CAPA News

2018 News

Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) News

2018 promises to be another very exciting year for the Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) Faculty at Woonona High, with an array of fantastic opportunities planned for our students studying Music, Visual Arts, Dance, Drama and Circus courses. We also run an extensive extra and co-curricular program, which is available to students of all years that have an interest in developing their skills across the CAPA disciplines.

Our students are encouraged to experience a wide range of CAPA initiatives such as:

• Aboriginal Dance Ensemble and Art Workshops
• Aerial Circus Ensemble
• Annual Variety Night Showcase
• Annual Creative and Performing Arts Camps and Workshops
• The Arts Unit Boys Vocal Workshop
• Battle of the Bands Competitions
• Choir and Vocal Ensemble
• Community of Schools Primary Band Program
• Community Performances: Thirroul Seaside Festival, Spring Into Corrimal, Primary Schools, Local Fetes, IRT Retirement Village
• Dance Ensembles
• Excursions - Music, Theatre, Dance, Drama productions, and Art exhibitions
• Groovin' the Woo - Fundraiser Music Festival for Charity
• Instrumental and Vocal Tuition Program
• Junior Band and Stage Band Program
• Kool Skools Recording Project
• Music Count Us In Songwriting Competition
• Musical Theatre and Drama Productions
• Illawarra Regional Performing Ensemble and Company
• Secondary Schools Choral Festival
• Schools Spectacular
• SongMakers Song Writing and Recording Project
• South Coast Dance and Drama Festivals
• Southern Stars 
• Unplugged Concerts
• Visual Arts, Photography and Digital Media Workshops
• WotOpera

HSC Music Encore Excursion

On Monday 19^th February 34 of our senior music students from Year 10-12 attended the HSC Encore Music Showcase at the Sydney Opera House. This evening concert featured exemplary performances and compositions from the 2017 HSC. Our students thoroughly enjoyed the show and were impressed with the high standard of performances and the variety of repertoire. It was a pleasure to see our students setting a great example both travelling to and visiting the Opera House. Some of the highlights included a pipe organ solo, dueling electric guitars and some outstanding vocalists who really knew how to entertain the audience. We also heard some interesting compositions for harpsichord, saxophone quartet and Indian tabla. Thank you to Miss R Sharp and Mrs Arnold for accompanying us.

HSC Dance Callback Excursion

On Friday 9th February, our new Stage 6 Dance class attended the annual CallBack performance held at the Seymour Centre in Sydney. This prestigious event showcases the a selection of the best dance works created and performed for the 2017 HSC Dance examinations. Throughout the day, our students took part in a 3 hour practical workshop which explored the elements of Core Performance and Core Composition, two of the three mandatory areas of study. The workshops mirrored the work the students have been completing in class and I was very proud of our students as they provided answers throughout the sessions and were pushed out of their comfort zones with improvisation activities. The evening performance was a highlight with over 20 items performed live and a sample of Dance and Technology video displays. We watched in awe as the selected performers explored a variety of concepts such as 'denial', 'metamorphosis', 'relationships' and 'living with multiple sclerosis'. The performance quality and focus was absolutely inspiring and provided our students with immense amounts of inspiration for their upcoming dance pieces. We were delighted to be able to support the incredible talent of students across the state and celebrate in their achievement. 

Mrs Steele - Dance Teacher

HSC Drama Onstage Excursion 

On the 8th February, the Year 11 Drama class along with some Year 8 students had the opportunity to travel to Sydney to watch "On Stage". This consisted of HSC performances by Year 12 Drama students from a variety of schools. These major works not only included performances, but models, theatre reviews, and costume design all in the exhibit area. For Owen Thomas his favourite performance was "The Clowns of Humanity". This was a play that featured hardly any speaking. The play remained extremely entertaining by purely relying on body language, pacing, and facials to convey its story and meaning. The set consisted of 4 aligned boxes, each with a clown dressed actor . From what I picked up, each represented an emotion or stage in life. They heavily fought over objects or toys , almost in a childlike way. Three of them were in fear over the larger, sinister clown who dominated the others by tapping their mouths shut. It was certainly powerful; and conveyed that the sinister clown was committing mischievous acts. I loved the use of costume / makeup, inventive ideas, use of sound and the representation of conflict between them. 

For Maggie Esdale it was "Buck's Night". A stand out for me was the one-man performance called Buck's Night performed by Matthew Smith from Tempe High School. The performance was all about how awesome Buck's weekend was and that he would do it all over again. His energy was amazing as he used his space through movement and language. The audience was captivated through this comedy as we would relive Buck's night through his performance. He also had an accent which made it more enjoyable to watch as he danced and partied hard. Although most of the performance was humorous, the ending was quite a shock for the audience "….just don't leave me out", this last remark said with great vulnerability was just another reason to love this character even more. 

Abby Downie enjoyed "A Game of Cat and Mouse" as well as "The Clowns of Humanity". Both of these plays differed and explored a variety of themes and ideas of the world. A Game of Cat and Mouse was about a detective and his partner looking for a serial killer called the "The Strangler". Then comes along a lady who tries to help them. I liked how when all three characters were on stage they would work together very well, knowing where each of the others members were and using the space they were given very well, moving around the whole area. They did a great job with the story line and I loved the twist at the end of the play when you find out who the killer was. Overall the excursion was an essential tool as the students were able to see some of the expectations for performances in the HSC and were able to grab bits and pieces from each performance to adapt into our own.

Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) Enrichment Class

After the successful introduction of our first Year 7 CAPA Enrichment Class in 2016, we had even more interest and we are pleased to be running two CAPA classes again this year. Students in these classes were selected from workshops last year and will receive more class time in their area of interest, as well as the other CAPA disciplines. The selection process for the 2019 CAPA Enrichment Class Program will begin with workshops on Thursday 29^th March. Application forms are available on our website and are due by Monday 12^th March.

Miss Rhiannon Sharp

Head Teacher CAPA (Music)

Alice in Wonderland

An exciting week for the whole school performance, Alice in Wonderland. Auditions, casting call and our first rehearsals have begun with much excitement. All actors have received their script for Alice in Wonderland and have begun to get into character. Cast list below. Crew calls will be next term with Ms King on the look out for lighting and sound, backstage and front of house roles available. We look forward to the performance in June.

Ms King

Drama Teacher

ALICE IN WONDERLAND – CAST

• TALL ALICE – Maggie Esdale 
• SMALL ALICE – Ruby Martin
• MAD HATTER – Bo Smith
• MARCH HARE – Jacob Hammer
• DORMOUSE – Jakylah Zonneveld & Koda Way 
• WHITE RABBIT – Tahlia Thompson & Luka Janssen 
• CATERPILLAR – Jaya De Rome
• TWEEDLES – Saffron Owen & Emma Cleaves
• DUCHESS – Chloe-Lea Sullivan
• COOK – Lexiss Cleary
• FLOWERS – Amelia Elliot & Avoca Chappell & Lily Walker & Lalita Protsenko
• CHESHIRE CATS – Elizabeth Apter & Brianna Lenihan & Tyla Kirby
• KING OF HEARTS – Tyler Wade
• QUEEN OF HEARTS – Julia Tovey
• CARDS – Darcy Britton & Harrison Oliver & Kai Johnson & Koda Way
• KNAVE – Luka Janssen
• FOOTMAN 1 – James Klein-Essink
• FOOTMAN 2 – Jack Fry
• LACKEY – Aidan O'Flynn
• PIGEON – Hayley Fuller
• CAKE – Abby Downie
• BOTTLE – Lily Walker
• DOOR 1 – Finlay Smart
• DOOR 2 - Llewellyn Const
• KEY – Leah Franey
• JURY – Zarah King

*Those with smaller roles will also be a part of the CHORUS in other scenes

Alice in Woonona – land!

This year our whole school CAPA production is ‘Alice in Wonderland.' Auditions will be held on Wednesday 14^th February from 2:30-4:00 in the Drama Room. Sign up for an audition on the sheets outside the Drama, Music and English staffrooms. See Ms King for more information. Performances will be held on Thursday 21^st June.

Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) Enrichment Class

After the successful introduction of our first Year 7 CAPA Enrichment Class in 2016, we had even more interest and we are pleased to be running two CAPA classes again this year. Students in these classes were selected from workshops last year and will receive more class time in their area of interest, as well as the other CAPA disciplines. The selection process for the 2018 CAPA Enrichment Class Program will begin with workshops on Thursday 29^th March. Please contact our Office for more information.

Community of Schools Band Program 2018

The Woonona Community of Schools Band Program has been running successfully since 2012 and last year we had 34 students from Russell Vale, Woonona East and Woonona Primary Schools participating. This year many of those students are now in high school playing in the Junior Band. Each Wednesday morning from 8:00-9:30am primary students come to Woonona High School to learn an instrument and rehearse as a band. Our senior music students and outside tutors provide small group tuition on flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, guitar, bass, keyboard or drums. We will take applications for new primary band students later this term. The program is open to Year 5 or 6 students. Information will be distributed through primary schools. Please contact our Office on 42 841 513 if you have any questions about the program.

Junior and Stage Bands

These bands comprise Woonona HS students (most of whom learnt their instruments through the Community of Schools Band Program) and advanced primary students. Students are invited to join once they reach a certain level in the Primary Band, or schools with advanced players may contact us to put in an application for students. The Junior Band currently rehearses from 8am - 9:30am on Wednesday mornings.

Please contact our Office on 42 841 513 if you have any questions about the program.

Choir and Vocal Ensemble

These groups run on Monday mornings in Period 1 or 2. All students with an interest in singing are welcome – no experience is necessary, just see Miss R Sharp to join.

Music Tuition Program

We also run a tuition program for instrumental and vocal lessons before and after school in the Music Rooms at Woonona High School. We currently offer guitar, bass, drums, piano/keyboard, violin, flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet and trombone lessons to WHS and local primary school students for $20 per half hour. All of our experienced tutors have Working With Children Checks. Please see Miss R Sharp in the Music Faculty to register your interest or email Rhiannon.Sharp@det.nsw.edu.au

Dance Ensembles

This year Woonona High school will be offering two Dance Ensembles open to students who are at an intermediate to advanced level. These ensembles will be involved in preparing and auditioning works for the South Coast Dance Festival and Schools Spectacular. There will also be opportunities for any students with an interest in Dance to join other groups to participate in numerous performance opportunities at school and community events throughout the year including:

• Southern Stars
• Community Events
• Variety Night
• School Production
• Unplugged Concerts

A skills assessment was held on Thursday 8^th February for interested students. If you missed this, please see Mrs Steele or Miss K Sharp to register your interest.

2017 News

2018 CAPA and Academic Enrichment Class Visit

On Thursday 9^th November, over 65 Year 6 students from our 2018 CAPA and Academic Enrichment classes came to visit Woonona High School and experience a taste of what to expect next year. The day was designed for students to get to know each other, as they come from a wide variety of Illawarra primary schools. CAPA students participated in a range of lessons in some of our purpose built spaces, including our photography dark room, drama room and dance studio. Students also experienced lessons in Music, Visual Arts and Circus.

Students from the Academic Enrichment class experienced lessons in English, Science, HSIE and Maths. All students had a great day and we look forward to them joining us next year.

If you would like any information about our Year 7 CAPA or Academic Enrichment Class Program for 2019, please contact our Office on 42 841 513. Year 6 students with an interest and talent in the areas of Circus, Dance, Drama, Music, Visual Arts and/or Photography can apply to audition for this program. Auditions will be held in March and detailed information will be available on our website next year. Academic testing will also take place in March.

CAPA Camp and Variety Night

Over 65 CAPA students from Year 6-12 are off to Nowra next week for a 3 day rehearsal camp in preparation for our annual Variety Night showcase, to be held on Tuesday 12^th December. Students will have the opportunity to participate in rehearsals and workshops for band, vocals, dance, circus, visual arts, photography and drama. Keep an eye out for plenty of photos from camp in the next newsletter and make sure you save the date for Variety Night.

Miss R. Sharp

Music Teacher/Creative and Performing Arts Coordinator

rhiannon.sharp@det.nsw.edu.au

Womens Rugby League World Cup Performance

On Thursday the 16th of November, 11 dance students from Year 7 to 10 took part in the opening ceremony of the Womens Rugby League World Cup. Representing team Canada, we rehearsed two weekends prior to the event at Sutherland Basketball Stadium and Shark Park, Cronulla. We were told to dress head to toe in the colour red, to symbolise our designated country. The rehearsal process was tiring, spending the majority of the day in the sun. However, the end result was completely worth it, with a national audience gathering to watch the performance. Even though Ashlee lost her tooth, Mrs Steele made up for it, and snagged two bags of lollies from the vending machine, and some of us even got to meet the Canadian team after the game! We'd like to thank Mrs Steele for organising this awesome opportunity of a lifetime and for taking time out of her busy schedule to bring us up to Cronulla.

Ruby Thompson & Hannah Clatworthy, Year 10

48^th Combined Schools Instrumental Festival

On Tuesday 24^th October, the Woonona High School Stage Band performed at this wonderful event for the first time with over 270 students involved from several different public schools. We were one of only two high schools to perform a solo set on the stage above the massed band in the Grand Hall at the University of Wollongong, and we were the only school to include vocalists. They thoroughly entertained the audience with their energetic rendition of Ain't No Mountain High Enough and the band was on fire with our newest number Peter Gunn featuring a great saxophone solo from Jordan White in Year 8. Congratulations to all of talented Stage Band students for a fantastic performance representing Woonona High School, and thank you to our Italian exchange student Sophie Casali who joined us playing the flute. We received excellent feedback from the organisers, parents and teachers from other schools, and we look forward to bringing our Primary, Junior and Stage Band to this event next year.

A Call to Dance

On Saturday the 21^st of October Lani Storm and Tishaan Styche from Year 9, participated in a one on one dance workshop for young women with Indigenous dancer and choreographer Amrita Hepi. Jewel Watson (Year 7) and Angel Watson (Year 10) also attended a workshop on Wednesday, the 25^th of October. Amrita's work explores the importance of dance, the idea of ownership around a dance move, and how we all move together in society. She is a professional dancer, writer and activist descending from the Ngapuhi tribe in Northern New Zealand and the Bundjulung people in northern New South Wales. It was a fun experience that gave us the opportunity to communicate and express our Indigenous culture through dance, by each creating a small movement that was then incorporated into one large piece and performed on Friday the 27^th October at the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre in Wollongong. When we first arrived at the workshop at the North Wollongong Surf Club, Amrita welcomed us with a big hug, and thanked us for participating. We then moved on into a small private area with a red furry mat in the centre. We sat on the mat and answered a few questions about ourselves and what we plan to be when we grow up. Then Amrita asked us to say one thing we love about Wollongong and one thing we wished to improve about it. After that we finally stood up and created our movement. Overall, Amrita was the kindest and most welcoming person to talk to and it was an unforgettable experience that helped us explore our culture a little more. Thank you to Miss R Sharp for organising this dance opportunity for us.

CAPA Camp

After a successful camp at our new venue last year, we are once again offering all students from Year 7-11 the opportunity to go to our Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) Camp, to be held at the Waterslea Centre in Nowra from Monday 20^th – Wednesday 22^nd  November. An expression of interest note was sent home last week and interested students are asked to pay a deposit to secure their place. The purpose of the camp is to enable students to learn new repertoire, form ensembles and rehearse group items ready to audition for Variety Night. All students with an interest in Dance, Drama, Circus, Music, Photography and Visual Arts are welcome to apply. Please contact Miss R Sharp (CAPA Coordinator) for more information.

Future CAPA Stars

On Monday 30^th October, over 100 Year 5 students from Woonona, Russell Vale and Woonona East Primary Schools attended a Taster Day at Woonona High School. As part of this day, students with an interest in CAPA participated in a range of lessons in some of our purpose built spaces, including our photography dark room, drama room and dance studio. At the end of the day, all students were given the opportunity to ask questions about out CAPA programs, after being entertained by some of our talented circus and music performers. If you would like any information about our Year 7 CAPA Enrichment Class Program for 2019, please contact our Office on 42 841 513. Year 6 students with an interest and talent in the areas of Circus, Dance, Drama, Music, Visual Arts and/or Photography can apply to audition for this program. Auditions will be held in March and detailed information will be available on our website next year. We look forward to welcoming our 2018 CAPA cohort as they visit Woonona High School on Thursday 9^th November to get a taste of what to expect next year.

Miss R. Sharp

Music Teacher/Creative and Performing Arts Coordinator

rhiannon.sharp@det.nsw.edu.au

48^th Combined Schools Instrumental Festival

On Tuesday 24^th October, the Woonona High School Stage Band will be performing at this wonderful event for the first time. Last year there were close to 250 students involved - representing 20 different public schools -  including two of our students, Jocelyn Bray and Ryan Mills, who were a part of the ISER Junior Band Camp. The concert starts at 7pm in the Grand Hall at the University of Wollongong. Tickets will be available from the door for $20.

L Lyon Performing Arts Trophy

The L Lyon Trophy for Outstanding Contribution to the Performing Arts is named after Mrs Le-A Lyon, a former music teacher of Woonona High who dedicated many years of her life to the students of this school, fostering their talents and providing them with a wide range of performance opportunities. The recipient of this award has made outstanding contributions to the life of the school through their dedication to the Performing Arts over a number of years.

Conor has been an integral part of the Performing Arts community at Woonona High for the past six years, providing technical support and assistance for most school events. Conor has also performed in and hosted many school events including numerous Unplugged Concerts, Variety Nights and Assemblies; and he won an Arcadian's Theatre Group 2015 Inter-School Competition Medal for his portrayal of the Scarecrow in our musical production ‘The Wiz.'

More recently, Conor graduated from the Illawarra ITEC with a Certificate III in Technical Production and was selected to participate in the SongMakers Project; which saw him write and record an original song with his peers, working alongside famous industry professionals.

Conor is always willing to help at school and community events; even setting up, running the sound and packing up for the Moonlight Cinema at Woonona Primary School last Saturday. Conor has also recently received offers to study Audio Engineering at JMC College and the Australian Institute of Music in Sydney, before HSC exams began. Congratulations Conor!

CAPA Camp

After a successful camp at our new venue last year, we are once again offering all students from Year 7-11 the opportunity to go to our Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) Camp, to be held at the Waterslea Centre in Nowra from Monday 20^th – Wednesday 22^nd  November. An expression of interest note was sent home last week and interested students are asked to pay a deposit to secure their place. The purpose of the camp is to enable students to learn new repertoire, form ensembles and rehearse group items ready to audition for Variety Night. All students with an interest in Dance, Drama, Circus, Music, Photography and Visual Arts are welcome to apply. Please contact Miss R Sharp (CAPA Coordinator) for more information.

Save the Date – Variety Night

Our annual Creative and Performing Arts Showcase ‘Variety Night' will be held in Week 10 on Tuesday 12th December at 7pm. Our Woonona Community of Schools Primary Band will be performing at this event - this program has grown in size again this year and we now have 34 Year 5 and 6 students attending. They are sounding fantastic – and many of the students playing at a higher level now combine with our WHS Junior Band as well. The night will also feature performances from our Stage Band, Vocal Ensemble, Dance Companies, Drama and Circus groups, as well as an exhibition from our Visual Arts and Photography students.

Schools Spectacular

Over the years, Woonona High School has been proudly represented in Schools Spectacular, a state wide version of Southern Stars that is held in Sydney each year. In the past, we have had several students selected as featured artists for both vocals and aerial circus performers. In 2017, three of our dancers will be featured in the show at Qudos Bank Arena in Homebush as part of their role in the Southern Stars Performing Company. A massive congratulations to Elizabeth Apter and Layla Ryan (Year 7) and Chloe Jones (Year 8)! They will be performing in four shows from November 24^th to 25^th. We are hoping to organise an excursion to watch on the 24^th November – keep an ear out at assembly. Tickets are also available from Ticketek.

Community of Schools Band Program

The Woonona Community of Schools Band Program provides an affordable opportunity for Year 5 and 6 students in our local primary schools to learn an instrument and form a band. 2017 has seen the biggest growth in this program since it began in 2012, and we are very proud of the 34 primary students who attend each week. All students receive small group tuition on their chosen instrument and rehearse each week in our Beginner Band (mainly new primary students) or our Advanced Band (junior high school and advanced primary students.)

It has also been wonderful to see some high school students from our advanced Stage Band volunteering their time each week to tutor beginner students before school. However, due to the rapid growth of our band program, we are running out of instruments for students to hire.

Along with the Community of Schools Primary Band, Junior Band and Stage Band Programs, we also offer our Year 7 CAPA Enrichment Classes the opportunity to learn an instrument for a term. This year this has resulted in over 60 students from Year 5-11 playing in a band. If you know of any instruments that are not being used at the moment, please contact the school - we are happy to accept all donations or loans, even if instruments are not in working order.

Circus Program

The Circus Program continues to grow to new heights at Woonona High! We now have a large group of students who train on the aerial apparatus of silks (tissu) and hoop (lyra) each week during Sport time, and we also look forward to running Circus Skills again as a Year 8 Elective Course next year, along with the new Year 9/10 Elective Course Aerial Foundations.

However, due to the increase in students involved, we are now outgrowing the equipment we have in our space. As such, we are seeking donations of equipment or funding from local businesses or organisations to help us purchase more circus and safety apparatus for our students, including gym/crash mats and trapezes. If you are able to donate any funding or equipment, please contact the school. We would greatly appreciate any offers of assistance.

CAPA in the Community

Congratulations to all of the performers and helpers from our Community of Schools at the Woonona Primary School Moonlight Cinema last Saturday! We were very proud to support the event and would like to thank the following current and future students who helped out:

• Carla Baker and Riley Walker (Yr 9), and Ethan Johnson (Yr 10) – Acoustic Trio
• Kai Johnson (Yr 6 WPS and Yr 7 CAPA Enrichment 2018) – Saxophone Solo
• Ruby Martin and Koda Way (Yr 6 WPS and Yr 7 CAPA Enrichment 2018) – Acoustic Duo
• Elizabeth Apter (Yr 7 CAPA Enrichment 2017) – Dance Solo
• Conor Johnson (Yr 12) Set up, operation and pack up of WHS equipment for all performers

Instrumental and Vocal Tuition

Now that our Year 12 Music students have finished their HSC exams, we have some new spaces available for current and future students of Woonona High to learn an instrument or voice before or after schools. Our program features experienced teachers at an affordable price, with private 30 minute lessons costing $20, and partner 30 minute lessons costing $10 each. Lessons are offered in guitar, bass guitar, drums, keyboard, flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone and voice. Please contact Miss R. Sharp via email below for more details.

Miss R. Sharp

Music Teacher/Creative and Performing Arts Coordinator

rhiannon.sharp@det.nsw.edu.au

Aerials for Sport

Aerial circus apparatus training has begun for Summer Sport! In this program, students can learn the basics of aerial silks (tissu) or aerial hoop (lyra). See Miss K Sharp for the details.

On Tuesday 19^th September we held our 23^rd Unplugged Concert, and several audience members commented that it was the biggest and best yet – with 30 acts performing in total, featuring students from Year 6 to 12, along with a powerful exhibition of student artworks. Usually featuring mostly live acoustic music, this Unplugged was a little different to most, as it featured many electric instruments, several dance performances and the art exhibition, to showcase the Project Based Learning that has been happening across the CAPA Faculty this term. Thank you to everyone who attended the evening and congratulations to all involved.

Project Based Learning in CAPA

This term several classes have been exploring Project Based Learning within the CAPA Faculty, including Year 9 Visual Arts, Year 10 Photography & Digital Media, Year 10 Music and Year 7 Dance. Students worked together to answer a driving question and the projects were then presented to ‘authentic audiences' including staff, peers and an Unplugged concert. Year 9 Visual Arts and Year 10 Photography & Digital Media presented an exhibition of mixed media subjective artworks called ‘The Art of Anxiety' and both Year 10 Music classes presented group performances from their project ‘That's Entertainment!' to their peers and the authentic audience at Unplugged 23. The concert also featured several of the dance pieces that Year 7 CAPA students choreographed in small groups as part of their project (below).

Miss R. Sharp

Music Teacher/Creative and Performing Arts Coordinator

Year 7 Dance Perform!

In week 10, all Year 7 CAPA Enrichment students performed the dance pieces that they created for their CYBERBULLYING: SPEAK OUT Project Based Learning assessment. These works were developed over 6 weeks and each group was required to combine their knowledge of Dance and PDHPE to explore the driving question - "How can we, as students of Woonona High School, speak out about the negative impact of social media misuse?"

Students worked in allocated groups to develop their pieces about cyberbullying; identifying the bully, bystanders and victim; and the potential impact that the negative impact of social media misuse may have on an individual and their relationships. Year 10 Dance students and Miss King were among the audience and were speechless throughout the performances. We are very proud of all of the dance works created by our students, some of which were also performed for an authentic audience at Unplugged 23 and at the final Year 7 Year Meeting. Congratulations to all students involved in both CAPA Enrichment Classes, these pieces truly were emotive and inspirational in every aspect.

Mrs Steele (CAPA/PDHPE)

HSC CAPA and TAS Showcase

On Friday 1^st September our Year 12 Music, Drama, Visual Art and Industrial Technology students displayed their major works with a combined HSC Showcase. Featuring an art exhibition, music concert, drama performances and an industrial technology display, the night provided a wonderful insight into some of our creative HSC subjects and the amazing work that our students have produced. Congratulations to all students and staff involved. 

Unplugged 23

On Tuesday 19^th September we will be holding our 23^rd Unplugged Concert of live acoustic music. These concerts have been running since 2010 and are a wonderful tradition to end each term. The night starts at 7pm and will be the last Unplugged for our Year 12 students. Tickets are available at the door -  $5 for children, $10 for adults and $25 for a family of 4.

Southern Stars

Congratulations to all of our students involved in Southern Stars 2017 ‘Postcards.' There are only 4 shows so make sure you get your tickets! More news and photos to come next week. We are so proud of all of our students, including the following students who were featured:

Ethan W Johnson (Year 10) – Southern Stars Performing Company Orchestra

Layla Ryan (Year 7) – Southern Stars Performing Company (Dance and Tap Ensemble)

Elizabeth Apter (Year 7) – Southern Stars Performing Company (Dance Ensemble)

Chloe Jones (Year 8) – Southern Stars Performing Company (Dance Ensemble)

Alahna Ping (Year 7), Lani Storm & Tishaan Styche (Year 9) – Aboriginal Dance Ensemble

Thank you to Miss K Sharp and Mrs Steele for all their hard work with Southern Stars 2017, and also to Ms Johnstone, Ms King and Miss R Sharp for their help supervising our students. Congratulations to Mrs Steele for her choreography for the show  - the Nutbush looked great! Check out our Facebook page and the Southern Stars Facebook page for photos and videos.

HSC CAPA and TAS Showcase

On Friday 1^st September our Year 12 Music, Drama, Visual Art and Industrial Technology students will be displaying their major works with a combined HSC Showcase. Featuring an art exhibition, music concert, drama performances and an industrial technology display, the night promises to be an exciting event that will provide an insight into some of our creative HSC subjects and the amazing work that our students can produce. Doors open at 7pm and entry is by gold coin donation. Refreshments will be available. We hope to see you there! J

The SongMakers Project

Last week at assembly, 16 of our music students were presented with their certificates of completion for The SongMakers songwriting and recording project that they undertook in April. Signed by our mentors (famous record producer Robert Conley and Rai Thistlethwayte from Thirsy Merc) and accompanied by a guitar pick, the certificates will be treasured for a long time, along with the wonderful songs and memories. Visit the the SongMakers website and head to the 2017 Workshops menu to hear the songs written by our talented students. J

Australian Musical Examinations Board (AMEB) Success

Last school holidays, six students from our instrumental tuition program completed a music performance exam from the nation wide Australian Music Examinations Board Syllabuses. Congratulations to the following students from Woonona High School (and Primary School):

Clarinet – Preliminary Grade

Olivia James (Year 9) – Credit

Jasmine Wood (Year 8) – Honours

Saxophone for Leisure – Second Grade

Jordan White (Year 8) – Honours

Kai Johnson (Year 6) – Credit

Saxophone for Leisure – Fourth Grade

Jocelyn Bray (Year 8) – Credit

Piano – Fourth Grade

Phoebe Austin (Year 10) - Pass

Unplugged 23

On Tuesday 19^th September we will be holding our 23^rd Unplugged Concert of live acoustic music. These concerts have been running since 2010 and are a wonderful tradition to end each term. The night starts at 7pm and will be the last Unplugged for our Year 12 students. Tickets are available at the door -  $5 for children, $10 for adults and $25 for a family of 4.

Southern Stars

Congratulations to all of our students involved in Southern Stars 2017 ‘Postcards.' Rehearsals are looking great so make sure you get your tickets early. This year we have students in involved in the Mass Dance Item ‘Disco Medley' as well as the following featured artists:

Ethan W Johnson (Year 10) – Southern Stars Performing Company Orchestra

Layla Ryan (Year 7) – Southern Stars Performing Company (Dance and Tap Ensemble)

Elizabeth Apter (Year 7) – Southern Stars Performing Company (Dance Ensemble)

Chloe Jones (Year 7) – Southern Stars Performing Company (Dance Ensemble)

Alahna Ping (Year 7), Lani Storm & Tishaan Styche (Year 9) – Aboriginal Dance Ensemble

Thank you to Miss K Sharp and Mrs Steele for all their hard work with Southern Stars 2017.

HSC Drama Performance Night

Congratulations to our Year 12 Drama students and Ms King for their wonderful HSC Showcase on Tuesday 8^th August. It was fantastic to see the work you have been doing in your Group Performances and Individual Projects. Good luck for your HSC practical exams! We hope to see some of your performances and projects at the HSC CAPA/TAS Showcase.

Beautiful the Musical Excursion

An excursion to a performance of ‘Beautiful: The Carole King Musical' at the Lyric Theatre Sydney has been organised for Wednesday 13^th December. If you are interested in going, please see Mr Bretag or Miss R Sharp in the Music Department to get a note. Cost is $65.

High School Musical Success!

Congratulations to the cast and crew of High School Musical. Audiences were amazed by the talent of our students and were thoroughly entertained. Over 500 primary school students from Woonona PS, Russell Vale PS and Woonona PS, along with residents from the IRT attended our matinee performances and the line up for tickets at the evening shows went out to the carpark on both nights. A fantastic turnout – the hall was packed! Thank you to everyone who supported the show - more details and photos to come in the next newsletter. If you wish to order any photos or a show DVD, please complete an order form at the Front Office as soon as possible. Please see the lovely review below by our Regional Arts Coordinatior, Sue Dawson:

I would like to express my congratulations on a great night last night at Woonona High School's performance of "High School Musical" and ask that you forward my congratulations to all of your staff and students involved in the evening.  I thoroughly enjoyed watching and thank you all for the opportunity to attend.  To see the students up on stage having so much fun and representing public education in such a positive way is a credit to the commitment and dedication of not only the students, but the teachers, you as principal and your local school community.  It was fantastic to see such a great crowd there last night supporting the students' achievements. 

I was particularly impressed by the involvement of students across all years and ability levels.  It was also fantastic to see so many boys involved in the production.    It is evident that this is a school who is motivated to share in each other's  success and work collaboratively to ensure all students have the opportunity to share in their love of performing arts. 

From my own experience I know the tremendous effort and extra-curricular time that is required to organise a show like this.  So thank you and congratulations to all the staff for your enthusiasm for the arts and to providing arts programs for your students.   Involvement in the arts can be life changing for many of our students.  It is an avenue for them to express themselves, to grow in confidence and a place for them to shine.

Congratulations also to the staff and students who worked backstage to ensure the smooth running of the night. It is impressive to see students taking the lead as stage crew, lighting, sound and vision operators.  Their confidence and ability to coordinate a program such as last night is indicative of the fantastic training and opportunities they are receiving from their teachers. 

A special shout out to the young man in the role of "earth worm"!  One of the best characterisations I have seen in a long time!! 

Congratulations once again to all involved and I wish you continued success for tonights performance.

High School Musical Production

Our wonderful cast and crew have been busily rehearsing for our upcoming production of High School Musical, which opens on Wednesday in Week 1 next term. Rehearsals will continue throughout the holidays as we prepare for four performances. Our talented students will be performing for students from Woonona PS, Russell Vale PS and Woonona East PS as well as residents from the Illawarra Retirement Trust in Woonona in two daytime matinee performances, along with evening performances on both Wednesday 19^th and Thursday 20^th July. Doors open at 7pm for the evening shows and tickets are only available to purchase on the night. There are no reserved seats so get there early. Shows will commence at 7:30pm. We are very excited to perform for you. Keep an eye out for more pictures on our Facebook.

Please contact the school if you wish to attend a matinee show, as space will be limited.

Chloe Saxby Fundraiser

On Saturday 24^th June, many of our High School Musical cast performed two items from the show at a fundraiser for Chloe Saxby, a local student with a rare and terminal disease, at The Fraternity Club in Fairy Meadow. Our students did an incredible job – wowing the large audience full of special guests with their Cheer Item and "We're All In This Together." Our students did not perform until very late in the evening and did not finish until about 11pm, so it was a huge effort by them all. A massive thank you to Mrs Steele for accompanying the students, looking after them and making sure that they were entertained whilst waiting for so long to perform! Several parents and staff who were there on the night have commended our students for their wonderful behaviour, fantastic performances and excellent attitude. It is a cause that is very close to our hearts and we are so glad to be able to help. Although our team did not win the overall challenge on the night, we got some great comments and feedback. I would like to thank all of our students and parents who attended, and especially Mrs Steele.

Unplugged 22

On Tuesday 27^th June we held our 22^nd Unplugged Concert of live acoustic music. These concerts have been running since 2010 and are a wonderful tradition to end each term. The night featured 26 songs from students from Year 6 right through to Year 12 and it was wonderful to see so many talented students performing such a variety of music. We had saxophone and piano solos from our students preparing for their AMEB exams, Year 12 students presenting some of their HSC pieces, a group item consisting of almost every percussion instrument we own, and many more wonderful items, including some students in Year 6, who have been accepted into our Creative and Performing Art Enrichment Class for Year 7 next year. A huge congratulations to all students involved – it was a wonderful evening of entertainment and we look forward to Unplugged 23 on Tuesday 19^th September.

Woonona Community of Schools Primary Band, Junior and Stage Band Program

Last Wednesday our next intake of Year 5 and 6 students joined our Community of Schools Primary Band and began trying the instruments on offer before making their selections this week. It was great to see so many new faces – we now have 30 primary school students from Woonona PS, Russell Vale PS and Woonona East PS attending our band program each week. We are also pleased that so many of our Year 7 students have joined our Junior Band since learning an instrument through the CAPA Enrichment Class Instrumental Program – we are now having difficulty fitting everyone in our rehearsal space and have had to order more instruments and music stands! Our Primary and Junior Band students meet on Wednesday mornings from 8-9:30am and anyone can join this program to learn a band instrument. We also have our Stage Band for more advanced students, which currently rehearses on Tuesday during Period 3. All up we now have over 60 students from Year 5 through to Year 11 in our Band Program, and many more who learn an instrument before and after school through our tuition program, often from some of our ex-students who learnt their instrument at school and have now gone on to study music and education at university or college. We look forward to seeing our new students develop and grow into a band to perform for us later in the year. If you would like more information about any of these programs, please contact me via email. We are also in desperate need of more instruments for this program – so if you have any lying around at home, please feel free to donate, or even lend them to the school for a while. We are happy to get them repaired or serviced if they are not currently in working order. 

Miss R. Sharp

Music Teacher/Creative and Performing Arts Coordinator

Creative and Performing Arts Showcase

On Thursday 8^th June the 2017 Year 7 CAPA Enrichment Classes held their first showcase to demonstrate the work that they have completed in their first semester at high school.

In Music, CAPA students have been learning to play a new instrument as well as how to read music, eventually forming a huge 30 piece band that barely fit on our stage. The CAPA Band opened the show, playing a piece altogether before each instrument was demonstrated by solos. The audience was very impressed with what they had achieved in just over a term and it was great to see so many students join Junior Band to continue learning their instruments.

In Drama, CAPA students been working together as a class to experiment with different characters, learn new techniques, have fun and learn core skills about performing on stage. These skills, along with the performance skill of Poi, were demonstrated in their two pieces.

In Dance, students have been learning a variety of styles and techniques and the audience enjoyed seeing two contrasting styles with a lyrical piece from 7E and hip hop from 7M. It was also fantastic to see one of our Year 7 CAPA students, Jamison Kay, perform a solo on the lyra (aerial hoop). Students with an interest in Circus Skills are able to train at school.

In Visual Arts, CAPA students have been learning a variety of skills and their artworks were on display in the Hall, along with an exhibition of other wonderful works from our students, including Year 11 Elective Portraits, and works from the Accelerated Visual Arts Program.

The night also featured performances from the Woonona High School Stage Band, Vocal Ensemble, Woonona Community of Schools Primary Band, Dance Company K and Z, our Year 10 Dance Elective, cheerleading and a sneak preview of our upcoming production of High School Musical, featuring a cast of over 60 students from Year 7 to Year 12. The night was a great success and we look forward to many more performances throughout the year.

High School Musical Production

The countdown is on! One month to go before our production of High School Musical opens. Our cast and crew are super excited to perform for you and currently busy rehearsing and preparing for the show. Keep an eye out for the show poster to be published soon and be sure to put the following dates in your calendar – tickets will be available at the door each night.

High School Musical  - Wednesday 19^th and Thursday 20^th July from 7pm. There will be matinee shows during the day on both days for our local primary schools. Please contact the school if you cannot attend a night show, as spaces will be limited for the matinees.

Our students are also going to be performing a couple of items from the show at a fundraiser for Chloe Saxby, a local student with a rare and terminal disease, on this Saturday 24^th June from 6:30pm at The Fraternity Club in Fairy Meadow. Tickets are still available from trybooking.com if you search under the event name, Rhythm for Rainbows – Saving Chloe Saxby. If you are interested in attending, please contact our Office as we may be able to book a group table. The dress code is creative black tie with lots of sparkle. Hope to see you there!

Unplugged 22

Our next concert is a night of acoustic music at Unplugged 22 on Tuesday 27^th June from 7pm in the Hall. Tickets at the door – see the poster for details. Hope to see you all there.

SongMakers Project Q & A Excursion – "How to Rule the Music World"

Last Friday 26^th May, over 30 Year 9 and 10 Elective Music students attended a Q & A session called How to Rule the Music World as part of Vivid Festival Sydney.

Students were invited to take a look behind the scenes of the music industry and find out what it takes to become a hit-making songwriter, performer or producer. They learnt about the creative and business practices of successful musicians as John Foreman hosted the forum alongside some of Australia's leading talents including ARIA and APRA Music Award winner Ilan Kidron (The Potbelleez), producer/songwriter/DJ KLP, writer/producer Robert Conley

(Montaigne, Thelma Plum, Jess Mauboy, Tina Arena, Ricky Martin) and up-and-coming artist Sonia De Pellegrin. Fresh from mentoring students around the country as part of the ground breaking APRA AMCOS SongMakers program that Woonona High School was selected for last term, these experts explored everything you need to know about a career in music including: how to start a song from scratch; finding and working with collaborators; sharing and protecting your intellectual property; social media for artists; what gear to use; how to find a publisher, manager or producer (and why you need one); and how to build an international career. Our students thoroughly enjoyed the discussions, live performances, and the exciting opportunity to ask their own questions of the mentors. It was a great day overall - thank you to Miss R Sharp and Mrs Arnold for taking us. We hope to participate in the SongMakers Project again next year!

CAPA Performance for IRT Residents

On Monday 29^th May, our talented CAPA students staged a very entertaining performance for some of our local Illawarra Retirement Trust residents in our hall. The newly formed Woonona High School Performing Ensemble (stage band, vocalists and dance troupe) were eager to perform their repertoire, as they did not get to perform at the recent Thirroul Seaside and Arts Festival due to rain. The Stage Band also performed some songs on their own, and the audience was also treated to a performance from our Year 10 Dance Elective class and Kaia Brienen, who performed a beautiful circus piece on the lyra (suspended hoop.) Despite a few students being away sick and our main vocalist having lost her voice, the performers continued on in true show biz style, performing fifteen numbers, including some solo demonstrations of each of our band instruments. Congratulations to all performers involved – you brought a lot of smiles to the audience, some of whom could not sit still and there were plenty of feet tapping! We look forward to performing again for our local IRT residents later in the year.

Creative and Performing Arts Showcase and Band Performances

On Thursday 8^th June the 2017 Year 7 CAPA Enrichment Classes will be holding a showcase to demonstrate the work that they have completed in first semester.

In Music, CAPA students have been learning to play a band instrument as well as how to read music and they are looking forward to showing off their new skills. Both CAPA classes will also be displaying the skills they have developed in Dance, Drama and Visual Art. The evening will feature performances from the Woonona HS Performing Ensemble, Stage and Junior Band, Vocal Ensemble, Community of Schools Primary Band, Dance Companies, along with cheerleading, circus and a sneak preview of our upcoming production of Disney's High School Musical. We hope you can join us there from 6pm – entrance is by gold coin donation only.

Woonona HS Vocal Ensemble and Secondary Schools Choral Concert

The Woonona High School Vocal Ensemble is a group that formed last year for students in Year 7-12 who have an interest in singing. No audition or experience is necessary and all students are welcome to join the group. We rehearse on Mondays from 8:15-9:30. Please see Miss R Sharp if you are interested in joining.

On Tuesday 16^th May several of our music students from our vocal ensemble and band program attended the Secondary Schools Choral Concert at the Town Hall in Sydney. This concert featured a combined choir of about 600 students from NSW Public Schools who sang together for the first time that night, after learning the songs at their own school and in cluster rehearsals. The choir performed a variety of Australian, classical and popular music, accompanied by the NSW Public Schools Symphony Orchestra and Jazz Orchestra. We also heard the NSW Public Schools Singers and Symphonic Wind Ensemble perform but the highlight of the evening was guest artist Felix Reibl from The Cat Empire, who performed several originals and as a soloist with the choir. The concert was inspiring and all students and staff thoroughly enjoyed the evening. Our vocal ensemble looks forward to performing as part of the Secondary Schools Choral Concert next year.

Creative and Performing Arts Showcase and Band Performances

On Thursday 8^th June the 2017 Year 7 CAPA Enrichment Classes will be holding a showcase to demonstrate the work that they have completed in first semester.

In Music, CAPA students have been learning to play a wind instrument as well as how to read music and they are looking forward to showing off their new skills. The night will also feature performances from the Woonona HS Performing Ensemble, Stage Band, Vocal Ensemble, Community of Schools Primary Band, Dance Companies, drama items, visual art displays, and small group items. We hope you can join us there from 6pm – entrance is by gold coin donation only.

Illawarra and South East Regional Performing Ensemble Tour

Woonona High School was again lucky enough to host the ISER Performing Ensemble on their recent tour. The concert featured a variety of songs from many genres including an a capella number by the vocal ensemble and a stage band feature, as well as many songs with the band, vocalists and the dance troupe. Woonona High School is well represented in the Performing Ensemble in 2017 with three of our students in the Stage Band: Caleb Bate on trumpet and Ethan Johnson on drums (Year 10), and Jocelyn Bray on saxophone (Year 8). This ensemble tours each term to local and interstate primary and high schools delivering an excellent hour of entertainment from talented students in Year 7-11. It was great to have a big audience of WHS students to support the ensemble, as well as our primary band students from Woonona and Russell Vale Primary Schools, and a large group of students from Woonona East Primary School. We look forward to seeing more of our students audition for this ensemble in 2018.

Woonona High School Performance at Thirroul Seaside and Arts Festival

This year our talented students in Year 9, 10 and 11 performed as part of the entertainment on Saturday 1^st April. Carla Baker, Riley Walker, Ethan Johnson, Jeremy Eager, Elly Moore, Jade O'Brien and Caleb Walker entertained the crowds with popular acoustic songs and presented a very professional performance. Unfortunately, the Stage Band performance on Sunday 2^nd April was rained out.

CAPA Performance for Illawarra Retirement Trust Residents

On Monday 29^th May, Woonona High School CAPA students, including our stage band, dance ensemble and vocalists will perform for IRT residents in our Hall. The concert will begin at 11am. Family and friends are also welcome to attend this concert as our performance at Thirroul Festival was unfortunately cancelled due to the wet weather. We hope to perform at Thirroul Festival again next year.

SongMakers Song Writing and Recording Project

This year we are proud to have been selected as one of only 50 Australian schools to participate in the SongMakers Project each year. In the last week of Term 1, 16 of our music students were mentored by industry professionals Rai Thistlethwayte (lead singer of Thirsty Merc) and Robert Conley (American music producer) to create and record four original songs over two days at school. Our students thoroughly enjoyed the experience, especially having such successful artists and industry professionals coaching and helping them. They also enjoyed having their songs produced to radio quality and hearing the final product of their song demos. The insight they gained into how artists, producers and song writers work together was amazing. After learning the tips and tricks of the trade, they walked away with four original songs created with their friends. We hope that SongMakers will visit us again next year so we can share this amazing opportunity with more of our students. Here are some more photos from the project. The songs will be released on our website and Facebook soon.

2017 Musical Production – Disney's High School Musical: On Stage

Rehearsals are well underway for our 2017 Musical Production of Disney's "High School Musical: On Stage." A detailed rehearsal schedule will be published this week. Matinee and evening erformances will be held in Week 1 of Term 3 on Wednesday 19^th and Thursday 20^th July. Involvement in the musical production is open to all students with an interest in the Creative and Performing Arts including acting, singing, dancing, musicians, circus performers, artists and crew.

Miss R Sharp

Creative and Performing Arts Coordinator

Dance News

The Woonona High School Dance Ensemble has been rehearsing weekly to create two dance items (Company K and Z) which are looking absolutely amazing! We have successfully auditioned both dance items into the South Coast Dance Festival which takes place during Week 6 of Term 2 (30^th May  – 3^rd June). The performances are scheduled over four days and held at the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre (IPAC), Burelli Street, Wollongong. This festival is a culmination of Public School (K-12) dance pieces that are created to provide our students with an opportunity to perform in a professional venue and the ability to view the works of other schools. We have been lucky enough to receive 3 performance times, per item and these are outlined below in the table below:

Please accept our congratulations on the hard work that has already taken place. We appreciate your dedication and are looking forward to watching the show.

We have also held auditions for the specialist dance roles in High School Musical, including Cheerleaders, Circus, Acrobatics, Martial Arts, and Bunhead ballerinas.

All students with an interest in dance can also be involved as chorus performers. A schedule for dance rehearsals during Wednesday sport time will be given out soon.

Miss K Sharp and Mrs Z Steele

HSC Music Encore Excursion

On Monday 20^th March our senior music students attended the HSC Encore Music Showcase at the Sydney Opera House. This evening concert featured exemplary performances and compositions from the 2016 HSC. Our students thoroughly enjoyed the show and were impressed with the high standard of performances and the variety of repertoire. It was a pleasure to see our students setting a great example both travelling to and visiting the Opera House. Some of our Year 12 students from last year also joined us, including Josh Bate, Corey Schwarze, Joe Holz and Jordan Nicholson. Josh and Corey received outstanding results in their Music HSC last year and are now both studying Music at JMC College in Sydney. Josh was also nominated for this concert based on his 2016 HSC Music Program. Thank you to Miss R Sharp, Mrs Arnold and Miss Fripp for accompanying us.

Illawarra and South East Regional Performing Ensemble Tour

Your child has been invited to attend a performance by the Illawarra and South East Regional Performing Ensemble on Wednesday 29^th March. The concert will take place during Period 2 as part of their tour of local schools. The ISER ensemble consists of a stage band, vocal group and dance troupe that were selected by audition from talented students all over the region to represent their school. Our school has had numerous representatives in band, dance and vocals over the years. This year we have 3 Woonona High students in the stage band – Jocelyn Bray in Year 8 (saxophone) and Ethan Johnson (drums) and Caleb Bate (trumpet) in Year 10, and many of our students have expressed an interest in auditioning on instruments, for the vocal group or for dance next year. This is an excellent opportunity for your child to see students from Years 7-12 performing in a professional show. The cost of this performance is $4 per student, payable at the Office before the concert. If you have more than child who wishes to attend, the cost will be $6 per family. The performance is open to all Year 7 and 8 students plus Music, Drama and Dance students. Any other students with an interest in Performing Arts are also welcome. Please pay at the Office by 28/3.

Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) Enrichment Class

2016 saw the introduction of the first CAPA Enrichment Class in Year 7. This class comprises talented students in the areas of Music, Dance, Drama and Visual Art who were selected from workshops in 2015. After a very successful year, we had enough interested students to offer two CAPA Classes in 2017. If your child is interested in auditioning to be a part of the CAPA Enrichment Year 7 Program in 2018, please contact our Office on 42 841 513. Workshops will be held on Thursday 30th March.

Stage Band, Junior Band and Community of Schools Band Program

This term the Stage Band (advanced students) will rehearse on Tuesdays in Period 3. We also have the Community of Schools Primary Band Program and any Junior Band students attending rehearsals Wednesday mornings from 8-9:30am. Any Stage Band students who wish to help tutor with these programs can have the hours they attend recorded towards their Department of Education Volunteering Awards. This is not compulsory though, and tutors can only attend from 8-8:40, and they must go to Period 1. Please see Miss R Sharp to register.

WHS Creative and Performing Arts Tour – Stage Band, Vocals and Dance

In the past we have taken Woonona High band students to perform for local primary schools to encourage students to take up an instrument. This year the Stage Band will be joined by our vocalists and dancers as they go on tour to perform at Woonona, Russell Vale and Woonona East Primary Schools, as well as a performance for the residents at the lllawarra Retirement Trust in Woonona. This tour has been scheduled for Friday 31^st March in Week 10. Approximate performance times at the schools are: WPS: 10:30, RVPS: 11:50, WEPS: 1:50.

Woonona High School Performance at Thirroul Seaside and Arts Festival

After the success of our performances in 2015 and 2016, Woonona High School has been invited to perform at the Thirroul Seaside and Arts Festival again. Our talented Stage Band, vocalists and dancers will be performing on the stage truck located in the park near the beach pool on Sunday 2^nd April from 12:10-12:40pm.

We also have some of our talented students in Year 9 (Carla Baker and Riley Walker) and Year 11 (Jeremy Eager, Elly Moore, Jade O'Brien and Caleb Walker) performing as part of the entertainment on Saturday 1^st April between 10-11am. These performances will be held outside Thirroul library (Year 9: 9:55-10:10) and on stage near Anita's Theatre (Year 11: 10:00-10:20 Year 9: 10:25-10:55). Please come and support our talented students on Saturday 1^st and Sunday 2^nd.

SongMakers Song Writing and Recording Project

This year we are proud to have been selected as one of only 50 Australian schools to participate in the SongMakers Project each year. In the last week of Term 1, 16 of our senior students will be mentored by industry professionals Rai Thistlethwayte (lead singer of Thirsty Merc) and Robert Conley (American music producer) to create and record four original songs over two days at school.

Unplugged 21

On Tuesday 4^th April Woonona High School will hold its 21^st Unplugged Concert. These concerts have been running since 2010 and were initially designed to raise money to purchase a grand piano for the Hall. After purchasing the piano in 2011, the concerts have continued to be a strong tradition with many talented students of all ages performing great live music along with dance and circus items once a term. All money raised now goes to the maintenance of the piano and the purchase of other equipment for music performance. Tickets are $5 for kids, $10 for adults and $25 for a family of 4, and are available to purchase at the door on the night. The concert is at 7pm in the Hall. We hope to see you there!

2017 Musical Production

Auditions have been finalised and rehearsals have now begun for our 2017 Musical Production of Disney's "High School Musical: On Stage." A detailed rehearsal schedule will be published next week. Performances will be held in Week 1 of Term 3 (19^th-21^st July). Involvement in the musical production is open to all students with an interest in the Creative and Performing Arts including acting, singing, dancing, musicians, circus performers, artists and stage crew.

Miss R Sharp

Creative and Performing Arts Coordinator