ASC NEWS | ISSUE 55 |APRIL 2017

News Issue 55 April 2017

Featuring from the ceo • TRINITY ANGLICAN college • ST GEORGE’S ANGLICAN GRAMMAR SCHOOL • EARLY LEARNING • LEARNING SUPPORT • PERTH CHORAL INSTITUTE • SCIENCE • CALENDAR • EASTER MESSAGES

From the Chief Executive Officer THE REVEREND PETER LAURENCE OAM

Dear Colleagues

New Buildings Named

The front cover of ASC News is a photograph of three of the new stained glass windows in St George’s Cathedral.

Contributions from a number of our schools, together with the Diocese of Wangaratta and the ASC Board, funded the design, crafting and erection of these magnificent windows. Together with the other sets of three windows, and one or two single lancet windows, they form part of the ‘crown of light’ created

by Ian Dixon from Perth Art Glass. Entering through the west door and moving towards the Sanctuary, they shed greens and blues on the nave before shining blues and reds [around the ASC windows] near the nave altar and, finally, golden colours around the high altar.

Attending end-of-year Speech Nights and Presentation Days is one of the joys of being CEO! Last year, at two such ceremonies, I was honoured to be asked to announce the names being attributed to the newest building projects in two of our schools.

Next time you are in the Perth CBD, take a moment to pop into the Cathedral to enjoy the beauty of light and colour, coupled with the peace and serenity of the building. Better yet, time your visit to coincide with a Eucharist or Choral Evensong. The windows will enhance your ‘time out with God’

First EBA for Support Staff The inaugural Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA) for support staff in our WA schools was recently registered in the Industrial Relations Commission. This is a significant moment for the ASC as we formalised in an EBA the conditions under which our support staff are employed. We are proud to have led the way in WA with a large number of conditions for our support staff matching those of the teaching staff. Our support staff are key to the life and operation of each school. It is pleasing that we have progressed to the step of formalising such conditions of employment in an EBA.

Contents From the CEO

2

Feature Schools

4

Feature Theme

8

Who’s Who

The new Senior School facility at St Mark’s Anglican Community School will be known as the Alan Cadby Senior Academic Centre. This magnificent, three-storey building at St Mark’s will house more than 20 learning spaces, two new Home Economics facilities, a staff room, café-style canteen area, a presentation space with flexible seating for up to 200, prep rooms and offices. How appropriate to honour Alan Cadby this way. He served as the Chair of Council at St Mark’s for over a decade, from 2004-2014 . As well as being an exceptional leader of the Council, Alan was also a very fine and knowledgeable educator in his own right. Prior to a political career in State Parliament, Alan worked as a teacher for 31 years in a range of schools and in an array of locations, including senior leadership positions in independent schools.

The new gymnasium and multi-purpose hall at Peter Carnley Anglican Community School (PCACS) has been named the Keith Lindbeck Centre. Its official opening took place on 6 April. Keith Lindbeck served as Chair of the PCACS Steering Committee from 2004 - 2006 and as Foundation Chair of School Council from 2007 - 2016. Keith’s commitment to the School goes above and beyond what would be expected of even the most dedicated of Chairs. His presence around the campus and at functions and events throughout each year were marks of Keith’s governance. Retiring from the Chair at PCACS a few months ago has not meant that Keith has severed his ASC ties…far from it. This year, he was elected as Chair of Council at St George’s Anglican Grammar School.

12

Curriculum 13 Biography 14 Calendar 15 Anglican Identity Cover image: New stained glass windows in St George’s Cathedral, Perth

2

16 The ASC owes a debt of gratitude to these two extraordinary men who have served their school communities selflessly, tirelessly and faithfully. Thank you Alan and Keith!

Christian Purposes Day

It’s Time!!

December 2017 marked the ‘retirement’ of a man who has served the Anglican Schools Commission with distinction for many years.

Together with his wife, Eleanor, and Bishop Tom Wilmot, John Lewin was instrumental in the establishment of Georgiana Molloy Anglican School (GMAS).

Eleanor is the current GMAS School Council Chair; John, served as a member of the Steering Committee and was the School’s Foundation Treasurer. John and Eleanor were Foundation School Council members, John serving in this role until 2009. John also served on the ASC Board twice during the past decade and a half, finally retiring from the Board at the end of last year. The ASC is deeply grateful to John and Eleanor for their service and wishes John well as he spends more time riding his motor bike around the South West and beyond!

St George’s to the Rescue

Next term opens as usual with almost 1,000 teachers from ASC schools coming together at HBF Stadium for the annual Christian Purposes Day on Wednesday 26 April. This year, we are honoured to have three people who daily demonstrate their love of God and live it out faithfully in their work.

• M s Robyn Moore is Patron of the Make a Wish Foundation. Robyn has been described as someone who puts all her trust in God and, in return, all sorts of wonderful things happen for, to and with her. Robyn is one of the best, most inspiring and entertaining presenters in Australia.

Her presentations have been described as a roller coaster of emotions and lots of laughs with so many wonderful and powerful messages involved. Robyn is also the voice of Blinky Bill!

• M r Sam Walsh AO recently retired as Global Head of Rio Tinto. He is the current Chair of the Perth Diocesan Trustees as well as serving on boards across WA and beyond. Sam is an active member of the St George’s Cathedral congregation and has a wonderful story to tell of his life of faith and service.

• T he Right Reverend Jeremy James is the Assistant Bishop of Perth and has served on two ASC School Councils. Bishop Jeremy will be presiding at the Eucharist.

Of course, there will be time at breaks for networking among staff across our schools. The 2017 ASC Christian Purposes Day promises to be one of the most memorable to date. I look forward to catching up with you then.

Every Wednesday afternoon, Middle School students and staff from St George’s Anglican Grammar School can be seen pushing Food Rescue Cargo Carts (a UnitingCare West initiative) along the pavements of the city’s streets as part of the School’s Service Program. They go from café to café collecting unsold, perishable, fresh food for redistribution to those in need. The food is passed on to charities such as Family Foundations, Shopfront, Salvation Army Northbridge, Beacon House and St Bartholomew’s. In January alone, Food Rescue collected 2,849 items of food from Perth cafés. Early in February the girls and Maths teacher, Mr Frank Murray, ‘bumped into’ me on one of their rounds and delighted in explaining the benefits of the program. Year 8 student Ella George said: Food Rescue is an experience everyone should have. We see so much food that would otherwise be wasted, collected and distributed to the homeless people of Perth.

Every time I have been on Food Rescue, people ask what it is and what we do. It’s wonderful that we can educate the people of Perth about this great cause as well as doing our bit to help.

The Bishops from the three Dioceses where our schools are located have again written thoughtful reflections for Easter.

As we read them, readers are reminded that we belong to a family as diverse as our world, with 2,000 years of Christian history and many thousands more of pre-Christian life and people of faith. Whatever small part each one of us plays in making another person’s life richer and more whole, we make it a proclamation of the resurrection. May this be something we do, not only during the Lenten and Easter seasons, but year-round. I wish you a holy Easter.

The Reverend Peter Laurence OAM CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

ASC NEWS April 2017

3

Feature School

Trinity Anglican College Learning takes on an international feel to nurture the whole student A French Cultural Exchange

when 21 French students arrived at Trinity’s Albury campus.

A passion to educate the whole student is driving Trinity Anglican College’s international tour program that spiked in December last year with a cultural trip to France and a basketball tour of the US. And the experiences will continue this year with a cultural and humanitarian journey proposed for Nepal.

Quite apart from the strong host family community that emanated, it was a celebration of French culture, history, language, literature and gastronomy for all Trinity students.

“The four pillars of a Trinity education are Learning, Character, Opportunity and Community,” Principal Justin Beckett said.

“These tours speak to each of the four pillars and create an exciting environment of learning and creativity that extend well beyond the classroom.

“Not only do they encourage knowledge sharing and friendships, but they nurture integrity, leadership, resourcefulness and emotional intelligence in our students.”

The College has a healthy history of cultural experiences and the recent rush follows visits to Noumea, Europe, Cambodia and outback Australia in previous years. When Trinity students visited College Edgar Quinet in Saintes, France, in December, they started a connection that was re-established in February

4

“The French students visited most of our classrooms, right down to our infants classes,” Mr Beckett said. “They delivered presentations in their area of interest so we had Junior School and Senior School students learning about French fashion, significant architecture, geography and historic events. It really is the best form of immersion and integrated learning you can have.”

The Trinity hosts also learned to view their College and environment through French eyes – and, yes, for some, what they saw was surprising and enlightening. Kangaroos, Vegemite, sheep shearing and enjoying the summer outdoors was freshly appreciated. But why on earth would the French students want to wear the College uniform? And so, through experiences as simple as understanding why one might want to wear a uniform, our students were encouraged to question and enquire.

Basketball and Volunteering Basketball was the catalyst for the US tour, but there was so much more to the trip than the eight games against US high schools with national top 10 rankings. It was more than, even, the elite coaching clinics or spectating at games in the NHL, NFL and NBA. It was as much about expanding the students’ horizons, introducing them to possibilities and allowing them scope to show leadership and develop character, as it was about the ball game.Volunteering for Habitat for Humanity was an exhausting but rewarding aspect of the trip and the homestays were revelations in terms of both friendships and living environments.

The basketball games tested the boys’ resilience and determination. Trinity’s tallest player was often shorter than the team average – often by quite a bit – but not once did this deter the Trinity boys’ consistent effort. Of the eight high schools An international they played, three had a experience forms only national top 10 ranking a sliver of a student’s and post-high school academies fielding total learning at Trinity, 19-year-olds.

but it’s an important sliver.

All were rich in basketball history.

In comparison, Trinity is just beginning to create its own basketball history. The College was founded 15 years ago but now boasts the biggest basketball club in the local competition, with 26 teams taking the court each week in age divisions from under 10s to under 18s. The starter program, Aussie Hoops, runs for the infants in Terms 2 and 3. Step-by-step, and hoop by hoop, the College is laying the foundation to become a leader in the sport.

Head basketball coach, Luke Bobilak, is also Trinity’s Head of English. He has an impressive basketball coaching record, including as assistant to Lute Olson, Head Coach of the University of Arizona; assistant to Dr Adrian Hurley, NBL Coach of the Year 2004-5; assistant coach at University of Memphis and South California; head coach of the Victorian under 16 state team and Australian junior team coach.

But Mr Bobilak never misses an opportunity to remind students the importance of a rounded education and was instrumental in ensuring the US tour was constructed around the volunteering and humanitarian components. It’s not all about the game, he often reminds his charges.

“Learning is more than just pens and paper – it is an experience, an immersion of the senses, a desire to understand and the willingness to be challenged,” Mr Beckett said. “We have created a global community and we will benefit from these connections long after the students return home.”

ASC NEWS April 2017

5

Feature School

Know le dg

e F ait h S e r v

ice

St George’s Anglican Grammar School

A strong sense of community, outstanding pastoral care and academic excellence provide an ideal foundation for a successful future.

Excellent Academic Results

Expanding Facilities

St George’s Anglican Grammar School commenced 2017 with 75 new students in our third year as a school of the Anglican Schools Commission. It is significant that 40 of these new students are in Year 7, enabling the School to have two streams of Year 7 this year. The increased enrolments have allowed our Year 8 and 9 classes to be double streamed and enabled the addition of further academic and co-curricular courses. We now offer three It has been a vibrant Certificate courses alongside our academic courses; namely, start to the year, and a Certificate II in Sports we look forward to Coaching, Certificate II in continued growth and Business and Certificate III in Music. development for the

School.

We were delighted with the excellent academic results of the graduating class of 2016. It is notable that 25% of students achieved an ATAR of 90 or higher. For the second year running, our students achieved a 100% graduation rate. In addition, all our graduating cohort completed four or more ATAR subjects. We congratulate the graduating students, not only on their excellent academic results, but also on the fine young citizens they have become.

Parenting Seminars The School runs regular parenting seminars which are open to all families and friends. The first of these seminars this year was a presentation by Maggie Dent, a very well-regarded author, educator and parenting and resilience specialist.

Maggie discussed ‘Taming the Stress Monster in Adolescence’, providing valuable insights into managing children’s behaviour during the high-stress teenage years. The evening was well attended by current parents, future parents, staff and visitors to the School.

6

The December holiday period was a hive of activity. A new state-of-the-art fitness centre was fitted out on the ground floor, making excellent use of an unused carpark area. The fitness centre is fully equipped as a cross fit gym, providing a wonderful facility for both students and staff. The centre has already been well utilised for fitness sessions, Zumba, yoga and ‘boot camps’.

The School has also expanded into the Queens Building which is situated diagonally across the road from the main campus.

The Queens Building is a heritage-listed, 18th century building first opened by the Premier, Sir John Forrest, on 19 April 1899.

We have created a spacious drama room as well as some other general teaching areas in this new facility.

School Camps and Sporting Programs What better way to get to know all our new students than through school camps? With this in mind, the entire school attended three-day camps at various locations around Perth. Each camp had a focus relevant to the year level. The Year 7 to 9 camp was held at the Swan Valley Adventure Camp and focused on getting to know one other, resilience and team building. Students also learnt about cyber safety and bullying, providing valuable insights and tools to assist them during the turbulent teenage years.

The Year 10 students headed south to Woodman Point where they shared new experiences and were encouraged to move out of their comfort zones, as well as building camaraderie, resilience and problem-solving skills. The Year 11 camp at Point Walter focused on transitioning into Upper School and leadership. Finally, the Year 12s went to Ern Halliday in Hillarys where they spent three days focusing on study techniques, stress management, leadership and life beyond Year 12.

Our sporting program continues to develop as our student numbers increase. The annual Inter-House Swimming Carnival and SyncSwim event was an early highlight of the year. The event combines competition and participation in a supportive and enthusiastic atmosphere. Following this event, our swimming team participated in the Associated and Catholic Colleges (ACC) Swimming Carnival for the first time and achieved a second place in its division. This is an exceptional result for the first year of competition. We were justifiably proud that St George’s won the shields for both Senior Girls and Senior Boys. Three of our students, Jack Blatchford, Emily Cook and William Loekito, were awarded the Individual Age Champions for the carnival.

ASC NEWS April 2017

7

Feature Theme - Primary

Early Learning St James’ Anglican School

Cobram Anglican Grammar School Cobram Anglican Grammar School Junior School has over 160 students, with two Prep/Foundation classes comprising 34 students in total. The Foundation year is a very special time for students and parents. It is clearly understood that parents need the reassurance that they have made the right educational choice for their child. Staff members make a point of regularly meeting and collaborating with parents in order to provide the most stimulating educational environment possible. Even in the first year, Cobram AGS places great emphasis on the learning areas of literacy and numeracy, where we encourage and support each child to reach his or her potential by extending and scaffolding their learning on an individual basis.

Kindergarten students at St James’ Anglican School have been learning all about themselves and exploring their identities. This fits in beautifully with the Early Years Learning Framework Outcome One, ‘children have a strong sense of identity.’ The students have been looking at their own physical identities through mirror play and focused portrait paintings. They then looked at their peers and wider Children have a community members to focus strong sense of their understanding that people identity come in all different ‘colours, shapes and sizes’; this was the inspiration for our beautiful, diverse, rich and multicultural paintings.

Children are continuing to explore different aspects of their own identities through focused play activities as they learn about their own physical, social, emotional, spiritual and cognitive identities. It is important to instil the fundamental values at a young age, that everyone is a unique and valued member of society. Difference is not something to be feared, but something to be embraced.

8

We also place particular emphasis on embedding a love of learning in each child, encouraging them to establish and rehearse the habits to become lifelong learners. This is achieved through the delivery of learning programs that challenge each individual student according to his or her own skills, needs and interests.

Cobram AGS celebrates each student’s achievements and progress, which helps to build their confidence and enthusiasm for learning. They are guided and supported by committed staff members in a positive environment to develop academically as well as socially and emotionally.

Peter Carnley Anglican Community School Early Learning at Peter Carnley Anglican Community School has entered into a new and exciting phase, with the School’s new Calista Campus opening to students Centrally located, at the heart of its local community and just two kilometres from the School’s Wellard Campus, the new Calista Campus sits on 1.2 hectares of land, and includes an auditorium suitable for whole-school performing arts, chapel services and assemblies; spacious classrooms, purposefully designed with early learners in mind; library; playgrounds, and nature play areas, all contributing to an open, colourful and enticing environment in which to learn.

“It has been wonderful to see the campus come together,” observed Mrs Maggie Dunnill, Head of Junior School. “Our new classrooms are as bright and spacious as our old, and have been augmented with the latest in learning technologies. Grassed areas have been brought back to life, raised beds create a vegetable garden, play sculptures encourage climbing and swinging, while paths are appearing for scooters and bicycles. Calista is a vibrant, new space that we are using to great effect in its first term of operation. The new campus is a first-rate facility which will serve the local community as a centre for creative and focused education now, and long into the future.”

John Wollaston Anglican Community School John Wollaston Anglican Community School has an outstanding Early Learning Centre set in a stimulating, natural environment with views of the Perth foothills. The attractive, spacious grounds include native bush gardens, nature playgrounds, water play, fruit and vegetable patches, and a worm farm to teach children about sustainability. Children are encouraged to get dirty, wet, play in the mud, have fun and interact with the natural setting, and they love it!

The Early Learning Centre houses inner courtyards, meeting places and separate playgrounds for specific year groups from Pre-Kindergarten to Year 1, to promote imagination, inquiry, social interaction and the development of motor skills.The Centre has been purpose-built and classrooms for Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, Pre-Primary and Year 1 have been designed and set up to stimulate, engage and challenge the curious minds of young students, allowing them to develop at their own pace and to their full potential. Working within the framework of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (PYP), our teaching philosophy for three to eight-year-olds (Pre-Kindergarten to Year 1) encourages exploration and discovery through playbased learning.

At John Wollaston, we aim to develop the whole child from the early years. One means by which we do this is through structured Encounter experiences. Encounters are developed for each year group, with the intention of building character and resilience by taking students out of their comfort zones. Encounter adventures include a day trip to Rottnest for Year 2, the Year 1 Encounter: Indigenous Cultural Experience at the Mundaring Wilderness Centre and Naturescape adventures at Kings Park for Pre-Primary.

ASC NEWS April 2017

9

Feature Theme - Secondary

Learning Support Peter Moyes Anglican Community School The Peter Moyes Anglican Community School offers a REACH Program that has been developed to provide academic extension for talented students and learning support for those requiring assistance. The School seeks to recognise the differing needs of students and cater for each student’s particular level of development.

Central to our support of students in Middle and Senior School is their participation in small classes which provide individual, direct and timely teacher feedback. In this environment, students have the opportunity to gain and consolidate new learning skills and receive individual assistance for specific needs.

In the Early Years, students with limited understanding of sound and symbol relationships have regular, short lessons in the REACH classroom to learn more about phonics in multisensory ways, including listening to sounds and repeating them whilst watching their mouth in a mirror and tracing letters in a sand tray or with coloured chalks. During writing activities, students practise correct letter formations, learn about sentence structure and the process of planning and editing.

Mastering the spelling of high-frequency words is made easier and more enjoyable through use of educational computer and iPad games.

It is not uncommon for students entering Middle School to need additional assistance as they adjust to the Middle School curriculum and an increased workload. In Years 7, 8 and 9, students work in small classes in their regular English or Mathematics program.

In the Middle and Upper Primary years, REACH staff provide students with additional assistance in their own classroom environment through differentiated instruction and assessment. Repeated reading and computer programs continue to be used as a source of skill development.

10

Students in Year 10 have the opportunity to attend smaller classes in English, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies with an altered program tailored to their skill level and individual needs. Students in Years 11 and 12 work in oneto-one sessions with a highly qualified support teacher. All students in need of assistance have their learning guided by Individual Education Plans and receive extra attention from regular subject teachers.

Capitalising on strengths while minimising weaknesses

Georgiana Molloy Anglican School The Learning Support Team at Georgiana Molloy Anglican School (GMAS) is staffed by two specialist teachers, a school psychologist (provisional), and a team of trained, dedicated and experienced Education Assistants, who work across the K-12 years. We, along with other teaching staff, support students with disabilities; specific learning disabilities and difficulties; and students who are academically weak in one or more area of development and learning. The Learning Support Team also works with a range of external allied health professionals and therapists in the identification, development, and implementation of specialist intervention programs, designed to address developmental delays and learning disorders.

Not all children learn in the same way: our focus is to ascertain and understand not only what specific processing or learning

delays/difficulties a student may have, but also determine how a student learns and capitalise on his or her strengths while minimising weaknesses. The Learning Support Team at GMAS strives to be informed of the many nuances of a child’s learning profile, to analyse these profiles and empower others with the knowledge and skills needed to address each child’s unique learning needs. It’s certainly a team effort and an ongoing process throughout the student’s schooling.

At GMAS, we understand and appreciate that the education of students with unique and often complex learning difficulties is a continuous process. We strive to address these needs in the best way we can and value the partnership of parents so as to ensure optimum success for our students.

Esperance Anglican Community School Esperance Anglican Community School typically has a Year 7 intake in which approximately 25% of students have a standard of literacy and numeracy well below that which would be expected. To address the needs of these students, we have established a small but significant structure of learning support which provides a range of responses designed to develop students’ skills and strengths.

The key to the support program is the Individual Educational Plan developed after thorough discussions with students, their teachers, parents and learning support staff. Data from standardised testing within the School, reports from previous schools, and other formal assessments, are also drawn upon.

The result is differentiated programs of teaching with in-class support from learning assistants; this is extended to boarders during their ‘prep’ time.

Some students benefit from instruction and help individually and in small groups. Others may have short, daily sessions to allow them to improve basic skills in literacy and numeracy which allows them to access the curriculum more effectively. We are also developing a similar structure for the relatively small number of gifted and talented students. All these initiatives benefit from our focus on the selective and focused use of information technology.

Our learning support program really does provide the nurture to which we aspire and encourages students to develop their talents.

ASC NEWS April 2017

11

Curriculum

Science Emphasising practical solutions which students discover through mathematical and scientific tools

Frederick Irwin Anglican School At Frederick Irwin we strongly believe that for students to reach their potential, they must have access to a wide range of facilities in order to enhance developing skill sets.

Secondary students have access to a range of scientific equipment relevant to the subject areas of Human Biology, Biology, Chemistry and Physics for a hands-on approach to the subject being taught, including 3D printers and a live Biology environment area.

Following Western Australia Curriculum programs, which are delivered in well-equipped laboratories in a dedicated Science block, students engage in imaginative and stimulating learning experiences.

Interested students are also invited to enrich their learning by joining clubs such as the Robotics Club.

The Primary School has embraced the Walker Learning Approach, which is a pedagogy that honours student choice and inquiry. This developmental curriculum allows students to investigate and develop their Scientific Inquiry skills within the classroom, while also allowing them to explore broader and more global concepts. We prioritise hands-on experiences and allow students to interact with the environment, learning about environmental and sustainability sciences.

...............................................................................................................................................................................................

Swan Valley Anglican Community School At Swan Valley Anglican Community School (SVACS), we are focusing on STEM to ensure our students are equipped with the necessary skills for the future. Accordingly, we have purchased 60 Edison Robots, allowing us to work with at least four classes with a robot shared between two students. Our students will explore the capabilities of the robots and we envisage that, over a period of 18 months (until the end of 2017), these students will complete three modules and then compete in inter-school events.

Having completed the first module on Controls last year, this year promises to be exciting as we move onto Programming and then, in July, onto the third module on Building.

Our focus for 2017 is to secure Lego Kits that will enable students to construct different Building projects that apply their understanding in all three modules.

At SVACS, we are building a strong foundation in STEM.

12

Biography

Congratulations Jared

Cathedral College Wangaratta Senior School Head of Science, Mrs Sue Synnot recently attended the Stem X Academy in Canberra. One of only 72 teachers selected from across Australia, Mrs Synnot participated and worked alongside the CSIRO, NASA, ANU and Geoscience Australia amongst others. Emphasis was on inquiry based learning and activities using collaboration, multidisciplinary and engagement with pressing, real-world challenges.

Keen to work with students in the area of creativity and the world of STEAM, Sue has integrated Maker Space into the Prep to Year 12 Curriculum and was recently a main presenter in the Independent Schools Victoria True STEAM Experience, a two day workshop series for Year 6 students across North-East Victoria. Held in The Science Garden and Quadrangle, focus sessions brought energy, biodiversity, creativity and sustainability education to life, with students discovering the designs and technologies that are shaping our future - from green roofs and vertical gardens, to solar technology.

My experience of Year 12 at St Mark’s Anglican Community School was a great one. What truly motivated me toward academic success in the WACE was the potential to use this success to serve God wherever the opportunities He provides take me in the future.

In terms of opportunities leading up to and in Year 12, however, I received many – and St Mark’s role in providing these was pivotal. St Mark’s gave me teachers to ask (or pester, as they might put it) for assistance, guidance, encouragement and past WACE papers. St Mark’s gave me a music program to be part of, giving me an additional sense of community and helping me through the many difficult months of Year 12. And they also gave me, indeed, a quality education.

I also cannot overlook the role my parents played in Year 12 (besides funding my whole scholastic career). They offered me immense encouragement when I was close to giving up, advice when I hit a road block and, possibly most importantly, they told me to relax when they saw that I was burning myself out.

Individually, and in small teams, students from Trinity Anglican College and Cobram Anglican College joined Cathedral College Wangaratta (above photograph), all working together to develop possible solutions in response to design briefs. Specifically, they learned more about scientific understandings, discoveries and inventions and how they are used to solve problems that directly affect peoples’ lives.

Mrs Synnot has seen the change in teaching methods over the years, with a newer and more concerted effort for students to use their knowledge in real world applications. “We are moving away from the days of chapter questions and we emphasise finding practical solutions that students have to discover through employing mathematical and scientific tools.”

The most curious thing, however, was how I came to know that I received a SCSA General Exhibition. After the school year had finished, I received an email from my Year 12 English teacher congratulating me on being awarded a “General Exhibition” – an award that I had never heard of before that moment. Little did I know that it is such a prestigious award!

As for now, I’m studying engineering at Curtin with the hope of entering the field of renewable energies. But who knows what the Lord has planned for me. I just know that it’s going to be good.

Jared Chinnery ST MARK’S ANGLICAN COMMUNITY SCHOOL

ASC NEWS April 2017

13

Who’s Who

The Perth Choral Institute

The Perth Choral Institute held its first event in January 2017, a summer choral course for students aged between 15 and 25 years. Developed as an initiative of John Septimus Roe Anglican Community School (JSRACS), the Institute’s overriding aim is to help students from all walks of life improve their singing: “to provide choral experience for singers who may not have access to grassroots training at an early age.”

Thirty singers aged between 15 and 25 came together for an eight-day, intensive, residential Summer School based at JSRACS. One of the features of the Summer School was that participants worked with professional singers who live and work in Perth or come from WA. Students were given the opportunity to learn some basic vocal and choral techniques, to develop their aural skills, and to perform in a variety of genres.

Under the tutelage of Marilyn Phillips, Nicholas Bannan, Micheál McCarthy, Sara Macliver and Andrew O’Connor the young singers were drawn from John Septimus Roe Anglican Community School, Peter Carnley Anglican Community School and St Mark’s Anglican Community School, as well as Churchlands Senior High School, Hale School, Perth College, Perth Modern School, and St Mary’s Anglican School for Girls. Participants also came from the University of Western Australia (UWA) and the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts.

There were close to 40 hours of workshops and rehearsals plus practice sessions and individual singing lessons where specialists examined and improved each singer’s technique.

The Summer School culminated in four highly successful, yet diverse, public performances which highlighted the choir’s vast repertoire. Singers were given a taste of the demands of membership of a professional choir.

1. T he singers’ first performance was a sung Evensong at St Paul’s Chapel on the JSRACS Mirrabooka campus.

14

2. A Gala Concert was held in Perth’s iconic Town Hall, featuring a program of classical, jazz and operatic music.

Highlights included John Rutter’s Sing a Song of Sixpence, Gabriel Fauré’s Tantum Ergo, Mozart’s Placido é il mar from Idomeneo, Sting’s (arr. Jasperse) Fields of Gold and John Tavener’s The Lamb.

3. A Catholic Mass was celebrated at St Patrick’s Basilica in Fremantle.

4. A n Evensong was held at St George’s Cathedral, Perth. The Dean of Perth, The Very Reverend Richard Pengelley, was so impressed with the choir’s performance that he is hoping to make the service an annual event on the Cathedral’s calendar.

Year 12 JSRACS student, Emma Davis, said the course gave her “an amazing chance to work with some prestigious and inspirational musicians”. In addition, she came away with “a better idea of what I want to do in the future …”

Former JSRACS student Rowan Swarbrick, who is studying Double Bass at UWA, summed up his week at the course as, “a week of rewarding and enjoyable work in many different genres and eras of music with a large variety of rehearsal and conducting styles …”

Fellow ex-JSRACS student Aishah Chadwick-Stumpf, who is also studying music at UWA, said she “learnt that conducting might be something I would look into and could enjoy.”

Sponsored by JSRACS, the Institute owes its existence to the support it received from the School’s former Principal, Mr Matthew Hughes MP. Of note, too, the Summer Choral Course has received accreditation for the Duke of Edinburgh International Award. The next Summer Choral Course will be held mid-January 2018. For further details about the Perth Choral Institute, visit www.perth-choral-institute.com.

Hugh Lydon, JSRACS Music teacher

Calendar

Calendar Highlights of Second Term April, May, June 2017 Date

School

Event

APRIL HOLIDAYS

CCW

Camps for Y 3, 10 and 11

APRIL HOLIDAYS

JSRACS

Y 7-12 to Indonesia; Y 10-12 V. Arts to Europe

26 APRIL

ASC

Christian Purposes Day

27 APRIL

CAGS

Careers Day

1 MAY

JSRACS

“Wedding Singer”

1 MAY

SVACS

Drama Production

5 MAY

WAASA

Student Leaders’ Reunion

5 MAY

SMACS

St Mark’s Day

5 MAY

TAC

“High School the Musical”

6 MAY

EACS

Parish Fete

6 MAY

JWACS

School Fair

8 MAY

SGAGS

St George’s Day celebrations

16 MAY

CCW

Parents’ Seminar

26 MAY

Sorry Day

29 MAY

EACS

Y 3-6 to Rottnest

1 JUNE

GMAS

Biggest Morning Tea

6 JUNE

GMAS

Book Fair

8 JUNE

SJAS

“Annie”

10 JUNE

PMACS

Family Quiz Night

13 JUNE

FIAS

Performing Arts Camp

16 JUNE

PCACS

Founders’ Day

21 JUNE

ASC

5th Annual Piano Competition at PMACS

23 JUNE

JSRACS

“Beauty and the Beast”

28 JUNE

TAC

Interhouse Performing Arts Festival

29 JUNE

FIAS

Music Evening

2-9 JULY

NAIDOC Week

ASC NEWS April 2017

15

Anglican Identity

Easter Messages

In the Name of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Easter is the highest and holiest celebration that Christians have – bigger than Christmas and certainly bigger than Halloween [or All Hallows Eve]. There are three key days in the season of Holy Week and Easter – Maundy Thursday [when Jesus ate with his disciples for the last time and was arrested], Good Friday [when he was crucified, died and was buried] and Easter Day [when his disciples found he has risen from the dead].

Through Jesus’ life, death and rising; our past, our present and our future are changed.

Our past is changed because we have forgiveness of sins from God, which means we always have the chance to make a new start and turn away from what we do wrong.

Our present is changed because we get to live in the company of the risen Jesus, who is fully God but also fully human and who knows what it’s like to be a human being as we are.

Our future is changed because Jesus promises us that if we believe, death cannot hold us but we will rise to new and eternal life with him.

May your Easter be full of powerful and eternal hopes like these.

The Right Reverend Kate Wilmot

ADMINISTRATOR DIOCESE OF PERTH

Margaret, Joe the aging Goldie, and I recently adopted Poppy, a cross mastiff girl about a year old. She had obviously had a rough start to life. She was very nervous. She cowered, tail between her legs and jumped at the least sound.

But she loved gentle affection and she and Joe immediately bonded. So now she lives in the Lodge. Already she is much more confident and playful.

Joe has taken her under his wing and shows her the domestic routine.

Together, they romp in the yard. Poppy has brought new life with her, as she has received the gift of life. Joe is a renewed elder canine statesperson.

Margaret and I are showered with doggy affection. Even the cat is getting used to this new, big, clumsy, loving presence in the house.

Easter is the story of the self-giving of Jesus which brings life to the world.

In some small and symbolic way, our giving of ourselves to Poppy has become life giving; not only for her but for us as well. And if my little parable strikes any chord with you, dear reader, then may I encourage you to open yourself to the disadvantaged other, that as you become the bringer of life, so you will know the joy of life.

Generosity breeds generosity. This is an absolute spiritual principle. Love breeds love. Give of yourself that you too may receive. For Christ’s sake.

The Right Reverend John Parkes AM Bishop of Wangaratta

Managing the complex transport arrangements for a family with school age children requires real skills and can become the dominant conversation of every weekday breakfast time. Our lives are so full of essential matters that there is no room for other things.

Living like this for long periods can become dangerous, with an impact on our physical, emotional and spiritual well-being.

Thank God, then, for holidays! It is no surprise that the name comes from holy days. These days became a time of great enjoyment; away from work and away from the routine of daily life the people were free to feast, dance and sing. Today those feasts often occur around the BBQ with family and friends.

The holidays of Easter offer something. They are an invitation to think about deeper things. Why not take a day this holidays to think about your own life, physically, emotionally, and spiritually? In the celebration of the death and resurrection of Jesus, is an invitation to a richer and deeper life.

Easter is the promise of new life for all.

The Right Reverend Allan Ewing Bishop of Bunbury

The Anglican Schools Commission Inc 5 Wollaston Road, Mt Claremont, WA Postal Address: Po Box 2520 Mt Claremont Wa 6010 P (08) 9286 0290 F (08) 9384 5023 | info@asc.wa.edu.au | www.asc.wa.edu.au