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WILLOUGHBY GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL
A Leader in Girls Education
NEWSLETTER
5 June 2015
Principal’s Update
JAPANESE STUDENT EXCHANGE
Can you host an exchange student?
Willoughby Girls High School is being
visited by a group of Year 9 and 10
students from Suginami-ku High School,
Japan from Friday 21 August to
Friday 28 August.
Please see information for hosting on
the following pages
June/July Calendar
Week 8B 8 June – 12 June
Monday 8
Public Holiday
Wednesday 10
Year 11 and 12 Religious
Seminars
Thursday 11
Sydney North Cross Country
Year 10 D&T excursion
Week 9A 15 – 19 June
Monday 15
ICAS Writing Test
School Production rehearsal
Tuesday 16
School Production rehearsal
P&C Meeting at 7.30pm
Wednesday 17
School Production
Friday 19
School Production
Zone Athletics
Saturday 20
School Production
NAIDOC WEEK
Week 10B 22-26 June
Sunday 21 – Friday 26 Senior State Music Camp
Monday 22
Silver Assembly
Tuesday 23
Year 10 and 11 Parent
Teacher Night
Winter Holidays
Monday 29 June – Friday 10 July
July
Week 1A 13 - 17 July
Sunday 12 – Friday 17 Junior State Music Camp
Monday 13
All students and staff return
Wednesday 15
Year 8 and 10 Information
Night
Friday 17
NSW Combined Cross
Country
Saturday 18
HSC Drama Performance
afternoon
FUTURE PLANNING FOR WILLOUGHBY GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL
The Project Advisory Group (PAG) for the preparation of a Business Case
for the future upgrading of Willoughby Public School and Willoughby Girls
High School has commenced. The PAG includes representatives of NSW
DEC Asset Management Department (AMD), Principals of both schools,
representatives from both P&Cs and is chaired by the School Director for
North Sydney. The PAG will be meeting monthly with meetings
scheduled til January 2016.
The intention is to prepare a business case for the upgrading of both
schools to meet long-term enrolment demands and to meet a Future
Focus Learning approach to education provision. The business case is
planned to be completed by September, 2015.
The PAG will also consider the short-term needs of the both schools. The
Asset Management Unit Manager will be working with both school
principals to determine needs and options to meet short-term needs.
Long term enrolment forecasts are currently being prepared to 2031 for
the area and will be considered by the PAG in future meetings.
Schreiber Hamilton Architecture has been engaged by the NSW DEC to
assist in preparing the Business Case with specific reference to blocking
plans (high end concept masterplans) and associated costings. Future
design works will incorporate extensive consultation with the school and
broader community.
Any ideas and suggestions from the school community are welcome and
it is suggested that these ideas be channelled through the P&C president,
Mr William Pape. The Asset Planning representative for the area has
given an undertaking to attend each of the full P&C meetings in the
future (if desired by the P&Cs).
The AMD is currently reviewing a number of previously investigated
matters or recent suggestions relating to the upgrading of the schools
and surrounds. These matters will be further discussed with the PAG in
coming meetings.
Ms L Diprose
Principal
Charities Day 2015
Charities day 2015 was a huge success. The day, prepared by all Year 12, included stalls of delectable foods and
many games enjoyed by both the students and the teachers, all in an effort to raise money for the chosen charity for
2015. This year's charity, Project Futures, focuses on raising awareness and providing assistance for women who
have been affected by human trafficking and sexual slavery. This worthy cause motivated Year 12 to ensure that 2015
charities day was a huge success.
Events of the day included entertainment stalls e.g. the teacher sponge throwing, a Polaroid photo booth and a henna
and a tattoo stall. There were plenty of food stalls selling popcorn, groovy smoothies and stir fry. The second half of
the day consisted of the costume competition, stall prizes, the drawing of the raffle and Secret Entertainment
performed by Vanessa Casperz and Graham Hunter.
This year, the raffle was elevated to a new level with the 1st prize being a ring generously donated by Mereshkar
Trading Jewellery located in Miller Street North Sydney and owned by Mr Siddiqui, one of our Year 12 parents. It
was no surprise that every single ticket was sold. The prize was an 8 carat gold ring with a 4 carat blue topaz in a
bezel setting with 8 pave shoulder set diamonds valued at over $1,200. The winner, Kaitlin Cohen-Peacock, was
announced in a triumphant rally of cheers as she ran to claim her prize. The charities day of 2015 marks another year
of Year 12 and the rest of Willoughby Girls contributing to the community.
Rosie Oldfield, Mahima Mandal, Elizabeth Cocks and Molly Young
Year 12 students
Ms Diprose enjoying Charities Day with Year 12 students
Raising money for Nepal
On 25 April a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Nepal, killing more than 7,000 people and leaving twice as many people
injured. The earthquake left many thousands of people homeless. Villages were destroyed; buildings collapsed and
basic facilities were destroyed.
In order to help Nepalese children affected by the disaster, the SRC members, together with Year 8 Geography
students, raised $640.00 to donate to UNICEF Australia.
We achieved this by selling cupcakes at recess on Monday 4 May. Year 8’s, who were learning of the Sherpa
mountain community in Nepal in class, made delicious cupcakes which the SRC sold to all members of the school.
With large and seemingly ‘out of control’ crowds - all the cupcakes were sold in less than 10 minutes.
It was great to see people cooking and buying cupcakes, some even generously paying more than the stated price, so
as to help people in Nepal who are trying to recover from the devastation.
We would like to thank all members of the SRC, Year 8’s, and Ms Piech who organized this generous and caring idea
so that we can help the people of Nepal.
Dishita Gupta and Georgia Samuel (Year 9) SRC
Can you guess where this is? Read on….
Languages Memo
Higher School Certificate Speaking Skills Practical Examinations
Year 12 students who are studying either a Beginners, Continuers, Extension or Heritage language
course for the Higher School Certificate, will have a spoken practical examination as part of their
external HSC examination. These students will need to see Mr Simmonds in the Languages staffroom
this week to arrange booking a time for their examination.
The practical Speaking Skills examinations will be held on Saturdays towards the end of Term 3 at a
number of examination centres across the Sydney metropolitan area. In some of the courses with a
large candidature, such as Japanese, students will have a choice of venues that they can attend for their
practical examination. In those courses with a smaller candidature, such as Spanish and Italian, there
will be only one examination centre.
All students undertaking a Languages practical examination must have a photograph of themselves
uploaded to their profile on the Board of Studies website before they can be booked into a session
time. If you have not yet had a photo uploaded, see Mr Leavers immediately and organise to have that
done.
Any further questions you may have regarding the Languages examinations or for other LOTE
assessment issues, please see Mr Simmonds in the Languages staffroom (next to the Drama Studio).
Mr R Simmonds
Acting Head Teacher Languages
Debating Diary
Willoughby Girls High School has a great reputation in debating and the tradition continues in 2015.
Students have been involved in debating coaching and the Premier’s Debating Challenge.
Since the beginning of Term 1, a number of students have attended debating coaching with Masters
Academy, which is held every Monday after school. Their participation and commitment to these coaching
sessions is to be commended. Their efforts have seen some impressive results.
The Year 7 team debated against Chatswood High School in the first round of the Challenge for Years 7 &
8. The topic was 'That we should suspend students that don't report bullying in schools'. As the Negative
side our Year 7 students developed a strong model, and won the debate. We look forward to Round Two
later this term.
Year 8 debaters began the Competition well, after defeating Mosman High School in the first round. The
speakers were Sienna Togle, Josephine Lee and Danielle Sacks, with Ingrid Norton as the team adviser.
The topic was “That studying a language should be compulsory throughout high school”. It was a very
impressive debate. Speakers on both sides demonstrated excellent skills of rhetoric and logic and all
speakers were able to speak convincingly for an extended period. In our next round against Chatswood
High School, our other Year 8 debaters will have an opportunity to participate.
It is evident that the coaching sessions are reaping results as our team presented a strong model and
argued to it consistently. Well done Year 8.
The Year 9 Debating team members are Zoe Vandenberg, Hannah Young, Layla Aoki and Claire
Yegenian. They have faced two rounds of competition so far. They had a narrow loss to Chatswood High
School and won at Balgowlah Boys High School. Now they will face the WGHS Year 10 team for the
decider.
The Year 10 team have debated Balgowlah Boys High School, which they won convincingly with some
very effective arguments. They will face Chatswood High School next, before debating the WGHS Year 9
team to decide the Zone Champions.
The Year 11 & 12 team members are Natasha Shirwaiker, Josephine Atwell, Phoebe Moon, Kelly Stuart
and Iman Farrar. They have debated both the A & B teams from Northern Beaches Secondary College
(Manly). Both debates were close competitions with our girls being defeated. However, all girls are to be
congratulated on their effort and commitment.
We wish all the students the best in their upcoming debates.
Thanks also to Mrs White, Mrs Hanich, Mrs Tilson, Mrs Topic and Mr Samios for their time and effort in
supporting the girls in their coaching and competitions.
Mr G Alexander
Debating Coordinator
Year 10 and 11 Parent Teacher Interviews on 23 June 2015
 Time: 4.00pm – 8.00pm
Access is through the Parent Portal:
 Only for parents in Years 10 and 11
http://web1.willoughbg-h.schools.nsw.edu.au/portal
 New online booking system
Opens for bookings June 9, approx. 9.00am
Closes for bookings June 21, approx. 8.00pm
Parents of students in Years 10 and 11 who wish student progress interviews with teachers will need to ensure
they book times in the booking site which becomes active on June 9.
I refer to the article I placed in the recent newsletter which further explains the new system. Feedback from
parents has indicated the new system is much easier and more convenient for all involved.
Please don’t leave it to the last minute to book as the system automatically
closes according to its internal clock.
Mr P Devitt
Head Teacher Computing Studies
Here it is. The musical you must see!
The School Production is coming soon....
Wday17th June
Friday 19th June
20th June
Saturday
Venue: Multi-Purpose Hall at Willoughby Girls High School
Cost: Student ($15)
Adult ($20)
Family ($40)
Tickets available to students each day during the first half
of lunch outside Library
: Wednesday17th June
Friday 19th June
Saturday 20th June
Venue: Multi-Purpose Hall at Willoughby Girls High School
Cost: Student ($15)
Adult ($20)
Family ($40)
Tickets available to students each day during the first half
of lunch outside Library
Starting with the words "Once Upon a Time," the Narrator introduces four characters who
each have a wish: Cinderella, the daughter of a wealthy man who is constantly ridiculed by
her wicked stepmother and stepsisters and wishes to attend the King's festival; Jack a simple
poor boy, wishes that his cow, Milky White, would give milk; and a Baker and his Wife who
journey into the woods to reverse a curse that a witch has placed on their family and who
wish they could have a child.
Find out what happens next as you are taken on a journey Into the Woods….
Get in early to secure your tickets!
Students can purchase tickets during the first
half of lunch outside the Library.
Tickets for the general public can be purchased
at the School Office between
8.30am and 3.15pm
Students $15.00 Adults $20.00 Family $40.00
Year 9 Commerce Excursion
On 4 March, four Year 9 Commerce classes went to Chatswood for an assessment task on
Comparison Shopping. Our teachers Ms. Piech and Ms. Elias organised this fun trip as well as the
assessment booklet. Ms. Elias’ Class went to the Westfield Shopping Centre and Ms. Piech’s to the
Chatswood Chase Shopping Centre.
Meeting at the concourse we made our way to the designated shopping centres to start our
assessment. With four pages to do within 90 minutes we hit the shops. We visited some stores and
comparison shopped in order to complete our assignment. We learned how the different
features of products and a store’s marketing could lead to different prices.
Running around the shopping centres pretending as if we were on a treasure hunt, we came to a
finish and some of us had enough time to check our answers and have some donuts and coffee.
This was truly a fun shopping experience and commerce assessment. If all our assessments were
like this, we would all look forwards to tests.
Dishita Gupta and Josephine Maltese
EXCHANGE STUDENT – VOLUNTEER HOST
PROGRAM
SUGINAMI SCHOOL IN JAPAN
Willoughby Girls High School will be visited by a group of 15 girls from Suginami-ku Japan, from Friday 21 August to
Friday 28 August 2015 and we are looking for host families to billet the students while they are here.
The students will be aged in the Year 9 to 10 range. If you choose to host one of the students, they will attend school with
your daughter during the week and they will be participating in your usual family activities at the weekend. Host families
will need to provide meals for the Japanese students during their stay.
The Japanese students will accompany your daughter to school. They will be attending specialist English lessons in the
morning, and in the afternoon they will attend regular classes with their billet.
Students from Suginami-ku have visited us twice in the past, and Ms Konishi holds occasional videoconferences between
her Japanese classes and students from Suginami-ku. If you wish to host one of the visiting students, your daughter does not
need to be studying Japanese. The Japanese students will be able to communicate in English.
Cooperating families will receive a payment of $216.00 (per student) to assist with the costs of billeting for the week.
If you are interested in billeting a Japanese student, please contact Ms Konishi at the school 9958 4141or email on
Willoughbg-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au by Friday 12 June.
Mr R Simmonds
Acting Head Teacher LOTE
Technology Despatch - BYOLD
It is almost a year since we fully implemented the Bring Your Own Learning Device program at our school. From Term 3
2014, all students in Years 7-12 who had brought in a signed ICT agreement were allowed to bring their own learning
device to school.
Feedback from students and staff has been encouraging with the creation of a more harmonious learning environment. It
has enabled staff to take a new look at their pedagogy and to develop new programs and procedures for students to learn by.
New practices like the ‘Flipped classroom’ are increasingly being employed within the students’ lessons. Staff are able to
spend more time tutoring and explaining than lecturing, which gives students more chance of an insightful conversation
with their teacher and their peers and thereby, reaching a deeper understanding of the concepts within the course. Stimulus
material, such as assignments, tests, videos, podcasts, is able to be stored on our servers for students to access 24/7 from
anywhere in the world and with their own devices students can be confident that they will get the same format wherever
they access it from.
Students may continue to work on assignments and projects during their own time and at their own pace without the need
to find a computer to work on. Students are able to display their presentations easily within the classroom by connecting
their own learning device to the Interactive Whiteboard or digital projector, without the need for converting the file to a
standard format. They are able to use applications and computer coding which is relevant to the platform they normally
would use, which makes more sense to them and therefore is more readily understandable. The frustrations students
encounter when trying to translate from Windows to Mac and back again are gone because they use their own devices all of
the time. Consequently, it is envisaged that the fine work the students and staff are doing will be continued and expanded
upon in the future, to enable our students to achieve the best possible outcomes and remain at the forefront of the
technology sphere. All students, therefore, should come to school every day equipped with a fully charged learning device
for all of their lessons. Parents are asked to ensure their daughters have an approved learning device and that they bring it to
school every day for classes.
After 12 months, students and staff agree it is a better way to do things. Now we need everyone to join us and ensure our
school is a true BYOLD school where all students bring their own learning device to lessons every day.
Mr P Devitt
Head Teacher Computing Studies
Deputy Principal’s Report
Uniform
All students are reminded to ensure that they are well equipped to start the winter season. A school jumper is essential.
Please ensure all uniform items are labelled with your name.
Uniform Requirements - Winter - Available from the school Uniform Shop.
Junior Uniform: (Years 7 - 10)
A-line pinafore tunic in school check
Long sleeved white blouse with collar (Knit or other style shirts are NOT acceptable)
White skivvy (optional) under white blouse with long sleeves
Royal blue jumper with V-neck and school crest
Royal blue blazer with school crest
Short white socks covering the ankle or black stockings (with black socks if desired)
Black laced college shoes
Navy or black scarf
Navy or black gloves
Senior School Uniform: (Years 11 and 12)
Royal blue skirt
White blouse with collar and school letters
White skivvy (optional) under white blouse
Royal blue jumper with V-neck and school crest
Navy or black scarf
Navy or black gloves
Royal blue blazer with school crest
Short white socks covering the ankle or black stockings
Black laced college shoes (Sandshoes, sandals, boots, shoes with higher heels and sneakers are NOT
permitted for safety reasons
Winter tie (Year 12 Prefects only)
Note: Knit or other style shirts are NOT acceptable
Note: Regulation blue long pants are available from the School Uniform Shop and may be worn with school blouse
throughout the year.
Mrs J Watts
Deputy Principal
Child & Adolescent Parenting
WHAT’S ON IN TERM 3 – COURSES/WORKSHOPS FOR PARENTS/CARERS
Tuning in to Teens Course
Skills to communicate with your teenagers so that you understand each other better & are able to
build positive relationships.
 Understanding teenagers today & communication skills
 Emotional intelligence skills
 How to prevent behaviour problems & conflict resolution
Chatswood 5 wks/2.5hrs (30/7 – 27/8, 7.00-9.30pm)
Dealing with Teen’s Backchat Workshop
 Learn how to restore a respectful & positive relationship with your teenager
 Understand what it is like being a teenager today
 Learn how to talk so that they listen & how to listen so that they talk to you
Chatswood (23/7, 7.00-9.30pm)
Tuning in to Kids Course - Chatswood (27/7 – 24/8)
Triple P Seminars– Chatswood (5/8, 12/8 & 19/8)
Communicating with Kids Workshop (based on PET)-Chatswood (31/8)
WORKSHOPS ON REQUEST FOR PARENTS/CARERS OF TEENS - 9887 5830
 Dealing with Teen’s Back Chat
 Transition to High School
 Triple P Seminar Series (Teens)
 Resilient Kids
 Bully Busting Workshop
OTHER WORKSHOPS ON REQUEST (2-2.5 hours)
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Understanding Your Toddler/Discipline & Tantrums
Tucker without Tantrums/Toilet Training
Speech & Language Development/Sleep
Triple P (PPP) Seminar Series (1-12 years)
 Older Sibling – New Baby
 Transition to School
 Grand Parenting
 Communicating with Kids
Enquiries: Child & Adolescent Parenting 9887 5830
www.nslhd.health.nsw.gov.au/services/CAP