TERM 3 - WEEK 3 JULY 2021

Time flies faster than a weaver’s shuttle.

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I have often been called ‘Pollyanna’ – I can remember my mother calling me that at a very young age; I could tell that she possibly wasn’t being complimentary, but I actually didn’t know what it meant. Once I discovered the meaning, I decided to take it as a compliment. I am a ‘glass half full’ type of person.

It is hard to be Pollyanna at the moment – the news over the last weeks has certainly not been easy to receive. However, there have been some bright lights, and if we can focus on the good and positive things, life under our ever-increasing safety measures can be made more bearable.

The staff and the Senior School girls have been issued with the challenge of finding moments of awe and gratitude. The photos I have been sent and the moments of awe and gratitude shared by girls and staff have been heart-warming. I wonder if you saw the beautiful images of the whale and its calf off Jervis Bay or the dolphin pod so close to the shore at Bondi on the news recently? They were certainly moments of awe. Further, our girls in the Junior School have been contributing to a kindness Padlet set up by Mrs Gaspersic and Mrs van Bussel. It is an absolute delight to read the girls’ notes explaining how they have been kind throughout the week. Our girls and our staff are truly amazing!

And then, there is the Olympics. Whatever you think about the rights and wrongs of staging the games during a pandemic, they have provided wonderful excitement and relief from the ever-present difficult news stories. As Mrs Galea wrote in The Shuttle last week, our Junior School girls have been looking at the Olympics in chapel – their chapel services are certainly fun and inspiring, as well as very meaningful as the girls explore what it means to ‘Run like a Christian’.

Additionally, our whole community has been following Old Girl Kiana Elliott (2014) who represented Australia brilliantly in the 64 kg weightlifting competition in her first Olympic games. Prior to taking up weightlifting, Kiana was an elite gymnast. Unfortunately, she broke her leg badly and could not continue with that sport. Demonstrating incredible determination, courage and resilience, she dealt with that dreadful blow and changed sports. She is now an elite weightlifter who came 11th in the Olympics. She is certainly an inspirational young woman. The following extract describes Kiana’s Olympic experience; it certainly sums up Kiana’s humility, determination and dedication, beautifully.

‘In the 64 kg, Kiana Elliott had a spectacular day in her first Olympic Games.

Elliott secured a personal best with a 101 kg snatch followed by a 108 kg clean and jerk for a total score of 209.

The

ShuttleFROM THE HEADMISTRESS

2021: Our Year of Connection

Connecting with positivityMrs Megan Krimmer Headmistress

IN THIS ISSUE

Headmistress

Chaplain

Community

Junior School

Senior School

TERM 3 - WEEK 3 JULY 2021

The cherry on the cake – she did it all on her birthday.

“This whole journey I’ve just grown so much as a person and to do personal best at the Olympic games on my birthday is just the best birthday present,” Elliott said.

Elliott came to the sport of weightlifting after a series of injuries forced an early retirement from gymnastics at the age of 14. But even through that challenging time, Elliott kept her Olympic dream alive.

“When I retired from gymnastics, I thought my dream was gone.

“This is 16 years of sport in the making. Eight in one sport, another eight in another. It’s overwhelming to actually be here and for it to actually be happening.‘

Source: https://www.olympics.com.au/news/kiana-elliott-finds-best-birthday-present-in-weightlifting/

Parents and staff discussed ‘hunting the good stuff’ at our ACF meeting on Monday evening. It is certainly important for our girls that we are optimistic as well as realistic role models as we help them navigate the extraordinary times in which we live.

Mrs Liz Cannon, School Psychologist and Director of Wellbeing and Counselling has written the following excellent article to help us all. I commend it to you.

“I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.” – Louisa May Alcott

COVID-19 and the associated home isolation has impacted everyone, and it was certainly not what we were expecting for Term 3. Over the past few weeks, I have read many articles and spoken to many parents regarding the impact of COVID-19 on families and young people learning from home.

I am sure that parents have really enjoyed having their children at home, but this is sprinkled with the strain of their own work situations, possible financial hardships and parents working from home while supervising and assisting their children with learning.

Our wonderful teachers at Abbotsleigh are working very hard to ensure that our girls’ learning is not impacted and that they are engaging with the many activities that are provided to them through our AOCE program. By all reports, our girls are trying very hard with their learning. One recurring issue is the concern that parents have for their daughter’s wellbeing, especially in relation to the impact of physical isolation and the inability for the girls to enjoy their regular social and sporting activities.

This situation, while temporary, impacts us in different ways. One important thing to remember is that we, as adults, can help set the scene for our children. Staying positive and calm can sometimes be challenging, but the more self-care and self-kindness we can include and manage, the easier this will be. As Dr Justin Coulson states regarding the current situation, “This is not the time for perfectionism.” I fully agree. My mantra to the girls is, “Do the best you can, given the circumstances of the day.” My advice to all parents is to follow this mantra where possible.

The following sound advice from the Black Dog Institute is most relevant:

“It’s not just grown-ups worrying about the Coronavirus and the changes happening day by day. As parents it is important

that we listen to the questions coming from our children and that we offer clear and honest answers. It’s also okay to admit we don’t know the answers. Much better to do that than pretend we know the right response. Remember, our children will be picking up information from their peers, the media and what they are observing in the streets and shops. It is our roles as parents to make sure that we don’t unnecessarily add to their anxiety and [that we] tailor information to their age and developmental stage so we can be sure that they have understood.” – Dr Aliza Werener-Seidler, Senior Research Fellow and Clinical Psychologist at Black Dog Institute.

Helping to keep our children upbeat and active during this situation is not always easy, but it is the most important thing that we can do for their wellbeing and resilience. They may be feeling disappointed and negative about the restrictions or the changes to learning (especially the Year 12 girls with Trials and HSC examinations on their minds). Acknowledging their feelings, helping them to reframe this situation, looking for the positives in the world and showing gratitude is a most effective way of maintaining good mental health. Help our young people look for something positive in each day, even if some days we need to look a little harder. It is so important to help them reframe a negative situation and give them hope. “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

We know that we cannot change or control this extremely difficult situation, but we can control and change the way we respond to it. Help our girls understand that they have control over their wellbeing. They can control basic Covid safety measures such as hand washing, wearing a mask and staying at home. They can control (or we can help them control depending on their age and stage) aspects of their wellbeing such as

• •maintaining a routine

• having plenty of sleep

Navigating uncertain waters – looking after the wellbeing of childrenMrs Liz Cannon School Psychologist and Director of Wellbeing and Counselling

TERM 3 - WEEK 3 JULY 2021

• eating well

• exercising regularly

• having green time rather than screen time

• connecting with friends and family

• showing kindness and gratitude

• having downtime and fun!

We can also help our children from our youngest Kindergarten learners to our HSC girls (and ourselves) to ensure that we focus on the positives and challenge our negative self-talk by replacing it with helpful self-talk to ensure that we are able to manage this difficult time with positivity so that we can enhance our wellbeing. This does not mean that we cannot feel a range of emotions, especially negative ones. It is important that our young people express their disappointment and frustration in age-appropriate ways. We need to help them with this and validate their feelings and really listen to them without judging, without jumping in and trying to solve it or minimise their feelings. ‘Let the glitter settle.’ In other words, let them vent their feelings so they know that we are hearing them and understanding how hard it is for them.

Younger children (and sometimes older ones) do not always have the verbal skills for this and may show their frustration though challenging and sometimes inappropriate behaviours. We, as the adults, need to stay calm as we are their role models and help them learn to appropriately express their feelings. From this point, as parents, we can then help our children find options for ways forward and an action plan to manage the difficulties with a sense of positivity and hope.

I have provided some resources below to help you navigate these uncertain waters. As Mrs Krimmer says, “We are all in this together.”

Please feel free to contact me if I can support you or your daughter in any way.

Liz Cannon School Psychologist and Director of Wellbeing and Counselling

9473 7836 cannonl@abbotsleigh.nsw.edu.au

Helpful resources

• Helping Children Cope with changes resulting from Covid-19 – NASP

• Managing your Mental Health Online during COVID 19 – E-Mental Health in Practice

• Covid-19 Resources for Parents – NSW School-Link

• Covid Fatigue and Youth Mental Health – SchoolTV Special Report

• 6 Tips for helping Yourself and your Young People – ReachOut Australia

• Living with Lockdown – Australian Government Head to Health service

• Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Support Service – Beyond Blue

• Supporting you through the Covid Pandemic – This Way Up

TERM 3 - WEEK 3 JULY 2021

Community

Lightening the lockdown loadPresented by Dr Justin CoulsonTuesday 3 August 8-8.45 pm

Dr Justin Coulson will be presenting a free webinar for parents on Tuesday 3 August where he will outline practical strategies for parents to help support their children through the current lockdown.

If you register for the event and are unable to watch it on the night, a recording will be available to view for seven days following. Register here.

Gala at the Gallery updateMs Sasha Carrel Fundraising Manager

Due to COVID-19, we will need to postpone our annual fundraiser, Gala at the Gallery, to August 2022.

We sincerely thank all those parents who purchased tickets to Gala at the Gallery for their generosity and support. We have already contacted those parents directly about providing them with a refund.

However, we are excited to announce that later this year we will be holding a huge virtual community event, where the whole Abbotsleigh community can come

together, have some fun and celebrate being part of this wonderful School, while raising much needed funds. More details will follow.

We hope to see you at our Foundation Celebration Zoom event later this year and our Gala at the Gallery in 2022!

If you would like to make a donation to our new buildings or scholarships, you can do so by clicking here.

TERM 3 - WEEK 3 JULY 2021

Part-Time Work

1x Permanent Part-Time Position – Abbotsleigh Anglican Junior School for Girls – Wahroonga -

18122

Help protect our vibrant school communities

Become a School Crossing Supervisor! Keep our kids, parents and teachers safe on the road

Be a second pair of eyes for our local motorists Earn an income and still have time to live your life to the fullest

School crossings require 20 hours of supervising per fortnight. Shifts fall between 8.00am – 9.00am and 2.45pm – 3.45pm, Monday to Friday during the school term.

Does this sound like you? Reliable in good or bad weather Good communication skills

Community spirit Positive energy

If it does, visit jobs.transport.nsw.gov.au to apply today! Applications close: Friday, 6th August 2021 If it does, click here to apply today

TERM 3 - WEEK 3 JULY 2021

Junior School

When pandemic challenges bite Ms Sally Ruston Head of Junior School

Mrs Jacqui Olsson Junior School Counsellor

It is true that for many of us this lockdown is dragging on and we just wish the daily COVID cases would vanish. Yet our reality also tells us that this is not going to happen soon, and we need to ensure that our responses to our girls as the wise, caring adults in their life are ‘good enough’. I therefore share below the advice by Dr Kaylene Henderson (MBBS FRANZCP Cert C&A Psych) who is a doctor, and parenting educator, speaking specifically on the social emotional needs of 2-12-year-olds. This information is intended to affirm your parenting practices and perhaps provide you with additional tips and reassurance. You can access the entire webinar titled, A Dose of a (definitely not awesome) Global Pandemic for free here, using the code: SYDNEY.

WHAT DO OUR CHILDREN NEED FROM US DURING A LOCKDOWN?

They need our understanding: Each child will be challenged differently by the lockdown, and one main reason for this is due to temperamental differences. High energy children will find it more difficult to stay at home and away from peers than low energy children, who are quite happy to spend their days reading a book. For some children, learning from home brings a sense of challenge and adventure to be embraced, while for others, the uncertainty is completely unsettling. These factors that can influence how well our children cope are beyond our – and their – control. It is not our job to change our children – they can’t change their temperament any more than they can change their eye colour – but rather, to bring out the best in them. We can do this through the quality of our relationships with them.

WHAT DO OUR CHILDREN NEED IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH US?

They need to be watched over and kept safe

Our children are continuously learning what is safe and what is not. They are constantly looking to you so that they feel confident as they play, explore and learn. This is why your child may stop their schoolwork and follow you to the next room as you take a work call – because they have a biologically hardwired need to be watched over. Checking in regularly with your child as they work online, or having a shared workspace, may help to meet your child’s need to be close to you.

They need to be delighted in

Delight is an emotion that is communicated non-verbally, through the look in our eyes or the enthusiasm of a smile. When we delight in our children for who they are, they feel good about themselves. When this delight happens over and over, our children feel that they must be an inherently good person, to cause such delight in others. This is critical in the development of self-esteem. As we are spending more time with our children, there are more opportunities for delight, and we can take advantage of these brief moments of connection.

They need to be enjoyed and have fun with us

Having fun and having joyful experiences are the foundations of wonderful childhood memories. However, life doesn’t always feel so fun right now. Children feel better and behave better when they are having fun, and so creating opportunities for fun throughout the day can make a big difference to family wellbeing. Activities like a handball tournament, looking at old family photos, making an obstacle course or having a family craft afternoon are all simple ways to have fun in the current environment.

They need our help

Our children are learning new skills all the time, and they need help with the skills they are yet to master. The key to helping our children is that we need to help them just enough so that they can complete tasks themselves. Our children gain a great sense of accomplishment from achieving a tricky task, and this fosters that continued sense of ‘having a go’ when life gets tricky.

They need our comfort:

The most helpful response to our children in times of upset or distress is having someone who takes time to listen and understand the problem, rather than trying to distract from or solve the problem. Showing your child that you understand, using phrases like, “Oh, I can see you are really upset about that,” or “You look really frustrated with your sister right now,” will help your child feel like they are with someone who is here to help. Responding to our children’s emotions with connection and empathy reinforces that they can turn to us for whatever they need, and that we will be their ‘go to’ person when life gets tough.

TERM 3 - WEEK 3 JULY 2021

It is important to know that it is not about ‘getting it right’, and parenting perfectly – we know that that is not possible. The research tells us that if we can do these things with our children around 30% of the time, that that is ‘good enough’. It is this ‘good enough’ parenting that leads to the best outcomes for our children, both in times of stress, and in everyday life.

Should you have any ongoing concerns regarding your daughter’s wellbeing during this time, then of course please do reach out to her Class Teacher, Coordinator, Deputy Head of Junior School, Carmen Gaspersic, our Junior School Counsellor, Jacqui Olsson or me as you feel we can best support.

Student success Mrs Carmen Gaspersic Deputy Head of Junior School

Congratulations to Hailey Chan (Year 5) who was nominated by her Chinese school in the Minister’s Awards for Excellence. Hailey has been awarded a Highly Commended award for excellence in Student Achievement.

As part of their Latin program, students from 6G were invited to respond creatively to the myth Pandora’s Box and enter the 2021 Minimus Mythology Competition. This competition is open to children all around the world who study Latin with the Minimus textbook by Barbara Bell.

Congratulations to Serena Chi, who was awarded first prize in the Art category.

Senior SchoolAbbotsleigh at the Olympics!Mrs Kate Howitt Head of Sport

On Tuesday 27 July, Kiana Elliott (2014) turned 24. She also represented Australia at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in the 64 kg weightlifting event! In her first games, she not only did her country and her old school proud, but she also managed a PB of 101 kg in the Snatch event! She also lifted 108 kg in the Clean and Jerk. This meant first place in Group B and 11 overall in the event.

We are all so proud of Kiana and her achievements and congratulate her on a magnificent achievement. Go Australia!!!

Hailey Chan Serena Chi

TERM 3 - WEEK 3 JULY 2021

IGSA Lockdown Tournament continues...Mrs Kate Howitt Head of Sport

The IGSA Lockdown Tournament continues this Saturday and will continue every Saturday morning for the next five weeks. The online fitness/sports/inspiration program will commence at 9.30 am and will incorporate a 35-minute workout and a 15-minute inspiration session. Around 12 IGSA schools have committed to the program, which will provide our girls with some interschool rivalry (or at least interaction) when netball and hockey can’t go ahead.

There will be points given for how many girls get involved from each school and Netfit (the company providing the sessions) will also give away a pair of shoes from The Athlete’s Foot each week! Points will also be given for interactions and for answering questions in the chat.

We know this program won’t replace our Saturday morning competition, but it’s a great way for the girls to get involved, be engaged and take part in something for their school!

Conditions/instructions:

• Girls must wear their PE uniforms (any black leggings/shorts are fine with PE shirts)

• The name on the Zoom should be their school and full name, so staff can identify them, e.g. “Abbotsleigh – Kate Howitt”

• Girls should be outside or in a communal area (not in their bedrooms)

• Girls need to have their cameras on for the whole session

• The Zoom link is not to be shared with outside parties, it is for IGSA – Sport students only

{ Zoom ID: 829 1633 2642

{ Password: 892339

{ For 31 July – bring a ball and give yourself space

Orienteering success!Mrs Kate Howitt Head of Sport

During the recent school holidays, Julia Barbour and Louise Barbour (Year 10) were both selected in the NSW Orienteering All Schools team to compete at the 2021 Australian Schools Championships in Tasmania (COVID pending). Congratulations for being selected into the Senior Girls division!

The students will run in three national schools’ events (sprint, individual and relay) from 28-30 September while also competing

in the other major events of the Australian Championships carnival around St Helens. Congratulations again to both girls, and we wish them well in the lead up to the event.

Julia Barbour Louise Barbour

TERM 3 - WEEK 3 JULY 2021

On Thursday 12 August from 7.30-8.30 pm, we will be running the first of our online Career Focus Sessions for Term 3. The topic will be based around Science careers and you will discover where some of our Old Girls are now working, having studied currently popular areas like virology and immunology.

However, there are many other areas of Science and Health Science that we have not been able to cover in our Focus Sessions this year. One of these is Podiatry – the study of feet. This is an area of vital importance to our overall good health, and many people do not fully recognise their importance. There is a growing need for podiatrists, as more people frequently wear shoes that do not offer sufficient support for the foot. They are important in everyday life for mobility, independence and daily activities. Often people who enjoy sport are interested in podiatry, as healthy feet are vital in most areas of sport. Also, podiatrists are an essential part of the health team who care for diabetics.

The study of podiatry is a three- or four-year bachelor degree and revolves around science. The study of anatomy and physiology is important, with an emphasis on the lower limb and biomechanics as you progress through the course. Biomechanics involves looking at motion and planes in the structure of the ankle, leg and foot.

Podiatrists work with other health professionals, using and interpreting x-rays and pathology tests. They can work in both hospital and private practice and their clients can include sportspeople, children, middled-aged and the old-aged. For more information you can do a web search on podiatry.

For other careers news, please visit the Careers page on AbbNet.

Science Career Focus – Feet!Mrs Marg Selby Careers Advisor and Exchange Coordinator

Senior School 02 9473 7777 Junior School 02 9473 7700 www.abbotsleigh.nsw.edu.au

An Anglican Pre K-12 Day and Boarding School for Girls

Year 10 Elective History Sydney Jewish Museum webinar Kayla Johnston Year 10

Last Friday, Year 10 Elective History girls had the privilege of participating in a webinar run by the Sydney Jewish Museum. Over the course of the morning, we learnt about the different forms of resistance to the Holocaust as well as survivor stories.

There were many forms of resistance during the Holocaust by many different groups of people, including the Jewish population, people living in Germany and even soldiers of the Nazi party. Our webinar speaker shared a variety of stories that allowed us to gain a deeper understanding of the horrific treatment many suffered, as well as those who put others before their own lives, despite the consequences they knew they could face.

Many stories were shared about how people risked their lives to save countless more. Sempo Sugihara, Irena Sendler and Raoul Wallenberg were three stories we heard about. These three people saved thousands of Jews from concentration, labour and death camps. Even though I gained a better understanding of a few people who were successful in their attempts to save numerous others, it has allowed me to reflect on the countless

others who were unsuccessful. We don’t hear about the people who died in their attempts to save others; their names are unknown because of their selfless actions. There must be thousands, if not millions who tried to do the same as Sempo, Irena or Raoul, but failed and suffered the horrific consequences because of their compassion.

A quote was shared at the beginning of the webinar by Abel Herzberg who said, “There were not six million Jews murdered; there was one murder, six million times”. When studying the Holocaust in class, I didn’t think twice about this number and wrote it down without a thought. But now after the webinar, I know that it is so much more than just a number. This number represents the six million people who died during the Holocaust – each with their own stories, values, families and lives.

This will forever be more than just a number, more than just a few words written down on a piece of paper – this number represents the six million people who died because of how they looked, what they believed in and how they went about their lives.