Now that we have reached the end of term, I want to highlight the many events we have held so far this year. From Anzac Day, International Women’s Day and Reconciliation Day assemblies, to the many Choral and Musical Concerts, Drama and Dance productions, Year 11 Semi-Formal, the Parent Partnership Series, Year 7 and 8 Social, Summer Shorts, excursions, incursions, tournaments, galas, Grammar’s Got Talent, and everything else in between, it has been an action-packed semester. Returning to a…
There is no more uplifting way to celebrate the end of a semester than with the joyous outpouring of voices raised in song. And the Senior School House Sing event achieved just that. A high-energy, deeply collaborative, and — simply put — fun way for students and staff to come together and perform not only for House glory but also for the coveted golden microphone on the House Sing Trophy. Better yet, it’s the first time we have welcomed our Year 6 students to join their future Senior School…
Drama update Year 7-9 students performed in Summer Shorts last Thursday and Friday. The short plays were directed by students in Years 10-12. All students worked extremely well together to put on a fun filled night full of laughter. In the intermission, sugar cookies made by the Year 9-10 Food Technology class were provided as a light refreshment. The Encore Musical Theatre Cabaret Performance will be held at the end of Week 2 Term 3. A number of students in Years 7-12 have prepared a range of…
At CGGS, we acknowledge that parents are vital partners in the education of our young boys, girls and young women. To support this partnership and develop it further, we launched our Parent Partnership Series this year, which is a series of expert talks to support our parents in their quest through parenthood. We know that this is possibly the most challenging and rewarding role you have held in your life, and that there is no guidebook — each child is individual and will have different…
When visiting classrooms and learning spaces throughout the Junior School and ELC, I am constantly in awe of our students’ musical and artistic talents, their sporting prowess, and their ability to grasp and use foreign language. At the ELC and Junior School, we are fortunate to have a team of highly skilled and dedicated specialist teachers, who work to deliver engaging learning opportunities through their specialised disciplines. Across all grade levels, our subject specialists collaborate…
Last Monday we celebrated Reconciliation Day in the ACT, and we held our Reconciliation Day Assembly in the Senior School. I feel it is essential to consider the significance of this day and what we can do as a School community to ensure that reconciliation is an ongoing focus and not just an additional holiday. In 2018 the ACT became the first jurisdiction in Australia to have a Reconciliation Day marked by a public holiday. This day marks the anniversary of the 1967 referendum and is the…
Music is such a powerful conveyer of emotion. It is the "international language" that draws a response — uniting, uplifting, challenging us. Comforting us. So many of us turn to music to help us express our feelings and frustrations, and, declaring complete bias as I default to my background as a music teacher, I believe it’s the perfect vehicle when considering the themes of reconciliation and activism. Consider the song Treaty by Australian musical group Yothu Yindi. Released in 1991, its…
Academic update Congratulations to the Year 5 and Year 6 da Vinci Decathlon teams, who recently won the ACT regional competition. The da Vinci Decathlon is an academic competition that is designed to stimulate the minds of students, with team members collaborating to answer questions and solve problems in Engineering, Mathematics, English, Art and Poetry, Cartography, Creative Producers, Ideation, Code breaking, Science and Legacy. As winners of the regional event, both teams were invited to…
Over the past week it has been a pleasure to participate in so many activities around the school. These included: On Friday, a large group of Junior School students and teachers committed to walking to school from three locations in our local area. This was to support National Walk Safely to School Day, a day that promotes the benefits of walking, being outside in the fresh air, protecting the environment by walking over driving, and the head start that physical activity gives us for the day…