‘heights highlights’ - lucasheigh-h.schools.nsw.gov.au · 132 old illawarra road, barden ridge...
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132 Old Illawarra Road, Barden Ridge NSW 2234 Phone: 9543 8317
Email: [email protected] Fax: 9541 0036
‘HEIGHTS HIGHLIGHTS’
LUCAS HEIGHTS COMMUNITY SCHOOL
K-12
Term 4 Volume 15 October 2013
Year 12 2013 Graduation Ceremony
New Payment Options
Pleased be advised that from today the only
methods of payment for fees, excursions
and incursions that will be accepted are:
Cash / Cheque / Debit Card / Credit Card
at the office
or by phone - credit card only
Unfortunately we can no longer accept
online payments but we will keep you
advised on the introduction of the new
‘parent portal’ when it becomes available.
Thank you for your understanding.
Regards,
Sally Ann Copp
School Administrative Manager
Published Photographs
Parents are reminded that if they do not wish
to have their child's photo in the newsletter /
website or any other school publication,
contact must be made with the office.
Bruce Redman
Principal’s Report ….
Welcome back to Term 4 and to warmer
weather. It seems we are alternating between
days that I still reach for my coat and days where
we could be forgiven for thinking it was mid-
January. Last week we almost had to implement
our new bush fire danger contingency plan and
close the school. However, the forecast weather
and “Catastrophic” bushfire conditions did not
eventuate. I confirm now that the school will
only be routinely closed during RFS designated
“Catastrophic” conditions. “Catastrophic” is the
RFS designator for the highest level and worst
conditions we may experience.
Last week’s forecast hot weather on Thursday
gave us the opportunity to practise our sms and
email communication methods with parents and
also to establish contingency plans for HSC
candidates should the school be closed during an
HSC examination.
It is important to understand that these measures
are all about being prepared in the event of an
emergency. We always stress to all children that
these practices are all about expecting the best
but being prepared for the worst. We practise our
procedures and contingency plans in a serious
but matter-of-fact way and do our best not to
cause any alarm to anyone. Bushfires however,
are part of the Australian landscape and if you
were present on senior school assembly last
week you would have heard me gain students
attention by introducing my talk on bushfire
contingency plans by reciting the poem; My
Country by Dorothea Mackellar which
commences with; “I love a sunburnt
country………”. It did gain everyone’s attention!
The regrettable thing about bushfires that we
may face in this area is that they are likely to be
ignited by carelessness or by deliberate action.
The HSC examinations have commenced in our
school gymnasium and will run for about the
next three weeks. In the unlikely event that we
do encounter a “Catastrophic” RFS warning and
subsequently close the school, text messages
will be sent out to all students’ parents and HSC
students from this school have been advised to
report to Port Hacking High School for the
normal examination start time. This arrangement
has been established with Port Hacking HS
because of the location within reasonable
walking distance from Miranda train station.
Thank you for your support of your children’s
learning.
Kevin Haydon
Australian Mathematics Competition 2013
Again the students who entered the Australian Mathematics Competition in 2013 did the school
proud with 50% of them getting a credit or higher. Congratulations to the following students:
Year 7
Thomas J, James H, Callum G, Harrison K, Jacob V (Credit)
Year 8
Daniel G, Emily C, Ethan W, Mitchell L (Credit)
Year 9
Patrick W, Dean L (Credit)
Year 10
Luke B (Distinction)
Daniel McO, Jason J, Lachlan Mac (Credit)
Year 11
Vivien Y (Credit)
Year 12
Scott F (Distinction)
A special mention must go to Olivia B in Year 12 who received a High Distinction.
The Mathematics Staff
HELP WANTED
For Year 10 Practice Interview Day
Thursday 21 November
We need volunteers to assist with
interviewing students.
Interviews take place at the school
between 9.00am and 12 noon.
If you can spare some time on that day
and would like to assist,
please contact Kay Smith or Sherrie Eagles
on 9543 8317
1B Story writing
1B wrote about our new grass playground.
The new playground is fun to play tip. We are
not allowed to play bulrush because it is
dangerous. Nate’s brother broke his elbow.
Ryan
When the kids are in class the sprinkler is on.
There are four trees and the grass is soft.
Green is my favourite colour and it is good to
have nature at school. The best part is there
are a lot of places to hide and seek in the
grass area. Lachlan
I love the new playground and I like to play
running races. It is a lot of fun playing there
with my friends. When I am in Year 5 the
trees will be the same size as the other
trees. I am glad that we have a new grass
area. Mia
The first day I went on the new playground I
loved it. My friends and I always go there.
We have fun because it is long and soft.
Chelsea
Musical Concerts - Term 4
Band Concert
There will be a Band Concert for the Training
Band, Intermediate Band and High School Band
on Thursday 24 October (Week 3 of Term 4)
from 6.30 to 7.30pm in the Junior Hall.
There will be a Band badge presentation for all
band members.
Musical Soiree
The next Musical Soiree will be Thursday 7
November (Week 5 of Term 4) 6.30 to 7.30pm
in the Performance Space.
Leading Lights
Congratulations to Connor F of 5S, who
represented Lucas Heights Community
School on Thursday 17 October at the
Sutherland District Public Speaking Finals.
We look forward to his speech in 2014.
Year 7 Gala Day - 14 October 2013
Year 7 Gala Day is an initiative of the Sutherland Zone involving games against Kirrawee, Gymea,
Heathcote and Engadine High Schools.
The day is non-competitive and allows Year 7 students to engage in new sports they may not
normally play.
The Gala Day was held at The Ridge Sports Complex. Lucas Heights competed with enthusiasm in
boys and girls soccer, Newcombe ball and boys and girls Oz tag.
Sandra Holden, Coordinator
Last term was an extremely busy term for
students in all subject areas including Careers.
Students from Lucas Heights have had visits
from Universities, attended TAFE information
seminars, had information visits from
employment group training companies,
participated in the Taronga Zoo “meet-a-keeper”
day as well as engage in Careers lessons
designed to prepare them to plan for their future.
For students in Year 12 the school journey is
almost over and planning for the future is
eminent. Maybe you have a career path in mind
or perhaps you are a still a little unsure of which
direction you want to take. Whichever option
you choose there is lots of help to assist you with
your journey. Our school website is very
informative as well as some of the additional
websites listed below.
www.myfuture.edu.au/: website that can help
you make careers decisions, plan your career
pathways and manage work transitions
www.uac.edu.au/: for information on
universities and courses in NSW and ACT
and university application and admission
procedures
www.tafensw.edu.au/: for information on
TAFE courses and campuses
www.sit.nsw.edu.au/: for information on the
Sydney Institute of TAFE which includes
campuses at Ultimo, Petersham, Enmore,
Randwick, St George, Gymea and Loftus
Colleges of TAFE
www.acpet.edu.au: for information on
Private Courses and Colleges
www.jobsearch.gov.au: a government
website that has a number of jobs for school
leavers under the heading “Australian
Apprenticeships”
Be mindful of the following:
Career development is a lifelong journey
The world of work is always changing
Having a “job for life” is less common
You will have a number of opportunities to
change jobs, learn new skills and gain new
experiences throughout your career.
Year 10: Mock Interview Day
On Thursday 21 November, all Year 10
students will participate in a practice or Mock
Interview Day. The aim of this day is to give
students valuable practice at formal interviews
and better prepare them for successful entry to
the workforce.
At this event students apply for jobs with a
fictitious company, attend an interview and
present their prepared resume as part of the
Career Education Program. Students will be
interviewed by members of the school
community and receive feedback on the day.
Interviewers come from many backgrounds,
including industry, recruitment, service clubs,
government agencies and careers advisers from
local schools. They will interview students on
their chosen job advertisement, give some
feedback if there is time and submit an
individual evaluation sheet on all students. Our
career program will then attempt to further
address any common issues in interview
techniques which students display and we will
assist individual students to work on areas of
concern.
Interview preparation not only assists students
wanting full time or part-time employment it
also assists the many students applying for
scholarships, cadetships or early entry pathways
into university. Participation in this program
attempts to show students both what to expect at
an interview and what they made need to add to
better prepare their resume and themselves for
future experiences.
Mrs Eagles and Ms Smith, Careers Advisers
Leading Light
From 17 to 19 September Luke K of 5S represented both Lucas Heights
Community School and South East PSSA at the PSSA Softball State
Titles held in Camden.
The three-day tournament saw the boys compete in eight games. South
East came a three-way tie for third with two boys from South East being
selected for the NSW team.
Luke made a great comeback after a broken foot and with only one week
to prepare. It was a great experience and some wonderful friendships
made. Congratulations and well done Luke.
USEFUL IDEAS
PRIMARY AND HIGH SCHOOL
Choosing the right shoes
School shoes may all look the same but the cost can vary from about $30 to $120 and beyond. Does
a more expensive shoe mean a better shoe? Find out more:
http://www.schoolatoz.nsw.edu.au/wellbeing/health/choosing-the-right-school-shoes
NSW public school terms and holidays
Here’s a snapshot of NSW public school terms and holidays for 2013 - 2015.
Find out more:
http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/events/vacations.html
PRIMARY SCHOOL
Jargon explained
If your child's teacher mentions G&T in the COLA, she's actually talking about gifted and talented
classes being held in the covered outdoor learning area.
More school jargon explained: http://www.schoolatoz.nsw.edu.au/homework-and-study/homework-
tips/school-jargon-busters
Home safety
About 50 children fall out of windows or balconies in Australia each year. Spring is a good time to
install a window lock to limit how far it opens.
It's this easy: http://bit.ly/1dRpQw5
Where’s the octopus
Wow - it's videos like this that show kids how cool studying science can be. Watch it with them:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoCzZHcwKxI&feature=youtu.be
HIGH SCHOOL
Is someone in your house preparing for the HSC? Here is some practical advice on everything from
writing an essay to helping the rest of the family stay supportive (and sane) while your teen works
towards their final exams.
Find out more:
http://www.schoolatoz.nsw.edu.au/homework-and-study/homework-tips/tips-for-surviving-the-hsc/
hsc-resources-to-help-your-child
Bushfire Season 2013/2014 - Important information for Parents and Carers
Dear Parents/Carers,
Bushfire season can be an anxious time for children and families. Schools in high risk bushfire areas
have emergency plans in place to keep everybody as safe as possible in the event of a bushfire. Our school prepares for the bushfire season and develops plans for the threat of a bushfire. We consult
with the Rural Fire Service (RFS) and fire safety experts to be better prepared. The RFS is strongly
supporting our school by:
· Sending out 4 day forecast rating
· Visiting schools to assess and talk to communities
· Arranging briefings for school principals regarding the current threats
· Complete a Bushfire Preparedness Checklist · Prepare buildings and grounds by clearing gutters and removing leaf litter around buildings · Update their bush fire action plan and communicate the plan to families · Practice bushfire safety and evacuation drills
· Ask parents to update their emergency contact details
Lucas heights Community School is classified as a high risk bushfire school. The NSW Depart-
ment of Education and Communities has recently updated their Bushfire policy and we have therefore
updated our emergency management procedures. This means:
When there is a catastrophic fire danger rating issued for the Greater Sydney Metropolitan
area this school will be closed.
When there is an extreme rating, our school will be open but on heightened alert. We will follow the
advice of the Rural Fire Service and Fire and Rescue NSW should there be a threat and the school be
required to evacuate to another location. Should this occur you should continue to trust us to care for
your children. We will make arrangements for you to collect them or to get them home when it is safe
to do so.
We will monitor the forecast on a daily basis during the bushfire season. Parents should also monitor
local radio stations or the Rural Fire Service website for bushfire or weather warnings and advice dur-
ing the time of year when the risk of bushfire is highest: http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au . Daily fire rat-
ings are published at 4:30pm the previous day. Following the fire rating publication at 4.30pm you will be notified of the closure via:
SMS from the School SMS service
News flash on the schools website http://www.lucasheigh-h.schools.nsw.edu.au/
Email from the school Enews account
A sign on the school carpark gate (if accessible)
High risk bushfire prone schools work closely with the Rural Fire Service to ensure that our students
are as safe as possible in the event of a bushfire.
Bruce Redman
Deputy Principal