Newsletter March 2016 - Irrawang High School

IRRAWANG HIGH SCHOOL
Promoting excellence in academic, cultural and sporting performance
Newsletter - Issue 2 - March 2016
Important Dates
From the Principal’s desk . . .
TERM 1: WED JAN 27 - FRI APR 8
The extent of talent and commitment by students and
staff at Irrawang High School never ceases to amaze me. I
Thur 31 Mar  Ag - Royal Easter Show was fortunate to hear the Drum Corps practice recently
and was truly impressed at the dedication and
Fri 1-Fri 8 Apr  Yr 12 Half Yearly Exams
commitment evident in their artistry as they practiced a
number of pieces. This newsletter is packed with stories of
Mon 4 Apr
 P & C Meeting
achievement, dedication and drive – in the sporting,
6:30pm in Library
cultural, wellbeing and academic life of the school.
Fri 8 Apr
 LAST DAY OF TERM 1
Wed 30 Thur 31 Mar
 Yr 12 Perform Exam
TERM 2: TUE 26 APRIL - FRI 1 JULY
Tue 26 Apr
 Staff Development Day
Wed 27 Apr
 First Day of Term 2 for
ALL STUDENTS
Tue 10-Fri 13
May
 NAPLAN
Mon 16 May
 Austn Geo Competiton
Tue 17 May
 Legal Stud Excursion
Thurs 19 May
 Newcastle & Lake Mac
Careers Expo
Fri 20 May
 Zone Cross Country
Mon 23 May
 P & C Meeting
6:30pm in Library
Mon 23 May
– Fri 3 Jun
 Yr 10 Work Experience
Thur 26 May
 Zone Athletics Carnival
Fri 3 Jun
 Regional Cross Country
Mon 6-Fri 10
Jun
 Yr 12 Work Placement
Wed 15-Sun
19 Jun
 Star Struck
Mon 20 Jun
 Vaccinations 2
Sat 25-Sun 26
Jun
 L’side Dance Challenge
Mon 27 Jun
 P & C Meeting -
and staff to work hard and to their potential. We expect respect to be extended to every single IHS
family member.
Like every family, there will be problems from time to time. If you have any concerns throughout the
school year, I encourage you to approach the school, as it is better to sort a problem rather than
continue for a period of time worrying about it.
We have enrolled over 150 students in Year 7 (2016) and we have a student population of just over
700 students. As a large school, we have the ability to draw on significant resources to support you
and your family.
P&C
Through P&C consultation, the parent body plays a valued role in school decision making processes
especially in regard to key areas such as policy, finance, reports and spending priorities. It was great
to see so many parents at the last P&C Meeting and new parents are Inside this issue:
more than welcome to attend.
From the Principal’s Desk
Uniform & Shoes
Black leather shoes are the only acceptable shoes for school (except
during sport time). It is great to see the vast majority of students
wearing the correct school uniform. We will be conducting uniform
inspections over the course of the year. When you enter a school and
see students in the correct uniform it creates a very positive
CAPA Fundraiser
6:30pm in the Library
 Aboriginal & Torres
Strait Performance
Tue 28 Jun
At Irrawang High School we look out for each other. We
have high expectations in all areas. We expect students
 Stage 4-5 Parent/
Teacher Meetings
Mount Hall Road
RAYMOND TERRACE NSW 2324
P: 49874687
F: 49831027
Principal: Mr P Baxter
www.irrawang-h.schools.nsw.edu.au
[email protected]
Please note: change of date for P & C Meeting
P & C Meetings
e
P & C meetings are held on the fourth
com
l
e
Monday of the month. Due to
All w
Easter, the next meeting is on:
Date:
Monday 4 April 2016
Time:
6:30pm
Where:
Library
 This is a chance to meet other parents and learn what is going on
at your child’s school.
 Become involved in your school community.
 Have your say in your child’s/children’s education.
 Principal in attendance.
Student Achievers of the Week
Congrats Ms Donnelly/E Hour
1-2
2
3-4
PBL/Congrats Daniel!/News
from Grahamstown PS
5
Sporting Superstars
6
Attendance
7
P&C/Good Luck Jack!
8
Thanks Kip McGrath/Forensic
Workshop/Scholarships
9
Youth of the Year/Tractor for
Sale by Tender
10
Epic Proportions/Welcome
Lalie
11
Yr 7 BBQ Breakfast
12
GOTCHA Swap/Parent
Portal/Business Studies
13
Volcanos/Plan-it Youth/AECG
14
Sport/Canteen Volunteers
15-16
Cattle Judging/Congrats
Shayley!/Tractor Training
17-18
Ads/Supporters
19-25
From the Principal’s Desk cont’d . . .
Student Achievers of the Week
impression of the school. The school uniform is just like a uniform
worn in the workplace. It is an important habit to develop.


If you are experiencing financial difficulties, please contact the
school so that we can assist. We have no desire to ‘punish’ students
who for genuine reason cannot access a school uniform. If you
make contact with the school, we will hopefully be able to sort
through any issue.


Student Assistance
Parents experiencing financial difficulty in meeting school expenses
including subject specific fees and uniforms are invited to
confidentially contact the school to discuss the process. A limited
amount of funds is supplied by the Government for needy families
to assist with educational expenses. I encourage parents to seek
this assistance.

Our School Expectation - RESPECT
I have spent some time over the first few weeks discussing this core
value with students, with a particular focus on peer relationships
and treating each other with respect. I have asked students to
respect the fact that we may not agree with each other every
single time but we need to be kind and we always need to speak
and act respectfully towards each other, both in person and
through social media. I would ask that parents/carers reinforce this
message with your students at home. Building positive relationships
with peers and teachers are essential for effective learning and for
students to feel safe and secure at school. It is important that
students take appropriate action and report any incidents where a
peer is not treating them with respect, especially if it continues
over a period of time. In all settings in our school environment,
respect looks like:




Being tolerant of others
Accepting individual differences
Caring for self, others and the environment
Using appropriate language
When students leave school at the end of the day, we continue to
expect they will make considered decisions and continue to interact
with their peers in a way that is respectful.
Cyber Safety and Social Media
The online environment and social media provide challenges for
young people. There are a range of social media applications (eg.
Facebook, Snapchat, Messenger, Instagram) where students can
upload content, comment on other people’s posts, share content,
connect with people whom they don’t personally know and save
content that other people post.
There is a range of information on the internet to provide both
young people and their parents with tips for living in a social media
rich world. The following excerpt was taken from the Cyber Smart
website:
Know the basics of safe social networking

Parents should have access to their child’s passwords and
social media accounts

Limit your friend list – don’t friend random people
Protect your privacy – don’t share your password with
anyone; even your best friends
Your personal details are valuable – don’t share them
Protect your reputation – keep it clean and ask yourself:
would you want others to see what you upload?
Be careful who you trust – a person can pretend to be
someone they are not
Don’t use a webcam with people you do not know
I wish each and every member of the Irrawang HS family a safe
and enjoyable break and I look forward to seeing you all back at
school next term.
Student Achievers of the week
Respect, Responsibility and Personal Best
Congratulations to the following students on their excellent
achievements:
Week 7:
CAPA: Kelsey Mark Year 12, Monique D’Arcy Year 11, Molly and
Mitchell Swan from Year 9.
HSIE: Chloe Beaton Year 7, and Michaela Trappel Year 11.
LOTE: Maddison Woodcock Year 8.
Mathematics: Myhra Lencz-Rufo Year 8 and Belinda Hedley Year
12.
PDHPE: Dakota Gordon Year 10, Dylan Petith Year 9, Bradley
Marshall and Daniel Hilzinger both from Year 10.
Science: Georgia Almond Year 7 and Jade Bennett Year 12.
TAS: Liam Ryan Year 8 and Sharisse Gaiyer Year 12
Week 8:
CAPA: Mitchell Swan Year 10, Danielle Ryner Year 12, Kye
Radcliffe Year 8 and Matthew Burke Year 9.
English: Jamaica Hayes-Musu Year 8 and Amy Weston Year 12.
HSIE: Luke Zammit Year 7 and Taylah Parker Year 11.
LOTE: Amber Muir Year 7.
Mathematics: Vanessa Long Year 9, Jack Sulis Year 10 and
Shaytarna Ping-Buckshiram Year 8.
PDHPE: Monique D’Arcy Year 11, Samantha Newell Year 9, Jaxon
Morrison Year 8 and Lleyton Eveleigh Year 12.
Science: Rebekah Agius Year 9 and Kayla Carey Year 12.
TAS: William Boyce Year 8 and Bailey Radcliffe Year 11.
Congrats Ms Donnelly
Earth Hour
Head Teacher wins prestigious award
By Mrs L Fagan
Community Liaison Officer
Huge
congratulations
to
Head
Teacher
HSIE
Ms
Cath
Donnelly
on
receiving
the
highly
prestigious
2015
Brock
Rowe Award by
The Councils of
the Geography
Teachers'
Association of
New
South
Wales Inc and
the
Geographical
Society of New
South
Wales
Inc. This award
is in recognition
of teachers who
have demonstrated consistently, over a period of time, excellence
in the teaching of geography in schools.
Over 23 years Ms Donnelly has demonstrated a passion for and
commitment to excellence in teaching geography face to face in
secondary schools. She has displayed excellence as a classroom
teacher, Advanced Skills teacher, Head Teacher Social Science and
Head Teacher HSIE.
Ms Donnelly has been acknowledged for the achievements of her
students in formal exams, including the HSC and 4 Geography extracurricular activities; for increasing student numbers studying senior
and elective geography and for her role in promoting and
embedding environmental education programs into the school
curriculum. The integration of fieldwork into geography programs
has been a passion and contributed to the increased engagement of
students with the subject in the schools in which she has taught.
Ms Donnelly has embraced technology and social media to develop
strong professional networks within Australia and at a global scale
through Twitter, Facebook and Skype. She has been strongly
involved in the professional development of geography teachers at
a school, district, state and national level through her membership
of professional associations such as GTA NSW and VGTA and in the
Hunter/Central Coast.
Ms Donnelly's nomination as a GTA NSW councillor reflects the
esteem with which she is held in geography education circles. Ms
Donnelly will collect her award at the Geography Teachers'
Association in April.
A huge congrats to Ms Donnelly on receiving this award. Our
school is very proud of the high calibre of teaching staff, many of
whom work tirelessly to improve their skills by gaining additional
qualifications.
Ms Donnelly particularly wanted to emphasise the hard work and
professionalism of all the HSIE staff at IHS who have willingly
taken on board the extra workload associated with organising
new and exciting fieldwork, site studies, excursions, incursions
and hands on learning activities for our students who will
ultimately benefit from these various immersive learning
experiences.
Earth Hour
By Mrs L Fagan
Community Liaison Officer
No air conditioning, no fans, no lights, no smartboards no power
tools in Industrial Arts and very few computers, but back to the
good old days with windows open, blinds up and teachers writing
on boards - all for the first period of school on Friday 18 March to
celebrate Earth Hour 2016.
The HSIE department encouraged the whole school to participate
in our own Earth Hour and rated the experience as a big success.
From the Principal's office, the front admin office to the classrooms
and the library, staff and students worked well without using
power for one hour.
Our General Assistant Eddie (pictured below) measured our power
the previous day during first period and again on Friday 18 and
noted a decrease in wattage down to 0.3kw from .7kw - a decrease
of more than half. Great job everyone!
We hope students went home and talked to their families about
their Earth Hour experience and encouraged them to participate in
the Australian Earth Hour on Saturday night 19 March from
8:30pm - 9:30pm.
Earth Hour Highlights
Earth Hour - Friday 18 March - 9:10 - 10:10am
PBL Community Forum/Congrats Daniel!
News from Grahamstown PS
PBL community forum
By Mrs L Fagan
Community Liaison Officer
The combined Raymond Terrace schools held a Positive Behaviour
for Learning (PBL) Community Forum recently at the Raymond
Terrace Bowling Club. Representatives from Irrawang HS, Hunter
River HS, Irrawang PS, Raymond Terrace PS, and Grahamstown PS
had displays of the various PBL activities at their schools.
Because of the positive response to the program from students
within the school environment, PBL will soon be rolled out into the
business
community
of
Raymond
Terrace.
Big thanks to School Captain Amy Weston for coming along to
address the audience. Great to see some of our amazing school
supporters; Christine and Ken Hawkins of Kip McGrath Raymond
Terrace, Jason Stokes from the Raymond Terrace Bowling Club and
Colleen Mulholland-Ruiz from MarketPlace Raymond Terrace.
Pictured above (l-r): Mr Baxter, Amy Weston and Mr Tonks
Pictured above (l-r): Mr Baxter, Colleen Mulholland-Ruiz, Mr Tonks and Jason
Stokes
Congratulations Daniel!
News from Grahamstown Public
School
By Mrs L Fagan
Community Liaison Officer
Year 10 student, Daniel Hilzinger is a
young man of whom we are very
proud. He was awarded Sports
Person of the Week (Week 7) this
term by Head Teacher Mr Turner for
his new commitment to sport. With
his permission, Mr Turner spoke
about Daniel’s reluctance to attend himself and his sports teachers;
sport over the past three years.
responsibility for taking on the
challenge as a school leader in sport,
However, Daniel has turned his and acting as a role model for
whole attitude around and was students in his House; and Personal
selected recently as Osborne Vice Best for stepping out of his
House Captain. He entered most
comfort zone and striving to be
races at the recent athletics carnival
the best sports person he can
and encouraged others to do the
be.
same.
By Piper
Minister for Communications
On Wednesday 9 March, Stage 3 was lucky
enough to have the Newcastle Knights from
the NRL come to Grahamstown Public School to teach us
about football and how to keep healthy and hydrated.
We also had a game of trivia about a range of questions
about the team. We learnt the importance of sleep as well.
We got asked questions about football and we played a
game. And if we were lucky enough we got one of the
knight’s football players to sign our posters.
Thank you to the 3 guys that came and visited us, we had a
Daniel has demonstrated the true Big congratulations Daniel and great time and hope to see you again.
meaning of PBL – Respect for well deserved!
Sporting Superstars
Our sporting stars
By Mrs L Fagan
Community Liaison Officer


Hunter Champion
Hunter Gymnast of the Year - 2014 – (her second time
winning this award)
She has also been a member of the NSW State Squad
Training Group for the last 4 years.

We have a large number of students at school (that we know of)
who are performing incredibly well in their sporting lives and our
Jacobi represented Tamworth in the Lady Luck Invitational in Las
school is very proud of their achievements.
Vegas in January 2016 in the senior division along with 2,500
competing gymnasts. She came away with nine medals and an
Alyssa - Year 7 & Will Weeks - Year 9
Alyssa and Will Weeks attended the National BMX Championships awesome experience.
at Bathurst recently with both placing well. Now in Year 7, Alyssa
who has been riding with the Lake Macquarie Club for nearly four Shayley Olive - Year 9
years, placed 7th overall in the State and 20th in the Nationals - Shayley has been a very keen equestrian for six years, and entered
12yo girls. Unfortunately Will had a crash in his first race at the every event she can; hacking, camp drafting, dressage and show
Nationals, but attempted the next two races and placed 40th out of jumping. Shayley is a member of the Salt Ash Pony Club and the Salt
65 overall. Will has been racing for five years and spent the first Ash Sporting Club. Shayley and her horse Rebel recently competed
three years with Maitland Tenambit before moving to Lake at their first ever Camp Drafting competition for the Salt Ash Pony
Club at Gresford. On that same weekend they also attended the Salt
Macquarie for the last two years.
Ash Sporting Club and received a place in every event. Her haul
Mia Gillespie Year 7 - Current World Allstyles title holder for Forms included five 1sts, two 2nds and one 4th plus another 1st in a fun
event, taking out Champion of the Day for her group – 13 - 17yos.
and Point Sparring 10-11 yrs
Mia has been training in Imuji tae Kwondo for three years and
regularly competes successfully in tournaments. Mia won all three Jack Caban - Year 12
events at the State Championships, progressed to Nationals recently School Vice Captain Jack Caban is off to the USA to represent
and qualified for the World Championships in March in Melbourne. Australia in the Youth Open Futsall competition this July. Jack has
previously travelled to Brazil and Spain representing Australia in his
favourite sport.
Jacobi Patrick - Year 10
As a gymnast Jacobi has been training since the age of seven. She
was the 2014 Port Stephens Junior Sportsperson of the year for her Following a three day training camp in Brisbane, goal keeper Jack
will head off to San Francisco to compete against other countries
achievements in Gymnastics as she was:
around the Pacific Rim in the 2016 Pacific Cup.

State Champion

Country Champion
Pictured top left (l-r): Mia Gillespie, Jack Caban and Jacobi Patrick
Pictured above: Alyssa and William Weeks
Pictured left: Shayley Olive
Some educational affirmations:
 Today and every day, my thirst for learning is alive and well in me!
 I can learn anything! I can know anything! I can be anything!
 I am a great student and getting better each and every day!
Attendance - Every Day Counts!
Why must I send my child to school?
The Education Act (1990) states
that children must attend school
unless there are justified
reasons for an absence.
The law in NSW states that all children between the ages of 6
and 17 years are required to attend school regularly. It is the
responsibility of parents or caregivers to make sure that their
children attend school every day.
Must I send my child to school everyday?
YES unless……

Your child is too sick to go to school

Your child has been injured

Your child has to go to a special religious ceremony

Your child has an infectious illness (eg. Chicken pox, mumps or measles)

There is a serious family situation which requires their involvement.
Missing school can have
a major impact on a
child’s future - a student
missing one day a fortnight will miss four full
weeks by the end of the
year. By Year 10 they’ll
have missed more than a
year of school.
Must my child attend school sport?
YES - Sport and other exercise help the healthy physical development of children. Sport is part of normal school activity which
students must attend.
Why is regular attendance at school important?
Attending school everyday makes learning easier for your child and helps build and maintain friendships with other children. If
students miss the basic skills in the early years of school, they may have problems early on. Regular attendance at school will
help your child succeed in later life. Unsatisfactory school attendance may affect the awarding of both the School Certificate
and the Higher School Certificate (HSC).
Please do not keep your child away from school for:




Birthdays
Pension day
Minding other children
Haircuts or other appointments which can be made outside of school like dentists and doctors
What should I do if my child has to stay away from school?


It is important to let the school know when your child will be away and why your child was absent.
The parent or caregiver should provide notification explaining the child’s absence within 7 days of the absence
occurring, this can be given through the Parent Portal, email, SMS, phone call, or a note for the roll call teacher
on the first day back. After 7 days, the absence is considered ‘unjustified’.
School is a place, where parents and caregivers, staff and children learn and grow together. Children need an education
to reach their potential. Attendance every day is important for children’s progress at school. Children who attend school
regularly are usually more successful than those who are absent frequently.
Remember, every day counts!
P&C
Good Luck Jack!
P&C
By Mrs L Fagan
Community Liaison Officer
Great roll up at the February P & C
meeting but, would love to see lots of
Year 7 parents.
Our P & C meetings are usually held on the fourth Monday of each
month, however due to the next meeting falling into the Easter
holidays it will be held on Monday April 4 at 6:30pm in the school
library.
PAID ADVERTISING
Irrawang’s newsletter
contains
paid
advertisements, which
assist with the cost of
publication.
The
publication of such
advertisements does
not
imply
endorsement of any
product or service by
the NSW Department
of
Education
or
Irrawang High School.
Light supper provided and chocolates provided by the Principal :)
Off to represent Australia - again!
By Mrs L Fagan
Community Liaison Officer
Seventeen year old school vice captain, Jack Caban is off to the
USA to represent Australia in the Youth Open Futsal
competition this July. Jack has previously travelled to Brazil and
Spain representing Australia in his favourite sport.
Following a three day training camp in Brisbane, goal keeper
Jack will head off to San Francisco to compete against other
countries around the Pacific Rim in the 2016 Pacific Cup.
GOOD LUCK JACK!!!
Thanks Kip McGrath/
Forensic Workshop/Mayoral Scholarships
Thank you Kip McGrath!!
By Mrs L Fagan
Community Liaison Officer
The generosity of Ken and Christine Hawkins of Kip McGrath
Raymond Terrace, allows Irrawang High to be able to offer four
students a year a Kip McGrath scholarship in the areas of Literacy
and Numeracy. This program now in its fourth year, has benefitted
many students with all showing significant increase not only in
their school marks but their confidence.
Our lucky Term 1 recipient is Year 8 student Julian Garrett, pictured
above with his Kip McGrath teacher Juli.
Our sincere thanks to Kip McGrath!
Whodunit?????
By Mrs L Fagan
Community Liaison Officer
An interactive Forensic Science
workshop
entertained,
challenged
and
enthralled
students in all years at Irrawang
High recently whilst they learned
about
and
explored
the
fascinating world of Forensic
Science.
The educational experience
showed our students how to use
observation
and
deductive
reasoning together with the
science they are learning to solve
crimes in the real world.
Damian Petersen and Harrison Beasley
pictured above
Past students win Mayoral Scholarships
By Mrs L Fagan
Community Liaison Officer
Port Stephens Council has joined with local businesses
to present a total of $20,000 to local students to
support them in
their first year of
tertiary education.
A total of 10
recipients
each
received
$2,000
under the 2016
Willow Fitzpatrick and Mia Gillespie
pictured above
Mayoral Academic Scholarships program, helping
students on their way to achieving their aspirations.
Last year's School Captain Alannah Newell (studying
Bachelor of Criminal Justice) and Vice Captain and
School Dux Eliza Cummings (studying Bachelor of Social
Science) were two of the recipients from our school. Big
congratulations to these deserving young ladies!
Have you changed your personal details?
If your student has any change in their personal details eg
doctor, emergency contact, telephone no., address etc,
please inform the school ASAP.
Congrats to our Youth of the Year
Competitors/Tractor for Sale
Raymond Terrace Lions Youth of the Year Competition
By Mrs L Fagan
Community Liaison Officer
Congratulations to our five outstanding students who entered the
Raymond Terrace Lions Youth of the Year Competition held
recently. Josh Ferguson, Amy Weston, Braydon Milford, Luke
Keating and Bailey Radcliffe all delivered exceptional, thought
provoking and considered speeches which had the audience
laughing (and at times teary). Principal Mr Baxter, teachers Ms King
and Ms Bailey and CLO Mrs Fagan along with the student’s families
were enormously proud of the well dressed and articulate students.
The competition was held in three phases; the interviews held in
Week 3 accounted for 70% of the marks, two impromptu questions
on Thursday night 18 February, as well as a prepared five minute
speech.
Braydon spoke on ‘Youth Mental Illness’ and took out the Public
Speaking prize, whilst Amy was awarded Lions Youth of the Year
club winner, following her speech on ‘Important People in my Life.’
Amy now heads to the District stage and hopefully Regional and
State levels over the coming months and we all wish her well.
Thanks to Ms Mamin who prepared the students for the
competition and also to Mrs Glenys Francis from the Lions Club for
her wonderful organisational skills.
TRACTOR FOR SALE BY TENDER
 ISEKI Tractor 2140
 18 horse power
 Two years

since it has
been used
Needs repair
 Blue in colour
 No battery
 Removal of
tractor at own
cost
 Please place tender bid
in an envelope marked “Confidential,”
“Attention Principal”
Closing Date:
Friday 29 April
Breakfast Club
A FREE breakfast for all students is available
every TUESDAY morning from 8:00 - 8:30am.
Food available can be - cheese toasties,
sausage sandwiches, and always a hot
Milo.
Epic Proportions
Welcome Lalie!
Music treat for students
By Mrs L Fagan
Community Liaison Officer
The “Epic Proportions Tour” arrived at school recently featuring the
Australian band Far Away Stables and American Gabe Kubanda.
The Tour travels to schools throughout the USA, and now
Australia , with band members talking to students in all years about
their vast experiences in the music industry. The band played a
mini concert for the students in the lunch break.
Big thanks to the CAPA faculty for organising just another
wonderful music experience for our students.
Welcome Lalie Cornic
By Mrs L Fagan
Community Liaison Officer
A big warm Irrawang High welcome to seventeen year old Lalie Cornic
(pictured right), our French Exchange student who will be with us until
the end of the year. The Student Exchange Australia/New Zealand
program offers students up until the age of 18 short and long term
experiences in many countries around the world.
Studying compulsory English at school from the age of six has ensured
Lalie has a wonderful grasp of our language.
Coming from a small town near Toulouse in the south of France, Lalie is
loving our warm summer weather, and looking forward to our much
milder winter.
As an avid sportswoman who participates in skiing, boxing and running,
Lalie is thoroughly enjoying staying with her sports oriented new family
in Medowie and her Aussie experience so far. The Denholm’s have
made Lalie very welcome, with their two younger children particularly
enjoying having an older "sister" for the year.
Whilst here, Lalie is hoping to improve her English, meet new people
and visit new places whilst Skyping her family at the weekends is
keeping homesickness at bay.
Year 7 BBQ Breakfast
Year 7 welcome BBQ breakfast
By Mrs L Fagan
Community Liaison Officer
Year 7 Advisor Mrs Jessica L'Ecluse had great pleasure in welcoming
Year 7 families to school recently for the annual Year 7 BBQ
breakfast. Deputy Principal for Year 7 Mr David Pearson forwarded
Principal Paul Baxter's apologies as he was at a Principal's
conference in Sydney.
The student's teachers introduced themselves and mingled
amongst the crowd talking to many students/parents/carers.
Canteen Supervisor Mrs Ryner spoke briefly about the role of
canteen volunteers and asked for any parents who were interested
in helping out at the canteen to please contact her. Mrs Renee
Allison also spoke about her role as SRE teacher and School
Chaplain.
If parents/carers would like to talk to any staff member please don't
hesitate to contact the school on 49874687.
GOTCHA Swap/Parent Portal
Year 11 Business Studies
Welcomed GOTCHA swap
on a HOT day
By Mrs L Fagan
Community Liaison Officer
GOTCHAS were swapped for
slices of delicious cold
watermelon
at
a
hot
lunchtime
today
with
members of the Positive
Behaviour for Learning (PBL)
team doing a roaring trade.
GOTCHAS are given out
randomly by all staff to
students who demonstrate
the best attributes of the PBL
ethos - Respect, Responsibility
and Personal Best. Pictured
right: Sarah, Jazmine and
Amy enjoying the treat!
Portal, a new initiative intended to provide Absence information. Additionally, you can use
parents/carers with lots of information about the Portal to communicate explanations of your
their child's progress in our school.
student's absences and change your contact
details such as phone number, email and address
This Portal located on our school website home should you need to.
page under the tag "School Resources" means
Parent Portal opens more lines of
parents and caregivers can access their student's If you have any queries about accessing this
communication with our school
Timetable, School Calendar, Daily Notices, School information please contact Ms Nicola Steiner,
By now all families will have received information Newsletter, Parent Teacher Interviews (you will Head Teacher Administration on 49874687.
through the mail on how to access the Parent be notified when bookings are open) and Student
and fun lesson presented by
teacher Ms Donnelly, engaged the
By Mrs L Fagan
Community Liaison Officer
students and made them think
about business terminology and
Sixteen very enthusiastic Year 11 the production process.
students who chose Business
Studies as an elective,
commenced their business
making bracelets. Split into
groups of four, the
students were challenged
with making as many
bracelets as they could in a
25 minute period learning skills such as
production, quality control
and specialisation along
the way. The interactive
Year 11 Business Studies
Building Volcanos/Plan-it Youth
Youyoong AECG Meetings
Year 8 Geography
By Mrs L Fagan
Community Liaison Officer
Building volcanos is a practical, hands on and
engaging way for Year 8 Geography students to
learn about different land formations.
Students Libby Shearer, Lizzie Kelly, Matthew
Williams, Taylor Gam and Bryce Johnson
pictured were only too happy to show off their
creations.
Plan-it Youth
By Mrs L Fagan
Community Liaison Officer
The first Plan-it Youth career mentoring program
for 2016 is underway with a record number of
valued mentors and Year 10 students attending
weekly meetings for the term.
The program, under the leadership of Mrs Libby
Dingle has been in our school for many years. The
trained volunteer mentors assist our students by
giving them the opportunity to plan for their future
careers and find a positive pathway into
employment.
Youyoong
Day
Date
Meetings
Venue
- 2016
Meeting
Term 2
Wednesday
11 May
Irrawang PS
General 10am Start
Wednesday
8 June
Tomaree PS
General 10am Start
Term 3
Wednesday
3 August
Dungog HS
General 10am Start
Wednesday
31 August
Raymond
Terrace PS
General 10am Start
Term 4
Wednesday
26 October
Anna Bay PS
AGM 10am Start
Wednesday
23 November Hunter River HS XMAS Party
10am Start
Sport
Open basketball
By Mrs L Fagan
Community Liaison Officer
The final score certainly didn’t reflect the drive and
motivation of our Open Basketball team when they
played Maitland High School recently. Our players were
much tighter and played better as a team than their
previous match - so all in all a great improvement.
Congrats to MHS!
Athletics carnival results 2016
The annual Athletics Carnival was held on 8 March 2016. The day
was sunny and fine and all those students who were there behaved
in an outstanding fashion. Students conducted themselves in a
respectful and responsible manner. Despite many personal bests by
athletes there were no new records set on the day.
Overall Results
1st
Moy
nd
2
Osborne
3rd
Bramley
4th
Dawson
1556
1551
1548
1541
Age Champions
Age
Boys
Girls
12 Years
1 Jackson Maher
1st Emily Green
13 Years
1st Nathan Swan
1st Leila Inglis-Monk
14 Years
1st Dylan Petith
1st Alana Bednar
15 Years
16 Years
17+ Years
st
st
1 Bradley Marshall
st
1 Robert Lewis
st
1
Joshua Howland
st
Shayley Olive
st
Kirra Terranova
1
1
st
1 Amy Weston
Note: All students who qualified either first or second in any event
have qualified for the Zone Athletics Carnival on 20 May 2016 at
Hunter Athletics Centre, Glendale. This information is on the
school sports notice board for students to check. Information will
be given to students attending the Port Stephens Zone Athletics
Carnival at the start of Term 2 2016.
Athletics Carnival Highlights
Calling for Canteen Volunteers!
Calling for canteen volunteers!
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If you are able to assist for a day here and there to
help Canteen Supervisor, Allison Ryner we would love
to hear from you.
Lunch is provided and no money will be handled.
You can contact Allison on 49874687.
Cattle Judging at Newcastle Show
Congratulations Shayley!
Students participate in the Newcastle Show
By Mrs L Fagan
Community Liaison Officer
entered four teams of three students plus some individual
entries in the Junior High section, where the team of Liam
O'Connor, Jayden Newson and Zachary Moore placed 3rd.
Thirty students from Years 7-10 attended the Newcastle Congrats gentlemen - and also big thanks to our Primary
Show on Friday 4 March to participate in the Cattle Judging Industries teacher Ms Tanya Henry for her ongoing
Competition.
commitment to our students in marrying theory and practice
in the agricultural industry and creating awareness of the
Approximately 190 students from seven Hunter high and
process involved for getting food from paddock to plate.
primary schools entered the comp in three age groups. IHS
Congratulations
Shayley!
By Mrs L Fagan
Community Liaison Officer
If that wasn’t enough, on
Sunday Shayley also attended
the Salt Ash Sporting Club and
received a place in every
event. Her haul included five
1sts, two 2nds and one 4th
plus another 1st in a fun event,
taking out Champion of the
Day for her group – 13 - 17 yos.
Shayley has tried most events;
hacking,
camp
drafting,
dressage and show jumping at
various times over the past six
years that she has been
competing.
A very successful weekend at
the beginning of March for
equestrian and Year 9 student
Shayley Olive and her horse
Rebel at their first ever Camp
Drafting competition for the
Salt Ash Pony Club at Gresford.
We
all
wish
Shayley the best
of luck with her
horse
riding
future
and
positive that she
will fulfil her
dream of one day
making it to state
level.
Tractor Training
Tractor Training Time
By Mrs L Fagan
Community Liaison Officer
Tractor training time on the school
farm for our senior support class
students. Impressive tractor skills
(yes, even Mrs Lilley, pictured right)
under the guidance of Ms Henry and
Mr Slade.
Pictured above: Renee Binskin
Pictured above: Mr Slade and Dylan Donkin
IRRAWANG HIGH SCHOOL
ABSENTEE NOTE
(to be returned to Roll Call Teacher
first day back after absence)
STUDENT’S NAME: ………………………………………………………………
Roll Group: ………………………………………………………………………….
Year: ……... Date of Absence/s: …………………………………………
Reason for Absence:
□ Sick
□ Leave □ Other
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
Signature Parent/Caregiver: ………………………………………………..
Date: …………………………………………….
Pictured above: Stacey Binskin
Some of the many reasons why your child thrives
at Irrawang High School..
Respect, Responsibility and Personal Best
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A broad, balanced and relevant curriculum
Junior School – Middle School initiatives, Stage 3- 4 supportive &
strong ongoing Transition program with our partner Primary
Schools
Senior School – fully staffed Learning & Support Centre, increasing
proportion of students achieving Band 5 & 6 results
New dedicated Senior Study Rooms
Comprehensive Gifted & Talented (GATS) program
An outstanding Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) program
Four specialised classes catering for students with a variety of
disability levels
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander leadership programs
21st century technology – smart boards in every classroom
Many levels of communication – monthly newsletter, website,
SMS, school app for smartphones, facebook
Increasing enrolments in 2016
State-of- the-Art Primary Industries facilities
Robust school to work & Vocational Education Training programs
Weekly Breakfast Club – free breakfast to all students
Staffed weekly Homework Centre (Snack n Study)– afternoon tea
included
Monthly P&C Meetings – 4th Monday of the month
Weekly after school art classes
IRRAWANG HIGH SCHOOL
ABSENTEE NOTE
(to be returned to Roll Call Teacher
first day back after absence)
STUDENT’S NAME: ………………………………………………………………
Roll Group: ………………………………………………………………………….
Year: ……... Date of Absence/s: …………………………………………
Reason for Absence:
□ Sick
□ Leave □ Other
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
Signature Parent/Caregiver: ………………………………………………..
Date: …………………………………………….
IHS Supporters
DYSLEXIA OR LEARNING DIFFICULTIES?
Some children experience reading and learning difficulties
as a result of visual perception problems caused by
Irlen Syndrome/Scotopic Sensitivity
Irlen Syndrome can cause Dyslexia and difficulties with:
 Reading
Spelling
Writing
 Comprehension
Concentration
Ball Sports
 Fatigue
Eye Strain
Headaches
IRLEN DIAGNOSTIC CLINIC NEWCASTLE
Regional Clinics
Singleton: 49556904
Taree: 0409 653 700
Coffs Harbour: 0437698559
Suite 3/136 Nelson Street
Wallsend 2287
www.irlendyslexia.com
Phone: 49 556904
Irrawang High School
FREE School Phone App
How to Install Our School App
NEXT COURSES -
Nelson Bay : Thurs 17 March @ 5:00pm, Thurs 21 April @ 9:30am
Raymond Terrace : Thurs 14 April @ 9:30am
Contact PCYC Port Stephens on 49813099 or online at pcycnsw.org
On Apple

On your iPhone open the app store

Search for our school name

Press Install

Enter your iTunes password

It will commence downloading immediately
Android/Google Play

On your SmartPhone open the Android/Google Play market

Search for our school name

Press install

Your app will start installing instantly
To Open Our School App

Look for our schools app icon on your phone screen

Press the icon once

It will open automatically

When prompted select yes to receive notifications and use
your location (this will make sure the google maps and popup alerts work for you)
If you encounter troubles

Shut down the app and or your phone to refresh the
phones memory

Uninstall your app and reinstall it

Contact www.activeschoolapps.com.au/support for help
within 48 hours.
IHS Supporters
The Real Futures Foundation is a non-profit organisation which
has an established track record of helping to inspire and
motivate students in Port Stephens to either stay in school and
increase their educational engagement and attainment, or
choose a positive pathway that enables successful transition to
employment, further education or training.
Good News Story
A dog born with a rare birth defect had waited a long time for an adoption that never
came. It turns out the wait was worth it - he was the perfect match for a little girl
born with the same condition. A volunteer travelled with the little dog halfway
across the US to his new home.
“At the heart of this all, is love and dedication.” “The love and dedication of a special
family, meeting the love and dedication of a special animal rescue group.”
Does your child need an extra hand with
English or Maths?
UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT
Sometimes children fall behind at school. They may
have moved from another state, changed classes, or
something else has happened in their life beyond your
control. For whatever reason they then begin to struggle
with their work at school, with their homework and with
their exams. This can be frustrating for both them and
you as a parent.
Kip McGrath specialises in helping children catch up to
where they need to be in English and Maths. The
resources we use are specifically designed to do this
job. And the reason we only use qualified teachers, is
that they have the tools and skills to accelerate your
child’s learning, so that any gaps are closed as quickly
as possible.
We complement what is done at school to help your
child.
Your school gives your child an essential
foundation in education across a wide range of subjects
and developmental activities. Our job is to give your
child an extra hand when they need to catch up … for
whatever reason. So together we can help your child
reach their full potential.
If your child is experiencing these frustrations and they
need an extra hand in English or Maths, then call
Christine to see how we can help.
4983 1000
www.kipmcgrath.com.au/raymond-terrace
Ph: 49832088
IHS Supporters
Koryu Uchinadi Kenpo Jutsu
Practical, Application - Based Martial Arts
Full time training centre now open at :
9 Kangaroo St
Raymond Terrace
Classes for Juniors (4-7yo),
Youths (8-15yo), mixed age & adults.
Open 5 days a week.
Koryu Uchinadi Teaches:
Strikes, Kicks, Throws, Joint Locks,
Strangles & Grappling
Koryu Uchinadi Develops:
Health & Fitness, Self Confidence &
Self Discipline
Ph Sensei Bob King - 49964700 or 0416197644
www.kunewcastle.com
Abundance Auto Recycling
Have you got an old car or caravan around your place
that you want removed?
Let Brett take all the hassle and worry away from you and
get the job done quickly and without any fuss.
Specialising in removal of car bodies, caravans and small
trucks from Newcastle, Port Stephens and Lake Macquarie
areas.
Contact Brett on:
0417067080
IHS Supporters
RAYMOND TERRACE
WINDSCREEN SERVICES
Does your windscreen need repairing
quickly? Look no further than Geoff
Foot to help you out with his same day
mobile service.
cars * trucks * buses * 4WDs * plant
machinery
* custom cars * custom auto glass
Also insurance and emergency
work and servicing ALL areas
Locally owned and operated for 20 years
P: 0427833269
E: [email protected]
NSW Government Schools
Term Dates - 2016
Term 1
Wednesday 27 January - Friday 8 April
Term 2
Tuesday 26 April - Friday 1 July
Term 3
Monday 18 July - Friday 23 September
Term 4
Monday 10 October - Tuesday 20 December
*School Development Days occur at the beginning of Terms 1, 2 and 3 and the last
two days of the school year. Check with the school, as schools may vary some of
these dates.
VISITORS TO
IRRAWANG HIGH SCHOOL
Visitors should not enter school playgrounds without
the issue of a visitors pass from the front office.
NB:
Teaching staff are not always available,
therefore it would be appreciated if
appointments were made beforehand.
Irrawang High School
MOUNT HALL ROAD
RAYMOND TERRACE NSW 2324
POSTAGE
PAID
have you changed your address? - please let us know
Name:
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Address: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...
email: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Phone: …………………………………………………
Student’s Name: ……………………………………………………..
Mobile: ...……………………………………………..
Year: ………………………….
If you hold a bus pass, please see staff in the Photocopy Room