Welcome to Week 2. Most students have now returned to school and are thoroughly enjoying face to face teaching and most importantly seeing their friends. Year 11 will complete their End of Course Exams today and have been showing a high degree of maturity as they do their exams. Each year 11 student was also given a care package which was supported through donations from the Hilltop Action Group. We are most appreciative of their generosity and value the role they play in the community supporting and engaging young people.

Year 12 also had the option to return for study sessions over this week and then next week. Again, they are to be commended for their maturity in approaching their independent study for the HSC and in seeking teacher feedback.

I know for many of our junior students that returning after lockdown has not always been easy and I would encourage you to contact your House Leader if you need support for your child.

Resilience is a word which we hear so much about at the moment. Resilience was a very strong attribute for Eddie Jaku who died this week in Sydney at the age of 101.  If you have not heard of Eddie I would encourage you to read about him online or read his book “The Happiest Man on Earth”. Eddie Jaku, survived the Holocaust and, rather than being consumed with hatred and regret, dedicated the rest of his life to promoting kindness, tolerance and resilience. He went on to build a life in Australia and is famous for his work in establishing the Jewish Museum in Sydney and being a tour guide for school students.

Miss Doherty has resigned from her position as Religious Education Leader. She is to be commended for the passion, hard work and deep faith which she has brought to her role. Her liturgies were very memorable and she was able to engage the students in a very meaningful way. Miss Doherty's musical talents will also be sadly missed by the Hennessy Community. She returns to Canberra next year.

Last Wednesday parents had the opportunity to attend the Cyber Safety presentation offered by the Cyber Safety Project. The feedback was that this was a very useful and informative evening. The presenters also delivered virtual presentations to years 7 - 10 the following day. A very powerful part of their presentation was presenting data on what Hennessy students had reported via an anonymous survey. This is certainly a very important topic and we will definitely be doing these presentations again in 2022, hopefully face to face.

 Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions or concerns.

Kathy Holding 

Principal

FROM THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

YEAR 12

It’s been lovely to see some students back at school this week in the optional study classes. Hopefully, students have developed and are implementing a study plan as the exams are not too far away. 

A reminder that many Trial exams can be collected from the Front Office and students will need to return all books and textbooks by their last exam. They should check with the library for a list of books owed and if at school next week they can collect any from classrooms and return unneeded books.  

Dates to remember:

• The HSC exams start November 9. 
• The ATAR’s will be released January 20 and the HSC results January 24. 

YEAR 11

Well done Year 11 on completing your exams. It’s great that we were able to run these as the experience of the exam is vital so students can identify which skills they need to work on. 

Students will start receiving feedback from tomorrow onwards and need to ask themselves two important questions:

• Why did I do well?
• What would I do differently next time?

Feedback is an important step in improvement so it is vital that students not just hear what is said but really listen to what they need to do to improve for next time (and the next exams are the HSC Trials). 

Tomorrow we start the transition into Year 12 and students will be given information about how to change their programs of study. However, they must remain in their Compass class until the change appears which will start in Week 4. 

YEARS 7-10

I have been trying to catch up with Year 10 students about their Year 11 subjects – there has been a list on Compass but I am yet to see many students. I need to confirm their Maths and English classes for Year 11 but if they don't see me I will add them to the class that has been recommended by their teachers.

It is still possible to change electives so students should come and see me during breaks.

FROM THE DIRECTOR OF STUDIES

This week might have felt longer than normal for many students. For 7-10, this week has been the first 5-day school week since our region went into lockdown in August. The struggle is real! An article in the Conversation gives adults five ideas to help children adjust to school after lockdown. 

The 5 ideas are: 

• renegotiate routines, 
• allow time for adjustment,
• acknowledge children's worries, 
• coach empathy
• be optimistic. 

I hope this encourages you and helps you to support your children.

SHARON HIBBERT  IAN MERGARD 

Assistant Principal - Teaching and Learning Director of Studies

Uniform

Over the past 2 weeks, College staff have focussed on the return to school of students. As we return as much as possible to “normal” life we will also return to normal College expectations. These expectations include student wearing of the College uniform. I have asked students to ensure that their uniform is in line with College expectations as of next Monday.

I appreciate that uniforms at times can be left in cars, not dry in time, or be lost into the void that is a teenager’s bedroom. If this happens please contact your child’s house leader before 9:00 am and they will issue a uniform pass.

Students who are in the incorrect uniform without explanation or are repeat offenders will have an opportunity to study the College’s uniform expectations during their breaks.

Cyber Safety

Last Thursday year’s 7 to 10 had an opportunity to receive feedback relevant to their year from the Cyber Safety project. Issues such as online safety, reducing your digital footprint, and legal implications were discussed with students. The feedback from staff and students was that the information was a great reminder that while mobile phones and the internet are fantastic tools they need to be used in a safe manner.

As part of the Open community Council the Cyber safety Project presented to parents and shared practical ideas on how to limit students' time on social media and gaming sites. They recommended a page that the College has share with parents before that will give parents an insight in some of the apps and sites that students are using. This is updated regularly and will assist you in keeping students safe online.

https://www.esafety.gov.au/key-issues/esafety-guide

https://www.thinkuknow.org.au/

Year 7 Vaccinations

Next Thursday on the 21^st October Year 7 will complete their vaccinations. Students are required to wear their PE uniform on the day. Please contact the College if you have any concerns.

As always if you have any issues please contact your child PC teacher, House Leader, or any member of the College’s Wellbeing Team.

Mark Chifley

Assistant Principal   

In Year 8, Science students have been learning about how different systems work together in the body. They have carried various practicals from dissecting piglet digestive systems, looking at the lungs of a sheep, and investigating how the heart works. They’ll be finishing up this unit this week to move on to the “Active Earth” topic where they will explore the rock cycle and investigate earthquakes and volcanoes.

Congratulations to the following students who qualified for the annual Arch Diosen carnival.  Due to covid place getters were determined by the times submitted from our own athletics carnival.  Results are as follows:

17 Years + Boys 1500m  - 1st  Macklay Brownlie

17 Years + Boys  200m - 2nd Jovan Croese

17 Years + Boys Discus - 1st Jack Ruskin

17 Years + Girls  200m - 2nd Grace Sweaney

17 Years + Girls 100m - 1st Grace Sweaney

17 Years + Girls 400m - 1st Grace Sweaney

17 Years + Girls Discus - 2nd Trysta Willoughby

16 Years Boys High Jump - 3rd Jordan Beath

16 Years Boys Discus - 1st Nicholas Carroll

15 Years Boys 400m - 2nd Harrison Shea

15 Years Boys High Jump - 2nd Harrison Shea

15 Years Girls Javelin - 3rd Bella Brownlie

14 Years Boys 200m - 2nd Caleb Schiller

14 Years Boys 800m - 1st Caleb Schiller

14 Years Boys 100m - 2nd Caleb Schiller, 3rd Edward Maloney

14 Years Boys 400m - 1st Caleb Schiller

14 Years Boys Long Jump - 2nd Edward Maloney

14 Years Boys Javelin - 1st Isiah Walters

14 Years Boys Shot Put - 3rd Seth Anderson

14 Years Girls 200m - 1st Eliza Taylor

14 Years Girls 800m - 3rd Eliza Taylor

14 Years Girls 100m - 1st Eliza Taylor

14 Years Girls 400m - 2nd Eliza Taylor

14 Years Girls Long Jump - 2nd Eliza Taylor

14 Years Girls High Jump - 1st Eliza Taylor

14 Years Girls Discus - 1st Elizabeth Sinclair

14 Years Girls Shot Put - 2nd Claire McRae

14 Years Girls Javelin - 2nd Elizabeth Sinclair

13 Years Boys 200m - 2nd Jack Keevil

13 Years Boys 100m - 2nd Jack Keevil

13 Years Boys Shot Put - 3rd Jack Keevil

13 years Boys High Jump - 1st Jack Keevil

13 Years Boys Long Jump - 1st Jack Keevil

13 Years Girls 800m - 2nd Mia Davidson

13 Years Girls 400m - 1st Mia Davidson

13 Years Girls High Jump - 2nd Mia Davidson

13 Years Girls Javelin - 1st Grace Shea

12 Years Girls 800m - 1st Stephanie Clark

12 Years Girls 400m - 2nd Stephanie Clark

12 Years Girls Shot Put - 2nd Zoe Bould

12 Years Girls Long Jump - 2nd Zoe Bould

12 Years Girls Discus - 1st Zoe Bould

12 Years Girls Javelin - 1st Zoe Bould

12 Years Girls High Jump - 3rd Zoe Bould

12 Years Boys Shot Put - 1st Banjo Metcalfe

12 Years Boys Long Jump - 2nd Banjo Metcalfe

12 Years Boys Discus - 1st Banjo Metcalfe

12 Years Boys High Jump - 2nd Banjo Metcalfe

Our 7.3 Ag class has been very busy in the garden. An abundance of rain and a little elbow grease has provided perfect growing conditions.