26 March 2021 – Issue 10
HEAD’S
WEEKLY REVIEW
Year 7 letting their hair down with the Jerusa
Head’s Introduction
It’s the holidays! The arrival of Spring has definitely brought with it an air of positivity, and there is so much to look forward to at Roedean next term and beyond. This has been a strange, and sometimes difficult, term, and it was important for us to mark the anniversary of the start of lockdown this week, and remember those who have lost their lives as a result of Covid. We also had the opportunity to light a candle in Chapel to show solidarity with the victims of violence because of their gender, race, or ethnicity. You can read my thoughts on the year we have been through later in this review, but I would like to congratulate you all on the way you have responded so well and always looked after each other. Well done! In Chapel this morning, we said goodbye to those students and staff who are leaving Roedean today – we wish them all well in their new adventures. The leavers include Mrs Linda Ridley, who has been the School Secretary for 16 years and is now retiring, and Mr Richard Chamberlain, our Senior Deputy, who will begin as Deputy Head at King’s School in Hove after Easter – both have had a huge impact on Roedean, and we will miss them. This week, the relaxation of some Covid measures has meant that we have been able to re-start providing meals for the homeless in the local area, through our connection with Off the Fence. This work is so important, so I am pleased that we can support the local community in this way. It is also wonderful that the Year 7s have amassed a huge collection of Easter eggs – these will be donated to children in the Royal Alex who will be spending Easter in hospital. Well done to everyone involved! I am delighted to report that we have launched our new 360 degree virtual tour of the School – at a time when visitors to Roedean are limited, it is a wonderful way for us to be able to showcase everything we offer and our fantastic facilities. We also heard yesterday that Roedean has been shortlisted for one of the TES Independent Schools’ Awards, which is exciting news. I wish you all the best for a wonderful Easter break, and look forward to seeing you again next term!
A Year of Covid – the Headmaster’s Reflections To read the transcript, click here.
lema dance
Our 360° Virtual Tour is now live! The wait is finally over! Our exciting new Virtual Tour is now live. At a time when we are unable to allow visitors on-site, we can now bring the School to them! We hope they enjoy learning a little bit more about the rich history and truly holistic ethos of Roedean, while navigating around our incredible site, and we hope you are as impressed as we are with the tour. How lucky are we to be able to learn, live, and work in such beautiful and impressive buildings and surroundings!
Click here to take a look
Easter Cake Design Competition – not all heroes wear capes! Following on from last week, we are excited to unveil Chloe’s winning design from the Easter Cake Design Competition, realised by Ruth, our fantastic pastry chef. The enormous cake, which took an astounding 70 eggs to bake (and many more ounces of flour!), was presented to the Children’s Hospital this morning who were delighted to receive it. Thank you so much and a big well done to Chloe for such a fabulous design, reminding us that not all heroes wear capes, and to Ruth for her amazing skills and dedication.
HEAD’S WEEKLY REVIEW
26 March 2021 – Issue 10
Year 8 Dance
Easter Egg Donation
In the Autumn term, Year 8 studied a dance piece called ‘Rosas danst Rosas’, choreographed by Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker:
A massive thank you to all the Year 7s who have donated Easter Eggs this year to our local Children's Hospital, The Royal Alexandra. With 55 eggs, it is the biggest donation we have ever made! Well done and thank you to everyone involved – how wonderful of the girls to have thought about other young people and to do something to brighten up their Easter experience. GWI
The piece builds on the minimalism initiated in Fase (1982), another piece by the same choreographer. The abstract movements constitute the basis of a layered choreographic structure, in which repetition plays the lead role. The fierceness of these movements is countered by small everyday gestures. The piece also looks at the idea of rage and boredom. Maisie, Aarushi, Ellen, and Rida decided to take part in recreating ‘Rosas danst Rosas’:
Boarders’ Easter Egg Hunt On Wednesday evening, the Easter bunny came early to Roedean this year, distributing eggs carefully around the grounds, ready for the boarders to collect. At 6.15pm, the girls, armed with a map and clues left behind from the Easter bunny, had to try and find as many eggs as they could, as well as discover the 10 mystery large eggs hidden out of sight. Although the seagulls were keen to get in on the action, and some eggs were eaten by our flying friends, all girls left the evening with a box of goodies and smiling faces, excited and full of energy from the evening’s events. It was lovely to end the term with a whole school boarding event, bringing the houses together in preparation for the holidays ahead. Happy Easter everyone! Philippa (Yr13): ‘It was wonderful to be part of the boarders' Easter egg hunt on Wednesday. It was so nice to take part in a school event, have fun with friends, and explore the Roedean grounds. I had so much fun; thank you so much to House 3 for setting up this amazing opportunity.‘ EHA
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HEAD’S WEEKLY REVIEW
HHH German Culture Amongst other aspects of German culture, the Year 8 groups have looked at Grimm’s fairy tales and thought about their purpose. They were then asked to write a modern version of a fairy tale of their choice and the outcomes are impressive. The girls approached the task in a creative way and demonstrated great team-work skills. Here are just a few extracts from their work:
Tangled (by Love) (Inspired by Rapunzel) by Galya, Megan and Millie Valentina lived in the penthouse of the ing Ritz in London (of which she knew noth ) about). She had never left her (massive t abou hing anyt know ’t didn suite and she the outside world or who she was. The had only thing that she knew was that she a mother who came periodically to feed ed a her and keep her company (she work was lot). The only person she had ever met her e leav her let not did her mother who her penthouse. One day Valentina asked e… leav to ed allow not was she mother why
Jimmy and Granp a Jones, The Purple Hycan ith
by Jana and Sihu A little boy named Jimmy just moved across the street. Fro m across the street, he saw an old man named Grandpa Jones. Everyone he met, had warned him not to approach him . Although Grandpa Jones looked lively and happy, he was very defensive about his flowers and property . Everyone that tried to approach him on his land would be ha rsh and scolded by Gran ly shooed away dpa Jones. …
sel and Gretel Inspired by Hän
a by Olivia and Lydi ren there lived 2 child y Once upon a time nr He re eir names we who were twins. Th and Gracie. d r their father marrie It was the day afte was e sh d an , ha at Ag their stepmother, to business. going to get down her, not a nice stepmot ie Now Agatha was ac Gr d an y nr He told y the first thing she bu d an ne Tesco alo to do was to go to t… lis g pin op sh everything on her
Medic Portal Training
Minnie’s Dancing!
Well done to ten students in Year 12, who completed the Medic Portal BMAT (BioMedical Admissions Test) training earlier this week. Toni, Malika, Poppy, Sophia, Karen, Lucy, Bella, Ellie, Aida, and Gladys all felt that it was hugely beneficial, and will make a big difference to their preparation. Poppy said: ‘The BMAT training day was a great introduction and insight into what is involved in the Admissions Test. I now feel as though I have a solid understanding of what to expect in each section, and where I should now focus my practice; for me, that will definitely be on the Physics section! Along with all the information we were given in the booklet, and in the sessions, we were told about all the places to find past papers and which critical thinking books to read, in order to further our skills and give us the best chance at succeeding. This will become very important over the next few months when I will start revising this in more depth. Overall, I learnt some really great tips and tricks that I will remember, and use when I take the test to optimise my answers.’
Minnie has just completed another online 4-week dance course with her dance academy. This time she not only won an award for ‘technique’, but she also won a competition to choreograph 20 seconds of the final dance performance, which she taught to the whole dance academy (during a zoom lesson), and they then performed live to around 100 spectators in the end of course production. Well done, Minnie!
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26 March 2021 – Issue 10
Inspired by The Three Little Pigs by Erin, Freya and Orla Once upon a time there was three kids who would They made their way in the world As best as they could The places they came from And the things they saw You wouldn't be surprise they wanted something more They grew up together…
Cinderella – a mod ern fairy
tale
by Chloe and Tildy One day a poor girl, called Cindy was struggling to find an other job in order to provide money for her poor family. Sh e stumbled across a lar ge mansion which looked as though it needed to be clean ed. Cindy put on a brave fac towards the mansion e and headed . Sh by a tall Lady covered e was greeted from head to toe in designer clothing (Gucci). She was called Tamsin. With a stern expression on her face, Tamsin sa id “what do you wa nt child?”…
HEAD’S WEEKLY REVIEW
26 March 2021 – Issue 10
Roedean Monopoly Alexia and Gabby in Year 7 have been working on a new version of that well-known family favourite board game, Monopoly. Their game is called Roedean Monopoly and differs from the original in many ways... All the properties on the board are based on the Boarding Houses and other areas of the Roedean site. Chance and Community Chest cards have been replaced with Focus Points and Merits, so, for example, being late for registration or talking in Chapel can cost a player quite a few RNs (Roedean Notes). Houses and Hotels have been replaced with DofE Tents and Roedean Day Marquees. Those well-loved counters:- dog, hat, boot, ship, car and that other one, have been changed to House Captain figures in the 6 House colours.
On your marks, get set, …BAKE! On Monday in House 2, we hosted our seasonal showstopper challenge. This time round our focus was on all things Spring, with the brief being CREATIVITY! The girls worked in small teams to create the scene they picked out of the hat, using many different decorations, with the base of their creations being Mrs Burn’s signature bake, shortbread biscuits. The scenes were Easter Egg Bonanza, The Easter Story, Springtime Flowers, and Spring Bunnies. They had 30 minutes to create their finest work, which was then judged by Ananya, Sorrel, and Natalie. The star bakers were our Spring Bunny group: Sunday, Rosie, and Millie. Well done to all our competitors!
There is no jail, instead you are sent to the Health Centre where you have option to miss 3 turns or pay 50RN for a BUPA Private Medical Care policy which will cure and discharge you immediately. Gabby likes to buy expensive properties, so Mr Blond’s house was first on her shopping list, whereas Alexia likes to monopolise whole areas, adding as many tents and marquees to maximize her rent collections. Our cards have all been laminated so they can be cleaned frequently to be COVID safe. We think we might do a Cluedo next…
Pathway elective series Year 12 have recently completed their Pathway Elective series, which took place across the Autumn and Spring term. Offering the opportunity to engage in academic pursuits beyond their A Level curriculum, students have been able to select an 8-week course to complement and enhance their knowledge and skills either for their university application or their personal interest: Bronwen: 'The elective sessions have been rewarding and beneficial. To attend a wide variety of lectures covering many different areas of interest, from archaeology to engineering, has been fascinating. The lectures have been an amazing opportunity to explore potential career paths and to learn something new. It was also incredibly inspiring to see that many of the lecturers were ORs!' Victoria: 'I have really enjoyed the whole elective series this term. Despite the COVID situation, we have managed to complete the programme successfully. My choice was Life Drawing which was taught by Ms Strachan. Life Drawing gave us an opportunity to observe people or things in more detail and multiple directions, although we only drew real models. I was able to grasp the relationship between light and shadow, the structure and all the surrounding elements around the model, which are quite relevant to how we see the world. In addition, the Life Drawing elective allowed us to improve our observation, modelling and performance abilities.' Emily: 'So far in Life Drawing I have been able to work with different media to draw our model. Although not the most artistic in the group (by FAR!), I still enjoy a challenge and also the joy a new skill can bring. We section our session so we are able to practise drawing at different speeds and concentration. We spend the most amount of time on the last drawing, usually focusing on the whole body with more detail.'
Click here to take a look Page 4
HEAD’S WEEKLY REVIEW
26 March 2021 – Issue 10
Easter Cake Showdown!
Knitting for Premature Babies
This week the houses had an Easter Cake Showdown. The houses were asked to create an Easter showstopper. They were given a bag full of ingredients and the moulds and here are the results:
Thank you to everyone who has contributed articles to the project this term. The squares, blankets, hats and jackets have been knitted or crocheted with such care – they are gorgeous! If you are currently knitting, please keep going, as donations are welcome at the beginning of next term. Year 12 will decide where the donations will be sent early next term.
House 4
Well done to the winners, Houses 1 and 2
House 3
In House 2, initially we had some problems with our cake decorating and so Millie came through and saved the day (and the cake), and this is what she wrote: How I helped decorate the house cake or how I helped save the cake: The first major issue was how the fruit wasn’t drained. The way to drain fruit is simple, place it on a piece of kitchen roll and leave for roughly 10 minutes (or until there are fruit juice stains.) I then dusted icing sugar and the decorations on the side were stuck down with water. I figured I needed something to go on top, so I decided to make basic icing, and use the drained strawberries, and, as it happened, I made a decent-looking centrepiece. Millie (Yr7)
Goldman Sachs’ Pre-University Women’s Event This month, I attended Goldman Sachs’ Pre-University Women’s Event. This one-day virtual event gave me a unique opportunity to learn about what Goldman Sachs does, the firm’s culture, and tips for the recruitment process for its Spring Insight Programmes, Internships and Graduate schemes. It was lovely to meet some of the people working there and my interest was particularly piqued when I heard how some of them have interacted with ESG within their role in the finance division. I would definitely recommend the current Year 11s to take part in this insightful programme next year as it will give you an opportunity to develop your strengths, build confidence and gain exposure to the many career opportunities within the financial services industry. Moreover, this can be a start to your network which will prove helpful throughout your professional career. Tuhina (Yr12) Page 5
26 March 2021 – Issue 10
HEAD’S WEEKLY REVIEW
A collection of final coursework pieces by Years 12 and 13
India
Fan
Izzy’s lockdown baking Throughout the last two lockdowns, Izzy has been baking every week for a project called the Sussex Bake Down that donates home-baked food to local food banks. This week there was a special request from Brighton’s Women’s Centre for a birthday cake for a 9-year-old boy and Izzy immediately volunteered. There was a lovely message on Facebook from his mum thanking the Bake Down for making his birthday special. Well done, Izzy!
Lisha
Paloma
Victoria
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HEAD’S WEEKLY REVIEW
26 March 2021 – Issue 10
A Year of Covid – the Headmaster’s Reflections What a year it has been. On the 18 March 2020, schools were told to close and exams were cancelled. A year later, schools are open, but exams are cancelled for a second year and we are still in lockdown. There is much to reflect on. Most importantly, we should remember all those who have lost their lives, those most impacted by the virus and those who fought to save lives. But an anniversary is an opportunity to look back so that we don’t forget the journey. Covid began as a mystery, as something far away, distant and not entirely relevant to us. But within months, it had spread across the world and touched all human lives in some way, sweeping all before it, emptying cities, silencing countries, and wreaking economic and social havoc. On 23 March 2020, Boris Johnson announced lockdown and measures to stop the spread of Covid-19. Since then, the UK's official death toll has risen from 364 to 126,284 – across the world that figure is over 2.7million. Within our own community and in almost every country in the world, people have lost loved ones and, in different ways, been deeply affected by the pandemic. Our world has changed beyond recognition. The skies have emptied, motorways have completely cleared, cities have been abandoned, and everywhere we saw nurses, doctors, makeshift hospitals, and morgues. We have all been sent to our homes, to live life behind glass, interacting and educating through computer screens, with all the ceremonies of life – birth, marriage, death – curtailed and experienced in isolation.
And yet, most of the hurt and horror was hidden from us in hospitals and wards, care homes and mortuaries. Seven nightingale hospitals grew up overnight. Military staff were brought in. But against that silent horror, people stood up. Captain Tom started by walking 100 laps and ended by raising over £30Million for the NHS, and millions of people responded to the NHS call to help in our own communities. But this did not stop the death rate from continuing to rise. As the summer came and we reopened, we felt our freedom, and met friends and family. And schools reopened in September, but it was not the same. We all got used to hand sanitiser and signs, face masks and social distancing, isolation and hybrid learning. We thought we were over the worst, then it happened again. They tried to prevent more tears with tiers – shutting regions and managing risk by postcode, but it didn’t work. Christmas was banned, Santa was barred. And a new danger appeared, a mutated variant. Our borders were closed. And Boris appeared again, less bumbling, meaning bad news… Schools were shut a second time, and a new lockdown was fiercely enforced. As deaths passed the 100,000 mark in January, pupils sat at home and learnt online, and we all slowly felt the weight and the exhaustion from our homes. To our surprise, in March, schools opened and returned, again, again… This time with lateral flow tests and PCRs, additional masking, and still no sign of a conclusion to our missing exams.
We will all remember our world changing in small images. At first, the toilet paper shortages, then the supermarket shelves emptying and rations being enforced. We remember new things like queuing at shops and social distancing on buses. And all across the country, the roads and towns and cities all fell silent. Trains were empty, flights cancelled, schools closed. Family and friends were separated. Haircuts, gyms, eating out, were all a thing of the past. Our cities and shops were ghosted. We learnt new words and phrases like key workers, second wave, flattening the curve, herd immunity, as we grasped linguistically to explain, understand, and control what we could not control. We learnt to love the NHS again. We saw rainbows everywhere. Bright and bold symbols to support the doctors and nurses. Bright and cheerful on sheep and shields, chalked on pavements painted on buildings. And we learnt to clap, all together each Thursday at 8pm in recognition of effort and sacrifice in hospital wards. And into the vacuum of our absence, came nature. Sounds and sights we’d not seen for long. We valued walks and gardens and fields and parks. We heard birdsong and saw pollutionunclouded skies and sights. Inside, we learnt to learn online and live online, but felt the limit and loss of living entirely online. And then we saw the enforcers – police officers interrogating sunbathers. And cars stopped for questioning. Beauty spots
shut and signs telling people to go away. We had debates about freedom and restrictions, and Dominic Cummings.
But out across the UK and beyond, something was different. Something bringing hope and a promise of change. From the unseen laboratories where scientists had worked, researched and tested, with control groups, urgent clinical trials and approvals, came a knight of sorts, with a lance stuck to a small plastic syringe. The vaccine. The incredible vaccine and vaccination roll out. V-day, the first day of the vaccine, was 8th December, and just 3 months later 50% of the adult population had received their first jab… Deaths dropped. Covid cases were cut. A plan to reopen the country was mapped out. We stare towards the future. On 29 March you can meet friends outdoors, on 12 April you can go to the gym and get your haircut… even eat outdoors. Simple pleasures that tell us, soon, we will be over this. You will all have your pictures, your memories, and we live on. We have all experienced this communally across the world, but also privately. And some of you have lost people you love, and it was harder because of the isolation, and the separation and the inability to grieve with the support of others. We feel for your loss. Collectively, we are also grateful to the huge numbers of people who have healed and helped, cured and protected, invented and created, tried and tested, and with knowledge and determination, science and expertise, trial and team work, have found a key to the door that may mean our hope is more hopeful, our risks reduced, and our freedom refound.
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26 March 2021 – Issue 10
HEAD’S WEEKLY REVIEW
Literary supplement
Roedeanies Storytime
Odes to Roedean Ms Shillito’s English classes have been inspired by the sunnier days and nature, and they took their pens and paper outside, writing poems about Roedean!!
Our wonderful Year 9 Reading Buddies haven’t been able to visit St Mark’s Primary this year to help them with their reading, but COVID19 hasn’t stopped them thinking of inspiring ways to get the children excited about reading!
Roedean by Harriet
They have teamed up with Mr Wilson and Mr Burlinson to make videos of children’s books to send to the children, and you can click on the links here to watch! The results are outstanding, and special mentions must go to Clemmie, Yuki, Cherry, and Core, for their spectacular efforts in promoting reading. Here are the books, including Ms Shillito’s very own children’s book I’m just Norman:
A castle on a cliff, Away from the busy, rushing world outside, A bubble separated from the world, We love Roedean. The waves of the ocean below are a lion’s roar disguised as a pool of diamonds dancing in the sun, Its true identity overlooked by its great beauty, How rolling hills venture into the distance, The way the lush grass of the hills waves at you from the other side of the window, And when the sun fades the sky is blanketed in pinks and oranges, And later the sky becomes dotted in stars, We love Roedean. How the sound of laughter echoes the halls, And when the scorching sun peers through your classroom windows, How you try and absorb its energy, And the way the salty air fills your nostrils, When you breath in the fresh sea air, We love Roedean.
Feedback from author for Core (Yr9): ‘I'm so honored that Prince & Knight was selected for the Reading Buddy programme! Core did such an amazing job telling the story, and I especially love how the book was introduced along with the conversation starter at the end of the video. And of course, I must also thank the panda for so wonderfully displaying the book :). I hope Core and all of the students at Roedean continue to share their love of reading with the world!’
Library Easter Egg Hunt Well done to all of you who took part in the Library Easter Egg Hunt! Mrs Bailey is very impressed with your problem-solving abilities, and as such has handed out a lot of chocolate eggs!
The SQUAWK of seagulls, The RUMBLING of trucks, The WHIRRING of the wind, The distant ROARING of waves, The echo of LAUGHTER in the corridors, And the calm SILENCE when everyone is still, We love Roedean. We love Roedean.
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26 March 2021 – Issue 10
HEAD’S WEEKLY REVIEW
My School by Romey My school is like a second home and such a wondrous place to be, A place where I can learn and play and such a glorious sight to see. My school is like a fairy tale with all its peaks and towers, A place where I can make new friends and enjoy every single hour. My school is tall and grand, as high as the sky can reach, A place to find your passion and learn about grammar and speech. My school is limitless in options and you do anything
Sussex Schools’ Cross Country Virtual 4km Race A huge well done to all the girls who entered the virtual 4km cross country race! The girls had to design their own route and ensure that they tracked it using Strava or their running watches. They all achieved brilliant results, but a special mention must go to both Katie and Lizzie, who completed their 4km run on an undulating course in 19 minutes and 24 seconds – what a fantastic run! It is great to see so many of you keeping active and getting involved – well done!
that catches your eye,
A place to live and laugh; a place to be confident, not shy. My school is out of the ordinary, it’s different in many ways, A place to feel loved and comforted and a place for you to be praised. My school is a place of community and is very special
Harriet
to me, A place that I can love and enjoy, and a place where I can fly free.
The school on the hill by Hen rietta Every day we wake up thrille d For today is another day at the school on the hill Fresh cut grass and the sun on my face The wind blowing gently like a boat in a lake
Freya
Maria
Julia
Katie and Lizzie
The sea at our doorstep The buzzing of the bees As we run along to our locke rs, The jingle of our keys Running round the cloisters The seagulls flying high Lying down in the grass The clouds floating in the sky
Photo by Paul Evans
Learning new things that we’re excite d to know But to the lunch hall we all long to go Every day we wake up thrille d For today is a new day at the school on the hill.
26 March 2021 – Issue 10
HEAD’S WEEKLY REVIEW
Race Around the World – 12929 Kilometres! Wow! We have made it to Zambia, and are now working our way to Tanzania.
UK
Well done to everyone who has logged their distances via wufoo – we’ve already been to 10 countries where Roedean girls live, 23 countries in total! Here is the breakdown of the four different groups taking part: Students
Bel
m
Parents
2998.45
ORs
Israel
Nigeria Ghana
ny
Hu
It
y
ar
ng
nd
erla
itz
Sw
4070.52
ly
ma
Ger
giu
4979.44
Staff
Ita
Race Around the World 2.0 STUDENT Race Around the World 2.0 STAFF Race Around the World 2.0 PARENT Race Around the World 2.0 OR
a
ly
880.50
Alg
Mali
Please follow the relevant link to log your distances – as this is like a New Year’s Resolution, you can include distances back to 1 January!
eria
Keep going over Easter. It will be amazing to see how far we can get!
Nigeria Ghana
Archaeology and Climate Change
ola
Ang
Saturday 17 April 2021: Conference Online via Zoom Organised jointly by the Council for British Archaeology South-East (CBA SE) and the Sussex Archaeological Society (SAS)
ia
mb
Z
an a
im
tsw
To make it easier to log your distances regularly, you can pin the wufoo link to your browser by clicking on ‘Bookmark this tab’ or similar, depending on your browser.
Bo
If the country where you currently live does not appear on the route because you also have a UK address on the school database, please do let us know before we reach that country by emailing Miss Boles on jbo@roedean.co.uk.
Za
Well done, and thank you for getting involved! RB
We welcome contributions from all parts of the Roedean community. If you have something you would like featured in the Headmaster’s Weekly Review, please email: marketing@roedean.co.uk Page 10
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If you’re quick, places are FREE – CBA SE and the Sussex Archaeological Society are offering a number of students free tickets to the 'Archaeology and Climate Change Conference.’ This offer is open to students in full time education and will be awarded on a first come first serve basis. Simply send your name, school/institution and course details to cbasoutheast@hotmail.com to apply.
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