A school of the Anglican Schools Commission Inc.

Working, learning, growing - Together

The Charter April 2012, EDITION 32

Inside Pages

2 From The Principal

Albany meets expectations

3 Celebrating student leadership

Smooth start for new staff

Perth popular with Japanese students

4 Scott storms home at Primary carnival

5 Senior swimmers blitz the field

6 Harmony Day promotes acceptance

From Perth to Paris

7 Pilvi makes her mark

PYP on a world scale

8 Wollaston’s Wide World of Sport

Pre-Primary to Year 7 Physical Education Specialist Melanie Fowler is stepping up her fitness regime as she prepares to take on a 200km bike ride later this year to raise funds for cancer research.

Watching loved ones fight the disease has prompted her to sign up for the Ride to Conquer Cancer, which is held from 20 to 21 October to benefit the Western Australian Institute for Medical Research.

Participants will cycle out of Perth and take in the Darling Ranges, with pit stops every 25km to 30km to re-fuel and re-hydrate, before an overnight camp in Mandurah.

On day two, riders will cover more countryside south of the metropolitan area but the event organisers will keep the exact route a secret until the last minute as a safety precaution.

Miss Fowler said she had been cycling and running more than usual to build up her fitness, undertaking 30km routes along Tonkin Highway, the Kwinana Freeway and West Coast Highway with friend and fellow participant Skye Morris in the initial stages of preparation.

“I think the key is to keep active and get my endurance fitness happening,” she said.

“I’m getting used to being on the bike for long periods of time by doing lots of training and gradually building up my distances, so that as the event gets closer I’ll be able to ride 100km back-to-back comfortably.”

This is not the first time Miss Fowler has challenged herself to fundraise for cancer research.

She participated in the Cancer Council Relay for Life in 2011, joining a team from Sportspower in Armadale to run and walk relay-style around the WA Athletics Stadium in Mount Claremont for 24 hours.

Although she is a regular cyclist, Miss Fowler is not sure what to expect from the Ride to Conquer Cancer.

“I think it’s going to be a lot of fun, a real experience, getting to know the other riders and enjoying a massage and the entertainment

that the organisers provide on the overnight stop,” she said.

“We’re not allowed to use iPods during the ride for safety reasons so I expect to have a lot of time to ponder why I’m doing the ride and think about the people I know who have fought or are fighting cancer.

“Whatever I go through is nothing compared to their struggles.”

Miss Fowler lost her grandfather to cancer in 2007 and her grandma to the disease in 2008, while her nan is a breast cancer survivor.

“At the moment my uncle is fighting terminal cancer and I am doing this for him and our family,” she said.

“If we can help to prevent or find cures for such a heart-wrenching disease, we should do it.”

Miss Fowler needs to raise $2500 just to participate in the event and is selling chocolates, asking for personal donations from friends and relatives, and planning morning teas and movie nights.

Donations can be made through the Ride to Conquer Cancer website at http://pr12.conquercancer.org.au, by clicking on the “Donate” link in the menu and searching for Melanie Fowler.

Pedal Power to conquer cancer

TH

E C

HA

RTER

APR

IL 2

012

EDIT

ION

32

2 JOHN WOLLASTON ANGLICAN COMMUNITY SCHOOL

TH

E CH

ART

ER A

PRIL 2012 ED

ITIO

N 32

JOHN WOLLASTON ANGLICAN COMMUNITY SCHOOL 3

From the PrincipalDear Parents and Friends

It seems only yesterday that the new school year began and yet we have now celebrated Easter and enjoyed the Term 1 holiday break.

It has been a happy and busy term for the students who have made the most of the extended warm weather and enjoyed the spacious grounds of our campus during their recreational time. One student who settled in particularly well to our school but recently left us was Pilvi Kekkonen, an exchange student from Finland. Pilvi spent 10 months in Australia, initially at Kelmscott Senior High School and for the last term-and-a-half at John Wollaston. She made a strong contribution to our school, participating in all activities with enthusiasm, keen to make the most of her experience. Not surprisingly, with such a “can do” attitude, Pilvi quickly gained the respect of her peers. We will remember Pilvi’s elegance at the Ball, her duet with Stephanie Deeny in the Secondary Talent Show and her poignant farewell address to the Secondary Assembly. Pilvi is a terrific example of a person who makes the most of an opportunity. I hope she has inspired many of her fellow students to do likewise. We wish Pilvi a safe journey home and a bright future.

The term closed with the now-traditional Easter Eucharist attended by the whole school, parents and friends. As always it was a memorable occasion. Beesknees, the pony who has replaced the retired donkey, Domino, was a keen source of interest for the younger students as he led the procession. The choir sang heartily, the congregation gave generously and Reverend Dave engaged all with his “scientific” sermon. The special sense of community that we have at John Wollaston is arguably never more evident than on this day.

With good wishes

Anne Ford

Six new staff members joined 133 students as new faces at John Wollaston when the school year began on Wednesday 1 February.

Recent Notre Dame University graduate Lauren Downing is teaching the Pre-Primary Koala class and brings her experience as a literacy tutor at Clontarf Aboriginal College to the role.

Pre-Primary Gecko class Education Assistant Nicole Phipps is a familiar face on the campus, having undertaken relief work across the Primary school over the last five years.

Also at the Early Learning Centre is Year 2 Quokka teacher Joanne Burman, who studied at Curtin University, where she specialised in the Primary Years Programme.

The Secondary School welcomed Tracy Grant (Science and Technology), Esther Smith (Learning Enrichment Centre/English) and Louise Lont, who relieved in the Library Resource Centre as well as in Year 7 for Term 1.

Smooth Start for new Staff

celebrating Student leaderShiP

The 2012 student leaders were formally inducted into their roles at a whole school ceremony on Wednesday 15 February.

Primary Captains, Class Representatives and Secondary Prefects were commissioned and the names of Peer Support Leaders and House Seniors and Councillors were announced.

Eighty-nine children from John Wollaston descended on Albany for a week of exploration and excitement in February.

The annual Year 7 camp is always an eagerly-anticipated event and this time was no exception.

Former quarantine station Camp Quaranup hosted the students as well as eight staff and parent helpers from 20 to 24 February.

Year 7 Coordinator Jacqui Fisher said activities designed to develop leadership skills and foster team building and cooperation were interspersed with visits to significant sites and heritage-listed buildings to give context to their history studies.

“The low ropes course, beach games and swimming were popular – the

foxholes, in which the students hid to avoid being caught out by the spotlight, were a hit,” she said.

Campers were also introduced to rogaining – the sport of long distance cross-country navigation, with the objective of collecting the highest score by finding checkpoints within a set time.

“The kids had to work in groups and develop strategies to finish the course, just as they did with the rafting activity, which required them to cooperate to see who could build a stable raft that would allow them to navigate an obstacle course,” Ms Fisher said.

She said the students reported having so much fun they couldn’t single out one activity as a highlight.

Three Japanese students had such fond memories of previous visits to John Wollaston that they eagerly returned in March as part of the continuing exchange programme with sister school Shizuoka Gakuen.

Arriving on Sunday 18 March, Junya Asaba stayed with the Marsden-Youll family for the third time, while the Gold family hosted Kiyotaka Yamada and the Hopley family welcomed Daisuke Fukushima.

They were accompanied by teacher Yasuhiro Mochizuki – no stranger to Perth on his seventh visit.

Mr Mochizuki said the students had attended classes across the Secondary School, helped John Wollaston students with their Japanese studies and enjoyed activities such as a barbecue at Kings Park, leaving with some great stories to share with their friends at home.

The group departed Perth on Tuesday 27 March, returning to Japan via Sydney, where they spent two days enjoying popular tourist destinations including Bondi and Circular Quay.

Perth PoPular with JaPaneSe StudentS

Year 12 student Jade Hicks practised her Japanese with Junya Asaba

albany meetS exPectationS

Primary caPtainSYear 6 (Semester 1)

head boy Tom Ayreshead girl Lucy BrownSports boy Lochlan CameronSport girl Ashlee Kingchapel captain Chloe Hazebroekarts captain Petrina Audrainenvironment captain Arsh JhaCharter Billy Cooper Megan VegvariHale Cameron Gaunt Martha DodgeRamsden Jacob Whyte Rebecca CoopScott Tanner Johnson Madeleine Cant

Secondary School PrefectS

Head Prefect Saiuj BhatHead Prefect Paige DoySchool Prefect Matthew BlackwellSchool Prefect Lauren BiddleSchool Prefect Christopher ScidoneStudent Prefect – Secondary Georgia GazzoneStudent Prefect – Secondary Amy LiebregtsStudent Prefect – Primary Jessica LawrenceChapel Prefect Jessica CollierArts Prefect Stephanie DeenySports Prefect Dominic LeahCharter Prefect Scott RigbyHale Prefect Sky WhittakerRamsden Prefect Alexandra BrindleyScott Prefect Brianna Rickard

TH

E C

HA

RTER

APR

IL 2

012

EDIT

ION

32

4 JOHN WOLLASTON ANGLICAN COMMUNITY SCHOOL

TH

E CH

ART

ER A

PRIL 2012 ED

ITIO

N 32

JOHN WOLLASTON ANGLICAN COMMUNITY SCHOOL 5

The yellow flag flew proudly on Friday 2 March when Scott House won the Primary InterHouse Swimming Carnival at Armadale Aquatic Centre.

Charter placed second, followed by Ramsden and Hale.

Shannon Neale (Year 4), Sam Conneely (Year 4), Sophie Hill (Year 5) and Patrick Colley (Year 6) were standout performers, powering through the water in impressive times.

The first and second placegetters in the ‘A’ division of each discipline represented John Wollaston at the IPSHA InterSchool Swimming Carnival on Thursday 8 March at Wesley College.

Competing against swimmers from Wesley, Pioneer Village School, Tranby College, St Stephen’s Duncraig, St Andrew’s Grammar and Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School, 31 students from Years 4 to 6 passionately showed their school spirit.

Shannon Neale received a ribbon from each of the six events he participated in while Sam Conneely also returned home clutching several ribbons.

Jack Warnes (Year 4) placed first in his breaststroke race while Taylah Read (Year 4) was first in her freestyle event.

Scott StormS home at Primary carnival

Charter House was victorious at the Secondary InterHouse Swimming Carnival held on Wednesday 7 March at Armadale Aquatic Centre.

Hale was second, followed by Ramsden and Scott. Kieran Trump, the under-17 boys champion, set a new record of 26.91 seconds to win the Wollaston Sprint.

Novelty races broke up the official events and added some colour to the day.

At the Associated and Catholic Colleges of WA ‘E’ Division Swimming Carnival at Challenge Stadium on Friday 16 March, John Wollaston placed fifth amongst 10 participating schools.

The School was third in the overall boys category, behind Georgiana Molloy Anglican School and Tranby College.

Notable performers at the InterSchool Carnival included:

Senior SwimmerS blitz the field

Scott Winstanley (Year 8):

First – male under-14 50m freestyle (div. one)

First – male under-14 50m breaststroke (div. one)

First – male under-14 50m butterfly (div. one)

Second – male under-14 50m backstroke (div. one)

KIERAN TRUMP (Year 11):

First – male open 50m backstroke (div. one)

Second – male open 100m freestyle (div. one)

Second – male open 50m breaststroke (div. two)

BLAKE HUMPHRIES (Year 12):

Second – male open 50m breaststroke (div. two)

Second – male open 50m butterfly (div. one)

Third – male open 50m freestyle (div. one)

Third – male open 50m backstroke (div. two)

PAIGE DOY (Year 12):

Second – female open 50m freestyle (div. one)

Second – female open 50m breaststroke (div. two)

Third – female open 50m butterfly (div. one)

TH

E C

HA

RTER

APR

IL 2

012

EDIT

ION

32

6 JOHN WOLLASTON ANGLICAN COMMUNITY SCHOOL

TH

E CH

ART

ER A

PRIL 2012 ED

ITIO

N 32

JOHN WOLLASTON ANGLICAN COMMUNITY SCHOOL 7

The global nature of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme was demonstrated in February – first when three staff members travelled to Hong Kong for professional learning opportunities and later when John Wollaston hosted visitors from China.

Primary Specialists Jeanette Lyons (Art), Jenny Coles (Music) and Heidi Rybak (Japanese) attended workshops from 17 to 21 February at The Island School to network with teachers from around the world and draw on a variety of experiences.

Ms Rybak said the event helped staff to gain a better understanding of their roles as single subject leaders within the PYP.

“The Language course was led by Kate Flood, who had visited John Wollaston in 2009, and it was helpful to have a facilitator who had an understanding of our school context to offer specific advice,” she said.

“The participants in my course represented class teachers, English as a Second Language teachers and teachers of additional languages from a range of countries.

“I found discussions with class teachers about supporting mother tongue languages in the classroom particularly inspiring, and I look forward to continuing the networks we have created.”

On Friday 24 February, PYP Coordinator Fiona Currey welcomed Hershey He and Lan Wang from Beijing Huijia Private School.

“They are soon to be authorised as a World School and it was recommended that they visit John Wollaston,” Mrs Currey said.

“They sat in on classes and spoke to teachers and students, and were extremely complimentary about our school community.”

Children from Pre-Primary to Year 6 immersed themselves in a cultural extravaganza of song and dance to celebrate Harmony Day this year.

The pulsating rhythms and instruments of Africa, hip hop performances, Indonesian dancers and Capoeira – an African-Brazilian fusion of martial arts, acrobatics and music into a high-energy combat dance – brought extra life to the school grounds on Friday 23 March.

Students sang, moved and clapped along at each activity throughout the day before Italian choir La Goaia Delle Donne led the much-anticipated finale.

Primary Years Programme Coordinator Fiona Currey said Harmony Day broadened students’ exposure to other cultures and helped them to develop tolerance and understanding of people with different values and traditions.

“As an International Baccalaureate World School we are committed to fostering intercultural understanding and respect in our students,” she said.

“Our inaugural Harmony Day last year placed a strong emphasis on enabling the children to explore their own cultural heritage, celebrating the great diversity of our school community.

“We have quite a multicultural Primary School and this year we chose some activities that the students normally wouldn’t be exposed to.”

Children who had learned Italian at previous schools or from family members enjoyed being able to sing along with the Italian choir, while some of John Wollaston’s African Pre-primary students were thrilled to be selected to play the drums and share with classmates an art that is inherent to them.

Mrs Currey believed the event achieved one of the true aims of Harmony Day – enabling the children to forge positive relationships with their peers to bring the school community together. PyP on a world Scale

harmony day PromoteS accePtance

The school community and the Australian way of life have left lasting impressions on Pilvi Kekkonen.

The Finnish exchange student will return to her home in Helsinki in May after spending 10 months living with a host family in Gosnells.

She enrolled in Year 11 at John Wollaston late in Term 4 in 2011 and was quickly embraced by her peers.

“Every student, every teacher was so friendly and made me feel so welcome,” she said.

Pilvi listed the Secondary Swimming Carnival, excursions and the Year 12 Ball – during which students and their guests sang ‘Happy Birthday’ at midnight as Pilvi turned 18 – as highlights of her time at the School.

The West Australian education system was initially a shock.

“I had never worn a school uniform, including a hat, which I kept losing,” she said.

“My high school in Helsinki is more like the Australian university system – it is more independent and because you’re older when you start school in Finland, you are 18 or 19 when you finish and are expected to take more responsibility for your learning.”

A keen traveller who is fluent in three languages – Finnish, Swedish and English – and also speaks some French, Pilvi jumped at the opportunity to participate in an exchange programme.

“I wanted to improve my English and learn about a culture, a country and a lifestyle other than mine,” she said.

“I didn’t know much about Australia, only stereotypical things like the beach and the surf.

“I didn’t understand how multicultural it was and I have learned so much.

“I have loved living in a place that I always thought of as such an exotic holiday destination.”

Pilvi will introduce some of her favourite Australian slang to her friends and family when she returns home – including the expressions ‘Chill’, ‘Stress less’ and perhaps most fondly, ‘No worries’.

“Australia is very laidback compared to my busy Scandinavian lifestyle – you can laugh about pretty much everything, you have to be able to laugh at yourself and keep going when things go wrong, and I hope I can take that attitude back home,” she said.

Pilvi advised other teenagers contemplating an exchange programme to give it a go.

“I took the biggest risk of my life to see what this country on the other side of the world was like, and now I can look back and say, ‘Wow, I really did it’,” she said.

“I have become a stronger person, I had a lovely host family and I made some really great friends.”

Principal Anne Ford said Pilvi had made her mark at John Wollaston.

“It’s a very big adventure for anyone to go on an exchange and she’s made a very fine contribution to the School,” she said.

Pilvi makeS her mark

Students dressed for ‘A Night out in Paris’ when they attended the highlight of their social calendar – the Year 12 Ball – at the Parmelia Hilton on Friday 9 March.The girls dazzled in a kaleidoscope of colours while the boys were impressive in a variety of formal suits. Jessica Lawrence and Jacob Stokes

were named Belle and Beau, respectively.A French soundtrack during dinner added to the elegant ambience created with props organised by Visual Arts teacher Luke Morgan and Design and Technology teacher George Sutherland.

from Perth to PariS

TH

E C

HA

RTER

APR

IL 2

012

EDIT

ION

32

8 JOHN WOLLASTON ANGLICAN COMMUNITY SCHOOL

wollaSton’S wide world of SPort

Talented baseballer Ben Ivey joined a select group of players from across Perth in late March to hit it out with the best teenagers from Jakarta, Singapore, Bangkok and Manila.

The Year 12 student participated in the South East Asia Youth Baseball and Softball Tournament (SEABYST) at Thomas Oval in Medina as a member of the Under 19 Perth Allstars team.

The event, from 28 to 31 March, has been held annually since 1991 and brings together more than 400 players (aged 11 to 18), coaches and officials representing youth leagues from across the region. It is hosted on a rotating basis by each of the countries that helped to establish the competition.

It is a tournament that Ben is extremely familiar with.

He played in the Under 15 Perth Allstars side that travelled to Jakarta for SEABYST in 2010 and won the Championship trophy.

Although he missed selection for the event when it was held in Bangkok last year, Ben travelled with the touring group and helped his father Neal, who was Assistant Coach for the Under 19 girls softball team.

He was eager to participate in the highly-competitive tournament in 2012.

“There were four weeks of tryouts late last year; I made it into the Reserves and was called up when one of the guys had to withdraw,” Ben said.

“We’ve been training every week on Fridays at Forster Park in Belmont, which was been great for me because that’s where I train with my local club, Victoria Park Belmont.”

Ben played teeball from the age of nine and baseball since he turned 13, preferring to pitch and play second base.

Head Girl Paige Doy captained the Netball WA State 17-and-under team when it competed at the top level in Tasmania recently.

The 17-year-old was one of 12 teenagers from across Western Australia selected to represent the State at the Netball Australia Underage Nationals in Launceston from 30 March to 4 April.

Paige, who served as the team’s Goal Attack, trained since September for the event and said she was thrilled to be named Captain.

“I was shocked – it was a huge honour and I was so pleased that the Netball WA coaching staff and my teammates thought I was capable of the job,” she said.

Paige has played netball since she was in Year 1 and tried out for the 2011 State team but narrowly missed the cut.

The sport is one of her biggest passions; she plays at the Langford Netball Centre each Saturday and is also a member of the Midland Brick Demons in the State Netball League.

Paige and fellow shooters from the State 17-and-under and 19-and-under teams had the privilege of receiving specialist coaching over six weeks in January and February from West Coast Fever Captain and twice World Champion Catherine Cox.

ben StePS uP to the Plate

Paige at the toP of her game