Volume 27 Issue 20 - 06 Jul 2018

From the Principal

Andrew Watt

Passing on the baton – our Student Leaders for 2018-2019 

Students and staff have voted and the names of our new leaders were announced at our High School assembly this week. The warmth of the extended applause was testimony to the respect that each leader carries amongst the student body. The wonderful work of the departing leadership team was also celebrated and their legacy of a strong student voice and a supportive and respectful culture was acknowledged with gratitude. They have set the bar high! The Student Leadership Induction Ceremony will take place on 31 July, at which time the Head Madrich and Madricha will be announced. We congratulate the following students:

Madrichim House Captains
Joel Ehrlich Greg Allen (Meir)
Oliver Evans Dylan Herdan (Meir)
Isabella Flax Tia Mallinick (Rabin)
Matthew Joffe Adam Riesel (Rabin)
Noah Klein Jared Elbourne (Rashi)
Joshua New Eden Sadra (Rashi)
Lara Rutstein Erin Nabarro (Szenes)
Mia Shapiro Mia Port (Szenes)
Rachel Turtledove

Our SRC members and Peer Support leaders for 2018-2019 were then announced by Margaret Lowe, also receiving great approbation from their peers.

SRC Peer Support Leaders
Maayan Granot (7 Meir) Cade Collins (Meir)
Tess Endrey (7 Rabin) Rebekah Goldsworthy (Meir)
Oriel Levy (7 Rashi) Mia Gold (Meir)
Saul Lewis (7 Szenes) Samara Trenaman (Meir)
Tori Shapiro (8 Meir) Simone Rappoport (Rabin)
Nathalie Freed (8 Rabin) Lachlan Corne (Rabin)
Jayda Sacks (8 Rashi) Rachel Zwarenstein (Rabin)
Mirabelle Mirvis (8 Szenes) Talia Sinani (Rabin)
Zachary Boswell (9 Meir) Jemma Salamon (Rashi)
Jade Berson (9 Rabin) Rayah Moses (Rashi)
Emma Dobrin (9 Rashi) Dylan Christie (Rashi)
Liat Granot (9 Szenes) Jesse Waller (Rashi)
Jessica Beutum (10 Meir) Talia Blackman (Szenes)
Amber Langman (10 Rabin) Sasha Baskin (Szenes)
Tallulah Stein (10 Rashi) Isabella Reichel (Szenes)
Asha Friedman (10 Szenes) Jonathan Sebban (Szenes)
Madeleine Liger (10 Meir)

The Sound of Music

One hundred and sixteen Emanuel student musicians from Years 4-12 travelled to Kurrajong this week, to take part in a fun-packed and work-packed 4-day rehearsal and performance program, culminating in a polished and entertaining concert on Thursday evening. Our students enjoyed learning new pieces in a relaxed and social setting, and were inspired with renewed musical energy by their 2 visiting conductors, Dr Luke Gilmour and Mr Kelly Shepard. The talent quest evening was undoubtedly the highlight. There were many tired but happy students to greet me on my visit on Wednesday. A huge thank you to Diana Springford, Joanne De Araujo and the team of 24 teachers and tutors who led a successful music camp.

Developing our creative and artistic talent

A number of students from Years 9-11 participated in a 2-day intensive program designed to promote the enjoyment of and develop skills in 3 aspects of Visual Arts. Our Year 9 students benefitted from working with a practicing artist, Wendy Murray, who gave them invaluable insight in to her art making practice and the screen printing process. Renowned Australian ceramicist, Bronwyn Kemp, worked with our Year 10 on developing wheel throwing techniques, whilst Year 11 benefitted from the expertise of Nick Collerson and Kevin McKay, as they worked on their oil painting technique. Many thanks to Sarah Clark, Louise Heilpern and Patricia Nutter for their work in bringing these artists to the School.

The Staging Post

A large audience viewed a very special film that highlighted the struggles faced by refugees at a staging post in Indonesia. What emerged most clearly was the courage, character and determination of the refugees – not to be viewed as victims or burdens on society, but rather as proactive and caring people, determined to provide an opportunity for their families to settle and contribute, in a land without the daily violence and dangers that they had faced in their home country. We were privileged to hear film maker Jolyon Hoff and refugee, Khadim Dai speak about their experiences in the establishment of a thriving school, against all odds. Thank you to Ashne Amoils (Year 12), Shira Sebban and Rabbi Siegel for organising this special event.

 

Kenya trip

Our Kenya travellers have arrived. We are looking forward to hearing about their adventures upon their return.

 

Annual Report

The School’s Annual Report is now available on the School’s website.

Use of student toilets

As part of our approach to child safety, we would ask that parents do not access those toilets assigned for student use. These are clearly labelled. Please feel free to ask a staff member to let you know where the nearest (alternative) toilet is located.

 

Mazal tov

  • Chelsea Rutstein, Year 11, has been nominated for this year’s Southern Courier’s Sports Award. Chelsea is a leading angler at just 16 years of age with domestic and international records.
  • Staff member, Lisa Dobrin, who finished the Gold Coast Marathon last weekend – a fantastic effort.

Quote of the week

“The person who asks is a fool for 5 minutes, but the person who does not ask remains a fool forever.”

Chinese proverb

The non-term break

For the families travelling overseas or interstate, I wish you safe travels and wonderful adventures. For the rest of us, staying at home, probably in pyjamas until midday, I wish you a special time with your family and friends, and a restful, enjoyable time, catching up on sleep, Netflix, café breakfasts and the latest books!

Shabbat Shalom

 

Primary News

Natanya (Tany) Milner – Head of Primary

Harvard

I am writing to you from Boston airport on my way back from an incredibly inspirational week in Harvard at a course through the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Principals’ Centre. The course was called The Art of Leadership and without a doubt, it was the most impactful and transformational learning I have ever done. I look forward to sharing some of this information with teachers and parents once I have had an opportunity to consolidate my thoughts. It was a wonderful opportunity to connect with principals and heads of schools from around the world and hear about how similar and how different we all are. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Emanuel School Board for their support of my attendance at this course. I hope that I am able to share my learning and continue to see its impacts for years to come. I would also like to thank the Emanuel Executive and staff for making it possible for me to attend, in particular, to Meghan Carroll, Helen Maynard and Holly Dillon, who bore the additional workload while I was away.

Chill Zone

The Chill Zone will be ready to officially open early next term. The area is designed to be a quiet space for relaxed activities at recess and lunchtime, such as reading, board games and card games. I would like to thank the very talented Ronan Collins (Emanuel alumnus, Class of 2017) for designing and painting the gorgeous mural in the space. I would also like to thank his father, David, for assisting with the painting. By the beginning of next term, the little coloured houses will be filled with books and the outdoor cupboard will be filled with games. We also have some picnic rugs and beanbags to make the space more colourful and comfortable. I would like to thank Year 6 Class of 2017 for contributing their fundraising money towards the project. The 2017 ‘athon’ will also be partly funding this project as well as a significant contribution towards new books for the Years K-2 reading program. If you are popping past, see if you can count the footprints and bees that have been carefully hidden…(hint: there are 11 bees to find).

Parenting, reports and some general thoughts

I have recently read a book about parenting and parental engagement in schooling. It highlights some of the research about the biggest areas of impact for children. I have summarised some of the findings below for your interest.

According to John Hattie’s research (2009), the home environment and parental involvement in learning both result in a significant impact on student achievement. There are a number of factors that are believed to contribute to this impact including some of the following:

–       Use of complex and interesting vocabulary

–       Reading – modelling reading to yourself as well as with your child

–       Discussions about school, learning and progress

–       Feedback that praises effort rather than outcomes/results

–       Visits to libraries, museums and historic sites

–       Encouragement to question and try new things

–       Support of hobbies such as practicing music, sport etc

–       Creating a family schedule and sticking to it as much as possible.

Lucas (2015)

During my time at Harvard, there was a session that showed the achievement gap that results over holiday time (especially during the long American Summer break). Research shows that student growth for all different levels of learners can be similar throughout the term but when some students read and visit museums and libraries and participate in engaging activities in the holidays and others don’t, the achievement gap can widen. This would suggest that no matter what you have planned for the holidays (whether at home or travelling), please ensure that the children are reading every day.

Lennox and Reeves suggest that the most effective approach to parenting can be described as ‘tough love’ parenting. That is, setting and sticking to clear boundaries alongside warmth and affection. Whilst the setting and sticking to boundaries can be difficult in the moment, it provides children with a clear understanding of right and wrong as well as a sense of accountability, safety and predictability.

Whilst I am writing about parenting and holidays, I also thought it is worth addressing the purpose of school reports. We see that there are multiple ways to approach the end of semester reports. As the children become older, we encourage you to take time to look through your children’s reports with them. It can be motivational (and links with the ‘tough love’ approach) for children to make commitments based on their reports. This could include areas of strength to celebrate and further strengthen as well as areas requiring increased attention and commitment to growth. Feel free to partner with us in this process. I would like to particularly draw children’s attention to the effort ratings. It would be my goal for all children to have high effort grades and if this is not the case for your child, this would be a great place to start a conversation and goal setting expectation and process.

Semester 1 reports – A note from Helen Maynard

“Continuous effort – not strength or intelligence – is the key to unlocking our potential.” Winston Churchill

Soon you will receive your child’s Semester 1 report. At Emanuel, we value the opportunity to share our insights into your child’s achievement and progress over the semester. We hope you find it a valuable snapshot of learning and effort and take the time to discuss this with your child.

It is a Government requirement that there be 5 point scale offered on the reports for Years 1-6.  This consists of Advanced Achievement, High Achievement, Grade Level Achievement, Developing Achievement and Experiencing Difficulties. The traditional ‘C’ grading (Grade Level Achievement) is to be considered as the expected achievement of the year/grade level at the time of the report and therefore this is where most students are placed. We think of Grade Level Achievement as a celebration as the child has ‘got it’ and achieved what we expect for the year level. It therefore follows that only those who are successfully working on extension outcomes will be attaining Advanced Achievement. Similarly, children receiving support will more than likely be getting Developing Achievement and Experiencing Difficulties.

For effort a 4 point scale (Excellent Effort, Very Good Effort, Some More Effort Required and Considerably More Effort Required) is utilised to give you an insight into your child’s attainment in this area.

Please feel free to contact your child’s teachers if you have any questions relating to the Semester 1 report.

Emanuel World Cup Soccer tournament

Earlier this term the Primary Madrichim began planning and organising a soccer tournament for Years 3-6. The 1st half of the tournament, involving Years 3-4 teams, finished in Week 9. Congratulations to all teams and players! We will begin the 2nd half of the tournament, involving Years 5-6 teams at the start of Term 3. A huge thank you to the Primary Madrichim for their high level of effort in organising this event as well as Stuart Taylor and Adam Ezekiel for helping to make the team lists.


Music assembly

In Week 8, the Year 3-6 assembly showcased some of our skilled musicians and singers in a series of performances. We watched in awe as students confidently stood on stage and shared their love of music in a variety of ways. Thank you to the Music Department, Diane Springford and the Music Leaders for helping to prepare and organise this talent-packed assembly item.


Chess competition

On Monday 25 June, a group of students in the Primary and High School took part in a Chess competition at Rose Bay Secondary School. The participants represented Emanuel proudly, showing great sportsmanship, focus and skill. Well done! Thank you to Colleen Elkins and the parents who attended and supported the players.

Knowing Me Knowing You

On Tuesday 26 June, the Year 5 students presented their Knowing Me Knowing You projects to visiting guests. The audience was absolutely amazed with the high level of knowledge, enthusiasm and confidence displayed by all students. A big thank you to the wonderful Year 5 teaching and support team for all of their hard work behind the scenes and for making this evening a memorable one!

Music Camp

Our students had a fantastic week at Music Camp and enjoyed being involved in a number of performances and groups. The camp was an opportunity to become immersed in music and improve through focussed time and practise. I believe the visiting musicians were a wonderful asset to the camp. I am writing this article prior to Thursday night’s concert but am very much looking forward to hearing the fruits of their labour. These experiences would not be possible without the dedication of our outstanding staff. Special thanks to our wonderful Music department as well as all the supporting staff who assisted throughout the camp.

From the Head of Jewish Life

Rabbi Daniel Siegel

Standing alone

In this week’s parashah, we read of the reward of the zealot, Pinchas, who, in his zealotry, kills an Israelite and Midianite who were consorting.

“Pinchas has turned back My wrath from the Israelites when he zealously acted for My zeal..and I did not wipe out the people in My zeal. Therefore, I grant him my covenant of shalom.”

Our Rabbinic tradition takes exception with this Biblical commendation of zealotry. Indeed, one might say God did not wipe out the people in His zeal for seeing, in the action of Pinchas, the destructive influence of such zealousness, He curbs His own zealotry and presents a covenant of shalom not as a reward for such action but as an antidote to the same.

Significantly, the reading from the Prophets selected by the Rabbis to accompany this parashah of Pinchas is the story of Eliyahu (Elijah). The Rabbis declare: “Pinchas and Eliyahu are one and the same”.

In his zealotry for God, Eliyahu kills 450 idolators from among his people. Fleeing for his life, he is confronted by God, in the wilderness, with the words “Why are you here, Eliyahu”? He responds: “I have been most zealous for the Lord, for the Israelites have abandoned Your covenant, Your altars they have destroyed, and I alone am left”.

The interlinear reading offered by the Rabbis is remarkable:

Eliyahu: “I have been most zealous for the Lord, for the Israelites have abandoned Your covenan.”

God:    “My covenant? Perhaps your covenant!”

Eliyahu: “Your altars they have destroyed.”

God:     “My altars? Perhaps your altars!”

The zealot’s self-serving agenda should never be mistaken for, though it is invariably presented as the cause of God. In claiming to be alone for God: “I alone am left”, one, in truth, is simply alone.

This Eliyahu episode which takes place upon 40 days in the wilderness and at the “mountain of God” intentionally draws our attention to Moshe’s encounter with God at this very same mountain as the people are about to enter into a covenant with the Divine. Unlike Eliyahu, Moshe stands alone with God. He steps into the breach to elicit God’s compassion for the wayward people and turns back God’s zealous anger.

As the zealous Eliyahu has put himself in the place of God, he is instructed by the Lord to “anoint Elisha…as My prophet in your stead”.

Returning to parashat Pinchas, we find that it is in this story, of one who “zealously acted for God’s zeal”, that Moshe is instructed to appoint his own successor. God here reminds Moshe that it is the recent episode of striking the rock that necessitates his now being replaced. Rather than, once again, entering the breach on behalf of the Israelites, his zealousness for God, or rather for himself, made  him see them as “rebels”, with himself sanding alone, renouncing his people and displacing God.

 

 

 

Student Devar Torah

Aaron Glass – Year 8

In this week’s parashah, we learn of the zealous deeds of one of the members of the tribe of Levi by the name of Pinchas, a grandson of Aaron the Kohein. Not many people in the Torah have a parashah named after them. They would have to do something pretty significant. And indeed Pinchas had an impact that made a huge difference.

We find the Israelites, after 40 years of wandering the desert finally being allowed to enter the Land. On the brink of a beautiful dawn, some terrible actions were taking place that could ruin their destiny.

Pinchas saw the men of his nation being tempted by the women of Midyan to sin by serving the idol Ba’al Peor. Pinchas took decisive action and, in one fell swoop, he put an end to the whole affair in the name of God. As a result, the collective sinning ceased.

The Torah tells us that due to the actions of Pinchas the wrath of God was turned away. Pinchas needed to be strong for, as we know, when a large group of people revels in destructive behavior and invests its time and effort towards making it acceptable, being the voice of reason can literally and figuratively get you your head handed to you on a platter.

Pinchas acted when it was most needed that he do so. The chance to turn the tide and bring everyone back to their senses was in his hands. He was keenly aware that if another moment had gone by with nothing done, all would have been lost. After all the Divine guidance and all the years of waiting, to see his nation disappear through assimilation into the Midyanite culture was too much for Pinchas. Continuity as a holy nation remained intact all because of the action of one person at the right time.

Pinchas was no hothead who was rewarded for acting in a rash manner without stopping to think. His was the kind of zealousness honored by the Torah. He came, he saw, he acted but not due to a split second of anger or spite but with a heart and mind set to achieve the honor of Heaven.

WHAT DOES THIS TEACH US?

If you see something wrong, do something about it and step up like Pinchas did.

And even if you are just one person you can make a diffrence.

WHAT’S THE LESSON?

One person can save a nation like Pinchas did and if you act quickly and step up to the challenge and don’t leave it to late. Just do it!

—————————————

Beau Glass – Year 10

God is supposed to work in mysterious ways that humans are unable to predict. So, it seems well within his character to reward a rebellious guy named Pinchas who kills a “prince”. I find it interesting that because our God approves, it’s fine to kill someone, apparently stopping a plague, and then just welcome him back as a hero without consequences. But since when was religion a fair playing field?

This is what happened in the episode of Pinchas and Zimri. Pinchas killed the sinner Zimri, taking judgment into his own hands. Had he not done so, apparently the Israelite people would have been annihilated to which I’m supposed to say “God forbid”, but seeing God started the plague in the first place, I’m not too sure whether that makes much sense.

But because Pinchas took God’s vengeance into his own hands, the accusation against the Israelite people was silenced. So, although your opponent—and you—may not realise it, his attack and murderous deeds may be saving you from something worse.

The problem is that is that in the Torah such ideas were not nearly as straightforward. This is basically where God helps out. Throughout the parashah he advises Pinchas and Moshe on which path to take.

This idea seems to suggest that despite the constant attack on religion, God protects and preserves the essence of truth from being falsified or misinterpreted. I, of course, would argue that religion is all just a series of misinterpretations of what God intends, which is why 2 groups each following the same religion can have such drastically opposing morals, such as the contrast of accepting charitable churches with the Ku Klux Klan, or peaceful Islamic organisations and jihadist militants.

So, whether or not you think listening to God to guide you is the most reasonable answer to difficult decisions, just understand that we must appreciate our own safety and freedom of religion, thought and life.

Year 7 personal prayers

Daphna Levin-Kahn | Head of Jewish Studies High School

Finding meaning in personal prayer

As part of our intention to help our students connect more personally with their prayer, Year 7 students demonstrated their understanding of the structure and potential meaning in tefillah (prayer) by composing their own personal tefillah. For many, this enabled them to express their deepest feelings for the things they hold most dear in their lives. Here are some of their heartfelt and meaningful prayers for you to enjoy.

What would you write about, were you to compose your own prayer?

Allie Armstrong

Lucinda Labi

Eden Levit

Zoe Nebenzahl

 

Ma Koreh

Adam Carpenter | Head of Jewish Studies Primary

Throughout this term, Years 3 and 6 have been learning about Israel. Year 3 students have focused on the people, places and geography of Israel. Year 6 students have explored the Jewish people’s historical and spiritual relationship and connection to the Land of Israel and events surrounding the creation of the State of Israel 70 years ago. To conclude their learning, Year 6 students were invited to select an aspect of contemporary Israel of personal interest (such as demography, environment, food, sport, science, arts etc.) to research. This research was put into presentations and the students were invited to share their research and teach their classmates.

Sienna Poswell: Demography

 Israel’s population is around 8.5 million people.

  • The Jewish population of Israel represents 43% of the world’s Jewish population
  • Approximately 75% of Israel’s population is Jewish and around 20% Arab
  • Israel’s population includes Jews, Muslims, Christians, Druze and Bedouin
  • The Old City in Jerusalem contains holy places and sites, including

The Temple Mount and Kotel (Judaism)

Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa Mosque (Israel)

Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Christianity).

Amir Waldne: Food

Tamarah Aarons, Ella Sherman, Alex Machlin: Art

 

Year 3 – Holiday Itinerary for Mrs Tritsch

 

From the Music Department

Diana Springford – Acting Head of Music Performance and Academic K-6

Daniel Burley – Acting Head of Music Academic 7-12

Music Camp

This week, 113 student musicians from Years 4 to 12 have been having a wonderful time at our annual Music Camp at Merroo in Kurrajong. They have certainly been fortunate with the weather. See the next edition of Ma Nishma for our full article on Music Camp and the Showcase Concert. In the meantime, here are some photos of life on camp, courtesy of our team.  

 

 

Deadline – Private Music Tuition and Infant Strings Program

The due date for new enrolments, notification of changes or intention to discontinue private tuition or Infants String Program for Term 3 has now passed. All students currently receiving private music tuition and students participating in the Infant Strings Program will be automatically entered into tutor schedules for next term, committed to the full term of lessons and liable for the full term of fees. If you have any questions, please contact Deborah Beder by email to music@emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au

Links to online forms  


New enrolment requests for private tuition: http://tinyurl.com/NewPrivateTuitionEnrolment

To discontinue private tuition for Term 4: http://tinyurl.com/PrivateTuitionDiscontinuation

To enrol into the Infant Strings Program: http://tinyurl.com/InfantStringsEnrolment

To discontinue Infant Strings Program for Term 4: http://tinyurl.com/InfantStringsDiscontinuations

Music in Week 1 next term

All IP lessons for Years 3-6 will take place in the 1st week of next term, including the 1st day back.  Please ensure that all students bring their instruments, folders and music. Some instrumental ensemble rehearsals scheduled before school on the1st day of term will be cancelled (Gershwin Concert Band, Bernstein Concert Band and Intermediate String Orchestra). Please note that Senior Choir will take place as normal, as will lunchtime rehearsals.  

 

High School Sport

Kristy Reed | Head of Sport | PDHPE Teacher

Representative and Inter-school sport news

Last week the Emanuel Intermediate Rugby team played a friendly match against Sydney Grammar School. This opportunity provided a great chance for our team to put all of their training to the test. The Emanuel team did not have the experience of the Sydney Grammar School squad and this showed on the scoreboard. However, the boys are to be commended on the positive and determined attitude that they displayed throughout the match. The game was a great learning experience and the team will benefit from this game time in next term’s David Horwitz Challenge. Thank you to Heath Morley for preparing the team and to Sydney Grammar School for their hospitality.

The Emanuel Year 7 Netball team competed in the TAFE NSW Schools Cup last Thursday at Heffron netball courts. This team showed great potential earlier in the term playing in the St Catherine’s netball competition, where they were narrowly beaten in extra time in the semi-final. They continued to play in this excellent fashion at the tournament last week, winning 3 matches against various schools including Newtown and Moriah College. Thank you to Hannah Vasin and Kerryn Josman for their excellent coaching on the day, and congratulations to all of the girls involved.

Next term the Sydney Schools Cup inter-school sport competition will continue each Tuesday afternoon. In Term 3, Emanuel will be hosting the girls Netball competition and the boys Futsal tournament will be held at All Sorts Alexandria. I encourage all Year 7 and 8 students to get involved in this great competition. If your child is interested in being part of an Emanuel team, please have them email me to confirm their position.

Year 7 Netball team. Back row: Lucia Meyer, Tess Endrey, Lucinda Labi, Alexis Demos, Ava Rose, Oriel Levy. Front row: Brooke Rosen, Eden Levit, Allie Armstrong, Clio Stockley

 

 

 

 

 

Kol Szenes

Staff changes in Szenes House

A number of staff changes in Szenes House have occurred in the last few weeks. Thanks to Hannah Chedzey, Helen Philp and Oren Thaler for their dedication and support of Szenes students in their time as Tutors. Helen and Oren are now Tutors in Meir House.

Whilst Maxine Chopard is on leave, Tina Greenhill will be the Acting Assistant to the Deputy Principal and Christian Bell will be the Acting Head of Szenes House. Slide McBride and Joshua Moses will take on the role of Acting Year 9 Tutor.

Athletics Carnival

The result were close. There were only 162 points between 1st and 3rd place. Congratulations to Rabin House on their win. We achieved a creditable 3rd place.

Given that we only had 3 Age Champions out of a possible 14, Szenes House participation was pleasing. Well done to all students who participated, and especially those students who were awarded Age Champion or broke a record.

Athletics Carnival Age Champions

12 Years: Mariah Lewy

15 Years: Nathaniel Spielman

18 Years: Madeleine Weinstein 

Our Record Breakers

18 Years boys 400m

Gregory Klugman (Szenes)

54.68 seconds

18 Years girls 400m

Isabella Brockwell (Szenes)

1:21.63 minutes

14 Years boys discus

Maximillian Kidman (Szenes)

26.87m

18 Years boys 100m

Gregory Klugman (Szenes)

11.59 seconds

18 Years girls 800m

Isabella Brockwell (Szenes)

3:16.33 minutes

12 Years girls 800m

Mariah Lewy (Szenes)

3:14.40 minutes

15 Years boys 800m

Aiden Poswell (Szenes)

2:32.72 minutes

Leadership

During Week 8 Madrichim, House Captain and SRC elections took place. Thank you to the students who put themselves forward for the various leadership role on offer.

Mazal tov

House Captains elect:

Mia Port and Erin Nabarro

Szenes SRC Representatives for 2018-2019 

Year 7  Lewis Saul

Year 8  Mirabelle Mirvis

Year 9  Liat Granot

Year 10 Asha Friedman

Peer Support Leaders for 2019

Jonathan Sebban

Jesse Waller

Talia Blackman

Sasha Baskin

Isabella Reichel

This week at Emanuel School:

  • Students left for their Kenya Trip
  • Music Camp 
  • Art Camp.

A word from Miriam

Hi Szenes! Sadly (or maybe happily), it’s almost the end of the term. And yes, while it’s exciting to be on school holidays, this time, in particular, is a time to reflect on our 1st half of the year, and see what we can improve on. Soon we will be getting our academic reports, and through it, we can see exactly what we’ve done well in and how we can improve.

Szenes House came 3rd in the Athletics Carnival. The main thing, is that we all gave it a go (although, if we want to win next time, we should all give 100%).

Two weeks ago, we had several members of Szenes leave, to be inducted into Meir House. While this loss isn’t necessarily a happy situation, it means we can all work harder as a smaller group to achieve better results in the sporting carnivals and music competitions.

Quotation of the week

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” – John Quincy Adams

 

 

Have a safe and enjoyable winter break.

 

Szenes House

 

Rabin Bugle

Shabbat Shalom Rabinites

The holidays are upon us.

Term 2 has gone quickly, and it is hard to believe we are already half way through the school year. This week had an artistic theme with many students across the Year Groups participating in the Art and Music Camps. They have by all accounts had an excellent week.

Leadership 2018-2019

Leadership positions for 2018/19 were announced with new House Captains, Madrichim, Peer Support Leaders and SRC Members. Rabin House would like to commend all students who put themselves forward and congratulate the students who were fortunate to gain a position. Don’t forget that we can all take initiative and show leadership skills. Many great events, that make a difference, are organised and cared for by students who do not hold an official position. Rabin House has a long tradition of student driven initiatives and we are fortunate to have so many excellent role models who inspire and assist the younger peers. Rabin House would like to take the opportunity to again acknowledge and thank our current student leaders who have done a great job over the last year.

Rabin House Captains for 2018/2019 will be Tia Mallinick and Adam Riesel. We also congratulate Lara Rutstein and Rachel Turtledove who will hold Madrichim positions.

Year 11 Peer Support Leaders for Rabin House will be Lachlan Corne, Simone Rappoport, Rachel Zwarenstein and Talia Sinani.
Student Representative Council members for Rabin House will be:

Year 7 – Tess Endrey

Year 8 – Natalie Freed

Year 9 – Jade Berson

Year 10 – Amber Langman

Congratulations! Rabin House look forward to many engaging and inclusive events in the year ahead.

Fishing success

Chelsea Rutstein, Year 11 Rabin, already hold several impressive records and she is a talented angler. This week the Southern Courier carried a feature article on her achievements. We congratulate Chelsea on her continued success and for being nominated for the Southern Courier’s Local Sport Star Award. Below is an extract from a recent article on Chelsea’s achievements from the Southern Courier’s sport section:

“To become a fishing superstar, you need not only skill but plenty of patience. Young Chelsea Rutstein has both in abundance and is blazing a trail for young women in the sport. She has multiple records to her name and trophies aplenty. But the 16-year-old is taking it all in her stride. ‘She has a positive and fair attitude not only to her peers but to the fish too,’ her mum Margaret said. ‘If a fish wins its freedom she just says that there will always be another time to get another one.’ 

“Chelsea, from Maroubra, has been the South Sydney Amateur Fishing Association junior champion, ladies champion and club champion for 3 years running. She also holds 8 State records, 7 national and 1 world record and is Shimano’s 1st junior sponsored angler. Chelsea is our latest Local Sports Stars nominee. The teen is not short of dedication and is often up before sunrise to hit the water. A recent fishing expedition saw her battle a marlin for more than 5 hours before catching and releasing it.’Winning is not everything to Chelsea,’ Mrs. Rutstein said. ‘She gets just as much enjoyment from watching someone else catch their first marlin or other species, than her winding it in herself.’ “

Enjoy the holidays, rest up and don’t forget to follow the exciting World Cup games. The mighty Socceroos may be out but there is still plenty of fun games to enjoy.

Rashi Times

Charli Krite

Joel Ephraim

Rashi Commemoration Wednesday 4 July

Rashi cared his whole life about being Jewish. During the Crusades time period, where it was extremely difficult being Jewish, he chose to care about preserving and making Judaism accessible and understandable to the masses This holds a lot of important values that we can apply to our own lives today. We want all students in the High School to put themselves in the shoes of Rashi today and ask themselves. What does the future of the Jewish people look like and how are you going to be responsible for that future? As you go through the stations today, think about what values you are learning and how they relate to your Judaism.

Rashi dedicated his whole life to the perseverance and passion towards the Jewish religion. This is why the Rashi Year 11s were passionate about educating the rest of the Year about his values, and how they can be implemented into our own lives. The Year 11 Rashi Tutor Group decided to make it a fun commemoration. We planned a station rotation with each activity representing a different value. We picked the values that Rashi believed in and created activities that go around them. The whole idea was meant for the rest of the High School to be able to have fun while still learning about who Rashi was and what he believed in. The 6 values are: perseverance, passion, determination, bravery, unity/family and responsibility as we thought these were the best values that would describe Rashi and who he was.

 

 

Staff Archies exhibition

Eytan Messiah – Head of Visual Arts

Sense of Place: Emanuel School Staff exhibition

Towards the start of the year, the Visual Arts team put a call out to our colleagues to contribute to an exhibition dedicated to showcasing staff artworks. The response was substantial and diverse to say the least. The artworks submitted included digital photographs, a stone carving, ceramic and glass bowls, paintings, calligraphic works, an etching, a print on plaster, a wall sculpture and a collaboratively made drawing. 

Apart from the new insights into our staff’s impressive creative and technical abilities, a highlight of the exhibition has been observing how students are genuinely struck by the display. To exhibit your work is a direct way of making your creative thinking visible. This also offers another opportunity to model a passion for making and life-long learning to our broader community.   

 

Many thanks to the staff who contributed to this exhibition: 

Garry Case, Shauna Lore, Hagit Bar-On, Zoran Taleski, Rebecca Gaida, Norman Stein, Allison Lee, Louise Heilpern, Sarah Clark, Daniel Samowitz, David Whitcombe, Helen Maynard, Julia Tritsch, Nathanael Clarke, Jennifer Selinger, Daphna Levin-Kahn and Joseph Peacock.

See more Emanuel School exhibitions and student artworks at https://www.emanuelschoolvisualarts.com/

Year 4 – Our School needs a pool!

Roslynn Pardy

Lauren Butler

Katie Narunsky

Year 4 – Our School needs a pool!

Over the last 2 weeks Year 4 students have run a mathematical project called Our School needs a pool!

They worked in small groups and used the design process to put together a proposal for building a pool and 2 other playground features which they then pitched to Ms Maynard.

The design process included empathising, ideating, a prototype sketch, calculating the cost of their pool, using QR codes to price tiles and chemicals, building a prototype model and lastly the pitch.

It was a valuable learning experience and the students learnt a lot of Mathematics as well as the invaluable skills of teamwork, designing and public speaking.  

Roslynn Pardy, Lauren Butler and Katie Narunsky

 

Jemma Adler

Elke Selinger

During our Mathematics Investigation we used the design process to  work together in groups to design a pool for our School. First we had to Empathise and tune into the problem. We had to survey our class to get more information about their needs and wants for the playgrouond.  Next we had to Ideate. The next step in the process was designing a Prototype Sketch of our pool. After that we got our recycled materials and made a mini model. We also worked out the cost by working out the area we would need to cover the pool with tiles. We included a few extra features. Finally, we worked together to make the pool pitch which we presented to Ms Maynard. She took notes and gave feedback. We learnt a lot about teamwork, area, volume and capacity and scale as well as the design process.

 

 

Year 5 Knowing Me, Knowing You

Knowing Me Knowing You was a 6-week project that involved all the children in Year 5. The project was all about writing biographies and autobiographies and finding out more about people who have made a difference to our world.

Tanya Jeckeln

Firstly, we wrote our own biographies, which wasn’t too hard. Then we chose our Person of Eminence – someone who had made a difference – and spent some time researching them and finally writing their biography. Completing written tasks and creative tasks was next. This included preparing speeches (with no palm cards), writing headlines and quotes, designing Fact or Fib cards, artworks, debates and much, much more!

After recess on Tuesday 26 June, we worked hard and fast to set up our displays before the invited classes visited our stands.

At 6.00 pm on Tuesday evening, we came back to school dressed as our Person of Eminence and gave a speech, in character.  That was a bit scary. When we finished our speeches, our parents (and sometimes our brothers or sisters) asked us an open-ended question. Fanny Mendelsohn was asked: “Knowing that you were a better musician than your brother, but not having the opportunity to perform your works, what did you do?”

After our presentations, we headed to the MPH, where our parents and grandparents and brothers and sisters and friends (and even people we didn’t know), came to talk to us and find out more about our Person of Eminence.

We had an amazing night and our parents and teachers are still telling us how wonderful we were.

If you missed Knowing Me, Knowing You this year, we recommend you attend next year!

Year 5 students

 

Setting up

Jordan Pal

Sarah Manoy

Visitors

Jack Newfield

Shai Berkovic

Neik Nathan

 

 

From Primary Library

Ginnette Cameron-Gardner – Primary Teacher/Librarian

NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge

Congratulations to 4 more students who have completed the Challenge:

  Year 2

  Elah Sharabi

  26th

  28.6.18

  Year 1

  Asher Levin

  27th

  28.6.18

  Year 1

  Gideon Cohen

  28th

  29.6.18

  Year 2

  Zara Keller

  29th

  29.6.18

  Year 3

  Gabrielle Seeman

  30th

  29.6.18

Almost all of the students in Years 1-6 are in the Premier’s Reading Challenge as their parents did not opt them out, but many have not yet entered their reading. Hopefully many will enter their reading over the school holiday. If any need a reminder of their NSW PRC ID or password I can be reached through my school email ggardner@emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au

A new series of books now held in the Primary Library

Gregor the Overlander: Underland Chronicles, Book 1 by Suzanne Collins. JF COL.

In this epic fantasy there are strong characters, vivid descriptions, flawless pacing, breathless excitement, laughs and scares but also despite some violence there is also a strong anti-violence message.

Gregor, an ordinary 11 year old boy follows his 2 year old sister, Boots, when she falls through a chute in their laundry room. They land in the Underland, a world far beneath the earth’s surface populated by humans, as well as giant intelligent bats, rats, cockroaches, and spiders. The humans who live in an underground city take Gregor and Boots in.   At first they only want to find a way back home but then Gregor learns that his father, who disappeared years before, is also in the Underland, being held prisoner by the rats who are at war with the humans. An ancient prophecy talks about a warrior coming who will unite the humans and other creatures against the rats and defeat the rats. The Underlanders think that Gregor is the warrior of the prophecy. So, begins the quest.

I hope that you enjoy your holiday and that reading is a part of it as well as many other fun pursuits and time with your families and friends.

 

Primary Extra-curricular

Emma Hill | Primary Teacher and Co-ordinator of Extra-Curricular Programs

Extra-curricular clubs
Term 3, 2018

  • Unfortunately Cooking Club is cancelled next term, due to 2 different providers no longer being able to offer their services. We hope to offer it again in Term 4.
  • Bricks 4 Kidz – this is a returning club however it is being offered during a lunchtime as well as after school.

Unfortunately, various Russian Club providers are not able to offer Russian at Emanuel School next term.

Please note that from next term extra-curricular clubs as well as EActive clubs will be managed by Emma Hill. For any EActive or extra-curricular club queries please contact Emma on ehill@emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au

Club information, including enrolment and booking details, are now online on the Parent Portal. We will also send an email out advising when the Parent Portal has been updated. Posters advertising some clubs are hyperlinked below. Simply click on the club to view. Parent Portal: https://myportal.emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au/parent/extra-curricular/

Please note clubs have minimum enrolment numbers.

Mondays

CodeMonkey coding

Years 3-6

3.40 – 4.25 pm

A21
6 Hertzliya

30/7/18 – 17/9/18

Scratch for Kids (Coding)

Years 2-6

3.40 – 4.25 pm

A12
5 Netanya

30/7/18 – 17/9/18

ChiFUNese (Mandarin)

Years K-12

3.35 – 4.35 pm

A11

5 Yavneh

30/7/17 – 17/9/18

 

TechFun Plane Building

If you are interested but can only do a different day then please email TechFun – they are willing to change the day if numbers permit.

Years 1-6

3.35 – 4.30 pm

A13
5 Degania

30/7/18 – 17/9/18 – Day might change if numbers permit

Tuesdays

Typing 4 Kids

Years 2-8

3.45 – 4.45 pm

A22
Yad Mordechai

24/7/18 – 4/9/18

Art with Limor (NEW)

 

Years K-6

3.30 – 5.00 pm

Art Rooms

24/7/18 – 4/9/18

Bricks 4 Kidz

Years K–6

3.30 – 4.30 pm

L25

3 Akko

31/7/18 – 17/7/18

 

Cooking Club

   

Unfortunately Cooking Club is cancelled We hope to offer it again in Term 4.

Wednesdays

Dramatic Action

Years K-6

3:30 – 4:30pm

PAC/Theatre

25/7/18 – 26/9/18

Typing 4 Kids

Years 2-8

3:45 – 4:45pm

Please email to express interest

Thursdays

 

JeSTAR

Years K-6

3.30 – 4.45 pm

LINC/Theatre

2/8/18 – 27/9/18

Bricks 4 Kidz – NEW paid lunch timeclub

Years K – 3

1.30 – 2.00 pm

L25 3 Akko

25/6/18 – 26/9/18

 

EActive innovation with Swimming and Tennis

Sharon Fairfax | PDHPE Teacher Aide | Gymnastics Co-ordinator

Term 2 has seen Emanuel School create 2 new programs for 2 traditional core sports which proved to be very popular with students. Our Tennis is now run at the revamped Centennial Parklands Sports Centre under the guidance of experienced coach Gavin Janit. Emanuel has many students who participate in tennis programs and this depth was shown by the wonderful results achieved at the CDSSA Tennis Gala day earlier this year with Jesse Gothelf and Luca Calderon Havas taking out the Junior Boys Championship in both singles and doubles. All teams entered performed outstandingly.

Our new Swimming program is held at UNSW Fitness and Aquatic Centre with the University providing quality coaches and structure. Again Emanuel has shown great prowess in all Inter-school meets this year and we encourage students to participate in this programme which provides many benefits to their overall health and physicality.

Both tennis and swimming are open to Primary and High School students operating on Monday afternoons and Friday mornings respectively. All students are welcome to engage in some fitness and fun whilst developing their overall ability in tennis and swimming.

 

 

CDSSA tennis team 2018

Ruby Grynberg, Nadja Avshalom, Danielle Kramer, Jayden Segal and Gaija Avshalom

 

 

 

Primary Grandparents and Friends Day

Teacher Scholarship

Sarah Bishop

The Emanuel School Teacher Scholarship is an initiative of the School which allows recipient teachers the chance to further their professional development in a particular area. As this year’s lucky recipient, I took the opportunity to attend the Nueva School Design Thinking Institute in San Mateo and the International Society of Technology in Education (ISTE) conference in Chicago. Both conferences were a whirlwind of learning and incredibly insightful.

The Nueva School prides itself on being student-centred with a focus on Design and Engineering. I had the pleasure of working with a range of staff and students from the High School at Nueva throughout the Design Thinking Institute. At the end of an intensive 4-day program, teachers were asked to use a word to explain how they felt. An expected response post-conference might be “exhausted,” or “overwhelmed” but the words exclaimed by the teachers included: “invigorated, excited, curious, questioning, driven, engaged, motivated, empowered”. This really was an amazing program to be a part of.

As we progress into a VUCA world (Volatile, Unpredictable, Complex, Ambiguous), providing students with the opportunity to practise the skills required of them in their future careers is key. As a teacher, it can be a daunting process. How do I teach what I don’t even know they will need? How will I ensure that my students are creative, curious, innovative and entrepreneurial? We started with thinking about what we really wanted from our students when they graduate. What would be the ideal scenario and how do I as a teacher help students to not only develop a love of learning, but an understanding of their importance in the world and the significance of what they learn at school? In a lot of ways, Emanuel is doing the right things: fostering a sense of belonging, providing opportunities for students, and developing meaningful relationships with the community.  And while this was very reassuring for me, there was also a lot that I took away. I look forward to sharing many of these ideas with my colleagues and hope that this will have a positive influence on the students over the coming weeks, months and potentially years.

Next up was ISTE, and after being in a close community of 70 teachers for 4 days, the jump to 24,000 educators from across the globe was quite an interesting experience. It was definitely a ‘small fish-big pond’ moment. As I walked through the corridors of the Expo Hall, I empathised with what it must be for a comic book fan to attend Comic-con! The room was abuzz with lights, robots, AR, VR and every type of technology that you can imagine. I was enriched by the experience and excited by the possibilities. The seminars were run by American educators from all walks of life and gave some insightful advice. A core theme throughout the conference was to implement the use of technology to add value to what we as educators do and considering how these can be used to enhance the student experience rather than just be a replacement tool or fancy engagement activity.

I look forward to applying many of these ideas within my classroom and sharing my learning with my peers. It is my hope that this 2-week trip of a lifetime will have an ongoing, positive impact on the student experience at Emanuel School.

 

Careers

Claire Pech – Careers Advisor

UAC update day

 

Last week I was at a UAC update day. UAC is the University Admissions Centre that process the ATARs for admission into tertiary institutions within NSW and the ACT. Their statistics made me realise how well Emanuel students perform year in, year out, and how for some schools and students, even achieving an ATAR is an achievement in itself.

 

2017 statistics:

  • There were 76,827 HSC Students in 2017, where only 57,061 achieved an ATAR (that is roughly 25% not getting an ATAR).
  • The median ATAR was 69 – with males’ median being 67.65 and females’ being 70.15
  • Only 46 students received an ATAR of 99.95
  • 4,119 did not study any ATAR courses at all.

Offers:

  • 42,042 offers were made in the December 2017 round
  • 19,922 offers made in the January 2018 round.

Dates for 2018:

  • UAC opens on 1 August and students can apply (even if they want to change around their preferences)
  • The cost to apply is $70 (early bird cost)
  • On 28 September the early bird rates close and costs increases to $200
  • On Friday 14 December ATARs are released
  • On Sunday 16 December at midnight, the change of preferences will close
  • On Thursday 20 December the December offers will come out (nearly all of our Year 12s will aim and hope to get offers in the December round). The January rounds become more competitive.

To read more click on https://www.uac.edu.au/key-dates

 

 

Educational Access Scheme (EAS)

  • EAS applications in 2018 will now be online for the first time
  • Documents are to be uploaded this year and not posted
  • There will be 8 categories utilising 25 codes
  • Any additional documentation will be due for 23 November and the students receive EAS Eligibility letters
  • The majority of EAS applicants will get UP TO 5 adjustment factors (bonus points). It is very unusual to get over 5 adjustment factors.

For more information please see https://www.uac.edu.au/future-applicants/scholarships-and-schemes/educational-access-schemes/.

For information on early offer schemes (usually with a lot of conditions attached) see the Schools Recommendation Scheme (SRS) at https://www.uac.edu.au/future-applicants/scholarships-and-schemes/schools-recommendation-schemes.

Careers notices and events

University of Sydney Scholarships information evening 14 August at 6 pm

If you are a Year 12 student, join Sydney University on campus for an informative evening where current students and staff will answer the important questions on scholarships.

Find out more – https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/the-university-of-sydney-scholarships-information-evening-registration-4346740517

Billy Blue Day in the Life Creative Workshops (this weekend) 7 July

If you’re interested in learning more about a particular creative career, these workshops are just the place. This is being held this weekend. Book here – http://www.billyblue.edu.au/news-events/upcoming-events/sydney/day-in-the-life-creative-workshops-july-sydney

(Notices Source: MHSCareers.com July 2018)

Kornmehl

Terry Aizen – Director of Kornmehl

Year 7 Music stories

On Friday the Dolphins were fortunate to be the special audience for the Year 7 music students. The Year 7 students treated us to wonderful and fun music stories. The Dolphins were divided into 2 smaller groups and went into the music classrooms. The students projected the stories onto the wall and played musical instruments to accompany the stories. Some of the stories we heard were: In the summer when I go to bed and On the Ning, nag, nong.

The children sat beautifully and were a most appreciative audience.

How lucky we are to be part of such a dynamic and rich school. Through these experiences, the children are developing connections, not only to the School and physical spaces, but also to the students. All these learning experiences assist in making the transition to school a very smooth one.

Thank you to Alex Hone and the Year 7 students for the lovely performances.

The benefits of rest and sleep time for Pre-schoolers

A rest can be just as beneficial for a child as sleep and for this reason we factor a short rest time into the day for all 3 groups at Kornmehl. A rest period in the day is especially important for those children who no longer have a sleep during the day.

Rest is equally as important as sleep – playing a role in learning and memory function. It supports wellbeing and overall development and is critical for revitalising the body and mind and regulating mood. Rest and sleep impacts a child’s ability to learn, regulate their behaviour and interact with others. A child who is well rested is better able to concentrate, take on new information, interact positively with others, and deal with conflict and challenges. During sleep and rest, learning is strengthened, and biological changes occur that help children to grow, develop and stay healthy. In the early years, learning to rest and calm the body is an important strategy for children to acquire. A child’s sleep and rest needs are constantly changing as they grow. Rest time is not only relaxing for children, but a crucial part of healthy development and helps them to consolidate and cement memories that were acquired earlier in the day.

Teaching children relaxation techniques during rest time routines in early childhood education and care services significantly increases children’s health and wellbeing and provides them with a skill they can use throughout their lives.

What rest looks like 
Rest can be defined as quiet time; a period of inactivity or relaxed activity, calmness or tranquillity and can include a child being in a state of sleep. It is important that resting activities do not include screen time, such as TV or iPad time.
 
Effective ways for children to rest:

  • Reading a book quietly
  • Listening to relaxation music or a digital story
  • Mindfulness routines and meditation
  • Yoga
  • Sitting at a table drawing
  • Playing with playdough
  • Quietly threading beads onto string
  • Puzzles
  • Bed Boxes – containing open-ended materials to play with quietly on their beds
  • After a rest, older children could spend 10 minutes engaging with the ELLA App on the iPad quietly with a friend.

At Kornmehl, we encourage children to rest their bodies and minds for at least 20-25 minutes. A quiet and calming space will be provided for children to rest.

We consult with families about children’s sleep and rest needs. Educators are sensitive to each child’s needs so that sleep and rest times are a positive experience. Children may have a sleep-time comforter that remains in their bag through the day until rest time. This may be a blanket or soft toy. Children will neither be forced to sleep nor prevented from sleeping. Children can remain asleep until they naturally wake up or may be woken up as requested by parents after a set amount of time, or until their parents/guardians arrive to collect them. We value this time to rest or sleep as a very important part of our program and the children’s wellbeing. Sleep/rest routines are adjusted accordingly as the year progresses according to the needs of each child in our care.

We wish all our Kornmehl families a restful holiday and look forward to seeing you all again on Tuesday 24 July.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From the Parents and Friends

Ruby Berkovic and Jennifer Opit

And just like that the term is over!

Games Night

We have already had such a great response with bookings for what is sure to be a great night.

On Saturday 25 August please join us in the MPH for an evening of good company, food and plenty of fun. There will be Trivia, Bingo and more (teams will be formed in tables of 10). Dinner and drinks will be served, there will be an auction, and the MC duties and musical entertainment will be provided by Emanuel parents. It is sure to be an amazing night. Tickets can be purchased individually, or at a discounted price if you book a table of 10. 

 
If you are able to assist with sourcing/providing items for the Auction, let us know: joanner174@gmail.com
 

Challah orders

We are taking challah orders for Term 3.
 
You can eliminate the hassle of having to pick up your weekly challah and support the P&F at the same time. The P&F will be selling freshly baked challah every Friday for only $4.50 each and you can pick it up on a Friday afternoon at the same time that you collect your kids. The challot must be pre-ordered.
 
 
Please email kendry@bigpond.com to order your challah.
 
We hope you all have a wonderful break.
Jen and Ruby

Midford Emanuel Uniform Shop