Volume 30 Issue 3 - 12 Feb 2021

From the Principal

Andrew Watt, Principal

Our emerging leaders 

It is never too early to identify and nurture leadership qualities. Opportunities exist across Kindergarten to Year 12. As a community of learners, working independently, working collaboratively and leading teams are all encouraged. These opportunities include leading sport, problem-solving or debating teams, leading student initiatives, or simply leading by example and reinforcing our culture. Formal leadership positions exist, within our student committees; the Student Representative Council (SRC), House system and as Madrichim. Leadership qualities that align strongly with Emanuel School values are ‘lived’ and reinforced by our teaching staff and leadership teams. That said, there are few things more powerful than an entire Year Group of leaders!

Each Year 6 student has taken on a ‘leadership portfolio’ over which they will be accountable. Over the past two days, Year 6 have participated with enthusiasm in our Leadership Training Program. The first day was held at Homebush, where the concept of Jewish Leadership was explored, as was the Essential Qualities of a Leader. The second day involved detailed preparation for each leadership portfolio. I am confident that our Primary School students will benefit from the contributions and commitment of their Year 6 student leaders. 

 

Year 6 leaders in training

High School Swimming Carnival 

After a two-year hiatus, our High School Swimming Carnival took place under sunny conditions last Friday. Whilst we missed the presence of our group of parent supporters, the students enjoyed a day where our top swimmers battled it out with impressive performances, whilst the remaining students enjoyed the more relaxed pace of competition. It was pleasing to note the high participation rate and the level of interest in our top competitors. Thank you to Ray Francis and his team of officials, House leaders and student supervisors. Mazal tov to our record breakers in 2021:

Jonathan Levy: 14-year Boys Freestyle, Breaststroke and Butterfly

Jacob Rose: 18-year Boys Breaststroke; and

Rashi: 4x50m Freestyle team

Visit the High School Swimming Carnival page in this edition of Ma Nishma for photos of the day.

Maintaining a high level of safety

We appreciate that the congestion around drop off and pick up times can be frustrating – and we will continue to do our best to ensure a smooth and safe flow of traffic. A small group of our parents are parking illegally in the ‘no parking’ locations on Stanley Street and walking their children to the campus. This has a huge impact on both safety (as cars seek to move around the cars) and on traffic flow. New parents may be unaware of the importance of following the prescribed process. Council Parking Rangers will be invited to deal with this issue from the start of next week. I would be happy if this reminder was shared in your WhatsApp groups. The drop off and collection sites can be located below.

JNF Green Sunday 

JNF Green Sunday was a huge success, with over 250 youth volunteers from across the Jewish Schools and Youth Movements. The funds raised will support the Nitzana Ecological Park in the Negev. Thirty-eight of our Year 11 students participated, a reflection of the value we place on giving back to the community through volunteering our time to worthy causes. JNF Australia’s Education Shaliach, Yigal Nisell passed on this message to our School: JNF feels privileged to be able to contribute to your Jewish life programs and it is wonderful to see the fruits, with your students giving up their time to raise money for projects in Israel.  Many thanks to Rabbi Siegel, Kobi Bloom, Stacey Rosenfeld and Daniel Samowitz – and most importantly, our Year 11 volunteers!

Reminder: Drop off and pick up from Kornmehl 

As per last year, we ask that only Primary School families with children at Kornmehl use the drop off and pick up arrangement through the Kornmehl garden in the morning and afternoons. It is important that we keep to these limits, as this is a high-volume traffic area and can easily become congested.

Kindy drop off and pick up arrangements

Morning drop off: Kindy students will be dropped off in the morning using the Avoca St drop off option between 8.00 am – 8.20 am. Staff will be available to assist any students needing support. Kindy families are asked to use the designated Kindy Drop Zone (if assistance is needed). Please look for the staff in ‘fluro’ vests and cones marking this area. If no assistance is required, we ask that Kindy families use the regular drop off area. 

Afternoon pick up: Kindy students will GWTF on Avoca St to depart at 3.20 pm. Regular GWTF procedures apply. 

These arrangements will be in place for Week 4-5 (15-26 February). From Week 6 (1 March) we will have regular drop off and pick up arrangements in place. Please refer to the Parent Handbook for more detailed information. 

Mazal tov

Mazal tov to the following students where were selected for various Representative Teams:

Jonah Trope (Year 11): 16 Years CIS Cricket Team
Luca Calderon-Havas (Year 11): AICES Opens Boys Tennis Team
Ariel Odes (Year 12): CDSSA Opens Boys Basketball Team

Quote of the week

“While we do our good works let us not forget that the real solution lies in a world in which charity will have become unnecessary.” Chinua Achebe, Nigerian novelist, poet, professor and critic

Primary News

Katie Brody :Director of Studies K-6

Five fabulous tips for 2021

The new year is now in full swing in terms of all the teaching and learning that has been carefully planned by our magnificent team of educators. Here are Five Fabulous Tips to get started for the new academic year.

Tip number oneEnjoy reading the Term Overview and note down any questions

Each term, parents will receive a Term Overview. The Term One Overview was emailed to Years 1-6 parents on Monday 8 February  2021 and Year K parents are due to receive theirs on Monday 15 February 2021. Reading this prior to Monday’s ‘Meet the Teacher’ session may prompt you to note questions you could ask during the Q & A session at Meet the Teacher Night. This document is a little lengthy, but it is highly informative and offers a rich description of the teaching and learning that lies ahead for your child. If you have a child who provides you with very little detail about the learning in certain subjects, this overview allows you to prompt them using detailed information.

 

Tip number two – ‘Meet’ your child’s lovely teacher (via Zoom) 

On Monday 15 February 2021, the Primary School is holding our annual ‘Meet the Teacher’ evening via Zoom and all sessions will be recorded. An email was sent out on Tuesday 9 February 2021 with the links to each grade’s Zoom meeting as well as an information sheet that outlines the Primary School’s major goals for the year including new initiatives. Well worth a read! 

Tip number threeDownload the Seesaw app and set notifications to alert you

As many know, Seesaw is a platform we use to provide parents with an insight into each child’s learning experiences at school as well as some of the work they are producing. It is an app available for download on any device and you can set the platform to notify you when your child’s teachers post a new item – you can enjoy the nachas as soon as it is uploaded.

Tip number four Prioritise the learning of Times Tables at home (Years 3-6) 

Teachers of Years 3-6 highly recommend that parents take the time as often as possible to encourage, support and facilitate the learning of times tables with their child. Spotify and Youtube have a myriad of times tables tracks to play in the house or in the car, making studying fun, musical and memorable. The increase in speed, automaticity and confidence for your child makes the daily effort worth your while. Teachers certainly do follow up on this at school, but we can’t reinforce this enough in class to ‘make it stick’ without parental follow-up at home. There is a notable difference between those students who need to stop and work out basic multiplication and division steps compared to those who use automatic recall of times tables facts to assist them when involved in longer mathematical investigations. 

Tip number five Establish or maintain a regular home reading routine for your child

The development of a regular home reading routine is vital for many reasons. Reading improves a young child’s fluency (‘read like a river, not like a robot’), exercises their brain, improves their concentration, teaches them about the world, widens their vocabulary, develops their imagination, helps them build empathy and it can be a fun and relaxing endeavour. If your child ‘hates reading’, they either haven’t found the right author yet or they need more positive experiences around shared reading, supported reading and independent reading.

Our new Head of Library and Information Services, Samantha Rogut. joins our teaching team on Monday and, alongside your child’s class teacher, she can certainly help with book recommendations. In addition, parents may wish to ask the Head of Library about strategies for inspiring reluctant readers and further developing very keen readers too.  

 

From the Head of Jewish Life

Rabbi Daniel Siegel – Head of Jewish Life

Atop the Mountain

This week’s parashah, Mishpatim, ends with the words “And Moshe was atop the Mountain 40 days and 40 nights”.

Later, in the book of Devarim, Moshe says: “And I stayed atop the mountain 40 days and 40 nights, eating no bread and drinking no water”. Being alone with God, ultimate sustainer of life, Moshe has no need for physical sustenance.

Yet, a few verses earlier in our parshah, we read: “They (the leaders of the Israelites), beheld God, and they ate and drank”.

The Talmud prefers to understand this text as saying that they were nourished by the vision of God. Like Moshe, they were beyond the dimension of the sensory. This vision, as philosophers like Moses Maimonides interpret “seeing” God, is a cognitive rather than a physical perception.

As covenants in the ancient Near East were sealed by meals, one can understandably view this verse as depicting a covenant meal. One’s stomach determined one’s God, as the perceived provider was proffered the prayers. It is not by accident that the biblical root word for prostituting oneself by following other gods, is the same word for sustenance.

The Israelites were often lured by Ba’al, a fertility and storm God. According to Bible scholars, the Golden Calf, which disrupted the Sinaitic Covenant, conjured up the Egyptian Apis Bull, symbolising fecundity and fertility.

One often hears today that the staple of “bread” is the currency of “money” and the “Golden Calf” the idolisation of material wealth. While the Torah states “one cannot live on bread alone”, our Jewish tradition recognises, as well, Maslow’s “hierarchy of needs”.

Normative Judaism, however, does not adhere to the dictum “man’s higher nature rests upon man’s lower nature”. We celebrate and experience the divine with and through food and dance, song and drink. The sensory and the physical is at one with the cognitive and the psychological.

We are atop the mountain when we move beyond composite being to integrated and holistic living.

 

Parashat Mishpatim

Rebecca Nebenzahl – Year 11

This week’s parashah, Mishpatim, includes laws that the Lord told Moshe, to give to the Israelites. These laws can be said to be split into three categories, laws regarding slaves, personal injury and property.

The law regarding slaves outlines that any who takes in slaves should have them for six years, and on the seventh year, the slave is to go free without any debt. It also states that if the slave brings a wife or children along with them, they shall all go free. However, if the master provides a wife for the slave and she bares any children, the children along with the woman were still considered the property of the master.

We then read about crimes that were punishable by death. Those who plotted murder were put to death. However, if the death was done by accident, which we call manslaughter, the accused would not be put to death, but would be exiled instead. So far this seems pretty fair, well I mean for this time period!

Also stated in this chapter, is the basic rule for those who caused personal injury – “an eye for an eye”. Regarding property, anyone who owned an animal that killed a person, the animal would be put to death and the owner would not be punished. That seems to be almost exactly like laws we have in place today. However, if the owner knew that their animal had the tendency to attack and it did kill someone, both the animal and owner would be put to death. Now that seems a bit harsh.

Although this parashah may not be as eventful as others, it does reveal some messages that we can relate to our own lives. For the law outlined, there are often numerous effects that harm other people. For example, if you dig a hole deep enough for someone to fall in, and fail to cover it back up, you would be held responsible for all injuries that were caused if someone were to fall in. Our actions have consequences, and maybe not just for us, but for others as well.

What this parashah teaches us is that we must be mindful of our actions. Sometimes in life, we do bad things, knowing there will be repercussions for our actions. We are human, and therefore we make mistakes, but we should try our best to make sure our mistakes don’t hurt other people. Often in life we fail to miss this, that our consequences can have negative effects on other people too.

We should aim to take care in our decisions and assess how the situation may affect not only ourselves, but others, as well.

 

Word of the Week – Rachav

Rabbi Daniel Siegel – Head of Jewish Life

Ride the Wide Road

Rekhav Rechov Rachav

The root word רחב/Rachav, widely employed, as a name, a noun, a verb and an adjective, yields diverse but related meanings and messages.

Rachav, the “wide” one, is the name the Bible cheekily gives to the prostitute who secreted the Israelite spies reconnoitring Jericho before its capture. In her Dictionary of Words About Women, Jane Mills seeks to “take back” the word “Broad”, as referring to a “prostitute” or an “immoral woman”, and instead employs it in reference to a “woman who is liberal…and not limited or narrow in scope”.

Indeed, rachav often counterposes confining circumstances. In our prayers, we call out for help, echoing the words of Psalms, “Out of the narrow places (מצר/meitsar), I called upon Yah (the Lord), Yah answered me in a wide-open space (במרחב/BeMerchav)”. We might remember that the Israelites, out of the straits of מצריים/mitsrayim (Egypt), did not think they could gain the Promised Land when the first scouts reported back to Moshe. Here Rachav speaks supportive words to the Israelites spies, broadening their perception of the possible in winning Jericho.

Many of us have heard of the Jerusalem neighbourhood, רחביה/Rechavyah, named after Moshe’s grandson. This name, meaning the wide-open space of Yah (the Lord), in recalling the above-cited prayer ending with the words במרחב יה/BeMerchav Yah, also can be understood as a call by its founders to have their fortunes answered in the wide-open space of the Lord.

The word רחוב/Rechov, street, understandably derives from the root word רחב/Rachav, as they were the wide(r) thoroughfares making possible vehicular/commercial traffic.

רחובות/Rechovot, the plural form of Rechov, is a city 20 kilometers south of Tel Aviv, named after the Biblical site of the same name: “And they called it רחובות/Rechovot,saying ‘For the Lord has made an expanse (הרחיב/Herchiv) for us’”. One can see this biblical verse inscribed on the city’s logo.

It is not surprising that the root word רכב/rakhav, to ride, is often employed with the word רחוב/rechov, street. Regarding Mordechai (in the Purim story), we read וירכיבהו ברחוב העיר/VaYarkiveihu BiRchov Hair – “He (Haman) caused him to ride (led him on horseback) through the street of the city (square)”.

רחבעם/Rechavam, was the son of Solomon and the fourth King of Israel. Though his name means “He enlarges (רחבעם/Rechav) the people (am)”, his reign saw the diminishing of his kingdom. The ten northern Israelite tribes revolted, forming their own kingdom, leaving him with only the tribes of Yehudah and Binyamin. Not a virtuous king, he too took a ride, as depicted by Dante, but not one of honour as we find with Mordechai.

In Canto twelve of Purgatorio, we read:

O Rehoboam, here no threatening head
Your image shows; but a chariot now
Hurries you away, ere chase come, full of dread.

Dispatched in a word-play, רחבעם/Rechavam is hurried away on a chariot, which Hebrew word is רכב/rekhev (from the verb רכב/rakhav), down the pathways (רחובות/rechovot) of purgatory.

Rachav, too, is depicted by Dante. She, however, resides in Paradiso: “Know that within there Rahab is at peace…”. One might say that רחב/Rachav, having lived up to her name, in generosity and broadmindedness, has merited riding (רוכבת/rokhevet) the wide road ( רחוב רחב )  of honour and glory.

 

 

 

 

 

Ma Koreh

Adam Carpenter – Head of Jewish Life Primary

JNF Week and plain clothes day Friday 19 February

This week Yigal from the JNF visited classes in Years 1-6 to run activities connected to Tu BeShevat, Israel’s environment and activities of the JNF. Students experienced a Tu BeShevat seder, explored Israel’s geography through parachute games and learnt about the the history and development of the Land of Israel.

Last weekend was the JNF Green Sunday campaign. To build upon the learning students about Israel and the JNF, next Friday will be a plain clothes day for Primary School students. They are encouraged to wear colours that represent the JNF and its activities – blue for water, green for trees and brown for the soil, and to bring a gold coin for tzedakah that go to this year’s JNF Green Sunday campaign.

Year 5 – What did Ben Zoma ask?

Year 5 students have been thinking about four questions asked by a first century scholar, Ben Zoma as recorded in Pirkei Avot 4:1. Students have developed their own thoughtful responses to his questions, before hearing how Ben Zoma answered his own question. The following are examples from 5D and 5Y in response to Ben Zoma’s first two questions.

 

 

Primary Extra-Curricular 2021

Emma Hill – Primary Teacher & Coordinator of Extra-Curricular Programs

Primary Extra-Curricular program, Term 1 

In 2021, the Primary School Extra-Curricular program will offer a wide variety of sporting, music and recreational opportunities for students of all ages. A schedule of these activities can be found on the Parent Portal.

Emanuel teachers also offer a range of free Extra-Curricular lunchtime opportunities for students throughout the year. These lunchtime activities are now advertised on our Extra-Curricular schedule. Students will also receive information about these clubs in their class daily announcements.

We have had a few requests to run Mandarin and Russian Languages extra-curricular classes at Emanuel School this year. Once COVID-19 regulations have eased we would love to offer these in future terms providing we can meet minimum enrolment numbers. If you are interested in these 2 classes please complete the expressions of interest forms on the Parent Portal.

 

 

Extra-Curricular (including music and sport) contact details:

Extra-Curricular contacts:
Please contact tutors/teachers directly if possible.
All other inquiries can be sent to Emma Hill              

Sports contacts:
Kristy Genc (Director of Sport K-12)       
Stuart Taylor (Primary Sport Co-ordinator)           
Emma Hill (Primary Extra-Curricular & EActive Co-ordinator)        

Music contacts:
Diana Springford (Head of Music P-12)           
Joanne De Araujo (PA to Head of Music)             
For information about Infants String Program and Private Tuition          

Club information, including enrolment and booking details, are now online on the Primary Extra-Curricular schedule page on the Parent Portal.

High School Swimming Carnival

Ray Francis – Head of PDHPE

High School Swimming Carnival results

Finally, some long overdue ‘fun in the sun’ at the Des Renford Aquatic Centre as the High School managed to have our first full carnival since 2019.

Students and staff certainly appreciated the chance to participate in a ‘COVID-safe’ event and glorious weather and mellow Shabbat tunes emanating from the speakers between race announcements helped to create a magical day.

Some excellent performances in the pool – a special congratulations to our 2021 age champions:

Age group

Girls Age Champion

Boys Age Champion

12 Years

Hayley Kanevsky

Jack Kesssel

13 Years

Kayla Parks

Jordan Pal

14 Years

Amelie Trope

Jonathan Levy

15 Years

Ruth Durbach

Jett Sher

16 Years

Talia Rabin

Aden Goodridge

17 Years

Gaija Avshalom

Gavin Robinson

18 Years

Jade Berson

Jacob Rose

Inter House competition results

  1. Rashi 756 points
  2. Rabin 701 points
  3. Meir 589 points
  4. Szenes 520 points

New records

Jacob Rose, Jonathan Levy and the Rashi House 4x50m relay team also broke records on the day

Event

New record

Old record

14 Boys 50m Freestyle

Jonathan Levy 28.05

S Greenblo 28.94 (2000)

14 Boys 50m Breaststroke

Jonathan Levy 39.22

J Elbourne 39.87 (2016)

14 Boys 50m Butterfly

Jonathan Levy 30.60

S Greenblo 32.15 (1999)

18 Boys 50m Breaststroke

Jacob Rose 42.29

D Christie 46.15 (2020)

Junior boys 4x50m Freestyle

Rashi 2.20.69

Rashi 2.22.98 (2016)

Well done to all the students who competed in races and a big thank-you to the staff who ran the event superbly.

 

K-12 Sports news

Kristy Genc – Director of Sports K-12

Year 3 Swimming

Last week saw the commencement of the Year 3 Swim Program. This program has been moved to Gunyama Aquatic and Recreation Centre, a fantastic new facility in Zetland. The Year 3 students had a wonderful time in the ‘Learn to Swim’ program, where beginners were introduced to the fundamentals and the more experienced swimmers focused on stroke correction and swim fitness. Each week students also engage in a theory component that compliments the practical learning. Thank you to Stuart Taylor for the organisation of this program, the Year 3 students have a great term ahead. 

Primary Weekly Sport and EActive

The weekly sport program has had a fantastic start to the year, with a great number of enrolments in the Weekly Sport and EActive programs. It was great to see two Year 5 and Year 6 Emanuel teams playing in the Sunday Easts Basketball League competition for the first time. Well done to all players, who looked great in the new Emanuel Basketball uniform and to the Emanuel 12’s Maroon team who had an impressive win over the Bondi Lions 34-10. 

The Year 3/4 Futsal Training Program has made a successful start. These students have started their training program with Emanuel coaching staff Jordan Kery and Aytek Genc and will enter school gala days later in the year. The interest in this program has been pleasing and I look forward to seeing the development of these players throughout the term. 

High School CDSSA Basketball Gala Day 

On Monday Emanuel had the privilege of convening the CDSSA Opens Basketball Gala Day. For the first time, this event was run as a seniors only event, providing the opportunity for older more experienced players to play longer and more competitive games in the gala day format. The CDSSA Junior Basketball Gala Day will now be held as a separate event in Term 4. 

Thank you to Will McFee (Acting Head of Basketball) for preparing such a successful event for the ten CDSSA schools involved. The Emanuel Firsts and Seconds team competed in the tournament, and were very impressive. The Firsts going down by only one point to SEDA College in the semi-final. The players are clearly seeing the benefits of the rigorous school basketball training program. 

Congratulations to Ariel Odes and Ben Shapiro (reserve) who were selected in the CDSSA Opens Boys Basketball Team, who will go on to compete at the upcoming AICES Championships. 

High School Tennis

Luca Calderon-Havas, Jake Fleischer and Jack Smagarinsky competed at the AICES Opens Tennis Championships last Friday at Cintra Park. It is a very competitive process to be selected to play in this tournament, with over eighty schools involved. These students have been training in the Elite Emanuel Tennis Program under the guidance of tennis coach Mateusz Rabenda and are all very committed to improving their game. Congratulations to Jake and Jack on a great day of tennis and a special mention to Luca who progressed into the quarter-finals and was selected in the AICES Opens Boys Tennis Team to compete at CIS next week. Good luck!

 

Kornmehl

Terry Aizen – Director of Kornmehl

Positive transition tips 

A successful transition from home to Pre-school has long-lasting benefits and is important for all children. Children who experience a positive transition into their new environment are likely to feel connected, enjoy a sense of belonging and have a positive sense of social and emotional wellbeing, which allows them to learn and thrive. In early learning services, children experience transitions throughout their day – not just from home to the Pre-school. 

This includes transitions for the child from one part of the day to another; from big groups to small groups; care routines (such as meals, sleep and rest times); supported self-care routines (such as handwashing and toileting); and end-of-day to home transitions. 

Common feelings and concerns 

For the child, moving from home to Pre-school, involves being separated from their family, often for the first time. This can be an exciting time for both children and their families. However, it is common for children to have a range of feelings about starting in a new learning environment. 

Some typical feelings are: 

  • excitement 
  • feeling comfortable about entering a new learning environment 
  • feeling anxious, nervous or unsettled. 

Some children settle beautifully in the first week or so and then can become unsettled and anxious a few weeks later.

Strong relationships between children, families and educators support child wellbeing 

It is a child’s first attachments with responsive parents and other trusting relationships that provide them with a secure base for exploration and learning. 

Trusting, supportive and positive relationships provide children with consistent environments at home and in Pre-school. This leads to security and confidence, as well as greater learning, development and wellbeing.

The transition is more likely to be successful when educators and families communicate, and the relationships are responsive and mindful of everyone in the learning community. 

Educators who develop nurturing relationships with children and provide them with consistent emotional support can help them make a positive transition into early learning services. 

Strategies to support a smooth transition

  • We encourage new families to start gradually and to work out a plan with their child’s educators that suits everyone.
  • We invite new families to stay for 20-30 minutes with their child for the first week.
  • We ensure that family members always say goodbye to their child before they leave. Your child may become upset at this time – but if you leave without them noticing, this will create distrust and further anxiety in the long term.
  • We establish clear routines at the start of the year, that help children to feel safe. These routines require educators to always tell the child what is happening and to have constant conversations and explanations about the routines, in order for them to feel comfortable and to know what is expected.
  • We communicate frequently with each child’s family, either face to face, via email, the phone or on Educa, to ensure families feel comfortable leaving their children in our care.
  • We establish warm, caring and connected relationships with all families and invite them to be a part of their child’s journey in the Pre-school e.g. via posts on Educa, day to day conversations, new parent meetings, Parent Partnership forms etc. This partnership with families contributes to a common understanding about expectations for everyone.
  • We consider your child’s individual needs carefully to ensure that the transition process is positive and effective.

Tips for parents

  • Say goodbye confidently – saying a quick, confident goodbye may help your child to feel secure and reassured that you trust that they will be okay at school.
  • Label your child’s belongings – labelling everything, including clothing, can help reduce anxiety for children, educators and yourself. At Pre-school, children are responsible for their belongings and labels can help them with this.
  • Communicate with your child – take time to tell your child what might be happening at school that day, and in the afternoon, ask your child about their day. This is a great way to build confidence, and to find out how they are feeling as they settle in. If you have any concerns talk with your child’s educators, who will provide further insight to their day.
  • Avoid overloading your child – when children begin school, they tire easily. It may be worth considering fewer extracurricular activities such as swimming, music or dance lessons, until they adjust to their new routine.
  • Talk to your child’s educators about any concerns you may have. They will be able to support you in a consistent strategy that will assist your child to settle into their new environment. At times your child may need an educator to support your farewell. Work together to assess the best way for the transition or handover from parent to educator. Each child is different and requires different support, but by working together you and your child’s educators can plan and adapt strategies to meet your child’s needs.
  • A consistent and predictable routine at drop off time can help promote a positive separation. Telling your child, you’ll be back after lunch or rest time can help him or her feel secure. Keeping your language predictable (by having a little script) can also be reassuring for your child. This builds a sense of familiarity and comfort and children learn to predict ‘what comes next’.
  • Once you’ve said goodbye to your child, it is time to leave! Dragging out the goodbye or going back several times because they are upset is not helpful for you or your child. It’s hard to walk away knowing your child is upset, but educators are highly skilled at settling children. The more confident you appear with this routine (even if you end up having a quiet cry in your car after drop off), the sooner your child will develop responsive relationships with the teaching team, and feel settled and safe.
  • Be part of the Pre-school. Children love sharing their new space and friends with their family. If you have the time you could volunteer to help out with various events. The more involved you are with the service, the more your child will see you have a strong relationship with educators, which assists them to feel secure and safe.
  • Feel free to call the Pre-school to check in with them on how your child is going. It’s important you’re confident in the team supporting your child, and that you’re working together in transitioning your child into the program.

References:
https://www.startingblocks.gov.au/other-resources/factsheets/transition-to-school
https://www.ecms.org.au/tips-positive-transition-your-child-preschool-or-childcare
https://beyou.edu.au/fact-sheets/development/transitions-in-learning-communities

Alumni as teachers

Sonia Newell – Development Officer – Alumni & Community Relations

We are always excited to welcome back past students into our School Community when they return as new parents and we are even more excited to welcome back past students who join our staff.

This year we welcome three Emanuel alumni to our teaching staff – Alexander (Alex) Symonds (Class of 1999), Tamar Hoffman (Class of 2012) and Hayley Chester (Class of 2014):

Alex joins us as a HSIE teacher in the High School, coming to us from Masada College where he taught for a number of years. He says: “It’s been a really amazing experience being back at Emanuel as a teacher. So much has changed, in terms of the buildings and the sheer number of people on campus. But so much is similar, in terms of the welcoming and supportive atmosphere. I’m so happy to be here, now as a teacher”.

Tamar has taught at a number of other schools before joining us part-time this year, teaching Drama and Hebrew to Years K-2 students.

Alex Symonds, Tamar Hoffman and Hayley Chester

Tamar says: “Nine years after graduating I find myself returning to the same playground and classrooms I once played and learnt in. I wish I could say I am a little taller now than when I left but that would be a lie. I have always remembered Emanuel School as the place that taught me the power of compassion and hard work. It has been lovely to continue learning from those same teachers who helped me grow and modelled for me what a caring and successful teacher looks like. What a wonderful thing it is to be a part of a school community which inspires its students to return and continue their relationship with their school well into their adult and professional lives. Thanks for having me back Emanuel”. 

Hayley, who some of you might remember was on staff last year as a casual teacher, is back this year full-time, teaching Year 1 and she says: “I love being back at Emanuel School, it is so interesting to see how much work actually goes on behind the scenes – it’s amazing! It’s also so nice to be able to work alongside staff who taught me when I was at Emanuel. I also love the energy around Emanuel and it’s exactly how it was when I was at school”.

Sydney Jewish Museum (SJM) – using high technology to preserve Shoah memory

Cutting-edge 3D filming techniques, artificial intelligence (AI) and a projected budget of $3million (from various international holocaust memorial funds), has enabled the SJM to record and present testimonies by six holocaust survivors in a hologram-style display, allowing visitors to ask questions and have them answered from the footage in real time.  Of the six survivors in this program, four of them are members of our School community – great grandfather Eddie Jaku OAM, great grandmothers Olga Horak OAM and Yvonne Engelman OAM, and grandfather Paul Drexler. 

Yvonne Engelman with Emanuel alumnus Simon Holloway (Class of 1997) who is Education Officer at the Museum.

On the subject of Jewish history and family, the Australian Jewish Historical Society (AJHS) whose president is Emanuel grandparent Peter Philippsohn OAM, is seeking past Project Heritage documents to digitalise for their website as a permanent record of the family member chosen to interview and write about. Project Heritage has seen hundreds of our Year 6 students over the years, interview older family members, retelling their journeys and memories of their lives. If this request is of interest to you, please contact Ruth Lilian.

Stay safe and Shabbat Shalom.

If you have photos and/or news to share, please send to: snewell@emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au

Music Matters

Diana Springford – Head of Music P-12

Welcome to our Music Matters page! 🎶

Here you will find announcements about our busy music program, so please check this on a weekly basis. 

The Extra-Curricular Music Program is now in full swing. If you are concerned that you have missed out, please look at the Extra-Curricular Music tile on the Portal. If this page doesn’t answer your questions, please email Ms Springford

On the Portal Music Page you will find information about:

  • Private Music Tuition (beginning and discontinuing)
  • Ensemble and Choir membership for K-12 students
  • Infant Strings Program (ISP) for K-2
  • Performance opportunities
  • Borrowing an orchestral instrument

Now is the time to get involved in our inaugural music competition. Anyone who sings or plays an instrument is eligible and even if you don’t want to submit a video you can enter the practice component of the competition. All entrants get Primary School or High School house points. 

Our Emanuel School Music Competition is new in Term 1 for 2021.

We want to encourage the work it takes to perform at a high quality level, and reward and showcase the best quality performances and compositions our students have to offer. We want our student composers and performers to receive some formal feedback on their best work. We want to share our music with the broader Emanuel School community. For the High School this is the “other half” of House Music (T2). Primary School and High School students who participate will receive House points for entering any of the three components of the competition. 

The competition has several components and is open to our young musicians from Years K-12 and culminates in a Showcase Recital in the early evening of Monday of Week 9 in Term 1. All entrants will receive individual feedback and finalists will have the opportunity to receive feedback from a visiting adjudicator. 

  • Music Practice Competition – Weeks 2-6: You need a yellow sheet (from the Music Staffroom or your Emanuel School tutor) and you need to record your practice minutes every week. We ask parents to please initial the practice log each week to verify that the student has indeed done that practice. There will be a small but fun prize for the student who has done the most minutes of practice from Weeks 2-6. There will be a prize for a student from each of Years K-2, 3-6, 7-10 and 11-12. Ensemble and choir rehearsals, and private lesson time, do not count toward this competition!
  • Submission – by Tuesday 9 March 2021: Students should scan/photograph the first three pages of their practice log and email to Ms Springford. The subject heading for this email should be “Music Practice Competition Submission”.

  • Composition and creation competition: Students should submit their composition by video by Tuesday of Week 7. This composition could be fully notated (using Sibelius or Noteflight) and submitted as a screen video of the scrolling software. The composition could be a recording of the composition being performed (for example if you have composed a song that you can sing and play for video.) This competition is open for any genre. Finalists in this competition will have their videos presented (or they can perform live) at the Showcase Recital. There will be a prize for a student from each of Years K-2, 3-6, 7-10 and 11-12.
  • Submission – by Tuesday 9 March 2021: Students should put their video in their google drive, share it with Ms Springford and notify her that you have shared it with her. The subject heading for this email should be “Composition and Creation Competition Submission”.

  • Performance Competition: Students should submit a video by Tuesday of Week 7, of their performance of a piece that shows them at their best. They should ask their private music tutor for help. This competition is open for any genre but is for solo performers. You may include your own piano accompanist in the video or use a backing track. Finalists in the performance competition must perform live at the Showcase Recital on Monday of Week 9 and finalists (only) will be provided with a school-based accompanist and one rehearsal before the final performance.
  • Submission – by Tuesday 9 March 2021: Students should put their video in their google drive, share it with Ms Springford and notify her that you have shared it with her by email with the subject heading “Performance Competition Submission”.

 

Careers

Claire Pech – Careers Advisor

Seven work myths

Mythbusting with WorkStudyGrow is a great article busting some work myths, with some excellent links to work statistics and figures:

  1. It’s only ‘work’ if you earn an income from it
  2. Salary is the most important thing (this is something that comes up often)
  3. What you know is more important that who you know
  4. You’re not supposed to like your job
  5. Everyone has to work
  6. Once I get my dream job, I’ll be happy
  7. I need to work out what I want to do when I grow up first

Anyone at any stage of their career can gain some insights from this article. Number seven is most pertinent to our school students.

Articles, notices, dates and links

This week I spoke to Year 10 about the Career Avenues process. My slides can be found here.

Mental health matters: for any tips with stress this year and contacts of where to go for help.

Tuckwell Scholarship at ANU: for any ambitious students who are dedicated to giving back to society within Australia, this is the scholarship for you. 

Some medicine-related links:

  1. Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Medicine – The University of Sydney 
  2. Study Medicine 
  3. Your free guide to a career in medicine – My Health Career 
  4. UCAT ANZ 2021 | UCAT Consortium 
  5. Australian Career Services – The best universities to study mathematics in 2021 

Reference: © www.jobjump.com.au Feb 2021

 

Positive Words

Colleen Elkins – Gifted and Talented Coordinator K-6

Positive Words Mini Competitions 2021

For any aspiring writers (K-12 and beyond) who feel like a short monthly challenge:

Write a short story in 100 words or less, or a poem in ten lines or less using the word of the month at least once. Plural versions of the words are acceptable. Titles don’t count towards the word or line counts.

Monthly topics for 2021

February – Sweetheart
March – Camera 
April – Blue 
May – Hen
June – Weather
July – Pyjamas
August – Kind
September – Rooster
October – Potato
November – Dimple
December – Anticipation 

  • Prize: Six months subscription to Positive Words Magazine
  • Entry fee: $2.20 (per entry) in unused postage stamps. No entry form required.
  • Entries must be posted by the last day of the relevant month and the winning entry will appear in a future issue. The winner will be notified.
  • Send your entries to: The Editor, Sandra James, PO Box 798 Heathcote, Victoria 3523.
  • Please include a self addressed stamped envelope or your email address for results.

Any questions please email Ms Elkins.

I would love to see your writing if you do take part! Happy writing! 

 

 

Parents and Friends

Ruby Berkovic and Jen Opit

Parents & Friends Camping Trip 

The first Camping Trip of the year is on the weekend of Friday 12 March 2021 – Sunday 14 March 2021.

The trip was advertised on the Emanuel Facebook Page on Wednesday morning and was booked out by the end of the day, which is an amazing and record breaking response! We are already considering sites with a larger capacity for the October trip this year. We are so excited by the enthusiasm and we are sure all the happy campers will have a wonderful time.

A huge thanks to Shelley Millingen for her organisational prowess. Please contact Shelley for any further enquiries.

Parents & Friends meetings

Our meetings are held on the first Wednesday of each month at 7.00 pm. They are usually held in the Boardroom at the School but will be held on Zoom until further notice. Everyone is welcome so please join us as your support and input is valued. Email Ruby if you would like to attend the next meeting.

Purim Disco

Unfortunately, it looks as if the Parents & Friends Disco cannot go ahead this year due to COVID-19 restrictions. We are so disappointed, as this is always a highlight of the year for us. Fingers crossed that next year we can return to enjoying all the events we have experienced together in the past.

We are currently brainstorming options for feasible community activities so watch this space!

Events to diarise

  • Mother’s Day Celebrations – Friday 7 May 2021
  • Father’s Day Celebrations – Friday 27 August 2021
  • Camping Weekends – Friday 12 March 2021 – Sunday 14 March 2021 and Friday 29 October 2021 – Sunday 31 October 2021

Have a great weekend,

Jen & Ruby

 

Early Childhood Assistant Educator

Community Notices

 

 

Recipe of the Week

Each week we’ll bring you a tasty recipe passed down by Emanuel families, from the Emanuel School Community Cookbook, The Family Meal. 

From the Kitchen of Noah & Eve Revelman

Quinoa &and Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa, rinsed and cooked
300g turkey mince
1 clove garlic
1 brown onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely grated
1 zucchini, finely grated
1 egg
Salt and pepper
Ghee or macadamia oil to fry
Large handful basil, finely chopped

Directions

If using a food processor, add everything except the egg, turkey and quinoa. 

Pulse until mixed and grated. Add in egg and turkey and mix gently to combine.

If you’re not using a food processor, chop everything finely and mix all ingredients together into a bowl.

Roll into teaspoon sized balls and fry for 2-3 minutes until golden, the flip and fry on the other side.

Serve with Spaghetti and tomato/pasta sauce. It’s fantastic with creamy cauliflower or potato mash, with sweet potato chips and steamed broccoli and sweet corn.

Variations:

Oregano or parsley can be used as well or instead of the basil. Adding a squeeze of lemon and some lemon rind also gives a lovely grown-up spin on these meatballs.

Makes 20 

You can order the Emanuel School Community Cookbook, The Family Meal by contacting rubykb@gmail.com