muirfield matters
TRANSCRIPT
Muirfield High School
Educating today for managing tomorrow
Muirfield Matters Newsletter
Issue 4
Week 10 Term 2 2010
Barclay Road, North Rocks NSW 2151
Ph: (02) 9872 2244 Fax: (02) 9871 4106
www.muirfield-h.schools.nsw.edu.au
MUIRFIELD MATTERS
RELIEVING PRINCIPAL’S
REPORT A very successful Parent /Teacher
evening was conducted on Thursday
17th June, for parents of students in
Years 8, 9 & 10. The afternoon/
evening was well attended with most
teachers fully booked by parents,
keen to speak with individual teach-
ers about their child‟s progress.
This event was followed by an information session for
parents of Year 10 students as they plan for the start of
their senior studies culminating in the award of the Higher
School Certificate.
Thanks to all teaching staff for their efforts on the day, with
special thanks to Ms Helen Scott and Mr Rob Roughley for
their clear and concise presentation to the large number
of parents who attended.
A special thank you to Ms Kerrie Shortland for her
outstanding contribution to the school community as a
member of the Science faculty, the Welfare Team, as
Year Adviser and in community relations and promotions. I
wish Kerrie well as she takes up the position of Head
Teacher Science at Hawkesbury High School.
I would also like to congratulate and thank Ms Anna
Pasternatsky who has agreed to take up the position of
Year Advisor to Year 12. She will provide great support for
our students in the weeks leading up to the HSC.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Ms Kathy
McIntosh for her work as Relieving Deputy Principal over
this past term and advise the school community that Mr
David Highman will occupy the position from the
commencement of term 3. Also I would like to
congratulate Ms Monique Frangi on her appointment as
Year 7 Advisor for 2011.
We conclude this term with our special recognition
assemblies which will be held on Thursday 1st July and will
focus on student improvement and honesty in their work. It
allows us to recognise those students who have achieved
personal growth through effort, as well as those who
continue to make a real and sustained effort.
Our Year 12 group will return to term 3 and sit their Trial
Higher School Certificate papers. We have moved the
examination period forward this year. Our students will
have more sufficient time between the Trails and their HSC
to consolidate their course learning and work with their
teachers to address any deficiencies.
I wish all families a safe and relaxing vacation.
David Tanner
Relieving Principal
Week 10 Term 2 2010, Page 2 Muirfield Matters
Spirit Week
During week 9 of this term Muirfield High
celebrated one of its long await calendar
events – Spirit Week. Spirit Week, is a student
organised event run by the SRC, and is
designed to encourage students and
teachers to demonstrate the pride they have for their
school. The SRC achieves this by holding a variety of
activities throughout the week where students are
involved in supporting others‟ and their talents,
participating in school activities and ultimately having a
laugh with the school community.
The week started with a cake stall followed on Tuesday
with a Talent Quest , pancake and hot chocolate on
Wednesday, an action packed bazaar day on Thursday
(where one could buy lolly kebabs or throw wet sponges
at teachers!!) and finished with the pinnacle of the week -
Theme Day. A lot of students really embrace theme day
dressing up in a range of themes from Bedtime theme and
favourite NRL teams to “what I want to be when I grow
up”. The teachers theme was 70s and 80s, and I would
like to thank all those students who pointed out to me that
„Rabens‟ are not part of the school uniform (you all will be
happy to know that I did turn up to uniform detention at
lunch for the uniform breach). Spirit Week ended with the
catwalk competition followed by a BBQ lunch. It was
great to see the whole school support those brave
students (and teachers) who got up to “strut their stuff”
down the catwalk. The way the students behaved and
the support they offered really exemplified what the SRC
were trying to achieve during this week. A big
congratulation to the SRC for all the work that went into
producing such a successful event, and also huge
congratulations to Ms King for the leadership she provides
the SRC and the work she puts into ensuring that the event
runs as smooth as possible.
All monies raised from this event goes towards the various
school supported charities, once all expenses have been
covered.
e-Me
Our school has been lucky enough, thanks to the hard
work of Mrs. Scott, to be a pilot school for a new online
interactive careers resource called e-Me. e-Me is a
personalised online resource that enables students to
build their personal profile, reflect on their learning, guide
their career and transition planning and manage the
commitments in their life. e-Me generates a series of
employment-related documents including a Resume, Skills
Summary and Career and Transition Statement.
On Friday 4th June Miss. Frame and 3 Year 10 DERmentors
(Rees Wison, Vineet Sharma and Jordanne Halls) and I
went to Cherrybrook Technology HS for our first lot of e-Me
training on the software. The staff and students were able
to give feedback to the software developers. On Friday
the 2nd July all of the DERmentors will receive training on
how to use e-Me and, in turn the DERmentors will help train
all of Year 10 during a Mind Matters session on the use and
benefits of this resource.
Wishing all students a safe and restful holiday and I look
forward to seeing you all next term on Tuesday 20th July in
full school uniform and in time to attend roll call.
Mrs Sonja Anderson
Deputy Principal
FROM THE DEPUTY’S DESK
On the 28th of May, eleven students from Mrs Marshall‟s
Year 8 Elective French class (Tayla O‟Brien, Emma Pritchard,
Sascha Hawkins, Erin McDermott, Annabel Newman, Emily
Hevey, Emily Hunter, Mitchell Cooper, Malachi Verdon, Tuo
Zheng and Amin Keyhanee) went on a French immersion
weekend to Milson Island on the Hawkesbury River with four
other schools.
During the weekend the students participated in activities
such as archery (tir à l'arc), challenge ropes (cordes défi)
and some French activities such as dancing (dansant) and
singing (chanter). On the last day, everybody participated
in a treasure hunt (chasse au trésor) around the island.
All schools did a performance, and our school did a short
version of the play, Sleeping Beauty (La Belle au bois
dormant) and we won an award for our play at the
presentation ceremony.
Overall the weekend was brilliant with amazing food and
entertainment.
Erin & Tayla
BONJOUR
Muirfield Matters
P&C CAPA COMMITTEE All parents are invited to the first official meeting of the
CAPA committee, recently formed by the P&C, to help
support the many extra-curricular programs run by the
CAPA faculty at Muirfield. There will be information about
current and future CAPA programs, including the concert
band, upcoming stage band, and fundraising efforts
towards a Muirfield High School Events Centre.
This meeting will take place on Wednesday 23rd of June at
7pm in the common room of the Admin building @ Muirfield
High School.
All are welcome!
There will also be a fundraising BBQ in support of CAPA
programs held at the computer markets on Sunday, 27th
June. We need volunteers for the day, or for donations to
make a prize hamper for a raffle. Please contact Beth
Mitchell by email for more information:
Week 10 Term 2 2010, Page 3
Please note the Prohibited Items
(section 7 in the student diary).
Personal electronic items should
never be left in the change rooms.
Whilst the PDHPE staff does their
best to safe guard items brought to
school, personal electronic items
such as I-pods and
mobile phones are brought to
school at the students‟ own risk.
Students are also reminded that
no aerosol cans are to be brought to school even if you
have a sport subject, you may use roll on deodorants.
A MESSAGE FROM PDHPE
Please DO NOT drop your children
off inside the school grounds.
Please use Tiernan Avenue, opposite
the school, as a drop off and pick up
point. It is important all our students
get to school safely.
Congratulations to the Muirfield Softball Team consisting of
Amanda Borg, Rachel Brown, Amy Dubois, Kirsten Dubois,
Rose Eldred, Fiona Harvey, Jean Harvey, Sharna Holman,
Rebekah Peterson, Beth Proctor, Kate Proctor, Jessica Reed
and Holly Russell on finishing Runners-Up in the Sydney West
Softball Knockout Competition.
Well played girls!
SOFTBALL KNOCKOUT Epping Street Fair Sunday 29th August 2010
10am-4pm. 2010 sees the exciting return of the Epping Street Fair! Proudly supported by Rotary Club of Epping, the Epping Street Fair on Rawson Street will feature:
Market Stalls, Food, Crafts & More, Community Information, Live Entertainment, Talent Quest, Junior Art Show, Roaming Street Performers . Something for Everyone!
A fundraiser for local charities.
There are still opportunities to promote your business by sponsoring the Street fair. To find out how you can be further involved call
PARKING NOTICE Did you know that it is illegal to park:
On or near the school crossing In the school bus bay
The penalties for parking in these areas are up to $231 & can result in the loss of a demerit point. Parking illegally puts children at risk! Please obey all the parking signs around the school – they help keep children safe! Council’s Compliance Officers will be enforcing parking restrictions at your school!
Week 10 Term 2 2010, Page 4 Muirfield Matters
FRIDAY AFTERNOON WRITING WORKSHOP Many students are passionate about writing as a craft and
express an interest in a career where writing forms a
fundamental skill. The current curriculum includes writing
and written assessments, but does not offer the opportunity
for students to be creative at leisure and to take the time to
absorb and accommodate advanced skills in writing.
Students in Years 9, 10, 11 and 12 who have a personal
interest in writing, or who are keen to improve their creative
writing skills, are invited to attend a Writer‟s Workshop held
each Friday afternoon in B29 beginning from Week 1 in
Term 3.
The workshop will be held from 2.45pm – 4.00pm on a „drop
-in‟ basis and will be run by Ms Frangi. You may choose to
attend one or two workshops or attend them all. No
commitment is necessary other than a willingness to write,
share and respect your own and other‟s work. Notice of the
focus of each workshop will be advertised on the English
bulletin board outside the staffroom each Thursday.
The workshop is an opportunity for students (and the
teacher) to write and share their work. The aim of the
course is not only to improve students‟ technical skills, but to
encourage creativity and exploration through the craft of
writing. Students who attend 10 or more classes will receive
a Certificate of Achievement.
To register your intent to attend that afternoon‟s class you
will need to add your name to the class list each Friday on
the door of B29. Places are restricted to no more than 16.
Students will be responsible for organising their own
transport home.
Week 10 Term 2 2010, Page 5 Muirfield Matters
There are a number of opportunities for motivated
students to test their English talent.
The Sydney Morning Herald Young Writer of the Year 2010
Open to: Students in years 10-12
Requirement: 700-1000 word original fiction incorporating
trigger word “silver”.
Award: Cash prize and 1 week‟s work experience at SMH.
Closing Date: Friday June 25 2010
Details: Ms Frangi
United Nations Youth Association of NSW Junior Public
Speaking Competition
Open to: Students in years 7-10
Requirement: Two speeches: (topics provided) one
prepared and one impromptu speech
(5 mins preparation)
Held: 2 August
Details: Ms Frangi
Soroptimist International Public Speaking Competition
Open to: Students in years 10-12
Requirement: 5-6 minutes speech on provided topic to do
with the status of women, for International Women‟s Day.
Held: 30 August
Details: Ms Frangi
Campion College Essay Competition
Open to: Students in years 11-12
Requirement: Choice of two provided essay questions.
2000-2500 words
Award: Cash prize
Closing date: 18 October 2010
Details: Ms Frangi
Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards 2010
Open to: Students in all years
Requirement: Write a poem on the theme of
“I hear music”. Maximum length 80 lines.
Closing date: 9 July 2010
Details: Ms Frangi
ENGLISH COMPETITIONS
TEACHING AND LEARNING
EXCHANGE (TALE) If you‟re interested in assisting your child with homework and
study, the Teaching and Learning Exchange is a one-stop-
shop for teaching and learning resources for Kindergarten to
Year 12 and be-
yond. Go to
www.tale.edu.au
and click on the
Parents and
Community link.
Here you will find
information on
what your child is
learning, helping
your child learn
and the various
stages of learning.
THE HILLS COLLEGE OF TAFE
BAULKHAM HILLS CAMPUS 146-160 OLD NORTHERN ROAD BAULKHAM HILLS
WORK OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN (WOW)
(Course 9071 Access to Work and Training)
CAREER EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT FOR
WOMEN (CEEW)
(Course 9072 Skills for Work and Training)
The Hills College of TAFE at Baulkham Hills offers part-time
courses for women who are interested in returning to work or
study.
The courses aim to broaden career choices and develop the
communication and computing skills necessary to seek work
and/or further study.
Classes are held during school hours.
An information session will be held on Tuesday 29 June 2010
at 10am in room C.1.05 at Baulkham Hills College.
For information phone 9865 1152 or 9865 1135
Muirfield High School seeks the services of a technically
minded person to help with support of the school‟s
computer systems.
We require someone for 3 hours per day, during school hours,
Monday to Friday during school term. Some holiday work
may be required from time to time – negotiable. The rate of
pay is $20 per hour in line with the school‟s office/support
staff.
This position would suit a parent or tertiary student who :
Is comfortable with technology and is willing to
learn new skills.
Can work independently and has a mature out-
look.
Has good communication skills and works well
with people
Jobs may include:
Day to day care and maintenance of computer
systems – checking that systems are correctly
plugged in, have power and have a keyboard,
mouse, etc, and can log into the school‟s
network.
Installation of software. The school has a simple-to-
use software installation system maintained by the
Head Teacher Computing. On the job training will
be provided on the use of this system.
Moving broken computers to the repair room and
replacing them from a bank of repaired systems.
Some lifting and carrying required.
Some maintenance of the school‟s Intranet and
Internet Web Sites. Some typing required. On the
job Training provided
Changing student password and troubleshooting
simple access problems. On the job training will
be provided in the use of this system.
Stock take and records maintenance.
Interested parties should contact the front office for more
information, or contact Mr. B. Carpenter by email.
Ph: 9872 2244
POSITION VACANT
Week 10 Term 2 2010, Page 6 Muirfield Matters
The SRC wanted to raise the spirits of our students and remind them of what a great school we have, so they
organised a „Spirit Week‟ …
After having a whole day off to celebrate the Queen‟s Birthday, the week kicked off with awesome-tasting Cupcakes
and Biccies on Tuesday. Following this, our students were an enthusiastic and supportive audience for the Talent
Quest, MC‟d by the affable Layal Majzoub and Oliver Rynn. Our Talent Questee‟s entertained us with a variety of acts,
including singing, dancing, acting, comedy and music bands. A fantastic effort from all our performers and
congratulations to our winning group Bilal Rifai, Jody Hooker, Natasha Andrade, Sarah Davis, and Lauren Coughlan!
Wednesday started with scrumptious Pancakes and tasty Hot Choccies. A Raffle on assembly, with all students‟ names
in the barrel, gave winners a nice canteen treat!
Thursday was our Bazaar Day! It was lunch time full of fun and activity, including an awesome live band consisting of
the talents of Natasha Andrade, Ben Linder, Tom McCracken, and Jaikob Ivanek. The stalls included lolly sushi, pizza,
lolly dips, pluck a duck, sponge throw, balloon darts, ice-cream spiders, and coin throw run by our SRC members.
Friday ended with Theme Day. A fantastic day where we got to dress up in a variety of themes … some very creative
costumes illustrating Bedtime, Harry Potter, Rock Stars, When I Grow Up, NRL teams and the teachers‟ „70s and „80s
outfits ended up on our catwalk during our Theme Day Parade, hosted by the colourful Mr Malcher. Finally, a BBQ at
lunch time topped off the week!
Profits raised from our generous students will go towards the charities our school supports.
Our SRC leaders put a tremendous effort into organising this week. Without their hardworking and positive attitude to
teamwork, such a fantastic week couldn‟t have gone ahead. Massive congratulations to our SRC, with particular
mention to Kirsten Dubois, Sharna Holman, Tom Sinden, Nigel Baker, Bilal Rifai, Elysse Johnston, Layal Majzoub, Beth
Dobbs, and Euan Moyle who took on strong
leadership roles throughout the week. Also, special
thanks to the stage / sound crew who were a
massive help throughout the week.
Keep the Spirit
Up Muirfield!
Week 10 Term 2 2010, Page 7 Muirfield Matters
Arts North Performance
MADD Music, Art, Dance, Drama and Photo
Night
HSC Trials begin
HSC Trials end
BRAVO!! HSC Performance &
Exhibition
Preliminary HSC Exams end
Preliminary HSC Exams start
Y11 into Y12 info night
Y12 Grad
Yr 8 Ancient History Day for 8B, R, Y
Yr 7 Vacinations
Yr 7 Medieval Day for 8M,P,Y,R
Japan Tour Leaves