From the Principal

Vaping and e-cigarettes

In a recent conversation with a parent, she mentioned that there are a number of unscrupulous vendors in Burwood who are selling e-cigarettes or ‘vapes’ to underage children. While it is illegal to sell these products to anyone under 18, as those who were able to attend Paul Dillon’s presentation will recall, vaping is growing in popularity.

According to the background information provided on Paul’s DARTA website.

“Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDs), or as they are better known, electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes are battery-powered devices that deliver an aerosol (‘vapour’) that may or may not contain nicotine, thus removing the risk of users coming into contact with tobacco smoke, i.e., instead of smoking, they are ‘vaping’. ….. The vapour comes from an ‘e-liquid’ cartridge. E-liquids are often flavoured, with over 7,000 flavours available ranging from fruit through to chocolate. Some contain nicotine, thus providing the user with a nicotine ‘hit’, while others contain only a flavouring.” 

Safety concerns include:

• Nicotine is addictive and toxic in all forms
• Products contained in e-cigarettes are not regulated
• e-cigarette use is likely to lead to eventual smoking of traditional cigarettes
• e-cigarettes do not simply produce ‘harmless water vapour’ and may expose users to chemicals and toxins such as formaldehyde and heavy metals
• The potential for poisoning and subsequent lung damage associated with vaping

The topic of vaping is covered in our Secondary pastoral and PDHPE programs, and I strongly encourage you to discuss this topic with your daughter. Our Counsellors, Heads of Year and pastoral leaders are available for support should you need. I also strongly recommend the DARTA website referenced above.

– Lisa Moloney
Principal

Chaplain’s Corner

It’s humbling to see how much our Junior School members love and care for the Head of Junior School Daniel Sandral who is currently in hospital. Rev Ness and I had the honour of taking their creative work of cards, photos and notes of well wishes, thoughts and prayers. As School Chaplains, we have witnessed how much our community values and appreciates the contribution, dedication and commitment of our teaching staff… and as in the case of Mr Sandral and others, it becomes quite apparent.

We are grateful for our teachers!

– Rev Vanessa Williams-Henke and Rev Viniana Ravetali
Chaplains

Read Our Latest Issue of Lucis Magazine

What a year! The Spring/Summer 2020 issue of Lucis focuses on the resilience of the MLC School community during a difficult year.

All families should receive a mailed copy shortly and the digital version can be viewed here.

We hope you enjoy the issue!

2021 Parent Information Handbook Now Available

A must read guide for every parent, this book has useful contact information for key staff and outlines a range of policies, guidelines and practices about the School and expectations for your daughter. Refer to the Handbook to answer your queries. It is updated regularly and can be downloaded from the My MLC School Portal or viewed here.

To request a printed version of the handbook please email communications@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au.

Uniform Reminder

Please ensure your daughter wears her blazer for travel to or from School on chilly days. A jumper (or cardigan for Years 10 and above) can be worn once at School but they are not outer garments suitable for travel. 

To view the full MLC School Uniform Code, please click here.

Scholarships for 2022 Now Open

MLC School offers a range of scholarships for girls entering Year 7 and above. Some are available to current students, see more information here

For all scholarships at Year 7 level and above, candidates must sit an entrance examination held at the School. Shortlisted candidates are later invited to a Scholarships Activity Day to take part in a variety of activities with other shortlisted candidates and attend an interview. The entrance examination is held early in Term 1 with the Scholarship Activity Day held later in the term. Scholarship offers are made to successful candidates by the end of Term 1. 

Scholarship applications for entry into 2022 entry are now open. Please click here to apply.

Below are further dates relevant to the Scholarship process: 

• Applications close: Friday 5 February 2021
• Examination: Friday 12 February 2021
• Music auditions: to be confirmed
• Activity day: March 2021

For queries or further information please email Nerida Coman enrol@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au

Download the Term 4 2020 Parent Contact Lists

The Term 4 2020 Parent Contact Lists have been uploaded to the My MLC School Portal. You can access the lists by logging into the Portal and selecting your daughter’s Year group in the Student Life tab.

The parent contact list contains the relevant contact information of the families in your daughters’ year group at MLC School.

The purpose of the list is to make it easier for you to arrange social occasions, share lifts to and from co-curricular activities or contact another parent.

The list should never be used for any commercial purpose and we ask you to respect the privacy of other families in the same way you would like your own privacy respected. Many parents have requested such a list and they find it very helpful in managing a busy family life.

If you would like to make any alterations to the details shown in the list, please update your details on the Parent Portal.

For enquiries, please contact the Studies Office on 02 8741 3117 or email studiesoffice@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au, or Junior School Reception on 02 8741 3128 or email jsreception@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au.

∗The Portal is a secured site and you will need your username and password to access. If you have forgotten these details, please email servicedesk@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au with your full name and email address to have these details and instructions resent.

From the Principal – Update on Head of Junior School, Daniel Sandral’s Progress

Daniel has asked me to pass on his sincere thanks for the warm wishes, flowers, letters, prayers and messages from members of the School community.

He is in good spirits and receiving excellent care. His medical team are delighted to be working with such a friendly, cooperative patient!

– Lisa Moloney
Principal

From the Deputy Heads of Junior School

This term many of our Pre-K girls are now attending five days a week. The Pre-K studio is full of life and learning as these girls prepare for Kindergarten. MLC School is lucky to have the Pre-K studio, which allows for flexibility, ensuring our girls are working towards their readiness for formal schooling.

Class Captains

Congratulations to the following girls who will take up the role of Class Captain this term.

• Year 3A – Scarlett Innes and Anastasia Countouris
• Year 3S – Gabriela Lim and Rosanna Tsoi
• Year 4D – Ada Savage and Sybilla Howes 
• Year 4R – Anakha Nalliah and Sofia Tzouganatos
• Year 4V – Liesl Wong and Hannah Dastyari
• Year 5B – Regina Ding and Janice Leong
• Year 5D – Stephanie Keo and Stephanie Phong
• Year 5F – Gurnaaz Kahlon and Angelina Xu 
• Year 5P – Lucia Barrington-Higgs and Aashi Shah

Term 4 Arrangements

Pre-Kindergarten to Year 2 parents/carers, please note that Michelle Hiss will be on leave for the remainder of this year. We are already looking forward to having her back! Esther Maling (Mon–Thurs) and Emily Osborne (Fri) will be replacing her in the Junior School this term. Both Ms Maling and Ms Osborne are already part of our MLC School staff, which will enable them to seamlessly continue Mrs Hiss’ classes.

Class Timetables

A reminder that you can find your daughter’s class timetable on the My MLC School Portal should you ever need to find it.

Assembly

The Junior School assembly this week saw some interesting teachers and students pop up! It was great to hear about all the wonderful things happening in Year 4, especially their poetry recitation relating to caring for our earth. The Year 4 girls presented their learning with passion, stemming from the investigations they made in their Collaborative Learning Project. Well done Year 4 students and teachers!

School Uniform and Lost Property

A friendly reminder that our girls show respect in themselves and in their School by wearing their full School uniform with pride. Please ensure your daughter is wearing her full School or Sports uniform each day. Blazers are always the outer garment for the School uniform along with the School hat (for Kindergarten to Year 5). Students wearing their Sports uniform due to co-curricular commitments should be in the School Sport uniform and not the uniform they wear for their co-curricular sport (ie. no leggings).

As Summer approaches and the weather warms up it is vital that all girls have the School sun hat to wear at morning tea and lunch.

There remains a significant amount of lost property. Only items clearly labelled with your child’s name are able to be returned, please ensure you mark every item with your child’s name.

– Natalie Hird and Joanne Sharpe
Deputy Heads of Junior School

No Kiss and Drop in Park Road

Please do not use Park Road to drop off or pick up your children.

Our neighbours have the right to access their homes and driveways easily and without disruption. With your cooperation we have a very efficient and safe drop off and pick up system in our School undercover car park.

– Joanne Sharpe
Deputy Head of Junior School – Student Life

Pre-K Learns about Change

Our Pre-Kindergarten girls explored many mathematical and science concepts this week as part of our Collaborative Learning Project on ‘Change’ this term. The girls were thrilled to make their own ice blocks. Using child-safe knives, all the girls cut the oranges in half and squeezed the juice out of the orange to pour into a mould. All the ice block moulds were placed in our freezer and the wait was quite exciting. The highlight for all the girls was eating them of course.

– Claudia De Pasquale, Gina Zucco, Vicki Liubinskas, Debbie Doyle, and Eleonora Monda
Pre-Kindergarten Team

Year 1 Library – Playing the Shape Game

This week in library the students put on their green creative thinking caps to play Anthony Browne’s Shape Game. We are having so much fun with our Anthony Browne author study. Perhaps the girls may like to take this game home and play with the family!

– Jody Gilroy
Teacher Librarian

Year 4 Continues to Shine in their Pursuit of Writing

Last term many girls submitted an entry for the Seven Steps 2020 Narrative Writing Competition – a nation-wide event. We are very proud to report that Indigo Hannah (Year 4) was awarded second place for her graphic novel style piece called ‘A Curious Creature’. Congratulations to Indi and all the girls who continue to push themselves to greatness with their passion for writing.  

– Patricia Duke
Year 4 Teacher

Year 5 Learns the Power of Small Acts of Kindness

Last term in Personal Development and Health (PDH) our Year 5 girls discussed self esteem and ways in which we can have positive self esteem. One way discussed was performing small acts of kindness. Some students in the Year group decided to write letters to residents of a retirement village/nursing home. The idea of the letters was to brighten the day of a resident who, due to COVID restrictions, may not be able to get out and about as much as they normally would or have contact with their own families. This week we received a number of replies that are very special. The girls that have received the replies are now busy writing back with other girls in the grade very motivated to start their own connection and act of kindness with a resident.

– Sarah Jauncey
Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE) Teacher

Spotlight on Art

In Term 3 Kindergarten students studied ‘Famous Artists’ Landscapes’ as a part of their ‘Our Living World Studies’. They studied Vincent Van Gogh’s ‘Sunflowers’, Claude Monet’s ‘Waterlilies’ and Henri Rousseau’s ‘Exotic Landscape and Tropical Forest with Monkeys’. Moyi Chen’s (KC) lovely ‘Rousseau’ collage demonstrates skills in relief printmaking; drawing with the challenging forms of monkeys and a tiger and carefully cutting shapes to arrange into a composition similar to the artist’s original artwork.

–  Lesley Snelgrove and Liane Simpson
Junior school Art Department

Order Deadline Next Friday for Christmas Tea Towels

The Junior School P&F is offering a special Christmas tea towel as a fundraiser, which will be available at the end of this year.

All families now have the opportunity to purchase a tea towel if they have not already done so, or purchase more if they wish, with delivery occurring before the Christmas school holidays. All orders must be placed by Friday 30 October 2020.

If you have purchased a tea towel and no longer wish to receive one, please email Junior School Reception for a refund. 

On behalf of the School and parent community, I would like to thank you for your understanding and support.

Personalised Year Group Tea Towel
$18
Place your order by Friday 30 October 2020

From the Head of Senior School

As we round out the second week of term, it’s pleasing to report that most girls appear to have settled into a new term, making a positive start to their classes. One of the many positives that come from working at our School is witnessing the endless energy in girls across a multitude of activities throughout each day.

Our Vice-Captains, Maya Simpson and Ana Trigg launched into their roles with a sense of confidence and fun as they led the Middle Years and Senior Years assemblies on Wednesday morning. The leadership teams work hard in maintaining a strong student focus in all that they do, so it was pleasing to see so many smiles and laughs as girls engaged in activities, despite the continuation of virtual assemblies. I had the pleasure of announcing the new Middle Years Leaders for 2021 and look forward to seeing them develop throughout the year under the guidance of Maya and Ms Carmel Cordaro. Congratulations to the following girls:

• Sienna Marriott – Abbeythorpe 
• Riley Chantler – Booralee
• Vishaalini Ravichandra – Churunga
• Tiana Roins – Leawarra
• Ava Dean – Lester
• Bariah Khaznadar – Mooramoora
• Georgie Roediger – Prescott
• Anikah Sanan – Sutton
• Sarah Furlan – Wade
• Catherine Kong – Whitley

With normal routines back, I’d like to remind all girls of the importance of being great role models and representatives of MLC School when out in the general public. We are constantly under scrutiny when wearing school uniform, particularly when travelling on public transport each day. The daily commute for many of our students also doubles as vital times for social interaction with friends, often from other schools. For many generations, MLC School has held a strong reputation within the community and, like me, I’m sure you’re all keen for this to continue. With that in mind, I ask that all students are constantly aware of their manners while using public transport. Some particular attention directed towards the following:

• Avoiding standing in doorways on trains
• Making way for less able commuters
• Keeping bags and personal belongings out of the way and off seats
• Giving up a seat for other commuters, especially during peak times
• Keeping conversations kind and respectful

While many of these may seem like ‘old fashioned’ approaches, they are so important in maintaining our standards and acknowledging our rich history. Nancy Friday puts it so well when she says ‘I think the thing I miss most in our age is our manners. It sounds so old-fashioned in a way. But even bad people had good manners in the old days, and manners hold a community together, and manners hold a family together; in a way, they hold the world together.’

I’m pleased to report that our Year 12 HSC girls have commenced their final exams inside ‘the bubble.’ They have been in great spirits this week and I know we wish them all the best as they continue with their  exams and the IB girls, as they await the start of their exam block. I admire the way they are approaching each exam and continuing to stay focused with revision and specific exam preparation. There are many traits to all girls as they approach their final exams and I thought I’d list a few commonly shared characteristics of good learners:

1. They ask questions – teachers love it when students take the lead and challenge their thinking and questions are a great way of demonstrating they understand
2. They’re hard workers – while intelligence is a great bonus to have, it’s genuine hard work that’s required to hone that intelligence
3. They’re involved – this is rarely an issue with an MLC School girl, there’s an abundance of co-curricular activities available that are great outlets for physical health and also allow budding leaders to develop and team work to flourish
4. They’re leaders – this can be seen in and out of the classroom and, as we often hear, ‘you don’t need a badge to lead’
5. They’re motivated – the motivation to succeed is a huge advantage, but not nearly as important as the motivation to learn
6. They’re problem solvers – not just to be used in a mathematics lesson, the ability to solve problems is often the key to success
7. They seize opportunities – there’s an abundance of these at school, but one of the greatest is seizing and valuing education
8. They’re solid citizens – valuing and demonstrating self-discipline will often reduce other ‘noise’ in a student’s life, allowing for greater focus on the things that matter
9. They have a support system – in all honesty, success at school always comes down to the team around us. Never be afraid to use it!
10. They’re trustworthy – the foundation of all good relationships is trust. It allows us to form strong bonds with teachers and friends

There’s no better time than the present to start working through the checklist of characteristics. How many do you possess? Which ones need some attention? Why not start some conversations at home about these characteristics. There’s always plenty of help at hand for girls looking to develop some of these traits.

I’d like to wish all our Basketball, Volleyball, Water Polo and Touch Football teams good luck as they continue with sport this weekend. It’s been so encouraging having so many girls involved in sport this term and involving themselves with early morning training sessions. A reminder to all teams to be in correct uniform, be on time and play well!

– Neil Scotney
Head of Senior School

Year 7

As our Year 12 girls enter the examination ‘bubble’ we wish them every success in their exams over the coming weeks.

Week 2 has been a great success as Year 7 girls have hit their stride and are now back into the swing of the School timetable again. I have enjoyed walking around the classrooms and watching the girls engaging in group tasks and activities, with some really creative assignments being undertaken with much enthusiasm and excited chatter. I have also enjoyed meeting so many of the girls for a quick chat and ‘get to know you’. A big thank you to all Year 7 girls who have made my first week a joy.

Just a reminder that it is important that we maintain the School Uniform Code. Whilst we have been able to wear our PE uniform to and from school during the pandemic, we must ensure we are wearing it correctly, as well as our formal uniform for the days we are not participating in PE or Sport. Please ensure that hair is neat and pulled back, shoes are polished, and the correct earrings are being worn, as well as the correct items of uniform. During our Year meeting we discussed the correct uniform protocols and what it means to where a uniform with pride. The full uniform code can be found in the 2021 MLC School Parent Information Handbook. 

As we move towards the end of Year 7, it is important to remind the girls of their class requirements, that they continue to bring textbooks and other equipment and ensure their computers are charged and ready to go. Assessments may have slowed but there is still important course work to be completed and their computers and textbooks are still vital tools in these activities.

I wish you all a wonderful weekend and success in your weekend activities and look forward to hearing of the girls’ weekend adventures on Monday.

– Kylie Bickerstaff
Head of Year 7

Year 8

This week the new Middle Years Leaders were announced at our School assembly. We had over 50 girls from our Year group nominate themselves, which suggests that nearly half the Year group view themselves as potential leaders. This is certainly something the cohort should feel proud of. I am conscious, though, of the disappointment some girls will feel at not having been selected. We will encourage these girls to continue looking for other ways – and there are many – to make a contribution to the School community.

Congratulations to the following girls who were selected:

• Sienna Marriott – Abbeythorpe 
• Riley Chantler – Booralee
• Vishaalini Ravichandra – Churunga
• Tiana Roins – Leawarra
• Ava Dean – Lester
• Bariah Khaznadar – Mooramoora
• Georgie Roediger – Prescott
• Anikah Sanan – Sutton
• Sarah Furlan – Wade
• Catherine Kong – Whitley

– Carmel Cordaro
Head of Year 8

Year 9

This week, our team of Middle Years Leaders were thanked and farewelled at the Middle Years Assembly as the new leaders were announced. We also took the time in our Year 9 meeting to thank them. I would like to acknowledge their fantastic leadership during a difficult year. I have been so impressed with how they managed to lead and maintain a presence during Flexible Learning and without having in-person assemblies. It has been a difficult time and they have managed it with thoughtfulness, positivity and a fabulous sense of humour. A massive thank you to Emma Ung, Mia Eker, Lucinda King, Athena Nikolakopoulos, Madhavi Chauhan, Yianna Mitropoulos, Julia Lok, Ella Walters, Maya Lecuna and Amber Johnstone, they have been stellar representatives for the Year group.

In Luminary time this week the girls have been learning about and discussing the phenomenon of fake news. They have considered how we know if something is untrue and the value of seeking out alternative points of view to our own. It has been good to hear their reflections and thoughts on something that is becoming increasingly prevalent and, indeed, dangerous.

– Fiona Pow
Head of Year 9

Year 10

The Year 10 cohort has continued their busy schedule in Week 2 this term, beginning with more assessments – Drama, Dance and Science as their final task. I have been so impressed with the girls’ approach to the assessment block, in their preparation, supporting each other and following instructions from the external supervisors. This assessment block is a big step up for the girls as they experienced a more formal, senior style exam environment before Year 11. In Luminary time, we are also going to unpack the experience for the girls to see what they learnt about themselves and how they can prepare themselves better for future tasks while maintaining their wellbeing and balance. A special thanks also goes to you as parents and families for supporting the girls during this busy time.

This term, until rollover in Week 5, is about celebrating our successes in Year 10 and looking forward to the future. While we have lost some Year 10 group opportunities due to COVID-19, some traditional activities have adapted to the new normal and thrived.

Our image this week is of the successful Year 10 Archdale Debating winners: from left, Tina Papamanuel, Doris Yang, Jade Di Girolamo, Sarah Pearson and Sanya Mehta. After a highly successful season of online debating via Zoom, the girls defeated Kambala twice, PLC Pymble, Santa Sabina and Meriden in the final with a unanimous judgement from the adjudicators. They drew the negative side for the final against Meriden on the topic, ‘We should care for our parents in old age.’ Normally the negative is a difficult side to debate but the girls loved this topic, an especially heartfelt one given our current climate. The girls wanted to thank Andrea Rowe for her care and organisation of the competition and Josh Wong, their debating coach, for sharing his debating skills, enthusiasm and knowledge.

Regular classes are now in place for Year 10 and their teachers are working hard to engage them, prepare them for the next stage and do some fun activities to sign off on their subjects, some of which the girls won’t work on again. This is an interesting time of transition and the girls are looking forward to moving on. Please contact me via email or call 02 8741 9736 regarding any issues your daughter may be experiencing and how we can best work together to support her. 

– Sharon Connolly
Head of Year 10

Year 11

This week Year 11 spent some time together as a Year group. They came together to share in the joy of Felicity Berry’s pending baby arrival and gave her a lovely hamper of goodies for her and the baby. It was a show of generosity and gratitude for all that she has done for the girls over the past few years. They also spent some time writing to their little sisters in Year 7 in an effort to stay connected despite COVID restrictions preventing them from meeting in person for the time being. Finally they rounded out the week with some outdoor activities and a meditation activity for some time away from work and for a break.

The girls also heard from Neil Scotney, Head of Senior School, about driving to and from School. He highlighted that whilst only a few girls have their licence at present, that number will increase in the coming months. He reminded them that driving other people is a big responsibility and we asked that the girls check with their parents that they are okay to have other people in their car and also to drive with other people. He also talked about the parking challenges in and around the School. It is important for the girls to note that they are not permitted to park on School premises and that parking around the School is time limited.

Dr Berry and I also noticed that the pressure of starting Year 12 upset some of the girls. We would like to reassure you that we are here for the girls and that if they are nervous, worried or struggling with change that we encourage them to reach out early. They can make a time to come and see one of us, their Luminaries, the counsellors or any other member of staff that they feel comfortable talking to. We are here to support them on their journey through their final year of school.

– Sarah Tynan
Head of Year 11

Year 12

HSC and IB Examinations

With HSC exams in progress, and IB exams starting next week we wish our Year 12 girls all the best and thank families and staff for their ongoing support.

As shared last week, examinations timetables are listed below:

• HSC Examinations – Tuesday 20 October 2020 until Wednesday 11 November 2020. Please see attached the HSC Examination timetable and rooms.
• IB Examinations – Monday 26 October 2020 and finish on Friday 13 November 2020. Please see attached the IB Examination timetable and rooms.

Thank you to all staff and students for following the rules regarding the HSC and IB ‘Bubble’ and continuing to do so. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact Head of Year 12, Angela Renwick, Head of Senior School, Neil Scotney, or Director of Curriculum (Year 11 and Year 12), Anne Layman.

All the Best

Congratulations again to the Year 12 Class of 2020 for making it through a very difficult year and showing the whole MLC School community their incredible resilience and courage. We wish every girl all the best for their exams.

Thursday 17 September 2020 marked their final day as MLC School students, as they transitioned to MLC School Old Girls. The COVID-19 restrictions didn’t stop the School from giving our girls a well-deserved celebration, all with safety measures in place. With events live-streamed and other Year groups taking part in a Guard of Honour our community was still able to take part in this year’s farewell.

Please click here to watch the final day video, it is very special.

Get to Know Your Sports Captains

This week find out a little bit more about some of our Sports Captains – How they became involved in their sports and the athletes who inspire them and why.

Hayley Kenzler – AFL Captain

When and why did you start your sport? 
I started playing AFL in 2018 when my friend asked me to join a club with her. I had watched the sport since I was very young and had been thinking of playing for a while. 

Who is your favourite athlete and why?
My favourite athlete is Jeremy Cameron because he’s an amazing forward goal scorer who has the ability to pluck the ball from the air and fend off defenders well all while being a jokester on the field.  

Kiara Shine – Athletics Captain

When and why did you start your sport? 
I started athletics in 2014, and have been going to Little Athletics every season since. I started it because my mum really wanted me to do athletics when I was younger, but she always thought it was a winter sport and kept missing out on the season!

Who is your favourite athlete and why?
My favourite athlete is Jessica Ennis. She is one of my idols; one of my goals is to start heptathlons because of her!

Gloria Lim – Badminton Captain

When and why did you start your sport?
I think 2018, because I got bored with Softball and wanted to try something new. Turns out, badminton required more strategic plays, which I enjoyed and so, I continued playing it.

Who is your favourite athlete and why?
Klay Thompson because he has a nice beard and he’s pretty cool.

Sabine Saad – Basketball Captain

When and why did you start your sport?
I started playing basketball when I was 9 and because all the cool people played basketball and I wanted to be cool like them. 

Who is your favourite athlete and why?
Leilani Mitchell, she plays on the Australian Opals and is one of the shortest players to ever be drafted into the WNBA. She is my favourite athlete as she played for my WNBL team (Sydney Uni Flames) and despite her height has one of the highest point averages of the league (also I have met her, and she is extremely humble and kind).

Ava Lee – Diving Captain

When and why did you start your sport?
Year 4 so 2014, I think, at MLC School Aquatic Centre. I started because I was bored of watching my sister do gymnastics and I saw people doing diving and said that looks fun.

Who is your favourite athlete and why?
Shaun White, because he looks cool doing his tricks at the snow

Natalia Giannakos – Football Captain

When and why did you start your sport?
I first began playing football in Year 3 as part of the school IPSHA competition, which was initially a way to socially engage with friends and have fun. In Year 8 I joined my first club team, Abbotsford, before wanting to pursue football at a higher more competitive level in Year 9, joining the NPL program. For the next two years I played at APIA before moving to the North Shore Mariners to advance my skills which is enhanced by my commitment to the MLC School IGSSA competitions and CIS cup. Overall, I participate in the sport to elevate my football ability whilst making new friends and ultimately enjoying myself.

Who is your favourite athlete and why?
My favourite athlete is Sam Kerr. Her role as the captain of the Matildas and undeniable talent has set a platform for the growth of women’s sport, particular football in Australia. Along with this, her tenacity, skill and her backflip goal celebrations never fail to entertain and drive my passion for football.

Lily Scanlon – Hockey Captain

When and why did you start your sport?
I started playing hockey at the age of 6 because my mum has played hockey from when she was a child as well and I just fell in love with the sport from there. 

Who is your favourite athlete and why?
Kayln Ponga. In my opinion he carries the Knights. He has great skills and is also a very good tiktok dancer!

Vanessa Ryan – Netball Captain

When and why did you start your sport?
I started netball when I was 9 years old because mum enrolled me in my local club team and I’m forever grateful she did! Since the grass court days, I’ve grown to love the sport so much and it’s been an amazing way to meet new people, play in different representative teams, and develop my teamwork and perseverance.  

Who is your favourite athlete and why?
My favourite athlete is Naomi Osaka because she is really humble and lets her amazing hard work and talent do the talking. Another inspiring athlete for me is Laura Geitz because she has incredible athletic skills and was a great ambassador for the sport and captain of the Australian Diamonds for so long.

Claudine Talbot – Snowsports Captain

When and why did you start your sport?
I started in Year 7 because I was told I would get a week off school and it sounded fun. 

Who is your favourite athlete and why?
Jessie Diggins. She’s an American cross-country skier (the underdogs in the mostly European dominant sport) and won a gold medal at the 2018 Olympic games. She’s really passionate for the sport and an amazing role model to younger female athletes. My other fave athlete is Johannes Klaebo.

Katie Sutherland – Touch Football Captain

When and why did you start your sport?
I started playing touch football in Year 7 because my dad has always loved rugby and I loved the idea of a slightly less dangerous sport! Fun fact: on my way to trials in Year 7 my dad explained all the rules to me in the car, because I had no idea how to play…

Who is your favourite athlete and why?
Ash Barty because I think her attitude and technique are admirable. Her game play is so strategic, and it’s been amazing to see her develop as a player over the last couple of years.

Fiona Mackenzie – Volleyball Captain

When and why did you start your sport?
I started playing volleyball in Year 8. I used to watch my brothers play volleyball and was determined to learn how to spike, so I began playing at MLC School. Initially, the skills were difficult to get the hang of (in terms of digging, setting, and spiking), however, I now know how to spike just like my brothers. I strongly recommend learning to play volleyball for this reason – nothing is more satisfying than spiking and winning the point for your team!

Who is your favourite athlete and why?
I honestly don’t really have one, I prefer watching random volleyball and rugby games! I guess I’ll say Roger Federer. As to why… he seems nice. 

Kimberly Keogh – Water Polo Captain

When and why did you start your sport?
I started playing water polo in Year 5 as I used to be a swimmer but decided I wanted to have a break from squad swimming . I was heavily involved in Year 7 once I realised my love and passion for the sport!  

Who is your favourite athlete and why?
One of my favourite athletes is Cathy Freeman, as I believed she achieved so much not only in her sport but also for all Aboriginal people. It is amazing that she became the first female Australian Aboriginal to win gold medal at an international athletic event which demonstrates one of the many reasons she regarded as a role model. Cathy Freeman is an inspiration for people of all ages as she proves that hard work does pay off and to fight for your dreams!

– Lisa Filby
Director of Sport

Netball News

Term 3 Finals Results

Congratulations to MLC 9 on being awarded Premiers of their division in the ERNA Netball competition. Our apologies for the omission of this result from last week’s newsletter. Congratulations to the girls on a fantastic season!

• Amelia Comley (Year 8)
• Lucy Dickson (Year 8)
• Emma Guermanoff (Year 8)
• Imogen Johnstone (Year 8)
• Matisse Liu (Year 8)
• Sally Obaid (Year 8)
• Anikah Sanan (Year 8)
• Kirsten Tran (Year 8)
• Bella Upcroft (Year 8)

Representative News

Congratulations to the following girls who were successful in progressing to Phase 2 of the ERNA Representative selections.

12 Years

• Markella Krekacs (Year 6)
• Anisha Sivagurunathan (Year 6)

13 Years

• Angelique Houltham (Year 6)

Follow MLC School Sport on Facebook

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

– Lisa Filby
Director of Sport

Important Procedures for Sport – Communication, Absences and Wet Weather

Remember!

Do not miss any important sports information! Please make sure you check Schoology messages, emails, Facebook AND the sports updates in the newsletter. The sports update always contains fixtures and registration information so you should never miss a registration.

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 the below instructions.

• If the inability to attend is known in advance, a written explanation (email) from the player’s parent/carer 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/carer is asked to advise the coach and Sports Department of their daughter’s absence from training or the game.
• Do not ask friends or teammates 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/carers of students whose non-attendance at training or games is not notified in the correct manner.

Pockets are only awarded to students who have attended at least 80% of training and games.

MLC School has a NO TRAIN, DON’T EXPECT TO PLAY policy. This means if a student misses training for any reason, they should not expect to get game time during the next scheduled match. The amount of game time given to students after a missed training will be at the coach’s discretion.

Wet Weather

What do I do if it is Wet Weather?

If you are playing an IPSHA Sport, please use this link to take you to the IPSHA Wet Weather site. Once on the site, select your venue and there will be a notification if your venue is closed. IPSHA normally makes a decision by 7am.

If you are playing an IGSSA Sport, visit this website. The IGSSA website will let you know if your venue is closed or open.

For Santa Sabina Basketball and Volleyball use the Santa Sabina Sport Twitter link.

When possible, we will also post the cancellations on our Sport Facebook page.

On all occasions, it is each 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 Important Dates

Saturday 24 October 2020 Fixtures

BASKETBALL – ROUND 2

VOLLEYBALL – ROUND 2

IPSHA BASKETBALL – ROUND 2

TOUCH FOOTBALL – ROUND 2

IPSHA TENNIS – ROUND 2

WATER POLO – ROUND 2

Upcoming Dates

• Saturday 31 October 2020 – Saturday Sport Round 3, various venues and times
• Thursday 5 November 2020 – MLC School Diving Championships, MLC School Aquatic Centre, 4pm–6pm
• Saturday 7 November 2020 – Saturday Sport Round 4, various venues and times

Quote of the Week

Having the chance to play sports growing up teaches you all kinds of life lessons. It gives young people confidence and instils in them motivation and drive to be the best one can be. It’s absolutely invaluable.” 
– April Ross

Music Achievement for Fiona Feng

Many congratulations to Fiona Feng (Year 8) for being awarded the Australian Music Examinations Board AMusA Diploma for violin. Fiona performs regularly at school events on both violin and piano. She was also recently involved with the MLC School entries for the Musica Viva Strike a Chord competition. Well done Fiona.

– Joanna Drimatis
Head of Strings

Piano Festival Submissions

Girls interested in participating in the Term 4 Piano Festival are asked to complete the application form by Friday 6 November 2020.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions the festival will be virtual, similar to Term 2, and all video submissions must be provided by Friday 13 November 2020.

A link with all performances will be shared with the MLC School community on Friday 20 November 2020.

Application Form

– Ying Ho
Head of Keyboard

Year 8 Japanese Filmmakers Acknowledged

This is a competition season for the Japanese Culture Club with our Year 8 students presented with their certificates this week.

Again, on the behalf of the Japanese Culture Club, I appreciate all the girls who participated in the Video Matsuri – Japanese Student Short Film Contest 2020 organised by Japan Foundation.

Similar to the Year 11 girls, the key item to be presented in the film was ‘water bottle’, すいとう. One video was also submitted to the Linguafest and its result will be released very soon.

To watch the films from our Year 8 girls, please follow the links below.

Water Bottles Attack! 
Created by Cara Britton (Year 8), Emily Edwards (Year 8), Isabella Kristallis (Year 8), Hana Lee (Year 8), Magdalene Miltiades (Year 8), Lily Rutherford (Year 8) and Amy Zhao (Year 8)

Water Bottle
Created by Anikah Sanan (Year 8), Jaiden Sinozic (Year 8) and Azzura Zappacosta (Year 8)

Suitou Rangers
Created by Chloe Hui (Year 8), Aileen Leong (Year 8), Jana Mourad (Year 8), Amelia Norton (Year 8) and Cara Wu (Year 8)

The Japanese Culture Club will continue to provide opportunities for students interested in learning Japanese.

– Kentaro Otani and Monica Lee
Japanese Culture Club Coordinators

The Speech and Drama Studio

Term 4 Speech and Drama Blastoff!

It is  wonderful to welcome back all of our students after the holidays, excited to dive into Speech and Drama for Term 4.

ASCA and Trinity Exams

Students from Year 2 to Year 4 are busily preparing for their Australian Speech Communication Association (ASCA) exams in Week 4. The students have enjoyed devising their scenes, mimes, poems and readers theatre. When I watched the various groups this week it was fabulous to see how enthusiastic and focused the girls were and all committed to doing their very best work for their exam.

Students from Year 5 to Year 12 will be doing a Trinity College of London exam in Week 6 or an ASCA exam in Week 7. We look forward to welcoming our ASCA examiner to MLC School where the students will do face-to-face exams. The Trinity exams will be filmed and sent digitally to London for examination.

I am so impressed with the commitment and enthusiasm the girls are putting into their exam preparation.

‘For our ASCA exam we are performing a script we wrote and a mime. Our performance is set at a bus stop and is about two girls who fall into a world of chocolate! We can’t wait to do our exam. We are so excited! I love Speech and Drama because I get to perform and have fun with my friends.’ – Bethany Haddad (Year 3)

Inner West Eisteddfod

Seventy-one Speech and Drama Studio students will represent MLC School in the Inner West Eisteddfod in the coming weeks. Students have been having fun practising their poems, character recitals, duologues, speeches, prose pieces and improvisation. We are so proud of the girls for their commitment and being outstanding MLC School representatives in the Speech and Drama community. 

Pre-Kindergarten to Year 1 Public Speaking and Communication Skills

The Term 4 study focus is public speaking and communication skills. This body of work covers the following areas:

• Gives students practice in different kinds of talk such as narratives, recounts, discussions, arguments, debates, informative talks and so on
• Encourages creative and spontaneous thinking
• Assists with articulating thoughts quickly and clearly in to spoken word
• Develops skills used to engage an audience
• A strong focus on vocal skills and how the use of modulation, pause, emphasis, vocal energy and emotion will assist greatly in getting your point across
• Equip students with skills for managing nerves
• Promotes human skills such as listening, appreciation of others’ work, and the ability to give positive and constructive feedback to peers

*Please note, the Year 2 to Year 4 students will also focus on public speaking, debating and communication skills for the second half of the term after their ASCA exam

Term 4 Enrolments

Term 4 enrolments are still open for MLC School students wishing to commence Speech and Drama lessons.

•  Private and duo lessons  are available for all Year groups from Pre-K to Year 12 and are scheduled on a rotating basis through the day or held after school.
•  Pre-K to Year 1 group classes have a couple of places available, so enrol now to ensure your daughter’s spot. You won’t be charged for the missed lessons at the beginning of the term.
•  Year 2 to Year 4 group classes are currently closed due to the exams, however students can join for the second half of the term from Week 5 to Week 8. Alternatively, students can find a friend to team up with.
• Year 5 to Year 12 group classes are currently closed due to the exams, but students can team up with a friend and commence duo classes either rotating or on a fixed timetable. 

If you want to explore acting and performance technique, gain confidence in public speaking, debating and presentation skills, and discover the power of your voice then give Speech and Drama a try!

Your daughter’s $100 Creative Kids voucher can be used towards speech and drama fees.

For enrolments and enquiries please contact Speech and Drama Studio Director Monica Brian.

– Monica Brian
The Speech and Drama Studio Director

Pet of the Week

We would love to hear about your pet. Please email a photo and a paragraph to editor@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au.

‘This is Chung Chung (his name means smart boy in Cantonese). He is a 9-year-old German Shepherd who loves to swim and play around but sometimes he is the biggest, I mean the biggest couch potato. But, he is the sweetest little boy and he loves being around people because he has FOMO (fear of missing out).’

– Chloe Hui (Year 8)