Natanya Milner – Head of Primary School

The final two weeks of term have been incredibly busy with Sederim, swimming carnivals, song recordings, music competitions, cross country carnivals, parent-teacher nights and more. I would like to thank our staff for their incredible commitment to our students and community as they create wonderful learning opportunities in a range of domains. 

Staffing update

We wish Carrie Thomas all the very best as she begins her maternity leave. I would like to thank her for her amazing contributions to the Primary School as our Director of Students. Among other things, she has overseen the introduction of PBIS, worked closely with families to support students and continued to coordinate The Leader in Me Program. We will miss Carrie but look forward to hearing all the exciting baby news and seeing photos in the coming months.

We welcome Annabelle Turrall as our Acting Director of Students (K-6) for the remaining three terms of 2024. As a much-loved Emanuel teacher and leader, I have no doubt that she will continue Carrie’s wonderful work overseeing the care and wellbeing of our students.

Rolene Silver returns from her long service leave at the beginning of Term 2. She will teach 1 Tel Aviv, taking over from Annabelle. 1T has been lucky to have Annabelle as their Term 1 teacher and I have no doubt at all that Rolene will continue to create a very special learning environment for the children. 

Louise Heilpern will be on Long Service Leave for the first five weeks of next term and we will welcome Tracey Kluck back to Emanuel to teach Visual Arts while Louise is away. Hagit Bar-On will be on Long Service Leave for the first three weeks of Term 2 with Sonya Wolf replacing her. Tracey and Sonya are very experienced casual teachers and we are looking forward to them joining our team over this time. We wish Hagit and Louise all the very best for their adventures.

At the end of Week 3 next term, we will farewell Samantha Rogut from the Primary Library. We thank Samantha for all her hard work during her time at Emanuel. Most notably, she has been instrumental in the development of the new library space and our move into the new location, updating our collection and she was a wonderful support leading on-campus learning during COVID. We wish Samantha all the very best in her new endeavours.

Pesach

It has been a busy time as we have had Pesach activities and Sederim on campus for the past two weeks. I would like to thank the Hebrew and Jewish Studies teachers, led by Adam Carpenter and Hagit Bar-On, for creating meaningful, engaging experiences for all of our students. I would also like to thank Stacey Rosenfeld for her amazing organisational support.

On behalf of all the Emanuel staff, I wish our community ‘Chag Pesach Sameach’. As I think about the themes of Pesach, I am invariably led to consider the importance of freedom and the sacrifices that have been made, over millennia, to work towards it. I think about the hostages and the suffering of innocent people when I pray and hope for safety and security.  More than ever, this Pesach feels a time to reflect on our blessings and connect with others.

Parent Teacher Nights

Thank you to all the parents who joined us for interviews over this term’s two parent-teacher nights. We value the opportunity to share insights and goals for our students and hope you also found it to be a valuable experience.

Music Competition

This week’s Music Competition was a fabulous opportunity to see our students’ musical talents on display. I am so proud of each of the participants for their passion and for engaging with the hard work required to prepare and participate in this event. Performing to an audience and receiving feedback from industry professionals is a very special opportunity. I would like to thank Remi Owen for co-ordinating this wonderful afternoon for the students and community. Thank you also, to Joanne De Araujo and the entire team of Music teachers and tutors for their help and support.

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Sport

We have had two recent outstanding sporting achievements. Dylan Pal has been selected to be a part of the CIS Team in the NSWPSSA Football Championships. Dylan will be competing in Tamworth at the end of August and we look forward to hearing all about the competition. We have also ended the term with Sierra Miller participating in the PSSA Swimming Carnival. These are both incredible achievements and we are in awe of Dylan and Sierra’s determination and skill. 

Term 1 is our most intensive term of swimming events and opportunities. While you are reading this article, I am probably at the Year 1-2 Swimming Carnival. This is one of my favourite days of the year where the children have so much fun participating in everything from freestyle and backstroke through to duck diving and cork scrambles. Also, Year 3 has finished their Term 1 intensive swimming program, having participated in weekly lessons. It sounds like it has been a fantastic opportunity to build skills and have fun together.

I would like to thank Stuart Taylor and Mat Rabenda for creating all these different activities to highlight swimming at Emanuel!

Holidays

I wish you all a happy and safe holiday break. Just a reminder that students return to school on Thursday 2 May in winter uniform.

Hagit Bar-On, Head of Primary Jewish Studies

We have an incredible community! 

As we eagerly prepare for our Pesach Seders, both in classes and in our upcoming grand events on Thursday, it’s hard not to feel overwhelmed by the warmth and generosity of our Emanuel community. 

When we asked the P&F for volunteers to lend a helping hand, we were absolutely blown away by the response.

Parents rallied together, rolling up their sleeves and diving into the preparations with boundless energy and enthusiasm. From grading to cutting, washing to labelling, organising, and everything in between, their dedication knows no bounds. 

All of this effort is for our students, who are about to embark on a journey tasting the special flavours of Pesach food and embracing our cherished traditions.

On behalf of the Jewish Life Department, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to each and every volunteer who generously offered their time and skills. Your kindness and selflessness have made an impact, and we are immensely grateful for your support.

We couldn’t have done it without you, and as we approach this joyous holiday, we are filled with a sense of gratitude for the blessing of having such incredible individuals within our community. 

Todah Rabah!

Wishing you all a Chag Sameach filled with love, joy, and the warmth.

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