High Notes, Vol 17 No 40, December 16 2016
High Talent
Congratulations to our volleyball teams who made history in
Melbourne at the National Schools Volleyball Tournament. Our U14s contested the Championship
Division Final but were beaten by Mazenod College in a very tight match. Our under 16s went down
in the Division 1 Final to Ryde Secondary College. Our U17s won a silver medal also in Division
1, just beaten by Brisbane Boys College. The U15s finished 5th in Division 1 and the Open team
came 6th in Division 1. In overall terms, High was the second strongest boys school in Australia.
Congratulations to all the teams and to MIC Michael Kay and his team of coaches. Our Opens
basketball team competed in the National Schools Basketball Competition in the U20 Division and
ended up 4th in Australia. Well done to both the touring teams and to Ben Hayman, Bruce Gordon
and Sam Higgins for their expertise.
End Term 4
As the academic year draws to a close, I would like to extend my
heartfelt thanks to the hundreds of individuals who have contributed so much to making the
environment at High so conducive for our boys to thrive. Teachers, non-teaching staff, SASS
members, ground staff, cleaners and contractors, combine to make the site what it is as a
learning institution. We have well over 350 people with WWCCs enabling them to work at High
– teachers, coaches, parents, administrative and support staff. To all our parents who
volunteer at the Canteen, work on Committees, serve at barbecues or camps or who help fundraise
through parking – thank you. We have some Old Boys who work tirelessly for the school
– Geoff Andrews puts in untold hours through the SHS Foundation. Many others, young and
old, serve on Governance bodies, volunteer their professional services or coach teams for
nothing. High is what it is through the service of so many.
Collection of Reports
All boys should have collected their reports.
Regrettably, there are still many boys who have not fulfilled their commitments and completed
their Clearance Forms and booked an appointment time to see me to discuss their progress
at school. This is an important step in our feedback loop and I insist on speaking to boys
personally. Boys can come and get their reports before or after school and at
lunch or recess on most days. There are also sheets provided for ‘Stragglers
Reports’ for an hour or so on selected days. Boys just need to make an effort to
comply with policy and come and see me. Once I have had a short feedback session with each boy,
his report is loaded online against his personal file on Find a Student. Appointments
can be made in the new school year before school, recess and at lunch (except Tuesdays). The
benefits of my interactions with boys lessen if the discussion is too far removed from the
assessment events being discussed.
2016 Budget Summary
The total income from DoE, school and community sources
rose by 10.52% to $5,077,782. Within that amount, General Service Contributions, including
levies, rose by 3.7% this year to $1,387,296. Global Funds from DEC rose by 8.6% to $ 816,250.
Tied funds from DEC rose by 23.5% to $314,853, reflecting the inclusion of community engagement,
school chaplain and beginning teacher payments and increased targeted equity funding. Interest
earned was steady at $16,162. Co-payments for sport were up by 17.6% to $596,929 and other
co-curricular activities by 4.8% to $104,962 Trust receipts rose by 15.2% to $782,166. Total
funds available increased by 9.3% to $5,683,521.
Total payments rose by 8.9% to $5,001,545. Key Learning Area expenditure was down by 11.7% after
last year’s textbook purchase spike. Excursion expenditures rose by 23.6%, mostly because
of added events such as the Gold Coast Rugby tour and the Five Highs being held in Perth.
Extra-curricular payments rose by 18% to $1,956,000, reflecting employment costs, compliance
charges and facilities hire increases. Trust payments were 15.4% higher. Utilities costs rose
4.8%. Short term relief costs for absent teachers reduced by 37.7% to $76,158. Administration and
Office expenses (including GST paid) declined by 5% - a positive trend. Maintenance costs
contracted by 13.5% back to normal level. Capital program expenditure was steady at $132,701,
reflecting work to provide storage spaces and entry doors, as well as a new shower/toilet
facility and a solar power generation system. (Our electricity bill was down 9.3% on 2015).
Overall, payments as a percentage of funds available are marginally better at 88.0% v 88.34% in
2015. At High, the reliability of our income flows from parents has allowed this very high
expenditure percentage to be maintained for seventeen years.
The Sydney Boys High Student Research and Resources (Public Library)
Fund
The Sydney Boys High School Student Research and Resources Fund is a
fund to resource our two school libraries. Purchases of books, e-books, subscriptions to
magazines, databases and streaming services and minor equipment can be made from the Fund. In
addition, the wages of a second Librarian and staff employed to extend library hours and run
Library archives, are paid for from the Fund. As contributions to the Fund are tax deductible, it
provides a very cost effective way for parents and Old Boys to help fund an important and growing
area of school life – online learning. As well, 248 boys can enjoy the library facilities
simultaneously. The opening balance for the Fund in 2016 was $38,881. Total receipts were
$154,351. Expenditures included: wages for Library and archive staff $129,228; physical and
electronic resources $39,293; and maintenance $309. Total payments were $168,831. Balance carried
forward was $24,401. I commend the Student Research and Resources Fund to all parents and ask for
your financial support in the form of tax deductible donations in the new year.
The Sydney Boys High School Building Fund
The Sydney Boys High School
Building Fund is a capital fund for on-site school projects – building
refurbishment and capital maintenance. The Fund opened the year with a balance of $2,003,681.
Total receipts for the period were $213,332. Payments for the year were $158,283. The solar
project cost $27,000 and the remainder was paid to GHD project managers and TKD architects for
developing the Governors Centre to DA stage and then to provide 100% drawings to get the Project
up to tender stage. The carried forward balance available for the Governors Centre Project was
$2,042,782.
The Sydney High School Building Fund
The Sydney High School Building Fund
is a capital fund managed in trust by the Sydney High School Foundation Inc on behalf of the
school. The object of the Fund is to provide facilities for the use of students at High. These
asserts are usually located off-site. The Foundation owns, maintains and
operates the Outterside Centre and manages the Fairland Pavilion. It also negotiates and manages
Deeds of Licence with third parties for medium and long term arrangements. Its current major
project is the Governors Centre, a joint endeavour with SGHS. Contributions by parents
for 2016 were $463,113. Monthly Giving from parents added another $32,000. This culture of
ongoing generosity is the principal reason why High has acquired the assets it enjoys and the
access it has to facilities at Malabar, SISC and Centennial Park. Please keep making your annual
contributions to the Sydney High School Building Fund.
Dr K A Jaggar
Principal
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