BOS 34/08 (Vol 17 No 3)

Writing booklets for the 2008 Information Processes and Technology, General Mathematics and Mathematics HSC examinations will have student numbers and centre numbers printed on the front page. Question numbers will also be printed on these booklets, except for Section III of the Information Processes and Technology examination, where students will be required to write the numbers of the two option questions that they answer in the spaces provided.

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BOS 38/08 (Vol 17 No 3)

The list of scientific calculators for use in the 2008 Higher School Certificate examinations have been updated. The final list can be found on the Board's website at www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/manuals/calculators_hsc.html.

The examinations in which scientific calculators are permitted are listed in the equipment checklist that can also be found on the Board's website at www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/manuals/equipment_list.html.

Effective: 2008 HSC Examinations

Contact:

BOS 37/08 (Vol 17 No 3)

The Board wishes to advise that the Mathematics K–6 Support Document for Students with Special Education Needs has been published on the K–6 website.

The online document supports teachers in the planning, programming, assessment, implementation and evaluation of learning experiences that enable all students to demonstrate achievement in relation to the outcomes and content of the Mathematics K–6 Syllabus.

A printed introduction to the online document will be sent to all primary schools.

Effective: Immediately

Contact:
Susan Jones
Senior Curriculum Officer, Special Education
(02) 9367 8148
susan.jones@bos.nsw.edu.au

BOS 35/08 (Vol 17 No 3)

The NSW Board of Studies invites expressions of interest from suitably qualified teachers and academics who wish to participate in the development of the 2009 Higher School Certificate examinations and School Certificate tests as Chief Examiner, member of an examination committee or assessor. The development of the examinations commences in Term 4 2008 and continues to about July 2009. Assessing takes one day and occurs usually in Term 1.

Successful applicants receive an honorarium and travel expenses.

Applications for Chief Examiner must be submitted no later than Friday, 4 July and for committee member and assessor no later than Friday, 22 August 2008.

Further information and application forms are available from the Board of Studies website at www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au or by contacting Beverly Gale by email at beverly.gale@bos.nsw.edu.au or by phone on (02) 9367 8371.

BOS 24/08 (Vol 17 No 2)

Guidelines and application forms for locally designed Stage 6 Board Endorsed VET courses for 2009 are now available on the Board's website.

The school system authorities (NSW Department of Education and Training (DET) and Catholic Diocesan Offices) are responsible for quality assurance of VET courses in their schools. For this reason, proposals need to be submitted via the relevant authority. Proposals supported by the authority will be forwarded to the Office of the Board of Studies for consideration.

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English (ESL) HSC examination Section I Question 1 Answer Booklet

BOS 23/08 (Vol 17 No 2)

Teachers and students of the English (ESL) HSC course are advised that from the 2008 HSC examination, there will be a Section I Question 1 Answer Booklet attached to the examination paper.

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Years 11 and 12

Year 10

Years K–6

Board Bulletin (Vol 17 No 1)

Applications to mark the 2008 School Certificate tests and HSC examinations are now open.

Marking is a very rewarding professional opportunity for suitably qualified teachers.

While most marking takes place outside school hours, a number of courses are targeted each year for day marking. This option is particularly attractive to markers with family or other responsibilities after school. Some projects and performances are marked by itinerant markers.

Marking venues in the metropolitan area include Blacktown, Canterbury, Homebush, Redfern and Rosehill. Certain courses are marked in regional centres at Bathurst, Coffs Harbour, Gosford, Newcastle, Tamworth, Wagga Wagga and Wollongong.

Markers are also encouraged to apply for the role of judge marker in the Board’s Standards–setting Operation. Judge markers learn the Board’s standards setting procedures and contribute to the process of aligning exam marks to standards as well as participating in the marking.

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Board Bulletin (Vol 17 No 1)

The Aboriginal Education Unit at the Office of the Board of Studies has won a Silver Award in the Premier’s Public Sector Awards.

Nominated in the ‘Fairness and Opportunity’ category for Building the educational capacity of Aboriginal communities, the Unit received the award from Premier Iemma at a function in November 2007.

Speaking after the presentation, Dr John Bennett, General Manager of the Office of the Board of Studies, said, ‘The award acknowledges the combined efforts of Board of Studies staff and many collaborators, including Aboriginal language centres and community groups, schools, teachers, universities and representatives of the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and other government agencies.’

‘This is a great achievement on the part of everyone who played a role in bringing this project to fruition,’ Dr Bennett said.

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Board Bulletin (Vol 17 No 1)

The Office of the Board of Studies is considering how best to communicate with schools and, as part of that process, reviewing the Board Bulletin’s print and electronic publications.

The Education Act 1990 was amended in September 2007 to make Official Notices effective from the date they are published on the Board of Studies website. Until now it has been necessary to wait for the print publication.

Electronic publication gives schools more timely advice of Board decisions and more time to implement any changes. Emails and websites are already an important source of information for teachers and school executives.

We understand that many schools still rely more heavily on print than electronic communication and so advice about the Official Notices will continue to appear in print form, at least for 2008.

However, there will be an important difference to the Official Notices this year.

All Official Notices from now on will appear on the Board’s website www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au before you receive the Board Bulletin in print.

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