As I write this article I reflect on the past year as Principal at Beverly Hills Girls High School. We have undergone many changes in 2019, particularly with improvements around the school. The students now have a beautiful new oval with irrigation for PDHPE and sport. The girl’s bathrooms are under construction and will be completed by the time our students return in 2020. The school library and school hall have been renovated and the bitumen around the school has improved the health and safety for students and staff.

The students were also involved in creating our first Mural. The goal: to beautify the school with art that has meaning for the community, while at the same time employing and engaging our girls and giving them a constructive environment in which to express themselves.

We held our Year 7, 2020 Orientation Day on Tuesday 3rd December, welcoming parents, carers and students of Year 7 for next year to Beverly Hills Girls  High School. While students had fun participating in various activities associated with high school life, parents were able to gain information about our school across the areas of school organisation, teaching, learning, high expectations and support. Parents and carers used this opportunity to pay 2020 school fees, purchase uniform and book packs; getting organised for the first day for Year 7, which is Wednesday 29 January 2020. For any parents and carers unable to attend, please contact the school to receive your copy of the Student Handbook and associated information distributed on the day

Success at school may mean different things to different people, however, most agree that high achievement in formal studies is very desirable.

The definition of 'high achievement' varies for each student as a result of personal circumstances. Apparent natural ability, motivation, family support and health are some of the outside factors which influence achievement.

It is generally accepted that offering a wide choice of subjects allows students the chance to achieve in areas of interest, but success goes far beyond subject choice. The curriculum organisation described in this book provides such choice. More importantly, it also provides for:

1. Choice within subjects
2. Units of Study which are in manageable amounts
3. Placement at appropriate Levels to suit personal performance
4. A credential that accumulates results each half year
5. Review of progress and adjustment to placement as the need arises.

All of these benefits lead to maximum student success and confidence, which in turn fuel student effort for greater achievement.

This year the school implemented Learning Walks. Learning walks are an organised observational visit through a school’s classrooms and learning areas to collect objective evidence about teaching and learning practices within the school, how well learning efforts are being implemented school-wide and how the implementation is impacting on student learning

Our focus was to evaluate student engagement in the classroom. 

'Student engagement refers to the degree of attention, curiosity, interest, optimism and passion that students show when they are learning or being taught, which extends to the level of motivation they have to learn and progress in their education. Generally speaking, the concept of “student engagement” is based on the belief that learning improves when students are inquisitive, interested, or inspired, and that learning tends to suffer when students are bored, dispassionate, disaffected, or otherwise ‘disengaged'.  {from A Glossary of Educational Reform}. 

Our findings indicated high engagement at Beverly Hills Girls High School and through the Quality Learning Framework understand the meaning of engagement.

The process of preparing written reports for our students is well underway. The report your child will receive this term is a reflection of the progress they have made towards achieving the outcomes of each course they participated in during Semester 2. Reports will be distributed on Tuesday 17th December 2019.

As we draw closer to the end of the year, there is a temptation for some students to take an early holiday and this has a significant negative impact on their learning. The next two weeks of school will operate as usual for all students. Normal lessons will continue as teachers begin to prepare their classes for next year.

As you may be aware, as a school community we nominated to run our end of year School Development Days as four half-day twilight sessions throughout the school year. This has been a very successful initiative with this time spent on a range of relevant topics during each school term. Our most recent twilight session was in early December and focused on mindfulness and student wellbeing.  

With these two days already completed, the last day of business for the school will be Wednesday 18th December.

Our Development Day at the start of 2020 will involve a training session around the administration of auto-injectors for those who suffer from an anaphylactic reaction along with training on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). Staff require an annual update in this area. We will also focus on student welfare and planning for the new year. This is a great opportunity to discuss specific student health and learning issues.

Over the holiday period many families will be buying new school shoes so it is a good time to remind you of our uniform policy. The general principle is that all students must wear all-black school shoes with leather uppers that cover the instep, are fastened with laces or straps and which have sturdy soles. Easily slipped on/slipped off shoes are NOT acceptable nor are black vinyl or canvas shoes or boots. When wearing sport uniform, the only shoe that is acceptable is a proper cross-trainer which also protects the foot and affords support during physical activities. Fashion style casual shoes and canvas shoes are NOT acceptable as they offer inadequate protection for developing feet.

It is important to make sure everyone understands that any loose articles on their person can cause injury. Please note that if your child wears a scarf, please ensure you purchase a white scarf with no loose or flowing fabric. It should be tucked in and tight. Students must be protected against any hazards while at school. Loose fitting items have the potential to cause injury in practical rooms such as kitchens and science labs. There is also the possibility of getting caught on something whilst playing sport. 

Throughout the year our parents have contributed in many ways to support our school. Your donations to the P&C in 2019 have been committed to a range of school resources including the purchase of new 3D Printers.

This year has been another excellent year for our community and I would like to thank staff, students, parents and guardians for your ongoing support as we work in partnership to provide the best learning opportunities for our students. I would also like to take this opportunity to wish all of you a restful, safe and enjoyable summer holiday.

Ms Maria Iemma

Principal 

P&C would like to thank all of the Committee Members for their hard work during 2019. Once again the P&C has been able to donate $10,000.00 back to the school for resources for your children.

We are desperately seeking new members for our P&C to come along to a meeting once a month during school term. Many of our current members have children in the senior school.

So come along to our friendly informal meeting and get to know what is happening at your school. Our next meeting is on Wednesday 12th February 2020 at 6.00pm.

Positive Behaviour for Learning

Behaviour problems are predominantly a manifestation of a breakdown in relationships, the failure to understand how to act in different social situations, or the failure to determine, communicate and set expectations.

Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) is a comprehensive, integrated whole school approach to student wellbeing and behaviour.

The Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) Plan provides programmes and initiatives for parents, teachers and the schools to turn around unproductive behaviour in students and to encourage pro-social behaviour.

• It is built on the foundation that positive behaviour can be learnt and difficult and disruptive behaviour can be unlearnt.
• It’s supported by evidenced based research in behavioural theory and practice using the works of Dweck, Sallinger, Carr-Gregg
• It moves away from seeing individual students as a ‘problem’, and towards proactively changing the environment around them to support    positive behaviour.
• It recognises that punitive and exclusionary approaches to discipline do not bring about long-term and sustainable changes in behaviour.
• It supports the national application of a small number of evidence-based programmes and frameworks that we know work.
• It recognises that there are no quick fixes. It takes a long-term view to ensure that changes in behaviour are sustained.
• It uses data to monitor outcomes and determine whether interventions are working effectively.

PBL is a process that supports school leadership teams to create positive learning environments that enable student learning and wellbeing.

Successful implementation of PBL is underpinned by the support and commitment of the whole school community. 

When implemented PBL has been shown to improve student outcomes (academic skills, pro-social behaviours and retention and attendance rates).

Beverly Hills Girls High School aims to build and strengthen our value within the local community. To achieve this, we are working towards developing and strengthening relationships between the high school, the local network of primary schools and the wider community, as well as building a foundation for sharing and co-operation and for developing educational initiatives. Such a plan is aimed at building confidence and enthusiasm in students about transitioning to high school. To achieve this goal, we successfully introduced the Primary Links Program during term 4 this year. Students participated in a 4 week program utilising Project Based Learning and the Design Thinking Process as well as a range of technologies across several KLAs. After careful planning and collaboration with the primary schools, we successfully launched the program with 160 primary school students from Narwee PS, Beverly Hills PS and Beverly Hills North PS. Students attended once a week for the four weeks with the concept of completing a project using the future focussed skills of critical thinking, collaboration, and communication. The excited primary school students picked one of the 5 projects on offer and then spent the rest of their workshop time discovering a working solution. With topics such as; Young Problem Solvers - Engineering design focus, 'Get Published'- Creating a Zine, Delve into the 'land of the rising sun, an introduction to the study of Japanese language and culture, ‘Grow your food. Fill your belly!’ and Lets Perform – a combination of being in front and behind the camera, students got to work with our extensive learning resources as well as our experienced high school teachers. One of the highlights of the program was the interaction between the students and their 25, Year 11 student mentors, who volunteered to be part of the program. At the end of the four weeks, parents and friends were invited for a presentation of projects and refreshments at Beverly Hills Girls High School. During this presentation, the school staff fostered positive relationships with the parents allowing them to ask questions and seek advice about transitioning to high school. The buzz in the hall was amazing with many confident, happy students proudly presenting their work to all those around them. The highlight for me was the wonderful video which documented the program through the student’s eyes. Planned and filmed by the students, the presentation clearly showed the level of excitement and engagement in the variety of activities on offer. With such a great success we intend to continue with the program in 2020.

C. Williams

Deputy Principal 

As a school we are continuously looking for ways to improve our communication with our students, parents and the wider school community. In response to this, the school will be launching our Sentral Parent Portal early in 2020. Accessible from your mobile, tablet or computer, the parent portal will give parents and carers the opportunity to stay in touch with the school from anywhere anytime. The Sentral Parent Portal will let you:

• Be notified of absence, respond to unexplained absences or advise the school in advance of planned absences
• Stay informed with your targeted news feed
• Receive regular academic notifications of your child’s progress
• Message your child’s teachers
• Respond to direct teacher/school messages via email, SMS or Portal
• Receive email and portal notifications, including reminders
• Access to the BHGHS newsletter
• Receive your child’s Student Report electronically
• Provide permission and make payments for school activities

Please note to have access to this valuable resource we need a current parent email address, as this will allow the school to send parents’ login details. If you have changed your email address or wish to check if the school has your correct details, please contact the school via the school’s email beverlyhg-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au or call on 9150 4280.

In 2020, we commence our gifted and talented class.

What do we mean by high potential and gifted?

Professor Françoys Gagné suggests that potential exists along a continuum, where given optimal conditions, high potential can lead to high performance and achievement.

Gagné outlines that students may exhibit potential in one or more domains including intellectual, creative, social-emotional, and physical.

High potential and gifted students are found across diverse family, socio-economic, language, cultural backgrounds and different geographic locations.

So what’s the difference between high potential and gifted, or even highly gifted students? Well…

High potential students are those whose potential exceeds that of students of the same age They may benefit from an enriched or extended curriculum and learning opportunities beyond the typical level of their age peers.

Gifted students are those whose potential significantly exceeds that of students of the same age. They typically develop talent and achieve mastery notably faster than their age peers.

Highly gifted students are those whose potential vastly exceeds that of their age peers. Highly gifted students may require specific and significant curriculum adjustments to meet their learning and wellbeing needs.

When teachers and school leaders recognise high potential, providing optimal learning conditions will make a difference in supporting the development of talent.

So let’s…

find the potential

develop the talent

make the difference.

Our HUB school partnership with UNSW has seen over 40 Teacher Education Students complete one of their two Professional Experience placements with us. We also hosted 16 Masters of Education students as part of their in-school teacher education program (INSTEP) and 15 Professional Engagement students. Our teachers have mentored these aspiring teachers, working together to develop their skills and knowledge, improve their practice and help them become profession ready.

We would like to wish our partner in learning, the University of New South Wales, along with the University of Sydney, Western Sydney University, Macquarie University, the University of Technology Sydney and the Australian Catholic University all the best for the season and looking forward to another productive and successful learning year in 2020. 

The inaugural Cultural Connections Project to build student leadership with our partner school, Engadine High School. On Tuesday 13th August Mr Goudkamp and Mrs Anaxagorou took a group of 20 students from STAR CLUB ( refugee background) , SASSY ( SRC leaders ) and international students to the  Refugee Youth Forum organised by Gymea Community Aid. We spent the day building our  leadership skills by taking part in various activities with other schools. At the end of the day schools were given the challenge of applying for a grant to run a school based project. Mr Goudkamp and Mrs Anaxagorou took up the challenge with the vision of creating a relationship with Engadine High School as it became clear that their school context is very different to ours – they do not have refugee students and very few students with a background other than English ( ESL). We were so excited when they accepted our invitation to become a PARTNER SCHOOL – The idea is that they could spend a day in our school to experience what it is like for us and vice versa. We called our project Cultural Connecitons.

Kalpna, the organiser from Gymea Community Aid was thrilled about our idea and she has been present every part of the way taking photos and tracing our developing relationship with Engadine High. On the 28th October we were hosted at Engadine High. During the day students took part in a number of leadership building activities, raising  awareness about combatting racism and challenging myths about refugees. They also heard from guests from SCARF, an organisation supporting refugee families in Wollongong. We came away realising how different their school is, surrounded by bush with most students from Anglo Saxon background.

On 29th November, our Cultural Connections team hosted a return visit by students and teachers from Engadine HS. We started off with fun and engaging ice breakers activities which helped with the heat. Then came the informative Q and A panel about refugees and racism (Millad Sidiqi from LMA, Miss Anaxagorou and Mr Goudkamp). A fun  Bollywood lesson led by Tahsin and Fairoj from year 7 and an engaging  Indonesian Angklung musical performance with audience participation led by Kanaya and Salwa from year 9.  Deeply moving speeches by refugee and international students were shared, highlighting their challenging experiences. Our guest speaker Millad from the Muslim Association in Lakemba shared his experiences of racism which left a very deep impression on the audience.

Students enjoyed the delicious lunch by Miss Karas’  year 10 hospitality class and Mr Mills.  This was then followed with a visit  to SASSY, where BHGH volunteers help IEC students with a reading program. Our school tour included a visit to  the Intensive English Centre, where we received a talk from the head teacher Miss Lum and a previous IEC student, Kanaya Ahmed. We gained a lot of leadership skills as a result of this program, we look forward to deepening our connection with Engadine HS in 2020 and beyond. Thank You to all those who participated and worked hard to make this possible.

Shameera Binte SHAHID & Khadijah HOQUE

It’s been a busy year for the Mathematics Faculty as we have begun our preparation for the new stage 6 courses for Advanced, Extension 1 and Extension 2 Mathematics, as they will be examined for the first time in the 2020 HSC. We have also continued with our faculty strategy to provide learning resources for all our students. This had previously been to ensure that every student has a new curriculum textbook and now we have introduced online resources such MathsOnline and SmarterMaths NAPLAN 9.

MathsOnline is available for all students in Year 7 to Year 10

We are proud of this year’s introduction of MathsOnline, where all students from Year 7 to Year 10 have 24/7 access to mathematics teaching resources. MathsOnline is available at https://www.mathsonline.com.au/ and your daughter has already been provided with her login and password which had previously been outlined in the note that they took home mid-way though term 3. MathsOnline will be available over the summer holiday break and we ask you to encourage your daughter to make use this excellent learning opportunity. MathsOnline contains videos, quizzes, summaries, worksheets and topic tests on all content from kindergarten to year 12. Please speak to your daughter about MathsOnline and how it can be used to help improve their mathematics and numeracy.

Preparation for Year 9 NAPLAN 2020

All Year 8 students have been provided access (as well as MathsOnline) to SmarterMaths NAPLAN 9. Your daughter in year 8 can now practice any of many NAPLAN style tests by topic, which will then be graded with a BAND as in line with the NAPLAN year 9 exam itself.  This website is located at https://explore.smartermaths.com.au/ and all students in Year 8 had been given their login and password and explained how to access this site as was outlined in the note sent home mid-term 3. If your daughter is currently in year 8, please encourage her to make use of this facility to improve her NAPLAN result. Also note that these tests will better prepare your daughter for the minimum standard test that she will have to undertake in year 12 in order to receive her HSC.

Ongoing support for the professional development of Mathematics Teachers

This year the Mathematics faculty proudly supported 9 teacher education students who were mainly from the University of NSW and also from Sydney University. We are proud of our ongoing support for the professional development of future mathematics teachers and feedback from these future teachers has also been positive about school and students as had been the feedback from the University about our professionalism in supporting them.

PiRates Tutoring

A special thank you to Mr Dang for running the PiRates peer tutoring program, that had run every week at lunchtimes on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. PiRates tutoring is a free tutoring service for your daughter where our best year 11 and year 12 students’ offer maths support to all other students in order to improve their mathematics. Please encourage your daughter in 2020 to attend any PiRates session is she ever requires some further explanation or support for her mathematical learning.

The Mathematics Faculty.​

Peer Support is an evidence-based peer-led approach to enhance the mental, social and emotional wellbeing of young people. At Beverly Hills Girls High School, the year 9 cohort participate in the Peer Leaders’ training program in term 4 each year. The experiential learning activities serve to further develop our students skills in communication, decision making, empathy, assertiveness and relationship building in preparation for their role as seniors. Selected students go onto to lead orientation and transition activities for the incoming year 7 students. Peer Support is an integral component of Beverly Hills Girls High Schools’ whole school approach to developing leadership capabilities and reducing bullying. 

Year 9 perspective of the Peer Support Leadership Training

There was always a purpose to each activity we did 

Each day of the peer support training was split up into three sessions and the purpose of these were discussed as well. So the course was transparent and clear from the start in terms of its goals and outcomes. E.g By acknowledging yourself, you embrace your personal characteristics and use them to develop your personal leadership style.

It helped us build new relationships as we were in groups with people we might not have known

These groups were selected on the first day of the course and were comprised of people we knew and others we didn't. This course facilitated meaningful connections within groups as we slowly learnt more about others. During most activities, we worked together to reach a common purpose and celebrated successes as a team. Most activities required every person's input, and our ability to work with other ideas and perspectives enhanced significantly.

We got to know our own style of interacting (commander, energiser, protector and thinker) 

In short, the program helped us with reflecting on ourselves and  the way we work. Learning and acknowledging personal interaction styles made leadership easier. We also accept different styles of others, and worked with them in each of our activities. The most important thing we learnt here was that whilst all commanders, energisers, protectors and thinkers are effective leaders on their own, they often require other styles to balance and complement them. Leadership is about acknowledging differences and working within them to guide others, and this activity showed us more than one perspective is fine and sometimes necessary.

We learnt new ways to deal with things and how to respond

Decision making and problem solving proved to be an intense discussion in our groups as other perspectives often clash with our own. We first attempted activities individually before sharing answers with the entire group. Here we learn to defend our opinions yet negotiate with others in order to deal with presented scenarios. As for individual improvement, we learn to justify our decisions and revisit scenarios multiple times. A new scaffold for problem solving was presented that encourages creative thinking, constant reflection and planning. This proved to be one of the most useful aspects of this entire course.

Co written by Alyssa and Vy

On the 28th – 30th November 30 students from year 9 and 10 attended an outdoor recreation camp with Ms Sharkey and Ms Tzavellas. The students participated in a range of fun activities, which aim to develop teamwork, cooperation and communication skills. Activities included archery, canoeing, raft building, high ropes, flying fox and the giant swing. It was valuable and enjoyable experience for students and teachers.

On the 28th November our History Extension class and our teacher, Mr Aligiannis, recently visited the State Library of NSW. The State Library was magnificently built in 1845 and we were able to examine and admire the architecture of the early Colonial architects up-close. Mr Aligiannis also spoke to us about the Hellenistic influences on the main library building and also translated a quote from Ancient Greek, which adorns the main building and translated it as, Books are the source of wisdom. We also found out about the cat Trim, that adorned the main building, he belonged to the explorer Matthew Flinders and sailed from England to Australia on his maiden voyage, the cat today sits behind his statute outside the library building.

Our excursion was not only to view the main building, but the purpose of the trip to learn to access resources both Australian and International to support us in our journey of our History Projects for the HSC. At the library, Mr Aligiannis taught us how to access online journals, articles from the archives and learnt how to request books from the 5 level storage facility below. We now have access to a plethora of information both through physical archives and electronically at our fingertips at any time!

As senior students this excursion was invaluable, it provided us with valid access, as we all became members of the library and learnt to work the ins and outs for support in future assessments. Overall, memorable moments on the trip included: the train ride down, introducing Mr Aligiannis to chilli Mexican food, photo opportunities in front of the large Xmas tree in Martin Place and of course learning more and more about our Australian History from the landmarks in the city.

Did we mention it was FUN!??

Article By: Nafisa Islam, Maysa Ghazzaoui, Angie Nguyen & Kanza Kaleem, 

Senior Music Students did BHGHS proud when they performed the National Anthem in both English and Durramul at the opening of Woolworths Roselands earlier this term. Students were also given the honour of cutting the ribbon which held back the throngs of keen shoppers! Well done to our senior music class!

On 30 October 2019, senior students were invited to sing the national anthem at the re-opening of Woolworths, Roselands. We all proudly represented our school by singing in front of the Woolworths staff and customers.

We also made sure we paid our respects to Aboriginal elders and acknowledged the fact we were on Aboriginal land by singing a verse in the Dharawal language.

This opportunity provided us with an exhilarating experience, as not only did we have the chance to develop our performance skills, but we were also part of an extremely positive community experience.

Our experience on the day with both customers and staff allowed us to feel that we were effectively representing our school and contributing to an extraordinary project with this reopening unifying all people as customers gathered eagerly, smiling, waiting to shop.

Overall it was an extremely fun day and we’re glad that we were provided with this opportunity to be a symbol of and uphold our school’s values.

Stephanie, Nada, Hodan, Adiba and Ria.

As a member of the Beverly Hills Girls High School family, it is a privilege for me to be able to watch the students flourish in an environment which encourages them to be the best version of themselves. Through the plethora of opportunities offered to the students at our school, it allows them to explore unchartered territory; to dream and achieve anything they put their minds to.

The Careers Department is an integral part of their personal and educational development – guiding them to achieve and make informed decisions about their future. As part of the Careers program,  students have the opportunity to participate in numerous programs throughout the year which inspires them while harnessing innovative ideas, building confidence and providing a wealth of information. (Mrs Pangis – Careers Adviser)

Please follow the Beverly Hills Girls High School Careers Facebook page using the link below:

Beverly Hills GHS Careers Facebook link:   https://www.facebook.com/pages/Beverly-Hills-GHS-Careers/716366265053950

An inspirational day, surrounded by innovation in AI, the ability to harness what drives you and making your vision a reality. A reminder that we are all capable of doing anything we set our minds to! Connecting, consulting, collaborating, believing – IMAGINE (Mrs Pangis – Careers Adviser)

“On the 7th of November 2019, we were selected to participate in a Wired for Wonder Youth Summit program. Wired for Wonder is an event that prepares students for future experiences and challenges that they may face. It is also an educational and innovative concept that allows attendees to use their imagination. When we attended the event, we explored emerging trends and heard from incredible lecturers who encouraged our curiosity and inspired us to pursue our dreams. This allowed us to gain social skills and maintain a positive and proactive life. It was a creative experience that sparked our imagination and got us excited about learning. We enjoyed the inspirational feel and embarking on the journey of discovery and innovation.” (Zahra Mehdi - Year 9)

Short video available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEqej1m_TRM&t=21s

How would you design a Tiny House, taking into account style, layout, and client preferences? The girls in Ms McDonald’s Visual Design class have done just that. They worked in groups to create their own minimalist homes, using a range of software and artmaking mediums. Throughout the project teams met with professional interior designers for feedback, giving them a unique insight into the field. Students have developed sophisticated products, strengthening their collaborative and artmaking skills in the process.

On Monday 18th November and Tuesday 19th November, year 8 students participated in the Surf Awareness course at North Cronulla Beach. This program allowed students to develop confidence in water and surf environments and taught them valuable skills regarding safety in a variety of water situations. The course was divided into two sections. At school students completed a theoretical Water Safety Program including learning activities in the gym as well as practical rescue and resuscitation techniques. The students also visited North Cronulla Beach and participated in the Surf Awareness Course. This included swimming techniques in a pool, board paddling, a practical beach walk identifying rips and currents, and a DVD presentation.

On Tuesday 3rd December, 50 girls from year’s 8, 9 and 10 were selected to participate in the GIANTS It’s not rocket science leadership day at GIANTS Headquarters, Sydney Olympic Park. The girls had fun engaging in a range of fitness testing where some of our girls won the standing jump competition and won some GIANTS jerseys! They went on a full tour of the facilities and even got to meet some of the players whilst they were doing their preseason training. The girls enjoyed the day engaging in a range maths, science and health and media based activities.

Carmen Smith proves that women can do everything.

Carmen Smith, School Vice-Captain 2019 was one of only 37 Year 12 students across the state to receive the prestigious Minister’s Award for Excellence in Student Achievement 2019.

This award recognises the outstanding achievement of Year 12 students who have excelled in their secondary years across all areas of their schooling.

Carmen was officially recognised for her outstanding student leadership skills, her deep sense of community and for being giving of her time to foster a sense of citizenship and service in others.  She has supported the local and wider community by volunteering to assist young refugees transition into their new community, as well as support older Australian to stay connected in their society.

Carmen is a worthy recipient of the Minister’s Award for Excellence in Student Achievement 2019 because she is, and will continue to be, all that encapsulates Public Education.

The Victor Chang School Science Awards were developed to foster and encourage an interest in science among secondary school students, with the aim of promoting careers in Science as a viable and interesting career path.

Named after the late cardiac surgeon and pioneer of modern heart transplantation, the Victor Chang School Science Awards were established to celebrate young, gifted students, and to stimulate growth in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subject areas. 

Nominated by their teachers for their tenacity and commitment in the science classroom, the Year 11 winners are invited to tour the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute. On Wednesday 6 November, Diane Ibrahim and Pushpita Deb were honoured to be the recipients of the prestigious Victor Chang Cardiac Research Award which was presented at a ceremony at Bankstown Library.   

Congratulations to Joyce Lin (Year 12 2019) whose artwork ‘Abandoned was selected for Art Express and will be exhibited at the Griffith Regional Gallery and Margaret Whitlam Galleries in 2020. Joyce’s artwork is a series of drawings that have been stippled with a variety of pens to achieve a range of dot sizes. Her concept explores an abandoned cat that she discovered and her quest to care for it. Her observation of this animal as she cared for it are artfully depicted in her series. Congratulations again on this auspicious achievement!   

The 2019/2020 Student Representative Council kicked off their term in office with a two day leadership camp, supervised by Ms Avgenakis, Ms Banbas and SRC coordinators Ms Antoniadis and Ms Byrnes. Our very own Senior Council led the camp with a series of interactive and educational leadership activities, accompanied by a booklet they spent hours designing and perfecting. Councillors gained insight into effective communication, leadership styles and qualities, goal setting and decision making. As a result, both our Junior and Senior Councillors developed numerous leadership skills and attributes to assist them in their newly found roles. 

Over the year the SRC contributed to and hosted many activities and initiatives that were held across the school community. Some of these include Kindness Day, Harmony Day, Refugee Week, White Ribbon Day and Multicultural Day. Through the support of our staff and students, our donations have supported a number of charities beyond the compounds of our community. A notable example of this was the collection of presents under our wishing tree to be donated this Christmas to children that are less fortunate. 

Our SRC extends its support outside the school. This year we piloted the eSafety Commissioners Office, Be Connected Young Mentors program. This is a government run initiative designed to close the divide between our older and younger Australians. Over 5 weeks thirteen of our students mentored older Australians, teaching them how to use and access technology. Beverly Hills Girls has also been working towards strengthening our relationship with our local primary schools in the ‘Primary Links’ program. This program was supported by our Year 11 SRC members in which they assisted a number of girls from Years 4 and 5 as they gained an insight into a subject of their choice. The program ended with a presentation where parents, staff and principals were invited to watch a final showcase of what the girls had achieved over the four weeks.  

The SRC also works closely alongside the Intensive English Centre (IEC), in the student run initiative, Successful Aspiring Students Supporting You (SASSY). Through this initiative, our girls have had the opportunity to assist IEC students in extending their literacy skills, as well as gaining their own skills in leadership. The ‘Bevo Bundlers’ knitting club is run by six students who are eager to make a difference. With the help of many student volunteers, many blankets were knitted and gifted to less fortunate women in the community. 

Overall, 2019 has been a successful and wonderful year for the SRC and the school community. On behalf of the SRC we look forward to making 2020 a year of positive change, with many new and exciting initiatives to come. 

Starting high school is an exciting time, for students and their parents.

Going to high school will be a new experience for your child. The school is likely to be much bigger than the primary school and your child may feel a little insecure at first. Instead of being a senior in a small school, they are now a beginner in a big school. However, it is also an exciting time with many opportunities and a broader curriculum.

The following video, 'Starting high school' (4 mins 53 sec) shows Year 7 students introducing primary school students to high school life.

• Does your child have allergies, a health condition or additional needs? If so, talk to the high school principal as soon as possible.
• Encourage your child to participate in any transition to high school program offered to them.
• Watch videos about high school.
• Buy school uniforms, books, stationery, school bag, drink bottle, house key and any other supplies.
• Label everything.
• Break in school shoes to make them more comfortable.
• Practise travelling to and from school with your child using their new mode of transport or travel route.
• Teach them how to use their transport app and read the timetable for the bus, train or ferry as appropriate.
• Join your school and the department on social media to get all the updates.
• Apply for a school Opal card if needed. Go to apps.transport.nsw.gov.au/ssts or phone 131 500.

• Find out about school uniforms (including sports uniforms) – where and when to buy them.
• Get a map of the school to identify buildings, entry points and bike racks.
• Note school start and finish times.
• Get details on programs the school offers.
• Make a list of book packs and school supplies.
• Learn how you can become involved in the school.
• Meet the Year 7 adviser.
• Connect with other parents on social media.
• Find out whether your child requires a device such as a laptop.
• Find out the school’s position on mobile phones and discuss it with your child.

• Talk positively to your child about the move to high school.
• Ask them what’s exciting about high school. Does anything worry them?
• Make sure your child has a quiet work area and extra stationery supplies.
• Organise personal hygiene items in school bags.
• Decide what your child will do before and after school, and what time they need to be home.
• Discuss emergency and safety issues with them.
• Remind them they can always speak to the counselling staff at their school.
• Discuss the dangers of being distracted when crossing the road or riding – including talking and texting on the phone, and wearing headphones.
• Work out a backup plan in case their travel routes change or they miss their transport

• Help set your child’s alarm. Encourage them to get themselves ready on time.
• Provide your child with money and your contact numbers in case of emergencies.
• Make sure you have the school’s phone number with you.
• Pack a healthy lunch or encourage healthy choices if your school has a canteen. Find out more about Healthy School Canteens.

• Photocopy school timetables to place in school diaries, inside locker doors and on the fridge.
• Remind your child to note all assignments, homework and events in their diary.
• Check through the timetable each night while your child packs their bag. Encourage your child to eat healthy food and get a good night’s sleep.
• Give the school your current contact details.

Encourage your teen to keep a balance in their high school life. They still need time to relax, have fun and spend time with friends and family. They also need healthy food, exercise and a good night's sleep.

An opportunity exists as a part of the NSW public education system, which allows for time in class for education in ethics, faith and morality from a religious or non-religious perspective at the choice of parents, where approved providers are available to deliver these.On enrollment parents/carers will be given the SRE Participation Letter to complete and return. After the initial enrolment, a parent/carer may at any time notify the school in writing should they wish to change their child’s SRE preference.

Please also note that all new enrolments received from the beginning of 2019 will only be able to participate in SRE by returning the school’s SRE participation letter, signed by their parent/caregiver. Please use the link above for this note.

Further information can be found at:  https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/curriculum/learning-across-the-curriculum/religion-and-ethics

At Beverly Hills Girls High School, SRE is delivered once a week during 40 minute periods to students in Years 7 to 10. A timetable is provided to participating students.

During the time that SRE classes are being held, students who elect not to participate are supervised by BHGHS teachers.

Please note that students who participate in SRE will not in any way be disadvantaged regarding their normal class time.

On the occasions that an SRE teacher is unavailable students who have chosen to participate in SRE lessons combine with regular classes.

The following SRE classes are offered at Beverly Hills Girls High School:

Special Religious Education (SRE): Combined Christian SRE

Combined Christian SRE at BHGHS is provided by a combined agreement between local Christian denominations and churches. They cross–authorise both the SRE curriculum and the SRE teacher. Like all NSW SRE teachers, Mrs Baird is authorised and trained by an approved provider, the Anglican Diocese of Sydney. The curriculum is based on Good News about Jesus Christ and learning the key elements of Christian life and culture. Christian SRE engages students in conversations as they question life, explore values and discover faith.

For more information about Combined Christian SRE, including the authorised curriculum scope and sequence, please visit  https://inc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Think-Faith-Scope-and-Sequence.pdf

The Uniform shop will be opened from 9.00am - 1.00pm during the following days