Newsletter Term 4 Week 3 2022
Principals Report
Exam Time
This year we have made the decision to have formal exams in the hall for all years. All students from year 7 to year 11 will be issued with a timetable which is scheduled in their exam week, however not all subjects have a formal exam. You can check which subjects have a formal exam by accessing the Assessment Handbook for the relevant year, by downloading it from our website, for example for year 9 go to Year Information/Year 9/ Year 9 Assessment Handbook.
Levels of anxiety seem to be rising amongst teenagers, and whist it might seem strange to have students sit exams to combat exam anxiety, we believe that it is better to have exam experience in the earlier years. Exams in Year 7 and 8 are low stakes, so by the time they sit higher stakes exams in the HSC, they are used to them, and have ironed out the nerves, learned exam techniques and even what to bring into the exam room.
Exam pressure has been found to improve learning. Through exercising the brain, and enhancing neural pathways by learning content and then retrieving that information, students get better at these tasks. The HSC requires students to remember large amounts of information and then applying this knowledge to unknown questions, so by practicing this process over the years, this will mean that they are prepared for this task. Even if the HSC is not the goal, it is a worthwhile experience being able to learn something and then have this information at your fingertips when you need it.
So, how can we best make best use of the time to prepare for exams? Research tells us that learning is particularly strong when students self-test. Rather than passively reading and remembering by rote, we want our students to study by forming appropriate questions, searching memory for relevant responses, and knitting this information together into an appropriate answer.
We think this third benefit of exams is the most exciting. Exams don’t just provide a targeted, fit-for-purpose opportunity for students to demonstrate what they know: they also have the power to enhance what students know.
Hayley Emmerton
Principal
Deputy Principals Report
Diversity and Inclusion Policy
To prepare young people to lead rewarding and productive lives in a diverse, complex and changing world we need to be truly inclusive and embrace differences so we can make sure every student is known, valued and cared for. The KHHS teachers and wellbeing team have been working on the development of a whole school diversity and inclusion policy that promotes a safe and harmonious environment in which positive, respectful relationships can grow. The vision statement is below:
Vision Statement:
At Killarney Heights High School, we celebrate and embrace the rich diversity of our community and promote a harmonious and just school environment in which everyone is valued for their unique background, knowledge and perspective. We recognise that in elevating diverse voices and experiences, we encourage positive, respectful relationships and create a school climate in which innovation, creativity and ingenuity flourish. We are committed to the principles of compassion, fairness, justice and equity and to ensuring that all community members are treated with humanity, dignity and respect. By fostering an inclusive school environment, we support all students to achieve their full potential.
Killarney Heights High School strives to create an inclusive and equitable school culture that fosters acceptance, appreciation and respect for all students, regardless of their gender identity, sexuality, disability, body size, religion, race, culture, language background or accent. We will not tolerate discrimination, prejudice, harassment, bullying or vilification under any circumstances. Behaviour, language or practices that stereotype, demean, exclude, humiliate or harm others will not be accepted at Killarney Heights High School. We empower students to challenge prejudice and injustice when they see it and prepare all our students for lives as ethical and engaged global citizens in our culturally diverse world.
Katie Rose
She/They
Deputy Principal 8, 10 & 12
Dates to Remember
Monday 31 October - Friday 4 November | Year 7 Assessment Period |
Monday 7 November - Friday 11 November | Year 9 Assessment Period |
Monday 7 November - Friday 11 November | Year 10 Work Experience |
Thursday 10th November | Year 12 Sign Out Day |
Monday 14 November - Friday 18 November | Year 8 Assessment Period |
Tuesday 29 November | Year 6 to 7 Orientation Day |
Tuesday 6 December | Presentation Night |
Friday 16 December | Last Day Term 4 for Students |
Monday 19 December & Tuesday 20 December | Staff Development Days |
Friday 27 & Monday 30 January 2023 | Staff Development Days |
Tuesday 31 January | First Day Term 1 for Years 7, 11 & 12 |
Wednesday 1 February | First Day for Years 8, 9 & 10 |
Teacher Biography - Blade Fuller
Blade Fuller has been awarded a scholarship of $15 000 by the Sydney Symposium Choral Foundation. This will allow him to attend the World Choral Symposium in Istanbul in April 2023, where he will attend workshops and network with choral singers worldwide. He also plans to use the funding to further his studies of a Masters of Music in the future.
Blade Fuller was encouraged by his Canberra primary school teacher to take up an instrument, as she observed that he argued less when classical music was played in the classroom. Like all year 1 students, he didn’t like to do the working out for his maths problems, preferring to do them in his head, however when the music was played he was happy do as the teacher wanted.
As a result, he took up playing violin and viola and began singing in choirs. This began a long connection with many choral groups and where Blade has had the opportunity to express his passion for choir music. He turned his love of music into a career, moving to Sydney to study Music Education at the Conservatorium of Music
Whilst teaching as a casual at Newtown School of Performing Arts he was also employed by the Arts Unit of the Department of Education to look after NSW Public Schools Singers. This is a group of elite singers that perform regularly involved in performances at major events throughout the year including the ANZAC Day concerts, Opera House and Town Hall concerts, Schools Spectacular and ensembles concerts.
Blade began his permanent teaching career at Killarney Heights High School in 2016, where he has taught music to all years, one of his initiatives is the introduction of the unit on the ukulele for year 7 music. He has also taught year 11 and 12 both Music 1 and 2 and extension music, with consistently excellent results. Having so many of his students go on to study music at the conservatorium, is testament to his love of his subject.
Although Blade has been teaching full time, he has maintained his work with the Arts Unit, conducting for the School Spectacular Choirs as well as for Sydney Philharmonic Choirs. He also sings in The Sydney Philharmonic Choir for U 30’s which performs at the Opera House in such events as St Matthews Passion and more recently The Sacred Veil. I was lucky enough to attend one of these musical evenings before COVID hit – it was incredibly beautiful.
Hayley Emmerton
Principal
Supporting School Success
Have your say on what school success looks like
Dear parents and carers,
Reflecting on the challenges of the last few years, the NSW Department of Education is in the process of reviewing and evaluating what school success looks like now and in the future. It’s enhancing ways to support student success and wellbeing as part of ongoing school reform. The goal is to support our schools in a way that is more responsive to their needs and priorities.
To inform this work, the department is inviting parents and carers to share their perspectives on what the school and the department could do to improve the schooling experience. By participating, parents and carers will inform the department what is working well, what needs to be improved, and will be involved in shaping new and innovative initiatives.
If you would like to be part of the discussion, there are face-to-face and online forums being held in weeks 5, 6 and 7 of Term 4 (7 – 25 November). You can register your interest and find more information at Have your say on what school success looks like, including the locations and timing of sessions.
Canteen
We would like to inform you that as a result of price increases to fresh produce and canteen goods, plus the adding of fuel levy charges from our suppliers, we have had the need to revise and increase some of the item prices on our menu.
Please see Term 4/2022 canteen menu with updated prices below.
Year 12
Yr 12 Sign out procedure
On Thursday 10th November, between 10.00am and 12.00pm students will collect sign out forms from the A Block office, pay outstanding fees and return textbooks to the Library. On completion of sign out requirements, students will receive the Year 12 photo (if previously ordered and paid for).
Julian Aguilera
Year 12 Advisor
Languages
Year 9 Japanese
In Year 9 Japanese, we learnt about the work of artist, Nagasaka Mago. This artist creates pieces using e-waste (electronic waste), sourced from e-waste dumping and burning sites in Ghana. His ultimate goal is to build an e-waste recycling plant there, in order to reduce deaths from poisonous gases emitted from unsafe burning of e-waste. We then turned to our context, where plastic waste is a significant problem. Japan produces world famous designs, including packaging, but sometimes plastic is in too large a quantity. Students were provided with Japanese packaging featuring katakana, the second Japanese alphabet, which they started studying and using this term. After investigating words on the packaging, students created artworks that were similar in style to the art of Nagasaka Mago. These works are now hanging in the Japanese classroom, and immediately caught the eye of senior students of Japanese. It is always great to see the artistic talent our students bring to the language classroom.
Stephanie Rosier-Takeuchi
Japanese Teacher
Sport
Frisbee Friday
Every Friday lunch - all welcome - friendly banter and active participation is always welcomed.
Other Ultimate Frisbee Opportunities:
Try something new with a bunch of young people from all parts of the Northern Beaches / North Shore. Every Wednesday until March 2023 at Miller Reserve, Manly Vale. Open to all ages 7 - 17 (there is a primary and secondary division).
Try it out for 2 weeks FREE - Active Kids vouchers accepted.
TAS
Dear Parents/Carers
Please give due consideration to the shoes that you purchase for your children to wear to school. It is very important that the shoes meet both the uniform standard and safety requirements laid down by the NSW Department of Education.
In the TAS subjects it is a safety requirement that students much wear fully enclosed leather or suede shoes. Failure to do this will result in students being given an alternative task outside of a practical area.
Following from this, students with long hair will be required to place their hair in a bun. Please provide the appropriate hair ties to ensure they can participate in all TAS subjects.
If you have any questions, please contact the school Attention: HT TAS
Regards TAS FACULTY
Wellbeing
Gardening Club
Yr 8 students have been meeting weekly under the guidance of the school gardener Diana and SSO Candice - they have completed many projects around the school! This has included assisting on the establishment of the Bush Tucker Garden, mulching, uprooting stumps and planting, growing and picking their own home grown veggies. They always work super hard.
The Run Beyond Project
The Run Beyond Project Race 2 2022
Killarney Heights High School has run the Run Beyond Project Supporter School Program three times now, the program aims at teaching students about goal setting, resilience, and the importance of community, using running as a mechanism to do this. As a supporter school, Killarney also learnt lessons of social justice, that not everyone starts equal.
This round was the first time that male students joined the group and a record number of teachers also took on the challenge. It was also the first time that Killarney Heights High stayed together with another school that was a recipient of the charity's funds, Gulgong High School.
The Panorama Punish is a 6km mountain race on the race car track in Bathurst, with a 3km hill to start with there is the added pressure of a 30-minute cut-off time at the top. If you didn’t make it then a bus would come and pick you up to take you back down the mountain.
For 14 weeks Killarney Heights students and teachers trained together on Wednesday mornings with a high focus on hills. With great relief, all teachers and students made it to the top within the cut-off time and then had time to enjoy the scenery and cruise back to the finish line.
The Run Beyond Project is not just about running. A highlight of the trip was the epic, and loud, card game that Mr Higgs introduced us to ‘Signal’. Seeing all students and teachers come together, across all year groups, the game brought a lot of enjoyment.
This round, students raised over $5300 worth of funds for charity. The funds will go directly to those students in Australia who need a little extra help in realising their worth, lessons in goal setting, the importance of community and resilience.
All students should be congratulated for their positive behaviour and support of one another on the trip and during training. You have made Killarney Heights High Proud.
It is not too late to donate: https://gofund.me/17a2d263
All students partake in an anonymous evaluation after the completion of the run. Some common themes were
“The project helped me because it’s improved my resilience and commitment. I learnt how to be involved in a community”
“ I learnt that when you set your mind to it you can do anything”
“The Run Beyond Project taught me to always look at the positives and never give up”
“The best thing about the project is breaking physical and mental barriers”
“I learned to stay committed and keep on going because after when you achieve something it feels so good”
Iranian Advocacy Group
This student led group has joined together wanting to take action after hearing about the injustices and political unrest occurring in Iran. They have met weekly to brainstorm ideas in raising awareness, sharing news, and building awareness in the schools through petitions. They will be working towards speaking at the White Ribbon Assembly occurring later this term.
Candice Linton-smith
Student Achievements
Ash Giddins (Year 12) was selected to captain the NSW U18 boys indoor volleyball team. During the recent school holidays, he toured with the team playing at the Australian Youth Volleyball Championship in Bendigo competing against the best from around the country.
The team played 8 games (6 wins and 2 losses) placing 3rd in the group stage to qualify for the finals. They won the quarter final (against Victoria) and semi final (against WA) to finally face the Queensland U18 team in the grand final.
Although the Queensland team were a strong team (undefeated through the group stages), the NSW U18 boys team won comfortably to become the National U18 champions.
The players and coaching staff were extremely happy with the outcome.
Congratulations to Ash and his team!
Congratulations to Shaun Haruhara (Year 7) who competed in the 2022 Judo National School Championships on the Gold Coast in September and won a Bronze Medal in the Senior Boys Division 1 - u45kg.
A big congratulations to Year 10 student Dylan McLean who has successfully auditioned for the Schools Spectacular Orchestra for 2022. This is a highly competitive audition process, attracting some of the top music students from across the state, so it is a fantastic achievement for Dylan to be selected. The Orchestra is an integral part of the Schools Spectacular show, and Dylan will be centre stage for the entire performance. Dylan's Music teacher, Mr. Fuller, is also involved in this year's show, working with the Core Choir, an elite group of 32 highly trained singers who form the core of the massed choir.
You can see Dylan in Schools Spectacular by purchasing tickets on the Schools Spectacular website. https://www.schoolsspectacular.com.au/
Teaching Opens Doors
Click on the link below to learn more about Teaching as a career.