Respect ~ Perseverance ~ Growth

Principal Matters by Mark Watson

Returning to Normal The very low number of COVID-19 cases in NSW has led to a further easing of restrictions in schools. A number of these were announced for this week but will be implemented in term 3. We are now able to hold limited assemblies and in-school excursions, visit Environ-mental Education Centres, allow students to visit other schools for essential curriculum ac-tivities and allow community use of facilities under strict guidelines. Community users and external visitors are required to sign documents agreeing that they are aware and will follow current health guidelines and practices. Limited use of our facilities will begin after term 2. Only limited essential parent visits to the school are currently permitted. From term 3, there will be even further easing of restrictions with interschool activities such as sports and de-bating allowed following health guidelines. Work experience and VET work placements will also be allowed to begin from the start of term 3. Meetings with parents such as parent/teacher and P&C meetings will be allowed from next term, however, online options are encouraged. School camps, excursions and activities involving parents are currently being considered for resumption in term 3. We will keep you informed as restrictions are eased by the Department of Education. Temperature Testing In line with the easing of restrictions and the low numbers of COVID-19 cases, we will end our current temperature testing routines at the end of week 9. We hired the equipment we have been using so we could test multiple peo-ple in a very short time frame. When we came out of the lock down and returned to face-to-face learning, the test-ing was a precautionary measure to ensure that those who were not well did not attend school. While our current practices will change, we will continue to temperature test students who are sent to the office because they are not well. Students with a high temperature will still be sent home. Current health guidelines to stay at home when you are unwell have not changed and will be enforced. Year Assemblies Photo Distribution With the easing of restrictions this week, we were able to hold very short year assemblies to distribute student pho-tos. School photos form an important part of students’ school memorabilia and this year’s are special – a memory from the year of the COVID-19 taken in the very small window at the start of the year before it became a pandemic. If you have not seen your child’s photo, I would suggest checking their bag. Year 12 Parent Teacher Meetings The Year 12 parent/teacher meetings scheduled to take place earlier in the year had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 restrictions. These are now going ahead in a different format for this year. Teachers have made availa-ble a number of time slots for meetings over several days beginning from next Wednesday 24 June through to Thursday July 2. All meetings will be conducted on line as zoom meetings or over the phone. Parents are able to select a meeting time from one of the available slots by going to www.schoolinterviews.com.au. If you are happy with your child’s progress, there is no need to make an appointment. Only see the teachers you need to see. By holding the meetings before the end of the term, parents and students should receive some feedback on not only progress but on measures that can be taken to improve performance in the trials coming up from week 3 next term. Year 12 HSC Timeline While the COVID-19 lockdown disrupted learning programs, our extensive online delivery has meant that we are not too far behind where we would normally be at this time of the year. Our trials will go ahead during weeks 3 and 4 of next term as scheduled. NESA have given us more time to submit our assessment marks and the school will mark major works, not external markers. NESA have also delayed the start of the HSC exams by a week in term 4. Term 3 is normally the final term for Year 12 and we would expect that many courses would be completed by the end of the term. This year we are required to continue face-to-face teaching in the first week of term 4. While the exact details of this week need to be finalised, it is anticipated that we will run tutorial sessions similar to those we run during the school holidays. HSC exams will take place after this in term 4. Arrangements and timing of the for-mal and graduation will be guided by advice from the Department of Health and Education. With the easing of

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more restrictions at the start of term 3, we will hopefully be able to clarify arrangements for these significant events in the Year 12 calendar. Year 11 Subject Selection Planning for the 2021 school year is about to get underway. In order to put together the timetable for next year, we need to know what courses students want to study in 2021. Year 10 is about to begin selecting the subjects for Year 11 next year. Once again, COVID-19 has had an impact on this timeline and the selection process will need to take place within the restricted guidelines under which we are operating. A subject selection book is currently being prepared and it will be an important document for you and your Year 10 child as they make their selections. There will be subject briefings and tastings for Year 10 students. We will also provide a process so parents are able to clarify information. Gym Update As you travel along Horace Street, you will have noticed the impressive structure emerging from the ground that is our new gym. Extensive metal beams have been installed in the last couple of weeks that will carry the roof over the two basketball courts. Next week it is anticipated that installation of the roof sheeting will begin. The school web site has a link to a time-lapse video. This will soon be added to to include the structural frame of the building. It is anticipated that building works will be completed for the start of the 2021 school year.

Remediation update The new gym was not the only building receiving structural attention this week. Scaffolding has been placed around B and D blocks to enable the buildings to be wrapped in preparation for the removal of asbestos. Before the work begins the wrapping around the building will be smoke tested to ensure the buildings are completely sealed. All of the work is done following Work Safe guidelines.

P&C Grounds Thank You Last weekend the small group of parents behind the significant beautification and improvements to the school grounds met to plan their next steps. It has not been easy for them as they work around the adjustments that are constantly being made to the school, however, their efforts between the quad and trade training centre have made this section of the playground a very pleasant space to be in. I would like to thank the P&C for their tremendous efforts, and on this occasion, specifically for the improvement to the grounds.

Best Wishes Mark Watson Deputy Principal

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P&C EMAIL ADDRESSES It has come to our attention that some people are not receiving emails from the communi-cations team or from the P&C as a whole. To ensure that the information is not landing up in your Junk or Spam mailbox could you please add the following two addresses to your "safe senders": secretary@stivespandc.com communications@stivespandc.com This will ensure that you are receiving all relevant P&C information such as meeting notifi-cations, minutes, decisions, plans, new projects and all other P&C matters. Thanks SIHS P&C 2020

MATHS COMPETITION NEWS

Congratulations to the following year 7 students who achieved fantastic results in the June round of the APSMO (Australasian Problem Solving Mathematical Olympiad: Mahan M (who achieved a perfect score!!!!) Mathew B, Fin K and Nate D (who all solved four problems out of five.) Well done to all year 7 and 8 participants!

Sue Berger

Mathematics Teacher

THANKYOU FROM THE ADMINISTRATION TEAM

Thank you to Kerren Lumsden, a parent at the school, for nominating the Administration Team for the St Ives Village Love Local campaign for having gone over and above to help other members of Ku-ring-gai. We were pro-vided with a delicious morning tea on Thursday which was enjoyed by all. Amanda Sibbald School Administration Manager

DOES ANYONE STILL READ THE PAPERS? The Visual Arts faculty would love to receive your old newspapers, they are hard to get these days! Please leave at the office. Thanks to the families who have already donated newspapers along with magazines, con-tainers etc, we really appreciate it! Pat Gettens Head Teacher Creative Arts

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NOTIFICATION OF P&C GENERAL MEETING

Please join us for the second on-line meeting of the P&C for 2020.

The meeting will be held on Thursday 25th of June at 7:30pm

Sarah Gibbons Secretary St Ives High P&C

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