Dear Parents and Friends of SGS,
We are midway through our final term and looking forward to the end-of-year
events and activities. We will have our traditional activities, Carols and
Foundation Sausage Sizzle, K - 2 Presentation and Speech Day. This year we
will be adding a Preschool Presentation and the Home Grown and Handmade
Markets. This will make for a very special end to 2015 and offer greater
opportunities to use the marquee on site.
Facing the Past, Shaping a Healthy Future. On the weekend the Synod of the
Anglican Diocese of Newcastle was held. A strong message from Synod is a
recognition that in the past children and young people have suffered sexual
abuse in the Church and the Church has not responded to these situations to
support and care for victims. The Bishop, Bishop Greg Thompson, has made an apology to anyone who has
experienced any circumstances of abuse in the Diocese. He has also encouraged any victims to come
forward, saying that their allegations will be heard and appropriately dealt with. The Bishop’s charge at
Synod was a strong message of how our Church needs to respond to the past and look forward to a healthy
future. Further information can be found on the Newcastle Anglican Church website.
Learning Language
In the final weeks of school, I encourage everyone to remember that learning continues even though exams
have been completed and formal assessments will conclude. Learning is about challenging our learning
muscle (our brain) not just about getting a good mark. We can continue to learn by taking every opportunity
and giving our best effort. Our Learning Language that comes out of Building Learning Power helps us focus
our learning in order to achieve our best and have a language around what good learning looks, feels and
sounds like.
Please continue to pray for those in our community who are experiencing life challenges and also for our
Year 12 students as they come to the end of the HSC examinations.
Paul Smart
Principal
Primary News from Mr Saunders There is a real sense of excitement in the air as we edge closer to our Swim and Survive
Programme. It will see all Primary students take part in a 10 day programme aimed at developing
confidence in the water, especially in survival type situations. Students are grouped appropriately
based on ability and it is always wonderful to observe the improvements that take place over the 10
days. It takes a lot of organisation to ensure the smooth running of a programme like Swim and
Survive and I would like to thank Mr Holden and Miss Ireland for the time they have put into this. It
is also a good reminder for parents to assist their children by ensuring they have the right gear
packed each day and more importantly, that it is clearly labelled.
Our 2016 School Musical, ‘All Shook Up’, is beginning to take shape and it is great to see many of
our students becoming actively involved. I have seen plenty of students getting their ‘Elvis On!!’.
School musicals offer a wonderful experience for students. For those with the creative flair it is a
real chance to showcase their talents. For others it is whole new experience and the chance to
interact with other students, learn new skills and really feel a part of something amazing. To those
involved, keep up the good work. I know it will be completely worth it!
Our students continue to involve themselves in all things extra-curricular. We had a number of
students take part in the Beef Bonanza with some great results achieved.
I was fortunate to travel to Abbotsleigh with our Primary Debating Team on Monday as they
competed in the IPSHA Debating Gala Day. Both teams performed admirably and they can feel very
proud of their achievements. Thank you to Mrs Kelly who did a wonderful job preparing the teams.
A reminder that Charlotte Chopin (5 Blue) is still raising money to help Cure Brain Cancer. She will
be cutting off her lovely, long hair which will go towards the making of wigs for a cancer patient
undergoing treatment. Charlotte is currently up $1155 in her quest to reach $2000. There are other
ways to donate apart from the website. If this is something you would feel more comfortable with,
please let me know and I will pass on further details.
I have again copied the link to Charlotte’s fundraising page below if you would like to assist.
http://www.curebraincancer.org.au/my-fundraising/9833/charlottes-short-cut-for-cure
The following students are celebrating birthdays this week: Jack Coady (Year 6) and Lanni Ryan
(Year 3). I hope each student will enjoy their day as they share this special occasion with family
and friends.
From the Chaplain Over these last few years I have come to appreciate that our school community is a close one, where the value of
looking out for one another is upheld as an important value for us to hold. It is necessary for communities to name
and to appreciate the values it holds as ‘significant’. One way in which we can ‘look out for one another’, to have each
other’s backs, is to pray for each other. We can do this in a number of ways. One such way is coming together to pray.
When we pray we are acknowledging the presence of God and inviting His presence into our lives. We are seeking the
presence of God and plugging into the power of God, which gives us the means to overcome any problem and further
God’s will in our lives. Praying not only affects us, it also reaches out and touches those for whom we pray . When we
pray for those in our care, we are asking God to make His presence a part of their lives and work powerfully on their
behalf. All that we would like to see unfold in the lives of our young people, in our lives and here in this great school
cannot happen without the presence and power of God. Our prayer ‘invites’ and ‘ignites’ both. We pray ‘to’ the one
who lived, died on our behalf and was bought back to life so that we can have a relationship with God; Jesus. If we
are praying and trusting in Jesus’ name, in accordance with God’s will, something is happening, whether we can see it
or not. Plug in!
Weekly Chapel Bible passages and relevant links can be found at twitter.com/sgschapel
In Prayer this week:
Reflect on: Ephesians 6:18
Give thanks for: God’s faithfulness through Jesus; Our school leaders; The many opportunities to be involved in diverse
school activities; Parents, teachers and supporters who truly care for us.
Pray for: the School Building Project; Year 12 as they sit their HSC exams; Preparations for upcoming school camps;
For families and students who are ill or struggling at the moment; For children and teachers at The Yellow Cottage Pre
School; For your son’s or daughter’s teacher/s! (specific prayer requests can be sent to [email protected] to be
prayed for by our weekly prayer group- not published in newsletter)
Rev’d Nate
The Yellow Cottage Tales
The Yellow Cottage is turning PINK to support Hugh Bateman as he travels around in his pink tractor raising
money for the McGrath Foundation. The children have been making pink decorations to make our Yellow
Cottage look very pink as Hugh drives past on his tractor this Friday. Please help us support this cause
that is very close to a lot of our hearts by donating in
the pink buckets on the sign on desks.
This week we have been welcoming the children who
are going to start at The Yellow Cottage in 2016. It has
been lovely to have them come for a play. It is always a pleasure to meet new families as they prepare to join
our Yellow Cottage family. Please don’t forget to pick up the artwork you
purchased from the Art Show. Also it is not too late to purchase your child’s artwork if you have not already
done so. Please see Tobie or Kirsty.
All the children have been enjoying learning the songs we are performing at Carol Night and at our End of Year Celebration; please make sure you have
noted those dates. We would love to have all our families attend these
special nights.
Below are some important dates for your diaries, this term will go very fast and we are very busy.
Please note them down.
Week 5 (2-6 November): Tuesday and Thursday Orientation Mornings for new families.
Week 8 (23-27 November): Tuesday at 5.30pm in the big marquee at SGS will be our end of year celebration at The Yellow Cottage.
Week 9 (30 Nov- 4 Dec): Monday is Carol Night at SGS and all The Yellow Cottage children will be performing two songs.
“The soul is healed by being with children.” Fyodor Dostoyevsk
Curriculum Corner TAS Project in Stage Three The Science subject studied in Stage Three last term was Earth: It's a Place in Space.
The students were provided with a design brief: to build a solar oven, out of a list of certain materials, that would melt
chocolate over a thirty minute time period.
The students, in teams, took a few lessons to build their solar ovens, showing great co-operation and skill using black
cardboard, foil, a cardboard box and plastic wrap. They needed to draw a design before commencing work.
One Monday afternoon, after lunch, (so it would be nice and warm!) the students placed chocolate pieces on top of a
milk arrowroot biscuit. There were two levels of shelves in the oven. They recorded the starting temperature of the
oven and then wrote down the temperature every few minutes. They also noted down observations of the chocolate,
and whether it was melting. Once the information was collected and the melted chocolate was eaten the results were
discussed and recorded between the groups. Some of the ovens showed a great increase in temperature, with one
rising by 40 degrees!
Another oven only had a 5 degree increase in temperature. The students completed their observations by collaborating
in their teams and discussing how their design could be improved.
Overall, it was a great way to end the unit on Earth and its relationship to the sun and allowed the Stage Three students
to incorporate Design and Technology into their study of Science.
Primary Music Music has been extremely exciting this semester in the
Infants and Primary lessons. Every lesson is jam-packed
with engaging and fun learning experiences.
Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 are learning about Elvis and
our upcoming school musical ‘ALL SHOOK UP’. A focus in all
music lessons is to become an independent learner and Year
2 are demonstrating this in their student led workstations.
Other exciting lessons for Infants students include Tone
Colour Maze, Boomwhackers and Musica Viva.
Year 3 and 4 students have been exploring rhythms and melody singing. This provided an energetic rhythmic
experience of getting outdoors and creating and performing polyrhythms and learning the art of musical improvisation
in their CHAIR JAM lesson. They are also enjoying recorder lessons and many have reached their Yellow Recorder Belt.
Years 5 and 6 are developing their melody and choral accompaniment in Ukulele lessons. Year 6 have been looking at
‘The Power of the Pentatonic Scale’ and are now creating their own pentatonic composition. Year 5 students are
working in groups to compose their own Polyrhythmic Ostinato compositions.
Singing features in every lesson of every week in Music so I’d like to leave with this quote…..‘The Only Thing Better
Than Singing is More Singing’ Ella Fitzgerald
Mrs Saunders
The next couple weeks see several events happening in the Music Department calendar.
Next Wednesday our Years 7- 10 musicians, who perform in Chapel each week, are
going to down to perform at the Newcastle Anglican Schools’ Commission Celebration
Day which is held each year at the Christchurch Cathedral. This has been the fourth year
we have been invited to provide the music for the celebration service where we get to
showcase music SGS students sing in Chapel every week.
The final Meet the Music Concert for 2016 in on next
Thursday. This concert features the American Broadway
singer Audra MacDonald. Audra will be singing a number
of songs from famous Musicals, accompanied by the
Sydney Symphony Orchestra. She has won six Tony Awards and two Grammys, she
has starred in many films and TV shows including Law & Order: SVU.
On Monday, 9 November we are hosting the second of our Musica Viva
Concerts. Folk music group, Mara! will be coming to perform a wide range of
music from around the world including Ireland and Eastern Europe. All of K –
6, Year 7 Gold and Year 8.1 will be going to see Mara! Just a reminder that
notes are due in on Monday 2, November.
In the music classroom we have been, like most subjects, doing yearly exams
and finishing up assessments for the year. Year 7 Gold have been completing
their pentatonic compositions. Some students who have completed their
performance assessments on Guitar and Keyboard have chosen to start
learning a new instrument. We have students learning Flutes, Trumpets and
Saxophones, making a wonderful cacophony of sound! Year 8.1 have been studying Film Music this term and are
currently in the process of creating their own music that could be used as a film soundtrack. Students in Years 9 &
10 are all working on individual programmes where for the last few weeks of the year, they choose a genre of music
they would like to study. They have to learn a piece to perform and submit a short essay. Year 11 have started their
HSC courses, starting to choose electives and preparing repertoire.
"Music in the soul can be heard by the universe” – Lao Tzu.
Mr Buckley
Rail Pedestrian Crossing Closure
The rail pedestrian crossing in Kingdon Street will be closed from 6am Wednesday, 11 November till 6pm Thursday,
12 November for track works. Please make sure your children are aware of this closure.
From the Clothing Shop Please note these dates for your Diary –
The Clothing Shop will be closed on Friday, 30 October;
The Clothing Shop will be open from 8.30am to 10.00am only on Tuesday, 3 November The Legsuit Swimmers for girls have arrived! Prices are: Girls’ Size 8 – 14 - $70; Women’s Size 8-14 - $75.
Equestrian News
A group of eleven students represented the School at the Inter Schools Extravaganza held at ALEC in Tamworth from
17 – 20 October. They were Bridie Tilse, Eloise Blayden, Lily Dunn, Molly Northam, Willa Mitchell, Sarah Lindsay, Will
Warner, Prunella Hayes, Camilla Warner, Willa Urquhart and Olivia MacCallum. All the team had a successful
competition.
Some of the most outstanding results are listed below
Willa Mitchell –Show jumping champion on Crusader, Reserve Show jumping champion on Restless, Dressage
Champion and winner of the Intro One Day Event.
Will Warner – Champion Junior Sporter, Reserve Champion Dressage, 1st Pair of Riders, 2nd Intro One Day Event
Prunella Hayes – 1st 11 yrs Hack and Bare back and Pair of Riders, 2nd Pleasure Hack and 4th 60cm One Day Event.
Camilla Warner – 1st 10yrs Rider and Hack. 1st Pair of Riders, 2nd Dressage and 1st in the 60cm One Day Event.
Well done to all the competitors.
Anne Davies
Equestrian Co-ordinator
Scholarship Overview 2017 Applications for 2017 Scholarships are now open. Categories Available for 2017 There are four categories of scholarships being offered which are outlined below. Category 1: Academic Academic Scholarships are available for students entering Years 5, 7, 9 and 11 in 2017. The School uses the Primary Scholarship Programme and the Co-operative Scholarship Programme set up by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) for Years 5, 7, 9 and 11 that is used in the majority of independent schools across Australia. The examinations for these Academic Scholarships for 2017 will be held at 8.45 am on Saturday, 27 February, 2016. Students currently enrolled at Scone Grammar School are eligible to apply. Applications close on Monday, 8 February, 2016. Category 2: Music Music Scholarships are offered to students who demonstrate exceptional musical ability. Scholarships are available to students entering Years 6 – 11 in 2017. Auditions and interviews will be conducted during Term 2, 2016. It is not a prerequisite that students sit an Academic Scholarship. Students currently enrolled at Scone Grammar School are eligible to apply. Applications close on Monday, 8 February, 2016. Category 3: General Excellence These Scholarships are for students entering Years 7 – 11 in 2017 who have an above average academic ability and a strong passion or skill in either music, sport, drama or other co-curricular activity. The School will use a process of interview and a review of achievements. Interviews for these Scholarships will take place during Term 2, 2016. Students currently enrolled at Scone Grammar School are not eligible to apply. Applications close on Monday, 8 February, 2016. Category 4: Special Categories
The Sir David Martin Scholarship is awarded to a Year 7, 2017 student of exceptional academic ability. Candidates must sit the ACER examination as in Category 1 above where the closing date is Monday, 8 February, 2016. Students currently enrolled at Scone Grammar School are eligible to apply.
ii The Bishop Roger Herft Scholarship is awarded to a Year 9, 2017 student who demonstrates
leadership in their local community and a capacity to positively influence our School Community. Applicants must demonstrate, in writing, how they satisfactorily meet the stated criteria. Current Scone Grammar School students are not eligible to apply.
Applications close on Monday, 8 February, 2016. Entry & Fees The Registration Fee for the Academic Scholarship and the Sir David Martin Scholarship is $100 with no late registrations accepted after midnight, Monday, 8 February, 2016. Examination The Examinations relating to the Academic Scholarships for 2017 and the Sir David Martin Scholarship for 2017 will take place on Saturday, 27 February, 2016 commencing at 8.45am. Application for Categories 2, 3 and 4 (ii) Scholarships are available at the School and on line at www.sgs.nsw.edu.au Categories 1 and 4 (i) Scholarships are available on line only. If you have any queries, please contact the School Office on 6545 3131.
Gifts that make a difference.
Finding it hard to think of the right gift for someone - those who don’t
need anything, or those who are hard to choose for?? Consider giving a
gift to them that will make a real difference in the world. (and are tax
deductable!)
This is how it works – you decide how much you want to spend on that
person. Choose a gift from the catalogue – maybe some school supplies,
or safe water, or a goat to provide milk for a family (items range from $5
to $10,000). The money you spend gets sent through TEAR Australia to purchase those items on
your behalf for someone in need. You get a card giving details about the item, which you can send
to your friend or family member telling them that it has been bought on their behalf. You also get a
tax deductable receipt.
You may like to consider fundraising as a group and working towards one of the larger gifts
E.g. a well or health worker or community school class.
You can look at the catalogue and order your gifts on line at www.usefulgifts.org
If you want to send a card, order in enough time for the cards to be posted out to you.
You can also send ecards.
Catalogues are available from the main school office
Speaking at Scone Grammar School Friday 30th October, 2015
to Secondary Students.
Parents are welcome! Contact Mrs MacCallum
Community Notices & News Term 4 Kids Club and Explorers What is it? Kids club….3 afternoons of fun - games, craft, activities,
food and finding out more about Jesus
Explorers …For older children
Exploring questions and what the Bible really says,
activities, food and fun.
Who’s it for? Kids club is for children in years K – 3
Explorers is for children in years 4 -6
When is it? 3.30pm – 5pm on Tuesdays 10, 17, 24 November
Where is it? St Luke’s Hall, Scone.
Kids club and Explorers have afternoon tea together and share some activities but will be in separate
groups both at St Luke’s Hall.
Children from Scone Grammar School can be accompanied to the hall.
Please state arrangements clearly on registration form.
How do I join? Registration forms are attached to the flyer. Flyers are available at and should be re-
turned to the Primary school office. There are limited places. These are allocated in date order when
completed forms are received. All children must be registered in advance by Thursday 5 November.
How do I find out more? Phone Jenny on 0409 818977
For Your Diary Week 4 (A) Thurs 29 Oct Yearly Exams Years 7 -10 Fri 30 Oct AICES Softball Guest Speaker Years 10 & 11 Week 5 (B) Mon 2 Nov The Grammar Grind Cafe Primary Swim & Survive Tues 3 Nov Primary Swim & Survive HRIS Touch Gala15s Year 11 Geography Fieldwork at Tyrells Winery Wed 4 Nov Primary Swim & Survive Year 11 Advanced English –Sydney Sing Out Loud Year 6G Celebration Day Year7 at Newcastle Cathedral Thurs 5 Nov Primary Swim & Survive HRIS Touch Gala Open Meet The Music Years 9-11 Elective Fri 6 Nov Kindy Krooners at Strathearn
Transition Day (not Kindy or Year 7 for 2016) Belltrees Horse Sports – Primary
Week 6 (A) Mon9 Nov The Grammar Grind Café
Primary Swim & Survive Musica Viva – Mara! at St Luke’s Hall
Tues 10 Nov Primary Swim & Survive P & F Meeting
Wed 11 Nov Primary Swim & Survive Elective Music-Drama Years 9-11- CATS
Thurs 12 Nov Primary Swim & Survive Thank you to Volunteers—Foundation Theatre Lote Fantastique Years 5-7 in MPR
Fri 13 Nov Year 7 2016 Orientation
Canteen Roster
Week 4 (A)
Thursday 29 October Jenny Crackett, Pip Bishop
Friday 30 October Jenny Crackett, Kylie Odgers, Georgie Ryan
Week 5 (B) Monday 2 November
Jenny Crackett, Irene Smith Tuesday 3 November
Jenny Crackett, Louise Mount Wednesday 4 November
Jenny Crackett, Sue Thrift
Thursday 5 November Fiona Bailey, Kristy Brooks
Friday 6 November Fiona Bailey, Claire Norvill, Belinda Sowter
Week 6 (A) Monday 9 November
Jenny Crackett, Suzy Urquhart Tuesday 10 November
Fiona Bailey, Amanda Paradice Wednesday 11 November
Fiona Bailey, Acey Firth
Thursday 12 November Jenny Crackett, Trish O’Brien
Friday 13 November Jenny Crackett, Karen Manning, Di Gillett
You are invited to
Families Together
this Sunday
1 November
11am at St Luke’s Church
A short child focused service, followed
by craft for children, real coffee for
adults and lunch together
Come and bring the family
RSVP for catering purposes by the day before
Jenny Sylvester – 0409 818977 or [email protected]
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