Jigsaw by International Grammar

Volume 16 Semester 1 2012

International Grammar School Magazine

First overseas music tour—the Land of the Long White Cloud p.2

Also Inside…

Strategic Plan—Road Map to 2016 IGS live at the State Theatre Staff profile: Assistant Principal—Academic Programs Familiar faces at 'After Care' Good causes: OASIS film comp prize and Odd Sox Day HSC Celebration International sports reps Meet the Student leaders +Centrefold! ADDaM Drama spotlight 30th anniversary book project IGS Connections Exchange snapshots Harmony and Safety Arts Fest splash and more!!

From the Principal

Contents From the Principal.....................................ii IGS Strategic Plan.....................................1 IGS overseas band tour............................2 Staff profile—Jacqui Baker.......................4 Familiar faces for working families............5 Good Causes and Clubs..........................6 HSC celebration with global reach...........7 Going sports international.........................8 Meet the Head Boy and Head Girl............9 Student leaders centrefold photo.............10 Introducing ADDaM...................................12 The Book of Everything (anniversary book)....................................13 More music...............................................14 IGS connections........................................15 Reflections on Exchange 2011–2012.......16 Drama spotlight and Building resilience...18 In harmony with safety...............................19 Arts Fest times..........................................20 Cover: IGS overseas band tour.

Road map to 2016 One of the exciting aspects of being a school principal is planning, and implementing, a strategy which will see the school grow and improve. The School Board and Leadership Team spent a good deal of 2011 working on the School’s strategic directions, and a new strategic plan to replace the one which ended in 2011. Like many organisations, schools operate in ever-changing environments; ones in which 'unknowns' can creep in at any time. If we look at the last few years, government initiatives such as Building the Education Revolution and National Curriculum have required schools to respond in short time-frames to a dynamic and, at times, volatile educational landscape. The great challenge is therefore to charter a course which is true to the core values and mandate of the School while equally recognising that “we don’t know what we don’t know” about the future. For this reason, our future planning has been structured around a two-tiered approach: a five-year Strategic Plan (2012–2016) supported by a biennial

4–8 Kelly Street, Ultimo NSW 2007 Phone: 61 2 9219 6700 Fax: 61 2 9211 2474 www.igssyd.nsw.edu.au ABN 74 002 807 525 CRICOS Provider Code: 02281C Jigsaw is a regular publication produced by International Grammar School. Editor: Rosemary Pryor

Operational Plan (2012–13). The former sets the long-term vision while the latter is the road map of how we will get there. The Strategic Plan 2012–2016 was ratified by the School Board at the end of 2011, and presented to the school community for the first time at the PTF’s Annual General Meeting in March. I am delighted to share it with you in this issue of Jigsaw. See page opposite. For the reasons cited above, the fourteen goals in the Strategic Plan are quite broad, and intentionally so. What do these look like on the ground? The following is a snapshot of some of our Operational Plan actions which will support the realisation of our Strategic Plan over the next two years. It is an ambitious but exciting agenda for the School; one which I look forward to implementing with the School Board, Leadership Team and the wider School community. Michael Maniska Principal

Strategic Goal

Operational Plan Action

To be a lighthouse school for student well-being

Implement a new Memorandum of Understanding with the Brain, Mind & Research Institute at Sydney University

To provide a dynamic and rigorous curriculum and pedagogy which embrace intercultural understanding and promote personal achievement

Undertake Consideration Study to become an International Baccalaureate school

To connect effectively with past, present and future members of our school community

Build and maintain a database of Alumni

To attract, retain and develop quality staff

Establish a bursary program for relevant staff professional learning opportunities

To secure the long-term accommodation requirements of the School

Develop long-term strategy in light of 2012 Rent Review

“Connecting effectively with past, present and future members of our school community”

IGS live at the State Theatre—another first!

IGS Strategic Plan 2012–2016 International Grammar School Strategic Plan 2012–2016

Above: Principal Michael Maniska congratulated IGS benefactor Mr Martin Biggs on his 90th birthday earlier this year. He is pictured presenting Mr Biggs with a commemorative photo collage in recognition of the Biggs family’s ongoing contribution to the school community.

The goals of the Strategic Plan are underpinned by International Grammar School's values: Diversity, Personal achievement, Authenticity, Connectedness, Vibrancy.

❙❙ To connect effectively with past,

The Student Environment

❙❙ To provide a safe, secure and

Community Relations

present and future members of our school community. ❙❙ To create partnerships with, and promote the School within, the wider community. Leadership and Management

inclusive environment for all students. ❙❙ To be a lighthouse school for student well-being. ❙❙ To nurture and celebrate student achievement.

❙❙ To attract, retain and develop quality

Teaching and Learning

Corporate Development and Services ❙❙ To identify, develop and execute non-core revenue opportunities. ❙❙ To increase philanthropic giving to the School and its associated bodies/organisations ❙❙ To secure the long-term accommodation requirements for the School.

❙❙ To provide a dynamic and rigorous

curriculum and pedagogy which embrace intercultural understanding and promote personal achievement. ❙❙ To nurture social awareness and ethical behaviours and values in our students. ❙❙ To provide a contemporary and vibrant learning environment.

staff.

❙❙ To keep the School at the forefront of

educational practice.

❙❙ To develop, implement and evaluate

coherent policies and processes.

IGS staged the annual Speech Night in December 2011 at the State Theatre for the first time. The venue was deemed ideal and the event will take place there again this year.

IGS overseas band tour By far the biggest project this year and perhaps in recent memory was the spreading of our musical talents in late February ‘across the ditch’ to another land, the ‘Land of the Long White Cloud’, New Zealand. After six months of intensive preparation, planning and many, many rehearsals, 55 of our students and seven staff gathered at the airport early on the morning of Saturday 25 February to begin the inaugural Music Tour to New Zealand’s South Island. In an action-packed adventure over nine days, the IGS musical delegation played to audiences of all ages in venues unknown. In the true spirit of IGS, we were global citizens, appreciating another culture, the Kiwi accent and the landscape—while managing to contribute to those in need by raising $1,700 for the Christchurch Earthquake appeal along the way. Alison Housley, Head of Music Music teacher Kirrili Williams reports … Flying in to Christchurch and departing immediately for Ashburton, the group spent the first day viewing a seal colony and penguins in their natural habitat aboard a ‘go anywhere, any incline’ 8-wheel vehicle called an Argo. Alternating our sightseeing and general education with performances and workshops made for a very enriching itinerary. After arriving in Dunedin and playing two concerts at different schools, band and orchestra members participated in a workshop with students from Otago Boys High School. In Invercargill, we joined with members of the James

Hargest Senior College Concert Band and Choir, shared their repertoire and enjoyed the experience of a combined rehearsal. One of the highlights of this experience was having members of the Christchurch Symphony facilitating tutorials and presenting a beautifully executed performance as a wind quintet in the evening concert. Our fundraising efforts at this concert easily doubled our initial fund and we made headline in The Southland Times the next morning. “We chatted with the Governor-General, telling her about our fundraising efforts…” Wednesday saw us floating down Milford Sound, marvelling at the beautiful landscape, cliffs and waterfalls, followed by more ‘Scenery Emergency Situations’ on the bus to Queenstown in which students frantically woke others from their napping to take photographs and marvel at the snow-capped mountains and turquoise lakes. At lunch in the picturesque outdoor mall in Queenstown we chatted with our Governor General, Her Excellency Quentin Bryce, telling her about our fundraising efforts before moving on to Queenstown Primary school for our next performance. Later, after several exhilarating attempts at breaking the luge record, our evening meal was in the Skyline Restaurant at the top of Bob’s Peak, to which we travelled by gondola. The choir gave an impromptu performance in the restaurant after dinner, much to the delight of the other diners, before the boys in the group

makes global connections were taught the Haka as part of a show incorporating many aspects of traditional and contemporary Maori culture.

audience was appreciative. At this, our final concert, we raised more money for the Earthquake Fund, bringing the tour’s total to an impressive $1,700.

Our busy Thursday consisted of moving from a jet boat ride on the Shotover River to a lunchtime performance at Dunstan High School. By this stage of the tour we had our packdown time down to just 10 minutes and we set off through the Southern Alps past Lake Pukaki to spend our last two nights at the base of Aoraki, Mt Cook, New Zealand’s highest peak.

We visited the Antarctic Centre in Christchurch before boarding the plane home. We spilled out of Kingsford Smith Airport on the Sunday evening exhausted and exhilarated.

After a breathtakingly spectacular ‘rubber duckie’ boat trip during which we saw, touched and tasted the Tasman Glacier, we staged a performance of all the small ensembles at the magnificent Hermitage hotel. The experience of performing against the backdrop of the Alps was unique—and our large

The tour was a fabulous musical experience, giving us all the opportunity to really refine our repertoire, to consolidate our roles in the team, to bring our expertise to students with less experience and to broaden our musical and cultural experience. More music… 2012 has so far been one of the busiest and most exciting musical years beyond the NZ Music Tour. See page 14

Above: Ms Baker chats with visiting teachers from Boston University

Staff profile Meet Jacqui Baker Jacqui Baker moved into the newly-created role of Assistant Principal–Academic Programs K–12 earlier this year. Having taught high school maths for the past 19 years, she tells Jigsaw about some of the challenges and visions of her new role… Q: Tell us a little about your teaching background JB: When you teach maths, in particular to the highest levels where the content is so abstract and theoretical, you can lose sight of the context in which your content is driven. It is a bit like teaching a bag of skills and tricks with nothing to pin it on. This can become very disconcerting for students and teachers. In all subject areas and particularly in maths, I believe that as teachers, we must show students that there is a driving context to their learning. Q: What do you hope to achieve in your new role in Academic Programs? JB: I am anticipating that my new role will give me the opportunity to develop an overview and scope of the context of learning for IGS students. It is not unusual in most schools for teachers to go about their business, teaching their content, and teaching it well, without the greater vision of what their students are learning in other subject areas. I would like to help teachers and students to ‘join these dots’, so to speak. There is nothing more satisfying for a teacher to experience than their students having that “ahh I get it” moment or that constant nagging “have you marked our assignments yet” because they genuinely want to receive feedback on their learning.

Q: There are constant changes in curriculum and assessment and the next two years will see a lot of movement, for example, the new 'RoSA' replacing the School Certificate, a National Curriculum— and then there’s IGS’s own IB Consideration Study. How will you negotiate or co-ordinate all this from the ‘hot seat’? JB: Co-ordinate is the key word here. You can’t possibly sit in this seat and think that you would have all of the answers to questions that have taken years and years of academic thought and inquiry. I truly believe that the answers for IGS lie within our whole community, staff, students and parents. We do have all the necessary expertise available in our community to determine our curricular needs and direction for this school. My task will be to source and access these answers, provoke the right discussions with the right groups and to synthesise the information obtained. Q: Are there other issues at play for the way we learn into the future? JB: Most of my own school friends now have careers that did not exist when I was at school. Yet, when I was at school with them, I don’t think that they were learning the skills or content that they would need for their careers. It is an information world now and we have access to information at our fingertips. When I was at school, the skill to learn was the ‘how’ to access information. That, in itself, took up most of our time. Now, it’s the ‘what’ we will do with this information. There’s the ‘what’ information we will value and the ‘what’ can I do with the information. The other issue is that the curriculum has now widened. The curriculum is

not limited to the classroom. It is all that we come across in the classroom, in the school buildings, in the playgrounds and of course, in our virtual classroom, street and playground. Attitudes and values are formed from deep learning and understanding. Q: And what about social media and learning? JB: How we behave, our actions, are a result of our attitudes and values. The notion of good citizenship when I was at school was limited to the boundaries of how one should behave within the context of our environment. Our environment now extends to the virtual environment. That is where information is being sought, so young people need also to learn good citizenship in this extended environment. So in summary—without doubt—we cannot ignore the very real place of social media in learning. The more we ignore the place it has, the longer we wait to teach young people how best to use it in every aspect. Q: You have two children who must keep you busy. What do you most like to find time for outside of school? JB: The highlight of my week is watching my children play soccer. This is where I relax. I look forward to the Saturday morning coffee van at the sporting field and the change in scenery from the week. The other thing I will always make time for, and never take for granted, is regular exercise. I’ve learned that for me it’s the best way of managing stress. I also enjoy good theatre, film and music.

Familiar faces for our busy families The 'After Care' or Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) service allows students from Years 1–6 to fill in their time in a variety of ways—either in fairly structured Clubs or through unstructured play, homework or indoor activities. There are sandwiches each afternoon and every second Friday everyone enjoys a barbecue. Of course, at IGS, you cannot mention After Care without thinking of Manuela. Manuela Bachmann is the very small feisty lady with the German accent and the huge heart. In a former life she was a prima ballerina and now she runs After Care at IGS. She has been doing this now for over ten years and is an institution at the school. Few will know, however, that she was there right at the beginning of the School’s existence, nearly 30 years ago (see Manuela’s story below). Manuela has proved to be the most reliable, responsible and understanding of carers. Nothing is too much when it comes to the safety, comfort and care of the children, workers and parents who come into contact with her every day.

OSHC also includes Holiday Care which runs every non-term day except public holidays and the extended Christmas-New Year period. Holiday Care offers excursions and incursions of every kind and is available to all students from Kindergarten to Year 6. It is popular, so bookings are essential. Just as Manuela is the face of After Care, Wendy is the face of Holiday Care. Head-hunted from another school eight years ago, Wendy Blackburn plans and co-ordinates a terrific program for the students. She is an extremely energetic and caring person who makes the care and the enjoyment of the students her priority. Wendy knows our students well as she works during the term as an assistant and this allows her to give her special care to the students on their vacation. So don’t be afraid of saying a big ‘hello’ to these wonderful women— they are very important members of our community, especially for our working families! Paul Galea, Director of Student Activities Next page—‘Clubs view’

Meeting Manuela IGS’s ‘after school care (K–6) co-ordinator’ Manuela Bachmann is the longest serving staff member at the School, having operated her Bachmann School of Dance (along with her popular husband Til) on the same site as the School in the Eastern Suburbs in the early 1980s. A former prima ballerina with the East German Ballet Company, Manuela is a ‘living treasure’ for IGS: passionate, reliable, familiar. Jigsaw caught up with her in her usual spot one afternoon—out the front of the Kelly Street campus. Manuela has held the role for 12 years after running dance as an after-school activity for several years before. When asked what led her to accepting the OSHC management role in the Year 2000 she said: “ When the dance school was winding back I was looking for the least boring job in town—and I found it! “There’s always something happening, new students to get to know and new activities. “Running the centre is more challenging than dancing Swan Lake for three hours but the kids reward me daily with affection and their humour. It can be chaos but it’s the time of day when they can enjoy quality play time in the afternoon—it’s like their home away from home”. Note: Manuela and other past and current staff and students are being invited to contribute to the School’s special Anniversary book project—30 Years of Learning Journeys. Do you have a story to tell? See page 13.

Wendy Blackburn with some of her young July holiday charges

Manuela Bachmann

Jesse Perez and Jeremy Booth with OASIS ambassador Bianca Orsini and co-judge Cate Blanchett

Joining the Clubs As the story on OSHC on Page 5 notes, after school clubs are all the go.

Good Causes IGS film makers runners-up in national comp

Odd socks bring even chance for Cambodian schools

Year 9 film class students combined the School’s focus on social justice with their film-making skills project towards the end of last year when they entered the OASIS foundation (a Salvation Army initiative) national film competition on the theme of homelessness.

The Primary School’s ‘Odd Sox Day’ in May raised $762.85 towards Australians for Cambodian Education’s work with The Happy School Project. Primary student community leaders Yasmin Kirk and Flinders Twartz are pictured, below, celebrating.

Their film, Somebody’s Child was awarded co runner-up alongside the Northern Territory’s Nhulunbuy High School with their film Reach Out. OASIS ambassador and judging panel member Cate Blanchett presented the prize ($2,000 towards the School’s film studies) to the IGS film team representatives Jesse Perez and Jeremy Booth.

Smite Club

Little Dance

Above: L-R: Lucy Howard-Shibuya, Liam Dean-Johnson, Michael Maniska, Jacqui Baker, Anthony Dennehy, Paddy Gidney, Brigitta Summers, Annie Feng, Mary Duma Top Right: Thuso Lekwape with his 'Australian parents' Sharon and Geoff at last year's Year 12 farewell Right: Annie Feng at the lectern

HSC celebration with a global reach There was great excitement around ‘results day’ for last year’s HSC cohort in December. Liam Dean-Johnson, Paddy Gidney and Brigitta Summers made the prestigious HSC All-round Achievers list by achieving a Band 6 result (score of 90% or more) in at least 10 units of study. Liam also placed 2nd in the state for Geography and 14th in the state for English Advanced. Anouk Berney placed 9th in the state for Drama. Several other students, including Annie Feng, achieved ATAR scores in the high 90s. In February this year, IGS hosted a special assembly and welcomed back Liam, Annie, Paddy and Brigitta to share their HSC ‘secrets’ with our high school students. Thuso Lekwape— accepted into NIDA for acting—made his appearance via video. Principal Michael Maniska awarded Liam Dean-Johnson (who scored an ATAR of 99.9 and was also Dux 2011) with the inaugural IGS Academic Scholars Prize at the assembly.

Words of wisdom I had a quiet moment of satisfaction when I received the news—I was away in the States and at JFK Airport when I heard. I did work hard … I believe that if you work hard then you can get the mark you deserve. Especially at this school. I stayed grounded and I knew I would have all the help I needed. IGS rocks! Liam studying a Bachelor of Arts at Brown University, Rhode Island USA, majoring in political science and human biology. Accepted/deferred Arts/Law Sydney University. _ I was passionate about study and the subjects I was studying. I could sometimes put in six hours study a day but I had great support from my mentors. I say enjoy the year, and make use of the whole year. The hard work is worthwhile—it’s satisfying to work at everything including the trials. And still enjoy the holidays! Brigitta reading arts at Somerville College, Oxford University, UK _ I found keeping study notes at the end of each week helped me to spread the task over the year. I really liked my subjects (predominantly science and maths). I did do a lot of work and I revised but getting good at a topic— that was the reward. In Year 12 I think the key is always to be doing something (towards the goal) even if it sometimes means being a ‘heartless hermit’ and not on FaceBook … Paddy Studying a Bachelor of Science in Advanced Mathematics, also majoring in Theoretical Physics, Sydney University

IGS was an inspiration for me. The School’s support and encouragement has given me the most amazing personal achievement—this place at NIDA. Here I am now putting in days from 9 in the morning to 6 at night and loving it! I was extremely determined, to push myself and I somehow managed to get through my other subjects too (including learning how to read in English!) but it was Drama that with Ms Morabito that helped me find myself. IGS lets us see who we are and we are better people (for it). I’m hoping that one day I will perform in front of my home country, South Africa. Thuso now studying at the National Institute of Dramatic Arts _ I chose a mix of Economics and Science. Even though the pressure rises (for the HSC), Year 12 is a year you can control it. Consider the stress like a rubber band, it will shape itself. You need breaks, so balance your time with exercise. Plan and play. The support system at IGS is there and our teachers are so approachable. I’d suggest these tips: Be consistent; use the syllabus as a gift; do as much exam practice as you can; and keep sight of the end-game—the goal you’ve set or the score you are aiming for. Now I can think: ‘The HSC? It’s not that bad’. I’ve done that and it brings a new confidence. Annie Studying a Bachelor of Commerce at Sydney University— Cadetship with Ernst and Young _ The School is proud of all 66 of our 2011 HSC graduates who have gone on to further studies or other varied and interesting pursuits.

Left: The Principal presented Liam with the inaugural IGS Academic Scholars Prize

Left: Matthew Donald fenced from IGS ...to Moscow Above and at right: Olivia and her team's awards

Going sports international IGS students have excelled in sports at home and away over the past six months. Jigsaw followed the progress of two students over the seas to international competitions in Russia and France.

Matthew parries in Russia Year 12’s Matthew Donald spent a week in Moscow in April, shaping up against the world’s best in junior fencing. He competed with a team of three other Australians and placed 83rd in the world (out of 123), achieving his team’s highest score. Matthew told Jigsaw that he hopes to gain entrance to university next year and continue into the Opens category in his sport. Originally a keen and competent swimmer, he took to fencing because of its fitness raising and strategy. He trains up to four times a week at the PCYC in the Inner West and participates in all categories—Épée, Foil, and Sabre.

Olivia’s cool challenge in Europe Year 11’s Olivia Nemes-Nemeth returned from the ice skating’ Worlds’ competition in Europe in April with two team trophies in hand. Olivia has been figure skating for about six years, joining the Majestic Ice competitive Novice team at the Canterbury Rink in 2009. She offers this insight into her cool world of sport. What do you like about skating and how was Europe? “What I love most is the feeling that you get when you’re moving perfectly across the ice—like flying. "To win in Europe was incredible. It was sort of surreal, the sort of thing that just doesn’t happen. The French and Swedish home-crowds watching the events cheered for us, so we felt incredibly welcome and well supported, despite having so few Australians there.

Matthew learned not only more about his competitors while in Moscow but was also surprised to observe that some countries refused to engage with each other, even at the junior level, because of political or religious differences.

What were the challenges? During the short program in Caen we had three falls, which meant we had more deductions at that point than any other team. Going into the free program we weren’t sure we could regain the ground we’d lost; but amazingly, we had ‘the skate of our lives’ and managed to win the competition despite being so far behind. And how did the venues compare? If you are talking about the aesthetics, you can’t go past the Gothenburg rink. However, as a skater I loved the rink in Caen. It has the most beautiful ice I have ever skated on. Compared to Canterbury the overseas rinks looked so much more professional, and much more nerve-racking to skate in. And your plans for future? Our team hopes to continue qualifying to skate in overseas competitions over the next few years, and I personally hope to move up to the Senior team in a few years’ time, and one day to skate in the Senior World Championships.

Below: Olivia (pictured front, second from right) with Majestic Ice

Below: Matthew Donald competed against over 120 others in the World Junior Fencing Championships, Moscow. Below right: Matthew in action

Meet the Head Boy and Head Girl Being Head Boy has been a challenging but thoroughly rewarding experience. Lewis Evans, the previous head boy, was also in my Tutor Group, and we had some discussions about his role last year. When I was appointed, my first thoughts were, “I’m not sure how to do this, I hope I do a good job, I don’t want to mess this up!”

So far, being Head Girl has been the most wonderful experience. I soon learnt that like most leadership positions it is quite an organic role, designed so that each head boy and girl are able to make their unique contribution to the school. I have been given opportunities to learn about leadership in so many different situations.

I realised that despite the conversations I’d had with Lewis I had no idea what to expect, because each year the nature of the job is unique. The School has different goals, new spaces are opened, new issues arise and there’s a different team of school leaders.

I think there are two very distinct sides to the role. One is what the community’s sees Isaac and I doing; this may be leading or speaking at assemblies, Open Night and working with other student leaders to represent the School. However, the other side to the role is mostly unseen. We strive to act as a voice for the student cohort and have a concern for the wellbeing of fellow students. At times it has been challenging, forcing me to work quickly and effectively with people to make decisions and find solutions to issues. I have learnt to consider issues from different points of view. Interacting every day with students from all different year groups is something that I really enjoy. IGS has such a vibrant and energetic atmosphere that makes my role worthwhile.

As a leader, there are often situations where we’re put on the spot and have to make decisions, with limited information, quickly. This has been particularly prevalent around Arts Fest preparation this year. Listening to other people’s ideas, synthesising information, establishing a goal and plotting a direction to achieve that goal often has to be done within the space of a few weeks, and of course the decisions you make will never satisfy everybody—but that is the nature of a leadership role, it’s exciting and it’s what we signed up for. It’s mostly about doing what you think is right, keeping an eye on peers’ wellbeing, trying to take initiative and instigate change and balancing leadership with studies. Working with members of the staff leadership team such as Mr Maniska, Mrs Duma, Mr Dennehy, the Heads of House and Lucy Sensei has given me an insight into the amount of time spent and organisation required to mobilise people and achieve results. The role has been eye opening and motivating. Isaac Harmelin, Head Boy 2012

It is an incredible honour to work with fantastic staff who have mentored me throughout the year. It is quite surreal and sometimes I’m still a little surprised that I was appointed Head Girl, however, it has been the most rewarding time. My lasting thought is that is that it has been exciting, inspirational and I’m proud to represent my school as Head Girl. Natasha O'Farrell, Head Girl 2012 Next page—see all our primary and high school school student leaders poised on the staircase of leadership!

Pictured, top down: Head Boy and Head Girl for 2012 were announced at Speech Night in December 2011 Natasha is also a keen musician Isaac addresses visitors at Open Night

Natasha on Open Night

Meet all the student leaders

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The role of Head Boy has given me an insight into the amount of time spent and the organisation required to mobilise people and achieve results.

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Isaac Harmelin

❝

As Head Girl I have learnt to consider issues from different points of view. Interacting every day with students from all different year groups is something that I really enjoy”.

11 Principal Michael Maniska, Primary Student Leader Co-ordinator Jason Reitmans and Senior School Student Leader Co-ordinator Lucy Howard-Shibuya stand in front of the 'staircase of student leaders'.

❝

Natasha O’Farrell

Rita Morabito

Introducing ADDaM Rita Morabito is leading a new IGS ‘consortium of the Arts’ to prepare for the School’s movement towards the Australian Curriculum and the Middle Years Programme of the IB. What has your teaching journey been? RM: As a Foundation Teacher at IGS I have taught as a Primary teacher and an Italian Bilingual Language teacher in both Primary and High school. Through my awareness of the level of engagement shown by students when they used creative methods to acquire any subject matter, I was inspired to specialise in Drama. I have led the Drama Faculty at IGS since the inception of the NSW Drama HSC course in 1991 and have in the past facilitated whole school celebratory events. What is ADDaM? RM: This year, I took on an expanded role which involves looking at and leading the creative disciplines of Art, Drama, Design and Media (ADDaM). Exploratory consultation between the respective Faculty leaders Sophie Lampert (Visual Arts), Melissa Silk (Design and Technology) and me—looked at interdisciplinary opportunities which could be forged across these Arts subjects through collaborative teaching, skill sharing, exhibition planning or specific course review and creation. What are some examples of this collaborative Arts approach? RM: ‘Film studies as Media’ is one area of interaction, discussion and review for ADDaM within the context of the Australian Curriculum and MYP framework planning for the Arts. The possibility of collaborative camps and overseas opportunities has been discussed as has the interdisciplinary

study of Shakespeare. All this has formed part of the beginnings of creative discussion and analysis with recommendations being passed on to the Assistant Principal—Academic Programs, Ms Jacqui Baker.

Tickets sold out to the School’s production of Small Poppies in March...

The Year 12 Major Works showcase which takes place early in Term 3 will see the submitted works displayed in a purpose-built exhibition space (KMB Level 3) for the very first time. How do you think ADDaM will benefit our students? RM: We hope to devise opportunities to support students to achieve their creative potential The results of the recent survey conducted by Professor Andrew Martin of the University of Sydney at IGS together with the established work of researcher Professor John Hattie indicates the importance of purposeful guided feedback, not ‘resting on laurels’ and encouraging students to continue to strive for their personal best. The Arts is an area where students invest personal and creative ideas through process work, collaboration, risk taking and self-guided learning. They make meaning and respond to their world through engagement with ideas, creative tasks and other people, which helps construct their own personal narrative. Knowing who they are through a sense of connection is a powerful place for a young person to be. The ADDaM team aims to help our Arts students to achieve their personal best. As we develop opportunities we hope to empower students with skills, resilience and the self-motivation needed to achieve success.

Meet the rest of the ADDaM team in our coverage of the 12 Showcase, HSC Major Works next edition of Jigsaw.

More Drama spotlights on page 18

Photos from behind the scenes for the promo film, (bold)clockwise from left: the PTF's 30th Anniversary Book committee; Founding principal Reg St Leon warms up; past students and staff; film studies students assist with the promo film.

The Book of Everything Why IGS needs you to become part of our history In Term 2, a professional TV crew could be found filming IGS students, staff and others in the Design and Technology studio. Meanwhile, even the most casual passer-by would have noticed that the hall stage had been totally transformed into a photography studio. There, primary and secondary teachers were lining up, laughing whilst waving ‘interesting’ objects from round the world—think lederhosen, a boxing kangaroo and a glowing Eiffel Tower—as a photographer recorded it all for posterity. Why were these unusual things happening? The reason is that they were part of an exciting project that is well underway, a book that involves all IGS staff, students, parents—past and present—and hopefully … you. In 2014, it will be 30 years since International Grammar School first opened its doors. Naturally we’re proud of our school’s strong spirit, its community and its past. The story of IGS, however, its people and its influence—what it has taught us about the world—has never yet been comprehensively documented. So, as part of the festivities being planned to commemorate this historical birthday, the School and PTF parent volunteers are producing a book to tell the story of how we got here—a book that relates not just our school’s history—but what we have learned from being part of IGS. Learning Journeys—celebrating 30 years of IGS 1984–2014 tells a wonderful story about how diversity,

personal achievement, connectedness, authenticity and vibrancy have forged the school we’re all so proud of. The story unfolds with anecdotes from people who were involved when the school came into existence, and how, from some 40 students housed in an old convent in Randwick it has passed through some fairly precarious years, to blossom into the wonderfully happy and successful educational establishment of 1,200 students and 120 staff it is today.

“… this tells a great tale— yet we still don't have the whole picture”.

So far, those who have come to add their part of the story include all of our principals from Professor Reg St Leon to Michael Maniska, past and present staff, including the significant number of teachers who have worked overseas and the many others who have worked at the school for most of their working lives. Above all, we have learning journeys, memories and observations from students past and present. Together this tells a great tale—yet we still don't have the whole picture. The School’s story is everyone’s story —and so Learning Journeys will only be the best it can be if we have your story, your observations and insights. The editorial team needs to know your learning journey. What you think makes IGS ‘IGS’ and what do you think sets it apart from other schools? How would you describe the ‘essence’ of IGS? How would you sum up your experience of IGS?

To encourage you to step up and join in, the TV crew—assisted by students—made a short film that will be shown at school and on the website. Its aim is to encourage everyone to step forward and tell the story of their learning journey at IGS. As for the lederhosen, boxing kangaroo and Eiffel Tower? …All will be revealed in Learning Journeys … watch this space! Please contact the Editorial Team by end of Term 3 via email at: igslearningjourneys@gmail.com or leave a note at Reception.

Pictured clockwise from above: the Navy Band and IGS; The Tukros players and Indigenous performances on Level 3 of the KMB.

More music At the time of press (late June), one of our orchestras had just arrived back with gold from the Engadine Music Festival. This caps a busy semester for music at IGS. Earlier, in February, students in Years 4 en dash 7 attended a performance by the Royal Australian Navy Bandâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;following a workshop run by the Navy Band for the IGS Symphonic Wind Band.

The School was also privileged to be visited in Term 1 by the Tukros Ensemble from Budapest who introduced Stage 4 students to the musical styles, dances and instruments from Hungary and Transylvania. An Indigenous performer entertained primary school students in Term 2.

Clockwsie from top: Principal addresses PTF Thought Leadership Forum on IB Consideration Study; Ross Gittens; Peter Strzelecki; Weapons Man fans; Joseph Degeling spoke to over 50 parents on preschol learning and behaviour ...while one young charge made for the exit.

IGS connections Reaching out

Reaching in

In collaboration with IGS, the PTF once again conducted their Thought Leadership Forums. The first forum in March featured Principal Michael Maniska on the topic of the International Baccalaureateâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a Consideration Study and was repeated in Term 2 for those parents who were unable to attend the first forum.

IGS welcomed a number of guest speakers to the School this semester including HSC-listed poet Peter Strzelecki, Economist Ross Gittins and the ever-popular Weapons Man for Medieval Day.

The second forum for the semester attracted a crowd of preschool and junior school parents to hear the Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Director of Child and Adolescent Development Joseph Degeling on the topic of preschool social behaviour and learning.

Reflections on Exchange L’anno scorso ho partecipato ad uno scambio scolastico in Italia, un paese con una cultura antica e ricca. Prima di partire non immaginavo che il viaggio diventerebbe l’esperienza più gratificante della mia vita. La sfida più grande per me è stata affrontare la mancanza della mia famiglia. Comunque, la mia famiglia italiana ha potuto mantenere un sorriso sulla mia faccia per tutto il mio soggiorno. Alla fine dello scambio ho realizzato che posso viaggiare da solo e che non ho bisogno della mia mamma per tutte le cose. All’inizio dello scambio ero nervoso e insicuro della mia abilita di sopravvivere in un paese straniero, ma c’è l’ho fatta. La più grande ricompensa dello scambio, è stata gli amici nuovi che ho fatto e che non dimenticherò mai. Joshua Maxwell 我在中国交流的时候我学了很多关于中国的生活还有得到了很多美好的回忆。我在中国的时候遇到了很多新朋友，他们全都很好人。中国有太多好吃的东西所以我在那里吃了很多然后也胖了很多。我刚刚去中国交流的时候有点不习惯他们的上课时间，因为他们的在学校的时间比我们长很多。这我慢慢也习惯了，可是到我回澳大利亚的时候我却不能吃完午饭马上睡觉。我去中国最高兴的是可以与很多的中国人练习说中文因为我觉得我们一定要与中国人说中文才可以改善我们的口音。 Gloria Duong

Mon séjour en France a été une expérience inoubliable. Je suis restée avec une famille très sympa et gentille qui me manque énormément. Mon niveau de français s’est beaucoup amélioré et c’est ça qui me fait le plus plaisir. Si j’avais l’occasion encore, c’est sûr que j’y retournerais et donc je vous conseille d’y aller si vous pouvez. Bien que j’ai trouvé quelques moments difficiles que j’ai dû affronter pendant l’échange, ils m’ont finalement permis de mûrir et de devenir plus indépendante. Justine Blackwell Prima di partecipare allo scambio scolastico, pensavo che sarebbe stato come una vacanza. Invece, era molto differente. Non avevo nessun’idea che io avrei un’esperienza come quella che ho avuto. Dopo 2 settimane mi mancava la mia famiglia e volevo ritornare a Sydney, ma mia sorella Aphrica mi ha aiutato e mi ha dato dei buoni consigli. Lei mi ha detto che “È sempre difficile all’inizio, ma devi sentirti a tuo agio.”. Lei aveva ragione. Le prime settimane 2 e 3 erano molto difficili e tutti erano dispiaciuti però quando ho cominciato a sentirmi a mio agio e a conoscere la città, mi sentivo come una residente vera. Manet Conolly

2011–2012 Le plus grand plaisir de mon échange c’était de rencontrer de nouveaux gens et d’être accueillie par la famille. C’était aussi merveilleux de vivre la culture française là-bas et de parler français tout le temps. Maintenant, moi et ma correspondante on est comme des sœurs. Quand j’étais en France, j’ai appris beaucoup de nouveaux mots et d’expressions idiomatiques et maintenant je pense que je parle la langue presque couramment. Vous devriez essayer d’aller en échange car c’est une expérience merveilleuse. Oceane Booth Lo scambio in Italia era l’esperienza più bella in assoluto della mia vita. La famiglia che mi ha ospitato era bella e simpatica. Essere in una famiglia italiana è stato l’aspetto più importante per me. Sono stata davvero fortunata ad avere una bella famiglia per lo scambio. La famiglia era cosi gentile a me, e mi sono sentita parte della famiglia. Mi hanno portato in tanti posti,

tipo Austria, Torino, Venezia e anche a Berlino. Mi hanno preparato tanti piatti buoni da assaggiare, e hanno parlato sempre in italiano con me. Mi manca l’Italia e la mia nuova famiglia italiana! Lucy McPhedran 交換留学に参加してから私達の日本語は、だいぶ上達しました。毎日日本語を使ったので、自分の会話や発音に自信を持つことができました。なれるまでにだいぶ時間がかかりましたが、とてもいい経験になり、私達の最高の思い出になりました。ですから、日本に興味がある生徒達には、この交換留学をお勧めします。 Hattie Beck and Marin Kondo C'était la meilleure expérience de ma vie. J'adorais ma correspondante et ma famille d’accueil en France. Mon français s’est beaucoup amélioré et maintenant je suis plus sure de moi en ce qui concerne la langue. En France je me suis fait beaucoup de nouvelles amies et j'adorais le lycée. J'espère que je retournerai à Montpellier dans un futur proche. Nina Pepper

Drama spotlight

Building resilience Duke of Edinburgh Scheme

IGS is very proud of the Senior Theatresports team of James Mitchell, Jack Colquhoun, Harry McGee, Pip Goold and Daniel Sava O’Leary (pictured above) who were just pipped at the post for a spot in the state finals for the Interschool Theatresports competition in June. They were awarded ‘scene of the night’ at the semi-finals.

Several IGS students are striving for their Bronze and Silver Duke of Edinburgh awards. The scheme requires participants to complete outdoors fitness and community service tasks.

The Intermediate team (pictured centre) also performed well. And our young bards (pictured at bottom) performed in June at Bardfest

Guest speaker brings true vision 35-year-old Aviva Mushin lost her sight only three years ago. As a volunteer educator with Vision Australia, she spoke to a captivated senior school assembly audience in June about her experience of learning to cope with the changes to her mobility and life. The students asked candid questions about Aviva’s condition and she answered openly, describing her will “to push through” when she realised she was going blind and how she now ‘sees’ the world as a blind person does, rather than in the way she used to when sighted. Nicholas Gleeson, a former colleague from Vision Australia, joined Aviva for her visit to the School. Aviva was accompanied by her Seeing Eye Dog (SED) Warwick and Nicholas’s SED is named ‘Unity’—fitting in perfectly with our IGS motto!

Nicholas and Aviva are greeted by Assistant Principal Anthony Dennehy

In harmony with safety The School’s Harmony Day (21 March) brought more than just the colour orange and other brightly coloured attire to IGS. Constable Charlie (sporting some orange accessories of his own in the form of his gigantic webbed feet) turned up on the same day with his Police Youth Liaison Unit colleagues to talk to the Junior School about ‘staying safe’. As the pictures show, Harmony Day and Constable Charlie drew fans both young and old.

Arts Fest— the best of the ancient times Arts Fest is something that I look forward to every year. The theme this year (ancient times) was difficult, but we all made the best of it! My House pulled together and worked so hard to produce our winning artworks and our whole-House performance about Cleopatra and Marc Antony. Although everyone was stretched for time, it ended up being one of the most excellent Arts Fests ever. I was proud to see IGS represented so beautifully for my last time through the very ancient music, art, drama, literature and dances. Lucy McPhedran, Year 12, Kuyal House

Arts Fest is a day where individuals have the opportunity to showcase their artistic talents. But more importantly, to me, it’s the culmination of weeks of practice, where each house comes together to perform. It can be a bit stressful leading up to it for some people, but when it arrives it’s definitely the best day of the school year. Everyone is encouraging of one another, giving many people the confidence they need to get up on stage. Arts Fest is something that makes our school unique and encompasses many of the things which are so special about IGS. Nicola Krishnan Year 12, Gura House

This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inter-house arts festival was an outstanding array of performances, the likes of which have not been seen since the 1970s, (the theme of 2010 that is!). To me Arts Fest is the day that best acknowledges the individuality of our school as a community. It is the one day a year we are separated from the uniform of a private school and truly recognised as an army of individuals rich in talent and creativity. For me this is my favourite day of the year because it allows us to uncover the hidden talents of so many individuals amongst us as well as showcase the indefinable nature of IGS. This day reminds us we are unique from everyone else and should always be celebrated. Lily Packer, Year 12, Bamal House

Arts Fest is the best day in the school year. You get up on stage with everyone from your House and put on an awesome dance for the rest of the school. But the day is only half of it, The preparation to Arts Fest is almost as good. Possibly the best part is choreographing the dances with everyone includedâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and seeing it change so much from what you envisaged since everyone is so different. Also, creating wacky plots that vaguely attach to the theme is possibly the most creative thing anyone will ever do. But the main thing I love about Arts Fest is the fact you don't have to be good at any sports (like the other Carnivals) and you can still come first in your category. Alexander Lincoln-Dodgson, Year 12, Baado House

Photos by Adrienne Lim, Rosemary Pryor and Gina Leros. Three wise women