Volume 54 No. 14

Sydney Grammar School

Term IV is already well upon us and will be, as ever, a busy and dynamic one for all the boys and staff here at Sydney Grammar School.

As I remarked in Assembly at the start of the term, this period of the year is curious in the sense that it offers very different things for boys of the different Forms. With the boys of Form VI 2018, we have completed a period of delightful events and farewells, and now HSC examinations are underway as they prepare to move to the next phases in their lives beyond the gates of Grammar. For Form V boys, they now step into the world of Form VI, and for them it is a time of contrastingly new challenges. For younger boys there is very much a sense of heading towards Christmas and the summer, cramming in as much sport, music and the like, as well as preparing for those final examinations and the culmination of this academic year. For all it will be a Term which flies by and I encourage each boy to make the most of every day.

Dr RB Malpass

 

 


Annual Examinations Forms I-IV

Please find below the general instructions for the Annual Examinations, Forms I – IV.

Routine

1. Examinations commence on the following days:-

- Form I: Friday 2 November

- Form II: Thursday 1 November

- Forms III & IV: Wednesday 31 October

2. Each day will consist of three sessions, as follows:-

- Session A: 8:40am - 10:48am

- Session B: 11:10am - 12:33pm

- Session C: 1:15pm - until conclusion of examination.

3. Electric bells will be rung as on a normal School day.

4. Tutorials will not meet during the examinations.

5. There will be no assemblies, cadet parades or music ensemble rehearsals on Friday 2 November.

Attendance

1. Attendance will be taken during examinations by scanning the bar code on the back of Library Cards. It is therefore essential that boys bring their Library Card to all examinations.

2. All morning examinations will commence so that they end at 10:48am.

3. Form I boys must attend School on each day - they may not leave School before 2:00 pm. They will normally spend Session B in their Home Rooms.

4. Form I boys will have a sports practice session from 11:15am – 3:00pm on Wednesday 7 November.

5. Form II boys will have supervised private study in Session B each day if they do not have an examination. Form II boys who have no afternoon examination may leave at lunchtime.

6. Form III & IV boys need only attend School when they have an examination.

7. Form III & IV boys who are present at School when they do not have an examination must attend a supervised study session. They will not be allowed to sit in the playground. Boys who have examinations in both the morning and the afternoon must attend a supervised study session in the designated area during Session B where the roll will be marked. 

8. Parents must contact the School if a boy is absent on the day of an examination. If a boy is absent due to illness, a medical certificate must be provided to the Director of Studies on his return to School. Such a certificate must be from a doctor who is not related to the boy.

9. Boys must arrive at the appropriate room at least 5 minutes before the beginning of an examination.

10. Thursday 8 November is a Free Marking Day for Forms I-IV.

11. Please see the Sports information page on the School website for sports practice arrangements during the examination period.

General

1. Boys must provide their own pens, pencils, instruments, approved calculators and a stapler; they may not borrow such articles during an examination. 

- Pencil cases must not be taken into examination rooms.   
- Paper must not be brought into rooms.  
- Mobile phones or any electronic devices are not permitted in the examination rooms.
- Bags and books must be left at the front of the room.

2. Boys should write their name and page number on each page as they progress through the examination and turn each page face downwards upon completion.

3. Boys must not enter examination rooms until directed to do so by a Master.

4. No boy may leave an examination room until the end of the examination period except in the case of serious indisposition.

5. Results in the Half-Yearly Examinations will rank with those in the Annual Examinations for the purposes of grading. Prizes, however, will be awarded purely on the basis of the Annual Examinations, unless a ‘count-back’ is needed.

Conduct

1. Cheating in any form, if detected, will normally lead to the cancellation of that paper. 

2. Any inappropriate conduct during examinations, including irrelevant or disrespectful inscriptions on examination papers, will be viewed very seriously.

Dr AD Stevens

 

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Family Contact and Medical Information for all Boys

If any of your contact details have changed since the check completed earlier in the year (including telephone contacts, home or postal addresses and emails) please send updated information to the School via email to Mr Joanou in the Bursar’s office jcj@sydgram.nsw.edu.au

For changes to your son’s medical records (including conditions, medications, allergies etc.) please inform the School Nurse at twk@sydgram.nsw.edu.au

Duke of Edinburgh's Award

A reminder that all permission forms for the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Adventurous Journeys (to be undertaken in the coming December/January holidays) are due by Wednesday 14 November. Any forms received after that date run the risk of not being processed in time and hence, the hike not being counted towards a boy’s award. All qualifying expeditions must be undertaken with direct supervision under the management of the *Collaroy Centre, Camp Somerset, The Outdoor Education Group, Southbound Adventures or NSW Sport and Recreation. Parents should book and pay for hikes directly with one of the providers listed above and then complete the SGS hike permission form and submit this to me by the due date.

*Please note: A briefing session is compulsory for all Bronze level participants or anyone doing their first hike with Collaroy, no matter at which level. The next one is Wednesday 5 December (please note this is the last day of formal lessons in Term IV).

Please refer to the School website under ‘Other Club’s and Activities’/Duke of Edinburgh for further information or boys can see me in my office, opposite WM3. The hike permission form is also available on the School website (please download the current form).

All boys who did hikes in the September-October holidays should ensure that they have entered the details into their online record books and that they have completed their hike reports and submitted them to the assessors (as per instructions in my email to parents) to ensure a smooth sign off.

For each of the other areas, Volunteering, Skills and Physical, boys should set up the correct assessor in each category. They should NOT nominate me as the assessor unless it is for School Orchestra. For school sport, Mr. Alan Campbell is the assessor. Please download the following document about the ‘Duke of Edinburgh's Scheme at Sydney Grammar’ (click here) to obtain other assessors.

Ms RM Fin


House Arts Awards and School Arts Awards

Two levels of Arts Awards are offered by the School in recognition of regular participation in one or more approved activities.

House Arts Awards

The House Arts Award (a House badge to be sewn onto the black blazer) is awarded to boys who have accumulated 55 points or more. A full table of activities, criteria and points awarded in each Form can be found by clicking here.

The Award is the equivalent of House Colours in sport and roughly the same number of boys become eligible each year. Boys may apply for a House Arts Award from the beginning of Form IV by completing a hard copy of the form which may be collected from my office or from Ms Jennings, the Assistant to the Senior Housemaster.

School Arts Awards

The School Arts Award (a House tie) is automatically given to boys in Form VI who have maintained an Arts activity until at least the end of Term I of their final year (in much the same way, sports ties are awarded to Form VI boys at the conclusion of their final season). Masters-In-Charge submit a list of eligible recipients each year; there is no need for boys to apply. Ties are awarded at House Assemblies in Term II each year.

Mrs FM Wyndham


AMEB Instrumental Examinations

Could any boy who completed an AMEB instrumental examination this year and was not entered through the School, please forward a copy of the report to Mr Wagner (if they have not already done so). These can be sent via email to rjw@sydgram.nsw.edu.au
 

 

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AAGPS Athletics Championship

Athletics concluded a five week season with the AAGPS Championship held at SOPAC on Saturday 22 September. Congratulations to the following boys: Elliot Metcalf (1st place Open 1500m), Thomas Davies (1st place Open 3000m and 2nd place U17 1500m), Charlie Veeneklaas (1st place U15 High Jump), Luc Jeffriess (3rd place U14 1500m), Oliver Freeman (3rd place U14 1500m), Hunter Folkes (2nd place U15 High Jump) and Milo Abrahams (1st place U13 Long Jump). Well done to all athletes who were involved in the lead up training sessions and invitation carnivals. 

 

Basketball

The Grammar basketball squad got straight to work in preparation for the GPS season with a trial game against St Augustine's College on the last day of Term III. Both the First and Second teams won. The boys took part in three four-hour training sessions a week and eight trial games.

The boys also competed in the Sydney Shootout, a round robin tournament consisting of ten teams, that took place over two days. With the help of new coaches, Mahesh Padmanabhan and Aaron Bruce, the boys have developed their individual skills and team work. Overall, the squad played a total of seventeen games during the holidays, coming away with twelve wins. The Firsts should also be commended for reaching the semi-finals of the Sydney Shootout.

 

Term IV Fixtures

Fixtures are posted each Wednesday on the School website for games on Saturday. Draft fixtures are provided where possible but they are subject to change. Parents are reminded to refresh screens and check the website as late as Friday afternoon. Sports information is easily accessible by clicking on the Sport Fixtures in the Community Quicklinks on the School website. Daily sports arrangements, announcements and boatshed pages can also be accessed via the same process.

Please be aware that changes and cancellations can be made as late as early Saturday morning. It is generally the case that these changes are made and recorded on the Sports Fixtures page of the website by 7.15am as well as on the School App. Parents are reminded to register on the School App to receive sports alerts concerning cancellations. Please note that some games may be cancelled after that time, so parents are advised to check information before leaving home. Information on installing the School App can be found here

 

Physiotherapy and First Aid

A physiotherapist is retained by the School as a first aid attendant Monday to Thursday afternoons (College Street) and Saturdays during term. On Saturday, the physiotherapist travels with the First and Second Basketball teams.

There is also a physiotherapist at the Health Centre on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 7:30am until 8:30am. At other times parents may, by private arrangement make an appointment. For further information contact Mr Ben Siu on 0415 292 484.
 

 

Summer and Winter Team Photographs

Melba Studios have advised that all winter and summer sport photographs are now available for order. Please visit Melba Studios and click on 'school sports'. The password is college.

 

Commitment to Sport for the Whole Season

Once selected, a boy is committed to that sport for the whole season. For summer, this means Terms IV and I. This policy ensures that player numbers in particular sports are maintained and that the School can meet its commitment to other schools. The number of teams Grammar fields in each sport is determined at the start of each season based on the number of boys who register an intention to play that sport.


Exemption from Sport and Training

An exemption from sport training or games may be granted in certain cases for the following reasons:

Medical: A doctor’s certificate is required stating the reason and the length of time for which exemption is sought. Medical appointments should be scheduled on non-training days.

Religious: A letter from a parent or guardian is required stating the reason and the approximate duration of the exemption. Exemption from sport to attend a friend’s Bar Mitzvah or other such religious ceremonies will not be granted.

Travel: Consideration will be given if excessive travel is required.

Requests for leave from sport should be made in writing to the Sportsmaster (please include your son’s full name, Tutorial, sport and team details). Except in unusual circumstances, no request for exemption from Saturday sport will be considered after lunchtime on the Wednesday prior to the game. It should not be assumed that permission will be granted.

Mr MA Curran


Hawaii Volcanoes Science Tour

Thursday 3 - Saturday 12 October 2019

In the last week of the September/October school holidays, 2019 Science Beyond the Curriculum is presenting Grammar boys, siblings and parents with an exciting opportunity to undertake an eight-day geological exploration of Hawaii. 

 

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2019 Form III English Excursion to Lord of the Flies

It is with great anticipation that the English Department has booked the 2019 Form III cohort in to see the Sydney Theatre Company’s production of Lord of the Flies. The play will supplement their study of William Golding’s novel and no doubt they will bring their significant knowledge of the text to their viewing of the performance. It is valuable for boys to attend theatrical productions and practise the appropriate behaviour as members of the public. With this visit, we hope to instil a love of performance, a deeper understanding of the text and an appreciation of the many ways stories can be told. Our theatre visit will take place on Wednesday 14 August 2019. 

Ms KM Lizzio


Breaking Good

In 2016, Grammar boys made international headlines by cheaply and safely synthesising the drug Daraprim in the laboratories at College Street, sparking an international conversation about access to affordable medicines and the ability of high school students to make significant contributions to medical research. The ongoing project, in association with the University of Sydney and Open Source Malaria, has become known as Breaking Good and aims to change the pharma industry's culture of retaining information by creating a new generation of inspired, collaborative drug designers. We are currently synthesising chemical analogs of Daraprim in an effort to overcome issues of resistance. 

Breaking Good has been selected as a finalist in the Google Impact Challenge Australia and is in the running to win one million dollars in funding. The final winner is determined by popular vote and you can support the project by voting for us here before 30 October.

Dr EJ Sheridan

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SGSWA Events

Form VI Leavers’ Dinner – Thank You

Following the Leavers' Assembly last term, boys and their parents attended the Form VI Leavers’ Dinner at Cyren’s Bar & Grill. Many thanks to Jenny Booth, Dearna Mazzola, Mary Ann Apte, Sara Jackson and Sophie Lin who assisted with the set up of the restaurant and the welcoming of guests. We wish the boys the best of luck in their HSE Examinations.

Pink, Passion and Purpose (PPP) Dinner – Wednesday 14 November

Please join us on Wednesday 14 November from 6:30-9:30pm at Weigall Pavillion for the PPP Dinner. There will be a panel of three speakers. Thank you to our host for the evening, Wendy Searle. $45 per person (includes dinner + drinks). Please RSVP by 7 November. To book, click here.


 

 

 

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Annual General Meeting and Weigall Barbecue - House Sports Day

Annual General Meeting

The Fathers’ Association 2018 AGM will be held in the Alastair Mackerras Theatre Foyer on Thursday 1 November at 6:00pm. This will be the last meeting for the year. Elections will be held for all positions on the Committee, including other business for our regular monthly meeting. Any SGSFA members wishing to join the Committee for 2019 should attend this meeting.

After the AGM there will be a dinner at Beppi’s Restaurant. It is always an entertaining evening so please try to join us. Bookings are via TryBooking. Cost is $110 and includes a three-course dinner and beverages. Please RSVP by Monday 29 October as this will enable us to confirm numbers with the restaurant. I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the AGM and dinner.
 
Please contact either myself at sgsfa.president@gmail.com or Wendy Scotter at sgsfa@sydgram.nsw.edu.au if you have any questions about joining the Committee. We always welcome new members.

Weigall BBQ – House Sports Day

I would like to thank all the fathers who have helped the Association with this year's BBQs. We have one final BBQ, which is on the House Sports Day on Wednesday 21 November. This is always a great day so if you are interested in assisting, please go to weigallbbq.com and nominate your time slot(s).

All the above information, calendar, contacts and event information are available on the SGSFA website www.sgsfa.com.au

Mr M Scotter