Dear Friend of PLC

Welcome To A New School Year

Welcome to 2020! As much as the last few weeks have been a wonderful opportunity to prepare for the year ahead, a school is never complete without its students, so it was fantastic to have our girls return this week. 

This week, we welcomed a number of new staff, parents and students to PLC. I hope that you all quickly feel a part of this special community. 

Awkward, Kind and Brave in 2020

As we start a new school year, I would like to share with you some words of Brene Brown (author of The Gifts of Imperfection, Daring Greatly, Rising Strong, Braving the Wilderness, and Dare to Lead) that I shared with staff on Staff Day. 

These aren’t easy for me - especially if being predictable and consistent are important. But I’m going to keep crawling my way back to them in 2020. Especially when I’m tempted to act cool OR choose comfort over that hard conversation OR when I’m dying to be judge-y and blame-y instead of empathic and compassionate. 

I’m going to try a lot of new things in 2020, and that feels scary, which is often the necessary springboard for awkward and brave. It’s easy to get to that place where we only do things that we’re already good at doing. I love that place. But it’s not good for me. So, I’m choosing to go back to the 7th grade cafeteria and carry my tray as best I can, given my sweaty hands and anxiety-prone introversion. I need to seek out a couple of new tables with new challenges and opportunities. 

As far as kindness goes - that will need to start with a healthy dose of self-kindness. I know...sounds cheesy. But, I’ve learned that it’s easier to dismiss that concept as woo-hoo rubbish than it is to actually practice it. After I wrangle on my oxygen mask, I’m committed to extending that same imperfect grace to others. I’ve learned that gasping for air while volunteering to give others CPR is not heroic. It’s suffocation by resentment. 

We don’t need to do awkward, brave, and kind alone. We were never meant to. 

- Brene Brown

Coronavirus 

With the recent outbreak of the Novel Coronavirus, I would like to thank parents for their co-operation while we manage the return of students. 

Please be assured that we continue to remain in regular contact with the Department of Health and AISWA. While I appreciate that there is a great deal of information in the media at the moment, parents might find this source useful, which is being distributed by the Australian Department of Education. This information is current today, Thursday 30 January, with respect to exclusion from Schools and Early Childhood Centres.

Parents should be assured that we do not have any students who have travelled to Hubei Province or been in known contact with a confirmed case who will be returning to school after the ten days. Our request that students who had been in mainland China remain away for ten days was purely precautionary.

Again, we very much appreciate the support and understanding of all families, in particular, those whose daughter’s remain absent from school at this time. 

Australian Government, Department of Health Advice

If your child has travelled to Hubei Province, China within the past 14 days, you should isolate them in your home for 14 days after leaving Hubei Province. If your child has been in close contact with a confirmed case of novel coronavirus, you should isolate them in your home for 14 days after last contact with the confirmed case. Children in these circumstances are not to attend schools or early childhood centres and should not engage with other students. 

If your child has travelled to mainland China in general but not Hubei Province, we do not currently recommend self-isolation. The development of cases outside of Hubei Province is being closely monitored and this advice will be updated if necessary. 

If your child develops symptoms within 14 days of leaving Hubei Province or within 14 days of last contact with the confirmed case, you should arrange for them to see their usual doctor for urgent assessment. You should telephone the health clinic or hospital before they arrive and tell them of their travel history or that they have been in contact with a confirmed case of novel coronavirus. Their doctor will liaise with Public Health authorities to manage their care. Children must then remain isolated either in your home or a healthcare setting until Public Health authorities inform you it is safe for them to return to their usual activities. 

- Cate Begbie, Principal

PLC Parents Meeting

Date: Tuesday 11 February
Time: 8.45 am (distribution of PLC Term Fee Draw Funds)
Venue: Lighthouse Community Room

Welcome Sundowner

Date: Friday 14 February 2020
Time: 6.00 pm - 9.00 pm
Venue: PLC Senior School Quad
Tickets: $30 
Book here

Farm2Fork | A Community Food Event

Date: Saturday 14 March
Time: 6.00 pm - 10.00 pm
Venue: PLC Senior School Quad
Book here 

Welcome Back

It was wonderful to see the students return to School with boundless enthusiasm and energy. The students I spoke to have had wonderful holidays, but are so happy to be back at PLC. We are all excited to see what our girls will achieve in 2020!

PLC App

An email was sent to the Junior School community on Tuesday, regarding communications and the use of the PLC App. As this will now be the primary communication platform for Junior School parents and guardians, I ask that you download the PLC App as soon as possible. To ensure you are only receiving communications relevant to your daughter, I recommend managing your subscriptions by selecting the appropriate class group and co-curricular activities to avoid receiving every notification posted on the App. I expect the move to the PLC App will improve and streamline communications going forward.

• For Apple IOS users, click here to dowload the App. 
• For Android users, click here to download the App.

Welcome Barbecue

Also included in Tuesday’s email was an invitation for Junior School families to attend the Family Barbecue on Tuesday 4 February at 5.30 pm. Parents of students in Pre-Primary to Year 6 will then be able to attend the Support Your Daughter Evening from 6.30 pm. I hope to see our entire Junior School community at this event.

Please RSVP here, selecting one ticket for each family member. 

General Reminders

As it is the beginning of the year, a few general reminders:

• Please remember to name all uniform items. It is a good idea to rename them each mid-term break to as they do fade over time. 
• All students (Years 1 to 6) are to wear their coloured House Shirts on Fridays.
• Students are to wear the PLC navy blue wide brimmed hats for play.
• Following on from our waste-wise initiative last year, students ordering food from the canteen need to bring their own eating utensils from home, as the canteen no longer distribute single-use utensils. 
  We do have an emergency supply of reusable utensils in the office.

- Richard Wright, Head of Junior School 

Enrol Now - Junior School Co-Curricular

Girls have the option of selecting Co-curricular activities in:

• The PLC Lighthouse
• Performing and Visual Arts
• Academic, STEM and Service
• Sport

Enrolment is made via Trybooking for all categories except Sport, which is using the same enrolment format as previous terms.

You can enrol in more than one class by clicking on 'Buy More Tickets' after each enrolment. Please use one enrolment entry per child. 

Students require parental consent to enrol in the activities and there is an online section for parents to approve prior to enrolment. When prompted, please click on each sentence individually to accept them. 

There is no charge at the time of enrolment. If the course/s you are selecting incurs a fee, it will be charged to your Tuition Fee account.

Terms & Conditions

• Late enrolments will be accepted if there are places available. Activities that are undersubscribed will not go ahead. 
• As in previous years, fees will still be charged if a student is allocated a place and does not attend. Therefore, students and parents should check for any possible conflicts before returning their enrolment forms. 
• Fees will be added to your daughter’s school account at the end of the term if you choose not to pay upfront using credit card via try booking.com 
• Withdrawal from an activity should be advised to the Lighthouse reception in writing or via email as soon as possible. A qualified instructor will be taking each class. 

JUNIOR SCHOOL KEY DATES

Junior School Family Barbecue

Date: Tuesday 4 February
Time: 5.30 pm – 6.30 pm
Venue: Junior School playground and undercover areas
RSVP here 

Support Your Daughter Evening (Pre-Primary - Year 6)

Date: Tuesday 4 February
Time: 6.30 pm – 7.30 pm
Venue: Junior School Classrooms

Chapel Years 2 to 6 

Date: Wednesday 5 February      
Time: 8.35 am – 9.10 am  
Venue: Heather Barr Chapel

Junior School Kapture Photo Day (Kindergarten - Year 6) 

Date: Thursday 6 February

Junior School Assembly (Year 6 – Semester 1 Leaders) 

Date: Friday 7 February      
Time: 8.40 am – 9.30 am  
Venue: Swim and Recreation Centre (SRC)

Junior School Kapture Photo Day (Pre-Kindergarten)

Date: Tuesday 11 February

A New School Year

The school has been buzzing with energy this week as our students returned ready for a new school year. I would like to extend a special welcome to our new students and to our boarding students who return to us from a number of different destinations. As a ‘new’ staff member to the school, I must say I have been very impressed with the way in which the community have greeted me, and I am very much looking forward to getting to know all the girls in the Senior School. I say ‘new’ staff member as previously I have been a teacher and Year Co-ordinator at PLC; however, coming back, I already feel at home. 

Year 7 Sleepover

I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank all of our staff who have been busy over the holidays preparing for many activities and classes that are happening this week. In particular, our Year 7 students have been involved in a special transition programme, which even included a whole-year sleepover in the beautiful PLC Lighthouse. I hope this activity gave the girls a chance to bond together and settle in to the school environment. 

Support Your Daughter Evening

At PLC, we really do believe that parents are partners in your daughter’s education, and I would love to draw your attention to a number of different Support Your Daughter Evenings which are occurring for parents of students in Years 7 to 10 over the coming weeks. We would love to see you there and arrangements are being made to record the presentation for our Boarding families, who might be unable to attend. Please also use these evenings as an opportunity to introduce yourself to key staff members to help allow us to best support your daughter.

Inter-House Swim and Dive Carnival

With the hot summer days set to continue into next week, the Swimming Carnival is sure to be a fantastic day of House spirit and participation. I encourage all girls to have a go, get into the pool and cheer on their peers.

A reminder to parents that if you are collecting your daughter from HBF Stadium, we ask that you pick her up by 3.35 pm. For the safety of the girls, we will be transporting any students who have not been picked up by this time to the Boarding House via a PLC bus for collection. Thank you for your support with this and I look forward to meeting those of you who are able to attend on the day.

Rebecca Watts, Head of Senior School

Boarding House News 

A big welcome to our new boarders!

Sports News

PLC Inter-House Swim and Dive Carnival

The PLC Inter-House Swim and Dive Carnival will be held on Tuesday 4 February at HBF Stadium (100 Stephenson Avenue, Mt Claremont). Students are to arrive at the venue by 7.45 am, with the first event commencing 8.30 am and finishing by 3.30 pm.

Students requiring transport to or from the venue were emailed a bus sign up link earlier this week. If transport is not required, parents/guardians are to collect their children from HBF Stadium by 3.35 pm. If a student is not collected by this time, they will be transported back to PLC via the bus and can be collected from the PLC Boarding House. 

Students are to bring sufficient food and drinks for the day, as they will not have access to the HBF Stadium cafeteria. 

Click here to view the programme.

Enrol Now - Senior School Co-Curricular

Girls have the option of selecting Co-curricular activities in:

• The PLC Lighthouse
• Performing and Visual Arts
• Academic, STEM and Service
• Outdoor Education
• Sport

Enrolment is made via Trybooking for all categories except Sport, which is using the same enrolment format as previous terms.

You can enrol in more than one class by clicking on 'Buy More Tickets' after each enrolment. Please use one enrolment entry per child. 

Students require parental consent to enrol in the activities and there is an online section for parents to approve prior to enrolment. When prompted, please click on each sentence individually to accept them. 

There is no charge at the time of enrolment. If the course/s you are selecting incurs a fee, it will be charged to your Tuition Fee account.

Terms & Conditions

• Late enrolments will be accepted if there are places available. Activities that are undersubscribed will not go ahead. 
• As in previous years, fees will still be charged if a student is allocated a place and does not attend. Therefore, students and parents should check for any possible conflicts before returning their enrolment forms. 
• Fees will be added to your daughter’s school account at the end of the term if you choose not to pay upfront using credit card via try booking.com 
• Withdrawal from an activity should be advised to the Lighthouse reception in writing or via email as soon as possible. A qualified instructor will be taking each class. 

SENIOR SCHOOL KEY DATES

Senior School Inter-House Swimming Carnival 

Date: Tuesday 4 February
Location: HBF Stadium, Claremont 

Year 12 Ball

Date: Saturday 8 February 
Time: 7.00 pm
Location: Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre

Year 7 Student Immunisation

Date: Thursday 13 February

Principal's Assembly

Date: Friday 14 February
Time: 8.45 am
Location: Hugh Baird Sports Centre

PLC Partners

This term we are very pleased to launch PLC Partners – a directory promoting businesses owned and operated by PLC Parents. It is another way our PLC community can support each other. 

PLC Partners is accessible via the PLC App, which can be downloaded on both Apple and Android devices. When you download the App you will be asked for your username and password. This is the same username and password you use to access SEQTA, the Gallery or other password protected sites on home.plc.wa.edu.au

If you have forgotten your username or password please click here to reset it.

• For Apple IOS users, click here to dowload the App. 
• For Android users, click here to download the App.

Add Your Business 

Families who would like their businesses added to PLC Partners, please provide the details by filling out this online form.

PLC Perth KeepCups

Towards the end of last year, all disposable coffee cups were pulled from PLC. This was a fantastic initiative presented by our Service Captain, Bella Poll to encourage staff and students to bring reusable coffee mugs or cups.

Order your PLC branded KeepCup today! 

• Small size (8oz) -  $12 
• Medium size (12oz) - $13 
• Large size (16oz) - $15

You will be notified when your cup is ready for collection.