Canberra Girls' Grammar School — 0907 CGGS Newsletter complete

0907 CGGS Newsletter complete

CGGS Newsletter 07 - 20 March 2009

MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Toronto Band Visit

It was a pleasure to host the High Commissioner of Canada, Mr Michael Leir, and the Mary Ward Catholic Secondary School Band students from Toronto early this week. The School is visiting a number of states within Australia. The Concert Band and Stage Band played from their repertoire and joined our Grainger Concert Band for a performance of Legends of Yucatan.

It was a pleasure to host the High Commissioner who welcomed the students and enjoyed the concert with the CGGS and CGS communities.

Rowing and Dragon Boats

I would like to congratulate the Rowing crews and the Dragon Boats paddlers for their fine performances over the weekend. This is the first time that CGGS has won both the Rowing PLC/Kings Regatta and the IGGSA Regatta. The students performed strongly and I would like to congratulate our Head of Rowing, Dafydd Gwynn-Jones, and his coaches. Our Dragon Boats paddlers came third in their competition, beating strong competition. My congratulations to Teachers-in-Charge of Dragon Boats, Jenny Hunter and Lorraine Peck.

The students train very hard indeed to achieve these excellent results and they must also juggle their studies and other commitments. Regardless of their place in the competition, we are very proud of the students who demonstrate self discipline and teamwork.

Last Newsletter before Study Leave

In the tradition of travelers, I have had my hair cut and arranged for someone to check my mail, both email and hard copy. The list of items to place in my suitcase well exceeds the airline limit and I will be required to do some culling when I actually reach the point of packing. Perhaps I do not need to include my flippers for laps in the swimming pool!

I feel very much like the senior students in that I have been attempting to balance my work at school, with school functions and the study of textbooks for my course at Harvard University.

I hope to write some Newsletter reports during my study leave and hopefully, include some photos. Given that I was born in the Stone Ages, I have only recently purchased my first digital camera.

I would like to offer my best wishes to all students as they undertake a number of activities during the remainder of Term 1 and in Term 2. We have a variety of sporting activities and performances in the next few months and I will miss not being present to see the students.

My thanks to Head of the Boarding House, Tina Twigg, and the boarding students who have provided me with a survival pack for my sojourn. I will enjoy the Tim Tams, Bushells tea, vegemite and the candle which has an Australian bush scent.

Reporting on Employability Skills

I am currently a member of the ACT National Curriculum Taskforce. The first round of consultations on the Framing Paper and curriculum papers for Mathematics, English, Science and History has now been completed. The first draft of these revised documents will be available in April and curriculum writing will begin in this year.

One of the tasks of the curriculum documents will be the inclusion of employability skills. The following article offers an overview of assessing such skills in secondary schools. This article is also interesting to CGGS in that we are undertaking a revision of the reporting format in the Senior School. Parents and students will have the opportunity to provide feedback when a reporting model has been developed during the first semester. The committee will be considering the reporting of a range of student learning characteristics and skills.

Assessing and Reporting Employability Skills of Senior Secondary Students
by Gabrielle Matters, Principal Research Fellow at the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER)

It is now widely recognised that the skills and knowledge that students need for life and work beyond school are much more than proficiency in the ‘3Rs’. As Australia’s economy continues to evolve in response to technological developments and the need to compete in a global market, the nation needs a highly skilled and flexible workforce. Apart from the basic skills of reading, writing and numeracy; a broader range of skills and knowledge is now essential for students to make an effective transition from school to work. This includes knowledge of scientific literacy, ICT literacy, civics and citizenship and employability skills (including planning and organising; teamwork; initiative and enterprise; self-management; and learning).

But while employers and educators alike acknowledge the importance of employability skills, their formal recognition has been hindered to date by the lack of appropriate methods for assessing and reporting on skills of this kind.

The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Business Council of Australia completed a report, Employability Skills for the Future, six years ago and drew attention to the need for young people to develop a range of general skills that are important in the workplace. The 2002 report identified an Employability Skills Framework consisting of eight key skills:

Communication that contributes to productive and harmonious relations between employees and customers
Teamwork that contributes to productive working relationships and outcomes
Problem solving that contributes to productive outcomes
Initiative and enterprise that contribute to innovative outcomes
Planning and organising that contribute to long-term and short-term strategic planning
Self-management that contributes to employee satisfaction and growth
Learning that contributes to ongoing improvement and expansion in employee and company operations and outcomes
Technology that contributes to effective execution of tasks.

Each of the key skills was further defined by a number of facets which illustrate specific applications of each skill. Facets are elements of each skill that employers have identified as important, with the specific mix and priority facets being job-dependent. One of the facets of communication, for example, is ‘reading independently’.

ACER undertook a study in 2007 and 2008 of the most effective ways of assessing and reporting on the employability skills of senior secondary students. The main task was to evaluate options for assessing and reporting each of the eight skills against five criteria, and to recommend a preferred approach.

An analysis of existing assessment models in secondary schools, vocational education and higher education institutions identified seven approaches for more detailed evaluation:

Common assessment tasks
Embedded development and assessment
Standardized assessment/testing
Portfolio construction
Self-assessment
Teacher-generated task
Teacher-group assessment.

Each of these approaches was evaluated in terms of its validity, reliability, objectivity, feasibility and usability. None of the methods satisfied all of the criteria.

Three assessment methods - standardised testing, common assessment tasks and teacher-group judgement - rated well on at least several of the evaluative criteria and appear to provide a basis for valid, reliable and fair reporting of achievement.

Common testing emerged as a preferred approach because it met the criteria as least as well as any other and was the most likely to have positive ‘backwash effects’ (the influence, positive or negative, of the chosen assessment method on curriculum and teaching/learning) on teaching and learning. Common testing provided immediate feedback to students and therefore is most likely to lead to gains in students’ understanding and application of employability skills.

ACER proposed three described levels of performance - Advanced, Creditable and Basic - for reporting each employability skill.

The study showed that assessing and reporting on employability skills in a way that conforms to the hallmarks of educational measurement would place complex demands on schools. The development of employability skills is important in assisting students to make the transition to the workplace. No single approach will provide an adequate assessment of all eight employability skills, so different facets of each employability skill may require different approaches.

Susan Just
Principal

MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SENIOR SCHOOL

Colours and Awards Booklet

All students in Years 10, 11 and 12 have been issued with the Colours and Awards Booklet for 2009. This booklet has been put together after a six month consultation period and has a number of changes from the previous booklet. The most significant differences involve the awarding of School Colours and School Half Colours where there is now a single criteria for each of the levels of the award. There has also been a change in the criteria for Half School Colours with the requirement that a degree of excellence and service is required for this award. It is also the intention of the new criteria that the Service Award will be more valued as it is anticipated that, in most cases, any student awarded Half or Full School Colours would have previously received a Service Award. The Colours and Awards Booklet for 2009 can be found by clicking on the following link:

http://www.cggs.act.edu.au/pages/images/A4%20Colours%20and%20Awards%20Booklet%20_2_%202009.pdf

Student Representative Council

Elections were held for the 2009 Student Representative Council (SRC). The results were announced at last week's assembly and the new SRC have had two meetings since the announcement. Due to the Year 8 Camp, this week was the first week that representatives from all Year levels have met. Students will be presented with their badges at Assembly on Tuesday 24 March. Parents of students receiving SRC badges are welcome to attend. Please let my EA, Millie Paton, know if you will be attending Assembly via email: millie.paton@cggs.act.edu.au.

The voting was extremely close across all Year levels and I encourage those students who were not successful to continue to look for the many leadership opportunities that will offered throughout the year. Congratulations to the following students who are the SRC representatives for 2009.

Year 7	Year 8	Year 9
Eden Milne	Emma Dobbie	Alix Biggs
Lauren Barrett	Madeline Pham	Dana Marjan
Iona Claringbold	Stephanie Huynh	Louise Rush
Year 10	Year 11	Year 12
Carly Cassella	Alice Storey	Dilini Punchihewa
Soumya Jyoti	Nipuni Wijewickrema	Sama Khan
Tara Dear	Rachel Christian	Sandra Lynn Lo

Readak

A number of families attended an information evening on Tuesday night. The teacher for Readak, Patricia Preston, was able to outline the program and answer questions that parents asked. Classes began this week and will be completed by the end of the term. Patricia Preston can be contacted on 0415 249 528.

Co-Curricular Clothing - students, parents, coaches and managers

A letter has been sent to all families clearly outlining the reasons why we are asking that all co-curricular activities do not continue the previous tradition of organising the purchase of their own, unique clothing. Please read the letter carefully.

Another matter that has been discussed by the uniform committee was whether there would be a demand from parents, coaches and managers for a CGGS polo shirt that could be bought through the organisers of each of the activities. We are currently looking at designs and costs and are interested in hearing from parents if they would be interested in purchasing the polo shirt. If the reaction is positive we will publish more details in future Newsletters. Please send a short email to me (bruce.handley@cggs.act.edu.au) if you would be interested in finding out more information.

Year 8 Camp

I drove down to Jindabyne last Friday to join the Year 8 camp for their last day on camp. I had never been to the camp site and I was most impressed with the facilities, food and activities. Talking to the students and staff during the morning confirmed that the Year 8 camp had been an extremely rewarding and successful experience for all participants. I drove out with Science teacher, Richard Kent, to pick up a group of campers who had been camping out for two nights. I must admit I had to ask them not to swing their arms about in the air during the bus trip back to the main camp as the smell was overpowering (something for parents to look forward to when they pick up their daughters after the Year 10 camp).

Twilight Open Day

On Friday 20 March the first of our Open Days was held. The response from the students when we asked for volunteers to act as tour guides was extremely positive and they did a great job. It makes it so easy to show the wonderful opportunities offered at CGGS when we have our students act as tour guides. The feedback from prospective families highlights the wonderful ambassadors our students always are and the pride they have in being part of CGGS.

The Next 12 Weeks

For the next 12 weeks I will be acting in the position of Principal whilst Susan Just is on sabbatical. This will be a learning experience that I am looking forward to and I know I can rely on the support of the students, staff and community over this time. With the world of technology, Susan will only be an email or phone call away; although the aim is to restrict any contact to social chat and photographs. I know she will enjoy her studies at Harvard and we all wish her a safe and enjoyable trip.

Parent/Teacher Interviews

Parent/Teacher interviews will be held at the end of this term on Monday 30 March and Wednesday 8 April. This is always an important opportunity for parents to meet with their daughter’s teachers to discuss their progress. Forms will be distributed to the students on Friday 20 March.

Student Achievements

Congratulations to Sarah Dobbie (11W) on being the runner-up for the Simpson Prize ACT. Sarah was presented with her award at a special ceremony held at the Australian War Memorial on Monday 16 March.

Congratulation to Brydie Hughes (7D) on winning the Junior Centre Medal for the Australian Speech and Communication Association (ASCA) Exam. Brydie gained the highest score of all entrants in Canberra. Brydie was presented with her award at a special ceremony in Sydney on Saturday 7 March.

Congratulations to Georgia Hardy (10K) on placing first in her age category at the Schools Triathlon competition. Georgia will join Bonnie Andrews (8D) and Ady Elmitt (12W) at the Nationals to be held later this month in Tasmania.

Bruce Handley
Head of Senior School

MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF JUNIOR SCHOOL

Presentation to the Red Cross

The outstanding efforts from the whole CGGS community were recognised this week when a presentation was made to Ms Belinda Barnsley from the Red Cross. Since our Appeal was launched on the Monday following the devastating Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria, the CGGS students and their families raised in excess of $15,000. At the Junior School Assembly on Monday, a cheque for $15, 526.60 was presented to Ms Barnsley, by Junior School Head Girl, Kaitlin Miller.

The Junior School put together a moving photostory illustrating how we value the action taken in response to the need of our Victorian neighbours.

http://www.cggs.act.edu.au/pages/images/fire appeal_4.wmv

Harmony Day

Harmony Day is celebrated on 21 March each year and coincides with the United Nation’s International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. It celebrates the cohesive and inclusive nature of our nation and promotes the benefits of cultural diversity. The key message of Harmony Day is Everyone Belongs.

www.ecom.immi.gov.au/harmonyday/event

In the Junior School Harmony Day was celebrated today (Friday 20 March). Through the Safe Schools Committee representatives, Emma Findlay and Jennifer Preece, and the SRC, badges were sold and stickers were distributed. Students chose to wear national dress or come dressed in orange, the accepted colour signifying Harmony Day. Special Harmony Day services acknowledged the diversity of cultures and faiths in our community and we thank Rev. Paul Harris for his part in organising these services.

March on with Mathletics

The House Mathletics Competition is drawing to a close as is the month of March. There are still many points to be earned and students in Years 1 to 6 are encouraged to keep logging onto Mathletics.

Vacation Care

We are now taking enrolments for Vacation Care for the next holiday period. Enrolment forms can be downloaded from the website (http://www.cggs.act.edu.au/pages/page564.asp) or collected from Reception in the Junior School and Early Learning Centre. Vacation Care will be available each week day from Tuesday 14 April to Friday 24 April. There are separate programs for students in the Early Learning Centre and those in the Junior School.

Students Achievements

Congratulations to the following students who have been selected to play for the PSSA in the following Championships:

Annalise Murn and Mackenzie Morrison will be playing at the ACT PSSA Girls Cricket Carnival to be held on Wednesday 25 March.

Madeline Barclay and Cohava Rubenstein Sturgess will be playing at the ACT Combined PSSA and SSSA Diving Championships to be held on Thursday 26 March.

Heather Ablett
Head of Junior School

IMPORTANT DATES

21 Mar Gabriel Boarding Scholarships Exam
23 Mar Prep OT Screening
23 Mar Y10-Y12 parents and students information evening - 'Understanding the ACT College System',
CGGS Hall, 6.30pm
25 Mar Senior School non uniform day - Harmony Day
25 Mar Seniors Rowing Dinner, Aquatic Centre, 6pm
26 Mar ThinkUKnow Internet Safety Presentation, Clements Hall, Junior School campus, 7pm
26-27 Mar Summer Shorts, Drama Centre, 7pm
25-27 Mar Y4 Camp to Borambola
27 Mar Y2 Sleepover
29 Mar Rowing Crews at the Head of the River Regatta, SIRC, Sydney
29 Mar 30 Mar Prep OT Screening
29 Mar Senior School Parent/Teacher Interviews, 4pm to 8.30pm
1 Apr Y3 & Y4 French Information Evening, Junior School Library, 7pm
2 Apr Rowing Presentation Evening, Elizabeth McKay Aquatic Centre, 6pm
3 Apr Junior Primary Easter Hat Parade, Junior School Courtyard, 9.10am
3 Apr ELC Hat Parade, ELC Piazza, 2.30pm
3 Apr Rowing Club Dinner and Auction
4-5 Apr Duke of Edinburgh's Award Bronze Training Weekend
5 Apr Palm Sunday Family and Friends' Chapel Service, Chapel of the Annunciation, 9am
5 Apr Autumn Concert, CGGS Hall, 3pm

SCHOOL SHOP

PLEASE SHOP EARLY FOR YOUR TERM 2 WINTER UNIFORM

The School Shop will not be opening over the holiday break due to the public holidays falling at the beginning and end of the holiday break.

The shop will open for extra days as follows:

Saturday 4 April - 9.00am to 12.30pm
Monday 6 and Tuesday 7 April - 8.15am to 2.00pm
Wednesday 8 April -12noon to 5.00pm
Thursday 9 April - 12noon to 4.30pm

Normal hours resume on Tuesday 28 April (first day of Term 2).

Alison Neumaier
CGGS Shop Manager

Term Time Hours

Mondays 8.15am to 2.00pm
Tuesdays 8.15am to 2.00pm
Thursdays 12noon to 5.30pm

T: 02 6202 6486

GENERAL CGGS NEWS

NATIONAL RESEARCH – HOW TO ENGAGE MORE EFFECTIVELY WITH MODERN PARENTS

In recent weeks it has been mentioned in the CGGS Newsletter that CGGS would be participating in national research through The Knowledge Partnership (a specialist strategy, marketing and communications research based consultancy for schools and colleges). The purpose of this research is to help Australian schools understand more about the changing expectations and opinions of parents, so we can evaluate our reputation and position and plan for and implement responses that will be of most benefit to our students, parents and staff.

The online survey is now available and will be sent via email (to parents who have a current email address listed with the School) and is also available at the following link until 10 April:

http://is-nri.com/take/?i=146827&h=wstPUD3ndnXpS_fPOLTEhg

We would like to encourage all parents to participate in this survey. The collated responses will be beneficial to CGGS and help us to provide better communication channels with the CGGS community. Please be assured that it is not possible for CGGS to identify you and your views - your responses will remain anonymous and confidential and go directly to The Knowledge Partnership.

For further information on this survey please contact Joanne Breiner on 02 6202 6403.

NOTICE TO CEASE ENROLMENT - REMINDER

We are currently considering enrolments for the 2009 and 2010 academic year. To assist us with our planning, please be reminded that notice, in writing, of at least one complete School term is required to:

a) cease enrolment;
b) change from boarding to day student status;
c) change from day student to boarding status.

In the case of a) and b) fees for one half term are payable if sufficient notice is not given. For example, if a student is not returning for Term 3 in 2009, written notice must be received by the Principal by the last day of Term 1, 2009. In the absence of such notice, one half of the Term 3 tuition and/or boarding fee is chargeable.

Barbara Connolly
Director of Admissions

AHIGS-IGSSA SPORT

A reminder that dogs are not permitted at any Saturday AHIGS-IGSSA sports venues be they school or public venues. There are no exceptions to this rule.

BILLET FOR READAK TEACHER

We are looking for a family who can billet the Readak teacher, Patricia Preson, for a period of two and half weeks. If your family are able to help please contact the EA to the Head of Senior School, Millie Paton, 6202 6405,
e: millie.paton@cggs.act.edu.au.

LOST BLAZER - SENIOR SCHOOL

A School blazer was lost between D Block and Empire Cct on 10 March. If anyone was found a blazer please contact Libby Jevtovic on 0400 225 507.

PERTUSSIS (WHOOPING COUGH)

Staff and parents are requested to be alert for signs of whooping cough (pertussis). An outbreak of pertussis has occurred in NSW, including the south coast and ACT residents may have been exposed to infection. Pertussis is highly contagious in schools and it is important that people do not attend school while infectious.

Pertussis is a respiratory illness that causes persistent bouts of coughing. Although it is usually not medically serious in school age children or adults, symptoms can last for several weeks. Infants less than 12 months of age are particularly susceptible to pertussis and can become very unwell if exposed to this infection. People with pertussis are infectious to others for three weeks after they develop a cough, or until they receive one week of appropriate antibiotics.

The most effective means of preventing pertussis infection is vaccination. School children who are not fully immunised (had had four doses of Diphtheria Tetanus Pertussis vaccine) should complete the course. Immunity to pertussis wanes 7 to 10 years after vaccination or disease. A single booster dose is available for adults and is recommended for adult household members, grandparents and adults working with young children.

Staff or students who develop signs of pertussis should be promptly seen by their general practitioner for assessment. If a person is confirmed as having pertussis then they should not attend school until they are non-infectious, that is three weeks after the cough starts or after one week of antibiotic treatment.

NEWS FROM ETHIOPIA

The first team of trainees

Dr Catherine Hamlin, the Australian co-founder of the Fistula Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, visited Canberra in 2008 and CGGS was pleased to provide the CGGS Hall as the venue for a public meeting at which Dr Hamlin spoke of the work being done by the surgical and nursing team at the Hospital. The lives of many girls in Ethiopia are devastated by obstetric fistulae caused by obstructed labour in a culture where they are married very young and give birth without medical assistance. The result is usually a stillborn child and the mother is discarded by her husband and becomes an outcast from her village because of the offensive smell caused by the constantly leaking urine and sometimes, faeces.

In 1997 and in 2008 the Senior Council organised activities within the School to raise funds for the Hospital, where a surgical team has developed techniques to repair obstetric fistulae. Women travel great distances, often on foot to receive treatment at the Hospital.

Mrs Rae Newman from Canberra, who organised Dr Hamlin’s visit to CGGS last year, is spending a year in Addis Ababa assisting with the establishment of a café at Desta Mender called Juniper Café, which will provide training and work for women who have benefited from surgery at the Hospital but are unable to return to their villages. She has been training the first team of eight women who will prepare the food and staff the café. The café was officially opened by Dr Catherine Hamlin on 7 March 2009 and the following are extracts from some of Rae Newman’s letters about this project:

"Desta Mender is such a beautiful place – a perfect setting for a quiet meal in the café by the lake or a celebration. Our beautiful fistula women come up sparkling in the white aprons, beautiful smiles and gentle manners. My challenge is that only one woman can read and write in Amharic. Recipes with pictures are a great help. The women are quick to learn and we get through by keeping a sense of humour when we don’t understand each other."


The trainess with their trainer, Rae Newman	Trial run at the Juniper Café

"We have had six practice cafes from our kitchen here at Bingham Academy with staff as our 'customers'. We are serving Aussie pies, salads, cake and coffee. We have all been very encouraged by the response… ... we prepared lunch for 20 plus people when the Danish Prime Minister’s wife visited the Fistula Hospital with her entourage. …and the same menus for the SIM Language School graduation. They have specifically asked for pies!"

"I think we will manage but our women will need much practice before they can stand alone. The building is close to completion but, of necessity, we have moved in so we can use the appliances with some confidence… We have bought pretty uniforms which have brought smiles of delight. We will use coloured tokens as the women don’t understand money transactions."


The official opening with Dr Catherine Hamlin (centre)	First customers enjoying their meals

"Today, Thursday 12 March, the café served morning tea to delegates to an international conference on African health issues held at Desta Mender. There were many compliments paid about the service, the food and the peaceful venue. Tomorrow we plan to serve morning and afternoon tea to this group of 35 doctors, nurses and health officials. The women are working very well in the café and gaining in confidence and skill."

Margaret Schroeder
CGGS Archivist

Sports Draws for the week: 19 March - 25 March 2009

BASKETBALL - http://www.act.basketball.net.au/fs home.asp
Team	Day	Opposition	Time	Court
CGGS Mystics	Friday	Radford	9pm	Belconnen Ct 4
CGGS Shock	Sunday	Vikings	5pm	Tuggeranong Ct 2
CGGS Fever	Sunday	CGGS Sparks	11am	Tuggeranong Ct 2
CGGS Sun	Sunday	CGGS Dream	11am	Tuggeranong Ct 1
CGGS Storm	Sunday	WCWD	3pm	Tuggeranong Ct 2
CGGS Lynx	Sunday	CGGS Comets	9am	Tuggeranong Ct 5
CGGS Blue	Sunday	Daramalan College	3.30pm	Belconnen Ct 4
CGGS Monarch		BYE
CGGS Red		BYE
CGGS Green	Saturday	WCWD	4pm	Tuggeranong Ct 5

ROWING - Canberra - http://rowingact.org.au
Racing Crews	Day	Time	Location
Year 10	Saturday	Training row 8.50am, Race 10.14am	Yarramundi Reach
Senior Quads 1st Quad	Saturday	Push Off 10.20am, Race 10.56am	Yarramundi Reach
Senior Quads 2nd Quad	Saturday	Push Off 10.30am, Race 10.56am	Yarramundi Reach
All Crews	Saturday	Training as notified	Boat Shed

Combined CGS/CGGS DRAGON BOATS - http://www.cdba.com.au
Crews	Day	Time	Location
All Crews	Saturday	7.00am - 8.45am	Canberra Yacht Club

ThinkUKnow is a new internet safety initiative to be piloted in the ACT, NSW and Victoria. It is a partnership between the Australian Federal Police (AFP), the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and Microsoft Australia.

Our school will be hosting a ThinkUKnow presentation on Thursday 26 March at 7pm and all parents, carers and teachers are encouraged to attend. This presentation will cover topics such as online grooming, cyber-bullying, inappropriate content and e-security.

This is a fantastic opportunity for you to learn more about how young people have fun online, how you can help them to stay in control on the net, and how to report a problem.

For more information, you can visit the ThinkUKnow Australia website at www.thinkuknow.org.au or contact CGGS on 6202 6411.

We look forward to seeing you all at the presentation.

JUNIOR SCHOOL AND ELC NOTES SENT HOME
Excursion / Activity	Date Handed to Students	Permission Slip Return Date / Date of Activity	Staff Member / Department
Soccer Teams	12 March 2009	Various	Antonia Matthew/ PDHPE Coordinator
Open Day – Music Performances	13 March 2009	20 March 2009	Heather Ablett/ Head of Junior School
Prep J Guided Reading Program	13 March 2009	Commence Next Week	Jeanette Johnson/ Prep J Class Teacher
Prep M Guided Reading Program	13 March 2009	Commence Next Week	Jane Mullings/ Prep M Class Teacher
Prep H Guided Reading Program	13 March 2009	Commence Next Week	Adam Hall/ Prep H Class Teacher
Harmony Day	13 March 2009	20 March 2009	Heather Ablett/ Head of Junior School and Rev Paul Harris/ Chaplain
Parent/Teacher Interviews	20 March 2009	6 – 9 April 2009	Heather Ablett/ Head of Junior School
Prep Easter Egg Hunt and Picnic	17 March 2009	Friday 3 April 2009	Prep Parent Representatives
Prep J Coffee Morning	17 March 2009	Friday 27 March 2009	Prep J Parent Representatives
ThinkUKnow Internet Safety Presentation	17 March 2009	Thursday 26 March	Heather Ablett/ Head of Junior School and Paula Morelli/ School Counsellor
ELC and Junior Primary Hat Parade	18 March 2009	Friday 3 April 2009	Damaris Patterson/ Director of Junior School ELC-Y 2

FRIENDS OF MUSIC

For Instruments for Sale go to:
http://www.cggs.act.edu.au/pages/page247.asp

NEW LISTINGS ADDED THIS WEEK

CGGS ROWING CLUB

The latest Rowing News can be viewed here: http://www.cggs.act.edu.au/pages/page246.asp

Supporters for the Head of the River

This year, the School is considering organising a supporters bus to Sydney to watch the CGGS rowers compete at their biggest regetta - The Head Of The River (HOTR). It's a really fun time and all the rowers would LOVE your support!

Many of the Sydney schools organise large groups of their students to come out to support their school and experience a wonderful regatta. The regatta is held at the Sydney International Regatta Centre in Penrith. The supporters bus would be a day trip only and would need to leave early. The students would be required to wear summer school uniform (all the Sydney schools do as well). The bus would return to school by approximately 8pm. There will be a small cost involved to cover the cost of the bus. If there are enough students interested, a coach will be arranged.

If you are interested in coming along and making some noise, please contact either Kaitlynn, Jess or Head of Rowing, Mr Dafydd Gwynn-Jones.

Kaitlynn Jones - Captain of Boats
Jess King - Vice Captain of Boats

COMMUNITY ANNOUCEMENTS

The inclusion of announcements in this publication is in no way to be interpreted as an endorsement of support by the School. Readers are responsible for forming their own opinion as to the value or reliability of the information contained in such announcements.

Click here to download the flyer below

For Peaceful Parenting and Resilient Children

PARENT EFFECTIVENESS TRAINING (P.E.T)
Supported by ParentLine ACT

P.E.T.:

* helps you yell less - stop those arguments before they start!
* enhances your relationship with your children, to last a lifetime
* helps you raise confident, considerate children in an atmosphere of mutual respect
* is suitable for parents of children from birth to adulthood
* offers you the “how to” of helping your child become emotionally intelligent.
* offers you an alternative to using rewards and punishment - to help your child develop inner discipline.
* is evidence based and extensively researched

The course consists of three-hour sessions, once per week, for eight weeks. Booking is essential. POA.

Date: Course begins Mondays, 4th May, 2009
Time: 7 pm to 10.15 pm
Place: Woden, ACT.

For more information, phone accredited P.E.T. instructor and group leader: Larissa on 041 345 1607

Canberra Girls Grammar School — 0907 CGGS Newsletter complete

0907 CGGS Newsletter complete