LAKES NEWSLETTER
Week 6, Term 3 2020
PRINCIPAL'S NEWS
COVID-19
The Association of Independent Schools NSW arranged a special Zoom meeting for Principals with the NSW Chief Health Officer, Dr Kerry Chant. This meeting was held on Wednesday afternoon and over 200 Principals tuned in. The meeting was very helpful and Dr Chant was open and heard the wide range of concerns schools have about the current restrictions. Dr Chant answered a number of questions that related to different aspects of schools’ operations. She reiterated the themes that have been emphasised throughout the pandemic. In particular:
- Reduce mixing between different age/stage groups and keep groups as small as possible. The more mixing and the more students we have together, the more likely it is that the virus will spread.
- Older students are more likely than younger to transmit the virus.
- A student can be asymptomatic for 48 hours after catching the virus and in that time can be transmitting it to others. So don’t delay testing when even the slightest symptom appears.
- The risk of singing in groups is very real, hence no choirs. Even a soloist must be 5m from anyone and not on a raised platform/stage.
- Woodwind instruments can easily spread the virus, so only a solo and then be 3m from anyone else.
- Overnight activities are particularly likely to spread the virus among attendees if one of them has it and doesn’t know it. Consequently, they are banned.
- External visitors bring the risk of introducing the virus to the school. Therapists and peripatetic tutors who visit other schools and may even live or work in a different region are a real risk. Consequently, I have ceased those visits until the health advice changes.
- Dr Chant said that NSW is still on a knife-edge and we could go either way.
So, our approach at Lakes is to be cautious and conservative and to maintain that until the advice for schools changes.
My retirement
The advertisement for the next Principal of Lakes Grammar appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian last Saturday. If you are interested you can read the Appointment of Principal prospectus on our website here. The NASC hopes to have someone appointed by the end of this year. That will allow the successful candidate to give his or her school two terms notice and allow some opportunities for hand over and for that person to gain some familiarity with our school.
HSC Students
Our Year 12 students began their Trial HSC exams on Monday and they run for two weeks. On 4 September external markers will be here to mark the Drama performance and on 17 September others will be here to mark Music performances. Our HSC students have had a very important year badly disrupted by COVID-19, yet they have remained resilient and determined to make the best of it while focusing on their studies. The highly significant and symbolic rites of passage that mark the conclusion of 13 years of schooling either won't happen this year or will be very different. We aim to work with our students to give them some memorable occasions this term and we hope that we may be able to run some form of Graduation ceremony in November followed a few days later by the Formal, assuming restrictions allow. Please pray for our Year 12s as they enter this taxing exam period.
Parents and Friends Committee
The next meeting of the P&F will be held via Zoom on 8 September at 7pm. I will send a Zoom link to the members closer to the date. Others who may wish to participate can email beverley.seers@lakes.nsw.edu.au for the link.
Mr Michael Hannah
Principal
KEY DATES FOR THE DIARY
Fathers' Day Stall (K-6)
Like everything else at the moment, we need to find different ways to do what we normally do. So our P&F team has reinvented the Fathers’ Day stall so that our little ones can still show Dad how special he is.
This year you can order a gift online. An item will be selected for you from our range of gifts. For families with multiple children we will do our best to arrange different gifts. All gifts are $5.
The gifts will be delivered to the classroom for the child to bring home on Thursday, 3 September.
Online orders close 5pm on Tuesday, 1 September.
Visit www.flexischools.com.au
CHAPLAIN'S CHAT
Matt's Mutterings
At the moment our Year 12’s are sitting their trial HSC. Stressed is a word that captures how they are. We have been praying for them in our online staff prayer times each day. The good news so far is that I haven’t seen any tears at school yet. I’m sure that there are plenty at home. Stress is a funny old thing in what it does to us. Long term, high levels of stress actually impinge upon not just a person’s mental health, but on their physical health as well. I tell the story of a mate of mine who dropped 20 kilograms across years 11 and 12 purely through stress. In the short term as well high levels of stress will inhibit brain function preventing some rational thinking and recall.
On the flip side, if one has no stress in their life they can become almost sedated. Not good either. In this world in which we live this has become less likely and so we have to prepare our students with stress management techniques. It is recommended that you get adequate sleep, that you eat healthily, that you have a study timetable, that you exercise, practise mindfulness activities, get a mindfulness app, walk on the beach, pat a dog and/or take herbal supplements. There are more, but these are all useful to tuck away in your stress management toolbox. I think the Christian faith has a few others that have an outward focus rather than an inward one like these mentioned so far.
A few things worth trying to combat stress. Firstly, pray. Pray for other people and their situations. Ask God to get involved. It will take your focus for a time off your own situation and bring stress relief. You can pray for God to be involved in bringing you stress relief as well…that seems a given. Do something kind for another person. Bake a cake, write a letter, mow a lawn, say hi to your neighbour, and the list could go on. In doing something for someone else you create a blessing in this world and everyone involved feels good. Acts of service relieve stress. Thirdly, read the Bible. There are stacks of passages where God promises his peace or comes through for those in distress. Reading the Bible will nourish your soul.
If you are a parent of a Year 12 student or have a stressed out member of your family feel free to share these ideas with them. I like to mix n match, so I’ll go for a walk and pray at the same time. Works wonders for my stress levels most days. I’d love to hear how you deal with stress too, so feel free to drop me a line letting me know your preferred technique.
Bless ya!
Matt
Chaplain
WHOLE SCHOOL NEWS
SCHOOL PHOTO INFORMATION
School photos will be Monday, 21 September 2020. This will be dependent on COVID 19 restrictions in NSW schools at the time of school photos.
Students are to wear their full school uniform, they must wear their blazer (please ensure it is clean).
This year we are again using Advancedlife Photography to take our school photos. However, due to current COVID 19 restrictions the following changes will be implemented;
Sibling who are on the same campus, ie they are all in the Junior School or all in the Senior School, may have sibling photos taken.
Online payments only will be accepted. NO cash payments will be accepted.
Junior and Senior School leader photos will be taken but no SRC photo due to the size of the group and the mixing of year groups.
We are planning on taking class (Junior School) and Year group (Senior School) photos in some format, however, this may change closer to photo day depending on COVID-19 restrictions in NSW Schools at the time of photos.
Cleaning and sanitising will take place.
Please use the link and order code below to order and pay for photo packages.
Lakes Grammar - An Anglican School
School Photography Date: 21/09/2020
ONLINE ORDER CODE: B1C XF6 VN6
Online Order link: https://www.advancedimage.com.au/keycode/keycodefinder.aspx?keycode=B1CXF6VN6
School uniform policy in regards to make-up, hair, shoes, jewellery, etc. must be adhered to as per the email sent to our school families on 25 August.
Any students absent on Monday, 21 September 2020 will have an individual photo taken on the make-up day Thursday, 24 September 2019.
Please do not send your child to school on photo day or make up photo day if they are sick or displaying any symptoms of COVID-19.
INDOOR SPORTS COMPETITION
JUNIOR SCHOOL NEWS
HEAD OF JUNIOR SCHOOL
National Science Week
We enjoyed celebrating National Science Week in the Junior School last week. The theme for Science Week in 2020 was ‘Deep Blue: Innovation for the Future of Our Oceans’. Mrs Stowe and our teachers delivered an exciting range of activities for the children, including designing a floating sailing boat, using our new set of virtual reality goggles, a fish themed scavenger hunt at lunchtime, a K – 2 recycled construction zone, and a seascape obstacle course. We enjoyed the exciting activities and all of the learning that the week provided.
Athletics Carnival
We are looking forward to holding an Athletics Carnival for the children this year, albeit in a modified format with the current restrictions. On Wednesday 9 September, we will be able to bus our Years 2 - 6 students to Warnervale Oval in separate year groups and time slots to enjoy some running races and discus. We will also undertake events including shot put, long jump and turbo javelin in our PE lessons during the final few weeks of this term and early next term. Mr Cantor will be able to present ribbons and announce Age Champions early in Term 4. For Kindergarten and Year 1, we are planning to hold the annual Athletics Fun Afternoon early next term. We will also incorporate some other fun events into our PE lessons on that day for older grades as part of the Sports in Schools program.
Debating
Well done to our virtual debating teams who have recently participated in debates against Hills Grammar, Yarranlea State School in Queensland, Tara and Pittwater House. The virtual debating competition has proven to be an excellent opportunity for the students to continue to pursue their talents in this area. We have some more debates scheduled over the remainder of the term. Please refer to Mrs Holland's item for more details.
Term Awards Assembly, Pride in Excellence Morning Tea, Athletics Club
We will present the awards for Term Awards Assembly, Pride in Excellence Morning Tea and Athletics Club (from the recent season) in class on Friday, 18 September. Our teachers are currently finalising the assembly awards, and Mr Crumbley already has the Athletics trophies ready to present. The photos will be included in our Term Awards Assembly video and a special Athletics Club video that Mr Crumbley will create the following week.
School Photos
A reminder that our School Photo Day will be held on Monday, 21 September. Please ensure that your child has a good set of school uniform and a blazer in preparation for the day. It is also helpful to check that children's shoes are polished and for them to have haircuts before the day as well. We appreciate your co-operation in helping School Photo day to go as smoothly as possible and for the photos to present well.
Jump Rope for Heart
Jump Rope for Heart is a physical activity and fundraising program that has been run by the Heart Foundation for over 36 years. It’s a great way for your child to keep fit and learn new skills, but it also helps raise funds for vital heart research and education programs.
Since Jump Rope for Heart started in 1983, schools like ours have raised more than $104 million for the Heart Foundation’s lifesaving work.
You can register your child online, so they can receive the full benefits of the program and participate in online fundraising by following the link below to get started. www.jumprope.org.au/parents
Students will be skipping during some scheduled PE lessons this term and next. During this time you can share their online fundraising page with family and friends to help raise money for this great cause.
We will hold our school Jump Off Day early next term to mark the end of the program. This is also an opportunity for everyone to come together to skip and show off their newly learned skills.
Thank you for supporting the Jump Rope for Heart program!
Westpac Rescue Helicopter Fundraiser
Thank you to all of our students who supported Christopher and Ashley Webb's fundraiser for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter. The winners of the colouring competition were judged by our local Emergency Department Clinical Nurse Unit Manager, Kim Burgess. Congratulations to Claire Freeman (KH) and Willow Stuart (4A).
Building Learning Power
We are continuing to work on our Building Learning Power program in classrooms. The diagram below shows the four areas of our ‘Building Learning Power’ program (Reach Out, Look Within, Think Clearly and Believe in Ourselves) which link in with our school motto ‘With Heart, Soul, Mind and Strength’.
A number of learning actions which are associated with each area are listed around the outside of the circle.
Lakes Grammar Habits
The Junior School utilises the learning framework of Lakes Grammar Habits to effectively integrate our Building Learning Power, Positive Behaviour for Learning and Virtues programs.
- Building Learning Power develops the capacity of students for learning, their curiosity, craftsmanship, creativity and collaboration.
- The Virtues program develops children’s Christian values, moral harmony and moral integrity, including kindness, honesty, trustworthiness, service, empathy and moral courage.
- Positive Behaviour for Learning develops our student self-regulation and self-awareness to demonstrate respect, responsibility and care for themselves and others.
The Junior School collectively focuses on a Habit each week drawn from one of the three programs whilst concurrently working with students to develop a range of habits and capacities in the day-to-day life of the school.
Over the next few weeks, we will be focusing on the following concepts. These are also recorded in the Student Diary for each week:
Week 7: Capitalise on our learning
Week 8: Self-discipline
Stars of the Week
Demonstrating our Lakes Grammar Habit of reasoning well.
Charlie G, Jayden O, Kaden B, Archie W, Roman F, Alorah R, Tess M, Mac M, Jensen B, Georgie F, Alicia L, Austin T, April M, Lexi R, Charlie C, Juna S, Gabriel D, Isaac R, Kenzie M, Rhys F.
Demonstrating our Lakes Grammar Habit of self-awareness.
Zara W, Reid M, Myla P, Isabella L, Lotus V, Samuel D, Grace R, Dylan F, Diya G, Oliver A, Xavier B, Vaishnavi S, Aiden S, Tobias T, Lauryn H, Ashton R, Kai B, Tyson F, Riharna F, Darcy B.
Mr Will Wallace
Head of Junior School
LIBRARY
Premier's Reading Challenge 2020
We now have 95 PRC’s completed. A fantastic effort!
Please return all completed logs to Mrs Tennant as the closing date is Monday 31 August 2020. Note: If your child is close to finishing, please bring in completed log so far, so we can add any books that have been read during library lessons!
Mr Danny Summers
JS Teacher Librarian
YOUNG WRITERS AWARDS
Recently all Junior School students participated in a writing task that invited them to respond to a picture stimulus. Submissions were of an excellent standard reflecting the impressive vivid imaginations of enthusiastic and capable young writers.
Congratulations to the following students who have been awarded Certificates of Excellence as young writers.
KH | KN | KW |
Charlie Gleave | Isla Leith | Maddy Cunnington |
Claire Freeman | Lilly Englebrecht | Annabella Cantor |
Zara Waldon | Chloe Quinn | Miguel Mangulabnan |
1B | 1L | 1S |
Quinn Ridley | Scarlett Arneil | Mylee McCabe |
Isabella Little | Madisyn Marks | Maddison Raeside |
Sienna Robinson | Lotus Vugrinec | Sienna DeBono |
2B | 2T |
|
Elise Cantor | Ethan Dickinson | |
Eve Hennessy | Evie Pilgrim | |
Tess Miller | Cheyanne Ringrose | |
3A | 3J | 3L |
Jensen Baldwin | Bonnie Cooper | Aiden Brownlie |
Declan Jones | Brianna Maidens | Hannah Ponchard |
Tahlia Wenger | Maggie Yager | Ashley Webb |
4A | 4J | 4L |
Jack Asquith | Kaella Doyle-Michaels | Mala Patil |
Ava Dickinson | April Murphy | Rory Whitwell |
Vaishnavi Seekuri | Sara Olivieri | Onadi Wijekoon Mudiyanselage |
5C | 5H | 5/6OC |
Marianne Dagang | Emma Barrie | Claire Hennessy |
Miranda Feller | Lauryn Hayhurst | Grace Ostergaard |
Gemma Rooke | Donald May | Giselle Simon |
6H | 6L | 6R |
Grace Crumbley | Addison Mitchell | Dana Gonzalez |
Chanel Thun | Ayan Sarkar | Cleo McNeill |
Clair White | Valentina Williams | Leah Wood |
Julie Stowe
Co-ordinator of Quality Teaching and Learning
DEBATING
Virtual Debating is underway for 2020 with teams all over Australia debating via Zoom. We have two Primary teams, a Year 5 (Lakes B) and a Year 6 Team (Lakes A), debating in the competition. Year 6 have had 2 wins of two debates and Year 5 have had one win of their two debates. Congratulations to both teams and good luck with the competition.
Lakes A vs. Yarranlea Primary (QLD) – Win
Topic: That we should ban sports involving animals (horse racing, greyhound racing). Affirmative
Lakes A vs. Pittwater House A (NSW) – Win
Topic: That community service should be a compulsory part of the high school curriculum (Affirmative)
Lakes B vs. The Hills Grammar School (NSW) – Loss
Topic: That we should ban beauty pagents (Affirmative)
Lakes B vs. Tara Anglican School (NSW) – Win
Topic: That we should abandon space exploration (Affirmative)
Lakes Grammar A | Lakes Grammar B |
Tahlia Allen | Donald May |
Cohan Voisey | Abhishek Babu |
Briella Moore | Cohen Baldwin |
Clair White | Corey Englebrecht |
Makayla Beasley | Isla Yager |
Hannah Ruzicka | Brianna Roberts |
Amanda Holland
High Potential and Gifted Education Co-Ord K-6
SENIOR SCHOOL NEWS
HEAD OF SENIOR SCHOOL
Year 12 Update
Year 12 are currently doing their trial examinations. Please pray for them as they study and work through these examinations. Safe COVID practices have changed the look of some of these exams, in that we are using more classrooms to social distance. Also, for some students, NESA has changed how some of their practical work will be marked. So while this is a difficult time for Year 12 to navigate, we have also been extremely proud of their resilience during this time.
Year 11 Update
Year 11 students have now received their exam timetable for their end of course exams. They will be held in the final weeks of this term and like Year 12, we will be using more classrooms for socially distancing. Students should now be studying hard as preparation for these important exams.
Some parents and students might be wondering about course changes. These are typically made at the end of term in preparation for Year 12 (which starts at the beginning of Term 4). To make a subject change, students should simply fill out a ‘Subject Change’ form and submit it to the office and, after approval, will enter their new courses from Week 2 of Term 4.
Year 10 Update
The subject selection process for Year 10 into Year 11 is almost complete. The lines have been formed and students will be asked to make their final selections early next week. Shortly after, we will be talking to any student who wishes to take TVET, TTC, or distance education, as you will need to be make separate applications for those courses. To do this we will be providing students with application forms to be completed by the end of this term.
Year 8 Update
As you would be aware we sent home subject selection booklets with each child a couple of weeks ago and students have been making their selections. Based on the choices we have provided an additional Food Technology course to cater for our students needs, but unfortunately we have had to cut the Stem course which only had four interested students! With this exception, all of the students have received their first choices in the elective process. If your child changes their mind, they can make a change by filling in a subject change form and returning it to the office.
Water bottles
With COVID health restrictions it is important to note that all bubbles and water fountains at school have been turned off. So students will need to bring a water bottle to school, or purchase a drink from the canteen. The bottle fill stations are still in action at school, and for hygiene purposes, are for refilling water bottles only. Students should not be drinking from these taps.
Ian Samways
Deputy Principal
SENIOR SCHOOL NEWS
TEACHING AND LEARNING
STEM
Over the past weeks I have had the pleasure to work with the Coordinators for Maths, English and Science to design a ‘fantabulous’ real world STEM project for our Year 8 STEM students. This project will ask our students to design a Model Farm for Lakes Senior School which is sustainable and ethical. We know our students are super excited so watch this space…we hope to run a ‘Field Day’ in Term 4 where students present their model farm to our community!
Honours
Honours in Maths, English and Science is up and running. This is open to all students. Students are welcome to join in, have a go and stretch that learning muscle of theirs! If you would like to know more about the Honours Programs please ask your child to speak to their teacher or contact Mrs Charker (Science Coordinator), Mrs Pallot (Maths Coordinator) or myself for English.
Deep Learning and Developing our Students' Reflective Capacities
During this term in the Senior School we have been focusing on deep learning and feedback and getting our students to build their learning capacity in being reflective. We have been delving into how we encourage and develop our students’ skills to delve deeply into ideas which may be linked to the real world and real-world problems.
This week in the staff Professional Learning Session we engaged with the works of Robert Marzano, The New Art & Science of Teaching and staff considered how they can use ideas presented in his work to help them ‘tweak’ activities they design to engage students in complex cognitive tasks.
Part of the Professional Learning here in the Senior School sees me regularly meet with Faculty Coordinators, last week the focus was on HSIE and it was wonderful to see the wonderful work our students have been producing and the amazing activities our HSIE staff have planned for our students to help them to build their brain muscle to think deeply and strategically about the world in which they live. The following is a report from Miss MacKillop which gives you a snapshot of the deep learning activities students have been engaging with in HSIE subjects across the years. Enjoy!
HSIE Faculty Focus
One of my favourite quotes related to teaching is “The future of the world is in my classroom today”. As I have visited students in their HSIE online learning spaces and their physical classrooms this year. I have seen students engaged in deep learning about their world and working to propose solutions to contemporary issues and make it a better place for the future.
A snapshot of some of the HSIE focus areas are below.
Year 7 commenced this semester exploring liveable places and have spent some time designing liveable places. Over the course of the semester they will refine their designs and reflect on what truly makes a place liveable.
Year 8 are exploring interconnections and globalisation. We commenced exploring our personal connections at a local and global scale as well as how 8 different countries contribute to a tennis ball and the role different countries play in producing a jar of Nutella.
Year 9 are investigating food security and biomes. They are exploring how much does the world eat, which biomes our food comes from and how can we sustainably produce food for the future.
Year 10 have commenced their final semester of Geography exploring how environmental change impacts on the functioning of environments. We will move into sustainable management in the next few weeks as well as a coastal and marine depth study.
Year 9 Commerce has been investigating the impact of COVID-19 as a contemporary issue on the nature of work and workplaces. Year 10 Commerce has put together websites and presentations guiding young adults and teens through purchasing their first car.
Year 11 Geography students this week have finalised their Senior Geography Projects which required them to formulate a question and collect their own data to answer. Students’ topics ranged from environmental issues surrounding mining and housing development, through to the impacts of COVID-19 on household shopping patterns, education and travel.
Year 11 Business Studies students have also submitted their major task: a small business plan. Students came up with their own small business ideas applying the theoretical concepts of their study throughout the year. Our budding entrepreneurs have formulated plans including ice cream and cupcake shops, sporting and recreational-based businesses and birthday party supplies to name a few.
Michelle Smith
Director of Teaching and Learning
SPORT NEWS
JUNIOR SCHOOL SPORTS NEWS
HRIS / CIS Events Term 4 2020
At the latest meeting of HRIS Heads, it was advised that any Term 4 events planned have now been cancelled. This is unfortunate, but not surprising considering the latest COVID -19 restrictions. We pray that 2021 will come back to some sort of ‘normality’ for all sport.
Lakes Grammar Athletics Carnival
With the latest COVID-19 restrictions in place, our carnival will be modified to Year 2-6 individual Grades (only 100 students / staff could participate at any time). Sports in Schools (SISA) will be running a separate program at school for Years K-1. Please stay tuned, more information will be available soon.
Tuesday Sports Uniform – Reminder…
Just a reminder that full sports uniform must be worn on Tuesdays for sport i.e. hat, white sport shirt, white / coloured joggers (no fluorescent colours), school sport shorts and socks. It is strongly advisable to have a water bottle as well during the hotter months.
Mr James Cantor
K-6 Sports Co-ordinator
SENIOR SCHOOL SPORT NEWS
On a positive sporting note our College Captains have been successful in running a lunch time college sporting competition for students. Many students have been involved and it is great to see our students being active during lunch on Wednesdays.
Weekly sport will continue for Secondary students this term, however, a decision has been made by the HRIS Heads that there will be no interschool HRIS sports competitions for the remainder of 2020.
Planning is under way to hopefully resume representative school-based sport again in 2021.
Mr Darren Beecroft
Senior School Sports Co-ordinator
QUICK LINKS
FLEXISCHOOLS
https://www.flexischools.com.au/
UNIFORM SHOP
http://www.alintaapparel.com.au/