I’ve had the pleasure this week of being a witness to our Year 10 students’ learning through the Night of Science and Wonder held yesterday afternoon and the presentations of global awareness projects in Geography yesterday morning. Both were impressive events and demonstrated the students’ enthusiasm for learning, particularly when they are able to choose to research topics that are relevant to them now and in the future.

Year 10 Geography Elective students have this term been working on projects around the global goals, under the watchful eyes of their teacher David Whitcombe and Dr Kate Sinclair from GCL (Global Citizen Leaders). The students selected a global goal, such as Clean Water, Poverty and Gender Equality, and developed plans to raise awareness about the related issues while also raising funds to assist communities that have significant problems in these areas. Many of their plans involved education of our students about the issues and I look forward to hearing more from the students next term as they enact their projects. Our thanks go to Dr Sinclair for the time and energy she has given to the students and to David Whitcombe for his support of the project this term.

Year 10 students have been working on their first-hand investigations in Science recently and had developed posters that summarized their work so that they could explain their processes and outcomes to their parents and teachers. It was a great testament to the power of learning to have a positive benefit on all to be in the Science labs yesterday, hearing the students’ enthusiasm and excitement in teaching us about their projects. Projects covered an amazing range of topics such as black holes, the physics of skateboards, the benefits of music on concentration, how planes fly, what colour light is best for plant growth, what temperature is best for yeast and so on. Congratulations to each Year 10 student and to their Science teachers on this very successful learning event.

Sedarim

This week has been full of Pesach celebrations and rituals, with each Primary class having their own special seder and the High School seders being held today (read the Primary page also for more details of their seders). Many parents and grandparents enjoyed watching their young children confidently playing parts and speaking in Hebrew as they enacted the Pesach events. Planning and rehearsing for these events take considerable time and effort for our Jewish Life staff and I congratulate them and the students on the success of each event and express our thanks for their hard work.

We particularly thank our P & F co-chairs Ruby Berkovic and Jen Opit, and other members of the P & F, who assisted with each seder this week. This was a great commitment and their help was much appreciated.  

Year 12

Our Year 12 students will be undertaking their Half-Yearly Examinations early next term and so will be doing some preparation during the holidays. Just as some students need to be reminded to include time for rest and relaxation, others need more encouragement to use their time wisely and efficiently to help them feel confident as they approach the examinations. A balance is important – there should be some time for rest, time with family and celebrations, time for socialising and exercise, as well as time for study/major works etc. We wish them well as they work towards their goals for success in this part of their HSC program.

March of the Living

We wish all the best to our Year 11 students who are setting out for the March of the Living Experience to Poland and Israel during the holidays. This has always been a very moving and life-changing experience for our students and this year is sure to be no exception. We look forward to welcoming them back to school next term and to hear their stories of the journey.

 Coming up

• First day of Term 2 for students, Thursday 27 April – students return in winter uniform
• Yom HaZikaron, 1 May
• Yom HaAtzmaut, 2 May
• Year 12 Half-Yearly Examinations, 3 – 10 May
• Breakfast with Emanuel, Wednesday 17 May, 7:30 am the Little Space at Bondi Junction
• Year 7 Study Skills Parents and Students evening, Tuesday 23 May, 6 pm
• Breakfast with Emanuel, Wednesday 24 May, 7:30 am, PwC Barangaroo

Please note the changed running times for the 697 School bus, starting from 26 April, as advertised in Ms Chopard’s page in this bulletin.

Quote of the week

‘The time is always right to do what is right.’ [Martin Luther King, Jr.]

I wish you all Chag Sameach for Pesach and a wonderful holiday enjoying time with your children. I look forward to welcoming them all back on 27 April.

Shabbat Shalom