Issue 5 term II 2016

Newsletter Academic Christian Caring

ISSUE 5

TERM II 2016

“Congratulations to Aranda who are victorious for the third year running in this year’s TIGS Athletics Carnival”

Headmaster

“but we have tended to plateau while other countries have leapfrogged us”. Even so Australia is still one of the top performers among OECD countries, particularly in reading and science.” This is not quite the same as the impression created by media headlines.

Recent research conducted by the Association of Independent School NSW Institute (AISNSW Institute) brings another perspective which has been ignored so far by the media.

The Institute’s analysis of the PISA report identified the performance of Australian Independent Schools, including TIGS, in the recently released 2012 results for Mathematical Literacy.

The result provides interesting reading.

Stephen Kinsella Headmaster

It seems that the media is very quick to produce stories that are critical of Australian schools and the academic attainment of its students. The performance of Australian 15-yearold students in the latest Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) testing in Mathematics is such an example.

Judgements are being made about the quality of education in participating countries, including Australia, on the basis of one narrow measure. One gets the impression that Australian students are quickly becoming illiterate and innumerate from the headlines and reports presented to us by the media.

It is interesting to read the perspective of an Australian, Peter Adams, who has been recently appointed to the OECD to run the PISA testing. He is quoted in the SMH (8/5/16) as follows: “Australia currently ranks 19th for maths, 16th for science and 13th for reading.

That’s a significant decrease from the first set of results published in 2000.” The slippage, Adam insists, is not a cause for concern. “Australia’s education is largely of a high standard,” he says,

The Institute’s report says “unsurprisingly, PISA performance varies between jurisdictions and sectors within Australia.

In mathematical literacy, NSW students achieved slightly higher than the national average of 504 score points.

Across the nation, Independent school students scored 541. This is significantly higher than the national average, a difference of 37 score points, the equivalent of about one year of schooling. In NSW, Independent school

students scored 546 and outperformed the state average by the same margin, 37 score points.” (Page 1) The Report goes on to say “in the Australian PISA results, the data show that the higher achievement of students in Independent schools is associated with strong teacher-student relations, a good disciplinary climate, effective classroom management and a sense of belonging at school.

While there are many influences on student achievement, the evidence suggests that Independent school students benefit from the capability and professionalism of their teachers and a school climate that values academic achievement, provides personal support, a safe and ordered environment and fosters a sense of belonging to a community” (Page 2). It should be noted that academic selectivity and single-sex grouping are not identified as key factors in determining high achievement in a school.

So there is something to celebrate about the PISA results - Australian Independent schools are ranked higher than Finland.

Chaplain’s Message TEAMWORK I am writing this article on Wednesday morning. This is not just any Wednesday morning, it is “Origin” morning. From my desk I cannot say who will win (especially since I have not even watched a game of rugby league this year!). But one thing is certain, the best team will win. The State of Origin is not a game for individuals. Sure, there have been standout performances in the past, but this contest has always been won by an expertly organised and skilled team primed to perform at peak level on the night.

I had the great pleasure of growing up playing rugby league with a strong and skilled team. We formed as a team when we were just five or six years old and stayed together for around ten years. We knew our place in the team and each played their part to complement the gifts and skills of the other. We had some significant successes. One year not only did we win the premiership without losing a game, we won without having a point scored against us, that’s teamwork.

I was reflecting on this as I was sitting around a table with other TIGS staff yesterday afternoon. This was a team called together by our Headmaster to attend to the strategic vision of our School, both current and future. I sat in awe of the individual gifts of each around the table and marveled at

how those gifts were being selflessly given for the good of our School. I couldn’t help think what a great team this was and how blessed our School was to have such a team.

The Bible says a lot about teams.

God mostly works in teams. The quintessential team is the Church.

Many metaphors are employed to underscore the fact that the Church is a team and it is through teams that God does his best work. So, sometimes the Church is called a body which is made up of many parts, each part contributing to the health of the whole. At other times the Church is called a building and each member is like a brick built into the building such that when each is rightly placed the building is a formidable structure, still again the Church is pictured as a farming cooperative, some are given the task of planting seed, others of watering that seed so that God might give growth and pleasant fruit might be produced.

What is common among all these images is the significance of team.

Team does not nullify the value and vitality of the individual, but still, within the biblical scheme the individual never exists apart from the team.

God does his ordinary work, even his extraordinary work, through teams.

Rev James Rogers Chaplain There are so many wonderful teams at TIGS: teams of students, parents as well as staff who are working continually for the good of TIGS. We are stronger because of these teams and blessed as a result of them.

So back to Origin. And may the Blue Team – I mean, the Best Team – win!

Rev James Rogers

Of course, this is just one small measure of the performance of schools. A message that I consistently receive from the parents of our international students from countries across Asia, including Shanghai-China, Korea and Hong Kong which are highly rated by PISA, is that they want a life for their children that extends beyond study which is the reason they send them to TIGS. As one of our current Year 12 international students recently said, “at TIGS you have a life”.

Reference - NSW Independent School students high performers in PISA 26May16 Stephen Kinsella Headmaster

Junior School

Judi Nealy Deputy Headmaster, Head of Junior School

DATES FOR YOUR DIARIES Monday 6 June Prep - Year 12 Piano Concert Recital Room Junior School - 4.00pm Senior School - 6.30pm Tuesday 7 June Junior School 3-way Conferences Thursday 9 June Junior School 3-way Conferences Friday June 10 PD/Pupil Free Day Monday 13 June Public Holiday – Queen’s Birthday

THREE-WAY CONFERENCES

FUTURE WORLD ECO-SYSTEM

Parents will have received notification of Three-Way Conferences scheduled to take place next week in the Junior School. These are very important events in our school calendar and integral to our student centered approach to learning. At the ThreeWay Conferences, your children will be able to share evidence of learning and progress with you, they will explain their learning goals, how they aim to achieve them and the class teacher will give insight into the next steps in learning.

Year 4 visited Future World Eco-System on Friday 27th May to complement our current unit of inquiry. We experienced a variety of hands on ‘energy’ experiments such as;

Three-Way Conferences require high levels of metacognition and reflection from the children about their learning and social experience here at school.

Our belief is that students who are connected to their learning in real and personal ways, achieve much better outcomes as opposed to those with their learning done ‘to’ or ‘for’ them.

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Producing light energy through riding a stationary bike.

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Solar powering a model boat.

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Making electrical circuits through solar power.

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Creating air movement to turn wind turbines.

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The greenhouse effect on the earth.

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Using the power of the ocean to create electricity.

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Conserving water in our houses.

These activities demonstrated how energy changes from potential to kinetic.

Our excursion assisted us in understanding each of our lines of inquiry in ‘how the world works’ and we had many positive reflections about the day.

Start chatting with your children over the weekend about the Three-Way Conferences, let them know that you value hearing about their learning and are looking forward to them showing you evidence of how they have grown so far this year.

Spencer, 4Y “My favourite activity was the wind turbine wheel”

A brief time will be set aside during the Three-Way Conferences for parents to speak with teachers, however if you have any concerns that might require a lengthy discussion, please be prepared to note this with the teacher and arrange a follow up session in the days following. We look forward to seeing all of our parents and the children at our Three-Way Conferences next week!

Tania, 4R “I enjoyed looking at the worm under the microscope”

Ella, 4Y “I liked making a 3D image whistle” Georgie & Jamaya, 4Y “We loved powering the light bulbs with the bike.

We were the fastest girls!”

Austin, 4R “The solar power boat looked amazing” Ainslie, 4R “I liked learning how to save water at home” Ishe, 4M “I enjoyed learning about 3D printing” Alex, 4M “I learnt that boats can run on solar power” Billy, 4M “Observing Newton’s cradle was exciting”

Judi Nealy

Merit Certificates

Weekly Awards KD

Joshua Mumford Odette Sperring

1M

Josie Lowe Kaj Eriksson

1S

Jia Tang Aarnav Prabhu

1Y

Ambrose Nicolaou B’Elanna Atlee

2C

Nicole Choi Yananai Chibanda

2M

Callum Perrins Tom I’Ons

2T

Aahan Rakheja

4Y

Chloe Jackson

3R

Lachlan Kiang Lilian Bradley

5H

Taylor Merritt

3S

Victoria Di Martino Rhea Boga

4R

Tania Kalsi Ainslie Goodman

4Y

Chloe Jackson Hussen Bangamwabo

6C

Gabriella Valenzuela Enuri Gamage

Extend@TIGS WEEK 7 ACTIVITIES Monday 6 June Craft: Bracelet Weaving Sport: Soccer Tuesday 7 June Activity: Clay Pendants Outdoor sport: Dodgeball Wednesday 8 June Science: Magic Rainbow Milk Activity: Wembley Thursday 9June Craft: Comic Suncatchers Sport: Cricket Friday 10 June Craft: Recycle Craft Sport: Handball ONLINE BOOKINGS: extend.com.au

WINTER HOLIDAY PROGRAM BOOKINGS ARE OPEN!

Book by the deadline to take advantage of lower rates!

NSW booking deadline: Friday 24 June We have heaps of fun activities planned these school holidays and can’t wait for you to attend! Join in on Extend’s own mini Olympics tournament and aim for gold! Have fun with science experiments, come along in costume and join in on our party afternoons, and participate in a bunch of craft activities and team games. Join in on all this and more at Extend’s Winter Holiday Program.

To check out what’s on visit our website at http://extend.com.au and book via the Parent Portal.

CALL OUR OFFICE: 1 300 366 437

Parents, staff and friends are invited to gather to pray for our School community Breakfast and supervision is available for children

Tuesday 7 June 2016

7.30am - 8.20am In the

TIGS Goodhew Research Centre (Library) Academic • Christian • Caring

An International Baccalaureate World School

TIGS

Prayer

Breakfast

RSVP Friday 3 June 2016 EMAIL mdouglas@tigs.nsw.edu.au Any enquiries, please contact Mrs Douglas on 4220 0284

JS SPORTS UPDATE FUTSAL

NASSA CROSS COUNTRY

Our Junior School Futsal teams represented TIGS at the Sutherland Regional Championships, the Learner Profile attributes were apparent in all of our teams throughout the day with some outstanding results.

U/10 Girls (3 wins and 1 draw)

On Thursday 26 May the Junior School Cross Country team competed at the NASSA carnival at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre.

U/10 Boys (3 wins and 2 losses) U/12 Boys B (2 wins and 2 losses) U/12 Girls (6 wins - Champions) U/12 Boys (6 wins - Champions) The Boys and Girls U/12's will represent TIGS at the State Championships early Term III. The U/12 boys were a particular stand out for our school, not only because individually they are very skillful players, but they put the team first and as a result they shone. It is not easy for 12 year olds to commit to a game plan and use their skill for the overall benefit of the team, but they did. It was an exceptional display of players accepting their role, responsibility and position. I am committed to the TIGS Football Programme regardless of results, but to see our students play the way they did was completely satisfying and I could not have asked for more.

We hope to replicate it at State but if we don't, it will still stay in my memory as a highlight of my teaching/coaching career for a long time.

Terry Robinson

ASSEMBLY / CHAPEL Assembly next week will have a Japanese focus with performances by students in Year 1 to 6 highlighting their learning experiences with Marshall Sensei. Assembly begins at 12.10pm in Rees Hall.

Overall, the students achieved outstanding results and were a force both individually and particularly as a team. As a result, TIGS won the Champion school point score by 432 points!

The 9 year old boys got the day under way with 6 competitors finishing in the top eleven places and pleasingly the 12 year old girls finished the day even stronger with 6 competitors in the top nine places. Another notable result was that all boys’ races were won convincingly by a TIGS student.

TIGS had 33 students finish in the top 10 in their respective races and have subsequently qualified to represent NASSA at the CIS championships. A number of students finished on the podium:

• 10 years boys: Alex Vartazarian - 1st place • 10 years boys: Christian Vujic - 3rd place • 10 years girls: Allegra Fock - 3rd place • 11 years boys: Cooper Kerridge -1st place • 11 years girls: Pia D’Rozario - 2nd place • 12/13 years boys: Ben Giason - 1st place • 12/13 years boys: Daniel Grieve – 2nd place • 12/13 years girls: Victoria Summerill - 1st place • 12/13 years girls: Eva Katkjaer - 2nd place Congratulations to all the students who ran on the day. All students performed exceptionally well and it was the effort and positive attitude of all team members that achieved such pleasing results.

Training will continue on both Tuesday and Thursday in preparation for the CIS championships to be held at Eastern Creek on Thursday 16 June.

• 9 years boys: Samuel Lowe - 1st place • 9 years girls : Ella Fennell - 3rd place

CO-CURRICULAR CLUB HIGHLIGHT Gardening Club with Mrs Johannesen & Mr Carroll Two lunchtimes per week, students have the opportunity to engage in organic gardening activities including weed removal, seed propagation, care and general maintenance of the TIGS communal vegetable garden.

Senior School PARTNERING SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY developing WordPress websites and working on social media for local business to enhance the business’s digital presence.

The students participate in a 10-week program which includes 6 weeks of paid after school employment in a safe, mentored environment with an expert trainer on social media.

Participants learn client liaison, social media skills, teamwork, work ethic, creative collaboration, marketing, business terminology and processes.

Participants have to submit a resume, conduct an interview and are inducted into working rights and responsibilities.

As well as paid work, completing participants receive an e-portfolio of their work and a work reference.

The students who have been invited to be part of this program are; James Cooper, Marie Russo, Himali Wijesinghe, Peter Zhong, George Moustoukis, Jesse Pupovac, Billy Fisher, Samuel Goodhew, Riley Cross, Hayley Cross, Thi Trinh and Indigo Colquhoun.

Greg Lanyon Acting Head of Senior School A number of the School’s Year 10, 11 and 12 students have been invited this term to be part of an innovative programme that partners students with local businesses. The programme has been initiated by a local firm called the Digital Business Hub. This is a social enterprise which provides paid employment and training for students,

Marie, Riley and Peter are working to improve the marketing reach of three local businesses; Skin Correctives, Noah’s Childcare and Burton Watersports. They are helping to build an online presence for these businesses through website development, Facebook presence and other social media. For example, they produced a video on a fundraising program for Noah’s Childcare and various other social media posts with the intention of attracting more followers and likes on their Facebook page.

Indigo, James and Hayley are working

with Kiama Family Chiropractic, Live NOW Consultancy and the Digital Business Hub. They have been helping the businesses with website design, social media posts and with their online marketing strategy.

Billy and Thi are helping to build a website for Corner D’or, a small antique shop in Gerringong and Smart Tech Resolutions, which is an IT support business. They have worked with the clients to find common ground on how their websites should be designed and interact. Himali is developing a crowdfunding campaign for the Shoalhaven Suicide Prevention and Awareness Network (SSPAN). This has included working on social media posts, media releases and consulting.

George, Jesse and Samuel have been assigned to Watts Catering, which provides catering for boats, Intellectual Disability Mental Health (IDMH) and Tiny Treadz, a baby shoe store. Their main task is to improve the social media presence of the businesses. This has included establishing and maintaining all social media accounts, building and maintaining a website and creating a Google and Yelp listing.

This partnership has been a great opportunity for these students to expand their skills in real world applications, while providing a valuable service to local small businesses who benefit from the skills the students bring to the business. Thanks to Mrs Biggs and Mrs Murphy for their support in making this programme happen.

Greg Lanyon

TIGS Foundation BUSINESS DIRECTORY

Have you been online recently to visit the new initiative of TIGS Foundation? TIGS Community Business Directory enables TIGS families to promote their business/s by advertising their details on the TIGS website.

There is an annual fee of $300 per business each calendar year for advertising in the Directory. Applications are currently being taken.

The Business Directory will provide an opportunity to strengthen and tighten the bonds between the School, parents and the businesses contained within the School Community.

If you are interested and would like to be involved please phone, Lisa Wilson on 4220 0264 or Joanne Danckwardt 0426 264 771, or email: foundation@tigs.nsw.edu.au TIGS reserves the right to decline any advertisement or request changes before accepting any submissions.

“Lions, tigers and bears...oh my!”

23 - 25 June 2016 FOR SESSION TIMES AND TO BOOK TICKETS VISIT

www.tigs.nsw.edu.au

Academic • Christian • Caring

An International Baccalaureate World School

An International Baccalaureate World School

Senior School Sport TIGS ATHLETICS CARNIVAL

AICES RUGBY TRIALS

2016 saw another successful Athletics Carnival with fantastic participation from across the Houses. This year we worked with the UOW and had a number of PDHPE students who came and helped run our carnival. A special mention to the Year 12 students who took part in the day and showed great leadership in organising their House and setting a fine example for our students.

On Wednesday 25 May, two Year 10 students represented NASSA at the AICES Rugby trials. After playing three tough games against other associations, Joshua Fullerton-Harvey (Year 10) and Ethan Hennessy (Year 10) were successful in gaining selection in the AICES U/16’s Rugby Team. They will now represent AICES against Combined Catholic Colleges and Combined High Schools later in June.

The competition points were tight, however it was Aranda who took the lead early and were able to maintain the lead throughout the day. Congratulations to Wolgal who won the Relays and to Coligan who had the most students awarded points for their House by volunteering to help out at an event. The final point score was: 1st Aranda 2056 2nd Coligan 1595 3rd Kogara 1487 4th Wolgal 1386 Congratulations to the following Age Champions: 12 Year Girls 1st Emma Black 2nd Nina Segar 3rd Olivia Barber

12 Year Boys 1st Hugo Parrish 2nd Eli Ireland 3rd Thmas Castree

13 Year Girls 1st Iluka Budai 2nd Katherine Bodey 3rd Carys Jenkins

13 Year Boys 1st James Healey 2nd Daniel Jiang 3rd Robert McGrath

14 Year Girls 1st Margaux Chauvet 2nd Charlotte Gaynor 3rd Cartia Taranto

14 Year Boys 1st James Gorham 2nd Ethan Havadjia 3rd Finley McLaren

15 Year Girls 1st Emmanuela Franco 2nd Mary Bul 3rd Isabel Bodey

15 Year Boys 1st Nickita Peros 2nd Jonathon Michalopoulos 3rd Ian Muhayimana

16 Year Girls 1st Caitlin Chadrawy 2nd Ellen Manson 3rd Georgia Robson

16 Year Boys 1st Elliot Hutt 2nd James Seal 2nd Aiden Wingate

17 Year Girls 1st Elizabeth Martin 2nd Ruby Pallone 3rd Rebecca Adams

17 Year Boys 1st Harrison Taranto 2nd Vincent Chauvet 3rd Ethan Dorrian Nancarrow

18 Year Girls 1st Azalea Nassau 2nd Alexandra Lavelle 3rd Kirralee Hinch

18 Year Boys 1st Mitchell Bourke 2nd Ali Sawan 3rd Louis Parsons-O’Malley

The NASSA Athletics Carnival is Wednesday 15 June 2016 at Campbelltown Athletics Stadium. Students who came 1st or 2nd at our Carnival are to represent our school at the NASSA Athletics Carnival. We are pleased to announce that we have a huge team and we look forward to the results.

AICES OPEN NETBALL Congratulations to Ruby Pallone (Year 11) who was selected as the Goal Attack in the team to play at NSWCIS Netball Challenge in August. Considering that Netball is one of Australia’s fastest growing sports, this is a huge accomplishment for Ruby.

NASSA SENIOR CROSS COUNTRY The NASSA Cross Country was held on Thursday 26 May 2016 at Sydney Equestrian Centre. Our students were fine ambassadors for TIGS and ran beautifully to bring us home in 2nd place.

We now have a team of 25 students selected to represent NASSA at the AICES Carnival on Thursday 2 June 2016 at Sydney Equestrian Centre.

Special mention to our Year 7-8 students who cheered along and showed such team spirit across the day and to the following senior students who showed exceptional leadership among our team: Year 12 – Jeremy Harrison, Maxwell Moore, Mitchell Bourke and Molly Denison-Pender.

Year 11 – Harrison Taranto, Nicholas Gulaj, Elizabeth Martin, Natasha Mullany, Lucinda Paine and Erin Golding.

We had a number of students receiving medals at the NASSA Carnival: 12 Year Boys - Hugo Parish 2nd 13 Year Boys - James Healy 1st 14 Year Girls - Rebecca Hutton 2nd 16 Year Boys - James Seal 1st 16 Year Boys - Celeb Grace 2nd 17 Year Girls - Elizabeth Martin 2nd 17 Year Boys - Harrison Taranto 1st 17 Year Boys - Nicholas Gulaj 3rd 18 year Girls - Molly Denison-Pender 1st 18+ Year Boys - Jeremy Harrison 1st

UP AND COMING SPORTS EVENTS Monday 6 June Boys Bill Turner Cup Football Wednesday 8 June AICES Netball Cup Wednesday 8 June CIS Girls Football Cup Friday 10 June CIS Boys/Girls Tennis

UPCOMING

EVENTS

WEEK 7

P-12 Piano concert

Monday 6 June in the Recital Room

Junior School - 4.00pm

Senior School - 6.30pm

TIGS Prayer Breakfast

7.30am Tuesday 7 June in the Goodhew Research Centre (Library)

Year 11 Parent Teacher Interviews

Wednesday 8 June in the Goodhew Research Centre (Library)

Junior School 3-way Conferences

Tuesday 7 June and Thursday 9 June in Student Classrooms

PD/Pupil Free Day Friday 10 June

WEEK 8

Queen’s Birthday Public Holiday Monday 13 June

Year 8 Parent Teacher Interviews

Tuesday 14 June in the Goodhew Research Centre (Library)