How hard is it these days for us to live up to and educate in accordance with the values framework of our School – and what are the issues that challenge us – 106 years on?  I think it is really hard – but has always been so, because living up to high standards is a daily challenge for all of us... and inherent challenges for schools are now shared globally...

In preparation for our annual Birthday Celebrations and Service, we take the time to reflect on where we stand – and where we are heading.

Social commentators and futurists share the view that it is becoming increasingly difficult to ask more of young people and therefore more difficult for them to gain the wisdom (as opposed to knowledge) to be discerning, to reflect, and to make good decisions and judgements – in a world that will sorely need their gifts and contribution.

We know that there are global issues that seem to be without solution and relatively new serious issues to be addressed by all schools (with parent support) and that this is making some parents reticent to offer the kind of challenges to teenagers that are essential to their emotional, intellectual, physical and spiritual growth. A decade ago, bullying, drug and alcohol abuse, body image and misuse of information communications technology were identified by Heads of Australian Independent Schools as the ‘top four social issues’ for teenagers in our schools. Today, to that list we would add mental illness and a much broader issue of self-harm and disconnection.

What does this mean for Frensham Schools – in a context where support and encouragement of others are a duty we share and where we have the responsibility to be the best we can be in order to be of service to others?

Futurist Mark Pesce (Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the University of Sydney) has described secondary-age students as being constantly connected and in constant communication, with unlimited access to information – yet ‘struggling to enjoy meaningful relationships, easily discouraged and less likely to acquire wisdom’. Collaboration, connection and community are the three ‘c’s that Pesce suggests educators must emphasise in our teaching: collaboration to make connections that will strengthen our community. 

• ­Community is the place where we learn that life is not just about ‘me’ but about ‘us’.
• Community is a place where we can learn to value and honour people with whom we might not get along and the place where we can learn to respect and celebrate our differences. 
• In an image-conscious culture it is easy for any one of us to, unwittingly, turn a blind eye to those around us whom we perceive do not ‘fit the image’ – including those for whom our attention in even the smallest part could make a life-changing difference.
• We are therefore challenged to be people who are aware, not oblivious – people for others, rather than people who have only their own interests and needs in mind and at heart.

I like the advice offered to young people by Hugh Mackay in his 2008 work Advance Australia Where?: to be active in solving the world’s problems, each young person must be prepared to take one small step at a time and set the example… there is no magic wand… we exist in a circle and it is up to every one of us to ‘join the dots!’

From the exhaustive studies of the past two decades into happiness, optimism, positive emotions and healthy character traits let’s celebrate the findings that ‘almost every person feels happier when they’re with or responsible for other people’ and that ‘the use of personal strengths to serve some larger end is identified as the most meaningful component of happiness’. 

On our 106^th Birthday let us agree to keep our expectations high and address together the hard issues when they arise so that we can sustain and further develop an education where humanity flourishes, and hold tightly to the belief that no greater good can we do than prepare the inner self of students for a life of change in a world that awaits their leadership and contribution – their love, care and compassion, their deep sense of hope and their appreciation of beauty and wonder.

Acknowledgement to:

• Amelia Carpenter (Year 8) and Annabelle Ranken (Year 10), qualifying to represent IGSSA at the NSW Combined Independent Schools (CIS) Cross Country Championship;
• Frances Alldis, Charlotte Dulhunty, Miriam Hopkins, Sophie Lyne, Mairi Menzies (Year 11), selected for the competitive entry National Art School HSC Intensive Studio Practice;
• Duke of Edinburgh’s International Awards recipients – Bronze: Grace Amos, Jessica Billett, Julia Bottom, Annie Burke, Natasha Long, Madeleine Scott (Year 10); Silver: Charlotte Brigstocke, Abigail Clark, Mia Horsfall (Year 11);
• Year 10 students Madeleine Mulligan, Caitlin Quinn and Georgia Shakeshaft (representing Sweden) awarded the UN Peace Prize in the Rotary Southern Highlands Model United Nations Assembly (MUNA) and progressing to the finals;
• Frensham’s Red Shield Door Knock Appeal student team, raising $1,594.00; 
• Frensham Madrigals for their success at the recent City of Sydney Eisteddfod: 1^st – Female Choirs U19 and 2^nd – Voice Ensemble U19.

Julie Gillick
Head of Frensham
Head of Frensham Schools

 

‘Character is not cut in marble – it is not something solid and unalterable. It is something living and changing.' [George Eliot]

*The Oxford Character Project: See https://oxfordcharacter.org/ 

Last week (Week 2 of term) I attended the annual UK Boarding Schools Association Conference for Heads of School, in London. 250 delegates attended the full programme, focused on the Conference Theme – ‘Character’ – with state and independent boarding schools sharing best practice and latest research. In addition to a report on the ideas driving The Oxford Project, by BSA researcher and former Head of Eton College, including the work of Heckman and Kautz (2013) about *cross-cultural ‘valued character traits’, highlight presentations for me were those by the current Head of Eton – on the character research they are undertaking with Edinburgh University - and by the Head of Gordonstoun - on the outcome of their review of a longstanding commitment to the ‘Out of Classroom Learning Experiences' curriculum.

Inspirational also was a presentation by the Head of Christ’s Hospital School (established in 1552) where more than one third of students are funded almost entirely by the School’s Foundation – owing to a major commitment to the enrolment of vulnerable children. This presentation prefaced an important and confronting sub-theme of the Conference about ‘safeguarding’ of students (what we call Child Protection in Australia).

Through our membership of the BSA since 2001, as one of 82 international members from all around the world, we benefit from professional connection to colleagues in schools like-minded in their commitment to boarding, and to delivery of a curriculum that is all-encompassing - well beyond the 8.30am-3.30pm ‘school day’. The universality of our educational goals can be summarised as our deep interest in finding the essence of each student and seeing them ‘flourish’ at school.

*The Oxford Character Project: See https://oxfordcharacter.org/ 

Each year, Oxford and other world-class universities produce leaders and thinkers who go on to have significant influence and impact around the world.

The Oxford Character Project seeks to help talented students develop key virtues of character which will prepare them to be the wise thinkers and good leaders the world so desperately needs.

Our research explores virtues and themes that are essential for personal formation and moral leadership, including institutional incentives and biases, the relationship between leading and following, the place of failure, the nature of service and vocation, and the virtues of honesty, wisdom, gratitude, and humility.

Our practical programmes draw together cohorts of students to develop qualities of life and leadership in diverse and open learning communities.

* * *

School Choice – Year 7 Parent Survey Feedback
I note, with appreciation, the extremely high response rate by Year 7 parents, providing important feedback on factors they considered when making the decision to enrol their daughters at Frensham. The ‘top’ criteria for parents of Year 7, 2019 were: School Values, Character and Leadership Development, Teacher Quality, Personalised Approach, Fitness and Wellbeing, High Expectations of Students, Academic Standards, STEM programmes (Sci/Tech/Engineering /Maths).

Peer Relations – Annual Year 8 Student Survey
Year 8 completed the Peer Relations Survey this week following a discussion with them about our published policy and expectations. Emphasised to the girls was that every member of our community has a responsibility to step forward in the interests of student welfare and wellbeing; if they are concerned about their own or others’ safety at school, we need to know. Having read all responses, I will meet with the year group next week, to share ‘their feedback’ which includes comments they are invited to make about ‘what could we do to improve peer relations?’ One very important area of the Survey is about ‘to whom would you speak?’ if you are concerned – and every girl reported that she does have a person or people she trusts – with her own parents and a close friend or sibling, at the top of her list of options. 

Birthday Celebrations [Further to detailed information emailed and on Schoolbox]

Friday 31 May: The Frensham Schools Service is a celebration of the foundation of our three Schools, recognising Frensham’s 106^th Birthday, Sturt’s 78^th Birthday and Gib Gate’s 65^th Birthday.  This Service is attended by all staff of our three schools and by all students – from our youngest in Preschool to the adult students of the Sturt School for Wood. For parents it is a once-a-year opportunity to experience the sense of community generated in Clubbe Hall, when Gib Gate, Frensham and Sturt sing and participate with gratitude, ‘as one’, in celebration. 

Sunday 2 June: For Frensham’s 106^th Birthday Service, attended by all students and staff of the School, I urge all parents to join us.

Acknowledgement to:

• ‘da Vinci Decathlon’ teams from Years 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 on their highly successful results at the regional competition.
• The Computational and Algorithmic Thinking (CAT) Competition award recipients: Distinction - Bella Cay, Elise Davies, Sarah-Joy Day, Megan Syme (Year 8);
• MacKenzie Johnson (Year 11) placed 1^st in the Open 115-120cm at the CDI Show Jumping Event, SIEC; 
• Sophie Mortlock (Year 7) for her recent Ice Skating performances, Short Program at the Penrith Ice Palace Trophy - PVFSC Championships and the Sydney Figure Skating Club Trophy Night;
• Georgia Shakeshaft (Year 10), placed 2^nd in the Plain English Speaking Award, Illawarra and South East Local Finals;
• Gib Gate Year 6 Southern Highlands Water Polo Association U12 Representative Team for their Championship award;
• Gib Gate U12 Girls, placed 2^nd in the Southern Highlands Basketball Association Championships;
• Isabella Barber (Year 6) qualifying to compete at the CIS Cross Country Carnival;
• Sebastian Atra (Year 4) competing at the Welsh Alpine Championships in Champerey in Switzerland, placing 1^st in the U10 Grand Slalom and 2^nd in the Under 10 Slalom;
• Tempe Arnott, Isabella Barber and Arabella Whitehead (Year 6) for selection to trial for the CIS Primary Girls Hockey Team and Arabella also for CIS Primary Basketball;
• Frensham and Gib Gate Equestrian students for their achievements at recent events. (See: Faculty News.)

Julie Gillick
Head of Frensham
Head of Frensham Schools

From 17-24 April I was part of the team of NSW Independent Schools Principals invited to participate in the AISNSW Principals Dialogue Tour to China – Shanghai and Hangzhou – visiting Primary, Middle and High Schools in both cities, presenting ideas and sharing in discussion and debate about topics of high interest to colleague Heads from Australia and China. STEM education was a pre-arranged area for focus, and tertiary specialists from universities in China also contributed, sharing the educational goals they are now setting for young people, that are aligned to the changes we are seeing in Australia.

Leading the Tour was Global Curriculum Consultant Dr Phil Lambert, former General Manager, Australian Curriculum, currently Adjunct Professor and Dean's Advisory Board Chair, University of Sydney and Adjunct Professor at Nanjing Normal University, who facilitated the Dialogue sessions that were supported by ‘instant translation’. Dr Lambert is currently consulting with USYD re their new STEM ACADEMY and has agreed to share his curriculum insight and enviable mastery of global issues in education with Frensham Schools Board and Executive in our August Strategy Meetings.

I can say with confidence that Frensham Schools’ approach in the area of STEM/STE(A)M education is of the highest quality: from the innovative courses we are offering – like iSTEM, Design and Technology, Engineering and Science challenges, open-access workshops and the customised Creatable Project Elective for Years 9 and 10 – to our commitment to breaking new ground curriculum- or resources-wise as an ongoing process. However, our crucial difference is in the shared responsibility embraced by all teachers to sustain a learning environment for all students that inspires outward and forward thinking... (See also: Critical Thinking – in the Report by Janene van Gogh, Director of Studies). The Action Research projects now being undertaken by teachers across Gib Gate and Frensham are further examples of teachers excited to test ideas and critique practice.

Tomorrow I head to London for the Boarding Schools Association (UK) Heads’ Conference – returning next weekend. I am pleased to note that I will be sharing Frensham’s Character Education Research within a programme entitled Character Education. My interest is sparked in particular by the work of keynote speaker Nicky Morgan, former Secretary State Education and Author of Taught Not Caught: Educating for 21^st Century Character and of consultant Diana Osagie, Founder of Courageous Leadership. I will also be meeting up with Principal of Queen Anne’s School, Caversham, where Miss Winifred West was a ‘boarding scholar’ from 1894. In 2016 we re-established a longstanding connection, starting with the opportunity for Flora Benson to teach Music for a term at Queen Anne’s last year.

SIGNIFICANT HAPPENINGS and / or TO NOTE, AHEAD

• 16 bench seats are being installed at the Frensham Games Field Courts this week – gifted by Old Girls, Parents and Friends of the School over the Centenary of Frensham Fellowship Weekend. We also received donations to support purchase of four bubblers – soon to be installed. With space for 26 more ‘named seats’ – all support of this opportunity will be appreciated.
• Foundation’s Annual Dinner – Saturday 18 May: it is not too late to join us for what promises to be an excellent evening – and we are very pleased with the support to date, in terms of ticket sales. To host a Table (10) or to purchase an individual place at a table, please contact Michele Scamps directly: mscamps@frensham.nsw.edu.au
• Frensham’s 106^th Birthday Address (Sunday 2 June) will be delivered this year in a different way – through the music of the School. Following the acclaimed Centenary of Fellowship Service performance of Michael Spencer’s commissioned work In Love, Serve One Another we are including a second performance of the work in our Sunday Service – for the enjoyment of parents.
• 10.00am Friday 31 May – Frensham Schools Birthday Service is described by parents who attend annually as ‘one hour never to be missed’ as all students of Gib Gate, Frensham and Sturt share in an eclectic celebration of ideas, thanksgiving and fun - in Clubbe Hall.
• Notable Exhibition at Sturt: Punu - living wood – continues to 2 June
  This new collaboration between Sturt and Maruku Arts features work by senior artists Niningka Lewis, Billy and Lulu Cooley, and over 20 other artists including generations of the Cooley family – David Cooley, Sissy Cooley and Janey Cooley. Maruku Arts support over 900 artists from the communities surrounding Uluru. Based in Mutitjulu Community, and in the shadow of Ayers Rock Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Maruku today is one of the largest and most successful Indigenous owned and operated arts organisations. This exhibition is a celebration of punu - objects and paintings that incorporate timber. Groups of Gib Gate and Frensham students have already enjoyed special tours of the Exhibition this week – and parents are urged to visit the Exhibition.

STAFFING UPDATE

This week we have welcomed to the PDHPE / Sport and Hartfield House teams Ms Lucy Thorne, B Physical and Health Education (UOW). Ms Thorne has been closely associated with Frensham through our links with the University of Wollongong for Sports Coaching and has accepted a 2019 graduate position, to teach, coach and be immersed in House life.

From 12 May, we will be joined by an experienced educator and long-time friend of the School, Miss Jane Crichton Grad Dip Human Service (Child and Adolescent Welfare), Assoc Dip Social Science (CSU), who joins Hartfield and Kennedy in a full-time permanent position. Miss Crichton replaces retiring colleague Mrs Julie Beasley, whose presence and contribution to Frensham over almost two decades have provided a legacy of goodwill and care for students for which we are deeply grateful.

Also joining us for two terms from next week is Ms Nicola Fenaughty B Health Science (USYD) (Marketing), also a qualified Ski Instructor. An Old Girl of Frensham (2012), Nicola was a Prefect, high achiever academically and outstanding sportswoman, and will be an asset to the School through her experience in Sports Administration and as a Coach, whilst also providing strong support of House life in Linden Turner.

TERM DATES 2020 

Boarders always return evening before classes start

Term 1- Gib Gate & Frensham
Thursday 30 January-Wednesday 8 April, 3.00pm

Term 2 - Gib Gate & Frensham
Monday 27 April -Thursday 25 June, 3.00pm
(Year 10  Work Experience ends Friday 26 June)
Queen’s Birthday Long Weekend:
Frensham  Travel Day Friday 5 June
Departure: Thursday 4 June, 3.00pm
Gib Gate Classes all day Friday 5 June
Departure: Friday 5 June, 3.00pm

Term 3 - Gib Gate & Frensham
Monday 20 July-Thursday 24 September, 3.00pm

Term 4 - Gib Gate: Monday 12 October-Friday 4 December, 3.00pm
Frensham: Monday 12 October-Sunday 6 December 12.00pm (after 11.00am Carol Service)

2020 PARENT WEEKENDS 

Confirmed dates for attendance of all students Years 7-12
Reminder: all of Years 7-12 attend Open Day and all Parent Weekend Services

Term 1
Year 7: Saturday 29 February-Sunday 1 March
Frensham Open Day – Saturday 29 February
Year 10: Saturday 14 March-Sunday 15 March

Term 2   
Year 8: Saturday 16 May-Sunday 17 May
Year 12: Saturday 30-Sunday 31 May
Frensham Schools Birthday – Friday 29 May
Frensham’s 107^th Birthday – Sunday 31 May

Term 3  
Year 11: Saturday 8 August-Sunday 9 August
[Year 10 Saturday 8 August – Year 10 planning for Senior Studies (with parents on Saturday)]
Year 9: Saturday 29 August-Sunday 30 August 

ANZAC DAY
Over a number of years, Frensham Schools has worked with the Mittagong RSL Sub-branch, to share in the planning and delivery of the best possible outcomes for the community for the Mittagong ANZAC Day Service. When ANZAC Day falls within the vacation we are particularly appreciative of the effort made by staff and parents to support student attendance, allowing us to honour this opportunity to contribute. We know that many students attended Services in their home towns or cities. This year in Mittagong, the ANZAC Message on behalf of Youth of the Community was offered by India Shead and Sophie McLean (Year 12), the School banner was carried by Phoebe O’Connell and Zoe Renowden (Year 12), Wreath Bearers were Gina Macken and Chelsea Pernice (Year 12) and Sophie Alexander, Sophie Baldwin and Oliver Linde (Year 6) and musically we were supported by Sybella Harris and Mia Coupland (voice), Maya Basson (flute) and Ms Christine Tilley on keyboard.

Acknowledgement to:

• Caitlin Quinn (Year 10) selected for Round 2 of the Australian Brain Bee Challenge (ABBC) as one of 85 from 700 competitors in NSW;
• Year 8 Coding - Distinction and Credit recipients – more than fifty percent of the class (Report for next Newsletter once presentations have been made);
• Dimity Crowe (Year 11) winner of the RuralBiz Training Women in Agriculture photo competition;
• Georgia Shakeshaft (Year 10), selected as a 2019-2020 Girl Up Teen Advisor as one of 24 girls from 500 applicants worldwide. [Girl Up is a United Nations Foundation for every girl, everywhere, and aims to empower, inspire and assist girls globally.]
• Isabella Barber (Year 6) selected in the IPSHA Cross Country team to compete at the CIS Cross Country Carnival;
• Emily Baldwin (Year 11) and Sophie Baldwin (Year 6) both placed 1^st Show Jumping events at the Sydney Royal Easter Show;
• Year 12 Girdle recipients awarded at various times over the last weeks of Term 1: Phoebe O’Connell (Sport), Holly Webster (Singing), Georgia Kelleher (Academic Excellence), Georgie Tooth (Cross Country), Savanah Gillies Girdle (Tennis).
• Frensham Equestrian team for their achievement at Oxley College Equestrian Day: awarded Top Scoring School for the 8^th consecutive year, and to individual age group Champions and Reserve Champions: Alexandra Inglis (Year 7) - Reserve Champion, Ava Berkelouw (Year 8) - Reserve Champion, Maya Basson (Year 9) - Champion, Ella Cullen (Year 11) - Champion, Emily Gubbins (Year 12) - Champion and Overall Champion Girl Rider, and Charlotte Lalak (Year 12) - Reserve Champion; Gib Gate: Annika Basson (Year 4) - Champion (Year 3-4)
• Frensham’s Livestock Team at the Sydney Royal Easter Show on their overall achievements, with particular note to the team’s success in the prestigious Herdsman Competition – as a School. Section results of extremely high quality included: Reserve Champion Fruit and Vegetable Young Judges State Final - Miranda McGufficke (Year 12); 1^st place Virtual Taste Test Open Heavyweight class – ‘Tigger’ (Highland) bred by Frensham Old Girl Mrs Susan Elder (MacKay OG1964); membership of the winning Simmental Team in the Stan Hill Memorial Perpetual Trophy for Interbreed Group of Three Purebred Steers – ‘Paddy’ (Simmental) led by Judith Hopkins and bred by Nicole and John Hopkins.

Frensham – Student Leadership
Year 10 Heads of House appointed for Term 2:
Kennedy: Laura Harper, Natasha Long, Lilith Parker
Hartfield: Ruby Halloran, Mollie Laird, Natasha Pegios
Linden Turner: Sarah Brown, Amy Thompson, Eleanor Swan
Year 11 Heads of House appointed for Term 2:
Linden Turner: Sarah Davies, Heidi Montgomery, Molly Staniforth
Bryant McCarthy: Harriette Beedle, Cordelia Bell, Olivia Hamilton

Julie Gillick
Head of Frensham
Head of Frensham Schools

Merrilee Harris in Cape Town
Foundation – Staff Professional Learning Scholarship

Recipient of a WWS Foundation Staff Scholarship, Mrs Merrilee Harris, has this week attended the Cambridge Schools Conference in Cape Town, South Africa. Merrilee was one of 250 delegates from all parts of Africa, the Seychelles and Europe, and the only Australian present, at what was the third of three 2019 Cambridge World Conferences. 

Initial reflections from Merrilee:

The theme was 'Creating the Conditions for Success' and the keynote speakers and guest experts explored teacher / student wellbeing, social-emotional learning, mindfulness and developmental disorders in the learning environment. 

My favourite speakers were *Dr Valerie Hannon and Professor Amanda Kirby:

Dr Hannon, an established thought-leader in the field of education innovation, presented on the purpose and direction of our education systems today and what they need to provide for young people in the future, given the unprecedented changes facing our planet. It was a confronting presentation, including provocative ideas about the impact of robots and genetic engineering. Hannon talked about students needing to thrive on a number of levels - global, societal, interpersonal and intrapersonal.  

[*V Hannon, 2018: Thrive - Schools Reinvented for the Real Challenges We Face, based on 75-year Harvard Research]

Professor Kirby is a GP, researcher, clinician and author who, challenged by her son's neurodiversity issues, established The Dyscovery Centre (University of Wales, Newport), in 1997. The focus of her address was on identifying and supporting diverse talents, for all students. She spoke about the terms used to describe children, some of the myths and practical ways of engaging all students. 

I also attended a session on Administering the Cambridge Examination Process, and an excellent breakout session on The Importance of task design for promoting **Growth Mindset run by Dr Alison Borthwick. We looked at ‘what makes a good task’ and did quite a few **Making Thinking Visible routines to demonstrate how tasks could enable rather than disable a growth mindset.

Of immense value to me was the opportunity to share ideas and perspectives and to make some great contacts - and I am so grateful to Foundation and Frensham Schools for this wonderful, life-changing opportunity. Please pass on my sincere thanks to all!’

Background re Cambridge at Frensham:
Frensham was one of the first Australian Schools to offer Cambridge International Examinations – and is described by Cambridge as a flagship School, owing to our integration of Cambridge Global Perspectives into both the Australian curriculum, and the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award - for all of Year 9. Our subsequent introduction in 2017 of the AS General Level English paper, for all of Year 10, was a catalyst for our development of an Academic Writing focus across the School, applying the Cambridge Writing rubrics, to improve analytical writing skills of all students.

** I am pleased to note that we continue to build best-practice pedagogy through teachers’ continuous implementation of Making Thinking Visible and Creating a Culture of Thinking (Project Zero: Harvard Graduate School of Education) and through the work of Carole Dweck re Growth Mindset.

* * *

Commissioned Work for the Back to Frensham Weekend Service – Sunday 7 April

Through participation in rehearsals this week, a sense of awe has built in Clubbe Hall,
as all the elements of the musical work composed by Michael Spencer
for the Back to Frensham Weekend have come together:

Strings, Percussion, Organ, ‘the whole School’ and the seamless inclusion
of Old Girls from around the world – images and voices
– comprise –
In Love Serve One Another
~ just over seven minutes of musical magic ~ 

In the Celebration that follows, prepare to be astounded by the combined
Kennedy Strings / Concert Band performance of Saint-Saëns’ Organ SymphonyFinale 
arranged for our ensembles and conducted by Miss Emily Sinden

Julie Gillick
Head of Frensham
Head of Frensham Schools

Acknowledgement to:

• Gib Gate Cross Country team members selected to represent Gib Gate at the recent SHIPS and IPSHA Cross Country Carnivals;
• Tempe Arnott, Isabella Atra, Isabella Barber, Isabella Carpenter (Year 6) and Luca de Manincor (Year 7), representing Southern Highlands Water Polo Association at the NSW Country Water Polo Championships, for winning the U12 Championship;
• Recent Year 12 Girdle recipients: Phoebe O'Connell (Sport), Harriet Taylor (Visual Arts), Holly Webster (Singing);
• Ella Pernice (Year 12), selected to attend the United Nations Youth Young Diplomats National Conference in Melbourne in July. This exciting opportunity will see Ella involved in more political debates and passing of international resolutions;
• Frensham’s Show Sheep Team for its success at the recent Yass Show and at the Zone Finals for Meat Sheep Breeds, Merino Sheep and Merino Fleeces Young Judges, and to individual qualifiers for the Sheep Judging State Final competition, Miriam Hopkins (Year 11), Miranda McGufficke (Year 12), Dimity Crowe (Year 11), Ivy McGufficke (Year 10), Madeleine Scott (Year 10);
• Frensham’s Livestock teams, travelling this week to compete in the Sydney Royal Easter Show;
• Frensham’s Mock Trial team for their first round success against Nowra Anglican College;
• Frensham’s Swimming Team members for success at the IGSSA Swimming Carnival;
• Frensham’s Tennis Team for its success at the Tildesley Tennis competition – in a newly configured competition, with seeded players accessing later rounds, Frensham’s point-score was our 3^rd highest of the past 20 years;
• Frensham’s Equestrian team members for success at recent events including Elizabeth Taylor (Year 7) – Equestrian Grand Nationals: Poseidon Equine and The Lord Family's Grand National Rider 12 and under 15 Years Reserve Championship and the Paul Austin Equitation Grand National Large Show Hunter Galloway Championship.

Two excellent days at Tildesley... well done Coach (Justin) and the Team!

Poet Francis Thompson was right when he wrote in The Mistress of Vision:

All things by immortal power,
Near or far,
Hiddenly
To each other linked are,
Thou canst not stir a flower
Without troubling a star

This week in our Year 10 Service and Prayers, we paused to consider the impact of recent world events on those most closely affected, and on those well beyond direct connection, in the context of our place in the community of our School and of Mittagong...and of all parts of Australia and overseas. I have urged students to speak with their parents about the issues that arise for them and about which they need broader understanding. Important - every day - is that we continue to examine the quality of our efforts to support student growth in compassion, and in leadership, so that they develop informed perspectives essential to respectful, active citizenship.

***

Responsibility

‘Never do anything for your child that they could do for themselves…’ …OR … ‘why we urge parents to be intentional, aligned and determined about setting high expectations for children and teenagers around responsibility and accountability…’

A favourite message of mine applied in the School context is: … ‘if students can manage this (an organisational challenge) please let them…’ because - if we always ‘take charge’ in areas that are entirely manageable by children or teenagers, we are robbing them of the opportunity to accept a level of ‘real’ responsibility that can teach how hard it can be to make things happen, and (when successful) how rewarding…If we add the elements of quiet support along the way and debrief when the task is completed, students build capacity, and everyone benefits.

The best leadership experience for students is ‘real’ – with outcomes that matter. It requires students to work with or on behalf of others, to set and persist to achieve high standards, and to problem solve. 

Testing this notion in our current School context, Senior Frensham students are asked regularly to identify areas of School life where they can support our operations and management. It is my expectation that should we need them to keep the School running for a day in the absence of teachers and House staff, they have the capacity as a team to mobilise and manage their peers and younger students to complete the day safely and productively. 

Three areas of School life where this principle is embedded:

1. The Year 12 leaders of Event Management, Stage Management, Sound and Lighting have for years been fully responsible to the Deputy Head for the preparation, logistics and direction of all major school events in Clubbe Hall - from the operation of lighting and sound, to the stage management, seating and set-ups of the entire space. 
2. Visitors to the School are offered Student-led Tours of the campus – requiring two girls from different year groups to engage directly with a family, to agree with them on priorities for the tour, and to respond to questions along the way. This is an experience for every girl – across her lifetime at Frensham.
3. In a different area completely: Gary Palmer, Frensham Schools IT Manager has in the past two years restructured our IT operation to facilitate student installation and upgrade of essential software on their devices (whilst also increasing the safety and security mechanisms around what is accessible).  In a Report on 2018 achievements, Gary noted that, across Frensham Schools, he has hundreds of associates sharing responsibility for IT management – the students. They are well aware of their role in maintaining what they need for learning and also of the limits imposed – for their benefit – on their IT access.

Resilience – learned through accountability and acceptance of Responsibility

In the opening chapter of Raising Resilient Kids (2018), Dr Michael Carr-Gregg offers excellent guidance for parents (‘How to Build Happy and Resilient Children’, p.5): ...resilience is not a rare ability; ...it can be learned and developed by virtually anyone...resilient individuals have, through time, developed coping techniques that allow them to navigate around or through crises...

Carr-Gregg includes in his list of five key drivers of student growth in resilience:
(i) the development of Social-emotional Competencies (student ability to manage their feelings and friendships and solve problems)
(ii) Islands of Competence - a passion or spark that gets students up and out of bed in the morning – growing skills that make them feel capable…

We know that students feel stronger and happier about life if they can ‘do more’ and if they feel ‘needed’ and our embedding of the experience of accepting responsibility – from the earliest days in Preschool at Gib Gate, is intentional and essential.

Visitors offered high praise to Year 6 at Gib Gate this week, commenting on their skill and their ‘engaging presence’ as hosts of all parts of Open Day - ‘real’ leadership opportunity presented to Gib Gate students, with outcomes that matter.

For parents, please consider the opportunities to harness your child’s or teenager’s ability to manage organisational challenges within family life: step back, set the expectations...and observe (or guide quietly) the ‘solution architects’ in your family, as they test their skills...!

Back to Frensham Weekend Service and Celebration:
Reminder to all re the last weekend of this term that we will be hosting a special Service and Celebration to acknowledge the Centenary of the establishment of Frensham Fellowship.

Acknowledgement to:

• All families, students and staff who extended a warm welcome to the teachers and students of Paya Lebar Methodists Girls’ School (PLMGS), Singapore during their recent visit. Special thanks to the families who billeted eight of the students and to the student Shadows who hosted girls in class or in the House. The girls enjoyed a full academic and activities programme during their stay at Frensham, including participating in the Year 10 Sunday Service as part of the Senior Choir;
• Gib Gate families, teachers and students for their support of Gib Gate’s Open Day this week;
• Recent Girdle recipient, Charlotte Lalak (Year 12) (Equestrian);
• Frensham Senior Choir for its support of the Confirmation Service at St Stephen’s Mittagong and to Rev Richard Mills who prepared Year 10s for Confirmation;
• Frensham Swimming Team for their individual achievements, including 12 Years Girls Champion – Sylvie Potgieter (Year 7) and 17 Years Girls Champion – Abigail Clark (Year 11), and for their success as a team: Southern Highlands Secondary Schools Champions;
• Frensham Schools Equestrian Teams for their success at the recent NSW Interschools Equestrian Championships – further details to follow when overall results are finalised;
• Allie Broun (Year 11) and Sienna Campese (Year 9) selected in the U18 Southern Highlands Hockey Team to play in the NSW State Championships;
• Frensham’s Tildesley Tennis team, heading to the competition next week – Wednesday and Thursday, 27-28 March;
• Frensham’s Show Cattle Team for their recent success at Robertson Show and in the Moss Vale Show Junior Steer Competition and to Olivia Salkeld (Year 12) (Grain), Pip Ireson and Brodie van Egmond (Year 11) (Fruit and Vegetables) for gaining places in State Finals in the Young Judges competition;
• Students achieving certification and certificates of achievement, now skilled to operate the AV systems of Clubbe Hall, following attendance at formal training sessions with professional staff from Custom Presentations: Sarah Hunter, Lara Kyriazis (Year 9); Sophia Pernice, Caitlin Quinn (Year 10); Caitlin Hargraves (Year 11); Kora Fripp, Hayley Hunter (Year 12);
• Recent Duke of Edinburgh International Award recipients (Silver): Olivia Hamilton, Miriam Hopkins, Gracie Phelan (Year 11).

Julie Gillick
Head of Frensham
Head of Frensham Schools

International Partnerships

Next week Frensham will be hosting a group of 20 students (Years 8 and 9) and two staff from Paya Lebar Methodists Girls’ School (PLMGS) in Singapore (15-21 March). When Deputy Head Geoff Marsh and Head of Innovation (Mathematics) and International Partnerships May Wong visited PLMGS last year, they were particularly impressed with the ethos of the school and its close alignment to Frensham’s values – and the friendship initiated has resulted in next week’s programme. PLMGS will be here for an immersion trip where they will be ‘in-class’ for three days as well as joining our musicians for the Year 10 Weekend performances. PLMGS’ status as a Centre of Excellence in Creative Arts in Singapore sparked their interest in involvement with us, for experience in an Australian School where pursuit of excellence in the performing arts is embedded in the culture of the School.

Open Day and Year 7 Parent Weekend

We are grateful for the feedback offered by current parents and visitors to the School over the Open Day / Year 7 Parent Weekend. I include some notes for general interest – comments we have shared with teachers and students:

• From a parent of a new boarder in Year 7: ‘We very much enjoyed the Welcome Dinner, Saturday Sport, meeting some new Yr 7 parents and staff members, the Service today and most importantly seeing our daughter looking so happy and well.  She has certainly settled in and is enjoying her first term at Frensham.
• From a parent of a new boarder in Year 7: ‘Every single aspect of the weekend is so meticulously planned and prepared and, as a visitor, it rolls so smoothly. I know that is due to the tireless preparation from a huge team, and a commitment after hours from all your staff and their spouses. Please pass on our thanks to all involved!
• From an Old Girl here for the 50 Year Reunion: ‘Congratulations to all - wonderful staff and girls seeming to work as a perfect team effort, the results of which shall be long remembered in the hearts of parents and old girls alike...’

We also had many comments about the centrality and standard of musical performance – across the full weekend’s events, including in the Cooper Hall programme on Open Day. One excerpt from a new parent email:

‘My husband could not believe the standard of singing in the whole school. I know that this standard does not happen without the high expectations and support from the music department of not just the special ones, but of every single girl and her voice. Please pass on our high praise!’

Staffing Update – Careers Counselling

In support of senior students, Mrs Cherylynne Williams, Careers Advisor, will be returning to Frensham from next week to work in particular with Year 12 (continuing the one-on-one Careers planning interviews commenced in Term 4 last year) and with Year 10 (Work Experience planning). Mrs Williams will speak to Year 10 parents as part of the Plenary Session in Clubbe Hall at 8.30am next weekend and will schedule interviews for Year 12, as well as speak with the year group as a whole, re their personal preparation for tertiary entry.

Acknowledgement to:

• Students and staff for the hosting of new families, current parents and the 50 Year Reunion group here for Frensham’s Open Day and for all elements of the Year 7 Parent Weekend including the School Service and Concert;
• Gib Gate and Frensham teachers involved in Outdoor Education and Leadership programmes over the past week; we appreciate the generous-spirited efforts by teachers to step out of their personal comfort zone, in support of these extremely valuable experiences for students;
• Sienna Campese (Year 9) for her selection in the NSW Blues Hockey Team U15 to play in the National Championships from 8-14 April;
• The Gib Gate and Frensham Equestrian Teams, acknowledged at the Annual Equestrian NSW Awards Dinner, for 2018 achievements. Representing Frensham and Gib Gate: Charlotte Lalak (Captain of Equestrian), Emily Gubbins, Zoe Renowden and Olivia Salkeld (Vice Captains of Equestrian), Alexandra Inglis and Elizabeth Taylor (Year 7) were also joined by Old Girl, Olivia Barton (2017). 2018 Awards: Champion Primary School (for the fourth successive year) – Gib Gate, trophy collected by Alexandra and Elizabeth; Champion Secondary School – Frensham (for the sixth concessive year); Alexandra Inglis – Champion Primary Show Jumper, Champion Primary Combined Training, Overall Primary Champion; Elizabeth Taylor – Owner of the Year (Show Horse); Olivia Barton (2017) – Junior Eventing Athlete of the Year.
• Frensham da Vinci Decathlon Team members: Year 7: Poppy Carter, Claudia Hampson, Cate Horsfall, Sophie Simpson, Eva Telford, Lilly Treweeke, Sidney Wheeler, Amy Wimalaratne; Year 8: Scarlett Alldis, Bella Cay, Elise Davies, Pia D'Rozario, Sophie Hassall, Eliza Mulligan, Summer Oxley, Hilary Swan; Year 9: Ankitha Avvari, Yusra Chalak, Zoe Gallagher, Holly Horsfall, Olivia Laverty, Charlotte Senior, Emily Senior, Mia Shakeshaft; Year 10: Eliza Friend, Emilie Hassall, Grace Lewis, Harriet Mackie, Caitlin Quinn, Annabelle Ranken, Georgia Shakeshaft, Eleanor Swan;
• Frensham Birthday Play cast for Present Laughter by Noël Coward: Adele Bouniol-Laffont (Monica), Attica Darling (Daphne), Adelaide Darvall (Joanna), Gina Macken (Liz Essendine), Sophie McLean (Gary Essendine) (Year 12); Millicent Bolger (Henry), Olivia Hamilton (Morris), Caitlin Hargraves (Miss Erikson), Lillie Morrison (Fred), Brodie van Egmond (Lady Saltburn), Cate Watson (Roland) (Year 11);
• The Gib Gate and Frensham Swimming Teams for their success at the recent Southern Highlands Carnivals.

Video of images from Frensham Open Day – Saturday 2 March

International Women’s Day – 8 March – celebrating the purple, green and white issue...

First celebrated on 19 March 1911, International Women’s Day moved to a fixed date of 8 March in 1913, just a few months before the founding of Frensham in July 1913.

In 1995, the United Nations Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action was signed by 189 governments, the Declaration envisioning a world where every girl and woman could exercise her choice to receive an education, participate in politics, have an income, and live in a society free from violence and discrimination.

The Alliance of Girls Schools Australasia (representing more than 175 girls’ schools in Australia, New Zealand, Asia and Africa) was established around the same time in the 1990s, to advocate for the equal education of girls in girls’ schools. The Alliance, adopted the colours of purple, green and white, reflecting those first chosen by the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) headed by British suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst, ahead of a huge street march in June 1906.

Purple was chosen to represent dignity and self-respect
Green represented hope and life
White represented purity in public and private life

As we prepared last weekend for our Open Day, Year 12 was asked to offer their views on key messages they hoped visitors would take away... In their contribution of ideas, they wanted me to reinforce the value of high expectations, like those set out in the Character Education document that they critiqued as Year 11s last year, well prior to publication. In their words:

‘...having the confidence to connect to and value others – their different talents and their friendship; having the inspiration to practise what it means to live an ‘active lifestyle’; learning to respect and celebrate each other’s best effort; having the opportunity to gain real leadership experience and learning to make a positive difference – because that it what is expected... (of all of us)...

In 1914, recorded in our first Chronicle (about Frensham’s first years), Headmistress Winifred West noted (in reference to Australia as a ‘developing country'):

‘Women too are entering a new phase...they are waking up to the realisation of their powers and the need for the use of these powers...’

‘There is one feature in common to both these phases  – ...that the demand that is being made is not for more enjoyment and more pleasure....but a demand for the right to help and to share responsibility – surely a reasonable and right thing...’

Frensham’s purple iris emblem was chosen for its beauty, strength and ability to flourish in all conditions. The colours of purple, green and white are prominent in our uniform...teamed with brown – the colour of the earth from which the iris grows.

In 2019 we reflect on the pioneering spirit of our founders; the creativity and resilience and groundedness that underpinned an excitement and sense of urgency about breaking new ground in Australia for girls’ education...

***

Newsletter Highlights

Thank you to all for the support of Frensham over the Open Day / Year 7 Parent Weekend. Please see: Information and Acknowledgement re the feedback from current parents and visitors, hosted over the weekend.

 

Expos and Open Days 2019

• Frensham Open Day: Saturday 2 March
• Gib Gate Open Day: Tuesday 19 March
• Hangzhou, China Parent Information Event: Wednesday 24 April
• Fellowship Back to Frensham Centenary Weekend: Saturday-Sunday 6-7 April
• Gib Gate Preschool Open Day: Saturday 11 May
• Dubbo Boarding Schools Expo: Friday-Saturday 17 & 18  May
• Tamworth Boarding Schools Expo: Friday-Saturday 26 & 27 July
• Young Parent Information Lunch: Wednesday 14 August
• Wagga Wagga Parent Info Evening: Wednesday 14 August
• Sydney Parent Information Evening: Wednesday 21 August
• Head’s Tour [Frensham]: Saturday 31 August
• Singapore Parent Info Evening: Tuesday 3 September

Acknowledgement to:

• HSC Drama (2018) student Chipo Riva (Year 12, 2018), who performed her monologue as one of 8 selected for OnSTAGE solo performances, and Molly Paradice (Year 12, 2018) for her Design Costume project displayed at the recent OnSTAGE exhibition at the Seymour Centre, 9-15 February;
• Georgia Richardson (Year 12, 2018) merit scholarship recipient for her Bachelor of Music Musicology course for her first year at the Conservatorium of Music, Sydney;
• Charlotte Menzies (Year 11) selected in the IGSSA Open Softball team;
• Recent Girdle recipient Harper Northam (Year 12) (English);
• Year 5, 2018 Young Scientist award winners (Science Teachers’ Association of NSW): Sophie Alexander, Sophie Baldwin, Eliza-Grace Bashford, Thomas Campbell, Isabella Carpenter, Sophie Goodisson, Amelia Hartnell, Elizabeth Shadbolt;
• Sophie Alexander (Year 5, 2018), finalist in the IPSHA Speaker’s Challenge.

Year 12 2018 Tertiary Placement offers to NSW Universities are noted below. Offers to Interstate and Overseas Universities are separately advised to us by girls when published. We note with interest the 32 'different' courses offered to a cohort of 50 girls, reflecting their particular interests and goals.

• B Advanced Computing
• B Advanced Science (Hons)
• B Applied Science (Speech Pathology)
• B Arts
• B Arts/B Advanced Studies (Media & Communication)
• B Arts/B Advanced Studies (Political & International Relations)
• B Arts/B Business
• B Business
• B Commerce
• B Commerce (Dean’s Scholar)
• B Communication (Public Communication)
• B Design (Visual Communication)
• B Design Architecture (Hons)/M     Architecture
• B Design Photography
• B Economics/B Advanced Studies
• B Engineering (Hons)/B Arts
• B Engineering (Hons)/B Laws       
• B Event & Tourism Management
• B International Studies/B Laws
• B Laws/B Arts International Studies
• B Liberal Arts and Science
• B Medical and Health Sciences
• B Medical Science
• B Music [Conservatorium Scholarship]
• B Nursing
• B Psychology Science
• B Psychology Science/B Criminology & Criminal Justice
• B Science/B Advanced Studies (Taronga)
• B Science/B Advanced Studies (Animal & Veterinary Bioscience)
• B Sport & Exercise Science
• B Visual Arts
• Diploma Digital Media Design
• Flexible Double Arts Social Sciences Business Science

Left: HSC Drama (2018) Chipo Riva and Molly Paradice; right: Sophie Goodisson and Sophie Baldwin (Year 5, 2018)

Make your bed...clean your shoes...tidy your room... greet the day with energy...say ‘thank you’ and mean it (as early in the day as possible)...and sit down to enjoy a good breakfast... (the little things in life matter...)...and, when the pressure is really on, ‘sing – from the heart’ in unison or in harmony with your friends...

In just two weeks all of Frensham will be ‘in residence as a Year group’ – on Camp or involved in Leadership or Senior Studies programmes that we consider core - not extra - in terms of School experience.

Early last year, prolific reader Mrs Cherylynne Williams (our recently retired Head of Information Services and Careers and a Coordinator of Year 12) shared inspiration from a small sample of her summer vacation reading – a short text by former U.S Admiral William H McRaven, titled ‘Make your bed: little things that can change your life and maybe the world’:

Chapter 1: ‘If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.’
‘If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and will encourage you to do another task, and another, and another...Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that the little things in life matter...If, by chance, you have a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that is made - that you made - and a made bed gives you encouragement that tomorrow will be better.’

Few students would be thinking about the daily chore of bed-making in the way McRaven establishes the first of his ten Principles for Life...or would relate to the physical challenges he describes in his next eight Chapters, based on his experience and distinguished service in the US Navy - 37 years as a Navy SEAL.

However, the tenth principle was immediately understood – the power of one person to take a stand – or offer hope – or show courage...joined by the first follower...then another...then everyone..:

‘The instructors told us we could leave the mud if five men would quit – only five men, and we could get out of the oppressive cold. There was a warm fire with hot coffee and chicken soup just waiting. Looking around the mud flat, it was apparent that some students were about to give up. There were still over eight hours until the sun came up. Suddenly above the howl of the wind came a voice. One voice raised in song.  It was tired and raspy, but loud enough to be heard by all. One voice became two. And two became three. And before long, everyone in the class was singing. And somehow, the mud seemed a little warmer, and the wind a little tamer, and the dawn not so far away...’

In two weeks from now... On Camp or through the Leadership and Senior Studies programmes (if all goes to plan) we should see each other at varying levels of comfort; we should be well out of our comfort zone for significant parts of the three days. We will be urging everyone to do the basic daily chores with good grace – say thank you and mean it (as early as possible in the day) and ‘sing’ when the real pressure builds...

***

Newsletter Highlights

• Ms Robson and Ms Chauncy both speak powerfully this week in Gib Gate News about the need to embed ‘reading’ (of good literature) in young people’s lives – so that the reading habit is ‘forever’. I commend their ideas to your attention because it takes very little to make a difference, if we are deliberate in modelling and nurturing that habit.
• In Frensham News, we bring you information on the Creatable Project – another example of our commitment to developing 21^st Century skills in our students through the constant exploration and expansion of our curriculum…very exciting for students and staff alike.
• And don’t miss our annual summary of HSC 2018 Tertiary Offers…showing the remarkable achievements and breadth of interest of our 2018 students. My congratulations to all!

Read this week's Information & Acknowledgment  

Ms Julie Gillick
Head of Frensham
Head of Frensham Schools

Start Where You Stand (Berton Braley - 20^th Century American poet)

Inspired by a pre-Term 1 professional learning focus on the ‘growth mindset’ research of educational psychologist, Carol S Dweck (See Mindset – updated publication, 2012), Berton Braley’s poem captures the message we continue to reinforce with colleagues, students and parents – that today is a starting point... and the first term of a new school year is an opportunity to restart or to build even further on outstanding achievement:

Start where you stand
This is another chapter in the book,
This is another race that you have planned.
The world won’t care about your old defeats,
The future is your time and time is fleet.
Take courage, be brave and drive ahead,
Start where you stand...

From Preschool to Year 12, teachers will be reinforcing for students that high quality achievement requires effort – directed at the right targets. That is, ‘right practice’, not ‘just’ practice. Finding the words or the person to spark the aspiration is a shared responsibility and some of Dweck’s words are helpful:

‘The passion for stretching yourself and sticking to it, even (or especially) when it’s not going well, is the hallmark of the growth mindset. This is the mindset that allows people to thrive during some of the most challenging times in their lives.’

Dweck advises, ‘If parents want to give their children a gift, the best thing they can do is to teach their children to love challenges, be intrigued by mistakes, enjoy effort, and keep on learning. That way, their children don’t have to be slaves of praise. They will have a lifelong way to build and repair their own confidence.’ 

Breaking of new ground this year: Parents will note curriculum change across all three campuses: Cambridge International Global Perspectives and Primary Ethics at Gib Gate, i-Stem, ‘Creatable’ (industry-delivered course), a Year 8 Extension Mathematics Research Project and Extension Science at Frensham, and after-school classes added to the Sturt Design and Fabrication programme, through the School for Wood at Sturt. Physically, significant renovations and restorations have been achieved over the break at both Gib Gate and Frensham.  Student boarding numbers at Frensham are at more than 73% of the total school enrolment, with our demographic mix including long distance – interstate and overseas, Sydney and local boarders, and Gib Gate’s Preschool has started with very high numbers for both the Reception and Transition classes. New Staff positions – in Languages, Mathematics, Innovation and Foundation create a new energy and challenge that drive essential ongoing review and new opportunity. We continue to ask, ‘What’s worth learning - in this rapidly changing world?’

I look forward to the year ahead - working with parents in our support of student progress – in all facets of the educational experience.

Ms Julie Gillick
Head of Frensham
Head of Frensham Schools

Information & Acknowledgements...

Thank you in advance to parents involved in the hosting of School events and processes this year. We appreciate your generous offer of time in support!

A Frensham Contact List now posted on Schoolbox will be emailed separately today to parents, to guide direct communication in key areas.

Acknowledgement to:

Prefects for Year Groups - announced at Final Prayers

• Year 7: Annabelle Hickson, Bardie Thompson
• Year 8: Isabella Gale, Alexandra Hill, Lillian Ives
• Year 9: Adelaide Darvall, Georgina Ridge, Sophie Robertson
• Year 10: Phoebe O’Connell, Amelia Hickson, Sophie Sheehan
• Year 11: Lucy Hayes, Alexandra Maciver
• Year 12: Holly Webster (Vice Head Girl), Georgie Tooth (Head Girl)

Heads of House appointed for Term 1

• Hartfield: Grace Amos, Ella Clark, Anna Rickwood (Year 10)
• Kennedy: Adelaide Alker, Amelia Byrne, Amelia Guilfoyle (Year 10)
• Linden Turner: 
  Emilie Hassall, Isabelle Promnitz, Annabelle Ranken (Year 10)
  Annika Blackman, Lillie Morrison, Annalena Turnbull (Year 11)
• Bryant McCarthy:
  Isobel Huggins, Rebecca Muller, Christina Richardson (Year 11)
  Adele Bouniol-Laffont, Georgia Kelleher (Year 12) – all year

Girdle Recipients (end of 2018): Elvira Berzins (Music), Kora Fripp (Service – Clubbe Hall), Hayley Hunter (Service – Clubbe Hall), Adele Bouniol-Laffont (French);

Announced in the last week of Term 4, 2018:

• Virginia Cuppaidge Scholarship – Alice Battcock (Year 12, 2018)
• Ruby Mowle Scholarship – Sarah Jancewicz (Year 11)
• Roma Dix Scholarship – Elvira Berzins (Year 12)
   
• Eleanor Swan (Year 10), one of 25 participants aged 14-18 years, selected to attend the National Invention Convention at Questacon in Canberra, over the recent vacation;
   
• Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award recipients:
  Bronze: Year 11 - Dimity Crowe, Annalena Turnbull; Year 10 - Erin Alcorn, Adelaide Alker, Elke Arnott, Alexandra Barton, Alexandra Bolger, Coco Bradley, Sarah Brown, Amelia Byrne, Ella Clark, Harriet Collins, Alexandra Crawford, Sachi Darling, Meg Fairrie, Eliza Friend, Sarah Glanville, Jessica Greig, Amelia Guilfoyle, Ruby Halloran, Laura Harper, Emilie Hassall, India Hicks, Georgia Hill, Ella Hopperton, Emma Jancewicz, Mollie Laird, Grace Lewis, Grace Mackenzie, Harriet Mackie, Ivy McGufficke, Willa Mitchell, Madeleine Mulligan, Lilith Parker, Sophie Perkins, Sophia Pernice, Isabelle Promnitz, Anna Rickwood, Georgia Shakeshaft, Taylah Stoney, Jemima Storch, Eleanor Swan, Lara Tait, Amy Thompson, Olivia Turner, Skye Vander Straaten, Brigitte Watkin.
  Silver: Year 12 - Maggie McKittrick, Sophie McLean, Sophie Sheehan, Amelia Thomson; Year 11 - Frances Alldis, Harriette Beedle, Cordelia Bell, Annika Blackman, Millicent Bolger, Emily Conradt, Alexandra Cunningham, Annabella Damiani, Charlotte Dulhunty, Sybella Harris, Olivia Hamilton, Chanel Huang, Daisy Latimer, Olivia MacDiarmid, Sarah Manwaring, Mairi Menzies, Gabrielle Metua, Elizabeth Mitchell, Rebecca Muller, Clementine Paradice;
   
• UOW STEM Camp (January 2019) selected participants: Ruby D’Rozario, Natasha Long, Caitlin Quinn (Year 10);
   
• Sophie Hatch (Year 11), selected in the Australian Junior Showjumping team for the Aquis Champions Tour to be held in Queensland in the first week of May;
   
• Sebastian Atra (Year 4) Welsh Alpine Championships Gold Medal U10 Male Giant Slalom and Silver medal U10 Male Slalom.
   
• Frensham Year 9, 2018 for their outstanding results in the internationally recognised Cambridge International Global Perspectives Course, with 30% of Frensham students gaining the highest result (A*) – compared to 10% internationally - and another 32% gaining an A result (compared to 20% of A results internationally).

Staffing update – staff welcomed in January

• In the new position of Director of Languages (Preschool to Year 12): Mrs Kerry Lennon BA (USYD), Grad Dip Ed (UWA) - teacher of our 2018 HSC French Extension class (from her Sydney Grammar position as Subject Master - Modern Languages).
   
• Gib Gate:
  Miss Stefanie Klauer B Ed (UC), Dip Early Childhood Services (CIT) – Year 1 Teacher
  Miss Jacqueline Pawl B Teach (Primary), BA (UON) – Year 2 Teacher
   
• Frensham:
  Mr John Day B Sc (USYD), Dip Ed (UWS) – Senior Teacher (Mathematics), House Staff
  Mr Andrew McMillan B Sc (UC, NZ), Grad Dip Teaching/Learning, (CE, NZ) – Design and Technology
  Miss Harriet Hooke B A (Lang Hons, French) (USYD), M Teach (Secondary) (UNE) – Languages
  Mr Matthew Griffiths B Sc (UOW), M Teach (UOW) – Science
  Miss Karin Klaver* B English Ed (NHL Uni, The Netherlands) – House Staff (*Term 1 Exchange)
   
• Sturt:
  Mr Ian Bromley Assoc Dip Elec Engineering (TAFE) – Coordinator, School for Wood
   
• Frensham Schools:
  Ms Jackie Dalton B Ed (USYD), WWS Foundation  –  Director of Philanthropy
  Mrs Virginia Kidd Paediatric Intensive Care PG Cert (NSW College of Nursing), Midwifery PG Cert (Westmead Hospital), General Nursing Cert (Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children) – Head of Health Centre
  Mrs Heidi Wilson Cert Registration – Real Estate, Cert Childcare Studies (TAFE) – Administration Assistant
   
• Promotional positions and new positions for current staff:
  Miss May Wong – Head of Innovation (Mathematics and International Partnerships)
  Miss Emily Sinden – Year 11 Coordinator
  Mrs Jane Crellen – Head of Activities
  Ms Lee McGuinness – Year 12 Coordinator (with Mrs Ros Buick)

Ms Julie Gillick
Head of Frensham
Head of Frensham Schools

Read full report from Frensham Faculties

Download the document below:

Frensham Faculty News - Term 2 No 4

Highlight

 

Read full report from Frensham Faculties

Download the document below:

Frensham Faculty News - Term 2 No 3

Highlights

Read full report from Frensham Faculties

Download the document below:

Frensham Faculty News - Term 2 No 2

 

Frensham student wins Women in Ag Photo Competition

Year 11 student, Dimity Crowe, has won RuralBiz Training’s photo competition, Women in Ag, with an image of her fellow Show Team members, Xanthe Hart, Pip Ireson, Miriam Hopkins, Emily Baldwin, and Daisy Latimer, gazing out at Frensham’s Holt Farm from the back of a ute.

An excited Dimity had this to say about her love of farming: 'I have a great passion for agriculture from growing up competing against my brother to prove that girls can do anything they set their mind to - especially on the farm. I am surrounded by girls in my class at Frensham who are just as passionate as I am and we have a lot of fun learning and growing along the way.'

RuralBiz offers nationally accredited training for farmers and rural communities. Its current scope includes all units of competency in Certificate IV, Diploma and Advanced Diplomas of both Agriculture and Agribusiness Management.

Dimity, who studies Agriculture at Frensham and who is a member of the Frensham Show Cattle Team, received a Biome Eco Store gift voucher for her prize.

 

Read full report from Frensham Faculties

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Frensham Faculty News - Term 2 No 1

 

Read full report from Frensham Faculties

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Frensham Faculty News - Term 1 No 5

 

Old Girls return to Frensham - 100 Years On

One hundred years ago this year, the inaugural meeting of the Frensham Fellowship of Old Girls was held with members encouraged ‘…to put their time and abilities to good use, to study and keep abreast of world affairs and to keep in touch with the School’. This call to action for Fellowship encouraged members to carry out into the world the ideal of love and service expressed in Frensham’s motto, In Love, Serve One Another.

On the weekend of 6 and 7 April, the Frensham Schools community will celebrate this milestone with a Back to Frensham Weekend including a Cocktail Party, Service & Celebration, tours of Frensham and Morning Tea in the newly renovated Dining Room.

A highlight of the weekend will be the viewing of a new installation honouring Australian pictorial photographer, Harold Cazneaux, who in 1934 was commissioned by the School’s first Headmistress, Miss Winifred West, to photograph Frensham. Cazneaux’s photographs are hung in galleries around the country including the Art Gallery of NSW, with The National Library of Australia home of the principal archive of his prints and negatives. A sandstone and bronze installation - a gift from Frensham to Fellowship’s past, present and future members - will pay tribute to Cazneaux.

From Cazneaux’s photography of the School, a book of 100 photographs titled The Frensham Book was published, and in a nod to the book, Frensham has created a photo collage of its own called Centenary Collection: Frensham 1913-2013, Frensham Fellowship 1919-2019.  This inspiring pictorial display is hung in the School’s Cooper Hall for Back to Frensham Weekend visitors to view and for current students and staff to enjoy.

Former Chair of Governors, Ms Gabrielle Curtin, said during Frensham’s Centenary in 2013: ‘We know very few organisations survive for 100 years. The research shows that the ones which do survive stay steadfast to their values whilst adapting strategically to new challenges and opportunities. Our values must be our moral compass, our guiding light, our rock. While acknowledging our history, our raison d'être is to build on this history whilst looking to the future and developing a contemporary education in the broadest sense of the word.’

The Back to Frensham weekend celebrates and acknowledges the School’s rich history and community – a history that informs the School’s future as an outward-looking and forward-thinking boarding and day school for girls.

A new partnership between the School of Education at University of Wollongong (UOW) and Frensham sees UOW teaching students coaching at Frensham and Frensham students accessing STEM resources at UOW. The partnership was initiated and developed by Frensham’s Deputy Head, Mr Marsh, and Director of Special Projects, Mrs Rowan.

The programme involves UOW PDHPE and Mathematics teaching students coaching Sport and Mathematics at Frensham. Conversely, Frensham students will access programmes at UOW’s Science Space and the expertise of the University’s Coding coaches and Extension Science mentors.

Ms Gillick notes about the partnership with University of Wollongong: “Frensham is a school committed to supporting and mentoring future teachers and the partnership with the University will build on that priority. In addition, a large proportion of our students study STEM subjects, so high-level mentoring from UOW in the area of Coding and Science will be of immense benefit to the students’ understanding of the subjects.”

 

Read full report from Frensham Faculties

Download the document below:

Frensham Faculty News - Term 1 No 4

 

Read full report from Frensham Faculties

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Frensham Faculty News - Term 1 No 3

 

Our Gold D of E girls on the Overland Track.

Over the summer vacation, many girls participating in Duke of Edinburgh adventurous journeys at both the Gold and Bronze award levels. Students canoed through the Morton National Park, walked the Overland Track in Tasmania, the Royal National Park and the Colo River area.

We also had girls completing their Residential Projects as part of their Gold Award, requiring them to participate or lead an activity such as horse camps, working with underprivileged children, sport camps and being guides at summer camps, to name just a few.

This year, we have a remarkable number of students registered in the Award with 68 girls in the Bronze Award, 71 in the Silver Award and 52 in the Gold Award.

Throughout Outdoor Education Week, girls from Years 7-10 will be camping — some for the first time. For those girls currently working towards their Bronze or Silver Awards, Outdoor Education Week will count towards the Award as their practice adventurous journey. Girls will learn from the guides and demonstrate the ability to work with groups and upskill their camping, navigating and teamwork. There will be other camps organised throughout the year for all Award levels.

Designed to foster personal achievement, The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award is undertaken from Year 9. The Award is a programme of cultural, practical and adventurous activities covering four different areas: Service, Expeditions, Skills and Physical Recreation. Through participation in Frensham’s Jamieson Programme, students also gain approval to complete Service and Skills components of the D of E programme.

Read full text from all faculties this week:

Faculty News Term 1 No 3 | PDF

In preparing Frensham girls for essential competency as global citizens in a 21st Century context, we know that ‘Learning to thrive in a transforming world...is not just about lists of what students need to learn...it is about learning to live in new and better ways to take charge of their future, to shape it and deal with its challenges.’

Our efforts to inspire innovation at Frensham are intentional and whilst we take a research-based approach to decision-making around learning and teaching, we are also unafraid to trial ideas from around the world based on our collective, professional wisdom – assessing and benchmarking our progress against world standards.

This year, we are excited to offer our Year 9 and 10 students a course we are calling the Creatable Project. It is a STEM-focused learning experience where students build their own product from start to finish – from ideation, to pitching, to rapid prototyping, to commercialisation. Through design-thinking and creative problem-solving, girls will build personal interest in the innovation process, putting technology in context. A real-world, enterprise project in which girls take an industry-focused outlook in their studies, it is also cross-curricular, encompassing disciplines such as Science, Design and Technology, Business, and English.

Recently, a parent wrote to the School and noted, ‘My daughter is doing the Creatable Project and is absolutely rapt about it. I've been delivering workshops where we are talking about strategic planning, ideation, fail fast etc. and these girls are going to be so far in front of the I'm working with; such a great head start for life.’

In the age of automation the future is creative. Young people want to learn relevant skills for relevant workplaces… but the pace of change is rapid. The Creatable Project will facilitate our students’ industry preparedness by connecting them with innovative brands through an engaging learning experience.

Advantaged by our independence, we continue to explore and expand our curriculum options. With projects like Creatable – and in combination with other offerings such as iSTEM, – we can provide our girls with 21st Century skills for 21st Century workplaces, as well as bridging the education/industry divide. By creating a learning environment for students to express their creativity and ultimately find their creative voice, we are equipping them with hard and soft, real-world tools for the ever-changing, creativity-focused future.

Read full text from all faculties this week:

Faculty News Term 1 No 2 | PDF

Read full report from Frensham Faculties

Download the document below:

Frensham Faculty News - Term 1 No 2

 

Frensham students excel in internationally recognised course

Frensham students have achieved a remarkable number of top results – A* and A – in the Cambridge International Global Perspectives course, with Georgia Shakeshaft topping the School’s results with a score of 183 out of 200.

Overall, Frensham Year 9, 2018 students received outstanding results in the internationally recognised course, with 30% of Frensham students gaining the highest result (A*) – compared to 10% internationally - and another 32% gaining an A result (compared to 20% of A results internationally).

Head of Frensham, Julie Gillick, noted, “Our involvement in Cambridge International courses allows us to analyse student achievement in courses studied in up to 10,000 schools in 160 countries. It is exciting to know that, through Cambridge, our students are connected to an international network that comprises almost one million learners.”

Equally important is the fact that our teachers enjoy the challenge to interpret new curriculum requirements and to harness their academic capacity and passion to inspire critical thinking and high level academic writing, in middle high school students.

We congratulate the girls and the team of staff involved in teaching the course, led by Head of our Jamieson Programme, Ms Merrilee Harris.

Run by Cambridge University in Great Britain, Cambridge Global Perspectives is a ground-breaking course that stretches across traditional subject boundaries and develops transferable skills, with an emphasis on developing the ability to think critically about a range of global issues - where there is always more than one point of view. Frensham offers the course to Year 9 students as part of our unique Jamieson Programme. Meeting government ministers, organising a local river clean-up project and writing to the United Nations about climate change, are just some of the activities learners pursue through the course. Speaking about the importance of the Cambridge International Global Perspectives course to Frensham, Deputy Head, Geoff Marsh, noted recently, “Frensham is a global school and the course strengthens our international links as girls collaborate with other students from around the world. If we want our students to make a difference well beyond School, they have to understand the complex nature of issues from a local, national and global perspective.

Read full text from all faculties this week: Faculty News Term 1 No 1 | PDF

Read full report from Frensham Faculties

Download the document below:

Frensham Faculty News - Term 1 No 1

Holt Farm welcomes new residents

On Saturday 18 May, Gib Gate hosted an Early Childhood Professional Development workshop which was attended by nineteen Early Childhood Teachers from Canberra, Sydney and the Southern Highlands, led by Early Childhood Consultant, Niki Buchan. Ms Buchan shared an inspiring session exploring a documentation framework for early childhood educators. This framework emphasises the importance of working with children to document their thinking for the purpose of promoting further learning and is for use with preschool-aged children.

Already experts in the Harvard Project Zero research work, Making Thinking Visible and Creating Cultures of Thinking, Gib Gate Preschool staff were delighted to share their expertise in this area with other early childhood educators. The preschool students had prepared bookmarks to give to each educator ensuring that all of the visitors felt warmly welcomed. Visitors toured the Preschool looking at examples of how students’ thinking and theory making are documented by students and staff in order to value, reflect, build on and further students' thinking from the very earliest of age.

Ms Sally Robson, Head of Gib Gate

Studies

Cutting-edge programmes for Gib Gate students, undertaken as co-curricular activities, are designed to ignite interest in creative pursuits and develop future problem-solving skills across a variety of areas.

In weekly sessions with Mrs Lee Ann Marsh, a group of students from Years 2 to 5 is trialling new technology before it is introduced to the rest of the School. Spheros are programmable tennis ball sized robotic devices that can be programmed to change colour, speed and direction and are controlled via downloadable tablet apps. The robotic devices can navigate a maze, paint an artwork, swim, mimic the solar system and dance, actions limited only by the children’s imagination. As this is new technology for Gib Gate, the group will be working together to trial these mini robots using their coding skills developed weekly through our ScopeIT programme. They will then share their expertise with all the other children so Spheros can be used in classroom Digital Technologies programmes K to 6.

Nine budding robotic engineers will represent Gib Gate at the RoboCup Junior ACT Regional Competition in Canberra on 6 and 7 September. In preparation for this exciting event, students will meet with Mr Hannah on Monday afternoons to develop their programming skills and to imagine, plan, create and troubleshoot their own two-minute ‘On Stage’ performances for their Lego EV3 robots. This term, students have been learning to program their robots to navigate obstacle courses and respond to colours on the floor using sensors. Teams are now refining their performance ideas and beginning to construct and program their robots for the competition.

In another creative pursuit, the Gib Gate Years 5 and 6 Tournament of Minds teams are eagerly preparing for the 2019 regional competition to be held at the University of Wollongong on Sunday 1 September. In preparation for the release of this year’s long-term challenges, the teams are fine-tuning their teamwork, creative thinking and dramatic presentation skills.

Each Monday afternoon, the teams train for both the long-term and spontaneous challenges. The spontaneous challenge requires students to respond to a set of unseen problem in as little as three minutes. This requires them to develop and share creative ideas and to make decisions quickly. The students are judged on their teamwork and the originality of their ideas. Training for the long-term challenge requires them to develop their understanding of the strict guidelines for completing the challenge, and learning the skills required to enable them to present their chosen solution. They learn these skills and strategies by practising weekly, thus getting to know their own and each other’s strengths, as well as learning effective performance skills. With three training sessions remaining, the teams are excited about the 2019 challenges ahead!

Creative problem-solving using advanced mathematical thinking saw the Years 5 and 6 Mathematical Olympiad team complete the first of five challenges for 2019. Solving five challenging questions in 30 minutes and competing against other students and schools across Australia and New Zealand, the students demonstrated a high level of mathematical reasoning and problem-solving skill. The team of talented mathematicians has been working for one hour per week since the beginning of Term One to prepare for the five international challenges. The aim of these continuing weekly sessions is to introduce students to high-level mathematical concepts, teach problem-solving strategies, and develop flexibility for problem solving. At the same time, the sessions provide an opportunity for students to challenge themselves personally and to enjoy applying skills to new problems previously not encountered in the Stage 3 syllabus. With one timed 30-minute challenge a month from May to September, the team will continue to work together each week to hone their skills in preparation for the next set of unseen problems.

Ms Kate Chauncy, Director of Teaching and Learning P-12 and Coordinator of Gifted and Talented Programmes

Enrichment/Activities

Orchestra
The Gib Gate Orchestra performed at Assembly on Friday 17 May and, with many new members this year, they have enjoyed learning and performing their two pieces. The Orchestra will perform again at the Junior Musical Production in Week 8.

Frensham Schools Birthday
We warmly encourage parents to attend the annual Frensham Schools Birthday Service at Clubbe Hall on Friday 31 May. This service commences at 10:00am and is attended by all students and staff of Gib Gate, Frensham and Sturt. Highlights of the Service include students singing the School Hymns together, seeing former Gib Gate students now at Frensham, and students cutting the birthday cake. In the afternoon, as part of the birthday celebrations, Preschool to Year 6 students will attend a performance of Moz’s Music Mix by Tom Price who is a multi-instrumentalist. Tom’s show will cover music through the ages and from a range of genres and is sure to be enjoyed by the School.

Peer Support
In the Peer Support sessions this fortnight, students focused on their strengths and realised that everyone is good at something. The Year 6 leaders explained that when we know our strengths, we can practise and use them. This will help us to be optimistic, especially when faced with difficult situations.

Parent workshop
On Wednesday 5 June at 6:15pm in the Gib Gate Library, Gib Gate will host a Parenting workshop, Practical Tips to Navigate Change in Early Adolescence, for parents of Years 4 to 6. This practical workshop will be led by Educational Psychologist, Dr Kimberly O’Brien from Quirky Kids, and will be full of useful tips for navigating the transition to adolescence and your child’s move into the High School years. Please RSVP to Mrs Russell.

Mrs Anne Graham, Gib Gate Coordinator (Administration)

Preschool

Gib Gate students have been wondering about the bees they have noticed around the outdoor learning environment recently. Incorporating the children's questions into the teaching programme, and with International Bee Day approaching, the Preschool staff decided to find out more by visiting the Bee Festival held in the Swedish Embassy in Canberra last weekend. Amongst other things, the teachers learnt that the most significant contribution of bees and other pollinators is the pollination of nearly three quarters of the plants that produce 90% of the world's food.

After sharing this information with the Gib Gate Preschool students, staff and students then looked for plants around the school environment to which the bees might be attracted. Equipped with magnifying glasses, binoculars and notebooks, the Preschool students made close observations of the outdoor environment including the forest area and the field. The students noticed bees collecting pollen on camellia bushes, rosemary bushes and around a big tree that had small berries and bell-shaped flowers on it.

Preschool students then watched a video in the Library about how honey is harvested and Mr Standen, a keen apiarist, showed us part of a hive in which his bees are currently not living. He also shared his knowledge about queen bees and the worker bees, including the fact that most of the bees that produce honey in Australia are European bees. Though a great deal of information about bees was shared, our youngest Gib Gate students had many more questions ready for the next day of school.

Mrs Tinna Loker, Preschool Coordinator

Unlike most Primary Schools where only a few selected students are chosen for leadership roles in their final year of primary school, every Year 6 student at Gib Gate is awarded a monitor's role, allowing all members of the class the opportunity to assume roles of responsibility and leadership. The preparation for assuming leadership positions in Year 6 begins in Year 5, where the focus is on how the students demonstrate leadership at a classroom level through identifying individual and class group strengths and areas for development.

Whilst in Year 5, the students are asked to consider monitor roles in Year 6 that would interest and engage them, with each student nominating a role that would draw upon their personal areas of passion while also noting areas of leadership that need development and focus.

Well prepared for taking on their leadership roles, Year 6 students perform their daily duties diligently, as well as supporting and planning events for the School community that reflect the Gib Gate values of Learning to Learn through: Adventure, Belonging, Challenge, Doing, Excellence and Service. It has been a pleasure over the past two terms to work closely alongside Gib Gate Year 5 and 6 students who supported Gib Gate K-6 and Preschool Open Day events. Feedback from the many prospective families undertaking tours with Gib Gate leaders has been outstanding, with visitors commenting on the students’ respectful self-assuredness, knowledge, empathy, breadth of experience across the curriculum and ability to communicate effectively and confidently with adults and children. 

Ms Sally Robson, Head of Gib Gate

Studies

da Vinci Decathlon Competition 2019

Last Wednesday 8 May, eight Year 5 and eight Year 6 students represented Gib Gate at the regional level of this international competition, which was held at The Illawarra Christian School, Wollongong. Over 30 teams from schools in the Southern Highlands, Macarthur, Illawarra and South Coast competed in each of the ten disciplines throughout the day which included: English, Art and Poetry, Ideation, Mathematics, Science, Code Breaking, Engineering, Cartography, Creative Producers and General Knowledge. The theme for the day was ‘Balance’ which paid tribute to the life of Leonardo da Vinci.

We offer our congratulations to the Gib Gate Teams: Year 6: Sophie Alexander, Isabella Atra, Isabella Barber, Sophie Goodisson, Amelia Hartnell, Georgina Lewis, Alice Mulligan, Elizabeth Shadbolt. Year 5: Piper Berkelouw, Jack Davies, Yorke Doyle, Harry Lawson, Jade Neilson, Olivia Quilty, Scarlett Shadbolt and Matilda Telford on their success:

• Year 6: 2^nd Place in English and 2^nd Place in Ideation, and 3^rd Place Overall
• Year 5: 2^nd Place in Engineering and 2^nd Place in Cartography

Ms Kate Chauncy, Director of Teaching and Learning P-12 and Coordinator of Gifted and Talented Programmemes

Enrichment/Activities

Peer Support
We have had two Peer Support sessions so far this term and Year 6 students are doing a fine job in leading their group through the activities. Last week, the groups reflected on what it means to be optimistic and how they would work together in Peer Support sessions. This week, students shared the things they enjoy in life in order to recognise what makes them happy. We encourage parents to talk to their children about the idea of optimism to support this unit titled Living Positively.

Excursions
Term 2 holds many exciting excursions for Primary classes. Recently, Year 5 attended the Sydney Writers’ Festival. Years 3 and 4 and Years 5 and 6 will travel to Canberra to supplement their work in History and Science; Year 6 will also go to the Wollongong Science Centre to participate in activities in the Planetarium; and Years 5 and 6 will attend a film during Refugee week. All Preschool to Year 2 students will be rehearsing for their Junior Musical, The Starship Silver Grey, which will be performed in Clubbe Hall in Week 8.

Chloe Dent (Year 5) has been selected to perform as part of the mass ensemble in the professional production of the Wizard of Oz Arena Spectacular. Chloe is congratulated on this achievement and we wish her well for the rehearsal period. Performances will be held in January 2020.

Mrs Anne Graham, Gib Gate Coordinator (Administration)

Sport

Winter Sports
Team sports in Hockey, Soccer and Netball are now underway for the winter season. Gib Gate U7, U9 and U11 Hockey teams train on the turf at Frensham every Wednesday afternoon, and play their games on Saturday mornings on the turf at Welby. The six Gib Gate Soccer teams train on the School oval on Thursday afternoons, with their games being held at club grounds across the Highlands on Saturday mornings. Netball students train on the courts at Gib Gate on Thursday afternoons, with their games being held each Saturday morning on the courts at Eridge Park. We wish all teams every success as they train and play throughout the season.

Equestrian
Congratulations to Sophie Baldwin (Year 6) who competed at the Aquis Champions Tour in Beaudesert in Queensland over the holidays. Sophie had a successful event coming 1^st in both in the 80cm and 90cm Open Show Jumping, 4^th in the Children’s Tour U14 90cm, and 10^th in the Children’s U14 one metre Show Jumping. This was the first attempt for Sophie and her horse, Mirrabel Patterson, at jumping one metre.

Mr Michael Standen, Coordinator PE and Sport Gib Gate

Preschool

This week, Gib Gate’s youngest students were delighted when a new water tank was installed, with the children having many questions about how it worked. The students from last year were able to inform the newer pupils how the water would be saved from the roof as the gutters would direct the water into the water tank. The students wondered what would happen if a storm came and there was too much water for the tank, and brainstormed the answer showing a strong understanding of the concept.

The students wrote a thank-you letter and made drawings to express their gratitude for the installation of the new tank.

Mrs Tinna Loker, Preschool Coordinator

Life inflicts the same setbacks on the optimist as on the pessimist, but the optimist weathers them better. – Dr Martin Seligman, University of Pennsylvania, Learned Optimism

As part of their Leadership responsibilities, Gib Gate Year 6 students are looking forward to leading the Kindergarten to Year 5 Peer Support programme in Term 2. The focus of this term’s peer support programme is, ‘Living Positively’, which promotes optimism in students.

Year 6 students will lead multi-age peer support groups in activities that promote identifying and using personal strengths, enjoying life by engaging in activities, practising positive self-talk, developing coping strategies, demonstrating perseverance, working towards personal goals, developing resilience and demonstrating gratitude.

In his book, Learned Optimism, Dr Martin Seligman states that one of the most significant findings in psychology over the last twenty years is the understanding that individuals can choose the way they think, and that habits of thinking need not be forever. Helping students to practise healthy habits of mind is important and the Living Positively three-step model – I LAUGH (activities I enjoy), I LIVE (my strengths), I LOVE (showing appreciation) – is a simple process students can use to develop the skills of optimism.

Ms Sally Robson, Head of Gib Gate

Studies

All staff at Gib Gate participated in their Professional Learning Day on Friday 12 April, while students and their families were enjoying their vacation period. Under the guidance of AISNSW specialist consultants, Fiona Elliott and Fiona Walker, teachers developed their knowledge and understanding of the National Literacy and Numeracy Learning Progressions. These tools were developed by the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) and the NSW Department of Education using evidence-based research in consultation with literacy and numeracy experts and practising teachers. They assist in strengthening teacher knowledge and facilitate a shared understanding of literacy and numeracy development. The progressions are used to identify the literacy and numeracy development of students and the development that should follow. This assists teachers to differentiate teaching and learning experiences and to provide feedback to students about next steps in learning. The progressions are used in conjunction with the syllabuses, which remain the focus for planning, programming, teaching, learning and assessment.

Specialist Preschool consultant, Jennifer Ribarovski, Head of JR Education Consulting Services, Sydney, worked with Gib Gate Preschool staff on the continuing implementation of the National Quality Framework for both the NSW Regulatory Authority and the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA). Together, they refined the Gib Gate Preschool curriculum, support documents and pedagogical practice, ensuring that we continue to offer the highest standard of education to our youngest students.

During the afternoon session, teachers formed their Teacher Learning Community focus groups at Gib Gate and shared the work completed on their Term 1 Inquiry-Action Project. This programme at Frensham Schools is an ongoing annual process in which teachers work collaboratively in recurring cycles of collective inquiry and action research to achieve better results for the students they serve. Our professional learning communities operate under research-based findings that the key to improved learning for students is continuous job-embedded learning for their teachers.

Ms Kate Chauncy, Director of Teaching and Learning P-12 and Coordinator of Gifted and Talented Programmes

Enrichment/Activities

ANZAC Day Parade
Thirty-five Gib Gate students attended the 2019 ANZAC Day March in Mittagong during the holiday break. Supported by Ms Chauncy, Mrs Graham and Mr Hannah, the students were outstanding representatives of Gib Gate, noting the significance of the commemoration and proud of their contribution to this important local community event. Gib Gate Year 6 students, Sophie Alexander, Sophie Baldwin and Oliver Linde, presented the Gib Gate ANZAC Day wreath.

Sydney Writers’ Festival
We have been afforded the opportunity for Year 5 students to attend the Primary Schools Day for the Sydney Writer’s Festival held at Sydney Town Hall. During the day, students will attend sessions in the Town Hall presented by Katherine Rundell, RA Spratt and Oliver Phommavanh. Some sessions will be entertaining and others will focus on describing the author’s writing process. We are excited to access this event to enhance the students’ learning in English.

Mother’s Day Breakfast
Friday 10 May is the School’s annual Mother’s Day Breakfast, commencing at 8.00am. Mothers (or Father’s) and children are invited to participate in activities in the Library, Preschool, Courts and Courtyard. A breakfast will be served in the Hall.

Extra-Curricular Activities
Term 2 activities commenced on the first day of term. Students have enrolled in a full range of activities with a number of classes at capacity. If your child is interested in starting an activity, please contact Mrs Graham.

Mrs Anne Graham, Gib Gate Coordinator (Administration)

Sport

Cross Country
Congratulations to all the Gib Gate runners who competed at the IPSHA Cross Country carnival at the Kings School at the end of Term 1. With up to 200 runners per race, there were many fine performances from the Gib Gate team. Isabella Barber (Year 6) placed 5^th place for the 12 Year Girls event, qualifying to compete at the CIS Cross Country carnival at Eastern Creek in June. Brodie Murray (Year 3) finished in 19^th place in the 8/9 Year Boys event.

Summer Sports
Summer sports concluded in the final week of Term 1 with several Basketball and Water Polo teams playing in the finals of their respective sports. Special congratulations go to the Under 12 Girls Green basketball team who finished runners up in their competition.

Winter Sports
All winter team sports begin for Gib Gate students this week and we wish them an enjoyable and successful season in their chosen sports of Hockey, Soccer and Netball. This winter we have over 90% of Gib Gate students from Kindergarten to Year 6 involved in a team sport.

Hockey
We wish Tempe Arnott, Isabella Barber and Arabella Whitehead (Year 6) the best of luck as they trial for a place in the CIS Primary Girls Hockey team.

Mr Michael Standen, Coordinator PE and Sport Gib Gate

Preschool

Art encourages children to think, developing skills and confidence as they go – Mary Ann Kohl

The Preschool children, accompanied by Year 4 Gib Gate students, felt very privileged to attend a workshop session with Anangu wood carver artists, Billy and Lulu Cooley, at Frensham Schools’ Sturt Gallery in the final week of Term 1.

Billy and Lulu are members of Maruka Arts which is a community of Anangu artists from the Central and Western Deserts. The exhibition at Sturt is called Punu – ‘Living Wood’ and is an exhibition of Walka Boards and Wood Carving. Billy demonstrated how he used wood to make tapping sticks, and Lulu used a hot wire to make markings on the wood.

Sturt Gallery Education Officer, Tracey Mitchell, showed the Preschool and Year 4 students through the exhibition and explained many of the artworks and sculptures. Preschool students love learning about Indigenous culture and involving themselves in their community, and the Year 4 students and their teacher, Mrs Neilson, are learning about Aboriginal history and culture and really enjoyed this insight into Indigenous culture.

As part of the excursion, the group also walked through the Lower Holt natural bushland area at Frensham and had morning tea on the Games Field. Year 4 chatted with the Preschoolers as they walked around. They discovered Frensham’s ‘Birthday Island’ in the Frensham grounds where students in Years 7 and 8 can hold their birthday celebrations. The students thought this was a rather special tradition.

Mrs Tinna Loker, Preschool Coordinator

Discussing his latest book, She has her Mother’s Laugh: The Powers, Perversions, and Potential of Heredity, renowned science journalist, Carl Zimmer, stresses that we ignore at our peril how the coping skills of adults are profoundly shaped by how they were raised.

Working in partnership with the Gib Gate community, I know parents and teachers understand that ‘helping’ children by ‘fixing’, sweeping away, smoothing out or avoiding obstacles, hardships, and other potential problem-solving opportunities, directly impacts on a child’s ability to develop essential coping skills.

Communicating with parents each day through the Preschool Daily Reflection, Mrs Tinna Loker, Gib Gate Preschool Director, explains problem-solving opportunities encountered during the preschool day and often includes helpful information for parents so they can continue this learning at home. One such anecdote from last Wednesday’s Reflection caught my attention…

Teach Problem-Solving by Asking Questions

Young children can be very needy. It's as if they go through their day pointing out problems that need to be solved. When you think of these needs as opportunities for learning, it changes how you respond. Don't give the answer; instead use guiding questions to support problem-solving. Some examples:

• Child says, "I'm cold!" You say, "What can you do to get warm?"
• Child says, "I can't climb over the log!" You say, "What are you going to do now?"
• Child says, "My backpack is muddy!" You say, "What can we do about that?"
• Don't be the 'fixer'. Allow children to become capable, thinking problem-solvers who are intellectually and emotionally independent.*

Joining the Year 5 and 6 students in the Gib Gate Outdoor Education Programme later last week, I was reminded of these wise words as I observed students developing independence, supported to manage decision-making, overcome problems, learn how to take calculated risks, push themselves physically and emotionally, support others and learn how to collaborate and be part of a team, all in an environment away from the comforts of home.

The reward for all is to see students grow in independence, learning about themselves and others through interactions with the natural world. Thank you to all the parents who sent us feedback about their child’s experience on the Outdoor Education Programme, sharing how grateful they are that their children have the opportunity to participate in such a wonderful learning experience in Primary School, ably supported by dedicated and caring OEG and Gib Gate staff.

I think the ‘before and after’ shots of Year 5 student, Skye Spong (right), participating in her first Gib Gate Outdoor Education Programme, captures the exhilarating feeling of stepping out of your comfort zone…and being all the better for it.

Ms Sally Robson
Head of Gib Gate

Studies

National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) 2019 Information for Parents and Carers

In May 2019, the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) will be completed by students in Years 3 and 5. NAPLAN has the support of all State and Territory Education Ministers and will assess the literacy and numeracy skills of students across Australian schools.

The results of the tests will provide important information to schools about what each student can do, and will be used to support teaching and learning programmes. Parents will receive a report indicating their child’s level of achievement. Each student’s level of achievement will be reported against the national minimum standard.

Student background information (student name, gender, date of birth, language background and Aboriginality) will be collected as part of the National Assessment Program. This information is treated confidentially and held securely to ensure that every student’s right to privacy is maintained.

The NAPLAN tests will be conducted in Week 3 of Term 2 from 14-16 May 2019.  Please note that ALL NAPLAN Tests conducted at Gib Gate will be PEN & PAPER this year. Where possible, schools are permitted to arrange for individual students who are absent at the time of testing to complete missed tests at another time during the relevant testing window. Individual students are not permitted to sit the paper tests after Friday 17 May 2019.

Tuesday 14 May
Year 3 & Year 5: Language Conventions (Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar) – 45 minutes
Year 3 & Year 5: Writing test – 40 minutes

Wednesday 15 May
Year 3: Reading test – 45 minutes
Year 5: Reading test – 50 minutes

Thursday 16 May
Year 3: Numeracy test – 45 minutes
Year 5: Numeracy test – 50 minutes

The Year 3 and Year 5 Numeracy tests are conducted as one test session. Students will use the calculator that they currently use at school.

In NAPLAN writing tests, students are provided with a writing stimulus or ‘prompt’ and asked to write a response in a particular text type. Students sitting NAPLAN are tested on either narrative or persuasive writing. There is one prompt for Years 3 and 5.

Friday 17 May is the scheduled ‘catch-up’ day for students who missed a test or were absent on a test day. Students may be considered for exemption from the tests if they:

• are newly arrived in Australia (less than one year before the test) and with a language background other than English, or
• have significant intellectual disability and/or significant co-existing conditions which severely limit their capacity to participate in the tests.

All other students are expected to participate in the tests. Disability adjustments which reflect the student’s normal level of support in the classroom may be provided. Large print, braille, coloured paper versions and electronic tests are available to meet the needs of individual students.

Access to disability adjustments or exemption from the tests must be discussed with the Head and a parent or carer consent form signed.

Students may be withdrawn from NAPLAN by their parent or carer. This is a matter for consideration by parents in consultation with the Head. If you wish to withdraw your child from the tests, a parent or carer consent form must be signed.

Additional information about NAPLAN can be found at https://nap.edu.au/naplan/parent-carer-support. 

We stress that we do not believe in the value of excessive preparation for NAPLAN beyond teaching the NESA Curriculum and familiarising students with the NAPLAN process. Parents and carers are welcome to discuss any questions they may have with Ms Sally Robson or Ms Kate Chauncy.

Ms Kate Chauncy
Director of Teaching and Learning P-12
Coordinator of Gifted and Talented Programmes

Enrichment/Activities

Grandparents’ Day
Students from Preschool to Year 2 will present an Assembly on Friday 5 April for their Grandparents or special visitors. It will be held in the Gib Gate Hall at 9.30am. Year 2 students lead the Assembly as part of their leadership responsibilities, and each class presents some of their work. Visitors can then have a look around the classrooms and share a morning tea in the courtyard.

Musica Viva Performance
This week, students from Preschool to Year 6 attended the Musica Viva in Schools Incursion performance by Taikoz. Taikoz is an Australian, Sydney-based performance group that specialises in the art of taiko – the Japanese drums. Taikoz introduced students to the instruments and music and also gave historical and cultural background, including the place of taiko in a contemporary Australian context. The programme was drawn from Taikoz’s large repertoire which includes traditional Japanese music and drumming styles, compositions written by contemporary Japanese composers, as well as original works by members of the ensemble. It was exciting to have an ensemble of this calibre performing at Gib Gate.

Extracurricular
Extracurricular enrolment forms are published on SchoolBox. Please return enrolment forms before the end of term to ensure your child’s place in Term 2 activities.

Mrs Anne Graham
Gib Gate Coordinator (Administration)

Sport

Cross Country
After our successful Gib Gate Cross Country Carnival, a strong team of runners was chosen to represent Gib Gate at the SHIPS Carnival which was held at Gib Gate on Tuesday 26 March, and at the IPSHA Cross Country carnival being held at The Kings School Parramatta on Saturday 6 April. We wish all those students invited to run in the IPSHA Cross Country the best of luck and fine weather. 

Winter Sports
Winter Sports begin very soon. Soccer and Hockey will commence on Saturday 4 May with the first training sessions being held in the first week of Term 2. Netball has already begun with the Gib Gate Netball team have been in training and playing games for several weeks. Please check the Gib Gate weekly Bulletin for game and training times.

Water Polo
Congratulations to the students who represented Gib Gate in the Southern Highlands Water Polo Association representative U12 teams which competed at the State event in Orange over the weekend of 23 and 24 March. The team containing Tempe Arnott, Isabella Atra, Isabella Barber, Isabella Carpenter (Year 6) and Luca de Manincor (Year 7), took out the championship.

Mr Michael Standen
Coordinator PE and Sport

Preschool

Tell me, and I’ll listen.
Show me, and I’ll watch.
Involve me, and I’ll learn
(Teton Lakota, Native American)

Collaboration experienced through shared learning at Gib Gate enhances the Preschool programme, strengthening the sense of connection and belonging. Kindergarten and Preschool students join together each week exploring and sharing ideas about their investigations, what they have been learning, and their sporting achievements. Recently, Gib Gate’s youngest pupils visited the Kindergarten room to meet the class chickens and learn about them from the older pupils. Later in the week, Kindergarten and Preschool students had a bush walk through the forest and paddock before finishing with a running race. The Kindergarten students are keen to share their newly acquired knowledge and it is pleasing to see the Preschool students listen intently and share their thoughts, thinking and questions.

From and early stage, Gib Gate is laying the foundations for the transition to Kindergarten, ensuring that the next stage of the Preschoolers’ education journey is met with excitement and eagerness.

Mrs Tinna Loker
Preschool Coordinator

Research proves that students learn more deeply and perform better on complex tasks if they have the opportunity to engage in more authentic learning such as projects and activities that require them to employ subject knowledge to solve real-world problems*

Authentic, real-world inquiry learning is a core aspect of the Gib Gate curriculum. A project that will involve the whole school this year is currently being led by Year 5 students, supported by Gib Gate Preschool students.

Designated as a Land for Wildlife Site by Wingecarribee Council in 2018, the woodland area in the Gib Gate grounds adjacent to the Preschool has been deemed an important wildlife corridor. Year 5 students are working closely with the Council and local experts on the regeneration of local flora and fauna suited to this habitat.

Working in teams as Botanists, Pedologists and Landscape Architects, Year 5 students are researching and identifying invasive and native flora, conducting experiments to test the effect of light and soil types on native plant regeneration and designing a 3D Nature Corridor based on the Gib Gate Land for Wildlife site.

Inviting Preschool students to collaborate with them, Year 5 welcomed the students to their classroom last week to share the data Preschool had collected and analysed regarding bird life in the Land for Wildlife area.

Using binoculars and the power of close observation, Preschool students tallied the types of native birds they spotted in the paddock area during their daily walks. Identifying Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, Magpies, Rosellas, Lorikeets, Noisy Miners, Kookaburras and Crested Pigeons, Preschool students concluded that Noisy Miners far outnumbered other native birds at Gib Gate. Sharing their data with Year 5, questions were posed such as: ‘Why are there more Noisy Miners than any other type of bird?’ and ‘How do we encourage other native birds into the Nature Corridor?’

We are looking forward to following up with Year 5, and to the whole school becoming involved in the Land for Wildlife Inquiry Learning project in coming weeks.

*The Power of Inquiry, Kath Murdoch

Ms Sally Robson, Head of Gib Gate

Studies

New for 2019 – additions to our Standardised Assessment Programme at Gib Gate

In Teaching and Learning, as part of Frensham Schools Strategic Priorities 2018-2022, we are continuously seeking to improve and extend our assessment and benchmarking using a research-based, robust set of tools to provide data across multiple subjects and years, enabling us to study individual, class and cohort levels of achievement and growth. This approach to data analysis ensures excellence in teaching practice and enhances creative pathways for learning that increase personalisation and flexibility for all students so they can achieve their personal best.

In 2019, we will be utilising the newly developed UNSW Global Assessment programme – REACH. The REACH Assessment tools provide us with an annual, independent and objective benchmark of student progress to support our teacher professional judgement, class-based tasks and formal school-based assessment programme and inform future curriculum planning and programming.

The REACH assessments are based on the Australian curriculum for the relevant year, are suitable for use across all ability levels and are administered in comfortable, timed conditions for all students. Items range from recall and routine application of knowledge and skills, through to more demanding questions that provide additional challenge for high-ability students.

In 2019, students in Years 2-6 will undertake the following assessments delivered online: Digital Technologies, Science, English and Mathematics. For Writing, students in Years 3 and 4 will complete the test on paper while students in Years 4 to 6 will complete the test online. The Writing Test is not available for Year 2. Testing will take place between May and August.

We have always provided our students with the opportunity to challenge themselves using UNSW Global ICAS Competition papers and we will continue to use this tool in addition to REACH.

ICAS has been redesigned for 2019 and beyond and is aimed at recognising academic excellence for high-potential students, emphasising challenge and extension in tightly timed conditions. The ICAS Competition online papers in 2019 will be offered to those students who reach the top 10% of the cohort in each year from Years 2-6 allowing them to apply their learning and challenge themselves at ‘competition level’ in each of the disciplines above. The 2019 ICAS Assessments require students to think beyond the classroom and provide us with data that acknowledges their performance achievement at the highest level.

Please refer to the UNSW Global website for further information:

https://www.unswglobal.unsw.edu.au/educational-assessments/services/

Ms Kate Chauncy Director of Teaching and Learning P-12 and Coordinator of Gifted and Talented Programmes

Enrichment / Activities

Japanese Incursion
Students in Year 3-6 participated in a Japanese Rakago performance incursion last week. This high-energy performance was inspiring, as students have been working on their Japanese speaking and writing recently, setting themselves personal goals.

Opera
Opera Australia brought their newly devised Opera, In the Light of the Moon, to Gib Gate this week. This Opera was based on the Owl and the Pussy Cat poem. Our students are fortunate to experience high-calibre musicians and performances annually through Opera Australia’s Touring Schools programme.

Extracurricular
Extracurricular enrolment forms are published on SchoolBox. Please return forms before the end of term to ensure your child’s place in Term 2 activities.

Mrs Anne Graham, Gib Gate Coordinator (Administration)

Sport

Swimming
Congratulations go to all the children who swam at the SHIPS and IPSHA Swimming Carnivals over to past two weeks.  Gib Gate results were highlighted by a large number of personal best times. Particularly pleasing is the noticeable overall improvement in times from previous years, with many of our senior students swimming low 30-second times for the 50 metre freestyle.

Kindergarten to Year 2 also enjoyed their Fun Swimming Carnival at The Centenary Pool last week. There was noticeable development in the children’s swimming skills, due in large part due to the Swimming Development programme being run for Sport each Thursday of this term.

Summer Sports
The summer sports Cricket, Basketball and Water Polo wind up over the coming weeks. We congratulate all players and coaches for the time and effort put into training and playing over the long summer season.

Interschools Equestrian Championships
Congratulations to Sophie Baldwin (Year 6) 3^rd place overall in the 80cm and 6^th place overall in the 90cm Show Jumping, Piper Berkelouw (Year 5) 4^th overall in the 80cm Combined Training  and  Annika Basson (Year 4)  9^th overall in the 45cm Primary Combined Training who competed at the NSW Interschools Equestrian Championships last week. Sophie will now represent NSW in the Australian Interschools Equestrian Championships in September.

Interschools Regional Snowsports
Families who have expressed interest in competing in this year’s Interschools Snowsports competition are reminded that selection of events is now due. Please send selections to the Gib Gate office.

Mr Michael Standen (Coordinator PE and Sport Gib Gate)

Preschool

Teamwork - Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much. Helen Keller

Teamwork and learning collaboratively across different grades is something Gib Gate prides itself on. As described in Ms Robson’s message, recently, the youngest Gib Gate students answered a request from Year 5 for assistance in finding out what kind of birds visited the bushland at Gib Gate. Pictures and names of birds the Preschoolers are familiar with were listed and when they recognised a bird, a tally mark was made on that page. The students saw Kookaburras, Rosellas, Lorikeets, Noisy Miners, Crested Pigeons, Magpies and Sulphur-crested Cockatoos. They decided evidence was also required, so feathers and photos were collected and shared with Year 5. The Preschoolers noted that more birds were seen on a rainy day than on sunny days. Leo Berkelouw thought it might be because the birds were happy with the rain, and after adding up the tally marks, students concluded that Noisy Miner birds outnumbered all other birds. 

In turn, Year 5 students shared how they had been researching flora and fauna in the bushland area. They had taken on the roles of zoologists and landscape architects. Items of flora were viewed under a microscope, plants in pots were displayed and work on computers was shared with the Preschool students. Ms Robson set a challenge to Year 5 to find out why there were so many more Noisy Miner birds than other types of birds at Gib Gate. Preschool students look forward to working further with Year 5 on the Land for Wildlife project.

Mrs Tinna Loker, Preschool Coordinator

Beyond Blue’s Healthy Families states that building a child’s resilience ‘is everyone’s business’, and the old adage, ‘It takes a village to raise a child’, is even more applicable in today’s society. Resilience is important for the development of children’s mental health, and families, the school and our community need to work together to ensure children develop the ability to cope with challenges they encounter in childhood, adolescence and into adulthood. Establishing boundaries at school and at home creates healthy environments for children where they are protected from harm whilst developing independent skills. At the parent session with Cyber Safety expert, Susan McLean, last week, we were again reminded of the importance of saying ‘No’. Please see a full report of the Parent Session, prepared by Mr Greg Hannah, which includes important recommendations and advice regarding setting boundaries around the use of technology.

Read Ms Gillick's article: Three Reasons to say No or Not Yet in the 2018 Newsletter Term 1 No 3 – click here and select 2018 archive.

Ms Sally Robson, Head of Gib Gate

Studies

Curriculum Highlights: What we are learning about, and from, History

The History K–6 Syllabus provides opportunities for students to learn about major concepts that will be explored in a sequential way from Kindergarten to Year 6, and continues through Years 7 to 10 in secondary school. History is a disciplined process of inquiry into the past that helps to explain how people, events and forces have shaped our world. It allows students to locate and understand themselves and others in the continuum of human experience up to the present day. History provides opportunities for students to explore human actions and achievements in a range of historical contexts. They become aware that history is all around us and that historical information may be drawn from the physical remains of the past as well as written, visual and oral sources of evidence.

History is much more than the simple presentation of facts and dates from the past. This KLA (Key Learning Area) provides the skills for students to answer the question ‘How do we know?’ An investigation of an historical issue through a range of sources can stimulate curiosity and develop problem-solving, research and critical thinking skills. It develops language specific to the discipline of History and provides opportunities to develop literacy skills. Students learn to critically analyse and interpret sources of evidence in order to construct reasoned explanations and a rational and informed argument based on evidence, drawn from the remains of the past. Students engage in research involving traditional methods and ICT (Information & Communications Technology), including evaluating web-based sources and using a range of technologies for historical research and communication.

In Term 1 the following units have begun:

Kindergarten begins its first History Unit, Personal and Family Histories, at the beginning of Term 2 which provides them with the opportunity to learn about their own history and that of their family. The inquiry includes stories from a range of cultures and other parts of the world. As participants in their own history, students build on their knowledge and understanding of how the past is different from the present and that some things change over time while others remain the same.

Past and Present Family Life provides the opportunity for Year 1 students to learn about similarities and differences in family life by comparing the present with the past. They then begin to explore the links and the changes that occur over time.

For Year 2, The Past in The Present unit mandates a study of a significant building or site in the local community and what it reveals about the past. Gib Gate will form the case study for Year 2 students and they will develop their own inquiry questions about how Gib Gate has changed over time and how it has remained the same. Students will develop their historical communication skills through sharing their findings with others in our community using a range of forms including digital technologies. A highlight of their inquiry was a visit from Mrs Ros Buick (Director of Events and Planning, Teacher of History and Frensham Studies at Frensham and past teacher and Head of Gib Gate) in Week 4. Mrs Buick told the children many stories from the past and explained the significance of a variety of ‘special places’ and historical artefacts found around Gib Gate.

Year 3 students are exploring how Celebrations and Commemorations contribute to personal and national identities in Australia and around the world, and how national celebrations and commemorations are underpinned by values and beliefs. They are developing their understanding about how significant individuals, groups and events have contributed to changes in the community over time.

Year 4 students have begun their unit entitled First Contacts. They will develop an understanding of the traditional Aboriginal way of life and seek to understand how it functioned and endured for 50,000 years prior to European settlement. Following this, students will identify the journeys and activities of early European explorers and the reasons that drove their search for the ‘Great Southern Continent’. Working as historians, they will be guided to conduct historical inquiries where they will pose questions and document research using both primary and secondary sources of information. Students will create and use timelines to sequence key historical events and compose detailed written responses. 

For Year 5, The Good Old Australian Colonial Days of the 19^th Century? provides a study of colonial Australia in the 1800s. They are identifying factors which contributed towards groups of people moving to Australia and will collect and study data about significant events and people, political and economic developments, social structures and settlement patterns. This unit helps students to develop understandings of when, why and how the Australian colonies developed to make Australia the diverse country it is today.

Year 6 are studying Geography in Term 1, to integrate with their Science unit, before moving to History in Term 2. The Geography content learning involves the study of the people and places of the Lake Eyre Basin, and makes global connections and comparisons with this unique Australian location and the entire Mekong River system in Asia. The content learning moves to History in Term 2 and the inquiry, Australia as a Nation, which focuses on the development of Australia as a nation, particularly after 1901. Students explore the factors that led to Federation and experiences of democracy and citizenship over time. They develop their understanding of the significance of Australia’s British heritage, the Westminster system and other models that influenced the development of Australia’s system of government. In addition, they will learn about the way of life of people who migrated to Australia and their contributions to Australia’s economic and social development.

Inquiries into the units outlined above will deepen throughout Semester 1, incorporating specific investigations of historical issues to stimulate students' curiosity. Excursions and guest speakers are planned for each inquiry to support, enrich and deepen children’s skills, knowledge and understanding.

Ms Kate Chauncy Director of Teaching and Learning P-12 and Coordinator of Gifted and Talented Programmes

On Wednesday 27 February, Gib Gate parents and teachers were invited to attend a highly informative presentation delivered by Susan McLean, Australia’s foremost expert in cyber safety for young people. Well-grounded in casework and current research, McLean delivered facts and practical advice emphatically, beginning with a challenge to ‘be a parent and be strong – you’re not your child’s friend.’  While many primary school-aged children have high levels of technical savvy, they lack the life experience, maturity and sense of discernment that adults possess. This situation makes children vulnerable to predators. As parents, we mustn’t fall into the trap of believing that children who know their way around interactive games, or the myriad features of social media platforms, are also equipped to make wise decisions, particularly in the face of manipulation by a clever and calculating older person. We were reminded that in Australia, the minimum age for most social media services and apps is 13 years. Therefore, parents should not allow their primary school-aged children to have their own social media accounts.

Acknowledging that some parents choose to allow their children to have their own devices, particularly to enable communication with family members, McLean emphasised the importance of appropriate adult supervision and the need to establish rules about the amount of time children are allowed on their devices. Her top tips were:

• Get devices out of bedrooms
• Have a family online contract
• Know your child’s passwords/passcodes
• Talk early – talk often
• Use filtering
• Learn to say NO (even if other parents say yes)
• Learn about the sites and apps that children use
• Use all security settings
• Only add people that your child knows (IRC - Internet Relay Chat)
• Know where your child is online

When it comes to the most popular devices in the Australian market, parental controls are inbuilt and can be used to help keep children safe. On Apple iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, Family Sharing should be activated in your Apple account and your child’s device needs to have been set up using an ‘Apple ID for a Child’. This enables you to use your device to set restrictions on your child’s device such as:

• Sharing GPS location with the parent
• Setting downtime (disable the device at certain times of the day/night)
• Setting time limits for individual apps e.g. games
• Setting content and privacy restrictions e.g. disallow access to App Store purchases, disallow access to inappropriate websites and restrict location sharing with apps
• View reports on the amount of time your child spends using apps or games

On Apple devices running iOS 12 or later, parental controls are located in Settings > Screen Time. An important tip is to create a unique Screen Time password so that you alone have control over these settings on your child’s device.

Mr Greg Hannah (Teacher, Academic Coaching and Personalised Learning)

Enrichment / Activities

Outdoor Education
The Years 5 and 6 Camp will be held from Wednesday 27 to Friday 29 March. Information is available on Schoolbox and students will be briefed at school. Parents are invited to an Information evening which will be led by OEG staff on Monday 11 March at 6.00pm. More information regarding the programme is available on the OEG website at https://www.oeg.edu.au or contact an OEG representative through the school. To Login: Username = Gib Gate Password = GibGateOutdoors. Please note that it is not necessary to complete the medical forms as OEG already have your child’s medical information.

Students in Years 3 and 4 had their Outdoor Adventure Days recently and enjoyed the Challenge by Choice of abseiling and mountain biking activities as well as making their own lunch on the day.

URStrong
Kindergarten to Year 6 students participated in URStrong sessions last week at Gib Gate. This is an internationally-recognised, social and emotional wellbeing programme which explicitly teaches children how to develop healthy friendships and manage conflict in a positive way using specific friendship skills. Gib Gate students enjoyed participating in the sessions with Dana Kerford, the Programme’s founder.

Opera Australia
Opera Australia is visiting Gib Gate on Wednesday 20 March to present a performance of By the Light of the Moon. Based on the rhyme  The Owl and the Pussycat, this Opera has been specifically devised for Primary Schools and all Gib Gate students will attend the performance at School.

Mrs Anne Graham, Gib Gate Coordinator (Administration)

Sport

Swimming
The Gib Gate swimming season culminated this week with the IPSHA Carnival that was held at Homebush on Tuesday. The Gib Gate swimmers also had a successful meet at the SHIPS Carnival held at Bowral Pool last Thursday, taking out many of the top places across the Carnival. Performances of note came from Oliver Linde (Year 6), York Doyle (Year 5) and Amelia Blackshaw (Year 4) who all dominated in their respective age groups.

Equestrian
The NSW Interschools Equestrian event will be held over next week at the Horsley Park International Equestrian Centre and we wish the following Gib Gate riders every success: Sophie Baldwin (Year 6), Piper Berkelouw (Year 5), Annika Basson (Year 4).

Water Polo
Congratulations to the following students who have been selected in the Southern Highlands Water Polo U12 team to compete at the NSW Country Water Polo Championships in Orange in late March: Luca de Manincor (Year 7), Sophie Alexander, Tempe Arnott, Isabella Atra, Isabella Barber, Isabella Carpenter, Oliver Linde, Arabella Whitehead (Year 6). 

Mr Michael Standen (Coordinator PE and Sport Gib Gate)

Preschool

Sport in Preschool
Our youngest Gib Gate students are fortunate to participate in an extensive sports programme. Students take part in sports lessons with Mr Standen, Little Kickers Soccer skills, Cricket, as well as everyday challenges in the Preschool. With Sport, there are calculated risks of which the children are made aware. They learn how to make decisions to keep themselves safe yet also challenge their bodies and minds. These skills help prepare students for challenges in the classroom and for life now and into the future.

With the support of Mr Standen, a number of students are ready to jump off a log in the School playground and somersault in the air. The thrill is evident and the students who are ready know they are supported in every way… so they embrace the challenge. Students all participate in relay races, ball throwing through hoops or a game of cricket, giving each activity their best effort.  

Little Kickers is a popular session each Thursday with their coach, Mr Vella, who makes the lessons fun while working on ball skills. This week, the students were invited to dinosaur land and they needed to use their ball skills to save the dinosaur eggs, get away from the dinosaur or hit the dinosaur with the super protector ball. The students were taught various skills including how to use their foot to control the ball, moving the ball forward using the side of their foot, and working on balance by placing a foot on the ball and then pushing forward to move it without kicking the ball.

The Preschool teachers are conscious that participating in a variety of sport programmes not only supports social development, it also improves health, promotes self-esteem, builds familiarity with sports and athletics, and is a lot of fun.

Mrs Tinna Loker, Preschool Coordinator

In this fortnight’s Frensham Schools Newsletter, Ms Kate Chauncy, P-12 Director of Teaching and Learning, has provided parents with an overview of Gib Gate’s high-quality Literature programme, explaining why quality literature is core to the Gib Gate Experience and how our specialist children’s Library is at the centre of our School and curriculum.

Catching up with holiday reading over the break reinforced for me just how critical it is for adults to model good reading practices and encourage students’ daily reading of good quality literature, especially given the increasingly online nature of our lives.

In the ‘Quarterly Essay, Net Loss – The Inner Life in the Digital Age’, author Sebastian Smee commented in a way that particularly resonated, noting that, ‘in our constant recourse to devices…it gets harder to be alone with ourselves or to pick up a book; harder still to stay with it.’ Looking at my tower of ‘must read books’ I was ashamed to admit to myself how my time spent reading quality literature had diminished, replaced by shallow, less challenging, far less character building ‘online time’.

Determined to change this habit, I switched off my phone and laptop, relegated these devices to another room and ploughed my way through books I had been so excited about reading but somehow never had the time to get to. What did I learn? I learnt about the world, about relationships, cultures, history, attitudes, perspectives, nature, art, humour, empathy, fear, loss, gratitude and grief, joy, wonder, adventure, words and language, how to think and question, the writer’s craft and probably, most importantly, I learnt more about myself.

I know parents share our concerns about the impact on children growing up in a seemingly all-encompassing online world. How best to help children find the balance needed when we ourselves can find it so difficult to achieve this? Finding time to read, to model good reading, to actively encourage good reading habits in our students and children is a simple but powerful way we can do this.

Ms Sally Robson, Head of Gib Gate

The Importance of Reading…Time…

From children’s author Katherine Patterson:  ‘It is not enough to simply teach children to read; we have to give them something worth reading. Something that will stretch their imaginations—something that will help them make sense of their own lives and encourage them to reach out toward people whose lives are quite different from their own.’

At Gib Gate a major goal is to develop in children a love of literature in all its forms and to continually encourage them to be lifelong readers. We do this through carefully considering the types of texts we choose to read with the students from Preschool to Year 6 ensuring that, by the end of their time with us, they have enjoyed a plethora of books we believe they ‘should not leave childhood without having read’. In each classroom, every day and in each weekly literature session in our library students learn to express themselves and respond to a variety of texts through discussion and formal and informal written response.

All family members -- parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters – play a significant and vitally important role in shaping our children into lifelong readers. Through modelling a love of reading as a worthwhile and enjoyable activity, and by ensuring time is spent reading daily, parents have the opportunity to be the best reading teachers in the world. Parental involvement is key to a child learning to read, to use language and to develop a love of reading – thereby enriching their lives.

Reading aloud to children is the single most important means of building the skills and knowledge necessary for children to successfully learn to read when they begin school, and to continue reading as they progress through primary and secondary school. Children who are good readers are usually successful learners. By setting time aside each day to turn off the TV, phones and electronic devices and to read aloud to children, we share the words and pictures, the ideas and viewpoints, the rhythms and rhymes, the pain and comfort, and the hopes, fears and big issues of life that we encounter together in the pages of a book. In this world of written information, of text and email, literacy is more important than it has ever been. We need to read and write, and we need global citizens who can read confidently, comprehend what they are reading, understand nuance, and make themselves understood.

Albert Einstein was asked once how we could make our children intelligent. His reply was both simple and wise: ‘If you want your children to be intelligent,’ he said, ‘read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.’

We look forward to sharing the quality literature – the books - your child will listen to, share and read daily in the classroom and as part of her homework programme in 2019. Our classrooms and our highly specialised children’s Library are treasure troves of books to enjoy.

Ms Kate Chauncy Director of Teaching and Learning P-12 and Coordinator of Gifted and Talented Programmes

Enrichment/Activities

Extra-Curricular activities commenced last week and there are places available in a limited number of classes. Please contact Mrs Graham if you would like your child enrolled. 

Hokuriku Gakuin Elementary School

Gib Gate students recommenced the Skype sessions with our sister school, Hokuriku Gakuin in Kanazawa, Japan. Mrs Gemell prepared the students to say hello and introduce themselves in Japanese. Kindergarten to Year 4 have all had a session of communicating with our sister school in the first weeks of the term.

Year 3 & 4 Outdoor Adventure Day

On Monday 25 February students in Year 3 and 4 will participate in their Outdoor Education Adventure day. Year 3 will abseil and bushwalk at Mount Alexander and Year 4 will mountain bike and engage in bush skills in Welby. Parents are reminded to refer to the information on Schoolbox regarding the start time and items to bring for this excursion.

Mrs Anne Graham, Gib Gate Coordinator (Administration)

Sport

Basketball
We congratulate the following students for being invited to trial for IPSHA Basketball representation last week: Tempe Arnott, Isabella Carpenter, Sophie Goodisson, Oliver Linde, Elizabeth Shadbolt, Arabella Whitehead (Year 6), Piper Berkelouw, York Doyle, Gretel Graham-Wansey (Year 5). Arabella was chosen in the final team of ten and she will now play for the IPSHA Basketball team at the CIS trials in Sydney this Friday.

Tennis
Sophie Goodisson (Year 6) is congratulated on her trial at the IPSHA Girls Tennis selections.

Snowsports
During the Summer holidays, Isabella Atra (Year 6) and Sebastian Atra (Year 4) were chosen to represent the Australian Winter Sports Club (EDEP) at the Welsh Alpine Championships in Champerey, Switzerland. Sebastian achieved outstanding results, winning the U10 GS and coming 2nd in the Under 10 Slalom. Isabella also achieved creditable results placing 15th in both of her U12 events.

Winter Sports
The Winter Sports Selection note was posted on Schoolbox last week. Students should nominate selections for their winter sports team. Hockey, Netball and Soccer are offered as Gib Gate winter team choices. Selections need to be finalised over the next two weeks so teams can be entered in the local competitions.

Mr Michael Standen (Co-ordinator PE and Sport Gib Gate)

Preschool

‘Play is the highest form of research’ Albert Einstein

Gib Gate’s Preschool students are keen explorers who eagerly head ‘Out the Gate’ to explore the Gib Gate forest, paddock and pine tree areas. Before each walk, Preschool students and staff run through a checklist of how to keep themselves safe while exploring. The list is extensive and includes sun protection, wearing boots as protection from insects, stick handling rules, precautions when turning over leaves on the ground, avoiding swooping birds, etc. Our students remember the safety precautions well and understand why we have them, often adding safety precautions of their own. One of the first points of call on our walk is to replenish the water supply we leave out for the animals that live around the School. We have noticed many parakeets, ducks and other birds drinking from the water pots which are visible through the Preschool fence.

On our walk last week, the students were quick to notice some sap on the bark of the trees, just out of our reach. One innovative thinker suggested we get a long stick to knock the sap off the tree. After some deliberation, discussion, trial and error, the students worked together to find sticks that were strong and long enough to reach the sap. After it was retrieved, they explored the texture and stickiness of the sap. The students were fascinated and huddled around, sharing their theories as to why the sap was sticky and how it got on the tree.

Exploring outdoor spaces generates natural discussion and contemplation on a level that promotes the sharing of theories and understanding. Through play, the students learn to be explorers and questioners of the world around them. 

Mrs Tinna Loker, Preschool Co-ordinator

Welcoming new students to the school at the start of Term 1, it was wonderful to see Gib Gate students excitedly greeting new and old classmates, and rewarding to watch Kindergarten 2019 start the school year so smoothly and confidently after participating in the 2018 Kindergarten Orientation Programme.

After an exciting start to the day, there was time to catch up with both new and old families at the Welcome Back Coffee Morning for parents in the Gib Gate Library, and it was lovely to see existing parents welcoming new families.

Working with senior colleagues, new staff and Gib Gate staff in the weeks leading up to the start of school, I am confident Gib Gate students will have a tremendous year guided by the expert teaching and learning team from Preschool to Year 6. The Gib Gate Preschool to Year 2 Early Years Curriculum is stronger than ever, with two experienced and expert educators, Ms Jacqueline Pawl and Ms Stefanie Klauer, joining the Gib Gate staff on Year 2 and Year 1.

Years 3 and 4 students are looking forward to the upcoming Outdoor Education programme where they will be learning to orienteer, cook outdoors, build an outdoor shelter, abseil and mountain bike. Year 5 is eagerly anticipating their first three-day Outdoor Education Camp and the Gib Gate Year 6 Leaders have already assumed their leadership responsibilities as Monitors and Kindergarten Buddies.

I am looking forward to welcoming parents to upcoming events such as the Families of Gib Gate (FOGG) Welcome Drinks, Parent Information morning and evenings, the Year 6 Monitors Presentation Assembly, Outdoor Education Camp briefings and the New Parent Welcome Dinner. All of these events are designed to assist you in finding out more about the School, your child’s class and how you can support your child at school.

Ms Sally Robson, Head of Gib Gate

New Science and Technology Syllabus for 2019

The new NESA Science & Technology Syllabus will be implemented K-6 from Term 1 2019. Science and Technology K-6 is an integrated discipline that fosters in students a sense of wonder and curiosity about the world around them and how it works, and encourages them to embrace new concepts and the unexpected and to learn through trialling, testing and refining ideas. The syllabus is designed to provide flexibility for teachers to develop teaching and learning programmes to meet the needs of our Gib Gate students who continue to display highly-developed skills and knowledge in this exciting Key Learning Area.

The syllabus now consists of five ‘strands’. In Living World students learn about living things, the needs of living things and where food comes from. In Material World students explore the characteristics and properties of materials and substances. In Physical World students explore forces, energy and how the physical characteristics of objects affect movement. In Earth and Space they learn about the Earth’s place in the universe and about caring for the Earth’s resources.

In Digital Technologies they investigate existing technologies and create digital solutions. In this particular strand, Gib Gate students have already begun their journey in learning about Digital Technologies - way ahead of their NSW peers - through their intensive Term 3 2018 programme on coding and algorithmic and computational thinking delivered by pedagogical specialist leaders in this field, ScopeIT Education, and we will continue to provide them with this exciting learning opportunity to develop and apply these 21^st century skills in Term 1 2019.

ScopeIT Education bring state-of-the-art equipment and expert technology educators to Gib Gate on Wednesday of each week, and each class is immersed in their new learning for one 40-minute lesson with instructors and their class teachers. This provides our students with the opportunity to learn new skills in a computer coding programme, taking their education in technology to the highest level by including: how the internet works; how to build basic apps, websites and other computer programs; safe use of the internet; logical thinking, problem solving techniques and creative design using technology; and 3D printing and robotics. The courses feature fun puzzles and interactive games so they can learn about the ‘engine’ that drives computers in a way that relates to what they already know about technology and their devices. Over time, students will be coding apps and printing 3D objects in class.

In Term 1 Kindergarten are participating in ‘Mouse Skills in 3D Design’; Year 1 ‘Coding for Kids 1’; Year 2 ‘Coding for Kids 2’; Years 3 and 4 ‘Young Coders 2’; and Years 5 and 6 move into more complex thinking through the ‘Intermediate Coding’ course. Teaching Kids to Code is about providing a fundamental set of skills and logical thought-process techniques. At Gib Gate we have chosen these specific differentiated courses not solely for the pursuit of ‘tech’ knowledge, but rather as a complementary set of skills to develop students’ thinking across all curriculum areas. Teaching students to code teaches a structured methodology of learning, logical thought process, problem solving and collaborative team work to name but a few skills. Often this is generalised as ‘algorithmic thinking’. We prefer the term ‘Teaching Kids to THINK … by Teaching Kids to Code’.

Students are spending increasing amounts of time on electronic devices but they are missing the underlying principles of how they work. Through learning computational thinking, design and reasoning we show them how to be creators, not just consumers of technology. Parents are invited to learn more about our learning providers at: https://www.scopeiteducation.edu.au

In addition, our students will develop an understanding of the five strands through two skill processes: Working Scientifically, and Design and Production. This enables them to answer questions and develop creative solutions to problems. The syllabus addresses important contemporary themes and general capabilities as students prepare to live and work successfully in the 21st century.

Ms Kate Chauncy Director of Teaching and Learning P-12 and Coordinator of Gifted and Talented Programmes

Enrichment/Activities

Music

Music lessons will recommence for continuing students next week (Week 3) and new students will commence lessons in Week 4. Places are available in all instruments if your child is interested in starting this year. Junior Singing sessions and Senior Choir have been held this week and Orchestra rehearsals will commence this week, Week 2, on Friday 8 February at 12.30pm.

Extra-Curricular Activities

Extra-Curricular activities commence in Week 3. There are places available in a number of classes. Please contact Mrs Graham if you would like to enrol your child.

Years 3 and 4 Outdoor Education Adventure Day

Year 3 and Year 4 will participate in an OEG Adventure Day on Monday 25 February. We are required to provide 2019 medical forms to OEG for the day. If you have not already done so, could you please assist by returning your child’s medical forms.

Mrs Anne Graham, Gib Gate Coordinator (Administration)

Sport

Summer Sports

The second half of the summer season is underway, with Basketball, Water Polo and U11 Cricket all starting back this week. Students and parents will shortly be asked to make their selection for winter sports, with these selections finalised by early March.

Swimming

The Swimming Development programme at The Centenary Pool for all classes from Kindergarten to Year 6 will resume in Week 2.

The Year 3 to Year 6 Gib Gate Swimming Carnival will be held at The Centenary Pool on Friday 15 February and all the children have been asked to nominate the events in which they wish to compete.

The SHIPS Carnival at Bowral PooI will take place on Thursday 28 February, while the IPSHA Carnival at Homebush will be held on Tuesday 5 March. Teams for these representative events will be selected following the Gib Gate Carnival. The Fun Aquatic Carnival for Kindergarten to Year 2 will be held on Thursday 14 March at The Centenary Pool. Parents are most welcome to come along and support at all these carnivals.

Squad and Swimming Development sessions for all levels are available at The Centenary Pool by contacting Ben Slade at the Pool on 4872 3672.

Swimming Race Development Clinics are held each Friday afternoon from 4:00pm at The Centenary Pool. This is open to any Gib Gate students wishing to develop skills in diving off blocks, timing and fitness.

Cross Country

The Gib Gate Cross Country Carnival will be held on Friday 22 March, with the SHIPS Carnival held at Gib Gate on Tuesday 26 March and the IPSHA Carnival at The Kings School Parramatta on Saturday 6 April. Cross Country training will begin in Week 5 this term on two mornings a week. Training is open to all children from Year 2 to Year 6.

Representative Trials

Term 1 is a busy time for selection trials for various representative sports. Over the coming weeks, several children from Year 5 and 6 will be invited to trial for IPSHA selection in a range of sports.

Mr Michael Standen (Co-ordinator PE and Sport Gib Gate)

Preschool

Show and Tell provides an opportunity to share personal items/home-grown produce and experiences with Preschool. Presenting is valued at Gib Gate as a powerful activity that fosters self-esteem and allows each child to become ‘an expert’, sharing their knowledge with their class. These informal interactions foster oral language by building vocabulary as well as self-expression. They are an activity that can be socially rewarding and academically advantageous for young children, while also solidifying the home-school connection. By encouraging the children to participate and speak in front of others, the student can be the centre of attention, and their classmates learn to respect each other’s turn to talk. Students have the opportunity to practice the skill of listening to and answering simple questions. This term commenced with many eager Gib Gate pupils eager to share experiences with their classmates.

For Show and Tell, Louis Vaile brought in a bowl of blackberries he had picked before school…and shared them with his peers. During the morning meeting, Louis told his classmates about the prickly parts of the bush around which you need to be careful and about how some of the berries are ‘squishy’ before you pick them. He decided blackberry pancakes should be made so a group of children measured flour, milk, and blackberries into a bowl before adding the mixture to the frypan to cook. The blackberry pancakes tasted delicious and were enjoyed by all.

Leo Berkelouw brought photos, cards and a badge from an aircraft museum in America that he had visited during the vacation. He shared information about the aircraft and explained that the planes landed in the water when the men fought during the war.

Samuel Robb discussed the postcards he sent to Preschool over the vacation. He explained how he posted them from a museum that had planes and trains. He shared with the class that he didn’t think people fought there but moved the trains with levers.

It was delightful to see the respect the children have as they listened and questioned our presenters.

Mrs Tinna Locker, Preschool Co-ordinator

Circling Back exhibition opening

On Sunday 9 June, we opened our new exhibition “Circling Back” featuring new sculptural work by local artist Harriet Goodall. Over 250 people joined us for the opening and we welcomed special guest Sophie Hansen who gave a very encouraging speech about the value of engaging with community through art. Over two thirds of all work sold within the first few days and the exhibition is a ‘must see’. 

It’s not too late to enrol into Winter School!
Take the opportunity to book into one of the creative winter courses designed to feed the soul. We still have a few places available across some popular courses:

• Organic indigo vats: shibori and resist printing with Julie Ryder - Explore different types of indigo vats and the many aspects of shibori in order to resist dye with indigo - clamping, stitching, pole-wrapping, resist paste printing and much more. 
• Creative papermaking with Peter Taylor - Learn to recycle coloured paper, pulp production and sheet formation moving on to natural and man-made additions; dyes, double-couching ‘sandwiches’, embossing, joining sheets, bowl making, surface treatment & chromatography.  This course is ideal for those who are interested in extending their current art practice. 
• Metalworking with Vicki Mason - Learn from a master of her craft!  Using the rolling mills as a tool for drawing on metal, explore design elements, solder inlay, making jigs, findings and patination.  Ideal for those looking for a new avenue of exploration and invention! 
• 5 one-day children’s classes - Mixed media & drawing, Painting & drawing, Basketry, Printmaking on fabric, Ceramics.  $95 per day or $440 for the week.  Morning tea, lunch and all materials included. The children’s classes run in line with the adult classes enabling for parent and child to have a creative week.

For more information or to enrol online, please visit http://www.sturt.nsw.edu.au/education/winter-school  

Alternatively, call Sturt Shop on + 2 4860 2083 (open 7 days, 10.00am to 5.00pm).

New weekly class in Jewellery
A new weekly class for adults wishing to learn jewellery/metalwork has been scheduled for Wednesday nights in Term 2 from 6.00pm-9.00pm. There are a few places still available for this class.  Contact Sturt Shop.

Short Courses
Our next weekend of short courses will take place on Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 August 9.30am-4.30pm

Make a low stool with Evan Dunstone
(This is a 3 day workshop: Friday 2-Sunday 4 August)
Level: All levels| Cost: $465 + materials $230

The low stool is comprised of a simple 3-board construction that relies on 2 critical joints. A “bird’s beak” connecting the legs to the top is consistent across all three joinery options. Entry level Students can choose a through-wedged-dowel joint to finish off the Bird’s Beak. Intermediate woodworkers can choose a single through-wedged-tenon option while advanced woodworkers can choose a twin through-wedged-tenon option.

In this course you will learn marking out techniques, accurate joinery, tool preparation, sharpening, chisel handling, hand sawing and much, much more.

You will be supplied with 1 x (500 x 246mm x 30mm) and 2 x (350mm x 246mm x 350mm) panels of clear Tasmanian Myrtle, a piece of 3mm MDF to protect your work during chisel work, a piece of rubber mat to protect your work during other processes and an accurate 45 deg. chiselling jig made from 420mm x 110mm x 42mm rock maple (you can keep the jig).

Evan is one of Australia’s foremost contemporary chair designers, represented in galleries throughout the country. Awarded a Churchill Fellowship to study contemporary chair design and manufacture in England and the USA Evan found the Fellowship his passport to a greater understanding of the craft and deeper appreciation of design.

Explore rib basketry with Jillian Culey
Level: All levels | Cost: $310 + materials (TBA)

Create three baskets in one weekend exploring the ancient art of Rib Basketry. Day one you will have the opportunity to create two small rib baskets using various weaving and construction techniques and on day two focus on a larger piece with an opportunity to incorporate your own handmade string.

Jillian Culey is a fibre artist who is inspired by the natural fibres she uses and by the ancient and universal craft of basket weaving. Her work explores the woven form; its delicacy, its strength, its simplicity and its complexity. Jillian designs and creates baskets and sculptural pieces for exhibition, retail stores and private collections.

Current exhibition…

Circling back - Continues to 28 July

A stunning exhibition of sculptural work using basketry, woven installations and wall hangings in salvaged metal and natural fibres explores traces in a rural landscape.

Since childhood, Harriet Goodall found herself drawn to climb through fences and forage old house sites and farm rubbish dumps where old machinery rusts and falls apart or even cars burnt and left on roadsides. Harriet has always collected haunting relics from these sites and been intrigued by the mysterious energy that lingers when things are abandoned.  Soon nature begins to reclaim the elements and the indelible marks of age and decay begin. What remains of us when we leave a place? How long do traces of us remain on the landscape?

“I am forever circling back, not just in my dreams, but literally also to collect materials I find by the roadside or in the paddocks. I weave through these fences and burnt out car panels with naturally coloured fibres that mimic the scribbly lines of insects on bark, striations in granite boulders, wending rivers or sheep tracks in dry paddocks. My heart beats for the decay and beauty of inland Australia and this is an elegy for the loss of feeling that I belong there.”

Raised in rural Australia, Harriet Goodall is a full-time sculptor and basket maker exploring the intersection of traditional craft with contemporary art and design. She has taught regular basketry classes for more than ten years in Australia and internationally and has pieces in private and commercial collections.

Sturt’s next exhibition …

Cadence – natural rhythm - 4 August-22 September

Rhythm, pace, patterns. Cadence surrounds us and this exhibition is inspired by it. We look to repetitive patterns found in fauna and flora together with subtle textures of grain and feathers. We find inspiration in the rhythmic call of tree frogs after an evening of summer rain or in the annual migration of a Bogong moth. We witness the result of unrelenting cadence upon geological formations, where tidal waves etch tessellated sandstone tiles or simply the cadence within the routine rhythm of a human life. 

Artists include Tania Rollond, Yvette Marie Tziallas, Lou Harriss, Chelsea Lemon, Roberto Gnecchi Ruscone, Virginia Sprague, Jane Frances Reilly, Julia Flanagan, China de La Vega, Penelope McManus, Phoebe Middleton, Bella Gnecchi Ruscone, Imogen Keen, Cath Derksema, Lucy Turner.

It’s not too late to enrol in Winter School!

Take the opportunity to book into one of our creative winter courses designed to feed the soul! We still have a few places available.

Organic indigo vats: shibori & resist printing with Julie Ryder - Explore different types of indigo vats and the many aspects of shibori in order to resist dye with indigo - clamping, stitching, pole-wrapping, resist paste printing and much more. 

Creative papermaking with Peter Taylor - Learn to recycle coloured paper, pulp production and sheet formation moving on to natural and man-made additions: dyes, double-couching ‘sandwiches’, embossing, joining sheets, bowl making, surface treatment and chromatography. This course is ideal for those who are interested in extending their current art practice.

Soft basketry with Jillian Culey - Learn twine, plait and twill basket weaving to create small sample baskets/bags in each technique. Explore fibres, textures and patterns while considering design and form, going on to extend your skills into a major project.

Metalworking with Vicki Mason - Learn from a master of her craft!  Using the rolling mills as a tool for drawing on metal, explore design elements, solder inlay, making jigs, findings and patination. Ideal for those looking for a new avenue of exploration and invention!

Wood Carving; one small tree with Jeff Donne - Create a number of beautiful handmade objects. Using knife and axe-carving techniques, make a selection of hand carved spoons working up to a complex Swedish eating spoon with a cranked bowl and handle decoration. 

Five, one-day children’s classes: Mixed Media & Drawing, Painting & Drawing, Basketry, Printmaking on Fabric, Ceramics. The children’s classes run concurrently with the adult classes allowing parents and children to all have a creative week!

For more information or to enrol, visit http://www.sturt.nsw.edu.au/education/winter-school. Alternatively, you can call Sturt Shop on +61 2  4860 2083. The Gallery is open 7 days from 10:00am to 5:00pm.

You are invited to the opening of our next exhibition: Circling Back, 9 June - 28 July

A stunning new exhibition of sculptural work using basketry, woven installations and wall hangings in salvaged metal and natural fibres, exploring traces in a rural landscape.

Raised in rural Australia, Harriet Goodall is a full-time sculptor and basket maker exploring the intersection of traditional craft with contemporary art and design. She has taught regular basketry classes for more than ten years in Australia and internationally and has pieces in private and commercial collections.

“I am forever circling back, not just in my dreams, but literally also to collect materials I find by the roadside or in the paddocks. I weave through these fences and burnt out car panels with naturally coloured fibres that mimic the scribbly lines of insects on bark, striations in granite boulders, wending rivers or sheep tracks in dry paddocks. My heart beats for the decay and beauty of inland Australia and this is an elegy for the loss of feeling that I belong there”.

The exhibition opening will take place on Sunday 9 June at 11:00am and will be opened by special guest, Sophie Hansen, food writer, blogger, farmer and 2016 Australian Rural Woman of the Year. 

REMINDER: Frensham Schools PARENT PREVIEW – 10:00am Friday 7 June

New weekly class in Jewellery
A new weekly class for adults wishing to learn jewellery/metalwork has been scheduled for Wednesday nights in Term 2 from 6.00pm to 9.00pm. There are a few places still available for this class. Contact Sturt Shop if you are interested in joining the class.

Short Courses
Our next weekend of short courses will take place on Saturday 3 & Sunday 4 August from 9.30am-4.30pm.

Make a low stool with Evan Dunstone (3-day course: Friday 2 - Sunday 4 August)
The low stool is comprised of a simple 3-board construction that relies on 2 critical joints. A “bird’s beak” connecting the legs to the top is consistent across all three joinery options. Entry level Students can choose a through-wedged-dowel joint to finish off the Bird’s Beak. Intermediate woodworkers can choose a single through-wedged-tenon option, while advanced woodworkers can choose a twin through-wedged-tenon option. You will learn marking out techniques, accurate joinery, tool preparation, sharpening, chisel handling, hand sawing and much more.

Explore rib basketry with Jillian Culey
Create three baskets in one weekend exploring the ancient art of Rib Basketry. Day One you will have the opportunity to create two small rib baskets using various weaving and construction techniques and on Day Two focus on a larger piece with an opportunity to incorporate your own handmade string.

For more information about the Short Courses or to enrol, visit: http://www.sturt.nsw.edu.au/education/short-courses

Current exhibition… Punu – living wood, continues to 2 June

We are in the final week of the exhibition celebrating the collaboration between Sturt and Maruku Arts featuring work by senior artists Niningka Lewis, Billy and Lulu Cooley and over 20 other artists including generations of the Cooley family.

Maruku Arts support over 900 artists from the communities surrounding Uluru. Based in Mutitjulu Community, and in the shadow of Ayers Rock Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Maruku today is one of the largest and most successful Indigenous owned and operated arts organisations. This exhibition is a celebration of punu - objects and paintings that incorporate timber.

In conjunction with the exhibition is a display featuring work by local Indigenous artists, Peter Swain, a Wiradjuri Warrambinga man who makes tools, artefacts and teaches Boomerang making and throwing, and The Yirran Miigaydhu Weavers who are showcasing some of their work made from local fibres and native grasses.

Friends of Sturt
The next FOS Committee meeting will take place on Wednesday 5 June from 5.30pm in Sturt Cottage. All current members are welcome to join the committee for a glass of wine and a preview of the new exhibition, Circling Back. A reminder to all members that annual subscriptions are now due and renewals can be made at http://www.sturt.nsw.edu.au/get-involved/friends-of-sturt.

Mark Viner, Head of Sturt

Full details of all Sturt courses, exhibitions, residency programs and events can be found on our website www.sturt.nsw.edu.au or to make a booking or enrolment call Sturt Shop on 02 4860 2083 or email shop@sturt.nsw.edu.au

You are invited to the opening of our next exhibition:

Circling back - 9 June to 28 July

A stunning new exhibition of sculptural work using basketry, woven installations and wall hangings in salvaged metal and natural fibres, explores traces in a rural landscape.

Since childhood, Harriet Goodall was drawn to climb through fences and forage old house sites and farm rubbish dumps where old machinery rusts and falls apart or cars are burnt and left on roadsides. Harriet has always collected haunting relics from these sites and been intrigued by the mysterious energy that lingers when things are abandoned. Nature quickly begins to reclaim the discarded items and the indelible marks of age and decay begin. What remains of us when we leave a place? How long do traces of us remain on the landscape?

‘I am forever circling back, not just in my dreams, but also to collect materials I find by the roadside or in the paddocks. I weave through these fences and burnt out car panels with naturally coloured fibres that mimic the scribbly lines of insects on bark, striations in granite boulders, wending rivers or sheep tracks in dry paddocks. My heart beats for the decay and beauty of inland Australia and this is an elegy for the loss and of feeling that I belong there.’

Raised in rural Australia, Harriet Goodall is a full-time sculptor and basket maker exploring the intersection of traditional craft with contemporary art and design. She has taught regular basketry classes for more than ten years in Australia and internationally, and has pieces in private and commercial collections.

The exhibition opening will take place on Sunday 9 June at 11:00am and will be opened by special guest, Sophie Hansen, author of A Basket by the Door, food writer, blogger, farmer and Australian Rural Woman of the Year (2016).

New weekly class in Jewellery
A new weekly class for adults wishing to learn Jewellery/Metalwork has been scheduled for Wednesday nights in Term 2 from 6:00pm to 9:00pm. There are a few places still available for this class but they will not be available for long. Contact Sturt Shop if you are interested in joining the class.

Winter School is filling up!
Courses are filling fast for our next Winter School that will take place from the 8 to 12 July. This year we have 16 courses on offer for adults plus daily classes for children. Remember that we offer competitive accommodation and meal packages making our Winter School a unique cultural experience. All courses and accommodation can be booked online here.

Propose an exhibition for 2020
Do you have a great idea for an exhibition that will appeal to broad audiences and generate income for artists? If so, we’d love to hear from you. Full details of how to submit an exhibition proposal can be found on our website. We will be planning our 2020 exhibition programme in April so now is the time to put your idea to us.

Short Courses

Our next weekend of Short Courses will take place from Saturday 3 to Sunday 4 August from 9.30am to 4.30pm. Short Courses offered are:

Make a low stool with Evan Dunstone
(This is a 3 day workshop: Friday 2 - Sunday 4 August)
Level: All levels | Cost: $465 + materials $230

The low stool is a simple three-board construction that relies on two critical joints. A ‘bird’s bea” connecting the legs to the top is consistent across all three joinery options. Entry level Students can choose a through-wedged-dowel joint to finish off the Bird’s Beak. Intermediate woodworkers can choose a single through-wedged-tenon option, while advanced woodworkers can choose a twin through-wedged-tenon option.

In this course you will learn marking-out techniques, accurate joinery, tool preparation, sharpening, chisel handling, hand sawing and much more.

Evan is one of Australia’s foremost contemporary chair designers and is represented in galleries throughout the country. Awarded a Churchill Fellowship to study contemporary chair design and manufacture in England and the USA, Evan found the Fellowship his passport to a greater understanding of the craft and a deeper appreciation of design.

Explore rib basketry with Jillian Culey
Level: All levels | Cost: $310 + materials (TBA)

Create three baskets in one weekend exploring the ancient art of Rib Basketry. On day one you will have the opportunity to create two small rib baskets using various weaving and construction techniques, and on day two focus on a larger piece with an opportunity to incorporate your own handmade string.

Jillian Culey is a fibre artist who is inspired by the natural fibres she uses and by the ancient and universal craft of basket weaving. Her work explores the woven form; its delicacy, its strength, its simplicity and its complexity. Jillian designs and creates baskets and sculptural pieces for exhibition, retail stores and private collections.

Our current exhibition… Punu – living wood – continues to 2 June

This new collaboration between Sturt and Maruku Arts features work by senior artists, Niningka Lewis, Billy and Lulu Cooley and over 20 other artists, including generations of the Cooley family.

Maruku Arts support over 900 artists from the communities surrounding Uluru. Based in Mutitjulu Community, and in the shadow of Ayers Rock Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Maruku today is one of the largest and most successful Indigenous owned and operated arts organisations. This exhibition is a celebration of punu - objects and paintings that incorporate timber.

In conjunction with this exhibition will be a display featuring work by local Indigenous artists: Peter Swain who makes tools and Artefacts and teaches Boomerang making and throwing. The Yirran Miigaydhu Weavers (meaning many women weaving in Dharawal) will showcase their work made from local fibres and native grasses. The group uses traditional methods of making to create works in their unique style such as coil baskets, bark water carriers, dilly bags, animal sculptures, random weave baskets, fish nets and adornments.

Mark Viner, Head of Sturt

Full details of all Sturt courses, exhibitions, residency programs and events can be found on our website www.sturt.nsw.edu.au or to make a booking or enrolment call Sturt Shop on 02 4860 2083 or email shop@sturt.nsw.edu.au

Welcome back to everyone for the start of Term 2
This term, Paul Nicholson will be leading the Wood School through the creation of a dovetail saw and then the first major design/making project called ‘The Drawer Project’. For adults, weekly classes resumed on Monday 29 April with Frensham students starting on Monday 6 May. It is an exciting term in the lead up to Sturt Winter School which will be held from 8 to 12 July.

Punu - living wood exhibition opening was a great success!
Our Special Event week with senior aboriginal artists, Billy and Lulu Cooley, was immensely successful and commenced with a two-day, intensive education programme that saw more than 200 students, staff and carers preview the show and sit with Billy and Lulu while they demonstrated their work practice and answered many questions. Our weekend was equally as successful with a full house both Saturday and Sunday for artist talks, demonstrations and the exhibition opening. 

Punu - living wood is open until June 2. If you are interested in hearing Billy’s interview with ABC Illawarra, please visit the Sturt Facebook page.

Winter School is filling up!
Courses are filling fast for our next Winter School that will take place from 8 to 12 July. This year, there are 16 courses on offer for adults plus daily classes for children. We offer competitive accommodation and meals packages making our Winter School a unique cultural experience. All courses and accommodation can be booked online at Sturt Winter School.  

Propose an exhibition for 2020
Do you have a great idea for an exhibition that will appeal to broad audiences and generate income for artists? If so, we’d love to hear from you. Full details of how to submit an exhibition proposal can be found here. We are currently planning our 2020 exhibition programme.

Short Courses 2019
Our Short Course programme for 2019 is now online and available for bookings. The first weekend of short courses will take place on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 May from 9.30am to 4.30pm. Short Courses on offer are:

Landscape Basketry with Lissa-Jane de Sailles
Every basket tells a story. Take your weaving skills further in this workshop where you will learn how to weave beautiful patterns into your baskets using colourful twine and wool. We begin by learning the ancient art of twining and how to incorporate asymmetrical patterns into your work. Participants will be able to complete a small basket over the weekend as well as learn how to design a larger project which can be completed independently. More Information.

Origami Surface with Angharad Rixon
You will explore couture pleating, experimenting with traditional corrugated and flat pleats which can be used to create geometric surface patterns. We will look at the process of design pleating and use this newly learned process to design and make a pleated tote bag in rip-stop nylon that will hold a pleat permanently. This workshop is suited to artists who are looking for techniques to take their 2D textiles into 3-dimensions. More information.

Our current exhibition

Punu - living wood – continues to 2 June
This new collaboration between Sturt and Maruku Arts features work by senior artists Niningka Lewis, Billy and Lulu Cooley, and over 20 other artists including generations of the Cooley family – David Cooley, Sissy Cooley and Janey Cooley. Maruku Arts support over 900 artists from the communities surrounding Uluru. Based in Mutitjulu Community, and in the shadow of Ayers Rock Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Maruku today is one of the largest and most successful Indigenous owned and operated arts organisations.This exhibition is a celebration of punu - objects and paintings that incorporate timber.

Our next exhibition

Circling back – 9 June to 28 July
New work by Harriet Goodall, sculpture woven in fibre and salvaged metal.

Mark Viner, Head of Sturt

Full details of all Sturt courses, exhibitions, residency programs and events can be found on our website www.sturt.nsw.edu.au or to make a booking or enrolment call Sturt Shop on 02 4860 2083 or email shop@sturt.nsw.edu.au

ALUMNI 2 – new work by selected graduates from Sturt School for Wood 2006-2016 - Closes 7 April
Don’t miss out on this showcase from makers who graduated from the Sturt School for Wood in the period 2006 to 2016, a time when the School began to establish a national reputation for the quality of the makers it produced. You have until 7 April to view the stunning pieces.

Winter School is filling up!

Courses are filling fast for our next Winter School that will take place from the 8 to 12 July. This year we have 16 courses on offer for adults along with daily classes for children. Remember that we offer competitive accommodation and meal packages, making our Winter School a unique cultural experience. Courses and accommodation can be booked online at Sturt Winter School. 

A SPECIAL EVENT

Coinciding with Sturt’s exhibition, Punu, living wood features artists from Maruku Arts.
Sturt is holding a unique exhibition with Maruku Arts from the Northern Territory. This coincides with a short Artists Residency with senior indigenous artists, Billy and Lulu Cooley, which will incorporate various public demonstrations over the residency period.

Wednesday April 10 & Thursday 11 April
11:00am-12.30pm (both days); 1.45pm-3:00pm (both days)

In this interactive public demonstration, watch, learn and understand the processes involved in carving music sticks and Punu (traditional wood burning designs) led by Billy and Lulu Cooley. All are welcome and school groups encouraged.

Saturday 13 April
10.30am-11.30am: Gallery talk with Curator, Slavica Zivkovic, and Billy and Lulu Cooley.
11.30am-12.30pm: Interactive public demonstration featuring the processes involved in carving music sticks and Punu led by Billy and Lulu Cooley.

Sunday 14 April
11:00am-12:00noon: Exhibition opening with Terri Janke BA.LLB (UNSW), Solicitor Director of Terri Janke and Company
1:00pm-2.30pm: Interactive public demonstration

Propose an exhibition for 2020

Do you have a great idea for an exhibition that will appeal to a broad audience and generate income for artists? If so, we’d love to hear from you. Full details of how to submit an exhibition proposal can be found on the Sturt website. We will be planning our 2020 exhibition program in April so now is the time to submit your idea.

Short Courses 2019

Our Short Course program for 2019 is now online and available for booking. The first weekend of Short Courses will take place on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 May from 9.30am to 4.30pm.

Landscape Basketry with Lissa-Jane de Sailles
Level: All levels| Cost: $310 + materials TBA

Every basket tells a story: Take your weaving skills further. In this workshop you will learn how to weave beautiful patterns into your baskets using colourful twine and wool. We begin by learning the ancient art of twining and how to incorporate asymmetrical patterns into your work. Participants will be able to complete a small basket over the weekend as well as learn how to design a larger project which can be completed independently.

Origami Surface with Angharad Rixon
Level: All levels| Cost: $310 + materials TBA

In this course you will explore couture pleating, experimenting with traditional corrugated and flat pleats which can be used to create geometric surface patterns. Look at the process of design pleating and use this newly learned process to design and make a pleated tote bag in rip-stop nylon that will hold a pleat permanently. This workshop is suited to artists who are looking for techniques to take their 2D textiles into 3-dimensions.

For more information, or to sign up for Short Courses: Sturt Short Courses.

Our next exhibition…

Punu – living wood
4 April to 2 June

This new collaboration between Sturt and Maruku Arts will feature work by senior artists, Niningka Lewis, Billy Cooley and Lulu Cooley, and over 20 other artists including generations of the Cooley family: David Cooley, Sissy Cooley and Janey Cooley.

Maruku Arts support over 900 artists from the communities surrounding Uluru. Based in Mutitjulu Community, and in the shadow of Ayers Rock Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Maruku today is one of the largest and most successful Indigenous-owned and operated arts organisations. This exhibition is a celebration of punu - objects and paintings that incorporate timber.

Billy and Lulu Cooley will be in residency at Sturt for two weeks from 8 April and will give a series of free demonstrations and talks during this time.

In conjunction with this exhibition will be a display featuring work by local Indigenous artists, Peter Swain and The Yirran Miigaydhu Weavers.  

The Punu – living wood opening will take place on Sunday 14 April at 11:00am with the exhibition officially opened by special guest, Terri Janke, Solicitor Director of Terri Janke and Company.

Mark Viner, Head of Sturt

Full details of all Sturt courses, exhibitions, residency programs and events can be found on our website www.sturt.nsw.edu.au or to make a booking or enrolment call Sturt Shop on 02 4860 2083 or email shop@sturt.nsw.edu.au

A SPECIAL EVENT coinciding with Sturt’s exhibition, Punu, living wood, features artists from Maruku Arts

Sturt is holding a unique exhibition with Maruku Arts from the Northern Territory. This coincides with a short Artists Residency with senior indigenous artists from Marulu Arts, Billy and Lulu Cooley, which will incorporate various public demonstrations over the residency period.

Wednesday 10 April-Thursday 11 April, 11.00am-12.30pm and 1.45pm-3.00pm

In this interactive public demonstration, watch, learn and understand the processes involved in carving music sticks and Punu (traditional wood burning designs) led by senior indigenous artists, Billy and Lulu Cooley. All are welcome! 

Saturday 13 April

• 10.30am-11.30am: Gallery talk with Curator, Slavica Zivkovic, and artists, Billy and Lulu Cooley.
• 11.30-12.30pm: Interactive public demonstration featuring the processes involved in carving music sticks and Punu led by Billy and Lulu Cooley.

Sunday 14 April

• 11.00am-12.00pm: Exhibition opening with Terri Janke BA.LLB (UNSW), Solicitor Director of Terri Janke and Company.
• 1.00pm-2.30pm: Interactive public demonstration

Friends of Sturt volunteer call-out

Friends of Sturt are seeking a volunteer to assist for three hours on one Wednesday each month in the Archives building, to help sort and catalogue archive and collection material. If you are interested in lending your time, please call Denise Sumner on 02 4868 2425.

Propose an exhibition for 2020

Do you have a great idea for an exhibition that will appeal to broad audiences and generate income for artists? If so, we would love to hear from you. Full details of how to submit an exhibition proposal can be found on the Sturt website. The planning of the 2020 exhibition programme will commence in April. 

Short Courses 2019

Our Short Course programme for 2019 is now online and available for bookings. The first weekend of Short Courses will take place on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 May from 9.30am until 4.30pm.

Landscape Basketry with Lissa-Jane de Sailles

Level: All levels | Cost: $310 + materials TBA

Every basket tells a story. Take your weaving skills further in this workshop where you will learn how to weave beautiful patterns into your baskets using colourful twine and wool. We begin by learning the ancient art of twining and how to incorporate asymmetrical patterns into your work. Participants will be able to complete a small basket over the weekend as well as learn how to design a larger project which can be completed independently.

In 2013 Shoalhaven-based fibre artist, Lissa de Sailles, won a local scholarship that enabled her to study with master basket maker, the late Jim Wallis. This style of basket was one of Jim’s signature works and as he wished for his work to be carried on after his death, he taught Lissa his repertoire over a period of four months. Since that time, Lissa has added her own touch to these beautiful and unique baskets which reflect the colours and patterns of the Australian landscape. 

Origami Surface with Angharad Rixon

Level: All levels | Cost: $310 + materials TBA

You will explore couture pleating, experimenting with traditional corrugated and flat pleats which can be used to create geometric surface patterns. We will look at the process of design pleating and use this newly learned process to design and make a pleated tote bag in rip-stop nylon. This workshop is suited to artists who are looking for techniques to take their 2D textiles into three dimensions.

Angharad Rixon is a technical textile historian specialising in lace and passementerie. Her studies in Italy, Switzerland and Spain have led to skills in a variety of off-loom techniques. Angharad lectures in Milan and Florence and consults for museums and universities around the world.

Winter School 2019

The Winter School programme is now open for online bookings and courses are beginning to fill. Winter School will take place from 8 to 12 July and there are 16 courses on offer for adults plus daily classes for children. A reminder that we offer competitive accommodation and meals packages, making our Winter School a unique cultural experience.

Our current exhibition…

ALUMNI 2 – new work by selected graduates from Sturt School for Wood 2006-2016 - Continues until 7 April

The Sturt School for Wood was established in 1985 as an intensive training place for aspiring fine furniture makers and designers. Over 30 years later the School has built a national and international reputation offering an unrivalled course taught by some of the best fine furniture makers and teachers working in Australia and overseas. 

In this follow-up exhibition to our first staged in 2017, we will showcase makers who graduated from Sturt in the period fro 2006 to 2016, a time when the School began to establish a national reputation for the quality of the makers it produced.

Artists include: Isabel Avendano, Chris Bartkus, Phoebe Everill, Ian Factor, Bailey Farmer, Ray Garnsey, Mark Gudgin, Steve Harper, Darryl Ingate, Christopher Neal, Darren Oates, Grant Robertson, Adrian Spano, Ruth Thompson, and Orest Danylak.

Our next exhibition…

Punu – living wood - 14 April to 2 June

This new collaboration between Sturt and Maruku Arts will feature work by senior artists, Niningka Lewis, Billy and Lulu Cooley and over 20 other artists including generations of the Cooley family — David Cooley, Sissy Cooley and Janey Cooley.

Maruku Arts support over 900 artists from the communities surrounding Uluru. Based in Mutitjulu Community, and in the shadow of Ayers Rock Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, today Maruku is one of the largest and most successful Indigenous owned and operated arts organisations. This exhibition is a celebration of punu - objects and paintings that incorporate timber.

Niningka Lewis is a skilled punu artist proficient in sculptures, however she is also renowned for her walka boards — burnt etching on board where she adds paint in sections often depicting personal memories from her childhood as well as her first connate experiences.

Billy Cooley is a master carver producing intricately carved snakes made from various desert timbers that he sources and shapes to bring to life wanampi water serpents, each one uniquely realistic with distinctive markings that are etched to represent scales and patterns. His work is highly regarded and in many collections around the world.

Lulu Cooley is Minyma Ulkumunu, a senior Aboriginal Woman, and a consummate carver specialising in pita and wira traditional bowls. The pita, or wooden bowl, is a traditional woman’s carrying vessel for food and water. Lulu has developed a distinctive scallop pattern to her creations that evolved after observation of her mother’s work.

Billy and Lulu Cooley will be in residency at Sturt for two weeks from 8 April and will give a series of free demonstrations and talks during this time.

In conjunction with this exhibition will be a display featuring work by local Indigenous artist, Peter Swain, a Wiradjuri Warrambinga man and a direct descendant of Peggy and Jimmy Lambert, the Daby people of Rylstone. Peter has been sharing his Aboriginal culture and expertise in schools for the last ten years. He is a practising artist having exhibited in galleries across NSW, ACT and Victoria showing works of mixed media. Peter makes tools and artefacts and teaches Boomerang making and throwing.

The Yirran Miigaydhu Weavers (meaning many women weaving in Dharawal) will showcase some of their work made from local fibres and native grasses. The group learns traditional methods of making to create works in their own individual style such as coil baskets, bark water carriers, dilly bags, animal sculptures, random weave baskets, fishnets and adornments.

The exhibition opening will take place on Sunday 14 April at 11.00am and will be opened by special guest, Terri Janke, Solicitor Director of Terri Janke and Company.

Mark Viner, Head of Sturt

Full details of all Sturt courses, exhibitions, residency programs and events can be found on our website www.sturt.nsw.edu.au or to make a booking or enrolment call Sturt Shop on 02 4860 2083 or email shop@sturt.nsw.edu.au

Propose an exhibition for 2020

Do you have a great idea for an exhibition that will appeal to a broad audience and generate income for artists? If so, we’d love to hear from you. Full details of how to submit an exhibition proposal can be found on our website. We will be planning our 2020 exhibition programme in April so now is the time to pitch your idea to us.

Short Courses 2019

The first weekend of Short Courses will take place on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 May from 9.30am to 4.30pm.

Landscape Basketry with Lissa-Jane de Sailles
Level: All levels| Cost: $310 + materials TBA

Every basket tells a story. Take your weaving skills further in this workshop where you will learn how to weave beautiful patterns into your baskets using colourful twine and wool. We begin by learning the ancient art of twining and how to incorporate asymmetrical patterns into your work. Participants will be able to complete a small basket over the weekend as well as learn how to design a larger project which can be completed independently.

In 2013 Shoalhaven based fibre artist, Lissa de Sailles, won a local scholarship that enabled her to study with master basket maker, the late Jim Wallis. This style of basket was one of Jim’s signature works and as he wished for his work to be carried on after his death, he taught Lissa his repertoire over a period of four months. Since that time, Lissa has added her own touch to these beautiful and unique baskets which reflect the colours and patterns of the Australian landscape.

Origami Surface with Angharad Rixon
Level: All levels| Cost: $310 + materials TBA

You will explore couture pleating, experimenting with traditional corrugated and flat pleats which can be used to create geometric surface patterns. We will look at the process of design pleating and use this newly-learned process to design and make a pleated tote bag in rip-stop nylon that will hold a pleat permanently. This workshop is suited to artists who are looking for techniques to take their 2D textiles into 3-dimensions.

Angharad Rixon is a technical textile historian specialising in lace and passementerie. Her studies in Italy, Switzerland and Spain have led to skills in a variety of off-loom techniques. Ms Rixon lectures in Milan and Florence and consults for museums and universities around the world.

Residencies in 2019

An exciting programme of residencies in 2019 will include a visit in April by two artists from Maruku Arts to work in Punu, traditional wood carving and sculpture. We will welcome Rachel Wood from England for a professional residency in ceramics prior to the opening of her exhibition at Sturt in September. We will also welcome back furniture designer, Isabelle Moore from Scotland, who will be teaching Term 4 in the School for Wood. Graduate residents for 2019 include jewellery maker, Brooke Coutts-Wood, and furniture maker, Wayne Creaser.

Winter School 2019

Online bookings for the Winter School are now open and courses are beginning to fill. Winter School will take place from 8 to 12 July this year. We have 16 courses on offer for adults plus daily classes for children. Remember that we offer competitive accommodation and meals packages, making our Winter School a unique cultural experience.

Our current exhibition…

ALUMNI 2 – new work by selected graduates from Sturt School for Wood 2006-2016 - 17 February to 7 April
The Sturt School for Wood was established in 1985 as an intensive training place for aspiring fine furniture makers and designers. Over 30 years later, the School has built a national and international reputation offering an unrivalled course taught by some of the best fine furniture makers and teachers working in Australia and overseas.

In this follow up exhibition to our first Alumni exhibition staged in 2017, we will showcase makers who graduated from Sturt in the period 2006 to 2016, a time when the School began to establish a national reputation for the quality of the makers it produced.

Artists include: Isabel Avendano, Chris Bartkus, Phoebe Everill, Ian Factor, Bailey Farmer, Ray Garnsey, Mark Gudgin, Steve Harper, Darryl Ingate, Christopher Neal, Darren Oates, Grant Robertson, Adrian Spano, Ruth Thompson and Orest Danylak.

Our next exhibition…

Punu – living wood - 14 April to 2 June
This new collaboration between Sturt and Maruku Arts will feature work by senior artists, Niningka Lewis, Billy Cooley and Lulu Cooley, and over 20 other artists including multiple generations of the Cooley family – David Cooley, Sissy Cooley and Janey Cooley. Maruku Arts support over 900 artists from the communities surrounding Uluru. Based in Mutitjulu Community, and in the shadow of Ayers Rock Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Maruku today is one of the largest and most successful Indigenous owned and operated arts organisation. This exhibition is a celebration of punu – objects and paintings that incorporate timber.

Niningka Lewis is a skilled punu artist proficient in sculptures and she is also renowned for her walka boards – burnt etching on board where she adds paint in sections often depicting personal memories from her childhood as well as her first connate experiences.

Billy Cooley is a master carver producing intricately carved snakes made from various desert timbers that he sources and shapes to bring to life wanampi water serpents, each one uniquely realistic with distinctive markings that are etched to represent scales and patterns. His work is highly regarded and is in many collections around the world.

Lulu Cooley is Minyma Ulkumunu, a senior Aboriginal Woman. She is a consummate carver specialising in pita and wira traditional bowls. The pita, or wooden bowl, is a traditional woman’s carrying vessel for food and water. Lulu has developed a distinctive scallop pattern to her creations that evolved after observation of her mother’s work.

Billy and Lulu Cooley will be in residency at Sturt for two weeks from 8 April and will give a series of free demonstrations and talks during this time.

In conjunction with this exhibition will be a display featuring work by local Indigenous artists: Peter Swain is a Wiradjuri Warrambinga man and a direct descendant of Peggy and Jimmy Lambert, the Daby people of Rylstone. Peter has been sharing his Aboriginal culture and expertise in schools for the past ten years. He is a practising artist having exhibited his works of mixed media in galleries across NSW, ACT and Victoria. Peter makes tools and artefacts and teaches Boomerang making and throwing. The Yirran Miigaydhu Weavers (in Dharawal meaning many women weaving), will showcase some of their work made from local fibres and native grasses. The group learns traditional methods of making to create works in their individual style such as coil baskets, bark water carriers, dilly bags, animal sculptures, random weave baskets, fishnets and adornments.

Full details of all Sturt courses, exhibitions, residency programs and events can be found on our website www.sturt.nsw.edu.au or to make a booking or enrolment call Sturt Shop on 0248 602083 or email shop@sturt.nsw.edu.au

Tools & Techniques and Alumni 2 opening

Approximately 200 people attended Sturt Gallery on Sunday 17 February for the opening of the new exhibition, “Alumni 2”, a showcase of new work by selected graduates of the Sturt School for Wood between the years 2006 and 2016. Raymond Scott from Workshopped spoke eloquently about the value of attending a school like Sturt for the aspiring maker, and the challenges that lie ahead when that maker returns to the real world. Many graduates of the School, from as far back as the 1980s, were in attendance for this terrific event that formed part of the annual Tools & Techniques Weekend. Approximately 1200 people attended tool sales and displays and live demonstrations by some of Australia’s best fine furniture makers and designers.

A Butcher, a Baker and a Bunch of Makers

A new exhibition at Berrima Museum opened on Saturday 16 February with a focus on the makers and artisans of the Southern Highlands. Using high-tech screen technology, the exhibition offers photos and voiceovers of makers across the Highlands and all areas of art and business. Sturt has lent some works from its permanent collection for the exhibition and so, consequently, enjoys a significant profile as the unrivalled home for makers in the Southern Highlands.

Residencies in 2019

In 2019, an exciting programme of Sturt residencies will include an April visit by two artists from Maruku Arts to work in Punu, traditional wood carving and sculpture. We will welcome Rachel Wood from England for a professional residency in ceramics prior to the opening of her Sturt exhibition in September and welcome back furniture designer, Isabelle Moore, from Scotland who will be teaching Term 4 in the School for Wood. Graduate residents for 2019 include jewellery maker, Brooke Coutts-Wood, and furniture maker, Wayne Creaser.

Winter School 2019

Winter School will take place from 8 to 12 July. There are 16 courses on offer for adults plus daily classes for children. The full programme is on the website and the brochure will be out in March. Remember that we offer competitive accommodation and meals packages making the Winter School a unique cultural experience.

Our current exhibition…

ALUMNI 2 – new work by selected graduates from Sturt School for Wood 2006-2016

17 February to 7 April

The Sturt School for Wood was established in 1985 as an intensive training place for aspiring fine furniture makers and designers. Over 30 years later, the School has built a national and international reputation offering an unrivalled course taught by some of the best fine furniture makers and teachers working in Australia and overseas. 

In this follow-up exhibition to our first Alumni exhibition staged in 2017, we will showcase makers who graduated from Sturt in the period 2006 to 2016, a time when the School began to establish a national reputation for the quality of the makers it produced.

Artists include; Isabel Avendano, Chris Bartkus, Phoebe Everill, Ian Factor, Bailey Farmer, Ray Garnsey, Mark Gudgin, Steve Harper, Darryl Ingate, Christopher Neal, Darren Oates, Grant Robertson, Adrian Spano, Ruth Thompson, and Orest Danylak.

Our next exhibition…

Punu – living wood

Walka work and sculptures by artists from Maruku Arts at Uluru. A two week residency by artists will accompany the exhibition and will include a program of demonstrations and workshops for the public.

Full details of all Sturt courses, exhibitions, residency programs and events can be found on our website www.sturt.nsw.edu.au or to make a booking or enrolment call Sturt Shop on 0248 602083 or email shop@sturt.nsw.edu.au

A new year has started for Frensham term classes and the Sturt School for Wood. Over the Christmas and New Year break we enjoyed a fantastic Sturt Summer School with over 220 students and 24 tutors across the Sturt and Frensham campuses. 

We welcome Ian Bromley as our new Course Coordinator for the School for Wood plus four graduates from the Wood School cohort of 2018 who will be renting space at Sturt as ‘resident woodworkers’ – Lou Harriss, Luke McLennan, Ian Bromley and Aldo Dezani.

An exciting exhibition programme for 2019 begins with ‘Alumni 2’ – new work by selected graduates of the Sturt School for Wood from 2006 to 2016.

Residencies in 2019

A programme of residencies in 2019 will include a visit in April by two artists from Maruku Arts to work in Punu - traditional wood carving and sculpture. Prior to the opening of her exhibition with us in September, we will welcome Rachel Wood from England for a professional residency in ceramics. We will also welcome back Scottish furniture designer, Isabelle Moore, who will be teaching Term 4 in the School for Wood. Graduate residents for 2019 include jewellery maker, Brooke Coutts-Wood, and furniture maker, Wayne Creaser.

Winter School 2019

This year’s Winter School will take place from 8 to 12 July. There are 16 courses on offer for adults plus daily classes for children. The full programme is on the website with the brochure out in March. Sturt offers competitive accommodation and meals packages, making the Winter School a unique cultural experience.

Current Exhibitions 

New Design 3 and the National Contemporary Jewellery Award 2018
Until 10 February

The third exhibition in the series of New Design exhibitions at Sturt brings together a diverse group of designers and makers to showcase work that is pushing at the boundaries of the extraordinary. The selected artists are constantly evolving their making practice, incorporating new technologies and thinking. The exhibition will bring together separate creations in furniture, textiles, glass, paper, ceramics, resin and Indigenous craft to complement each other, and includes: furniture and woodwork by Aidan Morris, Steve Harper, Grant Robertson, Max Harper and Rachael Hanrick; textiles by Bonnie and Neil; ceramics by Amy Hicks and Sarah Ormonde; glass by Scott Chaseling; paper weaving by Gunjan Aylawadi; and mixed media vases by Kanun Onsel.

The 2018 National Contemporary Jewellery Award is a biennial acquisitive award exhibition from Griffith Regional Art Gallery that encourages new work in the world of Australian Jewellery. Sturt has supported the project for a number of years and offers a residency at Sturt as one of the exhibition prizes.

Our Next Exhibition

ALUMNI 2 – new work by selected graduates from Sturt School for Wood 2006-2016
17 February to 7 April

The Sturt School for Wood was established in 1985 as an intensive training place for aspiring fine furniture makers and designers. Over 30 years later, the school has built a national and international reputation offering an unrivalled course taught by some of the best fine furniture makers and teachers working in Australia and overseas. 

In this follow-up exhibition to our first Alumni exhibition staged in 2017, we will showcase makers who graduated from Sturt in the period 2006 to 2016, a time when the School began to establish a national reputation for the quality of the makers it produced. Artists include: Isabel Avendano, Phoebe Everill, Ian Factor, Bailey Farmer, Ray Garnsey, Mark Gudgin, Steve Harper, Darryl Ingate, Christopher Neal, Darren Oates, Grant Robertson, Adrian Spano, Ruth Thompson, and Orest Danylak.

The exhibition opening, held during Sturt’s Tools & Techniques Weekend, will take place on Sunday 17 February at 11.00am. The exhibition will be opened by special guest, Raymond Scott, Director of Workshopped.

Events

Tools & Techniques Weekend
Saturday 16 & Sunday 17 February 10am to 4pm

This annual boutique event, held in Sturt’s historic School for Wood, includes displays and sales by Australia's finest toolmakers and specialist timber suppliers along with scheduled woodwork demonstrations conducted by leading furniture makers.  Refreshments will be available along with free admission and parking.

Friends of Sturt Annual General Meeting, Sturt Cottage
Sunday 17 February 2.30pm

Consider taking on a role helping FOS in its many activities supporting and fundraising for Sturt. We invite you to come along to the meeting and join the committee for light refreshments and a review of the year past.

Full details of all Sturt courses, exhibitions, residency programs and events can be found on our website www.sturt.nsw.edu.au or to make a booking or enrolment call Sturt Shop on 0248 602083 or email shop@sturt.nsw.edu.au

Foundation Annual Dinner a resounding success

Last Saturday, 166 guests arrived for Foundation’s Annual Dinner by way of the red carpet, enjoyed a glass of champagne as part of the Champagne Raffle, and were entertained by the Madrigals and our MC, Tim Gilbert. Head of Frensham, Julie Gillick, spoke about the future of our Schools and Sarah Clutton, on behalf of Foundation, encouraged guests to give generously… which they did…

Thank you... to all who attended, donated or purchased auction items on the night, or donated items to the Silent Auction even if unable to attend! The final result of $110,000 well and truly exceeded the target.

Foundation’s Annual Appeal

The Annual Dinner is part of the broader Annual Appeal and Frensham Schools community members should now be in receipt of the Annual Appeal letter and Foundation Newsletter. If you have not received the mailing, please contact the WWS Foundation Office.

Your support of this year’s Appeal will make a difference.

Foundation’s Major Event 2019

Bush Dance – Saturday 2 November 2019

The Foundation newsletter and details of this year’s Appeal will be mailed this week, coinciding with the Annual Dinner which will be held this Saturday 18 May.

Donations prompted by the Dinner invitation already total some $19,000 – a healthy start to this year’s target of $150,000.

Download the WWS Foundation Newsletter below:

Foundation Newsletter – Winter 2019 | PDF

Bush Dance – Saturday 2 November 2019

Foundation is looking forward to two major events this year – the Annual Dinner on Saturday 18 May and the Bush Dance on Saturday 2 November – for which we are in need of prizes.

For the Annual Dinner’s always popular Live Auction we would appreciate items valued at $5,000 or more.

Donations of items for the Raffle or Silent Auction at the Annual Dinner, and for the Silent Auction at the Bush Dance, would be gratefully accepted. Prizes that appeal to a range of tastes, budgets and age groups are ideal. Holiday House stays and things ‘that money just can’t buy’ are always popular. Remember… no donation is too small or too large.

Donations for the Bush Dance will be accepted from now until 20 September.

To donate, contact bshannon@frensham.nsw.edu.au or mscamps@frensham.nsw.edu.au.

Many thanks in advance for any support you may be able to offer!

FoundationAnnual Dinner – Saturday 18 May 2019

Online booking here!

Bush Dance – Saturday 2 November 2019

Foundation is looking forward to two major events this year – the Annual Dinner on Saturday 18 May and the Bush Dance on Saturday 2 November – for which we are in need of prizes.

For the Annual Dinner, we would appreciate items valued at $5,000 or more for the always popular Live Auction.

Donations of items for the Raffle or Silent Auction at the Annual Dinner, and for the Silent Auction at the Bush Dance, would be gratefully accepted. These prizes should appeal to a range of tastes, budgets and age groups. Holiday House stays and those things that ‘money just can’t buy’ are always popular. Remember… no donation is too small or too large.

Please nominate your donation for the Annual Dinner by 30 April.

Donations for the Bush Dance will be accepted from now until 20 September.

To donate, contact bshannon@frensham.nw.edu.au or mscamps@frensham.nsw.edu.au.

Many thanks in advance for any support you may be able to offer!

FoundationAnnual Dinner – Saturday 18 May 2019

Online booking here!

Bush Dance – Saturday 2 November 2019

WWS Foundation Limited Annual General Meeting

All Foundation Members are welcome at the WWS Foundation Limited Annual General Meeting:

Date: Saturday 30 March 2019

Time: 10:00am

Venue: Drama Theatre, Frensham

All Foundation Members are welcome to attend.

A gift of $5,000 or more entitles the donor to a lifetime membership of the WWS Foundation. Recently, Old Girl Geraldine Kenway (1958) was invited to join Foundation after advising that she has left a generous bequest to Foundation in her will. This is just one of the many generous gifts that support Foundation’s Building and Bursary Funds – Investing in the Future.

FoundationAnnual Dinner

Saturday 18 May 2019
Cost: $150
Invitations will be sent out before the end of term.

Foundation’s Major Event 2019

Bush Dance
Saturday 2 November 

Livestock Enterprise

During activities over the Year 7 weekend, new parents to Frensham were introduced to the Foundation’s Livestock Enterprise. While farmers are generally finding it very difficult at the moment, several were interested in becoming involved in the Livestock Enterprise project as Hosts, once seasonal conditions improve. At least nine new Hosts have recently been added to the Programme. This project allows our rural community to generate support for the Foundation’s Bursary & Scholarship Fund which is then channelled back into our rural community by supporting rural enrolments.

Annual Dinner

New parents to Frensham Schools were also very enthusiastic in their response to Ms Gillick’s invitation to the Foundation’s Annual Dinner on Saturday 18 May. Invitations will be sent before the end of this term and we are looking forward to seeing a large contingent of new parents at the Dinner.

Foundation’s Major Event 2019

Save the date...

Bush Dance
Saturday 2 November 

WWS Foundation Limited Annual General Meeting

All Foundation Members are welcome at the WWS Foundation Limited Annual General Meeting:

Date: Saturday 30 March 2019
Time: 10:00am
Venue: Drama Theatre, Frensham

Foundation welcomes Jackie Dalton, Director of Philanthropy

We are pleased to welcome to the School this year Ms Jackie Dalton, Director of Philanthropy, to work in support of Foundation at all levels.  Jackie is a former teacher who has held senior philanthropy roles in secondary and tertiary education and she is currently immersing herself in School life on all three campuses, after joining us in January.

Jackie and her husband have relocated to Mittagong from Sydney and we are looking forward to introducing them to parents and friends of the school, at our first term’s events.

See Foundation's Events 2019

 

Save the dates

 

We were delighted to host 30 Old Girls from the Class of 2014 for Frensham’s 106^th Birthday Weekend, on 1 and 2 June. It was interesting to note that of the 30 girls there, 18 of them either have family currently at the School or have Old Girl family members. The girls played hockey against the Year 12s on Saturday following their tour of the School, and on Sunday they attended the Birthday Service and Concert, participating with gusto 40 Years On. All commented on how beautiful the School looked, and how sad they were to have missed out on the new ‘and fabulous’ Dining Room – by six months! They were completely awed by the specially commissioned work, In Love Serve One Another, by Mr Spencer and thoroughly enjoyed their time back at Frensham. Thanks to Sophie Driver for all her organisation and involvement with making the weekend so special.

 

On 18 and 19 May, 37 Old Girls from the Class of 1989 returned to the School for their Reunion, Dinner and the Sunday Service. They were an enthusiastic group, delighted to be renewing old friendships and excited to see the stunning grounds and updates to the campus.

Tour guides, Year 11 students, Daisy Latimer, Brodie van Egmond, Dimity Crowe, and Abigail Clark, were complimented on their knowledge of the School and their willingness to answer the many questions. As one Old Girl wrote: ‘…how impressed we all were with those gorgeous Year 11 girls. They went way above and beyond and many of us had such lovely conversations with them at afternoon tea. They stayed until the very end and really were a highlight of our day.’

The Sunday Service and Year 8 Concert proved to be another highlight of the weekend with many generous comments about the quality of the music and singing. Noted one Old Girl: ‘I went all the way from Kindy at Gib Gate through to Year 12 and feel so incredibly lucky and appreciative of all that I had - something that really came home this weekend at the Service and the Concert.’

 

Fellowship AGM, Dinner & Speaker
Wednesday 12 June – Royal Sydney Golf Club
Do not forget to send your RSVP – along with your Proxy for those who are unable to attend the meeting – for the AGM. This year’s speaker is Kumi Taguchi (Vice Head Girl, 1993), presenter of ABCTV’s Compass programme.  

Cooma Centenary Lunch
Tuesday 10 September
The Monaro Group will be hosting a lunch for the Frensham Community. More details to follow.

UK Reception
Thursday 12 September – London
Spread the word to all your UK Frensham contacts!  £25 p/p, GAP girls no charge. Contact bshannon@frensham.nsw.edu.au for more details.

Centenary Golf Day
Monday 18 November – Elanora Country Club
This will be a great day of Golf and Fellowship, so please encourage younger players to come along. Why not organise a family team with your daughters, granddaughters and other members. Single players are very welcome. Prize for the Best Frensham Outfit! 

There was a huge turnout for the Centenary of Fellowship and Back to Frensham Cocktail Party on Saturday 6 April, with the gardens looking stunning and the evening warm and balmy. Our guests were serenaded on piano by the Director of Music, Michael Spencer, and entertained by the Madrigals – to much applause and appreciation. Ms Gillick thanked the past and current Presidents of Fellowship for their gift of a stone seat surrounded by five birch trees, spoke of the School’s gift of a sandstone and bronze installation paying tribute to photographer, Harold Cazneaux, and officially opened the Centenary Collection of photographs on permanent display in Cooper Hall. It was a lovely evening.

Over the weekend, the School also hosted two Reunion groups: the Class of 1979 and the Class of 2009. During the outstanding Sunday Service and Celebration of Fellowship’s Centenary, we were privileged to be among the first to hear Mr Spencer’s commissioned work (for the occasion), In Love, Serve One Another, which brought tears to many eyes. Following the cutting of the Centenary cake, guests were invited to the recently renovated Dining Room for morning tea and a chance to purchase Fellowship memorabilia or a seat at the Games Field.

 

We hope to welcome you to celebrate the Centenary of the establishment of Frensham Fellowship this weekend, 6 and 7 April, during our Back to Frensham Weekend.

If you would like to attend Saturday's Cocktail Party... click the link below:

Back to Frensham Weekend

Looking forward to Foundation events in Term 2

• May 18 & 19: 30 Years On Reunion (contact: Fleur Vander Straaten)

• June 1 & 2: 5 Years On Reunion  (contact: Sophie Driver) and 106^th Birthday Weekend

• June 12: Fellowship AGM at the Royal Sydney Golf Club with Dinner and a Guest Speaker

For more details, please contact  bshannon@frensham.nsw.edu.au

Fellowship Reunions and Events dates are available from Alumni pages.

The Old Girls of 1959 were an interested and very enthusiastic group, enjoying their visit to Sturt’s latest exhibition before a tour of the School grounds led by Year 12 students. Saturday’s highlight was seeing the recently renovated Dining Room, with the still applicable quotes of Winifred West. The group was delighted to hear a poem written and delivered by Penny Nelson (McNicoll) especially for her visit entitled, appropriately, In the Dining Room. Following afternoon tea and a much-appreciated visit by Ms Gillick, the Old Girls left to prepare for dinner at a local restaurant. On Sunday the group was welcomed at the Service by Ms Gillick, before enjoying the Year 10 Concert and Service. Thanks to Susie Arnott (Margaret Taylor) for her work as Year Representative and for making this weekend such a success.

Attendees: Libby Albert (Elizabeth Selby), Susie Arnott (Margaret Taylor), Susan Ashton (Kirkby), Eril Becher (Parish), Pam Bramma (Pamela Shannon), Ingrid Butters (Gunz), Ginny Casey (Virginia Statham), Marg Doyle (Margaret Stott), Tricia Elliott (Patricia Pryse Jones), Gillian Elphick (Davies), Gillian Godfrey (Prentice), Ros Harbison (Roslyn Dance), Prue Mackenzie (Prudence Russell), Jos Mitchell (Jocelyn Smith), Kristy Moses (McCoy), Penny Nelson (Penelope McNicoll), Jane Scott (Austin), Babette Smith (Macfarlan), Lilibet Stephens (Elizabeth Edwards), Kathy Tait (Katherine Ashton), Rose (Rosemary) Vickers, and Libby Walker (Elizabeth Hickson).

Accepted but unable to attend: Virginia Bruce (Stirton), Josie Hardcastle (Josephine Hill)

Future Events

• 6 & 7 April: Back to Frensham / Centenary of Fellowship weekend – Click here for details and online booking
• 6 & 7 April: 10 & 40 Years On Reunions
• 18 & 19 May: 30 Years On Reunion      
• 1 & 2 June: 5 Years On Reunion / 106^th Birthday Weekend
• 12 June: Fellowship AGM, Royal Sydney Golf Club, Guest Speaker: Kumi Taguchi
• 10 & 11 August: 20 Years On Reunion
• Sep/Oct: Cooma/Monaro Lunch – details tba

Fellowship Reunions and Events dates are available from Alumni pages.

This weekend marked the Class of 1969’s 50 Year Reunion at Frensham. With thanks to the three coordinators, Alison Attard (Wright), Jane Coutts (Betts) and Pauline Hunter-Knight (Hunter), we hosted 41 Old Girls on Saturday’s tours and afternoon tea, and at the Sunday Service and Year 7 Concert. It was delightful hearing stories of times spent as students and reflections on what had changed since their days at the School. A highlight, as always, was their appreciation and enjoyment of our current girls’ singing during the Sunday Service.

Celebrating the Centenary of Frensham Fellowship (1919-2019)

Back to Frensham Weekend

• Saturday 6 April – Cocktail Party
• Sunday 7 April – Service and Celebration

See details and online booking

Back to Frensham Weekend

SATURDAY 6 APRIL 2019
Cocktail Party – Cooper Hall, 5.30pm - 7.30pm
Cost: $50 per person ~ Bookings essential

SUNDAY 7 APRIL 2019
Service & Celebration – Clubbe Hall, 10.00am
Followed by Morning Tea in the Dining Room (and Tours of the School)

Invitations will be emailed and posted very soon. To attend the Cocktail Party, you can book online now.

Cocktail Party Booking Form

2019 Events and Reunions

• March 2 & 3: 50 Year Reunion at Frensham, Frensham Open Day
• March 16 & 17: 60 Year Reunion at Frensham
• April 6 & 7: 10 Year & 40 Year Reunions at Frensham, Back to Frensham Weekend – Centenary of the establishment of Frensham Fellowship
• May 7: Fellowship Country Luncheon at Cooma
• May 18 & 19: 30 Year Reunion at Frensham, Annual WWS Foundation Dinner
• June 1 & 2: 5 Year Reunion at Frensham, 106^th Birthday of Frensham
• June 12: Fellowship AGM dinner & speaker, Royal Sydney Golf Club
• August 10 & 11: 20 Year Reunion at Frensham
• August 30: Fellowship Cocktail Party at Berrima
• November 2: Frensham Schools’ Bush Dance at Frensham

New memorabilia now available at Sturt Shop

At last year’s Fellowship AGM, the School was presented with the original painting, Irises, by Sir Sidney Nolan, now on display in the Esther Tuckey Library. Thanks to the kind permission of the Sidney Nolan Trust / Bridgeman Images, we have reproduced this beautiful image on cards for the Centenary of Fellowship, retailing for $22.00 for a pack of six.

Additionally, the ever popular Bohemia crystal tumblers are back in stock in presentation boxes of two and six.

Call Sturt Shop and Gallery on +61 2 4860 2083, email shop@sturt.nsw.edu.au, or visit us. We are open every day from 10:00am to 5:00pm. 

 

We hope to welcome you to the Centenary of the establishment of FRENSHAM FELLOWSHIP on April 6 & 7 at our Back to Frensham Weekend

Join us for Tours, Cocktails, and a Sunday Service and Celebration – details available shortly

2019 Events and Reunions

• March 2 & 3: 50 Year Reunion at Frensham, Frensham Open Day
• March 16 & 17: 60 Year Reunion at Frensham
• April 6 & 7: 10 Year & 40 Year Reunions at Frensham, Back to Frensham Weekend – Centenary of the establishment of Frensham Fellowship
• May 7: Fellowship Country Luncheon at Cooma
• May 18 & 19: 30 Year Reunion at Frensham, Annual WWS Foundation Dinner
• June 1 & 2: 5 Year Reunion at Frensham, 106^th Birthday of Frensham
• June 12: Fellowship AGM dinner & speaker
• August 10 & 11: 20 Year Reunion at Frensham
• August 30: Fellowship Cocktail Party at Berrima
• November 2: Frensham Schools’ Bush Dance at Frensham