Welcome back to what I know will be a busy and productive Term II. I hope Grammar families have had a pleasant and restful break.

Many potential highlights, as well as challenges, lie ahead across the next two months.

For boys in all Forms, this term brings the demands of formal examinations or assessments. Inevitably, boys may find such testing a stressful experience to undergo; nonetheless, I have always urged boys to approach such testing with the spirit of opportunity: a chance to focus their thinking and refine their understanding in order to demonstrate as fine a subject mastery as they can. I wish all boys success and satisfaction in their various assessments this term.

Looking across the coming weeks, there is the School’s production of Arthur Miller’s All My Sons commencing Thursday 9 May, featuring a number of our boys under the direction of Dr Wilson. This follows Dr Wilson's impressive direction of last year’s production of Grease, and the year before that Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard. If you are keen to attend one of the nights, do be aware that tickets are selling very quickly.

Mid-May also sees the visit of Professor Tim Flannery to the School, as well as the Term II Concert. Early June features Grammarpalooza and a College Street Forum on Cyber-Safety.

The Term ends with the School hosting the biennial Australian Combined Schools Music Festival. We will have a large number of student musicians arriving for the Festival and to that end it would be greatly appreciated if willing and interested Grammar families might be able to host one of our visiting students. If you can assist, please contact the Director of Music, Mr Gaske.

My very best wishes to you all for a fine Term II.

Dr RB Malpass

Here are the general instructions for NAPLAN for Forms I and III and for the Half-Yearly Examinations for Forms I-IV

Note that normal classes continue throughout this period for Forms V and VI.

NAPLAN

NAPLAN Tests for Forms I and III will be held on: Tuesday 14 May, periods 1-3; Wednesday 15 May, periods 4 and 5; and Thursday 16 May, periods 1 and 2. When the boys are not sitting NAPLAN Tests on these days they will have their normal timetabled classes. Sport and other activities continue as normal on these days.

Please read this information regarding NAPLAN. (Download here)

Forms I-IV Half-Yearly Examinations

Routine

1. Examinations commence on the following days:-

Form I: Friday 24 May
Form II: Thursday 23 May
Form III: Wednesday 22 May
Form IV: Wednesday 22 May

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. Tutorials will not meet at registration during the examinations.

4. There will be no assemblies, cadet parades or music ensemble rehearsals on Friday 24 May.

Attendance

1. Attendance in most examinations will be taken 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 for Forms I - IV will commence so that they end at 10:48am.

3. Form I boys will attend School each day and they may not leave School before 2:15pm. They will normally spend Session B in their Home Rooms.

4. Form I sport session:-

Wednesday 29 May – boys will leave College Street at 11:00am and return to School at 2:30pm.

5. Form II boys will attend School each day. They will spend Session A or Session B in supervised study sessions if they do not have an examination at that time. Form II boys who have no afternoon examination may leave at lunchtime.

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

7. Form III and 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 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. Medical certificates must be from a doctor who is not related to the boy.

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

10. Thursday 30 May 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. Boys may not bring paper into rooms for rough work. Boys must not take mobile phones or any electronic devices into examination rooms. Desks must be empty and all bags and books left at the front of the room, or as directed.

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

3. Boys must not enter the examination room until directed to do so by a master.

4. Boys must enter Big School via the Portico entrance on College Street.

5. No boy may leave the examination room until the end of the examination period except for serious indisposition.

6. Results in the Half-Yearly Examinations are used together with those in the Annual Examinations for purposes of class allocations in the subsequent year. Speech Day prizes, however, are awarded on the basis of the Annual Examinations, unless a ‘count-back’ is needed.

Conduct

1. Cheating in any form, if detected, will normally incur 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

Family Contacts and Medical Information for all Boys

There are still families who have not responded to the email invitation to join the Sydney Grammar School Parent Portal and then update their son’s medical details and emergency contacts. 

Boys’ Electronic Communication with Staff at School

All boys are required to use their school emails for communication with any member of staff at the School. Information regarding Email, Schoology, School Apps, and login procedures can be accessed here. This information is also available on the School website located under community quicklinks.

If any boy is having problems accessing any of the above, he should see the Technical Services staff, situated in the office in the Library.

Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme

A reminder that all permission forms for the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Adventurous Journey (to be undertaken in the coming June/July holidays) are due by Friday 7 June. Any forms received after that date run the risk of not being processed in time and 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, NSW Sport and Recreation, Southbound Adventures, The Outdoor Education Group or Outward Bound and Ms Fin must have given prior written approval for you to proceed. Parents should book and pay for hikes directly with one of the providers listed above and then complete the Sydney Grammar School hike permission form and submit this to me by the due date.

Boys can collect this form from Ms Fin's office, opposite WM3, on the School website under ‘Other Clubs and Activities/Duke of Edinburgh's or download the current form here.

I have recently received many messages from boys and parents regarding the calculation of hours and weeks under the Award rules. Please click on the following link to read further about these calculations.

Ms RM Fin

You should already have received an invitation to Professor Tim Flannery’s presentation on the evening of Wednesday 15 May. Professor Flannery has been recently appointed to the Australian Museum as Distinguished Visiting Fellow in Climate Change and his presentation will be open to boys, their parents and other family members. To book tickets, please click here.

On Wednesday 5 June, we will be hosting Susan McLean, Australia’s foremost expert on cyber safety. Susan will be talking to three School forms during the day and the evening session will be open to all College Street parents. Further information about the Forum will be available closer to the date.

Mrs FM Wyndham

Music Concert Etiquette Reminder

All boys performing in a concert are expected to stay until the conclusion of that concert out of courtesy and respect for fellow performers.

Lesson Cancellations

Please note that the following policy applies regarding the cancellation of private instrumental lessons. A letter or email must be received by the Music Department no later than the end of week 5 of a term for the cancellation of instrumental lessons to be effective at the end of that same term. Therefore advice for discontinuing instrumental lessons at the end of Term II must be received by the Music Department no later than Friday 31 May.

AMEB examinations

Boys who are sitting AMEB examinations at the AMEB studios in Clarence Street are required to request short leave. Parents should request leave from Mr Watkins (Forms II - VI) by email to senior.housemaster@sydgram.nsw.edu.au or from Dr Hesketh (Form I) by email to vmc@sydgram.nsw.edu.au. Photo identification is required to be presented for boys sitting Grade 8 and Diploma Examinations.

Australian Combined Schools Music Festival – Help Needed Urgently

Sydney Grammar School is excited to host the 21st Australian Combined Schools Music Festival (ACSMF) this year. This is a call out to all Sydney Grammar School families who would like to and are able to billet boys and girls attending the festival. Over 300 ACSMF boys and girls from over eight high schools around Australia will need to be accommodated during the festival which will be held from Wednesday 26 to Saturday 29 June. Billeting is a rewarding experience for all Sydney Grammar School families as boys who have previously been billeted can attest.

If you are interested in discussing the wonderful opportunity to billet ACSMF boys and girls, please contact Ms Francisca Sjahry on 9332 5895 or email foms@sydgram.nsw.edu.au. Further information is available on the ACSMF website.

Australian Combined Music Festival - Tickets Available

Tickets for the Festival Concert are now available via the following link:

Adults: $25

Concession: $15

The concert will be in the John Vallance Hall on Saturday 29 June starting at 6:30pm. Entry will be via Yurong Street.

Term II Concert

The following ensembles will be performing in this concert on Thursday 16 May in the John Vallance Hall at 6:30pm: Cantorum (with Sheldon Orchestra), Croonivores, Junior Vocal Ensemble, Segovia, Concertante, Saxophony, Saxophone Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble 1, Percussion Ensemble 2, Percussion Ensemble 4, Bassoon Ensemble, Flute Choir, Brass Ensemble, Cello Ensemble and Ventus. The concert is approximately two hours long, including a short interval. The Middle Playground will be open for parking from 6:00pm. Refreshments may be purchased in the Foyer of the John Vallance Hall before the concert and during interval. Entry by donation.

Grammarpalooza

This rock concert on Tuesday 4 June at 6:30pm in the AMT will feature several of the boys’ rock bands playing original music as well as some covers. Money raised will be donated to charity. Tickets are $15 and can be bought from the Music Department, playground sales or at the door on the night of the concert. Parking will be available in the Middle Playground for parents only. Grammar boys attending will be required to wear school uniform and other students will be required to present their student card.

Form VI Music Dinner

The annual Form VI Music Dinner is scheduled for Saturday 31 August in the Big Schoolroom. If any parents would like to assist in organising the Dinner, please contact the Music department on 9332 5895 (or use the email address below) and your name and contact details will be passed on to the Music Association.

For parents of Form VI Music boys, please send any photos of your son’s musical activities (especially from the younger years) to foms@sydgram.nsw.edu.au so a slideshow can be compiled for the Dinner.

Mr PR Gaske

Two senior football teams travelled to Spain in the April holidays, enjoying training sessions with Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, Valencia, Villareal, Barcelona and Espana football clubs. Each team played four matches, with the first team earning three draws and one win, while the second team earned one loss, one draw and two wins. 

The NSWCIS Volleyball Trial recorded the largest number of boys and girls to date. The standard was extremely high and amongst eighty students coming from as far as Port Macquarie, all eight of our Grammar boys performed very well. We congratulate Jared Adams, Sam Cleary, Michael Grogan and Peter Taurian (all Form VI) who made the final selection for the Open Boys team. They will now compete in the All School Tri-Series in June.

The remainder of our pre-season and season fixtures are set out on the Sports Announcements page on the School website. There will be compulsory attendance days for designated Houses and Form I Tutorials at home games.

The School expects boys to honour their commitment to training and their sports fixtures on Saturday 25 May during the upcoming examination and assessment block. To assist the boys we have reduced the number of days of training except for the Opens and 16A rugby and football teams.

The specific training arrangements for each sport will appear on the School website on the Sports Training page and on the Grammar App. Boys will be notified through Tutorial prior to the examination period.

Weigall

All weekly sport training sessions finish close to 5:00pm. STA buses will pick boys up from Weigall and then drop them off at College Street and Town Hall. The first return bus will leave Weigall at 5:10pm. The second bus is set to leave Weigall at 5:15pm.

NSBC buses will also be used to transport boys to and from Weigall for training. Please be aware that the return of NSBC buses will not continue through to Town Hall. Boys may choose to go home by other means. The School has a policy that no boy will be left at Weigall after training unsupervised. We expect parents picking up their sons to do so close to the finishing time of training. Boys who are not picked up prior to the last bus leaving, will be required to return to College Street.

Moore Park West Sports Field, Robertson Rd, Brazilian Fields and Parade Grounds, Centennial Parklands

The School has arranged with the NSBC bus company to take boys to and from training at Bat & Ball, Robertson Rd, Brazilian Field, Parade Grounds and Moore Park West sport fields during the winter season. This service leaves the training venue at 5:00pm, delivering boys to College Street. The buses will also stop at Central Station. Any boy who is not collected by his parent(s) before 5:00pm from the training venue will be directed to travel back to College Street.

Sydney Grammar School has a long standing arrangement with the physiotherapy group, Sports Focus, to provide physiotherapy services at Weigall during Tuesday and Thursday afternoon training sessions and on Saturdays. The School has also endeavoured to provide Sports Trainer First Aid services on Monday and Wednesday afternoons at Weigall. Services such as appointments for injury rehabilitation and treatment are the financial responsibility of parents.

Sports Focus will fulfil all its responsibilities to obtain informed consent regarding treatment and financial disclosure to parents. Sports Focus provides a professional and convenient service for our boys during our rugby, football and basketball seasons. Please ensure that any bill for service your son receives from Sports Focus is settled promptly.

Parents are reminded that the School organises Melba Studios to take photos of both summer and winter sports teams.

To order Sydney Grammar School summer sports photos please go to Melba Studios.  
Select: School Orders
Use password: COLLEGE

Mr MA Curran

Back to St Ives Reunion for the Class of 2013 is approaching soon!

Date: Saturday 25 May
Venue: St Ives Preparatory School Hall
Time: 6:30pm
Dress: Smart Casual

We would love to have all parents and boys join us for this celebration.

Tickets can be purchased through: TryBooking
RSVP: Tuesday 21 May
Inquiries:I_F6Reunion@sydgram.nsw.edu.au

Sydney Grammar School in association with the Ascham School and SCEGGS Darlinghurst presents:

Arthur Miller’s All My Sons

Alastair Mackerras Theatre (AMT)

Thursday 9 May 6:30pm

Friday 10 May 6:30pm

Saturday 11 May 7:30pm

Tickets can be purchased here: TryBooking

Dr GD Wilson

Sydney CBD Schools Careers Convention: Forms IV, V and VI

The 2019 Careers Convention will take place at the School on Monday 3 June between 3:00pm and 7:00pm. There are three parts to the convention. Firstly, an exhibition in the School Gymnasium featuring universities and other tertiary education providers; secondly, a series of talks by faculty representatives in the Palladium Theatre and the JVH and thirdly, in the Palladium classrooms from 5:00pm, advisers will be available to consult about their own careers and study. Several schools are participating at the convention including Sydney Grammar School, St Andrew’s Cathedral School, SCEGGS and International Grammar School. Boys in Forms IV, V and VI and their parents are invited to attend.

Call for Advisers: If you would like to assist as an adviser at the Careers Convention, in your career or study area, please contact me at pjw@sydgram.nsw.edu.au

Entry into Medicine

Boys wishing to apply for entry into most of the Medical programs offered by Australian universities need to lodge an application to sit the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT). For further details, please visit the following link. The closing date is Friday 17 May and the UCAT begins from Monday 1 July.

UNSW Co-op Program 2020

The University of New South Wales offers a full range of scholarships including the Co-op Program. Applications for the Co-op Program are now open and are available in several faculties at $18,200pa. For more information, please click here.

Law Admission Test (LAT) for Forms V and VI

UNSW Law uses the LAT (Law Admission Test) as a means of assessing applicants for the Law dual degree 2020 programs. Applications open on Monday 6 May for boys in Forms V and VI, please click here.

Boys should check Schoology for all up-to-date career and course information.     

If boys or parents need further information, they can email me at pjw@sydgram.nsw.edu.au or call, 9332 5806.

Mr PJ Whild

Expressions of interest are sought from boys to participate in a thirteen-day tour of Nepal. The tour will depart in the April school holidays of 2020, leaving Friday 10 April to return Wednesday April 22 2020.

The tour will be divided into different parts. We will begin the tour with a welcome meal and spend our first night in Kathmandu. The following day will include half a day of sightseeing in and around Kathmandu and then we will depart to Lukha to begin the trek to the monastery village of Tyangboche. The trail we will follow over the next eight days leads us through some beautiful and fascinating scenery including the famous Sherpa trading hub of Namche Bazaar and Khumjung, a village that is home to the ‘School of the Clouds’, established by Sir Edmond Hillary to empower the Sherpa community through education. Most spectacularly this trail provides us with many vantage points to view Mount Everest. We then return to Kathmandu for further sightseeing, including a visit to the Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology, which is supported by the Fred Hollows Foundation before returning home to Sydney. A detailed itinerary for the tour can be found here. 

The tour is for boys who will be in Forms IV and V in 2020. It is being organised in conjunction with World Youth Adventures (WYA), the school specialist section of World Expeditions. This company has a long heritage in Nepal and employ their own expert local staff and guides. Further information about WYA can be found by using the link above. There will be a minimum of three Sydney Grammar School masters with the group for the entirety of the tour in addition to the World Expeditions guides.

It should also be noted that the trek will be suitable for those participating in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme and it will not clash with any rugby camps planned for 2020.

The approximate cost for the tour will be $5000. This includes all flights, accommodation, meals, taxes, activities and compulsory group travel insurance. The final cost will be confirmed at the information meeting which will be held on Monday 13 May at 6:00pm in the AMT Foyer at the School. Please email Ms Catherine Naghten at can@sydgram.nsw.edu.au with an expression of interest or with questions prior to the information meeting.

Ms CA Naghten

The Modern Languages Department is pleased to offer an educational tour of China in the December holidays to boys who are currently studying Chinese in Forms III-V.

The tour will include visits to Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Xi’an and Beijing as well as an educational component at the High School affiliated with the Shanghai Jiaotong University as well as a homestay.

If you are interested in this tour, please come to an information evening on Tuesday 14 May at 6:00pm in P18 (Palladium Building Room 18). Please email Ms Chen (jc@sydgram.nsw.edu.au) or Ms Wang (lw@sydgram.nsw.edu.au) to confirm your attendance.

Ms L Wang

Save The Date

June Long Weekend (Saturday 8 – Sunday 9 June)

Illawarra Dreaming Science Tour

Literary Lunch

Our annual Literary Lunch will be held on Friday 10 May at the Boatshed. This year we are delighted to have Australian Novelist, Editor and Performer, Jessica Dettmann, to present her book, How to Be Second Best.
 
We will be running a silent auction at the Literary Lunch. Please click here to see the auction prizes. The Silent Auction will commence at the Lunch and will end shortly after the presentation. Do you have items to donate that the SGSWA could use as a prize in the fundraiser? Holiday packages, wines, books, jewellery or handbags to suggest a few. Please let us know if you can contribute to the prize pool by sending an email to Sharmila at sharmila.soorian@ihug.com.au

In addition, we will also be placing collection boxes at the lunch table for any cash donations if you do not wish to bid. All silent auction proceeds and contributions will be donated to Share the Dignity, a charity for women.

Weigall Sports Canteen

The next Weigall Canteen Day is Saturday 11 May from 7:30am-2:30pm. Please use the following link to sign up to volunteer. All food donations are welcome. Please click here to indicate what food you will bring. It is not mandatory to use the list but it will help the volunteers with planning what items will be available on the day as well as give you an idea of what might be needed. A mix of sweet and savoury items is always appreciated. Items can be homemade or store bought. Please drop off items after 7:00am at the Weigall Canteen and ensure that all containers that need to be returned are labelled with your name and mobile number. EFTPOS is available on Saturdays at the Canteen.

Form Parties

Form Party Forms III to VI on 6 April

Parents from Forms III, IV, V and VI enjoyed a relaxed and social evening in Big School on a balmy April evening. Delicious food and great company produced a fun evening. Many thanks to the efficient team for organising and running the evening so successfully: Sophia Aroney (Form IV), Andi Druckman (Form VI), Esther Heathcote (Form V), Vanda Jarret (Form III), Maryann McDonald (Form IV) Dearna Mazzola (Form III) and MaryAnn Apte (Form III, IV).

Form Party Forms I to II on 4 May

Last Saturday over 200 Form I and II parents attended the parent drinks. It was a lovely evening and an opportunity for new parents to meet other year group parents. Thank you to our wonderful volunteers who helped on the night: Kris Jones (Form II), Ann and Quinn Sloan (Form II), Michelle McSharry (Form I) and Melissa Sproats (Form I). Many thanks also to the Old Boys wait staff who worked on the night.

Photos from both evenings can be viewed here.  

Grammar Shop

The Grammar Shop is open:
Monday 12:00pm - 2:00pm
Thursday 12:00pm - 5:00pm
Friday 12:00pm - 5:00pm
 
A current Grammar Shop price is available by clicking here
 
Tuckshop

If you have your name down on the Tuckshop roster and for some reason you are unable to do your shift, please let Jenny Booth know in advance by email sgswa@sydgram.nsw.edu.au or on 9332 5858 so that a replacement can be found.

For the Tuckshop roster, please click here
 
Save the Dates

Please note the following events and meeting dates for Terms II & III:

Friday 10 May - Literary Lunch 11:30am (Boatshed)
Tuesday 21 May – Committee Meeting 6:00pm (AMTF)
Saturday 27 July – Form I Dinner 6:30pm, Nick’s Bar & Grill Darling Harbour
Thursday 19 September – Leavers' Dinner 6:30pm, Cyren Darling Harbour

General & Committee Meetings, all welcome

Committee meeting on Tuesday 21 May at 6:00pm in AMTF
General & Committee meeting on Friday 26 July at 8:30am in the Weigall Pavilion
Committee meeting on Tuesday 20 August at 6:00pm in AMTF 
AGM & Committee meeting on Wednesday 6 November at 6:30am in the AMTF
Committee meeting on Friday 22 November at 8:30pm in the Weigall Pavilion
 
All the above information, calendar, contacts and event information is available on the SGSWA website. 
 
Ms S Soorian

Weigall BBQ for Saturday Winter Sport
 
During the Winter Saturday sports season, the SGSFA run the Weigall BBQ when games are played at the School's home grounds at Weigall. The SGSFA have a busy season coming up with four BBQs in a row, and support will be needed.

Dates for Weigall BBQs - Term II

Saturday 11 May
Saturday 18 May
Saturday 25 May
Saturday 1 June
Saturday 15 June

Rugby v Cranbrook School – Saturday 11 May

As mentioned, we will be running the BBQ for the rugby and football fixtures played at Weigall. If you can help, please go to Weigall BBQ to register. We require a minimum of six people per shift to ensure rotation and allow fathers to go off and see their son’s game during the day. Please try and stagger your timings if possible.

Next Committee Meeting – Thursday 6 June

All fathers who are Association members are encouraged to attend the meetings of the Committee, held at 6:00pm on the first Thursday of the months that fall during Term. The meetings are held at the School in room SB8, are quite informal and are generally over within the hour. Parking is available from 6:00pm in the Middle Playground depending on other functions at the School at the time. Please call me on the day if any issues arise. 

Further information is available on the School website on the Fathers’ Association page.

Mr M Scotter