Canberra Girls Grammar School — Head of SS 08T1

Posted CGGS Newsletter No 10 - 11 April 2008

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Posted: CGGS Newsletter No. 9 - 4 April 2008

Student Issues

As the weather becomes increasingly unpredictable there is the opportunity for the students to wear full winter uniform in the last week of term. It is important to note that the uniform is not be a mixture of summer and winter but one or the other.

There are a number of students who are pushing the boundaries with regards to jewellery and piercings. It is unfortunate that staff are having to confiscate multiple pairs of earrings that students are wearing and there appears to be a growing trend for students to have a nose stud. The School Policy is that students are not permitted to wear a nose stud (or any other body piercing) apart from a single earring (small stud or sleeper) in each ear. Other forms of jewellery should not be worn including rings, bracelets and necklaces.

There are a significant number of students who are coming late to school. Hopefully this will improve now that daylight saving has finished but it is a growing concern to staff.

In an effort to ensure that students make the effort to arrive at school on time, a student will be issued with two order marks if she is late in the morning without a sufficient explanation. The first bell rings at 8:45am and I would encourage all students to be at school no later than 8:30am. This will allow for any unforseen traffic congestion.

Parking, Drop-Off and Pick-Up

It is increasingly difficult to provide adequate facilities for parking and the drop-off and pick-up of students. I have spoken with our police liaison officer, Constable Kylie Harris, and she has made some positive suggestions. I am currently looking into providing a designated area for drop-off and pick-up that will be away from the main gate. This area will most likely be further down Melbourne Avenue in close proximity to the gate leading onto the netball courts. Students will not be permitted to enter or leave a vehicle at the front gate and duty teachers and students will allocate order marks to students who do not do the right thing. This will be put in place for the start of next term and I will confirm the drop-off and pick-up area in the next Newsletter.

The fire alarm that went off on Wednesday night also highlighted a problem with parking when functions are being held in the School. This was not a false alarm but we were lucky that it was only smoke and the cause was detected before it became dangerous. If this had not been the case, however, the pathway for the Fire Brigade had been blocked by a number of cars that had parked illegally along the main drive through the School and the fire fighters were prevented from doing their job in the most efficient way. Parking is always difficult around the School but the fire alarm sounding on Wednesday highlights the need for all families to obey the parking rules within the School grounds.

Year 7 to 12 Parent/Teacher Interviews

The first of the parent/teacher interviews were held on Wednesday 2 April. The evening started with a real difference with the fire alarm sounding just after 4pm due to a smouldering spotlight in the Waterman Centre. Things settled back to normal very quickly and I was impressed with the efficient way the interviews progressed. I always value the opportunity to talk with parents and Wednesday was no exception. A reminder that the second round of interviews will be held on Thursday 10 April for those who were unable to attend the first round.

Student Achievment

Congratulations to Ady Elmitt (11W) on coming second in the Sprint section at the National Schools Triathlon Championships and placing overall ninth. Ady was one of only two ACT representatives that placed in the top ten. This year the Championships were held in Tasmania on 25 to 29 March 2008.

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Posted: CGGS Newsletter No. 8 - 28 Mar 2008

Easter Break

It was a great opportunity over the Easter break to relax and reflect on the term so far. It has been an extremely busy term and I have been told by many that things never slow down. Term 1 is nearing the end with many summer co-curricular activities finishing and the students busily preparing for the Winter season that will begin in Term 2. As I have mentioned in a previous newsletter, it is also an extremely busy time in the academic schedule, especially for Year 11 and 12 with assessments in all subjects. This is one of the times of the semester when the pressure of doing well is at its greatest. Please be aware of the pressure your daughter is most likely feeling and, if possible, find the time to talk to her about it. Many students need some extra TLC at this time of the term.

Cancer Council Week

Senior Council member, Anna Trundle interviews Mr Griffiths about his leg waxing experience.

Below is a report of the Big Shave from the School Captain, Miranda Cookman:

Parent/Teacher interviews for all Year levels will be held on Wednesday 2 April and Thursday 10 April. All students should have received their interview booking form that will need to be completed by the students. If you have not seen this form please ask your daughter where the form might be as she will need to arrange times for your interviews with her teachers on the appropriate day.

	Congratulations to Elle Pattenden (11W) who has just competed in the Olympic Games swimming trials in Sydney. This is a wonderful achievement and a reward for the hard work and many hours that Elle has put in to qualify.
	Congratulations to Belinda Lawford (11W) on being selected to represent Australia in Orienteering at the World Championships in Sweden in June and July of this year.

Please click here to return to CGGS Newsletter No. 8 - 28 Mar 2008

Posted: CGGS Newsletter No. 7 - 20 Mar 2008

Leukaemia Foundation

The day had finally arrived when all the hard work that the Senior Council had put in culminated with the shaving of heads, beard and waxing of legs. Over 500 students were in CGGS Hall as the hair was quickly removed. A special mention to Anna Hyslop who was the only female teacher to have her head shaved. She raised over $2000 on her own. The final amount raised had not yet been confirmed but at the time of writing this article the students had raised almost $1500. A big thank you must go to the members of the Senior Council for their organisation and, most importantly, to the staff who volunteered to lose their hair. Thank you also to hairdressers, Emma and Juan, from Franco of Canberra, Bailey’s Corner, Civic, who gave up their time and were quick with the clippers. I will give final details, highlighting the staff involved and the total amount raised in next week’s Newsletter.

Parent/Teacher Interviews

Parent/Teacher interviews for all Year levels will be held on Wednesday 2 April and Thursday 10 April. Teachers will be available for interviews from 4pm until 8:15pm. There are a significant number of first time parents to the School so I thought it was important to outline the process for you.

Next Tuesday, 25 March, all students will receive a booking sheet to take home that has details of their subjects and teachers. Parents must indicate their preferred day for interviews and ensure that their daughter is aware of preferred times for interviews. Students then bring the form back to school and book a time with their teachers.

It is expected that interviews will take a maximum of 5 minutes as it is a brief overview of how your daughter is going. If you require a longer time please contact the appropriate person to arrange another time to speak with them.

Understanding the ACT System

On Tuesday evening this week, a presentation given by Acting Director of Curriculum, Heidi Vellnagel, and I for parents of Year 11 students, and any parent of a new senior student, to help them understand what is involved in Years 11 and 12. Parents were given an outline of what their daughters could expect to receive at the end of Year 12 and also how the assessment in each unit is put together and unit scores and then course scores are calculated. If you missed this session, there will be a repeat session offered on 31 March at 7pm in the Multimedia Theatre.

Student Achievements

Congratulations to the following students who currently have scholarships with the ACT Academy of Sport (ACTAS).

Emma Carlin 10G – Softball Ailie MacDonald 11W – Rowing Laura Mackinnon 12W - Softball

Congratulations to Kate Hewitt (10G) on being selected to be the ‘Face of Australian Youth in Music’ at the International Chamber Festival, which is held in Canberra this year. On Friday 14 March, Kate was a guest performer at the first fundraiser concert of the Festival, which was held at the Italian Embassy. Kate performed Meditation by J Massenet and D Andaluza and Op.22 No.1 by De Sarasate. Kate will also perform one of her own compositions during the Festival.

Please click here to return to CGGS Newsletter No. 7 - 20 Mar 2008

Posted: CGGS Newsletter No. 6 - 17 Mar 2008

Camps

The Year 8 and Year 9 students returned from their camps last Friday afternoon. There were some very smelly bodies coming into the Reception area to make telephone calls but from all reports both camps went extremely well. I don’t think the staff that give up their time to make the camps such a success can ever be thanked enough and I would like to especially congratulate the Camp coordinators, Tim Briggs and Brad Griffiths, for the enormous amount of time and effort they put in to organising the camps.

Student Representative Council (SRC) Voting

The SRC representatives have been announced and have received their badges. Congratulations to the students who have been elected. It is always difficult for those students who miss out on being elected but one of the great things about CGGS is that there are so many opportunities for the girls to contribute and develop their leadership skills. I would encourage all students, especially those who missed out on being elected to the SRC, to remain positive and look for these opportunities.

Assessments

As the end of term fast approaches, the number of assessments that the students have increases. This is always made worse by the shorter weeks with Canberra Day and Easter falling during the term. There are a number of students who feel the pressure of these assessments and it is important that parents are able to recognise when this may be occurring. The expectations that students put upon themselves can make this an extremely stressful time of the semester. What this will usually mean is that there is a greater opportunity for conflict at home with the students being tired and feeling pressured. The students should be fully aware of the many support networks that are available to them within the School and they need to make use of these if they are getting to a point were the pressure is getting too great.

Albert Hall 80th Birthday Celebrations

I had the pleasure of being invited to attend the Albert Hall official 80th anniversary ceremony on Canberra Day. This was extra special as students from CGGS had been invited to perform a 15 minute tableau about the history of Albert Hall. The performance was a highlight with the students performing a wide variety of short skits encompassing the many talents of the students. The amount of hard work that the students had put in was certainly worth it with the reception they received from the large audience. They had also featured in a story about the Albert Hall celebrations on Stateline last Friday night.

Student Achievements

Congratulations to Laura Mackinnon (12W) who has been selected to represent the State in the U23 team at the Softball Nationals, to be held on 14 to 18 April 2008 in Sydney.

Please click here to return to CGGS Newsletter No. 6 - 14 Mar 2008

Posted: CGGS Newsletter No. 5 - 7 Mar 2008

The Senior Council are currently collecting money from students during lunch to support the Cancer Council. This is an extremely worthwhile cause as there are very few families in the School who would not know someone who has been affected by this disease.

There are a number of staff who have volunteered to have their head shaved and, if enough money is raised, there is the possibility of one prominent male member of staff having their legs waxed.

I have not had the opportunity to visit the Year 8 or Year 9 Camp this week but I am sure that they are having a wonderful experience. The pleasing thing, from my point of view, is that there has been no contact from either camp, a sure sign that things are going well. I have been watching the weather for the region and it has been cold but relatively dry. I am looking forward to hearing the many stories from the students when they return next week.

Student Representative Council (SRC) voting has been completed and we are currently analysing the results to determine the representatives for 2008. These will be announced after the Year 8 and Year 9 students have returned from camp.

Last weekend saw the rowers head off on Friday to Sydney to compete in the IGSSA Regatta. All reports from Dafyyd Gwynn-Jones and the rowers I spoke to was that it was an extremely successful weekend with many medals won. There were certainly some tired students on Monday morning after such a busy and tiring weekend. As I remained in Canberra, I was able to watch the two Indoor Hockey teams win their Semi Final, putting them into the Grand Final this weekend. I had to leave the Hockey early to travel to Tuggeranong as I had promised to watch some Basketball. I managed to see two CGGS teams play each other with another game featuring CGGS on an adjacent court.

This time of the year is also extremely busy for the students as summer competitions are completed at the same time as winter competitions are preparing for the new season. Netball trials have been going for a while, football (soccer) trials have started and hockey will be starting soon.

Debating is well under way with students trying to gain positions in the various debating teams. As I arrive to school each morning I also see a number of students arriving to fulfil their commitments to the many opportunities offered in music at CGGS.

I mentioned to the new parents at the start of the year and at an evening we recently held in CGGS Hall that there are a myriad of opportunities for students at CGGS. These opportunities cover the entire range of interests that any student could have from sport, debating, public speaking, outdoor education to the many opportunities in music.

Congratulations to Lydia Dobson (12W) on being awarded first place in the secondary section at the The Australian Wool Fashion Awards for a dress that she designed and made. Lydia was awarded a scholarship and her dress will feature in the parades at the Sydney Royal Easter Show. It will also be travelling the country as part of an exhibition to promote the use of woollen products.

Please click here to return to CGGS Newsletter No. 5 - 7 Mar 2008

Posted: CGGS Newsletter No. 4 - 29 Feb 2008

Swimming Carnival

On Thursday 21 February I attended my first CGGS Swimming Carnival. It was a great experience with a high level of participation and enormous energy and enthusiasm from the students throughout the day. The whole day ran extremely smoothly with the only major problem occurring when we found out that the kiosk had a new owner and he had misunderstood our request for him to open on the day.

Until you have been closely associated with the running of a major carnival you are not fully aware of the amount of work required. Head of PDHPE, Jenny Hall, and her team are to be congratulated on the organisation of the day. It was also very encouraging to see how enthusiastic and involved all the staff were and the value of there contributions to the smooth running of the day can never be underestimated. I believe that it is also very important for the students to see teachers out of the classroom in a different environment and the Swimming Carnival provides a natural opportunity for this to occur.

The AIS pool is a fantastic venue providing the competitive swimmers with the opportunity to show the rest of the School their talent. It was also good to see (although a little scary) the participation events where students were simply getting wet to earn a point for their House. I need to thank the staff at the AIS for their help throughout the day as they were always there to assist with any problems and answer any questions.

Student Representatve Council Voting

The Student Representative Council (SRC) nominations closed during the week with voting for the three positions in each Year level being organised for the last three days of this week. There were some good quality applicants with each nominee having to submit up to 40 words as to why students should vote for them. It is unfortunate that some students will miss out on being elected as I am sure every student that has been nominated would make a valuable contribution to the SRC.

Queensland Core Skills Test

Each year schools in the ACT are asked to trial questions for the Queensland Core Skills Test. This is the Queensland equivalent to the ACT Scaling Test (AST) that our Year 12 students will sit later in the year. All students in Year 12 who are undertaking a Tertiary package and require a UAI, sat this trial on Wednesday of this week. It is a great opportunity for the students to have their first attempt at the style of testing that they will face in the AST. Students will be provided with feedback as to how they performed in the questions from the trial.

Presentation of Badges

At this weeks assembly the students who had been given positions of responsibility for 2008 were presented with their badges. It is great to see the many opportunities that students are given to develop and show their leadership within the School. I am sure that the students who received their badges are proud to have been given these opportunities and will provide wonderful leadership throughout the year. As I mentioned with SRC voting, there are always students who miss out on these positions, who are equally deserving, and I would encourage them to continue to show the leadership that they possess. A badge worn on the uniform is not the only sign of a leader and as I visit the many activities in which our students are participating I will get to recognise the students who are making a valuable contribution to their activity.

Co-Curricular Events

Throughout the year I will endeavour to attend as many co-curricular events as possible. I always enjoy watching CGGS students participating and so far this year I have been able to watch Rowing, Softball and Indoor Hockey, with the hope of watching some Basketball this weekend. I appreciate the many parents who have come up and introduced themselves to me as it can be difficult when you are new to the school. I am a terrible spectator at a sporting event and, as parents who were at the Indoor Hockey and Softball will have noticed I find it very difficult not to get a stick or glove in my hand and have a run around.

Parent Evenings

On Monday night over one hundred parents of students new to the Senior School attended an information evening where the Directors reinforced information related to their daughters. There was some positive feedback with many questions being asked over supper to clarify areas of confusion for the parents.

Wednesday night saw Dr Michael Carr-Gregg give a presentation to the staff in the afternoon followed by the opportunity for parents to attend a session on Demystifying Adolescents and Mental Health Issues for Young People. Dr Carr-Gregg is always entertaining, although the message he is delivering is often a little scary for those parents new to the wonderful world of a teenage daughter.

Student Achievements

LYDIA DOBSON 12W Congratulations to Lydia Dobson (12W) on receiving several honours at the Royal Canberra Show. Lydia entered two items in the craft section The first item, a formal dress, won its section (sewing) and was then awarded ‘Student Champion’. Lydia’s second garment, an historic costume, first won its category (sewing), and was then awarded the ‘Best Heritage Exhibit’, and so she was named the Heritage Champion of the Show.

PIP MARQUES 9G Congratulations to Pip Marques (9G) who is one of two selected as finalists to represent the Far South Coast Branch for the Junior Surf Life Saver (SLS) of the Year Award. As a state finalist Pip participates in a Development camp, where along with the other finalists, she will be assessed while participating in various activities including presentations, awareness sessions and physical challenges. She will also be interviewed by a judging panel of experienced surf lifesavers assessing her merits to become Junior SLS of the year. Pip then competes in the State Surf Life Saving Championships. Pip has trained as a nipper for 6 years and now serves as a cadet volunteer Surf Life Saver on patrol at Broulee Beach.

We had a number of students who competed at the NSW Country State Swimming Championships in Sydney last weekend. The students had a very tiring weekend but achieved some excellent results.

IMOGEN SCHIWY 7K Silver Medal in 12 years 100M Free, Top 10 finish in 12 years 100M Butterfly and 100M Backstroke	STEPHANIE WISE 7R Bronze Medal in 12 years 100M Back, Top 10 finish in 100M Butterfly	ARABELLA SCHIWY 5M top 10 finish in 10 years 100M Back	NICOLE MARTINE 9G Top 10 finish in 14 years 100M Breaststroke
SARAH MARTINE 11G Top 10 finish in 16 years 100M Breaststroke	GEORGIA HARDY 9K qualified and competed over the weekend.	RYCHELLE WATSON 8K Qualified and competed over the weekend.

LAUREN SIMPSON 12D JEN WALSH 9R Congratulations to Lauren Simpson (12D) on being runner-up in the Open Division at the ACT Secondary Schools Singles Tennis Championships. Congratulations also to Jen Walsh (9R) on being the ACT U15 Champion. Jen was seeded number three and defeated the number one seed, 7-6, 6-4, to win the Final. The Championship was held on Thursday 28 February at the National Tennis Centre.

Click here to return to CGGS Newsletter No. 4 - 29 Feb 2008

CGGS Newsletter No. 3 - 22 Feb 2008

Camps

Last week the Year 7 students had a wonderful time on their camp. The weather forecast of very wet conditions did not eventuate although most of the time was spent under cloudy skies. The surfing, canoeing and rainforest walk proved to be hits with the students I spoke with. I managed to visit the campsite on Thursday night and participated in the Games Night, with a stirring rendition of the Aeroplane Jelly song, with the help of some other members of staff.

From what I could see the students and staff had a great, but tiring, time with everybody ready to come home by Friday. The importance of having a camp for Year 7 early in the year can never be underestimated, as it is such a fun way for the students to develop new friendships and find out about themselves and their peers.

To organise such a major event takes a great deal of time and energy and Sue Raine, Year 7 Camp Coordinator, did a magnificent job in ensuring that everything ran smoothly. She was assisted by all the staff who gave up their time to go on the camp.

The Year 8 and Year 9 camps are fast approaching and I am sure that there are many excited students who can’t wait for the day they leave for camp. However, there are always some who are reluctant starters but it is my experience that once they are on the bus, arrive at camp and begin their experiences they soon forget about the things they were worrying about.

Student Representative Council Nominations

The students were given information at last Tuesday’s Assembly regarding nominating to be a member of the Student Representative Council (SRC) for 2008. Nominations close Friday 22 February and voting will then be held after the nominations have been processed. Chairperson, Julia Zhu (12R), and Vice Chairperson, Uma Ranjan (11G), are extremely enthusiastic and have already put in a lot of time and effort to ensure the nominations and voting goes smoothly. I am certain that the SRC will provide valuable leadership and direction for the coming year.

Mobile Phones

There have been a number of positive comments regarding the enforcing of the Mobile Phone Policy. However, there have also been some comments that show there is still some misunderstanding of the Policy. There are two points that are important to highlight.

If a student needs to make an urgent call during the day using their mobile they are to speak with their Head of House who may provide a space for the student and approve the use of their mobile.

If a student is expecting an urgent message that needs to be read before the end of the school day then they can also speak with their Head of House for approval to check their messages.

Sport

Those who have got to know me soon realise that I am passionate about my sport. I have always taken an interest in sport within the School and already I have had a chance to watch the rowers, softballers and hockey players in action. During the year I will try to see as many students as I can representing CGGS in local competitions. Speaking with the students, I have been surprised that there are a number of students who choose not to play for CGGS even if there is a team in the same division. Developing the close bond between members of the same team that is paramount to many sports as well as the pride to be able to represent their school in their chosen sport are two reasons why I believe that students at CGGS should play for the School if there is an appropriate team.

Often, the argument used by parents is that the coaching and development provided by the School is not the same as the Clubs are able to provide. This is an area of which the School is well aware and there has been a concerted effort to improve in this area. It is also my experience that many students are able to maintain their Club connections through playing in a senior team and accessing the coaching and development offered at the Club.

Sports are now beginning the process of registration for the winter season and I would encourage parents and students to strongly consider representing CGGS in their chosen sport.

Moderation Day

The ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies requires that all teachers of students in Years 11 and 12 meet twice each year for a full day with their peers in their teaching subject groups. These meetings, designated as ‘Moderation Days’, provide teachers with the opportunity to compare and discuss examples of student work from each College in the ACT to establish parity in ranking of student work across the ACT. This is an essential component of the ACT Senior Secondary system.

Teachers in the Senior School at CGGS teach across the Year groups from 7 to 12 and therefore the Moderation Days are designated as pupil free days in the Senior School to enable all teachers to participate in these important meetings. The first of the two Moderation Days for 2008 will occur on Tuesday 4 March.

Posted: CGGS Newsletter No. 3 - 22 Feb 2008

CGGS Newsletter No. 02 - 15 Feb 2008

Start of the Year

A number of people have commented how well the start of the year has gone. Everyone has come back ready to work and, apart from the normal uniform issues and students getting lost or misreading their timetable, the year has begun very well. I think the kinder weather conditions, without the usual February heat, have helped.

The Year 7 students (and their parents) were at school bright and early on Tuesday morning to head off on their camp. I travelled to the camp on Thursday afternoon and spent some time on Friday morning trying to get to know more of the students.

Year 11 started a three day transition program on Wednesday. This involved a number of different information sessions including Health and Wellbeing, ACT Board of Senior Secondary Schools Studies (BSSS) requirements and expectations at CGGS. The students also had an organised tour of the National Library of Australia as well as Peer Support training.

The Senior Council (pictured below) and Year 12 students received their badges at a special service on Wednesday. Parents of the Senior Council members were invited to attend and there were numerous photos being taken. I was most impressed by the behaviour of all students during this assembly, even though the assembly went twenty minutes into lunchtime.

Sorry Day on Wednesday was a significant day for many. A number of students requested leave to attend in the morning and the apology was recorded and shown to interested students in the Hall at lunch. The traffic around the Parliamentary zone was horrific on Wednesday with many staff and students arriving late as they were caught in the traffic and security.

I need to reinforce what I said in last week’s CGGS Newsletter. There are too many cars stopping illegally and dropping off students. The danger that this creates almost makes it certain that someone is going to have an accident, with the likelihood of injury. I am working with the AFP to ensure that the safety around the School, especially in the morning and afternoon, is the best that we can have but there is a very strong reliance on parents doing the right thing. Bags should not be in the boot of the car but should be with the students to minimise the time it takes to leave the car. This also applies when picking up students as it takes much longer if students are loading the boot before getting in the car.

Congratulations to Lauren Simpson (12D) on winning the 18 years old Singles Titles at the Tasmanian Junior Tennis Open. The Open was held last week in Hobart with many local, state and interstate players travelling to participate and compete. In the Grand Final, Lauren, playing for the ACT, defeated the Tasmanian representative in straight sets.

Click here to return to CGGS Newsletter No. 02 - 15 Feb 2008

CGGS Newsletter No. 01 - 8 Feb 2008

I would like to begin my first newsletter as Head of Senior School by welcoming all the students and their families back to the start of 2008. Like me, I am sure that all of the new students to the School are both excited and a little nervous. I had the advantage of starting in early January so I have had a great opportunity to slowly meet staff, some students and their families without the pressure of the School being in full operation. By the time Tuesday came around I felt that I was well and truly prepared for the challenges of a new school and I was excited to meet the students.

For the students, the days of sleeping in, getting out of bed whenever they feel like it and switching on the television to watch the most ridiculous shows are soon a distant memory. Being able to eat at any time in the day and know that when they opened the fridge or cupboard door there would always be something there for them to eat are no longer relevant as they face the regular routine of life back at school.

Even if the students do not realise it, they set themselves some goals when they return to school. Whether it is as simple as keeping their books neat, their locker tidy or making sure they are better organised during each day everyone has thought about how they are going to improve in 2008. I would encourage parents to discuss with your daughters what goals they have set for themselves. Make sure they are realistic and work with them to ensure that they can reach their goals.

First Days

Year 7 students on their first day of Senior School

I have always been amazed with the noise generated on the first day when everyone catches up on the latest news. This has been even more surprising to me in the past few years as nearly all students have mobile phones and access to the internet to keep in touch with their friends 24/7 over the summer break. For the new students in the Senior School, the year began early with a Welcome Day on Monday. All Year 7 students and new students from Years 8 to 12 spent the morning familiarising themselves with their House staff, the senior students of their House and the geographical layout of the School. All students returned on Tuesday and this was my first opportunity to talk to the Senior School.

All students were issued with their 2008 Senior School Diary. When I received my copy of the diary I took some time to carefully read the information at the front of the diary. I would suggest that all parents/guardians take the time to do the same. I found it extremely useful to read the section on pages14 to 15 entitled ‘What to do if…’ as I am certain there will be times throughout the year when at least one of these circumstances will arise.

The students of CGGS are well aware of the uniform requirements. However, like all young people, there will always be some who try to push the boundaries. The School Uniform Guidelines are clearly set out on page 19 of the Senior School Diary and pages 51 to 53 of the 2008 Student Handbook. Consequences for students who push the boundaries too far are also clearly stated and, as this will be one of the focus areas for this year, it is important that you are aware of these. A number of staff spoke to me on Tuesday concerned that there were a significant number of students who were not wearing their uniform correctly. This included makeup, nail polish, socks and shoes.

A number of staff have approached me regarding how disruptive Valentine’s Day has been in past years. The students will be told at next week’s assembly that any flowers delivered to the School will be taken to Reception and kept there during the day. After 3.20pm a list of names will be placed outside Reception indicating the names of students who will need to collect flowers. We have contacted a number of local florists indicating our preference for flowers to be delivered to private addresses rather than to the School.

In both the Senior School Diary and the 2008 Student Handbook the Sample Behavioural Infringements item 10 clearly states that the iPods, mobile phones, MP3 players and Discmans are not to be used during lessons, between lessons, tutor group times or activities. It will be made clear to all students that this also includes recess and lunch. All teachers have been asked to confiscate any of the above items if they see students using them any time between 8.50am and 3.20pm. Any confiscated items will be sent to the Student Area in a sealed envelope with the student’s name and Tutor Group. Any confiscated item can be collected from the Student Area after 3.20pm provided the student has a note from her parent requesting the return of the item. Items will not be returned without the note being presented. The same procedure will apply for any jewellery that has been confiscated from the students.

There have been some special privileges given to Year 11 and 12 students. These were communicated to the students on the first day of school.

When you begin in a new environment you are often inundated with the things that have annoyed people. It is surprising to me how many people have commented about the litter that is left lying around the School grounds during the day. I have discussed this with a small number of students and they agree that there is a need to address this issue. Helen Shaw, Y3 teacher from the Junior School, has been in contact regarding the wonderful work that is occurring on reducing waste on the Junior School site. This was first started during 2004 and many of the students in the Senior School have been part of this process. Unfortunately, many of the positive practices learnt in the Junior School are soon forgotten when they come into the Senior School. I will be discussing this issue with the Senior Council to try to make this another focus area. Initiatives need to be student led for them to be successful and the student body will need to get behind the reduction of waste if it is to be successful over the long term.

A letter has been distributed to all students in Years 9 to 11 regarding the opportunity for students to register as possible tour guides for prospective families during the interview process. I would ask that you read the information carefully and, if your daughter is interested, return the form by the due date.

On Wednesday the morning the staff member on duty was extremely concerned that there were a number of very close calls with students nearly being hit by cars when being dropped off at school. I will be contacting the local police to encourage them to set up some radar traps to enforce the 40km/h speed zone, especially in the morning. The safety of every student is such an important issue that I would like to remind everyone of the following:

Students should not be dropped off in School grounds;

• CGGS is surrounded by School Zone speed limits from 8am until 4pm. This means the maximum speed for all vehicles is 40km/h;
• When dropping off students please ensure that it is done quickly and that they leave the car from the curb side, not the road side;
• No vehicle should block the main drive when dropping students;
• The gates on Melbourne Avenue, near the tennis courts, will be open so that the preferred drop off point will be near those gates.

At the end of December, Samara Weaving (11R), auditioned for a leading role in a BBC television production called Out of the Blue. In mid January, Sam was notified that she was the producer’s choice for the role. The production is filmed in Sydney from February this year and there is a minimum commitment of six months and a potential commitment of three years, should the production be successful. This is a wonderful opportunity for Sam and we wish her all the best as she pursues her career. I am sure we will all be looking carefully for Sam when the first episode screens on our televisions.

Click here to return to CGGS Newsletter No. 01 - 8 Feb 2008