Lion's Roar 1 March 2019

lion’s roar Educating successful women of tomorrow in a Christian Environment

TERM 1 • 1 MARCH 2019 • VOLUME 316

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FROM THE PRINCIPAL Mrs Nicola Taylor Principal This weekend PLC Armidale is delighted to be hosting the Term One AHISA NSW Branch Meeting. AHISA or Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia is a professional network for Principals. It provides a forum for the exchange of professional learning, as well as an advocacy voice to government at both the State and Federal level to ensure that parents’ right to choose a school for their children remains.

The prerogative for parent choice in education is something often derided by the media portraying Independent Schools as elite sandstone establishments occupying sprawling expanses of some of the most prestigious real estate in capital cities throughout Australia. However, this is far from reality with 41% of Independent Schools in NSW located outside of the metropolitan area and 13 such schools located in the New England North West alone.

The other misrepresentation is that all Independent Schools are large schools according to student population, however according to the most recent statistics for NSW more than half of all Independent Schools being the same size as PLC Armidale or smaller. By far the majority of Independent Schools in NSW are K-12 or Pre-K to 12 schools such as ours.

Independent Schools are currently ranked by a measure of financial capacity known as SES (socio-economic status) which in turn contributes to determining the level of Federal Government Funding each school is entitled to. In this an election year, it is most likely that funding to Independent Schools and the formula used to determine funding will be much debated.

Perhaps one of the greatest myths promulgated is the public vs private schools debate. However, all schools in NSW are public schools. Funding for all schools comes from taxpayer dollars, with parents in Independent Schools not only paying taxes, often substantial but also paying for their right to choose a school for their child.

It will be our privilege this weekend to host the AHISA NSW Branch meeting, with some 70 Principals in attendance. It will be an opportunity to showcase local produce, local venues such as NERAM where the formal dinner will take place and local community partners such as NECOM. Most importantly it is an opportunity to showcase PLC Armidale and the significant role it plays as the only all-girls Independent Schools in the region.

UPCOMING EVENTS MARCH 2019 EVENT

DATE

CATTLE TEAM TO INVERELL SHOW

01/03 - 02/03/19

AISHA REGIONAL MEETING

03/03 - 04/03/19

IPSHA SWIMMING

04/03 - 05/03/19

BOARDERS’ CHAPEL

04/03/19

PLC JUNIOR REP NETBALL TEAM TRIALS

05/03/19

YEARS 9 & 10 ELECTIVE MUSIC DAY

06/03/19

YEARS 9 & 10 UNE HIGHLANDS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING CHALLENGE

06/03/19

CIVIC WELCOME FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

06/03/19

PLC ARMIDALE HOCKEY REP TEAM SELECTIONS

06/03/19

NSW STATE EQUESTRIAN INTER SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIPS

06/03/19

PLC ARMIDALE HOCKEY REP TEAM SELECTIONS

07/03 - 12/03/19

ARMIDALE REGIONAL COUNCIL’S INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY EVENT

07/03/19

PLC ARMIDALE OPEN REP NETBALL TEAM TRIALS

07/03/19

HSC MUSIC DAYS

07/03 - 08/03/19

ARMIDALE SHOW

08/03 - 09/03/19

BOARDERS’ MID TERM BREAK

08/03 - 11/03/19

QUOTA CLUB INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY BREAKFAST

08/03/19

BOARDERS’ CHAPEL

11/03/19

K TO YEAR 12 IN-HOUSE CONCERT

13/03/19

CAMPUS TO CITY CANTER

16/03/19

NEW ENGLAND (AUTUMN) FESTIVAL PARADE

16/03/19

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PLC ARMIDALE NEWS Mrs Shona Eichorn Director of Development Community Open Day We hope you enjoyed our first Community Open Day. From the fabulous music, food, activities, presentation, and market stalls, it was a lovely relaxed celebration of all things PLC Armidale and the wider community.

As with any event, we know there are elements which worked well and others which need improvement. We hope you appreciate that this event was pulled together with minimal preparation time and we are especially grateful to all those who contributed to the success of this concept.

You should have received a survey earlier this week which provided you with the opportunity to offer feedback. Please also consider how you could assist in the future.

Scholarship Exam & Parent Presentations The morning after our Community Open Day, there was quite a number of girls from near and far who travelled to PLC Armidale to sit the annual Scholarship exam, as many were interested in attaining Scholarships for 2020 in: Academic, Music, Creative Arts, and Future Leaders. The results of these exams and offering of Scholarships, realistically won’t be known nor announced until the end of this term. Girls are still able to apply for Boarding and All Rounder Scholarships as these are available all year round.

The day was also informative for parents, both of current and prospective students, as we invited two local psychologists to speak in a Parent Presentation.

Penny Kempton, spoke about “Girls in a Social Media World” and Pedro Sousa presented on “Surviving Adolescents”! We sincerely thank Penny and Pedro for their expertise and time.

Compliments, Concerns & Complaints Should you wish to provide feedback on any matter throughout the year, there is a simple, effective way for you to communicate that. Under the Current Families tab on our website www.plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au is a Compliments, Concerns & Complaints page, where you are able to lodge your feedback.

Like Us. Follow Us Lots of things happen daily, in fact, hourly around PLC Armidale and we do try our very best to keep up with everything that’s going on. Please remember to LIKE and Follow Us on the various social media channels. Should you have information you would like shared please send to: development@plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au

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SENIOR SCHOOL Mrs Anna Caldwell Head of Senior School We are now half way through the term and everyone is incredibly busy. Over the next few weeks we have a number of excursions, assessments, IGSSA Swimming, Tildesley Tennis, Music days, Winter sport trials, and preparations for our Outdoor Ed Camp Week in Week 10.

On top of all of this, girls are studying hard, playing their summer sports, are coaching younger teams, are performing in In house concerts and have been away to Sawtell with the Armidale Youth Orchestra, participated in a Centre of Development Hockey Squad training weekend, walked as part of the ‘Relay for Life’ PLC Armidale Team and some of our girls have part time jobs as well!

With all this busyness, please remember how important it is to eat well, sleep well and maintain a balance with all our commitments.

Mobile Phones Dr Michael Carr-Gregg, a youth mental health expert has called for a ban on children under the age of 12 using social media. France has recently banned the use of mobile phones in all schools during the day. An increasing number of schools in the UK and US are banning the use of mobile phones at school and in Australia this is a topic of hot debate, with Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham recently saying that smartphones should be locked away during school hours because they were a distraction and platform for cyber bullying. Many schools in Australia are now banning the use of mobile phones during the day at school too.

Why? Well the results show strong links to the negative impacts of mobile phones and social media usage. Much research is being conducted into the impact of mobile phones and social media on all age ranges, but particularly school aged children. The results are alarming, but not really surprising.

Social media has been linked to an increase in youth mental health issues.

The use of smartphones and mobile technology - including Ipads and laptops has been linked to an increase in cyberbullying, diminished attention span, ability to retain information and overall academic performance.The use of smart devices in younger children has been linked to developmental delays.

LET’S DANCE

Jean Twenge, Professor of Psychology at San Diego State University, is one of many University Professors who is conducting research in this area and she has found that depression and anxiety in teens spikes when they get a smartphone.

PLC ARMIDALE DANCE ENSEMBLE PLC Armidale is looking at starting up a Dance Ensemble for the Senior School! We will meet during lunchtimes in the week. Dance experience preferred, but not essential. If you are interested in coming along, please come to Room 1 on Wednesday, Lunch 2 to register your interest. If you have any queries or questions, please do not hesitate to email me at jwysel@plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au

“ The arrival of the smartphone has radically changed every aspect of teenagers’ lives; from the nature of their social interactions to their mental health.” “ There is compelling evidence that the devices we’ve placed in young people’s hands are having profound effects on their lives - and making them seriously unhappy.”

Principals Australia Institute (PAI) CEO, Paul Geyer, said today’s children live in a “constantly connected culture” thanks to smartphones and social media.

We will commence classes in a couple of weeks. I look forward to seeing many of you at Wednesday lunch!!

“This can lead us to compare ourselves to others to a sometimes obsessive degree, and also means it’s difficult to truly escape unhealthy interactions that could previously be left at the school gate,” Geyer told The Educator.

However, the news is not all negative. There are many positive effects of banning the use of phones at school, which include improved relationships and improved social skills, and an increase in student achievement, productivity and performance at school.

Mobile Phones at PLC Armidale We have had mobile phone use guidelines and expectations at PLC Armidale for many years now, where the girls are allowed to bring their phone to school but are asked to have them switched off during the day, unless they are asked and instructed to use them for educational purposes by their teacher for a specific purpose. This is clearly stated in the Student Handbook and also the Student Diaries.

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SENIOR SCHOOL

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Mrs Anna Caldwell Head of Senior School Mobile phones are to be switched off from 8.30am until 3.30pm. Any student who is found to be using her mobile phone during the day will receive a demerit and will have their phones confiscated for the remainder of that day. Repeat offenders will be given a detention and will also have their phones confiscated for a longer period of time.

Girls are to either leave their phones in their locked locker during the day or keep it in their pocket and place it in the box on the teachers desk at the start of every lesson.

Research has found that even if a phone is out of sight in a pocket, if a message is received and the person feels the phone vibrate, it causes a distraction from thought and concentration on the task at hand, as they wonder who has messaged them and what they are missing out on. It can take up to 15 minutes for them to be able to refocus and get back on task which out of a 47 minute lesson, is far too much of a lesson wasted. Mobile phones are a proven distractor in all contexts, not only whilst driving.

We want our students to be interacting with each other face to face and we also want them to be active during recess and lunch and not sitting around on their devices.

If you need to get an urgent message to your daughter, please contact the school office, and the message will be passed on to her. Please do not phone or message your daughter during the day and expect her to reply before 3.30pm.

Flourish@PLC Armidale Outdoor Education Program All information and forms for the Year 9 compulsory PDHPE Outdoor Ed Camp in Week 10 will be sent home next week. Please read through them carefully, get on to the Somerset Outdoor Learning Centre Website to complete their required forms online and sign and return all the other forms to the Office by Friday 15 March 2019.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact Mrs Caldwell.

BIOLOGY EXCURSION TO THALGARRAH On Thursday 21 February Year 11 Biology embarked on an excursion to our local Environmental Education Centre, Thalgarrah.

This excursion provided the girls with an opportunity to learn by doing and investigate their key inquiry question: “What effect can one species have on other species in a community?”. Students investigated the local woodland ecosystem by collecting qualitative and quantitative data, providing an opportunity for the girls to build on their working scientifically skills.

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YEAR 12 DRAMA & LEGAL STUDIES EXCURSION TO SYDNEY Mrs Wysel Drama & Ms Roe Legal Studies As Year 12 enter their second term of HSC coursework, they took the opportunity to attend valuable HSC workshops and activities in Sydney to enrich their knowledge and understanding. This involved a workshop for Drama students at the Arts Unit about their Individual Projects offering valuable information from HSC senior markers on how to approach and succeed in their Individual Performances. In the afternoon we attended an archival viewing of Neighbourhood Watch by Lally Katz at Belvoir Street Theatre, offering insightful experiences for one of the prescriptive texts for their HSC. Onstage is the production at The Seymour Centre of exemplary HSC Performances nominated

by HSC markers from 2018. Attending the show in the evening was an exciting opportunity for our Drama students to see a variety of performance styles as well as the work involved to produce such a performance. These experiences are very valuable to the students and will motivate, encourage and inspire them to continue to work hard in the lead up to their HSC. Aisha, Rebekah and Isla are our pioneers for HSC Drama for PLC Armidale!

On Tuesday, the girls attended the Rule of Law Day out which encompassed a visit to the Supreme court where students were briefed by HH Justice Gleeson and given the opportunity to ask questions and hear his perspective on our legal system. Following, this students observed a Supreme court session which proved to be a valuable insight for the girls, as they saw the operation of our legal system in action as well as the real life application of their legal knowledge and understanding.

The girls are to be commended for their excellent participation and representation of PLC Armidale for this excursion. We look forward to offering this learning opportunity to future students studying these courses.

Student Absence or Exemption from Attendance 2019 Under the NSW Education Act, school attendance is compulsory until the age of 17. As a school, we have a Duty of Care responsibility to see that students enrolled at the College are in a regular pattern of attendance unless there are special circumstances making this difficult.

To streamline our process of notifying the College when a student is absent, parents are asked to bookmark and use the online forms found on the College website:http://www.plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au/current-families/notification-of-absence If permission is being sought for a period of absence longer than five consecutive school days duration a separate form is to be used, also found on the College website:http://www.plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au/current-families/request-for-leave These online forms are received by our receptionists in the Junior and Senior school with our attendance records on Edumate adjusted accordingly. Parents are asked to use these forms to ensure that notification of absence, or requests for exemption from attendance are actioned promptly.

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JUNIOR SCHOOL Mrs Fiona Wake Head of Junior School The term is well underway with many events taking place across the College.

Students have settled into new routines and are becoming familiar with the expectations set by their teacher. New students are embracing all that our Junior School has to offer, most of all making new friends.

Learning in the Classrooms I have had the fortunate opportunity to work with teachers and students in their classrooms across the Junior School over the passing weeks. It is wonderful watching the children engage and respond to the variety of teaching and learning experiences that are provided in each and every classroom.

2019 JUNIOR SCHOOL LEADERS

Visiting classrooms is a priority for myself so I remain connected with the teaching and learning that is taking place and with the students themselves – Oh what a joy it is, it always makes me smile! Year 5 and 6 have been working on sentence structure, assonance and alliteration. They created hilarious and respectful sentences that saw Mrs Taylor in a polka dot bikini on a surfboard. We look forward to sharing these with her.

Junior Head Prefect: Teya Catterall Junior Deputy Head Prefect: Sophie Hardin 2019 Guild Captains: Milly Keeping - Wentworth India Smith - Forrest Ruby Broun - Gregory Sophie Young - Macquarie

Thankyou P&F

2019 SEMESTER ONE STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS (SRC) Kindergarten: Grace Crowley and Poppy O’Brien Year 1: Georgiana Ballard and Evie Donaldson Year 2: Aryannah Moore and Iyra Singh

I would like to extend a thank you to the P&F who were able to fund our garden bench, pots and trees that now decorate the Junior School entrance. Our new roof and outdoor furniture, creates a welcoming invitation to what lies within our Junior School home.

Leadership

Year 3: Libby Ditchfield and Illiana Carruthers

Last week, the Junior School had the privileged of listening to our Year 6 students present their Leadership speeches. Mrs Taylor, myself and staff were very proud of the girls as they overcame their nerves and presented well-rehearsed and researched speeches about Leadership and the unique qualities required of those in this role. All of the Year 6 girls displayed bravery, humility and humbleness throughout this process, highlighting their ability to lead and understand what characterises good leadership. Opportunity will be provided for the Year 6 cohort as a whole to lead the Junior School. Positions of responsibility and leadership will be provided for all girls, despite a title.

Year 4: Mikalee Barton and Grace Ruig Year 5: Kyanna Ping Kee and Jennifer Sung “ Leadership is not a position or a title, it is action and example.”

Thank you to those who were able to attend the Leadership Induction Ceremony on Monday, a very proud moment indeed.

YEAR 5 FEATURE CLASS Year 5 and their parents participated in a Personal Development Session presented by Sister Angela Pieterse on Monday evening.

The girls approached this conversation with maturity, sensibility and asked pertinent and precise questions that assisted them to understand the changes the body undertakes from childhood, through adolescence into women hood. I would like to extend a sincere thank you to our parents for their support of this evening and Sister Pieterse who presents this session in a gentle, honest and age appropriate manner.

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JUNIOR SCHOOL

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Mrs Fiona Wake Head of Junior School School Camps - Save the Date!

Our Stage 2 and Stage 3 girls are getting excited about their up and coming school camps. The Year 3 - 6 classes will be heading to Coffs Harbour on Monday 1 April to Wednesday 3 April.

Camps provide opportunities for students to improve their social skills, interact with each other in different settings and different environments and to help them develop skills needed to help them grow in understanding of who they are and what they are capable of.

Relay For Life Thank you to all our families who joined our PLC Staff Team to participate in the 2019 Relay for Life. Whilst the early hours of the morning presented a chilly atmosphere, the warmth of hearts and display of empathy for others was gratifying. The sense of community and comradery on the track is a memory I will hold fondly.

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JUNIOR SCHOOL

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Take a look at what Year 6 believes constitutes good leadership - indeed each and every one of our students has the capacity to lead!

INDIA SMITH

RUBY BROUN

A good leader means being very kind and loving towards peers.

A good leader will encourage you to be the best version of yourself.

MILLY KEEPING

SOPHIA SMART

Being a Head Prefect is not about having a title, however being a positive role mode

A leader is not a boss, they have faith, trust and hope.

A good leader is humble, does not boast and wears her uniform respectfully

ZOE WEBB

ZABELLA HINDS

As a leader I would wear my uniform with pride and encourage others no to be afraid to ask questions and seek help.

As a leader I would encourage honesty, respect, integrity and to always be a good listener. Every girl I know in the JS is capable of leading. A good leader is brave and courageous.

TEYA CAT TERELL

SOPHIA YOUNG

No matter who we are or where we are from, we all have similarities and when given a choice between being right or being kind - always choose kindness. We should follow Jesus’s example and be humble and kind.

Good leaders demonstrate respect by listening, encouraging and showing kindness towards others. Lead with integrity, guide others to do the right thing

SOPHIA HARDIN

SOPHIA RUIG

Leadership is showing kindness, encouraging, supporting and respecting others. Good leadership is being able to work well as a team. Good leadership is assisting others to communicate well and helping others to achieve their goals.

I would enjoy representing the Junior School, listening to what others would like and want and cheering them up when they are feeling sad. Good leadership means working hard towards school goals.

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- Luke Chapter 6:31 Do to others as you would have others do to you.

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SPORTS REPORT AROUND THE GROUNDS Mr Peter LeSurf Director of Sport This term is flying by and there are still many more exciting sporting events to occur.

Equestrian Congratulations goes to Jorja Power who has just qualified for the Concours Dressage International (CDI). This is an international competition that has taken Jorja 5 months to qualify.

Jorja will be competing in the CDI held in Sydney in May and Brisbane in July.

Jorja has qualified for the highest level in the FEI (Federation Equestrian International)competition, which is for 16-25 yr old.

We would like to wish Jorja all the very best in this highly regarded competition.

Hockey COD Congratulations also, to all of the PLC Armidale girls who attended the Hockey NSW “Centre of Development” Regional Challenge in Liverpool Sydney over the weekend.

Keira Peet Pip Constable Maddi McCook Piper Starr Rochelle Peet Sammy Mazzei Isabelle Pieterse Lauren Earle Jenna Marquardt The Regional Challenge is a culmination of the Hockey NSW development program which has been taking place over summer in Armidale and Tamworth.

The PLC Armidale girls were a part of the “Northern Inland Thunderbolts” who played games over the weekend against 10 other regions.

Time for Parents to get involved in Sport Why should the kids have all the fun?

We are calling for expressions of interest in any parents wishing to play in a ‘Mothers and Girls’ Hockey team and a ‘Fathers and Girls’ Soccer team this coming season.

If you are interested in playing either hockey or soccer, please contact me directly on plesurf@plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au We will only be entering these teams in a lower division for each sport.

Tennis Congratulations to those selected in the PLC Armidale Tennis Team. Our 2019 team consists of: Charlotte Caldwell, Sarah Miron, Alex Wright, Lucinda Caldwell, Julia Hattingh and Lauren Williams. These girls have been training since Term 4 last year and this term have been training two days a week. The girls will be travelling to Sydney on Tuesday March 26, to compete in the annual Tildesley Tennis Competition. We wish them all the very best.

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SPORTS REPORT AROUND THE GROUNDS

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Mr Peter LeSurf Director of Sport Upcoming Events NETBALL AND HOCKEY REPRESENTATIVE TRIALS Trials for our representative teams will commence in Week 6, starting on Tuesday 5 March with the Junior Netball team selection. Junior and Open Hockey team selections will be held on Wednesday 6 March followed by Opens Netball trials on Thursday 7 March. For all those wishing to trial, there are sign up sheets, criteria and information on the sports notice boards in Senior School.

NETBALL SCHOOLS CUP This is a local competition to be held at Lynches Road netball courts on Thursday 28 March. If the team does well they would then progress to a regional competition. It would be great to see plenty of support on the sidelines cheering on the girls. Contact me for more information.

BEACHSIDE RADIOLOGY COFFS OCEAN SWIM On Sunday 7 April, PLC Armidale will have a team of girls travelling to Coffs Harbour to compete in the Coffs Ocean Swim. This is a 2km or 600m ocean swim.

For registrations and information, have a look at the Coffs Ocean Swim website.

Let’s hope the weather stays warm for them.

REPRESENTATIVE SWIMMING TEAM Following our Whole School Swimming Carnival, we are currently selecting our representative swimming team to compete in the IGSSA carnival on 22 March, in Sydney.

The team will travel to Sydney on 21 March and return on 22 March.

We wish them all the very best in this competitive carnival.

TOUCH FOOTBALL Preparations are underway to select a Year 9/10 Touch team to compete in the All Schools carnival to be held in Tamworth on 21 March. Selections for this team will be held on Thursday 7 March. All students are welcome to try out for this team.

PLC ARMIDALE WHOLE SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY CARNIVAL On Thursday 11 April, all students will participate in the Whole School Cross Country Carnival, which will be conducted at PLC Armidale. The Carnival will begin with a fundraising lunch provided by the SRC in period 5, (12.26pm) and races will commence at 1.15pm.

Order of Cross Country Events 1.15pm 6km Ages 18 - 19 years 4km Ages 14 - 15 years 4km Ages 16 - 17 years 1.30pm 400m Ages 4 - 5 years 1.45pm 1km Ages 6 - 7 years 2.00pm 2km Ages 8 - 10 years 3km Ages 11 - 13 years (primary and senior school students) 3.00pm Whole School presentation All parents and friends are welcome to attend.

With so much sport still to be held this term, it would be great to see as many supporters as possible cheering from the sidelines.

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JUNIOR SCHOOL SPORT Mrs Lucy Donaldson Junior School Sport Coordinator It is hard to believe we are nearing the half term point of Term 1! It won’t be long before we will need to start thinking about Winter sports and putting teams together. We will again be offering the team sports of field hockey and netball, right from Kindergarten through to Year 6. We highly recommend joining in a team sport!

Some benefits of team sports • Enhances self-esteem

• Teaches respect

• Provides regular exercise • Grows teamwork • Teaches leadership skills

• Stronger relationships

If you are a parent who might be keen to help out with coaching or being a team manager, please email ldonaldson@plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au There is a lot going on with sport in the Junior School, so if you are unsure of anything or require any further information please don’t hesitate to ask.

Junior School Sporting News PSSA SWIMMING Congratulations to the 13 PLC Junior School girls who competed at the the PSSA swimming carnival on Thursday 21 February. The girls all had a great day swimming, cheering and having fun with many PB’s being clocked. A more comprehensive list of results will be published once they are received.

IPSHA TENNIS A big congratulations to Sophie Bailey, Year 5 who competed in the IPSHA tennis trials earlier in March. A great experience for her and very well played.

IPSHA SWIMMING We wish the 12 PLC Junior School girls all the best as they travel to Sydney to compete in the IPSHA swimming carnival on Tuesday 5th March. I will be accompanying the girls and are very much looking forward to the trip.

Coming up this Term IPSHA Swimming 5 March IPSHA Cross Country 6 April School Cross Country 11 April

CATTLE TEAM REPORT Ms Judy Miller Cattle Team Coordinator Glen Innes Show Report Six girls represented the College at Glen Innes Show on 16 and 17 February 2019, this being their first show for the year. All the students who attended were given the opportunity to lead cattle in the ring, even our newest members were happy to take up the challenge!

The results are as follows: • Paris Whibley was awarded 1st place in the 13 - 18 years Paraders’ Competition.

• Lagoona Red Poll Stud was awarded Senior Champion Female with Libby Cook leading the cow and Lucy Crowley leading the calf.

• Lagoona Red Poll Stud was also awarded Reserve Champion Bull with Paris Whibley parading the bull.

Congratulations to all the participants.

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PATHWAYS Ms Rebecca Eastment Pathways Teacher Lock Downs in Room 30?

Should we have ‘lock downs’ in Room 30? I think our Pathways students think so!

The hot, summer air blew through the western windows of the Pathways room, making it near impossible for our newest overseas students to fight sleep. They struggled against the tiredness accrued through change and culture shock. It was Week Two, and we were, once again, teaching with the windows and doors wide open due to the hot, dry conditions.

Suddenly, there was the sound of sudden movements, chairs clanking, students climbing over desks, or running from the classroom. Some ‘almost’ screams came from the girls, but no words.

“Miss!!!” Arms pointing to the back row. “Something’s here!!”

An intruder crawled along the carpet with a menacing, sharp tongue. Of course, our new students had no words to describe a blue tongue lizard. Fortunately for us, Ms Judy Miller from the Science lab upstairs (and friend of reptiles) came quickly to the rescue. Opportunity knocks. What followed was a hands-on experience all about lizards.

We are soon to practise ‘lock down’ procedures at PLC Armidale. These are designed to help all of our students to stay calm and safe during the event of a real threat. However, I think the students in Room 30 are much more concerned that we simply keep the doors shut from now on!

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PASTORAL CARE Paula Goode Pastoral Care Coordinator Change - It’s just passing by The only thing we can be truly certain of in this life is that our circumstances will continue to change. All of us will experience moments of joy, love and peace as well as periods of suffering and grief. We will acquire and lose friends; we will have easy days and difficult ones; and our health will give way two bouts of illness.

Many of us resist change, and where most trouble by uncertainty. We do our best to be in control, and we like to believe that we can make plans to mitigate all of life’s difficulties.

Being mindful reminds us only the moment we have is the one word experiencing right now, and in some circumstances there’s very little we can do to control what Is going on around us. Sometimes the most we can do is to bring ourselves back to this moment and remind ourselves that for now we only need to get through this part. That might be as much as we can manage. When you’re dealing with change it helps to remember that nothing in life is permanent: everything passes and somehow, we manage to come back from even the most devastating losses.

Endings and beginnings happen all the time whether or not we notice. As you read this your skin cells are dying and regenerating. The air you breathe is different with each inhalation. Even the dye on the lush, green plastic plant I had put in a pot to bring life into my classroom is fading. Change is the only thing that remains evergreen.

Nothing sticks around. Nothing stays the same. How many versions of us come and go over the days, the months, the years? The truth is we don’t know much about what “will be.” All we can really know is what is right now. Become curious about what is here, now. What is this in front of me? What do I notice about its shape, sound, colour, texture, and smell? Allow yourself to take in the raw data coming through your senses. If you stay close to what you’re experiencing, you can’t help but ride the waves of change.

We are, by definition, creatures of evolution. We are here because of our ability to adapt to changing circumstances. Ironically, we evolve through fresh experience yet often cringe when it comes our way. Open up to the kaleidoscope of possibilities inherent in every moment.

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POSITIVE PARENTING

insights Giving kids scripts for social and school success

by Michael Grose

Recently, I heard my adult daughter rebuke a male friend for telling her that she’d lost weight.

“You just can’t say that,” remarked my daughter.

Realising his mistake this young man said, “So what should say instead?”

“Tell me I look healthy.”

“Hey, you look really healthy!”

“That’s better,” remarked my daughter, who’s not backward in coming forwards.

This young man’s scripting was askew. He knew that a male complimenting a female on losing weight maybe no compliment at all, however he didn’t know what else to say. My daughter gave him a new script that he can use in similar situations in the future.

This scenario is relevant to parenting. Parents should always looking for opportunities to give their kids the social scripts to express themselves in different situations.

Benefits of providing kids with social scripts Social scripting wins the parenting trifecta. Giving kids the words to use helps them stay safe; become social and importantly, promotes their independence. Your job as a parent is to wean kids off you. Social scripting is a big part of this process.

So if keeping kids safe, while socialising and developing their independence is important then look for ways to give kids the right words to use. Here are some ideas to get you started.

1. Asking a teacher for help or assistance Kids often coerces parents to do their bidding with teachers, coaches, siblings and other adults. It’s easy to pick up the phone and arrange to meet a teacher or go into your child’s room and ask for something on behalf of your child. Take a different approach. “Choose a time when your teacher is free, and then ask her if you can sit at the front of the classroom. You could say….”

2. Entering a game at school Many kids struggle to enter into a game or activity at school, so they sit on the sidelines and miss out. Consider

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coaching a child about how he or she may approach a situation. Suggest that he or she looks for someone they know, and wait for a lull in the game before asking. Social scripting involves timing, not just the words to use.

3. Telling a sibling to stop annoying them “Jessica, please stop flicking the ruler while I’m watching TV. I find it annoying.” This may work. If not, this child could try, “Jessica, could you flick your rule elsewhere.” It may work. It may not. But it’s infinitely better than yelling, “Jessica, DDDOOOONNNN’TTTT!!!!”

4. Saying No to a friend without losing face Research shows that many teenagers struggle with peer pressure because they don’t know how to say NO in a way that maintains their status. One strategy is to use an excuse rather than say give an outright NO. “I don’t want to drink tonight because I’ve got football training in the morning.”

5. Expressing their emotions Both genders can struggle to express their feelings, particularly if they haven’t been taught the words to use at home. Recently, I saw a mother prompt her three year old when he was clearly annoyed.

“Are you frustrated Maxie?”

“Yes, I fusttated!!”

“Would you like a hug?

“Yessss!”

You’re never too young or too old to be hugged. Just as you’re never too young or too old to receive a social script from a well-meaning parent or friend.

Michael Grose Michael Grose, founder of Parenting Ideas, is one of Australia’s leading parenting educators. He’s the author of 10 books for parents including Thriving! and the bestselling Why First Borns Rule the World and Last Borns Want to Change It, and his latest release Spoonfed Generation: How to raise independent children.

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P&F ASSOCIATION An enormous thank you to all the parents and friends who helped make our Gourmet BBQ at the Community Open Day such a success. We had so much fun organising our part of the fantastic event and received lovely comments from parents and local community members. The Market Stalls and Herd Bar also received great support and feedback.

The Autumn Ball committee are busy confirming guest speakers, bands and caterers. Everything is on track for what we hope to be a lovely evening together. Please start thinking about organising a table of ten friends who would like to join us all for this black-tie event.

The P&F Association will be running a cake stall at the Cross Country Carnival at the College on the last day of this term. Items will be sold by gold coin donation.

Date for the diary • Friday 12 April PLC Armidale Cross Country Carnival • Saturday 11 May PLC Armidale P&F Association Autumn Ball Please contact us with any suggestions or queries throughout the year via email pandf@plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au We look forward to working with all the families to continue to strengthen the College community.

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POSITIONS VACANT

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COMMUNITY

Invitation Mythbusting: The truth about building and balancing a global tech company • Emma Weston, CEO and Co-Founder of AgriDigital - The art of simplifying a supply chain from farmer to consumer

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Panel discussion with leading local captains of industry Where: Date: Time: RSVP:

Armidale Bowling Club Thursday, 7th March 2019 11am - 2pm Registration essential

Recognised as the Female Fintech Leader of the Year in Australia 2017, Emma describes herself as a

chickpea farmer, lawyer and now startup entrepreneur who has a passion for regional communities and supporting young people to explore the options for startups and technology jobs.

AgriDigital started as a fintech startup nearly 4 years ago and in the last week has traded $1B in revenue!

What is blockchain and the digital supply chain and what’s all the hype?

AgriDigital is using blockchain technology to enable new forms of supply chain finance, improve payment security for farmers and all sellers, and make it easier to trace food and fibre through the entire supply chain.

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