2021 Term 1 NEWSLETTER

Principal’s message

Principal
Hilary Hughes

Dear School Community

Welcome to the 2021 school year.
Congratulations to our NSL students who performed extremely well in the 2020 HSC. There were 8 students First in Course and 31 students on the high achiever's list. Over 64% of our students were placed in the top 2 bands, well above the state average 37%. Our students and teachers have worked very hard to attain these amazing results across the whole school.

Congratulations go also to Spanish and French teacher, Ms Kati Varela-Batista, who was recognised for her ongoing contribution to language teaching, and her support for language teachers across NSW.

As COVID restrictions have eased, and as you’ll see later in the newsletter, students are able to travel to our Petersham school for Lessons days (and exams!) Remember that people on public transport should be wearing a mask. Soap and sanitiser are in plentiful supply when students arrive.
We have been working on our new Strategic Improvement Plan for 2021 - 2024.

35 West street, Petersham
NSW 2049
P: 02 9381 4800
Email

Student Growth and Attainment
To maximise student learning outcomes and engagement, we will ensure students have access to high-quality learning opportunities that support and inform personalised teaching and learning.

Staff Growth and Effectiveness
To improve staff engagement, collaboration and well-being, staff will evaluate their effectiveness by reflecting on their practice and adapting it through quality, high impact professional learning and the use of data.

Community Engagement and Innovation
To extend the reach of NSL and encourage mutually beneficial community and real-world partnerships, we will nurture relationships and share expertise to build productive learning communities.

This year we are looking forward to some new assets and infrastructure. Projects in the planning pipeline include a covered walkway between Blocks A and E, the roadway through the school being relaid with a strong road base and repairs to the roof of Block D. Staff will also benefit from new noise-cancelling headphones with directional microphones, and the installation of more electric desks at staff workstations.

Presenting the session online allowed a record number of parents to tune in for the Parent and Carer Information Evenings. If you missed out, a recording and the slides of the 2021 Parent and Carer Information Evening and the Parent and Carer Handbook are available on our website: Parents and carers - NSW School of Languages

As always, please let us know if there are any changes in your child’s situation or wellbeing. We are mindful of accommodations that can be made for each student if necessary. If you have any concerns about your child’s learning at NSW School of Languages, please contact the school on 9381 4800 or nswschoollang.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Congratulations to our Spanish teacher, Ms Kati Varela Batista on being recognised at the Professional Teachers Council Awards Evening. Ms Varela-Batista received the Outstanding Professional Service Award 2020 for her significant contribution to Language teaching and the Modern Language Teachers' Association NSW.

Teacher Accreditation News
Congratulations!
Last year a number of our teachers were accredited at Proficient Teacher level. These teachers worked hard to show that they meet the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers in the work they do teaching languages at NSW School of Languages. Mr Martin Koester, Ms Angela Noh, Ms Margarita Diaz, Ms Anna Shipilova (left),
Ms Yiran (Alice) Xu

Congratulations to our top achievers in the 2020 HSC!

We had outstanding results in 2020 HSC – this is a real testament to the persistence and hard work of our students and teachers. What champions!
In all, we had 547 students achieve in the top two bands in their subject.
Eight students studying at NSW School of Languages topped their language subject.
The following students came in the top ten in their course. Those with an asterisk came First in Course. Congratulations!

Amanda, Karen*
Indonesian and Literature
Burrows, Jasmine*
Chinese Beginners
Lee, Ru-Chen
Chinese Beginners
Phillips, Tani
German Beginners
Power, Nina
German Beginners
Hadjimichael, Sophia
Italian Continuers
Pacini, Matilde
Italian Extension

Turini, Vanessa
Italian Extension
Bamba, Sakura
Japanese in Context
Leung, Hiu Ting*
Korean Beginners
Ocampo, Kayla
Korean Beginners
Roger, Sarah
Korean Beginners
Sekuljica, Danijela*
Korean Continuers
Elston, Olivia
Korean Continuers
Gibbs, Ella Rose
Korean Continuers

Hirachan, Anubhuti
Korean Continuers
Zhu, Jiaxin
Korean Continuers
Koutsoubos, Jacqueline*
Modern Greek Beginners
Christoforou, Jamie
Modern Greek Beginners
Karahlis, Tom
Modern Greek Beginners
Lis, Lukas
Modern Greek Beginners
Gaitani, Paraskevi-Georgia
Modern Greek Extension
Souza Do Canto, Maria Gabriela
Portuguese Continuers
Kuvyatkina, Anna*
Russian Continuers
Asprey, Misha
Russian Continuers

Kolontaevskaya, Alyona
Russian Continuers
Korotun, Stanislav
Russian Continuers
Makeyeva, Kseniya
Russian Continuers
Coombs, Eszter Violet*
Spanish Continuers
Burch, Matthew
Spanish Continuers
Coombs, Eszter Violet*
Spanish Extension

Fund raising

Some staff at our school are participating in Laps for Life in March to raise money for youth mental health and suicide prevention services in Australia. We started swimming together as part of our workplace wellbeing efforts, and we meet weekly before school for some laps. This cause is close to our hearts, so if you would like to get involved too, visit www.lapsforlife.com.au/

Adam Hashambhoy - French teacher

Below is a sample of the press releases about our students.
https://education.nsw.gov.au/news/latest-news/success-is-the-same-whatever-language-you-speak
Our public school students are top class (nsw.gov.au)
There is a lovely photo of Eszter Coombs in the Sydney Morning Herald:
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/i-love-how-it-challenges-me-the-students-who-came-first-in-every-hsc-subject-20201217-p56o8p.html

Education Perfect

Education Perfect Languages
Education Perfect is an online language learning resource. It is being offered to NSL students for $30/year (+$3.00 for Paypal processing). The resource is not mandatory; however we encourage your child to consider this option. Education Perfect Languages compliments the NSW School of Languages language courses.
Education Perfect Languages is not just an online vocabulary resource. It provides Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing resources and gives access to past HSC examination papers from Victoria and New Zealand. The site includes a feature called Languages in Action which offers literacy and numeracy exercises in the target language. Students can also write a task in the target language and submit it to Education Perfect Languages online and have it marked automatically according to the NSW HSC marking guidelines.

It is available in the following languages and courses:
Stage 5 Year 9 and 10, Stage 6 Year 11 and 12 Beginners and Continuers courses
German, Japanese, Indonesian, Russian, Korean
Chinese, Modern Greek, French, Italian, Spanish, Latin
ESL = EAL/D

Please note: Education Perfect Languages does not offer courses in the following: Languages in Context, Languages and Literature and Extension courses.
NSW School of Languages invites all our current and new 2021 students to subscribe to the 2021 Education Perfect Languages. Here is the new payment link:

Annual Subscription
If you have any concerns or questions please email Astra Vilkins.
astra.vilkins@det.nsw.edu.au

Congratulations to all our HSC Spanish Students
Students from NSL achieved exceptional results in Spanish Continuers in the 2020 Higher School Certificate. A special mention goes to Eszter Coombs who came
1st in NSW in Spanish Continuers and Spanish Extension.
Congratulations Eszter!
We hope these results encourage our current Year 12 students to achieve their very best in our courses.
The Spanish Faculty would also
like to welcome two new teachers: Kati Varela-Batista and Evelyn
Green Ortega.

Work Experience in the Spanish Faculty
Late in Term 4 2020, the Spanish Department was lucky enough to have one of our Year 10 students, Avery Morgan, come in for five days' Work Placement. Avery put her Spanish skills to good use as she helped a number of teachers with resource creation and organisation.

Congratulations to the 2020 Year
12 EAL/D students for their pleasing HSC results! We have heard from students about their acceptance into tertiary education including engineering and education. This year we will continue to offer group online video lessons for Year 12 students to help them prepare for the HSC examinations.

This term Year 12 students are studying the documentary film ‘Reindeer in my Saami Heart’ written, directed and produced by Janet Merewether. Year 11 students are studying a variety of short texts. Below is a poem written by Year 11 student Chai Kondo after studying Dorothea Mackellar’s poem ‘My Country.

for better and for worse
in rise and fall she shall always prevail
with justice and strength at heart
and mercy if so she can
faith and courage runs within her veins
when duties call on her, she’ll always be there
for this is she, the land of milk and honey
Composed by Chai Kondo

Israel

Land of milk and honey
Of great cities of old
Long fought over
Vast history of tales of glory
Many quarrel over thy.
Resilience and hope drives it forth
Through the ages it stood strong

2020 HSC High achievers awards presentation
Five NSL students attended the HSC High Achievers Award Presentation, held on 12 February at the Korean Education Centre. Students who achieved excellent results in the Korean courses were congratulated and also received awards and prizes from the Education Director and the president of Korean Language Teachers Association, NSW. Students gave impressive speeches, thanking their teachers for their effort and support in learning Korean at NSW School of Languages. Well done on your achievements!

We won 2nd place in the Korean Performance Contest!
Stage 5 students came 2nd in the Korean Performance Contest. They accepted the ‘Infinite Challenge’ held by Korean Education Centre. Students made a 2 minute video on the theme of ‘Challenge’ and ‘My Korea bucket list’. Students independently filmed themselves using the script they wrote. They also sang songs during the virtual lesson days. We’re very proud of you all!

Long time no see, Year 12 Korean Continuers students!
"We have missed the face-to-face lesson days at NSL."
The face-to-face lessons have finally resumed in 2021 and the Year 12 Korean Continuers Course students returned to NSL on 23 February. It has been a year since we last met each other in person and we had missed each other so much. We had a lot of excitement throughout the day.
Students enjoyed speaking activities 'Speed-Talking' and 'Relay Talk' which helped to improve their speaking skills in a fun and interactive way. Making ‘my Korean bag’ is always popular and each student made their ‘Korean style’ bag expressing their feelings about Korea.

International Greek Language Day
Did you know that Greek has been spoken for more than 40 centuries and that over 150,000 words in English are derived from Greek words? The aim of International Greek Language Day, held on February 9, is to promote and celebrate the important role the Greek language has played in world culture and to encourage anyone who wants to learn more about the Greek language and culture. The date was chosen as it is also the commemoration day of Greece’s national poet, Dionysios Solomos, who wrote the Greek national anthem.

Happy Travellers
Year 12 Modern Greek Continuers had a successful Lesson Day revising and preparing for Assessment Session 2. Students collaborated in creating interviews about travel experiences.
They had fun role-playing and reviewing one of the many videos made during our lesson.
Students also practised building their vocabulary and gaining a better understanding of the Greek language through watching recent advertisements and videos relating to the main topics relevant to the course.
Overall, the student evaluations suggest this was a very successful lesson day.
We wish them successful results in their upcoming assessment.

Ms I. Hionis and Ms H. Timonidis