Fortnightly

NewsletterWeeks 8 - 9 Term 1 2018

Save the Dates

Wednesday 20 FebruaryYear 8-12 ISD Basketball (Selected students)

Friday 22 FebruaryYear 12 English Excursion - HSC Workshop at Sydney University.

Wednesday 6 MarchParent Information Session

Friday 29 MarchAmal Kassir Lecture/ Q&AA SENSE OF BELONGING - MUSLIM IDENTITY

Weeks 1 - 3 Term 1 2019

Spiritual MessageIn the name of Allah Most Gracious Most Merciful

The youth of the cave - a group of young boys who fled persecution for simply being Muslim, find refuge in a cave and sleep for over 300 years. A clear miracle from Allah established in Surah al-Kahf. I’d like to draw your attention to Ayah 17 of this noble Surah that describes how the rays of the sun would incline away from the cave every sunrise and sunset, even though they were in an open area in direct sunlight. Another clear miracle from Allah that served as protection for them. Do you know what this is teaching us? That when young people turn to

Allah, Allah is willing to change the laws of the universe for them!The laws of nature submitted to them, why? Because they submitted to Allah. Just like;- Ibrahim (as) submitted to Allah, the fire submitted before him.- Musa (as) submitted to Allah, the water submitted before him.- Ismail (as) submitted to Allah, the knife submitted before him.Teaching us, when we fully submit to Allah, just wait for amazing things to unfold. Sometimes, we are in a rut or going through the motions day in and day out, just waiting for miracles to happen. They won’t. Perhaps Allah is waiting for us first.May Allah strengthen our emaan and allow us to turn back to Allah before we return to Allah.Mouhammad El BizryIslamic Studies

Message from CEOAssalamu Alaikum

Welcome to our first fortnightly newsletter for 2019.I hope everyone had a safe, relaxing and enjoyable holiday. To existing families welcome back and to our new families, welcome to the Unity Grammar family.I am very pleased to formally welcome two new Executive staff to Unity Grammar.

Mahnaz Ali has joined us as Business and Finance Manager. Mahnaz has previously worked in Islamic Schools such as Green Valley and Al Sadiq and brings with her a wealth of experience. Mahnaz will be overseeing College finances, administration and operations.We also welcome Ruqqiya Dean, our new Head of Teaching and Learning. Ruqqiya has come from the elite private girls’ school, Pymble Ladies’ College. The Head of Teaching and Learning is a newly created position with the specific role of leading our teaching staff on how to deliver the best quality lessons in the classroom.Mahnaz and Ruqqiya join a very exciting Executive team, with Ola Issa (Head of Junior School K-6), Wassim Zoabi (Head of Senior School 7-12), Osman Karolia (Head of Community Engagement) and Muhamed Saeed (Business Development Manager). We have one more important Executive position to fill, Head of Islamic Studies, and we are actively searching for the best person to fill this crucial role.Our staff have been busily preparing for the year ahead and there is no doubt it will be a rewarding year for our students. This year we plan to take our College to the next level by further improving our Islamic Studies program, teaching and learning, academic performance, wellbeing programs and extracurricular activities and further enhancing our connections with our community.Our staff would like to share our plans for 2019 with parents on Wednesday 6 March. We are holding a Parent Information Session starting with refreshments and a meet and greet at 6.00pm, leading into a one-hour session at 6.30pm, delivered by our fabulous staff. This will be a great opportunity to hear first hand what’s happening at Unity Grammar. Parents who may be interested in joining our parent volunteer group will also be able to sign up on the night. I look forward to seeing you there!Aaron BoydChief Executive Officer (CEO)

Speaker: Amal Kassir, International speaker from the USA, poet, activist, Ted X presenterVenue: Unity Grammar Multipurpose Hall, 70 Fourth Avenue, AustralWhen: 6.30pm arrival for 7pm start Friday 29 MarchLecture followed by Q&AThis is a free event for families, staff and students of Unity Grammar.

Tickets are Limited. Book Now at https://amalkassir.eventbrite.com.au

As part of our Unity Institute lecture series, we are proud to invite our Unity Grammar family to an exclusive one-off presentation and Q&A with visiting International speaker, Amal Kassir.Amal Kassir is a Muslim Woman, born and raised in Denver, Colorado, to a German American Mother and a Syrian Father. She is an International spoken word poet, having performed in 10 countries and over 45 cities. She has conducted workshops, given lectures and recited her poetry in venues ranging from youth prisons to orphanages to refugee camps to universities to churches to community spaces for the public. She designed her own undergraduate degree called ‘Community Programming in Social Psychology’ and she is a major proponent in education and building individual agency in particularly underserved and vulnerable populations, especially through writing. She hopes to take part in the global effort for literacy in war-struck areas and refugee camps.

Visit Us:70 Fourth Ave, Austral NSW 2179

Web:www.unitygrammar.com.au

Call Us:1800 4 UNITY

Unity Grammar is proud to host Amal Kassir

in her lecture:

A SENSE OF BELONGING – MUSLIM IDENTITY

Fortnightly

Newsletter Weeks 8 - 9 Term 1 2018 Junior School

TEACHING AND LEARNINGAbout MeAlthough Australia has been home for me for the past 25 years, my family is originally from Pakistan; but, I grew up in Canada where I went to university and started my working life. My early Sales and Marketing career in Toronto became untenable once I had my two children. So, eighteen years ago, I retrained as a French and Spanish teacher. For the past 14 years, I have had the challenging dual role of being the Head of the Teaching and Learning Library and being the 2IC for the Director of Teaching and Learning at Pymble Ladies’ College. I was responsible for leading and supporting teachers to implement the College’s vision for continuous Teaching and Learning improvement. Recently, I have started a PhD in Education, investigating how self-regulation strategies might help students to succeed in and beyond school.

Teaching and Learning at Unity GrammarEducational research suggests that the biggest influence on student outcomes is quality teaching and learning. All teachers, no matter how experienced, have the capacity to improve. My role at Unity Grammar is new and will focus on building on the great work that our teachers are already doing and enabling them to design and create learning experiences for our students which are student-centred, which are research-based, and which prepare our learners for jobs and careers not yet imagined. This focus on continuously developing our teachers will translate into rich and diverse learning experiences for our students, which not only improve acquisition of knowledge, but also focus on developing the skills and dispositions which are future-focussed, and which allow our learners to successfully inhabit the 21st Century.

How will we get there: Cultures of ThinkingGoing Forward, Unity Grammar has chosen Cultures of Thinking (COT) principles to guide and underpin our teaching and learning. Developed out of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, COT is a research-based approach to learning which focusses more on helping students to think and understand rather than to rote-learn. The outcome of a COT approach to learning is students who are part of a community of learners, who own their learning, and who have the necessary skills and agency to succeed at schooling with the help and support of our caring teachers. Current educational research highlights the importance of teacher collaboration for student academic achievement. To that end, we are in the process of creating professional learning communities for our teachers, where they have opportunities to share best practice, seek feedback from colleagues and reflect on and action next steps. To enable rich, diverse and consistently great learning experiences for our students which reflect our values and mission, I will also be working on a Quality Teaching and Learning framework, which will help our teachers to plan for and embed high impact and best-practice strategies in our teaching practice. The Quality Teaching and Learning Framework will be a live document which will reflect current educational research and practice within our local context.

Unity Grammar Showcase on Teaching and LearningIn my two weeks at Unity Grammar, I have had the privilege of observing some excellent teaching and learning. Mr Khan’s Year 8 Mathematics classroom is vibrant and inviting, full of positive and encouraging affirmations about Maths being fun for everyone. Students (both boys and girls) are engaged with Mathematics problems, running through practice questions before the low-stakes topic test, which will eventuate shortly. Students work collaboratively and help each other to solve the assigned questions. The classroom discussion which follows, highlights and models the thinking process required to solve the quadratic equations. As students successfully solve problems or correct their thinking, they feel empowered in their ability to succeed at the upcoming test.Reading: Negativity is Like Second-Hand Smoke. Help yourself and young people breathe “yes” into lifeYoung people often struggle with self-esteem and negativity issues. In this short article about the power of “yes”, we are given practical strategies for helping our children to avoid negativity and develop positive thinking habits. This positive mindset translates into young brains which are less stressed and more receptive to learning.Ruqqiya Dean Head of Teaching and Learning

Weeks 1 - 3 Term 1 2019

Fortnightly

Newsletter Weeks 8 - 9 Term 1 2018 Junior School

Message from Junior School

Assalamu Alaykum, I want to extend to you and your family a very warm welcome to the Unity Grammar Junior School. The junior years are an especially exciting time when children embark upon new experiences in the world of learning. With a strong focus on academia and wellbeing, my team and I are committed to providing a challenging and rigorous curriculum that helps each student progress at a developmentally appropriate rate and provides a safe environment for all students. As a primary school teacher and school leader for 17 years, I have learnt that only by working together with

parents and students can we expect to succeed. The College vision of producing the finest leaders and citizens of the future is driven by our faith and the pursuit of excellence with an uncompromising commitment to quality education; this can only be achieved with your support. As the Head of Junior School, I take a keen interest in parent feedback so please do not hesitate to contact me regarding any schooling matters. I look forward to working closely with you to ensure a positive and successful academic year for our students. Ola IssaHead of Junior School

JUNIOR SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTYear 3 Girls Hijab CeremonyAt Unity Grammar, the Islamic Studies program is directly related to the students’ real life experience. Our Year 3 girls have the opportunity to wear the hijab for the first time at school. As a way of celebrating this momentous milestone and rewarding their efforts, the girls were presented with merit certificates as well as a bag full of lovely gifts for their enjoyment. We congratulate these young believers on their efforts and hope to acknowledge more milestones in the future.

Weeks 1 - 3 Term 1 2019

Fortnightly

Newsletter Weeks 8 - 9 Term 1 2018 Junior School

Kindergarten’s first day at school involved establishing rules and routines.

As part of their transition from Kindergarten, Year 1 have participated in their first Khutbah for the year.

Weeks 1 - 3 Term 1 2019

Year 2 students have been taking part in rich activities that cover areas like Technology, Writing and Creative Arts.

Fortnightly

Newsletter Weeks 8 - 9 Term 1 2018 Junior School

Year 3 have been busy tackling Numeracy topics using hands on resources and mental strategies.

Year 4 students worked in groups with hands-on resources to find missing numbers in Patterns and Algebra.

Weeks 1 - 3 Term 1 2019

Students learned about Cyber Bullying and Cyber Safety from a guest speak from Mission Australia.

Year 5 have been exploring 3D objects and working on their creative arts skills.

Year 6 participated in a webinar about Cyber Bullying.

Fortnightly

Newsletter Weeks 8 - 9 Term 1 2018 Middle SchoolWeeks 1 - 3 Term 1 2019

S

SENIOR SCHOOL HIGHLIGHT

Senior School

Year 12 Legal Studies ExcursionStudents visited the Downing Centre Courts in the city where they had Justice Zahra undertake a mock trial with them. They then observed parts of the largest drug trial in Australia’s history in the District Court before witnessing many local court cases.

Message from Senior School Assalamu Alaikum,I would like to welcome all our staff, parents and students back to 2019. I hope your children have enjoyed their first few weeks at school. This year promises to be a very enriching and rewarding year for all. Once again, we have evaluated the highlights and challenges of 2018 which has given guidance to our planning of many programs and events to help achieve the best student outcomes. I want to remind all our parents and students that Unity Grammar is a Learning Centre for growth and knowledge, skills and confidence. Whilst we are not a selective school, we take pride in setting high standards and expectations.

At Unity Grammar, we care! We care for the wellbeing of every student and our dedicated staff strive to ensure students feel relaxed, excited and confident to approach their studies in 2019.As part of our commitment to deliver distinguished educational experiences, the following have been created.1. Year 7 ‘Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)’ program to support their learning in the classroom.2. The expansion of the Gifted & Talented Program to allow students to expand on knowledge and skills in an area of their interest.3. An expansion of the K-12 Wellbeing Team to drive the Wellbeing Program that ensures a proactive approach with student related issues and parental support.4. A bolstered Sports and PE Department to increase students’ love for long life physical activities and skill development. This includes further opportunities for after school sport competitions.5. An expansion of a wider range of extracurricular activities such as Chess, Public Speaking and Debating.6. We have developed our Literacy and Numeracy strategies to ensure that all subjects engage students in this area.7. The revised Student Behaviour Management Plan with a greater emphasis on rewarding effort, conduct and achievement.8. Stage Advisors to provide care, compassion, support and mentoring to students.I am certain the above changes will prove to be pivotal to the overall success of our students as they approach their studies in 2019.I look forward to working collaboratively with you in 2019.

Wassim ZoabiHead of Senior School

Fortnightly

Newsletter Weeks 8 - 9 Term 1 2018 Middle SchoolWeeks 1 - 3 Term 1 2019

Year 7 commenced their round robin tournament in Soccer and Oztag.

Year 11 PDHPE have been developing their understanding of holistic health and strategies to maintain optimal health.

Year 12 Chemistry, Biology and Physics students have hit the ground running. Chemistry students have started experimenting, testing solubility rules and looking for precipitates while Biology students have produced models for a variety of concepts.

Senior School

Year 9 Commerce students shared their consumer experiences as part of the unit Consumer Choice.

Year 7 attended a workshop on the transition to Senior School, study skills and time and stress management.

Fortnightly

Newsletter Weeks 8 - 9 Term 1 2018 Middle School

Important Note: Complaints and Feedback ProceduresAt Unity Grammar it is important that our students feel safe and supported. If a student has a complaint about another student or a staff member, they should firstly discuss this with their Stage Advisor (Senior School) or a trusted member of staff. Based on the discussion, the staff member may advise the student to communicate their concern in writing. The staff member will make a record of the discussion and share this with the Wellbeing Coordinator. The Wellbeing Coordinator may share this with the Head of School to determine if the actions taken were appropriate and if further attention is required. A student who has been requested by a staff member, or feels they still wish to make a complaint, should express their concern in writing (such as a hand-written account or email) and submit this to their Stage Advisor or Wellbeing Coordinator.If parents have any concerns about student safety, please contact the staff member responsible for the area of concern. If parents are unsure as to who the staff member responsible is, please email Unity Grammar at admin@unitygrammar.com.au. Your email will be forwarded to the relevant staff member who will be responsible for documenting and following up on the complaint. Parents who have concerns specifically about staff should email the Head of School for teaching staff, or the Business and Finance Manager for non-teaching staff.Student or parent complaints or allegations of staff misconduct or reportable conduct about a staff member must be reported directly to the CEO. This must be reported immediately in writing, clearly detailing the issue. All complaints will be investigated within 7 working days.Our students’ wellbeing represents the core of our educational philosophy. The underlying principle is that, where possible, concerns should be addressed without the need for formal procedures. At Unity Grammar we prefer to resolve any concerns as soon as possible. The best way to achieve this is by effective and transparent communication between our staff, students and parents.

Write into EnglishWelcome to the 2019 academic year at Unity Grammar.In the English faculty, we thrive on understanding and analyzing multi-meaninged texts and sharing this in the classroom. This year is no different. The tasks our students will undergo will enable them to become journalists, authors, playwrights, poets and eloquent language learners. Topics include, but are not limited to: Appearance Vs Reality, Me, Myself and I, Poetry, Reading to Write, The Craft of Writing and Rhetoric. The vast range of texts studied enables students to explore and expand their vocabulary, develop a stronger verbal and written expression, and tackle assessments with ease. Excursions and extracurricular activities are in the process of being developed and students have the chance to join in and share their ideas to help their knowledge flourish. Currently, Year 12 will attend the ETA HSC Paper 1 Student Day this term, tackling and breaking down the paper and ways to respond to the questions. Year 7 will attend the One Path Network and explore the concepts of identity, bullying and coming-of-age and participating in workshops and Q & A’s.There’s more to look forward to in English so stay tuned!

English Faculty

Weeks 1 - 3 Term 1 2019

Cambodia Humanitarian Aid Service Learning Initiative11 days, 2 countries, 1,500 food packs to feed a family for a month , 250 stationary packs, 17 water wells, 6 toilets, 7 university scholarships ... 1 unforgettable experience! Well done to the 18 Unity Grammar students/alumni and AusRelief on an incredible effort in Malaysia and Cambodia. Much appreciation to all sponsors and the Unity Grammar community who made this trip possible. Community service and service learning are essential elements of the Unity Grammar experience so that we nurture future generations to be truly global citizens who contribute to the betterment of others locally or abroad to appreciate and value our shared humanity. We look forward to the next cohort of students making a contribution in Cambodia after the 2019 HSC.

Osman KaroliaHead of Community Engagement

Senior School

Fortnightly

Newsletter Weeks 8 - 9 Term 1 2018 Middle SchoolWeeks 1 - 3 Term 1 2019

Speaker: Amal Kassir, International speaker from the USA, poet, activist, Ted X presenterVenue: Unity Grammar Multipurpose Hall, 70 Fourth Avenue, AustralWhen: 6.30pm arrival for 7pm start Friday 29 MarchLecture followed by Q&AThis is a free event for families, staff and students of Unity Grammar.

Tickets are Limited. Book Now at https://amalkassir.eventbrite.com.au

As part of our Unity Institute lecture series, we are proud to invite our Unity Grammar family to an exclusive one-off presentation and Q&A with visiting International speaker, Amal Kassir.Amal Kassir is a Muslim Woman, born and raised in Denver, Colorado, to a German American Mother and a Syrian Father. She is an International spoken word poet, having performed in 10 countries and over 45 cities. She has conducted workshops, given lectures and recited her poetry in venues ranging from youth prisons to orphanages to refugee camps to universities to churches to community spaces for the public. She designed her own undergraduate degree called ‘Community Programming in Social Psychology’ and she is a major proponent in education and building individual agency in particularly underserved and vulnerable populations, especially through writing. She hopes to take part in the global effort for literacy in war-struck areas and refugee camps.

Visit Us:70 Fourth Ave, Austral NSW 2179

Web:www.unitygrammar.com.au

Call Us:1800 4 UNITY

Unity Grammar is proud to host Amal Kassir

in her lecture:

A SENSE OF BELONGING – MUSLIM IDENTITY