Safe, Respectful Learners

Harmony Day Celebrations

We were excited to bring back the traditional Harmony Day celebrations at MHS in 2023. The school was buzzing with energy as we celebrated with our Cultural Performance Showcase followed by the Food Festival. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our staff, students, parents and community members for their contribution to what has been rumoured to be “The Best” Harmony Day so far! We look forward to next year’s Harmony Day celebrations and we hope it is even bigger and better!

Granville South CAPA HS Harmony Day Performance

Two of our fabulous cultural group items performed and showcased their exceptional talents at the Granville South CAPA High School - Harmony Day Festival. The students were excellent ambassadors of our school, the community and their cultures. Congratulations to the Lebanese and Afghan Dance groups!

Athletics Carnival

In Week 4, the air was filled with excitement as students gathered at our annual Athletics Carnival. The field events, including javelin, discus, shot put, high jump, and long jump, showcased the athletic abilities of our young achievers. The carnival not only fostered healthy competition but allowed students to be more physically active.

The Smith Family Program

This term, 120 Year 9 and 10 students took part in The Smith Family Program. Students engaged in theory, team-based skills building activities and had a chance to participate in practical sport lessons led by The Smith Family team members. These students were also provided with the opportunity to attend the Greater Western Sydney Careers Market at Penrith Valley Regional Sports Centre. The students were excited to take advantage of the wide variety of activities and programs that further enhances the academic learning at Merrylands High School.

ABCN Year 9 GOALS Program

The Australian Business and Community Network (ABCN) is a not-for-profit organisation that brings businesses and schools together to address educational disadvantage. One of their programs is GOALS, aimed to skill Year 9 students in self-management and encouraging their completion of Year 12. This is supported by providing students access to corporate professional role models and networking opportunities. Students undertaking this program build confidence, learn the importance of settting goals, and develop communication and interview skills in preparation for the workforce after high school. This term, our students in the GOALS program had the chance to work with their mentors from Macquarie Group, an Australian financial services group.

Movie Club

Merrylands Movie Club is a wellbeing social club held once a fortnight with Mr MacRae in room 17. Students meet to share in their love and passion of cinema…and to eat some popcorn and Maltesers. A movie or two is set every fortnight for students to watch and we meet to discuss the merits of the film.

To acknowledge the release of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, club members are asked to watch over the holidays the sequels to the previous Spider-man installments that starred Toby Maguire, Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland. When we meet in Term 3, we will talk about which Spider-man movie did the best sequel.

Do you have a love of movies? Students from Years 9-12 are encouraged to see Mr MacRae about joining. The club meets every Week A Fridays at recess.

Year 9 Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is a new course available for selected students at Merrylands High School. The course aims to engage and encourage students to develop their critical thinking skills and recognise the key aspects of a critical thinking mind. They will develop the essential skills to evaluate the vast and diverse amount of information they encounter in their daily lives. This will help them face future challenges in a continually evolving world.

This term, the Year 9 critical thinking class has been given an opportunity to reflect on the types of bias that may have an impact on their ability to think critically. Students have analysed a range of popular media and have reflected on how barriers to critical thinking can be recognised and overcome in their everyday lives.

University Shield Rugby League

Merrylands High School’s University Shield Rugby League team displayed their tenacity and skill in a highly competitive tournament that unfolded over two intense days of matches. The team showcased their talent and fighting spirit, delivering impressive performances against formidable opponents, but ultimately missed out on progressing to the final 16 in the state.

Day 1, held at Old Salesyards Reserve in Parramatta, proved to be a triumphant start. They faced off against Granville Boys HS, Arthur Phillip HS, Castle Hill HS, and Model Farms HS, dominating their opponents and securing impressive victories propelling them to the next round of the competition.

Our Merrylands High School team continued to display their prowess on Day 2 at The Kingsway, St Marys. They kicked off the day with a strong performance against Plumpton HS, securing another convincing win. However, the following matches proved to be more challenging.

In a hard-fought battle, the team faced off against Chifley College, delivering a display of skill and resilience. Despite their best efforts, they narrowly fell short, experiencing their first defeat of the tournament. Undeterred, the players regrouped and prepared for their final match against Glenmore Park HS.

With determination and a never-give-up attitude, Merrylands fought valiantly against Glenmore Park HS. The match remained tightly contested throughout, with both teams leaving it all on the field. In an unfortunate turn of events, Merrylands suffered a heartbreaking loss in the final minutes, dashing their hopes of progressing to the final 16 in the state.

Although the team missed out on advancing further in the competition, they can be immensely proud of their performance. Their resilience, sportsmanship, and unwavering dedication were evident in every match they played. The Merrylands High School’s University Shield Rugby League Team showcased the true spirit of the game and represented their school with honour.

The coaches, staff, and supporters commend the team for their outstanding efforts throughout the tournament. The journey may have ended sooner than desired, but the lessons learned, and the bonds forged on the field will undoubtedly shape their future endeavours.

Congratulations to Merrylands High School’s University Shield Rugby League Team on their impressive display of talent and determination. They have made their school proud, and we look forward to witnessing their continued success in future competitions.

Go Merrylands!

L.E.A.P. in Hospitality

Some L.E.A.P. students participated in hospitality class and learnt culinary skills and hospitality services from setting up tables to food presentation, including washing and cleaning. Students achieved appropriate knowledge and skills to transition into the workforce after completing Year 12.

Year 11 TAFE +Program: Skills Immersion Excursion

Selected Year 11 students are participating in the TAFE +Program as part of the Educational Pathways Program. The aim of the program is to provide an opportunity to the students to volunteer, develop skills and support early entry applications for university.

An excursion to TAFE Wetherill Park was organised as part of the program, where the students participated in a range of informative sessions such as ‘Communicating Effectively with People with Disabilities’. This session helped students to learn the basic skills of sign language. Students also learnt to make coffee professionally and enjoyed participating in a flower-making workshop. The highlight of the day was learning about the various mobility equipment and to help people with disability with their movement.

This excursion helped students to learn how to make valuable contributions to their community, develop essential skills and demonstrate their commitment to social responsibility.

2023 Synergy Public Schools Dance Festival

Our Merrylands High School Dance Ensemble represented the school performing their contemporary routine ‘Searching for Romeo’, choreographed by Ms Dickie. The students performed exceptionally well receiving high levels of praise for their technique, costumes, and overall conduct whilst at Penrith Panthers. A massive congratulations to all our dancers! You presented the dance work to a professional standard, and it was well received by the audiences you showcased for. For four of our Year 12 dancers this was their final time at Synergy. These girls have been performing at Synergy since Year 7 at MHS. Ms Dickie is so proud of all of you and would like to thank all of you for your never-ending dedication to dance at Merrylands High School!

Year 12 Biology Excursion to UNSW Museum of Human Disease

HSC biology students were fortunate enough to enjoy a sunny day out on the grounds of UNSW. The students attended a special presentation on infectious and non-infectious diseases and got to observe the amazingly weird and wonderful disease museum, that UNSW is so famous for.

Year 11 VET Work Ready Day @ Merrylands Bowling Club

In Week 8, Year 11 VET students from Merrylands High school participated in the highly anticipated Work Ready Day program at Merrylands Bowling Club. The event aimed to equip students with essential skills and knowledge for a successful career in the booming business services and hospitality industry. The students had the opportunity to participate in a session led by Nikki Heald, Managing Director of Corptraining. Through engaging activities and insightful discussions, students gained an understanding of work placement requirements and honed their abilities in various key areas.

The students dressed in the formal attire demonstrating confidence and professionalism, embodying the spirit of the occasion. The students had the opportunity to participate in mock interviews, where they showcased their knowledge and skills to work in the relevant industry.

The interviewers were highly impressed by our students’ performance and provided invaluable feedback for further improvement. To add to the memorable experience, the students enjoyed a buffet lunch at the Bowling Club.

The Work Ready Day program at Merrylands High School continues to uphold its exceptional tradition, empowering students with the necessary skills to embark on successful careers. By providing them with practical experiences, mentorship, and a nurturing environment, the program ensures that each student is well prepared to thrive in the competitive world of business services and the hospitality industry.

Year 10 Geography

Our wonderful students in Year 10 participated in a project-based learning activity involving the research of an initiative that helps manage the environment. They have been studying in class the topic Environmental Management and Change, learning key concepts of sustainability, climate change and the role of humans in ensuring the environment can be used for future generations.

In pairs, students worked together to research their chosen initiatives, create a poster, and deliver a presentation to their class. This was an enjoyable task for the students as they were able to work with a friend to show off their creative talents. The task successfully developed their understanding of environmental management but also developed teamwork and public speaking skills.

Merrylands High School Library

Things have been busy in the library during Term 2. New HSC study guides are on display and available to borrow in preparation for the HSC. The library also had book displays celebrating Harmony Day, Refugee Week, and respecting National Sorry Day.

Year 9 History’s Mysteries have been undertaking a research activity about their class topic ‘bushrangers’. First, they learnt how to locate relevant resources in the school library by using ‘bushrangers’ as a search term in Oliver to reveal 27 books about bushrangers. Using the search term ‘Australian history’ to show 420 resources which had links to the topic, they had further access to resources which included information about bushrangers. Students then identified three pieces of new information about bushrangers and shared this with the class.

They also learnt about referencing and acknowledgement of authors’ work by identifying the title of the book, the author’s name, the date of printing and the publisher, and were taught how to incorporate this in their assignments.