Welcome to a New School Year To all our families, especially those new to Blakehurst High, we extend a warm

welcome to the 2012 school year. We hope this year will be a successful and

productive one for all. At Blakehurst High we want all students to succeed, to achieve

their best, whatever that may be. Staff at Blakehurst High are committed to continual

improvement in all aspects of teaching and learning, in order to maximise the educational

opportunities for our students. Of course student outcomes are enhanced when we receive

support from home and we work together towards this aim. I thank you for this support.

Staff Changes The 2012 school year will see a number of staff changes due mainly to promotion of staff or

the retirement/extended leave of some long standing members of staff.

As a result of Lyn Paton‟s promotion to Deputy Principal in the latter half of 2011, Ms Alison

Peachey has been appointed through the Merit process as Head Teacher Mathematics. Also on

the Mathematics staff, Kristine Blair is on maternity leave and is replaced by Linda Qui.

Sandra Horley, our wonderful Head Teacher, Teaching and Learning, has taken extended leave

during 2012. Her position is filled by Margaret Allen, whilst Natalia Dexter will backfill for Margaret

as Head Teacher, TAS.

Jeff Fry has retired as Careers Adviser and has been replaced by Angela Centorrino who is an

experienced Careers Adviser coming to us from Kogarah High.

As a result of Dr Witchard‟s promotion in mid-2011, Pauline Apostolou joins the Science faculty in

2012. Alan White, a long serving staff member, also from the Science faculty, is on extended leave until

he retires in the middle of the year – his expertise will be sorely missed by the school. His place is taken

by Zoe Georgopoulou. James Roff also joins the Science staff.

In the HSIE faculty, Rebecca Turnbull was successful at the end of 2011 in obtaining a Head Teacher

Mentor job in South-West Sydney, her position has been covered by Sarah Daley. Nora Ghosn is presently

on maternity leave, as is Kerrie Golding (CAPA). They are due to return later in 2012.

Also new to the staff roster in 2012 are Minna Hatjinikitas (TAS), Anthony Jenkins (CAPA), Yianni Tsattalios

(PE), Carmen Lau (LOTE) and Dale Maver (SASS). I am sure you will all join me in warmly welcoming the

new staff to Blakehurst High School as well as wish all outgoing staff the very best in their future endeavours.

Fabulous HSC Results

The whole staff was very excited with the excellent HSC results received by Blakehurst students in 2011.

Congratulations to all students. Of course these great results are not possible without a lot of hard work from both

staff and students. (I have included some of the highlights below) Of course results are not the only measure of

success. Just to receive the HSC was an outstanding achievement for many. For these students and for those who

were supported into traineeships and apprenticeships, much of their success was due to the excellent work of our

support and teaching staff. Well done all!

Parents and Citizens Association Our P&C meet the second Wednesday of each month in the school Common Room at 7pm. All parents are encouraged

to attend and learn more about, as well as support your school. The next meeting will be Wednesday the 14th of March - All Welcome!

2012 Student Advisers Hopefully all students have settled down to work and are enjoying their learning and time at school. If parents do have any

concerns however, your child‟s student adviser is the first point of contact. I have listed the 2012 Student Advisers below. Please ring the school to make an appointment to discuss any issues.

Year 7 – Ms Wiryakusuma and Ms Pappas

Year 8 – Mr Smith and Ms Berrett

Year 9 – Ms Evangelinos and Ms Loizos

Year 10 – Mr Irani and Ms Butler

Year 11 – Ms Diakos and Mr Estephan

Year 12 – Ms Lyons and Ms Lambert

2012 School Fees

By now most of you would have received your 2012 school fee notice. Please assist your school by paying your child‟s school fees

promptly so we can continue to provide a quality education for all. All fees paid directly benefit your children. If there are any

problems in paying fees in full (this can be done by cash, cheque or EFTPOS), then they may be paid in installments. Please contact the

schools administration office to organise payment. In cases of financial hardship, please contact me or the School Administration

Manager, Mrs Morris. All information is confidential and will be treated sensitively.

Blakehurst High School

Your Outstanding Local Comprehensive Secondary School

Term 1 Update – February 2012 N E W S L E T T E R

270a Woniora Road BLAKEHURST NSW 2221 Ph: 9546 3281 Fax: 9547 1024 Email: blakehurst-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au Website: www.blakehurst-h.schools.nsw.edu.au

Attendance and Punctuality

I have already addressed the school about attendance and punctuality. I believe good attendance and punctuality are precursors to success at school or work, and indeed any activity. Please assist us by ensuring students are at school 10 minutes before the first bell, and attend every day possible. If your child is absent, they will need to give a note written by you to their roll call teacher explaining their absence on their first day back at school. You may also ring or SMS the school if your child is to be absent. Uniform

One of the many things that has impressed me about Blakehurst is the excellent uniform proudly worn by our students. The whole school community has agreed we need to be a strong uniform school, and I would like to thank parents for their ongoing support in this area. Just a reminder that shoes must be black leather, enclosed – this is to meet OH&S as well as school rules. Sports uniform can be worn to school on Wednesdays only. It must be brought separately to school for PE on other days. Homework Centre

Blakehurst High School operates a Homework Centre which is staffed by teachers and tutors from Year 10 who are available to assist students with their homework and assignments. Students also have access to the computers and all the facilities the school library has to offer. The Homework Centre operates on Monday and Thursday afternoons from 3:15 to 5:00pm in the school library, and will resume operation in Week 6 this term. Permission slips are available from the HSIE staffroom. Diaries

All students have been issued with a 2011 diary. This is because we strongly believe students need to be well organised to be successful. All teachers have been asked to make sure the students use their diaries to record upcoming assessments and events. Please encourage your child to use the diary and check it regularly.

Outstanding HSC Results Received by Blakehurst High Students in 2011

Top ATAR Chelsea (Yi Qing) Zhang ATAR of 99.55 (n.b. – max. ATAR possible is 99.95)

State Merit List Evanglia Haralabopoulos - 1

st in the State for Modern Greek Beginners.

Andrew Panopoulos – 5th

in the State for Modern Greek Beginners.

Nikolaos Triantafyllis – 5th in the State for Modern Greek Continuers.

Nikolaos Triantafyllis – 5th in the State for Modern Greek Extension.

Emily Gorsak – 9th

in the State in Business Services.

HSC All-round Achievers List Two students gained Band 6 in all their 10 units. They were Evanglia Haralabopoulos and Chelsea Zhang

Honour roll 111 students in 32 subjects (a 54% increase on the 2010 number i.e. 72 in 24 subjects)

In Extension courses there were 26 top Band 4 results (compared to 15 in 2010). Band 4 results in Extension courses included 16

in Mathematics Extension 1 (top mark was 97%), 5 in Extension 2 (top mark was 95%), 2 in Modern Greek (top mark was 96%), 2

in Extension English (top mark 96%), and 1 in History extension.

In 2 unit courses there were 85 top Band 6 results (compared to 57 in 2010). Band 6 results include 16 in Mathematics, 6 in

Advanced English, 2 in Mathematics General, 4 in Chemistry, 4 in Community and Family Studies, 1 in Accounting, 2 in Ancient

History, 2 in Economics, 3 in Engineering Studies, 1 in Music Extension, 1 in Drama, 3 in Physics, 4 in Business Studies, 5 in

Chinese for Background Speakers, 1 in Chinese Beginners, 6 in English as a Second Language, 2 in Modern Greek Beginners, 1

in Macedonian, 2 in Italian Beginners, 4 in Modern Greek Continuers, 4 in Japanese Beginners, 5 in Industrial Technology, 2 in

PDHPE, 1 in Textiles and Design, 2 in Japanese Continuers, 1 in Geography, 1 in VET Hospitality, 1 in VET Business Services.

There were a total of 271 Band 5’s across the school in all subjects.

Other Achievements

5 students gained a Life Skills HSC.

Dual Credentialing

There were 31 TAFE credentials awarded in various TAFE courses.

Mr B Lester Principal

Parent Tips Published in the Department of Education Newsletter

Update Your Details Have you moved, got a new email address or changed phone numbers? Please inform the front office with any changes in your living situation so we can contact you if the need arises.

Beat the Heat Australia has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world. Remind your child to protect themselves from sun and heat exposure while at school by:

Reducing their exposure to the sun, wherever possible

Wearing broad-brimmed hats in the playground to protect the face, neck and ears

Playing in shaded areas, particularly during peak times of UV levels

Drinking plenty of water

Using 30+ broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen

Summer Water Safety Being in, on or around the water is an enjoyable part of living in Australia. However, drowning is one of the leading causes of preventable death and permanent brain injury in children under five years of age, with more than 50 children between one and 15 drowning every year. Drowning is tragic and preventable. If your children are not water confident or are not able to swim, consider enrolling in certified swimming classes held throughout the year in public pools around the state. Sport and Recreation offers Swim and Survive courses in the summer months. http://www.dsr.nsw.gov.au/swimandsurvive/ Royal Lifesaving Society Australia offers valuable courses in resuscitation and rescue as well as fact sheets on water and pool safety, and translated resources. If you live near the coast, contact your local Surf Lifesaving club for healthy and fun water activities such as Nippers: www.sls.com.au/

Accident Insurance To insure your child against any medical costs of accidents arising at school you are strongly advised to take out private health insurance or check if your school is covered for school accident insurance available via your school‟s P&C Association. Parents are reminded that the department does not provide accident or medical insurance for students enrolled in government schools. The only cover provided by the state government is through the Supplementary Sporting Injuries Benefits Scheme, which covers all students permanently injured or killed while participating in authorised school sporting or athletic activities. The scheme does not cover dental injuries, reimbursement of medical expenses, legal expenses or costs. For more information go to http://www.sportinginjuries.nsw.gov.au/ or call 02 4321 5392.

The A to Z of high school Support your teen through the high school years with School A to Z. This online resource for parents contains study tips and homework help, information on dealing with exam stress, practical advice on health, wellbeing and cybersafety, plus lots more. Watch videos, read articles and listen to podcasts. www.schoolatoz.nsw.edu.au. Also check out subjects your child will be studying and the skills they‟ll be developing at: www.schools.nsw.edu.au/learning/index.php

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Australians throw away 3.3 million tonnes of food every year – up to a quarter of the country‟s food supplies – mainly because we purchase too much. Consider planning your meals and only buy what you need. Reduce packaging in your child‟s lunchbox and use re-usable container, where possible, rather than plastic wrap.

Time to Get Fit Its summer, so encourage your teen to get outdoors and get moving. The five top ways to maintain a healthy body mass index and reduce the chance of lifestyle induced health problems, are to:

Switch off the screen and get active every day

Choose water as a drink

Eat more fruit and vegetables

Eat fewer snacks and select healthier alternatives

Better still, set a good example yourself. For more tips and ways to improve your family‟s health and fitness, go to: www.healthykids.nsw.gov.au/kids-teens.aspx

STUDY SKILLS TIP FOR FEBRUARY: HOME STUDY ENVIRONMENT The start of a year is a good time to reassess the space where you work at home. Here are some points to consider:

1. Natural lighting is best, but if not possible then a good strong bulb in your room and a bright desk lamp is essential. What is the lighting like in your study area?

2. Fresh air and oxygen to the brain helps keep you mentally alert. What is the ventilation and air quality like in your study area?

3. Your work space sets the tone for the way you approach your study. Is your desk large enough? What is your working space or desk like?

4. The chair you use should be comfortable (but not so comfy you fall asleep) and adjustable to reduce strain on your neck and shoulders. What is your chair like?

5. When you are trying to memorise things, quiet is essential. No music (unless it is certain types of classical like baroque). How effectively can you keep your room quiet?

6. Storage is essential to help you keep your notes organized and sorted. Shelves, a filing cabinet, drawers. What is the storage like in your room?

7. It is important to keep your study area uncluttered and organized. A large pin board for notices and a calendar are useful. How organized is your study area?

8. How many distractions do you have in your room? TV, stereo, computer, phone etc? It is always a good idea to switch off or remove distractions before you start work. How well do you cope with the distractions in your room?

To learn more about setting up an effective work area at home (including the effect the colour of your room has on your ability to study!) visit the Home Study Environment unit of www.studyskillshandbook.com.au. Our school’s subscription details are -

Username: blakehursths Password: 186results

Mr B Lester Principal

Best Results

are Achieved due to a

Team Effort –

Student,

Home & School

DEPUTY PRINCIPAL’S Report

Settling into a New School Year.

We hope all students have come back refreshed and ready for the challenges of the New Year. A special welcome to our new

enrolments in other years. We are sure they will find their time at Blakehurst High School both enjoyable and rewarding. Year 7 are

settling in very well to the school. They have undergone a very successful Orientation Program and appear to be enjoying their time

at school. Thank you to the Year 7 Advisers, Ms Pappas and Ms Wiryakusuma and the Year 10 Peer Support Leaders for their

excellent work throughout the Orientation Program.

It is always a fine line between encouraging your child‟s independence and supporting their success at school. The most

successful students have parents who have managed to slowly allow their child to learn to be independent but remain involved in

their child‟s education. Our most successful Year 12 students acknowledge that achievements are assisted by the team effort

between themselves, home and school. The best way to achieve this is by regularly

talking to your child about school and being aware of what is happening at school.

Although your child may say they don‟t want you to show an interest, most of us like

the visible support of those close to us.

School Calendar

Our busy calendar is available for all parents and students to see on the school

website. Although only a few words can be seen, the full text can be read by

hovering the mouse over the text.

School Diaries

All students have been issued with a school diary. It will assist in ensuring students

are organised and prepared to make the most of the learning opportunities available.

Students are required to have their diary at school each day. Parents are encouraged to check diaries on a regular basis to keep up

to date with homework and assignments.

Year 12 Exams

Year 12 will begin their Half-Yearly exams in a few weeks. During this period before the exams they need to be in class during

every lesson and focussed on learning. Most students in Year 12 now have “free periods”. While this is a novelty for them, they

need to use their time sensibly and a good start is by thinking of them as “study periods”. During study periods, students may not

leave the premises. While some learning happens by chance or opportunity, most learning requires effort, persistence and

planning. All Year 12 students need to be focussed on revision and study during these next few weeks. Please encourage them at

home by talking to them about how they have organised their time.

A Reminder to Parents from the DET to Notify the School about Your Child’s Health We welcome information from parents about your child's health, even if you are not requesting specific support from our

school. Our school asks for medical information when you enroll your child. It is also important that you let us know if your

child’s health care needs change or if a new health condition develops.

Information about allergies, medical conditions such as asthma and diabetes and other health care related issues (including

prior conditions such as medical procedures in the last 12 months) should be provided to the school by parents. Please

provide this information in writing to the Principal. This will greatly assist our school in planning to support your child’s

health and wellbeing.

Please also remember to notify staff in the School Office of any changes to your contact details or to the contact details

of other people nominated as Emergency Contacts.

We appreciate your assistance in this regard and assure you that any information you provide the school will be stored

securely and will only be used or disclosed in order to support your son or daughter’s health needs or as otherwise required

by law. Raquel Spratt HSIE Teacher

Senior Welfare Co-ordinator

Lyn Paton Deputy Principal-Welfare/Learning

News from SCIENCE

New Teachers

This year, the Blakehurst High School Science Faculty welcomed two

new teachers. Following Dr Witchard‟s promotion to Head Teacher

Science, at Liverpool Boys‟ High last year, Mrs Apostolou was

appointed as her replacement. Ms Apostolou came to us from Hoxton

Park High School, and is currently teaching Senior Biology and Years

7, 9 and 10. To accommodate the vacancy generated by Mr White‟s

retirement at the end of 2011, Mr Roff is taking two Year 7 classes, a

Year 8 and a Year 9 class. The faculty extends a warm welcome to

both of them!

Work Booklets

We are currently trialing Science Work Booklets in all junior classes.

These operate in conjunction with a teacher electronic version. Copies

of the student booklet have been uploaded onto the Blakehurst High

School Moodle website for remote student access. Students are advised

to purchase a plastic folder for the care and maintenance of the document and

parents are encouraged to regularly look through their children‟s booklet to stay

involved with their progress.

Excursions

An excursion has been planned for Year 7 to Darling Harbour. The field trip will take

part in June and will involve visiting the Sydney Aquarium and Wildlife World. It will

complement Topic Two: Living Organisms and provide opportunities for students to

witness a range of organisms in natural and created habitats. All students are

expected to take part in this excursion and information and permission slips notes

have gone out to all parents and guardians. We look forward to an educational and

enjoyable day.

Science Competition

The international Science Competition is planned for the 6th June. All students Years

7 to 12 are invited to participate, but this year it will be compulsory for all Year 10. It

will serve as an external exam in Science, following the abolition of the School

Certificate exams, and will provide both teachers and students valuable information

regarding student progress. Notes have gone out to all Year 10 parents, and students

are encouraged to pay their $8.00 entry fee as soon as possible. Students in the Year

7 Gifted and Talented class, top Year 8, 9 and 10 classes, and all senior students

studying Science subjects are encouraged to participate.

Assessment Notification

All students have been provided with assessment notification for the school year.

Parents and caregivers are advised to keep this

information handy so that they can assist their

children in meeting all outcomes.

Mrs L O’Brien Head Teacher/Science

7L Students performing an

experiment in the Science Lab.

A Message from NSW Health re Vaccinations…..

……Each year NSW Health Public Health Units offer the vaccines recommended by the

National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) for adolescents as part of the school-

based program. If you have any medical queries re the vaccinations, please contact the Public

Health Unit on 9382 8333.

Parent Information Kits will be sent home to parents/guardians. To consent to the vaccination of their child, parents/guardians

are advised to read all the information provided and complete the consent form. Only consent forms signed by the parent/guardian

will be accepted. To ensure your child is vaccinated, please return all signed consent forms to the school as soon as possible after

receiving them.

Parents/guardians who wish to withdraw their consent for any reason may do so in writing to the school Principal. The

procedure for Withdrawal of Consent is available on the NSW Health website at:

www.health.nsw.gov.au/PublicHealth/Immunisation/school_prog/withdraw_consent.asp . Please note that for the HPV vaccine

only: parents/guardians must record their Medicare Number (including all 10 digits) on the consent form, as this is required to

record the student‟s health information on the National HPV Vaccination Register and link to the National Cervical Screening

Program.

A Record of Vaccination will be provided to each student vaccinated at the clinic. Parents/guardians should ensure that this

record is kept for future reference and should not assume that their child has been vaccinated if they do not receive this Record of

Vaccination. It is also recommended that you inform your GP so they can update your child‟s records.

What happens if your child misses a dose of the vaccine at school? Provided you have returned a signed consent form,

any student who is absent from school and missed a dose vaccine will be caught up with at the next scheduled

vaccination clinic at your school throughout the year.

Vaccinations Year 7 Vaccinations Year 10

Mrs J Smith Welfare Co-ordinator

A Record of Vaccination…

…will be provided to each student vaccinated at the clinic. Parents/guardians should ensure that this

record is kept for future reference and should not assume that their child has been vaccinated if they do not

receive this Record of Vaccination. It is also recommended that you inform your GP so

they can update your child‟s records.

Visit 1 30/03/12

Hepatitis B Vaccine (dose 1 of 2 dose course)

Human Papillomavirus Vaccine (HPV) (dose 1 of 3 dose course - GIRLS ONLY)

Visit 2 29/06/12

HPV Vaccine (dose 2 - GIRLS ONLY) Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis booster – (single dose) Varicella Vaccine (chicken pox) – (single dose) HPV and Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis vaccine – catch ups

Visit 3 16/11/12

Hepatitis B Vaccine - dose 2 (for those who received dose 1) HPV Vaccine – (dose 3 GIRLS ONLY) HPV and Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis vaccine – catch ups

Visit 1 30/03/12

Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis booster vaccine - (single dose)

Visit 2 ‘Catch Up’

29/06/12

Year 10 Students

who miss the Visit 1

Vaccinations, can

‟Catchup‟ on Visit 2 or 3 Visit 3 ‘Catch Up’

16/11/12

We are happy to report that some of our students in Year 12 2011 have moved

on to full time TAFE courses, employment or apprenticeships. We wish them

all the best in their future and success in their career paths.

Some of our current Year 10 students are applying for a TAFE initiative for

2012- Stage 5 TVET courses. This is a great opportunity for students to focus

on a potential career path and give them a taste of courses they may choose

to continue in Stage 6.

Exciting news! Our partnership with Yamaha, managed by CBCC, tentatively

known as „Yamaha Young Mechanics’, is not only continuing but expanding to

offer opportunities to explore careers in the many fields offered by this huge

multinational corporation. I will keep you informed of any further developments.

The Careers, Welfare and Learning Support Teams look forward to another productive year at Blakehurst High

School.

Janelle Lyons Year 12 Advisor Transition Advisor English/ESL/HSIE Teacher

INTERACT @ BHS has begun 2012 with a fundraising

initiative for the UNHCR Refugee program.

INTERACT @BHS became involved with this issue through the awareness of one of our Year 11 students. As a

student in Year 10 Geography, she was exposed to the story of a mother in a refugee camp who could not afford

medicine for her sick daughter. Unfortunately, the little girl died.

This is not a unique story. The UNHCR estimates that there are over 43 million displaced persons in the world.

Every day, around the world, they are faced with shortages of food and medicine in UN refugee camps. As a result of

these shortages and violence both from within and outside of the camps; men, women and children die every day.

INTERACT @BHS brought this issue to the attention of the Blakehurst High School community. On Thursday 16th

February, we collected $675.00 in donations to send to the UNHCR Australian Agency who will use these funds to

provide more food and medicine to refugees.

We would like to thank everyone for their support in this initiative and we will rely on you all again in future projects.

INTERACT @BHS meets each Monday at Lunchtime in Room 5.

Nic Maricic Venny Wiryakusuma INTERACT @BHS - President Co-ordinator/ HSIE Teacher

Transition Advisor’s Report

SRC Report – 2012

A new year has come and it is a new year for the SRC of Blakehurst High School.

The newly elected executive members have embarked on their duties with enthusiasm.

The Executive Team comprises of: Mario Andreone (President), Mark O‟Neill (Vice

President), Naomi To (Secretary), Danielle Rossen (Publicity Officer), Andrew Tong

(Photographer) and Wira Tjo (Website Manager). I would like to congratulate the new

executives for gaining these positions.

The SRC is looking forward to another year of hard but rewarding work. As the SRC, we conduct fundraisers to buy

new resources, help those who have experienced hardship and make our school an enjoyable and fun learning

environment. Already this year, we have implemented a digital noticeboard for students.

Additionally, we have many other planned projects to

complete. This year we aim to improve the school‟s physical

surroundings, promote multiculturalism and anti-

bullying, as well as holding events such as a trivia

night for parents and staff and a talent quest for

students.

The SRC is a great opportunity for students to

get involved in school life and develop

organisational and leadership skills.

I would definitely recommend joining the SRC,

as it is also a great way to make new friends,

not only within a student‟s year group but with

students from other years as well. SRC meetings

are held weekly, on a Tuesday Recess in Room 1. All

students are welcome!

Mario Andreone - SRC President 2012

Miss Sarah Butler

SRC Co-Ordinator

Mark O’Neill - Vice President, Danielle Rossen - Publicity Officer Mario Andreone – President, Naomi To - Secretary

Wira Tjo - Website Manager, Miss Sarah Butler – SRC Coordinator

News from the LIBRARY

Welcome to 2012 - National Year of Reading.

By designating this year as the “Year of Reading” the Australian

government has recognised the importance of reading for student learning

now and in the future. I hope students at Blakehurst High School will be able

to participate in a number of fun, reading activities taking place around

Australia and online.

These events have to be planned for people of all ages to discover (or

rediscover) the joy of reading. Watch out for details of up-coming events.

Many students took advantage of the library‟s holiday reading offer at the end

of last year. However, not as many students have rushed to return these

books to school! Please encourage students to return books borrowed last

year, so others can read and enjoy them as well. Blakehurst High Library

books are easily distinguishable from others as they are stamped with school

name and have a school barcode number on the back.

DEAR - Drop Everything And Read - has started again for 2012

and Years 7,8 and 9 are again participating in the Premier’s Reading

Challenge so students should make sure they come up to the Library and

find something they will enjoy to read. We have lots of new books available!

Mrs A Alchin Teacher/ Librarian

News from

…..the Mathematics Faculty

A Special Welcome to Mrs Alison Peachey as our new Head Teacher

We have been very impressed with the students energy displayed in class since the beginning of term. We are a

large and enthusiastic faculty with eight full time staff, one part time and three teachers who have one class each

(including both Deputy Principals). Students are encouraged to come to the staffroom during the break times to

ask for assistance about any of their Mathematic studies.

New calculators are in!

Calculators are frequently used in all courses from Years 7 to 12. You may use any scientific calculator you wish

(Seniors need to check that it is approved by the Board of Studies for use in the HSC). If you have not yet

purchased a calculator you may buy the very popular Casio FX-82AU-plus from school for just $22 (simply pay at

the front office and bring your receipt to the Mathematics staffroom).

We’re uploading to Moodle

Moodle is a tremendous resource for students - the login name and password is the same as for internet access, but at home the

students login name is blakehurst-h\firstname.lastname).

We are progressively uploading weblinks, worksheets and other resources to all year groups. Those years with the DER laptop will

find that they can access many resources electronically in class and are therefore reminded that they need to bring their laptop

(fully charged) to school each day.

Competitions

Each calendar year there are many compulsory and optional tests and competitions that the students can

participate in. These will include NAPLAN (compulsory for Years 7 and 9), and several via the Australian

MathematicsTrust (such as the Mathematics, Informatics or Statistics competitions). We‟ll give more

information directly to students as each competition draws near.

Mrs A Peachey Head Teacher/Mathematics

Students,

Please

return

books

borrowed

last year,

so others

can read

and enjoy

also

The English faculty warmly welcomes all new parents to our school

community.

Year 7 students are settling into their new environment and classes. All junior students are

required to participate in the Premier's Reading Challenge. We encourage you to support

your children with their ongoing homework reading, (at least 20minutes each night).

Congratulations to our High Achievers in the Higher School Certificate and School

Certificate. We look forward to enriching experiences for our English students in the year

to come.

Year 12 Advanced English Excursion

Year 12 have recently completed their Area of Study component of Higher School

Certificate English,‟ Belonging‟.

To further deepen their understanding of their prescribed text, Ms Nozica's and Ms

Lambert's Advanced classes, attended a performance of Shakespeare's 'As You Like

It’' at the Belvoir St Theatre. The performance was enjoyed by all students and proved

to be a valuable learning and teaching experience; the actors bringing the

Shakespearean comedy to life through modern twists.

Kate Lambert Year 12 English Teacher

Josephine Hinson Head Teacher/English

‘CAPA Column’

Welcome back to all our students!

And a very special welcome to all our new Year 7 students in 2012! The CAPA team is once again looking forward to an exciting year of teaching and learning. I am very pleased to announce that we are once again offering our students the opportunity to participate in many co-curricular activities in the creative and performing arts.

Music We have introduced a new keyboard program for Year 7

students – The Keyboard Evolution. The program has

been specifically developed for Year 7 students to engage all ability levels and all levels of musical experience. We will be looking forward to reporting on our progress later this term. The response so far has been fantastic!

Concert Band The Concert Band has begun rehearsals under the direction of Ms Lauren Moule – Mondays 3.00pm – 4.15pm. We have decided to create some variety in our rehearsals this year, introducing a „stage band‟ repertoire, which we will rehearse on alternate weeks, as well as our Concert Band repertoire. We are always looking for new players – experienced players and beginners! So if you have a band instrument or you would like to learn to play an instrument, please see Ms Jacobsen or just come along to our rehearsals on Monday afternoons!

String Groups We now have two string groups in our Instrumental Program! A beginners group and a senior group! Beginners rehearse on Mondays during lunch and DEAR and the senior group will rehearse on Thursday afternoons after school. I will be attending a String Workshop on 23 February and will have new pieces for the ensemble to play this year.

Choir The Choir has begun rehearsals for this year. We rehearse every Tuesday at Recess in Music Room 1. Blakehurst High School Choir has been selected to perform at the „In Concert 2012‟ concert in May and the Carmen Concert in June. These concerts are at a regional level and the first of the combined rehearsals for these concerts will be held on 15 March 2012. If you would like to join the choir, please join us on Tuesdays at recess in Music Room 1.

Guitar Lessons We have once again engaged Mr Nick Watson to come to school each Thursday to conduct small group guitar lessons. If you are interested in learning to play the guitar or you would like to extend your existing guitar skills, please come and see Ms Jacobsen to collect an Information Sheet for 2012 lessons.

Visual Arts We would like to extend a very warm welcome to the newest member of our Visual Arts teaching team – Mr Anthony Jenkins. Mr Jenkins will be taking Ms Golding‟s place this year while she continues her maternity leave. Mr Jenkins and Ms Bourtsouklis will be taking the Year 12 Visual Arts students to visit The Hazelhurst Art Gallery on 22 February. The Gallery has many exemplary 2011 Higher School Certificate Major Art Works on display. The students will be able to view these artworks and perhaps incorporate some of these ideas and techniques in developing their own major artworks for their Higher School Certificate.

Drama Ms Elakis and Ms Jacobsen attended the OnStage Drama Performances at the Seymour Centre on 7 February with Drama students in Years 10, 11 and 12. OnStage annually showcases outstanding performances from the previous year‟s Higher School Certificate Practical Drama Exam. Our Year 12 students find these performances very useful in developing their own content and techniques for Higher School Certificate Drama performances.

TAS Home Economics Update

Art Quilt Challenge 2011

Every year the Technology Educator‟s Association holds an Art Quilt Challenge for Stage 5

Textile Technology students. The challenge is open to all textile students in Years 9 and 10 from

all public and private schools. The best 2 quilts from each school are entered in the competition.

The theme for the Art Quilt Challenge in 2011 was „Self Portrait’ and students were required

to design and create an original art quilt that reflected who they were as an individual. They had

to use a maximum of 5 design elements to meet the requirements of the Design Brief.

Quilts produced by Jessica Allen and Nikolina Calic were entered by our school and both have

been chosen as part of the Texstyle Exhibition which showcases the excellent work of

Year 12 HSC students and the Art Quilt Challenge.

This exhibition is sent around NSW and is part of the Regional Quilt and Craft Exhibitions that are

open to the public. Congratulations girls!

Mrs N Dexter Head Teacher/TAS Home Economics

Ms Judy Jacobsen & the CAPA Team

This year has started well with the installation of new

bottle filler outside the student entrance into the

main block. The P&C kindly applied for a grant from

Kogarah City Council for the purchase and installation

of this bottle filler.

The Year 7 cohort has received reusable water bottles

for their use, stamped with the school emblem. The

school now has three bottle fillers and both staff and

students are regularly using their reusable water

bottles. This is really helping to keep everybody

hydrated in the warmer months and at the same time,

helping to reduce the school‟s waste. Water bottles

are no longer sold in the canteen as part of our policy

„Say No to Bottled Water’.

This term the school will again be involved in

Clean Up Australia Day to remind students of

the necessity to dispose of rubbish correctly. This year

the Environmental Team will be focussing on

improving our Waste Management in order to care for

the school environment more responsibly.

[

The Environmental Team meets on Tuesdays at

Recess in Room 4. Students from all year groups are

welcome to participate in order to improve our School‟s

environmental sustainability.

Ms Camilleri

HSIE Teacher & Environment Co-ordinator

Jennifer Jusmin & Alishia Lambropoulos

PDHPE Faculty– Report

A Big Welcome to Mr Yianni Tsattalios

A new permanent temporary teacher with the PDHPE team. I

am sure he will be a great addition to the already talented

PDHPE faculty.

Congratulations to the 2Unit PDHPE Class of 2011

Outstanding results achieved by this PDHPE group; the best

results of any PDHPE group that has been through

Blakehurst High School. This was due to the caliber of the

students, the amount of work that they did and the quality of

their teachers, Mr Smith and Mr B Yelavich. This class

attained two Band 6‟s (congratulations to Helen Orr and

Derek Tran); three Band 5‟s (only a couple of marks off Band

6) and extra value added for all students. Well done and

hopefully the classes of 2012 can perform just as well.

The Year 11 Classes in 2012

These classes are full to overflowing. Ms Berrett‟s class has

24 students (the maximum for Stage 6 courses) and Mr

Kemp has 28 (too many students, but Mr Kemp is trying to

accommodate as many students as possible). A number of

students have since wanted to change into 2 Unit PDHPE

classes but I am sorry they are both now closed to extra

students.

Years 7 to 10 Personal Development and Health

All these students are taught relevant and meaningful

information on the lifestyle issues that they will face as they

grow into young adults. The major outcome of this is that all

students gain the ability to act on this information to make

informed and healthy decisions for the present and into the

future. To achieve this outcome all PDHPE Programs have

been evaluated and re-written with the latest and most

relevant information. Technology, lesson differentiation and

student centered approaches have been utilised in all stages

to ensure that all students gain the most benefit from their

PDHPE courses. I would like to thank the whole PDHPE

team for the time and effort that they have put into making

this Program so engaging and informative for our students.

Physical Education lessons in Term 1 will include fitness

testing, gymnastics, dance and some sports. It is very

important that all students bring their school sports uniform

for practical lessons. All students have noted down their

practical lesson periods on their timetables.

All Year 7 to 10 Students

…have also received a letter explaining the PDHPE

Courses, and a permission note section which gives

permission for students to walk to parks outside school for

PE lessons. It would be appreciated if parents/caregivers

could ensure that this note is sighted, signed and returned to

your child‟s PDHPE teachers.

Year 10 Students Volunteering

Finally, I would like to thank and acknowledge the Year 10

students who volunteered to act as life guards for the

students of Hurstville South Public School at their Swimming

Carnival on Wednesday 8th

February. These students were:

Sydney Forsythe, Nina Glavincevski, Amy Green, Jennifer

Jusmin, Nathan King, Alishia Lambropoulos, Martha Spilioti,

Daniel Towe, Michael Trajcevski, Stanley Yick and Cee Cee

Sun.They all did an outstanding job on the day and continue

to add to our reputation as the leading Comprehensive High

School in the St George Region.

PDHPE Sports Report 2012

Summer Sport has commenced for 2012 with Grade Trials

being held within the first two weeks of school, with the

official start of St George Zone Sport beginning on

Wednesday 15th

February.

We have 34 boys teams and 24 girls teams contesting the

Summer Grade Sport competition this year, and as the

current Girls Grade Sport Champion School, we are looking

at retaining this trophy and adding to it with the Boys Grade

Sport Champion School.

We have included a new sport in 2012 - Cheerleading. This

is proving to be a successful and popular sport which we

hope to continue for the rest of the year.

Blakehurst High School Sports Houses

All students at Blakehurst High have been allocated a Sports

House dependent on the first initial of their surname. These

houses have been named in honour of past Australian

Sporting Champions. The sport houses are represented as

indicated below.

House

Colour

Patron

Captains

V Captains

Freeman Yellow Ms Berrett E Dolatowski

C Arayana

L Carter

M Fong

Gainsford Blue Ms Johnson N Glavincevski

R Liley

R Luhur G Green N King Kentzopoulos

Perkins Green Mr Tsattalios M Pavlovski

D McCuaig-

Walton

K Markovska

Z Majkic

Sauvage Red Mr Kemp S Suryawan

M Zammit

I Topic

S Yick

Yours in Sport

Mr T Yelavich Head Teacher/PDHPE

Blakehurst High School Swimming Carnival

The first school carnival of the year was the Swimming

Carnival which was conducted at Carss Park Swimming Pool

on Friday 17th

February. The weather was kind with the sun

shining all day. There was plenty of action in the water - the

racing was fierce and fast!

Congratulations must go to all students who behaved and

participated to an exceptionally high standard throughout the

day.

Freeman House Patron Ms Berrett along with the House

Captains, must be congratulated for being crowned

Champion Swim House after amassing 634 points to edge

out Gainsford, followed by Sauvage and Perkins.

Swimming Age Champions of 2012

Mr N Smith

Sports Organiser

Students Who Broke Swimming Records -

A special mention must go to the Teacher Relay team who won the Senior Boys Relay at the completion of the carnival.

Good luck to all those students who will be representing Blakehurst High School at the St George Zone Swimming Carnival on the Monday 27

th February and Friday 2

nd March

to be held at Bexley Pool. Sporting Results Outside School

Congratulations to Sheridan Smith of Year 8 who won three medals over the Christmas holidays at the New South Wales State Age Swimming Championships. Sheridan‟s results were:

1st in the 200m Butterfly

2nd

in the 200m Individual Medley

3rd

in the 200m Backstroke

An outstanding result from an exceptional swimmer and with these results, Sheridan has been selected in the Junior Sharks Swim Squad. Congratulations to Mika Zammit of Year 10 who has been recently selected to represent Sydney East at the New South Wales Baseball Championships. With a further two years to continue to make this team, we wish Mika good luck in these championships. Congratulations to Julia Glavincevski who recently won a Bronze medal at the New South Wales U/14 Open Water 5km event. This race took Julia over an hour to complete and requires a strenuous training regime. We wish Julia the best of luck with all future competitions. Sport web sites

The following sport web sites are useful for school sport notices, Zone Sport information and Sydney East Knock Outs and representation. Blakehurst High Sport Information – http://www.blakehurst-h.schools.nsw.edu.au/sport St George Zone Sport Information – http://www.stgeorgesssa.com.au/ Sydney East Sport Information - http://www.sports.det.nsw.edu.au/syd_east/welcome.htm

Sheridan Smith 13 Years 50m Freestyle – 29.27sec

13 Years 50m Backstroke – 35.88sec 13 Years 50m Breaststroke – 39.37sec

Mai Soliman

14 Years 50m Breaststroke – 38.78sec

Chadwick Aryana 15 Years 50m Breaststroke – 37.87

Mika Hatjinikitas

Walid Sibai 12 Years Swimming Age Champions

Sheridan Smith Joshua Powell

13 Years Swimming Age Champions

Mai Soliman Dennis Alima

14 Years Swimming Age Champions

Rebecca Luhur Chadwick Aryana

15 Years Swimming Age Champions

Natalie Bakrdanikoska Robert Liley

16 Years Swimming Age Champions

Jessica Allen Mark Langley

17+ Years Swimming Age Champions