Our Current Units of Inquiry

Welcome back to Term 3 everyone. The boys have made a great start back in the classrooms and have begun their new units of inquiry with an enthusiastic attitude and curiosity. The units that are starting at the start of Term 3 will all go from weeks 1 -6. Below is an outline of what each stage is inquiring into and through currently over the next 6 weeks.

We look forward to working with your sons on these units. Like always, if you have anything to offer our boys throughout these learning experiences please contact the school or your son’s classroom teacher.

Mr Joel Weekes
Teaching and Learning Team Leader 

A Message from Mr Wyatt

RIDBC Visit

Last Friday morning I took three of our boys, Luca Russo, Ethan Barrett and Harry Bell to RIDBC (Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children) Garfield Barwick School to present the Earn and Learn coupons we collected as a community. It proved to be a significant experience for the boys as they saw first hand the excitement of students and teachers. It was wonderful to see the boys interacting with the students and to accept a large ‘Thank You’ card. Please find a report from the boys below…

Last Friday Ethan Barrett, Harry Bell and Luca went to the RIDBC school to give the Earn and Learn Woolworths coupons. Mr Wyatt drove us to the school at Parramatta. Fortunately the traffic wasn’t bad so we got there in 20 minutes. When we got there a lady introduced us to the front door and we walked around seeing the amazing people learning. We stopped off at the year 5&6 class and the teacher introduced the boys. Then after our little chat a humongous Year 6 boy called Austin introduced us to the classrooms. Then at 9.00am we went to there assembly which was in the Libary. Austin ran the Assembly, first there was a cute dance Kindy did. We were amazed how well they did considering they had a hearing impairment, then after a great performance it was time too present the coupons, Luca gave a little speech and then Ethan and Harry presented the coupons. We had 4200 coupons from all the boys. After that we got a round of applause from all the grateful boys, girls and teachers. Then a boy from Year 3 did a long presentation on his holidays with his Uncle. We were pretty envious when we heard his holiday. The certificates were next and then unfortunately it was time to go. We had a photo with the teacher for Year 5&6, the Kindy boys and the Year 5 and 6 students. Then we headed to Mr Wyatt’s car and went back to school.

Written by Luca Russo

P&F Meeting

This term’s P&F Meeting will be held next Monday afternoon in the Library from 3:00pm – 4:00pm. Mr C, Mr Weekes and Mrs Barg will be available to look after students throughout the meeting.

Parent Information Workshop

Our next Parent Workshop will be held on Wednesday 7 August at 8:30-9:30am and 6:30-8:00pm in the Library. The workshop will focus on ‘Emotional and Social Learning’. We will provide an overview of programs and initiatives that have been put in place to support our boys as they develop essential skills related to social and emotional learning. We hope that you will be able to join us for one of these sessions.

Coffee and Chat with Mr Wyatt – Tuesday 13 August

The next Coffee and Chat Morning will be held on Tuesday 13 August from 8:00-9:00am. These mornings are simply a chance to come and chat casually with me and other parents about school-related matters. I look forward to seeing you then!

Enrolments – Year 5 and Kindergarten

Due to the addition of an extra Stage 3 Class in 2014 we are in the fortunate position to have vacancies for next year. We are currently enrolling boys for Year 5 2014 as we seek to gain the necessary numbers to make the additional class a straight Year 5.

Vacancies exist in Kindergarten for next year. We are offering an ‘Experience Kindy Morning’ for prospective families on Wednesday 14 August from 9:30-10:30am.

Limited vacancies also exist in other year levels. If you know families that might be interested, please encourage them to call the School Office on 9416 4280.

Musical Notes

Lindfield Concert

On the evening of Thursday 8 August 2013, all the Lindfield K-6 students will be performing a showcase of musical items for your entertainment in Centenary Hall on our Stanmore Campus.

Each boy will be involved in at least two items whether he be in a choir or performing in an instrumental ensemble.  Groups will be practicing during school hours and hopefully at home.  A full rehearsal of the evening will take place on the morning of 8 August with the students being taken by bus to our Stanmore Campus.

For the performance all students are expected to be in full winter school uniform (no black caps) and to arrive between 5:30pm and 5:45pm for a 6:00pm start.  The concert is expected to finish at approximately 7:00pm.

Founders Concert

Congratulations to the boys in the choir for performing at Founders Concert. It was an amazing concert. Thank you for all the hard work in learning the songs.

Mrs Vanessa South

Prep Shop

The Prep Shop is open on Mondays from 3.00pm – 3.45pm and Wednesdays from 8.00am – 8.45am

Week 3 Roster

Monday 29 July 3.00pm – 3.45pm
Ingrid Ying Gao

Erica Berkovich

Wednesday 31 July 8.00am – 8.45am
Sing Sing Wan
Hayley Rose

Week 4 Roster

Monday 5 Aug 3.00pm – 3.45pm
Brenda Cumarasingam
Stephanie Danks

Wednesday 7 Aug 8.00am – 8.45am
Penny Graham
Maria Dickinson

P & F News

Dear Lindfield Community

We have a number of new families who have started this term and I would like to warmly welcome them Newington.  Hopefully your respective Class Parents have already been in touch with you, especially about any forthcoming events for the class.  If you have any questions about the school, they would be more than happy to answer them or please contact us at the P&F.

We have our next P&F meeting on Monday the 29th of July at 3pm in the library.  If you are coming along, please don’t forget to tell your sons to come to the library and then one of the teachers will be along to collect them and keep them occupied for the duration of the meeting.  For anyone new attending, Chris will give us a run down on what’s happening in the school and then we address any Committee business.  We aim to make it as quick as possible as we are aware of everyone’s time constraints.

This Saturday,  the Sports Committee will be doing the home game BBQ.  If you are able to help out can you please contact Gary Smith on gsmith@wesfarmers.com.au  They would appreciate any volunteers to help serve and cook.

On the subject of volunteers the Tuckshop needs a few more helpers, if possible.  Thursdays and Fridays are the busiest days and probably where more assistance is required.  There are two shifts of 9am-12pm and then 11am-2pm on each day, so if you are able to do either 1 or 2 shifts a term can you please email Kathryn on knordstrom@optusnet.com.au  The tuckshop is one of the areas where we really can’t function without the assistance of parents so anything you can do to help out will keep it up and running.

Now for the most important note – SAVE THE DATE!!  On Saturday the 26th of October we will be having out annual evening get together.  It will be at the school, as always, and in the evening.  More details will follow from the Social and Fundraising Committee but if you can put the date in your diaries as it is always a great night.

If you have any concerns or ideas for the school, please don’t hesitate to contact me or any of the P&F Committee.

Kindest regards

Judy Ryan
judyryan65@gmail.com

Sesquicentenary Celebrations

Turning 150 deserves a large celebration and last week was absolutely no exception to that rule. Memorable moments in schools occur on a regular basis, however the events of last week were something particularly special.

Last Tuesday, I was privileged to attend the official Newington Thanksgiving Service and opening of the new Rae and Pyke buildings at Stanmore. It was a brilliant service, with musical performances from the Stanmore and Tupou College boys as well as the official opening by The Governor of NSW, Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir.

Wednesday’s Founders Concert was nothing short of incredible as boys from across all 3 campuses showcased their amazing musical talents at Town Hall.

Perhaps the highlight of the week was last Friday’s Chapel Service which was simply amazing! Twenty two boys from the Tupou College contingent and Rev. Uikilifi Tonga joined us for our Sesquicentenary Thanksgiving Service. The service was filled with the beautiful and powerful singing of the Tupou boys as they performed, sang and danced for our boys. Prior to the service the Tupou boys (from Years 7 to 12) enjoyed playing in the playground with our boys. It was a true celebration of the brotherhood we share with Tupou College.

Mr Chris Wyatt

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Certificates

Dates to Note

Friday 26 July  Chapel in Don Brown Hall at 8.30am all welcome 

Week 3
Monday 29 July  P & F Meeting at 3.00pm in The Lookout
Tuesday 30 July  School Assembly – SRC/ICT Badges presented in Don Brown Hall at 2.30pm all welcome
Wednesday 31 July  ICAS English at 8.30am,  Maths Olympiad 3 at 9.30am
 Friday 2 August   Chapel in Don Brown Hall at 8.30am all welcome 

Week 4
 Monday 5 August  Prep Athletics Carnival
Tuesday 6 August   School Assembly in Don Brown Hall at 2.30pm all welcome
Wednesday 7 August  Parent Information Seminar Social and Emotional Intelligence at 8.30am and 6.30pm 

Special Sesqui Founders Day Service

A very special Founders Day Thanksgiving service was held at 8.30am Tuesday, 16 July in Centenary Hall. With special guest, Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO, Governor of New South Wales attending, there was an air of pride, gratitude and excitement as the College Council, staff, parents, boys and our guests from Tupou College, Tonga stood to sing the national anthem. The Headmaster Dr David Mulford led the service with an official welcome, which was streamed live to Years 7 and 8 boys in the Chapel and Old Boys Lecture Theatre.

The College Chaplain, Rev. David Williams gave a stirring homily reflecting on the College’s legacy as a place of innovation and egalitarianism, which can be read here. Both Tupou College and Newington College musicians sang and played before the assembly, followed by Council Chairman, the Hon. Angus Talbot, inviting the Governor to address the assembled guests, dignitaries, boys and staff.

Her Excellency spoke about Newington’s earliest founders such as James Egan Moulton who choose to open a school based on strong Christian values that nurtured boys who would become men of the world to lead the nation in the realms of citizenship, academia, the arts and in sport. She also made particular mention of Newington’s unique tie with Tupou College and the importance of this tie today, as Australia moves into the Asia Pacific century. To read Prof. Bashir’s full speech, please click here.

Her Excellency Prof. Bashir then proceeded to formally open the Rae and Pyke Centres by unveiling a plaque.

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Sesquicentenary Founders Concert

Music remains the yeast of life. Music is written to be played beautifully. It is written to be heard, appreciated and to touch that inner being. It is written to be interpreted. It is written to be “live” – and with all the inherent dangers, challenges and excitement of the one special performance – the immediate. Yet so many hours, days, weeks and years of complex preparation go into that immediate.

Newington’s Headmaster, Dr David Mulford, in his address to the audience of the Sesquicentenary Founders Concert, articulated why the program had left us all, as he said, “wanting more” and most significantly, the risks taken to get us there.

The annual Founders Concert for Newington College always sets a standard in musical performance that enables our most accomplished musicians to demonstrate that they can do all of the above while securing wide appeal in a diverse audience. This year however there was a significant “step up”.

The venue of the Sydney Town Hall, with its lavish ornamentation and grand organ, set an historical reference in our Sesquicentenary. The inclusion of 75 students and 15 staff from Tupou College, Tonga, in their own and combined items; and a commissioned work from one of Australia’s leading contemporary art music composers, Gerry Brophy, all required months of detailed coordination – and trust. The program demanded technically challenging opportunities for soloists across multiple genre and several grand items of massed participation.

But really what raised the bar was the extraordinary commitment of the Newington boys and the Music Department staff, under the leadership of Mark Scott, who together, supported each and every musician on the night to make music that “touches the inner being” – whether old boy, prep chorister, soloist, staff member, ensemble leader, second cello, guest performer, beginner or prodigy.

In this Sesquicentenary event it was without doubt the music makers who made history 150!

Stage 3 School Fees

For those families who have opted to pay the Newington College school fees in three stages, kindly note that the Stage 3 fees are due to be paid by 31 July 2013.  It is important to also note that a late payment may incur an Administration Fee.  Information regarding the due dates and payment methods are contained in the explanatory document on Spaces: https://spaces.newington.nsw.edu.au/newington/pages/72-payment-of-accountsFor your convenience, payments can be made online at http://www.newington.nsw.edu.au/payments/

If you have any questions about your school fee account, please contact Ms Coral Balmer on telephone 9568-9363.

Thank you for your assistance,

Peter Yates
Head of Corporate Services

Ten Things Every Boy Should Learn to Cook

Winter is well and truly here and with Term 3 already swinging into action, why not give mum a break and have one of the boys whip up something from the P&F’s Black and White Cookbook.

• Homemade Burgers
• Pizza
• Oriental Crunch Noodle Salad
• Wonton Soup
• Pumpkin and Spinach Lasagne
• Greek Chicken
• Buttermilk Chicken Schnitzel
• Chicken Teriyaki

Many of the recipes in the cookbook are:

1.    Simple with ingredients that are readily available

2.    Require only very basic cooking skills

3.   Can be modified or combined to create more complex dishes

4.    Are a good balance of vegetables, carbohydrates and protein

5.   Well-known and classic dishes that the whole family can enjoy

There are also recipes for dishes that are suitable for vegetarians:

• Sweet Corn Fritters with Quick Spiced Tomato Relish
• Omelette Wraps with Home Made Tomato Jam
• Potato and Onion Frittata
• Buttermilk Pancakes

Recipes suitable for celebrations:

Christmas in July

• Warm Salad of Beetroot, Green and Yellow Beans, served with Duck and a Walnut Vinegarette
• Salad of Coconut Poached  Prawns, Mango, avocado and basil.
• Prawn Saganaki
• Oysters with fresh lime salsa
• San Choi Bau
• Honey Glazed Christmas Ham

Gatherings…

Dude Food for Footy Matches

• Peking Duck Pancakes
• Samosas
• Chargrilled chermoula-marinated lamb cutlets
• Rowers Penne Pasta Bake
• Beer and Beef Pie
• Texas “Level 4 Alarm” Chilli Con Carne
• Grand Final Guacamole
• Mini Sausage Rolls
• Empanadas

Seasons…

Winter Warmers

• Lentil Soup
• Headmasters Moroccan Spiced Lamb Shanks
• Kashmiri Lamb Curry
• Indian Mee Goreng
• Korean  Bulgogi
• Danny Russo’s Slow Baked Lamb Shoulder
• Keftethes with simple Greek Tomato Sauce

Taste buds…

Sugar Hit

• Best ever Brownies
• Bitter Chocolate and Orange Vincent Van Gogh Tart
• Jeff Jansz’ Spiced Apple Strudel

For more details on the Black and White Cookbook, please email cookbook@newington.nsw.edu.au or call 0411 129 433

Black and White Ball

We are delighted to announce that we have a full line up of entertainment for what is going to be a grand finale to the Sesquicentenary celebrations – the Black and White Ball to be held at The Star on 14 September.  We are thrilled that we have three acts to entertain us – Hot Potato to get the night started, Darren Percival and Paul Grey and Jelly Bean Jam to get us all up on the dance floor. So finalise your formal wear for our night of Sesquicentenary glamour.

Has your party paid and confirmed for your table? 

Many people have booked but have not as yet paid for their tables.  As we are almost sold out if these bookings have not been finalised by 31 July they will be cancelled.  Please use our convenient pay online system or contact bwball@newington.nsw.edu.au immediately to be sure of table seating preference.

Only seats paid for can be allocated to a table.

It is possible to book multiple tickets through one transaction. Please remember to put down names of guests under ‘Participant names’. You are also able to request seating preferrence listing the names of other attendees with whom you would like to be seated. We will attempt to accommodate all requests but tables are restricted to 10 persons for comfort.

For enquiries, please email bwball@newington.nsw.edu.au or click here for more information and to book tickets.

Follow us on Newington’s Official Facebook Page

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Parent Forum at Roseville College

Managing the Middle Years – What you Need to Know

An evening for parents, carers, anyone working with young people, and young people!
The years between 9 and 14 are a time of significant physical and emotional growth, providing valuable opportunities for children to develop healthy attitudes and behaviours, as well as challenges for parents and kids alike.

The NSW Parents Council and Roseville College invite you to a free informative session to look at the middle years from different perspectives: professionals, parents and teenagers.

Kerryn Boland, the Children’s Guardian and Acting Commissioner for Children and Young People, and a speaker from headspace Chatswood, will provide an insight into the importance of the middle years for development and well-being.  And find out what young people want their parents to know

When: Thursday 29th August 2013,  6.45pm for 7.00pm start.  The evening will finish at approx 8.30pm.
Where: Joy Yeo Auditorium, Roseville College. Off street parking in Bancroft Avenue, Roseville: please enter the school through the main entrance at 27 Bancroft Avenue.
Who should attend: Parents, carers, anyone working with young people, and young people themselves!

To book and for further information
Please go to http://parentscouncil.nsw.edu.au/BookingRetrieve.aspx?ID=241576&Preview

BBQ Saturday 27 July at Koola Park

Newington College Lindfield’s Sports Committee is delighted to host another sumptuous BBQ this Saturday.

Click here for more information

Speech and Drama Eisteddfod

I have been very busy the last few weeks as I have been competing in speech and drama eisteddfods. I have entered in sections of the Northern Beaches Eisteddfod, Parramatta Eisteddfod and the Sydney Eisteddfod.  I have competed in set poems, verse, monologue/character, humorous and Australian verse. Everything has had to be learnt by memory and sometimes the competition is very fierce with sections of up to 17 different competitors. Once I had to listen to 15 people doing the same poem. I won both sections I entered in the Parramatta Eisteddfod, two firsts and a highly commended in the Northern beaches but I was most excited by winning two sections, a second place and a highly commended in the Sydney Eisteddfod. All my fruits over the year have got me twenty trophies so far, but I couldn’t have achieved this number with out my drama teacher and my Mum. Also, unfortunately it’s true that practice makes perfect.  So whip out that poem book you got for your birthday and start practicing.

Written by Angus Davis