20 Dec 2024
Dear Parents and Carers,
As another year ends, I would like to sincerely thank you for your ongoing support and partnership in helping to foster a positive and productive learning environment for students at WBHS. I would like to also acknowledge our P&C and Mel Aurisch (President) for their hard work, commitment and support. WBHS has a wonderful school community.
Outstanding Students
2024 has been another year of outstanding student achievement across every area including the academic, sporting, cultural, creative and performing arts, vocational and student leadership domains. Some of these achievements have been posted throughout the year to social media, included in newsletters and mentioned at assemblies. Many students were acknowledged over the past two weeks at our end-of-year presentation assemblies. I am incredibly proud of all our students, whatever their results and achievements.
HSC Results
Congratulations to the HSC Class of 2024 for their outstanding results. More details will be provided next year in the annual WBHS Achievements publication:
49 Band 6's/E4's (90+)
187 Band 5's/E3's 80-89)
49 students named on the Distinguished Achievers List
13 nominations for exemplary performances/major projects: Music - 3, Textiles Technology - 2, Drama - 1, Visual Arts - 2, Industrial Technolgy - 5
James Husband achieved 7th place in the state for Music 1
Brilliant ATARs, including eight students with an ATAR of 90+
Staff Update
Of course, our students would not be able to reach such heights without their outstanding teachers and support staff who work tirelessly every day to help them succeed and thrive. I would like to acknowledge and thank several of our permanent and longer-term temporary staff who will not be returning next year: Ms Callister, Mr Murdoch, Ms Blatchford, Ms Bedforth, Ms Gough, Ms Noonan, Dr Mason and Mr Lembke. I would like to particularly acknowledge Ms Callister upon her retirement and Mr Murdoch, who successfully applied for the position of HT Science at Swansea HS. Thank you also to Mr Fromson (Relieving HT History), Ms Weston (Relieving HT Social Science) and Mrs Cummins (HT Wellbeing) for their leadership as relieving head teachers. We look forward to welcoming back Ms Corliss (HT History), Ms Curran (HT Science) and Ms Hibbert (History teacher) in 2025. And I would like to congratulate Ms April Wilk as our new HT English and welcome Ms Naylor as HT Social Science.
Aboriginal Education
So much has happened in 2024, some of which has been captured in the Semester 2 Aboriginal Education Newsletter. My thanks to Ms Lawler and Ms Bedforth for their outstanding leadership and passionate support of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.
Swimming Carnival Change 2025
There will be change to our Swimming Carnival next year. A competitors-only carnival will be run at Coghlan's Swim Centre on Feb 12. More details will be provided when school returns.
When Do Students Return in 2025?
As mandated by the Department, all students return to school on Thursday 6 February (not staggered over two days as in previous years). A list of school development days for the next three years can be found on the department website.
Advanced Classes in Years 9 and 10
Our Year 7 and 8 EEE program is well known and highly valued. And there are advanced and graded classes in Years 9 and 10 in almost all core subjects. Unlike Year 7 and 8 EEE classes, Year 9 and 10 students are not necessarily in the same class for each core subject. For example, a student may be in an advanced English class, a graded class in Science and a general History class. Class placement is determined by students' performance in the preceding year. Please contact Mr Husband (Year 8 DP) or Ms Lawler (Year 9 DP) with any questions.
English – 2 advanced classes, 2 graded classes, 4 general classes
Science –2 advanced classes, 2 graded classes, 4 general classes
History – 2 advanced classes, 6 general classes
Geography – 2 advanced classes, 6 general classes
Maths – all classes graded
PDHPE - no graded classes
High Potential Gifted Education at WBHS
WBHS is committed to recognising and fostering the intellectual, creative, social-emotional and physical potential of our students. See here for an overview of ways our teachers are delivering a quality education in the High Potential Gifted Education space at WBHS.
Public Health Alert – Whooping Cough (Pertussis)
NSW Health has asked schools to share this advice with families and remind you to be aware of the symptoms of whooping cough (pertussis), as the number of cases in NSW continues to rise.
The highest rates are seen in school-aged children aged 5 to 16 years. Whooping cough starts like a cold with a blocked or runny nose, sneezing, a mild fever and an occasional cough. Coughing bouts can worsen and be followed by vomiting, choking or taking a big gasping breath which causes a “whooping” sound. The cough can last for many weeks and can be worse at night. Children and adults may just have a mild cough that doesn't go away. In adults the cough commonly lasts 5–7 weeks, sometimes longer. Adolescents are offered a free pertussis vaccine through the Year 7 school vaccination program, as immunity decreases following their early childhood vaccines. GPs can administer free catch-up vaccination to children and adolescents for those who have missed doses. Pharmacists can also administer these free for children aged 5-19 years. The best protection against pertussis infection is vaccination. Large outbreaks of whooping cough usually occur every 3 to 4 years as population immunity decreases. Lower exposure to whooping cough during the COVID-19 pandemic is a likely reason for this current increase.
Advice for parents of newborns, infants and pregnant women. Newborn babies and infants are at greatest risk of severe illness from whooping cough. Newborns may not cough at all but stop breathing completely and turn blue. Other babies have difficulties feeding or they can choke and gag.
The on-time vaccination of babies and pregnant women is critical to their protection. Children should be vaccinated at 6 weeks, 4 months, 6 months, 18 months and 4 years of age. NSW Health recommend pregnant women are vaccinated during each pregnancy between 20 to 32 weeks.
NSW Health encourages parents, carers, grandparents and other people in close contact with babies and young children to get vaccinated if they have not received one in the previous 10 years.
If you think you or a family member might have whooping cough. If you or your child’s situation is life-threatening, please call Triple Zero (000) or present to your nearest emergency department immediately. If it’s not an emergency, call healthdirect on 1800 022 222 if you or your child are unwell and you’re not sure where to go. healthdirect is free and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. A nurse will answer your call, ask some questions and connect you with the right care. If given early, antibiotics can reduce the duration of whooping cough symptoms. After 5 days of treatment with appropriate antibiotics, people with whooping cough are no longer infectious. Without treatment, they will remain infectious for 21 days. Antibiotics are rarely needed if it has been 3 weeks since cough onset. For more information check the Whooping cough (pertussis) fact sheetExternal link from NSW Health.
Finally, may you all have a safe and happy holiday break. Merry Christmas, and see you in 2025.
Kind regards,
Marcus Neale
Principal | Warners Bay High School