WHAT'S ON WEEK 10 Wednesday 16 December Friday 18 December Friday 29 January 2021 Monday 1 February 2021 - Sylvania High School

SYLVAN LIGHTS
                                           TERM 4 - ISSUE 2                  2020

17 BELLINGARA RD SYLVANIA 2224 | PHONE: 9522 9951 OR 95229820 |    FAX: 9544 7246   |   EMAIL: SYLVANIA-H.SCHOOL@DET.NSW.EDU.AU
              WEB: WWW.SYLVANIAHIGH.NSW.EDU.AU      | PRINCIPAL:    MRS RENÉE HOLZ |      CRICOS PROVIDER CODE: 00588M

                                                   WHAT'S ON WEEK 10

                                                   Wednesday 16 December
                                                   Students last day of school

                                                   Friday 18 December
                                                   HSC Results and ATARs released

                                                   Friday 29 January 2021
                                                   Years 7, 11, 12 start of school

                                                   Monday 1 February 2021
                                                   Years 8, 9, 10 start of school

Principal's Message
 Mrs Renée Holz - Principal

2020 has truly been a year like no other and we can be proud of our achievements. I could not be more
proud of our whole school community for their tenacity and determination to persevere through challenges,
and support each other. We are a remarkable school that holds quality learning and teaching as our core
focus, and celebrates the diverse achievements of our young people in multiple ways.

Our Presentation Day this year was markedly different in style and context, but what remained the same was
our immense pride in all students who have excelled across curricula and extra curricula activities. The same
prestige and excellence was on show, with many students recognised for their talents and incredible
progress in learning, and we missed not having our parent community in attendance. However, we
lookforward to welcoming back our entire community to the school in 2021 to share in more celebrations
with staff and students.

This year we also farewell several staff members as they embark on new journeys! In particular, we farewell Mr
Flegg, our esteemed Deputy Principal, who has been part of the Sylvania High School family for 25 years. Mr
Flegg is an outstanding educator and leader, and has made a positive difference to the lives of many
students through the course of his career. He has been an asset to public education and provided an
invaluable service to our system. We wish him all the best in his retirement!

We also say farewell for several teachers and administrative staff. Mr Pike, Mr McCall, Mr McGuire, Ms Trad, Ms
Hodgson, Ms Smith, Mr Tree, Ms Rannard and Ms McCann will no longer be part of our Sylvania High School
community moving into 2021 and we wish them all the best for their journeys ahead. Whilst Mr Stanley, our
expert Visual Arts teacher, will be taking up his privileged promotion position in 2021, working with schools
across our system to improve writing, we will be welcoming him back to Sylvania in 2022!

Finally, I would like to say thank you to all parents, carers, staff and students for welcoming me into the
school in Term 2; it seems so long ago! I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know everyone as best I could
during COVID, and more so since the restrictions have been eased. I am incredibly grateful to be part of our
aspirational learning community, and look forward to the changes, the progress, the improvements and the
achievements we expect for our school in 2021. I wish everyone a safe, happy and healthy holiday break with
families and friends.

Our Staff
   Ms Renae Stanton - Rel HT Administrator

   FAREWELL

As the school year comes to an end, we would like to acknowledge and farewell a number
of permanent and temporary staff members.

Retirement
We farewell Deputy Principal Mr Brad Flegg as he heads to retirement after 25 years at
Sylvania High School and over 30 years of service in the Department of Education. Mr Flegg
has made significant contributions as a classroom Mathematics teacher and an educational
leader. Best wishes Mr Flegg.

Mr Kevin Tree (General Assistant) and Ms Kathleen Rannard (Uniform Shop) are also
departing into retirement. We thank both Mr Tree and Ms Rannard for their contribution
and dedication to the Sylvania High School community.

Service Transfers
All the best to Mr Simon Pike a member of the TAS faculty. Mr Pike has worked in the
technology space within student teaching and learning, imparting valuable knowledge to
our future technology gurus.

Promotion
Mr Martin Stanley, a valued member of the Visual Arts Faculty, has been identified as 'Best
in Class' by the NSW Department of Education, an invitation to take up a 12 month position
to support students' writing skills across our system. We wish him all the best for this next
journey and will be welcoming him back to Sylvania High School in 2022 with a wealth of
knowledge and expertise. Ms Manolaros will be filling in for Mr Stanley for the 12 months.

Ms Sarah Hodgson, a dedicated member of the English Faculty has made wonderful
contributions to student wellbeing and learning as well as been a key member in the
school’s drama program. Ms Hodgson has secured a permanent position at Banora Point
High School on the north coast. We wish her all the best for the adventure ahead!

Mr Martin McCall, Mr Aaron McGuire and Mrs Doreen McCann: we thank you for your
commitment to Sylvania High School in 2020. We acknowledge your hard work and
dedication throughout the year and wish you all the best in your future endeavours.

   Wellbeing
   Mrs Lauren Gill - Year 11 Adviser

   PARTY SAFE PROGRAM

On Friday 20th of November, Year 11 participated in a 'Party Safe' program facilitated by the Red Frogs
Australia as part of their Life Ready course. Students learnt about the dangers of partying and how to be safe
whilst still having a good time. Year 11 heard about experiences with young people that could have been
easily avoided if they were aware of how to be safe and look out for their friends. Eva and Sebastian said the
session was particularly helpful in understanding the dangers of alcohol and drugs and how to avoid getting
into dangerous situations by making responsible decisions. They now know they can call upon the Red Frogs
if they need support, and maybe get some pancakes and a game of uno along the way!

Sports
    Mr Timothy Porter - HT PDHPE

2020 has been a tough year for all our students without sporting competitions and gala days. But that all
changed in Term 4 with a "beach touch" competition offered to students on Wednesday at lunchtime. We
hoped to get enough teams to start a small competition. And we did!! 20 teams in 4 divisions, over 200
students playing and just as many enjoying the spectacle of enthusiastic competition. A big congratulations
to all teams, competition was fast and competitive. The improvement in individual skills and teamwork was
also fantastic to see. The competition now goes into summer break but will resume again in Term 1.

Congratulations to Andrew G, (Year 12) for his outstanding achievements at the recent NSW All Schools
Athletics Championships 2020. Andrew proudly represented Sylvania High School, competing in the 19yrs
Boys 100m, 200, 400m events. His exceptional talent was recognised and rewarded as he won Gold in the
400m and Silver in both the 100m and 200m with 2 Personal Bests. Well done to our outstanding Year 12
Prefect!

Careers News
    Ms Renae Stanton - Careers Adviser

    MOCK INTERVIEWS

As part of the Sylvania High School Careers program, Year 10 students took part
in our Mock Interview initiative.  Mock Interviews are set up to resemble an
environment and a scenario of a typical job interview.

Students were well prepared and submitted their portfolio which included their
resume, cover letter, references and awards. They also looked very impressive on
the day with their professional attire and etiquette as well as having to answer
some tricky questions from the interview panel.

The students benefit greatly from this type of experience as it assists in building
their confidence levels and provides students with constructive feedback that
they may implement when it comes to the real thing.

Benefits of Mock Interview
https://content.wisestep.com/mock-interview-advantages-benefits/

   Faculty Spotlight - Visual Arts
   Ms Renae Stanton - HT Visual Arts

   2020 PROJECTS

As we slide into summer holidays our Visual Arts students are wrapping up their final projects for this year.
Our talented artists have worked tirelessly to face and overcome the challenges provided by 2020 and -
without missing a beat - have continued to produce outstanding works that are innovative, imaginative and
experimental.

Stage 4

This term, Year 7 and 8 have been exploring the themes architecture, still life and the landscape through
drawing and printmaking.

Stage 5

Our elective courses are rolling out the year studying contemporary painting and popular culture. Year 9
have yet again exceeded expectations in response to their study of artist, Johnny Romeo. While year 10 have
pushed boundaries and overcome the challenging processes of biro pen drawings and painting on found
objects - reinventing or re-imagining their use.

Stage 6

Our senior students have navigated the unforeseen challenges of taking art classes online. Year 11 began
by exploring the genre of Still Life - leisurely painting their days of isolation away - and finished the year
with a Mini Body of Work which was an exploration of their own choosing.

In true 2020 style, we were unable to invite our community to share the achievements of our HSC class
this year. Fortunately, Ms Manolaros has thoughtfully curated a 2020 HSC Showcase Virtual Exhibition,
which you can access via the link Below.

HSC Virtual Showcase
https://www.artsteps.com

As we bid farewell to our HSC students, we would like to congratulate them all on their perseverance and
success this year. Although a special shout out in order to V. Harapa, whose work We Are the Spectrum
has been nominated for the Art Rules Exhibition held at Hazelhurst Gallery.

Deputy Principal's Message
    Mrs Vanessa Turansky - Deputy Principal

    ORIENTATION DAY FOR 2021

 On Tuesday 1 December we welcomed our Year 7 class of 2021 for their Orientation Day. It was a fantastic
 opportunity to meet younger siblings from existing families as well as welcoming many new families into our
 Sylvania High School community!

 Our day started in the school auditorium with a warm welcome from Principal Mrs Holz and the introduction
 of key personnel including Year 7 Year Adviser, Ms Czoch, Head Teacher Welfare, Ms Garioch and Deputy
 Principal, Mrs Turansky.

 Students then became familiar with the many extracurricular activities on offer, shared by our 2021 School
 Captains, K. Terre and S. Isaac and gained valuable insights from two current year 7 students, A. Akarri and
 L. Philips about what to expect in year 7. Students were also entertained by an array of our talented
 performing arts students.

 At the conclusion of the welcome assembly, students were placed into smaller groups and were introduced
 to their Year 10 Peer Support Leaders who led a range of team building activities allowing students to
 become familiar with each other and our school.

 Whilst it was a shame that parents and carers were unable to attend, I am confident the information shared
 via email has provided important details about our school. Any further questions can be answered by
 contacting Year 7 adviser, Ms Czoch.

 Special mention must go to our wonderful Year 10 Peer Support Leaders who worked so hard to facilitate the
 day. Many new friendships were formed, ensuring our 2021 Year 7 students will be welcomed by many
 familiar and friendly faces on their first day of high school.

 I look forward to supporting both students and their families over the coming years.

   Deputy Principal's Message
   Mr Bradley Flegg - Deputy Principal

   FAREWELL

Dear Sylvania Community,

After serving Sylvania High for twenty five years with thirteen of these years as Deputy Principal, it is time for
me to retire. I retire knowing that I have been an integral part of the growth of students in my care and the
successes in and beyond school for many students. As a classroom practitioner I have built substantial
relationships that assist student learning as shown by excellent HSC results in my teaching subjects of
Mathematics and Information Processes & Technology. As the school Deputy Principal I have been pivotal for
student well being, knowledge acquisition, fostering of positive relationships and developing skills for life.

My best wishes to all.

Bradley Flegg

Our Site
    Mr Louis Petrucco - General Assistant

As part of the Cooler Classrooms works at our school, we have been advised by the local electrical supply authority
that an upgrade to the local electricity network is needed to support the increased electrical demand of the new air
conditioning systems. Further investigations including engagement with our valued school neighbours may take
place in the coming weeks. We will continue to keep you updated on progress.

  Beyond the Classroom
  Ms Christine Keene - Dance Teacher

Congratulations to the selected Dance Companies and Ensembles who have been selected to take part in 'In
The Spotlight Virtual Dance Festival'. It is the first online dance festival for the NSW DoE! There are thirty five
schools participating across four directorates with sixteen student choreographed items. I would like to
commend the dancers at Sylvania High School for continuing to inspire one another throughout this very
difficult year and rewarding them with this valuable performance opportunity.

Sylvania High School has three works to look for in DANCE PERFORMANCE - Human Interactions, Parity
and Living Statues. Our amazing year 10 students Eliza, Paige and Angelica were also chosen to be apart of
the DANCE FILM section with their assessment task piece 'Wonder'

I would like to congratulate our students for their incredible performances, they are wonderful representatives
of our school and arts education in public schools.

Congratulations and good luck to Lauren H as she participates in the prestigious International Ballet
Competition Youth American Grand Prix. Lauren will be doing both a contemporary dance and a classical
ballet dance (La Esmeralda). YAGP is the world's largest global network of dance providing education and
performance opportunities to young dancers from across the globe. We are so proud of Lauren's achievement
and wish her all the best

Did You Know?
    Mr Bradley Flegg - Deputy Principal

What is the RoSA                                          Presentation 2020 Sponsors
The Record of School Achievement (RoSA) is a
cumulative credential for students who leave school       The school and student recipients would like to
before completing their Higher School Certificate.        thank those organisations who continue to
                                                          support   student    academic    growth    and
The RoSA lists all mandatory and elective Stage 5         achievement in 2020.
and, where applicable, Stage 6 courses completed by
the student, along with the grade awarded. The RoSA
credential also lists any courses commenced but not       Our appreciation goes to the following-
completed, any minimum standard literacy and
numeracy test results (if sat), and the date of leaving   Keith and Lorna Stone
school.                                                   (long time supporters of Sylvania High)

NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) issue the        Sylvania Bowling Club
formal RoSA credential to students who satisfy the
eligibility requirements when they leave school.          Miranda RSL Sub Branch
School leavers who are not eligible for the RoSA will
receive a Transcript of Study.