an outstanding learning and who helped to set up or pack up as well as development resource for our school as well everyone who shouldered additional load to as an environment which is well suited to cover for someone else who was organising the wellbeing needs of our animals. Some the day. It was such a lovely opportunity to be of the projects completed this year include able to provide events such as this to celebrate the construction of new workbenches in the the conclusion of school for the 2020 Year 12 Ag Sheds, the removal of old greenhouses, cohort. All of the students looked amazing the installation of new gates and fences, and their behaviour was a credit to them all. the construction of new stairways, paths and retaining walls as well as the planning This past few weeks also saw the conclusion and building of a new dual paddock shelter of the HSC exams. Again, this was quite a for the animals to protect them from the challenge for all schools and all students, and weather. The work that has been completed is I am very pleased to say that our students absolutely outstanding and is a real credit to again demonstrated their quality as the the staff and students. engaged in their exams around all of the uncertainty that surrounded them. The feedback that I received from the Presiding Officer highlighted how good our students Corrimal High School Respect Responsibility Safety We have also celebrated Remembrance Day further refine the role heading into 2021. I am and NAIDOC Week this term with a variety also happy to confirm that both Mel Bourke – of activities taking place across the school, Head Teacher, Wellbeing and Alicia Van Loo as well as the whole school Assemblies to – Deputy Principal will be continuing in their celebrate both events. Thank you to all of respective roles in 2021. the teachers and students who worked on activities to celebrate the significance of these I am extremely happy to be able to announce events. that after 12 years as a temporary staff member in the English Faculty at Corrimal As our school continues to grow, so to do High School, this term I had the pleasure our staffing numbers. In week 5, I had the of appointing Mark Allen as a permanent pleasure of welcoming our new PDHPE member of staff to the English Faculty teacher - Zach Finn to Corrimal as he commencing in 2021. As you can imagine, completed his first visit to familiarise himself Mark very enthusiastically accepted the with the school. After spending the past 6 1/2 position. I am very glad that I was able years at Cobar HS, Zach is very excited to be to do this as it is a reflection of the time joining us in 2021. and commitment that Mark has made to Corrimal HS over the past 12 years. This term has also seen interviews take place for the position of Head Teacher Teaching There are also a number of Expression of and Learning. I am pleased to announce that Interest applications currently advertised for Belinda Arthur was the successful applicant Corrimal HS to commence in 2021. These are for this role and she will be continuing to for the following temporary positions: work closely with the Senior Executive to Corrimal High School t: 42851199 e: [email protected] w: www.corrimal-h.schools.nsw.gov.au • EAL/D teacher the school year will end on Wednesday • English teacher x 2 December 16. Corrimal High School staff • Maths / Science / STEM teacher have been completing Twilight Professional • Head Teacher Transition & Engagement Learning sessions through the year in place - Aboriginal Learning & Engagement of the two Staff Development Days previously Centre scheduled for the Thursday 17 and Friday • SLSO Transition & Engagement - 18 December, meaning that there will not be Aboriginal Learning & Engagement staff present on site after December 16. Centre I have recently been meeting with the school In addition, I have recently declared a leaders in both the Koori Leadership Council vacancy in Special Education to fill the and the Student Representative Council to permanent position left vacant as a result discuss how we can continue to progress of Jenny Kennedy being successful in forward. One of the areas that I wanted her application for Head Teacher Special them to focus on is Student Voice. They Education at Bulli High School. We wish were tasked with developing questions that Jenny all the best in her new role. could be provided to students so that they can inform some of our future directions. I So what does this all mean for CHS in 2021?? have compiled the questions into a Google It means that there is the potential to see up survey and attached the link below. I would to 7 new staff arriving at Corrimal next year. encourage you to ask your child to complete This is a reflection of the increase in student the survey by providing constructive enrolments for 2021 which demonstrates suggestions. I will keep the survey open until a continued growth in confidence and Friday 4 December. perception in the Community about what our school and our staff can provide for our https://forms.gle/kkRbqHYN3HLU3dap8 local students. This equates to a 32% increase in student enrolments at our school since the I am again offering scholarships to students middle of 2018. This is outstanding growth in all year groups heading into 2021. I have which is expected to continue beyond 2021. notified students about this and application forms can be collected from the front office. I am extremely proud of what the school They are due back no later than Friday 4 has achieved as we move forward in our December. Successful students will receive improvement journey. I am very appreciative $300 towards educational expenses including of the work of all staff as they support our excursions, course costs and uniform. students, our community and each other. As you know, it is a little over two years since As we move towards the end of the year, the fire which burned down the Industrial I would like to remind all families that Arts building. In that time, I have been Corrimal High School Respect Responsibility Safety working very closely with the Industrial Arts Well done also to Demi Simmonds who made faculty as well as our architect, Public Works it to the last round of the selection trials, but and Asset Management Unit in the design unfortunately just missed out on selection. and structure of the new building. You may have recently seen the design for the new I would also like to congratulate Keisha building – something that we are all very Baldwin for her selection into the Greater excited about! The tender for this significant Illawarra U/16 Representative Cricket team build is scheduled to close early in December to participate in the Country Championships with excavation and construction scheduled in Canberra in January. Keisha will also be to start shortly after that. playing representative cricket in Albury in January – a very busy holiday for this young In addition to this work and to assist with lady. We wish her all the best. preparation of the site, there are going to be some other projects taking place which To finish off, I would like to thank all of our should commence in the next couple of families for their support this year. I know weeks. The fence line at the front of the that we have all faced challenges both with school bordering both Pioneer and Murray the education of our students, as well as Roads is going to be changing. The new personally and professionally with many fence will be installed out to the full border of you having to change work conditions, of our land, just off the existing footpath, working from home, as well as supporting the creating a clear space for construction and school and the students with learning from providing additional secure land at the front home.