SASS Staff Recognition Week

School Administrative and Support Staff Recognition Week is 29 August–2 September 2016. The school community is made up of a lot of different people, all of whom play a part in the running of schools and the provision of quality education to students.

School Administrative and Support Staff, whether they work in the office, the library, on the school grounds or in a classroom setting, are important contributors to the success of the school and students’ education. SAS Staff Recognition Week is an opportunity for the school community to acknowledge the vital role and contribution that SAS Staff play in public education, and to the culture and success of Henry Kendall High.

Our learning community recognises this contribution and thanks our SAS Staff for all they do.

Retirement

Earlier this term our Deputy Principal, Bob Cox, announced his retirement following a fabulous career in public education and significant contribution to Henry Kendall High over the eight years that Bob worked in our school. Bob will be remembered and celebrated for his deep and genuine concern for the wellbeing of students, the great relationships he built with students, his colleagues and with parents, his sharp sense of humour, and the many, many lives he touched throughout his career.

Central Coast Education Awards of Excellence 2016

Congratulations to the HKHS award recipients 2016 at the annual CC Education Awards, held on 15 August at The Entrance Campus;

Carmel Taylor
Rosemary Mathews
Lisa Byrne.

Trial HSC

Our Year 12 students have been diligently undertaking their Trial HSC examinations in recent weeks. These exams are an important aspect of the final stages of their HSC preparation. Our students have approached the exams well prepared and very focussed, and we wish them well for strong results.

Following the trial examinations, it will be vital that Year 12 focus on course consolidation, revision and final HSC preparations. It is also the end of the schooling journey and there are several upcoming events to farewell the Year 12 cohort of 2016:

Target 20 nominees will begin their program after the exams.
Last day of school will be Wednesday 21 September 2016 which will involve a BBQ breakfast and activities for the cohort.
Graduation will be Thursday 22 September 2016.

NAPLAN 2016

Henry Kendall High has performed strongly in the 2016 NAPLAN examinations, reflecting the impact of the targeted interventions we have developed over the past twelve months. We need to always remember that we have only had Year 7 students for 12 weeks by the time they sit the examinations. Whilst we can certainly contribute to performance in that time, the difference made is most likely to be limited. For this reason our key focus is on Year 9 data, building from the Year 7 baseline. Highlights include;

We continue to perform above non-selective and surrounding comprehensive schools in almost every area.
We are particularly achieving good results with lower performing students in all areas.
The performance of our higher performing student’s needs particular analysis in all areas.
We have now exceeded state data in each of the literacy components in Year 9 – this is very positive.
Our focus through the School Plan has been Year 9 Writing - top 2 bands now exceeds state data and is significantly above non-selective and surrounding schools. As this has been our focus through the Literacy Team, this result is very positive.
Bottom 2 bands marginally below state and well below non-selective and surrounding schools – again positive and our lowest in 5 years.
Spelling and Grammar & Punctuation are areas demonstrating significant improvements.
Numeracy shows positive growth at Year 7 level with 70.3% of students attaining greater than or equal to expected growth. However this declines to 45.9% in Year 9, where it is particularly evident that growth is evident with lower performing students, but not higher and middle performing students.

Introduction of Minimum Literacy and Numeracy Standards to attain a HSC

As highlighted in the last newsletter, BOSTES has introduced Minimum Literacy and Numeracy Standards for the attainment of a HSC, which will come into effect for the 2020 HSC cohort (2016 Year 8). From 2017 the NAPLAN tests take on a new significance for all students, as to be awarded the HSC credential, students must attain the minimum standards of either;

a Band 8 in each of their Year 9 NAPLAN reading, writing and numeracy tests; or
a pass in the online literacy and numeracy tests in Years 10, 11 or 12.

Whilst it is now more important than ever for all levels of our school community to work together to raise the literacy and numeracy standards for our students, it is also of vital impotance that parents understand and engage with not only the new requirements but also the public discussion about what this will mean for secondary schooling in coming years..

Bump It Up Strategy

Henry Kendall High School is one of 137 schools across NSW to be identified for the Bump It Up Strategy. This strategy identifies our consistent strong performance in NAPLAN and requires us to develop strategies that challenge us to excel even further through a 6% increase of students in the top two NAPLAN bands in reading and numeracy in Year 9 NAPLAN. Our strategies and interventions will be incorporated into our school plan as clear targets and priorities, and developed through quality teaching and learning practices within the English and Mathematics curriculums.

Teenagers and Technology Parent Evening

Have you ever wondered how much time on technology is healthy for your children? Or wondered about how to best monitor you teenagers technology access? Our Student Resilience and Wellbeing Team is presenting an engaging and informative parent evening in the school library next Wednesday 31 August – refreshments from 6.30pm for a 7pm start.

Mr Andrew Backhouse - Principal

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