PRINCIPAL'S REFLECTION

Wow, it’s the end of the year already - and what a year! You might not get to see my Speech Day address, so here are some extracts from that:

2020 has been a year that many people say they'd rather forget. Indeed, many families have suffered and the economy and society have been completely disrupted. While we can't forget those effects on our world, we should also recognise some of the positives to have come out of this year. We've seen governments work together, which is most unusual, we've seen a world-wide concerted effort to create a vaccine; closer to home we've seen our teachers learning new technologies to deliver learning, and our students adapting to those technologies, in fact they were probably already there! Having to learn from home has forced our young people to experience difficulties that they would not have had experience of were it not for this pandemic. And while this has resulted in mental health problems for a number of young people, and adults, it has also helped to build the resilience of many of our young people. We have all definitely had to use our whole heart, soul, mind and strength this year!

This end of 2020 sees the conclusion of Mr Will Wallace’s eight years as Head of Junior School at Lakes Grammar. Mr Wallace has been an exemplary leader. He has led with love and respect for our students, their families, and our staff. He has led our Junior School to a greater level of maturity. And he has been instrumental in helping our staff to grow in their professional practice. Mr Wallace was always going to end up as a Principal. His appointment as Principal of Golden Grove Lutheran Primary School in Adelaide is a fitting recognition of the leadership skills he has both developed and demonstrated here at Lakes. We will miss Mr Wallace as our leader in the Junior School and we will miss Mrs Wallace who has been a wonderful part of our Junior School teaching team. We know that Mr and Mrs Wallace consider this to be God's leading and so we trust that God will bless them, their sons and their new schools, and will bring a new leader to our Junior School at the right time. Mr Wallace, we thank you and applaud you for your service and leadership.

Term 3 next year will see Mrs Deborah Clancy commence as the second Principal of Lakes Grammar an Anglican school. Mrs Clancy comes with many years of distinguished leadership in a variety of roles at St Catherine’s Anglican Girls School. Mrs Clancy visited Lakes on Tuesday and was very impressed with the school’s facilities, students and our staff. I have every confidence that Mrs Clancy will both continue the excellent education being delivered by Lakes Grammar and lead it in new directions. I will retire after 17½ years as Foundation Principal of Lakes Grammar. It was a huge honour for me to be selected as the Foundation Principal. It was also a very daunting prospect for me. The job of Principal has many highs and not a few lows. But to be able to lead a group of dedicated professionals in the work of nurturing and educating young people is a great privilege. But I’ll still be Principal until the end of Term 2 next year!

Next Head of Junior School

After discussing this with Mrs Clancy we’ve decided that we will undertake the recruitment process next year and the new Head of Junior School will start in Term 3 when Mrs Clancy starts. For Terms 1 and 2 Mr Johns will be Acting Head of Junior School and Mrs Stowe will carry out her current role as well as Co-ordinator of Student Wellbeing.

Farewell also to:

Senior School

Mr Steven Kang, who has taught in our TAS faculty for 10 years. Mr Kang moves to Avondale to teach Mathematics, for which he has a passion and has re-trained to teach. Mr Kang has been instrumental in developing our robotics club. Best wishes Mr Kang.

Mr Tom Zenteno (Science) will move to Newcastle Grammar School, which is much closer to his home. Best wishes to you Mr Zenteno.

Mr Gallen will leave us to take up an appointment at St Augustine’s College at Brookvale. Mr Gallen has a big role as musical director of several bands and ensembles, as well as teaching.

Mrs Sylvia Gallen has resigned due to family commitments. Both Mr and Mrs Gallen have had a big impact on the growth of music in the Senior School.

Best wishes to Ms Goodwin (English/History), Mrs Lucy Williams-Caller (English/History) and Mrs Brohl-Foster (HSIE), whose temporary contracts conclude now. Although, I’m sure we will see them here as casual teachers.

Mrs Amanda Wishart (Psychologist) will take maternity leave for Terms 1 and 2.

Mrs Julie Pallot (Co-ordinator of Mathematics) will take Long Service Leave for the first three terms next year. Mr Jeremy Horrocks will be the Acting Co-ordinator for that time.

Junior School

Ms Veronica Butcher’s temporary contract concludes.

Ms Rachel Nugent will take maternity leave for Terms 1 and 2.

Mrs Tracey House We also thank Mrs Tracey House for her service to our school over many years. Tracey has done an amazing job working with our Kindergarten students, supporting them in their first year of school, and teaching many of our students to read through the PreLit and MiniLit programs. It was a pleasure to see Tracey's 'over and above' dedication recognised recently with a Pride in Workmanship Award from the Northlakes-Toukley Rotary Club. Tracey also gave much additional time to support our CRU groups for girls in Year 5 and 6. She will be greatly missed and we wish her the very best and every blessing as we are sure God will hold amazing things for her to do in the next chapter of her journey.

Welcome to:

I am pleased to report that Ms Melinda Kyle, who has taught here both casually and in short term roles, has been appointed to our permanent staff. It is wonderful to have another Lakes graduate join our staff.

Mr Tim Holden will also join the Junior School staff in a full-time capacity next year. Mr Holden taught at Scone Grammar School (one of our NASC schools) for many years.

Mr Bruce Giles will replace Ms Nugent for Term 1 and Term 2 while she is on maternity leave.

We will also welcome Ms Jennifer Bunch to the Science Faculty (coming from St Leo’s Catholic College) and Mr Kiel Gazzard to the TAS Faculty (coming from Knox Grammar).

Mr Robb Marr will teach full-time across both Science and Mathematics next year.

Please accept my best wishes and prayers for your safety over the school holidays and as we celebrate the birth of our saviour, Jesus.

Michael Hannah

Principal

FROM THE HEAD OF JUNIOR SCHOOL

It is with both thanksgiving and sadness that I write my final Junior School Newsletter report; thanksgiving for eight years of growth, friendships and learning that have made Lakes Grammar very special to me, and sadness at leaving such a fine school and its wonderful students. God calls us to different roles, each in their own place and time, and next year will bring another season in which to continue to serve him faithfully. I wish to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to you for your support and encouragement not only to me but particularly to the children in their education and our teachers and staff team in all of their endeavours to nurture and grow the children.  We have an outstanding school and I look forward to seeing it continuing to grow and establish even more exciting programs and initiatives in the years ahead.

I arrived at Lakes in 2013 and it has been my privilege to be Head of Junior School in this wonderful place. It is a school with a strong and well-deserved positive reputation, which comes from the wonderful educational opportunities offered to all of our students, our teachers who are dedicated, passionate and committed, and care deeply for our children and our school families each and every day, and our children who are so vibrant and excited about their learning, friendships and being able to 'stretch' themselves and try new things.

I sincerely pray that all of the students who have enjoyed being a part of Lakes Grammar will continue to possess a genuine desire and willingness to embrace 'setbacks' as learning experiences, that they will have a servant heart for others and that they will hold great hope for the future as a result of the Christian faith that we have shared. God loves us and sent his Son Jesus to die for us and to rise again so he can have a relationship with us forever. God's gift of salvation is an amazing one and the best part of being at Lakes has been the opportunity to share that wonderful news with our school community on a regular basis.

Thank you again for your support of both myself and our staff team, it has been an honour to be Head of Junior School at Lakes Grammar for a really beautiful season in my life. Some highlights have included the growth of our academic results and the implementation of many positive programs for student and staff wellbeing including Kidsmatter, Be You, Peer Support, Student Representative Council and Kids for a Cause. It has been a pleasure to see our co-curricular program grow to include Training and Concert Bands, a String Ensemble, Choirs, annual participation in the IPSHA Performing Arts Festival and Travelling Art Show, DaVinci Decathlon, and a multitude of sports, camps and excursions. It has also been a highlight to see our STEM Centres built and to work with Rev Matt and Peter Oates to build our Christian Ministry programs, building up CRU groups, seeing the outworking of our faith through service to others and philanthropy, growing the links with Lakes Anglican Church and their youth groups, and seeing the introduction of Christian Ministry Leaders. These are highlights because they have provided opportunities for our children to flourish and grow, and to be able to spend time with your children, nurturing them each day. Your children are so precious, thank you for entrusting them to us.

I am thankful to our parent community, School Council and our P & F Association for their consistent support in offering our students the best education, resources and opportunities that we can provide, as well as to our community, as we have great organisations like Doyalson RSL and Northlakes-Toukley Rotary who have partnered with our school for Anzac Day commemorations and Student Leadership Awards. I have also enjoyed the strong working relationships that we have had over the years with our local members of State and Federal Parliament - David Harris, Karen McNamara and Emma McBride.

Similarly, our teachers and administration staff have been amazing. It is unusual to be able to be in a leadership position and to also be able to regard many of our team as personal friends, however, that has been the case for us at Lakes and it is a reflection of the warmth and professionalism that we enjoy. We have wonderful people that God has brought together in this place and I pray that God will give these wonderful people every blessing into the future.

There are many people whom it is appropriate to recognise and thank at this time, but none more so than our esteemed Principal, Mr Hannah. Mr Hannah will leave a great legacy to the school community at Lakes Grammar on his retirement next year. I am sure the students and staff of Lakes Grammar will continue go on to do great things because of the wonderful example he has given us. He has always sought the best for every single person who has been a part of our school community. He is a Godly man who has dedicated his life to educating children, sharing his faith with them and takes delight in seeing them happy and joyful. He will be celebrated and treasured as both a passionate educator and a humble man who has touched our lives in so many positive ways. It is an absolute pleasure and privilege to have worked under his leadership for the past eight years, and an honour to see how the school has absolutely flourished and grown in so many amazing ways since its opening in 2004. I wish Michael, his wife Sue, and his family the very best on his retirement next year.

I congratulate Mr Ralph Johns in his appointment as Acting Head of Junior School.  I have appreciated Mr Johns' leadership, dedication, integrity and strong Christian witness in the Junior School over the last eight years as Co-ordinator of Student Wellbeing and I am confident he will bring a strong and positive direction to 2021. I know that you will welcome and embrace a new Head of Junior School as you did me and you will offer them the same support and encouragement into the future. It is hard to write individual thank yous, as all of our staff in the Junior School, and many others, have been just amazing and each deserves thanks and recognition. Thank you to Bishop Peter, Bishop Charlie, Alan Green our NASC CEO, and our School Council for their leadership. It has been a pleasure to be part of our school executive team with Mr Ian Samways and Mrs Jennifer Sheargold, wonderful people who work incredibly and unfailingly hard for the school and for the best for the students. Similarly, Mrs Liz Evans has been an amazing support in all that she does for our school. The recognition of both Jennifer and Liz with Rotary 'Pride in Workmanship' Awards in recent years illustrates the absolute quality of all that they do and the high regard in which they are held in our broader community. We are blessed to have had Mrs Julie Stowe join us last year as Co-ordinator of Quality Teaching and Learning and our academic results and teaching programs have flourished under her leadership. She is a really experienced and passionate leader with wonderful people skills and has built great relationships across our school community. Similarly, we are thankful for the work of Mrs Holland, Mr Cantor and Mrs Colthorpe as they have co-ordinated Gifted and Talented Education, Sport and Teacher Mentoring respectively, and to Mrs Smith and Mrs MacLarty in the Senior School who have worked with us to build sound K - 12 partnerships.

Our prayers and best wishes go with Mrs Rebecca Wallace as she also leaves the school at the end of the year, moving to Adelaide. Mrs Wallace has been a highly regarded and much appreciated teacher for some years at Lakes as she has taught a number of grades, most recently Kindergarten, where she has done an amazing job of helping children settle into their first year of school and supporting our school families through that transition. Our Aboriginal programs have absolutely flourished under her leadership. Such an important part of our school is 'community' and for our indigenous children and families to have had the confidence to identify, to have enjoyed opportunities including AECG Camps, Art competitions, AECG Assemblies and indigenous mentoring programs, to name but a few of the programs that Rebecca has implemented, has been very special. The energy that she has brought to commemorating National Sorry Day, National Reconciliation Day and NAIDOC Week have enabled our indigenous students to feel great pride in their culture, and that has been invaluable.

I leave you with the words of the Apostle Peter in 1 Peter 1: 3 - 9. 

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed.  Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

May God bless you all and know that you will all remain in our prayers.

"Don’t be dismayed at good-byes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends".

Will Wallace

Head of Junior School

MESSAGE FROM THE DEPUTY PRINCIPAL

What a year! It is hard to believe that we are coming to the end of Term 4.

I do want to thank all our parents for your support throughout the year, it has truly been a bumpy ride, but it does look like we might have some relief to the COVID pandemic in the coming months – let’s hope so!

As preparation for 2021, please take note of the following:

Textbooks 2021

Textbook lists are now available through ‘Box of Books’. Please note that orders need to be made before Christmas so that the supplier can get your child’s texts in time for the start of school. Texts are now delivered electronically or directly to your home.

Stationery Lists 2021

Stationery requirements are the same as last year and an updated list will soon be available on the school’s website.

Technology 2021

Just a reminder that all students require a laptop or tablet for their classes, especially as texts can be uploaded and viewed from this equipment. Separate information has been sent regarding this, including some deals that can be obtained through some retailers. Please also note that mobile phones are not suitable technology devices for these purposes.

Special Thanks

I also wish to publicly express my thanks for the fine contribution and wonderful work that Mr Wallace has given to our school as the Head of Junior School. He has been absolutely committed to providing a quality education for all of our students as they have progressed through the Junior School, and it has been a pleasure to work with him. I know that we will all miss him, but, at the same time we want to wish him (and his wife Rebecca) every blessing as he takes on his new role as Principal in Adelaide.

Christmas Wishes

As we close the year, I do wish each and every one of you a happy and joyous Christmas, and I hope and pray that you will have a safe holiday and I look forward to seeing you and your children once again in the new year.

Ian Samways

Deputy Principal

CHAPLAINCY 

Well what a year it has been!  No words can really capture the experience of life at Lakes Grammar this year…it has been so unique. 

I have friends who work in other schools or whose children are at other schools and it seems as though every response to what was thrown our way was similar yet different.  Our Term 4 has finished with some real highlights showing once again how adaptable we have become as a community.

In the last few weeks of term we have witnessed a beautiful valedictory chapel for our Year 6 students.  Pete put together a fitting tribute for the students and we even had a parent or guardian able to attend.  They were able to celebrate in style that night with a party to mark the occasion.

Pete was kept busy by working with the Kindy classes to have the first ever Kindy Graduation ceremonies, three in total.  Pete reminded the students that only God can truly satisfy and Mr Hannah reminded the students of all the wonderful character traits they had developed this year.  I had the privilege of handing out the tissues during these emotional events.

One tradition that Pete and I were super keen to keep going is the Samaritans Christmas Appeal.  Each year our school collects non-perishable groceries and gifts for those in need in our community.  This year we just had the one day to bring in items and we were both blown away by our school family’s generosity.  We filled up my 7-seater car and box trailer with all the contributions and the look of delight on those who run the emergency relief centre was just beautiful.  Lakes Grammar, thank you for making some local families Christmas brighter.  Check out the picture of my noggin’ with the happy Samaritans workers from Lakes Anglican and your gifts.

IMPORTANT MESSAGES  

Office Hours December – January School Holiday Period

During the School Holidays, the School will be closed to all parents and visitors, reflecting current COVID-19 restrictions.  

The office will be attended, and calls will be answered for some of the holiday period between 9am and 12pm only.   Outside of these hours and provided the School is not closed then phone messages will be checked periodically and an administration staff member will return your call.

• The office will be closed Friday, 11 December.
• The office will be open from Monday, 14 December to Thursday 17 December from 9am to 12pm.
• The office will be closed from Thursday, 17 December at 12pm until it reopens on Friday, 15 January from 9am to 12pm.
• The office will be closed on Monday, 25 January and Tuesday, 26 January.
• The office will be open from Wednesday, 27 January and will resume normal hours from 8am to 4pm.