Term 1 I The Way Newsletter I Friday 3 February 2023

Welcome to Term 1 for 2023 to our existing and new families. We are excited to commence the year with lots of new beginnings, new classes and many adventures ahead.

The first weeks of Term have been off to a positive start. This year we want to continue nurturing and growing our students in Learning, Wisdom and Service. This is only possible with the willingness of our students and the continued partnerships with our parents and staff.

We would like to take this opportunity to welcome our new staff members who are joining the Junior School in 2023! Miss Danica Potgieter joins our Kindergarten team, Miss Pamela Broadstock joins the Year 4 team, Mr Austin Buckley joins the Year 6 team and Miss Georgia Beikoff joins the team as our Junior School Chaplain. We are sure you will enjoy getting to know these staff members.

Our Parent Information Evening will be taking place in Week 3. This is a great opportunity to meet your child’s teacher and find out some key information about learning expectations and routines. We hope to see many of you there.

There have been some upgrades to our facilities over the holiday period. Our Year 4 building has been newly renovated and our students have been excited to utilise the space. Our Kindergarten to Year 2 playground has also had a refresh with some lovely new play equipment and surfacing updated.

We are excited to introduce an onsite speech pathologist to our College services. Jane Wills is an experienced speech pathologist who will be available onsite on Mondays and Tuesdays. Please note that this service will incur a fee, which will be discussed with you prior to commencement. Find out more later in this edition.

Welcome again to the Term. We look forward to partnering with you in your child’s education this year.

Welcome back to a new year! Not sure if you managed to have a break but I feel optimistic about this year and all that we might achieve and experience together on this journey.

The old proverb, ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ is a metaphor for what happens at Thomas Hassall. It simply means that the entire community of people must provide for and interact positively with children so that each of them can experience and grow in a safe and healthy environment. There will be great opportunities and the accompanying challenges. There will be hurdles and obstacles to overcome but also rewards and great satisfaction when the outcomes are achieved.

We have so much on offer both in the classroom and across the College community that we can’t help to be excited by the possibilities; new opportunities, new challenges and exciting adventures. We have seen students arrive back with a tone of positivity and determination as they reengage with their learning. All good learning will take effort and at times students will take a fall. Regardless of what we each might have achieved in past years, 2023 will have a unique set of challenges. For Year 12 the HSC has become more competitive as places at university, are going to be harder to win with the markets increased demand for places from overseas students. Year 11 will discover that expectations have shifted; there is more expected of them in terms of assessment, amount of content covered and the high skill level needing to be mastered. The Year 10s should be settling more confidently into the rhythm of school life and should be looking to get involved as positive influencers across the community. I look forward to seeing the big group from Dukes continue to develop their hearts to serve others. Years 8 and 9 have a more demanding time as they work out where they fit in the community. Student relationships at this point are tested. Good friends find their relationships implode as student identity (am I cool enough) start to dominate their thinking. Finally, Year 7 in any school is a testing time; adjusting to High School, changing classes, numerous teachers, increased expectations in terms of homework etc while we are all trying to make new friends in an alien environment.

In all of this and more, our community is best working through the issues together. Listening to the children; acknowledging their fears and challenges and providing wisdom for the journey. It is not straightforward, and it is certainly not unique. Students worldwide have faced the same challenges. It does help when we are all connected and committed in the community. To this end, let me encourage you to stay in good communication with your child/ren, the teachers, the College executive and College staff. It is not a problem if you need support or assistance for a particular issue. We do want Thomas Hassall to be a place where you feel part of the community.

As the year goes on we hope to catch up with you at some of our numerous contact points: Parent Teacher Information evenings, Parent Cafes, Special events e.g. Mothers’ Day & Fathers’ Day, after school pick up etc…

Our community gathering for one of our ensemble evenings.

Camps can be challenging but are amazing for building community and developing new friendships

As students prepare to go on camp, let me thank you in anticipation for your support. Finally, I say with confidence that our greatest example of authentic community is sharing life with Jesus. I am so pleased that it is not just down to a few flawed individuals like myself. Have a great Term ahead!

Romans 12:5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

Our Open Week is coming up at the College from the 19 - 25 March.

This is a great opportunity for prospective families to see the College in action, at a time that suits them. It is an ideal opportunity for future families to glimpse our culture, observe our staff and students, meet our Principal and key staff, tour our fantastic facilities and ask questions whilst enjoying morning tea.

Many families visit the College more than once when making the decision about the best school to meet the educational needs of their son or daughter.  

If you have friends or family who are interested in finding out about the College, we encourage you to invite them to come along and see what sets us apart. Registrations for Open Week are online on our website.

Thank you for your support.

Thomas Hassall Anglican College is able to offer partial academic scholarships to some students as they enter Year 7 and Year 11 in 2024.

Candidates must sit the Australian Council of Educational Research (ACER) Scholarship examination in February of the preceding year to be considered for a scholarship. The College Scholarships provided are for a percentage of the College School Fee and is given to the student until the completion of Year 12 (subject to conditions).

Register online to sit the ACER Scholarship examination. The cost is $100 (inc GST). Registration is now open and closes at midnight AEDST Monday 6 February 2023. This registration fee is not refundable should you cancel.

The ACER Scholarship Examination will be held at Thomas Hassall Anglican College on Saturday 25 February 2023. An invitation to sit the examination will be sent prior to the examination date, including location at the College and requirements for the exam.  In the meantime, please advise the College if there are any changes to your contact details.

All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their scholarship applications in early April 2023

Please note, these tests are aimed at those who achieve high academic results, so make sure the test is suitable for your child before applying.

For more information visit https://www.thac.nsw.edu.au/scholarship.

All important College communication will be sent via push notification/broadcasts on the App ONLY.

We will no longer be sending an accompanying email and therefore it is essential that parents/carers have the App installed on their smart phone. Please contact reception if you require any assistance in this regard.

Visit our website to download the app and to find out more.

I am excited to be joining the College in 2023 and working will students in speech pathology.

My core area of specialty is the assessment and therapy of children with a range of speech and language difficulties, learning disabilities, developmental disabilities and autism. I have over eight years of experience, as well as an additional five years of experience working in a school context.

I am also a mother to four children. I understand the busyness of family life and will aim to make therapy meaningful and achievable for you and your family.

Please note that this service does incur fees. If you have Extras cover with a private health fund, you may be able to claim for part of the cost of the service - contact your health fund for more details. Depending on your child’s diagnosis, Medicare may cover part of the cost of the service for a limited number of appointments (generally a maximum of five per year) - you will need a referral from your GP to claim from Medicare.

If you are interested in finding out more about my services or booking in an appointment, please contact me via email jane@janewillsspeechpathology.com.au You can also visit the website.

Mrs Jane Wills
Speech Pathologist

The MRK has already been cooking up a storm this week!

Just a reminder you need to update your child's year group in MunchMonitor to ensure it gets to the right place.

Once logged in to MunchMonitor, please go to 'settings' and click on your students profile.

Many parents would like to connect with each other during this time, a great way to do that is through parent led WhatsApp groups.

Parents of the younger year groups have created WhatsApp groups that they are apart of, many have stated how useful they have been.

Parent administrators have asked to extend the opportunity to parents who may not be aware of these groups. Please note that these groups are not run or administered by the College, rather are parent run. If you would like to be added to your child's grade WhatsApp group, please fill in the form and your details will be passed on to the admins.

WhatsApp Group Form

If you are an administrator of any other groups and are interested in reaching your year groups parents, please email community@thac.nsw.edu.au

Mrs Carmen Pasapera
Marketing & Community Relations Manager

Library opening hours and borrowing guidelines

The Senior IRC is open from 7:15am to 3:00pm Monday to Friday.

The IRC is open at lunchtime and recess every day.

Students in Years 7 to 11 can borrow up to two fiction and two non-fiction resources at one time. Each resource has a loan time limit of two weeks.

Students can renew loans after these two weeks if required. Resources can also be reserved.

Students who don’t return their loans with the time period will receive an overdue notice.

Library loans of 2022

Students in Years 8 to 11 who still have library books from 2022 need to return them to the IRC as soon as possible. Students who do not return their books will receive an invoice for a replacement copy. Please speak to Mrs Comiskey or Mr Smith if you require a printed list of your loans.

Anime and Manga Club

Love watching Anime? Love reading Manga? Know your Dragon Ball Z from your Sailor Moon? Then the Anime and Manga Club is the place for you! Starting very soon is the Library club that celebrates Japanese pop culture. To join or for more information please speak to Library staff.

Page Turners Book Club returns in 2023

Love Books? Love Reading? Love Food? Join the Page Turners! The Page Turners book club is back again this year for students in Years 7 to 9. Numbers are strictly limited. Sign up today to ensure your spot. Meetings will be held Monday lunchtime every three weeks. For more information please speak to Mr Smith or Mr Vasington.

IRC on Canvas

The Senior IRC’s canvas page is the place to be for all Library information. As well as providing information on the latest Library news and competitions, students will also have access to HSC and career resources, Year 11 and 12 subject guides, recommended reading pages, a library catalogue guide as well as help with the Dewey Decimal System. Research hints and tips, footnoting and bibliography help guides are also available. Lots of great resources are to be found on the IRC Canvas page!

For more information please speak to Mr Smith.

Book Bites

Take a book bite to see if it is to your taste

‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ – Jenny Han

“Every year Isabel spends a perfect summer at her favourite place in the world - the Fisher family's beach house. It has everything a girl could want- a swimming pool, a private stretch of sandy beach . . . and two boys. Unavailable, aloof Conrad - who she's been in love with forever - and friendly, relaxed Jeremiah, the only one who's ever really paid her any attention. But this year something is different. This year, the boys seem to really notice Isabel for the first time. It's going to be an amazing summer - and one she'll never forget . . .”

‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ is a wonderful coming of age story that is a delight to read. Filled with loveable and relatable characters, a funny and romantic storyline, and set in a gorgeous beach house setting, there is a lot here that will engage and captivate readers. A light easy read that would be enjoyed by many.

‘Into the Dark: Star Wars The High Republic’ – Claudia Gray

"Padawan Reath Silas is being sent from the cosmopolitan galactic capital of Coruscant to the undeveloped frontier-and he couldn't be less happy about it. He'd rather stay at the Jedi Temple, studying the archives. But when the ship he's traveling on is knocked out of hyperspace in a galactic-wide disaster, Reath finds himself at the center of the action. The Jedi and their traveling companions find refuge on what appears to be an abandoned space station. But then strange things start happening, leading the Jedi to investigate the truth behind the mysterious station, a truth that could end in tragedy ...”

‘Into the Dark’ is an exciting new adventure set in a little-known time in the Star Wars universe. With a great new cast of unique characters, terrifying and deadly creatures, and lots of fast paced action, this is a fantastic story that is going to be enjoyed by fans and non-fans alike. The force is strong with this one!

Mrs Annette Comiskey & Mr Michael Smith

Senior IRC Library Team

Our Uniform Policy has recently had some updates for 2023. Please read through the policy changes below which will be in implementation from Week 4 February 13 2023.

4.1 THE UNIFORM CODE

HATS

• For Senior School students, the Formal hat is compulsory with the summer uniform and optional with the winter uniform.

• The approved headwear for students doing PE, playing sports, or active play is the Sport Cap. The Cap, however, should not be worn at other times as a substitute for the appropriate College hat.

HAIR

• Hairstyle should be plain and respectable.

• Hairstyle should be tidy, maintaining your natural colour, not restricting one’s vision and not groomed in an extreme or exaggerated fashion.

• Boy’s hair must be above the collar, not tied up in a bun or ponytail, and not with an extreme undercut. Boys must be clean shaven.

• For Senior School girls in Science and TAS practical classes, hair below the collar should be tied back for safety reasons.

• Hair accessories for girls such as ribbons or bands, where needed, should be red for girls in P-6 and blue for girls in 7-12. No other hair accessories are permitted.

• Any students whose hairstyle causes undue comment will be referred to the relevant Head of School.

The complete Uniform Policy can be found in the Parent & Student Handbook which is available on the College App