TERM21NO
NO33
TERM
Enrichment and Inspiration
Educational Thinking: Sir Ken Robinson and Carol Dweck
In this week’s Newsletter editorial, following, Director of
Studies - in Residence, Ms Janene van Gogh, draws on the
work of Sir Ken Robinson and Carol Dweck, international
researchers, authors and speakers whose ideas are strongly
influencing 21st century approaches in Schools.
From: Ms Janene van Gogh,
Director of Studies - in Residence
Teachers are like Farmers
Sir Ken Robinson speaks about personal growth as being
cyclical, as opposed to linear. He notes that, at any point in
our lives, we continue to grow and develop depending on the
conditions - and teachers, in his opinion, are like farmers: ‘A
farmer creates the conditions that will allow his plants to grow;
he cannot force the plant to grow, only provide the optimal
conditions for this to happen. In the same way, teachers must
provide the conditions for students to mature and progress in
their learning. He states that teachers have the power and
the duty to create the best conditions for students to flourish.’
Carol Dweck, similarly, discovered, after years of research on
achievement and success, the notion of a ‘growth mindset’.
With a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic
abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work;
5 March
2014
29
April 2010
brains and talent are just the starting points. This view
creates a love of learning and the resilience that are essential
for accomplishment.
Teachers are responsible for providing teaching and learning
programmes that stimulate and inspire students to engage in
learning. By providing an environment in which students feel
supported, challenged and confident to take risks, we provide
the conditions for students to ‘grow’. Assessment provides
checkpoints for teachers to adjust the learning conditions
where necessary. As assessment tasks are completed and
returned, the feedback that is given to students provides
opportunity for examining what was done well, what areas
could be improved and recommendations for future learning.
To achieve educational goals and become successful
learners, confident and creative individuals, and active and
informed citizens is the collective responsibility of all:
students, families, schools and their ‘farmers’.
Editor’s note: Both Robinson and Dweck believe that the
‘right school culture’ requires dedicated teachers working
effectively with students and for parents the messages are
equally powerful. A commentator on Robinson’s work wrote:
‘Parents are given seeds (children) to nurture and grow into
healthy plants. Some Parents know what the good farmer
and good teacher know - they are always observing their
children, trying to understand them, willing to learn how a
child develops, remaining flexible, and changing conditions
when it is needed to ensure growth. In the end, one's goal
as a parent is to create an environment that is uniquely
assembled to help a child blossom...a parent’s goal is to
become a good farmer.
Frensham Open Day
Many parents and visitors generously expressed warm
appreciation for the welcome offered by students and staff
at last Saturday’s Frensham Open Day, one visitor noting
‘despite the rain, there was a strong sense of spirit on
campus.’ Mrs Trish Symons, Director of Language Arts,
has spoken last week to the School about the idea of being
‘a teacup in a storm’ (as opposed to the familiar metaphor of
‘creating a storm in a teacup’) and her cleverly structured
challenge resonated throughout the wet afternoon, as girls
rose to meet the highest expectations of self-management
and shared leadership. In fact, the level of interest and
attendance by visitors meant that Year 10 Tour Guides were
as busy as in previous years – and the full programme
proceeded as published.
Staffing
We are pleased to welcome this week, Mrs Colleen Relf, B
Arts, Dip Ed (Macquarie), Grad Dip Ed Studies (UNE), Grad
Cert TESOL as Registrar, working with Mrs Joy Stewart.
Mrs Relf has moved from her position as Director of
Academic Wellbeing at MLC School in Sydney. Mrs Relf is
also involved this term in support of senior studies, through
afternoon and evening sessions in the Esther Tuckey
Library.
Acknowledgement to:
 All who contributed as hosts to visitors on Frensham’s
Open Day. In addition to those visiting the campus for
the first time, we were also pleased to welcome parents
to the full weekend programme, including the Dinner for
parents of new students, the Sunday Service and
Concert and the Year 7/8 picnic;
 Hosts for the Welcome Dinner to parents of students
new to Gib Gate and Frensham: members of the WWS
Board, Foundation Board, Gib Gate and Frensham
Advisory Committees and staff, for their time and warm
welcome as table hosts;
 Dominic O’Shannessy (Year 6), on his selection as
captain of the NSW CIS Boys’ Cricket team, as well as
his nomination as Junior Sportsman of the Year at the
Berrima District Sports Awards;
 The Frensham Swimming team on their success in the
Southern Highlands Twilight Carnival. (See Age
Championship results in the Sport Report);
 Paige Wilson (Year 9), awarded a NSW CIS Medallion
for her outstanding achievements in 2013;
 The Year 12 Community Service team raising $979 for
the Rural Fire Service from last week’s Mufti Day;
Frensham’s Permanent Collection – Esther Tuckey Library
Drawn to the attention of visitors to Open Day, the
Collection stands at 150 items with works by 46 of our
currently identified 62 authors and illustrators represented.
Some of the 150 are in constant use and are therefore in
our general collection on the open shelves and the rest are
on display in the glass shelves, built specifically for the Old
Girl and current of former Staff Collection.
Our youngest Old Girl author represented in the collection is
Kate Scott (2006 leaver) whose children’s picture book My
Mum was written and illustrated as her Design and
Technology major work that year.
Henrietta Drake-Brockman (cohort of 1919) is one of the
earliest Old Girl publications, according to our records. We
have two of her later books: Fatal Days (1947) and Voyage
To Disaster (1963) a biography of the Batavia's captain
Francisco Pelsaert.
Works range from illustrated books for young people, to
novels, biographies, autobiographies, histories, collections
of poems and collections of photographs.
Ahead:
Gib Gate & Frensham
 Wednesday 5 March – IPSHA Swimming Carnival,
Homebush Aquatic Centre
 Thursday 13 March – Fun Swimming Carnival (K-2),
Bowral Pool
Frensham:
 Monday 10 March – Singapore Information Evening
We are grateful to Mr and Mrs Hill (Sophie, Year 10 and
Phoebe, Year 8) for hosting an Information Evening for
Frensham in their home, in Singapore, next Monday
evening.
This year, the international student community at
Frensham comprises students from Switzerland, New
Guinea, Singapore and Hong Kong and the Head of
International Students, Edwina Preston has been
extremely helpful in preparing notes for me about how
boarding at Frensham feels for this group of our longestdistance boarders.
We have more than thirty guests attending the function
on Monday evening.
 Friday 14 March – IGSSA Swimming Carnival,
Homebush Aquatic Centre
Julie A Gillick
Head of Frensham
Head of Winifred West Schools
3
2014 Term Dates Gib Gate and Frensham
Term 1
Gib Gate & Frensham:
Term ends Thursday 10 April, 3pm
Term 2
Gib Gate & Frensham:
Monday 28 April-Thursday 19 June, 3pm
(Boarders return on the evening of Sunday 27 April)
Term 3
Gib Gate & Frensham:
Tuesday 15 July-Thursday 18 September 3pm
(Boarders return on the evening of Monday 14 July)
Term 4
Gib Gate: Wednesday 8 October-Friday 5 December 3pm
Frensham: Wednesday 8 October-Sunday 7 December
12.30pm (after 11am Carol Service)
(Boarders return on the evening of Tuesday 7 October)
2014 Frensham Parent Weekends Ahead
Year 10
Year 8
Year 12
Year 11
Year 9
Saturday 22-Sunday 23 March
Saturday 17-Sunday 18 May
Saturday 31 May-Sunday 1 June
WWS 101st Birthday Friday 30 May
Saturday 2-Sunday 3 August
Saturday 3 August – Year 10 Senior
Studies (with parents)
Saturday 23-Sunday 24 August
Advisory Committees
Welcome Dinner
Guests at the Welcome Dinner on Saturday night expressed
appreciation for what was a most enjoyable evening. This
function launches our year of activities and always provides
a good opportunity for parents of new students to meet
other parents in their child’s cohort. Tables are hosted by
Governors and members of the Foundation Board,
Frensham and Gib Gate Advisory Committees, and Staff. It
is always impressive to see so many members of our
community prepared to support this evening in offering a
warm welcome to parents of new students.
As reported by Ms Gillick at the Service on Sunday morning,
construction of the Centenary Pool is proceeding and it is
still on track for completion by early November this year.
The response to the various appeals and fund-raising
events has so far been outstanding. However, funds are still
needed to complete the final phase of the Centenary Pool
project and Foundation would like you to consider offering
your support.
Donate online
It is possible to make a donation to the WWS Foundation
online. To make an online donation, follow the link on the
Home Page of the Frensham website.
2014 Frensham Advisory Committee Contacts
Mrs Georgy Alker
Mrs Pip Crichton
Mr Ben Cruikshank (Chair)
Mr Robert Dulhunty
Mrs Helen Gooden
Mrs Katrina Graves
Mrs Sam Hickson
Mrs Meredith Munro
Mrs Judy Newton
Mr John Penton
Mr Jonathan Purvis
Mrs Melody Talbot
Mrs Jane Woods (Sec)
tarnuk.alker@bigpond.com
pipcrichton@bigpond.com
cruikshank@bigpond.com
dulhuntyrv7@bigpond.com
jwhgooden@bigpond.com
graves@jkg.net.au
jshickson@bigpond.com
meromunro@bigpond.com
judy.newton5@bigpond.com
jbpenton@tpg.com.au
jonathan@bigdutchman.com
melody@talbotnet.com
woodsfarming@bigpond.com
For information about Foundation, please contact Michele
Scamps on 4860 2000 or foundation@frensham.nsw.edu.au
2014 Gib Gate Advisory Committee Contacts
Mrs Rachel Arnott (Chair)
Mrs Caroline Atra
Mr Gil Downes
Mr Stephen Grant
Ms Nyema Hermiston (Sec)
Mrs Sarah Lewis
Mrs Elizabeth Mackie
Mrs Helen Pernice
Mrs Zoe Suttie
(Chair of FOGG)
rachelkarnott@gmail.com
caroline.atra@me.com
gil.downes@neerim.net.au
munropark@mac.com
nyema@bigpond.net.au
sarah.lew@me.com
eamackie@me.com
dandhpernice@bigpond.com
zoeandrobert@bigpond.com
Ranier Uniform Shop
REVISED TRADING HOURS – TRIAL for TERM 1 2014
Mondays and Thursdays 12noon-5.00pm
Shop Manager Mrs Cherie Heard
To order goods, please call the Shop:
(02) 4860 2136 [BH]
frensham@ranier.com.au
4
Head of Gib Gate
Curiosity is alive and well at Gib Gate with questions
abounding and experiments in full swing during the first term
Science units. Students and teachers are exploring the
Earth and its surroundings and Year 5 students are involved
in long-term planning for ‘Gib Gate Science Week’ which will
coincide with National Science week in August. (Please see
more detail regarding the Term 1 Science programme in
Mrs Chauncy’s Curriculum Highlights section below.)
Science education at Gib Gate is a core component of the
curriculum, with all classes from Preschool to Year 6
learning about scientific inquiry and scientific method
through engagement with topics that explore the Physical
and Living World, Chemistry, Physics and the Earth and the
Solar System. Each unit is designed to elicit students’ prior
knowledge and build upon existing knowledge to develop
scientific concepts and understandings. All of the units are
hands-on, with the students’ conducting experiments and
learning how to generate questions for investigation, how to
conduct ‘fair tests’, how to record and use the data they find
out to develop hypotheses and how to communicate their
understandings to others.
Encouraging students to use their natural curiosity to work
scientifically is an important goal of primary schooling.
Professor Ian Chubb, Chief Scientist of Australia, is
advocating that the Federal Government adopt a strategic
plan to improve Australia's performance in Science,
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. A key aspect of
his recommendations is the need to improve the overall
quality of science education in schools. International
research tells us that primary-aged students who are
actively engaged and excited by scientific inquiry are more
likely to see the sciences as a possible pathway in
secondary and tertiary education. Primary-aged students
who understand scientific method will also be better
equipped to question information presented as scientific fact,
as well as know how to acquire new knowledge in a logical,
testable manner; these are essential skills in a world where
being scientifically literate is more important than ever.
Parents can play a key role in encouraging the development
of scientific literacy in their children. Listening to science
shows on the radio, reading and questioning science
articles reported in newspapers and showing an interest in
reading reputable science journals and magazines are all
ways you can engage children in current scientific
developments and debates. Observing nature closely and
researching areas of interest with children are highly
engaging activities, as is problem-solving together about
how to conduct experiments in a fair and logical way.
One such source of information to encourage discussion is
an e-book recently published by the Office of the Chief
Scientist called The Curious Country. The results of a
survey asking Australians what they would like to know
more about, what scientific issues concern them and what
discoveries inspire them shaped this book, which takes the
form of a collection of essays about the scientific issues
affecting Australians today.
The Curious Country is available as a free download from
ANU E Press. It is currently available as a pdf, so can be
downloaded and read on your e-book reader, tablet,
computer or mobile phone.
http://www.chiefscientist.gov.au/2013/11/the-curiouscountry/
Director of Teaching and Learning
In November 2013, Mrs Lynn Venish highlighted the quality
of teaching and learning in the Key Learning Area of
Science at Gib Gate by having her article entitled Year 3: A
Fair Test – Plants in Grey Water published in the prestigious
Science Teachers’ Association of NSW professional journal,
Science Education News (Vol 62 No 3). The article
documented the scientific investigation conducted by Year 3
students and taught by Mrs Venish in order to answer their
question: ‘What happens to the growth of plants when the
quality of the water is changed?’
Students conducted the investigation by carrying out a fair
test experiment over a period of four weeks. This involved
each group planting two snow pea plants (of similar size),
using the same amount of soil and planting pot, hydrating
with the same amount of water (50ml), but with one plant
receiving 50ml of a solution of water and a teaspoon of
dishwashing liquid each time it was watered. Each group
used a different kind of soap liquid to find out if all the plants
would respond in the same way to different types of soapy
liquid. Students meticulously recorded and analysed their
data and drew conclusions in relation to their original
hypothesis: that clean water would enable a plant to grow
better. They found that all of the plants which were given
soapy water grew more slowly, and one eventually died,
compared to the plants given clean water. In addition to her
text-based article, Mrs Venish included samples of students’
work and photographs of each stage of the investigation.
From the start of 2014, Gib Gate students and their
teachers have become engrossed in their Term 1 Science
investigations, with Kindergarten to Year 4 units designed
around the Science and Technology strand of The Earth
and Its Surroundings in order to identify ways in which the
environment influences their daily life. Kindergarten
students are investigating ‘Night is a big shadow’, Year 1
‘Weather and our environment’ and Year 2 ‘Shadows’. In
Stage 2 students are identifying features of the solar system
and learning to describe scientifically interactions that affect
conditions on Earth. Year 3 investigate ‘Our Star the Sun’
and Year 4 ‘The Moon’.
5
In Stage 3, Year 5 students are ‘Scientists in Action’ as they
learn to conduct their own investigations in area of specific
interest to them in preparation for the inaugural Gib Gate
Science Fair in August, as part of National Science Week
2014. Students will pose questions about problems in
everyday situations in which they are interested, to form the
basis for further scientific investigation. During lessons,
students will conduct a whole class investigation with their
teacher to provide them with a ‘model’ of the inquiry process
and then will work individually and in teams, using an
investigation planner to plan their own investigation projects
by deciding how they would make their experiment a ‘fair
test’. Throughout, students will maintain scientific journals
and use technology to research and record data. Interested
students who demonstrate highly developed skills will be
invited to join the Gib Gate Science Team and will present
their work at the 2014 Illawarra Science Fair at the
University of Wollongong in November.
As part of their study of ‘Tidal Communities’, Year 6
students will complete their unit of work, early in Term 2,
with an excursion to the Coast and Environment Centre,
Pittwater. The programme will give the students the
opportunity to see weathering and erosion in action,
including observing the geology of the area and how it is
changing by exploring natural and man-made causes and
effects on the headland and finding, comparing and
classifying different rock types and sands using scientific
equipment. Students will investigate the rock platform
firsthand — a challenging environment in which living things
survive — but will discover that it is teeming with life.
Sport
Swimming
The Gib Gate swimming season in the Highlands is almost
at an end and it has been pleasing to have a large number
of students attending early morning squad sessions at
Bowral Pool, with up to 40 children on some days.
The Years 3-6 Swimming Carnival was held at Bowral Pool
last week. There was a high level of enthusiasm from all the
students with the House monitors working hard to inspire
their teams. Jamieson was the dominant House on the day,
taking out overall points for the event.
Following this Carnival, a strong team was selected to
represent Gib Gate at the Southern Highlands Independent
Schools (SHIPS) Carnival which was held at Bowral Pool
last Monday evening. This is a one of three local interschool
events held each year and it is an excellent opportunity for
Gib Gate children to compete and interact with children from
other local independent schools. The team also travelled to
Homebush early on Wednesday morning this week for the
Independent Primary School Heads of Australia (IPSHA)
Carnival.
Mrs Kate Chauncy, Director of Teaching & Learning K-12
and Coordinator of Gifted and Talented Programmes
Bell Shakespeare Company
The Bell Shakespeare tour group, Actors at Work, will visit
Gib Gate on Thursday 13 March. They will present Double
Trouble to the Gib Gate students who did not see it in 2013:
ransition Preschool, Kindergarten and Years 4-6. This is a
perfect introduction to the magic, fun and excitement of
Shakespeare.
Opera Australia
OzOpera will also be at Gib Gate next week for its annual
performance. The group will present a 50-minute, fully
staged version for primary schools of Rossini’s The Barber
of Seville this year. All students from Transition Preschool to
Year 6 will attend the performance.
Premiers Reading Challenge
Gib Gate will launch the whole school’s participation in the
Premier’s Reading Challenge with a Reading Picnic
organised by Mrs Marsh and the Library monitors. Please
advise Mrs Marsh if you do not wish your child to be
registered for this challenge.
Cricket
Last Friday, Dominic O’Shannessy (Year 6) was presented
and congratulated at the School Assembly on his Cricketing
achievements. Dominic travels to the Central coast this
week as captain of the NSW CIS Boys’ Cricket team,
competing at the NSW PSSA carnival. It is rare for a boy
from a regional area to be selected at this level, with
Dominic now in his second year of selection in this team.
We wish him every success as he strives for NSW selection
later in the year. Dominic is also congratulated on his
nomination as Junior Sportsman of the Year at the Berrima
District Sports Awards.
Mr Michael Standen, Coordinator of PE and Sport
Mrs Anne Graham, Gib Gate Coordinator (Administration)
6
Preschool
Reception – The bird nest project continued…
The Reception children have continued their investigation
about birds. Two main questions have been raised: What do
birds eat? Where do birds live? Some of the children’s
responses include:
Birds live in nests. Nests are made out of horse hair,
feathers, bits of hats and ribbons.
Birds eat bread, food and water. This gives them energy
to be able to do stuff.
The Wood School has full enrolments for 2014, which
means a total of twelve students living in-house for the year
and learning the art of fine furniture making.
The children have been on several outdoor walks around
the natural environment surrounding the Preschool and they
have collected and added a variety of birds’ nests and
feathers to the Science area in the Preschool Room. The
reading corner has been stocked with an abundance of
books on birds and their habitats. The children have been
given a wealth of opportunities to engage in bird
investigations, listen to recorded bird ‘songs’ and express
ideas visually through the use of various materials.
Short Courses 2014
Details of Sturt’s popular short courses for next year are
now on the website. The year’s programme includes a wide
variety of weekend courses, plus one-day courses for
absolute beginners. On offer are specialist courses in
woodwork and pottery with Sturt’s visiting residents, pottery
for kids, basketry, tuning and sharpening your tools for
woodwork, project planning, holloware metalwork, Ukranian
Easter Egg making, hebel block sculpture and much more.
(Please see the Sturt website for a full list.)
Transition - Raising tadpoles continued…
The Transition children have been introduced to the idea of a
lifecycle. Living things are born, grow and develop and change
throughout their lives. The children view the frog life cycle
pictures on a daily basis and have determined that the tadpoles
they are raising are now approximately nine weeks old.
They now have back legs and their bodies are much bigger.
The children enjoyed their first Visual Arts lesson in the Gib
Gate Art Room where they made their own frogs.
Ms Kelly Lees, Preschool Teacher
This year, enrolments include full-time, part-time and special
project students and this mix, together with the varied
programme of highly experienced teaching staff, has
contributed to the development of a vibrant atmosphere in
the School. Enrolment enquiries are now invited for 2015 via
the website or by calling 02 4860 2080.
Term Classes 2014
Enrolments are now open for term classes in 2014, with a
limited number of places available. Please contact Sturt
Shop for details on 02 4860 2083.
Winter School 2014: 30 June – 4 July
Sturt’s Winter School provides an opportunity to rug up and
become creative. On offer is an inspiring programme which
includes basketry with Jim Wallis, clay throwing with Les
Blakebrough, sculpture with Vince Vozzo, drawing with
Louise Owen, photography with Don Hildred, painting with
Kim Shannon and much more. The full programme of fifteen
different courses is now on the website (online booking) and
there are accommodation and meals packages as well to
provide the perfect artistic holiday.
Sturt Gallery
Denise Sumner – recent works paintings
Continuing until Sunday 30 March
FRIENDS OF STURT
Joan Dinning (President), Robin Golledge (Secretary), Ruth
Wright (Roster Secretary), Kay Faulkner, Michael Harris, Alan
Matthews, Julie Musgrave, Denise Sumner, Chris Topp
Tools & Techniques Weekend
There were approximately 1,000 visitors to Sturt over the
weekend of 22 and 23 February for the annual celebration
of the tools and techniques of woodwork. This is
undoubtedly an event for the enthusiast with many of
Australia’s best tool makers and suppliers showcasing their
products, plus a programme of demonstrations by renowned
woodworkers and furniture makers. The 2014 students ran
a BBQ which raised important funds to support their end of
year exhibition and a second-hand stall was also a great
success, making some much needed space in our studios.
Sturt School for Wood 2015
Ordinary Extraordinary – contemporary textiles by Dimity
Kidston and Al Munro
Sunday 6 April – Sunday 1 June
Working with ideas of extraordinary moments in domestic
routines, textile artists Dimity Kidston and Al Munro present
work in crochet, digital print and woven tapestry. The
exhibition will open on Sunday 6 April at 11.30am.
Events
Friends of Sturt Committee
Wednesday 2 April, 5.30pm, Sturt Cottage
All FOS members are welcome to attend Committee
Meetings which always include a preview of the new
exhibition.
7
Full details of all Sturt courses, exhibitions, residency
programmes and events can be found on the website
www.sturt.nsw.edu.au or to make a booking or enrolment
call Sturt Shop on 02 4860 2083 or email
shop@sturt.nsw.edu.au
Mr Mark Viner, Head of Sturt
Deputy Head
With the Year 7 Weekend, Open Day, the Welcome Dinner
and Outdoor Education Week now complete, preparations
have begun for the Year 10 Weekend, scheduled for
Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 March. Other events of note
scheduled to occur in the next fortnight include:

IGSSA Swimming Carnival

The Show Cattle Team at Moss Vale and Robertson
Shows
Over the next few weeks girls will be discussing their extracurricular involvement in their Form Groups. Year
Coordinators will be keen to ensure that the involvement of
each student is varied and at an appropriate level, befitting
the ethos of the School.
If you are concerned about the involvement of your
daughter in the extra-curricular life of the School, please do
not hesitate to contact your daughter’s Year Coordinator or
Form Tutor.
Use of Technology
The use of technology at Frensham is embedded into all
classes, Prep and the Boarding Houses. Educating students
to use technology appropriately is an on-going challenge.
Aside from ensuring the safety of all users, there is also the
challenge of developing their skills and supporting them to
use technology as a respectful and efficient communication
tool.
Understanding the potential consequences of posting text
and images on social media sites and using language that
fits with our community expectations are all part of this
process. If you are concerned about your daughter’s use of
technology, please do not hesitate to contact the School.
Mr Geoff Marsh, Deputy Head
Boarding News
One of the highlights of boarding at Frensham is the full
weekend boarding programme. As part of this, and led by
seniors, the girls have had a great time dressing up for
Friday-night dinners this term and the evening of 21
February was no exception. ‘Your Favourite Villain’ was the
theme and the girls were very creative. Craft activities are
also popular and last weekend girls in Years 7 and 8
decorated wooden boxes in which to store something
treasured, using paint, stickers, glitter and any number of
gems.
Open Day preparation started off with the Tip-Top-Tidy
competition between Hartfield and Kennedy. Girls in both
Houses displayed their pride in making their House shine!
Much care was taken with every detail on the night and
when the judges arrived both Houses looked excellent.
Throughout the weekend and especially on Open Day, the
girls demonstrated excellent organisation and preparation.
End-of-Term Travel Reminder for parents
Travel information for the end of term is due on Monday 10
March.
Mrs Jayme Rafferty, Head of Boarding
Director of Teaching and Learning
Pen & Ink Writing Club
The first meeting of 2014 for the Pen & Ink writers’ group
was held last Thursday 2 February, with 26 students
returning plus new members in Years 9 to 12 eager to ‘put
pen to paper’ or ‘fingers to the keyboard’ to begin, work on
and share their creative pieces.
Antonia Parker and Tara Stewart, Heads of Pen & Ink 2014,
opened the evening by showcasing their work on designing
the new Pen & Ink Schoolbox page, which provides all
students with the opportunity to be involved and inspired,
and to read each other’s work in the online forum section.
Featuring a range of inspiring quotations about reading and
writing collected and uploaded by Antonia, this enticing
page ensured lively discussion. New member Kate Swan
(Year 9) posted Chapter One of her story Camp Cretaceous,
so that we could all read and comment on her ‘work in
progress’…
In the words of novelist
Ursula K Le Guin:
The unread story is not a
story, it is little black
marks on wood pulp. The
reader, reading it, makes
it a live thing, a story.
The 2013 Gold Centenary
Edition of Pen & Ink,
published in two volumes,
was a great success with
the students raising $800 so far for their chosen charity
Bridges for Learning in Bowral, which facilitates early
assistance with child development and learning.
Copies of this edition are still available for sale at $15 and
students are keen to ensure they boost this donation before
visiting the centre later this term with the donation. Copies
can be purchased from Company Office.
8
The second big event for Term 1, eagerly awaited by writers
at Frensham, is the annual evening writing workshop and
conversation with a notable published author. Previous
authors have included Jane Carroll, Melina Marchetta,
Jaclyn Moriarty and Jane (JC) Burke. On Thursday 3 April,
renowned poet Deb Westbury will visit Frensham and
conduct a variety of workshops with Frensham students in
English lessons and Pen & Ink members in the evening
session.
Deb Westbury's poetry was first published in 1975 and has
since been widely anthologised, including the Oxford
Anthology of Women's Verse (1995). She is a writer and
teacher, with an undergraduate degree in teaching and a
Master of Creative Arts degree in writing. Deb teaches
courses in creative writing at university and for various
community groups and high schools throughout the state. In
1999 she was guest lecturer at the prestigious Catskill
Poetry Workshop in the USA. In August 2000, she was
writer in residence for James Cook University in
Queensland. She was also awarded a two-year grant from
the Literature Board of the Australia Council to complete her
collection titled Flying Blind. Deb is actively involved with the
Poets' Union, the Australian Society of Authors and Varuna
Writers' Centre in the Blue Mountains, where she currently
resides.
Mrs Kate Chauncy, Director of Teaching & Learning K-12
and Coordinator of Gifted and Talented Programmes
Director of Studies
‘Teachers are like farmers’
In a video by Sir Ken Robinson, he talked about personal
growth as cyclical, as opposed to linear. He articulated that,
at any point in our lives, we continue to grow and develop
depending on the conditions, and teachers, in his opinion,
were like farmers.
A farmer creates the conditions that will allow his plants to
grow; he cannot force the plant to grow, only provide the
optimal conditions for this to happen. In the same way
teachers must provide the conditions for students to mature
and progress in their learning. He states that teachers have
the power and the duty to create the best conditions for
students to flourish.
Carol Dweck discovered, after years of research on
achievement and success, the notion of ‘growth mindset’. In
a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic
abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work;
brains and talent are just the starting points. This view
creates a love of learning and the resilience that is essential
for accomplishment.
Teachers are responsible for providing teaching and
learning programmes that stimulate and inspire students to
engage in learning. By providing an environment in which
students feel supported, challenged and confident to take
risks, we provide the conditions for students to ‘grow’.
Assessment provides checkpoints for teachers to adjust the
learning conditions where necessary. As assessment tasks
are completed and returned, the feedback that is given to
students provides opportunity for examining what was done
well, what areas could be improved and recommendations
for future learning.
To achieve educational goals and become successful
learners, confident and creative individuals, and active and
informed citizens is the collective responsibility of all:
students, families, schools and their ‘farmers’.
Ms Janene van Gogh, Director of Studies - in Residence
English and Drama
English
Homo Suburbiensis by Bruce Dawe, recited by Amelia
Vidler, Year 10, during the Open Day Public Speaking
Programme:
One constant in a world of variables
- A man alone in the evening in his patch of vegetables,
and all the things he takes down with him there
Where the easement runs along the back fence and the air
smells of tomato-vines, and the hoarse rasping tendrils
of pumpkin flourish clumsy whips and their foliage sprawls
Over the compost-box, poising rampant upon
the palings ...
He stands there, lost in a green
confusion, smelling the smoke of somebody's rubbish
Burning, hearing vaguely the clatter of a disk
in a sink that could be his, hearing a dog, a kid,
a far whisper of traffic, and offering up instead
Not much but as much as any man can offer
- time, pain, love, hate, age, ware, death, laughter, fever.
Public Speaking is an integral part of the Frensham
experience and speaking tasks are mandatory for all stages
of the English curriculum. For some, it is an exciting
opportunity to demonstrate their understanding in a medium
other than writing. For others, it is a challenge which can be
confronting. For this reason, students are constantly exposed
to opportunities to practise and refine their oratory skills.
Open Day highlighted the success of the speaking
programme offered through English at Frensham. The
Heads of Public Speaking and Debating, Ruby Lowenstein,
Alice Hood and Phoebe Taylor, delivered a programme
which included speakers from across the whole School and
explored a diverse range of topics. Girls in Year 7 were
articulate and insightful in asserting what an interesting and
stimulating experience the first few weeks of Frensham life
have been. Year 7 speakers included Alexandra Williams,
Isabella Allen, Chelsea Pernice, Charlotte Lalak, Pippa
Hannan and Augusta Wyrzykowski. Ruby Lowenstein and
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Phoebe Taylor presented speeches from the AHIGS and
the Rotary Four Ways Competition. Upcoming Public
Speaking events include the Sydney Morning Herald Plain
English Speaking Competition and the Legacy Junior
English Speaking Competition.
Drama
Year 7 Drama on Open Day was an exciting classroom
experience, with participants and observers clearly enjoying
the practical demonstrations of what Drama looks like in the
classroom. It is evident that all the girls in Year 7 are
benefiting from being exposed to impromptu techniques,
voice projection, movement and script interpretation
techniques.
Year 7 students also worked well this term to prepare for the
Concert held after the Sunday Service. For their Drama item,
they presented Famous and Not So Famous quotations, all
with a twist. The preparation included working on voice
projection, interpretation of their roles, movement and
reactions.
Year 9 students continue their investigation of Improvisation,
gaining confidence and an impressive ability to ‘act on the
spot’. Students have been focusing on spontaneity and the
skill of yielding to a group in order to facilitate team playbuilding. A variety of Theatre Sports Challenges and other
Improvisation activities has produced humorous and
imaginative results.
Ms Lee McGuinness, Head of English/Drama
French
Bonjour à tous et à toutes! Students in Years 7 and 8 are
already embarking on their next unit of work (School Life
and Descriptions, respectively), and those in Year 9 have
almost finished the more complex first unit of the year which,
after a brief pause to cover Weather, will mean starting their
new textbook and workbook.
A selection of Year 8 French students always plays a small
but important role in Open Day events, by demonstrating a
range of the activities, games and exercises which they
complete in class and for Prep. On Saturday, there were
lively demonstrations of the use of the Interactive
Whiteboard in making language learning entertaining and
educational. Also, the pedagogical flexibility afforded by the
girls’ personal devices was on display, as students
navigated their way through online language games and
activities.
There were also some traditional methods of making French
learning fun: groups of girls playing verb-, tense- or vocabcards (Happy Families, Memory, Snap, etc.), a puzzle map
of France to put together (which challenged even the
keenest Francophiles!) and opportunities to create a model
of France’s most famous emblem, the Eiffel Tower. All
visitors to the French classrooms were welcomed to join in
and play with their ‘hosts’ for the afternoon, the keen Year 8
students.
Mme Heininger & Mme Kidner, Teachers of French
Japanese
During the vacation, Anika van Blommestein travelled to
Japan for a three-week LABO exchange programme. LABO
has been organising homestay and academic exchange
programmes since 1972, and for the last three years
Frensham students of Japanese have travelled to Japan
with this group. The programme consists of a homestay and
school experience, whereby students take part in various
cultural activities. Anika has provided a summary of her time
in Japan.
My homestay in Japan gave me the opportunity to improve
my skills, but also to experience what Japan has to offer
culturally. Being able to stay with a Japanese family who
spoke little English, I was exposed to so many experiences
and challenges. My host family took me to many beautiful
temples and historic sites and I was able to try many
different cultural experiences and foods. Exploring southern
Japan, I met many people and now have connections and
many friends. I visited a Japanese school and Kyoto
University and also went to a camp with Japanese children,
where I was exposed to the day-to-day Japanese lifestyle. I
really enjoyed my homestay experiences in Japan.
Ms Stephanie French, Teacher of Japanese
Latin
On Open Day the activity in the Latin Room was Latin
Bingo. All Year 9 students played and were given playing
cards with Arabic numerals while the actual numbers were
called out in Latin. For those who were not familiar with
numbers in Latin (most of the players!), they each had a
card with the Latin number and Arabic numeral next to it:
unus: 1, duo: 2, tres: 3 etc. Although some of the numbers
are quite complicated (eg undequinquaginta - ‘one from 50’
= 49), it was not long before the structure of the numbers
became familiar and excitement mounted as only one more
number was needed to call out ‘habeo’ – ‘I have it’.
The National Latin Exam will be held in the week
commencing 10 March. Students in Years 9, 10, 11 and 12
have been preparing for it for the last few weeks by doing
papers from previous years. As it has now been going for
20 years, there are ample papers for them to try. As it is the
first time Year 9 is sitting the paper, they have found the
past papers particularly useful in showing the format and
type of question. The format is forty multiple-choice
questions on grammar, mythology and English derivatives
and while some consider multiple-choice questions an easy
type of test, the questions can be quite tricky, particularly in
the senior exams. Approximately 150,000 students around
the world sit for the Latin Exam each year, with new
countries joining each year. Last year, Iran and Malaysia
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participated for the first time. The results should be known
by the beginning of next term.
Ms Liz Stephenson, Senior Teacher in Latin
Community Service
On Tuesday 25 February, the Community Service team
organised a fund-raising Mufti Day. The designated charity
was the Rural Fire Service and girls were encouraged to
wear the colours of fire: red, orange and yellow. Orange
was definitely the favoured colour and Morning Prayers in
Cooper Hall was a wonderful spectacle. The girls are asked
to donate $3 and staff also contributed, raising a total of
approximately $979 on the day.
Later this term, the team hopes to have a cake stall on the
Games Field. This will involve a large group of girls baking
and icing cupcakes in the McCarthy kitchen: always a most
enjoyable activity.
Ms Liz Stephenson, Community Service Coordinator
Human Society and Its Environment (HSIE)
History is a disciplined process of inquiry into the past that
helps to explain how people, events and forces from the
past have shaped our world. Students learn to analyse
critically and interpret sources of evidence, in order to
construct reasoned explanations and a rational and
informed argument, based on evidence, drawn from the
remains of the past.
Students in Year 10 History are currently studying a unit of
work on the Vietnam War. This addresses the key history
concepts of:
Cause and Effect: events, decisions and developments in
the past that produce later actions, results or effects;
Perspectives: people from the past may have different views
and experiences;
Empathetic Understanding: the ability to understand
another’s point of view, way of life and decisions made in a
different period of time or society.
As part of this unit students were able to visit the Australian
War Memorial and also listen to personal insights from two
Vietnam Veterans during class time. Student reflections
about both of these invaluable learning experiences follow.
Vietnam Veterans
On 25 February, Year 10 girls were privileged to meet two
Vietnam Veterans. They offered first-hand knowledge of
their experiences, filling in the gaps unlike any descriptions
that textbooks could portray. As they recollected their
memories, it was not hard to tell that conflicting emotions
were surfacing. It could be seen in their eyes. They recalled
that the hit song of the ‘80s, I Was Only Nineteen, by
Redgum, said it all. The threat of attacking Viet Cong was
constant, as was the nagging thought in the back of their
minds that each day might be their last.
The Veterans also brought in a number of prototypes from
the war, including packs and the items that would have
been carried: bullets, a usual weekly ration of food and
Australian and US currency of the time. We learned about
their daily routine, including how once a week in training,
they had to endure a 20-mile run with fully equipped packs
on their backs and how their sleeping patterns were four
hours of duty followed by two hours of sleep: a pattern
which one of the men still hasn’t been able to break.
We were also told about the stories of the Veteran’s neardeath experiences and the luck of not being in a helicopter
that was shot down. However, we also learned the sad
statistic that, if you were a child or grandchild of a Vietnam
Veteran, you were 300% more likely to commit suicide than
the average population. One of the men told us with great
sorrow that his son had actually committed suicide, and we
were tempted to go and give him a ‘Frensham hug’, but did
not, out of respect for his personal space.
Overall, it was a great experience for all of us, especially
getting the facts from such brave men and we are greatly
appreciative that they took the time to come and speak to us.
Mathilda Penton
The Australian War Memorial
On 26 February, the combined Year 10 History classes
went on an excursion to the Australian War Memorial in
Canberra. This term, both classes have been studying the
Vietnam War and the effects it had on Australia. The
excursion was indeed worth the four-hour return trip, as it
was able to give us a unique learning experience and
insight in to the conditions of the war, with a dynamic
helicopter display and re-creation video of the battle of Long
Tan.
We were also able to participate in short role plays involving
different lives of Australians during war time. The War
Memorial’s mission, according to its website, is to assist
Australians to remember, interpret and understand the
Australian experience of war and its enduring impact on
Australian society. I think that this has been achieved in our
History classes.
This excursion was a really good experience for our learning.
It was also very enjoyable to have time to wander around by
ourselves and to read what we were particularly interested
in regarding the Vietnam War. This chance to look at
artefacts, read stories, look at pictures and find out
interesting facts about some of the people who served there
was not something that could have been achieved in a
classroom and was invaluable to our understanding and
interest in the subject.
The opportunity to look around the Honour Wall and scan
the 521 names of those who died in the Vietnam War
prompts us to focus on the effect of the war on families.
Looking at the wall of plastic poppies wedged into the
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cracks between the nameplates really is an unforgettable
image. I feel that it is important that we have the reminders
of the sacrifices that have been made so many years ago.
We can understand that - 20, 50 or 100 years on - that
things which occurred in such a momentous time are never
forgotten. Events like these are just so moving that they
remain a main part of who we are, no matter how long ago
they occurred.
Lucy Barrett
On 27 February, Year 9 set off for Sydney on a Jamieson
Programme excursion. The first stop was the Jewish
Museum, founded by Jewish Holocaust survivors. We were
introduced to our lecturer, Ari, who briefly explained about
Jewish ways and holy books. We were then shown around
the Museum and provided with information which thoroughly
explained the timeline of the religion of Judaism; we also
saw an example of the Torah. The Museum was very
interesting and we learnt a lot about the Jewish religion.
Ms Janene van Gogh, Head of HSIE
In addition, on Thursday 13 February, Year 9 students
listened to a presentation from Dr Kathleen Bokey on
adolescent health and eating disorders.
Jamieson Programme
‘Exposure to challenges, in a secure environment, can
awaken in young people a belief in themselves which will
stay with them throughout their lives…’
In Week 6, all students are actively involved in Outdoor
Education Week as follows:
Year 7: Camping in the Lower Holt involves learning basic
camp-craft such as setting up camp, cooking, camp hygiene,
teamwork, environmental awareness, orienteering, mapreading and navigation. Year 7 also engage in activities
such as mountain-bike-riding, abseiling and bushwalking.
Year 8: Students experience an expanded view of their local
environment through hiking, canoeing and bike-riding from
one destination to another, with overnight camping included.
They undertake a full range of camp activities, including
campsite selection, map-reading and navigation, cooking
and camp hygiene.
Year 9: This is a practice Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
Bronze Level Camp. Students canoe on Tallowa Dam
(subject to weather conditions) and hike parts of the
Moreton National Park. Camp crafts and navigation skills
are also tested, with emphasis on leadership skills as well
as students’ supporting each other.
Year 10: This expedition meets the requirements for a Silver
level Duke of Edinburgh’s Award trip. Students commence
the expedition at the Tugalong staging area and hike
through the Outdoor Education Group property at Biloela.
This is a self-catering trip and girls are encouraged to take
leadership roles in navigation, camp setting-up and cooking.
On Thursday 27 February, Year 9 students visited the
Sydney Jewish Museum and the Auburn Gallipoli Mosque,
as part of the Religious Studies component of the Jamieson
Programme. They listened to informative presentations
about the nature of both the Jewish and Islamic religions.
These presentations gave the students an insight into the
lives of Australians who belong to the Jewish and Islamic
faiths and of how religion fits into their daily lives. A brief
outline of the activities at the Jewish Museum, written by
one of the students, is included below:
Finally, Year 9 students in the Cambridge IGCSE
interdisciplinary course ‘Global Perspectives’ are finalising
topic areas and focus questions for their first Individual
Research Project. The students are also developing their
expertise in five important 21st century skills needed to
participate effectively in the modern world.
Mr Paul Nash, Jamieson Programme Coordinator
Mathematics
The first meeting of the Mathematics Club for 2014 took
place last Tuesday evening, led by Julia Herbert and
Antonia Parker. Twenty-six girls from Years 9-12 were
present to tackle the concept of infinity, infinite series,
Thompson’s Lamp and Zeno's paradox.
In Zeno’s Paradox, students have to solve the following
problem: Achilles can run ten times faster than a tortoise,
which has a head start of 100m. They both begin running at
the same time. How far must Achilles run to exactly catch
up to the tortoise?
In Thompson’s Lamp: Consider a lamp with a switch. Hit the
switch once, it turns it on. Hit it again, it turns it off. Let us
imagine there is a being with supernatural powers who likes
to play with this lamp as follows. First, he turns it on. At the
end of one minute, he turns it off. At the end of half a minute,
he turns it on again. At the end of a quarter of a minute, he
turns it off. In one eighth of a minute, he turns it on again.
And so on, hitting the switch each time after waiting exactly
one-half the time he waited before hitting it the last time.
Applying the above discussion, it is easy to see that all
these infinitely many time intervals add up to exactly two
minutes.
The question is: At the end of two minutes, is the lamp on,
or off? Another question: Here the lamp started out being off.
Would it have made any difference if it had started out being
on?
There was also much discussion and proving of the
following statements:
How can 1  1  1  1  1  1..... 
1
?
2
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Why does 1  2  3  4  5  6  .....  
Why does 1 
1
?
12
1 1 1 1 1
     ..... ?
2 4 8 16 32
If you are interested in watching the solutions to these
problems, try the links below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCu_BNNI5x4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-I6XTVZXww
I’m so tired... I was up all night trying to round off infinity.
Steven Wright
Ms Sue Wymer, Head of Mathematics
Music
Open Day and the Year 7 Parent Weekend always provide
a wealth of performance opportunities for Frensham
musicians: the Kennedy Strings, Senior Choir and Madrigals
presented workshop performances at Open Day as well as
many individuals who either practised their instruments in
the Music Centre as guests walked by their open doors or
entertained Café patrons from the Schavemaker Centre for
Science & Technology Balcony. It was wonderful to hear
the breadth of talent displayed by the Café performers,
ranging from the String Quartet to a variety of Elective
Music students, Years 9-12.
On Sunday, the Senior Choir performed the anthem for the
Year 7 Service, featuring soloists Phoebe Cook and Olivia
Jones. In the Concert that followed, the Junior Choir
(conducted by Ms Flora Benson) sang the stirring version of
Non Nobis Domine from the film of Shakespeare's Henry V.
Sophia Parker sang the first verse solo and, later, the
Madrigals gave a polished performance of a piece called
See the Gypsies by Zoltan Kodaly. In Music classes, Year
7 students have been learning about rhythm and making
music with found objects. In the final item of the Concert,
they played music on garbage bins, chairs, tables and
broomsticks.
Mr Michael Spencer, Head of Music
Science
Science knows no country because knowledge belongs to
humanity and is the torch which illuminates the world.
Louis Pasteur
The Year 12 Physics, Chemistry and Biology students
decorated the display boxes in the Schavemaker Centre for
Open Day, giving a small snapshot of what is being studied
in each class at the moment.
Year 12 Biology students have finished their study of
‘Maintaining a Balance’ looking at kidney function, hormonal
control of kidneys and how dialysis works. They have
moved on to the topic ‘Search for Better Health’ where they
are studying infectious diseases and growing bacteria on
agar plates to test the effectiveness of different antibiotics.
Year 11 Biology students are studying ‘Patterns in Nature’
looking at cells, their organelles and the processes involved
in moving materials across cell membranes.
Year 11 Physics students have been studying the transfer of
energy through wave motion. The focus of the last two
weeks has been electromagnetic radiation and its
application for communication technologies. The students
have begun an open-ended-investigation into a technology
of their choice that makes use of EM radiation. Year 12
Physics students have continued their study of ‘Motors and
Generators’, completing their analysis of DC motors, and
are currently learning about Faraday’s and Lenz’s laws of
induction. They are undertaking an assessment to construct
model motors and generators.
Chemistry students in Year 12 are currently studying ‘The
Acidic Environment’ topic. They have revised Stage 5
concepts of pH and indicators and are undertaking analysis of
acid/base reactions. They have studied the trends in the
acid/base nature of oxides across the periodic table and are
starting to apply the concept of Le Chatelier’s Principle to
equilibrium systems. Year 11 Chemistry girls are currently
studying the topic ‘The Chemical Earth’. They are enhancing
their understanding of atomic structure and learning how it
relates to chemical reaction and the concepts of oxidation
and reduction. They have developed their practical skills
during a series of quantitative first-hand investigations.
Mrs Alison Andrew, Head of Science
PDHPE
Year 8 Focus
Students are currently completing a theory unit entitled
‘Living in Harmony’. Already students have discussed the
qualities that are valued in positive relationships and have
identified a variety of strategies and behaviours for
negotiating caring and respectful relationships.
In practical lessons, students have been practising various
movement skills associated with Athletics. After Camp,
students will begin a practical unit focusing on Invasion
Games, including Australian Rules Football, Gaelic Football
and Touch Football.
Many Year 11 students have successfully completed
training to gain a gym licence. These students are now able
to use the exercise equipment in the Parker Gymnasium
after hours and are congratulated on this achievement.
Miss Erin Gray, Head of PDHPE
Sport
Wet Weather arrangements for Saturday Sport
Cancellations of Saturday Sport are rarely made before
Saturday morning, unless a venue notifies IGSSA that the
facilities will not be playable prior to this.
Alternative training is always scheduled when IGSSA Sport
is cancelled and House pick-up remains ‘from 10.30am’.
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Means of gaining information concerning play:
IGSSA WEBSITE: http://ahigs.nsw.edu.au/IGSSA.aspx
SMS Weather Information: Using your mobile phone, SMS
your keyword to 1992 5465. Messages cost 55c per
message sent. Your keyword is the name of the sport and
the first initial of the venue; for example, playing Softball at
Frensham, TEXT 'softballf'. A return SMS will be sent that
gives you the status of your venue - open or closed.
Softball and Tennis
Both the Softball and Tennis IGSSA Competitions have
been running smoothly this term, apart from the wet weather,
with some excellent results each week. Year 7 Green will be
travelling to Sydney for their matches for the next three
weeks. All girls will be informed of the details leading up to
each Saturday. All Semi-Finals and Finals will also be
played in Sydney on Saturday 29 March and Saturday 6
April. When playing in Sydney, all players are to travel up on
the bus with their team.
Swimming
The Swimming team participated in the Southern Highlands
Twilight Carnival on Wednesday 26 February. There was a
team of 26 girls swimming in a range of events. Despite the
poor weather it was a successful night, with Frensham
performing well. The following girls are congratulated on
their excellent results:
Lucy Hayes (Year 7):
13 Years Champion
Kiara Stone (Year 8):
14 Years Champion
Natasha Long (Year 9):
15 Years Champion
Phoebe Crowe (Year 11):
17 Years Runner Up
Alicia McCarten (Year 12):
18 Years Runner Up
Trials have been held throughout the term and the team for
the IGSSA Carnival will be published later next week. The
IGSSA Carnival will be held on Friday 14 March at Sydney
Olympic Park Aquatic Centre. All girls who have been
attending Swimming this term will be going to the Swimming
Carnival, either to compete or in support.
Athletics
Paige Wilson (Year 9) was recently awarded a NSW CIS
Medallion for her outstanding achievement in 2013, namely
representing NSWCIS at the State Championships and
NSW at the National Championships. This is a great honour
and Paige is congratulated on this achievement.
the interest continues to grow. Thanks go to Michele
Scamps and Alison Lalak who assisted with this display.
Equestrians in Year 12 are looking forward to the Annual
Awards Dinner on 18 March for Equestrian Australia, to
accept the Champion School’s trophy for 2013 for
Frensham, won by last year's team at the State Interschools
Competition at SIEC. Isabella Lalak (Year 11) will also
receive a trophy for Champion Showjumping.
This year's event will be held in June and those interested in
entering should do so via the website and send confirmation
to the School when the entries are accepted.
In the week prior to this event, on 15 June, the training day
will be held at Wallaby Hill. A form requesting expressions
of interest will be emailed soon, so that coaches can be
confirmed for this day and a roster can be organised.
Mrs Trish Symons, Coordinator Equestrian Events
Visual Arts/Design & Technology
On Tuesday 18 February, Year 8 students participated in a
Visual Arts Incursion to the Holt with Mrs Spencer and Mrs
Planting. Taking advantage of the beautiful natural bushland,
part of the Frensham campus, they made a series of
drawings, exploring ways to depict receding space in a twodimensional artwork with quick, intuitive mark-making and
organisation of tone. Students were able to practise
observational drawing skills and apply techniques to render
imprecise forms such as foliage and expanses of meadow.
The students returned to the school by mid-afternoon to
attend a demonstration and workshop conducted by artist
Robyn Kinsela, in which she emphasised the use of pattern,
texture and employment of positive and negative space.
Back in the Visual Arts studio, under the guidance of Mrs
Spencer, Mrs Planting and Ms Kinsela, students were able
to apply the techniques they observed in the Drama Studio
to their own paintings based on the landscape. Thanks go to
Robyn for sharing her insightful observations and unique
skills with Year 8.
Mr Phil Alldis, Head of Visual Arts and Design
Paige and Andrea Conomos (Year 8) will be attending the
National Youth Championships from 12-16 March. We wish
these girls all the best for this competition.
Mrs Jane Crellen, Head of Sport
Equestrian News
For Frensham Open Day, the Heads of Equestrian set up a
display of photos, trophies, ribbons and equipment to
showcase Frensham's riders. There is a significant number
of girls now riding and competing during the school year and
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