Welcome back to Semester 2! Term 3 resumes with a busy schedule. Key information can be found in a number of sources including the Black and White, the Newington Website and Dr Hirst’s weekly email to all parents. Direct contact with relevant staff is also most welcome. 

Home and School Contact

We remind you that the first point of contact is normally your son’s Mentor. A complete list of Mentors can be found on our website by clicking here. You are most welcome to contact them at any time within school term dates, preferably via email as teachers juggle many tasks in a given day.

Student School Email Account

All students have access to their own individual account. An increasing amount of communication to students is occurring by this medium. Please check that your son is using this account as otherwise he may miss important information. Any student who needs assistance with this account should report to the IT help desk.

Middle School 

The Year 8 2013 Curriculum

Parents of boys presently in Year 7 would be aware that their sons are soon going to be asked to choose two electives to study in Year 8. The full details of this will be announced at the special evening to be held on 7 August. This is a new initiative designed to overcome the disengagement often experienced by boys at a crucial stage in their adolescent development. Previously, they were forced into a curriculum that in some cases led them nowhere, resulting in distraction and poor behaviour. We have been able to reshape our Year 7 curriculum to cater for this change and we are hopeful that by providing ownership and subjects of interest, that these issues we have experienced in the past will be avoided.

Year 9 2013

An information night will be held on Tuesday, 31 July for all boys in Year 8 entering Year 9 in 2013. The purpose of this evening is to offer advice and information regarding the selection of three electives for study in Year 9.

Middle School Dances

During this term, Newington will host two Dances in conjunction with local girls’ schools. The first for Years 8 & 9 boys will be held on Friday, 10 August and the second for Year 7 only, on Friday, 7 September. These follow on the success of last year’s venture. Information appears elsewhere in this publication relevant to the 10 August date.

Year 9

There are a number of important dates coming up for Year 9 families. Firstly, all boys are expected to attend the home match against St Joseph’s College on Saturday, 11 August to support our senior teams and secondly the Year 9 Parent Teacher Evening is set down for Monday, 13 August from 4.00pm.

Jeff Snare
Head of Middle School

Senior School 

Students in the Senior School are encouraged to become more independent as they approach life outside of school. One obvious signal of this development is the gaining of a drivers licence. By Term 3 many senior boys are driving to school but with this comes numerous responsibilities, including the completion of a school ‘Permission to Drive Form’ and driving in a safe and courteous manner. Permission forms can be obtained from Heads of House, Mrs Thomas, General Duty Officers, the Portal on Year 11/12 pages or student email accounts. They need to cover drivers and passengers.  Our major concern is for the safety and wellbeing of students and safe driving is vital to this objective. Parental support with this is greatly valued.

Term 3 is a particularly busy and challenging time for senior students. Winter co-curricular commitments, leadership roles and academic pursuits compete for the time and energy of students. Working in an organised and consistent manner is the best way to establish a sound platform for success. Year 11 and 12 HSC/IB students have major exams starting on Monday, 20 August while Year 10 are making course subject choices for 2013.

Year 12 House Honour Colours

At a recent School Assembly I was able to acknowledge boys for their outstanding contribution to their House and School over the last five and half years. They have received the highest level of recognition from the House Colours points system with the awarding of House Honour Colours. Every student at Newington has the opportunity to reach this level but they must invest time and effort in their school. Typically the boys participate in a minimum of four co-curricular activities and demonstrate a strong commitment to Service Learning over a number of years. Full details can be found on page four of the Student Diary. Boys receiving this recognition were Spiro Augoustinos (12/FL), Jonathan Ciofani (12/PR), Lucais Haldane (12/JN), Sinclair Hill (12/MO), Jack Hirst (12/KL), Lewis Holey (12/MO), Nathan Kelly (12/PR), Ben Milic (12/KL), Max Miller Bock (12/MA), Bryce Moon (12/ME), James Palmer (12/KL), Andrew See (12/ME), Hugh Shouldice (12/ME) and Jack Van De Vegt (12/FL).

Year 11

Over the holiday a number of students attended the National Leadership Camp, returning with overwhelmingly positive feedback, as indicated by the extracts below. The good news is that The Rising Generations organisers will be coming to Newington later this term to work with 50 Year 11 boys on a leadership workshop. To read more about Rising Generations, click here.

The greatest thing about the camp was the fantastic people we got to meet. Students from all around Australia attended and as part of a “tribe” many of us, even after 24 hours, came as close as best friends could ever become. One thing I’d like to encourage everyone in the community to realise is “We are not the leaders of tomorrow, rather we ARE the leaders of today!”

Lachlan McKirdy (11/LE)

The NLC camp made me realise that all students can contribute—whether in leadership positions or not. All can give their upmost and perhaps it is my role as a leader to gel that group under a common goal or ideal through being an exemplary role model in all aspects of school life. It is vital to be able to translate these experiences to both Newington and myself. I have commented to my family that this was one of the best times I had ever had as it was stimulating, different and challenging.

Lachlan Cox (11/MO)

I, along with 200 other young students from across Australia and New Zealand spent the half week together, forming one of the most amazing and inspirational environments I’ve ever been a part of. Each of the days were packed full of incredible experiences.

Max Schultz (11/PR)

Paul Bourke
Head of Senior School