Insights

“If these students represent the future, then we have nothing to worry about.” These were Head of Junior School David Opat’s closing words at the recent Year 3 Term 2 assembly. The theme for the assembly was inclusivity and the students shared with us how they had been studying this topic this term. They had […]

I would like to share with you the content of my speech at this morning’s KDSPA Breakfast: Hinei matov u’manayim shevet achim gam yachad. How good and pleasant it is to be able to sit together again! It is a great honour to speak with you today and especially to be at our first KDSPA

When I was studying education, I recall a particular lecturer sharing the statement that in education “we assess what we value and we value what we assess”. Assessment is a crucial aspect of the education cycle. When performed in a considered manner it can be used to guide teaching direction, to test for understanding and

This coming weekend we will celebrate Shavuot, the festival of weeks. The significance of this festival has changed over time. It was initially a pilgrimage festival which saw Jews travel to Jerusalem with their harvest. Over time, it has become known as Chag Matan Torah – the festival of the giving of the Torah. During

“Gather ’round people, I’ll tell you a story. An eight year long story of power and pride…” This is the beginning to Kev Carmody and Paul Kelly’s immortal anthem “From Little Things Big Things Grow” which tells the story of First Nations leader Vincent Lingiari’s fight for land rights for the Gurindji people of Kalkarindji

Last week students across the School participated in our annual NAPLAN testing. I have previously used this column to discuss the merits and detriments of NAPLAN and explained how we utilise NAPLAN data as one of many indicators of student and cohort progress. The utilisation of data-based evidence to inform changes in teaching is a

Earlier this term our Year 9 Nitzan students were enormously privileged to be able to meet with a panel of individuals involved in the world of politics in order to expand their understanding of the political process and to launch their deep investigation of social justice issues and involvement in changemaking. The panel was attended

This week, the entrance to the Senior School was transformed into a Tel Aviv nightclub, a Mediterranean beach setting and a downtown Israeli shuk. Meanwhile, the Junior School explored meaningful Israeli inventions and unique icons, was buoyed with communal singing and the incredible Year 4 Israeli flag parade – not once, but twice – as

The start of Term 2 is replete with a series of moving commemorative assemblies in which we reflect on grief, tragedy and hope for a better future. These themes came through strongly in this week’s ANZAC Day and Yom HaShoah assemblies and will be again emphasised in our Yom HaZikaron Tekes next week. Our ANZAC

Dear Community, Our tradition has a unique take on the notion of the past. When Eliezer Ben Yehuda – known for reviving the Hebrew language – penned the first Hebrew dictionary, he found no Hebrew word for “history”. As such, those that modernised the language adapted the English word and settled on “historia”. How is