Newsletter No.4, Friday 27 May 2022

Message from the Principals

At Hobart City High School (HCHS), we highly value parent engagement and communication.  We recognise that this has been a challenge during COVID as we learn how to do things in new ways.  This is a piece of work we are focusing on and learning how to do better.

We would like to extend a very genuine invitation for you to make contact with us to advise us of any issues or concerns you may have.  Please don’t wait until they become so large they seem unsolvable, we would much rather hear from you early and as often as necessary.  All three Principals are highly committed to ensuring we build our HCHS culture around inclusivity for all.

To this end we have reprinted a list of key people in the school and their email contacts for you to access.

There will also be a letter being issued to all parents shortly to outline the new Department of Education processes to reporting and how we can use this process to strengthen our family partnerships and engagement in student learning.   It is hoped that over time, much more frequent contact is made between learners, parents, carers and their teachers about how to move their learning forward.

A topic that is high on everyone’s minds at the moment is transition.  We have provided a short summary of the key activities being planned.  Student voice is guiding our work in this area and we will continue to both refine and share our plans with the wider community.  Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any other ideas you think we should consider as  we do this planning

Last newsletter we highlighted the work we were undertaking in launching a positive reward system for our students to recognise enactment of the focus value, respect.  It is super exciting to see that over 5000 points have been awarded in only three weeks!  We look forward to the process of students being able to redeem their rewards next week.

Deb Day - Lead Principal 

Ben Wilson - Acting Principal, New Town Campus

Andrew Hughes - Principal, Ogilvie Campus

Values Incorporated Points (VIPs)

Our VIPs are off and running with over 5000 points being awarded to students in the first week across both the Ogilvie and New Town Campuses.

We are focused on rewarding positive behaviour and building a respectful culture where we all feel safe and that we belong.

With a focus value of “Respect”, we are explicitly rewarding when students demonstrate respect to themselves, others or our environment.

In weeks 5 and 6 we plan to exchange VIPs for tangible rewards.  We have been collecting student voice around what rewards to offer students, with time with friends and food being the most popular so far.

We encourage you to ask your child how many VIPs they have and how they’ve been earning them.

Cath Apanah - Assistant Principal - Wellbeing and Community Engagement

Transition

‘Transition is a process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another.’

The process of moving through a transition can vary from person to person.  People can experience a range of emotions before they adjust to their new normal.  As we prepare for next year, we are dedicated to ensuring that the transition period for all students is well supported so that students know what to expect next year and are calm and happy about beginning their new school year in February 2023.

Next year our Year 7 and 8 students will be in co-educational classes at the Ogilvie Campus. Students in Years 9 and 10 will be in co-educational classes at the New Town Campus.  We recognise that this will be a change for many students, so we have designed a program of transition activities to support all students on their journey to next year.  As the needs of many year groups are similar, we have listed some of the key activities by year level.

Transition from Year 6 into 7

We’re working closely with primary schools in the Hobart area to plan for our next year of Year 7’s, visiting each of them to meet some Year 6’s and talk to the Principals of those schools about what works best for their families.   In addition, we’re looking forward to taking some of our current Year 7’s back to their primary schools to talk about their experiences at Hobart City High School and then having our new students visit us later in the year.

Transition from Year 7 into 8

We are surveying our current Year 7 students about what transition activities helped them best prepare for the start of this year.  We will use what we learn from our Year 7 students to help support our new students coming in.  We will also support our Year 7 students to prepare for their time as leaders of the Ogilvie Campus next year.

Transition for Year 8 into 9 and Year 9 into 10

We will conduct several activities during this year to allow small groups of students to get used to working together and for Ogilvie Campus students to become familiar with the New Town Campus.  In addition, students will study “Respectful Relationships” during health lessons this year, so our classes in 2023 will be calm, respectful and ready for learning.  

Activities in Term 2:

• During a Link In lesson all of our Year 8 and 9 classes, we will run through the program of activities that are planned and allow all students to input ideas and suggestions that will help prepare for next year.  
• Students will also record the names of three friends from their current class that they would like to be in their class during Transition activities
• As a class, students have a virtual tour of the New Town Campus.  This virtual tour will be made available to parents and the school community later this term.
• Students will attend a Treasure Hunt and Assembly with their partner class at the New Town Campus in another Link In lesson.  During the lesson, students will meet some of the key people at the New Town Campus and see some of the places with their partner class as they move around our school.

Activities in Term 3:

• All Year 8 and 9 students will have an offsite lesson with their partner class.  Students will spend some time together learning and getting used to working as a mixed group during this lesson.
• Each class will have a lesson at the New Town Campus to help students become familiar with learning together in their new school.  We are planning this day to coincide with the Year 10 Taster Day at Elizabeth College.

Activities in Term 4:

• We will oraganise two other partner class experiences at the New Town campus to help all students to feel calm and confident about their start next year. 

Transition of Year 10 students to next year.

Like the Year 8 and 9 students, our Year 10 group have a number of activities this year to help them transition beyond Year 10.

Activities in Term 2:

• We will support our students in developing their Transition Plan this year, which will document their interests, strengths and plans for the future.  The Transition Plan will also include where students will be next year and what subjects they will study.  
• Small groups will continue to work with Dave Newcombe from Elizabeth College.  Dave explains different career pathways, course options for all colleges, the ATAR points system, how the TCE (Tasmanian Certificate of Education) works, and the TCE requirements.
• Hobart City Partner Schools (Hobart City High School and Elizabeth College) will be having a Parent Information Evening for Year 11 and 12 subjects at Elizabeth College on Wednesday, June 8 at  Elizabeth College.  The evening will start with an information session and then a subject expo that will showcase Year 11 and 12 subjects offered at all of the Hobart City Partner School campuses.  

Activities in Term 3:

• Enrolment days will be conducted at the Ogilvie Campus with Elizabeth College with a one-on-one session with a councillor during week 5.
• Enrolment days will be conducted at the New Town Campus with Elizabeth College with a one-on-one session with a councillor during week 6.
• A Taster Day for all Year 10 students will be held at our partner school Elizabeth College, pending COVID restrictions

Activities in Term 4:

• Tuesday and Wednesday, November 29-30, Year 10 students will have two days to try out subjects and learn more about Year 11 at our partner school Elizabeth College.
• Students will complete their Transition Plans and have them approved by their Link In teachers.

Ben Wilson - Acting Principal, New Town Campus

Managing COVID-19 in schools

This term, there will be some changes in how COVID-19 cases are managed in schools.

Our school will continue to work closely with Public Health to safely manage any COVID-19 cases, with a focus on testing students and staff who have symptoms.

The number of students and staff with COVID-19 will be closely monitored, and we will work with Public Health to respond as needed.  If there’s an increase in cases, Public Health will tell us what we need to do and what actions families will need to take.

Parents and carers will no longer receive a message every time there is an individual case in a class or grade – unless students or staff are medically vulnerable.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our school office.

For more information about COVID-19, please visit the Tasmanian Government Coronavirus website or contact the Tasmanian Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738, or Department of Education COVID-19 Support Hotline at COVID19support@education.tas.gov.au or on 1800 816 057.

If you need support translating or interpreting this information, contact the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450.

Andrew Hughes - Principal, Ogilvie Campus

English, History,Geography and NAIDOC Week Competitions

Dear Families, there are many exciting competitions on offer this term.  English and Humanities Teachers and our wonderful Library Technicians will promote and support any interested students. Your support from home is also welcomed and encouraged particularly as students are responsible for submitting their own entries online except for the NAIDOC WEEK Competition which our Library staff will coordinate and the Dorothy McKellar Poetry Awards which English teachers will submit.

To date many Hobart City High School students have participated in the:

1. Australian Geography Competition (33 students)
2. What Matters? national writing competition
3. Rostrum Voice of Youth national public speaking competition with Daniel in Year 7 achieving an outstanding second place.

There are many more exciting opportunities this term that we would like our families to know about.

Australian History Competition

Registrations for this compeition have already closed and we have eleven HCHS students registered.  This compeition will be held on both campuses on Tuesday 31^st May in Period 4: Ogilvie Campus, S01 with Mrs Maree and New Town Campus, Room 243 with Ms Mulholland.

The Queen's Commonwealth Essay Compeition 2022 - closes 20 June 2022

The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition is the world’s oldest international writing competition for schools, established in 1883. With thousands of young people taking part every year, it is an important way to recognise achievement, elevate youth voices and develop key skills through creative writing.

For more information visit: www.royalcwsociety.org

NAIDOC Week - closes 24 June 2022

There is a Year 7 – 9 Poster Competition and a Year 10 – 12 Essay Writing Competition which will be facilitated through our Ogilvie Campus and New Town Campus Libraries.  If you would like to enter or know more about the NAIDOC Week competitions, please chat to one of our Library Technicians or to your English or History teacher. 

Dorothy McKellar Poetry Awards - closes 30 June 2022

For more information visit: https://dorothea.com.au/

2022 Optional Theme:  "In My Opinion"

 “Our poets are encouraged to take inspiration from wherever they may find it, however if they are

looking for some direction, competition participants are invited to use this year’s optional theme to

inspire their entries.”

Hobart City High School has paid the entry fees for this competition and English teachers will submit entries for students who would like to enter.

Young Tasmanian Writers Prize

Opens Monday 30 May and Closes Friday 29 July 2022

https://www.fortysouth.com.au/young-tasmanian-writers-prize

Students register and pay individually online ($8) and then receive a Payment Order Number. Participating students will need to enter their School and English teacher as contact person with the teacher’s email address and school phone number.  Teachers will provide this information to any students in their classes who are entering.

Juniors: Year 7 – 9 - 700 – 1000 words  

Choose ONE of the following themes:

• Transformation
• Renewal
• Enchantment

Seniors: Years 10 – 12 - 800 – 1500 words

Using your own words, choose ONE of the following ideas to begin your story…

• The sight of a mountain
• The sound of running water
• The smell of mud
• The feel of feathers
• The taste of salt.

Mandy Maree - Curriculum Leader - HaSS, English and Languages

Rostrum Voice of Youth

Rostrum Voice of Youth is a national speaking competition which provides an excellent opportunity for secondary school students to gain experience and confidence in expressing their views and communicating a message.

On Saturday 7 May three Hobart City High School students participated in Rostrom Voice of Youth 2022 Regional Finals at The Friends’ School.

The Junior Division speakers (Years 7 – 9) present a six minute prepared speech and a three minute impromptu speech and Senior Division speakers (Years 10 – 12) present an eight minute prepared speech and a three minute impromptu speech.

Congratulations to Daniel, Year 7, Lily, Year 8, and Franklin, Year 9, who demonstrated our Departmental values of Courage and Growth throughout the competition.

Our students were congratulated on their skills and their potential to be a winner in the future.  The judges were particularly impressed with Daniel who achieved second place.  If the winner is unable to attend the state final, then Daniel will be called upon.

There are undoubtedly other Hobart City High School students who have the potential to do well in the competition and who would benefit from this experience.  We hope that more of our students will join Daniel, Lily, and Franklin at RVOY 2023.

For more information, please contact Mandy Maree (Ogilvie Campus) or Sara Mulholland (New Town Campus).

Mandy Maree - Curriculum Leader - HaSS, English and Languages

Cross Country

What an amazing Cross Country!  Participation was high across both campuses and students and staff had a great time supporting their House.  Congratulations panupiri for another victory!

panupiri 1st place

layna 2nd place

patrula 3rd place

tiyuratina 4th place

A big thank you to all staff and students involved in making both campus events highly successful.

City to Casino Fun Run

The 49th City to Casino Fun Run was held on Sunday 15 May.  This is a big community event and it was so good to have Hobart City High School represented.  The 7km run/walk started at Cornelian Bay. The 11km run started at the Showgrounds.  We all finished at Wrest Point Casino. Congratulations to all members of our Hobart City High School team:

7km - Walter, Mitchell, Ling Rui, Sidney, Sierra, Lincoln, Billy, Tom, Evie, Phoebe, Daniel, Carissa, Emily, Keiji, Harvey, Dash, Noah, Jackson and Nick.

STAFF 7km - Ms Brooks, Ms McDonald, Mr King, Mr Goddard.

11km - Oliver and Sam.

Congratulations to our fastest male and female finishers: Keiji (31:06) and Evie (34:14).  We saw plenty of old scholars from New Town High and Ogilvie participating in both races.  Special thanks to Nick and Sam (both Class of 2020) for joining our Hobart City High team today.

Jane Brooks - Sports Co-ordinator

Grade 9/10 Food Studies Challenge

Grade 9/10 Foods classes completed a “Design a Gourmet Burger” Challenge late in Term 1.  As part of the challenge, students had to design their burger using the following design brief:  Chefs are often known for a signature dish – a particular dish that they cook well and are often asked to make.  You will be working to create a healthy hamburger that will be your signature dish.  Your hamburger should have an influence from another culture e.g. Asia, South America etc.  It should include:

• A type of meat (or plant protein)
• Bread (rolls/buns/slices etc) or an alternative to replace the bun
• At least three colourful vegetables
• Include a sauce
• Be able to be made in class time

Champion burger maker was Oliver, who created a number of very mini burger sliders.  Well done Oliver!

Julie Rankin - Food Studies Teacher

Chaplaincy Week 22-29 May

This week we celebrate Chaplaincy Week and thank our Chaplain, Bridget Tape for all of her wonderful work at Hobart City High School.

Please click on the link below which outlines the Chaplain's role.

Homestay Families Needed for 2022

In this edition of SchoolTV - Managing Screen Time

As a result of the global pandemic, there has been a noticeable shift in the amount of time people spend on screen-based devices.  Families are transitioning back to pre-COVID routines but many are still struggling to re-establish the boundaries and rules around screen use.  Some continue to deal with digital conflict and tech-tantrums on a daily basis.  The latest research found that 77% of teenagers spend more than five hours on screens per day, but it is important to note that not all screen time is considered equal.

Parents play a crucial role in modelling a positive and healthy approach to using screens and assisting children to navigate the content they watch. It is better to model and mentor screen use, rather than monitor it. Children tend to do more of what they see us do, and less of what we tell them to do.  However, it is still important to outline the risks and highlight the benefits of screen use to ensure you keep a balanced attitude.  Encourage discussions around the issues that people experience in monitoring their screen time and be honest about your own difficulties.

Parents need to remain firm in their approach to managing screen time.  Excessive screen time can be detrimental to a child’s overall wellbeing.  Ensuring the correct privacy settings are in place is vital to prevent children from being inadvertently exposed to inappropriate content or online predators.  Parents need to also be mindful of the potential impact screen time can have on a child’s social, emotional, educational, behavioural, and even physical domains.

In this edition of SchoolTV, care-givers will be provided with a range of guidelines and strategies to help manage screen time at home.

We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this edition of SchoolTV and we always welcome your feedback.  If you have any concerns about your child, please contact the school counsellor for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Upcoming Events

1 June - Inter-High Cross Country - all day

2 June - Elizabeth College Excursion "Pippin Production" - 9/10 Music, Theatre Production, Vocal Group & Drama

2 June - Futsal Tasmania School Titles - Year 9/10 

8 June - Elizabeth College Evening - EC Theatre

13 June - Queen's Birthday - Public Holiday

15 June - Year 10 Vaccinations - Ogilvie Campus

8 July - Last Day of Term 2

Vinnies 2022 Community Sleepout

Free NDIS Event