Faith Matters

School was out and 10-year-old Charlie was thrilled to be out of London celebrating Christmas in the country. Driving along the winding roads with his mother, he was captivated by the snowy winter landscape. But suddenly the snow got heavy, the visibility turned bad and the car slid out of control, ending up in a ditch. Charlie tried to push while his mother pressed the accelerator, but it was no use. They left the car and walked down the road where they knocked on the door of a little house and asked for help. Flustered, the lady invited them in to use the phone and warm up while she made tea and cookies.

“What’s so special about that?” you’re asking. “Just another everyday event, right?” No. At least, not to the woman who opened the door that day; she’s already told the story hundreds of times. And can you blame her? It’s not everyday the Queen of England and Charles, Prince of Wales turn up on your doorstep!

On a winter’s night over 2000 years ago, the Prince of Peace knocked on our door – and it was no accident. The Bible says it “happened to fulfil the Lord’s message … He will be called Immanuel … God is with us.” Christmas can be a lonely time if you’ve lost your job or your family or your sense of hope. And the joy of others can be a painful reminder of what you’ve lost. But you’re not alone. You may feel lonely, but you’re not alone – God is with you. He really is! Believe that, and have a blessed Christmas!

Rev Peter Morphew – Chaplain

Photographic Exhibition – Jett Leong Year 5

Hi,

My name is Jett Leong and I am in Year 5 here at Newington.

Welcome to my first Photography Exhibition:                 

A View From Above

I started taking photos last year while watching my brother play cricket.  I borrowed my Aunty’s camera and went off around the ground looking for things to take photos of.

I stumbled upon this Kookaburra who seemed to trust me and as I got closer and closer he stayed very still and allowed me to take photos of him.  The large photo you see in the Exhibition is that same Kookaburra. 

The photos turned out well and I have not stopped.

I started taking photos of random birds and bush life.   Some of them turned out really well.

I was lucky enough to receive a camera for my birthday and that is when the fun began.

I go on walks in the bush and special photography walks through the city with my Aunty and this is where the inspiration for my Exhibition came from.

I have a love of birds and their surrounding and through my photos I hope to bring to light things that people miss or do not notice during their day-to-day life.

Please enjoy my photos, I hope they inspire you to look up and see something new in the sky and your surroundings.

Thank you.

Stage 3 Surf Day 2015

When asked by a parent what would be the ideal conditions you would like for a surf day, the answer was: “a warm day, light offshore winds and smooth, small but rideable surf”. Little did we know at that point that our every wish would come true!

Anticipation, excitement and maybe a tiny bit of fear filled the buses as we descended upon the pristine white sands of Long Reef beach. Greeted by our wonderful hosts from the Manly Surf school, the boys were given a brief rundown of the day, a lathering of suncream and a quick bite to eat before the events began. With Surfing, Bodyboarding and Bodysurfing on the agenda, 3 hours didn’t seem nearly enough! Throw in a full lagoon, large sand dunes and a hot, hot sun, it turned out to be just enough!

They came, they saw and they conquered. All boys from Years 5 and 6 charged the 1 foot surf with relative ease, seeming at one with the wonders of the ocean. And do we have some future Kelly Slaters in our mix….I think the photos prove that we do. A brilliant day had by all and a wonderful way to round out a superb 2015!

Mark Caulfield – Sports Master

Summer Sports Overview 2015

BASKETBALL

Five senior teams saw the emergence of depth in the Newington ranks with four teams placed in the same division and parallel teams made as a result.

For the A teams in this quartet it has become an undefeated one so far, with the only loss coming when they played each other.

The highlight for the B teams was a come back from behind win against Trinity where they came from 12 points down to take the game 19-18 in a thriller at home. Standouts in this unit were Aiden Mostofi, Hamish Taylor, Ethan Strawbridge, James Brenn, Laksh Pande and Lachlan Hull.

In the Senior C team, a close Term 1 competition has translated to a very tight Term 4 competition, with most games decided by no more than two baskets. Standouts in this team were Connor Egiziano, Adi Apana, AJ Whitnall and Alex Frye.

In the juniors it has been a tale of two terms, with the tough and demoralizing first term replaced with the new and improved teams of Term 4 who are leaving all in their wake. These teams were ably led by Toby Ashworth, James Blakeman, Justin Gao, Will Fisher, Max Tian and Nicklas Koehler.

CRICKET

A great season for the Black development squad saw them go undefeated for the season, producing some excellent performances along the way.

The big improvers have been the White development squad, who left a tough Term 1 behind them to show massive improvement with every game and a step closer to their first elusive win.  Standouts for the development squads were Harrison Miles, Leo Curran, Harry Stuart, Cooper Stewart, Will Lane and Benji MacDonald. 

The Opens saw a resurgent A’s team have their first wins of the season, defeating Kings and Tudor House. In the Opens the standout players have been Eddie Timpson, Harry Firth, Oscar Bradley, Nilanka Abbey, David O’Leary and Eddie Hogg.

Mark Caulfield – Sports Manager

St Patricks’ Invitational Swimming Carnival Term 4 2015

Strathfield was the venue once more for the final carnival of the year. Excitement reigned as a warm, sunny day in an outdoor pool offered cool relief for the masses. Ominous storm clouds loomed, however, and the organisers, aware, started the carnival promptly and efficiently.

Being a 33m pool, times were quite irrelevant, but the desire to finish off the year with victories was still very evident as every Newington boy stepped up to the blocks. First into the crystal clear waters was talented youngster Lewis Saupin for the 9 years Individual Medley. Saupin was outstanding, charging home to finish 2nd with a powerful display. Sebastian Parhash backed this up with a 3rd placing in the 10 years. Lachlan Hull took one for the team in the 11 years with a 5th placing, with Tom Oates taking out his event in fine style. Jarrah Ronan closed out the field with a strong 3rd placing in his event.

Freestyle was next, and with it, the young guns flexed their future muscles once more. To speed up the carnival in light of the impending storm, the 4th and 3rd divisions were placed in the same race for the 9 years events. This allowed Jamie De Botton and Daniel Johnson to finish 2nd and 3rd respectively, with Harry Forsyth 4th, and Lewis Saupin charging home once more to take out the division 1 event. The 10 years saw some great performances, first from Jayden Stanton-Keir and Henry Isherwood who were both 2nd in their divisions. Nicholas Venetoulis and Sebastian Parhash then had some very stiff opposition as they swam home in 3rd and 4th respectively. Harrison Loeffler was the best placed of the 11 years year 5’s as he finished 3rd in his respective event. James McGregor and Cody Rixom were 4th with Lachlan Hull 6th. The 11 years Year 6’s saw Dominic Goonan and Tom Oates finish 2nd, with Will Gray 3rd and Zachary Papadimitriou 4th. Finally the 12 years saw brilliant swims from Will Rumi and Tom Baird on their way to victory in their divisions. Jarrah Ronan was then 4th, with Chris Mina an impressive 2nd in the 1st division.

Breaststroke saw the kings of the slow stroke take centre stage, with some excellent results. Harry Forsyth and Jamie De Botton started things off in the same race, again finishing 3rd and 2nd respectively. Daniel Johnson was 2nd in his event with the every-improving Saupin 1st once again. Matthew Torrible and Nicholas Venetoulis were both very impressive in their heats as they both finished 2nd, with Sebastian Parhash 1st in his. Charlie Carr and Nathan Ma flew the Lindfield flag in the 11 years year 5 events, both finishing 2nd in their heats, with Lachlan Hull 4th. Cody Rixom and Dominic Goonan were 4th in their events, with Will Gray 3rd, and Tom Oates first in their events. The 12 years saw Tom Alscher in the premier heat, where he finished a highly commendable 4th, with Fallon Fotaras and Jarrah Ronan 3rd, and Chris Mina 1st in his event.

Lewis Saupin made it a treble of 1st places as he took out the backstroke event, with Oscar Neale 4th and Toby Torrible 3rd. Jayden Stanton-Keir was 5th in the 10 years backstroke, with Henry Isherwood and Sebastian Parhash both 3rd in their events. Flynn Stokes was 5th in the 11 years year 5 event, with Cody Rixom 4th and Lachlan Hull 5th. Zac Papadimitriou finished strongly in 4th in the 11 years year 6 event, before a brace of 1sts from Will Gray and Tom Oates. Dominic Goonan and Chris Mina were back at it in the 12 years with 2nd placings from both, before Jarrah Ronan rounded out the field with a 4th placing.

Butterfly was next as the 100m freestylers were given the opportunity to rest, with Daniel Johnson and Lewis Saupin finish 3rd and 2nd respectively. Jayden Stanton-Keir and Sebastian Parhash then shared the 2nd heat of the 10 years butterfly to great effect, finishing 2nd and 1st for a clean sweep, with Henry Ishewood 3rd in his heat. Cody Rixom and Lachlan Hull were 4th and 5th in their heats in the 11 years, before a 5th placing from Will Gray and an excellent 1st from Tom Oates. Jarrah Ronan then took out his butterfly event, spurred on by encouragement from his sportsmaster!! Chris Mina then narrowly missed 1st in his heat by a fingernail.

The relays rounded out this great event with the freestyle relays producing some magnificent performances. The 9 years powerhouses were 1st in their event with Saupin again displaying his brilliant credentials closing it out. The 10 years and 11 years year 6 teams were both 2nd in their events, with the 12 years 3rd and the 11 years year 5’s 5th. The 9 years were then at it again in the medley relay, this time supported by the 10 years and 11 years year 6 teams in finishing 1st. For these year 6 boys, it was a great way to close out their time at Newington Prep. The 11 years year 5 boys toiled hard for another 5th placing, and the 12 years were highly impressive in finishing 2nd in their last outing also.

So after a year of hard toil and brilliant performances, we say farewell from the sporting fields, pools and tracks. Thank you to all the parents who have supported along the way, the staff for their ongoing guidance and support and of course the boys who have made this year such a great success.

Mark Caulfield – Sports Master

Stage 2 Art Learning Journey

Year 3 and 4 have spent Term 4 discovering different forms of land art and experiencing ephemeral art making practices. The boys considered artworks and sculptural works by a variety of international artists, including Cheeming Boey’s cup art, and the land art of artists Christo & Jeanne-Claude and Andy Goldsworthy. Stage 2 experienced the processes involved with designing and creating ephemeral artworks, designed not to last the test of time, but to vanish over the course of a day or two. The boys created a series of artworks reflecting these processes: wrapped newspaper sculptures, ephemeral leaf sculptures, abstract ceramic leaf ‘fossils’ and styrofoam cup designs.

To culminate their unit on land art, Stage 2 hosted a Learning Journey on Monday 23 November. This flowed inside and out, from the boys’ classrooms down to the playground, where their sculptures were creatively displayed. Parents and friends were invited to join the boys and to hear from them about their experiences during the land art unit, as well as the Unit of Inquiry that the boys have been conducting in their classrooms. The day was a success, with many parents coming to observe the boys’ learning and to be brought into their educational setting. Boys and their parents reflected on the different art-making practices experienced and an ephemeral art making activity was also enjoyed!

Thank you to all the parents who were able to come! It was a fantastic morning of learning, shared by all.

Mrs Burnett – Art Teacher

PYP – Reflecting on Reflection

It’s that time of year when we tend to look back. We stop and take time to consider many aspects of our lives – thinking about things that have happened to us personally, as a community, or on a global level. This time of year provides us with the opportunity to step back and take a look at, to put into perspective, the things that are important to us. Why do we do this? Why do we spend time reflecting?

The Thinker (Auguste Rodin, 1902)

We are all familiar with reflection – every time we look in a mirror. In education, the process of reflection helps to develop deeper understanding. The PYP places a great deal of importance on reflection as without it learning does not occur. Therefore reflection on learning is imperative.

PYP students are taught to be reflective through the Learner Profile. A person who is reflective gives “thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experiences. They are able to assess and understand their strengths and limitations in order to support their learning and personal development.” (Making the PYP Happen, IBO, 2009).

Reflection is one of the eight concepts (big understandings) and poses the question ‘How do we know?’ We understand that there are different ways of knowing, and that it is important to reflect on our conclusions, to consider our methods of reasoning, and the quality and reliability of the evidence we have considered. It challenges us to examine evidence and conclusions, in doing so, it extends thinking.

So how do we learn something new?

To learn something new means that we have to make mistakes. Mistakes are part of the learning process and without reflection on those mistakes it is almost impossible to learn anything.  

Think about it. What do we learn from driving our cars too fast on a wet and slippery road in bad weather conditions? We won’t learn anything until the car spins out and possibly gives us a fright. But when we make this mistake we reflect and learn that the next time, in the same weather conditions, we won’t drive fast. We have made a connection that has resulted in learning what to do in a similar situation in the future.

Learning in the classroom, however, is not quite so obvious. There is a certain amount of content that students must cover (mandated by the Board of Studies) but at NCL we enjoy our learning when it moves beyond the surface learning of knowledge and content to deeper understanding. Reflection is the essential piece that transitions a classroom from covering content to being focused on learning. The PYP classroom is a reflective place, where thoughtful considerations of issues, problems and successes is valued.

Reflection is an important part of the learning process. When we reflect on our experiences growth is the result. Reflection is an integral part of the learning process. It allows us to learn more about ourselves and how we learn, but it also aids us in improving academic skills. Teaching students to reflect on their work by noticing and correcting their own mistakes as well as which activities and behaviors allowed them to be successful is a vital part of the learning experience.

“We don’t learn from experience. We learn from reflecting on experience.” (John Dewey)

Sue Gough – PYP Co-ordinator

Year 2 Sleepover

Here are some extracts from some of the Year 2 boys from their recounts they wrote about the Sleepover:

On Friday I felt like a piece of bacon sizzling on a stove! But straight after school we got to go in the pool where we played waterpolo, and had races and played diving games. After that we had afternoon tea and then we set up our beds. Next we ate dinner. We had pizza and it was so yummy. (Hamish Johnston)

Miss Smallhorn read us a story and it was fun. Then we had pizza and it was yummy. Then we watched Polar Express and we had popcorn with it. Then Mrs Russell read us ‘Matilda”. In the morning we watched Bernard. (Aidan Chandler)

On Friday I had the best day of my life when we slept at school. We had a normal school day but then after school we got dressed into our swimmers and played waterpolo for a little bit. It was red versus blue. I was on red and the score was 15 – 14. Red won! Then we played rings, then relays. (Samuel Stewart)

The Year 2 sleepover was incredible….we did so much! I don’t even know where to start! Well the first thing we did was swim in the pool. It was about 40 degrees and it was so hot! (Matthew Webster)

Mrs Russell was there, Mr C was there and Mr Barrington-Higgs was also there. I didn’t go to sleep until 10 o’clock and I woke up at 5 o’clock. I was so tired. The next day in the morning we watched a movie called Bernard. It was about a polar bear. Then everyone was packing up. We had breakfast and we all had weetbix. Then I played a game of chess with Will Pratt. I won the game. Then I played on the primary playground. I was playing tip while I was waiting for my dad to come and pick me up. The Year 2 sleepover was awesome! I loved it and it was great. A big thanks from me to the teachers. (Marcus Yoo)

Primary Cooking Club

As we come to the end of another session of Primary Cooking Club we reflect on the fun we have had as together we explored savoury and sweet dishes over the past 6 weeks. We have tempted the boys with different flavours, touched on some Christmas based delights and encouraged the boys to involve themselves in the process of following a recipe, mixing ingredients, taste testing and cleaning up after themselves.

It has been rewarding for both Mrs Gough and myself to be part of such a committed group of young men and we encourage them to trial their favourite recipes, from their cookbook, on their families over the coming holidays.

Merry Christmas and Happy Cooking.

Mrs Gough and Mrs James

Kindergarten – The year that was…

I liked solving maths problems and I learnt to care for people. Matthew

We made fairy bread in school to celebrate 100 days at school. I learnt to read and write. Aryan

The lion dance was good because the lion tried to lick us! I learnt how to do a family tree. Sasha

I have learnt to get better at spelling words.  Michael

On book week I was Cat in the Hat. I wasn’t scared I was really excited. I had lots of fun.  Elliot

We had to make a boat that could float in the swimming pool and ours survived the longest!  Athan

I liked holding the chickens and they were soft. I have learnt to make bread.  Misha

I liked looking at the chickens and I learnt to draw pictures.  James

I liked learning new things and making new things.  Hugh

I have learnt to read really hard books and last night I read a grown‐up’s book.  Tom

I loved making things!  Nicholas

It was fun riding the scooters and I have learnt to read and write.  Daniel

I liked patting the baby goat and I have learnt to make things.  Max

I liked going on the tractor ride because it was bumpy. I have got better at being a nice friend.  Aidan

I liked playing Reading Eggs on my iPad and I have learnt more about my reading. Julian

I liked writing stories and I improved on my sight words.  Charles

I liked being a caring friend and I have learnt to write my own sentences.  Jaiden

I have learnt to solve very big maths problems and Miss Smallhorn calls me the human calculator!  Jono

I have learnt to get better at listening to Miss Smallhorn and I have learnt to do the alphabet.  Dylan

I learnt to read books and I liked making words using playdough.  Jamie

A Message from the Head of Lindfield

Happy Holidays!

As we approach the Christmas holiday season there’s so much to do.  Families are busy preparing for celebrations and enjoying many special events.  While these are positive aspects of this significant holiday, it is sometimes helpful to continue with some familiar routines for our boys.  It can also be quite grounding to reflect on how lucky we all are, to lead the lives that we do.

So, I’ll keep it short and sweet.  Here are some holiday ideas for you and your boys to enjoy!

Being Grateful- the small things

This is something that we can do at any time of the year of course, but Christmas is a great time to take stock and really consider what we have to be grateful for. If we are grateful for the small things, as well as the big things, we start to have a more positive outlook.  Focusing on what we have to feel lucky about can actually change the way we perceive things.  If we ask our boys to focus on the positive, they will be better able to see the glass as half full, rather than half empty.  So tell each other or write down, on a daily basis, 3 things that you are grateful for in your life.  Or for more ideas on gratitude practices (designed for the classroom but easily adapted for home), look here:

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/heart-habits-gratitude-students-reflect-act-on-maurice-elias

Compassion- empathy in action

At Newington Lindfield, an important part of our values hinges on service to others.  Empathy is a very important PYP attitude; it instils in our boys an ability to put themselves in the shoes of someone else.  Our social/emotional learning program Second Step names ‘compassion’ as an important aspect of what we aspire to ‘do’. Compassion is what we ‘do’ as a result of being empathetic individuals.  Along with being grateful for what we have, we can also show empathy for those who aren’t so lucky, through compassion.  What can we do with our boys to show compassion to others this holiday?  Once again this can be something small and it doesn’t need to take a lot of time.  Giving compliments, donating to Anglicare, writing thank you notes, these are all ways that kids can show compassion.  My kids are really good at writing their Christmas lists, noting what they would like to receive.  This year, why not write a Christmas list of things you can give to others instead!

For a heart-warming story about empathy in action watch this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXyr0kAgrVU

Routines and maintenance

While it may seem that the holidays go by in a flash, 7 weeks is actually a long time for our boys to be out of school.  It’s always a good idea to keep some routines going throughout the holiday, in order to continue to build and maintain some basic skills.  The most obvious one is reading.  Make sure it is an important part of the day.  Read to your boy, borrow books from the library that they can read themselves and talk about what other members of the family are reading.  The more kids read, the better they become at reading.  It’s a simple formula.  Reading to your child is also a great way to keep them thinking and to build vocabulary and comprehension.  I’m currently reading a wonderful book to my 6-year-old daughter, Wonder, and she is enjoying it immensely even though it is a text she could not access on her own.

Another common activity that can also be useful is to keep a journal.  Providing time each day to reflect and write is a great way to keep the boys thinking and developing their skills.  Keep it fun and give the boys a choice about what goes into the journal.  This can be a place to write, draw and paste important reminders about special places visited.  You can make ‘what I am grateful for’ the inspiration for daily writing.  Really, all that you need to do as a parent is to provide the notebook and set aside some quiet time along with the expectation. 

To look at one way that journals can be done, see this link:

http://childrensbooksdaily.com/holiday-reading-and-writing-journals/

I wish everyone a happy and safe holiday with plenty of fun and family time all round.

Benjamin Barrington-Higgs

Christmas Concert 2015

On Tuesday 17 November, under a beautiful evening sky, the Lindfield Christmas Concert took place. It was a lovely family evening with all the boys in the school taking part in telling how Christmas is celebrated in different countries around the globe. There was singing and dancing and amazing costumes created for this event.

The boys enjoyed learning the songs and information regarding the countries that they were singing about.

This is an event that all the families look forward to. Thank you for coming and being our audience.

Vanessa South – Music Mistress

Interhouse Chess

This week the Annual Interhouse Chess Tournament was held. There were 59 entrants from Years 2 to 6. It was wonderful watching the enjoyment of boys who hadn’t played many games of chess as well as those that have been playing it for some time.

After a well fought battle with Connor Egiziano, Gabriel Dickinson triumphed to win the tournament with Kingswood winning the trophy.

Vanessa South – Chess Co-ordinator

Evolution Jujutsu Martial Arts – Term 4 News

Now in its wind-down stages, 2015 has been another big year for everyone, with many of our young martial artists continuing their training from previous years and really showing significant progress as a result of the longer-term commitment.

The Dragon grades (Silver Dragons 5-7 years, and Golden Dragons 8-10 years) have had an absolute blast this year, and as a result we have seen tremendous improvement all round.  We are very proud of their growing self-discipline and confidence, in addition (of course!) to advancing self-defence skills.

This year has also seen the introduction of classes, with a more ‘mature’ focus, for Years 5 and 6.  We will be continuing this offering in 2016, with the boys very keen to continue, and they look forward to others joining in the fun.

Our aim is to make sure our students learn true self-defence skills, to grow independent, confident young people.  As an extension of this, we are very keen to hear if any Year 5 and/or Year 6 boys would be interested in joining our Leadership Program in 2016.  Participants are coached in these skills while assisting the instructor in a Dragon grade class, to develop important life skills such as public speaking, mentoring and coaching, in addition to growing their own martial arts skills.  Further information is on our website.

Final gradings are taking place this week and next so we will update the full list when it becomes available.  Following is the interim list of boys moving to their next level:

Silver Dragons

L2 – Red Belt 1 Stripe

Thomas Liddell

Golden Dragons

L2 – Red Belt 1 Stripe

Oliver Barrington-Higgs

L5 – Gold Belt

Nicklas Koehler

Y5 & 6

L1 Red Belt

Anton Lising

Jack Middleton

L2 Red Belt Stripe

Parsa Yazdani

Thank you to the wonderful office staff, Mrs Ellam and Mrs Druce, for their amazing and wonderful assistance in helping us to provide a great experience for the boys in 2015.

May you all be safe over the holidays and our wish is for you to be fully-recharged ready for 2016.

Bufu ikkan.

Sincerely

Marice Knapman

Principal

Evolution Jujutsu @ Fushicho Martial Arts

Mob:   0416 13 13 25

Web:   fushicho.com.au