Links - Term 3 Week 2 Dear Friend of PLC From The PrincipalAlways Was, Always Will beAs our Reconciliation Captains have written below, NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC is celebrated not only in Indigenous communities, but by Australians from all walks of life. The 2020 theme for NAIDOC Week, Always Was, Always Will Be recognises that First Nations people have occupied and cared for this continent for over 65,000 years. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were Australia’s first explorers, first navigators, first engineers, first farmers, first botanists, first scientists, first diplomats, first astronomers and first artists. Always Was, Always Will Be acknowledges that hundreds of Nations and cultures covered this continent. I would like to thank our Reconciliation Captains for their efforts in organising a great range of lunchtime activities to allow all of our students to participate in this week. From Bracelet making in the quad, to the NAIDOC Basketball game and tomorrow's BBQ with kangaroo sausages and emu chorizo. The girls have put in so much effort to arrange activities designed to bring our student and staff community together to celebrate the culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Rev Manie StrydomA big congratulations to Rev Manie Strydom as he was ordained as Chaplain of PLC earlier this week! Enjoying Each Day For What It BringsAs we reach the end of the second week of term, I thought I would share with you some words I shared with staff on our staff day. At a time when we continue to exist with a certain level of uncertainty and angst, it is still easy to get caught up in concerns that are beyond our control. It remains a time that we need to stay focussed on what we can control, and what we can control is what is in front of us. We can control today. As we move into the weekend, my thoughts are with those impacted by the explosion in Lebanon and the many people in Australia and globally affected by COVID-19. We are very fortunate in Perth, so I will also take some time to enjoy each day for what it brings and to be grateful for all I have. One Day at a Time There are two days in every week we should not worry about.
- Cate Begbie, Principal From the Reconciliation CaptainsThis week, PLC celebrated NAIDOC Week, which is about celebrating the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. We believe that this is one of the most important weeks of the year and one that all Australians can be involved in. Always Was, Always Will BeThe 2020 NAIDOC theme is ‘Always Was, Always Will Be’. This acknowledges that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have occupied, respected and cared for this continent for over 65,000 years. NAIDOC Co-Chair, John Paul Janke, has stated “Often the nation forgets there were rich cultures and lifestyles before the arrival of the first fleet in 1788, so the NAIDOC 2020 theme would be a reminder of just that. We should not have Aboriginal history, British history and modern history, we should say that it is Australian history”. To us, NAIDOC Week means uniting together to learn and celebrate our First Nation people. It is the time to listen to the perspectives of Indigenous people and pay recognition to their valuable contributions to our country. It is great to see how NAIDOC Week evolves each year and we would like to thank everyone for participating in the activities. Although we have already celebrated NAIDOC Week, it has officially been moved to 8 - 15 November due to COVID-19 impacts. Make sure over that time you keep an eye on ways you can participate in supporting your local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. PLC/Scotch NAIDOC Basketball Game- Reconciliation Captains, Sophia Short and Abbey Noble Term 3 Free Dress DayFree Dress Day will be held on Friday 28 August. Student Free Dress Day contributions support a local charity, Trillion Trees, whose mission is to bring people together to plant and grow trees and to achieve healthy, productive, sustainable landscapes. They also sponsor our two World Vision children, 10-year-old Josephine from Zambia and 13-year-old Lucy from Kenya. Free Dress Days are non-compulsory. Students who wish to participate will need to have made the $10 contribution which covers all three Free Dress Days. Trybooking tickets are still available here for anyone who was unable to contribute in Term 1 or Term 2. Further information on the theme can be found here. Lighthouse Fitness CentreStudents in Years 10 - 12 are able to use the Fitness Centre before and after school.
Before you can use the gym equipment, you must have an induction. You can book in a performance induction with the Strength and Conditioning Coach or other qualified PLC staff by emailing lighthouse@plc.wa.edu.au. You must also read and agree to the Fitness Centre Policy. - Chonny James, Director of Wellbeing In the past week, we have seen two significant opportunities for the students to test themselves and their resilience. Inter-House Cross CountryLast Friday, we saw our students run the Inter-House Cross Country. It was amazing to see the effort each runner gave to their run and the support each runner received from the spectators! The final results can be found here. Year 4 Outdoor Education ProgrammeThe Year 4s were excited to start their Outdoor Education Programme today! PLC's extraordinary Outdoor Education programmes give the girls a chance to challenge themselves and learn beyond the classroom. I know that those who successfully navigate the challenges of this programme will feel a great sense of achievement. Inter-House Athletics/EY Sport Carnival Date ChangesWe have changed the date of our Athletics Carnivals due to the availability of our venue. The Years 1 - 6 Athletics Carnival will now be held on Tuesday 15 September from 8.00 am at McGillivray Oval in Mt Claremont. The Early Years Sports Carnival (Pre-K, Kindergarten and Pre-Primary) will now be held on Monday 14 September at 9.00 am. Community Conversation – Protective BehavioursThis session is open to Years 3 - 6 parents and will focus on Protective Behaviours, in particular, Recognising and reporting abuse. Emily Lockhart (Head of Lighthouse Curriculum) and Vernita Jaques (Deputy Head of Junior School) will run the session and will outline what the girls are taught at School. Date: Tuesday 18 August - Richard Wright, Head of Junior School Junior School Upcoming EventsChapel Years 2 to 6 – hosted by 4SDate: Wednesday 12 August Junior School Assembly - Years 1 to 6 (hosted by Year 5)Date: Friday 14 August Year 6 PYP Exhibition and Parent Information ForumDate: Tuesday 18 August Book Day (Pre-Kindy to Year 6)Date: Tuesday 25 August NAIDOC WeekTo celebrate NAIDOC Week, the Senior School has been buzzing with activities and events each day. This has included bracelet making in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander colours, a PLC/Scotch basketball game and Indigenous art workshops. Tomorrow, we will be having a BBQ of kangaroo sausages and emu chorizo! Tomorrow's Principal’s Assembly will also have a focus on NAIDOC Week. Our Gorna Liyarn students will perform a dance and we will hear from our special guest speaker, Brooke Blurton. Brooke is a proud Noogar/Yamatji woman, youth worker and mental health advocate. She is also well known for her appearance on the television series, The Bachelor. Inter-House Athletics CarnivalThe Senior School Inter-House Athletics Carnival is scheduled for Monday, however, in the event of severe weather, the event will need to be cancelled. In the unfortunate event that this does occur, we will attempt to notify families as soon as possible. All students will then return to normal classes. We ask that the girls do not take their phones to the Carnival. However, if you do require it, please ensure you have permission from a teacher to use it. If the girls arrive late or need to leave the Carnival early, please sign in and out of the venue. Any student that leaves early will need permission from their parent. Leadership PositionsOur Stage One Leadership positions will be voted on in the coming week with the announcement of the positions occurring in a special assembly on Friday 14 August at 3.00 pm in the Hugh Baird Sports Centre. Parents are welcome to attend. The current COVID-19 guidelines for schools allows us to conduct assemblies, however, we are required to ensure that adults socially distance from each other. This announcement of the positions is an exciting time for our students, particularly those in Year 11. We will be speaking in advance to all students who have applied for Stage One positions before the assembly and will be reminding them to keep this process in perspective. There are lots of ways that our students can contribute to the School and showcase their leadership skills, with or without, a formal position. Transitioning to Year 11In the final week of Term 3, all Year 10 students will be involved in a special week of activities. Staff have spent a lot of time and effort into crafting a fun programme for the Year 10s. We hope that it will help them transition into Year 11 and strengthen their bonds as a Year group. The programme will run from Monday 21 September to Thursday 24 September. Year 10 students will not be required to attend school on Friday 25 September, however, the Library will be open to those girls who need to attend school for whatever reason. Arts Day - The Best Day Of The YearThe Senior School is a buzz with rehearsals and preparations for Arts Day! If you have any questions, contact kate.montague@plc.wa.edu.au. - Rebecca Watts, Head of Senior School Senior School Upcoming EventsSenior School AssemblyDate: Tomorrow - Friday 7 August Senior School Inter-House Athletics CarnivalDate: Monday 10 August Founders' Day ServiceDate: Tuesday 18 August Senior School Arts DayDate: Thursday 20 August Year 12 Father Daughter Dinner DanceDate: Thursday 20 August Mid-Term BreakDate: Friday 21 August - Monday 24 August Sports NewsInter-House Athletics CarnivalWe are so excited for the Inter-House Athletics Carnival to be held next Monday, 10 August! Date: Monday 10 August Enviro News: Environmental Committee NewsletterEnvironmental Captain, Claudia has started a great new newsletter about all things environmentally friendly. In this week's edition, you'll find out how to make a natural bug repellent, as well as some plant-based cooking tips! Click the button below to read it. From The Property Operations ManagerAn eradication response for Queensland fruit fly (Qfly) is currently being carried out by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD). Qfly is exotic to Western Australia and is one of the world’s worst agricultural pests, affecting a range of backyard and commercial crops. A significant number of Qfly have been detected in Perth’s Western Suburbs over the last four months and an eradication response began in March 2020. You can read more about this pest and DPIRD’s eradication activities here. - Richard Taber, Property Operations Manager Parent Events Coming UpYear 12 Parent Coffee MorningDate: Tomorrow - Friday 7 August PLC Parents MeetingDate: Tuesday 11 August Year 6 Parents Winter WarmerDate: Friday 14 August Community Conversation – Protective BehavioursDate: Tuesday 18 August |