From the Principal

International Women’s Day 2021

On Monday 8 March 2021, MLC School students and staff celebrated and acknowledged International Women’s Day. My congratulations to all involved in hosting and organising the wide variety of events.

Perhaps never before has the theme for International Women’s Day been as appropriate to a particular time and place than this year’s theme for 2021 – Choose to Challenge.

As part of my preparation for an address that I gave at the Strathfield Rotary Club International Women’s Day Dinner, I accessed some of the school records, so carefully researched and documented by our Archivist Barbara Hoffman. In doing so, I was reminded of just how central ‘challenging on the behalf of women’ is to the story of MLC School and I thank Barbara for sharing her work (to which I refer below).

In December 1886, with an enrolment of 54, MLC School held its first Speech Day in the Burwood School of Arts. Delivering his first Principal’s Report, Reverend Prescott said he believed:

“that between the mind of a boy and a girl there is no great difference… for mental discipline much the same course of study is the best.”

To put his comment in context, this was prior to women having the right to vote, (which was still some decades away) and just a few years after Sydney University became one of the first in the world to admit women. To suggest that the minds of boys and girls were equal and that the best education for girls was to offer them the same subjects as boys would have been revolutionary and to some, quite provocative.

Over the years MLC School continued this revolutionary approach, with a number of significant firsts in education and in particular education for women;

• We introduced the first Trinity Music examinations to Australia in 1887
• In 1891 MLC School was the first school to erect a kindergarten building expressly for the purpose of the education of young children.
• On 3 November 1906, MLC School held the first Athletics Sports Carnival for girls in Australia.
• We introduced Physics to the curriculum in the 1920s and were the first school to have girls sit Physics in the Leaving Certificate.
• The School’s involvement with computer technology commenced in 1978 when our first Apple Macintosh computers were purchased.
• And, MLC School was one of the earliest in NSW to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma to all students in Years 11 and 12 as an alternative to the HSC.

In 2021, not only do we continue to benefit from the vision shown by our founders, unlike many women in the world legislation protects our right to be treated equally. However, there is still work to be done by us all in order to achieve true equality.

Within the workplace, many women continue to face a range of unconscious biases such as the assumption that what they wear or how they look is somehow relevant to how well they are able to perform a role. As Hillary Rodham Clinton said “If I want to knock a story off the front page, I just change my hairstyle.” You may also remember that TV presenter Karl Stefanovic wore the same blue suit on-screen for 12 months and nobody noticed – his motivation was to point out the sexism that his female colleagues faced. “No-one has noticed,” he said. “But women, they wear the wrong colour and they get pulled up and judged.”

In some organisations there is still a belief (often unconscious) that in order to be effective, women need to lead like men. The assumption that females need to lead like a man in order to be effective is one that we must keep challenging – there is no one way to lead. It is not just about women learning to ‘lean in’ as some books suggest, it is about recognising that there are different but equally effective ways to do the job. I am sure that you are aware of the statistics around how under represented women are around the Board table of our leading businesses. I was also quite surprised to read that the number of women running the country’s top 200 ASX-listed companies has fallen over the last four years, according to a the 2020 ASX200 report.

So, while acknowledging the position of relative privilege that we enjoy and just how many opportunities have become available to women as a consequence of the bravery and vision of people like Reverend Prescott, we need to continue to choose to challenge so that we harness the strengths and capabilities of all and in doing so build an Australian committed to the equality of women in every way.

– Lisa Moloney
Principal

School Tour Days

The MLC School girl is fearless and brave. She is focused on learning.

The next MLC School tour day will be held on Thursday 20 May 2021 from 10.30am. We will advise in time if it is virtual or an on-campus tour.

Numbers are limited and registration is required. To register your attendance click on the button below, scroll down the page and please note which tour you would like to attend. There’s no need for you to miss out on the change to secure a place for your daughter at MLC School.

We look forward to ‘seeing’ you on the day. If you have other enquiries, please contact Nerida Coman, our Registrar, by email or phone 02 8741 3165.

Thursday 20 May 2021 at 10.30am. CLICK HERE to register.

Other tours will be held later in the year on:

• Tuesday 10 August 2021 at 10.30am
• Thursday 4 November 2021 at 10.30am

Scholarship Update

Are you interested in learning more about scholarships for MLC School?

The process for 2022 is now closed but information for girls commencing in 2023 will be available on the MLC School website in May of this year.

Please click here for more information and facts on all scholarships.

Outstanding 2020 Results

This year MLC School celebrates 135 years of exceptional girls’ education. In all those years we have challenged the boundaries and expectations of what girls’ learning should and could include and we will continue to do so.

MLC School was the Top IB School in Australia and also a Top 50 Global IB School (ranking equal 32nd) in 2020. Our Overall 2020 Results saw eight girls with ATAR 99.95 and 41 girls who achieved ATAR 98 or over. For more information about the performance of the Class of 2020, please visit 2020 Highlights.

We have received many messages congratulating our students and staff on the outstanding academic results achieved by the Class of 2020. We could not be more proud of these young women, not just because of the final numbers but because despite the unprecedented challenges that this group faced in their final year of schooling, they remained positive and strong, displaying the most astonishing resilience and grit. As a consequence of this mindset, the commitment and support of their teachers, and their sheer hard work, they achieved some of the highest IB and HSC results in the School’s history.

I am pleased to say that those girls continued the strong tradition of many who came before them, as our youngest Old Girls, I have no doubt that they will make a great impact in their lives and the lives of others in the future.

Lisa Moloney
Principal

Junior School is getting a STEAM Centre

Exciting New Initiative – Junior School STEAM Centre

The relocation of our Maintenance workshop to under the new Senior Centre has provided us with the opportunity to expand, locating all our STEAM-based specialist subjects in the same location, allowing for more learning space for our grades. 

Our STEAM Centre will comprise of: 

• STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths 
• ART: Visual Arts, Music and Drama

It is with pleasure that we can share the renders of what this space will look like. The photo at the top of this story is the Art Room View, whilst the photo below is the STEM room view.

– Natalie Hird and Joanne Sharpe
Acting Heads of Junior School

The Importance of Free Play

When I reflect back on my childhood, images of school and the work I completed don’t come to mind. Rather I remember the times I spent riding my bike in the cul-de-sac with the other kids who lived near me and exploring the bush that was at the end of my street, playing dolls with my sister and chasey in the backyard with my three siblings. It is the simple, unstructured playtimes that I remember most.

Free playtime is closely associated with childhood. Its benefits cannot be underestimated. Play is essential to development because it contributes to the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional wellbeing of children and youth. This is one of the reasons why our Pre-Kindergarten studio is play based, following the Reggio Emilia philosophy of early childhood learning.

‘Children are designed, by natural selection, to play,’ wrote Peter Gray, Ph.D., professor of psychology at Boston College and author, in 2011 in the American Journal of Play. ‘Wherever children are free to play, they do.’

Play contributes to a child’s emotional maturation and regulation, supporting the development of self-control, attention, collaboration and cooperation. In a special report on play, the American Academy of Paediatrics (published in 2018) outlined a host of payoffs from free play, including that it:

• Allows kids to use their creativity and develop their imagination and other strengths
• Encourages kids to interact with and explore the world around them
• Helps children adjust to school and enhance their learning readiness, learning behaviour, and problem-solving skills
• Helps kids learn and practice self-regulation
• Helps kids build decision-making skills
• Teaches kids to work in groups so they learn to share and resolve conflicts

Free play is also fun and relaxing. Some examples of free play include:

• Drawing, colouring, painting, cutting, and gluing with art supplies
• Playing make-believe and dress-up
• Playing on playground equipment, climbing, swinging, running around
• Riding a bike, playing soccer in the backyard
• Reading and looking at books they enjoy, not as part of homework or study

In a time when there can be so much structure, not only in the lives of our children but adults as well, some of the best interactions between parents and kids occur during downtime – just talking, preparing meals together, working on a hobby or art project, playing sports together, or being fully immersed in child-centred play.

Think about ensuring your children have time for free play – they will reap the benefits.

– Joanne Sharpe
Acting Head of Junior School – Student Life

Year 1 Excursion to Elizabeth Farm

Have a look at some writing and Collaborative Learning Project (CLP) work the Year 1 girls constructed together after an excursion on Thursday 11 February 2021.

Today we went to Elizabeth Farm. We met our guides, who told us about the rules of the farm as well as a little bit about the farm’s history.

First, we played some games. All of the games were made out of wood! There were no iPads in the past.

Next, our guides taught us how to do the washing using a scrub board, soap and water. It would be so hard to clean clothes like that all the time! We are so glad we have washing machines now.

After washing, we did some writing using a quill. Some of us got ink on our hands! Pencils are so much easier to write with.

Then we saw the old kitchen. Under the table there was a cellar. Everything had to be cooked with a fire in the past. Now we have electric and gas ovens!

The last room we saw was the bedroom. There were THREE mattresses on the bed! Did you know that servants only got to sleep on one mattress that was filled with straw. How uncomfortable!

We had such a great time learning at Elizabeth Farm.

– Year 1, 2021

– Samantha Edwards
Year 1 Teacher

Year 5 Camp Report

Sometimes you just don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone’ – A line from the song Big Yellow Taxi by Joni Mitchell

Last year there were very few opportunities to leave the school campus so there was great excitement as Year 5 went off to camp in the second week of February 2021. They headed to Tallong, south of Sydney, and enjoyed challenging and exciting activities which included canoeing, high ropes and a thrilling zip-line.

Comments from the girls say it all.

‘We had to show growth, respect and compassion in our amazing activities, and we learnt that if we go a little bit further and show courage, we would feel proud.’ – Liesl 

‘I was scared to canoe but when I tried it, I found it really fun.’ – Matisse 

‘At camp I was scared but when I faced my fears, I found things not that bad.’ – Audrey 

‘There were lots of fun activities as a well a talent show.’ – Jade 

‘Camp was amazing challenging and fun and I really enjoyed it because I made some new friends.’ – Stephanie 

– Jan Falls
Year 5 Teacher

Year 6 Watches Perseverance Landing

On Friday 18 February 2021, over 30 students from Year 6 came to school super early to watch as NASA attempted to land its newest rover “Perseverence” on the Martian surface. The excitement had been building up over several weeks but the day had finally arrived! The aim of this mission is to collect samples from an ancient lake bed on the red planet in the hope of discovering whether Mars ever had life and if humans could potentially survive there one day. As the rover entered the Martian atmosphere, we all held our breath until it safely touched down.

The distance from Mars to Earth is about 210 million kilometres. Every 26 months, Earth and Mars are closest to each other which is the best time for space agencies to launch their rockets to Mars. The next mission to Mars will be to retrieve samples collected from this mission in 2026. We have added our names to this mission which means that in some small way, we all get to go to Mars one day.

– Ophelia and Alice (Year 6) and Clayton Howard – Year 6 teacher

Year 7 Camp – A Wonderful Introduction to Senior School

Held in February each year, the Year 7 Outdoor Camp is part of a highly valuable and compulsory Outdoor Education curriculum and offers opportunities for both leadership and physical challenges for our girls.

As well as helping to build camaraderie amongst the group and providing opportunities to make new friends, the physical challenges such as mountain bike riding, canoeing and surfing are a wonderful way for the girls to understand just how much they can achieve when they are courageous and step out of their comfort zone.

Working as part of a team, preparing their own meals and learning to be self-reliant are also important skills that are developed through outdoor education camps, wherever possible, we also work with members of the local Indigenous Community to provide Aboriginal perspectives of land and country and sustainability.

Outdoor Education Australia also notes that “Providing direct personal contact with nature (the outdoors) – in ways that promote enjoyment of outdoor activity and nature. Such enjoyment can be the basis for ongoing outdoor recreation and nature experiences through their lifespan, supporting personal health and wellbeing and providing the foundations for ecological literacy”. Given MLC School’s inner city location, this is also incredibly important.

• Rationale for outdoor Education

– Lisa Moloney
Principal

Smart or not? Navigating Social Media

The Significance of being 13 years old

As part of their privacy policies, social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube specify that users must be at least 13 years old. Parents may be unaware of this requirement.

The minimum age stipulations are based on the requirements of the US Congress as set out in the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act.¹ The act specifies that website operators must gain verifiable parental consent prior to collecting any personal information from a child younger than 13 years old (O’Keeffe et al., 2011). Many social networking sites avoid this requirement by setting a minimum age of use at 13 years old but there is no onus on website operators to verify the age of users.

– Office of the esafety Commissioner, Australia

Online Safety Basics

Help your children safely navigate their digital world and educate them to avoid harmful online experiences. Explore websites, games, apps and social media together and set some rules. To assist you use the follow strategies:

• Be engaged, open and supportive
• Set some rules
• Use the available technology

Key questions to help determine your child’s readiness for social media include:

• Is your child able to withstand negative online experiences? 
• Does your child understand the importance of protecting their personal information?  
• Does your child understand how privacy settings for social media work? 
• Does your child understand what is safe to share online? 
• Does your child know how to report cyberbullying and other kinds of abusive content? 

Use Parent Controls

Parent controls can be used to effectively manage your child’s use of technology. These can be used:

• On your home wi-fi network
• Built into devices, including computers, mobile devices, gaming consoles and smart TVs
• Through third-party software
• In apps and programs, including streaming services, web browsers and search engines

Parental controls are software tools that allow you to monitor and limit what your child sees and does online.  

They can be set up to do things like: 

• Block your child from accessing specific websites, apps or functions (like using a device’s camera, or the ability to buy things). 
• Filter different kinds of content – such as ‘adult’ or sexual content, content that may promote self-harm, eating disorders, violence, drugs, gambling, racism and terrorism. 
• Allow you to monitor your child’s use of connected devices, with reports on the sites they visit and the apps they use, how often and for how long.  
• Set time limits, blocking access after a set time. 

This information was summarised from the esafety Commissioner website, for more information please go to https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents.

– Joanne Sharpe
Acting Head of Junior School – Student Life

Year 10 goes Surfing and Snorkelling

On Friday 26 February, we went on the Year 10 Physical Activity and Sports Studies (PASS) excursion to Manly. We were pretty anxious as it had been raining all week, however we were lucky to have beautiful weather on the day. Despite the waves at Manly Beach being too rough to surf on we still got to do surf board skills in the water and snorkel down at beautiful Shelly Beach. We managed to see lots of fish whilst snorkelling some girls even managed to catch a glimpse of the famous Shelly Beach Blue Groper. Travelling with all of the Year 10 PASS cohort made it a very enjoyable experience for all!

We had spent the duration of our time in PASS lessons preparing for this excursion. In our practical lessons, we would practice snorkelling as well as board skills on boogie boards in the pool and in our previous theory lessons we had been learning about about promoting physical activity and how to evaluate safety aspects of the excursion as a whole. Not only did we get to head down to the beach, we were getting to experience this day with friends and peers which made it 10 times more enjoyable. We have enjoyed all our lessons we had in PASS and were very grateful we got to go on this trip because we were unable to attend other excursions due to Covid. Thank you to Mr Donley, Mr Starr and Mrs Ferguson our PASS teachers.

– Grace and Pascale (Year 10)

Cadets Promotions Camp

From 5 to 7 December 2020, 26 MLC School cadets in Year 10, a part of the Newington College Cadet Unit, travelled to Colo Valley for a two-night cadet camp in order to be promoted to the rank of a Sergeant. This camp allowed us to develop numerous leadership and physical skills we would require to lead cadets in Year 9 and Year 10 for the 2021 annual camp. 

On the first day, we split into four syndicates of boys and girls and, alongside a Cadet Officer (teacher), we navigated ourselves across a valley using compasses and maps to Ropes Campground. Once we reached ropes, we proceeded to set up our hutchies (a tent made out of tarps and poles) and did activities around the campfire. The next day, we completed a longer hike independent of teachers across two valleys. During this trek, we used radios to radio our location to teachers at different stations, we worked together as a team to work out an appropriate path to take and supported each other to continue the trek. Although this was difficult at times, the amount of respect I’ve gained for my fellow cadets who completed this camp has resulted in new friendships and a deeper understanding of what a true leader is and how different types of leadership played out. 

That afternoon we were able to celebrate the day and our achievements by a swim in the Colo River, a barbecue for dinner and a series of puzzles we worked out during the night navigation. The final day began with waking up Major Woods, the head of the Newington Cadet Unit, by singing ‘In the Jungle’ before proceeding our hike to Somerset Campground, where we were given challenges including raft building and we completed drill exercises. 

We were so grateful to be a part of the first MLC School-Newington Cadet camp and put the skills we learn each fortnight at Newington to practical use. The opportunity for peer leadership, using geographical skills and being able to meet new friends during such a supportive environment has left me and the rest of the MLC School cadets ecstatic for the camps in 2021. 

– Sarah (Year 11)

Great Success at IPSHA Swimming Championships

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.” – Aristotle

Our MLC School swimmers had a fantastic day in the pool at the IPSHA Swimming Championships, held 5 March 2021. All the weeks of training and preparation paid off as they produced some excellent results and at times were quite dominant in their events. Congratulations to our coaches, under the direction of our Head Coach Colman Wong, on getting our swimmers ready for this event.

We are very proud and pleased to say that for the first time ever, we were the number 1 ranked school at the conclusion of the carnival.

Congratulations to the nine Junior School swimmers who progressed to the CIS Primary Swimming Championships held on Thursday 18 March 2021.

– Lisa Filby
Director of Sport

Round Square Zoom Postcard

Each week, Round Square schools are given the opportunity to host a 60-90 minute Zoom call in which 50 to 150 students from up to 30 different schools around the world come together to discuss a topic determined by the host school in what is called a “Postcard”.

This initiative was developed by Round Square in 2021 in lieu of the many conferences and events that have been affected by the pandemic in order to keep students connected and allow them to continue having valuable discussions. These discussions are generally student-led and involve a combination of presentations, large group discussions, and discussions in smaller Baraza (Old African word in the Swahili language meaning “The coming together of different people”) groups.

On Wednesday 10 March 2021, MLC School hosted Round Square’s largest ever Postcard entitled ‘Women of the World – Where do we stand?’  This involved over 150 participants from 27 countries, coming together to discuss the evolving situation of gender equity in hopes of broadening perspectives, acknowledging current issues and working towards positive change. This topic of discussion was decided upon by the Round Square Leadership Team to coincide with International Women’s Day 2021 (Monday 8 March 2021) and in alignment with it’s theme of Choose to Challenge, which encourages individuals to be more alert and aware of the gender biases and inequalities that surround them, to take responsibility for their own actions, and to stand up against prejudicial behaviour.

The Postcard began with all participants engaging in a discussion surrounding influential leaders in the realm of gender equality and their contributions to the ongoing movement. This then evolved into a conversation regarding cultural differences in relation to attitudes towards women, expectation of women and progress in terms of gender equality.

Following this initial activity, students were divided into smaller Baraza discussion groups of approximately 15 where they were able to elaborate on their thoughts, exchange perspectives and learn from one another. Each of these discussions was led by an MLC School student who guided conversation by posing a number of different questions to the group such as ‘Do you think education is an effective way of addressing the issue of gender inequality? Do you think there is adequate education surrounding this?’ and ‘Where do women currently stand in our world? And what issues still exist in relation to gender inequality?’.

Whilst each discussion took on its own individual path, all students involved contributed to what was some very insightful, profound and varied dialogue. To conclude the Postcard, all participants reconvened, allowing individuals from different Baraza groups to share their key points of discussion with the larger group and reflect on how engaging in these conversations influenced their perspective.

The final activity involved students using the information from their previous discussions to inform a number of different strategies they could potentially implement at home or school to assist in addressing the issue of gender inequality.

This conversation allowed students to explore the current circumstances of women and the evolving situation of gender inequity while discussing prominent change makers in the field, past and current advancements in the area, their visions for change and how we can work towards implementing these changes. Along with this, it provided an insight into the differing perspectives on women around the world, giving students the opportunity to reflect on the cultural beliefs and values that shape these attitudes and consider a range of different issues arising as a result. This was a very valuable experience for all those involved as it provided not only an opportunity to broaden individual perspectives, but also to lead and connect with other Round Square students.

– Kayla (Year 12)
Round Square Captain

Year 11 Geography Fieldwork: Blackheath

On Thursday 25 February 2021, Year 11 Geography students embarked on their compulsory fieldwork excursion to Kings Tableland and Blackheath. Fieldwork is a vital component of Year 11 Geography as it equips students with the skills to conduct primary fieldwork for their upcoming Senior Geography Project as well as enabling them to have real-life examples of the Blue Mountains case study.

The focus of this excursion was to undertake fieldwork data testing on abiotic conditions of the Blue Mountains within each vegetation zone. Students investigate how each ecosystem with the Blue Mountains region contains a unique biotic response and the vulnerability of each ecosystem to the effects of climate change and bushfires.

Students firstly completed fieldwork testing at Lincoln’s Rock a sedimentary rock cap which demonstrates the relationship between harsh abiotic conditions and biotic responses. As students completed the Grand Canyon walk, they conducted lithospheric, hydrospheric and biospheric testing at each vegetation zone. This is heavily linked to their upcoming assessment task which challenges students to evaluate the sensitivity of the Blue Mountains to natural and human induced change.

I would also like to extend a huge thank you to Jocelyn Jabbour-Perez for attending the excursion as an additional staff member and for capturing the day with these incredible photographs.

– Danielle Rodrigues
Acting Head of Department – Human Society and Its Environment (HSIE)

The Historic Tildesley Cup

Tennis

Congratulations to Natalia (Year 12) who has been announced as our 2021 Tildesley Tennis Captain.

The Tildesley Tennis Shield competition is IGSSA’s longest running carnival. It was first held in 1918, with the now defunct Normanhurst School in Ashfield declared the champion school.  Normanhurst had a very successful tennis program and by the 1920s had produced two of Australia’s most famous female tennis players. In 1918 the Headmistress of Normanhurst, Miss Evelyn Mary Tildesley (1882–1976) donated “a beautiful oak and bronze shield” for a tennis competition which encouraged team spirit among Sydney’s Protestant girls’ schools.

From Wikipedia

We wish Natalia and her Tennis Squad all the best at this year’s Tildesley Tournament,

Year 12 HSC Chemistry Titrations

Acid-base indicators are one of the more colourful aspects of Chemistry. Year 12 HSC students recently investigated how natural substances such as beetroot can be used as acid-base indicators. Other natural indicators include the juice from red cabbage and hydrangeas.

A week later, our students were using phenolphthalein as they learnt to set up and conduct acid-base titration experiments. Running a titration involves physical manipulation skills and an observational challenge. The students need to observe closely and question ‘Will that next drop change the solution from colourless to pink or not?’ at the same time as adjusting the burette tap and swirling the conical flask. Data obtained from the titration is then used to calculate the concentration of one of the solutions which means that the students need to take care and conduct repeat trials for reliable data.

The Year 12 girls donned their lab coats and rose to the challenge of finding the light pink endpoint. The students discovered that the indicator changes colour as the base drips into the conical flask and it is possible to see how quickly the acid and base react. The dark pink quickly swirls away, but over time this takes longer – one of the clues that there’s not many more drops needed. Then finally – sometimes even with just half a drop washed in off the tip of the burette – the colour of the solution changes to a permanent light pink. Time to read and record the volume of titrant used.

– Felicity Cassidy
Science Teacher

A Great Bonding Experience at Rowing Camp

Over the holidays from Monday 18 January to Saturday 23 January 2021 MLC School rowers went on their annual rowing camp at Chifley Dam in Bathurst. We all arrived at MLC School bright and early to get on the bus to travel to Bathurst. The bus was filled with excitement in anticipation of the week ahead. When we arrived at Bathurst the trailer was unpacked, and the rowing began.

Each day was filled with three training sessions to improve fitness and increase strength getting the rowers well prepared for the season ahead. Among the sessions there was Games Day. Games Day is a rowing camp tradition which allows friendly competition in a number of different contests. Some of the fun, competitive games were a triathlon including the traditional inflatable pool toy leg, endurance challenges, scavenger hunt and the day ended with trivia followed by pizza.

Rowing camp was an amazing experience for everyone who participated, allowing everyone to improve their rowing skills and strength. It also gave everyone the opportunity to immerse ourselves in the MLC School community inspiring involvement and bringing us together. Rowing camp allowed all girls from Year 8 to Year 12 to bond with each other and engage with students in other Year groups. As a crew, our sense of belonging has been strengthened, which will be necessary for the season ahead. 

This amazing experience is definitely one that we will all remember, and we are so thankful to all the coaches who made this camp so enjoyable.

– Inez  (Year 12), Layla and Dylan (Year 11)

2021 – An Exciting Year for Co-Curricular Programs

Kurt Hahn, who was a champion of experiential learning and was one of the founders of the Round Square Global Network of Schools, once said,

‘There is more in us than we know, if we could be made to see it; perhaps, for the rest of our lives we will be unwilling to settle for less.’

Hahn’s philosophies is a great lens in which to view the co-curricular programs we offer at MLC School. Our programs support The MLC School Girl’s academic, social, emotional and physical wellbeing, as well as fostering supportive, collaborative and creative communities across the Pre-Kindergarten to Year 12 learning continuum.

Through their involvement in our co-curricular programs, we hope all girls will embrace the opportunity to learn new skills as well as master and excel at existing ones. We encourage them to work with others in a range of environments, acquire their leadership style and broaden their relationships beyond their immediate peers.

The start of a new year is a great opportunity to challenge themselves beyond what they think they are capable of. This could be as simple as joining a club or society, taking up a new sport or getting involved in the performing arts for the first time. In order to be fully immersed in the dynamic learning environment that is MLC School, we encourage all girls to participate in at least one co-curricular program each school year.

There are a number of the new programs and initiatives that will offered for the first time in 2021:

• Our redeveloped Pre-Kindergarten to Year 2 After School Program. This program has been specifically curated to encourage the development of our youngest learner’s physical, social and emotional capabilities. This program features such activities as Dance, Speech and Drama, Mandarin lessons, tennis, gymnastics, chess, learn to swim, and super sports. 
• Co-Curricular Mandarin lessons are being introduced for the first time for both Beginners and Experienced students in Year 3 to Year 6.
• After school Chess lessons and competitive chess teams have been also introduced for students Year 6 to Year 12.
• The IDEALS Club for Year 5 and Year 6 and the IDEALS Society for Year 7 and Year 12, are both inspired by the Round Square IDEALS and will see MLC School Girls collaborate to unpack and understand issues that we face both locally and globally.
• And finally our SIGMA program, an initiative that gives our Senior School students the opportunity to develop their leadership skills by creating and running clubs based around their own interests and passions.

Blake Fatouros
Director of Co-Curricular Programs

The Wider Community of MLC School

Our Old Girls keep the MLC School legacy alive by returning and sharing tales of their time at school, and importantly about where their lives have taken them after leaving the School. Old Girls are an important connection for our current girls and their families, providing mentoring and insight into career paths and opportunities.

We believe this story from two MLC School Old Girls illustrates the MLC School community to future families.

“As Old Girls of MLC School, Jacqueline and I are proud to tell you we have recently been listed as two of the top seven ‘Inner West Business Women’.

In 2007, Jacqueline and I, aged 25 and 22 respectively, pursued our dream of owning a cafe. August this year will mark our 14 year anniversary operating Sideways Deli Cafe, nestled in the residential heart of Dulwich Hill”.

You might be interested in this article published in the Daily Telegraph on 25 February, 2021. The article notes that sisters Jacqueline Zammit (Oag 1999) and Danielle Hutchison (Oag 2002) are making a name for themselves in Dulwich Hill. Their cafe, Sideways Deli Cafe has been a staple of the suburb for the last 10 years and under the sister act has gone from strength to strength.

Known to be uber kid-friendly, the cafe was officially crowned the best cafe in the Inner West last month.

“I felt compelled to contact MLC School as our teachers and leaders throughout our schooling experience instilled in us a desire to be independent. It also empowered us to be courageous and taught us that success comes through challenges, perseverance, kindness and an ability to innovate. Success also comes in many different forms and it is wonderful that MLC School acknowledges them all.

 Jacqueline and I are very grateful the School catered to all interests through an extensive subject offering. Encouragement to study subjects we enjoyed – notably Design Technology, Food Technology and Hospitality influenced our future prospects. We both obtained UAIs over 95, resulting in us both obtaining a Bachelor of Commerce at UNSW, which has contributed to the success of our business to date.

I am so proud to be an MLC School Old Girl. My schooling experience shaped who I am and opened my mind. My daughter now attends the School and I am thrilled to see the culture is unchanged. I have no doubt she will be provided every opportunity and be encouraged to follow any path she desires”.

Danielle Hutchison
Successful Business Woman and MLC School Old Girl

MLC School Old Girls Restore the Chapel

We have started to use our newly refurbished chapel for small gatherings as well as for our Junior School students. 

On Wednesday 3 March 2021, we held a service of induction for Rev Sally Yabsley-Bell as a Chaplain at MLC School.

New pews, new carpet, freshly painted walls and polished furniture have been made possible with the blessings and support of our MLC School Old Girls’ Union.  

– Rev Viniana Ravetali and Rev Sally Yabsley-Bell
MLC School Chaplains

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