Andrew Watt – Principal

Developing our vision and strategy
A journey of reflection and collaboration

If you don’t know where you are going, you are certain to end up somewhere else.” Peter Berra

The planning for our strategic roadmap commenced at our Executive Retreat in January 2021 and has continued throughout the past 14 months. Over this time, we have worked collaboratively with the AIS NSW Leadership Centre in a consultation process that involved our Board, Executive, leadership team, and staff.

Why would the School seek to develop a comprehensive Strategic Plan whilst in the midst of a COVID-19 pandemic, and when contending with the frenetic pace of building projects, events, meetings, academic and wellbeing programs? It is because a well-crafted strategic plan can be of great value to our School.

Our Strategic Plan (2022-2024) provides our School community with a roadmap to align our proposed action plans with our vision, mission, and values. The plan will guide our leadership discussions and decision making, in determining resource and budget requirements to accomplish these Key Commitments.

Our 3-year Strategic Plan:

1. Allows us to be proactive rather than reactive.
2. Provides a clear sense of direction
3. Increases our operational efficiency
4. Bridges the present with the future
5. Establishes a standard of excellence as our goal

We have sought to incorporate measures and implementation steps that will allow us to engage our staff in delivering the action plans and monitor the outcomes at regular intervals. We hope that our strategic vision and plan will create “buy in” from all members of the School community, developing a sense of shared purpose. We are very excited to launch our roadmap for the next three years, as our staff and students will benefit greatly from the proposed strategies, across all aspects of the life of the School.

Living with COVID-19

With the spread of the BS.2 sub-variant, which is apparently 40% more transmissible, we are expecting a surge in COVID-19 cases by the middle of Autumn. Whilst it is difficult to predict accurately, our letters to parents this week have anticipated a potential increase in cases, and we have outlined a range of measures aimed at reducing transmission. Unfortunately, some of these measures are not in place outside our campus, highlighting that the School can only play a part towards the solution.

Parents are encouraged to limit attendance at potential super-spreaders and to encourage mask wearing indoors, when groups meet at homes. Early detection of symptoms and keeping these children at home will also be of great assistance.

Celebrating Purim the Emanuel Way

Purim is one of the most joyous days in the Jewish calendar, an annual celebration of Jewish deliverance and community; a triumph of good over evil, weak over powerful –  celebrated by retelling the story with Megillat Esther, and spreading joy by feasting, giving gifts of food to friends, and helping the needy – and of course, wonderful costumes and ruach! 

After two years of events being held online, it was a joyous morning on campus watching all our students and teachers – from Kornmehl through to Year 12 who dressed up and took part in the Year group Purim Parades, planned activities like making Hamentaschen, listening to the dramatic retelling of the Purim story and even joined in with reading parts of the Megillah.

Thank you to our phenomenal Jewish Life leaders for leading a special day on campus. Purim Sameach! 

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reading megilah 2

reading megilah 1

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Calling all Emanuel Alumni – Join our Careers Session

We are looking to host a Careers Session for our senior students in May. Students will want to ask questions and seek advice about jobs, courses, careers, and life after school. Have you graduated between 2010 – 2021? Would you like to come in and chat to our students? No presenting required, informal group setting only, all careers welcomed.

The Career Session will be held on Wednesday 18 May 2022 from 8:30 am – 11:00 am. 

If you are interested please fill in this form with your details.

Mazal Tov

• Chloe Biller who came 4th for Latin Dancing at the Australian Championships last weekend.
• Daniel Solomon, Maayan Granot, Jake Newfield and Arielle Melamed defeated a very strong SCEGGS Darlinghurst team in the Debating Semi Final last week. Emanuel is through to the J.A Thompson History Debating Grand Final.
• Jake Kessell on his selection in the ASISSA Representative Football Team.
• Zara Keller on her selection to recently attend the CIS Football trials
• Joshua Aghion and Eytan Messiah, our Primary and High School Co-ordinators of Innovation, have been invited to present at EduTech International Congress in Melbourne in August 2022, representing Emanuel School.
• A HUGE Mazal Tov to Emanuel School parent, Emile Sherman, producer of the acclaimed movie, The Power of the Dog, which won Best Film and Best Director in the 75th BAFTA Awards!

Quote of the week

“Nothing is impossible. The word itself says ‘I’m possible!” Audrey Hepburn