GIB GATE • FRENSHAM • STURT
TERM 2 NO 1 - 30 APRIL 2009

Staff Professional Development Day at Frensham: Presenters included HSIE: Eliza Collins,
English: John Clear & Karen Stapleton, Mathematics: Tracey Hughes-Butters, Intranet (Moodle): Alex Galland.

The sense of seamless transition from one term to another was heightened by the involvement of Frensham’s Cattle Team in the Royal Easter Show soon after the end of Term 1, the short-courses at Sturt conducted over four days across the middle weekend of the break and Gib Gate and Frensham involvement in Mittagong’s ANZAC Service on the final Saturday of the vacation.  On the first morning of term at Frensham, musicians were on the doorstep of Glenn Music Centre from 7.00am for pre-breakfast music practice, others arrived direct from breakfast to re-establish their daily routine before Roll Call, sports training was in full swing that afternoon for junior Soccer and Basketball players and Prep supervisors reported a productive buzz of focused effort after dinner... and Equestrian Coordinator Ms Amanda Sharpe reported that more than 175 entries had been confirmed for our Equestrian Event this weekend.  At Gib Gate, staff had been working for days preparing their classrooms and resources to generate a sense of excitement about the new term, whilst at Sturt, the lead-up to a weekend of Short Courses (16-17 May) and to the Winter School in July is intensifying and Ms Patey has recently welcomed new resident tutors to the campus... Welcome to Term 2!

A message on behalf of the Youth of the Community was offered by Emma Campbell (Year 12) at the invitation of the Mittagong RSL who organised this year’s ANZAC Service.  I include here her final words:
On 23 April I received a text message on my mobile and I would like to share it with you.  It was from Turkcell, the Turkish equivalent of Telstra, and it reads: ‘We commemorate ANZAC soldiers who sacrificed their lives on this soil; they will always lie together (alongside the sons of Turkey) in peace.’  In showing their understanding of and respect for the ANZACs , our former ‘enemies’ remind us of the value of tolerance and of the desire for security and peace which both sides fought for at Gallipoli.   The baton passed from Gallipoli to the youth of today is the creation of the ultimate ideal: peace in the world through service to humanity before self.  In accepting their challenge to make that ideal a reality weneed the determination, courage, spirit, ingenuity, resilience, selflessness and laconic humour epitomised by the very human men and women whose real lives created the legend of ANZAC - for Australia, for New Zealand, for Turkey and for peace.  (Emma has agreed to rework her message to share at Gib Gate on Friday.)

National School Pride – Commonwealth Funding
I am pleased to advise that our applications for Government funding under the National School Pride programme for all schools have been successful.  The projects that will be funded for a total cost of $250,000 are:

1. Installation of a shade structure for the Gib Gate playground, adjacent to the oval and tennis/netball/ basketball courts.  [The shelter includes a built-in BBQ facility.]
2. (i) Refurbishment of the Games Field Pavilion at Frensham and (ii) the toilet facilities accessed by students studying Visual Arts and Design at Sturt.  At the Games Field, the open section of the Pavilion will be semi-enclosed and the toilet facilities reconfigured.

どうも　ありがとう　ございます ~  
Doomo arigatoo gozaimasu  ~
Thank you very much
To celebrate 18 years’ teaching Japanese at Frensham, Mrs Adrienne Bradney-Smith, retired from full-time teaching of Japanese at Frensham at the end of 2008, has recently donated to the School her entire collection of teaching resources, collected over nearly 30 years and used within her teaching at Frensham.  The valuable collection, which will be cherished by our new teacher of Japanese, Ms Karen Reidy, includes a display cabinet, zabuton (large floor cushions), calligraphy boards, ten kimono with all accessories, posters, pictures, artefacts, books and games.

Acknowledgement from the final week of Term 1 to:

• Frensham musicians contributing to the outstanding end-of-term Closed  Weekend Concert in Clubbe Hall led so strongly and skilfully by Year 12 leaders in Music;
• Grand Final winners within the IGSSA Softball competition, the 1sts, Junior As and Junior Bs and the 4ths who were declared joint winners of their grade when the final match was cancelled;
• Year 12 dancers responsible for the Dance-off Frensham event held on the final Saturday of term  - with five groups of around 50 girls choreographed for performance as part of a celebration and Cancer Awareness event;
• Turner House Year 12, for leading our Palm Sunday Service on the morning following the whole School sleep-in in the Parker Gymnasium;
• Michael Fortune from Canada, tutor of the 12-week Wood Course at Sturt.  Owing to the popularity of the course, Mr Fortune will revisit at the beginning of 2011, with several students already expressing their interest to return;
• April vacation courses held at Sturt: Photoshop with Robyn Kinsela and Laminating and Veneering with Tracy Gumm;
• Year 2 for leading the Gib Gate T-2 Assembly for a successful Grandparents’ Day;
• All involved in the Transition Tour of Gib Gate, the first step in the Orientation process for Kindergarten 2010;
• Contributors to and presenters for the Term 1 Sports Dinner, with particular congratulations to Captains and Vice Captains of Sports featured on the night: Tennis - Annabel Livingston (C) & Katie Snow (VC); Swimming - Elizabeth Friend (C) & Camilla Terbutt (VC); Softball - Jesse Ambler (C) & Lucinda Reynolds and Cross-Country - Madeleine Maslin;
• Students elected to the cast of the Birthday Play, Our Town by Thornton Wilder;
• Berrima District Rotary President, Mr Richard Krohn, President-elect Mrs Shelly Boyce and Youth Director, Mr Peter Malone, who attended Prayers at the end of term to present certificates to Saskia Dumas and to Frensham, acknowledging our association and their sponsorship of Saskia for the National Youth Science Forum;
• Recent Awards recipients: Elizabeth Friend (Girdle for Swimming), Jesse Ambler (Girdle for Softball), Lucinda Nicolls Small (Girdle for Public Speaking) and Gemma Moran-Gibson (Iris for Academic Excellence).

Acknowledgement (vacation events) to:

• All who represented Gib Gate and Frensham in this year’s Mittagong ANZAC Service, coordinated by Mrs Trish Symons and supported by Mrs Kate Chauncy, Ms Judy Bradley and Mrs Sally Musgrove.  Emma Campbell, Year 12, was warmly thanked by organisers and was honoured to have been invited to offer a message on behalf of the youth of the community.  Representing Frensham - Year 7: Isabella Conomos, Phoebe Cook, Sophie Driver, Adelaide Lewis, Cara Bowdern.  Year 8:  Mary Lamond, Lauren Zawal, Freya Spencer, Sophie Meredith.  Year 9:  Nicola Fenaughty, Elizabeth Lamond, Madeleine Bowdern, Alexandra Graves, Madeleine Quinn, Georgina Alison.  Year 10: Isabel Faulkner, Eleanor Lawless, Emma Quinn, Mary Bokey, Hannah Forbes, Georgia Nelson, Emily Meredith, Ashleigh Syme, Katherine Miller, Matilda Street.  Year 11: Charlotte Midson, Tess Brennan, Jaleesa Newell, Sarah Loewy, Millie Ellice-Flint, Lucy Bean, Grace Musgrove, Beatriz Grattan-Smith, Sally Stafford.  Year 12: Katherine Evans, Lucy Reynolds, Emma Campbell, Lucinda Nicolls Small, Grace Nelson, Amelia Caspers, Jesse Ambler, Annika Rookyard.  Representing Gib Gate - Kindergarten: Caitlin Quinn, James Martin-Weber, Emma Stewart, Ainsley Everett; Year 1: William Chambers, Austin Martin-Weber, James Wallace, Jenna Stewart, Jordyn Wickham, Melanie Tsimbas; Year 2: Sophia Parker, Fionn Parker, Siana Davis, Elvira Berzins, Adrian Tan;  Year 3: Isabella Camilleri, Andrea Conomos;  Year 4:  David Loewy, Lucinda Chambers, Matthew Worden, Ryley Wickham; Year 5:  Emily Ashbrook, Madeleine Conomos, Mitchell Wickham, Andrea Tan Year;  6: Jonathan Chambers, Georgina Campbell, Michael Zawal, Sebastian Kemsley, Claudia Graves, Ryan Tan, Beatrix Faulkner; 
• Mrs Leonie Harris, teacher of Agriculture and Coordinator of the Frensham Cattle Show Team  who once again led our student team at this year’s Sydney Royal Easter Show.  The whole team made an exemplary contribution and enjoyed Tillia Withers’ (Year 10) success on her award of Smartest on Parade of all exhibitors in Easter Monday’s Grand Parade;
• Year 10 parents of Day Boarders who met with me as a Reference group in the last week of term to discuss policies and procedures. 

Staffing

• We farewelled at the end of term, Mrs Jeannette Gibson (Kennedy House) and Ms Tracy Samuels (English), thanking both colleagues for their strong contribution to Frensham and, particularly, their willingness to be involved in the wider life of the School, through sharing their special interests and talents in support of students. 

Heads of House
In roles which offer experience in sharing responsibility with staff and peers for the daily management and operation of Houses, students appointed to serve as Heads of House for Term 2 are offered every success in their efforts this term:

• Hartfield: Emma Gorman & Sarah Mitchell
• Kennedy: Hannah Beith & Harriette Nation
• Linden: Charlotte Cosyn & Guislaine Allen
• Bryant: Amy Barnes & Isabelle Gillespie
• Turner: Emily Cameron & Tamara Smart
• McCarthy: Sophie Bligh & Annika Rookyard

Acknowledgement of ‘The Listeners’
As the term closed I also acknowledged those within our community who could be described as ‘The Listeners’ or ‘the quiet observers...’ and who might often feel overlooked or undervalued

• ...who always wait their turn to speak
• ...whose words are so special and can make such a difference, because their words are well considered, not just spilling out because there is space in the air for them to fall...
• ...who have no need to share confidences because they so value the trust placed in them, simply to listen...

‘Listeners are life’s rarest breed....
Listeners - those who hear the pain behind the pain...come few and far between....’

Ahead:
Important Community Dates:
Gib Gate / Frensham Equestrian Day – Sunday 3 May
WWS Foundation Golf Day – Friday 29 May
WWS Birthday Service – Friday 29 May
Frensham 96th Birthday Service – Sunday 31 May
Frensham Father-Daughter Ball – Saturday 15 August
Service for The Blessing of Pets – Sunday 27 September

Professional Development
*UK Boarding Schools’ Association
For a week from Monday 4 May I will be in Thame, Oxfordshire in the United Kingdom, attending the Boarding Schools’ Association Conference for Heads of School.  The BSA is notable in its inclusiveness, representing equally state and independent boarding schools, schools of all religious affiliations and schools which are single sex or co-educational.  BSA Chair for 2008-2009 Mr Melvyn Roffe, Headmaster of the UK’s largest state boarding school, **Wymondham College has chosen the Conference theme ‘Inspiring Places – Inspiring People’ to highlight his focus this year for the Association.  He notes:

‘As Chair...I hope to do even more to reinforce a new media agenda on boarding schools.  I hope that we can highlight, for example, the role of boarding schools in providing children with values and an experience of community in a world of broken communities and isolated individuals, that we can draw attention to the positive contribution that boarding schools make to wider society and emphasise the diversity of the boarding school sector and the people within it.’

 **Wymondham College is a state co-educational boarding school in Norfolk, established in 1951 with students from a wide range of backgrounds in the UK and overseas.  Mr Adrian Underwood OBE, former National Director of the UK Boarding Schools' Association, visited Frensham in June 2005 is now a Partnership Governor of Wymondham College.

 [*Frensham has been an overseas member of the Association for the past six years.]

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

AHEAD:

Parent / Community News

WWS Archives News

GIB GATE

During the vacation, I was fortunate to be able to spend time in Reggio Emilia in Italy attending an international study tour focusing on early childhood education.  The Municipal preschools in the city of Reggio Emilia are recognised internationally as world leaders in preschool education and the ‘Reggio Emilia’ approach to education has been practised as part of the Gib Gate Preschool philosophy for a number of years.  

Attending lectures and visiting preschools in Reggio Emilia deepened my understanding of this philosophy and gave me further insight into how the Reggio approach can be extended at Gib Gate.  Closely tied to the latest research in early childhood education and brain development research, the Reggio approach engages children in investigations and projects with preschool staff carefully documenting and reflecting on children’s insights and understandings.  

I am looking forward to sharing my experience with the Gib Gate Preschool staff and to working alongside them as they continue to integrate the Reggio Emilia philosophy into daily practice.

Ms Sally Robson, Head of Gib Gate

Over 30 Gib Gate students marched with Frensham girls representing Winifred West Schools at the ANZAC Day Ceremony in Mittagong on Saturday 25 April at 10.30am.  The Year 6 representatives led the Gib Gate contingent with dignity with Ryan Tan and Beatrix Faulkner laying the wreath at the Cenotaph during the service.  All year levels were represented as noted in the acknowledgements above and all are thanked for their participation.

Our appreciation is extended to Mrs Musgrove and the parents who assisted by coordinating the Legacy collection during the service.

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

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).

Weekly Classes have recommenced for Term 2 in Ceramics, Weaving, Jewellery and Fine Woodworking.  For those interested in taking any of these courses enrolments are still being taken.

Monique van Nieuwland continues to teach the Saturday Weaving class until May 16.  Kay Faulkner from Queensland will carry on this class for eight weeks from May 24.  Ms Faulkner is a weaver of many years experience who will be at Sturt following Ms van Nieuwland as artist-in-residence for three months, as well as teaching the Winter School.  Elisabeth Nagel continues to teach Tuesday Weaving.  New teachers in Ceramics include Peter Schmid, teaching hand building on Wednesday mornings and Tania Rolland, taking the evening throwing class.  Ms Rolland has been living in the Southern Highlands for the past eight years.  After graduating from the National Art School, Sydney in 2006, she was awarded the Janet Mansfield Ceramics Prize for the best student.  Ms Rolland works in porcelain and is well known for her exquisite imagery inscribed on the pure white surfaces of her work.  James Carr continues to teach Fine Woodworking and Yvette de Mestre Jewellery on Monday and Tuesday evenings.

Michael Fortune from Canada, has concluded teaching an outstanding twelve-week course in Fine Woodworking.  Students’ achievements far surpassed their expectations of what was possible within this short time frame, with the production of a wide range of items, including exquisitely designed tables, small chests of drawers, a chair, a dining room table and coffee tables.  By popular demand, Michael Fortune will return to teach in February 2011.  Tutors for the twelve-week courses in 2010 are Tim Rousseau (USA), Tim Foster (Canberra) and David Upfill-Brown (Canberra/Maine USA).  Mr Upfill-Brown is also teaching the twelve-week course to commence 10 August 2009.  Information regarding these courses is available on the website www.sturt.nsw.edu.au and for all enrolments contact Sturt on 4860 2080.

Enrolments are now open for the full time wood course – Certificate IV in Furniture Design and Technology, to commence late January 2010.  For all enquiries regarding enrolments, ring Sturt on 4860 2083.

Short courses on 16 and 17 May include Mosaics, Digital Photography, Basketry, Jewellery and Weaving.  Enrolments are being taken for the Winter School – full details regarding all these courses are available on the website or by phoning 02 4860 2083.

Young jeweller from Germany Sina Enrich is at Sturt until mid July, as an artist-in-residence.  Ms Enrich works with a range of materials as well as metal, to make her pieces.  Visitors are welcomed to visit Ms Enrich in the jewellery studio and see her working.

Megan Patey, Head of Sturt

FRENSHAM

Deputy Head

The start of Term 2 is highlighted by a number of major events, which include:

• WWS Equestrian Weekend on Sunday 3 May
• IGSSA Cross-Country at Frensham on Friday 15 May
• Year 8 Parent Weekend at the end of week 3.

Boarders competing in the Equestrian Event will be allowed to leave School on Saturday afternoon after Sport to prepare for the event.  Buses will be running from Frensham to the Bong Bong Picnic Race Club throughout the day on Sunday.  Girls will be involved in supporting the event as well as taking part in Sports Clinics at School.

IGSSA Cross-Country Event - This is one of the major events on the IGSSA Sporting calendar with well over 600 competitors from most IGSSA schools.  Although Frensham does not run the event, it provides the venue and ensures the facilities are in place for the event to run smoothly.

Mr Geoff Marsh, Deputy Head

Director of Studies

National Assessment Programme – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN)
In Week 3, the NAPLAN tests will be conducted across Australia for all students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9.  This programme of testing commenced in 2008 and continues in 2009 with students being assessed using common national tests in Reading, Writing, Language Conventions and Numeracy.  The content of each test is informed by the National Statements of Learning in English and Mathematics, which underpin state and territory learning frameworks.

Questions are multiple-choice or require a short written response.  Language Conventions incorporates Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation.  The Writing task requires students to write a narrative (story).  Numeracy incorporates Number; Space; Algebra, function and pattern; Measurement; and Chance and Data.  In Years 7 and 9, calculators are used in one Numeracy test and not in the other test.

A national summary report will be published during September to the general public.  Following that publication, schools will receive data packages with detailed student results at the same time that student reports are sent to parents.  The information contained in these reports will be used to provide further student support in identified areas of need.

In the lead-up to these tests, students in English and Mathematics classes will be given specific information about the test formats and the opportunity to look at practice questions.

The timetable for these tests is as follows:

Mrs Sue Flaxman, Director of Studies

Director of Boarding

Term 2 sees many girls in Years 10, 11 and 12 moving into different Boarding Houses and the arrival of two new students in Year 8.  It is always interesting to see how girls rise to the challenge of different circumstances with the House Staff are there for support.  This is a sound method of training girls to be resilient and to exercise leadership in different surroundings.

Your attention is drawn to an article by Dr Michael Carr-Gregg [an adolescent psychologist who is honorary psychologist to the Australian Boarding Schools Association] entitled Sexual Imagery Everywhere – Where does that leave the Children?  He discusses a new report by the American Psychological Association which has evaluated the research and concluded that the sexualisation of young children is leading to real mental health problems in adolescents. 

Research evidence shows that the sexualisation of girls negatively affects young girls and young women across a variety of health domains.

Cognitive and Emotional Consequences: sexualisation and objectification undermine a person’s confidence in, and comfort with her own body, leading to emotional and self-image problems such as shame and anxiety.

Mental and Physical Health: research links sexualisation with three most common mental health problems diagnosed in girls and women – eating disorders, low self-esteem and depression or depressed mood.

Sexual Development: research suggests that the sexualisation of girls has negative consequences on girls’ ability to develop a healthy sexual self-image.

The American Psychological Association report called on parents, school officials and all health professionals to be alert to the potential impact of sexualisation on girls and young women. 

Dr Zurbriggen said, “As a society, we need to replace all of these sexualised images with ones showing girls in positive settings – ones that show the uniqueness and competence of girls.  The goal should be to deliver messages to all adolescents – boys and girls – that lead to healthy sexual development.”

Dr Carr-Gregg concludes, “I believe schools can play an important role in educating parents about how to raise a child with sexual integrity despite a mass media blatantly pushing them in another direction.”

Mrs Ros Buick, Director of Boarding

Teaching and Learning

Professional Development days for Frensham and Gib Gate Staff on 9 and 27 April included presentations from educators recognised nationally as experts in their fields.  The presenters worked with small groups of teachers so that the focus could be on designing specific learning experiences for Terms 2 and 3.

Gib Gate teachers were assisted by Speech Pathologist, Kate Psarakis and specialists in gifted education, Ruth Targett and Bronwyn MacLeod and Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) trainer, Eliza Collins.

Frensham staff was supported in their use of a new Moodle intranet learning management system by Tom March and Alex Galland and received further training in the use of IWBs from Eliza Collins, Melanie Hughes and John Clear.  

Modifications to programmes to meet the needs of gifted students continued under the guidance of Lye Chan Long, Bronwyn MacLeod and Ruth Targett while Dr Tina Sharpe and Karen Stapleton assisted with developing simple processes and activities to improve students’ ability to write and research across subjects.

Tracey Hughes-Butters, previously a Mathematics consultant with Catholic Education office in Canberra, worked with Mathematics teachers exploring ICTs for Mathematics, innovative assessment practices and theoretical ideas about the learning of Mathematics.

Music staff continued to work closely with Mentor, Linda Magson.

Boarding House staff worked with executive staff on values and goals, extra-curricular enrichment opportunities across the School, tools for elevating student motivation and feedback from the national Boarding conference about current issues for supporting young women.

Mrs Bronwyn Tregenza, Director of Teaching and Learning

English and Drama

During the Easter vacation on 18 and 19 April, a number of students extended their interest in creative writing by attending Berkelouw Books Young Writer’s Workshops designed to “inspire young writers and budding authors”. These were run by local writers including Bryce Courtney, Mark Tredinnick, Jonathon Hardy and Lin Meeks.  Emily Meredith Year 10; Madeleine Bowdern, Georgia Ross, Year 9; Georgia Duncan, Sophie Meredith, Lauren Zawal Year 8; Emily Little, Cara Bowdern, Skye Golledge Year 7, attended the workshops.

Public Speaking and Debating activities begin formally this term with Frensham hosting the Illawarra and South East region Local Final 2 of the Sydney Morning Herald Plain English Speaking Competition on Monday 11 May.  Representing Frensham will be Emma Campbell Year 12 and Tess Brennan Year 11.  Following this, on 21 May a team of debaters from Years 7-10 will travel to Nowra Anglican School for a day of fun debating where teams will be mixed from both schools to focus on skills development rather than competition.  Mrs Vink will be working with the team in the weeks leading up to this day and girls are asked to register their interest in Week 1 with their class teachers.

On 13 May, students in Year 12 Advanced English will be travelling to Sydney to The Siren Theatre Company production of Richard 111, by William Shakespeare, one of the set texts for the Module Comparative Study of Texts being studied this term.

Mrs Trish Symons, Director Language Arts

Music

Extra-curricular Music lessons began this week.  There is sustained growth in students’ extra-curricular music lessons and it is not too late to send in an enrolment form for interested students.  All co-curricular music ensembles begin rehearsing this week as usual.

The String Quartet will be representing the School at the wedding of old-girl Charlotte Crundall this Saturday afternoon.  Another upcoming date is the Meet the Music concert on the evening of Thursday 21 May when senior Music students will hear Vladimir Ashkenazy conducting the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in a programme including Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast and Sculthorpe’s Kakadu.

Mr Michael Spencer, Coordinator of Music

Sport

Interschool Snowsports Dates
Perisher Blue 15-19 July; Thredbo, Scots Cup 20 July; Thredbo, Redlands Comp 21 July.

Soccer – Shin guards and Soccer boots or similar (turf/grass shoes) must be worn.  No flat sandshoes are allowed and girls will not be allowed to play in casual sneakers.  Mouth guards are strongly recommended.

Basketball and Soccer Clinics – All girls will have the opportunity to participate in a Soccer or Basketball Clinic Sunday 3 May.  Juniors 11.00am-12.30pm and Seniors 1.00-2.30pm.

Cross Country – On Friday 15 May, Frensham will be hosting the IGSSA Cross Country event.  For full details, visit the website: http://igssa.ahigs.nsw.edu.au.  Cross Country training will be held each Wednesday and Friday mornings starting at 6.20am to 7.15am.  All girls are to meet on the Games Field.

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
All the above are updated throughout the morning.

Mrs Amanda Wansey, Coordinator of Sport

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