We look forward to seeing all of the children on Tuesday morning (21 July). I do hope that you have had a fabulous break in one way or another. The children who attended Team Kids seemed to have a great time. The service was booked to capacity and the noise of fun and excitement certainly drifted up and into my office all through each day. Thanks Team Kids, especially Joe and your team for looking after the children so well - we appreciate you.

We extend a very special ‘welcome’ to Georgia Galanopoulos (Year 2) and Gia Gregory (Year 4) and their families who join our Claremont community this term. 

As we head into another exciting term, there are many things that we must communicate with you. Far out hey! I’m not sure that I would have expected the need to anticipate the need for another COVID-19 outbreak or possible lockdown. Many people this week have asked if I think we will go into another lockdown here in Sydney. Like many of the experts we listen too, my personal feeling is that a lockdown is possible (kind of fifty-fifty) and with this, Claremont is well prepared for whatever the scenario might be. I have confidence in the systems and structures that we have in place. The uncertainty is difficult for us all, and certainly creates anxiety, however, I am optimistic because of the strength and resilience of the Claremont College school community. Thank you for your part in keeping us ‘together’ and thank you for your cooperation with our many procedures and expectations. I understand that not all of what we are asking is convenient for some people and some family contexts. We are doing our best to ensure the safety and wellbeing of us all, and this will continue to be our priority as we move into the unchartered territory of Term 3, 2020. Please do not hesitate to be in touch with anyone in our team for clarification about any matter raised in this newsletter.

Thank you to the parents and students who helped us (see above photo) at our working bee during the holidays. It was a very productive morning, with countless barrows of mulch moved from the laneway to our nature-play space in the playground. This space will now provide a lovely area for the children to play in a sandpit and to build towers and have some fun at lunchtime. If you have any old ‘tonka’ style trucks and outdoor toys, we would be very happy to provide a new home for them. 

A reminder that should you need to contact someone, our COVID-19 response plan provides the following communication channels.

For day to day information and inquiries

Email office@claremont.nsw.edu.au or phone the school 9399 3217

Regarding your child’s learning

Contact Mrs Ford (Deputy Principal), Mrs Dalheim (Head of Learning Enrichment) or your child’s teacher by email office@claremont.nsw.edu.au

Wellbeing

We are here to help you. As a school community we must also care for each other. If you have concerns for your child, your family, your personal circumstances or another family, please let us know. All matters will be treated in the strictest of confidence. Contact our School Counsellor, Miss Catherine McKersie or Deputy Principal, Mrs Larissa Cameron at wellbeing@claremont.nsw.edu.au

Technology Support

If you have a problem with an iPad or accessing online learning 
Contact our IT Manager, Mr Drew Nield at technologysupport@claremont.nsw.edu.au 

Personal Support

For confidential matters, to inform the Principal of a positive coronavirus diagnosis for yourself or someone living in your house, if you have recently travelled from Victoria, or for any other important matter.

Contact Mr Thomas’ PA, Mrs Kathy Clare Rochester at kc.rochester@claremont.nsw.edu.au

School Billings and Accounts

Contact the Anglican Schools Corporation directly 
Phone 8567 4000 (Monday to Friday, 8:30am – 5pm)
Email accountsreceivable@sasc.nsw.edu.au 

Please see the Parent Communication Guide for more information.

Students are not permitted to attend school, and must self isolate for a period of 14 days, if they have travelled from Victoria from 8 July. Persons required to self-isolate should follow self-isolation guidelines for people who have visited or travelled from Victoria.

In the event of a member of our school community testing positive with COVID-19, and should we be required to call parents to collect children during school hours, the following broad guiding principles are important for all of us to follow and be aware of:

• Maintain a sense of efficiency and calm;
• Keep people safe by minimising and mitigating risk;
• Maintain the privacy of individuals;
• Reduce anxiety for us all (especially for the children);
• Communicate with clarity and accuracy (using the regular SMS, email and website updates); and
• Carefully follow Public Health Unit and school procedures.

I would ask all parents to read the Temporary Closure of Campus Procedure (located on our website) and to be ready to carefully follow and comply with the alerts and directions provided by both the school and other authorities that might be working alongside us. I am mindful that the media love and create a fuss, plus social media heightens anxiety for us all, especially when there is the risk of false information being posted rapidly on Facebook, WhatsApp and other forums.

In the event of sending children home, we need to keep safe, avoid traffic congestion, be patient, calm and sensible. Taking a little extra time will minimise mistakes and accidents. Together, this will be a shared responsibility. Parents should follow the usual school traffic management guidelines. Essentially, we will follow our usual school pick-up procedures with the children being carefully supervised and guided calmly through the process to minimise possible anxiety. The school will communicate anything different from this via app alerts, SMS and/or email.

In the event of the school being required to close temporarily, and should we be required to call parents to collect children during school hours, it is very important that you have your contact details always up to date. This includes updating your permission for others to collect your children. If you are working, (at the time of a COVID-19 related closure, or for any other reason) and we need you to collect your child/ren, it may be that you will ask a friend to collect. If this person/s are NOT already listed on your Student Details and Permissions Form 2020 that you completed at the end of 2019, then the school must have your permission in writing for this to happen. You can do this by emailing office@claremont.nsw.edu.au and our Admin team will add your authorised contacts to this form. 

If a person is not listed in our records, we trust that you will not complain if they are initially denied access at the time of pick-up (when a child is getting collected at the gate). The children will go to the office until we get further confirmation and clarity.

Also ensure that your personal contact details are always up to date on your Parent Portal. Please contact our IT Manager, Mr Andrew Nield immediately via technologysupport@claremont.nsw.edu.au should you not be able to access your parent portal page.

Until further notice we will continue to maintain the social distancing expectations and guidelines that were enforced across Term 2. Parents and visitors are not permitted to enter the campus without first signing in at Reception. Our formal Parent/Teacher interviews will be held in Week 4 (10-14 August) providing the opportunity for parents to meet teachers (socially distanced) in the school hall, or otherwise on Zoom if you would prefer. Specific details and interview times will be made available by the end of next week. Any other urgent parent interview during this term must be booked prior (ie. no drop-ins allowed). Department of Education guidelines presently do not permit large gatherings in the school, and when students and staff  gather for assembly, we can only do so for a maximum of 15 minutes. This is why our weekly Chapel service will continue to be delivered online until further notice. We do not anticipate holding large school events or gatherings this term.

Unfortunately, our Fathers’ Day Breakfast (4 September) is yet to be confirmed due to the uncertainties related to COVID and social distancing. At this point in time this event does not look likely.  

We have also made the difficult decision to cancel the up-coming Year 4 Ecology Camp which was to be held in Week 2. 

As we transition into Term 3, the school policy will be to request a COVID-19 test where a student or staff member displays fever or cold or flu symptoms. Siblings will not be allowed to attend school until dated COVID test results are provided to the school.

Unfortunately, this increased measure has been necessitated due to primary aged children who have recently been tested as COVID positive.

We fully appreciate the imposition placed on busy families, especially working parents. However in the interests of keeping staff, students and our wider community safe, these measures have become necessary. To support students (and their parents) who are kept at home due to health reasons, Off Campus Learning will be accessible for them. For further details about how this will work in Term 3, please read Mrs Ford’s article below.

Uniform Shop

We are excited to be launching a new Uniform Shop this term. A comprehensive tender process has been completed with the help of a number of P&F parents (thank you!). We are currently signing contracts with our new provider, which means that Claremont will no longer use the services of Wileys. With this, we will provide a ‘one stop shop’ with all items sold on campus or on-line. Further details will soon be announced.

School App Upgrade

Our school app has received a number of useful time saving updates and will soon be launched.

Fathering Project

Unless prohibited at the time, our Term 3 ‘Fathering Project’, will be a gathering at the Coogee Diggers (otherwise on Zoom) on Monday 3 August. Further details will be provided closer to the date.

School Concert

While it is highly likely that it is not going to be possible to have a live performance this year, we will still be creating an ‘event’, one that captures and celebrates school life during the time of COVID. Please see below in Music@Claremont news.

Term 3 Concert Levy Charge 

This levy is charged every 2 years and contributes to the additional expenses associated with the running of the concert. As you would appreciate, the costs involving a show are large. Even without income generated from ticket sales (and this year there will be no ticket sales), we operate under a very tight budget. As with previous years, a Concert Levy of $50 was charged to parents Term 3 accounts.

This year the Concert Levy fee covers the many of the costs associated with the production including the hire of our professional dance teacher, who will be working with all students and teachers in preparing their items, materials for props, filming and video editing.

We are very much looking forward to our concert. It is such a significant and wonderful time for the school every two years. This production is not just about showcasing the children’s talent but is undoubtedly a ‘learning process’. It is a time of great fun, hard work, team-work, growth, success, achievement, reward and accomplishment for the children. Our concert will provide us with a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our school community and to enjoy a shared experience, one which fills us with fond memories for years to come… whether it is a live performance or on film.

Thank you for your support. You are going to be in for a real treat and some creative surprises.

Beloved I pray that all may [be] well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. 3 John 1:2

Be blessed and stay in good health.

Doug Thomas    
Principal

  Follow me @DougJThomas

As we prepare for Term 3, we are planning for Off Campus Learning (OCL) to continue for those students who need to stay at home for health reasons but are well enough to continue with their learning. We are offering this because as a community we thank you for keeping your children at home if they have any flu like symptoms and because we want to continue to support you and your child/ren during the uncertainty of COVID-19. 

There will be a few small changes because of the challenges of teaching the majority of students onsite within the normal classroom setting, while accommodating a small number of students at home:

• Kindy to Year 2 students are to connect with the teacher/s via Zoom at 8:30am (not 9am)
• Year 3 to Year 6 students are to connect with the teacher/s via Zoom at 8:45am (not 9am)
• Students working from home must come in to the morning Zoom session to let their teachers know they are working from home, to have their name marked on the roll, to learn about the activities they have to complete each day and to find out what time during the day they can check in again with one of their teachers if they need to.
• Students will need to be prompt if they wish to reconnect with their teacher at the second time the teacher comes onto Zoom during the day. The teachers will tell the students these times (they will vary from year group to year group), each morning when the student/s connect with their teacher.

These changes are purely logistical changes – it is challenging for the staff at school when one of the teaching team is on Zoom for a small number of students, leaving the remaining students with a smaller number of staff.

For Clarity

I would like to reiterate and clarify the following points as questions are often still asked:

When will school go back to normal?

• We are approximately 95% back to our new ‘normal’.

Are students on their iPads all day?

• Yes, students are often on their iPads, but not all day. We always have and continue to utilise technology assisted learning through the use of the student iPads.

When are students getting face-to-face teaching?

• Every child who is at school is getting face-to-face teaching throughout the day.

Do the students have teacher-directed learning?

• All learning is teacher-directed, though it is obviously much more teacher-directed when the students are on site, as teachers are supporting and providing feedback all day.

I would like to refer you to the article ‘Our New Normal – Teaching and Learning’ from the Term 2, Week 6 newsletter where these questions are answered in more detail.

Also, For Clarity,

Are the students learning from the curriculum?

• Yes, we have followed the NSW Curriculum whether we have been on or off site. Please refer to ‘Claremont College Off Campus Learning’ form the Pre-Term 2 newsletter, dated 24 April.

Will student learning be impeded because of OCL?

• Good question but we believe the answer is no. We believe that while some things have been harder to teach and therefore learn while off site, other things have benefited from OCL. Please refer to ‘Off Campus Learning, Independence and Problem Solving’ from the Term 1 Week 9 newsletter.

How will we track student learning this year?

• We have continued to track student progress throughout Terms 1 & 2, even though it has been more challenging for teachers while the students were off site. All of the normal student monitoring has continued, to enable assessments of, as and for learning, with Semester 1 Reports available at the end of Term 2.

If your child is working from home during Term 3, they are still learning based on curriculum outcomes, developing their problem-solving skills, initiative, and independence. If your child needs to be at home and you find their learning behaviours challenging, we understand this. I would like to refer you back to the article ‘Students Working From Home (To Align With School Practices)’ from the Term 2, Week 3 newsletter, as this may be helpful.

ooo000ooo

As we reflect on the first half of this year, we really must celebrate how much we have all learned, about ourselves, about how quickly we can adapt to change when we need to, about our amazing school community, and about our own learning capacity and the learning capacity of our students. The kids really are incredible aren't they.

Stay Safe,
Stay Well,
Keep Learning.

Janelle Ford
Deputy Principal

This year our 2020 performance has been cancelled in Martin Place. This only takes place every 2 years and so our students were feeling down to hear of the cancellation from the venue. However, we have a plan in place! During the last week of Term 2, I announced to the children that each grade will be learning a dance routine and creating a virtual performance instead.

We hope to showcase some of our talented singing students and to provide an opportunity to practise the skill of ‘auditioning’. Year 2 -6 students ONLY may learn one of the two songs below and send in an audition video.  If successful, their singing may be featured with the dances.

Below are links for 'Where the lost things go' and ’Into the unknown’.  There is a Learning Video and a karaoke track for both.

Please learn one (or both) of these songs and video yourself singing. Remember you need a quiet space and you need to perform and project your voice as if you were on stage!  Choose the song that best suits your voice and send that as your audition video.

Follow these steps:

1. Watch the learning videos over and over again and practise along until you know the songs well enough to sing.
2. Practise with the audition video on a laptop or desktop computer or TV.
3. Plug in headphones to the device that you are playing the backing track/audition video.  Video yourself on a seperate device (maybe a smartphone). Use headphones to hear the backing track/audition video - we don’t want the backing track recorded on your video - just your voice.

Practise as many times as you like. When you are confident you can record.  Please shoot in landscape NOT portrait.

Please upload your video to Seesaw. You can add your video under the title Singing Audition. You may also email this to office@claremont.nsw.edu.au.

Go crazy with a costume if you feel like it, or do anything creative that you want to!

Final date for uploads will be Friday 24 July (Week 1). That means you have just over 1 week left of the holidays and Week 1 to submit a video.  Late submissions will not be accepted. 

I ran a one off workshop with Year 2 - Year 6 students to show them what we are looking for. Hopefully this was useful for our students.

Please understand that we are doing our best to provide performance opportunities for our students in these crazy times.  We will do what we can in the time frame. Please discuss with your child that it is likely that their video may not be used! Whenever we audition, we must be prepared for disappointment. I have had my share! But that doesn’t mean we give up, try and try again. Thank you for your understanding.

WHERE THE LOST THINGS GO
LEARNING TRACK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESsjRYWtSjM 

KARAOKE/AUDITION TRACK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpLTjJDCsJg

INTO THE UNKNOWN
LEARNING TRACK:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIOyB9ZXn8s

KARAOKE/AUDITION TRACK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rnQFsbDa3o

Mrs Tara Barr
Head of Music

Each term the Claremont Staff gather together, on the day before students return, for some professional development. This Monday (20 July) the staff of Claremont College will complete Day 2 of the Mini-COGE (Certificate of Gifted Education) course. The aim of the course is to upskill all of our teaching staff to understand the gifted child’s intellectual and personality characteristics, as well as the social and emotional factors that impact upon a gifted child’s development. Teachers who understand these factors are better able to emotionally support and nurture children's natural abilities.

The course, facilitated by UNSW - GERRIC, has already provided staff with:

• Tools for identification for giftedness and underachievement;
• Strategies and skills for addressing the needs of gifted and underachieving gifted students in the learning space; 
• Instructional and curriculum models for developing tiered instruction; and
• Research-based programming options for gifted students and supported planning for gifted programming.

We look forward to using our new knowledge and skills to enhance your child/ren's learning and overall school experience.

Mrs Brenda Dalheim
Head of Learning Enrichment

The following events are scheduled for Terms 3 and 4 and will proceed depending on advice from the Australian Government, NSW Health and the Department of Education in accordance with the current COVID 19 situation.

Term 3

Term 4

The proposed 2021 Term Dates are now available on the school website.

Year 5 - Shark Island Excursion - Permission via Parent Portal

Registration for Term 3 Bus

Dear Year 3 Parents,

Next term in Year 3, we will be using newspapers to create sculptures in Visual Arts. We ask that you collect together any old newspapers in the coming weeks, and over the holiday break, to contribute to our school supplies.

Thank you for your support with this.

The Year 3 Team

Term 3 Collaroy Camp Excursion Cancelled

Year 4 & Year 6 ICAS Competitions

Each year we invite the Year 4 and Year 6 students to participate in the ICAS English and Mathematics Competitions. The International Competitions and Assessments for Schools, or ICAS for short, is an independent, skills-based assessment program. Students who sit for an assessment will receive a certificate and a detailed summary of the questions they know and the questions they have not mastered yet.

For over 10 years now we have chosen to participate in these two assessments or competitions for two reasons:

• To give students a challenging external assessment in their Primary year that is not a NAPLAN year, and
• To challenge the students through a competition that is set beyond grade expectations, against schools from around the world, to recognise academic excellence.

Parents are asked to go online to register your child. You will be able to access practice papers online as well. To do this you will need to visit https://shop.unswglobal.com.au/pages/pps and enter the school unique code QMF707 to make a direct payment to UNSW Global. Online payments close on 26 July 2020.

We strongly encourage you to register your child to give them this experience and to help both the parents and the school understand where a child sits against an international cohort.

To quote James Nottingham: "Easy is boring, challenge is interesting"... let's give our students this opportunity to be challenged.

PLEASE NOTE: It is possible to purchase and complete English and Mathematics practice tests online. As students will be completing the assessments on the school iPads, it is suggested that students who are interested in sitting the ICAS Assessments trial have at least one online test at home on an iPad. To purchase any online practice tests, please visit: https://www.unswglobal.unsw.edu.au/educational-assessments/products/practice-online/

Janelle Ford
Deputy Principal

Sitting Dates

ICAS English                Monday 24 August to Friday 28 August 2020
ICAS Mathematics     Monday 31 August to Friday 4 September 2020   

Pricing

ICAS English              $15.95 AUD (inc GST)
ICAS Mathematics     $15.95 AUD (inc GST)

Year 4 & Year 6 ICAS Competitions

Each year we invite the Year 4 and Year 6 students to participate in the ICAS English and Mathematics Competitions. The International Competitions and Assessments for Schools, or ICAS for short, is an independent, skills-based assessment program. Students who sit for an assessment will receive a certificate and a detailed summary of the questions they know and the questions they have not mastered yet.

For over 10 years now we have chosen to participate in these two assessments or competitions for two reasons:

• To give students a challenging external assessment in their Primary year that is not a NAPLAN year, and
• To challenge the students through a competition that is set beyond grade expectations, against schools from around the world, to recognise academic excellence.

Parents are asked to go online to register your child. You will be able to access practice papers online as well. To do this you will need to visit https://shop.unswglobal.com.au/pages/pps and enter the school unique code QMF707 to make a direct payment to UNSW Global. Online payments close on 26 July 2020.

We strongly encourage you to register your child to give them this experience and to help both the parents and the school understand where a child sits against an international cohort.

To quote James Nottingham: "Easy is boring, challenge is interesting"... let's give our students this opportunity to be challenged.

PLEASE NOTE: It is possible to purchase and complete English and Mathematics practice tests online. As students will be completing the assessments on the school iPads, it is suggested that students who are interested in sitting the ICAS Assessments trial have at least one online test at home on an iPad. To purchase any online practice tests, please visit: https://www.unswglobal.unsw.edu.au/educational-assessments/products/practice-online/

Janelle Ford
Deputy Principal

Sitting Dates

ICAS English                Monday 24 August to Friday 28 August 2020
ICAS Mathematics     Monday 31 August to Friday 4 September 2020   

Pricing

ICAS English              $15.95 AUD (inc GST)
ICAS Mathematics     $15.95 AUD (inc GST)

Expression of Interest - Years 5 & 6 Debating Coaching

If your child would like to register their interest in participating in the Debating Coaching sessions, organised by Masters Academy, please CLICK HERE.

PLEASE NOTE: If your child participated in the debating coaching and competition during Term 2, could you please complete the expression of interest also.

This is an expression of interest only so we know how many students might be interested.

Hannah Mackay
Debating Coordinator

Sport and PE Days in Term 3

Your child/ren are to wear their sports uniform on the following days this term.

Sport Skills Programs

A reminder that the morning sport skills programs commence from Monday 3 August.

Confirmation of registrations will be sent early next week.

Joel Geering
Sports & PDHPE Coordinator

If your child uses the school bus, or you would like to register to use the school bus, for Term 3, please complete the registration form by CLICKING HERE. Please note that the buses are only able to carry 24 passengers each, and also service certain areas.

If you have any questions in relation to the school bus service, please email bus@claremont.nsw.edu.au

Welcomeasy are delivering recess and lunch orders to school.

Orders must be placed by 10:59pm the night before for delivery on the next school day.

If you are ordering a snack item, please specify in the notes area whether the snack is for Recess or Lunch.

Please note that orders are to be placed on the ‘Welcomeasy’ website and NOT Flexischools.

You must firstly create an account by following some simple steps. Go to www.welcomeasy.com.au  

The Uniform Shop is closed however, if you need to purchase any items, please place your order online via Flexischools. If you need to purchase any second hand items, please email clothingpool@claremont.nsw.edu.au to arrange an appointment to visit the shop. 

Please note that all communication should be through the email address: clothingpool@claremont.nsw.edu.au

A special Staff Development Day program is on offer for Monday 20 July - Mind Games. 

With the start of term just around the corner, all parents are asked to confirm their TeamKids bookings for the term so that the service can arrange to be adequately staffed each day.

If you haven’t booked yet and require a booking or would like to just confirm your arrangements, please contact TeamKids Customer Service on 1300 035 000.