Careers 24/3/23: Defence Force gap year, workshops, information nights and more
University Western Sydney’s New Bachelor of Tourism and Event Management Western Sydney University’s School of Social Science has a brand new degree, Bachelor of Tourism and Event Management. The degree, designed with industry, prepares graduates for professional roles in tourism, events, and the visitor economy. https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/future/study/courses/undergraduate/bachelor-of-tourism-and-event-management International Science School 2023 – it’s back, live and in-person! […]
Principal 24/3/23: Considerations for schools when voting in the NSW State Election
Tomorrow our state goes to the polls, in what appears to be another closely contested election. Over the past couple of months, I have had the opportunity to attend both small and large meetings with Sarah Mitchell, Minister for Education and Early Learning, and Prue Car, Shadow Minister for the same portfolio. The approaching election […]
High School 24/3/23: Attendance procedures
What happens if my child is absent? “Every day counts and there is no ‘safe’ threshold for absences” – Hancock et al., 2013 Let us explain with reference to some research. The impacts of absenteeism, according to Hancock et al. (2013) are significant and cumulative: “The effects of non-attendance on achievement are cumulative and can […]
Primary 24/3/23: The power of a Smile
This week I want to discuss the power of a smile. Did you know that when we are born, we can already smile? It is a universal language that expresses both happiness and joy. Smiling can make other people light up and feel better about themselves. Mother Teresa once said, “Let us always meet each […]
Primary 10/3/23: Care for our Environment
As we move through the month of March, it is important to remember our responsibility to care for the earth. In Genesis 2:15, we read that God has placed us on this earth to be good stewards. Year 2 students have been learning about Clean Up Australia Day.https://youtu.be/VXYfY4zQ8Kk How can we use this to serve […]
Principal 10/3/23: Artificial Intelligence and growing interest in Independent Schools
Impact of Artificial Intelligence Last newsletter, I wrote on the topic of digital technology using artificial intelligence, particularly with reference to the rapid uptake and ongoing impact of Chat GPT. I suspect that, while technology of this kind has been in use for quite a while (eg predictive text), the ‘chat’ functionality and the power […]
High School 10/3/23: Living in Community
We all live in different communities, and we know from personal experience that communities are a complex web of interactions and emotions that can provide positive and negative experiences. Positive communities provide places to meet others and have a sense of belonging. They provide emotional support and feelings of safety and allow members to be […]
Principal 24/2/23: Education and the ethical impact of AI
It’s hard to believe but we are rapidly approaching the midpoint of Term 1. It has been a very busy four weeks across the school, however, students are well settled into the routine of school life now. The following paragraphs look a little different than usual. Each paragraph has a number. Read to the end […]
Careers – 24/02/23
University University of Sydney Seminar – Putin, History, and the Ukraine War 1 March Commentary on the Ukraine War is full of historical allusions and comparisons. In his own speeches on the war, Russian President Vladimir Putin often refers to earlier periods in Moscow’s relationship with neighboring regions such as Ukraine—from tsarist times, through […]
WHS 24/02/23 – Travel on the buses
Students travelling to and from school on the bus can experience varying levels of comfort and safety. We want all our students to enjoy their trip as best they can and to arrive safely. The school’s Senior Executive has three main expectations of all students travelling on school buses. Safety: we want students to act […]