It wasn’t very long ago, in years, that we were getting excited about using technology to enhance learning using Word, Excel, PowerPoint, search engines, a limited number of Apps and presentation tools. We planned Scope & Sequences so that children might learn to type, edit, insert pictures and print their amazing finished products. We still do this occasionally but now there is so much more. And this is something to celebrate.

Off Campus Learning has given us the opportunity to help take the students’ technology skills to the next level, not just for fun, but to enhance their learning. While many parents and teachers worry about the quality of learning that we can realistically and sustainably facilitate during this time, and whether students are missing out on key skills in the process, there is one area of student learning where we can be truly confident…the acquisition of technology skills to enhance learning.

When we see Kindergarten students navigating SeeSaw, moving between applications, reading, writing and solving Mathematics problems online, taking photos and posting their work, zooming in to meet with their teachers, find information through google searches, and learning another language (Indonesian), all with self-assurance and all while they think they are having fun and playing games... This is something to celebrate.

At the other end of our school, our Year 6 students have so much confidence with their technology, to create artworks, learn STEM coding as well as Lego Mindstorms, they use Google Classroom to collaborate, Stile to follow their learning programs, an Epic Reading App to read their favourite novels, Garage Band to learn about and appreciate music, Education Perfect to learn Indonesian, and Video technology to tell their stories. Again, so much to celebrate.

We also need to be thankful for the time, planning, budget allocation, staff professional development (as all of our teachers have completed at least six badges to gain their Apple Teacher Certification) and ongoing proactive technology improvements, all over many years, that have enabled us and our students to be ready for a pandemic…a pandemic that 18 months ago we could not have imagined. 

So, let’s celebrate technology, for all of its challenges, for its enabling systems, for its ability to make us think creatively about teaching and learning, for helping us keep in contact with our friends and family around the world and most of all for helping us to provide quality learning experiences during this challenging global environment. 

Our future success is directly proportional to our ability to understand, adopt and integrate new technology into our work. 
Sukant Ratnakar, Author

As it is looking more and more likely that the lockdown will continue beyond Week 3, we have been busy talking to staff, students and to parents about ways to improve the learning experiences for students. Next week, our staff will continue to evaluate and discuss the best teaching practices and strategies, which are both sustainable and effective in achieving student learning outcomes, should OCL continue into Week 4. At the end of Week 3, in next week’s newsletter, we will explain the changes and improvements we will be making to take all aspects of OCL into Week 4 and beyond, if this is what we need to do.

The Senior Leadership Team (Mrs James, Mrs Cameron and myself) would like to thank the staff at school and the parents who joined the P&F meeting this week, and who engaged in an open, honest, respectful and forward-thinking conversation about how we all can continue to work together to improve the learning experiences for our students. Thank you to all of you!

And as well, we are all extremely grateful for the many random acts of kindness we receive daily, through emails, phone calls, messages to individual staff and even food parcels for staff onsite. Your thoughtfulness is very much appreciated. 

All the best for the coming week, stay at home as much as possible, and stay safe. 

We are all in this struggle together. 
Philippians 1:30

Janelle Ford
Co-Principal

Follow us

Website: www.claremont.nsw.edu.au
Instagram: @claremontcollege
Twitter: @claremont2031

This week, we have noticed an increase in the number of students attending school on site. Whilst the school is open for those who need it, we feel it is necessary to reinforce the NSW Health stay-at-home orders to keep our staff, students and wider community safe. 

We urge parents to keep their children home unless both parents are unable to work from home, or both have a reason to leave home that is in line with the NSW Public Health Order. We are only allowed to have a skeleton staff on site, and the more students we have on site, the more staff that are required, which can then impact their ability to teach online. 

With NSW Health now acknowledging the risk of transmission of COVID to children, we wanted to make you aware of some symptoms and information. Children can become infected and not present as very unwell/sick, often with the slightest symptoms. These symptoms include:

• Coughing, sounding congested or blocked, runny nose or mucous of any kind,
• Complaints of sore throat
• Complaints of nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea

If you notice any of these symptoms with your child/ren, please get tested and isolate until you receive a negative result.

As this lockdown continues, please stay vigilant and reach out if you or your family needs support. Thank you for your understanding and please stay safe and well. 

Mrs Alanna James
Acting Deputy Principal

One of the benefits of social media is the ability to connect with people around us, and share the wonderful things happening in our Claremont community. Our Claremont College Instagram account is in need of some fabulous photos or videos of Off Campus Learning in action at your home. It might be a STEM creation, reading online or offline, SeeSaw activity, sport lesson etc. If you are comfortable with your child’s photo or learning, to be part of our Instagram page, please send them through to our Instagram account @claremontcollege, or email them directly to the office. We are keen to showcase and celebrate the engaging and exciting learning that is happening through OCL, and also connect and share our pedagogies with the wider community.

Mrs Alanna James
Acting Deputy Principal

On Wednesday we had our first Wellbeing Wednesday. Our hope is that your child had a day where they spent time practising some ways to enhance their wellbeing. Whilst we introduced these Wednesdays to help families at home for 2 weeks of lockdown, we understand that all families are different and what works for one family may not work for another. We also cannot ignore the possibility of the lockdown being extended. Our plan has always been to evaluate the effectiveness of Wellbeing Wednesday, and how it would look if we are faced with an extended lockdown. This week we have very much appreciated the feedback we have received from various conversations with parents and staff, and through the consultation with the P&F. Listening to how the day 'worked in action' for our families is important to us, and with all these things in mind, we will be planning some adjustments to the day. We will update you of these modifications to Wellbeing Wednesday in next week's newsletter if the lockdown continues beyond 30 July.

Claremont genuinely cares for our community and is open to feedback. We thank everyone for their patience and understanding, as we work in partnership with one another.

And please remember, if you require any support, to contact [email protected] and either Catherine McKersie or I will be in contact with you. 

Thank you and take care.

Larissa Cameron
Co-Principal

Chapel@Claremont

In Chapel this week, we have continued to explore our Term 3 ‘The Most Excellent Way’. 

When we are stuck at home and dealing with so many pressures, anxieties and uncertainties, it’s so important to keep things simple. We need to focus on what’s most important.

A great starting point is to understand and be mindful of how much God loves you!

• God is love.
• God loves you.
• He loves each one of us equally
• You are His precious Child.

“See how very much the Father loves us, (has lavished on us), for HE calls us His children. And that is what we are!” 1 John 3:1

When we understand how much we are loved (and I’m not sure if this is really possible), this is a great starting point to then love God, love others and also ourselves. 

My prayers are with you and your family.

Stay Safe and enjoy the Olympics.

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!

Doug Thomas
Principal

What acts of kindness are you showing at home? Perhaps you could write a list of ways you could show kindness to others in your family, and then make sure you do them! When you are kind to someone, it boosts their wellbeing and it also boosts yours!

Larissa Cameron
Co-Principal

We know it has been hard during these uncertain times for you and your child. Despite COVID-19 setbacks, we are committed to ensuring that all students who have registered to take part in ICAS 2021 will have this opportunity.

If we are unable to meet the proposed sitting dates for Term 3, we will introduce a special sitting window in Term 4 that enables students to proceed with the ICAS competition. We will be in touch with you once we have a clearer idea about a return to face-to-face learning, and additional sitting dates for Term 4.

Please feel free to contact me through [email protected] should you have any questions.

Renee De Rossi
Head of Learning

Term 3 2021

Term 4 2021

Details and application links coming soon. With the site at Lake Macquarie having been upgraded since we were there last, planning for the booking is a little more complicated but we will have these details to you as soon as possible.

For a sneak peek at the Crusaders Lake Macquarie site, have a look at the facilities with your children. You and they will be super excited.

Year 4 Virtual Author Visit with Oliver Phommavanh

Library Resources Available From Home

Australian Primary eBooks NOW

This shared library collection, specifically selected for primary schools has recently been increased to include access to over 2000 titles. This subscription provides all our students access to an exciting digital collection offering rich,varied writing styles, beloved titles and popular authors. The collection titles are chosen by educational content experts based on the most popular reads among school students. There are also 200 classic titles accessible in the collection. All students should have the Sora app on their iPads and/or the collection can be accessed as follows:

To Access eBooks Now
Click on the link

http://ebooks.claremont.nsw.edu.au

Sign into your school - select Claremont College

Username: for example john.smith or if a student has a longer name it will be the same format as their email.

Further information sheets can be accessed via this link below.

ACCESSING EBOOKS ON SORA GUIDE

Mrs Susan Kesur
Librarian Assistant

As mentioned last week, Term 3 Sport at Claremont is looking very different from the anticipated term full of gala days, extra-curricular sport skills, and of course, the Claremont Athletics carnival. Obviously, this has all changed with the resurgence of the current COVID situation. With current restrictions, there will be no Sport until at least the end of July. We will keep you updated on how Sport will continue to be affected as the situation develops and we receive further updates about what restrictions will look like for school sport once we return to on campus learning again.

Claremont Athletics Carnival

The Claremont Athletics Carnival that was scheduled for Week 3 can no longer go ahead due to the current restrictions. We have tentatively postponed it until Week 5, however this will depend on the updated restrictions moving forward at the end of July. 

Morning Skills/Extra Curricular Sport

Once we have a return to on campus learning date and updated restrictions, new start and end dates for morning skills will be published. As parents have already been invoiced for Term 3 morning skills, refunds will be made for any lessons that do not go ahead. Please contact the office if you have further questions about this. 

Claremont Olympic Challenge

To help celebrate and support the Australian Olympic team at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics that kick off today, Claremont will be having its own ‘Olympic Challenge’. The aim will be to continue to encourage daily physical activity, as well as learning more about the different Olympic sports.

(Check out this website for one minute clips explaining all the Olympic Sports) 

Each day, as part of the ‘Daily Physical Activity Task’ on SeeSaw, students will be encouraged to design their own Olympic challenge(s) based on an Olympic Sport and upload their challenge/results. Examples might include:

Click HERE to download Green and Gold Australia Bunting

Mr Joel Geering
Head of Sport and PDHPE

Due to the current lockdown in Sydney, the P&F will be cancelling the parent community event “Christmas in July.” Thank you to the Year 5 grade representatives, Cathy Jin and Brooke Copland for the time and effort they have extended in organising this event.

Under the current NSW Department of Health Orders and the NSW Department of Education, the canteen will be closed until further notice.

Keep safe.

James Anthony and the Claremont Canteen Team

Due to the extended lockdown, the Uniform Shop will remain closed until 30 July.

Regular trading hours will resume from the 2 July (subject to any further lockdown).

Thank you and keep safe.

Regards

Jennifer Niduaza | Client Services Manager

CLICK HERE for the latest TeamKids Newsletter.

TeamKids are asking ALL families to RE-BOOK your dates for the TERM. TeamKids has recently cleared all bookings in light of the extended lockdown. Space is limited exclusively to essential workers. If you have any questions/concerns, email or please call customer service on 1300 035 000.

St Mark’s, Malabar, is looking for someone to join their staff part-time (3 days a week) to lead their children’s ministry. This will include coordinating Sunday School, coordinating and training teachers (mainly youth and young adults), coordinating volunteers for SRE ministry and other outreach initiatives.

St Mark’s is a great place for kids and they are looking for someone to help and improve this ministry. The position would suit a local Christian parent, who is looking for part-time work, loves working with children and has some voluntary ministry experience. The salary is commensurate with the Sydney Anglican stipend recommendations. If you are interested, please contact [email protected] or call 0425 375 401.