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2020 Achievements PRINCIPAL’S EXCELLENCE ASSEMBLY ADDRESS Friday 12 February 2021

Good morning and welcome to our Aboriginal Elders, Aboriginal community members and our families, our 2020 Dux Sussana Zaman and other official guests including the 2020 Student of the Year, Amanda Fuiono, the Member for Mount Druitt Edmund Atalla, Blacktown City Councillors Kathie Collins and Brad Bunting, Corporal Ronald Schultz, school captains from our partner primary schools and their principals - Ms Sibir, Ms Webster and Mr Fisk, senior leaders and our staff and our hosts, the 2021 Senior Leadership Team whose names along with all the other names and citations are recorded in the program. I want to acknowledge that tomorrow is the anniversary of the National Apology to the Stolen Generations and acknowledge the work we all have to do to achieve reconciliation, cultural competency and success for our Aboriginal students. As you have heard we are here today to celebrate the best individual, team and school achievements of 2020. During the assembly you will see performances and media clips of some of the highlights of 2020 so I will not speak about them all. I will speak about the 2020 Secretary’s Award for an Outstanding School Initiative which was awarded for our work in Entrepreneurial Learning (EL). I would like to thank Kate Short, Kate Kennerson (pictured right) and the EL Professional Learning and Leadership Team for their leadership, and I would like to thank Origin and the Origin Foundation for being powerful strategic partners with the school in this innovative work. I will speak about the Executive Director’s Award given to the school’s executive team for their leadership and innovation during COVID. This school’s approach of setting principles for instruction, wellbeing and technology and then implementing practices that reflected the principles during lock down and the transition back to school was used by the Department of Education as an example for the other schools. I want to note that our administrative team contacted every family at least once during lock down and I also want to acknowledge that Year 12 2020 performed above expectations and met the school’s targets. In fact, 48.1% of Year 12 results were Band 4,5 or 6 – 10% more than the previous year and the best results in over a decade. I will acknowledge our connections with our partner schools in the Learning neighbourhood. As many of you know, Year 7 is usually the audience for this assembly. Due to the current COVID restrictions for adults, they cannot 1

be in the room with us today. I do wish to congratulate four of our Year 7 students who won the Rooty Hill scholarship in Year 6. Please congratulate John Nuumaalii and Cecilia Taupaatoutai who attended ECPS; Ella Munday who attended MPS and Khalia Evagelia Daniel who attended RHPS. I will speak about the fact the school completed its 3year strategic plan and, in the coming weeks our new professional learning website will be launched. Each of the 12 strategic projects that delivered the plan will be published in The Highly Accomplished School, a record and sharing space for all the educators and schools that have contacted, visited and learned from us in the last 5 years. I want to speak to you today about creating a sustainable, adaptable, creative and innovative school culture that has been years in the making. I want to thank our families for their trust in us. More critically, I want to thank families for their trust in us. Secondary school is hard and, although many of our award winners toady made it look easy, we know that their success is a result of their ability, motivation and effort. They have the habits of learners. They have the habits of writers, scientists, lawyers, chefs, roadies, lighting and sound technicians, IT professionals, designers, mathematicians, civic leaders, sports captains and elite players, managers and entrepreneurs. I want to confirm that, as a school we are refining a new model of Student Agency where the majority of our students are the central decision makers for their own school lives supported, where possible by their families. If I ask you at what age do secondary students need to take agency for their own learning and be able to selfassess what would be your answer? Let me share some hard truths from 2020. We had 12-year olds preparing their own applications for high school and making appeals because of their family circumstances. Were they old enough? We had students constructing their own report comments in each subject and their own “strengths” comments through personalised learning conversations. Were they old enough? We had students who worked many additional paid hours through COVID, some supporting their families where income was lost. Were they old enough? We had students working from home while their parents continued to work outside the home. Were they old enough?

We had students who were carers for high risk family members during COVID. Were they old enough? It did not matter whether they were old enough – it was what they had to do and, after being principal of this school (and working with this community) for 23 years I consider our success in embedding student agency as a core platform of our work to be one of our most important and forward-thinking strategies. In 2021 our students, who have always set overall goals in the past as part of the personalised learning strategy, will now write an academic goal for each subject they are studying. With their teachers they will work towards their goals and will evaluate their own progress at each reporting period. None of this would have happened unless we had worked towards shifting to new work and learning practices, new ways of knowing, doing and being in a large secondary school. We continued to use a practice called “Outcomes Based Accountability” that allowed us to measure how much we have done, how well we have done it and what difference we have made. We used a deep set of measures that took us well beyond superficial targets set by others outside the school. We used measures designed in the context of our school that recognised that learning is expansive and success, as measured by student, staff, school and schoolcommunity progress, comes in many forms. In addition to the strategies I have already mentioned, I want to acknowledge the 24 new products and practices embedded as a result of the 12 strategic projects (please see our Annual Report) and note 12 other significant and measurable successes from 2020. I will not read them all – I will save them for the print version of this address and for the school’s annual report. In 2020 – • We demonstrated the importance of adaptability, responsiveness, creativity, tenacity and team work and identified critical Moments of elevation, insight, pride and connection. • We engaged with families and students in new and innovative ways using the skills of the whole staff and we continued to use the Aboriginal Education Charters developed by each team to ensure the criteria for our Reconciliation Action Plan were met. • We moved (almost seamlessly) to “next practice” as we met our strategic milestones and embedded new practices in our learning, assessment and work. • We met our key performance measures especially with Year 12. As mentioned above, in the class of 2

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2020 there were 7 Band 6 results and 48.1% of results were Bands 4, 5 or 6. This was 10% higher than in 2019 and is the best set of results in over 10 years. Despite COVID, we successfully completed the final year of the school plan and established the new work for the School improvement Plan (2021-2024) Year 7 started strongly and completed their “Deep Learning” COVID work books at or above grade level. We are now focused on giving those students a deep and expansive learning experience in Year 8. Years 8, 9, 10 and 11 stayed on track although the challenges they faced during COVID learning and the loss of co-curricular and extra-curricular learning were often missed by decision makers who were very focused on Year 12. The school will receive just over $300000 in 2021 for the COVID Intensive Learning Support program. As we moved to full online and device-based learning, the school’s careful management of its financial and technological resources combined with decisions made by senior staff to act early, meant all students had access to devices and senior students had access to “dongles” for connectivity. At a systems level beyond the school it appeared difficult to address the inequity, especially for students from communities experiencing significant disadvantage. As a school we are proud of our efforts and the support of almost all families. Our evolving professional work practices, systems and culture sustained our strategic purposes – we delivered our purpose of being a “Highly Accomplished School”. We continued (and will continue) to underpin our work with the school values, platforms and subject based charters. We will deliver those platforms through school wide strategies including strengths-based learning, creativity, rigour and tenacity in learning programs, Raising Responsibility, Rigorous Reading and Writing. We had enough evidence to demonstrate that our work at this school should always focus on progress as the path to achievement. Our understanding of learning progressions in capabilities and in each subject, our expertise in embedding task based formative assessment in learning and lesson design, the effective use of teaching teams and signature, subject/coursebased learning, and the integration of capabilities across the curriculum have both improved our compliance with NESA requirements and reinforced our capacity to deliver high quality universal, targeted and intensive learning. We used new types of evidence (especially in school operations, wellbeing and attendance) to ensure evidence informed learning and effective decision making. We appointed a Deputy Principal Business Systems and Administration (Mr John Meng) who provided leadership in best practice evidence, improved operational systems and management of finances and infrastructure.

When we are asked about what we are doing to be the successful school we are, we love to answer. We focus on the “verbs” – on shifting the work and learning practices to deliver innovation and new ways of knowing, doing and being. We called 2020 the 3rd year of the “doing verb” …what are we doing? How well are we doing it? What can we do better? What can we do smarter? What will we do? And, what will we stop doing so we can focus on what we have to do. Today is the first day of the New Lunar Year which is celebrated across Asia. In the Buddhist tradition, we are advised: • • •

Be careful what you think because your thoughts become your words. Be careful what you say because your words become your actions. Be careful what you do because your actions (what you choose to do) become your life.

Those receiving recognition today achieved a personal best by continually evaluating their own performance and taking responsibility for their learning, progress and work. They took responsibility for what they were DOING. So, in 2021 as we move into the new School Improvement Plan Model designed by the Department of Education we have decided that the 2021 Core Value will again be Excellence – with a focus on doing a personal best and answering the question – have you done your best? We will try to deliver that value in all we say and do because we know we are judged by our behaviour, judged by what we do and, in the end by what we achieve. We will have 3 areas of strategic focus: Growth and Attainment, Student Agency and Next Practice delivered through 11 new initiatives and careful redesign of our work, our patterns of behaviour and our learning practices. Underpinning it all will be what we do. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence than, is not and act but a habit. (Will Durant) We will focus on the tiny habits that make a difference (BJ Hogg). We will understand that progress towards a goal comes from having the ability to do it, the motivation to do it and the identification and action on the “triggers” that will help us have better and smarter habits.

For those leaving us, please take your best habits and ways of doing your life and learning with you. For those staying, what fun we are going to have going for our personal best. Congratulations to you all on the recognition you are receiving today and best wishes for the journey that lies ahead of each of you.

Dux of the School & Rooty Hill High School, School Council Student of the Year - Sussana Zaman

Sussana Zaman pictured with Principal Ms Christine Cawsey, 2019 Student of the Year, Ms Amanda Fuiono who presented the award.

Dux of the School 2020 Address - Sussana Zaman Good Morning to the school community, Ms Cawsey, Ms Mattimore, Mrs Vuki, staff, students, and community members. After such a warm, generous introduction, I humbly say thank you as the recipient of the Dux award 2020. Before I say anything else, I’d like to congratulate all of the award winners and their achievements that’s been formally recognised at today’s assembly. I’m not going to say how it was all easy, because it wasn’t. Not for me, or for anyone in this hall. When reflecting on my journey, I am reminded of just how much our school’s motto of PERSIST is embedded within the culture of our school. As usual, the school had me and my peers covered in ways others didn’t always see, but it made my HSC year that much more achievable. For example, my laptop often fails on me more times than I can count and my internet connection is terrible. I’d like to firstly, thank the school, who provided me with a laptop and an internet dongle to aid my ability to achieve my best. Rooty

Hill High School’s school culture also means that no student is left behind. This is a school that cares about those in their community. Due to my financial situation, the school helped cover the costs for graduation and formal, therefore easing some of the tension and worry. I’m sure there are many students with their own set of struggles and at this school, we are given a fair chance to work hard and achieve our goals. As a student at Rooty Hill High School, I was presented and encouraged to take on a lot of opportunities, and was involved in innovative programs and initiatives; such as the South Korean Connected Classroom, USYD partnerships, Student Report Writing, and presenting on behalf of the school community for External Validation against the School Excellence Framework. Being involved in all of these allowed me to see a little more clearly all the possibilities that could be accessed by me. And as school captain, I helped organise whole school events, working closely with Ms Cawsey and observing how a balance of professionalism, compassion, and having a break is integral to me as a person and to the world around us. The transferable skills that I have learned during my time here at Rooty Hill High School have equipped me with the tools that I now will use when navigating University and work. Let’s focus on the ‘having a break’ part for a minute. Being a student is stressful with all the other things going on in our lives. And as we spend most of our time in our head, we need to make it a nice place to live in. It needs a comfy bed so we can relax when life goes out of control. For that, I’d like to thank our year advisor Miss Douglas for being a life-line to myself, and many others, she was an unpaid therapist, and a friend who I could count on to help ease my worries so I could sleep peacefully at night. Next, my room needs a desk so that my brain remains focussed on my goals. For this, I’d like to thank my teachers, Miss Dolling, Miss Zeibots, Miss Parbery and Mr Wrigley, for providing me with helpful resources that definitely came in handy during the HSC, and thoroughly keeping me busy over the years. This little room also needs a window where light can shine in every morning and introduce a breath of fresh air. This honour goes to my friends and cohort. Thank you for being funny, kind, cute, and caring people who never failed to bring a smile on my face. You are the window that shone light in my life. And finally, the room wouldn’t be complete without a fully stocked fridge and clean water; the essentials in life. And of course, that role goes to my family. You would make sure I was eating properly and bring me fruits to snack on when I was too busy. I have been 4

trying to get my 8 glasses of water each day; not there yet but it is a working progress. However, I always had you to remind me. The love and care you show me is irreplaceable and that's why I give you the biggest thanks of all because you are the people I can’t live without. So, thank you to the people who furnished my happy place and helped keep each other sane as you are the brain break that helped me achieve this award. To that, I’d like to conclude with a round of applause to all those here who fought through adversity in an incredibly difficult year and I wish you all the best.

STAFF & COMMUNITY AWARDS Leadership for Learning Award - Ms Catherine Lucas In 2009, ACER published a book written by the school principal called Learning for Leadership based on the story of the school's leadership in professional practice. The proceeds of the book are now used to give this award, an award given to a teacher in the school who, in the opinion of the principal and deputy principals has demonstrated exemplary leadership as a classroom teacher and leader of teachers. Catherine Lucas has been an English teacher at Rooty Hill High School since 2007 and is recognised for her leadership as a teacher, NSW Teachers Federation representative, Professional Practice Mentor, Professional Learning and Leadership Team member and leader, relieving Head Teacher and mentor. Catherine is recognised across the school-community for her deep intellectual leadership, capacity to create systems, design of quality professional learning, commitment to the innovative work of this school and her capacity to work collaboratively with others to create programs that have an impact on student progress and achievement. She has very high expectations of herself and others. She plans meticulously and her coleadership of the design and delivery of the Rigorous Reading program has moved the school’s reading programs to next practice. She is an excellent classroom teacher whose classroom is assessment centred to meet the needs of each student. The teaching of English is underpinned by deep knowledge of language forms, literature and the ways in which cultural thinking and language shapes communication. Successful teaching of English is not for the faint hearted and Catherine has the respect of colleagues, parents and students for the very high standards she sets for herself and her students. Those standards underpin all her work and she never expects of others those things she would not expect from herself first. Her own writing is exemplary and is often used a

model to help other colleagues prepare academic, professional and accreditation reports. In her role as NSW Teachers Federation representative, Catherine had the trust of the staff. She supported colleagues in dealing with complex industrial and professional matters, always with the capacity to focus on agreed solutions and what would need to be done to work towards those agreements. The result was a long period of industrial harmony within the school while working tirelessly for the students of western Sydney, their families and secondary teachers. In her role as Professional Learning and Leadership Team coleader she has created a culture where planning, supported by deep professional learning, implementing supported by evidence and careful learning design and reviewing based on evidence of impact on progress and the achievement of benchmarks, including NAPLAN is now shared across the team and then into each subject and faculty team. In her role as Professional Practice Mentor and Relieving Head Teacher, she has worked closely with colleagues to support new and beginning teachers, codesign and deliver professional learning at APST Highly Accomplished, has supported the Head Teacher in the design of assessment practices and coordinated a significant shift to programming and the success of Teaching Teams during COVID-19 in 2020. Her work as a member of the school’s executive was recognised with the Executive Director’s Award for leadership in Term 3 2020. The school is delighted to recognise Catherine Lucas as the recipient of this award for 2020 and to invite her to join the very special group of teacher leaders who have received this recognition in previous years.

Ms Catherine Lucas, pictured with Ms Christine Cawsey and Ms Melanie Douglas.

Parents & Citizens Association and School Council Award for Outstanding Community Contribution - Ms Michelle Mackey In 2013, the school’s Parents & Citizens Association (P&C) commissioned an award to be presented by the P&C to a student, staff member, parent, alumni or community partner whose work for the school community has made a significant difference to the school. In 2020 the school decided to recognise the contribution to the school made by Michelle Mackey – parent, contributor, advocate and Canteen Manager. Many of our staff, parents and community members have valued the mentoring and advice they receive from Michelle when the visit the school and deal with the Canteen team. Our students have appreciated Michelle’s willingness to be involved with them and support them making good health choices. Michelle has promoted the school and has participated in the selection of staff as part of interview panels. She understands and represents the views of current parents, the school-community and she shares a positive, creative and adaptable view of the opportunities for the future of the school. It is with great pleasure that the school-community recognises and thanks Michelle for her contributions to our school-community.

Ms Michelle Mackey, pictured with Councillor Tony Bleasdale OAM, Mayor of Blacktown and Ms Christine Cawsey.

INDIVIDUAL & ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Haka Warrior Team Members: Taiala Fuiono Michael Gosche Fred Kupu Zinshel Leha Shannon Saipaia Anthony Aisake Zecharriah Den Tulaga Iosefa Tagimamao Koro Charlie Maretu Ofisa Douglas Ofisa Malakai Suitupe Prince Utailogo Kostja Vitalis Japheth Arona Lukus Fa’okula Sosefo Lomano Ezeckel Mascarenas George S Su’a Josaiah Saulala Rossles Stanley Tuitleva Taufa Senituli Tuipulotu Fiaalii Va’afusuaga David Velio Year 10 and 11 RoSA GPA Awards – 4.5 or above Year 10 Jamee Balzan Aron Diwa Andrew Doan Tasha Fuentes Nathaniel Guzman Marzia Hashimi Amanda Ngo Vinuji Polwaththa Gallage Celestine Salimbangon Bilal Shah Aemareign Daphne Sunga Year 11 Aeron Vicente

Year 10 ROSA GPA Award recipients pictured with Ms Thelma Vuki and Ms Elise Edney.

TEAM

Representative Team of the Year - Haka Warriors

Year 11 ROSA GPA Award winner pictured with Ms Conny Mattimore and Ms Bernadette Corpuz. Haka Warriors Team Leaders pictured with Mr Edmond Atalla, Member for Mount Druitt and Ms Sarah Andrews. 6

Rooty Hill High School Visual Arts Acquisition Prize - Sussana Zaman Artist Statement: My body of work expresses dreams as harbingers of creativity and fantasies from our unconscious that feed our imagination. Our imagination is populated by all kinds of characters playing many distinct roles. I chose to highlight the beauty in dreams and fantasies nurtured from childhood memories as each piece is inspired by my childhood favourite films: Alice in Wonderland, Narnia the Lion and the Witch and the Wardrobe, Studio Ghibli films, and Peter Pan. These films have become a conscious part of who I am and my mental environment which they dwell. Childhood dreams will always be stored within our hearts treasure chest as precious jewels that form the dreamscape of upcoming adulthood.

VET Student of the Year – Kealoha Tautuiaki

Betty Andersen Memorial Practical Science Award Heritage Aladegbaye and Aidan Goundar

Sussana Zaman’s HSC Artwork Pieces titled ‘Dreamscape’, pictured above.

Reuben F Scarf Award for Commitment & Caltex Best All-Rounder Award Reuben F Scarf Award - Ali Almoail Caltex Best All-Rounder - Aleeya Balfas

Betty Anderson Memorial Science Practical Award winners pictured with Mr Edmond Atalla MP, Ms Kylie Munzenberger and Ms Sussana Zaman.

Australian Defence Force Long Leadership & Teamwork Award

Tan

Year 10 – Tasha Fuentes Year 12 – Tarsha Daly

Australian Defence Force Future Innovators Award Year 10 – Joel Zahra Year 12 – Remiel Merlan

Reuben F Scarf Award for Commitment & Caltex Best All-Rounder Award winners pictured with Councillor Tony Bleasdale OAM.

ADF award recipients pictured with Corporal Ronald Schultz, Defence Force Recruiting Sydney. 7

Deputy Principal’s Award for Most Improved Student

Chifley School Service Award & Science and Technology Prize

Deputy Principal’s Award for Most Improved Student award recipients pictured with Deputy Principals Ms Thelma Vuki and Ms Constance Mattimore.

Chifley School Service Award & Science and Technology Prize recipients, pictured with Councillor Brad Bunting.

Year 7 – William Amson Year 8 – Brock Delaney Year 9 – Bryce Green Year 10 – Marzia Hashimi Year 11 – Christopher Gillett Year 12 – Claire Paler

Jan Van Doorn Personal Best Award

School Service Award Year 7 – Daniel Ademovic Year 8 – Mikayla Grosvenor Year 8 – Emma O’Toole Year 9 – Mahek Janif Year 10 – Andrew Doan Year 11 – Phoebe Birett Year 12 – Evan Ademovic Year 12 – Chad Zahra Science and Technology Prize Remiel Merlan

Dux Years 7 – 11

Jan Van Doorn Personal Best Award recipients, pictured with Mr Jan Van Doorn, Ms Thelma Vuki and Ms Constance Mattimore.

Year 7 – Danica Tahana Year 8 – Xavier Jones Year 9 – Naba Alhameed Year 10 – Natalie Reeves Year 11 – Darcy Rusconi Year 12 – Alison Gamsby Year 12 - Danah Al-Jorani

Year 7 – Rebecca Gao Year 8 – Marian Unay Year 9 – Zahra Almoaiel Year 10 – Jamee Balzan Year 11 – Aeron Vicente

Year 7 Dux Speech – Rebecca Gao Good afternoon, my fellow peers, teachers, and special guests my parents. My name is Rebecca Gao as some of you will already know. I am honoured to be receiving the year 7 DUX of 2020 in front of you all. As we all recognize, this year has been difficult for every single one of us. We all walked through those gates as new year 7 students, and never knew what we would be faced with this year. We have acquired a new maturity and resilience due to the challenges we have been faced with. Even though we have had COVID to deal with, which greatly affected us all and our start to school, we all tried our best. I am particularly grateful for the teachers, our Deputy Ms Mattimore, and our Principal Ms Cawsey, as they had to put a lot of effort into the google classrooms and keeping all of us engaged and learning during that time. There has been more than one essential activity cancelled due to COVID, however on the bright side, we are about to be graced with a new year in 2021 and hopefully a smooth beginning to year 8. This year, I choose to be grateful for all the people who helped me out like my teachers, friends and especially my family. I simply desire to congratulate everybody for working their hardest this year, as 12 months of year 7 is one of the most essential years to have an excellent beginning at our new school. Despite the difficulties, I believe we have made that happen. I encourage all of you to enter 2021 with the goal to do your best, work to your strengths and constantly improve yourselves. Most of all, I wish you all a safe and happy holiday. Thank you.

Year 8 Dux Speech – Marian Unay Good afternoon, distinguished guests, teachers, parents and my fellow Year 8 cohort. It is a tremendous privilege to stand before you today, honoured as the Year 8 DUX of 2020. I am filled with great pride to be able to celebrate and recognise not only the academic awards presented but also the great efforts and achievements of every student in our grade. I truly want to congratulate you all for your amazing performance this year, despite the many obstacles we’ve faced. As I look back on my high school experience so far, I wonder if I was ever the same person. I’ve grown in many ways, (clearly not in height.) but I’ve taken a step further into finding who I am and where I fit in, in our world. We are all just tiny mechanical cogs fitting into a clock, in this case, the clock is Earth, a symbol of time

and ongoing opportunities. We, as individuals, work together in our chosen roles to make the clock function. The cogs of our clock were a bit slow and rusty at the beginning of our high school adventure, we’d just gotten to know each other, still trying to process unfamiliar faces and sometimes get lost getting to class. At that moment, a totally different and oddly shaped cog dropped into our perfectly calibrated clock. That slowed our time for a bit, we’d stress out and worry about the most trivial things. As we ended our first year of high school, that once rusty cog has now found its place and we’ve picked up a smooth and steady pace. Little did we know that multiple unwelcome cogs would drop in into our once again messily functioned clock during our second year. The sky was painted with red and orange hues as smoke enveloped us at the beginning of 2020 and just as we thought things couldn’t get worse a global pandemic broke out. Covid-19 took a huge toll on our learning. We were stuck in our houses for a month or so and were required to attend online school. Communicating with teachers through emails and getting the help we needed seemed almost impossible. Yes, it did have its advantages, such as lying in bed all day, getting snacks whenever and napping if we felt like it. Chatting with friends online and having ‘study’ calls were frequent and I can’t say I didn’t enjoy that. We as a year group have conquered countless numbers of cogs that were thrown our way. I am very proud to be called an individual of Year 8 2020. Let’s face it, this year was undoubtedly not a good year for many of us, but you can’t deny that your best memories were created in the past 12 months. We’ve befriended others we never thought we would talk to, we managed to do well in our classes despite the sudden change, we’ve laughed with teachers and somehow survived Mr Ross’s dad jokes. I would like to express my gratitude to the teachers who have helped me get to where I am today. I am remarkably grateful to be a student of yours. I would like to thank my friends who’ve had the misfortune of dealing with me, I truly appreciate you guys, I don’t even think I would survive without all your help. Last but not least, I would like to thank my family. Through tough times you’ve all supported me in what I love doing, you’ve cheered me on and convinced me to set my goals high. I thank you immensely. Once again. Congratulations all of you. Please stay safe during our Christmas break and I hope to see those smiling faces again next year.

Year 9 Dux Speech – Zahra Almoaiel Good morning, fellow students, distinguished guests, teachers and our wonderful principal Miss Cawsey. I’m very honoured & grateful to be the year 9 DUX of 2020. I would like to attribute my success to the amazing people who helped me throughout this year which lead me to receive this achievement. I would like to thank my wonderful teachers for their help & support they provided. You haven’t just been here as teachers and looking at your job as a task but instead also been here to sacrifice your own time, and be emotional support for me and everyone else. Just being there for a chat on everything and anything has helped me and my peers in so many aspects. I highly appreciate the work & effort you have put in for us, both when learning from home and at school. To my amazing friends thank you so much for the support and encouragement you gave me throughout this year. Seeing how proud you were of me, when you knew of my achievements, motivated me further to reach my goals. Being there for reassurance and just lifting me up has really helped me throughout the year. I’m truly thankful to have such incredible friends & such an amazing group of peers. I’m sure that most of you would agree that this year has been very strange and I genuinely believe that if it wasn’t for the situation created by COVID – 19 that it could have been a completely different person standing here today giving this speech; as I know that some of us have had it harder than others. I want to congratulate everyone for their success and I know how close it has been this year for DUX and even just 1 grade had a massive difference and thus I truly believe everyone in this room should be acknowledged for their success and be immensely proud of their achievements.

received, this award most likely would not be mine today. And that’s the end of junior high school, next year comes the senior school. With that, comes more responsibility, high expectations and a new opportunity for all of us to be successful. So, I would like to wish everyone the best of luck in the next few years and a safe and happy holiday. Thank you

Year 10 Dux Speech – Jamee Balzan Good morning Ms Cawsey, Ms Vuki, Ms Munzie, Ms Edney, and year 10. Hi. A lot of you probably didn't expect to see me up here. I didn't either. But here I am. Since the day that I was told that I’m dux of year 10, I've struggled trying to figure out what to say. When I was informed by Mrs. Cawsey, she asked me a difficult question that shouldn't really have been difficult to answer- what changed this year? I didn't feel that I did anything different this year. I worked equally as hard as I always do. But the more that I thought about it, the more that I realised that this year really has been something else. So here's the part where I talk about 2020 and how it's been for me and I know for you as well. I know that this is the last thing that you want to hear right now, but what I have to say is important so bear with me.

Now before I step off the stage I would just like to acknowledge a teacher for everything he has done to help each one of us in the past few years. Mr Jackson, It’s been an amazing three years with you sir, from the first day of year 7 to the last day of junior high school. I don’t think we’ve truly appreciated your work until we’ve looked back at how much you’ve done, and how much you are a part of our Rooty hill life. You have shared your personal stories with us and given us space to share our own with you. It’s upsetting that you won’t be able to see us graduate and grow or even be here to see us in our white uniform next year, but congratulations on all your achievements with your new home, your newborn son and your new job. Your very dry jokes will definitely be missed but I genuinely thank you for everything you have done and wish you the best of luck.

I think we can all agree that 2020 has been difficult to say the least, and I know that a lot of us have developed an ‘it is what it is’ mindset. Friendships have been tested, grades have fluctuated, and a lot of bad habits have been picked up. And I didn’t want to say the dreaded c word- covid- but that has had a massive impact on all of us too. For some it was good, because you could alt tab between the google hangouts and your computer games, and oversleep everyday of online learning, and for some it was bad, because it brought out your inner procrastinator, and you struggled to find motivation. I’m in the same boat as you guys, I’ve faced my fair share of challenges. However, I had people by my side to help me get through everything, such as my close friends, my teachers, and my family. Words can't express how grateful I am for the encouragement, laughter and support that they have shown me this year. Because of this, I was able to seek more opportunities to better my understanding, such as engaging more in teacher student discussions, and also improve my health and wellbeing by making an effort to participate in more sports. But I don't want to stand here and talk about what went right for me. Standing up here and talking about myself just doesn’t feel like something I would do. I would rather talk about what can go right for you.

Again, thank you so much to everyone who helped me throughout the year without the support I had

Okay this speech wasn't meant to turn into something inspirational that you've heard 3 times already in the 10

past hour. But as a fellow student, who can empathise and share my own experiences, it's important to me that you know that things will get better for you soon, just like they have for me this year. I know that I'm not the person you want to hear this from. And I know that most of you are eager to start your holidays already (the speech is halfway done if you were wondering). But it is important to me that all of you, even those who I've literally never said a word to, know that you have my full support. I hope that you all enjoy the time you have together. I hope that you all value your opportunities, and face more challenges with courage and determination. I hope that you can all self-reflect, and try to conquer the things that are weighing you down. I hope that you all follow your dreams, and accomplish big things. It doesn’t seem like it right now, but completing year 10 is a big deal, and what comes next really does matter. I want you all to know that I’m proud of you. And even if I never see you again after this assembly, if you're off doing trades, or moving houses, or seeking new schooling opportunities, I wish you the absolute best for your future. I know that this speech has just become me saying my goodbyes and giving my best wishes. But I mean this is probably the only opportunity that I have to talk to you all for the last time, and leave you with a meaningful message, so I don’t want to waste my chance. Thank you for being my year group for the past 4 years, through the good times and through the hardships. Thank you for your love and support. Know that I genuinely would not be standing here if not for all of you guys. Thank you.

Year 11 Dux Speech – Aeron Vicente Well, there you have it. We now have a new person to take the position of DUX for 2020, to take over Zaheda’s place after her four-year streak as the dux of our year. That being said, it is a huge honour for me to stand here. As you often hear people say - we managed to “make it through” another year of high school. I think that in 2020 that sounds very true. I want to reflect on my year. To think I, Aeron Vicente, would start off at a different school; not be able to settle into it; suddenly land back here in Year 11 at RHHS; cry and worry through the horrors of online learning in quarantine; burn myself out during the prelims and finish as Dux of Yr11. I could just say “it is what it is” but knowing my own rough journey of year 11, I have much more in mind to express. 2020 has genuinely made many of us go through a terrifying roller-coaster, which wrapped us up in a

tangled web of joy, shock, frustration and especially confusion. For what I know, it took some sweat, tears, and time to get through an array of events, ranging from midnight workloads to the daily struggles of getting out of bed. I promised myself at the start of 2020 that I would take big leaps for change, to become more open, active, productive and revive my mental health. Did I manage to do any of that during the COVID year? I felt for much of the year that my connections, wellbeing and especially my sanity went in the opposite direction. At times I genuinely questioned my purpose at school and in life and what kind of mess I was getting myself into. Even today, it’s a constant battle but I know I am not going to give up that easily. For any of us to succeed in achieving our own goals, we have to take small steps to make huge strides. Such strides involve needing to put in the effort, dedication, patience and willpower every day to really make progress. For me, in 2020, that has often been the hard part...doing the small steps, keeping to the daily routines and just getting it done. As I wrote this address I tried to understand how I should look at this to explain it. I would say it’s all part of the unpredictable natural process of how we work as individuals around our personal challenges in order to move forward. Whether it be gigantic leaps or the smallest baby steps; whether we are willing to change and find out that it's okay to fall down because we know that at the end of the day, we can get back on our feet, much fiercer than ever. Here is where PERSIST comes into play, the seven words that we’ve constantly heard throughout our high school journey, to drive towards success. I want to thank my dearest family. I would give them my immense thanks and love for supporting my decisions throughout the previous years, especially during this one. Thanks to the many friends and folks who've cared for me so long. I cannot thank you enough for remaining at my side. I recognise and acknowledge you for helping me to keep my head high, especially during my times of maxi-distress and minibreakdowns. To the teachers whom I’ve nagged with constant questions demanding answers, I'm highly thankful that you still persisted with me in sharing your wisdom and guidance along my path of learning.

And for once truly, I want to thank myself for managing to put up with the rollercoaster of triumphs and downfalls that were worth facing, in order to find my true self. To tell the truth I am still working on the “true self” bit! Like the subjects we are all studying I am a work in progress. Look where we are now, Year 12. We have finished the Preliminary HSC part of the journey. We're nearing the conclusion of our high school journey. As we know of the end-goal, we will have to prepare in 2021 to bid our farewells, follow our own separate paths and go forth to prevail in life. Yet first, we still have a few more battles to face within our final year, the biggest being the HSC. We have a lot to get through before we can be “crowned with victory” at the 2021 graduation. For that, we just have to hold on tight, motivate each other and strive to keep working smarter, not harder. For each of us to manage the changes that are coming and to achieve our optimal best we need to focus on the day to day steps. That is what I will have to do. If I can make it up here on this podium despite my doubts, I believe any of us have the capacity to achieve our goals even if we least expect it. You have your motives, you have your strengths, you have your mind and you have your own selves. You have all the weapons (not just tools) you need to get through the final year. Here is where I share my courage and hope upon you all and ask you to do your absolute best and make the most out of our final year of high school. What each of us does makes the whole group better. Do whatever you can to make yourself proud, and let us make some of the best memories for 2021. Thank you.

Student Subject Awards, Outstanding Achievement Awards & Sports Champions. Year 7 Name Rayne Alefosio Christopher Aoun Victoria Brockway Jayden Chua Naira Fazlani

Alyssa FlanaganRogers Rebecca Gao Sidra Jafari Tyarn Lees Priya Muduliar Alexander Perry Madeline Phillips Dhwani Ramwani Divine Sang-Yum Emily Stephenson Joshua Vella

Award Best Performer PDHPE Outstanding Achievement Outstanding Achievement Sports Champion - Junior Boys Outstanding Achievement Best Performer HSIE Outstanding Achievement Best Performer CAPA Best Performer TAS Best Performer LOTE Best Performer MATHS Sports Champion - Junior Girls Outstanding Achievement Outstanding Achievement Outstanding Achievement Outstanding Achievement Outstanding Achievement Best Performer English Best Performer Science Outstanding Achievement

Year 7 Outstanding Achievement and Subject Award recipients pictured with Ms Constance Mattimore and Eastern Creek Public School Principal Ms Lee Sibir.

Year 8 Name Dan Nicolas Bonifacio Rembert Chavez Gabriel Convento Jazlyn Graza Freshta Hashimi Zena Jalil Xiu Hui Lim Henna Mansory Terry Nguyen Farah Sideq Ryzell Soria Jacob Stirk Marian Unay Jassmine Urfano

Award Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer English Best Performer CAPA Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer TAS Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer MATHS Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer HSIE Best Performer PDHPE Best Performer Science Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Premier's Sporting Challenge Medal

Year 8 Outstanding Achievement, Sporting and Subject Award recipients pictured with Ms Thelma Vuki, Mr Ben Hewitt, Minchinbury Public School Principal Ms Rebecca Webster and School Captains.

Year 9 Name Gizem Biber Jennifer Buckley Reign Dimayuga Bianca Dodd Dansia Gomes Dean Gower Corey Hargreaves Ariana Iosefo Amina Mohammadi

Owen Munday Reynald Narayan Ucheme Ohiaeri Blake Puckeridge Madison Puckeridge Rene Sarraj

Award Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer TAS VIEW Award for Outstanding Achievement in Education Best Performer English Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer Mathematics Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer Science Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer PDHPE Best Performer CAPA Best Performer HSIE

Year 9 Outstanding Achievement, Sporting and Subject Award recipients pictured with Ms Constance Mattimore, Ms Chantal Balman, Rooty Hill Public School Relieving Principal Mr Scott Fisk & School Captains.

Year 10 Name Jamee Balzan Anam Diwan Andrew Doan

Tasha Fuentes

Nathaniel Guzman Marzia Hashimi Nicole Li Amanda Ngo Vinuji Polwaththa Gallage Celestine Salimbangon Bilal Shah Aemareign Daphne Sunga Joel Zahra

Award Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer TAS Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer Science Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer Mathematics Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer PDHPE Best Performer HSIE Best Performer CAPA Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Sports Champion - Senior Girls Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer English Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement

Year 11 Name Phoebe Birett Julia Buckley Lorrye Genobili Achita Hansoongnern Mia Iaulualo Zoe Krabbe Timuray Mentesh Jessica Miller Arya Nooralizadeh Asl Nwazuruka Ohiaeri GenovevaConstantina Stuparu Jason Suarez Aeron Vicente Rhys Walker

Award Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer HSIE Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer PDHPE Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer Science Victor Chang School Science Award Best Performer Mathematics Best Performer CAPA Victor Chang School Science Award Best Performer TAS Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer English Best Performer VET (Retail Services)

Year 10 Outstanding Achievement, Sporting and Subject Award recipients pictured with Ms Thelma Vuki, Ms Elise Edney, Eastern Creek Public School Principal Ms Lee Sibir & School Captains.

Year 11 Outstanding Achievement, Sporting and Subject Award recipients pictured with Ms Constance Mattimore, Ms Bernadette Corpuz and Minchinbury Public School Principal Ms Rebecca Webster and School Captains.

Year 12 Name Evan Ademovic Ali Almoail Divina Ambat Aleeya Balfas Cyrus Cayton Isabella Croft Alison Gamsby Aidan Goundar Maryrose Guerra Jaspreet Kaur Alexia Khalil Atsupui Delphone Koudakpo Hayden Lupton Rumman Memon Remiel Merlan Thomas Morris

Joshua O'Neill

Claire Paler Emily Rough Zeel Shah Hayze Tauveve Chad Zahra Sussana Zaman Sussana Zaman Mike Zamora

Award Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer Mathematics Best Performer PDHPE Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement

Year 12 Outstanding Achievement, Sporting and Subject Award recipients pictured with Ms Thelma Vuki, Ms Melanie Douglas, Rooty Hill Public School Relieving Principal Mr Scott Fisk and School Captains.

Graduation 2020

Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Personal Best Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer TAS Sports Champion - Senior Boys Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement School Based Apprentice Regional Finalist Best Performer HSIE Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer CAPA Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Olympic Changemaker Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer English Best Performer Science Principal's Award for Outstanding Achievement 15

Rooty Hill High School Learning, Leadership & Achievement North Parade, Rooty Hill NSW 2766 P.O. Box 70, Rooty Hill NSW 2766 Phone: 02 9625 8104 Follow Rooty Hill High School: