An Important Safety Message – Traffic in Forbes Street

An Important Safety Message

As part of the local community, SCEGGS is committed to working co-operatively with our neighbours so that everyone is safe, and that traffic flows as efficiently as possible to ensure there is minimal inconvenience for our neighbours.

Unfortunately, we have received reports from our neighbours about difficulties in Forbes Street, especially around pick-up time, both at 3.10pm and after the various co-curricular activities after school. While we understand there will always be a degree of congestion during these peak pick-up times, there are ways and means to keep traffic flowing which benefits all parents and carers in the pick-up line and maintains the roads are safe and usable for everyone.

With that in mind, we ask you to:

1. Encourage your daughter to use public transport wherever possible. Buses and trains provide a reliable service to SCEGGS and may be a good option for your daughter.
2. Also consider car-pooling if possible, which would reduce the number of cars in the pick-up line.
3. Ensure your daughter knows to be ready for you at the pick-up point and that they enter the car as quickly (and safely) as possible.
4. Please obey instructions from our Traffic Controller who is there to keep traffic moving.
5. Refrain from conducting U-turns in the Horizon Building or parking across the driveway.
6. If possible, consider delaying pick-up for 10 or 20 minutes. Every day, we see the traffic congestion cleared by 3.30pm. Your daughter is very welcome to go to the Library straight after school to do her homework or research and she is also welcome to remain “behind the green gate” with friends to await pick-up after 3.30pm. We know this is not always possible due to after-school commitments, but it is a great way to reduce the number of cars at the peak times of 3.10-3.25pm.
7. If you are picking up students after co-curricular activities, please don’t double park whilst you wait for them to be dismissed. Please go around the block so that neighbours can also drive safely and in a timely fashion.

Thank you for considering the above options and for working with the School to make sure afternoon pick-ups are as stress free as possible.

Jenny Allum
Head of School

Light Her Path Fundraising Gala Dinner

Don’t miss your opportunity to book your tickets to the Light Her Path Gala Fundraising Dinner on Saturday 1 June 2024. This special evening in the Great Hall will feature a beautiful atmosphere, delicious food and drinks and a very special performance from an Aria-Award winning Australian artist.

For further information or enquiries, please contact the Development Office.

The SCEGGS App Update

The SCEGGS App is almost here! We are entering the final production phase, with the App to be released on the App Store and Google Play in the coming weeks for testing.

We can’t wait for you to experience it and look forward to your feedback!

Old Girls’ Art Exhibition

Support for the School and our community has long been part of the SCEGGS experience and the Old Girls’ Art exhibition is yet another way you can contribute.

SCEGGS OGU is delighted to offer for sale over 100 amazing art works, produced by Old Girls, current and former Visual Arts staff, and friends of the school community. With 30% of the sale price of every artwork donated to the school to support Old Girls scholarships, this is an opportunity for former students to support the next generation of SCEGGS girls.

We hope you enjoy browsing the 2024 Old Girls’ Art Exhibition and find that special artwork that you love!

Thank you for supporting this endeavour! 

Kindly contact Jo Whiteman at school on 9332 1133 or via email if you wish to find out any further information.

SCEGGS Old Girls’ Union

Silent Auction at the Festival on Forbes!

One of the major fundraisers for the Festival is the Silent Auction. The P&F work hard with the school and wider community to obtain interesting and diverse prizes. 

Your donations make a huge difference and play a vital role in the Festival’s success. We deeply appreciate every single contribution!

We’re reaching out to our school and wider community for donations to make this year’s Silent Auction the best yet. Do you have a fabulous prize you’d like to contribute? Here are some popular items from past auctions:

• Holiday Homes
• Restaurant Vouchers
• Concert Tickets
• Vacation Weekends
• Adrenalin Rush Experiences
• Art Pieces
• Luxury Products
• Day Spa Packages
• Premium Wine and Champagne

If you have any other great ideas, we’d love to hear them too, all donations gratefully received!

How to Donate

To donate a prize or if you have any questions, please get in touch with the Director of Development, Katrina Lonergan or Janey Gold and Sally Snow from the Fair Committee.

Thank you so much for your support. Let’s make this year’s Silent Auction a huge success!

The Festival on Forbes Committee

Secondary Sport News

Cross Country

SCEGGS sent 46 SCEGGS students to the IGSA Cross Country Carnival on Friday. SCEGGS placed 13^th out of 27 schools which was an excellent result. A special shout out to our Year 12 students who ran in their final IGSA Cross Country events: Julia Richards, Astrid Hooper, Freya McKinley-Rowe, Emerald Onisforou, Susannah Sheumack and Zara Ibrahim.

Congratulations to the following medal winners on their outstanding individual results:

14 year old team – Bronze Medal

16 year old team – Gold Medal

Well done to the following students who have been selected to represent IGSA at the NSWCIS Cross Country Championships: Lily Cooney (Year 10), Matilda Emanuel (Year 10), Melina Gouveros (Year 7), Annabelle Jessup (Year 8), Annabel Lavery (Year 8), Nancy Newton (Year 10), Anna Slack (Year 7) and Annaliese Stackpool (Year 10).

Athletics

The Athletics Carnival showcased exceptional House spirit and participation from all students, heightened by the amazing weather. Students competed enthusiastically across all track and field events, demonstrating strength, skill, speed, and technique. Well done to Badham House for winning overall and to the students listed below for their outstanding achievements.

A special congratulations to Year 12 as they celebrated their final major inter-house carnival at SCEGGS. It was wonderful to see everyone embracing and enjoying the day.

Athletics Carnival Prize List 2024

Overall House Points

2024 Athletics Cup Winner: Badham

Hockey

The SCEGGS Hockey teams have got off to a flying start this season. The Senior 1’s won against St Catherine’s and Ascham and are currently placed 3^rd in the table. The Senior 2’s (pictured) played in drenching rain at the Marang Hockey Centre to end up with a 1-1 draw against Loreto Kirribilli and are currently second on the table. SCEGGS 3 are sitting 2^nd in the competition after wins against Kincoppal Rose Bay and St Catherine’s. Not to be outdone, SCEGGS 4 are currently in 1st place after wins against Wenona and Loreto Kirribilli.

Cricket

Congratulations to Elspeth Herbert (Year 9) and Marnie Flett (Year 9) who were recently selected for the New South Wales U15 Metropolitan Academy Cricket Squad. They are both excited to begin their training with the Academy and we look forward to hearing more about their progress.

SCEGGS at Play

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 Alison Gowan.

SCEGGS Training sessions before and after school plus Saturday Sport

Any cancellations or adjustments will be made in Clipboard and families will receive a notification or email when changes are made. Please ensure you have notifications enabled.

IGSA Fixtures, Results and Wet Weather

The IGSA website and platform for accessing wet weather, 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

Primary Sport News

Week 3 IPSHA Results

IPSHA Netball commenced on Saturday in cool conditions. The Year 6 teams backed up from camp and were excited to play their first games for the term. The 6A team had a strong performance with a convincing 11-1 win against St Catherine’s. Their wall-like defence minimised shooting opportunities for St Catherine’s.

Both Year 5 teams had incredibly close games that could have gone either way, with one point being the difference in both games. Alice Beaumont’s (Year 5) accurate shooting and Ava Whiteman’s (Year 5) strong defence helped the 5A team to a 5-4 win against Meriden. The 5B team lost 3-2 against PLC, although should be proud of their passing, which has been the focus of recent training sessions.

All Year 4 teams made a promising start to the season with one win, one loss, and one draw to start their campaign. Their coaches were happy with their passing and catching skills, and their next step is work on their movement off the ball to create space.

All IPSHA Hockey teams won their games, including the 6A team defeating Loreto 6-0, despite playing with no reserves, The 5A team won 4-2 against Pymble, and the combined 4/5 team won 3-0 against PLC.

AFL Skills

We are so excited to have our Years 4-6 AFL skills up and running again this year. It is a great chance to learn some new skills and have a go at a new and upcoming sport. We are once again entering teams into the IPSHA competition in Term 3. AFL Skills this term is taking place on Thursday afternoons, and the focus has been on improving the hand-passing and kicking skills of the students involved.  

Primary Athletics Carnival

The Primary Athletics Carnival will be taking place in Week 8, however the 1500m races will take place in Week 6. All confident runners are invited to participate in the 1500m Athletics Carnival Event on Monday, 3 June, 2024 at ES Marks Athletics Field, Kensington.

The bus will depart SCEGGS at 3.20pm.

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 4.40pm. For those wishing to participate in the whole session, it will conclude at 5.00pm.

The bus will return any students to SCEGGS, departing ES Marks at 5.00pm and arriving at SCEGGS at approximately 5.15pm.

To sign up, please click the link here.

Student Achievements

A big shout out to Arabella Conrad-Martin (Year 5) for her commitment to improving her skills this term across different sports. Arabella competes in the IPSHA Netball competition and has also been training hard to improve her skiing skills. See below for Arabella’s first time on a ski simulator. What an excellent example of grit and determination. Keep up the fantastic work!

Upcoming Dates

Have a wonderful week!

Mr Adrian Hammond
Primary Sports Coordinator

Drama News

& Juliet

The Drama department recently ran a theatre excursion to the musical & Juliet, performed at The Lyric Theatre.

Students relished the reinvention of Shakespeare’s classic tale, told alongside the many pop hits of Swedish composer Max Martin. Juliet, with the assistance of Mrs Shakespeare (Anne Hathaway), forged their own story giving the tale of the star-crossed lovers a distinctly feminist perspective, much to the cheer of all in attendance.

U.K. Drama Tour 2025

We’re heading to the UK in June/July 2025 for an exciting immersion of theatre and workshops in Stratford and London. The trip is open to all girls who will be in years 10, 11 and 12 in 2025. They do not have to be students of the academic drama courses but should have a genuine interest in the performing arts.

An information session will be conducted via a Zoom meeting on Wednesday June 5 at 6.30pm. Interested families should register interest with Mr Eyers to obtain a zoom link and itinerary guide.

Nell Gwynn – Senior school Production

Bookings are now open for our next production – Jessica Swale’s Nell Gwynn.

Book your tickets here.

The senior ensemble will be presenting Nell Gwynn from Wednesday June 12 to Friday June 14 at 7.00pm, and Saturday June 15 at 1.00pm.

Venue is The St Peter’s Playhouse. Nell Gwynn was first performed at Shakespeare’s Globe, London in 2015.

The time is the 1600s. Charles II has ascended the throne. Prior to his reign, women were banned from appearing on stage. “The theatre was the domain of ACT-ors not ACT– oresses!”

That is until the likes of Moll Davies, Peg Hughes and the eponymous Nell Gwynn arrived on stages;

It’s a rollicking tale performed by students from Years 10-12. And it looks sumptuous as befitting the period. Don’t be put off by the historical content… it’s a comedy with a fierce feminist narrative.

The cast features Lucie McCutcheon (Year 10), Verona Floro (Year 10), Aurelia Cortese (Year 11), Camille McCarthy (Year 11), Sage Galafassi (Year 10), Madeleine Wilson (Year 10), Mia Jonson (Year 11), Magellan Kelly (Scots), Julia Piazza (Year 11), Emma Siegloff (Year 11), Marine Smith (Year 12), Mia Webster (Year 11), Lara Gavan (Year 11), Talia Barrack (Year 10), Frances O’Donnell (Year 10), Aasha Maunsell (Year 11), Cyndell McDonald Georgetown (Year 10), Scarlett Falzon (Year 10).

Peter Eyers
Head of Drama

Year 5 Da Vinci Decathlon

The Da Vinci Decathlon is an academic competition hosted by Knox Grammar School designed to challenge and stimulate the minds of school students. On Thursday 16 May, a Year 5 team competed in the competition across 10 disciplines: Engineering, Mathematics and Chess, Code Breaking, Art and Poetry, Science, English, Ideation, Creative Producers, Cartography, and Legacy.

The team consisted of eight girls selected for their creative thinking and problem-solving abilities as well as their ability to work collaboratively as a member of a team. Throughout the day the girls amazed us with their team spirit and positivity as they competed against over 150 schools across Australia.

We are so proud of the girls for achieving 1^st in Science and 2^nd in English on the day! The team were collaborative, curious and persistent learners in all tasks and were fine examples of SCEGGS girls.

Well done to the wonderful Year 5 team: Annabel Ling, Minttu Guss, Dasha Jolley, Georgia Gray, Eva Geha, Lulu Holt, Harriet Hyde and Amelie Officer.

Nada Siljanovska and Kaitlin Ryan
Primary School Teachers

Science News

Upcoming Events and Experiences in Science

Presentation by Dr Norman Swan

Dr Norman Swan, renowned health journalist and broadcaster of the ABC’s Health Report, will be presenting at Sydney Grammar School on 5 June at 6.00pm. Dr Swan is well known for combining his medical expertise with investigative reporting and clear analysis of the latest research in health and medicine. We are sure it will be an excellent presentation. If you or your child is interested in attending, please visit the website to make a booking.

BIOtech Futures – Build a Bionic Hand

Students in Years 9-12 are invited to join the BIOtech Futures Introduction Challenge. This is an exciting program that involves students working with Academics from Sydney University and other research centres. Students design solutions to challenges in the fields of medicine, health, sustainable environment, emerging technologies or ethics. We have had some amazing designs in the past, including Cadiac Damage Repair Patches, Prosthetic Gloves, Stem Cell Therapies for Heart Defects and Placenta Models on a Microchip.

The Introductory Challenge will be held on 11th June from 4.30-6.30pm at the School of Civil Engineering, University of Sydney. Students will learn more about the Challenge and build a Bionic Hand from DIY materials. Students will stay after school and be brought to Sydney University by a teacher, but will need to make their own way home at 6.30pm from Sydney University.

Some examples of the Scientific Posters that students presented at the Final Symposium last year can be seen below:

If you are interested, please email Mia Sharma.

Science Club

Science Club is off to another great start this term, with Crystal Growing in full swing. Students have been growing seed crystals and are starting to grow some lovely diamond-like crystals, as well as some gigantic whoppers!

All students are always welcome to join our Monday Lunch sessions, and are particularly encouraged to attend in the weeks prior to Practical Examinations so that students can gain further confidence in using equipment and problem solving their experiments.

The Science Department

From the Archives

Earlier this year a new Archives’ display celebrating life at SCEGGS in the 1960s opened in the Joan Freeman heritage area. Next time you are at SCEGGS drop by to the lower level of the JFSATC and have a look!

To get a taste for this period please enjoy this joyful video montage, compiled by Eddi Goodfellow, from our archival audiovisual collection. It was made for this generation of Old Girls who returned to SCEGGS recently to celebrate Ascension Day.

Prudence Heath
Archivist

Ethics Olympiad

On Friday May 3, two teams of ethicists from Years 10-12 competed in the NSW/ACT division of the Ethics Olympiad. The competition was hosted on Zoom and included teams from more than 20 schools. Over the course of the competition, the teams explored case studies covering topics including animal personhood, evil races in fiction, the responsibilities of health care professionals, the ethics of integrating artificial intelligence, sharenting, interfaith marriage, sportswashing, and historical racial inequality in university admissions.

After training prior to the competition, the SCEGGS teams had enriching discussions, challenging their opponents to justify their positions, and looking for new ways to consider the topics. Using ethical frameworks such as Utilitarianism and Consequentialism, the day was filled with friendly competition and healthy rivalry. Both teams were pleased to receive honourable mentions from the judges, an outstanding achievement in such a highly regarded competition, and SCEGGS Maroon was awarded the bronze medal overall.

The teams were:

SCEGGS Maroon (Bronze medal and honourable mention)

SCEGGS Green (Honourable mention)

If this sounds like something you would want to get involved in Philosophy Club runs every Monday after school in C4 and is open to all students!

Chiara Weaver
Year 12

Enviro Girls

Gold coin donation Port Stephens Koala Hospital

The Enviro Girls are organising a gold coin collection to support koalas that are now listed as endangered in Queensland, NSW and the ACT.  After the terrible bush fires in 2020, thousands of koalas were injured, and their habitats and food sources were burned. We are determined to save these precious animal populations.

Port Stephens Koala Hospital rescues, protects, cares for and rehabilitates koalas and other wildlife so that they can thrive in their natural environment. Since 2010, the Hospital has rescued 653 koalas and released 379 healthy koalas back into their habitats. Injured koalas are treated in a specialised clinic which provides surgery, convalescence and extra nutrition before the animals are returned to their original homes in natural bushland. Maalima Student Environment Club in the Secondary School conducted a gold coin collection earlier this year and has adopted several koalas at Port Stevens Hospital.

On Friday 31 May week 5, the Enviro Girls will collect gold coins from each class to donate to Port Stephens Koala Hospital. With the money raised, the Primary School will adopt one or more koalas which will be cared for by the veterinarians and volunteers at the koala hospital. The donation will pay for important medication, tests, water, food and shelter for the injured koalas.

Please remember to bring a gold coin to your classroom on Friday 31 May, week 5 to help support these amazing animals.

Daisy Grice (Year 5), Aisling Blackburn (Year 5), and Amani Joshua (Year 6)
Enviro Girls, Student Leaders     

Secondary Music

Congratulations Choir and Madrigal Ensemble!

On Thursday evening 16 May, combined choirs from SCEGGS, Ascham, Edgecliff Preparatory School, St Ives Preparatory School, Sydney Grammar and an enthusiastic parent choir from SCEGGS and Grammar came together to sing in Sydney Grammar’s John Vallance Concert Hall in Grammar’s Term 2 concert.

Over 240 singers and 70 orchestral members assembled in the finale item, O Fortuna, a spectacular and dramatic piece based off a medieval Latin goliardic poem within the collection of Carmina Burana. The text laments the inescapable power of fate, which rules both gods and mortals in Roman and Greek mythology. The text was written in the early 13^th century and the epic music was composed in 1935 by Carl Orff. After a few weeks of mastering the powerful melody and intense Latin lyrics, SCEGGS’s own choirs – the School Choir and Madrigal Ensemble – came together on a Wednesday morning with Grammar’s choirs, filling out the choral part with sopranos, altos, tenors, and basses, which translated powerfully to a grand and compelling performance. Thank you to all the members of the choir for being so diligent in their rehearsing of the work. A massive thank you to Miss Harrigan and Ms Jones for this amazing opportunity to sing with combined choirs on such a large scale and for all the organisation and preparation which led to such a wonderful evening.

Bridgette Dunlop
Music Committee member

Week 5 – Assessment Period for Years 7 – 10

Rehearsals that are cancelled:

• Woodwind Ensemble
• Lux Strings,
• Clarion Concert Band,
• Contemporary Strings
• Secondary Jazz Combo
• Amati
• Glennie Percussion Ensemble
• Van Reyk Percussion Ensemble

Rehearsals that are going ahead:

• Choir
• Madrigal Ensemble
• Contemporary Vocal Ensemble
• Holst Wind Band, Basie Jazz Band

Week 6 – Rehearsals and Workshops with Katie Noonan

All regular secondary ensemble rehearsals will take place in Week 6, as well as these special rehearsals.

Musicale 2 – Wednesday 5 June

Click here for more information.

Songwriting & Musicale 2

Songwriting submissions for Musicale 2 are due tomorrow to Mr Gresham. Please come and speak to Mr Gresham if you have any questions.

Australian School Band and Orchestra Festival

Bands (Clarion Concert Band, Holst Wind Ensemble) – Sunday 23 June

Strings (Contemporary Strings) – Sunday 28 July

Several SCEGGS ensembles have been enrolled to perform at the Australian School Band and Orchestra Festival this year. The Festival is a non-competitive event and rather than being ranked, all ensembles received a Gold, Silver or Bronze rating which reflects their level of achievement for the particular event level in which they have performed. All events are adjudicated by professional musicians and music educators. ASBOF is a wonderful opportunity for our SCEGGS ensembles to perform on stage, to hear ensembles from other schools and to receive inspirational advice and performance tips from the adjudicators.

More information here.

Clarion Concert Band – ASBOF Raymond Hanson Event

ASBOF Performance – Sunday 23 June, approx arrival time 10.30am approx. end time 12.00pm, Clancy Auditorium, University of NSW, Kensington

Holst Wind Ensemble – ASBOF Graham Lloyd Event

ASBOF Performance – Sunday 23 June, arrival time 12.00pm approx. end time 1.30pm, Clancy Auditorium, University of NSW, Kensington

Contemporary Strings – ASBOF Loreta Fin Event

ASBOF Staff Day Rehearsal – Tuesday 23 July (the day before Term 3 starts) 3.15-4.45pm in the Great Hall

ASBOF Performance – Sunday 28 July, Arrival time 9.30am Leighton Hall, University of NSW, Kensington

Term 2 Secondary Piano Concert

Thursday 13 June at 1.10pm in the Great Hall.

All pianists are invited to perform a short, well-prepared solo. Pieces that exceed 4 minutes will be cut.

Please click here to complete the form. Entries close on Thursday 30 May.

Family and friends are most welcome to attend.

Clipboard

All co-curricular music ensemble schedules are now available on Clipboard. If you haven’t set this up yet, please follow these instructions.

If you are having any issues with Clipboard set-up, please contact our Music Administration Assistant, Miss Alice Kotowicz.

Beyond the Green Gate

We are always happy to hear about the ways our secondary musicians are involved in music-making outside the school. Please send the details to Heidi Jones.

Date for Your Diary 

Term 2

Elective Music Performances

Heidi Jones
Head of Music (Co-curricular)

Primary Music

Musicale 2 – Wednesday 5 June

The Primary Ensembles that will be performing are Cantare, Stage 3 Choir (all students in Years 5 and 6).

Further details can be found in this note.

Term 2 Primary Piano Concert

Thursday 13 June at 3.30pm in the Great Hall.

All pianists are invited to perform a short, well-prepared solo. Pieces that exceed 4 minutes will be cut.

Click here to complete the form. Entries close today, Thursday 30 May.

Family and friends are most welcome to attend.

Australian School Band and Orchestra Festival

Several SCEGGS ensembles have been enrolled to perform at the Australian School Band and Orchestra Festival (ASBOF) this year. The Festival is a non-competitive event and rather than being ranked, all ensembles received a Gold, Silver or Bronze rating which reflects their level of achievement for the particular event level in which they have performed. All events are adjudicated by professional musicians and music educators. ASBOF is a wonderful opportunity for our SCEGGS ensembles to perform on stage, to hear ensembles from other schools and receive inspirational advice and performance tips from the adjudicators.

For more information click here.

Stringalong – ASBOF Nigel Butterly Event

Sunday 15 September, Arrival time 8.00am, Leighton Hall, University of NSW, Kensington

Sinfonietta – ASBOF Dulcie Holland Event

Sunday 15 September, Arrival time 8.50am, Leighton Hall, University of NSW Kensington

Bugles – ASBOF Robert McAnally Event

Sunday 15 September, Approx arrival time 9.30am approx. end time 11:00am, Clancy Auditorium, University of NSW, Kensington

Chamber Strings – ASBOF Brett Dean Premier Event

Sunday 15 September, Arrival time: 11.00am Leighton Hall University of NSW, Kensington

Clipboard

All co-curricular music ensemble schedules are now available on Clipboard. If you haven’t set this up yet, please follow these instructions.

If you are having any issues with Clipboard set-up, please contact our Music Administration Assistant, Miss Alice Kotowicz.

Beyond the Green Gate

We are always happy to hear about the ways our primary musicians are involved in music-making outside the school. Please send the details to Heidi Jones.

Dates for your Diary

Term 2

Heidi Jones
Head of Music (Co-curricular)

SCEGGS Trust – Annual General Meeting

Members of the SCEGGS Trust are invited to attend the SCEGGS Trust Annual General Meeting on Monday 27 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 or myself.

You can read more information about the SCEGGS Trust here.

Katrina Lonergan
Director of Development

Parents’ and Friends’ Association

Class Parent Events