Dear friend of PLC,

Welcome to Term 1

I do hope that you have had a relaxing break and managed to spend some time with family and friends. Given the Christmas and New Year period are traditionally times spent with family and friends, I am also very sorry to those members of our community who were unable to connect due to travel restrictions. While it is always preferable to spend time with people in person, throughout the pandemic I have been incredibly grateful for how far technology has come and the connection it provides us. Personally, in the last few months I was able to be a part of my brother’s virtual 50^th Birthday, a family Christmas and New Year. I am sure like many of you with similar events it would have been wonderful to have come together, but of the things COVID-19 has reinforced for me, gratitude has been one of them. 

The holiday period might not have been absolutely everything I wished twelve months ago it could have been, but I am grateful for so many things. After spending time in Albany and on Rottnest Island, I am grateful that I live in such a beautiful part of the world with a level of freedom and peace. While I cannot be with family, I am grateful for the people I do have around me and the kindness they show me. After receiving our Year 12 2021 academic results, I am grateful to work in a school where I know that staff have gone above and beyond in supporting individual students to achieve their best. I plan to spend this year ensuring that I do not forget to be grateful for all of the small things, that one day will probably become the big things that I will remember from this period of time in our lives.  

COVID-19 Information 

With regards to COVID-19, as indicated in the media over the last week, parents may be aware that there is still a significant amount of information yet to be provided to schools via national guidelines, and the State Government’s school operational protocols. As soon as this information is available, we will communicate with parents as to how these might impact and influence our operations for the start of the school year. 

With the return to school now just a week away the School has been monitoring the situation and will continue to do so throughout the week. As we have done throughout the pandemic, PLC will be guided by the advice and directives of the Health Department and Education Department. At this point in time we still plan for the return of our Boarding House students this weekend and a full start to our school year on Monday 31 January. 

We are anticipating further guidelines and protocols in the next two days and will communicate with parents as soon as we are able to provide more definitive information.

To answer any further questions you may have in relation to COVID-19, we will send out separate communications including Frequently Asked Questions. 

For your convenience, all of these communications will also be accessible from the homepage of our website.   

The majority of our communication with all parents – in Junior and Senior School – will be via our PLC App.

To download the App, you will need your username and password, which is exactly the same username and password you use to log in to SEQTA. If you have forgotten these, please click here to reset or contact the PLC Tech Centre for help. 

Parents of girls commencing this year will receive their login details at their device orientation.

Once you have logged in, go to the Settings button, which is in the bottom right corner within the photographs. Then:

1. Go to Notifications and ensure ‘Push Notifications’ is switched to ON
2. Go to Subscriptions and subscribe only to those year groups, sport and co-curricular fields in which your daughter/s are involved. You can do this by clicking on the relevant fields. Remember, only click the groups relevant to your family.

The App is an excellent avenue for the School to communicate with parents because it allows for push notifications to your phone or iPad, which is invaluable in circumstances such as the cancellation of sports carnivals or notifications of buses running late.

Updated Before and After School Bus Service 

PLC offers a series of dedicated Horizons West bus services for the convenience of families to assist in getting students to and from school. There have been some recent changes to the Coogee, Subiaco and West Leederville routes so if your daughter catches one of these services, please familiarise yourself with the new updated route and timings. 

The changes have been made to ensure all students are arriving on time whilst also servicing areas of greatest convenience to our families. 

SmartRiders for Horizons West Buses

If your daughter is new to the school and plans to use the dedicated PLC Horizons West bus services, she will be supplied a blank SmartRider card on the first day of school which is to be used until she is issued with her permanent SmartRider card that will have her school photo on it. 

For returning students who already have a SmartRider card and new students who need to activate their card, please click here for an easy step-by-step guide on how to do this. Junior School students requiring a SmartRider should see the Junior School Reception.

To find out more about the PLC bus services, click here.

Any enquiries should be directed to PLC Communications & Engagement at cande@plc.wa.edu.au.

PLC Parents Welcome Sundowner

All PLC parents are invited and encouraged to attend what is always a wonderful start to the school year.

Date: Friday 11 February
Time: 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Venue: PLC Senior School Quad
Tickets: $35
RSVP: By Friday 4 February

- Cate Begbie, Principal 

Term 1 Co-curricular - Junior and Senior School 

Enrolment for Term 1 Co-curricular activities is available at home.plc.

Monday Morning Drop-off

The Junior School will be open from 8.15 am to welcome our Junior School students to the start of the 2022 year. The normal school day will then commence at 8.35 am. 

Junior School Canteen Term 1 Menu

We have a new-look menu for the Canteen this year. Please click here to see the options available for your daughter.

• You can order online using FlexiSchools.
• Students can pick up their lunch from the Canteen. 
• Cash sales will be accepted at recess and lunch.
• The Canteen will be open from 8.00 am for staff, parents and students to put their order in using the paper bags.
• Due to expected supply delays caused by COVID-19, the Junior School Canteen Term 1 Menu may alter throughout the year. However, we will endeavour to provide a healthy eating menu available to all staff and students at our school.

Junior School Parent Representative Co-ordinator

The PLC Parents Committee are looking for a keen and engaged volunteer to take on the Junior School Parent Representative Co-ordinator role. In this role you would help as a communicator to all the parent representatives from year PK-6, liaising between year groups, PLC Parents committee and the School; lead on cross-year group events; and play an active role in the PLC Parents committee decision-making. You might have daughters or connections across multiple year groups (helpful, but not essential), and you're enthusiastic to help foster an active and inclusive parent community!

To register your interest in this role, please email the Communications and Engagement Department at cande@plc.wa.edu.au.

Start of 2022

We hope that all our Senior School students are looking forward to 2022! Their relevant Pastoral and Academic Care Co-ordinator will be in contact with both students and their parents/guardians before the beginning of the school year to confirm all the important details for the first day of school and highlight important events for the year as well.

Additional information for our new students will be included in this.

Year 7 students are asked to head directly to the Hugh Baird Sports Sports Centre where they will be met by their House Tutor and House Advisors from 8.10 am. 

All new students in Years 8 and 9 are to go to the View Street Entrance to meet their buddies and staff at the View Street Entrance Reception from 8.10 am.

All new students in Year 10 are to go to the McNeil Street Entrance where they will meet their buddies and staff at the McNeil Street Entrance Reception from 8.10 am.

Please all ensure you have arranged a pick-up point for after school. 

Senior School Photographs

Our Senior School photographs are scheduled to occur on Wednesday 2 February. We want our Senior School students to look their best for their photographs. All students will be provided reminders of this through the Daily Notices and in their Year Meetings. If you would like your children to have a siblings photograph, they are to attend the Hugh Baird Sports Centre between 8.00 am and 8.30 am. Junior School students are most welcome to attend.

Please see below for a reminder of our uniform requirements for the photograph/s.

Please note we ask that all Senior School students wear their tie for their individual and House Tutor Group photographs.

Students are not to wear a blazer, name badge or headband for these photographs.

Students are not permitted to wear makeup.

Students are permitted to wear a white or striped ribbon, or white scrunchie. Hair should be brushed and tied back neatly if it is longer than shoulder length.

Students should have clean shoes and correct white PLC socks.

Students are allowed to wear the following jewellery:

• Wrist watches
• Medic Alert bracelets or necklaces
• Students may wear one small sleeper or small plain (not stones), round gold, silver or pearl stud in the bottom of the lobe of each ear
• Sleepers – should be no larger than 12mm in diameter; and/or
• Studs – 5mm diameter.

We appreciate your help in ensuring that your daughter is in the correct uniform and please contact her relevant PACC or Rebecca Watts if you have any queries.

PLC Parents Year 10 Representative

Being a PLC Parent Year Representative should be a fun and rewarding experience, enabling you to meet other parents and gain a greater knowledge of what is happening within the School. The PLC Parents Committee is also looking for a keen and engaged volunteer to take on the Year 10 Parent Representative role. 

Update Your Details

It is extremely important that the School has the most up-to-date information in our system.

The School requests that you keep us up-to-date with your physical and postal address, email addresses, phone numbers, court orders and photo/media permissions.

Please advise our Admissions Team of any changes to your details on 08 9424 6555 or registrar@plc.wa.edu.au. 

ACARA Student Background Data

PLC, along with all schools in Australia, is required to collect data on behalf of the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). The data collection is a requirement of the School in order to access per-capita grants and other Federal Government financial support. 

Please kindly complete the following survey by clicking the above button by 31 January 2022.

The questions asked are in a specific format defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and, while you may have already provided some of the information to the School, it is necessary to collect it again as specified by the ABS. Once collected, the information will be aggregated so that individuals cannot be identified.

Visa Status and Passports

If any students have had changes to their Visa status or Passports (other than Australian passports), please send the new document to registrar@plc.wa.edu.au. This should be done prior to the start of Term 1, 2022.

Medical Updates

It is important that the School has accurate and up-to-date information regarding students’ medical requirements. Should any details regarding your child’s medical requirements change, please notify the Health Centre at healthcentre@plc.wa.edu.au so that the School’s records can be updated. Our priority is the health and safety of your child.

Student Contact Lists

Student Contact Lists for the start of 2022 will be emailed to parents during Week 2. The list provides parents’ names, mobile numbers, suburb and email. These lists will be updated and re-sent, should a new family join the cohort during the year.

If you do not wish to have your details disclosed on the Student Contact List, please notify our Admission Team at registrar@plc.wa.edu.au. 

Photo Permissions

On occasion, the School publishes photos of students or their school work on our website, social media, and marketing material to showcase the PLC difference. 

If you do not wish to give your permission for publication of your daughter’s photo or work, please advise our Admissions Team, via registrar@plc.wa.edu.au and specify which of these three areas (website, social media, and/or marketing material) the objection applies to.  

If you have any queries regarding these permissions, please contact the Admissions Team on 9424 6555 or registrar@plc.wa.edu.au.

Year 7 2023 Academic, General Excellence and Music Scholarships 

Whole School: Term 1 Commences
Monday 31 January  

Senior School: Senior School Photos
Wednesday 2 February | Hugh Baird Sports Centre

Senior School: Year 7 Parent Information Evening 
6.30 pm Thursday 3 February | Hazel Day Drama Centre

Senior School: Year 12 Ball
6:30 pm Friday 4 February | Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre
Book: Here

Senior School: Inter-House Swimming Carnival 
Monday 7 February | HBF Stadium 

Junior School (Kindergarten to Year 6): JS Family BBQ & Support Your Daughter Evening
6.00 pm Tuesday 8 February | Junior School 

Senior School: Year 8 Parent Information Evening 
6.30 pm Wednesday 9 February | Hazel Day Drama Centre

Junior School: Junior School Photos
Thursday 10 February

Whole School: PLC Parents Welcome Sundowner 
6.00 pm Friday 11 February | Senior School Quad
Book: Here 

Whole School: 80th Anniversary of the Vyner Brooke Memorial Service 
10.30 am Sunday 13 February | The Nurse's Memorial, Point Walter Reserve, Honour Avenue, Bicton
Book: Here

Whole School: PLC Parents Meeting 
6.00 pm Tuesday 15 February | Scorgie House Boardroom