Research Again Demonstrates That Girls' Schools Are Great for Girls

TERM 4 - WEEK 3 ABBOTSLEIGH NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2019

IN THIS ISSUE

The Headmistress Senior School Chaplain News Community Events Shuttle Junior School Time flies faster than a weaver’s shuttle.

FROM THE HEADMISTRESS Look Up, Reach Out: Research Again Demonstrates that Girls’ Schools are Great for Girls We were delighted to welcome 140 representatives of girls’ schools from all over Sydney who met at Abbotsleigh for the final SANG (Student Alliance Network Group) meeting of the year last week. Mrs Megan Krimmer Headmistress The aim of SANG, which is the student branch Being confident and articulate is valued UPCOMING EVENTS of the Alliance of Girls’ Schools, is for girls to highly at Abbotsleigh, as it is at all girls’ network with girls from other schools about schools. These attributes are so important for Monday 4 November Year 5 Sculpture by the Sea social justice issues, especially those which each of our girls. In fact, the recently released have a strong focus on equality. It is a great report by the Australian Institute for Business Tuesday 5 November opportunity for the girls to develop the skills and Economics Centre for Gender Equality Year 7 STEAM Day required to work together, communicate online in the Workplace: Hands up for Gender and face-to-face, be empathic and understand Equality: A Major Study into Confidence and Wednesday 6 November issues from different perspectives. Career Intentions of Adolescent Girls and K-3 Cello Soirée Boys* clearly demonstrates that compared to The meeting last week was the culmination of a girls in other environments, girls from girls’ Year 10 Elective Music Soirée year’s collaborative work where girls researched schools are more confident and are more AOGU Meeting aspects of gender equality and presented their likely to hold leadership positions if they findings to the whole group. The projects were attended a girls’ school. Thursday 7 November superb and I was very proud of our Abbotsleigh Year 10 Self Defence Day girls who confidently and articulately presented These findings reinforce the conclusions of Adult Discussion Group the issues they had researched, demonstrating research that has been undertaken in the excellent skills of empathy, research, past; that is, that girls’ schools are really Year 11 Boarder and Day communication and persuasion. good for girls. Girl Barbecue Middle School Play On Saturday, too, our Senior School girls Indeed, as reported by the Sydney Morning excelled in public speaking, readings, Herald’s Jordan Baker in January this Friday 8 November drama and discussing religious and ethical year, earlier studies have shown that ‘girls’ Infants Swimming Carnival questions and current affairs at the annual confidence in mixed environments tends to AHIGS Festival of Speech. The girls were fall below boys’ from about the age of nine, Middle School Play poised, confident and articulate, and the and the gap doesn’t close until they are Year 10 Formal depth of their understanding of deep elderly.’ However, the group that seems philosophical issues astounded the most to be ‘bucking the trend are girls at seasoned in the different AHIGS audiences. single-sex schools.’ It was such a delight to see our girls represent their school so well and I would According to Dr Terry Fitzsimmons, (lead like to congratulate each girl and their very researcher for the most recent study above), hardworking teachers led so capably by Ms ‘one of the key factors protecting the self- Jennie Kelly. Please see Jennie’s article in the confidence of girls at single-sex schools was Senior School section of this edition of The likely to be watching other girls and women Shuttle for the girls’ outstanding results. in leadership positions. There’s no hint that there’s an issue around gender.’

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01 TERM 4 - WEEK 3 ABBOTSLEIGH NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2019

The study also found that girls gained young women are studying STEM and schools are better for girls in our world of much confidence from participating embarking on careers in this field. As she today (a world that is not yet co-equal in in team sports and other co-curricular noted: ‘It’s important to make sure we are so many areas). activities in their schools. using all of our talents and if we ignore half of the population, I don’t think we’re doing At Abbotsleigh we see our girls, day in Another factor that I find is so helpful for our best.’ Read the full article from The and day out, enthusiastically engaged our girls is for them to see our parents Educator here. in myriad activities, taking risks, and Old Girls as well as other women demonstrating leadership skills and in different areas of life and work who The debate about co-ed versus single confidence. It is certainly a privilege to are superb role models. It was certainly sex schools features in the press quite see our amazing girls flourishing as they wonderful to learn that mathematician, regularly. The debate usually revolves have the opportunity to do more, so that Emeritus Professor Cheryl Praeger of around us being a ‘co-ed’ society. However, they have the ability to be more. the University of Western Australia, was as Loren Bridge from the Alliance of Girls’ awarded this year’s prestigious Prime Schools said in The Guardian this week *The full Australian Institute for Business Minister’s Prize for Science. – we may be ‘co-ed’, but we are not yet and Economics Centre for Gender ‘co-equal’*. Read the full article here. Equality in the Workplace report: Hands ‘Emeritus Prof Praegar’s ‘highly up for Gender Equality: A Major Study into innovative work includes research As I have said in the past, extensive Confidence and Career Intentions into the mathematics of symmetry research and my own experience have of Adolescent Girls and Boys can be in graphical models, which have far- informed my fundamental belief that girls’ found here. reaching applications, such as enabling search engines to retrieve information efficiently from the World Wide Web. [She] is similarly famous for her research and work on algorithms – many of her algorithms are incorporated into powerful computer systems and have transformed the way in which algebra research and teaching is conducted.’

‘What I love about mathematics is the way that it explains the world … It’s almost like having a superpower,’ Emeritus Professor Praeger said.

‘As a leading mathematician, Professor Praeger has mentored many young women and is very pleased that more and more

Chaplain

Escaping the Bubble – CRU Camps Rev Jenni Stoddart Chaplain

At this time of year I want to get out of The same happens to our children. One feel far less sick of myself. Now that my bubble. The bubble of school life. of the ways I experienced breaking out I am a mum, I realise that it this also The bubble of the social media that of my bubble as a young person was brought me back appreciating my mum I follow. The bubble of Wahroonga. by going on Christian holiday camps; a and family far more. Plus, it gave my The bubble even of my own family and holiday with kids from all over Sydney, parents a break from the bubble of kids! friends, but most of all the bubble who held different beliefs to mine, came Maybe you need to escape the Bubble. of me. I have an ‘I’m sick of myself’ from different cultural backgrounds CRU camps give your kids somewhere moment. I am hoping you get it! I and lived in a different Sydney bubble. to belong in the holidays. There is have invented my own personal I would return annually to the same everything from day camps in Sydney to public holiday to help deal with camp and pick up the friendships from sailing on Lake Macquarie to Robotics. this – come back next week and the year before. I would come back I will tell you about ‘Jenni Day’. home with new perspectives, new Visit the CRU Camps website for understandings of God, new friends and more information.

02 TERM 4 - WEEK 3 ABBOTSLEIGH NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2019 Community

Little Green Idea – Christmas EcoBags Mrs Susan Filan Head of Environmental Education and Science Teacher

As part of our commitment to waste reduction, the Environment Council will be selling EcoBags for Christmas. The bags and contents would retail for $85 if purchased individually but are yours for only $50 thanks to great deals we obtained from our suppliers. You can not only get a bunch of great Christmas gifts, but also help the planet! The bags are made of recycled textiles by Boomerang Bags Hornsby. You can see their stall at the Hornsby Welcome Markets on Saturday 2 November. They are volunteers who donate all profits to the Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai Women’s Shelter.

• Safix large coconut scrubber • Better Than Bamboo Cutlery set Mini Working • Better Than Bamboo toothbrush • Better Than Stainless steel straw with Bee – Three travel brush There are only 100 bags available, so act Volunteers quickly to secure yours. If they sell out quickly, we will put some together for Needed Please Mothers’ Day in 2020. Ms Kathy Campbell APA President

The raspberry jam is made by The APA is asking for one more Abbotsleigh’s award-winning jam maker parent volunteer to help label Ruth Hodson. It is made with Australian and sort the Christmas puddings raspberries and sugar – nothing else. and cakes on Friday 22 November from 8.30 am. The other contents are courtesy of The Clean Collective, a Sydney-based Thank you to those who have company selling eco-friendly goods. already signed up! These include: Don’t miss out – order through If you can spare an hour of your • Ever Eco Recycled PET produce bags (4) Trybooking now! time, please sign up here. • If You Care Sponge cloths – can be (There is a $0.50 charge for ordering.) washed 300 times! Each replaces Bags will be available for collection 15 rolls of paper towel and can on 28 and 29 November from 1-2 pm be composted when you are done with them. in the ACEE. • If You Care dish gloves (size L) 100% latex, dusted with cotton inside

03 TERM 4 - WEEK 3 ABBOTSLEIGH NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2019

Grace Cossington Smith art award 2018 Winners Exhibition 7 November to 5 December 2019

The Grace Cossington Smith art award is a biennial award for two dimensional artworks inspired by the theme Making Connections. This exhibition of the 2018 winners allows us a deeper understanding of the broader practice of each artist. Catherine O’Donnell Winner of GCS art award Stephen Hall Winner Local Artist award (Sponsored by Suzie Stathakis and Di Jones Real Estate Wahroonga) Jane Théau Winner Emerging artist award Opening 9 November at 2 pm with Dr Matt Cox, Curator Asian Art, Art Gallery of NSW

Images: (left to right) Jane Théau, Catherine O’Donnell, Stephen Hall

Term 4 APA Events

Ms Kathy Campbell APA President

The APA has only two more events this APA Thank You Drinks and AGM APA Book Discussion term. The first is the Thank You Drinks Wednesday 13 November Monday 18 November for all volunteers, followed by the AGM 6.30-8.30 pm 7 pm for all Abbotsleigh parents. Global Learning Centre, Senior School VIP Room, Level 4, Judith Poole Sports Hall All parents are also welcome to join us The Thank You Drinks are for all parents $5 on the night for wine and cheese at the second event – a book discussion who have volunteered in any capacity over wine and cheese. throughout the year. Please come and Please RSVP to Deepa Pillay. join us for a drink and hear a summary of this year and plans for 2020.

04 TERM 4 - WEEK 3 ABBOTSLEIGH NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2019 Junior School

Becoming a Great Mathematician Ms Sally Ruston Head of Junior School

When asked, ‘Does knowing tables 4. However, I would also add one last perception of being able in this domain. matter?’, my answer is unequivocally attribute – that having the capacity To add an element of competition ‘Yes!’ But this is too simplistic a to understand that mathematics and fun to this end of year learning response as there is so much more that is more than getting a right or opportunity, the girls know that a pool is equally important if we want our girls wrong answer. In fact, there party in the final week of the term to be great mathematicians. are often multiple ways in which a will be the prize for the House that problem can be solved. You will achieves the best results in pulverising I argue that good mathematicians are attest to this when you try to show vocabulary questions. We warmly seen to possess four attributes: your daughter how you once encourage all families to support their 1. Fluency with basic mathematics solved such a question and are daughter by encouraging her learning facts to a point of automaticity. promptly told that your suggestion at home and assisting her to gain This is essential if one is to have is unhelpful and unwanted. We sponsors as this is also a fundraising sufficient brain capacity remaining are keen for our girls to realise exercise. Not only will the girls benefit for the higher order investigating. that a number of problem solving from honing their vocabulary skills, but Pete Persistence is the girls’ approaches are possible, yet one they will also be raising funds to send greatest friend here as although is probably less likely to produce the poorest of children to school at St this is not the exciting and fun part errors and more efficient in Jude’s in Tanzania. reaching a solution. In this way of maths, it is essential that each I also share the fabulous Maths we help our girls to walk away from girl is able to automatically recall Olympiad results our girls in Years perfectionist tendencies and the basic number facts, including 5 and 6 have achieved in tackling to revel in the trial and error and times tables, pertinent to the exceptionally difficult and beyond multiple pathways to making sense content being covered. primary curriculum mathematic and solving problems. problems over several months this 2. Conceptual understanding is year. This competition enables our essential too as pure rote learning Thus, it is that we have again instituted able mathematicians to pit their skills, does not allow for insightful the Factathon this term to help conceptual understanding and master thinking and the transfer of girls understand the importance of of this subject against posed problems knowledge to different contexts. automatic recall of basic number that challenge and extend their thinking For instance, girls need to know facts. While we agree that this is and capacity. See the article written by and be able to visualise that 2 only one element of being a great Sally Southan (following) that highlights x 3 is actually about two groups mathematician, it is certainly true the girls’ great efforts and success. of three being added together that fluency in number facts directly to give the answer of six. This correlates with a confidence and understanding needs to be learnt to a position of mastery where in any similar situation, the skills and knowledge of how to complete each sum is known without conscious effort. Again, this is important for freeing up brain capacity for higher order thinking and meaningful application.

3. Problem solving in mathematics is where the real fun is to be had. There are nine problem solving strategies that we explicitly teach to the girls. With fluency, conceptual understanding and problem-solving strategies on board, our girls are set to be successful in their mathematical endeavours.

05 TERM 4 - WEEK 3 ABBOTSLEIGH NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2019

The 2019 Australasian Problem Solving Maths Olympiads Ms Sally Ruston Head of Junior School

Each year, schools from all over which places them in the top 10% of Madeline Atkinson, Saskia Beletich, Australia, New Zealand and other all participants: Kaitlyn Blair, Laura Bogdanovic, neighbouring countries take part in the Reanne Alwis, Cate Atkinson, Annelise Harriet Chang, Rita Chen, Sophie APSMO Maths Olympiads. The overall Draper, Cecilia He, Celine Huang, Luyan Choi, Nicole Gabonian, Emilia Grimes, aim is to encourage students to master Jiang, Tian Jiang, Amber Li, Evelyn Anouk Hakewill, Eloise Huynh, Riya major strategies and develop flexibility Liu, Angela Lu, Jacinta Mak, Ashleigh Jayakanthan, Grace Li, Fuschia Lim, for problem solving. The competition also Nguyen, Charlotte Parasyn, Anjali Peddy Charlotte Panikian, Vanessa Ton, gives students the satisfaction, joy and Reddy, Phoebe Peng, Diana Tan, Wenxin Catherine Wei, Melanie Wong, Olivia thrill of meeting challenges. This year, Wang, Fiona Yan and Annie Zhang. Wood, Peiying Wu and Zihan Helen Xu. more than 32,000 students competed, We also congratulate the following Well done to all students for exhibiting including our selected Year 4, Year 5 and passion and determination while solving Year 6 students. students who placed within the top 20% of entrants: challenging problems in tight time frames. We congratulate the following girls who have earned a competition total

Year 5 to visit Volunteers Still Needed for to Sculpture by Junior School Barbecues the Sea Ms Kathy Campbell Miss Louise Keyter APA President Visual Arts Teacher

To continue Year 5’s appreciation and The Abbotsleigh Parents’ Association Junior School End of Year Barbecue learning in the Visual Arts, the girls will (APA) is running two barbecues for Tuesday 3 December be visiting Sculpture by the Sea on the Junior School students this term. We spectacular Bondi to Tamarama coastal Each year the APA provides a barbecue still need volunteer parents to help out walk on Monday 4 November. Students will lunch and fruit for all students in the on both occasions (thank you to those be looking at and exploring more than 100 Junior School. It is a busy time and we already signed up!). Please see below sculptures by artists from across the world. need parent helpers to serve lunch to for details: about 500 students in a short period The girls will also have the opportunity to Infants Swimming Carnival Barbecue of time! meet and participate in a sculpture making Friday 8 November workshop with some of the exhibiting If you can help, we would love you to artists. The APA is offering the option to sign up here. purchase a barbecue lunch and/or fruit Artwork: Geraldo Zamproni, More Than cups for students and parents attending It Seems the Infants Swimming Carnival. Photo: Charlotte Curd We still need help from parents attending to cook and serve. You are welcome to sign up with a friend and swap to ensure that you see your daughter’s race. If you are attending the Infants Swimming Carnival, please consider helping on the day and sign up here.

06 TERM 4 - WEEK 3 ABBOTSLEIGH NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2019

Recycle every day instead of Infants throwing paper and plastic away Intensive Mrs Sally Eriksen EAL/D Specialist Teacher and JS Environment Club Coordinator Swimming Program and Waste that doesn’t make it to the recycling bin ends up in landfill. This Swimming process generates methane gas, which contributes significantly to Carnival global warming 25% more than carbon Mrs Peita van Bussel dioxide. This is why the Junior School is T-2 Coordinator beginning to use colour-coded bins for all waste. All girls in Transition to Year 2 participated in an intensive The red bin is for all general waste that swimming lesson program this can’t go in the blue or yellow bins. It all week. This forms part of the PDHPE goes to landfill. It is a good idea to limit curriculum and is intended to create what goes in here in order to protect water confidence and safety and our planet from harmful gases. This bin help prepare the girls in Infants for includes all food waste**, foil, non- their Infants Swimming Carnival to recyclable plastic containers, zip-lock be held on Friday 8 November 2019. bags, straws, plastic spoons, plastic Information has been distributed wrap, chip packets, wrappers and to Infants parents giving details icy cups. of the clothing needed by the The blue bin is for paper. Each class girls to ensure success in this empties their waste paper from their Soft plastics can be upcycled through most important of skill classrooms in here. Paper bags, Redcycle outside most Coles and development sessions. newspaper, magazines, paper and Woollies. These are made into park cardboard packaging, scrap paper, benches, speedhumps and soft-fall. Parent spectators and girls may boxes, toilet rolls, egg cartons and Visit the Redcycle website for use the FlexiSchools website to paper lunch order bags can go in more information. order cold food lunches from the here too. Remove all food please. If you’d like to know more abour Junior School Tuckshop. These will recycling in general, visit the Ku-ring- be delivered to the Aquatic Centre gai Waste and Recycling website. at approximately 12.30 pm and may be collected from the office. The *Plastic lids with 2 or 4 on them can Abbotsleigh Parents’ Association be placed in the Envision collection (APA) is also holding a sausage tubs outside 6L and in the Outdoor sizzle barbecue. Please click here Kitchen. These are upcycled into to order, by 5 pm Monday prosthetic hands. 4 November. **Abbotsleigh has future plans to manage food waste. Remember: Recycle today, for a better tomorrow. The yellow bin is for mixed container recycling such as plastic bottles and containers, aluminium cans, milk and juice cartons, aerosol cans, glass bottles and jars. Remove all lids*. Remove straws and empty drink containers please. Please place all drink containers with ‘10c refund’ on them in the Return and Earn bin outside the Tuckshop.

07 TERM 4 - WEEK 3 ABBOTSLEIGH NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2019

Year 3 Excursion Year 1 Royal Botanic to the Sydney Gardens Excursion Symphony Mrs Peita van Bussel T-2 Coordinator Orchestra Miss Brittany Black Various Aboriginal games Year 3 Coordinator were played, providing our students with an On Wednesday 6 November, Year 3 will understanding of life as a be going on an excursion to the Sydney Gadigal child growing up Symphony Orchestra at the Seymour Centre in this area. The excursion in Chippendale. The focus of our trip is to developed an awareness watch and listen to a symphony orchestra of the importance of and see and hear all the instruments we sustainability and being have been studying in our Instrumental responsible for our natural Program. The conductor will explain how environment. the music is put together and the role of The girls created a dance each instrument. playing the part of a native The repertoire will include music studied Australian animal to the in class. Works will be based on an exciting On Thursday 24 October, Year 1 girls sound of clapping sticks. theme titled ‘The Composer is Dead’. ventured to the Royal Botanic Gardens We finished our excursion with lunch in This will be a valuable experience for to investigate a wide variety of local the gardens, followed by a stroll through the girls and demonstrate the role of the native plants which provided the raw The Domain to Hyde Park, where we musical instruments that are an integral materials needed for survival by the caught the train home to Wahroonga. part of this year’s Year 3 Music Program. We first Australians. look forward to a day of musical delights!

K-2 Joy Day Mrs Nicole Hunt Year 2 Classroom Teacher

for the girls to experience in mixed age groups. They completed science experiments, engaged in STEAM challenges and reflected on what they were grateful for. They dabbled in some craft activities, created friendship bracelets and played some team games and activities. The Transition students were taught by the older children as they negotiated their way Last Friday was abuzz in Infants as around some finger knitting the girls celebrated Joy Day. Based on and creativity was explored as they reflections and observations of the immersed themselves in scenes on the students and where we witness them green screen. At the end of the day all mindfulness activities and reflection time. experience joy, the teachers planned a students from Transition to Year 2 came A great day was had by all. range of educational and joyous activities together for a dance off followed by some

08 TERM 4 - WEEK 3 ABBOTSLEIGH NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2019 Senior School

What is the Value of an ATAR? Mrs Marg Selby Careers Advisor

Rather unhelpfully in my view, that they have achieved a high ATAR, professional direction. Arts, Commerce educational authorities and the press and not based on what their true or Science degrees are all courses which have chosen this week to debate the interests are at all. They think like this provide valuable generic skills, but can value of an ATAR. It is a question that is because, not surprisingly, they are not also lead to a specialisation through certainly well worth investigating, but yet aware of where their future lies, so graduate study at a later date when career the timing of this debate, just as Year 12 they choose something that sounds ideas have formulated more strongly. students are grappling with their HSC respectable and shows they are a high So students are advised not to work with exams and Year 11 students are beginning achiever. Sadly, this type of thinking a backwards logic plan, where they need their HSC studies, seems unnecessary. regularly results in students being to know their rank first, but instead, to However, it is a valid point that far too dissatisfied with their courses and invest more time in investigating the type many students worry unnecessarily over disenchanted with tertiary education. of study that brings them fulfilment – what their ATAR will be and base their For many students, when they are unsure and that might well take a few years of tertiary course decision on this result of where their long-term interests might tertiary study before clarification comes. alone. This means they create more lie, it is better for them to choose to For other careers information, please difficulties for themselves than there study at a more general level first and visit the Careers page on AbbNet. should be. Some students like to choose then to add a graduate qualification a tertiary course that will reflect the fact once they have decided upon a suitable

UNSW REACH and ICAS Science Competition Achievements Dr Elizabeth Russell Science Assistant Head of Department

In May, all students in Years 7-10 sat newly designed ICAS Science competition in REACH and the high distinction and the UNSW REACH competition. REACH requires students to think outside the distinction certificates for ICAS Science assessments, new in 2019, provide an classroom, think critically and problem will be presented at the annual Ruth annual, independent and objective solve. The results were outstanding with Sanger Awards evening in 2020. benchmark of student progress using 11 high distinctions and 72 distinctions. More than one million student entries are skills-based questions. Teachers can A new ICAS test is developed annually accepted from more than 6,300 schools use the data obtained from REACH to for each subject in each year level and all in Australia and New Zealand annually. identify strengths and weaknesses in ICAS tests are reviewed by experienced In addition, students from more than 20 the differing skills areas. Girls achieved teachers to ensure that they accurately countries including Hong Kong, India, to a high standard with 33 exemplary assess students’ skills and are relevant to Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa and the awards and 156 outstanding. These high- what they are learning at school. USA participate in ICAS each year. achieving students were then entered in Certificates of achievement for those girls the reimagined ICAS Science competition, achieving exemplary and outstanding which took place in September. The

09 TERM 4 - WEEK 3 ABBOTSLEIGH NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2019

AHIGS Festival of Speech Ms Jennie Kelly Debating and Public Speaking Coordinator and PDHPE Teacher

On Saturday 26 October, an Abbotsleigh Drama team: team competed at the AHIGS Festival of Lizzie Brown, Ilaria Calo, Lauren Soutar, Speech hosted at Meriden School. The Pier Sakker, Ella Turner festival is an annual event run by the Religious and Ethical Questions team: Association of Heads of Independent Elisha Khanna, Megan Luu, Girls School (the same group responsible Sophie Wines for IGSSA sport) The festival focuses on speaking skills and aims to foster The teams performed strongly and all personal expression, skill development, girls prepared well and were gracious teamwork and friendship. competitors on the day. The following girls were selected to In each section the top five placegetters represent Abbotsleigh and competed were awarded certificates and we are against students from all 30 AHIGS pleased to announce the following results. member schools. • Charlotte Doyle: 3rd in Junior Junior Poetry: Ruby Selikowitz Readings Senior Poetry: Harriet O’Brien • Satara Uthayakumaran: 2nd in Junior Public Speaking: Megan Wang Senior Public Speaking Senior Public Speaking: Satara • Elisha Khanna, Megan Luu and Uthayakumaran Sophie Wines: 1st in Religious and Junior Readings: Charlotte Doyle Ethical Questions Senior Readings: Olivia Harlamb Congratulations girls. Current Affairs team: Olivia Cejnar, Rosie Fordham, Brianna Ho

CIS Triathlon Mr Mark Everingham Sport Coordinator

After restrictions were put in place on entries for the NSW All Schools Triathlon this year, CIS held its first triathlon team event to provide a pathway for next year’s NSW All Schools Triathlon. The timing of the event was not ideal being so close to the assessment block; however, we still had enough interest to form two junior teams and seven intermediate teams. Well done to all nine teams who will progress to NSW All Schools in term 1, 2020. It was a great day with the students even finding time to study either side of competing! The teams now have all summer to prepare for racing again in February. The NSW All Schools Triathlon individual event will remain open to anyone who wishes to compete in 2020.

10 TERM 4 - WEEK 3 ABBOTSLEIGH NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2019

Girls’ Schools are Great for Girls Boarders Sharing Drought Experiences with Year 5 Research again demonstrates that girls perform better in single sex schools. Year 11 boarders shared their personal experiences with the drought in rural Australia with Year 5 this week.