NEGS News Term 1, Week 10

As Term 1 concludes, I would like to thank staff, students and families for your hard work, commitment and contribution to NEGS. You are appreciated.

Best wishes to Phil Keelan, Emma Maughan, Bronte Hodge and Kate Moloney who are leaving us. Enjoy every minute of your new adventure. 

In the past fortnight I have had the pleasure of:

• Leading the school in the Armidale Autumn Festival accompanied by our Music students playing the drums. A proud moment for all involved.
• Accompanying the Prefects to Pymble Ladies College for a Year 12 Leadership event in Sydney. 
• Seeing the delivery of Safe on Social presentations across K-12. (refer to attached publications from E Safety and Headspace - Supporting young people in school holidays: practical tips for parents and carers).
• Welcoming NSW Minerals Council into the school to promote awareness of career pathways available within the minerals and resources industry.

Dates to note:

• ANZAC Day Service on Tuesday 25 April, 11am at Central Park - all welcome (NEGS will hold its own ANZAC Day Service on Wednesday 26 April).
• Youth and Community Morning Tea hosted by Armidale Regional Council on Friday 28 April at the Townhall from 10am-12pm.
• White Card Training on Thursday 26 May for students interested in trade related opportunities and pathways.

The past 2 newsletters featured details from the Hands Up for Gender Equality study. Its key recommendations were that:   

• Children should be given unsupervised freedom to explore, interact and learn about their environment (wherever possible). 
• Increasing external scrutiny and legal liability have led to schools to increase their level of supervision of children.  This study identifies that this comes at a potential cost to children’s levels of self-confidence.
• Parents assign all kinds of chores equally, both indoor and outdoor, to their children regardless of gender. 
• The aim is to challenge the idea that some types of work are “for” one gender.  
• Both schools and parents should provide and encourage further opportunities for girls to spend more time on outdoor activities. 
• The aim is to avoid reinforcing the stereotype that boys work should be outdoors and girls work indoors. 
• Parents encourage and support their children in obtaining a part-time job and managing their time in doing so. 
• The research confirmed the benefits of having a part-time job for the development of self-confidence and broader life skills, indicates that undertaking part-time work is important to adolescent development. 
• Schools should prioritise excursions which take children outside of their immediate city/town environment, involve leadership development, enhance outdoor skills and involve minimal adult supervision.
• While there is a great deal of focus on academic performance of children and pressures from parents to ensure maximum classroom time in this regard, the results of this study identify excursions and family travel as the primary source of the development of self-confidence. 
• Leadership development and the importance of leadership roles be emphasised equally at all year levels in schools. Opportunities for enacting leadership should extend beyond the traditional sport team, year captain/prefect, subject captain roles towards enabling all students to have experienced, to some degree, leading a group of other students. 
• The focus of attention on undoing stereotypes around what ‘boys are good at’ versus what ‘girls are good at’ shift from secondary to primary schools. 
• Primary schools should do more to encourage girls to engage in activities around technology and science and boys around social services and healthcare. Role models should be sought out to speak with children about their careers that disconfirm traditional stereotypes surrounding the gender congeniality of roles such as trades people, nurses, pilots, firefighters, secretaries and so on. 
• Parents talk to their children about the stereotypes they are seeing in the media and actively try to challenge these. Parents should actively encourage their children from a young age to consider all career domains equally. 
• Parents explicitly and equally discuss their own careers and education with their boys and girls, as well as the importance of having both. Children should be aware of their parents’ qualifications and/or careers from primary school age and more emphasis should be placed on informing girls of their parents’, and particularly their mother’s, education, qualifications and career (or work history if she is not currently working).

Parent and Carer Webinar Information

eSafety Commissioner

Detailed summary sheets and parent resources can be found here: https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/resources.

Don't forget our short videos.
Parental controls: https://vimeo.com/612389757
Cyberbullying and online drama: https://vimeo.com/582320787
Online sexual harassment and image-based abuse: https://vimeo.com/595727241

Subscribe to the eSafety newsletter here: https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/subscribe

Please send your questions, comments and feedback to: outreach@esafety.gov.au  

Liz van Genderen

Principal

As Term 1 comes to a close and we all look to recharge our batteries, it's important to reflect on the successes and challenges of the past ten weeks. One of the most important lessons we can take away from this time is the importance of choosing excellence. Choosing excellence means making the effort to do our best in all areas of our lives. It means striving for excellence in our academics, our relationships, our extracurricular activities, and our overall well-being. It means setting high standards for each of us and pushing ourselves to reach them. It's easy to become complacent and settle for mediocrity, but excellence requires hard work and dedication. It requires us to challenge ourselves and push our boundaries. It requires us to take risks and make mistakes. But it also rewards us with a sense of accomplishment and pride. Choosing excellence is an important life skill that will serve us well in the future. It teaches us to be resilient and to never give up. It teaches us to strive for our goals and to never settle for less than our best. As we look ahead to Term 2, let's make a commitment to choose excellence in all areas of our lives. Let's challenge ourselves to reach new heights and strive for excellence in all that we do.

With our winter terms coming up, I encourage all parents and students to refamiliarize yourself with the uniform requirements and more widely, the uniform policy information that can be found in the front of your child’s diary.

It is also important to remember that wearing a school uniform with pride is about more than just following the dress code. It is also about having a positive attitude and showing respect for our school and our peers. Wearing a school uniform with pride means that we are proud to be part of our school community, and that we are willing to represent our school in a positive way.

I would like to be very clear in stating that the school EC/Sport jacket is not part of the day school uniform and will only be allowed on the rare occasion that the weather warrants. This decision is made by the school and will only be allowed outside of the classroom.

In response to the State Government’s intention to ban mobile phones from schools by the end of 2023, and following on from a very informative and well received series of presentations by the Safe on Socials organisation, the school has decided to undertake a review of our policy pertaining to the use of Digital Devices. We will keep our community informed throughout this process. In the meantime, I encourage all students and parents to review the information regarding the safe and appropriate use of mobile phones and digital devices that can be found in the front of the student diary.  

I wish all those travelling over the break safe passage and for those competing in various sporting, equestrian or cultural activities, the best of luck. Enjoy your time away from the routine of school and return with a renewed energy and ready to take on a new and busy term.

Jamie Moore

Deputy Principal

This term, students competed in a national coding competition called the NCSS Challenge. The girls spent 5 weeks learning to code in the Python coding language. Companies like Google, Facebook and Reddit all use Python. Text-based coding was completely new for everyone and they all did extremely well in taking on the challenge. Coding isn’t just about learning to program computers. More importantly, it also teaches problem solving skills which translate across all subjects and aspects of life beyond school. 

A special congratulations to the following students on their success in the competition:

Achieving a merit award: Pippa Currie & Eilish Morgan

Achieving a high distinction: Vivienne McGinty

Achieving a perfect score: Hannah Murray

Coding Club runs for students in Years 7-12 on a Monday afternoon 3.30pm-4.30pm. If you are interested in your daughter taking part, please contact coding@negs.nsw.edu.au. In Term 2, there will be a focus on coding websites.

Belinda Stone

Science Teacher

A great term has been had by all in sport and activities. It was wonderful to see so many of our students participating and challenging themselves across a range of areas, and achieving excellence at their own levels. 

Congratulations to all students who received places in competitions and acceptance into representative sporting opportunities. Some students will be traveling to Sydney at the commencement of Term 2 for IGSA Hockey and CIS Rugby representative trials and we wish them the best of luck in these. 

Summer sport involved a wide variety of disciplines from indoor hockey through to futsal, touch football, swimming, waterpolo, park run and gym sessions. All students enjoyed the more social aspects that these sports offer, developing their skills and confidence. Well done to all students on your efforts and thank you to the staff and parents for supporting them at every game.

We now look forward to the winter season ahead. All students and families have been emailed with relevant information and registration details for the selected sports. If you have not received this, please email Mrs Nixon. Holidays are a wonderful opportunity to ensure that you are prepared with the necessary equipment for your sport so please ensure you gather these and have them ready to use in Week 1. 

All games commence in Week 1, on either Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Students can purchase any specific uniform requirements from the uniform shop. Below is a copy of the training schedule for all major sports. Please ensure that registration for your child is completed before the end of term to allow team confirmation over the holiday period. 

We look forward to a wonderful season of sport ahead. 

Co-curricular offerings will be sent out early next term where your child can opt to take part in additional academic, creative and wellbeing activities. Some will continue on from last term but please have a look for new offerings in Term 2.

We are excited at the opportunity to offer our students a range of experiences at NEGS.

Upcoming Events:

CIS Rugby League 

There are opportunities for students to put forward a nomination to trial for CIS Rugby League. Students are to see or email Mrs Nixon if they are interested.

Nominations are due to Mrs Nixon by 27 April (Term 2, Week 1) for 18’s and 19 June for 16’s. Trials will be held on the following dates:

18’s - 10 May held at St Mary’s Sydney

16’s - 9 August held at St Mary’s Sydney 

IGSA Cross Country

We are looking forward to the upcoming IGSA Cross Country Carnival in Frensham on Friday 12 May. Successful students have now received an invitation to attend. Please ensure your expression of interest has been completed.

I am a Girl, I can do Anything Basketball is coming to Armidale these school holidays!!

Our free girls basketball session is aimed at new or returning basketballers that want to learn some new skills, be active and have fun making new friends.

Ages 4.5 - 18 years.

Come and give it a go at Armidale Basketball.

Where: @ The Den, 180 Butler St, Armidale

Date: Friday 21 April 2023

⏰: 4.5yrs - 7yrs:  9.30am - 10.30am

⏰: 8yrs - 18yrs:  10.30am - 12.30pm

The day is free, but to assist with our planning, we do ask that you to register using the link below:

https://membership.mygameday.app/regoform.cgi?formID=98307

The I AM A GIRL Program is supported by the NSW Government's Strategic Focus on women and girls in sport through the #HerSportHerWay program and is a part of the overall NSW Legacy Program Pillars, the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2022 and the Office of Sport.

Liane Nixon

Sport Co-Ordinator

Perseverance is an essential skill that is crucial for academic success. It involves the ability to persist through challenges, setbacks, and obstacles to achieve academic goals. It is a quality that is valued in all aspects of life and is necessary for personal growth and development. This week, as our seniors finalise their Half Yearly practice exams, I’d like to discuss the importance of perseverance in academics and how it can be cultivated to achieve academic excellence.

Academic success is not solely determined by intelligence or natural ability. It is a combination of various factors such as hard work, dedication, and perseverance. Most students face academic challenges, such as difficult courses, tough exams, and extensive workloads. The ability to persevere through these obstacles can mean the difference between success and failure and it is thus essential to develop a mindset of resilience and persistence to succeed academically.

Perseverance allows students to overcome obstacles and setbacks and provides them with the necessary motivation to push through difficulties and achieve their academic goals. Students who persevere are more likely to stay focused on their goals and develop a growth mindset. They view challenges as opportunities for growth and learning, rather than as roadblocks to their success. I can think of one student today who went through this very process, and is now resolved to ‘hang in there’ and persist with some rather lofty academic goals.

Perseverance also teaches valuable life skills. It helps students develop resilience, grit, and determination, which are essential qualities for success in any field. These skills can be applied to various aspects of life, such as career, relationships, and personal development and as such, we can argue that perseverance is a quality that can make a significant difference in a person's life.

One way to cultivate perseverance is to set realistic goals using course outcomes and course performance descriptors up to year 10, and course outcomes and performance band descriptors in Stage 6. Setting achievable goals provides a clear direction and purpose for academic work and helps students stay motivated and focused on their objectives. Another way to cultivate perseverance is to develop a growth mindset. A growth mindset is the belief that intelligence and abilities can be developed through hard work and dedication. Students with a growth mindset view challenges as opportunities to learn and grow, and thus they are more likely to persist through difficulties and setbacks, as they understand that failure is a necessary part of the learning process.

Practising self-care is also important for cultivating perseverance. Students who take care of their physical and mental health are better equipped to handle academic challenges. Self-care can involve getting enough sleep, eating healthy foods, exercising regularly, and taking breaks to relax and recharge. Students who prioritise self-care are more likely to have the energy and motivation to persevere through academic challenges. Seeking support and guidance from teachers and peers can also help students cultivate perseverance. Teachers regularly provide guidance and feedback on academic work, and peers offer support and encouragement. Seeking support from others can help students feel less isolated and more connected to their academic goals.

So, as we prepare our students for the challenges beyond the school gates, it’s important that Whatsoever we do, we do it heartily. Including persevering with rigorous academic work.

Ryan Caldwell

Director of Teaching and Learning

Making good use of the last weekend of term, our boarders were able to enjoy our outdoor spaces with a bonfire, tasty s'mores, music and several games of 44 home.

NEGS boarders celebrated with the wider Armidale community at the Autumn Festival, through the street parade, face painting and musical performances.

We are wishing all our boarding families a restful and enjoyable holiday.

Soak up the last few weeks of sunshine before winter hits.

Looking forward to starting Term 2 with our Year 7 and Year 12 social events. 

Happy Easter and stay safe.

Meg Laverty

Head of Boarding

As we move into the Easter break, I would like to thank our students and their families for the outstanding effort and commitment shown this term.  Most recently, these attributes were displayed by our school at the Armidale Autumn Festival. Our students continue to shine; embracing the many opportunities available to them with a spirit that is the cornerstone of NEGS. 

On behalf of our Junior School staff, I wish you a holiday break filled with fun and laughter.

Take time to re energise and reset, to connect and converse with your child about their accomplishments this term. 

‘The harder you work for something, the greater you feel when you achieve it.’

Heidi Dent

Junior School Coordinator

Careers - What's on this week

The P and F Committee wish all of our families a happy easter and restful break.

Thank you for your support over the past term, we have had a great start to the year. There is great energy and planning is well under way for key events thatwill be held later in the year.

We discovered on Tuesday night that we have many artists amongst our community. Thank you to all the parents who came to the Pino and Piccaso evening - it was a great night enjoyed by everyone.

A very big thank you to the Sinclair family who donated the wine from their vinyard, Cape Bernier, in Tasmania. We really appreciate their generosity and the wine was enjoyed by all.

Special Announcement! 

We are delighted to announce earlybird tickets on sale now for the NEGS Community.

Click on image below for more detals.