Rooty Hill High School - Missing Link Term 1 2024

MISSING LINK Term 1 2024

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE

As we come to the end of a very productive and busy term, I want to thank all the staff, students and families who helped us make such a great start to the year.

We started with reviewing 2023 and, as the school’s 2023 annual report showed we had a number of significant achievements including in our HSC results, in improvements in our student progress and in the success of the programs we organised. Our successes were recognised at the Excellence Assembly and reported in the “Excellence Assembly Missing Link” (ML) earlier in the term and there are links on the school’s website to videos, the annual report and all the ML articles. 2027 school plan and it will be loaded on the

This term we also welcomed Year 7. They have made a very good start to Year 7 and been actively involved in academic programs, relationship building, sports and the arts. All students completed the peer support program and 70 students volunteered (and completed training) to be school ambassadors in Year 7 and the new “face of the school”.

As you will read in later sections all year groups had a busy and productive term. Year 8 went on camp. Year 9 started their planning for completing the junior school and being ready for Year 10. Years 10 and 11 commenced senior work to achieve the RoSA with a focus on attendance, participation, work completion and high-quality assessment progress. Year 12 completed the first semester of the HSC and increasingly demonstrated their ability to balance life, work and academic study.

Our senior leaders spoke at the Learning Neighbourhood Student Leaders conference and were warmly received.

We also had a lot of very special whole school events in Term 1 including the swimming carnival, excursions, Harmony in Diversity Day and ANZAC day. As you read about these in the rest of ML, please think about the powerful culture that ensures we all can choose to belong and to be included in a culture of teamwork and leadership.

As I said earlier in the term, the core PERSIST value we have chosen for this year is the value of “Teamwork and Leadership”. During the year we will ask students, families, staff and partners if they have been an asset to our team. We will value when “individuals work together to create a harmonious, tolerant and effective school community.

We have already faced some external challenges including some staffing shortages, and some threats to our funding. In these times, it is more important than ever that we all do our best, work together and make sure students can do their best. Our students are not passive receivers of education. Our students are active, engaged and (for the most part) enthusiastic agents of their own lives. As we open new pathways and opportunities, and as western Sydney continues to change, we want each student to be prepared for their options by doing the best they can in the present. Finally, this term I would like to thank three staff who are leaving us:

• Ms Haigh who has received a transfer to another school from the start of Term 2.

JIM ANDERSON SCHOLARSHIP

Congratulations to Amity Dukleski and Naba Alhameed who were awarded the Jim Anderson Scholarship at Western Sydney University.

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE REPORT

Written by Ms Nellie Harb

• We want to acknowledge and thank Linda Graham (Head Teacher TAS) for her outstanding teaching service and wish her the best in her retirement.

• All teaching, administrative and support staff participated in professional learning during Term 1 School Development Days on subject based curriculum and assessment reform. Staff were able to initiate, review and interpret DoE, NESA and school policies and other documents to inform their faculty and team planning for 2024.

• Ms Stepfner, who started our first MH1 class and who has been successful in getting a new role in a primary school, working with children in Kindergarten. She knows that is different from working with high-school age students and is excited for the opportunity! I would like to thank her for her great work.

• Ms Graham who has taught at this school since 2007, been Head Teacher TAS since 2019 and who has decided to retire. She has been an outstanding teacher and leader over many years, and she will be missed.

So, thanks for the term. Thanks to Ms Vuki who relieved as principal for the last 2 weeks and thanks to everyone else who made a major contribution to the school this term. You will see them acknowledged in the following pages.

Have a safe and happy holiday.

Christine

Cawsey AM Principal

• 5 new and beginning teachers have engaged in fortnightly Beginning Teacher Induction meetings throughout Term 1. The purpose of these meetings is to support colleagues in developing and improving teaching and learning practice, as well as use the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers to identify and plan for professional learning needs.

• New and Beginning Teachers attended the annual Rooty Hill Community Bus Tour. This was an opportunity for staff to learn more about the context and demographics of our school community.

• Rooty Hill High School hosted the professional learning event; Introduction to ENVoY - NonVerbal Classroom Management that Works. This professional learning provided teachers with a range of non-verbal strategies to manage student behaviour and shift focus in the classroom onto teaching and learning.

• RHHS also hosted the RIOT Showcase, an opportunity for school leaders across Sydney to share successes, learnings and experiences from RIOT implementation. Special thanks and congratulations to Brendan Crosilla and Daynah Elford who presented on behalf of RHHS on the topic of - Building Resilient Futures: Integrating RIOT Training into School Policy at RHHS. In 2023 RHHS successfully integrated the Resilience In Our Teens (RIOT) training into the schools relational policy framework.

• 3 Teachers and Support Staff, alongside teachers from Erskine Park High School, undertook 27 hours of professional learning from Tuesday to Friday of

Week 9. This professional learning was on Choice Theory Reality Therapy (CTRT), a signature relational platform used by the school in its teaching, learning and wellbeing practices.

• Professional Learning and Leadership Teams (PLLTs) met to establish the 2024 School Plan initiatives and activities.

Vale Ms Catherine Howard

Mrs Howard dedicated many years of her life to Rooty Hill High School, commencing in 1994 and retiring in April 2021. Throughout her time at the school, she served in various roles, including as a kitchen assistant, library assistant, and administrative officer.

Let us remember Mrs Howard fondly for her contributions to our school and the influence she had on the lives of students, staff, and everyone who had the privilege of knowing her.

Mrs Howard sadly passed away on the 7th of February 2024. May she rest in peace.

Farewell to Lara Ferri – TSO/SASS

Lara Ferri began her time with Rooty Hill High School as a Year 7 student in 2013.

As a year 7 student interested in technology, Lara joined the ranks of the Robotics club and within a very short period she established herself as a driving force in the club. Lara participated in many of the UNSW Robotics competitions. Lara continued to grow in her studies at RHHS - not only academically but also as part of School Service. Lara was selected as chair of the SRC for 2017 and represented the

school and fellow students across the greater school environment.

Lara completed her HSC in 2018. Lara set her sights on higher education and in 2019 began her tertiary studies in Law at Western Sydney University. In 2024 she completed her studies and was awarded her Bachelor of Law (Honors) & Bachelor of Criminal Justice (Distinction).

While undertaking her studies at WSU, Lara began work at RHHS as a Technical Support Officer. She took over the legacy of providing equitable support to the technology needs of both students & staff in a school committed to providing universal access to an everchanging technology environment. In her time with us, she worked tirelessly to support students & staff. We have all benefitted from Lara’s skills and dedication.

In 2023, Lara stepped back a little from the TSO position and took up the position of Paraprofessional for the School. Her support to the Senior executive and school administration was invaluable.

Lara has left Rooty Hill High School to pursue her career in Law. We wish Lara the very best for her future endeavours and we wish to pass on our sincere thanks for all her efforts in supporting the wider school community.

Dutch Teacher Visit

Written by Ms Nellie Harb

During Week 3 of this term, RHHS welcomed twelve visitors from various schools across the Netherlands. These visitors were eager to engage in conversations with both teachers and students regarding visible learning and teaching, as well as experiences and insights from Dutch and Australian education systems.

A big thankyou to our student representatives, Zena Jalil, Henna Mansory, Shaye Ryan, Petra Adamovic, Firaba Hussaini, Ceylin Diler, Ecrin Diler, Michael Khalil, Lilyarna Suitupe, Marcus Rivera, Ryan Lanau, Akenese Sofeni Ah Cheung and Benjamin Tirados, who shared their experiences and understanding of the school’s context, culture and learning.

GIRLS IN TECH

Written by Ms Tanya Newsome

Girls in Tech is an ongoing initiative between CBA and Telstra to inspire the next generation of technology talent through encouraging high school girls to consider the many opportunities of a career in STEM. The interactive exhibition showcased innovation, emerging technologies and creativity. Rooty Hill High students tried their hand at

intelligence gathering and lock-picking at CBA’s Cyber Security stand, explored artificial intelligence with Telstra, and gained hands-on experience with production tools and technologies powering animation with Animal Logic. It was an inspiring day that encouraged our talented girls to consider a career within a STEM field.

ANZAC DAY

Written by Zena Jalil and Jacob Stirk

On Wednesday the 10th of April, RHHS commemorated the ANZACs in a whole school assembly. This year, we spoke about the voices of the ANZACs and the impact they had on our present including the men who served, Indigenous Soldiers and Women.

We focused on the ANZAC women who had an active role through war and how they made sure the country still ran as they took a vast number of jobs that men once had. As more men were getting drafted, the Women further supplied ammunition to soldiers and worked as nurses for the injured and ran canteens to feed the soldiers.

A big thank you to Ms Renee Tapuska for coordinating the event and a further thank you to all of the official party who were present. Thank you to Shaye Ryan who gave the acknowledgement of country and thank you to all of the students from Entertainment who organised and ran the audio and music for the event.

A final thanks to the National Anthem singers, Riley and Madiha. The RHHS community were supportive of our commemoration.

Lest we Forget.

YEAR 7

Year Adviser Message

Year 7 have transitioned into high school smoothly and worked well together as a team. This term, Year 7 have been involved in many programs to help them ease into high school and set goals for their future. These programs include ICT Immersion Day, Peer Support with Year 9, Strengths Day and Personalised Learning Conversations.

One highlight of this term was the Swimming Carnival Year 7 demonstrated their skills inside the pool and had fun making new friends. Another highlight was Harmony in Diversity Day. It was wonderful to see Year 7 dressed up, perform and celebrate each other's cultures. Year 7 have started their journey in high school strongly. We look

forward to seeing that same energy being brought into the new term. Have a safe and fun break, and we'll see you for Term 2!

Miss Ratnappuly Year 7 Adviser

Peer Support Program

Written by Uapukupuku Teariki

Peer Support Program is an experience where you can form relationships with the older students, becoming one as a team and learning about one another. Peer Support happens once a week, and only lasted for approximately four weeks. These four weeks were all great - we created memories, had the opportunity to spread our creativity, doing fun activities, and expressing ourselves. This came to me as a realisation that not only did the Peer Support Program make such a great experience, but I could have a shoulder to lean on when I am in need of help. I hope that people who experience the Peer Support Program had as much fun as I did!

NAPLAN

Written by Aaqib Saleem

NAPLAN was held in Week 7 and went for three days: Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. NAPLAN is held so that teachers know your achievements and your academic progress. It helps your teachers know your weaknesses and strengths in different subjects. We did 4 different tests over the span of 3 days - numeracy, language conventions, writing and spelling. Everyone was really nervous on the first day. Every recess and lunch during NAPLAN everyone would discuss how well they did and how much time it would take them to complete it. Many of the people finished early which meant people were able to edit their work.

Personalised Learning Conversations

Written by Yehuda Taufan

The Personalised Learning Conversation was held on 26 February 2024. This program was useful and helped others and I realise our strengths, goals and how we could get to them. If it wasn’t for this program I would have never thought about my goals and being in school would be futile if I wasn’t aiming for something. They gave us a time to do our work which I really liked because it gave me more time to think and helped me focus on my own work. This program helped me learn more about myself, others and even my teachers which helped me build better relationships towards the people in my community.

We did this event in the hall which was the perfect place because it had less distractions and a lot of space so we weren’t all cramped up in a singular spot. All the teachers were really helpful, kind and energetic because they were helping people left and right which gave the place an inviting and accepting feeling.

Swimming Carnival

Written by Empress Matibag

The Swimming Carnival was held on 15 February, the 3rd week of high school. The whole school went on an excursion at Mount Druitt Swimming Centre, it was a beautiful experience with the whole school. We had karaoke, we all ate delicious food, we all wore Hawaiian beach outfits. We went to a shallow pool and played games. It was one of the best excursions I have experienced so far. I think everyone was over the moon about the swimming carnival.

School Platform Day

Written by Charlotte Saafi

The RHHS School Platform Day was held on the second day of high school. RHHS School Platform day is a day where all of Year 7 were able to gain an understanding on Raising Responsibility and the meaning of the Above The Line / Below The Line charts They learned how to be resilient in all situations and learned what a ‘Stress Bucket’ is and how to cope with it. Towards the end of the day, Year 7 gathered into the hall to have some fun with toilet paper! Year 7 students then went into groups and took on the challenge to create a formal dress out of toilet paper! While we were having some fun with friends, we were also displaying teamwork within our groups to make a perfect formal dress. Everyone enjoyed their time with their friends and the results of the dresses were immaculate.

LOTE

Written by Haani Muhammad Bakhsh

Coming into high school was a big change. I had never been exposed to learning a new language but now I have. I look forward to learning Chinese every lesson. We started our first lesson about Chinese New Year and we learned a lot of new knowledge and traditions about China. Chinese New Year (CNY) also known as 'Chūn jié' which is Chinese for Spring Festival. The characters for this phrase is '春节'. I enjoyed the traditional paper cutting activity, it was different and fun.

Ms Sun draws the characters clearly and gives us the correct techniques to help us with our handwriting. I was able to introduce myself in Chinese which consists of my name, age and nationality. I would like to learn more characters and sentences in Chinese in Term 2.

YEAR 8

Year Adviser Message

Year 8 have started their first term this year strong. The term started with the swimming carnival, with some students dressing to the theme in style. Year 8 Camp was a big highlight of the term. Student highlights included activities like the giant swing, hanging out with their friends in their

cabins, competing in night activities (featuring some great karaoke skills) and making new friends. As Year Adviser I was so proud to see students working together and using their leadership skills in challenges. Year 8 Camp was a lot of fun and I hope to see even more students when we go on Year 11 Camp. Year 8 should also be commended on their hard work in classrooms, learning new and more challenging content and completing interesting assessment tasks. Well done Year 8! Looking forward to a great Term 2.

Miss Elford Year

8 Adviser

Harmony in Diversity Day

Written by Lialeti Oto and Sosefina Heron

This Harmony in Diversity day we indulged in different cultural food and performances; we also experienced a variety of fun activities such as a photo booth and henna. It felt empowering to see others in their cultural dress and we felt extremely proud to be representing our culture by not only wearing our traditional clothing but also performing a Siva Samoa. Doing this made us feel closer to our heritage but also allowed others to experience our culture. Overall, this Harmony in Diversity was a day to remember as it was full of fun and acceptance.

Year 8 Camp

Written by Arshpreet Sakhala, James Aoun and Nevaeh Kake

Camp was an amazing experience for us. There was a giant swing, activities that improved our cooperation skills, a zipline, rock climbing, archery and many more physical and team activities. We are lucky to have been given the opportunities to participate in Year 8 camp and we are very grateful. During camp, we developed the abilities to lead, cooperate, and communicate with our peers.

ANZAC Assembly

Written by Amelie Whiddon

This ANZAC Day was celebrated by a whole school assembly in the quad and a Do Now activity during class time. The Assembly consisted of an acknowledgement of the country, the national anthem sung by some brilliant year 12 students and a minute of silence to show our respects to those who fought for our country. The whole school Do Now was very interesting and informative. We learned about people’s experience in the wars and listened to people telling us about how the war impacted their lives. This year we focused on the woman

who served and learned how they overcame so much. This year's ANZAC day was very informative and it was fun to learn about others' experiences.

YEAR 9

Year Adviser Message

Year 9 have been involved in many activities this term including the Swimming Carnival, various sports cups, music enrichment programs, peer mentor programs, personalised learning conversations and I personally witnessed how well they persisted to complete the NAPLAN exams. The growth this cohort have experienced during the junior years of high school has been extraordinary with all students supporting each other and their successes. Absolutely outstanding term Year 9!

Mr Crosilla Year 9 Adviser

Personalised Learning Conversations

Written by Juan Gabriel Pugosa

During our Personalized learning conversation in the hall, everyone was engaged in discussions of how we can use our strengths to set goals for improvement. Everyone had their own goal of what they could work on during Semester 1 and how it could improve us by the end of the year as we were building to (senior phase) and having that maturity, can affect us not just us but other students around us.

Swimming Carnival

Written by Atoch Amol

When we got to the swimming carnival it was a rainy cloudy day but everyone still managed to come and enjoy their day at the swimming carnival. At the swimming carnival, there was a Hawaiian-themed dress up so people came dressed up in their Hawaiian-themed outfits. There were many swimming races in different year groups. People brought speakers to listen to music, dance and had fun. Everyone had an opportunity to chat with their friends and socialise. People went around with a digital camera and took pictures of people and their friend groups, creating memories.

NAPLAN

Written by Ashley Brown

During NAPLAN this year the students were placed in the hall and we had our tests. Some students were placed into the learning centre and another classroom. In the hall, we sat in rows. We were provided with our paper with a code printed on it, a pencil and a laptop. A code was on the big whiteboard at the front of the room helping us log into NAPLAN.

The teachers were very helpful and helped with all the tech issues and other problems we may have had. After we finished the tests, we would sit there patiently waiting for the allocated time to finish. NAPLAN spread over the span of 3 days, we managed to do 4 exams in that time. The exams were Language, Numeracy, Reading and Writing.

Peer Support Program

Written by Robby Ghantous

During peer support, the groups that demonstrated values, culture and resilience to our Year 7 students completed activities such as playing games and teaching the students how to be responsible and respectful to their peers and teachers The students our activities fun

Sport

Written by Omar Elomari

This year is our last year of whole grade sport. We got a chance to pick our different types of sports to learn and achieve new knowledge and skills. Double sport was really fun and interesting because we got to compete against our teachers during basketball king of the court. We also learnt how to play good strategies for our upcoming U15 tryouts.

Volleyball

Written by Serena Bingas

This year for Volleyball, students who were chosen to be in the team are participating in training every week to improve their volleyball skills. They were also training for their upcoming volleyball school cup.

With them in the team, they were able to train with other people from different grades and even practice by playing volleyball when we had breaks. These volleyball players were able to develop a special skill and were able to get better at a specific skill that they once couldn’t do in volleyball but now can do it.

YEAR 10

Year Adviser Message

The term began with a new uniform, new challenges and lots of new opportunities. A number of students were recognised at the Excellence Assembly for their academic, sporting and community efforts in 2023. Students attended a whole year group assembly to start mapping out their future career pathways and setting short and long-term goals to work towards. Congratulations to students who represented the school, zone and region in sport. It is fantastic to see so many Year 10 students achieving high levels in their chosen sports.

Miss Short Year 10 Adviser

UNSW Gateway Program

Swimming Carnival

40 year 10 students were selected to be a part of the UNSW Gateway program. The Gateway Program is for students in Years 10, 11 and 12 who want to discover UNSW degree options, explore future career opportunities and access additional resources for the HSC.

Participating in the Gateway Program also provides critical support to receive an early offer to UNSW through the Gateway Admission Pathway. This program is a stepping stone for these students to pursue a University pathway. Students were able to explore parts of the campus, speak to current students, lecturers and tutors of all the University faculties. Students left the day excited for the future and possibilities that this program will have for them in the coming years.

SALSA Peer Leader Training

55 Year 10 students took up the opportunity to be trained as a SALSA (Students as Lifestyle Activist) leader. During Term 2 these students will put their training into action and teach 4 lessons to Year 8 during their PDHPE classes. The group was enthusiastic, showed outstanding leadership and energy throughout the day. For many students this was a big step outside their comfort zone

YEAR 11

Year Adviser Message

Year 11 have continued to exhibit the school values of PERSIST during the first term of their preliminary Higher School Certificate. I am very proud of what they have achieved as a year group so far and am very excited to continue seeing Year 11 grow throughout 2024.

Miss Pozoglou

Year 11 Adviser

Excellence Assembly

Year 11 once again had the opportunity to be rewarded for a year of hard work in 2023. Students received recognition for Principal’s Awards, DUX and other special achievements. The assembly was held in Week 2 of this term and it was excellent to see students celebrating each other’s achievements. As always, parents were invited to attend and see their children be presented with these prestigious awards. Well done to all students recognised and I hope we can keep striving for excellence in 2024.

Deputy Principal Recognition Assembly

Year 11 received recognition of their achievement in Term 1 at the Deputy Principal’s Recognition Assembly. As always, students enjoyed celebration the achievements of the cohort and watching their achievements from the term play out in the year group video presentation. We had over 50 students receive significant achievement awards and 5 students receive PERSIST awards. Congratulations to all students who were recognised.

Students participated in the swimming carnival at the start of the term. The participation and attendance from Year 11 this year was excellent with one of our highest numbers of competitors as a year group! It is great to see students taking advantage of the opportunities offered at school and participating in their second last-ever swimming carnival.

Harmony in Diversity Day

In the last week of Term 1, the school celebrated our annual Harmony in Diversity Day. Students had a great time celebrating the diversity of our community, with the opportunity to watch cultural performances, take part in stalls, photobooths and a special assembly.

YEAR 12

Year Adviser Message

Unlike the other year groups at RHHS, Year 12 began the year with their second term of school. Having returned from the holidays refreshed and rejuvenated, Year 12 were ready to embark on one of their final terms of schooling. The last year of school often comes with capstone events that bring the year group together and 2024 was no exception. The year group put on their best fit for the school photos and they looked like young adults ready to move into world as independents.

At Harmony in Divesity Day the Senior Leaders put a lot of effort into running games and activities, the Hospitality and VET students cooked up a storm and the Music and Entertainment students set up speakers, amplifiers, drumkits and too many instruments to count. All of that made for a great end of term event celebrated by performances and cultural dances done by many groups of Year 12 students Year 12 also travelled to Jamberoo Action Park on a tryingly long bus ride, but rejoiced in each other’s company as fun was had, fear was conquered and friendships were strengthened.

Academically many students kept their eye on the prize and have started applying for scholarships and registering to receive their ATARs, Fast Forward students attended the Western Sydney conference and of course assessment season came and went again and was met with the usual reliance we have come to expect from this year group. Two terms down, two to go, best of luck to Year 12 for their trials and HSC ahead!

Mr Hewitt

Year 12 Adviser

Halogen Conference

Written by Riley Evagelia Daniel

On Monday, 25 March, the Senior Leadership Team were invited to be a part of a leadership conference, Halogen, where we and a bunch of other high school leaders from all over Sydney had the opportunity to learn about leadership and gain perspectives from many other leaders of Australia.

There were many guest speakers from many different fields of success. We received words from guest speakers Anastasia Woolmer, Rose Jackson, Paul Gullen and Bryson Klein. Throughout the day we heard many different and exciting experiences and the lessons that they had learnt along the way.

Being a leader, we can take on these experiences and apply them into our own challenges that we may come across. Listening to guest speakers we learnt about how failures can lead to success, that it's good to try new things, being a team player is not always good for you, but it is beneficial for everyone as a whole and we also learnt that hard work doesn't just happen overnight.

Attending the Halogen Conference was a great experience that not only served as a learning event but also helped us gain independence and teamwork at the same time as we were able to make our own way to the venue together as a team without a teacher present. Overall, it was a good day and everyone enjoyed themselves

CAPA

Stage 5 Visual Arts Workshop

Year 9 Digital and Photographic Media Class

During Term 1, the upstairs gallery spaces in A Block featured work from the Year 9 Digital and Photographic Media class. Students did exceptionally well in their exploration of compositional rules.

Year 8 Visual Arts

During Term 1, Year 8 Visual Arts students created mixed media artwork which reflected their knowledge of the design principles. Well done to the talented students who achieved the accolade of ‘Artist of the Week’ in Term 1; Daveleen Mulbah, Joshua Campbell, Londyn Paluch, Farrokh Hussani, Ella Partridge, Ella Skinner, Zainab Rezaee, Robert Toomalatai, Alexis Tangimana, Caspian Santos and Ava Scobie.

The Riff – Youth Theatre Festival

Year 11 Drama students had their first workshop at The Joan for The Riff Youth Theatre Festival. Students will create a play inspired by the theme ‘Down the Rabbit Hole’ and will perform it live on Friday 28 June. Tickets are on sale now at: https://www.qtheatre.com.au/events/the-riff-youththeatre-festival-2024/

On Friday of Term 1, 11 top Year 9 and 10 elective Visual Arts students participated in a specialised drawing workshop. They spent the day refining their rendering and observation skills to create vibrant coloured pencil drawings. These foundational skills in drawing are an extension of classroom artmaking practice. The Creative Arts staff congratulate these students on their outstanding work and look forward to nurturing their developing interest in the Arts over the next few years!

2024 Blacktown City Show

A selection of exceptional student artworks were chosen to feature in the 2024 Blacktown City Show. Congratulations to all exhibitors and prize-winning artists.

PULSE Alive Performance

19 talented students performed as part of the mass choir and dancers of PULSE Alive 2024. RHHS students joined a cast of over 2000 students from public schools across NSW to perform in the musical showcase. Students demonstrated the PERSIST Values and were excellent ambassadors for RHHS. Mr Mobbs-Green and Ms Sun would like to pass their congratulations to the amazing students who represented the school

The Excursion to the Australian Museum

Written by Alyssa Flanagan-Rogers

On Wednesday 20 March 2024, both ancient History Classes from Years 11 and 12 set off into the city in an embark to see the new Ramses Exhibit at The Australian Museum.

The excursion was marvellous, we gathered much

information about not only Ramses and his gold, but of different sectors as we walked through different areas of the Museum.

We were greeted by the loveliest staff members, who helped us enjoy the wonders of the ancient world and capture every moment in the exhibit. As we walked in, a video played of what we, as historians, were about to experience; The history of the Greatest Egyptian Pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty. We viewed various artefacts of his life and riches, the ruins of his tomb, his love and wife Nefertari, and how she too was worshiped like he was up close. Our knowledge of the Ancient Egyptian societies grew throughout the excursion and enabled us to apply our knowledge to our classwork and make connections further.

All students that attended had a stunning experience and believe that we need to take a trip back to the Museum and view more artefacts of the many different topics they offer. Thank you to Ms Tapuska and Mrs Auddino for taking us on this special trip.

SPORT

Congratulations to each of the following teams who competed in the Term 1 NSW Volleyball Schools Cup & achieved the following results:

• Year 12 Boys - 8th Place

• Year 12 Girls - 3rd Place

• Year 11 Boys - 1st Place

• Year 10 Boys - 7th Place

• Year 10 Girls - 2nd Place

• Year 9 Boys - 3rd Place

• Year 9 Girls - 1st Place

• Year 8 Boys - 5th Place

• Year 8 Girls - 1st Place

The Opens Boys team also continued their success by progressing into the Quarter Finals of the Sydney West Volleyball Knockout defeating every team in straight sets.

ATTENDANCE RECOGNITION

100% Attendance in Term 1 2024

Aaliyah Acosta Melody Martin

Aaron Acosta Georgia McAndrew

Petra Adamovic Kassandra McGrath

Daniel Ademovic Maxene Mojica

Henrietta Ah Lam Liam Mondala

Natasha Ah Lam Priya Muduliar

Cidra Akl Asli Nacakli

Saja Akl Kelvin Naicker

Sarah Akl Rhianna Nallas

John Jr Alejandro Princess Namocot

Madiha Ali Zainab Nasir

Nicole Ancheta Brock Neich

Jessie Andrews Mitch Neich

Danniella Annetts Matthew Ner

Christopher Aoun Mikaela Ner

James Aoun Myah Nguyen

Alaundra Aquino Noreen Nowroozi

Anuel Mussolini Atienza Apple Nucom

Singha Attard Darrel Nucom

Ramon Ayoub Faith Nucom

Chloey Baikie Tristan Nunez

Alghasim Balla Jack O'Brien

Felicity Baluyot Angelina Ofisa

Billy Bicol

Toby Ostric

Emma Bonnici Khang Phan

Mohammad Bonyad Zada Harley Pittman

Maddison Briffa Mackenzie Pittman

Chase Bugeja Yonalee Polwaththa Gallage

Abigail Camat Jaisal Prakash

Taylor Cassar Rohan Prakash

Zander Cassar Atharv Prasad

Calvin Casupanan Quincie Pugosa

Olivia Chalmers Georgia Quillano

Sienna Champion Alfred Ramos

Aneesha Chandra Clarissa Randell

Henrick Cheng Sarthaksinh Raulaji

Jayden Chua

Riley Clark

Anthony Reyes

Miguel Reyes

James Collisson Maryam Rezaee

Mali Coombes Leroy Ritchie

Noreen Daylo

Noah Delaney

Maximilian Evans

Audrey Rivera

Monique Robert

Jack Rusitovic

Georgia Follers Brydon Matilda Rusitovic

Patrick Franklin

Adam Ryan

Gregory Fuaivaa Muzamale Sadiqi

Ashna Gandhi Duaa Saeed

Jeeya Gawai

Joel Giannetti

Lachlan Gillett

Riya Gounder

Ayham Saleh

Laith Saleh

Jarryd Santiago

Jimmy Santiago

Nathan Metua Gray Edrea Santos

Mikayla Grosvenor Zaminali Sarwari

Maria Halatanu

Freshta Hashimi

Ashton Havansky

Eleah Hewitt

Ava Scobie

Sharaya Sewak

Malik Shahmir

Sahiba Sheikh

Janice Hide Farah Sideq

Raiyan Huda

Taiba Hussain

Faridoon Hussaini

Firaba Hussaini

Shiraz Hussein

Zahira Hussein

Zaida Hussein

Ali Jalil

Daniel Khalil

Raina Kongkon

Mono Delaiono

Lamese

Anthony Le

Tyarn Lees

Savanah Leu

Jack Li

Kelvin Li

Matthew Lim

Laurel Lyttleton

Cameryn Madigan

Mohammad Maliki

Sabika Maliki

Christian Malsi

Colin Malsi

Ryan Manansala

Zeth Maralang

Addison Marsh

Brayden Portelli

LIBRARY

Shaun Siliva

Kushala Singh

Vivek Singh

Noah Sinnett

Lilly Smith

Mulufuaina Sofeni Ah Cheung

Um-e-Farwah Syed

Danica Tahana

Hozaan Talabani

Manusiu Tangimana

Yehuda Taufan

Anzac Thach

Lewis Tierney

Robert Toomalatai

Aden Tran

Lilah Tume

Alyssa Urfano

Phoenix Ussher-Jackson

Joshua Vella

Catherine Veng

Angelique Vinensig

Brionne Vulimaibau

James Whiddon

Emily Xian

Melissa Yang

Lena York

In 2024 the library remains a popular space for learning and connection both during breaks and class periods.

In the library this term we celebrated Valentine's Day with a romance book display, card making & friendship bracelet making workshops, the Lunar New Year with a popular dragon drawing contest, International Women's Day with an interactive display and HIDD by transforming the library into a “zen zone” with quiet activities and international film screenings for students who want to take a break from the

busy festival atmosphere.

This year we launched a partnership with Blacktown City Libraries and large numbers of students received library cards in order to take advantage of the many resources their local libraries have to offer. Students can still sign up by filling out forms from the RHHS Library or visiting their local branch with a guardian.

The library staff also enjoyed welcoming classes for library lessons, where students can learn research skills and how to access resources in the library.

Our other big news is that Comics Plus has officially launched at RHHS! Visit:

• https://rootyhillhsnsw.librarypass.com to access a huge range of graphic novels and manga.

Support for all students is available via the Homework Centre run from the library. Although this is not a tutoring service, teachers specialising in a range of subjects are available to support students by interpreting assessment tasks, providing research help, proofreading and giving general feedback.

The Homework Centre is open from 8am in the mornings, and until 4pm in the afternoons (excluding early Monday Week A). Maths tutoring is also available on Wednesdays after school.

Year 7:

Luis Abarca

Singha Attard

Ezel Biber

Calvin Casupanan

Brooklyn Cayabyab

Wafaa Chandab

Alexandria Cowley

Priscilla Darwon

Zeke Davila

Avery De Leon

Neo Ektoros

Georgia Follers Brydon

Angus Foreshew

Patrick Franklin

Krishma Gautam

Eleah Hewitt

Zahira Hussein

Nathan Kilic

Ryzel Legaspi

Jack Li

Zeth Maralang

Empress Matibag

Azania Moala

Liam Mondala

Eva Nakobukobua

Mikaela Ner

Abigail Nicol

Londyn Paluch

Mackenzie Pittman

Maya Qaddoura

Rhyse Rihara

Sharaya Sewak

Amara Stehlin

Eli Suitupe

Uapukupuku Touariki Teariki

Azize Tekin

Mia-Rose Toleafoa

Yashaswi Twati

Zacha Velasco

Roman Villanueva

Eva Xian

Year 8:

Mariam Abdelmaksoud

Aaliyah Acosta

Natasha Ah Lam

Ehan Ahmad

Mannix Aialeo

Amarra Akuta

John Jr Alejandro

Patricia Amson

David Arona

Emanuel Arona

Cyrus Bailey

Lilly-Anna Bateman

Tanmay Bhatt

Jada Bose

Daloba Conde

Aden Dewantara

Daniel Faialaga

Amelie Foreshew

Hayze Fualau

Chanel Fuller

Ethan Gao

Riya Gounder

Adil Hameed

Jacyinta Hanson

Rylee Hingaia

Farrokh Hussaini

Melissa Joseph

Nevaeh-Maree Kake

Elijah Kalic

Elijah Karwhin

Emily Keehn

Jacob Khalil

Raina Kongkon

Mercy Lalaga

Keziah Levi

Alexandra Llagas

Malik Maaz

Malu Matatia

Mataiah Mitchell Meafou

Rose Moubayed

Marybell Murad

Faith Nucom

Alexis O'Neill

Karla O'Neill

Ella Partridge

Anjani Patel

Annalise Pedersen

Khang Phan

Harley Pittman

Thivain Polwaththa Gallage

Rosa Puchowski

Matilda Rusitovic

Arshpreet Sakhala

SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS TERM 1 2024

Zephaniah Sapau

Sam Scobie

Kushala Singh

Ella Skinner

Xavier Tahana

Hozaan Talabani

Rashad Toufaili

Sienna Vaiusu

Mosese Valu

Catherine Veng

Amelie Whiddon

Julia Williams

Margaret Wilson

Melissa Yang

Year 9:

Aaron Acosta

Shahad Al Nemer

Aurora Alejandro

Zahra Al-Khled

William Allen

Chris Baluyot

Maddison Briffa

Jasmine Browne

Zane Buckland

Jordan Buist

Hayley Cameron

Khaila Chavaria

Alivia Chojnacki

Ceylin Diler

Ecrin Diler

Angel Euese

Ulata Falemoe

Jacob Gale

Evan Gao

Raiyan Huda

Hayden Hyde

Destiny Johnson

Michael Khalil

Mia Knox

Ryan Lanau

Ekaterina Lapteff

Uelese Lautoa

Uelese Lautoa

Madison Lockey

Cameryn Madigan

Layla Maglaque

Colin Malsi

Alarna Matatia

Amiracle Meng

Maxene Mojica

Daveleen Mulbah

Asli Nacakli

Matthew Ner

Christopher Norton

Christina Ofisa

Leo Ohi

Tarnaya Patau

Alfred Ramos

Clarissa Randell

Zainab Rezaee

Marcus Rivera

Alipate Saafi

Duaa Saeed

Laith Saleh

Jasmine Santiago

Ava Scobie

Mele Lupe Sefesi

Muhammad Shehzad

Akenese Sofeni Ah Cheung

Khian Sta Maria

Lillyarna Suitupe

Manusiu Tangimana

Papatani Taufoou

Maddilyn Taylor

Summer Thompson

Memphis Tinao

Benjamin Tirados

Daniel Too

Timothy Tumbaga

Alyssa Urfano

Joseph Zammit

Year 10:

Petra Adamovic

Keeley Allen

Nate Auld

Tyler-Jake Beath

Evelyn Bogaz

Mahutariki Bose

Taylor Cassar

Rouba Chandab

Aneesha Chandra

Mali Coombes

Khalia Evagelia Daniel

Lachlan Gillett

Mounir Girma

Luke Gotts

Amy Gower

Jarred Hide

Sarah Houston

Hayden Hull

Taiba Hussain

Firaba Hussaini

Ricky Johnson

Caitlyn Keehn

Daniel Khalil

Jakob King

Washington Laban

Yong Guang Lim

Mikayla Mantua

Riley Marshall

Eli Mascarenas

Ethan Mascarenas

Ella Munday

Jemuel Nallas

Myah Nguyen

Naima Nordstrand

Tristan Nunez

Alexa Parreno

Ava Partridge

Yonalee Polwaththa Gallage

Mackenzie Reeves

Charli Russell

Jimmy Santiago

Jeffery Siaosi

Ma Jacqueline Sinclair

Vivek Singh

Mulufuaina Sofeni Ah Cheung

Shannon Strickland

Jovan Tukuitonga

Elizabeth Vella

Jackson Verzeletti

Samuel Vista

Christabelle Zapata Castro

Year 11:

Henrietta Ah Lam

Fawz Al Jamhour

Rayne Alefosio

Ahmed Al-Obaidi

Marwa Amini

Christopher Aoun

Victoria Brockway

Roxanne Cajumban

Abigail Camat

Chrystan Cayton

Himanshi Chand

Melvan Coombes

Chellsea Diakowsky

Graham Douglas

Harlem Grant-Cairns

Elisha Ieremia

Isabella Kauvai

Altheya Legaspi

Savanah Leu

McKenzy Lolo

Princetontinei Lopeti

Vannah Lundahan

Laurel Lyttleton

Kirralea Marsh

Alaska Marshall

Zane Mason

Georgia McAndrew

Mia Melgar

Adriel John Mendoza

Jeyda Mentesh

Awais Mushtaq

Saad Mushtaq

Ali Sina Nabizadeh

Marniel Namocot

Brock Neich

Michael Ner

Angelina Ofisa

Wynter Paluch

Isabella Perkins

Alexander Perry

Mariam Popal

Georgia Quillano

Rita Reuelu

Syed Fazal Mustafa Rizvi

Monique Robert

Reeha Shrinivasan

Tahliarena Siaosi Sua

Shaun Siliva

Consaij Siloi

Prince Sta Maria

Emily Stephenson

Danica Tahana

Noah Tapaitau

Tepaeruariki Teariki

Joshua Vella

Mason Villanueva

Brionne Vulimaibau

Muhammad Waraich

Brody Willcockson

Ellizah Williams

Emily Xian

Lena York

Year 12:

Tyler Abela

Ilma Ahmed

Mustafa Al Khazaaly

Madiha Ali

Samuel Apilado

Atem Atuich

Muhammad Abdullah Baig

Chelsea Batty

Genesis Bautista

Jazmin Birett

Yasemin Bitiktas

Thomas Bogaz

Beau Bryant

Aphril Cabban

Joshua Campbell

Gerammy Casimiro

Aaron Cazier

Gabriel Convento

Gabriel Corderoy

Charliene Coulthard

Brayden Crass

Yakup Derin

Reign Dimayuga

Bianca Dodd

Riley Evagelia Daniel

Faaitaita Falemoe

Taitoe Falemoe

Noah Fesseha

Blake Fryer

Janardan Fuiono

Erin Gamsby

Lileanna Godwin

Dansia Gomes

Maria Halatanu

Freshta Hashimi

Luis Hernandez

Joseph Hide

Lily Iaulualo

Veronica Ieremia

Zena Jalil

Cooper Jones

Mikayla Kaisa

Alleyah Khan

Myra Kumar

Chelsea Leu

Xiu Hui Lim

Logan Lloyd

Tristan Lolo

Sabika Maliki

Ryan Manansala

Henna Mansory

Jacob Martin

Kassandra McGrath

Mikhail Melgar

Heily Meti Roberts

Manar Munshid

Rhianna Nallas

Cayli Neville

Terry Nguyen

Trish Ortiz

Toby Ostric

Liam Paraan

Daniel Prescott

Blake Puckeridge

Ammar Rahimi

Meily Roberts

Leeanne Ross

Jack Rusitovic

Shaye Ryan

Kamila Sadeqi

Edrea Santos

Jayden Seaton

Sahiba Sheikh

Farah Sideq

Ryzell Soria

Tiresa Stanley

Jacob Stirk

Taliyah Suitupe

Um-e-Farwah Syed

Ghazala Tariq

Kane Thai

Jarrod Thomas

Shaniyah-Lee Toleafoa

Ana Tufunga

Emjay Tuiloma

Iani Utailogo

Daniel Vaquerano Smith

Georgia Waata

Astrid Whitehurst

Candice Wilden

Hohepa Witehira