From the Chaplain

Getting Ready For Winter: Hoodies, Trackies and Blankies!!

Thanks to all of those people that have already donated to our Hoodies, Trackies and Blankies Drive this year. For the next couple of weeks, I am doing a drive for any tracksuit pants, hoodies or blankets that you would like to donate for distribution in our local area to people that are sleeping rough. I will be delivering some of these items personally and taking some of them to different welfare agencies. All sizes and genders are welcomed but there is a particular need for large size men’s tracksuits and hoodies. All items can be new or used (in good condition) and can be left in my office or in the basket outside of the chapel. If you could bring your donations in before Friday 26 June that would be really helpful.

The SCEGGS Podcast “Walk The Mile” Episode 36: Minding your own peace of mind.

The practice of mindfulness has become more popular over the last few years as our society deals with the chaos and busyness of life. The application of this practice can sometimes be difficult and approached with cynicism or caution. Amy Marrero is the Mindfulness Co-ordinator at SCEGGS and in this podcast she breaks down some of the misconceptions that we might have. Amy explains how she became interested in mindfulness, its benefits to all people in all situations, some helpful techniques and its place in education. I hope you find it interesting.

And a reminder that we are published on Spotify, Apple, Google Podcast and Deezer, so you can access it easier from your preferred device. I always welcome your feedback or any ideas you may have for further episodes. You will find each podcast as they are produced in this newsletter and on the other platforms as well as our website.

Garry Lee-Lindsay
Chaplain

Year 11 Retreat Reflection

On Wednesday morning 3 May, the Year 11 cohort set off for their three day retreat at Attunga in the Southern Highlands.

We didn’t know what to expect, yet the experience was better than we could have imagined. There were a variety of activities to suit everybody’s interests from ziplining across a 300m valley, horse riding, jewellery making and many more. On both nights we had exciting events such as a trivia quiz and songs around the campfire.

The best afternoon that took us by surprise was the barn dance. We dressed up in jeans, flannels and cowboy hats and had a great time learning some old country line dances while watching a spectacular sunset over the mountains. We concluded this great experience on Friday morning with a challenging scavenger hunt that brought us closer together through teamwork.

We are so grateful for our teachers for making this retreat possible, as it truly provided an opportunity for us to strengthen and create new connections within our year group. Heading into our final years it is important that we support each other, and this retreat provided a space for us to express our gratitude for one another. This happened through simple conversations throughout the relaxed three days we shared, and in the gratitude jars. On the first day we decorated jars, and throughout our time at Attunga we all participated in writing small but meaningful messages of love and appreciation for one another. These were opened on our last day, which was a really heart-warming experience. Perhaps the most surprising outcome, was the unanimous agreement that the time was all the better for the lack of phones, allowing us to make the most of our freedom to spend time with friends in nature.

Overall, we had an amazing couple of days filled with laughter and joy; a true, rejuvenating rest from school. 

Chiara Hammond and Maggie Harper
Class 11SW

Music Matters

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

At the beginning of the term, 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 nine days to take place at the end of Term 2, over the first week of the 2024 June/July school holidays. 

All families interested in this tour, should download the attached information letter. Firm expressions of interest are required

BOOK YOUR TICKETS: SCEGGS Choir and Madrigal Ensemble performing Spinifex Gum with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra

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 selling fast and available by clicking on the following link Spinifex Gum & the Sydney Symphony .

Piano Concerts – Term 2 Week 8

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

Reminder: Bugles ‘Fun Day’ Workshop – Sunday 28 May 10am to 1pm

All members of Bugles wind band are participating in a workshop on Sunday 28 May from 10am to 1pm.  This workshop is to help with the preparation of this band for the City of Sydney Eisteddfod on Tuesday 6 June.

Parents are asked to drop their daughters at the Diana Bowman Performing Arts Centre with their instruments at 10am to rehearse in the Great Hall.

Parents are invited to a short performance starting at 12:45pm. 

Students will be served morning tea and lunch.  They will need to bring their own water bottle with them for the session.

Year 8 Elective Music

Year 8 Elective Music students attended the Brandenburg Orchestra’s performance of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and Gloria on Friday 5 May.  This excursion to this performance forms part of the class’s study of Baroque Music. Thank you to Ms Alison Ryan for organising this excursion for the class.  Below are two reviews of the concert:

The time is 7:06pm on Friday 5 May. The crowd comes to a hush as conductor Paul Dyer steps onto the stage. He informs us the concert will be divided into two sections: secular (below the clouds) and sacred (above the clouds). With a round of applause the orchestra hits the stage, led by violinist Shaun Lee-Chen. They launch into a passionate rendition of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons- Spring, followed by Summer, Autumn, and finally Winter. With Lee-Chen’s humorous take on the pieces and pure talent, the audience leaves the first half at a loss for words.

After a 25-minute interval we are taken above the clouds to the world of Vivaldi’s Gloria. Dressed entirely in black, the choir stands in a line, their faces blank with concentration. We hear solos from both soprano and tenor singers. as they belt the final notes of Gloria In Excelsis Deo, they fall dramatically to the floor, the lights going out. As the lights turn back on, the choir is greeted with a jubilant standing ovation.

Josephine Grayden

The Australian Brandenburg Concert of Gloria and the Four Seasons was a breathtaking musical experience that showcased the talents of some of Australia’s finest musicians. The concert featured a performance of Antonio Vivaldi’s masterpiece, The Four Seasons, as well as Gloria which are both baroque pieces that highlighted the virtuosity of the performers.

The concert was led by the talented artistic director, Paul Dyer, who conducted the orchestra enthusiastically. The soloists were also outstanding, especially violinist, Shaun Lee-Chen, who delivered a great performance of The Four Seasons. His technical proficiency and emotional depth were what stood out to me.

Another standout performer was the soprano singer, Siobhan Stagg, who had a strong voice and sang with clarity. Her rendition of the Gloria in D major was particularly moving, as she captured the spiritual essence of the piece with her exquisite phrasing and nuanced interpretation.

Overall, the Australian Brandenburg Concert of Gloria and the Four Seasons was an amazing musical experience that showcased the brilliance of Australian musicians and the enduring power of baroque music.

Ashley Diec

AMEB Exam – Cello

Congratulations to Bronte Lusted (Year 2) who completed her first AMEB Preliminary Cello Comprehensive Exam.  Bronte completed her exam on Saturday 5 May and achieved an outstanding result!  A terrific start to your cello learning Bronte!

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 for further information and audition details.

Upcoming Music Events

Term 2

Term 3

Pauline Chow
Head of Music

Primary Sport News

Term 3 Primary Sport Enrolment Form

A friendly reminder that Primary Sport Enrolments were due on Tuesday 16 May. If you have not submitted your form yet, please click the link attached Term 3 Primary Sports Enrolment and fill out now to avoid missing out!

If you have any questions, please contact Brittany Robbins or Tom Mitton.

Spotlight on Athletics

With the Athletics Carnival quickly approaching in Week 7, we turn the spotlight to the girls who have been developing their skills on Monday and/or Thursday Athletics sessions.

Training in athletics offers numerous benefits for girls. It promotes overall fitness, agility, and endurance while instilling valuable qualities like discipline and coordination. These skills are not limited to a single sport but can be transferred to various athletic activities, allowing girls to explore their potential and excel in different areas. If you are interested and want to know more or looking to enrol, please get in contact with Tom Mitton.

Primary Athletics Carnival

All confident runners are invited to participate in the 1500m Athletics Carnival Event on Monday 29 May, 2023. This will be held at ES Marks, Athletics Track, Kensington. A bus will depart SCEGGS at 3.15 pm.

Students who do not usually attend Monday Athletics training are welcome to join in for the rest of the afternoon OR may be picked up from ES Marks at approximately 4.45 pm. For those wishing to participate in the whole session, it will conclude at 5.00 pm.

A bus will return any students to SCEGGS, departing ES Marks at 5:00 pm and arriving at SCEGGS at approximately 5.15 pm.

To sign up, please complete the link here.

Primary Cross Country

A reminder to those signed up for Primary Cross Country, the session starts at 6.45 am each week. Please be there by 6.40 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 Years 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.

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

Year 6 Camp

On Wednesday 10 May, Year 6 also headed off to Attunga in the beautiful Southern Highlands for an amazing three days, jam-packed with activity and a whole lot of fun!

It was also a fantastic opportunity for the girls to step out of their comfort zone; a place so cosy and safe that it’s tempting just to hunker down and stick to the things that you already do well.

And yet, the Year 6 girls embraced every challenge and faced their nerves head on. Some learnt to ride a bike for the first time, while others pushed themselves to new limits with the mountain biking obstacle course. On the giant swing and power fan, girls faced their fear of heights and launched themselves into the air while their friends cheered below. And despite the crisp highland air, the girls eagerly spent an evening star gazing and braved frozen toes climbing into canoes to paddle across the lake.

The girls showed tremendous courage, as well as kindness and support for their peers. They encouraged each other, problem solved together and learnt the value of perseverance. In doing so, they demonstrated many of the SCEGGS Primary School learning dispositions: Be curious, be flexible, be persistent, be courageous!         

Well done, Year 6. You should be so proud of yourselves.

Genevieve Gloor
Year 6 Class Teacher

Reminder – Parent Session: Big Feelings. Big Behaviour!

Wednesday 31 May 6pm – 7.30 pm Lecture Theatre

We welcome the highly regarded psychologist and author, Karen Young to speak to parents at SCEGGS. Whilst the content in this session will be largely targeted at primary aged children, parents from girls in Years 7-12 are also warmly welcomed to attend.

This session could be helpful for you if you’re ever unsure on how to respond to your daughter when she’s in the thrust of a big emotion and you’re not sure what to do. Or, perhaps you’re interested in learning more about how to build skills that encourage resilience and self-regulation for your child. See the flyer for more details on what Karen’s presentation will explore.

To attend, please register your interest via this link.  

Sarah Johnstone
Deputy Head of Primary Student Wellbeing

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.

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 11 Drinks	Date: Wednesday 31 May Time: 6.30pm Location: The Beacham Hotel, Darlinghurst Cost: $42 per person including generous canapés and a drink on arrival 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 RSVP: Wednesday 24 May 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 (Rescheduled from May 4). Time: 6.30pm – 11.00pm Venue: Dead Ringer, 413 Bourke Street Surry Hills Cost: $90 per person including 3 courses and one drink To confirm attendance, payment can be made here.   Looking forward to seeing you!

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.

Debating

Congratulations to Year 8, Year 9, Year 10 and Year 12 for making it through to the Eastside Semifinals! This is a fantastic achievement for those teams and for SCEGGS. The debates will take place this Friday, with Year 8, Year 10 and Year 12 travelling to Rose Bay and Year 9 travelling to Sydney Girls High School.

Year 8 and the Senior Bs also won their Eastside Octofinal last Friday – they will now debate in the Quarterfinals this Friday at Monte Sant’ Angelo. Our Year 9 and Senior A teams bowed out of the competition in two incredibly close and high-quality debates.

We also began the Archdale Debate Competition this Tuesday, with round one hosted by PLC Sydney. Congratulations to the Juniors, Year 10 and the Seniors for winning their debates.

Next week we will be debating at Pymble Ladies’ College. The bus will leave straight after school at 3.20pm and return at the conclusion of the senior debates (so it will be back at SCEGGS at approximately 8.50pm). 

Imogen Harper
Debating Co-ordinator

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.