News 120 2a 2014

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VOLUME XXXI No 2

21st February, 2014

F R O M T H E H E A D O F C O L L E G E

ST SPYRIDON COLLEGE PARENTS & FRIENDS

ASSOCIATION ANNUAL

GENERAL MEETING

TUESDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2014

6:30PM – REFRESHMENTS

7PM – MEETING COMMENCES

LIBRARY

JUNIOR SCHOOL CAMPUS ALL PARENTS & FRIENDS

OF THE COLLEGE COMMUNITY

ARE WELCOME!

Everyone has something special and different to offer….

so please be in it for the education and future

success of our children.

DATES TO REMEMBER F E B R U A R Y

P & F AGM 25th ACER Scholarship Exam Year 11, 2015

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M A R C H

ACER Scholarship Exam Year 7, 2015

1st

Lent begins 3rd ASISSA Swimming Carnival JS 6th ISA Cross Country SS 22nd 25th March Celebrations 23rd G.O. Swimming Carnival JS CIS Football JS

24th

Annunciation School closed 25th JS Open Morning & Tour 9am – 11am SS Twilight Tours 5 pm CIS Swimming

26th ISA Swimming Carnival SS 27th Vaccinations SS 28th A P R I L

1.30pm Easer Focus Assembly JS Term ends for Students and Staff

11th

Good Friday 18th Easter 20th Staff Development Day 28th Term 2 begins Students return

29th

M A Y

K2015 Information Morning 9.30am – 11am JS

19th

School Photos JS 20th

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K – 1 2 N E W S

P & F AGM We hope to see many parents, old and new at the P & F AGM which will be held on 25th February, 2014 in the Junior School library. UNIFORM SHOP TIMES: 8.30 am to 10.00 am and 2.30 pm to 4.00 pm – Wednesday only school term. P & F R E P O R T Welcome back everyone and we are happy to see that we have all settled well into our third week of the school year! We have a full calendar of P&F events lined up for 2014 to entertain you – look out for the next newsletter with a list of upcoming events. We were so excited to meet our new members who joined the College family – the Kindy children who we welcomed with a complimentary St Spyridon College water bottle at the Parent Information evening. If you have not received a bottle, please feel free to speak to the Kindy teachers, Ms Sotiras and Mrs Karpouzos who will gladly offer you one. TAVERNA NIGHT Taverna Night 2014 will go down in St Spyridon history as a most impressive, entertaining and profitable family community event. Not just profitable financially but profitable in terms of a strong P&F team spirit which was felt and displayed by all P&F children. Watching our children roll up their sleeves and work together to set up tables & chairs, circulate food to the tables, mingle and release their party spirit and have fun, is the most priceless and rewarding gain for us parents to get out of belonging to the P&F committee. Quoting the wise words of our Junior School Principal, Mrs Synesios “Love and goodwill make all things possible and children learn what it means to truly serve. They learn that they are supported and never alone.” St Spyridon College can confidently boast that its children acquire such spirit with great role models in our College & Parish executive, our teachers and our parents and adult family members.

With this, we wish to express our sincere thanks to Mrs Stefanou and Mrs Synesios who did their utmost to promote this event at all opportunities leading up to the day. Their enthusiasm and energy to support our efforts is truly appreciated. We thank immensely Christina Tsaconas whose proactive thinking and problem solving skills ensure our events will always be successful. She works hard to fulfill all our requests. Our Administrative Staff - Mrs Kerameas and Mrs Giannokopoulos and our General Assistants - Mr John Kailas and his son Steve are thanked for their goodwill and reliable work fulfilling efficiently our endless needs leading up to the night. The wet weather invited us back into our home of countless cultural events - the Church Hall and it did not dampen anyone’s spirits as guests danced kalamatiano, sousta, zembekiko proudly led by their famous Greek dancing teacher Kiria Haska. She was overwhelmed by the passionate Greek dancing displayed by her young pupils. The choice of music and lighting was tastefully and appropriately prepared by our resident disc jockey and P&F member – DJ Mike S (Mike Stavridis) and his partner Tony Skapetis who both generously donated their services for a truly successful night of entertainment. We are very grateful to our raffle prize donors who are all virtually loyal and long term supporters of our fundraisers in the past offering quality prizes.We sincerely thank you all for your wonderful presence and party spirit with your ‘pareas’. With 270 guests at Taverna Night and more than 80 % of the food and drinks donated by committee members and their families and friends and a most dynamic high spirited team, an impressive amount of $10,000 was raised in profit to eventually contribute to valuable educational resources for our children. The P&F committee and their family members gave generously to ensure an outstanding event. It is most pleasing for the P&F committee of 2013 to end on a high with this event as well as start the new year on a positive foot and look forward to the same committee members rolling over as well as some new fresh members to join us with their promising ideas for 2014! P&F AGM - Tuesday 25th February All families and friends of our community are welcome to join our Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 25th February in the Junior School library

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at 6:30pm where we report on all areas of events of 2013 and then dissolve the committee in an attempt to form a new one. The 2014 committee will endeavor to promote and celebrate our cultural and religious events while fundraising to adequately contribute to the growth and development of our 30 year old College with various facilities and resources. Becoming a P&F member has countless rewards for you, your child/children and family:

- a strong identity and sense of belonging grows within your child/children

- modeling the importance of giving and supporting your community to our young ones

- feeling rewarded with the cultural, religious and financial fulfillment you provide for the College and the benefits gained by all its members

- building new relationships and learning new skills from others

- simply having fun together! Please come along – EVERYONE HAS SOMETHING NEW AND SPECIAL TO OFFER TO A NEW COMMITTEE WHICH WILL IN TURN IMPACT POSTIVELY ON OUR CHILDREN. We look forward to seeing you!

On behalf of the P&F committee 2013 Mrs M. Pascalis

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J U N I O R S C H O O L R E P O R T

CONGRATULATIONS P & F My thanks and congratulations are extended to Ms Stamoulis and the wonderful P & F for an enjoyable Taverna night. What many people do not realise is that this small group of volunteers spent Friday evening, all day Saturday leading into the early hours of Sunday morning willingly and cheerfully preparing, serving and cleaning up. This is after weeks of planning and purchasing all that was necessary. The P & F children and grandparents were also enlisted to assist, making tarama, tzatziki, carting goods and setting up. We dined on fabulous food and were entertained by our wonderful DJ Mike who played many of the old songs that we grew up with. Above all, we all agree, that events such as these bring not only our immediate family together but our extended family, building a tight community. It was wonderful to see generations of families in attendance, dining, dancing and singing together. To those who were unable to attend, we hope to see you at the next P & F function remembering that all money raised is for our children. We hope you can join us at the P & F AGM next Tuesday night. Please see flyer for more details. GLOBAL CONNECTIONS VISITING PROFESSORS UNIVERSITY OF CRETE Our students’ eyes said it all. As if a new world sprang in front of them, a virtual world nonetheless. A world that will enable them to learn and study the Greek language assisted by computers! What a wonderful opportunity. Even more amazing was having the creators or rather two of the creators of that program talking to us face to face! Yes, on Monday February 17th we had Dr Aspasia Hatzidaki and Dr Yiannis Spandidakis visiting our school from the University of Crete. They spent time with our Year 6 students guiding them through this innovative program! We had no reason to contradict their claim that this creation of theirs is unique in its conception as well as its application! Indeed, this program opens up new horizons for our students. It comes to enrich the existing resources and make learning the Greek language fun! It is divergent enough to

cater for all ability levels and is user friendly and engaging. And what’s more, it can be accessed by our students at home in their own comfort and time. They two university teachers amazed and were amazed in return by the speaking skills of our students, their dancing prowess but more than anything else by their politeness! With no hesitation the visitors declared that the education of our students is in good hands! Needless to say that our overall school environment made an indelible impression on them. Going on a tour through the classrooms and interacting with our students made them exclaim in astonishment! They had nothing but praise for what they evidenced! They didn’t expect to hear Kindergarten reciting the National Anthem of Greece for example. We have no words to express our gratitude to them! It has been a fabulous experience for everyone and we look forward to working in partnership to promote the Greek language.

Mr A. Amditis Greek Language Coordinator COCURRICULAR Cocurricular commences next Tuesday 25th February. Please ensure you arrive by 4:25pm to collect your child. Lists and rooms are available in the undercroft area.

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SUPERVISION TIMES Supervision for the Junior School commences at 8.15am in the morning and ends at 3.45pm in the afternoon. Any child found on the playground before 8.15am in the morning will be brought to the office and parents will be called in for an appointment to see Mrs Synesios to explain why their child was left unattended. GATES – REMINDER All gates of the Junior School will be locked at 9am and will be reopened at 2:50pm. If you need to access the school during school hours, you will need to enter via the gates on Gardeners Rd. PARENT TEACHER INFORMATION EVENINGS Thank you to all those parents who made the effort to attend the Parent Teacher Information evenings. There was a wonderful turn out of parents and very positive responses to the information provided by the staff. Any parent who did not receive the printed information please request it from your classroom teacher. BEFORE SCHOOL CARE - REMINDER We are surveying parents again this year to gauge interest in Before School Care. If you feel this would be of service to your family, please leave your details at the Office no later than 24th February. Only 2 families have recorded their name. Unfortunately, this is not sufficient for this service to go ahead. If you have forgotten to ring the Office and record your name as requiring this service please do so. OPEN INFORMATION MORNING The Junior School Open Information Morning will be held on Wednesday 26th March. This is an opportunity to find out about the school, its programs and ethos. The session will commence promptly at 9am and conclude at 11am with a tour of the campus. Please let your friends know. For bookings please contact the school office.

KINDERGARTEN 2015 INFORMATION MORNING Kindergarten 2015 Information Morning will be held on Monday 19th May, commencing 9.30am. This meeting will focus on the parents of the children who will be commencing Kindergarten in 2015and will conclude by 11am. Parents please ensure that you have enrolled siblings commencing Kindergarten in 2015, as we are currently working on numbers and classes for next year. We are also preparing packages with paperwork to be completed and returned to office, for parents to collect when they attend the K2015 Information Morning. PREMIERS READING CHALLENGE Congratulations to the following students on completing the Premiers Reading Challenge 2014 in record time. Well done to Stephen Varvaritis, Erin Zinopoulos, Tara Zinopoulos, Georgia Varvaritis and Marissa Diakoumis. Mrs C. Bartlett Librarian IT’S HEAD LICE SEASON! HERE ARE SOME HEAD LICE FACTS The following facts may assist when considering treatment options;

Head Lice have been causing havoc for millennia. Archaeologists have uncovered evidence of infestations found on 5000 year old Egyptian mummies.

Eggs are referred to as nits and the baby offspring nymphs. A single louse can lay up to 150 eggs within a month.

Head lice are a parasitic bug, they cannot fly or jump they can only crawl. People get head lice from direct hair to hair contact with another person.

Lice do not live long off their hosts. Cook researchers checked the carpets of 188 primary school classrooms and found no evidence of lice yet they discovered 14,033 lice on the heads of the students.

Many head lice do not cause itchiness, so you will often be required to look closely to find them.

No single treatment will kill all eggs. James Cook University researchers recommend the conditioner-and- comb method for maintenance or dealing with resistant lice. This method involves coating dry hair thickly with cheap conditioner, to

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first stun the offenders, and then using a lice comb on every part of the hair strand by strand and scraping it on a tissue to see if there are any lice or nits.

You’ll need to re-treat or comb in seven days after the newest eggs start to hatch. Combining the conditioner and comb treatment every second day until no lice have been found live for 10 days is recommended.

Lice may develop a resistance to the insecticides in some commercial treatments, so they may not always be beneficial as the conditioner and comb approach. References NSW Dept of Health James Cook University Queensland Other methods which seem to detract lice infestations include, using hairspray each morning, having hair plaited and tied up or dabbing tea tree oil behind the ears. Mrs Kipriotis Infants’ Coordinator Mrs A. Synesios Principal S E N I O R S C H O O L R E P O R T

ST SPYRIDON PARISH PILGRIMAGE TRIP TO GREECE Dear Parents of Year 9, Year 10 and Year 11 students,

The “St Spyridon Parish Pilgrimage Trip to Greece” is in its refining stages of organization.

An informative meeting with the parents has been arranged for 7.00pm Wednesday 26th February, 2014 at the Church Hall, Kingsford. Yours faithfully Christina Tsaconas Parish Executive Officer ACER SCHOLARSHIP EXAM

The ACER Scholarship exams will be held as follows:

Year 7, 2015: Saturday 1st March, 2014 8.30am – 11.45am Year 11, 2015: Friday, 28th February, 2014 8.30am – 11.45am

Exams will be here at the Senior School. Students will be examined in Written Expression, Humanities and Mathematics. Good luck to all students sitting for these exams. Individual letters have been sent to all concerned. Mrs A. Katsogiannis Principal Senior School M I D D L E S C H O O L R E P O R T

“The distance isn’t important; it is only the first

step that is difficult” Marquise Du Deffand

We are told that life's journey often involves a quest to find oneself. Along the way we all ask ourselves the tough questions: Who am I? Why am I here? Where am I going? What am I capable of? Clarity and or contentment come when we get answers. Therefore every opportunity or challenge we face can be seen as a quest. How much we learn and the overall outcome is dependent on the effort we put in and the courage we show when to taking steps into unfamiliar territory. These quests are very much like tests. They force us to rely on ourselves, prove our endurance and build our resilience. At the end of the quest we are not the same. We are stronger, wiser, and mightier! During the past three weeks a number of our younger Middle School students would have faced a number of challenges. These may have been in the classroom, on the sporting field, and even at our recent camps. Irrespective of the setting or circumstance, invaluable lessons are always there to be learnt, the trick is to acknowledge, reflect, learn and then move on accordingly. PREMIERS READING CHALLENGE (PRC) All Middle school students are encouraged to participate in the Premier’s Reading Challenge. This event requires students to read as many books as they can from now until the end of September. If 20 books or more are read (15 from the PRC list and 5 of a students’ own choosing), students qualify for a PRC Certificate. Reading should be part of every student’s after school routine as it helps improve overall literacy. Words

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are the foundation stones of every course and subject. By improving literacy through consistent reading, students will have greater opportunity to strengthen their engagement with lesson content. To encourage and remind everyone, 15 minutes of most Pastoral Care lessons is set aside for silent reading. PRC books can be borrowed from the school and other local community libraries. Generally, students are expected to read at least half an hour each night when at home. AUSSIE BUSH CAMP This week Year 7 and Year 8 travelled to Tea Gardens near Newcastle for the annual camp. Our bus journey was filled with seemingly endless laughter and chatter, bubbling excitement and of course some upset tummies caused by all the motion. Three hours after setting off we finally saw the huge man-made rock structure by the side of the highway that marked our camp entry point. After being shown to our accommodation and enjoying the first of many meals together the real fun began. Students participated in a range of activities aimed at building team spirit, friendships and testing everyone’s bravery and endurance. Activities like the High Ropes, dual Flying Fox, ‘Lost Island’, where we were all covered in mud, and the infamous Giant Swing proved very popular. Other camp highlights included the Year 8 bushwalk, Year 7’s activities with their Year 10 Peer Support Leaders who visited on the second day, and the hilarious Talent Quest and Challenge Night. Overall, an enjoyable time was experienced by all. Congratulations to everyone for the enthusiasm and spirit of cooperation you demonstrated throughout our camp experience. Thank you to all Year 10 Peer Support Leaders and to all the staff who attended this camp. Yr 7 Teachers: Mrs Kefalouros, Mr Picardi, Mr Zafiropoulos. Year 8: Mrs Dalakiaris (Year Adviser), Mr Giles, Ms Hafner and Mr Condous. Your enthusiasm in diligently supervising throughout, along with your sense of humour are very much appreciated.

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PASTORAL CARE PREPARING FOR THE NEW SRC As mentioned in the previous newsletter students have been exploring leadership concepts in the lead up to speech giving and voting for the Student Representative Council at the end of week 5. Last week Prefects spoke to Year 7 Pastoral Care groups and SRC nominations were conducted across the Middle School. All nominees will be required to give a copy of their speech to the Year Adviser for checking by Monday next week. The 2014 elected SRC members will officially be announced and presented with their badges at a special assembly later this Term.

ALLUMNI SHARE THEIR HSC EXPERIENCES with YEAR 12, 2014 Last week Year 12 were privileged to hear the reflections and advice of some of our recent HSC graduates about their HSC year. This peer to peer exchange is a valuable part of our Pastoral Care Program as it provides honest and practical commentary and tips about the road ahead. Thank you to Maria Mio, Leonidas Andrew, Nicholas Stasos (2013 HSC) and Kathy Thimakis (who recently completed her degree in Medical Science and has now also been accepted into the faculty of Medicine).

ELEVATE SEMINARS BEGIN The first of a series of ‘Academic Skills’ seminars was given last week. This year most year groups will have three or more of these delivered by the acclaimed Elevate Education Group, here at the Senior School during Pastoral Care lessons. Seminars focus on such topics as Time Management, Memory and Mnemonics, Exam Preparation and Techniques, Research and Presentation Skills, and Careers to name just a few.

Ms G Kokinelis Dean of Middle School

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G R E E K C O L U M N Αγαπητοί γονείς και φίλοι, καλή χρονιά! Αρχικά, συγχαίρω κι εγώ τους μαθητές της περυσινής χρονιάς για τις επιδόσεις τους στα Ελληνικά. Οι μαθητές αυτοί τελείωσαν με το μάθημα των Ελληνικών ένα χρόνο νωρίτερα και τώρα είναι όλοι μαθητές της Γ΄Λυκείου σε όλα τα άλλα τους μαθήματα. Στην έκδοση αυτή δημοσιεύουμε την γραπτή εργασία μαθητριών της Β΄ και της Γ΄Λυκείου. Το πρώτο θέμα είναι σχετικό με ένα από τα θέματα της ταινίας «Πρώτη Φορά Νονός» που αποτελεί μέρος της εξετασταίας ύλης του HSC Extension Course και το άλλο ένα διαφημιστικό φυλλάδιο με προορισμό κάποιο μέρος της Ελλάδας.. Καλή ανάγνωση! κ. Μ. Φαλέτα Θέμα: «Φαντάσου ότι είσαι ο Άλεξ. Πηγαίνεις στον ΟΤΕ για να πάρεις τηλέφωνο τον πατέρα σου να τον ενημερώσεις γι’ αυτά που γίνονται και για να του ζητήσεις τη γνώμη του.» Γράψε το διάλογο. Άλεξ: Dad, γεια σου, τι κάνεις και η mum πώς είναι; Πατέρας: Γεια σου, αγόρι μου, όλοι είμαστε καλά! Εσύ όμως πώς τα βρίσκεις στην Κρήτη; Άλεξ: Ο κύριος Παναγάκης και η οικογένειά του είναι πολύ ευγενικοί άνθρωποι. Μόλις έφτασα κατάλαβα ότι δεν είχαν πάρει το μήνυμα που τους έστειλες κι έτσι περίμεναν εσένα και όχι εμένα. Πατέρας: Ωχ! Τι αναποδιά! Αλλά, τώρα είναι ευχαριστημένοι που είσαι εκεί αντί για μένα; Άλεξ: Αρχικά, ήθελαν να αναβάλουν την βάπτιση και εμένα να γυρίσω πίσω στο σπίτι μου... εγώ όμως τους άλλαξα ιδέα! Βγήκα στο μπαλκόνι και άρχισα να λέω την ομιλία που μου έδωσες και νομίζω ότι με άκουσαν και συμφώνησαν να μείνω και να βαπτίσω εγώ τη μικρή. Πατέρας: Μπράβο, αγόρι μου! Με κάνεις περήφανο, αλλά η δουλειά σου στην Κρήτη δεν τελειώνει με τη βάπτιση! Το ξέρεις αυτό έτσι; Άλεξ: Το ξέρω! Αύριο κιόλας θα πάμε σε δυο σπίτια, στους Φουντεδάκηδες και μετά στους Μανεδάκηδες. Μόνο αν οι δύο αυτές οικογένειες μείνουν ευχαριστημένες μαζί μου, δηλαδή πειστούν, μπορούμε να μαζέψουμε τα ψηφαλάκια, που χρειαζόμαστε. Αυτό μου είπε ο κύριος Παναγάκης. Μου είπε επίσης να τους υπόσχομαι ό,τι ζητούν: ηλεκτρικό ζητούν, θα λέω ναι, τηλέφωνο θέλουν, θα λέω ναι, δρόμο, ναι!! Σε

όλα θα πρέπει να λέω ναι! Αυτά θα έκανες κι εσύ dad; Πατέρας: Αυτά και άλλα τόσα! Να θυμάσαι όμως να τους λες και «Ζήτω η Δημοκρατία!» Άλεξ: Εντάξει dad, δεν θα το ξεχάσω! Πατέρας: Ωραία, κι όταν τελειώσεις και γυρίσεις θα πάμε οι δυο μας μια μεγάλη βόλτα. Να το θυμάσαι αυτό. Άλεξ: Μάλιστα, θα το θυμάμαι dad και μη στενοχωριέσαι, θα σε κάνω περήφανο!!! Kalliope Kefalas Year 11 (Year 12 for Greek) Σάμος, το νησί του Πυθαγόρα Επισκεφτείτε ένα από τα πιο όμορφα νησιά της Ελλάδας, το οποίο φημίζεται για το κρασί του, αλλά κυρίως για το ότι είναι το νησί του Πυθαγόρα, τη Σάμο. Η Σάμος βρίσκεται ανατολικά του Αιγαίου πελάγους και ακριβώς απέναντι από την Τουρκία. Για να πάτε στη Σάμο χρειάζεται πρώτα να πάτε στην Αθήνα και από κει θα πρέπει να κάνετε το δρομολόγιο Αθήνα – Σάμος, το οποίο χρειάζεται 40’ με το αεροπλάνο και αρκετές ώρες με το καράβι αναχωρώντας από τον Πειραιά. Η Σάμος πρώτα απ’ όλα παρασκευάζει το καλύτερο μοσχάτο κρασί της χώρας μας διότι το νησί είναι γεμάτο αμπέλια. Σε όποιο μέρος του νησιού και αν πάτε θα βρείτε τις πιο μαγευτικές παραλίες όπως το Ποτοκάκι, την Ψιλιάμμο, τη Χρυσή Άμμο...κ.ά. Σε κάθε πλακόστρωτο δρόμο είτε παραλιακά, είτε μέσα σε στενά κεντρικά, θα βρείτε πολλά τουριστικά μαγαζάκια και ταβέρνες. Μπορείτε επίσης να επισκεφτείτε το μουσείο οίνου στο Βαθύ, το αρχαιολογικό μουσείο του Βαθιού και το αρχαιολογικό μουσείο Πυθαγορείου, το Παλαιοντολογικό μουσείο στους Μυτιληνιούς, τον ναό της Ήρας στο Ηραίον, το Ευπαλίνιο Όρυγμα στο Βαθύ, την περιοχή Καταρράκτες στο Καρλόβασι και τα όμορφα μοναστήρια όπως η Ζωοδόχος Πηγή, η Παναγία η Σπηλιανή, η Παναγία η Βροντιανή... κ.ά. Ελάτε στη Σάμο για αξέχαστες διακοπές!!! Danae Kyriakaki Year 10 (Year 11 for Greek)

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C A R E E R S C O L U M N TAX FILE NUMBERS A reminder to students in Years 10, 11 and 12 and their parents, that Tax File Number Applications need to be returned to me by Friday 21st February. They will be sent off to the Taxation Office for processing next week and they will then post the numbers out after about five weeks. IMPORTANT EVENTS There are several upcoming events which should be of interest to students and their parents: UMAT registration is now open, for students in Year 12. If you wish to study Medicine, Dentistry or Optometry, you must register by 6th June and sit for the UMAT test on 30th July. See their website www.umat.acer.edu.au for more information and to register. University of New South Wales: Year 12 Medicine Information Evening for Network Schools: Thu 13th March, 6:30pm to 7:30pm This evening provides a general overview of the Medicine degree offered by UNSW, as well as information about applications, admissions and more. https://www.network.unsw.edu.au/egateway/students.splash The School for Excellence: Mid-Year Exam Revision Lectures Sat 8th to Sun 16th March University of Sydney Camperdown Campus These lectures are designed to help Year 12 students get ahead of their peers and increase their final ATAR. Subjects covered include Biology, Business Studies, Chemistry, Economics, English, Mathematics & Physics http://www.tsfx.com.au/?hsc-program=mid-year-exam-revision-lectures CPA Australia Career Expo 2014 The Certified Public Accountants Career Expo is a chance for students to connect with industry experts and employers. During the expo students will be able to get advice and information about careers within the accounting and finance industry. Canberra: Thu 20th March, 5:30pm to 8pm at the National Convention Centre, 31 Constitution Avenue, Canberra

Sydney: Tue 18th March, 5:30pm to 8pm at Sofitel Wentworth, 61-101 Phillip Street, Sydney Contact: [email protected] http://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/become-a-cpa/free-student-network/career-expo UNSW Science Parent and Student Information Evening, Wednesday 26th March, 6.30pm – 8.30pm, The John Niland Scientia Building, UNSW Kensington campus. The Faculty of Science invites Year 11 and Year 12 students and their parents to attend an information evening. This evening will include talks and a career market, giving students and parents the opportunity to talk directly to current students and academics. Register online from February through www.science.unsw.edu.au/infonight Engineering week in school holidays (Autumn school of engineering) will run this year from 14th -17th April, for students in Years 11 and 12. Those selected to take part will experience engineering site visits and days at UNSW, UTS and Sydney Uni. Cost is $250; you can apply for Rotary sponsorship to cover the cost. If interested, see me ASAP or go to website www.engineersaustralia.org.au/sydney to apply. Overseas volunteering/gap year information nights are being held by Projects Abroad on Tuesday 18th February at Sydney Central YHA or online on 25th February. See www.projects-abroad.com.au And Antipodeans Abroad have their information night on Wednesday 26th February. Register at www.antipodeans.com.au. ISV Webinars: These webinars give overviews of the programs ISV have on offer, including Thailand, Costa Rica and South Africa. http://www.isvolunteers.org/au/webinars UNIVERSITY NEWS: Five Star Rating for Macquarie University Macquarie University has been awarded a 5 star rating by the QS Stars rating system. The only other Australian universities to receive a 5 star rating are the ANU, UNSW, University of Queensland and Monash University. http://www.mq.edu.au/future_students/undergraduate/parent_information/connect_with_macquarie_newsletter/all_connect_articles/five-star_rating_for_macquarie/ University of New South Wales & University of Sydney Foreign Language Partnership Under a new partnership between the University

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of New South Wales and the University of Sydney, students at UNSW will be able to study Indonesian, Modern Greek and Italian at the University of Sydney from 2015 onwards. http://sydney.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=12981 University of Technology Sydney: New Degrees on Offer in 2014 New degrees on offer from the University of Technology Sydney include the Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation, the Bachelor of Arts in Communication (Digital and Social Media), and the Bachelor of Design in Landscape. http://newsroom.uts.edu.au/news/2013/11/new-frontiers University of Sydney: 10 Ways an Arts Degree can Change the World This article by the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Sydney, Duncan Ivison, highlights 10 ways that studying arts and social sciences can change the world. http://sydney.edu.au/arts/donors/change_world.shtml University OF Western Sydney: Did you know that at least 5 students from our HSC class of 2013 received early offers from UWS? There are several campus locations. New courses being offered include B. Criminology (ATAR 84.00) and B. Business and Commerce (Sport Management) (ATAR 65.30). All enrolling students receive an iPad to enhance their learning, as there is a wide use of technology as well as traditional methods of teaching, called ‘blended learning’. Wollongong University There is a Sydney CBD campus at Circular Quay for 2 new business courses in 2014: B. Accounting and Financial Services and B. Banking and Financial Services.(ATAR cutoff was 80.00) In 2015, Wollongong University will offer B. Social Science and B. Social Work. Other new courses will be the B. Creative Arts (photography) and B. Creative Arts (Music), B. Arts (Creative Writing) and B. Arts (Writing and English).They will also offer the Master of Teaching (a 2 year postgrad course). Wollongong University main campus is accessible by train from Central or Hurstville (connects to a bus service to uni), or is a 50 minute drive from the southern suburbs (e.g. Brighton). It has won

many awards as a student-friendly university, and has modern buildings set in vast parkland areas. PART –TIME WORK A PART-TIME PHARMACY ASSISTANT POSITION is available at Rosebery Pharmacy, 387 Gardeners Rd, Rosebery. See me for details if you wish to apply. Ms G Hakos Careers Adviser

L I S T E N I N G T O O U R S T U D E N T S

GLEAMING SUNSET The blue wave clothed me with its white frothy milk, sinking my feet into the miniscule grains of sand. The sand scrunched between my finger nails as I felt the breeze brush pass me. The sun tucked under the shoulders of the horizon, reflecting off the water, glittering and gazing at the sea life swimming before it. Droplets of the ocean dripped from the tree’s bare leaves. Brown like feathers left the branch, with misery followed behind by the ferocious wind. The rays touched our faces across the cement stairway. Dusk had now begun devouring bit by bit. Katherine Tsingos 6P WELCOME ALL STUDENTS Year 6 would like to extend a warm St Spyridon welcome to our new Kindergarten students in KJ and KC. We love being your Buddies and showing you around our magnificent school. As you grow and learn, you will have us by your side in 2014.

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We also welcome all new and existing students to the Junior School in 2014. This year we aim to lead by example; in word and action. Have a fantastic year everyone!

Year 6 students

S P O R T S C O L U M N

BOYS SPORT BASKETBALL Round 8 After last week’s slow start the boys had to lift their performance against very well organised and trained St Patricks’ teams / St Pius and Oakhill Teams. With 7 teams competing from St Spyridon in the Boys ISA Competition this year, we have been blessed with not only growth in terms of numbers, but also a significant improvement in our basketball skills and discipline on the court. Going into round 9 we have 5 teams in contention to make the semi-finals, this is a fantastic achievement. In round 8 our Boys U13 white team were inspired by their loss in the previous week and knew they had to come out firing against a tough St Pats team. With a top place spot on the table crucial in the finals, our boys had to convert this game into a win and they did exactly that in a close encounter. Dean Albanakis was irrefutably the player of the match. Dean was the team member the boys relied on when they were in need of baskets to steer clear of the St Pats team and Dean delivered. Our U13 blue team were victorious against St Pius winning consecutive games and making a strong run into the final series. The boys have been training well and deserve a semi-final spot. The U14 white team were matched up to play a very strong St Pats team. Over the last two years the boys have been unable to defeat this team. That all changed in this game, and in dramatic fashion. Throughout the game the boys were always behind on the score board and although close we could not capitilise on the weight of possession that went our way. However, as the game progressed the boys gradually but surely clawed their way back and with 6 seconds behind had to shoot a 3 to take the game into overtime. Gabriell Cassimatis shooting from the 3 point line made the shot and took the game into extra time. From there the ascendancy was with our boys. Helping them win their first encounter with St Pats. The U14 blue team, although defeated made impressive gains in their performance from their

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previous encounter against St Pius College. Mr Condous and all the boys deserve praise for their commitment and positive attitude. In the 15s the boys were outmuscled and were dominated by a team that has defeated all their oppositions in previous games. Our boys rallied and showed good sportsmanship and resolve, always trying their best till the very end. The Open Boys were as with their previous encounter too strong for the St Pats team. There were moments when St Pats threatened to claw their way back, but the boys were quick to respond scoring quick successive baskets to get back on the front foot. The boys now look ahead to the game against an inform St Pauls team and more importantly the game against BMG who are without doubt their strongest opposition.

Round 9 This week the majority of the boys teams travelled to St Pauls Grammar for their round 9 clash. In a repeat of the earlier round played last year between our two schools the boys dominated and won all grades (U13 white, U14 White, U15 white and Opens). With only one game remaining these positive results have helped all these teams cement semi-final spots which will be played at Penrith Sports Stadium. It was a real delight watching all our boys play at St Pauls, they all performed exceptionally well. The highlight of the day was no doubt the strong performance of the U15 boys who managed to win their 3rd game of the season and most probably secured a sport in the semi-finals. Yianni Baratsas had a very impressive game playing a leading role in the teams win, especially considering the boys were two players short of their normal squad. Round 10 The boys will be playing at BMG and St Pats. An email will be forwarded to parents and guardians

with the round 10 fixtures but also the semi-final draw. It will be very encouraging to see as many parents and friends make the trip to watch our boys perform at the Semi-Finals and hopefully finals at both Penrith and St Pauls Grammar school. ISA BASKETBALL REPS Congratulations to Luka Kasalovic of Year 12 for being selected in the ISA 2nd V Basketball team. This is the second year running that Luka has been successful in making this team. This is a wonderful achievement considering the ISA has 5 boys divisions and a development league to choose from. We wish Luka all the best in his representative games but also in the final series in as the Captain of the St Spyridon Open Boys Basketball team.

FOOTBALL SEASON The boys football season begins in Term 2 with two trial games planned for Saturday the 5th of April and Tuesday the 22nd of April (not all teams). After last year’s success the boys are eager to try and improve on their performances and we are keen to try and expand on the team numbers from last year. Promoting growth in sport can only be achieved with the support and encouragement of all the parents/ guardians of the school. If there are any parents or guardians who would be willing to help coach a boys football team on Wednesday during the school timetabled lesson for sport, or even help on Saturday please contact Mr Kaldis on 9311 3340 to discuss the possibility of helping to promote the growth of boys sport.

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GIRLS SPORT BASKETBALL Round 8 With all games at home for the remainder of the season the girls teams are trying to end the season well and qualify for the semi-finals. Open A’s have most certainly had some competitive matches and Round 8 was no different against Central Coast Grammar School. Leading much of the match but unfortunately unable to last the duration in a fully timed match. The team have worked hard to improve their team work and all players this year have contributed to the success in Division 1. Final score: CCGS 60 defeated St Spyridon 54. Open C’s despite being defeated by St Andrews last round the girls defeated them this time with a final score of 15-13. This team continue each week to persevere and show incredible determination. Intermediate A’s continue to become so close each week however their execution in shooting let them down this week. Still in hope to qualify for the semi-finals; their results in the coming rounds will determine whether they will have an easy or difficult road to the finals. Final Score: CCGS 27 defeated St Spyridon 19 Intermediate B’S playing top position St Andrews was always going to be difficult. This team has progressed under the guidance of Mr Meintanis as each girl seems to understand their role on the court and as a result they have become more competitive each week. Final Score: SACS 28 defeated St Spyridon 12 Junior B’s playing top position Central Coast Grammar was intimidating for the girls given their school depth some very talented players in their team. However, the girls maintained enthusiasm and continued to set team goals in order to get through the match. Final Score: CCGS 49 defeated St Spyrdion 10. Junior C’s have played 4 double headers this season. This round was no exception it has given the girls an excellent opportunity to receive adequate game time and further develop their skills which no doubt has been beneficial. Most pleasing has been the opportunity to watch the girls who had limited basketball skills at the beginning of the season display their understanding and knowledge of the game. Final

Scores: St Spyridon 24 defeated SACS 1 20, St Spyridon 30 defeated SACS 2-14. Round 9 Most certainly an exciting round with many teams experiencing victories. All are very positive as semi-finals are just around the corner. Open A’s needed to win this match in order for a chance to qualify for the semi-finals. A tight, friendly competitive match was played against Barker College. Fortunately, St Spyridon defeated Barker College 39-33. Open C’s played a close match against Barker College. The girls showed their mental toughness staying in the match most of the game. Outstanding performances from Anja Djukic getting a 3 pointer to level the scores, coupled with Theoni Thimakis - excellent attack at the basket but credit also to Anastasia Maloukis with her fierce defence. Unfortunately, the girls lost in the last minutes 19-26. Intermediate A’s – also needed to win to secure a chance in the semi-finals. Outstanding performance from Georgia Koukounaris who most certainly redeemed her shooting execution from the previous week, with a total of 44 points this is an incredible effort. Final Score: St Spyridon 58 St Pauls 22. Intermediate B’s – Perhaps the most exciting match of the season. This team had everything to play for being the last opportunity to secure a spot in the semi-finals. The game tied at full time resulted in overtime and unfortunately defeated by Barker with the final score 20-18. Junior B’s – Winning games has been difficult for these young girls placed in a challenging division however it was pleasing to watch them win this week. Final score St Spyridon 26 – St Pauls 19. Exceptional performance from Larissa Andrianakos scoring 22 points. Junior C’s – The girls continue their exceptional form heading into the semi-finals in first position. Final score St Spyridon 25 St Pauls 5. Thank you to all parents and students for their continual support each week. FOOTBALL This year we are hoping to form two ISA Football teams. Our Junior team will consist of Years 7-9

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students and our Opens team will consist of Years 10-12. Any parent who would like to offer their time to coach a Girls Football team please contact Ms O’Shea. This commitment would include Wednesday training sessions during school time or after/ before school training and attendance on Saturday for games which include 5 home and 5 away. ISA SWIMMING With our Annual Swimming carnival taking place this Friday 21st February at Des Renford Aquatic Centre many students will qualify for the ISA Squad. This commitment will include before school training at All Sorts Fitness Centre Alexandria and attendance at the ISA carnival to take place in March. Any student who qualifies for the team will be informed on the day of the school swimming carnival and will receive further information and paperwork detailing their commitment to the squad.

HOUSE CAPTAINS 2014 Last Friday during Pastoral Care we held House meetings in order to prepare for the upcoming swimming carnival and elect House Captains from the Year 11 cohort. Students were asked to give a short speech detailing their contribution to school sport and why they wish to become a House Captain. Congratulations to the following students who were elected: Delphians: Christos Raptis & Vicky Papadopoulos Olympians: Alyssa Stemistiotis & Dion Alexander Corinthians: Sophia Rizzo & Matthew Chiam Nemeans: Aphroditi Zafiropoulos & Michael Savic Ms K. O’Shea (Girls Sport) and Mr F. Kaldis (Boys Sport)