Issue 8 2023
From the Principal
We acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land, the Bundjalung people. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging and acknowledge their traditions, culture and history.
Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared history, culture and achievements and to explore ways that we can all contribute to a just, equitable and reconciled country. Until the First Peoples of our nation are able to contribute equally and fully to the daily life of the nation, Australia will not reach its full potential.
The theme for this Reconciliation Week is 'Be a Voice for Generations' and this has been the focus on a number of initiatives across the College to raise awareness, create empathy and develop understanding across the College and build connections between aboriginal and non-aboriginal people. Along with a focus on Reconciliation Week at assemblies and in Pastoral Care time in the Secondary school, all staff and students have been invited to ‘Be a Voice’ and leave a message of hope and support on a display in the library.
Many teachers have also taken the time this week to focus on Reconciliation as part of their class based learning. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have the longest living and oldest culture of any culture or civilisation in human history. Their heritage and traditions date back at least 40,000 years (something worth celebrating!).
For the Bundjalung people, their connection with this land extends back more than a 1,000 generations. While much has happened to recognise and celebrate indigenous culture, for indigenous Australians there is still such a long way to go in promoting genuine understanding, healing and hope. I encourage all our staff, students and families to make time to explore Aboriginal culture and history and to discuss issues about reconciliation and recognition for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders with a focus on ways to promote understanding, compassion and change that helps heals the wounds of the past and builds a brighter future for all.
Mr Robert Tobias
Principal
Prayer for the Journey of Healing
Almighty and loving God,
you who created all people in your image,
lead us to seek your compassion as we listen to the stories of our past.
We place before you the pain and anguish of dispossession of land, language, lore, culture and family kinship
that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have experienced.
We live in faith that all people will rise from the depths of despair and hopelessness.
We pray for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families have endured the pain and loss of loved ones,
through the separation of children from their families.
Where we have failed to speak the truth and seek justice and healing,
we say sorry and ask Your forgiveness.
Touch the hearts of the broken, homeless and inflicted and heal their hearts and spirits.
In your mercy and compassion walk with us
as we continue our journey of healing to create a future that is just and equitable.
Lord, you are our hope.
Amen
Adapted from the National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Ecumenical Commission
SCHOOL PHOTOS A SNAP
Thank you to all our EAC families and staff for supporting students to look their best for last week's school photos.
The Lindsay Walker Centre certainly came in handy for the thousands of photos taken over the two days of shooting.
A catch up day for students who were absent on Tuesday 23 and Wednesday 24 May, will be held on Thursday 22 June. Keep an eye on your emails for further details.
Following this catch up day, all the images taken will be processed and printed by The School Photographer. Once the College receives the hard copy images they will be distributed to students to bring home. Given the volume of images, this process does take some time so please do keep an eye on our newsletter for updates.
WELCOME BABY VINCENT
We are delighted to share the news that Ms Naomi Sherlock's baby was born this week! This is exciting news for all and in particular for class 2A who are currently under the excellent care of Ms Nicole Wagland while Ms Sherlock is on maternity leave.
Baby Vincent, you have already given such joy and wonder. Welcome to the EAC family!
What's On
CALENDAR
For your personalised Calendar of Events, simply log in to Parent Lounge HERE.
Stay up to date with EAC announcements and news by following us on Facebook HERE.
SchoolStream APP
Canteen orders, absentee notices, important notifications and more can all be found on EAC's app, SchoolStream which you can find out more about HERE.
WEBSITE
The EAC website is a treasure trove of valuable information including forms, publications and in depth information, all of which are available HERE
WHAT WEEK IS IT?
To help clarify our College weeks, we've created a printable quick reference guide available HERE.
HOME GROUND ADVANTAGE
Thanks to the hard work of our Maintenance and Sports teams, 2023 will see both our Primary and Secondary Athletics Carnivals held right here at Emmanuel Anglican College. Parents and Carers are welcome to attend the events and cheer on our students as they run, leap and throw their way to achieve their personal best.
Mark your calendars and practice your cheers.
Go Brockington! Go Purcival! Go Smith! Go Walker!
Off The Deputy's Desk
THE FUTURE IS THEIRS
Reconciliation Week at EAC has been an opportunity for our community to pause and imagine what a reconciled Australia could look like and what we need to do to ensure that happens. Such significant events in the College year provide cause for the students to reflect, pray and learn about the world which they will inherit and the role they will take in its future.
The Year 5 students had a talk this week on the Resilient Housing program from Steve Krieg, the Mayor of Lismore. He outlined the issues around the rebuilding of Lismore after the impact of the floods, focusing on the sustainability of the community into the future. It was heartening to listen to their questions around the future planning for their area.
Our 10 students had a wellbeing presentation this week from our police liaison officers to discuss issues such as consent and sexual harassment. This provided a valuable platform for them to ask questions, and voice concerns and opinions in a supportive environment. It is important for our young people to understand their legal rights and responsibilities enabling them to make informed decisions and to stay safe.
These opportunities provide our students with a voice to connect with their community, gain greater self-awareness and develop a greater insight into their world.
Dia dhaoibh
Mr Francis McGuigan
Deputy Principal
Sports Report
Mr Mike Ryan, Leader of Sport and Coaching
Bill Turner Trophy Success
Last Friday our U15 Girls Football Team played Xavier in Round 3 of the Bill Turner Trophy Competition.
After conceding an unfortunate early goal from the penalty spot as a result of an accidental handball in the box, the girls controlled possession and were unlucky to enter halftime down 1-0 after a couple of near misses which could have easily levelled the score.
The second half saw our girls once again control possession, consistently putting the Xavier defence under pressure. A beautiful corner from Sarah Jacob found the head of Frankie Moir-Dobbs to score a cracking goal and tie the game up at 1-1. Back in the contest, the girls were on a roll and it wasn't long before Sarah stepped up to put in another perfectly weighted cross which Georgie Field was able to put into the back of the net. With a 2-1 lead, the team were able to defend some strong attacking raids from Xavier and go on to close out the game.
The girls now wait to see who their Round 4 opponent will be, as Lindisfarne and Kingscliff are yet to play their fixture. Well done to all girls and Coach Ms Wendy Britton for another great win!
RUGBY REPS
Ryan Neilson and Ethan Jenkins both travelled to Sydney last Sunday to represent AICES (Association of Independent Co-Educational Schools) as they took on NSWCCC (Combined Catholic Colleges) following their recent selection in the AICES U18 Boys Rugby Team.
Milos Safranek was also in Sydney representing NSW Country.
Battle of the Ages
It was a week of epic battles at EAC this week as staff and students squared off in two thrilling games. First up was the showdown on the netball court, where the Secondary students faced off against the very bravest of the EAC faculty.
The students quickly proved that they had been secretly training with the vigour of Olympic champions as they leaped, dodged and weaved their way to a resounding victory. With their lightning-fast reflexes and cunning tactics, they left the staff feeling like they were ready for retirement! The final score of 26-15 was a clear testament to our students' undeniable skills... or maybe the staff's questionable coordination!
The fun didn't end there. Next, the Primary students challenged the staff to a game of Touch Football in keeping with this week's NRL State of Origin. With nimble fingers and boundless energy, the students were like miniature tornadoes on the field. However, the staff were determined to show that age is just a number and they battled on with gusto.
In an unexpected twist, the staff's secret weapon turned out to be their incredible ability to confuse the students with their 'vintage' strategies. They left the students scratching their heads in bewilderment as they pulled off impressive manoeuvres that seemed to defy the laws of physics (and physicians)! The staff emerged victorious with a score of 6-2, much to the amusement of everyone present.
Congratulations to both the students and staff for their incredible efforts and for providing the College with a week of entertainment! Everyone at the College is already looking forward to 'next time', where we're sure the students will come back even stronger and the staff will bring out even more 'experienced' tactics. Until then, let the laughter and friendly competition continue to unite us all!
Len Diett Shield Update
Open Boys v Xavier
Our Open Boys faced Xavier at Ballina Rugby Club last Thursday in their first match for the year. EAC won 34-10.
All Grades v Lindisfarne
U13, U15 and Opens travelled to Lindisfarne yesterday. We lost all three games however there was much improvement in the U15.
PRIMARY SPORTS
Mr Tony Lancashire, Primary Sport Leader
PRIMARY SPORT ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Designed to give all students a chance to be recognised for their sporting achievements, a Sports Achievement Award can be presented not only for excellence, but for many different reasons like leadership, commitment, respect, support and more.
At the end of Term 1, Archie Ellis-Harry, Year 3, was presented with this Award this award for his outstanding levels of sportsmanship and respect amongst his peers in sport lessons and at the Interhouse Soccer event.
This time Archie was called up at the assembly to present the next winner... Henry Roberts. Henry has shown incredible enthusiasm to be involved at every single sport lesson and Interhouse event this year - whether that is playing, offering ways to help or supporting classmates. He is an inspiring example to others who might not have the opportunity to be involved in playing sport due to injury or otherwise, but can still show great leadership and resilience on making the most of the moments available and how to find ways to be inclusive and have a positive impact no matter the level of your involvement.
TENNIS
Last week Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 had the opportunity to play tennis at the Ballina Tennis Association courts as part of their Primary Sport Program. Each year level was split into three groups, each led by experienced coaches who thoughtfully structured each session with fun skills and games to progressively challenge the students.
The workshops provided an authentic environment for the students to immerse themselves in the sport with confidence, whilst surrounded by their peers, especially for those who have rarely played before.
The students had a lot of fun, developed their technique and learned more about the importance of teamwork and communication. As they returned to the classroom, they carried with them a newfound passion and it was encouraging to hear the students say they would like to continue their tennis journey after this introduction.
Thank you to Coach Steve and Coach Rob from Northern Rivers Tennis Academy who led the sessions along with myself, the EAC Sport team and teachers. If you would like to register with the Northern Rivers Tennis Academy for their after school tennis program in Ballina , please visit their website HERE.
Top of the Arts
Music Festival Welcomes Legendary Jazz Musician Jeff Usher
EAC are extremely happy to announce that legendary jazz and blues pianist, composer, arranger and singer, Jeff Usher, will be performing alongside our students as part of this year’s Festival of Music.
Jeff has been blind since birth and follows in the long tradition of great blind pianists such as Ray Charles, George Shearing and Stevie Wonder. Like them, he has not allowed his blindness to be an obstacle to his success.
Jeff has performed with many of Australia’s great Jazz musicians including James Morrison and Dale Barlow and has supported Stevie Wonder on tour. Legendary Bluesman B.B. King once requested an audience with Jeff due to his amazing musical achievements.
Jeff will be presenting a workshop for our talented composers and song writers, passing on composition strategies and techniques he has developed over his distinguished song writing career.
You can catch Jeff when he performs with The Emmanuel Concert Band at the Festival of Music Concert Finale on Tuesday 27 June.
Library Lowdown
SENSATIONAL SIMULTANEOUS STORYTIME
Each year, our Primary students look forward to National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) and this year was no exception.
NSS is held annually by the Australian Library and Information Association. Every year a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator, is read simultaneously in libraries, schools, pre-schools, childcare centres, family homes, bookshops and many other places around the country. NSS marked its 23rd successful year in 2023 and continues to grow in vibrancy, colour and fun as it promotes the value of reading and literacy.
This year's book was The Speedy Sloth by Rebecca Young and Heath McKenzie. The Speedy Sloth is an inspiring story that celebrate all winners... especially those who don’t come first!
Our Library Monitors even got in on the show acting out the adventures of The Speedy Sloth much to the delight of our students from the ELC, Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2.
Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 participated virtually joining more than 2 million participants from over 59,000 locations throughout Australia and New Zealand.
Ms Jasmine Jordan
Library Resource Centre Manager
Sustainability Central
GET IT SORTED
Recycling bins have now been placed throughout the College grounds to assist students in sorting their waste while out of the classroom.
It is vital that only recyclable materials are placed in the recycling bins - even one contaminated item can result in the entire bin being redirected to landfill!
CLICK HERE TO WATCH A GREAT DEMONSTRATION VIDEO CREATED BY OUR SECONDARY STUDENTS
Canteen Cookup
QUICK LINK TO CANTEEN
Prefer to use your desktop computer to order from The College Canteen? Can do!
Check out the Quick Links section at the bottom of our home page at www.eac.nsw.edu.au and click on 'Canteen Order Form'. You'll be transferred directly to our Canteen Order Form.
Orders can be placed up to two weeks in advance.
Friends of EAC
TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Tickets are on sale now for the Friends of EAC and Imagine Education Silver Jubilee Cocktail Party which will be held on Saturday 17 June from 5pm at Shelly Beach Café.
CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR TICKETS
Announcing our Naming Rights Sponsor
We are excited to announce our Naming Rights Sponsor for the EAC Silver Jubilee Cocktail Party and would like to thank them for their generous support.
Entertainment
Dance the night away to music from our very own EAC Music Teacher Shandell Crozier – the incredible Shandell and Day Duo.
How To EAC
HOW TO FIND YOUR LOST ITEMS
Thanks to May's cold snap, the College's collection of lost property is now overflowing!
We have three Lost Property locations at the College - at The Innovation Centre, at The Lindsay Walker Centre and at Reception.
Students are regularly encouraged to check these locations for their lost items.
As well, from time to time, lost property will be displayed at the Primary Drop Off/Pick Up Zone for Parents and Carers to check.
As ever, we strongly encourage all items bought to school to be clearly labelled. These items include hats, bags, jumpers, jackets, water bottles and lunch boxes. White or silver paint pens work well to label navy uniform items.
HERE TO HELP
Dyscalculia… what’s THAT?
You may have heard the terms DYSlexia (reading difficulties), DYSgraphia (writing difficulties), DYSphasia (language difficulties). Less well known is DYScalculia which impairs an individual’s ability to understand everyday mathematical concepts, make sense of numbers, complete long worksheets and memorise formulas.
Once you've heard of dyscalculia, you may think 'lots of people must have it!' and know of students, even adults, who say they hate maths and things like “What’s the point of trigonometry anyway?” Dyscalculia is more than a diminished appreciation of mathematics. Dyscalculia is a difference in a person's brain (most likely in the parietal lobe) that makes logical processing confusing.
Struggling with maths is often easily dismissed but dyscalculia can lead to anxiety, low self-esteem and missed opportunities. As well, dyscalculia can impact on how your child plays with friends at a set time, understands and uses money, organised their daily schedule and even how they learn to drive.
Surprisingly, some children with dyscalculia might have difficulty counting to 10 yet others count easily to 100 but struggle with simple addition or subtraction.
Signs to look for at home for Primary school aged children
- Resists playing number based games
- Has difficulty linking numbers and symbols to amounts or directions
- Has difficulty making sense of money (not counting out notes for cashier)
- Unable to tell time on an analogue clock
- May struggle with handwriting
- Has difficulty immediately sorting out right from left
- Hesitant to go new places without you
Signs to look for at home for Secondary school aged children
- Has trouble estimating how much something will cost or how long a trip will take
- Can’t stick to a budget
- Can’t remember friends’ phone numbers or addresses
- Avoids answering maths related questions during conversations
- Often misses important events or is running late
What can you do?
If your think your child is showing symptoms of dyscalculia, chat with your child’s teacher and ask for a formal evaluation from the Guidance Counsellors at EAC. No matter your child’s age, the Learning Support team can put accommodations in place that help students make sense of maths.
Mr John Noble
EAC's Consulting Guidance Counsellor
Early Learning Centre Corner
TALES AS OLD AS TIME
Our Early Learning Centre has been a place of wonder and awe of late as we explore stories of dreamtime, the wonders of our Bundjalung nation and the ingenuity of our First Nations people.
One activity that has proved universally popular are our Little Yarns listening sessions. Little Yarns is a co-listening, ABC Kids listen podcast series for pre-schoolers. Ideal for families listening together at home as well as in the Early Learning Centre, Little Yarns is all about the diverse languages, stories and Countries of Indigenous Australia.
Another highlight of the past fortnight was a visit this week from Wild Rangers who introduced us to some of Australia's native animals. The children were delighted to, safely, get up close and personal with a range of reptiles and learn more about respecting the wild creatures we encounter.
Director of the Early Learning Centre
Primary Pulse
PRIMARY RECOGNISES RECONCILITATION WEEK
This past week, the Primary School has been involved with several initiatives to commemorate Reconciliation Week. Starting on Sorry Day, last Friday 26 May, the Year 4A students lead a Sorry Day Chapel service that touched on the origins and importance of the day in the history of our Nation. The students shared prayers of forgiveness and performed a song in the Yorta Yorta language from the Torres Strait Island “Inanay”.
This week for Reconciliation Week, students from across the College contributed to an artwork displayed in the Joan Pickup Library and were challenged to be a 'Voice for the Generations' by leaving their thoughts on reconciliation in speech bubbles that bordered the
collaborative artwork.
Ms McClelland and her class of 1B then capped off the week with a Reconciliation Assembly that featured stories of prominent indigenous Australians, the history of Reconciliation Week, a song about family Ngaya Naba and a Dreamtime Story about Biladurang the Platypus.
Mr Wayne Cross
Director of the Primary School
BIGGEST MORNING TEA A BIG SUCCESS
MAYOR SHARES STORIES OF RESILIENCE WITH YEAR 5
This week, we were lucky enough to have the Mayor of Lismore, Steve Krieg, who took time out of his busy schedule to talk to our Year 5 students. He discussed the experiences Lismore has had with the recent natural disasters and how the city is rebuilding.
Steve focused on technologies and materials that businesses, commercial and residential houses are using to make them more resilient after natural disasters.
The students got some amazing insights into the ways that Lismore is rebuilding using resilient housing materials.
This will now give the students a deeper understanding as they continue to work on their resilient housing project.
Ms Jody Baker, Mr Paul Christensen and Ms Alyssa Marshall
Teachers of Year 5
Primary Talent Show
The sign up sheets for the Years 1 to 6 Talent Show are in the students classrooms and we look forward to the show on Thursday 22 June. A wide variety of acts are coming in and I encourage all students to give the talent show a go. Backing music, video clips or acts performed at home can be emailed to wcross@eac.nsw.edu.au to show on the day.
DRAMA DISASTER AND STAGE SURVIVAL
Last term Year 5 and Year 6 primary students were introduced to Drama through fun beginner games of trust, focus, improvising and mime skills. These fortnightly Drama sessions have a holistic approach to help develop their confidence, creative thinking skills, and in an age of social media and online engagement, to help develop much needed interpersonal and social skills in the physical world.
This term we are utilising what they are learning in the classroom and applying it to creating Drama. Year 5 are exploring natural disasters to create group devised plays incorporating movement and fabric whilst Year 6 are exploring the concept of survival in their group devised plays with the use of props. The focus will be for students to explore character and story-telling using their own ideas, vocal ability and narration. Lots of creative making, performing, appreciation and fun to be had in primary Drama.
Mrs Mechelle Anderson
Teacher of Drama
Secondary Scoop
THE FACTS ABOUT VAPING
E-cigarettes, often called vapes are electronic devices designed to deliver vapourised liquids into the lungs.
There are now many different styles of vapes available and they can be difficult to spot. The main ingredient in vapes is propylene glycol, vegetable glycerine or glycerol. Vapes often also contain nicotine, flavours and other chemicals. Vapes may contain harmful chemicals that are not listed on the pack.
The biggest misunderstanding about vapes is that they are harmless compared to cigarettes. This is not true. Vapes are not safe.
Vapes appeal to young people as they are flavoured and have colourful packaging. The vaping of young people is increasing. Research shows that 1 in 5 young people have vaped and nearly 80% of young people say it is easy to get a vape illegally.
Vapes can leave a young person at increased risk of depression and anxiety and can also be linked to serious lung disease. The important thing to remember is the long term harm of vaping are still unknown.
Smoking and vaping is banned within the grounds of and within four metres of entrances to all schools in NSW. If you suspect that your child is vaping, take the time to talk to them about it and help them understand the risks.
Ms Amanda Middleton
Director of the Secondary School
CARDS AND CUPPAS
Our ongoing series of 'Cards and Cuppas' events are proving increasingly popular as the term goes on.
This week The Ezzy Centre was abuzz with chatter as our Year 8s took on senior members of our College community in rounds of Uno, Spoto, chess and more.
This popular initiative is designed to strengthen intergenerational links and foster a sense of community in our EAC students.
There are just two events left in the series: 11.20am to 12noon on Thursday 15 June and Thursday 29 June.
Thank you to everyone who joined in and supported this great initiative.
Conviction and belief in the two hander
Year 10 Drama have been exploring the performance form and style of Realism with a range of scripts from a re-imagined Medea to contemporary Australian plays such as Ruby Moon and Wolf Lullaby. The quality of work has been high with engaging performances that utilised their workshops on Stanislavski Acting and script analysis.
Ms Mechelle Anderson
Teacher of Creative and Performing Arts
Northern Rivers News
