"Just as the human body, thought it is made up of many parts, is a single unit. So it is with the body of Christ, there are many parts but one body."
1 Corinthians 12; 12-14
From The Principal
Foundation Day 2022 Address
Good morning and welcome to this celebration of Foundation Day for 2022. I wish to acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land on which we gather, the Bundjalung people, I acknowledge their culture and history, their leaders, past, present and emerging. I also acknowledge any Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal people that are present with us today.
This week we celebrate and give thanks for 24 years of learning, living and leading at EAC and take time to remember and acknowledge the founders and pioneer families of the College who had both the vision and the courage to step out into the unknown to bring Emmanuel Anglican College to life. The dream of the Founders was to build a College community that provided access to a quality education for their children in a Christian environment which truly values each and every individual. 24 years on this dream has become the wonderful reality that is the Emmanuel Anglican College community and all that it holds for our students, staff and families.
The College was officially blessed and opened by Rev Geoff Smith, the patron of Smith House on 5 March 1998. The College was originally located at the Anglican Church Retreat Centre on the East Ballina headland. The Centre was called Gunundi. The name we have given to the building in which Kindy and Year 1 learn and on 8 March, 2000 the first buildings were blessed and opened on this site.
We have come such a long way since then and today the College has more than 860 students from Early Learning to Year 12 and our staff numbers exceed 120. We continue to improve the facilities and resources of the College and today we gather for our first Foundation Day in this wonderful new facility.
So as we gather today, we give great thanks for the vision and courage of those committed pioneer families and founders and we say a collective thank you to all of those ‘true believers’ and hope that they see the wonderful College we have today as part of their legacy to our community.
Today, we give thanks for the passionate, generous and committed staff who give so much to the students and families of the College. We are grateful for the blessing of those families that have entrusted the College with the education and care of their children. We also celebrate all our wonderful students and the amazing gifts and talents that they bring to all facets of College life, each day.
As we celebrate the foundation of the College, I also wish to acknowledge the hard work, commitment and dedication of a number of the EAC staff at our Chapel Service today and present them with their Service Award.
I thank and acknowledge the following staff who today we recognise for 10 years of wonderful service to the College and I ask them to come forward;
Mr Paul Christensen – Mr C, as he is affectionately known, has taught students in Year 4 to 6 over the last 10 years. For much of that time he has also supported students in the upper Primary as a Wellbeing Leader.
Mrs Kristy Annetts: has taught students in Years 7-12 in the areas of Technology and Applied studies in subjects including Food Technology, Textiles, Mandatory Technology and Hospitality. She is incredibly generous with her time and support of students and is renowned for her positive and happy demeanour.
Ms Heather Woolcott who would be well known to most students from Kindergarten through to Year 8 as she has been an Educator in our Early Learning Centre supporting and nurturing our youngest learners.
Remarkably, we also have 4 members of staff who today we acknowledge, honour and congratulate for 20 years of service to the Emmanuel Anglican College community.
Congratulations to Mr Tod Falvey, who has been a dedicated member of the Primary teaching team since commencing at EAC in 2002. He is known for his firm, fair and fun loving approach. Affectionately known for his ‘dad jokes’, Tod’s classes are always positive and happy places for his students to learn.
Mrs Mel McClelland: Mrs Mac has a great love for all her students and she runs a dynamic, highly effective and thoroughly organised classroom. She cares deeply for the students in class and makes their success her mission. Mel has spent most of her career at EAC in dedicated service to the students in Kindergarten to Year 2.
Mrs Carol-Anne Jarrett: Carol-Anne has worked across the Primary school as a classroom teacher and in the areas of Learning Support and Religious and Values Education. Her love for organisation, delight in doing art and craft activities and a beaming smile are all hallmarks of her work.
Mr Tim Jarrett: Tim is a dedicated servant to the art of mathematics education. He is renowned for his thorough planning, attention to detail, great patience, and the speed of return of an assessment task - often the next lesson. Tim has supported students of all levels of capability in maths and works tirelessly to help everyone achieve their potential.
Each of these teachers have made a generous and significant contribution to the development of the College. We pray that they may be greatly blessed for all they have given to our community throughout their time of service. Please congratulate our Service Award recipients once again.
As part of our Foundation Service today we will take the opportunity to bless and open this incredible facility and it will be named in honour of Mr Lindsay Walker and so I thought it would be most appropriate for me to speak a little about Lindsay Walker and his involvement with the College.
Lindsay has been directly involved with the College since 1997 when Rev Geoff Smith, Rector for St Mary’s Anglican Parish, sought his assistance with the search for an appropriate site for the establishment of an Anglican School in our region. In the year 2000, he formally joined College Council and was a member of College Council until March 2020.
Lindsay managed the negotiations and purchase of the Horizon Drive property, the land on which the College is built and has been directly involved in the construction of every building on this site. With a background in engineering and extensive knowledge and experience in town planning, Lindsay has generously donated an enormous amount of time and expertise to the College throughout his 25 year connection with EAC.
The quality of the design and standard of construction of every building reflect Lindsay’s expertise and his uncompromising determination to get the very best outcome for the students and families of the College. His legacy is embedded in the fabric of every building and as a result, every student and staff member of the College is impacted on a daily basis by his effort and contribution.
The Lindsay Walker Centre is the most significant construction project the College has ever undertaken in scale, scope and cost. It will be a space where all our community can come together to share and celebrate our identity, purpose, faith and achievements. As a Founder of the College, House Patron, lifelong Anglican and Trustee of the Diocese of Grafton, Lindsay Walker reflects all that we want this building to represent and I believe is most deserving of having the building named in his honour.
I am delighted to say that we are joined by Lindsay today and I ask him and his wife Anne to come forward so we can acknowledge them both.
Lindsay, on behalf of the Emmanuel Anglican College community, I present you with this memento to commemorate both your contribution to our College and the naming of this incredible facility in your honour. Thank you and congratulations Lindsay.
And to Anne; for all of the amazing work you have done behind the scenes to support Lindsay and your generosity in allowing our community to have the blessing of so much of his time, we say thank you.
Please once again acknowledge and thank Lindsay and Anne Walker.
As I have said many times, we are greatly blessed to live and learn in such a beautiful part of the world in such a fantastic school that offers so much to each and every one of us. As we take a moment to give thanks for all we have, I ask every student to think about how they might get the most out of the wonderful opportunities that EAC has to offer. I encourage you all to take advantage of the great gift that you have been given. So use your learning time wisely, get involved in as many parts of College life as possible, build as many strong friendships as you can and always be thankful for the many gifts you receive. I wish everyone a very happy Foundation Day for 2022.
Mr Robert Tobias
Principal
off the deputy's desk
Greetings to the EAC Community
This morning I got to see Ms Johnstone and Mr Walsh’s Year 6 classes dancing along to some of their favourite songs.
While most of us were having a grumble about the weather, it was a delight to see the joy in the students faces as they got their week off to such a positive start.
Mr Conomos’ Year 9 Information Software Technology IST class were busy this week with their 2D animation task. For those of us who have seen the film Ice Age, you know how hilarious the end credits are as you watch the squirrel Scrat, a saber-toothed squirrel who is obsessed with collecting acorns, constantly putting his life in danger to obtain them. The ICT students are creating a similar thirty second clip incorporating animation and end credits, using layers of photoshop animation in After Effects. Mark Scopesi in Year 9 created the train animation here which included multiple layers of set graphics in adobe fresco which created a vivid canvas for his animation.
Genius is the ability to put into effect what is on your mind.
F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Importance of Effective Communication
As humans, we are drawn to one another and communicate with each other in a variety of capacities. There are several roles that each of us fulfil on a daily basis, depending on the context of an interaction. What every interaction has in common is the need for clear and effective communication.
In correctly engaging with the elements of effective communication, one can see an improvement in the quality of social interactions, as well as increased confidence in engaging with others in a social capacity.
Body Language
We are aware and in control of the words that we speak, but often the nonverbal cues we send may go unnoticed. Nonverbal cues are so strong because they communicate to others “true” communication and provide real cues and emotions.
Displaying Effective Listening Skills
Listening is an active process that involves analysis and processing. There are key verbal elements that can alert us to an individual’s feelings, such as the cadence of their voice, the specific words that they use, and the tonal quality of their voice.
Benefits of Effective Communication
When communication is effective, it leaves all parties involved satisfied and feeling accomplished. By delivering messages clearly, there is no room for misunderstanding or alteration of messages, which decreases the potential for conflict. In situations where conflict does arise, effective communication is a key factor to ensure that the situation is resolved in a respectful manner. How one communicates can be a make or break factor in maintaining a healthy relationship and healthy self-expression.
Dia dhaoibh
Mr Francis McGuigan
Deputy Principal
TERM 2 WEEK 6B
Monday 30 May
- Reconciliation Day
- Year 12 Chemistry Task 2
- Festival of Music Opening Concert 6pm-7.15pm LWC
Tuesday 31 May
- Primary Boys/Girls Touch Football training 7.30am LWC
- Purcival House Chapel
- Year 9 Digital Art Excursion
- Volleyball Program 3.30pm LWC
- Festival of Music Young Talent Competition Day
Wednesday 1 June
- Cross Country/Athletics training (Secondary) 7.30am
- Year 7 2023 Experience Day
- Year 12 Legal Studies Task 3
- Festival of Music - Winter Concert 6pm LWC
Thursday 2 June
- Primary mixed Touch Football training 7.30am LWC
- Year 11 Ancient History Task 2
- Year 12 Ext 1 Study Day Incursion
- Walker House Chapel
- Futsal Program Years 3-6
- Festival of Music LWC Band & Choir Competition Day
Friday 3 June
- Cross Country/Athletics training (Primary) 7.30am-8.30am LWC DAA
- DSN Meeting BDC – TOR MIS MAK MIA
- ICT Management/Leadership Conference ATD
- Year 12 Modern History Task 2
- Primary Chapel P3 Discovery CRW
- K-6 Peer Support WAD
- Festival of Music - Band & Choir Workshops
TERM 2 WEEK 7A
Monday 6 June
- Year 12 Ancient History Task 2
Tuesday 7 June
- Primary Boys/Girls Touch Football training 7.30am LWC
- Brockington House Chapel
- Year 12 Visual Arts Task 3
- Volleyball Program 3.30pm LWC
- Year 9 Camp
Wednesday 8 June
- NSW Netball Cup Primary
- Year 11 Ext English Task 2
- CIS Cross Country Sydney
- Year 9 Camp
Thursday 9 June
- Primary mixed Touch Football training 7.30am LWC
- Smith House Chapel
- Year 11 Ancient History Task 2
- Futsal Program Years 3-6
- Year 9 Camp
Friday 10 June
- Cross Country/Athletics training (Primary) 7.30am LWC
- Year 12 Drama Task 3
- Year 12 Music Task 2
- Year 11 Legal Studies Task 2
- Year 12 Business Studies Task 3
- Year 12 Economics Webcast
- Year 9 Camp
Homestay
Festival of Music
All events will be held in the Lindsay Walker Centre.
Monday 30 May 6.00pm – Opening Night Concert
Featuring:
- Mezzo Concert Band
- The Emmanuel Concert Band
Tuesday 31 May – Day of Young Talent
Featuring a variety of soloists, duets, ensembles, and Rock bands.
Session 1: 10.00am
Eliza Grosser, Taz Saunderson, Kobe Miller, Hudson Shume, Kayden Muller, Zia Folscher, Sofia Finch, Sadie Rose, Sam Mooney, Freya Raguse, Gus Hornery, Edith Hornery, Stella Payne.
Session 2: 12.00pm
Ruby Johnson, Vivienne Haupt, Xanthe Marshall, Ava Schubert, Eve Drew, Isla Garnham, Sylvie Thomson, Alexandra Kent, Annie Docherty, Tahnee Martin, Amelia Atkinson, Alexander Cook & Elizabeth Cook, Zia Folscher, Darcy Lister, Heath Guy, Harrison Tall, Jenson van Eyk, Matthew Litvensky, Ralph Dwyer, Ryder Cook, Ava Bazzana, Thomas Hunt, Zavier Hartel, Byron Rushby, Jack Higgins, Aaron Blair-Hickman, Aston Papasidero, Dimitri Toy, Milla Coote, Lara Neaves, Sam Curnow, Kupe Smith, Tallulah Cook, Charlotte Robertson, Cleo Beesley, Edie Hornery, Peyton Holmes, Zarah Ryan, Mya van den Hoek, Hopper Hill, Elsie Drew, Jed Holmes, Jacob Winters, Finn Dwyer, Beau Harvey, Taz Saunderson, Harvey Plummer, Blade Goode, Archie Cook, Oscar Skelly, Luca Durston, Will Collin.
Session 3: 2.00pm
Ellen Miller, Layla Patrick, Sunny Gao, Maya Bright, Zoe Marr, Emerson Leyden, Noah Morris, Alice Palmer, Harper Rose, Max Whitaker, Zoe Latimer, Rayissa Hansen, Elizabeth Cook, Mahli Smith, Finley Thomson, Leo Smith, Finley Safranek, Micah Pullen, Braith Cahill, Eliza Grosser, Taz Saunderson, Archie Cook, Ava Walheim, Jacob Neto, Amelia Polidano, Jarrah Harradance, Lewis Carroll-Burgess, Saul Morris, Jack Azad. Ronald Mostert, Sam Harding, Toby Beck, Jack Philp, Lily Smith.
Wednesday 1 June 6.00pm – The Winter Concert
- Little Mozarts Band (Year 3)
- Rising Stars Band (Year 4)
- Junior Concert Band (Years 5&6)
Thursday 2 June – Band & Choir Competition Day
Session 1: 10.00am
- Little Mozarts Band (Year 3)
- Rising Stars Band (Year 4)
- Junior Concert Band (Years 5&6)
Session 2: 12.00pm
- Year 3 Choir
- Year 4 Choir
- Mezzo Concert Band
- The Emmanuel Concert Band
Friday 3 June 2.00pm – Concert Finale
- Mezzo Concert Band
- The Emmanuel Concert Band
- Stage 2 Choir
Sports Update
On Friday 20 May a team of over 100 EAC students took on a very wet, muddy and challenging cross country course up at Lindisfarne Anglican College. Even the walk through of the course was treacherous, at least for me as I slipped over twice. Our Primary students took off first as the rain continued to fall. There were slips, slides and smiles as some very muddy kids crossed the finish line. Next it was the Secondary students' turn and while the weather improved, they were left with a wet and very torn up track. Some found it quicker to slide down the hill, many of them face first. Emmanuel Anglican College had great results, with 54 students qualifying for CIS and 26 students taking up that chance to represent EAC and NCIS at the CIS competition in Sydney. While overall our results were fantastic, the following students did particularly well.
Eve Drew 1st 8/9 year Girls
Zia Folscher 1st 10 year Girls
Matthew Rullin 1st 10 year Boys
Stella Du Plessis 2nd 11 year Girls
Henry Drew 2nd 12 year Boys
Arthur Helps 3rd 13 year Boys
Jett Beck 2nd 14 year Boys
Finnigan Robinson 2nd 15 year Boys
Jed Saunderson 2nd 17 year Boys
Oliver Payne 3rd 17 year Boys
Huge thank you for the amazing help from Mrs Pierce, Ms Darnell, Mrs Ashdown, Mrs Payne and Ms Craig for supporting our students on the day. I look forward to supporting our amazing runners attending CIS cross country in Sydney on 8 June.
Mr Jack Murphy
Assistant Sport Coach and LWC Duty Manager
Secondary News
Internet usage and VPN’s
Children are more and more relaxed about the use of technology and the use increased dramatically during COVID19 lockdowns. Many parents including myself, think that parent controls are one way that we can safely manage what our children access online. But what if your kids found a way to get around all of your parental controls? What if they could fake their location so that you didn’t know where they were? As technology evolves, so do the ways that kids try to get around its protections. One big way that’s becoming popular is to use a VPN. “What is a VPN?” you might ask. And what does a VPN hide?
What is a VPN?
VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. People use VPNs to mask their IP addresses — the network makes it look like they’re in a different location, which makes it harder for other users to uncover their identity. It also encrypts all incoming and outgoing data so that it can’t be read by anyone else — especially people who want to exploit it for personal gain.
Who should use a VPN?
The original purpose of a VPN was to allow a remote worker to safely connect to a corporate network when they couldn’t trust the networks in between their home and their office. There are some very specific security purposes that VPNs address in a corporate setting, but for casual users, the encryption that VPN offers is really no better than what most people already enjoy every day without it.
If a site’s address starts with “https,” which is the standard for almost every website today, your data is encrypted just as securely as it would be if you used a VPN. Additionally, most browsers will have a pop-up message that warns you if you’re about to enter an unsecured site.
Why should I care if my child uses a VPN? And what does a VPN hide?
Parental controls that are used to block or restrict content, websites, and apps deny access are based on the IP address of the user. When accessing the internet through a VPN, your filters see a different IP address so it isn’t able to apply the rules. This means that your child can use a VPN to easily bypass the settings you’ve put in place to keep them from accessing restricted content or platforms. Similarly, students can get around their school’s internet restrictions, accessing blocked websites that have inappropriate content or that chew up the entire network’s bandwidth.
How can I figure out if my child is using a VPN?
There are a few ways:
- Use the phone’s search tool and type in “VPN.” This will identify whether any apps that provide a VPN are downloaded onto their device.
- Most phones will display either “VPN,” an icon, or a notification showing that a VPN is in use. (However children who are savvy enough to use a VPN will likely not have it on at all times, so it’s a good idea to spot-check the device when it’s in use.)
How can I prevent my child from using a VPN?
If your child already has a VPN installed, delete it or block it. It is also important to have open conversations about safe internet usage and have clear rules and expectations for the use of technology.
Further information about VPN’s can be found on the esafety website.
Mrs Amanda Middleton
Director of Secondary
Primary Update
Throughout the past two years, EAC has been involved with a pilot program run out of the Australian Independent Schools, that works to develop a whole school framework for wellbeing. As part of this initiative (known as Compass) all Primary and Secondary staff have recently been involved with professional learning here at the College that explored the five Social Emotional Learning competencies:
- Self-management - managing emotions and behaviours to achieve goals.
- Self-awareness - recognising emotions and values as well as strengths and challenges.
- Responsible decision-making - making ethical, constructive choices about personal and social behaviour.
- Relationships skills - forming positive relationships, working in teams, dealing effectively with conflict.
- Social awareness - showing understanding and empathy for others.
These competencies are explored here at school through the PDPHE program, our resilience program Bounce Back and are woven through every interaction and conversation each day. Don’t be surprised if in conversation with your child’s teacher they refer to these competencies and the skills and capabilities attached to each. They may also come in handy at home to highlight your child’s strengths or work on an area in need of attention.
The CASEL website explores these capabilities in the context of family and school connections:
Families are children’s first teachers and essential to promoting social and emotional learning (SEL) throughout a child’s life. When educators and families work together, they can build strong connections with each other that reinforce social and emotional skills developed in the home, in schools, and in their communities.
Through supportive relationships and home environments, families model and practice SEL with their children. As experts in their children’s development, interests, cultures, and strengths, families are also important advocates for SEL at their child’s school. Families and caregivers can also be critical partners in shaping SEL implementation in schools.
Our journey through the Compass program has been extremely rewarding and I look forward to sharing more with you in the months to come.
Peer Support
Week 3
This week in Peer Support the students will identify their strengths. They will explore the following important strengths - curiosity, kindness and teamwork. Through the activities, students will be able to recognise which strengths they possess. They will realise how important it is to use their strengths in different situations. During the week, encourage your child to share their strengths with you.
Primary SRC News
Director of Primary
Friends of EAC AGM 7 June
We will be holding our AGM on 7 June, 2022 at 6:30pm in the Ezzy Centre, if you would like to be part of the Friends Committee or nominate for an executive position please complete the nomination form.
Friends-AGM-Office-Bearers-Nomination-Form-2022
Friends meetings are a great way to learn about school events, general information, school activities, fundraising opportunities and to make new friends. We aim to foster a cooperative, supportive and connected community by creating events where parents and families of our school can come together to have fun fundraising and friend raising.
All Friends Office Bearer positions will be declared vacant at our AGM on Tuesday 7 June, 2022.
Nominations are sought for the following positions:
- President
- Vice President
- Treasurer
- Secretary
- Committee Member (10 required)
For further information please see the nomination form above or contact friends@eac.nsw.edu.au
Mrs Jodie Manning-Hayter
President, Friends of EAC
Can you help?
Help is required in the EAC Canteen 9am - 12pm Monday to Friday. Please email Christine at chall@eac.nsw.edu.au if you are able to help.
Online Canteen Ordering
We are excited to be able to offer online Canteen ordering via the 'School Stream' app. View and select from the canteen menu by clicking on Canteen. This will bring up the canteen order form where you will be able to enter the child's details and select desired items from the dropdown lists under the relevant headings and pay. You will be prompted to tick which break you require your selection for.
All online orders must be completed and submitted prior to 8.45am on the day they are required, to enable Canteen staff enough time to prepare and distribute orders.
Manual Canteen Ordering
If you are unable to use the 'School Stream' App please place the money in a paper bag of sufficient size to fit all of the items. If you are ordering a drink with your child’s lunch, please provide two (2) bags. Please write the information on the LOWER half of the bag. If money is short we will substitute items to the value received.
REMEMBER, if ordering at both breaks, you must have a separate bag for each break. Any change required will be placed in the bag for return with the child’s order. All orders must be received at the canteen before 9.15am.
Christine Hall - Canteen Supervisor
contact: chall@eac.nsw.edu.au
Community News
