‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind… and your neighbour as yourself’ Matthew 22: 37-39
From the Principal
The students and staff of the College gathered in the shape of the number 20 yesterday to present for a special whole College photo to mark the 20th anniversary celebrations. I wish to congratulate and thank all the students for their cooperation and behaviour during the process. Despite one interruption to the set up due to an unexpected rain shower, all went to plan and the result was fantastic. Special thanks to Miss Maureen Selby for her very detailed mapping of the number 20 design to ensure all the students and staff of nearly 700 would fit. Thanks also to the grounds team who painted an outline of the number 20 on the front oval and also to Mr Parks who employed military precision to manoeuvre all of the students from Kindergarten to Year 12 into place for the drone pilot to complete the process.
A huge thank you to Mr John Duncan (father of Jazmin Duncan in Year 6) from National Drones, who worked with the College in the planning of the photo and delivered the high quality images and footage that was taken.
The Friends Primary School Disco, held last Thursday evening, was very well attended and a wonderful success. Students came dressed in their sporting colours and enjoyed the food, dancing, jumping castle and opportunity to have some social time with their friends. It was also a great opportunity for the parents to catch up. Thank you once again to the incredibly generous and hardworking team from Friends who, in addition to all the planning, cooked and served the masses on the evening. It was a great community event.
Congratulations to Year 12, who recently completed their Mid Course Examinations and will receive their Mid Course Reports as part of the Parent Teacher Meetings this week. The reports tell a wonderful story of the dedication, participation and achievement of the Year 12 cohort. I had the privileged opportunity to read all of the reports and I was particularly pleased with the regularity with which the teachers graded individual student efforts as Excellent. Demand for Parent Teacher bookings was also very high right across the College and I thank parents for being so involved in their children’s learning. It will be a very busy and productive night for all concerned.
It has been a very busy, high paced and jam packed term and I thank the students, staff and families for all your tremendous efforts during this time. I hope that the holiday break is relaxing and enjoyable for you all.
The students will commence Term Two on Tuesday 1 May. Staff will be involved in a Professional Learning Day on Monday 30 April focusing on teaching effective literacy skills and the Thinking Curriculum. On April 25, the College will march and participate in both the Alstonville and Ballina Anzac Day commemorations. I encourage all our families to get involved in this really significant day in our Australian story.
Easter blessing to you all.
Mr Robert Tobias
Principal
Off the Deputy's Desk
As we draw to the conclusion of a very busy and successful first term I would like to thank all the staff, students and parents for their welcome to the EAC community. I have enjoyed the process of getting to know the people and culture of the College. I am looking forward to the great opportunities that second term will bring as the school year gathers pace.
Last week in my classroom visits. I watched Mr Malaba’s Year 8 HSIE lesson where the students were involved in the Big History Project and were researching the ‘Out of Africa’ theory. Mr Jarrett’s Year 12 mathematics class was busy studying radians and there was some pretty challenging calculations being made. From there I saw Mrs Melling’s Year 11 Hospitality class engaged in making sushi in a practical lesson. I’ve got some more classroom visits planned for early next term and look forward to sharing news about the wonderful teaching and learning that is occurring in the classrooms of the College.
This week’s Habit of Mind is thinking and communicating with clarity and precision. This habit means to be clear by striving for accurate communication in both written and oral form; avoiding over generalisations, distortions, deletions and exaggerations.
Language refinement plays a critical role in enhancing a person's cognitive maps and ability to think critically, which is the knowledge base for efficacious action. Enriching the complexity and specificity of language simultaneously produces effective thinking.
Language and thinking are closely entwined; like either side of a coin, they are inseparable. Fuzzy, vague language is a reflection of fuzzy, vague thinking. Intelligent people strive to communicate accurately in both written and oral form, taking care to use precise language; defining terms; and using correct names, labels, and analogies. They strive to avoid overgeneralizations, deletions, and distortions. Instead, they support their statements with explanations, comparisons, quantification, and evidence. (Costa, 2006)
Upcoming Events
During the Holidays
Wednesday 25 April
Ballina ANZAC Day March-10.00am form up
Alstonville ANZAC Day March-9.15 am form up
Term 2 Week 1
Monday 30 April-
Student Free Day-Staff Professional Development Day
Tuesday 1 May-
Term 2 commences
Whole College Assembly-UCA-9.00 am
Wednesday 2 May-
Year 10/11 Immunisations-Ezzy Centre
Saturday 5 May-
Relay For Life-Alstonville Showgrounds-5.30 pm
Term 2 Week 2
Tuesday 8 May-
Whole College Chapel at St Mary’s Anglican Church, Ballina.9.00am
Year 10 Natural Ability Workshops
Friends’ meeting
Wednesday 9 May
Senior Primary Concert Band Workshop
Year 10 Natural Ability Parent Information Session-6.00 pm-Ezzy Centre
Thursday 10 May
Secondary Social-6.00-9.00 pm-UCA
Friday 11 May
Friends Mothers’ Day Morning Tea-Ezzy Centre
We have been informed that a number of parents are picking their children up on Riverbend Drive. We ask that parents refrain from this practice and pick their children up at the front entrance of the College on Horizon Drive where we have staff on duty, zebra crossings and aschool zone. This would assist us to maintain student safety and supervision at pick up time.
I wish all of our families an enjoyable holiday break and look forward to working with you all again next term. Don’t forget that your child/children are more than welcome to represent the College in the Ballina or Alstonville ANZAC Day marches which are being held during the holidays. Students participating in the marches are to wear full College uniform.
Mr Darren Parks
Deputy Principal
Primary News
Our Student Representative Council organised a Basketball House Cup Challenge, where students in each stage play in their house basketball team versing another house team in their stage. This was to encourage students to earn points for their house in a fun, social basketball game with their friends.
Stage two played last week, Walker earning 50 points for their house and Smith earning 25 points.
In the second basketball game, Brockington earned their house 50 points and Purcival earned 25 points.
This week Stage 1 students will join together to verse each other in the Basketball House Cup Challenge.
Merilyn Mule' Paul Christensen
K-2 Welfare Leader 3-6 Welfare Leader
K-2 students and teachers coming together at the end of term:
On Friday 13th April, students and teachers in Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 will come together for a mini-disco to recognise their hard work throughout Term 1 in the classroom, on the sporting field and the friendships they have made. Please note students will wear their school uniform for the disco.
Interrelate Bullying Awareness Program
This term in Week 10, Year 3 to Year 6 have learnt bullying awareness. We have learnt how people can be bullied and how to avoid being bullied. Then we got scenarios that we had to act out. We also learnt what a bully is and what they might do to you. Students were given a booklet with lots of activities on anti-bullying.
The teachers also had some rules for our anti-bullying lesson. The rules were: if you are being bullied it is a good strategy to walk away, tell him/her firmly to leave you alone, try to stay calm and not answer back with an insult, perhaps a clever comment would be better or tell a grown up, teacher or a trusted friend. Also we were told to try and stay in safe places where there are many people, on a school bus or normal bus, sit near the driver or other adults so you are less likely targeted and finally find an older student you trust so they can support you and don’t let a bully cause you to doubt yourself and stay strong.
We learnt a lot about bullying and realised that it is everyone’s responsibility. We are going to try to use some of the things we learnt at school.
Secondary News
Web.Comp
Web.Comp is a web competition that teaches students to code websites from scratch using HTML and CSS. The advantages of using HTML and CSS is that these allow web designers full control over the appearance and interactivity of a website. Web.Comp is offered in two streams, Beginners and Intermediate, and runs for five weeks. Each week, students are required to complete web design challenges using the HTML and CSS skills that they have learned. The Beginners stream is suitable for students with no prior knowledge of web development. The Intermediate stream is intended for students who want to learn more advanced features of web design.
During March this year, Hannah Hobson (Year 7) and Ethan Jenkins (Year 7), independently participated in Web.Comp and achieved outstanding results. Hannah completed the Beginners stream and obtained a Perfect Score. Ethan completed the Intermediate stream and obtained a High Distinction. Their certificates will be available in Term 2.
Congratulations to both Hannah and Ethan on their exceptional achievements!
Ms Maureen Selby
Sports Update
NSW CIS Primary Boys Football (Soccer) Championships
NSW CIS Swimming
15 and Under Bill Turner Cup Soccer Boys and Girls
Our Bill Turner Cup Soccer Boys and Girls teams played their second round games last week. The Boys played against a strong Byron Bay High School team on Friday and went down 4 - 0. The girls played against Sheawater Steiner School from Mullumbimby last Tuesday and also went down 8 - 4. Bill Turner is a knock out competition and both teams are now eliminated. Thank you to Mr Brenton, Mrs McClelland and Mr Taylor for your work with our teams this year.
Vacation Care
Friends of Emmanuel
Canteen
EAC Canteen operates 4 days a week: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday, with special lunches on Tuesdays, canteen is open on Tuesdays for general sales at LUNCH only.
Canteen opens at 8.30am and the Menu is available here:
Butter Chicken and Quiche not available
SUSHI DATES: 8 & 21 May, 5 & 19 June
NOODLE BOX DATES: 15 & 29 May, 12 & 26 June
SUBWAY DATE: 3 July
PRIMARY LUNCH ORDERS
Please place the money in a paper bag of sufficient size to fit all of the lunch items. If you are ordering a drink with your child’s lunch please provide two (2) bags. Please remind your child to place their lunch/recess bag in the class tub NOT directly to the canteen.
PLEASE DO NOT STAPLE / TAPE BAGS CLOSED, FOLDED IN 4 APPEARS TO WORK WELL
BAG 1: Name, Class, Teacher, Lunch Order (John Smith, 5A, Mr Falvey, 1 Junior Pie)
BAG 2: Name, Class, Drink/Cold Order (John Smith, 5A, Mr Falvey, 1 Orange Juice)
Any change required will be placed in the bag for return with the child’s lunch order.
Christine Hall
Canteen Supervisor
0414 811 668
Dates where help is required:
May: 2 PM 3 PM, 7 , 10, 14, 17AM, 21, 23 PM, 24, 28,
June: 4,11, 18, 21 AM, 25, 27 PM, 28 PM
July: 2, 4
If you have not heard from the canteeen co-ordinator within 24 hours please contact her via text or EAC email.
Christine Hall
Canteen Supervisor
0414 811 668
chall@eac.nsw.edu.au