19 March 2012

W O O N O N A H I G H S C H O O L

eNewsletter PO Box 155 Woonona NSW 2517 Ph: 4284 1513 Fax: 4285 1485

Web: http://www.woonona-h.schools.nsw.edu.au Email: woonona-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Delivering excellence, innovation, opportunity and student success

OPEN NIGHT EXPO On Monday 12 March, the school held its annual open night, it was fantastic! The staff and students of Woonona High

School came together to showcase just some of the teaching and learning, sport,

creative and performing arts opportunities that are on offer for prospective students. Each faculty had at least two informative and interactive displays on show.

Approximately 250 Year 5/6 students and their parents enjoyed the evening, students had the opportunity to join in some of the activities and parents were able to speak with and ask questions

of both students and staff about our school. I remind prospective students that the testing for

our Year 7 enrichment class 2013 will take place on Wednesday morning, 21 March. Further information is available on our website or from our front office.

Ms Belinda Wall Principal

Next P&C meeting is on

Tuesday 20 March at 7.30pm

in the staff common room.

I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E

Year 11 Report Page 2

Sport News Page 3

Year 10 Report Page 4

Library News Page 4

Upcoming Events Page 4

Volunteering Program Page 5

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2012 DER-NSW Parent Survey Dear Parent/Guardian

We seek your views on the NSW one-to-one laptop program. A formal evaluation of the program is being

undertaken by the New South Wales Department of

Education and Training in collaboration with the University of Wollongong. It is an effort to determine how the DER-NSW program may impact on learning and teaching education across the state. The evaluation has taken place over 3 years.

Please go to the link below and complete the 2012 survey. It won‘t take you too long. http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DER-NSWPr2012?c=8410

To access the link please enter it into the long

address bar at the top of the page of your internet browser (not into a search engine such as Google) and press enter or go – this will take you to the survey. Individuals cannot be identified in the data.

Evaluation reports to date can be viewed online: https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/about-us/how-we-operate/national-partnerships/digital-education-revolution/rrql/research.

Thank you for assisting us.

Canteen News Thank you to Ms Armstrong and her Year 12 Photography students for all their hard work on creating signage and photographs for our new menu.

The school canteen is now selling egg and bacon rolls

for breakfast at a cost of $3.00 each.

CANTEEN HELPERS Mon 19 Margaret Elphick

Tue 20 Robyn Hatton / Sue Boyle

Wed 21 HELP NEEDED

Thu 22 Cathy Simpson

Fri 23 Julie McKeowen

Mon 26 Anna Rindlisbacher

Tue 27 Rhonda Lowe / Kerrie Austin

Wed 28 Jodie Bridge

Thu 29 HELP NEEDED

Fri 30 HELP NEEDED

Year 11 report After a few adjustments to a heavier workload, the overwhelming majority of Year 11 students have made a fantastic start to the year. When I speak to teachers around the school they have remarked how impressed they have been with the quality of assessment tasks

that have been submitted. Student monitoring was issued to Year 11 in Week 6 of Term 1. An email was sent to all parents to inform them of this and to help keep students accountable for

their performance at school. If you are not on the Year 11 parent email list then please send an email to

myself at Benjamin.bradley1@det.nsw.edu.au and I will add your contact details to the list. Congratulations to the following students who achieved outstanding academic monitoring results.

Shay Bagia, Emma Bradbury, Anthony Dreizi, Bridy Garnon, Lara Hilliard, Mitchell Howard, Meggan

Hughes, Izak Lucas-Parr, Scott McInally, Ben McKeowen, Thomas O‘Brien, Sam Prasser, Carissa

Rose, Anabelle Rouse, Kathryn Rowney, Renee Schwarze, Tiana Stevens and Brittany Weir. Often, parents book holidays as a family during school

term for a number of reasons. If students are unable to attend school during term due to holidays it is important to consult the assessment schedule that every student has been issued with at the beginning of term. This is also a helpful guide for parents to keep track of tasks and when they are due. Significant dates that apply to the whole of Year 11 are the

21/05/12 – 25/05/12. This will be the half yearly

examinations for all Year 11 students and it is not the time to be away on vacation. During our Thursday year meeting last week, Mr Chamberlain (Careers adviser) organised a guest speaker from the electoral commission. All students

over the age of 16 were encouraged to enrol to vote early. Many young people reach age 18 and forget to enrol to vote, this can be a costly exercise. Students need to return all forms to Mr Chamberlain‘s careers office for processing.

An ‗activities for reports‘ sheet has been emailed to all

students. This is an important record for students to record their achievement throughout the year in the Academic, sporting, and cultural arena. It is also helpful to document any areas of community service. Please encourage your son/daughter to keep this

record up to date, it needs to be printed off and included in their half yearly report. Mr Bradley Year Adviser

Delivering excellence, innovation, opportunity and student success

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Sport

South Coast

Congratulations to the following students who were

successful in being selected in the South Coast teams.

Open Basketball

Brittany Clark is in Year 9 and is to be

further congratulated on being selected in an Open team at a young age.

Open Girls Tennis

Brooke Farrow (Yr 10)

16yrs Girls Touch

Georgia Thomas (Yr 9)

Open Girls Soccer

Nikita Woods (Yr 9). Again, Nikita is to be congratulated on being selected in an open team at such a young age.

Open Boys Tennis

James Walker (Yr 9)

These students will travel to State Carnivals and we

wish them luck in the selection of State teams.

Swimming

Congratulations to all our students who attended and swam in very wet conditions at Dapto Pool. Phoebe

Basham, Joseph Ovington, Renee Schwarze, Jasmine Smith and Taryn Yates. Jasmine Smith qualified in two events and will travel to Homebush for State trials.

Cross Country

Congratulations to Sheridan Brown on her invitation to

travel to the US to participate in events at American schools and colleges.

Thank You (extract from email sent to the Principal)

On Wednesday a group of Woonona High School students volunteered to help at the Regional Secondary Swimming Championships at Dapto Pool.

These young ladies - Tahlia McPherson, Kate Stewart, Emily Turcato, Emma Rigby, Kirsten Armstrong, Taylor Murrill, Kahlia Rasch and Grace Jones did a wonderful job throughout the day

as timekeepers, runners, etc.

I cannot speak highly enough of these students. They are mature, resourceful, responsible & reliable. They

are a credit to themselves and Woonona High School.

I want to thank you for allowing them to officiate at

the carnival and Marg Sim who encouraged them to come along.

Kind regards

Mark Hume

Regional Sports Organiser (Relieving)

South Coast School Sports Association

Girls Teams Boys Teams

Junior & Senior Soccer Junior & Senior Soccer

Junior & Senior Touch Junior & Senior Touch

Open Oztag Open Oztag

Junior & Senior

Basketball

Junior & Senior

Basketball

Junior & Senior Netball Junior & Senior Volleyball

Junior & Senior Volleyball Junior & Senior Tennis

Junior & Senior Tennis Junior Indoor Cricket

Junior Indoor Soccer Junior Indoor Soccer

Junior Dodgeball Junior Dodgeball

Senior Ultimate Frisbee Senior Ultimate Frisbee

Mixed Teams Lawn Bowls

School Cross Country

Will be held at school on the second last Wednesday of this term, 28th March 2012. This year, the zone carnival is being held at Nicholson Park and the

surrounding area. A map of the zone course will be provided so our students can practice and become familiar with the course over the school holidays.

Winter Sport

Trials will be held during sport time over the next few weeks. Our grade winter competition is against Bulli High, Corrimal High, Keira High and Figtree High.

Teams will be chosen in the following sports.

If students are successful in making a grade team, they will travel approximately six times to the other

schools during Terms 2 & 3.

Buses are provided for the travel. Students unsuccessful in making a grade team will take part in a house sport competition at school.

Mrs Sim Sports Organiser

Delivering excellence, innovation, opportunity and student success

UPCOMING EVENTS Tue 20 Yr 9 English Assessment P&C Meeting—7.30pm in Staff Common Room Wed 21 Enrichment Class test - 9.00am in school hall Thu 22 Yr 11 English Assessment Rugby League Country Cup at Sid Parish Park Fri 23 Yr 11 English Assessment Yr 10 Geography Assessment Mon 26 Yr 11 Hospitality Work Placement Tue 27 Yr 11 Hospitality Work Placement Wed 28 Yr 11 Hospitality Work Placement Yr 12 Half Yearly examinations School Cross Country Thu 29 Yr 11 Hospitality Work Placement Yr 12 Half Yearly examinations Fri 30 Yr 11 Hospitality Work Placement Yr 12 Half Yearly examinations

Library News 9 Ways You Can Encourage Your

Teenager to Read

As a parent, you are your child's first - and most important - teacher. Here are nine ways you can help your child become a better reader.

1. Set an example. Let your kids see

you reading for pleasure.

2. Furnish your home with a variety of reading materials. Leave

books, magazines, and newspapers around. Check to see what disappears for a clue to what interests your teenager.

3. Give teens an opportunity to choose their own books. When you and your teen are out together, browse in a bookstore or library. Go your separate

ways and make your own selections. A bookstore gift certificate is a nice way of saying, ―You choose.‖

4. Build on your teen’s interests. Look for books and articles that feature their favourite sports teams, rock stars, hobbies, or TV shows. Give a gift subscription to a special interest magazine.

5. View pleasure reading as a value in itself. Almost anything your youngsters read—including the Sunday comics—helps build reading skills.

6. Read some books written for teens. Young

adult novels can give you valuable insights into the concerns and pressures felt by teenagers. You may

find that these books provide a neutral ground on which to talk about sensitive subjects.

7. Make reading aloud a natural part of family life. Share an article you clipped from the paper, a poem, a letter, or a random page from an encyclopaedia—without turning it into a lesson.

8. Acknowledge your teen’s mature interests.

Look for ways to acknowledge the emerging adult in your teens by suggesting some adult reading you

think they can handle.

9. Keep the big picture in mind. For all sorts of reasons, some teenagers go through periods without showing much interest in reading. Don‘t panic! Time, and the above tips, may help rekindle

their interest.

BOOK OF THE MOMENT The Hunger Games by Susanne Collins

If you are looking for a book for your teenager, try this one. This is the hottest book amongst teenage readers

at the moment and highly recommended for both girls and boys.

Mrs Roddis Teacher Librarian

Delivering excellence, innovation, opportunity and student success

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Year 10 Report It has been a busy start to 2012 for Year 10 and I would like to congratulate them on their efforts both in and out of the classroom so far this year. It has been wonderful to see so many Year 10 students being recognised for volunteering at numerous school events,

such as our local and area swimming carnivals, Clean Up Australia Day and Open Night. I am also pleased that so many of our students are getting involved with other programs offered to them, such as the NSW Rural Fire Services Secondary Schools Cadet Program, the Independent Employment Advisory Workshops and TAFE Alternative Pathways.

Uniform Year 10 should be moving into the new senior uniform this term. It is now available from the Uniform Shop located within the school. Sizes can be tried and orders made on Thursdays between 8 and 8:30am. I would like to encourage all students and parents to purchase these as soon as possible. Thank you to those students

who are already in the new uniform – they look very smart! A reminder to everyone else that correct uniform and shoes must be worn, whether old or new.

Monitoring Academic monitoring has been completed recently and students should have received cards with grades for each of their subjects last week. Please contact the

school if you did not receive one. I am pleased to report that the majority of Year 10 students are working to the best of their ability in all classes and receiving positive feedback. The following students achieved an E for Excellent in each subject:

Amy Bradbury Tahlia Kipp Jessica Cotterill James Walker

I will be meeting with some students individually to discuss their progress and how we can help them to achieve their potential. These students will be placed on a daily monitoring card to assist them. If you have

any questions about your child‘s progress, please feel free to contact me on 4284 1513 or at Rhiannon.Sharp@det.nsw.edu.au. Rhiannon Sharp Year Adviser

Uniform Shop The Uniform Shop now has an email address. To contact Renae or Jackie for any enquiries regarding uniform orders please email them at woononahs.uniforms@gmail.com.

The Uniform Shop is open each Thursday from

8.00am—8.30am.

NSW Premier’s Volunteering Awards Program The NSW Premier‘s Student

Volunteering Awards program is designed for Years 9 and 10. The program encourages students to be active participants in their school and community, to help make things better for others less fortunate. This program asks

students to undertake a minimum of 20 hours of volunteering in their school and community. Students

who achieve this will receive a certificate from the Premier of NSW, as well as further certificates for completing 40(silver), 60(gold) and 80(diamond) hours of volunteering during Years 9 and 10.

Woonona High School offers students in Years 9 and 10 opportunities to participate in the NSW Premier‘s Student Volunteering Awards through three programs.

The Woonona Primary School Infants Reading

Program. This program involves students helping

children read at our local primary school for 10 weeks every Tuesday, Periods 1 and 2.

The Knitting for Aid program. Students are

invited to help knit blankets for the poor in

developing countries every Friday in the library at lunchtime. Training, needles, wool and biscuits will be provided.

Illawarra Retirement Trust Aged Care

program. Students are involved in various activities including reading and playing games with the

elderly. This program takes place during normal sport time.

If your child is interested in any of these programs please get them to see Mrs Roddis in the library.

Illawarra Retirement Trust

Aged Care program

Brooke DeLeeuw is seen here busy manicuring nails.

While Rose Murphy helps

the residents with

Wonderword puzzles.

Mrs Roddis Student Volunteer Coordinator

Delivering excellence, innovation, opportunity and student success

Brick Fair and Competition Saturday 31 March 10am – 4pm Uni of W’gong McKinnon Bdg. Free Parking

LEGO® creation competition: 7 & Under: Water 8-11 yrs: Food 12+: Music All age: open Register via website by 6pm 28 March. LEGO displays and play area Robot sumo tournament - BBQ Entry donation: $5 ea, $10/family More info at www.robokids.info

Looking for players to register in the Under 12 and

Under 15 team

Registrations taken Tuesdays from 4 to 5pm at

Hollymount Park

Contact Andrew on 0413 835 381 for further details

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Delivering excellence, innovation, opportunity and student success

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