5 June 2025
From the Deputy, Head of Preparatory Schools & ELC
Growing Healthy Tweens (Eight to Twelve Year Olds)
It is fascinating to think that today’s 10-year-olds have never known a world without iPads or mobile phones. I was thinking about this when I reread an interesting article on Tweens recently. Tweens are children aged between 8–12 and this article examined the development and changes that occur in the years before puberty and adolescence.
In this article, author Phyliss Fagell stated that there are many similarities between challenges she faced as a young adolescent in the 1980s and tweens today. She wrote –
‘As their prefrontal cortex develops, they’re (tweens) malleable, impulsive, and impressionable. They’re capable of reasoning intellectually, interpreting emotions, and taking a moral stand, but they lack perspective or life experience. Sorting out social drama can consume large chunks of their time, and they tend to experience emotions in polarities. Any mishap can register as a catastrophe, and they have little understanding that negative feelings are temporary. They’re trying to figure out what coping skills work for them and where their strengths and interests align. They’re hyperaware of an invisible audience judging their every move and picking up on their shortcomings and limits… It’s a time of insecurity, hormonal changes, and contradictions’.
There are also significant differences for young adolescents now and their parents’ experiences growing up in today’s rapidly changing world. Fagell outlined how being a tween is more complex and challenging in contemporary society:
Technology is everywhere
Many tweens are online a lot and this brings complexity. Unrealistic societal expectations, graphic images, gaming and social media are now part of many tweens’ lives.
‘On the social side, kids who are developmentally wired for adventure somehow have to preserve their reputation, stay safe, be kind, and make solid judgment calls online without the benefit of face-to-face social cues’. Whilst as children we were probably just as prone to poor choices, there was not the same potential for them to be immortalised and transmitted around the globe.
Tweens and mental-health
Today’s families are more open about relationship breakdowns, financial struggles, health issues and other acute stressors. Many parents are very involved in their children’s lives and can be overly directive. This can result in tweens having less autonomy and not feeling they have much control and choice in their lives. In addition, many parents are putting more emphasis on achievement and competition and less on caring for others. To flourish, tweens need an environment to learn problem-solving skills, make mistakes, resolve conflicts and build a sense of confidence and independence. The absence of these has resulted in increased mental health issues in this age group.
As a parent of tweens, it is important to minimise the negative elements of the internet and social media, to step back and let your children have agency (voice, choice and ownership in some areas of their lives) and to engage your child with the world around them in a positive, optimistic way. These are all vitally important in growing up healthy tweens who can navigate their teenage years and eventually take their place as happy, fulfilled and engaged adult members of our community.
Lost Property
Over recent weeks, there has been an increase in the amount of lost property at Wyvern, including instruments and sporting equipment. Please ensure all items bought to school are clearly labelled so we can return the items to students as soon as possible. This includes shoes, socks, boot bags, music folders and books from your home library. The office staff are happy to help load
Pupil Free Day + King’s Birthday Long Weekend
A reminder that the prep schools have a pupil free day tomorrow and Wyvern House will be closed. CommunityOSH is still accepting bookings, please click here to register. We look forward to welcoming the students back to school on Tuesday 10 June following the King’s Birthday long weekend.
Co-ed Scholarships for Year 5, 2027
We are excited to announce that co-ed scholarships for girls and boys entering Year 5 in 2027 are now open and close Friday 4 July 2025. These scholarships are in addition to the extensive program already available across academic, co-curricular, sporting and boarding in the Senior School.
To find out more and to apply, click below or email our Admissions team.
Year 6 Rockstars Ready for Rockfest!
We’re thrilled to announce that our Year 6 rock band Slam will be taking the stage for their very first live performance at Newington Rockfest this Friday night from 6.30 pm! This is a huge milestone for the band, and they are buzzing with excitement as they prepare to play in front of a big audience in Centenary Hall.
Rockfest is a celebration of student music, featuring over 26 bands from Years 7 to 12, and it’s an incredible opportunity for Slam to share their talent and energy with a wider audience.
The event kicks off with a burger truck serving food from 4.30 pm, so come early, grab a bite, and settle in for an evening full of music and fun. The show will wrap up by 9.15 pm.
In Slam we have Aydin B (Bass), Logan M (Lead Guitar), Sidney S (Singer and Keyboard), Archer T (Drums) and Maksim T (Rhythm Guitar). A big thank you to Mr Knapman, who guides the group each week.
Come along and support Slam as they rock the stage for the first time—let’s give them the loudest cheer of the night!
What Happened This Week
National Reconciliation Week at Newington: Honouring Culture and Connection
This week, we joined the national observance of Reconciliation Week, held from 27 May to 3 June. The theme of this year’s commemoration centres on deepening our understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures, and contributions.
Across the campuses, students are engaging with a rich array of learning experiences, including the story of Kakare, a Kempsey-based artist whose work features in the Years 3–6 student diary. Many students have also explored our ties to Eungai Creek and Uncle John, further grounding their learning in local Indigenous perspectives.
Last weekend we had the IPSHA Indigenous round and our senior students proudly wore our Indigenous jerseys developed in collaboration with a local artist and some of our Indigenous students in the senior school.
Cool Kids Club
In Term 3, Wyvern House will be offering the Cool Kids program to selected students from Years 4–6. The club will run from 3.15pm–4.15pm on Thursday afternoons commencing in the first week of Term 3. It will be co-ordinated by Mr Sahil Sharma (School Psychologist) and Miss Elina Phamanivanh (Year 3 Classroom teacher).
Cool Kids is a structured program that teaches children and their parents how to better manage a child’s anxiety. The program is based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), involves the participation of children and parents, and focuses on teaching practical skills. Topics covered in the program include:
- Learning about anxiety
- Learning to think realistically
- Parenting an anxious child
- Facing fears using stepladders and
- Learning coping skills such as relaxation or problem solving.
- Please email Mr Sahil Sharma (School Psychologist) or the Wyvern Front Office for further information about the club and how you can register an expression of interest.
Greek School
The after school Greek school are looking for a casual language teacher to help on Wednesdays from 3.00pm–5.30pm. If you are interested, please email greekschool@saintstylianos.org.au
Chapel Thought
As we as a nation come to the end of Reconciliation Week with Mabo Day having been on Tuesday 3 June, it’s important that we continue to reflect on what reconciliation means for us as individuals and as a community.
The Uniting Church in Australia has a long-standing commitment to reconciliation with First Nations People. Our Covenanting Statement signed in 1994 continues to guide our Church as we walk together with First Nation’s people in this land. The Statement was a historic moment between the Uniting Church in Australia and the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress, marking a moment on the journey towards reconciliation.
As I’ve moved throughout the Church and ministered in various contexts, I’ve been blessed to learn from the wisdom and experience of Indigenous Christians. As people of faith, we are called to show God’s love and care to all people we meet and to strive to make a positive difference in the world around us. May we continue to be inspired and guided by this principle in all that we do.
– Pastor Richard La’Brooy
Staff Profile
This week we chatted to Wyvern Sportsmaster Joel Wilson. After joining Wyvern House in 2011, Mr Wilson has become an integral part of the Newington Community – instilling a love of sport, health and education with both students and teachers.
Q. Why teaching? What is it you enjoy about teaching?
A. I remember my school years and wonderful teachers fondly. I learnt something different from all of them, whether it was Mr Clifford’s love of poetry and sketching, Mrs Leighton’s kind and nurturing nature or Miss Christensen’s love of sport and history. My father was a schoolteacher and principal, so I had a great deal of respect for the profession and then understood the rewarding nature of a career in education.
Q. What is something people don’t know about you?
A. I have a love of gardening, which was passed on by my mother who has a ‘green thumb’ and owned a nursery and garden design business. Most of the year I have an abundant vegetable garden, but this time of year caterpillars and slugs are my arch nemesis!
Q. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to students that you wish you had known when you were in school?
A. Do your absolute best but remember that school is only the beginning. After school, opportunities will come your way and if you can give them a go, persevere, and follow your nose, you will be more than OK.
Staff Profile: College Leadership Group
This week we are profiling Rebecca Panagopoulos, our Director of Studies at Stanmore. Mrs Panagopoulos joined Newington in 2011 and is a key member of the College Leadership Group with her energy and passion for education and our students.
Q. What does leadership mean to you?
A. To me, leadership is both a privilege and a responsibility—it’s about contributing meaningfully to our school culture, especially in academics and community spirit. I believe true leadership is grounded in service, listening, and leading by example, rather than authority or recognition. It’s about being present, dependable, and focused on the wellbeing of others. Above all, leadership means using your influence with integrity to uplift and inspire those around you.
Q. What is something not many people know about you?
A. I once had a serious running phase and completed 19 half marathons, which taught me discipline, routine, and how to push through challenges. Running gave me space to reflect and reset, even in the simplest moments. Though I’ve since traded long runs for gym training, the lessons remain – I continue to prioritise my health and wellbeing to show up as my best self. Whether in fitness or leadership, I’ve learned that consistency and mindset make all the difference.
Q. If you could describe Newington College in three words, what would they be?
A. Vibrant, Progressive, Community.
