Back to Newington Day 2014

The Newington community gathered to celebrate the biggest ‘Home Day’ of the year at the Stanmore Senior Campus on Saturday 30 August. The Marketplace inside Centenary Hall was abuzz with energy thanks to the P&F Association who so successfully organised for so many stallholders to fill up our great hall. Towards the back, near the stage, was the not-to-be-missed New Women Cake stand that had all sorts of mouth-watering treats on offer. The pre-loved clothing and book stores and the Silent Auction were also  hot favourites, with proceeds and unsold goods being donated to our friends at Tupou College in Tonga. Outside Centenary Hall, the various parent support groups lined the driveway and manned a variety of delicious food stalls.

Though the weather was temperamental, the 3:15 PM Rugby game against Scots saw the clouds clear above Johnson Oval. Though the Black and White brigade were defeated by Scots 22-12, the boys played proudly and gave the crowds something to cheer about. “Willie the Wyvern” even made a special guest appearance and happily took photos with members of the Newington community.

Until next year!

[Show as slideshow]

[Show as slideshow]

Seeds Sports – Multi-Sports & Activities

Seeds Sport – Spring Cricket Clinics

Oshclub Holiday Program

Year 6 Mother and Son Dinner

Dear Year 6 Mothers,

The Mother and Son Dinner is being held on Wednesday 15th October 2014 at the Waterview Restaurant, Bicentennial Park. To reserve a place please follow the online payment details below in flyer.

If you wish to be seated with your friends, please provide a complete list, which should be no more than 10 (5 mums and 5 boys).  The request must come directly to me via email; bombardieri.ivana@gamil.com – no later than 30th September.  If no request is received, you will be seated with your class group.

Term Dates 2015

Each year much thought goes into term dates to ensure the most appropriate balance across the year with a focus on the boys’ learning from Kindergarten to Year 12. This process, conducted by the College’s Senior Executive, takes many hours to ensure all options are considered. By now, you have probably realised that next year we have only a 2 week break between Terms 2 and 3 and a 3 week break between Terms 3 and 4.

Every year the calendar gets challenged by a number of factors. They include when Australia Day lands, when Easter lands, not wanting to start too early when it is hot, not wanting to finish too early at the end of the year with working parents, ensuring state school holidays coincide with our holidays, getting a balance of days between each Semester right (the aim is for 92 in one and 93 in the other), and finally getting maximum time possible for Year 12 for Terms 1, 2 and 3.

This balance is illustrated in the following summary:

2014 – Semester 1: 92 and Semester 2: 93

2015 – Semester 1: 93 and Semester 2: 92 (based on 3 week break between Terms 3 and 4)

2016 – Semester 1: 92 and Semester 2: 93

2017 – Semester 1: 93 and Semester 2: 92

Given the unusual situation of 2015, if we had a 3 week break between Terms 2 and 3 it would have resulted in 88 days in Semester 1 and 97 days in Semester 2 and Year 12 would have effectively lost a week.

It is important to understand that each school has different organisational and learning structures and requirements, thus the difference between other independent schools next year.

Please note that the change in holidays is only for 2015.  In 2016 we will return to a 3 week holiday break between Terms 2 and 3.

TERM DATES 2015

TERM ONE
Thursday 29 January to Thursday 2 April
Classes commence Thursday 29 January
10 week term followed by a 2 week break

TERM TWO
Monday 20 April to Friday 26 June
Classes commence Monday 20 April
Staff PD Day – Friday 3 June  – No students
Queen’s Birthday Public Holiday – Monday 8 June
10 week term followed by a 2 week break (for 2015 only)

TERM THREE
Tuesday 14 July to Friday 18 September
Staff PD Day – Monday 13 July
10 week term followed by a 3 week break (for 2015 only)

TERM FOUR
Monday 12 October to Tuesday 8 December
Classes commence Monday 12 October
Annual Prize Giving 3-6 – Tuesday 8 December

Term Dates 2014

TERM ONE
Wednesday 29 January to Friday 11 April
11 week term followed by a 2 week break
Classes commence Wednesday 29 January

TERM TWO
Monday 28 April to Friday 20 June
Wyvern Staff PD Day (Student Free Day) – Friday 6 June
Queen’s Birthday (Pubic Holiday) –  Monday 9 June
8 week term followed by a 3 week break

TERM THREE
Monday 14 July to Thursday 18 September
Wyvern Staff PD Day (Student Free Day) – Friday 19 September
10 week term followed by a 2 week break

TERM FOUR
Wednesday 8 October to Monday 8 December
Labour Day Public Holiday – Monday 6 October
Wyvern Staff PD Day (Student Free Day) -Tuesday 7 October

OshClub – Wyvern’s Before & After School Care Program

Wyvern’s Before and After School Care Program is run by OSHClub. Enrolment for all students is recommended and allows parents to easily manage their before and after school care needs via an online account. Visit  www.oshclub.com.au to use the free enrolment service.

For all late bookings, please contact the Coordinator, Eleanor, on 0428 131 700. OSHClub’s head office number is (03) 8564 9000 Click here for the OSHClub Information Flyer.

For OSHClub Newsletter Term 3 – Week 9, click here

For OSHClub Holiday Program, click here

Kind regards
OSHClub Team

Newington Crested Ware

There are a range of crested ware on offer at the Black and White shop. They range from memorabilia, clothing, keepsakes as well as an exclusive Sesquicentenary line which can be found on the Sesquicentenrary site. For more information about crested ware, please contact Rollanda Rosenstrauss.

To download the crested ware catalogue and price list  click here

To view the crested ware page on the public website, click here

Flyers in Bookstand

Tuckshop

• Everyday Tuckshop Menu

Martial Arts

• Kung Fu Action at Wyvern

Co-curricular

• Co-curricular (Before and After School) Activities at Wyvern

Uniform Shop

Wyvern Uniform Roster Term 3 Week 10 and Term 4 Week 1, Click here

Wyvern Uniform Shop Winter Price List 2014, Click here

Wyvern Uniform Shop Order Form, Click here

Tuckshop Menu, Roster & Online Ordering

Dear Parents

As a parent volunteer working in the Tuckshop can you please make sure that you adhere to the rules and regulations regarding appropriate footwear – closed in footwear with a rubber grip sole (ideally leather trainers). No sandals, thongs, open toe shoes or fabric trainers (fabric shoes may bring bacteria) may be worn.

If your son suffers from an allergy it is imperative that you advise the Wyvern Office and the Tuckshop so that we are aware of it. Click here for the ‘Alliance Catering  – Food Allergens Advisory Statement’.

Please click here for the Spotless Food Safety Information for Volunteers Guidelines

Tuckshop Menu and Roster for Term 3 Week 10 and Term 4 Week 1, Click here

Everyday Menu and Price List, Click here  Please note that there have been a few changes made to this for ‘Items from the Freezer’

Online Ordering Instructions, Click here

Online Ordering FAQs, Click here

Term 4 Parent Calendar

Please find updated Term 4 Parent Calendar, click here.

Sport

For all Saturday morning sport at Newington Senior School, parents are requested to park off site along the street. The schools onsite car park is maintained for officials, emergency vehicles and staff only. With the winter sport season upon us, the car park area can become very busy early in the morning. Please consider this simple request to ensure the smooth management of Saturday morning sport at Newington.

Wyvern Sports Newsletter, Click here

Sports Results and Match Reports, Click here

Sporting Venue Addresses, Click here

2014 Sports Handbook, Click here

P & F News and Events

Hello!

I did get the coffee table – seat five of the Newingtonia VIII (and a Piamento dress) at BTN! Despite it raining for the first time since anyone can recall, Back to Newington Day was still loads of fun with wonderful food and a gorgeous display of wares in Centenary Hall, the floral display at the entrance in particular. Unfortunately, rain doesn’t mix too well with rides, sand, plaster and paint, so we closed the Wyvern stand early. Despite getting rather wet, or perhaps partly because of it…Emma Cope, Nicole Newson, Manuela Ayoub and I had a wonderful morning. A special thank you goes to Emma who gave away 300 balloons to surprised teenage boys and their girlfriends and to the Ampoulos family for their silent auction donation of a week at their villa in Greece.

Following that we had the Father’s Day Breakfast, which was a great hit with dads and boys. Year 2 parents – Lillian Fadel, Teresa Lewis, Dita Alafaci, Paola McLeod, Tahnee Shalak, Karen Saupin, Kathy Burshtein, Nicole Newson, Vicky Grillakis, Leisa Hayward, Kim Rixom and Soha Rewais – put a great deal of effort into the planning and successful execution of the event. A big thank you! The rain held out – and now we’ve all got our fingers and toes crossed for the Year 3-5 Father & Son Camp this weekend (so far, so good).

And what would Father’s Day be without the opportunity for our boys to take home a small gift from school for Dad? Selecting, ordering, processing and distributing the gifts is a fun but tricky task for which we need to thank Kindy mums Debra Zappacosta, Telma Tollemache, Melanie Lukin, Elizabeth McCrostie, Kate Macdessie, Rebecca Cook, and Christina Armstrong, with P&F Exec support from Tahnee Shalak and Emma Cope.

I’ve recently come across an interesting website, Raising Children, where parents will find reliable and scientifically validated information and resources to support them in the day-to-day work of raising children and looking after their own needs. The website is updated regularly and offers up-to-date, research-based material on more than 800 topics spanning child development, behaviour, health, nutrition and fitness, play and learning, connect-ing and communicating, school and education, entertainment and technology, sleep and safety. Worth a look.

Until next time, be well and happy

Natalie Mina
President, Wyvern P&F
natalie.mina@accenture.com; 0414 850 455

Dates for your diary

• 3-5 Father & Son Camp, 12-14 September at Milson Island Sport & Recreation Camp
• Year 2 Parents’ Dinner, 19 September, Buon Gusto Restaurant in Chippendale
• Year 1 Parents’ Dinner, 11 October, Vicinity
• Year 6 Mother & Son Dinner, 15 October, Waterview
• Year 4 Parents’ Dinner, 18 October, Vicinity
• Kindy mums meet at Paper Cup every Wednesday and Friday morning at 8:15am
• Year 3 Parents’ Coffee & Chat is on every Thursday from 8.15am at the Little Treasures Café, 313 Stanmore Rd, Petersham (up the road from the senior school, opposite the fruit market)

Next Two Weeks

Faith Matters

Good Father?

Max Lucado writes: “Today’s my first Father’s Day without a father. For 31 years I had one of the best, but now he’s … buried under an oak tree in a west Texas cemetery. Strange he isn’t here … because he was always available. His words were nothing novel; his achievements, though admirable, were nothing extraordinary. But his presence was. Because he was there, life went smoothly …the future was secure … and my growing up was what God intended. He taught me how to shave and how to pray. He taught me that wrong should be punished … and that rightness has its own reward. He modelled … the elusive balance between ambition and self-acceptance. I knew if I ever needed him he’d be there. Like a warm fireplace. Maybe that’s why this Father’s Day’s a bit chilly. The fire’s gone out. The winds of age swallowed his splendid flame leaving only golden embers. But there’s a strange thing about those embers, stir them … and the flame will dance … and knock just enough chill out of the air to remind me that he’s still … present.”

Whilst this will not necessarily be our own experience as a child or a father it does cause us to pause and ponder.

The Bible pictures God as the perfect, ever-present Dad. While those who are fathers among us will struggle, make mistakes and even scar our children, God is totally reliable, 100% dependable. Even though at times we might be bemused about the way He does things we can be assured He has our very best interest at heart.

The wise King Solomon said, “The righteous man walks in integrity … blessed are his children after him.” (Proverbs 20:7)

Peter Morphew
Chaplain

Before & After School Co-curricular Activities at Wyvern

Please click here for the 2014 Co-curricular Activities at Wyvern – Term 4

Artist of the Week

K – 2 Artist of the Week

Ishaan Paharia 1S

Ishaan used yellow pencil drawing then water colour paint to create a beautiful landscape work. He cleverly remembered the rules of linear perspective including a horizon and vanishing point.

Massimo Zappacosta KV

Massimo experimented with chalk pastel on brown paper to make a picture of a nest with eggs. He used a variety of lines and a smudging technique to finish the work.

Debbie Bourke
K-2 Art Teacher

3 – 6 Artist of the Week

Year 3
Year 3 have completed reading Rowan of Rin and during that time they began an artwork using the Dragon as inspiration. Students created a ‘moving’  artwork where the Dragon was able to move up and down on top of a textured background. Well done to all Year 3 for a wonderful large work that had many steps within  it.

Flynn Stokes 3G

Sampson Tuqiri 3H

James Lydon 3G

Year 6
Year 6 were treated to some exciting lessons this term using the theme of ‘Warriors’. Students observed a live artist model and made a number of drawings using charcoal and conte crayon. Students then made a collage of all their works and completed it with a poem about their warrior.

Calum Boland 6K

Josh Billingham 6M

Thomas Wadland 6B

Meredith Buining
3-6 Art Teacher

Achievement Awards & House Points

House Points

A Message from Mr Holden

CLASS PLACEMENT 2015

At Wyvern, we take great care when considering class placement of students for the next academic year. We always try to form balanced, purposeful and co-operative classes in which each boy is able make the best, individual progress. In doing so, we take into account many different aspects of a student’s school life including;

1. Academic ability and educational needs
2. Relationships with other students
3. Behaviour
4. Personality
5. Interests
6. Pastoral needs

The process for allocating students to next year’s classes is thorough and starts in Term 4. As part of this process some parents may feel that they can assist by offering information about their son. For example, parents may feel that a teacher with an openly nurturing approach would be a good match for their son, or on the other hand, they may feel that their son needs a teacher who still provides a caring but firmer structure. Should you wish to indicate the teaching approach you feel may best suit your son, I invite you to contact me via email before the end of this term.

Please note that requests for specific teachers, or for one, based purely on his or her gender, will not be considered in this process. The school has the final say on all class placements.

NAPLAN RESULTS

Last  week parents of students in Year 3 and Year 5 received their sons’ results from national compulsory assessments (NAPLAN) undertaken at the start of Term 2. The school’s performance in all the key areas tested (reading, spelling, writing, language conventions and numeracy) was extremely strong with our school average being significantly above the national average. I congratulate all students and teachers for these excellent results. I will present a more detailed analysis of the results at next term’s P and F meeting.

FATHERS’ DAY

Last Friday Wyvern boys, fathers and grandfathers enjoyed a superb Father’s Day Breakfast which was organised and led by Year 2 parents.  Many thanks must also go to Kindergarten who organised and distributed the fantastic Father’s Day gifts to the boys.

SWIMMING PROGRAM

In Term 4 all students (K-6) will take part in our annual aquatics program. Further details of the program will be placed on Spaces before the end of term. Please note, to ensure balance in all areas of the curriculum, students in Years 3-6 will only have one summer sport training session each week (on Wednesday afternoons) whilst the aquatics program is running. All students will still have their normal PDHPE lesson each week. Mr Wilson has included details of some additional opportunities for cricket and basketball skill development available to Year 2-6 boys in this week’s newsletter.

MUSIC

Finally, I wish the Year 5 and Year 6 boys and staff who are participating in the South Coast Music tour next week a very enjoyable and rewarding time. I am thrilled that our various music ensembles have this wonderful opportunity to collaborate with a number of other schools plus showcase the excellent music program at Wyvern.

Ian Holden
Head of Wyvern