General School News
SCIENCE
Illawarra Academy of STEM Excellence
On Friday 16th October, three high schools and around 40 female Year 7 students participated in the “Experience It!” Engineering Discovery Day for Girls. The day was organised by Andrew Laidler, the STEM Project Officer for the newly formed Illawarra Academy of STEM Excellence and part of the NSW Department of Education’s STEM Industry School Partnerships - SISP Program, and staff from our Science Faculty. The girls from Corrimal, Lake Illawarra and Warrawong high schools spent the day completing 4 STEM challenge tasks, delivered via ZOOM by university students from University of NSW, University of Sydney, Western Sydney University and University of Wollongong.
The students were able to interact with the presenters and other schools online and had the opportunity to ask questions about study and careers in engineering fields. Students also had the opportunity to hear a presentation from Mechanical Engineer, Entrepreneur and Global Speaker, Yemi Penn, who overcame poverty and homelessness to be highly successful in a range of fields around the world. Yemi spoke about her experiences and encouraged the girls to follow their dreams before responding to questions from the students.
The 4 workshops involved the students constructing a flashing light show using Arduino, building a magnetohydrodynamic drive, participating in a paper plane design challenge and making oobleck and slime. We thank Engineers Australia for providing the experience as well as all of the staff involved from Corrimal, Lake Illawarra and Warrawong high schools.
LIBRARY NEWS
BOOK WEEK THEME FOR 2020 IS:
CURIOUS CREATURES, WILD MINDS
Unfortunately due to the HSC being held in the library and our current climate of COVID 19, Book Week festivities have been cancelled this year at our school. But, having said that, we have a lot of exciting new books any of our students can borrow. Among these books, we have all the shortlisted CBCA:
The Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA): is a not for profit, volunteer-run organisation which aims to engage the community with literature for young Australians. The CBCA presents annual awards to books of literary merit, for outstanding contribution to Australian children's literature.
This years’ shortlist are as follows:
CATEGORY: OLDER READERS
The Boy Who Steals Houses
How It Feels to Float
Ghost Bird
When the Ground is Hard
Four Dead Queens
WINNER: This is How we Change the Ending
Sixteen-year-old Nate McKee is doing his best to be invisible. He's worried about a lot of things - how his dad treats Nance and his twin half-brothers; the hydro crop growing in his bedroom; the way his friend Merrick always drags him into fights. And he has never forgiven his mother for leaving. But none of it is his fight, right? He's just waiting for his time. Nate hangs out at YouthWorks, the local youth centre threatened with closure, and fills his notebooks with the things he can't say. But when some of his pages are stolen and his words are graffitied on the wall of the centre, Nate realises he has allies. He might be able to make a difference, change his life, and claim his future. Or can he?
CATEGORY: PICTURE BOOKS
Tilly
Hello Lighthouse
Nop
Three
The Good Son: A Story from the First World War, Told in Miniature
WINNER: I Need a parrot
Have you ever not just wanted something, but wanted it so much that you NEED it? The main character in I Need a Parrot wants this pet so much that he attempts to persuade the unseen figure that he should get one.
All books listed are available at your school library come in and borrow them!
HARBOUR CENTRE
Last week we celebrated the graduation of four of our Harbour Centre students completing Cert 3 courses at ITEC and Yallah Tafe.
Courtney Fry & Mikayla Thomas completed their Cert 3 Animal Studies course at Yallah Tafe. Bianca Percival and Mikayla Thomas completed Cert 3 in Retail and Logan Winsor completed Cert 3 in Screen and Media at ITEC.
These students worked extremely hard over the course, completing work placement, class assessments and online learning via zoom during COVID.
Well done to all.
STEM Teachers collaborate at Masterclass
On Friday October 23rd, 12 Teachers from Corrimal, Lake Illawarra and Warrawong High Schools participated in a full day STEM Programming Masterclass professional learning event held by the Illawarra Academy of STEM Excellence at Warrawong High School.
Staff gained a greater understanding of the process for identifying authentic STEM learning opportunities and selecting a STEM project idea based in their local context. Staff were then able to apply this knowledge to map the cross-KLA syllabus outcomes and content which could be utilised to plan and develop a scope and sequence of learning activities. Participants from the three schools benefited from collaborating on and sharing of ideas, knowledge and experience to produce a high quality STEM teaching and learning program ready for implementation in 2021 and onwards.
POSITIVE BEHAVIOUR FOR LEARNING
As a PBL (Positive Behaviour Learning) school, LIHS rewards students who are respectful, responsible and resilient in every setting. PBL promotes positive behaviour in learning.
Our school values
We show RESPECT by being tolerant and accepting of everyone, being polite and considerate of others, using appropriate language and wearing the school uniform.
We show RESPONSIBILITY by being at the right place, right time, staying on task in class, being prepared, following procedures and instructions, including putting rubbish in the bin and caring for our surroundings.
We show RESILIENCE when we try our best, attempt new things, reflect on learning and keep trying in the face of adversity.
Merit System and VIVO Online Rewards
VIVO Miles is a point-based system where students are rewarded on a FAST and FREQUENT basis for positive behaviours.
How do I earn VIVO points?
- Following the school values.
- Representing the school (Debating, Science Fair, Tournament of Minds, Peer support, SRC, Southern Stars etc).
- Representing the school in sport.
- Placing in the top 5 results in any test, assignment or assessment task.
- Exceptional achievement: Monitoring with 6+ above averages, 100% attendance in a term, end of year Presentation Awards, Principal Awards, ROSE Awards, Year Advisor Awards, 1st or 2nd place in subject, Scholarships, State representatives, Australian representatives.
The Vivo shop has many varied items on offer, including:
- Event Cinema gift vouchers
- School and stationery products
- EB Games gift cards
- Donations to various charities
- iPads
- Food treats
- Pop! Vinyls
Students can check how many VIVO points they have earned by logging on to their account through the VIVO miles website.
Top 3 VIVO recipients
LIHS staff would like to congratulate the following students from Year 7 - 12 for their achievements so far this term:
Year 7 – Poppy Murphy, Lillie Ryman, Eligh Booth
Year 8 –Matilda Ciufici, Ja’Lanah Arif, Sophie Harris
Year 9 – Layla Jenkins, Bonnie Jenkins, Jack Furner
Year 10 – Dylan Hawkins-King, Kasey Heferen, Jackson Wortley
Year 12 – Jack Doel, Justin Dingle, Jay Irvine-Pronk
PBL Focus
Focus Values: RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY and RESILIENCE
Current Value – RESPONSIBILITY
The Positive Behaviour for Learning Team are encouraging students to show RESPONSIBILITY by protecting and maintaining the school environment. Easy ways to demonstrate this positive behaviour include:
- Placing your rubbish in the correct bin!
- Using the designated pathways.
PBL: Following procedures, safety guidelines and instructions
Students at LIHS have a RESPONSIBILITY to follow procedures, safety guidelines and instructions.
It is a student’s responsibility to be compliant in regards to school procedures, safety guidelines and instructions.
These include:
- It is a student’s responsibility to be on time for class and arrive before the second bell in addition to lining up quietly, in two lines outside the door.
- If a student is late, students must sign in. Year 7-10 are to sign in with your Deputy upstairs and Year 11-12 are to sign in downstairs with the office staff.
- If you have permission from a parent or guardian to leave school early, you also must sign out at the office.
- All students are to WALK their bikes, skateboards and scooters to the bike compound at the beginning of the day.
- There is no student access to the staff carpark at any time.
- Phones are not to be seen or used during class time and between periods. They are permitted during recess and lunch times.
Why is compliance important?
- So that others in the classroom aren’t distracted.
- So that your peers can learn.
- So that YOU can learn.
- Creates a less stressful environment for everyone.
- It is your responsibility as a student at LIHS.
- Prepares you for the workplace.
The Australian Mathematics Competition 2020
Each year we have a number of students from Years 7 through to 12 nominate themselves to participate in the Australian Mathematics Competition. Our participants in the 2020 competition are listed below.
Chae Conte, Summa Dupille, Simrandeep Kaur, Paige Parker, Jack Furner and Brody Mitchell.
All of these students demonstrated an outstanding depth of knowledge as they were recipients of one distinction and five proficiency certificates.
Chae Conte was congratulated by Mr Hicks on achieving a distinction in the photo below.
Mr Morley
Head Teacher
Mathematics
ALL THINGS CREATIVE…
ART AFTER HOURS
After a very successful third term of operation, ‘Art After Hours’ is on again this term. For any interested, keen student this program runs for an hour after school on a Tuesday and so far students have undertaken fun extension ceramics, palette knife painting and wire sculpture tasks. This term, mosaics and macramé are on the agenda. If students are interested, they need to see Ms Wunsch in the art staffroom at recess or lunch.
GUITAR CLUB
Also after a successful term, Mr Overton is again offering free guitar lessons at lunchtime on Thursdays and Fridays in D21 Music room. It doesn’t matter whether students are absolute beginners or already have some or many skills, everyone is welcome! In addition to this, Hayworth Guitars have kindly donated some gift vouchers and students who are regular visitors will have the chance to win one of the vouchers. Students who would like to become involved should see Mr Overton for further information.
YEAR 12 VISUAL ARTS
Despite all of this year’s challenges, Year 12 Visual Arts Students completed some amazing artworks for the practical component of the course and will be on display again later in the year. Meanwhile, some photos of their great work has been included below.
Well done Year 12!
Mrs Hudson
