No. 18 17 November 2017

“A place at the table, a place for all” The ClarionSt Clare's College Waverley 41-51 Carrington Road, Waverley 2024 02 8305 7100 www.stclares.nsw.edu.au

From the Principal

Dear Parents, Carers, Students and Staff,

As the Festive Season quickly approaches upon us, it is a good time to examine the challenges and successes in our personal lives. Parenting is certainly no easy task and constantly has its difficulties as well as its most satisfying rewards.

Ensuring close family relations that foster love, understanding, forgiveness, compassion, trust and faith are a constant part of our daily existence. As a parent I always appreciated any conversations, advice or reflections that would assist in the notion of parenting. As such I am sharing on the next page an article from Parenting Ideas by Michael Grose which I still find relevant to all age groups.

ARTEXPRESS 2017

Special congratulations to our Year 12 graduates, Cassandra Widjaja and Beatrice Tekiko for their HSC Visual Arts pieces being selected for ARTEXPRESS 2017! Well done to both girls on this incredible achievement.

Finally

Students are always reminded to remain focused, think positively and strive for their personal best in all they do.

Thank you for your continued support and cooperation.

Blessings on you and your families.

Antoinette McGahan

A TIME TO REFLECTDear God,

We struggle, we grow weary, we grow tired. We are exhausted, we are distressed,

we despair. We give up, we fall down, we let go. We cry. We are empty, we grow calm, we are ready.

We wait quietly.

A small, shy truth arrives. Arrives from without and within.

Arrives and is born. Simple, steady, clear. Like rain in summer.

A precious truth arrives and is born within us. Within our emptiness.

We accept it, we observe it, we absorb it. We surrender to our bare truth.

We are nourished, we are changed. We are blessed.

We rise up. For this we give thanks.

Amen.

A Common Prayer A cartoonist talks to God by Michael Leunig.

Live and be the BelovedYou are a blessing

Go gentlyPax

St Clare and St Francis pray for us.

Now Enrolling for 2019Contact: virginia.black@syd.catholic.edu.au

4. Practise digital parentingThe most tech-savvy generation ever raised needs digitally-aware parents. The internet is fun and it’s here to stay, but it can pose risks for some kids. Digital parenting means providing guidelines for safety without limiting children’s opportunity to learn and communicate in the online world. It also requires you to understand the digital world that your kids inhabit.

5. Develop character strengths in kidsRecent studies (most notably the work of US based Angela Duckworth) have found that character, not cognitive ability, is the single most reliable determinant of how a person’s life will turn out. The traits associated with success include the inclination to persist at boring or difficult tasks (grit), the ability to delay gratification (self-control) and the ability to follow through with a plan (conscientiousness).

6. Practise reciprocityThe best families, like the most meaningful communities, are built around the principle of reciprocity. “We help each other out and we treat each other fairly” builds belonging and forges greater kinship between siblings. Start by getting kids of all ages to help out at home without being paid.

7. Encourage social risktakingOne in three children are risk-adverse when it comes to meeting new people and entering new social situations. Social media removes risk for these kids, yet it’s not the answer. Use a variety of strategies ranging from scaffolding (baby steps), practising meeting and speaking to new friends and modelling social risk taking yourself to encourage kids to continually refresh their social networks. Pick one or two of these ideas, or your own parenting idea, to focus on over a month. Once you’ve mastered one idea then move on to another, so that you are constantly improving and being up-to-date as a parent.

© 2014 Michael Grose

Effective parents equip their children with the skills, know-how and values they need to stay safe and be successful. These seven ideas will help make sure your parenting reflects the times in which we live.

Everyone wants to be the best parent they can be, yet it can be confusing knowing just what to focus on. Here are seven ideas that reflect current trends and needs and will help you be on top of your parenting game

1. Give the gift of restraintAt a time when kids receive so much it’s easy to forget that restraint is a virtue. Just because you can afford to give children and young people what they want, doesn’t mean you should. Differentiate between a want and a need, and encourage restraint, goal setting and saving.

2. Build your developmental knowledgeLucky you have two eyes, as you need to keep one parenting eye on meeting kids’ current needs and the other on preparing them for the next stage of development. If starting or leaving secondary school is a year away then start thinking now about how you can make sure your child or young person is ready for the next phase of their life.

3. Reinforce self-regulation“You waited your turn! Great stuff!” “Thanks for packing away the toys without being told.” “Good on you for staying in bed when you woke up rather than coming to our bedroom and waking us up.”

A child’s ability to self-regulate behaviour (like the ability to self-soothe and self-occupy) is highly underrated, and doesn’t come naturally to all kids. That’s where consistent parenting using visual management and behavioural consequences comes in.

7 ways to help you be on top of your

Parenting Game

From the Deputy Principal

Dear Parents, Carers, Students and Staff,

We have come to the mid-point of the final term for the year and as our students come to the end of their examination period I encourage them all to reflect upon the feedback their teachers give them. The final weeks of school are an opportunity to refine skills and ensure they have a clear understanding of the concepts covered in their courses. It is not a time to dis-engage with their learning and we expect all students to be participating fully in all lessons until the end of the year.

Student Representative Council (SRC)

Next year we are launching an exciting student leadership initiative, the implementation of a Student Representative Council (SRC). The SRC is made up of students from Years 8-12 and is a formal student leadership structure. An SRC is a formal group of students, elected by peers to represent them and their views. An SRC facilitates the Leadership group @STCC and is an important element in providing meaningful Leadership opportunities for students across the College. The SRC structure is listed below. There is a Year 8, 9 and 10 SRC member elected to each of our Leadership cornerstones. These students will work in collaboration with the Senior Leadership Teams (SLT) and House Captains on initiatives that are important to students and our community.

We would like to formally acknowledge congratulate our newly elected SRC members who were badged by our College Vice Captains this week at Assembly.

2018 SRC members for Ortolana:

Year 8 representative: Romy GilYear 9 representative: Kate O’SullivanYear 10 representative: Maggie Carr

2018 SRC members for Aneska:

Year 8 representative: Riley MackeyYear 9 representative: Hannah SimosYear 10 representative: Ella Schrijvers

2018 SRC members for Bonaventure:

Year 8 representative: Tilly GrovesYear 9 representative: Stephanie CannesYear 10 representative: Rebecca Marzol

Uniform Reminder

This is a reminder that Term 1 sees students return again in their Summer uniform and there is an expectation that all girls begin the year in the correct uniform. Please consider the following:

• All tunics and senior skirts must be at the knee. For some this may require the purchasing of a new uniform

• Make-up is not to be worn to school and this includes false eyelashes

• Excess jewellery (beyond that permitted in the College Diary) is not to be worn

Moreover, I need to remind all students that the sports uniform is that which is outlined in the diary. Please note the following:

• Students are not permitted to wear old jerseys or the parachute material sports jackets. These have not been sold for several years and are not part of the prescribed uniform.

• Appropriate sports shoes must also be worn. These do not include Vans, Converse or other casual shoes.

• The College sports jacket is also never to be worn with the summer tunic.

Thank you for your support and co-operation.

Kerrie McDiarmid

Our new Student Representative Council and other School Leaders

Important DatesMonday 20 - Friday 24 November Years 7-8 Assessment Week

Thursday 23 November Poor Clare Day - Mass 11.30am

Friday 24 November Year 4 Curriculum Day

Friday 1 December Year 5 STEAM Day

Wednesday 6 December UNSW Sunsprint Open Day

Thursday 7 - Saturday 9 December Australian Catholic Youth Festival

Monday 11 December College Picnic Day

Tuesday 12 December Awards Assembly & Students' last dayParent/Teacher Interviews 1pm-4pm

Wednesday 13 December Parent/Teacher Interviews8.30am - 12.30pm

Tuesday 19 December College Closes

We now have a date for our pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi. The departure date is 21 May 2018 and returning to Sydney on 3 June. The trip will include six full days in Rome with guided tours around all the major pilgrimage sites and then three nights/two full days in Assisi.

Start saving now - approximate cost should be around $3500 including airfares.

Please contact the Parish Office on (02) 9369 9399 or email parishpriest@waverleycatholic.org.au

Fr Bernie ofm

Parish Priest

Franciscan Parishes Pilgrimage From the Uniform Shop

For Sale 2nd Hand

• Blazer size 14 $60

• Short Sleeved Blouse size 14 $40

• Senior Skirt size 10 $50. Good condition.

Contact: Terry Ryan 0418 661 357

• Uniform size small and Tool Kit for sale $100.

Contact: Gabrielle Mcvay 0418 252 927

• Summer Tunic size 8 x 4 as new $55 each

Contact: Lynn 0412 266 022 or email lynn@talkingtrends.com.au

• Summer Tunic x 3, Size 12, good quality, $55 each.

Contact Charise 0413 043 303

• Senior Skirt - Size 6 Excellent condition $50

Contact: Virginia Black 0402 315 700

Information Literacy & Innovation

Library Update

The final renders for our Library design have been released and we are very pleased with the way the space is looking. This has been a long and complex process as we have looked to maximise the space and make sure it will cater for the needs of our community well into the future.

The next phase of the process is the most important as we look to see whether the design can be delivered within our budget. With so many different components to the project this is arguably the most complex. There may be some difficult decisions ahead for the College Leadership Team as we begin to collate documentation from potential contractors. (Pictures on next page.)

HSC Minimum Standards

This week our Year 9 cohort will be participating in NESA’s online trial of their new HSC Minimum Standards exams. The students will sit three exams on Friday 17 November which is the final day of the Year 9 Exam Week. This is the process recommended by NESA.

The three exams of Numeracy, Reading and Writing will provide valuable data to NESA as they prepare for the compulsory testing of students in 2018.

The exams will provide a great opportunity for our students to familiarise themselves with the online format they will be faced with in 2018. Although not all students will be required to sit the three exams in 2018 we feel it will be valuable for the entire Year 9 cohort to participate in each exam.

More information about the trial can be found on the NESA website.

Coding Club

Our Coding Club members are immersing themselves in the world of the Raspberry Pi. This small device is a very simple computer that allows students to learn about how a computer works as well as the language that controls it.

Python is the language the students are using at present under the guidance of our fantastic Maths Coordinator, Mr Chris Pocock. The challenge for the students this week was to make the change the angle of the plastic pointer on a servo motor using Python script.

Coding Club meets each Tuesday afternoon in the College Library from 3-4pm

Michael Burden

Information Literacy & Innovation

Coding Club

New Library Design

This term, Year 7 History have been studying the topic Japan Under the Shoguns and were given the opportunity to celebrate Japanese culture in a whole day incursion at the College. This involved the presentations of their assessment tasks which looked at Japanese Food, Arts and Craft, Religion, Dress and Martial Arts. Many of the girls went to a great deal of effort with their presentations to the class, dressing in traditional dress, burning incense, bringing in traditional food and sharing what they had

Year 7 Japanese Incursion learnt to their class. The girls were able to share together a sushi lunch and then were given the opportunity to participate in four workshops which involved sushi making, traditional Tai Chi, making cherry blossoms and origami, as well as a traditional Taiko drum lesson. This Japanese Day gave the girls a unique as well as enjoyable and enriching experience for the development of their understanding of Japanese culture. Thank you to the HSIE staff, especially Miss Courtney McNally, Mrs Karen King and Mrs Louise Armstrong for all your support on the day.

Kirstie Mason

HSIE HOD Year 7 Japanese Incursion

Year 9 Girls in Science

On Wednesday November 1, five students from Year 9 attended an event at UNSW presented by L'Oreal called “For Girls in Science”. We listened to talks from different scientists in various fields such as microbiology, quantum physics, physiology and pharmacology. We also participated in activities in the materials engineering lab and in the aviation faculty. We had an opportunity to work

with liquid nitrogen, shape memory alloys and experience the cockpit in virtual reality. The day informed us of the possibilities of a career in Science, Engineering, Maths and Information Technology. Overall, it was an enjoyable experience and we all left feeling inspired.

Ms Jessica Ruan, Jessica Valenzuela, Janice Nyoto and Pia Kostakis.

ARTEXPRESS 2017 Nominations

Congratulations to Cassandra Widjaja and Beatrice Tekiko for their HSC Visual Arts Nomination for pre-selection for ARTEXPRESS 2017!

Sharon Tofler

Head of Visual Arts

A Gift From a World Beyond by Cassandra Widjaja

Nawawalang Wika (Lost Language) by Beatrice Tekiko

Year 9 Camp

Year 9 Camp started in the 3rd week of Term 4 with excitement bouncing off each student as we boarded the bus. It brought new opportunities, pushed our limitations and gave us the chance to expand our friendship groups through meeting new people.

We experienced seven new and exciting activities that most of us hadn’t done before including; archery, mountain biking, canoeing, flying fox, lily pads, giant crate stack and I think everyone’s personal favourite the water slide.

The groups for activities were random, which was a fantastic way to meet new people, develop friendship groups and open up our comfort zone. Although we did spend quite a bit of time with this group we were able to go back to our friends and tell them our amazing adventures throughout the day.

The Vision Valley staff were lovely and helped us push ourselves to do things we never thought we would do. The camp gave us a chance to see what teachers were like out of school, helping us make better connections with them but also helping us realise how far we have come since Year 7 and how far we can go.

The day’s routine gave us some time to relax from doing activities and play some sports with a big group of the girls - or to enjoy some time with some girls who we don't usually see. We were fortunate enough on our last day because Ms Shipley organised a meditation session. We really appreciated her doing this as it allowed us to take time out and reflect on how camp had been and what we could do to make our own lasting impression of it positive. The session was based around gratitude and what we were grateful for - and for me that was camp. Overall Year 9 Camp was very beneficial and a great experience. We would like to thank Ms Shipley and all the teachers who gave up their time to come and look after us, and the staff at Vision Valley.

Rosalie Sheargold

Year 9

At the beginning of Term 4, Year 9 students attended a three day camp at Vision Valley which gave us the opportunity to make new friends, push our personal boundaries and take a break out of our busy school lives.

All students came filled with excitement and the willingness to try new things. During this enriching experience all students took part in a rotation of seven activities consisting of; mountain biking, archery, lily pads, giant crate stack, canoeing, water slides and the flying fox. All seven of these activities stretched the limitations of certain students and forced others to think and act outside their comfort zones. The groups that we were put in were completely random thus we all had to interact with people outside our social circle meaning that we all came back with a better relationship with our peers!

On the first evening, the whole year came together for a Trivia night containing general knowledge questions. Apart from the teachers who were far in front, all groups were relatively close in points. At the end, there was a tie between two teams which resulted in a dance battle. On the second evening, all of Year 9 and the teachers sat down for a movie accompanied with popcorn and choc tops after a long day of activities. Ms Shipley made an excellent choice of film in ‘Legally Blonde’ and everyone greatly enjoyed it! The food at the site was delicious and met everyone’s dietary needs and preferences. Even with a rainy day, Year 9 Camp was an excellent experience that all students including myself are very thankful for.

Thank you to the workers and activity directors at Vision Valley for the smooth running and fun few days, to all teachers for giving up your family time to supervise us, to all of my fellow peers for the sing-alongs, card games and other fun times and finally Ms Shipley for your organisation in making it all happen. We cannot wait to make more memories as a cohort in future years!

Ella Schrijvers

Year 9 Year 9 Camp

Year 9 Camp

Junior Water PoloOn Wednesday 1 November our St Clare’s Junior Water Polo team had an amazing day out at Homebush. Although weakened by the loss of the dynamic Maja Strbac due to illness the team rallied to play great water polo across the whole day.

Defence and more defence backed by outstanding performances in the goals by Claudia Van Dam and Hannah Simos were the foundation of the team’s success.

The respect and friendship displayed by our girls to the opposition and each other never faltered and win, lose or draw everyone had a smile on their face across the day.

In a tough competition, as the girls not only played for the CGSSSA title but also the NSWCCC title, our girls did an

absolutely incredible job to finish in fourth place overall for the NSWCCC competition. In addition to this, because of their hard work and dedication on the day, the girls came 2nd overall in the CGSSSA competition.

An extremely pleasing and well deserved result.

Thank you to all girls on the day for your outstanding efforts and for the way you represented our school.

A big thanks must also go to Tilly Groves for the amazing support she gave the team on the day. And a huge thank you to our amazing Coach Mr Cotterill, who made sure the girls learnt new skills and strategies in the pool and of course as always made sure there was a whole lot of fun. We are very blessed to have you on board Sir, thank you.

Well done team!

Louise Winchester

PDHPE Teacher

Junior Water Polo Team with Mr Cotterill

Aquathon

On Monday the 6 November, a team of energetic girls travelled to Merrylands Park Pool to participate in the CGSSSA Aquathon. This consists of either a team or individual race and includes a 2km (Juniors), 3km (Intermediates) or 4km (Seniors) run and a 400m swim.

We competed against Brigidine, Santa Sabina, Monte, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Marist Sisters, St Ursula’s and Our Lady of the Mercy College as well as the rain, thunder and lightning to represent our school with pride.

First up was the Senior individuals and teams. A special congratulations to Andi Illidge who competed in the individual competition placing 5th overall and Sharna-Lea Chandler (runner) and Richella McMorrough-Enright (swimmer) who placed 4th overall in the team division. St Clare’s also placed 3rd overall in the Senior division out of both team and individual events.

Next were the Intermediates, with Paris Tier (runner) Aquathon

and Hannah Kerves (swimmer) leading the way by finishing 1st in the team event. St Clare’s also placed 3rd overall in the Intermediate division out of both team and individual events.

Finally, we had our Juniors, for many this was their first time at the Aquathon. They participated with determination and enthusiasm in a very large group of elite athletes and all narrowly missed out on a place.

A big congratulations to all participating teams and thank you to Mr Peakall and Ms Conway for their encouragement and support.

Louise WinchesterPDHPE Teacher