No Images? Click here Dear Friend of PLC Staff AnnouncementsAt PLC Perth we pride ourselves on nurturing not only inspiring young women, but also exceptional staff who support our girls to achieve their very best. Dr Andrew CousinsExcellence is often paired with high aspirations – characteristics I believe we would all hope for in our School staff. This is true of our Deputy Principal, Andrew Cousins, who informed me this week of his resignation to take up a role as Principal of Clayfield College in Brisbane from Term 1 next year. Dr Cousins has served PLC well for nearly four years and has been instrumental in the School’s changes in the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme, restructuring the Senior School teaching and learning staffing model and the introduction of the six-period timetable, in concert with Scotch College. He also did an outstanding job in the role of Acting Principal for the second half of Term 2 this year. On a more personal note, I would like to thank Dr Cousins for his support during my transition back to PLC. His willingness to give his time and share his knowledge without hesitation is always greatly appreciated. He has been an outstanding colleague and I have no doubt that Clayfield is in the best of hands. Clayfield College is one of Brisbane’s most noted day and boarding schools, offering co-education from Pre-Preparatory to Year 6 and girls’ education from Years 7-12. I know I speak on behalf of all staff, students and parents in wishing Dr Cousins the very best in his new role, which will also take him back to Queensland where his extended family reside. In the coming weeks PLC will engage a recruitment agency and I will ensure our community is kept informed of this process. Gifted and Talented StaffingThis term, Mr Guy Varndell will be overseeing the School’s Gifted and Talented Programme, along with the co-ordination of all Gifted and Talented competitions, including the World Scholars’ Cup. Parents requiring a point of contact for their daughter’s Gifted and Talented progress can contact Mr Varndell, or their daughter’s relevant Year group Learning Co-ordinator; Year 7 – Luciana Cavallaro - Cate Begbie, Principal Open Garden DayDate: Friday 25 October Principal’s Thank You SundownerDate: Friday 8 November 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. Experience the Magic at Open Garden DayOpen Garden Day is fast approaching and this year’s event promises to be bigger than ever, with View Street closed to traffic and over 45 stall holders opening shop. Browse the stalls here. PLC StallsThere will be lots of goodies to purchase at the PLC stalls, including the famous Christmas cakes, delicious bubble tea, fresh flowers and so much more! Christmas cakes | Cupcakes | Flowers | Juice Bar | Fairy Floss & Popcorn | PLC OCA Succulents | The Book Nook | Preserves | Sausage Sizzle | Junior School Art | Lemonade Stand | Dumplings | Bubble Tea | Bella's Ceramic Pots | Parcel Pick-up service Launching PLC PartnershipsThe PLC community forms the heart of PLC Perth. We are proud to have such engaged and passionate families supporting our students and staff. To further link together members of the PLC community we are very proud to be launching PLC Partners – a directory of businesses and services run by PLC families, for PLC families. Inclusion in PLC Partners is free and recognises that we are a supportive community which promotes the endeavours of our families. PLC Lighthouse Co-Curricular ClassesFrom Karate and Acrobatics, to Yoga and Ballet - there's something in the Lighthouse for every student! PLC's Wellbeing WeekMental Health Week is an annual national event that aims to promote community awareness and interest in mental health and wellbeing. As a school community, we wanted to honour this important week, despite the official dates for Mental Health Week falling within the most recent school holidays. At PLC, Wellbeing Week, as the girls have chosen to call it this year, will occur Monday 21 – Friday 25 October and will be guided by our 2020 Wellbeing captain, Erin Marstrand. Erin and her team have planned a number of great activities across the week including, a visit from The Blue Tree Project, a morning meditation for all students and staff, lunch time yoga, indigenous dancing, plus a number of guest speakers who will appear around the school and on PLC RADIO! Remember to make your way down to the Lighthouse during Wellbeing week to choose your “good deed” from the board and use this to encourage others in our community. Wellbeing Week will conclude with Open Garden Day on Friday 25 October, which seems especially fitting since the official theme for Mental Health Week is Community. I hope all staff and students have a wonderful Wellbeing Week and really support all of the great initiatives on offer. Learn About Meditation at PLCPlease join Lesley Kaye and Jess Lethbridge to find out about Meditation at PLC. Lesley Kaye is the Head of Science, Yoga Instructor and Mindfulness Meditation facilitator. She is passionate about meditation and is completing a Masters’ Thesis at UWA investigating the effect of Mindfulness Meditation on an adolescent’s wellbeing and stress. She aims to educate PLC students about the benefits of mindfulness meditation and offer them tools to manage their wellbeing in daily life. Jessica Lethbridge is a Clinical Psychologist with a passion for wholistic intervention and preventive work. Jess previously taught Mindfulness skills in a hospital setting and since working at PLC, has facilitated Mindfulness classes with our parent community and taught our Years 7 - 9 students about the benefits of Mindfulness in their Flexi classes. The evening will comprise of a 20-minute presentation with a Q&A session and then a 15-minute guided meditation. Date: Tuesday 29 October A Busy Start to Term 4What an exciting start to Term 4! Da Vinci DecathlonNext Monday, PLC will be hosting the Junior Division of the da Vinci Decathlon at the University of Western Australia. This is an academic competition, involving 32 schools and 256 students from across WA. Thank you to Michelle Clayton for co-ordinating this event. Years 1 - 6 Inter-House Athletics CarnivalNext Tuesday, we have our Years 1 - 6 Inter-House Athletics Carnival at McGillivray Sports Park and we wish all the students the best for the day. Ms McGurk and Ms Harris have been working hard to ensure the success of this day. Girls’ Leadership ForumWe are hosting more than 650 students from girls and co-ed schools across the metropolitan area for the Inaugural Girls’ Leadership Forum next Thursday. At the Forum, five speakers in domains including Medicine, Mining, Entrepreneurship, Tech optimisation and Planetary Science and exploration will speak to girls about these areas, their journeys and provide inspiration for the future. Research indicates that girls often have their views on future careers and possibilities set before they enter Senior School. Therefore, it is appropriate that our girls receive these messages at this age. If one girl has the trajectory of her life and future positively altered, the Forum would have done its job! Our Years 5 and 6 students will be in attendance with the Semester 2 Leaders who will be hosting the event. Wellbeing in the Junior SchoolEncouraging our students to grow and flourish into happy, healthy and confident human beings, is at the core of everything we do in the Junior School. Some of the strategies that we have found to be useful are those that are simple, practical and visual. Such practical strategies include the use of the “5-Step Helping Hand”, each child’s personal Safety Network, the Catastrophe Scale and the U R Strong “Cycle of Healthy Friendship”. At the Junior School Assembly, our Year 6 Leaders discussed the importance good mental health and encouraged their fellow students to check in with one another. - Richard Wright, Head of Junior School Year 6 Exhibition - Ski Jacket DonationsAs part of Matilda Burton's (Year 6) Exhibition project, she is researching ways to help homeless people. Matilda is asking for donations of old ski jackets so that she can forward them to a charity called Heat the Homeless. The jackets will be given to homeless people all around Australia. If you have any old ski jackets and would like to spread some warmth, please bring them to the collection box in the Junior School reception. JUNIOR SCHOOL EVENTSJunior School Inter-House Athletics Carnival (Years 1 - 6) Date: Tuesday 22 October Chapel Years 2 to 6 Date: Wednesday 23 October Year 4 Outdoor Education Programme Information Session Date: Wednesday 23 October Junior School Assembly Date: Friday 25 October Year 6 Exhibition Date: Wednesday 30 October Junior School End of Year Assembly Date: Monday 9 December Welcome BackWelcome back to the final term of 2019! I hope that you have had the opportunity to rest, re-energise and re-focus for the term ahead. Year 12 FarewellsOur final assembly was a joyous occasion, allowing our staff and students to say a fond farewell to each of our Year 12s. The Year 11 students sang both, beautifully and meaningfully, to the older girls, sending them on their way with love and laughter. This week will culminate with the Valedictory Service and Dinner this evening. Staffing ChangesAs we approach the end of 2019, there are some small changes that I would like to inform you of with the arrangements of our Hub support teams for 2020. Due to some changes in staffing through departures and returning staff, we have made a few adjustments which will take place from January 2020. Each and every member of this support team works very hard to support your daughters in whichever year they are placed. They bring a special set of skills to these positions and we are very pleased to be able to support each of your daughters in whichever year they may be with this dedicated team. Year 7Year Co-ordinator – Padminee Raja-Snijder Year 8Year Co-ordinator – Luciana Cavallaro Year 9Year Co-ordinator – Gemma Freel Year 10Year Co-ordinator – Lynne Jones Year 11Year Co-ordinator – Liam Sullivan Year 12Year Co-ordinator – Oliver Craze - Jennifer Crisp, Acting Head of Senior School Student AchievementsKaitlyn Sin (Year 6) has been awarded the first prize at the North of Perth Music Festival and has been invited to perform one of her pieces at the City of Bayswater Winners concert on 19 October. Congratulations to Annecy Lyons (Year 7) who was awarded a Bronze Medal in the Australian School Sport National Netball Championships in September. SENIOR SCHOOL EVENTSYear 12 Valedictory Service and DinnerDate: Thursday 17 October Induction ServiceDate: Monday 21 October Year 11 2020 Support Your Daughter EveningDate: Thursday 23 October Lower Senior School Production of The TempestDates: Tuesday 29 October and Wednesday 30 October Frame of Mind - Creative Arts and Technology Exhibition Opening NightDate: Friday 1 November Frame of Mind - Creative Arts and Technology Exhibition Opening HoursDate: Saturday 2 November Date: Monday 4 November – Wednesday 6 November Open Garden Day VolunteersVolunteers are essential to the success of Open Garden Day and this year we need 200 volunteers. If you are available on Friday 25 October for a couple of hours, the whole day or anything in between, we would love to hear from you. Please click here to sign up. |