Term 2, Week 3

Carpe Punctum

As I write this article, I look out over an oval covered in white frost and the thermometer showing the first negative degree Celsius day of the year. Winter is coming!

Whilst I confess to being a lover of the warm weather rather than the cool, looking out the window at the golden leaves of the gingko tree makes me realise how extraordinarily beautiful this time of the year is.  It marks a moment in time for me to reflect on.  We often say that life is made up of milestones, but I believe it is made up of moments. Many of you will have heard the phrase carpe diem, or seize the day, but a less often used phrase I enjoy is carpe punctum.  Literally translated it means to pluck the moment.  Every day that we come to school provides a moment in time and we make choices of what to do with that time.  Sometimes I think that we overlook the many moments to grow and to learn. That little things come together to make big things. The Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu wrote that;

“There are not more than five musical notes, yet the combinations of these five give rise to more melodies than can ever be heard.

There are not more than five primary colours, yet in combination
they produce more hues than can ever been seen.

There are not more than five cardinal tastes, yet combinations of
them yield more flavours than can ever be tasted.”

Every day we wake up we are given the gift of 1440 minutes before our day is over. If we think that through, apart from the need for sleep, we have hundreds of moments and opportunities that will occur throughout the day. How we use those moments is entirely a matter of personal choice.  I once read of a sporting coach that told his team that there are three things in life that they can never get back.  The first is the spoken word, the second an arrow in flight and the third an opportunity lost.  Every single day we have an opportunity to tackle a task that is hard, to strive to learn and to practice self-care.  As part of a community of learners we are fortunate to be surrounded by people whose sole focus is to help us achieve those very things.  As I look back over the last few weeks students have challenged themselves in outdoor education experiences, in the Launceston Competitions. on sporting fields, and in the recent NAPLAN tests.  I encourage our students to continually seek to seize the moment and make the most of opportunities every single day.

I would like to congratulate our boarders with a wonderful entry they made into the Australian Boarding Schools competition as we celebrated Australian Boarding Week.  It was wonderful to see the amazing range of moments that our boarders enjoyed over the last few weeks.

Watch the video HERE.

Last week we welcomed staff from the Australian Childhood Foundation to the School as part of our work towards national accreditation with the organisation. I will provide more feedback as the School now enters the final stages of this process. This process is voluntary, but underlies our commitment as a School to continually seek best practice.

I look forward this coming week to the annual Rowing Presentation Evening, celebrating the end of the rowing season with our rowing families.  It will be fantastic to celebrate the achievements of one of the most successful rowing seasons for a number of years.

Can I remind parents that compulsory winter uniform commences on Monday 30 May, and commend those students still brave enough to wear their summer uniform!

Finally, as we reach this weekend, I hope you have a wonderful time with your children and encourage them to pluck the moment.

God’s Blessings,

Nicholas Foster
Acting Headmaster

Staff and students have had many and varied opportunities to learn within and beyond the classrooms. Attendance records are much better than they were during the peak of Covid; it is great that so many of the community are now enjoying good health. We do hope to welcome parents onto the campus in coming weeks.

Children are reflecting on their learning and finding opportunities to take action to make our School, and our world, a better place. They have come with ideas for fundraisers, clubs and events. Stay tuned for more information from our future leaders.

Information about current and future happenings is below. Please check the dates at the end of the my message section to be sure that you can attend relevant events.

Reconciliation Morning – Thursday 26 June.

National Reconciliation Week (NRW) is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia. The dates for NRW are the same each year; 27 May to 3 June.

Reconciliation must live in the hearts, minds and actions of all Australians as we move forward, creating a nation strengthened by respectful relationships between the wider Australian community, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

At Launceston Grammar, we are very pleased to have formed an effective Reconciliation Working Group (RWG). Members of the RWG have been meeting regularly and collaborating to bring our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) to fruition. We are proud to fly the Aboriginal Flag beside the Australian Flag and have developed a vision statement to further the development of Launceston Grammar’s RAP in the classroom, around the School and in the community.

The RWG have been preparing a meaningful and engaging Reconciliation Morning for our students on Thursday 26 May. The children will participate in a short Assembly and experience 2 activities during the morning.

We will welcome:

Hank Horton, an Aboriginal educator who is proud to share his knowledge of Aboriginal culture in Tasmania, to deliver and promote meaningful Aboriginal history.

Rosetta Thomas, a youth and palawa kani language worker at the TAC. Rosetta will talk about her palawa kani book,’Muttonbird Stew’ and muttonbirding on Cape Barren Island.

Adam Thompson is an emerging Aboriginal (pakana) writer from Tasmania, who writes contemporary short fiction. Adam will share hos knowledge of storytelling.

Annie Hay is a proud palawa woman and a talented artist. She was born and raised on the North West Coast of lutruwita (Tasmania). Annie will be creating art with the children.

The RWG consists of: Timothy Brown, Sheona Carter, Georgia Greig, Sophie Gunn, Anne Lee, John McLean, Cherrilyn Parker, Ingrid Reynolds and Michelle Youl. All are to be thanked for their dedication and commitment.

IPSHA yLead Grade 6 Student Leadership Day Friday 20 May 2022

The Tasmanian Branch of Independent Primary School Heads Australia (IPSHA) has supported a Leadership Day for all member schools on Friday 20 May. The day was conducted on-line and led by yLead facilitator, Sarah Hodge. Our students had the opportunity to explore what it takes to be a respectful, courageous and positive leader in the community. This full-day experience aimed to educate and empower students to be the best leaders they can be. Students explored the acronym HEART in a series of fun challenges that summarised what it means to be:

H elpful – looking out for everyday actions that enrich the lives of others.
E nergetic – promoting and sharing positive energy.
A ctive and Aware – becoming more aware of personal strengths and how they can be used to take positive action as a leader.
R esilient – the importance of having the courage to try new things, and learning to respond positively to challenging or difficult situations.
T eam player – the importance of working with others in an encouraging and supportive environment.

The day included a range of activities such as motivational speaking, personal reflection and expression, small group work and collaborative problem solving, and large group team building. The yLead facilitators specialised in engaging students and managing energy throughout the experience. Our Grade 6 teachers supervising teachers were actively involved in the sessions.

 yLead experiences are designed using the VAKT (visual, auditory, kinaesthetic, tactile) learning styles. The learning outcomes aligned with Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) Personal and Social learning capabilities, the positive education pillar of ‘wellbeing’ and the Grade 6 Unit of Inquiry, ’Identity is shaped through experiences’.

We look forward to the Grade 6 leaders sharing their experiences and building on what they have learned.

Sheona Carter
Head of Junior Campus

On Saturday 7 and 14 May, we had school representation in the Newstead Athletics Club Winter Cross Country Series here in the North of Tasmania. Students from Kindergarten through to Grade 6 have been competing, whilst gaining fitness, friendship and having lots of fun along the way.

We have had some terrific results from the first two rounds and there are four events still to be run. The first round doubled up also as the Northern Schools Cross Country Titles. 17 Grammar students competed on the day, with Laura Cunha (3 Coombe) winning the Under 11 Girls event and equal the Northern Schools Record. Congratulations and well done, Laura! Freddie Gunn (Prep Bassano) won his Under 7 Boys event in a slick time, with Angus Castle (1 Gleadow) in the Under 9 Boys event taking home a silver medal. Toby Flanagan (4 Bowles) also running a fantastic race to secure third place and a bronze medal.

At Round 2, 14 students lined up and competed in the 1km and 1.5km events. There were once again some ‘first timers’ who pushed themselves in the trying conditions, however, some terrific results were recorded. Freddie, Angus and Laura won their age group category, with Toby finishing in fourth place this time. Here are some results:

Carrick Park:

Freddie Gunn – U/7 Boys – 1^st; Cleo Calvert – U/7 Girls – 6^th; Angus Castle – U/9 Boys – 2^nd; Jonathon Molloy – U/9 Boys – 7^th; Isobel Gunn – U/9 Girls – 4^th; Lily Molloy– U/9 Girls – 8^th; Olivia Calvert – 21^st; Manya Sharma – 27^th; Toby Flanagan – U/11 Boys – 3^rd; Eddie Roberts – U/11 Boys – 10^th; Laura Cunha – U/11 Girls – 1^st (Equal Northern Record, 5mins 59sec – 1.5km); Julia Reid – U/11 Girls – 18^th; Zane Dean – U/13 Boys – 6^th; Rosie Allen – U/13 Girls – 13^th; Chloe Millwood – U/13 Girls – 16^th; Eva Reid – U/13 Girls – 21^st; Indiana Williams – U/13 Girls – 23^rd.

Hagley Farm School:

Freddie Gunn – U/7 Boys – 1^st; Cleo Calvert – U/7 Girls – 4^th; Angus Castle – U/9 Boys – 1^st; Jonathon Molloy – U/9 Boys – 4^th; Lily Molloy– U/9 Girls – 5^th; Olivia Calvert – 20^th; Manya Sharma – 23^rd; Nila Jose – U/9 Girls – 24^th; Toby Flanagan – U/11 Boys – 4^th; Laura Cunha – U/11 Girls – 1^st; Jessica Gannon – U/11 Girls – 14^th; Zara Cole – U/13 Girls – 9^th; Georgie Tole – U/13 Girls – 11^th; Indiana Williams – U/13 Girls – 15^th.

Next event will take place at Heritage Forest on Saturday 21^st May, with the final three events all at 1.00pm as well, at Tailrace Park – 28^th May, Grindelwald Lake – 4^th June and Trevallyn Reserve – 18^th June. All the very best for the remainder of the series. Every student is welcome to attend, please register online via the Newstead Athletics Club page.

Christian Zantuck
Acting Head of Junior Campus and PE/Sport Teacher

Organised by Prep Bassano with the support of Year 6 Leaders

In Prep this year we have been learning about how emotions impact relationships. We discussed what we can do if we are feeling sad or scared. We talked about how it helps us to cuddle a special soft toy that we feel connected to. Alfred, who is currently undergoing treatment for cancer, shared his perspective of some of his experiences in hospital. Alfred said that he received a special dinosaur bear from the Kids Cancer Project. It really helped him to feel happy and brave on his visits to hospital.

We decided that we want to help children like Alfred who need to go to hospital regularly for treatment. We want to raise money to buy some Kids Cancer Project bears to give to children in the Launceston General Hospital. Year 6 leaders, Claudia, Rosie, Madeline, Jessie and Pluto are helping us organise our fundraiser.

On Wednesday the 1st of June we want everyone in the school to bring along a small soft toy that they feel connected to. Please also bring a gold coin donation. The money raised will go towards buying bears for children with cancer. This money also goes towards cancer research.

We will be having a teddy bears’ picnic on the day and selling icy poles at break time. We are hoping to make a difference and put a smile on the face of children who are going through medical treatment. Please support us as we take action and help others. Thank you.

Prep Bassano, Claudia Hurst, Madeline Larter, Pluto Dineen, Jessie Spencer and Rosie Allen.

On Wednesday 24 May, the Grade 3 and 4 classes will take part in National Simultaneous Storytime.

The feature book for this year is Family Tree by Josh Pyke. The picture book, beautifully illustrated by Ronojoy Josh, focuses on family connections and is a celebration of family, community, seasons and of life to cherish and share.

After listening to the story, students will plant an acorn from our own magnificent Heritage Oak Tree situated just behind the library. They will take these home to plant as a reminder in future years of their time at Launceston Grammar.

Anne Lee
Librarian

The past two weeks have seen our Grade 3, 5, 7 and 9 students working their way through the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) assessments for 2022.

Students were assessed for their knowledge and skills in reading, writing, language conventions and numeracy. On the whole, our students approached the tests in a visibly calm manner, and seemed generally pleased with their efforts. Whilst our teachers worked hard to ensure our students were well prepared for the NAPLAN assessments, parents and schools do not receive the results of the tests until August/September. We look forward to analysing the test results, although we aim that our students will have moved significantly again in their knowledge and skills by the time the results are returned.

Recently we received information that the Australian Education Ministers have agreed to implementing critical improvements to NAPLAN for 2023. They have agreed to hold NAPLAN in Term 1 instead of Term 2, in the hope that the assessment results will reach the hands of our teachers sooner, allowing for greater relevance and accuracy and therefore more targeted support for students. As a staff team, we are most supportive of this change and will work to ensure that our preparation for NAPLAN 2023 begins earlier.

Australian Curriculum

Recently in the media, you may have read about a review of the Australian Curriculum and the rollout of the Australian Curriculum Version 9. One of the more publicised changes made as a result of the review, is the increased emphasis on phonics instruction and the use of decodable texts in reading instruction. Two years ago, we began investing in training for our teachers in a systematic, multi-sensory, direct instruction-based method of teaching phonics and reading called the Orton Gillingham approach to literacy instruction. We have seen through data, and teacher, student and parent observations, noticeable improvements in the reading ability of our students. Our teachers are able to expertly use this approach and an inquiry-based approach, to engage our students and improve their skills in a balanced way. Additionally, in 2021 we improved our collection of decodable reading texts in our library to support phonic and reading instruction and we have also been training and retraining some staff in an additional, aligned intervention approaches called MiniLit and MultiLit. As leaders, we are pleased with the changes made to the Australian Curriculum in Literacy, as we feel they are in agreement with the decisions we made around instructional methods in literacy instruction two years ago, and we are ahead of the changes.

Part of our approach to teaching literacy involves the development of fine motor skills as our learners begin their journey as writers. Next week, Lisa Mulvey, an Occupational Therapist from St Giles, is going to deliver a webinar on the topic of fine motor development and handwriting for our staff. We are aiming to refresh and renew our knowledge into what current research states as best practise in this critical element of literacy instruction.

The opportunity exists for any interested parents to join the webinar.Click here for more information.

Mathematics Improvement Project

As previously mentioned in the newsletter, this year our classroom teachers are involved in a Mathematics Improvement Project in partnership with Back to Front Maths. Our staff have been enjoying some professional learning though workshops and modelling sessions with mathematics consultants Leah O’Neill and Kathy Palmer. We are pleased to advise that in Week 5 of this term, Kathy is returning to work with our teachers in the classrooms for two days.

She is also offering a parent information session. We highly recommend registering your interest for the session. Click here for more information.

Claire Calvert
Primary Years Programme (PYP) Coordinator

This term many students from the Music department will be involved in the Launceston Competitions.

Students have been working hard in their individual lessons, school ensemble groups, choirs and dance and drama and are ready to showcase their hard work and talent amongst many other performers outside of the school community.

Performances started in the last week of the term holidays and are ongoing until the end of this term. Week 5 will see our Junior String ensemble, Orchestra, and numerous solos as well as duet/trio instrumentalists perform.

Best of luck to those who have still to perform and hope all past performers enjoyed the experience. A wonderful performance opportunity for all involved.

Daniel Wahl
Music Coordinator

Towards the end of last term, students in the Grade 9 Entrepreneurship Elective class formed small teams to create their own purely for profit enterprises.

These ranged from preparing and selling hot chips, BBQ sausages, lolly bags and drinks to LCGS students. EASY!! Each of them made substantial profits!!

This term, however, they have been challenged to come up with new conceptual business ideas that cater to customers outside the school grounds!

In doing this, they have been charged with the task of not only devising viable, sustainable business plans but also with creating effective branding and marketing solutions as well as an online presence.

Last Wednesday the class benefited from learning from two local entrepreneurs who have already done this!

Sarah Humphreys (Harriet and Lily’s mother) spoke about starting up and building her online jewellery business Spotted Giraffe.

Spotted Giraffe – Spotted Giraffe Jewellery

Mrs Cassie Lobley, Launceston Grammar’s new Head of Learning Support, also told her story about her multi-faceted business Fork N Farm Homestead.

Accommodation | ForknFarm Homestead | Glengarry

Both presenters also shared advice on building websites and online stores.

This knowledge will be incredibly helpful as these students prepare their pitches for the externally adjudicated Pitching Competition to be held at the end of Semester 1.

Mr Christopher Ellison
Coordinator of Enterprise Learning

It is my pleasure to announce that the Launceston Grammar Chamber Orchestra will begin rehearsing this term.

When: Tuesday afternoons from 3:30-4:30 starting Week 3 (Tuesday May 17).

Who: This Orchestra welcomes any interested senior students (Grade 11 and 12) and students that hold a music scholarship.

Students from Grades 7-10 are also welcome to apply and should be functioning at least at a Grade 4 AMEB performance level or equivalent (please see Dr Rogers if you are interested but unsure of your ability level). Pianists may also apply as there may be opportunities for concerto repertoire, percussion and tuned percussion.

What: We will be working on some exciting and varied repertoire, including a performance of the Carnival of the Animals later in the year.

Please contact Dr Melissa Rogers MRogers@lcgs.tas.edu.au if you are interested in attending!

Melissa Rogers
Acting Head of Music

TERTIARY INFORMATION SERVICE EXPO: 31 MAY

Every year, the Victorian Tertiary Information Service runs a series of expos, providing an opportunity for students and parents to learn more about their higher education and tertiary study options.

This event provides a fantastic opportunity for Grade 11 and Grade 12 students and their parents to investigate study options locally and interstate including: how to apply, scholarships, accommodation options and financial assistance.  The event is held as an expo where parents and students can talk one-on-one with representatives from a wide range of institutions including:

• Bond University
• Deakin University
• JMC Academy
• La Trobe University
• Monash University
• RMIT University
• Swinburne University of Technology
• The University of Melbourne
• University of Tasmania
• UNSW Sydney

Event Details:

1. Date:     Tuesday 31 May
2. Time:     6.00pm – 7.30pm
3. Venue:  Inveresk Library, Level 1, University of Tasmania (Inveresk campus), 2 Invermay Road

More information: this 30 minute presentation provides complementary information about TIS and applying for university.

View the video Here.

There is no need to register for this event.

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE VISIT: 23 MAY

A representative from University College, a residential college of The University of Melbourne, will be visiting the school at recess on Monday 23 May in Room C3. Students who are considering moving to Melbourne for university are encouraged to come along to this informal session to find out more about what University of Melbourne colleges have to offer.

UNIVERSITY OPEN DAYS

Open Days are a fantastic opportunity for students and parents to gain an insight into courses, accommodation, and facilities at tertiary education providers.

Please see below a list of 2022 Open Day dates and websites where you can find out more and register your attendance.

View 2022 Institution Open Days

UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY SYDNEY (UTS) ENGINEERING & IT WEBINARS

Over the coming weeks, UTS will be running a series of webinars on Engineering and IT courses and discipline areas.

To register, visit:

Engineering Webinars

IT Webinars

AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE GAP YEAR PROGRAM

The popular ADF Gap Year Program is now open.  This program gives students who have completed Grade 12 the chance to experience an exciting and rewarding paid 12-month role in the Navy, Army or Air Force.  For further information and to apply, visit the Defence Force website.

I welcome the opportunity to sit down with parents and students at any time throughout the year to discuss options; please contact me on phone: (03) 6336 6058 or email: careers@lcgs.tas.edu.au to arrange an appointment

Fiona Symons
Careers Advisor

I have the advantage in this. You send you children off to school each morning or term with a hug or a handshake, words of encouragement and heart full of hope.

You hold tightly to the dreams for your children that were part of the reason you gifted them an education at Launceston Grammar.

My advantage is that I get to see them doing what they do so well.

I see their growing friendships, their courage and kindness.

I see their application to learning and their delight in music and drama, art and ethics.

I see the many successes, and the way they get up and come back after set backs.

So, I can tell you that though there are occasional difficulties and frustrations, and truthfully, some very challenging times for a few, those people who founded our School all those years ago would be exceedingly proud of our students. Enough to bring a tear to the eye.

Our Grammarians enjoy the benefits of a rich heritage and generous benefactors and they themselves invest in the school with their remarkable contributions.

Wednesday 15 June is Founders’ Day. Our aim is to celebrate that occasion in a way that helps our students to honours our past, give thanks for our present and engages our future with pride and confidence.

Reverend Matthew Pickering
Senior Campus Chaplain