TERM 4 NO 1
14 October 2015
Year 12 Dinner - ...only a few weeks away from the beginning of Year 12 2015's lives as ‘old girls’...
Term 4 marks the student leadership transition from the Year 12 in Higher School Certificate mode to the ‘new Year 12’
commencing HSC studies and keenly embracing the opportunity to share leadership responsibility across all areas of School
life. To the 2015 cohort we are extremely grateful for the care demonstrated in handing over crucial information to support their
successors.
At their Dinner with parents and teachers I urged Year 12 to continue to care about those dependent upon their leadership...the
kind of leadership described by Sheryl Sandberg Chief Operating Officer of Facebook, author of Lean In (2013) adopted as
policy by Harvard Business School: ‘Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making sure
that impact lasts in your absence...’
My final note: ‘Build deep relationships - with friends, family and in the workplace. Remember that the highest level of
motivation comes from working on things about which we care, and from working with people about whom we care...
Remember, to care about others we have to understand them...what they feel as well as think...’
Acknowledgement to:
ƒ Amanda Walker (Year 12) awarded a place in Macquarie University's Global Leadership Programme to complement
her studies in Economics next year. Macquarie describes this highly selective programme as providing students with
‘unparalleled opportunities to enhance their study experience and develop important leadership skills. Successful
completion of the GLP provides a certificate, a notation on the student’s transcript, which can provide a competitive edge in
the global employment market’;
Winifred West Schools Limited . ABN 14 000 025 0267
PO Box 34 Mittagong NSW 2575 . Phone: +61 2 4860 2000 . Fax: +61 2 4860 2020 . [email protected]
ƒ Lucinda Chambers (Year 10), accepted into the National Mathematics Summer School for mathematically gifted and
talented high school students, to be held in January 2016;
ƒ Madeleine Prell (Year 12) on her selection to compete at the Penang Turf Club International Horse Show in November
2015;
ƒ Ginger and Ruby Kennett McLaughlin (Year 7 and 9) who competed in the National Vaulting Championships and whose
team won the National Championships and Elizabeth Taylor (Year 3) for her National Championship Show Horse Team
selection;
ƒ Girdle recipients, Isabella Lalak (Equestrian) and Zella Casey Brown (Visual Arts);
ƒ Bronze Medallion Life Saving certificate recipients [see full list in the Sports section of this Newsletter];
ƒ Student Leadership team members [Year 12, 2016] who accepted their appointments graciously and are already
undertaking roles enthusiastically [See Full listing in this Newsletter];
ƒ Alexandra Hill and Olivia Swires (Year 8), winners of Frensham’s inaugural F1 in Schools Challenge with their model,
Need 4 Speed;
ƒ Gib Gate Snowsports competitors on a highly successful Interschools Snowsports season, in state, regional and national
competitions;
ƒ Athletics competitors who represented IGSSA in the NSW Combined Independent Schools Athletics Carnival at Sydney
Olympic Park; all qualified for the NSW All Schools Athletics Carnival held last week. Paige Wilson (Year 10) will now
compete in the National Athletics Championships to be held in Melbourne in December.
ƒ Tiger Lily Herrington, NSW State Champion 2015 in her section of the recent Tae Kwon Do All Styles competition.
ƒ ICAS English High Distinction award recipients: Frensham - Imogen Senior (Year 8); Thea Horsley (Year 10), Alice
Sinden (Year 10); Gib Gate - Grace Lewis (Year 6). ICAS Mathematics High Distinctions award recipients: Frensham Jessica Latimer, Gabrielle Steiner (Year 9); Lucinda Chambers (Year 10). Gib Gate - Bliss Ow-Yang (Year 2).
ƒ Alexandra Roach (Year 12) for her nomination for the BOSTES Encore Concert. Alexandra will submit a full recording of
her HSC Music Performance programme for consideration;
ƒ Zella Casey Brown (Year 12) whose HSC Major Design Project (Design and Technology) a conference and volunteer
centre, was selected ahead of 30, fourth year university students by the organisation RAW Impact to be built as part of their
village support development in Kraite Town, Cambodia. Zella will be involved in the process of transforming a student
design into a compliant operational building and then working closely with the project management team to oversee the
completion of the project.
Past Student News – Frensham:
ƒ Isabel Faulkner (Ellie), 2011 was awarded the Ron Gannaway Prize, for her consistent contribution to the wellbeing of
fellow students by endeavour, charity and companionship, presented at her Valedictory Dinner at Robb College (UNE) 18
September.
Heads of House for Term 4:
Year 10
Kennedy: Emily Cooke, Arabella Jones, Annabel White;
Hartfield: Liana Berzins, Ruby Crane, Paige Wilson;
Linden: Molly-Rose Renowden, Georgia Saeck, Isobel Strutt.
Year 11 (Till end of Week 5 when Year 11 move to Bryant McCarthy)
Turner: Sophie Claoué-Long, Lily Dulhunty, Andrea Tan
Bryant: Emily Newton, Rubyanna Edwards, Annabel Milling
Staffing Update
ƒ Administration Assistant: Ms Jill Taylor returns for Term 4 and will be based at White Cottage.
ƒ Head Coach of Tennis: Mr Justin Taylor has been appointed to manage/coach the IGSSA and Tildesley Tennis teams and
to conduct individual and group tennis lessons for Gib Gate and Frensham.
ƒ Mathematics: Ms Amanda Fittler, M Ed, (UWS) (to be completed, 2016); B Ed (Mathematics) (Monash); B Sport and
Outdoor Recreation (Monash), joins the Mathematics Faculty in a part-time position, initially to cover Ms Joanne Allison
who is on Long Service Leave for Term 4.
ƒ Mathematics: Ms Jaime Ashworth - American Graduate Teacher joins the Mathematics Faculty for weeks 5 weeks
commencing Monday 26 October.
ƒ PDHPE Faculty: Miss Eliza Roche, University of Sydney, is completing her final teaching practicum with us this term. Miss
Roche will be teaching PDHPE classes and coaching Touch Football.
Julie A Gillick
Head of Frensham
Head of Winifred West Schools
2
Student Leaders 2015-2016
Alex Alker
Emily Ashbrook
Lucy Barrett
Lucy Begg
Airlie Blackman
Bianca Campbell
Sophie Claoué-Long
Madeleine Conomos
Claudia Cruikshank
Lily Dulhunty
Captain of Softball; Prefect
Head of Holting; Head of Stage Management 2015; Prefect
Head of Concert Band; Head of Public Speaking
Head of Fitness Centre; Vice Captain of Hockey
Vice Captain of Cross Country; Vice Captain of Softball
Accelerated Students Mentor; Head of Glenn Music Centre; Head of Pen & Ink
Head of Kennedy House; Vice Head of Event Management
Head of Drama (2015); Head of Kennedy Strings; Prefect
Captain of Swimming; Head of Show Cattle Team; Prefect
Head of Library
Rubyanna Edwards
Amber Fahey
Head of Design Studios; Head of Kennedy House
Head of Glenn Music Centre; Head of Fitness Centre
Emily Fisher
Isobelle Fox
Captain of Cross-Country; Vice Captain of Athletics; Prefect
Captain of Water Polo; Vice Head of Event Management
Sabrina Graesser
Jessica Herbert
Sophie Hill
Anna Horton
Olivia Inglis
Lydia Jupp
Chair of Forum; Head of Tours for Visitors; Prefect
Head of Mathematics Club; Vice Chair of Forum
Accelerated Students Mentor; Head of Public Speaking; Head of Sturt Liaison
Captain of Basketball; Prefect
Captain of Equestrian; Head of Holting
Vice Head of Community Service
Olivia King
Olivia Lalak
Emma Lambrechts
Phoebe Latimer
Lucinda Macken
Jessica Mackenzie
Matilda Macqueen
Stephanie Markerink
Captain of Tennis; Head of Kennedy House
Captain of Equestrian
Head of Choir Firsts
Head of Choir Thirds; Head of Hartfield House
Head of Community Service
Head of McCarthy House; Vice Captain of Tennis
School Photographer; Vice Head of Event Management
Head of Madrigals; Prefect
Kate Marsh
Florance McGufficke
Head of Kennedy Strings; Vice Captain of Softball; Prefect
Head of McCarthy House; Vice Captain of Netball; Prefect
Victoria McMaster
Eliza-Jane Middleton
Annabel Milling
Emily Newton
Abbey O'Regan
Madeline Page
Abbey Pearce
Mathilda Penton
Cassandra Phillips
Lucy Powell
Isabella Prideaux
Isobel Robertson
Willa Robinson
Annabel Sheehan
Head of Design Studios; Head of Hartfield House
Head of Drama (2016); Head of Duke of Edinburgh's Award
Head of Show Cattle Team; Vice Captain of Touch
Head of Community Service
Head of McCarthy House; Head of Tours for Visitors
Captain of Athletics; Vice Head of Holt Café
Head of Holt Café; Vice Head of Event Management
Captain of Snow Sports; Head of Concert Band
Captain of Snow Sports; Head of Glenn Music Centre
Head of Jazz Band; Vice Captain of Tennis
Head of Art Studios
Vice Head of Concert Band; Vice Head of Pen & Ink
Head of Art Studios; Head of Sturt Liaison
Vice Captain of Swimming; Prefect
3
Jordan Shephard
Celia Stewart
Charmain Stewart
Vice Captain of Netball; Vice Captain of Water Polo
Head of Mathematics Club; Head of Stage Management 2015; Vice Captain of Basketball;
Prefect
Captain of Football; Head of Event Management
Vice Head of Community Service
Scarlett Strang
Andrea Tan
Head of Choir Seconds; Vice Captain of Football
Vice Head of Community Service
Ellah Thompson
Amelia Vidler
Captain of Touch; Prefect
Head of Tours for Visitors; Vice Head of Holt Café
Isabella Wright
Imogen Wungluck
Head of Hartfield House; Head of Overseas Students
Head of Glenn Music Centre; Head of Holt Café
Mimi Wylie
Pia Wylie
Captain of Hockey; Vice Captain of Touch
Captain of Netball; Head of Event Management
Molly Young
Captain of Football; Head of Pen & Ink
Zali Steiner
Fellowship:
Fellowship Golf Day
It was perfect spring weather for the 24
players who gathered for the annual
Fellowship Golf Day at Elanora Country
Club. The overall winner was Virginia
Rayner (Tilley, 1969). The Team Winners
were Felicity Cavill (Travers, 1975), Chez
Bunting (Clark, 1975), Virginia Hazard
(1976) and Suzie Coghlan (1976). Special
mention to Julia Brownhill (Arnott, 1954)
who played (in matching skirts) with her two
daughters Pru Pearce (Brownhill, 1980)
and Dibs Cowley (Brownhill, 1983). The
organiser, Jo Millyard (Furze, 1965) noted,
‘We had a very happy day and it was great
fun catching up again’.
Congratulations to Dr Lorraine Lawrence (Hunter, 1932) who
celebrated her 100th birthday on 12 October. Lorraine remains an
active member of the Royal Sydney Golf Club and is a regular at
Wednesday’s bridge table. She joins Eileen Silk (1931), aged 102,
as one of Frensham’s oldest (known) old girls.
Dr Lorraine Lawrence with Julie Gillick at the Fellowship 2015
AGM
4
Frensham Advisory Committee 2015
Mrs Caroline Begg
Mrs Pip Crichton
Mrs Helen Gooden
Mrs Katrina Graves
Mr John Hayes
Mrs Sam Hickson (Sec)
Mr Gavin Martin
Mrs Judy Newton
Mr Sam Paradice
Mr John Penton (Chair)
Mrs Tina Scales
Mrs Melody Talbot
Gib Gate Advisory Committee 2015
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Mrs Rachel Arnott (Chair)
Mrs Caroline Atra
Dr Guy Bashford
Mrs Holly de Manincor
Mr Gil Downes
Mr Stephen Grant
Mrs Sarah Lewis (Sec)
Mrs Corina Nesci
Mrs Helen Pernice
Mrs Zoe Suttie
[email protected]
[email protected]
guy.bashford@
sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
(Chair of FOGG)
TERM DATES 2015 ~ Gib Gate & Frensham
Term 4
Gib Gate: Tuesday 6 October-Friday 4 December 3pm
Frensham: Tuesday 6 October-Sunday 6 December
12.30pm (departure is after the Carol Service)
TERM DATES 2016 - Gib Gate and Frensham
Term 1
Gib Gate & Frensham:
Friday 29 January – Thursday 7 April, 3.00pm departure
(Frensham New Student Induction Thursday 28 January
All boarders return evening of Thursday 28 January)
Easter:
Departure is from 3.00pm Wednesday 23 March
Classes recommence Tuesday 29 March
Term 3
Gib Gate & Frensham:
Tuesday 19 July-Thursday 22 September 3.00pm
(All Boarders return on the evening of Monday 18 July)
Frensham
(Year 12 Dinner with Parents and Staff is evening of
Thursday 22 September)
Term 4
Gib Gate: Monday 10 October-Friday 9 December 3.00pm
Frensham: Monday 10 October -Sunday 11 December
from 12noon (after 11am Carol Service)
(All Boarders return on the evening of Sunday 9 October)
Term 2
Gib Gate & Frensham:
Wednesday 27 April -Thursday 23 June, 3.00pm
(All Boarders return on the evening of Tuesday 26 April)
(Year 10 Work Experience ends Friday 24 June)
Queen’s Birthday Long Weekend: Monday 13 June;
Frensham departs 3.00pm Friday 10 June
2016 PARENT WEEKENDS – Confirmed dates for attendance of all students Years 7-12
Term 1
Year 7
Year 10
Term 2
Year 8
Year 12
Term 3
Year 11 Saturday 6-Sunday 7 August
[Year 10 Saturday 6 August - Year 10 planning for Senior
Studies (with parents on Saturday)]
Year 9
Saturday 27-Sunday 28 August
Saturday 27 February-Sunday 28 February
Frensham Open Day ~ Saturday 27 February
Saturday 12-Sunday 13 March
Saturday 14-Sunday 15 May
Saturday 4-Sunday 5 June
WWS Birthday - Friday 3 June
Frensham’s 103rd Birthday - Sunday 5 June
Ranier Uniform Shop
Shop Manager: Mrs Michelle Wynn
To order goods, please call the Shop: (02) 4860 2136 [BH]
Shop Hours: Mondays and Thursdays: 12.00pm-5pm
or email: [email protected]
5
Chinatown – Twenty-three guests enjoyed a day of tasting and shopping in Cabramatta
Sydney Food Trails:
Alexandria
Saturday 7 November 2015
Places are still available for the Alexandria Food Trail on Saturday 7 November – a day of eclectic pleasures! To book
and for full details, please contact Michele Scamps or to book online, please visit: www.frensham.nsw.edu.au/iris-tour
WWS Foundation Cattle Herd Project
With many thanks to our generous Donors and Host farmers, the Cattle Herd will reach its 2015 target of 150 head of cattle.
The cattle are spread throughout New South Wales in 24 different locations. From the north in Glen Innes, to the south in
Holbrook and to the west in Hay.
With cattle prices booming, the return on
investment that the Foundation has been
able to achieve via the Cattle Herd, makes
this project a key part of Foundation’s
fundraising activities.
With another ambitious target in 2016 – to
increase the herd to 250 – Foundation is
again looking for more Donors and Hosts.
For additional information about how you
can become involved in this very
worthwhile project contact Michele
Scamps, Foundation Appeal Director.
Members of the Cattle Herd project in
Coolah [McMaster family property]
For more information on WWS Foundation, please contact: Michele Scamps, +61 2 4860 2000 – [email protected]
6
On the last day of Term 3, Year 6 Monitors, India Grant
Pirrie (Kitchen Garden Monitor), Jimmy Koster
(Environmental Monitor) and James Martin Weber
(Charity Monitor) with the able assistance of Ms Bridget
Pirrie, Mr Stephen Grant and Mrs Sharon Lewis,
harvested the vegetables from the kitchen garden at
Gib Gate. The four garden beds, planted out by
students and mothers on Mother’s Day, had flourished
and grown considerably. Some students were keen to
take their vegetables home to enjoy cooking, others
were keen to donate their vegetables to create a large
communal salad. Bridget Pirrie and Stephen Grant,
washed and chopped and created a delicious salad
using the variety of vegetables which they dressed in a
home-made Asian salad dressing and served in
Chinese take-away containers.
L-R: India Grant Pirrie, Ms Bridget Pirrie, Jimmy Koster, James Martin-Weber, Mr Stephen Grant - harvesting the Gib
Gate Kitchen Garden.
The students from Years K-6 enjoyed the salad boxes, especially as they were given chop sticks to use as utensils. We offer
our thanks to the Mr Grant and Ms Pirrie and India for their support and we are looking forward to re-planting the garden beds
ready for harvesting a summer crop prior to the end of the term.
Ms Sally Robson, Head of Gib Gate
Curriculum Highlights 2015
ICAS English and Mathematics 2015
At Performance Assembly this Friday 16 October, all participating students will be presented with their certificates of
achievement in the 2015 English and Mathematics ICAS Competitions which were completed in Term 3. In this competition, 81
students from Years 2 to 6 participated. In English: Year 2: Distinction: Isabella Barber, Eliza-Grace Bashford, Bliss Ow-Yang;
Credit: Georgina Lewis, Elizabeth Shadbolt, Sarah Witcombe; Merit: Isabella Atra; Year 3: Distinction: Laura Barnsley-Adams;
Credit: Charlie Johns, Lilly Treweeke, Amy Wimalaratne, Isabella Woods; Merit: Kyle George; Year 4: Credit: Monique
Andersson, Spencer Lewis, Daniel Long; Merit: Alexander Martinek; Year 5: Distinction: Matilda Arnott; Credit: Ankitha Avvari,
Georgia Day, Lulu Duck, Eliza Hewson, Holly Horsfall, Zoe Moutsopoulos, Lucy Pernice, Lily Veleba; Merit: Chloe Garcia,
Phoebe Wedderburn; Year 6: High Distinction: Grace Lewis; Distinction: Harriet Mackie; Credit: Ainsley Everett, Gabriel Kam,
Isabelle Promnitz; Merit: George Penn.
In Mathematics, 81 students from Years 2 to 6 participated: Year 2: High Distinction: Bliss Ow-Yang; Distinction: Georgina
Lewis; Credit: Isabella Barber, Sophie Goodisson, Elizabeth Shadbolt; Merit: Sophie Baldwin; Year 3: Distinction: Kyle George,
Charlie Johns; Credit: Amy Wimalaratne; Merit: Laura Barnsley-Adams; Year 4: Credit: Monique Andersson; Merit: Elizabeth
Nesci; Daniel Long; Year 5: Distinction: Matilda Arnott; Credit: Ankitha Avvari, Lucy Pernice; Merit: Hannah Hiscocks; Year 6:
Distinction: Grace Lewis, Harriet Mackie, Caitlin Quinn; Credit: Natasha Long, Sophia Pernice, Isabelle Promnitz; Merit: William
Clark, Ainsley Everett, Thomas Lalak, Eamon O’Shanassy;
Information for parents: January Vacation Programmes for Gifted & Talented Primary School Students
Information has been received from both the University of Wollongong and the University of NSW who offer excellent
programmes for children to attend in the January vacation period. Many Gib Gate students have attended a variety of these
programmes in previous years and have enjoyed the opportunity immensely.
The University of Wollongong offers two programmes - Little Learning Labs for students in Years 1 and 2 and Early Learning
Labs for students in Years 3-6. The workshops are held over two days and cover a range of disciplines, presented by teachers
with specialist training or specific interest in gifted education. All content is rigorous and challenging and is designed to
stimulate the interest and curiosity of the academically gifted. There is an opportunity to socialise with like-minded peers and a
chance to enjoy the facilities at the University. Please note that the closing date is Tuesday 3 November 2015.
For more information please visit: http://www.uow.edu.au/in2uni-myway/learninglabsyr1-yr6/index.html
7
The University of NSW (GERRIC) offers the Junior Scientia for students in Years 3–6. The programme features a range of
workshops taught over three days. The courses are developed and presented by teachers qualified in gifted education and aim
to encourage the interests and curiosity of gifted children. The level of difficulty in the courses is generally two years above the
enrolled school level of the children, providing a rigorous and challenging programme. The next Junior Scientia Programme will
be held 19-21 January 2016.
Please visit: https://education.arts.unsw.edu.au/about-us/gerric/for-gifted-students/junior-scientia-3-6/ for more information on
the range of workshops available from which to choose.
Ms Kate Chauncy, Director of Teaching and Learning, P-12 and Coordinator of Gifted and Talented Programmes
Enrichment/Activities
IPSHA Competitions
The Debating and Gymnastics teams will represent the school at IPSHA Competitions in coming weeks. Our coaches for these
activities are supporting Gib Gate staff to prepare the students for these exciting events.
Senior Musical Production
Year 6 students have been learning lines and classes will commence rehearsals at Clubbe Hall leading towards the
performances of The Jungle on Thursday 29 October at 12.00pm and Friday 30 October at 6.00pm.
Japan Trip 2016
A large number of parents and students from Years 4 and 6 joined Ms Robson and Mrs Graham on Monday to discuss the trip
to Japan in September 2016. The students will tour Kyoto and Kanazawa and visit Gib Gate’s sister school, Hokuriku Gakuin
Elementary School. Students have the opportunity to homestay during the visit. The School has been making biennial trips
since 1990, and values the connections made in Japan and at our sister school.
Mrs Anne Graham, Gib Gate Coordinator (Administration)
Sport
Netball
Gib Gate had another successful season this year. After reaching the finals last year, they were promoted to Division 1 this year
where they once again qualified to play in the grand-final. This was always going to be a challenging game against a team that
had defeated them two weeks earlier in the Preliminary final. After being nine goals behind at three-quarter time, the prospect of
winning seemed slim. However, with grit and determination in the final quarter, Gib Gate went on to win in extra time by six
points. We congratulate them for their fine efforts this season.
Equestrian
Congratulations to Alexandra Inglis and Elizabeth Taylor (Year 3) who competed in the Australian Interscchools
Championships event during the vacation. Elizabeth on Mirinda Matinee Magician achieved, Phase 1 - Show Horse Led
Class - 3rd place, Phase 2 - Show Horse Rider Class - 6th place and Phase 3 - Show Horse Ridden Class - 1st place. On points,
Elizabeth achieved 3rd place overall.
From the Eight Primary Show Horse and Show Hunter riders from NSW, an elite team of four was chosen based on
accumulated points. Elizabeth was chosen in this team which was hailed the Champion Primary Show Horse team overall at
the Nationals.
Interschools Snowsports
A large and dedicated group of Skiers competed most successfully in the NSW Interschools Snowsports event this year.
The team achieved 1st place in the Primary Girls at the Regional Cross Country Championships, 2nd place overall at the
Regional Championships, 3rd place at the State Championships and 7th place overall at the National Championships.
There were many individual and team achievements, and among the exceptional team and individual performances in every
discipline of Skiing and Snowboarding was the bronze medal won by the girls in the Division 4 Moguls competition at the
National Championships at Mount Buller in Victoria at the end of last term. We congratulate Sophia Pernice (Year 6), Lucy
Pernice and Lily Veleba (Year 5) on their outstanding achievement.
Mr Michael Standen, Co-ordinator of PDHPE and Sport
8
Preschool (Pre-Kindergarten)
Let’s go Camping
The Pre-Kindergarten children have been interested in role playing
camping games outside. The children carefully looked at the
camping picture and were asked the following questions:
ƒ What do you see in the picture?
ƒ What do you think is going on?
ƒ What does it make you wonder?
Aliyah Mhanna: ‘I can see that the girl is at a campsite.’
Ava Kroll: ‘I can see a little girl is sitting next to a tent.’
Emma Andrew: ‘I can see she is reading a book.’
Jock Basham: ‘I think she is camping with her family.’
Hugh Thompson: ‘I wonder if they are going to go mountain
climbing.’
The children brainstormed all the things they thought they would need if they were going to go camping. Their ideas included a
hat, umbrella, toys, sleeping bag, tent, food, raincoat, drinks, walking shoes and gum boots. We pitched a tent in the playground
and made our own pretend campfire.
Ms Kelly Lees, Preschool Teacher
FRIENDS OF STURT
Chris Topp (President), Penny Hoskins (Secretary), Ruth Wright (Roster Secretary), Denise Sumner
(Mail-out Coordinator), Joan Dinning, Bill Dinning, Anne Thomson, Alan Matthews, Julie Musgrave,
Michael Harris
Special Events
Sturt School for Wood 2015 graduation and exhibition - Saturday 21 November 11.00am
Sturt’s world-class Wood School, training Australia’s future fine furniture makers and designers, will celebrate the graduation of
its 2015 students and the opening of their end-of-year exhibition in Sturt Gallery. The Sturt School for Wood is now more in
demand than ever with a full school already for 2016 and enrolments now being taken for 2017. The high quality of the work on
display at this important exhibition showcasing emerging talents is truly outstanding.
Summer School 2016 - 4-9 January
Places at the Summer School are filling quickly with a terrific programme of courses for adults and a new full-week programme
of courses for children. View courses with places remaining via the website where there is an option to book online. Some
courses with places remaining include – Drawing flowers with Suzanne Archer, Painting: exploring narrative with Justin
Pearson, Seascapes, rivers and lakes in pastel with Tricia Taylor, Weaving: the basic with Liz Williamson, Contemporary wood
project: Coolamon table with Simon Zablotsky and Digital crafting for artists with Rod Bamford.
Short Courses
Pierced Clay with Julie Shepherd – Saturday 14-Sunday 15 November - Level: For those with some experience.
Sculpture: Hebel block with Britta Stenmanns – Saturday 14-Sunday 15 November - Level: Suitable for all levels of experience.
Weaving: tackle a new technique with Susan Walker– Saturday 14-Sunday 15 November - Level: Intermediate-Advanced.
Exploring Bangalow Basketry with Glenese Keavney – Saturday 14-Sunday 15 November - Level: Suitable for all levels of
experience.
Botanical Art - making colours sing with Leonie Norton – Saturday 14-Sunday 15 November - Level: Suitable for all levels of
experience.
Special 3-Day Woodwork Course - Friday 13-Sunday 15 November
9
Wood and Weave: Three legged stool construction with Isabelle Moore
Work with our international artist in residence, furniture designer, Isabelle Moore from Scotland.
Level: Some experience required with machines and reasonable hand skills
This exclusive opportunity to work with one of Europe’s top furniture designers, will enable students to gain an overview of
frame construction and the elements to be considered when designing seating for comfort, ergonomics and practicality. During
the first two days, using pre-prepared stock, students will be shown how to mark out and cut the required joinery using a range
of workshop machinery, then hand shape, assemble, glue-up and finish a wooden frame construction to accommodate their
chosen sitting height. On the third day, Isabelle will demonstrate weaving techniques and the selection of appropriate materials
for a woven seat surface and guide you through the completion of your stool. The stool will be constructed from native
hardwoods and be woven from a choice of Japanese sea grass or Danish cord (or equivalent); other weaving materials could
be used if appropriate.
Sturt Gallery
At The End of the Rainbow – new porcelain by Julie Shepherd - continues to 15 November
An exhibition of exciting new ceramics by Julie Shepherd exploring an evolution of colour and lustre in exquisite fine porcelain.
Inspired by Sturt Craft Centre’s Garden, these sculptural and functional ceramics with hidden treasures celebrate the fragile
beauty and resilience of nature.
Sturt Shop and Gallery are perfect places for early Christmas shopping and a look at the current exhibition. There are many
exciting new ranges in the shop currently which will make ideal gifts for Christmas.
Sturt Coffee
Sturt’s Café in the gallery and garden courtyard provides the perfect place for coffee and delicious sweet and savoury treats,
courtesy of Gilbert’s of Mittagong.
Events
Slide Night at Sturt
The next Slide night at Sturt will be held on Wednesday 28 October 5.30pm for a 6pm start in Sturt Cottage and will include
presentations by two of our visiting artists for 2015.
Edinburgh based furniture designer/maker Isabelle Moore’s work focuses on seating and textiles. Endlessly inspired by the
incorporation of different techniques, Isabelle has explored the possibilities of ‘active sitting’, ergonomics and minimal material
to provide holistic and fun ways to interact with our built environment.
Andrew Carvolth is Sturt’s 2015 graduate resident from ANU School of Art. Andrew graduated last year after three years in the
Woodwork department at ANU and now is building his own career as a furniture restorer and bespoke maker.
Slide nights include drinks and nibbles: $10 for Friends of Sturt, $15 for guests.
Slide nights are supported by Friends of Sturt and all funds raised go to support the Sturt Artist-in-Residence programme.
Full details of all Sturt courses, exhibitions, residency programmes and events can be found on the website www.sturt.nsw.edu.au
or to make a booking or enrolment call Sturt Shop on +61 2 4860 2083 or email [email protected]
Mr Mark Viner, Head of Sturt
10
Deputy Head
Computational Thinking has been identified as a key enabling skill and it has been described as the 4th Literacy that will
define an educated person in the 21st century. Thus, the introduction of Computational Thinking into the curriculum at Frensham
has been a focus for the last 18 months. As part of this, all students in the Year 8 Mathematics Extension class are being
offered the opportunity to participate in a pilot MadMaker challenge programme. The programme will be led by Dr Tristan Burg
and Ms Amanda Fittler.
The MadMaker challenge is a five-week online course aimed at high school students with a goal to educate them about
embedded systems (electronic devices) and their use in everyday life. It involves using the entry-level Arduino Esplora
programmable board and desktop 'Processing' programming language to investigate fun and interactive ways to use Science,
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics to solve real-world problems.
The challenge is separated into weekly modules, based around themes that link to a variety of STEM subjects and it will run for
five weeks (Weeks 2–6) in Term 4, 2015.
The challenges aim to develop skills in thinking, analysing and solving problems by learning to programme the Arduino Esplora
device. The Esplora contains a number of built-in, ready-to-use onboard sensors so students can quickly start using it to detect
measure, calculate and interact in real-world applications.
Frensham was successful in being awarded a grant to purchase the Esplora boards necessary for the challenge and all the
software has been provided. It is hoped that this programme will guide us on where we might embed coding in the 2016
curriculum.
Mr Geoff Marsh, Deputy Head
Boarding News
For the Sample Boarding programme, we welcomed over 40 Year 5 students who were visiting from as far away as
Cootamundra, Scone, Deniliquin, Wellington, Walgett and Nimmitabel. The Year 7 boarders relocated to the Parker
Gymnasium for the evening where beds and a large screen had been set up for their own special ‘sleepover’.
The Year 5 guests were met at Clubbe Hall by student leaders, including Prefects, Heads of Kennedy and Hartfield Houses and
Year 10 Hosts. They were then escorted to their Houses to start a special programme which included dinner, games in the
gymnasium, led by the Year 12 prefects and supper. The evening culminated in an overnight stay in the Boarding Houses. The
following day included breakfast, followed by a full day at high school. Some of the highlights reported from the visitors
included: dancing in the gym, meeting and making new friends in the Houses, the singing in Morning Prayers, the delicious
BBQ lunch and fun games on the Games Field, visiting the Agriculture Plot and ‘everything about this beautiful school’. Their
happy smiling faces when parents came to collect them on Friday afternoon spoke volumes.
The Closed Weekend that followed was something of a grand finale for Year 12 girls. The Harry Potter Dinner on the Friday
night was a wonderful culmination of all the Friday activity nights for which they have dressed up over the years. All girls were
divided into the Houses of the novel, assigned a different character each and dressed up accordingly. The outfits were of a high
standard and included Whomping Willows, merpeople, broomsticks, quidditich players, spiders. The Year 12 girls went to every
length to portray the main characters of the series as authentically as portrayed in the films – they came as the Weasleys, the
Potters, the Professors, Dumbledore, Hagrid, Dobey and more. There were lanterns, candles and mood lighting along with the
Harry Potter sound track wafting eerily in the background. The Dining Room was truly transmogrified into the Hogwarts Dining
Hall. It was beyond doubt a mesmerising evening.
After dinner on Saturday 12 September, Cooper Hall was the venue for the end of term Skit Night. All girls were involved and
there was much fun and laughter in the dorms on Saturday afternoon as everyone prepared. Other activities over the weekend
included swimming sessions and boot camp fitness sessions for all years, a Safe Driver Course for Year 11 girls and library
study sessions for our seniors. Term 3 has been a term rich with myriad activities available for our boarders.
Now refreshed after the Spring vacation, we are all back at school looking forward to a rewarding Term 4, with a programme full
of carefully planned exciting, educational and fun activities planned for weekends ahead.
Mme Deborah Panaretto, Director of Boarding
11
Director of Teaching and Learning
Lucinda Chambers (Year 10) has been accepted into the National Mathematics Summer School for mathematically-gifted
and talented senior high school students - a two week residential school to be conducted from 3-16 January 2016 at the
Australian National University. Students participate in a series of lecture courses from mathematicians in a number of branches
of mathematics at an advanced level. The main course is Number Theory and students will also explore modulo arithmetic,
primes, Diophantine equations, rings and fields and much more.
Information about 2016 Vacation Workshops at Universities for Interested Students
In January, GERRIC (Gifted Education Research Resource Information Centre) at the School of Education, UNSW and the
University of Wollongong offer a range of vacation workshops for students from Years 7 to 10 which are now open for
enrolment to interested parents.
UNSW School Vacation Workshops: Scientia Challenge for Years 7-10
The Scientia Challenge Programme is designed for gifted and talented high school students in Years 7-10 and features a
range of workshops taught over three days. The courses are developed and presented by academics at the University of New
South Wales. The level of difficulty in the courses is aimed at two years higher than the students' grade level, providing a
rigorous and challenging programme. The programme also provides the opportunity for gifted students to meet like-minded
peers of similar interests. The next Scientia Challenge Programme will be held 19-21January 2016. Please visit the following
site for more information: https://education.arts.unsw.edu.au/about-us/gerric/for-gifted-students/scientia-challenge-yr-7-to-10/
The University of Wollongong: Learning Labs for Years 7-10
Learning Labs is an academic enrichment programme for students in Years 7-10, with curriculum pitched at a flexible Year 11
and 12 level. UWOLL offers workshops that cover a range of academic fields developed and presented by University
academics or specialists who are leaders in their field. Workshops are innovative, challenging and aim to stimulate the
interests of high achieving students. This is a wonderful opportunity for students to socialise with like-minded peers within a
university setting. The programme will take place on 21-22 January 2016 from 9–3:30 pm each day. Please visit the following
site for more information. http://www.uow.edu.au/in2uni-myway/learninglabs/index.html
The University of Sydney Science Gifted and Talented Discovery Programme – July 2016
The aim of the University of Sydney’s Science Gifted and Talented Discovery Programme is to provide gifted, enthusiastic
science students with the opportunity to be challenged through hands-on experiments, interactive lectures and demonstrations,
and to make friends with students of similar interests. This programme runs during the July school vacation period for three
days. Students are challenged in the areas of Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Students can attend one workshop per year in
Year 9 and 10 and then they will be invited back to a University wide workshop in Year 11.
To qualify for entry, students need to sit the Gifted and Talented Discovery Programme Qualifying Examination. Students in
Years 8 and 9 this year are eligible to sit the examination to be held at Frensham in November. The top 10-15% of students
nationally are then invited to attend. The examination is a 40-minute multiple-choice paper designed to test a student’s ability to
solve scientific problems in the areas of Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
Ms Kate Chauncy, Director of Teaching and Learning, P-12 and Coordinator of Gifted and Talented Programmes
Director of Studies
During Term 4, time is spent planning and decision making in preparation for the following year. For many students this means
making subject selections.
Year 8 students will need to select three electives for study in Years 9 and 10. The process begins with an explanation of each
subject and the kind of material and work covered being sent to parents and discussed with girls. The process is completed with
a letter being sent to parents to confirm the subject selection.
Most of Year 9 girls participated in a Silver Duke of Edinburgh expedition over the first closed weekend. This will be the
culmination of the Outdoor Education section of the Jamieson Programme for Year 9, with most students having been involved
in at least one expedition per term. The girls are now highly skilled and comfortable in an outdoor environment and they are
looking forward to this expedition.
Year 10 students have made an initial selection of subjects for the Preliminary Higher School Certificate. This initial expression
of interest is used to establish subject lines. The students then choose up to 14 units of study from the subject lines. To
conclude the process, a letter of confirmation is sent to parents. Year 10 students also have two weeks of ‘Orientation’ in weeks
5, 6 and 7. This allows students to spend two weeks sampling the subjects they have chosen, helping them to prepare for the
start of Year 11.
12
Year 11 girls have begun their first term of HSC studies. Most students have finalised their course loads for Year 12. A final
confirmation letter will be sent to all Year 11 parents within the next two weeks.
Year 12 students have commenced their HSC Examinations. The girls have returned from their study vacation well prepared
and they are looking forward to the final part of their secondary schooling. The HSC examinations started on Monday 14
October with the first of the English papers; all examinations will be completed on Wednesday 4 November.
Ms Janene van Gogh, Director of Studies – in Residence
English and Drama
English
ICAS English Results:
Year 7: Distinction: Alexandra Cunningham, Mia Horsfall, Daisy Latimer, Gemma Macaulay-Black; Credit: Aarthi Avvari,
Harriette Beedle, Cordelia Bell, Ella Cullen, Annabella Damiani, Eliza Duck, Rose Gamble, Olivia Hamilton, Alice Hayes, Miriam
Hopkins, Isobel Huggins, Sophie Lyne, Sarah Manwaring, Grace McKinley, Clementine Paradice, Annabelle Seaton-Cooper,
Cate Watson; Merit: Yasmin Koster, Olivia MacDiarmid, Elizabeth Mitchell, Heidi Montgomery, Christina Richardson.
Year 8: High Distinction: Imogen Senior; Distinction: Elvira Berzins, Joanna Hicks, India Shead; Credit: Adele Bouniol-Laffont,
Attica Darling, Kora Fripp, Isabella Gale, Georgia Gresham, Hayley Hunter, Gina Macken, Gina McGinnis, Olivia Salkeld; Merit:
Alice Bowman, Noni Brittain.
Year 9: Distinction: Alice Battcock, Celia Battcock, Jessica Latimer, Stella Lowden; Credit: Isabella Camilleri, Ruby Cleary,
Georgia Gardner, Phoebe Hill, Nina Jephcott, Sophia Parker, Madeleine Penn, Gabrielle Steiner, Sabrina Stephenson, Stella
Wilde Merit: Harriet Alker, Andrea Conomos, Elisabeth Holcombe, Emily Mackie, Chipo Riva, Katchmirr Russell, Kiara Stone.
Year 10: High Distinction: Thea Horsley, Alice Sinden; Distinction: Liana Berzins, Sophie Booth, Lucinda Chambers, Susan
Chen, Shelly Mitchell, Elspeth Robertson, Georgina Sutton; Credit: Olivia Barton, Emily Cooke, Kate Coupland, Sarah Hassett,
Elysia Horan, Georgiana Kelleher, Annabella Lewis, Natasha Long, Sophie MacDiarmid, Madeleine Massey, Lucinda Ridge,
Georgia Saeck, Kate Swan, Annabel White; Merit: Isabella Alderton, Ellie Fox, Skyla Harris, Matilda Martin, Madison Moore,
Annabel Preston.
Discoveries can be sudden and unexpected, or they can emerge from a process of deliberate and careful planning evoked by
curiosity, necessity or wonder. Discoveries can be fresh and intensely meaningful in ways that may be emotional, creative,
intellectual, physical and spiritual. They can also be confronting and provocative. (BOSTES English Syllabus)
The HSC Course has commenced and this term Year 11 English begin Year 12 work with the study of the Area of Study. This
module requires students to link and explore texts through the overarching concept of Discovery. Sharing ideas in pairs or in
small groups either formally or informally is also an ideal opportunity to hone collaborative skills which enhance the learning
process.
The Romantic period was a time of unprecedented change, when ideas about the power of the imagination, the individual’s
pursuit of meaning and truth through spontaneous thought, feeling, and action, and the continuity of the human and natural
worlds took hold and flourished. Ways of thinking about the human mind and human experience, and about the individual’s
place in the wider social and natural worlds, reveal a particular sense of purpose and creative yearning for coherence, unity,
and meaning in human life.
Extension 1 English students have commenced their study of Romanticism. The introductory unit examines the key historical
events. The girls explore how thinkers like Rousseau and Goethe inspired Revolutionary thinking. They study how poets like
Coleridge and Shelley began their own literary revolution and created beautiful works whose values underpin our own modern
views. They evaluate why these works have endured and how they emerged from the blood and chaos of the Revolutions.
Extension 2 English students are in the process of deciding in which form their Major Work will be composed. They will then
begin to brainstorm, research and workshop ideas to develop the concept which will underpin their Major Work. This process is
documented in a Journal which is an important independent, investigative and reflective component which is submitted with the
Major Work and Reflection Statement.
AHIGS Festival of Speech
This year’s Festival will be held at Wenona in North Sydney on Saturday 17 October. This year, we have the following girls
competing:
Religious and Ethical Questions: Molly Young, Amelia Vidler, Sophie Hill; Current Affairs: Bianca Campbell, Anna Horton,
Stephanie Markerink; Senior Public Speaking: Madeleine Conomos; Junior Public Speaking: Phoebe Hill; Senior Readings:
Natasha Long; Junior Readings: Ella Pernice; Junior Poetry: Imogen Senior; Senior Poetry: Georgina Sutton.
13
We wish all our competitors every success in the competition.
Parents are encouraged to support the team and for a detailed programme and map of venues please visit the following site.
http://www.ahigs.nsw.edu.au/AHIGS/FestivalofSpeech.aspx
Ms Lee McGuinness, Head of English/Drama
Human Society and Its Environment (HSIE)
The 2015 HSC year began for Year 11 students last week. In Geography, students commenced a unit titled ‘Ecosystems at
Risk’ which examines the factors, both natural and human, which place ecosystems such as coral reefs and intertidal wetlands
at risk. Two case studies are examined within this topic: the Great Barrier Reef and the Minnamurra Intertidal Wetlands.
The first topic for Economics students involves examining the global economy and the impact of globalisation. Business Studies
students began the topic ‘Human Resource Management’, focusing on the process of managing staff within an organisation.
Ancient History students began a unit of work on ‘Sparta’. This involves the investigation of key features of Spartan society to
the Battle of Leuctra 371 BC, through a range of archaeological and written sources and relevant historiographical issues.
Modern History students commenced their Core Study: World War I 1914-1918: A Source-based Study. Students will use
different sources and acquired knowledge to investigate key features, issues, individuals, groups and events in the study of
World War I and its aftermath.
Those students electing to do History Extension commence with ‘What is History?’ by using case studies and sources: What
are the historical debates? Who are the historians? What are the aims and purposes of History? How has History been
constructed and recorded over time? Why have the approaches to History changed over time?
Year 10:
Cambridge AS students will re-join Geography and History students this term, having just completed their examination, and all
three classes will study a unit on Human Rights in the lead up to their examination in Week 5. As part of the unit on ‘Film as
History’, Year 10 Elective History students have critically analysed three versions of ‘Elizabeth’, for their reliability as accurate
historical sources.
Year 9:
Geography students are continuing work on their ‘Communities’ unit and are in the process of completing their assessment task
based on an excursion to Cabramatta this week, to examine a community undergoing change. Year 9 History students have
been learning about life in the trenches during WWI including examining images from the Western Front.
Year 8:
Students in Geography are learning about global environmental issues and the role of citizenship. Students have begun by
determining the major global issues that we face such as water management, deforestation and climate change.
Year 7:
Students of Geography and History have commenced a combined unit of work on Ancient China. Students are exploring some
of the sources that have helped us to discover China’s long and rich history and its early development from a group of separate,
warring states to a powerful and unified empire whose cities, government, scientific knowledge and achievements were highly
advanced in their time.
Ms Janene van Gogh, Head of HSIE
14
Jamieson Programme
Through the Cambridge International Examinations (part of the University of Cambridge): ‘We prepare school students for life,
helping them develop an informed curiosity and a lasting passion for learning.”
Year 8:
This term, the girls are continuing with their important role as Shadows to Year 7. This week, girls are rostered in small groups
for one afternoon a term to continue their Farm Management duties, which include tending to the animals on the Farm. Riding
for the Disabled also continues throughout the term.
Year 9:
During the Term 3 vacation, Mrs Merrilee Harris completed her marking of the ‘Global Perspectives’ Group Project. Each
student and group will receive detailed feedback on their performance in this important assessment task. Over the next three
weeks, students will be busily preparing for the ‘Global Perspectives’ Cambridge IGCSE examination, which will be
conducted during the afternoon of Friday 6 November.
Last week, the girls participated in another Fitness Session activity in the afternoon and in the evening worked through some
past IGCSE Global Perspectives examination papers. After answering the set questions, which requires the use of source
materials, they are given the Marking Criteria and Sample Answers to review.
Mr Paul Nash, Jamieson Programme Coordinator
Mathematics
The National Mathematics Summer School (NMSS) is a two-week residential school held each January at the Australian
National University for mathematically gifted and talented senior high school students. Next year the programme will run from 316 January. Lucinda Chambers, an accelerated student, who is currently studying Extension 2 Mathematics, has applied for
and been accepted to attend the camp.
The NMSS operates with certain belief that exposing these students to mathematics at an advanced level is of value in all
scientific and cultural endeavours. Indeed, students from the NMSS have gone on to careers in the arts, in law, in medicine and
all branches of science and engineering and in industry. A significant number have gone on to research in mathematics at the
highest level, in Australia and overseas, but this is a natural consequence of their special ability and interest in the subject. It
has been noted in the past that there can be no doubt that the community at large benefits from this investment in excellence.
Students participate in a series of lecture courses from mathematicians in a number of branches of mathematics at a relatively
advanced level.
The main course which runs each year for the entire two weeks is Number Theory. Students will explore modulo arithmetic,
primes, Diophantine equations, rings and fields and much more.
Other courses which run for one week only vary from year to year and include:
ƒ Projective Geometry – students learn how parallel lines can meet at infinity, how a circle can cast a parabolic shadow and
more
ƒ Topology – mobius bands, klein bottles, why is a coffee cup like a doughnut and how to think about and analyse different
surfaces
ƒ Knot Theory – which knots are equivalent to which other knots and how do we decide?
ƒ Chaos Theory – which rules produce the most predictable sequences and what sorts of rules generate pseudo-random
sequences
ƒ Cryptography – from basic substitution cyphers to number-theoretic codes
ƒ Languages and Automata – how do computers process strings and decide what is an acceptable word in a given
language
Students attend a one-hour lecture for each course each day. They also attend tutorials under the guidance of a range of staff,
including: postgraduate students, mathematics teachers and academic mathematicians. They are also given time each evening
to work on problems associated with each course. By the end of the two weeks, most students are amazed at how much they
have accomplished and post-school surveys indicate that the NMSS has succeeded in raising their intellectual horizons. Almost
everyone returns home with a considerably enhanced view of their own potential.
Beauty is the first test: there is no permanent place in the world for ugly mathematics. G H Hardy
Ms Sue Wymer, Head of Mathematics
15
Music
Rehearsals for the end-of-year production, Annie are underway and it is already apparent that the audience is in for a treat.
The music is energetic and fun, and the cast is performing with gusto. Other performance opportunities being prepared for
musicians this term include the Remembrance Day Service, Final Prayers and Carol Service, all of which will include special
contributions from student vocalists and instrumentalists.
Senior Music students and parents of Day Boarders are reminded that the final Meet the Music concert at the Opera House is
on Wednesday 11 November. Year 12 Music 1 and Music 2 students will hear the SSO present a programme including a new
Australian piece, the Saint-Saëns Piano Concerto No.2 and Mussorgsky’s famous Pictures at an Exhibition.
Mr Michael Spencer, Head of Music
Science
During the last Tuesday of Term 3, 54 Year 8 students, Ms Gibson, Mrs Coupland and Dr Burg went to Canberra to visit the
National Science & Technology Centre: Questacon.
It was a highly enjoyable and educational excursion. Starting on the top floor, students made their way down through the series
of galleries. The first stop was the Perception Deception and WonderWorks displays which challenged students with a range of
sensory illusions and light-based experiments. The ‘Phantom Hand’ was particularly popular. The Q-lab proved to be a popular
place for students to make return visits with the projectile ramp and ‘Augmented Reality Sandbox’, the highlights of the exhibit.
The Awesome Earth gallery with its revamped earthquake house and the H2O display had a range of fun hands-on activities.
However, by far the most popular location proved to be the Excite room. Those students still seeking an adrenaline rush after
the F1 challenge had the opportunity to play the Batak reaction game or brave the Free Fall. Those wanting a competitive
challenge had the chance to play four-way air hockey or take on the air hockey robot. While those wanting a more relaxing time
could experiment with the Jellyfish vortex, Superplexus 3D maze or take a walk through the Rototron.
Mid-way through the day, the whole cohort gathered at the Japan Theatre for an exciting talk on extreme environments and the
weird and wonderful animals that live in them. Here, students were entertained with stories about strange creatures such as the
almost indestructible tardigrades, the terrifying pram bug and the gruesome ‘Vampire Squid of Hell’ the Vampyroteuthis
infernalis.
After the show there was time for students to have one more adventure through their favourite galleries before returning to
school. It was a wonderful day, thanks to the enthusiasm of both staff and students alike.
‘For me, the highlight of Questacon was the show, I learnt a lot of interesting facts and discovered new animals and habitats
that I never thought existed.’ Attica Darling
I really enjoyed Questacon! I loved the kinetic sand and the blue light tunnel that you walked through. Overall, it was a fantastic
day! Rebecca Glanville
I enjoyed going on the free fall, I was really nervous at first but I could not help going three times since it was so much fun!
Mia Coupland
I enjoyed learning about water and the water cycle on the main floor and I enjoyed the big drop/free fall and all the neon lights in
the tunnel room ... Overall, Questacon was a great experience. Adelaide Darvall
The highlight of the excursion to Questacon for me was participating in the Big Drop/Free fall. I liked it because it was a huge
adrenalin rush and got most of the year participating. I also enjoyed listening to the presenter who talked to us about extreme
environments because it was fun, but we learnt a lot too. Chelsea Pernice
On the same day, Year 7 students visited the National Zoo and Aquarium to complete part of their last assessment task. As well
as enjoying the exhibits students had to visit 10 different animals and record structural characteristics in order to create a
dichotomous key that could be used to identify each animal. Drawing skills were also tested as they drew a biological diagram
of a native Australian animal to scale and identified its adaptations to its environment.
Favourite animals included the White Lions, Otters, Meerkats and Colobus Monkeys. Lunch was enjoyed on the shores of Lake
Burley Griffin with a special treat – Mrs Damiani [mother of Annabella] and café owner surprised us with delicious frozen
yoghurt and fresh fruit. Thank you Mrs Damiani!
16
Sybella Harris drawing an Emu and left, Phoebe Coupland and Cate Watson at the Meerkat enclosure
Mrs Alison Andrew, Head of Science
Agriculture & Show Cattle Team
The new steers for the 2016 Show Cattle season have arrived and settled into Frensham life. Training began last week with all
the steers being weighed so their grain rations can be calculated and the grooming of their winter coats has started. Some
steers are already able to be led, while for some it is all new and exciting, providing a challenge for the members of the Team.
There was a large group of keen Year 7 students getting involved in the process.
We have three Angus, two Limousins, two Highland and one Charolais. I would like to thank the following breeders for providing
the steers for the next season: Mr William Day, Milong Angus Stud, Young; Mr Tim Reid, Melon Pastoral, Roslyn; Mr Mark
Goodfellow, Spring Creek Limousins, Kiama; Mr Warren Miller, Airlie Charolais Stud, Glenquarry; Mrs Susan Elder, Durness
Highland Stud, High Range and Mrs Carol Durkin, Canyonleigh.
Mrs Leonie Harris, Coordinator Agriculture & Show Cattle Team
F1 in Schools Challenge Race Day
The 6th and final race of the Grand Final of the first Frensham F1 in Schools Challenge day was held on 14 September.
Despite a full day of racing, everyone in the gym remained enthusiastic with only 0.08 seconds separating the teams. The Need
4 Speed team of Alexandra Hill and Olivia Swires won the day and a place in the regional finals!
After a year of planning, training, building, drawing, testing, machining, sanding, breaking, fixing, breaking again, redesigning
and fine-tuning, the F1 in Schools Technology
Challenge at Frensham was a great success.
Two terms of CAD drawing, Computational fluid
dynamics, graphic design and machining in DAT and
Science saw 20 teams of Year 8 students design and
build their own model F1 car to strict compliance
guidelines ready for the challenge.
The Year 8 Technology class with their model F1
cars Back Row L-R: Isabella Ross, Georgia Tooth,
Tempe Cropper, Georgia Gresham, Isobel McLean,
Layla Perkins-Crane, Adelaide Darvall, Imogen
Senior, Lucille Schmidt Left side of track L-R: Attica
Darling, Olivia Salkeld, Emily Gubbins, Georgina
Ridge, Sophie McLean Right side of track L-R:
Harriet Darvall, Annabelle Hickson, Joanna Hicks.
A full weekend before the race, the teams were finishing their posters and drawings while cutting and sanding their models at
Sturt Design Studios. Despite some last-minute challenges, the Year 8 students pulled together. Some of the most pleasing
aspects of the whole experience were seeing students on opposing teams helping each other through the final stages of the
project and seeing a team of Year 8 students finding their ‘inner-engineer’ as they (without instructions or a picture to guide
them) assembled the entire 25m two-lane track late on Sunday afternoon. Mr Ian Gorrie of Magdalene Catholic High School
17
and Mr Brendan O’Flynn of St Gregory’s, Campbelltown, kindly came to Frensham to assist Ms Piper, Ms Farmer and Dr Burg
run the challenge. Both Mr Gorrie and Mr O’Flynn noted that they had never seen the track assembled as level and straight as it
was on Monday morning!
To race, each car has a CO2 canister inserted into the chamber. The cars are fitted to the starting gate and upon the flick of a
switch the canister is pierced to propel the cars down the track. A combination of fast reaction times and an aerodynamic
design is required in order to win. The two fastest teams in each class competed in a Preliminary finals with the fastest two
teams on the day, Vai Vai and Need 4 Speed faced-off in the Grand Final.
An additional competition was the Reaction Time competition where each student had two attempts to test their reaction time
using the starting gate timer. Olivia Swires proved to have the fastest trigger finger with an impressive average reaction time of
0.159 seconds!
The results of the day were used, along with each team’s competition documentation (poster, high render design & engineering
drawings) to select the five teams to compete at the regional competition at Barker College last Wednesday 7 October. The
successful teams were:
ƒ Need 4 Speed: Alexandra Hill and Olivia Swires
ƒ Vai Vai: Isabella Allen, Kate Crawford and Mia Coupland
ƒ Peregrine: Harriet Darvall, Lucille Schmidt and Imogen Senior
ƒ Whiplash: Maggie McKittrick, Harriet Taylor and Jacqueline Wilkins
ƒ Pronto: Annabelle Hickson and Georgina Ridge
‘I loved being a part of this exciting competition, watching the cars was exhilarating!’ Rebecca Glanville
‘I really enjoyed the day and I got a rush of adrenaline when we flicked the switch to let the cars go. It was a great experience
learning from the professional people and the teachers and it made it even better that our car was the fastest.’ Alexandra Hill
‘I enjoyed watching the cars go down the track throughout the day and seeing how the designs of different cars affect the drag
and how fast the car goes. I also enjoyed looking at the car that went to the worlds and came second because it was interesting
to see the difference between our cars and that car.’ Charlotte Lalak
The day was highly successful, made possible by the enthusiasm and determination of the Year 8 students, the assistance of
Mr Gorrie and Mr O’Flynn, and the dedication of Ms Piper, Ms Farmer and Dr Burg.
A summary of the Frensham F1 race day results is below
RACE
TEAM
PRELIMINARY
FINAL 1
Flo
AVERAGE
RACE TIME (s)
1.667
NOTES
Peregrine
1.698
PRELIMINARY
FINAL 2
Road Runners
1.646
Need 4 Speed
1.487
Winner Preliminary Final 2
PRELIMINARY
FINAL 3
Vai Vai
1.588
Winner Preliminary Final 3
Surge
1.76
GRAND
FINAL
Need 4 Speed
1.525
Vai Vai
1.605
Winner Preliminary Final 1
Grand Final Champions!
Dr Tristan Burg, Head of Special Projects
PDHPE
The PDHPE Faculty welcomes Miss Eliza Roche who is completing her final teaching practicum with us this term. Miss Roche
will be teaching several Years 7 -10 PDHPE classes and coaching a couple of Touch Football teams.
Students in Years 7-10 PDHPE will be studying the following topics this Term:
18
Year 7: A Fair Go - In this unit students explore the challenges of being a teenager, connections, values in Australian schooling
and the support services that are meaningful to them. Striking and Fielding Games. Year 8: Going Out - The purpose of this unit
is to develop in students an understanding of the responsibilities that come with the independence they now face as they
progress through high school; as well as how to deal with different feelings, to minimise risk and how to access help. Target
Games. Year 9: A Promising Future - Students will evaluate their capacity to reflect on and respond positively to challenges and
opportunities. Contemporary Games. Year 10: De-stress through Movement - This unit involves students recognising and
managing their stress through participation in recreational pursuits such as yoga, tai chi, and weight training.
Miss Erin Gray, Head of PDHPE
Sport
Congratulations to the following girls on attaining their Bronze Medallion Life Saving Certificate last term: Madison Allen,
Adelaide Bailey, Zella Casey Brown, Phoebe Crowe, Sophie Currenti, Beatrix Faulkner, Catriona Fraser, Annabel Hay, Matilda
McKenzie, Olivia McLennan, Sally Montgomery, Georgia Phillips, Tika Robinson, Tyler Smith-Mailler (Year 12); Claudia
Cruikshank, Penelope McKillop, Annabel Milling (Year 11); Elysia Horan, Georgiana Kelleher, Sophie MacDiarmid, Molly-Rose
Renowden, Alice Sinden, Georgina Sutton, Annabel White (Year 10).
Athletics
On Wednesday 16 September, Lucinda Crichton (Year 12), Emily Fisher (Year 11), Paige Wilson (Year 10), Andrea Conomos
(Year 9) and Christina Richardson (Year 7) represented IGSSA in the NSW Combined Independent Schools Athletics
Carnival at Sydney Olympic Park. All girls performed extremely well on the day with some outstanding results: Lucinda
Crichton: 3rd in 18 years Discus; Emily Fisher: 1st in 17 years 800m, 2nd in 17 years 1500m; Paige Wilson: 1st in 16 years High
Jump, 1st in 16 years Long Jump, 1st in 16 years 100m; Andrea Conomos: 1st in 14 years Shot Put, 1st in 14 years Discus;
Christina Richardson: 3rd in 12 years High Jump.
All girls were selected for a merit NSW CIS team and qualified for the NSW All Schools Athletics Carnival which was held at
SOPAC from Thursday 8–Sunday 11 October. The girls all performed well with the following results: Andrea Conomos: 3rd in 14
years Discus, 6th in 14 years Shot Put; Christina Richardson: 4th in 12 years High Jump; Emily Fisher: 8th in 17 years 800m;
Paige Wilson: 1st in 16 years High Jump, 5th in 16 years Long Jump, 4th in 16 years 100m. Paige will now compete in the
National Athletics Championships to be held in Melbourne in December.
Touch
Chloe McCrabb (Year 10) participated in the National Youth Touch Championships in September, representing NSW
Combined Independent Schools. There were 38 teams in the competition from New Zealand, Northern Territory, Queensland,
New South Wales, Tasmania and Victoria. Against very strong competition, the NSWCIS team had many close games,
resulting in some wins and some losses throughout the Championships. Chloe performed well throughout the Championships,
playing an integral role in the team. She set up and scored a number of tries throughout the week. The National Youth
Championships is of a very high standard and Chloe is congratulated on her achievements in Touch this year.
Hockey and Netball
On Saturday 12 September, five Hockey teams and one Netball team competed in the finals of the IGSSA Competition. All girls
performed to the best of their ability and congratulations to the following teams who were winners of their respective grades:
Hockey Team 5, Junior B, Junior D and Year 7 Green. These results are an excellent culmination of a highly successful season
in both Hockey and Netball.
Term 4 Sport
Wet Weather arrangements for Saturday Sport
Cancellations of Saturday Sport are rarely made before Saturday morning, unless a venue notifies IGSSA that the facilities will
not be playable prior to this.
Means of gaining information concerning play: IGSSA WEBSITE: http://ahigs.nsw.edu.au/IGSSA.aspx
SMS Weather Information: Using your mobile phone, SMS your keyword to 1992 5465. Messages cost 55c per message sent.
Your keyword is the name of the sport and the first initial of the venue. A return SMS will be sent that gives you the status of the
venue - open or closed. For example: If checking re Touch at Frensham, TEXT 'touchf'.
Touch
Frensham has entered 20 teams in the IGSSA Competition this year, eight senior, eight junior and four Year 7 teams. All round
matches will take place at Frensham and we will travel to Sydney for semi-finals, playoffs and finals at the end of the season.
Girls are encouraged to wear appropriate footwear to all Touch trials as the ground is wet in the mornings. These could be
Hockey turf shoes or Football boots. (Light leather or synthetic boots with soft-moulded soles are permitted, provided individual
studs are no longer than 13 mm in length.)
19
Water Polo
Water Polo in Term 4 has started well. All girls are thoroughly enjoying the training they have been doing and are looking
forward to the season. We are playing Water Polo as an internal Sport this term to allow girls to learn the rules and playing
strategies before we compete against other schools. On Tuesday (juniors) and Thursday (seniors) afternoons the girls will focus
on fitness, skills and strategies as a group. On Friday afternoons girls will train in their teams (mixed ability and year group
teams) with matches played on Saturday mornings.
Tuesday afternoons: 4.00pm–5.30pm Years 7–Year 9 players
Thursday afternoons: 4.00pm–5.30pm Years 10 and 11 players
Friday afternoons: 4.00pm–6.00pm – team training sessions (1 hour per team)
Saturday mornings: 9.00am–11am – matches (times will vary each week)
Uniform: Frensham swimming costume and cap for all training sessions and matches. Water Polo caps will be provided.
Swimming
The opening of The Centenary Pool has seen a large group of girls swimming each week both recreationally and also under the
guidance of a coach. This is promising for the Frensham Swimming squad and we will be building on this throughout Term 4.
These girls must commit to three morning sessions a week. They will be coached each morning, with the aim to improve their
fitness, technique and times. Those girls wanting to participate in recreational swimming will be able to do so on Monday and
Wednesday afternoons. There will be limited space for recreational swimming on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons due to
Water Polo training, but girls will be able to use the pool at these times by liaising with the Sports Department.
Tennis
This term, the focus for Tennis will be to develop the squad for Term 1, 2016 and the Tildesley Tennis team. All girls interested
in trialing for the Tildesley team are expected to be part of the Tennis squad this term. The sessions will involve developing their
skills as players, as well as match play.
Mrs Jane Crellen, Head of Sport
Equestrian News
Madeleine Prell (Year 12) has been selected to compete in Penang, Malaysia at the Penang Turf Club International Horse
Show, 26-29 November 2015. She will represent Australia as a young rider in both the Show jumping and Dressage events on
borrowed horses. We congratulate Madeleine on her selection!
Also during the vacation, Ginger Kennett McLaughlin (Year 7) and Ruby Kennett
McLaughlin (Year 9) competed in the National Vaulting Championships in
Brisbane, 25-27 September with International judges from France and the UK. The
team were awarded National Champions and won the National Perpetual Trophy for
the highest overall score with both Ruby and Ginger achieving excellent results in
their sections.
Thea Horsley (Year 10) has been competing at the One Star level in a number of
recent competitions with the following results:
ƒ Sydney at SIEC Combined Training 1* 1st Junior (4th) - Undercover Boss
ƒ Sydney at SIEC CNC 1*, 2nd Junior (6th) - Undercover Boss Tamworth
ƒ EvA105, 2nd Junior (4th) - Fairview Rembrandt Camden Equestriad, EvA
ƒ 105 1st Junior (3rd) Fairview Rembrandt and CNC 1* 5th Junior (10th)
ƒ Undercover Boss Canberra EvA 105 1st Junior (3rd) Undercover Boss
ƒ and 5th Junior (9th) Fairview Rembrandt
A group of riders also competed in the Tara Equestrian Competition, with the
following results: Senior Show jumping Reserve Champion - Penelope McKillop (Year 10); Senior Sporting Reserve Champion Nina Jephcott (Year 9): Dressage - 1st in Year 9 for 1.2 Prelim - Nina Jephcott, 3rdoverall; 1st in Year 10 Prelim 1.1 - Alice
Sinden (Year 10); = 5th Year 10 Prelim 1.1 Elysia Horan (Year 10) and Penelope McKillop.
Show jumping – overall - 60cm 1st - Penelope McKillop; 75cm 3rd Penelope McKillop, 4th - Elysia Horan and 7th Alice Sinden;
90cm - 8th Nina Jephcott. Amelia Douglass (Year 9) has also been competing on the Equestrian circuit: Wagga Wagga
Showjumping Festival: 1st in the 1.15m; 1st in the 1.20-1.25m; 2nd in the 1.15m; one rail the 1.20m-1.25m. Riders series: 1.10m
3rd; 1st in the Junior 1.15m. Tamworth Winter Showjumping Championships: 1.10m super-phase 2nd out of 80; 120 Junio 5th out
of 80. NSW Jumping Championships: 1.25-1.30m Junior (over 3 days) achieved 13th place overall.
Mrs Trish Symons, Equestrian Coordinator
20
Visual Arts/Design & Technology
During September, the Empire Cinema in Bowral
celebrated its 100th birthday. As part of celebrations,
schools in the Southern Highlands were invited to create a
painting which explored aspects of the history of cinema.
Frensham accepted the invitation, and Madeleine
Conomos, Stephanie Markerink, Kate Marsh and Willa
Robinson created a fine work which featured some iconic
figures from the world of film arranged in grid formation.
On 11 September, the Artwall adjacent to the entrance to
the cinema was formally opened by eminent artist and local
resident, John Olsen.
The girls’ artwork, as well as other works produced by
schools in the district, can be seen close to the entrance of
the Empire Cinema in Bowral.
L-R: Willa Robinson, Kate Marsh, Stephanie Markerink, Madeleine Conomos
This week, students studying Visual Arts for the 2016 Higher School Certificate have begun developing ideas for Bodies of
Work. Students were given detailed information about expressive forms, specific limitations and use of the visual diary. Below
are excerpts from Assessment and Reporting in Visual Arts Stage 6, pp8-11, published by BOSTES, which provides a concise
overview of requirements for Bodies of Work.
Students will submit a body of work as part of the HSC examination for Visual Arts. In this body of work they should
demonstrate their understanding of artmaking as a practice, and represent their ideas and interests through their interpretation
of subject matter and use of expressive forms. For the body of work they should consider selecting a single work or a series of
works that represent a coherent point of view and demonstrate conceptual strength and meaning.
The body of work must comply with the prescribed dimensions for HSC submitted artworks in terms of limitations on size,
weight, dangerous and prohibited materials and duration.
ƒ Six square metres in area for 2D works OR 1 cubic metre in volume for 3D works and/or works with 2D and 3D
components.
ƒ Two square metres in area for individual flat, rigid works. Individual works which exceed 2 square metres and are up to 6
square metres must be rolled.
ƒ 35 kilograms in weight.
ƒ Six minutes in duration (including credits) for submissions in time-based forms, and three minutes in duration (including
credits) for a time-based work included in a submission in another expressive form. If a time-based work is the entire
submission in Documented Forms the maximum duration is six minutes (including credits).
Students will submit a Body of Work in one of the following Expressive Forms: Documented forms, Collection of Works,
Drawing, Painting, Photomedia, Printmaking, Textiles & Fibre, Graphic Design, Designed Objects, Sculpture, Ceramics, Timebased forms
To provide a broad timeframe, students will need to develop and resolve a Body of Work by Monday of Week 6 / Term 3, 2016,
which will then be exhibited as part of the Visual Arts and Design & Technology Exhibition over the weekend of Week 6 /
Term 3, 2016. Although unpublished at this stage, it is expected that the BOSTES completion date for all HSC Visual Arts
Bodies of Work will be the Monday of Week 7 / Term 3, 2016.
Mr Phil Alldis, Head of Visual Arts and Design
21