Tumut High School Newsletter

Issue 4 - Tuesday, 26th May 2020

Respect, Responsibility, Safety

Principal's Message

School is back and its fantastic to see the smiling faces on both staff and students. Its been amazing to have witnessed the commitment from both staff, carers and many of our students in dealing with the challenges of learning from home. There is no doubt that in meeting these challenges we have all developed an increased capacity in adapting to unexpected change. That said, humans are very much social beings and having people back in school mixing 'face to face' brings a welcomed happiness to us all.  Please know we are far from back to 'normal schooling' with no extra curricular activities, no extended assemblies and no visitors allowed in the school - just some of the challenges we are still faced with in getting back to 'normal'.  Also note, that there will be a new 'normal', The impact of COVID-19 on schooling will have its implications.
Below in this newsletter under School Notices, you will find the document "Implementation of BYOD at Tumut High School". This document outlines an increased emphasis on BYOD and the reasoning behind it. Please note our Mobile Phone Policy remains much the same, however we will be looking to increase the integration of  mobile technology into classrooms. This will be an evolving implementation as we learn from the initial stages of introduction.

By Don Dixon, Principal

Message from Learning and Wellbeing Team

"We are so pleased to have our students back after what has been a challenging time for so many of us.

We know that issues of a wellbeing nature are more likely to occur during such times and would encourage families to seek the available supports - as attached below - or through our Learning and Wellbeing Team if/as required by phoning the school on 6947 0600"   

Please also see attached below for details advising additional counselling support to Tumut High School and photos of our Year Advisers.

Mr Andrew Somerville - Head Teacher Wellbeing

Resources for Families

Please see attached document for websites if you need to talk someone, app details, online support and additional information to support the wellbeing of families. 
Download

Additional Counselling for Tumut High School

Dear Parents and caregivers,

As part of the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Support Planning, NSW Department of Education and MAX Solutions / Assessments Australia have collaborated to provide additional counselling support to schools within bushfire, flood and COVID-19 affected regions during term 2, 2020.

The School Counselling service currently provided by Wendy Garnham, will remain unchanged, however Brisbane based Psychologist, Tasha Goodson, has joined the team, for Term 2, to provide additional support.

Sessions provided by Tasha will be identical to those conducted within schools and students can opt for Telehealth (Phone) sessions, or online Coviu clinic session; easily accessed through an emailed link.

Students can self-refer through their teachers, Learning and Wellbeing Team or current counselling services. As always, parents are also able to reach out for consultation, around concerns relating to students, by calling the school.

If there are any questions or enquiries about this additional service please contact Mr Somerville at the Wellbeing Hub direct line on 69470629 or THS Office on 69470600.   

Tumut High School Year Advisers

School Notices

Payments to Tumut High School

In line with social distancing guidelines we are requesting our parents/carers to not visit the school during the NSW Department of Education Phase 3 managed return to school.  

In order to maintain a safe environment for everyone we are requesting that all future payments be made online where possible, via our school website  https://tumut-h.schools.nsw.gov.au/  under ‘Make a Payment’ or through the Skoolbag App under Parent Online Payments (POP).

Our office staff are happy to guide you over the phone in using online payments and can be contacted between 8:45am and 3:30pm Monday to Friday on 6947 0600.​

PBL at Tumut High School

In the coming days our families will receive notification to acknowledge our students for displaying PBL values of respect, responsibility and safety during Term 1.

We are hoping our students show these expected behaviours in all settings including their time spent at home and in our community with family and friends and hope your PBL gift sent with student acknowledgement serves as a good reminder.

Bring your own device (BYOD)

Students can now BYOD at Tumut High School.

Below is the document "Implementation of Bring Your Own Device at Tumut High School" which gives more detail for students and families in this regard. For future reference the document can also be located on our website under Policies and Procedures

https://tumut-h.schools.nsw.gov.au/policies.html

We would like to request students to please bring their own earphones/headphones for use as required during lessons whilst at school.

Implementation of Bring Your Own Device at Tumut High School

Download

THS Healthy Schools Canteen is OPEN

Our canteen re-opened on Monday, 18th May 2020.

Our canteen is managed by the Tumut High School P&C and the safety of canteen staff is a priority. Working in line with COVID-19 guidelines the P&C would like to encourage less cash purchases and the need for students and staff to be visiting the canteen.

In doing so, the Tumut High School P&C Association are excited to announce the introduction of online ordering for all canteen menu items. This service is now available through My School Connect and is very user friendly. To date we have had over 50 students register for this service and parent comments have all been positive. Visit 

https://myschoolconnect.com.au/ and click on My School Tuckshop to see more information and to register.

As an incentive to avoid using cash for purchases made at the canteen, any surcharge incurred by students for EFTPOS payments will be paid by the canteen until end of Term 2. 

You can find the THS Healthy Schools Canteen menu 2020 below and for future reference the menu is on our website and Skoolbag App.

THS Healthy Schools Canteen Menu 2020

Download

Resource Centre News

New Books - We have a fresh delivery of newly published Young Adult books from Australian Standing Order ready for borrowing from the white diplay shelves at the entrance to the Resource Centre.

Overdue Books - We would greatly appreciate the return of library books. They can be returned in the return slot in the Resource Centre Circulation Desk. (All books when returned are cleaned before redistribution.) We relaxed the loan period during change of schooling procedures, but now need to account for overdue resources.

Borrowing - Students are encouraged to borrow. Whilst we do not insist on library bags, students are encouraged to keep a small suitable library bag in their school bag to use for borrowing of books.

Our librarians Mrs Bawden and Mrs Stiles with the assistance of Mrs Oliver Foley are here to support the students access many resources for their studies and guide them through using the OLIVER system.

Scholastic Book Club

Scholastic Book Club Issue 4 catalogue is now available online or from the Resource Centre Circulation desk.

Orders can be done online through LOOP and are due by 18th June 2020.

Visit https://www.scholastic.com.au/book-club/book-club-parents/

What's On

Premiers Reading Challenge 2020

Now is a great time to be participating in the 2020 Premiers Reading Challenge. 

Year 7 students had an explanation of the challenge earlier in the year during ALP along with an explanation of the importance of reading.

Year 8 and 9 students are encouraged to participate in the challenge.

The emphasis is on reading for pleasure or reading more than previously.​

For more details visit https://online.det.nsw.edu.au/prc/home.html

Please note there has been a change to the rules with the PRC due to students having restricted access and choice of books. Instead of only 5 personal choice books (not on the PRC list) you can include 10. This means that if you are a reader you can automatically include at least 10 books that you have read to your reading log without even checking if they are on the PRC list!

Premiers Sporting Challenge

The Premiers Sporting Challenge (PSC) is designed for students to work together in a team with the shared goal of increasing physical activity levels. It is a great opportunity for active students to be role models for their peers, where students can encourage each other to increase their activity levels as a collective. 
All Year 7-10 students have received at school, information including registration details to participate in the challenge.
Please find below the "PSC Student Toolkit" and "How to use the PSC App".

PSC Student Toolkit

Download

How to use the PSC App

Download
Installation instructions for parents downloading and using the Skoolbag school communication app - get it on your Apple & Android mobile devices.

Skoolbag App update

To ensure your app is up to date please visit 

https://skoolbaghelp.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360015536632-How-to-update-to-the-new-SkoolBag-App 

To ensure you are receiving notices specific to your child's school year please update your year group. To do this open up Skoolbag App and click on our school logo icon at top of the page. Then click on GROUPS. Click on Add/remove groups to update your year groups. 

NSW Department of Education School Updates app

Introducing the NSW Department of Education School Updates app. ??

Opt-in to receive notifications when public schools have temporarily ceased operations due to adverse weather, bushfires or other emergencies.

Find out more and download the app now: https://bit.ly/2PD2jd3

*Posted by the NSW Department of Education*

Careers

Mrs Stroud would like to remind students in Years 10 to 12 to regularly check their emails for information including details on future study and employment paths.

For loads more careers information visit Tumut High School Careers Facebook page;

https://www.facebook.com/TumutHighSchoolCareers/

Tumut Clontarf Academy

The boys from Clontarf Riverina welcomed lovely rain during Term 1 in Week 6. It certainly did not curtail the plans to hold training and selection trials for the up and coming Senior Footy Carnival. Coached by ex-NRL Nigel Plum of the Wade Academy in Griffith, the senior boys from the Riverina were put through their paces with both indoor and outdoor skill and fitness sessions. The day was finished with fantastic food prepared by Clontarf Regional Manager Pat Edmunds. Plans were in place for more sessions in the future and one thing is for certain that the four Tumut boys Reggie Coe, Iziah Ford, Isaiah Coe and Jamie Hibbens are very keen to be involved again when the opportunity is presented. Year 12 student Reggie Coe, commented “To get coached by someone with Plummy’s experience is such a great opportunity”.

The Tumut Clontarf Academy would like to thank Mr John Thomson for being on hand to take some amazing photos on the day.

By Mat Chapman


Student Stories and Student Success

Year 9 Robotics

Year 9 Robotics students were keen to accept the learning from home challenge from Mr Crain. Students had to design a car using a mouse or rat trap and recycled material. The car had to independently move for a minimum of 5 metres. Once that was achieved an extra element was added to the challenge to engineer the vehicle to move in reverse after moving forward. Students agreed it was a great experience to develop engineering skills whilst building the cars for the challenge.

Well done Alvin, Charlie, Eddie and Noah.

More student learning at home and students are back to school

Australian Stock Exchange Game

Year 11 Business Studies, Year 10 Commerce and Year 9 Commerce students recently participated in the ASX (Australian Stock Exchange) Game. 

Students received a virtual $50,000 to invest over a 10-week period, in 220 companies listed on the ASX. The prices students buy and sell at are the same prices as they would get in the live market so this is as close to real life share trading as you can get - they even get charged brokerage for every transaction.

Atticus Blenkins from Year 9 Commerce, took the game seriously and was able to have a very successful experience. He ranked 1st at Tumut High School, 28th in NSW (out of 5,630) and 80th overall (out of 17,018) – this even includes some international students.

In just 10 weeks Atticus was able to turn his virtual $50,000 in to $84,354.86. At such a turbulent time in our economy this is no fluke. Interestingly, his most profitable investment was with Afterpay.

See below for Atticus's syndicate profile.

Round 2 starts on the 19th August 2020. 

Scholarship Success

Congratulations to Natalie Erbacher in Year 10 who has won a 2019 Digital Video Scholarship.

A letter sent to Tumut High from the Project Manager read "The standard of entries was high; however, Natalie's video and her personal qualities made her stand out from her peers."

Natalie has been invited to experience life in Italy on a 5 month program, initially scheduled to depart in September 2020. Her plans to travel this year have been postponed. Our fingers are crossed Natalie will still get this opportunity in the near future to gain first hand knowledge of a different culture and language, greater independence, confidence and maturity acting as an Australian Ambassador in Italy.

Student Exchange Australia New Zealand Ltd offers a significant number of scholarships for students. For more information on these scholarships please visit www.studentexchange.org.au/scholarships/

Tumut High School

We would like to pay our respects and acknowledge Wiradjuri and Wolgalu people, the traditional custodians of the land and also pay respect to Elders both past, present and future.


Respect, Responsiblity, Safety