The new Deputy Head of Frensham Schools

On Monday, the school welcomed the new Deputy Head of Frensham Schools, Ms Sarah Tynan. Ms Tynan is seen here with Ms Janene Van Gogh, Director of Studies in Residence and Head of Faculty PDHPE who has been Acting Deputy for the first part of 2022. We thank Mrs Wendy Fawbert and Ms van Gogh for leading the Deputy Head’s office for the last three terms.

It was wonderful to have so many families in the Frensham community return to take part in last Sunday’s Service and Concert as part of the Year 8 Weekend and we very much look forward to welcoming our community for our Birthday Celebrations in just over 2 weeks’ time. Detailed arrangements will be communicated via Schoolbox in the coming days, but families are asked to note that all Frensham students are expected to be in attendance at the Service on Sunday 5 June. Year 12 Parent Teacher Interviews  - which students are encouraged to attend – are held from 8:30am on Saturday 4 June.

Birthday Play – Clue

Murder, mystery, and mayhem are on the menu for the mad-capped Birthday Play production of Clue: On Stage (High School Edition), based on the screenplay by Jonathan Lynn and directed by Mrs Sally Hannah.

Based on the iconic 1985 Paramount movie which was inspired by the classic Hasbro board game, Clue is a hilarious farce-meets-murder mystery. The tale begins at a remote mansion, where six mysterious guests assemble for an unusual dinner party where murder, blackmail and mayhem are on the menu. When their host turns up dead, they all become suspects. Led by Wadsworth – the butler, Miss Scarlett, Professor Plum, Mrs White, Mr Green, Mrs Peacock and Colonel Mustard race to find the killer as the body count stacks up.

Clue is the comedy whodunit that will leave both cult-fans and newcomers in stitches as they try to figure out…WHO did it, WHERE, and with WHAT!

The Birthday Play will be performed by Senior Drama students on Thursday 2 June for the School and Saturday 4 June for parents, students, and the local community in Clubbe Hall. Tickets are available for the Saturday evening performance via https://www.trybooking.com/BZOHE.

Mrs Sally Hannah, Head of Drama

Boarding

A sea of sparkle, discarded high heels and abundance of laughter were proof that the Father Daughter Ball on Saturday night was a wonderful evening for all! This past weekend was filled with activity, with the Year 8 weekend, Saturday Sport (thank goodness for the sunshine), the Father Daughter Ball, Mothers’ Function, Sunday Service and Year 8 Concert to close. All of the events were hugely successful and saw the Frensham community come together beautifully. Most importantly, the girls had such a magical time sharing such special moments with each other and their families. 

Term 2 is always a busy term, this one especially so, with many events still to come.

From a boarding perspective we would like to remind you of the following dates and appreciate your support in honouring the upcoming Closed Weekends:

• Southwest Bus will run on Sunday 22 May - booking is available on the Schoolbox Boarding page Boarding on Schoolbox, please ensure to book your daughter’s place on the bus by Thursday 12pm. 
• Sydney bus booking is also found in the same location. 
• Saturday 4-Sunday 5 June is the Birthday Weekend and is a Closed Weekend (no leave permitted).
• 9 June-13 June is the Long Weekend, transport bookings are currently being finalised with NSW Transport. Should you wish to make any changes please contact boarding@frensham.nsw.edu.au ASAP.
• Monday 13 June, Boarding Houses will open from 5pm for student drop off.
• Transport bookings for the end of Term 2 and beginning of Term 3 will be requested from girls this week by House Staff. Please discuss your plans with your daughters.
• The final weekend of Term 2, 18-19 June, is a Closed Weekend. 

In addition to the above, I would like to draw your attention to the following:

Casual Boarding
I am pleased to formally reinstate casual boarding at Frensham. We understand that, at times, the lives of our Day Boarder families sometimes require the need for girls to stay in the Boarding House. It should be noted that there are a limited number of casual spaces available and that booking should be completed well in advance via boarding@frensham.nsw.edu.au

ORAH Q&A session: Tuesday 24 May, 7.15pm
Orah has been successfully launched and it is pleasing to see how many parents and students have adapted to using this system with ease. I would like to provide the opportunity for the Frensham Community to ask any questions they may have about the new programme and process. This 30-minute session will take place via Zoom on Tuesday 24 May at 7.15pm. It will also provide information for Day Boarder families on how they can utilise Orah. I will be joined by some key members of the boarding community. In order for the session to be effective and as informative as possible, please submit your questions by Monday 23 May using the survey on our Boarding Schoolbox page Boarding: ORAH Q&A session, your questions. The link for the Zoom will be placed on the Boarding Schoolbox page on the day of the event.  

Term 3 House Drop Off
After receiving feedback from many families about the challenges of a 5pm beginning of term drop off, we will now be offering families the ability to come to their daughter’s house for a drop off afternoon tea between 3pm and 5pm, light refreshments will be served. This will provide an opportunity to meet staff and catch up with other families (drop off will still be available until 8.30pm). This offering will be available on the drop off date at the start of each Term. We hope that this will provide an opportunity for our boarding community to come together in a small way to start each term and also provide a practical solution for families having to travel to other schools or return home on long journeys.

Our first afternoon tea drop off will take place on Sunday 17 July, the start of Term 3.

It was wonderful to see and talk with so many of you over the weekend. I congratulate all the girls involved in performing and participating in all events over the last weekend and look forward to seeing you all on the Birthday Weekend. 

Ms Sally Edwards, Director of Student Life (Boarding)

Student Time Management Webinar

Would you like to know how to help your child manage their time?

Then join us on Wednesday 18 May at 7pm (AEDT) as Elevate Education hosts a free 60-minute webinar for the school community, walking you through:

• how to avoid fights over homework and study
• strategies to ensure your child is balanced, stress free AND productive
• the most common causes of procrastination and how to avoid them
• what types of work the top students prioritise to get top marks. 

To register for the FREE 60-minute webinar simply click here!

Start a conversation, notes on E-cigarettes or Vaping

Do you know what they’re vaping?
E-cigarettes, or ‘vapes’, are not safe for young people. They come in many shapes and sizes and can be hard to spot as they can look like everyday items including highlighters, pens or USB memory sticks.

Key vaping facts

• Many vapes contain nicotine. Nicotine can cause long-lasting negative effects on young people’s brain development, including impaired learning ability and altered mood, and can increase the risk of depression and anxiety.
• Vapes can contain the same harmful chemicals found in cleaning products, nail polish remover, weed killer and bug spray, which can lead to serious lung diseases.
• Young people who vape are three times as likely to take up smoking cigarettes.

The laws around selling vapes
It is illegal to sell vapes to anyone under the age of 18 years and illegal to purchase vapes on behalf of anyone under 18 years. Young people often purchase vapes online, from retail stores, or from friends and contacts on social media. You can report suspected illegal sales of vapes to NSW Health or by calling the Tobacco Information Line on 1800 357 412.

Talk to your child about vaping
It is important to take the time to talk to your child about the risks of vaping. Try to start the conversation in a relaxed easy-going way, and remember your goal is to have a conversation, not deliver a lecture.

Importantly, get the facts at: www.health.nsw.gov.au/vaping 

Mrs Wendy Fawbert, Director of Character Education

National Kids' Lit Competition 2022

Students from Years 6, 7, and 8 competed in the first of the NSW tournaments in the National Kids' Lit competition on 16 May 2022, which was held virtually at Frensham. Each team of four students answered 100 literature-based questions which were divided into ten categories. This year's categories were Spies, War, Doctors, Trees, Cars, Colours, Book Knowledge, Beasts, Best Friends and Constructions. Over 20 teams across NSW competed on the day.

The Gib Gate team: Darcey Burrows Mae Gilkeson, Matilda Spong, and Annabelle Whyte-Cleaver won the 'Car' round and had a total score of 65 placing them in the top 15 of all of the teams competing on the day.

The Frensham Year 7 team: Addy Ahern, Ana McInnes, Maisie Stanley and Sophie Worner-Tomlinson placed first in the 'Doctors' round, gaining a final score of 77 and a top 10 place.

The Frensham Year 8 team: Milly Debelle-Hancock, Indigo Ling, Jade Neilson and Penny Hampson, also received a top 10 place with a score of 73.

All teams are commended for their collaboration and fantastic results and we thank Mrs Lisa Gemell and Mrs Lee Ann Marsh for coaching them in the previous weeks.

Ms Kate Chauncy, Director of Teaching and Learning P-12

Year 8 Parent Weekend Reflections

• One of my favourite moments from this weekend was the Father Daughter Ball. Dragging my Dad onto the dance floor and singing along to some of our favourite songs! Maggie Maynard
• I loved our year weekend so much... Although our singing was not in key we tried our best seeing as we were missing a few friends. Sofia Dascarolis
• Nervous jitters created thousands of tiny butterflies fluttering inside my stomach. Finally, I finished the wait to speak, relief flooded over me. A smile crept over my face, enjoying the rest of the performance. Milly Debelle-Hancock
• The past weekend was busy, fun and exhilarating. I am very grateful for the opportunity I had to speak at the Year 8 Service as well as being a percussionist in our musical item. Although I had to improvise a little, and as a year group we did really well. Holly Halloran
• One of my favourite moments from the weekend was going into the Father Daughter Ball and everyone coming up to you and giving you a hug while telling you how beautiful you look. It really made me realise how close our year is and how lucky we are to have each other. Phoebe Purnell

Ms Molly Macqueen, Year 8 Coordinator

Awards

2021 Global Perspective (Year 10, 2022)
Frensham Year 9, 2021 achieved outstanding results in the internationally recognised Cambridge International Global Perspectives Course, from a cohort of 58 students, with 19% gaining the highest result (A*) and 21 % gaining A results and a total of 71% in the top three bands.

Achieving A*, 90+: Adelaide Ayling, Poppy Carter, Madeleine Charters, Emily Crawford, Claudia Hampson, Cate Horsfall, Lucy Molineux, Sophie Simpson, Imogen Smith. Achieving A: Katherine Clifton, Lucinda Colgan, Millie Gale, Phoebe Gilder, Juliet Henry, Penelope Hill, Abbey Kuiper, Zara Maple-Brown, Kate Nicholl, Holly Regan, Maggie Ryan, Miliana Thompson.

Cambridge IGCSE History and Geography courses 2021
Student achievement in the Cambridge IGCSE History and Geography courses 2021, Year 11 (2022) students as Year 10, 2021: Geography - A*: Monique Andersson, Lucy Arnott, Bella Cay, Emilie McMurtrie, Darcy Maple-Brown, Augusta Muir, Sarah Partland, Edie Staniforth. A: Julia Burge; Ali Corbett, James McBride, Phoebe Rouse.

History - A*: Scarlett Alldis, Sarah-Joy Day, Sophie Hassall, Heidi Jervis, Savannah Linde, Clara McDonald, Eliza Mulligan, Elizabeth Nesci. A: Charlotte Hopperton, Abigail Jorgensen, Bearte McDonald, Rose Mahony, Freyjika Parker, Hannah Perkins, Hilary Swan.

Frensham da Vinci Teams Years 7-10, Illawarra Regional competition
We congratulate the following team members in Year 7 and Year 8 who competed at the highest level: Year 7: Adeline Ahern; Harriet Brazier; Madeleine Houston; Sofia Nesci; Ruby Rodgers; Claire Sullivan; Chloe Worner-Tomlinson and Sophie Worner-Tomlinson.  Year 8: Holly Halloran; Penny Hampson; Maggie Maynard; Jade Neilson; Lucia Semple; Isabel Syme; Mia Tynan and Lexi Wimalaratne.

The Year 9 team was placed second in the Engineering discipline and third in Cartography: Jocey Ayers; Ashley Brewer; Sophie Chen; Jade Cox; Sophie Goodisson; Sophie Hanrahan; Camilla Johnston; Georgina Lewis.

The Year 10 team placed first in the Legacy discipline, second in Science and second in English: Adelaide Ayling; Poppy Carter; Claudia Hampson; Cate Horsfall, Julia Lewis; Sophie Simpson; Imogen Smith and Amy Wimalaratne.

AMEB - Australian Music Examinations Board
Frensham was awarded the AMEB 2021 Certificate of Distinction for a Top 10 result in the category of Most Outstanding Accredited School All Grades All instruments. This is our 6^th such certificate!

Acknowledgements

• Zahra Nash (Year 4) who placed 8^th in the IPSHA Cross Country Carnival at The Kings School recently. This qualifies her to represent IPSHA Schools at the CIS Cross Country Carnival.
• Samuel Robb (Year 3) who is a finalist in the 5-8year section of The Young Archie Competition for his portrait titled, “My Dad”.

Ms Sarah McGarry
Head of Frensham
Head of Frensham Schools