Primary School Mother’s Day Breakfast

Earlier this week, it was an absolute joy to come together with all of the Primary School Mothers, Grandmothers and parental figures to celebrate Mother’s Day.

The Primary playground was filled with hundreds of special guests who enjoyed a much needed morning beverage from a special coffee cart, a range of tasty breakfast treats and a  selection of activities and games. Particular highlights were the pamper booth in the Multi-Purpose Room, where many were treated to beautiful new hairstyles, the mindful colouring in the Art Room, which allowed a beautiful time to connect and be together with our loved ones, and the fun photo booth corner.

Following the breakfast, we all enjoyed a special Mother’s Day assembly in the Great Hall. The assembly was led by Kindness Club representatives, who shared books, poems and prayers, giving thanks to all of the mother figures in our community. The K-2 girls performed two beautiful songs for the audience, and a particular highlight of the morning was the selection of Mums who took to the stage to share what they love about being a mum and their fondest memories of motherhood.

Thank you to all who joined us for the morning and a particular special thanks goes to Mrs Sarah Johnstone (Deputy Head of Primary: Student Wellbeing) for organising this beautiful community event.

We wish all of the Mothers, Grandmothers and mother figures a beautiful Mother’s Day on Sunday. We hope you get to enjoy the little chocolates that you were given as a gift with perhaps the best gift of all, a sleep in and a cup of tea in bed!  (We can but dream!)

Helen Dempsey
Head of Primary

Music Matters

Musicale 2 “SPACE” – Wednesday 10 May 5.30pm The Great Hall

Congratulations to the following ensembles who performed in Musicale 2 on Wednesday 10 May:

• Choir
• Madrigal Ensemble
• Contemporary Vocal Ensemble (CVE)
• Basie Jazz Band
• Amati Strings
• Woodwind Ensemble
• LUX Strings
• Holst
• Glennie Percussion
• String Power
• Stringalong

It was an amazing evening of music with every ensemble capturing the spirit of the SPACE.  Musical items included Choir’s performance Ngailu Boy of the Stars by Dan Walker, LUX Strings performance of “City of Stars” from the movie “La-La Land”, Basie Jazz Band’s “Fly Me to the Moon” and many more.

Thank you to the dedicated team of music conductors, tutors and accompanists who have helped to make the evening such a special event.  Well done to all performers!

2024 SCEGGS Darlinghurst Combined Ensembles Tour to New Zealand (Amati, Holst, Senior Choir and Madrigal Ensemble) – Parent Information Evening

At the beginning of the term, the SCEGGS Music Department were thrilled to announce a proposal for a Combined Ensembles Tour to New Zealand in 2024. 

At the conclusion of Musicale 2, an information session was held for interested families.  The Combined Ensembles tour is planned for 9 days to take place over the first week of the 2024 Term 2 school holidays.  If you were unable to attend the information evening and would like to receive further information regarding the tour – please contact the Head of Music: paulinechow@sceggs.nsw.edu.au

BOOK YOUR TICKETS: SCEGGS Choir and Madrigal Ensemble performing in Spinifex Gum with the Sydney Symphony on Wednesday 21 June

SCEGGS’ Choir and Madrigal Ensemble are very excited to have been invited to sing in  Spinifex Gum & the Sydney Symphony in the Sydney Opera House. The performance will be held on the evening of Wednesday June 21 and will bring together the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Marliya – the award-winning all-female ensemble of talented young Indigenous singers from Far North Queensland and the Torres Strait, the Sydney Children’s Choir and Gondwana National Choirs. Spinifex Gum is a composing collaboration between Marliya and The Cat Empire members Felix Riebl and Ollie McGill. This modern song cycle addresses pervasive issues for Australia’s First Nations people, from the social disparity present in the Pilbara to deaths in custody, disproportionate incarceration, land rights and more. This work sung in English and Yindjibarndi brings a vibrant young voice to these important themes. Our choristers are thrilled about this opportunity and are enjoying learning music that carries such important messages.  Tickets are available by clicking on the following link Spinifex Gum & the Sydney Symphony .

Piano Concerts – Term 2 Week 8 for Primary and Secondary Students

Two concerts will be held on Thursday 15 June in the Great Hall for Piano students.

• Primary Piano Concert – will begin at 3.30pm
• Secondary Piano Concert – will begin at 4.30pm

To book a place to perform in either the Primary or Secondary concert – please complete the form in the link below:

• Primary Piano Concert link: Form – Primary Piano Concert
• Secondary Piano Concert link: Form – Secondary Piano Concert

Ms Natalia Deasy’s Piano Concert at Sydney Conservatorium of Music – Sunday 7 May

Congratulations to the following SCEGGS students who performed at Ms Natalia Deasy’s studio concert last Sunday 7 May.  The performance took place at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music:

• Nina Carson (Year 9)
• Adeline Ng (Year 1)
• Agnes Pyzik Hay (Year 1)
• Grace McLean (Year 4)
• Ava Whiteman (Year 4)
• Zoe Rajaratnam (Year 6)
• Isabelle Flower (Year 8)
• Mackenzie Jothy (Year 5)
• Anja Baker (Year 6)
• Annabel Ling (Year 4)
• Stasia Serafin (Year 4)

The girls kept their nerves very well under control.  Thank you to Ms Deasy for including the SCEGGS students and organising the performance.  Well done to everyone!

St. Mark’s Choral Scholarship

Interested SCEGGS Students (16-18 years) are invited to apply for the Choral Scholarship offered by St. Mark’s Church in Darling Point.  Please see the flyer below for further information and audition details.

Upcoming Music Events

Term 2

Term 3

Pauline Chow
Head of Music

Primary School Stage 3 Oracy Showcase

At SCEGGS, we believe every voice matters. No two voices are the same and each voice has something different to say. We encourage the girls to use their voices to share their opinions, collaborate effectively, think critically, and strengthen their relationships. In doing so, we provide every opportunity for them to become confident and articulate members of the school and wider community.

Recently, in the Primary School, we held the inaugural Stage 3 Oracy Showcase, What Matters? This question was the catalyst for all girls in Years 5 and 6 to think about the things that matter to them. This may have been a concern they have, an issue about which they were passionate or something that inspired them. They were then tasked with writing a 3-minute speech which they later delivered to their class.

In doing so, the girls were asked to consider three important aspects of presentational talk: manner, matter, and method. The girls needed to think about their voice projection, expression, and stance. They also needed to present a clear message, ensuring a balance between personal anecdotes and broader big-picture thinking and between tugging at the audience’s heartstrings and cold hard facts. Finally, the girls needed to consider how to organise what they were saying to ensure the speech flowed well. These aspects of delivering an effective speech were considered by both class teachers and judges in selecting the eight finalists and ultimately winner of the showcase.

Congratulations to Anna Slack, Anja Baker, Alice Cameron and Lily Withers in Year 6 and Wavy Ellis, Ella Ungur, Anara Murugesan and Matilda Reuss in Year 5 who presented on the day. All girls spoke confidently and passionately about what mattered to them. Well done to Anja Baker who spoke about human rights and was named winner and Alice Cameron who received Highly Commended for her speech on the role animals can play in supporting and enriching learning.  A special thank you also to our judges, Ms Elizabeth Walsh, our Primary Speech Teacher, and Cissy Watson and Lila Eversgerd from the Secondary School.

Kristy Wiliams
Acting Curriculum Co-ordinator (English K-6)

Science News

Forensic Science Camp – Amazing Opportunity for Year 8 students

Forensic Science Camp is back! Do you love a mystery? Have you watched lots of CSI and detective shows? Then this camp is for you!

Forensic Science Camp offers challenging, hands-on experiences of scientific problem-solving, plus a chance to work with talented students from all over Australia. It is a 5 day camp that takes place in the June-July holiday period 2023 at The Armidale School. You can enter as an individual or form a group of 3-4 SCEGGS students and apply. Spaces are limited so please get in quickly if you would like to be involved. For more information, see here or speak to Mr Hanson or Mrs Sharma.

Mia Sharma
Science Teacher

Work Experience

Over the Easter holidays, from 17 to 21 April, Lily and I had the privilege of participating in work experience at the NSW Treasury in the Economic Strategy and Productivity Group.

On the first day, we were given lanyards and a tour of the facilities, with many different levels for meetings, social events and for different Treasury groups. We were given an induction about the purpose and structure of the Treasury, including the different divisions and their roles, and then began our work experience. Throughout the week we attended divisional presentations, training courses and weekly task group meetings to experience the environment in the wide scope of fields at the Treasury. Our work experience followed the appointment of NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey, and subsequently, numerous meetings were held to discuss the transition and change in government.

Alongside these larger meetings, we were able to meet one-on-one with groups working on specific projects, researching or designing policies to address economic issues that had been identified. These meetings allowed us to gain a deeper appreciation for the depth of analysis and the variety of career opportunities in the Treasury. In particular, the most fascinating task groups presented their findings on investigating the uptake of electric vehicles in NSW, the development of the shared equity housing scheme, long-term data forecasting and NSW’s transition to net-zero emissions.

Between meetings Lily and I worked on specific projects to participate in typical research and investigations within the Economic Strategy and Productivity division. At the conclusion of the week we submitted documents investigating trends in the NSW housing market, evaluating suggested climate change policies and examining reasons for exemptions for staged repeals in regulations. 

The team environment at the office was lovely, with everyone being extremely welcoming, eager to introduce themselves and to hear about our experiences. Each day Lily and I were assigned different assistant economists, who accompanied us to meetings and oversaw our schedule. Additionally, we had lunch and morning tea breaks with employees in different divisions, such as the First Nations Economic Wellbeing team, who were happy to share their project findings.

The relaxed and collaborative atmosphere at the divisional meetings was especially lovely, with everyone sharing updates about their personal lives as well as their projects, encouraging others to make suggestions. We particularly enjoyed casual conversations after meetings about economic issues and current events, as all employees were involved and had numerous interesting insights to share.

In conclusion, work experience at NSW Treasury was eye-opening week, immersing us within the vast scope of career opportunities available to us. It was wonderful to translate our economic theory into practical applications, and provided a much greater perspective and understanding of economic issues facing NSW. This week granted us the opportunity to experience work within an office environment, including the incorporation of technology such as Teams into meetings, enabling individuals to work from home whilst still contributing to team discussions. Most helpfully, everyone was happy to discuss their different paths, such as university and career courses, into working with the Treasury, and the value they found from working together with the NSW government to implement large-scale change. Lily and I greatly enjoyed our time at the NSW Treasury, and are very thankful to our facilitators Ms Hung and Ms Pinnock for making it possible.

Laura Davies (Year 12) and Lily Coombe (Year 11)

Primary Sport News

Primary Cross Country

A reminder to those signed up for Primary Cross Country, the session starts at 6.45am each week. Please be there by 6.40am to best prepare for the session. We aim to start our warmup run at 6.45 am on the dot to ensure we make the most of the time available.

AFL Skills

We are so excited to have our Year 4-6 AFL skills up and running this year! It is a great chance to learn some new skills and have a go at a new and upcoming sport. With our first team entering the IPSHA competition in Term 3 last year, we look forward to more teams this year! We train on Thursday afternoons this term to help best provide a safe and fun first experience for those looking to get involved in AFL! If you haven’t tried AFL before and are interested, please contact me for more details.

Saturday Sport Information

Well done to all of our Minkey Hockey and Netball teams for their fantastic games on the weekend.

Primary Athletics Carnival

On Monday 29 May, we will be conducting our 1500m trials for Years 3-6. Students will be taken by bus on the afternoon of the trials. A bus will return to school at the completion of training at 5.15pm. Otherwise, students may be dismissed directly from the track if collected by a parent.

Important Sports Dates

Monday Week 6: 1500m Races for Primary and Secondary Athletics at ES Marks

Friday Week 7: Primary Athletics Carnival at ES Marks

Primary Sport Achievements

Does your daughter compete in any sport outside of school (for example, at a representative level or a sport we do not currently offer)? If so, I would love to celebrate their achievements by recognising them in this newsletter!

Please email any information (and photos, if possible) to Tom Mitton. These will be included in newsletters throughout the year.

Tom Mitton

PDHPE and Sport Coordinator: Primary

Secondary Sport News

Hockey

Congratulations to Madeleine Tudehope (Year 11) who was selected into the IGSA Open Hockey Team. She will compete at the NSWCIS Championships to be held in May.

AFL

Congratulations to Sadie Juneja (Year 9), Annaliese Stackpool (Year 9) and Zara Torrance (Year 9) who were selected in the NSWCIS U15 AFL team.  They will now compete at the NSW All School Championships at the end of May in Albury.

Equestrian

The NSW Interschools Equestrian Championships were held in the holidays at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre at Horsley Park. SCEGGS had several competitors entered and some excellent results.

Hannah Doolan (Year 9) had a successful competition with a 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd in her Showjumping class and was named the Overall Champion.

Georgina Sharp placed 5^th in her riding class and 7^th Overall in the Primary Hunter Category. Georgina has been very active competing on the equestrian circuit after placing 3rd at the Equestrian Horse Show Spectacular and 5^th at the Grand National. She then placed 2^nd at the Sydney Royal.

Cross Country

Good luck to the SCEGGS Cross Country team who are competing at the IGSA Championships on Friday at Frensham School. The bus will be departing SCEGGS at 6.10am sharp.

Well done to some of our runners who competed in the GPS competition last weekend: Matilda Emanuel (Year 9), Lily Cooney (Year 9), Nancy Newton (Year 9) and Annabelle Jessup (Year 7). This was a training run for the State Championships the following day.

Sydney 10 – State Championships

The State Track Championships were held on Sunday and our SCEGGS runners produced some excellent results:

Do you have any sporting news or photos to share in the Green Gate?

We love seeing our students being active and want to celebrate their passion and enjoyment amongst the SCEGGS community. Please send in any action shots from the weekend and any other interesting sporting highlights to alisongowan@sceggs.nsw.edu.au

SCEGGS Training sessions before and after school plus Saturday Sport

Please check the @SCEGGSSport Twitter feed for the latest updates relating to cancellations and wet weather.

IGSA Fixtures, Results and Wet Weather

The IGSA website and platform for accessing wet weather, fixtures and team results can be found here.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact myself on 9052 2721 or 0418 491 521.

Alison Gowan
Director of Sport

Drama News

Production Time

SCEGGS Drama delivers not one, but two exciting offers of theatrical fare in Term 2. In Week 4 of the term, Melanie Tait’s The Appleton Ladies’ Potato Race will be presented in our Black Box theatre. This will make for a very intimate theatrical experience but one that is sure to delight with its tale of equality and friendship.

This comedy with tons of heart and feminist triumph has been made into a film and will appear on Netflix later in the year.

The Appleton Ladies’ Potato Race by Melanie Tait

Venue: The Black Box Theatre
Show dates: Wednesday 17 May @ 7pm, Thursday 18 May @ 7pm, Friday 19 May @ 7pm, Saturday 20 May @ 1pm

Melanie Tait recently forwarded her well wishes in a filmed message, you can view it via the picture link below.

The play is directed by Ms Vivienne Rodda and features a cast that includes Sophia Willis (Year 11), Sophie Gallagher-Horne (Year 11), Coco Lavigne (Year 12), Scarlett Phillips (Year 12), Billie Palmer (Year 12), Charlotte Katz (Year 11) and Aasha Maunsell (Year 10).

Bookings are now open through our TryBooking link.

For The Diary

Ladies In Black by Carolyn Burns and Tim Finn

Bookings Open: Week 6
Venue: The Rebel Theatre, Pier 2/3, Suite 2/13A Hickson Rd, Dawes Point, ATYP
Show dates: Thursday 15 June @ 7.30pm, Friday 16 June @ 7.30pm, Saturday 17 June @ 2pm, Saturday 17 June @ 7.30pm

Peter Eyers
Head of Drama

Mother’s Day and Two Good Co.

Mother’s Day is fast approaching, Sunday 14 May. It was first celebrated in 1907 when Anna Jarvis held a memorial service for her own mother after her passing as a way to honour the sacrifices that women made for their children. It is a very special day, where we can acknowledge all that women do in their roles as carers for children and their families. We are blessed in many ways by the mothers and women role models in our lives. This year, why not considering supporting the work of Two Good Co. and spoiling your mum with a special care pack available for purchase through Two Good Co. an organisation that works towards women empowering their lives after living in vulnerable situations?

Two Good Co. exists to help women who have lived experiences of homelessness, domestic violence and complex trauma turn around their lives through breaking the cycle of homelessness and disadvantage. Women are empowered to change their lives by focusing on rebuilding self-worth and independence. Two Good Co. creates beautiful and high-quality food and goods that are sold to help enable the work of the business exist.

This Mother’s Day, consider buying a gift pack for your mum and in turn, support the work of Two Good Co. There is a range of gift packages to choose from, with each one purchased, a second one is then given to a woman who has experienced homelessness, domestic violence or complex trauma as an act of love and care.

We create high quality, sustainable, luxurious products – toiletries, apparel, blankets, candles. Basically, things that feel like home. The best part? With every single purchase, you have the potential to change the course of someone’s life. Two Good Co.

Information about the Mother’s Day Care packs can be found at their website or on the flyer here.

Dynielle Whitney
Head of Religious Education
Social Justice Co-Ordinator

SCEGGS Trust – Annual General Meeting

Members of the SCEGGS Trust are invited to attend the SCEGGS Trust Annual General Meeting on Monday 22 May at 7.30pm in the Joan Freeman Lecture Theatre. If you are not a company member of the SCEGGS Trust but are interested in coming along to the AGM, you are most welcome to attend. This is a great opportunity to hear more about the work of the Trust and to meet the Trust Board Directors.

If you would like to become a Company Member or would like more information regarding Membership of the SCEGGS Trust please contact the Chair of the Trust, Christy Boyce via trustchair@sceggs.nsw.edu.au or myself via tinamavritsakis@sceggs.nsw.edu.au.

You can read more information about the SCEGGS Trust here.

Tina Mavritsakis
Director of Development (Acting)

An invitation to the SCEGGS Community from Sydney Grammar

Sydney Grammar School warmly invite students and parents to their Ithaka Lecture series with Professor Veena Sahajwalla on Wednesday 14 June from 6pm. It will be held at Alastair Mackerras Theatre. Purchase your tickets here. It is $10 per adult and free for students.

Professor Veena Sahajwalla is an internationally acclaimed materials scientist, engineer, and inventor. Veena has featured in the ABC’s Australian Story and was named the 2022 NSW Australian of the Year.

School Photographs

A reminder that Photo Days are coming up Thursday 1 June and Friday 2 June 2023. School photographs are taken and managed by Advanced Life Photography. The Photo Order Envelopes have been distributed to students by their Form Teachers this week. The envelope has instructions on how to order school photography packages on their website at www.advancedlife.com.au and in the flyer attached here. Please note that we do not collect any returned envelopes. 

Please see last week’s article here for further information.

2023 SCEGGS P&F Parent Presentation Series: A Discussion with Madonna King

As part of the Parent Presentation Series, the P&F invites you to ‘A Discussion With Madonna King’, to be held on Tuesday 13 June in the Lecture Theatre. Welcome drinks will be served from 6.30pm and the talk will begin at 7.00pm.

Parking will be available in the St Peters Street Carpark. There is no cost for parents to attend this event, but we do ask that you let us know you’re coming here for catering purposes!

Madonna King is one of Australia’s most accomplished journalists, having won awards for her ABC Radio Brisbane Mornings current affairs program. She writes across Nine, Crikey and The New Daily, and is the author of numerous books, including the bestselling Being 14, Fathers and Daughters and Ten-ager.

She is also the biographer of Australian of the Year Professor Ian Frazer and former treasurer Joe Hockey. In 2018, Madonna served as chair of the Queensland Government’s Anti-Cyberbullying Taskforce, set up in the wake of COAG. A fellow of the prestigious World Press Institute, she serves on a university-related board, and previously served as a visiting fellow at the Queensland University of Technology and on the Walkley Advisory Board. Her website provides further detail.

Year 11 and 12 “Father”/Daughter Breakfast

Years 11 and 12 students and their “fathers” are warmly invited to join us for the P&F’s “Father”/Daughter Breakfast for on Friday 19 May from 7.00am – 8.15am in the Great Hall.

Jane is an award-winning global executive. She is Australia’s ‘Young Woman to Watch in International Affairs’ and in the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Business School’s ‘Hall of Fame’ in 2022. Her career spans New York and Rome United Nations (UN) postings, where she is recognised for her work as Nobel Peace Prize Laureate with the UN World Food Programme. In London, Jane worked at the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) as senior manager delivering global programs for leading foundations and institutions and worked directly with high-profile leaders. She is recognised for her work as co-designer of The Earthshot Prize spearheaded by Prince William. You can read an interview with Jane on page 4 in the current SPAN News.

2023 SCEGGS P&F Trivia Night

The P&F are delighted to invite you to the much-loved Trivia Night on Friday 2 June in the Great Hall. Bring a team or join a table: $40 per person or $400 per table of 10. BYO food and drink.

There are VERY limited tickets available to our Trivia Night on Friday 2 June. Click here to book your ticket today!

Parents’ and Friends’ Association

Special Events

Class Parent Events

Year 5 Mum’s Drinks	Date:  Thursday 25 May Time: From 6pm Location: Sheaf, 429 New South Head Road
Year 7 Drinks	Date:  Friday 26 May Time: 6.30pm – 11.30pm Location: The Vegas Hotel, 54 Darlinghurst Road, Kings Cross Cost: $25 RSVP: via TryBooking
Year 3 Our Big Kitchen: Cooking for those in need	Date: Sunday 4 June, 9-11am Venue: Our Big Kitchen, 36 Flood Street Bondi NSW 2026 Cost: $33 per person – Need to purchase a ticket for you and your child Please join us for a SCEGGS tradition of making meals with our girls for those in need. Please wear closed-in shoes, no thongs, sandals. Tickets https://www.trybooking.com/CHSIJ
Year 9 Mums Dinner	Date: Wednesday 7 June Further details to come. (Rescheduled from May 4).