Bulletin Edition - Senior School | Thomas Hassall Anglican College

There have been many highlights across the College over the past weeks that have been a privilege to attend in Mr Whelan’s absence. One that stood out for me was the presentation of the Year 12 Major Works at Illuminate 2017. The talent on display, as well as the thinking behind the pieces, was exceptional. I was so proud of the students as they presented their work and I saw a level of maturity and understanding that showed how prepared they were for the next phase of their life. Of course I always enjoy seeing those students that I remember as 5 year olds embarking on their schooling growing and developing into the adults that they have now become.

The College is an amazing place with many opportunities for the students to connect with others, to follow their passions and to enjoy all the College has to offer, but the journey for some of our students does not always go smoothly. There are a number of areas that parents and the College need to work together to help our students negotiate their way forward. One of these is the use of social media. A number of our students find themselves in conflict with their peers, reacting to situations inappropriately online and leaving a digital footprint which may affect them in years to come. Parents of younger students in Junior School need to stand firm and not allow their children to be on websites that are designed for an older audience. Parents always need to have access to their children’s accounts so that they can monitor and advise the correct response when the interaction between students is not going well. Many situations that get our students into trouble can be avoided with wise advice from you as parents. It is better to stop the interactions than mop up the fallout later.

Of course all this takes courage. I was discussing with a Principal from another College about the values that they have introduced and one of them was courage. As I thought about this and questioned why that would be important it became clear that courage at school covers so many aspects of our students’ development. It helps each person to make difficult choices about what is right and wrong, it helps develop resilience, determination, confidence to stand up for what they believe in. They need courage to stand up for others and courage to take on new and difficult tasks. It also takes courage to say sorry and to mend relationships, to move on from situations and start afresh. It takes courage to resist peer pressure and make good choices for yourself. Parents, we need to work together to help our students be courageous in all aspects of their schooling, relationships and decision making. This will help each one of our students as they negotiate through from childhood to becoming an adult.

‘Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.’ 1 Corinthians 16:13

Christine Bessant

Loving Relationships

It is a stressful time for our senior students and we wish them the very best and ask you to keep them in your prayers. In the past week we have hosted students who are visiting from Takayamamura Junior High School, a small rural community in Japan. It was a great opportunity for students to exchange experiences and appreciate each other’s culture. Also, a large group of Year 9 students have been training for their first Duke’s trek. This training equips students with basic survival skills and requires orienteering skills and a sense of teamwork as they embark on this world respected leadership program.

The activities mentioned here involve students putting themselves in challenging situations. In such instances individuals need to work with peers and teachers to negotiate various levels of difficulty.

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With difficulty there is a potential for conflict and a need to work through adversity, resolving the key issues and considering others point of view. These are real life situations and leads us to question; How do we respond when we are put under pressure? How do we treat one another when we undergo adversity? What do we do when we do have a conflict with another person? How can we move forward and leave behind any real hurts and offence? I am sure we have all had to work through such trials in our own lives. This point of conflict is the place where we learn how to live in loving relationships. Easier said than done!

One of the graduate aims of the College, that we have been speaking about in recent weeks, is to equip students with the skills and understanding of how to develop loving relationships. I am not talking about something that is necessarily romantic or just between close friends and family. Loving relationships are often outworked in the most difficult of circumstances between people who don’t necessarily agree with each other but who need to learn how to live together despite their differences.

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Love is often tested and is made stronger when it undergoes a test or tribulation. Loving relationships are fundamental to our expression of faith. The Lord Jesus Christ demonstrated God’s love by dying for each one of us on the Cross. He was a man who was sinless and yet he was wrongly accused and was ultimately rejected, beaten and crucified so that we could see the extent of God’s love for each of us.

Often our actions and attitudes are not attractive or loving; we catch a reflection of ourselves and recognise selfish, self-serving attitudes or actions that do not promote a ‘loving community’. Recognising this is a great opportunity for us; recognising our sin leads us to repentance, repentance involves forgiveness of those who may have hurt us or God’s forgiveness of our own selfish actions; forgiveness empowers us to love and live for others. Loving relationships are about a practical outworking of our relationship with the most loving and wonderful God, the Lord Jesus Christ and our relationships with one another. What a bold and mighty aim!

We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. 1 John 4:19-21 (NIV)

Mr Roger Young

Deputy Principal - Senior School Student Development

Whodunnit? Help solve the mystery

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Will you follow the clues? Can you make sense of the evidence? Are you the one to solve the mystery of the missing Librarian?

The most creative solutions will win a great prize! All solutions need to be submitted by 19 August to go into the prize draw.

Please speak to Mrs Comiskey or Mr Smith for more information.

Book Swap is coming to the Senior IRC!

Swap old stories for new adventures!

To celebrate Book Week 2017 (Monday 21 August - Friday 25 August) the Senior IRC is hosting a book swap!

Bring in a book you don't want anymore to the Library before 19 August to receive a Book Swap Ticket.

Students with a Book Swap Ticket will be able to select a new book on their year groups selected day during Book Week.

For more information please see Mrs Comiskey or Mr Smith.

What's new on the shelf?

Travel back in time with a classic of modern Science Fiction.

Timeline - Michael Crichton

"In an Arizona desert, a man wanders in a daze, speaking words that made no sense. Within twenty-four hours he is dead, his body swiftly cremated by his only known associates. Halfway around the world, archeologists make a shocking discovery at a medieval site. Suddenly they are swept off to the headquarters of a secretive multinational corporation that has developed an astounding technology.

Now this group is about to get a chance not to study the past but to enter it. And with history opened up to the present, the dead awakened to living, these men and women will soon find themselves fighting for their very survival -- six hundred years ago."

Timeline written by the late Michael Crichton is an exciting and suspenseful adventure in which the present and the past come together with disastrous consequences. Featuring a unique blend of history and sci-fi, Crichton wonderfully brings 1357 France alive with incredible detail. Featuring exciting action sequences, interesting characters, and heart racing suspense, this is a novel that you will want to read more than once!

Timeline is guaranteed to be a hit with fans of Jurassic Park, time travel and sci-fi in general. Due to its more mature content, this is a novel more suited to students in Year 11 and 12.

Traveling to the past was easy ... getting back home alive ... that is the real challenge!

Will they make it? How will they survive? Borrow Timeline today from the IRC and find out!

Check out the slideshow to see other great new books in the Senior IRC!

Overdue Books

Overdue notices have been sent out this week. Students who receive a notice need to return their books to the Senior IRC as soon as possible.

If any students have lost textbooks from last year, please speak to Mrs Comiskey as soon as possible.

Mrs A Comiskey & Mr M Smith
Senior IRC Library Team

Physical Education Centre construction progress

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The current dry weather has allowed the builders to make up for some lost time from when it rained continuously at the beginning of the project. It’s always an exciting stage of construction when the steel framework starts to go up.

Did you know?

There were 58 truck-loads of concrete (350m3) delivered to the site for the pouring of the ground floor slab.
The steel frame was delivered on 9 semi-trailers and weighs approximately 200 tonne.
The sub-surface drainage and irrigation system for the new athletics track and AFL oval will consist of over 15 kilometres of 50mm poly pipe.
The re-cycle irrigation system is designed to drain and filter the irrigation water back into a 165,000 litre underground storage tank ready to use again.
Approx. 23,000 m2 of Premium grade “Gully Gold” Couch will be laid in November and ready to play on in Term 1 2018.

Exciting times at the College . . . 'it's about their future'.

Principal's Tours

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Our Principal, Mr Ross Whelan, will be conducting special tours in September and October for families who are considering Thomas Hassall Anglican College for the education of their children.

As 'word of mouth' is our most common way in which families hear about the College, may we ask you to help spread the word? This is a unique chance for families to meet with the Principal during Terms 3 and 4 and see the College in action on a normal school day.

Bookings are essential - please follow the link on our website www.thac.nsw.edu.au

Principal's Awards

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2018 Term Dates

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Term 1
Friday 26 January	Australia Day Public Holiday
Monday 29 January	Term 1 commences - Years 1-7, 11 & 12, K Testing
Tuesday 30 January	Years 8-10 commence, K Testing
Wednesday 31 January	Kindergarten commence
Thursday 1 February	Prep Blue and Purple commence
Friday 2 February	Prep Red and White commence
Friday 30 March	Good Friday Public Holiday
Monday 2 April	Easter Monday Public Holiday
Friday 13 April	Term 1 concludes
Term 2
Tuesday 1 May	Term 2 commences
Monday 11 June	Queen's Birthday Public Holiday
Friday 29 June	Term 2 concludes
Term 3
Monday 23 July	Term 3 commences
Friday 28 September	Term 3 concludes Class of 2018 Graduation Assembly
Term 4
Tuesday 16 October	Term 4 commences
Monday 12 November	Mid Term Break for all students
Wednesday 5 December	Celebration - Junior School
Thursday 6 December	Celebration - Senior School
Friday 7 December	Term 4 concludes

Please Note: South West Festival and Mid Term Break (August/September) to be confirmed

Important Upcoming Dates 2017

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Term 3

Monday 21 August	Grandparents' Morning Matinee Junior School Creative Arts Night (Prep, Year 5 & 6)
Thursday 24 August	Grandparents' Morning Matinee Junior School Creative Arts Night (Years 3 & 4)
Monday 28 August	Mid Term Break - Staff & Students
Wednesday 30 August	Grandparents' Morning Matinee Junior School Creative Arts Night (Kindergarten, Years 1 & 2)
Thursday 14 September	'Your Child's Wellbeing Matters' - Parent Seminar
Friday 15 September	Prep Red, White & Kindy Tabloid Carnival
Thursday 21 September	Prep Blue, Purple & Year 1 & 2 Tabloid Carnival
Friday 22 September	Class of 2017 Graduation End of Term 3

Term 4

Tuesday 10 October	Term 4 Commences
Monday 16 October	2017 HSC Commences
Wednesday 25 October	SMBC Hot Topics - Same Sex Marriage? Marriage Equality?
Wednesday 1 November	SMBC Hot Topics - Do we need the right to die?
Thursday 2 November	Year 11 Parent Teacher Night
Monday 13 November	Mid Term Break - Students Only
Friday 24 November	Volunteers' Thank You Breakfast & Term 4 Class Parent Meeting
Tuesday 5 December	Junior School Celebration
Wednesday 6 December	Senior School Celebration
Thursday 7 December	End of Term 4

From the Chaplain

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Biblical Training Day

This year, Dan Paterson, who studied in Oxford, spoke about; 'Why I am not an Atheist'. He said that today, belief in God is a difficult pill to swallow. In past centuries our culture tended to appeal to God to make sense of life and the universe, now it seems that skepticism is the air we breathe. For thinking people in Western culture, Atheism is almost a default option for belief, and the long list of arguments against Christianity dominate religious talk online and in the public sphere. But in the end, he argued that it still makes more sense not to be an Atheist.

John Dickson, an historian and Minister, asked the question, 'Are we better off without Christianly?' The church is increasingly regarded as a burden, a spoiler, and even a poisonous influence on society. This is seen in the Crusades and the inquisitions. But Christianity also has its beautiful side, such as its contributions to human rights, the origins of charity, and the beginnings of education, universities and hospitals. His conclusion was that when the church does terrible things, it is departing from its master, Christ. But when it is doing beautiful things, it is doing exactly what Jesus said to do.

Natasha Moore, a graduate of Cambridge University, said that millennials (young people today) fiercely fight for justice and equality; they care about the marginalised. But as they come of age, we’re also seeing a growing intolerance of disagreement. Former US President Bill Clinton has said: “We only have one remaining bigotry. We don’t want to be around anybody who disagrees with us.” Natasha said that young Christians in their friendships and families, on social media, as students and citizens, have a unique opportunity to model what it means to disagree and to love at the same time.

One student commented:

"The masterclass we went to was a great experience and was very informative. It was a great encouragement seeing so many other young Christians that are around the area. I really enjoyed all the speakers but particularly John Dickson, as I was able to understand and process his talk well."

Another student said:

"Masterclass was a great experience. It was a great eye-opener to the way Christians should be responding when our faith is tested. One thing that really challenged me is how we as Christians should hold our faith with humility, and not be quick to anger or diminish people who have viewpoints/ opinions that we don't agree with (Proverbs 16:32)."

All of this mixed with music, prayer, fun and fellowship. It was an encouraging day for some of our Christian students who joined hundreds of other Christian students from around NSW from Independent and Government Schools to engage with topics that are highly relevant. Have a look at a short video of our excusion here.

Stuart Tye

Hospitality Careers Expo

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Hospitality Careers Expo for Year 9 Food Technology

On Monday 25^th June, Year 9 Food Technology classes visited Revesby Workers Club to attend a Hospitality Careers Expo called ‘The Inspired Series’ initiated by the Australia Chef Luke Mangan.

Luke followed the hospitality career pathway as a teenager and studied for 4 years at TAFE while he completed his apprenticeship as a chef at a well know restaurant in Melbourne. After gaining his credentials, Luke worked in London, the United Stated, Fiji, Hamilton Island, Singapore and on a number of P&O cruise liners. He is now head chef of the 6 restaurants at Revesby Workers club.

This Hospitality Careers Expo exposed year 9 to a number of career opportunities within the Hospitality industry, from managing a restaurant to being involved in front of house (waitressing) or back of house (chef). We learnt that by the year 2020, there will be a shortage of 120,000 chefs and other skilled workers for the hospitality industry. Having a career in this industry is very stable at this time and the employment opportunities are numerous and vast.

Some of the experiences and insights gained by year 9 are mentioned below:

“From my perspective, the excursion was useful because I learned that it’s important to participate in goal setting and doing what you are passionate about. I took away the concept of learning never stops, no matter where you are in your job and always persist.”

I learnt from the excursion that it’s important to start from the bottom and you have to work your way up to where you want to be. I also learnt that you may need to take one step backwards to go many steps forward and you just need to persevere”.

“I was encouraged to create goals to help me achieve something great, in industry or in life”.

“I took away from the Hospitality Careers Expo that no job is going to be easy but if you find a job that you really love and enjoy, you won’t feel like you are working at all”.

“Hard work and perseverance pays off'".

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Luke Mangan Chef

EventsBack to Top

Market Day a College First

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In group, the students created a business stall and have been given individual roles of responsibility. For example, Finance Manager, Operational Manager, Marketing Director, Product Research Manager, Marketing Director and a CEO

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Each student invests in their own business with the goal to make a profit. However, they have to pay taxes according to the services provided, such as a school resource tax for using our land, and reimburse product costs and give a return to investors. Profits made will go to a charity chosen by Year 9 Commerce classes.

During class, students have been studying the elements of a business plan. They have considered their choice of product to sell, their business name, costings of running a stall and all the organisational challenges of running a business. Year 9 Commerce will be selling edible goods starting from $2. Chocolate covered strawberries, Sarah Lee choc cake, Krispy Kreme, ice cream sandwiches, fairy floss, waffles and much more will be sold. At the end of the market day process the students are to to write a report about how their business performed, their performance on the day will be judged by their teachers and a range of mystery shoppers.

The stalls will be running on Wednesday 16 August so make sure you bring your cash at lunchtime and watch this space for more photos of the amazing stalls.

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One of our advertising posters

HPE Day

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..... to the National Health and Physical Education (HPE) Day on the 6 September.

Ever wondered what it would be like to play Quidditch?
Have you always wanted to play human sized Hungry Hippos?
Think you could take on the best Footballers in school and play Billiard Football?

Stay tuned to hear some of the other incredible activities that are coming in just four weeks!

For more information on HPE Day Australia wide, head to http://hpeday.com.au/

Watch this space for more on HPE Day at Thomas Hassall.

Fathers Day Stalls

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Our Class Parents will be hosting the annual Fathers Day Stalls on Thursday 31 August (Prep Blue & Purple, Senior School at lunchtime) and Friday 1 September 2017 (Prep Red, White, K-12) and we need some helpers to work on the stalls on both days as follows:

Thursday 24 August from 8.30am (or straight after drop-off) - for sorting and some wrapping

Thursday 31 August from 8am-1pm (4 volunteers needed)

Friday 1 September from 7.30am-2pm (8 volunteers needed)

Please email Mrs Jo Hutchens, Director of Marketing, Enrolments and Community Relations E: jhutchens@thac.nsw.edu.au if you can assist. It is such a lovely event to help with . . . the smile on the children's faces makes it all worthwhile! (no Dads allowed! ha!)

Many thanks to Mrs Laura Khoury and Mrs Suzana Matic who have spent many hours planning the day and arranging purchase of the wonderful array of gifts.

City2Surf

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Competitors will run or walk from Hyde Park in the CBD to Bondi Beach - marking a total of 14km! The College team comprises of a combination of students, teachers, parents and siblings. They're madly raising money for Compassion Australia, and it would be great to see the College community support this fantastic Christian charity, as well as the dedicated competitors.

Compassion Australia is a holistic child development organisation that has more than 60 years of experience working with families in poverty.

The College team has a target of $1500. If you would like to support the team please donate here: https://city2surf2017.everydayhero.com/au/thomas-hassall-anglican-college

City2Surf competitors are asked to load up on carbs the day before to help them get through the gruelling race and have a light breakfast and keep hydrated on race day. There will be drink stations along the 14km journey as well as first aid for anyone who needs it.

Good luck competitors!

WellbeingBack to Top

The Psychologists @ Thomas Hassall

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Hello Parents and welcome to our article in the eNewsletter.

In this edition we would like to introduce you to the Student Counselling Team, provide you with more insight into what psychologists do within schools and, specifically, what you can gain from reading our articles. The articles will be tailored to address parent needs in supporting their children on their educational and life journey.

Our aims include providing you with more information about the type of 'things' we can support your child with and also how we can support you when your child is experiencing difficulties within this setting.

We have three psychologists which enables us to assist students across the College. We have the Head of Student Counselling, who works with both the psychologist located in Junior School and Senior School and support them as necessary.

In our Junior School we have a Psychologist who works specifically with students and parents from Prep to Year 6. Amongst other concerns, the psychologist can assist parents with resources/advice on how to support their children with the transition into school. Sometimes it can be difficult for parents to have a clear idea of what their child should be able to do at various ages, and what they should be supporting them with. Psychologists are well placed to assist parents to set realistic expectations from their children, whilst supporting them to develop their independence, social skills and resilience.

In Senior School the psychologists work in conjunction with a well-developed Wellbeing Team, to support students with their wellbeing. They support students with a range of topics ranging from their transition into Senior School, to how to survive the HSC.

Teachers are viewed as experts in learning, and school psychologists support children to identify the barriers to learning and support their mental health and wellbeing. Parents can feel overwhelmed when their children are struggling and school psychologists are available to support them during these times.

This link will take you to a 3 minute video that will provide you with more insight into how you can benefit from our services - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpSJYSiDQdw

Mrs Jacoline Petersen
Head of Student Counselling

Next Edition . . . Would you like to know what the difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist is? Watch this space!

School TV

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As a College we acknowledge that parenting today creates a multitude of modern day challenges. We want to support you on this journey and therefore, would like to introduce you to SchoolTV. It is a new online resource designed to empower you as parents with credible and sound information with realistic, practical ongoing support strategies. It is a great resource to use in conjunction with the services offered by the School Psychologists at Thomas Hassall Anglican College.

You can locate it on our website under Community and School TV, see image below.

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A great deal of information is available on the internet, but this can often be confusing and overwhelming for parents looking for guidance. However, SchoolTV engaged specialists in the various fields and pulled in some great content form organisations such as Beyond Blue, ReachOut, HeadSpace and others. It serves as our new Digital Wellness Platform.

You’ll also find fact sheets, suggested books, apps, websites and much more.

We assure you will get great value from every edition and happy, safe parenting!

Click this link to learn more about SchoolTV: http://thac.nsw.schooltv.me/category-latest-newsletter

Wellbeing Matters

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The College is embarking on a new initiative that will support you and your child’s Wellbeing.

We are seeking to be more proactive in partnering with you in this critical area.

‘Wellbeing Matters’ will occur 3 – 4 time a year with a focus on important matters about your child’s wellbeing.

We are looking to address a number of emerging issues with the aim of helping to inform and equip you and to enhance your child’s wellbeing.

The first event targets an area that is an ever increasing challenge and issue for a significant number of young people.

The issue is Online Pornography. Unfortunately the statistics around online pornography are alarming.

Most parents feel overwhelmed about how to have a conversation with their children or about where to start to prevent access or exposure.

Come and hear from James Grady of The Frank Chat www.thefrankchat.com who has worked in pastoral roles in schools for 10 years.

He has seen the harm that can occur and has equipped students, parents and staff to raise awareness and help people to live pornography-free lives.

This session will cover:

• Current research on exposure
• Current research on the harm
• Why young people habitually view
• Managing technology in the home
• Parenting strategies
• Resources for parents and children
• Your questions (any questions!)

Thomas Hassall Anglican College is offering this session free of charge to all our families and friends.

Please go to www.trybooking.com/RGXC to book your tickets to attend.

Thursday 14 September, 7.30pm The Anne Marsden Centre. Ample parking available.

This parent information evening is a must for all parents, no matter the age of your children.

Wellbeing News

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In the last edition of our newsletter, Stuart McCormack (Deputy Head of Student Wellbeing) introduced the concept of wellbeing and explored how we as a college consider it to be core school business. There are many facets to the wellbeing team and the areas of student wellbeing that we contribute to. One aspect of this is the counselling team. Mental health comprises one aspect of wellbeing, but it is a vital one. According to Youth Beyond Blue, one in seven young Australians experience a mental health condition, and evidence suggests that three in four adult mental health conditions emerge by age 24 and half by age 14. This means that we have a important responsibility towards the students at THAC to address their psychological wellbeing to both prevent the impact of mental health difficulties and to equip them with the necessary skills to treat any current mental health concerns. This is often done in a one-on-one capacity, however we also connect with year groups, pastoral care classes, and the College as a whole. As part of the wellbeing team, we collaborate with Year Advisors, Wellbeing Staff, and teachers to provide cohesive and collective support to students. We strongly believe that we achieve better outcomes in respect to Student Wellbeing when we are able to combine our individual skills and knowledge and approach student issues and concerns as a team.

A significant part of our work within the wellbeing team includes supporting projects which promote human flourishing and increasing wellbeing. The Pastoral Care programs have been designed to assist our students to develop the skills to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives, to cultivate what is best within themselves, and to enhance their experiences of College life. This links directly into our Positive Learning Model, where students are encouraged to be engaged in their learning, value their learning and that of others, respect and respond to teachers’ instructions, manage their distractions & reactions and persist through challenges.

By supporting students with their psychological health, we contribute to the greater goal of overall student wellbeing

LearningBack to Top

To Antarctica and back - fuelled by Chupa Chups

Year 11 Aural Lesson

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Domenica

Gemma

Busy at work

Busy working at aural analysis.

Year 11 are studying the topic: Music of the 20th and 21st Centuries. Recently they participated in an aural lesson focusing on the work Antartica by Australian composer Nigel Westlake.

Each Monday, Year 11 have a listening based lesson and they work on developing their aural skills - listening and responding to music. Led by our prac student from the Conservatorium of Music - Mrs Kamel, the students watched excerpts of the IMAX documentary Antarctica and discussed the composer's use of the Concepts of Music in this film.

They then brainstormed the musical concept 'structure' before completing an HSC style question based on that information. Chupa Chups are a regular feature in our Aural lessons - helping to power us up.

Thank you to Mrs Kamel for such an innovative and engaging lesson.

HSC Major Works

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... what do all of these subjects have in common? The answer is - a major work. All of these subjects were showcased at our annual event Illuminate.

This event was held on Friday 28 July and was a wonderful evening of Creativity in Learning. Guests were welcomed with drinks and nibbles served by our Food Technology students whilst viewing the Industrial Technology (Wood), Music Compositions and Visual Arts major works. They were also encouraged to vote for the 'People's Choice Award' for the Visual Art display.

Following a warm welcome and official opening by our Acting Principal, Mrs Bessant, guests were invited to watch either the Drama performances or the Music, Extension English, Extension History and Society and Culture recitations. Students in Entertainment were the tech crew for the evening.

Winner of the People's Choice Award for Visual Arts was Rebecca Brahim.

We would like to thank all of the students who displayed their major works. We wish them all the very best for their HSC submissions over the next few months. We would also like to acknowledge the work of the Year 12 teachers, and we thank them for their guidance in assisting the students to complete their major works. Special thanks also to the many other staff who supported this event in a multitude of ways.

Mrs Elizabeth Ford
Head of Creative Arts

History Tour of Europe

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Students will say bon voyage to friends and family in the April holidays of 2018 and take a 14-day tour of Europe to broaden their understanding of world history, their place in that world and visit some spectacular sites. At this stage, we have 18 students and four staff making their way to the WWI battlefields of France, Germany to visit Cold War and WWII sites in Berlin and Italy to explore the ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum and take a tour of Rome.

There is an information evening on 4 September from 6.30pm to 7.15pm in the Anne Marsden Centre (IRC) for students and their families to hear more about the itinerary of the trip and to have any questions answered. If you are interested in your child taking part in this excellent opportunity, it is not too late. The trip is open to students who will be in Year 10, 11 or 12 in 2018. You can email Mr Coulton at lcoulton@thac.nsw.edu.au for more information.

Luke Coulton
Faculty Co-ordinator - History & Legal Studies

Wordmania is here

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Our College Senior School is currently participating in a pilot online literacy program that is sweeping not just the nation but also the English-speaking world. This year, our pilot groups include English classes 7C, 8BR, 9BR, 9BB and all students currently on our Learning Support Multilit and Literacy Planet withdrawal programs. There will be three more rounds. We are out to win prizes and with your help we can do it.

What do our contestants do? Well, they make words from letters on a bright flashing online game. It's that simple and from an educational perspective, when our students are motivated, they learn.

Last week for Round 1 we came first in our region for Year 8 and 9, second nationally for Year 9 and seventh nationally for Year 8. Year 7 are still sitting at fourth in our region.

So, how can you help? If your student is enrolled in our pilot program, encourage them to log in at home and play away. The more words we make, the more we boost our literacy and the more fun we can have.

Please contact me, Mrs Julie Smythe, at Learning Support if you have any questions.

Study Centre Sisters

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Study Centre Sisters

Students come along to work on their assessment tasks and homework or to prepare for upcoming examinations. They are assisted by Study Tutors who are on-hand to answer their questions. Currently we have 13 tutors employed by the College.

All are recent College graduates who are pursuing university study. Regular attendees will most likely have received help from one of the Manthos sisters. Diana, Marisse and Clea are three dedicated and enthusiastic tutors who love helping students with their work. Clea, 22 is currently completing a Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Education (Mathematics) at the University of Sydney and will graduate at the end of this year.

She will therefore be 'retiring' from Study Centre at the conclusion of this term. Marisse, 19 is completing a Bachelor of Secondary Education (majoring in English) at WSU and Diana, 18 is undertaking a Bachelor of Construction Project Management at UTS. Thankfully, Marisse and Diana will continue to be part of the Study Centre for a few more years.

We look forward to seeing more students in Years 7-12 visiting the Study Centre this term. It operates from 3pm - 5pm, Monday - Thursday. It is located in L1, L10 and L11 and is a free service.

Kelie Munro
Director of Studies

A cushioned approach to Textile Technology

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Stage 4 Mandatory Textile Technology

Students undertaking the Textile Technology course in either Years 7 or 8 have fulfilled a design brief to design and produce a cushion cover in order to add interest and compliment an existing room.

The cushion cover needed be an appropriate size and include unique decorations which makes a statement about the owner and allows the cushion cover to be complement its surroundings.

Two forms of fabric decoration needed to be used when constructing the cushion cover. The cushion cover also needed be eye catching and aesthetically pleasing.

With this in mind, Stage 4 students were taught a range of construction and decoration skills so that they could effectively fulfill this design brief.

HSC Helpers Needed

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The examinations will take place from Monday 16 October 2017 - Tuesday 7 November 2017 and will be held at Thomas Hassall Anglican College in various locations across the campus.

We are currently seeking to recruit examination supervisors. This is a paid position and successful applicants will report to the HSC Presiding Officer.

All examination supervisors will require a Working with Children Check Number. For more information or if you are interested in becoming a Supervisor please contact Ms Christine Klomp, PA to the Principal.

T:9608 0033 or email: cklomp@thac.nsw.edu.au

Maths Inspiration - a Year 10 excursion

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Our students heard first-hand from a trio of professionals based in England who work with Mathematics every day as part of their jobs. The interactive and entertaining format of the event had the audience engaged and fascinated by the various and intricate examples of the Mathematics used in the real world. Students were challenged to consider pursuing their studies in Mathematics at school and to explore the myriad of career opportunities in Mathematics related fields.

Our presenter and MC for the day was Matt Parker, known affectionately as the “stand-up mathematician” (@standupmaths). Furthermore, he is the only person to hold the prestigious title of London Mathematical Society Popular Lecturer while simultaneously having a sold-out comedy show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival! Other presenters included Rob Eastaway, author and director of Maths Inspiration since 2004 and Jennifer Rogers master statistician and risk calculator.

Each presenter spoke passionately about their area of expertise in Mathematics and how they use their knowledge and skills on a daily basis in their chosen professions. Students learnt about a variety of situations where Mathematics has contributed to discovery and improvement in diverse areas, such as, the evolution of the improved algorithms used to rank sporting achievement, the (mis)use of statistics in many health contexts, by way of an investigation with biased dice, and the power of logic and deduction. Students left the event having been exposed to a range of new mathematical ideas and more importantly with a greater appreciation of the ubiquitous nature of Mathematics in daily life and their potential future in a Mathematics related career.

Mrs Jennie Bucco
Mathematics Teacher

Performing ArtsBack to Top

Inaugural Code Camp is a hit!

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Code Camp held a highly successful inaugural camp at Thomas Hassall Anglican College during the July holidays. This camp saw 65 primary aged students from both Thomas Hassall and surrounding schools spend three days learning the foundations of coding. Students used the Javascript language to create fun and interactive games which they could take home to continue playing. Students loved the opportunity to learn coding skills with the help of the experienced tutors. In addition to the coding activities during the sessions, fun lunchtime activities also took place, including a silent dance party. Some of the feedback from the students included:

"This place was the best. I wish I could come here everyday. I can't believe I made my own game."

"This was the best three days of my life. I can't wait to play my game."

"It was so cool and we learnt so much. Can't wait to come back!"

The College is hoping to host more Code Camps in future. To learn more about Code Camp and to register your interest for future camps, please visit http://codecamp.com.au/

Welcome Takayama

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Lachlan Eggins and Sarah Kanjanakorn from Year 11 welcomed Takayamamura to Australia and to the College with a speech in Japanese. Koyuki Matsui responded in English with a thanks for the strong welcome from students.

Gifts were exchanged between the Principal of Takayamamura, Mr Mitsuji Ishizaka and our Acting Principal, Mrs Christine Bessant. The students then sang their school song for us. Year 9, 10 and 11 Japanese Classes showed the students around the College, using the language they have been learning in class, with a little help from online Japanese dictionaries.

Dukes participants explore the Great North Walk

Silver and Gold Participants at Somersby

Year 11 and 12 hikers with staff.

Scenic Suspension Bridge

Beautiful Kariong Brook Falls

Kariong Falls.

Happy end to the Hike at Patonga

Patonga at last.

A small group of Year 11 and 12 students enjoyed an expedition to walk in the Somersby to Patonga section of the Great North Walk to the west of Gosford last vacation. This walk delights with its beauty and variety, providing both dense rainforest with caves and waterfalls and rocky ridges that provide spectacular views.

The Gold students are most experienced and enjoyed this final opportunity to walk together and work as a team. Dom, Ali, Cameron and Chris have been exploring the bush together since Year 9 and this was a most enjoyable last hurrah. They have learned the importance of thorough preparation and accurate navigation as well as setting up a comfortable camp in often inhospitable conditions.

The Silver students learned much from hiking with the Gold team and showed that they are also resourceful and most capable in the bush. The expedition was completed most successfully and accompanying staff enjoyed the opportunity to share this with students. Thanks goes to them for giving up their time to help in this way.

The HUB - lunchtime concert series

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Lanni J accompanied by Mr Robinson

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The HUB lunchtime Concert Series

The HUB lunchtime concert series

The first HUB of Term 3 was held last week and despite the rainy weather, students gathered around to support the musical talent on offer. This HUB was a great chance for our senior students to practice performing their major HSC music works.

Our senior performers were: Jeremiah Sampson (piano), Ali Dursun (bass), Martin Sekuloski (piano) and Laani Jansen (vocals). Sophia Suarez from Year 7 also performed a piano solo, and she had the entire audience singing along with her piano melody – this was definitely a memorable moment for the Hub. Thanks again to all those student musicians who performed.

Mr Byron Mark
Ensembles Manager

Science News

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On Saturday 17 June two teams of three Year 12 students participated in the annual National Titration Competition held at the University of Western Sydney by the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI). This competition involves students performing a scientific technique that allows chemists to accurately determine the concentration of acids and bases.

From the 26 schools that competed, the girls’ team finished equal 3^rd and the boys team finished 11^th, showing that STEM isn’t just for the boys. This was a phenomenal effort with both teams outperforming ten teams from a prestigious selective school and two teams from one of our neighbouring Colleges.

Well done to Jemima Leslie, Adina Varkey, Priyanka Kumar, Cameron Eggins, Doohan Murphy and Ryan Holmes. A big thanks to Miss Hanna for giving up afternoons helping our student master their techniques and her Saturday to supervise and support them.

SportBack to Top

Interschools Snowsports Championships

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During the last break Catarina participated in the Regional Interschools Snowsports Championships representing Thomas Hassall in the discipline of both Alpine & Skier X. She will hit the slopes again in August for the State Snowsports Championships which will be held at Perisher.

2017 is the 30th Anniversary Celebration Year of the NSW Interschools Snowsports Championships. The Interschools Snowsports Championships are a series of snowsports competitions where students compete for their school as part of a team or an individual in any of the nine discipline events. In the Alpine event, Catarina, is timed on a modified giant slalom course, while in the Skiercross she is timed individually on a course including jumps and high-banked turns.

Congratulations Catarina on such an amazing achievement. We wish you the best of luck in your upcoming events. Keep us posted!

WINNERS- Wanderers Regional School Cup

Grandfinal Champions

The Wanderers Regional Schools Cup is a fun filled gala day for schools in Western Sydney. The main outcome of the day is to get students active and playing football in a healthy competition whilst embracing sportsmanship, inclusion and social interaction. The day proved to be an outstanding demonstration of our football skills and sportsmanship as we tackled a number of competitors on the field.

Thomas Hassall were the dominating team from the start, with no goals conceded throughout the day. They entered the grand final with wins against Punchbowl (7-0), Northmead (1-0), Al Faisal (6-0) and Greystanes (7-0). The grand final saw our team take on Sefton, but once again proved to the competition that we leave nothing on the bench. Our boys fought hard to the very end, gave their very best and successfully defeated Sefton 3-0. Massive thank you to Sonny Makko and Mr Schrack for their amazing guidance and coaching on the day.

Congratulations on such an impressive achievement.

Team: Michael Cuello, Aleksandar Gvozdenovic, Dylan Joseph, Jayden Khoury, Christopher Logozzo, Daniel Milosev, Dejan Neskovic, Denim Nou, Timothy Roberts, Wiremu Taylor, Stefan Todorovic, Jayden Tran, Noah Velnic and Justin Vidic.

Talented Athletes Program - Swimming

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The TAP Swimming program is designed to identify talented students from Years 3 – 12 and offers an extensive training program to students who have represented Thomas Hassall Anglican College at the NASSA carnival level or above.

Days: Monday and Friday during the College term (except Public Holidays)
Time: 6am – 7.30am
Venue: Whitlam Leisure Centre - 90A Memorial Avenue Liverpool
Cost: Fees will be charged per term
Transport: Parents are to make their own arrangements to get children to the pool for a 6.00am start. Students will be transported by mini bus to College at the conclusion of the session.

The squad-based sessions will be structured to adopt best practices and will focus on stroke development and correction, developing strength and endurance. Sessions will include race preparation, dives and turns.

Eligibility
The TAP Swimming program is offered to all students who competed at the NASSA Junior or NASSA Senior Swimming Carnival. However, if there is a talented swimmer who did not attend the College Swimming Carnival they may be assessed to be part of the program. If you would like more information about the TAP Swimming program, please contact Mrs Evans sevans@thac.nsw.edu.au

Brochures are available at the College Office.

Football Development Program

Coach Sonny Makko

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The College offers football development programs for students in Kinder to Year 9. The year-long program caters for both boys and girls and will be conducted by our Football Director Sonny Makko.

The one-hour sessions are designed to improve the skill level of each individual and suited for all abilities. Students will be involved in fun activities that develop skills and promote understanding of the game.

Students can enrol in more than one day if preferred. The program runs for 35 weeks. Details outlining cost and further information can be found on the flyer available at the College Office or contact Mrs Evans, P-6 Sports Coordinator and TAP Coordinator - sevans@thac.nsw.edu.au

Year 7-9 Secondary Program Tuesday 3.00 - 4.00pm - spaces available

K-6 Girls Only Program Friday 3.00 - 4.00pm - spaces available

Kinder-Year 2 Program Monday and Wednesday 3.00-4.00pm - full

Year 2-Year 6 Program Thursday 3.00 - 4.00pm - full

NASSA Football Gala Day Champions

Year 7 boys.

Senior girls.

Year 7/8 girls.

Year 8/9 boys.

Determination, teamwork, dazzling sporting football skills and some great shots at goal, allowed Thomas Hassall to come on top once again. On 7 August, five teams headed off to two different venues to participate in the annual NASSA Football Gala Day against eight different schools.

All the teams played exceptionally well and tried their hardest throughout the day. Most importantly, they all had lots of fun. Three of our teams made the grand final, with our Year 8/9 boys and our Year 7 boys winning their pools and being crowned the overall winners of their division. The Year 8/9 grand final saw Stefan Todorovic score a late winner to secure the 2-1 win, while the Year 7 boys dominated all day winning their grand final by five goals.

Our Year 10/11 boys lost in extra time to a golden goal in their grand final but fought valiantly to the end, and placed second overall. Our other two teams, narrowly missed out on the grand final, placing third and fourth. Both our Senior and Junior girls were able to stay calm and loose under pressure, and focused on the different plays throughout the games. Our effort saw Thomas Hassall being crowned the winner of the Gala Day.

Thank you to Mrs Howard, Mr Wee, Mr Driscoll, Miss Taylor and Mr Goodrick for coaching their team on the day, dealing with injuries and inspiring great sportsmanship and football skills.

Congratulations once again on the outstanding individual and team performances against some very hard teams. Thomas Hassall is fast becoming known as the school to beat when on the football field. We look forward to hearing some of the other gala days coming up earlier next term.

AFL Giants Cup U15

The team.

There was a record number of teams involved in this year’s AFL Giants Cup State Finals, with teams travelling from places such as Eden, Albury and Western Sydney to be involved. Our U15 girls were invited to participate in the State finals against the best schools in the state including Mt Saint Joseph, St Francis, Wagga High School, Wollongong High School, St Pius High School, Bega High School, Mackillop College and Xavier High School.

Our team was the youngest and least experienced, however, we were able to compete with the same determination and grit our Senior girls showed earlier this term. Unfortunately, we were not able to match the expertise demonstrated by the other well seasoned teams and did not make the semi finals.

The amazing performances and never-give-up attitude served us well throughout the day and will make a great foundation for their future in AFL. Thank you to Mr Palmer and Miss Close who once again proved their passion and skill in coaching the AFL team. Their efforts in training, preparing the team and coaching on the day is much appreciated by the girls and the wider sporting community.

Team: Annalise Atkins, Caroline Banner, Chelsea Cachia, Bethany Curl, Paige Fisher, Kate Iisakka, Tamara Kiosoff, Montana Logozzo, Mia Maricic, Aalyah Meads, Tatiana Mendez, Nyah Monti, Shayal Mudaliar, Erika Pacchiarotta, Rose Shamoon, Hannah Siddens, Jordyn Sinclair, and Claudia Tolomeo.

CommunityBack to Top

Your feedback is appreciated

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We are very pleased to know that you have enjoyed reading our new digital version of The Way.

Below are some of the lovely emails we have received but please, keep the feedback coming E: newsletter@thac.nsw.edu.au ... We were not surprised to learn that the 'most read' article from our last edition was '2018 Term Dates' ... looks like many families are already planning vacations!

I was really impressed with the new format of the newsletter and would like to say that reading it was a very pleasant experience. With the sharp and crisp images and clear text, it enhanced the viewing and made it easier to read it on my tablet as well as phone. I also noticed that there were a lot more articles than what we used to see in the past. Also, having live links to the main page of the newsletter or to certain important articles is a great idea. To sum it up, a great job and fantastic initiative. DM

I really enjoyed the ease of navigating through the online newsletter. Great job. Thank you . AS

Since I have been connected with the College over the last 12 years and had three of my children successfully educated with THAC and as my last child is approaching his final year at THAC I have seen the newsletter grow extensively over the years. Thank you for an informative an easy to read senior school newsletter. This digital based newsletter is easy to access and can be opened within seconds. As all of us have busy and hectic schedules, and as a parent I always read through the Principal's section, Head of Senior School and skim through the newsletter to read the articles relevant to my child's academic and extra curricular activities. I am looking forward to my last term of reading The Way. Congratulations to the Principal and the THAC team involved with initiating a successful newsletter. MS

Sincere Appreciation

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Many thanks to the Severino family who have recently donated crockery and cutlery to the College for use at school events. We are very grateful Nick and Anna.

If you haven't eaten at La Rumbla in Hoxton Park we can guarantee a beautiful Italian inspired meal and great service! www.larumbla.com.au

Russell's Photography

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Our transport co-ordinator and bus driver, Russell, loves to take photos of the sunrise as he arrives at College to start up the buses for the school pick-up routes each morning. They are such beautiful images that we wanted to share this week's photo with you all.

Thank you Russell for your photography skills . . . too good not to share!