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APRIL Week 11A

Fri 12 School Liturgy (Presanctified),

8:30am, All Saints Church

PK-2 Easter Hat Parade

Term 1 concludes

TERM 2 APRIL Week 1B

Mon 29 Orthodox Easter Monday –

SCHOOL CLOSED

Tue 30 Staff Professional Development –

SCHOOL CLOSED

Wed Term 2 Commences

1 May for students

Thur 2 School Liturgy (Anzac Day),

8:30am, All Saints Church

Year 7 – 10 Parent Teacher

Conferences, 4pm-9pm

MAY Week 2A

Tue 7 Greek Orthodox National Schools

Event (NSE) in Adelaide (to Friday

10 May)

Fri 10 All Saints Parish commenced

(1964)

Sun 12 Mothers’ Day

Week 3B

Mon 14 NAPLAN Testing, Years 3, 5, 7 &

9 (to 20 May)

SWISSA Cross Country

Thurs 16 AICES Football (Boys and Girls)

Week 4A

Sat 25 Duke of Edinburgh Bronze

Practice Journey (to Sun 26)

Week 5B

Mon 27 Primary Campus Photos

Tue 28 PK (2 day) Photos

Wed 29 Secondary Campus Photos

Thur 30 PK (3 & 5 day) Photos

Fri 31 Secondary Athletics

Championships

Primary Band Camp (to Sun 2/6)

NB: Please check dates regularly as

changes may be necessary

We will be forever grateful for his strength, wisdom and guidance. He was a father, a leader and a

shepherd to us all.

Gone but never forgotten. Eternal be his memory.

His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos Harkianakis: 1935-2019

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PASSING OF HIS EMINENCE ARCHBISHOP STYLIANOS

HARKIANAKIS

The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia suffered the loss of one of

its pillars, Archbishop Stylianos Harkianakis who died at age 83.

Many of us of my generation and younger, have only ever known one

Archbishop in our lives and we will feel his absence more acutely and with a

deeper sense of sadness.

His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos was a man of strong conviction, wisdom

and determination. He showed great compassion and self-sacrifice. Above

all, he had a fundamental belief in the importance of maintaining our Greek

Orthodox faith, our Hellenic Culture, language and the importance of

education. The establishment of the Greek Orthodox day schools around

Australia are clear evidence of a man who could turn a vision into reality.

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Happy Easter!

Easter is probably the most important season in our liturgical calendar. As we prepare ourselves

to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord, we hope you have a chance to rest and enjoy the

company of your family around you. May the hope of eternal life that Christ’s resurrection brings

be forever present in your lives.

Pupil Free Day

We remind parents that Tuesday 30 April is a pupil-free day as teachers will be engaged in

professional learning on that day. Term 2 begins for all students on Wednesday 1 May. All

students must return to school wearing their winter uniform. Please consult the Student Diary to

ensure that you understand uniform expectations.

Mrs Elfa Lillis

We are about to set foot on the bridge leading from the Great Lent to the Great Week. Yet, most

of us are just as troubled, just as stressed, just as confused and just as lost as everyone else in society,

and so people look at us and say: “Christians are no different than we are, why should we become

Christian, or believe in Christ?”

The answer is that, even when we feel that we are lost, Christ comes to us, just as He came to the

tomb of Lazarus. Actually our heart is like a tomb, and deep within it is buried the core of who we

are.

Christ comes to those souls who call upon Him and He descends into the depths of their heart. He

removes the heavy stone, He opens the tomb, He resurrects us, and He leads us into His own light.

Thus, let us come closer to the Church this Great Week to become partakers of our Lord’s light.

Let us come closer to the Church this Great Week to celebrate our Lord’s Passion and

Resurrection. Let us come closer to the Church this Great Week, so that we may hear what the

Lord has to tell us.

And what the Lord has to tell us is that we have been created as His friends. We are His friends,

and we are living by the hope of listening to His words: “Now you have sorrow, but I will see you again,

and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you” (John, 16:22). This is the joy of Pascha.

Καλή Ανάσταση & Καλό Πάσχα

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The pressure of assessment and assignments, homework, and all the other activities that young

people have to juggle during the week can become somewhat daunting; and not just for them but

for parents as well. Being unable to manage all these commitments can actually have a detrimental

impact on students’ academic performance.

So how can students minimise detrimental impacts to their learning and maximise their potential to

achieve at a high standard?

Sean Covey (2014) proposes that the formula to succeed can be summarised into ‘7 Habits’. In his

book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens, Covey proposes that young people need to work towards

developing the strength of mind that is going to help them to nurture and develop their potential.

He proposes 7 habits, or attitudes, or ways of thinking that need to be turned into routine behaviour,

habits. These 7 habits are:

Habit 1: Be proactive. In other words, take charge of your life and take initiative in making it

better every day. For example, if you get a grade that you are not happy with in an assessment, be

proactive in seeking teacher feedback, be proactive in seeking the help to learn the concepts you

did not master prior to the assessment.

Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind. This requires self-evaluation. What are you good at? What

do you want to achieve for yourself? Where do you want to be in 5 years’ time? Once you work

out your goal, you can start setting the strategy that will get you there!

Habit 3: Put First Things First. In other words, learn to prioritise. Young people need to have

the will power to say ‘YES’ to the things that matter, and ‘NO’ to the things that take them away

from their pathway to achieve their goal.

Habit 4: Think Win Win. This habit is about having a positive mindset, giving things a go and having a disposition to learn, even from mistakes or difficult situations. Everything is a learning

opportunity!

Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood. Build a network of positive

relationships. Practice your listening skills. Be prepared to support others. Be mindful of the impact

you have on others.

Habit 6: Synergise. Be open to learn from other people’s experiences. Surround yourself with

people that have a positive mindset, irrespective of their social condition, listen to each other, give

feedback to one another, help each other, encourage each other!

Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw: In other words, make sure you create time for yourself, to wind

down, to relax, to maintain your physical and mental health. Read for pleasure. Exercise. Eat

healthily!

While acquiring new habits is never easy, putting in the effort to develop a positive approach to self-

improvement can have long-lasting positive effect in our lives. Why not give it a go!!

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Learning Centre and UAC The Learning Centre has been such a fantastic addition in helping senior students with their academic

needs. I feel that our students are realising the potential for help the Learning Centre can provide

to them. During recess and lunch, students have been completing assignments, homework or

studying and I have been helping students by providing feedback on their essays and assessment

tasks.

I am excited about the fantastic opportunity that our school is offering to our students. That is for our current senior student group to use the Learning Centre as their space during study periods

and gain an advantage in their overall schooling. I am excited in noticing how seriously students have

responded towards the physical change in the Learning Centre environment and the interaction

taking place every day where students are working and helping each other in such a positive way.

Regarding careers and Year 12 students, during week 10, I gave a pastoral lesson in applying to

university through UAC. Students should be receiving their University Admissions Centre (UAC)

pin number via email soon if not already. This is essential to be able to apply for university courses

through the UAC portal. The due date for university applications is the end of term 3, so students

have plenty of time to consider their options.

Students are highly encouraged to apply for their courses after consulting with me first. However,

during the study periods I would be discussing this issue with all students by the middle of term 2.

There will be a career pathway discussion with all Year 12 students regardless if they wish to enter

university, TAFE, full time work or other options.

Mr C Barra

Careers Adviser and Learning Services Facilitator

Term 1 has certainly gone by quickly. It doesn’t seem that long ago when we commenced the school

year with our Αγιασμος Service. It has been a busy term where on top of the daily learning, students

have attended School Camps, the Swimming and Athletics Championships, the Learn to Swim

Program and Swimming Squads. They have also participated in competitive sport, gone on

excursions to consolidate their classroom learning experiences, supported the Bullying No Way

campaign, and attended the 25th of March celebrations with great pride.

It is worth acknowledging that during this term we have had a great number of new students start

at All Saints Grammar across both campuses. Of course there are all our Kindergarten students

who embarked on their learning journey. They have embraced “big school” with great enthusiasm.

New surroundings, unfamiliar faces and different learning standards can make the transition to a

new school stressful for many students. Not only are they faced with unknowns, they may still feel

sad about leaving their old schools. Getting used to a new school takes time. Pastoral programs,

peer support programs and other wellbeing initiatives have ensured that the transition to All Saints

Grammar for all our new students, local and international, has been a seamless one. When student

wellbeing is addressed in a positive manner we lay the platform for students to embrace the learning

opportunities offered so that they may achieve their best academic outcomes.

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Sleep Hygiene “Sleep is an investment in the energy you need to be effective tomorrow” – Tom

Rath

A good sleep routine is one of the most overlooked strategies that assist in maintaining a high level of social

and emotional wellbeing. ‘Sleep hygiene’ is the phrase coined to describe good sleep routines and habits

(Centre of Clinical Interventions, 2018). Good sleep hygiene is directly linked to greater concentration and

memory, lower risks of heart disease and obesity, better immunity, lower levels of stress, and better mood

stabilization. Sleep problems (such as insomnia) and mental health issues are often exacerbated by years of

poor sleep habits (Better Health Channel, 2018). The good news is that with a few simple lifestyle changes,

one’s quality of sleep can be dramatically improved.

Tips to gain good ‘sleep hygiene’

1. Create a relaxing bedtime ritual

a. Reading, listening to a calming app, bath, cup of sleepy tea

b. AVOID – stimulants: sugar, coffee and exercise 2 hours before sleep

2. Regular sleep/wake schedule to create a natural rhythm of sleep

a. Go to bed at the same time 6 days a week, aim for 9 -10 hours of sleep

b. AVOID – napping and watching the clock when trying to fall asleep

3. Create an optimal sleep environment

a. Dark, quiet, cool, and comfortable space

4. Unplug!!!

a. Make the bedroom a tech free zone

b. If you use YouTube to fall asleep put the phone facedown and notifications turned

off

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DebatingASG Debating Team

On Thursday 14th March, the junior (Years 7-8) and the senior (Years 11-12) debating teams represented

All Saints Grammar at the second round of the HICES debating competition, held at Emmanuel School. The

junior team remain undefeated with a strong win over St Spyridon and the senior team fought through a

difficult topic against Moriah College. I would like to congratulate the following students for their

participation and excellent efforts in representing All Saints Grammar.

Junior team:

Speaker 1: Georgia Nouris

Speaker 2: Sam Ladikos

Speaker 3: Mariana Vasilou

Speaker 4: Danny Venizelou

Senior Team:

Chairperson: Ross Daliardos

Timekeeper: Mariana Vasilou

Speaker 1: Maxwell Reissis

Speaker 2: Stavroula Soulios

Speaker 3: Elessa Stivaktas

Speaker 4: Haralambos Magdas

ASG Mock Trial Team

On Wednesday 20th March, the All Saints Grammar Mock Trial team experienced their first Mock Trial

held at All Saints Grammar, against Cherrybrook Technology High School. The ASG students were the

prosecuting team and had a difficult case against a well experienced defending side. The following students

are to be congratulated on their time and dedication towards preparing and executing such a monumental

task.

Barrister 1: Demi Karounis

Solicitor: Evangelia Tetoros

Barrister 2: Mia Crnogorac

Magistrates Clerk: Billie Stefanou

Witness 1: Zoe-Vasilia Fountotos

Witness 2: Victoria Kyriakides

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IPSHA Performing Arts Festival All Saints Grammar will be participating at the 2019 IPSHA Performing Arts Festival. This is a significant

event held at the Sydney Town Hall and every student in Years 5 & 6, the Primary Choir and selected

instrumentalists from the Concert Band will be participating.

Please save the date - THURSDAY 22 AUGUST 2019. Further information regarding ticketing, rehearsals

and logistics will be available soon.

Mr B Carroll

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