Tech Talk Sydney Technical February High School 2021 · 2021. 2. 3. · Tech Talk. Sydney Technical...

686 Forest Road BEXLEY 2207 Phone: 9587 5899 Fax: 9553 [email protected] www.sths.nsw.edu.au

PRINCIPALNEWS

TABLE OF CONTENTSPRINCIPAL NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1SCHOOL CALENDAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3PARENT PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM . . . . . . . . . . . 3FROM THE DEPUTIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4SCHOOL UNIFORM CHART . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7GREETINGS FROM THE LIBRARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

CAPERS AT CAPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10WORLD OF CAREERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12P&C CHAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13WELLBEING @ TECH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14YEAR 7 IN PHOTOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 SCHOOL NOTICES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Sydney Technical High School

Tech TalkFebruary2021

WELCOME YEAR 7 I would like to warmly welcome Year 7 and their families to Sydney Technical High School. This year students have come from 96 different primary schools across Sydney and from both public and private settings. Please take time to enjoy the fabulous learning environment and appreciate the learning opportunities offered by the teaching staff. Unfortunately, the P&C hosted Welcome BBQ for parents and students will not able to be held due to current restrictions. I am hopeful we will be able to organise this important gathering in the near future and look forward to meeting you soon.

NEW STUDENTSI would also like to welcome our new students across Year 8 to Year 11 and their families to our school community. Congratulations, on your selection and hope you enjoy the rich educational experience that Sydney Technical High School offers both academically and in the extra and co-curricular domains.

HSC SUCCESSWe were pleased with our HSC results, and congratulate our 2020 Year 12 students and their teachers. Special mention goes to Sijarthan Jaseetharan who achieved State ranking in Tamil Continuers, our six All rounders - Band 6 in all subjects: Glenn Gao, Alvin Joseph, George Kekatos, Steven Le, Sagar Pathania and Jad Yagan. Congratulations to the six students who achieved an ATAR above 99 and the 81 students with an ATAR above 90. I can also report over 99% of our students have now accepted entry into university degrees.Congratulations to the 2020 Year 12 group who we know worked especially hard!

READOur READ program occurs every day from 8:45-9:05am except Wednesdays. Students and teachers are to bring a physical copy of a book to read. This program encourages wider reading and enhances improved literacy skills. I ask for your assistance to ensure your son is well prepared for this important start of the school day.

Steven SoPrincipal

February 2021 Tech Talk

COOLER CLASSROOMSWe are in the process of having 40 classrooms air conditioned as part of the Cooler Classrooms program. The Department will soon host a process to tender for the installation and complete the installation by the end of 2021. I am hopeful this will occur before the warmer seasons later this year.

SCHOOL CONNECTIONThe Parent Partnership program is an initiative which Sydney Technical High School delivers to provide information and skills in supporting your son’s education. It also presents an opportunity for parents to connect with each other and to the school. I strongly urge parents to attend these very popular sessions!

STAFFINGAlison PeacheyWelcome to Alison Peachey. Alison is our new Deputy Principal starting this year and replaces Diane Wilson.Her former career as a Civil Engineer will resonate with many of our boys, she found her true love of education and has perused

it. We are very lucky to be able to appoint Ms Peachey as Deputy Principal and look forward to her expertise in joining the Senior Executive team to lead Sydney Technical High School.I know she is very excited to meet and work closely with the school community.

Jordan Lawlor-ShortWelcome to Jordan Lawlor-Short. Jordan is our new School Counsellor replacing Stephanie for 2021 and will be at our school Wednesday and Thursdays. Her career path to become a psychologist wasn’t always so clear though! She originally studied a

Bachelor of Medical Biotechnology and worked in a laboratory setting, before deciding to follow her true passion in psychology. Jordan received a Bachelor of Psychology (Honors) and has completed her Masters of Professional Psychology. She looks forward to meeting and working with our students this year.

Angelo SallisI would like to welcome Angelo Sallis who took over from Caitlin Irvine in History. Angelo was at Tempe HS last year and was a valuable member of the HSIE Faculty. He has also taught at Hurstville Boys, Peakhurst and Blakehurst High School and brings a wealth of experience to the History Faculty at Tech. We look forward to working with Angelo this year.

Shona CollinsShona Collins, who retired late last year, was a member of the Sydney Tech administration team who worked at the school for over 20 years.She worked in most areas, having spent time in the library, the main office and in the print room.Shona will be remembered for her caring and helpful attitude to all techies. We wish her all the best. Anne CaldwellAnne came to Tech in 2016 with a wealth of experience behind her having previously been Head Teacher English at Endeavour Sports High before retiring in 2012. Anne has been a very valuable member of the Wellbeing team providing integrated learning support for students at the school with specialist learning plans or those requiring that extra literacy support. Anne also relieved as counsellor in 2018.Her work has been much appreciated by the staff and boys over the years. We wish her the very best.Caitlin IrvineCaitlin Irvine taught at Tech between 2019 and 2020. She was a very valuable member of the History Faculty and was always well organised and enthusiastic about her teaching and learning. In her time at Tech, Caitlin supported students’ understanding, participation, engagement and achievement in and out of the classroom. We wish her well in her future career.

An Academically Selective School for Boys Page 3

SCHOOL CALENDAR Term 1 - 2021

February 4 Swimming Carnival12 Presentation Day Session 1: Senior Years - 10:30-12:20 Session 2: Junior Years - 1:10-2:2517 Summer Sport - First Round23 Year 11 Earth and Environmental Science Excursion23 Parent Partnership Meeting24-26 Year 7 Camp (more details to come)24 Parent Partnership Meeting25 Parent Partnership Meeting26 St George Zone Swimming Carnival26 Sydney East Volleyball

March1 St George Zone Swimming Carnival8 Year 10 Maths Assessment8 Year 8 Kahoot9 Years 7-9 Student Religious Education

The following events/clubs have resumed in their usual format.

* Anime Club - Room 40 - Tuesday Lunchtime* Beginner Band Rehearsals - Friday - 2:25pm* Choir Rehearsal - Tuesday - 1:10pm* Concert Band Rehearsals - Monday - 3:05pm * Debate Club - Monday and Tuesday - Common Room 3:00pm* Guitar Ensemble Rehearsals - Monday - 3:00pm* Intermediate Band Rehearsals - Tuesday - 3:00pm * Running Club - Kempt Field Wednesday - 7:30-8:30am* Stage Band Rehearsals - Thursday - 3pm* Strings Ensemble Rehearsals - Thursday - 3pm* Tech High Times Meeting - Tuesday 1:10pm

This calendar is a general guide. Sometimes event dates change unexpectedly. For a full up to date list of school

activities please refer daily to the school calendar via the school intranet.

PARENT PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM

DATES FOR TERM 1YEAR 7

MONDAY 22 FEBRUARYMeet the Team and School Curriculum

YEAR 8 AND YEAR 9 TUESDAY 23 FEBRUARY

Metacognitive Skills for Adolescent Learners

YEAR 10 WEDNESDAY 24 FEBRUARY

Work Experience:What Parents Should Know

YEAR 11 AND YEAR 12 THURSDAY 25 FEBRUARY

HSC Preparation

DATES FOR TERM 2YEAR 7

MONDAY 17 MAY SENTRAL and BYOD @ Tech

YEAR 8 AND YEAR 9 MONDAY 17 MAY

SENTRAL and BYOD @ Tech

YEAR 10 WEDNESDAY 19 MAY

Academic Advisers, Subject Selection and HSC, Minimum Standards Testing

Information

YEAR 11 AND YEAR 12 THURSDAY 27 MAY

University Pathways and Scholarships


FROMTHE

DEPUTIES

Welcome back to a new year at Sydney Technical High School and welcome to our new students and their families.Student wellbeing is of paramount importance to us at Sydney Technical High School. If parents/carers need to talk to someone about their son you may contact either Deputy Principal, although it may be preferable to speak to the Deputy who handles your son’s year: Mr Grinham supervises Years 7, 9 and 11 and Ms Peachey supervises Years 8, 10 and 12. Alternatively, you may contact the Head Teacher Wellbeing, Mr Stokes, or the appropriate Year Adviser. Year 7 - Mr Ngan Year 10 - Ms A SteelYear 8 - Mr Davis Year 11 - Ms C SteelYear 9 - Mr Cachia Year 12 - Miss Bilton

INTRODUCING MS PEACHEYHello Sydney Tech! I am very excited to be here and am loving the early-term dynamic of the school. I am your new Deputy Principal, taking the place of Mrs Diane Wilson who is now the principal of GRC Peakhurst. I come to you after six years at Gymea Technology High school as a Mathematics teacher followed by nine years at Blakehurst High School as Head Teacher Mathematics and then relieving Deputy Principal. I haven’t always been a teacher - my first profession was as a Civil Engineer with Sydney Water, gaining 20 years technical experience that resulted in relevant real-life problems in the classroom and elevated systems management, administration and customer relations skills that benefit the wider school community. I am passionate about boy’s education and supporting all students and staff in their pursuit of excellence. The students will hear many mantras from me and I’ll start with my favourite: hard work and perseverance are far more important than talent.

UNIFORMSTHS is a uniform school and our students should be proud to be seen in their uniform. Details about correct school uniform are listed in the school diary. Some further explanation is as follows.It is a Department of Education requirement that all students wear black lace up leather shoes. Belts must be black or grey. All students must be in correct uniform each day - this includes ties being done up, shirts tucked in, long socks worn (pulled up) with shorts and hats removed inside school buildings. All students are permitted to wear the official school sports uniforms on Wednesdays, but must not wear a combination of school and sports uniforms. Sports jackets are only to be worn on sport day. Blazers are compulsory for students when extra warmth is required. The pullover may be worn underneath for further warmth in the colder months.Students not in correct uniform must see Mr Davis, HT Administration, or a Deputy Principal before school with a note from home in order to obtain a uniform pass. I f a student does not have the official pass, he will be automatically placed on Friday detention.

Aphrodite CoxDeputy Principal

Alison PreacheyDeputy Principal

Kirk GrinhamDeputy Principal


TECHNOLOGYAny electronic devices that are brought to school are strictly for educational purposes whilst on the school premises. Devices should not be brought on Wednes-days due to sport. No devices are to be used at any times for recreational use. Students who need to use their device for school needs during recess or lunch can do so in the library or under the direct supervi-sion of a teacher. Phones are not appropriate forms of BYOD. Should you still be deciding which device is suitable for your son, you may use our JB HiFi pur-chasing portal. www.jbeducation.com.au/byodThe School Code is: STHSBYOD

LATENESS AND LEAVING EARLYStudents who arrive late must sign in at the office to gain an entry slip. They need to bring a note from home explaining their lateness. Seniors who have non-timetabled first period lessons are to attend roll call then go to the library. They are not permitted to come late to school. All Year 12 students who have returned permission notes, may leave after their last timetabled class of the day but must sign out at the front office. Year 12 students who do not have timetabled lessons during the day may not leave the school grounds, but may use the library for private study and need to sign in using their ID card. Students needing to leave early for urgent matters must bring a note to be signed by a Deputy Principal before roll call then take it to the front office. Medical/dental appointments should be made out of school hours.

PARKINGParents who pick up their sons after school should do so at the back of the school in Ethel Street or in Botany Street. The Ethel Street gate is the preferred entrance for students if parents are dropping their sons. There is plenty of parking and very little traffic in Anderson and Botany Streets. It is too busy and too dangerous to stop in Anderson Street since staff and senior students are leaving at the same time. Please do not double-park, or park across driveways as it is both illegal and dangerous. The Anderson Street and Forest Road car parks are for staff only. Please be aware of recently extended Bus Zones and No Stopping Zones.

SKATEBOARDS, SCOOTERS, MOBILE PHONES AND OTHER VALUABLESStudents and parents are reminded that skateboards and scooters should not be brought to school. It is also most unwise to bring valuable equipment to school. If students bring a mobile phone, it must be turned off inside buildings. Wallets and valuables must never be left in unattended bags. If a student must bring a large amount of money to school, it should be left at the front office for safekeeping during the day. Electronic devices should be kept with the students and are not to be used at recess or lunch in the playground. Should students need to use their device for school work at recess or lunch, they should access the school library.

ILLNESSStudents who are ill during the day or who have an accident must report to the front office. They are not to phone parents directly. That is the responsibility of the office staff, who have very clear procedures to follow when students attend the school sick bay. Parents will be phoned if the office staff and Deputy Principals believe that the student should be taken home or if an ambulance is called. It is essential that the school has correct contact details. Have you changed phone or mobile phone numbers recently? Please let the school know. This is also important for notification of student absences.

STUDENTS DRIVING TO SCHOOLSenior students who drive to school are reminded of the following:• There is no student parking in any of the school

car parks, including the Anderson Street and Forest Road car parks. Vehicles are to be parked in the streets surrounding the school, while observing the parking signs.

• Students are not to leave the school grounds during the school day, except at the conclusion of lessons for the day. Study periods must be conducted in the library.

• Drivers and their passengers can obtain driver/passenger information forms from DP Ms Peachey – these are to be returned to the office before driving to school commences.

• Remember to drive safely and abide by the road rules, which are there for your protection.


SUPERVISION BEFORE SCHOOLSupervision of students before school begins at 8:30am. There is a very low incidence of accidents in the playground before school, which reflects the nature of the student body and their level of maturity. The playgrounds present no obvious hazards in terrain or equipment, nor are they adjacent to any busy road.

Students should not be present in the school grounds before 8:30 am. Parents remain responsible for their sons until 8:30am when staff supervision begins. From 8:30am until 8:45am the Principal and/or Deputy Principals and/or Head Teacher Administration will be available in the administration block to attend to any incidents which may occur. There are also senior classes before and after school and the library will be open for students undertaking research work.

SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHSSchool Photographs will be taken in Term 1. Years 7, 8, 9, 10 and 12 will be Week 9 Tuesday 23 March. Year 11 and any students who missed out on being photographed with their year group will be Week 10 Monday 29 March. Information will be distributed through roll call classes. All students are to be photographed whether they are purchasing or not as the photos are also used for student ID/library cards. The schedule for the day will be on noticeboards around the school.

PHOTOGRAPHS Occasionally staff take photos of individual students or groups of students for various school forums, such as the school website, Tech Talk, the annual journal, the annual school report, school year photo, artwork and other internal purposes. No photos are ever taken for commercial purposes or for outside groups. Any individual photo taken, such as for the school website, is always with the individual student’s permission. Some parents have already completed a Permission to Publish Form. Any other parent who does not wish his son to be photographed will need to put that request in writing and provide it to the Deputy Principal, Mr Grinham, by 27 February. In such cases it will be the responsibility of the student to remove himself from any activity where photography may occur.


LUNCH BOOK CLUB — Our Term 1 Book Club choice is “The Puppet Boy of Warsaw” by Eva Weaver, which was popular last year with our Year 8s and 9s then spread through the other years due to word of mouth. Join the student led group at 1:10pm on Monday 15 March. Bring in your lunch and discuss this moving historical novel in Seminar Room 1. Find out why students are saying it’s their favourite book!

Follow us on@sydneytechlibrary

PREMIER’S READING CHALLENGE — The PRC is not a competition between students but rather a challenge for each student to try to read 20 books during the year and to read widely in a variety of different genres - mystery, fantasy, horror, historical fiction, science fiction, etc. It is open to students in Years 7-9 at our school. In March, students will be able to start recording books that they’ve read from 31 August of last year until now. Go to the PRC website for more information.

GREETINGS FROM THE CHARLES KINGSFORD SMITH LIBRARY

Elizabeth GreavesRelieving Teacher/Librarian

INTRA-SCHOOL CHESSDuring Terms 3 and 4, the library hosts a chess tournament between students to crown a Tech Chess Champion. In 2020, we had so many players that we had a junior and senior division. The tournament begins in Term 3 and lasts through the first half of Term 4 so start brushing up on your chess skills now! We have chess sets available to students for before school, recess and lunch use. See Mrs Greaves if you need a timer.


Our students in Year 7 will be visiting the library in Week 5 to find out how to use our library, what is available to them here, and to understand the procedures and protocols involved in researching and borrowing resources. At that time, they will be finishing with a fun scavenger hunt that they will complete in groups. Later in the year, they will return for an Escape Room activity reviewing information literacy skills.

WHAT MATTERS TO ME? - a Whitlam Institute Writing CompetitionWe challenge all of our boys to enter this writing competition which was inspired by Gough Whitlam’s commitment to involving young people in the shaping of Australia’s future. Responding to the simple question “What Matters?” students are able to write a 400-600 word piece about any subject that means something to them. Entries can be in in prose or poetry. We know that our boys are articulate and passionate about a variety of issues facing the world today or just them personally. To enter go to https://www.whitlam.org/what-matters and you could win a variety of prizes including $350, an iPad and/or a day at Parliament House with other young writers.

The library’s “Blind Date with a Book” arrives just in time for Valentine’s Day. Pop into the library and choose your “blind date” and you’ll find these books are single and ready to mingle. We suggest students try to look beyond the cover of the book and the genre. Many students insist that they “hate” a type of story such as fantasy or horror so they don’t even try books that look like these genres. We ask that students borrow a “blind date” book and read at least 30 pages to give it a chance. If they don’t like it, they can return it for another one until they find their perfect match. We have had students come back to us in past years and admit that they didn’t think they liked science fiction but they have to admit that they enjoyed a certain book. Our goal for students, especially our Year 7 students, is to push them out of their comfort zones of easy books such as Diary of a Wimpy Kid or Manga titles and to start trying new series or exploring new genres.


PERFORMING ENSEMBLES UPDATE 2021It must be said that 2020 was a tough year for everyone, particularly the performing ensembles. Despite this, we tried to maintain the program as best we could and were still able to produce some excellent music.This period provided the opportunity to evaluate the program and make some changes to a system that has not been adjusted for at least a decade. In consultation with the Principal, Steven So, and the School Administration Manager (SAM), Di Hills, we have made the following improvements:• Fees will be charged per rehearsal week at $5 for

choir and $8 for all other ensembles.• Fees will be invoiced per term.• If a rehearsal for a specific ensemble is cancelled

by the school (eg Sports Carnivals etc) then it will be taken into account in the next term’s invoice.

• The school will not take into account rehearsals where students are absent and the rehearsal is still held.

• You will only be charged one fee regardless of how many ensembles your son is in, eg if your son is in Concert Band, Stage Band and Choir, he will only be charged one fee of $8 per rehearsal week.

• There will be a one-off annual sibling discount of $50 taken off the eldest sibling’s invoice. Please let the school know if this applies to you.

These fees will be put towards the following:• The majority of this money will pay the additional

ensemble conductors. In 2021 we will continue to have external tutors for String Ensemble, Stage Band, Guitar Ensemble and we will be bringing in a new conductor for Intermediate Band. These are industry experienced professionals who share their expertise to our specialist ensembles. Mr Gamage will maintain his position as the conductor of the Concert Band and Mrs Ryan will lead the Choir.

• Purchase and distribution of sheet music.• Provision of musical accessories (reeds, strings,

oil, cork grease etc) when needed during rehearsals.

• Maintenance of instruments provided by the school (eg percussion, guitars, amplifiers, pianos etc).

• Entertainment/Incursion at the Performing Ensembles Camp*.

• BBQs and other miscellaneous purchases made for performances throughout the year.

• Payment of entry and transport to competitions such as Bandfest.

CAPERS AT CAPAJulie Ryan

Head Teacher Creative Arts


These changes will strive to enhance the Ensemble Program in the following ways:• An equitable and transparent music program that

provides a quality product at a reasonable cost.• Concerts and performances that demonstrate

excellence and mastery with professional production standards.

• Equipment and resources that are well maintained and updated regularly.

• New and exciting repertoire which will engage students, encourage at-home practice and improve the overall standard of the ensembles.

As an example, below you will find an estimated number of rehearsals for Term 1 2021 based on the current school calendar and a consequent cost of each ensemble. Per Term Invoice Term 1 Concert Band 64 Intermediate Band 64 Guitar Ensemble 64 Stage Band 56 String Ensemble 56 Choir 40

* The payment for the Performing Ensembles Camp will be invoiced separately in Term 2. The payment will cover transport, accommodation, tutors and catering. The evening entertainment/music incursion at this camp is subsidised by the Performing Ensemble Budget.

Performing Ensembles will commence rehearsals in Week 2 Term 1, 2021, with the exception of String Ensemble and Stage Band which will start in Week 3 due to the swimming carnival. There will be no rehearsal in Week 10. These innovations endeavour to enhance your son’s involvement in the Ensemble Program. Your constructive feedback on these ideas is appreciated and encouraged and we will assess these changes at the end of 2021 in order to continue to improve our service to you.

Below you will find some important dates for you to put in your calendar:

Performing Ensembles Camp 15, 16, 17 June

Musicale Concert 22 June

Summer Ensembles Concert 22 November

Thank you for your support and understanding during 2020 and I look forward to a very musical and successful 2021.And so much more….Yours in music.


Welcome back to another year at Sydney Technical High School. My name is Jerry Mouzakis and I am the Careers Adviser at Sydney Tech.I hope everyone has settled in well and I look forward to keeping you informed about the world of careers and assisting in the transition of students from school to undergraduate studies. For new students and parents, the Careers Cottage is located adjacent to the staff carpark off Anderson Street. The Cottage is always open for students. I am available to help students with resume writing, cover letters, post schooling options, careers counselling, mock interviews and scholarship applications.In light of the Covid restrictions, I am happy to communicate with parents via the phone. My direct number is 9587 5899 extension 110. Areas that could be of interest might include information regarding career and university options, subject selection, work experience or medicine and scholarship applications. The careers newsletter “The Oracle” will be emailed fortnightly to students and their parents. This newsletter will include information about upcoming careers events, extracurricular activities available to students and current job market information.

Articles relating to careers, leadership, interview techniques and predicted career growth areas will be copied from sources like the Harvard Business Review, In the Black, AFR and newspapers. These are available for students to read from two locations - the senior study area in the library and the Careers Cottage. Feel free to peruse these articles and I look forward to chatting with you in the coming year. The analysis of the destination data from the Class of 2020 has commenced and I will report on this in the next edition of Tech Talk.

WORLD OF CAREERS

Jerry MouzakisCareers Adviser


Welcome to 2021 and another new year for all the students, teachers and parents at Sydney Technical High School.The P&C Committee is an inclusive group and we welcome and value the input and opinions of all parents. Our aim is to support Sydney Technical High School as a school of excellence for students, teachers and parents.The obvious goal of the P&C Committee is to improve students’ wellbeing and results by providing and catering to the students’ educational needs. However, this can only be achieved by also providing and catering to the needs and continuing development of the teachers as well as communicating and meeting the expectations of the parents group.In order to achieve this, I would encourage you all to join the Facebook P&C discussion group (www.facebook.com/groups/sthspandc) to enable better communication with all the parents at the school. We understand that everyone has busy lives and it may not always be possible to attend all the P&C Meetings. We hope that the new P&C Facebook group along with the school’s Facebook page will provide parents with enough up to date information and insight as to the happenings at the school as well as providing a channel for open communication with the school and the P&C.While you are all in the spirits of signing up to P&C resources, please also check out the official P&C Whatsapp parents chat group for each year group of the school. The purpose of this chat group is to allow parents to communicate and discuss with other parents with students in the same year. This has been a great success in previous years allowing parents to share their experience and tips with each other and the continued success of these chat groups lies with the support and participation of the parents in each year group.

MEETINGSThe P&C meets the first Tuesday of each month during the school term at 7:00pm. Normally the meeting is held at the school in the Common room, however in 2020, due to Covid-19 we had our meetings online via Zoom. We normally have a guest speaker for the evening who shares their knowledge on a topic that matters to our kids. Please bring your suggestions with reference to guest speakers and topics to our meetings.We also have the Principal and the Deputy Principals presenting their reports at our meetings where they will update the P&C of the work done in the past month and also the work planned for the future.There is also time set aside under “Other Business” where the parents attending are given an opportunity to raise matters concerning the activities of STHS.

CONTACTING THE P&CWe welcome all comments, suggestions and questions that you may have. Please contact us via our Facebook group or you can email us at [email protected] and you can address your concerns and suggestions to the next P&C Meeting.

The next P&C Meeting is on Tuesday 2 March 2021 starting at 7:00pm.

Details with regard to the meeting being on site or via Zoom will be given

at a later date.Looking forward to seeing you then.

Starting @ 7:00pmAll parents are welcome.

P&C CHAT

Warren MakP&C President


Welcome back to all our returning students and their families and a warm welcome to our new students and their parents. I hope you have all had a relaxing break, ready to start the 2021 school year after the extraordinary challenges we all faced last year. On the first day of Term 1 all of our new Year 7 students participated in a series of different transition activities and a peer support session with their Year 9 leaders to help them settle into High School. There will also be a study skills workshop at the Year 7 camp in Week 5 of this term.

The Year 11 and 12 students also had a Wellbeing Assembly on their first day back where they were provided with information from their Year Adviser and various other guest speakers. Year 11 students received handy tips on how to build up a strong school reference over the next two years and key messages about organisation in the senior years, wellbeing assistance available and our mentoring program. The Year 12 students were informed about the Educational Access Scheme, Scholarships and key dates for a series of University presentations organised throughout the year as well as how to make a UAC application online from 1 April when UAC will send the 4-digit pin via email. The highlight of both presentations was hearing from two of our guest speakers from last year’s HSC group, George Kekatos and Lance Berzabal who shared their experiences of studying and preparing for assessments and managing a healthy work life balance throughout the senior years.

There are some new and returning faces to the Wellbeing team in 2021: Nathan Ngan (Year 7 Adviser), Mitchell Davis (Year 8 Adviser), Andy Cachia (Year 9 Adviser), Anna Steel (Year 10 Adviser), Cheryle Steel (Year 11 Adviser) and Joanne Bilton (Year 12 Adviser). Jay Dahl will continue in his role as school counsellor (Monday, Tuesday and Friday) and Stephanie Lawson will be relieved by Jordan Lawlor-Short as school counsellor (Wednesday and Thursday). Gai Primmer is the school’s Learning and Support Teacher with

Gai working on Monday and Tuesday this year. Jerry Mouzakis is our Careers Adviser, Pam Stergiou will take on the role as Junior Transition Coordinator and Jenny Haitidis will be the Transition Coordinator for new students coming to Tech in Years 8–12. We also welcome our new Deputy Alison Peachey who will be the Deputy Principal for Years 8, 10 and 12 whilst Kirk Grinham is the Deputy for Years 7, 9 and 11.

For our new parents, the Wellbeing Team is usually the first point of contact when contacting the school with issues about the wellbeing of your sons and we are available to assist you should the need arise.

GUIDELINES FOR GOAL SETTING AND ORGANISATIONThe beginning of a new year is an ideal time to start thinking about setting goals and organising yourself for the year ahead. A good place to start is by using Prue Salter’s online study skills resources which are available at www.studyskillshandbook.com.au by logging in with the details below:

Username: STHS

Password: 686 success

This year, staff and students will continue to have access to Prue’s study skills resources along with a new online resource called ‘Mentally Tough Teens’ and ‘Unleashing Personal Potential’ for use at our Wellbeing Assemblies to help promote positive thinking via growth mindset, grit and wellbeing. Far too often we see some students fall into the trap of becoming fixed in their way of thinking, making improvement that much harder for them. By educating students about neuroplasticity of the brain and challenging the way we think through growth mindset, grit and positive wellbeing, individual students will be in a better position to show their true potential.

WELLBEING @ TECH

Nick StokesHead Teacher Wellbeing


Further information can be found at:

https://www.thepositivityinstitute.com.au/product/growing-mentally-tough-teens/

http://www.unleashingpersonalpotential.com.au/

ATTENDANCESydney Technical High School has high expectations of all of its students and this includes their attendance. The school must adhere to State and Federal legislature around this as it ensures all children, up to the age of 17, attend school. The demographics of the students at STHS mean that many are travelling long distances each day and rely on public transport that can sometimes be delayed. In these unforeseen instances, the school is always understanding. Where such understanding expires is when student absenteeism and/or lateness becomes too frequent. Students who know that their transport links are unreliable in allowing them to arrive on time to school every day are strongly encouraged to make alternative arrangements. This may mean leaving home earlier. All students are allowed three instances of unexplained lateness to school every term before they will receive an after school detention.

Keeping an accurate and appropriate record of student attendance is a legal requirement of all schools. A student’s attendance record is also a valuable tool for potential universities and employers when ascertaining a person’s reliability and punctuality. STHS is aware of this and ensures that attendance is always printed on every semester report. Department of Education procedures state that parents will have seven days to explain their child’s absence (via SMS, letter etc) before the absence will be recorded as unexplained. The school is no longer required to retrospectively amend a student’s attendance record after the seven days have lapsed ie if a parent brings in a note with several dates from throughout the year all deemed “sick”.

Should you have further questions around this, please contact the school. Full school attendance is a vital part of education and encourages active and responsible participation. We appreciate your support in this important issue.


YEAR 7 2021 - WELCOME TO SYDNEY TECH


SCHOOL NOTICES

VISITORS TO SCHOOLCOVID-19 - Please be aware that at the present time we would appreciate it if all parents and visitors do not come on to school grounds.We will inform you when we have a change in this ruling from the Department of Education.

OFFICE HOURS AND PAYMENTSThe School Office is open from 8:15am-3:15pm for enquiries. Payments by students should only be made before school, between Period 1 and 2, at Recess and at Lunch. Payments will not be taken after the bell has gone at the end of lunch.Payments over the phone or at the front office can only be made from 8:15am-1:45pm.Payments on Line can be made using the link in your emailed statement or via the STHS website. If you would like an account statement sent to you please contact the office.Website Payments - To make online payments, click on the ‘online payment’ link in the top right hand corner of the HOME page above the SEARCH box.

ATTENTION PARENTS - SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AND LEAVEIf your child is absent from school, an explanation must be provided to the school within seven school days from the first day of any period of absence.It is Departmental Policy that if your son needs to leave the school early for an appointment, a letter must be brought to the school office and it must be signed by one of the Deputy Principals before the start of the school day for leave to be granted.If you reply to an SMS about your son’s absence, please note his name, class and reason for the absence on the SMS.

SICK BAY AND YOUR SONIf you receive a phone call from the office informing you that your son is unwell and in sick bay, you must attend to this promptly and collect your son as soon as possible.Your son cannot be left in sick bay for lengthy periods of time.

PARENT/TEACHER CONTACTAny parent who needs to make contact with a Year Adviser or Teacher should phone the school (9587 5899) OR email the school ([email protected]) to arrange a suitable time.

IMPORTANT HEALTH INFORMATIONA student in our school is currently receiving treatment which results in a lowered immune system. This means that the student is more prone to getting ill from infections. As the student is not contagious but has a chronic illness, it is important that he participates actively in the day to day school program without any major limitations. A major concern is that if this student develops measles, chicken pox, whooping cough or influenza, he could become seriously ill. It is important that we prevent this situation from occuring.If your child has or may have measles or chicken pox, it is important that you:1. Do not send them to school2. Notify the School Principal

as soon as possible.3. Take them to your GP or

medical centre to confirm diagnosis if possible.

CHANGE OF MOBILE PHONE NUMBERS AND ADDRESSESIf you have changed your mobile phone number, email or mailing address, please contact the school immediately so that we can update our records.


SCHOOL PAYMENTS In accordance with Covid-19

and Department of Education Guidelines, the school requests

that all payments be made online as parents and visitors are not

allowed on school grounds at the present time.

Credit card payments can be made over the phone.

If paying by cash, put the correct money in an envelope with

student’s name, class and item for which payment is being made

and your son can bring to the office before school, recess and

lunch.

STUDENT DROP OFF/PICK UP

Traffic conditions in Anderson Street have become too dangerous

for students plus local residents have complained about the

increased traffic. Due to this increased traffic

around the school, it has been decided that if you are dropping off your son in the morning and picking him up in the afternoon,

then you must do so at Ethel Street ONLY.

Students will be directed out the Ethel Street Gates in the

afternoon.

Please be aware of local residents in Ethel Street - do not park across

driveways and be aware of their privacy.

SCHOOL SECOND HAND UNIFORM SHOP

The Second Hand Uniform Shop is located in Vera’s Cottage. The Second Hand Uniform Shop is run by

volunteers. Volunteers are always needed - please contact the

office with your name and phone number if you can spare some time.

During the school terms, the Second Hand Uniform Shop is open on the Second Tuesday of each

calendar month, from 10:30am till noon.

Uniform shop will next be open on Tuesday 9 February, 2021.

Students are allowed to come along and grab a bargain.

Due to continuing Covid-19 and Department of Education guidelines, parents will be able to enter the Second Hand Uniform Shop if they adhere to

the following:

• CASH payments only• Enter through Anderson Street pedestrian gate

and leave the school grounds promptly• Scan the QR code on arrival

• Wear a mask

The Second Hand Uniform Shop is always in need of good quality uniform items.

If you have any donations of used uniform items, please have your son bring them in to the Office.


BUILDING FUNDSydney Technical High School was relocated to the current site in Bexley from the city and the school opened in 1953. The building is very solid, but not very flexible and of course aspects of the school require constant upgrades.The financial support of our parent and alumni community is critical in renovating school facilities through support of our Building Fund. Donations to the fund over $2 may be tax deductible.Recently, the Building Fund has renovated both the senior and junior toilets together with a major upgrade to the students’ change rooms. We are currently upgrading our electrical network to enable upgraded wifi facilities to provide students with continuing future technology resourcesCan I urge you, on behalf of our school community, to consider contributing generously to this very worthwhile fund, as we all benefit, towards ensuring that our students learn in an environment which is fit for our purpose: OPTIMUM LEARNING!

LIBRARY FUNDWant to be ‘rich and famous’? Then make it a rule to read daily. Famous and very rich people like financier Warren Buffet, and Bill Gates read daily. A number of our students are avid readers and the 7-10 English reading program has given many students a great appetite for good books.Our Library Fund gives parents and alumni the opportunity to donate to the Library. Donations to the fund over $2 may be tax deductible. The fund recently enabled us to renovate the whole area to make it modern, user friendly and a place to hang out. Open every day at 8am, the Library Fund lets the school keep interesting, thought provoking and modern books available for our students. The school introduced the READ program in 2018. Every student and teacher are required to read for 20 minutes every morning.Could I urge all parents to contribute generously to the Library Fund, so that we can keep up to date with the sorts of novels and series that your son enjoys, and put them on the path to becoming lifelong readers.

PAYMENTS TO THE BUILDING FUND AND LIBRARY FUND CAN BE MADE:• on line via the school website - Parent Online Payment (POP)

• at the school office with cash, cheque or credit card• by phone using credit card

Office hours for payments are 8:15am - 1:45pm

Tech Talk Sydney Technical February High School 2021 · 2021. 2. 3. · Tech Talk. Sydney Technical...

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