Issue 4 Term I 2014

TI G S

The Illawarra Grammar School

Newsletter Academic Christian Caring

Issue4

TERM I 2014

LISA MCINNES-SMITH

Monday 3 February

Headmaster It was a privilege for the School to play host to Lisa McInnes-Smith last Monday. Lisa is a gifted speaker and spoke at three sessions: ‘Being a good team member’ to TIGS staff; ‘Getting the most out of your team’ to leaders from the community: and ‘Being a good parent’ to over 200 parents. It was a great day.

•

•

•

Children interrupting adults in conversation – provide children with nonverbal signals, such as gently touching a parent’s elbow, to attract attention.

This teaches the child to respect the adults while providing them with an appropriate way to convey their need to communicate. How long a child should wait depends on the age of the child and the urgency of their ‘crisis’.

o Make sure parents do not model the wrong behaviour when communicating with each other - she gave the humorous example of ignoring a request while engrossed in watching TV - children can quickly mimic the wrong behaviour •

Establish a code (preferably negotiated and written) by which your family lives – she used the phrase “in this household we …” as the way of expressing the ten or so points that make up the family code.

Some examples that she gave, always to be said with a smile, included: “In our family we: o … say please and thank you” o … don’t use bad language” o … greet each other when we arrive home” o … let each other know where we are” o … always say good morning and good night”

•

o Identify and celebrate your children’s strengths and don’t harp on their weaknesses •

o It should always be about the child’s contribution to others Teach children to be grateful o Pray with them

o ‘Electronic free night’ or ‘electronic devices time’ •

Parents should be in agreement, negotiated in private, about the discipline of their children. She suggested that if agreement could not be reached then there should be agreement about which parent will make the final decision. o Set achievable boundaries for children o Avoid making empty threats

“We give our children everything to live with but nothing to live for.” o Teach your children the value of faith - a purpose that is bigger than themselves o “Raise your children in a place where spiritual beliefs are valued, discussed and debated”

Establish positive ‘rituals’ with children, such as: o Bed time - teeth cleaning, read a story, say prayers o Eat dinner together - without TV; talk about the day; share positive and negative experiences,

“Don’t do for your children what they can do for themselves.” o Children without jobs to do in the family don’t feel a part of the family o Meals are family time: family created; family eaten; family cleaned up

o Always responding with “Yes Mum or Dad” should be part of the family code

Her many words of wisdom included: •

Training children to obey the first time they are asked o Ensure they respond every time to your direction – to ignore someone is disrespectful

o Teach them to identify things for which they are grateful – a family ritual might begin with “I am grateful for…”

•

Love your children unconditionally o “Love is giving people dignity and worth when you don’t feel like it and they don’t deserve it.”

Chaplain’s Message WARRAWONG READERS

As they have come to understand their community a little better, Port Kembla and Warrawong Anglican Church has discovered that reading is a low priority for many families in the Warrawong and Port Kembla area. Indeed, many families have neither books nor bookcases in the home. If the research is right then this is a remedy for disaster, hence the creation of Warrawong Readers.

Warrawong Readers will run from 9.15am10.15am each Thursday morning during school term at Warrawong Anglican Church (282 Cowper St Warrawong). It will be a free programme and open to all in the community. It is another example of how churches quietly go about doing good in the community for the betterment of the community.

Lisa pointed out that much of what she said was already known by parents - we sometimes just need a reminder to help us shift our behaviour from ‘what is’ to ‘what we would like it to be’.

Parents that are looking for more information from Lisa McInnes-Smith, including her resources, should start at her website: lisaspeaks.com.au Stephen Kinsella Headmaster

FAMILY CONTACT DETAILS Please be reminded that it is the responsibility of parents to provide accurate contact information (if you change jobs, change email or mobile numbers) so that in the case of an emergency, contact can be made immediately with you.

These details can be updated using the Parent Portal. Please also ensure that the School has at least the names and phone numbers of at least two (2) emergency contacts, other than parents. This can be emailed directly to enrolments@tigs.nsw. edu.au

This week, as a part of their Community Service, Year 9 TIGS students commence an exciting partnership with Port Kembla and Warrawong Anglican Church. They will assist with a new venture called Warrawong Readers.

Warrawong Readers is a reading programme for children aged 3-5 years and their caregivers. Children and care givers will experience the joy of reading books, singing songs and learning rhymes in an effort to ensure that both caregivers and children have good literary habits in place by the time children commence their formal schooling.

The need for such a programme is justified by current research and evidence which suggests that unless children have good reading habits in place before they commence school, they will enter school behind, and remedial help will struggle considerably to help them catch up.

Further research suggests that the very presence of books in the home is a key factor in increasing children’s intelligence and aptitude for further learning.

We are excited to be partners in this programme. Each week around ten of our Year 9 students will travel to Warrawong Anglican Church to assist in running the program. Our students will help read to the children, play games and encourage the children to sing and dance to the rhymes. This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to develop their own skills in interpersonal relationships and educational leadership.

It also provides them with a wonderful opportunity to model and share the love of Jesus who always expressed a heart and concern for those in need.

As the School Chaplain I am very excited that TIGS can be partners in this good work. I commend it to you. If you know any who might benefit from the programme please remember to promote it to them. You can find further information at http://pkw.org.au/read or by calling Rev Mike Turner on 42746953.

Alternatively you can just turn up to Warrawong Anglican Church at 9.15am on Thursdays. Make sure you say hello to our students if you do!

Rev James Rogers Chaplain

Senior School

LEARNING OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM

I know that one of my most vivid memories from my own schooling, was pitching tents with a group of my classmates, adjacent to a babbling brook, in pristine woodland. We had hiked through the bush from the bus to the campsite. The final push to the site involved fording a stream and I managed to drop my rucksack in the water, following a misjudged throw, ensuring a wet sleeping bag and gear for the first night. Things didn’t improve during the night as the area was hit by a severe thunderstorm. The calm stream morphed into a raging torrent during the night and we woke to find water lapping at the edges of our campsite. The group was forced to abandon the camp and a full day march out ensued.

The aim of this story is not to alarm you about the School’s Outdoor Education and camp programme.

In fact, the use of trained Outdoor Education providers, risk assessment and sophisticated communications and satellite navigation systems, means that camps are infinitely safer experiences compared to what you or I may have experienced in the past. The point is that some of the most memorable and fun times at school invariably will often relate to learning that takes place beyond the classroom. Often these experiences involve some hardship or difficulties where there is not only practical learning but also often resilience building, as students can take risks in a safe environment.

So far this year students from both Years 7 and 8 have attended Outdoor Education experiences, which have been both fun and challenging.

Some sense of these experiences may be gleaned by viewing the short movie clip of the Year 7 programme, produced by some of the students under the direction of Ms Goodman.

See video right.

As well, Year 11 have been actively involved in collaboratively creating pieces of writing, art, dance and drama, inspired by the beautiful surrounds of the Shoalhaven River. The culmination of work by students at the Creative Camp will be on display from Friday evening 7 March, at the Beyond Bundanon Exhibition in the IGC. The exhibition of work will also be available for viewing during Expo Day on Saturday 8 March.

In May ,Year 9 will travel to Bungonia Gorge at the headwaters of the Shoalhaven, where they will experience a hike to camp and they will be responsible for packing their food and gear. The Year 9 programme is a lynch pin in the sequential Outdoor Education programme, where students are able to draw on their skills and experiences from Years 7 and 8.

The Year 10 camp will be somewhat different this year with students able to choose between three options. The first is a winter experience involving 4 nights in the snow, where students will be exposed to a range of skills such as cross-country skiing and building snow shelters. There are also two summer hiking expeditions either in Kosciusko National Park or the Victorian Alps.

Year 9 will also be involved in a leadership camp later in the year to provide them with a range of skills

Greg Lanyon Acting Head of Senior School to equip them to take on leadership positions in Outdoor Education, Peer Support, Hosting and Peer Reading.

Year 12 will also have a short study camp following their Trial HSC exams.

The aim here is to unwind and refocus prior to the final revision period before their HSC exams. The adolescent psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg, believes that students perform better in major exams if they take a short break where they are able to be active but also take time to relax and reenergise.

Monday 3 March was the opening of the ArtExpress Exhibition at The Armory, Sydney Olympic Park and it was a wonderful event that celebrated some of the most outstanding HSC Artworks from 2013. We were thrilled to spend this night with Jake Kuit and his family, particularly when we entered the gallery to find that his sculpture, Anthropomorphic Evolution, is the first work the audience sees as you enter the building. It will continue to hang along side some of the top HSC works across the state throughout the Easter break at Sydney Olympic Park from 4 March - 27 April and then again at Wollongong Art Gallery from 10 May - 13 July. Members of the TIGS community are encouraged to visit as they are conducting education opportunities for students of all ages.

More information about these are on the Armory’s website. mailto:http:// www.sydneyolympicpark.com.au/ whats_on/parks/newington_armory

ARTEXPRESS 2014

This follows on from the selection of Chika Jochi (HSC 2012), whose work was hung at the 2013 ArtExpress Exhibition at The Amory, Sydney Olympic Park. Jake’s Sculptures will be on display at the Armoury. We congratulate Jake and Chika, the Creative Arts Staff for their wonderful support of these students and their supportive families.

DEBATING

PUBLIC SPEAKING

Congratulations to our Middle, Senior and Open Debating divisions who all won their first round of the HICES Debating Competition last Tuesday evening. A big thankyou must also be extended to the students who assisted with the organisation and support of these teams on the day.

Congratulations Kate Martin (Year 12) on winning the Public Speaking Award at the Lions Club Youth of the Year district final in Wollongong on Saturday. Kate presented a five minute speech on the topic of Perspective, and two impromptu speeches in response to questions about current economic and social issues. Well done Kate!

Marg Dubowski

Marg Dubowski

Junior School Community

The P&F welcome lunch was a wonderful opportunity to be in community together at the start of a new year. We all know that relationships are established and built over meals, so what a wonderful opportunity for our community to break bread together, hear about the directions that our School is taking and continue to build friendships across the parent body.

This week we saw our school community and the local community come together as a group of learners. It was such a rich experience for all of us because we benefitted from each other’s diversity and skills as we participated in the Lisa McInnesSmith Team Leader and Family Workshops.

A wonderful culture of our school is that we are all learners here together, not just the students, not just the staff, but our parents and the community as well.

Weekly Awards KD KM

KP 1M 1T 2C 2H 4R 5A

5S

6G

Tom I’Ons, Aahan Rakheja, Leonardo Attorre, Alexandra Da Deppo Yasmin Matar, Shlok Murty Jocelyn Ayers Keiran Reveley, Samra Tarrant Aiden Da Deppo Allegra Fock Amelia Druett Krishnendu Gupta, Daniel Michelmore Megan Ashford.

Alexander Stevenson Aaron Avenido, Zoe Dribbus

Judi Nealy Head of Junior School

In the swim!

Our Junior School students headed up to Homebush to swim in the NASSA Swimming Carnival. Great results were achieved by all of our students with plenty of PB’s as they gave their very best effort to represent their school. The competition was extremely fierce and our final result was a pleasing 3rd place.

The most pleasing aspect of this carnival however, was the attitude and sportsmanship displayed by our TIGS students as they encouraged each other, acknowledged skill and effort of other schools and just really entered into the spirit of the competition. I was certainly very proud of them.

AWARDS

MERIT CERTIFICATES Service Rebecca Winn Sarah Hutchinson Annie McLearie Alexia Zafiriou

Academic Lucy Cross Isobel Kinnear

JUNIOR SCHOOL

FRIDAY 14 MARCH 2014 5.00PM - 8.00PM JUNIOR SCHOOL OVAL Junior School students and their families are invited to a fun filled night to be held on our Junior School Oval. Pack a basket with everything you will need for a picnic Our Senior School Leaders will be organising lots of games and races for parents and their children to enjoy together RSVP: Wednesday 12 March Please email ktregonning@tigs.nsw.edu.au An email/SMS will be sent if the weather does not allow this event to take place

Please be advised that this is an alcohol free event

Sport

SENIOR SCHOOL

Splash and Dash fundraiser for Cancer Council WHEN: 29 – 30 March at Wollongong Harbour EVENTS: Saturday 29 March Wollongong Ocean & Basin Swim Kids Harbour Splash 350m, 800m Harbour Splash, 2km Sunday 30 March City Beach Fun Run all ages City Beach 5k Scenic coastal course, Kidz Family Run 2.5k ideal for younger kids Sunday 30 March Aquathon’s swim and run Big Aqua: 605m swim, 5k run Mini Aqua: 250m swim, 2.5k run Kidz ‘Try A Aqua: 150m swim, 2k run For event details and online entry: www.aquathon.com.au

We would love all our K-9 students to participate in the NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge for 2014. The Challenge offers a fabulous opportunity for children to explore and read from an extensive list of great

2015 SCHOLARSHIPS NOW OPEN

Scholarships are now open for 2015 in Years 7 and 10. Further information is available at http://www.tigs.nsw.edu.au/scholarships. Scholarship Registrations and Applications close on Friday 14 March 2014.

For any additional information, please contact Enrolments on 42200 216 or email: enrolments@tigs.nsw.edu.au

TIGS FOUNDATION AGM 2014 All members are cordially invited to attend the TIGS Foundation Annual General Meeting.

If you know others who are interested in the work of TIGS Foundation or have been part of the Foundation’s history, we would welcome their attendance as a guest.

When: Where: Time: Dress: RSVP: Phone: Email:

Wednesday 19 March 2014 Goodhew Research Centre (Library - Entrance via Powell Street) 6.00pm - 7.00pm Welcome drinks and canapés, 7.00pm - 8.00pm AGM Smart casual 12 March 2014 Lisa Wilson (Foundation Coordinator) 4220 0264 foundation@tigs.nsw.edu.au

TIGS EXPO DAY 10.00am to 2.00pm Saturday 8 March Do you know a child who would benefit from a TIGS education? This is a wonderful opportunity to visit areas of the School you have not seen or invite grandparents and friends who have not seen the School before. You may know people that have shown an interest in the School, so please invite them as there will be plenty of opportunity for them to talk with staff to discuss the benefits of a TIGS Education.

School tours will be conducted between 10.00am and 2.00pm.

Community MACARON DAY

CELEBRATE MACARON DAY AND HELP THE COMMUNITY

The language prefects invite the TIGS community to participate in raising money for their Year 12 charity. International macaron day falls 20 March and we have decided to bring the delicious Parisian macaron to TIGS. You can order your macarons by the dozen through your flexischool account, or if you do not have an account you can still purchase as a guest. It is the ideal time to stock up for the coming Easter festivities!

While the 12 mouth watering sweet treats will cost you only $20, you can be assured that part of your donation will go a long way in helping bring some dignity and social inclusion to the homeless through the Streetswag intitiative. Jump online now to secure a variety of different flavours from raspberry almond to blood orange or from salted cafamel to kaffir lime and coconut and many, many more.

Online orders must be made by Sunday 16 March through your registered flexischool account or as a guest login.

Contact dpreviati@tigs.com.au for further details. Merci et bon appétit

PREMIER’S READING CHALLENGE 2014 We would love all our K-9 students to participate in the NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge for 2014. The Challenge offers a fabulous opportunity for children to explore and read from an extensive list of great literature. There are four challenge levels for our School students to choose from: K-2, Years 3-4, Years 5-6, Years 7-9. To find out more about the Premier’s Reading Challenge, visit their website https:// products.schools.nsw.edu.au/prc/home.html.

Permission notes have been emailed to parents of Junior School students. Senior school students please contact Library staff. We will send additional information when the permission slip is returned. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us by phone on 42200275 or email librarystaff@tigs.nsw.edu.au

UPCOMING

EVENTS

WEEK 5

Beyond Bundanon Exhibition Friday 7 to Saturday 8 March

TIGS Expo Day

10.00am - 2.00pm Saturday 8 March

WEEK 6

Junior School Twilight Picnic 5.00pm Wednesday 14 March

WEEK 7

TIGS Foundation AGM 6.00pm Wednesday 19 March

Elective Drama Evening 6.00pm Monday 17 March

Elective Music Concert 6.00pm Wednesday 26 March

TIGS Cross Country Wednesday 9 April