GIB GATE • FRENSHAM • STURT
TERM 2 NO 2 - 14 MAY 2009

Major events and Community
Testament to the major efforts of staff, parents and students, the 2009 Equestrian Event of Sunday 3 May offered a fine example of our community working effectively and generously to establish what seems certain to become a new highlight on the NSW Schools Equestrian Calendar.  Last week, through the events of the Mother’s Day Breakfast and the Southern Highlands Independent Primary Schools Cross Country Carnival organised by Gib Gate and this week, when Frensham hosts the Independent Girls Schools’ Cross Country for 32 schools, our community is again operating as or being represented by a large team of staff, parents and students.  Ahead, with the Annual General Meetings of our Company and of Foundation, followed by Birthday events, all within the next two weeks, this first five weeks of Term 2 is characterised by a series of opportunities for our wider community to contribute or to re-connect through involvement.  Please do not hesitate to seek clarification regarding the events ahead.  In particular, all are welcome to attend the WWS Birthday Service on Friday 29 May in Clubbe Hall, where as staff and students of Gib Gate, Frensham and Sturt we celebrate the foundation of what we know today as Winifred West Schools - three schools, serving unique purposes but united in spirit and in the shared commitment to a set of guiding values with the ideals of love and service at the core. 

Professional Learning
The opportunity to debate and discuss with colleague Heads of School issues central to the operation of our schools provides for me both the inspiration to consider new or different ways of thinking and the time out to consider how we are positioned in the context of what is happening in other places.  As a delegate to the recent UK Boarding Schools’ Association Conference for Heads: ‘Inspiring Places - Inspiring People’, my personal expectations were exceeded, owing to a combination of the high quality programme of presenters and facilitators and the richness of incidental and informal discussion.  With delegate Heads from primary, secondary, independent, funding-maintained, single sex and co-educational schools, the reference groups for my consideration of our work at Gib Gate and Frensham were extensive.  Whilst each of our schools nurtures what is unique, the shared sense of purpose and optimism balanced by concerns about new pressures for children and for schools meant that the common ground for enquiry was significant and obvious.  The highlights included below offer some early reflections on areas of my particular interest:

For the final session of the Conference, I was pleased to accept an invitation to join a panel of Mrs Hilary Moriarty, National Director of the UK BSA, Mr Eric Cockerton, Chair of the New Zealand BSA and Mr Stephen Winkley, Headmaster of Rossall School and former Chair of the UK BSA, to discuss Boarding Schools - Inspiration for the Future.

Acknowledgements to:

• Frensham Hockey players selected to participate in the NSW Combined Independent Schools’ Carnival.  IGSSA Open Team, Constance Mort and  the Invitational Team, Claudia Mooney, Alice Lee-Warner, Charlotte Lymbery and Emma Bowman;
• Lani Maher (Year 8) and Caroline Rey (Year 12) for their equestrian display of Vaulting on the Games Field;
• Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Award recipients: Victoria O’Connell, Jacqueline Miller, Sarah Mitchell, Tillia Withers, Amelia Pavitt, Jade Karp;
• Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award recipients: Amelia Caspers (2009), Emma Dunbar (2007), Sarah Hayes (2008), Rowena Shannon (2007), Skye Stranger (2007) ; 
• Harriet Lawless (Year 12 2008) Bowral & District Art Society’s 2009 Young Artists’ Prize winner (18-21 years) with an artwork from her HSC Body of Work;  Julia Aspinall, (Year 8), 2nd in the 12-14 years category; Eleanor Lawless, Year 10, Highly Commended in the 15-17 years category;
• Mr Chris Jowett for his continuing support and guidance to the Frensham Mock Trial Team, with the team winning its third round challenge;
• Emma Campbell, Year 12, placed 1st in the local final of the Sydney Morning Herald’s Plain English Speaking Competition;
• Outstanding Gib Gate Cross-Country competitors William Duncan, Atalanta Mitchell, Annabel Hay, Adelaide Bailey;
• Sturt Artist-in-Residence, Jeweller Sina Enrich from Germany who is on campus until mid-July.

Welcome to new members of the Gib Gate Advisory Committee, Ms Katrina Hodgkinson Saeck and Mr Peter Coupland. 

Next meeting of the Committee : Tuesday 19 May.

WWS Equestrian Weekend - Thanks
Congratulations to Miss Amanda Sharpe and her parent team, particularly Mrs Alison Lalak and Mrs Annie Campbell managing a huge load for us in support of Frensham, Gib Gate and all the competition’s riders and their parents.

So many are involved in achieving the goals for this remarkable weekend – staff, parents, students, community sponsors, school teams and horses!  Thanks must also go to the FOGG parents and all the volunteers who donated their time on the day and the raising of funds by selling refreshments in the Canteen.

The WWS Equestrian Committee would like to thank the sponsors:
• Mount Murray Breweries for all water and soft drinks;
• Hot Canary Butchery, Bowral, for all sausages;
• Harris Farm, Bowral, for all fruit and vegetables, including 10kg of carrots for the horses;
• Horseland, Moss Vale, for raffle prizes.

96th Birthday Events
Details of the 96th Birthday Events were emailed to parents at the beginning of Term 2.  Highlights for the parent community include:

• The Winfred West Schools Birthday Service, involving Frensham, Gib Gate and Sturt staff and students commencing in Clubbe Hall at 10.00am on Friday 29 May.  Parents are welcome to attend and are asked to be seated by 9.50am.
• WWS Foundation Annual Golf Day at Mount Broughton Golf & Country Club - Friday 29 May
• Saturday 30 May – full programme of events for students and parents from 12noon, culminating in The Birthday Play Our Town.
• Frensham’s 96th Birthday Service on Sunday 31 May in Clubbe Hall, commencing at 10.00am [Doors open at 9am]

Ahead:

Important Community Dates:
• 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
• Foundation / Fellowship, “Generations’ Lunch” – Sunday 1 November

Parent Information Evenings:
• Wagga Wagga - Wednesday 5 August
• Nowra - Wednesday 19 August
• Camden - Wednesday 26 August
• Goulburn - Thursday 3 September
• Mittagong - Thursday 10 September

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

AHEAD:

Parent / Community News

GIB GATE

A perfect autumn morning provided the setting for the Gib Gate Mother’s Day Breakfast held on Friday 8 May.  Gib Gate mothers, grandmothers and aunties enjoyed the opportunity to come together over breakfast and many contributed drawings and messages to the Mother’s Day Mural in the courtyard.  Singing along to ‘Abba’ songs in the Music room and dancing to ‘Thriller’ in Preschool were popular activities as were Origami Heart and bookmark making.  Mothers tested their skills in ‘Sport on the Court’ where they were being timed completing sprints by their children – there are obviously a few stopwatches where one minute actually lasts for three minutes!

The Cross Country team which represented Gib Gate at the SHIPS Carnival on Thursday 7 May was fit and determined and all members participated with enthusiasm and perseverance.  Our appreciation to Mrs Caroline Wikramanayake and volunteers for organising and running the FOGG barbeque and cake stall during the event.

Ms Sally Robson, Head of Gib Gate

Dance Programme
Gib Gate students from Kindergarten to Year 6 were excited to commence their eight-week Dance unit which complements the Creative Arts and Physical Education programme this term.

Students will experience a range of dance styles with a culminating event of a ‘Dance-Off’ on Thursday 2 July at 2.00pm on the Tennis Courts in which each class will share its dances. Mrs Lomax taught students a dance to ‘Thriller’ which was shared with mothers at the Mother’s Day Breakfast.

Mrs Anne Graham, Gib Gate Coordinator

Sport

Cricket
The Gib Gate U12s Cricket Team attended the annual Southern Highlands Cricket Presentation at the Moss Vale Services Club on Friday 1 May.  Jonathan Chambers is commended for his award for the highest batting aggregate over the season.

SHIPS Cross Country
Gib Gate hosted the Southern Highlands Independent Schools (SHIPS) Cross Country Carnival at Frensham on Thursday 7 May.  It was a successful day with perfect weather, a well-prepared course, an excellent barbeque provided by FOGG and a great effort by the Gib Gate Cross Country Team. 

The following competitors are commended for their placings: William Duncan 2nd 11 Year Boys, Atalanta Mitchell 1st, Annabel Hay 2nd 11 Year Girls, Adelaide Bailey 1st 12 Year Girls.

Winter Sport
It has been a busy start to Term 2 with all Winter Sport teams training and playing with commitment.  There is skill development across all teams and this improvement is reflected in the weekly game results.

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).

Dialogue of Line – recent ceramics by Jane Barrow
Jane Barrow lives on the edge of Mooney Mooney Creek, a tidal estuary of the Hawkesbury River in NSW.  Originally from Western Australia, Jane took ceramic studies in Perth before moving to Japan where she studied under the famous potter Isezaki Mitsura, in Bizen. Through this training, Jane became interested in using found materials - rather than rocks and clays purchased through ceramic suppliers. She has developed a range of beautifully lustrous effects through testing and developing glazes from trachyte – the volcanic rock which makes up Mount Gibraltar in Mittagong.  These glazes are applied to elegantly-thrown vessels, which are tall and quiet and become perfect vehicles to present the interplay of texture, light and colour from these developed glazes.  

“Jane Barrow is a ceramic artist who has developed supreme mastery of the thrown form in a sophisticated, contemporary context,” wrote Helen Dunkerly, from Back to Back Gallery in Newcastle.  Elizabeth Charles, Head of Arts and Media, Illawarra Campus, will open the exhibition of Ms Barrow’s recent work, Dialogue of Line, at 11am, Sunday 17 May at Sturt Gallery.  

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.

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.  Several courses are filling so if you have a favourite course you would like to take, view the website www.sturt.nsw.edu.au or ring Sturt 4860 2080 for details.

Artists-in-Residence
Young jeweller from Germany, Sina Enrich is at Sturt until mid July as an artist-in-residence. Ms Enrich has collected pieces from her travels; wood, coins, nuts, shells and she cuts these finely, joins them and makes exquisite and highly individual Jewellery items.  Visitors are welcome to visit Ms Enrich in the Jewellery Studio and see her working.

Megan Patey, Head of Sturt

FRENSHAM

Deputy Head

On Friday 29 May, Winifred West Schools, Gib Gate, Frensham and Sturt, have their combined Birthday Service in Clubbe Hall.  The Birthday celebrations are an important part of the WWS calendar. They give the community a chance to reflect on what it has and where it is headed, as well as an opportunity to celebrate what has been achieved.

The information below outlines the programme for Friday 29 May and the expectations for girls.

Winifred West Schools Birthday Service:

• Friday 29 May 10.00am – 11.00am in Clubbe Hall.
• Dress for the Birthday Service is full School uniform with blazer and hat.

Birthday Lunch:

• Friday 29 May 12.45 – 2.00pm in the Dining Room.
• The dress for lunch is smart casual for the party – no jeans.
• Each table hosts a member of Staff and students assume the roles of hosts.

Mr Geoff Marsh, Deputy Head

Director of Studies

The NSW Board of Studies has recently sent out advice to schools, directed mainly to senior students but applicable to all, reiterating its stance on the requirement for honesty in assessments.  While most students would understand what cheating in an examination means, there are other types of behaviour which can lead to students gaining unfair advantage over others, sometimes inadvertently.  At a recent Year 11 Form Meeting, several examples of what could be considered as taking unfair advantage were discussed, most of which fall under the heading of plagiarism.

With such ready access to online materials, plagiarism is an issue for all students when researching materials for tasks.  Students need to understand that just changing some of words or the order of sentences in a passage written by someone else does not make the work their own.  Teachers work with students to encourage them to find ideas from reading and research and to use them to develop their own ideas, acknowledging the original sources.  By acknowledging their sources, students show their teachers the extent of the reading and research they have done and the way that they have engaged with other people’s ideas in order to develop their own.

Mrs Sue Flaxman, Director of Studies

Director of Boarding

The Equestrian event was a great success and the Frensham bus did a continual loop from 6.30am taking girls out either to spectate or complete their allocated jobs. 

Travel Information – To accommodate travel requests on Open Weekends, all girls have the responsibility to fill in the appropriate sheets that are provided at White Cottage by 11.00am Thursdays.  

The Sydney Bus information is available in the Frensham Information Handbook, page 25.  Drop off and Pick up at Central Station is from Bay 9, Eddy Avenue.

Long Weekend travel requirements are to be completed by Thursday 28 May.  All House Staff will be asking girls for their details in the next two weeks.

Parents who would like their daughters to travel by air to a destination either for the Long Weekend or at the end of term need to be aware that transport to the Airport will be provided.  Individual requests for Airport pick up to return to School cannot be accommodated.

The Sydney Bus to Frensham departs Central Station at 6.00pm and all parents are required to arrange their daughters’ transport to meet that bus or make alternative arrangements.  If assistance is required please contact Mrs Wansey.

The following is taken from an article on Teenage Drinking, from Outdooroutlook, the journal of The Outdoor Education Group, which may be of interest to parents:

Teenage binge drinking is a problem, but it is not new.  It was becoming a serious problem at least 40 years ago.  It has been a serious problem for at least the past 25 years.

Most serious is research by the Centre for Adolescent Health at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne which showed that a group of alcohol dependent 25 year olds had not stopped binge drinking from their childhood.  It is a fallacy to think of binge drinking as a rite of passage, which young people will grow out of as they enter adulthood.

One of the most disturbing statistics is that 3 out of 4 teenagers cannot taste the alcohol in the vodka and rum laced fruit drinks so popular with girls.  The fact is they drink not because they enjoy the taste of alcohol but because they want to experience the effect of alcohol.

There is a high responsibility on parents to recognise that they have an obligation towards other people’s children as well as their own.  Parents who stay out of their children’s parties on the grounds that they do not want to spoil their fun don’t seem to realise that heavy drinking is part of the ‘fun’, and that is why adult supervision is important. 

The panic which is aroused by headlines “Teenage Epidemic” is simply not good enough.  Instead as adults – parents and schools alike – we have to face a major problem realistically and look for positive solutions.

Schools can play a major part by providing activities which can give young people their ‘highs’ and the joys of companionship without the use of alcohol.  The co-curricular programme needs to be directed towards this purpose.  Acting on stage, playing in an orchestra, taking part in a debate all can do this.  Nothing does it more than physical activities, such as sport…

Mrs Ros Buick, Director of Boarding

English and Drama

On Monday 11 May, Frensham hosted the Local final of the Sydney Morning Herald Plain English speaking Competition with representatives from seven schools as far afield as Jindabyne.  In this annual competition, the students are drawn from Years 10-12 and speak for 8 minutes in a prepared speech and three minutes in an impromptu for which they have three minutes preparation.  The topics for both must come from significant issues raised in the Sydney Morning Herald.  This year Frensham was represented by Tess Brennan (Year 11) and Emma Campbell (Year 12) with Emma proceeding to the next round.

On Wednesday 13 May, Mrs Vink ran the first Debating Workshop for the year with girls from Years 7-10.  Another will follow on Wednesday 20 May from 4.00-6.00pm.  Students will be selected from this team to travel to Nowra Anglican College to compete in the Debating skills day on Thursday 21 May.  Workshops will continue throughout the year to prepare students for the AHIGS Festival of Speech in September and for intra-school debating at Frensham.

Also on Wednesday 13 May, all students in Year 12 studying Advanced English travelled to Sydney with Mrs Symons and Mrs McClay to the Carriageworks Theatre to watch a performance of William Shakespeare’s Richard 111 which they are studying as part of their Module on Exploring Connections.  It is always valuable to consider how the text can be interpreted and how characters can be represented in differing performances.  The reviews for this play were very interesting and the girls appreciated the opportunity to watch the drama.

Students in Preliminary Extension English have begun sharing ideas raised in their research on Virginia Woolf and her context on an interactive class webpage called Wiki.  This can only be accessed by the class members and it enables students to make their discussion points clearly and at their leisure.  The comments can then accessed by the whole class and discussed as a summary of the class viewpoints.  The page is managed by the class teacher as a learning resource.

Rehearsals for the Birthday Play, Our Town, by Thornton Wilder are progressing well in these final weeks before the performance on the Birthday Weekend.  This is a time when we are aware of the excellent time management skills and resilience modelled by students at Frensham as they quietly manage assessment tasks, sporting and community commitments, music and choir rehearsals, debating and public speaking and many other individual activities at the same time preparing to share their talent in a play for the wider school community.

Mrs Trish Symons, Director Language Arts

HSIE

On Wednesday 6 May, Year 12 Geography travelled to Sydney to undertake fieldwork on Urban Decay and Renewal in the Pyrmont area.  This work is related to the syllabus outcome ‘a case study of an urban dynamic operating in a country town or suburb’ and students will submit a written report based on their findings.

This week Year 9 Australian Studies will be conducting fieldwork in the local area, with Geography students studying the spread of urban development in East Bowral and what effect this has had on the community.  At the same time, the History students will be visiting the Bradman Museum as part of their ‘Between the Wars’ topic.

Mrs Bradley and Mrs Elliott attended the recent History Teachers’ State Conference held at the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney.  The conference entitled ‘From Cutting Edge to Classroom’ embraced a wide range of subjects from the new national curriculum to Extension History, changes in the HSC for Modern History in 2010 and a range of other topics covering: the UN, Indo China, returned soldiers and using sources.  

The conference presenters included Professor Stuart McIntyre from Melbourne University, Professor David Christian from Macquarie University and Associate Professor Marnie Hughes-Warrington who spoke at length on Extension History.  The presenters are well known in their fields and their talks were relevant to current and proposed courses.  The discussion generated and the insights gained from the conference were worthwhile for those attending and those they teach.

Mrs Jacqualine McCarroll, HSIE Coordinator

Mock Trial
Frensham’s Mock Trial team faced Merici College from Canberra on Friday 8 May to compete in Round 3 of the NSW Mock Trial Competition.  Frensham was the prosecution team and its task was to prove that Merici’s defendant had goods in custody which could reasonably be suspected were stolen.  The contest continued for over three hours and both teams argued their cases well, with barrister Sarah Loewy scoring a perfect 10 for her cross-examination of the defendant from the Merici team.  Frensham’s other barrister, Jacklyn Wyer was persistent in her cross-examination and her closing statement was well crafted and meticulously prepared.  Frensham’s court officer was Rosie Latimer, while the witnesses were Guislaine Allen and Charlotte Midson, who both delivered their statements flawlessly and fielded cross-examination questions with confidence.  Isis Oliver was a strong solicitor, offering good advice and support to her barristers.  Jaleesa Newell and Zoë Philip assisted the team in what resulted as a win for Frensham.

The team’s coach, Mr Chris Jowett has been a constant support for the girls and he has guided the students through all the cases.  His commitment of time to the team is much appreciated.  

Ms Judy Bradley, Mock Trial Coordinator

Mathematics

Over a three-week period commencing on 4 May, a number of students in each of Years 7, 8, 9 and 10 are involved in the 2009 Mathematics Challenge for Young Australians.  The Challenge aims to encourage young people to develop a greater interest in and awareness of the power of Mathematics and to discover the joy to be found in solving mathematical problems.  Their teachers may provide direction but not solutions, so students need to be self-reliant, resourceful and persistent, while learning that clearly expressed reasoning is just as important as finding the correct solution.  Below is one of the problems encountered in the 2008 Challenge, and this illustrates the kind of thinking required to be successful in the Challenge.

Prize or No Prize
A TV station has a game show in which there are nine boxes, some of which contain prizes. Three of the boxes are yellow, three are red and three are blue. For each colour, the three boxes are numbered from 1 to 3.

In the game, the contestant is asked to remove all the boxes with two of the three numbers and one of the three colours. For example, remove all of the boxes labelled 1 and 2 and then remove the remaining box labelled blue. The contestant then wins any prizes found in the boxes not removed.

• Show that there is a way of placing prizes in just six different boxes which ensures that the contestant finishes the game with at least one prize.
• Show that there is no way in which the TV station can place five prizes in boxes and be guaranteed that the contestant will finish with a prize.
• The game is expanded by adding a fourth colour, green, and having four boxes of each colour, numbered 1 to 4. The rules now are that the contestant nominates two numbers and two colours to be eliminated. What is the minimum number of boxes into which the TV station must put prizes to ensure that there is at least one remaining box containing a prize? Explain your answer.

Mrs Sue Flaxman, Mathematics Coordinator

PDHPE

This term Year 10 are participating in the unit ‘Twist and Shake’.  The unit focuses on the development of an understanding of space, timing and rhythm associated with dance.  The main dance genre being studied is Latin/American.  Specialist dancer, Keith Nicholson from Ballroom Blitz, has been assisting in the teaching of the concepts and dances.  Throughout the unit, girls will be given the opportunity to learn many dances including The Cha Cha Cha and The Jive.  The class has generated much enthusiasm and interest within the group.

Ms Jane Barrett, Coordinator of PDHPE

Science

Opportunities for students to undertake extension work in Science are many and varied.  In the classroom, students with demonstrated skill in a particular topic or area are often given more challenging material, encouraging them to work a higher level.  This differentiated material may be a single concept which can be extended or teachers may provide students with a more complex programme of material in which immerse students, depending on the nature of the topic.

Many areas in Science encourage students to find the answers to a problem and form an appropriate method to find a solution and therefore provide them with opportunity to work beyond the specified knowledge base of the syllabus.  Students in Year 8 are currently undertaking an Open-Ended Investigation (OEI) as part of their Science programme.  This practical assessment task encourages students to extend their work in an area of interest.

Students may also complete extension programmes with The University of Sydney, depending on their result in a qualifying examination.  In the recent April Vacation, Emily Meredith (Year 10) attended the University of Sydney, Gifted and Talented Discovery programme, undertaking a rigorous and stimulating programme of lectures and demonstrations in Biology, Chemistry and Physics.  This unique opportunity allows students to experience the broad range of opportunities which Science has to offer.  Year 9 students may also have the chance to participate in the Siemens Science Experience and the Rotary Science and Engineering Challenge.

Mr Jason Smith, Coordinator of Science

Visual Arts

On Friday 8 May, the Bowral & District Art Society's Young Artists Prize was officially opened at the BDAS Gallery with Frensham being represented by 12 students.  These included from Year 8: Julia Aspinall, Tara Belmont, Isabeau Gavel, Georgina Gotterson, Rachel Jin, Mary Lamond, Lani Maher, Joscelyn Markerink, Rebecca McCreath, Freya Spencer and Georgina Whatmore; Year 10: Eleanor Lawless.

The artworks by Year 8 students were a selection of examples produced as part of the Landscape Unit studied in Term 1.  The works on display were either small acrylic paintings on canvas or paintings on paper framed behind glass.  Eleanor Lawless entered a chalk pastel drawing of an outback landscape. 

Julia Aspinall is commended for her 2nd place award in the 12-14 years of age category for her small painting on paper.  Also noteworthy is Eleanor Lawless receiving Highly Commended for her artwork in the 15-17 years category.     

Harriet Lawless (Year 12 2008) prize winner in the 18-21 years category with a pointillist painting on paper and was highly commended for her large charcoal portrait, both part of her HSC Visual Arts Body of Work.  

The Young Artists Prize exhibition will run until Sunday 17 May at the Bowral & District Art Society Gallery, Short Street, Bowral.  The Gallery is open Wednesday to Sunday, from 10am-4pm.  

Mr Phil Alldis, Coordinator of Visual Arts

Sport

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.

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.

Soccer and Basketball Clinics
Both Clinics were successful with girls having the opportunity to learn to new skills and drills from talented coaches.

Hockey
On Wednesday 6 May Emma Bowman, Alice Lee-Warner, Charlotte Lymbery, Claudia Mooney and Constance Mort attended the Open IGSSA Hockey trials held at Homebush.  Constance was selected in the Open IGSSA team and Emma, Alice, Charlotte and Claudia were selected in the Open IGSSA Invitational team.  The girls will compete in the NSW Combined Independent Schools Carnival on 18 May, held at the Pennant Hills Hockey Centre.  All the girls are commended for their achievement.

Hockey and Netball
Hockey and Netball 1st squad training will commence on Tuesday 26 and Thursday 28 May, giving girls in Years 10-12 the opportunity to nominate for consideration for the 1st Squad in their chosen sport for Term 3.  Training sessions are on Tuesday and Thursday mornings 6.20-7.15am.

Mrs Amanda Wansey, Coordinator of Sport

Equestrian News
On Sunday 3 May, the Frensham and Gib Gate Equestrian Day was held at the Bong Bong Picnic Racecourse.  The venue was well prepared with purple, green and white banners, sand arenas and two jumping courses.  The Frensham team comprised 30 riders and their horses.

Both the show jumping and dressage were well under way when the School buses arrived and the girls joined the atmosphere of what was shaping up to be a wonderful day.  Frensham helpers were totally involved, picking up poles, marshalling, spectating and most importantly supporting individual riders.  Although there were a couple of tumbles off the horses, riders got back up and continued to stay positive.

All riders are commended for their achievements and full results can be found on the Frensham website.  Notable placings include: Annabelle Hoy, Year 7 Reserve Champion; Elizabeth Hoy, Year 9 Champion; Mary Bokey, Year 10 Champion; D’Arcy Bush, Year 10 Reserve Champion and Jessica Nagel, Year 12 Reserve Champion.

With many contributing to the success of the event, we would like to acknowledge all parents, girls and staff members who helped with pencilling, food, jumps and marshalling, the committee members and the FOGG volunteers for their overall organisation and the catering, all of which was greatly appreciated.  A special mention to Mrs Lalak, Mrs Campbell and Miss Sharpe, without them the day would not have been such an awesome ride.

Jessica Nagel, Equestrian Captain

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

Each year, Frensham participates in the Interschool Snowsports Competition organised by the NSW Interschool Snowsports Committee and competes in the Northern Region events, this year held at Perisher. 

Interschools is a team-based event, with teams competing in Alpine GS, Cross-Country, Skiercross, Moguls, Snowboard GS and Boardercross.  Students can compete in one or more of these events.  Skiers may also choose to enter in other competitions, such as The Scots Cup (Perisher) and the Redlands Competition (Thredbo). 
Teams are defined as:

• Four skiers for Alpine (fastest three times in each run), three skiers in a relay for Cross-Country (Perisher)
• Three skiers in a massed start team for Cross-Country Freestyle (Perisher)
• Three skiers for Moguls (best two scores), three members for Snowboarding, Boardercross, and Skiercross events (fastest two times in each run).

Students of all abilities are encouraged to enter, with an emphasis on fun and participation in the initial regional competitions.

Frensham looks forward to a fun and successful ski season in 2009.  For information contact:  by phone the Mathematics department on 02 4860 2140 or email: jallison@frensham.nsw.edu.au

Ms Joanne Allison, Coordinator of Snowsports

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