GIB GATE • FRENSHAM • STURT
TERM 4 NO 2 - 5 NOVEMBER 2009

What would Socrates Say?
In his recent ASCD journal article focusing on ‘Teaching for the 21st Century’ (September 2009), Peter W Cookson Jnr (Professor of Educational Administration at Arizona State University) offered a challenge to Schools regarding how we see teaching and learning today and in the future.  He wrote: My greatest fear about 21st century education is that Socrates’ humility will be turned on its head.  The noted philosopher once said, ‘I know nothing except the fact of my ignorance.’  My fear is that instead of knowing ‘nothing’ except the fact of our own ignorance, Google has given us the world at our fingertips, but speed and ubiquity are not the same as actually knowing. 

Socrates believed that we learn best by asking essential questions and testing tentative answers against reason and fact in a continuous circle of honest debate.  Cookson proposes that we need to approach the contemporary knowledge explosion in just that manner, otherwise the great knowledge and communication tsunami of the 21st century may drown us in a sea of trivia instead of lifting us up on the rising tide of possibility and promise.

Educators are immersed in debate that includes an argument between advocates of the benefits of constant connectivity - that we learn best through data collection without the burdens of judgement and discernment and the opposing view that the current growth of incessant communication is really a complex manifestation of miscommunication that does not lead to intellectual growth at all.  Cookson explores the debate and concludes by answering the question: What Would Socrates Do?  and his answer captures the thinking underpinning significant elements of our approach to the teacher/student relationship and to future possibilities through the creative use of information communications technology.  Cookson replies: Socrates did not teach in a conventional classroom; his classroom was wherever he and his students found themselves.  His was the first ‘personal learning network’, and he taught with the most enduring tool of all time - the purposeful conversation.  He called himself a citizen of the world because the questions he asked were universal....I think Socrates would embrace the new learning era with all the energy he had.  We need that same embrace today to move beyond the false dichotomies and tired education disagreements and to engage joyously with the future.  Parents and teachers obviously play a vital role in teaching through ‘purposeful conversation’.

Acknowledgment to:

• Ms Elisabeth Nagel for her long association as weaver and teacher at Sturt, highlighted at the recent day-long celebration held in conjunction with the current exhibition Threads of Influence;
• Evening With… presenters for their inspirational talks to Year 11: Ms Kirree Jenkings (1999) who spoke on life as Landscape Architect and Mrs Trisha Dixon (1971) who spoke about garden/landscape photography;
• The Frensham Gymnastics Team which was placed 3rd in Division 3 and 14th overall at the recent IGSSA Gymnastics Competition;
• The Year 11 Young Achievement Australia Team for their success at the regional YAA awards and progress to the State YAA finals (see details in this Newsletter).  Frensham would like to thank again Mr Chris Pearsall, Mr Terry Mortensen, Mr Nick Padol, Mr Trevor Fair, Mr Lloyd Barwell for their guidance and to Allison and Graham Marcolin for their sponsorship of the YAA Business Skills Programme;
• Gib Gate and Frensham students for their achievement at the recent ICAS Mathematics Competition.  Full results are printed in the relevant reports;
• All those involved in the planning and preparation of the WWS Foundation / Frensham Fellowship Generations’ Lunch that saw more than 400 former students gather in Clubbe Hall and on the front lawn for an ‘extended family’ Reunion last Sunday;
• The Gib Gate Transition-Year 2 Fun Carnival organisers for a successful event;
• The Gib Gate Gymnastics Team who were competing for the first time at competition level at the IPSHA Gymnastics Competition and to the parents who assisted at the event;
• Gib Gate Year 5 for their very well prepared presentations at the recent Performance Assembly;
• Gib Gate parents and students who rose to the canoe challenge that was a central focus of Outdoor Education Group’s Family Day;
• Recent Duke of Edinburgh’s Award recipients: Bronze – Madeleine Bowdern, Lucy Hay, Tatiana Kiewa, Rachel Latimer, Sophia Macken, Emily Marsh, Emily Milne, Anne Moser and Madeleine Quinn and Silver - Guislaine Allen, Isabel Faulkner, Clara Lamond and Alice Lee-Warner;
• HSC Visual Arts students who successful submitted works for a Regional Body of Works Exhibition in the Goulburn Regional Art Gallery: Adriana Bond, Emily Cameron, Constance Mort, Rebecca Sampson, Sarah-Jane Smeeth. 
• Musicians Mary Bokey (violin), Adriana Bond (violin) and Catherine Corbet (cello) who volunteered to perform with Mrs Christine Jarczewski as a String Quartet in support of the recent Southern Highlands Philanthropy Awards presentations in the presence of Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO, Governor of New South Wales and Patron-in-Chief of The Southern Highlands Foundation;
• Eleanor Leeming (Year 12) who joined with Emily Milne and Charlotte Midson (Year 11) and Mr Spencer to present Pie Jesu as part of the Generations' Lunch Welcome in Clubbe Hall.

Ahead:
Important Community Dates:
Gib Gate: Kindergarten Orientation – Thursday 5 November, Gib Gate welcomes students and parents;
Frensham: Overnight Orientation for New Students – Thursday 5-Friday 6 November, Frensham looks forward to welcoming 2010 students and their parents;
Sturt: An Evening with Caroline Jones at Sturt - Friday 6 November, ABC TV presenter Caroline Jones will talk about her new book: Through a Glass Darkly: a journey of love and grief with my father;
Gib Gate: Senior Musical (The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) – Friday 13 November;
Frensham: Confirmation Service – Sunday 15 November, prepared students will be confirmed by the Right Reverend Alan Stewart, Bishop of Wollongong;
WWS Foundation: Foundation Centenary Appeal Luncheon (Yass) - Friday 20 November, Foundation Centenary Appeal Dinner (Canberra) - Friday 20 November

Ms J A Gillick
Head of Frensham
Head of Winifred West Schools

Information / Forms sent via Email
Frensham is now sending Information Notices and Forms via Email and the following have been sent this week:
• End of Year Programme
• Year 10 Sturt Workshop programme

AHEAD:

Change to Term 4 Calendar - Sat 7 Nov: End of Year Production, there is no rehearsal

Parent / Community News

Generations' Lunch on the Front Lawn

From the Year of 1940 Mrs Sheila Adams (McKay) and Dr Catherine Hamlin (Nicolson) Dr Lorraine Lawrence (Hunter, 1930), the oldest girl on the day Three generations of a four-generation WWS Frensham family, D’Arcy Bush (Year 10), Sue Morrison (Bragg, 1960), Sus Bush (Morrison, 1984)

GIB GATE

The T-2 Fun Athletics Carnival was held on Wednesday 28 October.  As seniors in the K-2 section, Year 2 had worked with Ms O’Rourke and Mrs Musgrove prior to the carnival on the planning, organisation and running of the event.  On the day, they assisted by setting out the equipment according to their plan and were all responsible for the running of activities.  Year 2 students enjoyed the opportunity to accept the extra responsibility and acted as positive role models to younger students.  As part of their extra responsibilities and to assist Year 6, Year 2 guided by Ms O’Rourke, have offered to lead the Gib Gate Remembrance Day assembly in Week 4.  The assembly will take place at 8.45am in the Gib Gate Hall on Wednesday 11 November and parents are welcome to attend.  Those in Transition also enjoyed the day, experiencing another opportunity to interact with the K-2 section of the School.  Interaction between Transition and Gib Gate students and teachers will be further strengthened this term as Preschool students begin their formal Transition to School Programme over the next few weeks.  Already experts in many aspects of Gib Gate through participation in the T-2 Junior Musical, attending Music, Library and PE lessons, Performance Assemblies and T-6 events, Transition students looked confident during the Kindergarten 2010 Orientation morning.

Ms Sally Robson, Head of Gib Gate

Curriculum Insights Week 3 Term 4 2009
Certificates for the 2009 ICAS Mathematics Competition were presented to the 63 Gib Gate competitors from Years 3 to 6 on Friday 30 October at Performance Assembly.  The students were awarded four Distinction, 23 Credit and 36 Participation Certificates and are commended on their individual achievements.

Year 6 - Credit: Olivia Battcock; Livija Berzins; Julia Cavanagh; Alexandra Condon; Benjamin England; William Eustace; Michael Zawal.  Distinction: Jonathan Chambers.
Year 5 - Credit: Madeleine Conomos; Michael Duck; Sarah Hassett; Airlie Kinross; Celia Stewart; Andrea Tan; Monique Turczynski; Amelia Vidler.  Distinction: Charlotte Condon.
Year 4 - Credit: Liana Berzins; Lucinda Chambers; David Loewy; Georgia Saeck; Jasmin Wikramanayake; Matthew Worden.
Year 3 - Credit: Alice Battcock; Celia Battcock.  Distinction: Hannah Rewais; Thomas Tregenza.

Mrs Kate Chauncy, Curriculum Coordinator K-6
Coordinator Gifted & Talented Programmes

Sport - Transition to Year 2 Fun Carnival - Gib Gate students from Transition to Year 2 enjoyed a ‘Fun Carnival’ last Wednesday 28 October.  Six different stations were set up and lead by a capable group of Year 2 Monitors.  Students rotated through each station under the watchful eyes of their Year 2 leaders.  Parents were invited to share the day with their child at the final station.  Lunch on the front lawn concluded an enjoyable event.

IPSHA Gymnastics Competition - A Gib Gate team of 17 Gymnasts competed at the annual IPSHA Gymnastic Competition held at the State Sports Centre, Homebush last Thursday 29 October.  Under the guidance of their coaches Leah Rossteuscher and Natalie Hughes, the team performed determinedly at their first experience of competition. 

The following students are commended for their Sporting achievements: Nicholas Crowley (Year 6) who was selected for the Highlands District Cricket Association Under 12 representative squad; Emma Lambrechts, Brooke Long and Jordan Shephard (Year 5) for selection to the Southern Highlands Netball Association’s Development Squad; Jonathan Chambers, Nicholas Crowley, William Eustace, Sebastian Kemsley and Robert O’Brien for a highly successful winter Soccer season in the Highlands local competition.

Mrs Sally Musgrove, Coordinator of PE and Sport

STURT

FRIENDS OF STURT Christine Hurditch (President), Joan Dinning (Secretary), Julie Musgrove, Henrietta and Ralph Ierace, Ruth Wright, Bill Dinning (Ex-officio members: Megan Patey, Melanie Olde).

Sturt News
In 2010 the Sturt School for Wood will continue for its 25th year of teaching.  The student intake for next year is filling fast and there are only three positions left for those who wish to enrol in Certificate IV in Furniture Design and Technology.  The current students exhibit their finished works in an exhibition called “....red door….” – referring to the iconic red door which welcomes all those who walk into the Wood School.  The exhibition opens at 3pm on Saturday 28 November and runs to Sunday 13 December.  Celia Quattrociocchi the Marketing Manager of Woodmark International and Stuart Reid, Director of Reid Brothers Furniture will speak at the opening of the exhibition.  

For all enquiries regarding enrolling in courses at Sturt, ring 4860 2080.

Sturt Summer School
With over 150 students enrolled in the 2010 Summer School, several courses are now full.  However, names are still being taken for waiting lists, in case of cancellations from these courses. There are vacancies in the following courses: Basketry with Meri Peach; Calligraphy with Lexie Arlington; Throwing with Lino Alvarez; Introduction to Drawing with Kit Bullivant; Drawing and Mark Making with David Middlebrook; Drawing and Modelling the human figure with Linley Davis; Drawing People with Leeanne Crisp; Felting with Catherine O’Leary; Ring Making with Marcello Zavala-Baeza; Marquetry with Leo Huyghebaert; Millinery with Waltraud Reiner; Painting and Drawing Still Life with Jenny Manning; Printmaking with Amanda Davies; Weaving with Monique van Nieuwland; Weave a Floor Rug with Melanie Olde and Wood Turning with Richard Raffan.  There are positions in the children’s courses: Painted Sculpture with Sue Meredith; Circus with Victoria Waldron-Hahn; Clay with Sue Buckle and Mixed Craft for little kids with Ellen Nolet.  For all enquiries and information, view the website www.sturt.nsw.edu.au or ring 02 4860 2080.

Threads of Influence Exhibition
Elisabeth Nagel arrived at Sturt in October 1959 after completing training and working as a professional weaver in her home country of Germany for many years.  Elisabeth was appointed to be the Head of Sturt Weaving for two years and she has been weaving and teaching at Sturt ever since.

On 25 October, an all day event was held complementing the current exhibition at Sturt Gallery and celebrating Elisabeth’s 50 years at Sturt.  The day included an open book session, with Monique van Nieuwland talking to Elisabeth about her past, combined with the opening of the exhibition Threads of Influence, with Grace Cochrane speaking about the history of Sturt Weaving.  The event culminated with an illustrated lecture presented by Gillian McCracken, on the History of Textiles in Australia and how the Sturt Weaving workshop was an integral part of this history.  The three events provided a fascinating overview of Sturt Weaving and Elisabeth’s history, as well as extending well beyond into the philosophies of Winifred West, the origins of Sturt, textile practice in Australia, weavers and personalities.  It was a memorable and historically significant occasion for all those who attended.

Ms Megan Patey, Head of Sturt

FRENSHAM

Deputy Head

Jamieson Weekends began at Frensham in 1986 when some of the bequests of Hilda Jamieson were used to buy camping equipment.  The last week of Term 4, Jamieson Week, has traditionally had a focus of Community Service, outdoor activities, creative activities and pastoral and academic care sessions.

Planning is now well underway for this year’s Jamieson Week and a timetable for the week will be available shortly.  Aside from the traditional Christmas lunch and other activities, the week will involve two matinée performances of the play Guys and Dolls for the local Primary Schools and Nursing Homes.  Other activities include visits to local Nursing Homes to present gifts and to sing Christmas Carols, various Year Group activities including “Summer Safari” and “Self-defence” for Year 10, a “Secret Whole School Activity” led by Year 12 and community service work in conjunction with the local council.

Time is also allocated for preparation for the Carol Service and Final Prayers.  The Sports Department will be holding Trials for Tennis and Softball Teams for the 2010, Term 1 IGSSA Competition.

Mr Geoff Marsh, Deputy Head

Director of Studies

Before being enrolled with the Board of Studies as Year 11 students, all current Year 10 students are required to complete a formal online programme called All My Own Work.  This programme has been designed by the Board of Studies to help Higher School Certificate students follow the principles and practices of good scholarship.  This includes understanding and valuing ethical practices when locating and using information as part of their Preliminary and HSC studies.  The programme’s content is divided into five modules:

1. Scholarship principles and practices
2. Acknowledging sources
3. Plagiarism
4. Copyright
5. Working with others

This Wednesday, Year 10 students are spending the morning working through this programme, under the guidance of senior staff members.  In the afternoon, they will then complete an online Computing Skills practice test in preparation for the School Certificate Computing Skills test next week.

The timetable for the Board of Studies’ School Certificate Tests, which are all of two hours’ duration, is as follows:

Monday 9 November
Morning: English-literacy; Afternoon: Science
Tuesday 10 November
Morning: Mathematics; Afternoon: Australian History, Geography, Civics and Citizenship
Friday 13 November
Morning: Computing Skills

Mrs Sue Flaxman, Director of Studies

Director of Boarding

With Orientation this week, the School welcomes girls who will be entering Frensham in 2010.  The moving of girls overnight is another part of the process as some current girls will be sleeping in the Parker Gymnasium, allowing all new girls to meet others in the same year group. 

Year 9 will be enjoying a Social with Scots Glengarry on Friday 13 November 2009.  The evening will start with a barbeque followed by dancing in the Gymnasium.  This reciprocal programme has now become an annual event.

There are several studies being undertaken into safety issues in e-communication:

• The Federal Government has announced a $3 million national pilot project aimed at addressing cyber-bullying in Australian schools.  The project will be developed and conducted by the Alannah and Madeleine Foundation, a Melbourne based charity aimed at keeping children safe from violence.  It was set up following the deaths of Alannah and Madeline Mikac, aged 6 and 3, who were killed in the Port Arthur tragedy in 1996.  It is proposed that the pilot will help confront safety issues in e-communication, including cyber bullying and examine the effectiveness of existing cyber-safety programmes in schools:
• The National Safe Schools Framework is to be reviewed and updated to incorporate consideration of changes to online crimes legislation and to take into account the growing problem of cyber-bullying, a phenomenon virtually unknown at the time of the framework’s introduction.  The NSSF was developed in 2002 to guide schools in dealing with bullying, harassment and violence.  Erebus International has been commissioned by the Federal Government to conduct the review to rewrite the current framework and its supporting documents by mid-2010.  The review will focus on managing cyber or covert bullying through computers and mobile phones;
• The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations commissioned Edith Cowan University to undertake The Australian Covert Bullying Prevalence Study.  The report assessed the prevalence of cyber-bullying and found that one in six high school students experiences covert bullying on a regular basis, with personal attacks and rumours spread through text messages and social networking applications, such as Facebook and My Space.

As this is a constantly changing area the School will study all the available research with interest, keeping abreast of currents trends.

Mrs Ros Buick, Director of Boarding

Teaching and Learning

As Frensham welcomes new students for 2010 at Orientation this Thursday, preparations for the 2010 academic year are well underway with careful consideration being given to the learning needs of each student and how best to develop her knowledge, skills and personal competence through aligning the classroom practice to her particular strengths and learning preferences.  Many of the conversations with parents and students during the Orientation programme will be aimed at discovering as much as possible about each student and in particular the highlights and challenges of the last 12 months. 

Parents have invaluable insight into their children as learners which can be of assistance when shaping teaching and learning activities in the classroom and the School seeks to provide opportunities for all to share that wisdom.  Parental input is welcomed at any time and parents are invited to contact the School regarding any recent academic achievement or intervention with which their daughter has been involved.  The more detailed the understanding parents have of their daughter’s learning preferences and needs, the better positioned Frensham is to ensure her 2010 academic year is successful and fulfilling.

Mrs Bronwyn Tregenza, Director of Teaching and Learning

English and Drama

Students in Year 12 2010 English have begun the first HSC Modules which will be completed this term with the assessment in Week 2 of Term 1 2010.  The Advanced class studies the module Critical Study of Text, with an analysis of Cloudstreet with Mrs Symons and Ms Stafford and the Standard class is reading Briar Rose by Jane Yolen which is the module Close Study with Ms McGuinness.

Students studying Extension 1 are consolidating their understanding of the contextual framework for the Romantic period, by reading articles on the political and social influences of the time and on the philosophical paradigms of the period.  The first set text, selected poems from the Romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge, will begin next week.

This Year, girls in the Extension 2 class are contemplating a variety of projects including Drama Scripts, Short Stories, Critical Study and Speeches and are having regular classes together, as well as meeting with their individual mentors, Ms McGuinness, Ms Stafford and Mrs Symons.  The requirements for assessment for Extension 2 have changed this year with the Proposal and the Viva Voce to be combined and a draft of the Major Work to be included as part of the internal assessment.

Students in Year 12 Drama will complete their first assessment on The Australian Theatre module, in which they will perform selected extracts from The Removalists by David Williamson and No Sugar by Jack Davis.

Mrs Trish Symons, Director Language Arts

An Evening with Programme

Kirree Jenkings, 20 October 2009
Kirree Jenkings left Frensham in 1999 and studied at the University of New South Wales.  Upon graduation, Kirree gained employment with a landscape architecture firm in Scotland.  After completing numerous projects, including those in Ireland and other parts of the United Kingdom, Kirree then based herself in London whilst completing projects all over the world, particularly in countries such as Morocco, Dubai and Qatar.

In her presentation to Year 11 students, Kirree’s passion for Landscape Architecture was obvious, as she told the girls that she does not consider it “work” as she loves what she does.  Kirree urged students to follow their interests when it came to career choices and to be prepared to diverge into other areas noting that hard work and persistence really does reap rewards.  Kirree mentioned her younger sister Philippa (2001) is living and working in Paris as a fashion consultant for Louis Vuitton after many hard years creating such an opportunity.

Kirree, an inspirational speaker, was much enjoyed by her audience as she shared her many projects with the girls.

Mrs Cherylynne Williams, Coordinator of 'An Evening With…' Programme

HSIE

Year 8 had an enjoyable fieldwork day on Tuesday 3 November.  The day was spent at Minnamurra Rainforest, where the students were able to gain considerable understanding of issues relating to deforestation, habitat loss, land degradation and indigenous use of the land. 

Mrs Jacqualine McCarroll, HISE Coordinator

Young Achievement Australia
The past weeks have been active but rewarding for the 12 members of the “Junkyard” Young Achievement Australia (YAA) team.  The students have been marketing and selling their Junkyard tote bags, performing stock takes, completing the liquidation process for the winding up of the company, writing the 2009 Annual Report, preparing financial statements, writing dividend cheques and attending to many other company secretarial tasks.  The company “Junkyard” earned a total net profit after tax of $3,282 and will be returning a handsome dividend of $3.44 per $2 share to all shareholders.  This represents a return of 172%.  To achieve this superb financial result the “Junkyard” team sold over 600 tote bags, totalling $6,590 in sales revenue.  In addition, the students made a donation of part of the profits to The Black Dog Institute for an amount of $392.

On Wednesday 28 October the team travelled with Ms Williams to Wollongong to attend the YAA Illawarra Region Awards Dinner at the Novotel Hotel.  The Junkyard Team had an enjoyable evening and was a finalist in numerous Award categories including:

1. Environmental Sustainability - Finalist
2. Company of the Year - Finalist
3. Annual Report - Finalist
4. Marketing Initiative - Finalist
5. Pam Lane Media Ward - Finalist

The Team was recognised for its entrepreneurial talents in starting up its own small business by winning the Business Plan of the Year Award.  The Junkyard business will now be entered in the State YAA Award final.  In addition, Arabella Kilmartin and Sally Stafford were finalists for YAA Illawarra Business Person of the Year and each student underwent an intensive interview process, conducted by a panel of three judges from the Illawarra business community.  The students were asked on their roles in the Junkyard business, as Company Secretary and Managing Director, respectively.  Both students are to be commended for their admirable effort in preparing for the interviews.

Throughout the completion of the 2009 Business Skills Programme, the “Junkyard” team has been expertly guided and mentored in the operation of their business by volunteers from the Southern Highlands community including: Mr Chris Pearsall of Sydney Capital Partners, Mr Terry Mortensen, Mr Nick Padol, Mr Trevor Fair of Oxley Partners and Ms Machelle Williams of Frensham.  Marketing expertise and significant sales training were also provided by Mr Lloyd Barwell.  Mrs Allison and Mr Graham Marcolin have been very generous in providing financial sponsorship of the programme in 2009 for which the Team and Frensham are most appreciative.

Ms Machelle Williams, Teacher of Business Studies and Economics

Mathematics

In mid-August, all students in Years 7 to 10 plus a small number of Year 11 girls took part in the ICAS Mathematics Competition. Many achieved well in this demanding competition and all students are commended for their participation.  
Year 7 – Credit: Cara Bowdern, Sophie Driver, Georgina Harrington, Lilli Jephcott, Emily Little, Antonia Parker, Adelaide Wallace.  Distinction: Phoebe Cook, Alice Hood.  Year 8 - Credit: Georgina Clark, Edith Gregory, Catherine Hall, Grace Ives, Emma McCrabb, Jasmine Talbot, Georgina Whatmore.  Distinction: Jessica Burns, Mary Lamond, Genevieve Maslin, Rebecca McCreath, Sophie Meredith, Lauren Zawal.  Year 9 - Credit: Chloe Andrews, Madeleine Bowdern, Nicola Fenaughty, Anna Gemmell-Smith, Lucy Hay, Tatiana Kiewa, Elizabeth Lamond, Olivia Luff, Georgina MacDiarmid, Sophia Macken, Emily Marsh, Brooke Martin-Smith, Ainsley Maurer, Charlotte Nicholls, Zoë Price, Jarra Robinson, Georgia Ross, Cordelia Symes.  Distinction: Lyreda Bennetts, Annabelle King, Madeleine Quinn.  Year 10 - Credit: Hannah Beith, D’Arcy Bush, Catherine Corbet, Kate Daniel, Isabel Faulkner, Hannah Forbes, Rosetta Freelander, Emma Gorman, India Irvine, Jade Karp, Meredith Leeming, Grace Marshall-Cormack, Emily Meredith, Katherine Miller, Georgia Murray, Cassandra Perry.  Distinction:  Emma Quinn.  Year 11 – Credit: Rosie Latimer, Isis Oliver.

Mrs Sue Flaxman, Director of Mathematics

Science

Year 7 Science students have completed their final assessment task, which was literacy based, on the Great Barrier Reef.  In this assignment, they had to consider differing viewpoints and needs of the reef and support their conclusions using evidence.  Students have now started their final topic on Astronomy.

Year 8 girls have completed their assessment task on Ecology, which examined the Lower Holt, adaptations, food chains and webs.  These students will now be starting Getting into Space which examines motion and gravity in the context of rockets and the Earth’s gravitational field.  A particular highlight of this topic is the use of water rockets to assess the best design for space vehicles.

Students in Years 9 and 10 have been preparing for their examinations in class by revising content and refining their skills in working scientifically, including graphing, data analysis and experimental methodology.  The Year 10 examination covers the entire two years of the Stage 5 Science course and therefore, the careful preparation of study notes and practice questions have been essential in ensuring they are ready for the task.

Mr Jason Smith, Coordinator of Science

Sport

Gymnastics - On Friday 30 October, the Gymnastics Team travelled to the State Sports Centre, Homebush, to compete in the 40th Annual IGSSA Gymnastics Competition.  The Team competed in all apparatus which included Vault, Bars, Beam and Floor.  Representing Frensham were: Level 1, Lilli Jephcott, Fenella Milling, Amber McIntosh-Jahr and Rachel Jin; Level 2, Victoria Sanderson, Cara Bowdern and Louise Crane and Level 3, Olivia Williamson, Rachel Latimer and Jemima Blackman.  Rachel, Cara and Louise are commended for finishing in the top ten on the Vault.  The Frensham team was place 3rd in Division 3 and was 14th overall.  The team trained well throughout the year with guidance from coaches Kim Morse-Evans and Cassandra Tait.  

Tennis - Term 4 Tennis has started well with the ‘X’-Point competition.  Girls have been divided into two divisions within the junior and senior categories.  In their teams, girls play doubles matches in a round-robin competition. This allows them to improve their match play and intensity of their game and the ability to work with others on the court.  Students can check their teams, progress and International Player Ratings (IPR) on the following website: http://www.xpointsports.com/.  Login details are provided on White Cottage noticeboard. 

Tennis and Softball selections for Term 1 2010 - Tennis and Softball selections will commence for Years 7-10 in PDHPE lessons over the next few weeks and continue into Jamieson Week.  Students are reminded to have the appropriate equipment for their selected Sport.

All Softball players must have a mouth guard and shin pads and it is compulsory for all batters to be wearing helmets throughout training sessions and games.  All kits at training sessions and games have enough helmets to provide for this safety requirement; however, as helmets need to be adjusted to accommodate all head sizes it may be beneficial for parents to purchase helmets for their daughters.

Cricket - This term there are six Cricket teams in the IGSSA Competition with the girls enjoying their Cricket training and playing matches well.  The School continues to field strong teams with Team 1, Junior As and Year 7 Purple being in the A grades for their respective divisions.

Year 7 Cricket players have been participating in CricHit, a Cricket Australia skills-based coaching programme, teaching the basics of Cricket in an enjoyable and safe environment.  The programme is aimed at female Cricket players, strengthening women’s Cricket across the state.

Both Year 7 teams will be travelling to Heffron Park, Matraville in Weeks 4, 5 and 6 to play their matches.  Draw details are posted on the Frensham website.

Wet Weather arrangements for Saturday Sport
Owing to the short season for all IGSSA Sports, every attempt is made to play the inter-school matches and cancellations of Saturday Sport are rarely made before Saturday morning, unless a venue notifies IGSSA that the facilities will not be playable prior to this.
Means of gaining information concerning play:
IGSSA Wet Weather Line 1900 922 834
IGSSA WEBSITE http://igssa.ahigs.nsw.edu.au
Boarding Houses:
The above is updated throughout the morning.

Mrs Amanda Wansey, Coordinator of Sport

Snowsports 2010
Preparations have begun for the 2010 Northern NSW Snowsports Events, with the following dates released for next year’s competition:
July 6 Knox-Pymble Championship Alpine GS & Snowboard GS (Perisher)
July 7-11 Ski Northern NSW Ski and Snowboard Championships
July 12 Scots Championships Alpine GS & Snowboard GS (Perisher)
July 13 Redlands Championships Alpine GS & Snowboard GS (Perisher)

The complete list of NSW, State and Australian Ski and Snowboard Championships is available at the NSW Interschool’s skiing web page www.interschools.org.au

This year the Frensham Snowsports team will be lead by Head of Snowsports, Arabella Kilmartin and Vice-Head Snowsports, Beatrice Osborne.  The girls are looking forward to and planning the season, as well as furthering the achievements of Snowsports at Frensham.  Last year’s team consisting of 20 girls were placed second in the Overall Championship School, and a number of teams and individuals went into State and Australian competitions.

For further information on Snowsports please contact Ms Allison: jallison@frensham.nsw.edu.au

Ms Joanne Allison, Coordinator of Snowsports

Visual Arts

Recently, Goulburn Regional Art Gallery invited submissions from Frensham Visual Arts students for inclusion in a regional HSC Visual Arts Bodies of Work exhibition.  Adriana Bond, Emily Cameron, Constance Mort, Rebecca Sampson and Sarah-Jane Smeeth made submissions and all girls have been selected to exhibit their artworks.  The exhibition will open on Thursday 26 November and continue until Saturday 12 December.  The Goulburn Regional Art Gallery is located on the corner of Bourke and Church Street, Goulburn and its opening hours are 10am-5pm Monday to Friday and 1-4pm on Saturdays. 

Mr Phil Allids, Visual Arts Coordinator

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