No Images? Click here Dear Friend of PLC Head Prefect, Ella Miels Reflects on MindfulnessIn our highly competitive society, I think the purpose of school has been lost somewhere in the highest ATAR or NAPLAN score goals which we now set for ourselves. While it’s important to remember that the focus of school is to help you achieve your academic goals, it’s imperative to remind ourselves that school is also where you should have fun and embrace the opportunity to try new things across different areas. This is something I hadn’t really thought about until a couple of weeks ago, when I realised that my mind had gone into overload! Life got really busy with exams, sport and the Senior School Production. I recenly watched a TED Talk, called 'Ten Mindful Minutes' by Andy Puddicombe, a man who had found his life at a crisis point. Puddicombe discussed how our mind is a valuable and precious resource, through which we experience every moment of our life, yet we never stop to give it a rest. He also discussed statistics from a Harvard study, which found that our minds are lost in thought almost 47% of the time, and that this constant mind activity is a direct cause of unhappiness. Andy’s TED Talk also reminded me of a quote from a book that I studied in Literature this year, The Outsider, by Albert Camus (1942), which explores the importance of living in the present. The main character, Meursault noted that "a man who lived only one day could easily live for a hundred years in prison", emphasising the importance of living every day in a way in which the memories from that day could keep your mind occupied for any given time. In more recent times, the concept of living in the present is something that has become increasingly valued and talked about. At PLC, we learn about meditation and mindfulness as part of our Health and Wellbeing programme. Learning that mindfulness is directly linked to wellbeing, I have started to make a real effort to be more mindful. I recently started using an app called Headspace before going to bed, which has helped me be more present, as well as allowing me to focus on the 'now'. Perhaps if everyone set aside time to stop and do nothing, even for only 3 minutes, we could break the busy cycle and refocus on the present. Moving forward into 2020, I hope to encourage all girls to live for the now in order to make the best of the time we spend at school. Let's embrace as many opportunities as possible and most importantly, have fun! - Ella Miels, Head Prefect Important NotesNoise During Pick-Up and Drop-OffAs the Year 12 exams are taking place, please be mindful of the noise when picking up or dropping off your daughter/s to school. Kapture School PhotographyWe have been advised by Kapture Photography that all portraits and class groups, sports and/or special team photos (Junior Suzuki Strings, Boarders Muck-Up Photo, Gorna Liyarn Muck-Up and Senior Student Council) taken this year will be removed from their website at the end of this term in readiness for next year’s photography. This is your last chance to purchase these photographs. Please visit www.kapture.com.au using our school code: ZVC46S. PLC Parents Annual General MeetingDate: Friday 8 November Principal’s Thank You SundownerDate: Friday 8 November Foundation Breathe Cocktail PartyOld Collegian, Sasha Bosich (1989) has just reached her 2nd year post-lung transplant and is hosting the second Foundation Breathe Cocktail Party. The event will raise funds for the Heart and Lung Transplant Foundation of WA for portable breathing devices for patients post-lung transplant. Date: Saturday 9 November 2019 Junior School End of Year AssemblyDate: Monday 9 December Senior School Speech NightDate: Thursday 12 December Peppermint Grove Carols by CandlelightDate: Sunday 15 December Please note that all parent events are listed in the Communications & Engagement section of Links. What Would Be Our Legacy?"You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do." - Henry Ford If someone in our family, or a co-worker, was asked to describe us, what words would they choose? Even though we might prefer them to describe us as loving, kind, forgiving and present in the moment, they may choose words like unavailable, busy, frustrated, relentless, unforgiving and stressed to describe us. When deciding to live healthier, it is of little use to only buy an exercise bike or treadmill. We actually need to make the change in our diet or start exercising. Likewise, it is of little value to our families or co-workers if we know the right thing to do, but don’t act upon it. May we build a reputation for being the best possible partner, parent or line leader. Today is another opportunity to take a step in the right direction! - Rev Manie Strydom, Chaplain Backpack Challenge Makes an ImpactCongratulations to all students who took part in World Vision’s 40 Hour Backpack Challenge in September. World Vision recently announced that PLC Perth was the highest fundraising school for Western Australia 2019. What this means, in terms of impact in the field, is that PLC is going to provide access to child friendly spaces within refugee camps for over 780 children, for an entire year. An amazing achievement! - Linda Malone, Head of Service and Partnerships Incredible Achievments in the Junior SchoolTomorrow’s Year 1 Assembly is our last class assembly for the year. Therefore, it is the final opportunity, in 2019, to acknowledge some exceptional results. ICAS Assessments 2019A number of girls from Years 2 to 6 achieved excellent results when they participated in the ICAS Assessments last term. Congratulations to all those who participated, in particular, the following girls who attained a Distinction, placing them in the top 10% across Australia! Of special note are three girls who attained a High Distinction in English, which places them in the top 1% of their same aged peers across Australia.
Woodside Scitech AwardsAt tomorrow's Assembly, we will also present the Woodside Scitech Science Awards that acknowledged Year 6 students, Edith Hellings and Isla Mannolini, for their exceptional work in Science in 2019. The Maths OlympiadWe will present the Maths Olympiad Awards for the highest performing mathematicians. Congratulations to these girls in Year 6:
My congratulations to all these students for their exceptional achievements. - Richard Wright, Head of Junior School Junior School Assembly – hosted by Year 1Date: Friday 8 November Chapel Years 2 to 6 – hosted by Class 5MDate: Wednesday 13 November Junior School Orientation DayDate: Friday 22 November Junior School End of Year AssemblyDate: Monday 9 December Support Your Daughter EveningsWe have completed our Year 11 and Year 12 Support Your Daughter Evenings.
IntegrityAt last week's Principal's Assembly, Ms Begbie spoke to the girls about an important school value - 'integrity'. She linked the passion and care that the girls all share for the environment in which we live, to the more specific environment of the School and the School grounds. She asked that the girls care for our environment, explaining that this is an aspect of integrity (taking individual action without needing acknowledgement or congratulations). I hope that the girls have taken this onboard and that we see a more caring approach to our beautiful School environment. Approaching the Mid-PointAs we approach the mid-point of our final term, I am very pleased with the engagement that the girls are displaying in their approach to classes and schoolwork. They still have assessments to complete and learning to accomplish before we begin the anticipation of the end of the school year. Our Year 12 girls are mid-way through their exam timetable. They are focussed and diligent in their approach to the work. I continue to wish them every success as they approach their last few exams. ICAS Assesment ResultsA number of girls from Years 7 to 10 achieved excellent results in their ICAS Assessments. Congratulations to the following girls: High Distinctions (top 1%)
Distinctions (top 10%)
- Jenny Crisp, Head of Senior School Student AchievmentsAurelia Qaqish (Year 5) participated in the South Suburban Music Eisteddfod, winnning the 7th Grade String Solo and the String Recital for students aged 10 and under. The following students' poetry has been selected for inclusion in Primo Lux 2019, an annual poetry publication that showcases the best student poetry in WA.
Shan Yu Lim (Year 9) received an Australian Mathematics Trust High Achiever Award for being one of the top three female students in Year 9 in the Australian Mathematics Competition. Linda Zou (Year 9) received a Data Analysis Australia Individual Merit Prize at the WA Junior Maths Olympiad. Congratulations to all of these achievers!
2020 Year 10 Quest Programme & Year 9 Innovation Project LaunchThe current Year 9 students will soon have the exciting opportunity to select their nominated Quest programme for 2020. The Quest programmes offer a wonderful opportunity for students to learn beyond the walls of the School campus. Each option offers students many opportunities to learn about themselves, others, and the world around them. The experiences will build resilience, independence, interdependence, and for overseas ventures, cultural awareness and international mindedness. We have scheduled the Quest Information Evening for Year 9 students and parents to be on the same evening as the Year 9 Innovation Project Launch. The event will be held on Thursday 21 November, in the Beth Blackwood Senior School. The Quest Information segment will run from 6.00 pm – 7.25 pm, followed by the Innovation Project from 7.30 pm – 8.30 pm. It is compulsory for students to attend both events. During the Quest Information session there will be two presentations on each of the Quest programmes on offer in 2020. After the Quest evening, students will go online and submit their top three preferences in order of which programme they would most like to participate in. By the end of term, students and parents will be advised of their successful 2020 Quest programme. Extensive details on each programme offered in 2020 is available on the Student and Parent Connect (SEQTA). Year 9 2020 Canberra TourPLC, in conjunction with Scotch College, is conducting an optional tour to Canberra during the Term 2 July School Holidays (Friday 3 July to Saturday 11 July 2020). This tour has been structured to have both an educational and recreational component. The educational component of the tour has been designed to support the Civics and Citizenship unit of inquiry covered in the Year 9 Humanities course. Remembrance Day ServiceDate: Moday 11 November Year 9 Outdoor Education Programme (Group 2)Date: Monday 11 November - Friday 15 November Years 7 - 9 Vocal RecitalDate: Wednesday 13 November Principal's AssemblyDate: Friday 15 November Open Garden Day Raffle Draw Results1st - L Webster PLC Parents Annual General MeetingDate: Friday 8 November This will be our Annual General meeting and all executive positions will be declared vacant. If you wish to become involved via the Executive and have any queries, please contact Michelle Barrett plcparents@plc.wa.edu.au. The agenda for the meeting can be found here. Year 7 End of Year Parent FunctionDate: Friday 22 November |