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WILLOUGHBY GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL
A Leader in Girls Education
NEWSLETTER
6 May 2015
Please Note:
Friday 8 May
is a School Development Day for
Willoughby Girls High School
Students are not required to
come to school on this day
Science Update
The Science Faculty are pleased to announce the arrival of the first
pea pods in the Sustainability Garden. The golden podded peas
have produced many bouncing baby peas despite the recent
inclement weather. The purple podded peas are expecting babies
in the coming weeks.
May Calendar
Tuesday 19 May 7.30pm
P&C Meeting in the
Staff Common Room
Week 3A 4 May - 8 May
Monday 4
Year 8 Music Incursion
Tuesday 5
In Concert rehearsal
Friday 8
Staff Development Day
Friday 8
Student Free Day
Week 4B 11 May – 15 May
Tuesday 12
Year 7 and Year 9 NAPLAN
Wednesday 13
Year 7 and Year 9 NAPLAN
Year 10 and Year 11 Music
Excursion
Thursday 14
Year 7 and Year 9 NAPLAN
Week 5A 18 May – 22 May
Monday 18
Athletics Carnival
In Concert performance
Tuesday 19
ICAS Digital Technologies
Wednesday 20
Year 9 and Year 10
Religious Seminars
Thursday 21
Zone Cross Country
Week 6B 25 May – 29 May
Monday 25
Zone Cross Country back up
Year 11 Work Placement
Tuesday 26
Year 11 Work Placement
Year 10 PDM Excursion
Wednesday 27
Year 11 Work Placement
Year 8 Science excursion
Thursday 28
Year 11 Work Placement
Friday 29
Year 11 Work Placement
Charities Day
Dr C Watson
Science Teacher
Deputy Principal’s Report
Years 10-12
Late arrival on the day of an assessment task (in-class and hand-in
tasks)
School records must show that students in Years 10, 11 and 12
attended a full day of school on the day of an assessment task, as
per that student’s regular timetable, including Home Room. This is
to ensure that no student is advantaged by using school time to
work on an assessment task. Failure to attend all classes on the day
of an assessment task may result in a zero being given for the task.
Mr S Leavers
Deputy Principal
Principal’s Report
ANZAC
Willoughby Girls recently participated in a number of ANZAC
commemorations and, as always, represented our school with
dignity. Year 12 student, Sasha Satz attended the Laurelbank
ANZAC service on Saturday 18 April where she presented a
speech about her trip to the Commonwealth War cemeteries and
the battlefields of France and Belgium (see over).
On Sunday 19 April, the Senior Chamber Ensemble and Senior
Vocal Ensemble performed ‘The Soldier’ at St Stephens Anglican
Church ANZAC service. This piece was composed by Paul Jarman
to mark the centenary of the outbreak of World War 1 and the
girls’ performance moved the congregation to spontaneous
applause. Also participating in the service were our Prefects who
read extracts from an Australian soldier’s diary that described the
April 1915 landing at Gallipoli, and letters home from an
Australian soldier serving in France. Prefects also presented local
poet Kenneth Slessor’s poem Beach Burial and read the honour
roll of six Willoughby soldiers who lost their lives in the war.
Several students also attended the Dawn Service at Chatswood
on April 25 – many of these girls had planned to attend the Camp The lone pine tree and ANZAC plaque donated
Gallipoli event in Centennial Park which was rescheduled due to to the school by the Commonwealth Government
were placed in the school garden
the weather. Instead the girls camped out overnight in the school
hall before making the 4.30am walk to the Chatswood Service with their teachers, Ms Patten, Ms Alfonso and
Ms Wiggin.
On Friday 24 April Mr Willmot led the annual Willoughby Girls High School ANZAC service at school where
students presented speeches, music, dance and poetry readings to appropriately mark the one hundredth
anniversary of the Gallipoli landing. This was a very moving tribute to commemorate all those who have
suffered and died in wars.
To mark the centenary of ANZAC the Australian Government presented all schools with a Lone Pine tree and a
plaque which have been placed in the school garden between the multipurpose hall and the Science block. My
thanks to Nick Kissoglou and Ed Chapman for their work in organising this garden area to appropriately highlight
this symbol of the ANZAC spirit.
SCHOOL PLANNING
The school’s 2014 Annual School Report and 2015-17 School Plan are now available on the school’s website. I
urge all members of the school community to access these, particularly the School Plan as it outlines the
school’s strategic directions for the next three years and beyond. The plan will be reported on and updated
each year as we make progress on our strategic directions and as new priorities emerge.
Ms L Diprose
PRINCIPAL
ANZAC Experience
I was requested to write a speech for the Laurelbank ANZAC service about our experiences on the Europe Tour
with focus on the sites of World War One. In my speech I included our trip to the Commonwealth War
cemeteries. This was a confronting experience for all of us on the tour as we witnessed the massive toll that the
war took and how much suffering it caused. It was difficult for us all to understand to the full extent, the cost of
war, and that some of the soldiers who fought were our age if not younger.
We were given a small insight into the horrors of war that others had to experience first-hand and with that, a
greater appreciation and respect for the events that occurred. In my speech I also included our trip to the then
battlefields of France and Belgium. We visited where the front lines had been not 100 years ago. We were met
by a picturesque and inviting countryside which was hard to imagine was once a Place of hardship and
destruction. My speech for the service was ultimately a reflection of Europe and a reflection of the collective
experiences that changed all of our perceptions of war.
Sasha Satz
Year 12 student
ViSUaL ARtS PeRSpEctIve
No Year 11 Visual Art student was taking an early holiday on the last day of term, we were all jetting off in our
mini bus to Artexpress. Mr Maltese organised a two part excursion to The Armoury, Sydney Olympic Park and
The Art Gallery of NSW.
The Artexpress exhibition is compiled of HSC student work from the last year. As Year 11 students the HSC
bodies of work have great relevance to us, this is the time to begin thinking about our own. For me the biggest
realisation of the day was that we don’t have to be the next Da Vinci to pass the HSC we are not marked as great
artists would be but as good students should be.
Our work need not be a brilliant philosophical discovery; all we need to do is represent a thought or idea in a
thought provoking way, exactly as we have learnt to over the last four years. Throughout the day we had to
analyse three works, we saw the importance of presentation, as how a work is viewed can change its meaning to
the viewer.
At the Armoury we encountered the work of Willoughby Girls 2014 Graduate Alexandra Lucchetti. Her
painting Portrait of an Artist and her Muse, was one of those selected to be displayed. We were immensely
proud to see that a student, who just two years ago was in our position, produced such magnificent work. The
excursion gave us the confidence we need to complete the next two years without doubting our own potential.
Carina Richmond-Capone
Year 11 Visual Arts Student
Year 11 Art students visited Artexpress
Careers Information
Year 10 Work Experience
Work experience week is Term 2 Week 7, June 1-5, 2015 and students have been finding host employers. The
paperwork required for the DEC safety and legal insurance is very important and must be read and completed
correctly. All associated documents have been emailed to the student’s DEC email address and are also available for
download on the WGHS Moodle site. The students have been issued a “Hard Copy”.
Completed forms are due by the End of Week 3
Please make sure your daughter has organised suitable transport, arranged safe lunch break procedures and has
phone numbers programed into their phone for the week. Each parent, student and employer will receive a copy of
the completed DEC form. Students please arrange suitable clothing for the week – (doesn’t have to be expensive,
no suits required)
 Smart office wear (doesn’t have to be expensive, no suits required)
 No jeans (denim or black) or leggings unless stated specifically by the company.
 Most places will require closed in shoes. (low to mid heels only please)
 Follow Work Health and Safety Standards advised by the company.
 Please feel free to re –contact the Host Employer for further guidelines.
Subject Choice Evenings- Hosted by Universities
There are a number of Year 10 Subject Selection Evenings hosted by different Universities. Although these are not
School Events I encourage you to visit the various University websites “events” pages. UNSW commence theirs in
May.
Year 11-12
I regularly send emails with upcoming events from outside the school to your email addresses. If you don’t have
access to DET portal email please arrange to have it up and running soon.
Year 12
I would like to continue interviewing you at a time that is convenient to help plan a post school pathway.
If you are planning to study Medicine or Optometry and need to sit the UMAT please let the school know as soon as
possible the test date falls in the school trial exam period.
I encourage you to check DET emails, social media pages or websites of BOSTES, universities, TAFE and colleges you
may be interested in as they will promote future events.
The school also subscribes to two careers - websites that you and parents can access:
www.jobjump.com.au password = squirrel www.careersworks.com password = next
Another significant website is the UAC (Universities Admissions Centres) for NSW and ACT.
www.uac.edu.au
If you are planning to study at an interstate university you will need to contact and apply through their state’s
University Admission Centre (all online):
QTAC – Queensland http://www.qtac.edu.au/home
SATAC- South Australia and Northern territory http://www.satac.edu.au/
VTAC – Victoria http://www.vtac.edu.au/
TSIC- Western Australia https://www.tisc.edu.au/static/guide/university-admissions-index.tisc?cid=15203
International Students - Year 12
Please remember to search university and TAFE courses which are available to international students. Each
university and the Universities Admission Centre have an international student link. The ATAR required for course
offers is usually different to domestic students.
Ms R Morris
Careers Adviser
Technology Review
After the successful use of the new online booking system for Years 7 and 12 Parent/Teacher interviews, we are
implementing this further to incorporate the rest of the school. Parents and staff both agree the system was user
friendly and as we get used to the procedure it should become easier. As there was some confusion with the “Test”
site we will not be providing one for the next two evenings, however, the user manual for parents is still to be found
on the front page of the school’s moodle, no login required, click on older topics, (see address below); as well as, in
the school documents section of the parent portal.
As interviews can only be made online through the parent portal I would urge each of you to ensure you have
access well before bookings open. Parents who do not have access may obtain their registration details by sending a
request by email to the school address with Attn: Parent Portal in the subject line. Please provide your name, your
daughter’s name and their scholastic year.
School calendars may be accessed by anyone from anywhere with internet access through Webcal.
(see address below).
Common addresses are outlined below as well as some specific information for BYOLD users.
School Website
School Email
School Moodle
Parent Portal
Student Portal
Calendar
-assessments
-parents
-variations to routine
Library Enquiry
DEC Student Portal
Drive mapping for
Apples (how to)
*Windows drive
mapping script file
*School Network drives
*Printing from BYOLD to
school printer
www.wghs.nsw.edu.au
willoughbg-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au
moodle.wghs.nsw.edu.au
web1.willoughbg-h.schools.nsw.edu.au/portal
web1.willoughbg-h.schools.nsw.edu.au/webcal
web1.willoughbg-h.schools.nsw.edu.au/library
student.det.nsw.edu.au
http://osxdaily.com/2010/09/20/map-a-network-drive-on-a-mac/
StdInfo\Computing\network script
(choose file for year (read the word file firstly))
Student Information drive: http://10.26.16.18/stdinfo
Student Dropbox drive: http://10.26.16.18/dropbox
Student’s home drive: http://10.26.16.18/studentdata$/YYYY/loginname
where YYYY = year finishing school
10.26.16.19/websubmit
* Only work whilst at school.
Mr P Devitt
Head Teacher Computing Studies
SRC Trivia Afternoon
On 31 March, last term, the SRC held Willoughby Girls first ever Trivia Afternoon, for Year 7 and 8. It was a
very entertaining afternoon, packed with questions, even a couple of mini games and lots of prizes. All of the
students had a great time and the team ‘Trivial Persuiters’ managed to take home first prize but only after an
exciting tiebreaker.
There were ten student teams and a brave teacher team. All enjoyed a delicious afternoon snack while
answering some brain-puzzling questions. The questions ranged from categories on World and General
Knowledge, Books, Movies and TV, Celebrities, Music and finally a special WGHS category. There were fun
mini-games in between the rounds and the teachers were good sports at attempting all the tasks!
In the end, everyone had a great afternoon, working with each other to win the prizes on offer. Thank you to
Hair Trends of Willoughby, 608 Willoughby Rd Willoughby, for donating 1st Prize and to the SRC for making
WGHS’s inaugural trivia event such an awesome success.
We look forward to next year’s Trivia Afternoon.
Emily Savage
Year 8
Year 7 and 8 enjoying their fun afternoon of
Trivial Pursuit!
PDHPE despatch
On 28 March, (thankfully a day of sunshine), Year
7 and 8, (along with invited runners), ventured
down to Bicentennial Park to participate in our
School Cross Country Carnival.
Competition was fierce as our carbohydrate loaded
students completed the 3km course.
Congratulations must go to our age champions who
are:
12 Years – Aela Morrison
13 Years – Clio Astridge
14 Years – Katya De Wit
15 Years – Maya Millar
16 Years – Emma Hannigan
17 years – Tamar Millar
18 Years – Beth Croft
The top ten students from each age group will be
invited to participate in the Zone Cross Country on
21 May. We look forward to a good showing!
Ms N Best
Head Teacher PDHPE
Years 11 and 12
In School Disability Provisions
In school disability provisions can be provided to students under certain circumstances. If students require
special assessment needs due to a recognised disability (as defined under the Disability Discrimination Act),
the student can request in school disability provisions for in class assessments and/or examinations. Medical
documentation is required by the school to support the recognised disability.
The coordinator of these requests is the Head Teacher Wellbeing/Learning Support Coordinator. The Head
Teacher Wellbeing/Learning Support Coordinator will be able to provide students with the In School Disability
Provisions Request Form and make a determination of the disability and the provision requirements. The
school models BOSTES disability provisions requirements. Parents are encouraged to contact the Head
Teacher Wellbeing/Learning Support Coordinator to provide information regarding their daughter’s disability
needs with any questions regarding the process.
Ms T Prowle
Relieving Head Teacher Wellbeing
Students must register their likely attendance with Ms Piech in the Social Science
staffroom by Tuesday 12 May, and, on the evening pay at the door as well as show
their student ID card.
EMOTIONALLY INTELLIGENT PARENTING
5 SESSION PARENTING COURSE FOR PARENTS OF TEENS
Would you like to learn how to:
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
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Communicate effectively with your teenager?
Understand your teenager?
Help your teenager with emotional intelligence and
managing emotions?
Prevent some teenager behaviour problems?
Teach your teenager to deal with conflict?
VENUE: Chatswood Community Health Centre
57 Hercules St Chatswood
DATES: Wednesdays 13 May – 10 June (5 sessions)
TIME:
7.00pm – 9.30pm
COST:
$165 pp (Concession $140)
PLEASE PHONE 9887 5830 TO BOOK YOUR PLACE IN THIS COURSE
The 5 session course will be facilitated by a qualified Parent Educator from
Child and Adolescent Parenting, Northern Sydney Local Health District
www.nslhd.health.nsw.gov.au/Services/CAP