WYNDHAM COLLEGE A partner within the Nirimba Collegiate Group of Schools and the Nirimba Education Precinct

WYNDHAM WHISPERS
Nirimba Education Precinct, Eastern Road, Quakers Hill Phone: 9208 7100 Fax: 9208 7199 Website: www.wyndhamcol-h.schools.nsw.edu.au

JUNE 2013
Principal Karen Smith Deputy Principals David Macleod-Jones & Stan Pianko Collegiate Deputy Principal Joe Camilleri

JUNE June 18 June 20 June 21 June 26 June 28

Friends of Wyndham Yr12 Photography Sydney Yr12 Marine Studies Sydney Aquarium MADD Performance Night End Term 2

JULY July 15 Staff Development Day July 16 Students return Term 3 July 22-Aug 2 Trial HSC July 24 Yr11 Parent Teacher meeting July 25 Aust National Chemistry Competition July 31 ICAS-English Competition

AUGUST August 1 Aust. Maths Competition August 1 Yr11 Photography-Sydney August 13 Maths Competition August 20 Friends of Wyndham August 20 Yr11 fast Forward UWS Excursion August 21 Road Youth Trauma Forum August 22 Yr11 Biology- Mt Annan Botanic Gardens

FROM THE COLLEGE PRINCIPAL Subject Selection Evening was held on Thursday evening June 6 and around 800 parents and students availed themselves of the opportunity to seek out advice relating to the selection of subjects for Year 11 2014. The evening was a great success with all of the Executive staff of the College present to assist parents and students to select their subjects for next year. In my address on the evening, I pointed out some of the difficulties we face due to the popularity of our College. Whilst we will always enrol students from our collegiate partner Year 7-10 schools Quakers Hill, Riverstone and Seven Hills, we are now in the position of it being extremely unlikely that we will enrol other students. The College is on the maximum number of students it can accommodate, we have ten demountable classrooms (portables) and there is no land left to place any others. As has been the case in recent years, a waiting list will be established for students seeking entry from schools other than the collegiate partners, however, I believe it will be very unlikely that we will be able to access it for next year.

FRIENDS OF WYNDHAM COLLEGE (P & C)

All Parents are invited to attend

Tuesday 18 June 2013 7PM Administration Block

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June 2013

The special enrolment policy developed for Wyndham in 1999 still applies. Whilst the general policy across the state for DEC schools is that students have access to their local high school, that does not apply directly to Wyndham. Access to Wyndham is through our collegiate 7-10 schools (where the policy of local area access does apply). This means that if students from the local area chose not to attend the local DEC school, they will not then be able to expect to have access to Wyndham. This is especially the case now, as it could mean that there would not be room for students from the partner 710 schools, and of course that is not an option. Uniform now that the wet and cold weather has hit, we find that a small number of students are not attending in full uniform. Wyndham is, as our learning community determined, a uniform school. We expect all students to attend in the full college uniform. We are aware that there are sometimes extenuating circumstances which could temporarily prevent the wearing of full uniform. All we require under these circumstances, is a note of explanation from home. Most students, most of the time, do the right thing in this regard but I would ask that you support us if you are phoned by one of the college staff regarding this matter. I have explained to students that there is no excuse to be out of uniform without a note. Term 3 Important Dates School Development Day Term 3 this day will occur on Monday 15 July 2013. Normal school lessons will resume on Tuesday 16 July 2013. On 22 July, Trial HSC begins for all Year 12. The Trial will run for two weeks. Year 12 Graduation is on 19 September 2013. Staff Changes for Term 3 at the end of this term Stan Pianko, Judy Staciwa and Neil Maclean will all be retiring. Robert Bredin, Deputy Principal from Quakers Hill High School, will relocate to Wyndham as Deputy Principal replacing Stan. Judy Staciwas position is yet to be filled. We are currently in the process of filling this position by merit selection. Neil Maclean will be taking long service leave before commencing retirement. His position will be filled by a casual teacher at this stage. I would like to thank all of these staff members for their wonderful contribution to Wyndham College. They have made a difference and will be greatly missed. I wish them well in their retirements. Some Positives as I conclude, I would like to congratulate our students in several areas: first, their contribution to the Precinct Reconciliation event held at UWS College; second, the great performance at the Western Sydney Dance Festival held at the Hills Centre; third, the assistance provided at our Subject Selection evening; fourth, to great representation at Zone level for athletics, soccer, and rugby league. On Wednesday 5 June, 15 students (9 Wyndham and 6 Terra Sancta) currently in Year 12 were presented with their certificates and scholarships by UWS for their outstanding achievements in the university courses they undertook in Year 11. I was extremely proud of all students and the outstanding results they had attained. They are all well on their way to tertiary education. A reminder there will be the upcoming MADD Evening on 26 June 2013. Thank you to all our performing arts teachers. I know this will be a great evening. In each of the events, our students were a credit to the college. Well done and thanks. Karen Smith College Principal _______________________________________________________________________________ 2

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June 2013

FROM THE YEAR 11 DEPUTY PRINCIPAL Its with a tinge of sadness that I am separating from the Department of Education and Communities on July 16th 2013. I began teaching as a twenty one year old in 1971 at Mount Druitt High School. It was and is a great school. Most of us who started teaching there stayed for at least seven years, some for twelve. I would like to think that I have made a positive contribution to all the eight schools I have taught in and to highlight any one of them as the one I am most proud of would be simplistic. I gave each my full attention and enthusiasm. There are, however, two experiences that I am particularly proud of. The first is making the effort, sometimes at great personal cost, to help develop and maintain a seamless senior executive through collaboration, trust and professional respect. I must be honest and say that this has been the most challenging aspect as a member of a dynamic executive team. At Wyndham College I sincerely feel that our senior executive is a family that I will miss. There were very many indigenous students at Mount Druitt High School when I started teaching. I was twenty one and many of my students were fifteen and sixteen years old. When I do meet them now some forty years later I am introduced to their own family members as uncle Stan. I now have a better understanding of the title and am humbled and deeply honoured whenever I am addressed that way by adults in their late fifties and early sixties. During the 1980s I either authored or co-authored about a dozen mathematics textbooks. Some twenty four years later I am still receiving a royalty cheque for about $80 representing the times my works are quoted by others around Australia. I think its five cents for each citation. Thats about one sixteen hundred times a year someone around Australia thinks my ideas are worth considering and I am chuffed by the thought. When I was about eleven years old I knew that I wanted to be a teacher. My greatest influence were my teachers at Blacktown Patrician Brothers and later the teachers at Blacktown Boys High School. I have always considered teaching to be my vocation and not my career. I have never been ashamed to say that when applying for positions within the department, however I feel it didnt impress the career oriented members of panels. A vocation is a life long experience, a career finishes on a date. I will continue to teach in various capacities and settings until I no longer can. My greatest joys have been the students I teach, meet and serve. Yes, there have been experiences that I would rather not of had but they have only been there to highlight the many joys, wonderful experiences, sharing of sorrow and the elation of success. We very often read about the negative aspects surrounding the youth of today. Some of the criticism is warranted, most of it is not. I feel very positive and am filled with hope because I know the problems that we as adults have created and havent found a solution for will be solved by the students we teach, the adults of tomorrow. Good bye and thank you for allowing me to serve you.

Stan Pianko Deputy Principal

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FROM COLLEGIATE DEPUTY PRINCIPAL One of the biggest advantages of belonging to the Nirimba Collegiate is the access of all our feeder schools Quakers Hill High, Riverstone High and Seven Hill High with the year 10 into 11 Transition Program presented to these students. Through the active presentation of modules, relating to students making life career decisions, our careers advisors proactively encourage and support all stakeholders to partake in the Collegiate Transition program. Well acknowledged and promoted by the Collegiate Management Group (CMG), students are invited to attend Wyndham Senior Campus for Try-a Day Taster lessons. During these visits the students from the feeder school are given the opportunity to taste senior curriculum well presented by the senior teachers. I am extremely grateful to all the staff, ably led by the Principal, Mrs Karen Smith and all the respective KLA Head Teachers, with their staff, in providing these precious moments to inform / assist students in making the right and informative subject choices for year 11 2014. In conjunction with these Taster lessons the students and their families also have had the opportunity to attend other special evenings to be advised of the many career paths their children have available to them at Wyndham College. This includes the inaugural Traineeship and Apprenticeship information evening hosted by Riverstone High School, and the Subject Selection evening hosted by Wyndham College. These events are placed on the Collegiate calendar to enable and ensure that all of our students are given the best possible and available information to make the correct choices in their career and educational planning. Ive had the pleasure in visiting the feeder schools to promote this transition program with all the year 10 students. With this process packages are given to the students which include documentation which must be completed and returned immediately to their respective careers advisor. This paperwork is critical in formulating curriculum structure at Wyndham for 2014. Further to this the careers advisors also run interviews with the students to consolidate choices and decisions made. It is imperative that this paperwork is submitted to their careers advisor. Non submission of paperwork could jeopardise their enrolment at Wyndham College. A professionally produced CD will also be distributed to all year 10 candidates 2013 of the Nirimba Collegiate. May I express a big thank you to all staff (teaching and office administration) who have enabled this transition process / program to work well in assisting our 2013 year 10 candidature in making the best possible and informed decisions during this time of their educational life. Please dont hesitate to give me a call if you wish to discuss any educational matter you have regarding your son/daughter. Yours in Education

Mr Joe Camilleri - Collegiate Deputy Principal.

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WYNDHAM COLLEGE INVITES YOU...

SUPPORT STUDENTS - SYDNEY DANCE FESTIVAL Students in the Support Faculty participated in the Sydney Dance Festival and excelled during their performances. They were eager, energetic and excited yet respectful and grateful for having the chance to perform and were great ambassadors for Wyndham College.

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June 2013

WYNDHAMS ADVANCED ENGLISH EXCURSION TO RIVERSIDE HAMLET FRIDAY MAY 3RD, 2013

It's 9AM, May 3rd and Dimitri's Year 12 class is gathered at Quakers Hill train station. Looking around one notices the yawns of anticipation. Soon caffeinated, students then embarked on a great thespian journey to Parramattas Riverside Theatre. This was where the Sport for Jove Theatre Company produced their 2013 production of Shakespeares Hamlet. This production and following symposium by Damian Ryan and his acting team had Wyndhams Advanced English students leaving with two things: 1) a clearer understanding of their own personal reading of the play which will help them in their HSC assessments and 2) a new or even heightened sense of appreciation for theatre. Students who had been studying the text closely in class, debating meaning and assessing other productions, were left breath-taken by both the tension created by these actors and their personalised ownership of them. A combination of modern and traditional ideas for setting and staging, props and costumes had its mostly teen audience engaging both critically and intellectually with the play. There were even admissions of enjoyment made by students to their teacher. The surprisingly comedic production of Hamlet showed how tragedy can be suitably treated with laughter to break tensions, show the interpretive nature of a script, and give an inlet into a charcter which allowed for empathy for otherwise desperate characters who would commit evil acts. Lindsay Farris brought Hamlet to life in and in the following symposium it was explained how the various characters can be presented and the very solid reasoning and justified creativity of their decision-making. This intellectually stimulating task had students asking and even answering questions and this is exactly what the Board of Studies will ask of our students in October. In discussions during the lunch break students debated: Claudius never loved her to begin with! Ophelia and Gertrude knew full well what was going on Was she pregnant!? (No way!) Clearly Shakespeare continues to rile up contemporary audiences. Honour, revenge, duty, struggle, human purpose and value were some the themes which became central topics of discussion. The passions permeating from the young minds of our Wyndham students will serve them well in the HSC and ultimately promote informed citizenship. Their higher-order thinking skills flourished as they hypothesise and antagonise over assessing the moral integrity of characters and appreciate how the play still resonates with a modern audience. Even the train trip home had students talking about the play and only to periodically turn to the train window to gaze out of it introspectively. Perhaps their Facebook statuses would not reflect this and the twittersphere remained intact that evening but it was unanimous, they genuinely enjoyed it.
Dimitri Papanis _______________________________________________________________________________ 6

Wyndham College SRC Suggestion Box

June 2013

Any students with sensible suggestions can put them in the SRC Suggestion Box located in the schools Library. The SRC meet every Thursday at lunchtime in E6 so suggestions can be dropped off there or given to a member of the SRC. All reasonable requests are discussed at meetings.

UNIFORM SHOP

The Uniform Shop is open on Thursdays 12.30pm -1.30pm It is located at the top of C Block. EFTPOS is now available with a surcharge of $3.00 Orders are to be paid in full at time of ordering.

FREE -MATHS TUITION

All students are invited to join the free Maths tuition that is held in C4 every Tuesday afternoon from 3pm to 4pm. Be there!

FREE -CHEMISTRY TUTORIALS Every Tuesday at 3pm 4pm in B01

FREE -PHYSICS TUTORIALS Every Monday at 3pm 4pm in B01

MOBILE PHONES a timely reminder

Recently we have had some incidents involving mobile phones. If mobile phones are brought to college, they are to be used responsibly at all times. They are not to be used in class time and they are not to interfere with the learning of students at the college. I have attached the colleges mobile phone policy. It is to be adhered to at all times. Breaches of the policy will be dealt with under the colleges discipline policy. _______________________________________________________________________________ 7

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Objectives Policy Statement

1. Responsible use of mobile phone by students, with guidance from teaching staff, will provide a secure and safe learning environment. 2. Students using mobile phones have the responsibility to report inappropriate behaviour and material to their supervisors. 3. Students should not be using mobile phones in classes unless for the express purpose of the lesson devised 4. Students should be aware that a breach of this policy may result in disciplinary action in line with the schools discipline policy.

Context
1. This policy document should be read as consistent with school discipline, child protection, antidiscrimination and anti-racism policies.

Responsibilities and delegations

Misuse and Breaches of Acceptable Usage Students will Never send or publish: o Unacceptable or unlawful material or remarks, including offensive, abusive or discriminatory comments o Threatening, bullying or harassing another person or making excessive or unreasonable demands upon another person o Sexually explicit or sexually suggestive material or correspondence o False or defamatory information about a person or organisation Ensure that personal use is kept to outside class time unless specified by teacher Never publish or disclose the email address of a staff member or student without that persons explicit permission Not reveal personal information including names, addresses, photographs, credit card details and telephone numbers of themselves or others Ensure privacy and confidentiality is maintained by not disclosing or using any information in a way that is contrary to any individuals interests Never plagiarise information and will observe appropriate copyright clearance, including acknowledging the author or source of any information used Ensure that permission is gained before electronically publishing users works or drawings. Always acknowledge the creator or author of any material published Ensure any material published on the internet or intranet has the approval of the principal or their delegate and has appropriate copyright clearance Students will be aware that: They are held responsible for their actions while using mobile phones They are held responsible for any breaches The misuse of mobile phones may result in disciplinary action and suspension

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June 2013

2013 HSC LECTURES

Anaphylaxis Information

HSC English Belonging Paper 1 Lecture for Standard & Advanced DATE: Wednesday 19th June TIME: 6.30pm-7.30pm COST: $7.00
Accompanying Parent free.

HSC Modern History Lecture World War 1 DATE: Tuesday 25th June TIME: 6.00pm-7.30pm COST: $7.00
Accompanying Parent free.

HSC English Essay Writing Skills Lecture DATE: Saturday 29th June TIME: 2.00pm-3.00pm COST: $7.00
Accompanying Parent free.
All lectures held in Max Webber Library Function Centre. Level 1, Cnr Flushcombe Rd & Alpha St, BLACKTOWN.
TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED FROM MAX WEBBER LIBRARY PRIOR TO LECTURE. TICKETS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE.

For more information contact: Reference Desk at Max Webber Library, Blacktown. 9839 6620
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IMPORTANT ATTENDANCE INFORMATION

SMS - the College number is 0416 906 146.

Excursions Excursions are an important part of the school curriculum. They provide students with a diversity of learning experiences that are very valuable. However, the excursions take considerable time and effort to organise so that they run efficiently. For this reason the school policy is that all excursion money must be paid by the date indicated on the permission note. Students who do not pay by this date will not be able to attend the excursion. If there is a special circumstance preventing payment by the due date, your child should see the Head Teacher.

CHANGE OF DETAILS
To keep student records as up to date as possible please complete the slip below, if you have changed address or changed phone numbers, and return to the front office. Student Name ... New Address Home Phone ... ..

Mobile Phone Mother Name.... Mobile Phone -Father Name Date...............

Signed .

Emails
If you have recently changed your email address please complete this slip and return to the office:
Student Name ___________________________________________________ Email Address ___________________________________________________
Please print carefully

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