From the Principal

Andrew Watt – Principal

Reflecting on the power of expressing gratitude

As I was walking down a nearby street this week, an Emanuel father stopped me and expressed his gratitude to the Emanuel School leaders and teachers, observing that his children were happy, connected, settled and growing in confidence and in their learning. A family visiting the School and joining me for morning tea also expressed their gratitude for our welcoming and receptive student culture and for opportunities to see firsthand the inner workings of our School. Words carry great transformative power, to either build up or to pull down the mood of both the giver and the receiver. Simple and genuine expressions of gratitude can transform our feelings and provide both feedback and encouragement.

The discipline of regularly conveying gratitude is practised in our weekly staff briefing notes, which overflow with expressions of gratitude for various acts of kindness. The act of regularly and intentionally expressing gratitude can help us appreciate what we have, instead of consistently reaching for something new, in the hope that it will make us happier. This refocus on what we have, rather than what we lack, is consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude is a thankful acknowledgement or appreciation of those good things in our life. It helps us feel more positive emotions, enjoy good experiences, build strong relationships and deal with adversity.

“Gratitude is not simply an emotional response; it is also a choice we make.
We can choose to be grateful, or we can choose to be ungrateful—to take our gifts and blessings for granted.
As a choice, gratitude is an attitude or disposition”
~ Angeles Arrien

Both our staff and students are reminded regularly to be grateful for all that we have, pausing to notice and appreciate the things that we often take for granted, like having a place to live, food, clean water, friends and family. It’s taking a moment to reflect on how fortunate we are. Being grateful for all that we have in life is one of the keys to true happiness.

MensLine Australia share some simple things we can do to begin the practice gratitude:

• Don’t be picky: appreciate everything, even the small stuff.
• Keep a gratitude journal. Just note one or more things you are grateful for on a daily basis.
• Give at least one compliment daily or share your appreciation of something.
• Sit down daily and think of five to ten things you are grateful for. Then picture them in your mind and enjoy the feeling of gratitude in your body.
• Improve your happiness in other areas of your life. For example, before you sit down to eat dinner, say one thing that you are grateful for.

A wonderful Night of Song 

Our large audience was entertained by a range of vocal performances from both Primary and High School students. It was clear that, for both our choirs and individual performances, our students were enjoying the experience of singing before an appreciative audience. The depth of talent of our soloists is impressive and evident at all ages. This augers well for our future Musical Productions! I also thoroughly enjoyed the Pop-up Community Choir’s performances of Hine Ma Tov and A Million Dreams.

Thank you to Danny Burley, who was involved in almost every aspect of the concert, and to our highly professional Music Department. I am also grateful to Ofer Levy, parent photographer, for capturing so many special moments.

The Festival of Sport

Eden Levit and the JDS Chagha Cup

The annual contest between Moriah College and Emanuel School took place over the past two weeks. Hard-fought contests, across futsal (boys and girls), basketball (boys and girls), netball (girls) and rugby union (boys) have maintained the tradition of fierce but friendly competition. The JDS Chagha Sport Cup provides senior students (especially graduating Year 12 students) with an opportunity to represent their school one final time.

The JDS Cup currently proudly resides in the Emanuel School trophy cabinet, after taking out three of the four events in 2022 – Football (girls and boys) and Netball (girls) but losing the fourth event, Rugby. With two events added this year, the final tally was a 3-all tie, which meant that we retained the JDS Cup for another year. Instagram and Facebook have been flooded with commentaries of each match, and it is clear that both Schools enjoyed both the competition and the camaraderie.

Mazal tov

• Our Open Boys Relay team smashed the CDSSA 20-year record at the Athletics Championships. Mazal tov to Jett Sher, Aden Goodridge, Shai Farhy and Zac Urbach for their sensational win which you can witness here.
• Click here to watch our Open Girls Relay team also win their race too! Mazal tov to reigning CDSSA Relay champions, Ashley Urbach, Amelie Trope, Mariah Lewy and Eden Levit. 
• Emanuel’s Super 6 Netball team defeated IGS 31-17 in the final of our Thursday inter-school sport competition. Mazal tov to all the players!
• Ella Bortz (Year 9) competed in the Sydney Vocal Eisteddfod in August, placing 1^st in the Jazz category, 3^rd in the Musical Theatre category, and was a finalist for the Junior Singer of the Year. Well done Ella!
• Mariah Lewy (Year 12) was awarded a High Distinction for her 8^th Grade singing exam. Well done Mariah!
• Julia Manoy (Year 8) organised an afternoon of netball to raise money for Dignity, a charity that aims to help eradicate homelessness. Julia and her friends raised $1400 which will be used to purchase items for the charity’s four homes. There is still time to support Julia and her friends – click here to donate and in the comments section enter Netball Dignity Day.
• Jesse Herdan (Class of 2022) was accepted into UNSW’s prestigious Co-Op Scholarship. There is significant competition for the Co-op program, which is a career development scholarship that, along with financial support, incorporates industry exposure, leadership, networking and mentorship.

Quote of the week

“The more you practice gratitude, the more you see how much there is to be grateful for, and your life becomes an ongoing celebration of joy and happiness.” Don Miguel Ruiz

From the Head of Jewish Life

Adina Roth – Head of Jewish Life

In one of my favourite songs from the Broadway musical Hamilton, the Schuyler sisters sing “Look around, Look around, how lucky we are to be alive right now”.

In many ways, this song speaks to the experience of the Jewish community in Australia – as new immigrants wherever we go, people tell us “you are so lucky to be here, this is the best place in the world”. In High School assembly this week, we listened to Dr Russell Groener share his personal story about growing up during Apartheid. As a ‘non-European,’ he suffered humiliation and disadvantages for being in the ‘wrong time and in the wrong place.’ We, as Jewish people, also know very well what it means to live in the wrong time and the wrong place. Unlike Dr Groener, as we live in Sydney in the early 2020s, we are faced with another kind of challenge, the complacency that comes with living a life of relative privilege and comfort. 

In this week’s Parsha we are told, Ki Tavo El Ha’aretz, when you finally come into the land that the Lord your God gives you. After enduring 40 years in the desert, with heat on our backs and calluses on our feet, running out of water, enduring the monotonous manna and wandering around in circles, we finally enter the land of Israel. From nomads, we become landowners. We grow our own grain and produce and we become rich and comfortable. It seems the Torah was worried as to what would happen to us at this time. This is because as the late Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks said: “The greatest challenge is not slavery but freedom; not poverty but affluence; not danger but security; not homelessness but home”. Sacks z’l understood that when we live a life of relative comfort, we are in danger of losing our gratitude, losing a greater sense of meaning and purpose and becoming complacent. Being disconnected from our own suffering, can make it harder to connect to the suffering of others.  

As an antidote to this privilege, when we come into the land, we were given a mitzvah. The Parsha tells us that every year after we have grown our first fruits, we must take them and walk to Jerusalem and present them to the Kohen (Priest) and tell our story… “Once upon a time, our ancestors were wanderers, we came down to Egypt in a famine, we were enslaved there and it was tough-going. God took us out of Egypt and God committed to bringing us to a land flowing with milk and hone”.  As we remember this story, we offer our first fruits at the Temple as a symbol of our newfound wealth. This amazing ritual is essentially saying once you have settled, made your money and are enjoying the fruits of your efforts, remember the STORY of where you come from, remember that it was not always easy for you and your people, remember your suffering and be grateful for where you are. Remembering our story, is an antidote to complacency!

I sat with an uncle of mine on a beach this past weekend and we spoke about the Australian story. For many of us, it’s a story that starts with coming from another place, often as refugees, to make this place our home. There are people indigenous to Australia with other stories, stories of losing their homes and being dispossessed of their culture. If we scratch a little deeper, we find that we all have a story, and if we can wonder, what’s my story of how I got here, and then be curious, what’s your story and yours and yours… we are reminded that life isn’t always about privilege and comfort. This remembering helps us sculpt lives that are driven by gratitude, humility, meaning-making and justice-seeking.

When we can do this, our lives can be infused with gratitude and spiritual riches. Then we will truly be able to sing, “Look around, Look around, how lucky we are to be alive right now.”

Shabbat Shalom

Ma Koreh

Adam Carpenter – Head of Jewish Life Primary

To celebrate their learning of the Letter Tet ט , Year 2 celebrated “Yom Tost” by eating toast, making crafts and putting their Hebrew speaking and writing skills into action.

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Letter Tet

Primary News

Katie Brody – Director of Students K-6

Including interpersonal characteristics in discussions about academic progress

Many different environmental and intrapersonal catalysts encourage and foster academic progress whilst others can make progress stagnate or can even hinder progress. When teachers and parents meet together to discuss each student, we unite home and school in support of learning and development in both contexts. The family environment, the school environment, the co-curricular environment and the social environment all have an impact on progress and need consideration. In addition though, it is the intrapersonal characteristics of each child that has a profound impact on learning and progress. This also needs addressing. 

Based in cognitive science, the process of learning is highly complex and fascinating. Learning is joyous and it is challenging, it is long and it can be tumultuous. Teachers encourage learning through a scaffolded sequence of building conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, strategic competence, adaptive reasoning and an ability to ideate. Creating learning situations and opportunities for practice and progress, we accept that learning is going to be incremental, will be different for each child and will require each to embrace struggle as inevitable and acceptable. Most importantly too, a productive disposition is taught by teachers as this serves as the main catalyst, enabling learning as it comes from within the child. 

Intrapersonal characteristics such as temperament, self-management, motivation, adaptability, self-concept, curiosity and tenacity (to name a few) all impact learning progress and should form part of the conversation when teachers and parents sit down together to discuss students. Developing the intrapersonal aspects of a child is highly relational, requires attention to the actions and behaviour of each child and is dependent on modelling, reinforcement and targeted positive feedback at home and at school. Some intrapersonal dispositions can be nurtured this way, some are a result of nature (genetics) and some are developmental. Importantly, these characteristics, when well-developed, assist academic progress, resulting in student achievement. 

What does it take to make progress with learning? What can parents do at home to develop skills and dispositions that lead to learning and achievement? 

In essence, learning requires a mindset that is accepting of struggle and of the failure that can come before success. Learning anything requires the ability to persevere, resulting in a feeling of elation that comes after time is spent grappling. It is that moment of elation after a period of challenge that is the turning point for many learners, as it is the moment where their self-concept is affirmed as capable, making struggle less threatening. This is the reason why teachers and parents jump to praise students when they overcome something that at first seems too hard. 

Here are some ideas for use at home that model and encourage a range of productive dispositions:

• Model active organisation – Display a calendar that outlines co-curricular events and have your child/ren add to the calendar as events arise. This models the need to be pro-active, keep track of events and set up items needed in advance, to avoid rush or disorganisation.
• Assign household chores – Have your child complete chores that assist in the running of the household. This sets up the expectation that they are not passive recipients of ‘the good life’, but they must and can contribute. Adopt and affirm a strong message that in our family, “We pitch in”.
• Spend time reinforcing the fundamentals –  Encourage your child to develop fluency with a range of the fundamental skills that support learning. Have them write a journal, spend time practising touch typing, consolidate times tables, revise Hebrew vocabulary and practise reading fluency. Reinforce that this important practice can and should be done, even without the teacher assigning the task.
• Value Reading – Gradually increase the complexity of the books read at home. Set fun challenges such as reading a range of genres across a term. Praise your child for using vocabulary that they gleaned from books they are reading and for their independent commitment to reading.
• Build deeper understanding – Refer to details in the term overview, emailed at the start of each term and encourage your child to do some reading or research in any of the topics mentioned. This allows them to prepare a set of new ideas to share with the class, therefore showing depth of knowledge and engagement.
• Reinforce learning – Watch videos online that explain the Maths concepts being studied or the features of the text form being addressed in class etc. Show your child that they can build on learning from class even without being told they should. Solid foundational knowledge brings ease to their struggles once back in class.

Primary Grandparents and Friends Day

From the Primary School Madrichim

The Primary School Madrichim have had an amazing term full of fun projects. We’ve done an Emanuel World Cup and introduced two new soft toy friends – Emanuel the Spaniel for Years 3-6 and Pablo the Penguin for Years K-2.

For Anti-Bullying Day we created a friendship tree, where everyone wrote a special friendship message. It has and will continue to be an amazing term!

Friendship

Each year we do an activity for Anti-Bullying Day. This year the theme was Growing Connections and we chose to focus on friendship building. Ms Thomas has put in a lot of hard work to put in a beautiful tree on the blue ocean. Every student was asked to write a special friendship message on a paper leaf that was added to the tree. Soon we will be starting a lunch time club called Together Tuesday. The Madrichim will be running lots of fun friendship activities such as; friendship karaoke, friendship bracelet making and many more fun team and friendship building sport games. This will give everyone in Primary a chance to connect with each other. We are all so excited for Together Tuesdays!

Terrific Toys 

This year we have been working on a system that includes two stuffed toy prizes – Pablo The Penguin and Emanuel The Spaniel. Pablo is for the K-2 students and Emanuel is for the 3-6 students. We judge a secret area every two weeks and we present them at assemblies. The focuses are: bags, uniforms, classrooms, playgrounds, lining up and many more. Each week we go around checking the special areas but now one knows what it is, then we count up all the points and present the stuffed toy to the winning class for the fortnight.

World Cup

Some of you may know that the Women’s World Cup has just finished. In line with this exciting event, Emanuel School decided to create their version for Years 3-6. There were four teams in Years 3-4 and six teams in Years 5-6, creating lots of competition for each tournament. The games were held at recess on Waxman Drive every day for three weeks. It was an amazing event with many spectators crowding around the games, cheering on their friends and classmates. Many amazing results came out of the competition with Japan taking the victory for Years 3-4 and a stressful penalty shootout awarding England the win for 5-6. Honourable mentions for USA and New Zealand coming runners up in the tournament, as well as a special thanks to Ms Thomas for helping us to organise this extravagant event. 

By Eva Bartfeld, Lola Cohen-Peace, Tali Gellert, Oscar Glikin, Jazzy Goodman, Claudia Hochroth, Jemima Hockley, Ethan Likht, Tabitha Masnick, Ciel Sharibani Kat, Lily Smaller and Nava Weiss
(Year 6 Madrichim 2023)

Kornmehl

Terry Aizen – Director of Kornmehl Pre-school

The Burger Centre

The Starfish and Dolphin groups walked to the Burger Centre last week to sing for the elderly patrons. These visits are always a highlight for everyone and a wonderful opportunity to take the children out into our wider community and to bring happiness and joy to others. 

We ventured down the streets, noticing the different elements of our community, from nature, for example, leaves, flowers and sticks to the cafe right opposite. “I’ve been there,” said some voices. Others shared their familiarity of the streets telling us they have walked this way before.

We had a rough plan of what we were going to sing, but it was the moments of spontaneity and the unplanned parts that were highlights and helped bring a sense of comfort and love within the room.

Some of these included using the microphone. The children were very keen to use it and speak. We had lots of “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to our concert”.  The children were also articulate in naming the songs we were singing and explaining their meaning.   

It was lovely to see the elderly engaged and participating with us, by clapping, singing, and showing us joys of happiness with their big smiles.

After the singing there was a Q & A. We were asked if we played any card games at Pre-school and, if so, what were they. We said Uno and Snap.

The question was then extended to all games that we play. Our answers included soccer, naughts and crosses, leaves and junk, the shopping game, dominoes, to name a few.

Ziggy: Our music was one of the best, and we were very nice.
Lexi: We were singing for them very beautifully.
Alma: They loved our singing.
Ella: They loved our music.
Noam: They loved everything we did for them.

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Kornmehl Carnival

The Pre-school held a Kornmehl Carnival last week Sunday morning in the MPH and on the basketball courts. The children came dressed in carnival theme and we had a variety of fun activities to keep them busy for two hours. These ranged from a jumping castle, photo booth, face painting and Playball with coach Al. There were sensory activities such as playdough and kinetic sand and craft making. Lots of yummy food completed a beautiful time for families and children to relax, socialise and enjoy a fun morning together.

A big thank you to the Parent Club Committee – Mrs Leia Lewis, Mrs Lisa Greenberg, Mrs Sarah Robuck, Mrs Ellen Stuart and Mrs Yahav Vidor, for all their hard work, time and effort spent in helping to organise the carnival and make sure it all ran smoothly on the day. 

A big thank you to all the Kornmehl staff who came along to help and for preparing the children during the week for the event.

Thank you to all the parent helpers on the day who assisted in supervising the various stations and cleaning up and to Coach Al from Playball for giving up his time on a Sunday morning to run three sold out playball sessions for the children.

Thank you to our wonderful, patient Emanuel students who came to do the face painting – Zarah Gorelik, Mia Goodridge, Lily Foltyn and Bronte Orgias. You did an amazing job, and the children loved your talented and artistic painting skills. We will be booking you all again next year!

Their morning was filled with laughter, chatter, squeals of delight, so much joy and happiness all round. It was lovely to see families with kids of all ages relaxing and enjoying the time together.

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Happy Birthday

We wish a very happy birthday to our special Seashell Educator Marlene Einfeld. We hope you had a wonderful birthday.

Music and Dementia

Sonia Newell – Development Officer – Alumni & Community Relations

Friendship Circle (FC) Walk 2023

It was perfect weather for last Sunday’s Friendship Circle Walk, when the community spirit came through in full force as several hundred people joined in for the Friendship Walk and Family Fun Day at Vaucluse Public School. The sun was shining and the streets were coloured purple around Vaucluse and Watsons Bay. Along the route, the community was able to learn key words in Auslan, and it was fantastic seeing families and friends stopping to practise signing.

A message from the organising committee: “We are so grateful to everyone who supported the Friendship Walk and Friendship Circle. Times are hard for many, but you have proven that every little bit counts. Thank you to every single person who has donated, told their network about Friendship Circle and our mission, who volunteered, and came along on Sunday to raise awareness and show their support for disability acceptance and inclusion. Huge shoutout to our Walk committee, suppliers, and corporate sponsors. Our goal of $200,000 was reached on Sunday thanks to your incredible generosity. We would love to make our stretch goal of $225,000 to beat last year’s achievement. Our Walk page and all fundraising pages will remain live until Thursday 28 September 2023, if you’d like to help us reach our stretch goal. Thanks to your donations, we will be able to take our programs to the next level, supporting families with children with a disability in our community, and changing the lives of young people with and without disabilities. This would not be possible without your kindness, generosity and continuous support for Friendship Circle”.

Emanuel School was well-represented at the walk with current and past parents including Ilana and Jeff Akres, Les and Jacqui White, and Laurie Smith as well as past students Lana (Goltsman) Shelest and Chad Pashut, along with current students Mia and Alice Berkovic with Mum Nicola, and cousins Chloe and Georgia Fisher who all walked with their grandma Sue Lipman. Even Lana’s dog, Charlie, enjoyed wearing his purple T-shirt for the Walk.

Sue Lipman and family at FC Walk

Les, Jacqui and Lucy White at FC Walk

Laurie Smith at FC Walk

Lana Shelest and Chad Pashuit at FC Walk

Ilana and Jeff Akres at FC Walk

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Grandparents and Friends newsletter

If you are an Emanuel grandparent of Pre-school, Primary and/or High School, you should have received an email with the latest newsletter. We thought parents might also like to read the August issue, which is full of wonderful photos and details about some of the amazing events at School so far this year – all you need to do to access the newsletter is to click here.

Please check if your children’s grandparents received it and, if not, I’m sure they’d love you to pass it on to them.

Research into Music and Dementia

Watch this short interview with alumna Dr Zoe Menczel Schrire (Class of 2012) a post-doctoral research associate at the Brain and Mind Institute, The University of Sydney. She also says “We are looking for participants over the next two years for our research project, a world-first study determining whether music can prevent dementia.” Click on this link if you would like to read more about the project and/or register your interest for next year if eligible. 

UNSW Centre for Ideas 
Don’t miss this event on Thursday 7 September 2023

UNSW Centre for Ideas presents a thought-provoking program of event and digital content, bringing the globe’s leading thinkers to UNSW Sydney and also presenting UNSW to the world. On Thursday 7 September 2023, you can hear Emanuel alumnus Sam Koslowski (Head Madrich, Class of 2012 and Guest Speaker at High School Speech Night 2022) and Zara Seidler, co-founders of The Daily Aus, unpack the big business of youth-focused news, and reveal how digital platforms are transforming the news landscape. The Daily Aus has cracked the code on resonating with young people, distilling the big news stories of the day into accessible, bite sized pieces. From fearless journalists to savvy entrepreneurs, witness the rise of a new generation that’s leaving a lasting imprint. Register Now

Sam and Zara’s new book No Silly Questions: The Daily Aus explains how the world works (and why you should care) is out on Saturday 5 September 2023. You can pre-order the book here.

Sam Koslowski and Zara Seidler

Primary Grandparents and Friends Day 
Friday 8 September 2023

Just one week to go until our very special event, where grandparents and special friends of our Primary students will spend the morning with our students to help celebrate Rosh Hashanah and share in classroom activities, followed by morning tea.

Check out the details below:

More than just a meal

Members of our School community, both students and adults have experienced the joy of preparing meals at Our Big Kitchen (OBK) in Bondi. Here is a wonderful article “Meet the Slavins” in this week’s edition of Plu61JMedia.

Remember September 2023

September has just begun and it’s not too late to sign up for this worthy campaign. Alumnus Ben Wilheim (Class of 2008), founder of Remember September hopes our School community will get behind this campaign again this year and choose one of their challenges during this month of September to help raise awareness about pancreatic cancer and raise funds for research that will hopefully help find a cure. The theme is Give It Up or Move It for this month. You can give up caffeine, chocolate, sugar or alcohol, or you can walk 68 km during September for Australians living with pancreatic cancer. Please note, all donations over $2 are tax-deductible. Together, we will remember those we’ve lost and stand with those fighting to survive. What will you give up this month to help with most worthy cause?

Remember September – latest poster

Body Image and eating disorders – Navigating healthy behaviours
Tuesday 12 September 2023

In today’s era, surrounded by media influences and societal pressures, many children and adolescents grapple with body image concerns and could be at risk of developing eating disorders. Recognising these challenges, JewishCare have partnered with the Tikvah Clinic to host an enlightening session aimed at providing parents with the knowledge, tools, and resources they need to foster a healthy self-image in their children. Past parent, Specialist GP at Tikvah Clinic, Dr Karen Spielman is one of the Guest Speakers at this event.

If you feel that this talk could be beneficial, either for your own understanding or to better support your child, you are invited to attend this free event. Additionally, even if you believe your child isn’t directly affected, the session will offer valuable insights into the world our children are navigating, allowing us to be more empathetic and proactive parents. Book here.   

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Shabbat Project 2023 
Save the date
Friday 3 November 2023 – Saturday 4 November 2023

Last week saw the launch of the Shabbat Project 10^th anniversary campaign, where the Chief Rabbi and the Shabbat Project team presented the plans for Shabbat Project 2023, to make this year‘s international event fresh and truly memorable. Watch this space for more details.

We look forward to sharing our news and yours, so if you have photos and/or news you would like to share with us, please send to Sonia Newell.      

Shabbat shalom, stay safe and have a great weekend.

Music Matters

Diana Springford – Director of Music P-12

Welcome to our Music Matters page! 🎶

Recent student performances

Mazal tov to the Perlman String Ensemble from Years K-2 who performed Aladdin at the K-2 Public Speaking Competition Finals, while the judging was taking place. Thank you to all the students and to their conductor, Ms Turner, for preparing and accompanying them.

Kol hakavod to Ella Bortz on her Sydney Eisteddfod success!

In August, Ella Bortz (Year 9), competed in various categories of the Sydney Vocal Eisteddfod with tremendous success. In the Jazz category she placed First, and in the Musical Theatre category she placed Third. If these achievements weren’t enough, she also competed in the Junior Singer of the Year category, where she was selected as a finalist (top 5 out of 40 singers) and performed with a live band.

Well done on this magnificent achievement Ella! We are very proud!

Ella Bortz (Year 9) performing at the Sydney Vocal Eisteddfod

Night of Song

On Monday, over 140 students from Years K-12 performed in our Night of Song. This beautiful annual choral concert showcased all our choirs and chamber choirs as well as featuring eleven solo performances and a crowd-pleasing performance by our new ‘pop-up’ choir of parents, alumni and staff. We commend all the performers, conductors and accompanists for their hard work and enthusiasm and the tutor team for their preparation of the soloists. Special thanks to Mr Burley for organising the event and to everyone who worked behind-the-scenes to produce this wonderful evening, including Joanne De Araujo for administrative support and Ben Marshall who did a fabulous job with all things audio and visual.

The photographs of the concert were taken by Mr Ofer Levy, who does such a wonderful job of capturing superb images of our performers. In novel circumstances, Ofer took the stage with the other members of the parent, alumni and staff choir, while Derek Manoy kindly took over photography duties temporarily!

Please see the separate article, Spotlight on… Night of Song, for a selection of wonderful photographs.

Private Music Tuition and Infant Strings Program

Thank you to those who have already advised us of changes to private tuition and Infant Strings Program (ISP) enrolments for next term. The deadline for new enrolments, notification of changes or intention to discontinue for Term 4, is today but you can still use the online forms this weekend if you need to. All students currently receiving private music tuition and students in Years K-2 who are currently participating in the ISP will be automatically re-enrolled into tutor schedules along with students commencing for the first time. Please contact music@emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au if you have any questions.  

The schedules for Term 4 will be created at the end of term and emailed during October term break. 

Please visit our Music Portal Page for 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.  

Light on the Library

Head of Library & Information Services (7-12) | HSIE Teacher

This week in the library we have been showcasing a new mini display of LitRPG books. What are these you may ask?

LitRPGs are literary role-playing games – a sub genre of science fiction and fantasy, written in a video game style. Check out some of the titles in the library today.

We have received delivery of the Children’s Book Council of Australia, 2023 Book of the Year Award Winners (and Honours List) in the older age category. Titles include: Neverlanders by Tom Taylor, Completely Normal (and Other Lies) by Biffy James and The Other Side of Tomorrow by Hayley Lawrence. Reserve your copy today.

Stuck for something to read? As usual, we have a fresh collection of newly acquired Fiction and Non-Fiction titles which are on display in our collection.

Our Minecraft club continues to hum along, with new members adding to the conversation. It is wonderful to see all of the different builds going on and listen to the students’ swapping tips or creating challenges for one another. In the main library, other games continue to create a lovely atmosphere. A highlight this week was an incredible Jenga tower that seemed to defy physics (and a wobbly table) to stay upright!

20230823 Jenga Tower[70] copy

Word of the fortnight 

Word of the fortnight: Discombobulated
Meaning: Characterised by confusion or disorder

As in….He was discombobulated, utterly confused as to what had happened.                       
(Source: Merriam-Webster)

Spotlight on…Night of Song

Thank you to Ofer Levy, parent photographer, for capturing the evening in photographs:

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Year 11 Drama Showcase

Senior Sports Photo Day

Senior Sports Photo Day  – Thursday 7 September 2023

The Senior Sports Photo Day for 2023 will be held next Thursday 7 September 2023, in the PAC, beginning at 8.50 am.

Uniform requirements

High School students are to bring the relevant sports kit for each of the photos, including Emanuel and Representative Team uniforms.

All students are to be neatly dressed, hair tied back, clean shoes and no extraneous jewellery.

Photo Day Schedule

Get Ready to Donate

Justine Hofman – Head of P&F

Welcome to our new P&F Administrator, Laura Hampton

We are thrilled to have a new addition to the P&F team. Laura Hampton has taken on the newly created role of P&F Administrator and is working with us as a dedicated school resource to uplift our P&F initiatives. She co-ordinates our events and initiatives and provides support to lighten the load on our committees.

Laura is no stranger to Emanuel School. She is a former parent (her children are recent graduates) and she currently works as part of the Wolanski Family Specialist Learning Centre team. With her corporate background in event management, she is an incredible asset to making sure P&F initiatives run smoothly and successfully this year.

Get ready to donate pre-loved uniforms 

We are so excited for the next Pre-loved Uniform Shuk initiative across Primary and High School. It promises to save families significantly in uniform costs, while also being environmentally responsible. Our last sale was a great success!.The sale relies on families donating their old (but in good condition) uniforms so that others can buy second-hand for very reasonable prices. Most items will be $10 – $20 So please put an hour aside over the next week and sort through uniforms so you can donate your items during our Collection Week.

Collection Week

When: Monday 18 September 2023 – Friday 22 September 2023 (last week of Term 3)
Time: 7.30 am – 8.30 am

Volunteers will be there to collect uniforms inside the school gates.

Dates for the diary

• Monday 18 September 2023 – Friday 22 September 2023: Pre-loved Uniform Shuk collection week from 7.30 am – 8.30 am
• Tuesday 19 September 2023: P&F Termly Meeting (7.00 pm) 
• Monday 9 October 2023: Pre-loved Uniform Shuk Sale 7.30 am – 2.00 pm
• Friday 3 November 2023 – Monday 5 November 2023: Spring Family Camping Weekend

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Save the Date – Family Camping Weekend

PSG

Thank you to our volunteers for last week 
(Monday 21 August 2023 – Friday 25 August 2023)

Larry Simon, Shai Simhi, Robert Carrion, David VItek, Neil Shilbury, Gary Simmons, Leon Waxman, Vlad Yakubson, Keren Rockman, Gavin Kawalsky, Rami Weiss, Dorran Wajsman, Peter Freed, Tamara Kerlander, Steven Trope, David Weinberger, Lisa Bognar, Shelley Ishkaluna and Reece Maisel.

Help keep our kids and community safe: sign up to PSG here.

Important Dates

What’s happening next week 

High School 

Monday 4 September 2023

• Year 9 Elephant Education
• Year 10 PDM Workshop
• Year 10 Mifgash

Tuesday 5 September 2023

• AICES Athletics Championships
• Year 8 Technology to Adamama
• Year 9 Mifgash
• Year 10 JA Thompson History Debating
• Year 10 Night of Science and Wonder
• Year 12 History Extension Guest Speaker

Wednesday 6 September 2023

• Year 8-10 Hebrew Machane Krembo
• Year 8 French Activities 
• Yeas 9-12 French Cultural Day
• Year 9 JA Thompson History Debating Team A Quarter Final Round
• Year 11 Drama Showcase

Thursday 7 September 2023

• Senior Sports Photo Day
• Years 8-10 Hebrew Machane Krembo
• Year 8 French Activities 
• Year 10 Elective Music to the Burger Centre
• Years 10-11 Jewish Studies Guest Speaker Series
• Emanuel First V Basketball v St Augustine’s College 

Friday 8 September 2023

• Years 8-10 Hebrew Machane Krembo
• Year 8 French Activities
• Year 8 SLC Elective Big Day In
• Year 9 JA Thompson History Debating Team B Quarter Final Round
• Emanuel First V Basketball v Shore School
• Meet the Experts: Eureka Prize Winners

Primary 

Monday 4 September 2023

• Jilkminggan Trip #2 Information Night

Tuesday 5 September 2023

• Year 4 Excursion  – The Rocks Aboriginal Dreaming Tour 

Wednesday 6 September 2023

• Years 5-6 Public Speaking Finals
• Years 3-4 Public Speaking

Thursday 7 September 2023

• ASISSA Athletics

Friday 8 September 2023

• Grandparents and Friends Day
• K-2 Assembly
• Year 6 Fun Day at School 

Kornmehl 

Monday 4 September 2023

• Father’s Day Breakfast

Tuesday 5 September 2023

• Starfish to Bush School

Wednesday 6 September 2023

• Seashells to Bush School

Thursday 7 September 2023

• Dolphins to Bush School