Did you know that the first Fathers’ Day was 110 years ago? Fathers’ Day as we know it, started in 1910 as a result of the efforts of a young American girl who wanted to recognise fathers, inspired by her own father who was a single Dad with six children. Since then Fathers’ Day is celebrated in many countries but not all on the first Sunday in September as it is here in Australia. While Fathers’ Day is a celebration of fatherhood, it’s a time for us to honour, celebrate and to be thankful for all of the men, father figures and male role models in our lives… including our uncles, grandfathers, Godfathers, and even our male teachers. We recognise the very important role you have in the lives of children.

Thank you to all of the dads in our school community. The children love you and are so proud of you. I hope you have a great day on Sunday. You are a hero! 

“A dad is someone who wants to catch you before you fall, but instead picks you up, brushes you off, and lets you try again.” (Anon)

I would like to thank the Year 6 leaders who have created a presentation for Fathers' Day linked here.

Thank you to the team of Year 4 and Year 6 mums, along with the P&F, who (under challenging COVID-19 restrictions) helped make our annual Fathers’ Day stall such a success and special occasion for the children. Special thanks to Cassandra, Sophie and Zara Anderson, Betty, Anthony and Simona Preshaw and Fiona Morton for all your hard work in purchasing and packaging hundreds of gifts for the children to buy. I am sure that the dads will be delighted with their gifts on Sunday. It was a delight to see the children take home their gift bags from school on Thursday with such pride and excitement.

Please keep reading this newsletter all the way to the last page, to find some very special Fathers’ Day messages from the children. Could I also encourage you to take the time as a family this weekend to view our very special Fathers’ Day Online Chapel Service. You are sure to be blessed!

With the many challenges of COVID, there is one group of students who have especially weathered a very uncertain storm.  These are the Year 12 student cohort of 2020 as they prepare for their Higher School Certificate (HSC). Our thoughts and prayers are with any older brothers and sisters who are in Year 12, and especially to the students of our Kindy class of 2008 (the year I commenced as Principal here at Claremont).

This excellent opinion piece, written by Michael Spence, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sydney, caught my eye in last Saturday’s ‘Sydney Morning Herald’. I hope that you find it encouraging and gives you and your parents, a sense of perspective over these last few months of your school career.

As a parent and a vice-chancellor at one of Australia’s leading universities, I know how common it is for students to feel apprehensive about sitting the HSC. And I am very aware that for the current class of 2020 this is no ordinary year.

From the summer bushfires to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Year 12 students are gearing up to sit their HSC during some of the most extraordinary circumstances in living memory. 

For those aiming to undertake a university course – and that’s not the right choice for everyone – I have a simple message. Your ATAR is not going to follow you around for the rest of your life. It is a measure of how you went academically over 18 months, but that is all. 

It doesn’t measure all the wonderful things that make you who you are. It doesn’t measure all the many different kinds of intelligence. It doesn’t know that you’re a fabulous cook, or that you’re kind or funny. 

The ATAR can’t take into account all the things you are learning about life and the world in which we are living. There are many things more important than the ATAR can capture, and every parent is proud of their son or daughter (as I am of mine) for far more important reasons.

Students often get stressed about their ATAR because they think it determines what they can do after school, and therefore what career they will eventually have. But that is only very partially true, at best. The ATAR can, of course, help you to get into your first choice of course. But if things don’t go quite as well as you had hoped – and there are many reasons why they may not – there are multiple other pathways to a degree and a rewarding career.

When choosing a university course, make sure that it is designed to teach you crucial skills in critical thinking and in written and oral communication. It should prepare you not just for your first job, but for the job after that (perhaps a job that has not been invented yet). It should give you some chance at learning in a ‘‘ real world’ ’ context, and also the chance, once borders open, to complete some of your degree overseas if you choose. But most important of all, choose a course that you are excited and passionate about. 

Don’t choose a course just because you got the ‘‘ right’ ’ amount of points. Your ATAR is not like your phone data. It’s not wasted if you don’t use it all. 

And if you don’t know exactly what course you would like to take, or what career you would like to pursue, make sure you choose a course that keeps your options open. Few people know exactly what kind of career they would like when they join the university. Remember that you are not alone. Most importantly, look after yourself. Take regular study breaks. Eat well. Sleep. Give yourself some time each day to regroup or exercise. Try to be positive as it will help you stay motivated.

We know this is a tough year and most institutions are taking that into account. At Sydney, we’re in the process of adjusting our pathway programs to acknowledge the impact of the bushfires and pandemic. We want to support students who’ve done it hard and continue to do it hard so that they have the opportunity to join us next year.

Finally, thank your teachers and your parents. We often forget to acknowledge the important role they play in Year 12.

So class of 2020, as you prepare to finish school and set off into the world, know that we see your resilience, we admire your tenacious spirit and we all cheer you on. 

Michael Spence is Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sydney.

Year 12, we too, are cheering you on!

On 21 August, the world lost British author, speaker, and an education and creativity expert, Sir Ken Robinson — celebrated in a recent tribute for The Washington Post as "a joyful beacon of hope, calling on us to celebrate and foster the creative human spirit". As observed by many teachers and fellow educators, the most fitting way to honour his legacy is to keep innovating in classrooms, and to continue the conversation about educational reform. And so, we remember Sir Ken by encouraging parents to view two of his most powerful presentations, both of which remain as relevant today as ever — How to escape education's death valley and Do schools kill creativity? The later has become one of the most watched TED talks of all time, with more than 66 million views. Sir Ken Robinson has greatly inspired us at Claremont and his work has influenced much of what you see at our school. 

Be blessed, and have a great weekend.

Doug Thomas 
Principal

  Follow me @DougJThomas

Stella C Y4 and Ernie C Y1 sold lemonade last weekend at the front of their house.  They raised $46.00 for the sponsor kids in India. Stella and Ernie you inspire us for life!

If yes, would you consider being on a 'register' of translators within our school community? 

We have had a small number of children and families where English is their second language, however over the past few years this number has increased and we would like to be able to support all of these families. Being able to speak another language is a wonderful lifelong skill and one that we want to encourage and celebrate. It is also important for us to be confident that we are communicating with all of our families so this is where you come in. 

Once we have developed the register we may put you in contact with a family who would like your support as the need arises, or if a teacher (or other member of staff) feels we need your help to communicate with a particular family. We anticipate the times of most need could be:

●      Parent/Teacher Meetings;

●      Emergency messages to and from the school (because of COVID these are more likely); and

●      Other important messages that would connect a family to the parent community.

Mrs Rochester (the Principal's PA) will maintain this register, and therefore will be able to put families in contact with each other as a need arises.  Please contact Mrs Rochester via kc.rochester@claremont.nsw.edu.au to let her know the other language you are fluent in and that you would be willing to support other Claremont families in this way. 

Thank you for considering to be involved in this school community initiative.

Janelle Ford
Deputy Principal

This year has certainly been one that we will always remember. For many Claremont families, it has been an incredibly challenging time. And for most of us this year has been a time of loss. Whether it has been loss of finances, loss of freedom, loss of work or even loss of our usual routines, it has proven difficult in a whole range of ways. Our usual ways of connecting have been changed and this in itself presents challenges - we know the need to reach out to each other is important, and how as a community, we can care for one another in times of crisis. As a school, we would like to provide an opportunity for our parents to gather together on Zoom, for a special evening to hear and learn ways we can help our community. Thank you to Sally Felton (Ben Y3 and Ella K) and to Catherine McKersie, our School Counsellor, for helping to make this happen.

So when will this be on?

Save Thursday 10 September at 7:30pm free, for a night on Zoom.

So who is our guest speaker?

Dr Sarah Wayland is a social worker and mental health researcher from the University of Sydney. She is a mum of 2 and a stepmum of 2 more and has an interest in ways that we can better support individuals and families during times of crisis. She speaks regularly to the media and writes for Mindfood, SBS Life, ABC Life and The Conversation. This session will provide an opportunity to explore ways that we can build community within our homes and our schools when so much of the world is confusing to both ourselves and the young people we care for.

I encourage you to read Sally Felton's article in the P&F newsletter on the event details. As a school we are aware that some families are doing it tough financially right now, and so we would like to offer tickets at no charge. Please spread the word, encourage your Claremont friends and your partner to secure a ticket. Let's all continue to learn about ways to care for ourselves and for others during this time.

If you notice someone being unkind to someone, be brave and bold and speak up to that person, or to a teacher. Be a leader and use your voice to stand up for what's good and right. Don't be a bully bystander. If unsure or if you feel uncomfortable, talk to a teacher - they want to help! 

Larissa Cameron
Deputy Principal

Due to the financial challenges of COVID-19 a small number of parents who had initially enrolled for Kindergarten in 2021 have had to withdraw their application. This, coupled with some deferments to 2022, and a smaller number of siblings than usual, means that we now have some vacancies. Many people in our community often do not submit applications to Claremont because they often think they don’t have a chance for their child getting a place. We seek your help in getting the word out that vacancies do exist. If you have a child at preschool, please tell others. Application forms are available on our website, or contact Kathy-Clare Rochester, kc.rochester@claremont.nsw.edu.au for further information.

Whilst we give priority for enrolments to siblings, placement can not be guaranteed. If you have a pre-schooler who is due to begin school in 2022, please ensure that your application form is lodged or your child might miss out on a place. Additional references are not required for sibling application.

Should you have any questions or require confirmation that an application has been submitted, please contact Mrs Rochester.

We would like to remind parents that a full term’s notice in writing to the Principal is required before terminating a student's enrolment.  In the event of failure to provide the required notice of withdrawal, a charge equal to 100% of the applicable term’s school fees will become payable, including all outstanding fees and charges, in addition to fees and charges payable in respect to the entire current term.

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

Our school is learning about diabetes.

You may not be aware that our school has a student and Families living

with type 1 diabetes. This is because they look like every other person, but they have an important difference. People living with type 1 diabetes have an autoimmune disease that means they cannot produce their own insulin. You can’t catch type 1 diabetes and it’s not caused by lack of exercise or too much sugar.

It occurs when the body’s immune system mistakenly destroys the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. Everyone needs insulin to live.

People with type 1 diabetes require up to 6 insulin injections every day. They also need to check their blood glucose (sugar) levels up to 6 times a day (by way of a finger prick and sensor) and carefully monitor their food intake and exercise regime daily. 

If their blood glucose level drops too low (commonly referred to as a “hypo”) they require a quick dose of sugar to prevent them going so low they become unwell. 

Type 1 diabetes is difficult to manage. Around 11,000 kids in Australia have this form of diabetes, which accounts for around 10% of all people with diabetes.

It is with you for life as there is currently no known cure. Every day 7 more Australians are diagnosed with this disease, most of them are children. 

There is no known way to prevent type 1 diabetes, but scientists are working on it. That’s where our Claremont College Community comes in! 

We want to support the Juvenile diabetes Foundation of Australia to research a cure, treat and prevent Type 1 Diabetes.

The JDRF of Australia, along with The Claremont College Community, is working hard to find a cure, while also finding ways to improve the lives of people with Type 1 Diabetes and create a better knowledge and understanding of Diabetes at Claremont College.

A special thank you also goes out to our Guest Speaker Mr Duncan Read who will present to the Students on the day, our Year 6 grade captains (listed below) and our Type 1 Diabetic Families.

Help us on Friday 11th September by wearing blue clothing and donating a gold coin to the cause.

A special thanks to the Year 6 House Captains: Chloe T, Asimina C, Tyson W, Dante F, Isabella D, Anna L, Charlotte M, Celeste G.

Ms Sallie Neville
School Nurse

SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHS WILL BE TAKEN ON:

Monday 19 October 2020 and Tuesday 20 October 2020

ORDER NOW go to www.advancedlife.com.au and enter the code 537 6V3 2EM

School photographs are scheduled to be taken by advancedlife. Whilst an envelope and flyer will be distributed shortly, if possible it is our preference that ordering be completed online to reduce administration and potential security issues related to the return of cash and envelopes on photo day.

Orders for packages and sibling photographs can be placed securely online at www.advancedlife.com.au using our school’s unique 9 digit advancedorder code. Portrait and group package orders are due by photography day.

Should you wish to purchase a sibling photograph online, the order must be placed no later than the day before photography day. Sibling photographs will only be taken if an order has been placed.

Should you have any queries concerning school photographs or online ordering, please contact us at www.advancedlife.com.au/contac...

Community Session with Dr Sarah Wayland - click here to book

Father’s Day

What we love about our Dads!

My father used to say that it's never too late to do anything you want to do. And he said, 'You never know what you can accomplish until you try.' Michael Jordan

With Father’s Day just around the corner, Kindergarten students have been busily working on a little surprise for their dads. What can we be grateful for? Some of our dads take time from their busy schedule to pick us up promptly at 3pm while others may chase after us with library bags we left in the back of the car. We take a moment to reflect on what dad’s mean to us. Here’s a snippet of what some of the students have to say:

“I love my dad because he builds veggie patches for me.” – Evie Y

“My dad is special because he is kind to me. He takes me to new restaurants for dinner.” – Zara R

“I love when he walks in the door, I run up to him, he swings me around and hugs me.”
– Tom H 

“When I’m cold, he always makes me warm. He opens his arms and I jump into them.” – Hartford A

“I like my dad because he gives me croissants for lunch.”– Carter J

“Dad drives the car, he’s funny and he brings me breakfast.”  - Amelie G

“My dad is special because he cooks me good food. He makes spaghetti.” -  Cole G 

“He makes machines with me (Go Karts). He also washes the dishes!” – Ollie H 

“My dad is special because he always takes care of me.” – Tex R

“My dad is special because he plays pick up sticks with me.” – Charlotte P 

“I like my dad because he’s really really funny.” – Ella F 

“My dad is special because he’s funny and sometimes picks me up.” – Camille C

Dear Parents,  

In addition to using Wushka for home learning, students are able to take home physical readers each Friday. We encourage your child to please use their home reading folder to protect the books. In Kindergarten this semester, we are working on becoming more independent and getting ready for Year 1. We will give all students a reminder, however it would be helpful if you could also remind your child on Friday mornings if you would like them to change their readers.

The Kindergarten Team

Year 1 - Father’s Day

As we celebrate Father’s Day this weekend in Australia, the Year 1 children have been excitedly preparing messages for their fathers, grandfathers, uncles or other special people in their lives. In class we have reminisced about favourite times spent with these special men - of games, jokes, adventures, and hugs.

We have also discussed what qualities we love about these special men. It was during this discussion that we realised how many of these qualities are ones that our Heavenly Father possesses in abundance as He:

• Shows unconditional love;
• Shares his wisdom;
• Provides for us;
• Teaches and corrects us; and
• Forgives us.

We’ve had a continuing theme in our Scripture lessons this year in Year 1: How heroes of the Bible have shown they trusted God. These stories have not only shown us the faith that people such as Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Jonah, Esther, Ruth, Daniel, Gideon and David have had to draw upon during their life experiences, but also how God showed them that he is trustworthy and faithful. This recurring idea has made it helpful to cement in our brains that God is a God who is trustworthy.

The Year 1 Team

Father’s Day

It’s no secret that it is Father’s Day on Sunday! There was a buzz of excitement in the air as Year 2 started preparing a little gift for our dads and grandfathers this week during Art. Students had a choice of different fabrics, coloured paper, and materials to use to decorate their Father’s Day craft. It also involved some painting, gluing, googly eyes, and some toilet paper rolls… We hope you enjoy this sneak peak!

We also asked Year 2 this question: If your dad had a superpower, what would it be?

“Super strength - because he goes to the gym everyday!” - Maya M

“Flying - because he likes to see things from above.” - Rocco R

“To make infinite coffees - because he loves coffee and he’ll never have to pay for one again.” - Claudia M 

“Super strength - so that he can lift up a bus!” - Xavier G

“To fly - he works really far from home so if he can fly I can see him more. But he is also afraid of heights, he doesn’t even like going on the ferris wheel. Oh well, I’m sure he’ll find flying fun.”  - Olivia M

“To have his wishes granted - so that he can wish he had all the powers in the world!”
- Ava L

“To fly - so he can give me piggy back rides up in the air.” - Emily M 

“Craziness - so that he would make the enemy laugh so hard that he’ll explode!” - Harriet N

“Teleport - so that he’ll be really good at hide and seek.” - Jethro L

“Super speed - so he can finish work faster and we can go bike riding every day.” - Mateo H

“Super strength - because he loves playing Avengers with my brother and he likes being the Hulk!” - Maleia G 

We can see how much our Year 2 students look up to and respect their dads and grandfathers! Happy Father’s Day! 

Year 2 Team
Mrs Crerar, Miss Tan, Mrs Nicolaides, Mrs Breakspear

Gymnastics in Year 3

Sport participation in a school environment provides endless benefits and opportunities for students such as physical fitness, cognitive development, personal wellbeing and social interaction.

For the second half of this term, the Year 3 students have been participating in Gymnastics lessons every Wednesday as part of their sport rotation. GOT Game have a well established relationship with Claremont and have been delivering a high quality and professional sports program for a number of years. Their team is made up of qualified PE teachers with expertise in their chosen field. During gymnastics lessons students are focusing on:

• Locomotor/non-locomotor skills;
• Object control;
• Stability/body control;
• Selecting, applying, transferring, adapting and evaluating movement skills;
• Functional movement and resistance training; and
• Perseverance. 

Here are some Year 3 reflections from our sessions so far:

“It helps us be more flexible and be prepared for gymnastics competitions. I really like how it is different to other sports.” Sophie G 

“The most fun part is when you swing between the two bars.” Georgina K 

“I like gymnastics because it is different to dance. It is really fun learning new exercises and moves.” Dion T 

“I really like testing my flexibility and making my upper body stronger as I get better at Gymnastics.” Maya V 

“I really like swinging on the bars like a monkey.” Hudson S

“It is really hard to hold yourself up as you are using your core muscles.” Lara D

“I really like the games and testing my limits.” Archie T

“The games are really fun and it is also really fun moving around.” Stella L

“Every day we have a new fun and challenging activity to do.” Angus B 

Happy Fathers’ Day to all of the Year 3 dads, we hope you have a wonderful Sunday.

The Year 3 Team

Year 4 Fathers’ Day

We think it's marvellous that we take days to show our support for different groups of people, and dads are no exception. Fathers play a vital role in children’s lives on a day to day basis, so don't forget to treat yourself and your own fathers to an extra special day this Fathers’ Day.

Year 4 have been busy working on their Fathers’ Day activities this week in their Home Learning. 

The students have completed some of the following tasks:

• Researched when Fathers’ day first started.
• Researched the different dates of Fathers’ Day around the world.
• Listed 5-10 reasons why their Father or Grandfather or special person is the best in the world.
• Written a persuasive text explaining why their Father or Grandfather or special person is the greatest.
• Written an acrostic poem for their Father or Grandfather or special person.
• Some students have interviewed their father or special person about their life and experiences they have had.
• Written a newspaper article about their Father, Grandfather or special person.

The students have put together a Wordle about their Fathers about how special their Dad’s are to them.

Happy Fathers’ day to all the Dads, Granddads and Special Male Role Models!

The Year 4 Team

Excursion to Royal National Park

Ranger Jamie and his team jumped into action on Tuesday, delivering a wonderfully crafted excursion program to the delight of Year 5 students.  Perfectly aligned to this term's Geography program, students learnt about factors that shape places. 

The interactive and hands-on excursion allowed students to compare the coastal environment of Garie Beach, to the rainforest environment of Bola Creek in The Royal National Park.  They conducted their own geological tests in the rainforest and explored bio-indicators through fishing and bug catching activities.  Students explored areas directly affected by bushfires and experienced first-hand the impact fire has on native Australian flora and fauna.  The students were able to hug ancient trees and stand inside burnt out trees.  They swung on large vines, touched moss and marvelled at the epiphytes.  While breathing in fresh forest air, they learnt about the importance of rainforests and how the flora and fauna have adapted to the moist air and low levels of sunlight.  

While at Garie Beach, students were introduced to several native animal species and learnt how they have adapted to their environment.  They were most impressed with how the Tawny Frog caught their food – they sit on a tree, open their bright yellow mouths and let the bugs fly in!  Nature's equivalent of the couch potato!  

Student reflections

What did you enjoy most about The Royal National Park?

“Going on a walk through the rainforest with Ranger Jamie!  We swung on vines, ran like Ninjas and painted our faces with charcoal to become warriors – it was awesome!”
Georgia B 

“I enjoyed finding the animals in the burnt and non-burnt areas.”  Sofia J

“Taking a moment to think about the birds and listening to the wind rusting in the trees.”  Henry M

“The bushwalk because you got to learn all about the trees and history.  We learnt why they are called that and if they are extinct and why.”  Hannah N 

What surprised you most or was an unexpected experience?

“They said the Queen once came through The Royal National Park!”  Sebastian LP 

“I was surprised at how the Tawny Frogmouth catches their food.  It was very interesting and intriguing.  Their mouths are yellow and at night the insects and bugs are attracted to it.”  Caitlyn L 

“How unhealthy some rivers were.  We used bioindicators to figure out how healthy they were and the result was shocking!”  Georgia B

“No native animals in Australia have hooves.”  Isabelle W

“Finding the legless lizard that dropped its tail TWICE before running away!”  Oliver K

“Leeches lurked in the creek!” - Andreas M 

Why are national parks important places?

“National parks are very important as they can hold great things.  They protect the animals that call the park home and can teach young people about important things.” Caitlyn L

“They are home to many animals, they protect places and they show how people lived before development.” Mila T 

“They are like reserves.  In a way, they are the homes of native animals, some of which are endangered.”  Beth G 

“If we did not have national parks, we would not be able to learn about the wildlife first hand and it would increase the amount of extinctions of some plants and animals.”  Oliver W 

A very Happy Fathers’ Day to all of the Year 5 dads, we hope you have a wonderful Sunday.

The Year 5 Team

The Afternoon Show with Mr Ryan

Here is the link to Episode 2 of ‘The Afternoon Show’ with Mr Ryan. Enjoy! 

We wish all of the Year 6 dads a very Happy Fathers’ Day, we hope you have a wonderful day on Sunday.

The Year 6 Team

Library Literature Stage 3

This week, we started to read possibly the most important book we will read in Stage 3 this year. This CBCA  shortlisted adaptation of Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe challenges our young learners to consider that there may be different interpretations of events. Using the accounts of early European explorers, colonialists and farmers, the author argues for a reconsideration of the hunter-gatherer label for pre-colonial Aboriginal Australians.

This week, our learners were shown the infamous “dress debate” to highlight the fact that you can look at the exact same image and see totally different things. They transferred this example to Australia’s colonisation in 1788. No one is objecting that the event itself happened, but we are starting to see that there are perspectives that haven’t necessarily been heard. 

Students discussed the subtitle of the text, “A Truer History”. How can history be truer? A number of groups spoke about the fact that with new information and perspectives we can get a fuller picture of any historical events. The challenging and frustrating comparison was made, never being able to complete a 1000 piece puzzle. You can  have 999 pieces, and have a really good idea of what the picture is, but we will never have all 1000 pieces, which means there’s always something to learn.

What colour dress do you see? What is your perspective?

Three for free

Our three favourite pics from the web this week:

1. The size of space This website is one of the most mind-blowing ways to see just how big the universe is compared to humans. God is amazing
2. Brains On! Podcast Kids ask big questions and interview scientists to find the answers! Topics range from fire vs lasers, the science of gasses in our bodies (farts) and cats.
3. Talking about Minecraft Class Have you got a Minecraft obsessed kid at home? 'Tell Me All About Minecraft' is a 1 hr class for kids to talk ... about Minecraft. The teacher listens & asks detailed questions to build conversation and communication skills (so you get a break for a minute from doing this yourself).

Instagram: claremontcollegelibrary 

Stephanie Affleck
Teacher Librarian

New Books in Our Library

New Fiction Titles

It was lovely to share these new titles with the students this week. They arrived at the perfect time for Father’s Day this Sunday.

"Wild about dads" is a delightful book that can be enjoyed by children of all ages. Many wild dads go to great lengths to give their children the best chance of growing up healthy, smart and strong. This title is a compendium of admirable paternal behaviours from around the animal kingdom - from Arctic foxes to flamingos, sandgrouse to seahorse.

Philip Bunting is an author and illustrator who believes that the more fun the child has during their early reading experiences, the more likely they will be to return to books, improve their emergent literacy skills, and later find joy in reading and learning. Philip’s books have been translated into multiple languages, and published in over 25 countries around the world. His other popular books include Koalas eat gum leaves, Kookaburras love to laugh and Mopoke. 

What Do You Call Your Grandpa? Is a love letter to grandfathers and families from every corner of the globe. This is a charming book that celebrates the many different ways we say grandpa.

Recommended for ages 4 years and over but again this is a book that can be enjoyed by children of all ages. 

Mrs Susan Kesur
Library Assistant

Term 4 Extra Curricular Sport

The Term 4 Sport Skills information is attached below. The link for registration is in the document. Please remember to register online for all morning/lunchtime activities as soon as possible to avoid disappointment as some sports have limited positions. Programs commence from Week 2. Registrations close at 9:00am on Tuesday 22 September. 

Sport Skills Programs

Monday: Year 3-6 Tennis (Eastern Suburbs Tennis Centre) and K-2 Judo (lunchtime at school)
Tuesday: Year K-2 Tennis (at school)
Wednesday: Year 3-6 Volleyball (at school)
Thursday: Year 3-6 Basketball (at school)

Claremont Champions 

It’s been a while since we’ve been able to celebrate some of our Claremont Champions in their sporting participation and success. With a lot of junior representative sport seasons recently cancelled, it’s great to see students from our Claremont community still able to be involved in their local clubs and have a great time in the process. 

Congratulations to the Claremont Year 1 girls (Isabella Z, Alexis L, Charlotte L, Ava W, Charlotte B, Juliette F and Isabel R) who played U7 soccer for the Coogee White Tigers. Despite this crazy year, the girls had a wonderful season and thoroughly enjoyed themselves!        

Well done to Lucan T, Ernie C and Noah L, are all mates at Claremont in Year 1,  who have been  playing U7 rugby this year for Clovelly Eagles. They're keeping fit, learning about teamwork and sportsmanship  - and having fun!

Year 2 Sport 

Year 2 had a great time on Wednesday developing their balance and body control as part of their gymnastics program. Some photos of them in action are below.      

Joel Geering
Sports & PDHPE Coordinator

H A P P Y     F A T H E R ‘S     D A Y! 

This week’s Chapel is a special one as we celebrate all the Claremont fathers. Students and teachers shared pictures and stories about why they love their dad. This will not be one to miss!

This week's bible story is ‘The prodigal son.’ During this story we focus on the father who waited for his son to return. Even though the son took half his father's money and left him, his father loved and forgave him. This is just a glimpse of the love God has for us. 

This week the students will be learning the memory verse, 

‘See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!' 1 John 3:1

We love seeing the students getting involved in the Chapel videos each week. Remember if you would like to watch this week's online Chapel video you can find it on our school website.

You can also watch this week's Chapel by CLICKING HERE.

Tiffany Knoll
Chapel Coordinator

If your child uses the school bus, or you would like to register to use the school bus, in Term 4, please complete the registration form by CLICKING HERE. 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 

Term 4 Bus costs will be invoiced on your Term 4 invoice (in advance).

The annual P&F Father’s Day Stall signals that spring has arrived and yesterday with soaring temperatures the Undercroft was turned into a Father’s Day Stall. This year has brought many challenges and the P&F were glad to bring some joy into the school today with our Father’s Day Stall. Nearly 400 gifts were purchased and what normally takes the whole day was achieved in just 1.5hrs!!! Thank you to the school community for showing such wonderful support.

We extend our gratitude to the Year 4 grade representatives, Cassandra Anderson (Sophie Year 6 & Zara Year 4) and Betty Preshaw (Simona) for organising the second P&F event for the year.

Due to restrictions all gifts were packed offsite over the weekend and transported to school. Huge thanks to our packing team of Cassandra, Sophie and Zara Anderson, Betty, Anthony and Simona Preshaw and Fiona Morton and to our team on the day, a collaboration of parents, older students and admin staff: Karen Wiggins, Gaye Crafts, Cassandra & Sophie (Yr 6) Anderson, Fiona and Chloe (Yr 6) Treadgold, Theodora and Sofia (Yr 6) Spathis, Diane and Kaiya (Yr 6) Harapin and Melisse and Caitlyn (Yr 5) Lee. Many thanks to the Melikan family business, Pauls Chocolates for supplying our stalls with quality goods over the last few years.

It was a mad rush for 1.5 hours and the adults, teachers and children all worked together to bring some “shopping” joy to all the kids and our school community.

The P&F warmly wish all our Claremont dads and grandads a Happy Father’s Day as we celebrate you this coming Sunday. May God’s love and grace extend over you and your family.

Melisse Lee
P&F President

Please join us!

We never know how our small activities will affect others through the invisible fabric of our connectedness. In this exquisitely connected world, it's never a question of 'critical mass.' It's always about critical connections. – Grace Lee Boggs

We love our school, we love our community and we are finding ways to create connections which is so important for the wellbeing of not just our kids but our teachers and parents.

The school and the P&F would like to invite you to a virtual 1-hour meeting with Dr Sarah Wayland on Thursday 10 September at 7.30pm.

Dr Sarah Wayland is a social worker and mental health researcher from the University of Sydney. She is a mum of 2 and a stepmum of 2 more and has an interest in ways that we can better support individuals and families during times of crisis. She speaks regularly to the media and writes for Mindfood, SBS Life, ABC Life and The Conversation.

This session will provide an opportunity to explore ways that we can build community within our homes and our schools when so much of the world is confusing to both ourselves and the young people we care for.

The session is free of charge but we would love you to register if you will be joining (which we sincerely hope you do).  To register please CLICK HERE, once you register you will receive details of how to login to the session.

If you have any questions about the event or fancy getting in touch, please always feel free to email us at pfinfo@claremont.nsw.edu.au

Sally Ferguson
P&F VP - Wellbeing

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

School Holiday Bookings now open

These school holidays, TeamKids will be delivering a wonderful mix of incursions and in-house days that promise to keep the kids happy, engaged and having FUN.  

See attached Spring Holiday Timetable to see the days you would like to attend.  

TeamKids provide industry-leading educator to child ratios of 1:10 and all the TeamKids programs have been fully approved under the National Child Care Subsidy (CCS). 

TeamKids look forward to welcoming you and your children these Holidays!