Term 4 | The Way Newsletter | Monday 5 December 2022

Latest UpdatesBack to Top

From the Principal
Principal Ross Whelan

Our final edition of the Way for 2022 brings the highlights from student learning and performances over the last fortnight, for your enjoyment and information. 

Our special Graduation events for Prep, Year 6 and Year 12 have been spectacular. Thank you, especially to organising staff and parent helpers. Academic reports are complete and are in the process of being sent to parents, and should there be questions to raise from the reports, there is still time to reach out to teaching staff.

Our final week culminates in the three Celebration events to be held on Tuesday 6 December for Junior School and Wednesday 7 December for Senior School. Congratulations to all award winners, and a special thanks to our organisers and back stage crew for their preparation and production.

Throughout the final term we have been continuing to encourage students to strengthen their engagement in learning, and it is pleasing to note progress in every area.  We have record numbers of students wanting to be part of the Co-curricular programs also, and applications for Talented Athletes Programs (TAP) for 2023 will soon be open for your consideration.

Thank you so much for your support throughout the 2022 College year. We look forward to another exciting and eventful year in 2023. Take care across the vacation period, and please know of our best wishes for you and the family for Christmas and the New Year.  Let’s all take time to reflect on the wonder and majesty of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, some 2000 years ago, so that we might believe in him and worship him.

‘For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace’.  - Isaiah 9:6

Mr Ross Whelan
Principal
From the Deputy Principal - Head of Junior School
Sandy Wheeler

What a year it has been at the College and also in the Junior School this year.

In just the last week, we hosted our first-ever Prep Celebration event. This is a special opportunity where family and friends gathered to celebrate the milestone for completing their first year in Pre-Kinder. We are looking forward to celebrating Kindergarten to Year 6 achievements at our Junior School Celebration events taking place tomorrow. You can watch these events online.

There were lots of fun and colourful costumes on Friday for our Junior School Christmas mufti day! Thank you to everyone who got into the spirit of Christmas and made donations. The money raised is being sent to our Compassion Sponsor Child. In Week 7, students had another opportunity to dress up in a Jersey in recognition of the FIFA World Cup. The money raised from this event was donated to the Red Cross Flood Appeal.

Christmas Mufti

Our Year 6 students have had a great few weeks to celebrate the completion of their time in Junior School. Last Wednesday, they had their Year 6 Dinner at the College. This was a tremendous event where they gathered as a cohort to enjoy a meal cooked by our MRK staff, gelato and fairy floss, as well as enjoying time in the photo booth and on the dance floor. On Friday they enjoyed a special day out at Aquatopia together. We pray for this cohort as they take the step into Senior School next year, that it will be a smooth transition.

As we look forward to 2023, the class groups for students will soon be made available to parents. Great care is taken in forming these classes, ensuring the best decision for learning. While students may not be with all their friends, there is still opportunities to mix with other students during break times and Year-wide activities. Thank you for your support of these decisions.

I would like to take the opportunity to thank the following staff for their hardwork and dedication during their service at the College, they will be finishing up at the end of the Term: Ruth Glendinning, Tim Koski and Beverly Chan. We would also like to welcome our new staff for 2023: Austin Buckley, Danica Potgeiter and Pamela Broadstock. We are excited to welcome these new teachers on staff and look forward to our families having the opportunity to meet them early next year.

Thank you for a great 2022. Please have a safe and enjoyable break. See you in 2023!

 

Mrs Sandy Wheeler
Deputy Principal & Head of Junior School
From the Deputy Principal - Senior School Development
Roger Young

Grateful is the word that I think of as we come to the close of the school year. 

Grateful

I am grateful for being back in a normal rhythm of school life, without the fear and anxieties around the impact of COVID. I am so grateful being alongside of staff who have been both sacrificial and flexible in the way they have served the Thomas Hassall Community over the past year. I am grateful that students have really knuckled down and endeavoured to re-establish positive habits after a broken couple of years of learning. I am just grateful for the simple things: meeting face to face with parents, sharing a coffee at the MRK, meeting as whole groups at assemblies, year meetings and carnivals; celebrating our special events like: the College Musical (Shrek), Made for Stage, College Carnivals with all their colour and energy and the return to active Sport. I am so grateful that I got the opportunity to teach, especially in the areas of Christian Studies and Photography Digital Media. I am grateful for the daily catch up with my Pastoral Care group, 12 Lewis 1, GO LEWIS!  Finally, and more than anything I am grateful that Jesus loves me so passionately. I am sorry that I struggle to love Him back with the same fervour, but I am grateful for the opportunity that His grace and mercy affords me every day.

I pray for this community over Christmas, for your safety and for God’s presence to rest upon you all with peace and kindness. Have a great break as we endeavour to ‘be on time, on task, with respect and gratitude.’

Mr Roger Young
Deputy Principal - Senior School Student Development
From the Chaplain
Denis Oliver

Can you tell that I love Christmas time?

Christmas

(These fabulous decorations were from our Year 6 Dinner that took place this week).

 

When you celebrate Christmas, what are you celebrating?  I am celebrating the birth of Jesus who was a gift of God. Check out the bible reading below.

 9 God showed his love for us when he sent his only Son into the world to give us life. 10 Real love isn't our love for God, but his love for us. God sent his Son to be the sacrifice by which our sins are forgiven. 11 Dear friends, since God loved us this much, we must love each other.
1 John 4

The first Christmas was when God gifted us his Son (v.9). God’s gift to us is both unique and precious – Jesus is God’s one and only Son God.  God gave Jesus because Jesus in turn would give us life. But how does a baby give life?

Jesus would give life by sacrificing himself (v.10).  It is not baby Jesus that is sacrificed, but the man Jesus. Jesus is the only gift that took 32 years to unwrap!

During his life Jesus was sinless. In a way, He is more human than us. Jesus taught that God would rightly judge everyone for their inhumanity. But Jesus also said that he was willing to be judged in our place, he would offer us life by dying for us. But what do we do with this?

We take the initiative in loving others because God took the initiative with us (v.11). Let God’s love for you fuel your love for others.  For the Christian, Christmas is all year round!

This Christmas PLEASE know that God loves you so much that he gave you his Son. Celebrate Christmas by putting your faith in Jesus; sharing your faith in Jesus; and by living your faith in Jesus.  Merry Christmas Thomas Hassall Family – see you in 2023!

Reverend Denis Oliver
College Chaplain

Celebration Dates

Our end-of-year awards Celebration events are happening over the next two days.

Tuesday 6 December
Years 3 to 6: 9.30am - 11.30am
Kindergarten to Year 2: 12.30pm

Wednesday 7 December
Senior School: 7pm

These events will have a limited capacity of two people per award winner and will be available to watch via Livestream on tv.thac.online

 

 

Junior Library End of Year Competition

This year to help encourage students to return all their library books, the Junior Library held a competition to win one of three special Christmas book packs. 

To be entered into the draw all students needed to do was return all their library books before a certain date.
 

The three winning students were:

Laksh K. 1L
Jonathan S. 4K
Isabella T. 5K

Congratulations to these three students! And a big thank you to all students who returned their library books back this year.

Mrs Issa and Mr Smith would like to wish all students and their parents and guardians a very Merry Christmas and a safe and happy New Year!
 

Mrs Arabella Issa and Mr Michael Smith
Junior IRC Library Team

Update from our Student Leaders

Our Year 12 Class of 2023 Student Leaders have been hard at work this Term actioning their focus portfolios. 

Here is an update from them

Chapel Christmas Service
On the Monday of Week 8, myself and a group of other prefects had the task of leading a Christmas service for the whole of the Senior School. I imagine that any student who attended would say that it was a huge success! The theme of the afternoon was ‘better to give than receive', and Rev. Oliver shared some wisdom on what it meant for the Lord to send his own precious and unique son down to earth as a sacrifice to pave our way to eternal life. The service also involved a range of student features in the form of musical items, ranging from as young as Year 4 all the way to Year 12. Overall, it was a great event that helped to unite the students of Thomas Hassall and prepare us for the message of Christmas.

Another special thanks to all the staff, students and AV team involved for helping this service run as smoothly and successfully as it did.
- Ethan O

Christmas Chapel

Relay For Life
On the 19th November, myself and a few other students, parents and teachers were involved in the ‘Fairfield Relay for Life’ where we walked for 12 hours, raising funds for the Cancer Council to support cancer research and treatment. This event allowed individuals from all communities to come together to celebrate cancer survivors and carers as well as remembering those that we’ve lost in the evening’s candlelight Ceremony of Hope.

During this event, our team members walked over 100km collectively and we were able to successfully raise close to $8000 for this cause. Hosting many fun activities such as open mic hour, box car races, the copious amounts of laughter and support from not only our own team members, but also other people in the community, the event facilitated great memories and an incredible sense of achievement for everyone involved.

I want to give a massive thank you to all the people who came to support us on the day and those who were able to donate to this wonderful cause. Without you, the tremendous success of this event would not have been possible. 

‘Relay for Life’ was such an incredible event, raising awareness and funds for a powerful cause. Even with only a small team we were able to make a significant impact. Imagine what we could achieve and who we could help if we came together as a college community to support more events like these. 

- Eliana S

Relay For life


Christmas Cards
On Tuesday the 22nd of November , A group of 4 Year 12 student leaders headed down to Year 6 to participate and run a small activity to show compassion for others in need. 

Harrison, Holly, Destiny and Mehak ran a workshop with the Year 6 2022 cohort to design and write Christmas cards for the College’s Compassion children, miracle schools and Thomas Hassall buddies. 

This was an extremely fun and beneficial activity that allowed the children to participate and learn more about community culture and the start of the 2023 student leaders vision of looking at social justice on a larger scale. 

Thank you to those who participated!
- Holly F


Jersey Day
On Friday 25 November, students from Prep to Year 12 along with staff came together to celebrate the World Cup with Jersey Day. 

The College saw a wide variety of jerseys, coming from many different teams, sports, and countries across the world. Each student brought a gold coin donation which contributed to the Australian Red Cross Flood Appeal in order to help those in need. This initiative was co-ordinated by our Sport Captains Cynthia and Joe with assistance from the prefect team and staff.

Jersey Day was a great way to enforce the College culture and promote inclusivity. Participation for this event was outstanding and saw an improvement in student engagement within the College! 

- Charlotte S

Jersey day

Uniform Shop Trading Hours

Thomas Hassall Anglican College Uniform Store will close for the school holidays on Friday 9 December 2022 at 3:30 pm.

Summer Holiday Trading

Monday 16 January – Friday 20 January 2023: 9:00am to 4:00pm
Monday 23 January – Wednesday 25 January 2023: 9:00am to 4:00pm
Note: Closed Australia Day Public Holiday
 

Term 1 2023: Normal trading hours resume Friday, 27 January 2023

Monday – 7:30am to 3:30pm
Wednesday – 12:00pm to 6:00pm
Friday – 7:30am to 3:30pm

 

To deliver a personalised service all uniform fittings are strictly by appointment only. Appointments can be scheduled through the Midford online appointment link

You are welcome to purchase from the online uniform shop at your convenience and your order will be filled when the store is next open.

www.Midford.com.au School Passphrase: Thomas1997

Reception Holiday Times

Please note the College reception will have amended trading hours during the upcoming holiday period.

Friday 9 December: Closed
Monday 12 December - Thursday 22 December: 8am - 3pm
Friday 23 December - Sunday 8 January: Closed
Monday 9 January - Wednesday 25 January: 8am - 3pm

Have a safe and enjoyable break.

 

Year 6 Dinner

Our Year 6 students had a wonderful time celebrating the end of their Junior School Years on Wednesday night at their Year 6 Dinner.

Here are some of the highlights

 

EventsBack to Top

ETA Annual Conference

The annual conference of the NSW English Teachers’ Association was held at Beverly Hills Girls High School on Saturday, 26 November.

The focus of the conference, this year, was on Stages 4 and 5, in anticipation of coming changes to the English curriculum. These will commence from 2024 for Secondary English, starting with Years 7 and 9.

Amongst many fine presentations offering new directions and programming options for Years 7-10, the Secondary English Faculty of the College was represented by Assistant Coordinator, Mr Gawthorne, and Coordinator, Mrs Refalo.

Dystopias are all the rage, and English teachers have been keen to delve into the odd dark world. However, our students have found themselves living in a dystopia of pandemics, global conflict, environmental threats, digital disconnection and economic downturn. Mr Gawthorne’s presentation therefore outlined a program of learning in Stage 5 to explore the optimistic side of science fiction, and ways in which texts can connect with STEM learning areas in a spirit of hope and collaboration.

Mrs Refalo’s later session was a panel of esteemed and experienced English educators, including the President of the ETA NSW, Sharyn Stafford. Mrs Refalo organised and chaired this plenary session, which all conference-goers attended and which concerned ways to prepare for the coming work of curriculum change. The advice of the panel members was warmly received, as it included practical steps and positive encouragement for dealing with the task of progressively re-organising six grades of teaching and learning.

As both the Junior and Senior Schools of the College embark upon overhauling our quality teaching and learning programs in order to meet new syllabus requirements for a new decade, we look forward to providing further updates on ways that this will cater to the academic needs of our students.

 

Bunnings Market

Community Performance

On Thursday 8 December our Senior Stage Band and select singers from Senior Vocal Group will be heading down to Bunnings Hoxton Park to perform for the Bunnings community Christmas Night Markets. Come and support our students as they provide some great music.  Food stalls and local community stalls will be selling on the night and there will be pony rides and Santa there also.

Bunningsflyer

Mr Byron Mark
Director of Ensembles

WellbeingBack to Top

Screen Time

Screen Time_3x2_1.jpg

Screen Time
Screen Time

The holidays are fast approaching and will provide a well-earned break for students, teachers and parents. Parents can be tempted to relax the boundaries linked to screen time over the holiday period, but be careful that it does not result in unhealthy digital habits developing. 

Parents play a crucial role in modelling a positive and healthy approach to using screens and assisting children to navigate the content they watch. It is better to model and mentor screen use, rather than monitor it. Children tend to do more of what they see us do, and less of what we tell them to do. However, it is still important to outline the risks and highlight the benefits of screen use to ensure you keep a balanced attitude. Encourage discussions around the issues that people experience in monitoring their screen time and be honest about your own difficulties.

Parents need to remain firm in their approach to managing screen time. Excessive screen time can be detrimental to a child’s overall wellbeing. Ensuring the correct privacy settings are in place is vital to prevent children from being inadvertently exposed to inappropriate content or online predators. Parents need to also be mindful of the potential impact screen time can have on a child’s social, emotional, educational, behavioural, and even physical domains.

In this edition of SchoolTV, care-givers will be provided with a range of guidelines and strategies to help manage screen time at home. We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this month’s edition, and we always welcome your feedback.

If you do have any concerns about the wellbeing of your child, please contact the school for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to this month's edition

Adjusted by Jacoline Petersen 
Director of Student Counselling

LearningBack to Top

Year 2 Zoo Visit

Year 2 went to Sydney Zoo on the 18th November.

We had a wonderful day exploring the Zoo. We learnt about habitats of various animals and how to keep them healthy and safe. In groups we got to build our own habitat. We had lunch next to the Lions. It was an exciting day seeing so many animals from countries all around the world. We loved the Lamar’s, Red Pandas, the Potoroo, monkeys, elephants, koalas, penguins, snakes and so much more.

Year 2

Mrs Trudi Woods
Stage 1 Assistant Coordinator- Year 2W

Prep Celebration

Last week, we hosted our first Prep Celebration events.

These events gave parents and friends an opportunity to hear a Christmas talk, see special items performed by our students and also celebrate with them finishing this milestone year.

Thank you to everyone who came along and made it a great event!

Prep Celebration

Year 6 Debating

Should robots replace teachers in classrooms?

Should we pay students in Years Five and Six to do their homework? Is it better to be an only child? These are just some of the topics that Year Six have been discussing over the past few weeks in their debating lessons.

A couple of weeks ago, students were invited to take part in a Year Six knockout debating competition. They were allowed to form their own teams and prepare their side of the argument. The topic chosen for the first round of the debates were “That students in Years Five and Six should watch 30 minutes of televised news each night.”

As Year Six teachers, we were so impressed with the level of arguments brought forward from all sides of the debate. Four teams now move on to the semi-finals with then two teams in the Grand Final. We wish them well for these debates!

year 6 debating

Mr David Stroud 
Year 6 Debating Coach.

Year 8 Geography

Today year 8 presented their Term 4 final projects in a year 8 geography showcase.

Each class has been studying what makes a place liveable and their final challenge was to design and build a city that had lots of liveable features.

The students presented their work today at lunchtime and they were judged by their year advisor, Mr Williams, and the Geography teachers. Certificates were awarded for a range of categories, such as most safe city, best designed, most environmentally friendly and all students voted on the people’s choice award.

year8

Debating and Public Speaking

HICES Debating
The 2023 HICES competition will begin early in the new year, and teams are already being formed. Students will have a chance to join at the beginning of Term 1 in the Middle (Years 7-8) and Senior (Years 9-10) divisions.

MISA Debating
Our Year 7 and 8 MISA Debating teams contested well this semester, in a highly competitive competition. Many students tried something new, taking up debating for the first time and I am pleased with their skill development.

In Semester One of 2023, the new Years 9 and 10 competition will begin, again during Sport time each week.

I encourage students to take up the challenge of this important academic skill in either or both of these debating competitions, in the new year.

There are a few other events planned for 2023, so stay tuned for more details!

 

Call out for adjudicators!

We would welcome adjudicators from our alumni or parent community to be involved in our growing debating program at Thomas Hassall. Please email Mrs Rodriguez if you are interested in adjudicating or coaching. [email protected]

Mrs Roslyn Rodriguez
Secondary Teacher - English

Work experience

In Week 7 of Term 4 Year 10 took part in their second Work Experience placement. Year 10 engaged in a range of activities and jobs.

The host employer feedback about Thomas Hassall students was glowing:

He was a young star in the office

punctual, courteous and showed an interest in the accounting work

She was lovely to have her in my office for a week and she did exactly what she was told to do, very hard worker and excellent work ethic.

He showed a level of maturity far beyond his years.

She was a delightful, happy and a motivated young lady.

He is a hard worker and was keen to get in and get his hands dirty.

She was friendly and enthusiastic, and demonstrated a willingness to assist in other classrooms when it was quiet in the library

it wasn’t long enough

An accomplished young man with such a bright future ahead of him.

He is the 3rd Thomas Hassall student we have had & look forward to the next one.

 

Students were asked for a win for the week and some of their answers were:

Getting the busiest day out of the way.

Finishing our allocated rooms with time to spare

Creating the roof, and facade of my house

I was able to spend time with the kids and just have fun while still being a productive learner.

I’m getting better and also getting to know people more.

being trusted with important jobs such as taking/processing payments

I got a job from this week of work experience!

They were also asked about what they found challenging:

Learning how to use the ArchieCAD software

Remembering where to find everything

I’m still learning about how to use the computers so when people ask me questions about how to do something, I need to ask for help.

Staying on my feet all day

Learning how to use the online systems for the reception.

work experience

Toys and Tucker

Our Year 7 and 8 students contributed towards our Anglicare’s annual Toys’n’Tucker initiative over the past few weeks.

A group of volunteers students helped to package these up for Anglicare to pick up this week.

I was given the opportunity to spend some time today sorting through all the generous toys and tucker donations provided by the senior students. I then carefully selected items to gift and package to a teenage girl. I hope this small gesture can bring a little joy this Christmas. 
- Mila M

ToysnTucker