‘Happy the merciful: they shall have mercy shown to them’
Matthew 5:7
From The Principal
Thank you to all the parents who joined us on the evening of Tuesday 9 February for the Friends of EAC Annual General Meeting.
On behalf of the EAC community I wish to formally acknowledge and thank all those involved in the work of Friends throughout 2020 for your commitment, hard work and support of our school community during the extremely disrupted Covid year. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, Friends were unable to actively engage in the wonderful work of both friend and fund raising. Despite this, the Friends Executive continued to meet regularly via Zoom as the year progressed and as we monitored the situation regrading restrictions across our community. A huge thank you to President Jodie Manning-Hayter and the Executive of Greta Kratzer, Alissia Robinson and Vanessa Hansen, who stayed in contact and kept the Friends association going throughout the year.
Friends did make a significant $10,000 donation to the College which contributed to a number of important projects but none more significant than the purchase and training of our Therapy Dog, Amber. Amber has had an enormous impact and was such a valuable contributor to the wellbeing of students throughout the uncertainty created by the pandemic.
Special mention also to Mrs Janet Hale who continued to operate the Second Hand Uniform Shop in a Covid-safe manner to support many families in our community.
Our community is greatly blessed by all that has been undertaken by Friends of EAC over many years and we look forward to revitalising Friends in 2021 which hopefully we be our most successful year yet.
I also wish to thank all those who have put their hand up and volunteered as an Executive or Committee member. Congratulations also to our newly appointed Friends Executive:
President – Jodie Manning-Hayter
Vice President – Carla Barron
Treasurer – Vanessa Hansen
Secretary- TBC (please contact the College or one of the Committee if interested in taking on this role)Committee Members:
Janet Hale
Jane Bond
Janelle Wilson
Elizabeth Dwyer
Gretchen Mercer
Rebecca Wadsworth
Dani Leitch
We look forward to another wonderful year of friendship, fun and fundraising!
On Tuesday 30 March and Wednesday 31 March, the College will host Parent and Teacher meetings for Year 1 through to Year 12. This is an opportunity for families to touch base with class and subject teachers about how the year has begun for each student. Bookings are made through the Parent Lounge. If you are unsure of how to access the Parent Lounge and book an interview, do not hesitate to contact the office. Year 12 will receive their Mid Course Reports and formal feedback at this critical point in their final year of study on the same day.
Mr Robert Tobias
Principal
Off the Deputy's Desk
This week is anti bullying week and the students of the College are involved in a number of educative activities around the issue of bullying. It is an old truism that prevention is often better than the cure and in this case by being proactive and educating our students we hope that we can prevent bullying issues from escalating. Bullying is also covered in the PDHPE syllabus along with the wellbeing lessons that we use to focus on educating our students about how they can all work together to prevent bullying. EAC has a comprehensive policy and flowchart which was reviewed and rewritten in 2019 and feedback was sought from all staff, students and parents to strengthen the policy. We hope to have a very successful National Day of Action Against Bullying this Friday where we will reinforce the message that bullying is not okay.
Next week sees the Secondary students involved in workshops with presenters from Elevate Education. These workshops focus on study skills and the importance of developing good study skills is clear to see. The program is sequential and spiral in nature which means that topics such as time management, note taking, note making, mnemonics, research skills and exam strategies are covered across the Secondary school. Elevate study skills sessions are always highly rated by students when we ask for their feedback and that is why we invest in bringing the presenters back to work with our students.
The term is well and truly past the half way mark and it is important that our students maintain their academic and behavioural stamina for the last few weeks. The finish line for Term 1 is in sight but there is still a lot to be done in the last two and a half weeks. I wish each of our students a successful finish to the term, remembering that success is not always academic nor is success always equated with winning at something. Sometimes personal success only means that small yet significant personal progress has been made in an area of endeavour.
Mr Darren Parks
Deputy Principal
Term 1 Week 4
Monday 22 March
Cross Country Training - 7.30am-8.30am
Elevate Study Skills Workshops - 9.58am-3.08pm - Ezzy Centre
Tuesday 23 March
Elevate Study Skills Workshops - 9.08am-3.08pm - Ezzy Centre
Year 10 Japanese Excursion - 11.00am-1.20pm - Rakuu Japanese Restaurant
Year 10.2 PASS Excursion - 1.30pm-3.00pm - Strike Martial Arts
Wednesday 24 March
NCIS Surfing - All day - Sawtell
Brockington House Breakfast - 8.15am-9.00am
Walker House Chapel - 8.48am - UCA
Thursday 25 March
Smith House Breakfast - 8.15am-9.00am
Purcival House Chapel - 8.48am - UCA
Open Girls Basketball Trials
Year 2 Local area Excursion - 9.00am-3.00pm
Friday 26 March
Cross Country Training - 7.30am-8.30am
Mountain Biking Training Day - 9.00am-3.00pm - New Italy Mountain Bike Tracks
Year 10.1 PASS Excursion - 9.20am-10.40am - Strike Martial Arts
Primary Chapel - 11.48am
Secondary Sport - 1.28pm-3.08pm
Term 1 Week 5
Tuesday 30 March
Years 1-12 Parent Teacher Interviews - 3.30pm-8.30pm - Various locations around EAC
Wednesday 31 March
Years 1-6 Parent Teacher Interviews - 3.30pm-4.30pm
Years 7-12 Parent Teacher Interviews - 3.30pm-6.30pm
Thursday 1 April
Primary Easter Service - 9.08am - PUCA
Secondary Easter Service - 12.08pm - UCA
Term 1 concludes - 3.08pm
Friday 2 April
Good Friday Public Holiday
Sports Update
NCIS Secondary Swimming Championships
Last Thursday we hosted the NCIS Secondary Swimming Carnival at Alstonville. With 14 schools across the region in attendance at the competition, we were pleased to be able to welcome back parents to a sporting event for the first time this year. The EAC team performed very well, finishing first in the percentage point score (points/school size) and second in the overall point score.
Percentage point score: 1st Emmanuel Anglican College, 2nd The Armidale School, 3rd Bishop Druitt College
Overall point score: 1st Bishop Druitt College, 2nd Emmanuel Anglican College, 3rd The Armidale School
Congratulations to Jackson Bond, Lachlan Walker and the Senior Boys relay team (Alastair Miller, Ryan Kernaghan, Hamish Walker and Lachlan Walker) who all broke records on the day.
Well done to the following students who were place getters in their age championships:
Connor McGreevy - 3rd 12 years boys
Ellen Miller - 2nd 14 years girls
Finnigan Robinson - 3rd 14 years boys
Elvis Shakespeare - 2nd 15 years boys
Poppy Robinson - 3rd 16 years girls
Jackson Bond - 1st 16 years boys
Miloš Safranek - 3rd 16 years boys
Alastair Miller - 1st 17 years boys
Lachlan Walker - 1st 18 years boys
Hamish Walker - 3rd 18 years boys
Thank you to our school staff who contributed to the smooth running of this large regional event: Mr Evans, Miss Guest, Miss Craig, Mr Lake, Mrs Payne, Mr Pryor, Mrs Hall and the EAC Maintenance Team. Thank you also to our parents who assisted with timekeeping on the day.
Hayley Oakes Australian Mountain Bike Champion 2021
Bill Turner Cup Football
Last Friday our Under 15 Boys Football played their first round Bill Turner Cup game against Ballina Coast High School. The boys won the game 5-0 with goals from Finn Campbell (2), Cooper Keane (2) and Josh Williams (1). Jack Whitaker played a strong game and was instrumental in setting up goals. Well done boys. The next round is against Xavier College.
On the same day, our Under 15 Girls played a friendly game against Ballina Coast High School. The girls went down 10-1 to a very strong Ballina Coast team. Olivia Carter played very well, improving her skills in goals each game she plays. The girls play their Bill Turner game next week against Byron Bay High School.
Mr Graham Walker
Sport and Coaching Administrator
NCIS Primary Football Tournament Results
On Tuesday 9th March the EAC Primary girls and boys soccer teams made a trip south to Coffs Harbour for the NCIS Primary Football tournament hosted by Bishop Druitt College.
Each team has been training hard over the past 4 weeks with each student's soccer skills and positional game play improving under the guidance and tutelage of soccer coach Wendy Britton and staff. The excitement was building on the bus journey to Coffs Harbour, as the players have been keen to test themselves against the other NCIS soccer teams. After early morning rain the weather quickly cleared into a very hot and humid autumn day that made for energy zapping playing conditions.
The tournament consisted of 2 pools for both the girls and boys teams. The top 2 teams from both pools progressed to the semi finals. After positive wins for the boys in the round games, they progressed into the semi final as the first placed team in their pool. The girls had a tough first game against Lindisfarne only going down 2-0 but they showed positive signs and great team work. The girls won their other pool game and also progressed into the semi final.
The boys won their semi final against Bishop Druitt College convincingly 3-0 in a game where the boys' teamwork was outstanding. The girls team also played Bishop Druitt College in the semi final. It was an entertaining game with both teams having a number of shots on goal, in the end Bishop Druitt College was more accurate in their shooting and won 2-0.
The boys grand final was played in very hot and humid conditions. The boys were up against old rivals Lindisfarne in the grand final. During the final the girls EAC team were making plenty of noise in support of the team which helped the boys push their tired bodies to run hard around the field. EAC had significant possession and a number of opportunities but Lindisfarne were playing well in defence and denied EAC a number of scoring opportunities. However eventually the EAC pressure converted into a goal and then a brilliant second goal header from a corner kick sealed the match, with the boys coming away as victorious winners with a 2-0 final score line.
A huge congratulations to all of the boy players who are the 2021 NCIS Boys Football champions!
Congratulations to Sport Team members Randall Evans, Heidi Craig and specialist soccer coach Wendy Britton for assisting with coaching the NCIS teams and taking the teams to the tournament. Special thanks to Malia Storey and Meagan Kelvin for helping with training and inter school games.
EAC Sport Team
Secondary News
It's Anti-Bullying Week this week, but do we still need it?
Did you know that bullying is one of the biggest challenges facing people below the age of 18 right now? Yet there's still a few myths that suggest it's "just part of growing up" or the rhetoric that tells those who experience bullying to "just ignore it". But in 2020, one in four young people have been bullied and this has increased by 25% since last year.
This week, in commendation of Anti Bullying Week, we're asking - do we still need it? Here are nine reasons why the answer is a massive yes.
1. Going through bullying can feel lonely, crappy and isolating
Anti Bullying Week sends a clear and much needed message to anyone who is currently suffering at the hands of bullying: you are most certainly not alone. Whilst it feels lonely and dark sometimes, help is available. It reminds students that the College has a process that is also in their diary and support is at hand.
2. Bullying is one of the biggest issues facing young people today
More students have experienced bullying than haven't, with 59% or 2.3 million students nationally saying they have experienced bullying, with one in five experiencing it weekly (20%). Four in five students recognise the seriousness of the issue of bullying, with 80% saying it's a problem in their school, and 20% saying it is an extremely or very serious problem.
3. Because the impacts can't be ignored
You think bullying is "just part of growing up"? How about depression, anxiety, suicide, self harm and eating disorders? Are those things part of growing up too - because these are all very real impacts of bullying.
4. It's literally impossible to "ignore it"
Telling people to ignore the abuse they receive sends a very clear message - withdraw from your emotions and allow the abuse to continue. It is literally impossible to not be impacted by persistent bullying.
5. The internet makes it easier than ever to be abusive
It's no secret that the internet dehumanises us all and researchers have known for a long time that people find it easier to be abusive towards something that they consider to be less than human. Throw anonymity into the mix and there's a perfect storm for online abuse.
6. Bullying isn't old news
Contrary to popular belief, bullying is not an outdated thing but in fact, it is a very current issue that loads of people are going through right now.
7. Anti bullying week raises crucial awareness
By raising awareness of the catastrophic effects that bullying can have, we can help those most affected by it.
8. And provides a forum for those who need it
Talking about bullying can be tough and may feel embarrassing and Anti Bullying Week provides a safe forum to talk about these issues.
9. Anti Bullying Week opens the door to talking about the root issues
Anti Bullying Week allows us to raise awareness to the work we do with those who bully to become better, happier and more understanding people instead of villainising them. In doing so, we can overcome bullying altogether.
Article adapted "Do we still need anti bullying week?" by Ditch the Label, November 2020
Year 12 Writing Workshop
Last week, both Year 12 English Standard and Advanced classes were privileged to have published author Sarah Armstrong come to speak to us about creative writing. She taught us skills on free writing and short stories, and we then put these skills into action by free writing for 10 minutes at a time, without stopping. Bronte and Luke shared their amazing, well-written short stories and Sarah gave them very good, constructive feedback. She has taught us very important techniques that will help us immensely in our upcoming assessment task, as well as the HSC exams at the end of the year. As a year group, we would all like to thank Sarah and Mrs Holmes for this amazing opportunity and Ms McLintock for sharing the experience with us.
Sofia Ribechini
Nihongo News!
Year 8 Japanese had a visit from Ayako Sensei this week. Ayako has been helping our HSC students with the conversation skills for the last few weeks. She also dropped in to give Year 8 the opportunity to practice speaking in Japanese. We thank you Ayako Sensei for coming to the Japanese classroom. We really miss our visitors from Japan!
Mrs Brigette Campbell
Leader of Purcival House
Friday afternoon sport - flathead for dinner?
Primary Update
Bullying No Way Day
This Friday marks the National Day of Action Against Bullying. As a Primary school we are marking this occasion with a presentation by Backflips Against Bullying that I featured in last week's newsletter, a poster competition and extra activities and strength-based discussions in our classrooms this week around inclusion, positive relationships and friendship.
This week I'd like to share with you an extract from an article by the founder of the World Tour of Friendship Taku Mbudzi, around simple ways to make friends. You may like to share this article with your children or take some simple tips yourself! I particularly like the last tip of being your own friend first and will emphasise this point at our special assembly this Friday.
1. Smile and say hello
A happy smile is the best way to introduce yourself to anyone. A smile knows no language barrier and is an instant way of saying hello on the playground, in maths class, on the bus - wherever! When you smile at others it shows that you are a friendly person and it makes it much easier for people to say hello.
2. Ask a friend to introduce you
If you are the new person in school, it is understandable that you will not know everybody on the first day. If you only know one person, you can ask them to introduce you to their friends. Your friend circle can grow much quicker because you will be introduced to people with similar interests.
3. Tell a story
As you meet new people, tell them stories of interesting things that have happened to you. Stories are great ways to share your interests, the adventures you have been on and what you are looking forward to. As you swap stories, you may find many things in common.
4. Visit a new place
It is very comfortable staying in the same place eg staring at the walls in your bedroom. What if you went to the zoo? Or the park? Or down to the beach for an ice cream? When you go exploring new places you may meet fellow explorers who like the things you do too!
5. Volunteer to help others
Are there ways that you can volunteer your time and talents to help others? Does your school have opportunities for student volunteers? Many beautiful friendships can form from volunteering with people who are kind and thoughtful. You may also form friendships with those you are helping eg children in hospital, the elderly or even pets at the rescue shelter.
6. Try a new activity or hobby
Playing a team sport or joining an activity group is a great way to make friends. Do you paint? Do you like to dance? Are you a budding inventor? The best bit about joining hobby or activity groups is that you can do what you enjoy and be around people with similar interests.
7. Make something for somebody
Kindness is an important trait of good friendship. It is wonderful when people are kind to us - but how can we be kind to others? Making small things for people is one way to show you care about them eg you can make a small card to cheer someone up, perhaps you can make a friendship bracelet, maybe you could write them a song? People will appreciate your thoughtfulness and that's what will make them want to hang out with you.
8. Ask for help
It is very normal to have times when you are stuck, are feeling down or overwhelmed. You have to be brave enough to ask someone for help. That gives them the opportunity to show you kindness and to be there for you.
9. Be friends with your family
It might sound crazy, but you can be friends with the people in your family. Do you and your siblings have fun activities you do together that involve other people? Have you asked your parents how they make friends? It is important to talk to your family about friendship because they will always be there for you, even when it feels like you have no other friends.
10. Be your own friend first
Spend some time alone working out the things you are interested in. What are your hobbies? What makes you laugh? What do you like about yourself? Knowing and liking yourself will make it easier for you to choose the right type of friends. The last thing you need is people who will pick on you and do not accept you as you are.
Mr Wayne Cross
Director of Primary
はる が きた
Haru ga kita
Spring has come ... to Japan!
To celebrate this special Japanese season full of cherry blossom (sakura) festivals and flower viewing (hana-mi) parties, Years 3 and 4 collaborated on a crepe paper cherry blossom tree, while Year 5 and 6 extended themselves by making sakura fans and decorating them with Japanese script.
Suteki desu ne (aren't they wonderful?)
Mrs Jennifer Buddee
International Program Coordinator
Primary Japanese Teacher
Foundation Day - The Mini Fair
Teddy Bears' Picnic
Second Hand Uniform Shop
The EAC second hand uniform shop is open every Tuesday between 2:30pm to 3:30pm in the Ezzy Centre, during school term.
All donations are greatly appreciated and can be left at the office at any time. This service is coordinated by Friends of EAC and money raised is used to support various activities, resources and events within the College.
Please note the second hand uniform shop is cash only.
Canteen
Confused about how much your child's sandwich should cost? Here are some examples to help make sure you send the correct amount of money with your child's lunch order.
Start with your sandwich base, then add fillings, don't forget to add extra for toasting or if you'd like your sandwich on a roll rather than bread.
Ham | $3.10 | Tuna with mayo & lettuce | $4.10 | ||
Tomato | + | $0.30 | Tomato | + | $0.30 |
Cheese | + | $0.30 | on a Roll | + | $0.70 |
Toasted | + | $0.70 | = | $5.10 | |
= | $4.40 |
Salad | $4.60 | Chicken and mayo | $4.10 | ||
Mayo | + | $0.30 | Lettuce | + | $0.30 |
on a roll | + | $0.70 | Cheese | + | $0.30 |
= | $5.60 | = | $4.70 |
Canteen Menu 2021
Please note that items change in price from time to time. If correct money has not been provided, the item will be substituted for an item of the monetary value provided.
Secondary Student Orders
All orders MUST be placed at the canteen by 9.15am each morning, bags can be provided if required.
Primary Student Orders
All orders must be placed in the classroom tub at the start of the day so they can be received at the Canteen before 9.15am. Late orders will only receive an emergency lunch.
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 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.
FIRST BREAK BAG 1: Name, Teacher, PC Class, First Break Order
Sue Smith, Mrs Kelvin 4B
First Break
1 Pie
FIRST BREAK BAG 2: Name, Teacher, PC Class, First Break Order
Sue Smith, Mrs Kelvin 4B
First Break
1 Orange Juice
1 Juice Tube
SECOND BREAK: Name, Teacher, PC Class, Second Break Order
Sue Smith, Mrs Kelvin 4B
Second Break
1 Mini Fingerbun
1 Snap Stix
Any change required will be placed in the bag for return with the child's order for Second Break.
Christine Hall
Canteen Supervisor