School Journal, issued twice each year for families, Old Girls and friends of Danebank

OCTOBER 2016

DANEBANK TODAY

DANEBANKAn Anglican School for Girls

new uniform

Launched

Overwhelming writing successAmy Padmore, Year 5, has been the recipient of two awards for her writing this year. In one competition she was awarded first place in the Gifted Awareness Poetry Competition. Her other award was for a story titled ‘Treasure Chest’. This was part of a Write 4Fun national school’s competition. Amy received an achievement award and her story will be published in a book of the best works due to be available in November. When asked how she felt about this, Amy said she was “Overwhelmed. I didn’t think I’d do very well.”

People whose actions exceed our expectations are said to go ‘above and beyond’. The recent Olympics Games had many examples. The achievements of the athletes came from harnessing their self-belief and dedication and applying themselves rigorously to achieving their best results.

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“Now to Him who is able to do infinitely more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power

that is at work within us. Ephesians 3:20

For our students to achieve ‘above and beyond’, they need opportunities to achieve at the highest levels. They also need to adopt a growth mindset. A growth mindset is based on the belief that your basic qualities are able to be developed if cultivated; to be changed through application and experience. Academically, students who adopt this mindset are proactive. They take ownership of their learning and strive to achieve their best. They are unfazed by set-backs, they accept the professional input of teachers and they adopt a lifelong approach to developing their skills and knowledge.

Yet, going ‘above and beyond’ has broader implications than academic outcomes alone. We admire people who ‘go above and beyond’ in the service of others. Every day in our school, I see students who believe in service to others, who adopt a personal sense of obligation to make their world a better place. Some express their service in practical ways through donations and working for those in need. Some express it by leading through example, modelling care and motivation for other students.

I see staff members who go to great lengths to support students pastorally. I have no doubt that their care for our students is genuine. It stems from a desire to help students to navigate the difficult parts of their lives. It stems from Christian commitment and a belief that teaching is their calling.

And I see parents who juggle exacting jobs and family commitments, yet whose support for their girls is unwavering. School is a short season in life and I see parents whose love and support for their girls through these years is unquestionable. Their support for the school is a reflection of their support for their daughters.

I admire them all because they go above and beyond what is easy or routine. Their dedication results in them achieving goals that may not have seemed possible. Danebank is an environment where students are safe to experiment, to strive, to make mistakes and to learn from them. Our vision is to empower our young women in the global community so that they are equipped to serve and to shape

their world. We seek to empower our girls to go ‘above and beyond’ in their lives, to express optimism, determination, diligence and self-confidence.

In this edition of Danebank Today, we take the opportunity to celebrate the spirit of going ‘above and beyond’ in our school community.

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Mrs Sharon Bull, parent, and Mrs Karen Shannon-Duhigg, Deputy Head of Junior School, took on the complex and time-consuming project of working to make Danebank’s proposed new school uniform a reality. Talks began four years ago and since then Mrs Bull and Mrs Shannon-Duhigg worked with the Ranier Design Group, developing a modern, comfortable and smart uniform that reflects Danebank’s contemporary image.

The process also involved them liaising extensively with Mrs Davis, members of school council, and a uniform committee that consisted of representatives of staff and the P&F.

There have been many details to confirm for the new summer, winter and sports uniforms. Choices were made and discarded, then new choices made and tested, regarding every detail of colours, materials, shapes, sizes, accessories and more, a myriad of details. It was a great day for Mrs Bull and Mrs Shannon-Duhigg when the final details were confirmed and all aspects of the new uniform were decided, ready for students to wear, commencing in 2017.

We offer a huge ‘thank you’ to Mrs Sharon Bull and Mrs Karen Shannon-Duhigg for all the time and effort they have contributed to making our stunning new uniform a reality. To see more of the new uniforms, we launched it via a film which is accessible on the school’s Facebook page. Mrs Bull and Mrs Shannon-Duhigg with

some of their favourite pieces of the new designs.

for DanebankA new Uniform

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2016

Olivia Wills, Year 11, has reached the highest point yet in her Gymnastics career. She was recently named Level 8 Australian National Artistic Gymnastics Champion. She came home from the recent national Championships with 4 gold medals, (for vault, bars, floor and all-round), and 1 silver medal (for the NSW team). She is exhilarated by her success and is now looking forward to seeing how far she can go at both national and international levels.

Olivia’s pathway to success has not always been easy. She started learning gymnastics at a young age, two and a half, and she knew very early that she had a passion for the sport. She also enjoyed early success in competitions. She was named national champion for a number of gymnastics levels until she was in Year 9. It was then that she was diagnosed with compartment syndrome and she broke her fibula. These were major setbacks. But Olivia never lost her drive and she was determined to regain her physical strength so she could continue in her sport. She persevered despite major surgery, concentrating on her upper body strength and fitness for two years while she waited for her leg to heal. Then, after much hard work and focus

on rebuilding, she regained her national standing.

Olivia acknowledges the support of many people, including her coaches, Bill Parsons and Chris Kanevsky at the NSW Academy of Gymnastics. But she also acknowledges that her success at Gymnastics has been a journey she has shared with her family. “My parents have driven me everywhere, sacrificed their weekends to take me to competitions, travelled around Australia and overseas with me.”

It is clear that Olivia sees her school studies as important too. Her Mum, Susan, said “we are so proud of the way she juggles all her schooling commitments with her gymnastics training and competitions. And we are grateful to the school for all the support Olivia has received in pursuing her gymnastics career.”

Olivia’s advice to those who are passionate about their sports is to “dream… don’t be negatively influenced… strive to achieve your goals despite the setbacks.” We congratulate Olivia and wish her well in all her future endeavours.

to achieve your goalsdespite the setbacks

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Olivia with her sister Sarah, mum Susan and dad Geoff.

Strive

2016

Choose Maths Awards TriumphStephanie Susanto, Elizabeth Heard, Olivia Stewart and Laura Cunningham, Year 10, are the winners of the national Choose Maths Awards competition. The girls produced a film to support the proposition that ‘Maths is more than just numbers’. Their film can be viewed on the school’s Facebook page.

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Imogen Stewart, Year 5, is a long distance runner, one of the most successful Australia has seen for her age. She is currently the Australian 11 years Age Champion and she holds more than 12 world records in various distances on the track, from 800 metres to 3000 metres, in her age group.

Long distance running is in the family’s DNA, it seems. Imogen discovered her love of running when she “tagged along running with mum” and her skills and motivation developed from there. Mum, Belinda, is an Australian track champion. Brother, Kobe, is also a

successful runner and Dad, Owen, is a long-distance runner and coach. He coaches both Imogen and Kobe.

Put simply, Imogen loves running. She says she likes “competing and going to new places” and she knows that she runs best “when I’m relaxed.” But she especially values “time running with my family”.

Imogen is young in her sport but there’s no doubting her talent and commitment. She has an ambitious long-term goal – “the Olympics in Japan in 2020”, when she will be 15.

is a family pursuit

Belinda, Kobe, Imogen and Owen Stewart.

Running

Making REAL connectionsWhat’s your 0.06%?

0.06%

School Captain, Claire Blayney, and the Prefects have been motivating the secondary girls through their 0.06% project. The basic idea is that only 0.06% of a person’s DNA is individual. The rest of everyone’s DNA, 99.94%, is common to everyone. So, Claire and the Prefects have been encouraging the girls to think about and develop their individuality, their 0.06%.

The Prefects have invested time and effort into the project, having introduced 25 different stimuli. Over the course of the year, they have given every student various pieces of paper which contain stimuli they have drawn on them.

Each stimulus was designed to make the girls ask questions such as -What do I love?Who would I invite to afternoon tea?What am I grateful for?This year I will...What colours my world?Where would I like to be next leap year day?

The Prefects hope that thinking about their answers to these questions will encourage each girl to develop self- awareness and an understanding of what her world means to her. “Basically,” explained Claire, “we want each girl to think about things and develop self-knowledge, to be passionate about what she believes is important and to work out the factors that are contained in her own personal 0.06%.”

The photo shows the prefects holding samples of the various stimuli they gave to each girl.

Danebank Lunch ClubA group of Year 6 girls has volunteered to run the Danebank Lunch Club. The girls say they want to encourage the other girls. So, on Tuesdays and Thursdays at lunch time, they help younger girls to play, to set up various games and basically to motivate the younger girls to communicate with each other and make happy connections. The year 6 girls are Isabella Salim, Despina Savva, Engelina Dupesovski and Leah Kandylas.

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PROJECT

Eight students and three staff members travelled to the Katoke Lweru School in Tanzania during the mid-year holidays. It was a once-in-a-lifetime trip for the girls who embraced their time there with great enthusiasm. The girls spent time getting to know the students and teachers at the school, and they made unforgettable memories while experiencing the daily life of the school in a culture that is so very different from their own.

The Katoke Lweru School is thriving thanks to the dedication of many Australians who support the Katoke Lweru Trust for Overseas Aid. Founded in 1998 by Dr Alan Watson (Danebank

School Council member), the Katoke Lweru School has flourished due to contributions made by many individuals and organizations, including Danebank.

The Trust aims to provide aid to Tanzania, as explained on its website.“Education is the most sustainable form of aid and is the cornerstone of our work. The major project, the secondary school, is meeting the great need for secondary education in Tanzania where less than a third of children (previously) had access to an education beyond primary school.”

Since its beginning, the school has developed remarkably. It began with purchasing land and the introduction

of a primary school and it has recently celebrated the first high school students to graduate. Over the years, new courses have been introduced, new buildings constructed and the school’s fine reputation has spread. The Katoke Lweru School is a marvellous success story borne out of the dedication of many volunteer supporters. Our girls were privileged to visit there.

The girls made a video of their time there which can be viewed on the school’s Facebook page. The video includes a song that was written and performed especially for the Danebank group by the Katoke-Lweru Secondary School Choir.

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Success Story

PRODUCTION TEAM | Jane Rees & Danielle CleggCOVER PHOTO | Kathryn Bull (Year 8) & Sophia Sidhom (Year 3)

80-98 Park Rd Hurstville NSW 2220Phone +61 2 9580 1415

www.danebank.nsw.edu.au

Keen minds Faithful hearts

Getting our Autumn Fair together is almost the same as running a successful sporting team, albeit with a very large team. We have our Coaches (P&F Executive and Fair Convenor, Mrs Nadine Lee), our Captains (parent stall convenors), our team members (volunteer parents, girls and staff members), our supporters (sponsors, families, visitors), our ‘uniforms’ (all the goods, stalls, signs and other paraphernalia needed to dress up

the day). Training sessions are run (organizing all the goods), and the teamwork on the day ensures that everything is well-organised and operates in a manner that all team members work together, striving to achieve their best. Results are spectacular (gold medal level!). And after it’s over, participants are exhausted!

Success can be measured in terms of $$ outcomes, which are mighty

($62,500 raised in 2016), but it can also be measured by the pleasure that all members of the school community enjoy, the number of friendships formed and the satisfaction levels that team members experience. And in 2016 the Danebank team pulled off a great success because the day went superbly.

It is a day when many people contribute ‘above and beyond’, and for this the school says ‘Thank You’.

PHOTO | Fair Convenors. Not all convenors could make it for the photo. Some couldn’t get away from their stalls. By way of a thank you, here are the names of all the convenors: Nadine Lee, (Convenor), Glenn Simpkin, (President), Will Leong, (Sponsorships), Sharon Bull, (Farmers Market and gift stalls), Jennifer Leong, (Accounts). Nicole Aroney, Kirsten Bell, Harriet Bull, Draga Dorevski, Christeen Feros, Fiona Giannakopoulos, Mona Joseph, Danielle Kandylas, Natalie Kelly, Jacqui Lassau, Andrew Lee, Vanessa Mansour, Meri Ninic, Nandini Pillai, Sandy Roberts, Cheryl Sappey, Nicole Southwell, Jennifer Tung, Thalia Tung, Kim Trimble, Lorraine Wallis.

The BIG Autumn Fair Team