I would like to extend my thanks to the many families that joined us at our Welcome Back event last week. The buzz around the hall was palpable. Aside from an opportunity to celebrate the start of the new school year, a highlight of the evening was to give our senior students another opportunity to fundraise for their Gold level Duke of Edinburgh International Award expedition to the Northern Territory, which they will be embarking on this April.

While some of us participated in Duke of Edinburgh (DoE) award programmes as part of our schooling, it is worthwhile sharing with our families why Masada College places such importance on this DoE Award program.

For the uninitiated: the DoE Award is a leading structured youth development program, empowering young Australians to explore their potential and find their purpose, passion and place in the world. Through a series of challenging activities and projects, participants are trained to become effective leaders and responsible citizens, developing skills for teamwork, problem-solving and communication.

They learn the value of perseverance and determination, while focusing on giving back to the community through service. It is this chesed (kindness to others) that develops in our students empathy and compassion, qualities that are essential for effective leadership.

To achieve a DoE Award, each young person must learn a skill, improve their physical well being, volunteer in their community and experience a team adventure in a new environment. Gold is the highest level attainable.

So, why is this so important to us? The DoE program is perhaps, at its core, the most respected program for developing the skills of strong future leaders. As we look to the future and the challenges that lay ahead, developing strong leadership skills in our students is key.

DoE participants are encouraged to develop a unique combination of physical challenges and service to the community. This has some parallels with the early Zionist pioneers who believed that as part of the Jewish people building themselves up as a nation they first had to build up their physical strength and in turn strengthen their social and leadership skills. As these pioneers of the land of Israel understood, physical fitness is not only good for our health, but it also helps to build confidence, discipline, and resilience, all of which are essential for success.

Our students are the leaders of tomorrow, and the DoE program helps to prepare them for the challenges that lie ahead. Whether they serve in the Jewish community or on the world stage, they will have the physical fitness, resilience, leadership skills and strength of character they need to be effective leaders and make a positive impact on the world.

We are so fortunate to have an opportunity blend our traditional Jewish values with this internationally acclaimed programme, inspired by the late Mr Kurt Hahn, a German Jew who fled the Nazis, mentored the late Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh and was instrumental in setting up the DoE award scheme.

With almost half a term into the new school year, the month of Adar upon us and Purim just around the corner, we have much to celebrate! I would like to welcome all of our families to the new school year with a special welcome to our Year 7 and new Masada students and families. I hope you have all felt welcomed into our school community, with many more events in the first few weeks.

Our focus for the year will be centered on the Prefects' theme, 2023, Be the Change you want to see. It is a vision that we honour, respect and want to uphold as we continue to build a dynamic Masada community with shared values and understanding. In my interactions with staff, students and parents, it is one that many have already embraced, with two such examples shown by over 50 students applying for an SRC role for 2023 and a huge increase in co-curricular sign-ups.

Settling In

Our students have settled into their new classes, with excitement around the campus as they greeted new and old friends. Our Year 7 students were equally as excited about their new start tinged with a little trepidation, of course. After their first day, however, they have gained confidence and are already making the Blue Sky Centre their home. The Year 7 students had a wonderful time at their first Senior School camp, benefiting from the care of our Peer Support Leaders and our Senior School team.

Masada HSC Success

At the end of last year, we were very proud to share the success of our Masada HSC graduates of 2022. Despite ongoing interruptions, challenges and setbacks in their last few years of schooling, their outcomes demonstrated the remarkable resilience and perseverance in them striving to achieve their personal best. They move forward with confidence with a bright future ahead.

You can read more about the HSC Achievements here: Masada College HSC 2022

Welcome Parent Event

A wonderful evening awaited families and staff who attended and contributed to the Parent Welcome Evening earlier this term. The energy in the Hall was palpable as old and new acquaintances came together to enjoy a night of celebration and fund-raising for our important cause.

Through community generosity, we raised over $7000 (and counting for the Gold Duke of Edinburgh students and their charity, Variety Northern Territory. Our Senior students, ably led by Jessie Kirkpatrick can be rightfully proud of their achievements and perseverance. We wish them well as they embark on their journey later this year. We are thrilled to have such a supportive parent community and are grateful for your contribution. We are still accepting donations to this cause - please contact Jessie Kirkpatrick for further information.

Prize Presentation and MIT Reflections

With our Year 10 and 11 students of 2022 enjoying their MIT experiences at the end of last year, we took an opportunity to celebrate their achievements at the special assembly. We were equally proud to hear their reflections from their time in Poland and Israel. This life-changing opportunity (the students' words, not mine) is one that we look forward to sharing with our 2023 Year 10 students and beyond.

Co-curricular and Leadership

It is not too late to sign up for some of our co-curricular programs. We do, however, ask students to commit to the programs they sign up for. Participation in these programs will be reported in the Semester Reports as a record of students going above and beyond.

Click here to access the Semester One Co-curricular Brochure.

Finally, Mazel Tov to our SRC representatives of 2023. They join a dedicated and high calibre team of student leaders across the Senior School, ably led by our College Captains, Leah and Hannah. I look forward to seeing their continued success throughout the year.

Student Representative Council:

• Year 12: Michal Goldberg
• Year 11: Alan Li
• Year 10: Satya Chadda, Daniel Ouyang, Jessica Sternberg, Sherman Yan
• Year 9: Talia Kohn, Ariela Mirkin, Amaya Wainer, Guangzhao Zhu
• Year 8: Shakked Gazi, Sonnie Liang, Any Tang, Roi Teichtahl
• Year 7: Zoe Brett, Corey Bernstein-Beck, Lukas Siganos, Gabriel Treisman, Jaida Walt

I look forward to more celebrations as we celebrate the month ahead. I encourage all of our Senior School students to get involved by being the change they want to see.

You can reach out to me by email: rgill@staff.masada.nsw.edu.au or by phone: 02 9449 3744

Masada College Early Learning Centre 2024 - Enrolling Now
Masada College offers classes for two, three and four year olds.
SUMMER Monday through Friday - 7:30am to 6:00pm
WINTER Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday - 7:30am to 6pm and Friday - 7:30am to 4:15pm
All food is included. If you have a child this age or know someone that does, please contact the Enrolments office to begin the process to secure a place in our beautiful purpose built facility.Please encourage anyone you know not currently at Masada to contact the enrolments office at enrolments@staff.masada.nsw.edu.au or register for a Centre Tour via our website as we would love for them to join us.

Kindy 2024 - Enrolling Now
Please encourage anyone you know not currently at Masada to contact the enrolments office at enrolments@staff.masada.nsw.edu.au or register for a School Tour via our website as we would love for them to join us.

Year 7, 2024 - Enrolling Now
Please encourage anyone you know not currently at Masada to contact the enrolments office at enrolments@staff.masada.nsw.edu.au or register for a School Tour via our website as we would love for them to join us.

Our children have settled beautifully into the Blue Room in the ELC.

After the summer holidays, the children returned to school with many stories about their experiences at the beach.

We encouraged them to transfer their knowledge and they enthusiastically began to draw sea creatures that they spotted at the beach.

We then investigated many different sea animals and setting up provocations ,they eagerly created their own.

To create a background, they chose shades of blue and eagerly helped to mix the paint.

Using sponges they printed the ocean and then kept adding a variety of sea creatures ,using materials such as paint, collage and edicol dye.

Some of the children were particularly interested in Penguins and had a lot of information to share with their friends.

They also brought in books to read and this sparked an interest to add a Penguin sanctuary to our wall.

This was a great project where the children transferred what they had learnt from one context to another and engaged with enthusiasm ,creativity and enjoyment.

Micah and I are so excited to be contributing to the first edition of The College Newsletter for 2023. So far Year 6 has been a blast for both students and teachers. Everyone has been bee-sy at work, contributing and taking initiative to enhance our school.

A new initiative this year is ‘Thursday Funday’ organised by our Sports Captains, Tayla and Nicola. Everyone has the opportunity to improve their fitness and skill by playing sports together on the oval on a Thursday lunchtime. Last week was a huge success and we look forward to more in the upcoming weeks.

Last year, we noticed that too many cockatoos were digging into our school bags or lunches, searching for our food. This year, Year 6 has decided to do something about it. Our environmental team is on the job. They collect lunch boxes left on the playground, clean up all the scraps left on the grass and tell students where the rubbish should go. A big thank you to Jade and Emilie, who have been standing at the bins at the end of every recess and lunch, directing us to put rubbish into the correct bin which not only solves the cockatoo problem but is a win-win for the school environment.

Our assemblies in 2023 have also become a lot more interesting and fun as Year 6 has the responsibility of organising and running the assembly each week. This year we have introduced ‘Word Wizard’. Word Wizard is an exciting program where everyone gets to improve their vocabulary. In Word Wizard, every fortnight, Year 6 assigns a word of the week. Every time you use that word in a sentence or in conversation you earn a point. The class with the most points by the end of the two weeks gets 'bragging rights’ and a certificate to hang up in their classroom.

In addition to this, students will also be delivering the D’var Torah in assembly. For the past two weeks Elad has done a superb job delivering the Parsha in an engaging and entertaining way.

We look forward to what is going to be a magical year at Masada College. With so much change happening already, we are already starting to fulfil our Masada slogan, ‘Be the change you want to see, 2023.'

By your fellow school captains, Ryan and Micah

It was a pleasure welcoming our new students to the College. We enjoyed a delicious lunch from our canteen. The children shared about their new experiences and how they are settling in to their classes. The students have enjoyed the warm, supportive and stimulating environment. Sport and music lessons were a firm favourite and the children shared that they feel that everyone has been kind and welcoming. The children took home a small gift from the College and returned to class smiling and happy to be part of such a welcoming community!

The first few weeks of kindergarten at Masada College have been a wonderful experience for both the children and teachers. They have settled in beautifully and have quickly adapted to their new environment.

The children have been learning to count, read and write and have been developing important communication and social skills. The children have enjoyed a range of hands-on experiences that have helped them adjust and feel more comfortable in their new surroundings.

The kindergarten class at Masada College has made a great start to their learning journey. The children are happy, engaged and eager to learn. With the foundation they are building now, the students will be well prepared for the years ahead.

The Junior School started the year with a Tu B'shvat celebration. They participated in a Tu B'shvat seder and tasted the delicious fruits of the Land of Israel. The children planted trees, learnt about sustainability and the mitzvah of looking after our environment. A fantastic and fun way to start the school year!

The recent success of the junior school canvas artwork at our welcome back evening was a testament to the talent and creativity of our students and art department. The children worked hard to create their artwork in the contemporary Australian Indigenous art style, and their efforts paid off! The canvases were filled with bold and vibrant colors and intricate patterns that reflected the students' respect of Indigenous art and culture. The artwork was met with great appreciation and admiration from the school community, and it was a highlight of the evening. It was a wonderful opportunity for the children to showcase their artistic skills!

When the month of Adar starts, we are filled with joy and as we prepare for Purim the joy multiplies each day! The children welcomed the month of Adar with their topsy-turvey and upside dress. They celebrated with dancing and music and each received a smiley face key chain for their bag- a reminder that during the month of Adar we need to keep smiling and celebrating. We look forward to Purim celebrations school-wide on Tuesday 7 March.

To start the year Year 9 and 10 Design and Technology and Year 9 Food in Focus collaborated with a joint project making resin grazing boards that will be used for a Food in Focus unit later in the year. The boards are to help with the presentation.

Year 9 and 10 Design & Technology hard at work in the workshop!

Year 8 Mandatory Technology marking out and discussing how to design the interior of their Tiny House.

In Design and Technology Year 11 students have been learning new skills in the workshop space to familiarize them with new techniques. They have also visited a local designer to learn from him how he develops the design process to his clients brief. So much more effective more browsing the web for information.

Year 7 Science have enjoyed doing their first experiments in the Science labs!

Year 11 Physics have been putting their phones to good use! Calculating gravity by filming a falling mass next to a phone stopwatch.

It has been a vibrant and exciting start in drama for Stages 4 and 5. The expectation of the drama learning space is that the students bring a sense of curiosity, creativity and collaboration to share!. Thank you students for a great start! I look forward to the journey this year together.

Mrs Jen Grace
Drama Teacher

Year 10 Work Experience

Many great work experience opportunities require early application. Start early and contact the school Careers Adviser, Ms Christine Watson-Brown cwatson-brown@staff.masada.nsw.edu.au if you require assistance. Applications for some of the following opportunities are open now.

• Lyric and Capitol Theatres - Click here how to apply
• Department of Defence – Click here for more information
• Game Design with JMC Academy – Click here for more information

Engineers Australia

• Autumn School of Engineering 17-21 April 2023
• A five day Engineering immersion - visiting key Universities, and five Engineering organisations and projects. Meet over 150 Engineers providing a snapshot of the exciting possibilities that lie ahead for students. Register here

Defence Force – Navy Careers Open Day

• HMAS Kuttabul Open Day 26th February

An Open Day is a great opportunity to learn more about the trade, communications, IT & intelligence or leadership roles available in the Navy. Students will meet current Navy personnel to receive expert insights and gain a first-hand account of their lives both on base and on board. Register here

Cadetships, Apprenticeships, Traineeships

Professional Cadetships Australia Business Cadetships – applications open 6 March and close 24 May 2023

Current year 12 students can apply for cadetship opportunities with UBS and Barrenjoey Capital Partners or Macquarie Group. Business cadets study at the university of their choice in Sydney and may select from a wide range of degree programs including; economics, commerce, business, actuarial studies, computer science & technology. For more information visit www.businesscadetships.com.au

Update from Tertiary Institutions

Australian National University (ANU)

• Direct applications for the Australian National University (ANU) 2023 will open on 1 March 2023 for all domestic school leavers and close 15 May 2023. There is no application fee, students will be required to meet the co-curricular or service requirement, and they will apply for admission, guaranteed accommodation, and over 200 scholarships all in one application. More information on the application process and timeline can be found here.
• For students interested in applying for scholarships, eligibility is automatically assessed through the application process. There are two prestigious scholarships to call your attention to, these are the Tuckwell scholarship and the Kambri Indigenous Undergraduate Scholarship.

UNSW

• Year 12 Medicine Information Evening – 14 March 2023@ 6.30pm. Registration is essential. Register here

University of Sydney - Undergraduate events

• Why study project management – 1 March@4pm - Register here
• Pathways to studying law – 8 March@4pm – Register here
• Bachelor of Commerce, Internships & Work Ready Learning Experiences – 15 March@4pm – Register here
• Life of a Health Scientist – 22 March@4pm – Register here
• How a History Degree Prepares you to work with Big Data – 22 March@5pm – Register here
• Bachelor of Advanced Computing – 29 March@4pm - Register here
• Interaction Design at Sydney – 29 March@5pm – Register here