October 2021 Newsletter
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Principal
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Back on campus!
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Exam Timetable
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Dates for Diary
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Monthly Awards, Community Impact Awards
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Student Artwork
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Australian Maths Competition
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ACT Scaling Test (AST)
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The Feasibility of Business
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Visual Arts Painting
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Writers Camp
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On the ropes again! Outdoor Recreation C course
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2021 School Satisfaction & Climate Survey
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Student Artwork
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Academic Excellence Enrichment During Online Learning
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"The Maiden in the Woods" by Helena Corkill
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The hidden talents of staff during lockdown
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World Teachers' Day - 29 October 2021
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Returning to UC SSC campus - information for weeks 3 and 4
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Outdoor leadership program recognised at inaugural Outdoor Education Awards
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STEM Challenges 2021 - The Australian National University
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Learning Support Assistant - 2021 Appreciation Week in September
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P&C Wellbeing Session for families
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Wellbeing Information for Students and Families
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Dedicated school buses and revised interim bus timetable from Monday 25 October 2021
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Preparing today’s learners for uncertainty – a webinar for parents
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Nextwave Youth Short Film Competition
Thank you to our school community for your support, and understanding, during both remote learning and as we gradually return to learning onsite. Day 1 back was wonderful, just to hear chatter again in the corridors and to see the students’ enjoying friends and face-to-face learning.
Thankyou also for constantly checking emails sent from the College with COVID- safe processes and requirements and for keeping an eye on key dates for events and assessment. Information will no doubt keep changing so thanks for checking in.
So much has still been achieved this year with major infrastructure upgrades to library and learning areas including internal painting, dance floor in studio, landscaping, equipment upgrades, with more planned in 2022 and beyond.
It has been great that even during this challenging time excursions and incursions managed to go ahead, for example, to Lady Musgrave Island, Namadgi National Park, Arts and Writers’ Camps, fieldtrips, Science events, activities with the Health and Applied Sciences R unit, competitions, the Australian Maths Competition (over 110 participants), our Paralympians and Olympians in Tokyo.
Congratulations to all students for their commitment to learning this year and a special well done to students who have won awards for academic excellence, and sporting and cultural achievements. Students participating in school productions, The Mousetrap, volunteer work, school leadership, Ministers Students Congress Executive, instrumental Music Program, balance extra-curricular activities with study and all our students who undertook the ACT Scaling Test on site last week. Many of our students and staff were in various media for ACT Heath and the ACT Education Directorate (keep a look out). Please see Lily’s story one of our Year 12 students HERE.
What a year and it’s not over!
Please do not forget to complete the School Satisfaction survey – see information below. One per family is excellent data for us so very much appreciated.
Students will be given the chance to provide their feedback both online, and in class, next week.
Thank you again for your support in the transition phase and in managing during this process.
Please let us know if there is anything we can do to assist or if have any queries please do not hesitate to contact the College.
All the best for Term 4 – we will keep you updated with end of year events.
Hoping you stay well, and safe, and welcome soon to Summer.
Remembrance Day 11 November 2021 - Lest we forget
End of semester exams start Friday 12 November please see the assessment timetable below. Don't forget to start studying!
Exam Timetable | Friday | 12 November - Thursday 18 November |
Year 11 AST Trials | Friday | 19 November and Monday 22 November |
Review Day | Monday | 22 November 12noon - 2:00pm |
Year 12 Formal | Thursday | 2 December |
All scores/grades published | Thursday | 25 November |
Year 12 Breakfast | Friday | 26 November 9:00am - 10:30am |
Latest date Year 12 Appeals | Monday | 29 November before 9:00am |
Year 11 Work Experience Week | Week 19/20 | |
Graduation | Thursday | 16 December 11:00am - 1:00pm |
Please note: all events are planned to proceed in accordance with the Health Directions at the time.
The monthly awards are chosen from teacher nominations of students who are standing out for effort or excellence in their classwork. Community impact awards are for students also nominated by teachers for their positive impact in the school community.
The August-September awards recognise students who have excelled remote from school.
Excellence Awards for August and September
Student | Year Level | Subject |
Jarryn McClymont | 11 | Outdoor Recreation C |
Mizuki Takoaka | 12 | Visual Arts T |
Kirby Smee | 12 | Sports Development A |
Shirley Zhang | 11 | Human Biology T |
Chloe Edwards | 12 | English T |
Nominations
Kara Garnsey | 12 | Photography T |
Jade Butters | 11 | Photography A |
David Coolahan | 12 | Biology T |
Aideen Fitzgerald | 11 | Human Biology T |
Erin Duncan | 11 | Outdoor Education & Environment T |
Mark Bray | 12 | Outdoor Education & Environment T |
Georgia Stockings | 12 | English T |
Community Impact Award for August and September
Laura Cox | 11 |
Congratulations to 110 of our students that competed in the Australian Maths Competition this year. Participation demonstrates a high level of commitment to mathematics and contributes to university entrance in STEM courses. High Distinctions are awarded to students finishing in the top 5% nationally, so well done to Czenge Keszei and Kaden Krix for achieving an outstanding performance.
The AST has had a storied journey in 2021. The scheduled dates were 31 August and 1 September which was in the period that schools were locked down. The BSSS in collaboration with ACT Health produced new dates of 12 and 13 October. AST preparation classes at UC SSC Lake Ginninderra continued online throughout the lockdown period with a final face to face workshop in the first week of term 4. Students followed the COVID protocols with aplomb and we await with expectation the results. Normally this would occur with the release of ATARS in December. This year the ATARs are delayed until 20 January so we may be waiting until then to see the outcome.
Preparation for the students now in year 11 will not have to wait however with the first trial of the 3 AST papers scheduled for Friday 19 November and Monday 22 November. These dates fall after the end of subject exams.
See a gallery of the two days of AST 2021 below:
Waiting, the bag room, the test centre awaits, supplies for sanitising, testing, leaving, out the door.
The major project for Business Students in Term 3 was a Feasibility Study. In groups of 2 or 3 students were asked to research, design, and present a business feasibility study for either a change to a business OR a change to a local Canberra business area/hub.
Some students asked how iconic businesses like the ‘G Spot’ in Gungahlin or ‘Goodberry’s’ in Belconnen could improve their presence and profitability.
Others were interested in local business precincts such as the Giralang Shops or even Telstra Tower, and how they would benefit from redevelopment as part of Canberra’s urban renewal.
Looking a little closer to home (or should I say school), Jade, Elijah and Avron assessed the feasibility of a food van for students and staff here at the college. Aptly named ‘87’ after the year the college was founded, we are hoping the van may soon become a reality… watch this space in 2022.
This term the Visual Arts Painting unit we have been looking at Impressionism and colours palette selection. In this video Grace recorded herself painting a still life that used a split complementary colour harmony. Students chose a range of things found around the house to paint, flowers, fruit and even piles of clothes. It was great to see our students engaging during online learning.
Artwork by Grace Tate
Writers Camp included opportunities for short character studies with a focus on descriptive language, as well writing and editing of longer stories.
Here are some stories from Year 11 students.
Jirah Rontas
“It has taken exactly 10 minutes for Esme and Mason to realise that even though Paris seems welcoming, they feel very much out of place. The tinkling of wine classes, the French laughing and talking in their rich voices, even the air makes them feel they don’t belong in it. Everything in this restaurant looks so expensive that Esme wonders if she touches or breathes next to anything, something will break.”
The Maiden in the Woods by Helena Corkill
They shut the road through the woods a long time ago. So long ago, in fact, one cannot be sure if there truly was a road through the woods to begin with. But it is there, buried beneath the coppice and the heath, the stone cracked and ruined with age. The trees stand like sentinel gods, watching over the road as the centuries pass by, each year bringing with it a new frostbitten winter, a new spring of warm delights. No one knows why they shut the road. Some say the woods became too overgrown, while others whisper of a nameless ghost who wanders the woods in search of her lost love. They call her the Singing Maiden for every full moon, if you lie awake long enough, you can hear her haunting melody as she tells her tale...
You can read Helena's full story below.
Ben Devlin, Year 12
In the infinity of space a ship built by human hands travelled along. The destination was unclear but to the passengers; the current moment mattered more than anything. It cut through a nebula, leaving a borehole in its wake. Brilliant colours danced on its hull, interrupted by the bright red lettering that spelled out “Majesty of the Stars” and round porthole windows that shone with yellow light, lined up neatly in rows. At its stern three great engines pushed it along, blue flames burst out but were silenced in the vacuum of space. Decks raised out of the ship like a tiered wedding cake, each subsequent deck crowded with more and more fixtures, like flourishes of icing and fondant. Four glass domes perched along the top of the ship, lighting up brilliant rainbows around them like lanterns in a dark room. Along the decks tiny figures strolled in groups of two or three, admiring a scene around them that would have easily rivaled anything they had witnessed before.
Tash Hosking, Year 12
The first and only time he said he loved me I did not believe it. We were young, stupid, at that awkward age where nothing felt right and every move we made miscalculated. I told him he didn't mean it. He thought I was probably right. We had only been dating for one week, definitely not enough time for him to fall in love with me. It didn't feel right, him I mean. We broke up after two and a half weeks. The next time I thought about love I was older. My steps were more assured and accompanied by my favourite pair of big black boots. This time It nestled in my heart and I started to understand why people spent their whole lives chasing it, documenting it, obsessing over it. Her name was just as important as her vintage vinyl collection and her words were just as sharp as a slap across the face. This time it lasted for three months.
Outdoor Recreation C course students have been able to get back to college for their practical rock climbing and abseiling sessions.
Each year, the Education Directorate surveys all parents and carers, school staff and students in Years 4 to 12 about their experience of public education. The 2021 School Satisfaction & Climate Survey will be available online from 18 October to 12 November.
The survey results will help us to continue to make quality informed decisions about how to improve our school. No personal identifying information will be provided to any school or college.
For each child in their family who attends an ACT public school, parents and carers will receive:
- An information letter about the Student Survey including information about year 7 health check survey, if relevant, outlining the reasons for collection and privacy provision for the data; and
- An email about the Parent and Carer Survey, including a unique link to access the survey. Genuine survey invitation emails will have the title "The 2021 School Satisfaction & Climate Survey is now open!" and will be sent from EDU Surveys & Evaluation with 'from' address
EDU@qualtrics-survey.com.
If you do not receive the Parents and Carers Survey invitation, please check your Junk email folder; if it is not there, send your contact details to EDUSurveysandEvaluation@act.gov.au to request a survey invitation.
The Parents and Carers Survey will be available online in other languages: Arabic, Burmese, Chinese, French, Hindi, Italian, Korean, Urdu, Vietnamese, Punjabi, Bengali, Spanish and Telugu. Respondents can select their preferred language when they start the survey. A shortened paper-version of the Parents and Carers Survey is also available in the following 5 languages: Dari, Dinka, Farsi, Karen and Mon. These surveys are available at the Front Office.
For the results to reflect the opinions of our whole school community, we need as many parents and carers, staff and students as possible to complete the survey.
Your feedback is important, and we hope you will take part.
For more information, visit: https://www.education.act.gov.au/public-school-life/school-satisfaction-and-climate-survey
Urban Design in Post-COVID Canberra
We have been reflecting on the work and ideas of a renown environmental designer, Kevin J Krizek how COVID-19 reshaped US Cities. Kevin says that the pandemic spurred an unprecedented reclamation of urban space, ushering in a seemingly bygone era of pedestrian pastimes, as cars were side-lined in favour of citizens. Highlighting examples from across the United States, he reflects on how temporary shifts, like transforming streets into places for dining, recreation and community, can become permanent fixtures that make for more liveable and sustainable cities.
As a group we brainstormed what could be the new directions for Australian Capital Territory.
Jemma and Ryana:
“We brainstormed an approach to urban design in post-COVID Canberra which focused on the development of public and active transport. We proposed several changes to Canberra's urban design, such as increasing the number of light rail lines, bus lanes, bicycle lanes, and shared paths across the city. We believe that these changes would connect communities through sustainable transport networks, keeping Canberra's urban design consistent with its origins in the Garden City movement.”
Kaden & Rose:
“All personal cars should be banned, and only self-driving public transport should be kept. This would solve multiple problems:
- Carbon footprint would be reduced by a ton, since personal cars are super inefficient compared to public transport like busses etc.
- Traffic accidents would be effectively prevented, since AI cars can talk to each other to prevent collisions at, dare I say it, machine efficiency.
- No more traffic lights/jams would mean getting to places would be blazing fast
- Personal cars are like 90% the cause of larger and more connected roads. with no more personal cars, we can use more space for buildings and parks, and make Canberra more liveable
- The road designs in Canberra were kind of bad for cars to begin with, but AI don't care. since humans don't have to deal with them anymore that's less frustration and danger even more slightly
Katie:
“We thought that a way to improve Canberra's infrastructure post-Covid would be to introduce more stations to charge electric cars. As electric cars become more popular and more affordable, they will have a greater presence in Canberra. Electric cars are a more sustainable and environmentally friendly option, making it an imperative for Canberra to support their inclusion on our roads. Currently, cars are not being used much in Canberran because of the lock down preventing people from driving to work or other urban spots, but in a post-Covid world, cars and the emissions they produce will come back. For electric cars to be used, they must have places to recharge after use, so to make this more convenient for Canberrans, charging points should be present across the city. This is the next step Canberra must take to improve the environment in a post-Covid world.”
Claudia & Zoe:
“We also talked about not trying to squeeze a bunch of buildings in one main area - this is especially seen in the newer areas of Canberra since it takes away from the overall aesthetic. The area becomes less family orientated due to a lack of parks and nature. Instead, a building dense area promotes more vehicles, making the area more dangerous.”
Guest Speaker - Anji Perera
As part of the Academic Excellence Enrichment opportunities, we invited Anji Perera, a Lecturer and PhD Candidate at the School of Communication & Media, University of Canberra to talk to our AE participants about the importance of Effective Communication.
Anji Perera teaches in communication units in undergraduate and masters programs. Prior to joining academia, Anji has worked in the corporate sector where her professional experience of over 10 years spans in brand management, marketing communication and market research in the financial industry, and multinational corporations. She is a Chartered Marketer from the United Kingdom and holds an MBA from the University of Southern Queensland and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Marketing Management with honours. Through her research, Anji is passionate about creating online communities, with a particular focus on younger generations who are engaged with issues around water security in Australia.
Academic Excellence Program:
The Academic Excellence Program at UC SSC, Lake Ginninderra is open to any student with motivation and a growth mindset.
If you would like to joining the program please visit lakeonline.act.edu.au and complete the Academic Excellence Application Form |
The Academic Excellence Program offers students targeted mentorship and opportunities to support their learning in Years 11 and 12. Upon successful entry into the program, opportunities for students are designed through consultation with the Academic Excellence Team. These opportunities support students not only in their academic pursuits but focus on developing core skills that will enrich students beyond the completion of their ACT Year 12 Certificate. Students within the program are expected to proactively engage in extracurricular activities across the school and attend targeted Academic Excellence enrichment activities.
AE Mentoring Partnerships:
Mentoring partnerships within the college and with outside organisations like ‘Global Shapers’ have been an integral part of the program. Mentors work with participants assigned to them with common areas of interests.
Invitation to Community: If you would like to work with our AE participants in mentoring capacity please send your EOI with your skills and expertise: |
They shut the road through the woods a long time ago. So long ago, in fact, one cannot be sure if there truly was a road through the woods to begin with. But it is there, buried beneath the coppice and the heath, the stone cracked and ruined with age. The trees stand like sentinel gods, watching over the road as the centuries pass by, each year bringing with it a new frostbitten winter, a new spring of warm delights. No one knows why they shut the road. Some say the woods became too overgrown, while others whisper of a nameless ghost who wanders the woods in search of her lost love. They call her the Singing Maiden for every full moon, if you lie awake long enough, you can hear her haunting melody as she tells her tale:
Long ago, there was a young maiden, known throughout the land for her beauty. Many suitors graced the door of her family home, asking for her hand in marriage. But she turned each of them away, for she had already given her heart away to a boy from her childhood. However, their love was the forbidden fruit for he was the destitute son of a farmer and in every aspect unlike the wealthy suitors the maiden was meant to marry. Their love saw no bounds; every night when the moon reached the summit of her climb, the maiden journeyed into the woods to meet her lover by the starlit pond. Giddy laughter filled the woods as the young lovers bathed, swathed in the moon’s warm embrace.
But their love was not to be.
It was not long before the maiden’s forbidden affair was revealed. The maiden’s father flew into a rage and flayed the boy with an axe, ensuring he reserved a souvenir for his traitorous daughter: the boy’s little finger, sealed in a bloodied envelope. Stricken with grief, the maiden tied herself to a length of bricks and threw herself into the pond, hoping she would be reunited with her lost love. But God had other plans for her. Fate brought her back from the Realm of the Dead, cursing her to forever roam the living world. For every forbidden kiss she had once exchanged with the boy, she must in turn sacrifice a mortal soul to walk the path between the living and the dead with her. Only once she had paid the price for her sin could she join her lost love.
Lured in by her unearthly voice, many travellers wandered into the woods, but no one ever returned. They call the woods the Barrenwood, and fear it.
One day, a wandering traveller entered the woods, enticed by the strange, purple flowers covering the forest floor. They reminded him of the last glimpse he’d caught of his wife: standing by the kitchen window, her face dusted gold with sunlight. Unaware she was being watched, she drew the band from her hair, releasing a cascade of chestnut waves down her back. She caught his gaze from the corner of her eye and smiled, a ray of light breaking through the heavy blanket of clouds. They had been married for three years and yet, the expression never failed to fill him with a sense of comfort and warmth, like a bowl of carrot soup beside the hearth after a long day chopping wood in the blistering cold. He didn’t smile back; he never did. And she didn’t need him to.
The traveller took care selecting three flowers for his wife. They were heliotropes―he recognised them from the manual his mother used to consult every time she came across a flower she did not recognise. Only when he had plucked the third stem did he hear the girl singing. Her haunting voice instantly captivated him. Caught in her spell, he roamed deeper into the woods until he reached a pond. The water was eerily still, a mirror stained silver under the moon’s watchful eye. A young maiden stood by the water’s edge clad in a dress of starlight. She lifted one pale hand and gestured to the pond.
“Rest here, traveller,” her voice was a brush of fingertips against his skin, “I will tell you my story.”
The traveller crouched by the water and took it into his cupped hands. As he drank, the girl began to sing again, her voice filling the silence as she wove a tale of forbidden love, doomed to a tragic end. As the traveller fell
further under the girl’s spell, his eyelids became heavy and before long he was dreaming. When he awoke he was in a field full of the purple flowers. The girl stood before him, her raven hair catching the moon’s rays.
“Traveller,” her voice was a feather, brushing against his skin, “stay with me in these woods by my side.
“We’ll be together for eternity.”
The traveller smiled.
†
They shut the road through the woods a long time ago. So long ago, in fact, one cannot be sure if there truly was a way through the woods to begin with. But it is there, buried underneath the coppice and heath, the stone cracked and ruined with age. If you follow it deep into the forest, you will find a pond where the moonlight meets the water in secret to dance the night away, held in one another’s embrace. Beyond lies a field of purple, stretching as far as the eye can see. There you will find a beautiful young maiden clad in a dress of starlight. Her haunting voice enchants all who listen, or so the story goes.
And if you look closely enough, you will find one more flower has joined her vast collection, its soft voice joining hers in an enchanting melody.
"The Maiden in the Woods" by Helena Corkill
What was your lockdown project? Planting a veggie garden, doing puzzles, spotting rare orchids around Canberra, or 3d printing a working remote control car? For our first week back, UC SSC Lake Ginninderra staff shared lockdown projects and we were all in awe of the depth of variety and talent on display. People made frog ponds, veggie patches and brick retaining walls, restored and made furniture, took photographs, experimented with ceramics, learned the Berimbau (a musical instrument), gardened, baked, knitted, sewed, drew and read.
Please enjoy some photographs of the staff projects that were on display. We hope that you have found joy and success with your own lockdown projects.
Students and staff have been back on campus from Tuesday 19 October.
Our objective for the remainder of 2021 is twofold:
● To ensure everyone (students, staff, and community), are kept as safe as possible.
● To ensure every student has the best possible learning experience.
Learning program and timetable
The learning program for weeks 3 and 4 is as follows:
● Mondays continues as online learning following the normal school timetable.
● Monday’s lessons will be a combination of synchronous / asynchronous learning, depending on individual class arrangements.
● Support Group (SG) will continue to run online on Mondays via Google Meets; please attend to keep up to date with school information and messages.
● Normal timetabled classes will run Tuesday to Friday on campus.
● Rolls will be marked for all classes.
To maintain a safe environment please:
● Attend the campus for educational reasons only, not for social activities.
● Check in using the CBR app as you enter the campus.
● Wear masks at all times while on campus; exemptions are granted with appropriate medical documentation.
● Demonstrate care and respect for all members of our college community.
Library
The College library is operating.
Until notified otherwise the Library will operate as follows:
The Library will open at 8.30 am and close at 3.30 pm.
It will be closed for recess and lunch to encourage students to move to
an open space while eating and drinking and to allow for cleaning.
Maximum capacity of the library is 85 students to allow appropriate
spacing.
All students are welcome in the library within the following guidelines:
● Masks are to be worn at all times.
● Tables and chairs in the library are not to be moved.
● There is a 4 students-per-table maximum, and a maximum of 2 students per table in the seminar rooms.
● There will be no eating or drinking in the library (water bottles excepted).
Practical Classes
Students will be able to undertake some practical classes.
● Hospitality students will wear masks during cooking and can eat what they make. The school will follow the ACT Health Guidelines for safe food practice.
● Technology students may remove masks during practical work while maintaining a 1.5m separation and using any required Personal Protection Equipmnt (PPE).
● Dance, Drama and Music students can remove their masks during the activity. However the mask must be put back on when not dancing, singing, or playing a musical instrument.
● Physical Education and Outdoor Education students will be allowed to remove their masks when exercising vigorously. However the mask must be put back on when no longer exercising. Sports classes will be held outdoors when possible
Not returning to learning on campus
If students are not returning to learning on campus please contact Student Services so that additional support can be provided: LakeGStudentServices@ed.act.edu.au
Curriculum and assessment support
● Classwork
Teachers will ensure that learning materials are posted on the Google Classroom at the start of each week and may include worksheets, readings, and work-related videos.
The team in Student Services will liaise with teachers around classwork and assessment and organise appropriate adjustments. They will also be in touch to check-in and help facilitate relevant documentation.
● Assessment
If a student is required to sit an in-person test, for equity reasons, they must attend the site so that they have the same invigilation and timing conditions as others in their course. Until Friday 12 November, H line on Friday in the new Library space is available for students who are not attending school but need to sit tests. During exam week one whole day has been set aside for individual students to attend the campus for an exam.
If there are specific circumstances that would entail Special Consideration, then the process for special consideration should be followed. Please see the section for special provisions in:
https://www.lakeonline.act.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/517147/UCSSG_LG_Student_Orientation_Handbook_-updated_May_2021.pdf
Wellbeing Support & Resources
ACT Education Directorate
Information about available wellbeing support can be found on the Education Directorate website at
www.education.act.gov.au/support-for-our-students/wellbeing-support-resources-for-students-and-families
The Telehealth Support Service can also be reached on 02 6205 1559 between 9am and 4.30pm weekdays.
School Psychologist appointments
The Term 4 School Psychologist appointments will continue via Telehealth and from week 4 also in person.
Telehealth appointments are similar to normal school psychologist appointments but happen over the phone or online rather than face to face.
A booking may be made by emailing the School Psychologist Suzanne Wright - suzanne.wright@ed.act.edu.au to receive details of how you can access the telehealth appointment.
Suzanne is also available on campus beginning in week 4.
Appointments are on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.
Health and Safety on return
At UC SSC Lake Ginninderra we aim to provide a supportive and safe learning environment . We will work together as a community to implement the ACT Health and COVID Response Plans.
Students will be required to adhere to the following guidelines:
1. It is mandatory for students and staff to wear masks.
2. Entry to the school is by the front entrance and the student carpark entrance only.
Sign in using the QR code through the Check In CBR App.
Check-in CBR is now also in operation with a separate code for the gym; please ensure you check in to the gym.
3. Students attending on-campus activities will be marked on the roll.
4. Walk to classrooms or learning spaces directly.
5. Please do not share food or drink.
6. Maintain social distancing. (ie. use elbow greetings rather than physical contact).
7. Maintain good hand hygiene - use the hand sanitiser located around the school regularly.
8. Students are asked to leave the school campus after completing on-campus activities.
Spaces in the carpark are at a premium so please do leave when you are finished for the day.
9. Parents or Carers must remain in their cars when picking up or dropping off students.
See diagrams below for pick up and drop off routes.
Parents or carers should not enter the school building except for an essential reason.
For assistance please contact the school on 6142 0222.
Exemption for mask wearing
The ACT Government does not require a person to wear a face mask if they have a physical or mental health illness or condition, or disability, which makes wearing a face mask detrimental to their condition.
If you fit into any of the above categories, please provide a brief explanation and medical certificate via email to the Deputy Principal Gerard Barrett: Gerard.Barrett@ed.act.edu.au
Time on campus
Students are requested to minimise their time on campus, with capacity limits to be enforced.
Health and Safety is the responsibility of all people on site.
● All staff, visitors and students are to physically distance where possible, and maintain appropriate hand and respiratory hygiene.
● Density signs in rooms will indicate capacity limits for adults. Classrooms are considered student areas and do not require capacity limits to be met.
● Windows will be opened in classrooms to allow fresh air to circulate. Where there are no windows, A/C units and the building management system will be used to circulate fresh air.
Prevention of COVID-19 transmission in schools
If a staff member or young person is unwell for any reason, they must not attend school. If they attend while unwell, they will be sent home.
● Suspected cases
Staff or young people at a school experiencing symptoms compatible with COVID-19 (e.g. fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, shortness of breath) will be isolated with suitable supervision to be collected by a parent/carer as soon as possible.
● Confirmed cases
If a staff member, young person or family member is diagnosed with COVID-19, ACT Health will provide direction, which may result in full or partial school closure while site cleaning and contact tracing is undertaken.
Student notification of positive COVID-19 result
If you test positive for COVID-19 you must follow ACT Health directions and also inform the school as soon as possible (ASAP) by telephoning on 02 6142 0222 or email Student Services: LakeGStudentServices@ed.act.edu.au
Refer to the ACT Health website for advice, resources and support. https://www.covid19.act.gov.au
NB: privacy legislation applies to COVID-19 diagnoses and your information will not be shared with students or members of the broader school community.
*Please note: We will continue to review and adjust these measures based on the most up to date advice from ACT Health.
At the inaugural Outdoor Education Awards, outdoor education staff Dan McNamara and Peter Blunt received Service to Outdoor Education awards, while our Outdoor Leadership and Mentoring Program (OLMP) was a finalist in the Outdoor Education Program category.
Dan McNamara, assistant director of Excursions and Physical Activities, and Peter Blunt, relief teacher at Birrigai (previously executive teacher at University of Canberra Senior Secondary College, Lake Ginninderra) were instrumental in the creation and ongoing success of the OLMP.
Learn more and register: Registration is free, Click here to register or find out more! https://bit.ly/3iZfnYQ
Prizes
- Winners will receive a Winner's Certificate and a surprise prize.
- All registrants who submit at least one challenge over the 7 weeks of challenges will also receive a printable online Certificate of Participation from the Australian National University. The certificate of participation is not part of the AQF.
Thank you for the P&C for holding a wellbeing session for families and parents on Tuesday 19 October.
Dr. Janine Mahoney is a highly qualified and experienced clinical psychologist with a background in education and a member of the Lake Ginninderra College community who answered questions and facilitated a discussion on how best to support our students.
For further information please email the P&C at lakegpandc@gmail.com
Transport Canberra’s dedicated school bus services will recommence on Monday 25 October 2021. This includes ‘S’ trips that divert into schools.
Timings have changed for dedicated school services and the regular timetable. We are strongly encouraging families to check their school pack and plan ahead.
Special Needs Transport continues to run for those families that need this service.
A range of COVID Safe measures are in place to help keep students safe on public transport. Please familiarise yourselves with these measures and talk to your children about them prior to the return to school.
From Monday 25 October 2021 buses will run to a revised interim timetable. This timetable is a similar frequency to the timetable that has been running over the past two months, but with some changes to timings to allow better connections for school students.
Light rail is continuing to run to its regular frequency but will see an increase in frequency from Monday 1 November 2021. This will assist with physical distancing on board. Customers will benefit from extended afternoon peak frequency on weekdays and increased frequency on Sunday mornings.
Consider walking or riding to school – or using a Part way point
Parents and carers may also consider alternative ways to get their children to school. If they live close by they can take advantage of the warmer spring weather and walk, ride or scoot to school!
Part way points are also a great way to get some exercise into children’s days for families that live a little further away and this also helps to ease congestion around schools. Parents or carers can simply drop their child at a point, or park and walk the rest of the way with them.
Park safely and legally
All 40km/h school zones are in place between 8am and 4pm Monday to Friday. Speed limits in school zones are there to ensure the safety of children by allowing motorists extra time to stop in an unexpected situation.
Parking across pedestrian crossings, corners, verges and double parking can block kids seeing the road.
School packs and timetable information
The revised interim timetables and school packs are now available online.
For enquiries customers are encouraged to visit www.transport.act.gov.au or call 13 17 10.
Preparing today’s learners for uncertainty – a webinar for parents
'Uncertainty tolerance' (UT), or how we process and respond to unknown or complex situations, is increasingly recognised as an essential workplace skill. Uncertainties in the workplace are ever-present and we’ve seen shared, global experiences of this with the uncertainties surrounding work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Tuesday 9 November Associate Professor Michelle Lazarus will discuss the impacts of UT on students, and outline some strategies to help parents to support their children to improve their UT to prepare them for their futures in further education and work.
Register via this link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1213662242126413580
Announcing a final call for entries for the Nextwave Youth Short Film Competition!
If you’re a young person between the ages of 10-25 living anywhere in Australia, the Nextwave team wants to see what you can do.
Make a film under 5 minutes, include this year’s signature item (a pineapple), and enter your film before the EXTENDED submission deadline of NOVEMBER 12th, 2021 for your chance to win some amazing awards and prizes, as well as have your film premiere at the Screenwave International Film Festivalon the beautiful Coffs Coast next April!
For full terms and conditions, head to the Nextwave website: http://www.nextwavefilm.com.au