Message from

the Deputy Principal 

As we enter the final week of term it has been a tumultuous one for students, staff and families. I have enjoyed hearing from the staff about student successes in remote learning and seeing the images on social media of students at home. I am very grateful for the work that has occurred behind the scenes to make remote learning happen and also for the staff who have delivered in this setting. 

As you will have seen, the NSW Government has provided a roadmap regarding Level 3 operational requirements for Schools and more specific information will be shared shortly on what this means for KWS.

In the upcoming school holidays, it is important that our students, especially Years 7-11, take a break from their school work and most importantly from their screens. With the weather starting to improve, it presents an opportunity for our students to get outside and embrace a good exercise routine without feeling the obligation to be at their screens. I appreciate that for our Year 12 students they will have revision and exam preparation to be working on. They should certainly strive to maintain a good balance between study, relaxation, exercise and sleep. One specific area not to lose sight of is writing! It is important that the Year 12 students split their time between using a laptop and a pen. In the exams they will be writing using a pen so it is a very useful exercise to practice with one. This will enable the writing to be more legible when under time constraints. 

I congratulate our Year 12 students on the conclusion of their secondary education in particularly challenging circumstances over their final two years of school. I also commend them for making the most of the opportunities the School has provided over the years. I wish them the very best for the next few months and their future, wherever it may take them. If I can conclude by sharing a quote that has stayed with me for a number of years; I hope our Year 12 cohort will take time to reflect on these words as they move into the big, wide world: 

‘Tomorrow is a blank page, just waiting to be filled with your dreams. All you have to do is be yourself and live the story of your own unique life. Be proud of who you are and where you come from. Be confident, not arrogant – there is a subtle difference. But above all be happy’.

In Pursuit of Health – Tips to help families cope during lockdown

Below is a follow up recording to a recent webinar hosted by the University of Melbourne. Here Dr Michael Carr-Gregg and Prof David Coghill cover topics such as anxiety, loneliness, sleep, screen time and motivation.

HSC Invigilators Required for the 2021 HSC

We are in need of more supervisors for the HSC this year.  

They are needed for the English (9 and 10 November am) and Maths (15 November am and 19 November pm) exams and as reserves, to be called upon when there is a need.

Please find below the eligibility requirements for supervision:

• You must be 18 or over
• You must hold a valid Working with Children Check clearance for paid employment (not volunteer).
• You must provide the presiding officer with the WWCC number prior to starting work
• You must not have a child or near relative (including siblings, grandchildren, nieces, nephews or first cousins) sitting the HSC exams at the same exam centre you are working at
• You must not be recently employed by the school (paid or volunteer) as this may be perceived as a conflict of interest.
• The payrate is per hour $24.31 (with a minimum of pay of 3 hours per exam).

I you are interested in being a supervisor can you please email Cathy Hancock orangecathy60@gmail.com, with details about yourself and your availability.

HSC Examinations – call for volunteers

The Learning Support Department are seeking volunteers to act as one on one Readers and Writers for the HSC Examinations (Nov 9th Start – 4 weeks duration). 

Thank you to those who have already expressed interest.

Without volunteer assistance, our students with learning differences will not receive the support they require to complete their HSC exams, as school staff are not permitted to work in this capacity. For this reason, we need you, our school community, to offer up any time you can, even if it is only one session over the entire exam period. Parents of current Year 12 students CAN act as volunteers, but not for exams that their children are completing. For example, if your child is studying English Standard, you CAN act as a reader or writer for English Advanced.

Volunteers can help out as much or as little as they can, and would be required for 3-4 hour blocks. All volunteers must have a current Working With Children Check and adhere to COVID safe guidelines. If you are willing to act as a volunteer during these times, please get in touch with Bernie Sharpe (bsharpe@kws.nsw.edu.au) to indicate your availability.