What's On?
- Tuesday 20th - Friday 30th August: HSC Trial Exams
- Friday 30th August: Wear it Purple Day
- Friday 6th September: School Vaccination Catch ups (Years 7 & 10)
- Tuesday 10th September: School Assembly Years 7-11
- Friday 13th September: Mufti Jersey Day
- Tuesday 17th - Thursday 26th September: Year 11 Exams
- Wednesday 25th & Thursday 26th September: Year 12 End of Year Activities
- Friday 27th September: Year 12 Graduation Assembly
principal's message
Dear Parents/Carers,
We are thrilled to share some incredible news: not only has Hunter Sports High School been awarded Secondary School of the Year – Government, but we have also been honoured with the prestigious Australian School of the Year. This incredible accolade recognises our school as the most outstanding institution across Australia, reflecting our unwavering commitment to excellence in education.
As winner of Australian School of the Year, we have demonstrated our exemplary performance across multiple dimensions, including:
• Achieving consistently high standards of teaching and learning,
• Excelling academically and in various other areas throughout the past school year,
• Engaging in rigorous professional development to enhance teaching and curriculum delivery,
• Maintaining robust communication with students, parents, teachers, and the broader community,
• Efficiently managing facilities, finances, and human resources,
• Pioneering innovation and striving for continuous improvement.
Our success in this category highlights the collective efforts of our dedicated staff, enthusiastic students, supportive families, and engaged community members. This award celebrates not only our past achievements but also our ongoing dedication to shaping future leaders and fostering a nurturing and enriching educational environment.
In addition to these two incredible awards, we are proud to announce that we were awarded the Secretary’s Award for Outstanding School Initiative for the Hunter Academy at the NSW Public School Awards. This further underscores our dedication and innovative approach in education.
Thank you to everyone who has been part of this incredible journey!
To our Year 12 students who have just completed their HSC Trial exams—congratulations on reaching this major milestone! Your hard work and dedication are truly commendable. Remember, these trials are as much about the learning experiences as they are about the results. Take time to rest, recharge, and prioritise your wellbeing as you prepare for the final stretch.
Be proud of the progress you have already made, stay positive and keep pushing forward; whichever your pathway, each and every one of you are capable of achieving great things!
On a final note, the Year 11 Life Ready Snow Trip was a phenomenal success where students enjoyed stunning, sunny days on the slopes! Beyond refining their skiing and snowboarding skills, the trip was a fantastic opportunity for building confidence and camaraderie. We are incredibly proud of how our students conducted themselves—showing enthusiasm, sportsmanship, and positivity throughout.
A huge thank you to everyone who made this experience unforgettable and incredibly rewarding for all.
Here’s to celebrating all our achievements and looking forward to more amazing experiences ahead. Keep striving, stay inspired, and be the best version of yourselves.
Warm regards,
Ms. Rachel Byrne - Principal
wellbeing
Hello and welcome back to Term 3.
It has been another very busy term with regards to whole school wellbeing and we cannot express enough gratitude to all students, parents, carers, staff and community members that make our wellbeing programs possible here at Hunter Sports High School.
This term saw our Year 8 Focus Day take place in which our students were able to take part in the Variety programs presentation around disability inclusion and education. Students were also given the opportunity to learn about healthy relationships and mental fitness throughout the day. Thankfully, their wonderful Year Advisor Ms Stansfield saw that this was hungry work and enlisted the fine grilling and barbecuing expertise of a very eager Mr Strachan and Mr Tait to provide an incredible Michelin-Star styled lunch and a well-deserved break for our students. Finally, students finished their day with a wonderful presentation from Foundation Brave centered around self-worth, positive self concept, and conflict resolution. Again, thank you to all staff who work both behind and on the scenes to make these days a huge success.
Once again, this term has seen the return of the Arise, Samaritans, and Sequel programs that work hands-on with our students to further support their wellbeing at school. These programs are invaluable and we are very grateful to our wonderful SSOs Angela Matla and Keira Taggart for consistently organising and providing our students with these programs. We also need to definitely extend our thanks to Suzanne Kelleher and Sarah Cesare who consistently put their hand up to help in every way possible and ensure that every student feels they have a place at this school.
The Wellbeing faculty would also like to thank the HopeUC and Mt Hutton Baker’s Delight for their wonderful support and assistance in organising delicious breakfasts for our students week in and week out. We would also like to thank all the staff who consistently volunteer to come to work early on a Friday morning to personally butter and serve a variety of toast for all of our students, despite varying opinions on the perfect ratio of vegemite to toast.
As you can see, this is a big effort but a very rewarding one at that. We would also like to shout out the excellent manners that our students have shown every Friday.
Finally, it is with great sadness that we must farewell our SSO Keira Taggart. As many of you know, Keira has been here at Hunter Sports High School for almost 20 Years. To say that she has impacted and changed the lives of the students here would be a severe understatement. Keira has shaped the very face of wellbeing here at Hunter Sports High School and her legacy will live through what she has created in the Wellbeing Hub. She has been renowned at HSHS for her warmth, kindness, understanding, and patience and has continually sought to boost the wellbeing of every single student here no matter what barriers or obstacles may have laid in the way. Keira has worked tirelessly to ensure that students knew they had a place where they could seek shelter or support and we cannot thank her enough for every single moment she came to school to help build what it is today. On behalf of all students, parents, carers, community members, teachers and staff we would like to thank Keira and wish her farewell.
GEM
Opal
Opal Class have been following along closely with the recent Paris Olympic games. We kept a medal tally for team Australia and enjoyed watching highlights and discussing the stories behind the amazing athletes that have won medals during the event
The senior students from GEM Academy also attended the Future Choices Expo recently, at McDonalds Jones Stadium. Students were able to talk to the various service providers in attendance about possible jobs after school and also a range of social activities that they could access in their local area.
Coffee Shop
Our Coffee shop has started back with a bang! The Diamond Class and Mrs Stewart kicked off the term with their delicious sticky date pudding as a standout dessert. On alternate weeks, our Pearl students have begun helping Miss Wilkes with food preparations. We’re also grateful to our older GEM students in the Opal and Jet classes, who are fantastic at assisting with both front-of-house and back-of-house tasks.
Getting Creative
Students from across all GEM classes have been working busily on creating projects for our $20 Boss markets at the end of Term 4. Students are involved in the process of research, design and creation to create a product which they think can be successfully sold at our market day. We look forward to seeing the final products come to life.
Students are continuing to enjoy their mini electives. The Art group is working on sculptures, and collating items for an end of year exhibition.
The Drama group have been chipping away on their set production for their upcoming performance.
The Gardening group have recently had a visit from Lake Macquarie Council.
Leaving To Learn
Leaving to Learn has taken on a new structure this semester. 10 students from across the GEM Academy have the opportunity to join Mrs Cottrill and Mrs Gilmore on the Friday fun bus. Students have been given in advance a list of excursions for both Term 3 and Term 4. We have also planned a wet weather alternative for each week.
So far this term, students have attended the Lake Macquarie Art Gallery, Wallsend Brickworks and attempted part of the Awabakal Track.
Students who have remained at school are participating in a range of activities including Coffee Shop, Mountain bike riding, and an investigation into the Olympics.
Mountain Bikes
GEM students have had the opportunity to utilise the school mountain bikes over the past couple of weeks, with the assistance of Mrs Wade-Phillips. Students have been taught some valuable skills in relation to braking, using gears and riding safely and have loved being able to ride around the school and through some of the school’s bushland.
Ruby
The Ruby class has also had a strong focus on the Olympics for Term 3. We have graphed and tallied Australia’s results, alongside the top countries from around the world. Students have excitedly watched highlights and replays with much anticipation.
We look forward to watching the upcoming Paralympics.
Two of our Ruby class students are off to State Athletics later in Term 3. We wish them all the best for their athletic pursuits.
English Write Now
As we move through Term 3, we're excited to share some of the wonderful achievements and initiatives from our English faculty!
Firstly, a huge welcome back to Tim Mallon, who has rejoined our team. Tim's dedication and expertise are already having a positive impact, and we are thrilled to have him back with us.
We are also incredibly proud of our Year 9 students who completed their NAPLAN assessments in Term 1. Their results were outstanding, reflecting both their hard work and the support they’ve received from teachers and families alike. We look forward to these students continuing their academic excellence throughout the remainder of the year and into the future.
In Week 5, we celebrate Book Week with enthusiasm and creativity. The joy of reading was truly alive as students engaged in a variety of book-related activities, from costume parades to whole school Where’s Wally competitions. It was a wonderful week that brought our love of stories to the forefront of school life.
Looking ahead, we’re excited to introduce a new initiative for our Year 8 students. Starting this term, they will have one period each week dedicated solely to reading for enjoyment. We believe that fostering a love of reading from a young age is key to developing lifelong learners, and this dedicated time will provide them the space to explore books at their own pace.
Finally, we’d like to encourage everyone to take a moment in this busy world for some quiet reading. Whether it’s a novel, a magazine, or even a newspaper, reading can be a wonderful way to pause, reflect, and relax. Let's continue to support a culture of reading within our school community.
Happy reading!
Kind regards,
The English Faculty
MATHS
A message from the Mathematics department: Welcome to another term of learning and striving for success.
HSC Students:
Term 3 is the last term for our year 12 students. We would like to encourage all HSC students to make the most of your last term at school. HSC students are also reminded to follow our HSC study plans that students have been issued by Mr Berry. This includes revising with Edrolo (www.edrolo.com) and online portal SmarterMaths (www.smartermaths.com.au) for access to past papers and worked solutions.
In the term 3 holidays, the Mathematics staff are offering extra small group tutoring sessions open to all HSC students. These sessions are run by Mr Love (HT Mathematics) and are an excellent way to work through your revision with assistance from an experienced HSC marker.
Academic Results:
Congratulations to our students in year 7 and 9 for their efforts in this years NAPLAN. Results show a continued growth in Numeracy and a record number of year 9 students in the top numeracy band.
Maths in Trades 2025:
Hunter Sports High School will be offering a limited amount of places to Year 9 students who would like to study Maths in Trades in 2025. The Mathematics in Trades Pathway (MITP) is a hands-on Mathematics course that replaces conventional Mathematics classes. Students work together on a range of ongoing projects allow for Mathematical concepts to be repackaged in a practical way to support students who are pursuing an apprenticeship as their first career option.
If you would like more information, please contact Sean Love (HT Mathematics) sean.love@det.nsw.edu.au with any enquiries.
Connect at home to our online platforms:
Education Perfect (Years 7-10): This website www.educationperfect.com is an excellent portal that supplements the work students’ study in class. Every student will have a unique login and password. EP is used for interactive lessons as well as pre-testing and post-testing. Students are welcome to see their class teacher for login assistance.
Edrolo (Years 11-12): This website www.edrolo.com is an interactive portal that supplements the work students’ study in the HSC courses. Every student will have a unique login and password. Edrolo is used for lesson reviews, HSC practice questions as well a compulsory Progress Check at the end of each topic that all students must submit.
HSIE
The HSIE Faculty has been busy supporting students all year levels as they engage with a range of interesting and challenging topics.
In Year 7 Geography, students are currently exploring the topic of Place and Liveability. They are learning to understand the factors that contribute to making a place liveable, such as access to services, environmental quality, and community connection. Soon, students will apply this knowledge in a hands-on way by conducting fieldwork to assess the liveability of their own local suburb. This practical experience will not only deepen their understanding of the topic but also help them develop essential skills in geographical inquiry.
Year 8 History students have been delving into the fascinating world of medieval history. Through their studies, they are gaining insights into the everyday life experiences of people during medieval times, exploring aspects such as social hierarchies, daily routines, and cultural practices. By examining primary and secondary sources, students are developing a more nuanced understanding of how people lived, worked, and interacted in a world vastly different from our own.
Year 9 Geography students are tackling the important topic of environmental change and management. They are investigating how human activities impact the environment and what can be done to manage these changes sustainably. As part of their studies, students are undertaking fieldwork in their local suburb to investigate geographical issues, such as urban development, pollution, or habitat loss. This fieldwork provides a valuable opportunity for students to connect their theoretical learning with real-world environmental challenges and consider potential solutions.
Year 10 History students are wrapping up their mandatory History studies with an investigation into changing rights and freedoms, focusing on key events and movements in Australia and the USA. This unit offers students a chance to reflect on the struggles and triumphs that have shaped our modern societies, particularly in the context of civil rights, gender equality, and Indigenous rights. Next term, Year 10 students will transition into a program designed to develop the skills necessary for success in Stage 6 studies. This program will focus on enhancing critical thinking, research, and writing skills, preparing them for the challenges of senior school.
As we approach the end of the term, it’s an important time for our Year 11 students to begin their preparations for the upcoming end-of-course examinations. We encourage students to start making summary notes, practicing examination questions, and seeking feedback from their teachers. This proactive approach will not only help consolidate their knowledge but also build their confidence as they move towards the final assessments.
Finally, we extend our best wishes to our Year 12 students who are about to undertake their Trial HSC Examinations. This is a crucial time for consolidating learning and fine-tuning exam techniques. We encourage students to make contact with their teachers if they have any questions or need clarification during the examination period. A reminder that lessons will resume as normal at the conclusion of the examinations, providing students with continued support and guidance as they prepare for their final HSC exams.
We look forward to a productive and successful conclusion to the term across all year levels in the HSIE Faculty.
MINIMBAH
Minimbah have been extremely busy as normal. Last term we had some very special guests in for NAIDOC week. We held many workshops for NAIDOC and had community member in to facilitate our Art, Didge, Artefacts and Dance workshops. We would love to thank Uncle Leon, Uncle PJ, Uncle Johnny, Uncle Roo, Aunty Helen, Aunty Donna and Aunty Jill for your contribution in Educating our whole school community for NAIDOC in 2024.
We have continued our partnerships with NRL School 2 Work and LearnEd tuition for our senior students. Aurora Rise program with our year 8 and 9 students.
Sistaspeak has been up and running with some girls in year 8 this term. They have been exploring Identity and Culture with the support of Aunty Kristy Faulkner from Winanga-y Dreaming as well as being immersed in Art as their cultural project.
We had 13 students attend the Hunter Academy of Sport (HAS)Talent ID day @ Maitland. All students represented themselves and the school well, and we were lucky enough to have Darcy Lawson, Willow Toomey, Ruby Williamson and Tori Daley selected to proceed to the next stage with the (HAS). Congratulations to all students.
Jaylah Boney, Emilia Johnson, Ellazae Elers, Latiah Murray and Lily Wolloff have completed three beautiful pieces of art at the request of the General Manger from Newcastle Private Hospital after our students performed dance at their Reconciliation week event earlier in the year. These pieces will take pride of place in the General Manager's office, The Birthing suite and the Main foyer at Newcastle Private Hospital. Congratulations to all girls, Aunty Brooke and Bree.
Minimbah Dance group have been engaged in numerous community events in recent times. Their engagements include: Wollotuka Reconciliation Ball, Newcastle NAIDOC, Transition with Mt Hutton PS and Wiripaang PS, Birralee and Woodberry Pre School and a variety of School NAIDOC celebrations with many Public and High schools across the region.
And finally, Kylie from Gordon Driver Licensing facilitated their fantastic program last week of term 2. We were lucky enough to have 8 students attain their L's due to the hard work of Kylie and on behalf of all students and their families we would like to thank Kylie and Gordon Driver Licensing for another successful program.
We look forward to reporting on all the future endeavours in the next newsletter.