Links eNewsletter - Term 4 Week 5 Dear valued member of the PLC community, A Message From the PrincipalThe talents and strengths of our students never cease to amaze me. Last night, I had the opportunity to attend the Years 7 – 9 Vocal Recital; last week, our Year 1 students performed brilliantly at their Assembly; we had students win Gold medals at the All Schools State Athletics Championships (congratulations Hannah, Annie, Libby and Ashley), our Senior A, B and C softball teams achieved outstanding results at the IGSSA softball carnival and we had a number of students receive either a Distinction or High Distinction – Excellence in the Year 7 – 12 Chemistry Quiz. This is just to touch on some of the efforts and achievements of the last fortnight; I know that there are many more. Tonight, I am very much looking forward to being in the audience for the Opening Night of Matilda Jr. I am looking forward to it because it was one of my favourite books as a child, mostly because Matilda was one of my very favourite characters. Matilda is brave, she is kind, and she sends a strong message to young people that they should stand up for themselves. Throughout the novel, Matilda stands up against people who are older than her, larger than her, and stronger than her. She helps others (like Miss Honey) to also stand up to those who treat them poorly. Whilst I wait in anticipation for the performance of Matilda, I will never forget the impact that the novel had on me as a child. As a child reading this novel, I thought Matilda was amazing! As a Primary School teacher, reading new stories and introducing new characters was something I loved. I am sure many people reading this will have experienced those moments when you genuinely get ‘lost’ in a novel and become a character and a part of the story itself. The Neverending Story was a favourite movie of my childhood, and there were parts of it that I now look back on and they speak perfectly to the joy that can come from becoming immersed in a great story or novel.
Research from Dr Margaret Kristin Merga, Honorary Adjunct, University of Newcastle, Senior Lecturer in Education, Edith Cowan University shows how reading books can help young people escape from their sources of stress, find role models in characters and develop empathy. With isolation and disruption prevalent in lockdowns and general living with COVID-19, parents and educators are encouraged to connect young people with enjoyable activities, which will support both learning and wellbeing. We know the research regarding regular reading and its positive impact on the development of literacy skills. Merga’s findings in Librarians as Wellbeing Supportive Spaces in Contemporary Schools (2021) provide timely insight into how books and reading can help young people face the wellbeing challenges of the pandemic. Merga suggests that books can not only be a great escape during this challenging time, but also offer further wellbeing benefits. EscapeFor avid readers amongst us, we enjoy being able to escape into our books. Research shows that reading for pleasure can reduce psychological distress and has been related to mental wellbeing. Dr Merga wrote for The Conversation earlier this year about her research using interview data from students and library managers.
CharactersWhen we enjoy reading, we most likely have favourite characters who hold a special place in our hearts. Merga found that young people can role models in books to look up to and emulate, which can, in turn, help to build resilience. She includes a student’s experience in reading the autobiography of young Pakistani activist and Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai:
EmpathyResearch also supports the idea that reading books builds empathy, as “reading fiction can improve social cognition, which helps us to connect with others across our lives,” says Merga. In Merga’s research, one student described how reading books helped him to understand others’ perspectives.
I do hope that all members of the community who have the opportunity to view Matilda Jr this week thoroughly enjoy all aspects of the production. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all staff and students for their hard work and the hours of preparation that have gone into preparing for this performance. Thank you for taking the time to remind us all of the importance of the creative arts and the joy of childhood stories and books. References Merga, K.M (2021), Libraries as Wellbeing Supportive Spaces in Contemporary Schools. In Journal of Library Administration. Online 21 July, 2021. Merga, K.M (2021), Books offer a healing retreat. - Cate Begbie – Principal When I first emigrated to Australia over 30 years ago, I lived in Melbourne. Throughout the more traditional suburbs, I discovered a myriad of “Memorial Churches”, each with an etched “Honour Roll” paying tribute to those who had served in the First World War, the so-called “War to end all Wars”. During the 1920s in the aftermath of so much senseless destruction and loss of life, there was a massive outpouring of building activity to honour the war dead; churches, schools, libraries, community halls, war memorials, gardens, with perhaps the most significant and imposing of all, the Shrine of Remembrance on St Kilda Road. One hundred years on, it is almost impossible to comprehend the effect such an incredible loss of life and injury had on the infant Federation, fragile as it was, an outpost of empire. I come from a country that has experienced far too much civil war and suffering, yet even I find it incomprehensible that at the outbreak of World War I, with a population of less than five million, one in twelve Australians enlisted and one in seven perished. Proportionately, Australia suffered more deaths, more hospitalisations for wounding, illness, and injury, than the armies of Britain, Germany, France, Canada, or the United States. In 2021 terms, over two million people would have enlisted and there would have been over 300,000 deaths. Unbelievable, but true. As Remembrance Day is once more upon us, it is the fragility of life that is foremost in my mind. Those who have seen the brutality of war firsthand or have been its victims through the loss of loved ones are not amongst those clamouring for the next. Our hold on life is as fragile as the poppies of the Flanders fields we wear on our lapels. In the midst of another vicious war, the iconic Australian quartet “The Seekers” in 1966 made a hit of the Pete Seeger song “Turn, turn, turn - To everything there is a season”, based on the prophetic words of Ecclesiastes; words that speak to every century, but especially so in our rapidly changing 21st Century world
That season for change is now before each one of us, for we can make a difference. Blessings to you all. - Rev Nalin Perera – Chaplain Remembrance DayToday, the Junior School hosted the whole school in marking Remembrance Day. In the busyness of Term 4, it is wonderful to take a moment to recognise those who have sacrificed so we live the lives we have today. The ceremony was a fitting sign of respect demonstrated by our community. Year 1 AssemblyOn Friday, we were blessed with a terrific Assembly hosted by the Year 1 class. It was just what we needed to end the week. Learning at Its BestThe classes are in full swing, and I am seeing students ‘up and about’ exploring, questioning, coding, and investigating in all facets of their learning. It is a joy to see the light in the children's eyes as they make connections and make sense of a concept. It is an absolute honour to witness this every day. Thank You, Miss SawleIt is with mixed emotion I announce that Miss Michaela Sawle is leaving us at the end of the year. Miss Sawle and her partner are moving to the South West. I wish her all the best for the future and her career in education. Mrs Ellen Smith will also leave us for life’s great adventure - parenthood. Mrs Smith’s last day is Friday and her role, for the remainder of 2021, will be accommodated by part-time staff increasing their work days. - Richard Wright – Head of Junior School Free Dress Day - Comfy Clothes Theme
Chapel – Years 3 to 6
Orientation Day for Years 1 to 6 Students in 2022
Community Carols
Pre-Primary Nativity
Year 6 Final Assembly
Inter-house Athletics Carnival
Suzuki Strings Christmas Concert
End of Year Assembly – Years 1 to 6
Term 4 Concludes
Remembrance DayToday we commemorated Remembrance Day with a moving whole-school service organised by our Junior School students and staff. In addition to this, in line with our aim to be a leading school on environmental issues, our Service and Environmental Captains have encouraged students to collect their plastic poppies and return them at the end of the school day to allow them to be reused. It is great to see our PLC students taking the lead and looking at ways we can continue to reduce waste. Public Speaking FinalsOn Friday, the Years 10 and 11 Inter-house Public Speaking Finals were held and we would like to congratulate the following Year 10 students:
Congratulations to Year 11 students:
Life-Changing ProgrammeOn Wednesday we had our first group of Year 11 students participate in the P.A.R.T.Y programme. The P.A.R.T.Y programme is a life-changing programme run by very experienced doctors and nurses who know the reality of the real-life consequences when young people indulge in risky behaviour. The long success of the programme has seen over 19,000 students participate, which is only open to schools on a Wednesday with a limit of 30 students. The waitlist alone is extensive, so for PLC to be offered a place is an opportunity rarely given and a chance for our students to be part of a very successful programme. Activities with Scotch CollegeEvery year, Scotch’s Cameron House invites the PLC/Scotch Year 12 cohort to participate in a soccer competition for their annual fundraiser. This year, Cameron House will be donating money to the charity Compassion, to help meet the urgent needs of vulnerable children and their families living in poverty as a response to the COVID-19 crisis. We hope that our new Year 12s enjoy a fun afternoon that supports a good cause. To assist the ongoing Matapwili projects, teachers from PLC and Scotch, in conjunction with Year 11 International Baccalaureate students, will run and supervise a Year 8 PLC/Scotch Games Afternoon. The fundraising games event will provide our Year 8 students the opportunity to interact and build friendships in a relaxed environment, whilst supporting the Matpwili community as well. The Year 8 PLC/Scotch Games Afternoon details are as follows:
If your child is in Year 8 and is yet to buy a ticket, all signups are to be completed by Monday 15 November. Academic Awards AssembliesParents and guardians of students in Years 7, 8, 9 and 10 will receive ‘save the date’ information via the PLC App regarding our upcoming presentations to acknowledge students this semester that have received Academic Excellence, Subject Excellence and Effort Certificates. The criteria for these awards can be found by heading to SEQTA and then clicking 'DOCUMENTS'. The Academic Award Guidelines for 2021 for each year group are on the right. If your child is receiving an award, you will receive an email to notify you closer to the date. - Rebecca Watts – Head of Senior School Matilda Jr. The Musical
Community Carols
Speech Night
Boarder of the Week:
Room of the Week:
Festive SeasonLast weekend was yet another success in the Boarding House. The Year 7s completed their leg of Quay2Quay accompanied by Boarding House staff, Darcie and Gussie, her dog Winne, Ms Begbie and her dog, May, and Mrs Brandenburg and her dog Polly. Ms Edwards's tradition of incorporating some fun team-building activities on the walks is proving to be a great success. The Years 7 and 8 socials with Aquinas were fun, with many friendships forged. The Year 10s enjoyed making acai bowls with Sarah. Girls across all year groups got stuck into some crochet with Ellie, while the Year 11s thoroughly enjoyed their trip to Adventure World with Julianne and Jess to celebrate the year. This year, we have eight boarders performing in the school’s rendition of Matilda Jr. This is their final week of rehearsal and we are all really excited to see them perform this weekend. We wish Claire (Year 8), Eadie, Amber and Tatum (Year 9), and Imogen, Bella, Kate and Kalani (Year 10) well for their first performance. - Katherine Hazlewood – Deputy of Wellbeing and Pastoral Care Matilda Jr. The MusicalMore tickets have just been released for each showing of the highly anticipated Matilda Jr. The Musical! Inspired by Roald Dahl, Matilda Jr is the musical masterpiece from Presbyterian Ladies' College that revels in the anarchy of childhood, the power of imagination and the inspiring story of a girl who dares to change her destiny.
PLC Community CarolsPLC is pleased to confirm the availability of more tickets for the inaugural Community Carols event where every member of the PLC community is invited by Principal, Cate Begbie to come and sing along on Sunday 21 November to your favourite Christmas carols. This magical, family-friendly evening will run from 5.00 pm - 6.30 pm and allow the PLC community to gather to celebrate Christmas. Bring a picnic blanket and picnic, or pre-purchase a delicious hamper!
Open Garden Day Raffle WinnersCongratulations to the following people who won prizes for the Open Garden Day Raffle:
OCA BursariesThe PLC Old Collegians’ Association not only connects, promotes, and celebrates our past students; it also supports our current students through its expansive volunteer network, financial contributions to the School and events such as the annual Art Exhibition. The Olive Cusack Bursary: This bursary recognises a boarding student currently in Year 9 for Year 10. The Dr Vera Summers Bursary: This bursary is awarded to a daughter, grand-daughter or great grand-daughter of an Old Collegian currently in Year 10 for Year 11. The Heather Barr Memorial Bursary: This bursary is open to all current Year 11 students for Year 12 and recognises participation and contribution to PLC. Each bursary is for $5,000 toward tuition fees for 2022. We are very pleased to announce this year’s bursary recipients are:
Congratulations to these three recipients and to all the girls who applied. The application process is very rigorous and the OCA Committee members who sat on the interview panels said all applicants were of an extremely high caliber and a great credit to PLC. Further information about the bursaries and the application and selection process can be viewed on the PLC website. Congratulations, JadeCongratulations to Jade (Year 9) for being selected in Diving Western Australia's 2021 Australian Elite Junior Virtual State Team. Filming for the event will take place later this month and we wish Jade the best of luck in representing WA! If you are aware of any student achievements, please email the information to links@plc.wa.edu.au |