YEAR 6 and 7
ISSUE
11
21st April 2017
Upcoming Events
Monday 24th April
ANZAC Day Service
Assembly
Tuesday 25th April
ANZAC Day Public
Holiday
Monday 1st May
May Day Public Holiday
Tuesday 9th to 11th May
NAPLAN
Years 3, 5, 7 and 9
Wednesday 10th to Friday
12th May
Year 6 Outdoor Education
Camp (Group 1)
From the Head of Middle
School: Year 6
Welcome back to a brand new
term, new topics, new friends,
and most of all, the new
adventures awaiting us as we
embark on the next stage of
Year 6. The students arrived
back at school on Tuesday
morning, calm, relaxed, and rested after
their, albeit, short break. This term is a little
fiddly as we plan our new lessons around
the various public holidays, our Camp to
Litchfield Park, The Dance Showcase, and
the Years 4 to 6 House Athletics Carnival.
Mindful of these variations to our usual
school routines, the Year 6 teachers have
spent considerable time, modifying their
programming to ensure that lesson
outcomes and students’ needs are met.
The Term 1 Reports have now been
received and the teachers have met with
Friday 12th May
Mothers’ Day Morning Tea
and Plant Stall
HOUSE CROSS COUNTRY COMPETITION
Years 7, 8 & 9
Wednesday 26th April 2017
Year 7: Period 1/2
Year 8: Period 4/5
Year 9: Period 6/7
Years 4, 5 & 6
Thursday 27th April 2017
Year 4: 8:30 - 10:00
Year 5: 10:30 - 12:00
Year 6: Period 6/7
Students will be transported to/from East Point
Reserve/the School by bus.
parents at our first round of Parent Teacher
Interviews. These meetings are vital for
discussing any concerns you may have, and
planning the next stage of your child’s
learning journey together. If you were unable
to attend these meetings and would like to
Monday 15th to
Wednesday 17th May
Year 6 Outdoor Education
Camp (Group 2)
Wednesday 24th May
Year 4 to 6 House
Athletics
Year 6 students created mathematical board games as a challenge
in the last week of Term 1.
THOUGHT
FOR THE WEEK
Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort. ~ Franklin D. Roosevelt
Year 6 and 7 Report
make a time, please email your child’s
teacher directly to organise a mutually
suitable time to meet.
On an exciting note, all Year 6 families
have been emailed a copy of The
Canberra Expression of Interest letter
this week. It is an enriching experience
for the students, and something to look
forward to at the end of Term 3.
Please complete these forms and, as
per the letter, drop your form into the
Main Reception (off Chrisp Street) or
email to:
[email protected].
A reminder that the Cross Country
note is to be handed in to the
Essington Administration Centre (off
Rossiter Street carpark) or email
directly to:
[email protected]
as soon as possible. This event is
scheduled for Thursday 27th April at
the East Point Reserve. All students
are to wear their Sport uniform to
school, and as per the letter; a hat and
water bottle are a must.
The Year 6 Litchfield Camp is coming
up very soon, and Mr Harvey will have
information and paperwork out to you
very soon. The confirmed Camp dates
are: Years 6A and 6C on Wednesday
10th May to Friday 12th May; and Year
6B and 6D on Monday 15th May to
Wednesday 17th May. We are all
hoping that the ‘Dry Season’ is on its
way, ready for us all to pitch our tents
and brave the outdoors.
Back in the classroom, the students
have loved the start of our new topics.
A personal favourite of mine in History
is Ancient Egypt. This week we began
our new exploration of this fascinating
ancient world. I cannot wait to explore
the ins and outs of The Pyramids, The
Nile, and the spooky mummies that
have made this ancient civilisation one
of the most intriguing for me. Taking
advantage of their inquisitive minds,
we will also be offering other exciting
STEM Engineering Challenges that the
students will get to participate in, such
as the Sugar Cube Pyramid, a Reed
Model Boat, and the Paper Pyramid
Challenge. Lots more to come on this.
In Science, we are investigating
sources of energy, and this week,
specifically potential and kinetic
energy. To validate our learning, we
will be working together in hands-on
Science to observe the energy used to busy and exciting one with Athletics
bounce balls, identifying the potential
Carnivals, Camps, Dodgeball
and kinetic energy stored and lost.
Tournaments, the Dance Showcase,
and many more amazing opportunities
Our Mathematicians have mastered
for our Year 7 students. We have quite
the skills of percentages, fractions, and a few short weeks with public holidays,
decimals. This tricky relationship has
but teachers have factored this into the
taken some time to work through, and lesson plans, and I am sure we will
this week we applied our skills to more manage to squeeze in lots of learning
complicated problem solving activities. amongst the fun!
Next week we move onto money. In
English we have entered the wonderful This week in Year 7 English, students
world of Shakespeare, his life, his
have already begun their preparation
works and the funny insults and
for NAPLAN, by starting their term
language that he created to enhance
study of ‘Different Text Types’. Each
his writings. The teachers in Year 6,
week, Year 7 students will explore a
one and all, are looking forward to
‘type’ of text type (informative,
pushing back the desks and
imaginative, and persuasive). For the
encouraging the students to reveal
first few weeks, classes will learn
their dramatic persona as they take on about a range of persuasive text types,
the roles of Romeo, Juliet, and even
including visual texts like magazines,
King Henry. In Health this term, we are speeches, newspaper articles, and
looking at ‘Being Healthy’. This is a
blogging. We have already started to
new unit, incorporating lots of sharing look at visual text types, including
and reflection, encouraging the
advertisements, and are starting to
students to look at their own choices
analyse how these persuade us in our
and decisions they make to being
everyday lives.
healthy.
In Mathematics, we have continued
Please remember that the Essington
with our unit on fractions. Adding and
Homework Website is updated every
subtraction fractions and mixed
Monday morning. All homework,
numbers with unlike denominators has
assessments, dates and notes are
been our focus. Students are
uploaded on the website for you. Also encouraged to use Mathletics to
this term, the Homework Centre is
practise important mathematical skills,
offered Monday, Tuesday and
and consolidate concepts learnt in
Thursday in Room MS1 from 2.45pm
class. In Science lessons, Year 7 have
to 3.30pm. Students are encouraged
begun their new topic on forces. They
to utilise this resource to ensure they
began this week by definition various
keep up with their homework
forces, and thinking about how forces
commitments, and use the support of
occur in our everyday lives.
the teacher on hand.
Next Wednesday 26th April, all Year 7
Finally, The Essington School has a
students will take part in a 2km House
strict Sun Smart Policy that we must
Cross Country event at East Point
adhere to. Please ensure a hat and
Reserve. This is a compulsory sporting
water bottle is brought to school each event for all Middle School students,
day, and sunscreen is available in all
and a great way for students to start
classrooms.
gaining points for their House as we
lead into a very busy term of sporting
Sara Materazzo
events. Please ensure all permission
Acting Head of Middle School: Year 6 forms for the Cross Country are
handed in to Homeroom Teachers as
From the Head of Middle soon as possible. Students must have
a hat and water bottle on this day, and
School: Year 7
may wear their Sports uniform.
Welcome back to the
start of a wonderful new We welcome a new student, Decklan
term. I hope you all had Lee, to Year 7B who joins us from
Ludmilla, and also welcome back
a restful and relaxing
break, as well as a very Harvey White, who has been on an
happy Easter. Term 2 is amazing adventure travelling the
country since last December. Harvey
already set to be a very
The Essington School Darwin
2
Year 6 and 7 Report
will be joining Ms Frizza’s class, 7E.
Thank you to all the Year 7 students
who helped both Decklan and Harvey
settle in this week.
Hunt. Students raced around the oval
and foraged in the bushes to look for
eggs, and twenty-four lucky students
also found some hidden bunnies which
they could exchange for a delicious
MEETING
EETING
Gemma Boyle
Lindt Gold Bunny! It was a hot day and THE ANNUAL GENERAL M
Acting Head of Middle School: Year 7 the race was on against the melting
of The Essington School Darwin Ltd.
chocolate, but it was a fantastic way to
will be held on Friday 28th April
return
to
school.
at 6.30pm in the Library on the
Birthdays This Week
main campus.
A Happy Birthday to the following Year
Homerooms across the Middle School Details can be found on the school’s
6/7 students who celebrated their
also received information about the
birthdays this week:
website in the ‘Our Parents’ section.
Homeroom Super Stars Challenge for
Rosy Michael 6A
this term, which is centred around
Samuel Marson 6B
Dodgeball. Each Homeroom will
On Wednesday, the Student
Grace Easton 6B
versus the other Homerooms in their
Representative Council members and
Lara Boyle 6B
year level in a series of games over
School Captains met to discuss their
Sonique Steenberg 7C
the
next
eight
weeks
to
reveal
who
will
plans for the year. They had many
Henry Sharland 7D
reign
as
Dodgeball
Champions.
All
wonderful initiatives, and we look
Bella Yates 7D
members of the Homeroom must get
forward to working with this dedicated
involved,
and
we
hope
to
see
some
group of students to make 2017 a
Middle School Student
fantastic teamwork and collaboration
great school year.
Representative Council News from our students as they duck, dodge,
We kicked off Term 2 in a very
and dive their way to Week 9.
Sara Materazzo and Gemma Boyle
chocolaty way on Tuesday with our
Student Representative Council
annual Middle School Easter Egg
Coordinators
various Year levels. This year, our
Year 6 to 9 students will participate in
the following test schedule:
 Digital Technologies
It is the beginning of a
Tuesday 23rd May – all Year 5, 7
new term, and we are
and 9; selected Year 3, 4, 6 and 8
looking forward to a
students.
busy and exciting ten
 Science
weeks. In Middle School
Tuesday 30th May – all Year 3, 5,
we have two new
7 and 9 students.
teachers, Jerry Fontaine and Robert

Writing
Mackan. Jerry is teaching Mathematics
Week of 12th–16th June – all Year
and Science, and Robert,
4 and 6; selected Year 9 students.
Mathematics. We welcome them to
 Spelling
Essington.
Wednesday 14th June - all Year 2,
As mentioned, it will be a busy term.
4 and 6 students.
Camps for Year levels are planned, a
 English
tour to Tokyo, Student Representative
Tuesday 1st August – all Year 5
Council activities, music performances,
and 7; selected Year 9 students.
and tests.
From the Assistant
Principal Middle School
Speaking of tests, last term I wrote
about the NAPLAN testing during
Week 4. Moreover, the School seeks
to extend our students learning beyond
the Australian Curriculum. To do this
we gather data on national and
international curriculum, and compare
how our students perform with
assessments and against this
curriculum. ICAS (International
Competitions and Assessments for
Schools) provides an opportunity for
students to gain a measure of their
own achievement in an external testing
situation. This year we will be
registering a number of students from

Mathematics
Tuesday 15h August - all Year 2,
4, 6 and 8 students; selected Year
9 students.
High quality certificates are awarded
for each Year level as follows:
 High Distinction to the top 1% of
entrants
 Distinction to the next 10% of
entrants
 Credit to the next 25% of entrants
 Participation to all other
participating students.
Johannes Erasmus
Assistant Principal Middle School
Our Homeroom Challenge winners enjoyed a day of fun in the sun together.
The Essington School Darwin
3
Year 6 and 7 Report
Debating Report
I would like to extend my appreciation to
the outstanding commitment demonstrated
by the Middle School Extension Program
Debating Teams. Members of the three
Essington Middle School Teams have
further developed their talents in both
constructing and delivering their arguments
Final Rounds
In Round 4 the topic was “That mobile game apps lead
to problem gambling.” Year 9 Teams 1 and 3 battled it
out against one another, and right up to the last moments
of adjudicator deliberation, we were kept in suspense. It
was incredibly close. Due to a clever use of an advanced
debating technique called a ‘mechanism’, Team 3 were
announced the winners.
Also in Round 4, Team 2 secured the win they had been
working towards for the past few weeks. Congratulations!
Semi Finals
This week, Team 3 successfully competed in the Semi
Final round against Kormilda College debating the topic
that “Organ donation should be compulsory”. As an
impromptu debate, this meant that they did not receive
the topic until an hour before the debate started. They
worked effectively during the planning time to identify
arguments and evidence and then construct their debate.
After a fantastic debate with the Kormilda Team,
Essington 3 were announced as the clear winners.
Grand Final
Mia, Harvie, and Otto will compete against a Dripstone
Middle School team at 4pm on Wednesday 26th April in
the Theatrette of the Museum and Art Gallery of the
Northern Territory, 19 Conacher St, The Gardens,
Darwin. The topic for the debate is: “That museums
should offer to return historical objects to their
country of origin.” Essington has been allocated the
Negative argument. Please consider coming to watch our
students compete.
Jo Masters, Extension Programs Coordinator
Our winning Semi Final Team, Otto, Harvie, and Mia prepare to do battle.
From the Principal/CEO
New School Term
Our new school term
commences with the first
three weeks of the term
made up of four-day
weeks because of public
holidays (Easter Monday, ANZAC
Day, and May Day). Despite these
short teaching weeks, we are keen to
settle our students into their normal
classroom routines as quickly as we
can.
weather. We have many Camps,
school sports events, and Dance and
Music events scheduled for the term.
Preschool, Junior School and
Middle School Parent Teacher Discussions This
Week
On Wednesday 19th and Thursday
20th April this week, we held our
Parent Teacher Discussions. It was
good to see so many parents
attending these discussions and
discussing their child’s progress in
Term One with their child’s teacher. If
After a busy and successful first term, you were unable to meet with your
our second term of the school year will child’s teacher this week, please
be a busy one with many school and
Phone: 8985 0100 to arrange a
community events scheduled in Terms mutually convenient time to meet with
2 and 3 because of the Dry Season
The Essington School Darwin
your child’s teacher in the next few
weeks.
Senior College Parent Teacher
Discussons - Next Week
In Week 2 on Wednesday 26th and
Thursday 27th April, we will be
scheduling our Senior College Parent
Teacher Discussions between 3pm
and 6pm at the Senior College.
Parents are asked to Phone: 8946
6821 to book an appointment on these
days.
STEM Extension Program at
Flinders Medical School, CDU
This week on Wednesday 19th April, a
group of our Middle School and Senior
College students participated in a
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Principal/CEO Report
special introductory program of the
medical programs offered by the
Flinders Medical School. They had a
tour of the teaching and laboratory
facilities available at the Centre, and
were engaged in several hands-on
practical classes. Of special interest to
the students was the computerised
table that allows anatomy and
autopsies to be simulated on a life size
screen.
the Dawn Service at the Cenotaph on
the Esplanade on ANZAC Day. On
Monday 24th April, our students will
attend ANZAC Services in their subschool groups.
members of the outdoor activities
group hosting the Camp.
Middle School Year 6 and 7 Tours
Expressions of interest were circulated
this week for the Year 6 Canberra Tour
NAPLAN 2017 Assessment - Early
and the Year 7 Singapore Tour in the
Term 2
last week of Term 3 (week of 25th
Our Year 3, 5, 7, and 9 students will be September). Interested students
completing their five literacy and
should return their expressions of
numeracy NAPLAN assessments early interest as soon as possible, with a
in Term 2 (Week 4). These national
closing date of Friday 12th May to allow
In May, students will participate in
assessments provide us with a
us to book air travel and finalise
another special introductory forum on
significant amount of data and assist
planning for these tours. If the demand
careers in the Health Sciences area
us to plan extension and support
for places on the Singapore Tour is
offered by Flinders University.
programs, and set future goals. We
greater than the number of seats
are keen to have a 100% attendance
available (because this tour is
Work on New Dance/Drama Studio
rate for our NAPLAN assessments.
conducted with smaller numbers in the
Work commenced in the last week of
group), a second Year 7 Singapore
Term 1 and continued in the holiday
Year 4 and 5 Camps
Tour will be scheduled for the
break last week on the refurbishment
The last week of Term 1 saw the
beginning of Term 4.
of our old office area off Rossiter
commencement of our Outdoor
Street into a Dance/Drama Studio. The Education Camp program. Year 4 and Preparing for Our Annual Fete
first stage of demolition occurred
5 students travelled to Batchelor for
Our Fete, the Nightcliff Community
during the April school holiday break.
their program of outdoor activities.
Fair, is our largest fund raising and
The completed Studio will feature a
Thank you to Spencer Harvey and
friend raising event for the year. It is
floating wooden floor, mirrors, bars
supervising teachers for making these now only thirteen school weeks away.
and an instant replay video system for Camps possible.
We are currently finalising with class
immediate feedback for our Dance
groups their stalls for the Fete. It is
students. We look forward to the
Year 8 Outdoor Education Camp
important that we plan our Fete and
completion of this project during Term This week our Year 8 students
individual stalls well in advance to
2.
attended their Outdoor Education
ensure a stress-free day and a
Camp at Adventure Bound on the
successful Fete. For information or
House Cross Country in Week 2
Arnhem Highway. Our students
communication about the Fete, please
Our House System provides all our
participated in a program of outdoor
email [email protected].
students with the opportunity to
activities including bushwalks,
participate in a range of sports and
camping, and abseiling. Our Outdoor
A Second Series of Our Children’s
Picture Story Books
activities during the year, and gain
Education Coordinator, Spencer
points for their House. It also provides Harvey, lead the Camp and was
In August 2016, we launched our set
students with leadership opportunities assisted by Essington staff and
of ten children’s picture story books
in sport. Our House Cross Country
Competition is scheduled on different
days for different sections of the
school on Wednesday 26th April (Years
7, 8 & 9), and Thursday 27th April
(Years 4, 5 & 6). Our House Cross
Country Competition is held at East
Point Reserve, and students are
transported to and from the venue by
bus.
The Darwin Region Interschool Cross
Country Competition is held in Week 3
on Thursday 4th May, and the results
from our House Cross Country
Competition will assist us in selecting
our School Team for the Interschool
Competition.
ANZAC Day Services
Next week, ANZAC Day occurs on
Tuesday 25th April. Some of our
students will represent the school at
Jessie and Natasha, and Nicolas and Hudson determining potential and
kinetic energy during hands-on Science this week.
The Essington School Darwin
5
Principal/CEO Report
written by our students in Years 4, 5,
and 6. These story books featured
everyday native animals found around
Darwin and familiar to our children.
The series has been a great success
with local book shops and national
book distributors in Adelaide and
Brisbane selling these books. In Term
2, our Writer in Residence and Editor
of our children’s picture story books,
Joanne van Os, will begin to work with
another group of our students on a
second series of books. Some of the
animals in last year’s series will make
another appearance, and some new
animals will be included. We look
forward to working with our Writer in
Residence, Joanne van Os, and
Illustrator, Joan Andropov, on this
second series.
Named Pavers
CYBERSAFETY
Please support our fundraising for our
For information on cybersafety, prepared by the
Building Fund – and record your child
Australian Federal Police through their Think U
or families part in our school
Know program, see www.thinkuknow.org.au.
community permanently – by
This site provides information and tips for parents.
purchasing a named paver. These
The CyberReport Team of the Office of the
named pavers can have your child or
Children’s eSafety Commissioner can also assist
and follow up concerns: www.esafety.gov.au.
family (or business name) on them.
You will see previously ordered pavers
in the walkway off Rossiter Street and
in front of our Canteen.
by the end of April so we can order a
new batch. This will allow us to have
Order forms for named pavers to be
this batch back and installed for Term
placed in the new section in front of
3 this year.
the Canteen are currently being taken.
We require a large order of these
David Cannon
pavers so we only do them once every Principal/CEO
year or two. We encourage families to
collect an order form from one of our
Reception Desks and place their order
Community & Elite Sports Notices
Elite Tennis
Over the term break, a number of our
students competed in Tennis tournaments
with fantastic success. We congratulate in
particular, the following students:
Scope Building Carnival (Bronze Series) 8th-11th April in Alice Springs
 Sidni Finch (Year 7) won the 14 & Under Girls Singles
and 14 & Under Girls Doubles
 Nicholas Tremblay (Year 6) won the 12 & Under Boys
Singles and 12 & Under Boys Doubles.
 Kayla Peters (Year 9) won the 14 & Under Girls
Doubles.
Security and Technology Services Classic ( Bronze series)
- 12-15 April in Alice Springs
 Sidni Finch (Year 7) won the 12 & Under Singles, 14 &
Under Girls Singles and 16 & Under Girls Doubles
 Nicholas Tremblay (Year 6) won the 12 & Under Boys
Singles and 12 & Under Boys Doubles.
 Kayla Peters (Year 9) won the 16 & Under Girls
Doubles.
Congratulations to these players and all the others who
competed.
Former student, Liam Franklin, who now goes to school
in Brisbane was also a winner of the AMT Singles and
Doubles at the Scope Building Carnival.
Mason Peek (Year 6) travelled to South Australia after
winning a wild card entry into the U12 Australian Grasscourt Championships (Platinum Series) which was played
in Berri from 8-13th April. He got to play against the best
Sidni, Nicolas, and Kayla.
players from around Australia which was a great
experience. Mason will also play in a second tournament,
the Seaside Tournament ( Gold Series), from 19th-23rd
April. I look forward to providing more information on his
results next week.
Tim Weatherald
Director of Elite and Community Sport
XBOX ONE RAFFLE
We are raffling off an Xbox One with bonus games and controller
which was donated by the Media Animation Team, who won it at the
ACMI Awards last year. All money raised will go towards resources for
the Media Department.
Tickets are $3 each or 2 for $5 and are on sale in both our Reception
Desks at the main campus.
Drawn 28th April, Week 2 Term 2