Congratulations to Rowan Tan (8M) who competed at the Australian Athletics Championships at SOPAC in early April. He won the U14 triple jump and was 2nd in the long jump (5.21m). Later in the month, he represented NSW as U13s team captain at the Australian Little Athletics Association Championships. He won the U14 triple jump (12.11m) and was 4th in the high jump (1.55m). Great results, Rowan! Old Boy Ricky Pachon (SHS-2016) won the Jiu-jitsu Sydney Cup last Sunday. He is now being sponsored and competing as a blue belt in preparation for qualifying for competition in the world Jiu-jitsu Championships.
Captains of summer sports teams have a responsibility to prepare a short report about the season their team had. A focus on the positives is appreciated as is highlighting any good individual performances. Reports should be submitted electronically to Ms May. One enduring feature about The Record is the pleasure gained by Old Boys returning after 30 or 50 years who relive moments of their teenage years through the photographs, names and summaries preserved in The Record. Co-curricular activities need to submit reports also. Supporters with good action photographs are asked to email them as attachments to Ms May who might be able to use any interesting ones in The Record. You can leave a personal legacy of your time at High by writing up and submitting your season report for your sport or activity.
Boys in Years 7 and 9 sit the NAPLAN tests next week. The idea behind NAPLAN is for all boys to try their best in each test to prove to themselves that they are progressing well at school, from Year 5 to Year 7 or from Year 7 to Year 9. They can demonstrate growth. Regrettably, often boys do not treat the tests as seriously as they might – rushing through just to finish early or working carelessly because the results do not count on their reports. We need to convert more Year 7 Band 9 results into Year 9 Band 10 results. Our policy is that we do not teach to the test. Skill development is supposed to be included in our subject programming. However, some boys need help refining their skills. There are many suggested activities and resources available on the NAPLAN website to help boys to help themselves to improve their basic skills. Go to www.nap.edu.au/naplan/the-tests if you would like to do some preparation or to hone your skills.
We want to incentivise student performances in NAPLAN. We offer up to a maximum of 20 Student Award Scheme points for the four tests – 5 points each. Boys maintaining their expected growth trajectory will receive three points and those exceeding it, five. We want to give boys an extra reason to try hard, to use all the available time and to check their answers for careless errors or mistakes of logic or judgement. In short, we want to nurture the process of performing to their best ability under pressure. We want to make their growth as learners visible to them.
High is proud of the fact that its boys wear their school uniform. We expect boys to be in their appropriate uniforms at all times. In winter, there can be extreme weather events but where adjustments need to be made in clothing, the High Store has responded to the requests from the SRC to supply approved supplementary items. Uniform items are approved by the school community through the P & C . The school beanie and school scarf can be worn at all times as part of the official school uniform. Students feeling the cold should not improvise with random items of clothing of various colours and designs. It is permissible to wear white skivvies underneath school shirts when it is really cold. Students in Years 7-9 are allowed to wear sports clothing on Thursdays and can add the school tracksuit for warmth. When it is raining, umbrellas, disposable ponchos or the new wet weather jacket are authorised. Non-uniform anoraks, jackets, caps, beanies, scarfs and wet weather gear are not permitted under any circumstances. Teachers are reminded to warn and then report them to the relevant DP, recidivist students, not wearing approved attire.