Liam Moskvitch, a talented year 7 student at Springwood High School, recently gained 2nd prize in a photographic competition at the Penrith Regional Gallery. Liam's works consisted of six images taken by him while he was overseas on holiday in the USA. His photographs are stark images of the natural environment and decayed human structures remaining in the Mojave Desert in California. His photos successfully capture the unique lighting conditions and the isolation of the locality.
One of Liam's images of "Mojave House" has already been sold as a framed print at the Youth Exhibition at dural last April. The exhibition at Penrith Regional Gallery is a collection of 147 photographs selected from students aged 13 to 15 and are part of the "Snap Shot" Teenagers Photographic Competition for 2010. The exhibition is open to the general public until 8th August.
Congratulations to Liam on his success and this talent is something he will clearly pursue in the future.
THREE SPRINGWOOD HIGH STUDENTS GAIN ENTRY INTO
THE NATIONAL ART SCHOOL IN SYDNEY
At least five hundred students every year from across the state apply for the 100 limited positions at the National Art School HSC extension course. The quality of the applicants is always extremely competitive but this year three talented students from Springwood were selected.
The prestigious National Art School in the city prides itself on quality tertiary education in the visual arts and has organised a HSC extension course over the last 7 years for selected applicants from government as well as private NSW high schools.
These talented students who have been accepted into this 1 unit Intensive Practice HSC extension course at the National Art School are indicative of the high quality calibre of students who attend the visual arts courses at Springwood H.S. Our winning applicants for 2010 are Lucinda Lee, Ellie Van Megan and Ellen Grodahl, all from the year 11.
This is an excellent result for the school and for students. All the students were able to select from a number of accredited disciplines including drawing, painting, ceramics, sculpture and photography. They will complete the HSC extension course by attending 60 hours of studio work in their school holidays. An exhibition of their work will be held at the National Art School later this year at the end of the September school holidays.
Congratulations to our talented students and the experiences gained from this prestigious art school will be of great benefit to their Visual Arts education and future careers.
ATHLETICS CARNIVAL - JUNE 2010
SPRINGWOOD STUDENT'S ARTWORK PURCHASED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Springwood High School student, Alex Hayward had her year 12 HSC artwork selected into the prestigious ArtExpress exhibition earlier in the year. She has recently been invited to sell her artwork to the DET, where it will be on permanent exhibition in the William Wilkins Memorial Gallery.
This is a special honour as very few students are offered this privileged opportunity to exhibit in the Memorial Gallery's permanent exhibition. This exhibition of artworks consists of select works chosen from the late 1970's to the present. In addition to the artwork, Springwood High School already has another artwork procured by the William Wilkins Gallery four years ago.
Alex's artwork titled "Architectural Drawings and Constructions" will probably also be exhibited in State government offices and Parliament House in Sydney.
Springwood is seen as a centre of excellence in the ccommunity in creative and performing arts and Alex is indicative of the many creative students who graduate from the school.
FOUNDATION DAYPARADE 2010
OUTSTANDING SPRINGWOOD HIGH SCHOOL 2009 HSC RESULTS
Springwood High School Yr 12 of 2009 has achieved outstanding Higher School Certificate results. We are proud to be a Year 7 to 12 comprehensive high school accepting students of all ability from our local community. Our Year 12 only numbered 94 full time students who sat for the HSC but have far outperformed much larger schools with similar students.
Our students sat for 473 externally tested HSC Exams and achieved 47 mentions on the State wide honour role. This lists all students in the state who achieved Band 6 which is 90 or above in a subject in these state wide examinations. This means 9.9% of our students’ results achieved 90 or above. We also had 152 exam results in the Band 5. This means that 199 exam results or 42.07% of all exams sat by our students achieved a mark of 80 or above. Another 139 exam results were Band 4 or in the 70’s. This means that 71.46% of all exam results were 70 or above. This is a truly wonderful result for any school to have achieved. Another 90 exam results were in the 60’s or Band 3 with therefore 90.49% of all exam marks were 60 or above.
The 47 Band 6 results were achieved over 16 subjects and two of our students were proud placements on the State Top All-Rounders List for 2009. This list celebrates the students who scored 90 or above in 10 or more units in the HSC. They were overjoyed to be included on this list. We therefore congratulate August Lantay-Lefkovich and Anna-Jane West for this outstanding achievement. Whilst we had two students on this prestigious list we were the only government high school in the mountains to be on this list. August Lantay-Lefkovich was the HSC Dux with a very impressive 96.95.
47 MENTIONS IN 16 SUBJECTS ON THE STATE HONOUR ROLL
Ancient History
9
Business Studies
4
Drama
7
English (Advanced)
3
History Extension 1
1
Industrial Technology Timber
3
Information Processes & Technology
1
Legal Studies
1
General Mathematics
2
Mathematics Extension 1
1
Modern History
2
Music Extension
1
PDHPE
2
Textiles & Design
2
Visual Arts
6
French Beginners
2
TOTAL
47
Any students following a course pattern that will give them an ATAR used to place students in University Courses will receive a mark out of 100 as a scaled summary of their best 10 units. Every student must include at least 2 units of English in those 10 units.
Our Yr 12 students have had truly outstanding success as 11 of our 94 students have achieved an ATAR of over 90. This result would be the envy of any similar school. We congratulate the following on their outstanding results in achieving an ATAR score greater than 90.
STUDENTS
August Lantay-Lefkovich
Anna-Jane West
Alex Armstrong-Millar
Ella Chivers
Clare Cullen
Isla Curtis
Sarah Dunn
Jared Field
Ally Mosher
Samantha Vandall
Madi Weston
The school also celebrates outstanding results in the performance and projects results of our HSC students. Students who have been recognized as best ion state in these HSC projects or performance include:
Alex Hayden selected in ARTEXPRESS and exhibited in Sydney.
Drew Frost and Luke Robertson both selected in INTECH Exhibition of HSC Industrial Technology Wood projects.
Katie Carroll, Christine Gordon and Emily Stuart were pre-selected for CALLBACK Dance Performance.
The school can be justly proud of all of these results as students of all abilities have performed extremely well. We look forward to receiving our “Value Added” results in late February to further substantiate this result.
These results are hard evidence that when students, teachers and parents work together we can achieve outstanding results. It also demonstrates that students who continue their education at Springwood High School are well placed to maximise their potential and achieve results that stand tall against any school in the state.
Congratulations to Year 12 of 2009 and their families on these exceptional results.
Warm regards
Peter McSeveny
Principal Springwood High School
SPRINGWOOD STUDENTS ACHIEVE IN THE ARTS
Students continue to excel in the visual arts at Springwood High School. The subject has gained many successes over the last few years. The subject has gained many successes over the last few years especially with the excellent HSC results and the many extra-curricular courses Springwood students participate in, to further their education.
This year two of our year 11 students were successful candidates to beaccepted into an extra-curricular course called the Dobell School at the prestigious National Art School in Darlinghurst.
This project is an initiative of the Department of Education and Training and the major sponsor, the William Dobell Art Foundation. This is only the tenth time the project has been held at the national Art School, an established art school in the heart of Sydney with a strong tradition and national reputation for its undergraduate programs. The course is unique as it provides senior students with the opportunity to work in a tertiary institution on programs conducted by practicing professional artists.
There were only limited positions available to students from NSW state government high schools. Mitchell Byrne and Ayla Dhyani-McDonald, two very talented year 11 students, were able to demonstrate a high level of knowledge. they needed to show a solid commitment and capacity towork in depth for their successful application.
These two sudents will commence their residential course in the April school holidays with an exhibition on the evening of 17th April at the National Art School. Congratulations to Mitchell and Ayla for their success and to a possible future in art and design.
JAPANESE STUDENTS VISIT SPRINGWOOD HIGH SCHOOL
Over two hundred and fifty students from Sakae-Kita High School, which is situated in the northern suburbs of Tokyo, made a recent visit to Springwood High School.
The visit was a successful cultural experience for both the Springwood High students as well as the japanese guests. It was not only an opportunity for Springwood High students to show pride in their school, but also to build cultural friendships that promotes peace and understanding between different countries.
The Sakae-Kita students performed traditional dances and mesmerised Springwood High students with karate demonstrations on their arrival at the school assembly. The Japanese students were catered for during their visit by our hospitality students and were allocated "buddies" from years 10 and 11 who hosted them during the visit to the school.
Springwood High was the only school that the students visited on their five-day holiday to the Gold Coast, Sydney and Blue Mountains.
The Sakae-Kita students had a great time and left with many special memories of their visit to the Blue Mountains and Springwood High School. The tour company was so impressed by the hospitality and welcome shown by Springwood High Students, they intend to make Springwood High School an essential part of the itinerary every year with incoming schools from Japan.
Hosting students from overseas is fast becoming a regular feature in our school calendar. Springwood High has hosted and entertained students from the USA in previous years as well as students from Shibushi High School who have stayed for longer periods with families in the Blue Mountains. Shibushi has requested another visit to the school and we look forward to an extended three-day tour in December.
SPRINGWOOD STUDENT INTO ARTEXPRESS
Springwood High student Alex Hayward was selected into the prestigious Artexress exhibition held in the city and opened by the Minister of Education and Training, the Hon. Verity Firth. Alex’s outstanding artwork was one of only 300 selected from 10,000 HSC candidates across NSW. Out of these 300 artworks only 49 were chosen to exhibit in selected locations in The Rocks area of Sydney.
Alex is one student from the many talented students at Springwood High who achieved excellent results in 2009. Six students scored a band 6, a mark above 90% in their HSC visual arts from December 2009. Congratulations to these students: Ella Chivers, Jasper Nieuwenhyse, Isla Curtis, August Lantay-Leftovich, Anna Jane West and Madi Weston
Springwood High is seen as a centre of excellence in the creative and performing arts and this is clearly evident by the high marks gained across the arts and many other subjects as well from the 2009 candidature. Springwood High is clearly leading the Mountain's schools in HSC excellence.
Alex’s work is on display in the Ken Duncan Gallery on George Street, The Rocks until 28th March.
PEER TUTOR READING PROGRAM
Over 20 students from year 10 have been trained to be volunteer tutors in the Peer Tutor Reading Program to be run with year 7 students identified as needing additional support with reading. The program will provide individual reading practice for students over 4 roll call periods a week and will be located in the library.
Tutors undertake a mandatory training program in the theory of literacy and the practice of the program, as well as the importance of confidentiality and respect. The tutors will receive continued support and training, monitoring and follow-up meetings.
Peer Tutoring is an effective program for those students who need additional support.It is based on current literacy research and has a proven record of success with students.
It has a number of other positive outcomes including enhanced confidence and improved self esteem for the tutee as well as providing the opportunity for the tutors to demonstrate leadership, exceptional social skills such as patience, empathy, dedication, initiative and respect.
The program will commence as soon as new rolls are organised. The volunteer tutors are a great group of students from the Springwood High School student community and I know that we will see a number of positive outcomes, both academic and social.
If you have any queries please don’t hesitate to contact me. I am happy to talk about the program.
