2022 is drawing to a close – this is your last weekly newsletter for the year!
MLC School will be closed from Thursday, 22 December 2022 to Wednesday 4 January 2023, re-opening on Thursday 5 January 2023.
On behalf of Lisa Moloney (Principal) and all School Staff, we thank you for your help and support throughout the year and wish you a very Happy Christmas and safe Holiday Season.
See you all in 2023!
The end of the school year brings the need to farewell those staff who are finishing their time at MLC School. Amongst them are three very long serving staff who are to enjoy retirement after exceptional careers in education.
Loretta Toole. Starting at MLC School in 1998, Loretta has been committed to ensuring that every MLC School student has had access to the information and support needed to pursue their career of choice. Loretta is in touch with many of our Old Girls and has worked with them to facilitate events such as industry themed breakfasts, overseas nights, and web-based information sessions, so that our current students can hear from past students working in a range of careers. Loretta has led the department through an enormous number of changes and introduced a range of technologies to assist students and support parents as they work through the complexities of applications for university entrance, scholarships, apprenticeships and the like. Thank you, Loretta!
Robyn Mackertich commenced at MLC School in 1999 as a Middle School Technological and Applied Studies (TAS) teacher. This is a field that has changed dramatically over the years and Robyn has specialised in designing and teaching a range of these new technologies including digital technologies, coding, food technology, digital printing for textiles, timber and technologies, and the use of a range of software for laser cutting and digital design. Robyn has committed herself to providing high level programs for students in Years 7 and 8 and it is then no wonder our graduates remember her as a teacher who cares and knows her subject.
Peter Klamka was farewelled in an earlier newsletter but again we thank him for his 22 years of outstanding service to MLC School
Our best wishes also to Shane Beal (IT Operations Manager), Tracy Getts (Science), Michelle Olah (Library), Sandy Huang (Languages), Jason Truong (Maths), Kerrie Backhouse (Library), John Abi-Elias (Maths), and Sandra Mann (Learning Enrichment) who are moving to follow family members or to take up new professional opportunities.
Mike Lewis (who was on leave this year) has indicated that he will not return to his full-time position in the Junior School but will continue to cover short-term vacancies for us.
We have been very fortunate to have a number of very capable and hard-working staff on temporary contracts that conclude at the end of this year. Thanks and farewell to: Al Roland (Head of Students – SS), Benjamin Wheen (PDHPE), Nicholas Greenfield (English), Jesse Hogan (DART), Laura McDonald (Music) and from the Junior School Connie Tsokas, Kate Beange and Penny Fahey. Happily, many of these staff will be back at MLC School next year to cover casual vacancies.
Thank you for your support again this year. I look forward to seeing many of you at our Annual Junior School Speech Day and Senior School Speech Night on Thursday 8 December. A reminder that this is a compulsory event for all students and that they are required to wear full formal uniform to the event.
– Lisa Moloney
Principal
Congratulations to the following students who have been nominated for OnStage for their HSC Drama projects. This is an outstanding achievement and recognition of the high standard of their work.
Rather than performing, these girls chose a project which accounts for 30% of their final HSC mark. The students and their projects are:
– Lisa Jinga
Head of Department – Dance, Drama and Entertainment (DDE)
Jacqueline Flett and Jade Di Girolamo have both received an Encore nomination for HSC Music 2022. This means that their performance programs were outstanding and are currently being considered for inclusion at the Encore showcase concert, a celebration of the best performance works in the state.
Jacqueline Flett plays the saxophone and completed HSC and Music Extension, performing six solo and ensemble works. Jacqueline has been accepted into the Sydney Conservatorium of Music for study in 2023.
Jade Di Girolamo plays the double bass and completed HSC and Music Extension. She performed six works in total including a chamber piece, ‘Gothic Carousel’ by MLC School Head of Composition Tristan Coelho which was showcased at the ReSounding Voices concert this year.
Congratulations to Jacqueline and Jade on this outstanding achievement and we look forward to hearing about your future musical endeavours.
– Elizabeth Gilberthorpe
Assistant Director of Music
It is with great pleasure that we are able to congratulate the following students for their nominations into the following Exhibitions and Showcases that highlight the outstanding quality of work being produced across the State and in our exceptional students. The nomination itself is the highest honour with those appearing in the exhibition being a wonderful bonus.
Caitlin Hartnett for her photomedia and time based work ‘Confined by the Clock’ was nominated.
Zoe Brase for her printmaking work ‘Feathered Phobia’ on her fear of birds was nominated and selected and will be appearing at two locations in rotating exhibitions at The Armory, Sydney Olympic Park SOPA and the Hawkesbury Regional Art Gallery.
Jacqueline Flett for her printmaking work ‘Accepting Purple’ was nominated and selected and will be in the Glasshouse Regional Gallery in Port Macquarie.
Design and Technology
Evie Gallagher for her product design of a bespoke casing for computer gaming
Industrial Technology Multimedia
Industrial Technology Multimedia students were also nominated
Please join me in congratulating these dedicated students on their recognition and success.
– Sally Marks
Head of Department – Design, Art and Technology (DART)
Visual Arts
Click on the image gallery to view full sized images.
As 1st place winner of the MLC Junior School Portrait Prize, Year 4 student Lavinia Xu’s amazing portrait of Andrena Otten, her Year 4 teacher, was entered into the Little Darlings Youth Portrait Prize, in partnership with the Young Australian Art Awards.
We are so pleased to announce that Lavinia’s artwork was the Runner Up in the Drawing category of the competition. With over 350 student entries from all over Australia, this is a wonderful achievement. Congratulations to Lavinia!
– Victoria Bradshaw
Teacher – Junior School
Click on the image gallery to view full sized images.
This week at assembly we acknowledged over 40 students who received a Distinction or High Distinction in either the Australian Maths Competition (AMC), Maths Challenge or Maths Enrichment Program.
The AMC is Australia’s largest maths competition, with hundreds of thousands of students across the country taking part. The 30-problem paper demonstrates the importance and relevance of maths in everyday lives. MLC School students received outstanding results in this year’s competition, with extra congratulations going to:
The Maths Challenge was a four week competition run by the Australian Maths Trust where students worked independently to complete a set of six complex problems. Both:
were awarded High Distinctions for their sophisticated and logical entries – well done girls!
Throughout the year the Mathsketeers have been working hard to complete the Maths Enrichment Program. Students were introduced to challenging concepts such as Number Theory, Combinatorics, the Euclidean Algorithm and Sequences & Series, and were then tasked with independently solving a problem related to each concept. The students showed great dedication to completing the program and are to be commended on their resilience and enthusiasm! Congratulations to all that participated, and special mention to:
Finally, a big congratulations to ALL students who took part in a Maths competition this year. We had more than 250 entries across the Senior School in the various competitions, and it’s exciting to see student interest and participation in Maths growing. Please keep an eye out for future newsletter announcements about 2023 opportunities!
– Alex Schroder
Teacher – Mathematics
Thursday 8 December 2022
International Convention Centre (ICC)
Darling Harbour Theatre
Ceremonial Entrance on Iron Wharf Place
14 Darling Drive, Sydney
Dr Eve Tsironis, Chair of Council, and Lisa Moloney, Principal, request the pleasure of your company at MLC School’s Annual Speech Day, with Junior School achievements (Year 3 to Year 6) celebrated in the morning, followed by an evening event for our Year 7 to Year 12 girls.
Attendance at at these events is compulsory for all students from Year 3 to Year 12.
11.30am
5.30pm
4 tickets per family
We have received the following information from Burwood Police Area Command (BUPAC) as they have been notified of severe (and potentially unsafe) parking congestion in and around various School Zones particularly at pick-up times. They have asked that we distribute this flyer to all members of the School community – students, staff and parents/carers.
MLC School reminds the School community to be courteous and respectful citizens, mindful of all the neighbours around the School. It is important to drive safely, park only where allowed and to take other’s needs into consideration around the School at all times.
The MLC School Uniform Shop will close for the school holidays on Tuesday 13 December 2022 at 3pm and will re-open for Term 1 on Monday 9 January 2023 at 9am
An appointment is ESSENTIAL, please use this link to book an appointment to make your fitting a pleasant experience.
The Uniform Shop will close for the school holidays on Tuesday 13 December 2022 at 3pm and will re-open for Term 1 on Monday 9 January 2023 at 9am.
The store will be closed for Australia Day on Thursday 26 January 2023.
Normal trading hours resume Monday 30 January 2023.
– Voon Cheong
MLC School Uniform Shop Manager
End of Year Celebrations and FarewellsIt is tradition to host the ‘farewell assembly’ at the final Junior School assembly for the year. It is a time we celebrate and thank Year 5 for their leadership on the Junior School campus. Whilst they remain members of the Junior School for another year, the girls move across to our Year 6 Centre. Year 5 have been wonderful ambassadors for the Junior School. During the assembly the Year 5 girls reflected upon their years at MLC School thus far and what it means to be an MLC School girl.
We also thanked and farewelled our teachers who are changing roles. Our thanks to Erin Torres for teaching Kindergarten this year. Connie Tsokas is leaving our MLC School community and I would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank her for her commitment to the education of our MLC School girls. Kate Beange will be joining our casual team as she undertakes her Masters degree. Penny Fahey will be joining our casual team as is Mike Lewis. Danielle Collins will be joining our Senior School library.
Year 6 hosted wonderful performances last Friday and Saturday evening in Potts Hall. I think it would be fair to say that the audience was in awe of the standard and talent of our Year 6 girls in the musical Moana. Our thanks go to our Junior School Music Coordinator, Sophie Grattan-Smith and our MLC School Music Department.
Click on the gallery image to view full sized images.
Our youngest learners hosted a delightful and moving end of year concert about the Nativity. It was lovely to see so many parents there, joining with the songs and actions. Pre-K performance was followed by a lovely morning tea and a surprise visit by Santa! Click here to view Pre-Kindergarten story and photos.
It has been customary in recent years that our Kindergarten to Year 2 students host a Christmas Concert. Thanks to our Junior School music coordinator, Sophie Gratton-Smith, music teacher Megan Ling, Head of Strings, James Larsen along with our Kindergarten to Year 2 classes and specialist teachers and Opera Express. The Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 girls had a significant role in developing the plot and making props for their concert. Photos will be shared via our MLC School Facebook page once available.
We wish Year 2 a fun-filled day for their outdoor adventure. This will be taking place on Monday 5 December 2022 at Chowder Bay.
Our Pre-Kindergarten to Year 2 students conclude on Tuesday 6 December 2022.
It has been a tradition for our Year 3 to Year 5 students to partake in a fun filled picnic day. Picnic Day is on Wednesday 7 December 2022 and will be filled with exciting activities. Picnic Day includes a Year 5 lunch that takes place in Daphne Line Hall. It is a formal time to acknowledge Year 5 girls’ leadership throughout the year, reflecting upon their time at the Junior School Campus. Year 6 will be participating in Senior School activities as their final task for their transition program to Senior School.
Next week on Thursday 8 December 2022 we will be celebrating the Junior School Speech Day with all Year 3 to Year 6 students in attendance. Awards will be presented, and 2023 School Captains will be announced. It is very appropriate to acknowledge effort, excellence, and personal qualities. However, awards are offered to the minority, even if the majority are deserving of such. The ability to take pleasure in someone else’s achievement is a sign of a generous and secure person. We all work together to validate all the wonderful aspects of each girl. The glittering prize is not for every girl next week. Perhaps another time. It may come in a different form at another stage in life. Personally, the ultimate prize is knowing each individual girl gave her best in each of our School values of Courage, Compassion, Respect and Growth.
This is the final newsletter for the year. Thank you parents for all your support in so many ways throughout the year. To my colleagues, my appreciation for your commitment and all that you have done to support the girls in our care. Finally, to the girls for giving your personal best in all that you do as well as supporting others to make a better world.
May the festive season’s spirit of goodwill and peace be with you and your families.
– Daniel Sandral
Head of Junior School
Time For A BreakBefore the September holidays I wrote about the benefits of children being bored. Recently I read an article by Susan Stiffelman writing about How Much Alone Do Children Need?
Before we begin our Summer holiday break, I thought I’d share a few things I noted from this article.
The idea of our children having time alone often goes against our sensibilities as parents. Today we often think more is better – more activities, more clothes, more toys, more stimulation. But the human brain does need quiet and rest. There are many studies about the benefits of sleep but what about when we are awake?
The modern trend in raising children tends to enrich their lives with many activities and stimulation, often leaving children stressed and stretched thin, without any downtime. There are benefits to having time out, stopping the busyness and noise, allowing time for quiet and solitude.
Many children, from the time they are small, will engage in quiet activities such as drawing or reading after a cognitively or interpersonally demanding task. Young children typically use solitary time to process overwhelming feelings and, as they get older, their capacity for solitude and introspection begins to increase and so does their need for quiet moments.
I am sure most of you have seen a teenager with headphones on or a hood covering their face. Even in small spurts, solitude serves a purpose. There is a reason adolescents are renowned for hiding in their rooms; during their period of great self-exploration, alone time helps them to figure out who they are apart from family and peers.
We all need respite from the constantly demanding frantic stimulation of daily life. This is true for adults as well as children, especially at this time of the year.
So, make use of the holidays to give your children the time and space to be in their own presence and connect with their inner selves. The benefits can be endless.
And while you’re at it, take a little time alone for yourselves!
– Joanne Sharpe
Deputy Head of Junior School – Wellbeing
Year 3 to Year 5 Picnic Day
On Wednesday 7 December, Year 3 to Year 5 will enjoy a picnic day at School.
A Notification for permission to enjoy swimming activities has been sent to parents.
Parents have been sent a permission form for girls to travel on the bus to the ICC on Thursday 8 December.
If an adult/s (other than legal guardians) is/are picking up a girl at the end of the event, please use the link in the parent permission form to let your daughter’s teacher know who has permission to take her home.
Students responded to the theme of ‘Inspirational Women’. With 43 entries, subjects ranged from mothers, grandmothers to popular sportswomen and public female figureheads to scientific and creative pioneers.
It is fantastic that our MLC School girls admire so many inspirational female role models both in their personal lives and beyond. Congratulations to the following winning entries:
1st Prize: Lavinia Xu (Year 4O)
‘Admired Woman’
2nd Prize: Caydence Sumantri (Year 6S)
‘Our Warmth in the Winter’
3rd Prize: Elyse Ma (Pre-Kindergarten)
‘Mummy and Me’
Packing Room Prize: Ines Vieira (Year 3A)
‘Frida Kahlo’
Congratulations to the following students whose artworks were selected as ‘Highly Commended’:
– Victoria Bradshaw, Lesley Snelgrove and Liane Simpson
Junior School – Design, Art and Technology (DART) Team
20% Discount on Sports & Co-Curricular Group Photos available until 8/12/2022
These School sports and co-curricular groups were photographed on 28/10/2022.
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Booralee House |
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Churunga House |
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Leawarra House |
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Mooramoora House |
You can now view and purchase the group images listed above and if you place your order before 8/12/2022 you will get a 20% early order discount. Just click on the link below. Please note the discount will be automatically applied at checkout.
Images can also be viewed by visiting www.advancedlife.com.au entering the code: CE3 9QF BAK and clicking on “Group Photos”
Important
advancedlife would like to express our appreciation to MLC Junior School for placing your trust in us. Please remember we offer a 100% money-back guarantee on our products to ensure your peace of mind. We would also love to receive your feedback or resolve any issues you may experience, to ensure your satisfaction. If you have any questions, comments or feedback relating to your advancedlife experience, please contact us at www.advancedlife.com.au/contact
On Wednesday morning the Pre-K students were thrilled to perform their end of year Christmas Concert for their parents, family members and friends. Our studio was filled with love!
The girls sang the verses to ‘Christmas Comes’ accompanied by Miss G on ukulele, which intertwined with other songs and drama, to form our nativity. It was a wonderful performance.
Morning tea followed in our playground and we delighted to have a surprise visitor – Santa!
It was a wonderful way to celebrate the wonderful year in Pre-Kindergarten.
– Gina Zucco, Rachael Borg, Ellie Monda, Vicki Liubinskas
Pre-Kindergarten Team
Click on the image gallery to view full sized images.
Look at who visited our School today!
Courtney Simmons, Ellen Balassone, Claudia Cantania and Victoria Noy and babies!
Emily Bryson was unable to make it and we hope to see her soon too.
‘Wow! This year has gone by so quickly! And what a year we’ve had! On Tuesday 25 October we had our Celebration of Learning. Lots of parents, guardians and guests came to see what we were learning this year. We had one performance and three activities. We performed Silent Night with a cup section and a choir section.
We had a few stations, which were: a CLP station, an Art station, a Mathematics station, and a reflection station. We had so much fun sharing our work with our parents!’
‘This year, we went on camp, and it was out first camp. We split up into several camp groups. Our camp place was in Tallong. We had a group leader and a teacher with each group. The activities were exciting and fun. Everyone would remember the wonderful food Cheffrey made for us. It’s mouth-watering to think of! Some of the people there were scared because of the flying fox. Some of the other activities were mountain biking, bushwalking, low ropes, and initiatives.
This year we also had an excursion to the Sydney Writers’ Festival and got to hear from many talented authors. Everybody loved listening to the author’s presentations because they were so inspiring.’
– Felicity Wang 4B and Vivienne Nguyen 4M
‘A highlight from this morning was reading the book, The Rabbits by John Marsden with my mum. I was able to share my learning in CLP this term. We discussed how the numbats were like the indigenous people in the early settlement and the rabbits were like the British people who came to Australia, on the First Fleet.’
– Elina Yu 4O
‘I really enjoyed the Maths activity because I liked challenging myself with the time problems. I also liked giving my mum a gratitude flower which I had made. She felt so happy to know that I appreciated my family so much. The Year 4 performance was a wonderful way to start our celebration this morning. It was so much fun and even though it was a little hard to memorise and keep the rhythm and beat of Silent Night, it was definitely a great experience, and our parents loved it!’
– Freda Xie 4N
– Andrena Otton
Teacher – Junior School
Click on the image gallery to view full sized images.
Appearance pressures have been real for people for decades, but in this ‘high tech’ age access to manipulated images of the perfect body abound. This week, Year 5 participated in the Confident Me Workshop presented by Dove Self Esteem Project Australia.
The focus of the program was to open up communication on appearance and body image. The workshop was created in conjunction with world leading experts in appearance anxiety and body confidence, including Professor Susan Paxton, Professor in the School of Psychological Sciences, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.
During the workshop the girls were encouraged to discuss issues related to appearance, beauty and body image. With the use of videos, stimulus questions and student enquiry, the girls were made aware of how to:
The session concluded with everyone being asked to be a “champion for change”. They were asked to write down things they would start doing, or do differently, to champion what is “real” in themselves.
The girls pledged to do a variety of things including:
The overwhelming response was to invite the team back next to present again.
– Year 5 Teachers
Click on the image gallery to view full sized images.
On Monday, the Junior School girls enjoyed a Christmas-themed workshop run by the Year 5 Art Captains and Monitors in collaboration with the Year 12 DART Society.
Students in Pre-K to Year 5 were invited to create beautiful Christmas cards for their friends and family. There were many beautiful designs made and some heart-warming messages written on their cards. It was a great opportunity for our Year 5 and Year 12 leaders to demonstrate their initiative and work with students across the school.
– Victoria Bradshaw
Teacher – Junior School
Click on the image gallery to view full sized images.
This term the Churunga Junior School leadership team worked to raise awareness and donations for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation.
We made bracelets with flower charms on them, which represented growth, our MLC School Value that we have focussed on in Term 4. Over the week we sold these bracelets for a gold coin donation. We also sold raffle tickets for book hampers, donated by our Churunga family.
We wanted to raise money for the Indigenous literacy Foundation, because they do so much to help regional communities grow. They provide books for students, they translate and create books in local languages and they support the value of reading.
Thank you for helping us to raise $805 for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation.
– Bethany Haddad (Year 5), Euna Cho (Year 5), Beth Pidcock (Year 5) and Aurora Sharma (Year 5)
Please save the date for these upcoming Term 4 events.
| Event/Activity | Date |
| Year 2 Outdoor Education | Monday 5 December 2022 |
| Year 6 Parent Meeting for Year 7 2023 | Monday 5 December 2022, 6pm |
| End of Term 4 for Pre-K to Year 2 | Tuesday 6 December 2022 |
| Year 3 to Year 5 Picnic Day | Wednesday 7 December 2022 |
| Year 5 Lunch | Wednesday 7 December 2022, 12.45pm |
| Year 5 Parents – Visit the Year 6 Centre | Wednesday 7 December 2022, 2.30pm |
| Junior School Speech Day | Thursday 8 December 2022, 11.30am |
| End of Term 4 for Year 3 to Year 12 | Thursday 8 December 2022 |
As the final term of 2022 draws to a close, PDHPE Teachers would like to wish students and their families a happy, safe and active holiday break. It’s been fantastic being back on campus for the entirety of the year and as always, MLC School students have taken up challenges, games and new experiences with a sense of fun and enthusiasm.
In 2023, Year 7 to Year 10 students will be using the pool at various points throughout the term. Therefore, please ensure your daughter has a swimming cap, goggles and the MLC School swimming costume ready for week 1 practical lessons.
Thank you for your ongoing support of PDHPE students in 2023.
– Sarah Papachristoforou
Acting Head of Department – Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE)
To view and order prints, follow the steps below:
Images will be available to download until Sunday 25 December 2022.
For further enquiries please contact Advanced Life. Details can be found here.
With Christmas decorations in full swing, Year 8 have been counting down the final days of the school year. As we near the end of what has been the first full face-to-face school year since 2019, Year 8 have spent some time celebrating! The students have been celebrating how far they have come since Day 1 of Year 7, celebrating each other as a Year Group in Chapel, spending time with their Big Sisters, and taking time to acknowledge the people they have been grateful for in 2022.
As this is the last newsletter for the year, I would like to thank all Year 8 students and families for working with me over the past year. As I have mentioned previously, I will remain the Head of Year for this amazing cohort until the end of Year 9 so I will be back in 2023 to help navigate all that Year 8 brings.
Families, please ensure that you read the communications sent out via email about Speech Night. It is a compulsory school event and I look forward to seeing you with your Year 8 student next Thursday 8 December 2022 at Darling Harbour.
As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch. I would like to wish you all a safe and happy holiday season and thank you again for your ongoing support.
– Claire White
Head of Year 8
Click on the image gallery to view full sized images.
Image 1: Year 8 Chapel Volunteer Speakers
Images 2-4: Year 8s with their Big Sisters celebrating the end of the year.
Students completing the alternate rotation in Year 8 Technology recently finished their reversible tote bag products for the Textiles Technology project. The students used their laptops or iPad to create a digital fabric design using Adobe Illustrator, ProCreate or Ibis Paint, these designs were then printed straight onto fabric.
The students also used a range of fabric dyeing techniques, including Shibori, dip and crumble dyeing to create two additional fabric pieces and also created pockets, laptop compartments to produce an original reversible tote bag.
– Renee Willemsen
Assistant Head of Design, Art and Technology (DART)
Technological and Applied Studies (TAS)
Click on the image gallery for full sized images.
Congratulations to all of Year 9 (and their families) for reaching the end of term and the end of what has felt like both a very long and short year!
This year has been filled with a return of all co-curricular activities, new experiences such as the Immersive Learning Experience unit of work, a variety of incursions and excursions, dynamic learning experiences as well as the transition into electives and Year 9 curriculums.
At all times across this year, the cohort have been curious, open-minded and engaged with the experiences offered here at MLC School. I can only thank them for being interested in the new and focused on sharing these experiences positively with their peers.
Formal lessons will conclude on Wednesday 7 December 2022. Speech Night is a compulsory event for all students on Thursday 8 December held at the International Convention Centre.
Reminder – Uniform for Speech Night: Middle Years (Year 7 to Year 9) students are to wear their summer school dress, with navy blue folded over ankle socks, and blazers. All uniforms are to be clean and pressed, with shoes freshly polished. Hair that is longer than shoulder length should be tied back with navy ribbon or black or navy elastic. No hair adornment, makeup or jewellery, other than a watch and small silver or gold studs or sleepers, is to be worn.
All the best to all the families of Year 9 for the upcoming Christmas festive season. However it is you spend this time with your loved ones, I hope it is full of celebration, great food and drink and wondrous, seasonal joy!
– Bridget Kovats
Head of Year 9
Welcome to the last newsletter entry for Year 10 for 2022. Rollover seems like a distant memory as assessments and new classes frame the new normal for Year 10. The girls have gone through a big adjustment and they are to be credited for how they have handled the changes, although navigating change can be difficult and stressful. Hopefully this will make Term 1 a little easier to move back into after the break.
I sincerely hope that our new students now feel more at home and used to the routine of MLC School and we look forward to welcoming more students in Term 1 to our Year 10 community.
Year 10 have been working hard this week on assessment preparation and are definitely ready for a holiday. Next week will be busy with packing up as new lockers are allocated for Term 1. If you could please remind your daughter to bring home any books, resources and clothing that have stayed in their lockers, that would be very helpful. Having a spare carry bag to take things home in is also useful and they may need to do this over a number of days if they catch public transport.
In luminary this week, all of Year 10 completed their registration for the Careers Department, a wonderful resource that the Careers Faculty has discovered for our students. The girls created an account and they now have access to an incredible source of information about subject choice, tertiary education, part time work, TVET options, gap years and work experience. In our year group meeting, I described it to the girls as ‘online shopping for your life’. There are videos and interviews, virtual work experience sites and more. I encourage you to check it out and you can also create a parent account.
Click here for the link to Careers Department
Our image this week is of the Year 10 SRC representatives who received their badges last week.
I know they will do a great job and represent their year group with pride in this important role.
Formal lessons will conclude on Wednesday 7 December 2022. Speech Night is a compulsory event for all students on Thursday 8 December held at the International Convention Centre.
Finally, I’ll sign off for the year by thanking Year 10 for making me feel so welcome as their new HOY. I am looking forward to getting to know everyone better next term and I wish every family a happy and peaceful Christmas and New Year holiday break. Take great care and see you in 2023.
– Sharon Connolly
Head of Year 10
We’re hitting the time of year where Santa hats are appearing, carols are being sung and the end of term is so very, very close. In our Year meeting on Monday, I reflected on what a year it had been. In contrast to previous years, the students have been at School consistently and have had to adjust to that. The impact of the disruption of 2020/21 is still being felt and, all in all, the students have done a fantastic job. They are a remarkable bunch of individuals, who are starting to really develop as one big team.
I stressed the importance of unity to the students when we met and asked them to consider the impact of their actions and how they have the power to lift each other up on a daily basis. This is, in fact, a superpower. I spoke with the Year group about the damaging effects of excluding people and urged them to see the whole year as their support network and to always seek to be inclusive. Luminary groups consolidated this on Thursday by coming up with guidelines for how we interact as a cohort. As ever, discussions were rich and varied, and the students have come up with some respectful suggestions for how we shape our interactions. It feels like a really positive way to end the year together.
We’ve also had a Senior Years assembly where some of our top Mathematicians were rewarded. Congratulations to the following students who received a Distinction in the Australian Maths Competition
Ava Tong also received a Distinction in the Computational and Algorithmic Thinking Competition.
On Wednesday the staff had a Professional Development session on Cultural Safety led by the students. It was brilliant to see some of our Year 11 students involved. Well done to Ava Dean, Anikah Sanan, Scarlett McNamara, Lily Hatton, Divya Sharma, Matilda Banfield and Georgie Roediger.
Formal lessons will conclude on Wednesday 7 December 2022. Speech Night is a complusory event for all students on Thursday 8 December held at the International Convention Centre.
This is the final newsletter of 2022. It’s been a genuine privilege working with your daughters and getting to know them during the year. I wish all our families a peaceful festive season, and I look forward to working with you all next year.
– Fiona Pow
Head of Year 11
This week, Year 11 PDHPE students completed their First Aid training, run by trainers from Royal Life Saving NSW. Students will receive a First Aid and CPR certificate following the course and have gained knowledge to assist with their Preliminary PDHPE Studies in the First Aid unit.
Students enjoyed the hands-on approach to learning throughout the day and were actively involved in all sessions. They successfully learnt and demonstrated first aid approaches for a range of scenarios including CPR, bleeding, bites and stings, and a variety of emergency treatments.
– Emily Osborne and Claire Johnson
Teachers – Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE)
Click on the image gallery to view full sized images.
Since the season of giving is approaching, this week in Luminary, Year 12 have discussed what they are grateful for now that the year has passed and planned some ways to show acts of kindness toward others through the week. They also enjoyed some time with their Little Sisters and exchanged hand-made gifts for one another. It was lovely walking around the Luminaries groups and seeing the joy on the faces of both Year 12s and Year 8s.
During our Year meeting we had celebrations and several certificates awarded for student’s efforts in sport and mathematics. We also discussed self-compassion after the first term of getting real about Year 12. Thank you for all you are doing at home, I can appreciate there has been challenging moments while you are supporting your daughters.
Some of our Year 12s led a Cultural Safety session with the staff on Wednesday afternoon as part of our weekly Professional Development. I congratulate their involvement and commitment to this important endeavour of open dialogue with staff.
The great majority of students have completed their assessments for their first term of Year 12. I hope many of them can relax and celebrate this achievement during the weekend.
Formal lessons will conclude on Wednesday 7 December 2022. Speech Night is a complusory event for all students on Thursday 8 December held at the International Convention Centre.
Please do not hesitate to reach out. I can be reached via email arenwick@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au and my direct line which is 028741 3278.
– Angela Renwick
Head of Year 12
Click on the image gallery to view full sized images.
Your HSC Results and ATAR will be released on Thursday 15 December 2022.
Your final preferences need to be locked in by Friday 16 December 2022 to be considered for the main round of offers of Thursday 22 December 2022.
When you receive an offer, please ACCEPT it, remove it from your preferences and then shuffle them around again but ensure they are locked in again by Thursday 5 January 2023 for the next round.
Your results are released on Monday 2 January 2023.
UAC emails IB Admissions Scores to NSW students from 9am on Thursday 5 January 2023.
Your preferences must be locked in by Thursday 5 January 2023, and the next offer round is Thursday 12 January 2023.
Please see the complete list of offer rounds in the table below.
https://www.uac.edu.au/assets/documents/ug-fact-sheets/ug-fact-sheet-key-dates.pdf
We are currently open for registrations for the 2023 GIE FEAS Program – an alternate pathway program for girls to UNSW Engineering.
Program participants undertake a hands-on real world engineering challenge facilitated by program partners Engineering World Health, and develop skills in design thinking, problem solving, communication and innovation and learn how engineering can assist communities in need and make a difference in the world.
The program is capped at 100 places, and was waitlisted in 2022, so if you are in Year 11 and 12 interested in joining, please register and pay the $50 refundable registration fee to secure your place, as they are filling. The program runs from February to May, and there are two optional pillars with activities students can undertake across the year.
For more information about the program please visit the GIE FEAS Program webpage or watch this short 3-minute clip especially for educators. We also have a blog post written by a Year 11 student who participated in the program in 2022, if you would like to hear the student perspective.
If you are considering a future in medicine you need to know what it is really like because it is the most competitive course entry, not only in Australia, but worldwide. The following courses are from the UK however the on-line nature of them allows student all over the world to take advantage of this opportunity. This is great for Year 10 to Year12 students so take a look at them, they start this Saturday!
All courses have been created by NHS doctors and provide outstanding work experience for you to use in your applications to medicine. if you can, we’d love to see you there.
E: info@premedprojects.co.uk
W: www.premedprojects.co.uk
Closes Saturday 31 December 2022, 12am
Online
Watch our on-demand session to hear from Dr Jessica Belcher from the Centre of Emotional Health as she provides parents her tips and strategies on how to support adolescents in their HSC year as they go into uni.
Find out more: https://app.livestorm.co/macquarie/how-to-support-your-child-from-hsc-to-university?type=detailed
Friday 2 December 2022, 10am-3pm
TAFE NSW – Design Centre Enmore
Are you interested in studying with us? Come along to view student works and learn about our range of course offerings in 2023.
The teaching sections open are:
Find out more: https://www.tafenswevents.com.au/event/design-centre-enmore-open-day
Monday 12 December 2022, 10am – Friday 23 December 2022, 4pm
Macquarie University
From 12 – 23 December 2022, prospective students can book a 1:1 consultation with one of our friendly students, attend an info session, or join a campus tour to discover Macquarie’s amazing facilities and stunning grounds, get help with enrolling or finding their own unique pathway into university.
Find out more: https://page.mq.edu.au/explore-your-options-2022.html
Friday 16 December 2022, 8.30am-2pm
The Women’s College (CG4), The University of Sydney
Join us for Info Day on Friday 16 December 2022, 8.30am– 2pm. Meet our staff and students and take a tour of College. Hear from the College Principal at 11.00am and enjoy some light refreshments.
Find out more: https://www.thewomenscollege.com.au/event-detail/info-day-3/
Tuesday 31 January 2023, 6pm – Saturday 4 February 2023, 12.30pm
Online
Jump online for our Virtual Open Day to get the information you need to turn today’s dream into tomorrow’s career. Hear from academics who are leaders in their field; guest speakers who are trailblazers in their industries; and Course and Careers Advisors who knows the ins and outs of our courses, internships, scholarships and campuses.
Find out more: https://www.torrens.edu.au/whats-on/open-day/virtual-open-day
Looking for casual or short term jobs over the upcoming summer break? There are loads of opportunities out there.
We’ve put together a list of places where you can have a look at what’s on offer – you might find the ideal job or you might just be inspired to find something similar near you.
Start your summer job search here:
Be responsible
Some of the jobs listed on the sites we’ve found above may not be suitable if you’re under 18 or don’t hold relevant licenses or qualifications, so remember to read the eligibility criteria carefully before applying.
When you’re looking for jobs online, things aren’t always as they seem. We always recommend doing a bit of background research on the company, call and speak to someone if you’re not sure about something, or get your parent or carer to suss out the position and the organisation to make sure you’re all happy. Do this prior to submitting any online forms or providing any information about yourself.
Thinking about becoming a Paramedic? If you love making a difference and helping others, this could be the perfect job for you.
NSW Ambulance have written a blog with the top 7 reasons you might like to work as a Paramedic. They might be enough to convince you that this is your ideal career.
Read the full blog here: https://www.ambulance.nsw.gov.au/careers/paramedic/reasons-to-become-a-paramedic
Last Saturday was the end of the Term 4 season for Saturday sport. We had a number of events and finals to conclude the year.
There were two Regattas at Penrith, with Sophie Winnall (Year 9) and Isabelle Ng (Year 9) winning a gold medal on Saturday, with Sophia Grave (Year 10) and Charlotte Penny (Year 10) winning a gold medal on Sunday.
We had five teams playing in finals. Four Volleyball Teams, MLC 1 won the gold vs Meriden, MLC 2 won the bronze vs Loreto Kirribilli, MLC 3 won gold vs St Scholastica’s, MLC 4 won the silver vs Mount St Benedict’s.
In Basketball – MLC 1 won the bronze vs St Scholastica’s
Congratulations to the following students who were awarded the MVP and Most Improved medallions for their teams.
| Sport | Team | Award | Name | Year |
| Santa Basketball | MLC 01 | MVP | Bella Upcroft | Year 11 |
| Santa Basketball | MLC 01 | Most Improved | Sophia Sefein | Year 11 |
| Santa Basketball | MLC 02 | MVP | Jenaan Rajani | Year 11 |
| Santa Basketball | MLC 02 | Most Improved | Amelia Comley | Year 11 |
| Santa Basketball | MLC 03 | MVP | Lucia Barrington-Higgs | Year 8 |
| Santa Basketball | MLC 03 | Most Improved | Halle Hiss | Year 10 |
| Santa Basketball | MLC 04 | MVP | Haegan Sitou | Year 9 |
| Santa Basketball | MLC 04 | Most Improved | Madura Gaikaiwari | Year 10 |
| Santa Basketball | MLC 05 | MVP | Angie Lan | Year 10 |
| Santa Basketball | MLC 05 | Most Improved | Sameera Khatri | Year 10 |
| Santa Basketball | MLC 06 | MVP | Seraphima Tebbutt | Year 10 |
| Santa Basketball | MLC 06 | Most Improved | Gabriella Ayad | Year 9 |
| Santa Basketball | MLC 07 | MVP | Hannah Shortus | Year 9 |
| Santa Basketball | MLC 07 | Most Improved | Emily Leung | Year 9 |
| Santa Basketball | MLC 08 | MVP | Chelsea Chen | Year 8 |
| Santa Basketball | MLC 08 | Most Improved | Hannah Koh | Year 8 |
| Santa Basketball | MLC 09 | MVP | Naoise Lynn-Blck | Year 8 |
| Santa Basketball | MLC 09 | Most Improved | Jocelyn Su | Year 8 |
| Santa Basketball | MLC 10 | MVP | Mabel Sherwin | Year 8 |
| Santa Basketball | MLC 10 | Most Improved | Stella Wallace | Year 8 |
| IPSHA Basketball | MLC 01 | MVP | Megan Ouyang | Year 6 |
| IPSHA Basketball | MLC 01 | Most Improved | Sienna Clark | Year 6 |
| IPSHA Basketball | MLC 02 | MVP | Chloe Lu | Year 6 |
| IPSHA Basketball | MLC 02 | Most Improved | Piya Kaur | Year 6 |
| IPSHA Basketball | MLC 03 | MVP | Leela Das | Year 5 |
| IPSHA Basketball | MLC 03 | Most Improved | Cailise Campbell | Year 5 |
| IPSHA Basketball | MLC 04 | MVP | Elizabeth Pidcock | Year 5 |
| IPSHA Basketball | MLC 04 | Most Improved | Jasmine Chib | Year 5 |
| IPSHA Basketball | MLC 05 | MVP | Zara Nicholias | Year 4 |
| IPSHA Basketball | MLC 05 | Most Improved | Olivia Wang | Year 4 |
| IPSHA Basketball | MLC 06 | MVP | Elle Monteleone | Year 4 |
| IPSHA Basketball | MLC 06 | Most Improved | Emily Ward | Year 4 |
| IPSHA Basketball | MLC 07 | MVP | Macy Bellew | Year 3 |
| IPSHA Basketball | MLC 07 | Most Improved | Kyrani Countouris | Year 3 |
| IPSHA Basketball | MLC 08 | MVP | Averie Ling | Year 3 |
| IPSHA Basketball | MLC 08 | Most Improved | Qaylah Mohamed | Year 3 |
| Santa Volleyball | MLC 01 | MVP | Yasmin Sayer | Year 11 |
| Santa Volleyball | MLC 01 | Most Improved | Olivia Chapman | Year 11 |
| Santa Volleyball | MLC 02 | MVP | Caprice Huang | Year 11 |
| Santa Volleyball | MLC 02 | Most Improved | Anita Mohanan | Year 10 |
| Santa Volleyball | MLC 03 | MVP | Tascha Ireland | Year 10 |
| Santa Volleyball | MLC 03 | Most Improved | Joyce Zhang | Year 9 |
| Santa Volleyball | MLC 04 | MVP | Indiana Hodgkinson | Year 9 |
| Santa Volleyball | MLC 04 | Most Improved | Anika Gupta | Year 8 |
| IGSA Touch Football | MLC 01 | MVP | Maddie Hutchens | Year 12 |
| IGSA Touch Football | MLC 01 | Most Improved | Jaiden Sinozic | Year 11 |
| IGSA Touch Football | MLC 02 | MVP | Zoe Yue | Year 11 |
| IGSA Touch Football | MLC 02 | Most Improved | Sienna McCormack | Year 11 |
| IGSA Touch Football | MLC 03 | MVP | Grace Williams | Year 11 |
| IGSA Touch Football | MLC 03 | Most Improved | Sophia Pavlovic | Year 11 |
| IGSA Touch Football | MLC 04 | MVP | Sanjana Natkunamanickam | Year 12 |
| IGSA Touch Football | MLC 04 | Most Improved | Hope Selim | Year 11 |
| IGSA Touch Football | MLC 05 | MVP | Lucy Coxsedge | Year 10 |
| IGSA Touch Football | MLC 05 | Most Improved | Maxine Hawkins | Year 9 |
| IGSA Touch Football | MLC 06 | MVP | Jessie Johnson | Year 10 |
| IGSA Touch Football | MLC 06 | Most Improved | Jenny Nguyen | Year 9 |
| IGSA Touch Football | MLC 07 | MVP | Alexia Eliades | Year 9 |
| IGSA Touch Football | MLC 07 | Most Improved | Lila O’Keeffe | Year 8 |
| IGSA Touch Football | MLC 08 | MVP | Eadie Scott | Year 8 |
| IGSA Touch Football | MLC 08 | Most Improved | Amelie Rettig | Year 8 |
| IGSA Water Polo | MLC 01 | MVP | Kaylie Keogh | Year 11 |
| IGSA Water Polo | MLC 01 | Most Improved | Amber Johnstone | Year 12 |
| IGSA Water Polo | MLC 02 | MVP | Zoe Pollard | Year 9 |
| IGSA Water Polo | MLC 02 | Most Improved | Zaz Tiglai | Year 10 |
| IGSA Water Polo | MLC 03 | MVP | Alaska Durie | Year 8 |
| IGSA Water Polo | MLC 03 | Most Improved | Rose Turner | Year 8 |
| IGSA Tennis | MLC1 | MVP | Erica Chou | Year 12 |
| IGSA Tennis | MLC1 | Most Improved | Laura Kardasis | Year 12 |
| IGSA Tennis | MLC2 | MVP | Zoe Proctor | Year 12 |
| IGSA Tennis | MLC2 | Most Improved | Julia Lok | Year 12 |
| IGSA Tennis | MLC3 | MVP | Claire Pepperell | Year 12 |
| IGSA Tennis | MLC3 | Most Improved | Divya Sharma | Year 11 |
| IGSA Tennis | MLC4 | MVP | Lana McLean | Year 10 |
| IGSA Tennis | MLC4 | Most Improved | Hannah Olsson | Year 8 |
| IGSA Tennis | MLC5 | MVP | Elora Nadarajah | Year 10 |
| IGSA Tennis | MLC5 | Most Improved | Helen Liu | Year 4 |
| IGSA Tennis | MLC6 | MVP | Sarina Nagra | Year 10 |
| IGSA Tennis | MLC6 | Most Improved | Genevieve Thai | Year 9 |
| IGSA Tennis | MLC7 | MVP | Isabella Munoz | Year 8 |
| IGSA Tennis | MLC7 | Most Improved | Georgia Delis | Year 8 |
| IGSA Tennis | MLC8 | MVP | Yasmine Teoh | Year 8 |
| IGSA Tennis | MLC8 | Most Improved | Defne Isikli | Year 8 |
| IGSA Tennis | MLC9 | MVP | Ophelia Li | Year 8 |
| IGSA Tennis | MLC9 | Most Improved | Skyla Chau | Year 8 |
| IGSA Tennis | MLC10 | MVP | Lindsay Zeng | Year 8 |
| IGSA Tennis | MLC10 | Most Improved | Amelia Chen | Year 8 |
| IGSA Tennis | MLC11 | MVP | Stephanie Kang | Year 8 |
| IGSA Tennis | MLC11 | Most Improved | Heather Yeon | Year 8 |
| IPSHA Tennis | MLC1 | MVP | Harlow Elsibai | Year 6 |
| IPSHA Tennis | MLC1 | Most Improved | Claudia Beattie | Year 6 |
| IPSHA Tennis | MLC2 | MVP | Maya McBrien | Year 6 |
| IPSHA Tennis | MLC2 | Most Improved | Isla Leung | Year 6 |
| IPSHA Tennis | MLC3 | MVP | Alisha Dhaliwal | Year 6 |
| IPSHA Tennis | MLC3 | Most Improved | Aurora Kang | Year 6 |
| IPSHA Tennis | MLC4 | MVP | Zara Stewart | Year 5 |
| IPSHA Tennis | MLC4 | Most Improved | Ella Rose Zraika | Year 5 |
| IPSHA Tennis | MLC5 | MVP | Maggie Ma | Year 4 |
| IPSHA Tennis | MLC5 | Most Improved | Lavinia Xu | Year 4 |
| IPSHA Tennis | MLC6 | MVP | Annika Bou | Year 3 |
| IPSHA Tennis | MLC6 | Most Improved | Avery Satchcroft | Year 3 |
| IPSHA Tennis | MLC7 | MVP | Chelsey Gao | Year 4 |
| IPSHA Tennis | MLC7 | Most Improved | Arianna Xu | Year 4 |
Click on the image gallery to view full sized images.
Congratulations to Taara Kotibhaskar (Year 11) on her selection into the U16s NSW Women’s Cricket Team. We wish Taara the best of luck when she competes at Nationals in January.
– Lisa Filby
Director of Sport
The 2022 Tennis Holiday Camp will be held this year in the December holidays at the end of Term 4.
This holiday camp is for Pre-K to Year 12 girls who are keen to focus on their Tennis skills while participating in a fun holiday environment. The camp aims to develop players’ match play and individual skills.
External students/siblings are permitted to attend.
The camp runs from 9am to 1pm, for four days starting Monday 12 December concluding Thursday 15 December 2022 (the week immediately following MLC School’s final week of term). Participants have the option to attend for one, two, three or all four days.
No uniform is required.
Training dates: Monday 12 December, Tuesday 13 December, Wednesday 14 December, Thursday 15 December 2022
Training times: 9am–1pm
Training venue: MLC School Tennis Courts
Cost: 1 day – $50; 2 days – $100; 3 days – $140; 4 days – $180
Please register via the link below before Monday 12 December 2022.
– Lisa Filby
Director of Sport
Netball is offered to interested students from Year 2 to Year 12. MLC School competes in the Eastwood Ryde Netball Association Competition. This competition will be held from Saturday 29 April to Saturday 9 September 2023. Training occurs before school from 7am–8am.
Games are played at:
Please read the following information carefully as it will form the basis for your involvement in Netball at MLC School in 2023.
Grading for netball teams will be held on Saturday 28 January 2023. Please put this date in your diary as it is the only opportunity to grade.
Please note that teams are selected on skill and not for transport or social reasons.
Grading will be in age groups based on the age your daughter turns in 2023 (age at 31 December 2023).
Date: Saturday 28 January 2023
Venue: MLC School Sports Field
Times:
In 2023, netball registrations will open on Wednesday 1 February 2023. From this date, it is imperative that you register and pay within the registration period to ensure your daughter is eligible to play in Round 1. Registrations CLOSE on Friday 17 February 2023. You will be sent registration information and a link after grading day.
In 2023, parents will be able to claim up to $100 per school child, per calendar year, as a voucher to reduce the cost of sport registration or membership fees for after-school, weekend and structured fitness or physical activity. This rebate only applies to organised club sports and not school organised sports such as IGSA and IPSHA. As the MLC School Netball Club plays in the Eastwood-Ryde Association, players are eligible for the rebate.
Please complete the below form to register your intention to play and attend grading on Saturday 28 January 2023.
2023 Netball Expression of Interest Form
– Lisa Filby
Director of Sport
Are you looking to increase your speed and agility? Do you want to improve your performance and stamina? Then Sport Fit is the session for you!
Sport Fit is a session for girls in Year 7 to Year 12 who are interested in increasing their speed, agility and strength to improve their skills in their other sports. This session is open to all girls playing a team or individual sport and will provide a session to challenge you to improve your footwork, elevation, stamina, strength, and speed.
This is a great opportunity to improve your skills in preparation for current and upcoming team sports.
Training days: Mondays, commencing Monday 30 January 2023
Training times: 3.30pm–5pm
Venue: MLC School Sports Field
Places are limited, so register early.
– Lisa Filby
Director of Sport
– Lisa Filby
Director of Sport
Do not miss any important sports information! Please make sure you check Canvas messages, emails, Facebook AND the Sports Update in the newsletter. The Sports Update always contains fixtures and registration information so you should never miss a registration.
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.
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.
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, due to safe distancing measures and government guidelines, we may be required to cancel training when we cannot accommodate students safely in an indoor space.
Wet weather cancellations will be posted on the MLC School Sport Facebook Page, followed by an email. No Facebook post or email means that activities will still go ahead.
Saturday Sport
If you are playing an IPSHA Sport, please visit the IPSHA Wet Weather site here. Once on the site, select your venue and there will be a notification if your venue is closed. IPSHA normally make a decision by 7am.
If you are playing an IGSA Sport, visit https://igsasport.spawtz.com/Leagues/VenueStatus. 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.
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.
MLC School Sport has its own Facebook page. Please follow us for all sports updates and important information.
– Lisa Filby
Director of Sport
2023 will be a most exciting year of music making, headlined with a major performance in the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall on Monday 22 May 2023.
Please place the following dates in your calendar.
Saturday 18 February 2023 – 10am-2pm
A fun filled day with Year 3 and Year 4 Band students.
The focus of the day is to get the students back into the swing of playing a band instrument with Year 3 learning their first three notes and Year 4 girls starting to play as an ensemble.
After lunch all parents in Years 3 and 4 will have some fun learning how to play their daughter’s instrument. There will be a short concert at the end of the afternoon comprising Year 3 and Year 4 band and the Parent ensemble.
All Year 6 to Year 12 Opera House Ensembles
Friday 21 April 2023 – Monday 24 April 2023 (more detail on this will follow)
Music Camps are one of the most enjoyable experiences in any young musician’s upbringing. This camp will be the first since 2019 and is timed to be a major stepping stone in the lead up to the 2023 Opera House Concert on Monday 22 May 2023.
The camp is to be held at Stanwell Tops Convention Centre.
The camp is mandatory for all MLC School (Senior) ensemble members. It will be a great opportunity for Music students to enjoy a retreat and ready themselves for such a major school event.
All Year 6 to Year 12 Opera House Ensembles
Please place the following in your calendar.
– Trevor Mee
Director of Music
This week saw our final activities for Debating and Public speaking for this year. We have had a busy year with nearly 200 MLC School students participating on one or more of our many co-curricular events and classes through the year. It’s been our most successful year ever with our FED team coming overall first out of 14 schools, our ISDA team coming third out of 32 school and our Archdale team coming first out of 23 schools in competitive debating. We have had students get through to Regional finals and Semi-finals in several public speaking competitions and we came third overall and first in the Junior division of the Festival of Speech.
But the accolades are only a part of what has been achieved by the students. More important are the skills that every student has been able to work on throughout the year with the help of our coaches. Communication skills, ability to solve problems, tenacity and teamwork skills are just some of the areas where significant focus has made a tangible difference.
On Wednesday we completed the last of 7 rounds of our interschool British Parliamentary Debating tournament. We had 80 students participating and had some challenging topics to address. Our last was themed for the occasion.
” It is Christmas. In pristine white snow, the track marks of Santa Claus’ sleigh are visible. A policewoman is walking around to enjoy the Christmas spirit and discovers a small booklet. It is Santa’s list with a complete roll of all the wrongdoings of everyone on the planet. The policewoman immediately recognises the potential power, in the back of the booklet is Santa’s address.” Topic: We would destroy Santa’s naughty list.
We had a lot of lively parliamentary debate from Year 6 students through to Year 11 students. We also held our debating trials for the Year 8 to Year12 competition teams this week and those teams have now been finalised. We will be holding trials for the Year 6 ISDA and Year 7 FED and ISDA teams in the first few weeks of Term 1 2023.
Thank you to all the parents who have supported our programs this year, I hope to see many of you at debates and events next year. Any questions please email me at arowe@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au.
– Andrea Rowe
Oratory Coordinator
This year the Looming with Love group has grown and blossomed into an inclusive creative group with a common goal: to make beanies to donate to Hats for homeless charity. We meet every Tuesday lunch time and students learn how to use a loom to make a beanie.
Some students attend the group each week, and others come to learn and take a loom home to continue their beanie in their own time. Whenever a new student comes, the group welcomes them and includes them with out fail. We get asked all the time if people need skills before joining in, and the answer is no, anyone can do this. Rev Sally takes pride in the knowledge that she can teach anyone this skill.
This year we have donated over 280 beanies to homeless shelters and women’s refuges. I love seeing how proud the students are after they finish their very first beanie.
Just look at their smiles.
– Rev Sally Yabsley-Bell
MLC School Chaplain
Click on the image gallery to view full sized images.
Congratulations to Chantel Nguyen from The Speech and Drama studio who completed her TRINITY College of London ATCL DIPLOMA in Communication (Public Speaking).
“Throughout the preparation process of my diploma, I was tasked with presenting speeches in a variety of context, ranging from a class reunion, a farewell speech to two colleagues leaving the company, to a news feature for radio. The task challenged me to consider varying aspects of an audience, ranging from their background, as well influencing factors such as culture, and social contexts. I began the process by firstly questioning myself on the purpose for giving the speech, whether it was to motivate, inspire, or to persuade a particular point of view. I was able to explore the various stages of presenting a great speech, through different styles of delivery, controlling modulation, and fostering authentic engagement through body language. The viva voce section was very enjoyable as its conversational style allowed me to be more relaxed, and therefore able to articulate my thoughts clearly and discuss my intentions behind the preparation. I drew on elements of the intentions of my speech and its audience. I was also presented with an excerpt from a speech, followed by a discussion with the examiner on some stylistic features of the speech and the cultural context surrounding it. Overall, my ATCL Communication Diploma exam has been a very enjoyable experience, the examiner was super supportive and was genuinely engaged in what I had to say.”
Chantel Nguyen (Year 12)
Year 11 and Year 12 students may complete an ATCL Diploma in Performance or Communication skills.
This year we have had the pleasure of adding the Trinity ATCL Diploma in Communication Skills (Public Speaking) exam to our programs. This Diploma encourages the students to become proficient, thoughtful presenters in a variety of settings. The candidates attain elevated communication skills that are comparable with similar qualifications in the first year of degree-level study.
The exam preparation allows the students to gain and hone their proficiency in interpretation and spoken presentation in diverse contexts. They explore numerous techniques of public speaking and garner key knowledge of practice methodologies. They further learn essential vocal and physical techniques which enable them to face any real-life situations with ease and confidence.
The ATCL (Performing) Diploma can be taken in Speech and Drama, Performance Arts or Musical Theatre. The Diplomas allow the students to perform their pieces, learn fundamental skills and reflect on their work. It provides a solid stepping-stone onto the path of creative work and careers in the media and entertainment industries.
ATCL in Performance is a great addition to anyone studying and wishing to pursue a career in the entertainment industry (be it as an actor, musical theatre performer, designer, producer and so on). This diploma inspires students to become multi-skilled, thoughtful performers and able to create work at a level that demonstrate professional potential. All candidates are expected to reach performance benchmarks that are comparable with professional standards. They learn about various acting techniques, explore different methods, and study rehearsal methodologies as well as the principles and practice of voice, speech, oral interpretation, and characterisation. They also study planning and contextual awareness and communicating ideas through performance.
To achieve this qualification the candidate will be able to:
The unit has defined assessment objectives and these are measured using the following criteria:
The Trinity Diploma certificates are recognised worldwide, and each certificate is a fantastic achievement and can be used as support material for scholarships, universities as well as workforce positions.
– Monica Brian
Speech and Drama Studio Director
The Trinity college of London and ASCA (Australian Speech Communication Association) exams are specifically designed to help students progress. They inspire learners and mark their achievement at each stage of their development and at all levels of competence.
This week our Senior Speech and Drama students have been participating in their ASCA and/or Trinity College of London exams with 95 students examined. We are so proud of each one of our students who have all worked so hard towards their Trinity and/or ASCA exams. The Trinity exams were filmed and submitted to London to be examined by an Examiner based in the UK. Trinity offer a variety of exam streams and our students performed in Acting, Speech and Drama, Performance Arts, Musical Theatre and Communication Skills. The Communication exams were conducted over Zoom with Brigid Shine, our Trinity Examiner in London. Ms Shine was so impressed with how well-prepared and confident our students were. She said they all did very well.
The ASCA exams can be taken in either Performance or Communication. Many of our pairs and groups performed in Senior group Performance Drama exams and the Performance Certificates. We were so pleased to welcome our ASCA Examiner, Anita Eldridge to MLC School. Mrs Eldridge was so impressed with the high standard of our students and thoroughly enjoyed her three days at MLC School.
The Trinity college of London and ASCA (Australian Speech Communication Association) exams are specifically designed to help students progress. They inspire learners and mark their achievement at each stage of their development and at all levels of competence.
I would like to say a big thank you to the Speech and Drama Studio Teaching team for their dedication and wonderful guidance of the students in preparation for their exam, assisting them to achieve highly and continuing MLC School’s excellent reputation in the Speech and Drama community.
This week concludes most of our programs for 2022. There are a few programs and students who have their final lesson next week and will have received communication directly from their Teacher.
We would like to congratulate all of our students for their enthusiasm and commitment in Speech and Drama this year. It is so rewarding to see the difference and growth our programs make with each student and we appreciate the positive feedback from parents, class teachers and the students themselves.
If you wish to enrol your child into any of our programs or re-enrol, please do so as soon as possible as places are limited and some programs are already booked out. Please email Milly axouris@mlcsyd.nse.edua.u and Monica mbrian@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au
We wish all our Speech and Drama and MLC School families the very best for a wonderful festive season and fabulous new year. We look forward to seeing some students at our December and/or January productions. Places are still available if you would like to enrol your child.
Happy holidays everyone!
– Monica Brian and The Speech and Drama Studio Teaching team
This week in the Italian Club students experienced how Christmas is celebrated in Italy: after a thirteen-course meal, waiting for midnight on Christmas Eve, we usually play Tombola and eat Panettone or Pandoro. So, this is what we did in the Italian Club this week.
It was a tough decision when it came to choose between Pandoro or Panettone after a round of Tombola! Not a bit went wasted and the girls appreciated the experience, as usual – and counted to Novanta!
What a nice way to finish the Italian Club for 2022! Next year we will hopefully continue with other experiences related to Italian language and culture.
– Buon Natale e Buon Anno a tutti dalle maestre d’italiano
Click on the image gallery to view full sized images.
If you want to explore acting and performance technique, gain confidence in public speaking, debating and presentation skills, hone your quick thinking and improvisational skills, learn the craft of screen acting, script writing or musical theatre you have come to the right place.
Places are booking fast with some programs already fully booked.
Enrolment for Pre-K to Year 2 group classes can be completed through the MLC School co-curricular microsite.
Enrolments for all other programs is directly through the Speech and Drama Studio. For enrolments and enquiries, please contact:
Monday to Friday afterschool and rotating
*LIMITED PLACES AVAILABLE*
The Speech and Drama Studio programs are open to external students as well. Lessons can be scheduled after school or conducted online.
Online lessons are available which may suit students with busy schedules.
Students can complete this tertiary level qualification whilst still at school.
Students must be a minimum of 17 years of age at the time of exam and have completed a Grade 8 Trinity exam or equivalent. Students can commence in Year 9 or Year 10 and complete their Grade 8 exam first.
Your child’s $100 Creative Kids Voucher can be used for Speech and Drama Studio programs, with the exception of Pre-K to Year 2 Round Square group classes which is paid directly through MLC School.
For enrolment and enquiries contact Speech and Drama Studio Director Monica Brian or Milly Xouris.
– Monica Brian
Speech and Drama Studio Director
Our Year 3 to Year 6 Musical Theatre ensemble has been hugely successful in its first year with students gaining valuable skills to be triple threat performers and learning all about the wonderful world of Musical Theatre. Students will be celebrating the end of the year with a small in class Showcase.
Date: Friday 2 December 2022
Time: 4pm
Venue: The Daphne Line Hall
Free entry and all welcome
After the success of our Junior Musical Theatre Ensemble this year, we are excited to announce that we have a new Year 7 to Year 9 Musical Theatre Ensemble commencing in 2023. There are limited places in this program so contact the Speech and Drama Studio to secure a place.
Our Musical Theatre program aims at teaching how to tell a story through dance, drama, and song. Students learn singing techniques, vocal warmups and how to add texture to one’s voice to sing as a character. We train our students how to understand their own voice, and how to switch between chest and head voice. With these skills, the students learn a wide variety of showstoppers from Musicals such as Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music, Hairspray and more. We are all about building confidence, encouragement and fuelling the passion of our students.
Students learn different styles of dance such as jazz, hip hop and contemporary, as well as movement to enhance their singing and acting. We start by exploring the fundamentals of dance. We teach dance terminology, how to warm up/use their bodies safely, and create dance sequences which focus on rhythm and technique. We aim to train our students how to sing and dance at the same time, not as themselves, but as a character! We want our students to be able to express themselves through dance, no matter what level they are at.
Once our students have a concrete knowledge of dance and singing, we integrate drama into their performance. We work on character development, voice manipulation and projection, as well as script writing. We want to give our students the experience of being a part of a Musical Theatre production. They are given the opportunity to take part in a solo or group audition, where each student is given a character. We brainstorm collectively how to bring that character to life. How would they dance? How would they sing? How would they act?
With these skills, we create a performance which we invite parents to come and watch at the end of the year. The students can showcase their talents, hard work and reflect on how far they’ve come. It is a great program for students who are already passion about dance, song, and drama, but also a great opportunity for students who want to challenge themselves and try something different. You don’t need to be able to sing, dance or act, you just need to be excited about Musical Theatre!
To enrol please email Monica Brian, The Speech and Drama Studio Director.
– Milly Xouris and Maria De Marco
Musical Theatre Directors
A magical retelling of Snow White’s story by Santa and his elves…
Date and time: Friday 9 December to Wednesday 14 December 2022, 9am–3pm
After hours care from 3pm–5pm is available at an extra charge
Location: MLC School Drama Theatre
Cast: Kindergarten to Year 6 (4 days)
Crew: Year 7 to Year 12 (4 days)
The final performance will be held on Wednesday 14 December 2022 at 2pm.
For enquiries please contact The Speech and Drama Studio Director, Monica Brian.
Students gain confidence and have lots of fun as they are taken through a rehearsal process including acting, singing, movement and dance to produce a production in four (December) / three (January) days. Students experience what it is like to be a part of a production team whether it be on or off the stage from start to finish. At the end of the production week students perform the production to family and friends.
An enormous increase in confidence and performance skills can be seen throughout the week. The productions provide a wonderful opportunity for students to form friendships with students in different year levels and allow every student to feel like a star!
The Holiday productions are open to external students as well. Siblings, cousins, friends are welcome.
Your child’s $100 Creative Kids Voucher can be used for Speech and Drama Studio programs (exception of Pre-K to Year 2 Round Square group classes).
For enquiries and enrolment contact mbrian@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au.
– Monica Brian
Speech and Drama Studio Director
Date and time: Monday 23 January 2023 to Wednesday 25 January 2023, 9am–3pm
After hours care from 3pm–5pm is available at an extra charge
Location: MLC School Drama Theatre
Cast: Kindergarten to Year 6 (3 days)
Crew: Year 7 to Year 12 (3 days)
The final performance will be held on Wednesday 25 January 2023 at 2pm.
For enquiries please contact The Speech and Drama Studio Director, Monica Brian.
Students gain confidence and have lots of fun as they are taken through a rehearsal process including acting, singing, movement and dance to produce a production in four (December) / three (January) days. Students experience what it is like to be a part of a production team whether it be on or off the stage from start to finish. At the end of the production week students perform the production to family and friends.
An enormous increase in confidence and performance skills can be seen throughout the week. The productions provide a wonderful opportunity for students to form friendships with students in different year levels and allow every student to feel like a star!
The Holiday productions are open to external students as well. Siblings, cousins, friends are welcome.
Your child’s $100 Creative Kids Voucher can be used for Speech and Drama Studio programs (exception of Pre-K to Year 2 Round Square group classes).
For enquiries and enrolment contact mbrian@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au.
– Monica Brian
Speech and Drama Studio Director