Andrew Watt – Principal

Should we be worried about vaping?

Growing numbers of our young people are attracted by the clever marketing, colourful packaging and the wide variety of alluring odours emanating from e-cigarettes. After all, how could a cherry-flavoured vapour be addictive or harmful to our health? Our medical experts say otherwise and are viewing the alarming increase in vaping amongst adolescents with great concern. In Australia, around 14% of 12-17 year-olds have vaped, obtaining the e-cigarettes from friends (63%), purchasing (12%) or siblings (8%). The Australian Medical Association views vaping as one of the biggest public health issues since tobacco.

Whilst all nicotine vaping products can now only legally be purchased with a medical prescription, e-cigarettes are still widely available. Many vaping products do not disclose the chemicals in the fluid. Tests indicate that almost all e-cigarettes contain a complex cocktail of chemicals, including nicotine, a substance that causes dependence. This means that young people addicted to vapes are going through repeated cycles of withdrawal, irritability and feeling bad – until they vape to feel normal again.

Perhaps of greatest concern are recent reports from the United Kingdom of young people being hospitalised with breathing issues caused by chemicals contained in e-cigarettes. The food additives and flavourings have an oily liquid base, which coats the lungs, generating an inflammatory response and potentially, scarring when inhaled as a vapour. This can result in chronic coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath – and sometimes, pneumonia. Other harmful chemicals include diacetyl, formaldehyde and acrolein.

What can the School do?

We can provide education and awareness around the prevalence and dangers of vaping. This is delivered through our PDHPE program, our Tutor Program and through assembly presentations. Paul Dillon, an expert in drug education from Drug and Alcohol Research and Training Australia, delivers tailored presentations with up to date research about the prevalence and impact of vaping to our senior students. We can set up CCTV monitors and alarms within toilet blocks, and we can seek to develop a culture that promotes good health and informed decision making.

What can parents do?

Parents can discuss the issues related to vaping (e.g. peer pressure and wanting to fit in) with their children, encouraging responsible behaviour and reinforcing the potential health impact. This infographic may be helpful. Parents can monitor spending and seek to identify the purchase and use of e-cigarettes.

The partnership between the School and the home can be very powerful, when key messages are shared and reinforced. Reducing the incidence of vaping will reduce the number of students progressing to tobacco products and will lower the impact of health-related issues, both now and in the future.

The Annual Night of Dangerous Discourse 

The Night of Dangerous Discourse was held on Wednesday evening, under the leadership of our Social Action Va’ad. A panel addressed issues related to our Youth Justice system, providing a variety of perspectives on issues such as the treatment of juveniles in detention, the age of criminal responsibility and the overrepresentation of Indigenous youth in the justice system.

Our distinguished panel consisted of:

• Garner Clancey, an Associate Professor in Criminology at the University of Sydney, who has worked at Juvenile Justice NSW and with the NSW Police Force
• Ron Frankham, Emanuel parent and a lawyer at NSW Legal Aid
• Robert Tickner AO, currently serving as the Chair of the Justice Reform Initiative Board. He is a former Australian minister in the Hawke and Keating governments and previously was CEO of the Australian Red Cross
• Michelle Cohen, Emanuel parent and the Principal Solicitor at the Public Interest Advocacy Centre; and
• Damien Corbridge, the Senior Youth Transition Worker in the Pathways Home program at the Community Restorative Centre (CRC)

The panel deftly fielded a range of questions from the audience, who engaged deeply in the discourse. Thank you to Emily Lawrence, our Panel and the Social Action Va’ad for an outstanding event.

It’s a Mitzvah!

Thank you to the P&F Mitzvah Meals chefs who descended on the Food Lab on Tuesday night to cook delicious and nutritious meals for those experiencing hardship, illness or loss in our community. Thanks to Carli Rothman (P&F) and Michelle Favero (Marketing and Communications Manager) for their organisation of the event and to parent chefs, Deb Pollak, Tania Wajsman, Elly Berger, Kate Efrat, Amy Friedlander, Monika Silver, Samantha Schwartz, Gail Eliovson and Liana Levin. 

Our 41^st Annual Speech Night and Prize Giving Event

Our 41^st Annual Speech Night and Prize Giving will be held on Thursday 7 December 2023.

Please put this important date in your diary, so we can celebrate our students’ achievements and the highlights of the year that has been. In addition to our performance showcases and Principal’s report, you will also hear from our guest speaker, Shaun Greenblo. Sean is both an Emanuel Alumnus (Class of 2003) and a current parent (Asher in Kornmehl and Noa in Kindergarten). He is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Boody; designers of soft, everyday essentials, crafted using sustainable materials. Boody’s mission is to champion a better future, fit for all and is available through 4,000+ retail partners globally and online. The event will be held at the Heritage Sanctuary, Emanuel Synagogue, Ocean Street, Woollahra.

Promoting both Literacy and Innovation this week 

Year 4 Design Awards Showcase

Write a Book in a Day is a rigorous and collaborative event. Our Year 6 students enjoyed a creative and busy day, writing, conferencing and proofreading. Across one single day, each student wrote and illustrated a book from start to finish. Digital editions of the completed stories are made available online and shared with hospitals across Australia. Thank you to Eamon Lukins, Leanne Cresswell and Jessica Neutze for organising and running both the day and the evening. Thank you also to the other Primary teachers who came in to support our students throughout.

Our Year 4 students showcased their creative and innovative skills and mindsets at our Good Design Awards presentation. Problems ranging from playground use and classroom furniture, to lost property, backpack design and recycling were tackled, using the design thinking model. A range of judges enjoyed hearing each student’s ‘pitch’ and their model, which was accompanied by a booklet outlining how data was collected, the process of ideation to resolve the problem raised, and a reflection on the process. Mazal tov to the students and thank you to Lauren Butler and Claudia Sceats.

Pop-Up Community Choir

To celebrate the School’s 40th anniversary, the Music Department invites parents, grandparents, alumni and staff to join Emanuel School’s first Pop-Up Community Choir. Like most ‘Pop-Ups’ this is a short-term project, culminating in a Community Choir performance at The Night of Song, on 28 August 2023. Rehearsals will be held every Thursday from 20 July – 24 August 2023, from 7.20 am – 8.10 am, in the Millie Phillips Theatre. No previous singing experience is necessary, but conductor, Danny Burley, asks for all participants to commit to attend all six rehearsals. Please register your interest here. I may pop-in to the Pop-In to enjoy the sounds of our community making music together. 

Mazal tovs

• Gabriel Tracton (Class of 2022) has been awarded the Co-Op Scholarship by UNSW for Finance. This is a significant achievement, as in the past 10 years only two other Emanuel students have ever received this highly regarded award. The Co-Op Scholarship, which includes a substantial financial benefit, focuses on fostering the professional growth of the recipients, going beyond mere graduation from their university degree. It integrates practical industry exposure, leadership and professional growth opportunities with networking and mentoring opportunities. 
• Emanuel School parent and talented photographer, Ofer Levy’s incredible photo, entitled Neighbour’s Dispute, is a finalist in the Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition, run by the South Australian Museum. Neighbour’s Dispute was taken by a very patient Ofer in Broome, where he spent six hours every day lying in the mud, waiting for the perfect shot. His persistence paid off with a territorial skirmish between a blue-spotted mudskipper and a mud crab, playing out in front of him. Ofer has won the Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition twice before. I’m holding thumbs for a trifecta.

Territorial Dispute by Ofer Levy

Quote of the week 

“It doesn’t stop being magic just because you know how it works.” ~ Terry Pratchett, author