Seymour News Seymour News Issue 6, 2016 Principal's Message Welcome to Term 2! In this edition you will learn of my vision for Seymour, celebrate our success in Generations in Jazz, see the Pipe Band in action on ANZAC Day and learn what both our students and staff have been up to recently. Welcome Generations in Jazz ANZAC Day March Student Congratulations Staff Update Staff Congratulations NEiTA Teaching in Excellence Awards Chair of Board This week we had the pleasure of Commissioning Melissa Powell as the 12th Principal of Seymour College. Commissioning of Melissa Powell Deputy Principal Community feedback drives so much of what we do to improve your experience at Seymour College. In this edition we have covered changes to the Newsletter and Phase 1 of the Traffic Management Plan. Changes to Seymour News Traffic Management Plan Director of Studies There is plenty of time for many students to consider future subject selection but it is useful to think about which subjects may enhance opportunities for future career directions in a global marketplace. Future Subject Selection Decisions IB Diploma Programme Update Careers - Career Expo Careers - "Go Get a Job" Careers - Work Experience Careers - University Visits Flinders University International Relations Workshop Careers - Opportunities Head of Senior School Term 2 is upon us and students are fully engaged in all aspects of learning. Over the past few weeks the girls have excelled in their creative expression and focus on service both in action and advocacy. Welcome to Term 2 Senior School Art Exhibition Student Leadership Conference UNYA SA Conference Clan Bruce Term 1 Report Clan Cameron Term 1 Report Clan Douglas Term 1 Report Clan Stewart Term 1 Report Head of Middle School Students have commenced Term 2 with a positive mindset and our inaugural Media Lab/MIT STEM workshop was a tremendous success. I look forward to seeing many of you during our Middle School Parent Events over the next few weeks. What are Mindsets? Parent Social Evenings The Interactive Friendly Monster Workshop Head of Junior School The Junior School strives to nurture a keen enthusiasm for learning, building upon the creativity and curiosity that each child brings with them to school. This week we reflect on Sports Day and ANZAC Day whilst looking forward to resuming our Partnerships with Parents and community initiatives. Sports Day The Interactive Friendly Monster Workshop Mid-Year Foundation (Reception) Partnerships with Parents Walk to School Initiative ANZAC Day Commemoration Camp Australia The Early Years at Seymour The Early Years has certainly been a busy place over the past few weeks. Read on to find out all about our investigations and special events. Mothers' Day Morning Tea Mud Play Day Director of Boarding Attending rural field days are important both for sharing the Seymour College journey, and for remaining actively involved in the communities our boarders belong to. They are an opportunity to share memories and create new ones. Broken Hill Agfair Director of Service Learning Seymour College students are very active in issues of service and justice. I am delighted to share their initiatives here at Seymour. Service Initiatives Sport, Clubs and Activities From Sports Day to Olympic ambitions to trekking the Overland Track to Equestrian success and our Big Bands hitting the highest of notes at Generations in Jazz, the activities at Seymour give every girl a chance to shine. 2016 Sports Day Results Sports Day 2016 Equestrian Champions Overland Track Trek Sportswoman in Residence: Jess Trengove From the Director of Music Generations in Jazz 2016 Our Wonderful Rowers Community Our community is one of learning, positive interactions, and mutual respect and support for one another. The community is proactive in its support of the various academic and co-curricular activities within the College and offers wonderful encouragement for all that the College achieves. Diary Dates Thank You from OCA Parents' and Friends' Association Event Thistles Coffee Morning Friends of Rowing Quiz Night Australian Ballet Ticket Offer YFU Student Exchange Principal's Message Welcome to Term 2! In this edition you will learn of my vision for Seymour, celebrate our success in Generations in Jazz, see the Pipe Band in action on ANZAC Day and learn what both our students and staff have been up to recently. Welcome A very warm welcome to Term 2 for all families and students! I hope that you had a wonderful term break. I thank you for making me feel so welcome last term when I joined you for the Year 12 Induction, Swimming Carnival, Head of the River and Sports Day. I cannot tell you how delighted I am to have finally have joined the magnificent community that is Seymour College, a College with a reputation for excellence and achievements that speak volumes. At my Commissioning Service this week, I shared with those gathered, a little about me, my educational philosophy and my first impressions of Seymour College. I believe that pursuing excellence must be undertaken in the spirit of performing at your Personal Best; and that excellence in education is about taking understanding, knowledge and skills to a new height for the learner. As a College, we must continually encourage the pursuit of the extraordinary and the unique and, in due course, share the successes and reflect on the failures of those who have taken on the challenge. Every disappointment is a potential learning opportunity, where reflection is imperative. Essentially, we don’t learn from experience itself, but we can learn a great deal from reflecting on that experience. American author Zig Ziglar said: Success means doing the best we can with what we have. Success is the doing, not the getting; in the trying, not the triumph. Success is a personal standard, reaching for the highest that is in us, becoming all that we can be. So, why I am absolutely convinced that Seymour College is indeed the right place for me? Seymour is a happy, thriving school where every opportunity to learn is grasped with vigour. Every students’ individuality, strength and contribution are valued, encouraged and nurtured. It is a community that is flourishing. Seymour College has an enviable reputation for amazing community spirit – and it is well earned. Everyone who has ever been associated with this College talks about the wonderful sense of heart that pervades everything that is done here. This sense of community is at the front of everything. This is a community that really cares. Seymour College students consistently achieve outstanding academic results. We are all very proud of our graduating students of last year, who achieved truly outstanding results. In 2015, our median ATAR was 92.25. Our students achieved an astonishing 56 merits, with three students being awarded the prestigious Governor of South Australia’s Commendation Awards. Our NAPLAN results have been equally impressive. Seymour College was ranked second place out of all South Australian schools, which resulted in being included amongst the Nation’s Top 100 Secondary Schools. The College was also ranked 36th in the Nation’s Top 50 Girls’ Schools. The Seymour College Board is committed to ensuring that the academic offerings for our girls are comprehensive and challenging. As part of this, last year we entered into Candidacy to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme to Years 11 and 12, and the Primary Years Programme in the Junior School. The IB Diploma is famed for its focus on breadth in education, asking students to develop skills in a variety of disciplines and to remain committed to service, creativity and learning – all things that Seymour already prides itself on. The Diploma will complement our SACE offering, in which we have had enormous success, providing our senior students with a choice of pathways that best suits their individual needs. Exciting too are the developments in sport at Seymour, as part of our commitment to offering girls a broad, balanced education. Term 1 was a period of unprecedented success. Seymour won the summer Intercol season, we had incredible success in rowing by winning the Head of the River, our swimmers were crowned state champions, and our Equestrian team won event after event. Of course, a broad education could not be achieved without a comprehensive Arts and Music program, and this area of the College continues to be multi-faceted and vibrant. Seymour’s Arts Program is very rich, providing an enormous range of music ensembles and bands, opportunities for drama performances and celebrations of Visual Art. Just last weekend, Big Bands 1 and 2 were away competing in Generations in Jazz. Of critical importance is our ongoing commitment to Positive Education, and our shared understanding of the benefits this can bring to young people as they come to understand the way their brains and emotions work, learn to capitalise on their strengths and identify areas in which they need to grow. Our pillars of learning and wellbeing guide the development of Seymour curriculum, learning activities and staff professional development. All staff, including teaching and administration staff, are trained in positive psychology, which, in turn, enhances the wellbeing programs offered to our students. Our philosophy of Positive Psychology is complemented by the tenets of Visible Learning. We are guided by evidence- based best practice in teaching and learning that relies upon data analytics to develop assessment-capable learners who are fully equipped for the challenges for our 21st century world. The old saying, From little things, big things grow captures the dynamic nature of our McGregor Campus. The Junior School is a wonderful place of learning, community and vision. My visits there have been met with warmth, welcome and lots of smiles. Exciting initiatives, including the implementation of the IB PYP demonstrate the ongoing commitment of our Junior School staff towards international-mindedness, authentic cultural engagement and a world-class education for every one of our girls.