Our school has continued to enrich the lives of all our boys through both academic and co-curricular programs offered. Our many successes have been due to the outstanding commitment of all staff, the willingness of parents/carers to be involved in their sons’ education and of course, the talents and engagement of all our boys.
Our 2017 HSC results saw the school placed 86th in the top 100 schools across the state. Our highest achieving student, Aryan Mohseni, achieved an ATAR of 99.6. Two other boys, Ned Bisset (ATAR of 99.45) and Harrison Lee (ATAR of 99.30), were in a cohort of 41 boys who achieved an ATAR in the 90s. Nine of these boys were placed in the Premier’s All Rounders list, where they achieved over 90 in five of their subjects. Partyush Charde, 1st in Hindi Continuers, and Masih Ghasemi, 1st in Persian, are to be congratulated for their outstanding achievement. Across all subjects studied in the 2017 HSC, our boys performed exceptionally well. It is gratifying to see the hard work and talent of both the boys and their teachers being so well rewarded.
Curriculum differentiation, pre and post feedback to the boys, and the writing of programs for all the new Stage 6 syllabi have been the focus for teachers. The school also completed the NAPLAN tests online for the first time.
Throughout the year we celebrated the talents of boys and staff through: An Evening of Music, Art Exhibition and TAS Expo, football and rugby dinners, winning the champion school trophy in zone grade sport, an overseas excursion to New Zealand and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme in bronze, silver and gold. The school was also involved in fundraising for cancer – over $2407.95 was raised through World’s Greatest Shave, Jersey Day to raise awareness for organ donation, and entertaining our community through our traditional Community Concert and Grandparents Day.
In 2018, there was a continued focus on upgrading and improving classrooms in the school. All classrooms are now air-conditioned. A number of classrooms and staffrooms have been freshly painted with new furniture and blinds installed. This upgrade will continue in 2019.
There have also been major upgrades to our sporting facilities. The two cricket nets have been replaced with three new nets, at a cost of $120,000. The school ovals have been fully upgraded with drainage and irrigation being installed. Water storage tanks have been put in place to harvest rainwater. This has been at a total cost of $380,000. Drinking fountains/bubblers have been located throughout the school for our boys. There has also been a continued focus on improving the main entrance to the school and gardens throughout. Included in this are plans to build a Remembrance Garden to acknowledge past students and staff who have served their country and in some cases, given their life in this service.
I would like to extend my thanks to the P&C for their financial support in ensuring these projects have proceeded. The P&C and the school also promoted Trees for Bees, where the school community joined together to establish a native garden for domestic bees between I and J Blocks in the shape of an Emu’s Foot and an Indigenous Rainbow Serpent.
To support our country cousins through the severe drought, Epping Boys High School began Flannel Friday for Farmers. Each Friday in August staff and boys wore a flannel shirt and donated a gold coin to raise money for farmers. Staff, students and their families also made generous financial contributions and donated essential and luxury items to the farmers. Over $13,000 was raised. The community of Tullamore Centre Public School was adopted by Epping Boys High School as the recipient of this support. I am extremely proud of the support provided by all.