NEWSLETTER Year 8 World Vision Workshop Term III
Academic • Christian • Caring
Issue 1 Term IV 2013
Looking Forward During the holidays I had the pleasure of representing TIGS at the 50th Anniversary Celebrations of our sister school, Sapporo Nichidai High School. Our two schools have had a sister school relationship now for 16 years and it was a great privilege to represent TIGS at this important event for our friends at Sapporo located on the Japanese Island of Hokkaido. Each year students are exchanged between our schools for the purpose of language learning and for the development of cultural understanding. Students at TIGS are able to study Japanese from the Junior School right through to Year 12 and this opportunity to develop language skills in Japanese is an invaluable one. At the Anniversary Dinner I spoke to 500 guests about the importance of the relationship between our schools and how it is becoming stronger through the friendships that have developed between students and teachers. We look forward to this friendship continuing for many years to come.
Stephen Kinsella Headmaster
The Principal of Sapporo Nichidai High School, Mr Takeshi Asari, expressed his delight at the continued growth of this relationship and the expression of support given by TIGS at their important celebrations. Students from Sapporo Nichidai are next scheduled to visit TIGS in 2014. The opportunity to visit students from other cultures is an important part of the curriculum at TIGS. We regularly welcome students from Japan, Hong Kong and Thailand on short term and long term study visits and see this as a way for students to go beyond a mere tolerance of people from other cultures to develop a deep and meaningful understanding of people from other lands. This is a sound basis for becoming global citizens that seek to understand the needs and aspirations of others. We also look forward to welcoming students from the Nganambala School in November. Our friendship with the Emu Point community continues to grow and we look forward to returning the hospitality given to our Year 11 students who visit Emu Point each year. Term IV looks to be another busy term. Our Year 12 students, newly graduated, are already sitting for their final Year 12 examinations and will receive their HSC results and ATAR scores in mid-December. We wish them well and look forward to them receiving the great results that they deserve. Students at TIGS consistently achieve beyond their expectations and our graduates this year can expect the same outcome from their hard work. With Myers already selling their Christmas decorations the year is clearly coming to a close faster than we realise. It is important that we reserve some dates in our diaries for key events. These events are important because they allow us as a community to celebrate the successes and achievements of the year and to thank the students and staff for all their hard work. The attendance of parents and supporters of the School is always appreciated by students and staff and we look forward to your attendance at these important events which include: •
Infants Pageant – Saturday 30 November at 10.00am in the IGC.
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A Christmas Celebration - Wednesday 4 December at 6.30pm in the IGC (There will be a picnic prior, with more details to come)
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Years 3-6 Presentation Evening – Monday 9 December at 6.00pm in the IGC
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Senior School Presentation Day – Thursday 12 December at 10.30am in the IGC
I wish all our students success in their academic endeavours as the year draws to a close and for all our parents and supporters I wish for them to have the stamina to attend these many significant events.
Stephen Kinsella Headmaster
Spiritual Giftedness You may be aware that I was on Long Service Leave during Term III. I was thankful to be granted this extended break and return to TIGS refreshed and keen to resume my privileged role as Chaplain to the School. I want to acknowledge the gracious service of assistant Chaplain Rev Mark Grieve and Mrs Kate Stanton who assumed many of my duties during that time. Mark and Kate did an excellent job on top of already busy schedules and I thank them for their generosity toward the TIGS community and me. Much of my time on leave was spent on home renovations. I was working alongside various tradespeople on a fairly major home project. The work continues around me as I write this article! The experience of home renovations has given me a renewed appreciation of the skill of tradespeople. Their ability to visualize a job and see that vision through to completion never ceases to amaze me. Sometimes in our society tradespeople are considered lesser beings to some of the more “professional” occupations. The Bible knows no such distinctions - both artists and artisans, poets and professors, leaders and lawyers are each alike gifted by God and valued in his sight.
Rev James Rogers Chaplain
Proof of this is found in the Bible as early as the book of Exodus. There we find God ordering the construction of the tabernacle, that portable temple that was to provide a dwelling place for God while Israel progressed from captivity in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land. Having given the order for the tabernacle to be built God then gifted the community with tradespeople to enable them to realize the construction. One was a guy called Bezalel. God says concerning Bezalel:
“I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts – to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stone, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship.” (Exodus 31.2-5) It is a wonderful acknowledgement that such practical work is truly spiritual, born of the Spirit of God. At TIGS we acknowledge that God uniquely shapes each child. He has gifted each with particular passions and talents. It is our task at TIGS to assist each student to discern just how God has gifted them so that they can nurture those gifts and direct them toward a lifetime of service. We do not make distinctions between one gift and another for as we learn from Exodus the tradesperson is as vital and valued to the community as the teacher, the decorator as the doctor. Each is a gracious gift of God. Now that I have been reminded of this important lesson it would be good to get these renovations completed. Please!
Rev James Rogers Chaplain
Senior School
This week, as Acting Headmaster, I gave a short talk to the new Year 12 Students and their Parents entitled ‘Surviving the HSC.’ The title itself is problematic, as I believe that we should not be intensifying the pressure students feel at this time by conceptualizing it in this way. Nevertheless I sought help from Dr Michael Carr-Greg and his book on this very topic. The advice to be found there was advice that would be equally relevant to all students and their parents; so this week here are some of his tips for students. • Get a good night’s sleep. Students need 8.25 to 9.25 hours of sleep a night but rarely get this. “Young people are the most sleep deprived people on the planet,” he reveals, saying that without the required amount of sleep their brains won’t work properly. • Eat well – especially at breakfast. Ensure you have glucose as it’s food for the brain. Eggs are the most powerful brain food – as long as they’re not fried. Yoghurt, anchovies, sardines and blueberries are all great as well. • Study for 50 minutes at a time then have a 15-minute break. If you study for less time but with more breaks the brain remembers more. • Drink lots of water – make sure you have a sip at least every twenty minutes to keep the brain hydrated • Exercise – do at least three sessions of mild aerobic exercise each week Deputy Headmaster and • Do not study late at night • Study at the same time and same place each day when possible. Head of Senior School • Take responsibility for your study by working out a timetable of when to work and when to socialise. • Find the best way you remember things. Maybe you read and write things down or just listen intently. Do you work better in groups or alone? • As a rule, do not listen to music with lyrics while studying. Low volume instrumental music is ok. • Try not to let personal relationships interfere with your study. • Limit social networking considerably. • Part-time work of up to 10 to 12 hours a week is manageable but 15 or more hours will interfere with the study regime. • Do not cheat or consider cheating. • Keep a sense of humour. • Learn to juggle. Scientists believe it improves brain function.
Monica Watt
Monica Watt Deputy Headmaster and Head of Senior School
Junior School One of the wonderful benefits of the PYP Programme is that the Units of Inquiry do not begin and end at the same time as school terms. Authentic learning is not interrupted with a holiday break and begins again as soon as school returns. The start of Term IV was a case in point for Year 3. Having started the unit: Where we are in Place and Time in Week 7 of Term III, learning about how Indigenous communities have connections that have sustained them over time’ was being embraced by all. Jade Kennedy, the Aboriginal liaison officer from the Dharawal people, had already taught Year 3 how to make string using traditional methods. On the first two days of Term IV, Jade took each class to Mt Keira where he taught us about Dharawal traditions, foods and medicines. He told us Dreamtime stories about how the local area had been created and what connection to Country is and why it is so important to Aboriginal people.
Judi Nealy
Head of Junior School
One of the interesting concepts that Jade emphasised was that the Dharawal people used the resources that were available to them and they managed those resources so that the environment could sustain them over time. Lamandra, the clumping grass used in many gardens in the Illawarra, was one of those resources and Year 3 discovered that this plant had many uses. Dharawal people chewed the ends of the leaf for its moisture, dried the leaves and bound it into string and ground the seeds and used the flour to make damper. The Year 3 excursion to Mt Keira was a valuable and unforgettable learning experience. The connections made to our Central Idea were made available to us through the genuine care and authentic knowledge of Jade Kennedy.
Cyber safety and social media for primary age children Last term we did a very unscientific “audit” of the number of children using social media sites in the Junior School and what they were. We were not surprised to learn that many of our children are using Facebook, Instagram and Kik along with other social media apps or sites. What our parents may be surprised to know is that for them to be doing so is illegal and potentially dangerous. These sites all have the requirement that users be over the age of 13 (Kik is over 17), our children know this and they are in fact, being dishonest about their date of birth to create an account – you cannot accidentally join any of these apps, without nominating a date of birth that is older than 13. That sounds harsh, but unfortunately it is the situation that is current in most schools including ours. So, is this an issue and what should we do about it? We need to be actively involved in understanding these apps for our children and that our parenting and supervisory responsibilities for cyber behaviour remain exactly the same as in the face to face world. We need our children to be doing age appropriate things, we need them to be interacting with people that we know and feel that they are safe with and we need to know where they are on line as well as in the real world. Just like we use playgrounds, pool fences and supervision at home, we need to use these on line, as well as developing trust, discernment and age appropriate self-protective and confidence skills. It sounds like a tough job! So here are a few useful links for TIGS parents to stay informed and feel empowered to teach our students to be digital citizens. “There exists a “generational digital divide which means parents do not necessarily feel equipped to help their children in this space”. This is coupled with a “risk-averse culture where we are inclined to keep our children ‘indoors’ despite their developmental needs to socialise and take risks”. “There are some fantastic [software] products out there but it’s just as much about traditional parenting - stranger danger, house rules, constant communication. “These are the skills you’ve been using since your child was two and you had to stop him from putting his hand in the plug socket.” http://www.theguardian.com/mcafee/child-safety-online Did you know that parents can set restrictions on their young child’s device, or perhaps on your own which they use? It’s important that parents have the password for these settings so that they are the only ones who can change them. There are plenty of sites on line that will assist you in setting these up. Below is a link to Susan McLean’s website which is useful and current. Parents will remember that Susan was a presenter at our school last year; you can sign up for her newsletter to stay in touch with your children’s cyber world. http://sociallyactive. com/instagram-and-kids-a-parents-guide/ Our School community is also reminded to take advantage of the IT training that we offer here at school, these sessions occur six times per year. I’d love to see many Junior School parents attending these opportunities and learning together. You can RSVP via try booking http://www.tigs.nsw.edu.au/events-a-bookings/online-bookings and you can check out previous sessions at the IT and coffee blog http://hub.tigs.nsw.edu.au/techchat/ there are several blogs about this topic already posted.
Dates for your diary: •
Friday 1 November – Professional Development Day (Pupil Free Day)
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Wednesday 6 November – K-12 Sports Presentation Evening
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Thursday 14 November – Volunteers Thank You Breakfast
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Thursday 21 November – Year 6 Progression Dinner
Junior School Awards Weekly Awards KB KD KM KP 1C 1M 1T 2H 2M 3W 3WJ 4R 4S 5Y 6S 6Y
Lachlan Kiang, Keiran Reveley Saxon Parrish, Katherine Binks Ava Santos, Kalan Taylor, Rhea Boga, Oscar Kiely Ashton Tregonning, Spencer Newhouse, Harley Adams, Sia Gando, Ashley Brewer, Charlotte I’Ons Stephanie Fiorio, Xavier Druett, Mia Taylor, Brandon Nugara, Tyler Sullivan Lillian Glover, Glory Obinwanor, Alexander Attorre Georgia Dolan, Diya Mehan, Samarth Sirohi, Daniel Peden, Cohen Sawyer, Mayank Aurangabadkar Cameron Davies, A ditya Kumaresan Lin Yu Ma, Pippi Fuller Hasnain Aly, Joshua Franco, Charlotte Atkinson, Hasnain Aly Zachary Birch, Jack Burrows, Jasper Bambrick, Isabella Atkinson Charlotte Tregonning, Anthony Damcevski, Xia Lian Wilson Ella Vartazarian, Amy Lendrum, Lina Lee, James Taylor, Isobel Kinnear, Shemun Simon Jayden Grieve, Yaan Keller-Bergmann, Sarah Tubman, Farrah Al-Salih, Niamh Christopher, Maya Middleton, Joseph Druett Joanne Karakousis, Maryam Simon, Thomas Hobeika Ethan Brunskill, Izac Saad, Evelyn Parrish-Gibbons, Cody Nugara
Merit Certificates Academic Nicholas Chiaverini Ella Vartazarian Nadia Nagaratnam Jessica Hall William Mackay Maya Soligo Harry Fuller Alexia Zafiriou Lauren O’Hanlon James Brewer Zachary Birch Ava Santos
Kasim Kermali Laila Kumar Nelle-May Makowski Ashley Brewer Glory Obinwanor Jayden Grieve Jack Burrows Samuel Lowe Oscar Kiely Charlie Taylor Yaan Keller-Bergmann
Service
Personal Presentation
Dean Borbilas Connor Harvey Liam Harvey Anika Rindani Mackayla Hutchinson Sally Gyngell Nicholas Chiaverini Soraya McCann Evelyn Parrish-Gibbons Rory Swainson Bowen Kimberley-Mastalir Jessy Harman Alissa Tonkin Grace Hobeika
Piper Kimberley-Mastalir Zane Taylor
Vaccinations Due to circumstances beyond our control vaccinations for Year 7 and Year 9 boys will be held on Monday, 4 November.
New Train Timetable – 20 October 2013 A new train timetable will come into effect on Monday, 21 October 2013. Students are to catch the train that has them arriving into Wollongong (eastern side) at 8.17am. A Premier Illawarra bus will collect students from the train station at 8.25 am and bring them straight to school. If you have any concerns please do not hesitate to contact either Andrew Rutty or Lisa Dent on 4220 0200.
P&F Message Year 7 Mothers’ Dinner 7.00pm Friday 25 October 2013 Centro CBD (in the lower private room) Cost is $52pp, paid on the night (drinks purchased separately) A private room at Centro has been booked which will give everyone a chance to meet and mingle. There are set menus for this dinner which gives everyone a choice from five different entrees, mains, and desserts. If you are able to come, please RSVP Renee Santos via email jsantos1@optusnet.com.au or text/phone my mobile 0422995509.
Senior School Sports Student Success Hockey
Congratulations to Isabella Sandy (Year 7) who travelled to Hobart in the holidays to represent NSW in the U13 National Hockey Championships. The team played exceptionally well winning the title of Australian Champions 2013.
Basketball
Congratulations to Chloe Lavalle (Year 7) and Blake McDougall (Year 7) on their selection in the U15 State Country Basketball teams. We wish them all the best for their tournament at Port Macquarie in January.
NSW All Schools Athletics Championships The NSW All Schools Athletics Championships were held at Homebush from 10-13 October. TIGS were represented by nine students and there were a number of outstanding results. The competitors and their results were as follows: • • • • • • • • •
Alexander Seal (17B) - 3000m 2nd, 1500m 3rd Alexandra Lavalle (15G) - 200m Hurdles 3rd, 90m Hurdles 6th Maudie Skyring (16G) - 1500m 4th, 3000m 4th James Seal (13B) – 1500m 4th, 800m 5th, 3000m 9th Elliot Hutt (13B) – Long Jump 4th Ashley Dribbus (12G) – 80m Hurdles 5th Angus Pryde (14B)- 800m 8th Roisin Concannon (16G) – 1500m 10th Elizabeth Martin (13G) – 800m 15th, 1500m 16th
Congratulations to Alexander Seal(Year 11) who has qualified to compete at the Australian All School’s Championships to be held at Townsville in December. Congratulations also to Maudie Skyring (Year 10) who ran a qualifying time allowing her to compete at the Australian Age Championships to be held in Sydney in March of next year.
Co-curricular Sport The Summer Sports for Term IV, 2013 have begun as follows: • • • • • • •
Badminton - Monday - IGC - 3.30pm - 4.30pm Basketball - Wednesday - IGC - 3.30pm - 4.30pm Rock Climbing - Wednesday - Hangdog Auburn Street Wollongong - 3.30pm - 4.30pm Surfing - Monday - North Beach - 6.30am - 8.00am Swimming - Monday and Friday - University Pool - 7.00am - 8.00am (TIGS bus to school) Table Tennis - Monday - IGC - 3.30pm - 4.30pm Tennis - Wednesday - Beaton Park - 3.30pm - 4.30pm
All Sport buses for Co-curricular Sports will leave from Western Avenue. If you have committed to any of these sports you must attend or a note of absence is required.
“Not So Secret” Mens Business Sportsman’s Dinner
TIGSFOUNDATION
TIGS Foundation “Not So Secret” Men’s Business Sportsman’s Dinner Mission: When Where: Who: What: Cost: Sponsored by:
Major Fundraising Event Friday 1 November 2013, 6.30 pm Western Grandstand, Victory Room, WIN Sports & Entertainment Centre Men 3 course dinner, beverages and entertainment $120pp HLB Mann Judd Accountants, Business and Financial Advisers
For enquiries, please contact Lisa Wilson, Foundation Coordinator on 4220 0264 or email lwilson@tigs.nsw.edu.au
Extend @ TIGS Weekly Recap We ushered in Term IV without any Homework Club happening for the week and this made the children VERY happy!! We played a lot of outdoor sports games taking full advantage of the beautiful sunny weather. We played soccer and tee ball down on the Oval and some of us went down to the garden to do some weeding and watering of the plants. Ms Branka has been busy “Pin Interesting” online all the delicious baking and cooking recipes that we will be doing this term as well as some creative and fun craft work. This week we took photos of each child, cut the outlines out and strung them up like they were flying away on a balloon.
Week 3’s Activities:
Monday 21 October: “Bend it like Beckham” with Tom Tuesday 22 October: “Our Kitchen Rules!” with Ms Mac Wednesday 23 October: “Gardening Gloves Club” with Ms Indy Thursday 24 October: “Organised Sports” with Ms Indy Friday 25 October: “Crazy Craft” with Ms Indy
Our Extend Superstar is… Sally G for helping us with Crazy Craft this week. Don’t forget to collect your certificate from us when you join us next!
ONLINE BOOKINGS: extend.com.au
CALL OUR OFFICE: 1300 366 437
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