Newsletter Academic Christian Caring
ISSUE 6
TERM IV 2015 Year 6 Surfing
Headmaster I often refer to the ‘TIGS community’ and the partnership that exists between families, teachers and the students. It is what makes the School different from a business. There have been occasions when I have heard this partnership referred to in a way that reduces it to a commercial relationship between a service provider and a customer. There is certainly a market reality that governs activities at TIGS and it is true that if the School operated at a loss it would no longer exist. TIGS sets its budget each year to make a small surplus which prudent management requires. All funds are reinvested to improve the resources available for our students. From the perspective of staff, all employees at TIGS choose to be committed to the School’s Mission, Values and programmes. This is a commitment that goes beyond that required in a normal contract of employment. It is not possible to be committed to the TIGS community without a desire to provide the best education possible for our students. Similarly, families that choose to send their children to TIGS do so knowing that the Mission, Values and programmes go beyond what is available at alternative schools. Families choose the TIGS experience for their children. It is this common purpose shared by families and teachers that makes TIGS such a fascinating and exciting place to educate children. It is a commitment that goes way beyond a commercial arrangement. It is therefore sad when teachers announce their time at TIGS is at an end. TIGS has a very low rate of staff turnover each year which is just as well as the sense of loss to our community when valued members of staff leave is significant. At the end of 2015 we will be saying farewell to a number of long serving staff: At a recent Senior School assembly I spoke to the students about the importance of finishing the school year well and with the same energy as was given at the start of the year. We will certainly need large reserves of energy given the number of end-of-year events scheduled for the last three weeks. Each is of special significance and provides the opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the year. I hope to see you at as many of these events as possible: Infants Pageant 10.00am Saturday 28 November (IGC) Christmas Celebration 5.30pm / 7.00pm Monday 7 December (IGC) Year 3 - Year 6 Presentation Evening 6.00pm Thursday 10 December (IGC) Senior School Presentation Day 10.30am Friday 11 December (IGC)
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Mrs Monica Watt, Deputy Headmaster and Head of Senior School, after 42 years of service to TIGS
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Mr Rob Whitton, ending a 50 year association with TIGS as a student (Class of 1971, Dux and Head Boy), parent and more recently as a Teacher of English commencing in 2007
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Ms Jo Graydon (Class of 1983), Teacher of English commencing in 1988
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Mrs Tessa McMaugh, Senior Dean and Teacher of Science commencing in 2002
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Mrs Kathryn Walker, Stage Coordinator, commencing in 2007
Their contribution to our community over so many years will be properly recognised at various end-of-year School events. Nevertheless, it is proper to recognise that our School would be much poorer if they had not served with such professionalism and dedication and we wish them God’s blessing in their future careers (few people seem to retire these days – they look forward to ‘new challenges’!). With the retirement of Mrs Watt and the pending maternity leave of Ms Sangster, a number of permanent and temporary arrangements will be in place for 2016. Mrs Judi Nealy Mrs Narelle McRae Mr Greg Lanyon Mrs Kerri Baird Mrs Naomi Sullivan
Deputy Headmaster and Head of Junior School Deputy Head of Junior School Acting Head of Senior School Acting Director of Teaching and Learning (Senior School) Acting Director of Student Wellbeing (Senior School)
We wish them success in their new roles and thank them for their commitment to our School. Stephen Kinsella Headmaster
Chaplain’s Message WORLD ON EDGE
That was one of the newspaper headlines this week. I thought it captured perfectly the reality of the world we were experiencing and, indeed, how we were all feeling – on edge. It has been a disturbing week. The terrorist attacks on Paris have disoriented us all. We grieve along with those who mourn the loss of loved ones and we wonder at the future of the life to which we have become accustomed. And then we remember that France has not been the only country to suffer such misery this year - the scourge of terrorism has also affected Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Nigeria, Tunisia, Russia, to name just a few. Talk about a world on edge! How do we respond to these events? Psalm 46 came to my mind. It is a wonderful reminder that though the world looks out of control, God is still in control, and he is a present help to those in trouble. Take these following lines from the Psalm as an example: God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. (Psalm 46.1-3) The Psalm describes well our world at the moment – it teeters on the brink of collapse. It’s hard not to fear. But we need not fear. God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. This is a great encouragement. Come and see what the Lord has done. See what amazing things he has done on earth. He stops wars all over the world; he breaks bows, destroys spears, and sets shields on fire. “Stop fighting,” he says, “and know that I am God, supreme among the nations, supreme over the world.” (Psalm 46.8-10) We are reminded in this section of the Psalm that at the core of his being God is a peacemaker. Any who would wield the sword in the name of God cannot be said to be representing the God of the Bible. Jesus made that very clear in a conversation he had one time with Pontius Pilate. He said if his kingdom was like the kingdoms of this world then his followers would seek to extend that kingdom by force. That’s how it’s done in the world. But his kingdom is not of this world. There is a higher principle at play - the principle of love (see John 18.36). When love comes to town it does not come cloaked in suicide vests and brandishing assault rifles. It does not. The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. (Psalm 46.7, 11) This is really the burden of Psalm 46. It is the refrain that brings to rest its two chief halves. I think this is our great consolation as well as we live in a world on edge. As mighty as the forces of evil are they can never be mightier than the Lord Almighty. Again, we need not fear or despair. Rev James Rogers
Rev James Rogers Chaplain
Senior School ACADEMIC, CHRISTIAN AND CARING
At this time of year, with Advent and Christmas fast approaching, the three core elements of our School’s mission really come to the fore: Academic, Christian and Caring. Academic studies are a focus because now is the time for studying and preparing for final assessments in Year 7 - Year 10 and critical Year 12 HSC studies have been commenced, building strong foundations for assessments and the final HSC examinations in 2016. Our Christian focus as a community has now alighted on ‘A Christmas Celebration.’ Music, dance and drama items are being planned, scripts are being written and equipment sourced. It should be another wonderful celebration of the Word made Flesh. And our students’ Caring dimension is being demonstrated in so many ways. Year 7s are currently promoting Toys ‘n’ Tucker on Assembly. They are encouraging all students to support this community initiative to ensure that those less fortunate than all of us can experience the joy of Christmas and the Christmas message. Please take a look at this short video to understand the call to action. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRefVx_DTpA
Monica Watt Head of Senior School Deputy Headmaster
On Tuesday this week Year 9 were packing gifts for the Kidzwish Christmas Party. On Thursday they were involved in the Party itself and on Friday in the set-up for the Kidzwish Charity Ball. They have worked hard. On Friday evening a number of our talented performers will be presenting at the Charity Ball. From the Senior School: Darcy Fisher, Byron Leitch, Alixandra Lovric, Kiarni Martignago, Maya Soligo and from the Junior School: Aria Bacic-Johnston, Temira Cowie, James Gardner, Alexandria Gunther, Isobel Kinnear, Payton Leitch, Mikayla Okely, Daniel Peden and Charlotte Tregonning. A great commitment to this joyful charity. And our Year 12s have started their fundraising for their chosen charity CareSouth. They raised over $534 at a recent cake stall. They are now planning to run a BBQ lunch on Monday 23 November just before our very exciting and hard-fought House Quizzes. They were inspired to support the Homework Hub service run by CareSouth after one of our alumni, James Parrish, (from the Class of 07 who is now on the Board of CareSouth) addressed Year 12 on their programmes. They hope to buy resources and assist with the programme itself. Another great effort for others!
CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations to Robert Martin, Year 10, on his progression to the NSW Senior Final of the UN Voice competition at the University of Sydney. This is a significant achievement, given the scope of the competition statewide. Participants are required to write and deliver a new speech about economic, political, social or environmental issues facing our world, at each level of the competition. Congratulations Robert and best wishes for a successful NSW State Final in December.
SECONDHAND TEXT BOOK BUY & SELL 3.30pm to 5.00pm Thursday 26 November in the IGC
Toys ‘n’ Tucker
We would like to invite the whole TIGS community to be a part of the Toys ‘n’ Tucker Christmas Appeal. Here’s what you can give as part of a festive meal or Christmas gift • • • • • • • • • •
Christmas cake Christmas pudding Tinned salmon/ham Small packs of lollies Long-life custard Toys Sporting equipment Toiletry packs Board games Gift cards
All donations are to be new and unused, thank you. Donations can be accepted through Mentor groups in the Senior School and through the student reception in the Junior School. We will be presenting our donations to a representative from ANGLICARE at our Christmas Celebration on Monday 7 December. Through Toys ‘n’ Tucker you can share the joy of Christmas with people in need. To learn more about the Toys ‘n’ Tucker campaign see http://toysntucker.org.au
TIGS P&F News YEAR 2 AND/OR YEAR 4 END OF YEAR PARENTS DINNER
(parents of children in other years are also welcome to attend)
A chance for parents to come together and celebrate the end to another great year!
7.00pm Friday 4 December 2015 Jade Court Restaurant 126 Balgownie Rd, Balgownie. $35 per person (excluding drinks) (Meat, Seafood and Veg Banquet) RSVP to Tanya by 27 November via email, tanya@tfabrications.com.au
Junior School Year 6 are coming to the conclusion of their final year of Primary School. This is an exciting time for our students as they are ready to move on to the more independent learning of Senior School, but a little bit sad for their teachers in the Junior School and for their parents! The Year 6 Progression Dinner is also a key moment in the Year 6 journey. Our Year 6 students thoroughly enjoyed their Progression Dinner Dance and the opportunity it provided to celebrate their time together in the Junior School. We are very appreciative of the hard work of the Year 5 parents in planning for this event and making sure that it was wonderful. The Safe Surfing programme is a great way to celebrate the increased maturity, competence and confidence of our Year 6 students as they brave the waves and develop their surfing skills. I hope you enjoy the report they have provided this week.
Year 6 Surfing Programme
Surfing is really fun. It feels relaxing in the water and our instructors are extremely nice. You sometimes get smashed by waves but you get right back onto your board. It is great when you get a spray of salt water, it is amazing. It is a wonderful feeling when you get the perfect wave and you ride it all the way into shore.
Judi Nealy Head of Junior School
It is important to be a risk taker and do something out of your comfort zone. Surfing builds your confidence because you always have the supportive instructors helping you along the way. What a fantastic way to end our time in primary school. By Krishnendu Gupta, Harrison Webb, Declan Saad and Tanay Shrestha
DATES FOR YOUR DIARIES: Saturday 28 November Monday 7 December Thursday 10 December
Infants Pageant 10.00am – 12.00pm to be held in the IGC Christmas Celebration Year 3 - Year 6 Presentation Evening
WEEKLY AWARDS KP 1T 1Y 2Mc 2S 2T 3S 3WJ 4M 5G 6K
Darby Parrish, Anthea Zaki Summer Thomas, Rhea Khanna Jemima Bigirindavyi Ting-Ting Cook Hugh D’Rozario, Charlotte I’Ons, Keiran Reveley Katherine Binks, Archer Ryan Samarth Sirohi, Samuel Stevenson Nicole Mau, Eloisa Tresidder, Lachlan Neal Inaaya Kermali, Connor Burrows, Harry Jenner Andrew Brown, Jack Burrows, Ben Giason Aydin Arapali, Rory Swainson
Junior School Sport Heart Foundation Jump Rope for Heart Over the past four weeks Junior School students have participated in the Heart Foundation’s Jump Rope for Heart programme and committed themselves wholeheartedly to the skipping and fundraising. They have raised over $18,500 in total from their online and offline sources. This is an outstanding effort from the entire school community to support such a worthwhile cause. Well done to the following students and families who were our top fundraisers: Nelle-May Makowski $2,507.50 Lachlan Taylor $2,350.48 Noah Bottele $1,878.75 Kaj Eriksson $1,349.50 Jude Lozenkovski $ 629.15 All students from Kindergarten to Year 6 participated in a variety of skipping exercises last Thursday 12 November to fulfil their end of the sponsorship requirement for the Heart Foundation. The Jump Off turned out to be a wonderful event where the students challenged their bodies and skills throughout the afternoon. A huge thank you to everyone involved.
TIGS Foundation Have you been online recently to visit the new initiative of TIGS Foundation? TIGS Community Business Directory is enabling 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. Upon approval, immediate applications for 2015 will receive a bonus of several weeks’ free advertising, expiring 31 December 2016. Applications for 2016 are currently being finalised. 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.
Senior School Sport Colour Awards
As the Head of Sport at TIGS, I am always so honoured to award Colours to our senior students from Year 10 - Year 12. Congratulations to the following recipients who were recognised for their outstanding contributions to Athletics at TIGS:
Year 7 NASSA Netball Gala Day
Caitlin Chadrawy is a naturally gifted and talented high jumper. She has achieved excellent results this year including: 1st at NASSA and AICES, 5th at NSW CIS and 9th at NSW All Schools Athletics Championships. Caitlin is also a talented dancer, her main pursuit outside of School, making these athletics results even more impressive. Elizabeth Martin is a dedicated distance runner who has achieved the following results: TIGS U/16 Girls Age Champion and runner up Age Champion NASSA, 1st in the1500m heat at the NSW Schools Knockout Cometition, she competed in the 800m, 1500m and 3000m at the NSW CIS and Elizabeth was fundamental to the success of our Athletics Team that came 8th at the State Championships. Elizabeth also recently claimed two national qualifying times for the 2000m Steeple Chase and the 3000m. She has been selected to compete at the Australian Youth and Junior Championships in March next year in Perth. Snowsports is a growing sport at TIGS and Charli Morelli has been a valued member of the Snowsports Team for many years. Charli was recognised with a Colour Award for her outstanding leadership and contribution to Snowsports in 2015. At the Regional Interschools she placed 2nd as an individual and 1st as a team (with Tahlia Jackson) in the Skier Cross Division 1. She also came 4th in the Division 2 Alpine. She was 2nd in the Scott’s College Race and 4th in the Knox Pymble Night Race. At the National Championships she achieved top 10 in both Skier Cross and Alpine. Charli also placed 11th at the FIS World International Alpine Event and 12th at the Australian and New Zealand Continental Cup. Congratulations to these three fine athletes. We wish them all the best in their future sporting endeavours.
Sport Choices
All Senior School sports choices should be finalised by the end of Week 8 in preparation for 2016. If you have any problems with the online sign up system please see Mrs Lane klane@ tigs.nsw.edu.au
Sporting Success
Harrison Taranto was recently selected to represent Futsal NSW U16 Boys Thunder at the FFA National Futsal Championships to be held in January. We wish him all the best as he competes against the best young Futsal players across Australia.
The Year 7 NASSA Netball Gala Day was a fantastic learning experience for our Year 7 netball players. We started the day with little confidence and quickly developed improved skills and outstanding teamwork, to come home with three wins and three loses. A special mention to Cartia Taranto for her outstanding leadership across the day; Zoe Dribbus for being so coachable and taking out the most improved; Margaux Chauvet was consistently strong in defence and attack, across a number of positions and Maya Soligo dominated in the centre court. Most importantly I am so proud to coach the team and look forward to our future games.
NASSA Cricket
TIGS played Broughton Anglican College (BAC) in its opening match of the NASSA Cricket series. Both the Junior and Senior teams bowled first on a rainy day at Dalton Park. BAC scored 260 for TIGS to chase in both of the matches. Notable bowling performances came from senior player, Elliot Hutt with 5/32 and Logan Davis with 2/13 in the juniors. TIGS were outshone on a very overcast day, falling very short of both targets. TIGS played their second game against Wollondilly Anglican College on Monday and with slightly different line-ups, the boys were much improved. Again, TIGS deciding to chase the runs, were set 290 in the senior match and 80 in the juniors. The best figures came from Samuel Shalala with 2/20 and Nikhil Balaji 2/34 in the seniors. Unfortunately, the juniors could not bring their strongest batting performance and were all out for 30. The seniors batted good time with a healthy run rate however, were all out for 106. Top run scorers included Samuel Okely with 42 and Samuel Shalala with 33. Our next game is on Wednesday 2 December against Macarthur Anglican College.
Extend@TIGS SUMMER HOLIDAY PROGRAM BOOKINGS ARE OPEN!
Booking deadlines:
Book for December by Friday 27 November Book for January by Monday 21 December We have heaps of fun activities planned these school holidays and can’t wait for you to attend! Participate in an epic egg drop challenge, make your own burlap pillow, and play lots of sport including cricket and basketball! Join in on all this and more at Extend’s Summer Holiday Programme. To check out what’s on visit our website at extend.com.au and book via the Parent Portal. Extend@TIGS has a lot of different and exciting upcoming events organised. Last week we had heaps of fun creating crazy door hangers, our own puzzles, a tornado in a jar and playing mixed games, soccer and bowling. This week we have a range of exciting science, craft and cooking activities planned so please come along and join in on all the fun. Please do not forget to check the Newsletter for our weekly programme.
WEEK 8 ACTIVITIES:
Monday 23 November Craft: Pokemon craft Outdoor sport: Cat and Mouse Tuesday 24 November Activity: Mixed outdoor games at Play Lawn Outdoor sport: Soccer Wednesday 25 November Indoor Sport: Chinese Whispers Outdoor Sport: Soccer Thursday 26 November Science: Frankenworms Outdoor Sport: Crocodile Crocodile, Red-light Green-light, Pac man Friday 27 October Craft: Recycled craft Outdoor Sport: Soccer ONLINE BOOKINGS: extend.com.au CALL OUR OFFICE: 1300 366 437
UPCOMING
EVENTS
WEEK 8
House Quizzes
1.40pm to 3.10pm Monday 23 November in the IGC
Year 10 Formal
6.30pm Friday 27 November at the Villa D’oro
Infants Pageant
10.00am – 12.00pm Saturday 28 November in the IGC
WEEK 10
A Christmas Celebration Monday 7 December 5.30pm Picnic 7.00pm A Christmas Celebration in the IGC
Year 3 – Year 6 Presentation Evening 6.00pm Thursday 10 December in the IGC
Senior School Presentation Day 10.30am Friday 11 December in the IGC
Last Day of Term IV Friday 11 December