Dear Parents, Carers, Student and Staff, This week has marked the first uninterrupted week of education in NSW since Monday 23rd March, when the Premier asked parents to keep students at home if possible. In that intervening 9 weeks we have seen a great amount of uncertainty, many hastily made decisions, and much emergency planning. It now looks as if we have passed the worst of these complexities and are able to resume normal school operation, with some minor adjustments moving forward. As a school we have been focusing on returning to business as usual, while at the same time ensuring that the new skills developed, additional resources gained, and more efficient ways of doing things are preserved from over the past 9 weeks. Staffing Changes We have had a small number of staffing changes for the start of Term 2. Julie Taing (Relieving HT English) was successful via merit selection to the substantive Head Teacher English position at Macarthur Girls High School (Parramatta). Julie has been and outstanding English Teacher and relieving Head Teacher at the school for many years and this promotion was very hard-earned and well deserved. We congratulate Julie on her promotion and wish her well in this new role. Daniel White has been successful through a merit selection process for the Relieving HT English position for the remainder of the year.

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Concord High School Keeping In Touch

Respectful Responsible Achieving Term 2 Week 5

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Principal’s Report Tanya Davies has joined Concord this term in the Head Teacher EALD/Languages role. Tanya was successful through a highly competitive merit selection process for this position. Previously Tanya was English Teacher and Literacy Coordinator at Ku-ring-gai High School. We welcome Tanya and wish her a very successful career at Concord High. Since my last staffing update we have also been fortunate to convert 3 of our outstanding long-term temporary staff to permanency. Georgina Karamanos (English), Michael Jobson (Music) and Eliza Psaros (TAS) were all successful through merit selection for substantive positions at the school. Georgina, Michael and Eliza are valuable inclusions to our permanent staff. This week we also welcomed Alanah Butler (PDHPE) to Concord as a substantive member of staff. Alanah has been appointed to the school through the Department of Education’s Targeted Graduate Program, and has previously been working on a temporary contract at Mitchell High School. Transport Arrangements The current arrangement regarding afternoon pick up from the St Luke’s car park off Crane Street appears to be working reasonably well. I have reached out to NSW Police for support with traffic flow out of the car park between 3pm and 3:15pm. At this point in time I am still awaiting a response. I would like to thank parents and senior students for the patience and courtesy they have shown in negotiating this change. It has improved the safety and traffic flow in Stanley St for the school buses and assisted greatly in general traffic management around the school. Year 10 Subject Selection Night – Wednesday 3rd June The Year 10 into 11 Subject Selection Night will proceed as scheduled next Wednesday night. It will however be with a difference. The student subject information component will be held in the Hall today, with class groups visiting a “Subject Market”, where information about various courses will be available. The actual Selection Night where information is provided regarding patterns of senior study, HSC requirements and the process for making choices, will be held on-line and via Zoom. We will be running 3 separate Zoom sessions on the night, as the capacity of Zoom is 100 participants. We would ask for families to:

1. Please stick to your allocated Zoom timeslot where possible 2. Use one log on per family and share this information as a family

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Principal’s Report

I would encourage all Year 10 parents to ensure they are fully informed about the processes for the night, especially the timing of their sessions. If unsure please contact the school during the day on Tuesday or Wednesday prior for support. 2020 School Fees In response to the current COVID-19 pandemic and an appreciation for the fact that many of our families are experiencing financial difficulties at this time, the school has place a moratorium on the payment of school and subject fees until the ends of Term 2. I will advise further towards the end of the term. Newsletter Cycle In the anticipation that we are returning to normal operation the Keeping in Touch Newsletter will now revert back to a fortnightly edition. If we do move to a situation where more regular communication is required we will adjust accordingly. Until next fortnight, Victor Newby Principal

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Deputy Principal’s Report Jody Engisch, Craig Anderson & Danka Milinovic

Our Year 10 subject selection faculty stalls were held on Friday 29th May in our school hall. Students were asked to participate in an honest conversation with staff regarding subject choices for 2021. I would like to thank all staff for their contribution to the day, as well as Mr Morrissey, Miss Phillips, Ms Davin, Ms Leung, Mrs Anagnostou and Mrs Engisch. Year 10 students today face many challenges that their parents could only have imagined. For many of our students the career that they will eventually pursue has not yet been invented. Students currently at school will have to cope with an average of five changes to their career path within their working lives and will most likely undertake a combination of full time and part time work throughout their careers. Concord High School provides a range of courses to enable our students to meet these challenges. Concord High School is able to offer a broad curriculum in 2021 to allow our students to have a greater choice in the pattern of courses they select. This will provide opportunities for students to develop a range of skills and attain credentials that will assist them in pursuing their chosen career. No more than 13 units should be studied in Year 11 at school (including Open High School). Students electing to do a TAFE or Saturday School course will start the year with 14 units until notification of successful entry to the external course. For Year 11 Students in 2021 the following options are available: • a traditional pattern of Board courses designed to lead to further study at University; • a pattern of courses that includes a combination of Board courses and other courses based on vocational or personal interests may lead to further study at University; • a pattern of courses focusing on work and designed to develop a range of skills necessary in gaining employment; • a pattern of courses that includes a combination of courses studied at school and courses studied at TAFE. Pathways The structure of the NSW Higher School Certificate was changed in 2000 so that students are able to complete their studies over a number of years or return to school to complete HSC studies after leaving to get a job. Most of our students, however, will continue to complete the HSC over two years, in Year 11 and Year 12. All HSC Board courses are divided into ‘Preliminary’ and ‘HSC’ courses. Preliminary courses will be taught in Year 11, while HSC courses will be mostly taught in Year 12. Students must complete ‘Preliminary’ courses before an ‘HSC’ course can be commenced. Students will choose their subjects via our Edval Web link, which has been sent to all families with their web codes. Our web link will open on Monday 1st June, 2020 and will close on Friday 5th June, 2020 at 3pm.

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This booklet and videos will guide students in making a choice about the pattern of subjects that will best meet their individual needs in relation to further study and their vocational and personal interests. Use it in conjunction with the information and ideas available on the Subject Selection Evening on Wednesday 3rd June 2020 which will take place during our live Zoom sessions at 4:00pm, 5:30pm,7:00pm. The Zoom invitations will be sent out on Monday 1st June, 2020. We ask that only on person is on to allow as many families to enter the session. Remember that your teachers, in particular your year adviser and careers adviser, are always available to help. Miss Danka Milinovic Acting Deputy Principal

Deputy Principal’s Report Jody Engisch, Craig Anderson & Danka Milinovic

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Concord High School News

Yr 10 Subject Selection

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Concord High School News

Prefect Body Positivity Initiative The Prefect Body organised an initiative to spread positivity in the school after the extended quarantine restrictions. We collaborated to make a ‘Welcome Back’ poster, a positivity wall and distributed slips of paper with positive messages to the junior classes. We settled on these actions to make students feel welcomed when they came back to school, to build positive connections in the student body, and to express our appreciation for the teachers and students. These optimistic messages from the Prefect Body included inspirational quotes and personal messages to make students smile!! The positivity wall allowed teachers from different faculties to be involved and spread positive messages related to their common areas. This resulted in some inter-faculty competition for who had the best message!! Overall, the ‘Welcome Back Initiative’ brightened everyone's day!!!

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Concord High School News

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Concord High School News

Concord High School Senior Student Leadership Model

In 2020/2021 there will be a staggered introduction of a variety of new leadership positions across every year level, commencing with the senior leadership team and prefect body. The development of the leadership model at Concord High School is aimed towards encouraging students to challenge themselves and to strive to enhance their own capabilities. The new model will mould students to become active citizens who act compassionately, fairly and able to demonstrate our Positive Behaviour for Learning core values; Respect, Responsible and Achieve. School Captains and Vice Captains The School Captains and Vice Captains occupy a senior leadership position within the student body and are directly responsible to the Prefect co-ordinator. Sport Prefect The school Sports Prefect is a senior leadership position within the Prefect body and should have a strong interest and involvement in the school sports and PDHPE program. Th;ey are directly responsible to the Head Teacher of PDHPE and the Prefect coordinator. Concordia Prefect The Concordia Prefects occupy a senior leadership position within the student body and should have a strong interest and active involvement in building the PB4L values and morale into the school community. They will be responsible for supporting the leadership develpment of students in years 7-10. They are directly responsible to the Prefect coordinator and the PB4L lead teacher. Student Voice Prefect The student Voice Prefects occupy a senior leadership position within the student body and should have a strong vision for the continued improvement of Concord High school. A main part of this rold is to ensure that as a leader, you are always thinking about ways to include the student body in the decision-making processes around the school. In applying for the position of Student Voice Captain, student must create their own role description that focuses on an area with the school that they would like to lead. The studne voice captains are directly respoinsible to the Prefect coordinator.

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Concord High School News

Election Process for School Captain and Prefect Positions 2020/2021

Concord High School Draft Teaching Online Procedures

1. Year 11 students complete Prefect Application and submit onto the Year 11 Google Classroom by 3pm on Wednesday 27th May (Week 5).

2. Applications reviewed by the executive team and unsuccessful applicants will be provided feedback.

3. In the week beginning 1st June, staff and Year 10, 11 and 12 students will vote online. Unsuccessful applicants provided with feedback.

4. Selection of Captaincy and Prefect positions through an application process in the week beginning 15th June.

5. In the week beginning 15th June, students attend a leadership retreat day where students applying for Captaincy positions will present a 5-10 minute speech. Prefect body will vote on Captaincy positions.

6. During weeks, 9 & 10 students electing for Captaincy will attend an interview with the Principal, Prefect Coordinator, Deputy Principal and Head Teacher of Student leadership. Formal assembly to announce the new senior student leadership team

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Concord High School News

National Reconciliation Week recognises the time for all Australians to learn about the shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia. The dates for Reconciliation Week remain the same each year; 27th May to 3rd June. These dates commemorate two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey- the successful 1967 referendum, and the High Court Mabo decision respectively. Reconciliation must live in the hearts, minds and actions of all Australians as we move forward, creating a nation strengthened by respectful relationships between the wider Australian community, and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Reconciliation is a journey for all Australians – as individuals. Families, communities, organisations and importantly as a nation. On this journey, Australians are all in this together; every one of us has a role to play when it comes to reconciliation, and in playing our part we collectively build relationships and communities that value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, histories and cultures.

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Concord High School News

National Reconciliation Week – Recognition of Student Achievement Crystal Grose in year 12 participated in the Macquarie University Walanga Muru program which included Crystal living for three days on campus and completing faculty specific enrichment activities. This program provided information to students on Indigenous pathways into University.

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How one year's HSC results canhelp a whole school

Every year, maths teachers at Concord High School pore over HSC results to findthe areas in which students struggled, and use the insights to ensure pupils inyounger grades don't face the same problems.

A few years ago they identified issues with probability and "significant figures". Sothey changed their curriculum to ensure those concepts were first addressed asearly as year 7, then kept reinforcing them as students progressed.

"They provide opportunities at every step of the way ... for students to be able topractise and consolidate those skills," principal Victor Newby said. "[Analysing theHSC results is] a way of looking at what could be done better the following year."

Smart use of data has been singled out by the NSW Department of Education'sCentre for Education Statistics and Evaluation (CESE) as one of the most effectivetools schools can use in their teaching.

But the report, which looks at some of the most effective classroom practices, alsoshows that it is the area in which schools feel least confident, and in which theycould make the biggest improvement.

NATIONAL EDUCATION

By Jordan Baker

May 27, 2020 — 5.55pm

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Year 12 Concord High students have benefited from the lessons learnt by past students.LOUISE KENNERLEY

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An international study from 2018 found 41 per cent of Australian teachers feltanalysis and use of student assessment is an area in which they would like furthertraining.

A leading expert in educational measurement, Professor Jim Tognolini from theUniversity of Sydney, said the use of data in education was widely misunderstood,and many schools were still not harnessing it as effectively as Concord High.

Professor Tognolini said data was more than numbers and results: it could rangefrom HSC performance to a teacher's observation that a child who had previouslyhanded in homework had stopped doing it, or a call from a parent about aproblem.

All information gathered by teachers – from assessment results to observations –could be pieced together to create evidence, which in turn supported confidencein a judgment or strategy.

"I think what's happening is that when people hear the word data theyimmediately jump to the HSC scores and NAPLAN scores," Professor Tognolinisaid. "Some schools just get numbers and scores and don't use it effectively.

"People have to interact with data, and feed it into evidence; here's some data,here is what we already know, how does this fit with what should be happening?From the evidence, we are either more confident, or less confident.

"Principals used to say to me, ‘we've got our NAPLAN results back, and they don'ttell us anything new'. I'd say to them, ‘that's fantastic, because there's another bitof data that gives you more confidence in what you're already doing'. It's howschools use data in context that's important."

The CESE What Works report also found high expectations, explaining to studentswhy they are learning something, constructive feedback, assessment and a focuson wellbeing – including coping strategies and resilience – are key to effectiveteaching.

Jordan Baker

Jordan Baker is Education Editor of The Sydney Morning Herald

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Upcoming Dates

VARIATIONS TO ROUTINE TERM 2 WEEK 6 2020 WEEK B

B

TERM 2

WEEK 6

Monday 1 June • Year 12 Chemistry

Task Depth Study Period 6

• NRL program online meeting for students involved

Tuesday 2 June •

Wednesday 3 June

• Year 10 into 11 subject information night

Thursday 4 June

Friday 5 June • Year 11 Business

Studies Task Periods 1,3,4

• Year 12 Biology Task Depth Study Task

• Year 12 Japanese Beginner's Listening Task Period 4 and lunch

• Year 12 Music Assessment aural skills

• Year 8 International Studies task- online submission by 3pm

A LOOK AHEAD TERM 2 WEEK 7

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TERM 2

WEEK 7

Monday 8 June • Public Holiday

Tuesday 9 June

• Year 10 Minimum Standards Testing- proceed

Wednesday 10 June • INSTRUMENTAL

S1 CONCERT • Year 12 Physics

task- some students out of class to complete

Thursday 11 June • Year 12 Modern

History Task Periods 4

Friday 12 June • Year 10

vaccinations