The latest, 2018 Summary
A reflection on the year just gone - as presented at the P&C AGM.
Just before you get into this update ...
We have created a Hello & Welcome quick start for new parents, it's also helpful if you're not sure how the P&C works, it's @ hello-pandc.ths.community
Now for the annual update ...
The year just gone ...
A goodbye to Stephanie McConnell
We said goodbye to Steph and thanked her for all she did to care for and inspire our children. Recently we presented her with a painting commissioned by a local artist with grandchildren at the school.
... congratulations to David Arblaster ...
We welcomed David into the position of Principal - in his 7 years at Turramurra High School, David has shown a passion for the THS community, and for the welfare of our children and the teachers.
We look forward to continuing to work with him as partners, as THS continues on its path to being a leading modern learning community.
... and a hello and welcome back to Lisa Pieper!
Lisa Pieper will be joining the THS community in 2019 as Deputy Principal to fill the position vacated by David Arblaster.
Lisa grew up in West Pymble and with her older brothers attended Gordon West Public School and then Turramurra High School. Lisa's parents still live in the house they bought in 1963.
Lisa has most recently been the Galston High School Deputy Principal and is looking forward to reacquainting herself with the local area but particularly looks forward to getting to know the staff, students and parents of what has always been a fabulous school.
Student Engagement
This one may sound obvious, but we have focused on engaging the students in the decision-making process. The students understand what facilities and services they need, and we want to support them to make their projects happen. This approach aligns with the THS community's over-arching drive to make education authentic and centred on the well-being of the student via the development of agency and the 4Cs.
Two students from the student leadership group (Emma & Natasha) are now attending P&C meetings to update us what the SLG is doing/planning and how the P&C could best support them, and also to get their direct input on anything we are discussing .
We thank Emma & Natasha for their time and input and also the student leadership group in general for their contribution to the THS community.
This is driven by our communities objective of providing a student-driven education to build agency.
Educational support
We continue to develop and fund our three main THS community programs;
by-your-side, together & adopt-a-space
We are now working with the school leadership to ensure that the P&C funds complement and support the school's plans for the year. The available funds for each program can then be input into the schools planning and budgeting processes - with a clear shared understanding.
We can then work towards supporting the programs with people and funds - ie your contributions of money & time and surplus funds generated from our community-owned businesses (Canteen and Uniform Shop).
(Approved at AGM)General Manager Role
The new P&C General Manager role is a consolidation of existing management roles within our community owned canteen & uniform shop and includes an allocation of up to $20,000 worth of hours to assist with Authentic Learning initiatives - as seen in the canteen .
This role also involves working with the Environment Support Group providing project management assistance.
General manager role presentation / webpage
(Approved at AGM)If you are interested in applying for this position it will be advertised on Seek from 12DEC2018, with applications closing 19DEC208.
Most Likely to Succeed movie
If you have not watched this yet... add it to your summer watch list! To aid with transformative learning initiatives at THS, we have purchased the Most Likely To Succeed film using the THS P&C together fund.
Information Sessions
Information sessions are a key part of our general meetings, with workshops and talks from the teachers & students. As more and more information becomes available online, our need to report on activity at the meeting lessens and we can use the time for discussions - similar to the idea of the flipped classroom.
This year we covered;
- Experiencing the 4Cs Classroom
- Wellbeing Initatives
- What is inSite?
- Mathematics & Transformative Learning
- "Our Canteen" student presentation
more about the information sessions (including photos & presentations)...
Financials
This year and into 2019 is all about continuing the investment in the THS learning community. As you will see in the Environment Support Group section we have some great projects starting 20DEC - the day after students finish up for the year.
Generally we continue with a healthy financial position, with funds in the bank, parent contributions, social events and funds from our community owned businesses (Canteen and Uniform Shop) and some tax-payer funded contributions from our state government.
Audits have been completed and all ACNC and P&C Federation reporting completed.
AGM supporting information, including audited financial report @
Some changes of our own!
After many years of service to the THS community Christine Ashton is taking a break from being an office-hold, and we take this opportunity to thank Christine for all her work within the P&C, including Band.
Lynne Wainwright is also hanging up her P&C office-holding hat, Lynne has contributed to the THS community in many different roles. Thank you Lynne!
We'd also like to thank Sue Richardson (who's son finished year 12 this year) for all her help as Canteen Coordinator in the last year.
AGM
Thank you to all that could make it to the AGM and to everyone that helped through out the year.
We have filled all our office-holding positions, which is great! A big thanks to everyone continuing, taking up a new role or taking on a role for the first time - we look forward to working with you.
We can always do with more members, so if you could not make the meeting, but would like to be a member then you can join online or at any meeting next year.
Updates from each of the P&C support groups ...
SOCIAL EVENTS
A quieter (but still busy) year for the social events team, after a huge year in 2017 we took a bit of a break!
We still worked to bring the community together, and adding funds to our educational support programs!
... and we did also take on assisting with the organising of the Twilight Markets - a big thank you to Jo & Shannon for coordinating this with their team.
Highlights include;
- BBQing support at athletics carnival
- Parent Teacher Evening Support
- Orientation day support
- Twilight Markets
Thank you to everyone that has helped this year and we look forward to 2019 - plans are already forming for some all of school events!
Nahid, socialevents@ths.community
Twilight Christmas Markets!
This year we are helping to organise the markets, with Jo & Shannon heading up the team.
CANTEEN
It was a big year for the canteen with the some great progress made in the last 12 months, including implementing our strategy to a healthy canteen.
As part of the THS educational environment, students are now actively involved in the management and operations of the canteen, including rostering, volunteer management, food preparation, stocking, sales and more -- it is best summarised in the student "Our Canteen" presentation to the P&C!
This year we commenced a new initiative; sponsoring the year 12 graduation supper. All food was made in the canteen. A big thank you to Oksun (Head Chef) and her remarkable team for producing 24 tables of food and this magnificent cake!
UNIFORM & SHOP
THS Community-based review of the uniform is the focus at the moment, and we are currently working with the school leadership & student leadership group as part of the Uniform Review Team (URT).
We thank the THS community for the 1055 responses to the survey, with this much data we have a well informed view of what people are looking for.
Orsola, uniformshopcoordinator@ths.community.
ENVIRONMENT (& WORKING BEES)
Thank you to everyone that came to a working bee.
And a big thank you to Lucy Bal for her amazing morning teas - the best egg/bacon tarts!!
We are having a major rethink about working-bees for 2019 and beyond. If you have any ideas please feel free to share them with us!
We have engaged a gardener (who started in November) to work on mowing, trimming and removing the poles & chains!
MPC Kitchen / "Tea Room"
A signifiant project this year was refreshing the MPC Kitchen and making it more functional.
Outdoor Learning Space
"The Science Space"
Construction of this space is scheduled to start on the 20th of December 2018 and be completed by January 2019.
$130,000 P&C funding.
Quad COLA
This project is scheduled to start on the 20th of December 2018 and be completed by January 2019.
$185,000 P&C funding.
Staff Rooms
We are in the process of creating the design model for the staff room refresh.
The 2019 budget has $50,000 for stage 1.
War-on-waste
As part of the THS community's war-on-waste, the P&C is now looking more closely at all our activities, and working to minimise any harmful effects on the environment.
The recently completed MPC Kitchen refresh supported the war-on-waste by: supplying reusable cups for use at events instead of single use paper/plastic cups, purchasing 4 Star or higher energy ratings on appliances (dishwasher: 4 Star, fridge: 5 Star).
This is just the start... the student leadership group is also looking at how they could potentially use the 'by-your-side' fund to support their initiatives, which includes working with the Student Canteen Management Team to deal with canteen-produced waste.
The Architecture of THS
We continue to work towards respecting the architectural vision of THS.
"Innovations in school master planning took place within the NSW Government Architect’s Office c.1962-5, with Michael Dysart’s doughnut shaped classroom blocks grouped around a large central space, an acknowledgement not of progressive pedagogy as such but that the external environment of the school might shift the emphasis from the classroom interior, hence spaces such as courtyards, niches and open ‘squares’ as places of learning and socialisation."
More on the architectural history of THS and it's revolutionary modernist design...
New Moveable Sports Goals
We have been successful in receiving a state tax-payer funded grant of $10,000 to upgrade the moveable sports goals - thank you to Alister Henskens for his assistance with this.
We are in early discussions about some more tax-payer funded grants for 2019.
BAND
2018 has been another busy and successful year for the THS school bands. We continue to have strong participation in the band program with three concert bands, two stage bands, and two jazz improvisation groups, with over 130 participants overall. Students are auditioned on entry into the band program, and annually if they would like to be in a stage band or to move to a different concert band. This ensures the best fit between student and band, so they can be playing music of a suitably challenging level as part of their band experience.
This year the conductor’s role has been shared by Mark Barnsley and his brother, Jeff Barnsley. Mark has been conducting the bands at THS for more than 10 years and has taken some well- deserved leave this year. We are fortunate that Jeff was available to take the reins as relief conductor during this time. A jazz improvisation course was again offered, with two classes held on Friday afternoons. These classes are run by Mr Steve Fitzmaurice and have had a big impact in the confidence and ability of the students in stage bands.
Our bands have had so many great performance opportunities throughout the year. As usual terms 1 and 2 were focused on rehearsing for the North Shore Schools Spectacular, Sydney Eisteddfod, NSW Schools Band Festival and other events. There were a number of excellent, extremely high-quality performances by our bands at the Sydney Eisteddfod. The Finals of the North Shore Schools Spectacular were held at Killara High with SB1, CB2, and Year 12 clarinettist Sarah Taylor performing. All the bands played exceptionally well at the NSW School Band Festival held at the NSW Conservatorium of Music at the end of July. All five of our bands (Concert and Stage) were awarded Silver.
The Regional Tour to Tasmania in August was a fabulous opportunity for students of all ages across the band program to come together and rehearse intensively and really get to know each other. The Masterclass for saxophone with Jay Byrnes at the end of August was another fantastic night, it was great to see the band kids supporting each other, learning a lot musically and having a great time. The stage bands performed at the Wahroonga Food and Wine Festival in October, and 14 students competed in the band program’s annual Solo Night competition on 13 November.
We will finish the year with a string of performances including at the local St Andrews Uniting Church Social Inclusion Event this Sunday 24 Nov and an end of year concert for all bands on the evening of 4 December afterYear 7 Orientation day. To end the year all bands will perform at Darling Harbour on 18 December.
This year we trialled the MySchool Music online platform. It has had its teething problems, but its usefulness as a repository for band information which is accessible by committee members according to their role will come into its own as new committee members take their roles for 2019.
A number of key committee members are moving on from their positions at the AGM on 20 November. Anne and I as Co-Presidents; Vice-President Humberto Ho; Secretary Cathy Sanders; and Weekly Band Notes Coordinator Sarah Arbidans). We look forward to welcoming the new committee members into their roles at the AGM and will be pleased to provide all the assistance we can to ensure a smooth succession and knowledge transfer.
I would like to thank P&C President Mark Byers, and all the committee members, for supporting the band program this year. And thank you to David Arblaster and Jeff Lambert, Jennie Cooper and Daniel Buttrey as school liaison – we very much rely on the school’s support for the band program in all aspects.
Linda & Anne, bsgpresident@ths.community
GENERAL
Thank you to everyone that that got involved in the THS community this year, and we wish you the best and see you in 2019!
As parents of the THS community we also send our condolences to the family of Hamish Bidgood at this very sad time.
Can you help?
On the THS P&C website (this website) you will find an “Getting Involved” section which contains a quick 2min survey where you can let us know what is important to you and also how you could potentially help - we love to hear about what is important to parents.