Hunter Sports High News Term 4 - Week 5 - 2025

CAREERS

Year 10 O Week a Huge Success! During Week 3, our Year 10 students participated in their senior transition program, O Week, an engaging and purposeful program designed to prepare them for their senior years of study. The week was packed with activities to build readiness for Stage 6, strengthen career awareness, and promote wellbeing and connection. Throughout the week, students took part in a range of sessions including Alumni Chats, where past students shared their post-school journeys and offered valuable advice on navigating the HSC and beyond. The Letter-to-Self activity encouraged students to reflect on their goals and aspirations, writing a personal message to be opened at their Year 12 Formal — a touching reminder of how far they’ll have come. The mandatory All My Own Work (AMOW) modules were completed. Students also engaged in the Study Cycle program developed for HSHS, which focused on effective learning habits, study techniques, and goal setting tailored to their chosen pathways. Students also attended an informative Legal Aid “Work Ready” presentation, which provided important insights into their rights and responsibilities in the workplace. This session was a valuable opportunity for students to learn how to protect themselves and make informed decisions as they step into the world of work. To balance the academic focus, students participated in a fun Wellbeing Activity, and the week concluded with a relaxed BBQ and games afternoon, providing a well-earned celebration to wrap up a busy and rewarding week. A huge thank you to all staff who presented, supervised, and supported activities throughout the week. Your time and effort ensured every session ran smoothly and meaningfully. Special thanks to our guest presenter, Keiran O’Sullivan from Legal Aid; HSHS Alumni, Farisha Khan, Taleah Dodd, Kim Trappett, Joey Summers and Lauchlyn Spicer; Sarah from our Wellbeing Hub, Year Advisor Lewis Horne, Deputy Nic Davies and last but not least, Mrs Schubert and the Careers team for coordinating such a well-organised and impactful week. O Week 2025 truly showcased the enthusiasm and maturity of our Year 10 cohort as they prepare to take on the challenges and opportunities of senior school. We’re proud of their efforts and excited to see what’s ahead!

ENGLISH

As the year draws to a close, our English classrooms are buzzing with creativity, reflection, and growth across all year levels. Year 7 students are diving into Visual Literacy this term, exploring how images, symbols, and design communicate meaning. It’s been wonderful to see their analytical skills develop as they begin to “read” visual texts with the same depth and insight they bring to written ones. It’s hard to believe they are almost at the end of their very first year of high school English. Year 8 are engaging with Digital Stories and Online Narratives, discovering how storytelling has evolved in the digital age. They’re learning to think critically about the media they consume and to craft their own creative digital texts that combine words, images, and sound. Year 9 are stepping into the world of Shakespeare, unpacking the universal themes, language, and enduring relevance of his plays. From drama and conflict to love and power, our students are gaining a richer understanding of why Shakespeare’s works continue to shape storytelling today. Year 10 are completing the English component of their transition program, designed to prepare them for the rigours of Stage 6. This program develops advanced reading, writing, and analytical skills, setting them up for success as they move into senior English classes next year. Meanwhile, Year 11 have officially begun their HSC English courses. Their enthusiasm, focus, and commitment have been inspiring as they tackle complex ideas and refine their critical and creative voices. Finally, our Year 12 students have completed their English HSC examinations, a huge milestone! We are incredibly proud of their hard work, perseverance, and achievements throughout the year. The English faculty already misses their energy and leadership in our classrooms and school community. It’s been a wonderful year of storytelling, analysis, and imagination, and we look forward to another year of growth and discovery in 2026.

GEM

The Hidden GEM Cafe - Serving Up Smiles and Delicious Meals! Each fortnight, students in the Opal class have been busy cooking up a storm in The Hidden GEM Cafe. Each week, they prepare, cook, and serve delicious meals to staff, and their efforts have been a huge hit. From taking orders and handling money to plating up cafe quality dishes, the students work together beautifully, showing teamwork, enthusiasm, and pride in their creations. Through their cafe work, students are not only learning valuable cooking and hospitality skills but also developing confidence in money handling and basic financial skills. The cafe has become a favourite spot for staff, who keep coming back for the tasty food, friendly service, and the warm smiles that come with every meal.

Learning Beyond the Classroom! Winds of Change Sailing Program The Winds of Change program has provided a wonderful opportunity for a group of female students to step outside their comfort zone and experience the thrill of sailing. Running one day a week over four weeks, the program delivered in partnership with the Making Waves Foundation introduced students to the fundamentals of sailing while encouraging teamwork, leadership, and resilience. Throughout the sessions, students learn to assist in sailing the boats, demonstrating impressive collaboration, persistence, and enthusiasm. Their growing confidence and ability to work together on the water has been outstanding. The Winds of Change program has truly inspired students, helping them develop new skills, build self-belief, and discover the rewards of working as a team toward a shared goal.

Grease the Musical The GEM Drama group was able to visit the Hunter School of Performing Arts at Broadmeadow to watch their production of Grease the Musical. The performance was exceptional, and the students loved seeing other students dance and sing amongst some extremely impressive sets and backdrops. During week 9, the GEM drama group will be putting on their own performance, which they have been working on for most of the year.

All Abilities Touch Football Gala Day Students recently took part in an All Abilities Touch Football Gala Day held at the Tomaree Sports Complex, and what a fantastic day it was! The event was run by the Sports Coaching students from Tomaree High School, who did an outstanding job organising and facilitating the day’s activities. Our students jumped right into the action, showing great enthusiasm, teamwork, and sportsmanship. It was wonderful to see everyone encouraging each other, celebrating successes, and simply enjoying being part of the game. There were plenty of smiles, laughter, and moments of pride as students showcased their skills and spirit. Adding to the excitement of the day, students were thrilled to meet Newcastle Knights player Fletcher Hunt, who stopped by to show his support and cheer them on. His visit was a real highlight and inspired many of our young players. Days like this highlight the power of inclusion, collaboration, and fun in sport. A big thank you to Tomaree High School for hosting such a well-run event and to all students for making it such a memorable experience!

Getting Creative - Imagination, Innovation, and Enterprise in Action! Students in the Getting Creative program have been busy exploring their imagination and entrepreneurial spirit through a range of hands-on, engaging activities. One of the program’s highlights is the $20 Boss Project, where students take on the challenge of planning, designing, and creating products to sell at their upcoming Market Day. This exciting project encourages students to think like young entrepreneurs managing budgets, problem-solving, and working collaboratively to bring their ideas to life. Alongside this, students take part in a variety of creative elective subjects including gardening, upcycling, art, and drama. Many of the wonderful items and projects developed in these classes will be showcased and available for purchase on Market Day, offering the school community a glimpse into the students’ creativity and talent. The enthusiasm, imagination, and pride students have shown throughout the program have been outstanding. They are eagerly preparing to share their unique creations and hard work with staff, students, and families. This year’s Market Day will be held in Week 8, and we can’t wait to see what our creative young minds have in store!

Ruby Class At the end of Term 3 the Ruby class participated in the Living Smart festival with a garden bed featuring a cross section of examples from their classroom learning. The class was lucky enough again to win the People's Choice award. The garden featured plants from the Gem garden including lavender, sunflowers, chives, flowers, a pineapple plant and art works created for the festival which reflect our sustainability practice and approach to learning. The Ruby class has entered the Waste as Art exhibition, featuring painted tin cans from the Living Smart festival garden bed. It is featured at Charlestown Library until the end of January. The artwork was created from found materials. As part of the Kicking Goals program this term, students are visiting the Windale Hub to use the facilities. Students have enjoyed learning outside of the classroom.

Leaving to Learn – Exploring, Discovering, and Enjoying the Outdoors The Diamond and Emerald classes have been joining forces for their fortnightly Leaving to Learn excursions, and what a fantastic experience it has been! These outings give students the opportunity to learn beyond the classroom, develop life skills, and strengthen friendships while exploring some of the beautiful destinations our region has to offer. Recently, the group enjoyed a day at Bolton Point, where they spent time fishing and relaxing by the water. The location was chosen by one of the students and it turned out to be a great choice, especially when that same student landed a decent sized bream! The excitement and teamwork throughout the day made it a memorable experience for everyone. In the coming weeks, students will be heading to Newcastle Canoe Pool and Skate Park, as well as Caves Beach, for more opportunities to explore, be active, and connect with the outdoors. These excursions have quickly become a highlight for both classes, offering a perfect mix of fun, learning, and adventure while celebrating the stunning natural surroundings of Newcastle and Lake Macquarie.

HSIE

This term, we are pleased to welcome Mr Chad McCarter to the HSIE faculty. Mr McCarter will be covering Miss Goodyer’s classes while she is on leave, and we are delighted to have him join our team. He brings great enthusiasm and a passion for teaching the humanities, and we know our students will benefit from his experience and engaging approach in the classroom. Our HSIE students have started the term with a range of exciting topics across Geography and History. Our Year 7 Geography students are currently studying Landscapes and Landforms, a topic that introduces them to the physical features that shape our planet. They are exploring the different types of landscapes—such as mountains, deserts, rivers, and coasts—and investigating how natural processes like erosion, weathering and volcanic activity form and change landforms over time. Students are also considering how people value and interact with these environments, including Indigenous Australians’ deep cultural and spiritual connections to Country. In Year 8 History, students are studying Expanding Contacts, focusing on Australia’s history within the broader context of global exploration and cultural exchange. This topic examines how societies across the world came into contact through trade, exploration and colonisation, and how these encounters shaped cultures, beliefs and ways of life. The focus in class has been on understanding the different perspectives that exist in history—especially the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples during early contact and colonisation. Through this study, students are developing their ability to question, analyse sources and think critically about how the past continues to influence the present. Our Year 9 Geography students are investigating Human Wellbeing, a unit that encourages them to think about what makes a good quality of life and why wellbeing differs between people and places around the world. Students are learning how wellbeing can be measured through factors such as health, education, and income, and are exploring global patterns of inequality. They are also looking at real-world efforts to improve wellbeing, including the role of governments and community organisations. Meanwhile, Year 10 students are participating in Transition to Stage 6 lessons designed to prepare them for their senior studies. These lessons focus on understanding syllabus requirements, interpreting marking criteria and rubrics, and improving exam techniques. Students are also learning how to unpack directive terms such as “analyse,” “evaluate” and “assess,” and how to structure effective responses. The goal of this program is to build students’ confidence and skills as they move into Year 11, helping them to approach Stage 6 studies with a clear understanding of expectations and strategies for success. Finally, we would like to extend our warm congratulations to our Year 11 and Year 12 students. Year 12 have now completed their coursework and are sitting their HSC examinations. We are immensely proud of their hard work, dedication and persistence, and we are confident that their results will reflect the effort they have invested throughout the year. For our Year 11 students, the start of their HSC journey marks an important new stage in their education. We encourage them to approach their studies with diligence, communicate regularly with their teachers and Mr Berry, and establish strong study habits early to lay the foundation for success in the year ahead.

LEADERSHIP CAMP

Hunter Sports High was proud to induct our new Senior Leadership team late last term. Our 2025/2026 senior leaders are: Captains: Beau Boettcher, Amalee Peisto and Samantha Pearson Vice Captains: William Manning and Aisha Fox Prefects: Kingstone Amy-Ale, Curtis Mulherin, Ava Hughes, Zoe Miller

As part of their induction, our leadership team was invited to attend the Classroom Campfire Wilderness Experience Training, aimed at extending the leadership qualities of our team, and letting them put their leadership and communication skills to the test. We even had some of our TSP Squad captains sub-in last minute! Their recount of this experience is as follows:

We embarked towards Kangaroo Valley and took 3 days to deep dive into critical skills surrounding holistic leadership, through a multitude of activities that could only be done on the wilderness landscapes of Kangaroo Valley.

From day 1 we were thrown in the deep end, the familiar highways turned into winding roads with trees and shrubbery lining the roads. Upon arrival we brainstormed what makes a holistic leader uncovering different attributes that we would address during our camp. Bravery and vulnerability were the first holistic leadership attributes we uncovered. We were given the task to draw and then silently present our creations, which called for us to be brave and vulnerable as we could not explain our artistic decisions. Kayaking was the next activity and our personal favourite. The rapids of the Kangaroo River tested our resilience and perseverance and ultimately got us ready for dinner and bed.

Day 2 started off with breakfast and complaints about the sleeping arrangements - hard mattresses in thin tents. Our first activity of the day was orienteering through the bush. We were led into the bush to an amazing cave and given directions and landmarks to be able to guide ourselves back through the bush. Through this activity we learnt to overcome challenges as a group through communication and collaboration. After successfully finding our way back we were ready for some down time at the pool and for some lunch. After refueling we embarked on our journey upwards towards a beautiful waterfall, where, after our long walk filled with tenacity in the scorching sun we were rewarded with a nice refreshing swim under the waterfall. Not long after we adventured back down to flat rock to explore and appreciate a sacred Aboriginal birthing pools and learn about finding peace in nature and how to translate it into finding our peace and sanctuary in our day to day lives to be able to block the noises and stresses of our busy life. Afterwards we headed back to camp to get ready for dinner where we discovered some adversity with our tents being ravaged by wind therefore teaching us to adapt to our changing circumstances leaving some of us with better sleeping arrangements than others. Then we participated in communication games learning about how to effectively communicate in order to achieve the same desired outcome. After the girls won the communication competition it was time for bed.

The last day of camp had come around quicker than expected just as the 6am wake time did for our last and final big activity of the camp. Breaking through our comfort zone, overcoming challenges and finding strength within each other, we entered the Kangaroo Valley river at approximately 6:15am. Interlinking arms we slowly entered the freezing cold water finding trust, strength, vulnerability and peace within each other. A perfect activity to end the camp finishing with hot chocolates on the way back to camp to warm us back up. Finally back at camp we finished up with some communication and team building exercises, which left all of us challenged and with some news skills. Working in teams to participate in challenges like making puzzles with half the team blindfolded or working as a team to communicate a successfully goal in blindfold medicine-ball soccer.

Ultimately, we are grateful to have had the opportunity provided to us to step outside our comfort zone to explore holistic leadership. Learning to be vulnerable, trust in our peers, be brave to place our trust in others and be accountable for our actions. Alongside enhancing our skills of communication, persistence, resilience and many more. Finally, our growth within these skills wouldn’t have been possible without not only our instructors from WET, Haysey and Billy and our wonderful teachers Mr Tate and Ms Hammond.

MATHEMATICS

The Mathematics Department has enjoyed an eventful and engaging start to the term. A particular highlight was the recent Aboriginal Numeracy Day held at Hunter Stadium, where teams of Year 7 and Year 8 students represented Hunter Sports High School. The event combined mathematical thinking with the context of Rugby League, allowing students to participate in a range of interactive challenges involving speed calculations, kicking angles, team salaries, rates, and ratios. Students demonstrated enthusiasm, teamwork, and problem-solving skills throughout the day, gaining a deeper appreciation of how mathematics is applied in real-world scenarios. The event successfully highlighted the connection between numeracy and everyday life, particularly through the lens of sport. In addition, students in Years 7 to 9 are currently preparing for their upcoming assessment tasks in Week 5. Assessment notifications have been distributed, outlining the relevant topics and revision strategies. Students are encouraged to make effective use of these resources and to seek assistance from their teachers to support their preparation. The Mathematics staff commend all students for their ongoing effort and engagement and look forward to continued success throughout the remainder of the term.

MINIMBAH

It's been a continuous busy cycle for the Minimbah team with an incredibly busy and inspiring end to Term 3 and start of Term 4 at HSHS, with cultural celebration, education, and community engagement at the forefront of everything we do.

We ended Term 3 and have continued into Term 4 with our regular Community of Schools (CoS) Bro/SistaSpeak gatherings to assist our Year 6 to Year 7 transitions engaging students in a wide variety of cultural and learning opportunities and the Minimbah students heading into Year 7 will have their half day transition on site with the Minimbah team on 7/11/2025.

Year 7 Passion Project Wednesdays have continued since mid-Term 1. Students have explored Aboriginal art, traditional games, histories, and Dreaming stories, created educational Kahoot's, watched The Final Quarter documentary about Adam Goodes, and enjoyed an excursion to local cultural sites. Recent sessions / upcoming sessions will include cultural cooking, anti-racism, scav hunt around the school and dance. Big thank you to Ms. Hearne from TAS for assisting with the cooking session.

Our school's shift to streamlining the PLP (Personalised Learning Pathway) process has seen strong staff support through FOCUS Days each term and roll call sessions once a fortnight, ensuring students receive consistent and meaningful engagement around their goals and aspirations.

The Minimbah Team continues to be a presence across classrooms and have been delivering Perspectives into classrooms across several KLAs, delving into themes like pre-colonisation and artefacts. Students have shown great curiosity and empathy, engaging wholeheartedly in these powerful learning experiences with our staff.

The dance group continues to engage with community sharing dance and delivering workshops at Woodberry Public, and upcoming performances at childcare centres, conferences and Newcastle Private Hospital.

The whole year 8 cohort attended the annual cultural immersion day at Murrook where educational talks and cultural sand dune walks were the highlight.

The 2nd group of Year 8 SistaSpeak Program is almost complete, the girls have immersed themselves in self-esteem, identity, art, weaving, careers and further study discussions and will end the program with a visit to Yamuloong. Big thanks to community members Kahlia Saunders, Kristy Faulkner, Kiera Multari and Mrs. Hines from TAS for the cooking session.

Other exciting events have included the Illuminate Leadership 3-day Camp at Wollotuka/Newcastle Uni, RAAF camp, the Numeracy Gala Day, the Aurora Foundations Immersion Day at Murrook for Year 10 students, Language Workshop & Lingo Lunch with the Wollotuka Institute, Department of Education Nanga Mai Awards, the NRL School to Work for our Year 11 students (who have just started Year 12) is up and running and our Year 12s Graduation assembly.

Minimbah Celebrations is upon us on and is always a great night to dress up and celebrate each of the Minimbah students: DATE: 9/12/2025 TIME: 6pm-9pm VENUE: HSHS S Block COST: $10 per person (or $40 for a family of 5) includes dinner, dessert, a drink & entertainment. Everyone is welcome! Our students continue to inspire us with their resilience, talent, and cultural leadership, supported by the strength of our wider school community. The Minimbah Team is proud to journey with them in culture, identity, and learning. Minimbah Team HSHS

SCIENCE

Hunter Sports High School Year 9 Students Dive into Wetland Ecology at Awabakal Environmental Education Centre Recently, a group of enthusiastic HSHS Year 9 students embarked on an immersive educational journey to the Awabakal Environmental Education Centre in Sandgate. This visit forms a practical component of the Stage 5 Living Wetlands program, an integral part of the Environmental Sustainability unit within the Stage 5 syllabus. The Living Wetlands program at Awabakal is designed to deepen students’ understanding of one of Australia’s most vital and diverse ecosystems—wetlands. These ecosystems serve multiple environmental functions, including biodiversity support, water purification, flood control, and carbon sequestration, which directly tie into broader themes of environmental sustainability and conservation explored in the classroom. During the one-day excursion, students engaged in a variety of hands-on activities that brings the wetland ecology to life. They conduct water quality tests to analyse factors such as pH levels, turbidity, and dissolved oxygen — important indicators of ecosystem health. This practical application helped students see firsthand how scientific methods can be used to monitor and protect natural environments. The trip also highlighted the challenges wetlands face, such as habitat destruction, climate change, and invasive species such as mosquito fish, which were bought into Australia 80 years ago to control mosquitos, but have now become a pest that feasts on native aquatic species. As part of the Environmental Sustainability unit, the Living Wetlands program encourages students to think critically about humanity’s impact on ecosystems and the importance of preserving them for future generations. The Awabakal visit succeeded in inspiring many students with a deeper appreciation for wetlands and a renewed commitment to sustainable practices. When they return to the classroom, students will undertake a detailed research project to expand on the ideas covered during this excursion. They will make predictions about future ecosystems, consider management alternatives and present their findings to their class.

WELLBEING NEWSLETTER

Hello all and welcome back to the Wellbeing Hub. Once again, there has been lots happening in this space but here our some of our highlights: ● Year 9 Focus Day This occurred towards the end of last term where Year 9 had the opportunity to engage in a variety of workshops which were all designed to support their wellbeing and allow them to build connections between peers in their year group. The day featured a workshop from Chris Houston from In Minds Training. This workshop involved a focus on mental health awareness, mental health literacy, mental health resilience, support skills and ways to promote a culture of mental wellbeing at school. Chris was incredibly engaging for students and built an amazing rapport with them. Students were appreciative, engaged, and respectful throughout the whole session. They also enjoyed his links and connections to challenges and triumphs in his life, including his football career overseas and with teams including the Newcastle Knights. Thank you very much to Chris for running this session.

Consent Labs There was also a workshop from Consent Labs that aimed to empower students with information around consent and respectful relationships that aligned with the school curriculum. Students indicated that this session was informative and we would like to take a moment to give a massive thank you to Natalia Hefferan and Megan Wray for travelling to the school to run the session.

Johnny Shannon The day culminated with students getting the opportunity to listen to a motivational speaker, Jonny Shannon who shared his own experiences in grit, mental health and resilience. In 2021, Jonny Shannon was awarded 'Australian Motivational Speaker of the Year' and he brought an incredible amount of experience and passion to his session. As well as Year 9, this session was enjoyed by all students from all year groups. Thank you Johnny for his presentation, especially for his flexibility as start and finish times needed to be changed at short notice to ensure other important school activities could run.

● Breakfast Club - Once again, Hunter Sports is proud to run our Breakfast Club program every Friday morning. Thank you to Mt Hutton Baker’s Delight for their wonderful support and assistance in organising delicious breakfasts for our students. Thank you to all staff who help to make this run and volunteer to begin their work day early on Friday to ensure that this can happen. We would also like to take a moment to thank all of the student leaders who have also assisted and volunteered with this program. ● RU OK Day - This was celebrated on 11th September and students had designated time to explore what ‘RU OK Day’ is to them. They completed several activities during this time and one activity included students contributing to a Gratitude Wall which is proudly displayed in the Wellbeing Hub. Thank you to students in Big Picture who assisted with creating the Gratitude Wall display.

Small group and individualised support programs - The team from ARISE has continued to run and provide a program that offers 1:1 sessions with selected students to further support their wellbeing at school. This program has been invaluable for student attendees and we are very grateful for ARISE’s support throughout the year. This term, Samaritans are running a pilot program on Anxiety. We are thankful for the team at Samaritans to be supporting our students.

Youth Strategy Workshop - Selected students participated in a Youth Strategy Workshop where their voices were listened to by Council members. It was also an opportunity for the students to learn the process of Council strategies and how they can make a submission on the Youth Strategy or any other Council strategy before they are finalised and endorsed. A draft of the strategy will soon be put on exhibition by the Council and Tony and Team who have come back to the school to let young people know how we used their feedback and present on the plan overall.

● Transition to High School - the Wellbeing team was excited to be part of the transition process to support primary students to have a smooth transition to high school next year where local Year 6 students engaged in workshops at Hunter Sports High School. Current students were also part of the workshops offering their experiences and support. Thank you to staff and students involved.

● Implementation of Positive Behaviour Process - The wellbeing team has collaborated to create and implement a system to recognise our students’ ongoing commitment to the school’s values of success, responsibility, and respect. Students are recognised each week during Friday’s Mentor time as being MVP of their respective year group for the week and rewarded with a $5 canteen voucher. At the end of each term, students in each year group with the most recognised awards are determined our MVPs of the term at the formal assembly, receiving a $50 gift voucher to commend them on their ongoing and exceptional commitment. This process continued in Term 3 and will continue in Term 4. Well done to all students who receive acknowledgement and recognition for their positive commitment to their school.

COMMUNITY NOTICES