Edition Eleven
Newsletter
ST GEORGE’S ANGLICAN GRAMMAR SCHOOL
09 August 2019
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.
Contents From the Principal ......................................................................................................... 1 From the Head of Curriculum .................................................................................... 4 From the Head of Pastoral .......................................................................................... 6 From the Head of Mathematics and Science .......................................................... 8 From the Head of Art ...................................................................................................10 From the IT Manager ................................................................................................... 13 From the Drama Department ....................................................................................15 School News ................................................................................................................ 16
From the Principal Mr Gary Racey
A warm welcome back to students for Term 3, albeit a late one as we are now already at the end of the second week. Our charges and staff have returned looking happy, refreshed and ready to take on another busy term of work, which is so wonderful to see.
working extremely well. As the media and research is constantly highlighting in increasing form, it is essential we as a school place absolute importance of having a clear framework and program to work with to provide the awareness, knowledge and care for your children. As I attend professional forums and see the struggle that some schools are having in employing and addressing this need, I am extremely pleased to acknowledge the approach and implementation by St George’s as being exceptional.
The School is going from strength to strength and continued new enrolments now see us with only a handful of positions available across Year 9 and 10 (Years 7 and 8 are full), with projections for 2020 showing Years 7-10 as being at capacity in 2020 and beyond. Please encourage your friends, family and members of the community to get on to the waitlist as soon as possible to maximise their chance to secure a position at our amazing school.
A reminder that both the child protection framework and protective behaviours curriculum can be found on the School website and on the SEQTA portal.
Annie Junior Production ‘Oh my Goodness! Oh my goodness!’ What a spectacular performance! I was thrilled to share the experience of watching our young cast and crew perform so ably at the State Theatre on the evening of Friday August 2. It was a full house, which was well deserved Child Protection and Protective Behaviours due to the high quality presented. It is Curriculum unbelievable to think that 75% of our team As previously informed to the School are from Years 7-9. The future looks community, St George’s employs the use of extremely exciting to think of where these the following framework and curriculum in young people will end up in the years to order to guide and address this essential come. My genuine thanks go out to Miss area of child protection: Natalie Cox and her support team for the Child Protection Framework: Creating time and energy that went into putting Child Safe Institutions (Royal Commission) together such a wonderful experience for Protective Behaviours Curriculum: our students and families. Natalie was Keeping Safe (Nationally recognised employed at the conclusion of last year and curriculum) took on this task from scratch. To pull off a musical within 6 months is an incredible The framework and associated curriculum is effort. 1
St George’s Anglican Grammar School Newsletter
St George’s Art Exhibition I hope some of our community had the opportunity to attend the recent St George’s Art Exhibition at St George’s Cathedral. This event celebrates works by senior art students from schools across Western Australia and we had three students accepted to present their works. Congratulations to Isabella Cotter (Year 12), Ashleigh Gates (Year 11) and Jordan Higginson (Year 10). I was amazed at the quality of these pieces, with each making me reflect and consider the meaning behind them. Additional congratulations go to Isabella, who was picked by members of the public for the ‘People’s Choice Award’ as selected from 147 Art pieces. An incredible achievement!
introducing an additional option subject in 2020 – Outdoor Education. The drive behind this is to not only provide greater choice to students selecting this part of their learning journey, but more so for the ‘soft’ skills that this subject permits the development of, including leadership, collaboration, critical thinking, self-efficacy, character, resilience and confidence. Having taught in this area for many years the value in providing an interesting and challenging context to develop a skill set that this generation must absolutely have cannot be underestimated.
Additionally, once the new Strategic Plan is released, community members will see an aim for the School to become a member of the international organisation called ‘Round Square’. More information will follow regarding this program, but families Cafe Design are encouraged to research it to gain an The planned re-furbishing of the School understanding as to where we are heading. Café is progressing nicely and is on track to Round Square is an international network have the fit-out completed for the beginning of schools in 50 countries that connect and of 2020. The design committee is now collaborate to offer world class programs finalising materials and finishes, which will and experiences that develop global then be costed and ordered. I have to say, competence. Round Square schools the design is looking brilliant, giving collaborate, creating meaningful, real-world separation of zones, balancing relaxation and opportunities for students to develop global education needs, and creating a space that competence, character and understanding. reflects the maturity and inner-city location Outdoor Education is just one element we reside. I am confident it will be well that we need to consider when seeking full received by the students and cannot wait for membership, which may take a number of it to be unveiled. years to achieve. Whilst the goal is for membership, it is the journey that will be Outdoor Education and Round Square exciting, engaging and impactful. Membership As Year 9 and 10 students and families will now be aware, St George’s will be 2
Year 12 Lounge A proposal from the Student Guild earlier on in the year has resulted in the introduction of a Year 12 Lounge. A room on Level 1 has been set aside for Year 12 use only. Year 12 classes will be scheduled in this space and outside of those class times the students will have full access to the area to rest, study and relax. They have music, a ‘kitchenette’ (requires an upgrade I suggest) and their lockers. Whilst the ‘lounge’ is in its infancy and fairly basic, it is hoped that future Year 12’s will adapt and evolve the idea to create a mature and appropriate space that might better reflect their age and position in the school. Student Celebration - Ali Griffin Ali Griffin,Year 8, has been selected to represent Western Australia at the 2019 Cross Country Championship to compete at the School Sport Australia National Championships in Wollongong, NSW, from 22-26 August 2019. On behalf of the School, I congratulate Ali and wish her all the very best. Interhouse Athletics Carnival The Interhouse Athletics Carnival on Tuesday August 6 was a fun filled day with all participants sharing laughter and excitement. In my mind, all who participated were winners, once again demonstrating confidence, acceptance and resilience. Thanks to Ms Scheele and her team for coordinating such a wonderful event. The winning house will be announced on Monday, 12 August at chapel.
Open Day It is with great excitement that we announce the St George’s Open Day on Friday August 23 between 8.00 am and 4.00 pm, with tours departing every hour. Widespread advertising has been implemented for this event, but existing members of our school community are requested to share the information with friends, families, clients etc. to permit potential new families to visit, see and consider our school for their child or children.
Blessings
Gary Racey Principal
From the Head of Curriculum Mrs Angela Tanham
The Importance of Quality Sleep for Students From time to time, teachers notice students in class who appear to be very tired and sleepy which results in those students having difficulty concentrating in class. For students to be able to learn to the best of their ability, it is important that they arrive to school each morning rested, having had a good night’s sleep. Dr Prue Salter from Enhanced Learning Educational Services has the following tips about improving the quality of sleep:
people need only 6 hours a night, most people need about 8 hours and some people need 10 hours! Two ways to tell if you are getting enough sleep: How quickly do you fall asleep at night? If you fall asleep instantly that can be a sign you are not getting enough sleep, it should take 10-15 minutes to fall asleep. How do you feel when you wake up in the morning? If you feel tired and sluggish then that can also be a sign that you need to get to bed earlier. Improving the quality of your sleep: Avoid caffeine (cola drinks, coffee, energy drinks, chocolate) after dinner or even better, no later than 4pm. Organise as much as you can at night to minimise what you have to do in the morning (e.g. organise your clothes for the next day, pack your bag). Try and have a half hour to an hour before you go to bed without computers, TV, phone or any electronic devices or homework or chatting to friends. If you can’t do that, at least put the devices on night mode or turn the brightness down.
Sleep is crucial not just for physical and mental well-being, but for the consolidation of learning, and to ensure you perform in all your endeavours in peak condition. The absolute last resort should be to sacrifice sleep time in order to get things done. How much sleep is right for you? This is tricky as everyone is different. Some lucky
Set up a relaxing ‘wind-down’ routine for before you go to bed. Do this same routine every night (e.g. warm shower, reading, listening to quiet music) so your brain associates these activities with bed time and sleep.
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A drop in body temperature near bedtime triggers the sense that is time to go to sleep. So after a warm bath or hot shower, cool yourself down. It is also better at night to be cool rather than overheated.
University Applications for Year 12 Students This week, the Year 12 students received their User ID and default password to access TISCOnline. The Tertiary Institutions Service Centre (TISC) is responsible for the ranking of students for university entrance. Students Keep your room as dark and as quiet as wishing to study at a University in Western possible at night. Australia must apply via TISCOnline. Applications opened on Monday 5 August When you lie in bed, start at your feet and and close, without a fee, on Monday 30 mentally imagine relaxing each muscle as you September. Further information about the slowly work your way up the body. Most application process and other important people do not make it up to their head dates can be found at the TISC website before they fall asleep! www.tisc.edu.au In the morning open the curtains wide or go out into the sun and get lots of light to help wake your brain. Being exposed to lots of natural light during the day will also help the body produce the melatonin at the right time for a good sleep cycle. A healthy breakfast will help to kick-start your body clock for the day. SCSA Year 12 Information Handbook Part 2 SCSA have released Part 2 of the Year 12 Information Handbook. The focus of this booklet is on examinations and is relevant to all students sitting the ATAR course examinations. Information provided in the Handbook includes the purpose of examinations, important dates, preparing for examinations and how to access results and the WACE Folio of Achievement after the examinations are over. Students and parents are encouraged to read this book and it can be accessed here
International students studying the WACE make their applications directly to the Universities. Application to Notre Dame is done directly through the University for all students and further information can be found on the Notre Dame website https://www.notredame.edu.au/study/how-to-apply Application to interstate Universities is done directly through the University. Information can be found at the University websites. Year 9 and 10 Electives 2020 The Year 9 and 10 Elective Handbook has been mailed to all current Year 8 and 9 Parents and Guardians. Please read the information in the Handbook carefully and ensure that the final date for selecting subjects is adhered to.
Angela Tanham Curriculum Coordinator
5 Edition 11 2019
From the Head of Pastoral Mr Hilton Hardman
Attendance and student outcomes Research confirms a strong link between attendance and student outcomes. While some student absences are unavoidable and understandable due to illness or enforced through school disciplinary absences, many are not. These could be unexplained or unauthorised absences. Poor school attendance can be linked to a number of related short and long-term adverse outcomes for students such as; lower academic outcomes, early school leaving, substance use, unemployment, and negative health outcomes. However, these factors may be interrelated in complex ways, and factors that lead to low levels of attendance may also independently lead to some of these adverse outcomes. A student’s regular absence from school may be a critical indicator in disengagement, leading directly to some of these adverse outcomes. Regardless of the nature of the relationship, poor school attendance, particularly with a high number of unexplained or unauthorised absences, is a readily observable warning sign for potential longer-term adverse outcomes.
overview of the overall impact of the accumulation of days absent or days late during a students school life. PAWS During week one, our Year 12 students were involved in two outreach activities. One group went to Amana Living and spent the afternoon talking to the elderly and the second group did clean up around Point Fraser. The other Years continued to work through their services learning booklet; this is a program that will continue to grow within the school as giving back to our local community is a key focus for our school. Week two sees us continue our philosophy of getting in guest speakers to talk on their area of specialty. This week we have one Guest speaker in for each year group. The following topics will be covered: Year 7 - Personal and city safety by WA Police Year 8 - Real Beauty by Armed for life Year 9 - Resilience by Armed for life Year 10 – Life’s different pathways by Head of Pastoral Year 11 - Stress Management by Armed for life Year 12 – What does it mean to be of legal age by R U Legal Enquiry
In saying the above, parents can expect contact from PCG Tutors for unexplained absences or Head of House for low attendance rates. On the next page is an
Hilton Hardman Head of Pastoral
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St George’s Anglican Grammar School Newsletter
7 Edition 11 2019
From the Head of Mathematics and Science Ms Charlotte Donovan
Science Week All throughout week 3 we will be celebrating National Science Week, exploring the theme ‘Destination Moon: More Missions More Science’. The Science teachers will be hosting Science shows and activities at lunchtime, culminating in a BIG FREEZE on Friday! There will be a Science Kahoot Competition for all students in PAWS on Friday 16 August. Keep an eye on the Daily Notices or ask your Science teacher for more information!
“Today at the science excursion I learnt and got slightly scared that our generation can be ‘immortal’, with advances in genetic science this can be possible.” Milla Howard “Today in the science excursion I learnt that we can fix global warming if we act now.” Sam Beck “Today I learnt multiple and helpful things from Dr Karl. One of the multiple things I learnt was that we are able to improve possibly even reverse the effects of global warming, also that my generation has the highest IQ of any generation yet.The main thing I enjoyed was that was his humour in the show and how I learnt things while having a laugh. It did not give me an idea for a future job although it did show me the possibilities for the future that me and my generation can take advantage of.” Katherine Mullaney
Year 12 Psychology Excursion Year 12 Psychology students attended Perth Zoo to experience an immersion lesson in operant conditioning and systematic desensitisation. The education staff at the Zoo demonstrated the techniques used in the care and management of Perth Zoo’s animals. This gave the students an opportunity to have real life experience in psychological practices. They very much enjoyed their day!
What did I learn from Dr Karl: That there are some very effective alternative energy sources asides from coal, and the fact that they are Eco-friendly. Most scientific productions are being stopped by politics, despite being possibly effective.” Ethan Nana
Dr Karl Excursion On the first day back at school this term, the Year 8’s went to a very special event held at the State Library. They were able to listen to Dr Karl Kruszelnicki discuss all things science and STEM careers. A few students gave their reflections on the event. 8
“China has the worlds fastest train that can reach speeds of up to 450km/h” Jasper Brieschke “I learnt that we can reduce the amount of carbon in the air by using special fans to filter it out. I enjoyed when he talked about ways we can reduce global warming. Dr Karl inspired me to do a job in the future that spreads awareness about serous issues.” Lorena Bongiovanni St George’s Anglican Grammar School Newsletter
Charlotte Donovan
Head of Mathematics and Science 9
St George’s Anglican Grammar School Newsletter
From the Head of Art Ms Carol Wohlnick
META Art and Design Awards
St George’s Selected as Pilot School Greenbatch Update
During our recent Year 9 Visual Art classes, the art room has been transformed into a productive workshop space where students have actively applied the 6C’s of today’s 21st Century Learning guidelines. Critically resolving problems in collaborative groups, the results are progressing well with a The St George’s diverse range of ideas being created. These Art Department ideas were conceptualised as drawings in has been the students’ visual diaries, then realised selected as the pilot school for the into sculptural forms as the students media Greenbatch UWA tested their proposals. Stay tuned for the completed sculptures which are due to be Sculpture Initiative, and thanks to our finalised in Term 3. generous community contributors we now have enough resources (recycled bottles) to complete the project. St George’s Cathedral Art Early in July the Cathedral space of St George’s was transformed to house artworks from schools across the metropolitan area to create the 17th Annual Cathedral Art Exhibition. It formed part of the City of Perth Winter Arts Festival and was held during our school holidays from 20 to 28 July. The Gala Awards Presentation Evening was held on Thursday 25 July.
In addition to the Cathedral Art Exhibition, two students from year 12 have also been selected for the META ART AND DESIGN AWARDS to be held in early August. META is an Art Exhibition held at the Central Galley in Northbridge. It showcases innovative and exciting creative works completed by Year 11 and 12 students enrolled in Visual Art and Design courses. META complements North Metro TAFE’s well-renowned art, design and photography programs and acknowledges the excellence and originality of budding young artists and designers in senior secondary schools across WA. The two students are both Visual Art ATAR students: Alizeh Akhtar for ceramic sculpture, Amzay’s Reality and Isabella Cotter for her oil on canvas, Roots.
Carol Wohlnik
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Head of Art
We had three students selected to participate in this year’s prestigious CBD art exhibition, they are: Jordan Higginson Year 10 for her sculpture - All That Glitters Is Not Gold, Ashleigh Gates Year 11 for her pastel painting - Hannah; and Isabella Cotter Year 12 for her oil on canvas, still life painting – Roots
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St George’s Anglican Grammar School Newsletter
From the Drama Department
From the IT Manager
Ms Natalie Cox
Mr Jason Wakefield
In the next few articles, we will review information on all of the apps within the Office 365 suite.
No longer can students use the excuse, “My dog ate my homework.” More information on OneDrive can be found here. Tune in next time for an overview on OneNote. A reminder to please make sure your devices are at least protected by a reputable anti-virus program.
OneDrive (formerly known as SkyDrive, Windows Live SkyDrive, and Windows Live Folders) is a file hosting service and synchronization service operated by Microsoft as part of its suite of Office Online services. We highly recommend both students and staff to set-up their OneDrive folder and use it for all of their school work. This is due to the event of loss of data, theft or damage that the user can retrieve their work because it is stored in the Office 365 cloud (Internet storage). As a part of our Office 365 subscriptions, OneDrive allows for one terabyte (1,000 GB) of online storage. OneDrive also allows for ‘versioning’ which means that a past version of any file can be retrieved should that file be overwritten in error.
NB: It is school policy to have an active anti-virus installed on all computers using the school network so please take advantage of our free offering of Trend Micro found on the student’s SEQTA Learn home page. Instructions can be found under SEQTA > Documents > Trend Micro for Students Don’t forget we recycle your household batteries. Please use this FREE facility to dispose of all your expired batteries (not including car and phone batteries). The bin can be found in the IT Manager’s office on level 1. Let’s reduce landfill waste together. TIP OF THE WEEK – Why send a copy when you can send a link instead?
This ties in with our overview of OneDrive above when attaching a file in Outlook. Collaborating with colleagues on a report or project? Don’t send copies. Send a link instead. The trick is to upload files to OneDrive and then send everyone a link to the files.Your recipients can collaborate on the same file at the same time, and you don’t have to scour your inbox for multiple copies. Select Attach File > Browse web locations > OneDrive.You can tell you’re sending a link to a OneDrive file because the attachment icon will have a cloud on it. If you have missed any of our IT articles this term, I encourage you to have a read of them here as they may contain information that could help you out in your everyday life.
Jason Wakefield IT Manager
St George’s Anglican Grammar School Newsletter
14 Edition 11 2019
performance skills well beyond their years. We could not have asked our actors for a more engaging performance. The performance also had a very dedicated backstage crew, who took leadership and organisation to the next level, taking over the process of furniture moving and organising actors backstage. Thank you Events Crew and Backstage Crew for your successful running of this event.
Well done cast and crew of Annie JR, you have done Miss Cox and St George’s proud with your wonderful performance.
One such article covered information regarding a home internet safety product from Disney. More information here: https:// cybersafehouse.com
And lastly, OneDrive has its own recycle bin that holds deleted files. Should the user delete a file from their OneDrive folder, it will still be kept in the recycle bin for up to 90 days from where it can be restored. 13
Thank you to everyone who attended Annie JR, our 2019 School Musical that debuted at the Studio Underground, State Theatre. What an honour for our students to perform in such a prestigious venue and what a fantastic job they did living up to the high standards and expectations of the theatre. Students rehearsed for over 100 hours in preparation for the performance, and they certainly showed their knowledge in a brilliantly learned performance. Students looked relaxed and calm as they performed well-rehearsed dances and blocking, and no one slipping up with
any lines. The enthusiasm and excitement was clear, especially when the heart-melting Jordynn performed the show-stealing Sandy the dog. This years’ performance was brilliant and a success, all due to the commitment and enthusiasm of our actors as they attended countless rehearsals, always striving to perform better than the day before. Many actors from Year 7 and 8, making a fantastic leap into our drama program and developing their 15
St George’s Anglican Grammar School Newsletter
School News Student Term Dates - 2020 Term 1 30 January - 9 April New Student Orientation 29 January Students Mid Term Break, Friday 28 February Term 2 30 April - 3 July Students Mid Term Break, Friday 29 May Term 3 27 July - 25 September New Student Orientation 24 July Students Mid Term Break, Friday 21 August Term 4 13 October - 9 December 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.
If the account has been paid in full and a refund is due, payment will be processed for the full refund due within seven days of exit.
in advance. As the events and details thereof are outside of the School’s control, we can no longer accept these requests or assist in the promotion of these events.
ST GEORGE’S ANGLICAN GRAMMAR SCHOOL
We do encourage parents to continue planning get-togethers, and are happy to include a photo and a short report on the activities in the newsletter after they have been held.
OPEN DAY
SEQTA The St George’s Anglican Grammar School SEQTA account is not assigned to a staff member and, therefore, is not monitored. Please contact the staff member directly to ensure prompt action to your message.
Friday 23 August 8:00 am to 4:00 pm
Uniform Shop St George’s uniforms are purchased from Matrix Uniforms Showroom, 1 Hasler Road Osborne Park or online. Uniform fittings are available from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm Monday to Friday.
VacSwim 2019
With swimming pools and beaches a big part of the Western Australian lifestyle, it’s important your children are safe in the water. Programs are available for children from five to 17 years and cater to all skill levels – from beginners to those doing their Bronze Medallion. They are being offered at pool venues across the State. Enrol your children in VacSwim now at education.wa.edu.au/swimming
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Join us on Open Day to tour our A school of the Commission facilities and seeAnglican what Schools is on offer for your child.
Find a location near you at education.wa.edu.au/swimming
Also, any ice cream containers (any size, with or without lids) will also be accepted. Students can bring their donations in directly to the Science department or their Science teacher. Newsletter Advertising The School enjoys hearing news of St George’s parent community events but recently, the School has received a number of requests to advertise parent-run events
As the first and only vertical school in Perth, St George’s caters for local and international students in Years 7-12 delivering an authentic, future-focused, Christian educational experience.
You can now enrol your children in VacSwim swimming lessons for the October school holidays.
The Science Department needs your help! Donations of any old working fish tank accessories will be gratefully received to fit out our 2 new fish tanks. We are seeking the following: • Gravel; • Lights; • Filter and Air pumps; • Decorations (Plastic plants etc); and • Large sheets of acrylic or polystyrene.
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.
St George’s Anglican Grammar School is an exciting, innovative co-educational secondary school based in a high-rise building in the Perth CBD.
Perth City to Surf 2019
School Open Day in the City!
Jodie Scheele, our Head of Physical Education has managed to secure Henry Wanyoike to come to school on August 25 during chapel to speak to staff and students about his amazing story - https:// perthcitytosurf.com/world-record-holder-henry-and-his-incredible-story/
www.stgeorges.wa.edu.au 50 William Street · 9312 0800 · info@stgeorges.wa.edu.au 17 Edition 11 2019
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A school of the Anglican Schools Commission (Inc.)