As we approach the final week of term, there is a great sense of excitement and activity across our Junior School. It has been wonderful to see students engaged in their learning, serving others and participating enthusiastically in the many opportunities that College life provides.

This week we begin Unite Week, a special time for our College community to come together and celebrate the rich cultural diversity that makes our Junior School such a vibrant and welcoming place. As a Christian community, we give thanks for the unique gifts, backgrounds and experiences that each person brings, recognising that we are all wonderfully made in God's image. Unite Week provides an opportunity to learn from one another, show kindness and respect, and celebrate the strength that comes from belonging to a diverse community.

There is much to look forward to in the days ahead. Students will complete the remaining events of our Athletics Carnival, and we look forward to cheering one another on as students demonstrate perseverance, sportsmanship and House spirit. We are also excited for the Year 4 Band Concert, where students will have the opportunity to showcase the skills they have been developing throughout the semester.

Over the coming week, Semester 1 reports will be released, providing families with an opportunity to celebrate student growth, effort and achievement. We are grateful for the dedication of our staff who work so diligently to support every child's learning journey. 

Students from Prep to Year 6 will also enjoy visits from authors, inspiring a love of reading, writing and storytelling. These experiences play an important role in nurturing curiosity, creativity and a lifelong appreciation of literature.

Looking ahead to Term 3, we warmly encourage families to participate in our upcoming Learning Partnership Meetings held during Week 1. These conversations provide a valuable opportunity for parents, students and teachers to work together in supporting each child's continued growth and development.

As the holidays approach, thank you for your ongoing partnership and support throughout what has been a busy and rewarding term. We wish all our families a safe, restful and joyful break. We look forward to welcoming everyone back refreshed and ready for another exciting term of learning.

On Wednesday 10 June, I found myself doing something I don’t usually enjoy: getting up very early for a 6.30am prayer meeting at the ICC. It felt too early at the time, but it quickly became clear that God was doing something special. Around 1,800 believers gathered from a wide range of disciplines (including many Anglican schools) to pray for Sydney. Together, we lifted up our city: our communities, the media and arts, schools, the marginalised and those working in the health industry. It was a powerful reminder that Jesus is working in many fields through his people.

The main speaker, Tim Kirk, was a charismatic Catholic theologian and winemaker! He shared a compelling picture of faith through the lens of his craft. He spoke about the esprit de terroir - the “soul” of a vineyard’s environment. A good winemaker, he explained, doesn’t fight the conditions but works with what has been given.  This reminded me that, to be a good teacher and parent, I had to know what God had given me to work with.

Tim also gave us three rules for being a successful vintner, which he applied to being a Christian:

• - We need a genuine quality product. Am I producing good fruit?
• - We need an optimistic vision: How will the product bless people?
• - We need the capacity to communicate well. We need to be creative so people can share the fire Jesus inspires.

I saw it through a College context. Am I giving students quality? Are my lessons worth being part of?  How can I bless students with Jesus? Do I know my students? Do I know their esprit de terroir? Knowing their strengths and weaknesses, have I been creative in communicating Jesus to them?

Whether in my capacity as a parent or teacher, this is hard work. But I am not doing it alone.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener… Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself… I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
- John 15

We are excited to invite all students from Prep to Year 6 to participate in our Illustrators Competition.

Submissions must be entered by Friday 14 August and are to be given to the class teacher.

Please note: All entries are to be completed at home.

Inspiration: Students will illustrate an excerpt from our winning writing competition entries. Each class has been assigned a specific excerpt. These have been emailed to you.

Student entries:

• May involve the use of pencils, paints, crayons, pastels and/or mixed media
• May use digital art components
• Must be on unlined A4 paper (no A3, canvas or cardboard backing will be accepted). Please do not laminate, mount or frame these as it is hard to scan for publication.
• Must not involve AI 
• Must be the student’s own work
• Must be original and not previously awarded any prizes in other competitions

Entries must be labelled on the back of the illustration with the illustrator’s first and last names, class and house.

Entries will be chosen from every Year level to be published in the Thomas Hassall Online Magazine at the end of the year. Winning entries from each grade will also receive an art related prize. We encourage all students to participate and look forward to seeing their creativity and artistic talents on display.

Questions can be directed to [email protected]  

Mrs Alex Saville
Gifted and Talented Liaison for the Junior School

We are thrilled to be welcoming our Japanese Sister School, Takayama Junior High School, again. The visit allows our students to engage in real-life language, cultural and social situations which enhance their language learning. It also provides our wonderful College community with an opportunity to show hospitality to our overseas friends. We are seeking families from the College to host students in groups of two or three for the duration of the visit.

Many families who have previously hosted have had a fantastic experience. Please enjoy reading about three such experiences.

“We had a great pleasure hosting two students. We loved having the girls over. We became tourists in our own city visiting Luna Park, the Opera House and taking the ferry under the Harbour Bridge. We also did a day driving trip to Bombo Beach and Kiama Blow Hole. We relied on Google Translate to communicate and had lots of laughs (things lost in translation). We experienced Taiwanese Hotpot and Korean BBQ as a family as well. Overall an amazing experience. As first time hosters, we loved learning about the Japanese culture and practised our Japanese with them. We look forward to doing it again next year.”

“Hosting three students from Takayama, Japan was a real highlight for our family. The 3 girls were delightful and we thoroughly enjoyed introducing them to Sydney. The girls (aged 14 and 15) were keen to experience family life in Australia, to taste our cuisine, to improve their English and to see some tourist sights. Before they arrived, we were provided with a profile for each student that helped us to get to know them. The girls had been learning English at school, and were keen to practise their skills. Although our family does not speak Japanese, communication was not a problem. Sometimes we used Google Translate to help, but mostly the girls were excellent at communication. We visited the Blue Mountains and Cronulla Beach and the girls were also keen to go shopping. We made origami together and played Uno. The girls came to church with us on Sunday and we met with friends on Saturday night who were also hosting Japanese students. The girls were very polite and wrote us beautiful messages of thanks before they left. We were very grateful for the opportunity to host the girls and look forward to opportunities in the future to host other Japanese students.”

“Our family hosted two Japanese students from Takayama Junior High School, Japan. These boys were immediately warm and smiling as we met in the College quad and their eyes lit up as I handed them each their first Australian Tim Tam. The two young teens were kind, respectful and excited to experience our country.  We bonded over the simple things; ten pin bowling, burritos, Mario Kart and games of Uno. We made it a rule to call the colours in Japanese during the game.  We showed them our unique Australian animals at Featherdale Farm and their favourite was the koalas. They ‘wowed’ at the expanse of the Jamison valley, the Three Sisters and the Scenic Railway, and they shopped for iconic Australian food such as Tim Tams, Byron Bay cookies, Smith chips and Australian honey. We also put on a good Aussie BBQ complete with a fire pit and sparklers with another family that were also hosting students so they could share their experience together. The boys spoke what English they could and we thanked them in Japanese for their efforts. It was a joy to share our home and show them the sights and in return share their joy and wonder at all things Australian. The morning they were to leave they gave us a hand-written note in English expressing their gratitude for their time with us and left us with four beautiful origami cranes. We felt truly blessed to be a part of the homestay program.”

Hosting Information

Takayama Junior High School will be visiting from Friday 31 July to Tuesday 4 August. 

• - Students attend College on weekdays and enjoy family life with you on the weekend.
• - Japanese language is not necessary.
• - Students will simply fit in with your family routines, eat the food your family would normally eat and they need their own bed but they can share a room.
• - Families are paid $60 per night ($120 to host 2 students).

Mrs Fiona Byrne
Languages Coordinator & Year 8 Advisor

The “Amazing Me” incursion took place in Week 9 for students in Years 4, 5 and 6. This valuable program, along with an evening session attended by parents and their children, provided a safe and supportive environment to learn about God’s incredible design and how our amazing bodies grow and develop.

Both the in-school sessions and the evening presentation highlighted the importance of understanding how our bodies work in a positive, respectful and age-appropriate way, rather than through potentially misleading or unhealthy influences such as social media or inappropriate conversations.

The sessions encouraged open and respectful discussion around topics that can sometimes feel sensitive or embarrassing for students. We commend all students for their maturity and positive behaviour throughout the experience, particularly as they navigate these important conversations alongside their peers.

Mrs Donna Schatzman
Director of Operations and Welfare

In our Christian Studies unit this term, students in Years 3 and 4 have read some of Jesus’ parables. We have learnt that parables are simple stories Jesus told that contain a deeper, “heavenly” meaning.  Trying to understand the deeper meaning has sometimes been a challenge, but there have been lots of excellent questions and discussion.

To help us remember and understand these stories, musician and children’s entertainer Van Sereno has composed some catchy songs. We’ve been listening to many of these - from his album Parables during the term. Close friend and collaborator, our very own Mr Byron Mark, has also contributed to Van’s music over several years.

Last Wednesday we were blessed to have Van Sereno join us to perform some of his songs. He asked the students about what they had learnt about the parables and it was great to hear their considered responses. Everyone sang and bopped along to his groovy rhythm guitar and soulful singing. Mr Mark also dropped in during the show and helped us to clap along. There were a few ‘dad jokes’ thrown in, which elicited plenty of giggles and groans. It was a fun event that left many of us wanting to hear more of Van’s music.

On behalf of the staff and students, I would like to thank Van Sereno for sharing God’s Word with us through song. We also appreciate the effort and initiative shown by Mr Mark in organising the visit. The mini concert certainly helped reinforce the effect of music on our learning and emotions. Upon leaving the hall, one student commented (with a smile), “I’ll never be able to get those words out of my head now!”

Mr Peter Butchatsky
Assistant Chaplain - Junior School

As we move past the halfway point of Year 11, it is hard to believe that only one more term remains before our students begin their Year 12 HSC journey. This is a significant season, and it has been encouraging to see the way our Year 11 cohort has approached their studies and responsibilities.

Students have been busy completing and submitting assessment tasks and this period has highlighted just how important organisation, forward planning and time management are. Now more than ever, students are recognising that looking ahead and scheduling their commitments wisely is essential as they navigate the final stages of their schooling.

To support families during this important transition, we encourage parents and carers to access the following SchoolTV resource, which provides helpful insights into how to partner effectively with students during their senior years:

Surviving Year 12

In addition, Year 11 recently participated in the Your Choicez wellbeing seminar. This was a highly valuable experience, addressing key issues relevant to this stage of life. The presenters were engaging and knowledgeable, guiding students through important topics including building healthy relationships, understanding consent and navigating the pressures associated with decision-making in these areas. The seminar provided students with an awareness of current research, equipping them to make informed and respectful choices.

Thank you, as always, for your ongoing support of our Year 11 students. As we look towards Term 3, we are confident that they will continue to grow in maturity, responsibility and their preparation for the HSC.

Mr Benjamin Fracarossi & Mrs Michelle Palmer
Year 11 Advisors

From Desktop Organisers to Startup Ideas

Our Year 11 Design and Technology students recently completed Assessment Task 1, demonstrating outstanding creativity and problem-solving skills as they designed custom desktop organisers from a mix of materials. While the quality of the projects was highly impressive, the assessment task provided a crucial learning curve regarding time management and the importance of documenting design decisions accurately in a folio.

Looking ahead, students will be challenged to act as startup founders (think of Uber or Airbnb) to identify real-world problems and develop unique solutions within their chosen design contexts. To bring these ideas to life, they will expand their skills by experimenting with new physical materials, developing digital and multimedia components, and compiling a comprehensive design folio. We are eager to see how our students apply what they have learnt to produce even more innovative work next semester.

Miss Cathy Su
Senior School Teacher - TAS

Year 8 Food and Agriculture

This term, Year 8 students participated in a Class Garden Competition, where they were challenged to plant, grow and maintain their gardens over two terms.

As part of the experience, students harvested their produce and explored its use in cooking. Highlights included a spinach and cheese pie made with silverbeet from 8.6, as well as eggplant and zucchini grown by 8.5 and prepared using a variety of methods. Students also enjoyed produce from our established citrus trees, including freshly picked mandarins used in both tasting and recipes.

Mrs Easton judged the gardens, and following careful consideration, the winner of the Year 8 Gardening Competition is 8.6. 

Miss Michala Georges
Senior School Teacher - TAS Coordinator

Year 12 Hospitality

Year 12 Hospitality students successfully participated in a full service period, demonstrating their developing skills and progress within the course.

Students carefully planned and prepared a menu for members of the College Council, thoughtfully catering to a range of dietary requirements. Throughout the service, they showcased a variety of practical techniques and delivered a professional dining experience with confidence. 

Miss Michala Georges
Senior School Teacher - TAS Coordinator

Year 12 Construction Concrete Day

Year 12 VET Construction students have been working on two major concreting projects. They have used their class time to prepare the groundwork and excavate material, erect formwork, lay a moisture barrier, tie reinforcing steel mesh, pour concrete, remove formwork and landscape the site. This is a project that has taken several weeks to plan and implement.

Students completed two different styles of project. One was a large pathway on a sloping site. It was 27m2 in size and required 4m3 of concrete delivered by truck. It was a challenging task, but the results were impressive as students learnt how to screed, float and finish a slab. The other project was smaller in size at 6m2 but was in a more remote area of the College. Students used 58 bags of 20kg premixed concrete. They mixed this on location using a cement mixer powered by a generator. Students found it interesting to contrast the two projects.

All students involved had fun on the day, with many recognising that completing a project of this nature was harder work than they anticipated. I congratulate all of the Construction students involved and thank them for their contribution to the project.

Mr Mark Reed
Senior School Teacher - TAS

Year 7 Technology Mandatory (Digital and communication technologies) 

This term, Year 7 TMEDT students have been actively developing their skills in design thinking, coding, electronics and problem-solving through an engaging, real-world project. Working collaboratively in pairs, students were challenged to design and build a self-watering system to support Mrs Easton in caring for her plants more efficiently.

Using Micro:bit devices, sensors and block-based coding, students explored how automated systems can respond to environmental conditions. They designed, tested, and refined a range of innovative self-watering solutions, each incorporating unique features and creative approaches to meeting the project requirements.

Throughout the process, students demonstrated strong collaboration, creativity and resilience. They tackled technical challenges with determination and continuously improved their designs through iterative testing and feedback.

This project provided valuable opportunities for students to apply computational thinking and fundamental engineering principles while addressing a practical need within the College community. The diverse range of final solutions highlighted students’ growing confidence in coding and their ability to develop meaningful technological innovations.

Building on these skills, students have now begun exploring robotics using the Maqueen Robot platform. They are learning to program robots to move, navigate obstacles and respond to sensor input. This unit introduces students to the exciting world of autonomous systems while further strengthening their coding, problem-solving and teamwork skills.

Mrs Deepika Johnson
Senior School Teacher - TAS

Robo:2030 - iSTEM Builds the Future of Robotics

This semester, our Year 9 iSTEM students tackled Robo:2030, exploring where robotics is heading in a world shaped by automation and AI. At the centre was Project Lifeline, a challenge to design an autonomous disaster-rescue robot on the mBot2 platform.

Working in teams, students programmed their robots to navigate an unseen course on their own, sensing their environment, making decisions through code, and acting without a human at the controls. They worked like real engineers, treating every unsuccessful run as data rather than defeat, and learning to back their thinking when explaining their designs.

Robotics, automation and AI are defining the careers of tomorrow, and through Robo:2030 our students aren't just imagining that future, they're learning how to build it. We're proud of their creativity, teamwork and persistence this semester.

Mr Dimitrios Stivaktas
Senior School Teacher - TAS Teacher & STEM Leader