Penrith Selective High School

Welcome to our final newsletter for Term 3, 2020.

As has been the case for nearly every aspect of 2020, the order of events continues to change and as a school, we continue to adapt and do it well.

Normally, we are saying farewell Year 12 at Graduation and preparing for the HSC exams. Of course, the exams albeit a week later will take place and Graduation will take place for the first time in the school’s history outside of the hall and in the stunning Alumni Garden so that we can socially distance and have families present.

This newsletter is full of so much news that it is hard not to smile and to be grateful of what has been achieved, sustained and in a number of cases started in 2020. I know that you will enjoy reading the articles and viewing the photos by students and staff.

Congratulations to our new school Captains, Vice Captains who were elected this week. I know that each of you along with the 24 Prefects will continue to serve the school with the same commitment and effort that all 30 showed as Prefect interns.

Male Captain: Kokulaan Santhakumar

Female Captain: Ashvini Dolamulla

Male Vice Captain: Shameer Iftikhar

Female Vice Captain: Elizabeth Santoso

Male Senior Prefect: Zach Wan

Female Senior Prefect: Alyna Arago

I wish each family a safe holiday. For our HSC students (Year 12 and accelerated students) it will be a time of hard work and focus, but your time to relax will come in mid-November. For everyone else, including the staff it will be a chance to recharge after an enormous term of challenging and intense work.

Finally, we wish our Head Teacher TAS Mr Graeme Mell a safe and happy retirement. Mr Mell and I have worked together in 2 schools and he is an incredibly talented educator and someone who has made an immense impact in the lives of thousands of students since his career began in the 1980s. After taking some leave into next year, we look forward to welcoming Mr Mell back to teach in a capacity of his choosing.

Enjoy the break everyone and my sincere thanks to all students, staff and parents for working together over a very long and intense term.

Warm regards,

Mark Long

Principal

During COVID the school has still been conducting Assembly in a very different way to what we have been used to. Senior Prefects, under the direction of teachers, have been setting up television screens and participating in a school-wide Zoom meeting. The students can be still informed about what is happening around the school as the Principal presents his report, musical items happen being zoomed in from the music rooms and students or staff can give sport reports etc from around the school. This runs very smoothly each week.

Congratulations on overcoming this communication hurdle in these times!

Penrith Selective High School’s Bring Your Own Device program aims to improve student learning experiences both in and out of the classroom. Penrith Selective High School provides considerable freedom to students in their choice of technology and in their use of technology in the classroom. The school does so with the expectation that students will make good decisions with regard to their personal use of technology.

This Computer User Charter must be agreed to and signed before students are permitted to bring their device to school and connect it to school facilities.

Students who are experiencing difficulties or need support to have access to a device each day can apply to use a school owned device as part of our equity strategy. This resource is limited but every effort will be made to support all students. Parents are encouraged to contact their child’s Deputy Principal if support is required.

The BYOD program was mandatory for students in Year 7 in Term 1 2020 and Year 8-12 in Term 2 2020.

Purchasing your device

We are pleased to advise that JB HI FI Solution for Education has set up a special portal for Penrith Selective High School for your consideration at different price points.

Please follow the below steps to purchase the device.

1. www.jbeducation.com.au/byod

2. Enter School Code: PHSBYOD

3. Scroll down the page and select a student program - Year 7 to Year 12

4. Select your desired pick up option – Home delivery or store pick up

5. Select Device and start shopping

Please note the following:

- Prices on the portal are inclusive of warranty (up to 3 years) and onsite service support except Mac Book which you will need to make an online Genius Bar reservation at your nearest Apple Store.

Below are the office bearers for PSHS P&C 2020. The P&C meet on Tuesday of Week 3 and Week 7 of each term at 7pm on Zoom.

For any inquiries please email the Secretary, Soma Goswami, on:

gsomshri@hotmail.com

SRC President - Gabrielle Cant (Year 10) - pictured
SRC Vice President - Alan Steny (Year 10)

Treasurer - Luke Byun (Year 10)

Secretary - Athena Xin Tian Auw (Year 10)

Media Liaison Officer - Soo Jung Yoo (Year 10)

Year 7/8 SRC

Merissa Mahil

Zoya Sajid

Maddox Ferguson

Ishaan Garg

Year 8/9 SRC

Hasini Donti
Cassidy Lauguico

Angelo Varghese Paul
Akash Godiyal

Year 9/10 SRC

Dianne Casalangen
Milvia Matthew
Iman Dirron

Parth Purohit
Tanish Patil
Shiv Nair

Year 10/11 SRC

Gabrielle Cant
Soo Jung Yoo
Athena Xin Tian Auw

Biswas Simkhada
Alan Steny
Luke Byun

Year 11/12 SRC

Manaswini Yerramsetty
Anusha Nair
Nashrah Alam

Shrey Bhagat
Anav Prasad
Rishabh Shrestha

A big thank you to all the students who attended the meeting today and congratulations to all students.

Warm regards,

Ms Zhou & Mr Coburn

SRC Coordinators

The new SRC body for 2020/2021 has been selected and announced. Consisting of student leaders from years 7 to 11, who have been voted to represent their grades. They will be working collectively to improve the school’s wellbeing and spirit. In the midst of the current pandemic, the SRC has decided to take this as an opportunity to reshape the foundation of this council and refocus its goals. The SRC congratulates and is grateful to all students who applied for this leadership position as they reflect the enthusiasm and initiative that we aim to motivate throughout the entire student body. We would like to express our gratitude to Ms Zhou and Mr Coburn who will be assisting the SRC for 2020/2021 as well as Mr Long and Ms Pipio for their continued support.

To all new members of the JRC, Congratulations! JRC is an amazing opportunity to develop your leadership skills and make new friends. JRC is only open to year 7 students so you should try out and give it your all as this is your only opportunity. As students who love to take on challenges and leadership roles, being part of the JRC body was perfect for us. It has helped us make better decisions and develop sincere relationships with several teachers as well as students. Being part of the JRC also opens up so many leadership opportunities for future roles as SRC, School Captain and Prefect Interns. As part of the JRC, we can both tell you from first-hand experience, that last semester really was a thrill. We all worked together to create Kahoots for the Year 7 cohort and help set up various activities and events throughout our time as a JRC. We and the 18 other leaders really had a wonderful time as JRC.

Michelle Ho and Ryan Wen

Semester 1 JRC

The Computational and Algorithmic Thinking Competition: (C.A.T), was held on Tuesday April 2. It was a one hour exam before school starting at 7:55am. It is a unique problem solving competition that aims to identify coding potential. The competition incorporates unique three stage tasks that encourage students to develop informal algorithms and apply them to test data of increasing size or complexity. The C.A.T. is the first stage in identifying and training students to represent Australia at the International Olympiad in Informatics.

This year we entered 8 keen students from Years 10 to 12. Over 19 516 students from 406 schools entered the competition this year. Overall our students achieved 1 High Distinction, 1 Distinction, 7 Credits and 2 Participations. From Year 9, Gurveer Khalsa achieved a High Distinction placing him in the top 1 percentile. From Year 10, Beonrik Pascual achieved a Distinction placing him in the top 7%, the remaining Year 10 students all earned Credits. They were Jamieson Berida, Cedric Kutschera, Anaf Sayed, Samuel Tint, Keeno Mendoza and Darren Pradhan.

Australian Mathematics Competition

The AMC was held on Thursday July 30 and is compulsory for all of Years 7, 8, 9 and 10. The results from the AMC will go towards their yearly report mark.

Peer Tutoring

Peer Tutoring is a free program where senior students are matched with students who are struggling with their Mathematics. If you would like a peer tutor to help with your mathematics please send an email to mathspeertutoring@gmail.com . stating your name, year, mathematics class and areas of weakness. Isaac Chang will match you up with a tutor and contact you via email. This is a free service.

Last year we started a homework help centre for year 12s, this year we have decided to include all years. This runs at recess on Mondays through to Thursdays in room A.1.8. If you have a question with your homework/class work, you can just drop into room A.1.8 and ask the Mathematics teacher for help. You can ask as many questions as you like, but if you have a lot of questions regularly, we will recommend you get a peer tutor.

Primary School Peer Tutoring

This program involves a group of our Year 9 students working with the gifted and talented students from Penrith Primary School and Orchard Hills Primary School. We meet every Tuesday recess in the library. Each primary school student has been matched with a Year 9 student and they work together through the problems. Watching both sets of students interact, grow and challenge each other is very exciting for myself, Mrs Wilkes and Mr McMahon.

Euler, Gauss and Noether Enrichment Programs

It has been a strange year for the Enrichment programs; sometimes held in the classroom, sometimes via zoom and now back in the classrooms for the final weeks. The tutors will be marking the students’ problems and then we send them away to Canberra. Hopefully we will get the final results back in mid Term 4.

Australian Informatics Olympiad

The A.I.O. is a three hour examination in which students are given 6 problems to solve. The students need to write a computer program to solve each of the six problems. They can use Python 2, Python 3, Java 11, C++ 17, C# or Pascal. Each problem contains a number of subtasks, worth a total of 100 points. All problems are of equal value and all problems may be attempted.

This year the A.I.O. was held in August. We had 5 students competing in the Intermediate Division and 3 in the Senior Division.

Every participant will receive a certificate, and the top 25 students from NSW will be invited to a 10-day intensive training school in December where they will learn higher-level algorithms and data structures. If these students are successful enough then they can be asked to participate in invitation-only events, from which the top four will be selected to represent Australia in the International Olympiad in Informatics!

Australian Intermediate Mathematics Olympiad

This examination is 4 hours and was held in September. Students are not permitted to use calculators or electronic devices.

It is suited to Years 8 to 10 level and particularly for those who:

· have completed at least one of the Mathematics Enrichment Programs, (Euler, Gauss or Noether level) and

· are high achievers in the Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC) and

· Students who have acquired knowledge in Olympiad problem solving.

The Australian Mathematics Trust also use the Australian Intermediate Mathematics Olympiad (AIMO) as one of the competitions to determine which students are selected to a number of invitation only events; including other Mathematics Competitions AMOC, enrichment classes and training schools. Participation in these elite programs increases the likelihood of being selected in the Australian Training teams for the International Olympiad Team. It gives talented students an opportunity to be recognised and to participate in activities which will enhance their enjoyment and knowledge of Mathematics.

Currently 9 students from Years 9 and 10 trained to participate in the A.I.M.O for 2020.

Australasian Problem Solving Mathematics Olympiad

The Australasian Problem Solving Mathematical Olympiads (APSMO) is a not-for-profit, professional organisation that offers a range of mathematical competitions for students. The programs are unique in that they focus on the students' ability to solve mathematical problems in a creative manner - as opposed to simply reaching a solution using a prescribed method. Each year thousands of schools participate in the competition from around Australia and New Zealand.

The main aims of the competitions are to:

- Teach major strategies and develop flexibility for problem solving

- Foster creativity and ingenuity and strengthen intuition

- Stimulate enthusiasm and enjoyment of mathematics

- Provide for the satisfaction, joy and thrill of meeting challenges

Each mathematics class in Years 7 and 8 are entered as a team. So Penrith Selective High

School has entered 10 teams. The Maths Olympiad offers team awards; including plaques for

the top 10% of teams and Team of the Year Awards for the highest score in each section.

Individual awards include certificates for students who participate in all 5 Olympiads; medals

for perfect scorers; a trophy for the highest score within a team; metal pins for students placed

in the top 10% of scores; and patches for students in the top 25% of scores.

The students of Year 7 and Year 8 have currently completed 5 papers over Terms 2 and 3 in the APSMO.

Currently, all Junior Years have just completed their Term 3 Mathematics Tasks. All of the Mathematics staff are very hard at work marking and collating the examination papers. As well as writing the Year 12 reports. It has been a hectic term for students and teachers alike!

We have also continued on with our Enrichment Programs, Olympiad training and Olympiad Competitions. The Olympiad Training was held every Thursday in room A.1.5 throughout the year and will continue in Term 4.

NOTE Mrs Norman is on maternity leave. We wish her all the very best and hope that baby no. 2 is placid and loves Mathematics!

Mrs S. Briggs

Head Teacher Mathematics

During the last week of term during breaks the annual Rubik's Cube Challenge has been on.

The winner was once again Abinav Chennupati of Year 8 defeating Jamieson Berida and Keeno Mendoza both of Year 11 with a time of 33 seconds for two cubes. Congratulations Abinav!

We are Zach, Jola and Hana and we were the Year 7 Prefect Interns for weeks 6-10. During this time, we worked with Ms Horsley to help the current Year 7s. We aimed to assist Ms Horsley in guiding the Year 7s through their first year of high school, as well as supporting the JRC.

Leaders: Jola Canlas and Zach Wan

Assistant: Hana Hallani

Hello everyone, we are Sara, Olivia and Ashvini and we were excited to be the year 8 Prefect Interns for weeks 6-10.

We worked with Mr Huynh to make your Year 8 experiences all the more special and helped prepare you for stage 5. We did everything we could to ensure positive growth and development during year 8 and were there to support all of year 8 academically, socially and in wellbeing. We hoped to make year 8 a great year you will never forget.

Leaders: Sara Saleh and Olivia Bock

Assistant: Ashvini Dolamulla

Hi everyone, we are Darren and Liz and together, we were the Prefect Interns for the Year 9 cohort. In a nutshell, we aimed to offer a helping hand for Year 9 students towards the areas of academics and wellbeing. We apprehend the importance of Year 9 and view it as a stepping stone in every individual's life towards senior school. It is a time which affords personal growth and development and forms a lifelong foundational pillar. Together we did everything within our capacity to assist the growth and development of Year 9 as a cohort and as an individual. We were very enthusiastic to spend this period with Year 9.

Leader: Darren Pradhan

Assistant: Elizabeth Santoso

We are Sinduja and Alyna, the Prefect Interns in charge of the Year 10 portfolio for the second half of this term. As senior school creeps ever so silently on for the Year 10s, we aimed to assist the grade with their transition into Year 11 and were ecstatic to work with Mr Elias for this to happen as smoothly as we could make it.

As Prefect Interns and as Term 4 approaches, we worked with Mr Elias and the Careers Advisers in assisting with the organisation of grade wellbeing assemblies, Student-Post destination planning and more importantly, collaborating with the grade in order to voice the student body.

All in all, we enjoyed working with the Year 10s and Mr Elias.

Leader: Sinduja Sureshkumar

Assistant: Alyna Arago

We were the Year 11 Prefect Interns for Weeks 6-10. Nick and Luke were our leaders whilst Marco and Zach were our assistants.

Our role was to liaise with Ms Grice to discuss things to do with our grade and help with overall wellbeing.

We hope that by the end of our term as Year 11 Prefect Interns, we have established better ties with our cohort, helping us brace for the HSC which starts next term! We are hoping to organise an event to pass on to the next Year 11 Prefects, an event to help fundraise for our grade.

Leaders: Nicholas Whelan and Luke Boyes

Assistants: Marco Perri and Zach Wan

We are Kokulaan and Hana, the Mathematics Prefect Interns for Weeks 6-10, with Shameer as our assistant. In weeks 6-10, we worked closely with Ms Briggs (Head Teacher of Mathematics) to publicise the Rubik’s Cube Relay tournament for later this term. We are hoping to attract as many individuals as possible to participate in a fun, Covid-19 safe event, to raise school spirit, after many recent event cancellations. Simultaneously, we will be liaising with Ms Briggs and Ms Begg (School Counsellor) to establish a new mindfulness/relaxation project where students can learn techniques to help with exam-related anxiety and stresses. In this way, during those 5 weeks, we attempted to cultivate an environment where all students felt accepted, and worked to the best of their ability. See Mathematics Article above.

Leaders - Kokulaan Santhakumar and Hana Hallani

Assistant - Shameer Iftikhar

The Prefect Interns for the English Faculty during weeks 6-10 were Fairy and Aditya. As interns, during this time, we worked alongside Mr Lidster (the English Head Teacher) in order to organise English peer tutoring and encourage more students to participate in this beneficial program. This is for students who are struggling with English, or just need extra help regarding assignments and/or homework. Given the restrictions around COVID, we worked to organise English peer tutoring over zoom so that students within different grades could still access help when they needed it.

Leader: Fairy Patel

Assistant: Aditya Kumar

We are Ana, Abhijith and Leeanna, and we were your Science Prefect Interns for weeks 6 - 10.

During those few weeks, we worked closely with Ms Lam and the Science Faculty in re-establishing science peer tutoring, a student-run program for students, to reach out when assistance is needed to simplify and solidify general ideas or concepts taught in class. Working alongside talented and skilled senior tutors, we as the leaders aimed to elevate this learning platform which we believe is highly beneficial for students to better their understanding and skill, especially from the shift to formative learning. As a result of this change in learning style, we worked closely to monitor overall progress and provide insight on grade descriptors in order for students to better their performance of this subject in a comfortable and engaging environment.

Leader: Ana Maksimovic

Assistant: Abhijith Maliakal and Leanna Yao

We’re Cedric and Sara, and we were the History Prefect Interns for Weeks 6-10 of this term.

We’ve been working closely with the History Faculty towards looking into our school’s past years and highlighting some aspects of the past in the school more, in conjunction with the History Interest Group and other History students.

As the History Prefect Interns, we were responsible for all things History so feel free to talk to us.

Leader: Cedric Kutschera

Assistant: Sara Saleh

We are Paul, Kokulaan and Luke, and we were the Prefect Intern leaders and assistants for the Social Science portfolio. Our role was to ensure all students across all grades have the support they need in their studies and input heard in any activities they want to run, as well as promote the wide and diverse range of subjects that this faculty has, and presenting any faculty-related opportunities to students. We helped with organising YMCA Junior and Youth Parliament, arranging Social Sciences Peer Tutoring and HSC Study groups, assisting with Breakfast Club, MUNA in addition to subject selection and information evenings, and Student Senate Forums, as well as competitions such as ASX Shares, and Politics Club. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to come to see us directly or drop a suggestion in the Prefect Box.

Leader: Paul Sebastian

Assistants: Kokulaan Santhakumar and Luke Boyes

The Prefect Interns for TAS during the second half of term 4 were Rana and Tamara. As the TAS Prefect Interns, we worked with the various Technology-based clubs and received insight into how these clubs operate (Coding Club, USYD Exploring Engineer, Anki Overdrive Club, Tinker Workshops, Solar Car, Robotics Club, Aurecon). We were able to successfully design some digital artwork which is featured throughout the school and over the internet through social media accounts and Google classrooms.

Leader: Rana Singh

Assistant: Tamara Jaglica

Ciao and Konichiwa. We are Marco and Nick, and we were your LOTE Prefect Interns for the second half of term 3!

As a prefect portfolio, we were responsible for all things to do with languages.

We are currently attempting to create a LOTE peer tutoring organisation where those doing Italian and Japanese can polish their language learning skills.

Leader: Marco Perri

Assistant: Nicholas Whelan

Hello, Liz and Jamima here. For weeks 6-10, we were the Prefect Afternoon Tea Intern Leader and Assistant. Following on from Isaac and Paul’s idea for an online PAT, we consulted Mr Long of the idea at one of the weekly principal meetings. However, it was decided that we would wait to do a PAT in-person to maximise connections with other schools. Due to this, we have been busily helping other portfolios and taken on a greater role in our other portfolios. We hope to see and be a part of future Prefect Afternoon Teas!

Leader: Elizabeth Santoso

Assistant: Jamima Rumey Jiffrey

We, Isaac and Eugene, were your Public Relations Prefect Interns for weeks 6 to 10 and we worked closely with Ms Pipio and Mr Long in order to finalize the foundations and begin working towards our Prefect Introduction video for 2021. In addition to this, our main roles and contributions involved our social media pages, specifically on Instagram and Facebook, in order to promote various student-run events and special organized days and to also communicate with Prefects from other schools and representatives of the community whilst upholding correct and ethical behaviour online as per Penrith’s standard. Be on the lookout for our video, and as always, if there are any concerns or queries, you can specifically contact us through our online Prefect Suggestion Box or send over a message. Thank you!

Leader: Isaac Chang

Assistant: Eugene Chen

We’re Jahin and Sinduja and we were your Uniform Prefect Interns for weeks 6-10. Our job was to regulate and promote the uniform shop at PHS. The uniform shop sells second-hand uniform pieces at a cheaper price and is located on the second floor of A block. Anyone is welcome to sell, borrow or donate pieces at any time if they come to contact us!

Leader:Jahin Khandoker

Assistant: Sinduja Sureshkumar

Hello from Leeanna, Ashvini, Olivia and Darren the Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) Faculty Prefect Interns for weeks 6 - 10. Within the second half of this term, our objective was to sustain the importance of keeping creative during the turbulent times of Covid-19, whilst implementing more useful and enjoyable resources for all students to engage and utilise.

With the establishment of the new A-Block Art Gallery, we have collectively worked towards entering spectacular artworks created by students into varying art competitions and exchange programs such as the NSW Children’s Week Art Competition as well as the Nagoya Art Exchange. Simultaneously, our school ensembles are continuing their rehearsals every week to continue consolidating their skills for various performances including drama students who are working hard to prepare for practical plays and performances. The Concert Band, Stage Band and String Ensemble have been compelled to work online with their conductor, Richard, and we are sure they are doing great. Though there are challenges which COVID-19 has pressed on the clubs, we are sure that they are still preparing for amazing performances. The Drama HSC students have also recently completed their practical HSC component and we send them best wishes for their other subjects and their final results.

Overall, we were very happy to liaise with Mr Vassallo, the Head Teacher of CAPA, and our other teachers to deliver more fantastic opportunities to students.

We were pleased to see the persistence of our CAPA students especially in light of COVID-19! Look out for high performers mentioned later in this newsletter!

Leaders: Ashvini Dolamulla and Leeanna Yao

Assistants: Olivia Bock and Darren Pradhan

We are Cedric, Adi, Maddy, Jamima and Ana, who were your Towers Prefect interns for week 6-10! We’ve been working with Ms Reid to make this year’s Towers Magazine as special as possible, and showcase the school’s experiences. We’ve been checking in with the clubs, staff and students to collate all the best stories and memories to look back on. With this being a unique year, we are focusing on what our school has done to stay together through isolation. We hope to chronicle another chapter in our school’s history to look back on fondly. If you’d like to help out in making this year’s Towers Magazine, please contact us or Mrs Reid.

Leaders: Cedric Kutschera, Aditya Kumar and Madeleine Reeves

Assistants: Ana Maksimovic and Jamima Rumey Jiffrey

We are Paul, Rana and Abhijith and we were your Volunteering Prefect Interns for weeks 6-10.

We have been responsible for the Volunteering Club that runs on Tuesday lunches in T.1.1. We have been coordinating several of the clubs’ initiatives including the continuation of the clothes drive that has been running this term. We enjoyed running the club for this period and collaborating with members to find new opportunities to help the less fortunate, especially during this pandemic. We are planning to be running a food drive in the future, but any other ideas that students have would be greatly appreciated, so feel free to contact any of the volunteering leaders so that we can continue to help the greater community. A very big thank you for all your donations so far with the clothes drive!

Leader: Abhijith Maliakal

Assistants: Rana Singh and Paul Sebastian

Our names are Shameer, Maddy and Fairy and we were the Social Justice Prefect Interns for weeks 6-10. Our role was to organise events to raise awareness for important causes and ensure the school community remains informed about the issues in our community. With the help of the previous Prefect Interns, we were able to run a very successful fundraiser for Wear It Purple Day, to raise awareness for LGBTQIA+ rights. We worked closely with Ms Pipio and the Social Justice Club to plan R U OK Day for September 22 and the Education Drive for the Blue Mountains Refugee Service for later in term 4. We would love for more students to join the club and help us with effectively organising any events, as well as collaborating with other great clubs and leadership positions, such as Volunteering Club and the SRC.

Leader: Shameer Iftikhar

Assistants: Fairy Patel and Madeleine Reeves

We are Tamara and Jahin and we were the Canteen Prefect Interns for weeks 6-10. The Canteen is central to the Penrith High Community. As Canteen Prefects we assisted our school canteen staff to create new menus and promote them through emails, announcements and newsletters. We also assisted in creating promotions for the canteens weekly specials. Additionally we would usually also be helping to organise Canteen volunteers, yet due to COVID-19 volunteering has been temporarily postponed.

Leader: Tamara Jaglica

Assistant: Jahin Khandoker

We, Alyna and Yash, are your SRC Prefects for the second part of Term 3. Excited to work with the newly inducted SRC members, we were here to turn your suggestions into reality. We attended every SRC meeting to assist and ensure plans are performed efficiently and effectively. Despite the current COVID-19 restrictions, we still aim to plan and roll out a range of activities to lift school spirit throughout the year. As always, if you have any suggestions or issues regarding anything about school, just contact us or slip in a note in either of the Prefect or SRC suggestion boxes outside of Mr Long’s office. See extended article in this newsletter.

Leader: Alyna Arago

Assistant: Yash Mishra

We are Yash and Isaac, your Alumni Prefect Interns for Weeks 6 - 10! We are very excited to have the opportunity to work with some notable Alumni from our school. However, as a result of COVID-19, the likelihood of bringing in former students is unlikely, but in the meantime, we will keep you updated with the Towers Alumni Newsletter. This term's issue we will be having two interviews with two very special guests. You will find them elsewhere in this issue. Hope to see you soon at any Alumni related events!

Leader: Yash Mishra

Assistant: Isaac Chang

We are Eugene and Jola, and together we are the Duke of Ed Prefect Interns for weeks 6-10. For those actively engaging in this program, we commend you. For those planning to join in the coming years, it truly is a great opportunity. We hope everyone stays safe. See extended article in this newsletter.

Leader: Eugene Chen

Assistant: Jola Canlas

“I know it’s only the start of year 11 but your Post Destination School Plans are due in term 3! Take your time to think about your interests and hobbies and how that may translate into a career”

Never had I felt so confronted and confused by an email; the prospect of deciding in 500 short days, what exactly I wanted to do with the rest of my life. Medicine? Law? Commerce? Engineering? Science? Politics? I had 101 interests but it seemed there were almost 1000 times as many uni degrees. That got me thinking, what do I actually enjoy? Honestly, I had no idea.

It was the beginning of a Term One and I tagged along with my friends into A.2.5 for the first meeting of PHS’s Newly Formed Business Society (BSOC). There, about 20 of us in that room (prior to social distancing and COVID) and the club leaders/prefects Bobo and Eugenia introduced themselves and told us about their experiences doing an amazing 2-day Entrepreneurial Competition over the summer holidays.

“It’s a bit like Shark Tank” they explained, and immediately I became very intrigued. You work with people who have similar interests to you (eg: environment sustainability, student education, health, getting higher marks for the HSC etc.) to make your very own business. Did it seem daunting at first, to make and pitch a whole new business? YES! What about Finances? Marketing? Operations? Website/App? Customer Base? Even though I did Business Studies, I wasn’t too confident with how any of the theory was put into practical application.

But Bobo and Eugenia as club leaders were incredibly talented, supportive and motivating. Each Tuesday recess, we would meet in Mr Coburn’s room and they would run us through mini-workshops on how to create a business. Right from developing an idea, problem statement, market research, logistics, suppliers, website design and countless other vital aspects of business management. It would have been overwhelming, but there was always so much inspiration, creativity and excitement in that room over every group’s business ideas as BSOC began to grow.

Even amidst a global pandemic and online school, we would have zoom meetings and work on our business pitch. For my group, we switched ideas 6 times (our final idea which we changed 3 days before the pitch) and eventually developed an online subscription-based perfume business called Purity.

Finally came June 30, the pitch night which we conducted over zoom. True to its Shark Tank promises, we had a panel of judges including: CEO of LewisLand Group Matthew McCarron, Mrs Lee, Mr Coburn, Bobo and Eugenia who would be evaluating our businesses to determine if they were worth ‘investing’ in. One by one each group went, and the panel’s questions in Q and A were by far the most challenging, thought provoking aspects of the whole night, but I had little time to panic as we were pitching third. I don't exactly remember what we said but I do remember Mrs Lee asking very specific questions about perfumes (turns out Miss was well acquainted with the perfume industry) for which I had to think quickly on my feet and justify the validity of our business and proposed operations plan. In the end, out of 6 teams, the results were:

1. Fit Me - A fitness mobile app aimed at encouraging young people to participate in physical activity.
2. Purity - A subscription based perfume company providing quality scents for each customers lifestyle needs
3. Landit - A website designed to strengthen the connection between employers and young job seekers by making job postings of small businesses more visible.

BSOC provided me with so many incredible opportunities and experiences. Not only was I able to learn about how actual businesses function (hint: it's much more complicated than the theory) and apply this knowledge into Business Studies (which proved very beneficial to my understanding of profitability management), but it also gave me the opportunity to develop closer friendships with my peers and become more confident with public speaking and presentations. However, most of all, it ignited the spark to my interest in the corporate world, specifically law and commerce/business which became my first option for the PDSP and the inevitable question of what I wanted to do for the rest of my life?

So if you have ever had even the slightest interest in business, or want to develop your entrepreneurial skills and make your Shark Tank pitch dreams into a reality, or even just participate in a creative competition to challenge yourself and find an interest, I would highly recommend you join BSOC next year. There are so many rewarding and fun opportunities to experience which can be customised for your interests and who knows you may even find a new passion which can “translate into a viable career”.

Gurmehar Kaur Yr 11

I am very excited to announce that works by Giselle Guo and Supreethi Kanta have been selected to be included in the Nagoya Sister City Art Exchange. With over 155 artworks from Sydney submitted this is a significant achievement.

The Nagoya Sister City Art Exchange is an exhibition opportunity for all NSW public school students in Years K-12, and is held annually. It also encourages students to participate in international friendship and cultural exchange activities, which in turn promotes the further development of sister city relationships.

The selected artworks from NSW Public Schools are exhibited in Nagoya, Japan along with works by students in Nagoya, Sydney, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Reims, Turim and Ninjing.

Laura Clarke CAPA

My artwork is a pencil sketch of a wild mare galloping through the dirt, with dust flying through the air as it runs. This artwork is supposed to represent the graceful but powerful demeanour of the horse and how its elegance contrasts against its robust structure. I chose a wild mare because I love drawing horses as I can express their beauty and strength on a piece of paper to show others how I see horses.

Imperfect read I'm perfect or Imperfect explores the features of a human portrait, however its composition interweaves unique elements. I have used various homemade pigments of saturated hues that have been created out of coffee powder, in order to reflect the concept of flaws within a human figure. This is emphasised through my monochromatic colour palette, controlled yet loose brush strokes and visual splatter techniques. Ultimately, I aimed to confront the art world about how traditional concepts, such as beauty, can be depicted through new and experimental materials, which further heightens how the expression of art has no boundaries.

Next time you are able to visit A Block, be sure to take a look at the artworks displayed along the corridor up from the Accounts Office.

These will be rotated regularly.

You will also be able to see the two artworks that took out awards above.

Elisha’s poster was entered in a National Competition run earlier this year by Blue Mountains Refugee Support Group (BMRSG) in conjunction with Rural Australians for Refugees (RAR). The judges awarded a Judges’ Special Prize of $100 to Elisha Nanayakkara of Year 7 for her poster. The judges were unanimously positive in their comments and opinions about her work.

The Competition was part of RAR’s National Conference, which was to be held in Springwood in July (but of course the Covid19 situation prevented this). Involvement in this Conference is only one of the many activities we undertake around supporting refugees in the community.

Congratulations Elisha!

HSC Performance Examinations for CAPA were conducted this term.

Supraja Jagadesh of Year 12 has received an OnStage nomination for her performance of a self-devised monologue titled India's Daughter which looks at the caste system in India.

We will hear later in the year if Supraja's work has been accepted into OnStage.

Congratulations Supraja!

As you know, this pandemic has had a devastating impact on the world, and an even greater impact on developing countries. In my home country, Bangladesh, some people can no longer afford food for themselves and their families as they are now unable to work. For this reason I decided to try to organise some relief for these families through fundraising.

My family and friends very kindly donated $1200 to support this cause. These funds were distributed in mid-May 2020 to poor families in Pabna, a rural town in Bangladesh. So far, over 120 families have received money that will be able to feed them for a week. The Rotary Club of Nepean heard about my fundraiser and they donated another $1300. The Rotary Club of Pabna has also donated another $500, and the kind DAK foundation generously donated $3000 for this cause. These donations, totalling to $6000, will be distributed in the following weeks.

It has really made me happy that I’ve been able to make a difference to these people’s lives from all the way here in Australia. Just wanted to share this news with you.

Imran Sarwar

Year 12

Hold the presses: Chess is back. Penrith Selective High School has entered 3 teams in the Interschool Chess Competition - 1 Junior, 1 Intermediate and 1 Senior - and the games finally got underway this term.

The junior team - Shaheel Faizal, Ishaan Khan, David Kim and Gurman Sandhu - had a great round, defeating Kingswood High 4:0, before I could even finish my cup of tea.

The intermediate team - Arvind Janardhan, Sivatharshan Sivaranjan, Gurveer Khalsa, Brayden Kwok - beat Kingswood 3:1

The Senior team - Cedric Kutschera, Aditya, Jeremy Grice and Yash Mishra - also won 3:1 against Crestwood High.

Congratulations to all players! If you are interested in playing Chess, come to Room H.1.8 at lunch on Monday. Chess Club is a fun way to develop skills and gambits. We have boards, books and sometimes there is cake.

Update as at 19/8/2020:

Chess success has continued with both the Senior and Intermediate Teams drawing 2:2 against Oak Hill College and Baulkham Hills respectively. The Junior Team (or Junior Juggernaut as we call them) has not dropped a game, winning their next two rounds

3 and a 1/2:1/2.

Unfortunately, inter school games have been suspended due to Covid 19 restrictions, but I will keep the Chess Club open so students from each year can play and practice here. Here some pictures from our first round at home.

Konnie Kwiet

History

One of our student clubs is Adopt - A - School. The group raises money and awareness for a school in Kenya through a range of activities including Easter Cookies. COVID 19 has been incredibly challenging and with schools closed, the money raised has been given directly to our sponsored student so that food could be purchased for the family. Thank you Mrs Elias and the students for making such a big impact for other people.

If it's Monday, it's Rowing training(before restrictions changed). Our students have the opportunity to participate in rowing through the generosity of Nepean Rowers. Thank you to everyone involved and well done students for another big session!

Many of the students have been consistent in completing their hours across the Award over the last few months.

Within the skill section we have students learning to crochet, photography, drawing, learning piano, flute or singing amongst many others.

Physical recreation we have karate, yoga, rugby, ballet and personal fitness to name a few.

Service, some are volunteering for their local sporting club, helping in the uniform shop at school and are part of the gardening team.

Gold: students have been busy preparing and planning for their practice journey and are almost ready to undertake that when the time comes. Some have been working hard on each of their other sections and maintaining consistent logging even through adversity.

Silver: students, as with the Gold, have been busily working on all their sections of their Award. Some students are nearing the end of their section/s, with the exception of the Adventurous Journey. For which, once again the students have been planning and preparing for both of these journeys. When the world opens up again, they will be ready to tackle the great outdoors!

Bronze: students have been lucky enough to complete their ‘practice journey’ at school. We have been able to make small adjustments to the Bronze level practice journey, which we have implemented over the last few weeks. Students have been learning the basics of camp craft and navigation and now have been lucky enough to put that into practice.

Over the coming term the Bronze students will complete their Adventurous Journey report, continue logging their hours and checking in with both their assessors and Award Leader for their Service, Skill and Physical Recreation sections, planning for their qualifying journey and getting ready to undertake that whenever this is also possible.

Reminder to all Dukes students, Dukes is about resilience, adapting and developing life skills.

There are around 350 students still working towards their Duke of Edinburgh Award despite COVID 19. Thank you Ms Andreatta for keeping this program moving along.

Below shows our Gold Duke of Edinburgh students going over area maps etc before school in anticipation of perhaps going on their trek at some point later in the year.

Covid pressed pause on the Duke of Edinburgh Program for over 300 students this year. However, the Bronze group got back into activities for a simulation campsite and hike right here at school. Great work students and thank you to the ever creative Ms Andreatta and Mr McNally!

Miss Andreatta is the Duke of Edinburgh Co-ordinator as well as an Alumna (Class of '95).

Did the subjects you chose in Year 12 impact significantly upon what you are doing right now or in University?

About half of my subjects I studied in year 12 have impacted on what I am doing now. There are a few subjects that I studied that I haven’t found I needed as I progressed through my life, although at the time that is what I thought was best for myself. Since I have aged, my interests and strengths have changed and if ‘I had my time again’ I’d definitely swap out three of my subjects. That’s life, you live and you learn!

Your status as the Duke of Edinburgh Coordinator is well known and highly appreciated. Why would you recommend the program?

I would definitely recommend the Duke of Ed to everyone. The skills that each student develops absolutely inspires me, as to what they can achieve when they set their mind to achieve their goals. Throughout each of the four sections students have their own individualised program and within that they learn many of the valuable soft skills they will need later in life.

After being in the bush for a few days on their Adventurous Journey, the students go home and reflect. They are often very grateful for a warm bed, hot shower and delicious meals cooked by those that love them, but whilst out there they immerse themselves in nature and appreciate the beauty around them. Disconnecting from the world for a little while and saying such things as ‘gee, I could marry that view’, or ‘lentils are meat if you try hard enough’ are some of the most famous quotes from ex-students that always make me smile. Duke of Edinburgh participants are #Worldready.

What personal qualities or attributes do you possess that makes your teaching successful especially within the PDHPE course?

Patience.

What is your favourite part about working and teaching at Penrith Selective High School? What do you like best about your current job?

There are a lot of positive things about working here, such as working with great and inspiring staff, watching students grow in many aspects of their life and the learning that I myself am doing everyday as a result of this job. Learning about the amazing world around us and incorporating that into lessons to increase life skills in students is one that comes to mind. All the little quirky things that students take from school and how it inspires them in their own life is one of the things that I enjoy the most.

What has your experience taught you regarding communication and the idea of working together and collaborating?

Good communication is key in any workplace. Everyone knows something you don’t, so collaboration is paramount. Communication and collaboration are key elements in any workplace. You never know how someone can help you, or have a better or different way of doing things. By communicating and collaborating well you can share ideas so it can bring the best out in whatever you are doing.

What advice would you give students in order to help them achieve the best they possibly can?

Run your own race. Try not to be persuaded by others and remain strong. Learn how to be resilient in different situations and always make sure you are looking after yourself before you can begin to help others. Key foundations are eating well, move your body, get enough sleep and make sure you get fresh air every day!

The various debating competitions had been put on hold this year due to the COVID 19 pandemic. This term all the Premiers Debating Challenge competitions that had been on hold started in earnest (except the Year 12 Competition). All these debates have been conducted online via Video Conference, which has been very different from previous years, though it is great to have debating back. The structure of the Year 11 and the Year 9+10 competitions was different this year as these two competitions were knock out right from the very first debate. The Year 7+8 competition has been in its traditional structure with 3 zone round debates before any teams are knocked out.

Year 11 Debating

The Year 11 Debating Competition began early in Term 3. The team consisted of Olivia Bock, Jasraj Kaur, Jamima Rumey Jiffrey, Vishwa Shah and Jasmine Amin as the team’s reserve.

The first round debate was against James Ruse Agricultural High School. The topic for this debate was ‘That HSC assessments should consist solely of examinations.’ In a closely fought debate Penrith as the negative side we were victorious in this debate.

In the second round debate we saw ourselves against Newtown Arts Performing High School. The topic for this debate was ‘That we should never send non-violent offenders to prison’. As the negative we also won this debate to move through to the third round of this competition.

Year 10 Debating

The Year 10 debating team this year was made up of Gabrielle Cant, Andre Dubier, Marc Mumford, Nimisha Rajesh and Riya Jain as the team’s reserve.

The first round debate was also against James Ruse Agricultural High School. In this debate Penrith were the negative with the topic ‘That classes at school should be organised by ability instead of age’. In a closely fought debate Penrith were victorious.

In the second round debate the Year 10 debating team were up against Chifley College Bidwill. The topic for this debate was ‘That we should ban songs that glorify crime’. As the negative the students championed the right to freedom of artistic expression to win this debate.

In the third round debate against Smiths Hill High School we were the negative. The topic for this debate was ‘That the federal government should introduce a minister for young people’. In a narrowly fought debate we were defeated by Smiths Hill.

The Year 10 debating team has grown exceptionally as a team and their ability to engage with some highly complex topics is to be commended. All the various adjudicators in the competition have praised them for their work and hopes they will continue debating into the future.

Year 9 Debating

The Year 9 debating team this year consisted of Chris Artwoeger, Krish Gupta, Parneet Kaur, Tamiz Rumey Jiffrey and El John Mercado as the team’s reserve.

The first round debate was against Rooty Hill High School. In this debate Penrith were the negative team for the topic ‘That schools should have the power to read all of their students’ online posts, messages and emails’. Our students were able to prove successfully that the harms this would cause would outweigh any benefits gained by introducing this policy.

In the second round debate Penrith was against Denison College Bathurst. In this debate Penrith were again the negative for the topic ‘That we should ban people under 18 playing games like Fortnite’. Unfortunately Penrith were unable to prove that the harms of playing these games were sufficient to have it banned for all people under 18.

This competition proved to be a valuable learning experience for the Year 9 team and next year they will be a strong team in the Premier’s Debating Challenge.

Year 8 Debating

The Year 8 debating team this year consisted of Kaveen Hettipathirana, Sri Hundi (Srihith), Cassidy Lauguico, Pranavi Prabaharan and Pranavan Rajeshkannan as the team’s reserve.

The first round debate was against Rooty Hill High School A. In this debate Penrith was the negative debating ‘That we should ban private tutoring’. With some very strong arguments Penrith won this debate.

In the second round debate we were up against Glenmore Park A. Penrith in this debate were again the negative team and debated the topic ‘That we should ban the advertising of all beauty products’. Our team were successfully able to prove that the banning of advertising wouldn’t benefit the stakeholders in this debate.

In their third and final round of the regular zone round-robin-competition the Year 8 team went up against the Penrith Year 7 team. The topic for this debate was ‘That sport should be optional in high school’. In a narrowly fought debate the Year 8 team were able to come away with a victory.

They will move through to the next round of the competition next term. We wish them all the best of luck in these upcoming debates.

Year 7 Debating

The Year 7 debating team this year consists of Jeremy Baron, Bailey Bass, Hugh Driver, Barenya Satapathy and Zainab Zohaib the team’s reserve.

The first round debate was against Rooty Hill High School B. In this debate Penrith was the affirmative debating ‘That all students should learn from home for one day a week’. With a strong model and arguments Penrith were able to win and learn from this debate.

In the second round debate we were up against Glenmore Park B. Penrith in this debate were again the affirmative team and debated the topic ‘That all violent gaming should be banned for people under 18’. Our team were successfully able to prove that the banning of violent games would benefit young people and that there were alternatives like less violent games or playing outside.

In their third and final round of the regular zone round-robin-competition the Year 7 team went up against the Penrith Year 8 team. The topic for this debate was ‘That sport should be optional in high school’. In a narrowly fought debate the Year 7 team were beaten by a more experienced debating team.

They have learnt some very valuable lessons this year and will become a much stronger and competitive team in the years to come.

Mr Tim Bates

Debating Co-ordinator

Year 7:

Sport

In sport, Year 7 have participated in a wide variety of sports on Wednesday including; Volleyball, Newcombe Ball, Soccer and Basketball. This has been a great opportunity for Year 7 students to stay active during this COVID period and improve on their fundamental movement skills, such as running, throwing, catching and jumping. By introducing these sports to Year 7, they have been able to obtain a greater idea of what sports they like participating in and enjoy to further develop their skill set.

P.E

In PDHPE theory this term, Year 7 has been exploring the implications of conflict and it’s contributions in respectful relationships. Through both collaborative and individual work, students have been able to further enhance their knowledge on these concepts and apply them to their daily lives. Furthermore, in their practical lessons once a fortnight, Year 7 classes have been engaging with the principles of basketball and volleyball, subsequently utilising fundamental movement skills in order to develop further specialised movements required in these games.

Year 8:

Sport

In week 6, Year 8 during sport have been participating in Soccer and Ultimate Frisbee. In this time, they worked on improving their physical fitness, as well as locomotor skills such as catching, kicking and throwing. During the Inter-School Soccer Competition, the Year 8 team put up a strong fight but were unsuccessful in winning the tournament, losing to the Year 10, 11 and 12 teams.

P.E

Year 8 students are currently studying Mental Health in their theory lessons, where they are learning about the differences between Mental Health and Mental Illnesses. They have also been introduced to examples of mental illness and poor health, as well as support strategies available to them. They are learning how important Mental Health is and how it is not always evident in those who may be suffering. In practical lessons, Year 8 students are currently participating in modified sports, including modified softball and OzTag. Through these modified sports, students have grasped hold of new techniques and skills, to increase their physical abilities in sports as well as learning about teamwork.

Year 9:

Sport

In week 7, Year 9 played Basketball and Volleyball during their allocated sport periods. These chosen sports encouraged team spirit and the development of teamwork skills as students learned to work together and motivate each other to win the game. During the Soccer Inter School Competition, Year 9 team tried their best, however they unfortunately were not able to win the tournament.

P.E

In PDHPE practical this year, Year 9 has been focusing on building the skills needed for playing Volleyball, Sofcrosse and Netball. Students have learned to cooperate and help each other in the practical lessons, learning that teamwork is a key component in all of these activities.

Year 10:

Sport

Due to wet weather, a modified Sport program was introduced during Year 10s allocated week for sport this term. Students participated in Volleyball and Dodgeball. All classes learned to work together and develop their sportsmanship. In the Inter School Soccer Competition the Year 10 team made it to the semi - finals but unfortunately lost to the Year 12 team.

PE

Year 10 students in PE have been practicing many fundamental movement skills to apply to AFL. Such skills include kicking, catching, passing and running. Students have had the opportunity to play a whole class AFL game working on teamwork skills. Being physically active is very crucial as it improves your health reducing the risk of many life-threatening diseases such as Diabetes and heart disease. In theory, Year 10 has been learning about safe driving skills, safe partying, how to make informed decisions and the importance of asking for help.

These articles were written by the House Vice Captains:

Blaxland: Dev Batra and Alisha Ahmed
Lawson: Christopher Kwon and Zoe Elizalde
Mitchell: Lachlan Stone and Halis Khadija Rishamsulkamal
Wentworth: Nicholas Yan Shing Tseung and Rhytham Swami

In Week 3 PSHS said farewell to the school's long serving Librarian, Mr Wilcox. Since arriving in 1996 where he was initially an English Teacher, Mr Wilcox moved to the library in 2010. Over the past couple of years he has also looked after all of the Distance Education students(who farewelled him below).

Additionally, he has been the custodian of the school archives and built an important collection of memorabilia that capture the school's rich history.

Warm wishes from us all for a long and happy retirement! Thank you for so many years of amazing service to the school community!

Miss Reid has worked casually at Hawkesbury High, Richmond High and, of course, at Penrith Selective High since 2015. She is trained in Visual Arts and English and is a familiar face around the school.

In fact, Miss Reid studied at PSHS and graduated in 2008.

Welcome Miss Reid!

How was your experience at Penrith High School?

I attended Penrith from 2003 – 2008, and I always felt lucky to be able to work amongst a group of peers that celebrated diverse learning strengths and achievements.

What would you have done differently if you had the chance to redo high school?

I think I would have put less pressure on myself to figure it all out and define my future by the subjects I chose. I was always interested in English, Visual Arts and History, but as I have grown older I’ve embraced an interest in environmental science, ecology and natural history. I think if I went back I might decide to do Biology or Chemistry in order to know more about different disciplines.

Did the subjects you chose in Year 12 impact significantly upon what you are doing right now or in University?

I think that the subjects I chose did impact me, but sometimes in unexpected ways. I completed a Fine Arts Degree and an Honours Degree in painting, and felt that my career would have to lie in something creative in order to “justify” the focus on arts I had had in high school and university. However, during my Fine Arts Degree I ended up taking some electives in English Literature and Creative Writing, and this led to a Masters of Teaching with a focus on English and Visual Arts.

Do you have any advice for the students of Penrith High School?

I think that to get the best out of your experience at Penrith High School, it’s important to really value the positive and supportive community we have here at Penrith, while remembering not to define yourself solely by your academic achievements, the subjects you choose, or your plans for study or careers after high school. I think it’s really important to value your own individual achievements and passions, no matter what they are. I am constantly in awe of the connectedness, kindness and resilience that I see from students on a daily basis at Penrith, and this is something that makes me feel really positive about the future.

This year Multicultural Day was very different to previous years. There were no scrumptious food stalls and no amazing concerts in the hall! We certainly missed those because we got to taste some delicious food from countries all around the world and to see some very talented dancers(yes-boys included) up on the stage in a jam packed hall(obviously not allowed under the present restrictions). However, students and staff were still permitted to wear their national dress which was worn with a great deal of pride.

Hopefully we may get to experience Multicultural Day later in the year and, if not, there is still 2021.

Email: penrith-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au
Website: penrith-h.schools.nsw.gov.au
Location: 158-240 High Street, Penrith NSW, Australia
Phone: 02 4721 0529
Facebook: facebook.com/penrithselectivehighschool