Australian Science Olympiad Invitation
Year 10 student, Rohil, has been invited to attend the Australian Science Olympiad Summer School after achieving a High Distinction in the National Qualifying exam. The Summer School is an intensive residential program to be conducted at Monash University in Melbourne next January. Students undertake a series of lectures and experiments in an attempt to qualify for the teams that will compete in the International competitions in 2011.

School Leaders Chosen for 2011
Our recently elected prefects attended a leadership day in preparation for their role as school leaders in 2011. The students participated in a number of team-building activities designed to assist them in choosing the prefect executive. Parramatta High School has a well-developed students leadership program starting in Year 7 with membership in the Student Representative Council. To see past student leaders click here.

PULSE Choir Concert
Our choir joined other schools for the PULSE Choir Concert at the Sydney Opera House. It was another stellar performance by the students who were in fine voice. The school offers a variety of musical performance opportunties and music tuition.

Youth Delegates Lead the Way to Understanding
Year 9 and 10 students attended the Community Relations Commission Symposium and Youth Leadership Conference held in Parramatta. The event was designed to hear Student Voices on a range of issues and provide the youth delegates with a greater understanding of social and multicultural issues in conversation with their peers from across the NSW education system and community youth sector. Our students were delighted to meet with Commissioner Stepan Kerkyasharian.

Students Calculate Another Win
For the third year in a row, Parramatta High School has won the Atomic Absorption Spectro-Photometry Challenge hosted by the Lachlan Macquarie College and University of Western Sydney. Our team from Year 12 Chemistry competed against nine other schools to calculate the amount of a particular ion in a popular sports drinks. The students needed to be extremely accurate to win. This is just one of many educational opportunities offered to our students.

Minister's Award for Excellence
Year 7 student, Aarthiekaa, has received a Minister’s Award for Excellence in Community Languages. Aarthiekaa and her family attended a presentation ceremony at the University of NSW where she was one of only two students to deliver an address. Aarthiekaa is a dedicated student committed to her studies and is well-deserving of this recognition for her outstanding achievement.

Building Resilience in Students
World renowned motivational speaker, Kamal Sarma, recently spoke to Year 12 students about resilience. Mr Sarma usually works with leading organisations and business leaders, so this was a wonderful opportunity for our students. The preparations for the HSC can become quite stressful and Mr Sarma’s helpful information on building mental resilience was welcomed. Our sincere thanks to former student Prashanth Paramanathan, Manager, Westpac Bank, South Parramatta Branch, for organising this wonderful opportunity for our students and to the Westpac Banking Corporation who have supported this initiative.

Students Scoop ParraSIP Awards
Nine students from Parramatta High received awards at the recent ParraSIP Annual Presentation Ceremony. Each student had been nominated by their work placement employer and their teacher for an oustanding performance.

Prefects Cup Competition
The 2010 Prefects hosted a volleyball competition to encourage students to be active and develop good sportmanship. Each sport house fielded a selection of junior and senior team and games were played during lunchtimes. A presentation for the winning junior and senior teams was held on assembly.

Future Leaders in Action
The Regional Student Representative Council meets once a month at Parramatta High School. Students discuss and compare their activities and organisation. SRC leaders are elected to organise the Regional SRC Leadership camp and attend meetings of the Environmental Action Group. Students conduct and chair the meetings being guided by the Western Sydney Regional SRC Co-ordinator. This is an excellent opportunity for students to develop leadership skills and participate in the Student Voice approach to school planning and management.

Making the Right Choices
The Crossroads program is a mandatory personal development and health education course for all Year 11 students in NSW Government schools. Crossroads aims to introduce discussion and positive choice-making for young adults. The two themes of the program are relationships and drug issues. Our students attended a camp in Morriset and participated in a variety of activities including the teamwork matrix, rock wall climbing, dual flying fox, survivor challenge and leap of faith.

Building Bridges to Understanding Through Music
Parramatta High music students recently performed with more than fifty students from two Chinese schools at the Sydney Town Hall for the Bridges to Understanding Concert. Our Spanish Guitar group performed an original composition by Mr Herft and Naomi Setukavalar of Year 9 performed on violin with the Regional String Ensemble.

Tournament of Minds Winners
Our students recently competed in the Western Sydney Region Tournament of Minds Competition winning the Mathematics Engineering section. The students faced tough competition from selective, government and non-government schools. They will now compete in the State Finals to be held at the University of NSW.

Outstanding Results for Mathematics and Science
Our students recently participated in a Gifted and Talented program for mathematics through the Lachlan Macquarie College, achieving excellent results.

This was matched by an outstanding performance in the NSW ICAS Science competition. These are just some of the many enrichment opportunties for students at our school. More information about our Gifted and Talented program may be found here.

Education Week Concert a Smash Hit
350 students from the Parramatta Educational Learning Community performed a variety of song, dance and intrumental numbers at concert to celebrate Education Week. Family and friends filled the hall to see the spectacle. The concerted showcased the excellent programs and opportunities in the creative and performing arts offered by our learning community.

A portion of the proceeds from ticket sales was donated to the Children's Hospital at Westmead. Ms Michelle Morgan, Schools Liaison Offcier for the hospital, accepted the donation.

Planting for a Greener Future
Our SRC students planted a phenomenal 560 trees in Parramatta Park along the banks of Parramatta River for Planet Ark's National Tree Planting Day.

Our participation in this event is one of a number of environmental initiatives undertaken by students.

Wearing Jeans for a Good Cause
Our students wore their jeans and joggers to school and made a generous donation to show their support for the Children's Medical Research Foundation's Jeans for Genes Day. SRC students encouraged the local community to join in by selling Jeans Day merchandies at the Interchange with excellent results - over $700 was raised.

Performance Opportunities for Students
The first Rock Show of 2010 was an outstanding success with over 100 students performaing a variety of instrumental, song and dance numbers. This is one of the many excellent music opportunities for our students.

Fun with Science
Students from Year 7 have joined a new club - the Quantum Mechanics Club - to participate in sun and interesting activities designed to challenge their abilities and expand their knowledge of science. The club meets each month to conduct experiments and see demonstrations of scientific phenomena.

A Bold New Plan for the SRC
Year 11 students ghave developed a bold new plan for the Student Representative Council. They recently attended District and Regional SRC training courses and have drafted a new constitution with important changes. Whilst the SRC will continue its oustanding effort in funsraising and community service, more emphasis will be placed on leadership development opportunities for future student leaders.

Loud Shirt Day
Students dressed in bright coloured shirts in support of Loud Shirt Day raising funds for deaf and hearing impaired children in New South Wales.

Schools ANZAC Day Ceremony 2010
A group of students from the Student Representative Council attended the ceremony to lay a wreath at the War Memorial in Hyde Park. Students from government, Catholic and independent schools were involved in the Commemoration Service.

2010 ANZAC Day Ceremony
Mrs Mary Milton and her husband Geoff were special guests at our 2010 ANZAC Day Ceremony. This year's ceremony focussed on the contribution of women in War. Mrs Milton was a Leading Visual Signaller with the WRANS (Womens Royal Australian Naval Service) and delivedred the key note address. The ceremony was hosted by our Girls School Prefects who read accounts of women at war - from World War I nurses to present day operations in Afghanistan, East Timor adn the Middle East.

Building a Cultural Bridge to Indonesia
Parramatta High School welcomed visiting journalists from Indonesia, to observe and interview the students and teachers who are involved in the Australian-Indonesia Schools BRIDGE Project. Read more about this innovative educational program here.

Year 7 Meet the Teacher and Open Day 2010
Parents of Year 7 students had an opportunity to speak with teachers at our Meet the Teacher afternoon. Progress Reports were issued. Later in the afternoon, an Open Day was held for parents interested in enrolling their child for 2011. More information about enrolment may be found here,

Empowering Young Women
Student Leaders Kimberley, Sana, Sarah and Juhi attended the 2010 Unifem International Womens Day Breakfast held in Parramatta. The students were inspired by guest speakers and the work of Unifem to encourage women of all ages to become involved in global issues that effect women. This year's event focussed on gender equity.

Prefect Induction Ceremony 2010
The 2010 School Leaders were inducted at a formal ceremony in March this year. These students has actively particpated in school life since Year 7 through their involvement in the school's leadership development programs and the Student Representative Council.

After making the Pledge, they sign the Prefects' Register which has been in use since 1944. School Leaders were first introduced in 1915.

High Speed Broadband comes to Parramatta High
Year 11 students demonstrated the benefits of the new Telstra high speed broadband connection to Telstra CEO, David Thodey and Stephen Wilson, Chief Information Officer from the NSW Department of Education & Training, when they visited the school recently. The new Telstra network gives students access to the same broadband speeds as used by many of Australia's top companies. You can find out more about the Connected Classrooms Program here.

Year 7 Live Concert
Year 7 students gave outstanding performances in music, dance and song at a special concert. In addition to our innovative music curriculum, many of the students also attend tuition at the school after hours. For more information about creative and performing arts opportunities, click here or contact the school.

Students Enjoy their New School
Our new Year 7 students are making a smooth transition to high school. Parents have an opportunity to speak with class teachers at our Meet the Teachers afternoon on Wedensday 10 March, 2010 at 3.30pm. A progress report will be issued for each student.

Playing the Right Notes
Year 9 Elective Music Student, Naomi, has been accepted to perform in the Australian Chamber Orchestra's - Parramatta String Players. Naomi will receive expert guidance and mentoring from the ACO and has alredy successfully completed her 8th Grade violin exams. Congratulations Naomi!

Making a Splash at Carnivals
Brisbane House triumphed at the 2010 Swimming Carnival. The Parramatta High Swim Team represented the school at the Prospect Zone Swimming Carnival with good results.

Students Have a Heart
Students raised over $400 for the Oncology Unit at the Children's Hospital, Westmead from the sale of flowers and gifts for the 2010 Prefects Valentine's Day fundraiser.

Local Primary Students on a Scientific Discovery
Talented Year 5 students from Parramatta West, Westmead and Hilltop Road Public Schools attended a Science Enrichment Day at Parramatta High. The students participated in a video conference in our connected classroom, with other schools and the Lachlan Macquarie College. This was followed by a session in our science labs where the students conducted a number of scientific observations on light.

Students Act on Climate Change
School Leaders Sana, Sarah and Nic represented the school at the 350 Climate Change event and forum, where they presented our students' entries in the poster compeition. We won the high school section and received $200 towards our environmental activities.

From Primary School to High School
The 2010 School Captains, Nathan and Sarah, visited their former local primary school - Hilltop Road - to give a student perspective of high school to Year 5 students and answer their many questions. Nathan and Sarah fondly remember their time at Hilltop Road - especially their wonderful teachers.

Supporting Pink Ribbon Day
The 2010 School Prefects wore pink to collect donations for the Cancer Council's Pink Ribbon Day and the National Breast Cancer Foundation. An additional $150 was donated by the Ex- Students Association for the Jane McGrath Foundation. We were all saddened by the recent loss of 1984 Girls School Captain, Vicki Alderton, who succumbed to this disease.

2010 Senior Prefect Leaders
The 2010 Prefects recently attended a leadership conference focussing on team building skills and co-operation. The Prefect Executive is elected by the prefects and we congratulate Sarah and Nathan - School Captains; Harry and Julie - Vice Captains; Simge and Tony - Senior Prefects.

Recognition for Students and Teachers
Western Sydney Regional Director, Mr Greg Prior, congratulated Parramatta High School on its outstanding work in the implementation of the Positive Behaviour and Learning program. We are a pilot school for this innovative program for student welfare and behaviour.

Literacy and Numeracy Award Winners
Parramatta High School has been recognised for its outstanding literacy and numeracy programs at the 2009 Western Sydney Region Awards for Excellence. Our school was one of only three high schools in the region to receive the dual award for literacy and numeracy.

Students Support Water for Life Program
Amidst their preparations for the HSC, graduation and school formal, Parramatta High Year 12 students raised over $2000 for the Unicef Water for Life program. Development Officer, Fillipa Wittenberg thanked the students for their generosity and support of this valuable program.

Students Honour the Australian Flag
Parramatta High School hosted the 2009 Parramatta District Schools Flag Day Ceremony. Australian Defence Force personnel formed the Flag Escort Party. Read more....