2021 Term 3 Week 5 13 Aug 2021

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Your support has been appreciated as we have navigated the Ballina Shire, Byron Bay Shire, City of Lismore and Richmond Valley Lockdown this week.

The Queensland border restrictions were updated yesterday and students and staff from Queensland are still able to travel to our School as the Tweed Shire is not in lockdown.

Please continue to monitor health advice for both New South Wales and Queensland as it is updated regularly and can change quickly.

I’m aware that this is a challenging time for a number of our School families as some of our students have had to access blended learning as a result of the lockdown with the majority of students still learning face to face at school as Lindisfarne Anglican Grammar School continues to operate under level 2 restrictions.

The changing border situation means it is also imperative that the School has every student's correct residential address. I ask that you please check your address details in Parent Lounge and update any changes accordingly.

Our HSC students and staff have continued to successfully navigate their HSC trial exams during this time with two days to go next week.

As is our Lindisfarne Way the students, staff and parents have demonstrated great resilience during this time of change for us all.

Thank you to our community for their support of the Parents and Friends FunFest raffle. Next Saturday, someone in our community will be driving away in the amazing MG3. There are still a number of books to be handed back, so please continue to return these books, even if unsold, as promptly as possible next week.

Over the last two days, I participated in some of the sessions with Reverend Constantine as part of a virtual conference organised by Anglican Schools Australia (ASA).

It was uplifting to gather with colleagues from around Australia albeit remotely and participate in a number of keynote addresses and workshops including Christian Mindfulness, the role young people play in International climate negotiations, Anglican Identity in Action, Reconciliation as Friendship, and the Power of We, and to hear of the work of the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne on preventing violence against women.

I believe that as a Principal of an Anglican School that it is not enough to use our education just for ourselves, for what good is that education if we do not use it for the good of others and for the betterment of the world in which we live.

As we approach the weekend in the context of living within and following essential restrictions let us not focus on what we can’t do but celebrate and enjoy what we can do.

Wishing all families, staff and students some renewal and rest over the weekend ahead.

Stuart Marquardt
Principal

Dear Parents, Guardians, Staff and Students,

During the course of this week, the wider Christian Church in Australia remembered the lives of two remarkable women: Mary MacKillop and Edith Stein. Mary MacKillop is the first formally canonised Australian Saint, and St Edith Stein was a Jewish convert to Christianity and a Holocaust victim.

Both women led extraordinary lives despite the injustices and terrible sufferings they encountered. Mary MacKillop devoted a lot of her life educating the poor and most vulnerable Australian children in the 19th century, long before Government-run schools. I was once a parish priest in Eden, located on the far South Coast of NSW, and saw first hand the fruit of her work in the school she built, that has now grown to be a fantastic school responsible for the education of so many children in the area. Mary was often known to have said, ‘Never see a need without doing something about it.”

Edith Stein, who died in Auschwitz at the age of fifty-one, was an intellectual and a gifted lecturer and writer. During the short time she spent in Auschwitz she was known for comforting other women with whom she was imprisoned. Edith found tremendous strength in prayer, which she said, “is the highest achievement of which the human person is capable.”

Over the last two days, Principal Stuart Marquardt and I attended the Anglican Schools Australia virtual online conference on the intersection of faith and learning. Both Mary McKillop and Edith Stein embodied this intersection of faith and learning in their exemplary life of love and service to others. They too, inspire and invite us to let the unconditional love of God permeate every aspect of our teaching and learning at Lindisfarne.

Hence, during this time of a global pandemic, we might ask ourselves like Mary MacKillop: what are the needs in our society and community right now? and what can we do about them? And like Edith Stein, we can devote our lives to caring for and comforting those who feel afraid and depressed at this time through acts of compassion and prayer.

By doing so we will be contributing to rebuilding our society which is being ravaged by the adverse consequences of the covid-19 pandemic.

Our School continues to be an oasis of peace and stability in an increasingly uncertain, chaotic and destabilising covid-world. It is a great joy to be part of this community, let us continue to support one another and reach out to others if we need help.

Thank you for all you do and for who you are. You are amazing and you are loved!

Here’s my favourite part of the week-spending some time with Year 1s.

Constantine Osuchukwu
Chaplain

Thank you to our community for their support of the Parents and Friends Association FunFest raffle. 

The drawing of the raffle is postponed due to the current lockdown and a new date will be advised soon.

Please make every effort to sell your tickets ready for them to be handed back when face to face schooling resumes.

If you need to pay for your tickets via card, please call the Mahers Lane reception to make payment.

Good luck.

Simon McKinley
on behalf of the Lindisfarne P&F

During the holidays the artwork on display in the Maher's Lane reception area was updated. It now exhibits Year 11 student Cate Roberts' original work for everyone to admire and appreciate. Cate received top marks for this abstract piece and has included her artist statement below: 

Artist Statement

Our Year 11 Abstract unit Atomic Earth required us to develop artworks revolving around our natural world. My works go under the title Drowned in Rose and Light, a series consisting of four paintings (featured) and four drawings with the muse being the pink lakes of Australia. All paintings are named after the lake/lagoon in which they resemble. From left; Lake Hillier, Lake Macdonnal,  The Hutt Lagoon and Lake Bumbunga.  - Cate Roberts 

Bronwyn Dann
Acting Director of Visual Arts

This week, students and staff in PDHPE, PASS and Sport have been running, jogging, walking (cartwheeling and piggybacking) around the top oval in support of our much loved staff member, Mr Matthew Fydler, AKA - Fyds. 

Currently Matt is fighting hard to beat Rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare type of sarcoma. We know that it is really important to both Matt and Amy Fydler that some education and awareness is raised because this type of cancer is not as common as others. Rhabdomyosarcoma is cancer of soft tissue (such as muscle), connective tissue (such as tendon or cartilage), or bone. It is the most common type of soft tissue sarcoma found in children and is very aggressive in adults. 

Unfortunately, because of the rare nature, the government has denied possible treatment options to be subsidised under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. This often means families are forced to pay upwards of $7000 every month for treatment options that are not guaranteed to work. We want to help raise awareness of Rhabdomyosarcoma so that this form of cancer can be acknowledged, prioritised, researched and funded; giving families more hope and support and equal opportunity to fight this disease. With more awareness comes more research and with more research comes a greater range of treatment options available that are affordable and accessible to all. There should be no descrimination or priority list when it comes to fighting cancer. 

There hasn’t been a day gone by that we don’t think about Fyds here at School. He has been a part of the team here at Lindisfarne for 20 years and his presence is sorely missed by all. He has certainly left some big shoes to fill (literally as he is a size 13! ) He is a beloved teacher of PDHPE and PASS, a RITE Journey leader, Head of Barnabas House and a Director of the Sports Academy. In the faculty, he is known as one of the many “wannabe” comedians - as funny as the yellow pants he wears to every sporting carnival!

As a School community, we have wanted to get behind Fyds and support him and his family in any way that we can. Fitness and Fyds are two words that work synonymous with each other, so what better way to support Matt and his passion for an active and healthy lifestyle, than logging kilometers. Our goal has been to reach 14,935 km. This is the amount of kilometres it would take to drive around Australia following Highway 1. This initiative was started by Kai George, an ex-Lindisfarne student. This just goes to show the lasting impression Matt has made on students, parents and staff. 

To help get Fyds around the country, we have called upon our students this week to dig deep and push themselves out of their comfort zone to get us closer to our target. We have been blown away by both the individual efforts of our students and the efforts of each class collectively. So far we have clocked over 2000km - about the distance from Brisbane to Cape York, an amazing effort so far...but still a way to go. 

Some notable efforts include:

6A = 111.30km

5B = 119.1km

5C = 100.8km

8C = 94.8 km

10 PASS 98.8km

9B PASS = 78km 

If you are wanting to show your support for Matt and his young family, there are a few ways you can help:

1 - Sign up to log your kilometers to help us get Fyds around Australia. (Ends August 30) https://runsignup.com/Race/Register/?raceId=115480

2 - Share your photos on our facebook event page - ‘Run, walk, ride for Fyds.’ and leave a motivational message or comment for Matt. 

3 - Make a donation/ financial contribution to help cover some of the medications, surgeries and treatment options (not covered on PBS) and to allow Matt to spend some much needed time with his beautiful family.

https://gofund.me/3d144cbd

As a faculty, we are going to continue to advocate for Rhabdomyosarcoma sufferers to be supported. We would love you to join us!

The PDHPE Faculty

It is a pleasure to see how quickly skipping has taken over the Junior School this term.  From bustling before school skipping club with Mr Croft to the large group of students passionately whirring away with their ropes at break and lunch times, it has been fun and exciting for everyone involved.

On assembly we have presented certificates for skipping ‘milestones’, and I know many students should be proud of their improvements in their skipping. Some children initially struggled to complete just a few jumps and now, only a few weeks later, they are confidently challenging the teachers on duty to a ‘skip off’!  

In addition to the obvious fitness and coordination benefits for students, cooperation skills are also greatly improved.  The longer ropes require children to stand and turn them for others and the games they play are less individual and more team and group orientated. 

The heart of our skipping program is the Jump Rope for Heart program for the Heart Foundation.  I would like to thank all of our students, parents and community for their support of this.  With over $11,000 raised so far, the money will go towards educating people and funding research into heart disease – a very worthy cause.

A special thanks to Mr Croft for promoting, managing and encouraging our students with this initiative.

Each class at Sunshine Avenue now has a designated Earth Warrior each week. These sustainability leaders ensure the food scraps are disposed of in the sub pods, the collection containers are clean and present, and also that our recycling centre is working as it should and recycling is put into the correct cubicles.

In a short period of time, recycling has improved greatly in all schools.  Bread tags and bags, glasses, phones and electronics, coffee pods, toothbrushes and batteries all have recycle station on campus.  Our children are our future and every small effort helps to make their world a cleaner and safer place to live.  

Mark Douglas
Head of Junior School

The Year 5 camp to Lake Ainsworth Sport and Recreation Centre will not go ahead this term on the previously scheduled date of August 30- September 2 2021.

I have been and am still in close contact with the organisers at the Office of Sport NSW and we are looking at the possibility of holding the camp in Term 4. Unfortunately, we will not be able to confirm this until closer to a potential date. Payments that have already been made will be held until a date in Term 4 is secured. 

Amy Williamson
Year 5 Coordinator

The Year 6 camp has been rescheduled to Brisbane from 9 - 12 November, 2021. This allows us to provide a rich camp experience for the students that is still linked to our History unit on Australia as a Nation and is closer to home if the situation changes. 

Please hold off on your third payment instalment as we finalise camp costs. The cost is lower than the Sydney camp. We will finalise the third instalment costings and let you know. If you have already paid for the camp in full then we will review and reimburse appropriately. You will receive an email with final details shortly.

Thank you again for your understanding during this time.

Kylie Thompson
Year 6 Coordinator

With many of us completing the Census this week, Year 10 students have been looking at the role of factors such as demographics and social trends and their impacts on future careers. Students have been looking to the future and how this might impact some of the roles available to them. Examples of change that may impact employment that students have identified are: climate change impacting on architectural design and town planning, technologies such as wearable devices and home automation tools and robotic technologies being incorporated into industries such as medicine. Students are recognising the myriad of skills that will be required by them in the future. If you are interested check out some of these  Jobs of the Future! 

Please see the link to the latest Options Careers Bulletin.

Lauren Ward
Director of Careers and VET

Grammar is the backbone of any language and without it, meaning can become completely lost. However, it is certainly NOT the only way to learn another language. The ‘communicative’ approach - speaking about and listening to topics also plays a significant factor in the process of language acquisition. At Lindisfarne, we adopt both approaches in developing language learners.  

Mme Signori’s Year 7 French classes have been working well this term on extending their knowledge of the French language. In particular, they have been focusing on their understanding of some new grammar concepts which do not occur in the English language. This has presented the students with the opportunity to challenge not only their understanding of French grammar, but also of the English language. Featured in the two videos below are two students from Mme Signori’s Year 7 French class, demonstrating their understanding of these grammar concepts. 

Lucas Martin’s Hickel discusses adjectival agreement whilst James Sabey demonstrates how to construct a negative sentence. Both students presented the concepts clearly and accurately to their peers.

Listening to their explanation demonstrates their deep understanding of this language concept.

Well done to both students. Lucas Martins Hickel and James Sabey.

Cathy Cox
Director of Languages 

Year 11 Biology students recently watched the 2020 Sir David Attenborough documentary “Extinction” which catalogues the human impacts on our planet. Sir David concludes an otherwise thoroughly depressing production with the optimistic view that human ingenuity and resourcefulness can find solutions to the problems we have created. The more important question is whether we can find the social acceptance and political will to implement them.

Next Monday is the beginning of Science Week and during homeroom and tutor group time our students will be introduced to the problems associated with global food production and some of the emerging solutions to this vexing, complex issue.

Have a wonderful week in Science.

Hamish Inksetter
Teacher of Science

“We view wellness as much more than just a state of physical health. It also encompasses emotional stability, clear thinking, the ability to love, create, embrace change, exercise intuition and experience a continuing sense of spirituality.”

The Hyderabad Public School in India invites up to eight student delegates aged 13 to 15 for a Round Square Postcard on 25th August on the theme of ‘Wellness Wheel Reveals The Zeal’.

It will be held in the library at Lindisfarne from 3:30pm-5.00pm.

Any students that are interested please email Mr Lush at mlush@lindifarne.nsw.edu.au

Mike Lush
Round Square Coordinator

Congratulations to Harlan Oliver who received his New South Wales All Schools AFL Jersey this week at Assembly. Harlan along with several other Lindisfarne students Charlie Heath, Shakyah Jordan, Lily Alford and Bridie Bedford competed for NSWCIS in the NSW All Schools AFL carnival in Albury back in May this year.

Both of these teams placed 2nd and were awarded a silver medal for their efforts. 

Harlan was then selected in the NSW All Schools Merit team who were to go on and represent NSW at the Schools Sports Australia Under 15 AFL Championships in Darwin. Unfortunately, due to the current restrictions with Covid-19, the Championships were cancelled. Harlan, however receives a great memento of his selection in this team and should be very proud of his wonderful achievement.

Matt Bedford
Director of Lindisfarne Sports Academy

Saturday Netball

Due to the present unsettled situation, Tweed Netball Association has decided to postpone Round 12 and the Finals. 

Round 12 - Saturday, 28 August

The Cubs (NetSetGo 5 and 6 year olds) and the Pink and Purple Lions will have their TNA Presentation at the end of their play. Please take photos and share with me!

We have a number of our teams poised to participate in the finals series at Arkinstall Park though - so fingers and toes crossed!

Preliminary Finals - Saturday, 4 September  (1 v 4 and 2 v 3)

Grand Finals - Saturday, 11 September

We have some new dates for your diaries too:

The Passing the Pride, when the 2022 Netball Captain is announced to work alongside Ebony Richards, and we thank Samantha Harvey for her outstanding contribution to netball at Lindisfarne, will now take place at the Presentation Evening. 

This is due to the Trial Examinations block being extended.

The Lindisfarne Lions Netball Club Presentation Evening will now take place on Friday, 8 October. How this will look will depend on the pandemic measures, but we are hoping we can have all of the Netball Community join us in the Ngahriyah to celebrate the 2021 season - even though the postponed NSW Cup and NCIS Championships will not be completed by then.

The 10-week Twilight Competition - Season 2 will commence on Monday, 13 September! 

Please consider whether you wish to be involved. Players must be 11 years - Open. If there is enough interest, there will be a mixed division again. 

Please email your Expression of interest and a few players you wish to be your teammates. Nominations for teams are to be received no later than August 23.

Players' individual nomination is $100 through the NetballConnect App but only $10 if you have already played this year. A team fee between $50 and $60 will be charged to the School Fees.

Netball Centre of Excellence 

The organised match against St Andrews on August 19 has been cancelled.

Training with Rory will continue for those players involved in the finals, as will the Shooting, and Speed and Agility sessions as they are classed as School sport activities.

It is planned to continue with training at School during lunchtimes in preparation for the NSW Cup, the  NCIS Championships and matches V EAC, St Andrews and Hillcrest.

In Term 4, we will conduct some after School training workshops for all players who wish to trial for the 2022 Centre of Excellence and the Rep squads. The actual trials will be conducted over 3 sessions and teams will be named before the end of the year.

If you have any questions re: netball, please do not hesitate to email me.

“I’m here if you need!”

Gay Maynard 
Teacher in Charge of Netball

NCIS

Please note the following correspondence from NCIS below:

• NCIS Athletics - Tuesday, 7 September in Coffs Harbour CANCELLED
• NCIS Rugby 7's - BDC exploring an alternative date after Athletics
• NCIS Primary Netball - Moved to Term 4
• NCIS Secondary Netball - Moved to Term 4

The Executive will continue to monitor the COVID situation and meet when necessary to make decisions moving forward.

Lindisfarne Sports Department will forward any correspondence as soon as it’s forthcoming.

Basketball

Lindisfarne Lions Basketball Winter Season in the GCJBL have adjusted their semi-finals and finals to the following dates:

Semi Finals - The draw remains the same just the dates have changed Wednesday, 25 August 

Friday, 27 August 

Saturday, 28 August 

Finals

Wednesday, 1 September - confirmed

Friday, 3 September - awaiting confirmation from Gold Coast council. 

Saturday, 4 September - awaiting confirmation from Gold Coast council.

Summer League

Lindisfarne Lions Gold Coast Basketball Summer Season will be launching for registrations next week. 

The Summer League competition will run throughout all of Term 4. If the border situation looks untenable for teams to make Coomera in a timely manner, we will make a decision that will allow enough time for players to make alternate club arrangements.

Lismore Challenge

The Lismore Challenge Gala day is still poised to progress, albeit with a rescheduled date to bypass lockdown:

Aussie Dent King year 9 and 10 challenge  scheduled for Wednesday 18 August will now be on  Wednesday 1 September. 

Hopefully it will just remain a 7 day lockdown and the Pegasus Challenge year 11&12 can go ahead as planned on Wednesday  25 August.

Student Cafe sign-ups available

The Australian Schools Volleyball Cup is now played on the Gold Coast. 

We are taking registrations now for Lindisfarne's inaugural entry in the Australian Schools Volleyball Cup (a 5 day competition that runs in the last week of school in December on the Gold Coast).

We will be running hour-long morning or afternoon training sessions for our squads that will be encouraged as compulsory for the selected students. Please register your interest via Student Cafe in the following age divisions and we will be back in touch with further details via email:

• Year 9 and 10 Girls

• Year 9 and 10 Boys 

• Year 7 and 8 Girls

• Year 7 and 8 Boys 

Term 4 Sport Selections

Please review the sports choices below for Term 4. The selections will open on Parent lounge in Week 7 of Term 3 on Saturday, 28 August and will close at 8.00am on  Friday, 10 September. A very short instructional video can be viewed here. The most critical step is to ensure once you select the sport and the message shows “make changes”/“remove sign up” you click on the green “submit to school” tab (at the top right  of the screen) and this will open up the payment portal. 

The sport options available can be view by clicking the links below:

• Years 5 and 6
• Years 7 to 10

Term 4 Sports Selections will be finalised through Parent Lounge, payment for your child's sport choice is required at the time of selection and their spot in that chosen sport will be secured upon payment. 

Please note -  some sports have a strict capacity limitation. Therefore, once they reach this quota, they will show as no places available and no longer be an option. 

To ensure you have a clear and comprehensive view of all sports options on offer, it’s recommended that you access the sports selections on a laptop or desktop as mobile phones may have a limited view and may also take longer to navigate all options on offer. 

Swapping of sports once selections and payments have been made will not be possible unless there are pastoral matters, injury or health issues that arise. Please encourage your child to liaise with friends prior to the selection date and have a second sport contingency in case their first sport choice reaches capacity. 

Prior to the sports selection start date, please make sure that you have sourced your login details and can access Parent Lounge. This must be finalised before Friday, 27 August. Please contact our Middle and Senior School Reception if you need your password reset.

Spotlight On - Thomas Chong

Thomas  has been selected to join Australian Taekwondos Performance Pathways Program (PPP Talent ID). He will join an elite group of Queensland athletes with additional training sessions to be held weekly at UQ in partnership with their sports program.

Throughout the program there will be regular camps to be held in Canberra at the AIS Combat Center, where all the young athletes recognised from QLD, NSW and Victoria will come together.

Damien Clucas
Head of Sports and Activities

Dr. Joseph Coyne, PhD

Recognised as an international expert in high performance sport, Dr. Joseph Coyne has over 15 years’ experience working with elite professional and Olympic athletes, and most recently was the Performance Director for the UFC Performance Institute Shanghai. Prior to joining the UFC in 2019, athletes personally supported by Joseph went on to break six world records and collected 15 gold medals at the Olympics and various World Championships from 2014. He has also worked privately with a number of professional athletes in Australia including Sonny Bill Williams, Luke Keary and Latrell Mitchell amongst others. As a speaker, Joseph has lectured at a number of international sport science and strength and conditioning conferences. Joseph has a Doctor of Philosophy from Edith Cowan University (Perth, Australia) in sport science and also serves as a reviewer for a number of different academic journals.

Due to COVID, Joseph, his wife and two young children have returned to the Tweed Coast after finishing with the UFC Performance Institute in Shanghai. He is excited to be back at Lindisfarne after getting to know the school in 2018 and is looking forward to bringing his international coaching experience, especially in athletics, to benefit the student-athletes at Lindisfarne.  This will involve helping to establish and drive sport excellence programs in rugby union, athletics and basketball at the School and to bring improved and new services to the Lindisfarne Sports Academy.  

If any parents or students would like to know more about the exciting work in sports Dr. Coyne will be doing at the school, you can contact him at jcoyne@lindisfarne.nsw.edu.au