Finding Strength in Community
In the wake of the October 7th massacre and recent rise in antisemitic acts, we've seen a significant increase in Jewish families enrolling their children at Masada College. This trend speaks volumes about the value that the Jewish community places on safety, connection, and shared identity. Parents are seeking a nurturing environment where their children can experience a strong sense of belonging and the support of like-minded peers.

At Masada College, we understand the importance of spiritual connection, especially during times of feeling ostracized. We create opportunities for students to explore their heritage and build a strong sense of self within a supportive environment.

Learning that Ignites Curiosity
A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of observing Mr Baker's Year 9/10 Philosophy Elective class. The intellectual depth and critical thinking skills on display were truly impressive. Providing opportunities for students to delve into complex philosophical ideas is, in my experience, a unique point of difference for Masada College as a school. The class I observed was grappling with the following thought-provoking question:

Imagine a machine that breaks you down atom-by-atom, copies all of that information, and transmits it to Mars at the speed of light. Once that information gets to Mars, another machine uses it to recreate you, atom-by-atom using copies of the same organic stuff that you were composed of here on Earth. The person who wakes up on Mars has all the same memories and personality as you did – and that person thinks it’s you.

1) Is this space travel? Did you travel to Mars?

2) Is this transported person really you? Or was a new being created that just happens to correspond to you, atom by atom, thought by thought?

The students engaged in a lively discussion, exploring profound questions about identity, teleportation, and the very nature of existence. This is just one example of the stimulating learning environment fostered at Masada College.

Masada College is a truly special place. We are committed to fostering intellectual growth, emotional well-being, and a strong sense of community for all our students.

As Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel stated, "Our goal should be to live life in radical amazement . . . get up in the morning and look around at the world in a way that takes nothing for granted. Everything is phenomenal; everything is incredible; never treat life casually. To be spiritual is to be amazed.”

Mrs Raquel Charet
College Principal

A few years ago I read a letter that Silvia Tolisano, an Educational Coach and Mentor, wrote to her granddaughter’s kindergarten teacher, the week before she started school. In this letter, Silvia asks the teacher to please, don’t squish her granddaughter’s sense of wonder, her excitement of and for learning and to support her by nurturing and teaching her how to:

• learn how to learn

• become a self directed and self motivated learner

• own her learning

• become literate beyond reading and writing in text format

• communicate beyond an audience of one

• be aware of her own learning process

• make her thinking and learning visible

• actively look for learning opportunities

• recognize learning when she sees it

• capture learning to be able to share in a variety of forms

• reflect on her learning to deepen her experience

• share her learning to connect and contribute to the learning of others

• amplify learning in new ways, inconceivable just a few years back in scope, reach and impact

• be aware of and practice leadership skills that allow her to make a difference in the world

• look beyond her own zip code and look for and respect a global perspective

• ask lots of questions and practice the skills to look for answers beyond traditional media

• be information literate by being able to find, analyze, evaluate, tag, categorize, organize, curate, archive, access, remix and create information

• build herself a network FOR her own learning

• understand and observe digital citizenship and move to digital leadership

• be a producer and contributor, not just a consumer, who takes advantage of media tools and platforms to create, communicate, collaborate, connect and think critically

These dispositions that Silvia writes about are not just skills that her granddaughter will learn by rote in her first year of school, for a box to then be ticked to say that she mastered that skill. They are; however, some of the dispositions that we value at Masada College and strive to instill in our learners from the first day that come through the school gates. This is one of the many reasons why we are committed to creating a culture of thinking for all of our learners from Masada Cottage, through the Junior School and into the Senior School. It is this learning that we hope will support and empower our students on their life-long learning journey, long after they graduate from the College.

We are often asked, how can we support this thinking and learning at home. Ron Ritchhart, from Harvard Project Zero, highlights 9 Apps for Parents as a guide. Through using this shared language at school and at home, we are continuing to build a community of learners where cultures of thinking is at the core of what we do.

Mrs Carla Gagliano
Head of Learning & Teaching YK-6

Double the Joy: Celebrating Adar at Our School
As we welcome the two Adars this month, we're embracing the tradition of 'Mishenichnas Adar marbin b'simchah, when Adar comes we increase in our joy’ by doubling our joy here at Masada. From Crazy Hat and Socks Day across the school to the lively dances and refreshing ice blocks in the junior school, there's been lots of reasons to celebrate!

Building Community Connections
Beyond our school gates, we're strengthening our ties to the community through meaningful initiatives. In alignment with our Jewish life vision of fostering communal and global responsibility, we're spreading Purim joy by packing mishloach manot for BJE students in local public schools across the North shore. Additionally, we've launched a school wide food drive to collect non-perishable items for Pesach, benefitting organisations like Jewish House and the COA and spreading the holiday joy to the elderly and disadvantaged in our community.

Standing in Solidarity: Supporting the EveryOneCounts Initiative
Masada College is proud to stand in solidarity with the EveryOneCounts initiative by participating in their yellow-themed campaign. Yellow, symbolising hope and solidarity, serves as a beacon of support for hostages worldwide. To show our commitment, students, teachers, and parents can purchase a yellow string to wear, and on Thursday, March 28th, our SRC will be hosting a special yellow-themed lunchtime activity. Please G-d our prayers will be answered for the safe return of all of the hostages to their families and we will be able to celebrate their release by then.

Shterny Dadon
College Head of Jewish Life ELC-Y12

The Green Room children have been very engaged in their painting this year. This inspired us to create a collaborative painting to display within our classroom. Collaborative art projects bring children together to create something beautiful by combining their unique ideas and designs. There are many benefits that come from working together as a team; communication skills, listening skills, self-confidence, peer relationships and a strong sense of belonging.

We started by filling in our canvas with some lovely neutral colours. During a class discussion the children decided our artwork should have flowers, so the teachers drew on the outlines of 3 flowers and the children chose some lighter colours to fill these in. Our last step was to add the finishing touches. Some traced around the outsides of the flowers again and others added stripes around the edge. Once it was all dry we added a frame and hung it right at the entrance to the classroom.

By working together on this special project, we hope the children all felt like a part of the team. Without each of their individual choices of colour, brush stroke and mark making we would not have been able to create such a beautiful and special masterpiece.

On Thursday the 21st of March the Junior school will be celebrating Harmony Day. Please send your child to school dressed in orange. The children will make and swap friendship bracelets and enjoy their lunch outdoors together.

Our SRC will be using this wonderful analogy.

WE ARE LIKE THE INGREDIENTS OF A CAKE...

• Each ingredient is different.
• Each ingredient is important.
• Together these ingredients make something truly delicious.
• If one ingredient is left out, the cake will not taste the same.

Congratulations to the exceptional individuals who have been recognised as recipients of the Week 6 Merit Awards!

Everyone Digs Dog Man!

Year 1 and 2 were lucky enough to travel to Glen Street Theatre to see their favourite book,

Dog Man by Dav Pilkey, reinvented as a bright and colourful musical. The kids were lapping up the jokes, bopping along to the songs and cheering on their crime- fighting hero, Dog Man.

On Monday the 11th of March, 15 students went to Warringah Aquatic Centre in Frenchs Forest to compete at the ASSISA Swimming Carnival. Years 3-6 Masada students competed in various tricky events such as the 100m freestyle, the 50m butterfly and the freestyle 4x 50m relays. Some students came in the top 3 in their heats which was exciting for the Masada staff and students to witness on the day. All students tried their best and many students beat their school carnival times. The sportsmanship shown by all students really showed true Masada spirit!

Felix & Simon had a very successful day representing ASSISA at the CIS Basketball trials on Friday the 8th of March. Simon made the top 16 students at the trial and Felix managed to make the Combined Independent Schools (CIS) team consisting of the top 10 players. Congratulations to both boys on this fantastic achievement!

Monday was an exciting day with everyone coming in their crazy socks to celebrate Rosh Chodesh Adar II, the anticipation is building for our big Purim celebrations this Friday, 22nd March. We are looking forward to seeing all our students dress up choices for our movie character themed day.