CGGS Newsletter No. 19 –  27 June 2008 

MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL

I begin my Newsletter for this week offering my congratulations to those students who participated in the Swim-a-thon for Breast Cancer Awareness and the Walkathon to raise funds for the Westmead Children’s Hospital.

From Friday afternoon and for the next 24 hours, CGGS and CGS students swam laps of our pool to raise funds for the National Breast Cancer Foundation. On Friday we also held a non uniform day and monies collected from the sale of pink ribbons and wrist bands was included in the total funds. Many parents and teachers donated their time to supervise the students as they swam laps in the pool. While the students were very tired by the conclusion of the Swim-a-thon, they also felt an enormous sense of achievement.

On Sunday morning, our students, staff and parents participated in an ORGANised Walk to raise funds for Westmead Children’s Hospital and to promote awareness on the important issue of organ donation. As you may be aware, the daughter of our Head of Robertson House is in need of a liver transplant and this prompted Head of Glebe House, Bill Weigall, and his Tutor Group, to plan the sale of t-shirts and an ORGANised Walk.

I, along with all of the staff, feel enormously proud of the students. The students planned and implemented these community activities. They saw the important need to be proactive in raising money and awareness. The students used their stores of energy and enthusiasm to ensure that these events would be successful. This is community service in action. I am also proud of the staff who supported the students and offered their assistance.

Junior School Musical

On Wednesday evening of this week I attended The Wind in the Willows, the Junior School Drama Club production for 2008. It was terrific to see so many enthusiastic performers on stage and the sense of enjoyment they felt was certainly conveyed to the audience. The Junior School staff members have wonderful parental support in costume design and making. Peta-Jayne Smith created a most suitable set.

I would like to congratulate the Junior School staff members who worked hard to produce the musical and the students who worked hard during their rehearsals and the performance.

Boarders’ Parents’ Dinner

On Thursday evening of this week it was our pleasure to welcome the parents of our boarding students for our annual dinner. It was particularly pleasing to hold the dinner in our refurbished dining room.

During the evening we heard from our Captain of the Boarding House and Vice Captain, as well as the Head of the Boarding House. I spoke to the parents about the CGGS Strategic Plan and the Action we will begin during Term 3 which is the planning and writing of a personal development program which will be run in the Boarding House. We believe that such a personal development program will be quite unique to CGGS and will link with the sequential personal development program which we already run in the Senior School.

Alliance of Girls’ Schools Conference

Last weekend I hosted more than 130 delegates from Girls’ Schools throughout Australia and New Zealand. Our speakers included Sally Helgesen, acclaimed author and leadership development consultant from the USA and Dr Peter Vardy, Vice Principal of Heythrop College, the specialist Philosophy and Theology College of the University of London. It was particularly pleasing to have a range of speakers from Australia and these included Dr Sarah Madison, Susan Ryan AO, Dr Helen Christensen, and a panel of speakers (Anne Henderson, Lyndall McLean, Annie O’Rourke and Anne de Sallis).

The quality of the speakers made for an excellent conference and the delegates were able to return to their schools with new ideas and a considerable amount of information useful for the education of our young women.

Our school received many compliments during the weekend. Our facilities were viewed in a most positive light. Our Director of Pastoral Care, Jeanette Widmer and Assistant Deputy Principal (ELC to Year 2), Damaris Patterson, presented a workshop paper on our personal development program (ELC to Year 12) and received many positive comments about our efforts to develop a whole school approach to pastoral care. It became evident that we were considerably more advanced in this goal than other schools. Along with Louise Mayo from consultancy firm Bull and Bear, I offered a workshop on the Diploma of Leadership which we are currently offering to our CGGS staff members. This was viewed as excellent professional development and a unique program for educational institutions.

Welcome Cocktail Party for Conference Delegates	Jeanette Widmer and Damaris Patterson at their conference workshop presentation.

After a busy first semester I would like to offer my best wishes for students, staff and parents to have a pleasant and restful vacation. Head of Senior School, Bruce Handley, and I are currently reading and signing Semester reports for the Senior School and these will be posted during the vacation.

Susan Just
Principal

MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SENIOR SCHOOL

The Semester Break

After an extremely busy and productive semester the students and staff are certainly ready for a break from the rigours of the normal school day. I know there will be a significant number of families travelling during the holidays and I hope that they have many positive and enjoyable experiences in their travels. To all the CGGS families I hope they have a safe holiday and I always look forward to the return of the students at the beginning of Term 3 to find out some of the stories they will have to tell.

Swim-a-thon for the National Breast Cancer Foundation

The Swim-a-thon was a huge success with all 16 students doing a great job to swim their six 30 minute sessions. The students who swam were - CGGS: Sarah Martine, Charlotte Marshall, Amanda Clifford, Georgia Hardy, Nicole Martine, Liz Gregory, Jess Williams and Elle Pattenden; CGS: Hamish Wise, Tim Bennett, Peter Bennett, Mitchell Nemec, Derek Bayley, Nick Haney, Nick McClelland and Hugo Morris.

There were times in the early hours of the morning when I was not sure whether the students would be able to complete the 24 hours as there were some very tired students. When I returned on Saturday morning the adrenalin had kicked in and the students had a new energy and enthusiasm. The final distance swum by the students was approximately 200 km which is the equivalent of swimming to Cooma and back again.

The whole experience could not have run as successfully as it did without the support of a great deal of people. The staff at the pool bent over backwards to assist in the preparation and there was always someone on duty to ensure things were going smoothly. To the parents who helped throughout the 24 hours, the staff from CGGS and CGS who gave up their time to count the laps and, especially to the 16 students who swam, I would like to say a huge personal thankyou. With the passing away of Jane McGrath over the weekend the reason for holding this event could not have been emphasised more clearly. There is still money to be counted so a final figure has not yet been determined. I am sure that Sarah, Charlotte and Hamish gained a great deal of satisfaction from the weekend and they have proven to be wonderful embassadors for their schools.

Donations can still be made through the following account:
Account Name: National Breast Cancer Foundation
BSB Number: 032 034
ACC Number: 120 680
Reference number: 002791
Bank: Westpac

Alliance Conference

The Alliance of Girls’ Schools conference hosted by CGGS proved to be a very successful weekend. The visitors from schools throughout Australiasia where impressed with the School, the organisation of the conference and with the students that they met throughout the weekend. A great deal of time and effort goes into planning a major conference and there were a number of very tired and relieved people when the conference concluded on Sunday.

Organ Donation Awareness Walk

Due to attending the conference I was unable to attend the ORGANised walk in Commonwealth Park on the Sunday but from all reports it was a very successful event, raising money and awareness for organ donations and the Westmead Chirldren’s Hospital. A number of articles have appeared in the local press and the event has certainly raised awareness of the issue of organ donation at CGGS and in the wider Canberra community. To plan such an event requires a great deal of time and effort and there are many people whose enthusiasm and commitment ensured that everything went smoothly. A special mention needs to be made of Head of Glebe House, Bill Weigall, Captain of Glebe House, Anneliese Leerdam, School Vice Captain, Elodie Cheesman, SRC Chairperson, Julia Zhu and Glebe House students, Jenny Sohn and Victoria Lee for their enormous contribution over many weeks.

Student Honesty

In recent newsletters I have spoken about respect and responsibility. It is always pleasing when something happens that maintains your faith in the youth of today and makes you quickly realise how honest and responsible our students can be. On Tuesday, Sarah Davis (10G), handed some money into Reception. She had been walking to School and saw the money on the ground, obviously dropped by someone that morning. When we checked the amount there was $500 in $50 notes. Sarah should be commended for her unselfish, honest act. On the same day that Sarah handed in the money, two other studnents Katherine Wojcik (9B) and Sophie Crowe (9K) handed in a $50 note that they had found on the ground. It is great to see such unselfish and honest acts being displayed by the students.

CGGS Success at Da Vinci Decathlon Gala Day

On Wednesday 25 June, students from CGGS competed in the Da Vinci Decathlon Gala day held at Canberra Grammar School. Following is a report written by the students:

The competition was an exciting and stimulating experience for all of the students involved. The students enjoyed the day very much and appreciated the opportunity to collaborate and share ideas in a fun environment. We look forward to competing again next year.

Bruce Handley
Head of Senior School

MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF JUNIOR SCHOOL

The Wind in the Willows

Celebrating the centenary of the first publication of Kenneth Grahame’s children’s classic The Wind in the Willows, this week was the culmination of many, many hours of preparation by a team of staff and a large cast of students from Years 5 and 6 working collaboratively on the 2008 Drama Club production.

The dress rehearsal on Tuesday was a fitting way for the production to iron out any glitches and the ELC and Junior Primary audience were enthralled and appreciative. It was a privilege to be in the audience to watch the evening performances which were equally well received. From the busy backstage and technical crews, who overcame technical difficulties to make sure props, lighting and sound were in place; to the flurry of parents and teachers assisting with complicated ‘animal’ make up and an array of amazing costumes; to the musicians and actors who produced their best in two shows, congratulations.

Throughout Semester 1, a team of six teachers: Jenny Johnson, Stacey Hodgson, Sara David, Brett Bacon, Nichola McNally and Helen Shaw worked with a cast of approximately 80 students every week. The commitment increased more recently with added practices on weekends as the performance dates drew closer. Art teacher, Peta-Jayne Smith, worked with staff and students to paint the sets and a team of parents organised and made the stunning costumes.

Each member of the production, adults and children alike, have had a rich learning journey. The production highlights that drill and practice are very important disciplines for the life long learner - habits of mind as they are often described. To learn something new we need to be prepared to struggle for a time - getting it right in parts, making mistakes, yet coming back for another go, and persisting until we have mastered the new skill.

The learning opportunity for our students involved in the production cannot be measured. During the process they have all made gains in confidence, whilst needing to persevere, tolerate, empathise and co-operate. This commitment has involved learning lines and songs, dance moves and stagecraft. Learning to work as part of such a large team towards a common goal is a life skill that is difficult to quantify, but shared success is most satisfying.

Reporting

All parents received their child’s formal end of semester reports this week.

The comments from the teachers provide advice for parents on their child’s progress and constructive feedback on things that need attention for performance to improve. These reports will also give parents a picture of the level of each child’s performance with respect to the standard expected for the Year level.

To maximise the opportunity for every student to achieve his or her potential, it is vital that home and school work together to reinforce the notion that good results are the outcome of continuous hard work and a willingness to accept challenges which extend skills, knowledge and understanding.

Should any parent wish to, you are invited to make a time to discuss your child’s report with any of the teachers.

Out of School Hours Care and Holiday Program

I am pleased to announce that we have appointed Carol Read as the Supervisor of the Junior School Out of School Hours Care and Holiday Program. Carol will commence next week with Awesome Activities. She is looking forward to working at CGGS and getting to know the families in our community.

Rostrum

It is amazing how one inaccurate letter can change the whole meaning of a sentence. Last week I was pleased to report on the success of Phyllida Behm in the ACT Rostrum Public Speaking Quarter Finals held at Fraser Primary School. Phyllida won the competition on that evening and will now continue on to the semi finals in July. We wish her the best of luck in her quest.

Year 5 students have also been competing in a school based Rostrum Competition, the final of which was on 19 June. Over the past few weeks, all students prepared speeches and from these each class selected three students to participate in the final.

The finalists were:

5K - Sarah Newberry, Hannah Blewitt-Gray, Kaitlin Miller
5M - Georgia Connery, Nayani Ravshanker, Rebeccah Richards
5R - Beth Patterson, Cate Marques, Erika Roberts

The standard of the speeches was impressive, making for a very difficult decision by the adjudicators. The winner was Georgia Connery with her speech on Computers, Friend or Foe and the runner up Cate Marques telling about the joys of Eating Out. Georgia and Cate will present their speeches in an assembly in Term 3.

Uniform

Parents are encouraged to check their child’s uniforms very carefully over the holidays. It is a good opportunity to make sure that they are in good repair and if new items need to be purchased, this is a good time to visit the School Shop. Many students have missing blazer buttons, for instance, and these can be bought and sewn ready for Term 3.

Staff will be checking uniforms vigilantly next term as it has been noticeable that some students are not adhering to the guidelines as they should. We ask for everyone’s co-operation in this matter.

Please check the Student Diary which outlines the uniform guidelines.

Traffic Again!

Parents will notice a change to Grey Street after the holidays. The clearway signage will be extended to try and assist the buses as they come into the bus zones, particularly at the end of the day. Make every effort to not stop in these zones, nor in the bus zones.Traffic officers will also be patrolling on a regular basis so I encourage everyone to park only in areas that are permitted and to be patient whilst waiting in Grey Street. Our community is also reminded of the speed restrictions that exist. Your cooperation is appreciated.

End of Term

Team	Day	Opposition	Time	Field
SL1	Sunday	UC Pumas	3pm	Kaleen E2
SL4	Sunday	Woden Valley	1pm	UC 1
SL6	Sunday	Woden Valley	3pm	UC 1

JUNIOR SCHOOL AND ELC NOTES SENT HOMES
Excursion / Activity	Date Handed to Students	Permission Slip Return Date / Date of Activity	Staff Member / Department
Y4 Convict Capers	19 June 2008	Reply Slip – 24 June Activity – 26 June	Y4 Class Teachers
Sports and Music Photos	18 June 2008	Order Forms by Friday 25 July	Lee Wilde, Assistant Deputy Principal Y3-Y6
House Sports	20 June 2008	Friday 27 June	Antonia Matthew, PDHPE Coordinator

SENIOR SCHOOL NOTES SENT HOME
Excursion / Activity	Date Sent To Students/Parents	Date To Be Returned	Staff Member / Facutly
CGGS House Athletics Carnival 2008	23 June 2008	-	Jenny Hall, PDHPE
Year 12 REST Final Event	24 June 2008	-	Patrick Marman, HSSF
Year 7 Science Extension	24 June 2008	-	Jane O’Brien, Marion Gilmour-Temu, Tim Briggs
Year 8 Social	24 June 2008	29-31 July	Bruce Handley, Head of Senior School
Mystery Dinner	24 June 2008	-	Renee Macdonald, Head of Robertson House
Year 7 Robertson Fundraiser	24 June 2008	-	Viv Martin and Lauren Favelle, Robertson Year 7 Tutors