DATES TO REMEMBER
VOLUME XXXI No 12 21st August, 2014
FROM THE HEAD OF COLLEGE
AUGUST K2015 Interviews ASISSA Athletics Carnival JS
25th – 27th
28th
SEPTEMBER HSC Success Program begins K2015 Interviews
1st
Cybersafety Parents Years 4 – 6 Parents and students Years 7 & 8
2nd
Maths Cup JS
4th
Father’s Day
7th
Greek Orthodox Athletics Carnival JS
8th
ISA Athletics SS
9th
CIS Athletics JS
10th
Year 12 Farewell Assembly
11th
K-12 Doxology Debating Gala Day JS
12th
Year 12 Formal Dinner
15th
Sports Presentation Evening
17th
Term ends for students OPEN DAY JS
19th
OCTOBER Public Holiday
6th
No School Staff Development Day
7th
Students return
8th
HSC begins
13th
OHI Day Celebrations
Please click here for copy of the Festival of Learning events:
Church Years 7 – 9 Spring Fair at JS
26th
http://www.stspyridon.nsw.edu.au/wpcontent/uploads/2014/08/OPEN-Day-2014.pdf
NOVEMBER K2015 Orientation
5th
Walkathon JS
6th
Parent Forum Year 7 2015 K2015 Orientation
11th
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K
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NEWS
NEW MUMS
On Wednesday 20th August, our beautiful ‘new mums’ teachers visited the Junior School with their very handsome baby boys.
UNIFORM SHOP The Uniform Shop will be stocking Reversible Raincoats as from October. Size 4-14, cost $39.00.
Mrs Karpouzos with Spyridon, Mrs Xenos with Vincent and Mrs Diavatiotis with Jacob.
JUNIOR SCHOOL REPORT
All the students were very excited to see them after lunch in the courtyard. We look forward to their next visit.
Our children impress us in so many ways but I am, as the Gospel states, humbled by them. Truly out of the mouth of babes comes wisdom. Just wanted to share one story with you.... Several children from one particular grade in the Junior School have approached me about fundraising for various causes and charities. This is not remarkable because we know our children are compassionate and giving citizens but what really touched my heart was that they had spoken with each other and had arranged working groups to make or source goods which they themselves will donate. Their time and effort is a critical component of the fundraising. I am so proud of them for showing us how to live a truly Orthodox life! Please look out for their flyers later in the term and support their fundraising endeavours. From our emotional and spiritual growth, we move to our physical health. I hope that you are Living Outside the Box, limiting electronic device usage and becoming more active as a family. I wish to thank Miss Bletsogiannis for sourcing this easy to use and helpful resource which encourages us all to eat better and to be more active. Good luck with the challenge and we look forward to hearing your feedback.
JEANS FOR GENES DAY Jeans for Genes Day 2014 at the Junior School will be held on Friday 29th August.
Mrs A. Synesios Principal Junior School
Dress predominantly in denim material or jeans with sports shoes to show your support on the day. Bring a donation to support the charity. Students who donate $10 or more will receive a free gift!
DEBATING NEWS In the 1960s and 70s you didn’t have 500 ways to be contactable. If you were needed, you may have received a phone call (but never during meal times). In the case of mobile phones and internet - They allow us to stay connected all the time. Unfortunately, the same technology prevents us from taking a break. Organisations now expect their
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SUN SMART
employees to be accessible around the clock despite knowing that this could stress them out. A simpler life is a better life…
Our school takes sun-safety very seriously and we are continuously evaluating our procedures, policies and uniform to ensure that our students are protected and safe. The experts in the field of sun-safety recommend that children use hats that protect the head, neck and ears (sun safe hats). In keeping with this recommendation it is now compulsory for all our students to use sun safe hats as part of the school uniform. As such, these hats are now available for, both our infants and primary students, at a cost of $25 from the uniform shop.
This is just an excerpt from one of the many debate topics we have tackled this year in the IPSHA Debate Competition. Since our last instalment, students have continued their hard work in brainstorming, creating and presenting arguments to the opposition, audience and adjudicator using persuasive devices and language to convince them, that their arguments for (or against) the topic are stronger. The skill of rebuttal is currently the focus of our debaters. Debate, without rebuttals, would merely be a series of speeches with no relation to each other, there will be no clash, no conflict and ultimately, no debate. What is rebuttal then? It is a speaker saying that an opponent's argument is not valid and showing why it is not valid. This component of the debate is impromptu – teams cannot prepare until they hear the points brought forward by their opposition and find faults. Our senior debaters are building upon this skill in weekly meetings with their coaches, which will eventually (and we apologise in advance parents…) improve their skills of winning any argument. Versus Emmanuel Cranbrook Kambala
Topic That we live in a better world than our grandparents. That the tooth fairy should retire. That in summer, school hours should be from 7am – 1pm.
Mr A. Dookie Assistant Principal Junior School
SENIOR SCHOOL REPORT EVENTS TO FAREWELL YEAR 12, 2014 A number of events have been organized to farewell our Year 12 students:
Outcome One win, one loss.
One win, one loss. Both teams won!
The upcoming round for Term Three is: 22/8/14 That pets are our masters Moriah and we are their slaves. AWAY
Thursday, 11th September: Year 7-12 Farewell Assembly Friday, 12th September: K-12 Doxology in the presence of His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos or His delegate, St Spyridon Church – parents and family are welcome and encouraged to attend. Monday 15th September: Year 12 Formal Dinner for Year 12 students, teachers, parents and family.
ATTENTION PARENTS – SAFETY FIRST Could parents please note that the afternoon pick up outside the front of the school is not a place to socialize, as it puts the traffic into chaos. Parents are parking close to the bus stop and not moving their car until well after 3.15 pm and cars become banked up.
A quick note to congratulate Jamyson Gouveros and Patricia Hardas (both in Year 4) who have worked tirelessly in debating this year and have been invited to join the Senior debate team. Parents of our debaters are always welcome to watch all debates be they at ‘home’ or ‘away’!
Mr V. Zafiropoulos
CHEMISTRY EXCURSION
Good luck to all our Junior School debating teams for all future debates!
Year 12 Chemistry went on an excursion to the Australian Maritime Museum to enhance their studies for the option topic 'Shipwrecks, Corrosion and Conservation'.
Mrs N. Economou
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The class were first treated with a presentation outlining the differences between conservation and restoration of historical artefacts and the chemical treatments that these artefacts need to go through from the time they are found in the ocean to when they are displayed in the museum.
FROM THE ARTROOM Year 8 have recently finished their experiments in colour printing. The technique used is called the reduction technique. This is when an amount of the lino is cut away after each colour is printed and then is printed on top of the previous colour. The trick is to register the colours perfectly, easier said than done.
After a short break, we were taken on a tour of the museum where we got to observe and discuss Captain Cook’s cannon that was on the HMB Endevour as well as anchors from the HMS Sirius. Lastly, we were taken on board the HMS Onslow which is a navy submarine that was commissioned during the cold war. Overall the students found this excursion to be a valuable experience to aid in their Chemistry studies for the HSC.
Ms M. Pringle Art Teacher Mrs A. Katsogiannis Principal Senior School
Mr D. Giles Chemistry Teacher
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MIDDLE REPORT
SCHOOL
LACE IT UP
Following the recent launch of this worthy campaign, which aims to raise awareness and funds for Homeless Youth, students from across the year groups (in fact 100 of them) purchased the specially marked laces from their class SRC’s. At present $500 has been raised from sales. Students will wear the BLUE laces throughout August. If you would like to donate funds directly to ’Youth Off The Streets’, please follow the link to the St Spyridon College Supporters page:https://laceitup.everydayhero.com/au/st-spyridoncollege
SOUP KITCHEN THIS WEEK Recently it was the turn of Year 9 girls: Rothopi Nicolaou, Deyarna Xenos and Julijana Nikolis to travel to Newtown for Soup Kitchen duty. As soon as they arrived, the students received some insider tips from senior volunteers, put on their aprons and gloves then set to work. The first job involved getting the meal of calamari, green and potato salads on to plates before beginning to serve them. It was clear that many enjoyed this meal as there were many requests for second, third and even fourth serves!!! The girls were efficient at collecting and clearing plates, washing down tables and sweeping. This brought praise not only from the other volunteers but also from many of those they served. When a wallet was left behind by a local woman, a special hug and unexpected kiss on the cheek was given to the student who noticed and returned it. The girls left feeling warm inside and happy that they had opportunity to do something so worthwhile. Well done Year 9.
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have arranged a cyber-safety seminar presented by an expert from the Australian Communication Media Authority (ACMA) to be presented to parents of students of Years 7 & 8 on Tuesday 2nd September, at 6.15pm in the SPACe at the Senior School. Further details will be given in notes being sent home and in the next Newsletter. Please keep this date free.
SLEEP NEEDS ACROSS THE LIFESPAN How do our sleep needs change with age? Different people have different sleep needs. The advice in the table below is only a guide. You can make a good guess if a person is sleeping enough at night - observe at how they act and function during the day.
UP COMING SEMINAR
ACMA
CYBER-SAFETY
On occasion here at school we notice that some of our younger students are tired, foggy headed and lacking spark during lessons. When questioned we sometimes learn the reason is because they spend inordinate amounts of time online (communicating and playing games with friends) after parents have assumed they are in bed asleep. A lack of sleep can impact children in many ways. All parents need to be mindful and vigilant in monitoring their child/children’s online activities, and keep in mind that smart (internet enabled) phones and notepads are portable computers.
Age Group Total Sleep (hrs/day)
Sleep at night (hrs)
Sleep during the day (hrs)
Newborns 12 - 18 (0 – 2 mths)
6-9
6-9
Infants (2 – 12 mths)
14 - 15
9 - 12
2.5 - 5
Toddlers (1 – 3 yrs)
12 - 15
9.5 - 11.5
1.5 - 3.5
Preschool (3 – 5 yrs)
11 - 13
Most sleep is at night.
Daytime naps become rarer. A child tends to stop napping at this age.
All sleep should be at night.
Naps at this age tend to be from not getting enough sleep at night.
School Age 9 - 11 (5 - 12 yrs)
Having access to technology can and is a wonderful tool and many of us may wonder how we ever successfully functioned without it in the past. However, for many children today, having technology at their fingertips from a very young age is becoming the norm rather than the exception. Children are very much digital natives. With this comes movement into unchartered waters for many parents. This includes: keeping up with what technologies are available, knowing how to block or limit access to potentially harmful websites, and knowing how to monitor children’s online activities. To help keep our students, your children safe, we
Teenage (12 - 18 yrs)
8.5 - 9.5
All sleep should be at night.
Naps at this age tend to be from not getting enough sleep at night.
Adults
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All sleep should be at night.
Naps at this age tend to be from not getting enough sleep at night.
Note that these are average sleep requirements: some require more and others less
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Sleep disorder – sleep disorders, such as restless legs syndrome or sleep apnoea, can affect how much sleep a teenager gets.
Effects of sleep deprivation The developing brain of a teenager needs between 8.5 and 9.5 hours of sleep every night. The effects of chronic (ongoing) sleep deprivation may include: • Concentration difficulties • Mentally ‘drifting off’ in class • Shortened attention span • Memory impairment • Poor decision making • Lack of enthusiasm • Moodiness and aggression • Depression • Risk-taking behaviour • Slower physical reflexes • Clumsiness, which may result in physical injuries • Reduced sporting performance • Reduced academic performance • Increased number of ‘sick days’ from school because of tiredness
Why do teenagers want to stay up later? In this age group, there is a change in the timing of sleep. It is natural for them to want to go to bed later at night and to sleep in. However, this needs to be within reason and teenagers often need to be taught good sleep habits. They need to know that they won't function as well during the day if they miss sleep and fail to catch up on it
Preventing sleep deprivation – tips for parents Try not to argue with your teenager about bedtime. Instead, discuss the issue with them. Together, brainstorm ways to increase their nightly quota of sleep. Suggestions include:
Causes of sleep deprivation Some of the reasons why many teenagers regularly do not get enough sleep include: Hormonal time shift – puberty hormones shift the teenager’s body clock forward by about one or two hours, making them sleepier one to two hours later. Yet, while the teenager falls asleep later, early school starts don’t allow them to sleep in. This nightly ‘sleep debt’ leads to chronic sleep deprivation. Hectic after-school schedule – homework, sport, part-time work and social commitments can cut into a teenager’s sleeping time. Leisure activities – the lure of stimulating entertainment such as television, the Internet and computer gaming can keep a teenager out of bed. Light exposure – light cues the brain to stay awake. In the evening, lights from televisions, mobile phones and computers can prevent adequate production of melatonin, the brain chemical (neurotransmitter) responsible for sleep. Vicious circle – insufficient sleep causes a teenager’s brain to become more active. An over-aroused brain is less able to fall asleep. Social attitudes – in Western culture, keeping active is valued more than sleep.
Allow your child to sleep in on the weekends. Encourage an early night every Sunday. A late night on Sunday followed by an early Monday morning will make your child drowsy for the start of the school week. Decide together on appropriate time limits for any stimulating activity such as homework, television or computer games. Encourage restful activities during the evening, such as reading. Avoid early morning appointments, classes or training sessions for your child if possible. Help your child to better schedule their afterschool commitments to free up time for rest and sleep. Assess your child’s weekly schedule together and see if they are overcommitted. Help them to trim activities. Encourage your child to take an afternoon nap after school to help recharge their battery, if they have time.
Preventing sleep deprivation – tips for teenagers The typical teenage brain wants to go to bed late and sleep late the following morning, which is usually
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hard to manage. You may be able to adjust your body clock but it takes time. Suggestions include: Choose a relaxing bedtime routine; for example, have a bath and a hot milky drink before bed. Avoid loud music, doing homework (immediately prior to sleep), computer games or any other activity that gets your mind racing for about an hour before bedtime. Keep your room dark at night. The brain’s sleep–wake cycle is largely set by light received through the eyes. Try to avoid watching television right before bed. In the morning, expose your eyes to lots of light to help wake up your brain. Do the same bedtime routine every night for at least four weeks to make your brain associate this routine with going to sleep. Avoid staying up late on the weekends. Late nights will undo your hard work. Remember that even 30 minutes of extra sleep each night on a regular basis makes a big difference. However, it may take about six weeks of getting extra sleep before you feel the benefits.
δώδεκα ολόκληρα χρόνια, με μια τσάντα στον ώμο μου, που ήταν πάρα πολύ μεγάλη για μένα. Ήταν μια πολύ μεγάλη και σημαντική μέρα στη ζωή μου! Τώρα, πάλι φθάνω σε ένα άλλο καινούργιο κεφάλαιο της ζωής μου, τώρα που τελειώνω την δευτεροβάθμια εκπαίδευση και εύχομαι να μπω και να αρχίσω το πανεπιστήμιο… Αλλά αυτό δεν θα μπορούσα να το καταφέρω χωρίς εσάς, τους υπέροχους καθηγητές μας, που μας δείχνατε πάντα φροντίδα και κατανόηση, που ήσασταν πάντα στο πλευρό μας αν δεν είχαμε καταλάβει κάτι και είχαμε καμιά απορία ή ερωτήσεις. Σε εσάς τους γονείς μας, ένα μεγάλο ευχαριστώ που μας σπρώχνατε μέχρι το τέλος, θέλοντας μόνο να δείξουμε τον καλύτερό μας εαυτό και να προσπαθούμε όσο μπορούμε. Μας δώσατε αγάπη αλλά και οι ελπίδες σας για μας ήταν το μεγαλύτερο κίνητρο για πολλούς από μας. Εσείς, οι μαθητές του κολλεγίου, πάντοτε μας υπενθυμίζατε πως η ζωή δεν είναι μόνο δουλειά αλλά και τρέξιμο στο γήπεδο και «μικροφασαρίες» για πλάκα αλλά και σεβασμός στους καθηγητές μας και σεβασμός προς τους άλλους γενικά.
Reference: http://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/
Τέλος, εσείς οι συμμαθητές μου, οι μαθητές της Γ΄Λυκείου, ξέρετε κάτι, Τα Καταφέραμε! Σας ευχαριστώ ιδιαίτερα για τις ωραίες αναμνήσεις που δεν θα ξεχάσω ποτέ! Οι εκδρομές, τα αθλήματα, οι θεατρικές παραστάσεις, τα αστεία, αλλά και καθημερινά το χαμόγελό σας στα διαλείμματα, όλα όσα περάσαμε μαζί, θα μείνουν χαραγμένα στη μνήμη μου για πάντα!
Ms G. Kokinelis Dean of Middle School
GREEK
COLUMN
Αγαπητοί γονείς και φίλοι, Στο τεύχος αυτό, δημοσιεύουμε την εργασία μαθητή της Γ΄Λυκείου. Η εργασία γράφηκε κάτω από συνθήκες διαγωνίσματος και συγκεκριμένα των διαγωνισμών του Β΄εξαμήνου, που είναι γνωστά ως “Trial Exams”. Το θέμα δίνεται στους μαθητές μόνο στα Αγγλικά και απαντούν Ελληνικά.
Για τους μικρότερους που είναι μπροστά μας τώρα, θα ήθελα να σας δώσω μια συμβουλή. Λένε ότι τα χρόνια μας στο σχολείο είναι τα καλύτερα χρόνια της ζωής μας γι’αυτό σας εύχομαι να απολαύσετε το χρόνο σας στο σχολείο. Αλλά, επίσης χρειάζεται δουλειά! Τα αποτελέσματά σας στο τέλος της Γ΄Λυκείου θα παίξουν αποφασιστικό ρόλο για τις ευκαιρίες σας στη ζωή και γενικά για το μέλλον σας. Γι’αυτό μην χάνετε άσκοπα το χρόνο σας.
Καλή ανάγνωση. Μ. Φαλέτα Θέμα: «You are the school captain addressing your fellow students, teachers and principal at your formal. Write your speech.»
Κλείνοντας θα ήθελα να πω ξανά ένα μεγάλο ευχαριστώ σε όλους και να ζητήσω τις προσευχές σας για να τα βγάλουμε πέρα στην τριτοβάθμια εκπαίδευσή μας, αλλά και στην υπόλοιπη ζωή μας γενικά.
Σεβαστές κυρίες Στεφάνου και Κατσογιάννη, καθηγητές, γονείς και συμμαθητές, Ποτέ δεν το περίμενα να στέκομαι εδώ μπροστά σε όλους σας, να λέω τα τελευταία τούτα λόγια πριν τελειώσει το σχολείο. Πόσο γρήγορα έχει περάσει ο χρόνος! Ακόμα θυμάμαι, σαν να ‘ταν χθες, όταν μπήκα για πρώτη φορά στην τάξη του σχολείου, πριν
Σας ευχαριστώ πολύ που με ακούσατε. Christos Kollias Year 11 (Accelerated Year 12 for Modern Greek)
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CAREERS
COLUMN
Students who are good at maths, physics and possibly chemistry may be well suited to this career. There are several different areas of engineering including: civil, aeronautical, chemical, electrical, mechanical, mining, biomechanical and computing to name a few.
SCHOLARSHIPS Year 12 students are reminded that scholarship applications have opened at most Universities. There are many scholarships available, worth millions of dollars in total. Some examples include:
Females are heavily underrepresented, making up just 11% of the industry The UNSW Engineering High School Information Day, on Thursday 30th October, is a great opportunity for students in Years 10 and 11, who are interested in maths and physics, to experience different engineering areas in what promises to be a fun and informative day. Several students have already expressed their interest in registering. Any others need to see me as soon as possible.
Sydney University has scholarships in their Sydney Scholar Program, for high achieving students (with an ATAR of 95.0 or more). See their website for more details and to apply. UTS has co-op scholarships available in IT and Accounting, as well as other scholarships. UNSW has many scholarships available, including the Sir Arthur and Lady Renee George Scholarship (specifically for St Spyridon students) mentioned in the previous newsletter, as well as faculty- specific scholarships.
UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY ENGINEERING LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIPS Students will receive an annual stipend of $18,000. Students take part in an annual structured professional experience placement with a leading firm, so they can graduate with business and leadership skills without extending the duration of their degrees. They will also receive leadership insights through working with the University of Sydney’s John Grill Centre for Project Leadership and having direct access to an industry mentor. Contact: engineering.scholarships@sydney.edu.au http://sydney.edu.au/engineering/scholarships/underg raduate/future/leadership.shtml
UNSW CO-OP SCHOLARSHIPS Last week, we were fortunate to have Noah Minor from the UNSW Co-op scholarship program come to speak to interested Year 12 students. Noah is in his second year of the scholarship program, studying Industrial Chemistry. He informed them about the many benefits and opportunities offered by this program and provided tips about the application process. The students were very appreciative of this insight which they found very helpful.
UNSW also has Engineering Scholarships, see http://www.engineering.unsw.edu.au/undergraduateengineering-scholarships
WOMEN IN ENGINEERING There are two different events coming up (in school holidays) which are aimed at encouraging female students to consider engineering as a possible future career. There are many other opportunities and scholarships available for women in this area. WIE ‘Experience it!’ Student Conference at UNSW- Wednesday 24th September; a hands-on day where female students can find out more about engineering. This conference is aimed at NSW secondary school females in Years 9-12. Contact: sydneywie@engineersaustralia.org.au student_conference_2014.pdf Register
SPOTLIGHT ON ENGINEERING The past decade has seen Australia struggle with a shortage of engineers.This industry has experienced significant growth over the past five years.
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Norwest Campus Saturday, 13th September, 9.30am – 3.30pm Friday, 14th November, 9.30am – 4.30pm Open Days are the ideal time to visit the college and see what makes it unique. http://www.bedford.edu.au/about/opendays
UNSW Women in Engineering Summer Camp, January, 2015. More information can be found at: http://www.engineering.unsw.edu.au/wiec-faq
ADDITIONAL OPEN DAYS: There are some Open Days coming up in the near future, in addition to those listed in the previous Newsletter. Macquarie University Open Day: Saturday 13 September See http://openday.mq.edu.au/
AIE Online Experience Day Saturday, 6th September, 12.30pm – 4.00pm AEST Course overview sessions will be running on the range of online courses in 3D animation, game programming and game design offered by AIE. In addition, Rowan Ziesing, an industry speaker, will provide valuable insights into what the life of an animator is like. http://www.aie.edu.au/announcements/onlineexperience-day-september-6th-2014
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Macleay College: next Saturday 23rd August. Register: https://www.macleay.edu.au/landingpage/open-day-august-23 National Art School Open Day: Sat 30th August, 10.00am – 4.00pm Explore real working artist studios, take part in a range of interactive art workshops, attend information sessions or view the campus. http://www.openday.nas.edu.au/#!portraits/c199t
EXPERIENCE A DAY AT UNIVERSITY OR COLLEGE A Day @ UNSW – there are three experience days coming up in September, November and December. These are valuable opportunities for high school students to find out more about university life and courses. Register to attend at: https://www.whatson.unsw.edu.au/egateway/students .schedules_search?p_event_id=36&p_high_school_i d=742
Sydney Conservatorium of Music Open Day Sat 30th August, Macquarie street Receive one-on-one advice, attend a lecture or masterclass, and bring an instrument to participate in the wind symphony and choir performances. Contact: 1800 793 864 http://music.sydney.edu.au/study/open-day/ Police Open Day: Saturday, 6th September, 10am3pm Fairfield High School, The Horsley Drive, Fairfield. For more information contact: 97288407 or email sent1ale@police.nsw.gov.au
Sydney University has experience days on 30th September and 1st October. Visit: www.sydney.edu.au/life-at-sydney for details and to register Private Colleges: William Blue, Billy Blue, APM College, CATC Design College have ‘A Day in the Life’ Workshops being held in the September school holidays. See their individual websites for more information and to register to attend.
Le Cordon Bleu Open Day Thursday, 4th September, 3.00pm – 6.00pm, 250 Blaxland Road, Ryde Learn about Le Cordon Bleu’s gastronomy hospitality and management programs and the global work opportunities Le Cordon Bleu can provide. One school will win a professional Le Cordon Bleu Master Chef demonstration at their school, plus one attendee will win a Le Cordon Bleu gift pack containing a professional Wusthof knife set and cookbooks. http://www.lecordonbleu.com.au/news/opendays2014 /en
CAREERS WEBSITES Students and parents are reminded of the following websites, which are useful in exploring careers and related information: www.myfuture.edu.au www.jobguide.thegoodguides.com.au www.mhscareers.com (Login : Spyridon Password: careers)
Bedford College Open Days Glebe Campus Saturday, 6th September, 9.30am – 3.00pm Friday, 21st November, 9.30am – 4,30pm
Ms G Hakos Careers Adviser
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LISTENING STUDENTS
TO
OUR
YEAR 9 EXCURSION On Monday, 18th August, Year 9 made the long journey to ANSTO (Australia Nuclear Science Technology Organisation). This was a very informative and enjoyable trip. When we arrived we had a small talk from one of the staff members about what they do at ANSTO and how it helps people. They provide medical attention to people who are sick. We then got to play with some of the gadgets that were there before we went on a tour of the facilities. On the tour we saw the machines that they use for their studies. For example, the platypus machine was being used to try and invent a new medicine and the wombat machine was trying to figure out how to make your phone battery last longer. We were then taken to the Scientist’s office and got to go down to an actual nuclear reactor which was extremely big. After this we went back to the bus and made the journey back to St Spyridon College. Overall, it was a fun and educational excursion and we are thankful for the opportunity.
Deyarna Xenos 9G
YEAR 6 HAPKIDO INCURSION GLObAL CONNECTIONS Hapkido is an art of Korean origin. Its name literally means “The way of coordinated power”. The Hapkido structure has more than 270 major techniques. On Monday the 11th August 2014 Year 6 had a Hapkido (martial arts) active workshop. We were lucky enough to have school-aged students from the Sydney Hapkido academy instruct us on the day. They taught us basic defensive Hapkido skills like the side kick, the double kick and the circle kick. They also taught us how to get out of two different wrist holds. Steven Mangafas, Georgia Athanasopoulos and Lisa Stamoulis Student responses: The Hapkido lesson was fun and a helpful introduction to self-defence. I am grateful that the instructors came to teach us moves that link to the current HSIE topic of study: Our Connections with Asia. Steven Mangafas 6M
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I liked it because it taught me defensive moves to use against my brothers! Just jokes! The best part was the demonstration at the end. Lisa Stamoulis 6M Hapkido was fun and educational. It would be good to learn Hapkido for my own self defence in the future. The sidekicks were awesome fun! Georgia Athanasopoulos 6M It was a lot of fun and we learnt about the South Korean history and tradition of this marital art form. Also it taught me new defensive moves. Thomas Mouratidis 6P It was fun and interactive and I got to try something new I haven’t tried before. The sparring was actionpacked and I saw lots of new moves that were more advanced than what I experienced myself on the day. Nicola Skouteris 6P
SPORTS
I thought learning about Hapkido was interesting because I hadn’t heard of it before. I especially liked the kicking moves session because we could pretend we were in a martial arts movie when practicing.
COLUMN
BOYS ISA FOOTBALL SEMI FINALS Last Saturday was the last round of the regular season for boys’ football. Of the schools 7 football teams 5 qualified in the Semi Finals which were played this week.
Nicoletta Tsimboukis 6P
The teams that made the Semi Finals included the U13 White, U14, U15 White, U17 and Open Boys teams. This remarkable effort in season 2014 is one all boys should be proud of. Despite the interrupted competition, the boys teams were successful in repeating last year’s effort with all our A grade teams making the Semi Finals. In the ISA competitions there are two shields awarded in most sports, that being the Championship shield and Competition Shied. Last year our boys managed to win the Competition Shield which is awarded to the winner of the Open Boys final and the Championship Shield is awarded to the school with the best overall performance across all grades. Our boys won the school’s first ever Championship Shield and the goal this season has been to try and retain it in order to seek promotion to Division 1 Football. This can only be achieved if the majority of the school teams make the finals, and this is exactly what the boys of the College did on the weekend.
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boys were unable to create opportunities in front of goal and subsequently conceded late in extra time to lose the Semi Final.
The U13 white team performed exceptionally well to defeat 1st Place St Pauls Grammar 3-1 - a reversal of the last time the two teams met. As always Connor Giavis provided excellent leadership coupled with excellent distribution through the midfield together with Nicholas Tsintominas helping the strikers consolidate on the day. Man of the match, Alexander Stamoulis, scored a hat trick and helped the boys’ progress to the final.
On a personal note I would like to commend and thank all the Year 12 boys for their contribution to school sport, and in particular football this season. Despite being a difficult year the boys excelled because of their passion and determination for their College. Not once have the Year 12 boys let down their team or their school. The boys have set an amazing benchmark for all other students to follow. Despite not playing next week, the boys’ efforts over the years will help to add to the fabric of boys sport at the College. A group of boys who played basketball for the school, competed in athletics and swimming were involved in Greek Orthodox College events. You will be missed, but you have irrefutably set a high bench mark for the boys of Year 11 to follow in 2015. I can only hope that our College can finish off winning the Championship Shield so that the football community of the school can farewell you in the manner befitting you. Congratulations boys and thank you.
The U14 white team defeated a spirited Central Coast Grammar School 3-0 maintaining their unbeaten record for season 2014. The boys now have the opportunity to try and win the title after losing last year to Redfield College. This year the boys will face a very well organised and determined St Pauls Grammar team who defeated Redfield easily over the weekend. Our U15 boys like the U14 are also undefeated and they trained well during the week. This showed in the game as they defeated Oxley comfortably 7-1. The boys are looking to try and win three titles in consecutive years. They will need to defeat a very strong and committed Blue Mountains Grammar team. The last time these two teams met our boys went on to win in a very close game 2-1.
ATHLETICS The Athletics Squad continues to prepare for the Athletics season with training every Tuesday and Thursday after school between 3:30 and 5pm. Every Tuesday staff are assisted by an experienced Athletics coach. The students have responded well to the training and it is hoped we can build on the strong performance of the College from last year in the ISA Athletics Season.
UPCOMING ATHLETICS EVENTS:
Saturday 30th August - Athletics Invitational at ES Marks Thursday 4th September - Half day training at Hensley athletics Track together with the Primary School Thursday 9th September - ISA Athletics
The U17 boys were looking to avenge their loss to Oxley College back in round 2 when they lost 4-3. On Saturday there were no lapses in defence, and in attack the boys were superior, finishing off beautifully to win the game comfortably 4-0. The boys will now face a motivated St Pauls Grammar who defeated Central Coast 4-2. Our Open boys finished the season in a very spirited performance losing in extra time 2-1 to St Pauls Grammar. The boys conceded a goal early and yet did not lose belief and equalised with a stunning goal from the Captain Dane Ivanovic. Unfortunately our
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reasons firstly, only playing many schools once made the competition difficult to predict, secondly in order to qualify for the Semis the need to win more than half of their games was needed.
ISA GIRLS WINTER SEASON Congratulations to the Junior Girls Football team who defeated Redlands 4-3 in the ISA Semi Finals held in Blacktown last Saturday. This is the first year we have fielded a junior team and the girls exceeded expectations as they were placed 4th and defeated 1st position. Exceptional effort by all girls with goals scored by Nikki Cardamis, Yovana Stosic and Elaine Andrew. They will now go on to play against St Andrews Cathedral School in the Final to be played Saturday 23rd August. Regardless of the result on Saturday the development and enthusiasm shown from the girls is to be commended. Good luck to both the team and Ms Siafrakas their coach.
Intermediate B’s consisting of Year 9 students finished 3rd and qualified for a Semi Final position against Oxley College however, were unfortunately defeated. This team demonstrated a consistent performance each week and showed marked improvements in all skills. They will be able to build on this experience and hopefully enjoy further success next year. Intermediate A’s finished overall 5th place which was an exceptional achievement. This team winning Intermediate C division last year were placed in Division 1 this year two above last year. The girls did not allow this to deter them, they played every game with passion and determination and proved they were not out of place and finished with a credible position. Junior A’s finished overall 7th in Division 1. Trialling a new approach combining Year 7 and Year 8 students allowed for the strongest team possible to compete in such a challenging division. The girls must be commended on their willingness to include each other and play successfully as a team. Most games were tight matches, however, close emphasis on building on existing skills and improving individual performances each week. The girls should not be disappointed with their overall result but be proud of their efforts this season.
The Open Girls Football match was a nail biter resulting in a 1-1 draw at full time and consequently going into 10 mins extra time. Still with no outcome, the result of the game was forced into penalty shoot out - not the most desirable finish to a season losing in penalties 5-4. Well done to all girls with an unfavourable season due to weather qualifying for the Semi finals was an exceptional achievement. All girls are still eligible to play next year together and determined to go one further. Thank you to Mrs Kefalas for travelling with the girls and Ms Gambriell for coaching throughout the season.
Junior B’s finished overall 7th. Again a combination of Year 7 and 8 students with prime focus on teaching, developing and improving all skills involved in Netball. The girls improved each week and secured some wins to keep them motivated. Both the Junior and Intermediate Netball teams success and development would not be possible without the assistance from our ex-students Angelina and Demi Flokis who give up their time each Wednesday and Saturday to coach the teams. Both assigned a team each at the beginning of the season both girls assisted with all teams striving for all girls to improve. I cannot express my gratitude for their support and dedication to the Netball girls at St Spyridon College. Finally the Open Netball girls who were last week playing Blue Mountains Grammar for first position and narrowly defeated by 1 point in the dying minutes and next week unfortunately defeated by Chevalier in the Semi Final. Whilst there were tears
ISA Netball was extremely challenging this year with all Intermediate and Junior teams competing in a division with 9 teams rather than the traditional 6 team draw. This proved difficult for a number of
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of disappointment shown by the girls they must not let this result blemish the exceptional achievements displayed over the years.
JUNIOR SCHOOL SPORT NATIONAL RUGBY WEEK 2014 Year 5 participated in a ‘Collaborative Carnival of Rugby Skills’ during Rugby Week on August 14th. Students devised games to use their OzTag football skills in a mini-game situation; a carnival of skills!
I clearly remember Cassandra Georgiou walking through the gates of the school for her Year 7 interview from that moment I was positive the next 6 years St Spyridon were going to earn success in Netball. ISA insisted that Cassandra could not be part of the St Spyridon Junior teams and therefore she was a member of the Opens Team since Year 7 and also selected in the ISA representative team since Year 7.
Students were encouraged to use Rugby tagging, passing, kicking and playing the ball skills in the games they created and taught peers to play. Student had access to a range of sports equipment. All were fully engaged in the activities for over one hour. It was the perfect weather and perfect afternoon to celebrate skills in a fun carnival environment.
Furthermore, many of the girls including Andriane Efstratiou, Nansia Koukounaris, Rena Lambos, Stephanie Mio,Yianna Criticos, and Nicola Demetri who were in the same cohort were the most talented Basketball players the school had seen in its history. The only hurdle was convincing them to play Netball. With the help of Mr Meintanis, by Year 8 the girls were playing Netball and won their first ISA Competition. From this moment forward the girls earned respect and admiration from all participating ISA Schools developing friendships with players from other schools and demonstrating their exceptional qualities. Pleasing to witness this year was the development from Sandra Milisavljevic and the addition of Nicole Adam allowed for her to gain invaluable experience which she can transfer in the years to come.
Congratulations to all Year 5 students. They adhered to the Rugby Union Code of Conduct by participating fully in the afternoon program and respecting the instruction and game ideas of peers. Ms McCarthy Stage 3 Coordinator
These girls not only displayed incomparable sporting capabilities but were gracious when defeated, determined and focussed they demonstrated exceptional sportsmanship even in difficult circumstances and their team cohesion and strength was to be admired. These girls will leave a large void in the girls sporting program and I will most certainly miss watching them perform in the sporting arena each Saturday.
Mr F. Kaldis, Boys Sport Ms K. O’Shea, Girls Sport
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SPRING FAIR @ OUR JUNIOR SCHOOL
SUNDAY 26 OCTOBER 2014 START PLANNING AND THE FUN BEGINS….
You are invited to hire a stall with us * Promote your own business! * Help build educational resources to enhance our students learning! * Interact with our rich community spirit! .… And have FUN!
For further details, please contact our P&F members: Angela Kasmas 0407061940 Joanna Coutts 0419992027 16