Welcome back to school. I hope that 2018 has started well for you and that you managed to have a relaxing and rejuvenating break with your children.

I had a wonderful holiday and was thrilled to have the opportunity to reflect on so many aspects of learning. I managed to find myself on a skiing holiday with a group of skiers. In fact, at times, I felt like I was on a holiday with a group of professional skiers. I realised that being the ‘weakest’ at something is really quite a challenge. I would start each day afresh, ready for adventure. I listened to my instructor with intense concentration and I attempted to follow instructions wholeheartedly. Even with all this positive intention, I didn’t always get it right. I found myself backwards, I found myself wrestling with a t-bar and I found myself on the ground. At times though, I found myself flying (very slowly and tentatively) down a magnificent mountain and it was absolutely amazing.

I couldn’t help but giggle at the situation. It seems that it is one thing to talk about learning dispositions such as perseverance, learning from mistakes and being proud of one’s own achievements without comparing to others and yet there I was, on a mountain in the cold and having to see if I could actually practise what I preach!

I started channeling all the best advice that I could give myself. I thanked Angela Duckworth for ringing in my ears and reminding me about the importance of ‘grit’ www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1uijt3Ydqs and I tried to maintain a positive mindset that would even impress Carol Dweck www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1CHPnZfFmU. (I recommend that you watch both of these short clips – they are excellent). Over the 2 weeks, I experienced moments of frustration and moments of elation but all in all, I finished with the following messages firmly in my mind to guide me through 2018:

• Embrace challenge as the basis for all learning … and keep trying. Be gritty!
• The more you put into something, the more you are likely to get out of it. Effort counts!
• There is great joy that comes from improving and using new skills. Enjoy learning!
• Learning with others and focusing on the positives is so much fun. Enjoy others!

2018 begins

It has been wonderful to welcome the children to the 2018 school year. The new students have settled in well and the Kindy children are off to a fabulous start. The teachers have all be working hard to set up their rooms and to create engaging and interesting learning programs. I trust we will all have a great year together and we look forward to sharing the journey with you.

Staffing news

I welcome back our returning staff and acknowledge the new teachers for 2018. Lara Kepitis joins our team and is teaching Year 5 Yavneh this year. She most recently joins us from the St Ives North OC program and it has been a pleasure to hear her ideas and welcome her to Emanuel. We are also so lucky to welcome Emma Buzo and Roslynn Pardy back as full-time class teachers at Emanuel. Emma is teaching Year 1 and Roslynn is teaching Year 4. This year, Meghan Carroll has begun as Acting Deputy Head of Primary for 2018 and Sophie Poisel has begun a new role as Innovation Leader. I would also like to welcome Alex Hone who is teaching music whilst Susan Longney is on maternity leave and Iain Robertson who is teaching Danny Burley’s classes whilst he takes long service leave for Term 1. I am sure you join me in welcoming these teachers to their new positions and wishing them every success for 2018.

Wonderful News

We are thrilled to announce that Emma and Tim Clemens had a beautiful baby girl, Brooke Evangeline Clemens on 8 January 2017. Everyone is happy, healthy and doing well. We send the entire Clemens family our best wishes at this very special time.

Meet the Teacher

Please diarise 12 February and join us for our Meet the Teacher evening. Here is the schedule for the evening:

• 6.00 – 6.45 pm: Years K-2 parents to meet their teachers in the classrooms
• 6.45 – 7.30 pm: Years K-6 parents to hear about plans and directions for the Primary School in the MPH
• 7.30 – 8.15 pm: Years 3-6 parents to meet their teachers in the classrooms
• 8.15 – 8.45 pm: Year 6 parents are welcome to attend an optional Northern Territory information evening in the Year 6 classrooms

School photos

Individual and class group photos will take place in Week 2 (Wednesday 7 February) and absentee and sibling photos will take place on Friday 16 February. Students from Years K-4 should please wear their summer uniforms and students in Years 5 and 6 should wear their summer uniforms with ties and blazers. All students are expected to be neatly dressed with hair tied back and shoes polished. Boys are reminded to wear their kippot for school photographs. If there is PE or sport on the day, students should bring their PE uniform (or at least sneakers) and change for the lesson.

School photographs are taken by advancedlife Photography. Orders for sibling photographs can be placed securely online at www.advancedlife.com.au using our school’s unique 9 digit Online Order Code: TPM ETQ DKZ. Should you wish to purchase a sibling photograph online, the order must be placed no later than the day before photography day. Sibling photographs will only be taken if an order has been placed.

Go With The Flow (GWTF) car tags

If you would like to collect your child/ren using the GWTF system along Avoca Street in the afternoons, you will need name tags for your car. In order to generate these, please click on this link GWTF Tag and complete your details by 9 February. The tags will be handed out in class in the following week.

Thank you, Gideon

Gideon (Gidi) Pozniak took initiative with his class last year to raise money and support people in need in an African community, Abayudaya. I thank Gidi for his commitment to helping others and for his proactive approach.Thanks also to Sophie Poisel and the five Yavneh students (2017) for supporting this project. Please see Gideon’s article in this week’s Ma Nishma for more information.

Calendar dates

Please refer to the calendar on the Parent Portal for all upcoming dates and events.

https://myportal.emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au/calendars/

Wishing everyone a wonderful 2018. I am looking forward to sharing it with you.