GUNNEDAH HIGH SCHOOL NEWSLETTER

Find us at: Marquis Street, Gunnedah NSW, 2380 Phone 02 6742 0155 Fax 02 6742 4429 Website: www.gunnedah-h.schools.nsw.edu.au Email: gunnedah-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au Issue 10 09.08.2013

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Last week was a huge week at Gunnedah High

School with Education Week, NAIDOC Week

celebrations and three Information Nights.

Unfortunately, I was out of the school for the week

on leave for personal reasons so can I say thank you

to the staff who contributed so much to this week.

First of all to Mrs Lyn Thomas who relieved as

Principal for the week and organised with Mrs Helen

Lickorish, our Aboriginal Education Officer, the

NAIDOC week celebrations. She also delivered a

presentation in which my vision for the future was

outlined through her construction of a power point

presentation that explained where we both want

Gunnedah High to head in the future in terms of

cultural unity and recognition.

Acknowledgements also to Deputy Principal, Wendy

Blaker, and relieving Deputy Principal, Allyson

Watson, who supported Mrs Thomas through this

very demanding week. In particular, thank you for

the roles that they played in organising and running

the year 10-11 and 8-9 Subject Selection Evenings.

Also Year Advisers, Emma Holdom, and retiring and

new Year 8 Year Advisers, Barry Butz and Phillipa

Henry, for the presentations they gave. It is important

that students return subject selection forms to

complete this process.

Director of Schools, Ruythe Dufty, has also provided

me with feedback outlining the very polished job that

school Captain, Zack Block and Vice Captain, Sara

Hutchison, did in chairing the Inaugural Gunnedah

Community of Schools Education Week Awards.

It was a week of celebrations and information! Thank

you to all Gunnedah High staff who supported this

week.

On Friday 2nd

August students from the Stage 4 and

Stage 5 GAT classes attended the Civic Theatre to

support a team of peers in a debate against Local

Government Representatives. The opposing team was

led by Mayor, Owen Hasler, and our students

performed brilliantly in defeating their opposition! It

was a great opportunity to reinforce our connection to

the community and to showcase the talents of our

students - Alex Koenig, Courtney Brandon, Kassidy

Semper Optime “Always Your Best”

Excellence and

Innovation in a

Unique and

Caring School

GIRLS TENNIS TEAM-“STATE CHAMPIONS”

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Lamey and Sophie Suter. Congratulations to Alex

who was named most outstanding speaker.

Year 12 will undertake their Trial HSC over the next

few weeks. Can I wish them well and encourage

them to utilise their teachers and plan the exam

preparation carefully to ensure that they perform to

their personal best.

A reminder to everyone that Wednesday 21st August

is a Staff Development Day and students do not

attend school on that day.

Shane Kelly

Principal

NAIDOC WEEK

The week starting the 29th

July was an extremely

busy time for the school.

We celebrated NAIDOC

week, Education Week

and held our Year 10 and 8

Subject Selection Nights

as well as our Year 6

Preview Evening.

We were appreciative of the Elders who joined us for

the Flag raising. Mr Cliff Griffen started the

assembly with Welcome to Country in traditional

Gamilaroi/Gomeroi language.

Year 9 girls were outstanding as they conducted the

assembly, speaking about the meaning of NAIDOC

Week and reciting a poem written by a local Elder.

The Festival of Champions got off to a great start

with the billy boil followed by spearing the kangaroo,

quoits and balloon stomp. Teams from each year

competed fiercely. Winners to be announced.

Tuesday was even busier with a performance by

Lewis Parter of „Murri-Kulcha‟ and the whole school

and Elders‟ luncheon.

Lewis was born in Bowen, North Queensland with a

heritage of the central Queensland Daranbal people

whose language is Birri Gubba. Lewis is a fine

musician and song-writer. Students thoroughly

enjoyed his performance and cultural storytelling.

Year 10 Subject Selection evening demonstrated a

wide range of electives with visual and practical

displays. Students on all three evenings spoke

extremely well about their experiences at the High

School and gave great subject selection advice. We

are thankful for the wonderful catering of Gai

Bowen. Megan Verdan and the hospitality class

excelled themselves when they catered for the Year

10 and Year 6 evenings.

Wednesday we experienced the world of Brett

Murray, the Nation‟s number one Anti-bullying

Campaigner and „Youth Culture Expert‟. Brett has

been a leader in his field for over a decade and is an

expert in cultural change and developing workplace

culture. He is a four time Australian of the year

nominee and a highly sought after speaker.

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Speaking at the high school about his mission to

„Make Bullying History‟, the name of his book, he

engaged the staff, students and parents also in our

local primary schools and radio station 2MO with his

unique storytelling style.

A huge thank you to the many community, staff and

students who were involved in all sections of the

week‟s activities. A very successful week and a great

time was had by all.

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SCHOOL BASED TRAINEESHIP

Damian Janson Year 10 signing up for his SBAT

(School Based Traineeship) at KFC. Damian is

pictured with Suzi Bell (SBAT Coordinator) his

mother and Gunnedah‟s KFC Manager.

BOYS TENNIS TEAM

On Monday 22nd

July the

Gunnedah High School boy‟s

tennis team travelled to

Armidale to play Duval High

School in the CHS Competition.

The boys played brilliantly and

confidently without losing a set

to Duval and with most sets

resulting in 6-0. The team

comprised of Sam O‟Gorman,

Zac McCann, Josh Day and

Lachlan Paine.

PERSONALISED LEARNING PLANS

for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

Students at Gunnedah High School.

The Australian Government is strongly committed to

improving the literacy skills of Aboriginal and Torres

Strait Islander children and has set a goal of halving

the gap in literacy and numeracy achievement

between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and

non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students

within a decade.

Personalised learning plans at Gunnedah High School

will involve the student and their parent/caregiver

working in partnership with the staff, to develop a

plan that reflects the student‟s learning goals and

current capabilities, including specific learning

targets.

Mrs Cunningham will be making contact to invite

families to make their appointments to develop these

plans.

This commitment to implement personalised learning

for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students was

subsequently reflected in the Aboriginal and Torres

Strait Islanders Education Action Plan that the

Ministerial Council for Education, Early Childhood

Development and Youth Affairs endorsed in April

2010.

Through this agreement all education sectors have

committed to implement personalised learning plans

for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

A link to this Action Plan is provided below:

http://www.mceecdya.edu.au/verve/_resources/a10-

0945_ieap_web_version_final2.pdf

PLASST

Personalised Learning and Support Tool

(PLASST) 2013 Trial for

Gunnedah High School

During the next few weeks our school, along with

other public schools in the area, will be participating

in the trial of a new tool (PLASST) being developed

by the Department of Education and Communities for

teachers to identify the learning and support needs of

their students.

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This trial is focussed on the development of a sound

and reliable online tool that, when finalised, can be

used by teachers in collaboration with parents and

carers to identify the strengths and educational needs

of students with additional learning and support

needs. This information will assist schools in

planning and personalising learning and support for

individual students who require adjustments in their

day to day learning.

The trial will involve teachers completing an online

questionnaire about the educational needs of some of

their students. Students themselves will not be

required to complete any additional work or be

formally assessed as part of the trial. This trial will

not impact on students‟ education provisions.

Further information about the PLASST trial,

including the collection and use of data in the trial,

will be provided by the school in a letter to parents

and carers of the relevant students.

If you have any questions about the PLASST trial,

would like to discuss your child‟s involvement or

would prefer that your child does not participate,

please telephone the school on 67420155.

GIRLS TENNIS TEAM

“State Champions”

Congratulations to the Girls‟ Tennis Team on

becoming State CHS Champions for 2013. At the

finals conducted recently in Ulladulla on the NSW

South Coast, the Gunnedah High team of Jessica

Novley, Chloe Beasley, Gabby O‟Gorman, Kyra

Carlyon & Nikki Bruce swept all opposition before

them in a convincing show of their tennis talents.

Gunnedah High defeated Ulladulla High seven sets to

one in the quarter finals, defeated last year‟s winners

Grafton High seven to one in the semi-finals, and

convincingly accounted for Hunter Sports High six to

nil in the final. The remaining two sets were not

contested in the final as a result had already been

achieved.

This result follows their clean sweep of other schools

in the North West competition where they defeated

all opposition eight nil.

All team members performed convincingly in the

final tournament, with three players, Gabby

O‟Gorman, Jess Novley, and Kyra Carlyon winning

all their singles matches. Gabby and Jess were also

undefeated in their doubles matches.

The depth of talent in the team proved to be the

telling factor in this outstanding result. Most

Regional winning teams that reach the finals have at

least two good players, but Gunnedah High has a

team of outstanding, reliable players.

It has been 15 years since Gunnedah High School has

won a State Team final in any sport. In 1998, the

Girls‟ Tennis team also won the last State teams

event won by a Gunnedah High School team when

they defeated Grafton High School.

This victory is testimony to the years of training and

hard work completed by the team members and their

coaches to reach the standards they currently display.

Gunnedah is fortunate to have an excellent tennis

competition and several dedicated coaches. All the

members of this team have come through the ranks of

this local association.

Gunnedah has been granted the hosting of this event

for 2014. Losing our two year 12 members, Jess and

Chloe, will certainly affect our team strength for next

year. However, there are other players waiting in the

wings for their opportunity to be part of the team that

“defends the title on home turf” in 2014.

ENROL TO VOTE

The Federal Election is on September 7 - and there is

only a short time left to enrol to vote.

Half a million young people (18-25) aren’t

enrolled to vote - are you one of them?

If so: head to www.aec.gov.au/enrol and enrol

now. It will only take 5 minutes, and means your

vote will be counted this election.

If not: chances are you have friends or family

members who aren‟t enrolled. Help them out by

sending them this link: www.aec.gov.au/enrol, so

they can make sure they are on the roll in time to vote

in the federal election.

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The 1.4 million Australians who aren‟t enrolled could

have a huge impact on the election and on the issues

they care about, if they enrol now. The electoral roll

closes on Monday 12 August - next Monday.

Don’t miss the deadline. Enrol to vote at

www.aec.gov.au/enrol and make your vote count.

ASTHMA NEWS

Welcome to Term 3 'Asthma News'. In this edition,

you‟ll find plenty of asthma updates and handy tools

to help you and your staff in managing asthma in

your school or early childhood education service

environment.

This term talks about Exercise Induced Asthma (EIA)

and offers some helpful advice on how to prevent it

happening. You can also read about how your school

or early childhood education service can become

Asthma Friendly.

There‟s an announcement from Asthma Australia

about funding for schools and other educational and

learning settings to receive asthma first aid training,

and you‟ll also find an update about our successful

2013 Pyjama Day fundraiser.

Happy reading!

Information and Education Team

1800 ASTHMA (1800 278 462)

asthmafoundation.org.au

MANURING ON…

Late last term agriculture students collected manure

from the Show Jumping Competition held at the

Showground.

We collected

the manure to

help improve

the structure of

the soil in the

garden plots. It

took us a week

of hard work

to cover a small patch. A big thank you to the TAS

department and Jean for loaning us their

wheelbarrows to make this job easier.

A massive special thank you goes out to Ray

Priestley from Landscape Supplies on Blackjack

Road, who took time out from his own busy day to

help move a 1000 times more manure/sawdust using

a the front end loader. Due to Ray‟s generous help we

were able to cover the entire garden area with a few

centimetres of manure/sawdust. I would like to also

thank the students who lent a hand helping spread the

manure. This small amount has already improved the

soil we are looking forward to harvest next year.

Again thank you to Ray, Mick and all the students

both agriculture and science who helped in this

project.

FIRST CACKLEBERRY

Clare Benson Y r9 Ag found our first egg!

CYBERBULLYING

prevention tips for parents The statistics around cyberbullying are sketchy, mainly because it often goes unreported. What we do know is that the likelihood of children being bullied online or over the phone increases as they get older and use technology more frequently. Find out more: http://www.schoolatoz.nsw.edu.au/technology/cyberbullying/say-no-to-cyberbullying

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This was produced by Josh Day for our Ag blog and was liked very much by the national co-ordinator for art4ag

The theme was “Show why food production is important nationally and globally, and the challenges farmers face

in ensuring the world’s food needs are met”

People can see what we are doing by visiting http://ghsarchi.tumblr.com/

Kate Mathieson (Agriculture & Science Teacher)