Education Week

Celebrating student success

During the week of 3 August to 7 August, Cecil Hills High School celebrated Education Week, an annual state-wide celebration of Public Education.  As a school community, we encourage students to strive and do their best so they can become successful and creative learners. This has been evident through the diverse opportunities students have to develop their knowledge and skills in engaging lesson content. 

VISUAL ARTS  - CREATIVE AND PERFORMING ARTS (CAPA)

One aspect about ‘Learning together’ in Visual Arts is about developing creative thinkers. Year 7 students have shown their creative abilities, creating drawings and expressing their understanding of how an artistic brain explores artistic thoughts and processes.

MUSIC - CREATIVE AND PERFORMING ARTS (CAPA)

In Music at the moment, ‘Learning together’ looks and sounds like rhythmic patterns. Year 7 students have shown their understanding of rhythm by using their hands and cups as a percussion instrument and learning the song ‘When I’m Gone’.  Students are enjoying this hands-on method of learning and the ability to use everyday objects as an instrument to create rhythms.

TECHNOLOGICAL AND APPLIED STUDIES (TAS)

‘Learning together’, develops and expands inquiring and creative minds. In TAS, students have explored various hands on activities which have further expanded knowledge and understanding.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION (PDHPE)

‘Learning together’ develops long life learners. Year 11 PDHPE students have been learning about First Aid and how to provide it in a range of scenarios and for different types of injuries. Students had a lot of fun applying bandages to each other, demonstrating their new first aid skills.

MATHEMATICS (MATHS)

It’s been a very busy start to Term 3 in the Maths faculty. Staff and students have been working hard at a variety of activities which have included, indoor and outdoor practical measuring, online video lessons (expanding on activities during the online learning period last term), senior take home assessment tasks, probability experiments, Mathletics activities and Year 12 Trial HSC preparations - just to name a few. ‘Learning and working together’ has enabled us to remain on schedule in every course, despite all the disruptions and challenges of the year so far. This is a credit to the dedication of teachers and students.

LIBRARY

‘Learning together’ has been an exciting time in the library, we have been working closely with students to build a love of reading. A Year 7 Book Club started in Connect last term, with all students receiving a brand new book.  Each class had time to ‘speed-date’ their novel and work together to swap or share their books.  Other students have been busy working on the ‘Book Request’ whiteboard, giving an opportunity for students to share their suggestions with others.  In addition, the Library has provided a productive space for students to pursue their learning through the Senior Study and Connect After the Bell programs.

SPECIAL EDUCATION

In the Support Unit, 'learning together' is a continual theme that we carry across all areas of our students' learning. Students get the opportunity to develop their reading and communication skills, improve their numeracy, perform music, learn history, cook as a class, play sports, create artworks and do science experiments. The teachers and school learning support officers continually strive to build a supportive environment that nurtures learning and provides opportunities for our special needs students to grow and learn the necessary life skills for them to succeed.

ENGLISH

In English ‘learning together’ has been about exploring different ways to engage students in expanding their literacy.  Students in Years 7 to 9 have been using the interactive Word Flyers program weekly to increase literacy. Miss Li Donni’s class have embraced the interactive literacy games as a fun way to learn. Year 8 are currently completing a Manga unit, students are busy creating their own Manga designs which have allowed them to develop their visual literacy, and connections to different cultures. Miss Zaidan and Miss Tiary’s students have created some great manga creations. Year 7Y with Mrs Ishak have been creating book covers following on from our Short Story novel unit.

DRAMA

'Learning together' has been very valuable for Year 12 Drama students and Mrs Miller as they rehearse their independent projects for their HSC. Within the next few weeks,  the HSC markers will be here!  Year 11 Drama students have been further building their performance skills, seen through the play 'Ruby Moon', a great Australian play!

ITALIAN

Italian students have focused on collaboration and communication skills to develop their language literacy and numeracy. Students have engaged in real-life activities and events including buying a house in Italy, visiting Panorama House and shopping Italian style!

HUMAN SOCIETY AND ITS ENVIRONMENT (HSIE)

Reflecting back and acknowledging our continual 'learning together' successes .....

At the start of 2020, Year 10 Geography students had the opportunity to visit Cronulla and observe the impact of human development on the coast. They also practised mapping skills by participating in an Amazing Race around the school. Year 8 Geography students are learning about the wonders of land forms and landscapes on earth. Commerce students in Year 9 and 10 are learning budgeting skills, their rights in the workplace, and the ins and outs of the law.  MYOB students in Year 8 have learned to develop a business plan and practise their C.E.C.I.L skills.

HISTORY

Reflecting back and acknowledging our continual 'learning together' successes .....

In History Elective/ Archaeology, students have been hard at work creating dioramas of historical sites as well as filming their own 'Horrible Histories' documentaries.

In the Year 8 Innovation elective CSI, students have also been busy taking on the role of detectives to solve cold cases.

Student Recognition Awards

During Education Week, students received recognition awards during their Connect lessons for ‘demonstrating a positive and organised approach to their learning’. 

The following students should be congratulations, as they have consistently demonstrated a mature and dedicated approach to their learning at the start of each day.