School News
Young Indigenous Woman Award
We are so proud to share the news that Armidale Secondary College's Vice Captain Alyssa Armstrong was awarded the Zonta Club of Armidale Young Indigenous Woman Award for 2019.
Alyssa attended the Zonta Changeover dinner and received her award, supported by her mum, Principal, Ms Lasker and Year Advisor, Mr Howey.
Alyssa Armstrong conducted the Acknowledgement to Country at the Principal Roadshow and is pictured below with the NSW Department of Education Secretary, Mark Scott.
Alyssa is a remarkable young Aboriginal woman who always strives to be a strong role model for Aboriginal culture, her community and school.
Well done and congratulations Alyssa!
Game Changer Challenge
Teams have been very busy planning for the 2019 Game Changer Challenge.
The team that will be entered for the competition was announced at a screening held at the school on Tuesday night. The team that progressed to the next stage, call themselves "The Happuccinos" and the team members are Lucy Cook, Lucy Finlayson, Lucy Fulloon, Sabrina Ho, Noah Standen-Roberts & Margaret Conroy.
Well done to all those students who worked so hard on their presentations, which were all of a very high standard.
We look forward to the next stage of the competition.
2019 Harmony Day Posters
Congratulations to Year 8 artists Alex Wang and Jorja Cohen. Jorja has been awarded a regional runner-up award and Alex a regional winner award for their 2019 Harmony Day Posters. Ms Armstrong and Mr Mulligan were proud to present students with their invitation to an award ceremony to be held in Sydney.
Well done Alex and Jorja!
Music Short Course
A group of year 7 Aboriginal students have recently wrapped up a music production short-course with local hip hop artist, Nate Weatherall. Nate is a Gumbaynggirr man with an impressive resume in the music industry and a strong belief in the storytelling power of music.
The students wrote and produced an original song that is currently in post-production and slated for release in the coming weeks. Meanwhile they are working on the graphic artwork for the CD. Stay tuned....
Tech Girls' Update
The ‘Tech Girls‘ group for 2019 continue to Skype weekly with their mentor (an app developer from Accenture in Sydney) gaining valuable insight and direction into their app design and formation.
Each week the students grow in their confidence and knowledge in tech design.
What an incredible learning opportunity!
CAPA Award
The CAPA weekly award continues to recognise outstanding students in the Creative and Performing Arts domain. Over the past 3 weeks, we have recognised: Sophie Hay (yr 11) ; Nicole Tarrant (yr 8) , and Eden Davis (yr 11).
Great work Sophie!
Baristas in the Making
Several days each week, a small group of students have the opportunity to learn barista skills with Mr Lawry. The staff benefit greatly too from this initiative and are very eager to place and pay for their coffee orders.
These students practice, and are assessed in, their client service in the taking of orders and coffee deliveries, as well as their coffee-making skills.
Public Speaking
We participated in a Public Speaking Competition hosted by Toormina High School. Students had to present a 9 minute prepared speech on a topic of their own choice and a 3 minute impromptu speech where they had 3 minutes to prepare a speech on an unseen topic. Arrawyn Gow represented ASC speaking on the topic 'Me Too' and the impromptu topic of 'Moving Forward'.
Arrawyn did an astounding job. Congratulations!
Reconciliation Week
Thank you to all the students and staff who participated in the recent Reconciliation Bridge Walk. This was an opportunity for the community to signify the importance of reconciliation and a commitment to walking together.
Our Aboriginal Dance trio performed at the Reconciliation Day Bridge Walk.
The dancing was a strong contribution to the day, and furthermore, the trio have been invited to, and have performed, at several Reconciliation ceremonies this week.
Thank you for sharing your talents - Marnena Ahoy, Chipiki Pittman and Tashanta Kennedy!
Aboriginal Education Committee
Thank you to everyone you attended and participated in the BBQ and meeting this week.
The attendees discussed, amongst other things, the following agenda items:
- How can ASC best support ATSI students?
- How can community get involved in the school?
- NAIDOC week 2019 planning and activity ideas.
- Meet the 2019 ASC ATSI student leadership group.
- ATSI students at ASC, what does the data show?
We look forward to many opportunities in working together with students, families and community for our students schooling outcomes.
Times and dates for upcoming meetings to be advised.
Professional Learning Update
For this newsletter, we will focus on the teacher professional learning that has taken place and will take place around gifted and talented education.
As a school, we are dedicated to building the capacity of staff to cater for the full range of learners; as a partially selective school, we are continuing to support staff in this area also.
ASC has developed links with 4C Transformative Learning, which is dedicated to applying the most relevant research to support schools as they re-invent themselves to meet the emerging needs of their students. 4C Transformative Learning uses unique evidence-driven processes and products that have the potential to transform learning and schools. In Week Two, our Head Teacher Professional Learning attended the ACEL ran Leading School Transformation Program; on Friday 31st May, our 4C Leadership Team worked collaboratively with the organisation to further deepen their knowledge in this area, and on Saturday 1st June, our school executive undertook training with 4C Transformative Learning.
During Week 4, the advisors from the Learning and Teaching Directorate from State Office were in the college to interview and film a number of staff and students around teaching and learning in a regional and remote area. Many thanks go to Scott Breen, Annette Callister, Sarah Mills, Nicole Tarrant and Rami Simoki.
On Monday, 27th May, Kim Rasmussen and Cathie Simes attended the 2019 Ignite the Spark, Fuel the Fire conference, "Collaborating for Differentiation" that was held at UNSW. The college will be further build the capacity of staff in this area when three teachers complete the Mini-COGE (Certificate of Gifted Education) course from UNSW in Week 8.
CREW Music Challenge
During CREW time in term 1, each CREW group was given then challenge of creating their own CREW playlist. The idea behind this was for each student to pick their 'walk out song' (like the professional cricket player would walk onto the cricket pitch to) and add it to their playlist.
It was a good opportunity for the students to get to know each other, we all love some type of music and students could find some familiarities amongst their peers. Teachers also got to expand their personal playlists.
The winning playlists will be featured when the new school radio gets up and running later this term, but for those avid music listeners here are the winning playlists:
YEAR 9 - 9 CREW 7
Happier - Marshmello
Scilence - marshmello
Panic room - Au/ra
High hopes - Panic at the disco
Shape of you - Ed Sheeran
bellyache - Billy Eilish
Watch - Billi Eilish
Chanel - Frank Ocean
Limbo - Daddy Yanke
get Ugly - Jason derulo
Corduroy dreams - Rex orange county
Naked - Ella mai
Spoonful - Grizfolk
Mended - Vera Blue
Glass house - Kaleo
Hot Boold - Kaleo
Songs about rain - Gary Allan
Eastside - Benny Blanco
Immortal - fall out boy
Let m edown slowly - Alec Benjamin
Wake me up when September ends - Green day
Pictures of you - the last goodnight
Sunflower
Head above water - Avril Lavinge
Fifteen - taylor
YEAR 10 - 10CREW9
Live and Learn - PelleK
Sunflower - Post Malone
3 nights - Dominic Fike
Shallow - Lady Ga Ga & Bradley Cooper
Chanel - Frank Ocean
Cheetah Tongue - The Wombats
Water - Kojey radical
Chicken Freid - Zac Brown band
Bones - Galantis
Ladders - mac Miller
Boulevard of Broekn Dreams - Green Day
happier - Marshmello
Under the Bridge - red Hot Chilli Peppers
Schools Spectacular
Congratulations to all our ensembles for once again, being successful in selection for Schools Spectacular
* 24 Choir members
* 8 Aboriginal dancers
* 3 Combined dancers
Celebration Choir
Places are almost full for the Sydney Celebration Choir, which raises funds for the Westmead Children's Hospital and includes visits to Billy Elliot musical and Sculptures by the Sea.
If students would like to attend, please could they speak to their CAPA teachers.
Captains' Corner
"As a student leadership group, we’ve been meeting up once a fortnight to organise events and discuss things happening around the school.
"We recently attended a social afternoon with all the prefects from the high schools across Armidale. It was a fun afternoon where we played games, shared afternoon tea and got to know the other student leaders in our town. We found the afternoon very beneficial!
"Earlier this term, the captains, Charlotte, Henry, Jaia and Annie had opportunity to explore the workings of NSW parliament house while also meeting the Governor of NSW, Margaret Beasley in her home, Government House. Current politicians were on hand to answer all questions regarding the process of passing laws. We also enjoyed a lovely afternoon tea in the Governor House garden which followed enlightening and multifaceted discussions on current issues, with the Governor of NSW, and other regional and Sydney schools. Overall, it was a great excursion and learning experience!
"Our upcoming plans include a School Social on the 27th of June. The theme will be 'Under the Sea' and we are hoping to raise lots of money for Beyond Blue."
Contribution by school captains: Challa Gow and Charlotte Charteris
