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High Notes, Vol 25 No 29, September 13 2024

From the Principal

High Talent

A belated acknowledgement of some outstanding Davidson Shield Knockout cricket performances. Arjun Narayanan (10F) scored back-to-back centuries 132 n.o. v Alexandria Park HS and 100 against Sydney Technical HS. Eddie Barks also scored 105 against Sydney Tech. Congratulations on your fine knocks! Well done to our Chess team on retaining the Trophy for the High Invitational Chess Tournament, in its 18th year. Our team – Nestor Chan (10R), Anay Gautam (9R), Aaron Huang (10S), Toby Huey (12S), Quan Nguyen (10E), Kayden Santoso (10M), Tanish Sarathy (11S), William Tran (8R) and Lucas Zhang (10R). Great work boys! Also, Toby Huey (12S), Quan Nguyen (10E), Nestor Chan (10R) and Aaron Huang (10S) have won the prestigious Terry Shaw Shield – a state level trophy. Congratulations. At last weekend’s Invitational Athletics Carnival, James McLoughlin won the U16s 110m hurdles (15.52); in U15s Rohan Chand won the high jump (1.7m) and was 2nd in the 200m; Roger He, Mark Yan, Rohan Chand and Tim Chen won the 4 x 100m relay in 46.51; in U14s Mekaeel Khan won the long jump (5.12) and placed third in high jump; and in U13s Heshel Kariyawasam won the high jump (1.65m). Well done to all our athletics competitors!

Hard Copies of The Record

Our annual publication The Record is available in PDF and is also digitised in time and published on our website. We have found that not enough people are valuing an actual hard copy. Our policy for 2024 is that only half the number of copies will be printed. All students in Years 7 and 12 will receive a hard copy. All other years and staff may have a hard copy, but only by ordering one from Ms May in advance. We hope to match supply with demand and reduce wastage.

Tell Them from Me Survey – Parents input into Aspects of School Life

Parents are invited to respond to the survey ‘Tell Them from Me’. Your ideas about school life are important to us and inform our Strategic Improvement Plan during our annual self-evaluation.

• The survey window is now open until Term 4 Week 4 - Friday 8 November 2024.
• The parent and teacher surveys take approximately 10 minutes and can be completed at any time during this window.
• Parents access the survey through a URL unique to your school and can choose the option to complete the survey in multiple languages other than English:
• The parent survey is mobile-responsive, which means it can be completed on all smartphones and tablets with internet access.

Tissues in Classrooms

The SRC managed an initiative to supply tissues to classrooms for the use of boys. The need was seen, particularly over winter. The supply of tissues to classrooms did not seem to lead to wastage and extra rubbish for cleaners to deal with. In terms 2 and 3, up to the end of August, 320 boxes of tissues were distributed to classrooms. The organisation was entirely up to the SRC, and I have had no complaints from staff about how it was handled. I am seeking feedback on the usefulness of the trial and a recommendation as to whether it should be continued, if student volunteers are available.

Interpreting Semester 2 Year 12 Reports

All Year 12 students ought to have their final reports. The ATAR estimate for the second semester report is based on the results of the Trial HSC alone. Students can get a more accurate appraisal of how they would perform if the HSC were to be held now. Historically, these ATAR predictions are replicated in the actual HSC with surprising accuracy. Those who performed better at assessment tasks, practical projects or performances than in formal examinations, are disadvantaged by this method of calculation. However, unless the examination marks are earned, they cannot be distributed to those with the best ranks in the course. Unless students take radical steps to address areas of weakness highlighted by their teachers, or until students adopt rigorous study schedules and stick to them for weeks at a time, then the ATAR predictions given to them at interview based on the Trial will, in all probability, closely reflect the actual HSC ATARs they earn. Intensive effort for a month or so can make a very big difference to examination scores. Students are urged to take the short-term pain for the long-term gain. Working in pairs or triads, sharing question-answering techniques or core essay content, or model answers, can help increase the quantum of HSC marks earned, and hence assessed marks will be scaled up to equal the total of earned HSC examination marks. Student-created resources, as well as ATOMI, are available to students to help boost examination marks after the Trial. Once the rank orders are decided, mutual self-help in revision and study benefits everybody, as the rising tide lifts all boats.
Dr K A Jaggar
Principal