Term 1, Week 7
FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Time for Community
Excitement has been building during the last few weeks, as both the High School and Upper Primary prepared for their Sports Days.
Sports Days are always a highlight of the year. We’re thankful to be able to hold these events, which bring a welcome sense of normality to school life. While the day is naturally built around athletics, there is much more that takes place. Students enjoy the team spirit atmosphere as they support and encourage one another, take on new challenges, enjoy time outdoors, and cultivate skills. It’s an important part of Developing Self.
These events are also an important time for the wider school community. In a season where we have not been able to connect as much as we would like, it is refreshing to come together again. Even though facemasks and distancing are currently still a part of life, community is something that we all need, and benefit from.
Around the Campus
In this edition of CedarNews, our Director of Middle School Student Development looks at recent events in the Middle, we revisit the highlights from High School Sports Day, check in on the Primary School Chapel, look at some exciting developments in Middle School German and Science, and the successful Mock Trials in Senior School.
Mr Peter Thomson, Principal
Calendar
The Front Page
Community in the Middle
It is with a warm heart that I share about some exciting things taking place in the life of the Middle School this year.
On Wednesday, we held Twilight Tours for our Year 6 families. This event exists to link our families in Upper Primary with the High School staff, and introduce them to some of the key High School facilities. Beginning our connections over a sausage sizzle followed by an informative tour through the High School, we introduced families to key faculty co-ordinators and Middle School teachers.
It was a delight to listen to current Year 8 student, Dylan, share his insights into navigating the transition to Middle School. Dylan advised students to arrive with time to spare in the mornings to avoid feeling rushed in the locker bay, and set up each day with a smooth start. Dylan also identified that it took the first half of Term 1 to adjust and become familiar with Middle School. It is particularly helpful to remember that adjusting to new environments takes time and energy. Once new routines and familiarity occur, energy is freed up for strengthening friendships and enhancing learning.
Time for Middle School
Our Year 7s recently participated in a time management workshop on Wednesday 16th March. This annual initiative occurs to support our students in developing their awareness of how they use their time, and to identify areas in which they can make changes. We include Year 9 Health and Wellbeing students in this process as peer coaches. They share their own strategies for managing time, with a focus on tools to balance learning, rest (including sleep), hobbies, and family time. We then partner with our Year 7 families to assist their young person’s continued refinement of time management and balance in their lives, recognising that these skills take repeated effort and adjustment to mature.
Important Tools
In national surveys, most adolescents list coping with stress, school or study problems, and mental health, as their top three concerns. Both the Twilight Tours and Time Management Seminar are examples of initiatives we undertake to support students and their families. We want to provide our students with the tools to actively cope with the pressures of starting Middle School, to manage the demands of learning, and to recognise their need for good quality rest.
We have appreciated the support from our Cedar families and the enthusiastic engagement from students during these activities. The appreciation that students have shown for these learning opportunities has been evident, and we look forward to continuing in this spirit throughout the year.
Mr David Webb, Director of Middle School Student Development
Community in the Middle
Week 7 News and Notices
Public Holidays – Term 1
Friday April 15 – Good Friday Holiday
Absentee Notification
It is important to continue to notify the College if your child will be absent. Parents/caregivers can phone the Front Office from 8am, or alternatively leave a voice message. We also have a student absentee email notification, which can be accessed under the Cedar Portals menu on our website.
Clicking the Student Absence drop-down will open your device’s email client, prompting for the required information. This email should be sent from the email address you have registered with the College. If required, the Front Office may phone, email or send a text message to confirm the absence.
Primary School Learning Conversations
Due to current restrictions, the date and format of our Primary School Learning Conversations has been modified.
The Learning Conversations will take place as phone calls, on Tuesday March 29, and Monday April 4. Parents and caregivers will be able to book a time online, for their Learning Conversation phone call. Further information will be sent home in Week 8.
UCAT – University Clinical Aptitude Test
The University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) is now open for Registrations and Bookings until 17 May 2022. Testing begins on July 1, 2022 and the last testing date is on August 12, 2022. Visit www.ucat.edu.au to register, or for more information.
It is important to note, you will need to register if you are interested in studying Medicine, Dentistry, Oral Health or Clinical Sciences at the University of Adelaide or Flinders University. Otherwise, if you wish to study at any other University in Australia, visit www.ucat.edu.au/about-ucat/universities.
POSHC – April Holiday Program
The April holiday program for POSHC (Out of School Hours Care) is now available to download. Bookings are essential, please see the program and booking form for further information.
The Learning
School Attendance
It remains vitally important that you please keep your child/ren home if they are:
- Unwell
- Experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms
- Any other member of the household has COVID-19
- They are a close contact for a person who has COVID-19 and are required to quarantine
Please notify the college ASAP if your child/ren tests positive for COVID-19. On the weekends, you can notify the College by emailing [email protected] and include your child’s name and class, the date positive test taken and date the symptoms began, and if your child attended school in the 2 days prior to the positive test or symptom onset.
Calendar Information
TERM DATES
Term 1, 2022 – Tues 1 Feb – Thu 14 April
Term 2, 2022 – Tue 3 May – Fri 1 July
We will continue to have a three week break between Terms 2 and 3
Term 3, 2022 – Tue 26 July – Fri 30 Sept
Term 4, 2022 – Tue 18 Oct – Wed 14 Dec
UNIFORM SHOP
Regular opening hours during term:
Monday 8:30am – 4:30pm
Wednesday 3pm – 5:30pm
Thursday extended opening hours:
TERM 2 – Weeks 1 – 4, 3pm – 5.30pm
TERM 4 – Weeks 1 – 3, 3pm – 5.30pm
PRIMARY SCHOOL ASSEMBLY
Our Assemblies and Chapels are held on Fridays at 8:50am.
Chapels and Assemblies are currently not able to be attended by parents, due to restrictions.
Should guidelines for large gatherings change, parents/caregivers will be informed.
Primary School News
Big stories on the Big Screen
With combined Primary School Assemblies and Chapels currently on pause, the Chapel team have turned their creativity to video, to learn more about God, and stay connected.
Chapel times in Term 1 are taking a “Walk through the Bible” exploring some of the big stories and themes in God’s Word.
Pictures of Creation
It all begins with the story of Creation, and some of the Primary School students created drawings to use as Zoom backgrounds for the Chapel. Chapel favourites, Little PK, Little TW and Little JR, found out that God created the entire universe, and everything in it. And Little PK learnt that just because Krispy Kreme donuts look a bit like planets, they were not created by God on Day 4 – but they were made for sharing! The story of Adam and Eve showed us that while people continued to do the wrong thing, God had a plan to put things right, and the story of Noah’s Ark reminded students to always trust in God’s plan, because He won’t let us down.
Virtual Assembly
Assemblies have also made the jump to the screen, and last week’s edition was an opportunity for students to view some of the tasks that each year level has been working on. As well as being able to see photos of their class work, students enjoyed watching a clip of the fun and humorous activities which have been taking place at recess and lunch time around the Primary School. Cedar College is continuing to support and pray for our Compassion sponsor children at Assembly time, and we are thankful for those who have been able to contribute to this.
While the students have enjoyed the on-screen Chapels, we’re looking forward to when we can be together again, to share in these special times of learning, encouragement and growth.
High School News
High School Sports Day
On the 11th of March, students from Year 7-12 gathered on the Vickers Vimy Oval for Cedar’s annual High School Sports Day.
Students had already been busy competing in several events prior to the day, and the constant clinking of the badge machine signalled the start of “badge season”. The growing badge sales helped to build the anticipation and team spirit, as students, teachers and parents put their colours on display.
Fun, New Events
High School Sports Captains, Manuela and Mikalya, considered several exciting new ways to make Sports Day fun and engaging. A Tug-of-War station, Musical Aqua Chairs, The Gauntlet and the Banner Making Station were all new additions this year. Along with this, students in Year 12 had the privilege of dressing up in their House colours, and it was exciting to see many fun and creative costumes.
The House Captains overcame many obstacles to ensure they filled each event, and I applaud their enthusiasm and persistence. Thank you to Maddison and Caitlin (Bradman), Mitchell and Nathan (Jackson), Sukhmani and Daksh (Laver), and Caitlin and Edward (Gould), for your awesome efforts on the day.
Some highlights from the day were watching the 100m Finals, the Staff versus Student Relay and The Gauntlet, and some record-breaking performances in track and field.
At the conclusion of the day, medals were presented to the students who achieved the top points in their age category. Congratulations to our age group winners: U13 – Alexander O and Erin M , U14 – Joel A and Esther L , U15 – Max Beaulne and Alana C , U16 – Jonathan A and Endene J, OPEN – Lachlan W and Sienna W.
Results Are In
After the final relay was completed, the team results were announced with the 2022 honours going to Laver, who were crowned champions for the second year in a row!
The final tally saw Laver finish first on 1595 points, Jackson second on 1505 points, Gould third on 1314 points, and Bradman fourth on 1279 points.
A special thank you goes to our maintenance staff, Joshua Smith, Peter Gardner and Gavan Garfoot, for setting up the oval for the day, and to all the High School Staff for running and supervising events. It was also wonderful to see many parents attend and support their team!
Mrs Bek Robinson, Sports Co-ordinator Year 3-12
Curriculum News
Creative Curriculum
Students in High School have been able to explore ideas and develop skills in the curriculum areas of Languages (German) and Science.
SAGTA Poster Competition Winners
Winners of the 2021 South Australian German Teachers Association poster competition have recently been announced.
Students across South Australia created posters according to different age group challenges. A member of the Adelaide University German Department judged the entries, with the posters to be displayed at the Austrian Club, and later at the annual South Australian German Teachers’ Association conference in Hahndorf.
The topic for the competition was “Austria”, and was kindly sponsored by the South Australian Austrian Club. In the Year 9 category, students had to create eye-catching posters with advertising slogans and ten sentences about important sights to visit in Austria.
We were delighted to be notified that two Cedar College students had received prizes, with first prize awarded to Corina N, and second prize to Chloe H.
Both students are studying German in Year 10 at Cedar this year, and are to be congratulated on a fantastic effort.
Science Investigations
The High School Science Labs open up opportunities for students to explore the world around them in practical ways.
The Year 7s have been busy designing their own practical investigations and then testing out their ideas. Some highlights were investigating which type of paper straw became soggy the slowest, the effectiveness of different face masks, the conductivity of different vegetables and the melting point of different chocolates.
Senior School News
Trials and Triumphs
For several years, Cedar students have participated in the Law Society’s Mock Trial Competition.
Senior School students form teams of eight and are given two weeks to prepare a legal case, based on a fictitious case file developed by the Law Society. This year, Cedar College has two teams entered and Round 1 was held on Tuesday evening of Week 6. As legal counsel for the plaintiff, Cedar played host to our visiting teams. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we took part in our first-ever Zoom trial against Norwood International High School, and also held a more traditional face-to-face trial in our Resource Centre against Le Fevre High School.
Before the Courts
Our students were representing a driver involved in a car accident at a roundabout who was seeking compensation for damages to their vehicle, claiming the defendant’s negligence caused the accident. Students needed to use real legislation and case law in presenting their arguments to the judges, and prepare examination-in-chief and cross-examination questions for each of the witnesses in this trial.
After two and a half hours of legal wrangling per team, we were very excited to learn that both of our teams have started this year’s competition with wins! We look forward to their next case in Week 10.
Mrs Danielle Cioffi, High School SPARK Co-ordinator
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