Hunter Sports High News Term 3 - Week 10 - 2025

CAREERS

PATHWAYS PRESENTATIONS

Our week 7 Pathways Presentations proved to be another fantastic opportunity for students in years 7-12 to learn from members of our community about their careers. We even got a mention on the New FM Joel and Nic Breakfast Show!

Thanks to the following presenters/ businesses for their time.

• Joel from the Joel and Nic Breakfast Show on New FM
• Captain Richardson and his crew from Charlestown Fire Brigade
• Dallas from Bowy Made
• BAE Systems Australia
• Jo from Transport for NSW Engineering

EDUCATIONAL PATHWAYS PROGRAM (EPP), START YOUR FUTURE (SYF), and HEADSTART PRE-APPRENTICESHIP COURSE

Congratulations to all year 10 students who completed Start Your Future (SYF) courses this term. We are proud to have had such a high number of students engaging in many different courses, including hairdressing, School-Based Education Support, Electrotechnology and Maritime.

Cooper D has given us some insight into the EPP SYF Electrotechnology and Refrigeration course he undertook this term:

“We learned about wiring (2-way switches and contactors). We learned about cables and made a dustpan out of sheet metal. We learned how to work safely while on site or in a workshop, which is important. The course was hands-on, and I really enjoyed it.”

Ava, Charlie and Zac have reported that the Term 3 Maritime SYF course was action packed, with students visiting D’Albora Marina, the Port of Newcastle and the Port Stephens Marine Rescue Command. Students learned how to put on a lifesaving buoyancy suit and about the many jobs in Maritime in Newcastle, Port Stephens and Lake Macquarie.

Congratulations to Noah for completing the EPP Headstart Pre-Apprenticeship course in Electrical. Noah had the chance to learn at TAFE and tour some industrial sites that employ apprentice electricians.

EPP YEAR 12 SUPER SKILLS WEEK

We are incredibly proud of our Year 12 students who recently completed a range of valuable vocational courses, including RSA/RCG, White Card, First Aid, and Barista Training. These nationally recognised qualifications open doors to future employment opportunities while students continue their education.

A huge thank you to the Educational Pathways Program (EPP) for organising these opportunities and to the trainers who delivered each course. The feedback from trainers was outstanding. They commented that our students were the best behaved, most respectful, and engaged of all the schools involved in the program.

We are so proud of the way our students represented our school and look forward to seeing how they use these new skills in the future.

UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE, UNI STEPS FISH TRAPS WORKSHOP

Thanks to the University of Newcastle UniSteps team for providing highly engaging workshops. Our Hunter class students participated in a Fish Traps workshop, designed by Deadly Science to teach students about sustainability.

ILLUMINATE CHALLENGE

Five of our Junior Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (AECG) students proudly represented our school in the first Illuminate Challenge, held at the University of Newcastle’s Callaghan Campus on Awabakal land. Over three exciting days, the team worked together to explore tourism in local communities and create an innovative solution.

Collaboration was at the heart of the challenge, with students brainstorming, problem-solving, and supporting each other as they developed their idea. With guidance from mentors, they built a business model, marketing materials, and financial plan to bring their vision to life.

Our students pitched their idea for Minimbah Markets, a place for local community members to gather, sell handmade products, and share cultural knowledge. Their teamwork, creativity, and commitment shone through in their presentation, leaving them with not only a strong concept but also lifelong skills in leadership and collaboration.

INDIGENOUS ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE (RAAF) IMMERSION PROGRAM

Two of our students recently attended the three-day Indigenous RAAF Immersion Program, an unforgettable experience that gave them a firsthand look at life in the Royal Australian Air Force.

Across the three days, they took part in interactive activities, explored different aircraft, and heard stories from current RAAF members about their career journeys and cultural connections. Both students highlighted how inspiring it was to see the pathways available and the strong sense of teamwork within the RAAF.

The Careers Office has been busy this term!

We’ve been working hard submitting TVET applications for our Year 10 students who are keen to undertake a TAFE course as part of their HSC. All Expressions of Interest (EOIs) have now been submitted. Students will be contacted in mid-November to confirm if they have secured a place in their chosen course.

Remember to keep an eye on CANVAS announcements and your emails for upcoming careers events and opportunities!

ENRICHMENT ACADEMY YEARS 7 & 8

Over Term 3, the Enrichment Academy completed a mathematical depth study called the Pirozzo Scheme, which consisted of various activities conducted in mixed groups of Year 7 and 8 students.

The Pirozzo Scheme challenged our knowledge of triangles, quadrilaterals, length, and area, and encouraged students to apply new mathematical skills in unique and original ways. The Pirozzo Scheme's activities consisted of several levels of difficulty. Each activity was worth an allocated number of points and groups were required to complete 30 points worth of activities by the end of term.

During Week 9 all groups presented their work in an exhibition style presentation to teachers and students in Years 9 and 10.

This terms task developed our skills of ‘Quality Thinking’ and ‘Collaboration’ and helped us see mathematics in a different way.

By Bethanie Llyod

MATHEMATICS

AUSTRALIAN MATHEMATICS COMPETITION

During week 3 this term the students in our Year 7 and 8 Enrichment Academies participated in the Australian Mathematics Competition. The AMC contains unique problems designed each year by leading educators and academics to challenge and extend students’ problem-solving skills. We are very proud of the students listed below who were awarded a Credit for the competition.

Year 7

• Dexter Bartrom
• Will Blandford
• Liam Conroy
• George Walters
• Max Ferris
• Hannah Wright
• Annabelle Movigliatti

Year 8

• Jasper Grainger
• Jordie Pavlou
• Flynn Skewes
• Halle Davies

MUSIC

It has been a busy and exciting term in the Music department! We have had many of our talented musicians working to perform for special events.

In week four we hosted a Mini Art and Music Showcase, where students showcased their talent across many instruments. For R U OK? Day, our students brought plenty of energy and smiles with a fun filled karaoke session, creating a supportive and positive atmosphere across the school. We also congratulate our Year 12 students who recently completed their HSC practical examinations in Music, an incredible achievement that reflects their dedication and hard work.

Upcoming in Term 4, HSHS have the annual Showcase Evening which will be a night celebrating students’ creativity and talent, save the date for November 11th!

PE PICKS

SPORTS COACHING

Sports Coaching students participated in 4 coaching sessions over 4 weeks with the Gem Academy at HSHS. Throughout this time, students were required to create session plans, teach session plans to students and evaluate their performance.

The level of coaching from some of our students was outstanding and they are to be congratulated for providing a safe, fun and engaging environment for our support students to participate across multiple sports.

CHILD STUDIES

In Week 7 of Term 3, Ms Hoffman's Child Studies class went on a field trip to John Hunter Hospital (JHH) while studying a unit on Children with Diverse Needs. The all-girls class was lucky enough to visit the JHH School, where they joined in some learning activities with the students and also visited their outdoor learning space, The Fairy Garden.

Later on, the tour took us to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), where we were amazed by the work the doctors and nurses are doing with premature babies. We even got to meet Ziggy, a gorgeous little bub born 15 weeks early who is growing steadily in his amazing 'Super Crib'.

Then we headed off to meet Captain No Socks and some other captains in the Starlight Foundation Room! What a magical space to help sick children and their families feel cheerful again. Then we headed to the J2 Adolescent Ward, where we were given a quick tour. Sadly, we learned that many admissions in this area were from DiroDi accidents, where, regretfully, riders were not wearing helmets or shoes and suffered serious injuries as a result.

Our last stop was the Ronald McDonald House, where we were able to see the short-term and long-term living quarters, as well as the kitchen facilities designed to make families feel more at home when they need to be at the hospital supporting their loved ones.

We can't thank the staff at John Hunter Hospital enough for their support and guidance throughout the day.

SNOW TRIP

This term, Hunter Sports High School took 50 students and 5 teachers on an epic snow adventure to Smiggins and Perisher!

With great snow coverage and a mix of blue skies and wild blizzards, everyone made the most of their time on the slopes. Students had a blast learning new skills, taking on challenges, and demonstrating amazing perseverance and resilience. It was an unforgettable few days, watch the highlight video to see all the action!

Watch the highlight video to see all the action!

HEALTH and MOVEMENT SCIENCE

Hunter Sports High School Students Complete First Year of New Health and Movement Science Course.

This term marks an exciting milestone for Hunter Sports High School, with students completing the very first year of the new Stage 6 Health and Movement Science (HMS) course. This subject has officially replaced the long-running PDHPE course, bringing a fresh, contemporary approach to learning about health, movement, and performance.

Over 60 Year 11 students, along with a dedicated group of accelerated Year 10 students, sat their preliminary exams, demonstrating not only their knowledge but also their commitment to this new direction in senior study. It has been fantastic to see such strong engagement with the course in its inaugural year.

Throughout the year, students have explored the factors that influence health outcomes, analysed training principles and energy systems, and investigated how to apply this knowledge to improve both individual and community health.

Staff have been impressed by the effort and focus students have shown, particularly in their ability to adapt to new content and expectations. We look forward to seeing these students continue to grow as learners as they move into the next stage of their Health and Movement Science journey next term, beginning their HSC content.

SCHOOL & CHS ATHLETICS

After some delays due to weather last term, we can now finally confirm the athletics age champions from the school carnival. These students, along with many others, went on to represent the region, and some even earned selection for the state carnival. A full wrap-up of the state carnival can be found below.

Congratulations to the following students for taking out the 2025 Hunter Sports High Athletics Age Champion title:

CHS WRAP UP

49 students represented Hunter Sports High School at the NSW CHS (State) Athletics Championships at Sydney Olympic Park. It was an outstanding meet from HSHS, with students bringing home 9 gold medals, 3 silver, and 3 bronze. The school extends its thanks to all the students and parents who supported the event.

On the first day, 28 HSHS students competed across both track and field events, including five relay teams. Our Under 13 girls were victorious in their relay, running an impressive 52.8 seconds. The Under 12 boys, 13 boys, 14 boys, and 14 girls teams also performed strongly, all making it through to the final eight.

On the track, Kobi Ryan and Maddie Trembath each won bronze medals, while Elsie Keating an impressive silver medal. Later in the day, the 800m heats took place, with five students qualifying for the finals. A fantastic achievement.

In the field, 12 athletes competed on Day 1. Top results included Josiah Croft, who threw 43 metres to finish 4th in discus. Elsie Keating also placed 4th in long jump, and Heidi Robbins secured 4th place in high jump. Matilda Cutfield secured her second medal of the day, a bronze in the long jump.

19 HSHS athletes were in action on day 2. An amazing gold medal to George Waters and silver medal to Kayla Piesto in the Javelin event! Larrisa Hall was 8th in the same event and Maronay Smuts so close to a medal with 4th in the 17+ shot put.

Charlotte James and Nate Ward progressed through to the finals of the 400m. Meanwhile, Maddie Trembath, Kobi Ryan, Ella Streatfeild, Charlie Boist, and Matilda Cutfield all advanced to the 100m finals.

Highlights at the end of the day included Charlotte James, Callum Martin and Elsie Keating winning their 800 finals, Nate Ward finishing 2nd, and Logan Lopez securing 8th place, all performing outstandingly in their final.

Day 3 kicked off with an amazing gold medal for Kobi Ryan in the long jump. Kobi soared to 6.23m, setting a massive personal best. Less than an hour later, he was back competing, taking the bronze medal in the 100m final for his age group. Meanwhile, Maddie Trembath (6th), Ella Streatfeild (8th), Charlie Boist (10th), and Matilda Cutfield (10th) all performed strongly in the same event.

Maddie and Ella teamed up with Molly Fitzhenry and Sunny Alston to win their heat of the 4x100m. They backed with a spectacular win in the final making this the 3rd year in a row! The 15yrs boys and 17 boys were not able to progress from the heats but had strong runs.

In the longest event of the day Callum Martin returned to win the 1500m walk convincingly, less than a day where he dominated the 800m, thus showing his versatility. In the 1500m run Nate Ward (8th), Rocco Ayre (10th) and Macy Johnson (7th) showed terrific endurance in some stiff competition.

Matilda Cutfield and Zara Matthews were excellent in the 80m hurdles improving on the heats to finish 4th and 6th respectively.

In the field Zara Matthews was 17th in the High jump and Josiah Croft 6th in the shot put after his outstanding 4th in the discus the day before. Larrisa Hall competed strongly to finish 10th in the discus and Maronay Smuts finished 12th. Maronay backed up for 7th in the javelin ending her school competition days on a high! Miles Carl ended his school sport days with 9th in the High Jump, both Miles and Maronay taking time out from their HSC studies to compete.

Highlights at the end of the day was Charlotte James taking out the 400m in 57.26 to win her third gold medal of the meet.

SCIENCE

This term has been an exciting and busy one in Science. National Science Week was celebrated at HSHS from 11th - 15th August. Science Week aims to celebrate science and technology and also aims to encourage interest in scientific pursuits. There were several challenges and activities throughout the week, including:

● All students completed a lesson and activities specific to the Science Week Theme which was ‘Decoding the Universe.’

● Trivia - Students could participate in a Trivia competition on the Science Week Theme topic during lunch time. Well done to Remi and Bette in Year 7 for winning!

● Challenge Day - students in 7E, 8E and Big Picture were given a collaborative project where they had to design and test a model to explore a selected area of space. Teams worked all day on this task and had to pitch and present their ideas to judges including Mr Jovanovski (Deputy Principal) and Rachel Byrne (Principal). Final products were also sent to external judges who were engineers and professionals in the science field. The products created were fantastic and congratulations to the winning team consisting of Amber, Isla, Finn and Jasper from 8E.

● Rocket Launching - students in 10E and 10A created and tested rockets that were launched during lunch time for all to view. Congratulations to Cody and Flynn for building a rocket that launched the highest.

One of the highlights this term was students getting access to a Scanning Electron Microscope, one of the most powerful microscopes available. This gave students the chance to closely explore the wonders of the microscopic world, zooming in on samples up to 1000 times larger than what we can see with the naked eye!

Below are some of the samples observed by the students:

This term was our last term with Year 12. All classes have been working hard to complete the course and revise material. Good luck and best wishes to Year 12 students.

SPORTS ACADEMY

Term 3 has been a busy period for Hunter Sports High School’s thirteen Sport Academies. The dedication, talent and resilience shown by our students, and the unwavering support of staff and families, have been nothing short of exceptional.

A key highlight was welcoming 190 students from other NSW High Schools who trialled for positions in our 2026 Sport Academy programs. Their enthusiasm for joining our community speaks volumes about the reputation of our academies and the commitment of the staff who lead them.

On the competitive stage, multiple Hunter Sports High teams proudly represented our school in NSW CHS State Championship Finals, showcasing teamwork and determination. At the NSW CHS Athletics Championships, our athletes achieved a string of impressive results, including multiple medal-winning performances. Adding to this success, our Athletics Co-ordinator and former Olympian, Scott Westcott, was deservedly inducted into the Hunter Region Sporting Hall of Fame, an achievement that reflects his outstanding contribution to Australian sport and to our school community.

We were also thrilled to celebrate a growing number of students who gained selection in NSW and Australian age-group sporting teams, an outstanding acknowledgment of their skill, discipline, and commitment.

Looking ahead to Term 4, we are excited to launch our Sport Academy Student Data Dashboards. These have been designed to guide the holistic development of high-potential and gifted student-athletes by clearly outlining the skills, behaviours, and mindsets required to thrive both in sport and in life. The dashboards provide a clear, structured pathway for growth, allowing athletes to set goals, track progress, and reflect on their development across five levels – from junior high performance through to elite senior performance. Stay tuned for more details to come soon.

A reminder for families: 2026 Sport Academy fee invoices have now been issued. To ensure your child’s continued place in their program, please make sure that any outstanding 2025 Sport Academy fees are finalised as soon as possible.

As we conclude another successful term, I would like to thank our staff, parents, and students for their effort and commitment. Your partnership is what makes our Sport Academies thrive.

Wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday break, and we look forward to another exciting term ahead.

— Director of Sport

Hunter Sports High School

TAS

Year 12 Industrial Technology Timber

As with many practical HSC courses, Year 12 students complete a major design project that represents a significant part of their studies. After 35 weeks of dedicated effort, this year’s projects were marked by NESA on Tuesday, 26th August.

We congratulate the students for their hard work, creativity, and skills demonstrated throughout the process. We also extend our thanks to the teaching team—Mr David Winter, Mr Paul Davies, and Mr Joel Palmer—who supported the students in meeting their deadlines and achieving their best.

Term 3 has been a busy and productive time for our students, with Stage 5 and 6 successfully completing projects across a range of subjects. Highlights include impressive work in VET Construction, VET Hospitality, Food Technology, and Sweet Designs, showcasing the creativity and skills our students have developed throughout the term. We are proud of their achievements and look forward to seeing their continued growth in the coming months.

VISUAL ARTS

Year 7 - “Other Worlds”

Year 7 started the term with their study of Sean Tan's “The Lost Thing” as part of our school-wide literacy initiative. We have used the imaginative world created by the author to kick start our work on Surrealism and fantasy art. Students have been using their imaginations and inspiration from the artist Vipoo Srivalasa to create their own characters from clay. Our ceramic work will continue with the ever-popular dragon unit. Students are currently researching their choice of pop-culture or mythical dragon, and they will be creating a clay dragon head in the coming term.

Year 8

Pop-Up Pop-Art Show

As part of our study of contemporary pop-art, a mini-exhibition featuring Year 8’s Mulga-inspired “Kongz” paintings was held in Week 4. Seeing all of the brightly coloured Year 8 paintings together was candy for the eyes! The audience were asked to cast their vote in a people's choice award. The winner was Bethany Lloyd, the runner-up was Nelita Cifrian and the Principal's choice award went to Maya Smith - congratulations artists!

“Land Sea Sky”

We have taken a new approach to our study of Australian landscapes by taking a birdseye view, exploring mapping, using watercolours, stencils and the idea of journeys. Students have also been creating glazed ceramic pieces inspired by their environment and culture with simple combinations of terracotta and white clay.

Year 9 / 10

Stage 5 students have now completed their painted skateboards with many fun and interesting designs.

They are now onto a new unit of work ‘plants, seed and pottery’. They have been busy working on seed pod studies that include sketches and research about their chosen seed pod. They have also been creating clay seed pods to accompany their work. They are now working towards a major ceramic piece inspired by plants and have also been studying the quirky artworks of ceramic artist Vipoo Srivislava.

Year 11

Students have now completed their course work and major projects for the Year 11 visual arts course! In preparation for the final exam, we have been studying contemporary art and some of the world's more unusual artists - a banana taped to the wall, anyone? In their artmaking, students learned a lot about clay processes and have created contemporary ceramic vessels that are inspired by history and their own interests in the world. We look forward to exhibiting these fabulous ceramic pieces in the showcase next term.

Year 12

Year 12 have been busily working on their Bodies of Work ready for their HSC submissions. They have produced some excellent Bodies of Work all whilst completing their Trial HSC Exams and preparing for their upcoming HSC exams. It has been a crazy time but they are almost there. We wish them the best of luck in their exams and whatever their bright futures bring. The art rooms will not be the same without them.

Creative Academy

We welcome our new cohort of students who have joined the Creative Academy, which runs during mentor time on a Tuesday (when other programs are not on). The Academy is made up of students of different year groups. Though we only meet briefly, the creativity is shining through! Our first project is a small “zine” exploring pencil drawings of provided stimuli, the first theme was “Windows” inspired by visiting poet Solli Raphael, the second theme was botanical illustration during science week. We look forward to working further with students to explore their unique interests and skills, to work on collaborative projects and explore creative opportunities outside of school.

Do you need to see these amazing artworks IRL (in real life)? Of course you do! We invite all of our school community to save the date. On the evening of Tuesday 11th of November we will be holding our Creative and Performing Arts Showcase! It is getting bigger and better every year, so please come along to support our talented creative students. More details to come.

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