Winter, Flu, COVID and You!

As the winter season is upon us, it is important that we all follow health and safety guidelines so that everyone in our community is as safe and well as possible throughout the cooler months of the year. This winter, all NSW schools continue to follow COVID-smart measures to help reduce the risk of transmission for students and staff members.

Students, staff and visitors should only attend school if they are symptom free

If a student is unwell and has any symptoms for any illness they should stay home and test for COVID-19. Whether the test comes back positive or negative for COVID-19, the student should not return to school until either:

• the student no longer has any acute symptoms (such as a runny nose, sore throat, fever, cough) OR
• a medical certificate is provided to the school confirming that symptoms are explained by another diagnosis (such as hay fever).

Once the acute symptoms have passed, staff and students may return to school. There are no statewide isolation or other mandatory requirements for people who have tested positive to COVID-19 or for household/close contacts. If a person returns to school within 7 days of a positive COVID result, the person should wear a mask when indoors and on public transport.

Parents/carers should continue to notify the school if a student has tested positive to COVID-19 as part of the usual absence notification process, by emailing absences@sceggs.nsw.edu.au This notification is an important tool to help us understand the incidence of COVID-19 and other illnesses within the school community at different points throughout the year.  

Camps and overnight excursions

Staff and students are not permitted to participate in overnight excursions and camps until at least 7 days from the date they tested positive. Students and staff may participate from day 8 after their positive test if they are symptom-free.

RAHTS

Staff and students may obtain a 5-pack of RAHTs from Student Services or the Primary Office any time they would like one. I would also encourage families to check any RAHTs at home in the cupboard and ensure that these have not expired.

If your daughter is unwell

Health advice is that staff and students who are sick should always stay home to rest and recover and avoid putting others at risk of getting sick.

Please help us keep everyone in our community as safe and well as possible this winter!

Holly Gyton
Deputy Head of School

National Reconciliation Week

At SCEGGS we want to play our part in the Australia’s move towards reconciliation, ensuring that all students are well educated about Indigenous issues and value Indigenous heritage and culture, and understand the history of our nation.

This is why we feel it is so important to have commemorated National Sorry Day on Friday 26 May as well as the celebration of National Reconciliation Week from 29 May to 2 June.

For National Sorry Day, a beautiful wave design Sea of Hands was installed on the law to honour the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. The Gadigal people have a strong connection to the sea and saltwater animals and life. The installation was designed by Jade Brennan (Year 11) and installed by the student RAP committee.

National Reconciliation Week began with a beautiful Years K-12 Assembly where Ms Allum spoke to special guests, Aunty Viv, Uncle Bruce and Old Girl, Maykooth Farrawell (Class of 2017). In particular, she asked what the theme for this year, Be a Voice for Generations, meant to them.

Year 6 students, Isla Roberts and Romy Schmidt shared their knowledge of the ancestral story told in the book, Kookoo Kookaburra, by Greg Dreise, a proud Kamilaroi and Euahlayi man. They also introduced Years K-2 who sang Kookaburra by Emily Wurramara, a proud Warnindhilyagwa woman. Samantha Dawson introduced a video explaining the land rights story behind the Kev Carmody and Paul Kelly song, From Big Things, Little Things Grow. Representatives from the Student RAP Committee, Leyla Bensan (Year 11), Emily Gyton (Year 11) and Akira Nicholson (Year 11) introduced an initiative to raise funds for the Healing Foundation. The Healing Foundation is a national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisation that provides a platform to amplify the voices and lived experience of Stolen Generations survivors and their families.

A range of activities continued across the week:

In the Primary School

• In House Families, students explored ancestral stories and their importance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The Year 6 Leaders read the book Kookoo Kookaburra. The story carries the important moral message that in order for others to be kind to us, we also need to be kind.
• Along with the rest of the school, the girls made “sorry day flowers” (Native hibiscus) which are now hanging proudly outside of classrooms. It was wonderful to have representatives from the Student RAP Committee join House Families. Bringing the school together for these very important occasions has been special. The Primary classes also engaged in discussions about the importance of using their “voice” to speak up for injustices and as a way to make change.

In the Secondary School

• Several form classes worked together to create a “Be a Voice for Generations” banner. This is prominently displayed in the staircase leading down to the bottom of the JF building. 
• Year 10 Peer Mentors had lots of fun with Year 7 where they played a skipping game originally played by Aboriginal children inhabiting the Riverina area between Victoria and New South Wales.
• In the weeks leading up to Sorry Day, Form classes addressed the injustices of the Stolen Generations and wrote meaningful and heartfelt apologies on perspex hands. These were displayed on the lawn amongst the Sea of Hands. During Reconciliation Week, Form classes also made native hibiscus flowers and discussed what reconciliation means to them.

• The Year 9 and 10 students participating in the Cultural Immersion program to Cape York and the Top End in September continued their preparation. They watched an informative Ted Talk about how to prepare and deliver a meaningful Acknowledgement of Country by Shelley Reys.
• In Year 9 Religious Education (RE), students examined the diversity of Dreaming stories in Indigenous Spirituality as part of their unit on World Religions, demonstrating reconciliation through acquiring knowledge and understanding of the world’s oldest spirituality. 
• The History and Social Sciences staff visited the Barka: the forgotten river exhibition at the Australian Museum to listen and learn from Indigenous voices about the importance of the Barka (Darling River) to the wellbeing of the Barkandji Wiimpatja People and the ecosystem of the entire region.

Zoe Thompson
Head of Social Sciences & Co-Chair of RAP Committee

Heidi Anderson
Kindergarten Teacher & Co-Chair of RAP Committee

SPAN Event – Women in Health

Wednesday 14 June 2023
6.30pm – 8.30pm
RSVP by tomorrow!

Come along to hear from Physiotherapist Marnie DOUGLAS (1997), Naturopath Kathleen McFarlane, Speech Pathologist Alexis PAPAROULAS (2008), Sport and Exercise Medicine Physician Katherine RAE (1989) ICU Nurse Abby-Rose SCHMIDT (2012) and former Nurse and Midwife Juliet Schmidt (SKIPPER 1982), while you connect with other like-minded peers!

If you are currently working or aspiring to work in Health or Allied Health this event is for you!

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

Don’t forget that ‘A Discussion With Madonna King’ will be held on Tuesday 13 June in the Lecture Theatre. Welcome drinks will be served from 6.30pm and the discussion will begin at 7.00pm.

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! Parking will be available in the St Peters Street Carpark.

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.

We look forward to seeing you there!

In this Together

Tips to Connect with Your Daughter

Positive relationships between parents or carers and children are important for all areas of a child’s development.  Just like adults, children experience a range of feelings and emotions, which can be complex and varied.  Understanding and addressing these emotions helps children to grow and navigate life’s ups and downs.  Connecting with your child also helps them to feel safe, valued and supported. Building a strong child parent relationship involves actively listening to your child, encouraging open communication, emotional attunement and thinking about what is going on for them. As parents and carers, you have to opportunity to shape your daughter’s social and emotional development and overall wellbeing. 

Here are some things you can do to help connect with your daughter:

• Spend quality time together.
• Be present and in the moment.
• Show affection through your words, language, and body language.
• Create a caring environment of respect and trust.
• Open and positive communication.
• Active listening.
• Being a calm role model by responding, not reacting.

For more information and tips on how to connect with your child, please click here.

Circle of Security Parenting Series

At times, parents may feel lost or unsure how to respond to their child. This is normal and expected. Parents or carers may also find it hard to understand what their child might need from them or what need their child is trying to get met.

There are several programs available to support parents and carers connect with their child.  One program currently being offered by Blossoming Minds Psychology is called Circle of Security Parenting Series. This workshop aims to help parents and carers (of 4 months old to 7 years old) understand their child’s emotional needs and regulation, foster self-esteem and strengthen their child’s security. Circle of Security Parenting workshops support parents/carers to:

• Understand their child’s emotional world by learning to read the emotional needs.
• Support their child’s ability to successfully manage emotions.
• Enhance the development of their child’s self-esteem.
• Make sense of what their child is asking from them.
• Honour their innate wisdom and desire for their child to be secure.

For more information on this workshop, including contact details for Blossoming Minds Clinic, dates, and pricing, please click here.

Olivia Whelan
School Counsellor

Year 5 Puberty for Parents

A group a Year 5 parents, who were eager to learn, joined the Stage 3 PDHPE team to delve into the world of puberty!

Throughout the session we shared how we approach the teaching of this important and sensitive topic, focusing on the positives of this stage of development and celebrating the amazing functions of the human body.

The session began with a focus on wellbeing in general for ‘tweens’, the group of children between the ages of 9-12 years old. Historically seen as the forgotten years, the tween years are now seen as a pivotal stage in development in preparing young people and their families for what can be challenging adolescent years to come.

Specific curriculum information and vocabulary was touched upon and the progression of what is covered in Year 5 through to Year 10 PDHPE content explored. A common aspect of all stages of the PDHPE curriculum is the need to use appropriate scientific language when learning about changes in the body. The importance of this was echoed by some of the parents in attendance, who openly shared their perspectives informed by their medical profession or as parents of older children who have gone through this before.

The parents participated in some hands-on learning activities that their daughters had completed in the classroom. These explored the social and emotional changes in puberty including, moods and feelings, identity, values, sensitivity and responsibility. It was great to watch the teamwork amongst the parents, with a group of dads doing a particularly notable job at the task!

Thank you to the parents who attended the session. We appreciated your openness and willingness to share your experiences, good resources you’ve come across and to ask questions. We hope this is the first of other like opportunities to learn and grow together to best support your daughter as she progresses through school.

Sarah Johnstone
Deputy Head of Primary: Student Wellbeing

Secondary Sport News

Inter-house Basketball and Football

It was a big afternoon of Inter-House Basketball and Football at Moore Park on Tuesday 16 May. Congratulations to Badham and Barton who won their respective competitions.

Basketball Results and Pictures

Football Results and Pictures

NSW U15 AFL

Well done to Year 9 students Sadie Juneja, Zara Torrance and Annaliese Stackpool who represented NSWCIS at the NSW All Schools U15 AFL Championships. The team won their first 3 matches and then lost the final.

NSW Schools Mixed Touch

SCEGGS and Cranbrook combined forces to enter the NSW Schools Mixed Touch Competition that was held last week at Parramatta. Each school provided 7 students for the day to compete against largely co-ed schools. Facing some tough competition, the team were eventually defeated in the quarter finals.

NSW Cross Country Relay Championships

Well done to all of the SCEGGS athletes who represented their club teams at the NSW Cross Country Relay Championships that were held at Rydalmere on Saturday.

Congratulations to Annabel Lavery (Year 7) who won the U14 Individual race representing Balmain Little Athletics.

Annabelle Jessup (Year 7) was part of the Bronze Medal team that placed 3^rd in the U14 Relay event representing Randwick Botany Harriers.

Matilda Emanuel (Year 9) and Lily Cooney (Year 9) were part of the Gold Medal winning team that won the U16 event representing Randwick Botany Harriers.

Artistic Gymnastics

Well done to Alexa Falzon (Year 7) who competed in Level 7 at Inner City Invitational Gymnastics competition. Alexa won the Vault and Floor, and placed 4^th Overall on the Beam.

From Around the Grounds

Our Hockey Senior 1st Team by the goal posts from their game on the weekend.

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

Visual Arts

National Art School HSC Intensive Course Recipients 2023

We are very proud to announce that three Year 11 students, Sophia Chu, Hannah Guest and Astrid Hooper have been accepted into the National Art School HSC Intensive Course for 2023. This is a significant achievement as entry into this program is highly competitive and draws from across the State for a limited number of placements. The National Art School stated that they had a particularly high calibre of applications this year so for SCEGGS to have three students accepted is outstanding.

We very much look forward to seeing the work they develop during their experience.

Please join me in congratulating Sophia, Hannah and Astrid. Well done!

Archibald Exhibition Excursion 2023

In Week 5 I had the pleasure of taking my Year 7 Art class to visit the Archibald Exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW. The students were very engaged and excited by the work on display, paying careful attention to the diversity of approaches to portraiture, having spent the last few months working on a range of their own portraits in class. Along with seeing the magnificent collection of portraits submitted for the main prize, the other highlight of the excursion was viewing the Young Archies exhibition, and especially seeing the impressive portrait of Ms Allum by Imogen Zimmerle (Year 10). The students were proud and amazed by her submission, and many were empowered by seeing the work of so many young artists publicly displayed at the Art Gallery. Perhaps they too will be inspired to make their own submissions in the future?

Louise Willems
Visual Arts Teacher

Below are some reflections from Year 7 about this experience:

The Archibald was a very inspiring experience, all the different age ranges and types of portraits. The painting I thought was my favourite was the Archie Roach large scale size painting. And it was wonderful to see one of the girls representing our School!

– Emmanuelle Zaki

Going to the Archibald was so fun and exciting! The artworks were so impressive and it was very joyful seeing all the pieces with friends. It was a great experience and very enlightening to explore all the hidden meaning of the pieces.

– Flora Balagna

Really interesting to walk with a friend and talk about the pictures, making inferences from our knowledge. It was fun to be out of the school in school uniform!

– Anastasiia Prokopchuk

I really liked the portrait by the Year 10 SCEGGS girl of Ms Allum. It showed realistic features and a warm sense of comfort. There was also a movie about Aboriginal rights which was fun to see how people interpret art.

– Luella Elliott

Some of the artworks I saw were created by people my age. That was really inspiring for me. I found it interesting how many different styles of artworks there were. Some were abstract and some were really realistic. I think it is amazing how many different types of artworks there were at the Art Gallery.

– Samantha Cutbush

What I found interesting was how there was a section which featured artworks from young people our age and all of them were amazing! I also really liked the artwork of Ms Allum because it was interesting that it was made from someone at SCEGGS.

– Alexandra Nguyen

I loved going to the Archibald because it was really interesting to see the important people that the artists painted and how they thought to capture their essence. It was really fun to look around with my friends and hear their opinions too.

– Sophie Downes

Realistic, unique and different are all words to describe the calibre of the artworks at Sydney’s annual Archibald prize. Varying techniques were used in each and every artwork that enhanced our perspective of the artwork and it’s meaning. A truly incredible experience.

– Lucia Buchanan

I really appreciated and enjoyed the amount of artworks that were based on dads in the little Archibald section. It’s such a cute way of recognising their dads, especially as a fathers-day gift.

-Abby Sparks

The Archibald exhibition had many different styles and kinds of painting. Some used different materials and others were painted on really small scale or really large scale. The poses and settings of the paintings made them all really unique and I really enjoyed looking at all the different portraits.

– Adison Lewis

I enjoyed seeing the difference in the paintings. Some were realistic and some were abstract. I really liked seeing the young Archie, because I got to see the talented artists, around my age. The bright and vivid colours in some of the paintings contrasted well together.

– Radha Bhindi

I was proud of looking at these fantastic works! What stood out to me were Aboriginal super women and really cool fluoro artworks.

– Lottie Coulthard

The range of different styles that were reflected in the artist’s work were incredible. My favourite one was of (rugby league star) Latrell Mitchell because it shows both sides of him; professional and then spending time with family.

– Sophia Carroll

We look forward to taking all Year 7 Visual Arts students to the Archibald Prize over the next week or so.

And just in case you missed it, here is the portrait students were referring to of Ms Allum by Imogen Zimmerle (Year 10).

This week’s banner is a work from Year 10 student Zoe Crisafulli.

Heidi Jackson
Head of Visual Arts

Sydney Writers Festival

On Tuesday 30 May, the students in Years 3 and 4 embarked on a memorable excursion to the Sydney Writers’ Festival at the Sydney Town Hall. This immersive experience not only allowed our students to delve into the captivating world of literature but also provided them with a unique platform to engage with esteemed authors and illustrators, gaining invaluable insights into their artistic process.

The girls had the pleasure of meeting Jordan Gould and Richard Prichard, creators of “Wylah the Koorie Warrior” series inspired by First Nations history and culture. The creators graciously shared their creative process with our students, actively involving them in designing a unique creature that may find its place into the pages of a future book.

Furthermore, our students had the privilege of attending a session led by A.F. Steadman, the esteemed author behind the thrilling tale, “Skandar and the Unicorn Thief.” This gripping narrative delved into the realms of heroes and dangerous unicorns, captivating the imagination of the entire audience.

Cristy Burne, a science-loving author, seamlessly blends storytelling with science in her books, creating an enjoyable fusion of education and entertainment. The girls were enthralled as they witnessed practical science experiments, including the mesmerising marshmallow shooting vacuum cleaner, leaving a lasting impression and sparking their scientific curiosity.

The program concluded with an inspiring session led by Maryam Master, a writer whose own personal journey as a refugee is beautifully encapsulated in her book, “No Words.” Through her heartfelt storytelling, Master instilled compassion and hope in our students’ hearts, encouraging them to embrace empathy and appreciate the power of literature as a medium for personal growth and connection.

One of the highlights of the action-packed day was the chance for some of the SCEGGS girls to step up to the open microphone and address both the authors and the entire audience!

We are pleased to announce that all the books showcased at the Writer’s Festival will be available for loan from the Primary Library, enabling our students to delve further into the worlds created by these talented authors.

Karen McBride
Primary Teacher-Librarian

“Shoot for the Stars” Film Festival

During Term 1, the Year 10 Information and Software Technology class, has been working on the unit Digital Media. As part of this unit the students have created their own cartoon animations and special effects videos using the industry standard products of Adobe Animate and After Effects.

The students have learnt a variety of techniques including key-framing, the use of chroma key, masking, layering and applying special effects. They experimented with Character Animator to produce animated puppets as well as using 3D programs to create props for their films. Students then had approximately 2 weeks to design and produce each animation and video. The animations were to be between 10 to 30 seconds in length, whereas the special effects could be upto 1 minute long. Each clip was to incorporate the motif of “Star”. Their animation clips saw many variations on celestial stars, while the students interpreted the theme quite differently within their video clips.

Over the last few weeks they have worked together to promote their Film Festival, designing promotional posters, building a website to display their work and creating a loop for the TAS TV in the Joan Freeman foyer. The website allows you to vote for the “People’s Choice Award” so we encourage you to go to here to view their work and to vote for your favourite cartoon and movie clip. Voting will close on Monday 19 June.

Anne Rumpler
Computing Teacher

Music Matters

This week’s banner is from the Glennie Percussion Ensemble performance from Monday’s assembly.

Assembly Performance Monday 5 June – Glennie Percussion Ensemble

Congratulations to the students from the Glennie Percussion Ensemble who performed in Monday’s assembly.  Students from the ensemble performed the work Mercury Rising by Nathan Daughtry.  The work features a big line up of percussion instruments with the full range of melodic percussion instruments, drums of various types – Toms, timpani, bass drum and cymbals – suspended cymbal, tam-tam and gong.  The work has a double fugue structure – where all players are given melodic features and have their moment to ‘shine’.  Special thanks to Ms Jayne Groves for her preparation and direction of the ensemble.  Thank you to Mr Michael Tierney who stepped in to conduct for the performance and to the assistance of Ms Alice Kotowicz who filled in for a part.  Well done Glennie Percussion!

Peripatetic Music Program

Music tuitions timetables are created by tutors on a weekly basis and are not easily generated. It requires a great deal of planning to ensure that lessons are rotated, and certain lessons are avoided (e.g. RE, PE, Assembly, Chapel, Year Meetings).  It is the secondary student’s responsibility to check their timetable ahead of time and to let their music tutor know if there is a clash (e.g. in-class assessment tasks or excursions). A minimum of 24 hours’ notice is required to request a change of lesson time, and an alternative time cannot always be offered due to the limitations of the other student’s timetables.

Here is the section from the Peripatetic Guidelines on altering a scheduled music lesson:

• With the assistance of parents, students are encouraged to monitor forthcoming interruptions to music lessons (e.g., camps, excursions, tests).
• The parents of Primary students have the responsibility to notify their daughter’s music tutor if they need to alter a scheduled music lesson.
• It is the Secondary student’s responsibility to notify their music tutor if they need to alter a scheduled music lesson.
• Music tutors are expected to advise parents and students immediately of circumstances which will prevent lessons being given (e.g., illness, planned absences), so that appropriate alternative arrangements can be put in place.
• If a student provides their music tutor with reasonable notice of the need to alter a scheduled music lesson (i.e., at least 24hrs), then an alternate music lesson may be arranged.
• If a student misses a lesson without notification, the music tutor will contact parents immediately to ascertain the reason for the student’s absence.
• Parents should expect to be charged for the missed lesson.

Notification to Class Teachers

It is also a requirement that secondary students let their class teachers know, ahead of time (24-48 hours), that they will be missing for part of a lesson to attend an instrumental or vocal lesson.

Your lesson times should be clearly marked in your school diary.

It would be appreciated by SCEGGS teachers and music tutors if students kept everyone informed of their lessons.

City of Sydney Eisteddfod: Bugles, Clarion and Holst Wind Band

Congratulations to members of Bugles, Clarion and Holst Wind Band who participated in the City of Sydney’s Eisteddfod this week.

This year’s City of Sydney Eisteddfod took place at Chatswood Concourse.  Bugles performed in their heat on Tuesday 6 June while Clarion and Holst Wind Band performed in their respective heats on Wednesday 7 June.  The students did an excellent job in their performances and special thank you to Mr Michael Tierney (Director of Bands) with his work preparing Bugles and Holst Wind Band.  Thank you also to Ms Alison Ryan with her work to prepare and conduct Clarion Band’s performance at the eisteddfod.  Well done to all students!

2024 Combined Music Ensembles Tour to NZ – not too late!

It’s not too late to be a part of the 2024 Combined Music Ensembles Tour to New Zealand.

Please see the information regarding the tour and payment plan via the links.

If you have further questions, please contact Head of Music Pauline Chow paulinechow@sceggs.nsw.edu.au for more information.

Upcoming Music Events

Term 2

Term 3

Pauline Chow
Head of Music

Debating

Congratulations to the 7B, 7A, 8B, 8A, Year 9, Year 10, and Senior teams for winning their Round 4 Archdale debates on Tuesday evening. We are now over halfway through the season and the Year 10 and Senior teams remain undefeated, which is a fantastic achievement.

Next week will be our final Archdale debate of the term. We are debating at Roseville College on Tuesday 13 June. The bus will depart SCEGGS immediately after school and leave Roseville College for SCEGGS at approximately 8pm.

Well done also to all our Senior Inter-House Debating teams for their hard work and house spirit this week – the Grand Final between Badham and Beck will take place during lunchtime on Friday in OG9, and everyone is encouraged to watch what promises to be a fun and high quality debate.

Imogen Harper
Debating Coordinator

Parents’ and Friends’ Association

Special Events

Class Parent Events