HouseNews

We are at that point of Term when students should be at their most productive and focusing on the requirements and expectations placed upon them, and the goals each student has set for themselves. In particular, our Year 12 students must be engaged fully with their subject provisions.

I know the level to which every Year 12 teacher has provided countless opportunities for study, revision and extra activities and classes. There is no excuse for delay in really knuckling down and the days are ticking down to both the Trials in Term 3 and then the final home stretch. Whilst the Staff are giving their all, we need full cooperation from families to support students in complementing what is being asked in class.  

As I shared with the Secondary School at Assembly last Friday, the varied nature of performances, notices, and reports demonstrated once more in this Assembly, shows how diverse we are as a student body. There is something for everyone at Pittwater House. And I want every student every day to feel there are boundless possibilities awaiting them. So much of this comes down to our School culture where the growth of our students is all encompassing, as they are nurtured in all domains of their lives. The way we operate in our School influences all we do, and all we are, for our successes and the way our students see their future as they walk across the stage for the final time as graduating Year 12 students, to take their place in halls of tertiary learning and workplaces, personify the approach we take each day.  It comes down to the way we communicate both in writing and in the spoken word, it is the behaviours exhibited and the way we are seen; the so-called visual images; these elements comprise our culture. And I continue to feel great pride in each of these elements.

And in this season when I am interviewing for scholarships for students both entering Pittwater House, and continuing their journey here, I am delighted at the determination of students to give back to the School, and to gain from all that is on offer. Seeing students who have joined us and are now seeking to be rewarded for their considerable effort, both in and external to the classroom, is so exciting. There is great talent amongst our students. Wonderful times are ahead for us all to develop further the pride we have in our students and community. I feel that the past year, rather than being seen as a negative force in education through the challenges of remote learning technology, has in fact, supported new and exciting ways of operating. Our requirement to make the best out of technology and to look to greater investment in student agency, is a force for a positive and exciting future.

May you and your family accept your role in continuing to develop our onward journey.

PHPA Mothers' Day Lunch

The memories of our 2021 Mothers' Day lunch at Long Reef Golf Club, will linger for those of us fortunate enough to be present. I was delighted that this special event on the Annual PHPA Calendar could take place again after the 2020 hiatus.

Special thanks to the PHPA Committee and to the support from our Network parents to gather such a generous and enticing set of raffle gifts. I shall leave it to the PHPA to announce the final profit figure!

As we are progressing through the term, we are starting to see an increase in the numbers of students presenting to school with cold and/or flu symptoms. An increasing number of students are being sent home each day by our Health Centre. Therefore, this is a reminder that it is essential all families keep their children at home if they have cold or flu symptoms. NSW Health have stated that people with coronavirus may experience symptoms such as:

• fever
• respiratory symptoms
• coughing
• sore throat
• shortness of breath

Other symptoms can include runny nose, acute blocked nose (congestion), headache, muscle or joint pains, nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, loss of sense of smell, altered sense of taste, loss of appetite and fatigue.

Therefore, please assist us in preventing the spread of these symptoms amongst our school population by ensuring students with these symptoms do not attend school. Students presenting with these symptoms will be sent home, however, we would rather be proactive about this and ensure students who are unwell do not arrive at school until their symptoms are gone. Students with these symptoms, should also comply with NSW Health advice and get a COVID test.

Years 10 to 12 students who have assessment tasks due are also reminded that this is not a reason to come to school when they are sick. They need to stay home until they have recovered from their symptoms, complete an assessment appeal form with appropriate documentation and communicate with their teacher via email to arrange a new date to complete the task.

Hopefully by following these rules we can reduce the number of students and staff at Pittwater House who get sick and have to isolate themselves from school. 

This term’s charity that the prefect team has chosen to support is ‘Wayside Chapel’. Wayside operates a range of services, that offers programs and spaces that see everyone as a person to be met rather than a problem to be solved. Some of the services they provide include referrals for crisis accommodation, weekly onsite health and counselling clinics, personalised care-coordination and meeting spaces for self-help, etc. Wayside Chapel has provided unconditional care and support to people around the streets of Sydney for decades, therefore we would love to come together as a school in order to give back to them for all the work they have done for others. 

The way in which we plan to do so, is by creating Winter Care Packs for those in need, as it begins to get colder! The following year groups have been assigned certain items in order to donate, we would really appreciate your involvement.

Year 7: Large Shampoos and Conditioners

Year 8: Skin Care (Moisturiser, Lip Balm, Face Wipes)

Year 9: Razors and Shaving Cream

Year 10: Large Body Soap

Year 11: Instant Coffee, Bottled Water, Opal Cards, Woolworth’s Gift Cards. 

If you want to help even further, why not give your wardrobe a winter clean! 

We would really appreciate any donations of hoodies, track suit pants or jeans that are no longer in use. 

Another way in which you can help is by buying women's and men’s underwear (medium-large). 

There will be multiple boxes at Reception for collection of these items.

Thank you so much for your consistent support - Happy Donating!

Year 6 students were given the opportunity to build on their strengths and pursue personal interests and passions in a project-based learning experience, The Passion Project.  The students became agents in their learning as they shaped and drove the questions or topics they wanted to address, the processes they wanted to follow, and the nature of the products of their work. The students used their passions to make a difference in their community both locally and globally.  Aimee is passionate about Sports and set her sights on collecting pre-loved sports gear and re-distributing it to less privileged communities in the Pacific Islands so that they could enjoy and excel in Sport.  She partnered with the Regean Foundation and reached out to schools, clubs and Facebook groups to expand her reach and managed to raise almost half a tonne of sports gear. Sophie channelled her love for sewing into designing and making practical and economical clothing for young girls in Nigerian orphanages. Elsa relished her love of creative writing to publish a children’s book that demystified COVID-19 for younger audiences in an entertaining and humorous manner. The Passion Project has encouraged the students to use their strengths and passions to inspire positive change in the community in innovative ways and to motivate others to do the same.

On Tuesday of last week, two of the Year 12 Economics students, Daniel and Anfisa, attended the Federal Budget at Parliament House in Canberra. The students were recipients of the Northern Beaches Economics Prize 2021 awarded by the Member for MacKellar, Jason Falinksi. The Minister’s office gave generously of their time during a period that is arguably their busiest day of the year! As such, the students were given an extraordinary insight into what goes on behind the scenes in preparing and presenting a federal budget. They met and discussed current issues with several ministers including the Minister for Finance, Simon Birmingham, The Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Housing, Michael Sukkar and the Assistant Minister for Waste Reduction and Environmental Management, Trevor Evans. The students were able to ask questions of these Ministers that related to what they are learning in the economics classroom and receive honest and frank responses which highlighted successes and issues the Government faces in delivering policy in such interesting times. The students were spellbound from the time we arrived to when we departed, initially from the energy of budget time, but subsequently from the calibre of the people they met, which will inspire them to work hard during their time at school (and beyond) and choose a career that is challenging and fulfilling. As Anfisa stated “this is the highlight of my life”. Finally, it would be remiss of me to not mention the ‘selfie’ we took in the lift with the Deputy Prime Minister, Michael McCormack, minutes after the budget ended!

Year 7 History have been learning about Ancient Egyptian burial practices and some classes have had a terrific hands-on experience mummifying some fruit and veg! Miss Sutton performed mummification on green beans. Students were required to remove some of the peas from inside the bean to represent the organs removed from the body, beans were placed in salt and bicarb, representing the drying Natron salt and left for a few days. After the drying process, students washed their bean and wrapped it in bandages whilst reciting a prayer from the Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead. The wrapped bean mummies were then placed inside a coffin and then a sarcophagus with a decorated lid. The students said they feel confident that their properly mummified beans will reach the afterlife! 

On Friday of Week 4, English teacher Mrs Valentine received a beautiful farewell from her Year 12 Advanced English class. We wish Mrs Valentine well as she leaves us for a time to start the adventure of motherhood, and look forward to her return.

Pittwater House now offers an Afterschool Swim Program on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 4.00 to 5.30pm in the School Pool. Information has been placed on Skoolbag. For further information, please contact Bernadette Johnson on: 0422 500 050 or email:

CRICKET

Manly Cup Cricket T20 – Opens

Nominations Due 1 August 2021

Please let the Sports Office know if you would like to play Cricket in the Manly Cup Interschool Competition. It will be a Gala Day format at Nolan’s Reserve. There will be 2 Gala days one in Mid-October and one in Mid-November with Finals and Grand Finals being played in Term 1 in 2022. This is for Boys and Girls 16 years and over.

Manly Shield Cricket T20 – U15

Nominations Due 1 August 2021

Please let the Sports Office know if you would like to play Cricket in the Manly Shield Interschool Competition. It will be a Gala Day format at Nolan’s Reserve. There will be 2 Gala days one in Mid-October and one in Mid-November with Finals and Grand Finals being played in Term 1 in 2022. This is for Boys and Girls 15 Years and Under (Senior School only).

NETBALL

Spring Competition

If you would like to play netball for Pittwater House in our newly formed Pittwater House Netball Club for the Spring Comp commencing 12 October 2021, please let the Sports Office know. We would like to fill the following teams:

• Under 9
• Under 10
• Under 11
• Under 12
• Under 13
• Under 14
  
• Under 15
• Cadets
• Seniors

If your current club is not entering teams and you would like to play with your school friends in a Pittwater House team or would like to play a new sport, please let the Sports Office know.

RUGBY

Peninsula Cup Rugby 7s Junior School

Nominations Due 1 June 2021

Please let the Sports Office know if you would like to play Rugby 7s for Pittwater House in a local Interschools Competition.

Proposed Day: Mondays

Proposed Dates: 26 July / 9 August / 23 August / 6 September

Proposed Format: Sevens Crossfield; 3 games each afternoon

Proposed Location: North Narrabeen Reserve

Divisions: Year 3/4, Year 5/6 Boys, Year 5/6 Girls

Please let the Sports Office know by 1 June if you would like to play in this competition. 

Athletics

Congratulations to Isla (C10), who had a busy few days at the Australian Track and Field Championships in April. She came away with U17 Bronze for Discus and Shot Put as well as Gold and National U17 Champion for Long Jump and Javelin. Isla also came 12th in the Shot-Put Opens where she broke her previously set Australian Record throwing a PB with a 3kg shot put of 5.68 metres and she came 7th in the Opens long jump.

This was following her performance at NSW State Champs where she got Gold and NSW U17 State Champion for Javelin and Long jump and Silver for Discus and Shot put. Well done Isla.

Baseball

Congratulations to Ryan (G9), who has been selected into the NSW Baseball Under 14 side that will be touring Perth, the Gold Coast and Auckland from 24/06/2021 to 07/07/2021, playing games / matches in each of those cities. Congratulations Ryan.

Hockey

Through the April school holidays the U15 Australian national hockey tournament was held and Lukas (G8), represented NSW in the Blues team playing against teams including Queensland, WA, and South Australia. All states had teams represented and the Hockey Australia tournament for U18 was held concurrently in Launceston.

Whilst Lukas was the youngest (at 13) in the U15 team, he was nominated Vice-Captain, with the goalie as captain. Lukas led the team on in every game and enjoyed the leadership role and responsibilities with the coaches, physios and manager. 

Lukas noted that the role required him to have full grasp on the game details and to direct throughout the game. The tournament was 9 days and held in Bathurst and with only 1 game a day over 6 paying days, there was plenty of time for training, video analysis and team bonding – with a daily circuit of Mt Panorama on the way to the fields from the team’s hotel. Given the Covid19 restrictions on sporting events for all of us through 2020, it’s good to see we’re able to continue with selections for the NSW teams and hopefully nationals again in the next year. Well done and congratulations Lukas.

Judo

Congratulations to Ellis (G10), who will be competing at the Judo Nationals on the Gold Coast as part of the NSW state team next month. Over the next few weeks in the lead up to Nationals, Ellis will be undertaking some rigorous training in preparation for the competition which is being held over the long weekend 11-14th June. Good luck Ellis.

Netball

On Friday 7 May, Sonia and Aaleyah (J5), represented Pittwater House in the HICES U12 Netball Team at Homebush. The girls played 7 very tough games against all Associations in the CIS Pathway. Both girls showed great sportsmanship, skill and determination on the day. Well done girls, it was great to watch you play and develop your skills throughout the day.

Tennis

Congratulations to Amy (J6), who led the CIS girls' team to victory at the PSSA Tennis Championships in Newcastle.

The girls won their pool, then played off for a place in the final against a tough Mackillop team, with CIS coming away with the win. Both the boys and the girls CIS teams won (our Manager Sue Watts was very happy). CIS were also presented with the Don Moon Trophy for the highest combined region/association point score.

Topping off the event, Amy was selected in the NSWPSSA State Tennis Team for 2021 to represent NSW Nationally (only 7 girls and 7 boys were selected). It does appear (due to COVID) the National Bruce Cup Tennis event may not go ahead this year, but Amy was still presented with her uniform, a team photo taken, recorded as being a member of the selected team and possibly the chance to compete sometime this year. Well done Amy. 

Da Vinci Decathlon

The Da Vinci Decathlon is an academic competition designed to challenge and stimulate the minds of school students.

Students compete in teams of eight across 10 disciplines: engineering, mathematics, code breaking, art and poetry, science, English, ideation, creative producers, cartography, and legacy.

Pittwater House entered a team in each of the grades 5-10 this year. I was impressed with the pride and integrity students displayed throughout the competition. It was a lot of fun collaborating with teammates and competing against 150 schools in the various challenges on offer. Let us congratulate our students for rising to this challenge with such dedication and enthusiasm.

Results from the competition:

Year 6

Placed 6th in Art and Poetry

Placed 9th in Cartography

Placed 12th in Legacy

Year 8

Placed 5th in Art and Poetry

Placed 13th in Creative Producers

Placed 4th in Engineering

Year 9

Placed 4th in Art and Poetry

Year 10

The team consisted of Angelina and Ruby and placed 3rd in Engineering

The team consisted of: Ruby and Rory and placed 3rd in Creative Producers

Senior School Ethics Olympiad NSW

The following students participated in the Senior School Ethics Olympiad NSW on Monday 17th May: Isla, Angelina, Ruby, Maya and Jaime.

An Ethics Olympiad is a competitive yet collaborative event in which students analyse and discuss real-life, timely, ethical issues. An Ethics Olympiad differs from debate in that students are not assigned opposing views; rather, they defend whatever position they believe is right and win by showing that they have thought more carefully, deeply, and perceptively about the cases in question.

Experience shows that this type of event encourages and helps students develop ethical awareness, critical thinking skills, civil discourse, civic engagement, and an appreciation for diverse points of view.

Our students were dedicated and committed to preparing the 15 ethical cases in advance of the day, and they performed very well on the day. Congratulations to all involved!

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