Newsletter
ST GEORGE’S ANGLICAN GRAMMAR SCHOOL Edition Seventeen 20 November 2020
Contents From the Executive Principal ..................................................................................... 1 From the Head of School Operations - Acting ..................................................... 3 From the Head of Curriculum .................................................................................. 5 From the Head of Pastoral ........................................................................................ 7 From the School Chaplain ......................................................................................... 8 From the Head of Mathematics and Science ......................................................... 9 From the Head of Year 7 ........................................................................................... 11 From Health and Physical Education - Outdoor Education .............................. 12 From the Music Department ................................................................................... 13 School News .............................................................................................................. 14
St George’s Anglican Grammar School; an exciting, innovative co-educational secondary school based in a high-rise building in the Perth CBD. The School caters for local and international students in Years 7-12, and is a proud member of the Anglican Schools Commission network of schools in Western Australia. We are committed to child safety and protection, and expect all staff, volunteers, visitors to the School and contractors to respect and abide by all policies, procedures and practices developed and put in place by the Anglican Schools Commission (ASC) and/or the School in this regard.
From the Executive Principal The Reverend Peter Laurence OAM Dear St George’s community
the reveille as bugles called across our city and traffic stopped for a minute’s silence.
What a busy two weeks it has been since the last Newsletter.
What makes this Act of Remembrance even more significant is the way our students honoured the occasion with their Every school is a respectful mix of the observance ordinary and every and behaviour. day, interspersed It would be with special so easy to be occasions and ‘bored’ by the events. St George’s Anglican Grammar School event, after is no exception. The stability of the everyday all, we are should never be overlooked as it provides us so removed with a platform from which we can venture. from wars and We celebrate, create, and extend our turmoil. However, their regard was noted by horizons with exhibitions, music concerts, many of those in attendance. Teachers dances, balls, carnivals, productions, and House expressed their pride in our students for their days. However, there are some events that empathy with the fallen, as well as their bring with them great solemnity and time for exceptional behaviour at all times through the reflection. Such was the Act of Remembrance service. This is something I have observed so at St George’s Cathedral last week, at the many times since St George’s opened almost 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month. six years ago. The School community filled the Cathedral, joined by members of the Cathedral parish Thanks to our Chaplain, The Reverend Sarah and public to Stapleton, for her organisation of the Act of commemorate and Remembrance, and to the Guild for their help remember the on their designated study day. We wish fallen. Five students Chaplain Sarah God’s richest blessing as she carried the original prepares for ordination to the priesthood in Villers-Bretonneux the Anglican Church on Monday 30 Cross carved by November. soldiers in the aftermath of that Last week we welcomed the 2021 Year 7 battle. A treasure students for their two days of orientation. and privilege The School was abuzz with excited chatter as indeed. Students they made new friends, attending mini-classes and teachers then and challenges across all subjects. Again, the moved outside the cooperation and collaboration of teachers and Cathedral to hear the ode, the last post and support staff, especially Mrs Gaile Racey,
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St George’s Anglican Grammar School Newsletter
Mr Hilton Hardman, Ms Vickie Kelleher and the three Heads of House created a successful way for the next generation of St Georgians to feel part of the School. We look forward to welcoming them back on the first day of Term 1 2021. On a musical note, the Performing Arts Department’s 2021 production of The School of Rock is set to play in the State Theatre. Auditions have taken place, the cast has been selected and we congratulate those who were successful. We look forward to this production next year with great anticipation. The Year 11s are still writing their examinations in the peace of the fifth floor of CQU. The English Department held an abridged Book Week from 26 – 29 October. The Children’s Book Council of Australia chose the theme of ‘Curious Creatures, Wild Minds’. The highlight was the dress up day when students from Years 7 to 9 appeared as a book character who was either a curious creature or a wild mind. The costumes had to be sustainable, made from found pieces or purchased from Op Shops, repurposed, recycled or reused. What an inventive and creative group of students we have: Nancy Drew, the Mad Hatter, Alice in Wonderland, Willie Wonka, a bear with a magnificent home-made head, a dragon, and many other cleverly costumed characters paraded for a prize.
do, then we fail ourselves. Words are meaningless if they are not backed up with action, effort and good intent. As I lead the St George’s community over the coming months, my time will be focused on guiding, directing and empowering our staff to a renewed commitment to excellence in all things, that they may continue to give of their best that every St George’s student may excel in their learning and in their life. It is then that we can say, as a School, that we are achieving our core purpose and mission. Every blessing.
The Reverend Peter Laurence Executive Principal
In my first two weeks as Executive Principal, it is evident that our School is a busy place in so many ways.Yet at the heart of all School activity must be great teaching, good learning and a real attitude of care for one another. If we don’t aspire to excellence in everything we 2 Edition 17 2020
From the Head of School Operations Acting Mrs Susan Lazenby
As a first contribution to the newsletter in my temporary, new role in the school as Acting Head of School Operations, it seems fitting to think about change and remaining resilient. I am grateful for this opportunity to join the Executive and humbled by it. Nevertheless, it does come with a significant change and awareness of the best way to manage it. I am sure that the 2021 Guild are, like me, also recalibrating their brains with the changes to their school lives as they embark on their new leadership roles. I shall have to compare notes with them!
receptionists, the support staff, those in the cafeteria and the assurance that there will always be Thai Green Chicken Curry every Tuesday! We go to Chapel every Monday at 9:30 am. In the fourth term, we start our SynchSwim practice. There are many other regular, anticipated events and occasions that mark the passing of the year, and even though this year has been somewhat different, the sameness is comforting.
Then we have the other level where change is a constant. This is where we experience some level of change every day whether it be small or considerable, planned or unexpected. Most of us find it easy to manage the minor changes and more often than not, we adjust with little awareness of how the change has an impact on us or those around us. However, knowing how Our young change does affect us is a good way of working school is out how to cope with it, especially when the growing and, of change is significant. This self-awareness gives us course, with this the capacity to develop resilience in the face of comes change. change. We must cater for the new When we, and students and especially our staff, create more teaching and learning spaces, students face reimagine what is possible, be creative and agile. change, it can be There is a flux in this process, yet some things exciting; it is stay the same. How can we harness this to our energising and advantage? motivating. For others it evokes fear and anxiety, they feel A school is an interesting place that, in my demotivated or exhausted. Most of us go estimation, has different levels of operation. The through the whole range of emotions as we foundation is the expected: our daily routine transition from one state to the next. I think with the timetable. For teachers, the constant is that it is in this transition phase that we, and the students in our classrooms, and for our students, can build our resilience. In a students, it is those who teach them. We also recent leadership course, we learnt about have the people we rely on daily such as our change management and the work of William 3
St George’s Anglican Grammar School Newsletter
Bridges, writer of Managing Transitions (1991). face, and what we learn from them is what He believes that ‘transition is the psychological builds resilience. process people go through to come to terms with the new situation. Change is external, transition is internal.’ So, let’s think about this internal process and how it can build resilience. With change comes stress and we are mostly programmed to see stress as negative. If we can shift our internal monologue to accept that stress is inevitable and that a certain amount of stress is good, it can be a way to motivate and energise us. Then we have the capacity to work our way through the transition. The stress of exams, for instance, is a motivator – well, mostly! Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck draws a distinction between the fixed mindset and the growth mindset. The latter means that we can ‘change and grow to meet the challenges we face’. It is about choosing how we decide to learn from the experience which also helps us to build our resilience in the face of change and its accompanying stress. According to resilience expert Anne Grady in her article ‘Mind over Matter’, looking for things for which to be grateful is important. There is a close link between gratitude and our sense of well-being, which makes us more resilient when we are faced with change. Being connected, having a sense of humour, carrying out acts of service, optimism and taking some control over the situation are also what she advocates.
I trust that as we are evolving and improving, growing and developing, facing changes both small and significant, we are aware of the impact that the changes have on us. Moreover, that we can use the time and experience to become more resilient, remembering always to be kind to ourselves and one another.
Susan Lazenby Head of School Operations - Acting Change: Image by Gert Altmann frim Pixabay Resilient: Image by Alexas Fotos from Pixabay Be Optimistic: Image by Wokandapix from Pixabay
The idea of optimism appeals to me. It is about the way we approach what is happening rather than looking at the world through rose tinted spectacles, although that is a tempting option! What we choose to take from our life experiences, the changes and challenges we 4 Edition 17 2020
From the Head of Curriculum Ms Victoria Kelleher
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly…who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly. Theodore Roosevelt
getting it wrong. But, if we take the risk and we fail, the critics are always going to be in the arena, so you might as will invite them in, and not forget to invite yourself too. It is scary to show up and be seen, but it is not as scary as getting to the end and thinking “What if I had shown up? What if I had taken a risk? What would have been different?”
We all have a choice in life whether to put ourselves out there or hide behind our fears. In her book, Daring Greatly, Dr. Brené Brown, references President Theodore Roosevelt with a quote that she believes changed her life by making her realise three things. As we approach the final weeks of Term 4, I First, that she wanted to be the person in the encourage our students to take a risk, to show arena. The one to take the risk, to perhaps fail, up and be seen. I encourage them to think about but to give it a go. The second is that far too their strengths and abilities as constantly often, the people who never take the risk are developing. They have an opportunity to use the people to criticise those that do. The third their final assessments to do something culminates everything Brown has learned in her remarkable, and if they are not successful, use twelve years of studying vulnerability and shame. the experience to improve. The feedback they That it is not about winning, it is not about get from assessments will provide them with losing, it is about showing up and being seen. information that they can use to learn from and set new goals for the future. This approach is So often we slam on the brakes before we even described as a ‘growth mindset’. turn the key.Vulnerability often stops us from doing something remarkable because we are In a ‘growth mindset’ skills and abilities are not afraid of failing. Anyone who has ever taken a set. Students can develop their skills and abilities risk and stepped out of their comfort zone, will through hard work, planning, and with help and know that it never works out perfectly. There mentoring from others. Using the feedback from are always compromises. We are, far too often, their teachers, students should ask themselves afraid of being vulnerable, of taking a risk, of the following questions: 5
St George’s Anglican Grammar School Newsletter
- What is this teaching me? - What did I do well? - What steps should I take next? - What support can my teachers provide me? - Can I make a commitment to myself to improve? - Can I develop a strategy to improve?
Presentation Night The Presentation Night for Year 7 to Year 11 students will be held at 6:00 pm on Monday 7 December at St George’s Cathedral. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, only students receiving an award will be expected to attend. Parents, guardians, and guests are also welcome to attend but numbers are limited, and all guests will be asked to RSVP prior to the event. Parents and guardians of students receiving awards will be informed on Friday 4 December.
Victoria Kelleher Head of Curriculum
Box of Books Box of Books continues to be our preferred supplier as their platform will allow parents to purchase digital textbooks that our students can access from a single sign-in portal. Parents will also have the option to purchase physical textbooks, although the recommendation is that these be used at home so that students are not carrying heavy bags to and from school each day. The book lists are currently with Box of Books for their final review and a SEQTA communication will be sent to our St George’s families soon with information on how to access your child’s 2021 booklist.
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From the Head of Pastoral Mr Hilton Hardman
responsibility.
One of the great lessons we always hope to impart to our students, and certainly that with which we hope they leave St George’s, is the importance of personal responsibility. The impact our actions have on others is essential, and we understand this better when we take
In schools, it is not unusual to hear “they did it first” or “it was just a joke, I didn’t mean it” when we speak to a young person about their actions. But realistically, we all have to ask ourselves: does this make it okay? “They did it first” has no end. Retaliation for a misdeed is a never-ending path to retaliation. I often ask students in this situation a couple of crucial things: how did you feel? And, do you really want to be responsible for making someone else feel that way? The bottom line is that we can’t make ourselves feel better by making someone else feel bad, and that requires us to make a different choice: to choose to not retaliate. And what of “it was just a joke”? Similarly, the question would be, what value is there in making fun of someone to entertain ourselves. If our words or actions amuse or make ourselves bigger by making fun of someone, what does that say about us? One of the big questions I ask young people is, what type of person do you want to be? Realistically each individual needs to define that for themselves. Do you want to feel good about yourself because you work to make others feel good?
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Personal responsibility is so important in the development of our young people. They need to be making decisions about the type of person they want to be. They need to be supporting that desire through their words and their actions. They need to take responsibility for the consequences of those decisions, and the associated words and actions. Arrival at School and Signing In We are seeing an increase in the number of students arriving late to school. To ensure that students are ready for the day, which begins with period one at 8:30 am, we recommend they plan their journey with the intention of arriving by no later than 8:15 am. This will allow time to go to their locker and be at class on time. Arriving at the front door at 8:30 am means they will be late, as it can take as much as ten minutes to get to their locker and to period one. Students will be required to sign in as late if they arrive past 8:25 am. If your child is late because of an appointment or for any other reason you know of, please write them a note, or email Student Reception (studentreception@stgeorges.wa.edu.au).
Hilton Hardman Head of Pastoral
St George’s Anglican Grammar School Newsletter
From the School Chaplain The Reverend Sarah Stapleton Change is upon us!
loving and divine community that defies time and space. I pray that God’s peace be with us This morning as we all this Advent season, in the watching, waiting, hurry through the last reviewing of the past and the planning for the weeks of term, I am very future. conscious that change is upon us, even if we are not ready for it!
In the Church calendar we are heading into Advent, which is a time of contemplation, and waiting. We are waiting to celebrate the birth of a baby that changed (and is still changing) the way that people viewed life, death, and all that happens in between, and beyond and before. Before we come to the end of term, the beginning of the holidays, Christmas and New Year, it is good look at how we began, what we have been through and how far we have come. 2020 has been a year of surprise and challenge. Our students and school community have grown so much over the year, and we have learned many things about the challenges of lockdown, as well as the possibilities. The fast approach of Christmas reminds me to celebrate not only the birth of Jesus, but also to give thanks for the continuous and merciful presence of God among us, abiding with us through the challenges and the triumphs, the gatherings and the goodbyes. This Advent season, as we come to terms with saying goodbye to 2020, we also need to say goodbye to those who are leaving St George’s and moving on to something new. Our future is unwritten, and we pray for good things, but prepare for all things. No matter what 2021 holds for us, we should remember that God is always with us, binding us together in a
Rev Sarah Stapleton School Chaplain
From the Head of Maths and Science Ms Charlotte Donovan
Last Thursday, a group of exceptional Year 8 -10 girls attended the WISE Women Showcase at Murdoch University. WISE stands for Women in STEM and Enterprise. The students listened to the engaging keynote speaker Alison Barnes, Head of Robotics and Commercialisation Manager at Woodside, before participating in two hands on workshops. The workshops focused on Oceanography and Code Cracking. The day enriched our students with women who have dedicated their lives to STEM and highlighted the many and varied opportunities available in the Mathematics and Science fields. Students were encouraged to keep their options open and attempt a wide range of subjects and activities as they progress through school. We are currently wishing our Year 11 students well with the Semester Two examinations. The results from these examinations will provide our students a measure of how effective their preparation for formal assessments has been and enable them to make goals for Year 12. In Human Biology we aim to immerse our students with real-life practical applications. In that context we completed DNA profiling and electrophoresis to determine inheritance patterns. Students familiarised themselves with the equipment and were confident in reading the gel produced. These skills set a foundation for some of their Unit 4 work next year.
colour. For many it was their first time in a proper Science laboratory! We are all looking forward to welcoming them into the St George family next year. The final 4 weeks of term will see a wind up on content and the final assessments. We encourage all our students to stay focused and enjoy the last few weeks of the school year. The excursions continue with some students attending ChemDay at the Chem Centre this coming Friday, the Year 11 Physics students will be having a tour of the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research at UWA, and some Year 10 girls will be attending Girls Sum it Up at Murdoch University in Week 7. I thank my Science and Maths team in advance for their continued hard work and efforts in providing enriching experiences for our students.
Charlotte Donovan Head of Mathematics and Science
We also welcomed our ‘Future Year 7s’ into the laboratory as a part of the transition program at the end of Week 5. They had a wonderful time making slime in their house 9 Edition 17 2020
From the Head of Year 7 Mrs Gaile Racey
It was wonderful to have the new Year 7 students for 2021 fill St George’s stairwells and rooms with so much joy and excitement over their two day Year 7 Transition on November 12 and 13. The students were treated to a smorgasbord of amazing activities: slime making in Science, stage performances in Drama; creating Aliens in Art; getting physical on the rooftop for Sport, and battling it out playing the Amazing Race, just to name a few. After 2 full days of fun and laughter all students left with massive smiles on their faces. Ready and keen to hit the ground running in Year 7, 2021.
Gaile Racey Head of Year 7
From Outdoor Education Mrs Jackie Sullivan
Urban Descent – QV1 - Perth Each year this event is run in the city raising a large amount of funds for different Perth local charities. Adventure Out runs this event, and I was privileged to volunteer my time this year. Halla Harding,Year 12, was also involved with helping run the event. 11 October – This was a training day at Boya Quarry, Perth Hills, helping participants to become familiar with abseiling and a zip-line. My role was as an abseiling instructor and Halla’s role was administration and the overall running of the day. 30 October – Halla and I had to meet at the QV1 building at 6:30 am helping to finalise the setup for the abseiling and zip-line off the top of the QV1 building in the city. My role on the day was to induct all participants once they arrived on the roof top, double checking all of the gear, doing their safety checks and undertaking an abseiling demonstration, reminding them of all the calls and how to abseil before, they were rigged up to undertake the long 175m abseiling or zip-line off the top of the building. Halla was involved with the participants and the organisational side of the event. This was an event to remember, working with a large number of very experienced instructors in the outdoor industry and I am very thankful for this experience.
From the Head of Music Mr Michael Newton
Preparations for this term’s On The Roof concert are well underway, with rehearsals and auditions in full swing. We have a great programme lined up, and we are looking forward to our first rooftop show for the year! Tickets are $5.50, available online here
Upcoming Events Thursday 26 November - On The Roof Concert 1 - 7 December - Electrocity Ensemble FRINGE WORLD writing workshops Monday 7 December - Presentation Evening Wednesday 9 December - Freedom Fest
School News Student Term Dates - 2020 Term 4 13 October - 9 December
Student Term Dates - 2021 Term 1 29 January - 01 April New Student Orientation, 28 January Students Mid Term Break, Friday 26 February Term 2 21 April - 02 July Students Mid Term Break, Friday 4 June Enrolments The School Enrolment Policy requires one full term’s notice in writing prior to the withdrawal of a student from the School. Where such notice is not received, the School will charge an amount equal to the tuition fees for that current term. To avoid fees in lieu being charged, notice of a student’s withdrawal must be received by the School before the first day of the School Term preceding the Term of the student’s departure. If this does not occur, families will be charged the remainder of the current Term, plus an additional Terms fee in lieu. Upon withdrawal of a student from the School, all fees and charges incurred for that student are payable to the School in full within seven days of exit.
Computer Rental Agreement Computers are not always reliable and will sometimes fail and require repairs. This causes the student to, sometimes, go without a computer for a couple of weeks. The School can now offer free loan computers when required. Parents/guardians, please fill out and sign the agreement form here and allow the IT department 24 hours to prepare a computer for use. Uniform Shop Please be advised that Matrix Uniforms are in the process of moving over to a new web platform which is taking longer than anticipated. Some of the items show that the stocks are out. Rest assured they are fully stocked up and have all the uniforms. Battery Recycling Used batteries are being collected in the IT Manager’s office. Please take advantage of this free facility. What batteries can be collected? Dry cell batteries include AA, AAA (single use or rechargeable), C, D, button batteries, 9V, 6V and cordless power tools. What batteries cannot be collected? Lead acid batteries, such as car batteries, and mobile phone batteries cannot be collected. Please contact your local council for details of how to dispose of these batteries.
If the account has been paid in full and a refund is due, payment will be processed for the full More information can be found here: refund due within seven days of exit. https://www.mrc.wa.gov.au/School-community/ Battery-programs/School SEQTA The St George’s Anglican Grammar School SEQTA account is not a monitored platform. Please contact the staff member directly to ensure prompt action to your message. 14
St George’s Anglican Grammar School Newsletter