Sydney Girls High School

Infobox Aust school
name = Sydney Girls High School


motto = " _la. Labor Omnia Vincit"
(Latin:"Work Conquers All")
established = 1883
type = Selective, Public, Single-sex, Day school
principal = Dr. Margaret Varady AO
city = Moore Park
state = New South Wales
country = Australia
coordinates = coord|33|53|38|S|151|13|13|E|display=inline,title
campus = Urban
enrolment = ~920 (7–12)cite web |url=http://www.sghs.nsw.edu.au/School%20Profile/index.html |title=School Profile |accessdate=2007-08-22 |work=Sydney Girls High School]
colours = Brown and Gold color box|#964B00 color box|#FFD700
homepage = [http://www.sghs.nsw.edu.au/lowres.htm www.sghs.nsw.edu.au] Sydney Girls High School (abbreviated as SGHS) is an academically selective, Public high school for girls, located at Moore Park, in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Established in 1883 and operated by the New South Wales Department of Education and Training, the school currently caters for approximately 920 students from Years 7 to 12, and is situated next to its 'brother school', Sydney Boys High School.

In 2001, "The Sun-Herald" ranked Sydney Girls High School eighth in Australia's top ten girls' schools, based on the number of its alumni mentioned in the "Who's Who in Australia" (a listing of notable Australians).cite news| first = Frank| last = Walker| title = The ties that bind| url = http://newsstore.smh.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&sy=smh&kw=%22presbyterian+ladies+college%22&pb=all_ffx&dt=selectRange&dr=entire&so=relevance&sf=author&sf=headline&sf=text&rc=10&rm=200&sp=nrm&clsPage=1&docID=SHD01072295GNI6E8E6E| work = Sunday Life| publisher = The Sun-Herald| page = 16| date = 2001-07-22| accessdate = 2007-09-12] Ref_label|a|a|none

History

Established as Sydney High School in 1883, the school grounds were originally located on Elizabeth Street in the Sydney central business district, where the David Jones store now stands. At the time, the school building was two storeys, blocked off by a high wall. The ground floor was occupied by male students, while the females occupied the first floor.

Because of high levels of noise pollution from transport and other activities, the boys' school moved to a different location, followed by the girls' school, which became Sydney Girls High School. Ironically, the two streets currently adjacent to the school, Anzac Parade and Cleveland Sreet, are both large and busy roads that still make classrooms noisy from time to time.

In 1921, SGHS moved to the former Sydney Zoo site, which was formerly known as the 'Billy Goat Swamp' but is better identified as being opposite Moore Park, Fox Studios and the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). The new building incorporated many modern features necessary for twentieth century education, provided large areas of greenery and was more quiet, but students were sad to leave the original school site. SGHS students supported the war effort on the homefront in both World War I and World War II by organising care packages and knitting socks and other important clothing items for the soldiers on the front.

In 1999, a severe hailstorm in Sydney caused significant damage to the school grounds, destroying areas of the roof and causing water leakage into many of the classrooms. To repair and prepare for restorations, students were given a week off school. This storm also destroyed much of the obsolete computer technology and paved the way for a large base of new technology throughout the school.

Houses

As with most Australian schools, Sydney Girls High utilises a house system. Students are allocated to a house when they enter the school according to surname. There are four different houses in which students compete under for the Swimming, Athletics and Cross Country Carnivals:
*Campbell (red)
*Garvin (blue)
*Macquarie (green)
*Moore (yellow)

All of the houses are named after former Principals of the school, except Macquarie, which is named after Governor Lachlan Macquarie.

Co-curriculum

Debating

SGHS has long had a strong debating ethos, giving students of all grades the opportunity to develop their skills through weekly coaching and debates, both social and competitive. SGHS is entered into all Combined High Schools debating competitions, and regularly has social debates with schools such as Sydney Boys High School, Sydney Grammar School, The Scots College and St. Joseph's College, Hunters Hill. In both 2004 and 2005, SGHS has won the Hume Barbour Trophy. [Performing Arts Unit [http://www.pau.nsw.edu.au/debating/Premiers_Debating_Challenge/Premiers%20Debating%20Challenge6.htm Premier's Debating Challenge for Year 12] ]

port

SGHS also offers a variety of sports to its students. Girls may participate in Basketball, Netball, Rowing, Waterpolo, Cricket, Soccer, Fencing, Hockey, Volleyball, Swimming and Athletics, both within the school and at an inter-school level. Further sports are offered for within school education.

The Sydney Girls High School rowing team competes in competitions including the Riverview Gold Cup and Schoolgirl Head of the River.

Performing arts

The school has several dance groups, drama ensembles and music groups, and a student run Technical Company which oversees lighting and sound for school assemblies and performances.

Charity

As a support for the Oxfam Charity, SGHS hosts a charity event to fundraise money. A game of Sydney Girls Touch Football is played between the Year 11 and Year 12 girls, where every try that is scored will fundraise ten dollars to the cause.

chool Song

The Sydney Girls High School song, set to the tune "Men of Harlech", is sung at assemblies. When an old girl is present at an assembly, the Principal would traditionally point to the former student when the line "famous old girls here returning" is sung.

Sydney Technical High School shares the same school song, albeit with different lyrics.

Lyrics:

Rally round girls, to acclaim her
For our heritage proclaim her;
Loudly, proudly, let us name her
Sydney Girls' High School!
Toiling cannot tire us, we have hope to fire us,
Day by day, in every way,
With "Labor Omnia Vincit" to inspire us.
Never slacken our endeavour,
Do not think this bond can sever,
Flourish now and flourish ever!
Sydney Girls' High School.Famous old girls here returning,
Show the light of their discerning,
Honouring now this place of learning -
Sydney Girls' High School.
Toiling cannot tire them, they have hope to fire them,
Day by day, in every way,
With "Labor Omnia Vincit" to inspire them
Echoes from the past are ringing,
Youth is brief and time is winging,
Past and present join in singing:
Sydney Girls' High School.

Uniform

All students are required to wear school uniforms. [ [http://www.sghs.nsw.edu.au/Sidebar/Uniform/index.html Uniform ] ]

The junior uniform consists of a brown tunic and white blouse, often accompanied by a tie and blazer for formal occasions. Senior girls wear a brown skirt, accompanied by either a short or long sleeved shirt. All students wear brown school shoes. The tie, blazer and Panama hat are optional but recommended, however, it is compulsory for representative formal occasions.

Notable alumni

;Academic
*Diana Olsberg – Head of the School of Sociology and Anthropology at the University of New South Walescite encyclopedia| editor = Suzannah Pearce| encyclopedia = Who's Who in Business Live!| title = OLSBERG Diana| accessdate = 2008-02-28| date = 2006-11-17| year = 2007| publisher = Crown Content Pty Ltd| location = North Melbourne, Vic]
*Prof. Vicki Rubian Sara – Chancellor of the University of Technology, Sydney; Consul-General of Sweden for Sydneycite encyclopedia| editor = Suzannah Pearce| encyclopedia = Who's Who in Business Live!| title = SARA Vicki Rubian| accessdate = 2008-02-28| date = 2006-11-17| year = 2007| publisher = Crown Content Pty Ltd| location = North Melbourne, Vic]

;Business
*Jeanne Pratt AC AO – Chairman of The Production Company (Australia) Pty Limited; Director of Visy Board Co. Pty Ltd; Wife of Richard Prattcite encyclopedia| editor = Suzannah Pearce| encyclopedia = Who's Who in Business Live!| title = PRATT Jeanne| accessdate = 2008-02-28| date = 2006-11-17| year = 2007| publisher = Crown Content Pty Ltd| location = North Melbourne, Vic]

;Entertainment, media and the arts
*Glenda Adams – Novelist and short story writer, best known as the winner of the 1987 Miles Franklin Award for "Dancing on Coral"cite web|url= http://www.sghs.nsw.edu.au/History/index.html|title= Distinguished Old Girls |accessdate= 2008-05-25|work= The History of Sydney Girls High School|publisher= Sydney Girls High School]
*Heidi Ahrens – TV Sports Reporter
*Dorothy Alison – Stage, film and television actress
*Patricia Thelma Amphlett OAM (a.k.a Little Pattie) – National President of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance; Singer/Performercite encyclopedia| editor = Suzannah Pearce| encyclopedia = Who's Who in Business Live!| title = AMPHLETT Patricia Thelma| accessdate = 2008-02-28| date = 2006-11-17| year = 2007| publisher = Crown Content Pty Ltd| location = North Melbourne, Vic]
*Suzanne Baker – Film Producer
*Marjorie Barnard – Author
*Hilary Bell – Playwright
*Lucy Bell – Actor
*Libby Hathon – Children's Author
*Sacha Horler – Actor
*Elmo Keep – Music Journalistfact|date=February 2008
*Jessica Rowe – TV Presenter
*Ethel Turner – Children's author
*Julia Zemiro – Comedian and TV presenter

;Medicine and science
*Agnes Elizabeth Lloyd Bennett – Pioneering medical practitioner and scientist (also attended Cheltenham Ladies' College, Dulwich Girls' High School and Abbotsleigh)cite encyclopedia| last = Curthoys| first = Ann | encyclopedia =Australian Dictionary of Biography| title = Bennett, Agnes Elizabeth Lloyd (1872 - 1960)| url = http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A070265b.htm?hilite=abbotsleigh| accessdate = 2008-01-17| edition = Online| year = 1979| publisher = Melbourne University Press| volume =7| location = Melbourne| pages = pp.265-266]
*Ruby Payne-Scott – Australia's first radio-physicist

;Politics, public service and the law
*HE Prof. Marie Bashir AC CVO AO DStJ – Medico/Adolescent Problems, first and current female Governor of New South Wales; Chancellor of the University of Sydneycite encyclopedia| editor = Suzannah Pearce| encyclopedia = Who's Who in Business Live!| title = BASHIR Marie Roslyn, HE Prof.| accessdate = 2008-02-28| date = 2006-11-17| year = 2007| publisher = Crown Content Pty Ltd| location = North Melbourne, Vic]
*Ada Emily Evans – First woman in Australia to gain Law degree but not permitted to practise
*Janette Howard – Wife of Former-Australian Prime Minister, John Howard
*Lee Rhiannon – MLC NSW Greens (School Vice-Captain 1969)

;Sport
*Tamsin Angus-Leppan – National Rowing Champion
*Mary Breen – Athlete
*Tracey Brook – National Women's Figure Skating Champion; Competitor at the 1988 Calgary Olympics
*Edith Cochrane – 1956 Melbourne Olympics, Flat water - LK1500 m Kayak Single
*Ann Jones – Olympic diver, 1972 Munich Olympics
*Jane Saville – Olympic Walker 1996 and 2000
*Julie Speight – Olympic Cyclist, 1988 Seoul Olympics; First Australian woman to compete at an International track championship

Notes

* Who's Who of girls' school rankings:
#PLC Melbourne
#SCEGGS Darlinghurst
#MLC Melbourne
#PLC Sydney
#Melbourne Girls Grammar School
#Mac.Robertson Girls' High School
#North Sydney Girls High School
#Sydney Girls High School
#MLC Sydney
#University High School, Melbourne

References

See also

* List of Government schools in New South Wales
* List of selective high schools in New South Wales
* Head of the River (New South Wales)

External links

* [http://www.sghs.nsw.edu.au/ Sydney Girls High School website]
* [http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/schoolfind/locator/summaryschool.php?selectOption=8138 NSW Department of Education and Training: Sydney Girls High School]