Camphora Issue 11, Winter 2020

ISSUE 11 WINTER 2020

PORTRAITS IN ISOLATION FOR THEIR DIGITAL LIVES PLC SYDNEY: TIMELINE OF A PANDEMIC

CONTENTS

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ISSUE 11 WINTER 2020

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From the Principal

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60 seconds with… Ms Maria Passaris

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For their digital lives

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60 seconds with… Ms Jenny Clarke

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Change and new beginnings in the TAS Department

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Netball continues to thrive

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The challenges of studying practical subjects from home

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AFL on the mark

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The unexpected gifts of isolation

Staff picks for a pandemic reading list

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Portraits in Isolation project

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From the Archives: five memorable moments in the life of PLC Sydney

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Bio and Beyond 2020

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Fuel Live! during COVID-19

EX-STUDENTS’ NEWS

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PLC Sydney: timeline of a pandemic

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President's Report 2020

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Boarders return home

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ESU announcements

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A seamless transition for Digital Technologies

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Save the date

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Enrolments during a pandemic

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Women's Work: Victoria Baldwin

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Innovative online Chinese projects

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COVID-19: Ex-students on the front line

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International Science Youth Forum in Singapore

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Where are they now?

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A virtual debating experience

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Life after lockdown: finding a new normal

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Matilda the Musical

Camphora incorporates the Ex-Students’ News, the magazine of PLC Sydney’s Ex-Students’ Union.

PLC Sydney acknowledges the Wangal people, of the Dharug dialect, on whose land the College resides, and pays respect to Elders both past and present.

FROM THE PRINCIPAL

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2020 has been quite a year.

Which of us could have imagined a global pandemic on New Year's Day! I know that this year has been quite tumultuous for many families. The challenges of online learning, the uncertainties of the business world, and the cancellation of so many activities has had a big impact on us all. Our staff have done a super job, yet it has been tiring making so many changes.

This edition of Camphora should be of great encouragement to you.

It indicates that, despite everything, our young people continue to undertake great challenges, and undaunted, do amazing things.

You will view 'Portraits in Isolation' —work done from 'the bunkers' to which we retreated during the COVID-19 pandemic. You will see our students doing their practical work from home. You will find out about online debating and the challenges of being a teacher working from home. Some articles precede the pandemic. I hope these help you remember our 'normal' lives.

I am thankful to our archivist, who has plotted a history of all of the events.

Reading it makes me feel both tired and grateful.

I say 'thank you' to our community.

You have been just fabulous through this whole thing.

People have been gracious and honest, considerate and empathic. In spite of the difficulties PLC Sydney students continue to thrive.

And, I think, in their futures, they will be better equipped to take on the challenges of a world impacted by the events of 2020.

Dr Paul Burgis Principal

OUR MAGAZINE TEAM EDITOR

CONTRIBUTORS

Mrs Nicole Paull

Dr Paul Burgis, Dr Suzana Sukovic, Ms Jo Herrmann, Ms Jo Knight, Mrs Cassandra Morphew, Ms Tiffeny Fayne, Katherine Zhang, Zoe Jewell, Mrs Edwina Soh, Ms Debby Cramer, Ms Pauline Turner, Zoe Hobson, Ms Fleur Webster, Olivia Lam, Emily Zhao, Mrs Helen Kardiasmenos, Mrs Catherine Marvell, Aileen Kim, Jasmine Chee, Alyssa Buda, Makayla Johnson, Ms Faraday Pang, Brielle Papadopoulos, Ameline Archis, Mrs Fiona Hendriks, Chloe Zhao, Grace Miao, Morrena Zheng, Carol Sun, Miss Manel Chami,

COVER Artworks from the Portraits in Isolation project.

See page six for details.

Ms Maria Passaris, Ms Jenny Clarke, Mr Malcolm Heap, Miss Sarah Antico, Charlotte Cameron, Sophie McLachlan, Mia Pasin, Miss Laura Verlinden, Amelie Haigh, Naomi Webb and Emily Webb.

Ex-Students' News: Marina Clark, Philippa Zingales, Ann McDonald, Lesley Meldrum, Helen Humphries, Mia Joseph, Cecile Ferguson, Debby Cramer, Elizabeth Gregory. Thank you to all the ex-students and their families who contributed.

ISSUE 11 / WINTER 2020

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FOR THEIR DIGITAL LIVES If there was ever a time to understand the importance of digital and research skills, it was during the COVID-19 isolation.

The Research and Library Services, like the rest of the school, responded quickly to new circumstances.

Junior School Teacher Librarians continued with regular library lessons and reading initiatives, often making a creative leap to keep them engaging and relevant for their remote students.

Ms Suallyn Mitchelmore teaches Pre-Kindergarten online.

For the Senior Library, the new way of learning was an opportunity to prioritise a couple of key digital projects.

The result is our new website launched at the beginning of Term 2. The website is, essentially, an interface connecting a number of databases. We aimed to create a seamless environment, in which students can use our digital resources, classroom-specific and general help, and learning-oriented social media from home and school.

Our website brings together two distinct enhancements to our digital services. The first is EBSCO Discovery Service (EDS), which enables one search across a number of school databases and the library catalogue. It helps students to stay focused on their research by removing the need to negotiate access to multiple sources, and aids their understanding of authoritative sources of information.

Another project is the development of subject-specific and ‘how to’ guides to provide digital support for teachers and students. The guides do not diminish the importance of teachers’ and librarians’ collaborative work in the classroom.

Rather, they aim to develop students’ independence and enhance the quality of classroom engagement through conversation and learning activities. We have also developed a page, Professional Knowledge Base, to bring the latest research to teachers and interested parents. Our new blog provides opportunities to students and staff to share news and reflections about their reading, research and learning.

The blog has been the outlet to showcase students’ work as book reviewers and editors. The published posts are a result of students’ engagement in the project Editor’s Choice, an elective in 'Power Up Wednesdays' during the time of isolation.

Project Curiosity, another elective for Power Up Wednesdays, gave students an opportunity to explore a topic of their interest. With over 100 students who signed up for the project, followed up by individual consultations with me, I have no doubt that PLC Sydney is energised by many curious minds. Curiosity is a starting point and necessary ingredient of any research. Other essential components are independence and perseverance, the rest can be learnt.

Students who have stayed with their questions throughout the term have demonstrated that they have what it takes to grow as researchers. With the guidance and resources, they are developing skills and a mindset to be critical thinkers of the future.

PLC SYDNEY / CAMPHORA

https://library.plc.sydney/

Mapping a journey—Find out more about PLC Reads the World at https://library.plc.sydney/events/PLC_reads_the_world

Writing this article has served as an opportunity to reflect, helping me to understand why the time in isolation had not felt lonely at all.

There was so much happening and so many new connections developing at PLC Sydney that physical isolation came as a unique moment to focus on skills and resources, which will support our students now and into a distant future.

Dr Suzana Sukovic Director of Research and Library Services

Follow us on Twitter @plcsydney_reads

CHANGE AND NEW BEGINNINGS IN THE TAS DEPARTMENT The year 2020 had already been established as a time for a change and new beginnings in the Technological and Applied Studies (TAS) department.

The introduction of Stage 5 Food Technology, the second year of the new Stage 4 Technology Curriculum and revamped Stage 5 Design and Technology projects were among the challenges and exciting opportunities our staff had developed for our creative students.

Year 8 Design and Technology students were set to engage throughout the year in the fields of engineered systems and digital technologies. Some fortunate students were able to experience the joy of taking that initial leap into the world of engineering, learning to construct an articulated desk lamp and creating gifs to feature on their own website design.

A promotional campaign to encourage young girls to engage in engineering will follow. Later in the year, there are plans for all students to learn to code a BBC micro:bit to create a sustainable smartwatch which digitally measures engagement in physical activity.

Some fortunate Year 8 students were able to construct an articulated desk lamp prior to the move to online learning from home.

Who could possibly have predicted that we would soon be applying a whole new set of technological skills in the online learning environment? As we moved off campus, our incredible teachers worked collaboratively to apply their individual design and problem-solving skills that they so readily encourage in their students. Projects had to be adapted and in some cases completely redeveloped to ensure that the application of the design process could continue without access to our usual materials, tools and technologies.

Year 10 Design and Technology continued to design fabrics in the online classroom, using their existing skills in Adobe Illustrator and ongoing teacher support. These are a committed group of dynamic, enthusiastic designers. The motivating light at the end of the tunnel for these students was to see that their fabrics had been professionally digitally printed. What a lovely surprise for all upon their return to campus.

When they returned to school in Term 2, Year 10 Design and Technology students were able to see their professionally printed fabric designs.

Year 7 has been enthusiastically embracing the world of Stop Motion to develop the opening title sequence of a new cooking show. This mini-project, developed by the inspirational Ms Emans and Mrs Clarke, enabled all girls to engage creatively whether they continued to work at home or returned to the school classroom environment. It has been a pleasure to see the individual and collaborative efforts of all students using the Stop Motion Studio app.

If change is really as good as a holiday, the TAS staff and their students have been on the equivalent of an amazing adventure tour this term. I am grateful for every student and teacher’s good humour and adaptability throughout these challenging times.

Ms Jo Herrmann Head of Technological and Applied Studies

Year 7 students had the opportunity to develop the opening title sequence of a cooking show using the Stop Motion Studio app.

ISSUE 11 / WINTER 2020

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2020 Art and Design Captain Ariana Galanos is studying three practical subjects for the HSC this year: Visual Arts, Textiles and Design and Design and Technology.

THE CHALLENGES OF STUDYING PRACTICAL SUBJECTS FROM HOME The transition to online teaching and learning at the end of Term 1 presented many unexpected challenges for our Year 12 students.

For those studying practical subjects, this has been a particularly difficult time for students having to rethink their regular practices and to adapt to the home environment. In Visual Arts and Technological and Applied Studies (TAS), there are many technologies, materials and facilities that could not be transported or safely worked with at home.

For Visual Arts, our Junior students were fortunate to have art packs to take home and switched from ceramics and printmaking processes to drawing and painting. Practical lessons were directed from their very able teachers through live and pre-recorded video demonstrations to ensure that aesthetic and technical guidance could be maintained during online lessons.

Students photo documented and timelapsed their practice at home, uploading images of their progress onto Google documents for teachers to provide essential critical feedback.

Our Visual Arts HSC students have been incredible in taking on this new way of working and we commend them all for their commitment and focus in continuing on their Bodies of Work during this difficult time.

Their willingness to push on despite the difficult circumstances has been impressive.

PLC SYDNEY / CAMPHORA

Our TAS HSC students have been able to continue developing and documenting their Major Design and Major Textile Projects quite successfully at home.

Students have been very adaptable in response to the resources available at this challenging time.

As the documentation of the process of undertaking research, developing design concepts and experimentation contributes to the final HSC project mark, teachers have been able to support students through shared documents, graphic software applications and Zoom feedback sessions. We are all looked forward to the time when the products could be created by our enthusiastic and resilient designers when back on campus.

One of our many passionate, dedicated and talented Year 12 students, 2020 Art and Design Captain Ariana Galanos, has the compounded pressure of studying three practical subjects for the HSC this year including Visual Arts, Textiles and Design and Design and Technology. Like her peers, she had to quickly adjust to working from home, making a makeshift studio to continue with her practice.

During the learning from home phase, Ariana was asked about her experience: What challenges have you faced working from home in practical HSC subjects?

The change in the environment was definitely a challenge, moving from such an inspiring and creative space at The Croydon, to working from home. For me, it was easier to adjust after I set up a dedicated painting space for Visual Arts in my bedroom. My other practical subjects, Design and Technology and Textiles and Design, however, are still a challenge as we don’t have access to some of the facilities needed to create our major works. However, most students are at an advantage working on their Visual Arts Body of Work as they are able to work on it for longer periods of time.

How have you kept in contact with your teacher and received feedback on your progress?

I have been emailing and zooming my teachers to keep in contact and touch base on both practical and written work. They have been amazing in this transition and have been giving all students constant feedback on their progress by checking our working from home documents. They have been so helpful and are very quick to respond with any questions I have.

Do you think practical subjects have been negatively impacted?

It definitely depends on the individuals’ major project and what materials it involves. For Visual Arts, most of the students have adapted to the changes pretty well, as they have access to all the materials needed at home. However, for other practical subjects such as Design and Technology and Textiles and Design, it has been a struggle for some girls, including me, to adapt as our projects rely on the school facilities that cannot be brought home, such as the laser cutter, embroidery machine, overlocker, etc. However, each student has discussed with their teachers what they can and can’t work on at home.

THE UNEXPECTED GIFTS OF ISOLATION

What are your concerns about practical HSC subjects at this time?

My only concern is having the motivation to complete our major works with high quality by the due date. It has been very challenging to adjust to working from home; completely out of the inspiring and creative space at school. I was concerned with the quality of my work, as we aren’t constantly surrounded by students and teachers that provide motivation and constructive feedback on our works.

What are you looking forward to or excited about for your HSC practical subjects?

I look forward to the HSC exhibitions where our hard work and skills are displayed in a gallery space, which is something we all haven’t seen in a long time. I know most of us are lacking the motivation we would’ve had at school, but I am very excited to see everyone’s progress during this time and ultimately, their finished products.

We thank Ariana for her positivity and wish her and all of our dedicated Year 12 students the very best for the remainder of their HSC ahead.

We commend them all for their resilience, diligence and commitment in continuing with their studies in such challenging times. You are all an inspiration!

Ms Jo Knight Head of Visual Arts

Ms Jo Herrmann Head of Technological and Applied Studies

Assistant Chaplain, Mrs Cathy Tucker, speaks about her wellbeing goals during isolation.

Australia 2020. Drought, bushfires, eternal smoke haze, floods. And just as we thought the worst was over, coronavirus lockdown.

The challenges and unexpected gifts of isolation.

As we emerge into some semblance of normality, it’s wonderful to hear our students’ reflections on their time away from on-campus learning.

Turns out we’ve all found surprising things to be grateful for. Time with our families, slower days and quieter nights. And it seems that, as well as binge-watching Netflix, we’ve started to notice the world around us in new ways. The beauty of our gardens and neighbourhoods, the warmth of the sun and the blue of the sky.

Deeper than that has been the inviting and confronting opportunity to notice ourselves. A common thread in many student reflections has been new self-awareness.

It’s been the same for me. I’ve seen so clearly that I take too many things for granted. Cuddling my granddaughter, hugging my children, having people over to my house, sitting across a table from a friend. Just being with people. I’m so grateful for the technology that allows virtual meetings, but being

in the same place at the same time as the people I love is so much better. And meeting face to face with colleagues definitely beats interacting on a screen.

Along with that comes a more confronting realisation. I complain too much. Not so often out loud, but inside my head I’m very quick to be critical when things don’t go my way. Isolation and the threat of Covid have provided a large dose of perspective.

And one more thing. Confessions of a chaplain. It’s a whole lot easier to talk about trusting God in challenging times than it is to actually trust him. But challenging times offer unique opportunities to grow in faith. And I’m reminded yet again that trust is a daily choice.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

(Romans 15:13) Mrs Cassandra Morphew Chaplain

ISSUE 11 / SUMMER 2020

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PORTRAITS IN ISOLATION PROJECT Never has it been more apparent that in times of uncertainty art is much more than a means of documentation, a thing of beauty or a way to while away the hours that, recently, may have felt drawn out by isolation.

The arts help people to cope in difficult times— even during a pandemic that has prevented us from experiencing art and culture together in the same physical spaces. In fact, demand for the arts in recent months has risen due to our need for entertainment, comfort and connection. Crucially, for our children at this time, art making may be an important tool to assist them in processing the barrage of information from the world around them and their subsequent emotions.

Art can educate, it can heal and it can bring us together even when we are apart. The Portraits in Isolation project was one of the activities introduced as part of the ‘Power Up’ initiative PLC SYDNEY / CAMPHORA

that provided students with creative ways to stay connected and inspired during a pandemic that kept us physically apart.

Students were invited to become involved in a unique collective art project and exhibition. In the absence of physical human connection and with movement drastically limited, selfportraiture seemed the obvious choice as a way for students to engage in art and to share their own story and experiences during this period.

As the number of students returned to campus increased, the Portraits in Isolation exhibition gradually expanded throughout The Adelaide Perry Gallery. The artworks exhibited range from the bold, vivid, optimistic and spontaneous to more earnest works of great sensitivity that display deep introspection and fragility whilst navigating this strange time.

Collectively, the Portraits in Isolation exhibition is a captivating record of student reflections of life in lock down that offers insight into the hearts and minds of our students.

Visit the virtual exhibition at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZVxUL01_rI&t=53s Ms Tiffeny Fayne Curator, Adelaide Perry Gallery

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ISSUE 11 / WINTER 2020

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Ten PLC Sydney students had the opportunity to attend Bio and Beyond 2020 at Sydney University, together with students from PLC Armidale.

BIO AND BEYOND 2020 Two groups from PLC Sydney presented their innovative ideas to resolve issues in the medical field at the Bio and Beyond event on Monday 2 March at Sydney University.

This was part of Women’s Week sponsored by NSW Women and Sydney Uni. The program ran for a few weeks over the summer and the students were supported by mentors in their chosen field. The final product was an oral presentation to an audience of around 250 high school students, teachers and university academics.

The Year 11 group, consisting of Zoe Jewell, Angie Rofail, Linda Chen, Julia Cummins and Clare Racki, presented a proposal which looked at iron deficiency anemia, a condition where the blood lacks adequate red blood cells due to low iron levels. This causes fatigue, chest pain and damage to the immune system.

The aim was to reduce the side effects of traditional chronic anemia iron supplements by using iron oxide nanoparticles as an alternative, as they have a higher bioavailability due to their small size. The solution involved attaching the iron oxide nanoparticles to a polymer coating to prevent the toxic side-effects of the nanoparticles sticking together.

Then attach this onto lactic acid bacteria which would ensure it survives the acidic stomach and moves to the small intestine to be absorbed into the bloodstream.

The Year 10 group—Yvonne Zhao, Sarah Chu, Marina Ruan, Angela Liu and Katherine Zhang— worked on the idea of a 3D bioprinted cardiac patch to heal a broken heart after a heart attack in which heart tissue is permanently scarred.

The process of putting together the project over a month involved looking at current technology with an innovative eye—what are the limitations and how could it be made better? The goal was to come up with and present a solution.

The problem identified in current prototypes of a cardiac patch was that it was not getting the oxygen needed to sustain itself. Thus they proposed creating a detailed system of capillaries using a co-polymer of polyurethane and hyaluronic acid, hoping to make use of the mechanical strength of polyurethane under the stressful environment of a beating heart while allowing it to integrate more smoothly using hyaluronic acid, a naturally found polysaccharide in the body.

PLC SYDNEY / CAMPHORA

The students listened to informative talks about the gut microbiome and new nanoparticle technologies used to treat cancer as well as presentations by students from Sydney Girls High School. They suggested ways to incorporate many sustainable technologies into apartment buildings and also proposed a new, portable machine which would significantly decrease the time taken to determine which anti-venom would be needed in the event of a snake bite.

Another group presented their idea for a medical patch which would administer multiple medications without using needles or pills. It was inspiring to see so many young girls devising innovative ideas to very serious issues.

There was also a panel discussion from leading women in STEM, such as the Chancellor of Sydney University, Belinda Hutchinson and Hala Zreiqat, a professor of bioengineering. They discussed how family life had impacted their research and how they overcame adversities to end up as highly regarded professionals in their specific fields. Within the STEM disciplines there are so many possibilities for creativity and ingenuity, and this event showcased the opportunities for young women in particular, to get involved.

Year 11 student Zoe Jewell reflected on the event: “The Bio and Beyond experience was very rewarding. We had the opportunity of working with a professional within our field from the University of Sydney, and her expertise was invaluable throughout the whole process. On the day, it was inspiring to see so many young girls coming up with solutions to important issues. I am very grateful to have participated in this celebration of female creativity and ingenuity within the STEM fields.”

Bio and Beyond 2020 was an inspiring experience above all, encouraging the growth of the valuable skills of research, perseverance and teamwork that carry into all areas of life. It was able to give a great insight into how the ideas that can change the world all have humble beginnings—it is dead ends, failed concepts and tireless work, not just a single stroke of genius, that makes the biotechnology we might take for granted in the world today.

Katherine Zhang Year 10

Zoe Jewell Year 11

FUEL LIVE! DURING COVID-19 As the school shut down at the end of Term 1, the co-curricular group Fuel moved from being a physical community to recreating itself as a virtual community.

We initially engaged over 90 students across Years 7 to 12 using Google classroom. Resources (song recommendations, helpful tools for praying and reading the Bible, streamed discussions) and weekly Bible talks were posted for students to access and use for their spiritual nourishment and encouragement each week. With a positive response from the student community, we moved to running Fuel Live! sessions over Zoom at the start of Term 2.

Fuel Live! sessions saw students Zoom together for 45 minutes every Wednesday lunchtime with exclusive elements introduced to celebrate who we are as a community.

Ashleigh Horsburgh (Year 9 boarder) gave us an exclusive tour of her farm and home. Ashleigh returned home from the Boarding House in Term 1 when it was shut down. As an active member of Fuel at school, her return home gave us all an opportunity to share a part of her world that she can’t bring to the Boarding House. Deborah Chew (Year 10) also shared her gift of beat-boxing giving Fuel students an exclusive masterclass at one of our Fuel Live! sessions.

Mr Alan Watters played live music from our Fuel playlist and we’ve had life stories shared from different members of staff about their faith journey over the years. It’s been busy, fun and new for all of us.

The journey to recreate Fuel as a community during these strange times has highlighted for all of us the importance of what we do as a chaplaincy team to encourage our students to keep seeking God in the midst of change and uncertainty and to hold on to hope. Creating a Fuel virtual community has allowed us to reach more students given how easy it has been to join and access what we share through technology.

As we now move toward a new ‘normal’ of campus learning, Fuel has created itself once again as a physical community, meeting with different restrictions and changes to how we

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run our programs to ensure physical safety for students and staff. But our goal remains unchanged, to draw together a community that encourages each other in our journey of faith, to point each other to the truths of the Bible to give us hope and direction while everything else keeps changing around us, and to keep building each other up in prayer and conversation.

Fuel Live! continued over Zoom as campus life resumed for all students to enable those who were unable to return to school for the remainder of the term.

Fuel Google Classroom is open to all students and staff, as is our regular Fuel meetings on Wednesday lunchtimes every week. Fuel on Wednesday is on campus with Fuel Live! streamed from these meetings for students remaining at home.

Details on how to join Fuel Live! can be found in the Fuel Google Classroom or emal esoh@plc.nsw.edu.au Here are some of our Fuel Live! Exclusives for you to see:

Dr Lloyd Dawe was a special guest, talking with Mrs Soh about his life and relationship with Jesus.

Deb Chew shared her gift of beat-boxing giving Fuel students an exclusive masterclass at one of the Fuel Live! sessions.

Mrs Edwina Soh Chaplain

ISSUE 11 / WINTER 2020

PLC SYDNEY: TIMELINE OF A PANDEMIC “If your daughter has travelled to China, or one of the other destinations impacted by the Coronavirus, our nurse, Sister Jennifer Shaw, will be conducting a mandatory health check on her on her first day of school...”3 • First Australian infection confirmed in Victoria, a Chinese-Australian man in his 50s who had arrived from China.

• Australian government issues “do not travel” alert on Hubei.

• First three cases in NSW confirmed.4

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Prime Minister Scott Morrison declares a pandemic, activating Australia’s emergency health response plan.10

• Government imposes a travel ban on foreign arrivals from mainland China.

The restrictions require non-citizens to self-isolate for 14 days before coming to Australia.

• Government advises no travel to mainland China.7

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FEB

JAN

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Two Australians contract COVID-19 on the Diamond Princess cruise ship moored off Japan.8

Australia: 12 cases notified, 0 deaths Globally: 11,953 cases, 259 deaths6

A pneumonia of unknown cause detected in Wuhan, China was first reported to the WHO Country Office in China.1

DEC

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“I ask that all PLC Sydney students who have travelled to China, including Hong Kong, over the holidays delay their commencement of school until 14 days after the date that they landed in Australia.”

Boarders’ Welcome Dinner and the Principals’ Great Race for Boarders to be rescheduled.5

Dr Burgis spent about 40 hours in Wuhan, arriving at 7.40 pm on 14 January and departing at 11.30 am on 16 January “During the holidays I spent a day in China. Susan and I travelled to Vietnam to see our daughter, Tiffany, and her family. They live in Hanoi. We spent a few weeks with them. One of my goals for 2020 is to establish a means by which we can serve the global educational community, earn an extra income for the College, and limit school fee rises. I went to China to meet a family that has established a school. They are looking for assistance with teacher development. I flew in from Hanoi. I was met at the airport in a private car, and taken to a hotel.

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www.who.int Letter from the Principal to Staff 31 January 2020.

Letter from the Principal to PLC Sydney Community, 23 January 2020.

Sydney Morning Herald, 28-29 March 2020, pages 28-29.

Letter from the Principal to PLC Sydney Community, 27 January 2020.

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WHO announced a name for the new coronavirus disease: COVID-19.9

The next day I visited their school and was engaged in talks. Then back to the hotel to sleep, and by private car to the airport. I came back to Australia promptly. Very little contact with anyone! I received medical clearance from the doctor. At that stage, there was no word that the Coronavirus had an asymptomatic effect on affected persons. Thus, I was at work last week. Once we decided to make the rule regarding those who had been to China, I imposed it on myself as well, even though I am perfectly well. I returned to work on Friday 31 January.”

Mrs Leah Russell, Chairwoman of College Council and Mrs Nicola Taylor, Principal of PLCA also accompanied him on the trip.2

6 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Weekly Epidemiology Reports, Australia, 2020, www1.health.gov.au 7 Sydney Morning Herald, 28-29 March 2020, pages 28-29.

8 Sydney Morning Herald, 28-29 March 2020, pages 28-29.

9 www.who.int 10 Sydney Morning Herald, 28-29 March 2020, pages 28-29.

WHO General Director, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, declares a pandemic. At his news briefing he said, “We have therefore made the assessment that COVID-19 can be characterised as a pandemic.

First cases of human-to-human transmission in Australia confirmed in NSW.11

Pandemic is not a word to use lightly or carelessly.

It is a word that, if misued, can cause unreasonable fear, or unjustified acceptance that the fight is over, leading to unnecessary suffering and death.”17

Outline of plans at PLC Sydney to implement recommendations by NSW Health, NSW Department of Education and WHO, including washing hands with soap, hand gel will be available in all classrooms, overseas trips are being reconsidered, etc.13

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“Next Wednesday, 18 March, Year 10 will work from home.

They will be expected to sign in at 8.20 am for their first lesson and undertake it with their teacher. Each subsequent lesson will have the same expectation.”

• Students to dress in sports shirt or house shirt, set up a computer with a power cord, have earphones, work at a table.19 • All IGSSA and IPSHA sporting events cancelled.20

Australia reaches 100 confirmed cases, more than half of them in NSW.16

Australia: 295 cases notified, 3 deaths Globally: 142,539 cases, 5,393 deaths21 Jersey Day cancelled.

Changes made following NSW Department of Health’s guidelines for schools re COVID-19 include: no Assembly, only Year assemblies, café closed for sitting, no House meetings.22

MAR

Non-essential static gatherings of more than 500 people banned.23

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“PLC Sydney is a community of about 5-7000 people.

We have just under 1400 students, plus a few hundred full-time and part-time staff, including coaches. We have parents, grandparents and other relatives.”

Letter outlines 10 things we need to do to keep safe.12

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Plans outlined to the boarding community on processes in place for the Boarding House as well as procedures in the case of the College shutting down.18

“I write to inform you about some precautions we are taking in regard to our calendar in order to maintain normal operations, and what happens if the College has to close due to the actions of the NSW Department of Health.”

• • • • • •

Importance of hygiene.

No assemblies to be held.

No tours will depart before 30 July 2020.

If we do need to close we will operate remotely.

Online learning process outlined.14 Outlines plans for methodology and staff training for online learning. Sarah Golsby-Smith, Head of Learning and Teaching, to organise training dates.15

11 Sydney Morning Herald, 28-29 March 2020, pages 28-29.

12 Letter from the Principal, March 2020.

13 COVID-19 School Nurse Update, 4 March 2020.

14 Letter from the Principal to PLC Sydney Families, 9 March 2020.

15 All Staff Briefing Minutes, 9 March 2020.

16 Sydney Morning Herald, 28-29 March 2020, pages 28-29.

17 www.who.int 18 Letter from Pauline Turner, Director of Boarding to Boarding Parents and Guardians, 12 March 2020.

18 “I write to inform you that PLC Sydney will move to its online learning platform from Monday 23 March at 8.20 am.

No classes will be held on the College campus until further notice. This change will last until at least the end of Term 1.”

• Exceptions will be Year 12 students who will come to school for three days to complete assessments and the Transition Class for at least one more week.

• Boarders in Years 7—11 will go home on Friday 20 March.24

19 Letter from the Principal to Parents of Year 10 Students, 13 March 2020.

20 Letter from the Principal to PLC Sydney Community, 13 March 2020.

21 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Weekly Epidemiology Reports, Australia, 2020, www1.health.gov.au 22 Email from Mrs Linda Chiba, Deputy Principal, to Senior School Staff,16 March 2020.

23 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Weekly Epidemiology Report #11, Australia, 2020, www1.health.gov.au 24 Letter from the Principal to PLC Sydney Community, 18 March 2020.

Australia closes its borders to all non-citizens and non-residents.

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Stringent social distancing guidelines are issued, requiring four square metres per person in indoor spaces. People are advised to maintain a distance of 1m to 1.5m from others.25

Australia: 1,765 confirmed cases, 7 deaths.

Structure for Junior School students for Term 2: • 8.20 am log on to the roll • Morning sessions include a Pastoral Zoom meeting and English activities • Brain Break/Recess • The middle session of the day will focus on Mathematics skills and tasks • Brain Break/Lunch • Get Active Challenge • Afternoon session will have a specialist lesson, rotating to include Science, HSIE, History and Geography, PDHPE, Art, Music, Library, Languages and Digital Technology • Wednesdays will be different in Term 2: a Welcome Wednesday, a Wellness Wednesday, a Wired Wednesday, and a Wacky Wednesday31

Globally: 292,142 cases, 12,783 deaths.26

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APR

NAPLAN cancelled for 2020.

HSC is going ahead for 2020.29

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The Living History Project launched; students in Years K-Year 10 may participate. Results of Week 1 survey given.

• Under “stage one” of the national cabinet’s response, pubs, clubs, gyms, cinemas, casinos and religious gatherings shut down nationwide from midday.

Restaurants and cafes restricted to takeaway and delivery.

• Confusion reigns over the status of schools, with the federal government declaring schools should remain open while Victoria brings forward school holidays and NSW and the ACT put in place partial closures and distance learning.

• Health Minister Greg Hunt says 1.5 million further test kits have been ordered.28

“These results indicate that the vast majority of students have embraced the new model well. Considering it was thrust upon us and the task of changing is a significant one, I think we can be really proud of our efforts to date.”30

25 Sydney Morning Herald, 28-29 March 2020, pages 28-29.

26 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Weekly Epidemiology Reports, Australia, 2020, www1.health.gov.au 27 Letter from the Principal to PLC Sydney students and families, 23 March 2020.

28 Sydney Morning Herald, 28-29 March 2020, pages 28-29.

29 Letter from the Principal to PLC Sydney Community, 26 March 2020.

30 Letter from the Principal to PLC Sydney Community, 30 March 2020.

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Australia: 5,805 confirmed cases, 33 deaths.

Globally: 1,133,758 cases, 62,784 deaths.34

First day of online learning was “very successful”.

“In the days ahead we have more planned for you. Laughter is a very important thing. It connects us as humans. We will be initiating ways we can have some fun.”

“Our Transition girls will stay at home from now on. Our online platform is ready for them too!”

“The pool and gymnasium closed today, in line with government regulations.”

“I will also be announcing a new prize at Speech Day connected to a new initiative next week to help us see how significant and positive these days could be for our future.”27

31 Letter from Mrs Melissa Watters, Head of Junior School, to Parents of Junior School students, 2 April 2020.

32 “Health & Safety”, Sydney Morning Herald, 4-5 April 2020.

33 “Words for the Coronial Generation”, David Astle, Sydney Morning Herald, 4-5 April 2020.

34 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Weekly Epidemiology Reports, Australia, 2020, www1.health.gov.au

Current restrictions include: social distancing (1.5 metres between people except for family members) • public gatherings restricted to 2 people • staying home except for shopping for essentials, medical purposes, work and education, if you cannot work or learn remotely • [personal exercise not listed, but is permitted, as per ABC News App, 11 April 2020 and earlier announcements by the Government] • people 70 and over should stay home • pubs, clubs, gyms and place of worship are closed • restaurants and cafes can serve takeaway or delivery • NSW schools are open, but students encouraged to stay at home • hairdressers and barbers can continue with limits on numbers • weddings—no more than 5 may attend • funerals—no more than 10 may attend32 • New words and expressions that have entered our vocabulary or that now have an altered meaning – social distancing, physical distancing, flatten the curve, patient zero, trace and track, lockdown, shutdown, “quazza”, “iso”, “the Rona”, “social disso”, bottles of “sanny”, “Covidiot”, etc.33

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Plans outlined for a staged return of students and staff to the campus, noting that the situation is constantly reassessed and may change.

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

• •

Junior School students will start a staged return from 4 May. Year 12 students will return to school on 6 May. Year 11 students will return to school on 8 May. Year 12 Boarders will return to the Boarding House from 11 May. All going well, all students will be back on campus from 25 May, ahead of the Minister for Education’s directive that all students should return by 1 June.

Senior School students will wear masks.

Temporary larger classrooms are being created (MRC level 3, College Hall, AKT) so students can be at a greater distance from each other.

Stairwells will be one way corridors.

Cleaning of balustrades, door knobs and bathrooms will be increased.

Teachers’ main workplace desks will be in a classroom not a staff room.

Create an area for teachers’ children too attend, if their own school is not able to accommodate them.38 As we come back to campus we must ensure that every staff member be fully aware of their own health. The virus is much riskier for those over 60 years old.

Administrative staff that are required on campus to do their roles, eg those who support teaching staff or the Executive, will be advised when they should return. Where staff can work from home, they should do so, as their offices will be used by other staff members required on campus.

COVID-19 may impact staffing. Whilst some staff do not have their usual duties, we are continuing to pay all staff and no one on the main campus has been made redundant.

Directions for putting on a face mask.39

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Prime Minister Scott Morrison has thanked Australian teachers as he calls on them to keep classrooms operating with students preparing to start term two.37

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has declared Australia is “not too far away” from easing its coronavirus restrictions.41

Australia: 6,394 notified cases, 46 deaths.

Globally: 1,696,588 cases, 105,952 deaths.36

Plans outlined for a staged return of Junior School students and staff to the campus.

Term 1 ends, Wednesday 8 April 2020 “We should be direct about what has occurred over the past six weeks.

We have created a second school. This school is predominantly online, utilising Zoom, Google Classroom, Seesaw and other platforms...I also note that any new venture needs to be refined...”

“I want to commence the conversation about how we will return [to the campus]...so that we get the best possible plan together.”

“The on campus unit will continue into Term 2. Please note that its purpose is to support the education of girls whose parents are unable to support them at home. Our teachers use the programs of staff to support learning. It is not an occasional care facility.”

• Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, Years 1, 2, 3 and 5 will return to school on 4 May. • Years 4 and 6 will return to school on 18 May. • Parents are asked not to come on campus.

• Students will need to bring their own packed morning tea, lunch and water bottle each day; students will not share food.

• Exit times at the end of the day will be staggered.

• After School Care will resume from 18 May.40

• Changes to fees discussed, including the establishment of the COVID-19 Register.35 35 Letter from the Principal to PLC Sydney Community, 8 April 2020.

36 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Weekly Epidemiology Reports, Australia, 2020, www1.health.gov.au 37 SBS News App, 15 April 2020.

38 Letter from the Principal to PLC Sydney Community, 27 April 2020.

39 Letter from the Principal to Staff, 27 April 2020.

40 Letter from Junior School Executive to Parents, 27 April 2020.

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• The plan for students coming back to school will be reviewed every two weeks and alterations made if necessary.

• Some teachers will continue teaching from home and will stream the lesson via Zoom to the student’s classrooms.

• There will be tape on the floor to indicate how near students are to come to the teacher’s desk.42

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Australia: 6,971 notified cases, 98 deaths Globally: 3,917,366 cases, 274,361 deaths NSW Government announced that from 15 May: gatherings of up to 10 people will be permitted outdoors, in cafes and restaurants, or in places of worship; up to 5 visitors may gather in a household; weddings up to 10 guests, indoor funerals up to 20 mourners and outdoor funerals up to 30 mourners; and use of outdoor equipment and outdoor pools permitted with restrictions.46

Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, Years 1, 2, 3 and 5 return to campus.45 Year 7 classes recommence on campus.*

MAY

Year 11 classes recommence on campus.*

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Year 12 classes recommence on campus.*

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From 1 June we expect all students to return to on campus learning. If a student is unable to be on campus, the school will require a medical certificate or equivalent.

Some statistics from the period (to date) of the pandemic: 600,000 Australians have lost their jobs, spending at cinemas has fallen by 98.5%, online gambling has increased by 20%, sales of tinned foods increased by 50% in March, spending on rail transport decreased by 80% in month of April, national road toll dropped by 12.5% in first three months of 2020, data flowing through NBN system has increased by 101%.43

• Teachers will now spray every desk before each lesson and will give each student a paper towel to wipe the desk; this will gain a greater assurety of cleanliness.

• Physical distancing required in classrooms and in the playground where possible.

• Week 6 will see the return of many co-curricular activities.47

• Australia: 6,784 notified cases, 89 deaths.

• Globally: 3,349,786 cases, 238,628 deaths.

• The Australian Government launches a new voluntary coronavirus app, COVIDSafe.44

41 ABC News App, 29 April 2020.

42 Dr Burgis speaking at end of ANZAC Day commemoration Assembly (video), 1 May 2020.

43 “The cost of taking on a pandemic”, Sydney Morning Herald, 2-3 May 2020, p.14-15.

44 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Weekly Epidemiology Reports, Australia, 2020, www1.health.gov.au 45 Letter from Junior School Executive to Parents, 27 April 2020.

46 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Weekly Epidemiology Reports, Australia, 2020, www1.health.gov.au

47 Letter from Dr Burgis to Staff, 15 May 2020.

48 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Weekly Epidemiology Reports, Australia, 2020, www1.health.gov.au 49 Letter from Dr Burgis to Staff, 15 May 2020.

50 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Weekly Epidemiology Reports, Australia, 2020, www1.health.gov.au (now published fortnightly rather than weekly) 51 SBS News App, 26 May 2020.

52 Email from Mrs Linda Chiba, Deputy Principal, to Senior School Staff, 31 May 2020. * Term 2 Events Summary

15 Australia: 7,075 notified cases, 100 deaths Globally: 4,525,497 cases, 307,394 deaths.48 All Senior and Junior year groups on campus.*

NSW students kept home from next week will be marked absent.

NSW Education Minister says “We are living through a pandemic and there will be occasions where we have a positive case that does affect the school community. This will happen from time to time... �51

Year 8 classes recommence on campus.49

Year 10 classes recommence on campus.*

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Monday 1 June

Year 9 classes recommence on campus.*

is a significant day at PLC Sydney as we welcome all students back on campus with the exception of those students whose parents have made contact with me to seek permission regarding a return to school date.52

Australia: 7,135 notified cases, 102 deaths.

Globally: 5,204,508 cases, 337,687 deaths.50

Ms Debby Cramer Archivist

Visit www.plc.nsw.edu.au/microsites/archives/stories-from-the-archives to view the complete timeline Recording events from PLC Sydney, Australia and the world: PLC Sydney Archives.

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BOARDERS RETURN HOME The start of the 2020 school year began with so many changes, with the Boarders’ Welcome Dinner the first event to be cancelled. At that time we were already unable to have a large gathering anywhere on campus—life had changed overnight.

We had students from China arriving into Sydney and having to go into quarantine for 14 days. These girls were the first to commence online learning for their two weeks of quarantine. The Boarding House felt strangely empty and like an invisible hand had wrenched it apart. Our community is made up of many parts and with some of our parts absent, we were incomplete.

COVID-19 was already in our vernacular and the boarding community felt it directly.

The beauty of the internet meant we could Zoom with our off campus girls during prep at night and introduce all the new boarders, so even though they were not on campus they were still involved in everything we did. This was invaluable for the whole house and helped everyone feel included.

The announcement to close was decided mid-March when news came through that hospitals would have limited beds in case of an outbreak and the possibility of a boarder or staff member contracting the virus, meant we would be locked in on campus. It was time for everyone to go home and be safe with family until we had this virus behind us.

Our local girls all went home and our international girls were housed with their guardians or families that offered them a home. We were so grateful for the PLC Sydney families that offered to have our Year 12 girls so they could remain near the College as at that stage the day school remained open.

News and decisions were moving so fast that daily updates were out of date before we had time to announce the update.

Year 12 continued on for another week after all other year groups moved to online learning from home, as they had assessments to sit. We locked down the campus and the Year 12 boarders remained, slowly departing as they completed their assessment block.

This was the fastest departure ever from boarding. The girls took what they needed for a few weeks or possibly the holidays and everything else remained in their rooms. There really wasn’t a sense of a long-term departure, however feelings were very intense for everyone as the thought that we might lose friends and family members was everywhere, as we watched news from across the globe. Uncertainty is a very powerful feeling and we felt it acutely.

The boarders stayed in touch with Zoom sessions that we conducted for year groups throughout the final weeks of the term. The girls sent through photos of themselves at home and filled our Boarding Instagram page with wonderful

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pictures of life at home and responded to photo challenges we would post each week. Daily life seemed to be at an increased pace for everyone. Boarding families suddenly had their girls learning from home and study spaces were created in unusual and interesting environments. Dining rooms become school rooms, a wool shed turned into a classroom— anywhere a space was large enough to accommodate learning at home for a number of siblings, it was created.

For country families, the challenge was access to the internet as many areas of the country find this resource very limited.

Some of the girls were given dongles to connect to the internet, so they could work independently through Zoom.

Without these devices the online learning platform was unreachable to the general country family living outside of large townships.

The Prime Minister opened schools at last and the decision to re-open the Boarding House was made, with six Year 12 boarders returning first on 28 April 2020, followed each week by more boarders as they followed the day school return to school dates. The community was still incomplete as we continued to live in partial lockdown until the school holidays.

Partial lockdown means no form of leave from campus, no weekends out of school, and this continued until the end of Term 2.

I believe the boarding girls have learnt a lot about their own needs versus wants throughout this time. They have been very resilient managing so much change and having to depend on one another for support.

I have been very proud to watch the boarding community through this time, as they have supported one another and had time to be together, without the pull and rush of the world calling them toward the greener grass on the other side of the big green gates.

I hope they will all have an opportunity to look back on this time and remember how much they learned about themselves and their capacity to live with uncertainty, and find resilience and calm within themselves.

Ms Pauline Turner Director of Boarding

17 A PARENT’S PERSPECTIVE When the COVID-19 pandemic started to gain momentum, particularly in the cities, it was time for the mad dash from Albury to Sydney to collect boarders from two different schools. It was also time to readjust to the new normal of online learning. With four children online and two parents working from home and dealing with slow internet, it took some patience.

Zoe Hobson (right) returned home to be with her family for seven weeks following the closure of the Boarding House.

Zoe Hobson As the cases of COVID-19 continued to escalate within Australia, it became apparent to us that the Boarding House was eventually going to close. When it was officially announced to us that it was closing I wasn’t sure how to feel. Whilst I was excited to be going home, not knowing when we would be returning made me feel unsure.

I had no idea what it was going to be like doing online school from home. My younger sister, my two younger brothers and I were all doing online school and my mum and dad were both working from home.

Over the seven weeks I was at home, we all faced many challenges. We’re lucky enough to live out of town, however, hardly leaving home meant that we were all in the same space every hour of the day and this was often a challenge for all of us. On a personal level, one of the aspects of this experience that I was challenged by the most was my routine. Living in a boarding house allows me to keep a set routine which looks similar every day. Having a set wake up time, dinnertime, study time and bedtime encourages me to be productive.

However, when I was home I found it very hard to establish a new routine. I often found myself waking up just before class started and going straight to my desk to join a Zoom call. I also found it very difficult to find the motivation to sit back down at my desk to do any study or homework after sitting in the same spot staring at my screen all day. I often found a reason not to study, whereas in the Boarding House there is a set study time where everyone in the house is working.

The experience I have had with online school has increased my appreciation I now have for face to face learning. Since returning back to school, I have been trying to take full advantage of all the teachers and resources which I have access to at PLC Sydney.

I am doing a major work for Design and Technology this year and during the time I was at home, I wasn’t able to progress my project forward very much, so since being back at school I have been taking full opportunity of the resources and equipment which are provided for us in the workshop.

We were aware that all of the kids were anxious and showing it in their own ways. Children rely so much on their routine so establishing a new one at home was the top priority, especially for the boarders, which had the biggest adjustment.

I was surprised how quickly they found their groove and we soon got used to them all scampering around the house at various breaks with their noses in the fridge with a school jumper on top and PJs on the bottom.

The calls for “what’s for lunch” soon faded out when they realised it was a help yourself arrangement. There were the regular PE lessons on the front lawn with our golden retriever helping out. The importance of exercise was drilled into them from school and I was so impressed with the kids all taking this on in various forms and realising how important it was to get out after sitting at their screen all day long.

Food was a major focus and talk of dinner started from 4pm.

Zoe often took over dinner duty which was a great outlet for her. We also learnt quickly and early on that under NO circumstances was a parent allowed to enter a room during school hours for fear of someone catching a glimpse of us!

A few times I managed to crawl on the floor just out of sight to deliver a snack.

All in all we managed well after some early adjustments and were so thankful for the beautiful autumn weather to enjoy our long walks together. The adjustment to online learning and being away from boarding was only possible with the strong support of the school and its wonderful teachers and staff who were all going through their own adjustments.

I was so impressed when Zoe told me that one of her teachers was sending them messages every day of healthy recipes, exercises and other little motivators. Another teacher sent Zoe a felt making kit in the post for her design project. That made all the difference in my mind knowing that they were part of a great community that was taking care of each other.

Ms Fleur Webster (Parent of Zoe Hobson)

I have also been making a conscious effort to ask more questions during class and organise times to meet with teachers if I need. Online school definitely presented a lot of challenges for me, but with the support of my family, teachers, Boarding staff and friends, I was able to turn it into a positive learning experience for myself.

Zoe Hobson, Year 12

ISSUE 11 / WINTER 2020

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Olivia Lam (left) with her parents and sister (and ex-student) Philippa, had the opportunity to spend more time together during lockdown.

Olivia Lam The week before our second Year 12 assessment block, all of the boarders were called to gather in a communal space near the main foyer and were told about the boarding closure

by Ms Turner. Unfortunately, the closure did not come as a surprise as many of us had felt the looming likelihood of packing up to go home as more and more news about the coronavirus was being disseminated in the media.

For Year 12, the experience of studying for exams with the possibility of having them cancelled, and the time spent for nothing, was particularly disjunctive and left us feeling not in one place or another. I remember walking into the Dining Hall every evening to be greeted by new news and the whole situation feeling extremely surreal. This sense of the unfamiliar didn’t cease upon leaving boarding and returning home.

Learning remotely was difficult as I found it was challenging to stay engaged in class in a six-period day without human contact with my classmates and my teacher. While this was my main practical challenge, it was also disheartening knowing that working from home, our Year 12 experience was narrowed to the facet that is centred primarily around studying without the memorable social events and interactions that make our final year what it is. In addition to this, learning from home posed some logistical problems as our house bandwidth was shared tightly between my dad’s online work and my Zoom classes. That being said, there were definite benefits to the new platform we were introduced to as a result of the circumstance.

To keep in touch with others during the lockdown, Zoom became my new primary form of social media as I am sure

PLC SYDNEY / CAMPHORA

it did for many others. Due to Zoom’s handy screen share function, I was able to watch movies with my friends in my free time outside of study that I would not have been able to do otherwise on FaceTime, Skype, etc.

Within the household, I was also able to socialise with my family who I only see periodically throughout the term on brief visits. It was lovely being able to spend time with my mum and dad and go on walks with them around the neighbourhood after dinner. Although being confined to home with them was occasionally trying at times, as all such situations can be, I am very grateful to have been with my family in view of the fact that many international boarders couldn’t be during quarantine.

Upon coming back to the Boarding House at the beginning of Term 2, I again encountered various mixed emotions: a sense of joy to see my friends after so many weeks, a degree of disillusionment after realising I couldn’t hug said friends upon seeing them and a numb realisation of how a ‘new normal’ had to be established, abiding by social distancing rules.

Now at the end of Term 2, despite all the immense changes the school and boarding have undergone in the past few months, I believe that we have adapted well to the new world we are now living in at school. I am grateful that such change has perhaps woken us up to things we hadn’t noticed or valued before: the pivotal importance of relationships and our ability to be resilient in times of great upheaval.

Olivia Lam, Year 12

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Emily Zhao Since the trace of coronavirus being found in Australia, I had been constantly paying attention to the exponentially increased cases in each country published by Johns Hopkins University.

The outbreak had not only spread the virus, but also fears among the crowd.

News articles, social media and radio posts for every update about COVID-19 was pumped out every second in every corner. I was defiant to the panic when I was notified of the closure of the Boarding House by meetings and emails, however, I was still worried— would my exams still commence?

Where would I stay?

Before hearing further information on assessments from school, a friend from another school told me how stressed she was due to their change in an internal task format, from four tasks to two, where the weightings for each task were significantly increased.

Fortunately, our assessments went ahead as planned, which alleviated much of our pressure. During the exam period, only the Year 12s were allowed on campus and all the equipment used in exams were sanitised before commencement, which ensured our safety.

I was also fortunate enough to be arranged to stay with Mrs Marvell (Director of Enrolments) during the time for quarantine. I had enjoyed my online learning at the Marvell’s house, where all my teachers were extremely organised and supportive during this special time. The online learning proved to be efficient, where the time of travel between classes was eliminated and the contents were delivered through electronic copies.

However, the obstacles were to concentrate in front of laptops for the whole day and the lack of socialising with friends. As a boarders’ prefect, I had meetings with Ms Turner and other prefects to find innovative ways of staying connected as a community.

It was such a blessing to stay with the Marvells as they took great care of me and we really formed close bonds through our daily chats of culture, the movie night and the jigsaw puzzles.

Returning to the Boarding House has been one of the most exciting moments throughout this period of time, even though the house only started with six Year 12 boarders. It was frustrating for me at first to stay socially distanced

Emily Zhao stayed with Mrs Catherine Marvell (Director of Enrolments) and Mr Steven Marvell after the closure of the Boarding House in Term 1.

within the house, but really, I was excited just to see my friends every day as they light up my day. It was only when we were separated for a long time, I learnt how privileged I was to physically build our friendships and be back in the classroom.

In the end, I want to thank all the efforts and support from the staff members, especially the executive staff for leading the school.

It has been hard for us as students to adapt to the online learning system, but it has been even harder for the staff members to transition into the online teaching style and maintain the academic standards. I wasn’t alone, we were all in this together.

Emily Zhao, Year 12

ISSUE 11 / WINTER 2020

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Evandale students produced animal dioramas during face-to-face sessions.

A SEAMLESS TRANSITION FOR DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES 2020 has been anything but business as usual, however, the move to online teaching for Digital Technologies (DT) in the Junior School, has lent itself nicely to transitioning between online and face-to-face teaching and learning.

In K-6, DT explores three big ideas —designing solutions to problems, following and creating instructions (code) and exploring data and systems. Our programs address these ideas using a combination of plugged (technology) and unplugged (not using technology, i.e., hands-on) methods.

Our program is underpinned by developing transferable ICT and digital technology skills for students across K-6. These skills are explored through digital technologies projects linked to learning across all K-6 curriculum areas.

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In the Junior School our online learning programs encouraged students to foster and extend these transferable digital skills.

In Year 1, students showed their computational planning and algorithmic thinking, coding an animation about bike safety in ScratchJnr.

Lessons were designed to build an understanding of computer science foundations by exploring concepts and developing digital and technical skills while at home, through tasks which involved coding software and building programs. The return to school has seen students apply these skills and foundations to complete their projects, using physical computing to create completed digital systems incorporating hardware.

Since the return to school, the Year 1 girls have extended their coding skills to code a thermometer using a microcontroller called a Microbit.

Evandale Evandale students focused on design and creativity, by building physical models of toys, animals, and habits and planning on making these digital.

While working at home, the girls developed their design, coding and planning skills. Kindergarten spent time learning about animals and their needs.

They applied this learning to designing and producing Lego and Playdough animal dioramas, during face-to-face sessions.

Meanwhile, Year 2 showed their design flair at home, by designing and building a toy for a friend. They then spent time developing their coding skills using a program by MIT called Scratch. Back in the classroom, the girls have been busy connecting their toy, to a Makey Makey (keyboard replacer) and a computer, to make it an interactive system that runs a code they are creating in Scratch.

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Hamilton Hamilton students were just as busy at home exploring algorithms, using drawing, and word and barrier games.

They practiced designing variables and conditionals, in programs like Scratch and Micro:bit classroom.

Year 3 applied geometrical thinking when coding shapes and 2D drawings using online coding platform Pencilcode.net. After returning to school, the girls transferred the skills learnt during this online task, to code the Dash robot to trace the perimeter of measured shapes. Years 4, 5 and 6 fostered their creativity and understanding of coding concepts Scratch and Micro:bits. Students explored the coding concepts and skills, like variables and conditions, and applied these by designing quiz and click games and Rube Goldberg animations.

Year 2 developed their coding skills using Scratch, a program designed by MIT.

Year 6 extended their application of conditions and variables by creating the software for digital dice and a digital rock, paper, scissors game for the Micro:bit. Through face-to-face lessons, the girls have built on their software design, by building the hardware for their game with physical computing and the Micro:bit.

Since returning back to school the girls have had the wonderful experience of building on from their online learning.

Students have utilised transferable skills acquired during home learning to extend their classroom learning and complete projects incorporating elements of design, as well as components of software and hardware.

It will be exciting to see the girls games and systems completed.

Mrs Helen Kardiasmenos Junior School Technology Teacher

ISSUE 11 / WINTER 2020

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Mrs Catherine Marvell, Director of Enrolments, takes prospective families on a virtual tour of the College.

ENROLMENTS DURING A PANDEMIC The last day on campus, before government closures were enacted, was certainly different—trying to move your office home when you are so used to having access to everything.

Leading up to this day we had tours and events to postpone, without any idea of a future time frame.

Office tasks were divided between the Enrolments staff so our responsibilities were delineated.

Walking onto the campus is the best way to market the College, with prospective families experiencing the beautiful grounds and seeing the school in action.

Suddenly this would not be possible. So in between packing boxes, gathering technology, and loading cars, we hurriedly filmed a video tour of the College.

When taking families on tours of the College it is always so easy to chat and tell them about the school, but in filming the virtual tour, these people were imaginary, with no questions to ask. There was a pervading sense of urgency with girls and staff gathering everything around us. It was certainly not the best possible time to film a virtual tour, but it was very necessary as we did not know when we would return to campus!

The weeks since have been interesting and certainly busy.

Zoom meetings became a daily occurrence, with the Executive making decisions to keep the learning happening and the community engaged.

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Suddenly we were thinking of novel ways to look at our processes and new methods of effectively engaging with families who were considering PLC Sydney for their daughters.

Our website was tweaked so prospective families would have easier access to videos of the College and virtual events were organised. Private tours were arranged so families could view the video tour in their own time and then chat online to one of the Enrolments staff.

The Prospective Parent Information Sessions became Zoom meetings from the comfort of homes. It was wonderful to see families gathered around their screens watching the presentation and asking some fabulous questions. Enrolment interviews for future students were held via Zoom and offers made using a new automated system. Webinars with our education agents and future families overseas, were held to keep them updated with our latest news.

With everyone ‘zooming’, we were also able to attend more meetings and webinars so our professional development was strengthened in new, unexpected directions.

While this has been a dreadful time in world history, we can be grateful for the people who lead us through, the time we were given to appreciate what we have, and the lessons we will hopefully take with us into the future.

Mrs Catherine Marvell Director of Enrolments

INNOVATIVE ONLINE CHINESE PROJECTS

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At the beginning of 2020, a group of 17 excited Year 7 students received their first ever Chinese Cultural Project instructions.

They worked very hard in groups, looking for the most interesting customs and stories of Chinese New Year (CNY). They prepared PowerPoints, Kahoot games, cooking and craft shows, and even original videos—all ready to go to present in front of the whole class.

Little did they know that by the time they finished their projects, they would be placed in a ‘lockdown’ situation. It seemed that there was no hope of presenting their lovely projects in front of the whole class.

Year 8 student Alyssa Buda learnt how to write different characters for her daily routine video she produced during the learning from home phase.

But nothing could stop us enjoying each other’s hard work— we decided to use ‘shared screen’ on Zoom to allow each group to explain their interesting topics, such as folk paper cutting, calligraphy and Chinese water painting, New Year decorations and CNY feast. One of the presentations was observed by Mrs Chiba as our online guest. All of us enjoyed the presentations tremendously. I was particularly impressed by an original video The Zodiac Race, created by Anabelle Lau, Yilan Chow and Jasmine Gifford.

While the Year 7 girls were busy doing their CNY projects, the Year 8 girls had completed their Daily Routine online projects.

Here are some of their project reflections: Year 7 students Anabelle Lau, Yilan Chow and Jasmine Gifford created The Zodiac Race depicting how the Chinese Zodiac calendar was created.

“As soon as the school announced that we will be having online schooling, I was excited because it was something new I really wanted to try. The idea that I would be able to wake up late was exciting to me and it was all new so I didn’t know what to expect.

I think my daily routine changed a little bit because of quarantine.

I was able to wake up late, so my normal routine was altered as I had more spare time to do homework and for my leisure time as well. The project helped me calm down for a second and take a breath from my busy schedule. I was able to reflect on my routine and it was a fun experience overall."

“Along the process of creating this video, I have learnt many new things, for example how to say goodnight in Chinese and also how to write different characters in relation to my daily routine. I have also learnt further how to correctly edit my film. I really enjoyed this project overall.”

Aileen Kim

Alyssa Buda

Year 8

Year 8

“During the coronavirus lockdown and school closures I have had more free time to do homework, spend time with my family and do more arts and crafts projects. I have less distractions during class time and can get more work done. I have had more time to study and practise for exams.”

"PLC Sydney's Art and Design Club motivates and encourages students to broaden their expertise, in turn enhancing our overall artistic abilities, and broadening visual and imaginative horizons.

This, in itself, is veritably groovy.”

Jasmine Chee Year 8

Makayla Johnson Year 10

Ms Faraday Pang Assistant Head of Languages

ISSUE 11 / WINTER 2020

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Brielle Papadopoulos (back row, left) and Ameline Archis (back row, right) together with Professor Michael Gratzel and other student delegates from the United States of America and Mexico at ISYF Singapore.

Brielle with her poster outlining her research ‘From Fuelto Fire Retardant’.

ISYF SINGAPORE— A MEETING OF THE MINDS During the summer break of 2020, Hwa Chong Institution in Singapore held their annual science conference, the International Science Youth Forum (ISYF).

PLC Sydney was invited as the only school from Australia to attend this international summit which enabled the learning, sharing and discovery of scientific research, models and theories. This forum allows students from around the world, who share a common passion for science, to work together to explore the never-ending universe science lays in front of us. We, Brielle and Ameline, were extremely privileged to take part in this journey, alongside our teacher Ms Hendriks.

Brielle was given the opportunity to share her research titled, ‘From Fuel to Fire Retardant’, where she explored the use of chemicals alum, borax and sodium silicate in their ability to withhold fire when in adhered onto cellulose fibre. The project was successful in finding that alum serves as an extremely effective fire retardant, PLC SYDNEY / CAMPHORA

withstanding the flames of a burner for longer than five minutes on average.

Together we presented Brielle’s research through both a poster and presentation, which were viewed by fellow delegates and Nobel Laureates.

Her project was also awarded third place at the STANSW Awards Night, in the Year 9 and 10 Chemistry category.

Together we took part in a dialogue session and masterclass with eminent scientists and Nobel Laureates, where we heard from Professor Michael Gratzel (Professor of Photonics and Interfaces) and Dr Su Yi (Biomechanical Engineer at A*Star Singapore).

Professor Gratzel went into detail about the effects of climate change on the planet, then proceeded to discuss his invention, the Gratzel Cell. This is a dye-sensitised solar cell which uses Titanium Oxide covered in dye to absorb many forms of light, including from light-bulbs. This cell then turns the light into electricity as it passes through a compartment of electrodes. The cell is used widely on streets, balconies, bags and is used in innovation internationally.

Dr Su Yi spoke about the importance of the new age of technology. With his education in biomechanical engineering, we heard about the use of technology to programme, develop and explore in detail, the unknown areas of our world. He strongly suggested that

all students learn the programming system ‘Python’ as our future is leading further into technology daily.

In addition to attending talks, lectures and masterclasses we also had the opportunity to exhibit our Australian culture through a cultural presentation and an interactive cultural stall. During these sessions we were able to teach other delegates about our Australian culture. We proudly taught them the nutbush dance, gave them spoonfuls of vegemite and a taste of some of our native jams! These sessions also taught us about the culture of other countries, where international delegates were invited to give a 20 minute presentation on their culture. Through these sessions we were able to learn about Balinese traditional dances from the Indonesian delegates, the Estonian folk festival from the Estonian delegates and the Day of the Dead festival from the Mexican delegates.

The experience exposed a new world to us, both in the areas of science and life. We are incredibly grateful to have attended this trip which really put our life on the international level. We highly recommend this trip for future students and are tremendously excited to plan and host our very own international Science Summit at PLC Sydney in 2023.

Brielle Papadopoulos and Ameline Archis Year 11

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ISYF Educators Conference I was fortunate to accompany Year 11 students Brielle Papadopoulos and Ameline Archis to the ISYF in Singapore where I had the opportunity to hear from and meet with international scientists and Nobel Laureates, such as Professor Ada Yonath (Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2009), Sir Konstantin Novoselov (Nobel Prize in Physics 2010) and Sir Tim Hunt (Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2001).

A particular honour was meeting with Professor Michael Gratzel (awarded the 2010 Millennium Technology Prize) who invented a high-efficiency and lowcost photovoltaic cell that uses special dyes attached to an array of titanium dioxide nanoparticles to capture sunlight and convert it into electricity.

When Professor Grätzel was awarded the 2010 Millennium Technology Prize, one of the world’s largest and most prestigious prizes for technology, for his creation, the prize committee said that the cells “show great promise as an inexpensive alternative to costly silicon solar cells and an attractive candidate for a new renewable energy source”.

Today, the cells are manufactured on a multi-megawatt scale, and can be found in a range of products, including smart glass windows, solar-powered backpacks and e-book readers.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting the world, students in Year 11 were going to meet via Zoom with Professor Gratzel and make their own solar cell as part of a Chemistry depth study. We hope to transfer this opportunity to Year 11, 2021.

In addition, teachers from around the globe shared their resources and thoughts on science education over two days at the conference, where I had the opportunity to discuss the introduction of Earth and Environmental Science into PLC Sydney.

Brielle and Ameline had the opportunity to exhibit Australian culture through an interactive stall at ISYF.

Some of the speakers included: Dr Nick Gower from Camborne Science and International Academy (United Kingdom), who presented on marking and feedback strategies.

Dr Vasilii from Pavlov School: Sakha Junior Science Academy (Russia), who presented on the topic of ‘Regional Gifted and Talented Students Identification and Support Centers: building a state-sponsored gifted education ecosystem in Russia’. In addition Dr Vasilii also discussed with me the birds that migrate from Siberia to Australia.

Mr Erkki Otsman from Tallinn Secondary School of Science (Estonia) presented on the topic of ‘Knowing nature and teaching it to Estonian school students’, which was indeed transferable to Australian schools.

Furthermore, I met with Singaporean educators and discussed Cambridge A Level Chemistry and the use of scientific papers in assessment tasks.

As a result we were to welcome a teacher from Singapore, Wee Chorng Shin, to speak with the Science faculty earlier this year, however unfortunately we had to cancel due to COVID-19.

I also witnessed an amazing orientation day where cocurricular activities were put on display for new students to sign up.

Dr Burgis subsequently introduced this concept to PLC Sydney, together with Ms Jenny Clarke, for our own cocurricular activities.

It was an honour to be able to represent PLC Sydney at such an event.

Mrs Fiona Hendriks Science Teacher

ISSUE 11 / WINTER 2020

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The Chinese Debating Team training on campus before switching to online.

A VIRTUAL DEBATING EXPERIENCE In 2020 the PLC Sydney Chinese Debating Team (consisting of 28 Year 7 to 12 students) started our journey and training from Term 1.

However, life is full of unexpected twists—just when we were celebrating our largest number of participants, there was an announcement that the NSW Interschool Chinese Debating Competition, known as the Xin Wei Cup Competition, was cancelled.

How disappointing! Well that did not dampen our determination to improve our debating skills. We switched to online training mode during the break. Then suddenly good news brightened up our day—the organiser decided to run a virtual competition, which made it even bigger and better by involving teams in Melbourne.

How wonderful! Four girls (Chloe Zhao and Grace Miao in Year 11 and Morrena Zheng and Carol Sun in Year 10) represented PLC Sydney. Working extremely hard, the girls won every online competition including the semi-final. Some other girls in the team participated as online judges. In the final competition, all the Melbourne teams were already eliminated, and the three strongest Sydney teams had to debate on the same topic on both sides. Our girls came third overall, winning some prize money and great honour!

For Chloe, Grace, Morrena and Carol, it was one of the most wonderful experiences in their lives. Even though it was not easy to balance the heavy debating load every week, spending hours everyday discussing, and continuing that pattern even until after Term 2 started, with school work and assessments piling up. We are indeed very grateful to have these devoted girls and our amazing coach Lucas Chen.

Ms Faraday Pang Assistant Head of Languages

PLC SYDNEY / CAMPHORA

The girls have shared some of their reflections from the experience:

Chloe: I have learned teamwork, critical thinking and how to search for deeper meanings of knowledge, friendship and life.

Grace: I learned how to cooperate, how to trust and I gained precious friendships! I’m truly grateful for the opportunity.

Carol: I really love the motions we debated, they inspired me to think deeply! Considering this was my first interschool debating experience, the result was really encouraging. I’m sure in the future our younger generations of debaters will win eventually.

Morrena: Combining logic, thinking before you talk, understanding other opinions, learning how to listen—these are just a few things among many I gained from this debating experience.

Our coaches, my teammates—what a privilege to work with them!

28

60 SECONDS WITH....

MS MARIA PASSARIS Year 3 Teacher Stage 2 Coordinator Where did you start teaching?

I am very grateful to have started my teaching career at SCEGGS Darlinghurst, working with a beautiful Year 1 class. I was lucky enough to teach many of those students again when they were in Year 3. The teachers there really helped shape the teacher I am today.

Have you always been a teacher or have you had other careers before teaching?

I have always been a teacher, working at independent schools across Sydney.

When I was studying, I worked in retail and customer service. It is surprising that much of what I learnt in these roles has assisted me with many different situations as a teacher.

What led you to a career in education?

If you ask my family, they'd say I wanted to become a teacher from a young age.

Yes, I was that child! The one recreating a classroom setting at home with my dolls as my students, and occasionally I persuaded my parents, sister and cousins to play along too. I guess I've always had a love for learning and being a little animated!

I started my tertiary studies enrolled in a double degree to become a History and English high school teacher.

Two years in, I realised working with teenagers was not the path meant for me. I quickly transferred to a Primary Education degree and felt right at home—I knew this was the right career choice!

What has been your greatest challenge in the classroom?

I think one of the greatest challenges in the classroom for me has been time, there is never enough of it! I remember when I first started my career, I was always the first and last person at

PLC SYDNEY / CAMPHORA

school, spending endless hours decorating my classroom, creating engaging learning experiences for my class, providing feedback, replying to emails (the list goes on!). I do think I am now better at prioritising my time.

However, it is so easy to lose yourself researching for new and better ways to do things!

What do you enjoy most about being involved in education?

I am passionate about providing a stimulating environment in which a love of learning is fostered and students are enthusiastic, interested, motivated to discover and actively engage in the learning process. By creating such a learning environment, students are given opportunities to develop academically, socially and personally into happy, confident lifelong learners.

I love that I can continue to learn and grow alongside my students, modelling for them that even as adults we still learn new things and that it’s okay to make mistakes.

What do you find most rewarding about teaching?

Making connections with all of the students so they know that you understand and care about them, whilst encouraging them to reach their potential and overcome their hurdles. At the end of my first year of teaching, a parent thanked me for helping her daughter have her first positive experience of school and feel comfortable in her own skin. I honestly didn’t know what she was referring to, I didn’t do anything special. This inspired me to go on to learn more about catering for gifted students, so I enrolled in COGE which then led me to complete my Master of Gifted Education.

Do you have a most memorable career point to date?

There is a whole rollercoaster ride of memorable experiences, ranging from working with inspiring colleagues, trying to contain my laughter when students

say the most incredibly innocent comments and accepting coordinator roles.

In 2019, I had the most wonderful opportunity to travel to Vietnam to provide professional development to teachers at two schools in Hanoi with an amazing colleague, Caitlin McGraw.

We worked extremely hard to provide the staff with an array of lessons demonstrating a range of teaching techniques that they could implement into their own classrooms. Also, we spent the afternoons presenting to large groups of educators about various topics. This was an unforgettable experience, one that included reflection on my own teaching practices, warm hospitality and interesting local experiences.

Who has been your greatest influence?

I would have to say my greatest influence has been my family.

Their hard work, strength, resilience, unconditional love, support and guidance they have given me, are things I am truly blessed and thankful for.

What is your motto in life?

Share the love!

Do you have any interests/hobbies?

I love spending time with family and friends creating new amazing memories. Some of the activities I enjoy include discovering new delicious restaurants, learning family cooking secrets, reading in the sunshine, travelling to new places, dancing and shopping.

MS JENNY CLARKE

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PDHPE Teacher Head of Rowing Coordinator Co-curricular Coordinator Talented Individual Performer (TIP) Program Have you always been a teacher or have you had other careers before teaching?

Teaching has been my only career but I've had lots of jobs— pizza delivery, ice cream shop, french polisher, car tinting, factory worker, plumbers assistant, rowing coach, and more.

What led you to a career in education?

My rowing coaching led me to teaching. There were job opportunities to mix my passion for rowing and a career, plus discovering a love of sharing the learning experience and journey with others.

What has been your greatest challenge in the classroom?

Working out how to work each room's different TV/screens systems!

What do you enjoy most about being involved in education?

The people—my passionate, dedicated, fun colleagues and energetic and enthusiastic students.

What do you find most rewarding about teaching?

So many things—seeing a student finally understand an important concept I have been trying to teach. Witnessing and being a part of that ‘light bulb’ moment. Feeling like I can make a difference for the better in someone's life in that moment.

A few—some good and some not so good. I'll keep the not so good to myself as my own learning experiences. One of the best would be the PLC Sydney First Eight winning at National Championships, a few years ago now.

Who has been your greatest influence?

I don’t have one greatest influence. Lots of different people and for lots of different reasons. Some people inspire me to be more grateful with all I have and how I can be a better person. Some people teach me great lessons in life. Some people just show me a different way I could do something that I hadn't thought of.

"One of the best would be the PLC Sydney First Eight winning at National Championships, a few years ago now."

What is your motto in life?

It will all be okay.

Do you have any interests/hobbies?

I like bike riding and anything to do with water activities.

Watching Netflix has become more of a hobby lately too!

ISSUE 11 / WINTER 2020

60 SECONDS WITH...

Do you have a most memorable career point to date?

30

Miss Sarah Antico and Dr Burgis with the 2019 Senior 1sts. The team took out the S02 Division in a nail-biting extra time final against Roseville College.

NETBALL CONTINUES TO THRIVE While many sporting codes are just waking up to the power of female sport, netball has blazed a trail of female empowerment for decades. These days, netball is the biggest team sport in Australia, played by over 1.2 million men, women and children all over the country. It’s also the number one participation sport for Australian girls.

Netball has a long history at PLC Sydney, having been introduced in the early 1920s, and has continued to grow in popularity.

In 2019 we had 23 teams with more than 200 girls playing, including a Year 12 social team who played through the whole season, despite study commitments and exams!

Sports Coordinator, Miss Sarah Antico, took over the coaching reins last year for the Senior 1sts and the team took out the S02 Division in a nail-biting extra time final against Roseville College. A great improvement after placing fifth in 2018.

Miss Antico said “the plan is for the team to now play in the S01 Division which will see us up against some very competitive netball schools such as Pymble and Monte.

I really feel though, that despite the skewed preparation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we will be ready for the task. It has been a number of years since PLC Sydney has been in S01 netball (by choice) so it is pretty exciting.”

PLC Sydney also nominated a team to compete in the Netball NSW Schools Cup Tournament, consisting of Year 7 and 8 girls. Unfortunately the competition has been cancelled for 2020 however Miss Antico said “it is great to see so much talent coming through in the younger years.”

Miss Antico has noticed a growing trend for girls in both the senior and junior schools to play club netball along with their school competition.

“I strongly encourage girls who are keen to develop their netball to do this because the skill development over a longer season is invaluable.”

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1921 Junior Netball Team

She has also seen the number of girls participating in representative programs grow. “I really encourage all junior club A Grade players to try out for a rep side. The level of coaching you receive in these programs is fantastic and as a rep coach myself at Northern Suburbs, I feel the coaches have such a great opportunity to develop players over the course of six months.”

“In terms of coaches, we are really fortunate to have some very passionate coaches in our midst. I am keen to continue to develop our coaches through mentoring and coaching sessions. I am also looking to run more specialist sessions for our girls as the lunchtime shooting sessions in 2019 proved to be such a hit!”

IN PROFILE

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Charlotte Cameron How old were you when you started playing netball?

I was 7 years old, playing in Under 8s for Haberfield Netball Club.

How did you get involved?

I started playing netball with family friends, for a club in my local area, because I wanted to get involved in a sport, and I was the right age to start netball.

What position(s) do you usually play?

I play goal shooter (GS).

Favourite team?

My favourite team is the Australian Diamonds.

Favourite player?

Gretel Tippett or Sam Wallace.

What are some of the challenges you face with juggling school work and competing/training?

It is sometimes hard if I have a lot of work to do for school, and I know I have netball training or games after school and usually the majority of the weekend. It sometimes means I have trouble completing certain schoolwork on time, but if this happens I just let my teacher know and make time to get it done before training, etc. If I know I have a competition on the weekend, I have to try and get all of my school work completed before the weekend, so I know there is nothing I need to get done when I finish. I have to have good time management so I don't fall behind in netball or sport.

What do you like to do when you are not competing/training or doing school work?

When I'm not training, competing or doing school work, I like to catch up with my friends and I also do other sports when I am in the off-season, even though I do still train. I make the most of the time when I don't have anything on because I usually have no time on the weekend to catch up with friends or other family. I also work on my personal fitness to make sure I am not falling behind and I am still strong and fit.

Do you belong to other netball clubs and have you been selected for representative teams?

Yes, I play club netball for Leichhardt Wanderers Netball Club and I have been selected into the Inner Western Suburbs Netball Association Representative Team.

Have you achieved any awards during your time playing netball?

Yes, I have received a few awards: Cheryl Hamilton Trophy for Representative Player of the Season (Most Valuable Player of my Rep Association), Most Valuable Under 14's Rep Player, Leichhardt Wanderers Cadet 1 Best and Fairest Award and an award at the PLC Sydney Sports Awards Night for Netball.

CHARLOTTE CAMERON (YEAR 9) What do you think has been your biggest sporting achievements so far?

My biggest sporting achievement last year was when I was awarded, Most Valuable Player of my Rep Association.

What is your greatest sporting ambition for netball?

I would really like to go on to play netball at a higher level when I leave school, and work towards playing professionally.

Who has been your greatest inspiration?

I think my greatest inspiration all through netball has been my coaches.

They push me to try new things, and push me out of my comfort zones, so that I can improve and perform better.

Everything they do is to make the team better, so they are definitely my inspiration.

ISSUE 11 / WINTER 2020

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IN PROFILE Sophie McLachlan How old were you when you started playing netball?

I started playing in the Under 8s.

How did you get involved?

A lot my school friends played netball and they always talked about how much they enjoyed it, so I decided to join their team.

What position(s) do you usually play?

I usually play goal defence (GD) and goal keeper (GK).

Favourite team?

NSW Swifts.

What are some of the challenges you face with juggling school work and competing/training?

As I am training at least four times a week, I sometimes find it difficult to manage the load between school work and training and competing. I have had to learn how to be very productive between school and training in order to complete all of my homework for the next day. I often need to plan ahead and ensure I am organised if I have training or competitions the day before an exam or an assessment is due.

What do you like to do when you are not competing/training or doing school work?

I am doing my Silver Duke of Edinburgh's Award at the moment.

Do you belong to other netball clubs and have you been selected for representative teams?

I play for Leichhardt Wanderers Netball Club at the Inner Western Suburbs Netball Association. I have been in the Inner West Representative teams from Under 12s. I am also in the Under 17 Senior State Titles Team for Inner West and one of their metro teams.

Have you achieved any awards during your time playing netball?

I was the Most Valuable Player in my Inner Western Suburbs Representative Team for the 2018 and 2019 seasons.

What do you think has been your biggest sporting achievements so far?

My biggest sporting achievement is probably getting into the Sydney Netball Academy for 2020.

What is your greatest sporting ambition for netball?

The next step I am aiming for is to get into a NSW state team, but eventually I would love to play at a higher level.

PLC SYDNEY / CAMPHORA

SOPHIE MCLACHLAN (YEAR 10)

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Mia Pasin How old were you when you started playing netball?

When I started playing netball I was 6 years old and in Year 1.

How did you get involved?

I have an older sister who started playing before me and I used to go and watch her play every Saturday morning—I remember looking at their team and wanting to be just like them. My mum started a netball team and was the coach and ever since I have loved the game.

What position(s) do you usually play?

I usually play goal shooter (GS) as I am quite tall, however before I was chosen into the Under 11 Representative Team I played centre (C).

Favourite player?

My favourite player is Caitlin Bassett. She is the captain of the Australian Diamonds netball team as well as a leader who I look up to. She is strong and confident and plays netball because she has a great love and appreciation for the game.

She is 32 years old and 1.96m tall which makes her the tallest on the team. Caitlin leads the team with determination and compassion. She has an unbelievable 90% shooting rate and she first began playing at the age of 11.

What are some of the challenges you face with juggling school work and competing/training?

I love playing netball, which means that I will always put it first over my schoolwork, much to my mother's disagreement! I do find it hard to juggle my schoolwork as I used to play netball all day, both Saturday and Sunday, which meant that I would then have to complete my assignments and homework late Sunday night after a full carnival day of around eight games.

Organisation is key when training/competing a lot as you have to plan weeks ahead in order to get everything you need done.

I was a very disorganised person but in order to achieve and be able to accomplish everything, I have had to adapt and become very organised. For example, starting assignments weeks early as I may have a carnival the day before it is due or changing my work shifts around to suit when I don't have training.

What do you like to do when you are not competing/training or doing school work?

To be honest, when I am not training or competing I like to have downtime with my family and to catch up with my friends. I also like to relax and get organised for weeks ahead so that I don't feel stressed.

Do you belong to other netball clubs and have you been selected for representative teams?

Ever since I was 10 I have been playing with the Inner Western Suburbs Netball Association representative teams and competing at the State Title 3 Day Challenge days. I also have a Saturday club team in which I have been playing with ever since my first netball game. At one point in time my Saturdays

MIA PASIN (YEAR 11) consisted of three netball games as well as a full carnival day on Sundays. I was a part of the Junior IGSSA CIS netball team in which we won the competition two years in a row.

Have you achieved any awards during your time playing netball?

Player of the Year 2019 for PLC Sydney; Premiership Team of the Year 2019 for PLCS; CIS IGSSA Netball Team Gold Medallion 2019; and the Highest Number of Goals Shot in a Junior Team IWSNA 2018.

What do you think has been your biggest sporting achievements so far?

Being selected to trial for the NSW CIS team; Player of the Year 2019 for PLCS; Premiership Team of the Year 2019 PLCS and winning the grand final game; and being spotted by the NSW Swifts player on rep carnivals.

What is your greatest sporting ambition for netball?

My greatest sporting ambition is to play for Australia, to make my country proud in doing something that I love. It would be a dream to wear the green and gold uniform. I really want to make my grandad proud (he has passed away) but he used to say to me that he would be in the crowd one day watching me play for the Diamonds (the Australian netball team), being my number one supporter.

Who has been your greatest inspiration?

I don't have one greatest inspiration however I have a few people who have gotten me to where I am now. My mum has supported me ever since I started, she would go to coach training days in order to be the best coach possible. She has woken up with me every time before dawn in order to drive me hours away for a carnival. She has gotten involved with all my teams and helped out and made sure that we are all eating well and getting sufficient sleep.

My dad who has also supported my ambitions, never gives up on me and always pushes me in order to achieve the best he knows I can. He is always standing by the side line ensuring that I am tough and don't get pushed around. Both of my sisters every year came to my final big carnival, which was hours away, in order to watch me play—this meant a great deal to me.

ISSUE 11 / SUMMER 2020

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AFL ON THE MARK Already one of Australia’s most popular sports for men and boys, AFL or 'Aussie Rules', has continued to grow with the introduction of girls and women playing the sport at community, school and professional levels.

History was made on 3 February 2017 when the Collingwood Magpies and the Carlton Blues played the first premiership game of the Australian Football League Women’s (AFLW) competition at Ikon Park in Melbourne.

There are now more than 463 000 girls and women playing football across Australia.

PLC Sydney is proud to be part of the movement, proving that AFL isn't just a boys' club anymore. AFL was introduced in our Junior School in 2019. After a successful trial, our senior students are now able to join in the fun, competing in the SportsTG Independent Schools Girls Competition. PLCS entered the competition with five teams: 2 x Year 7/8 teams (Division 1 and 2); 2 x Year 9/10 teams (Division 1 and 2); and 1 Opens team (Division 2).

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In mid-January, the College ran a two day AFL Clinic at Centenary Park to prepare the girls for the season ahead.

Sports Coordinator, Miss Laura Verlinden, said “the Clinic was held just before the girls went back to school, ready to kick start the season. The girls learned a variety of new skills, drills and had the opportunity for plenty of game play practise.

This gave them all the confidence they needed before the season commenced.”

Observing the players during the two days, Miss Verlinden said “they were really pushed to their limits when the coaches tested their stamina in the fitness/aerobic and contact components. Surprisingly, the girls particularly loved getting into the grunt of the tackling!”

The players were fortunate to be coached and trained by three professional AFLW players from the GWS Giants throughout the Clinic—Nicola Barr, Tait Mackrill and Maggie Gorham. Miss Verlinden said “the girls loved having their presence, listening to their experience and knowledge of the sport as well as displaying outstanding skills of the game. It certainly motivated our girls and had them excited to play the sport.”

IN PROFILE

35

Amelie Haigh How and why did you get involved in AFL?

Would you encourage more girls to play AFL?

I was inspired to start playing AFL after players from the Sydney Swans came to PLC Sydney and taught us how to kick, handball and mark an AFL ball. I loved it! I joined a club team to start playing games. I was so excited when PLC started a school team in Junior School and now Senior School.

Yes, I would definitely encourage all girls to give AFL a go. It is a really fun team sport to play with your friends—and there's not many sports that give you a free kick for a great hard tackle!

What position(s) do you usually play?

I play centre half back, which is a defensive position. It was the first position the coach put me in when I started playing Aussie Rules and it just clicked for me. I really love tackling the other team and stopping them from scoring goals. Being awarded a free kick for a great tackle is an awesome feeling.

There's also lots of running so it improves your fitness, you learn new skills like marking, drop kicking, handballing and it's a great feeling when you score a goal and the umpire waves the flags!

Who has been your greatest sporting inspiration?

The GWS AFLW players. They are amazing footy players and have been fantastic coaches.

Favourite AFL/AFLW team?

In the AFLW I barrack for GWS but in the AFL I support the Sydney Swans.

Favourite AFL/AFLW player?

I have three favourite AFLW players—Nicola Barr, Tait Mackrill and Maggie Gorham. They are great players and fantastic coaches. My favourite AFL player is Buddy Franklin because he scores so many goals for the Swans.

"I really loved having players from the GWS Giants as our coaches."

What did you enjoy most about participating in the AFL Clinic in January?

I loved the AFL Clinic in January. It was a chance for me to get back into AFL after a few months break at the end of my club season. I loved being out on the field and kicking the footy again. I enjoyed getting fit ready for the next season and improving my kicking and tackling skills. Going to the clinic in January was really fun and I loved training with my school friends for the season ahead.

What was it like being coached by the GWS Giants coaches at the AFL Clinic?

Fantastic! I really loved having players from the GWS Giants as our coaches. They are so passionate about playing AFL, they have amazing skills and are great at sharing tips with us to improve our skills.

The training was hard because they are professionals and are used to training hard every day. But it was still fun and they were really friendly and encouraging. It was also great to go and watch them play in the AFLW season and cheer them on in their games.

AMELIE HAIGH (YEAR 7)

ISSUE 11 / WINTER 2020

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IN PROFILE

NAOMI WEBB (YEAR 7)

EMILY WEBB (YEAR 9)

Naomi Webb

Emily Webb

Why did you decide to choose to play AFL at school?

Why did you decide to choose to play AFL at school?

I played club AFL and I love it, so I wanted to keep doing it.

What position(s) do you usually play?

The centre field rover and ruck.

Favourite AFL/AFLW team?

For AFL the Sydney Swans and AFLW, the GWS Giants.

I already played club AFL and I absolutely love the sport. I think that it's a good opportunity to get to know some new people, get fit and grow this great sport.

What position(s) do you usually play?

Ruck, ruck rover.

Favourite AFL/AFLW team?

Favourite AFL/AFLW player?

Geelong Cats

AFLW, Nicola Barr and Tait Mackrill (GWS Giants) and AFL, Isaac Heeney (Sydney Swans).

Favourite AFL/AFLW player?

What did you enjoy most about participating in the AFL Clinic in January?

Bailey Smith, Dangerfield, Hawkins, Selwood—too many to choose from.

The opportunity to improve my skills.

What did you enjoy most about participating in the AFL Clinic in January?

What was it like being coached by the GWS Giants coaches at the AFL Clinic?

Being able to play footy with other girls as it is becoming much more popular.

It was really good as they could help with whatever you needed, like technique.

What was it like being coached by the GWS Giants coaches at the AFL Clinic?

Would you encourage more girls to play AFL?

Really good, I loved having them as a coaches.

Yes, because it is fun but it is also really good to keep your fitness up—but mainly it is really fun!

Would you encourage more girls to play AFL?

Who has been your greatest sporting inspiration?

I look up to my sister as she is a really good inspiration.

She never gives up and keeps trying.

PLC SYDNEY / CAMPHORA

Yes absolutely. It’s a team sport where you learn to protect and work together with your teammates.

Who has been your greatest sporting inspiration?

My sister.

STAFF PICKS FOR A PANDEMIC READING LIST The COVID-19 pandemic restrictions resulted in many pastimes being put on hold while the country went into lockdown. However for enthusiastic readers, the extra time at home meant more time for reading.

"For those who want to understand how the world works."

So build your reading list and head to your library, bookstore or swap books with family and friends (while social distancing of course!). We hope you enjoy the recommendations.

SNR G

SNR

45 And 47 Stella Street And Everything That Happened Elizabeth Honey

A Short History of Nearly Everything Bill Bryson

A Dog's Journey W. Bruce Cameron

ADT

SNR

F

A Gentleman in Moscow Amor Towles

G

A Thousand Splendid Suns Khaled Hosseini ADT

G

Absence of Mind: The Dispelling of Inwardness from the Modern Myth of the Self Marilynne Robinson

"Wonderful. The story of a man who lives under house arrest in a fabulous and famous hotel in Moscow for decades (from 1928)—eerily familiar to today, as some of us are prevented from leaving our homes and we physically distance ourselves from our family and friends."

After the End Clare Mackintosh

SNR

SNR ADT

A Girl is A HalfFormed Thing Eimear McBride ADT

A Room with a View E.M. Forster

SNR ADT

ADT

G

After Virtue: A Study in Moral Theory Alasdair MacIntyre

Against All Odds: The inside account of the Thai cave rescue and the courageous Australians at the heart of it Craig Challen and Richard Harris

Reading Age Category PRE (Under 5) JNR (Pre-K – Year 6)

SNR ADT

SNR

F

SNR ADT

G

"CBCA winner 2019."

G

All the Light We Cannot See Anthony Doerr

SNR ADT

"2015 Pulitzer Prize. WWII drama set in occupied France, a beautiful story of a blind French girl and a German boy."

F

Birdsong: A Novel of Love and War Sebastian Faulks JNR SNR ADT

G

"Timeless!"

JNR

G

Brave New World Aldous Huxley

G

Anne of Green Gables L.M. Montgomery Annihilation Jeff VanderMeer

JNR

JS

Brindabella Ursula Dubosarsky F

Captain Corelli's Mandolin Louis de Bernières

JS

Are We There Yet?: A Journey Around Australia Alison Lester

G

"Female gender roles within Greek mythology."

Blueback Tim Winton

SNR

F

Chronicle of a Death Foretold Gabriel García Márquez

Circe Madeline Miller

ADT

American Pastoral Philip Roth

SNR ADT

SNR

Civilizations: Culture, Ambition, and the Transformation of Nature Felipe FernandezArmesto ADT

JS

Dear Parents: Letters from the Teacher—your children, their education, and how you can help Gabbie Stroud

NF

Chinese Cinderella Adeline Yen Mah

Between Us Clare Atkins

Alias Grace Margaret Atwood

ADT

G

Catch 22 Joseph Heller

We asked PLC Sydney staff for their top five recommendations for a pandemic reading list, with some helpfully including a suggested reading age category.

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F

Dark Places Kate Grenville

SNR ADT

SNR ADT

Death in the High City: A crime novel set in Italy Val Culley Delicious.

Baking Greats Kerrie McCallum (Editor-in-Chief) SNR ADT

Dictionary of the Khazars Milorad Pavić JNR

G

Don't Pat the Wombat Elizabeth Honey JNR

JS

Dougal the Garbage Dump Bear Matt Dray SNR ADT

F

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine Gail Honeyman

F

Boy Swallows Universe Trent Dalton

Beneath the Surface Libby Trickett

"A fantastic 'very Australian' yarn— different and really special. Soon to be adapted for TV by Joel Edgerton!"

PLC Sydney Library Catalogue SNR (Year 7 – Year 12) ADT (Year 12+)

G General

F

Fiction

NF Non- Fiction

JS Junior School

PB Picture Book

A Audio

CD CD

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ADT

G

Exclusion and Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness, and Reconciliation Miloslav Volf SNR

ADT

G

Grief is the Thing with Feathers Max Porter

G

SNR ADT

Fangirl Rainbow Rowell ADT

SNR ADT

Interpreter of Maladies Jhumpa Lahiri

A

Foreign Correspondence: A Pen Pal's Journey from Down Under to All Over Geraldine Brooks

SNR ADT

G

Jane Eyre Charlotte Brontë Jungle Book Rudyard Kipling G

JNR SNR

JS

Freak the Mighty Rodman Philbrick "The most underrated book for young people, I reckon. Made my son cry, and me cry vicariously, while watching him read, knowing what he was reading about.

Remember Bridge to Terabithia? This is that book, but better."

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SNR ADT

Ghost Empire: A Journey to the Legendary Constantinople Richard Fidler

Lanny Max Porter

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ADT

Like Water for Chocolate Laura Esquivel

F

Gilead Marilynne Robinson

ADT

Lila Marilynne Robinson

G

Good Girl, Bad Girl Michael Robotham

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children Ransom Riggs

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day Winifred Watson

Paul Simon: The Life Robert Hilburn SNR ADT

"A whimsical book written in 1938, set in 1930s London. It's now also a wonderful movie with Frances McDormand and Amy Adams."

People of the Book Geraldine Brooks

Persuasion Jane Austen JNR SNR ADT

Poetry Rabindranath Tagore SNR

My Penguin Year: Life Among the Emperors Lindsay McCrae PRE JNR

PB

My Two Blankets Irena Kobald F

Nectar in a Sieve Kamala Markandaya

F

Possession A.S. Byatt SNR ADT

G

Pride and Prejudice Jane Austen JNR

SNR

F

G

JS

JS

Room on the Broom Julia Donaldson

Nineteen Minutes Jodi Picoult

G F

North and South Elizabeth Gaskell JNR

G

Out of My Mind Sharon M. Draper SNR

F

Pachinko Min Jin Lee SNR ADT

F

Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha Roddy Doyle

ADT

SNR

F

Small Island Andrea Levy

G

The Colour of the Sun David Almond

F

Stories: The Collected Short Fiction Helen Garner

SNR ADT

The Dry Jane Harper SNR ADT

SNR ADT

G

The 100-YearOld Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared Jonas Jonasson

The Abolition of Man C.S. Lewis F

The Age of Innocence Edith Wharton JNR

G

The Dutch House Ann Patchett The Eastern Curlew Jane Austen SNR ADT

ADT

F

F

The Elegance of the Hedgehog Muriel Barbery The Five Love Languages Gary Chapman SNR ADT

NF

The Flame Leonard Cohen

G

The BFG Roald Dahl

NF

Red: A Crayon's Story Michael Hall PRE JNR

F

NF

Mere Christianity C.S. Lewis

Reading Age Category PRE (Under 5) JNR (Pre-K – Year 6)

G

SNR ADT

F

Home Fire Kamila Shamsie

Fingersmith Sarah Waters

Middlesex C.S. Lewis SNR

SNR ADT

Paris: The novel Edward Rutherfurd

ADT

F

Girl, Woman, Other Bernadine Evaristo

Shakespeare's Wife Germaine Greer "I was reminded of this while reading a review of Gulliver's Wife

by Lauren Chater and an article about Albert Einstein's wife."

Shame Salman Rushdie

The Birdman's Wife Melissa Ashley SNR ADT

F

The Blind Assassin Margaret Atwood SNR ADT

G

The Book Thief Marcus Zusak

The Girl with Seven Names: A North Korean Defector's Story Hyenseo Lee F

The God of Small Things Arundhati Roy SNR ADT

The Goldfinch Donna Tartt

JS

The Book With No Pictures B.J. Novak ADT

F

The Bronze Horseman Paullina Simons

ADT

F

The Handmaid's Tale Margaret Atwood JNR SNR

G

The Harry Potter series J.K. Rowling

PLC Sydney Library Catalogue SNR (Year 7 – Year 12) ADT (Year 12+)

G General

F

Fiction

NF Non- Fiction

JS Junior School

PB Picture Book

A Audio

CD CD

SNR

G

The Hate U Give Angie Thomas SNR

SNR ADT

ADT

F

"Recommended by a member of the Macindoe Book Club, who said she read it in Year 3 and it was the first book that really affected her and made her cry. It's now one of my alltime favourites."

The Jazz Standards: A Guide to the Repertoire Ted Goia SNR ADT

G

The Kite Runner Khaled Hosseini F

The Last Man in Europe Dennis Glover Younger JNR SNR

G

The Letter for the King Tonke Dragt

SNR ADT

JNR

The Man who was Magic Paul Gallico

F

SNR ADT

PRE JNR

F

The Night Circus Erin Morganstern SNR ADT

G

The Outsiders S.E. Hinton "A favourite from my teenage years.

It continues to amaze me. S.E. Hinton started writing it when she was 15, and it was published when she was 18."

JS

The Snail and the Whale Julia Donaldson SNR

G

SNR ADT

G

The Overstory Richard Powers

The Potato Factory Bryce Courtenay SNR

G

The Princess Bride William Goldman SNR

PB

The Red Tree Shaun Tan ADT

F

The Riders Tim Winton G

The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany William L. Shirer "To understand how a country can fall into collective madness."

SNR ADT

F

There Was Still Love Favel Parrett

Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World René Girard

Three Women Lisa Taddeo

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall Anne Brontë "The underdog Bronte sister. Love this book. It's Victorian fiction, and it's a page turner."

SNR ADT

F

The Time Traveler’s Wife Audrey Niffenegger ADT

JS

Tilly Jane Godwin and Anna Walker

To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee

The Turning Tim Winton F

The Weekend Charlotte Wood

Where the Crawdads Sing Delia Owens "A gorgeous coming of age story of a young girl growing up alone in the North Carolina marshes. A beautifully written story, with a twist."

PRE JNR

JS

Twig Aura Parker "If you have young kids, Twig, or Cocoon, by Aura Parker are both lovely reads with beautiful illustrations by a Sydney-based author/illustrator."

SNR

NF

Ugly Robert Hoge

SNR ADT

Trace Elements Donna Leon

JNR SNR

"Her most recent, Trace Elements, like all her books, is set in Venice and allows the reader to savour the food, views, and canals of La Serenissima while following Commisario Brunetti as he solves crimes uniquely Italian."

F

True History of the Kelly Gang Peter Carey NF

True Stories: The Collected Short Non-Fiction Helen Garner

G

Vincent and the Grandest Hotel on Earth Lisa Nicol "Brimming with imagination and heart, the Grandest Hotel has replaced Willy Wonker's Chocolate Factory at the top of my 'Fictional Places I want to Live' list."

SNR ADT

F

Waiting Ha Jin PRE JNR

SNR ADT

F

Wind-up Bird Chronicle Haruki Murakami PRE JNR

JS

Window Jeannie Baker SNR ADT

G

Wolf

by Wolf Ryan Graudin

UHU Annette Macarthur-Onslow

SNR ADT

F

SNR ADT

PRE JNR

G

The Storyteller Pierre Jarawan

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F

ADT

JNR

The Story of a Seagull and the Cat Who Taught Her to Fly Luis Sepúlveda

SNR ADT

The Witches Roald Dahl

ADT

G

ADT

G

The Snow Goose Paul Gallico

SNR ADT

CD

The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart Holly Ringland

Cormac McCarthy

The Museum of Modern Love Heather Rose

JS

The Little Wave Pip Harry

JNR

F

The Shepherd's Hut Tim Winton

JS

The Imaginary A.F. Harrold

JNR

The Road

G

The Hobbit J.R.R. Tolkien JNR

The Mousehole Cat Antonia Barber and Nicola Bayley

PB

Where the Wild Things Are Maurice Sendak

"Set in the future, exploring 'What If?'—Hitler won the war, the secret experiments created a shapeshifter who escapes and is determined to destroy Hitler."

F

Wolf Hall Hilary Mantel JNR

York: The Clockwork Ghost Laura Ruby JNR

York: The Map of Stars Laura Ruby JNR

York: The Shadow Cipher Laura Ruby SNR ADT

Zeno’s Conscience Italo Svevo

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Shubra Hall and the Main School, 1891-1892. Photo donated

by Agnes (Nessie) Seaward (née Hore), student 1888-1893.

The Countess of Jersey.

FROM THE ARCHIVES: FIVE MEMORABLE MOMENTS IN THE LIFE OF PLC SYDNEY With a history of 132 years, our College has had many memorable moments. It is true that we are in the midst of a memorable moment in 2020 as we experience the challenges of living and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Indeed, we are recording this part of our history so that students and researchers of the future will understand its impact from firsthand accounts.

These five memorable moments span the thirteen decades since PLC Sydney first opened its doors in 'Fernlea', at the corner of Victoria and Roberts streets, Ashfield, on 7 January 1888 to 39 students.

PLC SYDNEY / CAMPHORA

Tuesday 10 March 1891: opening the new buildings at Croydon by the Governor of NSW and the Countess of Jersey When the College purchased the Croydon property in 1889 only Shubra Hall and the Stables occupied the site.

Albert Bond was engaged to design new buildings for the campus: Boarding House, Dining Room, College Hall, and some adjacent classrooms. Bond, a former City Architect responsible for designing the magnificent vestibule of Sydney Town Hall, was also the architect of Shubra Hall.

The day of the official opening of these new buildings was quite an event: the report in the next day’s Sydney Morning Herald occupies an entire (broadsheet) page. The account records that the viceregal party arrived at Croydon railway station a few minutes before 3.00 pm, that they were met by Dr Marden and Dr Kinross (Chairman of College Council) who escorted them over the bridge that crossed the railway line to the College. As the official party entered

College Hall the girls sang “God Save the Queen”. The journalist notes that College Hall could not accommodate all those present and many had to stand outside the door and in the passage.

It was not expected that the Governor’s wife, the Countess of Jersey, would address those assembled on that day. It certainly wasn’t in the running sheet, and it was unusual for a woman to speak in public at that time. But the Governor asked her to “say a few words”, and, in her dress “of light heliotrope, with bonnet to match”, the Countess rose and spoke: “My dear Girls ... I wish to say a few words to you, and they are intended for you alone; the others are not to listen. ...

Formerly girls’ education was very different from what it now is. Girls are now trained to exercise their memories, and to be accurate. I would have you remember that education is never complete ... When I was a child I was shown a slip of paper on which was printed ‘To gain knowledge for the mere sake of possessing it is selfishness; to gain knowledge for the mere

love of displaying it is vanity; but to gain knowledge for the sake of being useful to others is true Christian charity’.”

As a result of this speech the Countess’ name has ever since been associated with Jersey Day, the annual reunion of ex-students.

Friday 8 November and Tuesday 12 November 1918: celebrating the Armistice of World War I The Armistice that ended the hostilities of World War I was signed at Le Francport near Compiègne France on 11 November 1918. At PLC Sydney, this long-awaited news was celebrated not once, but twice! How did this happen?

The Record Book 1917-1958, a book that, rather like a diary, records (in handwriting) major school events, explains: “On Friday November 8th news came through that the Armistice had been signed by the Germans. The School assembled on the Flag-staff lawn, saluted the flag, sang Rule Britannia, God Save the King & other patriotic songs, then went to the School-room & sang appropriate psalms & hymns. After prayers and an address by Dr McQueen the school was dismissed for the day.

Later in the day it was announced that the news of the signing was not official – The Official news came through on Monday evening. [11 November].

Tuesday (November 12th) was proclaimed a public holiday by the Commonwealth Government. The School assembled & sang appropriate psalms & hymns. Afterwards Dr Marden conducted Prayers, addressed the girls & asked them to salute the flags of the allies. Then an adjournment was made to the flag-staff lawn, the flags were hoisted in the midst of ringing cheers.

After cheers for the King & our soldiers & the singing of God Save the King,

Rule Britannia, etc. the scholars were dismissed for the day.”

The girls, like all Australian citizens, did not complain about celebrating the happy event two, or even three times!

In the evening they sang suitable songs around a bonfire. The report in the Aurora Australis concludes thus, “Just as the coals of our fire gleamed red far into the night, even so a great radiance of thankfulness warmed our hearts, and there were few whose dreams were not shadowed on that happy night by the wings of the Angel of Peace”.

Wednesday 11 December 1929: Speech Day and Dr McQueen’s departure This was a Speech Day like no other before or since because it marked the very unpleasant departure of the College’s second Principal, Dr E. Neil McQueen. Dr McQueen was VicePrincipal from 1916 and Principal from 1920. He was an educational innovator: he introduced the House system with its various competitions, the College’s own school certificate, a school camp, and, most important of all, a modified version of the Dalton Plan.

Sadly, implementing his educational philosophy, seen by some as too progressive for its time, put him on a collision course with the College Council. Plummeting enrolments and rising debts only accelerated the deterioration of the relationship.

Ultimately a “resignation agreement” was drawn up.

What made Speech Day such a “bun fight” was that Dr McQueen had many supporters amongst staff, students and parents who believed that his dismissal was unjust. The important end-of-year event was covered by Smith’s Weekly, a tabloid newspaper that attracted readers with sensationalism, satire, controversial opinions with sporting and

Cheering at the end of World War I in the Flag-staff lawn, 12 November 1918. Dr Marden’s back is to the camera.

finance news, short stories, cartoons, and caricatures. The paper utilised a series of colourful headlines in its account: “Parents of Girls are Indignant”, “Storm at P.L. College, Croydon”, “Petitions against Departure of Popular Principal”, and a lead sentence that read, “Church educational circles in Sydney have recently been ruffled by the disclosure of what is tantamount to a sensation in connection with that exclusive scholastic institution, the Presbyterian Ladies’ College, Croydon”.

For the 250 students, parents and ex-students present in College Hall, it was a long, hot, and stressful afternoon. An eyewitness account by an anonymous author puts the reader right in the midst of the occasion with its references to the girls standing up “in stony silence” as the Acting Principal entered, that “Mr Vicars and Mr Gillespie [Chairman and member of College Council] were a peculiar shade of green”, the Chairman’s speech being interrupted by clapping and stamping that “lasted for five whole minutes”.

The clapping was only stopped when the organ struck up “God Save the King”, after which the official party left College Hall and “locked themselves in the dining room”. In the midst of the “pandemonium” of people trying to speak up in favour of Dr McQueen, who himself was sitting on the platform with his “head in his hands”, “a violent thunder storm started outside and the lightning flashed and the rain fell in torrents”.

While it was a “memorable moment”, it certainly was not a “finer moment” for anyone. Yet the College recovered and went on to reinstate its reputation as a leading girls’ school. And we cherish and have built upon Dr McQueen’s educational innovations.

Dr E. Neil McQueen, Principal 19191929. Photo by Harold Cazneaux.

ISSUE 11 / WINTER 2020

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Junior School Captain Velysia Quek and Senior School Captain Justine McGill just after burying the Time Capsule.

Moments before the world attempt began!

Monday 17 October 1988: burying the time capsule in our Centenary year The College’s centennial year was punctuated by a number of special events: the specially-commissioned steam train that carried students, staff, families, and the Governor of NSW from Central station to Croydon station for Jersey Day, the launching of the College’s official history The Golden Hope, a parade in Ashfield, the speciallymade period uniforms students wore at particular events throughout the year, and the Thanksgiving Service held at Sydney Town Hall.

These events gave wonderful memories to those present in 1988, but the one that continues to spark interest is the time capsule that was dedicated and buried beneath the Sundial.

Great care was taken in selecting, preparing, and wrapping the items to be buried to ensure that they would be intact when the capsule is opened in 2088. According to the program, Rev. Peter Hastie of Ashfield Presbyterian Church (later Chairman of College Council 2005-2011) dedicated the time capsule, while the “placement of time capsule” was enacted by Justine McGill, the 1988 School Captain, and Velysia Quek, the 1988 Junior School

PLC SYDNEY / CAMPHORA

The youngest and oldest students hold the “Energy Stick” used to create the electrical circuit.

Captain. The ceremony was followed by lunch in the grounds from stalls organised by the Parents and Friends’ Association.

We are naturally curious about the time capsule because although we have a list of what was packed into it, we do not know what all the items looked like.

The list of contents is long, but included examples of student work from a range of subjects and year groups, a list of all students enrolled in 1988, a photograph of the entire student body in 1988, school badges, a blazer pocket, a beret, copies of the Aurora Australis and The Golden Hope, and even a set of current coins, a calculator and a pencil case!

The time capsule was lowered into the earth on Monday 17 October 1988 and is to be dug up and opened in 100 years, on Sunday 17 October 2088.

Some of our current Evandale students may well be present at that event!

Thursday 20 August 2015: setting a Guinness World Record Many readers will recall participating in this memorable moment five years ago when we successfully set the Guinness World Record for the Longest Human Electrical Circuit. The event was the highlight of activities planned by the school for National Science Week, the theme of which was Making Waves – the Science of Light, based on the International Year of Light.

Meticulously organised by Science teachers Mrs Annie Martin and Mrs Linda Eades, 1345 students from Pre-Kindergarten to Year 12,

staff and parents joined hands in Drummond Field to create the longest human electrical circuit. The experiment used an 'Energy Stick'— it produces light and makes sounds when placed in an electrical circuit.

The energy stick was held by the youngest and oldest students in the school, Liana Deiri in Pre-Kindergarten and Jiaxin (Lenna) Chen in Year 12.

To fit so many people onto Drummond Field, everyone stood on a winding, curving flower-like pattern that had been marked on the field. Everyone joined hands and stood very still and very quiet as the current passed from the first to the last. It was a wonderful community event demonstrating incredible school spirit and the importance of working together for a common goal.

Ms Debby Cramer Archivist SOURCES Aurora Australis 1918, 1938, 2015 College Crow, Semester 1, 2011, p. 10-11 The Golden Hope PLC Sydney 1888-1988, John McFarlane Record Book 1917-1858 Series 31 Newsclippings Series 39 PLC Review Series 43 Principals, Box 400

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EX-STUDENTS’ NEWS PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2020 logo and establishing an emblem that resonates with all generations across our ex-student community. The subcommittee has narrowed the options to three design directions and we will be consulting a range of you within our community to ensure we arrive at the correct choice. It’s a very exciting time for us all as we refresh our PLC Sydney Ex-Students brand and move forward.

When tasked with writing this report however, I have to say I procrastinated, as the days seem to roll on into one another and suddenly it is the middle of the year!

The answer as to what to write came to me following an easing of restrictions, when my step-daughter and her friend came to lunch. Our first visitors in over six weeks! Not surprisingly, to those of you who know me and my multiple connections to PLC Sydney (I’m an ex-student, ex-staff member and married to a dad of an ex-student— now that’s a long story!) our first visitors were ex-students: my step-daughter Sonia Clark and her friend Libby Paton.

Following on from the brand survey we conducted in late 2019 we have taken on board your feedback as to what it is about PLC Sydney that resonates most with ex-students of all ages. 48% surveyed preferred the collective name of our community as “PLC Sydney Ex-Students” so you will have noticed we have implemented this change across our social media platforms.

Like many of us I have been living in “active wear”, so it felt good to make an effort and actually get dressed up.

Probably more than was warranted but it was an occasion! Who would have thought a simple visit from a family member could turn into something so special? It made me realise how one of the positive effects of the pandemic is that we have come to appreciate the important things in life.

The ESU Committee formed a Brand Sub-Committee earlier this year and this group is continuing work on the brand refresh project. Design agency Boheem have been engaged to assist with the design elements of the project.

Boheem works closely with the College so it comes as a natural fit. Our current focus is the PLC Sydney Ex-Student

In trying to let you all know that the ESU Committee were thinking of all our ex-students and finding ways to stay connected, my recent letter invited all ex-students to offer help and also to ask for it if needed. We were inundated with offers to help. Not a single request for it!

Sonia Clark (1998) and Libby Paton (1998)

With the arrival of Sonia and Libby today, I realised that sometimes we do need help but don’t recognise it.

I had struggled to assemble a puppet theatre for our twin grandchildren whose birthday it was a few days ago.

The puppet theatre was still in pieces when the “girls” (and they remain girls as I have known them since they were in Year 7) arrived. Sonia and Libby took one look at my dismal efforts and after lunch they simply took on the project.

Within half an hour the puppet theatre was assembled. There are going to be two delighted six year olds and two thrilled parents as the theatre provides a few hours (at least) of distraction.

So although I didn’t think I needed help, I obviously did and am so grateful to that College trait of service—whatever shape it may take.

The offer of help remains and there are many “willing shillings” among our Ex-Student Community. Please don’t hesitate to ask if you need something done. There are so many of us who would love to be of service. After all it has been ingrained!

ISSUE 11 / WINTER 2020

ESU NEWS

As the busy events calendar has paused indefinitely, the ESU Committee has had additional time to press on with important work behind the scenes.

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Thank you to all those of you who responded to the letter. I hadn’t expected any responses but was so very surprised by and appreciative of the number of you who wrote back to me. There was an undeniable theme of resilience. Everybody seemed to be making the best of the situation. I was particularly touched to hear of an ex-student who had taken to playing her violin, having been introduced to the instrument during her time at PLC Sydney. Others have unearthed treasure troves of school memorabilia in tidying up long forgotten boxes, hidden away in attics for decades.

ESU COMMITTEE AND OFFICE BEARERS 2020

It is good to think that our school continues to provide distraction and to deliver a degree of fortitude in these uncertain times. We especially wish to thank those ex-students who are on the front lines of the pandemic, working in hospitals and health care careers.

We thank them for their service and dedication to the community and for working to keep us all safe and well.

resilience they have shown in coping with the disappointment of having to adapt the many traditions of rite of passage to mark the end of their school days and the leadership that they continue to provide to all the students.

PLC Sydney girls through and through.

We wish them all well and look forward to welcoming them to the other side of those Green Gates.

Our thoughts are with all the current students and staff as they return to the College. Particularly with the Year 12 students as they come close to joining our ranks. We are proud of the

Keep well fellow ex-students and stay safe.

Mrs Marina Clark (Lvoff, 1978) ESU President

ESU ANNOUNCEMENTS ENGAGEMENTS 15 September 2019

Patron: Gwendoline Bosler (Stuart, 1949) President: Marina Clark (Lvoff, 1978) Vice President: Catherine

Maddie Trussell (2004) is engaged to Brendan Dunstan-Smith and the couple are planning a wedding in the Kwa-Zulu Natal Midlands, South Africa, in February 2021. Maddie and her fiancé are based in Hong Kong, where she represents the Hong Kong Cricket Club in hockey, netball & cricket

Brendan Dunstan-Smith and Maddie Trussell (2004).

Marvell (Davidson, 1975) Secretary: Elizabeth Gregory (Cornish, 1961) Treasurer: Rae Gower (Hoore, 1949) Committee Members: Megan Carrillo (Hor, 1998) Mia Joseph (Illias, 2009) Edwina Hobson (2015) Sara Keli (Thorp, 2001) Lesley Meldrum (Morgan, 1955)

WEDDINGS 23 January 2019 Belinda Gilvarry (2009) married Michael Koungras at St Sophia and Her Three Daughters Greek Orthodox Church in Surry Hills. After the church all the wedding guests caught a private ferry to the Sergeants Mess in Chowder Bay, where they were greeted by an Irish band for canapés and champagne. Then the DJ took the night away, which was full of dancing and smashing plates, with a bongo player and saxophonist. There were many Class of 2009 ex-students in attendance including Maid of Honour Lauren Elliott, Kate Murphy, Elise Holden, Ruby Ainsworth, Georgia Cowley, Jessica Lee, Ceara Murray, April Finney, Lauren Goritsas, Kate Cook and Jocelyn Elliott (2004).

Robyn McBride (Hailey, 1976) Ann McDonald (1965) Johanne Stapelfeldt (1978) Director of Alumni Relations and Committee Member: Philippa Zingales (Harris, 1998) Michael Koungras and Belinda Gilvarry (2009).

PLC SYDNEY / CAMPHORA

WEDDINGS

BIRTHS

November 2019 Helena Czajka (2007) and Tom McKeith (son of past Principal Dr Bill McKeith & Mrs Sue McKeith) were married in November 2019.

Helena's sister Julia Czajka (2010) was Maid of Honour.

Helena and Tom met 7 years ago through a friend. They realised their mutual connection to the College only after a few dates.

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07 February 2020 Hugo Phillip Joseph was born to Philip and Mia Joseph (Illias, 2009) at the Mater Hospital, a healthy 3.92kgs.

Dr McKeith, Charlie McKeith, Sue McKeith, Helena & Tom, Sam McKeith

10 January 2020 Edwina Clark (2003) and Ethan Ruhe had a special wedding ceremony in Sydney in January. Although they had already officially “tied the knot” in the USA, it was an opportunity for the Australian contingent to celebrate this happy occasion, and for friends and family to meet.

Edwina Clark (2003) and Ethan Ruhe.

Pier One provided the perfect backdrop for American visitors to truly appreciate beautiful Sydney and for a mini-reunion of two generations of ex-students.

14 September 2020 Eli Charles Levy was born at St Mary’s Hospital, London on 14 August 2019. Eli is the son of Carey Lynn (1998) and her husband, Yoav Levy, who live in London. Thankfully Eli made his first trip to Australia over summer before travel stopped!

11 April 2020

ESU NEWS

Christian and Holly Charalambous (Palmer, 2002) are the happy parents of Andy, born Easter Saturday at The Mater Hospital. He has promptly taken over their lives and Christian has already started training Andy to be an expert sailor so they can get out on the water and do some sailing.

Ex-students celebrating a mini-reunion: Ellen Goh (2003), Amy Greenaway (2003), Dennise Harris, Louise Green (2001), Julia Green (2003), Jennifer Dignam (1978), Edwina Clark, Jan Fletcher, Elizabeth O'Brien (Fletcher, 2003) and Marina Clark (Lvoff, 1978).

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VALE Helen Jane Teverill Sutton (Phipps, 1951) Born in 1933 in Muswellbrook, Helen was the only child of Reginald and Gail Phipps. When Helen was only six weeks old, the family moved to Bexley, Sydney, to be close to her grandparents. Later her mother pursued a career and her father enlisted for service in WW11.

At Bexley Primary School Helen already showed her sporting ability by playing A grade junior tennis with the Illawarra Lawn Tennis Association.

As a PLC Sydney student Helen enjoyed many aspects of school life.

She enjoyed drama and tennis, and gained her Instructor’s Certificate from the Royal Life Saving Society. She obtained both her Leaving Certificate and driver’s licence in her final school year, and won a scholarship to attend Sydney Teachers' College.

Warm and gregarious, Helen maintained the friends she made at PLC all her life. Her school holidays were filled with parties and adventures, bush walks and country trips, especially to the Snowy Mountains which became a very special place in her life. Her time at Teachers College led to many more life-long friendships, and a new sporting achievement. Helen took up fencing, joining the Sydney Swords Club, and was selected as a training squad member for the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games. She was also an excellent swimmer and taught for many years.

After graduating in January 1957, Helen taught at Penshurst Infants School for four years.

In 1954 she met John Sutton, from Gordon, on the opposite side of Sydney.

Despite being GI (geographically impossible) the attraction was instantaneous and they quickly became a couple, and married in March, 1958.

They lived at the home they built at West Pymble for 50 years, where their three children, Michael, Bruce and Carolyn were born. Combining her teaching career with being a wife and

mother, Helen later taught at Roseville, then Warrawee Infants Schools.

In the 1980s Helen took up a new career direction, completing courses in remedial massage, Reiki and naturopathy, at the same time creating beautiful needlework tapestries, patchwork quilts, rugs and hats. She also studied colour therapy known as Aura Soma, practising and teaching the system which she learnt overseas.

During the 1990s Helen served on the ESU Committee. In 2008 Helen and John sold their Pymble home and moved to the Tarragal Glen Retirement Village at Erina on the Central Coast.

Although Helen had previously always enjoyed good health, she began to experience serious health problems, and in August 2019 was diagnosed with inoperable cancer.

She passed away only five months later.

Helen is survived by her husband of more than 60 years, John, her children Michael, Bruce and Carolyn, and grandchildren Alexander, Nicholas and Samuel.

Contributed by John Sutton

VALE Mary Mortlock (Harker, 1940) Born in 1922, Mary Mortlock (Harker, 1940) was a very wellknown and dedicated ex-student who recently passed away at the age of 97.

Mary attended PLC Sydney from 1933 to 1940, travelling from Summer Hill to Croydon on the train each day, with her sister Judith (Ireland). Mary sat the Leaving Certificate in 1939 and was awarded Dux of the College. She stayed at school for an extra year (as according to her recollections the Principal Miss Hamilton and Mary’s parents felt she was too young to begin university right away).

In 1940 she was School Captain, Harper House Captain, Tennis Captain, Netball Captain and was awarded the Ex-Students’ Prize for Work and Games.

Following her education at PLC Sydney, Mary began an Arts degree

PLC SYDNEY / CAMPHORA

Mary Mortlock (Harker, 1940), pictured left, was School Captain, Harper House Captain, Tennis Captain and Netball Captain in 1940.

at the University of Sydney. In 1942, she secured a secretarial job at the National Standards Laboratory (CSIRO) and continued her Arts degree as an evening student. Following her graduation in 1947, Mary took on an editorial role with the CSIRO, before travelling to London to work and travel across Europe. Following a short return to Australia, in 1953 she travelled to India to work at the UK High Commission in Calcutta and married Robert Mortlock. Mary and Robert returned to Australia for the birth of their son James in 1955.

In 1960, Mary began a Law degree at the University of Sydney. In Mary’s own words: “In those days to become a solicitor one had to serve three years as an articled clerk in a solicitor’s office concurrently with attending lectures at the Law School in Phillip Street. Being a woman, aged 37, and (horror!) having a child, had great difficulty obtaining articles. Eventually [sic] did and completed articles but only after working for five different solicitors (four women and one man). [sic I ] Had to keep moving from one solicitor to another because

In 1964 Mary graduated Law and was admitted as a solicitor. She went onto practice as a solicitor for thirty years, including twenty at Allen Allen and Hemsley, and finally as a part time consultant at Mallesons Stephen Jacques for six years. Mary retired around 1996 and enjoyed time with family and taking care of her grandchildren Fred and Julia.

From 1976 to 1978, Mary served as President of the Ex-Students’ Union and was a dedicated member of the committee for many years. She edited the Ex-Students’ News and went on to serve as Patron of the ESU from 1994 until 2013. In 2002, the PLC Sydney Quad Scull was named in her honour. Mary maintained a very strong friendship with Patricia “Pat” Hooke (Thomas, 1940) and Barbara Sanders (Pattrick, 1938). Sadly, the three friends passed away within a week of each other in 2020.

Over the years, Mary shared many recollections about her school years with the College Archivist. One of these was about the College gardens: “We loved the garden… the Maze was a magical area between the Sunken Lawn and the even more sunken netball court.

I can remember my feeling of wonder, when as a little “new girl” of ten, I first walked along its narrow path, winding between clipped hedges, with the branches of tall trees hanging down from overhead.”

Vale Mary.

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DEATHS 3 June 2019

4 May 2020

Jean Mary Salkeld (Speers, 1948)

Mary Mortlock (Harker, 1940)

24 November 2019

See Vale

Rev. Barbara Higgins (Peach, 1956)

30 May 2020

12 January 2020

Thompson Junior House Captain 1939.

Helen Sutton (Phipps, 1951) See Vale 30 January 2020 Madge Thornton (Coogan, 1945) Madge attended PLC Sydney from 1943-1945. Ferguson Captain, Madge graduated as Dux in 1945 and in the Leaving Certificate, she achieved first in the State for Botany.

She went on to study Science at university and establish a career as a botanist. Her daughter Carol Thornton attended PLC Sydney from 1967-1972. Madge was an active member of the Ex-Students' Union, serving as President in 1975/1976.

She served on College Council from 1985-1994.

17 February 2020 Barbara Pearse (Sharpe, 1951) Barbara was 1951 Ferguson House Captain and School Prefect.

Cecil‌é Lloyd (Loutit, 1943)

Sister of Dorothy, Jean and Valerie (all deceased).

16 March 2020 Dr Judith Baldwin (Hasemer, 1947) Judith attended the College from 1939 and during WWII attended the Strathfield campus, before returning to Croydon.

She was the 1947 Basketball Captain and School Prefect.

March 2020 Joan Mayjor (McCredie, 1946) Joan attended PLC Sydney from 1943. In 1948, she was School and Harper House Captains. Joan's sisters Nancy Atkinson (McCredie, 1946) and Isobel Haysom (McCredie, 1943) are ex-students.

April 2020

10 March 2020

Barbara Sanders (Pattrick, 1940)

Patricia “Tish” Tilbrook (Cull, 1970)

30 April 2020

Tish had a very strong family connection to the College. Her mother Mary Cull (Paine, 1938) and aunt Patricia Gethin-Jones (Paine, 1940) both attended as well as her sisters Elizabeth Henry (Cull, 1963) and Pamela McClean (Cull, 1971). In addition Tish’s nieces Katrina Henry (1989), Elicia Fox (Henry, 1991), Sarah Henry (1994) and Elizabeth McLean (2003) are all ex-students, as well as Rowena Cull (2000), Victoria O’Donnell (Cull, 2003) and Philippa Cull (2005) (daughters of Tish’s brother Graham).

Mrs Victoria O'Donnellis a member of the Science teaching staff.

Patricia Hooke (Thomas, 1940) Pat was the 1940 Kinross Captain and Tennis Vice-Captain. She served in the WAAAF during WW2.

ESU NEWS

of various disasters (two solicitors going broke and one dying).”

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ACHIEVEMENTS

Michelle Gorzanelli (2000)

Michelle has been awarded her PhD, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Education) at the University of Sydney.

Bronwyn Dukker (Isaacs, 2003) Bronwyn Dukker (Isaacs, 2003) has recently been awarded her PhD in Social Anthropology from Harvard University.

Unfortunately due to COVID-19 restrictions, she wasn't able to attend her graduation however, from June, Bronwyn has a permanent position as a Lecturer of Anthropology at the University of Waikato in New Zealand.

Link to Dr Dukker’s PhD: https://scholar.harvard.edu/ bronwyn.isaacs/about-bronwyn

Michelle’s interest and passion for educating pre-service teachers, particularly in the area of Personal Development, Health, and Physical Education (PDHPE), led to a PhD examining the political, social and educational discourses shaping the history of the Physical Education, School Sport and Health Education curriculum in NSW schools from 1880 until 2012. The study traced the shift in the focus of these three subjects in schools in response to broader social and political agendas connected to the health and wellbeing of Australians, the value of sport, and the status of this subject in the school curriculum during specific historical periods. Michelle balanced working full time as a university lecturer in Education, studying for her PhD and welcoming her son Kaden.

SPOTLIGHT Launches label Summi Summi Ashleigh Vallis (2009) Summi Summi actually began as a children's clothing label back in 2016 after my first daughter was born. My partner and I moved to Yamba and while he had work I found myself fully dependent on him which didn’t sit right with me. Out of my desire to be independent I started out with just a little bit of savings. The label slowly grew and it was an enjoyable creative outlet but it wasn’t until I did my first woman’s piece that I finally made a profit.

I saw a need for basic well made clothing that was developed and produced ethically and sustainably and it is mostly due to my stubbornness that I’ve made it this far. My partner and I recently opened our own boutique/cafe called Summi’s Yamba so it’s been a wild few years. If you’re wondering if there is any meaning behind ‘Summi’, it is what our daughter Tippi used to say when she wanted more of something. “Give me Summi”. @summisummi_

PLC SYDNEY / CAMPHORA

Ashleigh Vallis (2000)

SAVE THE DATE Due to current restrictions, all ex-student events are on-hold.

We will advise as soon as restrictions allow for our regular events to recommence. If you have any questions please contact the Alumni Office.

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INTERSTATE CONTACTS ADELAIDE Patricia Becket (Lamrock, 1959) patsybeckett70@gmail.com

BRISBANE Petrina Hawkins (Campbell, 1970) trinahawkins@me.com

CANBERRA JERSEY DAY 2021 Saturday 13 March

Suzanne Clubb (1957) (02) 6238 1531 / suzanneclubb@bigpond.com

Next year we look forward to celebrating the reunions for the classes of 1951, 1961, 1971, 1981, 1991, 2001, 2011 and 2016 on Jersey Day.

GOLD COAST

Further information about Jersey Day and reunions will be advised later this year.

Ensure your contact details are up to date with the Alumni Office to receive the latest information.

THE CROYDON CIRCLE The Croydon Circle is a special group for ex-students who are aged in their mid-seventies, eighties, nineties and beyond.

Ex-students are invited to join the Croydon Circle upon their 75th Birthday.

Due to COVID-Restrictions this years annual lunch in October will not proceed in-person this year. We look forward to acknowledging our Croydon Circle ex-students in a different way this year, and further details will be shared in Term 3.

CONTACT THE ALUMNI OFFICE Philippa Zingales (Harris, 1998) Director of Alumni Relations T: +61 2 9704 5635 E: alumni@plc.nsw.edu.au

Jeni Bone (Payne, 1987) (07) 5526 0092 / jeni@edit-it.com.au

MELBOURNE Leonie Gillett (Cresswell, 1961) (03) 9848 5058 / leonian2@bigpond.com

NEW ENGLAND/NORTHERN DISTRICT Helen Loveday (Kinross, 1961) (02) 6721 0583

SUNSHINE COAST Jane O’Hare (Provan, 1970) 0448 003 895 / jane.ohare@bigpond.com

WESTERN AUSTRALIA Kay Ralph (Teasdell, 1970) 0438 932 690 / termimesh@westnet.com.au

RIVERINA Catherine Cruickshank (Bassingthwaite, 1986) (02) 6927 6353 If you would like to volunteer to be the key contact for ex-students in your area, please contact the Alumni Office.

STAY IN TOUCH – UPDATE YOUR DETAILS TODAY Visit: plc.nsw.edu.au/alumni/stay-in-touch Join the Official PLC Sydney Ex-Students Group on Facebook: facebook.com/groups/PLCSydneyExStudents Follow us on Instagram here: @plcsydneyexstudents

Update your LinkedIn profile with PLC Sydney and follow us here: linkedin.com/school/plc-sydney

ISSUE 11 / WINTER 2020

ESU NEWS

Did you know that our alumni are a powerful network of 10,000 women around the world?

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WOMEN'S WORK: VICTORIA BALDWIN Women’s Work is a unique exhibition celebrating the work of 21 women photographers from the New Zealand Advertising and Illustrative Photographers’ Association (AIPA) that ran in March 2020.

Coinciding with International Women’s Day, Women’s Work is an opportunity to explore the female gaze as an alternative to the ubiquitous male perspectives that tend to dominate commercial and advertising photography.

Director of Alumni Relations Philippa Zingales asked Victoria to share with Camphora how the exhibition came about and her advice for students.

Could you share with us how your latest exhibition Women's Work came about and your role?

The photography industry is quite male-dominated. Today there are still camera brand ambassadors, photography panels, industry advisory boards and photography agency rosters composed entirely of men.

I am the Vice-President of the AIPA (Advertising and Illustrative Photographers Association) Auckland and I wanted to create something to engage and promote our female members, I wanted to shine a light on the inequality in the photography industry.

I held a roundtable to hear from our members what their issues were and to create some goals together. From there, we brought a Producer (Briar Pacey) on board and got some funding support from Sony and the Auckland Council to kick off this project.

Leading a project like this as the Creative Director has been a huge learning experience, but it has shown me just how ready people are for change. We have had such a hugely positive response from all corners of the industry, and it makes me see it was high time we created something like this.

PLC SYDNEY / CAMPHORA

How did you become involved with AIPA NZ and what is your role with them?

I moved to New Zealand four years ago, I wasn’t sure how long I’d be here but I was ready for some changes in my life. I was elected to the board of the AIPA two years ago. The organisation had a bit of a reputation as a mostly men’s association, full of photographers talking about “the good old days” of photography when budgets were sky high, and life was easy.

I wanted to help bring the organisation into the future and a big part of that for me was including more women in the organisation.

My role as Vice-President is to hold meetings for members, and help to advocate for the interests of photographers. Being on the board of an industry body has been an eyeopening experience, and has shown me the leadership skills that I had but couldn't find much of a way to use in my professional work.

In a field dominated by men, what has been your experience of how this inequality plays out day to day in the workplace?

My experience as a photographer is similar to that of women in many industries. Battling with the implicit notion that you’re not as strong/ capable/smart as a man who does your job.

I’ve shown up on set with a male assistant, and had the client assume that he is the photographer. Clients won’t let me carry my own equipment sometimes as it's “too heavy for a young lady like yourself" and I’ve had subjects that I am photographing who say inappropriate things like “you should be in front of the camera - not me!”

Victoria Baldwin (2009)

There are camera brands that release new cameras, and have them reviewed by professionals, none of whom is a woman! The worst example of this is Nikon’s release of their D850, reviewed by 32 professionals. Not one of them was a woman!

It goes on, this is me doing my part to bring to the fore some of the implicit bias that people have about women and their capabilities.

What skills did you develop at PLC Sydney that has helped you in your career, and in particular, the latest exhibition?

At PLC I got the only formal photography training I’ve ever had!

Mr Fyfe taught me in Year 11 about aperture, shutter speed and ISO. He taught us how to develop film and how to compose an image. I loved it.

Although I never studied photography formally, I have found that there are lots of soft skills that have transferred over.

I was a keen Drama student and for a while wanted to be an actor.

I learnt skills in performing, set design and understanding scripts and how meaning is made on stage. These have transferred over to how I ‘perform’ in pitch meetings, how I lead and direct on set and how I help to convey meaning through my imagery.

I was also a House Vice-Captain. These leadership skills and the knowledge and confidence in my ability to lead, has given me a lot of encouragement to know that I could start a project like this, and see it to completion.

One of the things that I think defines a school like PLC Sydney, is that you are equipped with the tools and mindset that you can learn to do anything yourself.

Were there specific moments or staff members at PLC Sydney that inspired your passion for photography?

Photography as a career is as much about the art, technique and the image, as it is about the story telling, the dealing with people and the business side.

PLC Sydney is a school filled with many wonderful teachers and I feel lucky to have been taught by so many caring and intelligent people.

Maria Halkidis is such a gentle soul and taught me so much about compassion and kindness. This was in a context of drama and understanding stories, but a lot of these skills translate to how I tell stories now through imagery.

Mrs Cardinale, who taught me briefly, made a huge impact on my feminist ideas. She set the groundwork and gave me a vocabulary to understand the ways in which women are disadvantaged, and taught me about things that women have done in the past to overcome this. I've since tried to recognise the platforms that I have, and use them to promote equality. An example of this is when I was working as the staff photographer at Sydney University, I would always try and depict women in positions of power in the imagery. I wanted to show female students leading their male peers and creating boardroom scenes with a woman talking to a group.

Mr Fyfe definitely was the impetus for my technical skill in photography, he laid the foundations for my skills that I use today.

I also had Ms Rennie as a teacher who taught me my first skills in photoshop and cooking. These are still skills that I use everyday. I think I probably drove her mad as we always used to argue passionately about how to best do things, but maybe that's how we learn best! Challenging each other and finding loopholes!

What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the exhibition?

Whilst our exhibition ended just before New Zealand went into lockdown, it was the post exhibition wave that suddenly died. We were hoping to use the interest generated in us to go to advertising agencies and expand our opportunities, but these have all been put on hold. I’m hoping that people will still remember us now that New Zealand has lifted lockdown and we will be able to do the in-person meetings needed to pitch effectively!

You've said about this exhibition: “I really wanted to do something to bring everyone together. As women, we’re taught so much to be competitive with each other, and we’re all sole traders with our own businesses. But I think doing things like this really helps to break down

the barriers and helps us to support each other and lift each other up."

How has your circle of support come into play during challenging times, like right now?

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It’s times like these that we realise the importance of community, and the importance of honesty and openness with one another.

This was a group of women who had worked in the same industry for decades, who had never come together.

We’ve all supported each other a lot through this, and other rough times over the past year.

We’ve had a weekly wine meeting, where everyone has the opportunity to vent and share frustrations with people who understand their situation exactly.

Often we feel like we have to compete with other women, but our true strength lies in our unity.

What would you say to encourage current students/ recent graduates to address gender inequality in their chosen field?

As I shared my vision with people, I was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support that people offered me. At first I thought that they were just being very generous to me, but I soon realised that equality is something that a lot of people want to achieve. Sure, there will be some setbacks along the way, but for the most part, people want to build a society with equality at its heart.

By being a leader in this field in your industry, not only are you positioning yourself as a thought leader, but you are creating positive change for all women in your industry, and society on a greater level.

It is hard work and can be draining, but ultimately, it's rewarding because you are helping to better your industry for yourself, your peers, and for all the women who come after you.

ESU NEWS

You always had the ability to rise to the occasion. Having this mindset, means that as you go out into the world, especially as a woman, you approach things with the knowledge that if you work at it, you can solve anything.

ISSUE 11 / WINTER 2020

COVID-19: EX-STUDENTS ON THE FRONT LINE the isolation and testing of contacts is critical if we are going to continue to control this outbreak locally. Australia currently has one of the best records globally in the control of COVID-19, and we want to ensure we maintain our low case numbers and gradually ease restrictions as appropriate. My role also involves working with organisations such as schools (and especially boarding schools such as PLC), childcare centres, aged care facilities, and universities to ensure these institutions have systems in place to be able to identify potential cases of COVID-19 and rapidly implement control measures.

`

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DR ZEINA NAJJAR (1998)

Public Health Staff Specialist, Sydney Local Health District Public Health Unit, NSW Health How have you been involved in the battle against COVID-19?

I’m a doctor specialising in public health medicine, so I’ve been very involved in the response to COVID-19! I work in the Sydney Local Health District (SLHD) Public Health Unit, which services the public health needs of the community in SLHD, an area that includes part of inner city Sydney and extends out through the inner west up to and including Canterbury. Usually my work involves various aspects of public health and protection of the health of the community, including infectious diseases, immunisation, environmental health, epidemiology, and emergency management, but since the start of this pandemic we have been working almost exclusively on the COVID-19 response.

My role in the response has various components. One of these is the public health management of cases of COVID-19 and contact tracing for these cases. Effective contact tracing and PLC SYDNEY / CAMPHORA

The phrase 'we are all in this together' has been used frequently throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Have you found this to be true in your workplace?

It is critical that people take the threat of COVID-19 seriously and comply with restrictions that are informed by health experts and put in place by the government. The only way we can control this outbreak locally is by working together as a community to maintain physical distancing, comply with current restrictions, and most importantly, to get tested if we have even the slightest of symptoms.

Everyone in my team and throughout SLHD is working very hard to control the outbreak locally and protect the community.

What personal attributes have assisted you to cope throughout the pandemic?

The pandemic has understandably caused a lot of stress for people throughout the community, both because of the potential impact of the disease itself and the uncertainty surrounding how long it might be before we have an effective treatment or vaccine. Although my job has been very busy this year, and at times quite stressful, I enjoy the opportunity to be able to contribute to the response.

I’m fortunate that I’m able to manage stress well, and am able to switch off when I’m not at work or on-call and find something enjoyable to do—even with all the restrictions!

What skills did you develop at PLC Sydney that has helped you in your career?

PLC provided me with a number of skills that I’ve been able to apply throughout my career. I try to maintain a professional approach to work, a quality that I first picked up in my school years.

I was involved in various extracurricular activities while at school and that taught me how to manage my time effectively. Forming strong friendships with students while at school, many of whom are still some of my closest friends, also taught me important social and networking skills that have been important in my career—and in life!

Were there particular moments or staff members at PLC Sydney that inspired your passion for science/medicine?

I always found science interesting and enjoyed my science classes—particularly when we had a fun class group! I studied Physics and Chemistry in Year 12 and the great teachers I had at the time and the supportive and interactive class environments allowed me to really develop my interest in the sciences and choose medicine as a career.

Obviously schooling around the world has been greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The final year of high school can be very stressful under normal circumstances, let alone when disrupted by a pandemic. What advice would you give to Year 12 students for the rest of the year and beyond?

I know this can be a stressful time for Year 12 students and it is important that they remember that this is a unique time in our history that is affecting everyone, and that teachers and examiners are aware of this. The HSC is certainly important but there are so many different ways of forging your path in life and you shouldn’t put too much pressure on just one year of school and a set of exams. Your journey is unlikely to be a straight path, and nor should it be—the challenges you face, as clichéd as it may sound, really will make you a stronger person, and will keep life interesting. This is only the beginning of your adult life!

Midwife, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Please tell us about your current work and responsibilities.

I am a Registered Midwife employed full time at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.

I work on a rotating roster meaning I work in each part of maternity within the hospital throughout the year. I usually spend between three to six months in one area before rotating to the next. Although this requires a lot of moving around and inconsistent rosters, it’s a fantastic way to continuously up skill in each area and presents an opportunity to provide women and their families with continuity of care.

Your responsibilities as a Midwife are to provide the best possible care for both the mother and the babies whether that be in the antenatal period, throughout labour and birth or postnatally.

How has COVID-19 changed your day-to-day work and workplace?

As each staff member, patient and/ or visitor enters the hospital they are asked a series of screening questions to ensure they do not possess or show any signs of illness. Simultaneously, huge camera-like looking devices are taking each and every one of our temperatures to ensure even those asymptomatic patrons are not missed.

Social distancing rules are consistent throughout the hospital with markings on the ground indicating appropriate distances. Personally for maternity,

What has been the most challenging aspect, in your experience, about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic?

The most challenging adjustment I had to make due to the pandemic was at work. In order to facilitate enough isolation beds/rooms in RPAH an entire postnatal maternity ward had to close down and I was working on that ward at the time. This meant that two wards worth of both women, babies and staff had to merge into one and I’m sure you can appreciate the logistical nightmare this would be. It now means that once a woman has given birth you know she’s going to be admitted to the only postnatal ward in the hospital. If all of the postnatal beds were full we had to hustle hard to safely and efficiently discharge mothers and babies who could be discharged.

The phrase 'we are all in this together' has been used frequently throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Have you found this to be true in your workplace?

Absolutely! As soon as you make it through the chaotic staff screening stations and get to your ward and are surrounded by your colleagues, you can’t help but take a big deep breath and realise you’re not alone and you’re surrounded by some of the most supportive and professional people.

this, it’s a different ball game. Living, working and surviving through a time where motivation is lacking and coping mechanisms are taken away from us due to legal restrictions you really need to dig deep to keep yourself sane, motivated, healthy, happy, accountable… And the list goes on. I’ve been trying to address myself as I would my best friend, be my own hype girl, and practise what I preach. That’s what has been helping me cope through this pandemic.

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What skills did you develop at PLC Sydney that has helped you in your career?

Ironically, Business Studies and Drama were my best and favourite subjects at school. Science was never a strong point of mine, so academically my dream to become a midwife didn’t make much sense. However in order to get into BMID at UTS I knew I needed to work hard in all of my subjects to achieve my goals and PLC went above and beyond to facilitate that. PLC taught me that, in order to achieve individual goals you need to be surrounded by the right people, whether that’s through an institution or personally. It taught me that drive and dedication will take you anywhere you want to go and the right community will always empower you throughout your journey.

Obviously schooling around the world has been greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The final year of high school can be very stressful under normal circumstances, let alone when disrupted by a pandemic. What advice would you give to Year 12 students for the rest of the year and beyond?

You’re not alone in this and this too shall pass. You may have to create different ways to achieve your goals but that doesn’t mean they’re not achievable.

What personal attributes have assisted you to cope throughout the pandemic?

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GEORGIE SOUL (2014)

COVID-19 has created a very isolating feeling for our women and babies.

Visiting is banned, meaning women can’t see their nearest and dearest and introduce them to their precious little gift that they worked so hard to bring into the world. One support person is allowed to be with the mother however children and babies are not. This means if a couple does not have an appropriate babysitter, the mother is left alone in hospital with the newborn while the father is alone at home with the other child/children. Although it may not seem like much, relationships flourish and strengthen so much when a new life is brought into the world and if women and families are deprived of these relationships and interactions they can feel very isolated.

This pandemic has made me start practising what I preach a lot more. It’s easy to tell yourself or someone else to “look on the bright side”, “see the glass as half full”, “appreciate the little things”, etc but when it comes to actually doing ISSUE 11 / WINTER 2020

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? `

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CHRISTIE CHRISTOFORO (WILLIAMSON, 1998)

Current occupation: Managing Director What did you study and which university, TAFE or college did you attend?

I studied a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Psychology at Sydney University.

After I finished Year 12 in 1998, I went to Sydney Uni and lived on campus at Wesley College. When I graduated I moved to Melbourne, starting my career in HR, but it wasn’t my love. So I went on to study again; this time in Advertising and ended up in advertising agencies in account management and brand strategy roles which I loved. In 2008 I moved to Vancouver Canada and I continued to work in the brand/ marketing/advertising industries on large franchise brands and also the Canadian Tourism Commission.

When I returned to Melbourne a few years later, I got married and was working client side on a global sports brand. It was a fabulous organisation and role, but I fell pregnant with our first daughter. My father was always an entrepreneur and he had made a very successful sea change from ‘big city life’ to the coast and he was quite keen for one of his children to step into the family company. The timing was right for my husband and me with a new baby, and so in 2015 we left Melbourne and moved to Port Macquarie on the mid-north coast of NSW. We’ve been here ever since and I am now Managing Director of our passenger transport company. We are one of the largest regional taxi and hire car operators in NSW with approximately 100 staff. It’s not as ‘glamorous’ as the brands I was working on in the city, but it’s an amazing experience to lead a company through some significant industry changes. And I’d have to say, it’s more rewarding in so PLC SYDNEY / CAMPHORA

many ways. Plus the shift from the city has been so wonderful for our family.

We’ve since had another daughter and we are completely entrenched in the coastal life.

I also became a yoga teacher and have opened a yoga studio in Port Macquarie as my passion project and as my own brand to build and nurture. In addition, I am just undertaking a new ecommerce venture with an old colleague. As much as my full time MD role occupies my time, I believe in diversifying if you are able to so that you can maintain an interest and passion outside of your every day.

I’ve always maintained a strong interest in health and wellness and have just started being involved in triathlons. I am training for my first half ironman which will hopefully be run in Port Macquarie in September.

What advice would you give to our students today about their journey beyond PLC Sydney?

Find something you enjoy and follow that path with gusto! I finished my degree and fell into ‘the’ career of the era. I thought it was a wise choice but the wise choice didn’t light me up.

At the time, I knew someone who was a jockey and he sadly died in a race fall. I remember thinking that, had he known the outcome of that race, he would have ridden anyway, he loved his chosen path that much. I wanted that same love and passion for my career too. So I had to pivot in order to find my place.

So my advice; endeavour to find a path you love, because you will handle the inevitable road blocks, the struggles, the mundane elements with more tenacity and drive.

What role has your time at PLC Sydney played in your life and/or how has your education at PLC Sydney shaped the person you are today?

I spent my ‘growing up’ years at PLC as I was one of the few Branxton to Year 12 students. It gave me a wealth of opportunities to experience all facets of school life. There are so many available extra-curricular choices and exceptional facilities that many others don’t have access to and I perhaps didn’t really appreciate until I left school and mingled with friends from outside of PLC. We were really fortunate to have everything at our fingertips.

PLC was disciplined and there were expectations on students to respect the school, the uniform and the importance of an education. As a young person, sometimes those elements can feel restrictive in some ways or unimportant in others, but I’ve since learnt that it’s those times that set you up for the future; for how you make decisions going forward, for how you relate to and respect others, for how you follow through on your own goals.

I believe my education gave me the ability to think laterally, to have a go, to participate in everything I’m interested in that is offered to me; because not everyone has that chance, and to adapt. All of which I use readily in my life post-school.

Some of your most vivid, favourite or amusing memories from school are: In Year 9 I got in trouble for swinging on my chair. I was made to write 200 lines of “I will not swing on my chair because it is extremely dangerous and I may become a paraplegic”, which in itself was two lines long. I don’t think I’ve swung on a chair since!

Winning the House Cup in my year as Kinross Captain was pretty special.

CECILE FERGUSON (SMALL, 1961) Current Occupation: Retired What did you study and which university, TAFE or college did you attend?

After I left school I did a degree in Economics at Sydney University, graduating with honours in 1966.

Later, as a mature age student, I studied Special Education at Macquarie University, graduating with a PhD in Education in 1989.

cooking classes where I would choose to “cook” strawberries and Ice Magic chocolate in order to not have to use the oven.

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I remember when the new library was built and it was the first time the primary and senior schools were joined.

As a primary school student it was so ‘cool’ to be able to share a facility with the older students.

House Choir Night in Year 12 was fabulous, we were pipped by Wilkie for the win, but pulling it together and performing on the night was so fun.

Being in the first generation of the PLC ski team which had such amazing results was one of my favourite times.

It was such a family experience and we made so many memories going to Nationals (and succeeding) on so many occasions. I will never forget those days. I’ll never forget how ‘perfect’ I thought my Kindergarten and also Year 2 teacher was. Mrs Smythe was always classy, with amazingly straight and precise hair and I remember her with such warmth.

My Year 5 or 6 teacher Mrs Hayes would take us into the primary assembly hall to do ‘Aerobics Oz Style’ every day. Felt very random at the time, but she knew a little more about the importance of physical activity for young people than we realised.

I was a terrible Home Economics student and I’ll always remember the

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In Year 11 I moved into the boarding school as my parents moved out of Sydney. This taught me to adapt to unexpected change. It wasn’t an easy transition; I recall I cried every night for two weeks! But once I made the choice to accept the change instead of resisting it, I made new friends, had new experiences I would never have had

otherwise, and it was a couple of the best years I had at PLC.

Please provide a brief overview of your life since graduating from PLC Sydney.

In January 1962, I was offered a cadetship at the Reserve Bank of Australia and began part-time work in the Research Department there while also commencing full time study in the Faculty of Economics at Sydney University. I continued to work for the bank during university holidays until I

finished my honours year at the end of 1965. As a graduate economist in the Research Department I was one of the first to benefit from the bank’s introduction of equal pay for graduates.

I continued to work in that department, rising to the Head of the International Section, until the end of 1969 when my husband, Rob and I decided to travel to the UK. With the help of my boss at the RBA, I was able to take up a secondment to the Economic Intelligence Department of the Bank of England during my first year in the UK (1970).

In 1971, I ceased work to care for our first child, Iain. At this stage, having resigned from the bank, we had decided to move to North Wales where Rob took up a job as a dentist in the small town of Criccieth in Caernarfonshire. After a delightful 18 months in Wales, we did some travelling More of Cecile's story overleaf...

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And the old saying ‘never judge a book by it’s cover’ rings true. I’ve found the most fulfilling things sometimes exist in the least likely of places and roles.

And it’s hard as a young person to not be swayed by the opinions of others/ society, but try to truly listen to your own wants, desires and needs. It will provide far more insight and positivity for your own choices going forward.

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on the continent, then Rob took up another position In Woodhall Spa, in Lincolnshire. Here, our second son, Donald was born in September 1972.

On returning to Australia early in 1973, we settled first in Lindfield, and then later, in 1975, in Wahroonga. Our two daughters, Katrina and Ilona, arrived in 1975 and 1978 respectively. Rob had bought a dental practice in Wahroonga and worked there happily until his retirement. Meanwhile, I was a stay-athome mum until our youngest child began pre-school.

In 1982, I began my studies at Macquarie University, initially enrolling in a Masters Degree in Special Education, but later transferring to a PhD. While studying part time for my PhD I was employed as a research assistant, later a research associate, within Special Education, between 1983 to 1988. In 1989, having completed my PhD, I commenced work as a Senior Education Officer (Intellectual Disability) with the Disability Unit of TAFE NSW, based at Head Office in Sydney.

Three years later in 1992, I transferred to the position of Teacher/Consultant (Intellectual Disability) based at Hornsby College of TAFE, supporting students at three campuses (Hornsby, Ryde and Meadowbank). I found this more hands-on position with students very satisfying and enjoyed my work there until my retirement at the end of 2002. Both before and since retirement I have served on several non-government Boards: Knox Council, for 11 years; Hornsby Challenge—later Achieve Australia—for 17 years; and St Edmund’s Special School for 11 years.

After retirement, as well as my work on the latter two Boards, I took up bridge, which I still play (spasmodically), golf (which I no longer play) and helped with our nine grandchildren who arrived between 2004 and 2009. My husband and I have been lucky enough to have travelled extensively both overseas and within Australia.

I also enjoy visits to the opera and theatre, singing (in the Sydney Welsh Choir), reading (a life-long love) and am active in my church—St John’s Uniting Church in Wahroonga. We also enjoy relaxing in our cottage in the Blue

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Mountains as often as we can manage to get away for a few days.

What advice would you give to our students today about their journey beyond PLC Sydney?

My advice to students leaving PLC would be to remember and value the lessons they have learnt while at school, especially in the areas of ethics and respect for others.

I would encourage them to work at maintaining, valuing and further developing the friendships formed at school as these in turn can provide them with life-long support and encouragement.

What role has your time at PLC Sydney played in your life and/or how has your education at PLC Sydney shaped the person you are today?

I believe that my time at PLC provided me with life-long friendships, a deepening in my spiritual beliefs, a strong moral code and a thirst for knowledge. It helped equip me with the skills, knowledge and self confidence I needed to embark on my adult life.

These gifts have also stood me in good stead through the subsequent years, enabling me to succeed in two quite different careers, plus that of wife and mother/grandmother.

My time as a pupil of Miss Keown’s gave me the particular skills and confidence I needed to speak clearly and confidently in meetings or conferences and has been a great help in my professional life.

The strong moral code, originally provided by my parents but reinforced by my time at PLC has also been an unfailing guide throughout my life. I also believe that my sense of social justice was enhanced at PLC through activities such as knitting for Dorcas and visiting the Ashfield Infants’ Home.

Some of your most vivid memories of school?

• Standing behind the staircase outside the Assembly Hall having once again been evicted for talking during Assembly • Being caught climbing through a window in our classroom when in 5A1 (3rd year) and being thoroughly dressed down by an affronted teacher • Being involved with the production of our school magazine, Aurora, in 6B1 (4th year) • Playing the role of Shylock in the school production of The Merchant of Venice, also in 4th year—ably produced and directed by the one and only Miss Keown.

There was a bad moment shortly before our performance when I had my orthodontic bands removed— having overcome the lisp that initially plagued me when I first had the bands installed, would I still be able to pronounce my lines clearly after they had been removed? Fortunately the answer was “yes”!

LIFE AFTER LOCKDOWN: FINDING A NEW NORMAL

2020 has certainly been a rollercoaster of a year. With the culmination of an international crisis, pandemic and forced lockdown, most of us have experienced major changes to our lives.

As a psychologist, I have found working in the mental health field during this period both overwhelming and rewarding. When the lockdown first began, there were spikes in anxiety and increased demand for mental health services. However, in testimony to the resilience of the human spirit, gradually people adapted to life in lockdown.

Plans are underway to re-open facilities, schools, workplaces and borders.

Suddenly, our lives will change again, which is why we need to be mentally prepared. Here are five tips for how we can gain comfort in the “new normal” as we transition out of social isolation and back into the world!

TIP 1 Manage worries and uncertainties As restrictions loosen in coming months, we may feel anxious about the changes. One way I help my counselling clients to cope with worry and uncertainty is to use a technique called mindfulness. Mindfulness reorients our attention towards the present moment, and away from the chatter going on in our heads. You can practice mindfulness by engaging your senses, doing body scans and muscle relaxation exercises or meditating.

Other helpful strategies include journaling your thoughts, talking to a trusted friend or therapist, finding something to laugh about, practising gratitude and deep breathing.

TIP 2 Establish a healthy routine As human beings, we generally prefer consistency and routine, as they bring predictability to our often unpredictable lives. Hence, after this period of lockdown, it will be important to establish healthy routines and habits.

Although changes might be happening in terms of going to school and work again, we can still aim to wake up and sleep at consistent times, eat nutritious meals, balance work with hobbies and practice daily self-care.

TIP 3 Challenge negative thinking and look for positives Our brains are very good at looking for signs of danger and threats in our environment. This is one of the reasons why scientists believe that we process negative information so easily. Entering into the post-lockdown period, we may experience some negative thoughts as we struggle with changes. We can challenge these thoughts by asking ourselves: “Am I making this worse in my head than it is in reality?” “Am I assuming something bad will happen?” and “Am I underestimating my ability to handle this situation?” By building awareness of our negative thoughts, we can monitor how much they affect us. We can also transform our negative thoughts into positive ones. For example, we may feel annoyed about washing our hands repeatedly and social distancing, but we can encourage ourselves how doing these actions helps keep ourselves and everyone else safe.

TIP 4 Continue hobbies started in isolation Many of us used the extra time at home to cultivate hobbies such as baking, puzzles, painting, reading, knitting and learning a language. Even though we might be spending less time at home, there is no reason why we should stop these hobbies, and lose their emotional benefits of relaxation, productivity and mindfulness.

Emily Maher (Salanitro-Chafei, 2012)

TIP 5 Be protective, but also proactive In the coming months, we will have to take responsibility for protecting our health and the health of others. Being protective is important, but it must be balanced with open-mindedness to adapting to changes. The temptation might be to stay isolated in our houses.

We must challenge ourselves to rebuild our society, support our businesses, go to work again and interact with other people, while following regulations. Of course, we must be careful, but also brave enough to face our fears and support one another.

So, how will the world be different post COVID-19 lockdown? We expect it will be in many ways. By using these strategies, we will learn to cope with leaving the relative comfort and safety of our homes, and venturing back into society. We have a lot to look forward to, and soon enough we will adapt to our new-normal. We might even enjoy it!

Emily works with Co.As.It., the Italian Association of Assistance in their community programs and services. She writes about mental health and wellbeing on www.thefemalebrief.com

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Psychologist Emily Maher (SalanitroChafei, 2012) shares simple but effective ways we can adjust to the new normal.

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