Our Off Campus Learning model has provided the opportunity for students' technology skills to go to the next level. It is amazing to watch how capable even the youngest of students are with their devices. iPads foster a sense of wonder, discovery, curiosity and independence - such powerful dispositions that instill a love for learning. However, the use of iPads also raises the need to prioritise talking about respect and responsibility with our children. At Claremont College, we teach our students to use devices respectfully, showing acceptance, compassion and understanding of others as they interact online. Everyone has the right to be safe and happy at our school, even when school is located at home.

One way we encourage our students to keep safe online is to protect their own privacy. Please regularly check in with the settings on your devices. If possible, ask your child to sit in an open space in the house, so you can monitor their use. Last year during OCL, it came to our attention that some children, whilst online, engaged in unhelpful and hurtful comments about staff and other students. We take cyberbullying very seriously and so we appreciate your help in speaking with your children about not engaging in negative conversations with other children. This is a good time to refer to the 'Safe Use of Technology Contract' in the front of your child's School Diary as a guide for your conversation. 

Whole School Assemblies

It was wonderful to see everyone come together on Monday afternoon for our first online Whole School Assembly. It was heartwarming to hear all the impressive reasons why students received certificates. Congratulations to all those students. We are very much looking forward to coming together again next Monday afternoon. Thank you to our staff for putting together such a wonderful assembly. A special ‘shout out’ to Miss Gilbert, with the assistance of Mr Ryan, who led the way to make this assembly possible.

Since implementing our Merit Award System in 2018, we have asked students to take ownership of when they receive 3 merit certificates, and to bring these in to show their teachers so they can receive a Gold Certificate of Achievement. (See poster below for information about our Merit Award System). We have noticed in our records many children have not brought their certificates to their teacher over the past couple of years. As such, starting next Monday, we will be choosing one or two grades to announce the names of students who are eligible to receive their next level of achievement. (We have decided students will no longer need to show their teacher their 3 certificates/pennants, as we will be guided by our record system.) 

Next Monday’s assembly will be exciting, as there are lots of names to announce. With so many certificates handed out earlier this week, we sure have a number of people who will receive another award! Congratulations to all students for being safe, respectful and dedicated learners.

Be Encouraged...

As a parent of a 7 and a 4 year-old, I am cognisant of the pressures faced at home, with most of us having moved to Off Campus Learning and flexible working arrangements to support the social distancing measures implemented across our state. Juggling work, keeping our children motivated to learn, dealing with the heightened emotions of everyone in the household, and maintaining the usual home duties at this challenging time is no easy feat. Our advice, and the advice of the experts in the field of wellbeing is to practice self-compassion. Celebrate the little moments... the small wins. Reach out to friends and reach out to us if you need support. 

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just in fact as you are doing." 
1 Thessalonians 5:11

Keep safe, keep connected, keep well. 

Larissa Cameron
Co-Principal

Follow us

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

It has been another challenging week of Coronavirus news and information from the NSW Government. The Premier announced further LGAs of concern, including Bayside which is in close proximity to our school. We have asked all staff from any LGA of concern to work from home, and families from these LGAs to keep their children at home unless they are an authorised worker. Another significant event this week has been the positive COVID-19 case at a nearby primary school in Bondi. This situation is a strong reminder to all of us that COVID-19 is not ‘out of the East’, and that this particular strain is affecting children. There continues to be active cases in our area, and it is imperative that we follow the NSW Health guidelines in order to keep our community safe. 

To all of our families and staff living in an LGA of concern, please know that we are thinking of you and hoping you all stay safe and well as you face greater restrictions.

The NSW Government has outlined 'Parents and carers in Greater Sydney must keep children – across primary and secondary school – at home unless they need to be at school.' We urge parents to keep their children home unless both parents are unable to work from home, or have a reason to leave home that is in line with the NSW Public Health Order.

Important Reminders

If you live in the Bayside LGA or any LGAs of concern and require your child to be onsite, please contact a member of the Senior Leadership Team to discuss your circumstance.

If your family has registered your child/ren to attend school, but is unwell or is exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms (even mild cold/flu-like symptoms), they must stay home and follow current health orders to get tested and isolate until a negative result is received. Even when a negative result is received, your child/ren must be fully recovered before coming to school.

If you or a member of your household is currently self-isolating for any reason, your child/ren must stay home. Please follow the directives from relevant government authorities and restrict any non-essential movement unless cleared to do so.

We understand that this lockdown is a challenging situation for everyone in our community. One way or another, we are all affected. As a school, we feel our greatest responsibility is the safety of our students, staff and parents, in order to ensure the quality education through Off Campus Learning can continue to be delivered.

Please stay safe, and do not hesitate to contact either myself or Kathy-Clare Rochester if you need support or wish to discuss your circumstances.     

Mrs Alanna James
Acting Deputy Principal

Using the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) Guidelines for Assessments and Reporting

Principals have been given the flexibility to decide which syllabus outcomes and content they teach and assess for Kindergarten to Year 10 for Semester 2, 2021. Our aim at Claremont College is that we continue to provide a comprehensive well rounded educational experience for all students throughout this semester, where all students are engaged in all Key Learning Areas. 

Throughout the term teachers will need to gather assessment data and evidence of learning from the students, for the Semester 2 Reports. Because of this there will be times when parents will be asked not to help their child/ren… even though we love the times you are able to assist.

If your child is finding the OCL experience challenging, please contact your child’s teacher, Ms DeRossi or myself, and we will be happy to talk to you about prioritising the learning for your child, during this period; and once we have had this conversation the teachers will know not to chase up unsubmitted tasks for certain Key Learning Areas. 

Depending on the length of this lockdown we are currently planning to assess and report in the following way:

I am sharing this with you for three reasons:

• The first being that our teachers are constantly assessing the students’ knowledge within each Key Learning Area. Often this is to ‘assess for learning’, which is to know where to pitch the next sequential task, however, to prepare for the Semester 2 school reports we do need to assess the learning that has taken place across the semester. This is why teachers will be gathering assessment data during OCL, as mentioned above.
• The second reason is to advise you that we will need to introduce the additional category in the grades of ‘IE = Insufficient Evidence’. We will use this grade in subjects other than English and Mathematics, where students are not submitting enough of their work for teachers to assign a grade to an outcome or a particular set of outcomes.
• And finally, while there will be some instances where an IE is assigned instead of a grade, we do not want students or their parents to be stressed about this. If a child is finding OCL particularly challenging, if parents are unable to support a child’s learning for whatever reason, and if the child or the family's wellbeing is a priority before submitting all tasks, then we want you to know that we understand this. 

Depending on the length of the lockdown and further directives from NESA, this information will be updated.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.

Janelle Ford
Co-Principal

Chapel@Claremont

The Greatest is Love

“Love is not jealous, boastful or proud.” 
1 Corinthians 13:4

In Chapel this week we focussed on what humility is and how we can demonstrate this in our daily lives. One of the greatest gifts we can have is to deeply understand how deeply we are loved by God, so that we do not live our lives having to prove ourselves, needing to be liked, be the boss or the most popular in the crowd. It’s a great lesson for the kids but as an adult I constantly have to check myself that my self-worth, sense of security and ultimately my identity, is not grounded in my role, my title, achievements or successes. If my identity comes from the knowledge that I am a dearly loved child of God, then I am free to be my authentic self. I am also free to love others (especially our kids and when we are tired, stressed, irritable and in lockdown) for who they are, and to do this unconditionally - in the same way that God loves me. What a gift this is!

"Don’t be selfish, don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your interests, but take an interest in others too. You must have the same attitude that Jesus Christ had." Philippians 2:3-5

DADS’ CONNECT ZOOM - Breakfast Connect

Hey Dads, how’s it going?

It was great to connect with some dads on Wednesday night. It was really great to chat and catch up (even if on Zoom) and I loved the chance to talk to parents who are not permitted onsite. I think it’s incredibly important that we connect which is why I shall once again next week open my Zoom room for dads to catch up. I thought I’d try a breakfast slot next Thursday 19 August, 7:15am-8am. 

There is no specific agenda or topic of conversation, although I’ll give a few updates on school life, my high school expansion work and to hear your perspective on how you are navigating work and family life during this lockdown. It’d be great to hear about the things that you are doing with your kids - to connect, distract and keep them positive and busy.  If you’d like to drop in and say hello, and to connect with some other fathers, you are most welcome. I’m here to support you! Please RSVP HERE. 

Have a great weekend, enjoy the sun and remember that you are loved beyond all measure. 

Doug Thomas
Principal

Use your device responsibly. Write kind and appropriate things online; don’t take photos of others without their permission; use apps that you know are good for kids and never accept ‘friendship’ online with someone you don’t know.

If unsure, or if you know you have seen or done something you are not proud of or makes you feel uncomfortable, please let a trusted adult know, to help you. :)

Larissa Cameron
Co-Principal

Term 3 2021

Term 4 2021

With the site at Lake Macquarie having been upgraded since we were there last, have a sneak peek at the Crusaders Lake Macquarie site, to look at the facilities with your child/ren. You and they will be super excited.

However, due to the current uncertainty of events being able to go ahead, we have decided to delay sending out booking details, until the current COVID situation becomes clearer and hopefully better.

Kindergarten Off Campus Learning Timetable

Year 1 Off Campus Learning Timetable

Year 2 Off Campus Learning Timetable

Year 3 Off Campus Learning Timetable

Year 4 Off Campus Learning Timetable

Year 5 Off Campus Learning Timetable

Year 6 Off Campus Learning Timetable

New Non-Fiction Titles To The Collection

I have been very busy in the Library reorganising the library resources and weeding books from the collection. This has led to purchasing lots of new books for the Library. I really hope the students enjoy the new Library makeover on their return.

Following on from Olympic fever I have focused on updating the sporting books in the collection.

This series focuses on popular sports played in Australia today. The books place particular emphasis on the sport’s development within Australia, describing rules, forms of scoring, and the various levels of competition. There is plenty of information about legendary players and competitors of the present and past, and descriptions of the nation’s great sporting moments will inspire young readers. This series is aimed at older primary students.

Let’s Play Sport is a series aimed at lower primary aged children. The features include simple texts, diagrams of sport fields and charts of sports clothing and the equipment required.

For those students who are interested in extreme sports this is the series for them. Each book contains all the information the reader needs to learn about the extreme sport, including how the sport started, equipment needed, and safety measures required. The reader discovers how athletes practice their skills and experience thrills in nature. This series is suitable for older primary students.

Mrs Susan Kesur
Librarian Assistant

With current restrictions, there will be no Sport until at least the end of August. 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

With the current COVID-19 restrictions and Off Campus Learning not expected to end until at least the end of Week 7, The Claremont Athletics Carnival that was scheduled for Week 5 will no longer be going ahead. The IPSHA Athletics Carnival that was scheduled for Week 6 this term will also, obviously, not be going ahead in Week 6. Depending on ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, we will look at the possibility of some sort of athletics event/activities in Term 4. We will provide more information once we have more certainty around the updated restrictions moving forward. 

Claremont Olympic Challenge

Well done to all the students who have been participating every day in the Claremont Olympic Challenge. It’s been so good to see so many students get involved and try their hand at such a wide variety of Olympic sports. Stay tuned in the coming week for a new Paralympic challenge!

Mr Joel Geering
Head of Sport and PDHPE

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 27 August.

Regular trading hours will resume from 30 August (subject to any further lockdown).

Thank you and keep safe. 

The updated Uniform Price Lists for Boys and Girls are linked below and can also be found on the school website. 

Regards

Jennifer Niduaza | Client Services Manager

Uniform Price List for Girls

Uniform Price List for Boys

CLICK HERE for the latest TeamKids Newsletter.

With the lockdown extension announcement, a reminder for ALL families RE-BOOK & VERIFY the dates for the TERM. TeamKids has again recently cleared all bookings in light of these conditions. Space is limited exclusively to essential workers. If you have any questions, email or please call customer service on 1300 035 000. 

Also TeamKids understands how busy life can be and how hard it can be for parents to keep their kids entertained. Luckily, they’re specialists in this field!

Check out these TeamKids approved activity cards designed to keep your children busy and engaged.