129 Ravenshaw Street, Gloucester NSW 2422 / P 02 6558 1605 / F 02 6558 1229 www.gloucester-h.schools.nsw.edu.au / gloucester-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au

GLOUCESTERHIGH SCHOOL

Quality education in a caring, innovative environment.

School Calendar TERM 3Monday 26 July Y10 Subject Information eveningWednesday 28 July Musical excursion - Cancelled Y10 Debating via ZoomFriday 30 July U15 Girls and Boys Basketball School tree planting dayMonday 9 - Friday 20 August HSC Trial Exams

Our Next P&C Meeting:Monday 16 August - 6.30pm - Room AG03 - Pending COVID restrictions -

CANTEEN - Phone 65589963Monday 26 July ElonaTuesday 27 July ElonaWednesday 28 July EmmaThursday 29 July EmmaFriday 30 July JodieMonday 2 August ElonaTuesday 3 August EmmaWednesday 4 August AmandaThursday 5 August ElonaFriday 6 August VOLUNTEER NEEDED

NEWSLETTER Friday, 23 July 2021

Care Achievement Respect Effort Responsibilty

PRINCIPAL’S REPORTTerm 3 has started with a difference. All staff and students wearing face masks has been an unusual experience. Our students have worked very well with the current Level 2 restrictions and are taking this in their stride. We have had several planned excursions affected but are still able to run events such as the up-coming parent and students’ Year 10 into Year 11 Orientation and Subject Information Evening, work placement for VET students and some interschool sporting events. We are currently moving ahead with our planning of the GHS Tri Challenge scheduled for the last day of this term. Check our website calendar for more details.

Current restriction levels for NSW Public Schools. We are at Level 2.

• Level 1: Students learning at school, with all activities occurring in a COVID-safe way

• Level 2: Students learning at school, with non-essential visitors restricted from school sites, and certain activities modified to be COVID-safe; masks recommended indoors for all staff and all students in Year 7 and above (noting exemptions apply)

• Level 3: Students learning at school, with non-essential visitors restricted from school sites, reduced mingling between student and year cohorts and restrictions on activities; masks mandatory for all staff and all students in Year 7 and above (noting exemptions apply)

• Level 4: Students learning from home, but schools open for students and their families who need it. For those on school sites, masks mandatory for all staff and all students in Year 7 and above (noting exemptions apply).

Volunteers needed to help in our school canteen.No experience required, just a friendly face.Please contact us on 6558 9963 asap.

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PRINCIPAL’S REPORT Continued...

During the holidays the school had some work completed in the form of shade structures for the Year 7 and Year 11 areas. Both still need to be finalised with a concrete slab to be laid before they are fully functioning. These structures will provide a great space for students at recess and lunch and outdoor learning areas for students and staff to access during class time.

A priority this term is our Trial HSC scheduled to run during Week 5 and 6 (9 -20 August). NESA has given an extension to the deadline for HSC marks to be entered by schools, giving us a little more flexibility with HSC assessments given the impact of school restrictions on our students. Our priority is to continue the HSC program as effectively as we can.

Parents-Teacher phone calls happened last Tuesday with many parents taking up the opportunity to talk with staff. If you do have any inquires about your child or any school matters, please call the school and ask to speak to your child’s year adviser in the first instance.

Attendance is a critical aspect of school success and we are monitoring all students to ensure they are at or above 90%. If your child has attendance less than 90% it has a direct impact on their learning and future outcomes. Less than 80% means they are only attending 4 days a week, which in an employment sense is part time. It is our goal to raise attendance percentages for all our students to above 90%. Please ensure when your child is away a justified reason is given to the school within 3 days.

Captains and SRC elections are currently happening and again we have a great bunch of young leaders to choose from. Potential Captains and Senior SRC Executive will be up on assembly Monday 26 July to give their speeches. The elections will occur that day and announcements will be made to students and staff about the successful candidate.

Gloucester High School is a great school and we appreciate our community engagement. From the P&C to employers taking on work placement students, to our volunteers and local agencies who are currently working with our school to support our students. Thanks for your contribution to the education outcomes of our students.

Mr Mik Wisely, Relieving Principal

YEAR 11 2022 SENIOR SCHOOL ORIENTATION AND SUBJECT INFORMATION EVENINGWe warmly invite all Year 10 students and their parents, to attend this evening.

When - Monday 26 July, 6.00pm Where - Hall Why - At Gloucester High School, we understand the importance of equipping students and their parents with as much information and guidance as possible before they begin the transition to Stage 6 in their educational journey.

To help students through this significant transition we will be providing information based on NESA guidelines about HSC requirements.

The evening is a perfect opportunity for students and parents to hear information about patterns of study for Year 11 and to talk directly with subject teachers about course requirements. Our aim is to ensure that students and parents are well informed when making decisions about subject preferences for 2022.

It is vital that students and parents/carers take advantage of this opportunity.

Days missed = years lostA day here and there doesn’t seem like much, but…

When your child misses just… they miss weeks per year and years over their school life

4 weeks

8 weeks

1 year missedOver

2.5 years missed

Over

education.nsw.gov.au

1 day per fortnightM T W T F

M T W T F

1 day per weekM T W T F

M T W T F

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HSC PRINT CARDSYear 12 have been provided with HSC Print Cards from Mid Coast Libraries. With these cards, Year 12 students can access free printing from all Mid Coast Libraries.

LOST PROPERTYWe have an increasing amount of lost jewellery at the school office. If you have lost an item of jewellery, please come to the office and provide a description. Hopefully we can reunite some items with owners!

SCHOOL UPDATES AND MESSAGESImportant messages regarding the ever-changing status of events, restrictions and conditions are being sent to parents and carers via text message. If you are not receiving these messages please contact the school to ensure your mobile phone number is correct and up to date.

MATHS CORNER QUESTION (for students and parents)

Question: List all counting numbers which leave a remainder of 4 when divided into 22.

Previous Answer:Strategy 1: Draw the figure. From the diagram, we see that 6 cubes fit into the box

Strategy 2: Compare the volumes of a cube and the box. Volume of one cube = 2 x 2 x 2 = 8cm3 Volume of the box = 2 x 4 x 6 = 48cm3

Therefore, Michelle can fit 48/8 = 6 cubes into the box

* Maths corner questions have been provided courtesy of ‘Australasian Problem Solving Mathematical Olympiads (APSMO) Inc’ an advanced problem solving course currently being undertaken by some of our Year 7 & 8 students.

MAMMA MIA! AT MIRRABOOKAWhen the Mirrabooka residents’ booking for Mamma Mia! had to be cancelled at the last minute, our amazing musical cast decided they shouldn’t miss out! So, on the last day of term, the whole cast and crew made a visit to Mirrabooka to perform songs from Mamma Mia! for the residents.

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Diverse educational programs that challenge and inspire students

AG FARM NEWS

New Cattle YardsWork continued at the Agriculture farm during the holidays. The cattle yards were pulled down, mud and clay scraped and clean gravel packed in place. Thanks goes out to Stuart Redman from Redman Earthworks for doing the clean-up and Ron Lawler from Bell Bird Quarry for suppling the gravel. The new pad was required to keep our cattle healthy and our students safe. It was also required for the expansion of the yards, giving the students and cattle more space to learn leading skills.

Thank You!Thank you to Brendon, Elissa and Paige Clark of Arkwood for the kind donation of 30 bales of Lucerne Hay. The small square bales are easy to transport and will help keep the cattle looking good at shows.

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PICNIC IN THE PARKThe Year 11 Construction students with a little help from a few outsiders have been busy making Oregon crates for Gloucester Tourism’s Picnic in the Park event. Students have been learning about the processes involved to tool up and set jigs to produce runs of a set item. Students have been docking to length, gluing and nailing ends, then assembling the Oregon boxes to the set plans required for Gloucester businesses to fill with local produce. Students had to go through the processes of designing and creating the jigs as well as ensuring that there was the correct amount of each component for the assembly. Well done Year 11 Construction your efforts and the support you have given will be appreciated by the by the local businesses and enjoyed by all who buy a box.

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GLOUCESTER HIGH SCHOOL TRI CHALLENGEThe Gloucester High School Tri Challenge will be held on the last day of Term 3, Friday 17 September 2021. This year will be the 28th running of the event which comprises a 10km ride, 4km kayak and 4km run. This fun and challenging event is open to all students as either an individual or as part of a 3 person team. Individual entrants must be at least 14 years of age on race day. Entry fees are approximately $45 for an individual or $75 for a team, which includes hiring of the kayaks and bus fares to and from the event.

Please note that “new” kayak paddlers (ie. those who have not completed the kayak leg in the tri-challenge before) will need to have completed a kayak training session before the race, at a cost to be confirmed. This will be held in the week of the event. Organisation for this will be communicated when the entries are finalised.

This event is a unique and special day in the Gloucester High School calendar and has been well supported in the past. With 8 weeks until race day, it is time to start some regular training and take full advantage of the benefits this type of race can offer.

This year, due to the current and evolving COVID situation, this year’s event may look different than in the past. At this stage, under our current guidelines, the event can still go ahead. Further updates will be communicated as the term progresses.

Entry forms will be available at the front office in the coming weeks. Entries are due by Friday 3 September and should be handed in at the front office with completed paperwork and money. Incomplete entries or entries without payment will not be accepted. Please note when maximum field size is reached no more entries will accepted. To avoid disappointment, get your entries in early!

Mr Adam Cameron – Race Director

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YEAR 7/8 SPORT - Tri Challenge TrainingWhilst it has been a long-term plan, the creation of a bike track on school grounds.

This week, the team got to work, planning and constructing a track that includes some grass flat and hilly sections, a number of water crossings, downhill berms and potentially some seesaws and jumps.

It was pleasing to see everyone work collaboratively and enthusiastically to mark out, rake clean and begin construction of the track. With some track building experience outside school by a number of team members and barrow loads of enthusiasm the finished product is eagerly awaited.

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A guide to dealing with constant change due to COVID-19

Reference Source: https://au.reachout.com/articles/a-guide-to-dealing-with-constant-change

From the moment when COVID-19 first steamrolled into our lives, we've had to learn to deal with change, as each stage of the pandemic has changed the way we live, work and socialise.

While it's normal to feel frustrated and unsettled by all this uncertainty, there are ways you can equip yourself while dealing with life changes.

Much of the anxiety during COVID-19 comes from the reality that many decisions are out of our hands. Feeling like we're not in control of our own path is pretty unsettling, but figuring out precisely what you can and can't do will help you to maintain a sense of stability and reduce any fear or anxiety.

But how?

You can’t prevent a storm from happening, but you can pack an umbrella. Preparation is the key to figuring out what you can and can’t control. Try making a list of what’s worrying you (i.e. fears). You can then start to figure out ways to address these problems (i.e. fixes). For example:

Fear: Returning to team sport will be tough, and I won’t be any good after all this time off.

Fix: Remind yourself that everyone is in the same boat. You can also start working on your skills at home, so that when training resumes you’re not coming in cold.

Fear: There might be a second wave of COVID-19 cases.

Fix: Maintain your personal hygiene, continue to practise social distancing and encourage others to do the same.

By coming up with fixes for any fears you have, you’ll take back your decision-making power.

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Chances are your self-control has already been well tested during COVID-19. Whether you’ve been studying remotely or working from home, you’ll have faced many tempting distractions – PS4, anyone? By strengthening your self-control, you'll be more comfortable if (and when) things around you change.

But how?

Set yourself mini-tasks each week to strengthen your self-control. Maybe all the time you’re spending online keeping up with the news is leaving you feeling flat and empty, but you're finding it hard to look away. Start small by committing to switch off your phone during lunch. Then, day by day, slowly increase the amount of time you spend offline.

The key to building self-control is to use small victories to work up to bigger wins. Start with a manageable goal and build on that, day by day, week by week.

It’s easy to see the negatives when things change, but it can help to try and see the positives, too. As restrictions gradually relax, look for the upsides. For example, you might now be able to return to your favourite restaurant, even if it’s only operating at half capacity, or to resume sports training, but in smaller groups. Remember that even these small changes are a big step forward.

But how?

Practise gratitude. As the rules change and life start to open up again, practise identifying the things you are grateful for – even if it’s as simple as being able to have a coffee with a friend at a cafe!

Speaking of friends, surround yourself with positive pals. If certain friends are continually banging on about how crazy everything is, then maybe mute them for a while and focus on people who look for the silver lining. Laughing is also a sure-fire way to feel more positive when the going gets tough. Start a LOLS-Only WhatsApp thread with friends, dedicated to swapping funny videos or memes.

Practising positive self-talk can also be a big help. Each week, write down one thing you like about yourself. At the end of every month, you'll then have a little list that proves you're a legend. Ultimately, the better you feel about yourself, the more likely you'll be to find the good in any situation you face.

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Hands up if you've had a rough day and gone straight down the rabbit hole? Often our default response to change is negative thinking. This is because there's safety in the familiar, and change feels like a threat to our comfortable setup. But learning to adjust your thought patterns will do you a world of good during uncertain times.

But how?

Having negative thoughts is normal, but sometimes the best way to deal with them is to put a limit on them. If you notice you're on a slippery slope with worries, anxieties or fears, allow yourself only a certain amount of time each day to dwell on those thoughts.

The ReachOut WorryTime app lets you decide on a time, place and length of time to deal with your worries each day. This means you can do it in one sitting, rather than carrying your worries around with you 24/7.

It's easy to find yourself gazing into the COVID crystal ball and worrying about what the future might hold, especially if your school, work and livelihood have been affected. But if you invest too much time in thinking about what hasn't happened yet, you might just miss out on the moments that are right in front of you.

But how?

Try meditation or mindfulness. Smiling Mind is an Australian-made mindfulness app designed for users of all ages. It works off the idea of dedicating just ten minutes a day to focusing on the here and now.

If mindfulness isn’t your vibe, why not try to master the art of distraction, whether it's by going for a run, hitting the gym (when they reopen), jumping on the baking bandwagon and whipping up a cake, or meeting up with friends for a board games night.

Concentrating on these kinds of tasks will help to block out the noise. It's hard to worry about the state of the world when your brain is focused on something in front of you!

Principal Mrs Trudi Edman Deputy Principal Mr Mik WiselyAddress: 129 Ravenshaw Street, Gloucester NSW 2422Telephone: 6558 1605 Fax: 6558 1229Email: gloucester-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au Web: www.gloucester-h.schools.nsw.edu.au

SCHOOL VISION STATEMENTGloucester High School aims to develop a supportive learning environment that engages all students,

teachers and community in the pursuit of excellence.