NEWSLETTER
Issue 2 Term I 2013 Year 6 Canberra
Academic • Christian • Caring
What is it about TIGS? What is it that sets TIGS apart from other schools? Our Statement of Mission and Values is helpful in that it spells out what we aim to achieve as a school community. It identifies Academic, Christian and Caring as the School’s core values and there is no doubt that these are of great significance in defining the School and its achievements. TIGS is recognised as a school that achieves outstanding academic results, is committed to the promotion of the values and traditions of the Christian faith, and has a strongly supportive and caring environment in which students learn. The teachers that care for our students are outstanding in the profession and it is no surprise that our students perform so well. The range of activities occurring outside the classroom is also unmatched by other schools. The Performing Arts offer a full range of experiences covering music, dance and drama. The coming performance of ‘Cats’ is but one example of the many opportunities for students. Headline programs like a musical attract attention but it is the wealth of experiences available to our students from the Junior School through to Year 12 that is truly impressive.
Stephen Kinsella Headmaster
Similarly in Creative Arts, Robotics, Duke of Edinburgh, iPad Club, Debating, Study Tours, Community Languages (Hindi, Mandarin, Indonesian, Japanese), Swimming, Tennis, Netball, Mock Trial, Football, Cricket… the Student Handbook lists an astonishing 82 activities that are available for students in the Senior School and 29 for students in the Junior School. These experiences are enriching for the students, helping them to build confidence and develop life-skills. It also contributes to the success of our students in gaining recognition from Universities when offering early entry to their courses. (88% of the applicants from Year 12, 2012 were offered early entry by the Universities). Perhaps it is the strong partnerships that exist between parents and the School that sets TIGS apart. The benefit of these partnerships, some lasting as long as 15 years for students starting in the Prep programme, in ensuring the best outcomes for our children is real. Stability and continuity for children is an important foundation for effective learning. The value that families place on education and the sacrifices they make to send them to TIGS is a significant and often unrecognised contributor to the success of students. Buildings, ICT resources and other facilities are all worthy contributors to success at TIGS. Yet we all know that the School is more than these. I received a letter this week from a visitor to our school in which he wrote “I was extremely impressed with the tone of TIGS, the professionalism of the staff and the purposeful engagement of both staff and students. The experience was enlightening… thank you for the opportunity to visit TIGS.” I was also delighted to have a conversation with a Junior School student who said as we chatted in the playground that she wanted to work at the School as a teacher and would I give her a job. Her reason? She has spent her whole school life at TIGS and did not want to be anywhere else. She knows from experience what we struggle to put into words. The best way I can explain the TIGS experience is that there is a special synergy that brings all these worthy dimensions of our School together and delivers an experience that is far more than the sum of each part. Perhaps it is not possible to capture in words what sets TIGS apart from other schools - it is something that has to be experienced to be understood. There are several events approaching on the School calendar that provide a wonderful opportunity for TIGS families to share the TIGS experience with others. Please encourage prospective families to join us so they can experience first-hand the synergy that makes TIGS a special place:
9 March
TIGS Expo Day for prospective new enrolments
11 April
Music and Drama Showcase – our students performing at their best
18 May
TIGS Great Fete – a day to celebrate as a School Community
Stephen Kinsella Headmaster
A Lesson to be Learned I have an admission to make. I am a slow learner. No, it’s worse than that. There’s one lesson I just can’t seem to learn. It’s not that I’m unaware of the lesson. It’s just that when the time comes to bring the lesson to bear on life it’s not there. I haven’t digested the lesson enough to allow me to employ it to make a difference in my life. You’re probably wondering what I’m talking about. It is this: the Christian life is by and large a participation in the suffering of Jesus. It is a life which takes the form of death. Jesus made this clear enough when he defined Christian discipleship as taking up one’s cross and following him. Could he have made it any clearer? “Come and die with me,” he is saying. “If you’re not prepared to do that,” Jesus says, “you cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14.27) Why don’t I get this? When I’m doing it hard for Jesus and things are tough why do I always seem to think something’s wrong? Why can’t I just recall the truth that my business now – indeed, my joy now - is to participate in Jesus’ suffering in anticipation of the glory which is to come (Phil. 3.10-11)? Why can’t I learn the lesson?
Rev James Rogers Chaplain
I think the sordid truth goes something like this: I want glory now - a glory which bypasses the pain and suffering of the cross. I don’t want to die, either literally or metaphorically. That might be alright for super apostles like Paul and Peter but I’m just an ordinary guy. But what do the scriptures say? If we refuse to share in the sufferings of Christ we are illegitimate children. Before we share his glory we must be prepared to share his shame (see Romans 8.17).
The apostle Peter writes the following words to goofs like me. I need to feed on them more than I do: “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” (1Peter 4.12-13) There you have the normal Christian life. And one of the great consolations in life is that we have one another for support, encouragement and consolation. We can’t walk this road alone. And nor does God expect us to walk it alone. He has given us one another. Let’s lean on one another so that we might never become discouraged or stray from this way.
Rev James Rogers Chaplain
Senior School The Headmaster outlined our wonderful 2012 HSC results in the last Newsletter but for the teachers in the Senior School our delight is in the personal successes of our students, in the value adding that students have enjoyed and in the fact that our results, in a variety of measures, are the best in the region and the best when compared to similar non-Government schools in NSW. What an achievement. Well done to students, parents and teachers. The class of 2012 are now preparing to enter University and/or employment. Some students will be working overseas and some in the local area. Some have deferred University for a year and others are embarking on training in conjunction with their work but it is the range and variety of courses which they will be undertaking at University which needs to be mentioned. Four will be studying Medicine, twelve will be studying various forms of Engineering and many will be undertaking double degrees, entering into Scholars’ Programs or - as is the case with our students of Japanese - entering directly into 3rd Year Japanese (ANU, UNSW and UOW) based on their language proficiency. Let me share some of the fascinating degree courses being undertaken. There are the traditional: Law, Commerce, Science, Education, Music, Arts, Creative Arts, Applied Science, Economics, Computing Science, Psychology, Business Studies. And there are the specific: Multimedia and Games Development, Finance, Nanotechnology, Actuarial Studies, Politics, Deputy Headmaster and Speech and Hearing Sciences, Occupational Therapy, Nursing, Vet Science, Medical Biology, Head of Senior School Journalism, International Relations, Sports Science, Nautical Science. This reflects the diversity of our students, their wide range of interests and the fact that in the words of our School Mission Statement ‘each child was given the opportunity to identify and develop their gifts and talents to the fullest extent.’
Monica Watt
We wish them all the very best for their future.
Monica Watt Deputy Headmaster and Head of Senior School
Junior School An excursion to the Royal National Park for Year 3 students last Friday proved the ideal stimulus for their unit relating to Sharing the Planet. With the central idea, ‘People and living things interact in different ways and in different contexts’ the National Park provided an opportunity to experience an environment preserved for the benefit of all. Focusing on the key concepts of Change and Responsibility, the students are keen to make inquiries. Questions formulated after the excursion included: • • •
Who is responsible for making sure a particular species doesn’t get too large? How do animals make changes to adapt to their environment? How has the National Park changed over time?
Sounds interesting, doesn’t it?
Year 6 Canberra Excursion
Last week TIGS’s Year 6 students travelled to our nation’s capital, Canberra, to pursue their inquiry into “How we organise ourselves”. The central idea “Governmental systems and decisions can promote or deny “gave them the focus they needed as they discovered how our people govern themselves. During their time there they visited The War Memorial, explored our government’s Head of Junior School history in the Old Parliament House, learnt through role play how a bill is passed in The Senate and experienced first hand the excitement of “Question Time” in the new Parliament House. In the evening, the students enjoyed a tour of the Australian Institute of Sport and were given time to play in the games centre where they emulated the feats of some of our greatest athletes and while all these experiences should have given them enough to think about, they were still taken in by the democratic process involved in running a Federal Election as was demonstrated at the Australian Electoral Commission. Our students learnt a great deal in the two days they spent in Canberra and certainly left a big impression as they received frequent compliments the whole time!
Judi Nealy
The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit their National Capital as part of their civics and citizenship education. To assist you (the parent) in meeting the cost of the excursion the Australian Government is contributing funding of $20.00 per eligible student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program toward the travel expenses incurred. This contribution will be paid directly to the School upon completion of the excursion.
MindQuest
MindQuest is an exciting enrichment program designed to challenge and extend gifted and talented primary students from government and non government schools. This highly successful weekend program held at St George Girls and Glenwood High Schools is in its fifteenth year of operation. MindQuest caters for gifted and talented primary students from years one to six. In the past these courses have proved successful for a range of students: • • •
gifted and or talented students gifted underachievers students of well above average abilities with a special interest
Students are generally nominated by their schools however, if you believe that your child would benefit from attending the program, please contact MindQuest. A brochure for future workshops is available from the Junior School Office. Coming date and venue: 6 and 7 April 2013 - St George Girls High School. Victoria Street Kogarah NSW 2217 Schedule: Saturday and Sunday 9:30 to 3:30 Fees: $170.00 per weekend Website: http://www.mindquest.net.au/
Dates for your diary:
Monday 25 February – Junior School Swimming Carnival Monday 4 March – Professional Development Day (Pupil Free Day) Monday 4 March – TIGS Parenting Adolescents Quiz with Dr Michael Carr-Gregg Tuesday 5 March – NASSA Swimming Carnival Thursday 7 March – Junior School First Assembly Friday 15 March – Junior School Twilight Picnic
Weekly Awards
Judi Nealy Head of Junior School
KB KP 1C 2H 3R 3W 4R 4S
Mackenzie Pead, Lexi Mitchell Ben Harman, Alizeh Syed, William MacKay Kavya Acharya Emily Sutherland, Rebecca Winn Faisal Syed, Zoe Turner Nadia Nagaratnam, Charlotte Atkinson Rory Swainson, Bodhi Hemsley-Oades James Taylor
TIGS EXPO Day
Saturday 9 March 2013
Experience A World Class Education at tigs Scholarship information and applications ARE now available Open day from 10.00am to 2.00pm.
2014 Enrolments Enrolments for 2014 are now open. All students currently enrolled at TIGS are automatically enrolled for 2014. Interviews for new 2014 enrolments will be held: Pre-Preparatory – late Term II and Term III Preparatory – Term II and Term III Kindergarten – Term II and Term III Years 1-6 – Term II and Term III Year 7 – Term 1 and Term II Years 8-11 - Term II and Term III If you have any questions, please contact our Enrolments Secretary, Ms Nicci Fripp, on 4220 0216 or email: nfripp@tigs.nsw.edu.au
Junior School Sports Congratulations Elliot Winn (Year 4) and Michael Marzano (Year 3) who competed in the Manly Junior state titles in sailing at Lake Macquarie over the weekend. Having only previously sailed 3 times they were in the rookie division and placed 5th, 6th and 9th out of 14 boats. A great achievement for their first regatta.
TIGSFOUNDATION TIGS FOUNDATION AGM 2013 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: Wednesday 20 March 2013 Where: Goodhew Research Centre (Library - Entrance via Powell Street) Time:
6.00pm - 7.00pm Welcome drinks and canapés, 7.00pm - 8.00pm AGM
Dress: Smart casual RSVP:
13 March 2013
Phone: Lisa Wilson (Foundation Coordinator) 4220 0264 Email: foundation@tigs.nsw.edu.au
Extend @ TIGS Weekly Recap
Last week The Extend team focused on Valentine’s Day and made love hearts using coloured cellophane paper. We explained to the children that on this day, we share our love and kindness with one another. We started with our Homework & Reading Club and this helped the older children to role model good reading habits through “Buddy Reading”. We created a mini cricket team and the children enjoyed taking turns batting and bowling. Cooper, Mayson and Micah found an interest in the microscope set, installed it together and explored the outside environment. Our Extend Superstar is… Shahla G. for always volunteering to help around the centre.
ONLINE BOOKINGS: extend.com.au CALL OUR OFFICE: 1300 366 437
Senior School Sports Student Success:
Tennis - Congratulations to Fred Newman (Year 12) for his selection in the AICES Open Boys Tennis Team. Congratulations to Lily Tuivaga (Year 10) for her selection in the AICES Open Girls Tennis Team. Hockey - Congratulations to the following students for their selection in the NASSA Hockey Teams. Open Boys: Mungo Skyring (Year 12), Harrison Lindsay (Year 12), Anthony Keating (Year 12) Adrian Whitehall (Year 10) Open Girls Team: Lilli Bennett(Year 11) U16 Girls Team: Teagan Johnston (Year 10), Maudie Skyring (Year 10), Chloe Johnston (Year 9), Rachel Craft(Year 10), Brittony Smallhorn (Year 8), Isabella Sandy (Year7), Ellie Burnett (Year 7), Margot Allison (Year10)
students participating and we envisage the same for 2013. We encourage all students to participate in this compulsory school event. If students are injured they can come along, support their House and help with the running of the carnival. Notes for non-participation can be submitted to House Patrons before or on the day. These students can act as helpers. There will be something for everyone.
All boys are to be congratulated on their efforts throughout the competition. To make the semi final stage is an achievement in itself. In the face of Wednesday’s loss, the way they fought and played the game in the right spirit was a credit to them and their school.
Students are required to wear their House shirt with school sport shorts to and from the pool. Please remember students must be in correct costumes. This includes TIGS swimmers or navy blue/black speedos for both boys and girls (girls must wear full piece swimmers) and TIGS board shorts (optional).
Each year TIGS enters a school team into the Northern Regional Snowsports Championships. Students from Kindergarten to Year 12 are eligible to participate in the main skiing and snowboarding disciplines and the regional championships are a great introduction to racing for new comers to the sport.
Students may make their own way to the pool or there will be shuttle buses from TIGS taking students to the pool. We would like all students at the pool by 8.50am.
Snowsports
After the completion of the carnival students may be picked up from the venue or catch a TIGS shuttle bus back to school.
The 2013 Regional Championships will be held at Perisher during the first week of our school holidays in July (Wednesday July 3 through to Saturday July 6). If you would like to join the Snowsports team or would like more information please contact Jay Tregonning in the Senior School jtregonning@tigs.nsw.edu.au
Supervision will be available at the pool from 8.15am.
Rugby
The Summer Sports for Years 9/10 have begun for Term I 2013.
A canteen is available, although it is advisable to bring your own food/drink.
Badminton - Monday - IGC - 3.30pm - 4.30pm Basketball - Wednesday - IGC 3.30pm - 4.30pm
To support our School sun safe guidelines students are advised to bring and wear hats and sunscreen. Students are also reminded to bring their asthma medication to this event.
Rock Climbing - Wednesday Hangdog 3.30pm - 4.30pm (this program is full)
We are looking forward to a great day and invite parents to come and spectate.
Rugby - Wednesday Senior School Oval 3.30pm - 4.30pm
In case of inclement weather please listen to 96.5 Wave FM.
The school will be beginning a rugby skills program open to all boys and girls from years 7 to 12. Mr Tregonning will be running the program based on the recently developed Junior Gold Program that is a nation wide skill development course. Training will be held from 3:30-4:30 on Wednesday afternoons starting in week 4 of this term. The program will be run until mid way through term 3. Interested students are asked to collect a permission note from student reception and return it to Mr Tregonning.
Surfing - Monday - North Beach 6.30am - 8.00am (this program is full)
Wiburd Shield Cricket
Cricket - Congratulations to Jonathan Fowles(Year 10) and Nikhil Verma (Year 11) for their selection to trial for the NSW Country and City Schools Cricket Team at Bathurst next week.
Year 9/10 Sport
Swimming - Monday and Friday University Pool 7.00am - 8.00am (this program is full) Table Tennis - Monday - IGC - 3.30pm - 4.30pm Tennis - Wednesday - Beaton Park 3.30pm - 4.30pm (this program is full) All Sport buses for Year 9/10 Sports will leave from Western Avenue.
Senior School Swimming Carnival The TIGS Swimming Carnival will be held Tuesday 26 February 2013 at Western Suburbs Pool Unanderra. Last year saw a great number of
Semi-final TIGS v William Clarke College Last Wednesday the TIGS Wiburd Shield cricket side hosted William Clarke College in the semi-final of the state wide under 15 years competition. Having been sent into bat the TIGS side needed to post a defendable total and although Joel Moore (36) and Jonathan Fowles (24) made a promising start it took some good lower order hitting from Jacob Shalala (22 not out) to achieve a total of 126. This was always going to be tough to defend. Joel Moore struck early and bowled well late in the innings to record the figures of 3 for 23. However the visitors were able to put together partnerships throughout the innings and achieve the total 7 wickets down with 3 overs to spare.
TIGS Fishing Club Congratulations to Sam Isabella who took out the first TIGS Fishing Club competition, winning a Flathead lure pack generously donated by Fergos Tackleworld Wollongong. Students, parents, friends and alumni are invited to join the club which offers the opportunity to share ideas, learn new techniques, go fishing together and enter into friendly competitions. To join please go to https://www. facebook.com/pages/TIGS-FishingClub/105871476241225 and like the page or if you are not on facebook please contact Jay Tregonning jtregonning@tigs.nsw.edu.au or Phil McIlwraith pmcilwraith@tigs.nsw.edu. au or via the Senior School 4220 0200.
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