news letter - toormina-h.schools.nsw.gov.au

ARMSTRONG DRIVE, TOORMINA NSW 2452 026653 3077 [email protected] www.toormina-h.schools.nsw.edu.au

TERM 3 | WEEK 5 | AUGUST 2017

N E W SLETTER

2018 STUDENT EXECUTIVE TEAM

Congratulations to our Incoming Student Executive Team for 2018: Hunter Bake-Smith, Drew Gilchrist, Meg La Macchia, Jasmyn Newcombe, Blake McGinty, Kiara Ryman, Zyla Steele and Luke Zerbe.

The team took part in a training day at Bonville Golf Resort last Monday. Students learnt about their roles and responsibilities, developed their vision and goals for the next year and participated in team building activities. They also elected the School Captains and congratulations go to, Captains, Hunter Bake-Smith and Meg La Macchia with Vice-Captains, Drew Gilchrist and Jasmyn Newcombe.

The team will be inducted in Week 7 and are keen to take on their new duties!

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N E W SLETTER TERM 3 | WEEK 5 | AUGUST 2017


THS AUTHORS!On August 2nd at 7.30am, 31 students met in the school library. Their mission was to write a book in a day for The Kids Cancer Project.The library buzzed with excitement, as teams collaborated to plan, draft, edit and illustrate their book using the parameters they had been given.Each team completed their book within the 12 hours allocated and are excited to share them with The Children’s Hopsital.It was an incredibly rewarding day for staff and students and we look forward to doing it all again.

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THS AUTHORS!

Comments from students:Write A Book In A Day was a fun and interesting experience. We got to work with our peers to create a book for kids with cancer. The team work that was put into the books and the ideas generated by everyone was amazing.Every team worked hard, even under pressure, and the end products turned out to be fantastic.Rachel Holms & Anastasia Miley, Year 9

Other comments...I enjoyed writing and coming up wth ideas. It was also cool seeing everything come together.It was such a great atmosphere with everyone having fun and working together.I enjoyed the challenges and working together to overcome them.I think it was really worthwhile as it was done for a great reason and was really enjoyable.I was really proud to be able to write something lots of people will read.Was an amazing day - great to build team work skills.It was such a good experience and it was all for the sick kids in hospital which made it all worthwhile.

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SCU Head-Start GraduationOn Tuesday 1st August, I was pleased to attend the SCU Head-Start Graduation Ceremony with Paul Humphrey, THS Principal and Joe Anderson, Year 11 Adviser.We were extremely proud of our four year 11 students who all gained a Distinction in Communication in Organisations. By successfully completing the Head-Start program, students are able to:• be offered a place in a select number of Southern Cross University courses • be granted advanced standing for the completed unit of study when enrolling in a relevant SCU course• have reduced HECS liability through advanced standing for the unit completed.For more information on applying to SCU Head-Start for 2018, please see Mrs West in the Careers Office.Pictured are (left to right) Joe Anderson, Chloe Rann, Meg La Macchia, Tori Van Stijn, Erin Potter and Paul Humphrey.Robyn West, Careers Adviser

The Rainbow Run is a major fundraising activity for the Cancer Council. A Rainbow Run was to be held at THS during Spirit Week but rain forced us to reschedule and it will now run on Friday, September 1, on the school oval from 1pm to 2.30pm. Participating students and staff can pay $2 to complete the course OR $5 to complete the course and throw coloured, non-toxic powder into the air. Coloured wristbands are available for purchase from the SRC during recess and lunch. Members of the community also have the opportunity to support the THS team by donating online via the link provided below.A reminder, students will need to bring an old set of clothes to change into for the event and change back into their school uniform before heading home. It is advisable the students have a plastic bag, towel, water, sunscreen and a hat.

https://secure.cancercouncilfundraising.org.au/registrant/FundraisingPage.aspx?registrationID=1136486&langPref=en-CA

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Valuable, real life, work and social skills are just part of the benefits of the Support Unit Coffee Shop.The team above learn to work as a group with peers and staff and the cafe also provides an opportunity for our extended friends and family to visit our school!Staff and families also contribute by cooking some of the delicious products for sale at the Coffee Shop and our Peer Support students also assist, a true community event, congratulations to all involved.

Support Unit Coffee Shop

PAYMENT CHANGES AT THS1. EFTPOS payments: We will not be able to accept EFTPOS payments between 23 August and 4 September 2017. Please ensure that you have made any outstanding EFTPOS payments before 23 August, 2017. From 6 September 2017, EFTPOS payments will be accepted as before.

2. Cash and cheque payments: between 23 August 2017 and 6 September 2017, we will also not be able to accept payments by cash or cheque as we prepare to close our current bank account and transition to the new one. Please ensure that you have made any outstanding cash or cheque payments before 23 August 2017. From 6 September 2017, cash and cheque payments will be accepted as before.

3. Online payments (POP): As of 23 August 2017, payments to our current online payment facility will cease. You will not be able to use the Department of Education’s Parent Online Payment (POP) system until Wednesday 6 September.

This photo shows just a part of the team behind this successful activity. From left is Liam Sims, Jim Dickson, Ryley Camp, Willy Irakoze, Annelies Maloney, Amanda Clifford, Percy-James Avuri-Williams and Daniel Ryan.

To ensure a smooth transition, there will be changes to the way we accept payments from parents and carers.

Toormina High School will transition to the new NSW Public Schools’ finance system and a new bank account on 4 September 2017.

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The Support Unit playground has under gone a major revamp to become an excellent recreational & learning space.

Demi Martin, year 8 student at THS, placed an OVERALL 2nd in the recent Combined High School State Championships and came FIRST in NSW in vault!The weekend prior to this competition in Newcastle, Demi, Jasmyn Newcombe and Casey Cowgill went to the Gold Coast to compete in an invitational competition for their club Coffs Coast Gymnastics, photographed above with team mate from Coffs Harbour High School, Clara Lyra Carvahedo.Demi and Casey also travelled to Sydney to compete at the State Gymnastics Championships where Demi also placed 1st in the State for Vault.

Number One in NSW!

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ACTIVE ARVOS is on again!

Contact Organiser – Robyn West, Careers Adviser THS, 66533077

Information will be available for young people with a disability (aged 15 – 18 years) and their parents/guardians to assist with the transition from school to a range of post school options which may include the pursuit of further education, employment, volunteering and/or prevocational training.

Service Providers ACCnet21, ADAHC, Ability Options, CHESS, Carers NSW, ETC Ltd, TAFE NSW, Nambucca Valley Phoenix Ltd, Key Employment, On Track Community Programs Ltd, Community Care Options, New Horizons Enterprises Ltd, Northcott Disability Services, Coffs Harbour Support Services, Nambucca Valley Disability Services, Lifestyle Solutions, Mid Coast Communities, NDCO (National Disability Coordination Officer), R & R Disability Services

Disability Expo 2017 THS Library, Wednesday, 23rd August, 9.00am – 12:00pm Schools from Maclean to Macksville will be attending.

Ebor ExcursionYear 10 Marine Studies, Year 11 Agriculture and Year 11 Earth and Environmental Science students visited the LP Dutton Trout Hatchery to learn about freshwater aquaculture. During the visit, they watched the fish feeding and learned about the sorting, hatching and rearing of fish eggs into mature adults. The year 11 agriculture students will apply knowledge acquired during the visit to their farm case study. The year 10 students will compare and contrast the freshwater system at the hatchery with the marine system at the National Marine Science Centre. Students also visited Point Lookout (Berarngutta) and Ebor Falls (Martiam) to learn about the unique geology of the Ebor supervolcano and how it contributes to the local freshwater ecology and soil chemistry.Dr Andrew Willhoite, Science Teacher

These will resume Monday, August 14, 3:30 - 4:30pmFun, physical activities at school, all welcome!

Contact Kyah Schwartz for more information 66 533 077

WELCOME to our International Students!

Welcome to our international students!Florinda Giaretto, year 11 from Turin, Italy, will join us for the rest of this term. Lily Pohlman in year 10, from Dusselldorf, will be here for 6 months and Isabella Maier, from near Munich, Germany who will be in Australia for 9 months.THS always enjoys the opportunities that student exchanges offer; the similarities and differences enrich our student’s understanding of the world.

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Homework Centreis OPEN!

Every Monday, 3:30 - 5pmin the library

Qualified teachersAll welcome!

Contact Daniel Laing for more information THS 66 533 077

Calen BilsboroughPhylicia StockCora Bishop

Shyanne WoodwardMakaylah Wilkinson

Jasmine BoytonHayden Burn

Connor Wear-BrodieElijah Plummer

SPIRIT OF TOORMINA AWARD

Congratulations for showing a fantastic attitude that

embodies the Toormina High School philosophy of caring,

sharing and participating.

Year 12UAC has now opened - its now time to apply for university. Use the link below to find out how and please call in to Careers with any questions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNfj92S8rbs

Traineeship

Congratulations to Percy-James Avuri-Williams, in year 11 in the THS Support Unit, has an Aboriginal Traineeship with Coffs Harbour Council in horticulture.Photo above shows from left: Robyn West (Careers Adviser), Aaron Hartley (Bush Regeneration Supervisor, Percy-James Avuri-WilliamsTony McGowan (North Coast Tafe), Sandra Avuri-Williams (mother)Annelies Voorthuis (Appreticeship Support Australia), Deborah Munson (Aboriginal Mentor) and Tim Bekis (Coffs Harbour City Council).

Alikkan Jerrard, in year 10, (photo on left) is the Number 1 High Jumper in our region and is now off to the State Championships! Alikkan jumped 1.79m at the Regional Carnival in Lismore and this will be the fourth year in row he has qualified for State. He has come second the last three years and is looking forward to the opportunity to crack the state number one in 2017!Congratulations to Ryan Gilchrist (photo on right) on his selection to the North Coast Junior Representative Debating Team! Ryan will now debate at the State Debating Championships in November. Fine representatives of Toormina High School and public education!

TOORMINA HIGH AMBASSADORS

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Toormina PhysiotherapyCoopers Surf Australia

Jetty DiveHopscotch Preschool

Pacific VetcareStepping Stones Preschool

I Fly DownunderFaircloth & Reynolds

Coffs Harbour CourthouseRiggos Pty. Ltd.

Beauty on the PromenadeSawtell Kitchens

Coffs Harbour DisposalsWrecked Vintage

RSPCAFresh DentalcareTwo Birds Design

Boambee Public SchoolGardiner Ave Child CareToormina Public School

All Diesel EquipmentCHC PharmacyAmart All Sports

Tom Williams PlumbingGeoff King Motors

Indigo HairOz Build Design

Michael Brazel BuilderCoffs Harbour Vet

I did work experience at the Coffs Harbour RSPCA. Some of the jobs I had to do were feed the cats, clean cages, wash puppies, do laundry, take out rubbish, sweep, mop and a whole lot of other things!I really enjoyed my work experience at the RSPCA.

Chris Owen, year 10,photo on right.

THANKS for supporting our Year 10 Work Experience students...

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Principal’s ColumnAnother busy but exciting few weeks for Toormina High School. Our Year 7 and 8 Debaters continued through to the next round after winning the Zone final. Our Junior Boys footballers were beaten in Sydney, however they never gave up. Our captains and vice captains for 2018 were elected. Four students graduated from a Southern Cross University undergraduate unit of University work. We held a successful Wellbeing day for students in years 10, 11 and 12. We had a visit from the Secretary of Education, Mr Mark Scott. Next week our Year 7 and 8 students head south to the Great Aussie Bush Camp for the week. Our student leaders worked with the Bongil Bongil Community of Schools on developing a vision for our combined 2018 - 2020 school plans. Well done students and staff for your continued hard work. In particular, thanks to Mr Holden and Mr Schwartz for taking the boys to Sydney and Ms Johnson for her continued hard work with the debating teams who have achieved incredible success under her guidance.The work at the front of the school continues and is on track due to the great weather we have been having, and this will certainly improve the front aspect of the school. Plans are available in the office if you would like to see what is actually happening.I believe from recent feedback from our community that Toormina High School is currently being seen in a very positive light. To continue this growth in our reputation, I ask that parents support us in ensuring that students are in uniform for every day of school. I realise that we continue to raise this matter, however most negative feedback we receive about our school is about students not in uniform, we get judged not by what we do, but what we wear! I can now announce that we have a new Deputy Principal who will replace Mrs Kathy McDowell who retired last term. Our new Deputy Principal is Mrs Michelle Elliott. Michelle is currently Deputy Principal at Collamon Central in the Riverina. She is an experienced Deputy Principal who will further strengthen our executive team. A start date for Michelle has not yet been determined.Paul HumphreyPrincipal

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There’s a new group in town and it’s all about the girls! The newest addition to Toormina High’s popular outdoor program is the GOLD group (Girls Outdoor Learning Day) generating from the original BOLT boys program, GOLD is all about giving the girls an opportunity to test their physical and psychological boundaries whilst learning more about themselves, others around them, and getting a real experience of teamwork and goal-setting. Having already completed the slippery trek onto Triple Peak and climbing one of the giant strangler fig trees, Mr Robb assures us that he will ‘not be taking it easy on the girls’. The proof is in the pudding as they say, and with one of the students completing the tree-climb to the very top in record time and another completing the tree-climb three times in the one day, the challenge to the boys has been put forward! Mr Robb says that ‘the girls really bring a great sense of teamwork to the program from the very start and it will be great to see how they progress as both a team and in themselves’.Photos show Triston Gittins and Sally Young tackling any fear of heights!

STRIKE GOLD!

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Year 7&8 DebateOn Friday 11th of August, Orara High School visited Toormina High School to compete in two debates against our year 7 and 8 teams. All four team selected the same topic "That the government should impose a curfew on teenagers" and Toormina High School was awarded the negative side of both debates to argue. In what were two very close debates, Toormina was awarded the win in both debates. Special mention must be made of Ellena Cheers-Flavell in year 8, who was told by the Sydney adjudicator that she was the strongest 3rd speaker he had seen this year. Congratulations to the members of both teams who were excellent representatives of the school on the day. It is with great pleasure, that I am able to announce that our year 8 team, consisting of Amy Newcombe, Ellena Cheers-Flavell, Mariah Anderson and Sharnte Cannon, are now the zone champions and will progress through to the regional knock-out competition. Good luck in your upcoming regional quarter-final girls!Sally Johnson, Debating Coach

On Thursday 10th of August, our Toormina High School Representative Year 8-10 Debating team were invited as guest speakers for the Bonville-Boambee View Club. They were asked to debate a resolution which they will later vote upon this month. The resolution was "That we should leagalise medicinal marijuana". The ladies of the View Club were highly impressed with the intelligent arguments that the students presented and thepoise in which they were able to present their arguments with. Congratulations to Danielle Tate, Ellena Cheers Flavell, Oriana Watts and Ryan Gilchrist on the excellent debating skills they displayed on the day. They have now been invited as the guest speakers for the Urunga View Club, where they will again share their ideas on this issue on September 4th. Sally Johnson, Debating Coach

View Club Debating

View Club

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Skoolbag is a FREE app for your smartphone, ipad or tablet which allows you to receive alerts and

information & the newsletter instantly from our school.We are encouraging everyone to please install Skoolbag.

This is an easy, cost effective means of communication for THS.

Simple instructions are on the THS website or contact us for help on

66533077.We have added a category for each

school year and sport on Skoolbag and will put school notes in these tabs for

parents to access.

Southern Cross UniversitySCU Open DaysSouthern Cross University invites Toormina High School students and their parents to our Open Days to sample campus life, and explore study options and career opportunities.Join us on campus for workshops and presentations, campus tours, food options, live music and entertainment.Gold Coast campus: Sunday 13 August Lismore campus: Sunday 20 August Coffs Harbour campus and National Marine Science Centre: Sunday 27 August For more information, registration and details on the event programs, please visitscu.edu.au/opendays SCU STAR Early Entry enables Year 12 students to gain early admission to Southern Cross University on the basis of their school Principal’s recommendation. STAR Early Entry matches an individual student to a particular Southern Cross University course based on their likelihood of success in their chosen discipline. Applications for current Year 12 students are now open for study in 2018. For more information, please contact your Career Adviser or refer toscu.edu.au/STARKeep up to date with our events by following us at SCU Future Student Facebook page

THS UNIFORM SHOP open every MONDAY 8:00am - 4:00pm, Karina 0468 436 217

This is a free, easy way to promote the diverse activities and opportunities that Toormina High

School has to offer.We like to celebrate success so please ‘like’ and ‘share’ our Facebook posts so we can show the

world how great our school is!

Our page has the school logo.

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IMPORTANT DATES

MON 7/8 - 14/8

Year 12 TRIAL EXAMINATIONS

MON 14/8 ACTIVE ARVOS3:30 - 4:30pm

MON 14/8 HOMEWORK CENTRE3:30 - 5:00pm

MON 21/8 - 25/8

Year 7 & 8 Great Aussie Bush Camp Excursion

MON 21/8 ACTIVE ARVOS3:30 - 4:30pm

MON 21/8 HOMEWORK CENTRE3:30 - 5:00pm

WED 23/8 Disability Expo, 9am - 12pm

THURS 24/8 Year 9 Uni Bound

THURS 24/8 Support Unit

Transport Training

FRI 25/8 Whole School

WEAR IT PURPLE DAY

MON 28/8 - 31/8

Year 10 VALID Science On-Line Assessment

MON 28/8 Year 12 Visual Arts BODY OF WORK due

MON 28/8 Year 9 & 10

Electives Market day

TUES 29/8 STUDENT EXECUTIVE TEAM INDUCTION CEREMONY

TUES 29/8 Year 11 Photography Assessment due

TUES 29/8 Year 7 - 12

Parent Teacher Afternoon 3:30 - 6:00pm

FRI 1/9 Whole School

RAINBOW RUN

School based traineeships for students in Year 11 in 2018 are available.

See Robyn West in Careers Office

ATTN: Does your child or student use Snapchat? The Office of the eSafety Commissioner has recently received several online complaints about compromised Snapchat accounts.The issues arose after the release of the new Snapchat 'Memories' feature, where users can preserve content in a secure archive on their phone. This includes a section called “My Eyes Only”, a PIN protected area where explicit snaps can be stored.Please ensure your student/child sets strong passwords/PINs for all accounts, uses 2-factor authentication, and never gives out confidential info (even to friends).For more information and for tips on how to prevent a compromised Snapchat account, please refer to the eSafety website: https://www.esafety.gov.au/

Relieving Deputy Principal, Sue Jordan is pictured receiving a Community Arts & Cultural Development Grant from the Coffs Harbour Mayor, Denise Knight.

Community Arts & Cultural Development Grant

news letter - toormina-h.schools.nsw.gov.au

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