Our Mission: To provide a quality comprehensive and inclusive educational environment where all students can achieve Newsletter also on the web at cowrahigh.net Principal: Charles Gauci B.Ed., Dip.T. Deputy Principal: Paul Bullock B.Sc., Dip.Ed. Deputy Principal: Ian Pattingale B.App.Sc., Dip.Ed.
Volume 2015 Issue 11
PRINCIPAL’S REPORT Welcome to Term 3 ~ we are into Week 2 and Cowra High is in full swing.
Friday 24 July, 2015 On a cute note, our Agriculture students became the proud ‘parents’ of quadruplet lambs born earlier this week. They are now under the watchful gaze of the school’s new alpaca.
During Term 3 planning for 2016 will be finalised. Last Wednesday we held our Subject Selection Evening for 2016 Year 9 & 11. The depth and variety of Cowra High’s curriculum is outstanding. With more than 40 courses plus TAFE for Year 11 and 21 courses for Year 9 to choose from, Cowra High students have access to an amazing curriculum that rivals many bigger schools. Along the same vain Cowra High is also in the process of developing a very exciting new initiative ~ an academic extension class for Stage 4 (Years 7 & 8) and for Stage 5 (Years 9 & 10). These two classes will cater for high achieving, academically gifted students and will operate for English, Mathematics, Science & History/Geography. There will be a competitive selection process for entry into these classes and all students will be required to meet the highest academic standards. We are currently finalising the selection process for students and are gathering a team of teachers to lead these classes ~ stay tuned for further developments. We ended Term 2 with magnificent NAIDOC celebrations. The students from Cowra High and most of our partner primary schools enjoyed a concert highlighting Koori talent from across the Cowra area, followed by an afternoon of fun cultural activities and a sausage sizzle of kangaroo & emu. NAIDOC Week was then topped off with Cowra High students being recognised for their excellence at the Cowra NAIDOC Awards Night ~ Jesse Murray & Imajen James Cowra Aboriginal Youth Award, Brahe-Ashlie Reid Cowra Aboriginal Sportswoman Award and the Wagambirra Dance Ensemble being awarded Aboriginal Group of the Year. A tremendous achievement by all! While acknowledging our outstanding students, I also congratulate Amy Edgar on being selected Cowra’s Sportsperson of the Year. Amy’s achievements in cricket are well known and I was incredibly proud of her recognition by the Cowra sporting community for the extraordinary success she has had. The quality of the nominations this year was of the highest and all can be very proud of their successes. I particularly acknowledge our other Cowra High students ~ Brahe-Ashlie Reid, Bede Leyland, Chloe Lanham, Laura Cummings, Lucy Wilson, & Jacob McNaught.
Have a great fortnight Charles Gauci
Outstanding subject fee invoices were sent out this week. Your prompt attention to this would be greatly appreciated.
PO Box 72 • Dowell Street • Cowra 2794 • Telephone: 02 6342 1766 Facsimile: 02 6342 1578 • Email: cowra-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au We value diversity ~ sensitivity to the differing needs of others
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COWRA HIGH SCHOOL NEWSLETTER
LACHLAN VALLEY LEARNING COMMUNITY
BRONZE CLASS EAGLES
Over the past two terms Principals and staff from schools in Cowra, Canowindra & surrounding districts have been meeting regularly to discuss the formation of the group called the Lachlan Valley Learning Community.
We have recently introduced a new Eagle into our Merit Scheme ~ the Bronze Class Eagle.
This group of public schools has joined together to emphasis and highlight the importance & strength of public schools and the power of a kindergarten to Year 12 education within this area. The group has been looking at ways that each school complements each other as well as how we can recognise the diversity we have within our school communities. To celebrate the launch of the Lachlan Valley Learning Community this year and as part of Education Week celebration, a grand concert and art display will be held. The official launch will take place in the Theatrette of the Cowra Civic Centre on Wednesday 29 July commencing at 6pm followed by a concert at 7pm featuring students from all schools, with a second performance being held on Thursday 30 July. The Art Show will be held in the Cowra Library and it will run from the 28 July until 28 August. Tickets for the concerts will be available from all schools and will be $10 per adult, $5 per student & $20 per family. Seating will be strictly limited due to the size of the Civic Centre. All proceeds from the concert will be donated to CareFlight and Stewart House. As well as all these events, a new logo has been developed to draw together the elements of our districts. The blue outline symbolises the two rivers ~ Lachlan & Belubula; the green represents the hills, valley and fertile plains of our area; whilst the rising sun signifies the light that comes through the power of education.
Bronze Class Eagles will be awarded at our school assemblies and will be presented to students who continually display our values of respect & responsibility through academic success in a subject and/or sustained outstanding effort in a subject. A Bronze Class Eagle is equal to two Bronze Eagles in value. Congratulations to the students from Stage 5 and 6 English & Mathematics who were presented with Bronze Class Eagles at our first two assemblies this term. P&C NEWS The next monthly meeting for the P&C Association will be held on Wednesday 5 August, 7pm at the Services Club. The Principal, Charles Gauci will talk about the Gifted & Talented students in 2016 and Melissa Pomering, Head Teacher Science, will be talking about PBL. Please come along to our meeting ~ new faces are always welcome. Trisha Long P&C President TELL THEM FROM ME STUDENT SURVEY This term Cowra High School is taking part in the Tell Them From Me student survey which will provide valuable feedback on what our students think about school life, how engaged they are with school & the different ways that teachers interact with them. Participating in the survey is entirely voluntary ~ the survey only takes 30 minutes to complete.
A letter has been distributed to all students ~ for any further information contact the school.
PO Box 72 • Dowell Street • Cowra 2794 • Telephone: 02 6342 1766 • Facsimile: 02 6342 1578 • Email: cowra-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au
COWRA HIGH SCHOOL NEWSLETTER DANCE NEWS At the end of last term Dance students from Cowra High School headed to Bathurst to perform at the Western Region Dance Festival. Cowra High School performed three pieces: Bills - a piece about the pressure of working to pay bills. This takes the audience on a journey through the pressures of working to live opposed to living to work and learning to love your job or choosing a job that gives you great joy! The age old saying Choose a job you truly love, and you will never work a day in your life – Confucius. Bills performed by the Cowra High School Dance Company from Years 7-10 Predator and Prey - this piece explores, conceptually through dance, the natural hierarchy within the animal kingdom. The work is a narrative in three parts. First in their natural habitat, second the threat of the predator & chase and finally the prey is captured & its spirit moves through the predator, passing on to the next life. Choreographed by ex-CHS student Steffanni Gardener and assisted by the Cowra Neighbourhood Centre. Students from Years 8 -10 Sacred Sharing – a collaborative work between Cowra High, Mulyan Public & Cowra Public Schools promoting Aboriginal culture to our youth both Indigenous and non-Indigenous. The intent of this piece is to highlight differences in culture by respecting and sharing traditional dance. The
Page 3 concept of Sacred Sharing demonstrates the importance that through dance, cultures can come together to learn from each other, to break down barriers and form positive relationships.
Students from Cowra High, Mulyan Public and Cowra Public Schools Western Dance Company Cowra High School had three students in selection for the Western Region Dance Company ~ Nicola Carter, Millie Casey & Jemma Pokoney. These students performed at the Western Region Dance Festival and represented Cowra High beautifully ~ well done girls.
From the Western Dance Festival Sacred Sharing has been successful in selection for the 2015 State Dance Festival in September at the Seymour Centre in Sydney. The State Dance Festival highlights the top pieces from across the state in public education. Congratulations to all performers and good luck to the students selected to perform at the end of this term. Alison Buckley ~ Dance Teacher
Your future will be bright if you study day and night
PO Box 72 • Dowell Street • Cowra 2794 • Telephone: 02 6342 1766 • Facsimile: 02 6342 1578 • Email: cowra-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au
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COWRA HIGH SCHOOL NEWSLETTER
ABORIGINAL DANCE COMPANY SUCCESS Congratulations to Year 10 students, Imajen James & Jesse Murray who have again been selected for the prestigious NSW Public Schools Aboriginal Dance Company ~ the 3rd consecutive year they have been chosen. This means they are among the very best Aboriginal dancers in public schools across NSW ~ what an achievement! During Term 1 Cowra students attended auditions held at Kelso High School. Imajen & Jesse will join around 20 other students who were also successful. Aboriginal Dance Company members will participate in a number of workshops conducted by Bangarra Dance Theatre, Australia’s leading Aboriginal dance group. Their first public performance will be at Allphones Arena, Sydney Olympic Park on Friday 7 August at the opening ceremony for the Netball World Cup. The NSW Public Schools Aboriginal Dance Company will also perform at the State Dance Festival in September and at Schools Spectacular in November. CONGRATULATIONS NAIDOC AWARD WINNERS Cowra High School students and groups took out four major awards at the inaugural Cowra NAIDOC Awards Ceremony which was held on 11 July. The awards were a new initiative of the local NAIDOC Week Committee and Aboriginal service providers and was sponsored by Cowra Council, to recognise the wonderful achievements and contribution made to the community by Aboriginal individuals and groups. Jesse Murray & Imajen James received beautiful award trophies for Contribution Made by Youth, for their achievements in dance
Brahe-Ashlie, Jesse and Imajen
2015 BREAKAWAY PROGRAM PRESENTATION CEREMONY At the end of last term a ceremony was held to mark the completion of the interagency Breakaway Program for 2015. Fourteen Aboriginal students successfully completed the program which had operated each Thursday during Terms 1 & 2. The agencies involved besides Cowra High School were Cowra TAFE, Cowra PCYC, Western Health and this year, Central Tablelands Local Land Services also joined. The principal focus for the boys was a TAFE Automotive unit which saw the students working on restoring a Holden one tonne utility. Other activities were traditional culture & dance plus an excursion to Bathurst where they visited the TAFE auto workshops, the Motor Museum on Mt Panorama and Windradyne’s grave. The principal focus for the girls was completing a mural on the wall situated on the school’s basketball court, under the guidance of Aboriginal artist, Nyree Reynolds. The girls also completed sessions on beauty, hairdressing, basket weaving and Core of Life (which is about birth and caring for a baby). Congratulations to the students involved ~ Glenda Brien, Jessica Collett, Taylor Curtain, Jaylee Dunn, Kyesha Ingram, Latisha Pollard, Linda Roach, Jacob Booker, David Cutmore, Joe Dawes, Jesse Murray, Toby Pollard, Ian Simpson & Luke Williams.
Brahe-Ashlie Reid received the Sport Award Trophy for her achievement in AFL The Wagambirra Dance Group also took out the Award for Contribution by a Group for their ten years of performances across the region
PO Box 72 • Dowell Street • Cowra 2794 • Telephone: 02 6342 1766 • Facsimile: 02 6342 1578 • Email: cowra-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au