Term 3 | The Way Newsletter | Friday 4 August 2023

Latest UpdatesBack to Top

From the Principal
Principal Ross Whelan

We are excited about the return of the South West Festival at the College on Saturday 26 August, less than 4 weeks away. There will be lots of action and fun to be enjoyed on the day and we know that our families and the South West Community will have a great day. The festival takes place at the College from 10am to 3pm.  Bring your friends and relatives too!!

Students and staff from one of our two Japanese Sister Schools are with us today and over the weekend. Thanks to all the families who are playing host and enjoying the experience. Takayamamura Junior High School is a very small regional school located in the middle of Honshu the largest Island of Japan and some 5 hours distance from Tokyo.

Year 12 students are in the middle of their Trial HSC exams, and we trust that this time allows them to gain valuable practice for the final HSC exams early in Term 4. You might like to remember them in your prayers. It’s an important time for all young adults.

What a joy to host the Korean Republic Women’s Football Team at the College, recently which also created additional interest in the entire World Cup. What a great victory the Matildas achieved over Canada to advance. Its an exciting time for all football fans.  Our students will have an opportunity to wear their supporter scarf on August 18 and help raise money for some worthy causes such as Miracle Schools and our Compassion Child.

The New Anne Marsden N Block Pavilion is nearing completion, and we expect to have a pedestrian road crossing on Flynn Avenue as a final part of this project. Soon after the commencement of Term 4 we will undertake the building of a new STEM building where J Block currently sits on Flynn Avenue. Revised traffic pick up plans will be released closer to the time of construction. Thanks for your consideration in anticipation.

I would like to bring a more detailed note to all families about updates to our policy on applications for extended leave, and also a new innovation to assist students in their managing use of mobile phones. Let me write a separate note to you on these issues.

Thanks again for your continued support of all we do at the College. Look forward to seeing you also at Cafe MRK each Friday morning. Why not join us for a coffee.

‘But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory’. Hebrews 3:6

 

 

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

In the Junior School we have passionate specialist Music and Drama teachers who provide engaging and enjoyable lessons for all the students in Kindy to Year 6. Even from Kindergarten, talent is nurtured and experiences offered with a range of exciting performance opportunities. Creative Arts lessons are not only fun and stretching opportunities. They also offer a pathway for personal expression, unlocking the imagination and creating shared meaning with others.

A well-known educationalist, Dylan Wiliam, presented some very interesting research on what subject is most valued by future employers. Employers were surveyed on what attributes they are looking for in candidates during the hiring process. The number one school subject that cultivated these skills is Drama! Students learn to co-operate with others, problem solve, think on their feet, perform in a role and work as a team. There is great value in a specialised, robust Creative Arts program.

Here are but a few of the enriching opportunites available in Junior School within our Creative and Performing Arts program.   

Creative Arts Nights

Every second year all students will perform on-stage in Creative Arts Performances. Kindergarten, Year 1 and 2 performed back in Term 2. They were wonderful performances which showcased the students on stage. Year 3 and 4 performances are coming up shortly in Week 5 across 2 days. The performances will feature the Year 4 Band who will showcase their newly learned skills with their new concert band instrument. You can book your tickets here https://www.thac.nsw.edu.au/book

College Musical

Students in Junior School also have the opportunity to perform in the College Musical. Our last musical ‘Shrek’ many Junior students were involved, including the characters Pinnochio and Young Fiona who came from our Year 6 cohort of 2023. We are looking forward to ‘The Little Mermaid’ in 2024!

Annual Writers and Illustrators Competition

We encourage artistic flair and literary creativity through our Annual Writers and Illustrators Competition. This engaging competition allows students to bring stories to life through illustrations, with selected works earning publication in the Young Illustrators & Writers Magazine. Not only does this foster artistic talent, but it also supports a noble cause – proceeds from the magazine sales contribute to our Compassion children in Peru. Last year's magazine was a testament to our students' imagination and skill, and we eagerly anticipate another captivating edition this year.

Our Creative and Performing Arts program equips our students for a future full of opportunities. I am looking forward to seeing many of you at 'Come Fly with Me' - the Stage 2 Creative Arts Performance.

Mrs Sandy Wheeler
Deputy Principal & Head of Junior School
From the Junior School Director of Teaching and Learning
lisa

I wonder if your children have been coming home and telling you about the many different texts they have been reading, hearing and seeing this term.

The Junior School staff has been working diligently on implementing the new English syllabus, in which there is a large focus on all the different forms of texts we have in our midst. As well as picture and chapter books, we have websites, illustrations, podcasts, advertisements, posters, films and videos, poetry and plays. There are texts that give us information, feed our creativity and imagination and ones that aim to persuade us to agree to a certain viewpoint. Some texts have a range of different purposes.

Helping our students make meaning from this vast range of texts is exciting and deeply challenging. How can you help us in our endeavour?

When your child reads or views a text, ask them to tell you what happened. Ask them to give you their opinion of the text. Talk to them about other texts that you know that may have a similar character or plot. Encourage your child to ask their teachers for text recommendations, or ask Mrs Issa or Mr Smith in the Library for help when borrowing. All of these will help your child’s engagement with text, and will help develop their vocabulary and background knowledge, two essential components of literacy success.

 

Ms Lisa Hansford
Director of Teaching and Learning - Junior School
From the Chaplain
Denis Oliver

This week, I took a group of students to a seminar called "Tough Questions" to hear two international Christian authors: Rebecca McLaughlin, who has a PhD from Cambridge University (England), and Rachel Gilson from Yale University (USA).

These authors shared their personal journeys with God and invited students to think deeper about modern issues. They spoke about diversity and reminded us that Jesus broke cultural and racial barriers to invite all sorts of people to heaven. They encouraged us to rethink morality from Jesus' perspective, emphasizing that there is no room for self-righteousness and that it is toxic.

After the talks, there was a Q&A session where the students could ask any question they wanted. The answers were biblical, thoughtful, and kind.

excursion

As you can see from my poor photo, the students had a great time. They had their thinking challenged and expanded upon. One student told me that even though they did not agree with everything, they really appreciated being there. Even the chaplain was challenged by some of the ideas. Let me share a few quotes that got me thinking:

“I can't pretend the gospel is not real because it is inconvenient for my lifestyle.”

“If you will only obey someone when you understand and agree, maybe you are God?!”

 

Reverend Denis Oliver
College Chaplain

Upcoming dates

Date Event

Monday 5 August

 

Year 6 Amazing Me Evening 

Year 1 Incursion

Tuesday 6 August

 NASSA Years 8-9 & 10-11 Football Gala Day
Wednesday 9 August 

Year 9 Japanese Excursion
Thursday 10 August

NASSA Junior Athletics Carnival

Wanderers Cup Football Gala Day

Year 8 Japanese Incursion
Friday 11 August

11 PDHPE First Aid Incursion

NASSA Football Gala Day
Monday 14 August

Year 10 History and Geography Excursion

Years 3 and 4 Creative Arts Performance Evening
Tuesday 15 August

Year 12 Day Camp

Years 3 and 4 Creative Arts Matinee and Evening Performances 
Wednesday 16 August 11 Biology Excursion
Thursday 17 August

Dukes Year 10 Silver Hike

Prep (2 Day) and Kindergarten Author Visit

 

 
The Teachers’ Guild of NSW Presentation Night

Thomas Hassall Anglican College had a spectacular evening at The Teachers’ Guild of NSW Presentation Night, where two of our staff were recipients of prestigious awards. We would like to congratulate our Principal, Mr Ross Whelan, and our Director of ICT, Mrs Megan Bennett, for their outstanding contributions to education and their well-deserved recognition. Mr Ross Whelan was presented with the Honorary Fellow of The Teachers’ Guild of NSW Award; a testament to his visionary leadership and commitment to education. We are equally proud of Mrs Megan Bennett, who has earned the Regional / Remote Teaching and Learning Excellence Award for her work crafting exceptional online teaching and learning resources. Ross and Megan are excellent examples of the spirit of innovation and dedication that drive our College forward.

staff
HSC Supervisors Needed

Our NESA HSC Presiding Officer needs additional HSC exam supervisors this year. The HSC written exams begin on October 11 and conclude on November 3. To be a supervisor, you need to have a paid Working with Children’s Check number. Email Ms Kelie Munro – Academic Dean of Students if you are interested: [email protected]

Your details will be given to the HSC Presiding Officer who will make contact with you to discuss your suitability and answer any questions that you may have.

Ms Kelie Munro
Academic Dean of Students
Breakfast at our Cafe

Thank you to all who came in to Cafe MRK, the reintroduction of Hot Breakfast was a hit.   We're thrilled to see the community come together, and your enthusiastic response keeps us excited for more tasty mornings ahead at Café MRK.

All are welcome from 7am every Friday. Looking forward to seeing you there next week. 

cafe
HSC Supervisors Needed

Thewayfillerheaders_1.jpg

HSC

Our NESA HSC Presiding Officer needs additional HSC exam supervisors this year. The HSC written exams begin on October 15 and conclude on November 8. To be a supervisor, you need to have a paid Working with Children’s Check number. Email Ms Kelie Munro – Academic Dean of Students if you are interested: [email protected]

Your details will be given to the HSC Presiding Officer who will make contact with you to discuss your suitability and answer any questions that you may have.

Ms Kelie Munro
Academic Dean of Students
Term Dates 2024

Here are our Term Dates for 2024

Term Summary  
Term 1 30 January* - 12 April 2024
Term 2 30 April - 28 June 2024
Term 3 22 July - 27 September 2024

Term 4

15 October - 4 December 2024

*Note: There are staggered start dates for specific years commencing from 29 January. 

EventsBack to Top

South West Festival Gift Hampers

The South West Festival is just weeks away and we really appreciate the support of the whole College Community to ensure the success of this year’s event.

We are asking families to donate a range of items based on year groups to help make up our ‘themed’ gift hampers. It is a fantastic opportunity to get the kids involved in selecting some special goodies to showcase creativity.

Each year group in Junior School has been assigned a category of items to cover across multiple gift hampers, however Senior School students are more than welcome to participate. If you are wanting to participate, please visit student reception to pick up a bag to fill with items. 

Please note that you do not need to give more than one bag per family and that second hand items are not excepted. 

For more information, please email [email protected]

PDF iconGift Hamper SWF 2023 flyer.pdf

 
Creative Arts Performances

Our Years 3 and 4 Creative Arts Performances are coming up! Join us as our Years 3 and 4 perform "Come Fly with Me" an exploration of drama and music from around the world. The show will feature Year 3 performing classic folk tales exploring adventure, growing up and belonging and the debut of the 2023 Year 4 Band.

Monday 14 August Evening Performance

5:30pm - 7pm

Tuesday 15 August Matinee and Evening Performances

10am - 11:30 and 5:30 - 7pm

Performances are free, however tickets are required. Reserve your seats at www.thac.nsw.edu.au/book
Thank you to our Sponsors

We are counting down to the South West Festival on Saturday 26 August. We sincerely thank our sponsors and express our thanks to them for their support.

Particularly we would like to thank our Major Sponsor, Liverpool City Council for partnering with us once again for this wonderful festival. 

 

liverpool

We would also like ot thank our Gold Sponsors, Intelec, Ray White Carnes Hill, Morizzi Civil and Stanton Dahl Architects for their on going support 

intelec    sponsor    sponsor    sponsor

 

 

And finally we would also like to thank our Silver Sponsors Good Az Gold Tours, Gowans & Son Printing, Storm International and Joylands Amusements. 

We are looking forward to the festival and we are excited to see you there!

 


 

LearningBack to Top

Prep Excursion to Calmsley Hill Farm

The Prep classes enjoyed visiting Calmsley Hill Farm this week. The bus ride was a big hit as we made our way to the farm. We saw many different farm animals including baby piglets that were only four days old. We all had a turn milking a cow and got to pat ducklings and chicks. The working dog show was very interesting as we saw how clever the dog was rounding up the sheep. It was a great excursion to learn more about how farms work and the animals that live on the farm.

prep

Mrs Erin Johnson
Prep Red/Blue Teacher and Prep Team Leader
Mini Olympics

In a fun learning initiative, the Year 10 Physical Activity and Sports Studies (PASS) class organized a 'Mini-Olympics' for our Year 2 students. This event was part of the Year 10 students' unit on Event Management, moving their learning from the classroom to a real-world setting.

The morning's program, planned by the Year 10 students, included engaging games like tug o’ war, soccer, 'rob the nest', and relay races. These activities ensured a lively response from the Year 2 students, leading to a morning filled with fun, learning, and sportsmanship.

The 'Mini-Olympics' was an enriching experience for both the Year 2 and Year 10 students. The younger students enjoyed participating in the games, gaining an early exposure to teamwork and competition. For the Year 10 students, the event served as a practical platform to apply their knowledge of event planning and management, fostering skills like leadership, adaptability, and problem-solving.

One Year 10 student shared, "Seeing our plans materialize and witnessing the joy of the Year 2 students was incredibly rewarding. It truly helped us understand event management in practice." The success of the 'Mini-Olympics' demonstrated the power of experiential learning, enhancing academic understanding through practical application. Well done to all involved!

olympic    olympic

Mr Robert Sheahan
Senior School PDHPE Staff
Writing Fun in Year 2

Last week, Year 2 had the privilege of meeting children’s author Penny Reeve. Penny taught the students the process she uses to create her stories. They worked in groups to compose their own creative stories by developing characters. The students were excited to be a part of the writing process, and were highly engaged in her creative writing processes. 

author

Miss Carol Dwalibi
Junior School Teacher 



 
Building fun in Year 5

In SCIL this term, Year 5 have been learning about how the expansion of Sydney’s urban areas have impacted the local environment. Part of these lessons included asking students to design and develop their own cityscape, taking into account how the natural features of a site can be incorporated into a new development. 5S worked together to create their own miniature city. Students took on the roles of town planners, developers and landscapers. Careful consideration was given to where buildings were placed and how could people gain access to both work and leisure facilities. Education for the city was a priority! They decided that this new city should have its very own Thomas Hassall Anglican College for students to attend. Looks like our new sister school is in the making.

building

Mr David Stroud 
Junior School Teacher - Stage 3
Year 5 & 6 Debating

Year 5 Debating.jpg

Debating

Year 6 Debating.jpg

Debating

Our Year 5 and Year 6 Junior School Debating teams went head-to-head against Trinity Grammar this afternoon here at Thomas Hassall. The topic for both debates was “That teachers are better than school books.” On the Affirmative side of the topic, our Year 5 team provided the audience with some great examples in support of teachers. That teachers are able to provide guidance and emotional support where books are not able to do this. Or that teachers are able to take prior knowledge into consideration and you don’t get that from a text book. Our Year 6 team were on the Negative side of the topic for their debate. They also had some great examples of how books help students learn. That e-textbooks are updated online with the latest developments. Or that you can always look something up that you need to know when maybe your teacher isn’t available. Both our teams did a fantastic job and were excellent representatives of our College. Our Year 5 team won their debate against a very strong Trinity Grammar Year 6 team. Our Year 6 team had a very close debate but unfortunately didn’t get a win today. I’m sure you will join with me in wishing both teams all the best for their next debate.

Mr David Stroud
Junior School Debating Coach

Performing ArtsBack to Top

Year 4 Band practise

The Year 4 Band has been working hard in preparation for the 'Come fly with me' Creative Arts Night.

Here is a snippet of the some of the year 4 trumpet students playing one of the more difficult pieces in preparation for the night.  Congratulations to these students on their hard work and dedication in preparing for this exciting concert.

Mr Byron Mark
Director of Ensembles

 

 
SWSAS Performance

Our student musicians were invited to perform at the South West Sydney Academy of Sport Awards Dinner at the Cube in Campbelltown on Friday 28 July. The performances by the String Ensemble and the Senior Stage Band, featuring students from Year 6 to Year 12, left a lasting impression on the audience, showcasing their impressive talent and dedication.

PerformancePerformance