Principal's Report

It has been a significant fortnight for our school.

This week we have had two vastly different but very important experiences for our eldest and youngest students.

Year 7 have experienced our annual camp designed to address vital transition areas for this cohort. The camp is designed to improve teamwork, resilience and address general wellbeing strategies. This year we trialled a new location with the intent of stepping up the standard of the camp activities. We will examine carefully whether this aim was achieved, but certainly based on the photos posted on Facebook, it achieved the goal of it being FUN.

While our youngest students had the first of many big high school experiences, our Year 12 students are well and truly focusing on the end game. This week they started their Mid Course Exams. It's pleasing to speak to students about the exams and realise how well prepared they are for them. Over the next few weeks students will start to receive their results. It's important that students don't just focus on the marks, carefully consider the feedback as this is the key to improvement.

This week I also have the great pleasure to welcome two new permanent members of our staff. Mrs Prue Williams was confirmed as our Careers Advisor after relieving in the role for more than two years. Mrs Williams has proven herself to be a dedicated and innovative Careers Advisor and I am confident this will continue. It also wonderful to welcome one of our own back on a permanent basis. Ms Gabrielle Rhodes, a former Cowra High Captain returns as the newest member of our PE faculty. Ms Rhodes was a high achieving student and I'm sure this will flow on to her teaching career.

This year we have changed our electronic administration from 'Millennium' to 'Sentral'. Although we are currently undertaking the process of transferring all our processes to this new system, it is a very complex procedure. We are very confident that once completed, the interface and functionality will be superior for all involved, including parents. At this moment the parental portal is not yet set up, similarly our text messaging system for absences is not quite ready. Both will be operational soon and we will inform parents once they are up and running. Similarly, we will be aiming to get the online booking system for parent & teacher interviews operational for our first event. I thank you in advance for your patience as we undertake this transition.

Have a great fortnight.

Charles Gauci

PBL Winners

Congratulations to our wonderful students who have been rewarded for their respectful and responsible behaviour.

We would like to thank our PBL sponsors: Mr Embroidery Cowra, Bushman's Boots and All Cowra, Subway Cowra, Domino's Pizza, Sportspower Cowra and McDonald's Cowra. Your ongoing support is fantastic and our students really appreciate it!

Festival of Understanding

It’s Festival of International Understanding time and yet again Cowra High will be marching. Mr Kerr is heading up the development of a shop front display while Ms Burrell is thinking through music for our parade through town. The parade should be amazing, thanks to the hard work of our students and the HSIE staff.

This year Nepal will be our host nation and we have something special planned for our marchers. Both students and staff are encouraged to come along and be part of the Festival Parade, a popular part of the Cowra calendar.

The Festival Parade will be mustering at the Cowra Civic Centre car park on Saturday 24 March at 2pm. This year the parade will take a different path south down Brisbane Street, onto Kendal Street and left onto Lachlan Street. It will then go over the low level bridge to the lovely shady park on the west side of the river for a fun day of events. Don’t miss the duck race down the Lachlan!

Please come along on Saturday 24, have fun and earn yourself a service eagle.