Falcon Bulletin - Issue 02

B u l l e t i n

F a l c o n

ISSUE 2

Head Teachers

SCIENCE

BY KYLIE CHAN

We have reached the halfway point of the term - the rest of the term will fly by very quickly. Fly Falcon Fly.

A new permanent staff member was appointed at the start of the year to join the Science and Mathematics facultiesMr Joshua Lott. Joshua will be teaching classes across both faculties. Please make him feel welcome to NSBHS.

Year 7 have started high school at NSBHS with a bang. We welcomed the new Year 7 students to science with their first few lessons being on the safety rules in the laboratory and learning how to use the science equipment in a safe manner. Students also learnt how to use matches safely and light a bunsen burner. It is a new experience for all students being in a Science laboratory. Keep a look out for many more opportunities to enrich students’ study of science as they progress through high school at NSB. If you have any questions, please see your science teacher.

Textbooks for students (7-10)

All students in Years 7-10 were issued at the start of the year with a new science textbook - Core Science 4 or 5, depending on your son’s current year of study. Students will keep this book for two years and at the end of Year 8 or 10, will return the textbook to the library.

Please note: Textbooks need to be returned to the school in the condition your child received them at the start of the year. If your child writes in them, highlights or loses the textbook, you will be charged (invoice sent home) for the replacement of the textbook. The textbook does not need to be brought to school, unless your teacher has requested the book for that lesson.

2023 VALID Results

The Validation of Assessment for Learning and Individual Development (VALID) program provides online end-of-stage assessments for the science key learning area. The VALID Science 8 test is an interactive, multimedia test completed entirely online and is mandatory for all students in NSW Government schools. Year 8 Valid Science results from last year will be sent to parents later in the term via School Bytes.

The VALID Science exam will be running for the current Year 8 students from 28 October to 8 November 2024. Students will be provided with practice VALID style questions throughout the year. More information will be provided to students later in the year.

Robotics

Robotics is well underway for this term. The programme includes the use of Lego robotics kits, Arduino kits plus software, hardware and software development tools using a variety of different platforms. Robotics runs twice a week in lab 3 from 3.15pm to 4.30pm. Due to popular demand, Robotics is close to being full for 2024. If you are interested or want any information on Robotics, see Mr Francis or Ms Gondek in the science department.

Science Week 2024

Science Week is back for 2024, from 10 to 18 August, 2024. Block out this week in your calendar! The theme for this year is Species Survival – More Than Just Sustainability.

2023 HSC Results

The NSB science results from the 2023 HSC were outstanding with many students achieving a Band 6 in their science course. We achieved 12 Band 6s in Biology, 44 in Chemistry and 54 in Physics. We also had a state ranking in Biology (Zhonghao Zheng). Excellent results were obtained by students in Year 12 across Biology, Chemistry and Physics and the teachers of these students are to be praised for their efforts in monitoring student work, delivering quality and challenging assessment tasks and collaborating with each other throughout the year. As Head Teacher, I am proud of the results the Science faculty achieved and want to thank everyone for their hard work. I am very fortunate to have highly experienced and talented science teachers working in the Science faculty at NSBHS.

On staff development days 1 and 2 this year, the science faculty were working on analysing HSC data and results from 2023 across the three science subjects. Teachers will use this data to reflect upon their teaching practice to improve students’ HSC results. Thank you to all the science staff for working hard during the staff developments days.

Australian science olympiad

The Australian Science Olympiads is one of the most prestigious high school science competitions in the world and endeavours to cater for highly gifted and talented science students. The top 24 students in the nation qualify for summer school training in their respective science disciplines (Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Environmental Science, Physics) and then sit for final exams to determine who represents Australia in the International Science Olympiad of their science discipline. The Olympiad exams are held each year for talented students in science.

In 2023, NSB students achieved excellent results across all areas of Science:

(HD=High Disctinction, D=Distinction, C=Credit, P=Participation)

Biology: 4 HD, 3 D, 8 C, 2 P

Chemistry: 9 HD, 12 D, 23 C, 19 P

Physics: 10 HD, 10 D, 13 C, 11 P

Earth & Environmental Science: 1 HD, 1 D, 3 P

Junior: 11 HD, 7 D, 3 C, 3 P

Australian science olympiad

The Australian Science Olympiads is one of the most prestigious high school science competitions in the world and endeavours to cater for highly gifted and talented science students. The top 24 students in the nation qualify for summer school training in their respective science disciplines (Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Environmental Science, Physics) and then sit for final exams to determine who represents Australia in the International Science Olympiad of their science discipline. The Olympiad exams are held each year for talented students in science.

In 2023, NSB students achieved excellent results across all areas of Science:

(HD=High Disctinction, D=Distinction, C=Credit, P=Participation)

Biology: 4 HD, 3 D, 8 C, 2 P

Chemistry: 9 HD, 12 D, 23 C, 19 P

Physics: 10 HD, 10 D, 13 C, 11 P

Earth & Environmental Science: 1 HD, 1 D, 3 P

Junior: 11 HD, 7 D, 3 C, 3 P

Congratulations to the following students who achieved High Distinction.

Alwyn Zhou Chemistry + Physics

Bowen Wu Chemistry + Physics

David Zhu Chemistry + Physics

Eric Liang Chemistry + Physics

Ethan Du Chemistry + Physics

Polar Xiong Chemistry + Physics

Tinlone Cheng Chemistry + Physics

Jayden Xu Chemistry

Xiaotian Lin Chemistry + Physics + Biology

Kinglsey Deng Physics

Naman Doshi Physics + Earth Environmental

Ryan Chen Physics

Eric Peilin Liu Biology

Nicholas Lo Biology

Nishok Muthu Years 7-10 Junior Olympiad

Max Ding Years 7-10 Junior Olympiad

Liam Celinski Years 7-10 Junior Olympiad

Larry Shen Years 7-10 Junior Olympiad

Jerome Shin Years 7-10 Junior Olympiad

Theodore Sanuri Years 7-10 Junior Olympiad

Jeffrey Tang Years 7-10 Junior Olympiad

Gabriel Tan Years 7-10 Junior Olympiad

Brendan Boomla Years 7-10 Junior Olympiad

Aditya Goyal Years 7-10 Junior Olympiad

Eric Lin Years 7-10 Junior Olympiad

We had several students offered placements to the Science Olympiad summer school. Exam results at the end of summer school will decide whether students make it to the International Olympiad Team. Congratulations to Eric Liang (Year 12) who sat for the Final Selection Exam for Chemistry this week. Results will be published later in the term. Good luck Eric!

The Science department is again facilitating preparation for the 2024 Science Olympiads for Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Earth and Environmental Science for interested Year 10 and 11 students. The annual exams will be held in late July/August and are designed to push students to high levels of excellence in university level science. This year Olympiad mentoring will take place both at North Sydney Girls and at North Sydney Boys. Keep up to date for details regarding tutoring sessions times and payment details on the whole grade Google Classrooms.

Save the dates for the 2024 Olympiad exams

Junior Science Olympiad Year 9 & 10: Wednesday 12 June 2024

Junior Science Olympiad Years 7 & 8: Friday 14 June 2024

Physics: Monday 29 July 2024

Biology: Tuesday 30 July 2024

Earth and Environmental Science: Wednesday 31 July 2024

Chemistry: Thursday 1 August 2024

Brain Bee Competition

The Australian Brain Bee Challenge is an annual competition for students in Year 10 to learn about the brain and its functions, to learn about neuroscience research, to find out about careers in neuroscience and to dispel misconceptions about neurological and mental illnesses.

Selected Year 10 students will complete the Brain Bee Challenge in the next couple of weeks. Please look out for an email regarding important information regarding the challenge. Good luck to Year 10 who are participating in the Brain Bee Challenge.

Assessments Term 1

Please see below the dates for upcoming assessment tasks. Remember to submit all assessment tasks by the due date. More information will be provided to you by your teacher and on the whole grade Google Classroom.

Year 7 - Assessment Task 1 - 8 April

Year 8 - Assessment Task 1 - 8 April

Year 9 - Assessment Task 1 - 15 March

Year 10 - Assessment Task 1- Due 2 April

Year 11 - Biology, Chemistry, Physics - Exam block Week 11

Year 12 - Biology, Chemistry, Physics - Exam block Week 7

term 4 excursions

At the end of last term, the science faculty organised excursions for the Years 8 and 9 cohorts. Year 8 students visited Taronga Zoo where they participated in the workshop ‘Science in Action’ and explored the Key Inquiry Question- How does observation instigate scientific investigation? Students also visited the various animal displays around the zoo. Students had a great day at the zoo and enjoyed the private ferry ride organised for them to transport them to and from the zoo (despite the hot and humid temperatures on the day).

Year 9 students attended the newly renovated Imax theatre at Darling Harbour, where they watched the 3D movie ‘Born to be Wild’. This film documents orphaned orangutans and elephants and the extraordinary people who rescue and raise them – saving endangered species one life at a time. Students also attended the Wildlife Sydney Zoo where they explored the different exhibits including the Kangaroo Walkabout, Devils Den and Koala Rooftop.

Luna Park Depth Study Excursion

Physics students from a number of NSW schools have, for many years, visited Luna Park on the harbour foreshore at Milsons Point to spend a day studying and exploring the very important aspects of motion of rides.

Year 11 Physics students moved the classroom outside last week with a visit to Luna Park. It was not all fun and games with students gaining some inspiration for their Depth Study! Our students spent the day getting used to the rides and equipment, applied the laws of motion as well as some mathematical concepts beyond the scope of the Year 11 course. During upcoming Physics periods, they will continue their investigations in order to describe and explain the motions associated with their rides. What a great place to seek inspiration!

ENGLISH

BY LOVEDAY SHARPINGTON-RECNY

I would like to start by outlining some of the outstanding English achievements from the 2023 HSC year. In English Advanced, with a candidature of over 25,000 students two of our students received a state rank: Jordan Ho came 1st and Wilson Thai came 8th. This is an absolutely amazing achievement and these students are to be congratulated on their hard work and dedication to the subject. Further, 63% of the English Advanced cohort, 87% of English Extension 1, and 100% of English Extension 2 students achieved in the top band. This meant that North Sydney Boys was ranked 1st for English in NSW. We are unbelievably proud of the 2023 cohort and of course all of our excellent English teachers at NSB that inspired our students to achieve their best.

I would like to extend a warm welcome to our new Year 7 cohort, as well as any new NSB students, and their parents and carers to our school community and to give you some information about the English Faculty. The English syllabus is underpinned by an examination of the human experience and, through the study of texts, students are better able to understand the world around them, themselves and others. The English Faculty’s aim is to develop student’s critical and creative thinking skills through thought-provoking units that examine a range of literature. We encourage students to take risks with their writing as they learn to write in a range of different text types and styles. We are continuing to embed the Writing with Finesse learning cycle, a whole school priority, into our scopes and sequences to ensure key skills are scaffolded and modeled for our students.

For Stages 4 and 5 we have developed challenging and enriching programs. Year 7 is starting high school English by analysing a collection of poetry in our Asian Perspective unit; Year 8 has begun the year by reading a novel and considering how stories help advocate for social justice; Year 9 is engaging with Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ and Year 10 is studying ‘Othello’. All Stage 4 and Stage 5 classes will be participating in wide reading this year and the English Faculty are assigning students one extra book a term to read and then engage in a book club style discussion close to the end of each term.

Year 11 has started with the Reading to Write unit where they are practicing their writing skills and reading a range of texts from different styles, cultures and forms. In Extension the students are examining the concept of the underclass and how it has been conveyed in literature through time. In Year 12 the boys are currently undertaking a critical study for Module B, focusing on T.S. Eliot’s poetry in the Advanced course and Worlds of Upheaval in the Extension 1 course. Our Extension 2 students are all working hard to develop their concepts for their major works.

Often our senior students ask how to study for English. Academic success in English means that students should work diligently to develop their understanding of texts and refine their writing skills every day. There is always more work to do in English in the senior years and students are encouraged to read widely and write often. Working in a study group is a great way to consolidate knowledge of texts and test ideas. Memorising responses is not an effective method to excel in Year 12. It is more helpful for students to enhance the sophistication of their ideas and refine their control of language by writing under time constraints. Additionally, submitting practice responses to a variety of questions will be beneficial, as your son will receive meaningful and timely feedback on his ideas, structure and ability to answer questions.

The English Faculty runs Senior English Workshops for our Year 11 and 12 students which provide an engaging way for students to revise key skills. The workshops are productive and responsive to student learning needs, allowing students to strengthen their analytical and creative skills in a small group environment. Students are also supported in their preparation for assessments and examinations. Workshops are starting in Week 7 with Ms Dell for Year 11 and Year 12 after school on Thursday with me.

In terms of co-curricular opportunities, our Debating and Public Speaking teams are being formed over the next couple of weeks and it is fabulous that we have so many students interested in, and enrolled in, the program. Ms Du is supervising Debating and Ms Dell is supervising Public Speaking. Debating refines skills such as building a sustained argument, working effectively in teams and developing knowledge of the world around us and we look forward to enrolling boys in the inter school competitions. Public speaking is a great way for students to gain more confidence in speaking to an audience and there are competitions our students can compete in throughout the year.

To conclude, the English Faculty looks forward to an exciting year ahead working with our students to help them achieve their best. If you have any questions or concerns about your son’s progress in English, do not hesitate to contact me.

MATHEMATICS

BY AIDA SAROFIM

Mathematics Faculty at NSB

Our highly experienced staff are Mr Chris Berry, Ms Esther Fu, Ms Lavinia Lee, Mr Eric Lin, Mr Stephen Ireland, Dr Natasa Vranesevic, Mr Umakanthan and Mrs Michelle Moss.

We are fortunate to have two new valuable members to be added to our faculty this year who are Mr Joshua Lott and Ms Wenyue Cai.

congratulations to year 12 2023 cohort

We had outstanding results from our 2023 Year 12 cohort for the whole school, and specifically in the Mathematics department. The Mathematics Advanced and Mathematics Extension 2 cohorts achieved the most outstanding results since 2009, where 99% achieved in the top 2 bands in Mathematics Advanced while 100% of the cohort achieved the top 2 bands in Extension 2. The Mathematics Extension 1 result has remained consistent with previous years, where 97% of the cohort achieved the 2 top bands.

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate each and every one of my faculty members, who are constantly and consistently working very hard with our students, supporting them to perform at the highest possible levels.

Information for Year 7 Parents

Welcome to mathematics at North Sydney Boys. I hope you have had the opportunity to look through the Year 7 Mathematics Student Scope and Sequence which was given to your son at the start of the year. The student Scope and Sequence provides information on the Year 7 teaching topics, the enrichment activities and assessment information. A soft copy of the students handbook can be found in the Year 7 cohort Google Classroom.

Information for Year 8 Parents

Year 8 students have spent the last few weeks consolidating Year 7 content, but very soon the pace and difficulty level of mathematics will significantly increase. All Year 8 students at NSBHS are accelerated in mathematics, and, in early Term 2, will be learning algebra typically taught in Year 9 and Year 10 in most schools.

The Falcon Maths workshop is on Tuesday morning at 8:00am in B15. This workshop is open to all students who wish to participate in the Gauss enrichment program this year. Space is limited and priority will be given to students who are attempting the Gauss student problems.

Important nformation for year 10 students

During Term 3, students will make their mathematics subject selections for Year 11. There are two choices: Mathematics Advanced or Mathematics Extension 1. Due to resource and timetable constraints, there are a limited number of places in the Extension 1 course, and therefore entry is competitive. In fairness to all students, entry into the Extension 1 classes is based on demonstrated student performance in Year 10 mathematics. It is therefore essential students work to their full capability throughout Year 10.

Important information for Year 11 students

Later in the year, applications will open for entry into the Year 12 Mathematics Extension 2 classes. There are a limited number of places, and thus entry into these classes is competitive, based on Year 11 results. Given the challenging and time intensive nature of the Extension 2 course, students wishing to apply for this course are strongly advised to discuss their choices with their class teacher.

Year 11 Mathematics Extension 1 students are also reminded there is a benchmark in place for continuing with Mathematics Extension 1 into Year 12, as discussed with all Year 11 students last week.

2024 Mathematics competitions

Throughout this year, students at NSBHS will participate in a number of competitions. The following competitions are compulsory for all our students in Years 7-10.

Computational and Algorithmic Thinking

This competition is for students with an interest in programming or who may have computer programming potential. NO experience with programming is necessary. The competition runs for an hour and you will be asked six multiple choice questions and nine more challenging questions whose answer is numerical. It will be held on 22 May 2024.

Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC)

The AMC is one of Australia’s largest school-based mathematics competitions. It features unique problems designed by Australia’s leading educators and academics with the goal to demonstrate the importance and relevance of mathematics in students’ everyday lives. It will be held on 7 August 2024.

The Australian Mathematical Olympiad (AMO)

The AMO is a two-day Olympiad-level contest comprising four questions each day, conducted under school supervision. Around 200 students are invited to participate in this event from Australia and New Zealand. The contest is held over two days in February and is used to select students to attend the Australian Mathematical Olympiad Committee’s Selection School. We would like to congratulate Anthony Ivanov from Year 12, Eric Lin and Polar Xiong from Year 11, and Liam Celinski and Theodore Sanuri from Year 10 on being selected to participate in this prestigious competition.

TAS

BY PAUL KENNEDY

A warm welcome to our new and returning students in the TAS faculty, particularly our Year 7s, who are well underway with their first exciting experience in Technology and Applied Studies. All classes from 7-12 have commenced the year with an introduction or refresher in DoE and school specific Work Health and Safety protocols. In this spirit, I would take this opportunity to remind TAS students of the requirement to come prepared for all lessons in our practical learning environments. In addition to bringing equipment necessary for their classwork, we implore students to attend in full school uniform, particularly enclosed leather shoes which are a mandatory requirement in our workshops and kitchen. Incorrect footwear will prevent students from participating in the range of enriching activities that typify our exciting subjects.

HSC RESULTS 2023

Our 2023 graduating TAS students continued the trend of outstanding performance in Engineering Studies, Information Processes and Technology, and Software Design and Development. A huge congratulations is due to the students and teachers of these courses. Over 75% of our students across all TAS subjects achieved a band 6 result, with over 92% achieving a mark in the top 2 bands. A breakdown of these results and some highlights in each subject is included below.

Engineering Studies

Under the careful guidance of Mr Kimberley and Miss Riley, our students of Engineering Studies in 2023 performed admirably, with over 59% achieving a Band 6 result, and over 81% in the top 2 bands. This year also saw some outstanding individual achievements and one state ranking. Congratulations to Sean Xinxiang Wang who ranked 8th in the state.

Information Processes and Technology

In addition to excellent overall results, with 80% of students achieving a Band 6 and 100% of students achieving marks in the top 2 bands, our accelerated IPT boys also had some outstanding individual achievements. Congratulations to Sanindu Arukattu Patabendige who ranked 3rd in the state, Joshua Zhu who ranked 5th, and Ethan Huang, who ranked 9th. Thank you and congratulations to Mr Pillay and Mr Tidyman for their expert guidance of these remarkable Year 10 (now 11) students.

Software Design and Development

Our SDD students had a remarkable year in 2023. 100% of students in this course received a Band 6. Congratulations to these boys on this incredible achievement and to their dedicated teacher Dr. Tosic, who worked tirelessly to prepare them for their final exams.

TAS CLUBS

Engineering Club will run again in 2024. The club is primarily for junior students (Years 7 - 9) who have an interest in all things engineering. The meetings are planned and run by our dynamic Year 10 and 11 leaders under the supervision of either Mr Kimberley, Mr Avramides or Mr Kennedy. To allow for equity of access to this highly sought-after experience, involvement as a student is limited to one year of participation whist your boys are studying at NSB. Securing a place will be down to a system of first come, first served, however, priority for admission will be given to those students whose application in the preceding year was unsuccessful, commencing with unsuccessful 2023 applicants. Members with a passion for Engineering who wish to remain involved in the club after completing their year of participation as a student will be invited to take on a leadership role as mentors in Years 8 and 9 and course facilitators in Year 10.

In a minor change from the 2023 program, Engineering Club will now run on Thursdays at lunch time in TAS1 / TASW instead of Friday mornings.

Dr. Tosic’s Software Development Club will run again in 2024 with a focus on building skills in coding. Members will have the opportunity to create their own programs (games!) and to take part in student competitions. This enrichment activity is designed to support students of all abilities who are interested in programming. Our 2023 students were highly successful in various competitions such as the UNSW ProgComp, Australian Informatics Olympiad (AIO), Bebras, Young ICT Explorers, and the NCSS challenge.

Our Planted Aquarium Club will also run for its third year in 2024 under the guidance of Mr. Heffernan. This club appeals to those students with an interest in biology. Members will have the opportunity to create complex ecosystems, take part in regular maintenance, and learn about the importance of lighting and water chemistry in sustaining under-water life. The Aquarium Club’s plan for NSB domination is inching ever closer, with additional tanks teeming with fish and shrimp popping up in new classrooms on a regular basis!

Students are encouraged to make a visit to the downstairs staffroom for more information on any of the exciting extracurricular opportunities we offer in TAS.

UPCOMING EXCURSION

Year 12 students of Design and Technology will shortly be attending the SHAPE exhibition at Walsh Bay (formally at the Powerhouse Museum), showcasing exemplary 2023 HSC Major Projects from across the state. Whilst in attendance, they will also have an opportunity to interact with project markers in a seminar targeting effective portfolio documentation. Students are reminded to return permission slips and make payment in advance of the excursion date (21 March 2024).

HSIE

BY STUART MADGWICK

A warm welcome to 2023 for all Falcon students and families, especially for our fledgling Year 7s!

The world is currently engulfed with crises such as multiple wars and slides towards dictatorship, and yet we see enormous technological and social advances in some places. History and Social Sciences subjects are the key to the boys understanding the world and making a positive mark in their lifetimes.

We are often asked by parents about how students can stay in touch with their world beyond the curriculum. Firstly, the school library always has a wide range of new books on major topics from current affairs. We encourage them to borrow and to read! Remember that with non-fiction books they don’t need to read all of the text, sometimes a few key chapters of most interest are the most effective way to read. Secondly, there is a wealth of online resources, especially at The Conversation, and public broadcasters such as our ABC and SBS, and the BBC and PBS amongst others internationally. Co-curricular groups such as History Club (Friday afternoon in C13) and the Forum (Thursday lunch in C2) are wonderful opportunities that we provide uniquely at NSB, and we encourage students to try them!

STAFFING

We warmly welcome back Mr Mevryn Ulaganathan, with his wealth of knowledge and his great experience in teaching a range of Social Sciences subjects.

Mr Saul Han left for a period of leave at the end of 2023. We wish him the very best.

I am very proud that colleagues in the HSIE faculty fulfill many very important whole school roles in 2024, and I thank them for the huge contribution they make to this school:

Daisy Douglas

Head Teacher for Administration, Library and Careers

James Easy

Model United Nations coordinator; Philosophy Club Convenor

Anastasia Kapetas

History Club coordinator

Vincy Lai

Year 12 Year Adviser, Lead Teacher, Student and Teacher Recognition

Stefania Ross

Year 11 Year Adviser, Lead Teacher Student Leadership & Co Curricular

Maryan Shehata

Business Society coordinator

Georgina Willma

Head Teaching Wellbeing, Prefects coordinator

Stuart Madgwick

Forum coordinator

2023 hsc results

We congratulate the boys for their excellent achievements in the 2023 HSC across all the HSIE subjects of: Ancient History, Business Studies, Economics, History Extension, Legal Studies, and Modern History.

Special congratulations to Sumedh Kundu for placing 9th in Modern History and 10th in History Extension, and Wilson Thai for his placing of 3rd in Modern History

A huge thank you to my colleagues in HSIE for the passion, commitment and knowledge they demonstrated in their teaching, guiding the boys to do so very well. Also, their mentoring of students and leadership within the Wellbeing team was so important for boys’ wellbeing and academic success.

LEGAL STUDIES EXCURSION REPORT

BY ANDI, YEAR 12

At the Downing Centre District Court we met His Honour Judge R F Sutherland, an old Falconian who graduated from NSB in the 1970s, and his associate. Judge Sutherland gave us an insightful recount of his law career; how he went from an NSB student to a legal practitioner and finally a District Court Judge, stressing the importance of hard work and taking opportunities. We gained real life insights into the sentencing process that we had learnt about with our teacher, and it was wonderful that we got to take a group photo with him.

We then made our way to the Downing Centre Local Courts, where we were free to sit in any of the court cases being heard on the day. There was a particularly interesting bail hearing that involved a young man who was appealing for bail after being charged with ‘grievous bodily harm’. It was exciting hearing the prosecutor reference legal terms such as ‘unacceptable risk’ and ‘show cause’ which we had learnt in class, demonstrating their real life applications in the criminal justice system.

With our tour of the Legislative Assembly we were very engaged and had a lot of fun role playing the process as different members of parliament by debating a Bill ‘to increase the drinking age to 21’ and were able to sit where many politicians had sat before (the chairs were very comfy). After this, we also toured the Legislative Council (the Upper House) where we had the opportunity to ask questions of our Local MP for North Shore Felicity Wilson who provided us with insights on politics and local projects (such as the Crows Nest Metro Station to be finished in the second half of this year). We also discussed some youth issues such as affordable housing and the need to build more local government schools.

Overall, it was a very enjoyable and interesting excursion, packed with real life applications of legal concepts that we had learnt in Legal Studies!

LANGUAGES

BY KATHY COADY

Welcome to 2024!

Staffing

This year, we welcome one new member to the Languages Faculty, Ms Djafri who is working with Ms Walker teaching the French classes.

Our Language tutors continue to support our students and teachers with their speaking practice with our senior students. Miss Marjolaine Monet is working with the Year 12 French students. Miss Yumiko Takayama is continuing her work with the Year 12 Japanese students and our Old Boy, Samarth continues his work with the Year 12 German class.

2023 HSC Results

We are so proud of the incredible results achieved by the class of 2023 and I congratulate both the students and their teachers for their hard work and effort.

French Continuers obtained excellent results with all students attaining the highest band, Band 6.

The German Continuers excelled with the majority of students attaining the top band of Band 6 and the results in German Extension were also excellent where the vast majority of the class achieved the top band of E4.

Japanese Continuers students also performed exceptionally well with the majority of students attaining the top bands, Band 6 and Band 5. The Japanese Extension results were particularly impressive, where all students attained the highest band of E4.

Year 7 Languages

During Year 7, each student will have the opportunity to study approximately 8 weeks of each of the five languages on offer at North Sydney Boys High School: French, German Indonesian, Japanese and Latin. Towards the end of the year, Year 7 students will have the opportunity to choose which language they would like to continue studying for Year 8, however, they may choose two languages for Year 8.

Clubs and Enrichment

Ms Kurath continues to run the German clubs during lunchtimes in C14. Monday is the Beginners Club for Year 8, Year 9 and 10 is held on Tuesday and the Senior Conversation Club is held on Fridays.

Ms Lee’s Anime Club which runs each Monday lunchtime in C15 for her Year 8 and 9 Japanese students.

Six teams from across Years 8-12 entered the Australian Computational and Linguistics Olympiad on Wednesday 6 March. We are eager to report on their results and are hoping some of the teams will make it through to the second round.

Mr Smith recently joined his Latin teaching colleagues at the Classical Languages Teacher Association professional learning which focused on the new Latin syllabus. One of our Japanese teachers, Ms Gilles, is presenting to her colleagues at the Japanese Teachers Conference.

Overseas trips

Preparations are continuing for the Germany and Italy Tour in the Term 3 holidays. We appreciate the efforts of the attending students and their parents to complete the large amount of paperwork required. I would like to acknowledge the work of the office staff and support from our Principal Mr Ferguson in helping us with the organisation of this trip. The trip is an amazing opportunity for the German and Latin students to enrich their learning through firsthand experiences outside of the classroom.

The Japan trip in January was a huge success and I thank Ms Lee and Mr Francis for giving up their time in the holidays to accompany the boys to Japan. There were many highlights of the trip including, Miyajima to visit the deer, the Peace Park in Hiroshima and shopping in Osaka. The students have continued their friendships with their host families through social media which is enabling them to continue to develop their language skills.

CAPA

BY JENNY GRIMLEY

music ensembles

We are very excited to see so many students joining and returning to our Music Ensembles this year. We would greatly encourage our new Year 7 students to join an ensemble that is appropriate to their musical experience. We do have some instruments available to hire for students wanting to join an ensemble. Please speak to the Music staff in J block if you have any questions.

Europe Music Tours - Jan 2025

A big thank you to all the parents and students who attended the information evening on Tuesday 27 February. We currently have 60 students registered for this incredible music tour to Europe (Germany, Austria, Hungary & Czech Republic) in January 2025. The tour will include public performances, school exchanges, workshops, masterclasses and plenty of sightseeing in various places including Munich, Salzburg, Vienna, Prague and Budapest. We still have a very small number of places available on this tour if your son plays an instrument in one of our school ensembles (Y8 - 11). Please contact Mrs Grimley urgently if interested.

Encore

2023 was an outstanding year for our HSC music candidates, with six of our students shortlisted (performance and composition) for ENCORE, an annual HSC music showcase at the Sydney Opera House. Accompanied by Mrs Grimley, our current senior Music students attended the matinee performance of ENCORE on Monday 4 March and have taken away some exciting ideas as part of their own preparation for the HSC this year.

state music camps

Applications are now open for this year’s State Music Camps (NSW Arts Unit):

Senior State Music Camp (Years 8 to 12)

30 June to 5 July (Term 2 Week 10)

Junior State Music Camp (Years 5 to 8)

21 July to 26 July (Term 3 Week 1)

Musical activities at camp include participation in a major ensemble (symphony orchestra, symphonic bands, vocal ensembles, stage band) as well as a number of elective ensembles and activities. Elective activities include brass and woodwind ensembles, jazz improvisation, composition, music theatre, percussion ensemble. For more information and to apply, go to: https://artsunit.nsw.edu.au/program/nsw-publicschools-state-music-camps

Applications close - Friday 10 May 2024

Crawford Music

The 2024 Crawford Music team has been selected and is now rehearsing in preparation for the Crawford shield competition to be held on Monday 25 March against Melbourne High School. Congratulations to Joshua Lau, Ryan Chen, Ethan Huang (Year 12) Rhys Lau, Henry Liu, Paulson Ming, Melvin Cheng, Joshua Zhu, Yao Lin (Year 11) and Andrew Dharma (Year 10) on being selected for the team. We will update everyone with the results of the competition next term.

CAPA Diary dates

12 March - Year 11 Visual Arts to ART EXPRESS at the Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney

11 April - Year 8 and 9 Drama to “Medea” at the Riverside Theatre, Parramatta.

13 May - 2024 Concerto Competition (Years 8 - 12)

18 May – Finals of the North Shore High School’s Music Spectacular at Killara High School

29 July – 31 July – Creative and Performing Arts Expo, featuring a visual arts exhibition, drama and music performances from all CAPA classes from Year 7 -12 in the school library.

30 August – Annual “Musicale” at 7pm in the NSBHS Hall, featuring all music ensembles and HSC Music students.

DRAMA

BY MS DUMITRESCU - DRAMA TEACHER

I am thrilled about our junior Drama cohort this year. Their eagerness to embark on or continue their Drama journey is palpable. Further, it is the most extensive group of Stage 4 students we’ve had in years! This truly warms my heart.

This term, our Stage 4 boys will delve into the origins of theatre, immersing themselves in the fascinating world of ancient Greece. They will explore the significance of the Greek chorus, delving into its historical and theatrical importance. Students will experiment with various techniques to effectively communicate meaning through their performances.

In Stage 5, students will further hone their devising skills, focusing on Physical Theatre. This dynamic form of theatre relies heavily on movement as the primary method of storytelling, drawing inspiration from mime, Commedia dell’arte, and dance. I encourage all students to consider exploring Drama at some point during their high school journey. Drama fosters crucial transferable skills such as communication, teamwork, critical thinking, problem-solving, and leadership. I eagerly anticipate another fantastic year of Drama!

STATE DRAMA CAMP

Applications are closing soon for the State Drama Camp (NSW Arts Unit). If you are interested in applying for this camp (Years 9/10 only), follow the link for more information.

https://artsunit.nsw.edu.au/form/state-drama-camp-app

VISUAL ARTS

BY MR FUNG - VISUAL ARTS TEACHER

This year, Visual Arts has seen exciting new changes as we welcome Ms Eleanor Fattal as our new Visual Arts teacher for the year, while Ms Adamson is on leave. We are also very excited to have our Year 11 Visual Arts class already engaging with a multitude of artmaking experiences in the classroom and visiting ARTEXPRESS at the Art Gallery of NSW in Week 7.

Our Year 7 students are currently starting work on their ceramic squished forms. They are finding great success in working with tactile materials such as clay. The Year 8 students have also started their mastery of sewing with thread and needle, to develop their paper bird sculpture. Year 9 Visual Arts students are looking at architecture and the ideologies that have formed human experiences with buildings. And the topical theme of war has inspired our Year 10 students as they develop their charcoal drawing concertinas.

Drawing Club has also started again for this year! Through the club’s promotion at our very successful annual LEAP Day, we received over 80 applications to join! Unfortunately, as we have limited room and resources, only 30 students have been accepted for the year. However, we encourage students who are looking for other artistic pursuits to consider our brand new photography and textiles club as well! We hope this interest in the arts can continue to spur students on in pursuing different creative outlets.

It is fantastic and encouraging to see so many of our students actively seek out and participate in the many opportunities at school to explore the visual arts! We hope to present the wonderful artworks our students have made to you soon, so please look forward to the CAPA EXPO that will run in Term 3!

SUPPORT UNIT

BY Penny carr

It has been a dynamic start to the school year and a roller coaster ride for the new Year 7 students. They have done a fantastic job in navigating the start of their high school journey, have positively engaged in their learning and participated in a 3 day camp at Fitzroy Falls. All of the students have adapted to the expectations of a new school year and the challenges that their new year group presents. Welcome Year 7.

Year 7 school camp has been the highlight so far. Although some students had not experienced the joys of sleeping in a tent, they are now happy that they persevered. The camp leader and Ms White did a wonderful job in supporting the students, responding to their questions and encouraging them to challenge themselves to participate in each of the activities. While there was a little bit of rain, they all coped well with the changing weather conditions including the mozzies and leeches that came with it.

All students are now into the full swing of Term 1 as we approach mid-term. A number of students have taken the initiative to sign up to a range of clubs this year and we also have a few new students taking on the responsibility of being a library monitor and SRC. We also have a number of students who have joined the choir and the concert band.

As we begin 2024, our first cohort of Year 11 has begun. Some of the students are participating in programs at TAFE and have found this an exciting and informative adventure in their learning journey.

Of course, Term 1 would not be complete without the swimming carnival held at Auburn Pool. Congratulations to all the students who challenged themselves to compete. It was a fun day with lots of opportunity to engage with others and participate in a wide range of events.

PDHPE

BY ADELE WALKER

swimming carnival

What a great day we had at Auburn Ruth Everuss Aquatic Centre in Lidcombe Tuesday March 5! It was a pleasure to see the high rates of participation and enthusiasm of students from Years 7 to 12. A huge thank you to Mr Croan, supported by Mr Murphy and Mr Renford, for the many hours of preparation that go into organising the Swimming Carnival - we could not hold such a successful whole-school event without the hard work and expertise of our PDHPE staff.

winter sport season

Winter season commenced during Wednesday sport on March 6. Our grade teams are representing NSBHS in the North West Metropolitan competitions. Students are reminded that they must check the weekly sports spreadsheet prior to Wednesday sport and that this will assist them to plan their travel to and from the venues.

Knocout sport

Congratulations to the 2nd grade basketball team that recently won the premiership in the knockout sport competition! The team, composed of students from years 10-12, trained hard under the guidance of their coach Mr Murphy. On the day of the final, under the pressure of the game going into extra time, Mr Murphy was delighted with the players’ discipline in implementing the game plan that had been rehearsed in training. Special mention goes to Sebastian Wei, Zachary Ho and Dylan Nestel for their standout performances in the final.

Our hopes are now high for the 1st grade basketball team, who have progressed to Round 3 of the CHS knockout tournament. They travel to Terrigal for the next round. Play well, Falcons!

Year 10 Interview Skills

On Friday 8 March, all students in Year 10 participated in a mock interview as part of their compulsory Stage 5 PDHPE studies. This task forms part of the ‘Getting Life Ready’ unit of work. Through a simulated interview scenario, the assessment prompted students to reflect deeply on personal development and resilience and foster readiness for real-world situations, including the transition to part-time or full-time employment. Students developed their competence in analysing their own and sense of self and assessing their ability to reflect on and respond positively to challenges. In addition, they learnt about the significance of effective communication and self-presentation in a professional setting. The attached photos show Mr Murphy, playing the role of employer, greeting a Year 10 student for his mock interview.

WELLBEING

BY GEORGINA WILLMA

Welcome back to all our wonderful students, parents and caregivers.

It has already been an exciting action-packed Term 1 2024! Students had the opportunity to engage with the wellbeing workshops, the Year 12 mentoring program, the KYDS guest speaker presentation, an incursion on the importance of consent and respectful relationships and the Year 7 transition activities led by the Year 10 Peer Support Leaders.

I would like to begin by acknowledging the excellent work of our Peer Support Leaders in assisting the Year 7 students to settle into high school. Accompanying them on camp, and leading by example, the Peer Support Leaders were a great influence on our younger students. I am in no doubt that strong friendships have been established and also that one day, the Year 7 students will aspire to become Peer Support Leaders themselves. Thank you to Year 10 Adviser Emma Dell, Year 7 Adviser Jacob Parker and Student Support Officer (SSO) Will de Lima for their tireless work in making the program a huge success. The Peer Support program will continue throughout Term 1.

In Week 3 students in Years 7 & 8 were involved in the KYDS Workshop on ‘Connection is key for better relationships’. I would like to share with you the following student reflections:

“I thoroughly enjoyed the presentation as it allowed myself and others around me to receive a more nuanced understanding about mindfulness, gratitude and embodying essential practices such as breathing techniques as well as maintaining an optimistic outlook. This workshop helped me realise how I can contribute positively to the world and encouraged me to demonstrate the falcon code values.

In future I would demonstrate gratitude more often and write a list of all the events I am grateful for in my life, and reflect on my situation or give to someone who may not be feeling happy. Also, I would like to adopt a healthier lifestyle by practicing breathing techniques and getting more sleep. The workshop provided skills which were applicable to our learning environment, especially as the Year 7s had arrived at NSB.

The charismatic nature of the presenter utilised various performances as well as engaging the audience with crucial information. This consisted of a drama performance where the mentor would act out the words of a student, and then relate a cause and effect of the performance. I thought the presentation was engaging and encouraged me to develop healthy habits.”

David, Year 8

During Week 5, Year 10 students participated in their first workshop incursion of the year, delivered by Consent Labs on ‘Positive Masculinity’. Students were provided with a great opportunity to get personal advice in many areas of health and wellbeing and understand the importance of consent. The boys conducted themselves with maturity and compassion throughout the session and showed excellent camaraderie while discussing all different aspects of positive relationships with their peers.

“The confidential and equitable environment allowed for students to break the silence and ask deeper questions about themselves”.

Ryan, Year 10

Year 7 participated in a workshop that promotes study skills and resilience strategies for stress management, time management and organisation. With the facilitation and support from the Peer Support Leaders who provided their top tips on study skills, students brainstormed ideas for these topics and shared their responses with their peers.

Year 8 participated in a workshop which focused on equipping them with the skills to communicate help-seeking strategies based on relevant scenarios and ensure they are developing positive relationships through ‘power-over’ and ‘power-with’ conversation starters. Students were encouraged to share their thoughts and it was delightful to see high levels of engagement in the workshop.

Empathy and improved understanding of others was the focus of the Year 9 workshop which promoted stronger relationships for better emotional wellbeing. Students engaged with an empathy mapping group activity where they explored the thoughts, feelings and behaviours of individual characters in a scenario type situation.

Year 11 focused on team work and study groups, looking specifically at what is needed for an effective study group, the role of each member and the collaborative efforts for a successful outcome. Here are some comments made by NSB students as to why study groups are particularly useful for the senior years:

- You can ask questions that you may not have asked during class.

- It helps with motivation and accountability as the group members are depending on your participation.

- One or more group members are likely to understand something you do not. They may bring up ideas you never considered.

- You can learn valuable new study habits from other group members.

- You can compare your work with those of the other group members to clarify notes/answers.

Year 12s participated in a workshop with the focus on resilience, motivation and positive thinking through the lens of the growth mindset. They explored their Comfort, Stretch and Panic zones, Fixed vs Growth mindset, and the cognitive behaviour therapy exercise of the inter-relationships between our thoughts, feelings and behaviours. The boys showed excellent camaraderie while discussing their perspectives of the Fixed vs Growth mindset.

A huge thank you to all Year Advisers and our SSO for their tremendous efforts ensuring that the workshops remain engaging and relevant to the needs of each year group.

The Year 12 Mentoring sessions continue this term, building upon the relational trust and respect between teacher mentors and mentees. The Week 6 session focused on stress management and time management – “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”. Students are given effective strategies for managing time, such as creating a simple weekly study timetable or setting reminders on their phone ahead of time e.g. an alarm for one week before a task is due. The use of long-term planners also serve as a reminder to constructively plan time and for students to consider the use of online task schedulers such as Trello. Expertly coordinated by Year 12 Adviser Ms Lai, students have reported increased support and satisfaction with the Year 12 mentoring program.

Parent information

The 2024 Wellbeing Team comprises the following Year Advisers (the first point of contact for parents/caregivers).

School Year Year Adviser

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

Year 10

Year 11

Year 12

Other key roles:

Position

Principal

Deputy Principal (7 &10)

Deputy Principal (8 & 11)

Deputy Principal (9 & 12)

Counsellor (Mon, Tue, Thurs)

Counsellor (Wed)

KYDS Clinician (Thurs)

HT Wellbeing

HTLearning and Support

Student Support Officer

Jacob Parker

Ana-Maria Dumitrescu

Matthew Tran

Emma Dell

Stefania Ross

Vincy Lai

Name

Brian Ferguson

Michael Iverach

Matthew Dopierala

Yugen Pillay

Glynis Sanders

Mary Cahill

Melinda Davenport

Georgina Willma

Kathy Coady

William De Lima

Please feel free to contact your son’s relevant Year Adviser, our student support officer, myself or any member of the wellbeing team if you have any concerns or queries.

Camaraderie Commitment Compassion Integrity Respect

NORTH SYDNEY BOYS HIGH SCHOOL

127 Falcon Street

North Sydney, NSW, 2060

P: +61 (02) 9955 4748 - E: northsydbo-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au https://northsydbo-h.schools.nsw.gov.au

north sydney boys High School

ISSUE 1