14 November 2024
What Happened This Week
Year 1 String Concert
On Wednesday, the Year 1 students performed in front of their parents for an end-of-year concert. They played remarkably, and Ms Ohki was incredibly proud of them. Congratulations on such a wonderful performance.
Critically Endangered ‘Tasmanian Handfish’ Fundraiser
The Year 2 Artist Club will be selling fridge magnets to raise money for the Tasmanian Handfish. The magnets and badges will cost $2 and will be available for purchase in Week 6 on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Please click here to read more on New Spaces.
Honouring Félix Laubi (ON 2020)
Last month the Newington Foundation launched an appeal to raise funds for a new prize to be awarded at Senior Prize Giving this year, established in honour of Félix Laubi (ON 2020). Tragically, we lost Félix earlier this year to a rare form of cancer.
With the consent of his family, The Félix Laubi (ON 2020) Prize for Outstanding Commitment, Dedication and Humanity will be awarded to a student concluding Year 10 who demonstrates outstanding leadership in their pursuit of excellence, be it in academics, sports, in service or the arts.
Whilst the award is for a student in the Senior School, perhaps one day your child will be the recipient of this prize. I invite you to join us by making a tax-deductible gift to the Newington Foundation to help establish this prize. Together, we can recognise and celebrate our values in honour of Félix. Every contribution helps.
Chapel Thought
As I write this Chapel Thought, I’m surrounded by beautiful bushland as I’m away with Year 3 on their Combined Preps Camp. Whenever I’m in beautiful natural environments like this, I’m reminded of the importance of appreciating the wonder of God’s creation. Looking at the magnificent trees or hearing the bird call of beautiful native birds always reminds me that God is with us.
In moments like this, I’m reminded of Jesus’ teachings in Matthew 6. There, as part of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells his followers to look at the birds, they don’t plant great crops nor build barns to store any food, yet God provides everything for them. He says that if God does that for birds, then surely God will provide for us too. It’s a reminder not to worry because we can trust in God’s protection and God’s guidance. When we face difficult situations or struggles, it’s important to remember that God will always support us. For me, being in nature is a simple reminder of this. If God provides everything that is needed for the natural environment, then God is surely going to do that and so much more for us.
Pastor Richard La’Brooy
ICAS Success
International Competitions and Assessments for Schools (ICAS) is a suite of online competitions made by UNSW Global. Students with the top score in each subject in each year level are awarded a medal and a medal winner’s certificate.
A huge congratulations to Milton Z on receiving an ICAS medal for both Maths and Science. This is a huge accomplishment as he received an impressive score that was the highest in his region. Well done Milton!
Sport News
Please click here to view the Wyvern Spirit recipients this week on New Spaces.
Child Safeguarding Hub
Student safety and wellbeing continue to be at the centre of everything we do. They have a right to feel safe and be safe. Their wellbeing is our most fundamental concern and as a Child Safe Organisation, we are dedicated to this criterion.
To enhance Child Safeguarding at Newington, in September 2022, we established a Child Safeguarding Committee to oversee the development and monitoring of systems, policies and process that implement the child safe standards.
Chaired by Andy Quinane, the Committee is comprised of key staff members integral to Child Safeguarding at Newington. The Committee manages several Child Safeguarding initiatives and engages external experts to advise on best practice on various aspects of child safeguarding, including safe recruitment, student voice, engaging parents, staff training and risk management.
One of the initiatives Newington’s Child Safeguarding Committee has been working on is the Child Safeguarding Hub, a unique and innovative resource that puts the College at the forefront in its commitment to student safety. We are excited to let you know that this hub is now live here on New Spaces and contains valuable resources and tools for parents and carers.
To find the parent hub on New Spaces head to:
New Spaces > Parent Services > Child Safeguarding for Parents and Carers
Stanmore Music Festival
On Saturday 16 November, the streets of Sydney’s Inner West suburb of Stanmore will once again celebrate music in all its forms with the 4th Stanmore Music Festival. Our Wyvern Choir, Wyvern Winds and Wyvern Jazz students will be performing. Your support of this fantastic event for the Stanmore Community would be greatly appreciated.
Prize Giving
The Wyvern House K-2 Presentation Ceremony will be held at the Senior School Chapel on Friday 22 November at 9.00am. Please click here to RSVP.
The Wyvern House Years 3-6 Annual Prize Giving Day will be held on Wednesday 4 December at 9.00am in Centenary Hall on the Stanmore Campus. Please click here to RSVP.
Welcome Picnic 2025
The Wyvern Community is warmly invited to the 2025 Welcome Picnic on Saturday 18 January from 2.00-4.00pm. Please click here for more information on New Spaces and to RSVP.
Meet the Educators at Newington College
We have some incredible staff working at Newington so we’ve been working on a video series to showcase some of these exceptional educators and their areas of expertise.
This, our first, features our Headmaster Michael Parker, a born teacher and lifelong learner, who shares why he is so passionate about education and why he loves taking the English classes he still does every week.
Staff Profile
In the coming weeks, we will be profiling a staff member from each of our different campuses. This week, we introduce you to one of our very own, Zoe Kang!
Q. What are some of the qualities that make a great teacher?
A. Empathy, fairness, respect, passion for teaching and patience. A great teacher who is not only an instructor but a mentor, role model and supporter, who will leave a positive impact on students’ lives and inspire them to pursue their potential with confidence.
Q. What was your favourite subject in school when you were a student, and did you ever struggle with a subject yourself?
A. My favourite subject in school was Chinese language. It’s such a rich and fascinating language, with its own unique structure, characters, and cultural depth. I did struggle with physics at times.
Q. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to students that you wish you had known when you were in school?
A. Everyone learns at their own pace and has their own strengths and challenges. Don’t compare your journey to anyone else’s, focus on your own progress and growth.
