ןושח - Jewish Community Secondary School

newsletter
nono
Dear Parents
Cheshvan 5773 חשון
Issue 2 2012/13
Key to the first half of the autumn term in schools is to welcome newcomers amongst staff, students and parents, and
to blend the old with the new to create a new incarnation of the community. While this process can be ‘managed’ to
an extent through induction events, buddying systems, or specific lessons and training days, it is a mysterious and
organic business, which I find fascinating. How do we turn values and an ethos we hold dear into a living and vibrant
institution; and how in particular do we do that if we are growing rapidly year by year?
It’s a question that is hard to answer precisely, but certainly the magic has happened again at JCoSS: our nigh-on 260
newcomers have enriched what we do and who we are as a community, and have given food for thought even as they
have been shaped by the JCoSS way. Perhaps the magic works because we try to see it as a two-way learning process:
both the newcomers and the institution have things to gain from each other, and the growth is social and emotional
as much as it is practical and academic.
We remain delighted with our new Year 7 and Year 12 intakes this year, and the fact that nearly half of Year 7 are
already a whole year ahead of expectations in Maths and already making rapid progress means that the academic
future looks bright indeed for JCoSS. We have some exciting new G&T initiatives in store to enhance the process
further, inviting in PhD students from Oxford, Cambridge and London to work with small groups of Year 9s and Year
12s in a university-style tutorial situation leading to some serious independent study. The whole process is framed by
an orientation day at Sussex University and a graduation day at an Oxbridge college – really embodying the aspiration
we want our students to catch, whatever their own goals are.
Goals have certainly been flooding in on the sports pitches, as you will read on the Back Pages; I put Y7 on notice that
the biscuit budget is fast running out. I am delighted, however, to use my “Stop Press” privilege to announce that the
Staff Football Team soundly defeated the Y12s last week. On the pitch, in the classroom, and as examples of
menschlichkeit, my colleagues are ahead of the game: excellent role models and the true powerhouses of progress
and ethos at JCoSS. As always, they have my admiration and my thanks on behalf of the whole community.
I wish you a good half term break – brief as it is this year – and strength and fortitude for the rest of term.
Patrick Moriarty
Acting Headteacher
Change in Contact Details?
A reminder to all parents, if any contact details change
JCoSS should be notified as soon as possible. This
applies to phone numbers, addresses and email
addresses. It is vital that the school holds correct
details should we need to contact you in an emergency.
Please also ensure you update us if there is a change in
home circumstances and of any changes of details to
emergency contacts.
Thank you
Daily Absences
Please can we ask parents to report daily absences
to Student Services. Also if parents know that their
child is going to be late for school, please can you
also let us know. Please call the school number and
then Exnt: 3056 (you can leave a message) or email
studentservices@jcoss.barnet.uk
www.jcoss.org excellence choice inclusion

Important dates to remember
Thursday 1st and Friday 2nd November – School closed for half term
Wednesday, 14th November – School closes 2pm for Staff Inset
Thursday, 22nd November – 6th Form Open Evening 6pm-8.30pm
Wednesday, 28th November – Yr12 Parents’ Evening – individual
appointments
Thursday, 13th December – Chanukah Concert 7.30pm
Friday, 21st December – Term ends 1.25pm
Monday, 7th January 2013 – School restarts 8.30am
Please remember, after half term we will be on the Winter Friday timetable
and school will close at 1.25pm with coaches leaving at 1.35pm.
Safety Warning
The 384 hopper bus has now
increased in frequency after school.
There are now 3 buses in the 15
minute period after school from
Westbrook Crescent, where there
are security and teaching staff on
duty after school. Please ask your
children not to walk through
Victoria Park, especially as the
afternoons are now getting darker
much earlier.
Thank-you
Can we also remind you that as the Winter and the colder weather is coming
up, please look at the website for latest information regarding snow closures.
Updated Travel Arrangements for Play Dates!!
If your child does not usually travel on the coach and would like to go back to a friend’s house who does take the
coach, then the process is as follows: Parents should email/ring the Little Bus Company office@littlebus.co.uk
with their request - at least 24 hours in advance. If there is a seat on that route then the LBC will email
Reception who will issue a ticket for the student to collect and pay for. It is £5 for a single journey but £4 if they
are a frequent traveller.
GOVERNOR VACANCIES
The JCoSS Trust are looking to appoint two Foundation
Governors to the Governing Body, ideally with experience
in premises management or IT. All are welcome to apply,
however preference will be given to candidates who
possess skills in these two areas.
For more information please contact Lara Samuels on the
school number 0208 344 2220. Lara will arrange for a
Governor to telephone you if required, or send an
application pack to you.
Manna From Heaven
Massive thanks to Rebecca Alter in
Year 9 for sponsoring Manna from
Heaven this month on the occasion of
her Bat Mitzvah/13th Birthday.
If you would like to sponsor our
bi-weekly food making project please
contact Mrs V Rose -
vrose@jcoss.barnet.sch.uk
The Zamar Singers
Led by Mrs Kos, Mrs Armon with Mr Moriarty.
An Invitation to all students and staff to join the choir on
Wednesday Lunchtimes 1pm in MPH. Lunch passes available
from Mrs Kos in D119.
Including :Black Eyed Peas, Leona Lewis, Beatles and
celebrated Jewish music.
Instrument Lessons
Anyone wishing to take up an instrument from
January 2013, please contact Lynn
Holman-Fox on 020 3209 7966
Or at the address below:
Head of Music Service, Schools and Learning
Barnet Music Hub, Dollis Junior School, Pursley
Road, London NW7 2BU
www.jcoss.org excellence choice inclusion

Sukkot is a time when we traditionally welcome guests into our sukkah, and this year we were delighted to host a
group of year 8 students from St John the Baptist School in Woking, Surrey. They had lunch with JCoSS year 8
students and were introduced to the sukkah, lulav and etrog by Rabbi Barrett and Mr Rosenberg.
The purpose of their visit was to launch our Year 8 twinning programme. Supported by the Three Faiths Forum,
students from both schools took part in a workshop to plan twinning activities. In the coming weeks, year 8 tutor
groups will be exploring issues of faith and identity during kvutzah sessions, while identical lessons will be running
at St John the Baptist school. Individual classes have been paired up so students can share their experiences.
Other twinning activities planned this year include year 7 classes linking up with schools in Ghana and year 9
students working with their counterparts at Western Galil High School.
Mr G Lyons,
Twinning Coordinator
Sukkot, Sushi and Social Action!
Our new Year 12 students enjoyed their first JCoSS Sukkot this
month and were joined by Ruth Newman from Tzedek,
our guest for lunch in the Sukkah. After some yummy sushi
students spent some time exploring climate change and
its effects on farmers in the developing world.
Year 9 students discussed issues of homelessness around the world
and took on the challenge of making their own temporary
shelters to withstand wind and rain - all but one survived!
Think your freezer is cold?
Student had a first hand taste of what it might be like to live in
poverty in the Ukraine thanks to World Jewish Relief's (WJR)
Operation Winter Survival Van. The van was set up to replicate
the typical home of one of their project recipients where
many of our student’s donations have gone over the last few years.
Students were shocked by how cold the van was - colder than
the average fridge. WJR are one of our chosen charities for the year.
Mrs V Rose
Informal Jewish Education Co-ordinator
Duke of Edinburgh launches!
We are thrilled to have launched the Duke of Edinburgh Award at JCoSS. Year 9 students have the chance to get involved
in this exciting and unique volunteering opportunity through the JLGB, the only exclusively Jewish licensed organisation
for the scheme.
By taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Award students develop skills for life and work. There's a wide range of
opportunities in each section to suit their interests. The award is packed with great fun activities; it will provide them with
fantastic achievements and memorable experiences and is recognised by employers and universities! Perhaps the
highlight of this award is the two-day expedition trip, their chance to camp overnight and enjoy the outdoors. This
programme is open to all Year 9 students so please contact one of us for more details.
Mrs V Rose, Mr B Abram and Mr M Todd
www.jcoss.org excellence choice inclusion
DofE team

Attendance Procedures
Please can all parents ensure that they follow the correct procedures for informing the school if their child is
absent for any reason. The JCoSS attendance policy states:
Action by Parents: Parents are responsible for making sure that their child attends school on a regular basis.
If a student is prevented from attending school by reason of sickness or unavoidable cause, it is the
responsibility of the parent to notify the school of the student’s absence. This should be by telephone on
the first day of absence and confirmed in writing. Failure to do so will result in an ‘Absence Enquiry’ letter
being sent by the Attendance Officer. If JCoSS does not receive an explanation, or if the explanation is
unsatisfactory, the absence will not be authorised and this may be shown on their child’s report. It is at the
Head teacher's discretion whether an absence is authorised.
Parents should avoid, if possible, making routine medical/dental appointments for their child during school
hours.
Parents should inform the School of any significant change or influence in their child’s life which may
impact on attendance or learning.
Your help and support to ensure the reliability and accuracy of our attendance data is essential.
Mrs H Follett
AUDITIONS…AUDITIONS….AUDITIONS…!
Chanukah Celebration Evening 5773
Our third annual Chanukah Performance Evening will take place on Thursday 13th December at 7.30pm in the school
hall. Musical items will include instrumentalists, the JCoSS Orchestra, the Zamar Singers and JGLoSS. In addition, there
will be a dance/drama performance of the Chanukah Story.
Auditions
Instrumentalists – please encourage your children to sign up to audition on the sheet outside D119 BEFORE the
auditions. The deadline for signing up is Wednesday 7th November. We are unable to audition those who miss this
deadline.
Auditions will take place at 1pm on the following days:
Thursday 8th November
Friday 9th November
Friday 16th November
The Chanukah Story
Auditions for the dance/drama of the Chanukah Story will take place on Monday 12th November after school from
4.10-5.30. Rehearsals for this will be on Monday 19th and 26th November and 3rd and 10th December until 5.30.
Students who cannot meet this commitment, will be unable to participate.
Welwyn Garden City Youth Drama Festival/ 4-9th March 2013
Auditions for the Youth Drama Festival this year will be by invitation for Years 8 and 9 only. There will be a maximum
cast of 10. The reason for this is the very short rehearsal period.
Auditions will take place before the end of the autumn term: dates to be confirmed. Rehearsals will be after school
every Monday until 5.30 and on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday lunchtimes. Students who cannot make lunchtimes or
Mondays after school, will not be able to participate.
Barnet Schools Dance Festival – March 2013
Miss Gustard will announce details of this in the next couple of months.
Ms S Miller
Head of Creative Arts Faculty
www.jcoss.org excellence choice inclusion

LRC News
Very many thanks and Mazel Tov’s to the following students and their families who donated books to the LRC last
month: Sophy G. (7N), Jordan L. (9S) and Daniel M. (9Y). Please make sure you leave a message with your child’s name
when processing an order. I would like to express thanks for the purchase of “La Grammaire Pour Tous”, but I don’t
know who donated the book, please let me know! Our JCoSS wish list on Amazon is updated regularly: log on to
www.amazon.co.uk

Male staff at JCoSS will be growing moustache’s during November, renamed Movember in honour of the
moustache. Our aims are to raise as much money as possible for worthy causes that may assist any father, uncle,
brother, grandfather, or son amongst us in the future, and to get people talking about men’s health. Men are
less likely to schedule a doctor's appointment when they feel ill or go for a checkup, therefore decreasing the
chance of early detection and effective treatment of common diseases. Studies show that many men don’t get
regular health checks for the following reasons:
• Fear it will lead to a hospital visit
• Embarrassment around discussing their health issues
• Finding it too hard to see a doctor because they can’t fit it into their schedule
• Can’t be bothered making an appointment
Statistics show that, on average, men die at a younger age than women – the average life expectancy for men is
four years less than women. Things are beginning to change, but much more progress needs to be made to
close the gap between the state of men’s and women’s health. Established taboos and barriers relating to men’s
health are gradually being broken down.
Movember aims to change the face of men’s health and reverse this way of thinking by putting a fun twist on
this serious issue. Using the moustache as a catalyst, we want to bring about change and give men the
opportunity and confidence to talk about their health more openly.
Movember's campaign objective is to raise awareness of men's health issues, specifically cancers affecting men.
We want everyone to know that most cancers are highly curable if caught in the early stages - including prostate
and testicular cancer. Movember aims to increase early detection, diagnosis and effective treatment, as this will
ultimately reduce the number of deaths from cancer.
• More than 1 in 3 people will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime
• Prostate, colon, lung and breast cancers account for over half of the cancer diagnosis in the UK
• Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men in the UK. Over 40,000 men are
diagnosed with prostate cancer ever year and there are 250,000 men currently living with the disease
• 1 in 9 men in the UK are likely to face prostate cancer in their lifetime. This is comparable to the 1 in 9
women that are estimated to get breast cancer
We hope you follow our moustache growing efforts, enjoy the film we produce and donate any money you are
able to. Further updates will follow during November or on my Movember page with links to other members of
the team at http://mobro.co/gdaviesjcoss
Mr G Davies
Come to Orchestra!
The orchestra is open to all students
approx.
Grade 3 or above.
*Tuesday Lunchtimes
at 1pm in the MPH.
*Lunch passes available
from Mrs Kos in D119.
Mrs S Kos
Contact Mrs Lavender, Director of Learning Support, for details.
www.jcoss.org excellence choice inclusion
Head of Music
Unwanted books
If you would like to clear your children’s bookshelves of
books they no longer want or have out grown, we would
love to have them. We can use them to provide book
boxes for each form room. Please send in any donations
of good quality books after half term.
Mrs K Lightman
TUTORS REQUIRED
Experienced teachers required immediately for paid 1:1 tuition in
Physics and / or Geography AS level at JCoSS during the school day.
Ideal opportunity for returner /retired.
0208 344 2234 or slavender@jcoss.barnet.sch.uk

Zumba has started with a bang and numbers are always on the increase. It would be great to see
some new faces and is open to all years and any gender.
Thank you to all of those students who participated in Dance on Open Evening. We started the
mammoth 6 hour session with a Contemporary technique class where students were pushed to
improve their strength and flexibility. We started with 15 students and as time passed, some had to
fulfil the duty of guides but those who remained continued to work hard developing their
choreography skills using the theme of 'Paradise' as a stimulus. They were all superstars and true
performers, allowing the show to go on for guests right up until 9pm. Hopefully the aches and pains
have worn off now and all have fully recovered. Thanks again to all those involved.
Miss J Gustard
Head of Dance
JCoSS Sports
Girls Netball and Football Results
Netball Yr 9 Girls: Our first fixture this year was against Ashmole. The girls were a little nervous as they were missing
their shooter, but were determined to play well. The end of the first quarter finished 1-1. At half-time it was 2-1. We
changed around the team and after three quarters time the score read 4-2. JCoSS won comfortably in the end, 6-4.
Team : Jamy Bristol James, Ella Dinner, Lottie Fishman, Rosie Felt, Jodie Rich, Michal Baron, Ella Levene,Vivien Guiloff.
Netball Yr 8 Girls: Our first fixture was against Ashmole. The new team had not had much time to adjust as we have had
so many Mondays off, however the girls showed steely grit and created plenty of chances. It was 1-1 after first quarter.
1-2 at three quarter time and at the end 1-4. The girls never gave up and tried hard right up until the end.
Team: Talia Friend, Isabelle Murray, Rebecca Saunders, Indigo Smith, Sara Sclater, Tamar Lang, Arabella Shifrin, Ofri
Livne.
Yr 7/8/9 Maccabi Girls Football: We entered
the girls into the Maccabi Football Tournament
held on Thursday 18th October @ The Power League
Mill Hill. The Yr 8/9 had five games against the
other Jewish schools in the area. They won 4 and lost 1
to the eventual winners of their league.
Year 7 had five games as well .They won 2,
lost 2 and drew 1.
Team Yr8/9: Laura Lewis, Lottie Fishman,
Jodie Rich, Isabelle Murray, Arabella Shifrin, Emily Siva.
Team Yr 7 : Hannah Harris, Caris Forman,
Tiger Brazil, Caitlin Grills, Angelica Guiloff, Libby Sears,
Michala Noy.
www.jcoss.org excellence choice inclusion

Year 7 Boys Football Results
JCoSS vs Bishop Douglas: JCoSS ran riot against Bishop Douglas scoring all 9 goals in a fruitful first half. Adam M
cultivated himself a hat trick whilst Alex E's Fifa 12 rating rocketed as he etched himself into the history books by
becoming the first ever JCoSS player to score a goal in 4 consecutive fixtures. Further goals from Or R, Joel W, Bengy
Radnor, Jonathan B and a 40 yard pile-driver from Sam L completed the JCoSS rout and piled more misery on the league’s
mere wannabe's. Top of the league by a country mile and with goals in the bank the league is only ours to lose.
JCoSS vs East Barnet: After demoralising lowly opponents Bishop Douglass, JCoSS found themselves up against their arch
rivals, East Barnet in a top of the table clash. The match was built up to be a battle between two heavyweights and it did
not disappoint as both teams went toe-to-toe for what seemed was two insanely long rounds. Blood there was not, but a
number of big time reputations were scarred that day. The match was tight, nip and tuck all the way but in true rope-adope
fashion JCoSS weathered a heavy bruising from the combination killer blows of East Barnet's centre midfielders
before striking back with a free flowing counterattack to win a penalty. Up stepped Adam M who made no mistake in
slamming it home from 12 yards giving JCoSS true bragging rights in East Barnet.
JCoSS vs Ashmole: If watching millions of migrating wildebeest gallop across the plains of Africa is one of nature’s
greatest spectacles then unquestionably, sports answer must be to watch the free-flowing football of JCoSS to near
football nirvana.
JCoSS started tentatively, almost as if waiting for the opposition to lay their cards on the table. Ashmole did just that: a
royal flush it was not but there were aces aplenty. Ashmole’s tenacious and well-fed centre midfielder inflicted a torrid
time on the centre half duo of Sam B and Sam L but they stood firm and snuffed out attack after attack. JCoSS turned the
screw and with some delightful, incisive passing from the midfield duo of Eddie L and Jonathan B the lads carved gaping
holes in the visiting defence. It was only lady-luck that siding with Ashmole’s cumbersome centre half that kept the JCoSS
tally blank.
Joel W was simply unplayable at times as he gave the opposing back four a real nightmare that will no doubt haunt them
for weeks to come. It was the afore-mentioned midfield maestro that opened this game right up. A finely weighted pass
from Joel found JCoSS skipper, Jonathan B, whose two neat touches found Bengy R who in turn played a majestic ball to
the pugnacious Adam M. Akin to a young gazelle, Adam broke free from his shackles of expectation to effortlessly slide
the ball past the visiting custodian from an angle so acute that not even savant Miss Viner/Archimedes could fathom. 1-0.
Within minutes Ashmole were level, courtesy of a real schoolboy error. Three attempted clearances ricocheted off
groins, faces and legs before the kindly ball fell at the feet of Ashmole’s centre forward, who was presented with the
simplest of tap-ins to unjustly level the scores. 1-1.
Alex E may have missed out on the short list for the Ballon d’Or but on this form he’s proving to be from a different
planet and far too clinical for mere earthly recognition. Alongside every scorer there is a creator. Luka J outfoxed two
players with a simple drop of the shoulder before cutting the ball back directly into the goal-tinted/speckled path of Alex
E. Not wanting to mess around, Alex unleashed a rasping drive that flew past the awe struck keeper to seal the win and
maintain JCoSS’ harmonious relationship with victory. Sheer quality, 2-1.
www.jcoss.org excellence choice inclusion