Extra-curricular opportunities

At Marsden, we believe in nurturing well-rounded individuals, and our extensive range of extracurricular activities exemplifies this commitment. From sports teams to drama, music and choir, debating to robotics workshops, there truly is something for everyone. These activities not only enrich the educational experience but also foster teamwork, leadership skills, and a sense of belonging among our students. A special note for our Strings Ensemble, which now includes seven musicians, with two younger students from a transition program with Meadowbank Public School. We encourage all students to explore these opportunities and discover new passions beyond the classroom.

NAPLAN 2024

Students in Years 7 and 9 are currently sitting their NAPLAN tests. NAPLAN is now completed online and the logistics required to coordinate this annual event is huge. Thanks to the NAPLAN team, that includes Ms Swinkels, Ms Beerden, Mrs Sharma, Ms Blasutto and Mr Gan. NAPLAN results are usually released in August but press releases from ACARA are suggesting that this year’s results may be available for parents and schools within four weeks. We will keep you informed once the release date is announced.

Support Unit Community Access programs

It is a pleasure to see our wonderful Support Unit staff and the way they nurture our students and promote a passion for learning. The Support Unit is an integral part of the Marsden community and I have seen so many examples of mainstream students showing great sensitivity and understanding in support of inclusion at our school. In particular, a call-out to the boys who play handball on G level who have been including Support Unit students in their recess and lunchtimes games. A Community Access Program has been initiated this year so that Support Unit students can have learning experiences in community settings, achieving many Life Skills course outcomes. Students have also been enthusiastically engaging in a new integrated unit of work studying all things Japanese, that includes history, geography, science and cooking lessons.

Uniform matters

I want to emphasise the importance of our uniform policy. Uniforms not only instil a sense of identity and pride in our school but also promote equality and discipline among students. By adhering to our uniform guidelines, students demonstrate their respect for the school community and uphold our shared values. Student must wear all black, enclosed, leather shoes each day and Sports Uniform is only to be worn on Tuesdays. I urge all students to wear their uniform with pride, recognising it as a symbol of belonging to Marsden High School.

Celebrating Success: Inaugural International Women's Day Breakfast

~ Ms Angie Suttle, English & EAL/D Teacher, Wellbeing Co-ordinator

2024 RYPEN Leadership Camp

Last week, 5 students from Year 10 (Amira Zhubi, Amelie Ng, Kazuma Calder, Nathan Young and Holly Livermore) were selected to go on the 2024 RYPEN Leadership Camp! Run by the Rotary Clubs, it was a jam-packed weekend aimed to help teens with leadership potential develop their skills and create memorable experiences. During our time there, we engaged and participated in several activities that got us to take initiative in group settings and understand the qualities of a good leader.

We started the first evening by getting introduced to our colour groups and getting to know each other. We played many icebreaker games to get rid of the awkward tension in the air (haha) such as people bingo, the chicken dance, and coming up with war cries in our colour groups. We learnt interesting facts about each other (such as who knew Emma had 9 siblings??) and it was a chance for us to make new
friends.

The second day was a very busy and jam-packed day filled with activities. The first session was “initiatives' ' which were strategy games that required teamwork and communication to effectively complete each challenge. Some initiatives we completed included the Crate Stack, where you had to stack crates as high as possible without climbing or using steps. The highest was 20 crates! Another initiative was the Bridge, where as a team we had to get from one side to the other by using planks of wood that had to be carried one by one. These activities showed us the importance of using our communication skills and taking leadership in order to succeed. The second session was with Jon and he led us through a presentation where we learned several stress-management exercises and risk-taking skills to help us through a nervous situation. We also played many games such as Chucky Wants a Corner, Chicken and Hat and Zim and Zoom. After lunch, we split off again and moved on to our next activity which was Archery Tag. It was very fun and we had to shoot arrows at each other.

Our next activity was raft-building, where we had 10 minutes and limited materials including pipes, water jugs, crates and rope to construct a raft. After that we enjoyed a much needed and refreshing swim in the lake! (Highlight). In the evening, we played Ring-It to Win-It which was a competition between the four teams where we had to win mini games to win clues for the final puzzle. Some fun mini games were who could blow up the biggest balloon, cup-stacking, beanbag toss, and pom-pom colour sort. Every time you won a mini game, you received puzzle pieces that unlocked trivia knowledge questions. The game was really fun and involved using our personal skills and working together as a team to succeed. However, our night was far from over! After that, we practised our war cry, which was judged by our camp directors out of 10. Following that, we played 3 rounds of trivia, 2 general-knowledge and 1 round of Disney songs (that turned into karaoke!)

On the final day, we took part in a giant game that revolved around an aim to locate and defuse a fake bomb. During this activity we had to complete all sorts of challenges in order to receive a clue that led us to the prize. For instance, a few of these challenges included getting through different obstacles, creating structures out of cardboard boxes by only using our heads and silently lining up in alphabetical order. This showed us how to properly work as a team and use each other's strengths and weaknesses to our advantage. In the end, the Yellow-Green Team pulled ahead to win. It was an amazing and very fun experience. After the game, we had a debriefing session where we discussed our overall experience and what we had learnt during the camp and did a ‘Letter to Future Me’ activity where we had to set goals for our future selves and read it in 1 year.

To conclude our time at RYPEN, the staff held a presentation where our parents were able to attend and see what we achieved throughout the camp. We also performed our team war cries and of course, the chicken dance one last time. Overall, our experience at RYPEN was challenging, exciting and was an opportunity to really push ourselves out of our comfort zone. We had a really fun time and learnt so much about leadership! Thank you to all the leaders/directors of RYPEN and our Rotary sponsors who helped make leadership camp possible.

By Amelie Ng and Amira Zuhbi (Yr 10)

Yr 12/Yr 11 Accelerated Chemistry Depth Study

~ Ms Heather Gilchrist, Head Teacher- Teaching and Learning

SRC 

In Term 1, the SRC had run an Aspiring Leaders Workshop alongside the PLT and House Captains. It was a fun experience which involved both primary school and high school students, participating in challenges that promoted leadership, communication and team building skills. We were able to run many exciting activities like the blind obstacle course which pushed the primary school kids to get out of their comfort zone.

The SRC are currently creating a campaign for Autism Awareness which is to take place on the 3rd of April. This campaign aims to raise funds that will go towards Autism Awareness through our jelly bean jar and our bake sale that will take place on the day. Students will also be able to participate in a quiz where they will learn about Autism. We hope that this day is able to enhance Marsden culture by creating a positive environment where we can embrace and celebrate our differences.

~ Ms Julia Ross, SRC Coordinator

English

The English and EAL/D Faculty has grown again - 15 staff members! This increases the diversity in experience and expertise that we can bring to the classroom. Staff include: Mr James Bills, Ms Monique Condor, Ms Lyndal England, Ms Lauren Ficici, Ms Alicia Hoy, Mrs Jackie Kalaidjian, Ms Olivia Kurdziel, Mr Tony Leece, Ms Dalie Mourad, Ms Kim Murphy, Mr Hamish Payne, Ms Jess Rubbo and Ms Angie Suttle. The Head Teacher role is shared again between Mrs Trish Swinkels and Mrs Codie Beerden.

Assessments have been distributed. Students will have been given a copy on coloured paper and a copy should also be on their Google Classroom. If you or your child have any questions about the assessment, please do not hesitate to reach out to their class teacher or the Head Teachers.

• Year 7 - yellow paper
• Year 8 - blue paper
• Year 9 - green paper
• Year 10 - pink paper
• English Standard - bright orange paper
• English Advanced - pale orange paper
• English Studies - cream paper
• English EALD - white paper

Year 12 English Advanced students are scheduled to go to the ‘Tempest and Hag-Seed Symposium’ on March 20, 2024. If your child is in this class, please check SchoolBytes for more details and payment options.

Year 11 English Advanced students are scheduled to go to the ‘Othello Symposium’ on June 5, 2023. If your child is in this class, please check SchoolBytes for more details and payment options.

If your child is in Year 11 or 12, you will have received a ‘Senior Media Permission’ note on SchoolBytes. Please check the website for more information and to complete the process. Not completing the paperwork could limit which films and media your child can study in the HSC.

Debating and Public Speaking meetings are held every week by Ms Monique Condor and competitions have already started. We wish the teams success. 

~ Ms Codie  Beerden, Head Teacher- English & EAL/D

FIRST Robotics Competition

Congratulations to Minami Mori on her selection to participate The Macquarie University Faculty of Science and Engineering hosts a FIRST® Robotics Competition
(FRC). FRC is an eight-week, highly intensive robotics summer program where students learn and apply science, engineering, and maths while paired with industry mentors and university students. Students in the program must also develop a business plan, create and execute a media program, and produce

videos and webcasts. Minami was selected because she has gone above and beyond in support of the team and her own development, and have been selected from among their teammates to represent our team and country at an international level. Amazing Achievement!

School Photos 2024

Please note: If your child was in the Year 12 Muckup photo, SRC, PLT and International Students photos, you will be receiving an email shortly directly from Advanced Life Photography with instructions on how to order.

Cross Country 2024 

Cross Country Carnival will be taking place on Thursday 28th March from 10:45am-3:00pm at Meadowbank Park.

Please make sure permission is given through the parent portal as soon as possible.

Please be aware that students will be walking to Meadowbank Park from the school. At the conclusion of the carnival, Year 7 will be walked back to school while Years 8-12 will be dismissed from Meadowbank Park.

Head to the website for more information.

tap_on_and_tap_off_school_opal.pdf

opal088_opal_ssts_brochure_a4_october2021.pdf

Online Ordering with My School Connect

This year, Marsden High School is partnering with My School Connect to provide a simple system for online canteen pre-orders and payments, along with an online school uniform store.

For the canteen, you will be able to get online access to the canteen menu, order and pay in advance, repeat prior orders, set up credit for your child to spend using their student ID card (including daily spending limits), and more.

More information, including how to set up your account should have already been emailed to you directly from My School Connect. If you have not received this email, please email the school.

There is no charge to set up your account. There are transaction fees when you place an order, of 20c per order, per child, per day. If you transfer money into your account via bank transfer there is no charge for this, if you wish to use a credit card there is a 1.9% credit card surcharge.

For more information you can go to the my School Connect web site, and read their FAQs:

https://myschoolconnect.com.au/faqs

Uniform Shop News

Uniforms can also be ordered through My School Connect. Please follow above instructions on the set up process. Orders can only be collected on Mondays and Tuesdays. A pink slip will be sent to the student when ready for collection from the uniform shop. 

Please note we are selling the "old logo" senior shirts and blouses for $15. Sizes are limited.

All "old logo" items can only be worn till end 2024.

Opening Hours during school term:

Mondays 8:30am-2:00pm

Tuesdays 8:30am-11:00am

As previously advised, we have transitioned to a new and improved payment system using School Bytes. School Bytes is used for parent payments and parent permission for excursions and school activities.

There is now a new School Bytes payment portal available for you to register and use to give permissions and make payments (Link: https://portal.schoolbytes.education).

We recommend you set up an account for the School Bytes portal as soon as possible if you haven't already done so, by clicking on the following link. 

Link to portal

IMPORTANT: To ensure that the registration process works smoothly and you can link your account to your child(ren), please make sure that you use the same email address that you have provided to the school or if using a different email address, an SMS verification code will be sent to the mobile phone number on record for you at the school. 

If you have any questions regarding payments or the new payment portal please contact the school office.

Daily Absence Notifications

Each day, Marsden sends out text messages to parents for students who are absent or late. You may reply to this text message to provide a reason for that specific absence/lateness (instead of writing a note or sending an email).

However, please be advised that you should not use this number to text the school for any other purpose. This is a randomly allocated number that is matched to the message the school sends out but will not work for any other correspondence.

Please contact the school via phone or email for any other matters.

Attendance Matters

Marsden is taking all necessary steps to ensure your child is accessing all learning outcomes by maintaining a high attendance rate. Students are expected to maintain an attendance rate above 90% to avoid learning gaps, which can minimise disruptions to learning and allow for a positive educational experience for your child here at Marsden. Parents/carers are encouraged to organise family holidays during school holiday breaks. Letters will be issued to parents to communicate attendance concerns and meetings will be organised to provide support and strategies to both the student and parents.

Lateness to school will be tracked closely this year. If your child has a pattern of 4 late days or more without explanation, an afternoon detention will be issued through the Head Teacher Student Engagement. There will be zero tolerance for truancy of classes, as teachers have been instructed to make phone calls and communicate via email to parents if their child has been truanting class. Parental support with issues regarding attendance and punctuality will make a significant impact towards the student wellbeing and learning outcomes.

We want to do all we can to be sure your child achieves their potential and enjoys being in school.

We know that school is the best place to learn. By attending school every day your child will get the most out of their learning and improve their career and life options.

When your child is absent it is important you let the school know, including the reason why, on the day or the day before. This helps make sure we know where our students are and offer support for you and your family if needed.

If you are having trouble getting your child to school every day or on time, please talk to our school staff so we can work together, because every day counts. 

Missing a day here or there may not seem like much, but absences add up and can negatively impact your child’s learning and wellbeing. When your child misses one day a week that’s 40 days of school and 8 weeks of learning in one year. Over an entire school journey this adds up to 2.5 years of lost learning.

Zone Swimming Carnival

Marsden had an awesome representation of 54 students at the zone carnival held at Lane Cove aquatic centre. An improvement on our previous years results, and continued growth in our points,  finishing 3rd in our zone as a school.

Although we didn’t have any age champions, Matthew Kim condensed his events this year due to a focus on Age Nationals next month, but still managed to cruise to victory in his strongest event the 100m Breaststroke. Good luck next month Matthew! 

Other notable mentions include Rivah Chung (12yrs Boys) and Declan Bragg (17yrs Boys) who where just beaten by a few points in the Age Rankings finishing 2nd overall, as well as the 12 years Boys, 14 years Girls, 16 years Girls, 16 years Boys and 17+ years Boys who all finished 2nd in their Freestyle Relay Races.

We have 24 Swimmers representing the Northern Suburbs Zone at the Sydney North Championships on Wednesday 20th March. This is a huge achievement, and more than doubles last year's representation. Good luck Marsden!

~ Mr Daniel Eastwood, Sports Coordinator

Opens Girls Touch

Representive Swimming

Cricket

Please congratulate Jhansika Peddada in Year 10 on her selection to trial for the 2024/24 U15 and U16 NSW Cricket NSW. She participated in a T/20 Trial Match at Blacktown Sports park, in February.  This is a great achievement to get this far in her cricket career. We wish her all the best and can't to hear more about her experience!

~ Ms Hiba Rizk, Head Teacher Wellbeing