term 4 week 8 SOUTH SYDNEY HIGH SCHOOL

Sista Speak Day

Emma, Hannah, Leila and Micah recently attended their second Botany Bay Network Sista Speak Day. These special events are designed to support the wellbeing and empowerment of Aboriginal girls from Years 4 to 9, providing a unique and enriching experience tailored especially for them. Sista Speak is a valued program which creates a safe, nurturing, and empowering environment where Aboriginal female students can come together to share their stories, embrace their identities, and build strong connections within their community. It is a space which encourages self-expression, fosters leadership, and promotes cultural pride. The program for the day included a variety of engaging sessions:

• Connection and Wellbeing Session: Activities to promote mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing.
• On Country Walk: Guided by The Gamay Rangers, this walk offered an opportunity to connect with the land and sea and learn about its significance.
• Bush Tucker Cooking: Participants learned how to prepare traditional bush foods using local native ingredients.
• Community Afternoon Tea and Celebration: A special gathering where carers and female community members were invited to join in recognising and celebrating the achievements and spirit of our young women.

ICAS Writing Competition

Congratulations Emi Takahashi for achieving a High Distinction in the ICAS Writing Competition placing in the top 1% in Australia. This is a remarkable achievement and a testament to the talent nurtured here at SSHS.

Big Picture Academy Success

Congratulations to Judah D, in Year 11 from our Big Picture Academy, for gaining 1st Place at the IDT Virtual Work Placement Presentation Showcase! During the Showcase, Judah demonstrated exceptional maturity, creativity, and dedication. Judah was part of the project team - The Unspoken Classroom. Their outstanding work and presentation skills impressed industry partners across the state. The project involved using AI to detect sign language. The Unspoken Classroom was awarded 1st place statewide at the Presentation Showcase. An incredible achievement and a testament to Judah’s talent and commitment. Please join us in congratulating Judah on this well deserved success. He has been a genuine credit to South Sydney High School and his TAFE studies, representing our community with distinction.

Schools Spectacular

Last week, seven of our students took to the stage at Qudos Bank Arena as part of the Schools Spectacular - an elite production featuring over 5,000 student performers from across NSW. It’s incredibly competitive to get into, making our first-ever acceptance a huge achievement. After weeks of rehearsals and four massive shows, the girls delivered an unforgettable performance. When the final curtain fell, there were tears of joy. Proof of just how special the experience was. We are so proud of their dedication, talent and the way they represented South Sydney High School on such a big stage.

Presentation Day 2025

The annual South Sydney High School Presentation Day will be held on Friday 12th December 2025, in the school hall, starting at 9:30am. This special event provides an opportunity to reflect on the year and celebrate the outstanding achievements of our students across all areas of school life throughout 2025. We look forward to coming together as a community to recognise and honour the hard work and successes of our students.

Achievement Assembly

Congratulations to all students who were recognised this week at the Achievement Assemblies. Your hard work and dedication are truly commendable, and we celebrate your achievements with pride. Keep striving for excellence!

SSHS Food Drive

Help us support our local community by donating non perishable food items in weeks 8 and 9. Donations are to be dropped off to the Principal’s office. To spice things up - we are making this year’s food drive a COMPETITION! The year group to bring the most donations will win an extended lunch and Zooper Doopers in week 10!

CAPA Showcase Reminder

2026 School Year – Early Absences

If you plan to be away at the start of the 2026 school year, please notify the school in writing as soon as possible. This is important for maintaining accurate records for both the school and the NSW Department of Education. Thank you for your co-operation in helping us ensure smooth enrolment and attendance management.

End of Term Reminder

As we enter the final two weeks of the school term, remember that your learning journey continues right up to the last day. We encourage all students to continue showing respect to each other, to their teachers, and when representing our school in the community. Let’s finish the term positively and with pride!

Social Media Ban effective 10 December 2025

A reminder to parents that from 10th December 2025, major social media platforms must take "reasonable steps" to prevent U16's from having accounts. For more information, please visit: https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/social-media-age-restrictions

Uniform Warriors

Attendance Heroes

Upcoming Events

• Female Fitness Sessions: Every Wednesday Morning
• Australian Volleyball Schools Cup Gold Coast: 8th -12th December
• CAPA Showcase: Monday 8th December
• Presentation Day Assembly: Friday 12th December
• Last Day of school: Friday 19th December

From the Library

With the holidays just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to dive into some great reads! Our Library has recently added a fantastic selection of new books across various genres to suit every interest. Whether you’re into thrilling mysteries, inspiring biographies, captivating fantasy adventures, or insightful non-fiction, there’s something here to spark your curiosity and keep you entertained during the break. Come by the library and explore these exciting new titles—your next favourite book might be waiting just for you. Don’t miss out on the chance to discover fresh stories and expand your reading horizons over the holidays. Happy reading!

New to the Collection

Catch by Sarah Brill

Beth has an unusual growth spurt over the holidays. She also has a new ability – she gets a sickening feeling that someone is about to fall, and she must catch them. This begins her journey of saving people. Some who fall accidentally, some who are pushed and unfortunately those that chose to jump. And not everyone is happy with her catching them. Suitable for readers 14 years and older. Island of Influencers by Monique Turner

Harper wants to be an influencer. Badly. She'll do anything to be like her famous Tubeify-star cousin, Bellee. When Bellee is the latest victim in a string of influencer kidnappings, Harper discovers the kidnappings are fake and the 'victims' are put on an island for a new reality show. Island of Influencers pits the greatest internet talents against each other, and Harper is added at the last minute. With the constant pressure of a live audience judging their every move, it's not long before cracks begin to appear in the influencers' shiny veneers. Guinness World Records 2026 Discover the incredible achievements and inspiring stories of record breakers from around the world. Parachute Kids by Betty C. Tang

This graphic novel is the first in a series. Ten-year-old Feng Li Lin is so excited for her family's first trip to the United States. But after an action-packed two weeks, she and her siblings - 16-year-old sister Jia Xi and 14-year-old brother Ke Gang - learn that they will remain indefinitely in California while first their father and then their mother returns to Taiwan. Suddenly Feng Li and her siblings are thrust into an alien world where even the local Chinese restaurant tastes nothing like home and the fear of being discovered by Immigration become a daily reality. The Factory by Catherine Egan

Asher Doyle is bullied at school and struggling with problems at home. So, when he receives an invitation to join the Factory, a mysterious research facility working on a top-secret experiment, he jumps at the chance to change his life. But not everything is as it seems at the Factory. The other kids are tired and sullen, and it's clear that the staff members are hiding something. As Asher and his friends search for answers, they will learn that everything comes at a price, and they may end up paying with their lives.   A Better Nightmare by Megan Freeman

Emily Emerson has the Grimm. A disease nobody wants. Removed to a facility, she becomes property of the state, a pale shadow of her real self. Here she meets a boy, Emir, who tells her she's not sick - she's just different. Only by dreaming, he says, can they break out of the world that's keeping them imprisoned. And perhaps, make a better future.

An Emerald Sky by Aneesa Marufu

After the epic battle in the previous book, The Balloon Thief, Khadija, Jacob and Darian are heroes. But then Khadija learns that her sister, Talia, has been kidnapped and taken to the jinn realm of Al-Ghaib. Khadija and Darian go to her rescue. But Darian is strangely changed since the battle that cost him his heart. Khadija will need all her wits about her if she's to outfox her sister's captor. Containing depictions of violence, terrorism and racial tensions, this fantasy novel is suitable for readers aged 15 and older. Dead Scary Ghost Guitar by TJ Doom & Illustrated by Nahum Ziersch

Jake Jensen wants to become a guitar hero. Instead, he's stuck in detention. His punishment? Cleaning out the creepy old school attic. And as he cleans out the school attic, he accidentally summons a teen ghost band. They need Jake's help to escape a terrible demon who has trapped them in Limbo. With his best mate Zoe, can he help them rock their way to the afterlife – or will his first gig be his last? An entertaining and little bit scary read suitable for lower secondary. Like a Girl by Rebecca Westcott

Fourteen-year-old Eden McCoy doesn't fit in. All she's good at is running, and she doesn't even dare join the track team. Her priority is to stay in the shadows and avoid the Glossies -a ruthless clique of girls who use social media to punish and humiliate their targets, led by their queen Bea and her sidekick Mikki. But one day, Eden breaks her vow to stay unnoticed: she beats track star Mikki in a race. This bold move captures the attention of Bea, who decides Eden needs to either prove her loyalty and become one of the Glossies - or suffer the consequences. Refugee: a graphic novel by Alan Gratz & Illustrated by Syd Fini

Refugee is an incredible look at the fate of refugees over an almost 80-year timespan. It looks at the frightening journey of three young people and their families and masterfully links them together. Contains amazing illustrations bringing the story to life, which will lead the novel being read by a wider range of students. The Day the Bridge Fell by Coral Vass

Set in 1970, in the time leading up to, during and after the collapse of Melbourne’s West Gate Bridge, this is a wonderful insight into life at the time, and the effect that this tragedy had on those who were involved. A fabulous historical fiction novel. The Experiment by Rebecca Stead

This is a fast-paced sci-fi adventure mystery. Nathan, Victor and Izzy are great characters, and with themes of family and friendship as well as the age-old question of what sort of person (or alien) are you, and who do you really want to be, it will appeal to all those looking for their place in the world. Suitable to lower secondary readers.  

Ms Maddocks, Teacher Librarian

OPPORTUNITY News

Men’s & Women’s Wellbeing Day

On Thursday the 27th November, Year 10 students were involved in an amazing day where we learnt about how important it was to check in with our emotions, support our peers, and other deeply important mental health considerations. Both the girls and the boys who took part in this program were grateful for the opportunity to be guided by mentors, our teachers and the presenters from Tomorrow Man & Tomorrow Woman. Not many schools attempt such programs because of the cost and time it requires of our teachers and for the presentations. South Sydney High School believes it is a priority that our Wellbeing is developed. We would like to thank the following people - Mr Wood, Mrs Stell, Mr Dartchia, Mr Yasaman, Mr Warrington, Ms Mackenzie, Ms Ansoul, Mrs Maddocks, the ancillary staff, Ms Drakopoulos, the mentors who attended c/o Macquarie Telecom, Paul MacMullen, United Way, Alumni Students from 1974, Mike Owen, Paul Mallam and Corey Roberts. Thank you of course to our fantastic Principal Mrs Janice Neilsen for overseeing this most important day!

The day exceeded everyone's expectations! Student Ambassadors of the SSHS Opportunity Program 2025

SCIENCE NEWS

Year 10 Marine Studies trip to Great Barrier Reef

Our Year 10 Marine Studies students recently returned from an unforgettable four-day adventure to the Great Barrier Reef! Highlights of the trip included snorkelling vibrant coral reefs, witnessing turtles nesting on the beach under the stars, coral nursery tour, and exploring the ecosystems of Lady Musgrave Island and Bundaberg's coastal region. It was an incredible opportunity for students to experience first-hand the marine environments they've been learning about in class. A huge thank you to all staff, students, and families for making it such a successful trip!

Year 9 Marine and Aquaculture Technology Snorkelling Excursion to Clovelly

Our Year 9 Marine and Aquaculture Technology students recently headed to Clovelly for their snorkelling assessment and they performed brilliantly. Students demonstrated key skills, including duck diving, mask clearing, and assisting a buddy with a leg cramp, all with confidence and teamwork. Once in the water, the group enjoyed some unforgettable marine encounters. Highlights included spotting two large groupers and a large pregnant wobbegong, giving students a close-up look at the amazing wildlife in our local waters. A fantastic effort from all involved and a memorable day of learning beneath the surface.

Junior SSCIM Camp

We braved the storm in Manly and sang our way through it all. We reached Pittwater YHA in Morning Bay and were rewarded with breathtaking views! All students started their Passion Projects with energy, inspired by the serene surroundings. Another very successful Junior SSCIM camp.

VET News

Hospitality Students Gaining Real-World Experience

It’s an exciting way to end the term, with more students completing their work placements in Hospitality. In Week 7, a handful of students continued to finalise their mandatory work placement hours and service periods, essential for their Certificate II in Hospitality (Food & Beverage). The photos feature students from both classes in action. It has been wonderful to hear such positive feedback from host employers.   Mrs M Stephenson - VET Hospitality Teacher TAS (Technology & Applied Studies) Teacher  

Sport News

Power Lifters

Congratulations to the following boys for their outstanding achievements at the Australian Schools Bench Press Championships:

• Sam L – Gold, 100kgs
• Max K – Gold, 85kgs
• Jake T – Silver, 70kgs

Well done to all of you for your dedication and impressive performances!

Football Friendly Vs Randwick High School

A new addition to our proud sporting program at South Sydney was a Friendly Challenge game against Randwick High School. All the boys showed outstanding sportsmanship and conduct, representing the school with distinction. The referee even praised the players for their politeness and respectful attitude on the field. We hope this becomes a regular event on the calendar.

Community Sporting Success

Surfing News

Congratulations to Hugo! Hugo showcased his incredible surfing skills at the competition organised by the Maroubra Surf Association (MSA). Competing in the cadet category, he took first place! We are very proud of his achievement and look forward to seeing more great performances from him in the future.

Golf News

Chelsea is an up and coming golfer, regularly practising at Eastlakes Golf Club. She recently competed in the Junior Golf Eastlakes Comp and took 2nd place. Her hard work and determination will see her on the world scene soon! Keep up the good work Chelsea!

Tennis News

Congratulations to Maja K from Year 10, who competed in the 2025 JC School Boys and School Girls Tournament at Pennant Hills. She competed with great sportsmanship. Well done on your hard work and commitment to your sport. We look forward to seeing your continued success in future competitions.