The voice of St. Spyridon College
| August 2016 | NUMBER 22 |
stylus The Strategic Plan 2012 – 2016* The new Strategic Plan 2012-2016, will pursue “Excellence in All Things”. The College will provide students with a culture of high expectations driven by best effort from everyone – from students, teachers, parents, the Board and Parish. A focus on programs for students with a high intellectual potential, will enrich the educational practices of differentiation and innovation. Students will experience an education with a moral purpose. As Global citizens, they will work together and alone to make a difference – to make the world better by their presence, thoughts and actions. Students will have faith in God and in themselves because they learn in a culture of confidence and trust, that upholds the dignity and worth of every person. Strong and effective operations will ensure a safe and secure environment where students learn in functional and conducive buildings and facilities with optimum access to up to date technologies.
The Seven Goals of the Strategic Plan 2012 – 2016 Goal 1 - Rich and diverse educational experiences that aim for excellence and demand best effort. Goal 2 - A Passport to Global Citizenship for students. Goal 3 - Teachers of excellence. Goal 4 - Strong and dynamic partnerships with parents. Goal 5 - Established reputation as a centre of excellence. Goal 6 - A safe environment based on sound policies and procedures. Goal 7 - A secure financial future with functional and conducive buildings and facilities.
The Pursuit of Excellence in all things
The term Stylus is used to describe a myriad of different devices used in computing, science, medicine, art and technology. In ancient times, a stylus was the bone or ivory pen used to write on wax or clay tablets. Stylus is also the Greek word for pillar, denoting strength and grace. * A copy of the full Strategic Plan is available for download at www.stspyridon.nsw.edu.au
From the Head of College As always, the Stylus presents an array of activities and events that provide an overview of the rich learning world of St Spyridon College. Our students can be seen participating in intra and interschool sports competitions, including House Athletics Carnivals, ISA galas and the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese National Schools Event held in Perth this year. They made an outstanding contribution to Brain Cancer Research as acknowledged by the Sydney Neuro-Oncology Group (SNOG). In academics they connected with lecturers and professors and gained a taste of university life. Our younger students learned to grow a garden, mentored Kindergarten children and performed in the Greek language for major community events. A highlight for our Junior School was hosting the Hellenic Presidential Guard for a special assembly. In this edition of the Stylus, we present a special feature on the teaching and learning of Mathematics at St Spyridon College. We wish to debunk the myth that the study of mathematics is only for the few who innately like it or are suited to it. The lead article was written by Mr A Kollias, Curriculum Leader Mathematics and HSC Mathematics Extension Judge and Marker. You will see that the construction of students’ learning by our educators, is informed by a depth of intellectual engagement with complex pedagogical ideas. As a result, learning Mathematics at St Spyridon College is challenging, dynamic and rewarding – for all students. We hope that our readers will find this change of focus to be interesting and enriching. Mrs E. Stefanou-Haag Head of College
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Mathematics - A Way Of Thinking All Students Can Learn Mathematics Mathematics is a way of thinking and communicating that gives us the capacity to solve a rich variety of problems. It is about depth and connectedness of understanding that comes from making sense of mathematical ideas. Here at St Spyridon, we have the conviction that all students can learn mathematics. We know that excellence in teaching is the single most powerful influence on achievement and have spent considerable time reflecting on what makes a good mathematics lesson. I have presented our findings at a teacher symposium. Our spectacular results in Mathematics in the 2015 HSC have provoked us to look very closely at the teaching and learning of mathematics here at St Spyridon College and at how we can create more space for this to happen. We have created a significant amount of space in the curriculum 7-10 by removing the repetition as students go from Year 7 into Year 8 etc. While some review of earlier material is important, we feel it is best undertaken as it is needed when students are learning new and engaging mathematics. The more we focus on deficits in the knowledge of students, the lower our expectations become and the less time we have for developing deep mathematical understanding. The result is then a denial of the right of a child to have access to the higher levels of thinking in mathematics. We believe the curriculum should be for now. We are making space by modifying the content, process and product of the curriculum. Modification of the content of the curriculum includes Complexity i.e. asking challenging questions that force the learner to deal with content intricacies for example did transcendental numbers exist and were discovered or were they created ex nihilo? Modification of the process includes Tolerance for ambiguity or “what if questions?” for example what if the number
π (pi) did not exist? Modification to the product of the curriculum includes Real audiences i.e. developing a product that will be evaluated by an expert in that field. Our Honours Mathematics students have responded well to challenging questions and to tasks of greater complexity. At the most recent HICES Mathematics Tournament we achieved a very commendable sixth place out of the 22 schools. Another way of creating more space is to embrace current STEM initiatives. Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) is everywhere, shaping everyday experiences of learners young and old. Here at St Spyridon we are about to embark on a multidiscipline approach to the teaching and assessing of mathematics, the sciences and technology. We will attempt to make explicit the connections between these subjects. We have had preliminary discussions with Science and Food Technology about working together to meet shared outcomes. Classrooms are learning places not work places. We need to
Mr A. Condous B.Sc(UNSW), Dip.Ed(USYD) “numbers rule the universe”
Ms M. Kalithrakas B.Ed(Secondary Maths) (USYD) “Mathematics is the language with which God wrote the universe”. - Galileo
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“for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.”
[Mt 7:28]
BC a great plague hit the people of Athens. The city sent a delegation to the island of Delos where an oracle of Apollo resided. The oracle set the Athenians the task of constructing a cube twice the size of a known cube. This task is known today as the Delian problem. A solution was found by Menaechmus a contemporary of Plato who invented the conic sections (parabola, hyperbola, ellipse) to solve the problem. For the next 1800 years, little use was made of the mathematics of the cone known as conic sections. Not until the advent At the beginning of this year I taught a Middle School class. of the Renaissance and the fall of Constantinople produced I tried to probe their thinking by asking them to solve a the changes necessary to raise the study of the cone to problem of maximization involving the product of families of prime importance; the parabolic whole numbers. But for Michael “Number is the within of all things” trajectory of a cannon ball in flight, and Amanda (not their real the elliptical orbit of the planets. names) this was a very confronting - Pythagoras Today we have the hyperbolic paths experience. They did not like being of alpha particles around the nucleus of an atom. presented with a problem before a method of solution is give students room to make mistakes as well as room to be successful. Making mistakes is almost always a necessary part of learning. The TIMSS (Third International Mathematics and Sciences Study) video highlighted the tendency of teachers to reduce problems that by their nature were concerned with making connections to ones of definition or procedure. When students are not making connections then there is little room for failure and learning is reduced.
given. The students and I had very different ideas of teaching and learning mathematics. Success in mathematics for many learners is knowing what to do quickly and then getting the right answer with minimal effort. This is not enough. Learners must be encouraged to seek challenges, spend time on the task, value effort, persist in the face of difficulties, develop confidence and love learning. Students often wonder how a certain result was discovered. To ignore the question because there is much content to cover and there is not enough time is to ignore one of the more interesting and human aspects of mathematics. We are going forward at St Spyridon by going back to the Greek mathematicians of antiquity. Our classes have names such as 8Archimedes, 9Eratosthenes, 10Apollonius, 10Menaechmus and 10Diophantus. Who are these people and why name our classes after them? Let me introduce you to Menaechmus (350BC). In the 5th century
A great deal is happening in mathematics education and there are many challenges for teachers. One of the challenges is that of catering to the diversity of the classroom. The word ability comes up early in any conversation between teachers or between teachers and learners or teachers and parents. I wonder if the focus on ability and the attempt to match our teaching to the student’s ability simply makes students think they are just not good or good enough at mathematics. It may be more productive and honest to make it explicitly clear to all our students that our expectations are high for each and every one of them and that we expect them all to engage with even the most challenging of classroom activities.
Mr A. Kollias Curriculum Leader B.A, Dip.Ed, COGE (UNSW), M.Ed(UNSW)
Mrs H. Dalakiaris BSc, DipEd.(UNSW), Dip.Bus Prog (Spherion) “A man is like a fraction whose numerator is what he is and whose denominator is what he thinks of himself. The larger the denominator, the smaller the fraction” - Tolstoy
Ms F. Kilias HSC Class of 2010 B.Ec, Master of Teaching (UNSW) “Mathematics may not teach us to add love or minus hate, but it gives us every reason to hope that every problem has a solution.”
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Educational Excellence Mathematics At The Junior School take risks without the dread of being wrong, rather to see any unsuccessful attempt as a learning experience.
It is an obvious and undoubtable fact that the foundation of any pillar is paramount to its stability, permanency and ability to shoulder any future burden. It is with this in mind that all learning and teaching at our school is undertaken. We are also aware that true education involves equipping students with the tools and skills to function as productive members of a future that we cannot predict with any certainty. Mathematics in particular provides students with the tools that can be used to help students adapt to those unforeseeable needs and situations, be it in the workplace or daily life.
The aim during all lessons is always to: • Get enjoyment out of learning Mathematics • Marvel in the beauty of Mathematics Appreciate the irreplaceable role the subject plays in real life by teaching us: • The need for logical thought • Decision making skills • Hypothesis testing skills Teachers are always using different styles of teaching, depending on the age group and learning preference of their students, thus ensuring continued enjoyment and participation in their learning.
That is why a major focus in the methodology used at our school revolves around students discovering solutions using strategies freely chosen by them with the teacher as a facilitator, providing guidance. Students are encouraged to be creative when searching for solutions and always reminded to
Mr A. Dookie Deputy Principal Mathematics/Science Coordinator COGE, Dip.Ed Computers & Education, Dip.Ed Senior Primary Education in Mathematics
Students are given the opportunity to model the Place Value columns to get a better understanding of the Decimal Number System.
Students building 3-dimensional shapes by using the properties of 2-dimensional shapes and investigating rigidity.
Mathematics is being integrated with Art as students create colourful designs while studying Tessellations.
Mathematics skills are taught while playing enjoyable games. These games encourage decision making processes while strengthening the understanding of concepts taught.
Students learn about the collection, presentation and manipulation of Data using tables and charts. They are encouraged to be creative in the way they present.
Students are encouraged to work in teams towards a common goal. This enhances their communication skills and teaches them to appreciate the viewpoints of others and enjoy common success.
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Science at the Senior School Year 7 students participated in crystal growing competition during Term 2. The students worked in pairs or individually during lunch times throughout the Term. Their enthusiasm to prepare the solutions and see the crystals grow was very motivating amongst their peers. Crystals of copper sulphate and potash alum have been submitted to the competition. Overall, a fabulous effort from the following students: 1. Anastasia Dougenis 2. Dimitra Katsidis 3. James Bletsas 4. Gianni Keramitzis 5. Anastasi Poulos 6. Valentina Spyridopoulos 7. Billy Bourdaniotis 8. Olivia Krasadakis 9. Sophia Mavrolefterou 10. Christo Keramitzis 11. John Leondios Dr L. Srinivasan Science Department
Guest Speaker: Professor Veena Sahajwalla We were fortunate to have Professor Veena Sahajwalla from UNSW come to speak to the girls in Years 9 and 10. Professor Sahajwalla is an Associate Dean of UNSW Science and Director of the Centre for Sustainable Materials Research and Technology (SMART @UNSW). Also, the Professor is the program leader of “Science 50:50”, which aims to increase the number of women in science. The Professor gave a highly interesting and engaging talk about the range of career opportunities available in science and the other STEM subjects and the need for innovation to meet
the needs of the future. She and her post-graduate research student, Adam, discussed some current projects with the girls and encouraged them to explore the science faculty’s outreach programs, the Science 50:50 website and the Young Scientists of Australia for further information and contacts. Ms G. Hakos Careers Advisor
Women In Science Four Year 10 girls attended Women in Science education seminar at the Australian National Maritime Museum. The seminar included lectures from women who have studied science at a high level, and are now applying it in their various careers. The day opened our minds up to a wide range of options for career paths. Considering we are interested in science, the day further enhanced our interests and knowledge regarding science. As we have to choose our subjects for next year, and then our university courses, the day gave us an insight into which branch of science we are interested in, and the programs to support and encourage females in the science industry. We would like to thank Ms Hakos for organising our involvement in this day and Dr. Srinivasan for supervising and accompanying us on the day. We definitely enjoyed the day and gained knowledge that we can practice in our everyday lives. Jennifer Contominas, Florence Georges, Anastasia Hatzidis, Rhea Tsimboukis - Year 10
Rhea Tsimboukis, Jennifer Contominas, Anastasia Hatzidis and Florence Georges at the Women in Science Symposium
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Student Leadership & Academic Excellence Prefects 2016
Front Row: Lia Albanakis, Aaron-Paul Kostantakis, Chrystal Christie (College Captain), Ms G. Kokinelis, Mrs A. Katsogiannis, Mrs E. Stefanou-Haag, Ms E. Gambriell, Mariah Stavrou, Alexander Stamoulis. Second Row: Keira Kipriotis, Erin
Hennessey, Kiri Kondou, Themis Giaras, Archie Lambrinos, Sebastian Zois, James Stathis, Elias Hatzon, Manuel Margelis, Demitra Nikas, Christina Balayannis, Anastasia Mylonas, Kristen Mournehis.
Prefects’ Voice At Friday assemblies the Prefects have been reminding everyone of the Student Principles. Student Principle number three: “We work together to achieve a school community whose distinguishing characteristics are those of friendship, compassion and decency.” As Mrs Katsogiannis always tells us to be good to one another, this principle reminds us of how important it is, especially in a school environment, for everyone to work together to get the best result possible from our education. This is particularly the case for Year 12 students as we need to collectively achieve to the best of our abilities in order to maximize our ATAR’s. Since last year’s HSC class excelled in their academic achievements, ranking the school in the top 10% of the State, we have quite a lot to live up to!
Week’. This is a student who has stood out for following the principles we have mentioned and has gone out of his way to help in our local community.
The Prefects are always on the look-out for our ‘Student of the
Chrystal Christie - College Captain
The first ‘Student of the Week’ was George Gemisis for the assistance he regularly gives to an elderly lady. Well done George! We hope everyone takes note and is able to follow your example. An inspiring fact for this week… The King of Rock and Roll (Elvis Presley) was told to stick to driving a truck because, he was told, “you’ll never make it as a singer.” This just goes to show that if you have set a goal or have a dream that you want to fulfill, you have every right to believe in yourself and pursue it!
Women In Engineering Guest Speaker Last Wednesday, Dr Alex Bannigan from UNSW spoke to the girls in Years 9 and 10 about Women in Engineering. She highlighted all the different career paths available to engineering graduates and discussed the interesting projects that some women engineers are involved in. Dr Bannigan also explained that people with ability and interest in maths or science, problem solving and creativity are well suited to engineering. The girls found the presentation fascinating as well as very informative and hopefully some will consider engineering as a career option for the future. STYLUS Page 6
Dr Alex Bannigan speaking to Year 9 and Year 10 girls
ACER Scholarship Winners ACER Scholarship Winners
and Year 10 students.
Congratulations to Rhea Tsimboukis and Joanna Skouteris who have each been granted a two year Scholarship for continued study in Years 11 and 12.
We commend all students who attempted this challenging exam. Congratulations to Adriana Drakoulis, Year 6, who has been granted the 2017 four year scholarship for Years 7 – 10.
The scholarships are based on the results of ACER Scholarship exams held on Saturday, 27th February. There was a strong field of candidates from other primary schools, our Year 6
Mrs A. Katsogiannis Principal Senior School
Joanna Skouteris
Adriana Drakoulis
Rhea Tsimboukis
Student Leadership SRC 2016
Front Row: Demi Micos, Elleni Mouskos, Chrystal Christie (Chairperson), Mrs A. Katsogiannis, Mrs E. Stefanou-Haag, Ms G. Kokinelis, Mariah Stavrou (Secretary), Aaron-Paul Kostantakis (Treasurer), Natalia Amezquita. Second Row: Katherine Fragias, Marissa Diakoumis, James Valmas, Michael Xeras, James Bletsas, Giorge Gemisis, Costantino Hadjiparaskeva, Georgia Aravanis, Nicola Skouteris, Jordan Frazis. Third Row:
Marissa Kouzoukas, Bianca Frazis, Anneta Maroulis, Eleni Preketes, Sophie Ioannidis, Vivienne Hatzigiakoumis, Tina Ventoura, Nikki Cardamis, Alexia Moufarrege, Kristen Philips, Alexia Costa. Fourth Row: Mark Grillakis, Dean Albanakis, Charalambos Gavalas, Nicholas Kollias, Alexandros Gousetis, Dimitrios Dimas, Jakob Krasadakis, Peter Vassilis, Charlie Christofides, Constantinos Gouskos. STYLUS Page 7
Greek Orthodox Board Of Education HSC 2015 Awardees From St Spyridon College
The Annual Pan-Orthodox Church Service To Mark The Opening Of The Law Term 2016 Students of the Year 12 Legal Studies class together with Mrs Pavlakis and Ms Livera, attended the 33rd Annual Pan-Orthodox Church Service to mark the opening of the Law Term for 2016. The service was held at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation. The procession to the Cathedral was led by the Chief Justice of the New South Wales Supreme Court, the Hon. Tom Bathurst AC, and commenced from
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the Rectory of the Archdiocese. The students noted that one of the highlights of the evening was when the legal personnel entered the Cathedral dressed in their robes. The Year 12 Legal Studies students also had the opportunity to speak with the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court who wished them well for their Higher School Certificate examinations.
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Visit Of His Holiness Patriarch Iriniej Of Serbia - Address by Anja Djukic, Year 12, 2015 Your Beatitude, Your Eminence, Your Eminences, Your Graces, It is with profound love and great honour that we welcome you today on the official visit of Your Holiness to this Fifth Continent and in particular to the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia. I consider myself both blessed and honoured today, having been chosen as a proud past student of St Spyridon College to address Your Holiness on behalf of the staff and students of the three Greek Orthodox Colleges of this sacred Archdiocese. Your holiness, we welcome you today to this hospitable country which has become our ‘home away from home’ over the course of the last century. As Orthodox Christians of Serbian descent, we feel blessed that the Patriarchate of Serbia thinks of us, her children in the antipodes, and has continued to provide us with spiritual nourishment as evident today, in Your Holiness first official visit to Australia. We, the young people of Australia of Serbian Orthodox decent, feel moved to have the privilege to receive the blessing of Your Holiness. We want you to know that we are proud of our heritage. We promise you that we will pass on the faith
and values entrusted to us by past generations. We are fortunate enough to have Colleges that have been established by the Church, where the teaching of Language and Orthodoxy is an integral part of our schooling and ultimately, our identity and we consider this to be our sacred duty. We humbly ask that you share this message with the young people of Serbia on your return. Here in Australia the heart of Serbia beats strong. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people back home who are facing many challenges and complexities that beset the Balkans and indeed all Europe. Your Holiness, we ask that you impart your hierarchical blessing upon us and upon this blessed country and in return, we pray that God keeps your Holiness in peace, health and in long life, so that you may continue to serve God and His sacred Church. Ваша Светости, Патријарху Српски, господине Иринеју Ваше Високопреосвештенство, Ваша Високопреосвештенства, Ваше Преосвештенство
Свјатјејши Патријарху Српски добродошли у ову званичну посету Петом континенту, а данас у Грчку Православну Архиепископију Аустралије. Част ми је и задовољство да сам изабрана као бивши студент Колеџа Свети Спиридон да Вас поздравим у име наставног особља и студената три грчка колеџа ове Архиепископије. Ваша Светости добродошли у ову далеку земљу која је стицајем околности постала наша друга домовина.
Као Православни српског порекла, осећамо се благословени да наша Српска Патријаршија мисли о нама, својој деци у туђини, да нас подржава и храни духовном храном. Ми, млади српског порекла осећамо неизмерну срећу и привилегију да примимо Ваш благослов.
Желимо да знате да се поносимо нашом вером, црквом, традицијом, културом. Обећајемо да ћемо чувати нашу православну веру и наше вредности које су нам поверене од наших предака. Ми смо неизмерно захвални да имамо Колеџе настале под окриљем цркве, где је учење језика, ћириловског писма и православне веронауке интегрални део нашег образовања, а самим тим и нашег идентитета, а то је за нас света дужност. Ваша Светости, молимо Вас да пренесете поруку младима у Србији. Овде у Аустралији срце Србије куца снажно. Наше мисли и наше молитве су са народом у Србији који пролази кроз многе недаће које су притиснуле Балкан и на жалост целу Европу. Још једном ми, Ваша Светости, дозволите да Вас најтоплије поздравим и зажелим да дуго времена у миру служите Богу на добра СРПСКЕ ПРАВОСЛАВНЕ ЦРКВЕ и народа и да живите на многаја љета. STYLUS Page 9
Past Students Past Student - Kafedaki with Anna Papoutsakis Anna Papoutsakis (HSC Class of 1998) was interviewed by Gina Mamouzelos of Greek City Times. Anna Papoutsakis holds a Bachelor of Early Childhood. Masters in Early Leadership. Anna Papoutsakis is the epitome of philanthropy and philotimo (love of honour), she is a passionate Greek Australian who is very proud of her Hellenic heritage. Anna is a school teacher who has been volunteering at orphanages in Vietnam every year for the past 5.5yrs and has raised tens of thousands of dollars for the children there and has literally changed the lives of these young kids. She took some time to chat to GCT about her upbringing, family and Greek heritage, which has influenced her endless volunteer work. Where were you born and where do you live now? I was born in Sydney and have lived here all my life-except for one year where I lived in Vietnam. I currently live in Maroubra. Have you been to Greece? My first trip was at the age of 5 and I still remember it clearly. My paternal grandparents and extended family were still living in Crete and so we went often to see them. I went to St Spyridon College where we did a Pilgrimage Trip back to Greece in Year 10. This really connected us to our roots and instilled a sense of belonging, which I believe is integral to human existence. I also studied Greek at Macquarie University and consequently did a short residential course at the University of Athens, which was a great experience. Doing this really made me see how important maintaining the Greek language is in connecting with my heritage. My most recent trip was two years ago, where I also got my Greek citizenship! All these trips played a huge role in my sense of identity. What are you working on at the moment? At the moment, when I am not teaching, I am in Vietnam volunteering in orphanages. I’ve been volunteering there for 5.5yrs now and utterly love it. I have been with the same three orphanages – two orphanages that have children from birth until 16 years and one which is a disability shelter where all the residents have been affected by Agent Orange – the chemical dropped during the Vietnam War. Unfortunately, the dioxin has caused many repercussions as it is said to alter the DNA STYLUS Page 10
and so, it has affected future generations and children are still being born with illnesses and disabilities related to this. People ask me if I have children and I always yes! I have 134! My passport has 16 Vietnam visas in it. After my first trip, I came home and cried for four months. I felt disheartened and that the problems there were so far beyond me and my capabilities that no matter what I did, I would never solve them or begin to scratch the surface of finding solutions to their daily adversities. But I figured that “doing something was better than nothing”. This has become my motto in a way and so, with this in mind, I decided to return. If I could make one child happier, make one child feel safe and secure, get one child doing physio as opposed to lying in a metal cot 24 /7, then my mission was complete. How has your upbringing influenced the work you do today? My grandmother, my namesake, who I lived with my entire life, had a profound influence on my life and on how I viewed the world. She worked as a nanny for many of the Aristocrats and affluent people in Egypt. She was even the nanny for the Prince of Egypt at one stage of her life! I always wonder if I inherited my love for children from her. She always used to tell us to be kind; be kind to everyone and do not judge others. She would say that I was neither better nor smarter, only luckier. I was lucky to be born in this country and be able to have all that I have. And so, I feel like I have a responsibility to do my bit in a sense. To pay it forward in a way. Aside from your family, which Greeks have influenced you? I can’t really point out anyone in particular. There are many. The little yiayia at my church who makes the koliva and always tells me a story with a moral at the end; my “thia” at the local chicken shop who has been working stupendously at that shop, 7 days a week for the last 34 years; one of my mature aged Greek students who has immigrated here and is putting herself out there and retraining for a new beginning; the Greek family friends who lost their 11 year old daughter; the residents at my yiayia’s sister’s Greek nursing home – each one of them, with their own stories to share... there is much to say about the Greek spirit. To read the full article please go to: http://greekcitytimes.com/kafedaki-with-anna-papoutsakis
Past Student Hits the Big League with his Soccer Achievements Recently Panos Armenakis came in to speak to Year 7 and 8 students about his journey in the world of international football. Panos attended St Spyridon College from K-Year 8 and would have been in Year 12 this year had he continued on with us instead of going overseas to take up an opportunity to train and play soccer with an international club in Italy. During his visit, Panos outlined some of the difficulties he faced as a young boy living in a foreign country, without his family or the ability to communicate effectively as he was unable to speak Italian. As a result, many days and nights were understandably filled with tears and doubts as he pondered the huge steps he had taken in order to fulfil his dreams. It was heartening to hear that one of the first things he asked for from his parents
(who moved to England to be closer), was a bible that would help console him during the difficult times. Panos’ inspiring talk not only enthralled the students, but also demonstrated the power of focus and determination, the importance of having belief in God and self, and necessity of building resilience when faced with challenges. Some of Panos’ achievements to date include being the youngest Australian to receive a contract with an international club, playing in the U17 World Cup for Australia, being regarded in the top 50 U17 year old boys in the world for football and his recent signing with Nike. Well done Panos, we look forward to following your exciting journey. Ms G. Kokinelis Dean of Middle School STYLUS Page 11
Faith And Tradition
The Hellenic Presidential Guard Visits Our College The College was honoured by the presence of the Hellenic Presidential Guard. We thank Lieutenant Kalantzis for sharing with the children in English, the short history of the Evzones and for the beautiful gifts presented to the College. They are displayed at the Junior School Office.
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Parish Trip to Greece 2016
Parish Pilgrimage to Greece 2016 A memorable experience. Some of the highlights of the trip were visits to Churches, Monasteries and Museums, students shared opportunities for sun, sea, good food and great companionship. For while anyone can go and see famous places, the true flavour of a journey is in sharing these experiences with friends. Their guides for 2016: Mr James Phillips, Mrs Chryse Mio, Ms Kelly O’Shea, Mr Peter Meintanis, Mr Vargo Zaf iropoulos.
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Celebrating The Arts
From The Art Room - The Beautiful Things In Life
Recently Year 11 students have been drawing self-portraits. Here are two examples:
Constantinos Kollias
Larissa Andrianakos
Danielle Petrakis
Christiana Kilias
However, with the aid of a phone app, some have been able to swap faces with their drawings. The results were a lot of fun.
Congratulations To Our Artists
Irene Roussis
Congratulations to two of our Year 11 students who have been accepted into the National Art School HSC Intensive Studio Practice. Both students submitted a portfolio for consideration. Constantinos Kollias has been accepted into the Printmaking Studio and Irene Roussis has been accepted into the Painting Studio. Ms M. Pringle Visual Arts Teacher
This fortnight the focus is Year 8. In this unit we have been looking at Aboriginality and varying ways of representing a culture. The main task has been working in groups, producing
Constantinos Kollias (my grandmother)
a Western Desert style dot painting. The task requires co-operation and the consideration of another point of view to create a successful work.
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Community Action There has been a hive of activity within our school community, led by the SRC who organised various events to raise awareness and much needed funds for Brain Cancer research and to honour the memory of a past student, Gera Tantsyura who unfortunately lost his battle with this disease. The result of everyones’ very generous efforts has enabled us to raise an amazing $6,500. Thank you: to Year 12 girls, their families and teachers who donated towards the ‘Girls Night In’ event; Staff who contributed food and money for the ‘Teachers Morning Tea and Luncheon’; the SRC’s for their fabulous cakes and the school community who purchased yummy treats at the ‘SRC Bake Sale Stall’; students and staff who wore their ‘Winter Whites’ during Mufti Day and gave a gold coin donation; everyone who purchased BBQ sausage rolls at the ‘Sausage Sizzle’; and all others who purchased SNOG Beanies. Without the combined effort and team work required none of these events or resulting donations would have been possible. This is testament to what it means to be a member of an amazing school that not only cares but also does whatever is needed whenever the call for help is given. Well done everyone!
Ms G. Kokinelis - Dean of Middle School
SNOG Thanks St Spyridon Students, Teachers And Community On behalf of SNOG I would like to express my sincere thanks to the wonderful and generous St Spyridon School community for your support of the Sydney Neuro-Oncology Group (SNOG)’s brain tumour research programme. The Board of SNOG have
been informed of all the fundraisers held and are truly appreciative. Mrs Suzane Peponis-Brisimis Director Sydney Neuro-Oncology Group (SNOG) Founder and Director, White Pearl Fundraiser
Brain Cancer - Girls Night In Year 12 girls hosted a sleep in last Friday night. It was a great event filled with laughter, movies, dancing to the Macarena, College Captain Chrystal’s Ukulele, the Zorba and even some Serbian folk pieces. Everyone witnessed feats of endurance using a hover board with accompanying screams of panic from certain staff, and an attack by a scary monster from the Star Wars movie. Additionally, we all had the pleasure of filling our plates and bellies (several times) with tasty pizzas generously supplied by Crust and Mr & Mrs Albanakis (parents of Lia Year 12 Prefect) not to mention the two tables full of chips,
chocolates and sweets of varying descriptions supplied by everyone who took part. Our ‘Girls Night In’ resulted in a very respectable $2,300 being donated by the students and staff who attended. Thank You to all who took part especially Mrs Gambriell and Ms Kalithrakas who spent the night with the girls (along with myself) and all others who donated and or dropped in for a visit: Mrs Katsogiannis, Mrs Kiejda, Mrs Belajcic, Mrs Mio, Dr Srinivasan, Ms Hakos, Miss Kilias, Mrs Grillakis, Mrs Kefalouros, Ms Savva, Mrs Dalakiaris, Miss Flokis and Mrs Pavlakis.
Senior School Staff Big Morning Tea & Big Luncheon Senior School staff banded together for a special Morning Tea and luncheon in aid of Brain Cancer Research. Lots of savoury foods and sweet delights were brought in and shared, along with happy spirits and camaraderie. Thank you to everyone for your food contribution and generosity which has resulted in another $710.00 being added to the schools fundraising effort. STYLUS Page 16
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Year 11 Visit Royal North Shore Hospital Brain Cancer Research Facility Recently four Science students from Year 11 along with myself, Mr Croft, Curriculum Leader Science and the mother of the late Gera Tantsyura (Year 8, 2010 student), had the pleasure of being invited to a presentation and lab tour of SNOG’s research laboratory at the Royal North Shore Hospital. There we heard about the wonderful and important work that SNOG is currently undertaking, before being presented with a thank you plaque acknowledging our fundraising efforts. Following this we were guided through the research facility and saw first-hand the work conducted there. Ms G. Kokinelis - Dean of Middle School
Year 11 students with Mr Croft and mother of the late Gera Tantsyura
Cyprus Invasion Memorial Day In July, a special service commemorating the 42nd anniversary of the 1974 Turkish military invasion of Cyprus and the memory of the fallen and missing persons took place at the Cenotaph in Martin Place. 23 students of Cypriot background from both our Junior and Senior School,
Prefects and SRC members from across the year groups attended this event. They respectfully participated in the wreath laying ceremony and marched with the procession from the Cenotaph to the Town Hall. Thank you to all students and parents who accompanied them.
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Global Connections - Community Action Balloons Fly For Earth Hour Schools Day
In March, hundreds of thousands of school kids across Australia will celebrate Earth Hour by taking part in Earth Hour Schools Day. Students and teachers are some of Earth Hour’s most passionate and valued supporters and will again organise Earth Hour inspired events and activities at school the day before Earth Hour officially takes place on Saturday, March 19 at 8:30pm. At the Senior School, 100 printed balloons with our emblem and a message stating that our College supports EARTH HOUR were made especially for the launch of our events. These include switching off all non-essential lights all day today; dedicating every Period 4 for the rest of the year as our School Earth Hour; and decorating the library corridor with Earth Hour Promotional items. At Friday’s assembly SRC’s from each home room class symbolically held some of these balloons while the remaining balloons were attached to the front fence line. The point of this was to let the community know we are an EARTH HOUR SCHOOL that is trying to go further, go beyond the hour!
In 2016, Earth Hour in Australia will celebrate the places we love that make our outdoor lifestyle and the Aussie way of life so great: our breathtaking beaches, forests, reefs, national parks, snow-capped mountains, rivers and farmland which uniquely distinguish Australia as the “lucky country”. Yet these iconic places are under threat from rising temperatures and more extreme
weather. Small changes to our climate as a result of increased carbon pollution are messing up the delicate balance of nature that we enjoy so much. Rising temperatures will drive coral bleaching on our beloved Great Barrier Reef and a decline in snow season length and coverage in the Australian Alps, while rising sea levels are expected to erode our beaches and coastlines.
Dignitaries From Greece Visit Our School In March, St Spyridon College Junior School was visited by Mr Kokkinos - the Head of the General Secretariat of Greeks Abroad under the Hellenic Ministry of External Affairs, and Dr Kyrimis - Consul General of Greece in Sydney. Mr Kokkinos was delighted to experience warm Greek hospitality by the Year 5 & 6 students of St Spyridon who welcomed him in Greek, sang Βόσπορος in Greek, danced traditional dances from the Dodecanese and impressed him with their genuine love for the Greek culture. Mr Kokkinos admitted that St Spyridon students danced … better than him and were learning all
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about traditions like Κυρα Σαρακοστή that he had not heard of for years. He expressed his appreciation and gratitude for everything the Greek Orthodox Schools in Australia are doing to preserve the Greek language and culture. He also promised to take back with him to Greece all the wishes of St Spyridon students addressed to the young people of Greece for all the best. Mrs A. Gambierakis Coordinator of Modern Greek - Junior School
A Brave Act of a Good Friend Dear Mrs Synesios, I’d like to share with you an incident that occurred on Friday night with my son Stefan and the quick thinking response of his friend Marcel that prevented this escalating into a diabetic medical emergency. I am writing this as I feel it’s important to recognise a child that has done something extraordinary and to highlight something positive for this student. On Friday night approx. 9.15 pm Stefan went to bed, he checked his glucose levels, they were pretty good for just before bed.
After all the dramas were over, Stefan explained that he could not move and could not yell loud enough to be heard. He had his iPod in bed and sent a message to Marcel, as he was chatting to him not long before. He merely sent the words “help” Marcel responded. Stefan advised he was having a hypo and to call my mum as he cannot move or be heard. Marcel did not ignore Stefan’s call for help, understood this was critical and bravely called a parent without a second thought just to help out a mate.
Please share this with the rest of Year At about 9.50pm my phone rang, I Six or the school as I feel it’s important wondered who was calling me at this to let everyone know that Marcel’s time as the number appearing was actions pretty much saved Stefan’s life. unknown. When I answered I heard Stefan Gemisis and Marcel Darwish In addition I would also like to raise a child’s voice, he asked is this Stefan I awareness of type 1 diabetes and how critical and unpredictable said no it’s his mum. Without hesitating he just blurted out this disease can be and for all to be on alert. clearly, “it’s Marcel, STEFAN IS HAVING A HYPO AND CANNOT MOVE.” I knew this was not a prank, as no one would Marcel may feel that what he did was nothing but, but if he think of such a thing. We ran into his room to find Stefan in actually did do nothing, I could not begin to think what could distress, shaking and crying. He was having a severe hypo, we have happened, as it would have been hours before I would have never experienced anything like this. This can potentially check up on him again. lead to a diabetic coma or worse. Luckily we managed to treat Regards him without the need to call 000, transportation to hospital Vicki Gemisis and possible complications.
Walk Around the World for JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) St Spyridon College, in conjunction with IPSHA (Independent Primary School Heads of Australia), held a Walkathon in April, to raise funds for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and also to increase awareness of Juvenile Diabetes amongst our school community. As a school, we walked on the path along the beach from Ramsgate towards San Souci, and back. It was a fun and pleasant walk, followed by a picnic by the sea-side. We thank the Year 6 students who guided their Kindergarten buddies, and also thank the P&F Committee for providing water bottles and fruit as refreshment at the event.
schools will be displayed on this website www.ipshafundraising. org.au. Here we will be able to track just how far around the world we, as an organisation, have trekked. We thank everyone involved in this fundraising event. Your great efforts and generosity are a true reflection of the College’s dynamic community spirit. Miss Bletsogiannis - Curriculum Coordinator
The students asked their family and friends to each sponsor them for the 5 kilometre walk. We are proud to announce that St Spyridon College raised $11,915 for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. The money raised will go towards helping to discover a cure for Juvenile Diabetes, and supporting those families who are affected by the disease. We applaud George Mitropoulos in 6M, for his outstanding fundraising efforts. Solely, he raised $1090; the highest amount raised. The total amount of kilometres collectively walked by all IPSHA STYLUS Page 19
Parents and Friends Taverna By The Sea Success! Taverna night was once again a successful and enjoyable evening. The event quickly sold out and both parents and children had a great night at the Yarra Bay Sailing Club. It was lovely to see the children dancing and enjoying themselves. There were many fabulous prizes for the night. Congratulations to all those that won. Thank you who supported the P&F with attending the night, and also to all who donated the prizes for the evening. The evening raised approximately $5000 which was a wonderful start for the fundraising year!
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stylus Mother’s night out
The Mother’s night out was once again a huge success. Mums, grandmothers and mother figures all gathered at Stack’s Taverna for an entertaining night. There were many tickets sold, tiara’s worn and the mums definitely loved the deck of cards! We thank all the mum’s for helping us celebrate and for raising $14,000 for the school.
The evening would not have been such a success without the generous donations. We would like to give a huge thank you to all those that donated, it was much appreciated. Erenie Bourdaniotis P & F President STYLUS Page 21
Junior School Focus Year 6 Leadership: Buddies Year 6 students welcomed their Kindergarten peers to St Spyridon College school life. In a celebration of leadership and community, Year 6 warmly greeted their buddies in the Year 6 rooms, completed a shared task and read a picture book before walking hand in hand to the Infants campus; returning Kindergarten students to their home classrooms. Year 6 showed enthusiasm and were very responsible leaders, assisting Kinder at every step in their new school environment, and listening actively to what they had to say. The smiles on the Kindergarten students’ faces are proof that peer support is highly beneficial at transitions, and rewarding for staff, students and parents alike. Year 6 will continue with the Buddies Leadership Program with activities such as sharing lunch with Kindergarten on Tuesdays in the Infants playground, organising K-1 lunchtime games and sitting alongside their buddies for Liturgies in Semester 1. Miss D. McCarthy Primary Coordinator
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OUR GARDEN GROWS.... Lettuce, Carrots, Brussel Sprouts Down in the yard, where we play catch, Lies our herb and veggie patch. Randwick Council gave us the grant, To help us buy seedlings to plant! Thyme and basil, beans and peas, And some oregano please! Lettuce, carrots, Brussel sprouts, Spreading all the seeds about. Spinach, coriander, chives, Healthy food for healthy lives. Rosemary and broccoli, And a bed of strawberries. Each grade, from 6 to Kindergarten, Planted seedlings in our garden. With soiled fingers and green thumb, We’ve blossomed our Curriculum.
Junior School Swimming Carnival The Junior School enjoyed a relaxing day at Botany Pool for our annual Swimming Carnival. I commend all the students on their exemplary behaviour and their willingness to have a go, including the many Year 2 students who were in attendance. Mrs Diavatiotis is thanked for your organisation and meticulous attention to detail which ensured the smooth running of the day. Thank you to all the staff, including Mr Kaldis from the Senior School for their supervision of students and assisting with the running of the carnival. To all our parent volunteers and Year 9 helpers, your assistance is greatly appreciated. Your contribution was evident in the smiling faces of the children. Congratulations to the Corinthians who are the Junior School Swimming champions this year
Visit To The Parish Of St Nicholas, Marrickville It was with great pleasure that a group of Year 5 students visited the Parish of St Nicholas, Marrickville to perform at the Church Hall and celebrate ‘Ελιά - The Olive tree’. Our Year 5 students recited the poem by Kostis Palamas, ‘Η Ελιά’ and danced and sang Περά στους πέρα κάμπους in the modified version created by Κυρία Στέλλα who also talked about the significance and role of the olive tree for Greek people and culture.
The celebration of ‘Ελιά - The Olive tree’ was the result of the collaboration of Inner West Council (Marrickville) and the Greek Welfare centre. All present agreed that it was another memorable coming-together which Κυρία Άννα and the students were more than happy to share in. Mrs A. Gambierakis Coordinator of Modern Greek
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Snapshots of a Sporting Life
Athletics
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Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Of Australia National Schools Event The National Schools Event was held in May in Perth. It was hosted by St Andrews Grammar, Perth. Congratulations to all of the students who attended along with Mr Meintanis, Ms O’Shea, Mr Kaldis, Mr Zafiropoulos, Mrs McCoy, Ms Flokis, Mr Georgoulopoulos and Mr Koulouriotis. For the Spoken Arts thank you to Mrs Faletas and Ms Savva.
We are pleased to report that St Spyridon College came first in: Boys Basketball
Girls Basketball
Boys Football
Girls Netball
All Saints Grammar, Sydney will be hosting the 2017 Event.
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It’s all about building young lives
Photography: Nick Bourdo Photography, Mr A. Condous
1130 Anzac Parade, Maroubra NSW 2035, PO Box 462, Maroubra NSW 2035 Phone: 61 2 9311 3340 Fax: 61 2 9311 4532 Email: admin@stspyridon.nsw.edu.au Website: stspyridon.nsw.edu.au Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia, St Spyridon Parish of South-East Sydney A.C.N. 000 410 891 A.B.N. 84 480 080 247 CRICOS Provider Numbers: Junior School ~ Years K-6 ~ 061558A Senior School ~ Years 7-12 ~ 02319E