FRANCIS GREENWAY HIGH SCHOOL GAZETTE

Mrs Edwards (Principal)

We Value Your Input Please feel free to contact us at any time: PO Box 124, Beresfield NSW 2322 Phone: 02 4964 1282 Fax 02 4964 1147 Email: francisgre-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au Website: http://www.francisgre-h.schools.nsw.edu.au

Edition 2 February 2018

FROM THE PRINCIPAL As the very proud Principal of Francis Greenway High School I would like to welcome all of our school community to another year of learning. Our school vision statement is Successful Learners- Supportive Environment. As a school, we recognise the importance of students feeling safe, happy and confident at school if they are to be successful in their learning. We strive to meet the needs of each individual student so that they reach their full potential. Congratulations to our 2017 HSC students who have been successful in gaining university entry. We wish them all the very best as they pursue their chosen careers. Our 2017 HSC results were something for our school community to be proud of with students gaining four Band 6’s and 27 Band 5’s. The teachers of those students are to be commended on this success as well as the students. Our school has been identified as one which successfully improves student learning. This is referred to as Growth and is measured by the external tests, NAPLAN and the HSC. The recent Swimming carnival was a fabulous way to start the year with lots of students competing and reconnecting with friends. Staff looked amazing as they got into the spirit with their Hawaiian shirts. It was wonderful to see some of our families attending the day. Days such as these strengthen relationships and contribute to our climate of positivity. At our recent Welcome Assembly we inducted our Leadership Team, the Executive of our Junior Aboriginal Education Consultative Group and the House Captains. Holding a leadership position is both a great honour and a great responsibility and the students below will serve as excellent role models and representatives for our school: They include: Captains Ben Callinan and Emily Watters Leadership Team Sarah McCarten, Harry Mathews, Jessica Valente, Lachlan Buffet JAECG Executive Maddison Meredith and Brayth McInnes, Vice President, Kyra Milne, Secretary, Skye Delaney and William Edmiston House Captains listed below: Blue - Pantarr - Kangaroo- Captains- Dylan Evans and Abbie Bailey Vice Captains- Lachlan Buffet and Katalina Bailey

Red - Marin - Emu- Captains- Lachlan Ridley and Sarah McCarten Vice Captains- Brayth McInnes and Danielle Parrott

Green- Kawul- Eagle- Captains- Zoe Fairhurst and Luke Lawrence Vice Captains- Hayley Giles and Daniel Hunt

Yellow- Wakalarr - Rosella- Captains- Jasmine Spacek-Blanc and Jye Taylor Vice Captains- Dominic Tupou and Tiara Spacek-Blanc

As individuals, students are unique in the way they learn and the areas they are passionate about and excel in. Our school aims to cater for the individual student by providing opportunities that will allow students to grow both academically and as young adults. For those students who need to be challenged academically, our top class will experience a classroom where collegial competition is encouraged and extra curricula events provide deeper levels of thinking.

February 2018

Monday February 19 Year 7 Camp

Tuesday February 20 P & C Meeting in the Library at 6PM

March 2018

Wednesday March 14 Immunisations for Years 7, 11 & 12

The Gifted and Talented program at our school begins with the E-Program. The students from our primary schools are collected in our bus and work with a specialist teacher. This includes Math, Science, Music, Technology and Sport. This continues with specialist programs in high school and extension work across all Key Learning Areas. Students who may need extra support can access our Learning and Support Teachers and our Student Learning Support Officers who work in classrooms to provide additional instruction. If your child has any additional learning needs please contact your child’s year adviser. Any student who has a medical condition should provide details to the Wellbeing team. It is mandatory that students who need a health plan or an Allergy/Anaphylaxis Plan provide a copy to the school which has been completed by a doctor and is up to date. Our students have returned to school looking magnificent in their uniform. I thank parents and carers for supporting our uniform. It shows that students are proud to be part of our school. Another area I seek your support is attendance. When students are absent or late their learning is interrupted. With five subjects each day to study, missing a day means they have a lot to catch up on. If your child is reluctant to come to school please contact their year advisor for support. Finally, school safety. Students are NOT to be dropped off in the bus bay area. Only staff and school buses are to enter this area. Also, please do not do U-turns or park three abreast outside the school as we have many, many near misses. Thank you. Jo Edwards Principal

Years 11 and 12 Year 12 The final stage of their 13-year school journey has begun and the HSC exams will be here in approximately 35 weeks. Now is the time for students to work hard, be consistent and continue to revise and use the resources provided to them here at school. Students have flexible timetables, however, the HSC Hub is available to them when they have a study period and Ms Danielle Walsh is there to provide them with assistance and guidance with their tasks. Students were all equipped with a 2018 diary at the end of last year and in the ‘Reaching Your Potential’ final sessions; they were coached on how to use the diary effectively to manage themselves and their time. There is an expectation that the diary will be with them every day. Elevate will present two seminars this year to Year 12. Ace Your Exams on March 20

This seminar will cover

Highest value exam preparation tasks

Fixing mistakes to ensure constant improvement

Time allocation during exam preparation

Techniques for managing stress and time pressures in exams In Term 3, they will return to present Finishing Line. This seminar will cover

Overcoming weaknesses in the lead up to exams

The role of Exam Study Groups

Stress Management techniques and wellbeing

Study routines for swotvac and holidays A reminder that the Deputy Principal can revoke flexible timetables at any time as stated on the permission note sent home and signed by parents and students. The expectation is that students attend every lesson that is a scheduled face to face with their teacher, especially the days where students may have only one timetabled lesson. These days may provide temptation to stay at home; however, this will impact negatively on their attendance and achieving the HSC. I will be watching student attendance carefully and meeting with students having whole days off unexplained.

Year 11 Students have been equipped the opportunity to have a flexible timetable on Mondays. Students may leave after their period 4 class. If students wish to stay at school and use the learning centre to complete tasks they may do so. All Year 11 have been equipped with a 2018 Diary. The expectation is that this diary will be at school every day and will be checked by teachers. Sessions on Thursday will provide students with the tools to use the diary effectively.

Last week year 11 began their mentor program ‘Reaching Your Potential’, this program aims to maximise the students’ performance in the Higher School Certificate. Every student is assigned a teacher to be his or her mentor. The mentors provide their students with advice on the productive use of their time, so that they can be well prepared for assessment tasks, exams and other assigned activities. There are sessions on using the diary, studying, getting ready for exams, reflecting on exam performance, applying for university, accessing NESA information, answering extended response questions, stress management and possible lectures from ex-students about their experiences. The mentor sessions are scheduled for 45 minute every Thursday during sport time.

Elevate will run a Time Management seminar for Year 11 on March 20 The seminar will cover

Developing routines to balance study and lifestyle

Working smart by completing high value work

Utilizing study groups to leverage time

Techniques for overcoming procrastination

A Message to Parents

Parents are invited to get involved and support their HSC student on March 20 from 5pm – 7pm in the library. There will be light refreshments provided and Elevate will present a session that is designed to be an open forum for discussion. This allows parents to ask our study skills experts any questions they have about being the parent of a secondary school student. Typical questions are: • How do I help my child become more motivated? • How do I help my child improve their time management? • What work should my child be doing? • How do I help my child deal with distractions? The presenter then answers these questions by highlighting critical techniques from the Elevate seminars. For example: • Creating realistic goals that actually work. • Developing an effective study timetable that parents can help design. • Providing parents with a road map of what work students should be doing and when. • Understanding the impact of distractions and the best ways to manage them. The presenter will also stay after the session to answer any additional questions that the parents may have. There will also be a presentation from key members of staff at FGHS and there will be an opportunity to talk to your child’s classroom teacher. Please save this date. Amanda Usher Deputy Principal Years 11 & 12

Years 7 and 9 For Year 9, this is the first opportunity in their learning where they have been able to choose 2 subjects to study for their Stage 5 learning. Courses include: Physical Activity and Sport Studies, Drama, Visual Art, Forensics and Criminology, Photography and Digital Media, iStem, Industrial Technology Metals and Timber, Child Studies, Food Technology and Music. It’s been great to see how engaged and excited students are around their learning in these areas. Year 7 have settled well and are loving the opportunities high school has to offer. I’ve been really pleased with the attitude the kids have shown to their teachers and their subjects. Students participate in integrated sport this year which is a different model of sport allowing the kids to develop their movement skills and have fun in a non-threatening environment. Classes are a single period attended 3 times a cycle across the timetable. I look forward to enjoying a successful year with all of our wonderful students. Damien Brownsmith Deputy Principal Years 7 & 9

Years 8 and 10 It has been a pleasure to welcome back students to our school after a well-earned break. Students are settling in very well and making great progress towards their learning goals. Many students have met with me to express their desire to improve and work towards their personal best. For Year 10, this year begins their formal external qualifications through the NSW Education Standards Authority. Many families may have heard about the new HSC Minimum Standards in Literacy and Numeracy. Extensive information on meeting those standards is available here: http://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/hsc/hsc-minimum-standard/what-is-the-standard http://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/hsc/hsc-minimum-standard/online-tests Key points include:

Most students in the state will need to undertake one or all the following tests:

Minimum Standard Reading Test – 45 multiple choice questions Minimum Standard Numeracy Test – 45 multiple choice questions Minimum Standard Writing Test – one question based on a visual or text prompt with up to a 500 word-response

If a student obtained a Band 8 in Reading, Numeracy or Writing at Year 9 NAPLAN they will not have to sit the test for that respective

area.

Students will have many opportunities to meet the HSC minimum standard, even after they finish Year 12. But it is important to note:

Students have five years from the year they start their first HSC course to meet the HSC minimum standard, so can take the online

tests after they leave school.

Students will be able to sit their HSC exams and receive their HSC results regardless of whether they attain the HSC minimum

standard. However, without the minimum standard, they will not receive the Higher School Certificate.

Students who do not meet the HSC minimum standard will receive a Record of School Achievement (RoSA) which contains a

student’s record of academic achievement up until the date they leave school.

The HSC is not required to receive an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR). This means students who don’t meet the HSC

minimum standard will still be able to apply to university, provided they meet all other ATAR requirements.

Students who leave school prior to Year 12 can choose to sit the minimum standard online tests (the minimum standard literacy and

numeracy tests will replace the current online Literacy and Numeracy tests from 2018)

Further information on the tests and arrangements for their completion will be provided to students. Year 8 students are experiencing their first chance at elective subjects. As they progress throughout Year 8 they have an opportunity to consider what elective courses they would like to undertake in Years 9 and 10, where they can choose two electives. During Year 8 they will study the core subjects as well as Music and their elective course. I have enjoyed meeting and greeting new and returning students, both in my direct years of responsibility and generally around the school. I am impressed by the level of energy and enthusiasm the students are demonstrating and trust they will continue to work towards achieving their best throughout 2018. Ben Higginbottom Deputy Principal Years 8 & 10

MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT Welcome to Francis Greenway High School. The Mathematics staff: Mr Abel, Mr Blinman, Mrs Burnett (HT), Mr Bush, Ms Carson, Mrs Elers, Mrs Waller are all looking forward to working with your child to improve their understanding and confidence in Mathematics. This year we are welcoming Mrs Cowan into the Mathematics faculty to teach junior Mathematics and some senior computing classes. As usual, we will be using the school intranet facility (Moodle) to supply information to students/parents about coursework, homework, assessments and important Board of Studies requirements. To help your child succeed in Mathematics, it is important that they bring all their equipment, including a workbook and calculator, to every lesson and complete the classwork to the best of their ability. Learning their multiplication facts and being organised are important skills that will lead to success. A separate work book for Mathematics is required as course work is regularly checked by class room teachers. Having an ‘all-in-one’ book is not satisfactory. Students are expected to bring their own scientific calculator (Casio or Sharp) every day as the Numeracy strand is covered in all subject areas of high school.

Assessments: All students in Years 7 -10 will complete an ‘end of term’ test as part of their Mathematics assessment this year. Students will

be able to access revision papers (via FGHS Moodle site) to practice and revise for these tasks. Any Year 9 or Year 10 student who does not complete an assessment task on the due date will need to complete a misadventure form and provide a Doctor’s Certificate (as per school policy). Failure to do so will result in zero marks for that task and an N-Award notification being sent home.

Gifted and Talented Programs: The Mathematics Department will again be liaising with the University of Newcastle to offer enrichment

programs for our talented mathematics students. They will be held every fortnight for interested Year 9 and 10 students in terms 2 and 3, and cover areas not traditionally addressed in the standard curriculum through mathematical problem solving. Presenters give a range of perspectives which we hope will encourage participants to explore mathematics further in various ways.

iSTEM: Mr Abel is continuing to teach the Stage 5 Year 10 elective iSTEM. iSTEM is a school developed, BOSTES endorsed course (SDBEC)

which aims to contextualise curriculum content using problem based learning activities. It is unique in the fact that it was developed in consultation with local manufacturing industries and integrates the often separately taught components of STEM.

Differentiated Learning Environment: Last year, Room E9 in the Mathematics block was painted and refurbished to help support

students and their personalized learning and growth in Mathematics. Mathematics aims to be relevant and applicable to the 21st century. The inclusion of the proficiencies of understanding, fluency, problem-solving and reasoning in the curriculum is to ensure that student learning and student independence are at the centre of the curriculum. The curriculum focuses on developing increasingly sophisticated and refined mathematical understanding, fluency, reasoning, and problem-solving skills. These proficiencies enable students to respond to familiar and unfamiliar situations by employing mathematical strategies to make informed decisions and solve problems efficiently. Room E10 has now been freshly painted (thank you Mr Joe Elers) and will soon be refurbished similar to Room E9. The Maths staff are hoping that our students will find both these rooms an enjoyable space in which to learn and achieve their potential.

HSC Minimum Standards: The HSC minimum literacy and numeracy standard is part of the Stronger HSC reforms announced in July 2016

by the Minister for Education. From 2020 students need to demonstrate a minimum standard to be eligible for the HSC. Students will have multiple opportunities to demonstrate they meet the standard between Year 9 and the time they complete their HSC. Students can demonstrate they meet the minimum standard by achieving Band 8 or above in reading, writing and numeracy. All other students will be able to sit online tests in Years 10 (from 2018), 11 and 12 to meet the standard. The NSW Education Standards Authority has detailed information on the NESA’s website.

Learning Centre: Our school Learning Centre is located in the Library after school on a Monday and Wednesday afternoon 3pm – 4pm. All

students are encouraged to use this facility to complete classwork, finish homework and assignments. There will be staff who have volunteered their time after school to help students with any questions.

Important assessment dates to remember:

Year Group Term 1 Test Topic areas

Year 7 Week 5 Assignment on Time (Overseas Holiday)

Year 8 Week 10 Probability, Data Collection and Representation, Decimals and Percentages

Year 9 Week 10 Indices, Numbers of any Magnitude, Algebraic Techniques

Year 10 Week 10 Algebraic Techniques, Trigonometry, Volume

Please contact the Maths staff is you have any questions regarding your child’s Mathematics Course. Kylie Burnett Head Teacher Mathematics

ENGLISH Welcome to another year of English. Last year we achieved some of our best ever HSC results and we look forward to setting your children up to achieve their very best this year. All junior years have started the year doing a novel study. Reading is the most important activity to improving literacy skills and it is a settled way to start the year. Ask your child about the novel they are studying – this will also help them retain information and further improve comprehension skills. Year 11 are the very first year to start with the new Stage 6 English syllabus. Advanced and Standard English are learning about dystopian texts and it is proving both interesting and challenging to our students. English Studies are completing a unit called ‘Achieving Through English’ where they are getting into a routine of practising good writing skills and habits as well as learning how to prepare a quality resume and developing their verbal communication skills. Year 12 are moving through their HSC and are still on the ‘old’ syllabus. This is their second module for the HSC and, while the actual HSC exams may seem like a long way off, October will be upon us very quickly, so it is important that students keep on top of their work load to reduce stress. All classes should have received their assessment information for the full year, so if you need to plan Drs appointments or other family affairs please have a look at this information to help you organise your individual needs. As usual, I cannot encourage reading enough. Reading sets your children up to achieve to the best of their ability in all subjects. It broadens their vocabulary, models good sentence structure, exposes them to worlds outside of their own as well as providing many other benefits. I am looking forward to another fantastic year and if you have any questions or concerns, please contact your child’s teacher or me. Kylie McElwain Head Teacher English

CAREERS AND VET UPDATES Year 10 have commenced Career lessons where they will be looking at their future career options. Year 10 will be given their work experience paperwork in class before the end of term 1. If a student is absent for this lesson, they must see me in the Careers Office in the Library. This paperwork must be explained to students in detail, and cannot be given to another student on their behalf. I will be accepting completed paperwork from Week 1 Term 2. Work Experience will be Week 8 (18/6 -22/6) of Term 2. There will be two White Card Training Courses (WHS Induction for the Building Industry) held at school on Tuesday April 3 (week 10) Term 1 and Tuesday May 8 (week 2) Term 2. Students must first present a blue permission note to me to be included in this course. The cost is $89 to be paid before the course at Student Services. This course is mandatory for students undertaking work experience of any kind on a building site. This year due to new government requirements, each student must obtain a USI number before the course, by going on the website www.usi.gov.au . This can be completed at home or at school with me before the day of the course, and students must have photo proof of identity, such as their student ID card on the day of the course. Year 11 students who did not provide their USI to me at the end of last year, please do so as soon as possible. Forms are available, with instructions, from the Careers Office in the Library.

Year Group Term 1 Term 2 Term 3 Term 4

Year 11 Week 10 Week 9 Week 9 Start Year 12

Year 12 Week 10 & 11 (Half Yearly)

Week 7 Week 1 & 2 (Trial HSC)

HSC

Please also note that although Year 10, 11 and 12 students may be eligible for a RoSA certificate, this will not be issued until the student leaves school permanently and the school needs to be notified of this, so that we can apply for the RoSA Certificate. However, while students are at school, they can access the NESA website and make an account with students online. From there, all their records are accessible and can be printed. Students receive emails about this through their school email account and Student Portal. They should be checking them regularly as they may miss out on important information. All VET students will be completing their VET induction and Work Ready Program on Thursday February 8 and Thursday February 15. This is a mandatory requirement of NESA when undertaking VET Studies. Yr 12 Retail Services In Retail we have been focusing on Merchandising and Creating Displays. Our recent event “Looking Good” required us to get in the festive spirit with Christmas themed displays late last term. To kick start the new school year we designed a Party display to celebrate our final year of schooling. We each had different roles to play to make our team come together and reach the point of success. Our event required us to perform in team meetings, analyse displays, create portfolios and finally build the physical displays. Connor & Lani

Kate Taylor Careers/VET/CAT Adviser

LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH (LOTE) – JAPANESE (日本語)

Konnichi wa! In 2018, all Year 7 students are completing their 100 hours of mandatory LOTE study in Japanese. The aim of this programme of study is to enable students to develop communication skills in Japanese and to gain insights into the relationship between Japanese language and culture, leading to lifelong personal, educational and vocational benefits. (NSW Board of Studies Japanese K-10 Syllabus) Most Year 7 students have started the year enthusiastically and are confidently using their newly acquired language skills in the classroom and also if we pass in the playground. I hope they are greeting each other every day with a friendly “ohayoo! (Morning)” We are lucky to have a Japanese Cultural Garden on site. This garden was designed and built by FGHS students and staff and was officially opened in November 2016. When temperatures cool, Year 7 students will be practising their speaking and listening skills in this beautiful outdoor learning space.

Students have demonstrated responsibility for their learning by coming to lessons with all of the required equipment to produce work of a high standard. I have asked all students to leave their books in the classroom so I can provide feedback on their work regularly. They will be permitted to bring workbooks home to show you at varying intervals during the year. The theme for Term 1 Japanese Studies is “All About Me”. Students will learn to communicate information about themselves, fam ily and friends. The first Assessment Task, completed in class in weeks 10 and 11, requires students to create a manga style image and include an introduction of the character in Japanese. Samples by 2017 Year 7 students are pictured. Japanese Drum Performance Taiko means ‘fat drum’ in Japanese. The energy and dynamic performance of Taiko drummers is a spectacle that all ages can enjoy. On Tuesday March 20, FGHS will be the venue for a Taiko Performance by EZ Japanese Touring Company. All Year 7 students are invited and encouraged to attend to complement their Japanese Cultural Studies and to practise their Japanese language skills with Kiyomi Sensei. The cost is $5.50 to be paid by Tuesday March 13. A note with more details will be coming home in Week 3 so please encourage your child to attend. Mrs S. Waller Japanese Teacher

VACCINATIONS YEAR 7 2018

Vaccination Day for Year 7, 10, 11 is Wednesday March 14, 2018. All Year 7 have been issued with vaccination forms which are to be taken home to parents. These forms are to be returned completed and put in the pink labelled box outside the PE staffroom. Please ensure all forms are completed in blue or black pen and with medicare numbers filled in on form. Year 10 and 11 forms have not yet arrived for the Meningococcal ACWY vaccine. If your child has any issues or questions please contact Mrs Jean Bull at the PE staffroom.

CAPA - PHOTOGRAPHY

Congratulations to Aden, Anjel, Elyse, James, Lexie, Mia, Natasha, Shaylee and Sophie in submitting their fantastic photographs into the Maitland Show Amateur Photography Competition. We wish them all the very best in the competition and highly recommend everyone to go visit and support our outstanding students and their works at the Maitland Show from February 16th – 18th.

SCIENCE DEPARTMENT As we begin a new year, all of us here in the Science Faculty would like to welcome all the new families to the school. We have a busy year and things are already starting to happen. Year 7 students are learning of their new Science classes and beginning to learn the skills they will need to become avid scientists. Firstly, just a reminder of who we are: Mark Whitton (Relieving Head Teacher), Lauren Tarleton (Year 11 Year Advisor), Dan Ross, Kirralee Andruschak (Year 9 Year Advisor), Robyn Ryan, James Bromley and Kerry Hodges (Lab Technician) Some housekeeping items:

1) It is recommended that students wear covered leather shoes. This is to protect against any mishaps that may occur in the lab (broken

glass, acid spills etc).

2) If your child is doing the Forensics elective, they are reminded to bring in $6 to pay for their coveralls.

This term, Elective Forensics (Years 8 and 9) and Year 8 Science students will be using an E-platform to create a portfolio of work that will be assessed after 10 weeks. The program is called “SeeSaw” and is set out similarly to Facebook, in that students can post their work to the page and can like or comment on other students work. In coming days, parents will be granted limited access to “SeeSaw” that will a llow you to view your student’s work. We feel this will help to keep students accountable and give parents a real time indication of how their child is doing in class. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us down in Science. We look forward to working with you in the coming year. Michael Latta Science Department

Volunteering is activity you do of your own free will to meet genuine needs. Although you often learn new skills and knowledge, you receive no

payment or advantage for your efforts. Volunteering involves giving your own time to help others.

Many students see volunteering as 'doing good stuff', putting a smile on other people's faces and generally helping out. At FGHS we have a lot of students currently involved in volunteering activities. They are our Student Voice Team, Year 9 Peer Support students, surf life savers, SES volunteers and wildlife rescue organisation volunteers. Some students regularly perform duties at their local sporting clubs, visit aged care facilities or provide assistance to people with disabilities.

Students who volunteer may be suitable for inclusion in the NSW Premier's Student Volunteering Awards program. Attainment of these awards

enhance a student’s resume and formally recognise the service they are providing to the school and community.

If your child is involved in any of the above activities or another activity which you think might qualify as volunteering, please encourage them to

speak to Mrs Waller at school about registering their volunteer hours.

Alternatively, if you would like to speak with me, please call during school hours on 4964 1282.

Sharon Waller Mathematics / Japanese Teacher

Student Volunteering and Service Learning

Wellbeing Team Student Centred – Learning Focused – Wellbeing Driven The Wellbeing Team would like to take this opportunity to welcome back all students for another successful year at Francis Greenway High School. 2018 Year Advisers Year 7 Laura George 2IC – Ben Douglas Year 8 Tegan Xenos

2IC – Amanda Bickerdike Year 9 Kirralee Andruschak 2IC – Kim Ninness Year 10 Stephen Abel 2IC – Carly Elers Year 11 Lauren Tarleton 2IC – Sarah Bretag Year 12 Sam Woolnough 2IC – Amie Walsh Speech Pathology Program All Areas Speech Pathology will be a huge part of our Wellbeing and Learning

Support Team in 2018 at Francis Greenway High School. The Speech Pathology Program will be conducted by a team of speech pathologists and university level speech pathology students. This is a Gateway Learning Community initiative, funded by Francis Greenway High School, so there is no cost for parents.

The benefits of your child being included:

Determining whether your child’s speech and language skills are developing within the expected range

Detecting any areas of difficulty or concern with communication skills

Determining if a speech or language delay might be contributing to any reading or writing difficulties

Providing strategies to you and your child’s teachers on ways to assist your child with the spoken and written language demands of school

work and homework tasks

If your child is found to have speech or language difficulties during the program you will be informed about the different options that will be available for speech therapy outside of school hours, if follow up is recommended. If you do not wish for your child to be included in the program or you have any questions about the process, please contact Natalie Conway as soon as possible to discuss this further.

Disability Provisions Students with a diagnosed medical condition and/or learning difficulty that impacts their ability to perform in examinations and/or assessment tasks may be eligible for disability provisions. Disability provisions provide students with practical support in examinations. Students’ special needs may include vision, hearing, learning and medical difficulties. To qualify for this provision a student must provide recent (last 12 months) medical reports from sources such as General Practitioners, Specialists, Occupational Therapists or Psychologists. To qualify for learning difficulties students must be identified by a Head Teacher or support staff member, undergo assessment with the school Learning and Support Teachers and have a reading age 5 years less than their chronological age. If you believe your child may be eligible please contact Jill Steuart for more information. Seasons for Growth Change and loss are issues that affect us all at some time in our lives. When change occurs in our families through death, separation, divorce or other related circumstances, young people may benefit from learning how to manage these changes effectively. At Francis Greenway High School we offer a pastoral care program called Seasons for Growth. This program is facilitated in small groups and focuses on skills to cope effectively with change and loss, self-esteem, managing feelings, problem solving, effective communication and support networks. If you think your son/daughter would benefit from this program we would encourage you to talk it through with them. Please contact Margaret Sims for more information. A few important reminders from the Wellbeing Team to start 2017:

We have three amazing LASTs (Learning and Support Teachers) at Francis Greenway High School and it is important that their role at our school is clarified. LASTs are qualified teachers who specialise in providing support for students in regular classes who experience difficulties in basic areas of learning and behaviour. Their role is to improve outcomes for students with additional learning and support needs as well as extend our top students as they strive for academic excellence. They may provide additional support in literacy, numeracy, language and behaviour. Students do not need a formal diagnosis to access support. Whilst our LASTs are willing to work with any student who fits the above profile it is important to remember that they are not

personal tutors and parents wishing for their child to receive extra support for particular subjects should make contact with local tutoring agencies.

VIVO will continue in our school in 2018. VIVO is a positive recognition and reward program in which teachers go online to award points to students for their hard work and commitment to the Francis Greenway High School core values. Students are able to check their accumulated points and are able to purchase prizes online as an extrinsic reward for doing the right thing. The use of VIVO in our school supports our four school values; Commitment, Cooperation, Responsibility and Respect and our school culture. Each term will see a VIVO Assembly held to celebrate the success of our students. Awards will be presented in each year group to the student who tops each value category and then a special overall award for the student who receives the most VIVOs in each year group. Remember VIVO rewards the ordinary not just the extraordinary.

Active Kids Rebate From January 31, 2018, parents and carers of school-aged children enrolled in an approved sport or fitness activity can receive a $100 voucher to cover registration and participation costs for that calendar year. Parents will be able to apply for and download their vouchers from the Service NSW website from the end of January. Each child is eligible to receive one voucher every year for the next four years. Local Events & Resources The following events /opportunities are available in the local area in the coming weeks. If you require more information please contact Natalie Conway for more information.

‘As One Carer Connections’ – Facilitated by Newcastle Family Support and Place of Friends, ‘As One’ is a safe space to connect

with others and support each other when caring for a child unable to live with their birth parents. Free, Wednesday February 14,

Wednesday March 7 & Wednesday April 4 at 10am-12pm @ “Place of Friends Schools” at Community Centre in Woodberry.

‘Business Wise First Aid Training’ – Samaritans are pleased to provide the opportunity to complete a FREE First Aid Training course

(1 day), Monday February 19 @ Easts Leisure & Golf Club, East Maitland, 9am-3.30pm. Must bring own lunch and have Unique Student

Identifier Number (USI). To register or for more details contact sharron.reid@samaritans.org.au

‘Challenging Behaviour in Young Children’ – A free workshop for parents and carers of children aged 2-8years. Focuses on typical

development, things that affect behaviour and strategies to support challenging behaviour. Woodberry Family Centre, Wednesday

March 28 at 10am-12:30pm. For more information contact Sharyn Ferguson on 49374549.

Natalie Conway Head Teacher Wellbeing

DEFENCE TRANSITION MENTOR My name is Glenda de Wit and I am the Defence Transition Mentor (DTM). The DTM supports young people from Australian Defence Force families in secondary education. The purpose of the Defence School Transition Program is to facilitate the best possible educational outcome for children of Australian Defence Force members through onsite, direct and flexible assistance to children, parents, teachers and other support services. If you are an Australian Defence Force family and need to contact me, I am available on Monday and Thursday at the school on 49641282, or by email glenda.dewit@det.nsw.edu.au. I would like to invite parents/carers of Defence Force students to a “welcome” morning tea on Thursday March 15 from 9.30am at the coffee shop in Thornton Shopping Centre. If you are able to attend, could you please let me know by telephone or email. Williamtown Defence Family Group meets every Wednesday (except school holidays) at the RAAF Williamtown Family Room on the RAAF Base from 10.00am – 12 noon. The craft group is an opportunity for Defence partners to meet, coffee and tea is provided. Your first two visits are free, so please come along and say hi. Email: wcraftg@hotmailcom. Defence Community Organisation is hosting a family day and expo to welcome Defence families to Williamtown. ADF members and their families are invited to a family day where there will be a variety of FREE activities, including face painting, a balloon artist, photo booth, roving magician and more. Where: Medowie Christian School, 6A Warapora Rd, Medowie When: Sunday 25 February 2018, 10.00am-12 noon RSVP: Email dco.hunterRims@defence.gov.au Please include :

Member’s name and PMKeys number

Number of adults and number of children

Contact number and email address

There is more information available at www.defence.gov.au/dco Glenda de Wit Defence Transition Mentor

CANTEEN NEWS

Welcome Back. We are looking forward to another great year in our canteen. We are very pleased to say all of our regular volunteers have returned for another year. Thank you very much. We would love to see some new faces and due to the new “Healthy Canteen Strategy”, we are in greater need than ever before as there is a lot more preparation time required. If you have any spare time or you know of anyone who does have some spare time, could you please contact Lisa or Darlene in the canteen. No experience is required and our volunteers tell us that they really enjoy their day and love meeting their children’s and grandchildren’s friends and teachers. Lunch and morning tea are provided. Darlene Ruming & Lisa Rowley Canteen Supervisers

P&C NEWS

On behalf of the P&C Team, I would like to welcome the returning and new students and staff to another great year at Francis Greenway High School. I would also like to invite you all to attend our next meeting on Tuesday February 20 at 6pm in the School Library. Our meetings are quite informal and a fantastic chance to meet your children’s teachers and also find out what is planned for our school community. I promise you will not be given any jobs to do (unless you want to) or be asked to fill any positions on committees. We would just love to see some more faces and meet some new parents and carers who are interested in finding out what is happening in our school. We hope to see you at the meeting. Jackie Patterson FGHS P&C Committee

Francis Greenway High School

Notification of Student Absence

Student Name: ________________________________________________________________

Year: __________ First Day Absent: _____________________________________________

Last Day Absent/Possible Duration: _______________________________________________

Reason: _____________________________________________________________________

Notifier’s Name: Mr / Mrs / Ms / Dr ________________________________________________

Relationship to Student: Mother / Father / Nan / Pop __________________________________

Signature: ___________________________

Francis Greenway High School

Notification of Student Absence

Student Name: ________________________________________________________________

Year: __________ First Day Absent: _____________________________________________

Last Day Absent/Possible Duration: _______________________________________________

Reason: _____________________________________________________________________

Notifier’s Name: Mr / Mrs / Ms / Dr ________________________________________________

Relationship to Student: Mother / Father / Nan / Pop __________________________________

Signature: ___________________________

CHANGE OF DETAILS SLIP – FGHS Student’s Surname: ___________________________________________________________ First Name: _____________________________________ Middle Name: __________________________________ Year Group: ____________ Date today__________________ New Address:__________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ Postcode: __________________ New Carer information: __________________________________________________________________________ (Carer changes that may need to be made to current records) _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ New Carer Phone Numbers: ______________________________________________________________________ New Home Phone Number: Mother: ________________________ Father: ___________________________ New Mobile Number: Mother: _____________________________ Father: ___________________________ New Work Number: Mother: ______________________________ Father: ___________________________ New Emergency Contacts: Name: ________________________________________ Name: ________________________________________ Home: ______________________________________ Home: ________________________________________ Mobile: _____________________________________ Mobile: ________________________________________ Relationship to student: ________________________ Relationship to student: ___________________________ New medical conditions/ allergies etc: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Name of person making changes _________________________ relationship to student_______________ Best phone/ email if contact is required today _________________________________________________

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Francis Greenway High School EMAIL NEWSLETTER REQUEST

Student(s) Name: ………………………………………………………..................................... (Please list all students)

Year: .......................

Parent/Carer Name:...............................................................................................................

Email address: …………………………………………………………...................………....................

(To be returned to the Front Office)

Francis Greenway High School Uniform Shop

Shop Hours Contact Details Monday 1.00 – 3.30pm (02) 40286466 Wednesday 8.00 – 9.30am francisgreenway@alinta.com.au Lawson Ave, Beresfield 2322

Outerwear Size Price

Polar Fleece Jumper J10-2XL $55.00

Knitted Jumper 10-16 $82.00

Knitted Jumper 18-24 $92.00

Super Fleece Jacket J10-2XL $65.00

Cotton Cardigan 10-20 $55.95

Rugby Jumper J10-2XL $84.00

Accessories Size Price

Socks Anklet All sizes $ 6.50

Sport Socks 2pk All sizes $!3.95

Microfibre Tights All sizes $10.00

Leather Belt All sizes $17.00

Tie N/A $23.00

Fabric Marker N/A $ 4.00

Note: Sizes not carried are available by custom order. Three month lead time applies. An additional $10.00 is applied to all sizes above and including a 4XL/L22 Online orders are distributed from the Uniform Shop the next opening day of the shop. A postage charge will occur for all orders marked for delivery. Payments can be made by cash, credit card or debit credit cards only. Prices effective from 1/10/2017 and are subject to change without notice.

Girls Uniform Yr 7-12 Size Price

S/S Blouse Yr 7-10 J8-L20 $39.50

Formal Polo Yr 7-10 J8-3XL $44.00

S/S Blouse Yr 11-12 J10-L20 $39.50

Tartan Skirt J8-L20 $69.00

Formal Shorts J8-L20 $48.50

Fitted Pants – on sale J8-L20 $39.00

Boys Uniform Yr 7-12 Size Price

S/S Shirt Yr 7-10 J8-3XL $39.00

Formal Polo Yr 7-10 J8-3XL $44.00

S/S Shirt Yr 11-12 J8-3XL $39.00

Formal Shorts J8-3XL $48.50

Formal Trousers J8-3XL $55.00

Sports Uniform Size Price

Sports Polo J8-3XL $44.00

Sports Shorts J8-3XL $38.00

Trackjacket – on sale J10-3XL $49.00

Trackpants – on sale J8-3XL $29.00

Maitland Junior Football Club Inc

2018 REGISTRATIONS

Maitland Junior Football welcomes and invites you to play football with our club in the 2018 season. Active Kids vouchers are available to download on the Service NSW website, this voucher is to the value of $100 and is used when registering to play at Maitland Junior. Our club offers you coaching with appropriately accredited coaches. The coaches are usually mums or dad of the team who have played football (soccer) and our club facilitates appropriate coaching training for them. We also have physiotherapy coverage from Terrace Physio Plus each Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Fieldsend Oval (home ground) The physiotherapist is available to assess and or treat all members of our club whether it be a sport or personal injury. Maitland Junior have teams in Community Football, Development Football, Interdistrict Football, All Girls teams and Zone League which means we have great pathways for all players to play football. All registration costs are the total for the season and includes registration fees, season fees and drink bottle. Shorts and socks are $45 a set and are available at the ground. The full break down of our costs are on our website www.maitlandjuniorfc.com.au under Registration and Fees Explanation. Registrations are online at www.playfootball.com.au with a link on our website. All players not previously registered with Maitland Football must submit a copy of a birth certificate, passport, licence or proof of age card either at Fieldsend Oval or via email to Evelyn at secreg@maitlandjuniorfc.com.au Registration dates remaining at Fieldsend Oval are: Sunday 18th Feb – 10am to 2pm For further information please contact Evelyn on 0432 945 237

Thornton Netball Club 2018

Season Registration

Information

Important Dates: Saturday 24th February 2018 10am – 1pm at Thornton Public School SPR (access via Taylor Ave) Wednesday 28th February 2018 5:30pm – 7:30pm at Thornton Public School SPR (access via Taylor Ave) Meet the Coach date: Wednesday 21st March 5:30pm – 7:30pm at Thornton Public School under shelter. TNC Online registrations will open in January and final online registrations will be accepted on Saturday 10th of March. Get your registrations in early to avoid late payment fees.

Club contact details are as follows: President: Kim Hooson 0422 220 667 Registrar: Renee Muddle 0404 690 369 Email: thorntonnetball@hotmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Thornton-Netball-Club-310809352289307/

Maitland District Netball Association Competition is due to commence on Saturday the 5th of May 2018. **** REMEMBER YOU CAN USE ACTIVE KIDS REBATE *****