2022 Term 4 Week 9 9 Dec 2022

Several long-serving staff members. who have each given more than ten years of service to our school, and have finished their time with us at Lindisfarne. I thank them each for their incredible service to our students and community.

Richard Marriott:

Having an impressive background in engineering, Richard was employed by Qantas for 17 years and held various leadership and management roles. He commenced at Lindisfarne as a Mathematics and Science teacher in 2011. Richard has always contributed wholeheartedly to his Lindisfarne experience. He led the way in implementing the STEM academy within the Science department, developing a partnership with Sydney University that delivers professional learning. As part of this initiative, Richard and his team have been invited to present at seminars, showcasing what Lindisfarne is doing in the STEM space.

Some of the many career highlights during Richard’s time at Lindisfarne include that he has just finished teaching the Year 12 Advanced Maths Accelerated students, which was the same class of students he taught from Year 7 to Year 12. He was a foundation mentor teacher of The Rite Journey and always threw himself into all the adventurous challenges and activities that the students participated in, including hiking and camping. Richard also took many teams to Science and Engineering challenges during his time. 

Richard became the Director of Science two years ago and has continued to share his knowledge and expertise with not only his colleagues in the Science faculty but with the broader school community. He leaves Lindisfarne with fond memories of the amazing team of people he has worked with. Our School is definitely a better place for having Richard be a part of it for the past 12 years. He is now looking forward to his retirement, travelling with his family, continuing his love of learning languages and being able to have more time to play the piano, trombone and banjo.

Above: Richard with his first Rite Journey group in 2019.

Natalie Marriott

Having a Doctorate in Information Technology, Natalie began her career at Lindisfarne in 2009 in the Computing faculty before moving to the Maths department. Sharing her love of Mathematics with the students in the early days, Natalie set up an Inter-House Chess competition, was the first teacher to get a Band 6 at Lindisfarne for General Maths and is immensely proud of the fact that she has been able to make Mathematics fun for students who were at times disillusioned with the subject.

Natalie has held numerous leadership roles and continues to be an inspirational leader to both students and staff alike, holding the positions of Acting Dean of Studies, Acting Director of Careers and Head of Cuthbert House. In the Head of House role, Natalie always gave staff, students and parents the utmost support in pastoral matters, exhibiting genuine care for those around her. 

She helped to create the Year 10 Service Learning program; was instrumental in coordinating the Year 11 Camp ‘Mock Formal’ and has been a much-loved Rite Journey mentor teacher since the program started. 

Natalie’s colleagues will miss the many cups of tea she would make for staff and students when they needed to have a chat, the upbeat music she would play before and after school whilst on duty, her warm smile, positivity and her infectious smile. Natalie is looking forward to a well-deserved retirement.

Above: Natalie in her annual 'Cuthbert' photo at the Year 12 Formal 2021.

Allison Sands

Allison started her journey with Lindisfarne as a Physics and Mathematics teacher in January 2005, ironically completing a Science/Physics practical at Lindisfarne with our current Head of House and former Director of Science. Mr Daniel Robins. Allison’s knowledge in these fields was bolstered by her previous career as a highly successful engineer for 10 years.

Allison has also been heavily involved in the co-curricular life of the School with NCIS and CIS hockey representative teams, her most recent appointment being as Manager for the NSWCIS All Schools Team, a Barnabas House Tutor teacher for the past 8 years, completing Gold Coast Kokoda Challenges, Bridge Building State Competitions and organising teams for many Science and Engineering challenges. 

Allison was always one to look at new ideas, especially with the inception of mountain biking for Sport after excess dirt was transported to the top oval from the new O Block building! Having an article in Teacher Magazine written about her deep interest in Engineering Studies sparked interest from students seeing them lobby for Engineering Studies to be added to the curriculum.

Amongst her many talents, Allison’s character displays humour, level-headedness, and unselfish sharing of her time to always assist colleagues and students. Allison has been a most respected member of the Science department with her brilliant organisational skills and being a whiz at Trivia competitions!

Allison has been an inspiration to many and we extend our congratulations as she takes on a leadership role at St Joseph’s College next year.

Above: Allison with her Engineering students.

Kylie Rossington

Moving to the Tweed Coast from Sydney, Kylie started her Lindisfarne journey in 2010 and quickly became an integral member of the English Faculty. With her love of reading and deep knowledge of literature, Kylie could be relied upon to provide new material to enrich the knowledge of our students.

With a love of nature and the outdoors, Kylie delivered pragmatic messages of surviving in the wilderness and was the go-to for many of the Year 9 girls who were nervous about the outward bound adventure.

As the host of many International Women’s Day events, Kylie’s innate sense of community shone. She expertly navigated Q&A’s with many speakers whilst sharing her personal insight into the shared experience of being female in an ever-changing world.

In 2021, Kylie was appointed as the Director of English. In the time she was at the helm, Kylie established some exciting initiatives including the staff book reviews at Assembly that were designed to promote awareness of a love of reading and to broaden the horizons of our students. With her fresh and innovative approach, she injected vibrance into the curriculum.

Kylie is a most gifted teacher and the relationships that Kylie built with her students and colleagues across her time with us is a testament to the quality educator and person she is.

Kylie has decided to relocate further South to be much closer to her extended family.

We wish Kylie, Jace and their daughter, Andy, all the best on their onward journey and thank Kylie for the significant contribution she has made to our School and community.

Above: Kylie (second from right) hosting the International Women's Day panel in 2020.

Gay Maynard

Gay has been a respected and dedicated staff member for over 18 years. During this time, she was Director of the PDHPE Faculty, teaching Stage 3 to Stage 6 PDHPE, PASS, SLR and Dance; PDHPE and Dance at HSC level. She has been a HSC PDHPE marker and has also been recognised by Southern Cross University as an outstanding mentor to Teaching Practice students over many years. 

Gay has undertaken and been acknowledged for the charitable fundraising work within the school, notably with the Cancer Council and through the Olympic movement.

For 14 years, Gay was Lindisfarne's Director of Sport. Within this tenure, she was also the North Coast Independent School's Sports Convenor and the Lindisfarne Lions Netball Program coordinator. She effectively organised carnivals and selections at School through to State level in a range of sports. She has been instrumental in developing Lions Netball  and, her initiative, the Netball Centre of Excellence program. Gay has also successfully coached and managed girls and boys School teams at Tweed Netball Association's Competitions and NSW and Queensland State Netball competitions. 

Through Gay's vast network of educational and sports contacts, she instigated and facilitated successful sports fixtures with international schools from the UK and New Zealand. She supported the introduction of the School's Gap Assistant programme, including 2 gap assistants from the Rugby School who will work at Lindisfarne next year.

Gay has always led her department with passion and commitment with students at the centre of her decision-making.

We thank Gay for her service to the school and wish her well in her future endeavours.

Above: Gay with a Senior Boys Netball Team.

Stuart Marquardt
Principal

It’s now hard to believe that the 2022 School year started with twice weekly RAHT screening just so we could return to School. Gradually we commenced the era of living with Covid-19 with many of our much-loved activities, programs, and events recommencing for our students and school community.

During the challenges of the last three years, the School has remained committed to continuous improvement, working to strengthen our Anglican Identity and Ethos, develop our staff and Executive team, progress our Building and Masterplan, enhance Quality Teaching and Learning, further develop our Wellbeing programs, considerably expand our co-curricular offering and build Community Engagement.

It is indeed an exciting time for Lindisfarne Anglican Grammar School as we enhance our programs and facilities, and build our people and community.  

Recently the School was recognised as the top performing Primary School and Secondary School on the Tweed Coast using Year 5 and Year 9 Naplan results 2017-2021 as the categories to compare with other Schools in the region. This is a significant achievement and I’m proud of the work of our staff and students to make this possible. We know that the foundations for this success are the result of high-quality teaching, a desire by students to improve, and the support of a committed parent community.

Thank you to the 879 parents who responded to our recent parent survey. The responses received indicated strong support for the School.  Excellent ratings were achieved in fourteen of sixteen areas with the top 5 being Co-Curriculum, Curriculum, Values and Culture, School Communication, and Teaching Standards. In addition, the top five reasons why families selected Lindisfarne as their School was School Reputation, Academic Excellence, Values, and Culture, Quality of Staff, and Location.

In reviewing the results I want to thank parents for their strong support of the School and pay tribute to the extraordinary teachers, dedicated staff, and leadership team, who continually go above and beyond to deliver outstanding opportunities and programs for our students.

In celebrating the annual Speech days this week we are reminded that the awards are not just about the award recipients. They are a testament to the extraordinary talent our students and staff possess across our school and act as recognition of individual and collective effort. Our Speech days also act as a time of celebration as we give thanks and gratitude for the high standards, dedication, and community connections in our school and importantly highlight the tremendous value our staff, parents, and the Lindisfarne community place on all aspects of learning and education.

On behalf of the School Community, I extend hearty congratulations to the respective SubSchool Dux and Proxime Accessit recipients.

Finally, for every student of the class of 2022, I hope that you will feel a deep sense of an enduring connection to Lindisfarne Anglican Grammar School and that you will forever feel a part of this school and community no matter where life might take you.

Remembering ‘that you never actually leave a school like Lindisfarne, you just stop attending every day’.

Thank you to all members of our community for your support throughout 2022 as we shared our ongoing Lindisfarne story and as we continued the important work to develop a world-class school for the children and families of the southern Gold Coast, Tweed Coast, and northern New South Wales. 

I extend the very best wishes to all members of the school community for a safe and blessed Christmas and a very happy New Year.

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;

And the government shall be upon his shoulder,

And his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor,

Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
- Isaiah 9:6

Stuart Marquardt
Principal

Dear Members of the Lindisfarne Community

“Do not be afraid, for I bring you news of great joy for the whole world….for us a Saviour is born. He is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10)

They say that ‘good news doesn’t sell.’ We are programmed to see and talk about the bad news before we speak about the good news. It’s our ‘negativity bias’ which has become a ‘designer flaw’ in human beings.

However, the birth of Jesus over 2,000 years ago is a constant reminder that human beings are loved by God -eternally, recklessly, purely, freely and unconditionally.

This is the ‘Good News’ that changes everything because it speaks to the greatest need we all have: the need to be loved.

“The greatest thing you’ll ever learn”, Nat King Cole sang, “is to love and be loved in return.”

Our hearts are made to be loved, every human person yearns for love. From the prime minister and pope to the pauper, everyone needs love.

Without love we die, without love, we cease to exist.

Christmas is first and foremost a feast of love, that’s why we love it so much.

Yes, Christmas is about presents, rest, relaxation, carols, family get-togethers, travel, cricket, and whatever family tradition you share at this time of the year.

And yet, Christmas can only be about these things because it began with God taking human flesh (incarnation); re-creating us and our beautiful world; reconciling earth and heaven, humanity and divinity; and calling us to live ‘at-one-ment’ with God, and with the human and other-than-human components of creation.

At Christmas God loved the world so much that He sent Jesus to share in the ‘straw of our humanity’ and to show us what God is like (cf. John 3:16-18; Col 1:15). 

God is not to be feared for God is one with us, and because of Jesus, we are all brothers and sisters, members of the human family.

The best compliment someone could pay you is to want to be like you, isn't it? That’s exactly what God did at the first Christmas: God became like us so that we can become like God.

Essentially, Christmas reminds us that we are ‘God-like’ (cf. psalm 8; psalm 84); we have faces shining like the sun, and are filled with love and light. I wish we could actually believe this truth about who we are!

Because if we do, it could potentially change the world: how we see ourselves, how we see and treat others, how we see and treat the natural world and how we use material things.

I find it comforting that the phrase “Do not be afraid” appears 366 times in the Bible, one for every day even for a leap year. In a world where war, violence, famine, suffering,

sickness and hunger prevail, the birth of Jesus reminds us that God is close to us and that He loves us, “and in this love our lives are everlasting”, as Blessed Julian of Norwich said.

This Christmas, let us welcome this boundless love of God, and let us share it with everyone, for that would be the best Christmas present ever - filling our families, schools, communities and world with love and light.

I wish you and every member of our Lindisfarne Community a blessed, joyful, peaceful and happy Christmas, and may the New Year 2023 be kind to you and yours.

Thank you for everything!

Rev Constantine Osuchukwu

Chaplain

Dear Current Parents,

If you require new Uniform for 2023 please visit the store PRIOR to closure on the 9th of December. 

All Year 8 Parents are reminded of the change in Uniform from Year 8 to Year 9 including the need for the blazer

The Uniform Shop hours until Christmas closure are:

• Monday, 21 Nov 8.00am - 4.00pm
• Tuesday, 22 Nov 8.00am - 4.00pm
• Wednesday, 23 Nov 8.00am - 4.00pm
• Thursday, 24 Nov 8.00am - 4.00pm

• Monday, 28 Nov 9.00am - 5.00pm
• Tuesday, 29 Nov 9.00am - 5.00pm
• Wednesday, 30 Nov 9.00am - 5.00pm
• Thursday, 1 Dec 9.00am - 5.00pm
• Friday, 2 Dec 9.00am - 5.00pm

• Monday, 4 Dec 9.00am - 5.00pm
• Tuesday, 5 Dec 9.00am - 5.00pm
• Wednesday, 6 Dec 9.00am - 5.00pm
• Thursday, 7 Dec 9.00am - 5.00pm
• Friday, 8 Dec 9.00am - 5.00pm

Appointments are preferred but not essential for top-up purchases.

PLEASE try to purchase what you need NOW to avoid the January rush.

Further information for online orders or to make bookings is available at https://www.lindisfarne.nsw.edu.au/uniform-shop/

Leischa Bevan
Uniform Shop Manager 

Total Football Academy after-school Program

The Total Football Academy program will be running again in term 1 2023. Information has been sent out to families of students in K-4. Those interested can register via parent lounge Events and Payments. 

Information can be found in the following flyer AFS Lindisfarne.pdf.

Big Bash Cricket Day!

Last Friday we held the annual Big Bash Cricket Tournament for year 3 and 4 students. The weather was not looking kind, with rain falling throughout the morning and while the day was being set up. However the call was made to take a chance and see what happened, and it paid off. There were a few interruptions to play when the weather moved in, however, the students took shelter and waited for the rain to pass and then continued to play. 

The rain could not dampen the spirits of the masses and in turn, there was some outstanding cricket played. The colours and music added to the vibe, with the constant shouts of “HOWZAT” ringing around Arkinstall Park. The students had a great time and were amazing keeping the enthusiasm up all day. The day ended with the necessary iceblock after a hot and tough day in the field, and tales of the biggest hit the best ball, or the best catch. Well done to all involved the day was an overwhelming success. 

A massive thanks to the Teachers who ensured that the day ran smoothly, and a massive thank you to the Students from the Senior School who gave up their time to come down to umpire and run the games for the day. The older students were fantastic with the junior school students and showed brilliant leadership and sportsmanship. They are all role models and leaders of the future. 

As this is the last Newsletter for the year, I would personally like to say thank you to everyone who has contributed to and supported the sports program at the Junior School in 2022. 

We have had an amazing year and one filled with the sport back to normal with heaps of competitions and the crowds back in force. 

The community of families and supporters at the Junior School is outstanding and along with our amazing teaching and support staff, I am looking forward to continuing to have more FUN and play more sports in 2023. 

Merry Christmas to everyone have a FUN, Safe and refreshing break, and I will see you all in the New Year. 

Nathan Croft
PE Specialist P-4

In following with tradition, the Year 4 cohort of 2022 collaborated on a piece of art to leave at Sunshine Avenue. This year we enlisted the creativity of Miss Narelle Urquhart and are truly grateful for the incredible end result. A huge thank you to Mr Tony Wright and Mr Nathan McDonald for their efficiency with cutting out 106 fish for students to inscribe with their own stories. The piece will be hung at Sunshine Avenue for all to enjoy.

Rebecca Hassell

Year 4 Teacher     

Well, that’s a wrap! We might have only had three days at school this week but they certainly were packed.

Our Speech Day was a beautiful celebration of student achievement as we bestowed accolades and shared the amazing talents and gifts of our students. The awards were interspersed with some beautiful musical and choral numbers culminating in a spectacular “all-in” collaborative rendition of Pink Zebra’s “Shine Like Stars”. It was great to acknowledge the graduating Year 4 cohort as they conclude their Junior School chapter and embark on their next adventures in the Middle School. The celebrations continued on Wednesday with the “ringing of the bell” as the Year 4s officially closed out their year. The undercover area was a singing and dancing mass of students and teachers farewelling each other and the 2022 school year in style. What a way to call it a day!

Lost Property-

We still have quite a bit of lost property to be reunited with its rightful owner. If you, in the ceremonial unpacking of the school bag, notice that something is missing, please pop in to check the table outside the office. The office will be open for the rest of this week and next week.

Thank you, one and all, for making 2022 a remarkable, successful, and thoroughly rewarding year.

Jeremy Godden
Head of Junior School

What a year it has been for our Junior School readers! We’ve had a record number of 18 students join our Accelerated Reader Word Millionaire Club, collectively they have read over 35 million words and have undertaken 890 quizzes. Congratulations to the following students:

• Ella A (4T) 4,698,513 words
• Chloe M (4R) 3,707,295 words
• Thomas S (4H) 2,928,629 words
• Lachlan C (3NH) 2,630,770 words
• Edie W (4S)  2,623,074 words
• Cole K (4H) 2,295,399 words
• Owen M (3M) 2,203,447 words
• Leo M (4T) 2,028,520 words
• Noah C (4T) 1,835,306 words
• Ginny L (4R) 1,767,289 words
• Olivia L (2B) 1,293,794 words
• Jackson B (4S)  1,214,351 words
• Parker W (3NH) 1,200,587 words
• Penny B (3M) 1,155,119 words
• Zoe F (4R) 1,083,558 words
• Nicholas K (4S) 1,044,534 words
• Frank N (3M) 1,029,862 words
• Mason W (4H) 1,025,919words

A special congratulations must also go to Class 4H for being awarded the Word Millionaire Star Class for reading the most words this year - over 14 million! Well done to Mrs Hawkins, Mrs Howarth and students for this amazing achievement.

Wishing you all a safe and happy holiday.

Krissy Affleck
Information Services and Digital Pedagogy

Surf Life Saving

Congratulations to the fourteen Lindisfarne students who were selected to represent Far North Coast at the recent Surf Life Saving NSW Interbranch Championships at Shelly Beach. 

To be selected for the Far North Coast Team is an outstanding achievement and requires a tremendous amount of dedication to training before and after school, each day. 

Fourteen Lindisfarne students from Year 7 to Year 10, competed against the best athletes from the other ten branches in the state; and were proudly able to retain the trophy for the best Country Branch. 

There were some fantastic team and individual results including Year 9 student, Fletcher Burdekin winning the U15 Male Iron Man. Congratulations to all team members:

• Jules Loemker 
• Fletcher Burdekin 
• Tex Milroy
• Sam Davies
• Layla Hutchinson 
• Fray Hutchinson
• Willow Nicol
• Isabella Arghyros
• Claudia Arghyros
• Hannah Jocumsen
• Edan Jocumsen
• Jack Cross
• Isabella Tate
• Archie Loemker

Middle School Speech Day 

This year’s Speech Day ceremony was an outstanding event filled with performances, awards, and inspiring words from our school and community leaders. It was incredibly special to celebrate the achievements of so many students who have dedicated themselves to the academic, sporting, and extra curricular life of the School. Students were recognised for academic excellence, effort, sporting achievements, community service, and leadership. 

We were also very fortunate to enjoy the talents of many of our students as they performed throughout the service. Congratulations to all students.

Final Message

As the year draws to a close, I would like to thank the many students and parents who have reached out to me over the past few weeks with messages of gratitude and appreciation. I am grateful for your support and the sense of community that I have experienced throughout the year. The Middle School students have learned a great deal and grown enormously this year.  They are a great group of students, collectively and individually and I feel very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to guide them throughout the 2022. I look forward to continuing to work with the Middle School families throughout 2023. 

I wish you all a Merry Christmas, a restful holiday, and a Happy New Year. The School community will be welcomed back for the start of Term 1 next year on Monday 30 January 2023. Please note that the school closes over Christmas/New Year from 3 pm, Tuesday 20 December 2022 to 8 am Wednesday 4 January 2023.

Happy holidays.

Cathy Cox
Head of Middle School

Speech Day

Wednesday, 7 December, saw the Senior School host a beautiful Speech Day in Ngahriyah. The opportunity to come together to celebrate the culmination of a year’s work was welcomed after over two years of being affected by the restrictions associated with COVID-19. The highlight of the Senior School Speech Day is the acknowledgment of the departing Year 12s. Many students were recognised for their contributions to school life and their academic achievements. Many thanks to the parents and carers who supported the students as their efforts were recognised.

Community Christmas Service

Many thanks to The Reverend Constantine Osuchukwu for leading members of the School community in a beautiful Christmas Service on Sunday, 4 December. The service held in the Chapel was well-attended by students, parents, staff and the local community. Such services help us to remember and recognise the importance of the broader school community. The Reverend Constantine’s “Spiritual Gym” services will continue into 2023. I encourage full attendance at each event.

Student Wellbeing

For some students, time away from the structure of school and constant contact with friends can be a difficult time to navigate. Please know that some access to the School’s counsellor and psychologists can be arranged if needed. Equally, I can be contacted via email during the holiday period if students need some additional support. Parents and carers are always welcome to contact me at kate.cornell@lindisfarne.nsw.edu.au.

Christmas Wishes

I would like to extend Christmas wishes to all Senior School students and their families for the holiday period. No doubt, some time of restoration and relaxation will be well-received by many. I look forward to welcoming all students back to school in January for what will undoubtedly be another terrific year. 

Kate Cornell
Head of Senior School 

いただきます！

Using chopsticks to eat rice and miso soup is not an easy task! Our Year 7 Japanese students recently undertook that challenge by putting their chopsticks skills and Japanese meal etiquette knowledge into practice. After learning about the “do’s and don'ts” of chopsticks and Japanese meal etiquette in class, they successfully ate a meal of rice, miso soup, and sushi at a local sushi restaurant! This was a wonderful culmination of our Japanese food unit. Some of the highlights of this experience included chopstick practice in class with savoury and sweet treats, learning the meaning and significance of chopsticks rules, successfully eating miso soup with only chopsticks, and trying the different varieties of sushi of their choice. It was a lot of fun for the students and staff who helped on the day, and the students represented the school with pride by displaying appropriate cross-cultural etiquette.

ごちそうさまでした。

ゴデン先生

Mrs.Godden

Many of us are aware of the true story of Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes and the catastrophic impact of atomic bombs being dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on the 6th and 9th of August 1945 respectively. As time passes though, it is only natural that younger generations do not have the same awareness of some historical events. But it is important for our students to understand these events and their relevance to Japanese society and the global community. 

Following the completion of their assessment, students in 8(2) Japanese embarked on learning more about Hiroshima, Sadako and making 1000 paper cranes as a class, to be displayed as a symbol of peace. For a number of students it was a revelation to learn about Hiroshima. As we made paper cranes we viewed and discussed documentary excerpts, re-enactments and interviews with survivors. This led to further exploration of Japan’s wartime experience in Okinawa, including the poignant Japanese song Shima Uta, and finally linking to the more recent catastrophic events of the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and resulting Fukushima nuclear disaster. 

The students reflected that they found these learning experiences to be relevant to their growing understanding of Japan’s history, geography, society and culture, and helped them to deepen their compassion for others!

ゴデン先生

Mrs.Godden

To kickstart 2023, our Middle and Senior School Music Ensembles will have a two-day intensive music workshop in January.

All students from Years 5 to 12 with prior ensemble involvement are invited to attend the workshop which will involve all of our Music staff and specialised professional tutors.

If you are new to the School or not currently in an ensemble you will be assigned a group on the first day.

The workshop will culminate in a concert for parents on Thursday 19 January at 1.30 pm in Ngahriyah.

Students will have the opportunity to rehearse with our core Music Ensembles as well as participate in our Mass Choir, improvisation sessions, extension ensembles, and specialised musical clinics.

Please confirm your attendance by completing the Music Workshop form or via performingarts@lindisfarne.nsw.edu.au.

Todd Hardy
Director of Performing Arts

From March 3 to 24, 2023 (please note the slight change of date), Lindisfarne will again be hosting students from the Aoyama Gakuin University (AGU) in Tokyo. The students are aged between 19 and 24 years and are studying various university subjects. 

The AGU student visit aims to provide cross-cultural experiences for both the Lindisfarne and AGU students.  Homestay families are required to provide a room, meals, transport to and from the school (they can catch the Lindisfarne bus), Sunday visits to church, and plenty of fun and conversations. Homestay families are reimbursed $300 PW ($900 in total) to cover the cost of food and transport. Due to the change of dates, there will be an additional $40. On Friday, the students arrive, and they will engage in activities at the school. It is hoped families can collect them (and their bags) at the conclusion of the school day. 

If you would like to express interest in being a homestay family, please email drsuzannehudson@gmail.com or phone 0432 147 776 for further information. I hope you can support this excellent program. 

Jeremy Godden
Head of Junior School

Rugby Union Report

As 2022 wraps up, we wanted to share some updates on what the Lindisfarne Rugby Union program will look like in 2023 and what we want our players to improve in over the school holidays.

Off-Season Training

“Fatigue Makes Cowards of Us All” - Vince Lombardi, Legendary NFL Coach

One big aspect of our Lindisfarne Rugby program we can improve on for next year is our physical strength, fitness, and robustness. To help develop these qualities, we have put together an off-season strength and conditioning program suitable for our school aged players that will run over 8 weeks. 

The 8 weeks run from next week until the end of Term 1 Week 1 next year. This conditioning element of this program is based on your results in a Bronco test. Meanwhile, the strength element has two options: 

• Gym based and 
• Home based

As a general recommendation, players aged 15 and over should be doing the gym based program, and players aged 14 and under should be doing the home based program. You can find the program HERE and it should be self explanatory with the video demonstrations but if there are any questions, please let us know. 

If you do not have any off-season training plans, this program will provide a great base for you. We realise some of you may already have off-season training plans, and if so, this program can provide a template for the work we want our players to complete over the school holidays, so you can be ready to compete in 2023.

2023 Expression of Interest

We will be releasing an expression of interest (EOI) for players wanting to participate in our Rugby program early next year. New players are always welcome and we encourage you to register your interest when the EOI is released next year...

2023 Program Features

Similar to 2022, our Rugby program will be for both boys and girls. In general, boys will have XV-a-side opportunities in Terms 1 and 2 and 7-a-side opportunities in Term 3 and at the beginning of Term 4. Meanwhile, girls will have 7-aside opportunities from Terms 2, 3 and at the beginning of Term 4. 

The list of teams will include: 

• Boys’ XVs: 1st XV, U15, U13, U12
• Boys’ 7s: 1st 7, U15, U13, U12, U10 
• Girls’ 7s: 1st 7, U15, U13
• The U15 and U13 girls' 7s squads will be pending player numbers

2023 Training Camps

The program in 2023 will include a one-day training camp at the beginning of Term 1 (for boys) and at the beginning of Term 2 (for girls)  to drive the program, culture, and standards of Lindisfarne Rugby Union. For parents planning, you will need to register your child’s EOI in the Rugby program (mentioned above). Also, the dates of these training camps will likely be on the first Saturday of Term 1 and Term 2 for boys and girls respectively, and will be advised ASAP.

2023 Training Timetable

Although not finalised, this is the indicative training timetable we are hoping to be implemented in 2023. Please note this timetable may be subject to change.

2023 Fixtures

We have a number of exciting fixtures and key dates that we will share with all players and parents early in 2023. This includes: 

• Intra-school trials for the 1st XV
• The Emerging Schools Cup for our U13 and U15 squads
• The Len Diett Cup for our U13, U15 and 1st XV squads
• Major tournaments like the Ballymore Cup, Queensland All Schools 7s, and the largest primary school tournament in Australia, The Armidale School Carnival (we are awaiting to see if we have gained entry for 2023).
• A fixture against Collingwood High School from Canada for our 1st XV. 

Parents should be aware that some of these tournaments/fixtures may be in the school holidays (e.g., The Armidale School Rugby Carnival is in the second week of the April holidays) and once the fixture list is released, please plan accordingly if your child is selected in their respective squads.

More Information

We will be finalising all the information above and more to release prior to school starting in 2023. If you have any questions in the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact Dr Coyne (jcoyne@lindiisfarne.nsw.edu.au).

Have a safe and happy holidays!!

Dr Joseph Coyne
Director of High Performance, Athlete, and Sports Development   

Merry Christmas to you all from the Sports Department. A busy, yet satisfying year with COVID-19 issues seemingly behind us now. Stay safe over the break and we hope to see you all fit, strong, and firing - ready for the Swimming Carnivals!

Volleyball

This week we had four teams participating in the Australian All Schools Volleyball competition on the Gold Coast across two venues, Carrara Indoor sports centre and Coomera Indoor sports centre.

What a massive week of Volleyball! 30 courts running concurrently from 8.00am until 10.00pm at night. 

This is a program that we are very keen to grow, it is a brilliant game when played properly. Our teams began our first ever real crack at a volleyball program, which began at the end of Term 3 - and we were playing a lot of schools with consolidated Volleyball programs. All our teams were punching above their weight - being right in all our matches. As I am writing this editorial, our Year 9&U girls look as though they will qualify for the finals. 

Lindisfarne Lions Winter League 2023 - Basketball

This is not a typo - the Gold Coast Junior Basketball League’s -  Winter League, begins trial matches on 9 February! Therefore, our Head Coach - Nash Campbell, is keen to start selecting/placing teams (based on 2022 observations) but will want to trial any of our fresh faces that may be interested in joining us. These trials for new students (including new Year 5 or 7 intakes) will happen in Week ONE in 2023!

Please follow the registration links below for the initial sign-ups for the Lindisfarne Lions Winter League so we can get a significant number of teams placed and sorted before school comes back. 

The Gold Coast Junior Basketball League is without a doubt the premier basketball competition in our region. 

EVERYONE who is keen to join us for next year needs to put their name forward please by clicking on the link below. 

Please carefully select the link that is your/your child's year of birth range and complete all the questions. This is a no obligation sign-up - with cost breakdowns and further information being sent to the interested players that register. 

Under 10 -  Born 2014 or younger (Boys and Girls)

Under 12 -  Born 2012-2013 (Boys and Girls)

Under 14 - Born 2010-2011 (Boys and Girls)

Under 16 - Born 2008-2009 (Boys and Girls)

Under 18 - Born 2006-2007 (Boys ONLY)

Under 21 - Born 2003-2005 (Boys ONLY) 

Open Girls - Born 2003-2007 (Girls ONLY)

Athletics

Elite High Jump Training Session On Wednesday the 30th of November, two of our Lindisfarne athletics squad, Malakai Yen and Liam Reardon, were fortunate enough to be invited to a training session with an elite high jumper, Zhang Guo Wei. Zhang Guo Wei is a Chinese athlete who was a silver medallist at the 2015 World Athletics Championships and has a personal best high jump of 2.38m. You can see him compete HERE.   Zhang Guo Wei was in Australia working with Dr. Coyne and kindly agreed to let some of our Lindisfarne athletics squad members train with him for one session. In this session, the boys completed some technical running drills, and some resistance training, and then Zhang Guo Wei gave the boys some technical high jump drills they could use in the future.

Netball

Strategic Planning Day for Netball

On Sunday, 4 December we hosted the Strategic Planning Day for Netball at the Boat House.  Parents, Students, Staff and Alumni gathered to plan for the future of netball at Lindisfarne. We reflected on years gone by and brainstormed the successful future of Lindisfarne Netball. Thank you to all those who have contributed to our efforts to renew the Netball Program at Lindisfarne through attendance at the Strategic Planning Day or via the recent survey.  As progress is made with the Vision and Mission for Netball at Lindisfarne we look forward to sharing further details of our Strategic Intent.

Save the Date

We are aware that as the new netball season commences in 2023 there will be immediate actions that need to be taken. As such we have identified the following opportunities in netball we feel you should be aware of:

1. Parent Support Group - The Annual General Meeting (AGM) for the Netball Parent Support Group will be held on Tuesday, 31 January 2023 commencing at 6:30 pm sharp in our Chapel at the Mahers Lane campus. All positions will be declared vacant and a new committee will be established for the 2023 season. The agenda for the meeting can be found here and the minutes from the previous AGM can be found here. A general meeting will immediately follow the AGM with details to come. 

1. Monday Night Netball - Expressions of Interest This competition is open to all students who wish to participate. It begins on Monday, 30 January 2023 to Monday, 1 May 2023.  Teams will play 10 rounds followed by the Grand Final.  Please see the key dates for Monday Night here. noting the closing date for expressions of interest. Please keep in mind the commencement of the Saturday competition (below). 

1. School Representative Squad Trials - Nomination Form The School will select two representative squads in the Under 15 and Open Divisions.  We expect these squads will represent the school in Saturday Netball, NCIS, NSW Cup, Vicki Wilson Cup, and others. We anticipate that trials for these groups will be held in Weeks 1 and 2 of Term 1. Further details about trials, commitments, and competitions will be announced soon.
2. Saturday Netball - Expression of Interest This competition is open to all students who wish to participate. It begins on Saturday, 18 March 2023, and goes through to Saturday, 9 September. The sign-on day is Saturday, 11 February 2023 at Arkinstall Park. Please see other key dates for Saturday Netball here.

1. Netball Centre of Excellence Whilst we await the outcomes of the Strategic Planning process, the Netball Centre of Excellence program will be on hold. We will review the place of the program pending this process. Initial indications are that all netballers at Lindisfarne, regardless of ability, need to have better access to a high-level program of skill acquisition and development in order to realise their full potential as players. 

Questions regarding netball at Lindisfarne can be directed via email to netball@lindisfarne.nsw.edu.au 

Hockey

Casuarina Hockey Club sign on days at Casuarina Hockey Club House, 1 Barclay drive Casuarina. 

Time: Sunday 12th February 3 pm – 5 pm

Junior Teams available for sign-ups include:

U11, U14 Boys & Girls (Play at Tweed Saturdays)

U18 Boys & Girls (Play both at Tweed & Gold Coast Fridays)

Development hockey for U6 & U8 Boys & Girls (Play Mid-week at Casuarina)

Senior Men’s and Women's Teams

Insert Flyer

Hockey 2023 National All Schools Sport Challenges

We are taking expressions of interest for the National All Schools next year in Bendigo - and will aim to have a look at this competition for our Hockey students. 

It is for Years 9 and 10 girls and boys (2023):

• 28 Aug 2023, 9:00 am – 01 September 2023, 4:00 pm
• Bendigo Regional Hockey Complex, 14-30 Ashley St, Ironbark VIC 3550.

If you would like to receive more information and potential trial/training opportunities - please register through parent lounge or Student Cafe under Extra Curricular sign ups.

Surf Survival course for Advanced Surfing in 2023

Any 2023 Year 7 to 11 students that would like to participate in Advanced Surfing for Term sport during the ENTIRE 2023 will be required to have a current Surf Survival Certificate. If your child has done this previously they are not required to redo the course but they must have an up to date CPR certificate (this is only valid for 12 months). The CPR course can be done at school on February 2, during the integrated sport periods. Please sign up on parent lounge under ExtraCurricular for the CPR course.

If your child needs to do the Surf Survival course as well please contact  Surf Easy Surf School at Currumbin Alley to book in and complete the course before the start of term 1 2023. Once you receive your certificate please forward a copy to cmontford@lindisfarne.nsw.edu.au.

Spotlight on Sian McGilligan

Sian competed in the Australian Taekwondo National Championships this weekend in Victoria winning a SILVER medal for Poomsae in her division. 

Spotlight on Ava Arghyros

Over the last week, Ava competed as part of the NSW Team in the Australian Junior Surfing Titles held at North Stradbroke Island. Ava made her way through the rounds and found herself in the semi finals placing 5th overall in Australia in the U16 females.

Lindisfarne 6 a side Football Tournament

We are launching our own Lindisfarne 6 a side Football tournament next year for our Primary Boys and Girls. A copy of the flyer being emailed to schools is attached.  

Damien Clucas
Head of Sports and Activities 

Permanent Part Time (0.8FTE) Commencing Term 1, 2023

The School is seeking an experienced Receptionist/Administrator to join our Community Engagement Team.  Applicants will have immaculate personal presentation along with a friendly welcoming personality and strong customer service skills.  The role is varied with the main duties being answering the phone, directing enquiries and the meet and greet of visitors and parents to the School.

For more information visit the Employment page of our website.