Newsletter

No. 20

5 December 2016

Inside this issue:

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Page 2 Principal’s News

Page 5 P&C Report

Page 6 “Be Yourself”

Page 7 Table Tennis Knockout Results

Page 8 Duval Target Shooters

Australian All Schools Athletics

UJRL 2017 Registrations

Page 9 Duval at Schools Spectacular

Page 10 Year 10 Sydney Excursion

Page 11 SMILES Programme

Page 12 Presentation Night

DATES FOR THE DIARY

8-15 December Term 5 Activities

16 December SUMMER BREAK

30 January 2017 First day of school: students in Years 7 & 12

30 January 2017 First day of school: other new students

31 January 2017 First day of school: students in Years 8-11

Publication of this newsletter is made possible through the generous support of the

Duval High School Parents & Citizens Association.

Minnis Shield: Natasha Livermore (Winner); Evelyn

Ward, Michael Onkwonko (Highly Commended); Kyran

Peltonan (Encouragement).

Congratulations to all students involved in Duval’s 2016 Minnis Public

Speaking Competition, which was held recently on 28 November.

Minnis Trophy: Stuart Browne & Zoe George (Joint

Winners); Chris Esplin, Shah Biffin, Will Vince-Moin

(Highly Commended).

Minnis Cup: Michael Kucklmayr

(Winner).

5 December 2016 Page 2

PRINCIPAL’S NEWS

It is my very great pleasure to

welcome you all to our

PRESENTATION NIGHT for

2 0 1 6 . T o n i g h t w e

acknowledge the very best

and brightest, the high flyers

and the hard workers, and

those who will definitely go

on to achieve great things in

the future, because they have

learned the key lesson - that learning brings its

own rewards. Sometimes in these days of

seemingly endless reform in Education, in which

schools are coming to represent all things to all

people, we forget what we are really all about –

teaching and learning. Presentation Night

recognises this, and is the ultimate expression of

our school’s Positive Behaviour for Learning

commitment and values, in that, as a

COMMUNITY, we are gathered to show RESPECT

for the EXCELLENCE, SAFETY and TEAMWORK of

our students.

Parents will be aware that we held another

special assembly yesterday to recognise those

students who may not have come first in a subject

or won a major prize, but who embody these PBL

values by coming to school every day, wearing

their uniform with pride, and doing their best in

class at all times! The Merit Award Assembly has

now become one of our school traditions, and is

an essential adjunct to this presentation night

each year.

It has been another wonderful year for Duval

High School. We believe that this year’s HSC

results will be as good as, or better than, they

have been in the past. Part of the credit for this

must go to the large number of teachers who

participate in HSC marking, possibly the best

professional development available for HSC

teachers! Part of it is due to the sheer quality of

the Year 12 cohort of 2016, and especially their

leadership group, the Captains and Prefects, and

the fact that this year we already have a post-

examination performance nomination – Maddison

McFadyen, for Dance HSC Callback. For a school

to achieve such a nomination is cause for

celebration, and I acknowledge the outstanding

efforts of Miss Caitlin Noonan in supporting

Maddison. Significant numbers of our students

have also achieved Principal’s Recommendation

for early entry to university, many of them at our

own University of New England, but also to other

institutions in NSW and interstate.

We have continued to achieve success in what I

consider to be our three main school focus areas

– ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, SPORTING EXCELLENCE

and CULTURAL EXCELLENCE. To show you what

goes on in an average year at Duval High School,

I am going to endeavour to give a brief synopsis

of the highlights of the year. As there were so

many, I’m sure to leave some out and I apologise

for that in advance! This year, I will once again

approach the highlights in a month-by-month

fashion. I suggest you all make yourselves

comfortable and brace yourselves!

Way, way back in FEBRUARY, once all of the

students had settled in to their classes and

routines, we started to get things moving with the

Arts Captains’ Induction, the Year 11 Induction

Day, a visit from Bangarra Dance Theatre

Workshop, Year 10 Geography travelled to the

Waste Recycling Centre, Year 12 EEC visited the

Town Library, and we held another very

successful Twilight Swimming Carnival.

In MARCH we sent students off on further learning

opportunities like the Year 12 Geography Urban

Consolidation Excursion, a Year 11/12 Legal

Studies Workshop and the Year 8 Sport for Life trip

to Sawtell/Coffs Harbour. We held our annual

School Photo day, our Transition Team paid visits

to Newling, Drummond , Ben Venue and Sandon

schools, and the Eyes, Ears and Hands on Maths

Team visited BVPS. We hosted the Year 5

Selective Schools Test, competed in the TOAD Cup

and Rugby League 9’s, and held Parent Teacher

Interviews using Sentral scheduling for the first

time. Year 12 attended an HSC Music Day, many

students went to the Zone Winter Trials, and we

had Round 1 of the Year 7 Immunisations. Year 10

also attended the Youth Opportunity Expo at UNE

and there was an Agriculture excursion to

Tullimba; as well as celebrating Harmony Day.

Year 8 attended the Moonee Beach Excursion,

Year 7 went to the Warrumbungles, and Year 12

had their Half-Yearly Exams. Students and staff

also marched with the Armidale Community of

Schools at the Autumn Festival parade.

In APRIL we participated in the U15 Boys Bill

Turner Cup VS TAS (6-0), a Year 9/10 Touch

Football Gala Day, and our Target Shooting Team

went to an Inter School Target Shooting

Competition vs Bishop Druitt College Coffs

Harbour (which we won!) We held our ANZAC

Assembly, and were represented at the town

Anzac Day March and Ceremony by our Captain,

Prefects, SRC and many other students. We

participated in Open Boys and Girls Football (Boys

5 December 2016 Page 3

won 5-0, Girls won 3-2), held a Tour de Cure

fundraising lunch, sent some of our Year 12’s to

the HSC Dance Appreciation Trial, and won the

Senior Debating v Oxley HS, while Years 7/8

attended Cyber-Bullying Presentations.

In MAY we held the annual NAPLAN Tests for

Years 7 and 9, Year 11 Half-Yearly Exams, the HSC

Geography Gold Coast Excursion, Senior Debating

v Glen Innes High School and a Junior Debating

Enrichment Program. Year 9 Sports Studies

participated in the Premier’s Sporting Challenge,

Year 12 attended Open Day at UNE, Year 11 VET

Business Services completed work placement,

and our Interact Club members supported the

Rotary Book Fair. We won the Open Football v

Farrer MAHS (2-0) and the U/15 Boys Football v

AHS (3-2). Year 12 EEC visited Family DayCare,

Year 8 attended a Maths Day and an Agriculture

excursion at UNE, the Year 9 Peer Leaders

underwent training & selection, Year 7 Science

had excursions to UNE, and Year 10 and 11 went

off to the Tamworth Careers Expo. We held

another successful Athletics Carnival, the Open

Girls Football beat Tenterfield (2-1), Year 12 went

to the UNE HSC Booster Days and VET Retail Work

Placement. In futsal, the Duval U14s were

Northern Runner Up; the U16s were Northern

Champions, the Open Girls’ team were finalists,

and 7 students were selected to represent

Australia. We held a brilliant Year 5 and 6 Parent

Information Evening, Year 12 attended an HSC

Study Day at Singleton, and we completed the

annual ICAS Science Tests. The Open Boys

Football went down to Inverell (1-3), and our

students participated in a Table Tennis Gala Day

at the PCYC.

In JUNE, the School Captains attended a

Leadership Conference at Parliament House, the

U/15 Boys Football beat Holy Trinity (1-0), and

several students attended the Zone Tennis Trials.

We also had a Year 11 EES excursion, Round 2 of

the Year 7 Immunisations, and commenced a

series of Taster Days for Year 6 students. We

hosted a Biggest Morning Tea, while Year 12 EEC

visited Pedal Early Intervention. Students

participated in the NW Tennis Trials, and the U/14

and U/15 Rugby League Carnival at UNE. Sadly,

the U/15 Boys Football lost the Regional Final 1-2

to Carinya, while the Open Girls Football made

the Regional Final v Narrabri. We marked our

annual Gold Day for Noah, Year 12 VET Retail and

Year 11 VET Business Services undertook their

work placement, Years 9 & 10 Debating competed

against Tamworth HS, and there was a Year 11

excursion to Armidale Tree Group. Students

finished the Dance HSC Trial Exam, participated

in the Armidale Youth Forum and in video-

conferences with our Korean sister school. We

held another marvellously successful School

Musical – The Pajama Game, and our Table Tennis

team travelled to Sydney for the State Finals.

In JULY, we saw Year 9 & 10 Debating Vs Farrer

MAHS, Open Girls Football unfortunately went

down at the Inter-Regional Final, and the Interact

Club visited the Children’s Ward at the Armidale

Hospital. We celebrated our annual NAIDOC

Week and NAIDOC Assembly, hosted the Year 6

OC Class Placement Test, saw Year 11 VET Retail

off on work placement, and quite a few of our

students took part in the Indigenous Debating Day

in Walcha, while still others joined in the Flying

Squad Debating Day.

In AUGUST, Year 11 went off on their Ski Trip, we

held the Trial HSC Exams, and participated in a

UNE Legal Studies visit and the Year 8 into 9

Subject Selection Information Evening. Year 7

attended an Anti-Bullying Day at PCYC and also

made their Year 8 Subject Selections. We held an

RSPCA Cupcake Day, ran another momentous

Shakespeare Festival in conjunction with AHS,

hosted the Dance Practical HSC Exams and saw

Year 11 VET Hospitality off on their work

placement. Students participated in Breast Cancer

Awareness sessions and the Da Vinci Decathlon

for Years 7, 8, 9 and 10 teams, while Year 10

attended the Geography Field Study and

participated in the Valid Science tests. We hosted

HSC Drama Marking, the second round of Parent/

Teacher Interviews, and VET Retail work

placement.

In SEPTEMBER, Year 7 assisted with Legacy Badge

sales. We held yet more Taster Days for Year 6

students, and Year 11 Legal Studies visited the

Armidale Court House. We also held the world-

famous Year 10 Dance Assessment, Year 11 Yearly

Exams, the Girls Touch Footy Carnival, BATYR

Mental Health Talks for Years 10 and 11, and who

could forget the Year 12 Social, Carnival and

Valedictory?

In OCTOBER we held a Year 9, 10 and 11

Aboriginal Health presentation, won the U/14s

Cricket v Glen Innes, students took part in the

Orienteering Championships, and Year 11 Visual

Arts held an excursion to NERAM.

In NOVEMBER, students attended Schools

Spectacular Rehearsals in Tamworth, the Skills

and Thrills Careers Showcase at the Belgrave

Cinema, Year 12 Visual Arts Big Day Out, and the

5 December 2016 Page 3

Prefects went to the GRIP Leadership Conference

in Tamworth. Year 8 completed the VALID

Science Test, there were the Year 10 Exams, and

U/14 Cricket beat Oxley High School. We held the

Year 6 into 7 Orientation Day, a Schools Spec

Fundraising Day, and the final round of Year 7

Immunisations. Year 11 Legal Studies visited the

Armidale Police Station, and we sent SRC and

prefect reps to the Armidale Remembrance Day

Ceremony in Central Park. Year 9 went on their

excursion to the Great Aussie Bush Camp at Tea

Gardens, we hosted a Story Factory Workshop,

and U/14 Cricket beat Wee Waa. A selection of

students attended the UNE Business Challenge,

and our most talented singers, dancers and

musicians set off to the Celebration Concert in

Sydney, and later to the Schools Spectacular,

where they represented our school with

distinction. We also held the Minnis Public

Speaking Competition, a Years 10 & 11 Cisco

Presentation, and the now-infamous Year 10

Sydney Excursion!

In December, the Interact Club held its AGM, and

on the 16th, the U14s Cricket play in the Regional

Final v Gunnedah. On Thursday Term 5 begins. I

don’t know about you, but I’m tired just listing

those events and opportunities for your children!

Of course, none of this would have been possible

without the efforts of our committed and

wonderful staff, and I thank them all for their hard

work and dedication to both the young people of

this school, and Public Education as a whole.

Your children are well-served by these

consummate professionals, and I would hate to

have to pay them for all of the overtime they so

willingly contribute so that quality teaching and

learning can take place every day. There are too

many to single out, of course, but this year I

particularly wish to acknowledge the work of Ian

Crompton, Melanie Urquhart and their team,

without whom tonight’s Presentation Evening (and

yesterday’s Merit Assembly) would really not

have been possible!

I wish to thank to the P&C and their President

Caroline Winter for being so very active and

supportive in 2016. The P&C have, as always,

been a tremendous advocate and partner for the

school, providing support for school-parent

communication, for faculties and for all students

at the school through their insurance

arrangements. They have worked behind the

scenes all year on projects including the joint-

funding application for the school bus shed,

regular working bees and various fund-raising

ventures. Their efforts are truly appreciated by

the entire school community.

The School Canteen is truly healthy and

successful and has contributed some $20,000 to

the P&C again this year, to be spent on

improvements to the learning environment at the

school, and for the benefit of all of your children.

My special thanks go to Suellen Simpson,

Belinda Piddington and Katy Williamson for all

of the hours of their own time they put in to

providing good, healthy food for the children at

Duval. However, they do so much more, lending

support and a kind ear to children with any

concerns, gently reinforcing discipline in the

canteen lines, and generally doing everything

they can to promote Duval High in our

community. It is appropriate at this time that I call

forward one of our most dedicated canteen

workers, Mrs Vikki Shorter. Vikki has put

literally years of work into supporting your

children and providing them not only with

healthy food to eat, but some sage advice and

reminders about manners, and we recognise her

sterling service to Duval High School tonight.

I also want to take the time to acknowledge those

who work behind the scenes – the School

Learning Support Officers who work with our most

challenged students; our AEO and the Norta Norta

tutors who work specifically to help raise the

literacy and numeracy achievements of our

Aboriginal students, but who actually end up

helping out wherever they can; the School

Administration Support Staff and Julia Woods, our

School Administration Manager, who keep the

place going in the face of ever-increasing

accountability, and our cleaners, who do a tough

job in the face of continually decreasing hours

and increasing demands. The place simply could

not function properly without all of them!

I would like to conclude, as always, by thanking

you, the parents, family, friends and carers of

these young people before us. It is through your

support, encouragement and care that tonight’s

award winners have reached this level of

success. They deserve the kudos and plaudits for

their achievements, but then again so do you! I

wish you all a very happy and safe Christmas and

New Year, full of good times with family and

friends, and look forward to seeing all of you

back here at Duval High School next year.

Mr Stafford Cameron Principal’s Report

Presented at Presentation Evening

6th December

5 December 2016 Page 5

P&C ANNUAL REPORT

Another year has flown by, and we are pleased to

report that the P&C has had another great year of

funding raising and activities.

Major support funding of teacher requests during

2016 includes:

$3,766.11 Performance rights school musical

$3.800.00 Microphones (clip-on and shot-gun)

$656.10 Amplifiers for the Music Room

$719.00 Audio Control Unit for the auditorium

$1,122.24 Classroom atlases

$413.73 French textbooks

$7,634.00 Senior Common Room furniture

$1,062.00 Touch football jumpers

$600.00 Bins for front of school

$937.00 Dark room enlargers x 2

$485.00 Wall map for Geography classroom

$800.00 Digital Live Theatre (English & Drama)

$1,200.00 Blinds for English classrooms

$2,260.00 Lockers

$1,000.00 Dance studio floor covering

$2,129.00 Carrier-30 cart for library

$5,000.00 Communication support for 2016

$2,500.00 Awards for Presentation Evening

$2,230.00 Painting the bus bay over holidays

TOTAL = $38,314.18

----------------------------------------------------------------

We also paid $16,000 from our Special Project

Fund towards the bus shed. Therefore,

TOTAL P&C FUNDING SUPPORT OF DUVAL

SCHOOL RESOURCES DURING 2016

= $54,314.18

----------------------------------------------------------------

When the bus shed was initially proposed, the

P&C arranged a grant with matching funds from

DET. Therefore,

TOTAL FUNDS DIRECTED TO

DUVAL DURING 2016 FROM

P&C ACTIVITIES

= $70,000.00

Seed Funding: This year the P&C is again very

pleased to support the Creative and Performing

Arts Faculty with both in kind and financial

support for the school musical production The

Pajama Game. The musical proved to be a great

community gathering with profits exceeding

$5,500. Profits from last year’s musical were used

to purchase microphones and additional sound

equipment.

Beautification Projects. Working bees were

held the first Sunday of each month with mulching

of gardens and cleaning up the grounds around

the school. The bus bay at the entry of the school

will be painted and the garden bed under the

oaks mulched and planted with native shrubs

over the summer break.

Bus Shed: As you may be aware, several years

ago the P&C established a Special Projects

Account, after identifying an important need to

construct a bus shed. The P&C has contributed

$16,000 which will be matched by the DET to

build a shed for the bus. It is intended to hold

many items that are currently in storage in the

auditorium, and will also allow us to explore

leasing options when the time comes to replace

the bus. Unfortunately the tender process has

been lengthy and we are still awaiting an

outcome of the last round of tenders for the work.

Community Partnership Accounts: If you

currently bank with Regional Australia Bank

(RAB), we encourage you to nominate Duval High

School as your community charity– and simply go

about your banking. Your average annual

balance is calculated and the equivalent of 1%

will be donated by RAB to Duval P&C. This year

we received an extra $613.83 through RAB’s

Community Partnership Programme. https://

www.regionalaustraliabank.com.au/community/

community-partnership-program.

In closing the P&C would like to extend a thank

you to Stafford Cameron and all the staff of Duval

High School for their continued support and

collaboration throughout the year. A special

thanks to long standing member and volunteer

Vikki Shorter. Thank you to all the parents and

friends who volunteered their time to P&C

activities, such as working bees, canteen, twilight

swimming carnival, and the musical.

Please contact Susie Winter (P&C Secretary)

duval-h@det.nsw.edu.au if you would like to

become a P&C member and be placed on our

email list. Membership does not require you

attend meetings, but will keep you in the loop.

It is worth noting that $20,000 was

contibuted by the Duval P&C Canteen.

A very big thanks to Suellen Simpson and

her staff as well as volunteers!

5 December 2016 Page 6

Hello and welcome. My topic is Be Yourself. I strongly encourage everyone to always be

your own person.

My reason as to why people aren’t acting themselves is today’s society. Today’s society is

the biggest impacting factor on the way people act. If people don’t act in a certain way soci-

ety shames them. This has to stop! People act like someone they’re not cause they want to ‘fit

in’ with everyone else. People act like someone else to fit in so they do things that might get

them into trouble or that they feel uncomfortable with. They only do it because of peer pres-

sure.

What exactly does society do to cause image? The answer is they have ‘leaders’ and to fit in

we have to be like them and act like them. People also try to fit in by getting sent out of class

or get detention because they think others will think they’re cool. People bully others be-

cause another peer did it first. People also take up drugs and smoking. The truth is they hate

it and it makes the feel uncomfortable and they don’t want to do it. But they still do it because

it’s what the ‘cool kids’ do. They will do it or anything to become popular.

Now what exactly is society? Is it you? Is it your peers? Is it your friends? Whatever or who-

ever society is it needs to stop shaming people for who they truly are. Society shouldn’t be

shaming people for being their own person. We’re all different. Society invented a thing

called ‘pretty girls’. It’s where girls pile on make-up in the hope of being call pretty, but in

reality there is no such thing as ugly. Everyone is beautiful in their own way.

People are scared of judgement. They are scared to show who they really are because they

have an expectation upon themselves to be perfect or to go down in history as a failure. The

only reason society shames someone is because they think it’s funny to make someone inse-

cure. You feel like you’re nothing. That feeling of nothing forces people to act like a different

person.

They are sick and tired of being judged and shamed every single day. They are sick and

tired of not ‘fitting in’, They are sick and tired of pretending, but still go on to pretend only

on the thought of being singled-out and alienated. They are sick and tired of thinking one

day they will be popular. The though of being singled-out and alienated destroys self-

esteem. You ask people why they do this and its because society is forcing everyone to be

the same. We need to stop this!

Society needs to accept that everyone is beautiful and different in their own way. Society

needs to stop judging, shaming, singling-out and alienating people. People need to accept

that they are beautiful in one way or another.

I wonder if society has every heard: ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’? If it hasn’t, but may

be it should, because what it is doing is wrong. Just remember you are your own person,

and don’t let anyone define or change who you are. There is at least one person who loves

you for you, and who wouldn’t want you to change anything. Never change who you are.

Thank you.

“BE YOURSELF”

by

Natasha Livermore

Year 8

This is Natasha’s award winning speech for the Minnis Shield,

held at Duval on Wednesday, 28th November.

5 December 2016 Page 7

TABLE TENNIS KNOCKOUT RESULTS

The finals of Duval’s Table Tennis Knockout

Tournament were played on Tuesday 7 De-

cember. The match was won by Brad Lucas

(Year 10) in a thrilling 5-set battle against

Freddie Heslin (Year 8).

Brad, playing off ‘minus 6’ to Freddie’s ‘minus

1’, was ahead in sets twice before Freddie

pulled back to 2 sets all. Then Freddie got to

10:6 in the final set with four match points in

hand before Brad clawed back, winning

12:10. It was an impressive display of ping

pong, with both players hitting and returning

some beautiful top-spin drives in great ral-

lies.

There was a large and appreciative audience

in the gym, so a fitting end to the competi-

tion.

Congratulations to all students who compet-

ed in the spirit of enthusiasm and sportsman-

ship.

Many thanks also to Mr Suddaby for all his

work and dedication in organising and run-

ning the competition.

5 December 2016 Page 8

DUVAL TARGET SHOOTERS

The last Thursday for our target shooters was

indeed a very special and enjoyable occasion;

not only did the students show their skills they

were also the recipients of SSAA N.S.W. Medals.

These medals were supplied by the Sporting

Shooters of Australia Association and presented by

Mr Cameron to each student.

The following students: Ethan Rogers, Brandon

Sullivan, Joshua Dawson, Liam Lamb, Jackson

Cook, Ben Sowden and Declan Rich have

successfully completed our junior development

program throughout 2016 and were awarded

“Marksmen” medals.

Three of our students Tiffany Tarrant, Lachlan

Williamson and Karl Simpson achieved “Expert

Marksmen” medals, having competed very

successfully at local, regional, state and national

levels throughout 2016. An amazing

accomplishment.

A well-deserved congratulations to all the

students for their achievements and outstanding

conduct.

I would also like to extend much gratitude to all

the volunteers who make our sport possible,

SSAA Armidale mentors and SSAA Guyra

members who give their time, equipment,

experience and valuable advice every week. A

huge thank you to Mr Cameron and Mr Model for

their continual support and Mr Lacey our talented

and committed bus driver.

Looking forward to another great year of junior

shooting in 2017.

Suellen Simpson

Team Coordinator

UJRL 2017

REGISTRATIONS

We invite you to now register with UJRL for the

2017 season! We are aiming to field the following

teams:

• Under 8's

• Under 10's

• Under 12's

• Under 14's

• Under 16's

• Junior Girls League Tag (9-12 years)

• Senior Girls League Tag (13-16 years)

Registration fees for 2017 are $80 - this includes

shorts and socks for all players, with jerseys being

supplied by the club. This fee represents outstanding

value, when compared with other sports in our com-

munity! So please, tell your friends, tell your rela-

tives to come and play footy for UJRL in 2017. New

players are ALWAYS welcome!!

Registrations and payments can be completed online

at the following web address:

https://membership.sportstg.com/regoform.cgi?

formID=64646

Please note that we will be enforcing a strict 'no pay,

no play' policy in 2017, so please ensure payment is

made as soon as you register, to ensure you don't

miss out on valuable game time!

Any parents or carers experiencing difficulties with

registration or who do not have access to credit card

facilities, can contact our Club Registrar, Clare

Baker on email: clarelbaker@bigpond.com or by

phoning 0427 705 058.

We look forward to you playing for us in 2017 and

helping our club have a successful season!

5 December 2016 Page 9

DUVAL AT SCHOOLS SPECTACULAR

5 December 2016 Page 10

YEAR 10 SYDNEY EXCURSION

5 December 2016 Page 11

5 December 2016 Page 12

DUVAL HIGH SCHOOL

- PRESENTATION NIGHT -

6 December