Spotlights - Holroyd High School...students as well as exit reports to high schools for our sixty leavers this term. The progress reports were given to parents and carers at our parent

COMING EVENTS

Term 1, 2020

28 January Staff Development Day

29 January Year 7, 11, 12 return to school

30 January Years 8, 9 & 10 & IEC return to school

YEAR 10 ASPIRE DEGREES IN A DAY

EXCURSION

During this term, selected

Year 10 students were

given the opportunity to

visit Deloitte in

Parramatta. Deloitte is a

multinational professional

services network. It is one

of the "Big Four"

accounting organisations

and the largest

professional services

network in the world by revenue and number of professionals.

Students have the opportunity to speak to employers who work in

different areas of the business and engage in interactive workshops

to help build confidence and skills they need for their future careers.

The mentors opened the students’ minds to a wider choice of

employment a university degree can bring. The day was very

informative and enjoyable for all.

ABCN YEAR 11 FOCUS 2 PROGRAM

During this

term, selected

Year 11 girls

participated in

the ABCN

Focus 2

program which

gave them the

opportunity to

learn essential

leadership

skills they need to engage in a successful, meaningful career. The

workshops were held a Price Waterhouse Cooper at Barangaroo

and involved the students working in small groups with female

executives who act as role models and mentors. The sessions

included an introduction to leadership styles, realising strengths

and creating a leadership picture. The program was successful and

enjoyable for all students.

Ellie Apostolopoulos

Careers Adviser

Spotlights Excellence, Opportunity, Success

Find us at: 7 Cumberland Road, Greystanes www.holroyd-h.schools.nsw.edu.au

P: 9631 9410 F: 9896 3074 Attendance SMS: 0429 456 348

Issue 5 – Term 4 – Week 10 18 December 2019

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR

REGIONAL DEBATING

CHAMPIONS

Sevleen Kaur (Year 7) and Mya Bailey, Stephanie

Mathews, Ihan De Mel (Year 8) became Regional Debating

Champions and were invited to the State Championships to

represent the South Western Sydney Region. The debating

State Championships was held on Wednesday 4 December

at the University of Sydney. The students engaged in a

three day competition and camp.

Congratulations to Sevleen, Mya, Stephanie and Ihan and

their coach, Ms Paskoski.

Issue 5 – Term 4 – Week 10 18 December 2019

First of all, congratulations to all our Year 12 students who have

successfully completed their HSC studies. We wish them every

success and happiness as they embrace new opportunities and

challenges and continue with life beyond school. A special

acknowledgement must go to Mariam Makhoul who was a top

achiever in Arabic Extension coming 4th in the State. Maikel Khamo

and Ninmar Shilmoun also made the merit list as distinguished

achievers. Ms Suzanne Safi is to be highly commended as their

teacher in achieving these outstanding results.

I also wish to congratulate Rayaan Omar who has been awarded

the presitigious Friends of Zainab Senior Secondary Year 10

Scholarship. There were many high-quality applications and

winning this scholarship is a significant achievement. Rayaan will

be invited to attend the Public Education Awards Ceremony in

Sydney on Monday 18th May 2020 to officially receive this award.

This year was an emotional one for our Holroyd community after

the tragic and sudden passing of our beloved and long serving

Head Teacher HSIE – Mr Timothy Adams. It was an honour to have

both Tim’s parents Mr Dick and Elizabeth Adams attend our annual

presentation day assembly to present the Tim Adams Memorial

award for Courage, Resilience and Compassion. This was awarded

to Mohammad Martin Meherzada in Year 11. Mohammad received

a perpetual trophy and funding for his Year 12 jesrsey and formal

ticket in 2020.

In September this year, Mrs Franklin also applied for a Local

Schools Community Grant to the value of $20,000 to build the ‘Tim

Adams Memorial Outdoor Learning Hub’ and I am pleased to

announce we were successful in this application. We were

overjoyed to receive this news yesterday and it was a great way to

end the year. Mr Adams was also instrumental in the

implementation of over 50 smartboards and 750 laptops in our

school and his vision of every classroom being ‘plug and play’

ready has been realised. This is testament to his passion for future

future focussed learning and providing opportunities for our

students and staff to be connected and engaged with the digital

world beyond the classroom.

Year 7 orientation day was a great success and it is fabulous to

hear from our feeder primary schools that more parents and

students are asking and considering Holroyd High School as their

local school of choice. This is largely due to the hard work and

efforts of our staff in regards to the positive changes that continue

to happen across the school in terms of quality teaching and

learning, improving outcomes for students and providing an

innovative and quality learning environment where every child is

known, valued and cared for.

The growth mindset of our school has allowed for some amazing

intitaives to be kickstarted in 2019 this has included:

A new 5 period day structure which gave our teachers and

students more learning time and less movement around the

school which made for more quality teaching time.

The creation of our wellbeing hub and student services centre

which really has become the heart of our school. It provides a

flexible, safe and caring space for staff and students to study and

work, enjoy some quiet time, seek one to one support as well as

participate in our learning enrichment and wellbeing programs.

Students and staff feel a sense of belonging and it provides a

positive place of wellbeing for our school community.

The establishment of check-in groups in the first 20 minutes of the

day to ensure every student is supported in their mental health,

resilience and wellbeing at school.

The implementation of school wide processes and expectations

around bus procedures, mobile phone use, attendance and being

on time to class saw the introduction of ‘5 to Arrive’ and ‘Bag or

the Box’. These procedures emphasise the importance of

learning time and sends a strong message that every minute

matters.

The reintroduction of grade sport and school sport for the first

time in 15 years, excited both staff and students and also saw

the leasing of 4 new mini buses, the design of a new sports

uniform and the purchase of over $20,000 worth of new sporting

equipment.

A new GRIT program for Year 7 assisted students with

transitioning to high school and introduced students to the

essential characteristics of Guts, Resilience, Integrity and

Tenacity to help them to feel more prepared for the high school

setting and the challenges they may face.

Staff undertook regular training as part of the 369 model of

professional learning to enhance teacher quality and to ensure

the continuous improvement of teacher performance and

development. Workshops included unlocking literacy and super 6

strategies, integrating technology and an introduction to

smartboards, using design thinking processes and growth

mindset in the classroom and strategies to support EALD

students.

Particpating in the Best start Year 7 program and employing 3

additional teachers to help support the development of key

literacy and numeracy skills. This also led to the introduction of

the MyOn reading platform and access for students to over 5,000

digital books, the Corrective Reading program and the

impmentation of Super 6 literacy and comprehension strategies.

Core skills classes were also established to help support senior

students to meet HSC Minimum standards.

Our temporary library, staffrooms and classrooms continue to be

upgraded to create more flexible and future focused learning

spaces. New additions include carpet, LED lighting, painting, 54

smartboards, laptops and flexible furniture. New table tennis

tables were also a welcomed addition to the playground to

increase active play at recess and lunch.

A new canteen upgrade and a new canteen provider ‘Bon Apetite’

2019 has been an amazing year and great things really do happen

at Holroyd so plase check out the 2019 video highlights on social

media to see all of our wonderful achievements.

Special mention to our students who performed at the Seymour

Centre as part of Suitacse Stories and thank you to Ms Catherine

Maguire-Donvito who works tirelessy behind the scenes and on

weekends to put this performance together.

Principal’s Report

Issue 5 – Term 4 – Week 10 18 December 2019

3

Thank you also to our SRC who are supported by Ms Jane

Marquez for all that you do throughout the year to make our school

a better place for our students.

I would also like to acknowledge our volunteers Mrs Barbara

O’Brien and Mr Bernie Peatman who throughout the year have

provided support in Maths and in the Intensive English Centre in

helping our students to be more numerate and to read. It’s very rare

to have volunteers who are willing to come and help in high schools

so their contribution is most valuable and appreciated.

Lastly I wish to bid farewll to Ms Megan Bowmer who will be leaving

the English faculty and starting at Inner City HS in 2020. Ms Joanne

Menezes will be the new Year 8 Adviser replacing Ms Bowmer. I

would also like to officially welcome and congratulate Ms Frishta

Shirzai who has been permanently appointed to English and Mr

Lyal Loughnan who will be the new permanent Music teacher for

2020. I would also like to extend my appreciation to all the staff

who have filled temporary positions at Holroyd this year who won’t

be returning and wish them well in their future endeavours. I hope

being at Holroyd has opened new doors and opportunities for you

and you have been touched by your time here.

I can’t finish this report without thanking the staff of Holroyd High

School. To the teachers, the administration staff, the counsellors,

the learning support staff, the community engagement officers, the

cleaners, the canteen ladies and last but definitely not least our

general assistant, you all do an amazing job each and every day

looking after our Holroyd students and our school, and it wouldn’t

be the great community it is without you. Thank you for being a

wonderful staff and team and for supporting me in my vision for

Holroyd in terms of making Holroyd the best school it can be. When

a new Principal arrives in a school there is always change and in

the last 18 months the changes have been immense to say the

least. Every single one of you have risen to the challenges and

done more than I have asked. The success of our school is driven

by your commitment and willingness to be part of the great things

that happen.

I am ever so grateful that I get to come to work each day and serve

such wonderful students but also to work alongside such committed

and passionate staff - I am very blessed to be Principal of such a

great school!

There are so many exciting things to look forward to in 2020 we will

have a new school gym opening at the start of next year and

building will start on our new library and administration block. Our

school over the holidays will be painted and a new roof placed on

two of the blocks.

Please enjoy your break, rest and rejuvenate and get set for an

exciting 2020!

Kylie Adams

Principal

We are coming to the end of another school year. And what a busy

year it has been! We have welcomed so many new students

throughout the year. Teachers have been very busy finishing a lot

of different reports: semester two progress reports for all our

students as well as exit reports to high schools for our sixty leavers

this term. The progress reports were given to parents and carers at

our parent teacher afternoon on Monday 16 December 2019.

2019 has been a year filled with great learning experiences for our

students at Holroyd IEC. As well as the learning in the classrooms,

there have been interesting and enjoyable excursions organised by

the teachers to places around Sydney such as Sydney Wildlife

World, Sydney Aquarium, The Rocks, the Opera House, Taronga

Zoo, Sculpture by the Sea and the Powerhouse museum.

We have had several excellent programs running this year,

including Creating Coaches and Welcome to Australia. The Healing

Through Drumming program run by Evan Yako was enjoyed by

groups of students. And the Interact program where students get to

meet mentors in the business world through our school’s

partnership with ABCN was again a great success. These programs

are successful due to the great partnerships we have with external

organisations.

This year we have also continued our focus on improving the

literacy and numeracy of students and thanks go to all the teachers

and to Ms Ghanbari who has been working as a Learning and

Support teacher in the IEC. Students have benefitted from the

additional strategies and support.

Some students from Holroyd IEC were invited to showcase their

artworks at the Refugee Paediatric conference held at Westmead

Children’s Hospital in August and two of our students were invited

to give a short presentation at this conference. Thanks goes to Ms

Naidu who organises many activities and programs for students at

the IEC. Ms Naidu also helps run excursions to the hospitals for

parents and students in partnership with the local health services.

There have been two Swim School groups this year and it is

wonderful to see how the students gain confidence in the water and

learn water safety skills. Athletics carnivals, Cross Country and

regular weekly PE and sport sessions ensure that IEC students

have the opportunity to learn new skills and be involved in healthy

activities.

I would like to also make a special mention of the students and staff

who have been a part of Suitcase Stories drama group. This group,

led by one of our counsellors, Ms Catherine Maguire-Donvito, have

rehearsed on weekends for many months and performed their own

stories at other schools and theatres in Sydney. In February this

year, this group of students was invited to perform in Parliament

House in Canberra which was an extraordinary honour. We are

very proud of these students.

IEC Deputy Principal’s Report

Issue 5 – Term 4 – Week 10 18 December 2019

4

I would like to thank the IEC Head Teachers, Mr Nair and Miss

Kleinbergs, and all the staff at Holroyd IEC for their hard work

throughout this year. The IEC staff have an outstanding

commitment to teaching English and preparing the students for high

school and life in Australia.

I wish all our exiting students all the very best for the future. And I

wish everybody a safe and happy holiday and I look forward to

seeing you next year.

Sonia Durney

IEC Deputy Principal

LANGUAGES, ENGLISH, EAL/D & DRAMA (LEED) FACULTY REPORT

It has been a dynamic and evolving Term 4 for

the LEED faculty. Our students have completed

their final assessments and Year 12 students

have complete their HSC examinations. Well

done on the many fantastic learning

achievements from our students. I would like to

thank the LEED staff for always going above

and beyond to ensure our students are receiving

a quality education.

Indigenous Literacy Week

In Week 1, Holroyd and the LEED faculty celebrated Indigenous Lit eracy Week and raised funds for

the Indigenous Literacy

Foundation. We held an Ice

cream for Indigenous Literacy

fundraising stall and raised

almost $800 to send literacy

resources to Indigenous

Australian communities in rural

parts of the country. Our staff

and students were very generous and we thank them for their

contributions.

Premier’s Debating Challenge

Our Stage 4 and 5 Debating Teams have had

a stellar year. Our Stage 4 team were quite

successful, becoming regional champions and

being invited to he State Championship to

represent the South Western Sydney Region.

Students engaged in a three day competition

and camp and the University of Sydney and

came away with a life shaping experience.

Congratulations to the team, Sevleen Kaur, Mya Bailey, Stephanie

Mathews and Ihan De Mel and to their coach, the fantastic Ms

Paskoski.

Teaching and Learning Surveys

This term we also conducted Teaching and Learning surveys with

all students in Stage 4 and 5 English. From these, we learnt that

students enjoyed our subjects and the learning activities. Student

results indicated that they particularly liked learning about poetry

and visual literacy and also found the new technology in our

classes engaging. Students were vocal about some changes they

would like, and these voices have been heard and embedded into

the planning for 2020.

We would also like to take this opportunity to farewell two of our

wonderful teachers, Ms Turan and Ms Bowmer. Both of these

teachers have played an instrumental part in shaping the many

great experiences in our faculty in 2019. Ms Turan has been a

familiar and experienced EAL/D teacher who has worked closely

with students. She will be very much missed. We wish her the best

in her future endeavours. Ms Bowmer has been with HHS for four

years, and in this time has used her innovative and positive mindset

to increase student outcomes and inspire colleagues. She will also

be missed and we wish her the best.

We wish everyone a safe and happy summer holiday. Thank you

for a wonderful 2019. Remember to read and relax!

#GreatThingsHappenAtHolroyd.

Rosy Montana Head Teacher English, EAL/D and Languages

MATHEMATICS & MUSIC FACULTY REPORT

Term 4 ha s been an exciting and busy term for

the Mathematics Faculty.

We have had yearly examinations for all our junior

students and would like to encourage all students

to reflect on 2019 and use their reports as a way

to improve and make good decisions that will

result in success in 2020.

The 2020 Year 12 students have already begun their HSC course

and completed their first assessment task this term. Students are

encouraged to revise and study Year 11 content over the coming

holidays and use the resources provided for them to improve upon

their results for 2020.

Year 12 Mathematics Advanced Assessment Task 1 – Desmos Logo

Design

(Liaqat Ali Babai, Rohan Bhandari, Jayden Pillay &

Mohammad Matin Meherzada)

We would like to wish everyone a safe and enjoyable holiday, a

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Farid Awad

Head Teacher Mathematics & Music

Issue 5 – Term 4 – Week 10 18 December 2019

5

SCIENCE FACULTY REPORT

The science staff had a successful planning day

for 2020 at Atura Hotel on the 27 November. The

atmosphere was good and there were no

disturbances from students or phone calls so a

lot was achieved. The discussions on the table

were our Years 7-10 scope and sequences,

where we were up to regarding our NESA

requirements. We also looked at data relating to

our Year 10 Validation of Assessment for

Learning and Individual development (VALID) 2019 results. VALID

is a diagnostic assessment for the Science KLA. VALID enables us

to monitor student achievement and inform our planning,

programming and assessment practices. The Year 10 VALID

results were good with most of the students achieving between

levels 3-6. We also added the super 6 literacy strategies into our

programs and look forward to using them in 2020 to help our

students improve their literacy skills. Another topic we discussed

was STEM ( science, technology, engineering and maths) and our

plan to have STEM days for each of the Years 7-10 in 2020 where

students will collaborate and do some creative thinking to come up

with a final product. We will be using our new maker space for this Western Sydney science faculty excursion experience.

The excursion to the Western Sydney University science faculty

was a great experience for Year 8 students to develop their skills in

the field of Science. We learned so much about scientific principles

and laws that govern our day to day lives.

Through this excursion we were assisted to discover more

opportunities in the field of science through experiments. In fact, the

availability of resources at the university are amazing as some of

experiments that I would have liked to conduct couldn’t be done in

a normal school laboratory therefore making it more special.

However, the best experiments were the ones you could take

home. The Crystal garden, slime and coloured flowers were

admired and enjoyed by everyone. Also the most enjoyable station

was the cool experiments, where we did experiments with dry ice.

We also conducted acid/base reactions and saw an amazing array

of colours change from one to another. We even got to eat ice

cream frozen/produced by liquid nitrogen. The experience at WSU

was amazing. Overall, the entire excursion was a great way to learn

while having fun with the company of friends and finish the year

with a happy and positive note.

On behalf of the science faculty I would like to wish everyone an

enjoyable festive season and a very happy and relaxing holiday.

Niru Kumar

Head Teacher Science

HSIE FACULTY REPORT

As part of our push to integrate future-focussed

learning into HSIE classrooms, we have

introduced Minecraft: Education edition into Year 7

Geography. Minecraft and other software will be

used to make learning more engaging and more

meaningful to our kids.

The Sustainability Club

Holroyd High School’s very own Sustainability Club aims to create a

school that is sustainable, where our impact on the environment is

reduced and we are able to proudly celebrate and partake in whole

school approaches towards sustainability.

This term, 7L has learned about what makes a city

sustainable. They worked in teams of 2 or 3 and planned what

to build in Minecraft or build it with boxes like hospital, homes,

school, park and more. My friend and I built a city in Minecraft

in class.

It took my team two to three weeks to make it in Minecraft.

Minecraft makes learning more fun too.

My team made a hospital. It is big and we made a helicopter

landing on the top of the hospital. There is a two storey

parking on the left and on the right there is a town hall.

By: Mohammad Haidari 7L

Issue 5 – Term 4 – Week 10 18 December 2019

6

The Sustainability

Club will discuss and

get involved in

activities relating to

both the school and

wider environment.

Members of the club

will plan and create a

sustainable school using 21st Century technology such as

‘Minecraft’ and eventually implement that into the real world.

Members will also participate in many projects such as raising

funds for a charity, managing the recycling, encouraging energy

and water efficiency within the school, Clean Up Australia Day,

National Tree Day and many more.

Many of the projects that the club participate in will be student led,

as we believe student voice should be valued and heard. Members

will get the chance to build leadership skills as they run various

projects. Student surveys will be conducted to hear what students

actually want for their school.

Come and join the Sustainability Club and let’s make

#GreatThingsHappenAtHolroyd.

History Club

Holroyd High students will have the unique opportunity to connect

with fellow history buffs to explore both the ancient and modern

world in new and fun ways.

The History Club offers students a variety of activities that enhance

their knowledge of the past with activities such as model making,

historical movie days, board games, quizzes and field trips to the

Museum of Sydney.

History Club members are also given first priority to sign up for

other excursions we offer throughout the year. Furthermore, the

club provides a valuable opportunity for students to chat one on

one with our very experienced History teachers.

The History Club also allows students to meet and form new

friendships with students of other year levels. Everyone is welcome

to join. We would love to see you come and explore the exciting

world that is our past.

First meeting for 2020 starts Friday week 2 (every even). See you

there in D14.

Ryan Park

HSIE Teacher

SUPPORT UNIT REPORT

What a wonderful Year!

Congratulations to our Year 7 students who have

grown in confidence and skill over the year.

We farewell eleven of Year 12 students who

have completed their schooling and now head

into 2020 ready for the world of work, further

learning and numerous adventures. Good luck

everyone.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the staff of the Support

Unit for their continued outstanding work throughout 2019.

See below for photos of the wonderful and amazing things we did

this year.

Wishing all our students and families a very Merry Christmas and

happy holidays.

Kerrie Kimes

Head Teacher Support Unit

Issue 5 – Term 4 – Week 10 18 December 2019

7

VISUAL ARTS REPORT

Year 9 Visual Arts class visited the Museum of Contemporary Art

this term with Ms Thong, Ms Meilak, and Ms Tara. Students were

studying Postmodern Art and got to experience interactive

artworks by a whole range of contemporary artists such as Destiny

Deacon, their Indigenous case study artist.

Dianne Meilak & Mont Thong Visual Arts Teachers

PARENT CORNER

Hello parents and caregivers. As we approach

the end of another busy year, I hope you are well

and in high spirits. I cannot believe I am writing

my last Spotlight report for the year. In the Parent

Unit, we have been busy engaged in English

Conversation Classes, an excursion to Canberra,

information sessions on health and well-being,

study skills, sleep, immigration, cooking,

teenagers, cyber-safety and swimming to name a

few. The friendships that have formed over the year between

parents and our school are heartfelt and we hope to continue this

great initiative next year.

In the Parent Unit, we have had many highlights throughout the

year. One of my favourites this term has been engaging women

from a refugee background in Learn to Swim classes. Mums came

along and did their utmost best to learn the basics, even if it meant

choking on water. I am proud to say, these women inspire me

every day because they are fearless, resilient and always willing to

try something new. I hope to co-ordinate a Term 1 plan in 2020 for

women of Holroyd High School, conjointly with Merrylands Pools

and Cumberland Council. This information will be sent out in early

in Term 1, 2020.

We are forward thinkers here at Holroyd High and we would love

your thoughts about how we can grow the Parent Program further.

We are always looking for new ideas and are open to a discussion

about how to best do this. Please come by on a Monday from

10am-12pm to have a chat and a cuppa. We will recommence

groups in Week 2 of Term 1, 2020.

For families who will be staying locally during the holidays, have a

look at all the great free activities hosted by Cumberland Council.

From movie nights, kids programs at Stockland Mall, painting

classes & free swimming sessions, there is lots to do. To find the

relevant information please head to Cumberland Councils website.

In closing, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for

your support throughout the year. I have been inspired by all the

families and students I have come across. Your stories have

created in me a deeper feeling of gratitude and appreciation. Our

community is special and we in the Parent Unit will always strive to

find a way to connect, to celebrate and to honour you as part of our

Holroyd family.

To our amazing Community Liaison Officers, Rana Asmaro and

Sayed Zobair, thank you for all you do. From engaging with your

community, setting up morning teas, helping parents find their way,

translating at all our major events and just by being there to listen to

anything that comes your way, makes your role extra special. A

huge thank you to Lousie Ciano and Sonia Durney for being

exceptional leader’s and mentors and assisting us through the

highs and lows.

I wish your families a wonderful summer break, a glorious

Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year.

Enjoy the next six weeks with your families. Till next time, happy

parenting.

Issue 5 – Term 4 – Week 10 18 December 2019

8

Raja Yassine

Parent Engagement Officer

SCHOOL COUNSELLORS REPORT

Holiday Greetings to Students and Families of Holroyd

High School

The school’s counselling

service is a free, safe and

confidential support service

offered to students to

promote mental health and

wellbeing, enhance self-

understanding, and help

resolve identified concerns.

The schools counsellors, Annette Haggerty and Felicity Saavas are

trained in psychology and student support. Over the year, the

counsellors had over 250 appointments where they provided

support to students who may have needed additional help with

worries or problems. In addition to counselling students, counsellors

sometimes assess students with special needs and also assist

students and families to engage with mental health professionals

such as psychologists and paediatricians. Over the year, we also

assisted with a Girls Empowerment Program in the last half of the

year which aimed to increase girls’self-confidence and resilience.

We wish you a safe and happy holiday break

andwish to inform you of free counselling

services that are available over the holiday

period. Headspace, at Parramatta is a free

counselling service for 12-25 year olds which is

open weekdays from 9 to 5 daily except for the

Wednesday 25 December, Thursday 26

December and Wednesday 1 January.

eheadspace is also available 7 days a week

from 9am-1am on 1800 650 890, just go online by searching

“eheadspace”.

For any student support during this period, there are other services

available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week:

Lifeline 13 11 14

Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800

Or in an emergency situation, call 000 We look forward to continue supporting our students in 2020!

Annette Haggerty and Felicity Saavas

School Psychologist

YEAR 7 REPORT

Congratulations to Year 7 for thriving in their first

year of high school!

In the second semester, Year 7 have

demonstrated focus, persistence and hard work in

their end-of-year assessment tasks. I am so proud

of the way that the year group have approached

their learning with great motivation and dedication.

The Year 7 Rewards Excursion was held on the

13 December to recognise students who demonstrate focus and

commitment, who consistently wear the uniform, and who have high

levels of attendance. I hope all students enjoyed themselves at

celebrated their achievements this year!

This year we have celebrated many academic, leadership, cultural

and sporting successes. In 2019, year 7 begun the year focusing

on the skills Guts, Resilience, Integrity and Tenacity in GRIT Week;

they improved their literacy with Step Up and myOn; they worked

with Year 11 leaders during Peer Support; they elected four SRC

leaders; they had many students represent the school in grade

sport and in regional sporting carnivals; some year 7 students

participated in the Premier’s Debating Challenge; they had

vaccinations; and they strengthened their swimming skills at Swim

School. It has been a very busy and exciting year!

At the end of this year, I will be moving on from Holroyd to a new

opportunity at another school so unfortunately will not be your Year

Adviser in 2020. I have loved supporting and nurturing Year 7 in

their transition to high school and it has been a joy to see them

grow as young adults. I will miss this year group immensely but I

know that they will continue to flourish and thrive at Holroyd in the

years to come!

As we look forward to 2020, it is important that students rest and

recharge during the summer holidays

Megan Bowmer and Joanne Menezes

Year 7 Adviser and Assistant Year Adviser

Issue 5 – Term 4 – Week 10 18 December 2019

9

YEAR 10 REPORT

Congratulations for

successfully finishing

Year 10! We are proud of

all your achievements,

hard work and efforts this

year.

Excursions

Selected students

attended the Year 10

rewards excursion at Event Cinemas Parramatta on Monday 16

December. Attendees were rewarded for their outstanding

attendance, uniform, attitude, behaviour and overall application

towards their schooling this year. It was a wonderful day out

celebrating the students’ consistent hard work, commitment and

dedication.

The Year 10 Physical Activity and Sport Studies students attended

a day out to rock climbing, laser tag and arcade games in

Villawood. The excursion was planned as a reward for the students’

hard work throughout the year and also supplemented the content

studied in the unit Leisure, Lifestyle and Recreation. It was an

enjoyable day for all!

Creating Chances

Thank you to the Creating Chances team for delivering effective

and engaging weekly activities. The Year 10 students have enjoyed

their coaching experiences and developed many new skills. Your

hard work and efforts with the students throughout the year is highly

appreciated.

HSC All My Own Work

Year 10 students completed the HSC All My Own Work program

which is designed to assist students in understanding the ethical

practices involved in completing assessment tasks in Year 11 and

12. Students learnt about copyright, plagiarism, penalties for

cheating and how to avoid malpractice when preparing their

assessments. Students who were absent during this program or

those who have not completed all the modules will be required to

complete it during the first week back next year. This program is

compulsory and must be completed in order to be eligible for the

HSC.

Subject Selection Interviews

Students had the opportunity to sit an interview with a Deputy

Principal to finalise their subject selections for next year. The

students reported feeling confident with their selections and

highlighted the significance of the meeting.

Uniform

As Year 10 students are entering senior years of school, they are

required to purchase new school uniform. The uniform colours for

Year 11 and 12 students are black, white and red. Purchases can

be made at Merrylands West School & Workwear Centre located on

455-457 Merrylands Road, Merrylands. The contact number for the

uniform shop is 9637-4502.

Reports

Yearly examinations and assessment tasks are all completed and

reports were mailed home. We advise that students take the time to

carefully read their reports and reflect on their performance in each

subject. This will allow the students to highlight their strengths,

areas for improvement and set new goals for their senior years of

study.

Congratulations on making it this far Year 10, the best is only yet to

come though. We are looking forward in continuing to support you

all in your final two years at school and have no doubt that you will

succeed. Bring on the senior years, bring on 2020! Over the

holidays we advise you to take some time out to relax, reflect and

set some goals for next year. Wishing you all a wonderful break!

Merry Christmas and happy holidays!

Mohammed Moussa and Horia Razban

Year 10 Adviser and Assistant Adviser

YEAR 12 REPORT

Year 12 is now officially done and dusted, and

we are both feeling a bit strange on a Tuesday

when we have no year group to have our Year

Assembly with.

On the 20 November, the graduating class of

2019 attended their end of year formal at Tudor

Lounge. It was a lovely night of great company,

great food and great music.

Early Offer/HSC Results

Congratulations to all students who have received an early offer

into universities. We wish you all the best in your future

endeavours.

Good luck and all the best…

Presentation Day was held on the 12 December, students were

recognised for their hard work, dedication and academic

achievements. Congratulations to all our award recipients – it was

good to see you return!

The Higher School Certificate and ATAR results were released on

17 December, 2019. They will be available to view in your Students

Online personal account as soon as they are released by NESA.

Graduation Class of 2019

Issue 5 – Term 4 – Week 10 18 December 2019

10

YEAR 10 WORK EXPERIENCE

During Week 4 this term, Year 10 were given the opportunity to

participate in the Holroyd High School Work Experience Program.

Students selected a workplace of their choice in an industry they

would like to pursue in the future and gained hands-on employed

related skills and experience. This gave the students an insight into

the everyday activities of the workplace as well as employer

expectations in the industry. All students received impressive

feedback with a few being offered positions in 2020. The program

was highly successful and will be looking forward to continuing in it

next year.

YEAR 9 FAST FORWARD UNIVERSITY DAY

On the 27 November, selected Year 9 students spent the day at

Western Sydney University. The activities were focussed on

providing information for students based on understanding the

value of tertiary education and getting to know the university

campus. The students participated in fun, interactive and

challenging activities with a focus on exploring personal strengths

and developing problem solving and critical thinking skills. They day

was enjoyable and informative for all.

UNI

UOW - Discover the world of Robotics!

13 to 14 January, 16 to 17 January, 20 to 21 January

Visit below to find more information and register today!

https://www.projectb.net.au/robo-camps/

UNSW Physics Bridging Course

On time registrations will close 5pm Friday 17th January

2020.

Mon., 20/01/2020, 9:00 am – Fri., 07/02/2020, 5:00 pm

It is recommended that you have knowledge to the HSC

Mathematics level, or equivalent for effective study in the

Physics Bridging Course.

Students with no prior knowledge of HSC Physics, and who

intend on studying physics in the first-year of their degree

are encouraged to participate in the Physics Bridging

Course.

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/unsw-physics-bridging-course-

tickets-78925132195?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

UOW ATAR Live Chat

18 December. 5pm Online

Is your ATAR higher or lower than you expected? Is it enough to

get into your dream course? What about your other options and

pathways?

http://mkto.uow.edu.au/20191218-

ATARLiveChat_1.Registration.html

UOW College Australia

For more information, go to Careers Central.

https://www.uowcollege.edu.au/future-students/index.html

Get Into Med - Sydney

Sat, 18 January, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM

John B Reid Theatre, UNSW Kensington Campus, Botany St,

AGSM Building, Sydney

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/get-into-med-sydney-tickets-

83713576561?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

TAFE

TAFE NSW InfoFest

20 to 24 January

TAFE NSW InfoFest allows you to hear directly from our teachers,

get the course information you need, as well as any assistance you

may require to finalise your enrolment for Semester 1, 2020

Register at: https://www.tafensw.edu.au/infofest

Auto Apprenticeship Vacancies

Contact 02 9891 6900 or visit:

https://www.apprus.com.au/vacancies

TAFE NSW Student Services

TAFE NSW deliver high quality education across a variety of course

areas, equipping students with the skills they need to secure the job

they want. But did you know that we provide more than education?

Whether students need support with study skills, child care or

disability support, TAFE offers a range of student support services

to help all students succeed.

https://www.tafensw.edu.au/student-services

Future Electricians Note - Apprenticeships Still Available Now

NECA are still Looking to fill Numbers for the 2020 Recruitment.

Ph: 9744 2754

E. [email protected]

W. www.necatraining.com.au

Register here:

https://www.necatraining.com.au/electrical-apprentices/expression-

of-interest/

COLLEGES

Endeavour College of Natural Health Open Day - Thinking about

studying natural health?

18 January 2020. 10:00 am – 12:30 pm

815 - 825 George Street, Haymarket

Endeavour College of Natural Health's Open Day is a

fantastic opportunity to find out more about our courses, meet

the academics and learn more about the student experience.

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/natural-health-open-day-sydney-

18-january-2020-registration-79479458199

NIDA Studio for Young Actors

Audition dates from 14 December onwards.

Designed to develop skills and techniques in the performing arts,

NIDA Studios deliver rigorous, practice-driven training in a

supportive and collaborative environment. Classes are delivered on

weekends over six or 12 months with a twice-yearly intake.

https://www.open.nida.edu.au/courses?s=studio%20courses

Issue 5 – Term 4 – Week 10 18 December 2019

11

AIT Open Day

1 February 2020

https://info.ait.edu.au/open-day

Patrick Careers Academy January Information Session

Diploma courses in Business, Hospitality Management and Social

Media Marketing and the many career pathways we offer, come to

our free information session. Register here:

https://www.pca.edu.au/info-sessions/

Screenteens School Holiday Workshop

21 to 23 January. 10.00am -1.00pm

84-86 Mary St, Surry Hills

Screenteens is Australia’s leading program for young adults

between 12 and 16 years old who are interested in developing their

performance skills for Film and Television.

Bedford College Scholarships 2020

Closes 10 December at 5pm

Business

Early Childhood Education and Care

Community Services

https://www.bedford.edu.au/about/scholarship-information/

Google Code-in 2019 has begun. Register now. New tasks are

being added daily.

Now to 24 January

Pre-university students ages 13 to 17 are invited to take part in

Google Code-in: Our global, online contest introducing teenagers

to the world of open source development. With a wide variety

of bite-sized tasks. win prizes from t-shirts to a trip to Google HQ!

https://codein.withgoogle.com/

AFTT Film High School Workshop

22nd January 2020. 9:30am – 5:00pm

Academy of Film, Theatre & Television, 41 Holt Street, Surry

Hills

$50 for 1x workshop | $80 for admission to 2x workshops |

$120 for admission to 3x workshops

Other Workshops available:

21st January 2020 Performance Workshop

23rd January 2020 Live Production Workshop

Please bring an external hard drive (minimum 16GB) on the

day

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/aftt-film-high-school-workshop-

tickets-79288697629?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

Songwriting + Production Short Course (JMC Sydney)

Mon., 20/01/2020, 9:30 am – Thu., 23/01/2020, 4:30 pm

561 Harris St, Ultimo

JMC will be providing the opportunity for Songwriters,

Producers and Instrumentalists to work together in small

groups and as individuals to write, record and mix an original

song

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/songwriting-production-short-

course-jmc-sydney-tickets-77241562593?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

Torrens University Virtual Open Day

29 January 2020, 12pm - 3pm

Online

Virtual Open Day is a customised online event that is designed for

you to explore your study options in courses related to Business,

Design, Technology, Hospitality, Health and Education.

https://www.torrens.edu.au/about/virtual-open-day

Design Portfolio Workshop Summer Workshop (2 Days,

Sydney Campus)

Thu., 09/01/2020, 10:00 am – Fri., 10/01/2020, 3:00 pm

Whitehouse Institute of Design, Australia, 2 Short Street,

Surry Hills

This two-day workshop is designed to teach students the

fundamental layout, design and construction methods used to

present a personal creative portfolio at a professional

standard and equips students with the skills and confidence to

present their portfolio of creative work.

This workshop is offered to support students in Year 12 or

applying for further education in design and creative

industries. This workshop is suitable for students, working

professionals and those with a keen interest in design.

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/design-portfolio-workshop-

summer-workshop-2-days-sydney-campus-tickets-

71226405095?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

Fashion Illustration Summer Workshop

Mon., 13/01/2020, 10:00 am – Fri., 17/01/2020, 3:00 pm

Whitehouse Institute of Design, Australia, 2 Short Street,

Surry Hills

The Fashion Illustration Workshop will explore drawing

techniques fundamental for budding fashion designers.

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/fashion-illustration-workshop-

summer-workshop-5-days-sydney-campus-tickets-

66150103741?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

Foundation Sewing Studio Summer Workshop 2020 (5 Days,

Sydney Campus)

Mon., 06/01/2020, 10:00 am – Fri., 10/01/2020, 3:00 pm

Whitehouse Institute of Design, Australia, 2 Short Street,

Surry Hills

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/foundation-sewing-studio-summer-

workshop-2020-5-days-sydney-campus-tickets-

66149756703?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

Script to Screen Short Course (JMC Sydney)

Mon., 20/01/2020, 9:30 am – Fri., 24/01/2020, 4:30 pm 561

Harris St, Ultimo, Sydney

In this five day intensive filmmaking Short Course, you'l get

creative using the JMC Film and Television Studio’s exciting

facilities, developing a short film script from page to screen.

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/script-to-screen-short-course-jmc-

sydney-tickets-77241985859?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

Recording + Mixing a Band Short Course (JMC Sydney)

Mon., 20/01/2020, 9:30 am – Tue., 21/01/2020, 4:30 pm

561 Harris St, Ultimo

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/recording-mixing-a-band-short-

course-jmc-sydney-tickets-77242238615?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

AIM Sydney Information Evening

17 January 2020

Australian Institute of Music, 1 Foveaux Street, Surry Hills

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/aim-sydney-information-evening-

17-january-2020-tickets-69379793831?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

GENERAL

Cabin Crew Experience Day

Wednesday 18th December 9am – 3pm

Thursday 16th January 9am – 3pm

Aviation Australia, Flight Safety Training Centre, 15 Boronia Rd,

Issue 5 – Term 4 – Week 10 18 December 2019

12

Brisbane Airport

The One-Day Cabin Crew Experience course is for people who

have been dreaming of a career as a flight attendant.

Cabin Crew Professional Image: learn how to get the flight

attendant look!

Recruitment Journey: applications, video interviews, assessment

days, team building.

Emergency evacuation procedures: see safety demonstrations, visit

the training facilities and experience an evacuation slide.

https://www.aviationaustralia.aero/one-day-cabin-crew-experience/

Cabin Crew career with Aviation Australia – career session

Wednesday 11 December 6:30pm

Qantas Centre of Service Excellence, 70-80 Euston Rd, Alexandria

https://www.aviationaustralia.aero/cabin-crew-career-sessions/

Ellie Apostolopoulos

Careers Adviser

Issue 5 – Term 4 – Week 10 18 December 2019

13

Transit Systems will have a change to their bus service 7505 from the start of next year which operate via

Bayfield Rd and not the school. Currently no students catch this service as they catch the alternative 806

service from Bayfield Rd at 3.17pm, the option of the 7505 service will still be available from Bayfield Rd at

3.20pm

Issue 5 – Term 4 – Week 10 18 December 2019

14