Chester Hill High School

Chester Hill High School
Address
Map
Kenward Avenue

Chester Hill
,
New South Wales
,
2162

Australia
Coordinates33°52′30″S 150°59′40″E / 33.87500°S 150.99444°E / -33.87500; 150.99444
Information
MottoStrength in Unity, Excellence in Education
Established1962
StatusOpen
PrincipalMs M O'Harae
GenderCo-educational
Age range12–18
School roll1200
HousesFlorey, Glenn, Hilary and Murdoch
Colour(s)     
White, maroon and goldish-yellow
NicknameCheso
Websitechesterhil-h.schools.nsw.gov.au

Chester Hill High School is a high school located in Chester Hill, New South Wales, Australia. It caters for students from years 7 to 12. Classes began on 4 February 1962 with 325 students.[1] The school was officially opened on 1 March 1965 by Jack Renshaw, the Premier of New South Wales.[2] The principal is Ms M O'Harae.

In 2003, Chester Hill was one of eight schools in New South Wales recognized with a Cohesive Community School Award special commendation by the New South Wales Department of Education, for "promoting a cohesive community and in making a significant difference to social harmony and unity".[3]

Sports and traditions

In recognition of the varied cultures of its students, the school has held an annual multicultural flag ceremony and concert since 1997. The event in 2005 was attended by students from 68 countries, and New South Wales Governor Marie Bashir addressed the students.[4] 2008's ceremony had 300 students participating and was featured on local television.[5]

Notable Former Students

Intensive English Centre

Chester Hill High School features an Intensive English Centre (IEC).[6] The program has been cited by the advocacy group ChilOut as an example of a superior educational alternative for children living in Australian immigration detention centres (IDC).[7] The IEC has educated several refugees and asylum-seekers since its inception in 1978.[8][9][10][11]

Higher School Certificate student achievements

Year Result
2008 HSC All Rounders List[12]
2007 9th in Society and Culture[13]
2006 Selected for Art Express[14]
2004 HSC All Rounders List[15]
2002 HSC All Rounders List[16]
1996 3rd in Modern History (P&E)[17]
1994 4th in Life Management Studies[18]
1994 8th in Mathematics in Practice[19]

Facilities

In 2005, the state spent A$280,000 to upgrade the science laboratories at the school.[20]

Security

In 2002, gang-related violence increased around Chester Hill and other schools in New South Wales. After a Chester Hill High student was shot, the school was one of eight high schools to accept intervention by police and education officials.[21][22] In an effort to reduce the risk of gang-related violence, Chester Hill made significant security upgrades, installing security fences, in October 1999, and cameras around the school.[23] Despite this, Molotov cocktails were found on the roof of a classroom in June 2008.[24] In 2002 the then New South Wales Opposition leader John Brogden called it a school "in critical need of a full-time police presence."[25][26]

On 2 June 2009, Daily Telegraph reported bullying in Chester Hill High School, obtaining two videos recorded on mobile phones which depicted students being gangbanged by bullies.[27]

References

  1. ^ The Cheso Team (1999). "Chester Hill High School". Retrieved 30 October 2008.
  2. ^ The Cheso Team (1999). "Chester Hill High School – The Official Opening". Retrieved 30 October 2008.
  3. ^ "Cohesive Community School Award". New South Wales Department of Education and Training. 28 June 2008. Retrieved 2 November 2008.
  4. ^ "Diversity flies high with pride" Canterbury-Bankstown Express
  5. ^ "Students unite on multicultural day" Fairfield City Champion Archived 7 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ "Intensive English Centre". Chester Hill High School. Archived from the original on 19 June 2008. Retrieved 2 November 2008.
  7. ^ "Submission to the National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention from ChilOut (Children Out of Immigration Detention)". Australian Human Rights Commission. Retrieved 2 November 2008.
  8. ^ "Childhood Memories Exhibition: 18 November 2003 – 26 April 2004" (PDF). Powerhouse Museum. 2003. Retrieved 2 November 2008.
  9. ^ Lunn, Richard (2004). Leaving year zero : stories of surviving Pol Pot's Cambodia. Crawley, Western Australia: Crawley, Western Australia : University of Western Australia Press. p. 169. ISBN 1-920694-10-2.
  10. ^ "Govt bows to MPs with a show of compassion". The Canberra Times. 14 July 2004. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 2 November 2008.
  11. ^ Correy, Joseph (February 2005). "Learning to be Free". Street News Service/The Big Issue Australia. Archived from the original on 27 October 2007. Retrieved 2 November 2008.
  12. ^ "HSC All Rounders List : 2008 Higher School Certificate". Board of Studies. 2008. Retrieved 22 March 2009.
  13. ^ "Top Achievers in Course List: 2007 Higher School Certificate". Board of Studies. 2007. Retrieved 29 October 2008.
  14. ^ "Inside ARTexpress07". Art Gallery of New South Wales. 2007. Archived from the original on 24 July 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-31.
  15. ^ "HSC All Rounders List : 2004 Higher School Certificate". Board of Studies. 2004. Retrieved 29 October 2008.
  16. ^ "HSC All Rounders List : 2002 Higher School Certificate". Board of Studies. 2002. Retrieved 29 October 2008.
  17. ^ "Composite Mark Order of Merit Lists 1996". Board of Studies. 1997. Retrieved 29 October 2008.
  18. ^ "Composite Mark Order of Merit Lists 1994". Board of Studies. 1995. Retrieved 29 October 2008.
  19. ^ "Composite Mark Order of Merit Lists 1994". Board of Studies. 1995. Retrieved 29 October 2008.
  20. ^ "New South Wales Government Schools"[permanent dead link‍], 20 August 2007
  21. ^ Kidman, John (7 April 2002). "Police dossier reveals gang members". The Sun-Herald. Retrieved 2 November 2008.
  22. ^ Kidman, John (24 March 2002). "Crackdown on the high school gangs". The Sun-Herald. Archived from the original on 30 April 2016. Retrieved 2 November 2008.
  23. ^ "Schools provided with security fencing and schools scheduled for a security fence" (PDF). NSW Department of Education & Training. July 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 July 2008. Retrieved 2 November 2008.
  24. ^ "Molotov cocktails found at Chester Hill High School". The Daily Telegraph. 12 June 2008. Retrieved 2 November 2008.
  25. ^ Wood, Miranda (5 May 2002). "Cameras, wire fence for safety at school". The Sun-Herald. Retrieved 2 November 2008.
  26. ^ "NSW Opposition keeps up call for police in gang-affected schools". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 6 May 2002. Archived from the original on 28 June 2011. Retrieved 2 November 2008.
  27. ^ Sydney Schoolboy Tells Of Bullying At Chester Hill High School The Courier Mail [dead link‍]