Week 2 has seen the start of Carmel School being pioneers as the first school in Australia to adopt an exciting new Hebrew program in Years 1 and 2. Niflaot (Wonders) focuses on students speaking from an early stage of their learning. This aligns closely with the results of our recent survey, in which parents expressed the wish for their children to learn Hebrew in a modern and dynamic way. Speaking a language other than English is beneficial in so many ways and we can’t wait to watch the progress that these children will make. We are exceptionally grateful to the generous donors who enabled the purchase of a set of iPads to accompany the program, providing access to well-designed online resources which supplement the shiny, new Niflaot books.

Students have been settling in to their classes and getting on with their learning; teachers have been meeting parents and setting out plans for the year ahead. The Year 12 WACE information meeting with Mr Shadgett was a great summary of what will be necessary this year and provided helpful information for both students and parents, as did the Year 10 subject selection evening. It was great to receive interest regarding the Year 10 meeting from students now in Year 9, wanting to plan ahead! I also enjoyed speaking briefly to the Primary School parents who attended their meet-the-teacher evenings during what turned out to be one of the first cool periods of the year.

At the end of the week, I was lucky enough to be able to take two Year 9 Science classes on an afternoon’s mini excursion to the bushland opposite the School, to spot and identify some of the native animals and plants as well as considering the abiotic factors which affect the organisms living there. We looked at cockatoo beak marks on gum nuts to work out which species had been feeding on the seeds and admired the prolific flowers on the marri trees. My only regret was that it was such a quick bushwalk, as I could have happily spent the whole afternoon appreciating the plants and animals with the students. Skinks, ants, wattlebirds as well as a dragonfly racing past were highlights for me, alongside practising the pronunciation of ‘sclerophyll’. It felt appropriate, enjoying the trees during Tu BiShvat.

I hope that you have the opportunity to get out into nature this weekend and appreciate the trees that form such an important part of our landscape and such a vital habitat for other living things.

Shabbat shalom.

Dr Julie Harris

Principal