Term 4, Week 9

It is hard to believe that I sit here writing the last newsletter article of the year. In 10 days’ time, Christmas will have come and gone for another year. Where has the year gone? 2022 has been a wonderful year filled with many successes and achievements across so many areas of the School.  

I have always believed, it takes a village to raise a child and I am grateful to so many volunteers and supporters of the School that have done so much for our students in the Grammar Village. You have helped champion our students in classrooms, on sports fields, and on stages. You have helped them choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong. You have taught them to be true to themselves, and to be brave, but also that it is ok to be vulnerable.  

It is a community that has seen our students learn to be fair, to be kind, to help others, have integrity and value community. Those lessons have been taught in so many ways by so many.  The School motto – Nisi Dominus Frustra – sums it up. You have helped provide a strong foundation for them to launch into life. Thank you.  

I encourage our students to continue to challenge inequity and injustice and to know that they have a voice.    

John Lewis said it far better than I; 

“We all live in the same house, we all must be part of the effort to hold down our house.  When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just…do something about it.  Say something.  Have the courage.  Have the backbone.  Get in the way.  Walk with the wind.  It’s all going to work out.”

I would also like to thank our parents. I know that you choose to entrust us to care for your children.  I have always viewed educating children as a great privilege. Thank you for giving us that opportunity. 

Our Community is what makes Grammar unique, what makes us strong, what gives us our purpose; what has kept us strong for 176 years. What will keep us strong for 176 more?

As you head off into holidays, I’d like to share with you a few wise and enlightening words from Robert Fulghum’s book All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. As he states; 

  “words for kindergarten children that are equally relevant and meaningful for a lifetime of sharing this sandpit we call life. 

• Wash your hands before you eat  
• Share everything – don’t keep the best bits for yourself but hand them on. 
• Play fair  
• Put things back where you found them  
• Clean up your own messes, both literal and metaphorically  
• Don’t take things that are not yours 
• Say sorry when you have hurt someone. 
• A nap is a very good idea – take them when you can 
• When you go out in the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together  
• Remember those Dick and Jane books and the first word in them – LOOK – take it all in and appreciate the small things – they will become the BIG things  
• Think what a better world it would be if we all had milk and biscuits at 3 p.m. and then laid down for a nap.   
• And it is still true. No matter how old you are – when you go out into the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a safe holiday break 

God’s Blessings to you all. 

Nicholas Foster

Acting Headmaster

One of the nicest things about coming to the end of the school year is having the time to pause and reflect on the end of year celebrations and events, and the people that make such things happen, and to look forward to what lies ahead.

Our Christmas events have been lovely! The Grammar Carols evening at St John’s Anglican Church was attended by many Junior Campus families and set the scene for the upcoming festivities. The Junior Carols service was another opportunity for our younger students to sing together and learn more about the meaning of Christmas from our Chaplain, Reverend Matthew Pickering. Thanks also, to our Choral Conductor, Amelia Reynolds, for preparing our young singers. The Kindergarten children’s presentation of the Christmas story was beautiful, and the performance was thoroughly enjoyed by all our golden performers and those in the audience.

Preparing and performing at the end of year events provides a wonderful experience for our children and very special memories for our families and where would we be without our Grammar parents? You have helped at the Junior Campus in a myriad of ways to benefit the children. You have shared your knowledge in classes, assisted with excursions, productions and events, cooked barbecues and brought in pets! Whether in person or from home, your enthusiastic support of the Junior Campus community is greatly appreciated.

Thanks to all children, friends, family and staff for your contributions and commitment to the Junior Campus community. At the end of another eventful year, we are left in no doubt that Grammar students, all the staff and members of our community, are indeed, extraordinary!

Best wishes to all for a wonderful Christmas, a happy new year and a relaxing holiday.

Sheona Carter

Head of Junior Campus

THE STATE OF OPPORTUNITY

It has been a privilege to serve the school as Acting Head of Senior Campus since the start of Term 2.

It has been a steep learning curve and I have developed a deeper understanding of the school and a greater appreciation for the work that goes into running a school from behind the scenes. It has been enlightening to witness the work that staff and the school community do to make the school run. How very fortunate for me to have been given the opportunity to be a leader at Launceston Grammar. The past three terms have given me a significant amount of professional development and personal growth.

In 2023, I will be taking leave to work in the family business as we undertake a significant expansion of the Launceston Institute of Fitness and Training that my brother Brian, an alumnus, has grown over the past 15 years. It has been a difficult decision to make given the tremendous satisfaction I get from turning up at school every day to work with our students and staff, enhancing programs and creating opportunities. At Grammar, I am in a very comfortable position, albeit challenging. One that I would not have considered taking leave from if it wasn’t for the opportunity to explore this exciting venture with my family. This move will enable me to continue working in an area that I am passionate about, fitness and health.

In recent weeks I have been involved in next year’s Grade 12 leadership selection process, whereby Grade 11 students nominate, present in House Meetings, and have a formal interview. There is also a student vote and a staff vote followed by multiple meetings with leadership staff to make the final decision. This is a rigorous process and one that is critical. Unfortunately, there will always be candidates that miss out. This process prepares our students with an opportunity to put themselves forward, for self-reflection, insight into areas to grow and improve, and how to manage disappointment. These are all key skills for our students to take on their journey through life.

For students who miss out on this leadership challenge, my advice is to continue to put yourself forward for any opportunity that presents in which you may have an interest. Whether it be through other leadership roles, community service, or social and sporting clubs. Experiences in leadership come in a variety of forms. Leadership qualities are developed through experiences. Many students may not yet be ready for leadership but that doesn’t mean there isn’t potential to develop into a leader. With time, maturity, life experiences, mentorship and work ethic will come personal advancements. What better place to find those than right here in Tasmania? THE STATE OF OPPORTUNITY.

For students who still don’t quite know what they want to be beyond their school years, make time to speak to our careers adviser, Mrs Fiona Symons, and map out a pathway to follow a career that you’re passionate about or could see yourself gaining satisfaction from. Take opportunities that present and keep looking for new ones to widen your experiences and develop skills that may be useful in your future career. Take measured risks and step out of your comfort zone to explore something new.

Thank you to the Senior Campus staff and students for trusting me to fulfil my role at Launceston Grammar this year. In particular, thanks to the Senior Executive team of Nicholas Foster, Sheona Carter, Michael McLeod and Melita Cornell for their support over the past 3 terms.

Next year I hope to continue contributing to the school in some capacity and I look forward to staying in touch with students and staff while on leave.

All the best to the Launceston Grammar community in 2023.

Adrian Finch

Acting Head of Senior Campus

Over the past two weeks, our wonderful Grade 7, 8 and 9 students have been enjoying their respective Challenge Weeks and camp. The end-of-year learning for these students was varied, targeted, and purposeful, ranging from social learning within their year level, to engaging with sustainable businesses in our local area, to learning about Australia’s connection with Asia, to reflecting on their online behaviour and presence. Importantly, students were provided with an opportunity to think about the past year and reflect on how they can grow to be better learners and people in 2023. 

In one reflection session for Grade 8, we learnt about awe, savouring and gratitude. 

Awe is a positive emotion that occurs when we are in the presence of something vast and/or impressive, which gives us an overwhelming feeling of admiration (Piff et al., 2015). Upon returning home, the Grade 9 students expressed their experiences of awe of the natural landscapes and the stories of First Nation Australians following their Outdoor Education camp at Mount Cameron. Similarly, many staff were in awe of the thoughtful work the Grade 7 students produced during their design process creating a sustainable product for a local business. 

Savouring is a process whereby individuals extend and enhance positive emotions through mindful appreciation of life experiences (Bryant and Veroff, 2007). For instance, the Grade 8 students spent 3 minutes conducting a sensory mindfulness exercise while eating a lolly, to fully experience and enjoy the sweetness! This provided an opportunity for them to be fully present in the moment, building their capacity to manage their attention and build positive emotions. Students across Grades 7 – 9 were also able to savour their learning from the past two weeks by engaging in reflective questioning and discussion. Savouring can be particularly meaningful over the summer period, as we garner nostalgia from the year and generate anticipation for the exciting events in the year to come. 

Finally, expressing gratitude turns what we have, into enough. The end of the year provides a wonderful opportunity to express thankfulness for our blessings. We are grateful for the enthusiasm and joy our students bring to their learning. We are grateful for the support of our families as our students continue their learning journeys. We are grateful for all the Launceston Grammar staff who help support teaching and learning in the school. 

Finally, we hope our TCE students are happy with their results. We are thrilled with the initial results received and look forward to sharing these with you over the coming days. 

We wish everyone a merry Christmas and a happy new year and look forward to learning more with you all in 2023. 

Sarah Shepherd and Natalie Stewart 

Co-Directors of Teaching and Learning 

Bryant, F. B., & Veroff, J. (2007). Savoring: A new model of positive experience. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers. 

Piff, P. K., Dietze, P., Feinberg, M., Stancato, D. M., & Keltner, D. (2015). Awe, the small self, and prosocial behaviour. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 108(6), 883–899. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspi0000018 

The Launceston Grammar 2022 Graduation and Presentation evening was held this week. You can watch the ceremony again at your leisure below.