NEWSLETTER T4 Wk 7 27th November 2013 Next College Newsletter: Wed 29th January, 2014 7 Lynton Ave South Plympton SA 5038 Front Office tel 8292 3888 Absentee tel 8292 3838 email [email protected] Uniform Shop tel 8292 3810 email [email protected] www.emmauscc.sa.edu.au Please email your articles to: [email protected] Last Day of Term Friday 6th December College closes at 12.00 noon Term 1 2014 commences Wednesday 29 January 2014 Important Dates Wed 27th Nov Yr 10 ABW in EPAC Thu 28 Nov Yr10 ABW in EPAC Friday 29 Nov Yr10 ABW in EPAC Junior Primary Nativity in the Gym at 6.30pm Mon 2 Dec Yr10 ABW in EPAC Yr7-9 Exams Yr6 Graduation Evening in EPAC at 7.00pm Tue 3 Dec Yr10 ABW in EPAC Yr7-9 Exams Wed 4 December JP Sport & Picnic Day at Belair Middle School Activity Day Yr9 Graduation Evening in EPAC at 7.00pm Fri 6 Dec Last Day of Term School Ends 12.00 noon R-6 Assembly & Award Presentations 9-10am From The Principal “That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. …….. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Saviour—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” (Selected verses from Luke 2) Dear Parents and Friends We know the school year is nearly ending when classes are putting the final touches on their preparations to present their nativity play to their parents! And such is the case with our five Junior Primary classes this week. This Friday evening the JP students will act out the events of the first Christmas when Mary and Joseph found simple lodgings in the town of Bethlehem and prepared for the birth of Jesus the Messiah. Once again our students will re-enact the shepherds and wise men visiting the manger to worship Jesus. On Monday evening, the Speech Night and Graduation for the Senior School, we celebrated the achievements of our senior students, acknowledged their contributions to the school community, and provided an opportunity for our leaders to reflect on the events of the past year. In her Farewell Address to our graduates Mrs Irma Rodda (Head of Senior School) challenged students to find a cause in which to invest their skills and energy and in so doing bring change to our world. “Change is possible and change is brought about by passionate people” she said. “So find you passions and causes, find ways of serving that have significance in the world around you (because) without service we risk our lives becoming insignificant”. Thank you to our Senior School team for a wonderful evening! Over the next week we celebrate our Primary Graduation and our Middle School Graduation. These will also be an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of students in our other sub schools. School will finish at midday on Friday 6th December. The final newsletter for 2013 will be sent with the 2014 Term Dates Term 1 Wed 29 Jan - Fri 11 Apr Term 2 Tue 29 Apr - Fri 4 Jul Term 3 Tue 22 Jul - Fri 26 Sep Term 4 Mon 13 Oct - Fri 5 Dec (Subject to change) December mail out to families which will also include Semester 2 School Reports, a return form for updated student information and an invitation to the Staff and Volunteer Dedication / P&F Welcome BBQ. (Please RSVP on 2014 Stationery Days or at the start of term). Prayer points 1. This is a busy time of the year for teachers as they finalise reports and complete end of year tasks, and for support staff as they organise mail outs and prepare for the New Year. Your prayer support will be appreciated. 2. Pray for the celebrations that remain: the JP Nativity, Yr 6 and Yr 9 Graduations, and the various class and sub school end of year activities. Andrew Thomas Principal Weekly Prayer Meeting Tuesday Morning 8.30am - 9.00am Primary News Year 6 Graduation At the 2013 Year 6 Graduation ceremony we want to recognise our 41 Year 6 students who have had a fruitful and exciting seven years in Primary School. It will be a night of celebration as each student has an opportunity to reflect and make a public speech on a different aspect of their Primary School year. Lauren spoke ”I came to this school half way through Year 3. When I got here everyone was so kind to me. Everyone wanted to show me around the school and I never felt left out. I met some amazing friends who stuck by me throughout my years at Emmaus. My teachers were always encouraging and fun. They were always there to help and explained anything I didn’t understand. I have so many great memories of Primary School and I’d like to thank everyone for those memories.” Semester 2 Reports Teachers are working hard, putting much time and effort into completing Semester 2 reports which will be posted on 12th December. The reports are an important tool in communicating to parents your children’s strengths as well as their challenges. We encourage parents to read them carefully and to celebrate some of the positive attributes mentioned in these reports with your children. House Leaders Team Event Emerald and Topaz House Leaders will be hosting a House Team Event on Friday 29th November from 1:30pm to 3:00pm. Students will rotate around a course of six different “beach” theme activities. We are looking forward to a fantastic afternoon of competition and fun with students looking colourful in their sports uniforms and house leaders in their beachwear. Orientation Morning The ‘moving up’ visits to the students’ 2014 classes on Wednesday have proved valuable for both students and teachers. They provided the opportunity for the children to familiarise themselves with their teacher, their peers and hopefully create a sense of peace over the holiday break. Junior Primary Nativity Play The Junior Primary Nativity Play is a fitting finale to the school year for the Primary School. We are looking forward to an exceptional performance from all 109 Junior Primary students retelling the Christmas story to our School Community on Friday 29th November. Thank you to Esme Leibbrandt and the Junior Primary Team for their excellent effort with the students. We can’t wait for this amazing evening of celebration of Christ’s birth! On behalf of the Primary Staff I would like to take this opportunity to thank you, the School Community, for your support in 2013 and to wish you a blessed Christmas and a refreshing holiday break. Congratulations Last night (Tuesday 26th November) the School of Languages held their annual Celebrations of Achievement Night. Congratulations to two of our Primary students who received acknowledgement for achievement. Millicent Soo-Hee Peak Korean Yr 5 Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement Jenna Pierobon Italian Yr 4 Award of Merit Annette Craven Senior School News Congratulations to our many students who received Character Awards, Subject Awards and Extra-curricular awards. Highlights of awards presented at Speech Night include Year 10 Dux Jessica Townsend Year 11 Dux Bonny Miller Year 12 Dux Jack Gerrits Caltex Allrounder Award: William Tucker David Martin Leadership Awards (presented by Edwardstown Lions): Kenneth Limosnero, Johanna Chapman Lan Tan Leadership Awards (presented by Australian Defence Forces): Year 10 Jessica Townsend; Year 12 Pietta Gresham Congratulations to the following students who have been selected to lead their houses in 2014: Bonny Miller (Emerald House Captain), Johanna Chapman (Ruby House Captain) and David McDonough (Topaz House Captain). They also assume the role of College CoCaptains for 2014. Student and Family Welfare I have been spending some time recently reflecting on how quickly the years pass when you are a parent. It seems like only yesterday our son started primary school and I have been reminded of this as I watch the new Reception parents bring their children for their first orientation days at Emmaus. Soon there will be other milestones to celebrate and applaud but right now there is some obvious anxiety and grief mixed in with joy for these parents as they watch their little ones prepare to start school. Our son Tom, who was at Emmaus, is getting married in a couple of weeks’ time. We are so excited about his fiancé Emma joining our family and the new life they plan to start together, but there is still obvious grief for me as a mum as he prepares to leave home. I compared notes with Mrs Argent in First Aid, and Mrs White in Home Ec whose children are also being married in December. They too have been experiencing grief mixed in with their joy and as we have shared laughter and tears I have been so thankful for friends who truly know what I have been going through as a mum. If you are experiencing some mixed emotions as a parent, please let someone else know. If your child is experiencing new milestones, or there are situations in your family you are having trouble coming to terms with, don’t forget that by talking this through with someone that you trust, it helps you process your feelings and encourages you when someone else says ‘I’ve been there!’ For further information and support as a parent, don’t forget to visit the Parentingideas website or the Growing Faith site, both links are http://www.parentingideas.com.au/Home and http://growingfaith.com.au/ Sue Chapman Music News Music Notes Congratulations to Lily Wicks and Rachel Michael (Year 11) who have been accepted into the 2014 Adelaide Festival’s ‘Class of Cabaret’. This will be an amazing and unique opportunity for them, as they are two of only fifteen students chosen to be part of this. They will be undertaking workshops with Kate Ceberano and other highly respected cabaret performers. This will all culminate in performances at the 2014 Adelaide Festival. On another note, it is not too late to send in applications for your child to start learning an instrument in 2014. This form can be accessed from the College website. We have vacancies for Flute, Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Trumpet and Trombone. Andrew Verco First Aid News Tips to Reduce Pollen Exposure Pollen grains are released from certain grasses, weeds and tress. They are coated in proteins that can trigger allergic reactions – commonly asthma and hayfever. The height of grass pollen season is from late September to late December. The highest amount of pollen can be found in the air between 6.00am and noon. Each day, samples of the air are analysed to gauge how much pollen is airborne and whether the level is considered high, moderate or low. When the pollen count is high: • Pollen can stick to clothes. Consider hanging clothes inside on windy days. • Keep the windows and doors closed, to prevent the pollens from coming inside • Shower/change clothes after being outside • Avoid activities that expose you to pollen, such as mowing lawns • Protect your eyes with sunglasses • Use re-circulated air in the car • Check tomorrow’s pollen count by visiting: www.asthmaaustralia.org.au Collection of Medications As the conclusion of the 2013 school year is rapidly approaching we would like to advise parents that we DO NOT store medications here at the school over the long school holiday period. Could all medications please be collected from the First Aid Room before or on the final day of school. Updating Care Plans Medication Plans, Asthma Record Cards and other health care plans need to be updated annually or whenever there is a change in the care needs for a student. If your child’s Health Care Plan is due to be updated, the school holidays are an ideal time to make an appointment with a doctor and get this in order ready for the 2014 school year. Medication Plans and Asthma Record Cards can be downloaded from the College website or you can collect a blank form from the First Aid Officers. If you have any questions please contact the First Aid Officers. College News Sun protection We have many and varied school activities at this time of the year. Many are outdoor events. We want our students to be sun safe and use wise sun protection measures. The College does supply sun screen at all outdoor events. Parents are asked to support staff keep students sun safe on full day events by ensuring students apply sunscreen before leaving home, have suitable protective clothing and a reserve supply of sunscreen they are used to using (especially important for students with sensitive skin). If water based activities are planned rash tops or T-shirts are recommended as well as sun screen and suitable broad-brimmed hats. The College Solar Protection Policy aims to promote positive attitudes toward skin cancer protection, as well as personal responsibility and lifestyle practices that are known to help reduce the incidence of skin cancer and the number of related deaths. Scholarships at Emmaus Christian College Applications are open for Scholarships offered by Emmaus Christian College in 2015 as follows: • Academic Scholarships for Year 8 in 2015 (Applications close 21st January 2014) • Performing Arts Scholarship for Year 7 or 8 in 2015 (Applications close 7th February 2014) • Principal Scholarships for Years 7 and 10 in 2015 (Applications close 7th February 2014) • Pilgrim Scholarship for Year 8 in 2015 (Applications close 7th February 2014 and are only available to Pilgrim School students) Full details of Scholarships and application forms are available on the College website. Scholarships at Emmaus Christian College are available to students who meet the College’s enrolment criteria. Please contact the Registrar on 8292 3888 if you require further information. Yr 10 Stories and Poems Book Mrs Bates’ Year 10 English class has self-published a book of stories and poems. These were inspired by photographs taken by a member of the class, Holly Winter. We are hoping to have a copy of the book available at Speech Night or at the final ABW session. Once we have finished editing the book, it will be available to purchase. Congratulations to our Yr 10’s and Mrs Bates on this publication. Lost Property Please check the lost property clothes rack and boxes outside the Student Services Office during weeks 7 and 8. Any remaining lost property after the last day of term will be donated to charity. FIRST Lego League State Challenge On Sunday 17th November, 9 students competed at the FIRST Lego League State Challenge at Prince Alfred College. The competition included a Project, Core Values (teamwork and Gracious Professionalism) and a Lego Robot Challenge. This year was fun and challenging. We had a very good team that was well organised and committed. The whole team had an input into the competition, either in the project, the robot challenge or both. Our project about Flat Packed Housing for Disaster Relief won us First Prize in state for the Project component. Good teamwork found us placed third overall and we have been invited to compete at First Lego League National Finals at Macquarie University in Sydney on 7th December. Thanks to Mrs Wakefield for supervising us on the day and our practices at school. Congratulations to our First Lego League team. Best wishes for the Nationals this weekend. Uniform Shop Year 6 students (for Yr 7 2014) Please be aware Middle School students are required to wear a formal uniform. Boys are required to wear formal shorts and a Senior School shirt for summer. The girls are required to wear the School dress as their formal summer uniform. The Middle School hat is the bucket hat. Please refer to the uniform book for more details. 2013 Opening Hours Monday 8.30 am - 10.00 am Thursday 8.30 am - 10.00 am 3.00 pm - 5.00 pm 1.00 pm - 1.30 pm 3.00 pm - 5.00 pm Additional Opening Times during December 2013 / January 2014 2013 Dec 9 Mon 9.00am - 4.30pm 2014 Jan 14 Jan 15 Jan 16 Jan 17 Jan 20 Jan 21 Jan 22 Jan 23 Jan 24 Jan 27 Jan 28 Jan 29 Tue 12 noon - 5.00pm Wed 9.00am - 1.00pm Thu 12 noon - 5.00pm Fri 9.00am - 1.00pm Mon 8.30am - 5.00pm Tue 8.30am - 6.00pm (Stationery Day) Wed 8.30am - 1.00pm (Stationery Day) Thu CLOSED Fri 8.30am - 1.00pm Mon CLOSED (Public Holiday) Tue 8.30am - 5.00pm Wed 8.30am - 10.00am and 3.00pm - 5.00pm Christine Blom Uniform Shop Manager