5 April 2022

Our parent teacher events also went well with many parents engaging with their child’s teacher around their progress so far this year. The Primary Public Speaking Finals were a fabulous showcase of student talent with high calibre presentations from Stage 1 through to Stage 3. This has to be one of the best deliveries I have seen since coming to RJ. The standard of speaking was exceptional. Thank you to Miss Parata and Miss Collier for their organisation of the evenings across Oakhurst and Marsden Park respectively. A big thank you also to all the class teachers that helped prepare our students for the event. 

Our Secondary students are ready for their Camp Week at the beginning of Term 2. Year 8 will head to Canberra, Year 9 to Camp Somerset for an outdoor education experience and Year 10 will undertake the Urban Challenge in the city for three days and two nights. We wish them well for the adventures ahead. 

I would like to thank all of the students and staff involved in my Commissioning Service last Friday whether behind the scenes or directly on stage. It was a memorable time and I was very proud of our student contributions as we celebrated this significant event in the life and history of the School. It is an honour and a privilege to lead such a wonderful school and see where God might lead us all as we turn a new chapter in the RJ story. 

We look forward to the next couple of weeks with Easter shortly upon us as we remember the sacrifice Christ made for us, the greatest gift of all – eternal life. I pray that if you’ve never contemplated all that the Gospel means for us as humankind, that this Easter, you will come to know and understand the wonderful life we can live and experience by the grace of God and the giving of His son to us. “That we may know Him and the power of His resurrection” (Phil 3:10).

Have a great Easter!

God Bless,

Mr Alan Dawson | Principal 

This was the question Jesus asked two of John the Baptist’s disciples early in His ministry. After hearing John testify about Jesus being ‘the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world’, they leave John and follow Jesus. When he turned and saw them, Jesus asked, “What do you want?” 

It was simple. They sought to know Him better – to spend time with Him. After spending time with Jesus, Andrew declares to his brother Peter, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ) John 1:41

Jesus invites us to spend time with Him. After His resurrection, Mary Magdalene declared to the disciples “I have seen the Lord!” and the other disciples (except Thomas) testified to the same. About a week later, Thomas himself saw Jesus and exclaimed, “My Lord and my God!” yet Jesus makes it clear, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:28-29

Our attitudes towards seeing and believing in our society are strange. On the one hand, people challenge the historical facts and the testimony of millions over the past two centuries to the reality of a life lived by faith in the person of Jesus, yet blindly accept that conversations with strangers on the internet are both reliable and truthful. They do not test for the truth, but accept hearsay and opinion because, deep down, it’s what they want to hear. My father once said, when challenged by this, that he “didn’t want to believe”. In reality, he thought he was never good enough for God. He’d missed the whole point of Jesus’ death on the cross – none of us are good enough, and we can’t work our way to heaven.

Over this holiday break, spend time with Jesus. Read through one of the books of the New Testament – Mark is a good gospel to begin with. Find out if Jesus is who He claims to be – don’t just have a holiday break and not think any further. When you bite into that hollow Easter egg, remember the tomb was empty for a reason. Remember – Easter saw the Son rise.

I know what I want – eternity with Jesus. What do you want?

COMMENDATIONS

Our excellent Student Leadership team were showcased in Mr Dawson’s Commissioning Service last Friday, but I also want to say how impressed I was by the student body as a whole. Across the school, whether Primary or Secondary, they were exceptional in their manner and presentation. Our School Captains, Chesley and Ethan, also had the opportunity at the end of March to attend the Secondary Schools Leadership Program organised by the Parliament of NSW and held at Government House. They were wonderful representatives of our School.

Have a blessed Easter!

Mrs Jenny Clay
Deputy Principal  

PUBLIC SPEAKING FINALS

Last Wednesday evening the final round of the Public Speaking Competition was held in the School Hall. The standard was extremely high and we were treated to a range of expository topics with many convincing arguments. Congratulations to all the finalists and the following students who received special commendations –

• STAGE 1 – Yuvann and Anaya
• STAGE 2 – Shanelle and Jemma
• STAGE 3 – Ridhima and Trinity

A special thank you to Miss Parata for her great organisation of the evening.

More photos beneath article. 

PRINCIPAL’S COMMISSIONING SERVICE

Last Friday the Commissioning Service for RJ’s second Principal, Mr Alan Dawson was held in the School Hall. This was a special event attended by the Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, local Members of Parliament, other Anglican School Principals and members of the Anglican Schools Corporation. Years 5 and 6 were able to participate in the Hall while other grades watched the online link in their classrooms. A special mention to the wonderful Commissioning Service Primary Choir under the guidance of Miss Shannon-Duhigg who performed ‘How Can I Keep from Singing’ with such great joy.

AMAZING ME: NEW ONLINE COURSE

For those who attended Rowena Thomas’ seminar a couple of weeks ago and any parents interested in talking openly and honestly to their children about bodies, puberty and reproduction, Rowena has launched a new online course available for purchase called ‘Bodies and Babies’ This can be found on her website - https://www.amazingme.com.au/

This interactive course is about our bodies, how babies are made and more. It is ideal for both parents/carers to do together with their pre-teens but can also be completed by a child on their own. There are two separate courses for children aged 7-9 years or 9-12 years.

MUSICAL PRODUCTION – THE LION KING (JUNIOR)

Students from both Oakhurst and Marsden Park who successfully auditioned for our Primary Musical have been busy rehearsing twice a week this term. The singing and choreography already covered looks fantastic! Thank you to the wonderful staff giving their time to supervise and guide the students in these rehearsals – especially Miss S-D and Miss Dunn, our talented Music teachers and Miss Ross our Producer. We just can’t wait for September! 

JUMP OFF DAY

This Thursday, 7 April will be the culmination of our Jump Rope for Heart work this term. The students have all improved greatly with their skipping skills and RJ has currently raised over $19,000 - Amazing! This places us as the top fund-raising school in the country! We are looking forward to each grade showing off their abilities on Thursday. Unfortunately, parents are not able to attend this event.

SCHOOL MEDICATIONS AND EXPIRY DATES

A reminder from our Reception/First Aid team in Primary to keep medications stored at School up to date. This includes Ventolin puffers and Anaphylaxis auto injectors. You will be contacted to replace any medications that are past their expiry dates. Please remember that asthma and anaphylaxis plans must also be updated annually by your GP. A number of students have had vomiting bugs recently. RJ follows the NSW Government Health guidelines which state that students who vomit at School must be kept at home for a minimum of 24 hours.

EASTER ASSEMBLY SHARKS HOUSE

We are very much looking forward to the students in Sharks House presenting our Easter Assembly this Friday. Through songs and skits we will be reminded of the true meaning of Easter and why this holiday is such a special one for God’s people.

EASTER HAT PARADE

Our inaugural Easter Hat Celebration of New Life Parade will be held on the last day of term, this Friday from 2:15pm in the Primary Courtyard. The themes for hats are as follows –

• Kindergarten – eggs
• Year 1 – flowers/plants
• Year 2 – chicks/baby animals

Please assist your child to construct the hats at home and bring them in on Friday. We are requesting a limit of 2 adults attending per child to view the parade. There will be some seating in the Courtyard. Dryden Ave gates will be opened at 2pm and parents may take their child home after the event. Please let the class teacher know before you leave.

A reminder to please not send in chocolates and Easter treats to be distributed to your child’s class.

I wish every RJ Oakhurst Primary family a happy and blessed Easter and a safe holiday time.

Mrs Karen Shannon-Duhigg
Head of Primary - Oakhurst

The Principal’s Commissioning Service was held on Friday 1 April which was attended by Stage 3 students. It was a great time of reflection and celebration for our community, particularly the musical performances which showcased the students and how talented they are.    

As we head into the last week of the term, we have another full week of activities. On Monday afternoon we had the Jump Rope for Heart: Jump Off where students and staff were able to demonstrate their skipping skills. And of course, we have the Easter Hat Parade and classroom visits on Thursday 7 April. Previously there has been a broadcast with a flyer attached with the details of this event.  

PUBLIC SPEAKING FINALS – 31 MARCH 

The culmination of several weeks of hard work and determination came to a head last Thursday night as we celebrated the finals of the Public Speaking Competition. Four students each from Stages 1-3 were in attendance and were able to deliver their speech to the crowd of parents and teachers. The standard was extremely high.  

More photos beneath article.  

AMAZING ME: NEW ONLINE COURSE 

For those who attended Rowena Thomas’ seminar a couple of weeks ago and any parents interested in talking openly and honestly to their children about bodies, puberty and reproduction, Rowena Thomas has launched a new online course available for purchase called ‘Bodies and Babies’. This can be found on her website - https://www.amazingme.com.au/                            

This interactive course is about our bodies, how babies are made and more. It is ideal for both parents/carers to do together with their pre-teens but can also be completed by a child on their own. There are two separate courses for children aged 7-9 years or 9-12 years 

JUMP ROPE FOR HEART: JUMP OFF!  

What a fantastic event the Jump Off was, seeing all the students demonstrate their skills that they have worked for across the term. We are proud to announce that we have again raised a significant amount of money that has put Richard Johnson near the top of the fundraising tally for 2022. Parents and families were in attendance for the Jump Off held in the Primary COLA on Monday afternoon. The photos really testify to the great fun that was had by all, especially the staff vs students skip-off.

More photos beneath article. 

EASTER HAT PARADE/CLASSROOM VISITS 

RJ Marsden Park is having its first ever Easter Hat Parade. This is being held in the Primary COLA area and begins at 2:10pm with classroom visits beginning at 1:30 pm. More information can be found on the note sent home to families and the app broadcast posted on Friday 25 March.  

HOUSE MEETINGS

House Meetings will be held in Week 1 of Term 2. Please ensure that your child is wearing their House Shirt on Thursday for Marsden Park students and Friday for Oakhurst students. These House Meetings will replace Assemblies this week.  

ASSEMBLIES  

Assembly Schedule for Term 2 is as follows: -  

• Week 1: House Assembly (28/04) 
• Week 2: 3/4P Mr Lamb (5/05) 
• Week 3: 2M Miss Garard (12/5) 
• Week 4: 1/2C Miss Collier (19/5)
• Week 5: 1M Mr Russell (26/5)

*Please note that class parents are more than welcome to attend.  

Mr Luke Sale
Head of Primary - Marsden Park

It does feel like Term 1 has been quite busy, particularly over the last few weeks and it is almost a shock that the holidays start at the end of this week. Before the term ends there are a number of events for Secondary in Week 10.

YEAR 8 INFORMATION EVENING

The Year 8 Information Evening will take place at 6:30pm in the Hall on Wednesday 6 April. This event will address academic and welfare issues, as well provide information regarding Year 8 Camp.

SECONDARY EASTER CHAPEL

This special Chapel service will take place in Period 4 on Friday 8 April.

LOCKER CLEAN OUT

In preparation for the holidays students will need to empty out their lockers and leave them locked during the holiday period. It is highly recommended that students start taking home any books or belongings they do not need later in the week so their bag is not overloaded on Friday.

ANZAC SERVICE

After the ANZAC DAY Public Holiday, Monday 25 April, Term 2 will start with an ANZAC service, Tuesday 26 April, and then see Years 8, 9 and 10 go on their respective camps on Wednesday 27 to Friday 29 April. Year 8 to Canberra, Year 9 by the Colo River and Year 10 in the city for The Urban Challenge. The NAPLAN tests will follow in May for Years 7 and 9. Information regarding the testing will be shared closer to the event.

I do wish all of the RJ Community a safe and restful break during the holidays. I pray that we will all remain well and take the opportunity to remember and celebrate God’s amazing love for us, demonstrated in His own son’s death in our place. Romans 5:8 “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

MANAGING PERFECTIONISM 

From Study Samurai – an online resource available to RJ Students and Families

Perfectionism may not sound like too much of a problem in a school atmosphere - after all, parents and teachers want children to develop strong work ethics, sound study habits and achieve their best results. The problem is, perfectionism can lead students away from these healthy developments and can add to students’ stress levels. When a student becomes upset over a score of 98 out of 100, or can't handle coming 2nd out of a class of 30, etc., schoolwork will often suffer as a result. Perfectionism of this degree usually results from a fear of failure, rejection or disapproval, or insecurity about meeting a given standard. Students feeling these pressures quickly fall into obsessive and extended work patterns.

So - how can such patterns and thought processes be avoided? Here are a few specific suggestions for coping with perfectionism. 

1. Separate Work From Personal Feelings- This is a huge hurdle for many students. For them, an evaluation of their work often feels like an evaluation of them personally, and the pressure of making that evaluation positive can lead to perfectionism. Students need to be reminded to treat work feedback as evaluation for a specific assignment and nothing more.
2. Set Incremental Goals- Many students tend to set unattainable, or at least extremely difficult, goals. Instead, students should focus on setting goals based on past achievements. If a student gets an 85 on an exam, the goal for the next one should not be a 100 - it should be an 87. Incremental goals are more reasonable, and most long-term improvement occurs gradually.
3. Recognize Stress- This can be easier said than done, but it's crucial in battling perfectionism. Students need to become more aware when they're stressing over a project (spending unnecessary extra hours, re-writing pages exhaustively, etc.). Learning to recognize stress can help students to reevaluate work methods.
4. Explore Efficient Work Methods - Often, newer or easier work methods can assist in efficiency. Students shouldn't get lazy but should allow certain technologies to make work easier. That might mean using Notion for note-making, or it may mean working collaboratively in Google Docs with another student to study for a test - whatever the case, perfectionists can often find their workloads lessened by these steps.
5. Put Things In Perspective - It's crucial for students to have proper perspective on schoolwork. Being able to stop and think about the worst-case scenario can help students to realize that an individual assignment - while important - should not be a source of unnecessary stress or excessive workload.
6. Ask For Guidelines – Encourage students to ask teachers how long they should spend on a homework task or an assignment, so they have an idea whether it is a 2 hour or 22 hour task!
7. Record Time Taken – Have students record for a week or two what they do every day in their home learning and how long it took. This can help parents and teachers identify bottlenecks in subjects or types of tasks. 

Ultimately, dealing with perfectionism can be a long and tricky process. But implementing these habits and thought processes can help students to develop a healthier approach to schoolwork. 

Mr Brad Maxwell 
Acting Head of Secondary 

Thank you to the parents and students who have sponsored a Bible through Try Booking. At the moment, we have 91 Bibles sponsored which is wonderful. If you would like to sponsor a Bible, the Try Booking link will remain open until Wednesday 18 May. Your donations are greatly appreciated.

Sponsorship - $7 provides a Bible and study material for a student. We will not be using Sponsorship forms this year. Students can be sponsored to run in the Cross Country and donate online through Try Booking: https://www.trybooking.com/BYFZE 

You can donate $7 for each Bible or you can make a donation.

If you have any questions, please contact me at school on 96772455 or by email srowe@rjas.nsw.edu.au  

Mr Stewart Rowe
Director of Christian Ministry/Service Learning (7-12)  

Our attention turns to Oakhurst’s Jump Off Day on Thursday. With the chance of rain being quite high, the skipping will still take place. A reminder, that due to current infection rates at the Oakhurst Campus, parents are unable to attend this event. 

At the end of the week, we will close our sponsorship drive for the Heart Foundation. If you are handing in funds to either campus via cash donations, hand them in to the respective Primary Admin buildings by this Friday. If you are still intending to submit some sponsorship money towards your child’s Jump Rope page, refer to www.jumprope.org.au/parents. Richard Johnson is still the leading school in the nation for fundraising this Term. Well done RJ!

CSSA NEWS

If your daughter is a competitive netballer and she would like to trial at CSSA trials in Week 2 of Term 2, please let Mr Mitchell know by the end of the week – Friday 8 April.

CROSS COUNTRY TRAINING

With the postponement of the Cross Country until Term 2, students can use the holidays to continue to train for this event. Just a reminder that Under 8-10 run 2km and Under 11-12 run 3km. 

Mr Gavin Mitchell
Primary Sports Leader

A quick update for the postponed RJAS 3-12 Cross Country. A tentative date of Wednesday 18 May as been put into the RJ Calendar. Hopefully we get some great weather leading up to this date so that we can have this amazing event go ahead. It will be at our Marsden Park Campus and all Years 3-12 students from Oakhurst will travel across for the event.

Please still consider how you can support Run4Bibles as this great cause of supplying Bibles and Bible resources to young people in South Africa can give more than you know.

CSSA STATE SECONDARY SWIMMING CARNIVAL

Last Tuesday, RJ had 25 students attend the CSSA State Swimming Carnival at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre (SOPAC). I would like to thank all those students who attended this event to challenge themselves against students from over 70 Christian Schools from around NSW. It was great to hear that so many of our students achieved personal best times and just enjoyed being part of this wonderful event. I would like to thank Mr Millard for organising the team and looking after them on the day. I would also like to thank the parents who attended to support our RJ students.

CSSA OR CIS TRIALS

We have had many RJ students this term put their name forward to trial at various sporting events this term. From Baseball to Touch Football, I would like to thank all those students who took the courage to test themselves against young people from across the state. I will be acknowledging these students at our next Assembly. But a big congratulations to Agazio F who will represent RJ and CSSA at the CIS 16 and Under Football (Soccer) tournament in May next term.

HOUSE SPORT

The finals for the House Mixed Netball Competition will be held on Thursday and Friday this week. It has been great to see the students from all Houses show their passion and pride in their Houses. The finals will be a 1 v 2 and 3 v 4. The Houses will be Rams v Sharks in the first versus second. And the third versus forth are Lions and Eagles.

Next term, we are harnessing the spirit of the upcoming FIFA World Cup and the four RJ Houses will be playing for the RJAS Soccer Cup. The games will be in combined year groups of 7 – 9 (Junior) and 10 – 12 (Senior). We will be looking for both boys and girls from all year groups to come and represent their Houses on Monday lunch times.

Mr David Hyde 
Secondary Sports Leader

What is your favourite food?

Bread and Cadbury chocolate. 

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Singing, playing with my dog, hanging out with family and friends and watching movies. 

When and why did you come to work at this School?

The start of 2022. I wanted to share my knowledge and passions. 

What do you think you will enjoy about your role in the School?

I will enjoy building relationships and learning together. 

Describe a wonderful experience you’ve had which you will never forget.

I have been fortunate enough to travel overseas. I spent my 18th birthday in Disneyland Paris. 

Why did you become a Christian?

I became a Christian as a teenager after learning about the sacrifice Jesus had made for me and knowing how much God loves me. It’s amazing that He created every intricate thing in the universe. 

What is your favourite bible verse and why?

Psalm 100:3 is one of my first verses I remember learning. It is an uplifting Psalm of giving grateful praise.  

What is something you want to achieve?

I want to see students feeling passionate and inspired in their learning. 

If you could meet any person in the world at the moment who would it be and why?

My Grandparents, Uncles and Aunties. With COVID it’s been a while. 

What is your favourite food?

Pizza and Burgers.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Walking, reading, playing piano, listening to music, working on my garden, spending time with my wife as well as my nieces and nephews. 

When and why did you come to work at this School?

I will start working at RJAS in 2022. I came to work at RJAS because when I was doing casual work I found it to be a warm and beautiful school with lovely staff. 

What do you think you will enjoy about your role in the School?

I think that I will enjoy having fun in the classroom with my kids. I enjoy having a laugh with my students and keeping things light-hearted in the classroom.

Describe a wonderful experience you’ve had which you will never forget.

In January 2020 I travelled to Europe for around four weeks. My wife and I went on a bus tour through the Netherlands, Germany, France, Italy and Switzerland. We also staying in London for around one week. I loved the beautiful buildings, fantastic food and meeting interesting people. 

Why did you become a Christian?

I became a Christian while a teenager because of the love of my youth leaders. I remain a Christian because I believe it is true.  

What is your favourite bible verse and why?

I like Philippians 4:8 because it encourages me to persevere through dark times. 

What is something you want to achieve?

I want to live a beautiful life. I want to experience the love and joy of Christ, and share that with others.

If you could meet any person in the world at the moment who would it be and why?

I would like to meet Jeff Bezos to ask him what it was like to go to space.