2 NOVEMBER 2018
TERM 4 • 2 NOVEMBER 2018 • VOLUME 310
From the Principal Mrs Nicola Taylor
Congratulations to Mr Jonathon Shumack, our Head of the STEAM faculty who was successful in his application for PLC Armidale to be a partner school with the University of Sydney’s STEM Teacher Enrichment Academy, 2018/2019. As a partner school, we will be working with the University to develop a ‘within and across’ disciplinary approach to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education in Years 7 to 10, with a focus on problem solving and inquiry-based learning. As our staff are involved in this unique opportunity, NASA’s InSight Mission will arrive on Mars to study the planet’s interior. One Australian scientist will be part of the team, Dr Katarina Miljkovic, a planetary scientist at Curtin University WA. Dr Miljkovic is an international leader in her field of expertise, an achievement made more significant by the fact that it can be challenging for women to be given the same opportunities in the world of science as for men. Macquarie University recently published the results of a study they conducted which looked at the ‘dumbing down’ of educators’ expectations of girls compared with boys. The study involved educators being asked how they would teach a fictional 8 year old child. The study’s findings indicated
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2 NOVEMBER TO 16 NOVEMBER 2018 HSC Exams continue 2/11 - 9/11/18 Years 7 - 10 Examinations 2/11 - 3/11/18 Armidale Fun Run - SSG BBQ Fundraiser 4/11/18 PLC Armidale Foundation Meeting 7/11/18 Junior School In-House Concert in Music Room 7/11/18 Remembrance Day Ceremony 9/11/18 PLC Armidale Starry Night of Sport 10/11/18 Remembrance Day 11/11/18
Visitors to the recent Junior School Open Day would have seen no ‘dumbing down’ of the learning, rather the opposite with the girls displaying their learning in a range of areas, including the science of food and sound in the 'Eat and Beat' festival. Congratulations to all of our Junior School staff for making this event such a special one for both current and prospective families. Girl power was evident in full force last weekend as our AHIGS Festival of Speech team competed against other all-girls schools across a range of sections including Public Speaking, Debating, Drama, Current Affairs, Religion and Ethics. As the only regional school to participate and probably one of the smaller, we put on an impressive display of skill. Our Current Affairs team placing 4th, our Religion and Ethics team placing 3rd (only two marks behind the winning team), seeing PLC Armidale place 12th out of the 27 schools represented over the weekend. Commiserations to our Hawkesbury Paddlers who despite an impressive show of physical and mental strength were unable to complete the race due to the event being called off in the last quarter due to inclement weather. Congratulations to all the following girls who were selected for Gondwana National Choral School: Elinor Warwick (Year
11), Sophia Mackson (Year 11), Lily Graham (Year 10), Sarah Hughes (Year 10), Isabelle Taylor (Year 10), Clare Warwick (Year 10), Gabrielle Cotterell (Year 7), Emily Thompson (Year 7) and Abigail Thompson (Year 6). Emily, Abigail and Gabrielle were also invited to join the Gondwana Voices Berlin/Poland/Czech Republic 2019 tour and Clare Warwick (Year 10) and Emily Thompson (Year 7) recently enjoyed the opportunity to join the Gondwana Tour of North Queensland.
NEWS
a subconscious bias in the educators' rating of the academic capability of boys to understand physics concepts as being higher than that of girls, therefore they failed to deliver to the girls the same level of information as they did boys. The study’s lead author, Dr Carol Newall concluded “Even at that age (eight), adults already have low expectations of girls’ potential in Physics.”
Sophia Mackson, Clare Warwick and Elinor Warwick are, this weekend, playing for the NSW Regional Youth Orchestra (RYO) residential Artspace Conference in Bathurst. Through the RYO Elinor has also been invited to work with the Berlin Staaskapelle Orchestra at the Sydney Opera House later this year. Many girls have also been successful with their Australian Youth Orchestra Program auditions. Emily Thompson (Year 7) and Isla Biffin (Year 11) were selected for the Young Symphonists Program. Isla has also been selected for the AYO National Music Camp and offered a position in the Australian Youth Orchestra. Additionally, Elinor Warwick, Sophia Mackson, Sarah Hughes and Gabrielle Cotterell have successfully auditioned and are on reserve for AYO programs. Congratulations to all of these musicians who have been duly rewarded for their talent, dedication and the commitment required to perform with such prestigious ensembles. It is often said that PLC Armidale ‘punches above its weight’. This is evident in each of the accomplishments, achievements and public recognitions outlined above. As a community we have much to celebrate and be thankful for - staff, students and parents demonstrating the power and strength of co-operation and collaboration.
Old Girls’ Weekend 2018 Our 2018 Old Girls’ Reunion weekend commenced with meaning and purpose at the afternoon of INSPIRE last week. Four of the 1998 PLC Armidale graduates* (Emma Moffatt, Lisa Roberts, Tessa Webb and Bonnie McCann) returned to speak with some of the Year 9, 10 and 11 students about their career and life experiences, sharing some pearls of wisdom they’d learnt along the way. (*More information about these graduates will be in the next edition of the Green Tartan). Saturday then provided the Old Girls (and some past staff) with an opportunity to re-connect with each other and the College through social tennis, the AGM, College Tours, year group specific lunches and dinners and attending the P&F High Tea. Many thanks to the following students who assisted in various ways over the weekend: Emily Thompson, Sophia Mackson, Elinor Warwick, Clare Warwick, Sammy Mazzei, Larris Cleal, Katie MacDougall, Georgie Swales and Pollyanna McIntyre. I would also like to add my congratulations and sincere thanks to the P&F Executive and all the parents who assisted in organising the bi-ennial P&F High Tea. PLC Armidale looks forward to welcoming its alumni back to our annual Reunion Weekend in 2019, on 25 - 27 October.
Shona Eichorn
Director of Development
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PLC ARMIDALE P&F
High Tea
GARDEN PARTY
Many sincere thanks to all our parent volunteers, staff and students who assisted with this year’s bi-ennial P&F High Tea last weekend - baking, modelling, setting and packing up, serving and simply enjoying the fabulous food and Turners fashions in the stunning Spring weather in PLC Armidale’s glorious gardens! Our heartfelt thanks to Kerry Turner and staff from Turners for the wonderful support of this traditional PLC Armidale P&F fundraising event.
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For enquires, please contact Events and Communications Assistant, Mrs Nicky Webster
events@plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au
EVENTS
Upcoming Events 2018
NOVEMBER Annual
Starry Night
of Sport
To celebrate the many sporting successes at PLC Armidale Saturday 10 November 2018 • 6.30pm - 10.30pm Armidale City Bowling Club • Cocktail Dress Purchase tickets $40 per person (parents and students) at www.trybooking.com/YHRS Bookings essential by Monday 5 November 2018
Annual
String Soiree
Wednesday 21 November 2018 • 5.30pm Astra Arts Centre Entry by donation. All proceeds go to Little Windmills (Helping Australian Country Kids)
RSVP by 16 November 2018 to Nicky on 6770 1700 or email events@plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au
DECEMBER Year 6 Celebration Dinner Thursday 6 December 2018 • 6pm Astra Arts Centre, PLC Armidale • Smart Casual Purchase tickets $50 per person at www.trybooking.com/ZEKH Bookings essential by Thursday 29 November 2018
Junior School Presentation Evening 'Time to Shine' Monday 10 December 2018 • 5.15pm Astra Arts Centre, PLC Armidale
Carols Speech Day Guild Drama Carols - Tuesday 11 December 2018 • 6pm St Mary & St Joseph's Cathedral, Dangar St Armidale Speech Day - Wednesday 12 December 2018 • 9am Astra Arts Centre, PLC Armidale Guild Drama - Thursday 13 December 2018 • 12.15pm Dorothy Knox Centre, PLC Armidale
Any stories to tell? Should you wish to have any achievement or activity promoted, please send the information to events@plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au
Shona Eichorn • Director of Development Sally McCook • Enrolments Manager development@plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au enrolments@plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au
Nicky Webster • Events & Communications Assistant Amy Chiu • Pathways Liaison events@plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au achiu@plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au
AND… don’t forget to LIKE US on Facebook and Instagram! 02 6770 1700 • www.plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au
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Anna Caldwell, Head of Senior School
Hawkesbury Canoe Classic 2018… A starry and stormy night of paddling! The 42nd Hawkesbury Canoe Classic saw four crews of PLC Armidale paddlers participating as part of the 64 strong team from PLC Armidale, TAS and NEGS. The Hawkesbury Canoe Classic is a fabulous community event, where we all come together and work as one united ‘Armidale’ team. This year we had 7 girls paddling, 3 student all girl crews and 1 sibling crew. After our final training session on Sunday 21 October, the boats were loaded onto the trailers, ready to make the trip to Sydney. We all travelled down on Friday, stayed near the start at Windsor and met up on Saturday morning to get ready for the start of the race. The day was spent preparing the boats, going through scrutineering and registration, having hands taped, shoulders massaged and resting, conserving as much energy as possible. Our all girl crews, Mia Emanuel and Mia Tindale, Ella Atkin and Grace Lehman, Lily Coleman and Laura Hayes and our 1 sister/ brother crew of Sophia and Harrison Grant all set off at 4pm. Once they were all on the water, the landcrew packed up and set off to Cattai, where there is an opportunity to cheer the crews on and then on to Sackville, which is the first official pit stop. All crews came in to Sackville in amazingly good time and got back in their boats after a short break, filled with determination to press on to Wisemans Ferry. The landcrew travelled to Wisemans and anxiously watched the updates on the checkpoint board to see how their paddlers were travelling. Laura and Lily made it to Check Point F and finished their night of paddling at 12.20am. Our other 3 crews had a brief stop for food, a change of clothes and to stretch their legs at Wisemans and then set off again for the last leg, heading towards Brooklyn. The moon was shining bright and glistening on the water and spirits were high.
Ella and Grace were incredibly determined and were our first all girl crew in to Brooklyn at 5.27am. The Hawkesbury Canoe Classic organisers and officials called the race off at the same time, making the finish line at Spencer, 10km up the river from Brooklyn. Sophia and Harrison were the first crew to finish at Spencer, with Mia and Mia coming in shortly after them. When this was announced the landcrew all hopped back in their cars and set off to Spencer to pick up everyone and their boats from there. Although it was disappointing to not finish at Brooklyn, 101km is still very impressive and they all should be very proud of their efforts.
SENIOR SCHOOL
Senior School Notes
Congratulations to all our paddlers for taking on this epic challenge. Your efforts, energy, enthusiasm and perseverance are a true mark of your character. The event is run by hundreds of volunteers who worked incredibly hard to coordinate and facilitate the entire event. There were volunteers in checkpoint boats looking after the paddlers on the river. There were SES boats and rescue crews ready to help anyone in need. There were hundreds of helpers at the start and the finish. Physio’s were on hand at the start, at Sackville, Wisemans and at the finish, providing massages free of charge and the Scouts provided everyone with breakfast at Brooklyn. The generosity of these volunteers should not go unacknowledged, all working together to not only give all paddlers an amazing event and for some a life changing experience, but to raise funds for the Arrow Bone Marrow Transplant Foundation.
The weather forecast was perfect, warm and dry with a slight chance of drizzle throughout the night and we were blessed with almost perfect conditions.…until 4am, when a storm blew up out of nowhere. The drive from Wisemans to Brooklyn, is long and winding and the landcrew all drove carefully through the rain, arriving at the finish line to cheer in all the paddlers.
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SENIOR SCHOOL
The paddlers would also not be able to participate or complete the event if it were not for their landcrew. The landcrew team were exceptional throughout the whole weekend and played a pivotal role in the success of the event. They assisted with numerous tasks including preparing meals, ensuring efficient transitions at each pit stop, fixing broken equipment, sponging out the boats and they looked after everyone, not just their own paddlers. The teamwork and camaraderie was amazing. Thank you! Thank you also to Alasdair Hey for coordinating the whole Armidale team and to Will Caldwell and all the staff who assisted from TAS, and Penny and Doug Lehman for all their organisation and hard work to make it such an amazing, collaborative and successful event.
Stage 6 We are now midway through the HSC Exam schedule. Once these exams are completed, Year 11 will move into the Year 12 Study Block and will commence their HSC studies.
Year 10 Peer Support Leaders Training Day and Coffs Coast Camp in Week 7 Year 10 will participate in a Peer Support Leaders Training day on Monday 26 November, in the AAC. This training day will focus on: • Leadership skills • Developing connections
This training is part of the College’s Pastoral Care program. It provides our senior students with the opportunity to develop and practice leadership skills within a supportive environment and all skills will help prepare them for the demands of Years 11 and 12. After undertaking this program, the girls will have the opportunity to apply to be a Peer Support Leader to support Year 7 2019, which is an important component of our transition to Senior School program. Year 10 will then head to Coffs Harbour on Tuesday 27 November for their PDHPE Coffs Coast Surfing and Leadership camp.
• Responsibilities • Personal strengths and characteristics • Decision making
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Fiona Wake, Head of Junior School
WOW! On Friday evening of last week, the Junior School opened its doors to the community to celebrate learning in the Junior School and to showcase to visitors what our PLC Armidale learning experiences are all about. Our students and staff transformed into a food or food related costume to celebrate in accordance with our theme, ‘Eat and Beat’. Our classrooms hosted engaging activities, decoration of a wooden spoon, food and music trivia, musical instrument making and robotics, Spheros and coding that saw spinning balls transversing the Library under student control through a coding process that most times followed intended instructions and other times taking a journey not planned, however evoking curiosity and required re coding. The Junior School Staff and I are very grateful to our families who, once again displayed their support through their attendance, helped in preparing food for the occasion or delivering a delicious dessert from the Commemorative book, Repast, to add to our Dessert Bar. Congratulations to Neil Ferguson who acquired this cookbook as our Lucky Door prize winner.
Summer Uniform • Summer dress - length, below knee to mid-calf • Blazer and straw hat to be worn to and from school • If a school jumper is to be worn, blazers need to also be worn over the top
JUNIOR SCHOOL
Junior School News
• Green ribbons, scrunchies must be worn each day • Black well-conditioned and clean school shoes • All clothing should be labeled please. Please ensure all personal property, including lunch containers are labelled clearly. The lost property cupboard adjacent to the Staff Room is filling with clothing and containers that are not named. Please feel free to look in this cupboard for any missing items. This will also be the place labelled clothing will be housed and therefore should be the first port of call when you are searching for lost property.
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JUNIOR SCHOOL
Student Friendship Program and 8 Keys to End Bullying
Wrapping Up Term 4 Your Feedback is welcomed and important!
The programs 8 Keys to End Bullying and Girl Drama and Friendship Therapy has commenced and this week students will address Key Principal 2 ‘Establish Connections with Kids’. The content of this topic teaches students the skills for establishing meaningful connections with others, including seeking out trusting relationships with helping adults and forming healthy friendships with positive peers. Students learn the key differences between tattling and telling and are empowered to connect with trustworthy adults through the creation of an Individualised Safety Plan.
I would like to invite Parents/Carers to make a time to see me if you would like to discuss any matter that is concerning or if you have an idea of an activity/event or change that you can see would be beneficial to our Junior School. I hold a strong sense of belonging and loyalty to our community, hence I am always willing to listen and discuss your thoughts and aspirations for the Junior School that will see us continuing to gather strength, grow and succeed on so many fronts.
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In Term 3, Year 4 worked hard to design a purpose-made outfit using their knowledge of materials and how they are made as part of our Science unit, 'Material World'. This period of intensive research and preparation culminated in an outstanding spoken presentation afternoon attended by our Scientist in Schools Greg Mills who worked closely with the students throughout the design process. The presentations were engaging, informative and of an extremely high quality and students should be very proud of what they achieved.
In Mathematics, students have been working hard to develop their knowledge of multiplication facts. They have enjoyed playing a range of maths games which require automatic recall of multiplication facts, with Maths Tip being the crowd favourite. Quick recall of multiplication facts is an essential skill for students as they move on to Stage 3, so we are dedicating plenty of time to mastering these skills this term. Year 4’s creativity and enthusiasm for writing is encapsulated by their creature creation, the Logandir Largai, an imaginary reptile which makes its home on Fitroy Island. Students have been familiarising themselves with nonfiction texts including information reports, documentaries, news reports and advertisements in preparation for an exciting multimedia project which is currently in development.
JUNIOR SCHOOL
We’ve had an exciting start to the term in the Year 4 classroom. This term we welcome two new students, Kimberley and Kyanna, to Year 4. The girls are settling in beautifully and we are so excited to have them at PLC Armidale.
What is happening over the following weeks in the Junior School? WEEK 4
Further details regarding these events will be forwarded to you when required.
• Pre-K Learn to Swim • Indoor Hockey
Remember the school calendar can be viewed through the Edumate Parent Portal and the PLC Armidale Website, www. plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au, for a more comprehensive account of the events taking place across the whole College.
WEEK 5 • Pre-K Learn to Swim
WEEK 6 • Pre-K Learn to Swim • Year 5 Uralla Gold Excursion
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SPORT
Around the Grounds Sports Report Peter Le Surf, Director of Sport
Our Term 4 Summer sports are now up and running! Thanks to everyone for making the start of the summer sporting season a smooth process. I realise that it is not easy juggling a range of sporting fixtures and training sessions, on top of an already busy schedule. Congratulations to our girls who competed in the Hawkesbury Canoe Classic. This gruelling 111km event is certainly a challenge. The weather played its part, with the event having to be stopped due to wind gusts and rain making the event too dangerous. Congratulation to Ella Atkins and Grace Lehman who were the first all girls crew for PLC Armidale to complete the event.
Shoosh for Kids PLC Armidale has joined the Shoosh for Kids campaign. Shoosh for Kids is a collaboration between the Office of Sport and our sports programme to promote positive behaviour for players and spectators. This also involves the Coloured Vest Programme. The Coloured Vest Programme is about having any beginner officials wear a bright vest, identifying them as 'in training'. This should make all spectators aware and protect them from harassment and help to reduce any incidents.
Dates to Remember Sunday 4 November
Saturday 10 November
Armidale Fun Run
Starry Night of Sport
An opportunity to get out and enjoy the Armidale Spring climate. There are 2km, 5km and 10km runs; so something for everyone. A sign up sheet is on the sports noticeboard.
6.30pm Armidale Bowling Club
PLC Armidale Sports Supporters Group will be manning the Breakfast BBQ so come along and join the run or just come by for breakfast.
Saturday 10 November NIAS Coaching Clinic Tamworth The Northern Inland Academy of Sport (NIAS) is pleased to announce it will be holding its NIAS 2018 Coaching Clinic on Saturday 10 November from 8.30am to 5.00pm, at West Tamworth Leagues Club, Tamworth. Our guest presenter is Bill Nelson. Bill has over 30 years + experience as an elite international coach spending time with the Australian Swim team during the Thorpe/Perkins era.
This is a wonderful evening where we get to celebrate the amazing achievements of the PLC Armidale girls. The dress is cocktail and tickets can be purchased through trybooking.com/ YHRS
Sunday 25 November Armidale Triathlon Club hosts The Hutchinson & Harlow School Team Challenge Race starts 8am. Make up a team of three and compete for cash and prizes. There is a sign up sheet on the sports noticeboard so get your team together and join this fun event. Please use the Skoolbag App for weekly draws and other information.
His full credentials can be found on his website http://www.totalperformanceconcepts.com.au/ If anyone is interested in attending this event, please contact me on plesurf@plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au
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SPORT
Junior School Sport Lucy Donaldson
It has been a great start to Term 4 sport. Thank you to all families for having your daughter/s organised for their trainings and games. This is appreciated and helps with the smooth running of very busy and hectic schedules! Basketball and touch footy are well underway and indoor hockey will begin today for PLC Armidale. A few important reminders
Skoolbag App Please remember to download the skoolbag app and select your daughter’s relevant sports teams so that you receive the weekly draws and any other information that you may require throughout the season.
Uniform Touch football - PLC Armidale sports t-shirt and shorts Basketball
- PLC Armidale sports shorts and basketball singlet (hired)
Indoor hockey - PLC Armidale sports t-shirt, skort and PLC Armidale hockey socks (hockey stick, mouth guard and shin pads also required).
IPSHA Gymnastics A huge congratulations to Scarlett Loxley (Year 6), who was our first student to compete in the IPSHA gymnastics carnival held in Sydney last Thursday. Scarlett performed exceptionally well in what was a daunting yet fabulous experience for her. She looked spectacular in her PLC Armidale leotard, which was a stand out amongst all the other schools. Well done Scarlett, you have certainly done PLC Armidale very proud and thank you to her mother, Sarah for taking her down. Continue to strive to reach your best!
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Cattle Team Report Term 4 The Upper Hunter Beef Bonanza was held at Scone last week with Paris Whibley Year 10 and Isabelle Leitch Year 8 representing the College. There were 849 students in total competing at Scone and the results achieved by our PLC Armidale girls and the three steers were commendable:
Led Steer classes 1st place - Harold placed 1st in the Heavy/Middleweight category. Hugo placed 8th also in the Heavy/Middleweight category.
Junior Judging
Paraders’ classes 4th place - P aris Whibley placed 1st in her heat of which there were 13 heats in total. Paris then placed 4th overall in the 15 year age group. 5th place - I sabelle Leitch also placed 1st in her heat which was one of a total of 13 heats. Isabelle achieved 5th place overall in the 14 year age group. Five of our members also attended the Red Poll Camp at Glen Innes during the holiday break with another round of prizes and once again our students finished the camp with a swag of prizes in the Junior Judging, Paraders and Herdsman competitions.
2nd place - Charlotte Lamaro in the Junior section 2nd place - Lucy Crowley in the Intermediate section 3rd place - Meg Kealey in the Intermediate section 3rd place - Paris Whibley in the Senior section.
Paraders 2nd place - Charlotte Lamaro in the Junior competition 1st place - Meg Kealey in the Intermediate competition 1st place - Paris Whibley in the Senior Competition.
Herdsman 1st place - Charlotte Lamaro in the Junior section 1st place - Meg Kealey in the Intermediate section 1st place - Paris Whibley was the winner of the Overall Herdsman Competition. Well done to you all on your fabulous achievements!
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Thailand Service Learning Trip 2018 Alice Berry
Eva Flannery
Since hearing about the Thailand service learning trip in Year 7 I have wanted to go. Seeing all the pictures in the Christian Studies room, hearing about other girl’s experiences in chapel and even listening to girls tell stories in lunch breaks, I thought it sounded incredible, but I never fully understood how truly special the trip was until I was part of it.
The Thailand Service Learning Trip was an amazing experience. I loved every minute of it, from experiencing a different culture to seeing the love and care Avis (founder of Agape) and Heather (from McKean Rehabilitation Centre) show towards the people rejected from society due to disease. The Thailand trip is an amazing journey and a good reality check as it made me realise what is important in my life. I loved going to Agape and seeing the extremely happy children and playing games and getting to know them all. Going out to the Thai markets was also a great experience. Seeing all the different foods and people was a huge culture shock but it was so interesting. Another highlight for me was the travelling, as I have never travelled internationally. It was new experience for me and I enjoyed exploring life outside of Australia and I definitely want to go back.
When we arrived in Thailand it was a massive culture shock, listening to a completely different language, the different food and seeing how different and kind the people were. Even though the trip was only 10 days I loved seeing how other people lived and what their lives were like. Meeting the children and nannies at Agape has changed the way I look at my life back in Australia. After having the privilege to hear some of their stories I have realised how truly lucky we are to live in Australia, and despite their pasts, they are so happy, friendly and lovely to be around. The children at Agape are one big family and I feel blessed that I was able to spend time with them all. Forming relationships with the children living at Agape as well as working and doing anything we could to help at the orphanage were definitely some of the highlights of the trip. I feel privileged to have been able to go on this Thailand Service Learning Trip with such a great group of people. I highly recommend it to any students considering it in the future. Overall it was an amazing experience that I will never forget.
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Aisha Kliendienst The Thailand Service Learning Trip was truly amazing and an experience I will never forget. It’s difficult to find a single highlight because we did so many incredible things and met some truly inspiring people. I will say however, that meeting all the kids at Agapè is something that will always stay with me. Even though they speak very little English and have a totally different lifestyle to me, I made connections with many of the kids which I will forever cherish. One of my highlights with the kids was being able to go to Moo Kata, which is a huge buffet hot pot. It was so much fun cooking, dancing and just laughing with everyone. I learnt so much from this trip and made some amazing connections with people from another part of the world who live a very different but valuable life compared to my own. Lucy Martin I’ve always been told by girls who’ve returned from the Thailand Service Learning Trip that you can’t describe, in words, what it’s like, why it’s so good or what the best part about it is. I can now say, just as every returning PLC girl from the Thailand Trip that this is 100% true. The only way to know what the packed 10 day, all encompassing, physically challenging, emotionally rewarding and perspective altering experience is like is to be a part of it and I’m so thankful that I got to do so. This year we had with us Anneliese O’Sullivan who is a PLC old girl and has been on the trip once before. She said to me on our first full day there (when we truly realised what heat and humidity meant) - ‘If we only get to do this for a short period of time, what excuse do we have not to give these people all that we can?’ This comment encapsulated the attitude that all of the TAS/PLC group members for the remainder of the trip and was ultimately what made it so fulfilling to look back on the work we’d done - particularly ALL the painting - knowing that it was for people who truly deserved it. It also made the connections we formed with children who spoke a completely different language so much more special, knowing we gave them all the love and attention they deserved for the time we were there. I don’t have a specific highlight, but I can say that the trip as a whole was one of the biggest highlights and most fulfilling experiences of my whole life. Christine Liu For me, the highlight of the Thailand excursion is getting along with the children in Agape. When you get along with them, you would never think that you are actually playing with the children who have HIV. But when you think about that, you just want to do whatever you can for them. I mean give them love and care, the things they actually need. From this trip, we learned to put our own hardship away, and actually think of others and serve others, not only in this trip, but also in our daily lives.
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Isabelle Taylor Thailand was an experience that is almost impossible to put into words. Not only did it exceed my expectations but it challenged me to rearrange every single daily ‘struggle’ that I seemed to prioritise. I was a bit sceptical initially, I couldn’t completely wrap my head around the joyful attitude that each Thai person seemed to be filled with, but after the trip concluded I found myself filled with the same joy. Not only did the trip change me as a person, but it also exposed the irrelevant ‘first world problems’ that I unconsciously glorified. The Agape and Mckean homes astounded me and I instantly fell in love with the kids, their nannies and carers and the doctrines that both homes lived by - that everyone has value and deserves respect and unconditional ‘Agape’ love. For anyone wondering whether to go or not, I would strongly encourage you to participate. My decision to attend the Service Learning Trip was honestly one of the best decisions I have ever made. Not only do you impact the lives of these children, their carers and their communities but you form friendship and forge relationships that are long-lasting and rewarding. Helen Zhou During the Thailand Service Trip, I learnt how to build relationships with the kids from a different country. I was shocked by the ways different people suffer when I first arrived at Agape, but even though many of these kids are HIV positive, their attitudes towards life are quite positive. A highlight for me is the work we did and the help we offered to Agape to make a difference there. I enjoyed every moment in Thailand and I love those lovely Thai people.
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Fiji Service Learning Trip 2018
This year’s Fiji Service Learning trip in the first week of the Spring holidays was once again a great success and a valuable experience for all the students involved. This year saw PLC Armidale with the majority of the students involved with 10 girls making the journey to St Christopher’s Home on the outskirts of Suva on Viti Levu. This service learning trip is now in its 20th year, and we enjoy a very close relationship with the Sisters of the Order of Moana St Clare who run St Christopher’s Home. This year, we concentrated our work on cleaning up outside the home, particularly in removing some older buildings and their contents that are being demolished in preparation for the construction of a boys’ home on the site.
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As usual, the days were hot and humid, and working in these conditions can be tiring. There were a few rainy days, too, which provided their own challenges. Nonetheless, the PLC Armidale girls were outstanding is maintaining a really terrific focus on serving the children and the sisters of the home. Their commitment was really encouraging and demonstrated that they were dedicated to the purpose of the trip. When given the opportunity to take some time off, the girls unanimously opted to continue working. One of the most important dimensions of the trip is the opportunity to build relationships with the children of the home, and discover that a lot of the assumptions about these children are quite incorrect. Despite coming from some very difficult backgrounds, the simple truth is that these children are thriving in a community which is distinctively loving, consistent and homely. Many of our own students commented on this, especially when it came time to say goodbye, recognising that the trajectory that these children are on is an overwhelmingly good one. The funds raised by the girls were used for the maintenance of the home, provision of materials for the younger children and contributed to the project to set up the boys home in the future.
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MUSIC
Music Matthew Minter, Director of Music
New England Sings! On 21 October the community of New England came together for the extraordinary bi-annual event, New England Sings! An initiative of Corinne Arter from NECOM, two spectacular and inspiring concerts were presented to sold out audiences at Lazenby Hall. The concerts brought close to 900 choristers and orchestral musicians together, including 90 girls from PLC Armidale. School students and their teachers travelled to Armidale from schools as far away as Ashford, Bellingen, Dorrigo, Glen Innes, Tamworth and Gunnedah. The students worked with renown Australian composers and conductors including Dan Walker, Felix Riebl and Mark O’Leary. The choirs were joined by the Armidale Youth Orchestra and the staff of NECOM combining to one of the most outstanding regional orchestras outside of a major capital city or urban centre in Australia.
Congratulations to Isla Biffin on her excellent contribution to the event playing the solo harp part in the Kats Chernin Orchestral work Paper Umbrellas and to Abigail Thompson for her cello solos in Flooding Rain by Harley Mead and Sunset, New England from the commissioned work Fire and Light by Dan Walker. Congratulations also to vocal soloists in How Can I Keep From Singing, Scarlett Loxley and Matilda Eisenhower. All of our PLC Armidale soloists, orchestral players and choristers did a superb job and made a much appreciated contribution to this fine event. The Concert featured commissioned works by two of Australia’s most eminent composers Dan Walker and Felix Riebl. Dan Walker himself summarised the event as an extraordinary occasion that brings the entire community together, in nonauditioned choirs, to participate in a musical experience the quality of which is usually only available to selected choristers and orchestral players in large capital cities. Congratulations to all of the girls involved and thank you to Junior School staff and Mr Jacometti who worked closely with the girls and who were there with them over the final weekend.
Images by Jeremy Bruhl, CC-BY-SA-NC
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MUSIC Images by Jeremy Bruhl, CC-BY-SA-NC
Encore Nominations
String Soiree
Congratulations to Jessica Hughes and Lucy Quast on their nominations for Encore 2019. Encore is a special concert for the most outstanding HSC performances and compositions for the year, held in the concert hall of the Sydney Opera House every February. This nomination is a tremendous honour for the girls and reflects years of commitment to music and exceptional talent.
The annual String Soiree will be held on Wednesday 21 November in the Astra Arts Centre. This year we will be holding a similar format to last year with tables and food provided. The event will also be a fundraiser for rural families struggling with the drought. The proceeds will be donated to Little Windmills - Helping Australian Country Kids.
Jessica and Lucy will be submitting video recordings of their entire performance program to the final selection panel. I would like to sincerely thank the music staff who have worked with our Year 12 students for many months and who are assisting Jessica and Lucy with the preparation of their final recordings. Thank you to Ms Li Ling Chen, Music Extension performance coach, ensemble musician and accompanist, Mrs Robyn Bradley and Mr Warwick Dunham, accompanists, Ms Inge Southcott vocal teacher, Mrs Joanna Fairs Wu, Violin teacher and ensemble musician, Mrs Laura Curotta, viola teacher and ensemble musician, Mr Robert Jackson, Miss Arlene Fletcher and Mr Sam Jacometti, ensemble musicians and Mr Martin Hansford, sound technician.
In House Concerts Just a reminder that the Term Four In House Concerts are fast approaching. Next week on Wednesday 7 November we will hold the Junior School In House Concert at 5:30pm. Our Junior School ensembles including the Clarinet Class, the Silver Strings and Treble Makers will be performing at the this concert. The Senior School In House Concert will be the following week on Wednesday 14 November at 5:30pm. Any girls interested in performing solo in either concert are to please write their names on the sign-up sheets in the Junior School Music noticeboards. Both In House concerts will be held in the Senior School Music Room. Refreshments will be served prior to the concerts. Just a reminder that girls are to wear school uniform for their performances.
Performances at Newling Gardens and St Peters Garden Party Thank you to Mrs Fairs Wu and the Senior Strings girls for your performance at Newling Gardens last Friday evening, 26 October. The girls entertained the residents of Newling Gardens and many other guests at their annual Art Exhibition. Thank you also to the Senior Strings also and good luck for your upcoming performance at the St Peters Garden event. The girls will be performing at 1:00pm, in the garden of Anne Baillie at 686 Bundarra Road. Armidale.
Eat And Beat Thank you Mr Jacometti for coordinating the music at the very lively and enjoyable Eat and Beat last Friday evening, 26 October, including writing a lively song just for the occasion! By all accounts it was a splendid evening of fine food, fantastic costumes and music.
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MUSIC
AUDITION RESULTS: As Mrs Taylor outlined, many of our girls have had successful audition results; Gondwana National Choral School Elinor Warwick (Year 11) Sophia Mackson (Year 11) Sarah Hughes (Year 10) Lily Graham (Year 10) Clare Warwick (Year 10) Isabelle Taylor (Year 10) Gabrielle Cotterell (Year 7) Emily Thompson (Year 7) Abigail Thompson (Year 6) Australian Youth Orchestra Programs Isla Biffin (Year 11): Young Symphonists, National Music Camp, Australian Youth Orchestra February Season Emily Thompson (Year 7): Young Symphonists Elinor Warwick (Year 11): reserve Sophia Mackson (Year 11): reserve
You're invited to the
String Annual
Soiree
Sarah Hughes (Year 10): reserve Gabrielle Cotterell (Year 7): reserve
Wednesday 21 November 2018
5.30pm Astra Arts Centre, PLC Armidale Entry by donation. All proceeds to Little Windmills - helping Australian country kids.
Please RSVP by 16 November 2018 events@plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au
In alliance with PLC SYDNEY
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PASTORAL CARE
Pastoral Care Events Paula Goode, Pastoral Care Coordinator
Make each day better by using your character strengths Each day you use a variety of your character strengths without thinking or trying. Even waking up, making breakfast and getting to school or work on time requires tapping into strengths like prudence, self-regulation, hope and perseverance. But, if this passive, subconscious use of your strengths is all you are doing, you're missing out! Research shows that actively and deliberately infusing your character strengths into your daily life can lead to greater well-being, stronger relationships, increased engagement at school and work and more happiness. This month the VIA Institute is focusing on the character strength - Humility. People often wonder humility means or what is the definition of humility. In the Bible, humility or humbleness is a quality of being courteously respectful of others. Someone who has humility is not proud and does not believe they are better than other people.
I am reminded of this virtue - Humility as I have watched part of the Invictus Games over the past week. Prince Harry’s words and sincerity in his opening and closing ceremony speeches, the interviews with the athletes themselves, their families and supporters/carers, as well as the images we have seen as the participants realise their goals to overcome various forms of adversity. I am also reminded each day at school and in my daily life - to be humble is to serve others and be for their good as well as your own. To try and make a difference – no matter how small, make it incremental and build a foundation of good character. "Good character is not formed in a week or month. It is created little by little, day by day. Protracted and patient effort is needed to develop good character." - Heraclitus
True humility is to recognise your value and others value while looking up. It is to see there is far greater than our self into who we can become, who others can become and how much more we can do and be. To be humble is to have a realistic appreciation of your great strengths, but also of your weaknesses.
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WELLBEING AND MENTAL HEALTH
insights 6 nightmare habits that are ruining teenagers’ sleep by Michael Grose
Many teenagers today are sleep deprived. They should be getting between nine and 10 hours sleep each night, yet most get only seven or eight hours. Some get less. Sleep deprivation is akin to jet lag. It causes young people not to function at their optimum. It can be the cause of poor behaviour, mental health problems and low functioning in the classroom. Sleep maximises the brain growth that occurs during adolescence. It also consolidates learning. Sleep research has shown that when a young person is asleep, the brain practises what it has learned during the day. So sufficient sleep consolidates past learning as well as keeping a young person fresh to maximise their future learning. Sleep experts stress that while adults may not have control over biology we can assist young people to establish good sleep patterns. The first step is to eradicate some of their bad habits, starting with the following: 1. Being glued to a digital screen The digital devices a young person uses to roam through cyberspace are as addictive as cocaine, with similar arousal effects as well. The blue light emitted by mobile devices stimulates the brain into keeping kids awake well into the night. Tip: Get your kids away from digital devices at least 90 minutes before bedtime. 2. Doing homework in bed The brain associates activity with location. When young people are at their desks in school it’s easy to get into study mode. They associate learning and productive activity with their classroom and its furnishings. The same principle applies at home. If they fire up their laptops and work while on their beds, it is hard for them to mentally switch off from their schoolwork when the light finally goes out. Tip: Keep homework out of bedrooms. If they must work in their rooms, confine study to a desk. 3. Spending all day indoors Moping around the house is a huge part of the adolescent experience. However, spending all day away from natural light is shown to lead to anxiety and depression, which are both causes and symptoms of lack of sleep. Put a cap on moping about and encourage them to go outside – take a walk, meet a mate, do an errand. Tip: A minimum of hour outside a day helps keep insomnia at bay.
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4. Sleeping in late on weekends The sleep–wake cycle for teenagers is delayed by up to two hours. That is, they get sleepy later and wake later than when they were children. In most teens, melatonin – which makes them sleepy – is secreted around 11 pm. Cortisol, the chemical that wakes them up, is secreted at 8.15 am for many. So the adolescent brain wants to be asleep just when most them need to be waking up to go to school. Many teenagers catch up on this lost sleep on the weekend. However, if your teen is sleeping in until midday on weekends then his whole sleep cycle is being thrown out of whack. Tip: Keep sleep-ins to no more than an hour longer than normal to keep the sleep clock operating on a regular basis. 5. Talking on their mobile phones A mobile is an extension of the person for most teens. Unfortunately, there’s no getting away from the fact that mobile phones may be harming our health. One study (https://www.emf-portal.org/en/article/15274) found that radiation thrown off by mobile phones can seriously throw off sleep in heavy phone users. The study found that regular mobile phone users reported more headaches, took longer to fall asleep and had difficulty experiencing a deep sleep. Tip: Encourage young people to limit the length of their calls and place a moratorium on mobile use 90 minutes before bedtime. 6. Consuming caffeine and other stimulants It’s a familiar story. It’s seven o’clock in the evening and your teenager hasn’t started a big assignment that’s due the next day. Needing to stay awake for the big job ahead, she drinks a coffee or a caffeinated soft drink or two to keep her adrenaline high. Consuming caffeine in any form after dinner is like throwing a wrecking ball through regular sleep patterns. The brain needs to calm down rather than be artificially stimulated if sleep is to occur. Tip: Confine caffeinated drinks to mornings to minimise their impact on sleep. According to beyondblue, one in seven teenagers experiences a mental health disorder. Many experts agree that if they were to choose only one strategy to improve young people’s wellbeing it would be to increase the quality and quantity of sleep that teenagers have. That’s how important sleep is to a young person’s wellbeing.
Michael Grose Michael Grose, founder of Parenting Ideas, is one of Australia’s leading parenting educators. He’s the author of 10 books for parents including Thriving! and the bestselling Why First Borns Rule the World and Last Borns Want to Change It, and his latest release Spoonfed Generation: How to raise independent children.
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Call for singers Rehearsals: Thursday 7 - 8:30pm
COMMUNITY
TRADITIONAL CAROLS SERVICES
Armidale Uniting Church Rusden St. Parents and friends of Armidale Community of Schools are invited and welcome to participate in the annual traditional carols services at the Uniting Church and St Peters Anglican Cathedrals on Sunday 18 December 2018. Rehearsals and services will be conducted by Inga Brasche over 9 weeks. REHEARSALS COMMENCE THURSDAY 18 OCTOBER Contact: inga.brasche@det.nsw.edu.au
Operatic Recital • Alessio Nelli Hannah Fraser • Michelle Ryan our journey s have led us to you...
ARMIDALe DEC 15 7:30 PM
St Peters Cathedral Parish Centre https://www.trybooking.com/427290
WALCHA DEC 16 2:00 PM Presbyterian Church
https://www.trybooking.com/427291
BUY YOUR TICKETS • In-store at Carr’s Newsagency • Online - Trybooking • (02) 67781233 • hfraser@vocistupende.com • Adults $35 • Children $20 02 6770 1700 • www.plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au
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02 6770 1700 • www.plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au
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Copies of
R E P A S T are available to purchase from the administration office or from the following regional businesses.
ARMID ALE
Office Express Foodie Bliss Reader's Companion Collins Booksellers House Worx New England Collective
TA M W O RT H Collins Booksellers Lemon House
GUNNEDAH/ N A RRA B RI
I N V E RE L L The Dust Jacket
T E N T E RF I E LD
The Corner - Life and Style
Marval Designs
Commemorating and celebrating the people, the provisions and the perspectives of PLC Armidale’s past and present community
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