to view the latest issue - Masada College

A message from the College PrincipalAs we move into our new 2013 academic year we celebrate the successes of our2012 graduates. We are so proud of them, not just for their outstanding efforts andachievements in their Higher School Certificate examination as shared in these pages,but for the synergy, caring and responsibility they showed as a year group. There wasmuch diversity, as some excelled as musicians, others in creativity, many as advocates forsocial justice and all as leaders in their own right.“ Involvement providesopportunities fordeveloping relationships,making a differenceand personal growth. ”The citizenship of our graduates was recognised not just by our College but by the widercommunity through Zonta, Bnai Brith, Order of Australia and Duke of Edinburgh awardsand various tertiary scholarships. The opportunities offered to our students throughall aspects of our Leading Learning Educational package, was also recognised by ourparents and students, as reflected by their responses to our exit survey.To quote a 2012 Year 12 student: “Words can not express how grateful and appreciativeI am for attending such an incredible and special school as Masada. I feel so privilegedto have had the opportunity to go to Masada. It was truly the best thing that everhappened to me and I feel so lucky to have made the most amazing friendships,developed such strong relationships with teachers, grown as a person and in myJudaism, established good morals and values, as well as fulfilled my academic potential.I absolutely LOVED school and being involved in College life: whether that was in sport,music, dance, leadership, committees, volunteering and so much more”.This student would have fully understood our 2013 focus, Unity in commUnity whichencourages students, staff and parents to become actively involved in the life of theCollege, whether that be by attending our varied functions and events, volunteeringor partaking in the diverse range of extra curricular programs on offer. Involvementprovides opportunities for developing relationships, making a difference and personalgrowth.We look forward this year to not only having our students involved but also parents, aswe offer them courses in Hebrew and 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families and manysocial events through our active Parents and Friends Association..Masada College’s strength lies in our Unity as a commUnity and I feel confident thatwe will all work together, parents, students and staff, to ensure that 2013 is a verysuccessful year for us all.Wendy BarelCollege PrincipalShould you have any comments orwish to contribute to The Link,we would love to hear from you.Junior School & Preschool15a Treatts Road Lindfield NSW 2070Post: PO Box 336 Lindfield NSW 2070Tel: 02 9416 8066 Fax: 02 9416 6520Email: masada@masada.nsw.edu.auCover Image:Chloe Ginsberg (3 year old Preschool)with Jessica Zatz (year 12)ContactJanet Kalmin, PublicistTel: 02 9449 3744Fax: 02 9144 3722Email: pr@masada.nsw.edu.auSenior School & Preschool9-15 Link Road St Ives NSW 2075Post: PO Box 235 St Ives NSW 2075Tel: 02 9449 3744 Fax: 02 9144 3722Email: masada@masada.nsw.edu.au

A message from the College PresidentIt is so easy for us to become complacent about the results that we achieveeach and every year in the Higher School Certificate examinations. It has becomean expectation that we always do so exceptionally well. But in so doing we doan injustice to all those involved – teachers, students and parents. There issignificant pressure on students to excel, most often from the students themselves.Yet finishing school is more than an outstanding ATAR. The ATARs are importantbut it is the skills, perseverance, focus and commitment that each student developsalong the way, through their learning experience at the College, that will determinetheir success going forward.“ The ATARs are importantbut it is the skills,perseverance, focus andcommitment that eachstudent develops along theway, through their learningexperience at the College,that will determine theirsuccess going forward. ”I congratulate all our teachers and students once again on their outstanding resultsin 2012. We should all be very proud. I wish our graduates all the best as theyembark on the next stage of their lives.As a Board we continue to examine and explore a variety of options so that wecan create a product that is both attractive to all in our community and financiallyaffordable. Over the last several years we have continued to have high levelsof attendance at the Senior School from within our community. However, witha substantial decrease in immigration there has been an erosion of enrolmentnumbers since the late 1990’s. Lower enrolments are never good. Unfortunatelyfees are also beyond the capability of too many families. Alternatives toaccommodate these realities are required. As a Board we recognise the importanceof finding solutions so that we can create a vibrant and exciting future for theCollege going forward.Community support as always will be required as we progress these necessarychanges, once they are assessed, defined and articulated. As I have highlightedpreviously there is much debate about the ever increasing cost of a private Jewisheducation. Should a Jewish Day School education be accessible to all Jewish studentsthat choose to attend, or only to those families that can afford it? If a JewishDay School education is to be made available to all those that that desire it, thecommunity will need to find structural and funding solutions in order to provide this.My strong belief is that the Jewish Day Schools provide a critical pillar to the fabricof Jewish identity and continuity in Sydney and indeed Australia. Perhaps it is timefor us as a community to decide on the importance we place on the Jewish DaySchools. Do we need to make them more accessible and affordable to all –irrespective of financial means? These are key questions for all the Jewish DaySchools and the community at large, not just Masada College. A more affordableand accessible Jewish Day School education is certainly a worthwhile objective forall of us to pursue.Perhaps very appropriate for all of us to embrace the theme chosen by our 2013Prefects – Unity in commUnity. I wish you all a successful and rewarding 2013.Trevor LorgePresident, Masada College Board of Management

WHAT’S NEW IN 2013?New InitiativesNew Year - New SloganThe focus for our Prefect body will be to encouragestudent involvement and support for the manyand varied co-curricular opportunties on offer atthe College. Their slogan for the year, Unity incommUnity reflects this goal.The Leader in Me continues itsjourney at MasadaTo further embed our Leader in Me program we will asa first time event in NSW, be offering parents a courserun by our counsellor and 7 Habits Facilitator, BarryZworestine, on 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families.We will also be once again offering our parentsHebrew lessons, which proved to be a very popularoption in 2012. Masada College will continue ourCulture of Thinking journey as we, jointly withEmanuel School, work with Harvard Project Zeroguru, Mark Church in three one-week sessionsover the course of the year. Focussing on differentcultural forces which are the ingredients for a thinkingschool and include language, modelling, environment,time, opportunities and routines, staff will bedeveloping their own action research projects,under Mark’s guidance.Chinese offered in Junior SchoolWhile Chinese has been on offer as an elective inour Senior School, we will now be offering it as aco-curricular option to our Junior School students –already garnering much interest from our parents.Staff NewsAfter a very successful first year at the College, Rabbi Evan Widmonteis taking on a full time position in 2013, with his main focus being ourInformal Jewish Life programs.We look forward in the Junior School, to Mrs Naomi Heilpernexpanding her role to Head of Jewish Studies and Hebrew, Preschoolto Year 6. Mrs Heilpern will be working very closely with Mrs Chaplinin this executive position.Ms Justine Milner, is very excited to be joining Masada College JuniorSchool staff in 2013 taking up Mrs Kahn’s maternity leave position.Ms Milner comes to us with glowing references having worked for thelast ten years at various schools, including Mt Sinai.Ex-Masadian, Ms Danna Rosen, who has spent the last few monthsdoing an excellent job as a casual for us, will be joining the staff as theJunior School Art teacher, replacing Mrs Buining, and as an additionalmember of the Senior School Visual Art Department, teaching Years 7and 8. We are delighted to have Danna join our staff.Far Left:Ms Justine MilnerLeft:Ms Danna Rosen.In the Senior School we are delighted to welcome to Year Patronroles Mrs Susie Virgona (Year 7), Mr David Steel (Year 9) and pleasedthat Mrs Sharon Bresler will continue with Year 8, Ms Lyn Rutherfordwith Year 10, Mrs Sheilah Jackson with Year 11 and Mr Steve Levy,with Year 12. Mrs Jenny Greaves will be an Assistant to our Patrons.Mrs Jenny Mathews will continue as Patron to Overseas Students.Another exciting partnership from 2013, is Mr Ryan Gill, SeniorSchool and Mrs Clare Greenup, Junior School, in their roles ofE-Learning Integrators. They will be working closely with bothstudents and staff as we keep apace of 21st century technology.Inspiring SpacesThere have been some exciting environmentalchanges in our Senior School campus, reflecting ourpedagogical directions. A room, in a central locationin the school, has been dedicated to Jewish informallearning and will provide the perfect venue forour popular lunchtime shiurim. Our library is beingrestructured to reflect the focus on research andlearning, with some new furniture. A new learningarea, with varied, colourful and practical new furnitureis also being established to facilitate the environmentalcultural force.Last year a Learning Hub (pictured right)was set upin a classroom in the middle of the school, whereteachers meet and conduct their professional learningsessions, in full view of passing students, to modelthe thinking and learning we value so much at ourCollege. We now have a gym space which will bewell used by our PASS and PDHPE, as well as forextra-curricular fitness classes.

2013 College LeadersJunior & Senior School CaptainsAbove (L-R): Junior School Captains - Romi Grauman and Jayse Bergheim;Senior School Captains – Sofia Parker and Michael Subel.Getting to know our 2013 PrefectsWhat are you excited about as leaders for 2013 at Masada College?As the Masada College Prefects of 2013, we are excited about creating a morevibrant Jewish experience at the school through initiatives such as workshops anddiscussion during prayers. We also want to try and bridge the gap between yeargroups by encouraging people to participate in inter-grade activities and sessionswhich we hope will see a synergy throughout the school. Within the ‘SocialAction’ portfolio we want to encourage a sense of global citizenship within theschool where students are more informed about world and national issues outsideof their normal consciousness.Which qualities do you hope to enhance in our students and out school?“ By the end of the year we hope to have inspired studentsin developing their individual leadership qualities whetherit be in Judaism, social action, academics or simply schoolinvolvement in general. Also, we hope to continue to enhancethe engaging environment and vibrant atmosphere at MasadaCollege in every day school life, which sets apart our schoolfrom most others. “New Parents’ EveningTop to Bottom (L–R): Nicky Fuchs and Jodi Sherman; RobynGoldin, Caryn and Kevin Sandler; Glenda Wolman and LaraMusiker; Mark Zworestine, Felice Fingleson, Michelle Alvaro,Jackie and Steven Milch; Jo Marx, Mark Zworestine andBelinda Lakofski.How can we improve?This year we really want to encourage appreciation of our multi-cultural heritageand an awareness of worldviews and events.The implementation of such programs will be achieved through our ‘Jewish Life’,‘Social Action’, ‘Entertainment and Events’ and ‘Student Welfare’ portfolios.We believe that taking even the smallest of steps like increasing the level ofrespect for our uniform can make a world of difference to the existing ethos at theCollege. Masada’s uniqueness is one of our main assets, and we hope thatthe students and community can continue to embrace our College’s changeand forward development, which the Prefects are very excited to be working onin 2013.

Masada College Class of 2012 – Achievements & Honour BoardOver-all Results+ 22nd NSW+ 1st Co-ed in North Shore+ Over 12% ATARs over 99.00+ Over 50% ATARs over 90.00+ Over 75% ATARs over 80.00Non-selective Results+ 9th in NSW+ 2nd in Mathematics+ 10th In EnglishTop Achievers+ Iris Vayzer2nd in Modern Hebrew in NSW+ Farran Gordon2nd in Hospitality in NSW+ Stephanie Cemal3rd in Food Technology in NSW+ Dana Segall4th in Modern Hebrew in NSW+ Lauren Satill5th in Classical Hebrew in NSW+ Shir Dekel nominated for Encore+ 4 students selected for Art Express:Shir Dekel, Haydee Katz,Nicola Shear & Dana SegallAll-Round Achievers◊ Jay (Sang Hun) Jung◊ Shir Dekel◊ Deborah Karpel◊ Dana Segall◊ Joshua BurmanStephanie CemalHow did you manage your studyleading up to the HSC?I found that studying for the HSC washarder than studying throughout theyear because my energy was runningout. My study plan was to workbackwards so that I could spend moretime on the topics we hadn’t beentested on yet. I preferred to first learn my notes thoroughlyand summarise larger points. I would then make acronymsor sentences to help me remember my information. The nextstep would be to write as many past papers as possible inexam conditions for the correct amount of time. Past paperstrain you to manage your time, show your weaknesses,help you understand exam format as well as the amount ofinformation required for different types of questions. I wouldtake breaks every few hours so that I wouldn’t lose motivationand also ensured that I had enough sleep every night, which isvery important for memory and wellbeing.What are your plans for 2013?I would like to go to Israel on MTA, the Bnei Akiva ShnatProgram. This program is a mixture of travelling, hikes,Kibbutz, Army, Poland, volunteering and Torah learning.Can you offer any advice to the class of 2013?My advice is to have a balance; it’s important to make sureyou don’t solely focus on your work and studying. Exercise,eating and drinking well, and having time for yourself to dothe things you enjoy are all aspects for a successful year.I would advise the Year 12 students to make notes as they goalong to decrease their workload before exams. Another pieceof advice I would give is to always consult your teachers – theyare very helpful, committed and will happily give up their timeto help you. I also recommend doing past papers as they areusually set in the same format every year and will help enrichyour answers. And lastly, while the HSC is work-rich, it is stillone year in your life, so make sure you enjoy it!Joshua BermanHow did you manage your studyleading up to the HSC?After the HSC trials, leading up to theHSC I set out a timetable that outlinedany upcoming assessments and thesubjects that I would be studying orrevising each day. I found that by workingconsistently and revising between theHSC Trials and the HSC, I was able to minimise the amountof work and stress during the study vacation. Planning andallocating times to which I would study ensured that I stayedon track and completed all the necessary work that I had setout to achieve on any given day.In my study plan I ensured that I assigned ‘me time’, inaddition to my routine study breaks. During this time I wouldremove myself from the HSC by socialising, playing sports,going to synagogue, or by doing unrelated learning.Through managing my time I was able to maintain a healthybalance between work, friends and family that enabled meto tackle the HSC with minimal stress .What are your plans for 2013?I would love to spend time in Israel volunteering and meetingdifferent people.Can you offer any advice to the class of 2013?Year 12 is a very exciting, fun filled, challenging and rewardingyear. I recommend for every student to find a study techniqueand plan that works for them, whilst maintaining a healthyand balanced year. Lastly I urge everyone within the cohortto work together, as this will help every individual within thegrade reach their potential. I wish the class of 2013 the bestof luck for Year 12 and the HSC!

KarenMcEwenHead of EnglishWhat is your approachto HSC teaching?Teaching an HSC course thrusts you intothe role of teacher, advisor and life coach!Students need to be encouraged to keepfocused and have a plan! In all Englishcourses there is a great deal of content whichneeds to be covered and skills which needto be developed and honed. Commitment isrequired by all parties. The HSC experiencecan be summed up by the metaphorof travelling between two paths. Theassessment process is like traversing a minefield as students lurch from stressful situationto hopefully a safe place before they have tonegotiate the next task. Studying, revisingand consolidating characterises the other lessurgent and less stressful pathway, which ischaracterised by no land mines or IEDs butwhere the onus is on the individual to getout their machete and hack their own, yetsatisfying pathway. My role is to advise andmentor as students deal with the challengesof both paths.What can students expect fromstudying English for the HSC?English as a subject is challenging andengaging. It is not about regurgitation ofinformation but rather about thinking,formulating arguments and systematicallypresenting a viewpoint. Students experienceliterature from differing times and contextsand the opportunity to explore ideas aboutthe human experience which scholars havebeen grappling with for centuries!The opportunity to develop one’s owncomposing skills is another valuable aspectof this experience with students confidentlydeveloping their skills as communicators.What suggestions have you gotfor HSC students in their approach totheir studies?Preparing for the HSC is like training foran elite athletic event and students needto be prepared to embark on a rigorouscourse of training. Beginning with the endin mind, they need to effect practice in allcomponents both in the time limit of theexamination as well as the completion ofuntimed tasks. Take advantage of yourteacher’s time and expertise. They havetravelled this road vicariously many times!RyanGillSociety & CultureWhat is your approachto HSC teaching?Whilst the pressures of the HSC in terms ofthe time, rigour and effort are apparent to all,I believe that dynamic and enjoyable teachingand learning styles of the previous yearsshould not be adversely affected. EmbracingMasada’s Culture of Thinking and utilisingthe latest technology, tools and techniques,adopting a collaborative, autonomous andself-motivated approach in the classroom,as well as drawing on my experiences ofteaching in a range of schools and countries,I hope to instil a love of learning in all mystudents. My approach is simple; if I share mypassion for learning with my students theywill be inspired to have the same.What can students expect fromchoosing to study Society & Culturefor the HSC?The study of how we operate as individuals,within and outside of cultures and groupsis central to the subject. Combining thedisciplines of Psychology and Sociology,this multi-faceted subject also encompassesstudies of anthropology, philosophy, socialecology as well as cultural, communicationand media studies. The major work, thePersonal Interest Project (PIP), worth 40% ofthe HSC assessment, is invaluable preparationfor a university research project and thesis,integrating a student’s personal experiencewith public knowledge.What suggestions have you gotfor HSC students in their approach totheir studies?I often hear conversations about subjects,which scale well and/or those, which willenable a student to achieve the highestATAR. I think we all agree that marks areimportant and Society and Culture hasproven to provide just that, but what isequally as critical is developing a thirstand passion for learning. Determining apersonalised learning style will also enableyour study to be more efficient and effectual.Working consistently hard throughout thePreliminary and HSC course is key, developinga reflective approach to assessments, learningfrom successes and mistakes. Employing acollegiate and cooperative approach with allpeers in the class and grade is often underutilised but is also key to unlocking maximumachievement in the HSC.ElizabethIfflandMusicWhat is your approachto HSC teaching?In HSC Music it’s all about giving individualattention and guidance. I work closelywith students to find their strengths andwe choose electives and topics that bestsuit them. If students love the material thatthey are doing, the work is enjoyable andthe good results come from that. At Masadawe have a great team of music tutorswho are on board to help the studentswhere needed.What can students expect fromchoosing to study Music for the HSC?Music is such an enjoyable and rewardingsubject for students that love music.Studying Music requires many extra hours aweek, however, it seems to provides a goodbreak from other writing based courses.Music is divided into two courses. Music 1is a broad course where students chooseelectives based on performance, compositionand musicology (discussing music). Music 2 isa more specific course that is geared towardsstudents that have received formal musictuition. Music 2 students may also chooseExtension Music for the HSC year. Music isthe perfect subject to choose if you reallyenjoy creating music.What suggestions have you gotfor HSC students in their approach totheir studies?Utilise your teachers. If my students ask,I’ll run a marathon for them (given thatthey do as many laps as I do!).However, the success really lies with you.If you are willing to really engage with thecourse and if you put the hours in, you willachieve success. Also, in the summer holidaystake the time to revise the content coveredin Term 4. Make study notes, create a videoblog of your learning, stick post it notesaround the house, get your parents toquiz you, teach a little sibling, study with afriend from another school: get involved withyour learning.

Children manipulate playdough to develop fine motor strength;they are pretending to make dinner.PRESCHOOLJessica Shelton engaged in painting a picture that sheloves about nature.In block corner children explore sea creatures and build an aquarium for them.

“Is it possible to ever not be excited on the first day of schoolwhether you are a mum, dad, student or teacher? On ‘DayOne’ we had teachers excited to be beginning the yearwith their new class, children who could not wait to be intheir new classroom and parents who I think wished theywere able to stay! Our year began with what we called‘Two Day Orientation’ – time for children and teachersto engage in thinking activities designed around the7 habits. Learning experiences were all designed toensure the students understand the expectations forthe year, feel secure and comfortable in their learningenvironment and are prepared to take a risk and tryanything in 2013! Our students explored the conceptof the leader within them and how they can makethe most of their talents and skills and grow the areasthat may need more development.JUNIOR SCHOOLOn entering the school our 7 Habits pole remindsus all that we are endeavouring to use the habitsto be the best that we can be, whether it beacademically, socially or in an area of talent orexpertise. It provides us with a visual reminder thatwe can all be leaders in our learning, the localcommunity and the world around us.2013 is an exciting year as the Junior Schoolendeavours to ensure every student canachieve to their potential. From Kindergartenthrough to Year 6, students are grouped forEnglish, Maths and Jewish Studies to ensureoptimum opportunities to learn at the pacebest suited to them. Groupings vary fromeight students to approximately 14 allowingeach student maximum access to the teacherand the confidence to seek any supportneeded. The teacher has the joy of beingable to move their group at the pace thatworks for those students, to challenge,encourage, nurture and extend whenappropriate. Each group becomes asafe learning environment for dynamiclearning, risk-taking and solid progress.Masada College Junior School is anenergetic and focussed environmentwhere everyone feels valued for whothey are and encouraged to be astrength in their group, class, schooland community!“Michelle ChaplinHead of Junior SchoolTop to Bottom (L–R): Parent LaurenRyder with daughter Mikaela in her firstday of Kindergarten; Students createdtheir own 7 Habits trees on their firstday back at school as part of their2013 goal setting; The 7 Habits polegrabs your attention as you enterthe Junior School and is a strongsymbol of the direction studentsare travelling; Small learninggroups allow optimum learningopportunities in the Junior School.

At the start of 2013 Senior Schoolstudents engaged in a ‘Ruach’ sessionwith Rabbi Evan Widmonte wherestudents are exposed to the differentopportunities to experience Judaismat Masada.SENIOR SCHOOLYEAR 12 FORMAL ‘12The Class of 2012 celebrated theirFormal at Taronga Zoo ConventionCentre in November.Top Row (L–R): Brett Gamaroff &Tiffany Hurwitz; Tarryn Fox & JoshuaBurman; Deborah Karpel & Justin Klein;Tali Weinberg, Gina Abramowitz, LauriTeperson and Nicole Abramowitz.Second Row (L–R): Haydee Katz &Dale Slater; Justin Klein & Joshua Tooch;Stephanie Zwi & Farran Gordon; RaphaelBen-Menashe, Yael Neumann, StephanieCemal and Lauri Teperson.Third Row (L–R): Deborah Karpel &Justin Klein; Demi Kanowitz & JoshuaGoldin; Ricky Zinn & Nicola Shear.Bottom Row (L–R): Samuel Saltoon &Stephanie Zwi; Farran Gordon, RobynKatz & Tarryn Fox; Jasmine Bernard &Jaron Miller.

NEWS BITES IN PROFILE010203040501 Masada’s band performed at theannual Battle of the Bands competitionat St Josephs’ College, Hunters Hilllate last year. The band comprised ofMikhayla Trope, Lauren Coppel, DanielLowy, Joel Port, Asher Katz andMax Jacobs. Masada competed against15 other bands from schools aroundSydney. Mikhayla Trope won BestSinger and Masada won Best OriginalSong, written by Mikhayla and MaxJacobs. Pictured (L-R): Mikhayla Tropeand Lauren Coppel.02 2012 School Captain Samuel Saltoonwas awarded a Certificate of theOrder of Australia at an awardceremony at Government House.The prestigious award has beenreceived by Masada students for fiveconsecutive years for their commitmentto their community.03 Kim Gamaroff received an awardfor song writing from the AustralianSongwriters Association. Kim camefourth in the Youth Category for heroriginal song called ‘High Life’ out ofover 3,000 entrants from across thecountry.04 Getting into the spirit of Unity incommUnity, a group of mumsvolunteered to support the FoodTechnology students in makingand baking over 1,000 delicioushamantashen.Their delicious wares were enjoyedby the children and staff from 3 yearold Preschool to the Senior School incelebration of the festival Purim.Pictured (L-R): Helene Shofer,Galit Kessel, Ilana Hotz, Ruth-AnneCohn-Hedges and Lisa Burman.05 Masada has launched an eBooklending library in the Senior School inour newly refurbished Learning Centre.We are proudly the first of any JewishDay school in Sydney to offer thislibrary option. Students can ‘borrow’ebooks for two weeks, after whichthe publication is deleted from theirreading device. No more late fees!+ Shir Dekel was nominated for Encore, ashowcase concert put on by the Boardof Studies. Shir’s HSC program wasnominated out of thousands in NSWas being exemplary.Kyron Israelsohn has become a force to be reckoned with in theswimming pool. He is in the top two swimmers nationally in his agegroup, currently holding the title of fastest 50m freestyle swimmerin the country for his age with a sub-24 seconds time. Having woncountless gold medals since 2008, he is now the record holder innumerous strokes at Maccabiah, school and club swimming events.He has been selected for the Australian national age team, having competedat Nationals in Canberra, Brisbane and Adelaide. He is part of the NSWstate squad as well as a member of the NSW state development squad.Kyron is a speed merchant, competing at the highest level in Breaststrokeand Butterfly, but his favourite stroke is definitely Freestyle, where he excels inthe high profile sprint events over 50m and 100m.Juggling an arduous and focused training regime with school is nomean feat... Kyron swims an average of 9 sessions a week while stillachieving excellent results academically. He is a tribute to setting goalsand going after them with a dogged determination.As for the future, Kyron’s immediate goal is to compete at the MaccabiahGames representing Australia in July this year. He then has his sights firmly seton the next Olympic Games; a dream which is seemingly well within his reach.