11th December,

Gulgong High School 2017

Term 4
Newsletter Week 10

SCHOOL
INFORMATION

Address:
Belmore Street,
Gulgong, 2852

Phone: 6374 1201

Fax: 6374 2360

Website:
http://www.gulgong-
h.schools.nsw.edu.au/

Principal:
Linda Macleod

Deputy Principal:
David Tooney

Head Teachers:
Sharelle Fellows
(English/HSIE/LOTE)
Chivonne Gofers
(CAPA/Welfare/Careers)

Whats Happening
Kathryn Lane
(Mathematics/Library/Sport)
Graham Wilson
(Science/TAS)
December
Year Advisers:
Amelia Greenwood
13th December Presentation Day, 10am
(Year 7) 15th December School Concludes
Sophia Tooney
(Years 8 & 9) (School will be non-operational Monday 18th December
Carly Sewell
and Tuesday 19th December)
(Years 10 & 11)
Matthew Stanley
(Year 12)
January
30th January School Resumes Years 7, 11, 12
Support Staff:
Justine MacLennan
31st January School Resumes Years 8, 9, 10
(Learning and Support
Teacher)
Melanie Freudenstein
(Counsellor)
Cheryl Seis (School
Administrative Manager)

LEARNING RESPECT SAFETY

 Principals Report

Welcome to the final Gulgong High School newsletter for

what has been a very busy 2018.

Congratulations to all of our students for their fantastic

achievements throughout the school year and for their
enthusiasm in accessing the wide range of opportunities
made available to them. These opportunities would not
have been possible without the dedication and
commitment of our teaching staff.

Many of the staff go beyond in ensuring that our students

receive the best education possible in assisting them to
prepare for their future. In particular, I would like to acknowledge the extra work of our
Executive team who spend countless hours working together to lead the school.

An outstanding SASS team led by Ms Cheryl Seis supports the teaching staff, and we
recognise the valuable contribution that they make to our school community.

Finally, a huge thank you to our parents and the local community for their support
throughout the year and we wish you a safe and happy festive season with family and
friends.

Linda Macleod
Principal
 Schools Spectacular 2017

On Tuesday 21st of November, Alanah Hill, Hayley Berg, Chelsea Butlin and Mrs Hollow headed to Sydney for the
2017 Schools Spectacular. Wednesday 22nd was the first combine rehearsal for all the Regional dancers in the
Beatle segment. It was the first time all 470 dancers had joined to rehearse for the performance, and they danced
from 8.30am to 5.30pm.

Thursday 23rd we were up bright and early to do hair and makeup ready for our first rehearsal at Qudos Arena at
7.45am. At 11 am all the other dancers performing in the Spectacular 2300 dance students, joined us.
1pm was full dress rehearsal and all 5500 students,
together with staff and backstage crews were buzzing
with excitement.
Friday 24th and Saturday 25th were performance days,
with two shows each day. The girls were fantastic
ambassadors for Gulgong High School, willing to adapt
to choreography changes, waiting patiently, being
organised and ultimately performing beautifully!
It was a pleasure to accompany such lovely girls and be
able to see them showcase their amazing talent.

The Schools Spectacular is to be televised on December

16th on Channel 7. Please check our Gulgong High
School Facebook page for the time, as it gets closer. The girls are in the second last segment The Beatles, wearing
red hats and dresses. They enter from the front of the arena so you may be able to catch a glimpse of them!
 Gala Concert
Gulgong High Schools second Gala Concert for 2017 was held in the school hall on Thursday, November
30th, celebrating the amazing musical talents that our students possess. Students began preparations
for the concert several weeks prior to the event and are to be congratulated on the very polished
performances they presented.

Concert preparations began in Week 3 of this term when applications were called for interested
students to nominate pieces they wished to perform as well as students who were interested in being
part of the backstage, sound and lighting crews. During Week 5, auditions were held in the music room
for all performance applicants. The standard of the auditions was extremely high.

On Friday, November 24th, all backstage, sound and lighting crews began setting up the hall after lunch.
This involved moving stages and equipment from one end of the school to the other, setting all of the
equipment in its correct place and ensuring that all cables had been secured. This process continued
Periods 1 and 2 on Monday, November 27th, and by recess sound and lighting checks had been carried
out.

Rehearsals began after recess on Monday and continued until Wednesday afternoon. All performers
were very enthusiastic, attended rehearsals promptly and were very professional in the way they
rehearsed and practised their movement both on and off stage. The stage, sound and lighting crews
consisted of primarily Year 8 students, most of whom had been involved in the mid-year concert as
assistants to senior students, however, they now took full responsibility for the organisation and
direction of this concert. These students took on these key roles with enthusiasm and are to be
congratulated on their outstanding efforts. Our MCs for the evening began their preparations as well.

The Dress Rehearsal was held on Thursday, November 30th and, as in previous concerts, mishaps
occurred. We encountered some sound and lighting issues and had to change the order of the program
due to some students having to complete assessment tasks for various subjects. Nevertheless, all
students adapted well to the changes and the rehearsal demonstrated areas for improvement for the
evening concert.

The main event saw backstage, sound and

lighting crews arrive at 6.30pm. Final sound
and lighting checks were carried out, guitars
tuned and all equipment tested. The stage
curtains were closed and the doors opened
at 6.40pm for audience members to enter
the hall.

The concert began at 7.05pm with the

introduction from Ms Chivonne Gofers (Head
Teacher Welfare) and Ms Linda Macleod
(Principal) who introduced our MCs for the night,
Summer McPhail and Logan Hackney (Year 8).
 Gala Concert Cont.

Our performers then took to the stage playing a wide variety of pieces in a variety of styles. There were
solo items, duets and some larger ensemble performances. All pieces were of an outstanding standard
and demonstrated the exceptional talent of our students at Gulgong High School. All performers are to be
commended on their amazing efforts and the way they represented themselves, their families and the
school.

In addition to the performers, there were many behind the scenes assistants working on sound, lighting
and as part of the stage crew. They worked extremely hard through the four periods it took to set up the
hall and throughout every rehearsal as well as packing and cleaning up after the concert. All students
working behind the scenes are to be congratulated for their professionalism and assisting in a production
that ran smoothly.

Thank you to all the audience members who attended and who were so appreciative of our performers,
staff who put up with disruptions and who assisted on the night as well as the office ladies who organised
ticket sales.

I.MacLennan (Music Teacher)

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In Literacy classes students have been learning about the importance of making connections
when reading; connecting prior knowledge with new information while reading. As readers engage
with texts, they make connections to their personal experiences, to other texts they have read,
seen or heard, and to things occurring in the world.
When readers link personal background knowledge, understanding or experiences to the text,
they are able to construct meaning. As stated by Cris Tovani in her book, I Read It, But I Dont Get
It (2000, p.64); When information is read in isolation and not connected to existing knowledge, it
is forgotten and deemed unimportant. Calling on existing knowledge and experiences is crucial if
readers are to assimilate new information.
Students read a range of texts and conducted various activities to practise actively connecting the
texts to their own lives, to other texts (such as books, films and television, and to the wider world.
After reading, students shared their connections with a classmate, in small groups and at times
with the whole class.
 Principals Morning Tea

On Tuesday 30th November Gulgong High School celebrated the sustained diligence and effort of
students in Years 7-11 in our bi-annual Principals Morning tea. A large number of students were
awarded Silver and Gold Awards, which they earned through the merit system. A delightful
morning tea, catered by the school canteen, was enjoyed by all award recipients and their
families. Thank you to all teachers, parents and guardians and especially students who worked
hard throughout the semester to be eligible for these awards.

Gulgong High School would like to congratulate all students who received Silver and Gold Awards
at our recent Principals Morning Tea and commend their conscientiousness and determination in
all their classes throughout 2017.
 Year 8 Bridge Building
Over the last few weeks Year 8 Science classes have been given the task of building a bridge to fit the following
criteria:
Only paddle pop sticks, string and PVA glue can be used
The bridge must span a gap of 40cm
The bridge must have space for a deck of 8cm width
All year 8 were very engaged in the task and worked diligently in groups, tapping into their engineering skills to
build the strongest possible bridge. The bridge was scored by taking into account the maximum weight the bridge
could hold until it broke and the weight of the bridge itself.
On Monday the bridges were tested in the COLA by the famous bridge buster and the results are listed below:
1st Place: Hudson Faucett, Blake Papworth and Mitchell Brain 128 points

2nd Place: Shubham Sharma and Brett Doherty 113 Points

3rd Place: Bethany Gauci and Tayla Pennell 103 Points
Special mention should also go to Logan Hackney and James Cheesewright who created the bridge that could hold
the most weight with 22kg. Unfortunately due to their bridge weight, they narrowly missed out on a placing.
Congratulations to all students involved.
Matt Stanley
Science Teacher
 Year 12 Farewell Dinner

On Saturday, 25th November, 22 graduates in Year 12 had their farewell dinner at the Gulgong RSL. There were
many smiles on the students faces as all their HSC exams were finished and many had already taken the next
step, already receiving job and university offers. All of the graduates looked amazing in their respective dresses
and suits and were able to have professional photos taken by Yolanda Kreuzen. Students and guests were treated
to a 2 course meal, speeches from their Principal, Year Advisor and SRC Presidents, Grace Hensley and Josh Gauci.
The night concluded with the cutting of the graduation cake by SRC Vice-Presidents, Olivia Slevin and Harrison
Woods, and the serving of dessert.
As Year Advisor it has been an absolute pleasure to see this group mature into young adults over the past 6 years.
It is sad to see them leave and on behalf of Gulgong High I wish them all the best for their future endeavours and
hope they never forget the good times they had at school and the lessons theyve learnt.
Matt Stanley
Year Advisor
 Post ROSA Program

Since Monday 20th November and until the end of this Term,
year 10 students have been involved in the Post RoSA
Program. This is a program that has been designed to give
year 10 students the opportunity to further develop their
employability skills and qualifications after having
completed all year 10 course requirements for their
subjects.
In Week 1 The program saw students receive a qualification
in either WH&S White Card Training or a Level 1 Refereeing
Touch Football, all students undertake CPR Training,
personality profiling to assist them with future choices,
year 10 preparing to lead a transition buddy day with Year 6
students who will be our Year 7 students next year.
5 representatives from Skillset and Moolarben Coal also came to school and students were interviewed for the
fictitious Kitchen Hand job at Sewells Steakhouse. Each student sat through a one on one interview and were
marked on personal presentation, confidence, resume and cover letter and how they addressed the requirements of
the job. Five finalists were chosen; Meg Kelly, Arley McPhail, Madison Sampson, Liam MacLennan and Hamish
Clarke. These student then sat 2 panel interviews conducted by the representatives and the overall winner, Liam
MacLennan was announced, with only 8 points dividing the 5 finalists and their positions.

We finished a rather busy first week with a cool off at Wet

N Wild Sydney, where there was lots of laughter, fun and a
few screams as we were shot through tunnels in the dark
gripping on for our dear lives.
Week 2 of the program started with year 10 having the
opportunity to develop communication, leadership and
teamwork skills as they led and directed year 6 students
through a variety of activities. This also helped to give year
6 students a familiar face for next year and hopefully ease
some nerves that they may be feeling in regards to making
the transition into high school next year.

Students also attended guest speaker presentations from Police NSW in regards to driver safety, safe partying and
drugs and alcohol. TAFE Western also provided students with information regarding the variety of study options and
pathways individuals can pursue at TAFE. NAB came to inform students about personal finance, saving tips,
information about Superannuation, budgetng, and issues to be aware of when it comes to loans and credit cards.
Students also undertook Literacy and Numeracy Testing, as well as completing the Mandatory HSC All My Own Work
online course.
 Post ROSA Program Cont.

A most delightful day which was thoroughly enjoyed by

students was when they got the opportunity to volunteer at
Wenonah Lodge. In the morning the students helped
residents with the making of Christmas craft and in the
afternoon the Wenonah Open Indoor Golf Challenge took
place. The students, after initially being shy, had a wonderful
time with the residents and many stories, laughs and smiles
were shared.
Students had the opportunity to learn more about study skills,
what is study, how to study and effective tips that will be vital
in the next two years of their education through a study skills
day run by Elevate Education.
Students finished week two off with a Senior Taster day, this
was where Year 10 attended the classes that they have
chosen to study in Years 11 and 12 and get a hands on
experience of what each of their chosen subjects is going to
be like, what to expect and to make sure they have made the
right decisions.
Week 3 has majority of Year 10 students out in the community
on work experience. For a lot of students this is their first time they have had the chance to experience the world of
work and it will be a great experience to assist them in developing their employability skills. A huge thank you to all
the local businesses in Gulgong and Mudgee that support the Work Experience Program by hosting one of our
students.
The program will conclude in Week 10 with a Coffee making course and students given the opportunity to update
their resumes after having completed all the activities.
Well done Year 10, it has been a very busy end to the term, but I couldnt be more proud of the way you have all
conducted yourselves and all that you have achieved.
Ms Sewell
 PBL Recognition Day

On Friday 8th of December, the whole school participated in a PBL Recognition day filled
with lots of fun for students and staff.
Before lunch the students rotated around
playing board and card games, baking a
decorating Christmas cookies, participating in
novelty races and attempting to complete a
multi-challenge obstacle course in teams.
At lunch time the SRC and year 11 volunteers
served tortillas and nachos to the rest of the
school.
For the afternoon periods half of the students
went to Gulgong Pool to cool off while the
rest of the school watched Disneys Moana or
played more board games.
 Year 9 Lake Keepit Excursion

On the 4th of December 20 students, Mr Lee and

Mrs Tooney took two mini buses to Lake Keepit
Sport and Recreation Centre.
We participated in many fun and exciting activities
like a Low Ropes Course, Kayaking, Archery, Giant
Swing, Mud Runs, Bush Archery, Sailing, Damper
cooking and Hiking.
On the last day we took part in a team building and
problem solving challenge called The Amazing Race.
We thank our guides and especially Mr Lee and Mrs
Tooney for taking the time out of their week to accompany
us on this trip.
Morgan Hollow and Chelsea Everingham
Recent School Photos
 Staying In Touch
Term Dates for 2017

2017

*School development days occur at the

beginning of Terms 1, 2 and 3 and the last two
days of the school year.
Term 1 Friday, 27 January to
Friday, 07 April
Term 2 Monday, 24 April to
Friday, 30 June
Term 3 Monday, 17 July to
Friday, 22 September
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Search the App Store or Play
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2852.

Term 4 Monday, 9 October to

Friday, 15 December

Student Absences:
Schools are required to keep important
attendance data and it is essential to
maintain accurate records.
In the event that your child/ward is
absent, please contact the school and
provide an explanation. Gulgong High School
Students may still bring in notes to ex- now has a Facebook
plain their absence, but parents and
caregivers are now encouraged to use page for regular
our new electronic system.
school updates.
In the event of a students Search for Gulgong
absence you can now notify High School and hit
the school by SMS on Like.
0418 131 099.
Community Noticeboard