Newsletter No 4, Friday 31 May

Message From The Principal

As we reach the halfway point of Term 2 it has certainly been busy,with a wide range of learning, events and extra curricula activities that our school community has been involved in. This includes multiple camps  for our Year 7 students, Year 9 and 10 outdoor education students and Big Picture students.

Our Year 7s embarked on an exciting adventure that not only provided them with a break from the usual school routine but also offered an opportunity to demonstrate persistence, resilience and courage through a range of experiences. It was pleasing to see them support each other, overcome fears, and celebrate their successes together.

This year camps were held at Spring Beach, where our students were surrounded by the beauty of nature and the thrill of outdoor activities. From the moment we arrived, the enthusiasm and energy levels were high. The camp was designed to challenge our students physically, mentally, and socially, and we are proud to say they rose to the occasion brilliantly. We witnessed firsthand the emergence of new friendships and the deepening of existing ones, which we are confident will enhance their school experience and personal growth.

Thank you once again to everyone who has contributed to the success of these camps. A special mention must go to our dedicated staff who made these camps possible. Their hard work, planning and commitment ensures that camps are not only safe and well-organised but also enriching and enjoyable for all. Their enthusiasm and support are instrumental in making camps a resounding success.

We would also like to extend our gratitude to the parents and carers for their trust and support. Your encouragement and involvement are vital to our students' success and wellbeing, and we appreciate the role you play in their educational journey. We are committed to continuing to offer enriching experiences as part of our holistic approach to education.

We recently held our highly successful Cross Country Carnival and Colour Run. Participation was excellent and the feeling of supportiveness and house spirit was great to see and hear.

Our Year 9 and 10 students recently had the opportunity to attend a Careers Expo held at Elizabeth College which was a wonderful event to showcase a variety of careers and explore future pathways to meet the needs of our students. Thank you to everyone who made these important learning and cultural events possible and are an important part of building our school belonging and school culture.

We continue to work on our school improvement focus of building a positive sense of culture and identity (school belonging) and school climate.  We focus on promoting excellence, opportunity and success for every student every day. We value and strive to develop safe, respectful, responsible learners in a caring learning community.  High expectations for student behaviour have been established and maintained through explicit teaching, effective role modelling and planned responses.

Our second school improvement priority focuses on the explicit teaching of vocab to improve comprehension. Staff have been engaging in professional learning by completing DECYP Qualiteach modules and engaging in whole school professional learning focussing on the teaching of vocabulary.

Our staff are busy assessing, moderating and preparing for the end of semester reports which will be sent home in Week 10 this term. This has been coupled with the very important work of documenting and planning for educational adjustments. This is undertaken by teachers to ensure that students and their families get the support they require to achieve the highest possible learning outcomes.

We look forward to continuing working in partnership with our families to support our students learning.

Britany Roestenburg - Lead Principal

Andrew Hughes - Principal

Sarah Geale - Acting Principal

School Association News

It has been a busy few weeks in our household with my kids participating in school camp, cross country, science and engineering challenge, band practices, debating and so much more. I want to take this opportunity to thank the staff of Hobart City High School for making these activities available for our children.  This can only occur because of the effort and dedication of school teachers and staff over and above their normal roles. 

When my son was in Year 7 we innocently stumbled into Hobart City High School rowing which is provided by the New Norfolk Rowing Club.  We didn’t know what we were in for, but we have very much enjoyed the journey so far. 

A few weekends ago families of our student rowers attended the end of season presentation night at the New Norfolk Rowing Club.  The volunteer coaches Peter, Richard and Phil spoke in glowing terms about the rowers from Hobart City High School and especially about their persistence and dedication which resulted in great gains in skill and speed across the entire crew. A standout feature of the team this season was how they formed such a strong bond across all age groups.  Everyone in the team is very different but everyone is included and valued.

Parents give a lot when their child participates in extracurricular activities, but I have come to understand that the payoff is tenfold as we spend quality time in the car ferrying them too and fro, chatting with other parents and forging friendships that wouldn’t otherwise happen, working together to make events happen and, over the years, building something that looks like a wonderful and rich school community.

All parents and carers are welcome to come along to the next School Association meeting which will be held on Tuesday 4 June, 5:30 pm in the New Town Campus boardroom.

Claire Bryan - Chair – Hobart City High School Association Committee

Young Achievers Awards

We would like to reflect on the achievements of two outstanding students who have constantly upheld the DECYP values connection, courage, growth, respect and responsibility and proudly represented the school through their community endeavours. I feel honoured to be writing this article and discovering their hidden talents. Both students, An and Zailee, were nominated for several categories for the Young Achiever Awards for 2024.

Our Head Prefect An was nominated for both the Super Spirit Award and the Heather & Christopher Chong Community Service & Volunteering Award.”

An has been working within the school and broader community to create an inclusive environment and supporting others when the need rises. Since the age of 10 An has been volunteering, her first experience being at the Migrant Resource Centre. She achieved this work through the various youth groups she participates in, such as the Youth Network of Tasmania. An spends a great deal of time connecting with other young people through the Make It 16 Campaign. This campaign is where young people are coming together to plan a way to campaign for lowering the voting age. Through this work, An has met numerous people she “found inspiring as they enabled me to aspire and grow and develop my initiatives”.

One of An’s initiatives was a project called Nest for Life. An crocheted nests for birds and wild-life animals to live in. She then donated these nests to Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary. She made 25 nests of varying sizes in total.  

Congratulations An on your nominations. We are extremely fortunate to have such a dedicated and remarkable student as part of our school community.

Zailee was another successful nominee. Her drive for volunteering developed as a result of a friendship that was formed from skateboarding. Zailee is a very talented skateboarder and from going to a community group called She Shreds she met many other girls who have a love of skating. One of these girls is her friend Charlotte. Charlotte has a point of difference to Zailee’s other friends in that she has a disease that affects her lung and digestive system, called Cystic Fibrosis. Zailee and Charlotte were both nominated for their work for volunteering to raise funds for Cystic Fibrosis.

Their volunteering adventures began in 2021, when the girls from She Shreds decided to participate in the 65 Roses Challenge, which occurs each May. Anyone can compete and raise money for Cystic Fibrosis Tasmania.

Their first challenge in 2021 was to raise money by completing 650 ‘Ollies’. What are Ollies? It is a skate trick where you jump off the ground with your skateboard. This challenge was a group activity, and the girls raised a great deal of funds.

In 2022 the She Shreds organisation completed another 65 Roses Challenge by completing a skate-a-thon. For 650 minutes the team non-stop skate boarded, with only six five minute breaks throughout the whole challenge. This challenge raised over $12,700.

Last year saw Zailee and Charlotte branch out and complete a challenge for 65 Roses all on their own. Zailee admitted that this challenge was very tiring as they decided to complete a skate trick in 65 iconic Hobart locations from the Hobart Airport Tarmac to the Premier’s office. The tiredness was worth it, as the girls raised $35,156.

Once the girls had completed this massive accomplishment, their parents nominated them for the 2024 Young Achiever Awards. It comes as no surprise that both Charlotte and Zailee won the category ‘Spirit Super Connecting Communities Award' and the ‘People’s Choice Award’. Over the course of three years, Charlotte and Zailee have raised almost $60,000. Both girls were very proud of their achievements and are hoping to continue to support people with Cystic Fibrosis in the future. If people would like to know more about the challenges Zailee and Charlotte have completed, you can find it on the Shredding for CFT Facebook or Instagram page.

Congratulations to our Hobart City High School students. What tremendous accomplishments.

We look forward to hearing about more of your achievements in the future.

Belinda Harrington - Acting Instructional Coach Assistant Principal

Year 7 Camps

May was the month of the Year 7 camps held at Spring Beach Youth Camp in Orford. The students were given the opportunity to rock climb, participate in archery, low ropes course, walks and activites on the beach, basketball, build a catapult and complete the commando course. They enjoyed yummy food such as spaghetti bolognese, bbq lunches and apple crumble. 

In the evening, they took part in the Minute to Win It challenge, having many laughs with the entertainment.

A special thanks goes out to all the staff who made the camps possible. Many memories and connections have been made and fun was had by all.

Year 9 Outdoor Education Camp

The Year 9 Outdoor Education class headed off to Fortescue Bay in the Tasman National Park for their overnight camp. We left school under ominous skies and headed east. With a light drizzle, the group left Remarkable Caves to walk to Mount Brown and the sand dunes of Crescent Bay. We were rewarded with great views and some fun times were had running up and down the dunes. The day finished with a night beach walk and campfire.

Hobart Eisteddfod News

Vocal Ensemble

On Friday 24 May our Vocal Ensemble came second in the Year 12 and under Vocal Group at the City of Hobart Eisteddfod. The adjudicator made a notable mention about Lachie our student conductor. Thanks to Simon Reade for coordinating the group at their weekly rehearsals. The group are always after new members. If you are interested, rehearsals run before school Tuesday morning in the Music Department.

Open Instrumental Recital

A massive congratulations to Year 10 student Lachie who has just been awarded first place in the Open Instrumental Recital at the Hobart Eisteddfod! Lachie plays flute, trombone, tenor saxophone, and sings in many of the HCHS ensembles as well as the Elizabeth College Stage Band, takes part in various community ensembles outside of school, and also composes - when he has spare time! Winning an open section as a Year 10 student is a fantastic achievement and Lachie should be very proud. His teachers certainly are!

Beacon Career Program

Our Beacon Career Program has kicked off for Term 2 with a new group of students, after a very successful Term 1 program. They have been busy learning about career clusters, transferrable skills and hearing from industry professionals. Students will be visiting work sites to build knowledge and explore pathways and careers in health, hospitality and tourism.

Royal Australian Air Force Visit

What an experience! On Wednesday 8 May, we hosted representatives from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) to speak to students about pathways and careers in aviation. Three sessions were offered to Year 9 and 10 students throughout the day, where students were able to engage in virtual reality simulators offering an immersive and realistic experience flying an F-18 Hornet.

Thank you so much to the RAAF for spending the day motivating our students. We hope to see you in Tasmania again soon!

Meaningful Pathway Program

Last week our Year 9 and 10 students focused on their Meaningful Pathway Program. The day included a visit to a Career Expo held at Elizabeth College as well as an immersion in career and pathway options post Year 10.

Cross Country and Colour Run

The winning team for the 2024 HCHS Cross-Country is tiyuratina on 1870 points.

Student participation was at an all time high for the Cross Country which was held on Thursday 16 May, with many achieving personal best goals. Second place was awarded to patrula on 1600 points. In third place panupiri scored 1410 points. This left layna in fourth position on 1090. Congratulations to everyone who participated. A big thank you must go out to all staff and students that made this event happen. A special shout out to our Elizabeth College student helpers who assisted on the day. House spirit was alive and well at this carnival and we look forward to our next house event.

The Colour Run is a time where students at HCHS remember to take time out from their learning to have fun, to laugh and to play and to connect with others in an all-inclusive manner. It also helps boost student wellbeing and this is evidenced in the laughter we heard and the smiles on their faces. Thanks to all who brought this colourful joy to our school. 

Hobart Big Picture

Hobart Big Picture is proud to support Year 12 student Immy who has been selected to represent Australia.  Please read on as Immy explains:

"Recently I was selected to play for the Australian Junior Womens Inline Hockey Team at the World Skate Games in Roccaraso, Italy at the end of August.

I am very excited to attend as last time I was selected I was unable to attend due to the tournament being cancelled that year.

This is my final year in the Junior Women’s division, and I am extremely grateful that I get to spend it representing my country in a sport I love.

I was able to make the team by attending the Australian Inline Hockey National Championships in 2023. From there I put my name down to be selected and then the coaches for the World’s Teams and the Inline Hockey Australia Committee sat down and went through the list of players wishing to be chosen. They made the decision of who is on the team by reviewing the plays, point board and what the coaches saw.

With three months to go until the tournament I am working extremely hard on maintaining my fitness and skills."

We wish Immy the best of luck at the World Skate Games!

Liz McDermott - Teacher Advisor

Student Celebrations

Congratulations to our students who received an outstanding first report. These students achieved excellent ratings on their application to learning criteria and enjoyed morning tea last week to celebrate.

Elizabeth College Information Evening

Elizabeth College invite all prospective parents/carers and students to join us for our Information Evening on Wednesday 5 June. We will be running sessions at 4:30 and 5:30pm in the College Theatre. Each session will begin with a presentation in our Theatre introducing key staff and outlining initiatives the College has to offer, followed by a subject expo in our Gym where you will have an opportunity to meet teaching staff, find out about subjects and ask any questions you may have.

For more information and to book, visit https://elizabethcollege.tas.edu.au/

Important Dates

1 June - Pride Month 

4 June - Feeder School Visits - Moonah Primary 

4 June - School Association Meeting - NTC - 5:30pm

5 June - Basketball Athletic Development Excursion - Kingston High School

5 June - Feeder School Visits - Lansdowne Crescent Primary  

5 - 7 June - Duke of Edinburgh Camp 

6 June - Thinking Forward Forum - NTC - 2:30 - 4:30pm

6 June - School Tour - OC - 3:30 - 4:15pm

7 June - Professional Learning Day, Student Free Day

10 June - King's Birthday Public Holiday

11 June - Year 6 Taster Day - OC - Year 9 Taster Day - NTC

11 June - Year 10 Taster Day - Elizabeth College

12 - 13 June - Year 8 Human Library - OC Hall

13 June - All Schools Cross Country - Symmons Plains

14 June - School Tour - OC - 9:30 - 10:15am

19 June - Schools Beach Volleyball Cup - Kingston Sports Centre

21 June -  World Music Day

27 June - Interschool Chess Tournament - Hutchins School

28 June - Newsletter Published

28 June - School Tours - OC - 9:30 - 10:15am

3 July - Term 2 Reports Distributed

5 July - Term 2 Concludes

22 July - Term 3 commences

6 August - School Association Meeting - OC - 5:30pm-7:00pm

9 August - International Day of The World Indigenous People

12 - 16 August - National Science Week

14 August - Course Information Eveneing - OC - 5:00 - 6:30pm

19 - 23  August - CBCA Book Week

19 August - Swimming Carnival - Hobart Aquatic Centre

20 August - Discussions of Learning - OC - 3:30 - 6:30pm

21 August - Grade 7 Immunisations - OC

26 - 29 August - VSMF Melebourne Band Tour - Melbourne

3 September - School Association Meeting - 5:30pm-7:00pm

8 September - International Literacy Day

11 September - Hobart City Secondary Chess Tournament - OC - 9:00 - 2:30pm

20 September - Inter High Swimming Carnival - Hobart Aquatic Centre

23 September - International Day of Sign Languages 

27 September - Term 3 Concludes