Newsletter Term 1, Week 1 3 Feb 2022

As it turned out, our Staff Days were just so positive and settled and the mood was optimistic, even joyous. The students too almost skipped into the School and seem to have quickly readapted to what is a more normal functioning of school life despite the presence of RATs, masks and air purifiers in their lives. Despite this, I am very conscious that we have experienced three crazy summers, if you remember back to pre-March 2020 when we had bushfires and issues with air quality for some school activities and, of course, this was followed by two years of an ongoing pandemic and so many pivots that I for one, still feel somewhat dizzy and dazed.

We are still living in ‘unprecedented’ times, and I spoke to my leaders about the fact that it is incumbent of us to employ the full suite of leadership attributes we can, to support the community in the next phase of the pandemic. It was worth noting that for many of us in the room that day, it is the third year of leading through crisis. I urged them to take care of themselves and each other. We need to balance empathy, understanding and compassion with a strong resolve to keep responding to varying situations - both normal for schools and not - while showing strength and commitment to the provision of the best education we can. We also need to balance the forward momentum of the School and the constant improvement agenda that any high performing organization has, while at the same time recognizing that some in our community are ‘running on empty’ and feeling an exhaustion that the holiday did not fix. As Virginia Trioli likened it in ‘Weekend Reads’, to her phone, she says, which just cannot maintain its charge anymore and powers down by 11am despite the overnight recharge.  Some will not have the mental bandwidth to deal with much beyond just what they have to do. And then there are others who are impatient to move beyond mere survival and are excited, buoyed and curious to explore new ideas, dream, experiment, innovate and create. We shall take care with all in our community – students, staff and parents as we are all probably somewhere on a continuum of what I have described.

In addressing the whole staff last week, I tried to avoid using the language of the pandemic (notwithstanding that I used “unprecedented” in the previous paragraph) and started with the words of TS Eliot “Last year’s words belong to last year’s language and next year’s words await another voice”. So, we started the year focused on using other words to create the narrative of 2022. I suggested that words such as curiosity, fun, liveliness, adventure, connection are foregrounded. Rev Janet Costello in her Reflection started with a quote from Mary Oliver’s famous poem “The Summer’s Day: which ends with the words “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your wild and precious life?”.  She quoted Micah  “We are all called to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God” and she shared that for her justice, mercy and humility is what she plans to keep doing with her wild and precious life this year. She continued by referencing American writer Annie Lamott, in her book Hallelujah Anyway! Rediscovering Mercy reminded her of the Micah challenge and that what else can be said during a pandemic, but Hallelujah Anyway? As educators, professional staff and parents, we are and will be challenged again and again this year - we know this - and we need to continue to support each other, holding front of mind the huge impact we have on the lives of our young ones and how they process and present and think about the future. Janet concluded by quoting Teresa of Avila who said: “You are where you are meant to be”. She challenged us to try to hold onto that this year, hoping and praying that the coming days are not too wild and that we can act justly, with mercy and walk humbly remembering there is nothing more important than influencing this next generation and helping them process this pandemic and grow in body, mind and spirit. 
Best wishes for a good term. Let’s make the most of our “wild and precious lives”.

Warm regards

Marise McConaghy, Principal

The Year 12s participated in a series of fun team-building challenges aimed at increasing connectedness and developing a culture of inclusion and acceptance. They explored how they can influence others, that influence looks different for each person and how they can lead by example in the little things that they do around the school. The students identified values that are important to them, how they can live out and practice their values and reflected on embracing their story to help to grow their authenticity. They focused on understanding the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and how it is important to have a balance of the two. As a group, the Year 12s explored how they can leave a legacy together. They reflected on the journey ahead and acknowledged the importance of enjoying the final year of school with the people around them.

The early high school years are formative for friendships and are when students begin to explore their identity. This is an enormous period of change and it is important that young people build a sense of connectedness with their peers and school community. At Year 8 on Tuesday 1 February, the theme was ‘It’s In Our DNA’ and focused on friendships, connection and the importance of finding and following what you are passionate about with those around you. The sessions looked at the joys that quality and meaningful friendship bring to our lives at every age and provided the students with ideas of how to navigate friendships at school, particularly when they become tricky. The students were able to explore what their passions are and how these can assist them to find purpose, enjoyment, belonging and identity in their lives as a part of the Strathcona community.

The transition to high school is a time of great change and can often be exciting, challenging and unsettling all at the same time. It is so important that students are able to build a sense of connectedness and belonging with their peers, teachers and the wider school community. The ‘Recipe for Success’ program at Year 7 held on Thursday 3 February provided students with a toolkit to help them develop important skills that will assist them in this time of transition. Like the other two days, the key theme was connection and the session began with a series of team-building challenges and activities to encourage the students to build new and positive friendships and empower them to understand that they have the power to create a positive culture within their year group. Other session content included: communicating effectively and responsibly – online and offline, peer influence and positive decision-making, celebrating diversity and encouraging appreciation of differences.

The key themes from each of the three days will be further explored within the Feliciter program with the help of your child’s teachers, year-level coordinators and Heads of House, throughout the year to support the social and emotional learning of all of our young people. Burn Bright will return on Friday 18 February to work with the Student Executive. 

Please see below some student reflections from the day.

On the first day of school, the Year 12s were privileged enough to ease into their final year with a day filled with teamwork, collaboration, gratitude, and discovery. Through Burn Bright’s full-day workshop, we were able to participate in multiple activities, games and surveys that helped us to uncover more about ourselves and our peers. The process, while confronting at times, set us up with a foundation of unity, resilience, and a new perspective across the year level. I personally felt uplifted and supported throughout the workshop and was able to reconnect with my peers before beginning the year ahead. 
- Belle S, Year 12

I really enjoyed being able to reconnect with my friends and all of the Year 12s after the holidays, especially during the line game. Through a series of statements, I was able to empathise with my classmates and realise I am not alone in my struggles and that they are always there for me to reach out to.
- Jacquie E, Year 12

On Tuesday we had Mel, Bella, Harry and Belle visit us here at Strathy. They travelled from Sydney to run a fun day full of activities. We played lots of games to get to know each other and reconnect. They spoke a lot about the importance of teamwork and bouncing back. We learned how important it is to communicate with each other, work as a team and that we can achieve bigger things when we work together and support each other. Throughout the day they had lots of fun clips and played music that made the sessions fun and motivating.
- Ruby, Edilyn, Candy, Year 8

Burn Bright was a great opportunity for us not only to learn many new things that will help us through our high school journey, but it was also a great way to get to know our new classes and have fun. The main focus for the Year 8s was “It’s in our DNA,”. It taught us about leadership, the importance of standing up for yourself, having courage, being resilient and so much more. It was definitely a very enjoyable day for the whole year level and a great way to start off the year.
- Siena H, Year 8

Our Year 8 Burn Bright incursion was an amazing way to start the school year, and our main focus of the day was ‘It’s in our DNA’. It covered topics such as appreciating and accepting your own strengths and others’ differences, and it helped us to develop a sense of belonging and identity. Throughout the day we played lots of games and did many activities in large and small groups. It was a great way to connect with our peers and get to know people in our class and year level that we did not know that well. I am excited about the year ahead.
- Jasmine M, Year 8

On Thursday, the Year 7s had their Burn Bright Leadership Day. Across the course of the day, we learned about building a 'Recipe of Success' with our friendly and helpful instructors Harry and Bella. We learned about making new friends, exploring our passions, being courageous and much more. Overall, it was a day that brought smiles to many Year 7 faces and helped us all learn about ourselves and others.
- Chloe O, Year 7

On the fourth day of High School, all the Year 7s enjoyed collaborating in an interactive workshop called ‘Burn Bright’. During the day, we learned about building a recipe for success. Appreciating people’s differences, having courage and constructing friendships were some of the topics that were covered. We participated in fun activities, further investigating the main themes. Our instructors Harry and Bella were awesome, and everyone had a wonderful time.
- Zoe W, Year 7

All students have had the opportunity to explore both the cellar and the attic in this mysterious and quirky building. We have taken a look back into the history of Tay Creggan and started Envision journals.  This term in Envision, our focus is on Melbourne and our small part in it. We are also going to explore our own identity and the ways we can contribute to a team.

Our new Creatives subjects have also begun. This year we have increased the offerings in Art, Drama, Music, Food Tech and Media by two periods, and we hope that this will engender further creativity and independence.
 
A reminder that our newly updated Maple platform has plenty of information for both students and parents, including homework, assessments, training schedules and much more. I would encourage you to ensure that you can access all of this information as it is most helpful.

WELCOME COFFEE MORNING

All parents (who are double vaccinated) are invited to Tay Creggan on Friday 4 February from 8.15am – 9.30am. This is an opportunity for you to explore the campus a little for yourself and see where your child will spend their year, as well as an opportunity to meet staff and have a coffee with other Year 9 parents. The usual Covid procedures (QR check-in, masks, etc) will apply.

Karyn Murray, Head of Tay Creggan

As with all relationships, children will experience a variety of emotions and may at times seek guidance to navigate friendships, school expectations or express feelings about their own wellbeing. It is of course important to listen and provide support, but equally important to take your own time to reflect on information shared.

Our Junior School Psychologist Sharon Turner will be speaking at our first Parent Seminar for the year on Building Your Child’s Capacity to Cope both Now and In The Future. In the seminar, she will be exploring some of the ways in which you can support your daughter to cope when they come home after school having experienced some of the ups and downs of being in the playground and beyond. To register for this seminar click here.

I look forward to reconnecting with you all over the coming weeks.

Kind Regards
 
Lisa Miller, Head of Junior School

This year we hope to run a number of exciting events and special projects, reaching the breadth and depth of our wonderful community. These events and programs present a select number of opportunities for sponsorship.

Opportunities may include:

• Donation of goods to assist with fundraising for our charity partners (auctions, raffles, gifts)
• Financial donations to support our student scholarships and awards
• Corporate sponsorship of events, covering costs of exceptional speakers, etc 

Sponsorships produce many benefits for sponsors and can catalyse countless opportunities for students. If you are interested in learning more about sponsorships and contributing to Strathcona life in this way, please contact our Development Manager, Eliza Goding egoding@strathcona.vic.edu.au Ph 8779 7500 

Items in this Career News include:

• Applying for a Tax File Number (TFN)
• QS World University Rankings 2022
• iCanMed Free Online Student Guide
• Swinburne University: Bachelor of Arts Reimagined
• News from La Trobe University
o New Pathways to the Bachelor of Education Programs
o Restructured Business Degree
o Change to Maths Entry Requirements to Engineering Degrees
• Occupational Therapy Courses in Victoria in 2022
• Snapshot of The Hotel School – Melbourne in 2022

Strathcona Chinese New Year Lunch Celebration
Friday 11 February – 12noon – 3pm

We invite you to join us for lunch at Supreme J Kitchen in Balwyn to celebrate Chinese New Year, the Year of the Tiger.
$55 per person.

Please RSVP by Monday 7 February via Trybooking. To book please click here.

Strathcona Family Association Parent Welcome Drinks
Tuesday 15 February – 7pm – 9pm – The Deck, Senior Campus

The Strathcona Family Association (SFA) warmly invites parents to join them for drinks to celebrate the commencement of the new school year. Drinks and nibbles will be served. Please RSVP for catering purposes by clicking here.
Year 7 & 8 parents, please join us following the conclusion of your information session that evening.

Join us for our first Parent Seminar Series Event for the year, ‘Building your child’s capacity to cope and be happy, now and in the future’. Junior School Psychologist Sharon Turner will discuss the beginning of the school year and how it is a time to reflect and put strategies in place that will support the young people in your life to build their capacity to cope and be ready for challenges and changes that the coming year may present. Sharon is an Educational and Developmental Psychologist with over 24 years of experience working with children, adolescents, and parents. Sharon has recently published a children’s picture book ‘Rosie Finds Her Power’ designed to explore how young people can find their inner strength to cope and change with uncertainty. The past two years have been a rollercoaster of emotions and experiences for children, young people, and adults alike, join us for this seminar as it will explore practical ideas and concepts that may assist you to support the development of your child’s capacity to cope and be happy both now and in the future.

This is a free online event. To register click here

Class Reps Welcome & Information Evening
Tuesday 22 February – 7pm – The Deck, Senior Campus

Please consider being a Class Rep in 2022 as it is a great way to meet other parents and feel part of life at Strathcona. Thank you to those parents who have already offered.
The SFA Committee will host an evening for the 2022 Class Reps to welcome them and chat about suggestions for events during the year. Experienced Class Reps will share their knowledge with the group.

If you would like to volunteer, please email Jo Wilson – jwilson@strathcona.vic.edu.au or call me to discuss further on 8779 7503.

Year 7 Family Picnic/Sausage Sizzle – hosted  by the SFA
Friday 25 February from 6.30pm – 8.30pm – The Deck/Oval, Senior Campus

To kick off the year before your daughters go off to camp, the Community Relations Office, in conjunction with the Strathcona Family Association, would like to invite Year 7 families to a casual picnic on the Senior School Oval. This will be a great opportunity to meet other families in your year level and your daughter's House.

BYO picnic basket and all members of your family are welcome. A sausage sizzle will also be available.

For catering purposes, please register your attendance and how many members of your family will be joining you by clicking here.

The SFA is a group of like-minded parents and friends who willingly give their time to actively engage with the School community and provide support for initiatives that benefit all students.

The SFA Committee meets once a month usually on the first Wednesday. We invite you to come along to their meeting on Wednesday 2 March 2022 at 7.00pm on The Deck. You are under no obligation to join the Committee.

Parents’ Night Out – Dancing Under the Stars 2
Saturday 26 March 2022

The Strathcona Family Association are delighted to invite parents to join them for a fun evening at Dancing Under the Stars 2. Last year's event was a huge success with parents enjoying an evening on the Deck socialising and dancing the night away.

Enjoy a complimentary drink on arrival and then drinks can be purchased at the bar. Bountiful finger food and a DJ to entertain you who will be happy to play your requests!

Blow the Covid cobwebs away and have a fabulous evening with other Strathcona parents!

Smart casual attire and only $45per person.

* Please note that parents must be double vaccinated to attend