Campus News
Welcome Back to City
We were delighted to see all staff and students and their smiling faces arriving at City campus. Connecting again with each other is so important and we will continue to run social and wellbeing experiences online, until we can all gather once more at City. Staying connected has never been more important.
For weeks, we were busily preparing for everyone’s safe return with additional safety and hygiene measures in place. We installed two Body Temperature Measurement Systems at our two entrances, and we are monitoring everyone who enters. Signage, additional cleaning and new procedures are all quickly being adopted.
I received two lovely emails from our Senior Boys and Girls Student Leadership Teams. They noted that they “felt warmly welcomed and reassured walking back into school that we were in safe hands!” It was wonderful to have this acknowledgement from our Senior School leaders that we are indeed in safe hands at City, thanks to our Leadership Team and Corporate Services staff who have worked tirelessly to keep our campus moving forward.
Thank You to our City Community
Thank you to our parent and carer community, which has supported our teaching and learning in virtual classrooms in partnership with our amazing staff. We have made an impressive team! Thank you also to all our families who have been following our plan for return to campus and to Sport, to ensure all guidelines are followed.
Most importantly, we must continue to connect with our community of students, staff, families and friends. We continue to be welcoming and safe at City. Our 2020 goal of harnessing our collective capacity has certainly achieved great things in the past few months and I look forward to welcoming you back in person, whenever I see you next.
Early Learning Centre
Reconciliation Action Plan Launched
The City ELC team proudly launched its Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) with its community as part of National Reconciliation Week. The ELC RAP is our unwavering commitment to help advance our journey to a truly reconciled nation.
Each member of the City ELC team has embraced the opportunity to develop the RAP over the past three years and I thank them for their thoughtful discussions, willingness to learn and positive contributions to Reconciliation, which ultimately will impact the wellbeing of our children, their families and members of our community. A special launch is hoped to be held before the end of the year, with the School and wider community.
The ELC students begin each day with Acknowledgment of Country, which was written in conjunction with the children of the ELC. We do this to encourage children to engage with diversity and respect. Please feel welcome to watch this on the link here. The following artwork has been used throughout our RAP document. It was created by Tinka, who is Aboriginal and has strong links to her culture and identity.
Painting by ELC’s Tinka Croker
“I made this painting when I was in Pre-Prep. I looked at the Aboriginal painting in my classroom first, but when I look at my painting now, it makes me think of my Luritja book at home because I’m a Luritja girl. I have a really famous Aboriginal painter Nanna, she is my Dad’s mum. She is from the part of Australia that I am. And she’s in the stars now. My artwork makes me think of her artwork and reminds me of her. The up and down bit in my painting is the hills near Uluru that are made of rock, and the river banks are at the bottom of my painting, they are blue. The dots are all the people walking on the land to find food.”
By Tinka Croker
Age 5 years 3 months
Junior School
Back to School with a Skip in their Step
With a skip in their step and smiles on their faces, the Preps, Year 1 and 2 students headed back to the City campus. It has been a wonderful time to resume school routines and, most importantly, to reconnect with our friends. The Preps played, built and explored together. The Year 1 students set up handball games with Mr Casey Marshall and the Year 2 students enjoyed the freedom of the terrace and the play equipment.
We have returned stronger and with a greater appreciation of each other and our community. Safety is still paramount to everyone in the Junior School and some students, such as our Years 3 and 4 students continued their online journey. We feel privileged to have been part of this historical undertaking and reflected on some of the positives we enjoyed during online learning.
“My favourite part of online learning was the trip to Disneyland and seeing all the places I haven’t been to before.” —Alessandra Paul (Year 1)
“We had to grasp new technological skills to learn online and I really enjoyed that. I loved seeing my family more every day.” —Florence Strahan Bell (Year 4)
“I enjoyed learning on my iPad while listening to Mrs Stephenson.” —Clayton Johnson (Year 2)
“My favourite part of online learning was not being distracted by anything so I could listen more easily.”—Sally Brooks (Year 1)
“You can talk to your family in the lunch break and read them your information report. I enjoyed sharing my learning with my family more.” —Aydin Karabardak (Year 3)
“My favourite part of online learning was spending time with my friends, learning in the breakout rooms.” —Sonny Lim (Year 1)
“We have been doing Guided Reading in small groups and that’s been our favourite. We have felt more confident about reading aloud and positive about reading to our family.” —Oscar Alexander and Levi Batzakis (Year 3)
“I liked using my MAB blocks to make numbers at home during Maths.” —Ella Thomas (Year 2)
“I enjoyed reading our class book Matilda online at the end of the day.” —Aria Pirois (Year 3)
“We got to do fun ‘GoNoodles’ for our movement breaks and we even got to wear pirate hats for ‘Wacky Wednesday’. It’s nice to have gourmet, hot food for lunch every day too!” —Anika Flynn (Year 4)
“Having more quality time with your family and working with no distractions.” —Mavis Varghese (Year 3)
As always, learning is paramount to what we do and it’s wonderful to see that we can continue experiencing academic success in many settings. We thank all teachers, specialists, students, and families that have made this time—whether back at school, or online—a success.
Madeleine Clark (Year 1) Angelica Vardy (Year 1) and Will Weir (Year 1) balancing on the terrace.
Magnus Flynn (Year 1) and Alex Kwong (Year 1) enjoying the climbing frame.
Eshar Sandhu (Year 3) and Hafeez Nonjai Noormohideen (Year 3) learning online, at school.
Middle School
Welcome Back!
We are very excited to welcome our Middle School students from Years 5–8 back to campus on Tuesday, 9 June. We know that students have missed face-to-face contact with their friends and teachers and are very much looking forward to returning to site. Mr Dom Linossier and Ms Carolyn Mansour and all the Haileybury City staff are keen to see your smiling faces!
Thank You to our Student Leaders
A special ‘thank you’ to our Year 8 Student Leadership Team members who have been exceptional in their modelling of behaviours and engagement while we have been conducting online learning. These students have led initiatives such as the MS Marvel (student newsletter) Breakfast Club and tournaments.
We have also called upon our Year 8 leaders to contribute to our Virtual Assemblies, and all have risen to the challenge. We look forward to continuing a number of these fantastic initiatives when we return to campus.
'City Camp-us' Replaces Sleep at the ’G
Each year our Middle School staff have been involved in Melbourne City Mission’s major fundraising event, Sleep at the ’G. This event has been an opportunity to raise awareness and much needed funds for youth homelessness. This year, we are focused on raising awareness and encouraging our Middle School students to get involved in a virtual ‘City Camp-us’ experience.
The event will see them give up the comfort of their bed for a night to recognise the hardship faced by homeless people in Melbourne. It will take place on Thursday, 18 June, via Zoom. More details will be shared by our Social Justice Captains via the Heads of Middle School page.
Our Haileybury Heart Program continues to be a priority for our Middle School students.
Quote of the Week
“Imagination is the language of the soul.” —Albert Einstein
Caroline Merrick
Head of City
Haileybury Parents & Friends City (HPF City)
Welcome Back and Thank You
By the time you’re reading this, all our City community will almost be back on campus, from ELC to Year 12 and every year level in between. It’s probably rare that kids are keen to get back to school after a break, but surely even the most reluctant school-goer will be very happy to return, especially with the festive balloon archway and homecoming atmosphere.
School Sport is gradually making a comeback too, and soon we hope to be able to gather in person and have one of our fabulous City events.
It’s really important to express just how appreciative the parent body plus our Executive and Social committees are of the School and the way the teaching staff supported our kids during the lockdown period.
Having kids in senior, middle and junior year levels, we’re confident that despite the loss of physical interaction, our kids were definitely engaged and fully involved in school life. We trust and hope it was the same for many, despite the challenges.
Thanks to you all and, indeed, all the Haileybury community for pulling together. It was not easy, but you certainly made it easier.
Trivia and Class Catch-ups
Brush up on your general knowledge for some fun online (Zoom) trivia events coming up on 12, 13 and 14 June. We’ll also have Zoom classroom catch-ups during the last week of term. Stay tuned for more updates on the app.
Nina Brooks & Jane Woolard
Co-Presidents, Haileybury Parents & Friends City
