From the Head of Junior School

This week we had many parents visit our Junior School. On Wednesday we had our final session of our Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten parent workshop. My thanks to our School psychologists Anna Michalopoulos and John Hensley for providing this opportunity to the parents of our youngest learners. Kindergarten parents had a busy week with their Celebration of Learning on Thursday morning and Year 5 parents enjoyed watching their daughters lead our school assembly for this week.

Cardboard Challenge 

What a great evening of community fun! There was much ‘pre-entertainment’ building up to our 2024 Cardboard Challenge amongst the parent community and great spirit on the day. This was our first time to host the Cardboard Challenge as a whole Junior School community event and I look forward to the next in 2026. There was a lot of preparation involved, from families collecting cardboard, to our MLC School Community Relations team, the staff who generously gave their time and the Junior School P&F who championed this event. A special mention goes to our STEM teachers Marie Cassar and Bede Schofield who have worked tirelessly for this much-loved School House event! 

Click on gallery to view full-size images

Year 6 Immersion 

Year 6 girls have spent this week at Chowder Bay and Sydney Zoo as part of their Immersion experience learning about animal adaptations and their marine biology study. I had the privilege of visiting the Year 6 students onsite and having dinner with the classes that had their sleep over on Wednesday night.  

Click on gallery to view full-size images

Year 3 to Year 5 Swimming House Carnival – Friday 5 April 2024 

We look forward to more House spirit at our Year 3 to Year 5 Swimming Carnival on Friday 5 April 2024. The carnival commences at 9.30am at our Aquatic Centre and the girls will be dismissed as usual at the Junior School red carpet and car park. Parents, carers and other family members are most welcome to attend on the upper desk and do not forget to wear your House colours! All going well, House cheers will take place at 11.40am.   

Mothers Day Disco – Tickets now on sale 

Friday 10 May 2024 
5.30pm – 8pm  
The Daphne Line Hall   

Pre-K to Year 6 mums, grandmothers, aunts, other mother figures and dads are invited to the Mother’s Day Disco. Tickets are now on sale. 

Book here

Staff Spotlight – Caitlin Scott 

‘Pastor Caitie’, originally from Boston Massachusetts, has lived in Sydney for the past seven years and worked as a Chaplain for the Uniting Church in community and hospital settings, including Westmead Children’s Hospital. She has been an active advocate for the Church’s social initiatives around Climate and First Nations Justice.  

Caitlin has a Bachelor of Arts in History and Religious Studies from Connecticut College, a Master of Divinity from Yale University and is progressing towards ordination in the Uniting Church of Australia. She hopes to continue her studies with a Master of Counselling and Wellbeing in Schools. Before finding her new home in beautiful Australia, she was a hospital Chaplain and personal assistant to the first woman appointed to the position of Senior Minister at the historic Riverside Church in NYC. She looks forward to helping the students at MLC School to express their unique spirituality, nourish their innate sense of value, and be bold in their compassion for others and the world.  

Cooking for people is one of her greatest passions, and she feels there is nothing more powerful and healing than gathering people together around a good meal. She loves to spend Sunday afternoon tackling a complicated new dish while entertaining her two little girls, Mhairi and Maisie. 

For all our families celebrating Easter this long weekend, Happy Easter. 

– Daniel Sandral
Head of Junior School

From The Principal

Do our girls know that they are enough?

Thank you to all those who attended last night’s presentation by Dr Justin Coulson. Through the support of the P&F, we were most fortunate to have Justin present informative and engaging sessions for staff and parents.

Justin’s presentations centred around the theme of ‘enough’ and the paradox of perfection.

Perfectionism is characterised by:

1. Excessively high personal standards and striving for flawlessness in combination with
2. Overly critical self- evaluation

Perfectionism is linked to depression, anxiety, eating disorders and a range of mental ill health and physiological impacts. More women than men exhibit perfectionist tendencies, making it an issue that we as parents and carers of girls need to take seriously.

Justin contends that social media is having an enormous impact as it ‘sells’ the belief that perfection is both essential and attainable. If one is to believe what is portrayed online, all it takes is the right serum, exercise program, clothes, diet, or lifestyle.

Our girls are also surrounded by judgement and measurement, their educational results, body shape, choice of clothes, popularity and co-curricular achievements are often compared to what others achieve, their expected performance or whether they ‘won’.

We can also unintentionally contribute to them feeling that “I must be the best, but I never am”. When our conversations focus on achievement, girls can develop an aversion to making mistakes and feel guilty when they do.

So, what can we do?

While it is very hard to summarise all that Justin covered in his two presentations, my key take-aways were as follows:

1. Focus on progress, mastery, and process.
2. Encourage risk taking, allow mistakes and reduce guilt.
3. Acknowledge feelings and disappointments and encourage your child to reflect on what they would like to achieve and what they might need to do to make that happen.
4. And most importantly, make sure that they know that you love them, no matter what.

If you’d like to learn more, there are many helpful resources available on Justin’s Happy Families Website and he also has a highly regarded podcast of the same name.

Your Feedback is Important

Thank you to those parents who have responded to the MLC School – Perspectives: Your School in Focus Survey being run by the Association of Independent Schools NSW (AISNSW).

I understand that the busy-ness of daily routines sometimes means it’s hard to find 15 minutes to complete a survey, but I would urge you to help us to benchmark where we are at and how we can plan for improvement. The survey closing date has been extended until 8am Tuesday morning, 2 April. Your assistance is greatly appreciated.

I hope that everyone has a wonderful Easter break that includes time together as a family. We look forward to welcoming students back to school on Tuesday 2 April 2024 for the final weeks of Term 1.

– Lisa Moloney
Principal

From the Head of Learning and Teaching – After School Study Support

We know that the average MLC School girl has a very busy schedule, this means that maximising the time available to them for study is important. While for some students this comes quite naturally, for others they require additional structure and support in an environment conducive to an extended period of study; this is what we are aiming to provide. In Term 2 we will be piloting a new program to better support our senior students in their academic endeavours.

The After School Study Support Program will initially be open to students in Year 11 and Year 12. It will operate from Monday to Thursday during the term from 3.30pm to 6pm. Located within a designated space, students will be supported to set goals for each session and plan their time. Students should arrive prepared with sufficient work to complete for the duration so that they can make the most of the session. It will be a phone free zone. Students will be required to turn off and hand in their phones at the commencement of each session.

The program will be staffed by a team of mentors, many of whom are pre-service or early career teachers, with expertise across a range of subjects. The mentors will:

• encourage students to set clear goals for the session with a plan to achieve them,
• provide support to create longer term study plans,
• keep students focused on the work they bring with them,
• provide assistance within their subject matter expertise,
• facilitate small group sessions for common areas of need.

Parents will be required to enrol their daughter up to two weeks in advance as this will enable us to ensure we have an appropriate number of staff on duty each afternoon. Our initial focus will be to have expertise in English, Mathematics, and the Sciences, with scope to broaden this as the program develops. It is expected that students will arrive promptly for the start of each session and stay for the duration. Early leave will only be granted by prior arrangement with the program coordinator. A roll will be taken, and parents notified if their daughter does not attend.

The program will be subsidised by the School with a small co-payment by parents per session. This will be billed to your daughter’s account at the end of the term. If you are interested in enrolling your daughter in this program, please complete the expression of interest form at the link below. Please complete this form by Friday 5 April 2024.

Expression of Interest

Should this pilot prove to be valued by students and parents, we hope to roll it out to other year groups throughout the year.

– Linda Emms
Head of Learning and Teaching

Round Square  

MLC School has been part of the Round Square community since 2004. Up until recently the focus for Round Square was Senior School aged students. But they have been developing a suite of resources for Junior School students and we have had the opportunity to pilot these new resources – the RS Heroes of Discovery.

Over the past year we have been developing a leadership program for our Year 4 and Year 5 girls using some of the RS Heroes of Discovery. We have looked at Self-Awareness, Courage, Responsibility, Teamwork, Communication and Problem Solving.

Last week we had the wonderful opportunity to attend a Round Square workshop in Oxford and visit some schools around London. We also presented our leadership program and gave feedback on piloting the resources. These resources will now be made available to the global Round Square community.

It was an amazing experience to meet other teachers from all over the world, from every continent, and listen to other schools who have also piloted the resources. Making connections with other schools will also add to our own MLC School students to continue to develop their awareness of the global community.

We took letters some of our Year 5 girls wrote to a “Round Square” friend and we are looking forward to hearing back from students from France, America, South Africa and England.

We look forward to more opportunities the Round Square community provides and developing the Round Square IDEALS in the Junior School.

– Joanne Sharpe
Deputy Head of Junior School – Wellbeing

– Andrena Otton
Teacher

An invitation to Year 5 and Year 6 – IPSHA Debating

At MLC School we believe the ability to speak confidently and eloquently in front of an audience is a core skill that will prepare our students for life.

We are offering Year 5 and Year 6 the opportunity to participate in the IPSHA Debating competition this year. Coaching is provided by experienced professionals and our students have achieved great success in this domain. Debating develops students’ confidence, respect for others, sense of timing and structure as well as their ability to present a persuasive argument and knowledge of current affairs topics.

The 2024 IPSHA Friday afternoon Debating Competition will be held fortnightly over seven rounds in Term 2 and Term 3.

We will be putting forward two teams of four for each competition.

Competition dates are:

• Friday 3 May 2024
• Friday 17 May 2024
• Friday 31 May 2024
• Friday 26 July 2024
• Friday 9 August 2024
• Friday 23 August 2024
• Friday 6 September 2024

All competitions take place on a Friday afternoon during school hours. For any ‘Away’ competitions, MLC School staff/tutors will accompany the students by train or in MLC School Vehicles, and students will return in time for end of school routine dismissal.

The MLC School Debating Program strives for excellence and expects a high level of commitment from its debaters.

All Students are expected to attend all scheduled coaching sessions on Wednesday, 3.30-4.30pm during Term 2 and Term 3 with experienced and successful debating coaches and must inform their coach in advance of any absences.

Students who are not selected will continue to receive the coaching and training to have a greater chance of success at future selection for a team (IPSHA, ISDA or FED).

Year 5 and Year 6 IPSHA debating is a pay per term co-curricular activity of $145 per term. Term 2 and Term 3 fees will be automatically added to term fees. No refunds or make up classes will be offered for classes missed.

We will be offering three free of charge ‘Learn to Debate’ sessions for the next three weeks open to any student interested, conducted with our qualified coaches. These started on Wednesday this week, the following two sessions are:

• Wednesday 3 April 2024, 3.30-4.30pm (Year 6 Centre)
• Wednesday 10 April 2024, 3.30-4.30pm (Year 6 Centre) – During this session, we will be holding trials with the coaches to select the teams to start in Week 1, Term 2.

Please click here for expression of interest form.

News From the Library

Premier’s Reading Challenge 26 February – 23 August 

Congratulations to these readers who have completed the challenge:  

Year 2 
Petrice Cassar, Isabel Zoghbi, Lavinia Yeh, 

Year 3 
Rhianna Sui, Chloe Tang, Claire Wu, Isabella Castillo Sun, Sofie Haremi, Tara Kuhan, Leah Le, Emi Liu, Lily Marnane, Colette Myssy, Madeleine Wong, Jesslyn Yong  

Year 4 
April Adams, Ellyson Chung-Tan, Delilah Hodgson-Fopp, Kiana Jain, Becky Kwan Gu, Mia Yao Reeve, Amanda Zhang  

Year 5 
Scarlet Akers, Elana Chrun, Poppy Frederick, Daisy Han, Jesselle Jiao, Sienna Khouzame, Caitlyn Rodrigues, Avery Satchcroft, Yuanke Wang, Annabella Xiang, Alannah Chan, Aashani Chandramohan, Catherine Coorey, Chloe Huang, Averie Ling, Shantelle Nguyen, Charlotte Pepper Craparotta, Sarah Tian, Audrey Truong, Vivienne Woon 

 Well done! Please come to the library to choose your bookmark. 

 Lunchtime Book Club 

Students in Year 3 are invited to join a lunchtime Book Club next term. The book we will be reading is Charlie Changes into a Chicken by Sam Copeland. We will meet one lunchtime a fortnight and will use literature circle roles to guide the group discussion. Each fortnight group members will be responsible for reading the allocated chapters and completing a role task. Roles change every two weeks. 
  
Please register your interest by completing this form. Places are limited to 30. See more information and where to purchase here. 

Happy reading! 

– Sharon Seymour  
Teacher/Librarian 

Junior School Swimming Carnival

INFORMATION FOR SWIMMING CARNIVAL

Date:  Friday 5 April 2024

Venue: MLC School Aquatic Centre

Time: 9.30am – 2.30pm

The class teacher will walk students to the Aquatic Centre at 9am.

Students should wear their MLC School Sports uniform, with their House coloured polo shirt, which is available from the Uniform Shop.

School swimming costumes should be worn to school underneath sports uniform.

House swimming caps will be provided. Girls will need to wear their play hat or cap.

Students should pack a healthy lunch. The vending machines in the aquatic centre are not to be used.

We kindly request that parents do not bring any fast food into the Aquatic Centre for their daughters.

Students should bring goggles, a towel and a plastic bag for wet items should be supplied from home. Please ensure that ALL items of clothing are clearly labelled.

Students have been entered into events based on their swimming assessments during PE lessons and during previous time trials.

Students are encouraged to participate in all events to receive House points.  House points will be awarded for House Cheers throughout the day.

If students are in a Championship race, they cannot enter their year group race for that stroke. (Students can only swim once per stroke).

At no stage are students allowed to leave the Aquatic Centre.

At the conclusion of the carnival, all students will be walked back to Junior School by their teacher for dismissal.

– Lisa Filby
Director of Sport

Congratulations to Veronica!

The Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) send their congratulations to Veronica Pan (Year 8) at the diploma presentation ceremony for getting her Clarinet AmusA distinction award. The Associate in Music, Australia (AMusA) is a diploma awarded by examination to outstanding candidates in the fields of musical performance and music theory by the AMEB. It is an outstanding achievement for a musician of this age.

– Trevor Mee
Director of Music

From the Head of Senior School – Prefectship

As part of our senior leadership review in 2023/2024, the community provided us with feedback that all Year 12 students should be provided with the opportunity to be prefects, though overwhelmingly, both students, teachers and community members expressed the preference that the students should go through an application and selection process.

This week, we were pleased to complete the process of application, interview and appointment. Students were asked to write an application and reflection on the School Values, the way in which they have lived these values throughout their time at MLC School, and the way that they intend to lead as senior students in their final year. Following this process, students were interviewed by a combination of their Luminary, their Head of House, Head of Year and a member of the leadership team.

Staff and students alike provided feedback about the positive experience gained from the interview process; with students pleased to have interview practice and a chance to reflect on their years at the School; and staff members having an opportunity to spend one on one time with a student reflecting on what makes MLC School special.

A special thank you to Andrew Taylor, our Deputy Head of Senior School – Pastoral and Fiona Pow, our Head of Year 12, who drove the process.

Congratulations to the following students who were presented with badges in the Senior School assembly:

Year 11 and 12 have now finished their assessment blocks and we have an exciting few weeks ahead after the long weekend with our North Queensland trip, Cadets Camp and our Year 9 Camp.

I hope that you all have an opportunity to rest and spend time with loved ones over the Easter break. The students definitely enjoyed their fair share of chocolate today and may that continue over the weekend!

Joanna Graffen
Head of Senior School

Year 7

Congratulations go to all of Year 7 for their focus across two busy weeks of academic assessments. I appreciate the first set of assessments are always challenging but it has been wonderful to hear from teachers that students were putting their best efforts in across the full range of tasks. If your daughter has any questions about their academic work, please encourage them to speak with their classroom teacher.  

During our assembly on Wednesday, Melissa Boyd (Deputy Principal) spoke about the need for students to ensure they are wearing the School’s uniform correctly and proudly. Whilst I am always impressed by how Year 7 arrive to school each day, I have noticed a few hair accessories creeping in amongst the cohort. Students are not to wear claw clips at school, hair should be tied back neatly. Ribbons must either be the tri-colour ribbon, available through the uniform shop, or a plain navy-blue ribbon. Students are also reminded that their blazer must be their external garment when travelling to and from school (not the jumper). If on these cooler mornings students wish to wear their jumpers, they should also wear their blazers.  

The reminder of uniform is also timely given that when we return to school for Term 2, all students will be expected to be in full winter uniform. For some families it may be a good idea to start looking to purchase new items needed for the Winter Uniform and to check the sizing and fit of others (especially the length of the tunic).  

Looking ahead to Week 10, the following was shared with Year 7 this week regarding an out of uniform day scheduled for Friday 5 April:  

MLC School will be celebrating Harmony Day on Friday 5 April, Week 10 (starting Tuesday 2 April). The Friday will be a mufti day which is a chance for you to come to school in your cultural dress, wear a sport jersey/bring a flag of your country or orange clothes. Make sure to bring a gold coin donation. All proceeds will be donated to The House of Welcome which provides shelter and builds empowering communities for asylum seekers and refugees in Australia.  

Please review the following guidelines with your daughter to ensure all students are dressed appropriately for school:  

• Students should be in school appropriate neat casual wear. For example; no midriff, spaghetti strap tops or offensive slogans on clothing. 
• Students should be wearing closed in shoes. For example, no thongs, no Crocs, no UGG boots.  
• Students are to still use their school bag for the day.  
• School rules regarding hair being tied up, no excessive make up and appropriate jewellery only are expected to be adhered to across the day. 

For your information, I will be absent in Week 11 (starting Monday 8 April 2024) supervising students in attendance at the AFX Cadet Camp. If urgent matters arise, please in the first instance contact your daughter’s Luminary teacher or the school’s main reception.  

Key Dates for the Diary:  

• Friday 29 March 2024 – Good Friday Public Holiday
• Monday 1 April 2024 – Easter Monday Public Holiday 
• Friday 5 April 2024 – MLC School Harmony Day (out of uniform)
• Friday 12 April 2024 – Last day of Term 1, 2024 for students
• Tuesday 30 April 2024 – Students return for first day of Term 2, 2024

– Bridget Kovats
Head of Year 7

Year 7 PDHPE Update

It’s hard to believe, but Year 7 is almost finished with their first term in Personal Health, Development and Physical Education (PDHPE). It has been wonderful to see them grow in confidence. During the invasion games unit, students have actively participated in various game-based challenges to improve their movement skills and develop crucial teamwork, communication, and strategic thinking abilities. Their enthusiasm and curiosity have been appreciated.

In theory lessons, students have engaged in the “Choosing Wisely” unit, using a strengths-based approach, students have explored the factors influencing their health choices in the areas of nutrition and physical activity, empowering them to make informed lifestyle decisions. 

This week students will begin their first assessment task in class, designing a food truck with a healthy menu. This promises to be a fun and educational project that encourages healthy choices. We are excited about the many engaging learning opportunities in store for the rest of the year. From striking games to gymnastics there’s plenty of fun on the horizon for Year 7!

– Jane Timor
Teacher

Year 8

As we move into a four-day Easter break, please take this time to connect as a family, to share a laugh, some kindness and some time together; watch a movie, go for a walk, play a game. We don’t often get the gift of a four-day weekend that isn’t encompassed with a school holiday break that always involves work, travel and other busy commitments, so enjoy this for what it is – a really special gift, covered in chocolate!

On Tuesday we begin that last three weeks of term, business as usual from Tuesday, but please note the Friday 5 April 2024 is Harmony Day Mufti Day – please make sure your daughter wears orange to signify Harmony Day, and to truly celebrate the intent of the day.

Have a lovely break everyone.

– Kylie Bickerstaff
Head of Year 8

Year 9

Whilst a short week, it’s still been a busy week for Year 9. Tuesday afternoon saw the students split into their groups for the upcoming Urban Challenge camp, and the Cadets head to a meeting with Xavier Maling to continue their preparation for their camp, also in Week 11 (Monday 8 April 2024). With camps come challenges, and these challenges are different for everyone. Preparing for camps leads us as educators and parents to many teachable moments, sometimes unexpected. I encourage you to take these moments on and discuss the benefits of having a growth mindset and being resilient.

So many great experiences can come from places of challenge, and I am really looking forward to seeing Year 9 embody the school values of growth and courage as they embark on their camps. 

Please ensure medical and dietary forms are completed for any camps as a matter of urgency. If your child is required to take medications whilst on camp, please also follow the instructions below: 

Any medication that your child needs to bring should be given to the MLC Health Centre by Tuesday 26 March 2024. Medication must be clearly labelled in a ziplock bag with dosage instructions. A Medication Authority form may be required and can be found on the original camp information email. Any new medication that is not stated on the medical forms will require a letter explaining why it is required and instructions for administration. All S4 and S8 medication (usually for anxiety, depression, ADHD etc) must be in a webster pack from the pharmacy. Please note this will take the pharmacy several days to prepare.   

 I hope that all of you are able to relax over the Easter long weekend, I look forward to everyone being back on deck for our last week of school classes for Term 1! 

– Claire White
Head of Year 9

Year 10

Year 10 have had a great term improving their academic skills and preparing themselves for the Senior Years ahead. Usually Term 1 can be a challenging term for a cohort and since this one is a particularly long term, the cohort have done a good job handling the challenges they have faced. Their long schedule of assessments that were presented to them at the beginning of term seems like a distant memory and many feel a great sense of accomplishment.

To celebrate Harmony Day and our rich diverse community, next Friday 5 April 2024 there will be a Mufti Day for the Senior School students. They are welcome to wear cultural dress, a sport jersey, a flag of their country or orange clothes.

As we are two weeks before the end of term and have our final weeks of Summer uniform, it doesn’t mean a great deal of difference for Senior Years but please be mindful of the following:

• Students need their blazer as an outer garment to and from school
• Either long navy socks or opaque black stockings (not sheer black) are to be worn
• Some Senior skirts have required mending so it might be worthwhile looking at whether skirts might need attention over the break

I wish all of Year 10 and their families a good rest over this long weekend.

Please do not hesitate to contact me via email arenwick@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au or my direct line 8741 3278 about any enquiries.

– Angela Renwick
Head of Year 12

Year 11

It was Year 11’s first week back after exams and they have been getting back into the routine and preparing for the Easter break.

Week 9 opened with a special event for Year 11 – the Careers Expo on Tuesday night. This is a special event for MLC School, organised by Jo Cilia, our Head of Careers and Academic Advising, assisted by careers teacher Karyn Jarvis. I hope you enjoyed spending time with your daughter investigating the many career and tertiary education opportunities on offer. Year 11 is a great time to do this, so that students can take advantage of open days, gap years and work experience with a year of planning in advance. Jo posts regular updates in the newsletter and we are lucky to have her as one of the Year 11 Luminary team for Leawarra. Students can access appointments with Jo via email or pop into her office on Level 3 of the Senior Centre.

The Careers Expo also gave our TVET Entertainment students a chance to log workplacement hours and achieve key competencies for their course, by stage managing the event. They worked with exhibitors, directed traffic in the car park and helped to set up and bring down the displays – specific skills for event management in a safe and familiar setting, working with their peers. They did an amazing job and feature this week as one of our images. Photographed with Karyn are Imogen Luo Raju (Year 11), Ashley Pagewood (Year 11), Jay Hope (Year 11), Laura Sherringham (Year 11), Kaitlyn Hoang (Year 11) and Jasmine Fordyce (Year 11) .

On the same day, the Year 11 Mock Trial team won their competition against Burwood Girls’ High School. Congratulations to the team: Olivia Zein (Year 11), Lana Goodall (Year 11) and Sarina Nagra (Year 11). Head of Senior Senior School, Joanna Graffen and english teacher Emily Marsh were very impressed with your preparation, uniform and efforts on the day.

Big Sister Little Sister takes place on Thursday in Week 9, a great event and Year 11 are looking forward to some Easter activities with Year 7.

As your daughter is moving through Year 11, some issues may arise with curriculum and wellbeing. Please contact your daughter’s subject teacher for academic issues and their luminary and myself for wellbeing matters of concern. We also welcome open discussion and a phone call or Teams meeting to touch base on your daughter’s progress. On site interviews and meetings are available Monday to Friday and I can be contacted on 02 8741 9736 or sconnolly1@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au

– Sharon Connolly
Head of Year 11

Italian Conversation Club at MLC School Café

Italian Conversation Club at MLC School Café on Tuesdays and Fridays at 7.30 am

Year 12 and Year 11 Italian students have the opportunity to practise their Italian in conversation with Prof Tagliabue and Prof Scalzo every Tuesday and Friday morning at 7.30am in the Senior School café. If you are a Year 11 and Year 12 student of Italian willing to improve, come along, grab your hot chocolate, and get ready for some interesting and fun conversations in Italian.

Arrivederci dalle Prof di italiano Tagliabue e Scalzo

– Rosa Scalzo
Teacher

Year 12

On Wednesday we had the great pleasure of acknowledging the Year 12 students who were successful in their application to become a prefect. Being a part of the interview process was a hugely positive experience, having an opportunity to listen to the students articulate what they value about the school and how they view the role and the leadership that it entails. Congratulations to all students who are excellent role models for the wider school community.

I hope that all students were able to make it to the Careers and Tertiary Education Expo on Tuesday evening. It provided such a great opportunity for the cohort to ask questions, clarify some queries they have and get a firmer idea about the direction in which they are headed. Hopefully it has been motivating to think about what next, it really is an exciting time. A huge thank you to Jo Cilia who has done so much work not only on coordinating the Expo but also meeting regularly with our Year 12 students to advise them on their options. Her knowledge and wisdom are invaluable!

Finally, a huge congratulations to Azzurra Zappacosta who is the first in the Year group to receive her Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award. This is a remarkable feat, completed in what must be record time, which demonstrates great tenacity and independence. Azzurra said of her experience ‘Completing the Gold Duke of Ed award is not just about trekking for days on end or sleeping on top of a random mountain in the freezing cold – shout out to Zoe, Georgie, and Anikah, but about challenging myself to my absolute limits, while having some fun along the way. After completing the three tiers, Bronze, Silver, and then finally Gold, I found that I have grown as a student and as a young adult where the challenges of completing this award have aided me in becoming the person I am today. Overall, I truly believe that doing the Duke of Ed is a great way to discover just how strong you really are.’

– Fiona Pow
Head of Year 12

Year 12 Early Entry

University of Newcastle

Early Entry Program Applications Open Monday 8 April 2024 for HSC Students Only

Early entry program / The University of Newcastle, Australia

– The Careers Department

University Open Days

Calling all Year 10 and Year 11 students!

Join us on campus for a day and discover what it’s like to be a UNSW student. Find your dream degree by exploring study areas that interest you.

To register your interest in attending morning/afternoon workshops:

Experience Days – UNSW

Join us for Virtual Open Day – exclusive snapshot of life at Bond

Experience Bond’s deliberately different approach to learning at Virtual Open Day, streaming to you live on:
Saturday 13 April from 2pm.

Discover why the Gold Coast is Australia’s favourite classroom. From our personalised attention to our exceptional graduate outcomes, Virtual Open Day is the place to uncover everything Bond University has to offer.

Register now to gain early access to exclusive content about all the possibilities at Bond and unlock the livestream on Saturday 13 April 2024.

Register here

Experience Macquarie Days

Our new Experience Macquarie Days gives Year 11 and Year 12 students the opportunity to attend informative sessions, interactive workshops and tour the facilities and learning spaces at Macquarie University.

Tuesday 16 April 2024: Arts
Discover arts and social sciences; education; law; media, communications and creative arts; languages; and security, intelligence and criminology.

Wednesday 17 April 2024: Business
Explore accounting; actuarial studies; business analytics; commerce; economics; finance; management; and marketing.

Thursday 18 April 2024: Medicine, Health and Human Sciences
Discover linguistics; medicine and health; and psychology and cognitive science.

Friday 19 April 2024: Science and Engineering
Explore engineering; information technologies and science.

Get a feel of what it’s like to be at uni:

• attend taster lectures, interact with academics, current students and student groups
• get a feel of our campus and explore facilities including labs and learning spaces
• enjoy entertainment, giveaways and more!

Spaces are limited.

Find out more and register

– The Careers Department

University Information Sessions and Workshops

University of Sydney | Pathways to studying Law at Sydney

Wednesday 3 April 2024, 4pm

Did you know, there are many pathways to studying law at the University of Sydney? Hear from our panel of current students who have joined the law community at Sydney through alternate pathways, transferring or studying graduate entry law.

Find out more

Sydney Design School | Information Session

Wednesday 3 April 2024, 6pm

Find out everything you need to know about our flexible courses and career support.

Our Director, Amanda Grace will introduce you to our unique philosophy, passionate Educators and industry focused approach to learning.

Our sessions are also streamed live online via Zoom. Register to receive a link closer to the date of your Info Session.

Find out more

University of Sydney | Year 12 Environmental Engineering Evening

Thursday 4 April 2024 (on site at Sydney University), 4pm-6pm

Join us as we celebrate the debut of the University of Sydney’s Bachelor of Engineering Honours (Environmental Engineering) degree.  Students presently in Year 12 will be granted exclusive access to our cutting-edge laboratories, where they can observe the transformative effects of environmental engineering through real-world demonstrations. They will have the privilege of engaging with experienced environmental engineers actively shaping the field. Attendees can delve deeper into our pioneering degree program, slated to commence in 2025.

Find out more

NIE | Simulated UCAT Day Workshop, Online

Saturday 6 April 2024

If you are in Year 10 to Year 12, or you may be older and considering sitting the UCAT in the future, then this program is for you. The Simulated UCAT Workshop program is ideal and often a necessary step towards effective and efficient preparation for the UCAT. The workshop is primarily designed to cover fundamental techniques in navigating all five sections of the UCAT test and also for participants to gain a better understanding of their own level of preparedness for the test.

Find out more

UAC Digital | ATAR to Uni Success: Applying to Uni with Ease

Wednesday 3 April 2024

Join our webinar to learn how to navigate the UAC application for uni entry in 2025.

Topics discussed include:

• ATAR calculation
• Application and offer timeline
• Explanation of ‘Adjustment Factors’ and ‘Selection Ranks’
• How to effectively preference uni courses

Our expert speakers will equip you with the knowledge and strategies to enhance your application and maximise your chances for success. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to get ahead with your university applications.

Find out more

– The Careers Department

Wishing our School Community a Safe and Happy Easter

We wish all our MLC School families a happy, restful, safe and blessed Easter break.

Looking forward seeing you all on Tuesday 2 April 2024 for Week 10.

An Update on the Performing Arts and Sports Centre

Over the past few months, the School has progressed design and planning for a new Performing Arts and Sports Centre and our longer-term plans to expand and refurbish the existing Aquatic Centre. We are pleased to be able to share more details of the proposal and invite feedback from our School community and neighbours. 

The proposal aims to:

• Build a sense of School community by providing a space for whole of School assemblies and Chapel services
• Support the performing arts with upgraded learning facilities and a space to host concerts, theatrical performances, lectures, and meetings
• Improve sporting facilities including more teaching spaces, wet weather venues and a new learn to swim pool.

The proposal will be designed and delivered with our students and neighbours in mind. We are currently working with a range of technical experts to understand how potential impacts associated with construction and operation of these facilities can be appropriately mitigated, including minimising disruptions to our learning environment.

Please click on the button below to find out more, including how you can provide feedback on the proposal.

Performing Arts and Sports Centre

MLC School Old Girl Named for Paris Olympics

Congratulations to MLC School Old Girl Ella Beere, our 2016 Sport Captain, recently announced on the Australian Olympic team for Sprint Kayaking.

Ella is the front seat paddler in the K4 event and together with her team, are thrilled to be given the opportunity to race on the World’s biggest stage in August.

‘MLC School has been a big part of my journey as a paddler. I took up the sport in Year 10 and my teachers and peers empowered me to be able to race at Junior Worlds in my final two years of school (2015 and 2016) and also complete my HSC. I even studied French from Year 7 to 10 and now I get to compete in Paris. It is a dream come true.’

I have been in touch with Ella, and she has said “I really miss the MLC School sports department… Some of my most treasured memories from school come from there. The squad is living on the Gold Coast until we go away but when I am in NSW next, I would love to come in. I’m very excited to give it my all in Paris.”

We wish Ella and the team all the best for August in Paris and will be cheering her on!

– Lisa Filby
Director of Sport

Mosman Youth Art Prize Finalist

We are pleased to share the exciting news that Sihan Guo (Year 12) Visual Arts (HSC) has been listed as an exhibition finalist in this year’s Mosman Youth Art Prize.

The Mosman Youth Art Prize exhibition features the diverse talents of the country’s young, aspiring and emerging artists and offers them the opportunity to exhibit their work in a public art gallery. Young artists aged between 12 – 21 submit artworks in a variety of media including: painting, sculpture, drawing, printmaking, video, photography and ceramics to win cash prizes, scholarships and art materials. Since its foundation in 1988 by local artist Ken Done AM, numerous artists have started their careers by winning the Mosman Youth Art Prize including Alex Seeton, Natasha Walsh and JD Reforma.

Sihan has entered her fantastic watercolour on paper artwork titled ‘Me’.

– Camille Softley
Teacher

Uniform Shop – Holiday Trading Hours and Appointments

The Uniform shop requests that families book their 15 minute Winter Uniform fitting as soon as possible.

Book your appointment online here or by scanning the QR code below.

Trading Hours for Term 2 2024 

The MLC School Uniform Shop will close for the school holidays on Friday 12 April 2024 at 4pm and will re-open for Term 2 on Friday 26 April 2024 at 9am. 

An appointment is essential.

P&F Second Hand Uniform Sale

Friday 5 April 2024, 7.30am-10am
Hockey Field Demountable Classroom

With the change of seasons, now might be the time to look at your uniform needs and maybe pick up an item or two of second-hand clothing.

Cash and Eftpos facilities will be available.

We will be accepting donations that are in good clean condition and current design only. These can be dropped off at Junior School and Senior School receptions.

Thank you from the P&F

Annual Volunteer Recognition Awards – Nominations for 2024 Now Open!

Burwood Council recognises the hard work, dedication and support of our amazing volunteers. The Volunteer of the Year Awards is an opportunity to say thank you to the endless work that every single volunteer puts into our local community.

Who can enter?

Volunteers who live/work/study in the Burwood LGA, or volunteers who live outside the council area but volunteer within Burwood are eligible to enter for the following awards:

• Young Volunteer
• Adult Volunteer
• Senior Volunteer
• Volunteer Team

Winners will receive a congratulatory plaque and a $200 gift voucher.

ENTRIES CLOSE – Friday 12 April 2024

How to enter?

Visit https://bit.ly/Burwoodvolunteers to submit your online application.

See website for terms and conditions along with more information on each of the award categories.

For more information, please contact Burwood Council’s Volunteering & Programs Officer on 9911 9855 or via email volunteering@burwood.nsw.gov.au

2016 Sports Captain Secures Place in Olympic Team

Congratulations to MLC School Old Girl Ella Beere, our 2016 Sport Captain, recently announced on the Australian Olympic team for Sprint Kayaking.

Ella is the front seat paddler in the K4 event – we wish Ella and the team all the best for August in Paris and will be cheering her on!

Please read about Ella in the ‘News’ section of this newsletter by clicking here.

– Lisa Filby
Director of Sport

Parent Corner

With team grading sessions coming up for Term 2, now is probably a good time to familiarise yourselves with the grading guidelines.

TEAM SELECTION INFORMATION

Students and parents should understand that placement in a team one year does not guarantee they will be placed in the same team the following year.

Due to changes in the number of players registered for the sport, experienced players coming from other teams/clubs and the rates of development of players from season to season, player movements in and out of teams does occur. We encourage parents and players to be reasonable in their expectations and encourage positive feedback so that students will be happy and proud to be in the teams in which they are placed.

Players must be registered to play the sport to be considered for team placement.

The number of teams MLC School enters into a competition is usually determined prior to the grading process. For this reason, it is not always possible to accommodate students in teams if they have missed the registration window.

KEY PERFORMANCE CRITERIA: (this may vary slightly depending on the sport)

• Body balance – can execute the skills of the game while maintaining their body balance
• Ball skills (where required)
• Swimming Skills (where required)
• Attacking skills
• Defensive skills
• Position specific skills
• Game Play
• Attitude – has a positive demeanour on court/field, does not react to umpire/referee calls and/or opponent, demonstrates fair play and abides by the code of conduct.

Teams will be selected based on ability and not for transport or social reasons.

– Lisa Filby
Director of Sport

IGSA Swimming News

On Friday 22 March, our team of 28 MLC School students participated in the IGSA swimming championships at Sydney Olympic Park. The girls proudly represented MLC School in various events with several progressing from heats to finals and some placed in the top three with possible qualification for CIS championships later in May.

– Florence Jiang 
(Year 12)

Swimming and Diving News

Last Friday our Swimming and Diving teams competed at the IGSA Championships.

Congratulations to our Swimming team which placed 8^th overall and to our Diving team which placed 3^rd overall.

– Lisa Filby
Director of Sport

Water Polo News

On Sunday Melisande Pitman (Year 8) won a gold medal with her team, Drummoyne Water Polo Club, beating Sydney University 10 – 1 in the Grand Final of the Sydney Metro W14B competition. Melisande has also been picked to represent Drummoyne Water Polo Club at the NSW State Junior Championships being held from Monday 15 April 2024 – Wednesday 24 April 2024. Congratulations Melisande!

– Lisa Filby
Director of Sport

Netball News

Congratulations to Zoe Baker (Year 4), Averie Ling (Year 5) and Eve Hutchison (Year 5) who have been selected into the ERNA Junior Hawks Program for 2024. The Junior Hawks Academy is aimed at developing foundation skills in young players who may be considering a representative pathway in netball.

– Lisa Filby
Director of Sport

Football News

Well done to Zara Nicholias (Year 6) who attended the CIS Primary Girls’ Football Trials on Monday.

There were 103 quality girls in attendance. Zara played in several positions throughout the day including wing, defender, and midfield. Her highlight was scoring the goal for a 1-0 win in the first game.

She was one of 24 girls who progressed to the Probables v Possibles match, and she played very well in an unfamiliar position. Although Zara was not selected for the CIS team, she learned a lot from this invaluable experience.

Congratulations Zara!

– Lisa Filby
Director of Sport

Karate News

Congratulations to Krystal Pham (Year 9) who, on Saturday 9 March, competed at the 2024 NSW Karate State Championship in two fighting (kumite) events.

Krystal competed in the Female Cadets 14-15 years in both categories, +61kg and Opens divisions.

Krystal proudly fought outside her regular division in a higher weight category at the State Championship and achieved a Silver Medal in +61kg and Bronze in the Opens.

She was so excited but very nervous to be a part of the 2024 State Squad when the officials announced the team during the award night after the championship concluded.

Krystal will be competing in August for NSW at the 2024 National Karate Championship in Melbourne.

Krystal is currently:

• The State’s No 1 fighter in her division of -61kg
• One of three fighters for the Opens division

Krystal may also be selected at the National Championship to be one of the fighters in the team event of 3×3.

Krystal is now preparing for the 2024 Australian Open Karate Championship which will be held during the school holidays on Friday 26 April – Sunday 28 April 2024.

– Lisa Filby
Director of Sport

Important Sports Notices

Important Procedures for Sport Absences from Sport

What to do when you are not able to make training or a game

On the rare occasions that it may be necessary for a player to miss training or a competition, please follow these instructions.

• If the inability to attend is known in advance – a written explanation (email) from the player’s parent/guardian is to be given to the coach and sports department in advance. This notice should be given as early as possible.
• If the player is absent from school on the day of training or on competition day – the player’s parent/guardian is asked to advise the coach and sports department of their child’s absence from training or the game.
• Do not ask your friends or team mates to give your coach the message
• Do give as much notice as possible
• If there is a clash with another sport or school event, please speak with the Sports Department to determine which game/event you should attend.

Please Note: Continued failure to attend training or competitions without a timely written explanation is unacceptable and may jeopardise the player’s continued involvement in sport.

A member of the Sports Department will contact parents/guardians of students whose non-attendance at training or games is not notified in the correct manner.

Pockets are only awarded to students who have met all requirements of training and games.

Wet Weather

What do I do if it is Wet Weather?
While on most occasions we would not cancel training for wet weather, cancellations may occur if rain is too heavy to train in or weather conditions deem it unsafe. Additionally, we may be required to cancel training when we cannot accommodate students safely in an indoor space.

For morning training

The decision to cancel any morning training sessions will be made by 8pm the night before training.

Wet weather cancellations will be posted on the MLC School Sport Facebook page and a notification on the MLC School app.

No Facebook post, or app notification means that activities will still go ahead.

For after school training

The decision to cancel any after school training sessions will be made by 1pm on the day of training.

Wet weather cancellations will be posted on the MLC School Sport Facebook page and the MLC School app.

On Saturdays

If you are playing an IPSHA Sport, please download the IPSHA App – this can be downloaded from the App store and has information for parents. It is also used to send push notifications for Girls Saturday Sport weather updates and for marshalling calls at Major Carnivals.

IPSHA normally make a decision about wet weather by 7am.

If you are playing an IGSA Sport, visit https://igsasport.spawtz.com/. The IGSA website will let you know if your venue is closed or open.

When possible, we will also post the cancellations on our Sport Facebook page and the MLC School app.

On all occasions, it is the individual’s responsibility to check the wet weather information. The Sports Department, coaches and managers are not always in a position to relay any game cancellations.

– Lisa Filby
Director of Sport

Weekend Fixtures and Upcoming Dates

No Saturday Sport

Upcoming Dates

• Friday 5 April 2024 – Junior School House Swimming Carnival, 9am-2pm
• Saturday 6 April 2024 – IPSHA Cross Country Carnival, The Kings School, 7am-1pm
• Saturday 6 April 2024 – ERNA Netball Round 1, Meadowbank Park and Brush Farm, 7am-3.30pm
• Saturday 13 April 2024 – ERNA Netball Round 1, Meadowbank Park and Brush Farm, 7am-3.30pm
• Friday 3 May 2024 – Senior School Cross Country, Burwood Park, 9am – 1pm

– Lisa Filby
Director of Sport

Follow MLC School Sport on Facebook

MLC School Sport have their own Facebook page. Please follow us for all sports updates and important information.

MLC School Sport Facebook Page

– Lisa Filby
Director of Sport

Co-curricular Corner

Hi everyone, I’m Sally Obaid, MLC School Literary Captain for 2024. My role as literary captain is to foster a love for literature by promoting different literary initiatives, competitions or clubs throughout the School and I work closely with the English and Library Departments There are several benefits of reading and writing which go beyond our schooling and education and both tasks prove to be common hobbies or forms of relaxation through creativity and freedom of expression.

Our School provides several activities which allow students to freely express their creativity and love for literature through activities like Writers Society, The Edge, the Thelma Herring Competition and various activities during Book Week.

Writers Society is an initiative which has restarted this year. This club occurs every second week on a Thursday lunch time. The co-curricular club is a space for writers to create stories ranging from poems or fiction, compare ideas and stories with fellow students across several years, engage with different writing prompts and seek feedback from others or teachers. Each fortnight a different prompt is provided to challenge students to experiment with different writing styles (optional): a theme/prompt will be provided each semester for students to create a writing piece and students will also have a passion project to be working on throughout the entirety of the semester. This club is open to all year groups (Year 7 – Year 12). The club will publish a Writers Society Journal at the end of each Semester (at the end of Term 2 and Term 4) to broadcast all the writers literary and creative talents to the school and each student will include two pieces of writing. If you have any questions about Writers society, feel free to contact myself or Mr Joseph Pfeffer.

Additionally, The EDGE newspaper society is another co-curricular which several students are involved in and is open to Year 6 – Year 12. The EDGE is a student-led newspaper society which publishes a new issue each term based on a theme which is established at the start of each term by the team. It is open to students who have creative writing skills, graphic design, history, travel, reviews and several other creative skills. This term, the theme is ’Supernatural’ and the society runs every Tuesday lunch for any students who are interested, feel free to contact Persephone Walhtuch.

MLC School also hosts the Thelma Herring competition which is a yearly writing competition and goes towards House points. This year it will be happening in Term 2. It consists of a junior (Year 6 – Year 7), intermediate (Year 8 – Year 9) and a senior (Year 10 – Year 12) division. There are three categories: Short Stories, Non-fiction and Poetry. Each year a different stimulus is established, and each writing piece must be based on the stimulus. Students can enter once in all three categories.

Finally, this year Book Week is held from Saturday 17 August – Friday 23 August in Term 3 and the theme is ‘Reading is Magic’. Stay tuned for activities throughout the week to celebrate this amazing event!

For any other questions or further information, feel free to contact either me by email here or Mr Tim Curry – Head of English Department, or Ms Louise Piggott – Head of Library Services.

 – Sally Obaid (Year 12)
MLC School Literary Captain 2024

Japanese Culture Society Update

This week at Japanese Culture Society, we played a game of “Guess the Japanese Brand” and the winners got a Japanese jelly as a prize! 

White Day in Japan is a significant cultural celebration that takes place on 14 March, exactly one month after Valentine’s Day. While Valentine’s Day in Japan primarily revolves around women giving gifts, particularly chocolates, to men, White Day flips the tradition, with men reciprocating the gesture.

Originating in the 1970s as a marketing strategy by the confectionery industry, White Day has since become deeply ingrained in Japanese culture. The name “White Day” was coined to symbolise purity and the exchange of white gifts, predominantly marshmallows, white chocolate, or other white confectionery. However, the tradition has expanded to include various gifts such as jewellery, clothing, and even electronic gadgets, catering to diverse tastes and preferences.

The significance of White Day extends beyond romantic relationships; it also emphasises reciprocity and gratitude. Men who received gifts on Valentine’s Day are expected to return the favour with gifts of greater value on White Day. 

Thanks for coming this week and we hope to see you all here again next Friday at lunch in the open space on Level 3 of the Senior Centre!

– Amy Zhao
Year 12

April Holiday Production Madeline – Enrolling now!

Monday 15 – Friday 19 April April, 9am-3pm
MLC School Drama Theatre

After hours care 3pm-5pm optional: $30 per afternoon and subject to demand 

CAST: Kindergarten – Year 6  $484 (five days) 

CREW: Year 7 – Year 12  $363 (five days) 

The April holiday production of Madeline is enrolling now. Students gain confidence and have lots of fun as they are taken through a rehearsal process including acting, singing, movement and dance to produce a production in four days. Students experience what it is like to be a part of a production team whether it be on or off the stage from start to finish. At the end of the five days students perform the production to family and friends. 

An enormous increase in confidence and performance skills can be seen throughout the week. The productions provide a wonderful opportunity for students to form friendships with students in different year levels and allow every student to feel like a star!  

The Holiday productions are open to external students as well.  

Click here for Enrolment  

– Monica Brian 
Speech and Drama Studio Director