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 2014 Issue 15
PRINCIPAL’S REPORT Welcome to Term 4 ~ this term like all, will be very busy, but also very exciting. Due to a change for our Term 4 School Development Days, the last day for students will be Wednesday 17 December and for staff the 18 December. Year 12 are currently in the first week of their HSC examinations. This can be a stressful time for all involved, the support of family & friends at this time being crucial. I encourage all students to study hard over this period of time, but also to maintain a level of balance in their lives. Some physical exercise and a little recreation will help maintain focus during the hours of study leading up to the examinations ~ the key word is balance.
Friday 17 October, 2014 CHS Mobile Phone & iPad App Cowra High School will soon have our own school app for smartphones and iPads. It is a little application that sits on your phone and gives you instant access to our school information when you click on it, 24/7. The app is going to give parents the ability to instantly access newsletters without going to the website, or to send in a sick note directly from your phone. We will be sharing many of the other features with you once the app is available ~ stay tuned for further information.
2015 will see some exciting changes to the curriculum we offer students in Years 9 & 10. I have attached a letter which fully explains these changes. In response to concerns raised by our school community & and with a view to provide a positive experience for students, it has been decided to change the time that Wednesday Sport will operate ~ please see attached letter. While speaking of Sport, I have become aware of a number of students who have organised part-time work during Sport on Wednesday. I must point out that this practice is not acceptable as Sport is a compulsory component of each student’s education and as such, students will not be granted leave to attend employment during Sport time. Have a great fortnight
Charles Gauci 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 mutual respect ~ everyone has something to offer
Page 2 JAPAN TRIP ~ and away we went! Twenty one students, from Years 8 to 11, and three teachers, spent the last holidays in Japan. We had five days travelling around on our own, then eight days in Seikei, where the students were billeted with wonderful, caring host families. It was the trip of a lifetime. We travelled on over a dozen different means of transport, from planes & the shinkansen to cable cars, rickshaws and push bikes. We even learned the tricks of the trade for rickshaw pulling! We walked till our feet ached, we talked & laughed till our tonsils ached and some of us shopped till we dropped. We took a few (thousand) photos.
COWRA HIGH SCHOOL NEWSLETTER complaint, alternately rushing for trains at full speed and sitting on station platforms for ages because the teachers were afraid we might miss the train. They thoroughly enjoyed being squashed onto peak hour trains where they were so packed in they couldn’t lift their arms! They were a credit to their families, our school and Australia. We had an amazing time ~ and Seikei are already budgeting for our next visit! Stay tuned for more in the school magazine. Judi Smith ~ Co-organiser
We ate rice, raw fish & sushi, some pizzas with very dubious toppings, more rice. There were boiled eggs cooked in the sulphurous gases of Mt Fuji, meat & veggies dipped in raw egg (yum), okonomiyaki with dried fish topping that waved at us in the breeze, yet more rice, green tea flavoured kitkats ~ and lots of ice cream (I mean, lots). Did I mention the rice? In between, we visited amazing and iconic cultural sights, including Mt Fuji, the Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion), and the world’s largest wooden building housing the largest seated bronzed Buddha in the world ~ ask the students who was game to climb through Buddha’s nostril! We saw UNESCO world heritage areas and many, many temples and red tori gates. We visited one of the greatest aquariums in the world. The eruption of Mt Ontake was 53 kms away from where we were staying, the Tokyo earthquake happened when we were in Kyoto, and we flew out a few hours before the typhoon hit! A charmed trip. I think though, that for all the wonderful sights & experiences, the best fun for most was our stay in Seikei, and those are the memories and friendships that will last. Our students bonded so quickly with their host families and school buddies as evidenced by the number of people from both groups in floods of tears at the end ~ I think that we may have caused a lot of what was measured as rain during the typhoon. A number of us are already planning return trips. I would like to thank my fellow teachers, Megan Perkins & Phil Tapscott, for their hard work both before and during the tour. They were great travelling companions ~ Tappy, our photographer, Facebooker and funster; Megan, our caring teacher always looking after the welfare of the kids. Lastly, I would like on behalf of all three teachers, to thank the students. We couldn’t have asked for a better group. The Seikei teachers commented on how obedient and positive they were. They were keen to experience and learn as much as possible everywhere we went. They endured long, hard days without
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 ENROL NOW FOR LITERACY AND NUMERACY TESTS
Page 3 DANCE ENSEMBLE
The tests are prepared & marked by the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW (BOSTES).
Late in Term 2 Cowra High School’s Dance Ensemble performed at the Western Region Dance Festival in Bathurst and from this event they were selected for this year’s State Dance Festival. Cowra High was the only high school group selected at the festival from our Western Region. This is a huge effort from a tiny country town, which performed alongside schools like Newtown, Wollongong & Hunter Performing Arts High Schools.
Students completing the tests will receive reports detailing their level of skill in literacy & numeracy. Discussions with employer groups reveal that the ability to provide tangible evidence of these skills is highly regarded when they are making a decision to employ.
Our Dance Ensemble’s The Bridal Train performed brilliantly on an amazing stage with professional lighting & sound and were fantastic in front of sell out audiences including supportive parents & staff from Cowra who made the trip to Sydney.
The tests consist of a range of short answer questions that relate to aspects of everyday life such as reading a recipe, preparing a quote and providing directions to a location.
Cowra High Dance students participated in a musical theatre workshop with professional dance artists from Sydney and were lucky enough to be in the audience as spectators to watch this amazing event.
If your son or daughter is interested in taking online Literacy & Numeracy tests, it is important they notify Mr Pattingale by 21 October so they can be enrolled.
Also taking part in the festival was Imajen James & Jesse Murray of Year 9 who performed with the State Indigenous Dance Company and Jemma Pokoney of Year 8 who participated with the Western Region Dance Ensemble.
Students intending to leave school before completing the HSC have the option of taking online Literacy & Numeracy tests at school on Wednesday 29 October.
CONGRATULATIONS GRACE BARRON Studying Dance as part of her HSC, Grace has been nominated for Callback in all three practical areas of the Dance course. Callback is a showcase of the state’s best performances and compositions from across NSW. Composing one of the dances herself, Grace drew inspiration from her own experiences. One is about insomnia- whenever I couldn't fall asleep because I’d have so many things running through my head, I’d use that as motivation and inspiration she said.
Special thank you to the Arts Unit for their assistance in making this event affordable for the Cowra students through the Rural and Remote subsidy and a special thank you also to the staff who gave up their time to make this opportunity happen for the students of Cowra High School ~ Louise Rowston & Alison Buckley. All in all a fantastic opportunity for our school and a wonderful experience had by all.
A Vincent van Gogh painting of a yellow chair also provided Grace with the inspiration and prop for her major performance piece. Congratulations Grace ~ this is an outstanding result. Kerrie O’Dea Head Teacher CAPA
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
BREAKAWAY PRESENTATION CEREMONY The end of program Presentation Ceremony for students from Years 9 & 10 who completed the TVET Breakaway Program over the last two terms was held on Thursday 18 September. 2014 marked the twelfth year that the unique interagency Breakaway Program has been in operation. The ceremony was attended by the 2014 participants, staff from the agencies involved ~ Cowra & Canowindra High Schools, Cowra TAFE and Cowra PCYC, plus family members and course presenters. Students received a special Breakaway Program certificate from Mr Charles Gauci, while their digital stories & photos were displayed on a slideshow. The artwork & basket weaving completed by the girls was also on display and greatly admired. Aboriginal artist, Nyree Reynolds, helped the girls to produce a series of paintings to represent the Dreaming legend about the black duck, water rat & platypus, while Aleshia Lonsdale from Arts OutWest taught the girls the art of basket weaving. TAFE teacher, Sue Willoughby, outlined program aspects undertaken by the girls, while Auto teacher, Tony Graham, explained that the boys had largely been busy restoring an old one ton Holden ute and he also presented a gift of tools to the two boys.
NSW PUBLIC SCHOOLS ABORIGINAL DANCE COMPANY At the end of last term, the NSW Public Schools Aboriginal Dance Company performed in both matinee & evening shows on the final day of the State Dance Festival. Cowra High has two members in this elite dance group ~ Imajen James & Jesse Murray of Year 9. The NSW Public Schools Aboriginal Dance Company performed two dances, Belonging to Country & Blankets, which were choreographed by Bangarra Dance Theatre. Imajen & Jesse spent time in Sydney being trained by Bangarra’s Chantal Kerr, Patrick Thaiday & Sidney Saltner and were the only students from Western Region chosen for the 2014 NSW Public Schools Aboriginal Dance Company. Their next major performance will be in Schools Spectacular at the end of November.
Imajen & Jesse
The boys and girls groups combined for some parts of the program such as the RAGE Anger Management unit, talks by Aboriginal Elders and the excursion to Wentworth Falls where the Aboriginal Heritage Walk was enjoyed. A delicious morning tea followed, including a cake made and decorated by Cowra High’s Mr Ted Killeen. The students would particularly like to thank Sue Willoughby & Tony Graham (TAFE); Robyn Coffey & Rod Eastwood (Cowra High); and Janine Robinson & Tim Waite (PCYC) for their support throughout the program.
COWRA LOCAL AECG
The Annual General Meeting of the Cowra Local Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (AECG) will be held on Monday 20 October at Mulyan Public School, starting at 2pm. Aboriginal community members and all parents of Aboriginal students at all schools in Cowra are warmly invited to attend. Caroline Bamblett
Cowra Local AECG President Nyassa Wright, Maddison Morante, Kyah Johnstone,& Leeteia Butler with their baskets
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 PBL NEWS Last week’s major prize winners in the Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) draw were Max Freebairn & Daniel Watson, both of Year 8. Max won the $50 Visa card donated by Mr Embroidery, while Daniel won a $20 iTunes voucher donated by Bushmans Boots & All. Cowra High is most appreciative of the generous support of our PBL scheme by these local businesses and others such as SportsPower, Eagle Boys Pizza, McDonalds and the school canteen. Students are reminded to keep displaying our core values of respect and responsibility and to place their Eagles in the barrel for the regular prize draws.
Page 5 team and Dylan did a great job in his first game as Captain. All students were respectful, responsible, ~ a real credit to themselves, the Support Unit and the school. A special mention must go to Jessica Horne who supported the team all day. Jessica, with no prompting, helped players make it around the bases and guided them when they needed it. A big thank you to Ms Di St Clair for organising a great day and Mrs Jill Dunk & her Year 10 PHP students who volunteered to assist ~ the day couldn't have been run without them. David Jess T-Ball Coach
Daniel
Max
ATTENDANCE
PARENT TRAINING PROGRAM
Don’t forget to use the attendance slips off your fridge calendar when your child is absent from school
Just a reminder about the two day Parent Training & Information course for parents of students with Autism that is on 25 & 26 November at the Cowra Bowling Club.
DENTAL CHECKS The dental van will be here in Week 5. Consent forms are still available from the office. AWD T-BALL The AWD T-Ball Champions for 2104 are Cowra High School. They went through the day undefeated! The students involved were Josh Carney, James Doolan, Malik Reid, Jamal Cutmore, Dylan Kennewell, Michael Harries, Michael Weekley, Karley Miller & Luke Sheen. On the day they all played as a
You will: develop a greater understanding of the impact of Autism on your child both at school and home understand how to develop effective parent, school & teacher partnerships develop an awareness of ongoing learning needs have the opportunity to network & share strategies with other parents/carers and key community members be able to discuss a range of topics relevant to students & their parents Phone the Positive Partnerships Infoline on 1300 881 971 if you have any enquiries.
PO Box 72 • Dowell Street • Cowra 2794 • Telephone: 02 6342 1766 • Facsimile: 02 6342 1578 • Email: cowra-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au
Page 6 STUDY SKILLS TIP FOR OCTOBER How To Stay Positive As Exams Approach It can be difficult to stay positive or “be up” as exams approach. The more important the exam the more stress we can feel. Worse, if we don’t do anything to make us feel good, stress can lead to anxiety & depression. There are many reasons why students feel this stress & depressed mood as examination dates approach. Students receive distorted messages and perceptions about the importance of the exams, such as, “this can/will determine your future” etc. With the pressure and stress of exams students avoid doing the work necessary to be prepared and as a result feel more overwhelmed, hopeless, anxious etc. Students can feel they have no control of their situation. When we allow the pressure, stress and upset to build we can get into bad habits and let go of good habits. As a result students can feel more drained and exhausted and find it difficult or impossible to “climb out of the dark hole” they are in. The key to being positive and managing negative emotions such as anxiety and feeling down & depressed in any pressure situation including exams is to “fuel up”. It goes without saying that if we are exhausted, tired, stressed, depressed etc. it is very difficult if not impossible to deal with the pressure of exams. “Fueling Up” is about boosting wellbeing factors in your life. You need to boost the wellbeing factors in your body, mind & emotions. Trying to “feel good” or be “positive” when your body is exhausted and depleted is impossible! This is something we all know yet many of us find it difficult to change. Here are some things you can do to boost the energy in your BODY: See a doctor Visit your doctor and get a check up. It’s important that any medical issues are ruled out because you may try some of the following tips without noticing any benefit while all along there may have been a medical issue that needed attention. Get better sleep Feeling good all starts with getting the right amount and type of sleep. Start with a good night - time routine. Stop anything that stimulates you such as caffeine or TV or computer, iPad or phone screens etc. Try a warm drink such as chamomile tea and use essential oils such as lavender oil. Having a soothing bath or shower can also help along with gentle stretching of tight or tense muscles. If you still feel you are not getting a “good” sleep be sure to see your doctor.
COWRA HIGH SCHOOL NEWSLETTER Eat in Moderation Never skip a meal, especially breakfast. Breakfast replenishes your body and helps you start your day full of energy. Eat three main meals, and two to three snack meals a day. Eating five to six times in a day keeps your blood sugar levels balanced, giving you an overall sense of well-being needed for focusing on your tasks and responsibilities. Exercise Regularly Regular exercise, at least three times per week for a minimum of 30 minute sessions, can virtually “soak up” stress chemicals in your body and help you to relax and even sleep better. Brisk walking, aerobic classes, swimming, bike riding, or jogging are great exercises to release stress build up and relax your body and mind to either start or end your day right. Here are some things you can do to THINK more positively: Change your thinking and perceptions Write down your top 5 fears and worries. What’s the worst thing that can happen? Then ask yourself, “IS THAT TRUE”? Usually fears and worries are not based on reality but on imagined scenarios that have little to no evidence. If it’s something that can’t be changed bring acceptance to it. It is what it is for now! Change your focus Have you noticed that what we worry about we make bigger and keep closer to us by the way we think and focus. Try this…make your fears and worries SMALL in size (5 cm in height) DARK in brightness and as far away as possible in DISTANCE. When we change the size, brightness and distance of the things that upset us in our minds it reduces the intensity of the emotion. Here are some things you can do to FEEL more positive: Acts of kindness Make a list of 5 acts of kindness you can do every day. Make them simple acts of kindness that are easy to do such as saying thank you etc. Do these 5 acts of kindness every day for 6 weeks. The research shows that people that do this and think of 3 good things in their life (as above) have a dramatic positive boost in their mood. Three good things exercise Every day at the start and end of your day think of 3 good things that happened. Write them down. Then think about either why those good things happened or how it made you feel when those good things happened. Learn more this year about how to prepare for examinations and manage stress by working through the units on www.studyskillshandbook.com.au. Our school’s access details are: Username: cowrahs Password: 174results
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
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2014 – 2015 NSW FAMILY ENERGY REBATE The Family Energy Rebate helps to cover the cost of energy bills for NSW households with dependent children ~ you could be eligible to receive $150 towards your energy bill. Apply online before 16 June 2015 at: https://applications.fer.trade.nsw.gov.au/
Eligibility criteria does apply.
PCYC NEWS Safer Drivers Course for Learner Drivers ~ Friday 24 October ~ Module 1 is a 3 hour facilitated group discussion and Module 2 a 2 hour in-vehicle coaching session. Cost of the course is $140 and participants receive 20 hours credit in their Learner Log books upon completion of the course. You must have 50 hours of actual driving experience recorded in your log book to register for the course. Each course is limited to a maximum of 12 participants.
JUNIOR CRICKET
Junior Disco ~ for Kinder to Year 6 kids will be held on Friday 31 October with a Halloween theme 6pm - 8pm ~ cost of entry is $5.
Cowra Junior Cricket commences this Saturday 18 October. Haven’t signed up yet? Not sure if cricket is for you? Want to give it a try first? Come along and join in a game this Saturday morning free of charge New registrations can be made on the day Competitive Cricket at Edgell Park grounds at 8.30am Under 10s Milo cricket at Sid Kallas Oval at 8.45am Details in today’s Cowra Guardian
Indoor Soccer ~ PCYC is running open mixed indoor soccer for ages 15+ during Term 4 on Tuesday afternoons.
TERM 4 TENNIS
Saturday morning tennis competition which is for players of orange level & above which means players need to be able to serve from the baseline or the orange baseline which is about 2.5m inside the court. The comp will run weekly from 10 11.30am beginning on 18 October and the cost is $50. Saturday mornings at 7.30am cardio tennis sessions are held ~ this is a fitness workout on the tennis court set to music and participants wear heart rate monitors & pedometers which are supplied. Classes for beginners or red stage players in the ANZ Tennis Hot Shots Program are held on Wednesday & Thursday afternoons or Saturday mornings as well as lessons for intermediate to advanced juniors. Any enquiries to Helen Garratt on 0407 139 164, 6342 8447 or handlgarratt@bigpond.com.
Indoor Netball ~ junior girls & open women on Thursdays Men’s Basketball ~ games played on Wednesdays Junior Basketball ~ games played on Wednesdays Basketball Training ~ Wednesday afternoons, $5 per session or $30 for the term Boxing for Fitness ~ Tuesday & Thursday nights commencing at 6.30pm. Morning sessions also run on Monday, Wednesday & Friday at 10.30am. Boxing for Fitness is $5 per session. Archery ~ Monday afternoons 4pm for juniors & beginners, and 5pm seniors & more experienced archers ~ $6 per session. Boxing ~ junior and amateur is held on Tuesday & Thursday afternoons Laser Tag ~ will return on Wednesday nights commencing at 5.30pm at a cost of $5per session. ·
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Please contact PCYC on 6341 2035 for further information about any of the activities on offer or check out the “Cowra PCYC” Facebook page or the website www.pcycnsw.org.au/cowra. You must be a PCYC member to participate in any of the PCYC activities. Yearly membership is $5 for under 18’s & $10 for ages 18+.
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
COWRA HIGH SCHOOL Dowell Street COWRA NSW
Principal: Charles Gauci B.Ed.,Dip.T. Deputy Principal: Paul Bullock B.Sc.,Dip.Ed. Deputy Principal: Ian Pattingale B.App.Sc.,Dip.Ed.
PO Box 72 COWRA NSW 2794 Telephone: (02) 6342 1766 Facsimile: (02) 6342 1578 Email: cowra-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au Web: www.cowra-h.schools.nsw.edu.au
17 October 2014 Dear Parent/Carer As you are aware by now, Cowra High will be introducing an exciting new model for Year 9 & 10 elective courses in 2015. Your student will now have the opportunity to select three elective courses instead of the current model which allows only for two. You might be asking, why have we done this? The answer is quite simple. Cowra High School prides itself both in the quality of the education and the variety of courses we offer our students. It is our belief that even though we are situated in a reasonably small rural town, with a bit of lateral thinking and a willingness to explore new structures, we are able to offer our students a breadth of curriculum which not only matches, but often exceeds that of larger schools. As a result of our new model, students will be able to select three elective courses, they will also be able to change up to two of those three at the end of Year 9. This in effect provides them with the ability to actually experience up to five different elective courses over the two years. Of course, if a student wishes to specialise in three elective subjects over the two years, this option is available. We are also exploring the possibility in the future of offering specialist extension and interest classes in subjects such as Science, Maths, and English while still meeting all mandatory elective requirements. An additional benefit will also be the increase in courses available to students. At the moment, students can choose from up to 5 subjects per selection ~ with the new model, students will have the ability to select from up to 11 different subjects per choice. I hope you will agree that this is very exciting. I reassure parents that this initiative can be achieved without the need to reduce the hours utilised to teach the core subjects of English, Mathematics, Science, PD/Health/PE and Mandatory History & Geography in Years 9 & 10. Obviously every positive change must have some cost. In order to achieve these very positive opportunities and not affect our core subjects, we are looking at re-organising how we deliver Sport. At the moment students have organised Sport for 1½ hours a week, 2015 will see this change to 1 hour in Week A with their Year cohort and 2 hours in Week B in a similar format to our current model. We will also need to extend the Wednesday finishing time from 2pm to 2.20pm. In order to be able to provide the specialist staff to teach these subjects, Elective classes will also now combine Year 9 & 10 students. This is not an unusual practice, being utilised in many schools to broaden choices for students. As a separate issue, we will be moving Sport to an earlier time in the day. Where necessary, students will be transported by bus to Sport and back to school in order to complete a final period of school before going home. It is hoped this will be more sun safe and provide for greater levels of safety for students when dismissed from Sport. If you have any questions or comments regarding these changes, please do not hesitate to contact the school on 6342 1766. Yours sincerely Charles Gauci Principal