As we roll into the May edition of our Educators’ Monthly newsletter, we have a busy calendar of online events ahead. Our team will also be exhibiting as part of InspirED’s upcoming digital expos, beginning with the HSC & Beyond Virtual Careers Expo from the 27-31 May.

We’re also introducing two new Media workshops for high schools as part of our interactive UNSWorkshops program, both of which can be delivered fully online or live-streamed to a classroom. Bookings for these workshops as well as our live-streamed UNSW presentations are available via our Careers Advisers Resources website.

​As many of you will know work placement is a mandatory component of many VET Courses. Most of our students will have a great experience at a local business, however Phoreal decided to challenge himself and found a resort called Emirates One and Only located in Lithgow. So he'd get up at the break of dawn each day to commute to his chosen destination.

From there we can see that he did a range of activities from reception, to admin to getting exposure to the whole resort from what may seem like luxurious ventures. He has received glowing reviews whilst doing his Work Placement and we'd like to congratulate him for thinking outside the square, taking the risk and representing himself and the school so well. There could be something there for your Phoreal!

Well done 
 

Mrs Anton

Work Ready Program Reminder

Thursday 05/03/2020 all Year 11 VET Students period 1 in the Hall, period 2 - period 3 in rooms 50, 58 & 62 (check the list)

The program is targeting all year 11 Vet students. It is a compulsory program. The students will develop all skills needed in the workplace, as they are having their work experience in different companies and organisations.
This will enable them to be work ready and thrive whilst they are on their work placement.
Any student who is absent on that day must report to Mrs Anton or Mr Abbou for a catch-up session.

Years 7, 11 and 12 participated in their first study skills presentation on Thursday 13/2 and Friday 14/2.

Setting up for the final years of school with a positive and resilient mindset was the theme for our senior students, with the importance of SMART goal setting and developing a growth mindset towards achieving their fullest potential.

Years 11 and 12 learned about the importance of how having a growth mindset can create life success. Many students have a fixed mindset because they believe that intelligence is fixed, that each person has a certain amount of intelligence. Students with fixed mindsets often find challenges threatening and see mistakes and disappointing results as upsetting.

Successful people believe that failure is good. They see failure as a guide, a message about what to improve so that they can achieve their goals. Students with a growth mindset believe that intelligence can be cultivated through effort. They don’t expect to be geniuses, but they do believe that everyone can improve their abilities through learning, confronting challenges and perseverance.

Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney recognises students in Science in Year 11 for their outstanding achievement in Science across all the schools in NSW. The recipients of this prestigious award from Homebush Boys High School, this year are; Ayman Kharbutli and Sourabh Leelchand. These students and their parents were invited to visit the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute on Monday, December 9, 2019 for a presentation. The students had the opportunity to listen to some great speakers and see the research work related to the heart diseases carried out by the eminent staff at the institute.

This facility is open to the public as well and you may book the visits through the website https://www.victorchang.edu.au. This is a great opportunity to visit and see how wonderful work is carried out at this institute in the field of medicine to prevent the ever increasing mortality caused by various cardio vascular diseases and the heart conditions.

Congratulations to Ayman and Sourabh on this achievement on behalf of Homebush Boys High School and the Community.

On Tuesday 10th December, Peter Smith and I had the pleasure of escorting Jason Qian who was nominated as being the most outstanding Year 11 student. The process involved sitting with their Year Adviser Christopher Burke, to select the top 15 students of the Year 11 cohort and then to provide them the opportunity to be interviewed and present their portfolio / resume to us. The candidature was very impressive and the competition was fierce. In any event Jason rightfully received the nomination. This award will allow Jason automatic entry into Western Sydney University, he will be given a $500 grant for 2020 and a conditional scholarship valued at $20,000 as well as being part of the Western Sydney University Academy. Students with an ATAR of 90 and over are invited to be part The Academy to be mentored and given leadership opportunities from people in industry.

The Year 11 and 12 Parent and Teacher interviews are on Tuesday 4th June 2019 from 4:00 pm till 7:00 pm. Please click on read more to view the location of each faculty.

Student reports will be available online through the Parent Portal from Friday 31st May 2019 at 5:00pm.

Teacher appointments can be made via Moodle. Please click on the image for instructions on how to use the booking system. 

Please encourage your son to log onto Moodle and book teacher appointments.

Only booked appointments will be available to parents on the 4th June 2019.

Interpreter assistance will be provided on the night. Please email Emily Yong on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you require an interpreter.

This will be an excellent opportunity for students interested to hear from and meet heads of school, faculty staff, current students and industry speakers.
Students will discover degree offerings, scholarship opportunities, entry requirements and the embedded industry immersion/placement program.

This event is suitable for parents, students and teachers.

When: Wednesday 5th June, 6-8pm (please arrive at 6pm for a 6:15pm start)

Where: Eastern Avenue Auditorium (directions) The University of Sydney (Camperdown Campus)

Format: Formal presentations, industry speakers, Q&A panel, networking

Registration: Please register here (registration is essential as places are limited). Refreshments will be provided at the networking session

The program is targeting all year 11 Vet students. It is a compulsory program. The students will develop all skills needed in the workplace, as they are having their work experience in different companies and organisations. This will enable them to be work ready and thrive whilst they are on their work placement. Any student who is absent on that day must report to Mrs Anton or Mr Abbou for a catch-up session. You will be familiarised with all of the paperwork essential to complete the VET course/s that you are enrolled in. You will receive a VET Pack which will have all of the necessary documents for you.

When:Tuesday 5th March (Period 1 - Period 3)

In order to enrol in your courses you will need to create your USI (Unique Student Identifier). If you are a Domestic Student you will need to bring on that day one of the following forms of ID:

• Australian Passport
• Australian Birth Certificate
• Medicare Card
• Driver License

If you are an international student you will need one of the following forms of ID:

• Passport with (Australian Visa)
• Medicare Card

You will need earphones as you are completing an online course on that day.

Please contact Mrs. Anton or Mr. Abbou for any further information.

The senior curriculum involves a degree of flexibility due to the introduction of before and after school classes and study lessons. It is vital that the school ensures the safety and wellbeing of all students so these procedures must be followed to enable the school to track the attendance of all Year 11 and 12 students.

Our Safety, Learning and Respect matrix states clearly "Be at the right place at the right time".

1. All students must carry their timetable and student identification card, and produce them for any staff member on request.
2. Students must arrive promptly in the room indicated on their timetables, every lesson.
3. Students must remain on school premises between timetabled lessons, including at recess or lunch. Students must NOT leave the school to go to Flemington or Homebush or visit their parked car.

4. Teachers Federation Writing Competition

   Mrs Lea mentioned the Teachers Federation writing competition and strongly encouraged me to enter. I then ran the idea past my parents and they also encouraged me to enter it. At the time, my mind was not about winning, but it was the idea of participating and doing more external competitions, which I really enjoyed.

   Of course, I would be competing against people who are also good writers and since this was an open competition about the theme of "Teachers Make a Difference", I believed that there would’ve been a lot of entries in an essay format. I also knew that many entrants would write poems. Finally, I took up the challenge and wrote this "epic" poem while I was busy with my Trials preparation.

   My friends and teachers were inspiring me to write an epic poem. An epic poem has a distinctive form which allowed me to include some of my research into the journey of the history of Teachers Federation. I thought the epic form was suitable to reflect the long struggle of the Federation for better education of children. But I needed the appropriate vocabulary and tone for the epic structure.  I looked into epics such as the Odyssey and Beowulf which provided me with the register for the poem, but the research also made me realise how different my choice of words could be.

5. Preparing for Senior Studies

   As many senior students prepare to leave school at the end of this year and embark on further education or a new career, a whole batch of students are preparing to join the ranks of the senior students next year.

   As students approach the senior years, they are expected to start taking more responsibility for their own learning. For many students part of this is a realisation that they need to do their schoolwork for their own sake, to keep options open for their own future – so they start to work for themselves, not just because their teacher or parent says they have to. Other students come to realise that in order to cope with the increased workload in the senior years, they need to work more efficiently at home and in the classroom, small changes like changing who students sit next to can make a big difference to how much work is completed in class.

   So for students who are commencing their senior studies next year, the final term this year is important in taking stock of your approach to school and your studies. Do you work well in the classroom? Who do you sit next to? What are your listening and research skills like? Do you have systems in place to manage your homework and assignments? Do you know how to study effectively and have you tried different study techniques?

6. English Excursion to Pop-up Globe Theatre to see Macbeth

   On the last day of Term 3, the year 11 Advanced English cohort, accompanied by their teachers (Ms Yong, Ms Bonis and Ms Ball) watched a performance of Shakespeare’s Macbeth at the Pop Up Globe in the Entertainment Quarter. Our tickets were as ‘groundlings’, which are standing tickets in the pit below stage. While this meant standing over 2 hours we were definitely closer to the action. Performances at the Pop Up Globe are still running until December 1 and I thoroughly suggest you go experience the world of Shakespeare (https://popupglobe.com.au). The following pieces are reflections by the students of their educational, enjoyable and at times uncomfortable experiences.
   By Ms Yong

    

7. NSW School of Languages

   Students in years 9-12 at HBHS have the opportunity to study a wide variety of languages not offered here at school, by studying with the state’s leading language educator via distance education with the NSW School of Languages, located at Petersham.

   The school offers 12 languages to students if the language is not offered at HBHS. The courses conform to NESA requirements and therefore can be studied as courses for completion of ROSA and the HSC.

   Languages available include: Chinese, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Modern Greek, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. Courses are at Beginners, Continuers and Extension levels.

   Student learning is provided at HBHS during the regular school day and is supported through a diverse program of written materials, telephone lessons, online activities, email, face to face study days at the Petersham campus, excursions and even overseas tours.

8. Blue and Maroon Awards at HBHS

   The school’s PB4L Team has initiated awards that will reward students for effort. We all know about presentation days rightly recognising first place in every subject and each year group have a dux.

   Now every student will be able to be recognised for effort and application each semester. The awards are named after our school colours. A Blue Award recognises a student whose effort and application have been outstanding in every subject. A Maroon Award will be presented to a student whose effort and application are outstanding in all but one subject. The reports for each semester will determine these awards.

   The first formal assemblies were held for the Year 11 and Year 12 cohorts on Tuesday 3 July in the school hall. About half of the students in each cohort were rewarded for their consistent effort and application in semester 1. The students who received awards are listed below. Congratulations to all of them.

   The Years 7, 8, 9 and 10 assemblies will be held early term 2.

   As well, there is no reason why every student, in every grade, can’t receive one of these awards in semester 2!

9. Trades Expo at the ICC Darling Harbour

   On Monday the 4th of June, a group of 40 students from years 10, 11 and 12 headed to the Trades Expo at the ICC at Darling Harbour. It was a day of exploring, understanding and observing of the different types of trades in the industry. We were given a chance to explore each trade throughout the day to learn more about the pathways we could pursue to. There were trade displays which ranged from automotive, carpentry, construction, electrician, plumbing, bricklaying, commercial cookery and many more. There were also representatives from TAFE  as they showed us pathways and discussed what they offer.

   The trades were showcased by many businesses which proved to be very insightful and interesting for us. The companies who were displaying their type of trade, also gave us an opportunity to experience hands on tasks.

10. Year 11 & 12 Parents and Teachers Interview

    The Year 11 and 12 Parent and Teacher interviews are on Tuesday 5 June 2018 from 4:00 pm till 7:00 pm.

    Student reports will be available from the School Office from 3:20 pm.

    Teacher appointments can be made via Moodle. Please click on the image for the instructions on how to use the booking system. 

    Please encourage your son to log onto Moodle and book teacher appointments.

    Only booked appointments will be available to parents on the 5 June 2018.

    The School’s Korean and Middle Eastern liaison officers will be available to assist parents during this time.

    If you are unable to attend, student reports may be collected from the School Office only with written parental permission, from Wednesday 6 June 2018.

    Meeting Rooms for the day are as follows:

11. Excursion to Wavetronics

    On Thursday the 8th of March 2018, all the Year 11 boys doing Industrial Technology Electronics went on an excursion to Wavetronics at Riverwood.

    We all assembled in the morning at 9.30am and it was really great to see all the students waiting eagerly, till I introduced them to the Sales and Marketing Manager.

    After the introduction we were taken to each stages of their factory from the basic circuit drawings to the complex etching being done by using X-rays. Currently they were working on Road Transport Signal Equipment and the boys really learnt about the stages in which they build these signals. Students were given samples to handle and were also shown how these work in real time. The boys had a great exposure to large etching machines where they made printed circuit boards for various companies worldwide. Year 11 Students took lots of photos and we were lucky the management permitted us to use it only for our projects.

12. Work Ready Program & Student Induction

    Tuesday 27/3/18 all Year 11 VET Students
    P1 to P3
    The program is targeting all year 11 Vet students. It is a compulsory program. The students will develop all skills needed in the workplace, as they are having their work experience in different companies and organisations.
    This will enable them to be work ready and thrive whilst they are on their work placement.
    Any student who is absent on that day must report to Mrs Anton or Mr Abbou for a catch-up session.
    You will be familiarised with all of the paperwork essential to complete the VET course/s that you are enrolled in. You will receive a VET Pack which will have all of the necessary documents for you.