Sydney Technical High School
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| Sydney Technical High School |
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| Motto: Manners Makyth Man (William of Wykeham) | |
| Established | 1911 |
| Type | Public Selective all-male secondary |
| Principal | Ms. L. Irvine |
| Deputies | Mr. S. Dando and Mr. G. McNaught |
| Students | 927 |
| Grades | 7–12 |
| Location | Bexley, NSW Australia |
| Colours | Maroon and Sky Blue |
| School Song | Men of Harlech |
| Website | http://www.sths.nsw.edu.au |
Sydney Technical High School is an academically selective school for boys located in the suburb of Bexley in Sydney. It was founded in 1911 as Sydney Technical College, was one of the six original New South Wales selective schools, and consistently ranks well in yearly Higher School Certificate results.
The school motto is "Manners Makyth Man" and was derived from a well-known saying of William of Wykeham. The school is colloquially abbreviated to "Sydney Tech" or simply "Tech" among the school community and current students are referred to as 'techies'.
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[edit] History
One of the reforms advocated by the 1903 Royal Commission into NSW Education was the establishment of classes providing courses which would involve technical subjects. Consequently, Continuation classes for students interested in technical subjects commenced at the Sydney Technical College.
In April 1911, these Continuation classes were given the status of a high school and Sydney Technical High was established. Originally the school was co-educational with 113 boys and 15 girls. In February 1913 the girls were transferred to Fort Street Girls' High and from then on the school became for boys only.
Since 1911, the school has been located at three Sydney sites:
Ultimo House - Mary Ann Street - This was the "country" home of Dr. John Harris, Surgeon of the N.S.W. Corps. The property was bought by the Government in 1899 and used by Technical Education for many years before being used by Sydney Tech High from 1911 to 1924.
Paddington - Albion Street - In 1925, with an enrolment of 421, Sydney Tech High was transferred to Albion Street, Paddington. Although it was a note of expansion, it was a vigorous P&C campaign that encouraged the State Government to fund an entirely new site for the school.
Bexley - Forest Road - The Old McConnachie's Paddock was occupied and first stone for the school's foundations was laid in March 1955, with the school completed and occupied by September 1956. The official opening for the school's new facilities was on 2nd August, 1958, with four units: the administration block, general classrooms ('A block'), manual training block and the auditorium and gymnasium. Throughout the years numerous additions have been made to the site. The School Pool was opened in 1966, the Kingsford-Smith Library and Laboratries in 1975 and a brand-new administration block in 1998.
[edit] Facilities
The current grounds at Bexley on 686 Forest Road include the following physical facilities:
Buildings
- 'A Block' - English, Mathematics, Science, History, Drama and 2 computer rooms (Rooms 12 & 13)
- Auditorium - Assemblies, Band Practice, Concerts and exam room
- Gym - (recently renamed Jorge Diaz Gymnasium) Basketball Court, Volleyball Court, Gymnastics, PE facilities (changing rooms) and staffroom, adjacent to the Auditorium
- 'C Block' - Social Sciences, Languages, Art, Music, PD/H/PE and photography lab with darkroom
- Charles Kingsford-Smith Library & Science Block - 4 science laboratories downstairs with the library upstairs. The Bob Booth Archives Room is also situated in the library.
- 'TAS Block' - Technological & Applied Studies with 3 computer labs, 2 woodwork rooms and 2 metalwork/electronics rooms
- Administration Block - offices and sick bay
- 'The Cottage' - Careers advisor's office/Careers Learning Centre
- Corner cottage - Language-assessment rooms, general storage and Uniform Pool shop
Outdoor areas and facilities
- Quadrangle - handball courts, outdoor assemblies
- Upper courts - basketball courts
- "The Cage" (Lower courts) - basketball courts
- Cricket nets - located between Lower courts and Back oval, 3 cricket batting nets
- School Canteen - actually indoors (beneath A block), contains volunteer-run canteen and eating areas
- 'Covered area' - adjacent to the school canteen, outdoor area under fixed colourbond sun-shade, handball courts
- Front oval - grass covered sports oval
- Back oval - grass covered sports oval with a large dirt covered area in the middle, affectionately known as 'The Dustbowl'.
- Swimming pool - 25 metre, 6 lane swimming pool with diving blocks (deep end has a 3.5 metre depth but currently the diving facilities have been removed for safety reasons), surrounded by a 'man proof' fence. Currently in disrepair, although the school is currently raising funds in order to bring it back to full capacity.
- Botanical area - fenced off area containing various plant specimens although is in need of some pruning
- Rainforest area - small garden containing various 'tropical' plants, adjacent to C block's art rooms
- Flag pole - located near next to the Forest Road car park
- Toilets - located next to school canteen and located adjacent to the photography & darkroom
Parking
- Forest Road car park - main car park, located near A block, Auditorium and Administration block with a side lane next to auditorium leading to C block.
- Anderson Street car park - adjacent to the cottage, it is periodically announced that this car park is closed to student parking
- Ethel Street car park - used mostly by TAS and history teachers for parking as well as a delivery bay for the school canteen.
[edit] Faculties
Faculty (Head Teacher) - HSC subjects
Creative Arts (J. Wright) - Music 1, Music 2, Music Extension, Visual Arts
English (D. Demetriadis) - Drama, English (Standard & Advanced), English Extension 1 & 2
History (P. Heath)- Ancient History, Modern History, History Extension, Studies of Religion
Languages (P. Abson) - French, German, Japanese (beginners/continuers + extension)
Mathematics (G. McLean) - Mathematics (2 Unit + Ext 1 + Ext 2)
PD/PE/Health/Careers (P. Owens) - Personal Development/Health/Physical Education & Careers (B. Mulholland is the careers advisor)
Science (G. Thickett) - Biology, Chemistry, Physics
Social Science (J. Davis) - Business Studies, Economics, Geography, Legal Studies
Technological & Applied Studies (P. Copeland) - Design & Technology, Engineering Studies, Information Processes & Technology, IT, Software Design & Development
[edit] Extra-Curricular Activities
Prefect and executive positions
P&C Association and Student Fundraising
Debating Teams
Student Representative Council
Interact - A group dedicated to charity fundraising
School Intranet Team
FRED - The school newspaper run solely by Year 10 and Year 11 students at the school. FRED is currently in a 'suspended' state.
Public Speaking - including Inter-School and grade-wide competitions
Peer Support program
ISCF - Inter-School Christian Fellowship
Chess
Writers in Residence - A ten week course, held annually, in which a professional writer helps to hone students' writing skills.
Committees of Year 12 organisation - for collaborating the Yearbook, Formal, Class Video and Jerseys
School Bands - Beginner, Intermediate, Concert, Stage, String Ensemble
Air Cadets
Chemistry Titration Competition
[edit] Sport
Regular Summer Grade Sports: Cricket, Basketball, Baseball, Squash, Table Tennis, Touch, Volleyball, Water Polo
Regular Winter Grade Sports: Baseball, Field Hockey, Rugby League, Soccer, Softball, Table Tennis, Tennis, AFL
Regular Non-Grade Activities: Lawn Bowls, Fencing, Fitness, Karate, Sailing, House Sport including Soccer, Basketball, Softball, Tennis, Volleyball and Touch
[edit] Student life / Social activities
Annual activities
The "Celebrity" Human Movement Challenge
Combined SRC Dance between Sydney Tech and St. George Girls High
Musicale (School Bands)
Senior Trivia Night (SRC)
Jorge Diaz Wombi Ball Cup (SRC)
SRC Week - Various activities such as Pizza Day, Talent Quest and Fashion Parade
Year 12 Formal (Formal Committee)
Fundraising activities
'Mufti' Days (Interact, SRC) - Mufti days and sausage sizzles are often held on the same day.
Sausage Sizzles (SRC, Interact) - used for fundraising.
Charity Fundraising (Interact on behalf of various charities)
Year 12 Fundraising - Various fundraising activities to raise funds for the year 12 gift to the school each year
Prefect Body
24 Prefects are elected from the senior years each year. The school captain, vice-captain and head prefect are selected from the 24 prefects elected. The prefects have morning tea meetings on Thursdays at recess with the school executive, which is known as Thursday Morning Tea. In recent times the role of the greater prefect body has been rather limited, although the school captain and vice captain have many duties, including the captain's duty to run the weekly school assemblies.
Student Representative Council
Five SRC members are elected annually from each year; from the elected members, the SRC votes internally to determine the positions of SRC president, SRC vice-president and SRC treasurer. The SRC has a staff advisor — the current co-ordinator is R. Carter. The stated role of the SRC is to organise and raise funds for equipment and facilities for the school.
Assembly
Whole school assemblies are held every Friday morning in the school auditorium. However whilst there are exams in the auditorium (school certificate, higher school certificate, preliminary exams), assemblies are held outside in the quadrangle.
[edit] Notable alumni
Alumni are referred to as Old Boys.
- Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, pioneering aviator
- John Konrads, Olympic gold-medallist swimmer and businessman
- Leo McKern, actor
- Clive James, writer
- Serkan Honeine, European Football Player
- Graham Richardson, NSW Senator (ALP) (1983-1994); Environment Minister (1987-1993); Health Minister (1992)
- Reg Gasnier, rugby league player
- Patrick Matthews, bass guitar player
- Les Gock, musician
- Alex Dimitriades, actor
[edit] See also
- List of Government schools in New South Wales
- List of selective high schools in New South Wales
- St. George Girls' High School
[edit] External links
- Sydney Technical High School website
- NSW Department of Education and Training: Sydney Technical High School
