INsight

Email: slloyd-ppa@holly-hall.dudley.sch.uk Website: www.hollyhallvle.com

15th March 2013

Miss Annon, PE Coordinator: The girls basketball team have had a tremendous season. They finished top of the Dudley borough table by winning all of their games. This was a brilliant achievement.

As winners of the Dudley league, the girls were asked to represent Dudley in the Black Country Games Basketball finals on Wednesday 13th March 2013.

The team played a series of matches against teams from Walsall, Sandwell and Wolverhampton. The winner of these games would then go on to represent the whole of the Black Country at the Nationals.

The girls battled with blood, sweat and tears as they competed for second or third place. The last game was very intense, the two teams were neck and neck in the last two minutes of the game. The Wolverhampton team took a four point lead. With this the girls upped their game to make up the point difference in the last minute. Chanelle scored a beautiful three pointer to bring us back, but in the last twenty seconds the final basket didn’t drop! Putting the girls in third place, losing by just one point.

The Competition managers commented that it was the best game they had seen all day. Also organisers and camera crew mentioned the girls were the most mature and respectful team at the competition. The team did the Academy and Dudley proud, congratulations girls!

The team hope to be just as successful next season, and to push for that top spot at the finals. We hope we have your support!

Pictured: Karyss Devine (8SIM), Jazmyn Burudi (9THO), Chanelle Craddock (9WRD), Miss Annon, Eleyse Lawrence (9STE), Shavai Stephens (9POW), Amy Hughes (9STE), D’Sharn Bonner (9POW), Divina Matondo (8KEL), Chloe Kidd (9THO), Kayla Drummond (9THO), Renee Crowther (9WRD)

Mr Simpson, Music Coordinator: Extra Curricular sessions are in full swing in Music, with activities available for everyone. We have a Steel Pan group on Mondays, Guitar Club on Tuesdays, Choir on Wednesdays (pictured) and Soul Band on Thursdays.

We are still looking for new members in all of these clubs so see Mr Simpson if you are interested.

Look out for performances from these groups in the end of term Music Assemblies!

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Mrs Mahi-Newton, PSHE & Healthy Living Coordinator: Year 7 were involved in a day that was based a r o un d PSHE topics.

They watched a f a n t a s t i c performance by the ‘Loudmouth Theatre’ company which was enjoyed by all and participated in w o r k s h o p s throughout the day. Some of the informative topics covered during the day were HIV and AIDS, reproduction, body rights and puberty.

Year 8 looked at topical environmental issues in an 'Art of Design' hands-on practical day.

Miss Lamb, Literacy Coordinator: Year 9 spent Enrichment Day 'Getting to know you.' The day looked at life outside the classroom. Visitors included a Police Officer and members from the Dudley Youth Service; all of whom got students to think about rights and responsibilities in the 'outside world.'

Students learned about the role of the Police, what is meant by 'Anti-Social Behaviour' and how to ensure internet safety amongst other issues. Teaching staff and students agreed that the day was useful and informative - helping students to tackle issues they may face.

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Mr Nation, Mathematics Coordinator: On Tuesday 5th March, Year 10 took part in the Maths themed Enrichment Day. Students had the opportunity to solve MENSA logic puzzles, learn how to play Chess and also solve hands-on practical maths activities. The practical maths tasks involved building a free standing tower using straws, constructing platonic solids using clipping tiles, solving a rubik’s cube and other wooden puzzles.

Here are some quotes from the day: “I enjoyed enrichment day. My favourite part was solving the logic puzzles with Mr Hallam. I won a cube puzzle for getting the highest score in our form!” Louise Russon (10DAS) “Enrichment day was very energetic! It changed my opinion about maths as the activities were wideranging and interesting. I enjoyed solving the handson puzzles and I also realised that I’m good at Chess!” Skander Mohammad (10ANN) “Enrichment day for year 10 was both interesting and challenging. I liked working out the maths problems and getting the solutions to the questions.

I really enjoyed playing chess because I had not learnt to play chess before.”

Lima Wahidi (10YOR) “I enjoyed beating my friend at chess, especially as she was trying so hard to win. I enjoyed the day more than I thought I would.”

C a r o l i n e Fleetwood (10TAY) “I enjoyed the whole day but especially the puzzles, they were fun. I even learned how to play chess, which I never thought I w o u l d understand until now.” Manel Ali (10DAS).

Well done to all of Year 10 especially those students that won prizes.

Year 11 followed a program of personalised learning designed to maximise every chance of success in both coursework and their forthcoming examinations.

Mr Denham, English Teacher: A group of Year 7, 8 and 9 students are currently working on a very exciting project in the English department. They have been tasked with creating a student magazine made by the students for the students.

As part of their on-going market research, students designed a questionnaire that is currently being completed by different form groups throughout the Academy. They will then use their results to start planning what they are going to include in the magazine.

Mrs Waters, Learning Mentor: REMINDER: We are selling soft Easter toys to raise money for Mary Stevens Hospice.

They can be purchased for just £1 each at break and lunch times in B4.

Please be aware that parking by Kenilworth Court is for permit holders only.

Police have advised people not to park in this area.

Mr Malone, Assistant Principal: The Year 9 Parents’ Evenings take place on Tuesday 26th and Wednesday 27th March 2013.

Year 9 parents will be invited to see a member of staff to discuss their performance to date.

Mr Jabore, A s s i s t a n t Principal: Holly Hall Academy was pleased to greet an exstudent when he popped in on Monday to say hello. Dayl Martin (class of 2007) was visiting the Academy before he jets off to Houston, Texas to join NASA on a 10 week research program.

Dayl credits his success to gaining a Grade B in mathematics by the end of Year 10 and then studying Additional Maths during Year 11. He was also part of the original GCSE Astronomy group that met every Wednesday after school. As a consequence of his interest in astronomy Dayl applied for and was accepted by NASA to join the Lunar and Planetary Institute near the Johnson Space Centre to research Lunar Geology and Gravitational Anomalies.

Dayl will return to Manchester University by September to complete his Masters in Geology and Planetary Science with the intention of then commencing his doctorate.

Holly Hall wishes Dayl every success.

Mr Taylor, Cover Supervisor: Ancestry Club has seen a dramatic rise in numbers in the last week as Academy students realise what opportunities the club offers.

Students have been researching their families including back to Imperial Indian and the Native American tribes.

Meanwhile, the Academy has had an interesting find. Several letters were donated to the History department dating back to the 1870s. Ancestry club has traced their origin to a man called Fred Elsom, who moved to Texas in 1870. He married an American farmer’s daughter from Decatur, Texas. Her father Moses P Ball (pictured) and brother Carlo, were Texas Rangers, who used to fight the Native Americans in the state, after her youngest brother was captured by Native Americans and held for two years. With the assistance of Mr Taylor, Ancestry Club has made contact with a Professor of local History in Decatur to see if anymore can be found out about this remarkable family.

If other students want to learn more about their family history, or if you have a History Mystery and don’t know where to start, contact Mr Taylor or Mr Giles, and Ancestry Club will attempt to answer your questions from the past.

Mr Taylor, Cover Supervisor: Next week’s Thought for the Week will be on the Equinox, the start of Spring and new beginnings. Equinoxes occur when the axis of rotation of the earth (i.e. the line form the N to S poles) is exactly parallel to the direction of the earth around the sun. This happens on just two days of the year, know as the Spring and Autumn equinoxes. This means that the day’s length is exactly the same (12 hours) at all points on the earth's surface on these days (except right at each pole, where it will be about to change from permanent light to dark, or vice versa). The name is derived from the Latin aequus (equal) and nox (night), because at the equinox the night and day are nearly equally long.

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Monday 18th March Homemade Chicken Balti with Naan Bread Homemade Pork & Pepper Casserole Homemade Vegetable Balti with Naan Bread

Tuesday 19th March Homemade Chicken & Ham Pie Homemade Creamy Fish Mornay Homemade Winter Vegetable Pie

Wednesday 20th March Home Roasted Beef & Yorkshire Pudding Stuffed Crumbed Breast of Chicken Homemade Broccoli & Cauliflower Mornay

Thursday 21st March Homemade Spaghetti Bolognaise with Garlic Bread Sliced Gammon with Pineapple and Parsley Sauce Homemade Vegetable Bolognaise with Garlic Bread

Friday 22nd March Oven Baked Battered Haddock/Breaded Plaice with Tartare Sauce

Mr Townley, Design Teacher: The Year 10 3D Design group enjoyed a visit to Stourbridge College ATC training facility at Brierley Hill as part of National Apprenticeship week on Tuesday 12th March. The event was supported by Mansell Construction who provide placements for students as part of the post 16 apprenticeship program. Students followed a carousel of activities that included bricklaying, carpentry and joinery, painting and decorating and town planning.

In addition, a range of training providers were on hand to give advice on apprenticeship programs that are available to students when they leave the Academy.

Imagine our surprise when we found that former Holly Hall student Kevin Cartwright, who left two years ago, was actually d e liv e r ing the c a r pe ntry a nd joinery session!

Kevin was able to relate first hand his experiences to our current Holly Hall students. He delivered an excellent taster session and was also able to offer advice on apprenticeships and share the route that he took after leaving Holly Hall. In the picture left, we can see Kevin demonstrating to Craig Aston (10SPE) and Christian Paynter (10TAY), while the Lord and Lady Mayor of Dudley looked on. There are plans to follow this up with some further taster sessions including a visit to an actual construction site for the students in Year 11.

Homemade Piri Piri Chicken Homemade Roasted Vegetable Quiche

Did you know?

......

The

North Atlantic Ocean gets 1 inch wider every year.

25th March

Saltmine Theatre Company Drug Misuse Presentation for Year 8

26th & 27th Mar

Year 9 Parents’ Consultation Evenings 4.30 - 6.30pm

28th March

Academy closes for the Easter Break 12.40pm

Mr Townley, Astronomy Teacher: The GCSE Astronomy group report that if the skies are clear this is a great time to see Comet PANSTARRS, a new comet never before seen, that is currently at its closest to the sun and at its brightest. Low in the west around 7.15pm on an evening the comet looks like a bright fuzzy star with a tail. Through binoculars the view is even more impressive. It is only visible for a few weeks before it shoots off into the outer solar system never to be seen again, so, if you can, take the opportunity to take a look at this fleeting celestial visitor.

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