2023 Term 3 Week 1 21 July 2023

Dear Parents and Guardians, 

Welcome to the second Semester of the 2023 Academic Year. I trust that students, staff, and families enjoyed the mid-year break, change of routine, and a chance to recharge. I’ve spent time this week walking around both campuses as students and staff settle into the semester ahead. The tone has been highly positive, with students quickly engaging in meaningful learning. 

For our Year 12 students, this is a significant term as they prepare for trial exams and complete final assessments in preparation for the HSC exams later this year. Please keep our Year 12 students and their teachers and families in your thoughts and prayers as they approach this important stage of the school year. 

As we return to our regular school routines, I want to remind all members of our community of the importance of using the correct parking and drop-and-go areas to ensure the safety of our students at both campuses. 

Over the school holidays, we had students engaged in Year 12 tutorials, touring the UK with the Cricket team, enjoying the annual ski trip to Perisher, and taking on the demands of the Kokoda Challenge along with a variety of other activities and pursuits.  I’m always proud of how our students take on challenges and represent the school with pride. 

Gary, the Bus Driver for our UK cricket Tour, had this to say in a message to me post-tour: -

“ I have driven thousands of students from hundreds of schools, and for what it’s worth, I think the balance you have with the students-respect but relaxed atmosphere is perfect. The teachers and students represent your school to the highest standard I have seen. So thank you for that.”

We subsequently found out that Gary (pictured below) was actually the owner of the bus company and was only driving due to staff shortages currently being experienced in the UK.

On Tuesday, it was our turn to host a visiting school with the renowned UK School Bedford visiting Lindisfarne as part of their Australian tour. The touring group consisted of Rugby players and Rowers. We hosted two fantastic games of Rugby on the top oval, and the rowers headed for a workout with our Lindisfarne rowers on the Tweed River. Special mention to students, staff, and parents who braved the wet weather to cheer on and support our Lindisfarne teams. 

Over the days ahead, Flynn Southam (2022) will represent Australia at the World Swimming Championships in Fukuoka, Japan as a member of the Australian Dolphins Swim team. This is a tremendous achievement by Flynn just six months after completing Year 12 and as one of the youngest members of the team at 18 years of age. I sent Flynn a message of support from our School Community last night. 

Sport on the World stage is always very exciting, and I wanted to mention today the strong support for the Matildas’ soccer team as they represent Australia at the soccer World Cup. It is good to see momentum building across the nation to support the team and a record crowd in attendance at the game against Ireland last night in Sydney.

The Matildas are great role models, and I expect will be an inspiration for the next generation of Australian athletes, especially our girls and young women. Their next game is in Brisbane against Nigeria on Thursday evening.

On Tuesday morning, I was pleased to attend the Kingscliff Business Breakfast. An extensive update on the progress of the Tweed Valley Hospital was shared with those in attendance. It is anticipated that the Hospital will be operational from February / March next year. This world-class health precinct promises to be a “game changer” for our region. It will create significant employment opportunities and provide the highest level of medical care and services, research and training facilities, and University partnerships. It’s particularly exciting for young people considering future careers in the medical or allied health professions. 

Next week we will celebrate NAIDOC week at Lindisfarne. NAIDOC week is a particular time when Australia honours the rich history, culture, and achievement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

The theme for NAIDOC week in 2023 is ‘For our Elders.’ Elders represent direction, wisdom, knowledge, hope, and strength. They are the backbone of our Indigenous communities across Australia. 

Please keep an eye out for correspondence from me during NAIDOC week as I will write to families and share with you our Lindisfarne Anglican Grammar School Reconciliation Action Plan. 

Finally, we are excited to be at the stage of calling for tenders to construct our long-awaited Senior Centre following recent development approval by the Tweed Shire Council. We expect to commence construction this year with an anticipated build time of 12 months. This is a significant project for the School, and whilst all Senior School classes will have access from time to time, the Senior Centre will be a base within the school for future Year 12 cohorts. 

Stuart Marquardt
Principal

Dear Students, Staff, Parents and Guardians,

Welcome Back to Term 3

It’s been a real joy to see our students, staff and families back again ready for Term 3 after the break. I trust you had a restful time, and are excited about the opportunities and challenges ahead. I wish you Godspeed on the journey ahead.

NAIDOC Week Celebrations 2023

We shall be celebrating the art, history and achievements of our First Nations peoples next week with a range of exciting activities planned for NAIDOC Week. Let’s get involved and deepen our appreciation of the culture of First Nations Australians.

VINNIES Sleepout on Friday, 25 August 2023 at Sunshine Avenue from 5.30pm

“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is,” Martin Luther asked, “what are you doing for others?” Staff members and students in Years 10, 11 and 12 who are 16 years of age and older are invited to sleep out and brave the cold to shine a light on homelessness and raise much needed funds for Vinnies NSW who support those experiencing homelessness in our community. Please click HERE to donate if you could and email me at constantine.osuchukwu@lindisfarne.nsw.edu.au to register your interest.

Food for Thought

Toni Morrison, Nobel Prize winner and author, once said: “When a child walks in the room, your child or anybody else’s child, do your eyes light up? That’s what they’re looking for.” As we begin a new term, let’s continue to meet our children and students with gladness and joy. May they see in our eyes, our words and our actions that they are infinitely and unconditionally loved, and may this love and gladness be the foundation upon which they can build their lives and flourish.

A Prayer -Pray always and never lose heart (Words of Jesus in Luke 18:1)

Lord Jesus, we set out on the journey of this new term, new semester
Full of hope, dreams, anxieties and aspirations…
We entrust ourselves, our students, staff and families into your hands
For we know that your hands are good hands…
Bless our work and prosper our endeavours…
May our students grow and flourish -physically, intellectually, emotionally, spiritually and otherwise…
Watch over our Year 12s: keep them safe and well, and grant them calmness, boldness, retentive memeory and perspective…
Heal the sick in our communities and in our families… comfort those who are grieving the death of their loved ones…
Assure us of your unfailing love and set us free to be authentic, kind and compassionate…
May we live with Ubuntu and in partnership with all in our community for the good of all, 
Amen.

I wish you a very restful weekend and a fruitful and productive Term 3.

The Reverend Constantine Osuchukwu
Chaplain

Lindisfarne is pleased to have Dr Kaylene Henderson returning for a 2nd ParentEd Seminar this August.

Dr Kaylene Henderson (MBBS FRANZCP Cert C&A Psych) is a medically trained child psychiatrist and one of Australia’s leading parenting experts.  As a mother of three herself, she is passionate about sharing research-based, practical advice with those living and working with young children, knowing that together, we can bring out the best in the young people for whom we all care.
www.drkaylenehenderson.com

Book Here

Julie Henry
Psychologist

While lots of our children were keen to get back to school to see their friends after the long holiday break, others will have had some hesitation due to ongoing ‘Friendship Fires’.  Even strong friendships have ‘Friendship Fires’ from time to time.  How do we support them? Where do we start?

Lindisfarne are pleased to have partnered with URStrong, an organisation that provides a comprehensive range of resources to support YOU to support your child.  Use this link to sign-up for your FREE Parent Membership.  CLICK HERE

Below is an example of the resources available to all Lindisfarne parents through the FREE Parent Membership.

‘When to step-IN & When to step-BACK’

Helicopter Parenting. Bubble-wrapped kids. We know we shouldn’t solve all our children’s problems for them. But, when should we get involved?

We all want to do the right thing for our children. We’ve read the books, we’ve listened to the podcasts, we’ve read articles and talked to other parents endlessly, all in an effort to raise resilient, kind, caring little people. But, have we gone too far? On the quest to do the right thing, have we overlooked one of the most important lessons of all?

We all know that when life is hard, when we struggle, when things aren’t easy… These are the times we learn the most about ourselves. These are the times we dig deep and we come out the other end stronger than we were before. Conflict is a normal part of the human experience, yet we see parents panic when they witness their child experiencing conflict with a friend. We see parents jump in, trying to solve the problem for their kids, offering a series of suggestions. We hear about parents calling principals and teachers, insisting their child is being “bullied” and demanding that something be done. There’s an immediate discomfort, aversion, and fear of conflict even for ourselves, but amplified (times a million) when it’s our children experiencing it.

Is it because we read that book or that article and think of the devastating effects of bullying? Perhaps we are taken back to the day we went through that heartache ourselves and want to save our children from our same mistakes?

How do we strike that perfect balance of allowing our children to develop the skills to be resilient in the face of conflict, yet give them a hand when they need it? When do we need to step in and when do we need to step back?

Here are a few basic guidelines to help you find that perfect balance of being a Friendship Coach, yet not playing the game for your child:

Step-BACK when your child experiences a Friendship Fire® (our term for conflict with a friend) that can easily be put out; it’s a little thing that your child can easily solve.

For example, your child is upset because their friend didn’t let them test out their new toy. Consider saying something like, “That sounds like a Friendship Fire®. Find the right time to talk to your friend and let them know how it made you feel. You can do this!”

Your reaction should match the situation. If it’s a small conflict, your reaction should also be small. A disproportionate reaction will make something small even bigger and your child might need the modeling to keep things in check. If your child has a tendency to make it bigger and indulge in the negative feelings, continue to minimise it and remind them they can do it. You may even need to take the Friendship Sandwich approach (a strategy students practise in our Friendology friendship skills curriculum when they’re caught in the middle of a conflict between two friends!) and quickly change the subject so you don’t get sucked in the middle and they don’t downward spiral!

Step-IN when any of the following situations happen:

• You can see your child’s self-esteem being affected,
• You can see the issue is weighing on them and they can’t shake it; it’s consuming them,
• You feel your child doesn’t have the skills to come to a resolution and things are getting worse,
• Their reaction doesn’t match the situation, suggesting there’s more to the story,
• Your child doesn’t feel safe,
• Your gut instinct tells you something is up!

If any of these things are happening, this is when you need to step in and give them lots of guidance and support. Empathise with your child and give very practical, step-by-step things they can do to make it better. Like a coach, give them strategies to put into practise. Keep your ideas easy and simple and check in with them at the end of each day to see how it went. For example, “How did things go today with Evie? Show me on the Friend-o-Meter.” When you encourage them to try something, let them know, “And, if that doesn’t work, no problem! We’ll come up with a new plan!” –> Give this activity a try: Time to Chat!

Most importantly, be that person they can talk to, rely on, who will comfort them during this hard time. Don’t solve their problems for them, don’t call the other kid’s parents (here are 10 reasons why!), but give them little, bite-sized challenges to help them work through the conflict. For example, “It sounds like things are hardest with Evie at recess time. How about tomorrow, you volunteer in the library at recess time. Give it a try!”

And, if after all of that, your child is still struggling and things are getting worse… This is when the parents and teachers need to work together AS A TEAM and come up with deeper interventions. The safety and happiness of our children are always a top priority.

Written by Dana Kerford
Friendship Expert and Founder of URSTRONG

In our first week back, we continue to have some parents parking in the designated bus turnaround area at the end of Sunshine Avenue, despite clear traffic signage and previous correspondence indicating this is not an option. This behaviour not only breaches the local traffic laws but also endangers the lives of our children. To address this issue, the Tweed Council Rangers have taken action and were on-site today to educate drivers about the importance of adhering to traffic regulations. We are grateful for their involvement and support. 

Moving forward, we want to inform everyone that traffic and parking violations will be strictly enforced from next week, and infringements and fines will be issued to ensure the safety and well-being of our community. I hope we can work together to create a safer environment for our children and everyone in the Sunshine Avenue community. Your cooperation and understanding in this matter are greatly appreciated.

Jeremy Godden
Head of Junior School

Key Dates for Term 3

Total Footbal Academy - Monday Afterschool - Monday, 24 July - 11 September

NCIS Athletics - Wednesday, 16 August 

Lindisfarne Tennis Championships - Wednesday 6th September 

Jump Rope For Heart - Jump Off Day Friday 8th September (TBC) 

K- 6 Athletics Carnival

The K - 6 Athletics Carnival was held on the last day of Term 2. The day was a fantastic success with amazing weather and outstanding performances as well as great fun. The Kindergarten and Year 1 students got to have a lot of FUN and enjoy the big carnival feels, while our Year 2 - 4 students stepped up to enjoy the competitive carnival. 

Thank you to all of our Junior School Teachers for their efforts on the day. Their work with our students is simply next-level. 

Congratulations to the following Junior School students who were crowned age champions for their efforts. 

8 Years 

Age Champion - Miller Glenister and William Blinco

Runner Up - Harper Kelly, Marlo Miller, Ben Johnstone and Jobe Stephens

9 Years 

Age Champion - Isla Finlay and Oliver Krebs

Runner Up - Ruby Turley and Henry Mifsud

10 Years 

Age Champion - Esther Dorr and Jack Kane

Runner Up - Summer Immisch and William Middleton

We also had two students who set new school records for their individual events.

Congratulations to:

Jack Kane who set new school records in Discus, Long Jump and the 200m and 

William Middleton who set a new school record in the 800m.

A fantastic achievement well done boys.  

Total Football Academy - After school Program 

The final Total Football Academy session will continue in Term 3. The first session will be held next Monday 24th July and will continue through until Week 9, concluding on Monday 11th September.

If you are interested in signing up for the Total Football Academy Program in term 3 please confirm your place by accepting the terms and conditions and making payment on Parent Lounge. There are a limited number of places available so please be quick to secure your spot. 

Information about the Term 3 program can be found here: 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/11z8dbDocExlnkewYyu3eY5bej28u8G2u/view?usp=drive_link 

Stage 1 Sport (Year 1 & 2 in school sport)

In Term 3, during school sport time, there is an opportunity for those Year 1 and 2 students who are interested to participate in a nine week Tennis Program. Children will experience professional Tennis coaching from the Pro-One Academy in a fun environment with their peers.

Numbers are limited for this opportunity, based on coach availability. Information has been sent via email to all families in year 1 and year 2. Places will be allocated on a first-in first served basis therefore we ask that you review the information available and accept or decline as soon as possible to confirm your child’s attendance. 

Students who do not participate will be provided with the regular school sport option on Wednesday afternoons with their teachers. 

Jump Rope For Heart 

I am excited to announce that Kindergarten, Year 1, 2, 3 and 4 are participating in Jump Rope for Heart during their PE lessons this year – a fantastic fundraising and physical activity program by the Heart Foundation.

By participating in Jump Rope for Heart this term, I’m expecting to get our students moving. We’ll have ropes available on the school grounds and encouraging everyone to be a part of the program for lifesaving research and support programs. 

Over the coming weeks your child will learn new skills, increase their physical activity, and learn about heart health. And the program will end with our school wide ‘Jump Off Day’ where your child gets to show off their new skipping skills to their friends. 

When you register your child online you’ll get access to additional skipping resources to help give your child a great reason to get away from the screens and get outdoors. Register and create your own secure webpage at jumprope.org.au/parents

By signing up online, you and your child can: 

• Easily raise funds online
• Track skipping skills progress and earn virtual badges along the way 
• Post updates to your page so family and friends can follow their progress 
• Access additional skipping resources

Your can find a ‘fundraising guide’ flyer here  Jump Rope For Heart Flyer .pdf, which includes further information on the program. If you can not access this, please visit jumprope.org.au/parents for all the information that you need.

Thank you for getting involved in Jump Rope for Heart, Let’s get Skipping!

Skipping Club

As an added benefit to the Jump Rope for Heart program, Mr Croft will be running Skipping Club. 

Skipping Club will start in week 2 on Monday and Wednesday mornings from 7.30 am on the Basketball Court. 

The idea of skipping Club is to get active, have some fun and learn some new skills and tricks while skipping. Skipping Club as with the Runners Club in Term 1 will be open for all students from Kindergarten to year 4 and we also encourage parents and carers to join us. 

There will be challenges to try and complete and certificates for students who can complete them. 

Getting active and having FUN with our kids is one of the truly great joys in life. Get up, get active, come along and learn some skills and ticks and have heaps of FUN and let’s get skipping to a heathy heart and body. 

Nathan Croft
P-4 PE Specialist

After a well-deserved break, we are thrilled to welcome everyone back to school for Semester 2, where we'll embark on a thrilling journey filled with learning, growth, and plenty of joyful moments.

The highlight of this term is undoubtedly the much-anticipated Stage 2 musical! We are proud to announce that for the second consecutive year, our Year 3 and 4 students will be returning to the stage in their performance of The Lion King Kids. Following this year’s performance, we will return to a biennial approach to our Junior Musicals as we return to our pre-COVID process of alternating with the Senior School Musical.

The musical is not only an opportunity for our students to showcase their artistic talents but also a chance for them to learn valuable skills such as teamwork, discipline, and perseverance. The many hours of rehearsals, set design, and costume preparations all contribute to the holistic development of our students, instilling in them a sense of confidence and self-expression that will extend far beyond their time on stage. We can't wait to see the stage come alive with talent, dedication, and creativity during the Stage 2 musical. Let's cheer on our performers and celebrate their hard work and commitment!

In addition to the exciting events and activities awaiting us in Term 3, we are delighted to welcome a group of talented pre-service teachers who will be working alongside our dedicated staff and students as they embark on their journey to becoming educators. This invaluable opportunity allows these aspiring teachers to apply their knowledge and skills in a real classroom setting while benefiting our students with fresh perspectives and innovative approaches to learning. We encourage our students to embrace the presence of these enthusiastic individuals, as they bring a wealth of passion, energy, and a genuine desire to make a positive impact on the lives of our students. We are sure that they will take away many amazing ideas, experiences, and skills having learnt from our amazing teachers and support staff.

We would like to extend a special acknowledgment and appreciation to all the families who have returned to school fully prepared, ensuring their children have the correct uniform items and maintaining a neat and tidy appearance. Your commitment to upholding our school's policies and expectations is truly commendable. By adhering to these guidelines, you contribute to creating an environment that promotes unity, discipline, and pride in our school community.

Remember, our school policies and expectations regarding uniforms and appearance can be found in the comprehensive Parent and Student Guide, accessible through the school website. This guide serves as a valuable resource for understanding the specific requirements and ensuring that all students present themselves in a manner that reflects the values and culture of our school.

Finally, the start of a new term is a great opportunity to update family details and end-of-day arrangements. I ask parents/carers to jump onto Parent Lounge/SEQTA and review details and make any changes as needed. Thank you in advance, your attention to this certainly assists our staff to be able to support you and your children more efficiently.

Jeremy Godden
Head of Junior School

Welcome Back

I hope all families have enjoyed a restful and restorative holiday. The relaxation that holidays bring can be a true source of rejuvenation, and I trust students have returned energised and excited for the journey ahead. As we embark on Term 3, let us remember that we are not just beginning another term but stepping into a new phase of growth, discovery, and learning. This term will be a significant one for a number of our students - particularly our Year 12s. Know that the road ahead may seem daunting, but remember, every big journey is just a series of small steps. 

HSC Trials
As the HSC Trial examinations approach, I would like to convey my confidence in our Year 12 students. These exams are a chance to apply the knowledge they have accumulated over the years and demonstrate what they are capable of achieving. As students prepare, they are encouraged to aim for balance. Effective study needs to be balanced with time to focus on well-being. I would like to thank the Lindisfarne staff who have helped to prepare the students for the Trials. Our teachers consistently go above and beyond in supporting our students.

Parent/Teacher Interviews
This week marked the beginning of our Semester 2 Parent/Teacher interviews for students in Stage 6. Next week the interviews continue for students in Years 7-10, providing an opportunity to exchange invaluable feedback. The interviews offer a platform for in-depth discussions about progress, goals, and strategies for improvement. As we continue these meetings next week, we strongly encourage students to attend alongside their parents. Student participation is key to understanding and actively shaping their educational journey. Please take this opportunity to engage, ask questions, and voice your thoughts. We look forward to more fruitful conversations in the coming week.

e-Safety
Parents, please be advised of potential concerns regarding the use of the 'W App.' This is a new mobile phone app that targets children, encouraging them to share their school name, age and phone number and to respond to anonymous polls about other students has found its way to Australian schools, including ours. The app encourages teens to respond anonymously to polls where they rank each other. The Australian social media educator, Safe On Social, has received reports of students using the platform to target and bully their peers. Furthermore, there are significant concerns that the sign-on process makes no attempt to verify the identity of a user creating an account, allowing them to set their own name, age and username before requesting access to their mobile phone contacts and photos. We strongly recommend active supervision of your children's use of this app (indeed, all social media). Promoting responsible digital behaviour is a shared responsibility, and your proactive involvement plays a crucial role in ensuring a safe online environment for all children. 

Uniform Expectations
I would like to remind everyone of the importance of adhering to the School's uniform policy. After a three-week break, I have noticed a decline in the presentation of some students. The uniform serves as a symbol of our community and standards, and it is crucial that we respect this. We ask all students to ensure they are wearing the full and correct uniform, in accordance with the School guidelines. Parents, your assistance in ensuring compliance at home would be greatly appreciated. Let's work together to uphold Lindisfarne’s proud traditions and standards. 

Kate Cornell
Head of Senior School

Welcome Back

Semester Two promises to be filled with lots of learning and as we anticipate the end of the year, students will continue to be challenged in their thinking and development of ideas. We look forward to continuing to work with our English students on their journey.

Year 12
This term is very important for our Year 12 students. The Trial Higher School Certificate examinations are quickly approaching and the anticipation of the final examination soon after is becoming palpable.

Often, students find studying for English challenging and, whilst we regularly discuss strategies with our students, we thought we would share some tips here too.

Over the duration of the Year 12 English Advanced and English Standard courses, we cover four different modules, a range of different texts and many associated concepts. So, to this end, how can students best utilise their revision time?

1. Revise the Common Module first. This module was studied at the conclusion of the 2022 academic year and thus, was some time ago.
   Students can:
   • re-read the prescribed chapters from Tim Winton’s memoir The Boy Behind the Curtain
     
   • watch the lectures that are available on Google Classrooms
   • complete revision charts provided in class
   • use their first assessment task as a base and then practice past questions to ‘test’ their knowledge and ideas against other types of examination questions
2. Next, focus on Module B. This was our most recent unit of work but students will be assessed for the first time as part of the Trial examination. This means that whilst they have done lots of classwork associated with the module, they may not have working essays.
   Students can:
   • re-read the prescribed text/s
     
   • use past papers to frame an essay
3. Module A also requires revision.
   Students can:
   • re-read prescribed text/s
     
   • use the two essays they have already crafted as a base to ‘test’ their thesis and ideas against the past HSC questions
4. Module C ran parallel to Module B and marks have recently been returned to students. Students should look to marker feedback for areas of improvement, carefully considering how each comment applies to their work.
   Students can:
   • prepare ‘pieces’ of their text (a character personality, an idea that resonates with their personal experience, motifs, imagery) that can be then shaped into a creative text
     
   • experiment with different forms (imaginative, discursive, persuasive)
   • carefully consider the prescribed text that they will most likely use as a mentor text

Other strategies students can employ across their revision periods include:

• timed writing tasks
• writing to different questions
• speed writing – copying anything onto paper for a specific amount of time
• reading prescribed texts

Most importantly, students MUST be engaged in handwriting their essays for FEEDBACK purposes. As a teaching team, we are ready to provide feedback so students can implement this in their writing to continue working to improve their conceptual understanding and articulation of ideas.

We wish our Year 12 students the best of luck as they prepare for their Trials and HSC examinations. 

Assessment
Students have submitted some assessment across the course of the year. You may have noticed that the way that we’re providing feedback on these final submissions is a little different to what you may expect or students may be used to receiving.

Our programs facilitate opportunities for students to work on their assessment in class and access verbal feedback in real time. These drafting lessons run across one to two weeks depending on the nature of the task. Additionally, students are able to access personalised feedback on one complete draft from their teacher. This feedback is designed to highlight key areas of improvement so that students can then work to implement this in their final submission.

If the task is, say an exam or an essay, we have moved to cohort marking. This means that a single teacher is responsible for marking the entire cohort of submissions (either in its entirety or a question of the exam). The philosophy behind this process is to ensure equitable marking across the cohort as well as to ensure quality teaching across classes, year levels and stages. We are able to identify areas of weakness and strengths and implement strategies into our teaching and learning experiences to ensure continued improvement.

For tasks that are marked in this way, the marker will collate a feedback page (modelled on NESA HSC style feedback) which is published via SEQTA. When tasks are returned, we encourage students to read through the feedback and critically analyse their work in relation to the commentary provided. To assist students in recognising the levels of achievement, exam marking rubrics are published and, wherever possible, we publish exemplar student answers so that they can see the rubric ‘in action’ through other students’ work. We think this sharing of work is very powerful.

Live speaking tasks / recorded presentations are marked by individual class teachers. To ensure equity across classes in this instance, we facilitate moderation whereby the merits of a range of samples are discussed to establish what we refer to as ‘benchmarks’. This then allows us to ensure continuity across our cohorts.

All this to say, we believe that feedback is an integral part of student learning and it is imperative that our students are also actively reflecting on their final submission. We strongly encouraged student-led conversations around strategies to continue honing and developing their skillset.

It is also important to note that assessment tasks are not a measure of intelligence, but instead, a marker of where a student currently sits in relation to their cohort. Assessment is a way of informing our teaching so that we can best support the development of each of our students to assist in promoting growth and further achievement.

Kylie Wharton
Director of English

Three of Lindisfarne’s debating teams travelled to A.B. Paterson College on Wednesday evening to compete in the final phases of the Gold Coast Debating Competition.  

Junior A Team
Mrs Williamson’s team participated in their Round of 16 debate. They performed brilliantly arguing that academic success is overvalued. Their arguments were thoughtful, organised and delivered effectively continuing their winning streak against their Somerset College opposition. These students will now proceed to the quarter-final round next week.

Intermediate A
Mrs Treacy’s debating team also competed in their Round of 16 debate. They had to argue against the following contention: that providing military support to other nations is in our best interest. Mrs Treacy stated that it was a closely contested competition but reported that our Lindisfarne team were successful in defeating the opposition. They now move into the quarter-final round of the Gold Coast Debating Competition. 

Open B
Mrs Myer’s debating team represented Lindisfarne in the quarter-final round of the Open B competition. Unfortunately, two of the four team members were unable to be present for the debate. Ben Reeve, a Year 9 student, kindly agreed to debate with Amity Chaffey and Jay Cahill so that Lindisfarne could field a team. Whilst they did not win this debate, they are commended for reaching this level of competition.

Suellen Walker
English Coordinator

On Wednesday, 26 July, we will be featuring our Year 5-12 Dance students in an evening showcase performance at 6.00pm in Ngahriyah. Prepare to be dazzled by the exceptional talent and infectious energy of our dance students.

The showcase will celebrate the artistry and dedication of our performers. It will feature performances and original compositions from Year 11 and 12 HSC Dance students. The Year 12 works will be presented in two weeks for external NESA markers when they undertake the performance aspect of the HSC course. If you are thinking about selecting Dance as an elective in Year 9 or Year 11 in 2024 this will be a great opportunity to truly see the types of performances that are undertaken in curriculum Dance classes.

Also witness the culmination of months of hard work and artistic expression as our three eisteddfod groups take the stage.

This concert is a highlight in the Performing Arts calendar, don't miss this extraordinary display of talent and passion at our Dance Showcase!

Please join us for this special dance event and register your attendance at
Dance Showcase.

Amber Phillips
Dance Teacher

Year 9 Photography and Digital Media students have recently completed their Fundamentals of Photography unit. They have learnt to manually operate a digital single lens reflex camera, explored the exposure triangle through practical activities, and created their own website gallery of their work. Students are currently learning more about composition and post processing in Adobe Lightroom.

This week's featured photographer is Sunny Skene. Sunny is passionate about photography and is well known to the art staff for regularly signing out cameras for practice over the weekends! Her fun loving nature and creativity is reflected in her photography practice. You can view Sunny’s portfolio at this link: https://sites.google.com/lindisfarne.nsw.edu.au/sunnyskene-pdm?usp=sharing

Bronwyn Dann
Photography and Digital Media Teacher

There have been many developments over the break in the Visual Arts department with refurbishments completed in the Art Courtyard and in one of our longest existing Art Rooms. The refurbishment has provided our students with more user friendly spaces and clean fresh environments to create their artworks. 

Further to this our Year 12 students worked intensively throughout the holidays in studio workshops as the due date of their HSC Body of Work approaches. All 23 students are in the final stages of producing their artwork and are looking forward to sharing them with the school community soon. I would like to thank HSC teacher Belinda Hope and our Art Technician Karen Hughes for their time away from family and friends during the holidays to help our Year 12 students. 

The Visual Arts HSC Visual Arts Bodies of Work, Textiles and Design Major Projects, Industrial Technology and Multimedia Year 12 projects will be a highlight at the upcoming Art and Design Showcase held in Week 6, Term 3. This event is a Preschool to Year 12 event and will showcase approximately 1500 artworks from students across the entire school. Opening night of the exhibition will be held on Friday 25th August and open for viewing to the public and school community on Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th of August. Please save these dates in your calendars. An official invitation to the community and more details about the showcase will be released soon.

In other news Year 8 student Sadie Eddy recently received an encouragement award for her Ken Done Panorama submission in the D’arcy Doyle art prize. Sadie is a keen young artist who thoroughly enjoys creating many different styles of artwork both in and outside of her Visual Art classes. Congratulations Sadie!

Jane Brennan
Director of Visual Arts

Dear Parents and Guardians,

It is with great pleasure, that on behalf of the School, I can announce that our International Student Program is now in full swing with active student recruitment of students from abroad. This initiative will bring internationalisation to the School and will enhance our student’s knowledge about other cultures, languages and differences. The students will be coming as either Short Term or Long-Term Students and their accommodation will be managed by our new formal partner StudyMatch Pty Ltd providing Homestay for the students. 

If you are interested in becoming a Homestay Family, please contact them directly. These are exciting times for the School, staff, families and students welcoming other cultures into our community.

Please use the links below to access further information and to also get an application form.

StudyMatch - Letter to the Lindisfarne Community

Homestay Application Form

James Roache
International Development Manager

Welcome to term 3! 

At Lindisfarne, we are working towards becoming a more sustainable school with many programs focused on reducing our environmental footprint when it comes to waste generation and disposal, our water and energy usage as well as improving biodiversity on site. We want our students to be conscious of the part we can all play in making a more sustainable world and the actions that we can all take to help our planet. That this why we strongly encourage students to have waste free lunches at Lindisfarne. Waste free lunches use reusable items instead of single-use plastic or other disposable items. Having a waste free lunch is fantastic for the environment as it reduces landfill and litter and saves natural resources. Waste free lunches are also fantastic for parents too! Packing waste free lunches for your kids will save you money as you no longer need to continually buy disposable plastic wrap and packaging for lunches.

Having a waste free lunch is really simple and easy. Plastics and disposable items can be replaced with more sustainable items that can be washed and reused again. This is great for the environment and ends up being cheaper for you. Please use the below table as a helpful guide to make your lunches waste-free.

Patrick Brabant
School Assistant - Sustainability

AFL Queensland Schools Cup
On Monday 17, July - the Junior Girls and Boys teams travelled to Ormeau to compete in the Junior Male and Female Metro South/Darling Downs Regional Finals. Both teams played 4 matches on the day consisting of two 10 minute halves.

The girls were in high spirits and worked exceptionally well as a team all day. They played Emmanuel College, St. Mary’s College (Ipswich), Carmel College and Marymount College. As a result, they finished second overall winning 3 of their 4 matches. They have now qualified for the next round to be played in Brisbane.

The boys had a mixed day finishing with 2 wins and 2 losses. They displayed a great commitment to each other and represented Lindisfarne with pride. They won their opening round by 5 goals against Springfield Central SHS and were off to a great start. Round 2 was a lot closer, losing to All Saints Anglican School by just 7 points. Another close loss to Carmel College in round 3 before bouncing back, showing great resilience to win their final game against Emmanuel College.

Congratulations to both teams!

Nathan Gilliland
Teacher

Lindisfarne players enhanced their netball skills through two complimentary Holiday Workshops led by Representative Coaches Giselle Smith and Ruby Sullivan. This initiative was born out of valuable feedback from the Lindisfarne coaches, providing a great opportunity to maintain their skills during a five-week break from netball.

Lindisfarne Players had the fortunate opportunity to attend the NetSpirit Workshop at Tweed Netball Courts, where they received coaching from Firebirds and Sapphire Series Coaches and team members.

The Tweed Netball Season continues with Round 10 on Saturday, 22 July 2023.

Suzanne Evans
Netball Coach

Welcome back to school! The year is flying by, and in just a few weeks, we'll be conducting our final Integrated Sport nomination for the year (Term 4). It's hard to believe how quickly time is passing!

Picking up where we left off - the first few weeks are packed with the following exciting events; Athletics (Border Schools and NCIS), Futsal Champion of Champions in Brisbane (5 teams representing, AFLQ, Rugby, Basketball, Netball (NCIS, NSW Schools Cup, Fast 5, Border Schools and St Peters UK) Hockey (Open Girls vs St Peters UK), and Touch Football. (NSWTA State Final and other competitions leading up to Queensland All Schools).

Volleyball
We have Volleyball Open Training Squads, which is open to any Year 7 to 12 student that would like to progress their volleyball skills. 
We start to work into the main competition rounds of Volleyball at this stage of the year, and will look to maintain our very popular training schedule on Friday mornings at 7am - 8am.
In order to pay for the two coaches, who travel down from the northern Gold Coast, we are charging a $70 tuition fee to partially cover the costs. The Sports Department has absorbed this entirely thus far - including last year, but it is now necessary to help square the budget.
This cost is the sole training levy until the end of 2023, so is very good value for money! Please bear in mind that sometimes we will be bumped from Ngahriyah (exams, speech days etc), but will keep training either on the outdoor courts, or set up on the grass if this is the case. 
There are quite a few competitions looming that we will be entering teams into, with the main focal point being the Australian Schools Volleyball Cup in the last week of Term 4. This tournament is a massive deal, and is certainly something to look forward to for our keen volleyball players. 
Selections for all these competitions will be picked from the Open Training Squads that train each Friday morning.
The Open Training Squad will resume on Friday 28 July at 7am. Looking forward to seeing all the keen Volleyballers there!

Tennis
Lindisfarne Tennis Championships
Lindisfarne’s Annual Tennis Championships will be held on: 
Date: Wednesday 6 September
Time: 4.00pm to 8.30pm
Location: Arkinstall Park Tennis Centre
Please see the flyer - here with all the details and please register to play via the link on the flyer.

Tennis Terranora
The Tennis Terranora after school Tennis lessons will start again on Tuesday afternoons in week 2 Term 3 at Lindisfarne Mahers lane Campus Tennis Courts. These sessions are capped at 20 students. Group lessons for beginners and competition players.
Capped at 20 students.
Pricing: $80 for 8 weeks (sign up on parent lounge, Events and Payments)
Time: Tuesdays 3:30-4:30 pm
Start Date: Week 2 to Week 9, 25/7/23 - 12/9/23
Location: Lindisfarne Mahers lane Campus Tennis courts
Run By: Tennis Terranora Coach Caleb Maxted

Spotlight on Britta Jamison
Britta just finished up her Gold Coast Representative Basketball season in Toowoomba at the State Championships. She's come so far over the season it was awesome to see. The team finished 4th overall, just missing out on going to Nationals.
Thanks to LAGS Nalas, Jake and Nash

Spotlight on Jackson Wright Shines at Southern Cross University 10km Run
Our very own Grade 6 student Jackson Wright made waves debuting at the recent Gold Coast Southern Cross University 10km run.
With an impressive field of over 3,500 competitors, the event is known for its fierce competition. Among these seasoned athletes, Jackson proved that age is merely a number. At just 12 years old, he was the youngest participant in the field, turning heads not just with his youth but with an exceptional performance. 

Jackson ran tremendously securing the 9th position in his age group, with an impressive time of 49:47 -  he outran over 2790 competitors, earning an overall spot of 708th. His outstanding achievement is highly commendable and richly deserved for his sustained training effort.

Congratulations, Jackson!

Spotlight on Frank Spooner
This year, Frank earned himself a position in the Division 1 Gold Coast Basketball Association Representative Team for under 14’s. Frank is a strong defender and has been an essential member of the team, who placed third in the local South East Queensland competition. The team recently travelled to Townsville to represent the Gold Coast in the Basketball Queensland State Championships, where they competed against the top-performing teams in the state and won the bronze medal. The boys have earned their ticket to head to the National Titles in Melbourne in September this year, where they will compete against the best in Australia! Good luck Frank!

Spotlight on Nash  Mulholland
Nash Mulholland (Year 8)  travelled to Sawtell for the NSW Clay Court Tennis Championships. This was Nash’s first tournament back after some time off due to injury. Nash and his partner went on to win the U’14 boys doubles title in a match tie break.
Good to see you back on the court Nash, congratulations!

Spotlight on Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

The QLD Brazilian Jiu Jitsu State Titles were held last month - congratulations to the following students on their fantastic results.
Phoenix Brebner - Gold
Tala Brebner - Gold
Jack Sofer - Gold
Maia Sofer - Bronze.

Spotlight on Rupert Fahy
Earlier this year, Rupert was selected in the Gold Coast Hockey Under 18 Representative Team. In May, the team travelled to Townsville to play four days of intensive hockey in the Queensland State Championships. Identified by selectors as a talented hockey player, Rupert’s determination, athleticism and impressive skills earned him selection in the Queensland Under 18’s State Team. A well-deserved achievement! In July, the team travelled to Hobart to compete in the Australian National Hockey Championships, with Rupert having a great tournament.

Damien Clucas
Head of Sports and Activities

The Lindisfarne Cricket team departed for their UK Tour on the 22nd of June. This was a first for our school as we were the first team to ever tour overseas. The trip had been over three years in the planning, covid causing a huge delay, so we were understandably super excited. The itinerary was set and filled with sporting experiences and opportunities as well as moments to enjoy the country we were in, time allocated for socialising with opposing players all with the goal of creating memories that would last a lifetime.

Our itinerary saw us land in London and hit the ground running with the London Eye and Thames cruise. We then trained at Lords and were blessed to have the Australian cricket team training at the same time. Photos with Steve Smith and watching Marnus bat certainly had the boys smiling. We toured Twickenham Stadium and then prepared for our first game. First was Box Hill, a founding Round Square School. The boys played exceptional cricket and came away with their first win. They also enjoyed a lovely afternoon tea of sandwiches and scones. We were feeling very British.

Over the coming days, we played Harrow, a school founded in 1572. The history of the school was incredible and deep in cricket traditions.  The dining room named every first X1 that had played Eaton at Lords, the photos in the gallery dated back to the 1800s, and the facilities were amazing. This was one of our favorite days as we enjoyed lunch and dinner at the school, socialising and enjoying being with our opposition. While we didn't get a win that day, it was definitely one of the best days. We also played against Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Bishopston Cricket Club and Canberra Grammar with our only loss being the Harrow game. Our final tour game was washed out but it didn't stop the boys and Pinkeys Green having a wonderful evening of backyard cricket ( in the rain).

The tour wasn't just about cricket. We enjoyed a day touring London, and went on to visit Leicester, Bath, Stratford upon Avon, Loughborough, and Slough. We spent time at the Roman baths and enjoyed a training session at the English Cricket Board home in Loughborough. We went trout fishing in Bibury, caught trout and even BBQ’ed them for lunch, toured Windsor Castle, attended a County T20 games, toured Lords, and ended the fortnight by attending Wimbledon. What an Amazing experience. We joined the “queue” as it was the only way to enter and queued for five and a half hours before getting through the gate. It was worth the wait as we soaked up the atmosphere, watched some outstanding tennis ( saw some protests), and of course, enjoyed the strawberries and cream.

The tour was a huge success and this is mainly because of the great attitude and outlook of the 12 boys who toured with us. Our senior boys were incredible leaders and ensured our younger players felt welcome and included. Our younger players showed great stamina to keep up and were wonderfully adaptive, They all approached every day with enthusiasm and energy. Early starts or long days were not an issue and it was an absolute pleasure to spend this time with them. I think we achieved our tour goals of having fun, developing friendships, playing good cricket, enjoying travel and being a great team person.

The staff equally enjoyed the tour and special thanks must go to Mr Marquardt for his endless support of this initiative, Anthony Kershler (Coach) for his knowledge and support of all the players and Mr Robins and Mr Leach who have such a beautiful calm presence and manner of working with our students.

We can't wait for a return tour in 2025.

Julie McDowell
Director of PDHPE and Tour Organiser

Click below for more images