Sport and Recreation Camp

This week Years 3-5 students attended the Sport and Recreation Camp at Point Wolstoncroft. This camp is a highlight of the school calendar and provides wonderful opportunities for outdoor education, social interactions and the development of independence. The campsite is very picturesque, surrounded by state forest and the beautiful blue waters of Lake Macquarie. The students were involved in a range of instructor-led activities including kayaking, fishing, giant swing, high ropes, archery, boomerang throwing and and BMX riding.

The approach to each activity was ‘challenge by choice’. This philosophy encourages students to challenge their individual goals and expectations to push their personal boundaries to accomplish their own challenge level. All the students are to be congratulated on their commitment, enthusiasm and resilience throughout the camp. The camp experience is often one of incredible personal growth and students should be very proud of their efforts.

Thank you to all of the teachers who attended the camp to support the students including Emma Hill, Julia Tritsch, Tracey Walker, Lauren Wigan, Corey Jamieson, Tanya Jeckeln, Hugo Adrian, Stuart Taylor, Adam Ezekiel, Rebecca Gaida, Jodi Cohen, Helen Maynard and Genevieve Radnan. Thank you also to Holly Dillon for her assistance in organising many of the logistics in preparation for the camp.

Deborah Blackman – Talking To Children About Difficult Topics

This week Deborah Blackman concluded her lessons taught to Years K, 1, 3 and 5. These workshops were run in conjunction with the parent information session in Week 2. In her lessons, Deborah teaches students about feelings, secrets, good touch and bad touch and useful skills for child protection. The key messages for the children include:

• You have the right to feel safe all the time
• There is a difference between appropropriate and inappropriate touch
• You have the right to say “no” to a person who touches you inappropriately or threatens your safety
• It is important to tell well trusted adults if you do not feel safe

Milo T20 School Cup

On Tuesday we had seventy-one students compete in the Milo T20 Blast School Cup cricket competition at Coral Sea Park. This competition provides girls and boys the opportunity to compete in four games of cricket in a gala day format. In the games every player has the opportunity to bat, bowl and field. The atmosphere on the day was very exciting, active and social and a wonderful opportunity for our students. Thank you to Adam Ezekiel for organising and supporting the Emanuel teams. Thank you also to Sharon Fairfax, Colleen Elkins, Megan Best and Anna Economou who attended the competition to support the students throughout the day.

Author Visit – Donna Rawlins

On Thursday morning Year 2 had a visit from illustrator and book designer Donna Rawlins. Rawlins has won many awards for her work and in 2003 received the Lady Cutler Award from the Children’s Book Council for her contribution to the children’s book industry. Her best known works are her illustrations in “The Kinder Hat” and “Tucking Mummy In” by Morag Loh as well as “My Place” by Nadia Wheatley which won the Children’s Council Book of the Year Award in 1988. Thank you to Ginnette Cameron-Gardener for organising this wonderful presentation for the Year 2 students. 

Crazy Hair Day Fundraiser

I recently received a letter from the Prince of Wales Hospital Foundation thanking us for our fundraising efforts at Crazy Hair Day on the 24 June. They wrote: With the generous support of organisations like yours, we will be able to help many families, friends and individuals who need our care every day. Working towards a brighter future through research, education, health promotion, capital projects and resources for improving patient care.

Thank you to the Year 6 Charity Leaders Sasha Goldman, Lara McCorquodale, Amelia Cohen, Isabella Filipczyk and Natalie Freed for promoting and running this fundraising event. Thank you to Karon Rom and Diane Clennar for working with the Charity Leaders and supporting them in their leadership role.

Parent Information Sessions

This term we have a number of parent information sessions available to our Emanuel community. On Thursday 11 August Helen Maynard and Adam Majsay presented on the topic Fostering a Growth Mindset in the Home. A summary of their presentation has been included in Ma Nishma this week. On Monday 15 August Kim Slender presented on the topic,There’s Nothing Wrong With Us, Please Fix Our Kids, addressing strategies for managing anxiety in children. A summary of this presentation will be included in Ma Nishma next week.

There are two more presentations for Primary families this term. The first is a two-part series 7 Habits for Families on Monday 29 August and Monday 5 September presented by myself, Tany Milner and Kim Slender from 7:00-9:00pm in the Angles Leadership and Learning Centre. In this presentation we will introduce the main language and concepts of the 7 Habits within The Leader In Me program that can then be reinforced at home. It is highly recommended that parents attend both sessions if possible.

The final parent information session for Primary parents this term is 7 Habits for Jewish Parenting. This will be presented by Rabbi Gourarie on Thursday 8 September from 7:30-8:30am in the Primary Library. Supervision for children during this presentation will be provided on Waxman Drive. To RSVP visit: tinyurl.com/2016parentinfosessions

Instrumental Music Festival

On Tuesday 23 August we have our inaugural Instrumental Music Festival. This concert combines two concerts held previously, Night of Strings and Night of Instrumental Music. The concert will begin at 5:00pm-8:00pm and will include all IP ensembles as well as extra curricular ensembles. Below is an outline of the evening:

• 5:00pm – 6.00pm: Strings Concert
• 6:00pm – 6.40pm: Jazz Club
• 6:40pm – 8:00pm: Wind and Percussion Concert

Afternoon Messages and Pick Up Arrangements

There are a number of phone calls through to the Primary office after 3pm about changes to arrangements for that afternoon. This can create chaos as Holly will go to classrooms to find children and then miss other messages. We are trialling a new system to manage the afternoons and would appreciate your support. Please make sure, wherever possible, that your child knows in the morning how s/he is getting home in the afternoon.

If arrangements have to change during the day, please email primaryoffice@emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au with your message, child’s name and class prior to 2.30pm in order for the message to reach your child. After 2.30pm, (unless something urgent has happened) there is no guarantee that we are able to ensure students receive these messages. Please note that class teachers are not always by their computers and therefore emailing them is not a good way to ensure the messages are received by the children.

Parent Connect Club

This year Ruby Berkovic and Georgia Levy have established a new parent group called Connect Club. The purpose is to have a parent group that encourages connections between parents as well as between home and school. The sessions are very informal opportunities to sit and discuss topics that are particularly pertinent to parents. Connect Club is run on the last Friday of every month from 2:55-3:25pm in the Angeles Leadership and Learning Centre and is open to all K-6 parents.

The next Connect Club will take place on Friday 26 August where our School Nurse, Genevieve Radnan, will be talking about safety at home.

K-2 Assembly Term 3

• 2 September Week 7: Year K Hebrew (both classes)
• 16 September Week 9: 1 Be’er Sheva (Talia Hynek’s Class)

Emma Clemens – Deputy Head of Primary

UPCOMING DATES

• 23 August: Instrumental Music Festival, 5:00-8:00pm MPH
• 24-25 August: No Morning Sport Training
• 25 August: Years 3-6 ASISSA Athletics Carnival, ES Marks
• 25 August: Year 2 Excursion, Our Big Kitchen
• 26 August: Year 2 Challah Sale for MAD Project
• 26 August: Years 5-6 IPSHA Debating, Cranbrook – some students only
• 26 August: Parent Connect Club, 2:55-3:25pm Angeles Leadership and Learning Centre (LLC)
• 29 August: Parent Information Session – 7 Habits For Families, 7:00-8:30pm LLC
• 29 August: Year 6 Excursion Sydney Jewish Museum, 10:30-1:00pm
• 2 September: Year 5 Interrelate’s ‘Minding Me’ program