From the Principal

Last weekend I took the opportunity to see A Beautiful Day in The Neighborhood a movie that features Tom Hanks playing Fred Rogers, an American Minister and children’s television show host. I was living in the US when my children were small, so they grew up watching Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and I must admit to moments of nostalgia as I watched it!   Although I have heard mixed reviews about the movie, I must say that I would see it again in a heartbeat, not just because of the connection to my children’s early years, but because it reminded me of Fred Rogers’ commitment to giving children a voice and discussing issues and emotions with small children in a calm, respectful manner. In particular, I have reflected on the following quote:

‘I don’t think anyone can grow unless he’s loved exactly as he is now, appreciated for what he is rather than what he will be. As human beings, our job in life is to help people realise how rare and valuable each one of us really is, that each of us has something that no one else has – or ever will have – something inside that is unique to all time. It’s our job to encourage each other to discover that uniqueness and to provide ways of developing its expression. Knowing that we can be loved exactly as we are gives us all the best opportunity for growing into the healthiest of people.’

As parents, carers, teachers and school staff, we are the ones to whom our children look, to know that they are okay ‘just the way that they are’; that regardless of what they achieve in the classroom, the sporting field or in life, they are loved and valued.  My challenge to myself, and one you might like to consider, is to ensure the girls know they are appreciated, loved and valued for who they are right now, even when our conversations focus on the future. For that will give them the ‘very best opportunity for growing into the healthiest of people.’

Contacting Staff

As the School year gets underway, there will be times when parents and carers need to contact staff with a request for information or to express a concern. In general, the class (Junior School) teacher or subject (Senior School) teacher is the first point of contact to discuss subject-specific matters. Junior School class teachers can also assist with pastoral matters and Deputy Head of Junior School – Student Life is available for additional support. In the Senior School, Luminaries and Heads of Year are available to discuss pastoral matters. The first point of contact for co-curricular matters should be the staff member in charge, with the Director of Music, Head of Sport and Director of Co-curricular Programs all available when needed. Contact details for each of these people can be found in your daughter’s School diary.

Please keep in mind that school staff are rarely at their desks and do not check emails while teaching. For this reason, you may not get an immediate response but generally, staff will acknowledge your message within 24 hours and follow up as quickly as possible.

It is expected that all communication between parents and staff will be respectful and focus on the issue of concern rather than accusation or blame. There is not one staff member at our School who seeks to do anything but the best by the girls in their care. However, sometimes things do go wrong or there is a miscommunication and, where this has happened, we are committed to working in partnership with parents to resolve the matter.

There will also be times where some girls miss out on being selected for a team or an award. This can be difficult for the girl, but such disappointments are an important part of developing resilience. Decisions by staff are informed by a wider context than parents may have information to be able to consider. While parents are welcome to contact staff to gain feedback on how their daughter might improve in the future, it is not appropriate to question the professional judgement of staff, nor to demand a particular outcome. I ask parents to ensure that all communication with staff on any matters is respectful.

– Lisa Moloney
Principal

Assembly for Academic Achievement

The Assembly for Academic Achievement was introduced in 2019 to recognise and honour the high achievers from the graduating class.

The Assembly was held on Wednesday 12 February 2020 with the ‘Old Girls’ from the 2019 cohort returning to be awarded for their achievements in their final HSC and IB results. Those recognised included girls with nominations and selections for the creative and performing arts, top bands and first in subject at MLC School and ATARs over 98.

The Reverend Dr Charles J. Prescott Medal is awarded to the students who attain the highest university entrance score (ATAR), and is the highest accolade of the day. This year four students took out the medal for an ATAR of 99.95, Vicky Feng, Annike Lindhout, Rachel Wang and Olivia Wu.

We are proud of the entire cohort of 2019, and extend our congratulations to every young woman as they move on to exciting new horizons.

Photos from the Academic Excellence Assembly are available here.

The Class of 2019 Highlights is available here.

Principal’s Welcome Video

Ms Lisa Moloney welcomes our MLC School Community to the 2020 school year.

Ella Walters has Danced Her Way to the World Irish Dance Championships

Congratulations to Ella Walters (Year 9) who has qualified to represent Australia at the World Irish Dance Championships to be held in Dublin from Sunday 5 April to Sunday 12 April 2020, the 50th anniversary of the championships.

Acting Head of English

Late last year we farewelled our Head of English, Ben Haeusler, as he moved to a promotions role in a new school. We are currently undertaking an extensive recruitment process to find a suitable candidate who will be able to build on the already strong teaching and learning in our English department. While we undertake this process, Deborah Moir has been appointed as Acting Head of English and Gemma Goldberger as Acting Assistant Head of English. Both are very experienced English teachers with leadership experience. Should you have any questions in relation to your daughter’s study of English please do not hesitate to contact them.

– Linda Emms
Head of Learning and Teaching

Girls Who Remained at Home After Travel to China or Hong Kong

All parents and carers have by now been contacted by the School in regards to arrangements about your daughter’s absence. If by chance you have not been contacted at all, please ensure you follow up with Carla Comitogianni by Tuesday 18 February 2020.

Don’t Forget to Order your School Photos

Don’t forget to purchase your daughter’s photos online. If orders are not placed by Tuesday 18 February 2020, late fees/additional charges will be incurred. 

Please see the links below:

Junior School order here with code CE3 9QF BAK

Senior School order here with code 9DY JGM 577

Important Information

• School photos purchased online DO NOT require envelopes returned to school*
• Photos will be returned to MLC School for distribution approximately six weeks after photos are taken

If you have any questions, comments or feedback please contact advancedlife.

2020 Parent Contact Lists Now Available

Upcoming Events

Parents and carers will receive an events email every Tuesday with a list of MLC School’s upcoming events. This is to minimise the amount of invitations taking up room in your inboxes and to make it easier for you to book events from one page instead of multiple emails.

If you missed the email this week, please click below.

Upcoming Events – 11 February to 29 March 2020

Events are also uploaded to the My MLC School Portal calendar here.
This page requires a login. If you have trouble logging in or do not have a password, please contact us.

MLC School Payments Has a New Look

MLC School Payments has a new look and improved functionality

• Your daughter’s information is auto populated from your sign-in
• Your name and email is auto populated from your sign-in
• Multiple transactions can be made without leaving the site, even if you have more than one daughter

What is MLC School Payments?

The MLC School Payments site is for the registration of activities requiring payment. For example;

• MLC School bus permission form
• Co-curricular Clubs, co-curricular Drama, co-curricular Dance, co-curricular Music, co-curricular Sport, 
• Events
• Excursions

There are also links to external sites, where you need to purchase MLC School products, such as the uniform shop. 

Where is the new MLC School Payments site found?

The MLC School Payments can be accessed from either:

• My MLC School Portal
  To log-on, you require a username and password
  Username
  Use your MLC School Portal username and add @mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au
  example 123456@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au
  Password
  Use your MLC School Portal password

  OR

• Directly via a provided link from an activity coordinator, as advertised for an event etc
  To log-on, you require a username and password
  Username
  Use your MLC School Portal username and add @mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au
  example 123456@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au
  Password
  Use your MLC School Portal password

How do I find an activity?

There are a few ways to find an activity. Activities are placed in categories, and they may also be in multiple categories. Example, you want to register and pay for Audio-Visual Club. This activity is a co-curricular one for Year 4 and Year 5. You will find it:

• in the Co-curricular category, by clicking on the thumbnail
• in the All Products drop-down within the top Blue bar
• in the School Year Group category, by clicking on the thumbnail and then selecting the appropriate Year group
• or you can use the search bar. Be mindful the search bar does like correct spelling

What sort of information is provided on the activity?

The information may include:

• The name of the activity 
• The cost
• Introductory information, which may include a sport training timetable for example
• Links to contractual information
• Terms and conditions
• Information on how the order is processed
• The MLC School contact for any queries on that particular activity
• The booking form, and this may include specific classes or Year group to select
• and further information may also be provided below the booking form

What do I need to fill-in to purchase an activity?

You will need to provide information relevant to the activity, and agree to certain terms and conditions. Some of the information is mandatory. You will not be able to add the activity to your cart until you provide all the mandatory information. Mandatory information is referenced with an asterisk *

How to complete the order?

When you have finished your order, simply select

• Add to cart button
• View cart button
• check all items are correct (if you want to remove an item, just click on the red cross next to that item, and then select the update cart button)
• Proceed to checkout button
• Complete your billing details
• Complete your payment details (MLC School doesn’t store your payment details, so you will need to re-enter these each time you complete an order

• Select Place order button

What do I receive as confirmation of my order?

A confirmation of your order is displayed on the screen, and a copy is sent to your email address. The confirmation has the Order Number, and details of the transaction.

Who do I contact if I have a query on my order?

Should you have any queries once the order is completed, please email customerhelp@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au and note your query. That way we can direct your question to the appropriate person. 

International Night Is On Again

Come along and enjoy a wonderful night of community, family and food.

A perennial favourite on the MLC School calendar, this year’s International Night will be fabulous, with a wonderful array of foods from countries around the world.

Tickets will also be sold before and after school on the Red Carpet. 

For enquiries, please contact Junior School Reception.

Book tickets

7th Annual P&F Parent/Daughter Golf Day

MLC School Parents and Friends (P&F) Association invites you to the 7th annual Parent/Daughter Golf Day.

The afternoon is a great way to meet and have fun with girls and their parents from a range of year groups, and is open to grandparents, friends and family. Players of all ages and ability are welcome. The Ambrose competition format is a fast and social event that allows golfers to play together irrespective of ability. One score is recorded per hole for each team and little time is wasted looking for lost balls.

Golf will be followed by wood-fire pizzas and a prize presentation.

All proceeds go to the MLC School Parents and Friends Association.

Date: Sunday 8 March 2020
Time: 12.15pm
Location: Hurstville Golf Club
Lorraine Street, Peakhurst
Cost: $150 per pair

BOOK HERE

From the Head of Junior School

One of the many strengths is the strong partnership between home and school. It was lovely to see so many parents attend our Year 3 to Year 6 Information Night. Thank you for taking the time to visit and hear about the exciting opportunities the girls are engaged in this year. 

We have had an extremely positive response to parents registering for our URSTRONG Language of Friendship Workshop, commencing at 6pm on Tuesday 25 February 2020. URSTRONG is part of our Junior School pastoral care program. Language of Friendship Workshop assists teachers and parents to work together to teach, upskill and support your daughter in the important and sometimes challenging area of friendship. If you have not registered, please do so. With your help, working together, we can achieve even great outcomes for your daughter in the increasingly important area of friendship.

Book Here

During the Christmas school holidays, our Language teacher, Ms Sherry Chen, was successful attaining a secondary teaching position at Kambala School. Ms Chen has been seeking to extend her professional skills working in the secondary school sector. This appointment is a great credit to Ms Chen and she will be greatly missed here at MLC School. Ms Chin commences her position next week. However, we are fortunately to be able to have Ms Chen continue to be with us on Mondays for the remainder of Term 1. A newly appointed Language (Mandarin) Junior School teacher will be announced shortly.

It has been a delight to visit the all studios this week. 2020 is off to a great start at MLC Junior School, with the girls so focused and engaged in their learning. Some activities are shared with via our Seesaw app. This tool gives you a wonderful insight to discuss your daughter’s day at school when at home.

– Daniel Sandral
Head of Junior School

Year 5 Camp Began with a Frenzy

Year 5 camp began with a frenzy, with only two weeks to get ready! The girls were amazing and we set off early one morning with great excitement.  Every aspect of camp involved an adventure. It began with a barge ride to the campsite. The activities challenged everyone. Camping in a tent was exciting but not always the best place to “sleep”. Flying down a zipline sounds fun but is not always easy to exercise. Canoeing sounds easy but it is hard to row in a straight line. Abseiling was very scary and challenged everyone. Not everything, however, was a physical challenge. Many of the girls commented on hard it was to organise themselves in age order without being allowed to talk. The overall response to camp was that everyone had fun and learnt more about each other. Even the rain did not dampen spirits. Well done Year 5! We can’t wait until our adventure to Ballarat.

– Jan Falls, Amber Bidwell, Courtney Dougherty, Eddie Park
Year 5 Teachers

Year 3 to Year 5 Swimming Program

Water safety, and the ability to swim with both confidence and competence, is of vital importance for all young children living in Australia. In 2020 students in Year 3 to Year 5 will be participating in a swimming program during Physical Education (PE) lessons throughout Term 1 as well as a two-week intensive swimming program. All lessons will be held at School’s Aquatic Centre. Both these programs will prepare students for the Junior School Swimming Carnival on Friday 3 April 2020.

During PE lessons, commencing Week 2, Year 3 and Year 4 will be participating in lifesaving and water safety activities. Year 5 will be learning flippa ball (modified water polo). The PE lessons will cater for all swimming abilities.

The Intensive Swimming Program also caters for all levels of ability, from non-swimmer groups to more advanced stroke development groups. Your daughter will be assessed during the first session and placed into a small group according to her level of performance. Lessons will focus on water confidence and stroke development and will be led by fully qualified MLC School Aquatic staff.

The lesson times are as follows:

What to Wear

Girls must wear the MLC School swimming costume and bring goggles, a towel and swimming cap. Please remember to pack spare underwear in a bag, which your daughter will take with her to the Aquatic Centre each day.

– Sarah Jauncey
PDHPE Teacher

URSTRONG Language of Friendship Workshop

Internationally recognised friendship program that empowers children with the skills, language, and self-confidence to be better friends and develop healthier relationships.

Through interactive parent and child activities, parents will learn strategies to help their child put out Friendship Fires, how to put a voice to their feelings, and the best ways to support their child through unhealthy friendships.

Who attends?

All Year 1 to Year 6 girls and their parents. Pre-K and Kindergarten parents are welcome to attend.

When and Where?

Date: Wednesday 25 February 2020
Time: 6pm to 7.30pm
Venue: Daphne Line Hall

Presenter?

Dana Kerford

More information on Dana Kerford here

Please Register Here

Staff Spotlight

Ms Amber Bidwell – Year 5 teacher and Stage 3 Coordinator

Amber Bidwell joined MLC School this year. She is an experienced and innovative educator with over 15 years teaching experience across Kindergarten to Year 6. Amber has worked predominately across the independent school sector, most recently as a year group leader at Redlands in Cremorne and prior to that, St Catherine’s in Waverley.

Amber has a Bachelor of Arts and Diploma of Education and a Diploma of Leadership and Management from Kaplan Professional. She has a passion for Mathematics and innovative education and has been actively involved in the Mathematics Association of NSW. Amber has two children, aged 16 and 19, whom she enjoys spending quality time with. She is a keen cyclist and likes catching up with friends.

From the Head of Senior School

It’s been a challenging week for the girls with all the rain around, especially on Monday as we started Week 3. Despite this, the uniform standards have been exceptionally high. It’s very encouraging to greet students each morning and see that they continue to maintain such high standards. A gentle reminder that girls are not to arrive or leave school with a jumper as the outer garment, it must always be the uniform, blouse or blazer. Thank you to all families for your support in this area and to our Year 12 School and House Captains for your presence at the gates each day.

I’d also like to acknowledge the efforts of or Middle Years Leaders for their efforts in reminding girls in Year 6 to Year 11 about the importance of wearing the correct uniform. They took on the responsibility of making a presentation to girls at an Assembly on Wednesday. From all reports this was very well planned, superbly done and highly entertaining. Congratulations to our all girls for demonstrating pride in the wearing of school uniform.

Also on Wednesday 12 February 2020 we had the opportunity of welcoming back girls from the Class of 2019 to the Academic Achievement Assembly. It’s always great to see Old Girls return to school and acknowledge their success in the HSC and IB Diploma. I had the pleasure of speaking at the assembly and shared with all present our admiration for their enormous efforts and how this translates to both positive outcomes for them and the motivation it provides for girls in other years.

MLC School girls have always stood out to me for so many reasons. When I reflect on the Class of 2019, they have added to the incredible history of this great school. Their legacy will include pushing the boundaries, challenging the conventional, questioning why, taking risks, paving the way for those who come after them, and doing all of this with a sense of compassion, kindness, humility, generosity and honesty.

Whilst we celebrate their success, I also shared some insights into the stories behind their success. Success is no accident. It’s hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrificing and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do. I am privileged to know so much about the sacrifices they’ve made, the perseverance they’ve shown, the agony, the heartache, the joy and the sorrow. It’s a reminder for all girls and their families that success rarely comes easy.

In closing, I shared with the assembly a challenge, whilst meant for the Class of 2019, it carries meaning for us all.

In terms of success, the greatest ever sporting team in history are the All Blacks, the rugby union side from New Zealand. Their success is built around a strong culture of ‘Sweep the Sheds’.

That’s correct, the global brand with a lifetime winning percentage of 77%; the highest of any sporting team; their cultural mantra is built around a tradition that no individual is bigger than the team. Everyone is responsible for the smallest detail. Therefore, sweeping the shed is done by everyone, captain and coach included, who are always the last to leave. The sweeping I refer to is in the very literal sense. They pick up all their own rubbish, from drink bottles, food scraps, used tape and bandaging, and then proceed to grab a broom and sweep out all the dirt from the floor. They ensure that this takes place after every training session and game, regardless of where they may be in the world, with the knowledge they have left the sheds in a better state than the way they found them.

I find this an amazing mantra to apply in life. There might be occasions where we are unable to physically ‘sweep the sheds’, but it does reinforce that the minor details are just as important. For me, it also highlights the value in looking after others, regardless of who they may be.

We are privileged to operate in a school where these qualities are exhibited often. The student body at MLC School are incredibly inclusive and supportive of others, however, we all could do with a reminder of the benefits that come from ‘sweeping the sheds.’

– Neil Scotney
Head of Senior School

More photos from the Class of 2019 Academic Assembly are available here.

‘Lights, Camera, Action’ For Year 10 Photographic and Digital Media Students

The Year 10 Photographic and Digital Media girls spent an afternoon learning about lighting and how to use it to improve their shots with Fiona Wolf-Symeonides from the Australian Centre for Photography. Students were engaged and energetic in this hands-on workshop with outstanding results.

– Cigdem Aydemir
Visual Arts Teacher

Expressions of Interest – 2020 WOW Tour to New Zealand

The World of Wearable (WOW) Art Tour is an internationally renowned design competition held each year in Wellington, New Zealand. WOW gives designers the opportunity to be original and innovative, and to push the boundaries of creativity. The wearable art finalists are paraded on stage in a two-hour spectacular.

The WOW tour is for girls in Year 9, Year 10 and Year 11 who are studying, or planning to study, the DART subjects of Textiles, Design and Technology, Food Technology, Information and Software Technology (IST), Visual Art, and Software Design and Information Technology.

The tour will feature interactive workshops and experiences to inspire and encourage creativity and self-expression.

The tour is planned for September 2020 and will be nine days, eight nights of design, create, imagine!

As well as Wellington, the girls will also travel to Nelson and Christchurch in New Zealand.

Be inspired, be amazed, be WOWED!

Please email Robyn Langford for more information about the tour.

– Robyn Langford
TAS Teacher

Year 7

For many, this week has been the first full week of school for Year 7. By Wednesday 12 February 2020, the Year 7 students had been to every class on their timetable at least once. There is a lot for the Year 7 students to take in and I have been very impressed by how well the cohort have coped with the transition into high school. Navigating their way around campus, working out what they need for each lesson, and understanding how to work their locker locks is no mean feat. A number of staff have commented on this year group’s high level of resilience and positive, can-do attitude. I would like to commend the girls on their ability to ask questions when in need of help, to give everything a go, and to encourage and support the other girls in their year. These attributes show a strength of character that will lead to many successes for the class of 2025 in the future. 

Co-Curricular Activities

Many activities are underway for Term 1, but there are a number of lunchtime activities, clubs and committees which don’t require enrolment, that your daughter may want to join. Getting involved in lunchtime activities is an effective way of connecting with other girls of all year groups. These activities are listed in the 2020 Co-Curricular Handbook. 

Homework Guidelines

We try to ease Year 7 into the world of high school by not overburdening them with excessive amounts of homework, but we also believe it is important to begin setting up good habits early. With this in mind, we recommend students in Year 7 complete approximately sixty minutes of homework each night. This allocation includes working on assessment tasks and preparing for in-class assessments. If you have concerns about the amount of time your daughter is spending completing homework, please get in touch with me.

Organisation

Being organised is the key to working efficiently and effectively. The Luminaries have spent some time this week helping the girls with their organisational skills; in particular, how to use the School Diary appropriately. Classroom teachers encourage students to record homework and important dates in their School Diary, and it is essential that the girls utilise the Diary as a means to work steadily toward deadlines and to make sure all work is completed. I encourage you to please look at your daughter’s diary and make sure that she is using it in a way that establishes good study habits and routines. There is a space at the bottom of each page for parents to sign the diary and communicate with their daughter’s Luminary. The Luminaries will be checking the Diaries every Monday during Luminary Time. 

Parent Teacher Interviews

These will be held in the Senior Senior on Monday 24 February 2020 from 4pm to 7pm. 

– Karen Roberts
Head of Year 7

Year 8

After introducing the idea of Most Valued Player to the year group last week, the Luminaries and I received some excellent feedback from the girls about what they thought would and wouldn’t work. It’s comforting knowing we can always rely on the girls for some critical feedback. We have incorporated their feedback and hope this increases their investment in the process. Next week, girls will have the opportunity to begin nominating other students who they think are demonstrating one of the four MLC School values: compassion, courage, respect, and growth. We hope this initiative creates even greater cohesion between girls in the year group and that it encourages behaviour which aligns with our values.

The girls had their individual school photos taken on Tuesday 11 February 2020. If you would like to order your daughter’s photos, you can still do so online at www.advancedlife.com.au using the 9 digit code 9DY JGN 577.

– Carmel Cordaro
Head of Year 8

Year 9

We started this week with a visit from the police to talk to the girls about some of the choices and challenges that they may face as they grow up and start socialising more. Constable Jim Bottalico, our local youth liaison officer, not only spoke to the girls about the dangers of alcohol and substance abuse, but the importance of talking to an adult if they are worried at all about one of their friends.

In Luminary time on Thursday we explored another one of School values, compassion. Groups discussed how we recognise this in each other and the importance of demonstrating it in our school community. Judging by our MVP (Most Valued Person) nominations to date, we have a pretty compassionate year group with the majority of nominations so far being for this School value. I am loving checking the nominations each day and reading the generous and warm acknowledgements from the girls to each other. I’m looking forward to sharing the first batch with the girls at next week’s Year meeting.

I must also mention the stellar presentation from our Middle Years Leaders in the whole school assembly on Wednesday 12 February 2020. The girls mocked up a fashion parade critiquing the way each one of them was wearing the school uniform. There were some obvious blunders for the students to identify. Madhavi Chauhan’s role as the Anna Wintour of MLC School provided a suitably witty and scathing commentary. Their light humour and energy was much appreciated, and they should be congratulated for fearlessly presenting to not just the middle years but the senior girls as well.

– Fiona Pow
Head of Year 9

Year 10

Week 3 has been an interesting and exciting week for Year 10. In Luminary time, we have been focusing on reconnecting with our SMART goals and fine tuning our goals for the term. We have asked them to think about personal characteristics they value in themselves and others, such as courage and kindness to think about ways that they can develop those traits in Year 10. Hopefully these discussions will help to develop stronger friendships within the house and year group in 2020. The girls have also been encouraged to be specific about their academic goals for the upcoming assessment block and they are reminded to check in with Canvas for updates with their timetable. All girls have received their assessment timetables and the strategies from ELEVATE now need to be implemented. Even before assessment notifications go out to students, girls can organise their notes, print off timetables and check for any work they have missed while away from school.

The girls completed the Careers Avenue assessment today and while nervous about the process, they settled down brilliantly and engaged very well. The Careers Avenue supervisor had some great advice for them at the start of the test such as: being open to the process, accepting that some things would be challenging but others not and that everyone is different. Feedback from the girls was very positive and we look forward to the reports generated for us by the team. The assessment is a great opportunity for our girls to self-reflect and start the journey to maximise their potential. All information and details about our Careers program are available in the MLC School Careers Programs and Services brochure given to the girls in Week 2. Any issues or questions about the Careers Program can be directed to Loretta Toole, Head of Careers and Academic Advising or 61 2 8741 3114.

MLC School will be hosting school tours on Tuesday 25 February 2020 and an outstanding number of Year 10 students applied to be guides for the morning. We needed 10 guides and 35 girls applied straight away – thanks to those girls and it is great to see that you want to show the community everything we do here at MLC School. I will put those names on a reserve list and keep you in mind for future tours and events, so thank you again.

As always, if there are any issues or concerns regarding your daughter’s wellbeing and progress, I can be reached on 61 2 8741 3976 or via email.

– Sharon Connolly
Head of Year 10

Year 11

The tempo of Term 1 has increased in pace this week. In Luminary the girls have focused on goal setting and the healthy study and lifestyle habits they want to grow this year. This was timely, as Year 11 were provided with schedules for their assessment block in Week 8, commencing on the 16 March 2020. Capitalising on the information and strategies provided to them over the past week, now is a great time for the girls to focus on planning for the term (and assessment block) ahead. However, as Year 11 need to remember, this is a long term and one which requires sustained effort and energy; something that they can only do with good sleep, healthy food, and regular exercise.

Living the message of standing up and showing leadership this term, four Year 11s ran a very successful sustainability-themed sausage sizzle on Wednesday at lunchtime. As part of their “Creativity, Activity and Service” class, Claudia Bean, Annika Lee, Isabella Lee and Tarindhi Fernando raised money for the recent NSW bushfires, whilst promoting sustainability tips. This Sunday 16 February 2020 marks the beginning of our family chapel services, with Prescott and Sutton Houses. As I noted at Parent-Teacher Information Evening, such activities provide a great opportunity for Year 11 to involve themselves and lead their community at MLC School, and it has been wonderful to hear that so many have embraced this.

Parent Teacher Interviews

These will be held in the Senior Senior on Thursday 27 February 2020 from 4pm to 7pm. Login and booking details will be emailed next week.

As ever, if you have any comments, queries or concerns to discuss, please contact me on 02 8741 3268 or by email.

– Felicity Berry
Head of Year 11

Year 11 Get to the Heart of the Matter

Year 11 SEHS (Sports and Exercise Science) class was lucky enough to have a full practical lesson which we spent dissecting sheep’s hearts. In groups of three to four, the girls were presented with one heart per group and a range of tools such as surgical scissors, scalpels and forceps to use. Before beginning the dissection, we examined the external structure of the heart, observing features like the pericardium, myocardium, veins and arteries. 

Following this, the girls began their dissection to explore the internal anatomy of the heart. We followed a set of instructions set by teachers to ensure the dissection was as methodical and efficient as possible. These instructions guided us to expertly explore features of the heart such as the four chambers, the significant arteries and veins and valves. We observed characteristics such as the varying thickness of different muscular walls, the varying thickness of veins/arteries, location and purpose of valves, networks of muscle cords to enhance our knowledge of how the heart functions and how the organ’s structure supports its function. Through this activity, we were able to understand the mechanics of the heart’s pulmonary and systemic circuits. The dissected organ displayed the path and vessels that blood flows through to supply the body with oxygen, and therefore energy. After completing the practical section of our learning, we answered a number of questions to further solidify our understanding of the heart’s functioning. 

Angela Trang and Gloria Lim (Year 11)

Year 12

On Wednesday 13 February 2020, the year group attended the 2019 Year 12 Academic Excellence Assembly, which was a good opportunity to give the 2020 cohort an added motivation and incentive to keep up their efforts and try hard. As a teacher it is very rewarding to see what the girls can achieve through their hard work and efforts.

The girls are looking ahead towards their assessment weeks, utilising and refining their study plans. Many of the girls have begun using some of the strategies suggested by Elevate at the study skills session last Tuesday 4 February 2020.

If you have any concerns regarding your daughter, please don’t hesitate to email me at or phone 8741 3278.

Upcoming Dates

• Swimming Carnival – Friday 28 February 2020 – Week 5
• HSC Examination Week – Week 6
• IB TOK Presentations, IOCs and Language Orals – Week 6
• IB Examination Week – Week 7

– Angela Renwick
Head of Year 12

Sports Update

Important Procedures for Sport

Saturday 15 February 2020 is the start of Saturday Sport for our Year 3-6 girls. Now that everyone is into the routine of training and playing games, it is a good time to remind the community about the correct procedures for notifying us of your absence from training or games.

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 attended at least 80% of training and games.

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

Follow Us On Facebook

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

– Lisa Filby
Director of Sport

The Rowing Year Begins

Rowing News

We have started Term 1 rowing with the yearly rowing camp and a number of competitions.

The camp, held at the Berry Sport and Recreation Campus, was one of our best camps yet. There was great enthusiasm and lots of hard work with everyone improving greatly in fitness and technique. Our summer camp is an important part of the rowing program and sets the squad up for the Term 1 competition culminating in the Schoolgirl Head of the River in on Saturday 4 April 2020.

On our first week back, the squad competed in the Roseville College Regatta at Iron Cove on Saturday 1 February 2020. This regatta allows us to try different crew combinations and gets everyone back into racing mode.

We had a number of wins and placings in the event making it a very successful one for MLC School.

Of special mention, Sophia Murphy (Year 11), Jasmin Fitch (Year 11), Samantha Naayen (Year 12), Ella Woolbank (Year 12), Cox: Zoe Howes (Year 9) placed 1^st in the Schoolgirl Coxed Quad and Ella Woolbank (Year 12) placed 1^st in the Schoolgirl Single Scull.

On Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 February 2020 a number of athletes competed in the NSW State Rowing Championships at the Sydney International Rowing Centre at Penrith.

This regatta is also a national selection regatta which means there are many entries from interstate resulting in big entry numbers for each event. In both the Schoolgirl Quad Scull and Schoolgirl Single there were 30+ entries meaning Heats, semi-finals and finals.

Our athletes performed particularly well with Inez Kritzler (Year 11), Samantha Naayen (Year 12), Ella Woolbank (Year 12) with Sasha Kovarik (Year 8) as coxswain making the final, finishing with a 7^th place. The crew had great rows in the Heat and Semi-Final but were slightly off the boil in the Final but still achieved a great result.

Inez Kritzler (Year 11), Lily Smith and Ella Woolbank (Year 12) all competed in the Schoolgirl Single Scull. All performed really well with Ella making the semi-final and Lily making the final. Unfortunately, the conditions deteriorated during Ella and Lily’s races and the regatta was cancelled so the final was not contested.

This weekend we have the Sydney Girls High School Regatta at Iron Cove and five of our senior girls are attending a NSW Rowing Pathways training day on Sunday 16 February 2020.

– Rob Glendenning
Head Coach

Personal Bests and Placings at the Speedo Sprints

Congratulations to the following girls who swam at the recent Speedo Sprints on Saturday 1 February 2020. The results show their placings and PBs.

Florence Jiang (Year 8)

• 1^st in 100 Backstroke 
• 2^nd in 50 Butterfly
• 2^nd in 50 Freestyle
• 2^nd in 50 Backstroke 
• 2^nd in 200 Freestyle
• 2^nd in 100 Butterfly 

Kathleen Chrun (Year 6)

• 50 Butterfly – 42.49 (PB)
• 50 Breaststroke – 45.26 (PB)

Suyi Yin (Year 7)

• 1^st in 50 Breaststroke – 37.92(PB)

Jacqueline Wang (Year 4)

• 1^st in 50 Freestyle – 39.11
• 1^st in 50 Breaststroke – 52.43
• 2^nd in 50 Butterfly – 49.53 (PB)
• 2^nd in 50 Backstroke – 49.88

Amelia McNamara (Year 7)

• 50 Butterfly – 42.00 (PB)
• 23th in 50 Breaststroke – 45.79 (PB)
• 16^th in 50 Backstroke   – 40.00 (PB)  

Rose Lin (Year 5)

• 50 Butterfly (PB)
• 50 Freestyle (PB)
• 50 Breaststroke (PB)
• 50 Backstroke (PB)

Isabelle Lin (Year 8)

• 50 Butterfly – 40.49(PB)
• 50 Freestyle – 36.52 (PB)
• 50 Breaststroke – 52.90(PB)
• 50 Backstroke – 41.72(PB) 

Avery Koh (Year 5)

• 1^st in 50 Backstroke – 43.38
• 2^nd in 50 Breaststroke – 48.82 (PB)
• 3^rd – 50 Freestyle 36.58
• 4^th – 50 Butterfly 42.00

Stephanie Keo (Year 5)

• 50 Butterfly – 43.36 (PB)
• 50 Freestyle – 39.27 (PB)

Jody Feng (Yer 8)

• 50 Freestyle – 36.16 (PB)
• 50 Breaststroke – 47.64 (PB)
• 50 Backstroke – 41.61 (PB)

– Lisa Filby
Director of Sport

Elysse Diep Sprints to Success

Congratulations to Elysse Diep (Year 6), who competed in the Little Athletics Regional Championships on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 February 2020.

Elysse has progressed to the State competition in the 400m sprint, placing 2nd, marginally missing out on 1st place with a massive PB. Depending on overall results, Elysse may possibly compete in the 100m as she placed 4th with a PB of 15.24 secs.

On Sunday 16 February 2020, Elysse will compete in the 200m and Long Jump events.

Good luck Elysse!

– Lisa Filby
Director of Sport

Important Dates and Fixtures

Weekend Fixtures (by Sport)

Term 1 Sports Registrations

Term 1 2020 Sports Registrations Still Open

Last week a new payment and registration system was launched. This new portal contains all the sports programs that are currently available for registration. To access this site, please follow this link. 

Remember!

Do not miss any important sports information! Please make sure you check Schoology 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.

– Lisa Filby
Director of Sport

Absences from Sport – What To Do When You Can’t Make It

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 attended at least 80% of training and games.

– Lisa Filby
Director of Sport

IPSHA Sport App

The Independent Primary School Heads of Australia (IPSHA) app is available on the App store. Please see Instructions on how to download.

The IPSHA app contains information for parents, students, coaches and anyone who is interested in IPSHA sport.

The girls sport wet weather notifications and updates are also on the IPSHA app and is updated on the Blink Mobile site.

– Lisa Filby
Director of Sport

Wet Weather

What do I do if it’s Wet Weather?

If you are playing an Independent Primary School Heads of Australia (IPSHA) sport, please click here to visit the IPSHA Wet Weather site. Once on the site, select your venue and there will be a notification if your venue is closed. IPSHA normally makes a decision by 7am.

If you are playing an Independent Girls Schools Sports Association (IGSSA) sport, please click here.The IGSSA website will let you know if your venue is closed or open.

Eastwood Ryde Netball Association (ERNA) Netball players should visit the ERNA Netball website or Facebook page.

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

– Lisa Filby
Director of Sport

Quote of the Week

Stay healthy, do sports and above all have fun while doing sport. Competing or just for fun, whatever, simply enjoy and try your best. Working hard, working well with achievable goals normally pays off. Believe in the people that are with you and listen to those who have more experience.”

– Rafael Nadal

Music News

Congratulations to Zara Kilborn (Year 9) for achieving a credit in her fifth grade Oboe examination. This year Zara also successfully completed her fourth grade Oboe exam which is quite an achievement. Congratulations Zara. 

Music ensembles have had a great start this week. If any new students would like to join the co-curricular groups, enquire at the Music Centre.

Speech and Drama Studio Enrolling Now!

If you love acting, want to gain more confidence in public speaking or want to have fun with improvisation and theatre sports then why not join us for Speech and Drama! You can join one of our group classes, team up with friends for a duo or trio class, or have a tailored course designed specifically for you with private tuition. 

The Speech and Drama Studio led by Monica Brian, provides MLC School students with an onsite comprehensive speech and drama program. For the past 23 years at MLC School, Monica’s specialist knowledge of the entertainment industry in addition to her experience as an educator ensured the programs high standard and real-life application.

Our team are made up of established industry professionals and highly qualified and experienced educators who are committed and passionate about providing lasting training in performance, acting, vocal skills and producing confident speakers.

The Speech and Drama Studio is a registered Provider of the NSW Government Creative Kids program. New South Wales school students are entitled to a $100 Creative Kids voucher which can be used toward your child’s speech and drama tuition fee. Click here to apply. 

If your child wants to explore and extend her acting technique, develop her vocal skills, gain confidence in presentations and speeches, develop English speaking skills, partake in Trinity College of London or Australian Speech Communication Association examinations, represent MLC School at eisteddfods or simply have fun through speech and drama training why not join us.

For enrolments please contact Speech & Drama Studio Director, Monica Brian or click on the link for the enrolment form. 

Script Writer’s Club and Writer’s Club Enrolling Now!

If you enjoy writing and want to explore and develop techniques in scriptwriting or are passionate about literature and want to explore various genres of writing, then we would love you to join Ms Zuzi Fort, for the Speech and Drama Studio’s Script Writing or Writer’s Club. Ms Zuzi Fort is a published author, actor, script writer and valued member of the Speech and Drama Studio teaching team for the past seven years. She has worked as an actor, director, scriptwriter, drama coach, radio/TV host and a stunt performer.

For enrolment and enquiry please contact Speech & Drama Studio Director, Monica Brian. 

Acting and Communication Academy

School is back and school news and class presentations are already in the homework folder. To get our best tips on how to help your child prepare, we have a fantastic e-book with tips and exercises to help you to help your child perform at their best.

Production Team (Week 2)

Production team started today. We brainstormed interests, learnt how to put ideas to paper, spoke through and tried a variety of creative processes. We are still taking enrolments and are working towards writing and presenting a short play for a competition.

Speak Easy (Week 2)

This week we went through finding a neutral posture, facial warmups and articulation exercises. Students read aloud lines from Roald Dahl’s BFG one-by-one, testing out different vocal tools such as speed and pitch.

Acting Up (Week 2)

This week we did our usual body and vocal warmups and did some articulation exercises. In the junior class we played magic rock, did some silly walks to loosen up, and then explored character physicality whilst reading out Roald Dahl’s Matilda. In the senior class we also talked through theatre terminology, played tv/film charades and read BFG out loud in a presentation manner.

For more information about Acting & Communication Academy, or enrol in a course or holiday program, please visit the website or email us.

– Stephen Moore

New PE and Sport Uniforms Now Available

We are delighted to announce the new range of PE and Sport uniforms is now available in the Uniform Shop. In this refresh of the range, we have tried to rationalise the number of different uniform items needed by our girls. For example, the PE top is the same top the girls will need for Hockey and Volleyball, and the PE shorts have been designed without pockets in order to meet the needs of some sports. We have also listened to the girls and included some new items such as a long sleeved PE top for colder weather, and the flexibility to wear either a skort, short shorts or longer shorts for PE, thus allowing girls to wear the clothes that best suit their comfort and body shape.

A change in uniform always involves a period of transition and the introduction of the new Sport and PE range means that we will spend the next two years, until the end of 2021, with the girls being allowed to wear both the old PE uniform and the new one. This will allow girls to continue to wear their older siblings’ uniform while it fits, and will also allow girls to wear second-hand uniform. From January 2022 only the updated uniform will be worn.

Sport is more complicated with regard to uniform in that IGSSA has some requirements around girls wearing the same sport uniform on the field/pitch/court. This does not mean that the new uniform is required but rather than the girls must agree on wearing the old one or the new one for their season this year. As always, if there is an issue, the girls should talk it over with their coach or with the relevant sport coordinator.

– Frances Booth
Deputy Principal

Please visit the Uniform Shop for further information

Second-Hand Textbooks and Uniforms at Sustainable School Shop

We are delighted to announce a partnership with the Sustainable School Shop that will enable families to buy and sell second-hand uniforms, textbooks and school items throughout the year. We are very mindful of the potential waste generated over the life of a student at school and we hope this system will help our community recycle uniform and other items and, ultimately, help to reduce our ecological footprint. There is no cost to families to access and use this service.

Sustainable School Shop is a national platform that assists schools and families with second-hand services that are customised to each school. Families will have the ability to: 

• Trade second-hand school uniforms, textbooks and other school items with ease 365 days per year
• Access ongoing support and assistance directly with Sustainable School Shop
• Connect directly with other families to buy and sell textbooks and uniforms
• Access a complete and accurate guide of available second-hand uniform and textbooks

To register with Sustainable School Shop, please follow the instructions below:

1. Visit sustainableschoolshop.com.au
2. Follow the prompts and register your details online
3. Type ‘MLC School…’ and select from the drop-down menu
4. Click Register to submit your details
5. An email will be sent to you with your unique login details
6. Start selling!

Please note that while the 2020 MLC School booklists are available to view on Sustainable School Shop, these are for information purposes as we acknowledge that textbooks may have already been purchased. However, you may still opt to sell textbooks from now as Sustainable School Shop has an ISBN number matching service that may enable you to find a home, at another school, for your daughter’s textbooks. 2021 booklists will be available and accessible from the Sustainable School Shop from Term 3 in 2020 so families may start buying/selling/trading these items then. Helpful flyers will be available at the key access points around the school in the Studies Office (Senior Centre), Senior School Reception (Rowley Street) Junior School Reception (Park Road), and the Uniform Shop.

I hope you find this service of use and welcome any feedback you have on the service and process.

Sustainable School Shop information

Pet of the Week

Did you get a new pet during the school holidays? If you did, we would love to hear about it.

Please email a photo and a paragraph to editor@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au.

This is Versace. He is a toy poodle. He prances around all day begging for more chicken. He loves a good rumble and a good belly scratch. He loves to go outside and get all the leaves and bring the inside and make a massive mess. He cuddles next to me at night.

– Allegra Carlini (Year 6)