Menai High School

Mr Bernard Ellevsen

Orientation Dinner and Open Night

At Menai High School we value strong relationships with our community. In order to build strong relationships we like to invite our community into the school at key times throughout the year. Over the last week or so we have hosted two wonderfully successful community events, those being the Year 7 Orientation Dinner and our Open Night.

I would like to thank the 340 parents, students and teachers who attended the Orientation Dinner for making the event such a success again this year. It was a wonderful sight to see our school hall packed with tables of families and teachers enjoying each other’s company and getting to know one another. The Orientation Dinner is a fantastic opportunity for Year 7 students and parents to become involved in the life of the school and develop a sense of ownership and belonging.

Thank you to our Parents and Citizen’s association for hosting the event. Thank you also to Mrs Allen our MC, our talented concert band and dancers Caitlyn Giovenco and Jayne Favelle performing along with our CAPA team for preparing them and running the sound and lighting on the night. Thank you to our guest speakers, Eva Deng, Daniel Ferlazzo and Victoria Wang and to our Deputy Principal’s Mrs Sayed-Rich and Mr Meagher along with our fabulous administration team and our wonderful teachers for the work they put into contributing to the evening and for participating in the night.

Each year a feature of the Orientation Dinner is an awards presentation by the Parents and Citizen’s Association to our top ATAR achievers from the HSC. Congratulations go to:

Eva Deng with an ATAR of 97.80

Daniel Ferlazzo with an ATAR of 97.45

Victoria Wang an ATAR of 96.25

Open Night

This successful evening was followed by another wonderful school community event where it was with great pride that we welcomed around 800 guests to our school for our Open Night. It is extremely rewarding to know that our school is in such high demand among prospective students and their families. This is testament to the high standard of teaching and learning that takes place every day of the week and the very wide range of opportunities Menai High School offers students. It also speaks to the impact that our teachers have on our students and the very genuine care they afford them every single day.

I was immensely proud to hear family after family relate to me how impressed they were by our school and how keen they are for their child to join our school community in 2021. Thank you to our amazing teachers, P and C, student helpers and our administration team for making this event such a wonderful success.

It has been another great week at Menai High School!

Principal’s Recognition

Will Straker (Year 12) – selection in the NSWCHS Open Boys Cricket team competing at Maitland on 17^th-19^th March.

Alex Knijnik (Year 9) and Mihalis Mavreas (Year 11)  – selected to represent Sydney East in the Boys Individual Tennis State Championships at North Parramatta which was held from 3^rd-6^th March.

Deputy Principal Message

Mrs R Allen – Years 7 and 9

The Menai High School Junior Assessment Policy Booklet was handed out to all students in Years 7, 8 and 9 at their recent year meetings.  The students completed a quiz on the policy to check their understanding of the rules and guidelines.  Please ask you child to show you the booklet.  It also contains the timeline for assessments.  A copy of this policy will be placed up on the school website in the near future.

One aspect of the policy I wish to highlight is the support program that the school will provide students who have not completed course work which contributes to the completion of the assessment work.  This is called the Junior Review Panel.  Teachers and Head Teachers will be asked to refer students to the Deputy monitoring the review and parents will be invited to attend meetings with the panel to discuss support the school can provide.  The aim is to help all students show what they have learnt and demonstrate the skills that they are developing in the courses they are studying.

Thank you to the many families who have returned the Welfare and Discipline sign off forms for 2020.  A few still need to be returned.  The sign off is a recognition that both students and parents/caregivers have read and acknowledge the discipline processes and rules of Menai High School.  Also parents and students need to return the school’s personal technology device charter.

 

 

Student Good News

Ms Ursino from the L.O.T.E. faculty would like to congratulate the following students – Chloe Sharp (Year 7) for achieving her yellow belt in her Hiragana belt test; Kianna Britter and Lucy Tang (Year 7), EJ Bracewell and Bonnie Nguyen (Year 11 Beginners) and Alexandra Matruglio (Year 12 Continuers) for being weekly Memrise winners.  Also Anya Berry, Mason Broughall, Lucas Guy, Aleisha Rutherford, Chloe Sharp and Amelia Vandy (Year 7) for achieving their Hiragana green belt on the first attempt.  Mrs Ferraro congratulates Jorja Coots, Christian Costi, Jayden Ha, Charlyse Hall, Ebony Hatton, Sarah Jesson, Elias Saliba and Tamzin Sturt (Year 7) on achieving their yellow belt in Hiragana demonstrating their ability to remember and write 15 Hiragana characters.  Also a special mention to Isaac James and Levi Green (Year 7)for outstanding effort on Memrise which is an online learning tool to help them learn their Hiragana in their own time.

Mrs Millington from the Creative and Performing Arts faculty commends her Year 8 Advanced Acting class on their really energetic, enthusiastic and focussed start to the year.  A great class!!

Leadership Team

A big thank you to Ms O’Donnell and the Leadership Team for their contribution to the organisation of the Year 7 Orientation Dinner.

Miss B Stone

Head Teacher, Welfare

School Photos

School Photos were taken on Tuesday 3^rd March but if your child was absent on this day, there is a catch up morning on Friday 6^th March.  Students will need to come to the Community Hall during roll call and Period 1 on Friday morning with their payment envelope regardless of whether they are purchasing photos or not.

Information regarding the ordering of the Year 12 Dress Up photo will be given to parents and students in the coming weeks.

Mrs L Ferraro

Head Teacher, Administration

Year 10 Researchers

All Year 10 students should have now received their notification for the Student Research Project. This is their first assessment task and is worth 25% of their final grade. NESA mandates an individual research project in Science in Stage 5 and it is always a memorable experience for students who get to select a topic of their own to investigate, before presenting this as a scientific report.

With all the excitement of the HSC Science Extension course at our school, students are showing enthusiasm and energy as they begin to select their topic, with many using this as a preliminary taster for Science Extension when they get to Year 12.

For those students who might be struggling with ideas, there are a number of resources online in addition to the discussions occurring in every classroom to support this. One such site is sciencebuddies.org which allows students to search for questions by interest area or even, to complete a survey on interests first to help narrow down their field of study.

Scientific literacy is an essential part of learning for life and students are strongly encouraged to make the most of this opportunity to develop their critical thinking skills in an area of their own choice.

Ms A Hanna

Head Teacher, Science

Vocational Education and Training (VET) News

It’s been a busy few weeks in Vocational Education and Training (VET) with many of our year 12 students successfully completing their mandatory 70 hours of work placement.  This is an extremely valuable experience that they undertake during their Stage 6 VET course.  It provides them with the opportunity to put into practice what they have learned in the classroom and gain exposure to a real work environment.

Our work placements are organised by Southern Sydney Business Education Network.  Southern Sydney BEN are always on the lookout for more work placement opportunities for our students.  If you, or someone you know, works in a business that would be willing to take on work placement students, please contact the school.   We are always looking work placements in the Information Technology Industry, the Business Services Industry, the Construction Industry, the Entertainment Industry, the Hospitality Industry and Primary Industries.  Click here for more information.

2019 HSC VET Students

Menai High School has recently been advised, by the Ultimo RTO, that VET students will no longer get a printed certificate from NESA, for their VET qualifications. They will be required to download the Certificate from their Students Online account.  This account will only remain active until 30 June 2020.

2019 HSC Students, who studied a VET qualification, are encouraged to log on to Students Online ASAP and download their VET credentials. https://studentsonline.nesa.nsw.edu.au/

2019 VET Students are also reminded that they need to ensure they are able to access their USI account.  If they registered for their USI using their DET Portal email address, they are advised to change their email address attached to this account.  DET portal accounts will be decommissioned shortly.

Ms L Blanche

Relieving Head Teacher, VET

 

Creative and Performing Arts Faculty News

The Creative and Performing Arts Faculty continues to celebrate the achievement of our students in 2020.  Mali Willoughby was accepted into the Sydney Dance Company Youth Ensemble for 2020.  This program allows students to gain exposure to different styles of dance, extend technique and learn from top choreographers.  Mali also gained entry to NSW Indigenous Dance workshop in April.  This workshop then becomes an audition for the NSW Indigenous Dance Ensemble, which offers their ensemble members performance opportunities at In the Spotlight Dance Festival, The State Dance Festival, Schools Spectacular and other department performance.  Mikayla Rolton was also successful in obtaining a position in the 2020 Years 11-12 HSC Dance Masterclass.  Another amazing achievement from a talented dance student.

The Year 7 Dance Scholarship and Stage 4 Music Scholarships were announced at the Year 7 Dinner on the 28th February.  Caitlin Giovenco and Jayne Favelle in Year 7 were awarded the Menai High School Dance Scholarship in 2020.  The Stage 4 Music Scholarship winners were Sophie McGloin and Charlotte Morrison in Year 7.  The Dance and Music Scholarship winners performed beautifully on the evening of the Year 7 Dinner to parents, caregivers, staff and students.

HSC Visual Arts students from Menai High School enjoyed an excursion to the Art Gallery of NSW.  Japan Supernatural enthralled and mesmerised students with gouls, ghosts and other worldly beings, the scale of some were overwhelming while other miniature sculptures belied their power.  Mrs Colliss and her students then toured the Art Express exhibition, marvelling at the material and conceptual excellence of the work.  It was a proud moment to also see Lauren Lamotta's beautiful lino cuts on display.  Students left the Gallery inspired and ready to continue their own Body of Works.

Ms J Almond

Relieving Head Teacher, CAPA

Student and staff applications are now open for the 2020 NSW State Music Camps!

Talented music students join together for one week each year to receive expert tutelage and develop their performance skills. Participants rehearse and perform high quality repertoire culminating in a concert for families and friends on the final night of the camp.

Musical activities at camp include participation in a major ensemble (symphony orchestra, symphonic bands, vocal ensembles, stage band) as well as a number of elective ensembles and activities. Elective activities include brass and woodwind ensembles, jazz improvisation, composition, music theatre, percussion ensemble and more.

The camp is residential so all students stay at the camp site for the week.

Dates for 2020

Junior Music Camp (open to students in Years 5-8): Sunday 19 July - Friday 24 July

Senior Music Camp (open to students in Years 8-12): Sunday 28 June - Friday 3 July

For further information and to apply please visit the following website  https://www.artsunit.nsw.edu.au/state-junior-and-senior-music-camps

Ms A Masi

Music Teacher

 

GEM Girls

The GEM Girls program kicked off again this year with a number of Year 9, 10 and 11 students on Wednesday 26^th February.  The group’s first excursion was structured around teamwork, connectedness, problem solving and self-reflection.  Villawood Indoor Rock Climbing Centre was the perfect environment for our girls to develop such life skills.

    

Mrs Ryan

Coordinator

 

Careers News

JobJump Careers News Subject Bulletin – click here to find out more.

 

Winter Sports Offered for 2020

All students will select a winter sport online in Weeks 5/6 - click here to access a list of the sports offered.

 

Tell Them From Me student feedback survey (Term 1, 2020)

I am delighted that this term, our school, like many other public schools in the state, will participate in a Department of Education initiative: the Tell Them From Me student feedback survey. The survey measures factors that are known to affect academic achievement and other student outcomes. The focus of the NSW-wide survey is on student wellbeing, engagement and effective teaching practices.

More information about the survey is available at: http://surveys.cese.nsw.gov.au

The survey is a great opportunity for our students to provide us with valuable and quick feedback on what they think about school life, how engaged they are with school and the different ways that teachers interact with them. More than 6,300 schools in Australia and around the world have used Tell Them From Me to survey 5.4 million students. Capturing the voices of our students will help improve how we do things at our school.

I want to assure you that the survey is confidential. The survey is conducted online and will typically take less than 30 minutes to complete. It will be administered during school hours between 9 March and 8 May. Participating in the survey is entirely voluntary.

A consent form and FAQs for parents/carers about the survey is being sent home with students. If you do not want your child or children to participate, please return the form to school by Monday 16^th March Copies of the form and FAQs are available from: http://surveys.cese.nsw.gov.au/information-for-parents.

The consent form and FAQs are available in 23 languages.

More information can be found click here