Links eNewsletter - Term 2 Week 4 Dear valued member of the PLC community, A Message From the PrincipalResources for Battling AnxietyDr Lisa Damour is a psychologist, monthly New York Times columnist, and regular contributor to CBS News. She is the author of the two New York Times best-selling books, Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood and Under Pressure: Confronting the Epidemic of Stress and Anxiety in Girls. There are a number of excellent resources and articles available on her website that families may find interesting and helpful. Having heard Dr Damour speak during a remote conference this week, one of the elements of her talk that resonated with me was her definition of wellbeing and the positive slant she takes on the role anxiety and stress play in this. Dr Damour talks of wellbeing as living life with an awareness that stress and anxiety are a normal part of life for all people. She defines positive wellbeing as being able to respond in an appropriate and effective way when experiencing such times. In a New York Times article this year, she starts: “For many teenagers, anxiety is riding high these days”. With researchers now focussing on the impact of the pandemic on young people, a new report from the University of Michigan’s C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health found that one in three teen girls and one in five teen boys in the United States have experienced new or worsening anxiety since March 2020. It is without a doubt that, a year into the pandemic, we are seeing young people with increasing concerns about their future. Young people are nervous about catching or spreading COVID-19, being at school in person at times when cases are identified in our State, feeling tense about where things stand with their friends and a range of other things altogether: family, schoolwork, exams, their future, the environment. While there are a number of reasons for all people to be anxious right now, there are also a number of ways to help young people stay steady and Dr Damour believes that starts with encouraging young people to let go of three common myths. These can be found here. Future-Proofing PLC - A Community WorkshopSome members of our community may be aware that the School is currently working on a new Strategic Plan which will guide our priorities and decision-making over the coming years. Within the new plan will be a number of priorities specific to providing a contemporary learning and teaching programme that equips our students with the knowledge, skills and dispositions they will need to be personally successful in the evolving world they will enter. To ensure our School has a future-focus in teaching and learning, PLC has engaged author and educational consultant Greg Curtis to support a level of stakeholder engagement as we develop priorities in this critical space. Mr Curtis will be facilitating a workshop comprising current parents, staff and students in which this topic will be discussed. The workshop will be conducted over three afternoons, each for an hour-and-a-half and I invite parents to register their interest in being a part of this important project. The workshops will be held from 4.30 pm – 6.00 pm on Thursday 27 May, Wednesday 2 June and Thursday 10 June and attendance at all three sessions is required. Places are limited as the workshop will be limited to total of 60 people. If you would like to register your interest in the workshop, please click here. Please note, these places will be filled in a first-in, first-served basis. The workshops will be held in the new View Street classrooms, near the entrance to the View Street building. Deputy Principal – Teaching and Learning, Neil Walker, will be in touch with those members of our community selected to take part in the workshop. - Cate Begbie – Principal Parents as Learners – Navigating the Pre-Teen BrainIt was wonderful to see so many parents attend the first of our Parents as Learners Session (PALS) last week. Despite the masks, our Lead Psychologist, Daleen Engelbrecht, shared her insights of how, as parents, we could develop resilience in our children. As a father of three, I gained a great deal from the session. Unfortunately, we were not able to film the session in order to maintain the levels of confidentiality required. Our second instalment of PALS is tomorrow at 8.45 am in the Junior School Library. Ms Engelbrecht will share her knowledge and vast experience about ‘Navigating the Changes in the Pre-Teen Brain.’ This session is aimed at our Year 4 to 6 parents, although all are welcome. I hope you can attend. Junior School PsychologistAfter an extensive search, I am happy to announce that our new Junior School Psychologist commenced on Tuesday. Ms Vivienne Willans is an experienced Psychologist, holding positions including working in private practice, RPH, the Department of Communities where her role involved liaising with schools and teachers, and most recently at Wesley College. Ms Willans will be working on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. I am sure you will join me in welcoming her to the PLC community. - Richard Wright – Head of Junior School Parents as Learners Session – Navigating the changes that occur in a pre-teen brain (Years 4–6)
NAPLAN – Language Conventions (Years 3 and 5)
NAPLAN – Numeracy (Years 3 and 5)
Junior School Assembly (Hosted by Year 4)
Exams, Assessments and Work ExperienceIt has been lovely to see the Year 11 and 12 students back on campus after completing their examinations and work experience. This week, our Year 7 and 9 students begin their NAPLAN assessments and on Friday the Year 10 students will begin their first examinations. As students prepare to sit assessments and receive marks back, it is important that they remember to keep their results in perspective - they are not defined by a mark or grade. One of our key values is integrity and we ask that each student tries their personal best in all that they do and sets goals for the future performance. IGSSA Rowing SuccessStudents at PLC have a breadth of Co-curricular options available to them. On the weekend it was fantastic to have our rowers compete in the first regatta for the season. For many of our rowers, this was the first regatta they had ever participated in! The results of our rowers were phenomenal and reflect the hard work the team has put into their training. Thank you to all those involved in the rowing programme at PLC and in particular the parents who get their daughters to the early morning training sessions. - Rebecca Watts, Head of Senior School Boarder of the Week:
Room of the Week:
What Happened This Week in the Boarding HouseThis week in the Boarding House we have been actively focusing on getting boarder feedback to share with school staff. The girls are eager for others to know that although being a boarder can be hard at times, they actually have a lot of fun, love the food, and aren’t always homesick. There was even mention of our awesome activities that we provide to our girls. Further to their feedback, I think it is important to celebrate the achievements of our rowers who are boarders. Being a boarder comes with an extra level of independence and self-management that might not always be expected at home. For our girls to balance this independence with co-curricular programmes such as rowing is just exceptional and worth noting. Well done girls for competing with such enthusiasm, spirit, and success in your first Regatta. On that note, I would also like to acknowledge the efforts of our Year 12 students who have just successfully completed their work placements and in some cases even arranged their own work experience. Placements have varied from daycares to beauty salons. Some have been working alongside Education Assistants or electricians. One of our girls even worked in our Community and Engagement department. Our girls have worked really hard to be punctual, present well and take away valuable learning experiences from the opportunities provided. They have quickly learned that full-time work sure is tiring! We are really enjoying our staff and peer-led activities in the Boarding House. The Saturday fitness sessions for all year groups in the Lighthouse are beginning to become popular. The girls are appreciative of the space to utilise over the weekend. Some girls did their own exercise, others participated in a staff-led fitness session, or used the Dance Studio to screen a pilates and yoga class. A small group of Year 10 students were taken into Fremantle to enjoy desert-style pretzels and soak up the vibrant weekend atmosphere. The Year 7 students are continually excited to participate in competitive card games with our staff. These simple and wholesome activities are all part of a bigger recreational programme jam-packed with socials, trips to the cinema, museums, shopping and much more, keeping our girls very busy and social. - Katherine Hazlewood – Boarding House Deputy (Wellbeing and Pastoral Care) United Nations Youth Listening Tour – Tuesday 25 MayStudents in Years 7 to 12 are invited to be a part of the United Nations listening tour and sharing their views on “What would Australia look like if young people were the key drivers to making change”. Please click here for the Expression of Interest form for more information. Applications close Monday 18 May. - Linda Malone – Head of Service and Community Partnerships PLC Open Garden Day 2021We are so excited that Open Garden Day will be back in 2021! We are now on the search for some gardens to be part of the day. If you are interested in putting your garden in, or if you know of anyone that would be interested, please contact the OGD Garden Co-ordinator, Emma Tongue, on email or phone at 0408 339 400. Conversations at PLCHear how PLC Perth and NIDA graduate Caroline Brazier followed her acting dreams. Twice nominated for an Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Award for her work on ABC TV series Rake, Caroline has graced our big and small screens, as well as the stage. She has featured in 'Home and Away', 'Packed to the Rafters', 'Offspring' as well as performances for Bell Shakespeare, Melbourne Theatre Company and Black Swan. Caroline has recently finished filming on the Hollywood A-lister Liam Neeson’s 'Blacklight' and is currently working on 'How to Please a Woman' here in Perth.
We respectfully suggest this is an adult-only event and bringing children is not encouraged. OCA Art Exhibition 2021 - Friday 21 May to Sunday 23 MayOne of the most exciting events on the PLC OCA calendar is approaching. Well-known artists including Archibald Packing Room Prize winner Tessa MacKay, Leon Pericles, Louise Farnay, Alice Ford, Jacinda Bayne, Genevieve Montgomery, Aurelie Yeo will join 75 established and emerging artists from the PLC community at this year’s OCA Art Exhibition! Opening Night Cocktail Party
Please join us at the Opening Night Cocktail Party for a fantastic evening of Flametree wines, beer, canapes, entertainment, and a chance to preview and purchase the artworks. Tickets for Opening Night are available for $45, or at the door on the night for $50. Weekend Exhibition
The Exhibition continues throughout the weekend with entry by raffle ticket purchase or gold coin donation. There will be the OCA Café on site all weekend so bring yourself, family, and friends along for a delicious morning tea or afternoon tea and admire the beautiful artworks. Foundation Scholarship Now OpenDue to the generous support of the PLC community, the PLC Foundation is delighted to announce that the 2022 PLC Foundation Scholarship applications are now open. Each year, the PLC Foundation offers a scholarship to a student who would otherwise be unable to attend PLC due to their family’s financial circumstances. This scholarship is offered to students commencing in Year 7 and provides 100% tuition fees from Year 7 to Year 12. Applicants must provide a sound academic record, a commitment to community service, and participation in Co-curricular activities. If you know of a worthy candidate, application details and forms are available here. For further information on this scholarship or the Foundation, please contact Suzanne Pelczar at foundation@plc.wa.edu.au or on (08) 9460 6534. OCA Art Exhibition
Conversations at PLC - Caroline Brazier
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