the vine€¦ · · 2017-08-29the vine. issue no 8, 7. ... and curiosity to start engaging with...

The Vine

Issue No 8, 7 August 2017

Personal excellence through Christ

“Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones”

Proverbs 16:24

I recently received a gift of homemade honey with the following Proverb attached to it -

“Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” Proverbs 16:24

Words have power; they can build or destroy, they can inspire or disempower. God’s wisdom in the Bible reminds us of this in multiple places. The College Senior School staff were recently given the challenge of listing as many places in the Bible that talk about the power of words. Over approximately one minute they promptly listed 14 references. Throughout the Bible we are reminded of the power of words.

If we could examine a script of our day and reflect on the words that we used with others, what would we find? With time and no pressure, we can ensure that our words have a positive impact. The challenge increases when we are time poor, under stress and not focused on consistently using our words to build others up. Sometimes it is the smallest comment said that can be destructive without us realising and with a result that can have long lasting effects.

I recently found a delightful children’s picture book that demonstrated this clearly. The central character in “Rosie Revere Engineer” by Andrea Beaty stopped using her creativity and passion after hearing a short and powerfully negative comment from her uncle. However, some encouraging words from another relative some time later helped Rosie, to employ her thinking, learning and curiosity to start engaging with her passion again and creating crazy inventions.

As educators, we have the challenge to ensure that the words we use with our students are designed to build them up and help them to grow as resilient learners. Thinking about how our words nurture our students and feed their thinking is something that our Senior School staff have recently had the opportunity and challenge to reflect on.

Learning can be challenging and students can struggle when emotions cloud or distort their thinking. Morris (2015) even states that “When young people struggle to make progress with learning, it is not necessarily because they find what is being learned too difficult, but may, in part, be explained by how they think about the challenges they face and the emotions they feel as a consequence”. When teachers partner with students in their learning, we can help them to persevere, to employ courage to have a go, to be aware of the hurdles they are facing and help to equip them to climb over the hurdles. We do this through the language we use and with the partnerships that we build with our students. We can help to build resilient minds through our use of language which can help our students to succeed in all parts of life, including the classroom.

I leave you with two challenges; firstly, consider all the times that words used by others have helped to build you up and have encouraged you. Be thankful for these words and the people that used them. Secondly, consider what words you have used today and challenge yourself to ensure your conversations with your children tomorrow are full of words that build them up and help them to be resilient thinkers and learners.

Miss Adele CraneDirector of Student Wellbeing

Morris, I. (2015) Teaching Happiness and Well-Being in Schools - Learning to Ride Elephants (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Education, London, UK

Words have Power


College Senior School Student Leaders Investiture

The College community celebrated with our newly appointed Student Leaders at their Investiture on Friday 28 July. It was an opportunity to meet our new leaders as they begin their journey working to achieve Prefect Goals and representing the College community. Our College Captains Monique Schoebel and Callum Payer and Vice-Captains Zalia Lackey and Angus Harrold will lead a team of 25 energetic and enthusiastic students!

We would like to encourage you with the words from the Bible passage read at the Investiture:

1 Peter 5: verses 5-7

“In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud but shows favour to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

It was also an opportunity to thank our outgoing Student Leaders of 2016-2017 for their wonderful contribution and initiatives over the past year. Special thanks go to College Captains Emily Brooker and Linden Arkle and Vice-Captains Brittany Reeves and Joshua Heins for leading so capably over the past year. An extract of Emily’s and Linden’s final speech as College Captains appears below:

“Throughout our year of leadership one of the goals that we have focused on was promoting connections between the Primary and Senior Schools. It has been an absolute pleasure visiting Primary School classes each term and making many friendships with students and hearing their unique and valuable perspectives on College life.

A highlight from our time as College Captains has been seeing the development of House Spirit which was shown at Sports Carnivals, the Inter-House talent quest and the College Handball competition. We have also loved seeing the bonds formed within our House groups which has contributed to the increasing House Spirit and sense of belonging.

A piece of advice both Emily and I would like to give the future school leaders is to make the most of every opportunity that you can. The time in your positions will fly so quickly, and before you know it, Monique and Callum will be up here doing their final address. Run with your ideas, and always stay true to yourselves. We are so excited to see the amazing things that you initiate and will be working on and wish you well in your roles over the next year!”

Wise words Emily and Linden!

Mrs Sophia Jones/ Miss Adele Crane Student Leadership Co-ordinators

Senior School


From the Careers Advisor

Senior School

On Monday 24 July Students at Penrith Anglican College had the opportunity to listen to a presentation from representatives of the Australian Defence Forces.

Leading Seaman Adrian James and Sgt Jess Arpon from the Defence Forces Recruitment Office in Parramatta accompanied by Sgt Melanie Cowan from the Army Reserve at Kingswood informed students of the various career opportunities that are available to them in the Defence Forces. They gave a detailed explanation of entry via ADFA or General Entry as well as information concerning the ADFA Gap Year and the Army Reserve.

Following the presentation students had the chance to ask direct questions of the guest speakers in order to gain a further understanding of the career options that are available to them and the process they would follow in order to gain entry.

Upon leaving, our guests were thanked personally by our Headmaster, Mr Mark Lewis for giving of their time and

sharing their knowledge with students of the College

Year 8 French - l’école français

Year 8 are currently learning about school life in France with Mrs Palmer.

On Thursday, 27 July, Year 8K were fortunate to have Magali Maurice (a native French speaker), who is currently staying with Nicola Crabb and her family, visit and present a Powerpoint about her own schooling in France.

They have learned that French students attend school on a Saturday and that school may finish as late as 5.30pm.

Magali’s Public School had the following rules: no eating or drinking in classrooms, no computers/technology or Mobile phones in classrooms, no mention of religion or discussions on religion are permitted at school and no talking in class.


Zeal Theatre Company Visit

Senior School

Drama students from Years 7-12 had the good fortune of spending a day with the talented Zeal Theatre Company on July 27. The students were treated to a performance titled ‘Lucky Country’ exploring ideas surrounding what it means to live in Australia and how our behaviours can affect those around us. The actors gave an engaging and entertaining performance, utilising various styles of theatre and performance skills. After the show students were able to ask questions and received valuable advice on all aspects of Drama.

The rest of the day involved practical workshops during which students worked on their mime, characterisation and playbuilding skills. The Year 12 students were able to spend time working on their HSC performances with the actors who gave helpful feedback and new perspectives on their work. The theatre was full of energy all day and the students left the workshops full of ideas and new ways of approaching drama.

A reminder for year 7 and 8 students that the Drama Ensemble runs every Friday lunch time in the Drama room – we would love to see you there!


An update on Positive Education in Years 7 and 8

I would like to thank everyone for their support of the Sleep Sound Appeal.

Thanks to the generosity of the College community there are many people in Penrith sleeping warmer this Winter.

The items collected were distributed just before the school holidays.

Thank you for helping me so together we could make a difference to people in need.

Mark Nielsen, Year 8

An update on Positive Education in Years 7 and 8

Ever had a problem and reacted instinctively and made the problem worse? Ever felt hemmed in and weighed down, like there was no way to solve the problem? It’s highly likely that you answered ‘YES!’ to at least one of those questions. Problems are a normal, inevitable part of life, and learning to deal with problems is part of growing up.

As part of the Resourceful Adolescent Program, students in Year 7 have been learning a helpful problem solving process. They are practising:

• Defining the problem

• Brainstorming a range of possible solutions

• Thinking through the consequences of each possible solution

• Choosing the best course of action

• Using that choice to try to solve the problem

• Reflecting on whether their solution of choice is working or not and possibly trying another way.

These processes need to be practised to become automatic, and it’s great to have the opportunity to help students walk through the process and apply it to real life problems.

Year 8 have spent some time looking at the website biteback.org.au which is associated with the Black Dog Institute. The website provides students with a huge range of resources on ‘Powering Up’ (Mindfulness), ‘Thank Tank’ (Gratitude), “In the Zone” (the Positive Psychology concept of flow) and ‘Mental Fitness’. Students can watch videos, read articles and blogs and get involved in posting or competitions if they wish. It’s a fantastic resource. Have a look and see what it’s all about!

Sleep Sound Appeal

Senior School


Primary School

War of the Words Competition

During Term 2, all students in Kindergarten to Year 6 participated in a speech competition called ‘War of the Words’.

The competition is held annually at the College and designed to give students an opportunity to develop and refine their public speaking skills. This year, the competition also served as an avenue through which the 2017 College theme of ‘Character Matters’ could be emphasised in a way that was meaningful to the students.

Each stage in the Primary School focused on a different aspect of character. Early Stage 1 spoke about ‘Why We Should Care for God’s Creation’, Stage 1 students discussed ‘The Most Important Character Trait’ and selected from a range of choices, Stage 2 spoke about ‘What Makes a Good Friend’ and Stage 3 talked about why ‘Honesty is the Best Policy’.

Each class selected two male and two female winners who progressed through to a grade competition. These students then presented their speech to their grade or stage to determine the two male and female grade winners. From this group a male and female stage winner was selected.

The winning students in each stage then then presented their speeches to the Primary School at a special presentation ceremony on Wednesday 26 July in the Lighthouse Theatre.

All of the students at the College are commended for the level of effort put into the development and presentation of their speeches. The standard of speeches in this year’s competition was exceptional.

CIS Cross Country

The College has always had a proud tradition of sports men and women excelling in a wide range of fields. Congratulations to Mabel Dukes and Hannah Roots who represented CIS at the All School Cross Country Championships. Mabel came 36th out of 76 runners in the U8/9's 2km race and Hannah placed 16th in the U11’s. Both results are an outstanding achievement for the girls who competed in a challenging course at Eastern Creek.


College Production, Mary Poppins

Penrith Anglican College was transported into the magical world of Mary Poppins during the month of June, with over 60 students involved in the production of Disney’s iconic show in the Lighthouse Theatre.

Those involved in the production commenced rehearsals in December last year and spent the last seven months refining their singing, dancing and acting skills to bring the story of the Banks family to life. The students put on a truly terrific show, which had audiences enthralled from beginning to end.

Students from across the College participated in the show in various capacities from Front of House, to backstage and tech, performing on stage and in the orchestra. The musical was a wonderful example of teachers and students working together to produce a high quality show. Feedback from the community has been overwhelmingly positive and is a testament to the hard work of various members of the College community. The dance numbers were particularly captivating, and involved a huge amount of rehearsal, and hanging upside down for one lucky cast member!

A huge number of staff contributed to the production in a number of ways including costume, sets, stage managing, orchestra, technical aspects and music direction. I would like to say a very big thank you to all those who contributed their time and energy to help the students create a memorable show.

Finally, we would like to say farewell to our Year 12 students who have participated in a number of productions over the years. Thank you for your dedication to the performing arts and modelling positive and encouraging behaviours to our younger students.

If you came and enjoyed the production, thank you! We appreciate all the support and it is a real joy for the students to share their hard work with our audiences. We look forward to seeing you for next year’s show!


College Production, Mary Poppins


Dusty Boots Service Trip 2017

A team of 46 students and staff were up bright and early on Thursday 29 June to head to Cootamundra on the 2017 Dusty Boots Service Trip.

This trip is an annual event for the College aimed at promoting an understanding of living a purposeful life and serving others, and was our third trip to Cootamundra. Throughout the week, students were involved in a whole range of activities including:

- Gardening, moving hay and burning pallets for Riding for the Disabled

- Redoing the Rectory Garden. This involved removing over 2.6 tonnes of overgrown garden!

- Ripping out dead plants and replanting gardens at Bimbadeen Conference Centre where we stayed

- Delivering Meals on Wheels

- Interacting with residents at the Retirement Village and Nursing Home

- Interacting with clients at the Elouera Day Centre

- Mulching and planting out the Muttama Creek walk into town

- Visiting private homes to garden, clean and tidy for the residents

- Participating in church services

- Visiting the Heritage Centre to learn more about the history of Bimbadeen

The students were welcomed warmly by the local community as our students from the past two years represented the College well and so our reputation preceded us! They made a huge impact on the community, achieving in a few mornings what would have taken small teams of local volunteers months and months to accomplish.

From the perspective of a staff member on the trip, it is hard to speak highly enough of this group of students. In every interaction with members of the community they were polite, respectful and engaging. They worked hard and were out of their comfort zone many times. Even back at Bimbadeen, where we stayed, students interacted positively and kindly. Considering it got to -8 degrees on a few mornings and pipes froze so there was no running water, remaining positive and calm while all living together and being tired from working hard was quite an impressive achievement!

Students arrived home on Thursday 6 July exhausted but having experienced a range of new things, worked very hard and represented the College particularly well. They absolutely demonstrated the purpose, initiative, teamwork and compassion that the College seeks to instil in all students.

Dusty Boots


Dusty Boots

Dusty Boots Service Trip 2017

Dusty Boots Team 2017

Georgia Appelgren Charli Arkle Dylan Baldwin Jared Bartlett Charlotte Britton Hayley Buckley Thomas Buxton Bill Callinan Cameron Chesters Hannah Crozier Maddi De Leon Hayden Goodshaw Maddison Gray Katie Greene James Hanna Kaitlyn Hartsuyker Brianna Huddleston Georgia Jones Harrison Kennedy Kierley Lakke-Benson Zahan Madon Flynn McFall Chauntelle Merrett

Grace Michail Alex Moisiadis Angi Moutzouras Paige Olofsson Hamish Rogers Monique Schoebel Tara Steward Aaron Szczygiel Isabella Wakeman Joel Walker Talie Walton Sam Lucas Alex Wright Sam Wright Joshua Wright Charlotte Wright Miss Crane Mrs Crane Mr McCallum Mrs Lucas Mrs Whykes Mr Wright Mrs Wright


Notices

Artwork by Annalise Taylor Year 7

2017 Visual Arts ExhibitionSelected Artworks from K – 12Lunch times and after school until 5 pmAugust 15 & 16In the College Gymnasium

Lollipop’s Fundraiser

Come and join us for an afternoon of fun at Lollipop’s Playland Penrith! We are hosting a Fundraiser with proceeds toward the purchase of resources for students for Learning Support. Enjoy a cup of coffee or a light snack from the café while your children play and explore

The cost is only $10.00 per child. Adults accompanying children will have free entry. Bookings can be made through TryBookings; http://www.pac.nsw.edu.au/my-pac/make-payments/lollipops-playland-penrith-fundraiser-2017/

Please read the terms and conditions of entry below. Entry can only be permitted with pre purchased tickets.

Date and Time: Friday 18 August 2017 from 5:30pm – 7:30pm

Who: Students from Pre K to Year 6

Address: 233 Mulgoa Rd Penrith; 47218555

• Terms and conditions

• No outside food or drink permitted in the Playland

• All children must wear socks

No drop off, all children must be supervised by an adult at all times. Tickets are being offered to Pre K to 6 students. If you have any questions please email [email protected]

There are still places available for PACED 2017. A copy of the brochure and the application form can be downloaded from the College website. http://www.pac.nsw.edu.au/paced-2017-years-1-6/

Applications close August 11 so don’t miss out!

PACED 2017


Compassion at Penrith Anglican College

“I like to help out with Compassion because I believe that if we have the opportunity to help other people who are less privileged than we are, then we should take that opportunity.”

Charli Arkle Senior Cranmer 2

Keyner is 5 years old and lives in Columbia. He lives with his mother and grandfather. His grandfather occasionally works and his mother maintains the home. There are 3 children in the family. At home Keyner helps by caring for animals and doing odd jobs.

Keyner likes playing soccer, group games and playing with marbles.

The joy on the faces of Keyner’s family when they found out he was to be sponsored was priceless. Keyner will be able to have great opportunities because he will grow up healthy, happy, educated and cared for medically.

Mission Monday

Penrith Anglican College has been sponsoring children through Compassion

since 2007. Currently Pre K through to Year 12 sponsor 16 children.

Bring in your dollar once a month to make a big change in your Sponsor Children’s lives

“Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed”

Psalm 82:3


Praise, Pray & Plan

Prayer points Important Dates for your Diary

Praise points

• Our Year 12 students as they approach their trial exams and their last term at the College

• Those families experiencing times of illness or stress

• The Nepal Service trip as they prepare

• The success of the Dusty Boots Service Trip in the past holidays

• The induction of our new student leaders who are enthusiastic about their new roles

• The staff who go above and beyond to provide such a wide range of opportunities for students at the College

Tuesday 8 August College Tour Year 7-12 Parent Teacher Interviews

Wednesday 9 August TAStastic

Thursday 10 August Primary School Parent Teaher Interviews

Tuesday 15 August Annual Visual Arts Exhibition

Wednesday 16 August Annual Visual Arts Exhibition Maths Olympiad Year 7 and 8

Thursday 17 August Year 12 HSC/IB Trial Examination Period

Friday 18 August Year 12 HSC/IB Trial Examination Period Lollipop’s Playland Fundraiser

Keep up to date with the ‘live’ College Calendar by logging into the Parent Portal.

Click on the ‘Diary’ tab (left side of screen) and then click on ‘School

Calendar.’

Entry is free.

TAStastic P e n r i t h A n g l i c a n C o l l e g e

The purpose of this exhibition is to display the Year 12 major projects and selected student work from years 7-11 in Design and Technology, Food Technology,

Textiles Technology and Technology (Mandatory).

WHEN: Wednesday August 9 from 3.30pm to 7 .00pmWHERE: ‘H’ Block - Penrith Anglican College

All are invited to attend this event and it is a great opportunity to acknowledge student achievement in TAS.

Nepal Service Trek 2017 Cookie Dough Fundraiser During the next school holidays, twenty Year 11 students, teachers and parents will be travelling to the Shree Rastriya Secondary School in Nuwakot, Nepal which suffered extensive damage during the devastating 2015 earthquakes. The team will be assisting a local tradesperson and volunteers from the Nuwakot community to continue the essential rebuilding work started by Penrith Anglican College back in 2015 and 2016.

In order to raise money for building materials and school supplies, the Nepal Service Trek Team will be undertaking a Billy G’s Cookie Dough Fundraiser.

The cookie dough comes in ten scrumptious flavours (even Doggie Dough) and is packed in 1kg tubs which can be frozen (and re-frozen) or refrigerated. Simply scoop, bake and enjoy!

Cookie Dough orders can be made online using the link below until Friday 25th August. Cookie Dough tubs can then be collected from the College Reception/Staff Common Room from 2:30pm until 5:00pm on Tuesday 12th September 2017.

If cookies aren’t your thing but you would still like to support our project, you can make a tax-deductible donation to our Rebuild Nuwakot School fund using the link provided below. A tax receipt will be emailed to you (check your junk mail if your receipt is not received immediately).

http://rebuildnuwakotschool.gofundraise.com.au/

http://rebuildnuwakotschool.gofundraise.com.au/

https://cookiedough.com.au/home/?gid=846

the vine€¦ · · 2017-08-29the vine. issue no 8, 7. ... and curiosity to start engaging with...

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