GIB GATE • FRENSHAM • STURT
TERM 4 NO 1 - 21 OCTOBER 2009

Making Adult-like Decisions…
I was alerted recently to Independent School Management research on admissions/enrolment that suggests that a secondary school student is more likely to select a school if he or she perceives it as a respectful environment that provides the opportunity to engage in adult-like decisions.  Whilst it should be a given that all students are treated in a respectful manner, I am always keen to get a sense of the way students feel about opportunities to make ‘adult-like’ decisions at Frensham and Gib Gate. 

The research finding comes as no surprise but for me the opportunity to allow students to be core participants in and initiators of change, development and management is about appropriate harnessing of collective wisdom.  I have always expressed the view that ‘If a student can do this (accept this responsibility or manage this task) they should be allowed the chance to do so,’….so I continue to care deeply about how students can share in decision-making and gain the skills and sense of achievement that come from ‘making a difference’ for and with others, whilst they are at school.  Sometimes I worry that an intensely narrow focus on the end result or a culture of self-focus can distract us from sharing the responsibility or offering the challenging experience that allows young people to grow in confidence and understanding about what it takes to make decisions that have a real effect on important outcomes.

In preparation for the recent formal handover of senior leadership of Frensham occurring on the last day of Term 3, girls expressed their keenness to accept responsibility for major areas of the School’s operation and/or management of others, with staff.  Similarly, every year at Gib Gate, Year 5 prepare for their meetings to discuss with Ms Robson the Monitor roles they are keen to undertake as members of Year 6.  Examples of what is possible continue to expand when there is a shared expectation that initiative and trust in the ability of students to make good decisions on others’ behalf are nurtured and where there is an underlying respect for the work of those charged with responsibility, by those asked to follow.  At each level of the School, we continue to review and develop strategies and opportunities for ‘real’ decision-making by students knowing that what they observe in practice becomes the benchmark for future growth.  Your observations are of great interest to us….!

Acknowledgment to:

• Recent Year 12 Girdle recipients: Molly MacDiarmid, (Performing Arts), Emily Irish (Service to the School);
• Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award recipient: Lucinda Nicolls Small;
• Gib Gate and Frensham students for their achievement at the recent ICAS English Competition.  Full results are in the relevant reports below;
• All those who attended the ‘Blessing of Pets’ and to the pets for their excellent behaviour in Clubbe Hall throughout the Service;
• Guislaine Allen who has been selected to participate in the New South Wales Schools Constitutional Convention at Parliament House on 16 November;
• The Frensham AHIGS Festival of Speech team for their equal overall 9th placement at the recent event;
• Student Heads of House for Term 4:
  Kennedy: Ashleigh Mulé & Grace Marshall-Cormack
  Hartfield: Rosetta Freelander & Jacqueline Miller
  Linden: Georgia Rowlandson
  Bryant: Georgina Paton

Old Girl News
China de la Vega (2000) will be holding an exhibition of recent works, To The Wire, at the Damien Minton Gallery, Redfern from 21 October-7 November.

Vacation Projects - Update
Works completed over the vacation include:
• Refurbishment of the toilet facilities at Sturt;
• Preparation for the fencing of the Lower Holt area at Frensham;
• Earthworks for commencement of the Library / Research and Classroom block at Gib Gate.

Ahead:
Important Community Dates:
10 Year Reunion - the Class of 1999 will be in Mittagong for the weekend and we look forward to welcoming them ‘back’ for a tour and/or for the School Service on Sunday morning in School Hall;
Sturt Exhibition - Sunday 25 October, ‘Threads of Influence’, celebrating Elisabeth Nagel’s 50-year association with Sturt.  Part of the festivities are a Talking Book session with Elisabeth Nagel and a Slide presentation outlining The History of Sturt Weaving;
Reception Orientation – Tuesday 27 October, first of three Gib Gate orientation days;
Foundation / Fellowship, Generations’ Lunch - Sunday 1 November, I am very pleased to advise that we are already expecting more than 300 guests for this very special Reunion that will be hosted in Clubbe Hall and on the front lawn of Frensham.  Visitors will also have a chance to take a tour of the classrooms and new Library and to the visit the recently refurbished WWS Archives at Sturt (Thanks to the generosity of the Thyne Reid Foundation);
Kindergarten Orientation – Thursday 5 November, Gib Gate welcomes students and parents;
Overnight Orientation for New Students – Thursday 5-Friday 6 November, Frensham looks forward to welcoming 2010 students and their parents;
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 – Friday 13 November;
Confirmation Service – Sunday 15 November, prepared students will be confirmed by the Right Reverend Alan Stewart, Bishop of Wollongong;
Gib Gate Year 6 Dinner – Friday 27 November, Gib Gate farewells Year 6 students;
Sturt Wood Graduating Exhibition Opening – Saturday 28 November, showcasing students’ work.

We wish Year 12, 2009 students every success in their Higher School Certificate Examinations this week.

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: • The Senior Choir, Confirmation Service attendance

AHEAD:

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

Parent / Community News

GIB GATE

Learning experiences for students at Gib Gate are planned through a collaborative process involving classroom teachers, in-school and external specialists, Mrs Chauncy (Coordinator of Gifted and Talented Programmes) and Ms Robson.  By utilising the expertise of those involved, we ensure that the learning needs of all students in the class are targeted and that the experiences cater for a range of learning styles.  Units of work must be rigorous, engaging, contain authentic or real world experiences and take students through a process of increasing complexity and challenge.  Units often culminate in the students ‘taking action’ in a practical application based on what they have learnt.  The JASON unit of work undertaken by Year 5 and Year 6 in 2009 is a good example of how meaningful and motivating learning experiences can be to students when they are participating in units which have been planned using this collaborative approach.  Reflecting on the learning process for staff and students so far, Mrs Lynn Venish, Year 5 Teacher, has prepared an overview of the JASON experience below.

Students who will be in Year 5 and Year 6 2010 are now looking forward to the 2010 JASON project, ‘Operation: Infinite Potential’.  At a time where energy issues dominate the news, this project will involve students in seeking to solve questions such as ‘From where does energy come?’, ‘Can it be created, destroyed or manipulated?’ and ‘In a changing world how can we meet our energy demands?’  They will investigate everything from the potential and kinetic energy in roller coasters to the mechanics of converting coal, oil and wind and sunlight into energy we can use everyday.  Working alongside leading scientists, students will explore past, current and future challenges of energy generation, storage and consumption.  Through accessing online, interactive resources and missions they will:

• Determine whether an earthquake’s energy could transform into a Tsunami;
• Develop a plan for providing energy to an area struck by natural disaster;
• Propose a plan to use 400 years of stored coal responsibly;
• Address a large-scale power outage and work to get power restored;
• Design an energy efficient module which will allow humans to live in outer space.

Parents of students in Year 5 and Year 6 2010 will hear more about this engaging unit of work at the Stage 3 Parent Information Evening in Term 1 2010, and learn how we hope to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers and technologists.

Ms Sally Robson, Head of Gib Gate

Year 5 & Year 6 JASON Project Update: Gib Gate Goes Green - This year, Year 5, Year 6 and staff of Gib Gate, travelled on a pathway of learning and discovery as they entered the world of the JASON Project.  The JASON Project, a subsidiary of the National Geographic Society, is a new venture for Gib Gate Stage 3 staff and students in 2009.  They have embraced enthusiastically the idea of adapting this programme and incorporating it into the teaching of Science & Technology, HSIE and other Key Learning Areas.

The JASON Project involved staff and students in an operation called ‘Resilient Planet’ which took students through a series of five missions which covered explorations about the environment concerning the following concepts: 

• Invaders and their impact on the environment;
• Survivors and how species become adapted to survive;
• Man’s impact on our fragile environment;
• The interconnectedness and biodiversity of Earth’s natural treasures;
• The Rescue – How individuals can make a difference and help repair the damage.

The learning experiences within this project are multi-faceted, engaging students in innovative, hands-on investigations which provide the opportunity for them to:

• Be challenged and inspired;
• To strive to achieve to the best of their ability;
• To work with passion and commitment;
• To meet their own individual potential and to work co-operatively in a team;
• To develop a sense of personal worth and belonging amongst a group of students who care for each other, their school and the environment;
• To experience the adventure of experiment, the excitement of breaking new ground and to develop a desire to know, to learn and to understand through the enjoyment of the spirit of enquiry.

The natural surroundings and expansive grounds at Gib Gate provide an ideal setting for outdoor investigations, all of which nurture the emotional, physical health and happiness of the students. The many hands-on group activities also provide opportunities for students to exercise many other important values such as tolerance, teamwork, collaboration, friendship, self-management, time-management and leadership. Some of these investigations include:

• Investigating competing adaptations, which involves finding out why some plants grow taller and stronger than others when grown close together;
• A Field Excursion to Mount Annan Botanical Gardens to investigate the biotic and abiotic components of the pond environment using data loggers, anemometers, temperature probes and pH kits;
• Investigating and determining the number of species in the area of the School pond using a quadrate;
• Dip-netting whilst on camp at Biloela to investigate the species in the river;
• Investigating Soil Nitrate Pollution at the Frensham Science & Technology Laboratory;
• Detecting sound in water and determining a sound field to investigate the effects of sound on marine creatures;
• A field excursion to Jervis Bay to investigate the marine life of the foreshore and the acoustic effects on dolphins;
• Investigating and evaluating the recycle systems of the School and introducing a modified recycle system which includes a worm farm.

The JASON Project also provides a multitude of opportunities for students to broaden their skills and knowledge in the use of digital tools.  Some examples include:

• Entering the virtual JASON classroom to respond to tasks set by their teacher to which the teacher sends a response in return;
• Writing a message on the message board, for an international audience, to offer a personal opinion about a recent topic of scientific discussion or research;
• Playing 3D scientific games such as the ‘Resilient Planet Game’;
• Using the ‘Digital Library’, which provides students with the opportunity to explore topics further using videos, digital labs, animations and photos.

Through the JASON Project, Gib Gate students promote the School motto ‘Gib Gate Cares’ by showing through their interactions and activities that they not only care for each other, but also for the environment.  As a culminating or ‘taking action’ stage of the unit, an employee of the Wingecarribee Shire Council was invited to convey to staff and students how to set up a worm farm and the environmental value of worm farming.  Students have developed a modified recycling system which will involve senior students as environmental monitors in collecting food scrap waste from other students during eating breaks to feed to the worms.  In this way, senior students will lead the way to environmental sustainability by helping younger students care for the School and the environment.

Mrs Lynn Venish, Year 5 Teacher

Curriculum Insights - ICAS English 2009 - Certificates for the 2009 ICAS English Competition were presented to the 65 Gib Gate competitors from Years 3 to 6 on Friday 25 September at Performance Assembly.  The students were awarded ten Distinction, 19 Credit and 36 Participation Certificates and are commended on their individual achievements.

Year 6 - Credit: Olivia Battcock , Livija Berzins, Alexandra Condon, Atalanta Mitchell, Annika Sallie, Marcus Schmidt, Madeleine Thomas.  Distinction: Adelaide Bailey, Jonathan Chambers, Benjamin England.  Year 5 - Credit: Michael Duck, Lydia Jupp, Rosanna Scanlan, Amelia Vidler.  Year 4: - Credit: Ellie Arnott, Lachlan Larney-Dawson, Juliet Leicester, Matilda Martin, Madeleine Massey, Georgia Saeck; Catriona Uliana.  Distinction: Liana Berzins, Lucinda Chambers, Thea Horsley, David Loewy, Matthew Worden.  Year 3 - Distinction: Alice Battcock, Celia Battcock.

The 2009 ICAS Mathematics Competition Certificates will be presented to participating students in Years 3 to 6 at Performance Assembly this Friday 23 October and parents are welcome to attend.

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

Music and Extra Curricular - Performances of this year’s Senior Musical, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, will be held on Thursday 12 November 12.00noon and Friday 13 November at 6.00pm at Clubbe Hall with all students from Year 3-6 participating.  Class teachers have commenced sourcing costumes under Mrs Wheeler’s creative direction and will need some parents to assist. Parents able to help should speak to the relevant teacher.

Students are looking forward to performing a story they know so well and are doing a fine job learning the difficult songs.  Students in Year 6 have a speaking part and they have been working well at memorising their script.  Classes commenced learning the dances this week.

IPSHA Gymnastics - The Gib Gate Gymnastics team will be competing in the IPSHA Gymnastics competition for the first time on Thursday 29 October at Homebush.

Mrs Anne Graham, Gib Gate Coordinator

Sport - Jump Rope for Heart - Students from Kindergarten to Year 6 enjoyed a skipping ‘Jump Off’ afternoon on the last Thursday of Term 3 to raise money for the National Heart Foundation.  Students moved through a series of four stations, where the aim was to maximize the heart rate for a ten-minute period at each activity.  This important programme raises students’ awareness that the heart is a muscle and must be exercised to avoid heart disease.

Summer Sport - Summer Sports are set to begin this Saturday with Gib Gate teams participating in the local Basketball, Cricket, Tee-Ball and Water Polo competitions. 

This summer, Gib Gate is a centre for the Milo IN2Cricket programme.  This programme runs on a Thursday afternoon from 3.30pm-4.30pm and there are 35 children from Preschool to Year 3 involved. 

High Priority - The wearing of hats and sunscreen for all outdoor sport trainings and games is a requirement of Gib Gate students as well as children attending these sessions with a full water bottle.

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-  A special exhibition will open at Sturt Gallery this Sunday 25 October entitled ‘Threads of Influence’.  The exhibition celebrates Elisabeth Nagel’s 50-years teaching at Sturt.  Exhibited works will include pieces made by those who have worked alongside Elisabeth during this time, including Liz Williamson, Julie Monro-Allison, Jeannine Binoth, Monique van Nieuwland, Kay Faulkner and Melanie Olde, with works by Elisabeth Nagel also featured.  ‘Threads of Influence’ will be opened at 11am by Grace Cochrane.  Until late 2005, Ms Cochrane was the senior curator of Australian decorative Arts and Design at the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney.  She now works independently as a curator and writer on contemporary craft and design.  On the same day from 9am, Monique van Nieuwland will preside over a “talking book” session with Elisabeth Nagel, where people will ask Elisabeth questions about her work, teaching and reflections.  This will to be held in the Weaving Room and light refreshments will be served at this time.

Also, on the Sunday at 1.30pm, a slide presentation will be given by Gillian McCracken, reviewing the history of Sturt Weaving and where this is placed in the wider history of Australian textiles.  Gillian McCracken is a freelance curator and writer and has been a participant in contemporary craft for over 30 years, initially as a ceramic artist but also through active leadership in major craft organisations in NSW and nationally.  The slide presentation will be held at Sturt Cottage and if you would like to attend please call Sturt Gallery on 02 4860 2083.

Special Event – An Evening with Caroline Jones – Friday 6 November at 5.30pm - ABC TV presenter Caroline Jones will talk about her new book: Through a Glass Darkly: a journey of love and grief with my father.  This is her first book for ten years and is the follow up to her bestseller An Authentic Life: finding meaning and spirituality in everyday life.  Books will be available for sale on the night for signing by the author and refreshments will be served.  Bookings (ring Sturt 02 4860 2083 are essential as places are limited).  Tickets are also available at Sturt Gallery, $15 each.  This event will be held in Sturt Gallery.

Term Classes in Jewellery, Fine Woodworking, Ceramics and Weaving - Classes have commenced again for Term 4.  There are still a few positions available and it is not too late to enrol in the following courses: Fine Woodworking on Tuesday, 6-9pm with James Carr; Throwing (Ceramics) on Wednesday, 6-9pm with Tania Rollond; Jewellery on Monday, 6-9pm with Yvette de Mestre; and, Weaving on Saturday, 9am-1pm with Monique van Nieuwland.  For enrolment details ring Sturt on 02 4860 2083.

Ms Megan Patey, Head of Sturt

FRENSHAM

Deputy Head

During Term 4, students plan and make decisions for next year and for many this will include subject selection.

Year 7 studnets will choose between French and Japanese as their Year 8 language.  Students are currently completing a Japanese unit as well as continuing with their French course, and this will give them a background in each subject, enabling them to make an informed decision.

Year 8 students will select three electives for study in Years 9 and 10.  The girls are given an explanation of each subject and the material and work to be covered.  Following the selection parents are sent a letter confirming the subjects chosen.

Year 10 girls have made an initial selection of subjects for the Preliminary Higher School Certificate.  This initial expression of interest is used to establish subject lines from which they will choose up to 14 Units of study.  A letter confirming subject selection will then be sent to parents.  The students undertake two weeks of Orientation in November (Monday 16-Friday 27), giving them the opportunity to sample the chosen subjects and helping them to prepare for the Start of Year 11.

Mr Geoff Marsh, Deputy Head

Director of Studies

Two years of work culminate this week for Year 12 students with the commencement of the HSC written examinations, which run from Tuesday 20 October to Friday 13 November.  During this week, students will sit for examinations in Business Studies, Agriculture, Design and Technology and English (both papers).  After a fruitful study vacation, Year 12 students are well prepared to meet the challenges ahead and are complimented on the way they completed their final term at School.  We wish them luck in their final examinations.

Year 10 students are next to undertake their final examinations which commence on Wednesday 28 October.  School-based examinations in all subjects are followed, on 9 and 10 November, by the School Certificate tests in English-literacy, Science, Mathematics and Australian History, Geography, Civics and Citizenship.  An online Computing Skills test will be conducted on 13 November. Students received their examination timetable at the end of Term 3.

This week, Year 9 students will receive the timetable for their examinations which commence on Monday 9 November.  Although Years 7 and 8 completed their formal examinations last term, they will be working towards their final assessment tasks in each of their subjects.

Year 11 students are now officially Year 12 (2010) and have commenced their HSC courses in all of their subjects.  Their Preliminary course reports will be mailed to parents.

Mrs Sue Flaxman, Director of Studies

Director of Boarding

We welcome two new students to Frensham this term.  Year 12 girls are returning to start their HSC examinations and all is prepared to make their study as effective as possible in the Houses.

Dr Karen Brooks of Southern Cross University and author of Consuming Innocence: Popular Culture and our Children notes that the loss of values in our children has been the result of two major influences: the media and our children’s peers – and both have gone unchecked by parents.  The problem stems from the fact that parents, too, have been saturated by marketing and its messages, states Dr Brooks.  They are under the false apprehension that their ‘desire and want’ for the latest technology is a ‘need’.  She believes that too many have fallen into the trap of believing their children will be left behind  if they are not connected up to the latest electronic gadgetry and, as a result, have withdrawn their responsibilities as parents, she says.  ‘We think it is safer to give them all these things and yet we do not consider the consequences,’ says Dr Brooks. ‘Parents must ask themselves: are these influences age appropriate and has the child proved they are mature enough to take responsibility for this technology.’

Dr Brooks top tips for raising girls:

• Set milestones and boundaries in regard to material goods and experiences;
• Only allow them to view and read age-appropriate material that reflects your values and ethics;
• Be consistent and do not give into the ‘nag factor’;
• Become comfortable with saying ‘no’.  We are the adults and we make the decisions.  It is failing your children to let them have things that go against your better judgement.  Parents do not have to be their best friend;
• Trust your ethics, heart and values and take the time to explain them;
• Teach your children about consequences.  If we threaten punishment and then neglect to follow through what we say becomes meaningless;
• Keep the lines of communication open.  Remember ‘screen culture’ disconnects families.

Mrs Ros Buick, Director of Boarding

Teaching and Learning

A highlight of the Professional Development programme for 2 October were presentations given to Gib Gate and Frensham staff by Dr Michael Nagel, Head of Education Programs at the University of the Sunshine Coast.  Dr Nagel researches and teaches across various areas including adolescent development, cognition and learning, human development and early learning and neurological development in children.  Dr Nagel is the author of several books on children’s neurological development including Boys Stir Us and It’s a Girl Thing andis a feature writer for Child magazine which offers parenting advice. 

Dr Nagel’s morning workshops with Gib Gate staff titled Hello, Is There Anybody in There? Understanding the Developing Brain and his afternoon presentation to Frensham Staff titled When Worlds Collide: Understanding Adolescent Neurodevelopment and Educating the 21st Century Learner outlined the research undertaken since President Bush’s signed proclamation that the 90s would be the “Decade of the Brain” and its implication for teaching and learning.  This presidential act witnessed more worldwideresearch in the neurological sciences than at any other time and also saw the merging of neuroscience with many other fields of research and inquiry.  As a result of this work, education has been reinvigorated with new understandings of how the brain grows and develops.  Dr Nagel stated that “…some of the newest research available suggests we may have to radically rethink how we might engage with 21st century minds if we are truly sincere in delivering quality educational experiences and attaining quality educational outcomes.”

Dr Nagel’s presentations affirmed the Winifred West Schools’ teaching and learning philosophy and practice and inspired all to continue to innovate and explore new possibilities for the students’ learning environment.

Mrs Bronwyn Tregenza, Director of Teaching and Learning

English and Drama

Following are the results for the ICAS Writing and English Competitions completed this year.  While these competitions provide valuable data on students’ learning, it should be noted that they are only one tool in the way a student’s skills and knowledge are assessed.  This year the Writing Competition required an argument text type which some students find more challenging than simple narrative.  In the English competition, reading a diverse range of material and answering the number of multiple choice questions in a short time frame, can also test a student’s organisational and time management skills as well as their understanding.

ICAS Writing - High Distinction: Year 8: Rebecca McCreath; Distinction: Year 7: Cara Bowdern, Emily Burgess-Newton, Madelyn Francis, Skye Golledge, Isabella Conomos, Phoebe Cook, Georgina Harrington, Lilli Jephcott, Adelaide Wallace.  Year 8: Julia Aspinall, Rachel Cossetto, Georgia Duncan, Hannah Hall, Mary Lamond, Georgina Whatmore.  Year 9: Alexandra Graves.  Year 10: Mary Bokey, Kate Daniel, Rosetta Freelander, Meredith Leemimg, Emily Maker, Emily Meredith, Cassandra Perry. Year 11: Sarah Loewy.  Credit: Year 7: Louise Crane, Sophie Driver, Alice Hood, Juanita Kelly-Mundine, Adelaide Lewis, Keely Mackie, Antonia Parker, Jemima Purvis, Bonnie Robertson, Charlotte Vidler, Amber Woods, Olivia Williamson.  Year 9: Lyreda Bennetts, Madeleine Bowdern, Rebecca Farquhar, Nicola Fenaughty, Phoebe Hawley, Annabelle King, Elizabeth Lamond, Rachel Latimer, Olivia Luff, Sophia Macken, Emily Marsh, Adelaide Nielsen, Madeleine Quinn, Emily Vainsaar, Alexandra Yabsley. Year 10: Hannah Beith, Maddison Cormie, Isabel Faulkner, Hannah Forbes, Emma Gorman, Jess Hoorda, India Irvine, Jade Karp, Rose Kennedy, Eleanor Lawless, Ava Martin-Cansick, Katherine Miller, Harriette Nation, Amelia Pavitt, Emma Quinn. Year 11: Isabelle Gillespie, Arabella Kilmartin, Jacklyn Wyer.

ICAS English - High Distinction: Year 7: Phoebe Cook. Year 9: Chloe Andrews, Lyreda Bennetts, Victoria Sanderson. Year 10: Emma Quinn. Year 11: Lucia Mentink, Isis Oliver. Distinction: Year 7: Georgina Harrington, Alice Hood, Antonia Parker. Year 8: Catherine Hall, Hannah McBryde-Marshall, Emma McCrabb, Rebecca McCreath, Freya Spencer, Jasmine Talbot, Georgina Whatmore, Lauren Zawal. Year 9: Madeleine Bowdern, Zoë Price, Georgia Ross. Year 10: Rosetta Freelander, Emma Gorman, India Irvine, Jade Karp, Emily Maker, Emily Meredith. Year 11: Guislaine Allen, Jordan Ashby, Tess Brennan, Antonia Cadell, Tess Hanna, Rosie Latimer, Olivia Leicester, Gabriella Marcolin. Credit: Year 7: Cara Bowdern, Emily Burgess-Newton, Louise Crane, Sophie Driver, Skye Golledge, Caitlan Mahony, Jessica Southwell, Tara Stewart, Charlotte Vidler. Year 8: Jessica Burns, Caitlin Casey, Rachel Cossetto, India Doyle, Isabeau Gavel, Georgina Gotterson, Hannah Hall, Grace Ives, Rachel Jin, Mary Lamond, Lani Maher, Joscelyn Markerink. Year 9: Rachel Latimer, Sophia Macken, Emily Marsh, Brooke Martin-Smith, Jarra Robinson. Year 10: Hannah Beith, Mary Bokey, Catherine Corbet, Kate Daniel, Hannah Forbes, Fiona Greader, Eleanor Lawless, Meredith Leeming, Victoria Livingston, Grace Marshall-Cormack, Katherine Miller, Georgina Milne, Phoebe Moult, Amelia Pavitt, Cassandra Perry, Claudia Seyffer. Year 11: Charlotte Cosyn, Fiona Davidson, Rosemary Fairfield-Smith, Arabella Kilmartin, Sarah Loewy, Charlotte Midson, Emily Milne, Grace Musgrove, Beatrice Osborne.

The Frensham AHIGS Festival of Speech team is to be commended for its equal overall 9th place at the recent event.  Drama (3rd place): Emily Milne, Millie Ellice-Flint, Scarlett O’Connor, Zoë Philip.  Current Affairs: Claudia Seyffer, Kate Daniel, Grace Marshall-Cormack.  Poetry : Hannah Forbes (Senior), Catherine Hall (Junior).  Readings: Emily Meredith (Senior), Brooke Martin-Smith (5th place) (Junior).  Religious and Ethical Questions (3rd place): Gabriella Marcolin, Isis Oliver, Arabella Kilmartin, Katherine Porter (reserve).  Junior Debating (5th place): Rachel Latimer, Zoë Price, Georgia Ross, Sophia Macken, Emily Marsh (reserve).  Senior Debating: Emma Gorman, Emily Maker, Adelaide Waller, Cassandra Perry, Emma Quinn (reserve).  Public Speaking: Tess Brennan (Senior), Madeleine Bowdern (Junior).  In support: Annabelle King, India Irvine, Chloe Andrews, Emma Campbell, Lucinda Nicolls Small.

Mrs Trish Symons, Director Language Arts

Japanese - We welcome to Japanese this term, Yuiko Kawamoto who has been in Australia for the last five months.  She is from Osaka and would like to become a Japanese teacher.  Yuiko will be here for Term 4 sharing her knowledge of Japanese culture and conversing with the students both individually and in groups.

Ms Karen Reidy, Teacher of Japanese

HSIE

Year 10 students are finishing course work and revising for their School examinations and the School Certificate examinations.

Year 9 students carried out fieldwork in and around Bowral during week 9 of last term which has assisted them in preparation of an assessment task due next week.

Year 8 girls will be undertaking fieldwork at Minnamurra Rainforest centre on Tuesday 2 November which will reinforce class work undertaken in either first or second semester.

Year 7 students participated in fieldwork in the last week of term 3 which involved a visit to wetland areas at Paddy’s River and Penrose State Forest.  They were fortunate to have Mr Greg Bray from Wingecarribee Shire Council as the guide and the girls gained considerable insight into wetland management as a result of the day’s activities. 

Mrs Jacqualine McCarroll, HISE Coordinator

Mathematics

Year 7 students have recently completed two long-term projects in Mathematics.  The first one involved tessellations which uses geometric concepts to create complex patterns often found in art and architecture.  In the second project, students used their knowledge of platonic solids to design a building of their choice, using a variety of techniques.  Year 8 students are currently completing a long-term project in statistical investigations in which they have to collect, display and analyse data.  In addition to this, the examinations undertaken by both year groups last term have been analysed by their teachers who have designed individually differentiated programmes to consolidate and develop particular areas of mathematical skills.  

Students in Years 9 and 10 are preparing for their final examinations and are being supported by their teachers in differentiated revision programmes.  Meanwhile, Year 11 students have commenced their HSC courses, including the study of Extension 2 (4 unit) Mathematics in which those students who have elected to do this course encounter the ideas involved in Complex Numbers for the first time.

Mrs Sue Flaxman, Director of Mathematics

Music

Frensham musicians are reminded that the formal Prep Practice sessions alone are not enough to support a student’s progress on an instrument.  The Glenn Music Centre, with its many private performance spaces, is available from 7.45am after breakfast to just before dinner at 6pm and it is expected that any student taking music lessons should be practising there at least four times a week. 

There is a Concert Practice on the Wednesday afternoon of Week 4 (4.45-5.45pm) which will serve as a performance goal for those students yet to take their AMEB Examination this year and indeed anyone who has a favourite piece they would like to practise in front of a supportive audience.

Mr Michael Spencer, Music Coordinator

PDHPE

With the Preliminary PDHPE Course finished, Year 12 (2010) is working on the HSC Course.  The students are enthusiastic about what lies ahead and are making fine progress in the early stages of their HSC.

With examinations drawing close for Year 10 girls, they have been focusing on ‘De-stressing Through Movement’.  This unit involves students recognising and managing their stress through participation in recreational pursuits such as yoga, relaxation techniques and other physical activities.  Year 10 students were motivated by a recent presentation on managing stress, given by Mr Peter Sheahan.  

Year 9 girls spent most of Term 3 choreographing their own dances in groups with each group performing a dance for the assessment task.  The dances were of high quality, demonstrating the students’ imagination, talent and ability to create sequences of movement in time and relevant to their chosen music.  This term, they will be focusing on ‘Contemporary Games’ such as OzTag, Handball and Ultimate Frisbee as well as the transferring of skills from some sports to others.

‘Living in Harmony’ is the Year 8 unit for this term.  This unit focuses on different types of relationships as well as the rights and responsibilities of a relationship.  The students will be asked to reflect on relationships they have had, considering reasons why these worked.  Students will also explore support networks available to people in different circumstances.

Year 7 girls displayed great creativity and originality in the bush dances they choreographed to ‘Flying Pieman’.  The girls used their costumes effectively and designed some excellent dances.  This term, they will be studying ‘Summer Safety’ where they will identify strategies and develop plans to minimise harm to themselves and others in certain situations.  As part of the unit they will also undertake basic First Aid techniques.

Ms Jane Barrett, PDHPE Coordinator

Science

Year 10 Science students have completed their assessment tasks on podcasting.  Students were required to produce an audio recording of up to five minutes duration, including music, sound effects or quotes on a Science topic of their choice.  The results of this task were outstanding and students demonstrated extensive levels of creativity while clearly and succinctly explaining their chosen topic.  Girls need to be mindful that their target audience is their peers and therefore all scientific concepts needed to be fully explained at an appropriate level.  The topics this year included such interesting ideas as solutions to global warming, latest medical procedures, kangaroo farming, identification chips for humans and the particle colliders.  In each case, students were expected to discuss the positive and negative impacts of the issue on society, consider the reliability of their sources of information and support all statements using evidence.  The final part of this task involved the student conducting a review of another podcast produced by one of their Year 10 peers.  

Year 10 students are commended for the outstanding quality and content of their podcasts and their ability to demonstrate their scientific literacy using the technology.

Mr Jason Smith, Coordinator of Science

Sport

Netball - On Saturday 26 September, Teams 3, 5 and Year 7 Green travelled to Pymble to play in the IGSSA Netball finals.  All teams are applauded for their excellent performances.  Commendation to Year 7 Green for winning the Premiership, going through the season undefeated.

All Term 4 Sport commences in Week 1.

Term 4 Sport Selections - Students have the opportunity to choose from the following sports.
• Cricket and/or Swimming
• Tennis and/or Swimming

Cricket – The Cricket Draw is available on the Frensham website.  Please note Week 6 matches will be played in Sydney, times and venues are yet to be confirmed.  As changes can occur at the last minute, please check with your daughter for updated information.
 
Juniors: Tuesday and Friday afternoon
Seniors: Thursday and Friday afternoon
Saturday morning games.  Full sports uniform required.

Swimming – Juniors: Tuesday afternoon, Wednesday morning and Saturday morning
Seniors: Thursday afternoon, Wednesday mornings and Saturday mornings.
Friday evening Swimming time trails weeks 2, 4 and 6.  Times to be confirmed.

It is compulsory for all Swimmers to attend Wednesday mornings training, departing Stanley street 6.15am.  Saturday training will depart 8.45am Stanley Street.  Frensham Sports uniform and Frensham Swimmers required.

Tennis – Juniors: Tuesday and Friday afternoon
Seniors: Thursday and Friday afternoon
Saturday is a compulsory one hour skills session for all students.  Time slots for year groups will vary depending on numbers.  Full Sports uniform required.

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

TOP