Narrabri High School Annual Report

2011

Mr Geoff Myers (M. Ed Admin, B.A. Dip. Ed.) - Principal Mr Wayne Knight (B. Econ. Dip. Ed.) - Deputy Principal

2

Table of Contents

From the Principal‟s Desk

PBL Report

English and Drama Faculty Report

Mathematics Faculty Report

Science Faculty Report

Agriculture Report

History Faculty Report

Music Report

Social Science Faculty Report

Technology and Applied Studies (Industrial Arts) Faculty Report

Technology and Applied Studies (Home Economics) Faculty Report

Personal Development, Health and Physical Education Report

Special Education Report

Visual Arts Report

Aboriginal Education Report

Student Welfare Report

Student Representative Council Report

Technology Report

Vocational Education and Training (VET) Report

Sport

2010 HSC Results Report

3

From the Principal’s Desk...

In 2011 Narrabri High School has served 641 students. There have been forty-nine permanent

teachers employed and a rotation of temporary and casual teachers. There are six administrative

staff, a general assistant, an agriculture assistant, an Aboriginal Education Officer, three full time

cleaners and two full time and several part time in-class tutors to support student learning. Without

doing too much investigating, I would venture to say that makes Narrabri High School one of the

biggest enterprises in the district.

It is not only a big organisation – it also complex and this complexity is reflected in the variety of

programs summarised in this report. There are certainly highlights contained in the reports by

Head Teachers and program managers but there are also numerous achievements that warrant

particular mention. Some are whole school initiatives that transcend individual faculties, while some

are so significant that they deserve special acknowledgement and celebration. To reduce the many

achievements of members of the Narrabri High School community in 2011 in a brief report is a

daunting challenge.

We could begin with the 2010 HSC results of last December. Narrabri High School had 18 results in

the highest band, Band 6, and these were shared among 10 students across 9 subjects. Eighteen

students received acknowledgement for coming in the top 20 positions of the New England Region

and some received multiple acknowledgements. Georgia Barden (Music and Physics) and Stephanie

Halbisch (Senior Science) received official commendations from the Regional Director for achieving

first place in the region.

The 2011 Year 12 cohort has also

boasted some outstanding individual

achievers. Our School captains, Katie

Brooks and Thomas Vaessen, and their

deputies, Phoebe Stanford and Ben

Duncan, were exceptional role models,

great communicators and wonderful

ambassadors of Narrabri High School.

Our prefects and Student

Representative Councillors showed

maturity and leadership in a range of

situations. It was pleasing to see the

outstanding qualities of Matthew Nott

(Year 10) being recognised by his

election to the position of President

of the Regional SRC Committee.

However, our 2011 captains Katie and Thomas were not only enormously impressive student leaders.

They also shone in individual pursuits: Katie was Regional winner of the Sydney Morning Herald

Young Writer of the Year competition while Thomas‟ selection in the NSW Combined High Schools

First XV was the culmination of a wonderful career in rugby at Narrabri High School.

4

Vice-Captain elect for 2012,

Shelley Higgins also achieved

an outstanding individual

honour by gaining selection in

the NSWCHS girls‟ cricket

team. There were also many

students who achieved regional

selection in a range of sports

and the accomplishments of

our Boys Cricket Team, the

AFL team and the Chess team,

all of which earned success at

Regional level, are most

commendable. However, the

most outstanding sporting

performance by a Narrabri

School team in 2011 is

undoubtedly the performance of the Under 15 Boys Relay Team. Mitchell Barnes, Dylan Gale, Guy

Gleeson and Justin Shaw won the gold medal at the NSWCHS state athletics championships.

There have been a number of staff changes during 2011. Perhaps the most

significant change has been the retirement of one of Narrabri High

School‟s great stalwarts, Mr Peter Hood. Mr Hood taught Agriculture at

Narrabri High School for his entire teaching career and was a great

contributor to the School and the town. He was also a great supporter of

rugby, a fact acknowledged by his award of life membership to the

NSWCHS Sports Association for his contribution to Rugby.

From a staff perspective, a

highlight of 2011 was our

General Assistant, Mr Stephen Duncan, being named

Narrabri‟s most valuable employee in the BEST

Employment Awards in September. Stephen‟s diligence in

the upkeep of the School‟s grounds is obvious for all to

see. What is less well known is his advice and initiative

on issues relating to maintenance, occupational health

and safety and organising school facilities. His award is

thoroughly deserved.

In terms of curriculum, a particularly noteworthy initiative is the Career Link program which has

been trialled in 2011. Designed to accommodate students with vocational aspirations, the program is

particularly appropriate for students returning to school as a result of the new school leaving age.

Integral components of this program are the new non-matriculation English Studies course and

increased involvement with TAFE.

5

Another significant program has been the enhancement of the transition of students from Year 6

into high school. The introductory sessions and orientation days that have provided an effective

social transition in the past have been retained but supplemented by a range of additional elements.

Of particular note have been initiatives to augment the students‟ academic transition. These have

included shared units of work developed and taught by teachers at both the High School and the

students‟ regular primary school teachers. In addition, opportunities have been provided for visits

by primary teachers to high school classes and vice versa; in this way common teaching approaches

can be developed and shared.

Extra-curricular highlights of 2011 include the

performances by our Concert Band and some wonderful

results by the Narrabri High School Show Team. Some

new areas of involvement in 2011 include twenty-four

Year 9 students participating in the State Emergency

Service Cadet program and enlistment in the NSW

Premier‟s Student Volunteering Program. Matthew Nott

was recently awarded a Diamond level award for his

voluntary work and seven other students from Year 10

received Bronze Awards.

Narrabri High School has acquired some important additional resources in 2011 that will benefit

students‟ learning. In particular, the new Language and Technology Centre was officially opened

while our Agriculture Department acquired a new tractor and thirteen new interactive whiteboards

have been installed. Our photocopying facilities have been enormously improved by our involvement

in the “Pay as you Print” program.

In my 2010 Report I made considerable mention of Narrabri High School‟s exclusion from a number

of equity programs that limits our access to funding. That situation has not changed and I am most

appreciative of the significant and ongoing financial support of so many elements of the Narrabri

community. Without financial contributions from the P&C, Federation Farm and many of the larger

local business enterprises, many of the resources mentioned above could not have been acquired.

These groups have also provided support for other specific projects. Organisations and businesses

have also been supportive of the School by providing work experience placements for our students,

making personnel available for interview panels and as guest speakers and by donating those prizes

which we present tonight to our high achieving students. Narrabri High School benefits from the

support of the community and, I would suggest, repays that support by providing a stream of well

developed young people who will become valued members of the Narrabri and wider communities.

I commend this annual report for your attention. It is a comprehensive report, as befits a

comprehensive high school. When our list of achievements becomes narrow or ceases to reflect a

broad range of students‟ endeavours, then we will have failed in our role. I am proud to be principal

of a school that provides opportunities for all students and I am proud that our school has

relationships with our community that are strong, productive and mutually beneficial. I congratulate

and thank all members of the Narrabri High School community: the staff (teaching and non-

teaching), the students, their parents and our many supporters. Thank you for a successful 2011.

Have a safe and happy holiday and I look forward to working with you in 2012.

6

Positive Behaviour for Learning A school-wide approach to social learning

What is Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL)?

PBL is a scaffold approach that teaches behavioural

expectations as part of a social learning curriculum across the whole school. This instructional model

allows teachers to teach the behaviours they want and provide feedback for students on their

progressive mastery of those behaviours. PBL identifies and teaches replacement skills and builds

relationships.

What kind of problems does PBL address?

High rates of problem behaviour (eg defiance, insubordination, fighting), ineffective and inefficient

disciplinary practices, lack of general and specialised behavioural interventions, lack of staff support to

address problem behaviour, negative school climate, high use of crisis/reactive management.

What systems are emphasised?

School-wide discipline (all students, all staff, all settings)

Classroom management

Non-classroom supervision (eg hallways, canteen, playground)

Individual students

What strategies are emphasised?

Explicit teaching of expectations

Joint understanding of systems implemented

Acknowledgement/reward schemes

Does PBL mean there will no longer be consequences for inappropriate behaviour?

No, that is not the case. With PBL, consequences are clearly defined and taught to students and

consistently implemented across the whole school. This happens in conjunction with a whole school

acknowledgement/reward system which is also consistently implemented.

What has Narrabri High School done so far?

Explicitly taught the expectations of behaviour in shared space around the school through

dramatisations on assembly, videoed plays, quick quizzes and power points

Collected data which helped highlight problem areas in the playground. Some of the problems

identified were active and passive areas, the congestion in the gravel area, out of bounds and

defiance

All minor/ major and severe incidences within the playground were identified and a flow chart was

designed to show how staff could respond to each incident

A survey on the effectiveness of DEAR was carried out by both staff and students

7

Some potential solutions were raised that may minimise many of the identified issues within the

playground

Increased the amount of RISE signage around the school.

Who can be involved?

PBL is based on the premise that “It takes a village to raise a child” and is designed to be accessible to

all stakeholders in our community. Our leadership team involves staff members (both teaching and non-

teaching, executive and non-executive), parents and students. Please contact the school if you would like

to know more about PBL or how to participate.

What is the next step?

Data collection on the implementation of new playground changes

Introduction of PBL into the classroom

8

English and Drama Faculty Report

The English Faculty of 2011 continued to aspire to motivate students to strive for their best at all

times and to be proud of their achievements. The faculty is led by Mrs Stanford and is ably

supported by Ms Manchee, Miss O‟Brien, Miss Keppie, Mrs Magann, Mr Partridge and Mrs Wallace

(Support Teacher Learning Assistance). This year we welcomed Miss Rhiannon Hall to the faculty

and she has now been appointed permanently.

2011 has seen the implementation of the HSC English Studies course which enables students who

are not seeking university entry to meet the English requirements of the HSC without sitting a

formal exam. This course has successfully supported students completing Work Studies and TAFE

based study and has been well received by Year 11 students enrolled in the course.

A variety of opportunities exist for our students to develop their skills and achieve success in

extra-curricular competitions. Senior students Katie Brooks and Sophie Charalambous displayed

their public speaking skills, general knowledge and citizenship in the Lion‟s Youth of the Year

Competition with Katie winning at district level. Katie was also the regional winner of the Sydney

Morning Herald Young Writer of the Year Award for her short stories, „Herald Sweat and Herald

Blood‟, „Reality Dresses in Black‟ and „Massacre‟. Many students also received outstanding results in

the drama section of the Narrabri Eisteddfod in individual mime, group mime, monologue and play.

Narrabri High School‟s Senior

Debating team was Zone champion,

competing successfully against Duval

and Inverell High Schools. This team

has debated together since Year 7 and

is to be commended on its efforts

throughout their time at Narrabri High

School.

The Years 10 and 12 Drama classes

have participated in a range of

activities and developed their

awareness of the importance of Drama.

The highlight of the year so far is, no

doubt, the visit to the school by John

Jarrett and the cast of „The Sum of

Us‟. They spent a great afternoon with the students, sharing their experiences of life as an actor.

It was wonderful to then see the actors practise their craft on stage that night, performing in an

iconic Australian drama.

The HSC class was examined by a panel of three judges from various schools across New South

Wales. Three Group Performances and eleven Individual Performances were presented with great

skill. Year 10 was fortunate to be the audience for the day, exposing them to the requirements of

Drama in the senior years.

9

Mathematics Faculty Report

It was great to see the number of Band 5 and 6 results achieved by students in Mathematics

courses in the 2010 Higher School Certificate. While 2009 high achievers moved on to university

training in fields including Mathematics teaching and engineering, 2010 has produced students

entering veterinary science, accounting and teaching to name a few. Mathematics provides the tools

for a vast array of career options!

Year 11 students Maddison Barden (2 Unit and Extension 1) and Joshua Wilson (Extension 1 and

Extension 2) have now been accelerated and completed their HSC courses and examinations. Six

students in Year 7 have completed the Year 8 course and will now decide whether to continue to

accelerate into Year 9 Mathematics in 2012. Miss Broderick has also worked successfully with a

group of primary school students who have studied the Year 7 Mathematics course.

This year we have farewelled Mr Wood and again welcomed Miss R Cameron. Mrs Walters (Year 9

Advisor, previously known as Miss C Cameron) has returned to full time teaching and can now add

Mathematics to her long list of teaching subject qualifications, having successfully completed her

retraining. Ms Doust (Head Teacher), Miss Broderick (Gifted and Talented Co-ordinator), Mrs

Fenton and Mrs Hamilton (Year 11 Advisor) all continue in their current roles, while Mr Loder has

taught Year 7 and Mr Bailey has taught Year 10 Mathematics.

In the Australian Maths Competition 8

Credits and 11 Proficiency certificates

were achieved by our students, while the

ICAS competition saw 2 Distinctions and 18

Credits awarded. Miss Broderick and Mrs

Young accompanied 2 teams of talented

Year 8 students to the annual Mathematics

Fun Day held at the University of New

England in Armidale. Students gained a lot

from this fun, interesting and challenging

day.

In preparation for the HSC students in

year 12 were again able to attend HSC

workshops in Mathematics General, 2 Unit,

Extension 1 and Extension 2 via video-conference. The workshops were presented by Head

Teachers and senior teachers from around the region who are experienced teachers and HSC

markers.

Interactive whiteboards are now in use in three Mathematics classrooms, with a further 2 about to

be installed. Pat Sullivan, Senior Education Officer from Tamworth has recently provided the

Mathematics faculty with professional development in the use of the “Smartboards” and plans are

underway for him to work with both the staff and students in Term 1, 2012.

10

Science Faculty Report

2011 has been a successful year for Science at Narrabri High School. A number of last year‟s HSC

Science students achieved outstanding results, including: 1st and 10th in the region in Physics, 1st and

7th in the region in Senior Science, 3rd in the region in Chemistry and 6th in the region in Biology.

Students who gained a School Certificate in Science in 2010 obtained results equivalent to or, in

some cases, better than those obtained in other schools within the region.

This year saw the retirement of a long term stalwart of the Science Faculty and of Narrabri High

School, Mr Hood. His endeavours in the agricultural and sporting areas will be sorely missed. He has

been replaced by Mrs Partridge. Miss Johnson returned from maternity leave and Miss Lilliebridge

taught a mixture of Agriculture and Science classes.

In the nine years Narrabri High has entered the Newcastle University Engineering Challenge, we

have represented the region at the state championships on eight occasions. This year our team

came eighth at the state level. Once again, the Science Faculty and Narrabri High School were ably

represented by our Year 11 Physics students who assisted Newcastle University staff in running the

Primary Schools‟ version of the Engineering Challenge. The University staff and assisting Rotarians

were particularly impressed with the way our senior students conducted themselves throughout the

day.

Mrs Charalambous has continued to develop computer based learning activities for her classes and

her expertise in this area was recognized when she was invited to present at the regional ICT

conference. With most of the remaining Science laboratories having recently had interactive

whiteboards installed, Mrs Charalambous will be able to provide professional guidance on their

usage.

11

The HSC Physics class had the opportunity to participate in the “Kickstart Physics on the Road”

program which was held in Armidale as well as interact with leading researchers on a range of topics

through video-conferencing.

This year we also entered the International Rio Tinto Big Science competition with Angus Williams

receiving a High Distinction. Participation in the International Science Competition and Assessments

for Schools was limited this year with only 2 entries and one student received a credit.

Students from Years 8, 9 and 11 have also performed ecological work at the Bullawa Creek State

Conservation Area. The proximity of this area to town provides an ideal opportunity for us to

undertake first hand ecological studies.

The Year 10 project is one of the Year 10 assessment tasks and is a mandatory part of the Stage 5

Science syllabus. This year‟s students produced projects of a high standard and a considerable

number were entered in the PICSE Science Week Science Investigation Awards. The major prize

winner was Caitlin Barden for her research on “the most favourable conditions for the fermentation

of sugar using yeast”. Julia Constance and Emily Bailey were other prizewinners.

A number of Year 9 students have presented their interactive tasks to Year 6 students as part of

our transition to high school program. At the end of November, six Year 11 Science students were

selected to fly to Sydney and attend a “Careers in Science Program”. This trip has been fully-

funded by the University of Technology, Sydney and is the second time Narrabri High School has

been invited to attend.

12

Agriculture Faculty Report

2011 has been a busy and successful year for Agriculture at Narrabri High School. It is with great

regret that we report that our long serving Agriculture Teacher, Mr Peter Hood retired at the

beginning of the year. He will be greatly missed by the school community. Mr Hood has been

replaced by Mrs Emma Partridge. As a result of an increase in numbers of students electing to take

Agriculture, Miss Rachel Lillebridge has also been teaching a Year 9 Agriculture class, while Mr Joe

White delivered the Year 12 Primary Industries course. Mr Peter O‟Connor has continued his role as

Farm Assistant.

Our Shorthorn cattle stud continues to play an important role in the Agriculture program. The

Manchee Family, owners of Yamburgan Shorthorn Stud, have continued to give valuable support for

the management of the school‟s stud. At present, we have eight registered breeding females, all of

which have produced healthy calves, each sired by Yamburgan bulls.

Students from Year 7 through to Year 11 were involved in preparing four of our stud cattle for the

Narrabri Show: three heifers and a bull. “Narrabri High Yuman” was sashed Junior Champion Bull of

the show. In addition, the students participated in Junior Judging and Junior Paraders Competitions

with the follow successes: in the Under 25 years Junior Judging Sophie McFarland was awarded

first place with Mikayla Brown placing second. Mikayla also placed fourth in the Under 25 years

Paraders competition. In the Under 15 Years Junior Judging Year 7 students Jess O‟Neil and

Courtney Boyd were placed second and fourth respectively.

13

Sophie McFarland progressed to represent Narrabri in the Group 14 Zone Finals for Junior Judging.

She reached the finals in fleece judging, placing fifth, and narrowly missed out the finals in the

beef cattle judging.

Tori McLachlan of Year 9 attended the Rotary sponsored RYAG Dairy Camp in Wingham during the

October school holidays. The camp looked at many aspects of milk production and marketing.

Cotton has been the main focus for senior agriculture plant production work. Year 11 students

participated in a Cotton Field to Fabric course held at the Australian Cotton Research Station. The

course outlined each of the steps and processes in cotton production through to the end uses.

Year 11 competed in the North West Property Planning Competition, a Field Day held at Trelawney,

Somerton, which provided valuable experiences, with many experts dealing with areas relating to

the Preliminary Agriculture course.

Year 7 and 8 classes have focused on vegetable production as part of the Mandatory Technology

course. This year for the first time, the students prepared a vegetable garden which was entered

in the Spring Garden Show.

This year Narrabri High School participated in the

Northern Schools Steer Competition hosted by

Coonamble. Steers were obtained from loyal

supporters Stuart Park and Louis Griffiths and all

Agriculture students had some involvement in

preparing the steers. A group of elective students

from Years 8, 9, 10 and 11 were selected as

members of the “Show Team” and devoted additional

time preparing the steers and attending the

competition. The students were accompanied by Mrs

Partridge and Mr O‟Connor. All of the 2011 Narrabri

High School Show Team was awarded prizes. In Year

11 Junior Judging, Sophie McFarland placed 2nd,

closely followed by Zachary Tomlinson who was

placed 3rd and Nicola Onus was awarded 7th in the

Year 9 Junior Judging class. In the Paraders

competitions Zachary Tomlinson and Mikayla Brown

both reached the finals in the Year 11 class, with

Zachary placing 4th and Mikayla placing 6th. Mariah

Moss also reached the finals in the Year 10 class,

narrowly missing out on a place but was awarded a

Highly Commended ribbon. In the Year 9 class Jessica Brown, Nicola Onus and Lane Allison all were

awarded Highly Commended ribbons as was Hayden Grumley in the Year 7/8 class.

The ongoing support to Agriculture at Narrabri High School by many areas of the local community is

greatly appreciated. We particularly thank Cargill for continuing to supply cotton hull and meal

which are essential in maintaining our stud cattle herd and preparing steers.

14

History Faculty Report

The National Curriculum Project for History in the junior school has been finalised with the Board

of Studies working on a syllabus for NSW. We will receive a draft syllabus early next year with its

implementation extended to 2014. In NSW History is compulsory for students in Years 7 – 10.

Year 7 and 8 History has given the students the scope to study aspects of ancient world history as

well Australian history. Some of the topics covered have been Rome, Greece, Native Americans,

Aztecs as well as traditional Aboriginal society. We have introduced a new topic of Imperial China

which aligns with the thinking of the committee creating the National Curriculum. Year 7 students

start the year with an introductory topic of “What is History?” where they have the opportunity to

develop the skills that will help them with History at high school, as well as completing a family

history research task. This year History was semesterised, so students did the subject for half a

year but had five lessons per cycle, providing more frequent contact and continuity.

Australian History, Civics and Citizenship is a compulsory course for Year 9 and 10 students that

culminates at the end of Year 10 with an external exam. Many students have shown an interest in

Australian History because they have been able to discuss significant events with family members.

Ancient and Modern History courses continue to be popular in the senior school. There were classes

in both Ancient and Modern History in the Year 11 Preliminary course and Ancient History in the

Year 12 HSC course. Both of these courses cater for students of a range of abilities. Six Year 11

students have decided to undertake the very rigorous History Extension HSC course. They will be

required to complete the course work as well as a major project which is assessed externally.

Fourteen Year 12 students attended an excursion to the History Teachers Association study days

at Sydney University in June. This was a worthwhile excursion which provided students with

lectures by experts in History and HSC marking over three days.

The History Faculty is looking forward to a number of exciting challenges next year. There will be a

Year 9 elective class called Heroes, Myths and Archaeology which has many innovative topics and a

lot of scope for the students to research areas of personal interest. Fifteen Year 11 and 12

students are going on an excursion to Germany and Italy in the Easter holidays to view significant

historical sites. This is an exciting opportunity for the students and an important excursion for

students who live in country areas. Successful teaching and learning rely heavily on staff expertise

and commitment. In 2011, students have been taught engaging programs by the following History

teachers: Mrs Brazaitis, Mr Partridge, Mr Doherty and Mr Charalambous.

15

Music Faculty Report During 2011 the Music Department has had the privilege of working with a fine group of young

performers from Year 12: Kyle Atkins (guitar/voice), Jessica Campell (flute), Kate Constance

(clarinet), Alyssa Nott (flute), Jarvis Prestage (trumpet) and Alissa Rily (clarinet). In particular

Jessica, Kate, Jarvis and Alissa have featured strongly in our extra-curricula programs for the past

six years and we have appreciated their involvement, contribution, leadership and camaraderie in

the concert band. The loss of such experienced musicians will find us relying more on our younger

students who continue to develop their skills and talents within our Performing Ensembles.

This year‟s “12 Features” HSC music

evening in Room 25 drew an

appreciative audience. The Year 12

students were encouraged by the

support shown and used the

opportunity to gain valuable

performance experience prior to their

practical exams. Hannah Lonergan and

Sarah Cameron are to be commended

for their involvement in the HSC

clarinet ensembles. Our Year 12

students are excellent role models for

future senior Narrabri High School

music students.

Earlier in the year our Year 11 and 12

students attended the New England

Regional HSC Music Workshop in Tamworth where Mr Fenton led workshops in Performance, Aural

and Musicology skills for students from across the region. Our students experienced valuable

performance opportunities in this workshop with feedback being given from recent HSC markers.

The 2011 “Encore” Music excursion to Sydney was an enormous success with students having the

opportunity to see a live performance of “Jersey Boys” at the Theatre Royal and “Encore 11”

(featuring outstanding performances from 2010 HSC) at the Opera House. The Sydney

experiences, activities and general sight-seeing were a rewarding experience for all. Mr Fenton and

Mrs Barden were very impressed with the behaviour and co-operation of all students on this

excursion. These students were excellent ambassadors for Narrabri High School.

Classes in both the Mandatory Year 7 and 8 Music courses and Additional (Elective) Yr 9 and 10

courses have all developed their skills and knowledge in a variety of musical genres and practical

experiences throughout 2011. Students in Years 7 and 8 have adapted well to semesterisation with

students progressing at a faster rate in most component areas.

16

The Narrabri High School Concert

Band rehearses each Friday afternoon

till 5pm and has maintained its fine

reputation for excellent performances

and providing outstanding

entertainment at various special

assemblies throughout the year. All

students involved are to be

commended on their dedication and

hard work throughout the year.

Jock Smith of Year 9 was selected to

perform in the State Senior Wind

Band. This band was selected to

perform as part of the State

Instrumental Festival at the Sydney

Opera House.

The “West of the Divide” Concert Band was formed in 2010 comprising of students from the

Western, Riverina and New England regions. At the end of March this ensemble toured Hawaii,

performing in the Pacific Basin Music Festival. Jessica Campbell, Jarvis Prestage, and Jock Smith

were selected to tour with this ensemble. They were accompanied and supervised by Mr Bailey. This

tour provided an outstanding experience for these students to perform in such a competition and

experience workshops with professional conductors from across the globe.

Mr Bailey was appointed to a permanent position on the Music staff at Narrabri High School in

early April. His feelings of excitement and acceptance of the offer were conveyed back to Narrabri

whilst he was on tour in Hawaii.

Sarah Boaden and Kodey Stanford

(Year 11), Toby Owens (Year 10),

Jonathan Byast (Year 9), Hope Fagan

and Nick Walker (Year 8) attended the

inaugural New England Regional Vocal

Camp at Lake Keepit. These six

students were then selected to

perform in the Sydney Opera House in

the New England Vocal Ensemble as

part of the State Choral Festival

Concerts. Mr Fenton travelled as a

supervisor and bus driver to enable this

excursion to be viable. The effort,

commitment and contributions of these

students are greatly appreciated.

17

Our two Year 11 vocalists Sarah Boaden and Kodey Stanford were then selected to benefit from

specialist instruction in vocal delivery and presentation.

This year Narrabri was selected as a venue for the

NSW Symphonic Wind Orchestra to tour in the

North West region. Student instrumentalists from

Narrabri High School and local primary schools spent

a fun day in workshops and then a public concert held

at night. There was a school concert/performance by

the visiting orchestra in the afternoon. This event

was very well supported and also provided valuable

tuition in conducting skills and techniques for local

teachers including Mr Bailey.

The Newcastle Wind Band have always had a great time and been appreciative of the organisation

and support of Narrabri High School and District schools for their annual December workshop. This

year their time with us involved keen students in a three-day workshop. It has been evident that

the value of these workshops is not to be underestimated. We are privileged to be able to secure

the expertise of the music students from the University of Newcastle for this once-a-year event.

As a central point for a number of schools Narrabri is well placed to host this event. 2011 will be

the 14th time these Newcastle University workshops have been held in Narrabri.

Mr Bailey has co-ordinated the Narrabri High School Chess Team for the last 2 years. He has been

assisted in this venture by Mr Bruce Danson who trains the members of the team on Thursdays at

lunchtime in the library. The team consisting of David Boaden (Year 12), Kyle Barton and Leon

Merten (Year 11) and Alex Hamilton (Year 8) were announced as the winners of the North West

region in September 2011. This team along with Mr Bailey and Mr Danson travelled to Sydney to

compete in the Country Schools Chess Finals in week 6 of Term 4.

The Music Department of Narrabri High

School continues to depend heavily on a

core of students who participate in more

than one ensemble, who are committed to

more than one weekly rehearsal, are eager

to try new music and maintain their

involvement for the whole year.

Our performing ensembles, elective

classes, workshops and related events give

opportunities for learning, peer tutoring,

friendships and integration for all

students from Years 7 – 12.

The student contribution and commitment to the cultural life of the school is most gratifying and

sincerely appreciated by the Music staff. Thank you to all students for their support and on-going

commitment.

18

Social Sciences Faculty Report

The Social Sciences staff of 2011, comprising Mr Knight (Deputy Principal), Mr Galvin (Head

Teacher), Mrs Rainger, Mr Graham, Mr Doherty and Mr Randall, have again targeted further

developing their teaching skills and classroom management practices. There has also been an

emphasis on teamwork in the staff room. Students are encouraged to give of their best and to

enjoy their learning experiences. Student-centred learning and literacy strategies have been

emphasised in the classroom. It is important that all students have the right and opportunity to

learn without interruptions.

Local excursions (at little or no cost) have become important learning tools in the Social Sciences.

Included in these field trips are the Narrabri Creek and Maitland Street business houses as well as

Federation Farm for senior geography students.

All students in the Social Sciences have had to present a variety of individual research projects.

Year 7 Geography students had to produce a project which required them to study a world country

other than Australia and the responses from the students were exceptional. Year 8 students looked

at protecting and managing the environment involving surveys and writing and presenting oral

reports. Year 11 Geography had to prepare a senior Geography project and Year 10 a Geography

project which required students to research a local geographical aspect as part of their assessment

program. Year 11 Business Studies Students completed a business research task on a local business

and had an excursion to Sydney, the focus of which was marketing.

The Stage 4 Commerce syllabus has now been fully implemented while there are big changes to

Junior Geography with the abolition of the traditional School Certificate examination. The changes

continue in senior Business Studies with Year 12 studying the new syllabus for the first time.

Another change that has occurred is the introduction of a new Legal Studies syllabus that now

includes the impact of technology on the law.

Subjects available for

students in 2012 in the

Social Science faculty are

Geography and Commerce in

the junior school and

Geography, Business Studies,

Legal Studies and Economics

in the senior school.

In 2012 the classroom will

again take priority in the

Social Sciences as teachers

set out to ensure all

students are given the

opportunity to produce their

best.

19

Technology and Applied Studies (Industrial Arts) Faculty Report

This year has been very successful for the Industrial Arts Faculty at Narrabri High School. It has

been exciting to see so many students progress in their learning. Through a variety of learning

experiences students have each developed new and valuable skills. These practical skills will prove

useful for the rest of their lives.

In the Stage 4 Mandatory Technology

course, students have been given the

planning and practical skills to solve

design problems. An understanding of

the design process allows students to

approach design situations in a

systematic and logical way. Students

have enjoyed creating projects from

timber and mixed materials. They have

learned how to manipulate tools and

materials to achieve the desired

outcomes.

In Stage 5 students have enjoyed

working with timber and metal to create fine furniture and metallurgical miracles. Students have

made significant and continuous improvement in their use of materials to enhance a product and

improve its functionality. Projects in Timber Technology included dartboard cabinets, bar stools,

small cabinets and coffee tables. These objects have been produced with ever increasing levels of

skill. In Farm Maintenance students have focussed on creating projects with a high level of

functionality. These include a hobby vice, a brick carrier and a welded tool box. This has equipped

students with vital skills needed by local industry. The student laptop computers have proven to be

useful as another tool in the design and planning of students‟ work. “Google Sketchup” is installed

on all the laptops and is a fantastic software package for helping students to visualise their

projects. A lot of hand drawing is now being replaced with this new technology.

Students in Stage 6 Industrial Technology have

once again completed their Major Projects to an

exceptionally high standard. Mr Hamilton and

Mr McFetridge have enjoyed seeing these

wonderful projects come together and all of the

students should be congratulated on the quality

of the finished jobs.

Abbey Shephard‟s

Outdoor setting made from New Guinea Rosewood.

20

The senior students at Narrabri

High School can also study a number

of VET (Vocational Education and

Training) courses such as Metals and

Engineering or Construction. Both of

these courses are competency based

and are an excellent preparation for

further study in the wood or metal

working trades. The purchase of a

new guillotine last year has meant

that students are able to quickly and

very accurately cut sheet material to

size. This machine coupled with the

sheet metal bender has enabled the

construction of many excellent sheet

metal projects throughout the year.

The Construction (VET Course) students have completed the Workcover approved OH&S Induction

Certificate course for construction workers. This qualification allows students to enter

construction work sites and is essential within the construction industry.

The Year 12 Construction students have also completed the construction of a child‟s cubby house.

This work allowed them the opportunity to learn framing skills which can be applied to any timber

framed structure and will be very useful in the years ahead.

The Regional World Skills Competition was held

in Moree recently and a number of our students

competed in the event. Joshua Wilson won the

Construction competition with Jack Davenport

finishing fourth. Matthew Wall finished in

second place in the Metals and Engineering

competition with Elijah Barnes taking out

fourth place.

I would personally like to thank my staff Mr

Hamilton and Mr Symons for their continued

dedication to the education of the students at

Narrabri High School. They consistently carry

out their roles professionally and are always

supportive of the students in their care. It

should also be noted that Mr McGregor

continues to support the staff and students of

Industrial Arts in his retirement. His wisdom

and subject knowledge are a true asset to our

faculty.

21

Technology and Applied Studies (Home Economics) Faculty Report

The TAS – Home Economics staff consists of Ms Kathy Bailey (Head Teacher), Mrs Janet Barden,

Mrs Julie Roy and Mrs Julianne Brown (kitchen assistant). Mrs Roy and Mrs Barden both opted to

continue part time leave this year. During Mrs Roy‟s extended long service leave break we were

fortunate to have Mrs Sara Wallace, a trained TAS teacher, step in and take practical lessons and

Ms Sharon Hill and Mrs Gail Young willing and able to assist with other classes.

Mrs Irene Hyde has been recognised for forty-four years of service to Narrabri High School.

After Mrs Hyde‟s official retirement from the position of kitchen assistant, we finally recognised

her achievement! Mrs Hyde was presented with a service medal, flowers and gift from the school

at an afternoon tea earlier this year.

Late last year the senior Textiles and Design and Food

Technology classes travelled to Sydney for a fun-filled,

tasty and educational tour of a variety of places in the

CBD. The Textiles class viewed “Texstyle” an exhibition

of selected HSC Major Textile Projects while the Food

Technology class travelled onto Kangaroo Valley for a

tour of local businesses and a pasta making workshop.

They also visited a dairy farm in the middle of

afternoon milking.

One of the highlights of the excursion was the variety

of foods eaten – Japanese, Italian, Spanish and the

multicultural foods (and desserts) enjoyed at Sydney

Tower. These students were great ambassadors for our

school and community and it was a memorable

experience for the students and the staff who

attended.

The Year 12 Textiles and Design class has spent the year focussing on designing and constructing

their Major Textile Projects. Many hours have been spent producing these works with the project

forming 50% of the final mark in Textiles and Design. They are to be congratulated on their

creative and very individual pieces of work!

The works were displayed down the street during the last week of October in the windows of

Trademarks & Safire Designs. Thank you to Mr David Pierce and Mrs Natasha Baxter for their

support by giving up valuable window space for the display.

22

The new kitchen continues to be put to good use. Classes in

Years 7 to 12 have practical lessons each week in a range of

subjects including Technology, Food Technology, Hospitality

and Exploring Early Childhood.

Hospitality students have studied the Commercial Cookery

strand of the syllabus and have enjoyed the hands-on

lessons of preparing and presenting foods to industry

standard. They have participated in several catering

opportunities that have allowed students to showcase their

skills.

Narrabri High School hosted the Hospitality WorldSkill‟s

competition in October. Mrs Barden was the convenor and

Mrs Roy one of the four judges. Eight students from

various schools competed in the event including Jordan

Katrib from Year 11. Ninety six meals were prepared and

served by the group on the day which meant lots of washing up! All the students gained valuable

skills to enhance their Hospitality studies and picked up many tips from the judges on food

presentation, preparation techniques and food hygiene and safety.

Students in Years 9 and 10 Food Technology have also been

involved in lots of exciting experiences this year. From food

styling exercises and digital photography of their products,

to tasting and making new and unusual foods for a wide

variety of age groups, cupcakes to formal dinners, the

students have learnt much about the preparation,

presentation and hygiene required with food. They have

studied areas of the syllabus including food trends, history

of food in Australia, the food service and catering industry

and new food product development to name a few.

Students in Year 7 Mandatory Technology classes have

been introduced to the fundamental skills required to solve

design briefs using food as their material. They have made

a variety of foods and have created unusual muffins and

potato fillings as solutions to their design briefs as well as

creating some other delicious foods. They have developed

their skills and knowledge regarding the microwave, measurement and recipes and general use of

the kitchen.

Students in Year 8 Mandatory Technology have been able to study Food as well as a Mixed

Materials area this year. Students who participated in the Food area have studied a variety of

foods from countries around the world and have experienced first hand the multicultural influences

on the foods we eat today.

23

The students who studied Mixed

Materials have worked with a variety of

materials including fabrics, foods

especially chocolate and paper to

create a wide range of gifts that would

be suitable for gift giving. Items such

as Sand Art Brownies, boxer shorts,

pillowcases, cards, cookies and

handmade Christmas decorations have

been created by the students.

Professional development this year has

involved staff undertaking activities

provided by the school and department

and activities arranged privately at

weekends. Mandatory development has

included updating our resuscitation training as a whole school group and being involved in sessions on

literacy, numeracy and programming, as well as an upgrade in Hospitality in the Food and Beverage

and Commercial Cookery sections of the syllabus. Ms Bailey, Mrs Roy and Mrs Barden continue to

maintain their industry currency with 30 hours of industry exposure over a two year period

expected. Much of this industry currency is completed in the staff‟s own time. Ms Bailey has spent

some time this semester in the position as New England Hospitality Support Co-ordinator. This

position required her to ensure that all teachers of Hospitality in the New England region

completed all the requirements for their up-grade and she was able to support them with advice,

co-ordination of work placements and information regarding their work place journals. This has been

a challenging, but enjoyable position and Mrs Roy has been able to work on a casual basis so that all

Ms Bailey‟s classes have continued as normal.

With another year rapidly drawing to a close the faculty is already planning for 2012 classes.

Courses to be delivered include Exploring Early Childhood (Year 11 and Year 12), Textiles and Design

(Year 11), Food Technology (Years 10, 11, 12), Careers and Technology (Years 7 and 8). We look

forward to another productive year in the classroom.

24

Personal Development/Health/ Physical Education Faculty Report

During 2011 the PD/H/PE staff of, Mr Russell, Mrs Carter, Mr Magner, Mrs Smith and Miss Crowley

(Term 4) have further developed their teaching skills to ensure all students are given every

possibility to give of their best with all theory and practical activities.

Mr Graham has been the Wednesday Sports

Organiser while Mrs Carter has organised all

Zone and Regional Sports. This year we

reintroduced the school cross country and tug-o-

war events as house competitions. An enjoyable

time was had by both students and staff. The

success of sport at Narrabri High School can be

attributed to their dedicated organisation. Mr

Graham was responsible for the organisation of

very successful Swimming and Athletics Carnivals

as well as the Namoi Zone Athletics Carnival.

Wednesday afternoon sport has run very

smoothly with the students able to choose from a

wide variety of sports.

Faculty members have attended a variety of TPL (Teachers‟ Professional Learning) courses aimed at

keeping staff up-to-date on developments in PD/H/PE. Mr Nixon, Mrs Carter and Mrs Barden ran

and examined First Aid and CPR courses for staff members at Narrabri High School. These courses

enable staff members to provide a high level of care while accompanying students on excursions.

Numbers are increasing in the senior courses of PD/H/PE (2 unit) and Sport, Lifestyle and

Recreation Studies. The Year 7 to 10 PD/H/PE course allows students to benefit from a well

prepared, integrated course. Units of work in PE include Dance, Athletics, Volleyball, Aquatics,

Games, Fitness Testing and Gymnastics. Units in the Personal Development and Health strand

include HIV/AIDS, Smoking/Alcohol, Water Safety, Road Safety, Sun Safety, First Aid, Nutrition,

Child Protection, Lifestyle Diseases, Relationships and Careers.

The Year 9 and 10 elective course PAS will not be offered as an elective for Year 8 into Year 9

students for 2012.

The faculty continues to use community facilities including the swimming pool and the fitness

centre. Staff and students are very appreciative for the use of these community facilities.

2012 should see the high profile of the PD/H/PE Faculty maintained as staff ensures students are

given every opportunity to realise their abilities.

25

Special Education

IM Support & IO/S Support Classes

The IM Support Class has had a busy 2011. We have had to say goodbye to two class members,

Codie Haywood and David Randall who completed their HSC this year. They will be sadly missed and

we wish them all the best in their future endeavours.

During the year students have participated in a

range of activities aimed at the further

development of their learning. The class is

supported by classroom teacher Mrs Julie Duncan

and Learning Support Officer, Mrs Robina Mowle.

Emphasis is on the development of literacy and

numeracy skills which are delivered across a range

of subjects. Individual learning programs ensure

that the educational and social needs of each

student are met.

Some students attend mainstream technology

classes with their peers and are supported during

these lessons by the class learning support officer.

The students have also enjoyed attending Industrial Technology and Visual Arts as a class this year

and have produced some pleasing work through the support of Mr Hamilton, Mrs Laird and Ms

Pocock.

Throughout the year a number of students have

participated in a Work Experience Program co-

ordinated by Job Coach, Ms Katherine Bell. This

program is very beneficial to the students within

the class as it provides experience in the workforce

and valuable work skills. Ms Bell has liaised with

local businesses to provide work placements for the

students throughout the year and the support of

these businesses is greatly appreciated.

The IO/IS Special Needs class provides individual

assistance for students with disabilities and

learning difficulties so they are able to participate

to their full potential in all aspects of school life.

Individual education plans are designed to promote

the development of skills that can be used in a wide

range of community settings.

26

Mrs Louise Egan is the class teacher and is

supported by Mrs Cathy Hedges and Mrs Hayley

Kinstler as Learning Support Officers

This year we farewell Harley Finlay as he completes

Year 12. We wish him well for his future endeavours

also.

The home classroom is well equipped with a

kitchenette, a bathroom, a computer for each

student, a TV and DVD player as well as resources

that cater for individual interests and group

activities. Social stories using photos and videos are

developed to assist the students to rehearse and

review learning experiences.

Courses of individual study are accessed through

flexible timetabling which allows for home room

based study and integration into mainstream classes.

Students in the junior school study subjects that

cover the whole range of KLA‟s. The senior students

are able to select more specific subjects that

prepare them for transition to work and the

community.

All students participate in courses that utilise

specialist rooms for Food Technology, Wood

Technology and Visual Arts. The Land Laboratory is

used to study vegetable gardening and animal

husbandry. The Physical Education strand of

PD/H/PE makes use of a wide variety of equipment

from the sports store and resources including the

well equipped gymnasium, the lush grassed oval and

cricket nets. The linked expanses of hard surfaces

and covered areas allow for games and bicycle riding

in all types of weather.

All students gained valuable experience horse riding

in the RDA program and we would like to express

our gratitude to all the volunteers involved.

As the school year ends the class has trips planned

to celebrate the International Day for Disabilities

at Narrabri Bowling Club and a Swimming Carnival in

Moree.

27

Visual Arts Report

Students of Visual Arts are encouraged to be imaginative and thoughtful whilst developing skills and

gaining knowledge about art and the art world. By using a variety of expressive forms, students are

asked to visually explore, interpret and represent relevant themes and issues through their art

making. These challenges and opportunities are designed to develop their talents, expand upon their

ability to communicate and solve problems, and heighten their understanding and awareness of the

world they live in. The study of Art History and Theory are of great interest and importance in

understanding the process of art making and convey the relevance of the “what, when, where, how and

why”.

In 2011 we had a record number of students successfully exhibit at the Narrabri Show in the school,

group and individual sections in sculpture, drawing, painting and mixed media. Carla Jane Lennox from

Year 7 was awarded the Junior Grand champion. Carla Jane also received first prize in the high school

division with her sculpture for the “Waste to Art” competition.

During the Easter school holidays a group of dedicated students participated in the Narrabri Shire

Council art project. Students were privileged to work with renowned artist Damien Kamholtz as they

developed designs and painted a mural for the new public toilets in Tibbereena Street.

This year sixteen Year 12 students submitted a HSC “Body of Work” which are artworks which

reflect their view and sense of place in the world. Students utilised a variety of expressive forms

such as painting, drawing, mixed media, documented forms and photography to comment on issues and

themes such as their families, religion, self identity and the environment. All students presented

meaningful visual statements expressing understanding of the relationships among the artist,

artwork, world and the audience. Our students‟ artworks are compared to over 9,800 other works

across the state. Approximately 800 highly ranked works are set aside for the exhibition selection

process. Of these one in four will secure places in one of the Art Express exhibitions planned for

next year.

Georgiana Christakos – „The furnishing and building of the sanctuary‟

28

The Visual Arts faculty has had the privilege of working with a fine group of students in the Year

12 class of 2011. We have appreciated their involvement, contribution and leadership. Year 12 and

their artworks provide an excellent role model for future senior and junior Visual Arts students to

see what is possible and encourage many to continue to develop their skills and talents.

The Year 12 artworks were showcased in an exhibition night in October which was held in the school

library. This event was a huge success with many parents and community members attending the

evening. More of these occasions are planned for 2012.

A small group of Year 12 students completed the Photography course this year. Students utilised

digital technologies to capture, manipulate and transform images. They explored many themes such

as portraiture, landscape, macro photography, self identity, the environment and community issues.

Each student submitted a “Body of Work” which reflected their ideas and utilised Photoshop

techniques. Megan Scilley entered in the Narrabri Show and the Australian Museum‟s Photographic

Competition with pleasing results being achieved.

Earlier this year Mrs Laird attended an Art Express teacher training day in Armidale. This was an

opportunity for teachers from the North West region to develop their ideas for the practical and

written components in the Higher School Certificate. Art Express is held annually at the Art Gallery

of NSW and tours to various other art galleries in NSW. These works represent a broad diversity of

different artworks submitted for that year's HSC. Attending such courses enables staff to network

with other teachers and expands on the learning opportunities for our senior students.

Visual Arts maintains its popularity with over seventy students studying the elective courses in

Years 9, 10, and 11. Year 11 are currently developing themes and concepts for next year‟s HSC “Body

of Work”. Students have explored a variety of themes this year including: What is Art?, Post -

Modernism, issues and theories and modern art. Year 10 has used a variety of materials to create

colourful and imaginative artworks based around the theme of Fantasy and the Surreal. Year 9 has

explored the themes The Human Figure, Portraits, Pop Art and Animals through a range of

expressive forms. These students also had the opportunity to work with a variety of sculptural

materials, focusing on the work of famous sculptors throughout history.

The Year 8 classes explored The Environment and

were introduced to art forms from many different

cultures around the world. This included the use of

symbols in the making of their artworks and the

study of famous artworks from across time. Year 7

classes have been busy creating artworks designed to

develop their skills in the areas of drawing,

printmaking and painting.

Mrs Laird and Ms Pocock would like to thank those

who have supported us over the past year and

acknowledge all the students whose efforts

throughout this year have produced artworks of a

high standard. Paige Pollack – „Love‟

29

Aboriginal Education Officer Report 2011 has been a very busy and exciting year for all Aboriginal students at Narrabri High School.

The beginning of the year saw the handing over of the new Aboriginal Resource Room. Transition

into the room was met with great anticipation and excitement.

In March, female students from Years 8, 9 and 10 participated in the „Go Girls Program‟ held at

Narrabri TAFE on Wednesday afternoons. The program covered areas such as self esteem

awareness, goal setting, teamwork, communication, cultural issues and language. All the students

who participated received awards from TAFE that were presented by Acting Head Teacher Annie

Turner and Narrabri High School Principal, Mr Myers. We received great feedback from the girls

about this program and we are hoping to again run it in 2012.

In Term 3, we ran a similar course with the boys called „The All Stars‟ program. This was conducted

at the school on a Thursday afternoon, in the resource centre, and ten students graduated from

the program.

Our NAIDOC celebrations at Narrabri High this year were very successful. We again held a

sausage sizzle and a touch football tournament that was taken out by the senior student team. We

conducted the traditional flag raising and the cutting of the cake, whilst Lyn Trindall, as guest

speaker, addressed the school on this year‟s theme, „Change: the next step is ours‟.

Also in Term 3, students in Year 10 participated in the „Walking Tall‟ program that was held each

Friday in the resource centre. This program helped teach the students about how to prepare to

enter the workplace and how job interviews work. Again we received great feedback from the

students and from the teacher of the program, Gemma Brown. Nine students graduated and were

presented with awards by Mr Myers. Students also participated in the successful SES program.

In Term 4 we saw the

refurbishment of the resource

centre with new equipment for the

students to use. We are hoping to

have more parents come in and see

the centre in 2012, as the students

always enjoy coming in to catch up

or ask for assistance with their

work.

Academically, we saw achievements

by Aboriginal students in all years

and it was great to see the students

successfully complete their HSC

and School Certificate.

Overall 2011 was a challenging yet exciting year - we look forward to what 2012 brings us.

Student Representative Council

30

Under the leadership of our President Daniel Laird, and with the assistance of our secretary

Isobella Revell, the SRC has helped to develop leadership opportunities for a diverse range of

students. Daniel and Isobella have been supported by Matthew Nott as Vice President, as well as

the other executive members.

The major aim of the Student Representative Council is to allow elected students to represent the

views and ideas of the students of the year that they represent. The SRC at Narrabri High School

allows students to work within a fair and democratic framework to ensure that students have a

voice in some decision making processes within the school as well as at regional and state level. This

year, our role in regional and state activities has again been quite active. Matthew Nott was a

member of the State Conference Action Team (SCAT) and he played an integral part in the

planning, preparation and the running of the State SRC Conference. Daniel Laird and Matthew Nott

acted as regional representatives at the State SRC Conference in August. Daniel and Matthew had

an amazing time, interacting with students from all over NSW and participating in many varied

activities and workshops about issues relevant to young people in our schools.

A number of students attended the Regional SRC Camp in September, which was held at Lake

Keepit. At this camp students participated in workshops and activities that were presented by the

students who had attended the State Conference. This gave these students the opportunity to see

first hand the type of positive, pro-active actions in which students can participate. This also

develops their awareness of the impact that they, as students, can have on the students within our

schools.

As a result of the enlightening experiences at the camp, one of our students recently nominated as

a candidate for the position of New England Regional SRC President, with elections held at the

Regional AGM. Mathew Nott presented a high quality speech to a captive audience about his desire

31

to run for the position of President. He was successful in being elected to this position, and

Matthew will be a fine leader of a group of empowered students in the New England region. He is to

be congratulated for his election from a very strong field of 4 candidates.

Over the past year the SRC has also completed some fundraising activities that have benefited the

school. The SRC also organized Jeans for Genes Day this year and successfully raised approximately

$400 for this worthy cause. Further to this, the SRC held a “Football Colours” out of uniform day,

to help raise funds to contribute to the concreting of the gravel area in the playground. Narrabri

High School students and staff donated $350 for this beautification project within the school. The

SRC does urge the year groups to more actively pursue fundraising for specific charities.

This year we have again had representatives from the Aboriginal student body participate in the

SRC. There are two senior and two junior representatives and their input is valued. They provide an

important link between the SRC and the Aboriginal students. These students were Amanda

Wheeler, Tianne Parker, Brianna King and Bianca Booby.

We have continued our paper recycling program

and this has seen a significant amount of paper

recycled due to the efforts of roll call

representatives who have done a good job of

collecting the material for recycling within the

school. It is a positive step that our school

continues to take in protecting our environment.

The SRC have represented the school at a variety

of events throughout the year and these include

duties such as chairing the weekly assembly and

attending a fortnightly year meeting where they

are required to address their peers on issues

raised in the SRC that may affect that particular

group. Each week a representative visits roll call groups to seek suggestions and ideas for the SRC.

The SRC and other school students have participated in the Legacy Appeal and the Red Shield

Appeal.

Our senior students have held a number of major positions within the SRC this year and these

include:

Daniel Laird – President

Matthew Nott – Vice President

Isobella Revell – Secretary

Mathew Hall – Treasurer

Dylan Gale and

Linton Grumley – Correspondence and Publicity Officers

Jack Tame and

Joshua Wilson – Noticeboard and Suggestion Box Coordinators

These students performed their duties well and are to be congratulated on the smooth operation of

the SRC this year. Student Council Representatives for this year were:

32

Year 12:

Jessica Baxter, Phoebe Stanford, Ben Duncan, Ben Rumsby

Year 11:

Shelley Higgins, Isobella Revell, Kodey Stanford, Joshua Wilson, Jack Tame, Daniel Laird

Year 10:

Emily Baxter, Clare Campbell, Kirsty Nairn, Dylan Gale, Matthew Nott, Linton Grumley

Year 9:

Rekkia Packer, Gena Pattison, Tenayah Woodward, Mitchell Barnes, Corey Gold, Jeremy Smith

Year 8:

Julia Boaden, Jessica Kennedy, Eliza Tame, Izac Finn, Mathew Hall, Dylan Phillips

Year 7:

Courtney Boyd, Isabelle Madden, Gwendil Stanford, Will Brooks, Jake Goodhew, Mitchell Nairn

The Year 12 Prefect body now operates as a separate entity within the school and they have taken

on important representative duties at school and within the community. They have chaired the

Special Assemblies. Our Captains, Thomas Vaessen and Katie Brooks, participated in the formal part

of the ANZAC Day Service. Daniel Laird and Isobella Revell attended the Victory in the Pacific

Ceremony at the RSL. Our Captains elect, Jack Tame and Isobella Revell, were asked to present a

narrative on Remembrance Day at the official ceremony at the RSL.

After many years leading the SRC Mrs Julie Roy

stood down from the position of SRC Co-ordinator at

the end of Term 2, 2011. Mrs Roy has been an

integral part of the functional running of the SRC

and her contributions have left a positive legacy.

Without her input, organisational skills and caring

nature the SRC would not have been the outstanding

group it is today. Mrs Jo Brazaitis has taken the role

as SRC Co-ordinator, working with Mr John Russell.

She is still learning the ropes but is eager and willing

to guide the students of the SRC to be the leaders

of our future.

It has been a pleasure for Mr John Russell and Mrs

Jo Brazaitis to be the SRC Co-ordinators within the

school. Their job has been made easier by the

commitment and efforts of the students, who take their responsibilities very seriously. The

students and staff involved with the SRC also thank Mr Myers and Mr Knight and the staff for

their continuing support of the initiatives of the students at Narrabri High School.

Student Welfare Report

33

Year 12 – Mrs Lanie Rainger

Year 12 2011 are to be congratulated for their

achievements as their secondary learning

concludes. Students worked tirelessly

increasing their depth of understanding and

skill to achieve their potential. Major works

were completed to an outstanding quality of

craftsmanship and creativity. The final year was

challenging and demanding of students‟ time,

motivation and energy, but all the hard-work

was worth it in leading to opportunities for

their life careers and futures.

To further their academic success Year 12 students and parents acting as support people continued

to attended Senior Success workshops throughout the year and became exceptionally well

organised and informed as to the demands of the senior school. Year 12 students would like to

express their thanks to Ms Doust for sharing her expertise within the senior school through

facilitating the Senior Success program. The students who have attended this program have learnt

many new skills that will assist them with coping with the pressures of the senior school.

Year 12 farewelled Takuto Miwa, a Rotary exchange student from the island of Hokkaido, Japan, in

June. He has become a part of the year group and has shared many of the differences between

attending school in Australia and in Japan. We wish him every success in the future.

34

Amongst curriculum demands, Year 12

celebrated milestones and thoroughly

enjoyed the privileges and events of

their final year. Slave Day saw many

students return to junior classes with

their purchasers and it was a massive

success with record-breaking auction

bids. The funds raised went towards the

gift Year 12 presented to the school as

part of their farewell. A new sign now

adorns the front entrance of the school

and shows the school‟s traditional and

new values. Subject days and HSC seminar days provided a new forum and chance to mix business

with socialising. Our Activity Day with jumping castle, water pistols and a BBQ provided a whole

group fun day to end official classes. It is important to mention once again that we won the annual

Year 12 versus staff touch football game. The Graduation and Formal Dinner was an incredible night

of feasting and dancing to celebrate the end of school. A memorable year has ended.

It has been an honour and a privilege to have worked with this year group from the beginning of

their high school careers until they completed high school. I wish them every success in the future.

Year 11 Report – Mrs Hamilton

Year 11, 2011, are to be congratulated on their fine

efforts both in and out of the classroom. We began

the year as senior students at Narrabri High School

helping with the organisation of the Year 7 Welcome

BBQ. Congratulations to those students who gave up

their own time to assist our younger students and

their families.

To further their academic success Year 11 and their

support person participated in our Senior Success

program which gives senior students invaluable advice on how to tackle the rigours of their

Preliminary year. Thank you to Mrs Rainger for her excellent presentations and remember that this

program continues into Year 12.

Congratulations to all the Year 11 students who participated in our Twilight Swimming and Athletics

carnivals.

This year our SRC representatives were Daniel Laird, Isobella Revell, Jack Tame and Kodey

Stanford, Shellie Higgins and Joshua Wilson. Congratulations to them for doing an excellent job.

35

Year 11 participated in the Rotary Youth Driver Awareness (RYDA) program and were shown many

elements to consider when you are a beginner driver. The presentations were extremely thought

provoking and the students conducted themselves admirably. Well done.

We have welcomed Noemie Lambert to our year as well. Noemie is a Rotary Youth Exchange student

from Belgium. We hope that Noemie enjoys her year at Narrabri High School and being a part of

our year group.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of Year 11 success in their final year of school and

well done on a great year.

Year 10 – Ms Johnson

During 2011 Year 10 has participated in many programs including the Science and Engineering

Challenge, Australian Mathematics Competition, ICAS Mathematics and Science competitions as

well as the steer competitions.

Our ski trip to Thredbo was a great success, with all students who participated making a great

effort with learning to ski and snowboard.

Each person conducted

themselves admirably and was a

fine ambassador for Narrabri

High School. It was pleasing to

come away from the trip with no

injuries and only a few battle

stories!

The Science and Engineering

excursion to Newcastle was, as

usual, a wonderful learning tool

for all the students involved.

The students participated

brilliantly and worked

consistently for the whole day,

bringing much credit to

themselves and the school.

This year our Student Representative Council students - Emily Baxter, Clare Campbell, Kirsty Nairn,

Linton Grumley, Dylan Gale and Matthew Nott have done a wonderful job representing the year and

all the hard work they put in is much appreciated.

With the hard work before and during the School Certificate now complete, I would like to take

this opportunity to say well done Year 10 and all the best for 2012.

36

Year 9 Report – Mrs Walters

2011 has been a busy year for Year 9. We saw most of our smiling faces return at the beginning of

the year as well as the addition of some new ones as the year has progressed. All Year 9 students

received their laptops which have been used in many lessons to allow learning to take place

interactively. Students are able access to the internet, improve their typing skills and engage in new

and exciting ways of receiving the curriculum in the classroom environment.

Throughout the year many Year 9 students have

successfully participated in extra-curricular activities.

Some of these include: the SES Cadets program, “Love

Bites”, Swimming and Athletics carnivals, the Vegemite

Cup, Narrabri Show, Narrabri Eisteddfod, and

Narrabri High School Concert Band, various music

workshops, helpers for the primary school intensive

swimming, primary touch gala day and Year 7 transition

day at Yarrie Lake.

This year saw Year 9 complete their NAPLAN testing

with many students demonstrating an improvement in their knowledge. All students are to be

congratulated on their excellent behaviour during the NAPLAN examination period.

Year 9 have not only performed well in academic adventures this year with many credit and

distinction awards presented for Mathematics, English, Science and Geography competitions. They

have also excelled in the sporting arena with many students representing at a district level and Year

9 providing the 15 years boys relay team which won gold medals at the NSW State Championships.

Congratulations to everyone involved.

We are all eagerly awaiting everything that Year 10 has in store for us. Congratulations on

completing another year of schooling Year 9, let the

adventures begin next year!

Year 8 Report – Mr Symons

2011 has been a productive year with academic, sporting and

personal achievements. Academically, Year 8 has had success in

a various state and national competitions in Mathematics and

Science with a number of credits and distinctions being

received.

A number of year 8 girls have been lucky to be involved in a

positive and very worthwhile initiative “Girls with a Purpose”. This course has been developed to provide a relevant life skills

program to help improve self-esteem, engagement at school

and healthy relationships with others.

37

One of our students was selected to attend Stewart House in Sydney. Each year we have the

opportunity to nominate students who would benefit from a two week, all expenses paid, break by

the beach. As well as having educational and social benefits, students get health checks on their

hearing, sight and general well-being. The students visit places such as the zoo, the aquarium,

Powerhouse Museum and the beach.

On the sporting field a number of students have excelled in numerous areas with particular success

in girls‟ cricket, swimming and boys Rugby Union.

Year 8 have also been given a small taste of what to expect in Year 9 with a choice of two electives

for Mandatory Technology, with each elective being undertaken for a period of two terms.

Year 7 Report – Ms McKinstry

What a big year it‟s been for Year 7, 2011! What a

long way we‟ve come from those shy students who,

on day one, were worried about what class they were

in, who they would be friends with, and how to get

around the school without getting lost.

The Year 7 Welcome BBQ in Term one (what a long

time ago it seems) was a chance for students,

parents and teachers to get to know each other in an

informal setting, while feasting on the barbecuing

talents of Year 11 students.

The Year 7 Bush to Beach Camp, a mere couple of weeks later, was a fantastic opportunity for

students to make new friends, develop their team-work abilities and step outside their comfort

zones with a number of activities even the teachers balked at! Many thanks to Ms Bell, Mr Hamilton

and Mr Partridge for accompanying us on the trip.

Thankfully the pace slowed down a little in the

following terms with students busy showing

their school spirit and academic endeavours

through participation in the school‟s Twilight

Swimming Carnival and Athletics Carnival, local

and regional sports, Vegemite Cup, Narrabri

Show, Narrabri Eisteddfod, High School Band,

music workshops, Science investigation days and

academic competitions while still finding the

time to complete their own class work. Student‟s

efforts have not gone unrewarded, with a

number of students receiving Medals, Gold, Silver and Bronze certificates.

Next year we enter the unchartered waters of Year 8. Goodbye 2011, bring on 2012.

38

Technology Report

2011 has seen a number of exciting technological developments at Narrabri High School.

The Federal Government‟s Digital Education Revolution has been enthusiastically received by the

NSW Department of Education. Year 9 students received their own laptops in Term 1. Teachers

also received laptops and like the students have been busy learning the capabilities and uses of the

devices. We are continuing the long process of adapting what works in the classroom to suit the

emerging technologies. It is envisaged that the current Year 8 cohort will receive their laptops

early in 2012. This is the last year of the current project and it is unclear if, or how, it might be

extended. To enhance the use of the laptops in

the school all teaching spaces are now

wirelessly enabled. Nicole Bell has continued to

work hard in her position as Technology

Support Officer (TSO) as a dedicated

supporter of this initiative.

A new classroom was added to the School as

part of the Federal Government‟s Building

Education Revolution. An interactive white

board is located in the both the room itself

and the seminar annex and the room is equipped with video-conference facilities.

The school has invested in a new video delivery service called “Clickview”. There are 12,000

educational videos available to be used in any classroom via the school network. This also means that

students with the DER laptops can individually watch videos and complete activities at their own

pace. An additional benefit is that students who were absent are able to view the video used in class

at home, if they have internet access.

In November, thirteen interactive

whiteboards with ultra short throw

projectors were installed. Narrabri High

School has put significant money and

resources into creating classrooms for 21st

century students. There are now a total of

25 interactive whiteboards in the school

along with 15 data projectors. Staff are

learning how to use this technology to

improve their teaching to enhance the

students‟ learning environment. Narrabri

High School is planning to install at least

three more interactive whiteboards and data

projectors in the next twelve months.

Narrabri High School continues its commitment to avail its students with ample access to modern

technology to give them every opportunity to excel in an ever-increasingly technological world.

39

Vocational Education and Training (VET) Report

Narrabri High School continues to promote Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses as an

important element in students‟ senior educational options. The school has increased the number of

VET courses available to students with the use of outside partners, particularly the successful

partnership with the Narrabri TAFE. These courses have allowed our students to test and pursue

career options while at school.

In 2011, senior students accessed VET frameworks in

Hospitality, Metals and Engineering, Primary Industries

and Construction. These courses are competency based

and delivered by trained staff at Narrabri High School.

TAFE teachers from Narrabri and Tamworth also

delivered courses in Automotive Studies, Animal Care-

Animal Attending, Beauty Therapy and Children‟s

Services at the Narrabri TAFE campus. Other Narrabri

High School students were able to access online courses

through the Tamworth and Armidale TAFE as part of

their School-Based Part-time Apprenticeship or

Traineeship.

Narrabri High has continued to promote School-Based

Traineeships and Apprenticeships (SBAT‟s). This is a

program in which students work one day a week in a local

business while still satisfying the requirements for a

HSC during the rest of the week. There have been very

encouraging signs of support for this program from local

business houses in recent years. In 2007 Narrabri had 2 SBAT‟s. This number has grown to 10 in

2011 with students undertaking training in such diverse areas as auto electrics, light vehicle

mechanics, banking, motel reception, pharmacy assistance, retail and, for the first time this year,

health services assistance (nursing). The off-the-job training component for these SBAT‟s counts

towards each student‟s HSC and is delivered in a variety of ways. McDonald‟s Australia also

conducts its own HSC approved course for one of our trainees.

The WorldSkills Australia competition promotes trade and skill excellence across Australia and

internationally for those who want to be the best in their field. This year the Construction section

of the competition was held in Moree. Joshua Wilson and Jack Davenport represented Narrabri

High, with Joshua eventually achieving a gold medal. Matthew Wall and Elijah Barnes also travelled

to Moree to contest the Metals and Engineering

section, Matthew coming away with a silver medal.

Mr Kris Symons is to be congratulated upon being

selected as head judge for the Metals competition.

Jordan Katrib performed creditably in the

Hospitality competition which was held in the

Narrabri High School kitchen. Particular thanks

40

must go to Mrs Barden who volunteered to organise the day and whose valuable assistance assured

its success. Mrs Roy must also be congratulated on her successful nomination to judge this year‟s

competition.

The increasing number of students studying VET courses has meant a large influx of students with

a need to gain experience in the workforce. Work Placement is a mandatory component of

framework courses with students being required to complete 70 hours in industry over the two HSC

years. The support of local industry is therefore, a vital ingredient in these courses. The school‟s

Work Placement Co-ordinator Mrs Sue Duncan has done a fantastic job placing approximately 100

students (in both Year 11 and Year 12). Her efforts, and the willing support of local industry, are

very much appreciated by both the staff and students. The school looks forward to forging even

stronger ties with local business houses in 2012.

An increasingly popular career pathway option available in the senior school is the “Career-Link”

program. This is designed for students who are not seeking immediate entry to university upon the

completion of Year 12. It was trialled for the first time in 2010 and owing to its popularity has

gained momentum to the extent that over 28% of the current Year 10 cohort has elected this

option for their Preliminary HSC in 2012. The program involves studying a relatively fixed pattern

of subjects over 7 days a fortnight at Narrabri High School with students undertaking a TAFE

course one day each fortnight and then spending one day each week undertaking work experience

with local businesses as part of their 2 Unit Work Studies course.

Junior students at Narrabri High School also undertake a number of workplace and career oriented

activities that allow for an easier progression into senior VET courses, the Career-Link program and

eventual employment.

A timetabled program of Careers lessons gives students a basic grounding in what to consider when

choosing a career path and in the practical aspects of how to find and apply for work. The Year 10

Work Experience program and Rotary Mock Interview day complement this course providing the

opportunity for practical implementation of the skills learned in class. During work experience

students spend a week in the workplace, giving them a trial run of possible career options and for

some an induction into the general expectations, conventions and practices of the workplace. These

skills are further developed in VET courses and Work Studies should they elect to take these

subjects in Years 11 and 12.

This year students in Years 10, 11 and 12 have also variously participated in the Tamworth Careers

Market, Combined Universities Showcase, the HNEAHS Careers in Health Day, the Passmore

College Motivational Seminar, Defence Force Recruiting Presentation and Narrabri Try a Trade Day

(Year 10). Year 10 students have also had the opportunity to compete in apprenticeship selection

tests and interviews for Ashton Resources and Whitehaven Mines.

Parents and Citizens Association Report

The Parents and Citizens Association (P&C) continues to work with the staff, students and local

community to promote the interests of the school and assist in providing facilities and equipment of

benefit to students.

41

The P&C meet on a regular basis (3rd Monday of the month) to allow a forum for discussion on

relevant issues concerning the school. As the representative body for the school‟s parents,

Narrabri High School P&C is a vital link between parents and the school.

Our P&C run canteen has again been a major source of funds for the P&C over the last twelve

months and without this contribution we could not have achieved what we have. Mention must be

made of our hardworking canteen staff led by Mrs Lynne Ward and Mrs Judy Gleeson and their

small but committed group of volunteers. Their efforts have been much appreciated and we feel

lucky to have them.

The P&C were again able to contribute a substantial amount of money to the school to enhance the

educational and teaching resources available. These purchases are funded by the profits raised in

our canteen and without this assistance the school would not be able to supply these valuable

resources. In 2011 the canteen donated $22 339 to the P&C, which has allowed the school to

purchase these items:

$5 000 - Bus for Year 7 excursion to Myall Lakes (Bush to Beach Excursion)

$2 500 - Presentation folders for student reports

$5 339 - Irrigation system for school oval and grounds

$900 - Sports tops for use by a range of sports

$7 100 - Automatic gate opening facility for double gates in Gibbons Street

$1 500 - HSC texts for Business Studies 2012

The P&C continues to be a great way for parents and community to get to know the school and staff

and feel involved in the day to day life of the school. As we strive to forge relationships with the

students, teachers and parents of the school and the wider community we can only be successful if

we continue to see the support for the P&C. We encourage parents to join in 2012 so that they can

have input into the school and broader community.

The P&C and indeed everyone associated with the school are very appreciative of the continued

support given to our school by the wider community.

We are also appreciative of the efforts and dedication of the teaching, administrative and support

staff of Narrabri High School. Thanks you for your commitment to our children.

(Stephen Maher - P&C President)

42

Sport Report

Narrabri High School‟s sports programs have again ensured that all avenues are available for

individual and team sporting successes and have encouraged all students to participate to the best

of their ability.

Narrabri High School Sporting body consists of: Mr Brad Graham (Sports Organiser), Mrs Michelle

Carter (External Sport) and Mr David Galvin (Head Teacher - Sport).

Narrabri High School and the Narrabri community are fortunate to have the skills and dedication of

Stephen Duncan who has established our school oval and athletics track as an outstanding facility.

Many external sporting organisations have used this facility because of its high quality, with St

Xavier‟s Primary and Narrabri Public holding their Athletics carnivals at the school this year.

Narrabri High School sporting oval has been the envy of many visiting teams and guests.

Our curriculum based sport on Wednesdays has continued with students participating in a wide

range of sporting activities during the year. Both competitive and recreational interests of

students are catered for and, as they approach their adult life, the School demonstrates that it

supports and values regular physical activity.

Over 300 students represented the school during the year in knockout competitions which included:

Cricket, Golf, Cross Country, Rugby League, Rugby Union, Softball, Netball, Soccer, Lawn Bowls,

Touch, Hockey, Chess, Athletics, Swimming and AFL. We hosted successful Namoi Zone Winter

Trials sports involving Soccer, Golf, Netball and Rugby League.

43

Once again our Athletics and Twilight Swimming Carnivals were enjoyed by a huge number of

students and, in addition, a Cross Country and Tug-o-war event was added to the sporting calendar.

All three events were extremely enjoyable for everyone. This was largely thanks to the efforts of

the House Captains and House Patrons who encouraged healthy competition between the house

groups and it was very pleasing to see the continued high level of house spirit amongst students and

staff. Congratulations go to Currong house for coming out winners in all three events.

All staff at Narrabri High were once again accredited with skills in first aid and resuscitation. The

school also has six staff members accredited as resuscitation examiners.

The NSW Premier‟s Sporting Challenge (NSWPSC) has provided Narrabri High an exciting

opportunity to be involved in new initiatives. The current “Girls in Sport” program is aimed at

improving the moderate to vigorous physical activity levels of teenage girls. The NSWPSC has also

provided the school with some funding to be spent on sporting equipment. It is envisaged that these

initiatives will not only have extremely positive benefits for sport at Narrabri High but most

importantly improve the health and well being of our students.

Narrabri High School students have enjoyed a huge amount of success this year in both internal and

external competitions including:

10 students selected in the North West Swim team

7 students selected in the North West Athletics team

Several North West representatives across another 7 different sports

Open Boys Cricket team becoming North West Regional finalists

The school‟s AFL team becoming North West Regional Champions

The school‟s Chess team becoming State semi-finalists

On an individual representative basis the school

was thrilled with the news of Thomas Vaessen

being once again selected in the NSWCHS Rugby

Union team and Shelley Higgins being selected in

the NSWCHS Girls Cricket team. This is the third

year running that Thomas has achieved this and as

a result he will receive a North West Blue award

at the NWSSA Awards Dinner in December.

Our most noteworthy team result was the

wonderful achievement of our 15‟s 4x100m relay

team at the NSWCHS Athletics Carnival at

Homebush. Mitchell Barnes, Dylan Gale, Guy

Gleeson and Justin Shaw all ran personal best

splits to win the gold medal. As a result of this

the boys will receive the President‟s Award at the

NWSSA Awards Dinner in December.

44

As a result of these outstanding sporting achievements, our major sports awards were hotly

contested. After careful deliberation the following three recipients have been selected:

Helen Griffith‟s Trophy for Sports Woman of the Year -Shelley Higgins

John Wightman Trophy for Sports Man of the Year - Dylan Gale

Narrabri Touch Association Award for Outstanding Sporting Achievement -Thomas Vaessen

The success that the school has achieved on the sporting field this year would not have been

possible without the support of the community. On behalf of the school we would like to thank all

parents, community members, referees, umpires and sport trainers for their contributions and

assistance in furthering the sporting endeavours of the students at Narrabri High.

The school extends a special thanks to Col Stanford for his continued dedication and commitment in

coaching our Athletics squad and to Dale Nixon whose exceptional knowledge and tireless efforts

are a valuable asset to both staff and students.

In closing, a huge thank you must go to the staff members who were involved in coaching our

students and ensuring they achieved great sporting success in 2011.

45

2010 HSC Results Narrabri High School students performed exceptionally well in the 2010 HSC. Band 6 is the highest

band awarded and is applied to students who score between 90% and 100% in a subject. Narrabri

High School had 18 results in this range, shared among 10 students across 9 subjects.

Students who achieved Band 6 results were:

Georgia Barden – Music, Physics, Mathematics Extension 1, Mathematics Extension 2

Nicole Charalambous – Biology, General Mathematics

Lauren Deane – Mathematics Extension 2

Stephanie Halbisch – Senior Science

Jemma Keast – Legal Studies, Music

Will McInnes – Industrial Technology

Todd Nichols – Industrial Technology

Lachlan Roy – Industrial Technology

Lauren Smart – Music

James Thomson – Business Studies, Legal Studies, General Mathematics

It was also pleasing that there were 50 results in the Band 5 range, and this highlighted the overall

solidity of the 2010 results. In fact, 30% of students achieved a result in Band 5 or 6.

Students in Industrial Technology, Legal Studies, Mathematics Extension 2, Music, Construction,

Metal and Engineering and Hospitality performed above the average for the State. Other subjects

whose overall results were almost on a par with the State were Biology, General Mathematics, 2

Unit Mathematics, Physics, Senior Science and Software Design and Development.

The outstanding individual performers for 2010 were Georgia Barden, Nicole Charalambous, Jemma

Keast and James Thomson. All received more than one Band 6 and a substantial number of Band 5

results.

Eighteen students received acknowledgement for coming in the top 20 positions of the New England

Region and some received multiple acknowledgements. Georgia Barden (Music and Physics) and

Stephanie Halbisch (Senior Science) received official commendations from the Regional Director

for achieving first place in the region.