Heritage | May 2023

To Hold With Care

Perth College is honoured to be situated on the ancestral lands of the Whadjuk Noongar people.

We acknowledge First Australians as the Traditional Owners of the Lands we stand on and pay respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders past, present and future, for they hold the memories, the traditions, the cultures and the hopes of Australian’s First Peoples.

Cover Image: Principal Helen Aguiar with Year 2 students

Inside Cover Image: Kindy students on the mood meter mat.

Heritage Editor: Christina Douglas

Contact: Christina.Douglas@pc.wa.edu.au

Seek to Understand

Our theme, 'Koodadjinong (koo-dor-djinong) Seek to Understand', reflects the desire of our Perth College community to be curious, with minds open to informed realisations that support our growth as individuals and as a whole.

Our desire to understand builds on last year’s 120-year celebrations, where we focused on Story, story telling and sharing the vision and astonishing achievements of our Founders, the Sisters of the Church.

Koodadjinong, seeking to understand, underlines our educational philosophy - equal weight for wellbeing, innovation and learning and teaching. As we support and encourage our staff to cross pollinate and collaborate, we are giving our students the very best environment in which to cultivate their spiritual, physical and intellectual attributes to Set Them Free from any

constraint that might limit them. We want to set our students free, confident in their ability to solve problems, to embrace good physical health as well as a healthy mindset. It puts them in a position of strength to live generously and make a positive contribution to the world around them.

Our students are continuing to benefit from our flagship programs: InsideOut for wellness and resilience; our innovation framework sparc, the long-term healthy activity and athletic Sports Development and Performance Program and our service-learning program. Each offers incredible opportunities for our students to build on their strengths, develop self-governance and awareness, be brave, not perfect, live generously and establish a positive relationship with physical activity. We’ve had such a fabulous start to 2023. We’ve visited Wagin, celebrated the fine artists in our community, put on an unforgettable performance of

Les Misérables and celebrated our 2022 Trailblazers at a special assembly. Our Class of 2022 notched up a substantial collective achievement, with 84 per cent of them tackling ATAR courses (compared with just over a third of the cohort in WA overall) and 87 per cent of our ATAR students achieving entry to a university of their choice. Our 2022 median ATAR was a very respectable 87.20, and we are extremely proud of the fact that we not only refused to restrict our students’ choices, but that we are true to the vision of the founding sisters, encouraging our students to attempt the subjects that match their interests and aspirations.

We had 50 students complete VET Certificate II or higher, our students completed 1583 hours of community service and were awarded 41 Duke of Edinburgh International Awards. We want to congratulate also our joint duxes, Taylor Racey and Isha Sing Goraya, who achieved an ATAR ranking of 99.5.

We’re excited to share updates about the progress of our Junior School redevelopment on our website.

We continue to equip our students to tackle life beyond school, pursuing innovation in every aspect of our schooling, to setting them free to thrive beyond the school gates.

Helen Aguiar PRINCIPAL

Our Sports Development and Performance Program supports students with elite athletic ambitions but fundamentally it is designed to cultivate a life-long positive relationship with physical activity and the health and wellness benefits that come from participation and a community building. This starts from the early years and we’ve forged partnerships with many local clubs to ensure longevity of this association beyond the school gates.

“Learning about Aboriginal history and culture can help promote reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians by fostering greater understanding and respect. By auditing teaching programs we can look for ways to incorporate diverse perspectives into the curriculum that can create a more inclusive learning environment.”

Perth College Reconciliation Action Plan Initiatives

This year, Perth College is focused on ‘Koodadjinong – Seek to Understand'. It is therefore timely that for the first staff professional learning week there was a focus on how best to implement a culturally responsive pedagogy. An approach to recognise and value cultural diversity and incorporate cultural knowledge into teaching with a particular focus on First Nations peoples.

RAP Action: Ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures are incorporated in curriculum planning, development and evaluation processes.

In an effort to improve education for all students, Senior School staff have taken on a new challenge - professional development on the audit process of curriculum programming documents. The aim of this is to increase the teaching of Aboriginal history and culture. The initiative which was rolled out in Term One, is designed to ensure that Aboriginal perspectives and experiences are accurately and respectfully incorporated into the curriculum. With a greater emphasis on educating students about Indigenous cultures, history, and contributions, Perth College hopes to foster greater understanding and reconciliation among the Perth College community.

The professional development sessions led by Karol Guglielmana, the Aboriginal Student Coordinator, focused on the importance of the audit and the its process.

Action: Provide opportunities for students and children to extend their knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

In addition to the professional development sessions, the Innovation team has commenced decolonising library resources. The purpose is to diversify and expand their collections to include First Nations perspectives. A team of staff have been busy assessing the current collections to identify areas where improvements can be made, by decolonising resource, it promotes a more accurate, comprehensive understanding of our country’s history and culture. This can help to combat biases and stereotypes, promote cultural understanding and respect, and with the purchase of newer resources, provides greater access to knowledge and information for the students.

RAP Action: Support teachers to embed the Australian Curriculum

‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures’ crosscurriculum priority.

Term One also saw the launch of the First Nations Resource SPACE page accessible to teaching staff. The collection provides a range of resources and materials to support teachers in the teaching of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures including curriculum documents, teaching and learning resources, and professional learning opportunities.

Welcome

The Perth College theme of ‘Koodadjinong – Seek to Understand’ has been embraced wholeheartedly by the Junior School. It has been particularly poignant that the 2023 theme also acknowledges the First Nations people. Our School proudly stands on Whadjuk Noongar Boodjar and we recognise that learning and the sharing of stories has taken place for thousands of years and will continue for many years to come. A smoking ceremony to welcome the new School year and launch the theme to the Junior School students was conducted by Brett Collard, a Whadjuk/Balladonia Noongar Marman.

In the spirit of ‘Koodadjinong’, we have sought to further embrace ‘Inquiry Learning, as an approach which places the learner at the centre of the learning process, encouraging active exploration of a concept, idea or question. It promotes curiosity and wonder, whereby not only knowledge and understandings are developed, but also the dispositions of learning. The Junior School staff have engaged in professional learning with Kath Murdoch, who is

widely respected for her expertise in Inquiry Based pedagogy.

Inquiry learning places value on the importance of being uncertain and the desire to seek meaning though investigation that is deeply personal. The role of the teacher is to guide and work alongside students, responding to their needs, posing questions, challenging ideas and listening carefully in order to add to and further enhance the experience. “Inquiry learning is anchored in curiosity and our innate desire to make sense of the world around us. When we ask questions, wonder about something, and use our heads and hearts to investigate both what fascinates and confuses us, we are engaged in an inquiry.” (Colyer et al.2018)

This is one such way that we are meeting our vision on the journey to ‘Set them Free.’ It is a true delight to be involved in such important and exciting work.

Katie Petchell DIRECTOR OF JUNIOR SCHOOL

Cultural Immersion in the Early Years

Pre-Kindergarten

Kaya! In Pre-Kindergarten, we have been exploring the culture of the Whadjuk Noongar people – the Traditional Owners of this land. Kiya (doll featured on ABC Kids) has been visiting our classroom to teach us the Noongar words for frog, eel, kangaroo, water, and trees. These words have come from the dreaming story, ‘Tiddalick the frog’ by Robert Roennfeldt, that we are currently researching as part of our class inquiry on frogs. Through storytelling we have been forming our own sounds of characters and events, with some of the classroom favourites: gulping, kyooya, laughter and animal sounds. In the coming weeks, we will be working together to share ideas as we begin to use man-made and natural materials to craft Tiddalick, his waterhole, and the eel.

We seek to grow, to learn, to be brave, to take risks, to connect, to be curious, to create, to think deeply, to question and to understand and rejoice in our differences

Leadership in Year 6

Leadership in the Junior School has traditionally been associated with formal notions of responsibility, whereby individuals nominate and are voted into the various positions on offer. This can be a souldestroying process that discourages those who do not attain a role.

In 2023, there has been a very clear message to the Year 6 students. They are all leaders, with or without a platform, title or badge. Throughout the course of the year, all Year 6 students will have an opportunity to represent Perth College as agents for change and advocates for student voice.

As part of this approach, the entire Year 6 cohort attended the ‘Dream and Lead Conference’ at the Perth Convention Centre in March. This was an exciting and engaging day with high energy speakers and inspiring stories presented by the youth leadership academy of australia. A key message was the concept of leadership styles, the dictator, the peer and the supporter. In other words, leading from the front, leading from the side and leading from behind. This was a really important message, and the Year 6 students responded with much enthusiasm, taking copious notes and undoubtedly identifying with one of the leadership styles.

Kindergarten

Upon returning to school, the students provided positive feedback and felt a sense of pride as they identified that the Perth College contingent was one of the few that provided this opportunity to the entire cohort, rather than just the elected officials. The 62 crisp white, panama hats were worn proudly on the heads of 62 young leaders who will undoubtedly lead with care, courage and capability at the heart of all they undertake this year and beyond.

Lach Ormonde JUNIOR SCHOOL STUDENT LEADERSHIP COORDINATOR

In Kindergarten, we have been exploring the culture of the Whadjuk Noongar people and the different cultures within our classroom. We have been learning about the similarities and differences that connect us with our peers, teachers, and school community. We recently watched a read-aloud of the storybook ‘Colors of Us’ by Karen Katz and had a yarn about the story and main character, Lena. We went around our yarn circle and had a rich discussion about all the colours of our classroom community. The Kindy’s were excited to share the names of all the colours they could see and make personal connections. Over the next two weeks, we will be experimenting with mixing colours to create various skin tones and paint our self-portraits.

Languages

As a learning area that promotes international cultural awareness & communication, we envisage a future where students embrace diversity by learning different languages which equip them to interact fully in a 21st century society. In the Junior School at Perth College, language learning is part of the student’s educational experience. They have a choice to learn French or Chinese from PrePrimary to Year 6 in a variety of creative ways.

Our passionate and experienced language teachers have been busy teaching our students all about traditions, customs and language using interactive activities, videos, craft, dancing, singing and fun games! In our Chinese classes, students have been using jellybeans to practice their

chopstick skills, playing ‘Online Escape Room’ games for learning vocabulary and dancing the Xin Nian Tu Tu Tu song to learn about the Year of the Rabbit. In Year 4 Chinese, students have used their mini whiteboards to start writing characters based on what they have learnt about the Qi Xi Festival, which is also known as the Chinese Valentine’s Day.

Our French students have also been busy, recalling vocabulary through mix and match games, learning colours and greetings through card games, songs and dancing, and playing games to practice the question “quel jour aimes-tu?”. In Year 5 French, students are working on a presentation about themselves, creating a poster and practising how to say where they live in detail. They are working on their

language speaking skills by playing spin the bottle & passe le gâteau (passing a squishy cake round whilst asking and answering the question)

Online games such as Quizlet, Blooket and Kahoot are class favourites as the students demonstrate their knowledge of the vocabulary in a fun, interactive way in groups or individually. The winners love the language stickers they earn!

Learning a language other than English has never been more important. Our goal is to help our students to develop empathy and more understanding for diversity, as well as awareness of the connection between the peoples and their land.

Vive les langues vivantes! 语言万岁!

Out of School Hours Care at Perth College

Perth College Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) offers a secure, engaging and inviting environment for children to spend their time outside of regular school hours. Our OSHC program is led by a qualified Early Childhood Teacher with the support of several experienced educators, ensuring consistently high-quality care that families can rely on. Common indoor activities at OSHC include arts and crafts, sensory play, science experiments, and dramatic play experiences. Children are also provided with the

choice to play outdoors such as team games, obstacle course and nature exploration.

Before School Care supports each child to begin the morning feeling calm and well prepared for the school day ahead. Breakfast such as cereals and toasts are provided to enable students to start the day alert and energised. Children are offered a choice of planned and spontaneous activities to keep them occupied until school begins.

Junior School Redevelopment

The new Junior School Redevelopment is an exciting and important project that will support both current and future student needs.

• The building was designed in consultation with staff, students and families with the following principles in mind:

• Making the learning process visible and encouraging innovation, including taking risks, making mistakes and learning from them.

• Using space, technology and pedagogy to inspire creativity, courage, invention and innovation.

• Providing agile and flexible spaces, nurturing diversity through collaboration and individuality and empowering students as learners.

• Promoting indoor and outdoor connections, with natural light and fresh air to allow for greater activation, movement and engagement.

• Embodying joy in learning and creating a sense of fun.

The new building will have three levels, each providing an agile learning environment, with a clearly defined function and purpose.

During After School Care, students take part in recreational activities based on their interests in a safe and enjoyable atmosphere. Children’s ideas are regularly incorporated into our OSHC curriculum via weekly ‘Mini Meetings.’ Children are supported to carry out and extend on their activity ideas by our educators, creating a homelike environment while encouraging independence and confidence. Afternoon tea is provided and homework assistance is also offered. Our OSHC staff can also escort children to and from cocurricular activities, including dance and swimming.

Our Vacation Care service offers a vibrant and energetic recreational program during the school holidays for children to participate in. Children feel comfortable, secure and, most importantly, have fun as they participate in a variety of indoor and outdoor activities that foster their creativity, curiosity, and wellbeing. Children have ample opportunities to meet new friends and participate in a diverse range of age-appropriate incursions and excursions.

We are so excited to share the updates of this new project throughout 2023. To find out more information or to see the digital flythrough video, head to the Perth College website.

Introduction from our Senior School Directors:

Learning and Teaching

Learning and teaching priorities are the key elements that guide the design, delivery, and assessment of educational programs. These priorities reflect the values, goals, and objectives of Perth College, and they determine the strategies that teachers and students use to achieve their learning goals.

Effective learning and teaching priorities are essential for promoting student success, engagement, and motivation. They enable teachers to create learning environments that are relevant, challenging, and inclusive, and provide students with opportunities to develop the knowledge, skills, and competencies they need to succeed in their academic and personal lives.

Some of the key learning and teaching priorities at Perth College include the development of critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills, the integration of technology and innovation into teaching practices, the promotion of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and the use of evidence-based practices to improve student outcomes. By prioritising these elements, educators can help students to become lifelong learners who are equipped with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in a rapidly changing world.

Wellbeing in Senior School

Wellbeing at Perth College is founded on the fundamental belief that our students embrace the knowledge, skills, values and attributes to empower them to be capable, courageous and caring in all aspects of their lives. We strive to equip our students with positive mental health strategies that build resilience and recognise that a student’s wellbeing encompasses their physical, emotional, social, and cognitive health which are essential in allowing them to learn and reach their full potential.

There is growing recognition of the importance of student wellbeing in academic success and overall development. As educators, it is our responsibility to prioritize student wellbeing and create a culture that prioritises prevention, early intervention, and holistic support for

all students. Using an evidence-based, proactive approach, we include a wide range of practices to allow our students to flourish; allowing them to experience positive emotions, engage in their learning, accomplish their goals, enjoy good relationships, and have a sense of meaning.

Although there is no simple pathway to flourishing, the scientific research and practice in this field continues to advance and evolve. We strive to embed student wellbeing in all that we do and will continue to encourage our students to find their passion, be challenged to be their best, develop a strong sense of purpose and be supported academically, mentally and emotionally.

Lucy Sabatini

DIRECTOR OF WELLBEING (YEAR 7 TO 12)

“They enable teachers to create learning environments that are relevant, challenging, and inclusive, and provide students with opportunities to develop the knowledge, skills, and competencies they need to succeed in their academic and personal lives.”

Gary Racey DIRECTOR OF LEARNING AND TEACHING

“As educators, it is our responsibility to prioritize student wellbeing and create a culture that prioritises prevention, early intervention, and holistic support for all students.”

Year 7 Camp

Our Year 7s spent four days down at Nanga Bush Camp in Week 6 of Term One. Some of their reflections included:

We loved the Inside Out activity on character strengths. It helped us build friendships in Kaya and gave us time to chat to better understand each other - Kaya 7.1

We loved the camp out! It was so beautiful to be out in the bush and we enjoyed playing all the games and cooking a delicious dinner - Kaya 7.3

Our favourite part of camp was the rock climbing. We encouraged each other and used our character strengths of bravery and teamworkKaya 7.2

Our favourite part of camp was the InsideOut activity making friendship bracelets based on our character strengths, because it was calm and we got to chat with each other - Kaya 7.4

Our favourite part of camp was canoeing because even though the water was low and we had to carry our canoes over the rocks, we got to work together as a team and we felt adventurous and got to swim at the end! – Kaya 7.5

Unique but United Vision

The official’s vision for 2023 is ‘Unique but United’. Not only is it a catchy phrase but this vision encompasses the unity we hope to achieve in the Perth College, and wider, community by celebrating and embracing individuals strengths and uniqueness. The vision for the student officials is surrounded around, not only embracing what makes us unique as a person but drawing together our support for one another in the Perth College community and other aspects that make us alike to one another. It is extremely crucial that we hear your voice as students from Years 7 to 12 and important for us to get to know everyone. Already the Student Leadership Council have been implementing this vision into our actions; congratulating the Junior School officials and their peers, founding a network between the student leaders from fellow IGSSA and PSA schools, addressing various achievements within assemblies and more to come.

Healthy Relationships

On Friday 24 February student officials from both Perth College and Hale School gathered on the PC oval to participate in some friendly volleyball and discuss topics for the healthy relationships forum on the Tuesday 28 February. Topics ranged from ‘dating in high school’ to ‘relationships over social media’ and were discussed by all members from

the PC and Hale Year 12 cohorts. It was interesting to hear opinions and views from the Hale students that we otherwise wouldn’t have been able to talk about. We believe it is extremely important to have such conversations to break the stigma around these topics and allow for healthier relationships between students moving forward.

International Women’s Day Breakfast

On Wednesday 8 March, the Student Leadership Council students were invited to an International Women’s Day breakfast at St Hilda’s with the Alliance of Girls’ Schools Australasia. All the students gathered to talk and celebrate all the inspiring women in their life over delicious pastries and fruit whilst forming meaningful connections and networks with the other students. After the discussions we all gathered into the theatre to listen to a very inspiring panel.

Students gathered to talk and celebrate all the inspiring women in their life

Unique but United : From the Boarding Captain

This year the focus of the boarding leadership team includes belonging, mental health and bridging the gap between the day school and the boarding house. Already we have brought back house points to encourage competition and a sense of community, allowing boarders to display their unique skills and traits. We are also creating a wellbeing room - a safe space you can’t be interrupted where boarders respect that you need some time to yourself.

Improving mental wellbeing is crucial. We can’t be a united front at Perth College if we don’t first look after our unique needs.

We also feel

We have lots of plans already underway for Boarder’s Week and initiatives we want to continue after to maintain this connection.

it’s really important that the day students and staff are aware of what it’s like in the boarding house, relating to our leadership officials’ theme, ‘Unique but United’, sharing our stories and being able to create stronger connections through this.

From the Boarding House

A residential lifestyle involves providing much more than just residence for the students. At Perth College with its beautiful campus, a marvellous backdrop is provided in which our boarders can thrive.

One of the most significant benefits of boarding life is the training received that enables them to live in a community. The students quickly learn with the help of the staff that they need to be mindful of others and work as a team to create an atmosphere of companionship and cooperation within the houses.

Unlike our day students, the boarders day is only half over at the sound of the school siren. At Perth College, boarder's have access to the educational, sporting, and music facilities for a longer length of time. This includes the swimming pool, gymnasium, library, tennis courts and performing arts venues. Every weekend, activities are organised and planned to suit all tastes, interests and age groups. Ice skating, movie nights, picnics, surfing lessons and social activities with other boarding schools provide much needed time for enjoyment and relaxation at the end of a busy school week. The recreation program is supplemented by theme night dinners which take place once a term.

Car Wash – Fundraiser

The boarder's had their annual car wash on Saturday 18 March, raising $1,615.00 towards the Beyond Blue charity. Beyond Blue is a mental health charity that provides support programs to address mental wellbeing. It was such a fun event which allowed the boarders to further build their connections with each other and to meet new people from

the community. It was rewarding to add some excitement to someone’s usually busy day with plenty of smiles to go around.

On Monday 29 May, the students will be presenting a cheque to Beyond Blue.

Alana BOARDING CAPTAIN

Most importantly the educational opportunities the School offers provides a positive option for all boarding families. The academic side of boarding sees the students benefiting from staff supervising Prep in Excelsior House as well as tutors who support their individual needs.

The Perth College Boarding environment provides a haven for boarders to thrive whether it is socially, emotionally or academically whilst providing a rich environment for learning. It is truly a special way of living.

Jill Miller HEAD OF BOARDING

Club and Community Sport Program

Our Club and Community Sport program has been immensely popular again this year. With the support of our drivers, students are transported on Tuesday to Thursday to a range of locations to undertake their weeknight training commitments for hockey, soccer, basketball and more. A recent Q & A was held with parents to seek feedback and review programs to ensure the service runs as efficiently as possible.

Sally Crawford BOARDING ADMINISTRATOR

Monday Nights

Our Monday night program involves students attending Boarders’ Chapel or another valuable bonding activity. Term One has been fruitful, with guest speaker Jasmin Stewart, a competitive inter-boarding-house volleyball competition and a dress up themed quiz night! Formal dinner following these activities is a wonderful way to bring the whole boarding cohort together, particularly on mix-up-Mondays!

Tal Ashby ASSISTANT HEAD OF BOARDING

Year 12 Leaders Dinner

Born from a vision by our Year 12 Student Leadership Team, Perth College hosted around 60 Year 12 student leaders from all of the boarding schools around Perth. The night involved an inspirational guest speaker, a BBQ dinner, dessert and conversation. This was followed by a workshop where groups of students from all schools across WA (PC, PLC, Santa, St Mary’s, Penrhos, Hale, Scotch, Wesley, Aquinas, Mazenod, Guildford, St Brigid's) got together to discuss how things are run in their boarding houses and what the experience of being a student leader has been like. The students got along so well that they have planned some future multi-school activities to do together!

Tal Ashby

ASSISTANT HEAD OF BOARDING

Boarding Activities

It has been activities aplenty in 2023, as the easing of restrictions has allowed us to fully engage in all of the wonderful events that Perth has to offer. Our students have had the chance to play mini golf, engage in a series of surfing lessons, hit golf balls at the driving range, attend sculptures by the sea, jump around at Bounce and go ice-skating, just to name a few!

Senior School Musical Les Misérables

A Heart Full of Pride for our Senior School Musical students

“It

I was anticipating something amazing, but Les Mis blew past all expectations. What an extraordinary show. – parent of PC

Our Senior students this year really did blow us away! The 2023 Senior School musical, Les Misérables, was not just unforgettable, it was showstopping! The cast were phenomenal, the crew was amazing and the orchestra outstanding! We could not be prouder of all the students and staff who worked tirelessly to put together such a performance. Our hearts are indeed full of pride seeing the skill, talent and commitment every person involved had for this beloved musical and in the effort to bring it to life on the Judith Cottier Theatre stage. We are all so proud of what you have achieved, and congratulations again!

was outstanding, professional and hard to believe that most of the cast and crew were students. It was just brilliant, so thank you for the sheer pleasure of being there.”

The cast of students were exceptional. Their performance through the different scenes again was exceptional and exceeded my expectations of a school concert.

PERTH COLLEGE PRESENTS

“The standard of singing and acting, particularly the soloists, was of a very very high quality. The final scene brought tears to my eyes!”

Karnan

Karnan (Speak Truly) was a stunning Arts Collective performance that invited the audiences to experience a unique promenade performance travelling through the grounds and historic buildings of Perth College. The audience were persuaded by diligently mechanised Djitti Djitti puppets to speak their own truth about 'What sets you free?' in the Chapel before the journey commenced.

Led by swooping black cockatoo puppets, the audience experienced storytelling from various exquisitely lit locations; the branches of the jacaranda tree, the steps of the ES courtyard, the balcony of the Big Quad and under the cherry blossom trees. In these sites, the Karnarn ensemble actors shared their truth through

monologue performances, authentic and heart felt storytelling shaped by the Karnarn project artist in residence, actor, playwright and director of Tempest Theatre, Susie Conte.

At interval the audience enjoyed beautiful catering under the stars in the Chapel Quad, whilst immersed in the portraiture of the Year 10 Media students who explored truth telling through portraiture of those significant to them.

Throughout rehearsal the students worked with several performance artists, as a part of the PALS project, including First Nations historians, actors, dancers, musicians and composers. The performance elements and thematic intent of the Karnarn Arts Collective feature in a stunning mural painted by Year 11 students and designed by Kerise Delcoure. This mural is proudly displayed on the wall outside the library.

From The Arts Captains

As part of the music community since Year 8 when I first came to Perth College, the Senior School students were always the people that I looked up to. Looking at their amazing performances on stage, I wished I could be one of them. Throughout the years, the Arts Captains always work so hard towards the goal of getting more and more involvement in related activities. As the Music Captain of 2023, I will be aiming for the same. It is always hard to experience something for the first time, feeling supported outside of their comfort zone is very important for both music and non-music students. I’ll always be there to encourage them to have a go at things and I wish I can be the person they all can come to.

Cindy MUSIC CAPTAIN

Throughout my time at Perth College, the performing arts opportunities have been truly like no other, making me feel so proud to be a part of this legacy. My goal is to not only expand opportunities in dance for students, but to help them to feel special and proud of their contribution to performance. Experienced or not, I hope to help inspire anyone interested in pursuing or being involved in performing as a future. I think it’s important to shine a light on people who look towards the performing arts as a realistic profession. By encouraging and supporting my peers to help them strive towards that goal, I hope that’s the impact I can leave as the 2023 Dance Captain at PC.

Lia

DANCE CAPTAIN

Since starting at Perth College in Year 7, I have looked up to and admired the Arts Captains. As a group, I believe the 2023 Arts Captains will leave a huge impact on the arts community as a whole and our respective portfolios. Being elected as Drama Captain has allowed me to deepen my commitment to the dramatic arts and allow others at Perth College to emerge themselves into one of the best art portfolios. This year, I wish to create inclusive and exciting drama opportunities for every student attending Perth College and show the school how important the arts and drama are.

Matilda

DRAMA CAPTAIN

The West Australian Pulse 2023

Perth College is delighted to announce that two Year 12 ATAR Visual Art students from 2022 have received the greatest honour of being selected to showcase their Practical Exam work at the 2023 West Australian Pulse Exhibition. The Art Gallery of WA’s annual display of visual art from select Year 12 graduates provides a genuine opportunity for challenging, honest, enthusiastic, and hopeful young voices to reflect the narratives of themselves and concerns of our world.

Parker Harris explored personal themes of the formation of identity celebrating differences and diversity whilst Georgia Letts explored the concept of fantasy through a juxtaposition with the mundaneness of everyday life. Each student explored new and innovative processes to new materials and techniques, and their work showcased dynamic new approaches in laser cutting, lighting, painting and wearable art.

Their teacher Ms Good was incredibly proud of her students who had achieved such an honour through the exploration of such authentic and personal issues.

The works ‘They are me, I am them’, by Parker Harris and ‘Imaginary’, by Georgia Letts will be on show at the Art Gallery of Western Australia from 28 April to 13 August.

To view the online catalogue of this exhibition scan the QR code.

Art Committee 2022 Recipient

The Art Committee wishes to formally acknowledge the recipient of its 2022 Award. Ella S who showed outstanding potential in the area of Visual Arts through her artwork ‘Suffocation’, a juxtaposition of portraits completed with oil paint and embroidery which explores the decline of mental health over time. The Art Committee expressed how Ella demonstrated passion, commitment, and

accomplishment in the field of Visual Arts in Year 11 and actively sought new artistic skills to open and diversify their art practice. Her artwork was displayed at the 2022 St Georges Exhibition last year receiving high praise.

Ella, when told of the award was shocked, honoured and immensely happy.

‘Art is my favourite subject and passion. It was amazing to be rewarded for something that I enjoy doing so much and after putting in so many hours towards it’.

2022 Year 7 to 10 Music Camp ‘Stormbird’ – Celebrating 120 Years of Music at Perth College

The Music Department celebrated 120 years of Music at Perth College in 2022 by launching their album entitled Stormbird. The music staff and students had a wonderful time recording performances throughout the year which included students from Year 3 to Year 12 and are so proud of the finished product. The album features many of the Perth College choirs and vocal ensembles, string orchestras, concert bands and jazz bands performing diverse styles of music. The Stormbird album is available for purchase online via the Perth College webpage, and the physical CD in the accounts department

Stormbird

Celebrating120Years of MusicatPerthCollege

Over 80 Year 7 to Year 10 musicians spent the first weekend of Term Four singing, playing, clapping, and laughing at the annual Music camp in Hilarys. The students enjoyed learning several new music works to be performed after only three days of rehearsals, and showed incredible skill and focus in their preparations. Highlights of the camp included learning a full camp percussion medley, eating almost hourly, a quiz night dance battle and strengthening friendships with a community of musicians across the year groups. The weekend concluded with staff, students and families enjoying a ‘Friends of Music’ sausage sizzle followed by a Camp Concert in the Judith Cottier Theatre.

Jane Artelaris HEAD OF MUSIC

Speech & Drama Success in 2022

2022 saw Perth College take out all the major awards in the Senior Speech & Drama events held throughout the year.

The annual North of Perth Festival heats were held in September 2022 with Klara K and Hannah M being awarded the Duologue prize for their hilarious performance of a scene from Little Women. Sarah P won the monologue event with her heart-wrenching portrayal of Juliet, from Romeo & Juliet with Klara K and Jasmine B winning their Prose events. Last but certainly not least, Jasmine B went on to the Winners’ Concert and was awarded the Ramsey McLean Trophy for Most Outstanding Speech & Drama item.

Later in the year, during the Senior Perth Speech & Drama Festival our Year 12s made their mark! Jasmine B and Cara F won the Senior Duologue event, and Jasmine B was also awarded the highly coveted Goddard-Lawrence trophy for most outstanding Senior Poetry item. The students were lucky enough to have two highly experienced adjudicators from whom they received written feedback and certificates at each Festival. Former WAAPA lecturer and actor, Julia Moody, adjudicated the North of

Perth and current WAAPA Acting lecturer and dialect coach to the stars, Jean Goodwin, adjudicated the Perth Festival. It was a thrill for students and teachers alike to have these two powerhouses of the WA acting scene on board!

Congratulations to our senior students for their outstanding achievements in 2022!

Chelsea Crowe SPEECH AND DRAMA TEACHER

SPIN Dance Auditions

SPIN is Perth College’s biannual cocurricular dance production for students in Years 7 to 12. The theme for 2023 is SPIN: Canvas. We are interested in exploring dance works that have been inspired by and not limited to art, paintings, fashion, drawing, photography, books, and sculptures. This year’s production will include a range of dance styles including Spanish, Ballet, Indian, Contemporary, and Hip Hop.

Auditions began in Term One, Week 5 where more than 80 students embodied what it means to be courageous and came to share their individual strengths and talents with us. We are so inspired to see the bravery of these students, who each selected their preferred dance style to audition in. I would like to thank our Year 12 assistants who choreographed and taught the audition material to the students. Our

incredible Year 12s who have a wealth of dance knowledge and experience, were so encouraging of all who attended the auditions. Thank you Lia S (2023 Dance Captain), Grace S, Kiera H, Sofia T and Imogen G.

Amy Fittock DANCE TEACHER

Junior Dance Collective

The Perth College Arts Department have formed a Junior Dance Collective for 2023. Years 5 and 6 students are invited to engage in extracurricular dance classes to promote excellence in the area and provided performance opportunities. We will be performing three different dance styles in three different festivals across the year. Our first performance will be a jazz piece at IPSHA where the students will perform with other independent schools at

Penrhos College. During this festival they will also engage in external performing arts workshops in their discipline of dance along with the other independent schools. In Term Three we will be performing a 7-minute story telling dance in the genre of contemporary for Wakakirri. We will create movement reflecting on our school theme “Koodadjinong – Seek To Understand”.

Finally we will perform a liturgical dance for St Michaels Day at St Georges Cathedral for the School community. We look forward to this new initiative, enjoying the creative process and celebrating the chance to perform for live audiences across several events.

We are so inspired to see the bravery of these students, who each selected their preferred dance style to audition in.

Junior School

Social and Emotional Learning

The InsideOut Self-Leadership Model includes the building blocks of flourishing such as Positive Emotion and Relationships. In order to promote these elements and help students embrace them in their daily lives, we teach social and emotional intelligence both explicitly and implicitly. In Pre-Kindergarten to Year 4, we have been using the Mood Meter as a tool to help students understand emotion and learn vocabulary to accurately describe emotions. The Mood Meter is a tool that helps people of all ages build self and social awareness. It helps us understand how our emotions influence our thinking and behaviour, and it empowers us to recognise and label our full range of emotions and manage them more skilfully. Our Early Years students

have been practicing labelling emotions and using emotion language to describe how they feel.

The Mood Meter shows us that there is a space for all emotions – and, that all emotions are valid and important. Even unpleasant emotions, though they may feel uncomfortable, can give us information and help us to be safe. Part of working with the Mood Meter is helping young people to develop strategies that can help them work skilfully with some of those feelings to achieve their goals. Experiencing a wide range of emotions is part of the human experience and being smart about our emotions is part of being emotionally intelligent.

Humans are social beings and being able to recognise emotion in others helps us form relationships and navigate conversations and conflicts. InsideOut teaches students to tune into the body language, mood and non-verbal cues in each other. This helps them approach friendships in a productive way and helps them build strong bonds with their peers.

Character Strengths

Our Year 5 and Year 6 students have been exploring Character Strengths. Our character strengths are the qualities that are best in us as human beings and we feel and perform at our best when we are using our strengths. Researchers have discovered that there are 24 strengths valued in almost every human culture throughout history. We now know that each one of us has our own special combination of these strengths that we choose to draw upon. When we know what our special strengths are and share them with others, all kinds of good things happen for us! We are happier, we have more energy, we learn faster, we bounce back from difficult things faster, and we are able to make good things happen at home, school, work, and in our community! Each of these 24 strengths represents a different way we can be helpful to others and contribute to a group.

happy, brave, curious.

Senior School

Mindfulness

During their camp in Dwellingup, our Year 8 students participated in a mindfulness activity called Forest Immersion. Immersing students in nature in a mindful way can help them flourish due to the therapeutic effects of being connected with the natural world. This included 10 minutes of silent meditation focusing on the senses; what can I see, hear, feel, smell? Students reported feeling calm, relaxed, and peaceful after the experience and then they used their creativity to paint a small canvas as a memoir of the forest experience.

Culture of courage

Australian Minister for Women, Bronnie Taylor, congratulated the female 2021 Australian of the Year recipients by saying they showed “remarkable bravery in breaking down barriers to drive positive change.” These are the women we need graduating our schools in the coming years, women who understand courage and what it means to be brave, and remarkable. This supports the introduction of the new InsideOut program for our Senior Students – BOLD.

At Perth College we have implemented a courage building program for our Year 11 and Year12 students called BOLD, the first of its kind in Australia. This program is underpinned by the academic research of Dr Brene Brown and allows students to explore

vulnerability, trust, empathy, and courage.

InsideOut intentionally placed the BOLD program in Year 11 and Year 12 to foster courage as research suggests that adolescent girls experience a decline in confidence and courage which is supported by our AWE survey data that showed a decline in overall wellbeing, resilience, and happiness in Year 11. By intentionally focusing on courage, we can help our students understand that there is a collection of four skill sets that are teachable, measurable, and observable

Our students are being equipped with a pathway to being the courageous leaders they want to be, the best version of themselves.

Innovation at PC:

Fostering Collaboration, Creativity and Challenging the Status Quo

At Perth College, we believe that innovation stems from a diverse and collaborative community. Our School has made great strides in breaking down traditional silos and encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration. By bringing together individuals from different areas of the School, we have fostered a magic blend of strengths, passions, discipline knowledge, contextual knowledge, experience, and ideas.

Our team meets regularly to work on understanding our culture and values,

as well as to engage in team-building activities and learning opportunities. This year, we have focused on breaking down barriers and getting to know each other beyond our respective areas of expertise. Through these efforts, we aim to build a stronger school community for the greater good.

As opportunities arise to look at things differently, we are quick to jump on them. For example, we recently hired a Head of Curiosity and Dynamic Learning, who will lead our direction in

Year 12 Innovation Captains

We are Florence and Eliza, the inaugural Innovation Captains for 2023. We have a passion for design thinking, creativity, and entrepreneurship.

the library and the introduction of Innovation Captains to allow for student representation on our team. We are proud of the strides we have made towards fostering a more innovative and collaborative community at Perth College, and we look forward to continuing to break down barriers and encourage creativity for years to come.

Andrea Holloway DIRECTOR OF INNOVATION

We want to support and guide girls who have interest in pursuing careers in fields linked to technology and innovation.

To us, innovation is about promoting risktaking, collaboration and the design-thinking process to combat current and future challenges.

As part of a sparc experience around social entrepreneurship, one group of Year 8 students decided to support Rebound WA. This organisation assists Western Australians living with physical disability to lead fuller, more active and connected lives, including provision of wheelchairs for basketball. Led by young entrepreneurs from Bloom UWA, our students designed and made products, and were responsible for sales and marketing. This group went on to contact Rebound WA, inviting

them to speak at an assembly to raise awareness amongst all students and to present their donation. As a result of the relationship now forged between the school and Rebound WA, we were able to invite them back to work with our Year 3 and 4 students as they experience what it is like to ‘Walk in Someone Else’s Shoes’ (or wheel in this case!) The (now) Year 9 students were invited back to participate and were proud to know that this was a result of their previous efforts.

This example illustrates exactly what we are trying to achieve in sparc. Students making a contribution to a cause greater than themselves, building relationships with outside partners and with others across the school, and providing a real opportunity to use attributes and skills required by all other subjects and in real life. Attributes of communication and collaboration for example, are developed through discussion and reflection with each other and with sparc mentors along the way.

As the first year of this role, we aim to establish a strong student voice on innovation, launch new design thinking workshops and adapt aspects of the school to facilitate further exploration beyond the classroom.

Universities are finally moving away from relying solely on test scores for course entry and are now placing more value on experience-based entry and interviews. This shift highlights the importance of developing skills such as creativity, agency, and mental toughness, which are considered just as important as performing well on exams.

2023 has seen the explosion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) platforms, igniting much fear in educational circles. It can, however, be viewed as an opportunity for students to flex the attributes we are hoping to develop such as critical thinking. Using a ‘Community of Inquiry’ learning strategy, students were invited to share their opinions on the question, ‘Is ChatGPT a problem or an opportunity?‘ Their insights were considered and mature, showing insight into their understanding of the ethical implications of the use of AI tools.

Superflexes continue to be a highlight of sparc and have expanded to Year 1 and 2, and include choices such as RoboCup, Fast Fashion and Super Spices, which will see students preparing and using native herbs from our gardens, bringing elements of the Reconciliation Action Plan to life. Consideration of students’ social, developmental, environmental and future needs continue to be a focus

for discussion amongst the sparc team and saw the introduction of the Future Industries Year 10 experience. Tasked with putting on their own Careers Expo, this experience was aimed at providing students with an opportunity to explore career options in expanding industries and to assist them in understanding that whether you are more inclined towards the Arts, or Sciences or Social Sciences, all industries have these roles within them.

The sparc initiative is brave. It has not been done before. It has a sound rationale and uses evidence-based pedagogies such as Inquiry, Design Thinking and Visible Thinking routines. But it is not perfect. Innovation is about continuous improvement. And in keeping with the theme of ‘Koodadjinong’ (seeking to understand), feedback from students and mentors allows us to scale up the most effective parts of experiences and either cut away, or work to improve others. Seeking parent feedback has also allowed us fresh perspective to consider and implement new ways of communicating our best hopes for our students; our aim is to strengthen this vital partnership with parents as we forge ahead.

Melanie Wallis HEAD OF SPARC

Perth College’s Head of Sport Development and Performance program, Adam Selwood, is delighted with the sporting relationship and development opportunities now available for students.

East Perth Football Club Partnership Running Club

Over the past 18 months, Perth College has been fortunate to establish a strong and positive relationship with the East Perth Football Club. This partnership has enabled the delivery of AFL programs in the School from Kindergarten through to Year 12. The recent introduction of AFL as a Term One IGSSA sport, coupled with the growing interest from our students, made it a logical step forward for the Health and Physical Education Department to establish a connection with one of Western Australia’s oldest football programs.

East Perth WAFL players have been dedicating their time to various co-curricular programs to coach Perth College students and foster their interest in the game. Furthermore, the introduction of their own senior female team into the WAFLW competition provides a complete pathway for motivated young females within the East Perth District, enabling them to access local football programs from Auskick to semi-professional opportunities.

The East Perth football Club is the primary football district for Perth College students offering a proven footballing pathway with a great tradition of success.

Perth College students have always been keen to stay fit and the recent development of the Term One and Four Running Club Program is a testament to this. Every Friday morning, Perth College students, parents, siblings (and even dogs) gather on the main oval of the school to be put through their paces by former Olympian and Perth College Old Girl Sarah Jamieson.

The running sessions cater to all ages and abilities, with the aim of connecting members of the Perth College community and promoting healthy lifestyle behaviours across different demographics. The program has been a resounding success and continues to gain popularity on a weekly basis.

During Term Four, the running sessions will also be open to members of the Perth College Old Girl Association. If you are looking to get fit just before the summer period, we look forward to seeing you at the sessions with a smile on your face. Further details will be provided closer to the date.

“To have an invested football club that understands the bigger picture of pathway development and fosters a healthy connection to the game is a real bonus for us. We are excited to connect a variety of students to local community programs, where they can continue to grow their interest and skills in the game,”

Perth College Swim Academy

Perth College Swimming has been very active over the past 12 months, undergoing a strategic restructure of its delivery and streamlining its coaching approach through the Perth College Swim Academy. Macie Bennetts, the newly appointed Perth College Swim Academy Program Manager, has been promoted to the Sports Development and Performance Program team to assist in the growth and development of swimming throughout the school.

The Perth College Swim Academy program focuses on three delivery areas, including Learn to Swim, school-based programs, and squad development opportunities. In addition to enhancing the coaching approach, the Perth College Swim Academy webpage has been updated to provide relevant information for student participation and to showcase the school’s strong commitment to the sport.

Teeing Up with Her Idol

One of our Year 11 students, Alice, had a unique opportunity to train with her sporting idol, global number 3 golfer, Mingjee Lee on Friday 10 February. As part of Perth College’s partnership with Athlete Alliance, there is an opportunity for world class athletes to train and use our gym facilities and in turn, for our students to meet and observe these athletes do what they do best.

As a talented golfer herself, Alice was not only keen to meet Mingjee but also to see what she could learn from her training session and adopt for herself. When asked about how

spending time with Mingjee and observing her training influenced her own training and sports goals, Alice said that seeing Mingjee’s work ethic and commitment to strength and conditioning was obvious, and that it was clear that as an athlete she goes that extra mile which Alice plans to emulate herself.

Mingjee is also a Perth native and seeing how far and how much she has achieved in her golfing career has given Alice inspiration for her own sporting dreams. Alice has just competed in the Australian Amateur Championship in March as well as the

“The Perth College community is extremely fortunate to have a variety of swimming options available, and we look forward to building upon our foundations to ensure that we continue to lead in this field across the state,” Bennetts said. For more information about Perth College Swim Academy opportunities, please visit the Perth College Swim Academy website page.

Australian Junior Amateur Championship in April which took place in Hobart. Later in the year, she also hopes to play some tournaments in New South Wales and Queensland. Her favourite thing about playing golf is that it gives her “the chance to travel to cool places in Australia and maybe one day the world!”

Keep an eye out for an update on where golfing may take Alice next, we are keen to watch her soar!

IGSSA Swimming Carnival

On Tuesday 7 March, our Senior School IGSSA swimmers participated in the 2023 IGSSA Swimming Carnival at HBF Stadium. With 105 swimmers from Years 7 to Year 12, our students represented Perth College with pride finishing with the best results to date! There were 81 personal bests, no substitutions, or disqualifications. Congratulations again to all the students who swam at the event, and a special thank you to the coaches and staff who have worked and supported our students in getting ready for the carnival.

JIGSSA Swimming Carnivals

The JIGSSA year group Swimming Carnivals took place in three different venues on two different days and involved all students from Years 4 to 6 with the main swimming carnival happening on Monday 27 March at HBF Stadium. Formal competitive strokes alongside novelty and fun events were part of the schedule for the day.

The atmosphere at all events was upbeat and friendly with place ribbons given to the top three finishers but no other points or results recorded or announced. Perth College students applied themselves well and demonstrated the skills they had been working hard on during Physical Education lessons. It was pleasing to see everyone supporting each other and cheering throughout the days.

I’m sure we had many students returning with a big smile, possibly a few ribbons but exhausted after a full day out. Well done to all involved, a great way to finish off swimming for the term.

House Cross Country

The Senior School students had their House Cross Country on Tuesday 21 March at the Inglewood Oval. Students across all year groups turned out in force to win points for their house as well as some students taking out the winner and runner up prizes.

Well done Bedford for taking out the House Cross Country shield for 2023!

House Rowing

Friday 17 March saw our first rowing event of 2023 with the House Rowing Regatta. House spirit was out in full force as Year 9 to 12 rowers competed in coxed quads and eights over 500m. The weather was less than ideal, with the wind causing havoc on the start line but it didn’t dampen the spirits of our rowers, in fact, the scores were so close, that it came down to the last race of the day to determine our winning house.

THE FINAL RESULTS WERE:

1ST PLACE Barron

2ND PLACE Bedford

JOINT 3RD PLACE

Campion & Lawley

Well done Barron!

Questions leading to understanding

As I reflect on our School theme for this year, 'Koodadjinong: Seek to Understand' , I am reminded of a central tenet of St Anselm of Canterbury (c1033-1109) Fides quarens intellectum – Faith Seeking Understanding. In articulating this way of living in the world, Anselm was reinforcing the notion that faith could not exist as it was, but in order to grow needed people to be curious as we reasoned through our encounters with and understanding of God.

This idea was further developed when the Anglican church took the concept of the three pillars of

scripture, reason and tradition as the basis for our way of interpreting a lived faith.

Our students follow and build on these concepts when they engage in questioning various aspects of faith as part of their spiritual development. In our Chapel services and in class rooms, I have had the privilege of hearing the many and varied questions our students have about the life of faith.

When we are curious about, ourselves, our community, our world and the sacred, we open ourselves to greater possibilities for

connection and meaning making. Our questions and curiosity form the basis for a greater depth of understanding.

The following is part of a blessing I offered our Year 12s at the beginning of the year. I offer it now to our broader community as we live our 2023 theme.

God grant you the curiosity to seek to understand yourself, your community and your environment so that you are able to contribute meaningfully to your life and the lives of those around you.

Reverend Linda Pilton CHAPLAIN

Introducing Sylvia Grevel

Sylvia Grevel has joined the Perth College community in 2023 as a student priest working six hours a week with Reverend Linda Pilton.

Sitting down with Sylvia was incredibly interesting as she has quite a fascinating backstory. Originally from Holland, Netherlands and speaking fluent Dutch, Sylvia migrated to Australia five and a half years ago where her journey into becoming a priest in the Anglican Church started. Whilst living in the Netherlands and with a Masters in Theology, Sylvia has held different positions including

being a social worker for refugee children, a researcher for a university and working with hospitals to exploring innovative ways to care for patients spiritually through art.

On to some lighter topics, Sylvia holds a big passion for the arts being an artist herself including having works displayed in exhibits. Her spare time is spent cooking, walking or spending time with her two rescue kittens named after famous artists, Frida and Georgia (Frida Kahlo and Georgia O’Keeffe).

Welcome Sylvia to the PC community!

PC Sundowner

The annual Friends of PC Sundowner was held on the eve of the new school year, Sunday 29 January. It was wonderful to see our returning and new parents come down to the Chapel Quad for an evening of learning, connection and being part of the Perth College community. This sundowner was also where we introduced the first smoking ceremony of the year to align with the 2023 theme ‘Koodadjinong – Seek to Understand’. The smoking ceremony was conducted by Brett Collard, a Whadjuck/ Balladonia Nyungar Marman.

Christmas Carols 2022

The Perth College Community Christmas Carols was a wonderful celebration of the festive season. Junior and Senior school choirs, jazz bands and string ensembles performed Christmas carols to the delight of friends and family. A highlight for many was the fun song and dance Music Staff item!

Presentation Night 2022

Last Day of 2022 for Year 12

Moortung Breakfast

2023 Year 11 Dinner Dance

2023 Year 12 Ball

We don’t worry if they are ready for the world.

We worry if the world is ready for them.