term 3 week 8 SOUTH SYDNEY HIGH SCHOOL

Your dedication and commitment to leading our school community make us proud and we are confident in the positive impact you'll make throughout the year ahead.

SASS and SLSO Week

We are very pleased to acknowledge the great work carried out by the School and Administrative Support Staff (SASS) as part of SASS Recognition Week. From balancing and dealing with the school finances, answering phones, assisting with broken limbs, mowing the grass, fixing broken windows, photocopying exams, greeting visitors, purchasing ingredients, managing the website and the School App, measuring out chemicals, assisting students in the classroom, helping the breakfast club, our SASS staff are kept very busy every day. On behalf of the South Sydney High School Community, I would like to acknowledge and thank our SASS staff for their significant contribution to our students, teachers and parents.

Year 11 Preliminary Exams

Good Luck Year 11 as they commence their Preliminary HSC Final Examinations.

Uniform Warriors

Attendance

Attendance at school is essential for your child's learning, social development, and overall success. Regular attendance helps students build important skills, stay engaged with their peers, and achieve their full potential. As parents, you have a legal responsibility to ensure your child attends school every day, unless they are unwell or have a valid reason for absence. By supporting consistent attendance, you are helping your child develop good habits and laying a strong foundation for their future education and life.

Attendance Heroes

40 Year Service Award

Well done to our Learning and Support Teacher, Mr Gialouris, for his dedication and amazing efforts as he received his 40 Year Service Award.

CHS Athletics Breaking News....

We have just received word that Felix W from Year 10 has today achieved a wonderful result in the 1500m coming in at 2nd place. We are so proud of Felix!

Great work from our Talented Musician - Abby!

Abby from Year 12 has not only been excelling at Extension Music but also in the community with several placings in Eisteddfods in Wollongong, St George and Ryde.

Student Numbers

If you know anyone else who is wishing to apply to come to South Sydney High School, please contact the school as soon as possible as we are currently working on the number of classes and the timetable. Also, if you are moving, please let us know as soon as possible so we can accurately forecast our student numbers for 2026.

important dates

• Year 11 Final Examinations - 8th September to 19th September
• Leadership Assembly - Tuesday 23rd September
• Year 12 Graduation - Thursday 25th September
• Last Day of Term 3 - Friday 26th September

Term 4

• Students return Tuesday 14th October
• HSC begins Thursday 16th October

P&C News

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

With the P&C's Trivia Night still reverberating in our minds, here are some not so trivial facts about its huge success:

• More than 130 people attended, most embracing the 80's Vibe dress code
• Nearly 90 Rocketboy pizzas were consumed during the evening
• Almost $4,000 was raised in sponsorship before a single ticket was sold
• Over $3,000 of income came from raffle tickets sales, both online and on the night
• 48 winners shared 115 prizes worth over $11,000 in the online raffle, some as far away as Bowral

After all Trivia Night expenses were accounted for, we achieved a profit of over $12,000 for the benefit of our great school, so a big THANK YOU to everyone who contributed to its success.

Finally, for those of you wanting to relive the night, a comprehensive wrap up with lots of pictures will be sent out by the office early next week.

Have a wonderful weekend!!!

Anthony Fajwul - 2023-2025 SSHS P&C President

Year 9 Camp - Happy Campers

From Wednesday to Friday last week, our Year 9 students swapped the classroom for the outdoors as they headed to the Great Aussie Bush Camp, Kincumber. Under clear blue skies, they enjoyed three fantastic days filled with sunshine, laughter, and plenty of challenges that brought out the very best in teamwork and friendship.

Students pushed themselves outside their comfort zones, showing incredible courage on the high ropes course, leap of faith jump, rock climbing wall, and giant swing. They also built resilience and problem-solving skills in the Survivor Challenge, canoeing and raft building activities, while sharpening their focus and accuracy with a round of archery.

The camp wasn’t just about conquering fears, it was about working together. From cheering each other on at dizzying heights to paddling in sync during raft races, students displayed cooperation and respect throughout.

On Thursday night, the spotlight shifted to the teachers, who proudly claimed bragging rights in the Commando Challenge, showing they can still give a spirited Year 9 crowd a run for their money!

The teachers couldn’t have been prouder of the way our students represented the school, showing maturity, positivity, and enthusiasm in everything they did. Year 9 camp was more than just an excursion, it was an experience that created memories, built friendships, and left everyone looking forward to the next adventure.

Mrs Melani

English News

TOURNAMENT OF MINDS (TOM)

TOM is a voluntary competition for talented students from Years 7-10, focusing on collaborative problem solving and critical thinking. Teams of seven students work as a team to create a dramatic performance outlining their solutions to an open-ended Long-Term Problem in one of four disciplines: Stem/Language- Literature/Arts/Social Sciences. Students also participate in a shorter, unseen Spontaneous Challenge on the day of the tournament.

Recognition has been given to Isabel Treacy from Year 10, who volunteered to assist with the running of the Regional on 31 August. This included manning the registration desks and directing participating students and support networks to their assigned destinations. “Her efforts were instrumental in ensuring the regional tournament went smoothly, generously offering assistance wherever it was needed”. Isabel’s perseverance and efforts to engage in this educational community event will now allow her to train as a judge in 2026.

TOM Facilitator – Ms J Tilby

From the Library

Hello Spring!

With the arrival of spring, it's the perfect season to dive into some new and exciting books. Come and explore our latest releases, now on display in the library. Whether you love adventure, mystery, fantasy, or non-fiction, there's something for everyone to enjoy.

Don't miss out – visit the library today and find your next great read!

R U Ok? - 🧠 Mental Health Matters: Resources to Support You

At South Sydney High School Library, we care about your well-being as much as your studies. Mental health is a vital part of your overall health, and it's okay to seek support when you need it. Here are some valuable resources available to you:

Library Resources:

Books & eBooks and Audiobooks: Explore our collection of books on stress management, mindfulness, anxiety, and building resilience.

Quiet Spaces: Need a moment of calm? Visit the Library for relaxation and reflection.

Mindfulness Activities: Look for mindfulness activities in the amphitheatre section. You can also borrow resources which include guided meditation audio and calming activities.

New to the Collection Highlights

I Survived the Japanese Tsunami, 2011 (The Graphic Novel) by Lauren Tarshis & Illustrated by Chris Chalik

This is a moving graphic novel based around a real event. It is about family and connection and finding courage in the face of adversity. It includes factual information at the back of the book and will be enjoyed by readers of historical fiction.

Kangaroo by Julia Kirby

A heart-warming story about a young Indigenous girl and a disgraced TV host who form an unlikely friendship and work together to rescue and rehabilitate a group of orphaned joeys in a remote outback community. A story about animal protection, outback life, Country, grief and finding your place and destiny in the world. A terrific story for lower secondary readers.

Like, Comment, Subscribe by Kat Ost

This is a terrific book by Australian author, Kat Ost, and published in the Rhiza Shorts series, which are easy to read novels covering subjects which directly affect today’s teens, in this instance the growing online influencer business and the perils of a never-ending quest to get more likes and subscribers. It is well written and being a Rhiza Short it is an accessible and easy read.

The Flip Side: a Graphic Novel by Jason Walz

This breathtaking, page-turning graphic novel is a supernatural survival story in which a grieving teen finds himself in a haunting alternate reality – the frightening embodiment of his depression. For fans of Stranger Things and Nimona.

Cosmos, Vol. 1 by Ryuhei Tamura

When high school student Kaede is hired to use his uncanny ability to sniff out fact from fiction for Cosmos, an intergalactic insurance agency, he embarks on a journey that is out of this world! Kaede is thrown headfirst into several cases as he helps discover the truth about lying aliens and hidden spaceships. Will his strange ability really be helpful to aliens and humans alike?

The Anthropology Book with contributors Miruna Achim [and 26 others]

Explore and understand the key ideas and movements in anthropology – the study of human societies and cultures and how they work. What does it mean to be human? Why do we have rituals? How do family structures differ around the world, and why? The Anthropology Book answers questions like these and many, many more. Applying the \"Big Ideas\" series’ combination of authoritative, accessible text and bold graphics, The Anthropology Book introduces key concepts from different branches of the subject, such as cultural anthropology, ethnography, and biological anthropology, and explains how they have developed over the past century.

Ms Maddocks, Teacher Librarian

Opportunity News

T. Rowe Price Industry Visit

On 2 September, students from Year 10 visited the T. Rowe Price office for an inspiring glimpse into the corporate world. We were welcomed by Stephanie Williams, Associate Experience, who shared an insightful overview of the company and her role within it, offering a deeper understanding of T. Rowe Price’s values and culture.

In small groups, we then met with mentors who generously shared their career journeys and introduced us to the diverse functions across the business. The experience was engaging and uplifting, sparking genuine interest in the corporate sector and encouraging us to continue exploring and expanding our knowledge. T.Rowe Price not only educated us, but presented us with a most generous lunch, parting gifts and paid for our bus there and back. They are an exceptional friend of SSHS and we extend our deep appreciation to them. Additionally, we would like to thank Ms Ansoul who accompanied us and cheered us on, and of course great thanks goes to Mrs Stell who organised this fantastic day!

Harry Unsworth - Student Ambassador of the Opportunity Program SSHS

HSIE News

Congratulations to Caleb in Year 11, who has recently released his debut single “WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT?” under the stage name Ace Lander. A Stage 6 student of both Music and Society and Culture here at South Sydney High School, Caleb’s studies have naturally influenced his creative process. The single blends rhythm and emotion with themes of identity, honesty, and connection — ideas that reflect the concepts he has explored in his coursework.

It’s inspiring to see Caleb sharing his voice with a wider audience, and we look forward to watching his musical journey grow. You can listen to “WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT?” now on Spotify.

What an Ace Achievement!

Very proud Society and Culture teacher, Ms Lopez

CAPA HSC Showcase

Last Tuesday, we hosted our HSC Showcase! 🎶

Our talented Music, Visual Arts and Industrial Technology Timber students presented their major works, supported by our Entertainment Industry classes! 🎨🔧🎵👏

We are so proud of all our students. Congratulations on this huge milestone! 🎓 Major works submitted ✅

Sport News

Beach Volleyball Success

Huge congratulations to Sora and Jahrone! They earned silver, coming 2nd in the Year 11 Boys division at the NSW Beach Schools Cup 2025!

NSW Volleyball Schools Cup Championships

Recap on the day's events by Summer J from Year 8:

On the 20 August, the Year 8 girls volleyball team started the first day of their 2-day competition. On the bus and train to the venue, I could tell everyone was excited but also nervous about our matches.

Our first game was against Baulkham Hills. The first set of the match went well with Luna and Emilia’s sets playing a crucial role in keeping the ball moving and Mia and Sara giving us points with their amazing spikes. We ended up winning the first set, but in the second set we began to make errors on serve-receive because of Baulkham Hills strong servers. Luckily, with Lily and Diamond’s passes we were able to get out of the rotations we were stuck in and win multiple points. We also won back points because of Summer and Kassidy’s serves with some being aces. Despite our efforts we lost the second set but still won the match by points.

In our second game, we were up against St Scholastica. Our first set went well again with everyone doing their part in keeping the ball moving and scoring points. Our team’s energy was lifted every time Luna came onto the court and we began to play a lot better when she was there to help us by set up the ball for spikes. Like our first game, in the second set we began to lose points on serve-receive and made a lot of errors because our spirits were down. Although we lost the second set, we still won the match by points.

In the last game of the day, we played Chatswood. Both of the sets went well, ending up with us winning the game because of Lily, Kassidy and Summer’s serves, Diamond’s passes, Mia and Sara keeping the ball moving with their spikes and Luna and Emilia’s great sets to the hitters. After our effort and support from our coaches, Mr Shan and Lianne we ended up first in our pool.

By the second day, I could tell that everyone was tired, sore and especially nervous because to make it to the finals we had to win all our matches.

The first game of the day was against Rooty Hill and we were nervous because we heard they were a strong team. Both of our sets went well in the game with Lily, Diamond and Kassidy’s spikes winning us points, amazing serves from Mia, Luna and Sara and some great passes from Emilia and Summer. Winning the game gave us the confidence we needed for the next game against St Scholastica.

This game decided whether or not we would make it to the final. We started off our first set amazingly, with amazing contributions from all teammates, allowing us to win the first set by 8 points. In the second set, we lost confidence when their best server came on. Despite this, we managed to keep the gap less than 8 points between our scores, meaning that even though we lost that set, we won the game by points and made it through to the final.

In our finals match, we came up against Baulkham Hills once again. Everyone was excited but also a bit nervous for the outcome of this game. In the first set, we started off with amazing serves from every team member, with everyone getting aces and scoring points. Everyone was doing a lot better than in the first games, creating opportunities for proper rallies. Through teamwork, we were able to work together effectively and we ended up winning the set. Like in most of our games, we began to struggle in the second set. We made errors and mistakes when facing their best servers and we made some mistakes when spiking but we didn’t let it stop us from keeping our spirits up. There were quite a lot of questionable calls from the second referee which, along with our mistakes, resulted in us losing the second set of the match.

By the third set of the match we were anxious for how the set would go. The set started off close, with Baulkham Hills getting a two point lead but it didn’t stop us from trying our hardest to win the points back. We made some errors, but so did Baulkham and we got aces but Baulkham did as well. The set was close the entire time but once we had Kassidy serving, we won back some points. We were 2 points away from winning and after winning a rally we were just 1 away from winning. Kassidy was our server and she managed to get an ace for the last point that we needed to win.

We are all very grateful for Mr Shan giving us opportunities like this and also his help for us to grow and become better at this sport. I don’t think we could have done it without the support of Dylan, Lianne and Jess on the sidelines cheering us on. I’d like to especially thank Dylan and Lianne for taking the time to train us so that we can become better players and people. We couldn’t have done it without our coaches being there for us throughout our competition.

CHS State Athletics Success

This week, Felix and Daniel showcased exceptional talent and determination while competing in the CHS State Athletics at Homebush. Their hard work and sportsmanship have brought great pride to themselves and our school community. We commend their dedication and are thrilled to celebrate their success.

Year 8 Gala Day

A number of Year 8 students took part in the Gala Day against other local schools last week, showcasing great teamwork, energy and school spirit. Our netball teams played brilliantly, with three of our sides finishing in 2nd, 3rd and 4th place. On the soccer field, students showed fantastic skills in both attack and defence, with plenty of goals scored across the day. The Oztag teams impressed with their agility, quick moves and plenty of tries. All students represented the school with enthusiasm and determination, making it a fun and memorable day for everyone involved. A special thank you goes to our Year 10 and 11 students who volunteered their time to referee throughout the day.

Careers News

Spotlight - Career Ideas

NDIS Support Coordinator

NDIS Support Coordinators assist individuals with disabilities in navigating the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), helping them access the right services to support their needs and goals.

What are their strengths?

• Communication and advocacy skills
• Organisational and time management skills
• Problem-solving and client-focused approach
• Knowledge of disability support services

How do they get started?

A Certificate IV in Disability or Community Services provides a great entry point. A bachelor's degree in social work or psychology can lead to advanced career paths.

Lifestyle Assistant

Lifestyle Assistants plan and facilitate recreational and social activities for individuals in aged care, disability support, and community services to improve their well-being and quality of life.

What are their strengths?

• Creativity and adaptability
• Strong communication and social skills
• Ability to support people with diverse needs
• Organisational and teamwork skills
• Empathy and patience

How do they get started?

A Certificate III in Individual Support or a Certificate IV in Leisure and Health is a common pathway. Further training in health or community services can provide additional opportunities.

Palliative Care Nurse

Lifestyle Assistants plan and facilitate recreational and social activities for individuals in aged care, disability support, and community services to improve their well-being and quality of life.

What are their strengths?

• Compassion and emotional resilience
• Strong communication and counselling abilities
• Ability to work in teams
• Advanced nursing and pain management skills

How do they get started?

A Bachelor of Nursing is required, along with further training in palliative care. Registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) is essential.

Job Jump Careers News Bulletin – All your Latest Weekly News

This newsletter is accessible through each of the Google Classrooms mentioned below. While directly relating to Year 11 and 12, it is worthwhile our Year 9 and 10 students have a read of this Bulletin.

Check out to see what’s on offer at some of our Universities, TAFE and Private Colleges.

Job Jump Subject Careers News Bulletin – All your Latest Weekly News

The KLA’s featured in this issue:

• CAPA
• English
• PDHPE
• Maths and Science
• HSIE

Year 12

Congratulations to Year 12. With over 35 plus early entry offers to various universities, this is a result of hard work and dedication over the past two years.

Keep working hard for the next few weeks as you approach the final exams.

Please keep an eye on Careers Google Classroom for important information

• Year 12 - o46wli2
• Year 11 sr64tws
• Year 10 mutret6
• Year 9 - jatx4ftf - this is a new classroom – please join!

A reminder about the South Sydney HS Careers Website - https://sshscareers.careertools.com.au/

Return and Earn

Keep the return and earn coming in!

If you have any cans, bottles and/or 10c items, please bring to school to Ms Mattock’s office.

Meredith Mattock - Careers Adviser

parent information

Consent Reminder - NSW Health School Vaccination Program

Year 7 Vaccinations will take place on Thursday 18 September 2025.

If you have not provided online consent, please read below.

Dear Parent/Guardian,

If your child is in Year 7 or Year 10 in 2025, you can provide consent online for school vaccinations.

In Year 7, students are offered free vaccines for diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (dTpa) and human papillomavirus (HPV). In Year 10, students are offered the meningococcal ACWY vaccine.

Vaccination will only be provided at school if consent has been received. Online consent will only be accepted if provided through the NSW Health School Vaccination Program portal. Consent should not be provided to the school via email or other electronic form submission.

How to provide consent:

1. To complete online consent for your child’s school vaccinations, visit: engage.health.nsw.gov.au
2. Follow the steps to log in to your existing ServiceNSW account. This is the same account you may already use to renew your driver’s licence. If you do not have a ServiceNSW account, refer to ServiceNSW to create one.
3. Update or confirm your personal details as required.
4. Complete the School Vaccination Consent Form for your child/ren. You will need to:

• Enter your child’s personal details
• Provide the Medicare card details for you and your child
• Read the linked Parent Information Sheet and privacy statement
• Provide consent

Detailed instructions can be found on the NSW Health website. If you or your child do not have a Medicare card, consent can still be provided by requesting a paper consent form from the school.

The benefits of providing consent online:

• Easily update your child’s details
• Receive SMS and/or email notifications when vaccinations are given
• Faster upload of vaccination records to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR)

For more information on routine school vaccinations, please visit www.health.nsw.gov.au/schoolvaccination

If you require information in your language, please visit www.health.nsw.gov.au/immunisation/Pages/school_vaccination_language.aspx

Scan the QR code or click here to provide consent.

Community news & events

Opportunity for Graduating Year 12's

Applications Closing 14 September - Become a software developer straight out of high school.

WiseTech's Earn & Learn program offers you a full-time, paid job as a software engineer while also supporting you through a four-year university degree.

We combine university recognized coursework, real-world experience at one of Australia's most successful tech companies and university funding to give you an unparalleled head-start on your career in tech.

Available in our Sydney global head office - if you're in Year 12 this year and are passionate about coding, then APPLY NOW for our Earn & Learn program commencing in early 2026.