Andrew Watt – Principal

Reconciliation Week at Emanuel

This week, we recognised National Reconciliation Week. Amongst a wealth of respectful, conversation-starting activities in which our students and staff have had the opportunity to reflect on the role we all have to play in fostering reconciliation with First Nations people, our Primary and High School students were addressed by Wiradjuri elder, Aunty Donna Ingram, who lives on local Bidjigal country. Aunty Donna inspired and challenged us in our actions towards reconciliation and shared her experiences and interest in reconciliation as a First Nations elder.

Our High School students also heard about the School’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) and were challenged by Mr Majsay, our Deputy Principal (Teaching & Learning), to look beyond the words we speak when we deliver an Acknowledgement of Country to how we might turn our spoken respect for the traditional owners of the land into tangible actions. Mr Majsay talked about our RAP, and explained to students how it formalises our commitment to reconciliation with First Nations people. Our RAP outlines the ways that our whole school community can drive reconciliation. Activities across the week included:

• Themed Primary School and High School Assemblies
• Smoking Ceremony and National Sorry Day activity with Dr Lisa Sarzin at Kornmehl 
• Themed High School Kabbalat Shabbat
• Classroom activities in Primary School
• HSIE lessons in High School
• High School Lunch Movie with Q&A

By Rosie Itzkovic and Amelie Lipman, Year 5

If you can, we can

For over 50 years, JCA and its supported organisations have been meeting the needs of our community. Covering programs and services across aged and community care; culture, engagement and outreach; Jewish education; history and heritage; and security and advocacy, everyone is touched in one way or another. 

This week has been significant for all the Schools supported by JCA, who have been shining a light on the sector and showcasing the outstanding young leaders in our community. 

JCA’s ongoing support means that we are able to provide subsidies for families who ordinarily wouldn’t be able to afford to send their children to Emanuel. They also assist with funding for students with special needs who need additional learning support. We hope you can consider supporting their 2022 Campaign. 

I hope that we, together with JCA, can count on your support with their Campaign 2022.  It’s a true community campaign that benefits us all.

Their call to action, ‘If you can, We can’ encapsulates this – we are stronger when we support each other. Donations can be made here jca.org.au/donate

Reconnecting with our Parents 

Our new and ‘newish’ parents joined with our Executive and members of the Board and Foundation at our Parent Welcome Evening on Monday. The event was well attended, despite the cold, wind and rain. It was a wonderful opportunity to bring parents back on to our campus, to enjoy our Senior Jazz Ensemble, with food served (and some created) by our catering students and madrichim. It was pleasing to receive consistent reports of our new students being welcomed and included. Our Head Madrichim and our Board President, David New, shared their experiences of the culture, wellbeing, academic and co-curricular life of the School. My presentation underscored the value we place on the partnership between the school at the home:

We are the experts in education; we are experienced in how to best educate and best support your child. We are guided by the suite of policies and practices that keep our approach consistent and aligned to best practice.

You are the key carers of your children; you know them better than anyone – and you always have their welfare and growth as your top priority.

Together, we make a formidable team! Working in close partnership will reinforce our core messages around respect, completing homework, punctuality, maintaining positive relationships, care of our environment (and ourselves) … and so much more. We have found that by raising the bar high, our students set high expectations for themselves and others … and this forms part of our Emanuel Culture.

Twilight Concert #1 

The Music Department Twilight Concerts are a great opportunity for students who have private instrumental or vocal tuition with our Emanuel School tutors, to play in a lovely environment, for an appreciative audience. Tutors nominate a few keen students for each concert and Mr Burley organises them, rehearses with them, accompanies many of them and supports them to play at their best, often for the first time in public. This Wednesday we had 25 students from Year 2 to Year 8 performing for an especially enthusiastic audience.  We had a range of pianists, wind and string players and everyone performed beautifully. Mazal tov to the students who worked hard, were brave to perform and kind to share their expressive musicianship. Thank you to our tutor team for preparing these young musicians so well, to Mr Burley for organising, rehearsing and accompanying them, to Joanne De Aaraujo for her organisational support and to Ofer Levy, our parent photographer for the beautiful photos.

Lunch service for the Principal!

Whilst I would dearly love to be served a freshly cooked lunch each day, it was a genuine treat to accept a delicious sample of ratatouille and tarte aux pommes from our Year 9 French class. As part of the curriculum relating to French culture and cuisine, our students gained first-hand knowledge of recipes, smell and taste of French cooking. How generous to share with me!

Monday – Shavuot

Wishing you all a Chag sameach and a reminder that school will be closed on Monday. I am off to eat some delicious cheesecake!

Mazal tov

Aiden Kanevsky (Year 10) was the All Round Level 7 Champion at CSSA State Gymnastics Competition, placing 1^st place on six apparatus – an exceptional achievement and worthy of a huge mazal tov!

Quote of the week

 “Beethoven tells you what it’s like to be Beethoven and Mozart tells you what it’s like to be human. Bach tells you what it’s like to be the universe.” ~ Douglas Adams, English author, screenwriter, essayist, humourist, satirist and dramatist