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ROUSE HILL HIGH NEWSLETTER

March 2019 / ISSUE 50

RHHS Swimming Carnival

The 2019 Rouse Hill Swimming Carnival was held at Riverstone Swimming Centre, and a fantastic day it was. Students had an opportunity to participate in friendly competition whilst challenging themselves to perform to the best of their abilities. The day was full of excitement and sporting spirit, as all houses participated in house chants and best dressed competitions to achieve points for their team.

All swimmers competed with spirit and showed great sportsmanship amongst their peers. The day closed out with a battle for bragging rights with a teacher vs student relay, where we saw the Rouse Hill teacher swim team take the win. As our Year 12 students finished their last school Swimming Carnival, they celebrated with a novelty race with all Year 12 students participating. Congratulations to all who attended, and we look forward to the next Rouse Hill High School Carnival to once again provide students with the opportunity to show their skills and celebrate their achievements.

Caption text to be added below the image Photo by: ____

Mr Cardassis

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Swimming Carnival 2019

The 2019 Annual Rouse Hill Swimming Carnival showcased Rouse Hill students’ ability to strive for excellence in a sporting arena. They day saw students from various houses represent their teams and enjoy what was a great day of physical activity, entertaining dress attires and school spirit. All students participated to the best of their ability not only in the pool, but within house chants, best dress competitions. Students of RHHS competed in various swimming events, including freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke, butterfly, and relay competitions. Congratulations to all students who participated in these events, as those who placed well in each race have been selected to represent Rouse Hill High school in the upcoming Zone Swimming carnival.

The Age champions for each group are as follows:

- Boys 12yrs: James B - Girls 12yrs: Caitlin B- Boys 13yrs: Patrick D- Girls 13yrs: Tasha W- Boys 14yrs: Lewis P- Girls 14yrs: Sara P- Boys 15yrs: Kohen H- Girls 15yrs: Veronica F - Boys 16yrs: Samuel W- Girls 16yrs: Kasey A- Boys 17yrs: Jakob S- Girls 17yrs: Tara D

Congratulations to all these students. We wish you good luck in your upcoming competition.

Year 12 students enjoying their last novelty swimming event.

Mr Cardassis

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Chinese New Year at Rouse HillMrs Kate Wang

RHHS got a taste of Chinese New Year in Week 4, with a lion dance at lunchtime on Tuesday 19 February. China Club students performed the lion dance to celebrate Lantern Festival, which signifies the last day of Lunar New Year.

Lion dancing is performed during Chinese New Year to bring good luck to businesses and organisations. If a lion finds and eats "lucky food" that you have hung up or put out for them, then your organisation will have luck all year.

Mr Kelly and Ms Wang helped feed the hungry Chinese lions, who danced around the quad to the music of the China Club percussion band.

Another Lunar New Year custom is to eat "lucky candy". China Club students handed out White Rabbit candies to students who were watching the lion dance.

The students of China Club are to be congratulated for a very impressive performance! Those students included: Dominic R, Aaron V, Anthony T, Ryan P, Tian YWS Linda C, Charlotte C, Maanya P, Anthony R, Olivia S, Sam L, Marissa C, Enaya P, Dakota M, Alex B, Samya B, Sophie G, Mahira K and Damanjot K. Let's hope our lion dance brings our school good luck this year!

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Visual Arts Update

Margo and her artwork “Ode” Photo by: Ms Kirby

Mr Wallace

On 14 February, the Art Express 2019 exhibition opened at Hazelhurst Regional Gallery. This year's exhibition features the work of Margo O from the 2018 HSC course.

Art Express is an exhibition of the top performing Visual Arts students across the State. In 2018, there were over 8000 Visual Arts candidates, with less than 300 students selected to be included in Art Express. This represents an amazing achievement for Margo.

Margo's artwork will be on display at the gallery till 22 April. It will then be on exhibition at Dubbo Regional Gallery. Congratulations on your amazing achievement!

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A Warm Welcome to Year 7 2019Ms SInderberry - Year 7 Co-Ordinator

Welcome to RHHS It has been a fun and exciting time for our new RHHS Year 7 cohort this year. Day 1 included a “Big Fish, Little Fish” workshop where students learnt techniques that are helpful when starting high school with activities designed to promote connectedness and friendship building. The workshop also promoted empowering self-identity and establishing self-belief. Our Year 10 Peer Support Leaders have been busy supporting the Year 7 students with our Peer Support program over the first 5 weeks and will continue to do so throughout the year. Students have become more confident with using Google Classroom and have participated in a study skills “Kickstart” workshop last week. They have also had the opportunity to watch a Brainstorm Productions performance on Bullying and Cyber Safety. We are all very much looking forward to our upcoming Year 7 Camp which will take place in Week 7 from 13–15 March (Wednesday to Friday). Camp will be an opportunity for students to continue to build connections with peers and challenge themselves with new and exciting activities.

Top right: Year 7 participating in Peer Support activities. Above left: Year 7 participating in the Big Fish Little Fish Workshop. Bottom right: Year 7 watching the Brainstorm Productions Performance “Verbal Combat”

We are also looking forward to “Meet the Teacher” night on Monday 11 March where parents of Year 7 will have the opportunity to meet staff and engage in the Rouse Hill High School community.

It has been a pleasure to support the 2019 Year 7 cohort with their transition to high school so far and I am excited to see what the remainder of the year will bring for these wonderful students.

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War on Waste - Recycling initiative

Rouse Hill High School officially declared war on waste at the beginning of this Term. Recyclable products eligible for the “Return and Earn” scheme, which include PET bottles, aluminium cans, juice poppers and milk cartons are now being targeted. These products can actually be recycled and reused, so it would only make sense to eliminate them from our waste.

By providing blue bins to collect these recyclable products all over the playground, students now have the opportunity to make informed decisions about what to do with their rubbish. Given the right resources and the opportunities, RHHS students have demonstrated excellent participation in the recycling program.

Collection of recyclable products is managed by the “My Choice Eco” group students who work tirelessly to collect, clean and separate the products so that they're ready to be sent off for collection.

Pictured from the top in a clockwise direction - The blue bins supplied by Envirobank, Blaker Vassallo assisting with the separation of recyclable waste and our school captains showing the recycling waste collected in Term 4 from classrooms.

Photo by Alex Wu and Jay Duggan

Alex Wu

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Project SHIFTMr D. Williams

The modern world presents many complex problems for our students. The questions posed by the future will require adults who are innovative, adaptable, tech savvy, and able to connect with a diverse range of individuals in order to make a difference.

In order to equip our students for these challenges, and help to instil in them lofty aspirations for their future success, “Project SHIFT” is running once again in 2019.

All students in Year 7 participate in this project, which requires students to connect across different classes to solve difficult problems, and in so doing, begin to develop the skills they will need in the future.

Their first challenge was to design a mascot which would support the school’s new recycling initiative. The students showed remarkable creativity and inspiration in their approaches to this project, and their efforts will soon be visible around the school. Our guest judge, Mr Wu, identified three projects deserving special merit: Trash Can Turtle, Resharkable Shark, and Michael the Seal.

2019 Captain, Isabella Mauala, addressing year 7 about her experiences of high school. Photograph by P. Healey

Following this, the students were given their next task, to provide a window into the daily happenings of Rouse Hill High School. As a part of their process of discovery, current School Captain, Isabella Mauala, was invited to address them and share her perspective on life in our school.

In a highly engaging presentation and Q&A session, these new students were able to build on their own experience and connect with their senior peer in a meaningful way.

Year 7 is currently busy developing their solutions to this problem; the results of which will be on display in the Library in Week 7.

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Stage 6 Science - Biology Virtual Field TripOn Monday, 11 February, Stage 6 Biology attended a Virtual Field Trip Incursion as part of their mandatory Depth Study. This field trip was coordinated with the National Zoo and Aquarium in Canberra who gave students near unlimited access to the zoo and its staff for the day. Students were able to see most animals close up as well as a number of staff only areas where food and enrichment toys are prepared. Animals such as the lions, tigers, sun bears and hyenas were fed for students with cameras only inches away. Students were also taken into a number of other enclosures such as that of the cheetahs, Ruffed lemurs, meerkats and tree kangaroos. The inquisitive nature of a number of the animals and the proximity of devices for students meant the tour guide almost lost her IPad to the Siamang apes and was able to get the lemurs eating their fruit off the screen that was streamed which students really enjoyed.

The Biology classes will now be using the information gathered on the day to develop conservation programs for an animal of their choosing from the day. Due to the new Stage 6 Biology Syllabus, this is the first time students will be conducting a scientific depth study at Rouse Hill High School. The value of the depth study is in the rigour and higher order skill development needed from students to complete the task as well as a large degree of flexibility for students to explore their own interests in the subject area.

The Science faculty was very impressed with the effort put in by students on the day and is very thankful to the National Zoo and Aquarium for providing such a unique experience for our students.Pictured below: The Biology students are observing a Cheetah cub in its enclosures through the skype connection with the National Zoo and Aquarium in Canberra.

Photo by Alex Wu and Jay Duggan_

Shaun Minahan

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SENIORS STARTING STRONG!The start of 2019 saw the continuation of the new syllabus for Stage 6 English. Our senior students are now in full swing with their new modules progressing extremely well. Advanced English are currently studying Othello, as well as Narratives that Shape our World. Standard English are developing their understanding of Contemporary Possibilities and are developing skills through their Close Study of Literature. English Studies are making connections and finding relevance within music through their unit, Mi-Tunes and Text. We, as an English Faculty, are excited by the possibilities and opportunities that the new syllabus brings for our students, as well as the growth and development of our students that we are no doubt in store for!

Pictured are some Standard English students developing their knowledge and understanding of Wilfred Owen’s language and context, by completing a collaborative ‘round robin’ activity.

Photo by: ____

Melissa Olson

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English and Drama 2019Dear parents and guardians,

Welcome to the new school year and a warm greeting to our new Year 7 families and and any new parents and guardians in other year groups. The 2019 calendar year has launched with great success and it has been a pleasure to wander around and see such engaged learners in our classrooms. I now also have the wonderful opportunity to oversee Drama, along with our many exciting English classes. I had the privilege of accompanying the Stage 6 Drama class to OnStage, where we witnessed top performing individual and group performances from the 2018 HSC. It was certainly inspirational for teachers and students alike. More details can be found on the school website.

All new classes in Years 7-9 have been issued their WordFlyers logins for 2019 and students are encouraged to complete additional tiles to assist their literacy development and as a supplementary activity to class learning tasks. I encourage all parents and carers to explore this resource with your child.

Please be advised that all students are required to bring a lined exercise book for writing in each and every English lesson. Wide reading is also a priority for 2019 and students are encouraged to borrow from our school Library regularly. Each class has been (or will be) visiting, to learn about online reservations making access to books even easier.

Year 1.0 will be selecting their option for Term 2 onwards, towards the end of the Term. Parents are encouraged to review the letter that was sent out via email last November. The email outlines the process and contains answers to frequently asked questions. Year 8 have also embarked on their literacy enrichment program and will continue to build their skills throughout the semester.

Wishing you a healthy and successful 2019!

Pip HealeyHead Teacher English and Drama

Year 8 sharing their wide reading adventures in our school library.

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My Choice For the first time in 2019, Rouse Hill High School students in Year 8 and 9 are undertaking “My Choice” sessions to develop their skills and explore their interests in areas outside of the standard classroom setting. Students have selected and now settled in to their chosen activities and are enjoying the opportunity to discover new skills and knowledge in a range of “My Choice” classes including; ‘Film Fest’, ‘Coding Train’, ‘Chess Masters’, ‘Art Therapy’, ‘Knitting’, ‘Running Club’ and ‘Work it in the circuit’ just to name a few!

Students will continue to engage in “My Choice” lessons throughout the year with an opportunity to select a new class in Term 2.

Pictured are some Year 8 & 9 students participating in Chess Masters, Running Club and Work it in the circuit sessions during Week 2 of My Choice sessions.

Photo by: ____

Joshua Cutting

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Brainstorm Productions On Wednesday, 13 February, Brainstorm Productions came out to Rouse Hill High School to present their ‘Verbal Combat’ performance to our Year 7 and 8 students. This live performance explored the impact of social media on students and the effects and legal consequences of bullying. It was a thought provoking hour for students, highlighting the importance of respectful relationships with peers. Both year groups were highly engaged in the performance from start to finish with students cheering the actors when they interacted respectfully and booing negative and hurtful behaviours that were portrayed. Brainstorm Productions has delivered high quality performances to Rouse Hill High School students multiple times in recent years and have become an important connection for our school.

All images obtained from the Brainstorm Productions website.

By Shaun Minahan

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Senior HospitalityThe Senior Hospitality class are well into achieving their practical competencies for their Certificate II qualification. They are currently learning about hygienic practices for food safety and applying these to the Unit “Prepare and Present Sandwiches”. This unit provides students with the knowledge and skills to prepare and present a variety of sandwiches in a hospitality catering operation.

Students will be applying these skills in the near future when they cater for the Year 7 “Meet the Teacher” and “Open Night” on Monday 11 March.

They will also be catering sandwiches for a staff morning tea towards the end of this term.

Pictured are some Hospitality students preparing and presenting Club Sandwiches as part of their assessment of competencies.

Photos by: K.Wilson

By Karen Wilson

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MathsOnline at RHHSVicki Zacharia

Year 7 to 10 students at Rouse Hill High School are very fortunate to receive access to “MathsOnline” for 2019 provided by the school. This is an opportunity for staff and students to utilise this online program that supports the learning of mathematics.

Almost 300,000 students use MathsOnline. It provides online tutorials for both Primary and High School mathematics. Each of the 1400+ MathsOnline tutorials lasts around 4-9 minutes and present the concepts of the maths lesson step-by-step. It uses synchronised audio and animation, which harnesses both audio and visual learning styles. Following each maths tutorial, there are interactive questions and printable worksheets which test the understanding of key concepts. Answers are entered into the automated MathsOnline marking system which then stores the results in each individual student’s ongoing progress report. Teachers can then view this report and tailor the teaching and learning experience for individual students.

Teachers at RHHS utilise this program to set class and home learning tasks. These tasks can be differentiated for individual student needs. Teachers can track the progress of these tasks by receiving information on results, completion rates and how many attempts a student makes on each task. MathsOnline proved to be a very worthwhile teaching and learning tool throughout the trial period and it was decided as a school that we would commit to using the program throughout 2019 with students in Year 7 to Year 10.

We would appreciate parent support in encouraging their child to use MathsOnline at home. Yes they will have set tasks from their teachers but students can engage with any tutorial at any time. They can even use the program to practise skills such as times tables and basic arithmetic.

If you have any questions about MathsOnline, please don’t hesitate to contact the Mathematics Faculty.

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Museum in a Box!

2019 is the first year that International Studies has run at Rouse Hill High School. The students are able to develop an understanding of different cultures not only around the world, but in our local area. As one student has said, “International studies helps us understand things from different cultures and the changes and developments made. This is done by studying topics and really getting to know things about cultures and countries whilst having fun”.

One of the ways International Studies students were able to study different cultures is through an initiative from the Australian Museum known as ‘Museum in a Box’. This initiative allows students to have access to a legitimate museum display without leaving the classroom; bringing artefacts, resources and information to the school.

The international Studies class were able to learn about Aboriginal Culture through the use of Australian Museum’s ‘Museum in a Box’

D. Vial

Students were able to explore the use of tools such as message sticks and breast plates, locate different significant regions on a map and investigate their importance to Aboriginal culture, and discover the importance of flora and fauna to Aboriginal life. The museum seemed to be a hit, with students saying “museum in a box is definitely something I think would be helpful for schools because it not only is fun but you are also learning at the same time”.

With this in mind, the International Studies class will be creating their own museum in a box to share their understanding and teach others about the importance of cultures around the world. Keep your eyes peeled!

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Library & Information Services UpdateMr D. Williams

The Library has seen a strong start to 2019 with the arrival of an enthusiastic and engaged group of new Year 7 students. Most have already made good use of the library’s resources as a part of their beginning to high school. The importance of supplementing their learning with regular reading is not lost on these fine additions to the Rouse Hill High school community!

At the other end of the spectrum, our new and continuing seniors have hit the ground running, with many students making use of the library to support their learning, both in class and in their own time.

Upcoming Events:

Premier’s Reading Challenge: The PRC officially opens on Monday, the 4th of March. Students from Years 7-9 across the State have the opportunity to participate and enjoy the many benefits of reading. Students have until the end of August to complete the challenge by reading 20 books.

Australian Geography Competition:The Australian Geography Competition will be held in Week 9 of Term 1. This is an opportunity for students to extend themselves in the subject of Geography with prizes for high achieving students and a chance to represent Australia in the International Geography Olympiad on offer.

Computational & Algorithmic Thinking Competition:The CAT competition is a one-hour competition on the 2nd of April that aims to foster lateral thinking and pragmatic problem solving in years 7-12.

Australian History Competition:The Australian History Competition will be held in Term 2, and challenges the historical knowledge and skills of students in Years 7-10.

ICAS (International Competitions & Assessment for Schools):In 2019, ICAS will be held in Term 3. ICAS includes a range of challenging competitions for students in Years 7-12 in several subject areas including: mathematics, english, writing, digital technologies, science and spelling.

@RHHS_Library

@LibraryRHHS

@rhhslibrary

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RHHS NOTICEBOARDP&C NEWSThe next P&C meeting will be held on Monday 25 March 2019. All parents and carers are welcome to attend.If you would like to be added to the P&C email list,simply email the Secretary at carley134@me.com

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If you are interested in advertising your business orcommunity group in the next edition of this newsletterplease visit http://www.rousehill-h.schools.nsw.edu.au/our-school/rules-policies/rouse-hill-high-school-policiesand download a newsletter policy for requirements and procedures.

UPCOMING EVENTS4 March -8 March VET Hospitality Work Placement____________________________________________________________________________________________________

5 March Zone Swimming Carnival____________________________________________________________________________________________________

11 March Year 7 Meet the Teacher afternoon____________________________________________________________________________________________________

13 March - 15 March Year 7 Camp____________________________________________________________________________________________________

21 March Harmony Day Formal Assembly____________________________________________________________________________________________________

22 MarchSchool Photos____________________________________________________________________________________________________

1 April - 5 April Year 1.0 exams____________________________________________________________________________________________________

8 April - 12 AprilYear 1.1 & 1.2 Preliminary end of course exams____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Rouse Hill High SchoolPO BOX 6120

ROUSE HILL NSW 215598361890

www.rousehill-h.schools.nsw.edu.au