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High Notes, Vol 11 No 40, December 10 2010
From the Principal
Farewell edition for 2010
School Certificate 2010 Group results for Year 10 in mathematics were: mean 92,94, SD 4.79, z-score 1.78 (obtained by dividing the difference between the school mean and the state mean by the state standard deviation). English literacy figures were: mean 86.03,SD 4.06, z-score 1.09. Science statistics were: mean 86.81, SD 5.0, z-score 0.99. Computing skills data were: mean 90.54, SD 4.32, z-score 1.02. The combined Australian History results for 396 boys were: mean 81.68, SD 6.38, z-score 1.02. The outcomes for Australian Geography for 396 students were: 84.58, SD 5.07 and z-score 1.09. The fears held by some, that having a very large cohort sit for some of the tests at the School Certificate and weaken the outcomes badly, were unfounded.
The Library Fund 2010
The Sydney Boys High School Building Fund
Financial Management 
End of year arrangementsClasses for Years 7, 8, 9 and 11 will finish at 12:32pm on Wednesday 15 December. Boys may go home at this time. The Canteen will be open at Recess. If boys wish to wait for the normally scheduled buses, supervision will be available in the Junior Quadrangle. Thursday 16 December and Friday 17 December are Staff Development days.
I hope that everyone has an enjoyable (and safe) Christmas and New Year and that everyone returns
refreshed for the 2011 school year. School resumes for staff on Friday 28 January 2011, for Years
7, 11 and 12 2011 students on Monday 31 January and for Years 8, 9 and 10 2011 students on
Tuesday 1 February.
What’s Up in the McDonald Senior Library?2010 has seen many changes in the McDonald Senior Library. The book collection has expanded markedly with many more fantastic resources transferred from the Andrews Junior Library including Visual Arts, Economics, History and remaining HSC and Preliminary study guides as well as many brand new titles being added. New books are still being added and as the end of year fast approaches there are many books to choose from to borrow and read during the summer! This will be the final article from the McDonald Senior Library for 2010. We look forward to seeing you all up here utilizing the library and enjoying the expanded services and collection in the new school year. Have a great holiday! New BooksHouse Rules by Jodi Picoult – Picoult’s books usually deal with issues that have become relevant and often controversial in today’s society. Despite her novels being about serious and important issues they are also compelling page-turners that have remained on the best seller lists for a long time. This book is about Jacob Hunt a teenage boy with Asperger’s syndrome. Jacob is interested in forensic science and helps the police solve crimes but when his tutor is found dead it is he that is accused of murder. The Returners by Gemma Malley – Will Hodge isn’t happy at home or at school. When he begins to dream about the past and see strange people following him he realises that there is something significant and dangerous in his past, a “past far deeper than most”, and which he has no recollection of. As he struggles to break free of the powerful hold that history has on him he realises that he is a “returner”, “people who have been reincarnated and whose destiny is to recall the atrocities they have witnessed in the past.” Other books by this critically acclaimed author are The Declaration and The Resistance both great reads and both set in a dystopian world as this one is. The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon – Described by reviewers as a Gothic, thriller, mystery novel set in post World War II Barcelona. This is a story within a story after Daniel, “initiated into the Cemetery of Forgotten Books by his father, chooses a book titled The Shadow of the Wind and becomes obsessed with the author whose tragic and dramatic life is revealed. Daniel’s own life becomes intermingled with that of his author and the story becomes one described as “a big thrilling romp through glorious Barcelona, in pursuit of true love and an elusive writer.” (Courier-Mail) Into White Silence by Anthony Eaton – “During the winter of 1922, the exploration vessel Raven became trapped in the Antarctic icepack, entombing 28 men aboard it through the dark polar night.” This novel is the story of the men amid the fascinating beauty and the terrible danger of Antarctica. (book blurb) The Sound of One Hand Clapping by Richard Flanagan – recommended by a student at this school this novel set in Tasmania is the story of the mysterious disappearance of a mother and the relationship between daughter and father left behind. This is “a dazzling novel of war, family and migration...from one of Australia’s most acclaimed writers.” (book blurb) Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey – this is a terrific read about a boy called Charlie Bucktin living in a small Australian country town during the summer of 1965. His help is enlisted by Jasper Jones, an outcast of mixed-race whom Charlie finds fascinating and admirable, “a figure of danger and intrigue”, to find the killer of a local girl that Jasper has been seeing. Seen through the eyes of Charlie the reader experiences his feelings of guilt at keeping such a horrible secret, of first love, and his relationships with his best friend Jeffrey, his tempestuous mother and admired and stable father. This has been described as “an Australian To Kill a Mockingbird” (The Monthly) “impossible to put down...There’s tension, injustice, young love, hypocrisy..” and fits in well with the belonging theme for HSC English course. The Spire by Richard North Patterson – Best-selling author Patterson has written a new thriller. When Mark Darrow returns to his old school to catch up with his old mentor and professor Lionel Farr he becomes involved in a court case that will affect the outcome of a 16 year old murder trial where his best friend had been gaoled for life. After discovering that the case against his friend left crucial questions unanswered Darrow begins his own inquiry into the murder. When another mysterious death occurs he finds his own life in danger.
Other brand new books on display for loan over the holidays!
From the Junior LibraryHAVE A GOOD READ THESE HOLIDAYS. If you run out of reading material don’t forget to stock up on Fun reading at your local library. HUGE THANKS TO OUR 129 LIBRARY MONITORS who do such a great job shelving our resources. YEAR 11/YEAR 12 - NEED A FLYING START TO YOUR HSC YEAR? – See Study Assist Site on Moodle - new info BOYS NEEDING TO REVISE WHOLE SUBJECTS AS HSC PREPARATION? AND YEAR 12 BOYS NEEDING TO USE THE HOLIDAYS WISELY? Please refer to the Study Assist Site on Moodle – new info added. Elevate Education has sent in a very interesting article with great hints for getting a flying start to your HSC year by reading all your English novels over the holidays and lots of other useful hints.
For boys who may need a big catch up on a whole subject – Year 12 HSC Summer
School – is revising whole subjects – Info on this is on Study Assist Site on
Moodle
Semester 2 Academic Merit ListCongratulations to the following boys whose excellent academic achievements in Semester 2 are recognised . Year 12 Academic Merit
Liam AYLMER Year 11 Academic Merit
Rahib AZWAD Year 10 Academic Merit
Jonathan ADHIKA Year 9 Academic Merit
Vasu BHAKRI Year 8 Academic Merit
Andrew BUI Year 7 Academic Merit
Sudarshan ARVIND Year 11 Academic Merit
Nikhil AUTAR Year 10 Academic Merit
Jonathan ADHIKA Year 9 Academic
Merit Vasu BHAKRI Year 8 Academic Merit
Christopher CHAN Year 7 Academic Merit
Sudarshan ARVIND
Careers News
UMAT 2011
UMAT Sample Questions and Practice Papers
University of Wollongong Discovery Days 2011 Register here: or
Scientia Challenge Program for Years 7-10 at UNSW Workshop Dates: January 19-21, April 18-20, July 11-13. Duration: Three days from 9.00am to 3.30pm each day Fee: $450 Visit:
Macquarie University Info Day 2011
UNSW Info Day 2011
This is the final Careers News for 2010. The Careers News section in the student portal will be
updated during the Christmas Holidays. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
ALC National Language Certificate TestsIn 2010 students from Sydney Boys High School sat the ALC (Assessment of Language Competence) National Language Certificate Tests in French and German and achieved excellent results. Many students achieved well above the State average in both the Listening and Reading exams. In French Certificate 2 (Intermediate), 100% of Year 9 students achieved Distinctions or Credits in Listening (State average 73.6%) and 92.3% in Reading skills (State average 72.4%). In Reading skills 61.5% of our students achieved a Distinction compared to the State average of 25.1%. In French Certificate 3 (Advanced), 93.9% of Years 10 and 11 students achieved a score of Credit, Distinction or High Distinction in Listening compared to the State average of 84.2% and 100% in Reading Skills (State average 84.3%). In German Certificate 2 (Intermediate), 100% of Year 9 students achieved a score of Credit or Distinction in Listening compared to the State average of 67% and 88.9% in Reading (State average 68.9%).
In German Certificate 3 (Advanced), 85.7% of Year 10 students achieved a High Distinction,
Distinction or Credit in Listening (State average 85.1%) with two students, Ennes Mehmedbasic and
Michail Schwarz achieving perfect scores and 92.8% in Reading (State average 82.8%).
Die deutsche FrageRemember last week’s translation questions? The “High Notes” had barely hit the desks of the students when one keen little character accosted me on Playground Duty and provided the correct translation for two of the three sentences. No chocolate bar for only two, I told him and suggested that he go and get a BIG print dictionary from the Language Staff Room as the Google translator couldn’t help him. Within minutes he was back, beaming:
Niyaz Mostafa from Year 7 was the bright spark and he got his reward. Moral of the story: double
check your translations – and a print dictionary is still a very good tool to have. And now
for the last question of the year: why was last Monday a very special day for children in
Germany?
Sports DonationsGPS sports competition is very demanding on people and resources. At High we have ongoing needs for facilities development, equipment and development through expert coaching. If you would like to help through a tax deductible donation for a particular sport, the appropriate form can be posted to you by calling 9361 6910. Alternatively, you can go to our website click on Sport /Sports Donations to download either Development Donation Form or Equipment and Facility Donation Form.
Lost PropertyIf you have lost an item of clothing, sports/school shoes, or any other article please ensure you stop by Lost Property before the last day of term, as all the contents of Lost Property will be sent to the High Store. Thank You
From the Canteen
Cocktail Thank You party this Monday 13 Dec from 5.30p.m. The end of the school year is near, so…..
Thank you
From the High StoreThe High Store last day of trading for 2010 will be Tuesday 14th Dec 2010. The store will be CLOSED on Wed 15th Dec 2010 for stocktake. Please do NOT knock on door or call on this day. Wishing all students & their families a Merry Xmas & a safe & Happy New Year.
Music NotesMusic ParkingWe have been allocated our last Music Parking event (Sydney FC vs. Brisbane Roar football) for the year this Sunday on the 12th of December from 2pm-5pm. Please come along and help support the Music Performance Program if you are available, we really appreciate your time and effort and much needed funds go towards supporting the program. Award scheme points apply to students who volunteer. Please RSVP your attendance to George Comninos: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it St Vincent’s Hospital Healing Arts Program rogramThe Senior Strings performed stunningly at St Vincent’s Hospital last Tuesday as part of the Healing Arts Program. The audience was highly moved by their professionalism and musical performance. Well done to all the boys involved and supporting the wonderful program at St. Vincent’s Hospital which will continue next year. Music Tour Reunion NightWe apologise for the rescheduling of the Music Tour Reunion Night due to technical difficulties. The evening has been rescheduled to Monday the 13th of December 2010 at 6:30pm and all tour members and families are invited to attend this evening in the Great Hall. This will coincide with the P&C night starting at 5:30pm with light refreshments served and continue with Music Tour highlights. Mr Tony Hannon has spent many, many hours editing the footage so beautifully filmed by Bart Daniels (Year 10) and Thomas Diep (Year 11) and will be available on 2x DVDs for all tour members. If you would like to receive your copies on high definition blu-ray discs, please bring in blank discs to Mr Hannon to copy the tour concerts and highlights. Please confirm your attendance with us at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it by Monday 6th December 2010 and bring a plate of food to share to make is a festive and sociable evening. We look forward to seeing you all there. Music Tour Photos and Videos are now accessible to staff and students on the W Drive, Photo Archive, 2010, Music Tour 2010 (France & Flanders).
High SocietyThe Bulletin Board for Sydney Boys High P & C
Julie Connolly Set up Your Individual Parent Portal LoginThe Parents Portal on the school website has been further developed by the school’s IT department. Personalised individual logins are now available to access information specific to your son. Individual logins replace the generic Year Group logins we have been using. The generic logins will be phased out shortly, so create your own login NOW. To create a personal account you will require the following two pieces of information:
If you have trouble recalling the email address you supplied, your son can tell you by looking up the My Details section of the Student Portal. Alternatively, contact the school Administrative Office. Once you have these two pieces of information, create a personal Parent Portal Account:
Securely store the individual username and password you have created to access the Parents Portal. Once you have a personal account, you will be able to see:
PLUS:
Your P&C Committee for 2011Contact any of these representatives with your comments or questions regarding P&C issues: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
President - Julie Connolly Upcoming Meetings & Events
P&C Thank You Party – 5.30pm, Monday 13th December – Great Hall
SBHS Rowing CommitteeYear 7 (Year 8 quads) Camp ReportLast Friday afternoon the Year Seven Rowers (Year 8 quads, as we are called) left school and boarded the Big MAN Bus and headed for Abbotsford. We were off for our rowing camp out at the sheds. It was pretty intense. We started with a new coach, Terrence, telling us about his rowing experience. He has won regional, state and national level races with his crews, and he told us that this was possible to achieve for anyone, providing you work hard. So we did. After his chat, we were out on the water and rowing hard for about 2 hours. We arrived back at the sheds after our first session, ate dinner (Cajun chicken, it was really good) then sat out on the pontoon singing (badly) the school song and rowing war cry very loudly to all the passing boats. We were shortly sent to bed.
We woke at 5:30am for a session, but despite the yawns and whingeing, the water was perfect.
After this wearying session we headed in for brekky, then hit the water again (but not before a
shed cleanup). Hayden was 1st quad's coach/cox and worked us to the absolute limit. After two
back-to-back 1km rowouts we didn't know whether to laugh, cry, or throttle the grinning Hayden.
All in all, after about 5-6 hours of rowing, 6 hours of sleep, and heaps of new friendships made
and re-affirmed, we headed home. It was a great experience and I wouldn't have missed it for the
world. Upcoming EventsWe have our big triple event day of the season coming up this Saturday 11th December ‘Shed Race’ 8am start …. 9am finish. All boys need to be at the sheds by 6.30am. Every crew from Year 8 quads to School Senior VIIIs will compete in a handicapped 3.5km race down the Parramatta River finishing right outside our sheds. Good idea to arrive for the finish approx 8.45am. Not long after the race action the Family Regatta Day begins. Family Regatta Day 10am This is the day we hope to see all the rower’s families, new intake of students and many of the school community enjoy an open day at the High Rowing Sheds. Everyone can have a try at rowing and a barbecue lunch is provided for all at a very reasonable price. Boat Naming 11am We were able to buy a new single scull with the money raised from the High Rowing Challenge this year and the scull will be deservedly named after old boy and President of the Old Boys Union, Joseph Waugh (87). Please come and enjoy the celebration. Next week at Rowing
Family Regatta Day & Boat Naming CeremonyThe Rowing Committee extends and invitation to the entire Sydney Boys High School community to come to the Sheds annual open day and the launch of the:
'Joseph Waugh' (single scull) We hope to see all the current rowing families as well as the 2011 new intake of students and the wider School community there to enjoy our open day and participate in the boat naming ceremony. The Family Regatta Day is a relaxed, informal occasion where you can explore the 'Sheds', have lunch by the water, try your hand at rowing, or simply sit and watch the action. Also worth seeing at The Outterisde Centre is the large display of memorabilia from High Rowing's fascinating history since 1924. After the Boat Naming ceremony, a barbecue lunch will be available.
SBHS CricketSydney Boys High School WINS the Annual Match of the Louie Barberis Cup Cricket vs Melbourne High SchoolThursday, 2nd of December and Friday, 3rd of December saw the annual clash between Sydney Boys High School and Melbourne High School in the U15 Competition. The weather was not kind to us all week with pouring rain on the Tuesday and Wednesday leading up to the matches. On Thursday it cleared enough to find a pitch dry to play on at Heffron Park. We got started late due to the wet weather and changed the format to a T20 game on Thursday. Melbourne High won the toss and elected to bat. Sydney High bowled and fielded extremely well and kept the opposition score to 81 runs. The main wicket takers for High were – Sagar Nagaraj – 2/17, Jay Norman 1/15, Oliver Meroni 2/8 and Owen Duffy 1/11. Sydney High were able to get the runs in the 11th over with some excellent batting by Owen Duffy 20 runs, Oliver Kirk 12 runs, Thilan Subasinghe 12 runs and Agnish Nayak 11 runs. The team was happy with the win, but the main challenge was to win the Cup on Friday in the 50 over game. The weather had cleared enough for us on Friday and we were able to get an early start in the morning for the 50 over game. Sydney Boys High School won the toss and elected to bat first. We lost a quick wicket with Agnish Nayak caught for 2 runs. A promising partnership was growing between Owen Duffy and Oliver Meroni before Owen was caught for 26 runs. We then had a batting collapse losing Oliver Kirk and Ned Anson both for 0 followed by Oliver Meroni for 27 runs and Eamon Kelly for 5 runs. When we selected the team we were lucky enough to have some talent in the batting department by having the ability in the team to bat right down the order in case we got into this position. Thilan Subasinghe batted superbly for 30 runs. He was well supported by Shivaanger Thushyanthan 18 not out and Safat Sufian for 13 runs. We were able to bat out the 50 overs and we reached a total of 161 runs. Although this was not a great total it was a total the team could defend if they played to their potential. It was a great struggle all the way through the Melbourne innings with Melbourne looking like a win and then Sydney High would fight back by never giving up. Krishna for Melbourne was able to score 62 runs, however, Sydney Boys High School were able to bowl them out for 136 runs. High won the game by 24 runs and were the proud winners of the BARBERIS CUP TROPHY! Oliver Meroni bowled the spell of the game by bowling magnificently and was on a hat trick at one stage. He finished with the figures of 6 for 19 runs. These are the other bowlers who were able to get some wickets for High – Owen Duffy 1/22, Shivaanger Thushyanthan 1/12 and 2 team run outs. Not only did High enjoy the cricket over these two days, but we were able to meet new people from a different City by billeting and socialising with Melbourne during the two days. This exchange of the two schools remains one of the highlights of our cricket season. Everyone involved in the two day Carnival would like to thank Louise Meroni and Jim Sullivan for their superb organisation of food and drinks during the two days. Melbourne appreciated our hospitality and was able to experience and use the SCG Nets on Thursday afternoon. Also we would like to thank Laurie Heil for his support of High Cricket and he was the person who got this exchange up and running again after a number of years without the two schools meeting for cricket.
The 2010 Barberis Cup Team: Oliver Meroni (c), Thilan Subasinghe (vc), Agnish Nayak, Safat
Sufian, Oliver Kirk, Ned Anson, Shivaanger Thushanthan, Sagar Nagaraj, Eamon Kelly, Anirudh
Ramesh, Jay Norman, Owen Duffy.
SBHS Buses Available for Hire53 SEATER BUS - From $220 (plus GST) for half day travel within a 20 km radius 20 SEATER BUS - From $125 (plus GST) for half day travel within a 20 km radius
Call us for a comprehensive price schedule!
Weights RoomPlease check the below timetable for weeks 9 and 10 term 4 and the week before Xmas. Also below is the upcoming Xmas break and January holidays where the weights room will be open as per times listed. Boys who have a current approved Strength and Conditioning program will be eligible to work-out during these times. I would urge all boys to use this time wisely and work on their strength and speed during a time of minimal academic pressure. A famous coach once said ‘winning is not a sometime thing, it’s an all the time thing”. He was referring to having a winning attitude every session in Training, Playing, Life. If you want to have success, do the extra mile and prepare thoroughly. January training is where 2011 starts. Program weeks 9, 10 Term 4 2010 (listed are times available)
Program January 2011 (beginning Monday 3/1/11)
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Sydney Boys High School
