september 2015 edition principal’s message · september 2015 edition principal’s message ......

10CELEBRATING YEARS 2005 2015

N O S T R U M V I A T O R SEPTEMBER 2015 EDITION

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGESTEAM EducationThe Australian Government recently articulated a vision for our nation in which science and its cross-disciplinary equivalents are integral to our future. It has been suggested that STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art/Design and Mathematics) is everywhere. Our food, our safety, our house designs and neighbourhoods, our health, our leisure and personal relationships have all been influenced by ongoing technological advancements and new discoveries.In order to fully realise the potential of the economic, environmental and social opportunities in our region, educational institutions must help communicate and engage their communities in STEAM. Many of the crucial challenges we face today such as water, climate, energy and health - will be resolved exploiting science and technology, however, none will be resolved without science. STEAM can give us hope and optimism for the future in order for us to meet these considerable challenges. The excitement of science has captured the imagination of generations - from witnessing the colours, explosions and smells of secondary school chemistry experiments to studying unique discoveries and inventions that have changed the course of the world in which we live. The importance of science within the broader community cannot be overstated. It is pleasing to see that over 40% of our current Year 10 cohort have selected each of the three core sciences of Biology, Chemistry and Physics to study at the beginning of 2016.As society is continually moulded by advances it is increasingly important for students to develop and maintain the skills necessary to directly participate in this rapidly changing world. Students need to understand the present

in order to be prepared for the future and to make sense of what is being encountered. We must endeavour to anticipate new and emerging fields of STEAM and incorporate these into our education programs and infrastructure at Moama Anglican Grammar School. A range of futurists and scientific experts have suggested that the following cross-disciplinary areas will create opportunities for STEAM careers in the future:• Aerospace - research, design and construction of aircraft including jets, spacecraft, missiles and helicopters• Biomedical - develop and improve diagnostic and therapeutic equipment• Chemical - develop equipment and processes to extract raw materials• Biotechnology - genetic engineering as well as cell and tissue culture technologies including domestication of animals, cultivation of plants and "improvements" to these through breeding programs that employ artificial selection • Astrophysics - is the branch of astronomy that deals with the physics of the universe, including the physical properties of celestial objects such as galaxies, stars and planets as well as their interactions• Environmental - assess the impact of projects and develop water reclamation and waste treatment and recycling processes• Mechatronics - combines disciplines of engineering to design and develop automated processes and systems• Materials Science - test the behaviour of materials under stress and create new materials that are lighter and stronger• Bioinformatics - using computers and mathematics to make sense of the huge amounts of data produced from biology and gene research projects• Nanotechnology - create more efficient


HEAD OF SECONDARY

materials and objects of virtually any size, shape and material.• Photonics - test all types of materials with light to discover improved ways to transfer light and data• Proteomics - identify and analyse protein biomarkers to develop new drugs for the treatment of disease • Viticulture - is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard • Permaculture - is an approach to designing human settlements and perennial agricultural systems that mimic the relationships found in the natural ecologies• Alternate Energy Sources - is an umbrella term that refers to any source of usable energy

intended to replace fuel sources without the undesired consequences of the replaced fuelsThe School recently submitted a Block Grant Authority application for state-of-the-art agricultural and design and technology facilities to ensure students have the skills and capacities required to drive future growth, productivity and prosperity in the workplace. It is clear that effective design of learning spaces can enhance learning. Assuming the grant is successful, we have the opportunity to build a unique resource that facilitates communication between all levels of education, research and industry to ensure a sustainable future for the both the wider community and our students.Mr Guy Evans Principal

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE

It has been a busy few months at School, with the students and staff of the Secondary School continuing to involve themselves in a wide variety of activities, both in the classroom and beyond.Students have taken part in the University of NSW Maths, English and Science competitions, with some excellent achievements. Tom Holmes, Noah Densley, Clancy Gardiner, Lachlan Smith, Hayley Mackison, Oscar Honeyman, Brenton Urbaniak, Samuel Hill, Lachlan Chumbley, Ben Martin, Nial Jones, Hannah Williams and Matt James were all students who received Distinction awards in these competitions, some in multiple disciplines. Oakley Raverty of Year 7 excelled in these competitions, achieving High Distinctions in both the Science and English competitions. Another amazing achievement was seen from Ryan Bourke of Year 8, who was able to recite Pi to 150 decimal places in front of the entire Secondary School assembly; an outstanding effort. Science Week was a huge success, with Secondary School students engaging enthusiastically with all things scientific. The Great Race had students running from one scientific experiment to the next and everybody was excited by the Science Sideshows where they got to test various scientific principles and

conducted a chemistry experiment in mixing various substances to make super sweet sherbet. Four Year 10 students - Hannah Williams, Nial Jones, Samantha Dyson and Lachlan Chumbley - competed in the National Brain Bee Championship, testing their skills and knowledge in the complex field of neurology. Involvement in this competition placed them amongst the most able of Australia’s secondary school science students and is a great credit to the students and their teachers.In the Arts and performance fields, there have been more outstanding contributions to the life of the School. The School Production of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ was a highlight, with many students involved, on stage and behind the scenes. The performance was bright and fun, with some outstanding performances from Sophie Miller, Angus Mawson, Kennedi Walker,

Ryan Bourke can recall Pi to 150 decimal places.


Jack Dwyer, Kerrie Dick, Hannah Williams and Jade Diamond-Haggert.The profile of Music continues to grow within the School with the many performers at assemblies and the Winter Candlelight and HSC Showcase concerts showing exceptional talent and providing great entertainment. Heidi Moncrieff, Catrina Paul, Caitlin Paul, Sophie Miller, Samuel Hill, Caitlin Danher, Nicola Danher, Lachlan Ross, Amelia Lannen, Lily Chanter, Billi Johns, the 9/10 Band, the Drumline and the Senior Vocal Ensemble have been just some of our students who have delivered stand out performances to the School.Art, Technology and Design have also featured prominently, with the HSC Art and Technology Exhibition, complemented by the photography and artworks of Year 9 and 10 students, highlighting the wide range of talented students in our midst.Our Pastoral Care program saw our students enjoying a number of performances and presentations which touched on issues important to our students. Presentation from groups including Motivational Media, the Resilience Project, Rescue Ed, Step Back, Think and Cyber Safety have complemented the Pastoral Care programs running across the year levels.Linking with the Pastoral Care program has been the commitment of students and staff to support community projects and worthwhile causes. Collectively, students have supported the Anti-Cancer Council, Step Back, Think, One and All Inclusion Project and the Echuca-Moama Winter Clothes Drive. And, in an outstanding display of selflessness, Year 10 student, Samantha Dyson, donated 35 cm of her own hair to the Princess Charlotte Alopecia Fund, which creates wigs for people suffering from hair loss due to alopecia and other illnesses. All of these are examples of the ways in which our students contribute to the wider community.On the sporting fields, students have competed well in a wide variety of sporting endeavours. Students have represented the School at local, regional, state and national levels in netball, football, cycling, athletics, cricket, equestrian and cross country events. Teams from all year levels took part in the lunchtime soccer competition organised by the School’s AFL Trainee Josh Platt. Many students have

excelled, individually, in their chosen sporting pursuits in sports including outrigger canoeing, cycling, equestrian, football and netball umpiring, among others. International travel and experiences have also featured prominently in the experiences of students from Years 9, 10 and 11. The Habitat for Humanity Service Trip to Sri Lanka saw 23 students and five staff giving their time and labour to help construct houses for those living in the tsunami devastated regions of Sri Lanka. The Western Front Battlefields Trip saw students learning about the significant battles fought on the Western Front in Europe during World War I. The presentations to the School from the students from both international trips showed the value of these experiences. The insights students gained into the lives, history and experiences of others was obviously significant and moving to all those who were on these trips. Their reports also set the stage for other students to follow in their footsteps, with younger students already planning for opportunities that may be available to them in later years. As can be seen by the events highlighted, the students of the Secondary School have thrown themselves wholeheartedly into the many programs and activities on offer. The development of skills, knowledge and strong personal values, encouragement to meet challenges and the willingness to look beyond themselves to help others are a reflection of the kind of growth that students experience through their engagement in the programs on offer across the Secondary School. Mr Brad DownieHead of Secondary School

HEAD OF PRIMARYThe Primary School has been a hive of activity this year. The transition from our original Junior School and Middle School model for our primary aged students to a straight Primary School has been seamless for our students. We have had excellent student led Kindergarten to Year 6 assemblies, Peer Support lessons, Buddy classes and a sense of community in the yard. Visiting the Kindergarten to Year 6 classrooms is always enjoyable as I get to witness firsthand the great learning that occurs throughout the year levels. The Kindergarten students have embraced the start of their learning journey. The highlight for them was marking the milestone of their first 100 days at school with a morning tea and sharing their talents with staff from the Secondary School area. The Year 1 students and teachers have been building on the core literacy and numeracy skills. The students have been thriving in their nurtured environment and have been enjoying their learning journey. The recent Circus Day was

a highlight for the year. The Year 2 students enjoyed their Pirate theme earlier in the year and continue to grow into excellent learners. This term in HSIE they have been focusing on communities, in particular, the differences between needs and wants. They have explored the different roles and responsibilities of people within the local community and compared it with other countries such as Sri Lanka. Mrs Granger and Mr Moon have been able to draw on their recent experience of travelling to Sri Lanka as part of the mid-year Social Service trip with some of our secondary students.The Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden program was implemented this year for our Year 3 and 4 students. On top of all the other great things the students have been doing in their classrooms, they are learning how to grow, harvest, prepare and share delicious food that either comes from our garden or is in season. Mrs Downie and the Year 3 and 4 teachers are to be congratulated on the great job they have done in getting this program up and running. The students are enjoying it immensely, especially their time in the Food Technology kitchen every fortnight. The Year 5 and 6 students have enjoyed an array of activities in and outside the classroom. They have been challenged in the classrooms, participated in a range of sporting activities and just completed an excellent effort of fundraising for Jump Rope for Heart. They also displayed their skipping skills in front of a large crowd of students, staff and parents, which was thoroughly enjoyed by all. The Year 6 students have also been great leaders of the Primary School. The Peer Support sessions they have organised throughout the year have been enjoyed by the younger students. It has been pleasing to see the students develop their confidence and leadership skills. Once again, our Mother’s and Father’s Day celebrations were well attended. It is always great to see family members come along to our school and have our students share their learning. I look forward to an exciting Term 4.Mr Nigel Rudge Head of Primary School



DIRECTOR OF MUSICWinter Candlelight ConcertSelected instrumental Music students from the Secondary Year levels recently performed at our co-curricular music Winter Candlelight Concert.After completing a thorough audition process, 20 performance items were chosen for the concert, which included solo and duet performances, as well as appearances from several of our ensembles; the Drumline; Strings Ensemble; Secondary Vocal Ensemble; and Jazz Ensemble. You can see the Jazz Ensemble’s performance by clicking here.A wide range of music styles and a varied assortment of instruments were featured at the concert. It was a fantastic and entertaining evening, with high quality performances from all students involved.Echuca Moama Youth ExpoTwo of our music ensembles recently performed at the Echuca Moama Youth Expo, which was an interactive exhibition of youth services available for secondary students in the area.Our Concert Band and Drumline represented Moama Anglican Grammar School proudly. You

can see the Drumline’s performance here.HSC Music ShowcaseOur first curricular HSC Music Showcase took place recently and featured our HSC Music 1 cohort of students (pictured above), who performed their four performance pieces that will be formally assessed as part of their HSC.The concert provided a valuable opportunity for students to perform their pieces to an audience before their external assessment and audience members would agree that students demonstrated a high standard of performances.Mrs Fiona Gibbs Director of Music

BRAIN BEE CHALLENGEYear 10 students Samantha Dyson, Niall Jones, Hannah Williams and Lachlan Chumbley headed to Sydney in Term 3 to compete in the prestigious Brain Bee Challenge.Our four students were amongst the top 138 in the State who participated in the finals.They started the morning with the individual short answer quiz from which the top nine students were selected to participate in a live questioning round at the end of the day.Unfortunately, we were not among those nine this year but the students learned a lot about the nature of the questions being asked and followed the live session at the end of the day with interest until the NSW representative for the national competition was selected.The team round was a lot of fun, 10 schools were represented and our four students answered 17 out of 20 questions correctly placing them highly amongst the group.They listened to speakers presenting about life as a medical science student and the research being carried out in developing the bionic eye

and a headpiece with the potential to increase the speed at which people learn.They also carried out a series of physiology experiments on themselves which involved hooking themselves up to electrodes and stimulating various muscles in the hand and arm to contract without conscious thought. We look forward to continuing our involvement with this competition with our Year 10 students next year. Mrs Felicity Williams Science

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TILLY’S GOT RHYTHM

SCULPTING A TALENTYear 11 student Lily O’Connell had the time of her life at the National Art School HSC Intensive Studio Practice Program in Sydney recently.The highly selective course is offered to outstanding Year 11 Visual Arts students.The National Art School is a signficant Australian visual arts institution with a rich tradition of artistic practice and a well-renowned alumni.The Intensive Studio Practice is designed to enhance and extend students’ technical, conceptual and intellectual skills under the direction of experienced, practicing artists and also appear on the students’ HSC certificate as one unit course with a mark.Lily attended the course for four days during the June school holidays. She is also back in Sydney this month for an additional five days, where she will have the chance to explore more materials and gain skills in preparing for and curating an exhibition.

Year 11 student Tilly Keenan has gone from strength to strength since joining the Moama Anglican Grammar School drumline. Tilly, who plays the tenor drums, has been working solidly towards performing her first solo piece, and has earned the praise of MAGS drum tutor Mr Kevin Kiely. “Tilly has worked very hard and it has paid off for her,” Mr Kiely said.Her commitment to doing everything to the best of her ability is hardly surprising from a student who was last year presented with the Year 10 Dux Award, named as a Beacon leader and regarded as a talented artist. “We’re wearing the drums when we play and it can be hard to carry them,” Tilly said. “When you start walking and playing, it really tests your coordination.”

The drumline also features the talents of Cadyn Fayle, Vincent McLindon, Torey Morgan, Laura Kadri and Ethan Williams. The group have performed at the School’s 10th Anniversary Foundation Day celebrations, as well as assemblies, school concerts and community events. Click here for video of Tilly’s drum solo.

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NATIONAL SCIENCE WEEkThis year’s Science Week theme was Making Waves – The Science of Light. 2015 is the UN-declared International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies (IYL). It is a world-wide celebration of the importance of light and optical technologies to the development of society. During Week 6 this term, Moama Anglican Grammar School celebrated this special theme during its annual Science Week. Students had the opportunity to participate in a number of amazing activities with the chance to win prizes and learn about the wonder of Science! The week was officially opened at Primary and Secondary School assemblies. Madalene Oberin, Mrs Cain and Mr Warren introduced the week’s activities and demonstrated the explosive nature of hydrogen gas.To help celebrate the theme of National Science Week, Mr Weier’s daily quiz was held for students. Questions on Light-themed science, songs, general knowledge, sports and trivia were the challenge. Our winners were; Katie Halloran, Nick Hall, Jamison Gilmore, Will Ross, Sam Hill, Daniel Stephens, Molly Frew, Georgia Walton, Hannah Mills, Tiah D'Angri, Hannah Weier, Georgia McLean, Emily Zweck, Lilly Charnas, Alex Smith, Ashleigh O'Neill, Michael Bavich, Dakota Lucic, Molly Bruns, Jess Cohen, Nick Hunter and Will Waldron.Lunchtimes were busy each day; starting with Mr Young’s Paper Plane Competition and Mr Mahney’s science videos on Monday. Winners were Oscar Palmer and Milli Moncrieff for the paper plane flights with the furthest distance, while Andrew Martin won the prize for the

longest ‘hang-time’ with his paper plane.On Tuesday, staff were treated to a delicious science themed spread at the Brain Break morning tea, organised by Mrs Jardine. Emerging from the barrage of cool and educational science songs, our Year 11 and 12 science students, with the help of Mrs Cain and the science staff, then ran stalls for Science on Display during lunchtime. Here, students had the chance to experiment with the science of sound waves, polarised light, ‘invisibility’, wave properties, reflection and refraction using light beams and laser beams and optical trickery. They also experimented with motion and enjoyed the chemistry involved in making and eating sherbet.Wednesday saw teams of students from all year levels participate in Miss Garden’s Amazing Science Race. Their objective at each station was to solve science challenges to collect a wedge to make up Newton’s colour wheel and be the first team back to base. In a race against the clock, they had to investigate the science of sound, pop balloons with a laser beam and experiment with lenses and light. The winning team was Hannah Norman and Holly Steele.Mr Zweck and Mr Warren then entertained the masses with the Science Magic Show on Thursday, supported by Mr Webb and Mrs Cain. With silly helium fueled voices and plenty of ‘Dad-jokes’, the audience were treated to a variety of demonstrations including; dry-ice, liquid nitrogen, colourful chemistry, magnetic trickery, fluorescing tonic water, edible worms and candles and a glow in the dark ‘alien egg’. Finally on Friday, Mrs Williams challenged teams in the Grand Science Quiz with mind-bending science trivia. While the teacher team performed courageously through almost all rounds, their collective brain might was no match for Angus Mawson’s encyclopaedic knowledge of the Periodic Table, bringing the “Fire-Breathing Sparkly Unicorn” team to victory. Well done to Ashleigh O’Neill, Arabella Quirk, Stefi Bingham, Hannah Weier and Angus!We also had an amazing group of science boffins from Years 9 and 10 invite junior classes to the labs for fun science activities organised by Mrs Carmody and Mrs Jardine.

These capable students assisted with science lessons where amongst a variety of activities; kaleidoscopes, squishy circuits, flex-tangles and magic sand were investigated. Whilst Mrs Jardine’s ‘Explore-boxes’ circulated the Primary School for further science fun. Congratulations to all our winners and thank you to all students who participated in Science Week activities and a HUGE and special thanks to the students and staff who assisted in running our activities and demonstrations. It was very pleasing to see such wide participation in all of Science Week, with students from all year levels taking part in the activities. We can’t wait until next year!Our Science Week Moodle site is still open for a few more weeks. Don’t forget to check out interesting science links and recipes for some of our amazing demonstrations and activities. RACI Australian National Chemistry QuizThe ANCQ is a unique chemical education activity run by the Royal Australian Chemical Institute. It provides a major focus for secondary school students on the relevance of chemistry in an exciting and stimulating way. This year, Chemistry students from Mrs. William’s class challenged themselves to this international quiz online. We look forward to seeing their results soon.Australian Science Olympiad ExamsThe Australian Science Olympiad Competition is a national extension program for top performing secondary science students, which culminates in the International Science Olympiads – the Olympic Games for science students. After sitting exams, the highest achieving students then get the chance to attend the Australian Science Olympiad Summer School and perhaps even represent Australia at the International Science Olympiad.This year, students at Moama Anglican Grammar School were offered the opportunity to participate in the ASI Olympiad exams. Six students chose to challenge themselves by sitting two hour exams in one or more of Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Earth and Environmental Science under strict conditions.We congratulate Matthew James, Emily Ball, James Price, Lachlan Chumbley, Sam Dyson and Edward Nelson for putting themselves

forward and participating in the challenge and look forward to seeing their exam results soon.National Youth Science ForumThe NYSF is a fantastic program that gives passionate science students the opportunity to visit university science facilities and labs, attend lectures and seminars, participate in personal development and network with like-minded people who have a passion for STEM studies.This year, three MAGS Year 11 students went through the extensive application process for the 2016 NYSF. Georgie McDaid was successful in gaining a place at the forum and will travel to Canberra early next year for the two-week program. We look forward to hearing all about her experience next year.Steve WarrenActing Head of Science


NATIONAL SCIENCE WEEk


HSC BODY OF WORk EXHIBITIONMoama Anglican Grammar School’s annual HSC Body of Work Exhibition was a huge success, with hundreds of people attending Friday’s exhibition.The exhibition featured the major works of Year 12 Drama, Visual Arts, Information Technology (Multimedia), Food Technology and Graphics students.Head of Visual Art Tara-Lee Moon said students had spent many hours completing their major works since Term 4 last year.“They each choose their own themes and have pushed the boundaries this year with issues prevalent in society at the moment,” she said.Congratulations to all students who exhibited works.


FROM GARDEN TO PLATEWe welcomed the Riverine Herald newspaper to our school earlier this year to take them on a tour of our Stephanie Alexander kitchen Garden and teach them about the kitchen Garden Program. The following is an article written by journalist Tyla Harrington, kindly provided to us by the Riverine Herald. Moama Anglican Grammar School is not just teaching the young people in its charge, it is working hard to educate them about food. About addressing the diet of young Australians, and tackling childhood obesity head on. A major step was joining the not-for-profit Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation in December last year - a class the school currently offers to about 80 Year 3 and 4 students. You name it, the school’s vegetable garden has probably produced it - or plans to. Snow peas, lettuce, herbs, tomatoes, chilli, onions, kale, potatoes, apples, blood oranges, garlic, broccoli, silverbeet, corn, bok choy, cauliflower, edible flowers, rosemary - and more. The best part, of course, is in the eating. Taking the food they have grown and turning it in to all sorts of (very healthy) goodies. Vietnamese rice paper rolls, fried rice, hummus, tzatziki, potato, leek and bacon soup - the list goes on. Head of Food Technology and former chef Michelle Downie said the program has well and truly been a hit. “We’ve really embraced the program and everything it represents,” she said. “I thought we had fabulous facillties at school

to support the kitchen garden program and we loved the program’s philosophy, so decided to put in a submission.“I explained why we wanted to be part of the program, we did four days trainig and here we are. Now each class meets once a fortnight in the kitchen. On the alternate weeks, they’re out in the garden.”The school joined the program after Alexander, in her words a cook, restaurateur, food writer and “champion of the quality and diversity of Australian food”, welcomed schools and early learning centres in to her kitchen garden education community. The service provides access to more than 700 resources based on the program, which now reaches 837 schools and more than 100,000 children across the country. It draws on the Foundation’s 14 years of experience and helps educators use real-life learning in the garden and kitchen to change the food habits of Australian children. But that’s not all the program covers, according to Michelle. “It covers so many different areas, including art in relation to the garden design,” she said. “We’ve made 3D sculptures of the garden and scarecrows. “A lot of the students have taken home recipes and made meals for their families. I’ve had parents tell me they’ve had meals cooked for them and we had one student who made their own garden during the school holidays. “It’s about trying different things and expanding their tastebuds, but it’s also about learning life skills. They’re not only cooking, but doing literacy and numeracy through reading recipes


and measuring ingredients.” Thanks to the program and Year 12 student Tyla Naugton, the school is now producing a recipe book, which will be released in October. Kitchen Garden Foundation chief executive Ange Barry said it was exciting to be opening the Foundation’s toolkit to secondary schools and early learning centres after being inundated with requests over the years.“While in the past we’ve had to limit access to the primary sector, we can now also welcome ELCs and secondary schools in to the kitchen garden community,” Ange said.“We are looking forward to continuing to expand this homegrown program, forging a ground-breaking community which will change the way generations think about fresh, seasonal, delicious food. “The service has been established in order for pleasurable food education to reach as many Australian children as possible, we have worked hard to minimise costs to schools, while simultaneously aiming for the long-term self-sustainability of the Foundation.” Stephanie Alexander said she was delighted to see pleasurable food education grow from one Australian School in 2001 to more than 800, and potentially thousands in the near future. “My dream was always to make pleasurable food education available to every student in primary school and, just maybe, extend the vision even further - and now it’s being realised,” she said. Photos by Jess Aitken and Cass Naughton

INAUGURAL RECIPE BOOkYear 12 Food Technology Prefect Tyla Naughton’s initiative to create a school recipe book certainly generated a buzz at Moama Anglican Grammar School. More than 200 recipes were submitted for the inaugural publication, with many days spent cooking and photographing the delicious creations. The project not only involved Food Technology students, but also encouraged Photography students to be part of capturing hundreds of images. The hardcover, full colour recipe book is

absolutely beautiful and we believe it will be a great keepsake for years to come. Thank you to everyone who supported this project - we can’t wait for you to see it. Orders for the book closed in September, with the finished books expected in October. Congratulations Tyla.


SCHOOL PRODUCTIONIt is always fascinating to see students using their talents outside the class environment. And so it was when about 150 actors, singers, dancers, designers and backstage crew took to the stage at Echuca’s Paramount Theater for the 2015 MAGS production of Disney’s ‘Alice in Wonderland’ at the end of July. Two large and appreciative audiences enjoyed the show. Amongst the highlights were Sophie Miller’s outstanding performance as Alice, which was a reading of characterful distinction and fantastic musicality. Angus Mawson inhabited the role of the Mad Hatter with verve, whilst Jack Dwyer’s antics as the March Hare kept the audience in stitches. Kennedi Walker, Alicia Wiffen, Bridget Morrison, Alyssa Hunter, Marissa Norris and Kiera Thorley all contributed outstandingly to bringing the show to life, as did all the actors and dancers. The Year 7 chorus was a particular highlight and Ms Link’s hard work over many months with them really paid off.This year’s production really highlighted the importance of a capable, independent and well organised backstage team. We were fortunate to be able to draw on the talents of Edward Nelson in the sound and lighting area, and Rory Jones’ tireless efforts coordinating backstage crew were indispensable. We were lucky enough to be able to call upon a number of parents and staff who gave particular assistance with the production. Anne Mawson painted a range of props which helped to bring Mr Hindson’s magical sets to life. Mrs McFadden began as backstage coordinator but her role expanded to fully-fledged producer. The

amazing costumes were made or sourced by Helen Schier whose enthusiasm for the project was infectious. Thanks to all who helped in any way - and we look forward to seeing 2016’s production!Mr James Rogerson Director


SRI LANkA 2015Moama Anglican Grammar School students travelled to Sri Lanka as part of the Service Trip earlier this year to build homes alongside Habitat for Humanity.The 23 students and five staff were confronted by the poverty and low quality of life in the eastern part of the island nation — but were overwhelmed with their seemingly indestructible spirit.Year 10 student Angus Mawson said the upbeat attitude of the locals resonated with him.‘‘They had this really positive outlook on everything despite their situation,’’ he said.Fellow student Kerrie Dick had similar thoughts.‘‘People were so happy there compared to people in Australia,’’ she said.‘‘They were so eager to help you. They weren’t selfish at all.’’The 14-day visit was part of Habitat for Humanity’s ‘Global Village’ project and involved building homes for families without adequate housing in the Batticaloa region.During the trip, the Moama group also visited a local primary school and forged close relationships with many of the people they came across.One of the group’s translators, Wilson, will be remembered by school chaplain Tim Bowles for some time.‘‘He explained to us that when the (2004 Boxing Day) tsunami came, he lost his mother and his wife right before his very eyes,’’ Tim said.‘‘To be confronted with the personal story of that, with the person right in front of you, had a big impact.‘‘He worked harder than us. He didn’t have to — there were other translators who didn’t. But he just got in and really helped us and would engage us in conversation.’’For Kerrie, the memory of the primary school visit stood out most.‘‘The kids took a lot of pridein what they were doing,’’ Kerrie said.‘‘They were at school and they were luckier than a lot of the people they knew.‘‘We took books over and donated them to their library, which consisted of about two little shelves. So we more than doubled their collection.’’The contrast in wealth among residents was also hard to get used to, particularly for Mr Bowles.‘‘You’d walk down the street and a house would just be a bit of tin and some banana leaves woven together,’’ he said.‘‘And yet a couple of doors down you’ve got quite a nicelybuilt double-storey brick house.’’As the students carried bricks and buckets for the houses they were building, they were forced

to deal with sapping humidity compounded by temperatures in the mid-30sBut their efforts were certainly worth it.Tim estimates the cost of building the homes would have been halved as a result of the group’s help.Batticaloa and the surrounding areas felt the force of the 2004 tsunami and suffered greatly during the Sri Lankan civil war conflict, which ended in 2009 after 26 bloody years.Tim said the connection they made with the children of Batticaloa helped them build a positive outlook on life.‘‘The Habitat staff were telling us the experience for those local kids is really valuable because the area has quite a sadness hanging over it,’’ he said.‘‘Not only do they have the hangover of the 2004 tsunami, but the war was also affecting their ability to get good food.While a large part of the trip focused on the building projects, there was also time dedicated to touring other parts of Sri Lanka and experiencing the local culture.The group visited temples, markets and even booked themselves in for some massages.‘‘That helps you realise that, yes, Sri Lanka does have people who need help, but they also have a great country and it has a lot of things going for it as well,’’ Tim said.Overall, the trip was an eyeopener for students such as Kerrie.‘‘I want to go back. I didn’t really want to come home,’’ she said.‘‘I felt there was so much more we could do.’’Before the trip, the group raised $26,500 for the Habitat for Humanity program.The social service trip is a biennial tour organised by the school, with previous trips taking place in the Philippines and Cambodia. Rusty WoodgerThe Riverine Herald

VALEDICTORY DINNER


Moama Anglican Grammar School’s Class of 2015 celebrated the end of their secondary schooling at Radcliffe’s Echuca on Friday 18 September. The students were joined by their parents and teachers for this formal occasion, joyfully chaired by Patrick Connally and Madalene Oberin. Billi Johns and Corvan Hall performed for the guests, while Chelsea Sutton, Tyla Naugton and Thomas McMinn looked back over their year group’s time at MAGS. Students were also presented with Academic, Honours, Special Awards and Graduation Certificates on the night. Corvan Hall was named as Valedictorian by his peers. Congratulations Class of 2015 - you should be proud of your achievements. Best of luck for your upcoming HSC Exams.

Students in Years 3 to 11 took part in our seventh MAGS Maths Olympics on Thursday and Friday June 11 and 12. The basic rule of the Maths Olympics is for student teams to answer as many mathematical problems within the allocated time as they can, whilst having fun. Teams are in their Houses in groups of two or three. The problems encourage students to “think outside the square” and take anything from 3 to 6 minutes to work out. Each year level had different problems to work on suited to their stage of mathematical knowledge and ability so there was a fair playing field. At half time in each session the students had to compete a mathematical music quiz where snippets of ten different songs were played and the teams had to write down the name and artist of the song; of course all ten sounds had something to do with “maths”.Our Head Markers were our Year 11 Advanced Mathematics students who, dressed in academic gowns, marked the questions as students brought them up to the markers table for on the spot correction. One point to their House for each correct question completed by

each team. This year’s winner of the MAGS Olympics shield was Martin House! However, all students in all four Houses are to be congratulated for the competitive, encouraging and positive spirit they participated in the Maths Olympics. It was also wonderful to see, for the first time, our Year 3’s and 4’s joining in to compete in the Maths Olympics and they did a wonderful job of solving many of the problems correctly.Mrs kate kemp Mathematics


MATHS OLYMPICS

MONEYSTUFF CHALLENGEA class assignment turned in to an unexpected windfall for Year 9 students Alyssa Hunter and Marissa Norris. The girls were named as the NSW Office of Fair Trading’s 2015 MoneyStuff Challenge Regional Winners. The MoneyStuff challenge encourages students to be involved in the classroom, be informed about fair trading consumer issues, be creative with a consumer message and develop an interactive presentation for peers, and ensure the presentation is submitted on time, meets the brief and doesn’t breach any copyright laws. The girls created an educational video clip aiming to inform people about safe ways to shop online.This is a fantastic achievement from Alyssa and Marissa, who were presented with their awards and prize money by Manager for NSW Fair Trading Kim Jenkins and Senior Education

Officer of NSW Fair Trading Erana Taikura. Alyssa and Marissa’s win also benefits other students, with $2000 in prize money also being presented to the school.You can view their winning entry here.

http://www.moneystuff.net.au/media/competitionentries/Peoples_choice_awards_2015/AHunter_MNorris_MoamaAnglicanGrammarSchool.mp4


SAMUAL’S PEDAL POWERYear 8 cyclist Samual Eddy has been handpicked for the Victorian Under 15 Men’s Cycling Team.Despite chipping his patella earlier this year, an injury which kept him off the bike for six weeks, Samual still proved worthy of selection in the prestigious squad. Selectors for the team had attended three major tours across Victorian - Ararat, Shepparton and Eildon - before eyeing the talent at the state titles, where Samual finished second in the time trial and third in the road race. Samual actually missed the race in Ararat with his injury, but his hard work throughout the year and obvious prowess on the bike was enough to capture the selectors’ attention.Locally, Samual is a member of the Echuca-Moama Cycling Club, which is also home to fellow MAGS students Edie Haley and Samual’s younger brother and sister Patrick and Jasmine. Edie is herself a talented rider and was seleted as member of the Cycling North-East Development Group, run by former Oceania and national coach Lyn Heritage. The two are set for a challenging weekend at October’s Victorian Schools Cycling Championships, with Patrick also set to take to the road in the Under 15 Men’s road event and Jasmine in the Under 13 Girls event. Best of luck to these students!

ABOVE: Samual Eddy. BELOW: Patrick Eddy, Edie Haley and Samual Eddy.

Year 10 student Kerrie Dick represented Moama Anglican Grammar School at the Rotary Club of Kyabram Tom Tehan Oratory Competition. She was competing against students from all over the Goulburn Valley as well as older students in Years 11 and 12. Kerrie’s topic of ‘Sugar Consumption’ was received well by both audience and judges. She spoke with conviction and passion about her chosen topic, captivating the audience. This was even more evident after the event, where an audience member was able to tell Kerrie that he is going to revisit his diet and the amount of sugar he consumes.At the end of the competition, there was a slight pause as the judges got together to work out who the winner was going to be. It was a very close competition with each speaker using their oratory skills exceptionally well. While the audience and contestants waited with baited breath the top three finalists were announced. Kerrie was announced the winner of the competition and it was well-deserved. Not

only did she do herself proud but also Moama Anglican Grammar School. Kerrie received a trophy, prize money for herself as well as prize money for the school. She is to be congratulated on an excellent job in representing herself and the school. Ms Cathy James Public Speaking Coordinator

ORATORY COMPETITION

ALUMNI GATHERING


Moama Anglican Grammar School hosted its first Alumni Gathering at the Transport Bar in Melbourne earlier this month. The gathering was open to all Year 12 graduates from 2010-2014 and designed to be a relaxed “catch up” among former students and staff. More than 50 people attended the night, which was declared a success by Communications and Events Officer Mrs Jess Aitken. “This is the first of many Alumni events we are hoping to host,” she said.“Given it is the School’s 10 year anniversary, we thought it was the perfect time to make contact with our Alumni and see what they have been up to since they left Moama Anglican Grammar School.” Alumni who would like to add their names to the invitation database, or update their details, are encouraged to contact Mrs Aitken at [email protected] Pictured are 2011 Alumni Jayme Lowndes and Stephanie O’Brien with Mrs Libby Barnes.


COMING EVENTSFESTA ITALIANASunday 11 October11am to 3pmMoama Anglican Grammar School

PRESENTATION EVENINGFriday 11 December 6pm for a 6.30pm startStubberfield Centre, Echuca

CHILDREN’S WEEkOctober 26 to October 30 Moama Anglican Grammar School

EXEAT HOLIDAYSMonday 2 November, Tuesday 3 November

TASTERS WEEkNovember 30 to December 4Moama Anglican Grammar School

ORIENTATION DAYTuesday 8 DecemberMoama Anglican Grammar School

PRIMARY CHRISTMAS CONCERTWednesday 9 DecemberMoama Anglican Grammar School

FROM THE AIR

Moama Anglican Grammar School was photographed from the sky earlier this year. The Class of 2015 framed this image and presented it to the school as a gift at their Farewell Assembly.

september 2015 edition principal’s message · september 2015 edition principal’s message ......

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