Dear Community,

Last Friday, I indulged in one of my most favourite annual traditions. I attended the Prep orientation session and then immediately dashed to the Year 12 orientation. This is one of the great blessings of my job – to be involved in guiding our students, regardless of age and stage, through their school journeys.

The Preps were a delightful picture. Serious faces, swimming in over-sized uniforms, lugging school bags that they could practically live in. There were far more smiles than tears, and even those were predominantly amongst the parents who seem less equipped to cope with separation than their children!

And the Year 12s – their uniforms seem to have an inverse issue, but their nervous energy is palpable too. They are also excited and emotional at the prospect of starting their final year at our school.

I told the Year 12s that I had just come from the Preps and explained that while everyone was telling the 12s that they were up for the biggest yea

King David's biggest ever Senior School Swimming Gala took place at Harold Holt Swim Centre on Thursday and the atmosphere was fantastic. The pool was busy with students participating in individual and team events. The day began with the student team narrowly defeating the staff relay team. At lunch time Galil was leading on the scoreboard with Kinneret close by. The lunch time dance off saw Arava jump to the lead as they were electric on the dance floor but their performance dancing could not be matched in the pool as they finished the day in 3rd place. Negev could not match their athletics day performance and came in 4th place and before the relays began it was a competition between Galil and Kinneret. Kinneret were named the 2020 Swim Champions as they dominated the relays in many age groups. A wonderful day was had by all students and staff.

Launch Week, a school initiative for Years 6 to 8 students has been an exciting way to begin the 2020 school year. Students participated all week in tailored programs, aimed at fostering a connection to the core King David values and to inspire our students to be their best both academically and socially as the school year commences.

Launch Week was jam packed for our Year 6 cohort and it started with a scavenger hunt to assist in familiarising themselves with the the Senior campus. On Tuesday, they worked with Craftpower to build miniature billy carts, which encouraged team building and they learnt about cyber safety with project Rock IT. Two real highlights were kabbalat Shabbat with the Jewish life team and their first Senior School Swimming Carnival. We are so excited to welcome this cohort to our campus community.

Year 7s focussed on fostering new friendship connections as 27 new students joined the Year 7 cohort. Planned activities required students to work in a range of

We are thrilled that Amira Susskind, Year 12, has been selected to perform her work from 2019 in the Top Class Theatre Studies program as part of the VCE Season of Excellence 2020. Date: Monday 16 & Tuesday 17 March, The Playhouse, Arts Centre. Mazal Tov Amira!

Students spent four days last week on a VCE camp at Point Lonsdale to consolidate learning so far for their Physical Education (PE) studies. During the camp, the students had multiple study blocks looking at skill acquisition, different types of coaching practice and socio-cultural factors influencing participation in sport.

The students combined the theory classes with 5 x 2 hour surfing sessions with explicit practice on the types of coaching and the methods of learning. Each practical session saw the students progress from laying down on the board catching smaller waves to some students starting the catch the green face and glide across the wave, looking like a proper surfer.

Through the camp the students also were involved in the cooking and cleaning up necessary to have a variety of nutritious meals needed for the amount of energy that the students expended in the surf.

Our Prep students had their first day of School on Friday 31 January before Term 1 officially started. They were extremely eager to experience their new classrooms and teachers and seemed more than happy to wave goodbye to adoring families for a few hours! Have a great year of learning!

I attended an inspiring Biology Professional Development (PD) at Gene Technology Access Centre (GTAC) on Friday 31 January. Every presentation, activity and video was cutting edge and incredibly important to ensure my knowledge is passed down to my Biology students. This facility has to be one of the most professional and passionate places to visit. Various groups of KDS students will be travelling to GTAC over the course of the year. Programs include SIRE (Science Immersion Research Experience), “Art and Microscopy’ and :Insights into Medical research Open Day”.

The Early Learning Centre at the Dandenong Road campus welcomed children from 18 months of age who started in Pre Kinder and the Junior and Senior Kinder children; all who have spent time settling in to their new environments and enjoying great learning opportunities with our team of dedicated educators.

We know you will be creating memories this year to last a lifetime!

It was all systems go for our Year 12 students last Friday. While younger students slept, no doubt clinging to the last few lazy mornings of holidays, the Year 12s were up and ready for a special introductory program for their big year ahead. A few were a little sleepy, it must be said, but by the midday BBQ, the energy and excitement in the room was obvious. The School runs the orientation program every year for the Year 12 students to set the tone for the year ahead, and equip them with essential skills in studying effectively and developing a positive mindset.

This year students participated in a study skills workshop with Elevate Education; heard from inspirational guest speaker Darren Pereira; and explored mindfulness and exercise with KDS staff. It also afforded them a chance to meet with their teachers, get their lockers organised and feel like they were hitting the ground running in their first week. From what could be seen throughout the day, the KDS community can expect a

Yesh made me think about… ‘My connection to Judaism’, ‘My Connection to Israel’, ‘My life and the paths I could take’.

What I liked best was… ‘Experiencing such a complex country with so many friends’, ‘Getting closer with the year level’, ‘The food!’.

There are just some of the student comments voiced at the end of Yesh 2019-2020, the School’s four-week Israel trip for Year 10 students. Over their time in Israel, the 36 students, accompanied by four teachers, two Israeli madrichim and tour guide Dr Tuvia Book, travelled the length and breadth of the country. From ascending Masada and walking back centuries with every step and hiking in the dark to a lookout where we could view the sun rise over four countries (Israel, Egypt, Jordan & Saudi Arabia), to coastal areas, the mystical town of Safed and, of course, Jerusalem, the group could experience much of the land’s natural and historical diversity.

The program also invited students to experien

Join in the celebration of Purim at Temple Beth Israel. Monday 9 March at 76 Alma Rd, St Kilda. See attached for more detail.

Please join us on Monday 16 March for a Prep and Beyond Parent Information Session. You will hear from our principal Marc Light and a selection of our educators to hear about The King David School's approach to: • School readiness • Educational Philosophy • Junior School program • New Education spaces

Friends of The King David School Association invites grandparents and friends to a get together to specially welcome new grandparents to the School. Guest speaker, Russell Kaplan, Vice Principal - Teaching and Learning will share examples of current Neuroscience developments that help us better understand our brains and why we as humans, do the things we do. Venue: Senior School, 517 Orrong Rd, Armadale, Wednesday 18 March at 7.30pm.

If you know any students currently in Year 6 at ANY school, encourage them to attend our Experience Day and get a taste of life and learning at King David. Friday 28 February, 8:35am–3:40pm, 517 Orrong Road, Armadale. Bookings essential. Please contact the Admissions Department, on 03 9527 0102 or register: www.kds.vic.edu.au/experience-day

Thank you to our generous supporters of our "virtual" King's Carnival. Please click on the following LINK: www.kds.vic.edu.au/our-community/parents-friends-association/kings-carnival-2020/raffle-winners for a list of the raffle winners.