School Newsletter 7 April 2021

Now that the first term has concluded, it is timely to reflect on what has been a positive and productive start to 2021. Despite the various challenges of Covid, there has been a palpable sense across Term 1 of returning to a more ‘normal’ school year. The easing of restrictions has been a welcome relief, allowing us to engage with all members of our community more easily. It has been wonderful to see so many parents attending or volunteering at various events over the past few weeks such as the We Will Rock You Production, Cross Country Carnivals, Camps and assemblies. Many of these events have been captured in this edition of the Newsletter and I trust you will enjoy our recap of the past few weeks.

We Will Rock You

On Friday 26 March I had the privilege of attending the We Will Rock You production. I was in absolute awe of the student performances, the set design, the audio-visual experience, and the elaborate entry decorations. The combined effect was a production that was a clear class above any other school production that I have ever seen. Over the past week I have been inundated with emails from parents and guests who attended the show. Each email has been a glowing endorsement of the talent of our students and the dedication of our staff in bringing together such a complex production. 

 

We Will Rock You has been a 20-month journey, with multiple ups and downs. Throughout what can only be described as a labour of love, the students and staff involved have gone to great lengths to deliver a production of the highest quality. The highlight of the show for me was the engagement between students from all areas of the School. To have Primary, Middle and Senior School students engaging and collaborating with staff and each other is the essence of what a community school is all about. Bravo to all involved!

Future Jobs Roadshow

On Tuesday 30 March, the School hosted the north metro iteration of the Future Jobs Roadshow. The event was coordinated by former staff member, Paul Litwin and sponsored by the City of Wanneroo. The event focussed on four key future industries: Cyber Security, Data Science, Renewable Energy and Life Science. A panel of experts discussed strategies for students to become involved in each industry and the types of skills that they will need to succeed. It is estimated that 65% of jobs that will exist in 20 years’ time have not even been created yet. As an educator I find this both fascinating and confronting as we strive to ensure that our students are prepared for a rapidly evolving workforce. While we are well placed at Peter Moyes Anglican Community School to adapt to changing demands and maintain a dynamic curriculum, events such as the Future Jobs Roadshow are invaluable in keeping us on track. 

PMACS Scholarships

I am excited to announce that the School will be launching Student Scholarships for 2022 on Tuesday 27 April. The Scholarships will be available to internal and external students, for entry into Year 7 and Year 11 in 2022. This exciting initiative has been developed by the School Council in conjunction with the School’s Executive Team. Please keep an eye on our website and social media accounts for further details in the coming weeks.

As the school holidays are now upon us, it is now vital that all students take the time to refresh and recharge over the break. This includes switching off their laptop and taking a complete break from School to focus on family, friends and the things they love to do.

In concluding, I trust you will enjoy reading the latest edition of the School Newsletter and I wish all staff, students and parents a safe, relaxing and enjoyable holiday break.

Every Blessing.

Benjamin Lomas
PRINCIPAL

Congratulations to Edward Brice and Adela James for being worthy winners of our Term 1 Honour Awards. Thank you both for continually demonstrating the School values and Personal Excellence with Compassion for Others.

During March, our Year 3 to 6 students participated in the online CSIRO Bebras Computational Thinking Challenge that aims to promote Informatics. There are 15 questions to complete that require higher-order problem solving skills through pattern recognition, abstraction and algorithm design. These skills form the basis of Computer Science, can be solved without prior thinking, and enable students to apply logical thought processing.

All students receive performance certificates and can use their login to check their results and the solutions.  
We are very excited to be able to share news of our Award Winners.

• A huge congratulations to Clarrie White (4.1) for receiving a High Distinction in the Bebras Challenge.
• Special congratulations to Jonah Hilditch (5.2) and Finn Gibson (5.2) for receiving Distinction achievements in the Bebras Challenge.
• Congratulations also to Baden Garrett (3.1), Alyssa Fernback (3.1), Connor Dyer (3.1), Jack Jochimsen (3.2), Daniel Lawton (3.2), Michael Minnear (3.2), Nicole Matsvoro (4.1), Esme Beresford (4.1), Keagan Cullingworth (4.1), Bailey White (4.1), Flynn Page (4.1), Roland Chhun (5.2), Nicholas Blizard (6.2), Fletcher Brett (6.2), Tullah Driver (6.1), Kiedis Hockey (6.1), Ryan Nicholson (6.1) and Brock Slade (6.2), for receiving a Credit achievement in the Bebras Challenge.

Well done to all students!

As an activity supporting the Year 6 Physical Sciences curriculum, all students in Year 6 were required to design and build a Synergy sponsored solar powered car to travel independently along a 30 metre race track. Four students who displayed appropriate skills in engineering and team work were selected to represent Peter Moyes in the Year 6 Synergy Solar Car Challenge held at St Marks Anglican Community School on Tuesday 16 March 2021.

Addison Wright, Chloe Jakovcevic, Olivia Britten and Victoria Parker, formed a very focused team who worked together under time pressure to successfully build a solar car that proudly advanced to a place in the Quarter Finals.

Congratulations to this team of students who enjoyed the interschool experience and learnt a lot about solar components. 
 
Michelle Pestel

E-PEDAGOGY & INNOVATION CO-ORDINATOR - PRIMARY SCHOOL

On Friday 5 March, students in Years 3 to 6 competed in the annual Primary School Swim Carnival, at Arena Joondalup.

Despite their being a restriction on spectators the level of enthusiasm and noise from the students more than made up for the smaller crowd. I would like to say a huge thank you to the entire PMACS community (staff, parents and students) for making the day such a success. A particular mention should go to those parents who put themselves forward to get into the pool to provide support during both the individual events and the novelty races, the day could not have run without them.  

The overall Champion House was Durack. 

The results were as follows:
1st     Durack       1,005 pts           
2nd    Hollows        889 pts  
3rd     Florey          753 pts 
4th     Lingiari        654 pts
5th     Cuthbert      481 pts

Congratulations to the following students on their individual achievements:

Champion Results

Year 3 Champion Girl: Mia Cahill
Year 3 Girl Runner-up: Charlotte Willers
Year 3 Champion Boy: Emerson Wheeler
Year 3 Boy Runner-up: Harry Duckett
Year 3 Sportsmanship Award: Caitlin Higo

Year 4 Champion Girl: Nakita Grant
Year 4 Girl Runner-up: Geneva Vearing
Year 4 Champion Boy: Connor Young
Year 4 Boy Runner-up: Thomas Fallan
Year 4 Sportsmanship Award: Hayden Carter

Year 5 Champion Girl: Cassie Joyce & Amelia Lissett
Year 5 Girl Runner-up: Leilani White
Year 5 Champion Boy: Phoenix Martin
Year 5 Boy Runner Up: Lewis Wagstaff
Year 5 Sportsmanship Award: Emily Hardman

Year 6 Champion Girl: Sophie Burrows
Year 6 Girl Runner-up: Chanel Martin
Year 6 Champion Boy: James Chapman
Year 6 Boy Runner-up: Brady Fulcher
Year 6 Sportsmanship Award: Addison Wright

Records

Y4 Boys 50m Butterfly: Connor Young HOLLOWS 49.2secs
Old Record 50.33secs

Y4 Boys 50m Backstroke: Connor Young HOLLOWS 45.71secs
Old Record 45.85secs

Y5 Girls 50m Backstroke: Cassie Joyce FLOREY 44.13secs
Old Record 44.65secs

Parent 50m Inflatable Race Winner – Mrs Falla Olivos

Matt Senior

PRIMARY SCHOOL SPORTS CO-ORDINATOR

Our Primary School team competed in the Inter-School NIPSSA Swim Carnival on Friday 26 March at Joondalup Arena. A total of 37 swimmers from Year 3 to Year 6 made the squad, having been selected from the results of the Inter-house swimming carnival. 

As always, the standard amongst the Schools was extremely high so I was extremely impressed with how well the squad performed against such a competitive field. I would like to say a big thank you again to the staff and parent helpers who gave up their time to assist on the day.

Final results as follows:

OVERALL RESULTS
1st St Marks ACS: 730pts
2nd Padbury CPS: 550 pts
3rd Lake Joondalup Baptist College: 476pts
4th Peter Moyes ACS: 468pts
5th St Stephens Duncraig: 466pts
6th Whitfords CPS: 428pts
7th St Stephens Carramar: 286pts

EQUALITY SHIELD (based on size of student population)
1st Padbury CPS: 586pts
2nd Peter Moyes ACS: 483pts
3rd St Stephens Duncraig: 377pts
4th Lake Joondalup Baptist College: 377pts
5th St Stephens Carramar: 367pts
6th St Marks ACS: 307pts
7th Whitfords CPS: 303pts
 
Congratulations to the following students for representing the school at the NIPSSA Swimming Carnival 2021 

Year 3: Neve Arthy        
Year 3: Mia Cahill            
Year 3: Charlotte Willers 
Year 3: Quinn Gomm     
Year 3: Finn Houlahan   
Year 3: Harry Newman
Year 3: Emerson Wheeler 
Year 3: Taye White         
Year 4: Esme Beresford 
Year 4: Megan Harrison 
Year 4: Adela James       
Year 4: Chloe Ripsold     
Year 4: Geneva Vearing 
Year 4: Finlee Butler       
Year 4: Thomas Fallan    
Year 4: Charlie Tilden     
Year 4: Joshua Whelan 
Year 4: Connor Young    
Year 5: Ruby Fage          
Year 5: Cassie Joyce       
Year 5: Amelia Lissett    
Year 5: Leilani White      
Year 5: Eli Clarke              
Year 5: Jonah Hilditch    
Year 5: Phoenix Martin
Year 5: Spencer Norris  
Year 5: Lewis Wagstaff  
Year 6: Sophie Burrows 
Year 6: Tullah Driver      
Year 6: Coral Gomm       
Year 6: Chanel Martin    
Year 6: Imogen Richardson        
Year 6: James Chapman             
Year 6: James Dunlop    
Year 6: Brady Fulcher    
Year 6: Corey Harrison  
Year 6: Logan Rampling 

Matt Senior
PRIMARY SCHOOL SPORTS CO-ORDINATOR

On Wednesday 31 March, students competed in the NIPSSA Basketball Carnival at Warwick Stadium. For many of the students this was their first experience of competitive basketball. 

All the teams that took part performed brilliantly and showed great team spirit and sportsmanship. Congratulations to all the students who were involved. 

Matt Senior
PRIMARY SCHOOL SPORTS CO-ORDINATOR

After Year 7 Camp, we commenced our Peer Support programme between Year 7 and 11 students. The programme runs on a Monday during House Tutorial Group between to facilitate interactions, connections, and relationship building. 

School connectedness is an important protective factor that contributes to students’ mental health and wellbeing. For students to feel a strong sense of belonging, they need to have positive experiences and good relationships with their peers at School. Our support programme provides students with the opportunity to broaden their connections across the School community in a safe and structured format. 

Our Year 11 students run activities to foster relationships and connectiveness with younger students by taking on a leadership role. Through hands-on fun activities and discussions, students explore and apply a range of social and emotional skills, leading to improved positive social engagement in and beyond School. 

The programme finished this term with an Easter picnic and will run into the first few weeks of next term. 

Stand up paddle boarding (SUP) is one of the best experiences I have had at PMACS! It is a beautiful combination of power and balance as you must thrust yourself through the water and remain perfectly balanced, but it is still fun falling in. 

I enjoy SUP boarding because of the time spent on the water. I almost can’t describe what it’s like to glide across a perfectly smooth surface with such ease, it almost makes me feel like I am flying. The instructors are really nice, and they challenge us with balancing tasks and different standing positions on the board. Furthermore, it’s fun when you accidentally bump into one of your peers, and either you or they fall in, trying to turn the board or get through the crowd (the water is lovely). 

Lastly, being on the water provides such peace from your daily pressures of schoolwork because the moment you step into the water you leave all your problems on the shore. I have strongly enjoyed SUP boarding this term and I would really like to do it again later in my schooling career. 

Warrick Pedley

Year 9 Student

On 16 March, the Year 8 Girls took part in the West Coast Futsal North Division State School Titles at Kingsway Indoor Sports Centre.

With 2 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss, the team advanced from the group stage to play Morley A in the semi-finals which they proceed to win 1-0.

Unfortunately, specialist Soccer School LJBC beat them in the final, however they were the only team to beat the Year 8 all day in a much improved performance from the group stage game.

Congratulations to the team for all their fantastic effort:  

Jade Blaine
Alana Clarke
Jessica Foyle
Tia Fraser-Felekis
Danielle Graham
Grace Griffiths
Abbey Hills
Jasmine Wilkinson
Madeline Young
Coach: Mr Toby Wright

On 12 March, at the Middle School Indonesian Assembly, we had a special visit from her Excellency, the Consular General of Indonesia here in Western Australia, Ibu Dewi Gustina Tobing (popularly known as Ibu KonGen). Also in attendance was Bapak (Mr.) Domingus from the Indonesian Consulate, and Ibu Lestari, a visiting teacher assistant from Papua.

During the assembly, Mr Richard Alchin presented the 2021 Language Ambassador badges to the following students: Manaia Kainuku, Diarmuid Towe, Matilda McDougall, Aiden Manning and Chanel Vujicic from the Year 9 Standard Indonesian class. These five students have been nominated as a result of their excellent connection with learning Indonesian in Year 7 and Year 8. The role of the Indonesian Language Ambassadors is to assist in Middle School language activities and encourage, as well as demonstrate, the benefits of language learning. We applaud these students for their appointment and enthusiasm.

There were several noteworthy performances in the Assembly including a song ‘We are beautiful’ from our Year 12 student Atida Gowha, a dance performance by Ibu Lestari, and some words of encouragement from our Year 12 Senior School Language Ambassador Neisha Adma Weda.

Neisha Adma Weda (Year 12) was nominated as a result of her excellent connection with learning Indonesian in Middle and Senior School. May I take this opportunity to congratulate Neisha for achieving the highest scaled score of 92.8 in Western Australia for her Indonesian WACE Exam last year. A much-deserved accolade for all the hard work she put in over the last couple of years. We applaud Neisha for her appointment and enthusiasm. 

At the end of last year, 16 of our present Year 12 students sat the Indonesian second language WACE exam. We applaud these students for opening their doors to learn the important skills of diversity and cultural understanding. 

After the Assembly, Ibu Kongen and other Consulate members visited our new Indonesian classroom in the Senior School building where the Year 10 to 12 Indonesian classes are held. In Term 2, Adult Language classes will also be held in this room. For more information, please contact Balai Bahasa at https://balaibahasaperth.org/learn.

We are privileged here at PMACS to learn Indonesian, a language through which we can connect with one of our closest neighbours and its rich culture and fascinating way of life. We take the opportunity to thank all parents for supporting their children’s language learning journey. 

Terima kasih

Maya Swailes
HEAD OF LANGUAGES

Although the first term this year has been a short one it certainly was packed with cultural, sporting and Senior School social events – just a usual term at PMACS, really!

Revision Sessions

In preparation for a longer term, in terms of weeks and academic intensity, I would remind parents to take advantage of holiday revision sessions available to our students, particularly in Years 11 and 12, but also for Year 10. The sessions are well placed to assist our students maintain focus during the break and minimise any content gaps in their learning.  It is also useful for students to ‘hear’ content information from a different voice as they prepare for the upcoming Examinations. The sessions provided by Master Mind Australia come with a discount for our students, so parents are advised to make their booking for sessions via phone.

OLNA

During the first few weeks of next term, the School will be receiving OLNA results from Round 1. At this time, we will begin our OLNA preparation sessions to continue to assist our students who may be required to sit OLNA Round 2 in September.

Externally Assessed Task Week

In Week 3 next term, our Year 12 General Pathway students will be sitting the Externally Assessed Task for each of their courses. This comprises a 50-minute test on content from their syllabus. The test paper is written by SCSA – the questions are unknow to our teachers until the students write the paper. Our teachers are given the marking key or rubric and a proportion of students in each course are randomly selected by SCSA for their papers to be sent for marking by an independent party. Once we receive these results from SCSA, the final student mark may be required to be adjusted.

During the EST week, all Year 12 General Pathway students will be required at School only for their EST. There are morning and afternoon times for the EST, and students and their parents have been sent this schedule.

ATAR Examinations

Then in Weeks 5 and 6 of Term 2, all Year 11 and 12 students will be off grid for the ATAR examinations. ATAR Pathway students will only be required at School when they are required to sit an examination, both written and practical. Again, students and their parents have been sent this schedule. General Pathway students may be required to attend certain sessions with their class teacher during this exam fortnight. This will be important for Year 11 General Pathway students who need to catch up on missed content, complete practical observations for Certificate courses, for example. There is also the opportunity for these students to complete a block of Work Experience. Students who wish to take this up, need to discuss this with their Head of Year and Mr Wright.

Pathways to Success at PMACS

Please find the information attached about the varieties of directions a student at PMACS can take as they work towards their post-secondary schooling options. Our School is in an enviable position to provide a range of choices for students of all interests and abilities while attending the School where Pastoral care and wellbeing is at the forefront of their secondary education. For more information about these pathways please contact Mrs Shaw.

UniPrep in Schools

The next cohort of Year 11 students taking up UniPrep in Schools will be starting in Term 3. Year 11 students will need to reflect on their own course load and pathway. It is recommended that a student is on an General Pathway in order to utilise the advantages that UniPrep provides our students. As the first semester of Year 11 concludes, a review of results will be completed by Heads of Departments and the Associate Principal. Students who are not meeting realistic benchmarks for a successful transition to post-secondary schooling will be required to adjust their course load and/or pathway.

It is useful to remember that there are many ways for a student to achieve their goal and answer the important question of ‘what do I want to do when I leave school?’.  As the Pathways to Success document demonstrates, students are not bound to a pathway that ultimately is not for them, nor restricts them to a pathway which is not conducive for positive mental health and wellbeing.

In conclusion, I congratulate all our students for their focus this term. Whatever their year group, they have juggled a full calendar of more than just the academic needs of a secondary student. Now is the time for some down-time, preferably ‘green time’ as opposed to screen time. However, it is recommended that all students spend some time at their books in preparation for Term 2 and the important events which will provide a summative account of their hard work in all their courses.

Best wishes to all students and their family for a Holy Easter and restful break.

Natalie Shaw
ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL SENIOR SCHOOL

Rail Safety Ambassador, Jonathan Beninca joined us via Webex to be a guest speaker for our Year 10 students on Monday 15 March. Jonathan works with ‘Right Track’ (www.righttrack.wa.gov.au) and usually comes to Perth twice a year to share his story and help encourage young people to take responsibility for their own safety and to make responsible choices.

After a night out, Jonathan missed his last train and started walking home along the tracks in south Sydney. When he woke up in hospital, he was minus his right arm and leg and missing fingers on his left hand. 

Jonathan’s honest, direct, and humorous approach to telling his story connected with all the students and his tales of how that night changed his life brings home to them the realities of making positive decisions, particularly around public transport. 

Over the course of the term, the Year 10 Young People and the Law (YPAL) classes have been avidly learning the structure and processes of the legal system within Australia. In Week 6, this culminated in the class participating in a Mock Trial against other Schools, held at the Supreme Court. These Mock Trials gave us the opportunity to take on a variety of different roles within the court room, providing us with a ‘hands on’ experience of legal proceedings, in friendly competition against other Schools across the state. It really was a fantastic learning experience.

Then, in Week 8, the YPAL students undertook another excursion to the Supreme Courts, where this time we were given the opportunity to watch a real murder trial unfold. This served a both a confronting yet unforgettable experience and gave us greater insight into the WA court system. Overall, these excursions served as incredibly enriching experience, providing us with a brand new perspective on our legal system, and really engaged us with the work we have been looking at in class across the term.

Term 1 has been an exciting term for the Year 12 ATAR Drama class. One of the main focuses has been on developing a scripted monologue for performance. Each student was required to select a two-to-three-minute monologue from a published play and direct, stage and costume it according to the context of the play. The students performed these in early March to a captivated audience. The evening included monologues from playwrights such as Oscar Wilde, Shakespeare, Sarah Kane and Moliere.

Along with their scripted monologues the students performed excerpts from Alana Valentine’s plays, Parramatta Girls and Eyes to the Floor. Parramatta Girls is a dramatized account of the collected testimonies of former inmates of the Parramatta Girls Home, staged as a reunion forty years after the institution closed. Picking up where Parramatta Girls leaves off, Eyes to the Floor is a moving portrait of hope that survives even in the worst of conditions. Written especially for a young cast, whose ages are chillingly equivalent to the incarcerated girls the are portraying.

On 4 March, Neisha Adma Weda was announced as the Senior School Indonesian Language Ambassador for this year at the Senior School Assembly. This is a new leadership position that has been introduced in 2021. The focus of the role is to support and encourage Secondary language learners as well as demonstrate the benefits of language learning.

Neisha was nominated as a result of her excellent connection with learning Indonesian in Middle and Senior School. She is also congratulated for achieving the highest scaled score of 92.8 in Western Australia for her Indonesian WACE Exam last year. A much-deserved accolade for all the hard work she put in over the last couple of years. We applaud Neisha for her appointment and enthusiasm. 

A note from Neisha.....

Now that I am in Year 12, and have completed my Indonesian studies. I have five extra Study Groups, that allow me to focus on my other ATAR subjects.

I would like to say thanks to Ibu Swailes and Ibu Hara for making my experience learning Indonesian very enjoyable. They incorporated several excursions into our learning, including visits to Indonesian restaurants, UWA and the Indonesian Consulate. 

I would highly recommend to all students to engage in your Indonesian classes in Middle School and hopefully you will choose it in Senior school in order to benefit from not only learning about other cultures but also receiving the 10% LOTE bonus when you complete your ATAR. 

Students are very welcome to come have a chat with me or email me to ask me any questions and I will be happy to help.

On Tuesday 16 March, our Year 11 Outdoor Education students embarked on their first ever Margaret River Expedition which would see students test their surfing skills at some of the greatest beaches on offer in Western Australia. The expedition begun with a relaxing drive South with students setting up and camping at Contos Campsite. They then enjoyed some beach activities followed by dinner to round out day one. The start of day two saw the students participate in their first surfing session at Redgate beach, run by instructors from the Margaret River Surf School. The waves were decent in size and students enjoyed building their surfing skills in white water waves.

This was followed by a tour of Yahoo Surfboard Shapers store where students were given a full run down on how surfboards are made including how custom boards are fitted for individual surfers. Students enjoyed this experience and walked away with their own bar of wax ready for the own surfing endeavours. The afternoon then brought about some fierce competition in the annual Beach Fitness competition where Ms Branley’s team was faced head-to-head with Mr Fannon’s team to see who could work together and be the most united team. Ms Branley’s team was too good on the day with strong kayaking skills and group communication.

Day three then saw students participate in their second surfing session which proved to test them all with slightly bigger waves presenting to students at Redgate beach. Students battled through the waves, with almost all students standing and riding a wave to the shoreline. Instructors from the Surf School highlighted how impressed they were of the resilience and determination of our Year 11 students. After the mornings surfing, students then got a taste of hiking on the Cape to Cape, walking from Redgate beach back to our campsite at Contos which tallied 7.2 kilometres in total. Students powered through the walk, motivated to reach the cool refreshing beach water at the end to help cool off. More fun and excitement was had at the beach followed by a nicely cooked meal and some time to relax. To finish off day three, students were taken on a night walk where each person was encouraged to take 10 minutes to sit down in their own space, look up at the stars and enjoy their own company, reflecting on the day’s activities. It was excellent to see many students embrace some solo time and enjoy being able to reflect and relax within the natural environment.

The last day meant an early rise for students to pack up the campsite and head to our final surfing lesson. We were blessed with some perfect weather for the final day, with student’s skill levels reaching the point that they could start surfing some bigger green waves. Once again, the willingness of all students to give things a go and challenge themselves was excellent to see. We were even blessed with the company of a pod of dolphins which swam through as students prepared themselves to catch their next waves. Students finished their final surfing session, packed up and headed into Bunbury to get some lunch to finish off what was a successful and enjoyable Margaret River Expedition. 

I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate students on a fantastic attitude and effort whilst on Expedition. Everybody showed excellent improved and embraced the opportunity that they had to be in such a beautiful part of the world. Special thanks to Ms Branley who put in large amounts of effort behind the scenes to help organise this opportunity and support student success. Lastly, thank you to Yahoo Surfboards in Dunsborough for taking us through an interesting tour as well as Jarrad and the team at Margaret River Surf School who were integral in the development and enjoyment of surfing for all students.

Cameron Fannon

SECONDARY SCHOOL HEALTH & PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHER

Between 18 and 19 March the Year 12 ATAR Geography students and Year 11 ATAR Economics students enjoyed two days on Rottnest Island conducting fieldwork for their courses. The Economics students focused on Rottnest’s common property goods and the externalities created by the island’s leisure and commercial purposes. One such externality is the pollution created by Rottnest’s energy uses, which tied in well with the Geography students’ focus on the island’s transition to renewable energy sources. The added focus for the Geography students was on the health of the dune system and eco-systems, as well as assessing the risk of climate change and sea-level rise to the built environment. 

The students enjoyed it immensely with many visiting the island for the first time as well as obtaining their first experience of camping. In total, the group cycled approximately 25 kilometres over the two days, and experienced snorkelling at many of Rottnest Island’s beautiful bays and beaches. It was a great way to experience the island and I am sure the students took a lot of way in terms of education and appreciation for one of Western Australia’s premium tourist destinations.

Christ the Power and Wisdom of God

As an Anglican priest, the time of Lent and Easter is a time of profound reflection for me. As I deliver the Easter message of the salvation of humankind in the death of Christ on the cross, and his subsequent resurrection and ascension into heaven, I am always struck by the apparent foolishness of such a belief. This apparent foolishness escalates when one considers that the ‘Western world’ is becoming increasingly secularized and ‘immune’ to the message of the cross. As I prepare for and deliver our Easter Chapel services, I try to ‘get into the heads’ of our students and deliver this ‘foolish’ message in a way that is accessible and relatable for them. However, given the chasm between earthly and heavenly wisdom, I fully appreciate that this is always going to be a challenge.

Indeed, St Paul engages in the same reflection in his first letter to the Corinthians. 

He said:
18 For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”

20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, 23 but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.

(1 Corinthians 1: 18-25, NRSV)

This reading questions human standards of wisdom. It invites us to step outside of human conventions and understanding. It invites us to consider the possibility that the story of God stepping out of heaven and into our realm, showing us how to live, and dying and rising to new life so that those who believe might share eternity with him, is not, in fact, a fanciful and foolish story but the wisdom of God in action! Can a human mind truly grasp the enormity of this wisdom of God that we live again this Easter? I suggest that we cannot really – that is why we call our belief - ‘faith.’  The book of Hebrews describes faith as:

“ ….. confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

We do indeed need to take a leap of faith this Easter, away from human wisdom and into the wisdom of God! It is likely that you will read this over the Easter weekend. It may be that Good Friday has past, and that we live May God bless you as you endeavour to do so.

Rev Dave

SENIOR CHAPLAIN

The House Representatives for Years 8 to 11 have just been announced. It is our aim to promote and develop leadership skills in all students. These opportunities range from classroom responsibilities and personal confidence development to more formal leadership roles. These roles can take place in curricular, co-curricular or purely social forums in which the students are involved.

Students across the School have additional opportunities to develop their leadership skills. One of these opportunities is a House Representative. Two House Representatives are elected for each House in each year level. They complement and assist their Year 9 and Year 12 House Captains.

Leadership is an incredibly important component of our School programme and we are particularly proud of the manner in which our leaders will affect their peers, their School, their community and the broader community in which they live.

Congratulations to the following students who are House Representatives in 2021:

Year 8:
Matilda Dall, Zach Durning, Amber Lister, David Smedley, Isabella Tovey, Gabriel Robinson, Beth Kilgallon, Grace Cameron, Grace Griffith, Sam Williamson

Year 10:
Reece Martin, Kye Jones, Michelle Matsvororo, Brady Reynolds, Mieke Grobler, Tom Prowton, Kathleen Maloney, Jasmine Van De Peppel, Abby Palmer-Smith

Year 11:
Daniel Vail, Bailey Hickling, Areta Davies, Ben Brown, Olivia Williams, Matthew Brunello, Cooper Moss, Archie Eisenhower, Erynn Morrissey, Eleanor McNamara 

We will elect year 7 House Representatives early in Term 2 once the students have had a little more opportunity to get to know each other.

Congratulations to the twenty students who have been elected as House Captains for the 2021 school year. All Captains acknowledged and accepted the responsibility and privilege that goes with such a position and pledged to uphold the School Values. They are also committed to serving the School and wider community with fairness and honesty, working diligently, and striving for personal excellence in all they do. 

The House Captains were democratically elected by Year 6-12 students at the end of last year and are already demonstrating competency in their roles. Staff are looking forward to working with them this year and thank them in advance for the roles and responsibilities they will undertake.

The 2021 House Captains are:

On Friday 19 March, our School marked The National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence (NDABV). There was a wide range of activities and incursions taking place during the day across different year levels. The NDABV is an opportunity for students, teachers, parents, and the whole community to take a stand together against bullying and violence. The Year 7 students are involved in designing a pledge wall, Year 8 students listened to a presentation from ‘Helping Minds’ (mental wellbeing support), the Year 9 students were involved in an interactive theatrical production from Theatrical Response Group (part of Constable Care), and Year 10 and 11 students listened to a very informative presentation from Ysafe – Australis’ leading Cyber safety organisation. 

In the Primary School we stood together for the National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence by learning about Kindness. Upper Primary leaders read stories about friendship and being kind to Lower Primary students at lunch time and all students received a wristband to represent their united stand again bullying and violence. The Lower Primary classes discussed kindness, how you felt when you were giving and receiving kindness and also watched a video titled ‘Friendship is like a Seesaw’.

In Upper Primary, the students participated in an interactive theatrical performance called ‘Frenemies’ by Constable Care. During the incursion students learned about passive, assertive and aggressive behaviour. They were able to role play and change the actions of the aggressor, demonstrating empathy and kindness. Back in the classrooms, there were also discussions about bullying, how to recognise it and some ways to help. 

All links to our day are below:

https://bullyingnoway.gov.au/preventing-bullying/national-day-of-action-against-bullying-and-violence
https://helpingminds.org.au/
https://www.cccsf.org.au/programs/theatrical-response-group/
https://www.ysafe.com.au/
https://www.cccsf.org.au/programs/constable-care/performance-summaries-upper-primary/

The Senior Library is well stocked with graphic novels - what were once referred to as comics. These monoprints (or books) take readers a shorter time to read as the information is presented in both textual and graphic forms and cover a vast range of subjects, from classic novel adaptations to informative non-fiction works. 

Modern graphic novels offer students the opportunity consider multimodal texts that help to hone their visual comprehension skills and develop multiple literacy skills. Graphic novelists and illustrators must be precise with their language, use condensed plots and convey a plethora of messages with images. Literary skills used when reading a graphic novel include decoding written language, interpreting mood, facial and gestural language, understanding symbolic representations and following spatial patterns.

At the moment many of our students are choosing graphic novels as part of their weekly reading. We encourage students to access these texts and ask them to consider mixing the type of reading they do to expose them to as many texts types as possible to help improve their literacy. 

The 2021 School Production of We Will Rock You was an amazing success! The show was fun, bright, boisterous, energetic and above all filled with phenomenal talent! A massive congratulations to all the students in the both the cast and crew that came on this journey with the Performing Arts Department. It was a mammoth commitment and the end product really highlighted how hard every single person had contributed to the show.

A thank you must go to all the staff who tirelessly worked on this project- it was a real team effort and showed what a wonderful community we have here at PMACS. Thank you also to the parents who supported all involved. Our appreciation goes to you all.

Lastly, our sincerest thanks must go to everyone that came to the show to support our School and the Performing Arts programme at PMACS.

Stay tuned for what is coming next…!

A reminder that we are collecting bread tags for ‘Aussie Bread Tags for Wheelchairs’. The bread tags are collected nationally in Australia and recycled, raising funds to buy wheelchairs for disadvantaged people in South Africa. We also collect aluminium ring pulls from cans for ‘Wheelchairs for Kids’.

Find out more by visiting https://ozbreadtagsforwheelchairs.org.au/ and https://wheelchairsforkids.org/  Both of these charities donate wheelchairs to children in need.  Additionally, the money that we raise from our collections of the 10c plastic drink containers and aluminium cans also go towards funding our recycling for the above charities. Please continue to help us to support these charities and save our planet at the same time.

On Wednesday 17 March, over fifty passionate early years educators ventured to PMACS to participate in the first AISWA Early Years network meeting for the year.

Our Head of Lower Primary, Mrs Karen De Swardt, shared our schools journey into Inquiry Learning. She presented the journey as an ‘Inquiry into our Inquiry Process’ and ensured participants were aware that student voice and choice was critical, and that process is more important than product. She explained that inquiry-based learning is more than asking a child what they wanted to know, rather it is about triggering their curiosity.

AISWA ECE Consultant Deb Martin, then spoke about 'The Power of Questioning in Inquiry Learning'. Following these two presentations, our Early Years staff opened their classrooms so that other educators could step inside and view our beautiful learning environments whilst learning first hand how our teachers managed the intricacies of inquiry learning.

Our Early Years staff received many compliments and found the process positively rewarding. I would like to sincerely thank Mrs De Swardt and her team for the amazing work they do with our students every day and for making us feel so proud as they spoke with conviction and passion about their practice.

Please note the following opening hours for the Uniform Shop over the April School Holidays.

Monday 12 April

• 8am – 12pm 
• 1.30pm – 5.30pm                           

Thursday 15 April

• 8am – 12pm 
• 1.30pm – 5.30pm

Tuesday 20 April 

• 7.45am – 12pm

Wednesday 21 April

• 7.45am – 11am

Normal term time openings resume on Thursday 22 April (7.45am – 12pm)

At the beginning of Term 2, students will change into their winter uniform. Most items of winter uniform are now in stock in the Uniform Shop.

All pre-ordered Blazers are now available for collection.

Last year the Students Representative Council were keen to use their student voice to advocate for small changes to the School uniform. One of the items they were keen to add to their uniform was shorts for female students. 

The shorts are worn with the School shirt as an alternative to the summer dress and can now be purchased from the Uniform Shop. 

Please find below information from our local Universities:

Curtin University

As the end of term 1 approaches, you and your students can already look back at many 2021 highlights.

One of our highlights was inviting you to join us at our first event for the year, our 2021 Career Advisor Webinar which included many exciting updates for the year ahead.

We really appreciate these opportunities to stay connected with schools and we’ll continue to update our High School to Uni and TAFE pages for information on upcoming events and initiatives.

https://news.curtin.edu.au/media-releases/curtin-to-open-year-12-applications-early-for-2022/

ECU

We have now launched our Early Offer Program for 2022, to help your 2021 Year 12 students with their journey to ECU.

This pathway gives them a conditional offer of a place at ECU before they start their exams. It's for Year 12s with expected ATARs or completing Certificate IV studies.

Year 12 students will need to know their predicted ATAR and/or provide us with a copy of their latest school results when applying for an ECU Early Offer.

Early offers are available for a huge variety of ECU undergraduate courses. For a full list of eligible courses and to answer all of your questions, please visit the ECU Early Offer Program page - https://www.ecu.edu.au/future-students/applying/early-offer-program. 

Murdoch University 

Murdoch University will offer a Year 12 Early Offer Scheme for 2022 admission for current Year 12 students, to allow students to make early applications and reduce uncertainty for students.

Last year Murdoch University offered a Year 12 Uni Entry Safety Net, to engage and support students who potentially had their studies impacted by COVID-19.  Following positive feedback about the scheme, Murdoch has established the Murdoch University Year 12 Early Offer Scheme to enable students to secure a place in their chosen course.

Year 12’s will be able to apply for entry into Semester 1, 2022 from 8.00am Tuesday 30 March 2021.  The Year 12 Early Offer Program will allow students to apply based on their Year 11 ATAR subject results, or by identifying that they are on a recognised pathway to university (e.g. CertIV, Enabling Program, or Portfolio Entry).  Successful applicants will be made a conditional offer.  The condition for students who are made offers based on their Year 11 ATAR results, will be the completion of Year 12. For students on non ATAR pathways, the condition will be completion of Year 12 and successful completion of the pathway.
 
The Year 12 Early Offer Program will provide students the reassurance that a place has been reserved for them in their nominated course. Veterinary Science and Nursing will not be available for the Early Offer Program.  Students wishing to apply for these courses will need to do so via TISC and offers will not be made until the processing of final Year 12 results has occurred.  

The link to apply can be found at https://www.murdoch.edu.au/study/2021-admission-pathways
This link also hosts FAQs.

Students will only need to apply once to Murdoch.  If they change their course preference, there will be instructions in their offer letter on how to do this. TISC will open early on 19 April 2021 to also accommodate early offer programs and will now be at no cost to students.   

When applying, students will need an electronic copy of their Year 11 end of year subject report (PDF or JPEG is fine) and a short personal statement, details of which are outlined in the FAQs. 

We will be providing offers on a rolling basis to students as soon as their application has been assessed.

Should students have any questions about our courses, or require assistance in submitting their application, they can call our Meet Murdoch team on 1300 687 3624. Meet Murdoch is open every weekday from 8.00am to 6.00pm to assist future students. 

Notre Dame     

https://www.notredame.edu.au/study/early-offer/early-offer-2021

UWA

Early Offers program applications are open now and you can find out more information on our website and steps on how to apply.

https://www.uwa.edu.au/study/how-to-apply/early-offers

Last year, a couple of other students and myself from my Politics and Law class, were selected to attend a state level Constitutional Convention. We were then advised of applications to attend the National Convention, to be held in Canberra the following year. So, I applied and found out I was lucky enough to be accepted to attend the National Constitutional Convention, everything including flights and accommodation all paid for. Unfortunately early this year due to COVID-19, we were informed the convention would no longer be held in Canberra, and instead in hubs in each state via Zoom.

Over a couple of days, my other WA delegates and myself, along with delegates from all over Australia, got to learn about a Preamble, it’s purpose, merits, limitations and what a “good preamble” should include. I got to hear from a range of experts about Australia and specifically our preamble and constitution, with a focus on the lack of Indigenous recognition within both. Further, each hub was able to present their own new preamble for consideration for Australia’s constitution. We then got to debate, draft and vote on a final Preamble. 

During this time I had the opportunity to meet new people, learn and debate, hear from Australia’s Governor-General, the Senate President and to top it all off, an exclusive tour of WA’s Parliament (and no, everyone’s favourite guy wasn’t there). It was an amazing two days, filled with so many incredible opportunities and I am so lucky, blessed and grateful for it. It truly was a really awesome couple of days (excluding the 5.30am wakeups) and only consolidated my interest further for a future in politics.

Tylah Gaensler

Year 12 Student

From Friday 19 March to Sunday 21 March the WA Little Athletics State Track and Field Championships were held at WA Athletics Stadium. Some of our Primary School students participated in this event.

Indianna

Under 9 Girls 400 meter Final – 1st Place GOLD medalist and set a NEW WA STATE RECORD.  Old state record 1.12.33s New State Record 1.11.57s
Under 9 Girls 800 meter Final – 3rd Place Bronze Medalist (new PB 2.48.31s)
Under 9 Girls 200 meter Final – 5th Place (new PB 32.47s)

Jackson

Under 9 Boys 70 meter Final – 3rd Place Bronze Medalist (new PB 10.40s)
Under 9 Boys 100 meter Final – 3rd Place Bronze Medalist (new PB 14.70s)
Under 9 Boys 200 meter Final – 3rd Place Bronze Medalist (new PB 30.40s)
Under 9 Boys 400 meter Final – 4th Place (new PB 1.11.60s)

Spencer

Discus Silver medal – throw of 29.84m (new PB)
Shot Put Bronze medal – Put of 9.04 (new PB)
400m- placed 14th out of a field of 21 – just short of his PB
800m- placed 11th out a field of 15 knocking 3secs of his previous best in a fast race with the winner running a 2.28.26—Spencers time 2.47.69

Congratulations to all of the PMACS students that participated in this event and a big thank you to Mr Senior for all the help and support he has given to these students. Great effort by all!

A reminder to you all that the School subscribes to ParentTV, parent advice on demand! ParentTV offers hundreds of on-demand videos and courses to support the parenting and care of children from birth to teens. 

Feel more confident and connected with access to reliable advice on a wide range of topics from Australia and the world’s leading parenting and educational experts.

You can now access reliable advice on a wide range of topics from leading parenting and educational experts in Australia and beyond, all in one place.

Please go to www.parenttv.com/membership and enter the school code ‘moyes’. 

From here you will be able to set up an account.

So… you have created an account and not sure where to start?

• Parent Topics – short videos for parents
• Child Topics – short videos for parents and children on some of those difficult topics that you might need help with answering
• Activities – a range of fun activities for young children 
• Courses – series of videos for parents on particular topics
• Experts – videos for parents arranged by expert
• Blogs – weekly blogs on a range of parenting topics
• Ask an Expert – your opportunity to ask your question directly to the experts
• Search – type in a topic and all posts relating to it will appear

We hope you utilise the wealth of parenting information and advice on this fantastic website. Remember that this is general advice only. Please take the bits that you think will work for your family and leave the rest. Just like no two children are alike, neither are two families the same, what works in one household may not work in another. However, there have been some key messages from the experts that are relevant to all.

Finally, we are always willing to help you along your parenting journey in any way we can. Please do contact us via email nbrown@pmacs.wa.edu.au or agrey@pmacs.wa.edu.au.

Nicole Brown and Alison Grey
Deans of Students