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TERM 2 WEEKS 1 AND 2

27 April – 8 May 2020

Important Dates – Term 2 2020

W1 Wed 29 Apr First day of Term 2 for students

W5 Tues 26 May School Council Meeting Front office, 6pm

W6 Tues 2 Jun Student, Parent, Teacher Evening, Year 12 2020 Details to be advised

W6 Fri 5 Jun Closing date for applications Year 11 2021

W7 Mon 8 Jun Queen’s Birthday Public Holiday

W9 Tues 23 Jun School Council Meeting Front office, 6pm Details to be advised

W9 Wed 24 Jun Student, Parent, Teacher Evening, Year 11 2020 Details to be advised

W9 Fri 26 Jun

Year 11 Seminar Day - Details to be advised Year 12 Careers Market Excursion – cancelled

W10 Fri 3 Jul Last day of Term 2

Principal’s Report

Welcome back to Term 2. I hope all of our families

have found some time to relax and reflect during

the Easter break. Although there is so much

happening around us that causes sadness and

stress we have much to be grateful for: our health,

our families, our friends and our own ability to

make positive contributions to the society we live

in.

We expect that this term we will all be tested as a

learning community with the ongoing changes that

occur around us, the uncertainty this creates and

our inability to control aspects of how we do things.

It is imperative that we continue to work together

and support each other. We all want the same

Continued over the page

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Principal’s Report continued

outcome. I am incredibly grateful for the support our community has provided us. Your support is

appreciated by us all.

In this newsletter I have included a document that I sent out in the last correspondence provided, “A

managed return to school”. This document provides the long term plan of the NSW Government in

regards to public schools. Although we know when we will transition from Phase 0 to Phase 1, we

do not know when we will transition to the other phases. The key points to remember for the start of

Term 2 are:

• Monday 27 April is the planned Staff Development Day. Students do not need to engage in

remote learning on this day.

• Tuesday 28 April is an additional Staff Development Day that was announced by the NSW

Government. Students do not need to engage in remote learning on this day.

• Wednesday 29 April sees remote teaching recommences. The school is still open for students

if they need to be at school, but the advice from the NSW Government remains the same, that

parents are encouraged where possible to keep students at home to learn remotely.

• Monday 11 May is the day that NSW Public Schools move to Phase 1. I will be providing more

details about the manner in which Phase 1 will be implemented at St Marys Senior High School

during Week 1 of Term 2.

Enrolment 2021

Towards the end of Term 1 we made a few changes to our enrolment process for Year 11 2021 to

support families. EOIs can now be posted to the school and addressed to the Enrolment Secretary.

A receipt acknowledging the application will be posted to the student so families can be assured

that their EOI has been received. The due date has been extended to 2.30pm on Friday 5 June

2020. Any questions can be directed to our Enrolment Secretary. Please feel free to contact the

front office on 02-9623-8333.

Finally, although this term at times may feel like we are on a roller coaster, I am confident that we

will work through the challenges together. I am incredibly proud of our staff and the relentless efforts

they put in everyday to ensure that all students are engaged in their learning. I am also extremely

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proud of how our students have adjusted to this way of learning, their efforts and their resilience.

Thank you to the students that completed our survey on remote learning. The detail provided in your

comments has provided some valuable feedback that can inform our school practices. I wish you all

a positive start to Term 2.

Sally Smithard

Principal

School Captains’ Report

As the beginning of Term 2 quickly approaches, we would like to thank the staff, students, parents

and families at SMSHS for their continued support and patience during such arduous times. We

are privileged to work alongside an incredible student body, and in such a supportive learning

environment. We ask that all students and parents continue to remain updated on our school

operations via the Skoolbag app, the SMSHS Facebook page and the school website. We also

encourage all students to utilise the ‘SMSHS Class of 2020’ and ‘SMSHS Class of 2021’ Facebook

pages which are run by the SRC Team, being both a source of information as well as an avenue

to submit any queries and concerns to our student leaders.

Due to present circumstances, all upcoming school events scheduled to take place in Terms 2 and

3 are now in question and those that are able to go ahead are likely to be adjusted to comply with

social distancing measures. The staff and SRC remain hopeful that the School Disco and Heritage

Day will push ahead, but no guarantees can be made at this moment. In Term 1, the SRC had

planned a Blaze-Aid fundraiser to combine with our school’s ‘Harmony Day’, and we anticipate that

this may be able to occur late in Term 2.

Now, as students continue to need help with their studies, we have organised an online peer

tutoring forum which involves a group of dedicated Year 12 students who have excelled in their

Preliminary studies and have nominated themselves to help students in both Year 11 and Year 12.

These students can offer feedback and explain content to help ensure that students have another

online learning option for the time being. We anticipate that the details of this forum including a list

of students and their contacts will be sent out shortly, and would like to thank Matt Topp and Nicole

Leong for their help in setting this opportunity up.

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Although students are learning from home, we would like to remind students that the SRC remains

available and very willing to offer support and assistance. We urge students to approach us, as we

all need a helping hand during stressful times like these. Also, we ask students to not shy away

from passing on any proposals or suggestions you may have for us, for we need your support now

more than ever. Refrain from thinking about what you might be missing out on, as we promise that

we are striving to keep the SMSHS school spirit alive. We assure students, parents and families

that we will get past this phase, but this is only possible if we get through it together.

Jed Garcia and Souad Khan

School Captains

Applications for Year 11 2021

A reminder about some important news for students and their families who are keen to apply for a

position in Year 11 2021.

We have extended our due date for applications, to 2:30 pm on Friday 5 June 2020.

Applications can also now be posted to the school, using the following details:

Attn: Enrolment Secretary

St Marys Senior High School

6-48 Kalang Avenue

St Marys NSW 2760

Applications posted in will be receipted, with receipts being posted back to applicants.

If there are any questions or concerns about an

application, a staff member will contact the

applicant to address the concern so the

application can be resubmitted to the panel for

consideration.

The school will also provide the service of a JP

if needed. This will be by appointment only. To

arrange an appointment, please contact the

school during normal school hours in Term 2 on

02 9623 8333.

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This fortnight @ SMSHS

Monday 27 April Tuesday 28 April Wednesday 29 April Thursday 30 April Friday 1 May WEEK A Staff development day – no lessons for students

Staff development day – no lessons for students

First day of classes for Years 11 and 12 Year 11 Parent Information Evening - cancelled Year 11 Design and Technology – Task due Year 12 English Extension 2 – Task due

Year 11 Textiles and Design – Task due Year 11 Biology, Year 12 Mathematics Advanced and Year 12 Mathematics Standard Tasks - cancelled

Year 12 Drama – Task due Bring It On Rehearsals – cancelled until further notice

Monday 4 May Tuesday 5 May Wednesday 6 May Thursday 7 May Friday 8 May

WEEK B Bring It On Rehearsals – cancelled until further notice Year 11 Earth and Environmental Science Presentations and Year 12 Earth and Environmental Science Topic Test - cancelled

InConcert Music Rehearsal - cancelled Focus On Music Performance Night - cancelled Year 11 PDHPE – Task due

Focus On Music Performance Night - cancelled Year 12 Italian Beginners – Task due Year 11 Maths Ext 1 task – cancelled

Year 12 French Beginners – Task due Year 12 Japanese Beginners – Task due Year 12 Korean Beginners – Task due Year 12 Spanish Beginners – Task due Year 11 Maths Advanced and Year 11 Maths Standard Tasks – cancelled

Bring It On Rehearsals – cancelled until further notice Year 12 SDD Task - cancelled

Our Staff Teams Contact us Principal: Sally Smithard School Leadership Team: - Deputy Principal (Year 12) Danielle Ervine - Deputy Principal (Year 11) Leah Havord - English Julie Robinson - Mathematics Simone Pett - Science Lidija Radovancevic - Commercial Studies Salochna Reddy - HSIE (Rel) Rebecca Langham - CAPA Nicole Bonfield - Computing Matthew Topp - LOTE Luigi Serra - TAS/PDHPE Rebecca Powell - Secondary Studies Liz Hemmings - Student Services and Wellbeing Melissa Jacka - First Australians Leah Havord - Sport and Recreation Joanne Brines - Business Manager Steven Mulligan - School Administrative Manager Rebecca Zinghini Student Advisers: - Year 12, Surnames A-G Mitchell Baker - Year 12, Surnames H-O Lynette Tuckwell - Year 12, Surnames P-Z Jesse Vassallo - Year 11, Surnames A-G Nicola Preston - Year 11, Surnames H-O Luigi Serra - Year 11, Surnames P-Z Tim Weston Learning Support: Carmel Harriden Dianne Pyne Nicole Leong Carly McPherson Ashlee Pleffer Careers Adviser: Lynette Tuckwell

St Marys Senior High School Kalang Avenue

St Marys NSW 2760

02 9623 8333

stmaryssen-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au

St Marys Senior High School Official Site - Facebook

St Marys Senior High School - Skoolbag App