From the Head of Junior School

This week we welcomed our new 2025 Pre-Kindergarten girls as part of their orientation program to ‘big school’. We look forward to seeing all our new students at Orientation Day on Friday 22 November 2024. It was also lovely to see so many Kindergarten parents and grandparents onsite for this week’s Junior School assembly. 

Kindergarten to Year 2 Splash Day 

Thank you again to all the parents who joined us for a fun afternoon in the pool at our Kindergarten to Year 2 Splash Day last Friday. 

Year 3 Outdoor Adventure  

Year 3 experienced their first sleep over outdoor adventure camp this week at Stanwell Tops. There were so many fun outdoor experiences including bushwalking, wall climbing, the giant swing and night activities. The Year 3 girls had a wonderful time, as did the teachers. I have no doubt the girls will sleep well tonight.  

Year 6 Outdoor Adventure  

Year 6 also had a highly engaging outdoor adventure at Katoomba in the Blue Mountains. The experiences were amazing with much fun. We look forward to reading all about their adventures in next week’s news.  

End of Year Celebrations 

There have been a few cultural festivals this week and next week you will soon notice the Christmas tree in our Junior School reception. Approaching Christmas is a wonderful time of year for celebrations. There will be times for celebrations, including the Pre-Kindergarten Christmas gathering and Year 6 dinner. At the end of the year each grade will have a designated time to celebrate. This is the appropriate gift giving time. This time is coordinated between parent grade representatives and the Year Coordinator. At all other times, it is business as usual with our strong emphasis on learning. To safeguard our girls’ focus on learning, I kindly ask that students do not bring personal gifts to school to pass onto others. It is appropriate that this takes place outside of school.  

We wish Year 5 all the very best for their Immersion to Canberra next week.

– Daniel Sandral
Head of Junior School

Deputy Head of Junior School – Wellbeing

I am reading a new book by Dr Justin Coulson titled Relationship Rules. It contains 85 ideas for communicating well in your relationships, especially with your children. These 85 ideas have a short explanation accompanying the idea, making it easy to read. I have enjoyed reading some of the titles of the ideas – a few which I will share below.

Love is spelled T.I.M.E.

To show our love to others takes time. Time with the person and time to listen. By truly listening we can begin to understand what is in the hearts of our loved ones. Evidence from around the world emphasises that our children thrive and our relationships flourish when we invest time.

Be where your feet are…

Be present, in the moment.

Have you ever been in conversations with people who are physically there, but are distracted, looking elsewhere, checking their device or doing something else, But not listening?

If your feet are in the kitchen in front of your five-year-old, you put your brain there too,

Stop, look, listen…

When our loved ones want our attention, we need to stop what we’re doing, look them in the eye, and listen with our hearts to be sure we really hear what they are saying to us.

Smile…

This makes people feel they are welcome and wanted. Smiling invites warmth and conversation.

Two ears, one mouth

Listen twice as much as you speak.

Take the ride, not the wheel…

When our children tell us something it can be tempting to jump in and take over the conversation. Let them stay behind the wheel and steer. You go along for the ride, listen closely, and see where they end up. Chances are that they’ll sense your trust, feel empowered, and work things out for themselves.

I hope you have enjoy ed reading just some of Dr Justin’s ideas for building and maintaining great relationships with your children (and other loved ones).

“To the world you may just be one person, but to one person you may be the world.”
– Dr Seuss

– Joanne Sharpe
Deputy Head of Junior School – Wellbeing

Junior School amazes at the Australian Mathematics Competition

We are thrilled to announce the outstanding results from this year’s Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC). Our students have excelled, showcasing their mathematical talents and dedication.

In the Middle Primary Division, we are proud to recognise two students who received Distinctions:

• Marina Chen (Year 3)
• Chloe Tang (Year 3)

Caitlyn Law (Year 4) achieved a High Distinction and was named Best in School.

In the Upper Primary Division, six students earned Distinctions:

• Elana Chrun (Year 5)
• Avery Satchcroft (Year 5)
• Ashwini Kanesalingam (Year 6)
• Maggie Ma (Year 6)
• Elina Yu (Year 6)
• Jasmine Luo (Year 6) – Best in School

Congratulations to all the girls who participated in 2024. Your hard work and achievements are truly commendable.

– Natalie Hird
Deputy Head of Junior School – Learning

Operation Art 2024 Exhibition

Each year, schools across New South Wales are invited to participate in Operation Art, an initiative of The Children’s Hospital at Westmead in association with the New South Wales Department of Education. The Operation Art program provides a forum for schools and students to demonstrate their Visual Arts achievements through exhibitions in galleries across NSW in 2025. Thousands of visitors will view these exhibitions, which comprises of over 800 works of art. 50 of these artworks have been selected to become part of the permanent collection at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead. The display of cheerful and uplifting artworks in the hospital has positive health benefits for children and their families during hospitalisation. It certainly is a worthwhile initiative.

This year, two of our MLC School artists are showcasing their artworks. Congratulations to Grace Luo (Year 2) and Avni Narang (Year 4). You can see their artworks and artist statements below.

‘My artwork is inspired by John Olsen. One frog is sleeping and the other is jumping in the water. I made it by monoprinting, relief printing and drawing with ink.”
– Grace Luo (Year 2)

“This flower symbolises my grandparents’ garden. I made it because they are special to me. I wet felted wool rovings and string.”
– Avni Narang (Year 4)

The Operation Art exhibition for Sydney-based schools will be on display at the Fairfield City Museum and Gallery. It will be open from Sunday 24 May to Saturday 19 July 2025. We look forward to seeing these outstanding artworks on display.

– Victoria Bradshaw and Lesley Snelgrove
Junior School Visual Arts Teachers

Year 3 at Stanwell Tops

This year’s Year 3 Camp was an unforgettable adventure filled with laughs, challenges, and plenty of bravery. Our young explorers showed us their daring sides with each activity, and we couldn’t be prouder.

The highlight for many was the giant swing. Watching everyone’s faces as they were lifted higher and higher was priceless – some looked ready to take on the world, while others were giving the “why did I sign up for this?!” Still, we took the leap and zoomed through the air, with screams of excitement.

We also had an Indigenous session,where students had the chance to try flavors of lemon myrtle and wattle seed. We learned about the use of different materials to make traditional hunting weapons, and we also got the chance to play a new game! 

The Rock wall climbing was another test of courage. We saw some amazing scaling skills, with plenty of “I’m almost there!” calls. Every student gave it their all, and many reached the top with huge smiles and well-earned high-fives.

We had a blast, and we’re already counting down to next year’s camp for even more laughs and new memories!

–  Samantha Edwards
Teacher

Click on gallery to view full images

Celine’s Piano Concerto

The MLC School community is proud to announce that Celine Kang (2018) and currently a piano and oboe teacher at MLC School, has won the 2024 UNSW Concerto Competition.

Celine will be performing at a special concert hosted by the UNSW Orchestra, which will feature a range of performances, including the world premiere of a Shostakovich symphony and her own rendition of Beethoven’s piano concerto. 

Event Details:

• Date: Friday, 15 November 2024
• Time: 7pm
• Location: Sir John Clancy Auditorium, UNSW, Hosted by the University of New South Wales

We congratulate Celine on this remarkable achievement and look forward to celebrating her success.

Click here to read Celine’s recent interview with UNSW

Upcoming Events in Term 4 Music

The Music Department is excited to announce a series of upcoming events showcasing the incredible talents of our students.

Please save the following dates. Note that all music activities, including private lessons and ensembles, will continue as usual from Week 1 of Term 4.

Voice Festival – Tuesday 5 November 2024
3.30pm – 4.30pm
Music Auditorium

Year 6 – Year 12 Solo and Group Voice performance opportunity

Piano Festival – Friday 8 November 2024
3.30pm – 4.30pm
Daphne Line Hall, Chapel, Music Auditorium

Pre-Kindergarten – Year 12 Solo Piano Performance opportunity

String Soiree – Monday 18 November 2024
5pm – 6pm
Potts Hall

All Junior and Senior School co-curricular String Ensembles

Band Soiree – Tuesday 19 November 2024
4pm – 5.30pm
Potts Hall

All Year 5 – Year 12 Band Students

Year 6 Musical – Evening Performance
Friday 29 November 2024
6pm – 7.30pm
Potts Hall

Year 6 Musical – Matinee Performance – Saturday 30 November 2024
5pm – 6.30pm
Potts Hall

– Vicky Rodrigues
Music Administrator

From the Acting Head of Senior School

There is always much happening at MLC School. This week as our Year 12 students continued with their HSC and IB examinations, our new team of captains led a wonderful and diverse school assembly. We were presented with a signed Matildas Jersey, donated by Scott Carpenter, and a signed GWS Giants jersey, donated by Joanne Sharpe. A huge thank you to Scott and Joanne for generous donations! These jerseys will be raffled to raise funds for the Sony Camp at the end of this year. We also heard from students who recently participated involved in overseas experiences such as the Round Square Conference in Colombia and Culture College in Arnhem land. It was wonderful to see our students thriving in these contexts.

We had many Year 11 parents join us for the HSC/ IB  information webinars on Wednesday evening and we wish our Year 11 cohort a positive and rewarding experience on their retreat next week in Katoomba, a valuable component of their transition into Year 12. Please click on the links below to view the webinars.

Click here for the the Year 12 2025 IB Information Webinar Recording

Click here for the Year 12 2025 HSC Information Webinar recording

We also had the opportunity to celebrate and recognise our incoming SRC leaders and various other folio captains for 2025, including Sport, Music, Visual Arts and Technology. Becoming a captain is not merely a title; it is a testament to one’s character, dedication, and leadership abilities. In accepting these roles, our captains have embraced the responsibility of upholding our values, promoting respect, unity, and striving for excellence in everything they do. We look forward to their school service, contributions and positive impact. Congratulations to all.

Year 11 2025 SRC Captains:
Laila Chopra
Zoya Rezainia
Sasha Murray

Year 10 2025 SRC Captains:
Stephanie Keo
Luella Farah
Carla Najdek

Year 9 2025 SRC Captains:
Yolanda Deng
Lucy Stoddard
Matilda Li
Jasmin Srisathkurunathan

Year 8 2025 SRC Captains:
Leela Das
Amara Sivagurunathan
Summer Nguyen

Music Sub Captains

• Choir Co Captain – Amy Lee (Year 11)
• Choir Co Captain – Olivia Zein (Year 11)
• Orchestra Captain – Tasha Wong (Year 11)
• Chamber Music Captain – Justine Zhang (Year 11)
• Band Captain – Liliana Hollands (Year 11)
• Taiko Captain – Abigail Bush (Year 11)
• Keyboard Captain – Sarinna Cai (Year 11)
• Contemporary Music Captain – Anika Springford (Year 11)

VA & TAS Sub Captains

• Design and Technology Captain – Maya Al-Soufi (Year 11)
• Food Technology Captain – Alison Wong (Year 11)
• Textiles Captain – Alice van der Stel (Year 9)
• Multimedia Captain – Stephanie Keo (Year 9)
• Photography Captain – Charlotte Penny (Year 11)

Sport Sub Captains

• AFL Captain – Ella Van den Borne (Year 11)
• Athletics Captain – Macy Tanner-Black (Year 11)
• Gymnastics Captain – Misha Behi (Year 11)
• Fencing Captain – Felicia Hannah (Year 11)
• Badminton Captain – Angelina Zhang (Year 11)
• Snowsports Captain – Zaz Tiglao (Year 11)
• Diving Captain – Tahlia Jeffery (Year 11)
• Cross Country Captain – Hattie Russell (Year 11)
• Basketball Captain – Sima Tebbutt (Year 11)
• Football Captain – Lucy Coxsedge (Year 11)
• Hockey Captain – Anastazia Samad (Year 11)
• Netball Captain – Amelia McNamara (Year 11)
• Swimming Captain – Annaliese Yan (Year 11)
• Tennis Captain – Lana McLean (Year 11)
• Touch Football Captain – Mimi Pullinger (Year 11)
• Waterpolo Captain – Zoe Pollard (Year 10)
• Rowing Captain – Ella Baker (Year 11)

– Andrew Taylor
Acting Head of Senior School

From the Acting Deputy Head of Senior School – Pastoral

Wellbeing Wednesdays

This week our Wellbeing Captain, Zoe Likely (Year 11), launched ‘Wellbeing Wednesdays’ on the quad at lunchtime. This provides an opportunity for students to play games together and have some fun before going back to class. Captains set up games of cornhole, giant Connect 4 and a nostalgic parachute. The Spirit Speaker – the gift from the Class of 2024 – also got some good use to keep the energy going.

It was brilliant to see students from all year groups playing games together, and to hear the sort of delighted squeals usually reserved for primary school playgrounds. This initiative will run every Wednesday Week A. Well done to Zoe and her team of Captains for leading this and bringing a little extra joy to the day.

– Fiona Pow
Acting Deputy Head of Senior School – Pastoral

Click on gallery to view full images

Year 7

This week we were excited to have our SRC Representatives for 2025 announced during our Senior School Assembly. A big congratulations to Summer Nguyen (Year 7), Amara Sivagurunathan (Year 7) and Leela Das (Year 7) on being elected as our representatives for Year 8! I know all three girls are excited to work closely with the SRC to support the student body and to ensure student voice is included in planning for a range of activities and initiatives at the school. I want to pass on my thanks on behalf of the cohort to Phoebe Tang (Year 7), Isabella Zhou (Year 7) and Raquel Gill (Year 7) for their representation on the SRC for Year 7 this year!  

On Thursday our Year 10 Peer Support Leaders took Year 7 through a session on Strengthening Connections, in particular a focus on being upstanders in support of their peers. In exploring a range of scenarios, students were encouraged to consider how they might respond and how they might address behaviours which are unacceptable or disrespectful. I would like to take the opportunity to thank all the Year 10 Peer Support leaders for their support of Year 7 this year. Their guidance and advice across these sessions have been helpful in allowing the cohort to settle into school and manage some of the social challenges they experienced.  

Unfortunately, in the last few weeks we have had several students contacting their parents directly when they feel unwell. I would appreciate parental support in reminding students that they are to sign into the Health Centre and be attended to by one of our Nurses, should they feel sick. If our Nurses feel that the student needs to be collected to rest from home or to seek further medical care, they will call and speak with a parent or carer to coordinate. This allows us to sign the student out of school appropriately and to ensure our attendance records are accurate.  

Key Dates for the Diary – Term 4: 

• Year 7 Reports released to parents: Friday 1 November (Week 3)  – please log in to Omnia and look in My Students section for the report
• Middle Years Production: Wednesday 13 November – Friday 15 November 2024 (Week 5) 
• MLC School Idol: Friday 22 November 2024 (Week 6) 
• Final Day of Lessons: Wednesday 4 December (Week 8)  
• Speech Night: Thursday 5 December 2024 (Week 8) 

– Bridget Kovats
Head of Year 7

Click on gallery to view full images

Year 8

It has been another busy week for Year 8, with Geography, Technology and Visual Arts assessment tasks being completed and submitted. While these were the last formal assessments for the 2024 academic year, please remind your daughter that she will continue to learn and consolidate her knowledge in her classes up until the end of Term 4. You might like to refer to last week’s newsletter article here by Linda Emms, Head of Learning and Teaching, to read more about this approach to learning and teaching at MLC School.

On Wednesday in Assembly, the Year 9 2025 Student Representative Council (SRC) representatives were announced. Congratulations to Year 8 students Yolanda Deng, Matilda Li, Jasmin Srisathkurunathan and Lucy Stoddard, who have been elected by their peers to represent the ‘voice’ and views of Year 9 in 2025!

In Luminary this week, Year 8 spent time reflecting on how they had grown in 2024. Students were asked to consider what they were proud of having achieved, across academic, co-curricular, personal and social domains. Looking forward to 2025, they also set some personal goals for Year 9. I would encourage you to discuss these goals with your daughter over the coming weeks, and importantly, find time to celebrate her personal growth and achievements this year.

Finally, I would like to acknowledge and thank the Year 8 students who volunteered their time over Friday 25 and Saturday 26 October to assist with the running of the IGSA Festival of Speech at MLC School. It was a joy to watch Year 8 student volunteers complete each task that was given to them with enthusiasm and professionalism, whether it was assisting with bags, time keeping, touring visitors, guarding doors or announcing the order of competitors in a competition.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact me or your daughter’s Luminary teacher if you need any assistance.

– Emily Marsh
Acting Head of Year 8

Year 9

Lots of exciting items have been announced this week for Year 9. In Assembly and Year Meeting, we celebrated our three new Student Representative Council reps for Year 10 2025. Congratulations to Luella Farah (Year 9), Stephanie Keo (Year 9) and Carla Najdek (Year 9) on their new roles. I’d also like to sincerely thank and applaud the outgoing SRC reps; Georgia Delis (Year 9), Chloe Nguyen (Year 9) and Yerina Kang (Year 9), for doing a stellar job representing Year 9 this year. Well done to all the students who put their names forward for nomination. It shows great growth and courage and I am proud of you all.

I’d also like to extend a big congratulations to the Year 9 students, who have been officially elected to a Leadership Sub-Captain Role for 2025 in the VA and TAS Department. Well done to Alice van der Stel (Year 9) (Textiles Sub-Captain) and Stephanie Keo (Multimedia Sub-Captain), we are so excited to see where these roles take you and the amazing things you will do.

Finally, in our Year Meeting, Andrew Taylor (Acting Head of Senior School) introduced the Peer Support program for Year 10 2025. It is an opportunity for students to be involved with the incoming Year 7 students and be a mentor and guide for them. The students must apply to be accepted into the program and will then attend an incursion/training day to prepare them for the role. The form for application will be sent to students next week and I am really looking forward to helping the students prepare for this exciting and meaningful role.

I hope you have a lovely weekend, and please contact your child’s Luminary or me if you need any assistance.

– Claire White 
Head of Year 9

Year 9 PASS Update

As a part of the current unit of work; Issues in Sport, Year 9 PASS (Physical Activity and Sports Studies) students have been learning about inclusivity in sport and physical activity by exploring variations of adaptive sports that increase accessibility.  

Last week, students had the wonderful opportunity to participate in a Wheelchair Rugby League practical incursion run by the NRL Wheelchair team. The session provided students with the chance to learn the rules of the game and actively participate, gaining insight into the sport and its challenges. Students learned essential skills, including manoeuvring the wheelchairs, passing, and tagging. The instructors emphasised the importance of teamwork, coordination, and adaptability – skills that are vital during the game and in everyday life.

The incursion was an incredible opportunity for Year 9 to learn something new and develop a deeper understanding of inclusivity in sport. All students participated with great effort and enjoyed the challenge!

– Emily Osborne
PDHPE Teacher

Year 10

This week during Luminary Year 10 voted for a Speech Night award, the Phyllis E Watt Prize for leadership. This prize is for a student voted by peers who has shown great leadership and has given selfless service to the School in the same way Phyllis did. As a 4^th Form Mistress (now Year 10), Phyllis was a selfless person, utterly dedicated to the MLC School and her ‘girls’.

On Thursday 31 October, our Peer Support students from Year 10 led sessions with Year 7 on Strengthening our Connections. A long-known and research-driven tool to promote resilience, MLC School devotes time to planning and strengthening connections for students and continuing to evolve and reflect on how we can promote a sense of belonging for all students.

At the Senior School Assembly on Wednesday 30 October, leadership positions were announced to support our Year 12 Leadership team. Congratulations go to our Year 11 SRC representatives Laila Chopra, Zoya Rezainia and Sasha Murray, and the Captain of Water Polo, Zoe Pollard. I am sure they will enjoy the opportunity. A special shout-out goes out to all the students who had put themselves forward for SRC or sub-captain positions, it takes courage to nominate and then to congratulate your peers for receiving positions. Thank you to our outgoing Year 10 SRC representatives Julia Choi, Sophie Winnall and Ze Wong, I know they enjoyed the experience of working with the 2024 Vice Captains and being part of a collaborative team.

It is getting very exciting as the Year 10 Immersions grow close and a modified timetable once Year 10 come back from the immersions in Week 6. Please see David Posker-Hill’s piece from last week regarding this. I can feel the pull of Year 11 drawing close for our cohort and am excited for the changes that are ahead for them.

Please reach out if you are concerned about your daughter at all. I can be contacted via email arenwick@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au or my direct line 8741 3278.

Important Dates Coming up

• Friday 9 November – Immersion preparation day
• Saturday 9 November – New Zealand Immersion begins
• Monday 11 November – Sydney Immersion begins
• Tuesday 12 November – Sydney Immersion overnight experience with Urban Challenge begins
• Monday 18 November – Optional service day
• Tuesday 19 November – Immersion project day
• Wednesday 20 November – Alternative Year 10 Senior program begins

– Angela Renwick
Head of Year 10

Volunteering at Loaves & Fishes: A Heartwarming Experience

Our day volunteering at Loaves & Fishes restaurant was filled with smiles, laughter, and unforgettable moments. We began by preparing cutlery and lunch meals, wrapping each set of a knife, fork, and spoon in a napkin before dipping it in vinegar to eliminate bacteria. After that, Kyra and I helped package frozen meals for families who couldn’t make it to the restaurant but still needed support. What amazed us most was learning that this incredible charity, which serves over 40,000 meals each month across Sydney, operates entirely on donations rather than government funding. With vans stationed in various locations, Loaves and Fishes makes their services accessible to even more people in need.

As lunchtime approached, the church came alive with warmth and joy. The air was filled with uplifting piano music performed by the talented Robert, whose melodies sparked smiles and clapping from everyone present. The atmosphere was electric, with the simple joy of a shared meal bringing the community together and lifting spirits. Throughout the day, we had meaningful interactions with the guests, including one gentleman who lightened the room with his jokes, leaving everyone laughing and spreading cheer. Witnessing so many volunteers and community members come together to create such a positive and inclusive environment was truly inspiring. A big thank you to Mr Lindstrom and Ms Rowley for volunteering to come with us, they were an amazing part of this experience. This is an incredible opportunity that has made Lila, and I want to volunteer more. Thank you, Loaves & Fishes, for having us. It was so inspiring!

– Lila Zheng (Year 9) and Kyra Narang (Year 9)

Click on gallery to view full images

Year 11

We’ve had a great week in Year 11. The week has been busy with last minute planning for the retreat, Year 11 chapel, parent teacher interviews and the Year 12 2025 webinar on Wednesday evening. Please see the links below to view the HSC/ IB  information webinar recordings:

Click here for the the Year 12 2025 IB Information Webinar Recording

Click here for the Year 12 2025 HSC Information Webinar recording

Thanks for your time and support of these events. One of the wellbeing initiatives we have at MLC School is the Circles Solutions programme, which I referred to in the seminar. For more information on the programme, please see here.

On Tuesday, Sutton House hosted our Chapel service, supported by their luminary, Alex Schroder. Sarinna Cai (Year 11) played the piano beautifully for us and everyone contributed to readings and helping to organise the service. Pastor Caitlin Scott gave a wonderful sermon on service and how to look for opportunities in our community to care for others. This coincided with the Uniting Church fundraising initiative in Week 3.

Wednesday’s whole school Assembly was ably led by the 2025 captain group, who announced SRC positions for next year and the sub captains for co-curricular. Liliana Hollands (Year 11), Priyanka Thanigasalam (Year 11) and Khushii Varma (Year 11) gave a great presentation on their time at the Round Square conference in the US and Colombia during the October break. The amazing opportunities provided for students at MLC School.

We hope you found the parent teacher interviews productive and helpful for you to gain an understanding of your daughter’s learning. Teachers also find these sessions helpful to answer your questions, offer support strategies for study and revision and to explain the course and assessment programme for that subject.

I am available Monday to Friday to discuss any concerns you may have about your daughter’s wellbeing and progress. I can be contacted via email on sconnolly1@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au or 02 8741 9736.

– Sharon Connolly
Head of Year 11

From the Principal

Celebrating Girls Expression at the IGSA Festival of Speech

Last Friday evening and all day Saturday, MLC School hosted the IGSA (Independent Girls’ Schools Association) Festival of Speech 2024. This vibrant two-day event brought together girls from independent schools around NSW and ACT and provided a platform for young voices to shine through self-expression and creativity.

Throughout the festival, participants engaged in a variety of speech and performance activities, showcasing their talents and passion.  The atmosphere was electric, filled with enthusiasm and camaraderie as students supported one another in their endeavours.

IGSA administers and convenes inter-school activities such as the IGSA Festival of Speech. The festival, which began in 1996, now sees participation from over 500 students from 27 schools. Girls from Year 7 to Year 11 can perform in areas such as drama, debating, poetry, prose readings, theatresports, current affairs, and religious and ethical questions.

The IGSA Festival of Speech is more than just a competition; it is a celebration of the power of words and the importance of communication. It provides a unique opportunity for girls to develop their public speaking skills, build confidence, and form lasting connections with their peers from other schools.

Moreover, this festival underscores the importance of girls’ education. By participating in such events, girls are given the chance to flourish in an environment that encourages intellectual growth and self-expression. The festival empowers them to voice their opinions, share their stories, and engage in meaningful dialogue, all of which are crucial for their personal and academic development.

Girls’ education is pivotal in shaping future leaders and change-makers. Events like the IGSA Festival of Speech play a significant role in fostering a sense of confidence and resilience in young women. They learn to articulate their thoughts clearly, stand up for their beliefs, and inspire others with their words. This not only prepares them for future challenges but also helps them to become active and informed citizens.

My gratitude extends to the large number of staff and students who volunteered their time and effort to ensure the smooth running of the festival. They welcomed guests; supported the various events, the conveners and judges. Their hard work and enthusiasm exemplify the ‘can do’ spirit of MLC School and the welcoming nature of our community.

The host of student volunteers (almost 100 students from Year 7, 8, 9 and 11) were exemplary ambassadors for the School. They showed themselves to be capable, resourceful young women. The entire event reflected positively on our facilities, staff, students and our professional approach to planning and event delivery.

My sincere thanks to Sarah Jauncey, Director of Co-curricular; Andrea Rowe, Debating Coordinator; and Jillian Avramis, Event Manager who were the driving force behind the festival. They did so with the enduring support of the co-curricular coordinators, Marketing and Community Relations team, Facilities, and the host of staff who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure MLC School delivered an exceptional event. I received so many compliments and was extremely proud of our School.

Thank you to everyone who participated and supported the IGSA Festival of Speech 2024. Your contributions made this event a memorable and inspiring experience for all.

 – Lisa Moloney
Principal

Missing Information?

We understand that staying informed about your child’s school activities and important updates is crucial. Recently, we’ve transitioned from sending information via email to using notices sent via the MLC School app, these can also be seen in the News section in Omnia. This change aims to streamline communication and ensure you receive timely updates, in just two main places.

To stay connected and never miss out on important information, we encourage all parents to:

1. Sign Up for the MLC School App: Click here for instructions – ensure you have Notifications turned on in Settings
2. Check Omnia Regularly: Visit the News section in Omnia frequently to stay updated on the latest news and information, and to give Excursion permissions: https://omnia.mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au/dashboard.

By following these steps, you’ll ensure that you are always in the loop and can actively participate in your child’s educational journey.

Where’s the weekly newsletter?

You’ll find it under Newsletters in the app, or Audacia in the side bar in Omnia.
Click here to view past issues of Audacia

It is released every Friday afternoon.

Where’s the weekly Event email?

You’ll find it in a notification sent each Tuesday through the MLC School app, and also in News in Omnia. Check for the relevant date in the Omnia list.

Looking for your daughter’s report?

You’ll find it in Omnia under My Students

Please feel free to contact me at any time mdunn@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au

Many thanks for your cooperation and support.

– Michele Dunn
Head of Marketing and Community Relations

Festival of Speech 2024 hosted by MLC School

Last Friday afternoon and all day Saturday, after months of preparation, over 250 students began arriving at MLC School for the start of this year’s IGSA Festival of Speech. There were 13 different events run over both Friday evening and Saturday with 27 girls’ schools participating.

Our own group of 30 students put in a lot of work practising and preparing for both team and individual events with their coaches and teachers.  Everyone represented MLC School with style and distinction, generously giving up their time to make sure our school was competing in every event. Many in the team were participating for the first time in events and took on the challenge courageously. They laid the foundations for great success next year. Our representatives were:

MLC School came 3^rd in the Junior division, 4^th in the Senior division and 4^th overall in this year’s event. Thank you to the teachers and coaches, Monica Brian, Georgia Thorne, Taylor Buoro-Long, Jade di Girolamo, Sarah Pearson, Callum McCrow and Brendan Winters for all their dedicated work with each student.

– Andrea Rowe
Oratory Co-ordinator

2024 MLC School Dance Showcase – Videos Now Available

We are excited to share the footage from our 2024 Dance Showcase, titled Fortitude: Stories of Resilience, which took place on Sunday 8 September 2024, at the NIDA Parade Theatre. This year’s showcase celebrated the inspiring narratives of individuals who have triumphed over adversity throughout history.

At MLC School, we view dance as a vital communicative art form. Our program emphasises critical thinking and non-verbal communication, encouraging students to transcend traditional aesthetics. Fortitude: Stories of Resilience allowed our dancers to explore movement as a means of storytelling, showcasing the strength and courage of both renowned figures and unsung heroes. We encouraged each student to integrate their personal perspectives into the thematic narrative, ensuring an authentic representation of overcoming challenges.

We invite you to enjoy the showcase footage and celebrate the remarkable achievements of our dancers.

You will need to use the password DANCESHOW24

Click here to view videos

– Jenna Skepper
Dance Coordinator

Parents of additional needs Christmas catch up

Friday 29 November
From 8.15am
The Picnic at Burwood

We encourage and welcome all parents of children with any additional/social needs to drop by and join us for a Christmas catch up.

Parents from both Junior and Senior school are welcome. No RSVP required.

Year 9 and Pre-Kindergarten Students Uniform Fitting

The uniform shop would like to invite all current Year 9 students to come in for their senior uniform fitting appointment, and Pre-Kindergarten students for their Kindergarten uniform fitting appointment in October and November.  January appointments are fully booked.

Community Connect at Burwood

Date: 13 November 2024
Time: 10am – 2pm
Location: Penfold Room, Woodstock Centre, 22 Church Street, Burwood

Join us for a vibrant celebration of resilience, courage, and camaraderie at the Family Festivity Event. This multicultural gathering is designed to bring together diverse communities to share in the joys of music, food, performances, arts and crafts, mindfulness activities, and play activities for children.

What to Expect:

• Music and Performances: Enjoy a variety of musical acts and performances that showcase the rich cultural diversity of our community.
• Delicious Food: Savor an array of culinary delights from different cultures.
• Arts and Crafts: Engage in creative activities that highlight traditional and contemporary art forms.
• Mindfulness Activities: Participate in sessions designed to promote mental well-being and relaxation.
• Children’s Play Activities: Fun and engaging activities for the little ones.
• Access to Services: Learn about and access various community services available to you.

This event is a wonderful opportunity for Burwood and Inner West families to weave cultural harmony under the sun.

Registration is essential. Please call (02) 9744 1866 or email programs@cabl.org.au to secure your spot.

Community Connect: This event is brought to you by CABL, Burwood Council, Burwood Rotary, and our other partners. We look forward to seeing you there.

All are welcome!

From the Director of eLearning

eLearning for your daughter  @ MLC School

“The technology itself is not transformative. It’s the school, the pedagogy, that is transformative.”
– Tanya Byron

In my role, as the Director of eLearning, it is my honour to work and connect with all stakeholders in the community to provide support in integration and implementation of technology in practice.

The teachers at MLC School and myself strive to ensure that students are educated both in cybersafety and digital literacy.

With the support of the staff body, I facilitate a series of presentations to discuss agenda items such as the appropriate use and the dangers of social media, social etiquette both in groups chats and gaming forums but most important steps to take in a challenging situation.

Further students participate in digital learning workshops where they can upskill in Microsoft office applications Online platforms such as Padlet, Canva and Blooket but most recently the ethical use of Artificial Intelligence in their learning and production of work.

Staff members at MLC School are lifelong learners and they too participate in regular professional learning in digital literacy creating a community that provides your daughter a future focused, individualised educational experience.

I have created a Padlet (which is a virtual pinboard) for all of you to access some further information such as:

• How we at MLC School can provide support at home regarding the use of technology
• Several resources form the esafety commissioner
• Information from apple about parental controls
• My contact details.

Please scan the QR code below to access the Padlet:

Finally, MLC School has been a leading force in the use of technology in education across decades, this statement still stands and this community strives to ensure that your daughter is part on an inclusive environment of collective learning!

“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.”
– Malcom X

– Marianna Carlino
Director of eLearning

After School Study Support – Year 10 to Year 12

All information for After School Study Support can be found in Omnia under School Information / Senior School / After School Study, using this link: https://omnia.mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au/school-information/senior-school/after-school-study/

Week commencing Monday 28 October 2024 to Thursday 7 November 2024 – After School Study Session Nomination Form 

The program aims to provide students with a quiet focused environment in which they can maximise their study time with assistance on hand when required.  The sessions are run by our team of highly supportive mentors, most of whom are pre-service teachers. They have subject matter expertise across a range of disciplines including English, Mathematics, the Sciences, History, Legal Studies, Economics, Geography, Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE), Sports, Exercise and Health Science (SEHS) and Drama.

Led by Ela Huber, our Program Coordinator, each session commences with girls doing a goal setting exercise so that there are clear outcomes for the session. The study sessions are a phone free zone meaning students are required to hand in their phones at the start of each session. In addition to subject specific support our mentors can provide additional support in setting up study plans, examination preparation techniques and completion of assessments. Please note our mentors will provide verbal feedback on drafts only.

Program Overview

• The sessions run from 3.30pm to 6pm Monday to Thursday on level 3 of the Senior Centre.
• It is expected that students will attend for the entirety of the session. If in exceptional circumstances your daughter needs to leave early this should be prearranged with the program coordinator.
• The sessions are phone free, and your daughter will be expected to hand in her phone at the beginning of the session.
• Each session will commence with a short goal setting exercise so there is a clear plan of what they wish to achieve in the time.
• If your daughter has been registered for a session and does not attend, you will receive an email informing you of their non-attendance. You will still be charged for the session.
• Parents will be able to register their daughter two weeks in advance via a link on the parent portal and the weekly newsletter.
• The cost per session is $25. Charges will be added to your daughter’s account at the end of the term.

If you would like your daughter to attend, please register her through the link provided below. You can also register on Omnia by going to School Information/Senior School/After School Study.

If you have any questions, please contact our program coordinator by email here.

Week commencing Monday 28 October 2024 to Thursday 7 November 2024 – After School Study Session Nomination Form.

– Linda Emms
Head of Learning and Teaching

2025 Sports Captains

Congratulations to the following students who were elected individual sports captains for 2025.

They will be supporting our 2025 Sports Captain Lucy Coxsedge (Year 11). We look forward to their leadership and what they have planned for 2025.

– Lisa Filby
Direct of Sport

Parent Corner

This week, you can substitute football with the sport your daughter plays. The message remains the same.

#juniorgrassroots

Aquatic Centre Renovations

The Aquatic Centre will be renovating our existing changerooms and bathrooms. We are hoping this will make significant improvement to our facilities by upgrading the existing toilets, showers and changing space in both the male, female and family/disabled bathrooms to provide a better experience for all.

During the renovation process, the changeroom and surrounding area will be closed and inaccessible for all. The pool deck will still be accessible by the main stairwell, however the space behind will be out of action for the entirety of the project. In the interim, we will provide temporary bathroom facilities on the outside deck at the squad end of the pool. Please note that these facilities will only include portable toilets with no changing areas. The pool deck showers will remain in operation for rinse off only, however these will be the only option available at this time. Please note: all safety measures have been put into place and risk assessments conducted to ensure your safety will always be assured.

For students who are participating in sport training, the following arrangements have been made.

For water polo, diving, cocurricular swimming, rowing, touch football, badminton and tennis, students can get changed in the demountable (FD3) next to the Aquatic Centre. The demountables have been fitted with curtains and privacy screens.

Volleyball, and basketball students can use the bathrooms in the corridor leading to the Britannia St Car Park. The area will be supervised by staff members.

Junior School basketballers will continue to be walked to Junior School to change.

We understand that the temporary lack of changerooms and restrooms may cause inconvenience, and we sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding during this period. The renovations are set to begin on Monday 4 November 2024, and are expected to be completed by Friday 24 January 24 2025 (subject to change).

– Lisa Filby
Director of Sport

Taylor’s Amazing Sailing Achievement

Congratulations to Taylor Lu (Year 8) who competed in the 2024 ACT Optimist State Championship Sailing Regatta in Canberra and placed 1st Female Skipper in her division.  

Taylor will be competing in a few more Sailing Regattas this year before heading to Nationals for one week in January at the 2025 Musto Australian Optimist Championship to be held in Brisbane.

Taylor is being coached and mentored by MLC School Old Girl and World Sailing competitor Caitlin Hartnett (2023).

– Lisa Filby
Direct of Sport

Olivia’s great Swimming Achievement

Congratulations to Olivia Burke (Year 7) on her swimming achievements over the weekend. Olivia swam State qualifying times in the 400m Freestyle, 100m Freestyle and 50m Freestyle.

Olivia is a member of our Emerging Athlete Program, and we are very proud of her and these results.

– Lisa Filby
Direct of Sport

Athletics Update – Canterbury Little Athletics Centre

MLC School Sports Department is excited to announce that we have partnered with Canterbury Little Athletics to provide MLC School students with access to general athletics training, specialised athletics training and competition and representative opportunities.   

Canterbury Little Athletics Centre (CLAC) is affiliated with Little Athletics NSW (LANSW). Athletes must be registered with LANSW before competing.

The Sports Department believe that partnering with CLAC will strengthen our athletics program by allowing MLC School students to access specialised coaching, and the weekly competition nights will provide the much needed competition practise that our students require to be competitive in the IGSA and IPSHA championships.

It will also provide students with the opportunity to participate in field events we cannot do at school e.g. long jump, discus and javelin. We believe that access to the NSW athletics representative pathway will be of great benefit to our emerging athletes and those students who wish to pursue athletics in a representative capacity. 

CLAC run competition nights each Friday from 6pm, between September and March at Campbell Field, Canterbury. Finish times vary depending on the number of athletes present on competition night and the weekly event program. There is a mid-season break over the Christmas/New Year period. Please note: Because the registration period opened in August, the 9 year old (born 2016) and 11 year old (born 2014) age groups are now full.

Uniform   

On Friday evenings, students will be required to wear the Canterbury Little As uniform which consists of a singlet top or crop top and black running shorts. You can purchase this online on the CLAC website.   

The black shorts are generic so you can wear any plain black running shorts or bike pants.   

Location   

Campbell Athletic Field
Princess St Ashbury   
If students in Years 6 – 12 require transport to Campbell Athletic Field, a bus will be leaving school at 5.30pm on Fridays. This will be a one way trip. Students will need to be collected from Campbell Field at the conclusion of the session.   

If there is no demand for transport, a bus will not be provided.    
The CLAC website has more detailed information about their club.

Moving forward for 2025, the athletics program will look like this:

• Wednesday afternoons (Year round) at Olympic Park
• Friday Nights (Little A’s September to April)

If you would like your daughter to join the Athletics Program, please complete this form along with the registration with Canterbury Athletics

Click here to register

– Lisa Filby
Director of Sport

Husky Triathlon Festival

The Shimano Huskisson Triathlon Festival will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2025. This premier triathlon festival is held in Huskisson, Australia​ which is known for its picturesque location and challenging course, the triathlon has become a staple in the world triathlon calendar.

If you are interested in registering for a triathlon, swimming or running event, you can register here: https://huskytri.com.au/

– Lisa Filby
Director of Sport

Important Sport Notices

The Sports Department is located in the Aquatic Centre on the pool deck level and is open from 7am – 5pm Monday to Friday should you wish to speak to a staff member.

REMEMBER!

Please make sure you regularly read the Sports Update each week, follow our Facebook page, and check your emails. These forms of communication will give you upcoming sports dates, the weekly fixtures, student achievements and other important information relating to carnivals, grading etc. 

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, go to the following link 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 individuals’ 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

Weekend Fixtures

Saturday 2 November 2024

Upcoming Dates

• Friday 1 November 2024 – Trinity Grammar, 5pm – 8pm
• Saturday 2 November 2024 – Saturday Sport Round 3, Various, Various
• Saturday 9 November – Saturday Sport Round 4, Various, Various
• Friday 22 November – MLC School Sports Awards Evening, Daphne Line Hall, 6pm

– 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

IGSA Festival of Speech

A huge congratulations to our students who represented MLC School at this years’ IGSA Festival of Speech hosted by MLC School last Friday and Saturday. A big thank you to Andrea Rowe and Jillian Avramis supported by a team of MLC School staff and students who worked tirelessly to organise and run the festival.

It is wonderful to have the opportunity to coach the MLC School students in the Senior and Junior Readings and Poetry sections for the IGSA festival of speech for the past 27 years.

I am so proud of Nitya Nimalan (Year 11), Senior Poetry, Josephine Doan (Year 9) Junior Poetry, Anna Obaid (Year 10) Senior Readings and Bridget Cortis-Jones (Year 8) Junior Readings who ALL achieved 2^nd place in their section! What an incredible achievement out of so many schools.  Each of them worked so hard and it paid off. They took on every direction and made it their own delivering powerful performances.

Congratulations also to our Theatresports team who performed brilliantly along with nine other schools entertaining their audience and providing lots of laughs. Congratulations to the MLC School Drama group who did a wonderful performance and the students who represented MLC School in the debating, public speaking, current affairs, religious and ethical questions and soapbox sections. Excellent work all round.

Nitya Nimalan (Year 11) – senior poetry,  2^nd Place

Josephine Doan (Year 9) – junior poetry, 2^nd Place

Anna Obaid (Year 10) – senior readings, 2^nd Place

Bridget Cortis-Jones (Year 8) – junior readings, 2^nd Place

“Last Saturday, I had the wonderful opportunity to compete in the Senior Poetry section of the IGSA Festival of Speech. This event brought together 21 talented representatives from independent girls’ schools across Sydney. Witnessing the incredible range of poems and performances in both the prepared and impromptu sections was truly inspiring. Although I’m sad that this is my final year competing in the event – having first participated back in Year 8 – I can proudly say that it’s been an unforgettable experience, that has taught me so many skills. I’d like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Ms Brian for her unwavering support and guidance in preparing me for this competition – it wouldn’t have been possible without her!”
–  Nitya Nimalan (Year 11)

“Competing in the Festival of Speech was a wonderful opportunity to represent MLC School with a focal point for personal expression and vocal delivery. This was my 3rd year competing in the Festival of Speech. I participated in the Senior Readings Section, where I competed against 21 contestants from various Independent Girl School’s in NSW. I was required to select, prepare and present two readings: one reading from a speech given by a significant Australian, and one reading from a religious text. The event encouraged me to deliver the message of my readings with passion, confidence and effective voice control to appeal to the intellect and emotions of the audience. Overall, the opportunity has developed my ability to bring ideas to life, with a strong embodiment of the text’s meaning. I would like to thank Ms Brian, whose guidance and support, along my hard work, have led me to place 2nd in the Senior Readings.”
– Anna Obaid (Year 10)

– Monica Brian
Speech and Drama Studio Director

Students Baking and Crafting to help the Homeless

Students in the Friday lunch craft club in SCG06 run by the wonderful Year 10 students Allegra Chiang, Jane Xia, Jiayi Li and Eri Takeshita have been using their skills and kind hearts to help the homeless that attend the Early Bird café at St Stephen’s Uniting Church, Macquarie Street, Sydney. They decorated cupcakes that were greatly enjoyed by the patrons and the students will also be sewing and knitting items to donate. They will also be helping out each month on craft work for Days for Girls International (a global nonprofit working to eliminate the stigma and limitations associated with menstruation). As well as this some of my lovely Year 10 Religious Education Students, Clementine Hendriks, Hannah Shortus and Indiana Hodgkinson put their compassion into action by baking some delicious goodies and sewing boomerang bags for the homeless that attend the Early Bird café at St Stephen’s.

– Luisa Bland
Teacher