2025 Term 3 Week 1 25 July 2025

Dear Lindisfarne Parents and Guardians,

Welcome back to Term 3! I trust that you all enjoyed a refreshing break or at least a change of routine and are feeling ready for another exciting term of learning and achievement at Lindisfarne.

We are proud to announce the completion of our Senior Centre, a home for our year 12 students and a world-class facility designed to elevate the learning experience for our students. Starting next week, our senior students will begin utilising this outstanding facility.

While the journey to completion has presented its challenges, most notably prolonged periods of heavy rainfall, the result is a testament to the perseverance and dedication of all involved. The Senior Centre features brand-new classrooms,an area that can be used for exams, conferences or as a function space, an expanded gym, a dedicated Careers space, two state-of-the-art Food Technology kitchens, a welcoming Year 12 Common Room, extensive landscaping and additional car parking. The Senior Centre will also serve as the central location for all HSC examinations, commencing with the upcoming HSC Trial exams in Week 3.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to every individual who contributed to this extensive project. Your hard work and commitment have provided our school and community yet another exceptional learning environment.

At the start of the week, we welcomed 14 Year 10 and 11 students and their accompanying teachers from Puil Foreign Language High School in Korea. Their visit provided our students with another excellent opportunity to build global friendships and share cultural experiences. These international connections are an essential part of our school’s vision to prepare students for a globally connected future.

We are looking to place the final female students from our friendship school, Aoyama Gakuin Junior High School, who will be arriving on Monday, 4 August and departing on Monday, 11 August. If you are able to open your home for this rewarding cultural experience, please complete this Homestay Expression of Interest Form by Monday, 28 July.

We are also pleased to welcome four practicum teachers who will be joining us this term. Minh Nguen and Mary Roberts are joining us from Southern Cross University, and we are thrilled to have Olguiota Guzman and Carolina Correa from Chile, who will spend the entire semester gaining valuable experience as part of their teaching journey. Please make them feel welcome if you see them around campus.

On Wednesday evening, I had the privilege of attending our HSC and annual Dance Showcase. The creativity, skill, and sheer dedication displayed by our students was inspiring. The performances of our students were exceptional and reflected the countless hours of hard work, rehearsal and passion invested by both our students and their teachers.

Lindisfarne continues to receive widespread recognition as an outstanding organisation. Lindisfarne has been named a finalist in two categories at the 2025 Tweed Business Awards:

• Employer of Choice (21+ Employees)

• Excellence in Innovation

This recognition reflects the strength of our culture, our innovation, and our commitment to excellence in all that we do.

In addition, Lindisfarne has been recognised in four categories at the 2025 Australian Education Awards:

• Regional School of the Year

• Deputy Principal of the Year (Charlotte Lush)

• Innovation in Learning and Design (Sunshine Ave Performing Arts Centre)

• Best Use of Technology

This recognition is a significant achievement, showcasing the exceptional work of our staff and our dedication to delivering outstanding learning experiences. The National Awards evening is on Friday, 8 August, in Sydney.

Another exciting event fast approaching is the Lindisfarne Business Network Inaugural Sports Lunch on Friday, 15 August, at Twin Towns. Hosted by Olympic swimmer Brooke Hanson OAM, this event will feature an incredible line-up of sporting legends, including Bonnie Hancock, Erin Phillips, Luke Hodge, and Shane Webcke. It promises to be an afternoon celebrating sporting excellence, inspiration, and connection. I encourage you to book your tickets early. via the TryBooking Link, and businesses can also purchase via invoice by contacting community@lindisfarne.nsw.edu.au

Earlier today, I sent a survey to all parents and guardians, inviting them to provide feedback on our uniform and appearance standards. Please take a moment to read the letter and complete the survey. You can also complete the survey via this link.

Finally, I want to wish all of our netballers the best of luck as they compete at the Nicole Cusack Netball Carnival on Sunday. We have several teams competing, and I invite our community to support them at Arkinstall Park, Tweed Heads.

Thank you for your ongoing support as we begin what promises to be another busy and rewarding term at Lindisfarne. I wish you all a safe and enjoyable weekend.

Warm regards,

Stuart Marquardt
Principal

Dear Students, Staff, Parents and Guardians,

Welcome back! I hope you had a rejuvenating break with friends and family and are raring to go for Term 3.

Since a number of my previous articles have focused on our School’s Values, Cultural Drivers and the significance of the different symbols on our School Crest, I would like to turn our attention to the Saints that our six School Houses are named after, starting with Saint Cuthbert.

Saint Cuthbert’s Day, the feast day commemorating the death of the English Saint, is March 20th. Saint Cuthbert was born around 635AD in Northumbria, which is located in the North of England, between the Tees and Tweed rivers.

St Cuthbert became the Bishop of the great Benedictine abbey of Lindisfarne (Lindisfarne means ‘Holy Island’), and he is one of the most venerated saints in all of England for his evangelisation of Northumbria and his supernatural gifts of healing and other miracles.

At first, he was in training to be a warrior, but his life changed when he was about 17 years old. One evening, when he was standing guard - a suitable occupation for a young warrior - he was gazing into the night’s sky, when he saw a light descend to Earth and then return, which occurred the same night that Saint Adrian died. Saint Cuthbert interpreted this as meaning that Aidan’s soul had returned to the God who gave it.

After 13 years as a monk in the monastery at Melrose, which was founded by Saint Aidan, Saint Cuthbert moved to Lindisfarne, where he was put in charge of the monastery. He was an outgoing, cheerful and compassionate person, so he became very popular. However, after 10 years, he believed God was calling him to a life as a hermit on a more remote island known as ‘Inner Farne’, where he lived in prayerful solitude.

10 years later, he was asked by both Church and King to leave his hermitage to become Bishop of Lindisfarne, to which he reluctantly agreed. For two years, he was an active and wide-travelling Bishop, encouraging and imparting wisdom to all he met. But feeling the approach of death, he retired back to his hermitage, in the company of Lindisfarne monks, where he died on 20 March, 687AD.

And so, as Lindisfarne Anglican Grammar School was founded by Rev Canon Ron Dyson in 1981, the then Rector of Saint Cuthbert’s Tweed Heads, we encourage our students and staff to seek to emulate Saint Cuthbert’s courage, cheerfulness, convictions and compassion.

Blessings,

Rev Lyndon Mulholland.
Chaplain

We are looking to place the final female students from our friendship school, Aoyama Gakuin Junior High School, who will be arriving on Monday, 4 August and departing on Monday, 11 August.

If you are able to open your home for this rewarding cultural experience, please complete the Homestay Expression of Interest Form by Monday, 28 July.

We are thankful to the families that have already kindly offered a place in their home, and further details will be provided to these families next week.

Jenaya Mulley
Head of Enrolments and International Development

Parents and Friends Ordinary Meeting

All parents are guardians are welcome to attend.

Tuesday, 29 July 2025 at 6.30pm
Mahers Lane Senior Centre

Please note the change of location from the Junior School to the Mahers Lane Senior Centre.

Simon McKinley
Director of Community Engagement

on behalf of the Lindisfarne Parents and Friends Association.

Click HERE to book

The Lindisfarne Business Network is proud to launch the inaugural Lindisfarne Sports Lunch.

BOOKINGS CAN BE MADE VIA THIS LINK

BOOKINGS CAN BE MADE VIA THIS LINK

Welcome back to Sunshine Avenue for what promises to be another exciting term. We trust that everyone had a restful and rejuvenating break and is now ready to jump back into the learning, activities, and connections that define our vibrant school community.

We are pleased to welcome back Mrs Jess Nixon, who is returning from maternity leave. We’re thrilled to have her with us once again. A special welcome also goes to our new students and their families, including two international students who have joined us this term. We look forward to seeing you all settle in and thrive as part of the Lindisfarne family.

Our Year 3 students are eagerly anticipating their upcoming Camp Goodenough experience on the 4 and 5 of September. This exciting two-day adventure promises to be a highlight of the term, offering opportunities for personal growth, teamwork, and plenty of fun.

One of the most beloved events in our calendar, Book Week, will begin on Monday, 18 August. It’s always a time filled with imagination, storytelling, and celebration of literature in the Junior School. This year, the Great Book Swap will be held on Thursday, 21 August, offering students a chance to exchange books and support Indigenous literacy programs. The week will conclude in festive style with our highly anticipated Book Week Character Parade on Friday, 22 August, where students are invited to dress up as their favourite literary characters.

We are also excited about our Whole School Art Showcase, opening on Thursday, 28 August. This event is a celebration of the creativity and artistic talents of our students, and we warmly invite our community to come and enjoy the exhibition.

As Father’s Day approaches, we will be marking the occasion with a range of joyful celebrations. On Wednesday, 27 August, students from Preschool to Year 4 will have the opportunity to choose a special gift at our Father’s Day Stall. Additionally, our littlest learners in Preschool will be hosting a delightful Father’s Day Morning Tea on the 2 and 3 of September, creating a wonderful moment for reflection and gratitude.

As always, we are looking forward to a term filled with learning, creativity, and community spirit. Thank you for your continued support. We can’t wait to share this exciting journey with you.

Jeremy Godden
Head of Junior School

Dates for Term 3

Please find below some Term 3 - Junior School key dates to add to your calendar:

• 28 July Total Football Academy (after school Soccer) sessions start

• 5 August SQPAS Touch Football

• 13 August NCIS Athletics

• 22 September LAGS Tennis Championships

To read more, please click expand article

Welcome back to a brand new term! We’ve had an incredibly positive start to the term, and it’s been wonderful to see our Middle School students return with such high spirits, ready to embrace new challenges and opportunities. The energy across the campus has been electric; we’ve truly hit the ground running.

Already in Week 1, we’ve seen several exciting events and initiatives that showcase the vibrant and active culture of our school. The Year 3–12 Dance Showcase was a true highlight to start the term, with students lighting up the stage in a powerful celebration of creativity, expression, and collaboration. Congratulations to all our dancers and the staff who supported them; your hard work and talent shone brightly.

The Stage 3 Showcase auditions also kicked off with a fantastic response from our Year 5 and 6 students. It was a joy to watch their enthusiasm and confidence as they stepped into the spotlight to share their talents. We look forward to seeing the final showcase come together over the coming weeks.

In Middle School, it has been especially pleasing to see students embracing the term with focus and positivity. Across classrooms, in the playground, and through co-curricular activities, we are already seeing students demonstrating our core values through their behaviour, attitude, and commitment to learning. These high standards are setting the tone for what promises to be a term full of growth, discovery, and achievement.

Looking ahead, the Middle School is excited to be focusing on the Round Square IDEAL of Environmentalism over the next five weeks. This will guide much of our inquiry, action, and reflection across a variety of learning areas and Pastoral Care lessons. From sustainability initiatives to class discussions and community projects, our students will be engaging deeply with what it means to care for and protect our planet. We are excited to see the ideas and leadership that will emerge as we explore this important theme together.

Thank you once again to our students, staff, and families for such a strong start to the term. Let’s keep the momentum going and continue supporting one another to make this a fulfilling and memorable term for all.

Amber Phillips
Dean of Students  - Middle School

Dear Year 8 Families,

We’re off to a fantastic start this Term 3! It’s been wonderful to see Year 8 students return from the break with enthusiasm, focus, and a positive attitude towards their learning. Classrooms are buzzing with energy, and it’s clear students are ready to make the most of the term ahead.

A big highlight so far has been our annual Athletics Carnival. Year 8 students truly embraced the day with spirit and sportsmanship, making it a memorable event for all. Whether they were sprinting down the track, cheering from the sidelines, or taking part in novelty events, everyone contributed to the fantastic atmosphere. It was heartening to see such a healthy mix of fun, friendly rivalry, and fierce competition. Well done to all involved, you should be proud of your efforts and the way you supported one another!

As we settle into the term, we’d like to remind all students and families about the importance of wearing the correct school uniform each day. Uniforms should be clean, tidy, and worn with pride, including appropriate footwear and blazers when required. Maintaining high standards helps reinforce our shared values and sense of community.

We also invite all parents and carers to join our upcoming ParentEd Online Guardians session on Wednesday, 31 July at 6:00pm. This valuable session will explore ways to support your child’s wellbeing and online habits in a rapidly changing digital world. To register your attendance please use the following link: Booking Link

Thank you once again for your ongoing support. We look forward to a successful and enriching term for all our Year 8 students!

Warm regards,
The Year 8 Team

I trust the holidays were restorative for you and your families. The three-week break is always welcome at this stage of the year, and I hope it provided the time and space to rest, reset, and reconnect.

We return to what promises to be a busy and exciting term, particularly for our Year 12 students who will begin their HSC Trial Examinations in Week 3. The Trials are a significant milestone in the final year of schooling. They offer students the opportunity to experience the demands of the HSC in full exam conditions and help shape the final stretch of their preparation for the external exams later in the year.

Excitingly, this year our seniors will sit their exams in the newly completed Senior Centre, a beautiful, state-of-the-art facility designed specifically for senior study and learning. It has been a long-anticipated addition to the Mahers Lane campus and represents a genuine investment in the student experience in the Senior School.

It was a pleasure to walk our Year 12s through the space on Thursday and introduce them to what will be their home for the remainder of their time at Lindisfarne. There was a genuine sense of excitement as students explored the Senior Centre, with its dedicated study zones, breakout spaces, and light-filled design. I reminded them that this space is theirs, but with that comes a responsibility to care for it and to use it well. I know they will rise to that expectation.

My thanks to Mr Marquardt, Mrs Lush and the many others across the facilities team whose work has brought this space to life. The Senior Centre will serve generations of students to come, and I am deeply grateful for the team effort that has gone into its planning and delivery.

The term is already off to a vibrant start. This week saw our annual Dance Showcase, which was once again a celebration of creativity and expression. It is always inspiring to watch students take the stage and perform with such energy and confidence. Congratulations to all performers, choreographers and staff involved in what was a thoroughly enjoyable evening.

Next week, we turn our attention to the HSC Drama Showcase, which will run over two nights. These performances are not only a public celebration of the work our senior Drama students have been crafting, but also a critical opportunity to rehearse and refine their pieces in preparation for the final examinations. I encourage you to come along and support what promises to be a powerful and moving showcase of student work. The performance will begin at 6.00pm on Wednesday and Thursday next week in PA1.

Our Year 9 students are in the final stages of their Mentor Projects and are now looking ahead to their solo camp experience, The Abyss. Both are significant moments within The Rite Journey program, which continues to evolve and grow each year under the passionate leadership of Mrs Cathy Myers. The Mentor Project encourages meaningful connection and reflection, while The Abyss challenges students to embrace discomfort, independence and personal insight. These are important growth experiences that will stay with them well beyond Year 9.

Our Year 11 cohort is also entering an important phase as they prepare to step into leadership. Next week, students will begin the nomination process for Captaincy and Prefect roles for 2026. This marks the beginning of a time of discernment for students and staff as we look to appoint leaders who will serve with humility and purpose.

It is an exciting time to be a Senior School student. I look forward to the many moments of challenge and celebration that lie ahead this term.

Kate Cornell
Head of Senior School

At the end of this week’s Year 10 Chapel service, students were presented with a sobering question: Are your words doing damage? The question comes from the powerful "Do It For Dolly" campaign, a national movement started in memory of Dolly Everett, whose tragic death at age 14 brought national attention to the devastating impact of cyberbullying.

The video shown to Year 10 students asked viewers to think twice before posting, commenting, or sharing online. What seems like a joke or a passing remark can cut far deeper than intended. Words, especially those typed behind a screen, can wound in ways we never see.

In a brief address following the video, students were reminded that behind every screen is a real person, carrying burdens that we may not be aware of. Words matter. Comments matter. Silence matters too. The decision to speak up or to offer quiet support can change someone’s path.

In Australia, 1 in 5 young people aged 8 to 17 experience cyberbullying, and of those who are targeted online, more than half report feeling anxious or depressed as a result. Alarmingly, 1 in 10 students have received direct threats online. These experiences are not harmless. They can have lasting psychological impacts. In fact, suicide is the leading cause of death for Australians aged 15 to 24, with bullying, both online and in person, recognised as a significant contributing factor. These are not just statistics; they reflect the lived experiences of our children, classmates, teammates, and friends.

Cyberbullying isn’t always obvious. Sometimes it looks like exclusion. Sometimes it's a meme, a cruel joke, a photo shared without consent. And sometimes it’s a message so cutting that it breaks a person entirely. As students, friends, and digital citizens, we all share responsibility.

The chapel closed with a call to action:

• Think before you post

• Speak up when you see harm

• Check in with your friends

• Choose kindness. Always
  

We encourage parents to talk with their children about the online world, not just about safety, but about empathy. Ask them: “Are your words helping or hurting?” It’s a simple question, but one that could save a life.

If you or your child needs support, please reach out to the School’s wellbeing team or contact one of the following services:

• Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 – Free, confidential support for young people

• Lifeline: 13 11 14 – 24/7 crisis support

• eSafety Commissioner: esafety.gov.au – Report cyberbullying and access online safety resources

• ReachOut: reachout.com – Mental health support and tools for young people

Dan Robins
Assistant Head of Senior School

We are thrilled to launch a new wellbeing initiative in the Senior School: Happiness Lies in Gratitude – a unique program developed in partnership with Global Gratitude. It was introduced to students at this week’s Senior School assembly and is designed to foster awareness, gratitude, and leadership.

Through a series of engaging workshops and an optional cross-cultural immersion in the Malbago village on Bantayan Island, Philippines, students will build a deeper understanding of how gratitude can shape personal growth and community connection

To read more, please click expand article

Trauma is responsible for 40% of deaths in the 15 – 24-year age group. Young people are grossly overrepresented in injury data, both in terms of death and long-term disability. Therefore, we look at every opportunity possible to educate them about the risks.

P.A.R.T.Y is an acronym for Prevent Alcohol and Risk-Related Trauma in Youth, and is an injury awareness and prevention program originally established in Ontario, Canada in 1986. The program is aimed at providing teenagers with information so that they will be able to recognise potential injury-producing situations, make prevention-oriented choices, and adopt behaviours that minimise unnecessary risk.

Our group of 25 students, accompanied by Dr Dann, Mr Kerr and Mr Ecclestone, travelled to Gold Coast Hospital and were educated by health professionals, including nurses, doctors, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists and social workers. There was also interaction with other external agencies such as police and the ambulance service, and additional invited speakers, including those who have been personally impacted by injury, and now live with long-term disabilities impacting their physical, social, psychological and financial future. Holding the program within a hospital environment enhanced the participants’ experience and left a significant and lasting impression of the consequences of trauma and risk-taking behaviour.

On the day, students were divided into three groups and rotated through the Trauma Resuscitation Area in the Emergency Department (ED), Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Trauma and Orthopaedic Ward or Brain Injury Unit. There were presentations on the ward. The programme aims to hypothetically follow the path of a trauma patient through the different treatment phases, recovery and rehabilitation phases.

The feedback from our Year 12 students spoke volumes—words like “Wow,” “confronting,” “shocking,” “scary,” and most importantly, “powerful.” These responses remind us that when we speak honestly and openly about the realities young people may face, it resonates. If we can help them pause, reflect, and become more aware of the long-term consequences of their choices, then we’ve taken an important step in supporting them. As they move into this next stage of their lives, our hope is that these conversations stay with them and help guide safer, more considered decisions.

Julie McDowell
Dean Of Students

Upcoming University Open Days – Explore Your Future Campus!

Students Considering university in 2026? Open Days are a fantastic opportunity to tour campuses, chat with current students and academics, and explore course options. Here are some upcoming Open Days you might want to attend:

To read more please click expand article

Click here to book

Our Year 11 Advanced English students have begun their Module A studies, Narratives that Shape our World, exploring the powerful intertextual dialogue between William Shakespeare’s Othello and Tracy Chevalier’s New Boy. This unit invites students to consider how stories reflect and shape the values of the societies in which they are told.

To support their understanding of the plot and the complexity of Shakespeare’s characters, students recently participated in a "moved synopsis" of Othello. This active and collaborative learning strategy saw students physically move through the key events of the play, engaging with the drama in a hands-on and memorable way.

As a warm-up, students took part in a Shakespearean insult challenge. Working in teams, they constructed the most theatrical and amusing insults possible using authentic Elizabethan language. The friendly competition created a lively atmosphere and encouraged students to embrace the richness and rhythm of Shakespeare’s language.

This dynamic lesson provided an engaging introduction to the thematic and dramatic complexities of Othello, while laying the groundwork for a critical comparison with Chevalier’s modern reimagining in New Boy.

Rikki Hunter
English Teacher

Hopefully, EVERYONE had some lovely refresh/reset time over the break. We had a nice special assembly to celebrate the feats of our Athletics carnival award winners.

A full deconstruction of the Athletics results can be found - HERE.

Athletics results overview below, congratulations to the winning athletes and house teams:

House Point Score - HERE

The St Margaret House streak keeps on rolling on… congratulations.

1st - St Margaret

2nd - St Stephen

3rd - St Barnabas

4th - St Andrew

5th - St Hilda

6th - St Cuthbert

March Past

1st - St Stephen

2nd - St Hilda

3rd - St Andrew

4th - St Barnabas

5th - St Cuthbert

6th - St Margaret

Record Breakers - HERE

Congratulations to these young athletes who have supplanted an old record - and carved a new record of their own. May your record legacy live in the program for many years to come.

To read more please click expand article

Last weekend, our Kokoda students took on the arduous 30km, 48km and 96 km event on the Gold Coast. These students from grades 8-12 have trained for 10 weeks, giving up anywhere from 4-10 hours on Sundays to train up and down the rugged hills of the Gold Coast hinterland. Rain on the Friday night before the event added an extra element of difficulty with some very slippery climbs to be encountered.

To see how the teams went, please click the expand article

At the end of last term, our Cricket Development Squad embarked on an unforgettable tour of the United Kingdom. Comprised of 13 male students and one female student, the group travelled via Singapore and arrived in a surprisingly sunny UK. We were frequently met with comments like, “Did you bring the Aussie weather with you?” and it certainly felt that way, with two weeks of sunshine and mild temperatures greeting us.

Please click expand article to read more

The Showcase is open to the public for viewing on Thursday, 28 August (Opening Night) and Saturday, 30 August and Sunday, 31 August.

With two massive spaces to view the student's work, you won't want to miss it! 

Bookings for the Opening Night via the following link: Booking Link

Click HERE to find out more