BILLABONG HIGHLIGHTS - Millennium

BILLABONG HIGHLIGHTS
Principal: Phil Carroll 02 6029 8377
Deputy Principal: Julie Bowen 02 6029 8833
Email: billabong-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au Gordon Street CULCAIRN NSW 2660
Web Address: www.billabong-h.schools.nsw.edu.au
Monday 28 June 2010 TERM 2 WEEK 11
Parent/Teacher Interviews
A final reminder that parent/Teacher Interviews will take place this
Wednesday from 4.00 pm – 7.00 pm in the hall. Students have been
issued with booking sheets and should have been making
appointments with their teachers. Booking sheets are also on the
school website.
Reports
Students in Years 7 – 11 have been issued with their semester one
reports today. There have been a lot of positive achievements during
the semester and I would ask students and parents to review their
reports in preparation for the second semester.
2009 Annual School Report
The 2009 Annual School Report is now available for parents and the
community to read. A hard copy is not provided but the report is placed
on the school website. The address is www.billabongh.school.nsw.edu.au.
had the opportunity to learn about. Additionally, the test is quite
expensive.
In its place this year, students will sit the NSW Junior Geography
Competition. This test has been developed by Geography teachers
and the content is more relevant.
All students in Year 10 will sit for this 40 minute test during
Geography/History lessons this week. If students are away and miss
the test, they can organise with their teacher or the Head Teacher of
Social Science (Mr Schneider) to complete it at another time. There
will not be a charge for this test. Students will receive a certificate, as
well as valuable feedback on their progress in the course. This
competition also enables students and parents to make comparisons
with other Year 10 students across the state.
Mr P Schneider, BHS – Environmental Education Coordinator
Quality Teaching Award
Congratulations to Ms Tanya Fischer who has received a Riverina
Region Quality Teaching Award. This will be presented at the start of
Education Week on 2 nd August in Griffith. This is a wonderful
achievement and recognises Ms Fischer’s contribution in the classroom
and to the wider school community.
School Development Day
The Term 3 School Development Day will be held on Monday 19 th July.
Staff will be involved in a range of professional development activities
that include:
First aid training and updating
Mental health issues
Technology updates
School will resume for all students on Tuesday 20 th July.
Geography Competition
In recent years the school participated in the Australian Geographic
Geography Competition. This competition has provided students,
parents and teachers with some useful feedback on general
geographical knowledge. However, the test itself is not closely aligned
with the NSW syllabus and asks some questions that students have not
WHAT’S HAPPENING
Rehearsal & Drama Performance Riverina Playhouse Wagga 29/06
Rotary Debating 29/06
Chess Competition 29/06
Yr 7 – 11 Parent/Teacher Evening 30/06
Indigenous Dance Group during Sport 30/06
Yrs 11 & 12 Primary Industries to North Wagga TAFE 30/06
Positive 2 Excursion 01/07
BHS providing 10 umpires for Tony Lockett Football Competition 01/07
Last day of Term 2 02/07
School Development Day for all staff only 19/07
First Day of Term 3 for all students 20/07
Woolly Ragwort
A group of Year 9 Geography students have been working with the
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Ranger to complete research on
the Woolly Ragwort, a vulnerable plant species. Research conducted
on this plant indicated that it is confined to a few small areas in
Australia. One of those areas is the Benambra National
Park, the northern section of the Yambla Range.
Excellence and Success in a Supportive Community
The students involved (Megan Govan, Laura Kane, Sophie
Trethowan, Georgia Pitson, Stuart Nelson and Hayden
Davenport) have been busy early in the term learning about
the plant and research techniques. In recent weeks they
have been in the field recording data on the plant numbers
and plotting locations with GPS devices. This information
will be downloaded and incorporated into wider research
being completed by the National Parks.
It has been enjoyable and very rewarding educationally.
The work on the Woolly Ragwort will continue next term.

Japanese Virtual Excursion – By Calia Jones & Toni Daley
Konnichi wa. On Friday 18 th June some Year 9 and 10 Japanese
students made the long journey to room 14 for a virtual excursion,
using the video conferencing equipment. The excursion was through
the Tanken Centre in Sydney – a cultural and immersion language
experience for Japanese.
We collected questions to ask students from another Year 9 and 10
Japanese class, Blakehurst High, located in Sydney. Not to mention
everything that each of us said was in Japanese. Being Japanese
students, lucky we understood. We said Konnichi wa (hello) then asked
each other questions, such as ‘Petto go imasuka’ (Do you have a
pet), Nan sai desu ko, (How old are you) and ‘Gokazoku wan an nin
esu ka (How many people in your family). We played a range of
educational games such as writing
Japanese in speech bubbles for comics, on
the interactive whiteboard and showed the
Blakehurst High students a slide-show
about our school.
After Sayounara (goodbye), the equipment
was switched off. We would like to thank
Blakehurst High and Miss Fischer for taking
us on the virtual excursion.
Tickets will be available for
Creative Arts Week
‘The Mad Hatters’ T – Party
Wednesday 7.30 pm
Thursday 7.30 pm
Bookings available through BHS Office
Family – 2 adults & 2 children $25.00
Adults $10.00, Students/Concession $5.00
NAIDOC Week
NAIDOC originally stood for ‘National Aborigines and Islanders Day
Observance Committee’. This committee was once responsible for
organising national activities during NAIDOC Week and its acronym
has since become the name of the week itself.
NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia each July to
celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander peoples. This year, NAIDOC Week falls in the
first week of the July holidays. This week at school, Year 8 History
students will be displaying posters around the school to provide
information and raise the awareness of NAIDOC Week. Year 11 Legal
Studies students will be making a presentation at Assembly that
explains the meaning and purpose of the week. As a school
community, we are very proud of our rich Aboriginal history and culture.
It is widely known that the symbol of the creek on the school badge
represents the Billabong Creek linking the small towns and
communities of the area. But this creek was also a very special place
for Wiradjuri peoples for many thousands of years. For countless
generations, Aboriginal culture was passed on through ceremonies,
dance and stories. During NAIDOC Week we pause to think about this
and celebrate with the broader Indigenous community.
Mr P Schneider, BHS - Aboriginal Education Coordinator
Girls’ Football
On Friday of the first week back next term, the senior girls play in a 9-aside
carnival in Wagga. The following Monday the Under 14 girls have
a carnival in Wagga as well. Teams will be finalised over coming days.
Selection and training for the senior girls will take place this
Wednesday at lunch 2 on the school oval.
Coach Schneider
Riverina Tennis Representation
Billabong High School was represented at the recent Riverina Tennis
Trials in Wagga by Jessica Wakefield, Angela Winnett and Alyssa
Savill. Alyssa was selected as the #3 seed for the Riverina Team
which will compete at the end of August. Angela and Jessica are on
the reserves list.
Riverina Cross Country Team Members
The following students have been selected in the Riverina Cross
Country team to compete at Sydney’s Eastern Creek Raceway on
23 rd July : Emma Gittoes , Jessica Sturgess, Elise Merkel , Kayla
Wright, Samantha Field, Brieanna Galvin, Brooke McKay, Andrew
Slattery and Coby Ross.
Indigenous Hip Hop Project
The Indigenous Hip Hop Project from the Loud and
Proud Festival are coming back these school holidays.
Dion and the rest of the crew will be running hip hop
and beatbox workshops in Jindera on Monday 5 th –
Tuesday 6 th July 2010 – 9.00 am – 3.00 pm.
The two day workshops cost $30.00 which includes a
light lunch. This is open to anyone aged between 10
and 17 years.
Registration Forms are available from BHS Front Office
or Greater Hume Shire Council Office. Forms and your
$30.00 will need to be returned to the council office by
Wednesday 30 th June. Any further questions contact Tana Cuming,
on 6026 3800 or 0417 212 069.
Parent Line
If you are interested in averting the negative spiral of being frustrated
with your child’s behaviour, stopping and the blaming, call us at
Parent Line 1300 1300 52, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week or log onto
our website for more parenting information on
www.parentline.org.au.
Canteen Roster
29/06 Sharon Shearer 01/07 Helen Raven
Special performance:
Internationally acclaimed -
Watoto Children’s Choir from Uganda
Performing here at Billabong High School.
This Wednesday 30 June at 11:20am for a 30 minute
performance.
Excellence and Success in a Supportive Community