OSHClub Holiday Program

Please click here for OSHClub’s Holiday Program

Year 1 Visits Sydney Children’s Hospital

Year 1 visited the Sydney Children’s Hospital as part of their HSIE unit ‘Who helps me in my Community? – The Roles of Workers in Hospitals’.

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Hunters Hill Junior Rugby Union

Term Dates 2016

TERM DATES 2016

TERM ONE

Thursday 28 January to Friday 8 April
Classes commence Thursday 28 January
11 week term followed by a 2 week break
SPD Day – Thursday 24 March
Good Friday Public Holiday – 25 March
Easter Monday Public Holiday – 28 March

TERM TWO

Tuesday 26 April to Friday 24 June
Classes commence Tuesday 26 April
Anzac Day Public Holiday – Monday 25 April
SPD Day – Friday 10 June – No students
Queen’s Birthday Public Holiday – Monday 13 June
9 week term followed by a 3 week break

TERM THREE

Monday 18 July to Friday 23 September
Classes commence Monday 18 July
10 week term followed by a 2 week break

TERM FOUR

Monday 10 October to Thursday 8 December
Classes commence Monday 10 October
Annual Prize Giving 3-6 – Thursday 8 December

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 5 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
Classes commence 14 July
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
Classes commence Monday 12 October
Annual Prize Giving 3-6 – Tuesday 8 December

OSHClub – Wyvern’s Before and 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 1 – Week 8, click here

Oshclub Program 1

Oshclub Program 2

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 Kylie Ann Mayer at kylieann@mayhemcorp.com.au

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

Martial Arts

• Kung Fu Action at Wyvern

Clubs and Co-curricular Activities at Wyvern

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

Swim Squad

• Term 1 Swim Squad

Cricket

• Term 1 Years 3/4 Cricket Development Sessions
• Term 1 Years 5/6 Cricket Development Sessions

Basketball

• Term 1 Basketball Skills Sessions

Uniform Shop

Wyvern Uniform Roster Term 1 Week  9 and 10 Click here

Wyvern Uniform Shop Order Form, Click here

Wyvern Uniform Shop Summer Price List 2015, 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 1 Weeks 9 and 10, Click here

Donut Day Flyer, Click here

Sausage Sizzle Day Flyer, Click here

Everyday Menu and Price List, Click here  

Online Ordering Instructions, Click here

Online Ordering FAQs, Click here

Koala: Kids Own Australian Literature Awards

Every year, young readers from all over New South Wales judge their very own literary awards. By voting in the KOALA awards they can reward the Australian children’s books that have most inspired, amused, terrified, enlightened and engaged them.

It’s Time to Nominate!

It’s easy to nominate. Just make sure that your nominated book fulfils these 3 criteria.

Does your nominated book, tick these boxes?

Click here for further details about KOALA and nominating form.

Joanne Barnes
Librarian – Wyvern House

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 summer 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

Wyvern Sports Results and Match Reports, click here

Sporting Venue Addresses, Click here

2015 Sports Handbook, Click here

Inter-School Chess Challenge

On Monday 9th March, Kieran Casey, Fallon Fotaras, Jaxson Jarvis and Hamish Thompson represented Newington at the Interschool Chess Challenge at Homebush Boys High School. It was an amazing day and we did really well. We all played 7 games: Newington finished first in the primary schools division with a score of 20 out of a possible 28. It was a remarkable day of chess seeing that the second place team had 24 players representing their school and we had only 4.  We not only came first but also took out the first three placings with Fallon coming overall first, Hamish second and Kieran third. In the competition there was a high school team, which we versed and won most of our games against. The thought of it was daunting but as we built up our confidence we enjoyed the challenge. We are looking forward to the semi finals next term.

Fallon Fotaras 6R

Building Learning Power – Core Beliefs

Many parents came along to our Building Learning Power (BLP) Information Sessions in Week 6. How wonderfully encouraging it is to see the amount of interest in our Wyvern learning framework – we believe it’s the right way ahead and it is heartening to know that our parent body strongly supports us on this.

I’ve had a number of parents enquire about the academic thinking underpinning our BLP foundation.  I’d like to explore this a little in this article.

In short, we all agree it is imperative that young people need school to help prepare them for an uncertain future. We know that to come out of school just with a clutch of examination certificates, is no longer ‘cutting it’ in our modern society. So what are the beliefs that underpin our BLP focus?

The Tests of Life

Art Costa, an American educator, once hit the nail on the head when he stated: “…we are preparing students not just for a life of tests but for the tests of life”. Wyvern staff firmly believe that it is our responsibility to build the emotional, mental and social resources of the boys in our care. To help them enjoy challenge and to cope well with uncertainty and complexity. We do this in a way that concurrently develops lesson content in literacy, numeracy and geography, to name a few. The new National Curriculum touches on many aspects of BLP, reinforcing to us here at Wyvern that we’re getting it right.

A Resourceful, Resilient Spirit in your Son

We believe that being resourceful and resilient lifelong learners are essential skills for all our boys, regardless of their career choices in life. Indeed, in the current economic climate, getting a job itself is proving to be a test of these very dispositions! Being resourceful and resilient also helps your son to understand what he’d like to achieve, strengthening his will (and his skill) to attain his goal, whatever that may be.

Intelligence is Learnable

Those who attended one of our information sessions will be familiar with the research carried out over the past couple of decades, where we now know that the academic intelligence we are born with is not set at one particular unchanging point. With the right tools and instruction, everyone can build on their confidence, passion and capability – expanding their own real-world intelligence, delving much deeper than purely academic ability.

Confidence in a Changing World

Modern society is full of risk, complexity and rapid change, where individual responsibility for making your own way in life is paramount. In these swirling currents, traditional education models have left many students and school leavers at sea. We are determined to equip Wyvern boys with the right tools to paddle through into calmer waters when societal challenges arise.

Our BLP portfolio is ambitious and difficult – we are under no illusions that what we are doing is going to challenge us as educators. Yet we believe strongly that this is the right thing for the boys we teach. It provides us with direction and heart.

As part of our RESILIENCE BLP education, this week all K-6 classes have been focusing on flexing our NOTICING learning muscles. Staff have been busy supporting the boys to notice the detail in things and really sense what’s around us all. It’s proven to be an excellent way to help our Wyvern boys truly ‘lock’ into their learning experiences.

Cate Fryda
BLP Learning Framework Leader

Donut Day Flyer

Sausage Sizzle Day

Next Two Weeks

Literature Festival

Authors have been confirmed, the schedule has been drawn up and preparations for our visiting authors, illustrators and writing workshop presenters are taking place in Library lessons as we head towards our 2015 Newington Literature Festival in Week 3 of Term 2. Please look at the updates for the Newington Literature Festival 2015 on the Library page on Spaces.

• Festival Visiting Authors and Illustrators
• Opening Night Panel Discussion with Archie Fusillo (author), Libby Gleeson (children’s Author), Will Kostakis (author and Old Newingtonian 2006) and Felicity Plunkett (poet and critic). The topic for discussion will be ‘Why is literature relevant in a modern world?’
• Wyvern Literature Festival Timetable
• Parent Event for Wyvern Parents – Topic and RSVP Information to be finalised soon
• Newington Literature Festival Writing Competition for Years 5 & 6
• Book Character Parade Theme and Guidelines
• Book Fair Information

If you have any questions, please email me at jbarnes@newington.nsw.edu.au

Looking forward to seeing you at the 2015 Newington Literature Festival.

Joanne Barnes
Librarian – Wyvern House

International Competitions & Assessments for Schools (ICAS) Years 3-6

Dear Parents,

Please find information regarding the annual ICAS Competitions for Years 3 to 6. If your son would like to participate in these OPTIONAL assessments, please return the completed permission slip, click here to Wyvern Office by 27th March, 2015.

Extra copies of the information and permission forms can be found in the bookstand near reception.

Wyvern Office

Faith Matters

Reality and Vision

The apostle Paul embraced both reality and vision as he wrote to his disciples “… being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” His disciples were the unfinished article – that was the reality; but the completion would come in God’s time – that was the vision.

Sometimes it’s discouraging to see where we’ve got to. We still struggle in the same areas and don’t see the progress we’d hoped for. Or our life hasn’t panned out as we’d wanted. Such thoughts are common, but take heart, God’s not finished with you yet. There is your reality and there’s God’s vision.

Helen Keller was both blind and deaf. In an interview she was asked if there could be anything worse than being blind. She replied: “Oh yes! It’s being able to see and not having any vision.” Poor eyes may limit our sight, but worse than that, poor vision will limit our deeds.

As Easter approaches we see Jesus’ and our reality but also God’s vision for humankind.

Peter Morphew
Chaplain

Clubs and Co-curricular at Wyvern 2015

Dear Parents,

Click here for the Clubs and Co-curricular at Wyvern 2015.

Artist of the Week

K – 2 Artists of the Week

This week’s Artists of the Week are Jack Vernier (KL) and William Farmer (KB). Jack used the primary colours of red, yellow and blue to create all the colours of the rainbow. William persevered and experimented with ‘Bunny-hop’ finger prints using the primary colours to make a picture of the flowers in Claude Monet’s garden.

Jack Vernier

William Farmer

Debbie Bourke
K – 2 Art Teacher

Achievement Awards and House Points

House Points

A Message from Mr Holden

Congratulations to all boys who participated in the annual Cross Country Carnival, held this year at Koola Park, due to work on ‘Old Boys’ Oval at Stanmore.  Whilst, no doubt, all were very impressed with some stunning individual performances, I was also delighted with the wonderful team spirit on display. Thank you to the many Wyvern parents who gave such strong support to all of our Prep school boys.

Next week Year 6 students travel to Lake Macquarie for an outdoor education camp. I know they are all looking forward to the experience. Such activities provide the boys with excellent opportunities for personal growth as individual students overcome various challenges. I hope the Year 6 team of students and staff enjoy a very successful ‘camp’ experience.

In Term 2, Ms Lucy Wright, Team Leader in our Learning Enhancement team is taking a well deserved period of long service leave. We are very pleased that Mr Stuart Brown, a very experienced ex Wyvern teacher, will join the Learning Enhancement team in Ms Wright’s absence.

Ian Holden
Head of Wyvern