From the Principal

A warm welcome back to the 2019 school year! It was wonderful reconnecting with staff and students and hearing about some great holiday experiences with family and friends. Our previously empty school is again filled with the energy, excitement, laughter and chatter that our community brings, as they catch up on news and prepare for their learning journey ahead. Our new students are ‘learning the ropes’ and starting to find their place within our diverse and caring community. We hope that this will be a year of learning, growth and enjoyment for all.

Campus developments

The summer break has been very busy and productive, with a large number of projects completed, including:

The removal of the X Block and the reinstatement of the second basketball/netball court (click on following link to see time lapse footage of its removal);
The paving of the Waxman Gate driveway and the Pizem Courtyard and the landscaping of space between Waxman Gate and Administration Building;
The renovation of the top level of the Brender Moss building (office spaces and classrooms)
Renovation works in the Medical Centre and a range of classrooms and staff spaces
The upgrade of Kornmehl Pre-school (floors and furniture)
The installation of Wi-Fi infrastructure and new AV technology in classrooms
Updates to My Portal and Edumate

Our thanks to Andrew Delany, Zoran Taleski and their teams.

Chavayah 2018

Rabin

At the Kotel

Our tour group returned on 2 January, sharing stories about their special journey, one in which the Year Group came together and dealt with all the challenges of being away from home for an extended period with great maturity. Through immersing themselves in the History of Israel and the Jewish people, they were able consider who they are and who they want to be. The students also learned that Doogma Ishit (leading by personal example) is their tool to change the world – and on the trip, many took the first steps towards becoming leaders of our community.

Our teachers reported that our students developed strong connections with their Israeli teachers and madrichim that will last a lifetime: “One thing that really stood out to us was the way that all the students supported each other. Whenever one of them was having a hard time, the care that they showed to each other was incredible. They were patient, honest and respectful. This Year Group will certainly be kind hearted, reflective leaders, whose ability to build relationships will shine through.” Congratulations to all those who participated in Chavayah, and a huge thank you to Garry Case, Kristy Reed, Lauren Korotkov, Kobi Bloom and Daniel Samowitz.

New Staff

We have a number of new staff members joining our school community this year, across both academic and administrative roles. We are delighted with the quality of the teachers that we have recruited and look forward to their contribution to our teaching and learning and wellbeing programs. Details of each new staff member can be accessed through this link.

Australia Day Honours

We wish a huge mazal tov to three of our grandparents who received Australia Day Honours:

Colin Rockman OAM, who lives in Dianella, WA – for service to sports administration.
Raphael (Raffy) Shammay OAM – for service to the community.
Peter Smaller OAM – for service to the Jewish community, and to industry.

You can see further details about each of them and other members of the Australian Jewish Community who also received awards: www.jewishnews.net.au/australia-day-honours/85365