5 September 2025

From the Principal

School and Community Excellence

We are continuing our work to promote our school excellence amongst the community. We have increased our social media presence on Facebook and now also with Instagram.

Last weekend we had a presence at the Oatley West Public School Community Festival, a wonderful opportunity to not only build the connections with the school but also to reach out to prospective families and share all the fabulous things about GRC Peakhurst Campus.

Some of our staff volunteered to run a GRC Peakhurst stall, sharing information about the school, handing out fliers, displaying photos and videos and showcasing some student works. We had Food Technology students assisting on the BBQ, Visual Arts students submitting artworks for the Art Exhibition, Music students performing on stage in the contemporary ensembles, Event Crew students assisting with band and stage setup and Media Crew students taking photos and filming. 

Thank you to all staff and students involved, in particular, Mrs Pracy, who liaised with Oatley West Public School and coordinated everything at our school end.

School Support Staff Recognition Week 

School Support Staff Recognition Week is a time to acknowledge and celebrate the non-teaching staff in schools. This includes our School Administration Officers, School Administrative Manager, Business Manager, Student Learning Support Officers, Student Support officer, Technical Support Officer and General Assistant. On Monday 1 September, we held a morning tea to show our appreciation for their professionalism, their dedication and their energy, and their everyday contributions to the school.

Applications for Extended Leave – Travel

The NSW Department of Education expects that family holidays are taken during school holiday periods. If travel during school term is necessary for particular circumstances, discuss this with the school. An Application for Extended Leave may need to be completed.

Approved absences for particular circumstances relating to travel will be marked as Explained - Leave on the attendance roll. Absences for family holidays will be marked as Explained – Unjustified on the attendance roll. 

Any absence for travel will contribute to your child’s total absences for the year.

In some circumstances students may be eligible to enrol in distance education for travel periods over 50 school days. This should be discussed with the school principal.

Student Shout Outs

• State Athletics - 3 Students have qualified to represent the school at the NSWCHS Athletics Carnival to be held in week 8. Congratulations to Luca B Year 7 - (1500m walk), Genesis I - Year 8 (13 years 200m and High Jump) and Audrey Vida – Year 8 (14 years 100m). We wish them the very best of luck in their events.
• Debating Competition – Congratulations to our Year 7 debating team for being crowned zone champions. They have won all of their debates in the round robin competition and now head of to the Knockout Finals. Well done and good luck to Emily S, Audrey W, Imogen P and Viola B.

Diane Wilson
Principal

Deputy Principals’ Report

Year 10

Year 10 have nearly completed the Transition Program with GRC Oatley. Orientation Day will be on Tuesday 2 December 2025.

In addition, Year 10 students will take part in work experience during Term 4, Weeks 6 & 7 (17–28 November 2025). Students will soon receive the required paperwork, and parents will also be emailed a copy. This valuable opportunity allows students to develop independence and gain first-hand experience of the workplace.

Year 8

Year 8 students have made their elective subject choices for 2026/2027. Any student yet to return the acknowledgement of choices that has been signed by a parent/carer is advised to do so as soon as possible.

Students will not know the outcome from this process until some time after mid Term 4. This is due to the fact that the whole school timetable, which takes some time to develop, is built around these choices. Any student who does not receive three from their five choices will be spoken to by the Deputy Principal and given the alternatives available so they can choose again. This situation does not often occur, but occasionally it cannot be avoided.

Assessment Tasks & Homework

With Term 3 ending, students are now at the halfway point of Semester Two. Many assessment tasks have already been completed and will contribute to Semester Two academic reports.

Parents often ask about homework. When homework is not set, it is usually because students are expected to be planning, researching and working steadily on assessment tasks—avoiding last-minute pressure. Task notifications can be found on the school website.

We encourage students to approach assessments by:

1. Reading and clarifying the task with their teacher.
2. Highlighting key words and instructions.
3. Breaking the task into smaller parts.
4. Planning to complete sections gradually as homework.
5. Completing a draft and seeking feedback.
6. Submitting the final task with confidence.

Homework Centre

The Homework Centre is available every Tuesday (3.00–4.00pm) and Wednesday (2.30–3.30pm) in the library. It provides resources, teacher assistance, and a supportive environment—with afternoon tea included.

We welcome your feedback on how Homework Centre can best meet student needs. Please speak with your child and share suggestions with us.

Respect, Responsibility and Excellence

Our core school values of Respect, Responsibility and Excellence have been a focus of discussions at Monday and Wednesday morning school assemblies with students regularly reminded about expectations for learning, considering others at school and in the community and appropriately travelling to and from school. Students are reminded to follow the “Hands Off Rule” when moving around the school and playing games at recess and lunch. This rule is not about inhibiting student’s fun, but about ensuring student health and safety. Students are also reminded to model our expectations on their way to and from school by:

1. Being respectful and considerate to members of the public while waiting at bus stops by keeping communication to a moderate noise level, staying off the road and taking litter with you or putting it in the bin.
2. Using appropriate language when travelling on any public spaces
3. Walking or riding scooters and bikes sensibly and safely, particularly when crossing roads.

We pride ourselves on our great reputation in the community and don’t appreciate the irresponsible actions of a few that impact on the wonderful work of many. Parents are requested to discuss these concerns with their child.

Attendance – Every Day Counts

Going to school every day continues to be important in high school, just as it has been from Kindergarten to Year 6.

What your child learns each day builds on what they learned the day before. If your child misses school, their learning routine is broken. Students can also lose confidence and miss out on building their friendships. You have a legal responsibility to send your children to school every school day.

If your child misses school due to illness, religious reasons, family circumstances or other reasons, please remember to contact the school within 7 days to explain the reason for their absence.

If your child arrives at school late or needs to leave early, you will need to explain the reason for the absence.

If you’re having difficulty getting your child to school every day and on time, contact the Year Advisor or Deputy Principal.

Sophia Favuzzi – Deputy Principal Years 7 & 9
Scott Wilson – Deputy Principal Year 8
Amanda Vials – Deputy Principal Years 10

Year Advisors’ Report

As we settle into Semester 2, we’re focusing on three essentials: uniform, attendance, and assessment deadlines.

When students wear the correct uniform, they demonstrate pride and contribute to a professional, focused learning environment. A simple routine of laying out your uniforms the night before will save time and reinforce good habits.

Consistent attendance lifts achievement, strengthens relationships, and keeps learning on track. We encourage parents/carers to monitor attendance and aim for every possible day at school unless unwell. Every day at school is a step forward!

Finally, staying organised helps ease stress and supports stronger results. Encourage your child to use their school planner/calendar to note due dates and break tasks into manageable steps, with gentle parent/carer check-ins to avoid last-minute rushes.

With these routines in place, students are well positioned to thrive in Semester 2.

Elaine Cao Year 7 Student Advisor
Mai Otaki Year 8 Student Advisor
Yoliana Elnemasy Acting Year 9 Student Advisor
Fotini Tzoumas Year 10 Student Advisor

HSIE

As we head into the final stretch of Term 3, assessment season is well and truly upon us. Our HSIE students have been working hard across all year groups, and we’re proud to share some highlights from what has been a busy and filling term.

Our Year 7 Geographers have just completed their BOLTS mapping assessment tasks. Students demonstrated their growing understanding of map features by producing creative and detailed maps that incorporate key conventions and help students create, read, and interpret maps.

In celebration of Education Week, Year 7 and 8 HSIE students took part in a high-energy Scavenger Hunt around the school. Armed with curiosity and clues, they uncovered fascinating historical facts about GRC Peakhurst Campus — from former principals to past canteen menus!

Our budding entrepreneurs in Year 9 Commerce are deep in preparation for their upcoming Market Day. Students are developing business plans, marketing strategies, and product ideas that will be showcased and sold to the school community next month. Looking forward to enjoying their wares!

Year 10 students recently headed to Bate Bay for their annual coastal fieldwork excursion. The day focused on understanding the impacts of coastal erosion and evaluating the effectiveness of management strategies designed to protect one of Australia's most iconic natural landscapes.

Thank you for your ongoing support. We’re proud of our students’ enthusiasm and effort across HSIE, and we look forward to finishing Term 3 strong!

Hayley Diamond
Head Teacher HSIE

LOTE

On Tuesday 19th August, our two Year 9 Elective Japanese classes, together with students from the Support Unit along with Ms Lam, Mr Drury, Ms Smith, and Ms Karavakula, attended the annual Cherry Blossom Festival at Auburn Botanic Gardens.

Despite the wet weather early in the morning, the sun soon came out and we were able to enjoy the stunning cherry blossom trails. Our students participated enthusiastically in activities such as the origami workshop, cultural performances, and even trying on a kimono at the photo booth with the help of native Japanese hosts. It was a wonderful day of cultural and language immersion—subarashikatta desu!

Giulia Amado
Head Teacher LOTE

MATHEMATICS

Education Week

During Public Education Week, held during Week 3 this term, Year 9 Mathematics classes participated in a ‘Jeopardy’-style activity in small groups.

To tie in with the ‘IGNITE YOUR POTENTIAL’ theme, the activity was titled: ‘THERE ARE NO LIMITS’.

Quiz categories included:

• Famous Mathematicians
• Maths Trivia
• Maths in Real Life
• Maths Milestones - Dates to Remember
• Maths in Pop Culture

Students welcomed the mini break from our regular curriculum and genuinely engaged with the activity.

Sample questions and photos taken can be viewed in the collages below.

Aiming for Excellence in Mathematics

Students have recently completed their Stage 4 and Stage 5 Term 3 Mathematics assessments. They are reminded that it is never too early to start revising and preparing for their yearly examinations, which will be held in Term 4 (as outlined in the assessment booklets distributed at the beginning of the year). 

Students are strongly advised to:

• Regularly attend lessons and complete assigned classwork.
• Complete, mark and review assigned homework and seek assistance from their class teacher to clarify any concepts.
• Take responsibility for their learning and make a concerted effort to catch up on missed lessons.
• Regularly access Google Classroom posts for coursework, instructional videos and other resources.
• Develop a study schedule and regularly revise past topics in readiness for subsequent concepts and topics.
• Review past and returned examination papers/solutions, and action feedback provided by their class teacher.
• Access the Homework Centre and make use of any revision lessons offered during recess/lunch leading up to examinations.
• Persevere when concepts seem difficult. Never, ever give up … You haven’t failed until you stop trying.

Please don’t hesitate to contact the class teacher to discuss student progress and/or clarify any queries or concerns.

Mrs C. Keir
Head Teacher Mathematics

WELLBEING

Thank You!

Thank you to our school community who engaged in the Teen Mental Health Webinar held Tuesday 5 August.  Understanding mental health is vital for supporting the wellbeing of our teens as they navigate the challenges of adolescence. By increasing awareness and knowledge, we empower students to recognise their own feelings and those of others, reduce stigma, and seek help when needed. By promoting mental health education within our school community, helps create a safe and compassionate environment where every student can thrive both emotionally and academically.

Social Emotional Learning

Our school is committed to delivering Social Emotional Learning (SEL) lessons to students every Friday morning during Peak Learning (PL) time. These lessons are designed to help students develop their awareness and understanding of important social and emotional topics, as well as their responsibilities in managing emotions, building positive relationships, and making thoughtful decisions.

Through these focused sessions, students are guided to explore a variety of themes ranging from The Importance of Breakfast, Gratitude, Bullying and R U OK Day? that promote self-awareness, empathy, and personal accountability. By embedding SEL into our weekly timetable, we aim to equip students with the skills they need to navigate challenges confidently and contribute positively to our school community.

Save the date!

Upcoming Wellbeing events during the month of September.

Year 9 and 10 ThinkUknow Friday 5 September incursion

Year 7 and year 8 girls’ Menstrual Cycle Monday 8 September incursion

Year 9 and year 10 Healthy Relationships Tuesday 16 September incursion.

Deborah Vlachos
Relieving Head Teacher Wellbeing

ADMINISTRATION OFFICE

Second hand uniform shop

Our second hand uniform shop is running low on stock. If you have unused uniform pieces that are in good, used condition that you are willing to donate, we would really appreciate your support.

The second hand uniform shop is open every Wednesday from 8 – 9 am during the school term.

Lost property

If you or your child have misplaced an item, please make contact with the office. We have a number of items that have been handed in but not collected. This includes, but is not limited to, electronic accessories, glasses, keys, jewellery, clothing/uniform, books, stationery.

Please note that after an extended period of time, if items are not collected, they will be donated or disposed of as deemed appropriate for the item.

Payments

If you are sending cash to the office to make a payment/purchase, could you please ensure you send in the correct change as we do not hold cash on the premises.

Doreena Kourtesis
School Administrative Manager

Oatley Bay Sea Scouts

The Smith Family