Another great term of teaching and learning

Do the work

Do it now

If there’s something to say, then say it

Find your team, find your voice

Put it out into the world

Do the work

Get it done

When you’re finished, you start the next one

Will it last?

Will it count?

Time will tell

Fill the space

Do the work, pal

Do it well

‘Do the Work’ by Jason Robert Brown from ‘Prince of Broadway’

Year 12

Year 12 are now in the middle of their HSC exams. In terms of my introductory quote, now is the time for our HSC students to “do the work” and place the capstone on thirteen years of education. We wish Year 12 all the best with their final examinations and look forward to celebrating their results at the end of the year.

Staffing News

Sadly, today is Ms Mel Scott’s final day at Cecil Hills High School. Ms Scott has worked with us since 2007 as Head Teacher – PD/H/PE. In that time, she has provided expert leadership to her faculty with consistently strong HSC results in CAFS and PD/H/PE. She has coordinated many whole school areas and teams including the diversity team which ran Harmony Day and Aboriginal education. In our current executive team, she is fourth longest serving head teacher and with many new teachers joining our teaching staff at Cecil Hills HS in recent years, she has a welcomed source of consistency and continuity.

Ms Scott was successful in her recent application to become Head Teacher – PD/H/PE at the new Oran Park High School which opens in 2020. Ms Scott has an extremely busy eight weeks ahead to ensure that her new faculty is ready for the new school year, which includes everything from developing teaching programs and ordering sporting equipment, to working out bell times and bus routes in a brand new school. Oran Park HS is extremely fortunate to have someone of her calibre as an original staff member of their school and her reputation for being extremely organised, highly approachable and her commitment to excellence is our loss and their gain.

On a personal note, I would like to publicly thank Ms Scott for her extensive time relieving as Deputy Principal in recent years. In this role, she has nurtured and guided four different cohorts of our students who are fortunate to have had her involvement in their education. Ms Scott is universally respected across our school community by staff, students and parents alike and she will be sorely missed. We wish Ms Scott all the best for the next stage of her career. Mr Evans will now relieve as Head Teacher – PD/H/PE and he brings with him extensive experience in leadership roles and faculty management. We look forward to welcoming Mr Evans into the school executive.

Smiling Mind

I regularly come across research on the benefits of mindfulness as a way for young people and adults to stop, reflect and reset. Our school is currently exploring some resources to support our students in this area and we are starting a partnership with the Smiling Mind Organisation. There is a useful app that can be downloaded with free 10 minute daily activities using mindfulness.

Parenting Resource

The schooltv.me website contains a wealth of parenting information covering numerous topics and this month’s focus is resilience. It is a very useful resource that is worth accessing.

Congratulations

Our 2020 Senior Leadership team was inducted at the recent Year 12 Graduation Ceremony. All students who stood for election are to be congratulated for doing a fine job of presenting themselves and their ideas to their fellow students. For some of them, simply nominating and completing the election process was a step outside their comfort zone. Such bravery is to be applauded.

School Captains

Helen Merza and Nicholas Xue

Vice Captains

Isabella Rizos and Luke Thai

Student Representative Council

Cassey Chau, Sian Lim, Nickolas Rizos, Milan Tomanovic