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

Colin Rockman OAM

Raphael (Raffy) Shammay OAM

Peter Smaller OAM

Mazal Tov

Jonah Trope in Year 9 has been selected to represent NSW in the Under 15 Cricket Team to play on the Sunshine Coast next week.

Quote of the week

“Learn what is true in order to do what is right.”

Thomas Huxley

From the Primary School

Natanya (Tany) Milner – Head of Primary

Fresh starts and new beginning

Welcome to the 2019 school year. We are so excited to see the children settling in and meeting their new teachers and peers for the year. We hope everything has gone smoothly for you and your children and look forward to a year of learning and engagement. We see our partnership with you as very important so please ensure that you communicate any important information to your child’s class teacher.

 Mindful starts

Our Staff Development Day this year included a presentation from Gillian Coutts about Harnessing the Potential of Your Mind at Work. Gillian leads the Potential Project and spent time with us to examine the power of mindfulness. She discussed that life today is pressured, ‘always on’, information overloaded and distracted. In this environment, the brain attempts to multitask. Gillian explained that multitasking negatively impacts efficiency (due to switch time), work quality, prioritisation, creativity, energy and wellbeing. Multitasking rewires your brain, so practising it means that you are more likely to multitask and therefore not be able to focus as well when required. Research shows that 47% of the time, our minds are not focused on what we are meant to be doing. Gillian reinforced the importance of finding the space to choose our responses and manage our own attention. She reinforced that the impact we make is based on actions we have taken. These actions are based on the choices we have made. Choices are based on where we have placed our attention. This flow reminds us of the importance of carefully choosing these 4 steps – from attention to choices to actions to impact.

The ultimate attention goal is relaxed alertness. Gillian recommends mindfulness techniques as ways to assist with the development of this goal. The technique helps us to sustain and regain attention and become more metacognitive. She presented much research about the benefits of mindfulness including health, memory, productiveness

Her main message was that attention is like a muscle and is a precious commodity – so the more we can train and use it, the better.

She presented 2 rules of mental effectiveness:

1. Focus on what you choose
2. Choose your distractions mindfully (at times, it is okay to be distracted – make sure you choose these carefully).

Her final point was about the importance of giving the brain a mindful or intentional break to improve energy, focus and effectiveness. This connects with what we teach the children about ‘sharpening the saw’ so we work optimally.

In the Primary School, we currently use programs from MiSP (Mindfulness in Schools Program). These focus on training our Year 2 and Year 6 students with intensive programs.

This year we are also introducing ‘Grow Your Mind’, which will also ensure resources and techniques are used across K-6.

OOSH and the library

Emanuel OOSH will now be located in the Primary Library. Please use the Portal for further OOSH information.

Meet the Teacher

We look forward to seeing you at our Meet the Teacher Evening on 18 February.

6.00-6.45 pm: Years K-2 in classrooms

6.45-7.30 pm: Years K-6 in Lehrer Family Multi-Purpose Hall (MPH)

7.30-8.15 pm: Years 3-6 in classrooms

8.15 pm: Jilkminggan Meeting in Year 6 classroom (optional for Year 6 parents)

Photo day

Individual and class group photos will take place on Wednesday 6 February and absentee and sibling photos will take place on Friday 15 February. Students from Years K-4 are asked to wear their full summer uniforms and students in Years 5 and 6 are requested to 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 are asked to 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. All details will be available in Ma Nishma in the coming weeks.

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.

Staff Development Day lunch

Thank you to the P&F and canteen for a wonderful start to the year by providing the staff with a beautiful lunch.

Shabbat Shalom

From the Head of Music

Important High School and Primary School notices

Instrumental Ensemble auditions

Instrumental Ensemble auditions will be held in Weeks 3 and 4 at various times. Students who are interested should sign on to an audition time on the appropriate sheet posted outside the Music Office from Monday of Week 2. Ensembles open to audition are:

• Bernstein Concert Band
• Copland Concert Band
• Intermediate String Ensemble
• Emanuel String Orchestra
• Junior Jazz Ensemble
• Junior Stage Band
• Senior Stage Band
• Flute Ensemble
• Clarinet Ensemble
• Entry to the jazz ensembles and rock bands is by arrangement and invitation only, and according to the instrumentation requirements of each particular ensemble, but if you would like to join one of these special ensembles, please email Ms Springford on dspringford@emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au to register your interest.

Instrumental Ensemble audition requirements

• Play one piece, or a large section of a piece, that shows you at your best (a solo piece is best)
• Choose your own major and minor scale and a chromatic scale (choose your best and most interesting scales, and the widest pitch range you can manage smoothly)
• You will be given sight reading, which means you will be asked to play an unknown piece that is of the level of the ensemble for which you are auditioning
• Success depends upon a) availability of positions in the ensemble, b) audition performance c) ensemble citizenship of current ensemble (punctuality, behaviour, preparedness, practise of parts).

Primary Music

Instrument Care seminar
Tuesday 5 February 2019: MPH from 6.00 pm – 7.15 pm

Students new to IP in 2019, and who are borrowing a school instrument, will receive their instrument at the Instrument Care seminar in Week 2. A parent must attend this evening with the student so that both parent and student know how to care for these precious instruments. The evening is also a perfect opportunity to meet our tutors. For the few students who have yet to be allocated an instrument, we will be running allocation tests during the day on Tuesday 5 February at 2.50 pm in M11 (Music rooms). These students will also receive their instrument at the seminar in the evening.   

The parent or carer must bring a completed ‘Instrument Loan Agreement Form’ before the instrument may be taken home. Thank you if you have already done so.

*Attendance is not necessary for new students who own their own instrument and have prior experience in looking after it.

First days of IP and Instrumental Ensembles are in Week 3 in 2019

Years 3 and 6: The first day of IP in 2019 is Tuesday 12 February

Years 4 and 5: The first day of IP in 2019 is Wednesday 13 February

On IP day, students should place their instruments safely in the open cabinets in the corridors of the Music block before school, ready for their IP period later in the day. Instruments should be taken home at the end of the same day ready for practise during the week.

Join an ensemble!

If you enjoy the ensemble days in IP then you will love playing in one of our instrumental ensembles. The first taste of ensemble membership is often the Junior String Ensemble for string players and Gershwin Concert Band for wind and percussion players. Please contact Diana Springford on dspringford@emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au if your child is interested.

Auditions for other ensembles including Junior Chamber Choir will take place in Weeks 3 or 4. Information about auditions will be on the From the Head of Music page in Ma Nishma.

Community Connections – Gesher

Sonia Newell – Development Officer

Welcome to the new school year – we hope you had a relaxing break.

It is with great sadness that we inform you of the recent passing of a beloved member of our school community, Emanuel grandparent, Shula Endrey-Walder OAM. Shula was the CEO and Founder of GIFT OF LIFE AUSTRALIA www.giftoflifeaustralia.org.au 

She was a well-respected member of the Jewish and wider community especially for her work in promoting the bone marrow register to save lives both here and worldwide, and also for her work with genetic screening through Wolper Jewish Hospital for Tay-Sachs and others.

We wish her husband Peter, daughter Eva Novy and family “Long life”. May her memory be a blessing.

Shula with her grandson, Sasha Novy in Year 5.

Save the date

Sunday 10 March 2019

Family Lawn Bowls afternoon at Double Bay Bowling Club

Details out soon.

If you have news to share, please send it to: snewell@emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au

Optional Theatresports for Years 7,8 and 9

Freshly baked challah

From the Parents and Friends

Ruby Berkovic and Jen Opit

Welcome to 2019 and a warm welcome to all the new families joining the Emanuel community! 

For those of you that don’t know us, we are Jen Opit and Ruby Berkovic, and this is our 3rd year as the P&F Co-Presidents. Between us, we have kids in Years 3, 4, 6 and 8. 

We love being a part of the Emanuel School Community and are looking forward to the year ahead.

We started off 2019 by hosting the annual welcome lunch for the staff. Thank you so much to the fabulous parent volunteers who helped out: Nikki Michel, Michelle Stockley and Jo Rose. And a special thank you to our fabulous canteen which provided the delicious food – the poke bowls were a huge hit.

We invite any of you who want to join our Parents and Friends committee to come to our 1st meeting on Tuesday 5 February in the Board Room (above Reception) at 7.00 pm. Our meetings are the 1st Tuesday of every month. Everyone is welcome and the more the merrier!

Events to diarise

Camping Trip #1: Friday 15 to Sunday 17 March 

Purim Disco: Sunday 24 March

Mother’s Day breakfast and stalls: Friday 10 May  

Father’s Day Breakfast and Stalls: Friday 30 August 

Camping Trip #2: Friday 1 to Sunday 3 November

Challah orders

We are taking challah orders starting in a couple weeks!

You can eliminate the hassle of having to pick up your weekly challah and support the P&F at the same time.

From Week 3, the P&F will be selling freshly baked challah every Friday at the cost of $4.50 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 register your interest by emailing: kendrey@bigpond.com

We look forward to seeing and meeting you all over the following weeks and hope all your families settle into the routine of the school term quickly,

Jen and Ruby