Year 12 Boarding News. Week 9, Term 1, 2011
Dear Year 12 parents /carers,
With exams finished, the boys have experienced some rare time when they haven’t been as busy. The Reflection Day yesterday which was well received by them was followed with some touch footy , soccer and tennis at the park last night. Today the boys have been back in class and they are receiving results from exams-some are pleasantly surprised, some disappointed and some have received what they expected!
At Assembly this morning, the rowers were presented on stage and wished all the best for the weekend. John Reading told the story of an incredible Joeys Old Boy, Joe Fazio, whose wife Di works here as a Maths support teacher. Joe lost his father when he was only 9. He was sent to Joeys from Taree in 1955 and became a top class rower and 1st XV player. However during his time at Hunters Hill he was involved in an accident at cadet camp which saw him badly injured and his close friend lose his life. When he left school he rowed for clubs and NSW before winning a silver medal at the Mexico Olympics. Joe was also a successful businessman and in the 1990s volunteered to coach rowing at Joeys. Tragically, in his early 50s he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and this illness prevented him from being with us today. Di was honoured to present the rowing singlets to the 1st VIII on behalf of Joe and we were honoured to have her do so. This was one of the most inspiring assemblies that I have been to in the Hall. It is a story of overcoming adversity, determination and hard work that rang true for all of the boys and staff.
The details for the Head of the River on Saturday are that Year 12 have breakfast at 7am and leave from Mark Street at 7.30am. We will be back by 2pm. The rally begins at 4.30pm and those with overnights, weekly boarders and dayboys may leave after this (about 5.30pm). The Year 12s led a cheering practice at the end of Assembly today and this was very well done. I am sure the support on the banks will be as strong as ever on Saturday.
This weekend may be an opportunity for the boys to get some gear out of their rooms. These rooms need to be totally cleared out. There is some storage for full boarders over the holidays. Boys may leave from 5pm next Thursday after their room has been checked. Those travelling on Countrylink buses will depart on Friday morning.
When the boys return on Sunday night there will be Mass again at 8.15pm. Some boys were late for this last weekend and so your help with a return by 8pm is appreciated. Also we are hoping to boost our Lenten collections on Sunday night or Monday morning when the boys check in and any prompting with this would be appreciated.
Many boys have received their flu vaccination in the last few days. If this hasn’t been done at the school, I would encourage a visit to your local GP as contracting this can be very disruptive to a Year 12 boy and not very pleasant.
We congratulate those Year 12s who have been selected in Combined GPS teams at the end of the summer season: Angus Le Lievre who was vice captain of the GPS cricket team that won the NSW Schoolboys tournament; Hugh Sterndale Smith who was selected in the GPS tennis team that played yesterday and Declan Carroll who was chosen in the Combined GPS 2nds for basketball. I will list other boys as they come to light who have earned such honours. This week has seen the commencement of winter sport and the boys have keenly participated in this.
All the best
Pat
Year 12 Academic News. Week 9, Term 1, 2011
Dear Parents and Carers,
Year 12 students are now back in their classes where they have been de-briefing their Half Yearly Exams. By mid next week they should receive their corrected papers from their teachers. It is important to keep these scripts as the corrections and comments will be useful when preparing for the Trial HSC exams in August. They give the student an opportunity to look at their answers without the pressure of the exam clock and reading these responses with fresh-eyes can be enlightening. Similarly, marking criteria that accompany these scripts help to make clear to the student the sometimes subtle differences in quality between Performance Bands. Exam papers are mostly unseen by parents but they make very interesting reading if your son is willing to share them with you. Students will be protective of their work and parents should be sensitive to their feelings in this regard.
Year 12 Examinations
I wish to thank everyone who assisted in the very smooth running of the Year 12 Half Yearly Exams. Thanks to Mrs Susan Wakeley, Mrs Julie Burke and the Learning Support Staff for managing students with special needs. I have greatly appreciated the work of all Year 12 teachers and support staff in assisting with the good management of these exams and the additional assistance offered to our senior students during their exam period. The following parent volunteers have been extraordinary in their assistance over the past few weeks of exams: Mrs Chris Aldridge, Mr Alan Bolster, Mrs Jenny Bolster, Mrs Olivia Campbell, Mrs Jenny Coorey, Mrs Belinda Dowsett, Mrs Lisa Gould, Mrs Suzanne Nash, Mrs Jane O’Brien, Mrs Cathy Pedley, Mrs Rose Simpson, Mrs Louise Thompson and Ms Donna Warfield. I thank them most sincerely on behalf of our Year 12 men.
Year 12 at their Reflection Day
Year 12 Reflection Day
Pat Rodgers has already mentioned the Yr 12 Reflection Day that was held on Wednesday. It was a wonderful opportunity to follow up on the thinking and feeling that our young men experienced on their Senior Retreat before Christmas. It was also a well timed chance to mentally and spiritually wind down after two heavy weeks of exams pressure. I would like to thank Mrs Helen Smith, Director of Mission, for the very detailed work and care that she puts into the spiritual welfare of our Year 12 men. Mrs Smith is greatly experienced and leaves no stone unturned when it comes to providing meaningful, reflective and enriching experiences for our students. Take a moment to consider how difficult and sometimes how delicate it can be working with young men in such a transitional period of their lives and the sensitivity required to read in young men that balance between motivation, reassurance, doubt and the raw nerve of emotion… then times that by 155! In thanking Mrs Smith, I also acknowledge the support and professionalism of our Staff that also assisted at the Year 12 Reflection Day, despite mountains of work back at school that they put on hold for the day. Thanks to : Mrs Stella Holmes, Mrs Margaret Borger, Mrs Sue Xouris, Br Tony Glassick, Fr Andrew Nee, Mr Pat Rodgers, Miss Cassandra Aitkin, Mr Ralis Vane-Tempest, Ms Martine Valentine, Mrs Tonia Steller, Mr Lee MacMaster and Mr Mark Hegarty. The following is Mrs Smith’s report on the day.
On Wednesday 30 March Year 12 students were able to take off their ties and leave the exams behind as they shared a day with Br Tony Leon as a follow-up to their Retreat in October last year. Br Tony focused on the theme of ‘Hope’ encouraging the boys that at this half-way point in their journey towards the HSC that they don’t give in, and that they continue to ‘Strive for Better Things’ in all they do.
Br Tony used extensive examples of people who had endured great disappointment and ‘failure’ on the way to achieving their dreams including Abraham Lincoln, Walt Disney and even St Marcellin Champagnat who had many challenges in completing his study for the priesthood.
A particularly poignant and inspirational story shared towards the end of the day was that of Tanzanian runner John Ahkwari who was the last to finish the marathon in the 1968 Mexico Olympics. He came in about an hour and a half after the winner, practically carrying his leg, as it was so bloodied and bandaged. When asked, “Why did you keep going?” He said, “You don’t understand. My country did not send me 5,000 miles to start a race; they sent me to finish it.” Br Tony used this example to remind the boys that their families, often at great personal cost, have sent them to Joeys to ‘finish the race’.
If you would like to watch a short video of this event go to: http://speedendurance.com/2007/07/15/how-to-finish-a-marathon-1968-olympics-in-mexico-city/
The boys are to be congratulated on the wonderful spirit with which they entered into the day. It was a privilege to share with them and witness their ability to engage in the fun, the reflection and also to see their respect for each other during the time of the concluding healing liturgy.
We hope that the central thought of the day stays with them long after they take off the Cerise and Blue for the final time:
Sow a thought and you reap an action;
sow an act and you reap a habit;
sow a habit and you reap a character;
sow a character and you reap a destiny.
Deep in reflection
2011 HSC PIN ready for students
Our Director of Teaching and Learning, and Acting Deputy Headmaster, Mr Lee MacMaster, forwarded the information below to me from the Board of Studies this week . The information follows up a point I made in our Blog a few weeks ago about HSC PIN details. The Board of Studies website provides the following:
In the first week of April, 2011 HSC students around the state will begin receiving their four digit HSC Personal Identification Number (HSC PIN) on a handy card from the Board of Studies.
HSC students need their HSC PIN and their eight digit Student Number to log in to Students Online and also to retrieve their results online or by SMS on 14 December.
Students Online (studentsonline.bos.nsw.edu.au) is a website designed specifically for HSC students, with information, tips and tools to assist them in their study throughout the year. Staff and parents and are also encouraged to visit the site to find useful information about exam preparation and frequently asked questions about the HSC.
There is also a personal account section called ‘ My Details’, which students log into with their HSC PIN and Student Number. ‘My Details’ is where they can check their personal HSC status including:
- enrolment and contact details
- personal HSC exam timetable (available 28 April)
- assessment ranks (available after the written exams)
- HSC results (December)
Students are also able to submit or update their email address to get HSC information and to help if they lose or forget their HSC PIN. They can also register now to receive their HSC results by SMS on 14 December.
The Board of Studies HSC PIN and Student Number are different to the UAC application number and UAC PIN. Visit the Universities Admissions Centre for more information.
This will be our final blog entry for the term. Pat and I, along with Assistant Boarding Coordinator, Craig Attwater, wish you a safe and restful holiday with your sons and a Happy and Holy Easter.
Best wishes,
Mark Fenech
Year 12 Careers News. Week 9, Term 1, 2011
HSC Prep courses
The Centre for Continuing Education at the University of Sydney is running intensive HSC Preparation courses in a variety of subjects for Year 12 students who want to extend their studies and enhance performance in their HSC year.
The next series of courses commence between Tue 29 Mar 2011 and Mon 18 April 2011.
These HSC courses are designed to assist students in improving performance in all HSC assessment tasks and facilitate a deeper conceptual understanding of course content. Visit http://www.cce.usyd.edu.au/hsc to browse the range of courses online and register your booking.
The Centre also offers a free copy of Getting Through Your HSC: A Practical Guide to students and their parents. Download your free copy here.
Centre for Continuing Education
THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY
Level 1, Darling Building L03F, 160 Missenden Road | Newtown | NSW | 2042
T +61 2 9036 4789 | F +61 2 9036 4799
E cce.info@sydney.edu.au | W http://sydney.edu.au/cce