A very big welcome back to all of our families for Term 4. As promised in the last Message Stick we now have the confirmed dates for the phased return to school.

Kindergarten and Year 1 will return on Mon 18th October and all other students in Years 2-6 will return the following week on Monday 25th October.

Following the directives of the NSW Government, we are implementing the following staggered return to school:

See the Parent Guidelines for further clarification: Parent Guidelines

Only Junior School and Gawura Students will enter the school through the School Foyer. Secondary Students will enter through the stairwells. Junior School and Gawura are entering in stage cohorts at the following times:

With restrictions easing further, we expect that further changes, such as returning to normal arrival and departure timings will follow soon. We await confirmation in coming weeks from the NSW Government.

The current staggered timings will support students and staff to travel on public transport outside of peak times. The Gawura bus will run to a slightly amended timetable than usual which I will send out this week.

Remember, supervision of children of essential workers will continue until the 25 October. If you require your child to be at school, as you are an essential worker, or you need to send an older sibling from the 18 October, please send them in. We will have staff here to supervise and support them from 8.00am to 3.15pm. Siblings would essentially continue with the remote learning activities delivered by their class teacher; however, they would access this from school on these days.

The sooner we can have all of our students back at school, and operating as normal, the better. We will keep you informed of any changes as we go, dependent on government and health directives, and on our assessment of how well the community is transitioning back to school.

Junior School students are strongly encouraged to wear masks, this intervention is recommended by NSW Health and is encouraged by the School, at this time, but this is not mandated, and staff will not be pressuring students to wear masks. All staff will be wearing masks. Staff must be double vaccinated according to the NSW Public Health Order, this applies to cleaners and maintenance staff. Parents or visitors are not permitted to enter the school.

We understand that some families may be hesitant to send their children back to school, perhaps due to a family member being immune compromised, and so we have plans in place for any students remaining at home, to access teaching through a live feed, allowing students who cannot return to school, to listen to teachers instructions of activities and to follow on with the class activities from home. We acknowledge that not all class activities can be easily translated to the home setting and this will not fully replicate the school experience.

Please reply to my text sent on Monday 11 October only if you are planning to keep your child at home.

Please see information below re covid testing centres and just a reminder that all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples aged 12 years and over are eligible to receive their covid vaccinations. There is a new vaccination centre on the site of the old Redfern Post Office (119 Redfern St, cnr George St, Redfern) who are offering walk ins and booked vaccinations for anyone who is 12 years and over as well as local GP’s and there is also a hub at Royal Prince Alfred (RPA) Hospital located just a few streets back from the main entrance in Mallet St, Camperdown. Please press this link for current information.

There is also a new Covid Testing Centre located at the Redfern Neighbourhood Centre in Hugo St. Please see attached inserts for full information details.

Please take care, stay safe and we look forward to having all the students return to our school. K and Yr 1 on Monday 18 October and all other years 2-6 the following Monday 25 October.

Have a safe and wonderful fortnight ahead.

John Ralph
Head of Gawura

We are pleased that indications from the questionnaire suggest almost all students are expected to return to physical schooling as per the government guidelines. It appears that only a very small number of students intend to continue to learn remotely for the immediate future.

1. Do students need to wear a mask?
Appropriate face masks are strongly recommended for students in the Junior School, particularly in classrooms and other indoor areas, however, face masks are not mandatory for this age group.

2. What happens if you have children who finish at different times?
With careful communication with the respective class teachers, it is possible for younger siblings to be supervised until their older sibling’s departure time. All students to be collected by 3.00pm or be enrolled into After School Care.

3. What if you can’t make the drop off/pick up window?
We would appreciate if as many families as possible follow the windows of time suggested as this will help us to minimise contact between different student cohorts in line with health advice. We understand there are some circumstances that will need flexibility. Before and After-school Care (Their Care) will continue to operate. Please note that we will send students to afterschool care if they are not picked up within a reasonable amount of time.

4. Will my child miss out on assessments if they are not at school?
It is our strong preference that all Junior School students return to face to face learning where possible, provided that they are well. However, the School will endeavour to make the experience for those at home similar to those at school, where practicable. Acknowledgement should be given that access to resources, teacher support and arrangements such as assessments are not always possible to translate to those at home. As such, some assessments would not be accessible to those at home.

5. Will all learning tasks including specialist lessons be uploaded online?
Lessons will be taught live from the classroom, including specialist lessons. Effort will be made to provide lessons online that align with the timetable for their classmates at school. Allowances will need to be made where this is not practical, such as PE lessons on the roof or where school specific resources are needed for the lesson. In such cases, it can be expected that work will be left for students at home to work on, independently. Variations in how this looks between, say Kindergarten and Year 6, will be necessary.

6. Will students be able to continue working remotely?
In the Junior School and Gawura, where teachers essentially teach a single class from a single location, the students will return to face to face learning in their classrooms as per the recommended timeline outlined by the NSW Government. Remote Learning, of a limited kind, will continue to be offered simultaneously with face to face teaching, for any students who are unable to return to physical schooling, as per the suggested roadmap. We envisage this model for the rest of Term 4, at this stage, that of course could change depending on NSW Government Guidelines. This mode will involve a camera being directed at the teacher to live stream his or her class instructions to any student needing to access the classroom learning from home during Term 4. We are anticipating students from the date of physical resumption will only be absent from school as a last resort. Education works best when it is face to face, as it is a highly relational activity best conducted in community.

7. Will students get straight back to work or will we help ease them back into onsite school life?
We intend to warmly welcome students back to school and spend time reconnecting, re-establishing classroom routines and savouring the privilege of coming back together. The school recognises the importance of making our students comfortable before diving into work!

8. Are students from all Local Government Areas able to attend?
Yes, all LGA’s are under the same level restrictions.

9. Will all staff and teachers be double vaccinated?
To comply with the relevant Public Health Order and to assist the School in managing the ongoing risk of COVID-19, all school staff (not just teachers) who are on-site are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or provide evidence of a medical contraindication to COVID-19 vaccine in a format approved by the Chief Health Officer.

10. Do all parents need to be double vaccinated?
It is not a requirement under current Public Health Orders or other Government-issued guidance for parents or carers to be vaccinated prior to their children returning to school. We expect that our School Community is reflective of the current high rates of vaccination across NSW.

11. Will break times be the same as usual?
Yes. The main modifications to times are to do with the commencement and end of the school day. The break times within the school day will remain the staggered, as normal. Practical measures will be implemented to minimise contact between student year groups.

12. What happens if my child’s uniform doesn’t fit?
With regards to uniforms and haircuts, the school will make allowances for families to make the necessary adjustments, purchases or appointments. Students have until Monday 15 November to ensure hairstyles comply. The Uniform Store is operational for click and collect and has been managing this well. Please see website for more details.  Should the school uniform not fit, the sport uniform would be appropriate until time can be made to purchase new sizes. Please communicate this with the class teacher so we know the situation. Students in Year 6 will be permitted to wear Middle School uniforms if necessary.

13. If blazers were sent for dry cleaning mid-year, will these be returned first day back?
We will endeavour to return all blazers to students as quickly as possible once they return to school, however COVID-safe arrangements mean that this process will take more time than usual, and it may not be possible to return every student’s blazer on day 1. We ask for understanding in this regard. It is not a requirement for blazers to be worn to and from school in Term 4, however blazers will likely be required for any end of year event, should we be able to run these.

14. Will the school install portable HEPA devices in each classroom?
The school has reviewed ventilation in both SAH and BBC, including seeking advice from a mechanical engineer, with a view to improving air flow and air filtration. A number of measures are in train, including improving air conditioning filtration and fresh air intake. Other ventilation options are currently under review including the use of CO2 sensors and portable HEPA filtration units.

15. Will online cocurricular be conducted after school onsite?
At this time, all co-curricular will be delivered online in keeping with the current Department of Education requirements to minimise mingling between student cohorts and to limit face to face activities. We will continue to monitor government advice in this regard.

Selwyn Wu
Deputy Head of Junior School (Pastoral Care & Educational Admin)

As restrictions are slowly being lifted to varying degrees, we are entering a time of transition and adjustment. The circumstances of this pandemic have significantly impacted us all. For some it has been an opportunity to reflect on what is important, whilst others have embraced the opportunity to learn new things. Many children may be excited at the prospect of restrictions being lifted, whilst others may be feeling mixed emotions.

As the transition back to school begins, there are few key strategies which may be helpful in supporting your child:

Re-establish routines & expectations - for many families normal routines have changed during remote learning, so re-establishing routines such as bedtimes and breakfast times in the lead up to return will be helpful.  There has also been a necessary increase in screen time, so re-establishing normal limits and expectations where possible will also assist in the return to school.

Reconnect - many students’ connections with their classmates and friends have suffered during remote learning and so reconnecting with these friends in the days and weeks before return will help to ease the normal worry which many students will feel about seeing their friends again.

Recognise - that it is normal for us all to find times of transition and uncertainty difficult and to provide a listening ear and lots of support as our children do their best to navigate this challenging time.

Here is the link to your special report:

https://sacs.nsw.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-coronavirus-transition-back

SchoolTV is a P&F funded parent resource.

Wellbeing Pulse Surveys

Understanding the wellbeing of our students is something which we highly value at SACS and throughout remote learning class teachers have monitored and responded to the wellbeing needs of their students in a range of ways.  As we move towards transitioning back we want to continue to keep a close eye on how students are going as they move through this time of change.

Throughout our Junior and Gawura schools we use the language of the Zones of Regulation to help students to understand their emotions. During this time of transition classroom teachers will be using this language of the Zones each week to seek student responses to: “This week I have mainly been in the blue/green/yellow/red  zone”. The green zone is the calm, ready to learn zone and teachers will be able to intentionally follow up with those students who report being outside this zone to offer additional understanding or support.

In addition, as part of our regular surveying of student wellbeing, throughout this term students in Years 4 - 6 will complete the BeYou child survey and in Years 2 - 6 ACER’s Social & Emotional Wellbeing survey. Both these surveys provide anonymous, cohort based data which compliments our classroom Zones responses.  Together this information helps us to be informed and responsive to the needs of our students.

If you would like further information, please feel free to contact me at bwake@sacs.nsw.edu.au.

Bronwyn Wake
JS and GS School Counsellor and Well Being Coordinator

Supporting your child in the transition back to face-to-face learning.

The past months have been challenging for us all, and it is positive to think of the return to face-to-face learning for our students.  However, it does create challenges and uncertainty for our students. There are a number of things which parents can do to support their children to successfully navigate this return to school.

Come and join us as our Wellbeing Coordinator & Counsellor, Bronwyn Wake, and Deputy Principal, Selwyn Wu discuss some of the challenges and supports that parents can use during this time of transition back to the classroom. If you are unable to attend, a recording will be made available following the session. We hope you can join us as we discuss this important topic.

Event details:

Date: Thursday 14 October
Time: 4pm
Join via this link: https://bit.ly/3oGNeJB

Bronwyn Wake
JS and GS School Counsellor and Well Being Coordinator

Congratulations to all!

At the beginning of the year, we set a goal for every student in our Junior School to complete the Premier’s Reading Challenge. Despite the significant limitation of not being onsite for all of Term 3 to borrow physical books (our much preferred option), every single student has completed the PRC and will be receiving a certificate from the new Premier this year! We will celebrate this monumental acheivement with an ice cream party later in Term 4. 😊

We make a big deal of reading in the library because we are passionate about the power of Reading for Pleasure. The largest international standardised test (PISA) has found that reading for enjoyment has been steadily decreasing over time as more students report that they “only read if they have to”. This is worrying because the same studies show that reading for pleasure is a strong predictor not only of reading success, but overall academic success. We also know that reading for enjoyment enhances our mental health, may benefit our physical health, and builds empathy for and a sense of connectedness with others. In a stressed out, fractured world, there are a whole lot of reasons to encourage our kids to love reading. In order to foster a love of reading in every child, we take great delight in matching kids with books. And we make sure that they have access to those books everywhere – online, in classrooms, in open spaces, in lockers and of course in the library.

This year, our school has done incredibly well in our NAPLAN results. I am sure that we can attribute at least a little bit of that success to our strong culture of reading for pleasure.

Nicole Cotter
Coordinator Information and Digital Literacy – JS & GS

Science-backed or old-school? Wellbeing practices that work.

In our Staff Professional Development on Tuesday, Bronwyn Wake, our School Counsellor spoke to us about student wellbeing and how best we can support our students. She used the 4 seasons to present ideas that we can use when talking to our students, that were most helpful.

Autumn– our world changes, change and loss are a part of life, restrictions.
Winter – our world stands still, people experience uncertainty, change and loss in a variety of ways, lockdowns.
Spring – our world invites us out, emerging from lockdowns and restrictions, we learn skills to assist us with adapting to changes and loss.
Summer – our world expands, we find our new normal, we choose ways to move forward.

It was a most interesting perspective on looking at well-being.

Michael Grose has also written an article this month on wellbeing, and it is worth a read.

Modern science now supports a range of wellbeing measures that our parents intuitively knew were good for kids. It’s good to know that many of the wellbeing strategies encouraged by parents and teachers of past generations have been shown through modern neuroscience research to be correct. Here are few well-known strategies that have been proven to be on the mark:

“Go outside and play”
This common parental phrase, at times, uttered from sheer frustration is the best wellbeing strategy of all. It’s short for “go to the backyard, park or a natural environment and get some fresh air into your lungs by running around and playing. And make sure you have some fun, preferably with your brothers and sisters or some friends.”

Science now supports the fact that spending time outside in natural environments relieves stress, promotes relaxation and reduces anxiety levels. The human brain was designed to cope with outdoor living, so it feels most comfortable in that environment.

The therapeutic qualities of play releases feel-good endorphins, rids the body of stress-producing cortisol and enhances mood and wellbeing. Our mothers didn’t need the scientific evidence available today to tell them that playing outside was good for kids. It was even better if they played with others.

“Eat your greens”
Parents of past generations who nagged children to eat all their vegetables probably didn’t realise that there’s a strong connection between good gut health and mental health. They knew deep down that ‘real’ food such as fruit, vegetables and eggs rather than processed food, was good for kids. With 90% of the serotonin needed for optimum mental health being produced in the gut, a healthy diet is essential to reduce anxiety and boost wellbeing.

“Don’t sleep all day”
The advances in sleep science in recent years have been astonishing, with accepted methods frequently being replaced by new evidence-based methods. It was once thought that the body’s sleep clock had a continuous rhythm, adjusting itself gradually to the change of seasons. Recent evidence shows that the sleep clock resets itself every day when the body is exposed to sunlight. My mum knew what she was doing when she’d throw back the curtains to let the sunshine when I (as a teenager), wanted to laze the day away in bed. Regularity as well as routine are the new buzzwords in sleep hygiene, but my mother, like many women of her generation knew that sleeping the day away was no way to live a healthy life.

“Take a big breath when you’re nervous”
Past generations knew what it’s like to be nervous before giving a speech, meeting a loved one’s parents for the first time or taking a driving test. ‘Take a few big breaths and everything will be fine’ was the type of advice dispensed in the past. Neuroscience findings inform us that belly breathing activates the para-sympathetic nervous system which instantly calms us down. Next time a child feels anxious invite them to take some big belly breaths to regain some calm and rid themselves of anxious feelings.

“Everything in moderation”
As parents and teachers grapple with the lure of new digital technologies on children and young people, it’s smart to go with this old saying. Just as our parents knew that eating too many apples would cause a stomach-ache, too much time spent in front of a digital device has adverse effects as well. Apart from the opportunity cost of hours spent in front of a digital device that could have been used in other ways, too much of anything is never a smart idea whether it’s food, work or time spent playing video games.

Modern neuroscience is an ever-changing field continuously updating information about the way our brains and bodies work together. It’s good to know that many of the methods our parents and teachers used to make sure we stayed healthy and well stand the test of time and the rigours of science as well.

I hope you enjoyed reading some of these ideas and perhaps can try and use them in the coming weeks.

Joy Rohrlach
Year 5 Leader

Annie 2022 signup now closed

Wow! Thank you to the over 140 students who signed up to be involved in Annie, the 2022 high school musical. The audition panel will now review the audition videos for lead and supporting roles, and will be in touch via email with students if call backs are required. Call backs will only be organised if they are needed, and there is no need to be concerned if you don’t hear anything over the coming weeks. Some Junior School and Gawura School students will also have an opportunity to be involved in their own musical later in Term 3 2022.

Music Ensembles in Term 4

Sheet music, practice instructions, recordings and other resources were uploaded to several music ensemble Schoology pages over the course of Term 3. Students can access these in the Resources section of their ensemble’s Schoology page. A message on the updates page will indicate if there are resources uploaded to practise. We encourage all students to make use of these carefully selected materials.

Ensembles Reimagined!

In the coming weeks we will be launching some online rehearsals and recording projects. These projects will be preparing some recorded items for our major events later this year, and also some live performances for very important events early next year. More information will be provided over the coming weeks to those students who will be involved, which will be determined by what we are able to achieve within current restrictions.

Solo Performance Competition

Thank you to the many students who entered the SACS Scale Championship. The winners of this competition will be announced in the next Head of School newsletter. Later this term we will be calling for entries in the SACS Solo Performance Competition. Students will be asked to submit a video of them performing either a technical study, song or other performance piece. The Junior School/Gawura School, Middle School and Senior College winners will be awarded the 2021 Solo Performance Trophy for each stage category.

We are thrilled to announce that Violet Bloxsom in 4S was awarded second place in the Year K-6 Prose Category of the Mosman Youth Awards in Literature. This highly esteemed competition is for primary and secondary students across the state.

The Mosman Youth Awards in Literature were inaugurated in 1993 as part of the Mosman Council’s Centenary Celebrations. The participants write a piece of prose that is no more than 1000 words or poetry that is at least 20 lines. Students can write on a theme of their own choice. The Mosman Library displays the winning entries as well as publishing them in a compilation of short stories. Violet wrote a moving piece of prose called ‘Hope’. Below are some reflections from Violet and an excerpt from her work.

What was your writing about?

My story was about a dingo pup who got lost when she was out exploring. She was captured by a ranger and taken to an animal shelter. She sits waiting in the shelter, losing hope, until a young girl finally chooses her to take home.

Why do you enjoy writing?

I love writing because there is no right or wrong. I like getting lost in my stories and I often close my eyes to help me describe what I see. I love the editing process where I can use my vocabulary to make my writing amazing and full of detail.

Do you have any writers that you admire?

One of my favourite writers is Australian author Katrina Nannestad. I recently recommended one of her books to Mrs Cotter who read it and agreed it was wonderful! I also admire J.K. Rowling. Both of these writers have an amazing ability to describe people and places and when I read their books I feel like I am there in the setting.

Why did you enter the Mosman Youth Awards competition?

I was encouraged to enter the Mosman Youth Awards competition by Mrs Birts. She knows I love writing and she has always given me opportunities to share my stories.

Hope by Volet Bloxsom

A paw or two in your face, a squished tail, warm and cosy. That’s what it must feel like to be in the middle of a dingo pup litter of seven at bedtime. The smallest dingo pup wriggled and twisted to find a comfortable spot as she settled down for the night. The night sky was like a vast black canvas filled with millions of tiny dots all shimmering, completing the painting. The enormous round moon glowed, lighting up the den. An icy breeze swept across the land but the pups were happy to be snuggled in a pile.

The dingo pups were 5 months old. The bigger ginger-coloured pups were rowdy and always fighting, nipping tails and rumbling together. The smallest dingo pup was different. Her fur was the colour of sand, her eyes sapphire blue and her ears big and fluffy. She was gentle, kind and a little bit shy but that never stopped her from exploring her home which she liked to do on her own.

Emma​ Clemens
Gifted and Talented Learning Coordinator ‑ JS & GS

Join us tomorrow night - Tuesday 12 October, 6pm - streamed live

Moved to Term 4 to cater for the new exam timetable, the StartUp Finale will see our student innovators, problem solvers and entrepreneurial thinkers present their solutions to important and relevant issues. Twelve teams from across Year 5 to Year 11 spent the last four months working with industry mentors to turn their ideas into a business reality.

In this live event, we'll hear our three finalist teams pitch their ideas in the 'shark tank' to our expert judges. There will be "elevator pitches" from every team as students present their business ideas that address a range of issues, including child safety, environmental sustainability, inter-cultural understanding, and more.

Audiences have a chance to vote for who they think should win the People’s Choice Award. We'll then find out who is our next Entrepreneur of the Year! You don’t want to miss this. Please join us online at the YouTube link below next Tuesday at 6pm.

To view video click here.

This online event is for friends or relations of current families who may be looking at enrolling their children in 2022 or 2023.

For more information click here.

Prepare your cheese platter, your beverage of choice, your favourite chair and settle in to enjoy an evening chatting with Dr Collier and Dr McGonigle. This informal evening is less about pedagogy and more about personality.

Are they cat or dog people? What was their first impression of SACS? Favourite subject at school? Favourite thing to do on a rainy day? What has been their best/worst experience of lockdown/quarantine? What is the first thing they want to do when lockdown is over?

What would you ask if you bumped into them? You can ask in the chat on the night, or email questions in advance to P&F@sacs.nsw.edu.au or community@sacs.nsw.edu.au.

Event details:
Date: Tuesday 19 October
Time: 6pm
Join via this link: https://bit.ly/3ByZ9MU

Join us online for our unique art exhibition

Join our unique online art exhibition: The Many Faces of Dr Collier as the school creates the White Hat Gallery for the occasion.

The P&F have commissioned a stunning portrait of Dr Collier by Archibald finalist Ann Cape which will be unveiled on the evening. You will also see incredible portraits of Dr Collier by our aspiring K-6 artists curated, displayed and discussed by Mrs Miriam Daly (we defy anyone to see them without smiling), enjoy the portrayal of Dr Collier by our Secondary School students in this year’s Gala Day banners, and hear just what it was like to ‘paint’ Dr Collier by the artist herself.

So prepare your sparkling wine or lemonade and be taken by our 2020/21 Drama Captain, Lucy Brownlie through this warm, fascinating and delightful exhibition of the Many Faces of Dr Collier.

Event details:
Date: Wednesday 27 October
Time: 6.00pm
Online: A link to join the exhibition will be made available prior to the event.

Online event

St Andrew’s Cathedral School provides specialised educational programs and opportunities that build academic rigour in students. We invite you to come and find out how best to support your student in Middle School.

Keynote Speaker Andrew Fuller will empower you to guide your child towards academic success. Andrew is a clinical psychologist, family therapist, author, speaker and creator of Learning Strengths™. He has helped over 3,500 schools and 500,000 young people in Australia, NZ, Asia and the UK.
He will cover a range of topics that are increasingly relevant to gifted and talented children including:
• Increasing engagement & motivation
• Building on Learning strengths
• Neuroscience of young adults’ learning
• The key skills that predict academic success (and how parents can develop these)
• One easy way to increase marks by 45 percentile points.

We encourage all current and prospective Middle School parents to join in.

The session will be followed by a Q&A panel, which will answer questions on the academic and gifted education program and wellbeing program at St Andrew’s Cathedral School.

Event details:
Date: Thursday 28 October
Time: 5.30pm
To register: click here

Friday 19 November

We are so excited that as a community we can farewell Dr Collier in person at our exciting Gala Dinner extravaganza on Friday 19 November. Get ready to step out in style at the SACS event of the year. Dust off your finery for a joyous evening of elegance and opulence as we join together to toast (and roast) Dr Collier as he closes the chapter on his distinguished career at SACS. This will be a glorious and magical evening with sumptuous dining, delicious wine, dazzling entertainment and your opportunity to thank Dr and Mrs Collier.

Those attending will need to wear masks and be double vaccinated. Start organising your table of 10 now as numbers will be limited due the 4sqm rule requirement. You absolutely do not want to miss this.

Event details:
Date: Friday 19 November
Time: 7.00pm
To book tickets click here and for more information click here

Wednesday and Friday appointments available

I would like to advise you that we have secured the services of a very generous doctor in the city who is willing to see our Gawura students and their families free of charge (he will bulk bill through Medicare) if the need arises.

Dr Shuo (Shore) Zhao is located at Level 1, 70 Pitt St, Sydney. You can book an appointment with him on any Wednesday and Friday morning between 8.00am – 12.00pm. The number of the practice is Ph: 02 9233 3399. We understand that many parents already have their own doctor that they use, possibly even through the Aboriginal Medical Service (AMS) in Redfern but this is just another option for you to use if you choose to do so and one that is located in the city, near our school.