Links - Term 2 Week 9 Dear Friend of PLC From The PrincipalI was recently encouraged by a colleague to pick up a new book, "The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact". The book is written by Chip Heath and Dan Heath - the New York Times bestselling authors of “Switch” and “Made to Stick”. In their newest book, they explore why certain brief experiences can jolt us and elevate and change us. Sometimes, these moments are ones of joy, and at other times, great sadness or challenge. This book delves into why we tend to remember the best or worst moment of an experience, as well as the last moment and then forget the rest. Whilst the book reflects on how brief experiences can change our lives, it really made me stop and reflect on my own life and the many ‘brief’ but significant moments that have had a great impact on me. This, in turn, challenged me to consider how we might all be impacted by such a significant extended experience, such as COVID-19. It also made me consider that whilst we all have these many experiences in our lives, it has not been in my lifetime that we have shared an experience at such a global level. I wonder what impact this will have on us as individuals and communities moving forward. I wonder the impact on young people as they try to make sense of a world that has shifted in front of their eyes in recent months. Education is a changing feast and as we entered the 21st century, many schools were open to the challenges of educating children and preparing young people to take on jobs that were not yet created in a world that was not yet defined; a world we knew would be uncertain. I think that the last few months have forced us to start to reframe and redefine what we thought we meant by ‘uncertainty’ in the light of all that has happened and all that has changed, while we rest to a new normal. This is when, in reading the book, I started to think that maybe the moment we are in now – the experience of resetting a new ‘normal’ may become an experience in itself. We can be positive and look forward with all we have learnt and all we have gained, or we can get ‘stuck’ in the problems and the challenges that lay ahead. We can forge forward independently, or we can each look to those around us who need support and work together as a community. I think it would be fair to say that we are far from ‘post-COVID’, but I think we are at a critical time. Many of the defining moments referred to by Chip Heath and Dan Heath are those that result from accident or luck, and they question why we leave our most meaningful, memorable moments to chance when we can create them? I believe we have one such opportunity now. I know that reading this has encouraged me to stop and take some time to think about the power of the moment and how I might learn and be a better person for it. With the holidays fast approaching, for anyone seeking some reflective holiday reading, I would encourage you to have a look at “The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact”. - Cate Begbie, Principal Senior School Free Dress DaysSupport Trillion Trees & World Vision Child Sponsorship by participating in our upcoming Free Dress Days for $10! We are collecting the $10 contributions online this year. Your contribution will 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. Donations 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, with the next day scheduled for Friday 3 July. Students who wish to participate will need to make the $10 contribution. Click here to see the poster with more information. Birthing Kits AustraliaBirthing kits are small packages containing seven fundamental items for women in developing countries, to have a safe and sanitary birth. Support the International Baccalaureate CAS initiative to build 200 birthing kits by completing this permission form and returning to PLC by Friday 26 June. Only 40 places are available with a fee of $25 per person. Each person will be building five kits as part of a production line in Term 3, after school on Thursday 13 August 2020. Supporting Our Children's LearningDuring the week, I read an interesting article from the Gonski Institute at the University of New South Wales. This article was directed at parents and how our goals, values and expectations have an influence on our children's outcomes. The article discusses the importance of assisting children with setting goals to assist them in becoming self-directed, independent and responsible learners. Our upcoming Three-Way Conferences will provide families the opportunity to have these discussions. The Gonski Institute has provided a checklist of tips for parents to support their children's learning. I have selected a few; the entire list can be found in the original article here. I am sure you may have heard these before, but they are salient reminders.
PLC AppA reminder, as more activities and events recommence, it is important that you have the PLC App. Sport Co-CurricularStudents in Years 1 to 6 are welcome to participate in Co-Curricular Sport. If your daughter would like to register, please return this form to sports@plc.wa.edu.au before Friday 3 July. You can find the training schedule here. End of TermA reminder that Term 2 comes to an end next Friday, 3 July at:
- Richard Wright, Head of Junior School Returning to Normal - An Exciting WeekIt has been such a joy to see the Senior School return to normal with a range of co-curricular and inter-school activities occurring! Last night, I had the pleasure of watching our Years 11 and 12 students participate in the Mock Trial competition at the Supreme Court. The girls proved themselves to be worthy opponents and their confidence in arguing their cases was impressive. Another example of the opportunities students have to pursue their specific interests occurred through the Literature Workshop, which allowed a selection of students with a passion for English to explore the process of creating a picture book and examining the importance of artwork. While last week's IGSSA Cross-Country looked slightly different to previous years, the Senior School girls trained hard in the lead-up and gave their best on the day. We look forward to hearing more about the final results from the event. Next term, as restrictions continue to ease, we look forward to returning to Whole School Assemblies, NAIDOC Week celebrations, and the Year 12, Boarding House and Gorna Liyarn photographs. UniformWith a number of these events requiring formal uniform, the holidays are a good opportunity to check that your daughter’s winter uniform is looking its best. We have been reminding the girls to let down their hems, polish their shoes and represent the School with pride. A reminder that your daughter will also require her tie for certain events. As often happens during the holidays, girls may want to pierce their ears, however, please remember that in order to keep a neat and tidy appearance that showcases the School at its best, we ask that they follow our guidelines for the uniform. For earrings, students may choose to wear one small sleeper, or small plain (not stones) round gold, silver or pearl studs in the bottom of the lobe of each ear. Sleepers should be no larger than 12mm in diameter and studs no larger than 5mm diameter. Leadership PositionsOur Year 11 students will be aware that we will soon be starting the process for our formal student leadership positions. I will be speaking to Year 11 students tomorrow about the application process. A formal leadership position is a great way for your daughter to develop her skills in this area, however, while I encourage all girls to apply for a position, it is important to remember that there are lots of informal ways that your daughter can also showcase her leadership skills at the School. With this in mind, I will also be speaking to the Year 11s about keeping this process in perspective and to see it as opportunity to develop resilience. - Rebecca Watts, Head of Senior School From The English DepartmentCalling All PoetsEntries for the 2020 Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards close on June 30. This prestigious national poetry competition is open to all Junior and Senior School students. Information about the competition and Conditions of Entry are available on the Dorothea Mackellar website. You can enter your poem(s) by using the 'login' button on the 'how to enter' page of the website using the following details: If you have any questions, please speak to your English teacher or Ms. Lange in the English office. From The Maths DepartmentAMC Maths Competition 2020 – Years 7 to 12The AMC is an engaging 30-problem competition that demonstrates the importance and relevance of mathematics in students’ everyday lives. The problems get more difficult throughout the competition, so that at the end they are challenging to the most gifted students. This year, the competition will be completed online. Sitting Dates: Thursday 30 July or Monday 3 August (students can choose one) Further information may be found here. If you would like your daughter to participate, please advise Ms Shelley Stewart by email shelley.stewart@plc.wa.edu.au no later than Wednesday 1 July. Please indicate your preferred date (Thursday 30 July OR Monday 3 August). Costs will be added to the school fees. Late entries cannot be accepted. 2021 ScholarshipsApplications for 2021 Academic, General Excellence and Music Scholarships are available for girls currently in Year 6. More information about the criteria and application process are now on the PLC website. Parent Events Coming UpYear 10 Parents Morning TeaDate: Tomorrow - Friday 26 June No need to RSVP. Year 11 Parents Winter WarmerDate: Thursday 2 July
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