Newsletter Term 4, Week 4 28 Oct 2021

Although it’s has been a wait, it makes me ecstatic to think that more substantial change is on the horizon. The positive is that we are a step ahead, as earlier in June, Strathcona released the current and short-term efforts to improve the footprint of our two campuses (Canterbury and Hawthorn) with the introduction of Internet of Things (IOT). Can we do more? Absolutely. Will we do more? That, I am certain of.

In addition to this broader scale approach in 2021, students in ELC- Year 12 have been involved in a range of discussions which leverage from the term sustainability. Shining light on the future of our world is part of the focus in the Humanities and Science classes at Strathcona and our team of educators are passionate about a growing list of topics; whether that be from renewable energy to conservation of threatened species. This week in the media I am sure many of you have read the focus on the federal government promising to commit to zero net emissions by 2050 (ABC, 2021). Although the statistics around emissions and the consequences are alarming; by engaging in education, it raises important questions; what can humanity do and how can this be achieved? Many of our girls will be in their 40s when their emission targets are met and thus the dialogue in our classrooms recently has been about timescale and ensuring sufficient economic support to make rapid adjustments to historical practices such as coal mining. 

In senior classes we discussed, exactly how this will be addressed, and considered the potential of these technologies which either store or absorb carbon (CO2). I am intrigued to see the outcome for the world, but also closer to home, for example the Torres Strait Islander people who will sue the government over climate change where their low-lying islands will face sea level rises of over one metre by 2100. We have only seen the start of a new wave of the term “climate refugees”. Will we have to wait until the end of the century until this prediction becomes a reality? With the students who take Geography, both inside our gates and in the broader Australian community the hope is lingering to act now and reverse these climate threats. 

In Term 2 this year our students were reminded of the waste we generate as humans (particularly food and paper) and also energy consumption both on a daily and weekly basis. The girls in VCE signed their pledge to the environment after calculating their emissions through the carbon footprint calculator website. I will leave a few reflections from our students below as they are telling as to where our young minds are at, how they make sense of the paradigm and how they will permeate actions in the next decade. 

In 2022 we hope to continue our education in this space with our innovative curriculum but also in our environmental club by having a more structured list of events (from plastic reduction to composting) which will not only be open to our students but also shared to our wider community. Our girls will also have some opportunities to support the ecosystem of South Surrey Park through litter removal and weeding of introduced species. 

I hope that parents and caregivers will continue to watch this evolving space. 

Hollie Fields, Head of Arnold House and Strathcona Sustainability Team Leader

Geography and learning about the environment are important to me because understanding the world we live in is essential in order to come up with solutions for the problems we are currently facing, such as climate change and the effects of pollution. 
- Meg Harrison, Year 10 

I believe that the federal government’s goal is reasonable and it will make an impact on reducing climate change, but there are many gaps that could take the plan in backwards steps. It is not only the government's job to combat the issue but also the job of the Australian people. If we are not doing our best to aid the government in this plan, it is most likely not going to be successful. This is because we are not being conscious of how much carbon we are emitting and the government's plan of removing the same amount or more carbon could likely fail if it is not strong enough to withhold the amount being emitted. Many critics have mentioned the technology that has already failed, but with the world evolving so quickly and technology advancing every day, I believe that we will be able to create new and reliable technology that can fulfill the government's goal.  
- Isabelle Cao, Year 10 

In the future, I want to see more change in our Strathcona community by incorporating more education on climate change and what effects it has on human geography and physical geography. For instance, Strathcona could do a house competition relating to environmental sustainability and eco-friendly practices. The competition could include the house that does the best job at promoting better and further climate action, does an excellent job towards managing waste with recycling and composting while also looking at ways to reduce the need for plastic and encouraging re-useable materials and lastly replicating a perfect garden bed which uses compost from the food waste and also develops the garden in an organic way without using any pesticides or herbicides. 
- Sarah Le Get, Year 9 

References:  

Boroondara Climate Action Plan (2021) https://www.boroondara.vic.gov.au/waste-environment/sustainability/climate-action-plan 

Ecological Footprint Calculator (2021). https://www.wwf.org.au/get-involved/change-the-way-you-live/ecological-footprint-calculator 

Friends of South Surrey Park (2020) https://www.southsurreypark.org/ 

Government Promises to Cut Emissions to reach net zero by 2050. (2021). https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-26/government-commits-to-net-zero-by-2050-climate-deal/100565254 

Lighter Footprints (2021). Take Action: https://lighterfootprints.org/ Hawthorn, Victoria. 

Strathcona (2021). Towards Greener Classrooms https://www.strathcona.vic.edu.au/towards-greener-classrooms/ 

Some of us might be feeling a bit like a Grizzly Bear at the moment! We can now get out and about again and with good weather and food sources like Cafés and Restaurants open again, some Melbournians are straight into it, others are a bit like the bear after hibernation. The good news is that we will come good and back to normal just like the bear!  

As we resume more normalcy, we need to remember that this is an anxious time for many people for so many varied reasons. In the bible, we read the passage in Matthew 6:34 where Jesus says, “Therefore Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.” Back in the days when Jesus was alive, people were anxious about living under Roman rule and life was tough. After telling people to care for others materially, Jesus suggests we pray for the Kingdom of God to come here on earth. This is a kingdom where people care for each other in body mind and spirit.  

At Strathy, we have an opportunity dropbox where you can donate clothes to New Community in Ringwood which cares for people through their Op shop and soup kitchen. We are very happy to regularly make room for any goods you would like to forward to others in our community.  The Charity box is in the Senior School car park onsite and is now open for donations.

Our students are learning about giving to others in our community and in parts of the world also. It can be in the moments of focusing beyond our own pain that we can get away from our “grizzly bear feelings" and embrace the spring air with new energy and joy. 

Rev Janet Costello, Senior School Chaplain

Shalini: Did you know we have a clothing donation bin here at Strathcona??

Poppy: The bin is in the senior school staff carpark on the corner of Claremont Crescent & Bryson St.

Olivia: Please support us by donating good quality used clothing 
 
Kyla: make sure there are no holes, stains, or overworn clothing as it needs to be good enough quality to sell.

Shalini: You can also donate, good quality linen (that’s sheets, towels etc) & shoes.

Poppy: Household items and bric-a-brac (a fancy word for bits & pieces)

Olivia: Toys and books.  (but no electrical!)

Kyla: All profits from this shop go towards supporting services in the community such as,

Shalini: Community Meals:  A program providing quality home-cooked meals, offering support and encouragement to the homeless and marginalized.

Poppy: The Heal clinic: A ‘drop in’ center, offering free services such as remedial massage, exercise, cooking, art and bible classes.  Free haircuts, lunch, and a mentoring program.

Olivia: Let’s not fill landfill, but rather recycle our clothing to support great programs in the community.

Kyla: How about a clean-out this weekend?    

Everyone:  Let’s fill the bin!

This year we also had a number of students from Years 7-10 who participated in the Junior Science Olympiad. This is a new, challenging competition based on general science content up to a Year 10 level. 
We congratulate the following students on their outstanding achievements and encourage any students who want to extend themselves to participate in 2022.

High Distinction

Cynthia Shi

Vinny Liang

 
Distinction

Bethany Koh

Elizabeth Tong

Frances Chan

Jessica Tang

Meg Harrison

General information:

Year 9 and 10 students in 2022
17 and 18 Jan 2022, 08.30pm-04.30pm 
Lunch will be provided on both days

Woodside Building for Technology and Design, Monash University Clayton Campus

Activities include Engineering Workshops, Tour of Robotics in Medicine and Interaction Laboratory, Engineering Specialisation Faire and Guest Speakers. 

To register follow this link.

Items in the Career News include -

• Reminder: VTAC 2022 Upcoming Key Dates

• C.A.S. Hawker Scholarship

• New Camp Assistant Programme in the UK

• Meet Your NYU (New York University) Rep

• Parliament of Victoria 2022 Work Experience

• Useful links to Victorian Universities Support Services

• Linkedin

• Become a Software Engineer without University!

• Optometry Courses on Offer in Victoria in 2021

• Snapshot of Chisholm Institute in 2021

Please click here for this week's Career News. To visit the Careers page or view previous versions of Careers News click here.

On Tuesday, there were cupcakes and chalk drawings along the driveway, and Melbourne's weather turned on two sunny days in succession so the oval was filled with picnic rugs and the sound of laughter. The SOUL Sisters returned with brightly coloured 'pet rocks' that they made for their Year 4 buddies.

In classes, there were plenty of collaborative activities, including Science, where Chemistry pracs were the order of the day.  

On Wednesday afternoon, PE teacher Sam Ellis ran TC Amazing Race, a very hotly contested series of challenges with the 'The Blondes' finishing in first place, the 'Sand Eagles' second and the 'Green Pumpkins' finishing in third place. It was gratifying to see the level of fun and engagement, and even a few comments as students left about it being a "great day"!

The photographs below should give you a terrific snapshot of our time back at Tay Creggan and we look forward to next Wednesday when we are all back on Campus for good! (Fingers crossed!)

We have quite a few activities planned between now and the end of the year, including exams on 22 and 23 November. Please keep an eye on Edsmart for details as they emerge.

Happy punting over the long weekend!

Mrs Karyn Murray, Head of Tay Creggan

Teachers and children have handled the demands of online learning magnificently. The strength from all of us to maintain a positive learning environment is something that I believe will be admired for many years to come. I encourage each family to pause at the end of this week and reflect on the fantastic effort and journey. Motivation is so much harder to maintain in the online environment. While it may seem trivial, a planned celebration can significantly boost spirits and embed the learning gains made by all. 

I plan to celebrate with a simple lunch with my extended family. No need for anything fancy, but a moment in time reserved for reflection, love and gratefulness. 

I hope you all find some space over this long weekend to celebrate with your children and reflect on their remarkable achievements.

Kind regards

Lisa Miller

Considering the current environment and the digital world we now live in, this Special Report is about managing overwhelm in the age of information overload. We are constantly receiving a barrage of messages from various media platforms which can lead to feelings of stress and anxiety. This report offers a number of strategies to help manage these overwhelming feelings

Due to the pandemic, the world we now live in is a very different place. The hyperconnected nature of our current environment means that we are constantly being reminded of the challenges we face via numerous media and social media channels. Our connectivity to the digital world exposes us to a barrage of messages that can leave us feeling overwhelmed. As a result, many children and their parents are reporting higher levels of stress and anxiety

This month's edition is ‘Transitioning Back’. It is a great edition for parents and adult carers with children across all year levels. 

Read the special report here.

Although the reality of COVID is not quite over, there still remains a considerable amount of uncertainty. We have all experienced this event together and we are all at various levels of transition and adjustment. The circumstances of this situation have significantly impacted students, parents and teachers alike.

Wednesday 1 December 6.00pm.

Please join us for this virtual event to celebrate the girls and boys from ELC-Year 6 and their creative endeavours at the Annual Art Exhibition. Both collaborative and individual pieces on display exploring both two and three-dimensional forms and a wide variety of mediums for your viewing.

We warmly invite you to the 2021 Virtual Senior Art and Design Show titled Metamorphosis. The theme of this year’s Senior Art and Design Show ‘Metamorphosis’ represents the newly imagined future and symbolizes renewal and change. The art and design pieces showcase the talented work of Strathcona's Year 7 to Year 12 students. I hope you enjoy the show and are inspired by all of the dedication and aptitude of work produced by the Strathcona students, some at school and some in lockdown.

This event will be held virtually on Monday 22 November 2021, at 6.00pm.