Chev Need to Knows

10 May 2024

Dear Chevalier families,

I trust you are all well as the weather gradually becomes cooler and cooler in the Highlands.

Happy Mother's Day

On my desk, I have a book of ‘Daily Readings - The Charism of Jules Chevalier.’ On 6 May, the daily reading offered this, "Mary (the mother of Jesus), is the hope of those who no longer hope; the safe harbour for those who have suffered shipwreck."

The teachings and reflections of Jules Chevalier intertwine seamlessly with the contemporary experiences of mothers who embody Mary's virtues, serving as sources of strength and guidance for their children navigating the tumultuous seas of adolescence.

Just as Jules describes Mary as the hope for those who despair and the safe harbour for those who suffer shipwreck, mothers within the Chevalier College community emulate these timeless qualities in the nurturing of their children.

Amidst the bustling routines of learning and the fullness of extracurricular life, quietly in the background there are mothers like ‘Sarah’ and ‘Maya’, modern embodiments of Mary's love, compassion, and understanding. ‘Sarah’, a working mother, juggles career demands while remaining a steadfast source of support for her teenager in times of disappointment, falling short or academic struggle. ‘Maya’, a single mother, without much of a break due to limited family support, guides her children through friendship challenges and self-esteem issues.

These contemporary examples mirror Mary's timeless role as a beacon of hope and a source of refuge. Through their actions, mothers provide a ‘safe harbour’ for young people experiencing metaphorical ‘shipwrecks’, offering unwavering love, gentle guidance, and forgiveness for teenagers' mistakes. In their embrace, their children, our students, find solace and strength, learning not only valuable lessons but also the enduring values of resilience and empathy.

I wish all mothers, grandmothers, and motherly figures a wonderful Mother's Day. May you be truly spoilt. If not, may you at least get a hug from your teenage child!

College Assembly

On Wednesday all students and staff enjoyed another College Assembly led capably by our College Vice-Captains, Olivia and James. As part of the assembly, we had parents join us to witness their child being presented with Team Uniform for being chosen in one of our Firsts Teams competing in the ISA competitions in the 2024 Winter season, and we thank those parents for attending.

As part of my address to students, I reflected on a recent conversation I had with a long-time acquaintance. ‘Bill’, located a few hundred kilometres from the Southern Highlands, knew of Chev through his regular visits to play sport during his school days in the 1970s, and so fondly remembered his visits even though he did not always leave victorious!

As part of our conversation, Bill asked, “So, what’s the school spirit like at Chev?” I responded favourably before we redirected our attention back to the Under 6 Rugby Union game, which we watched as grandparents of players on the same side.

When driving back home to the Highlands on Sunday afternoon, I reflected that school spirit is a phenomenon that is easy to see but hard to define. We see school spirit, even ‘feel’ school spirit at events such as Winterfest or the Year 11 Presentation Ball or on occasions such as Sacred Heart Day or Year 12 Graduation. However, school spirit can also be seen in ‘the everyday’.

At Chev, we see school spirit:

in the classroom when collaboration and teamwork are valued more than competition.
on the playground where our spirit of family and friendship sees ‘the loner’ included in a table conversation or ‘the outlier’ encouraged to join in games.
with our Buddy Leader Program when Year 11 students mentor and support Year 7 students for the first term of each year.
through practice, patience, and persistence at Musical rehearsals in an atmosphere where each person’s contribution is valued and celebrated. There is no doubt that the hard work of students and teachers working together will ensure memorable performances next month, adding to the culture, tradition and spirit of the College through the Creative and Performing Arts crew.
on the sporting fields, where individuals come together as a team and work together towards a common goal. Interestingly, when speaking with coaches yesterday, they commented on “the way they played, working well together” rather than the result.

In summary, ‘School Spirit’ is about being with each other and for each other. It is when we interact with kindness, understanding, and compassion, fostering a supportive learning environment where everyone feels valued and respected. It is reflected in MSC Constitution #32 which says:

“Ours is a spirit of family and true friendship formed by kindness and understanding,

by compassion and mutual forgiveness, by gentleness, humility and simplicity, by hospitality and a sense of humour.”

Our Chevalier Spirit was born in 1946 and has evolved and grown in the 78 years since. As custodians of the spirit of Chevalier College 2024, may we do our bit to enhance it this year, and for however long each one of us is here.

Enjoy the weekend and may Sunday be special for all Chevalier Mothers.

Best wishes

Greg Miller

Principal

Flipped Learning - Monday 13 May

This coming Monday, 13 May, is a Flipped Monday. Please be aware that there are several excursions as listed below:

Year 12 Chemistry Excursion
Year 12 Engineering Studies
Year 11 Agriculture Case Study
Year 11 Ancient History
Year 11 Work Placement

As these are ‘class-based’ excursions, students in those classes are expected to complete Flipped Learning set by teachers – just as they would be required to catch up on missed learning if they were to miss a face-to-face teaching lesson. Students are encouraged to ‘look ahead’ and be organised to complete flipped learning. The good news is students in Years 11 and 12 do not miss any face-to-face teaching.

All Year 10 students are required to be onsite on Monday 13 May. There is no learning at home for Year 10 students on this day. All Year 10 will come together to focus on exam preparation, led by Mrs Graham and Mr Hargreaves. As this will run for the whole day, Flipped Learning will not be set for Year 10.

Rebecca Graham

Senior Assistant Principal - Learning and Teaching

ThinkUKnow Presentation - NSW Police

Our Youth Engagement Officer, Senior Constable Rachel Kennedy, visited Year 7 to 10 students this week to discuss issues arising and impacting young people in the community, specifically social media, which has been identified as an issue impacting both primary and secondary students.

For further information, please refer to the following documents which cover the content discussed in the presentations:

Year 11 and 12 will have their presentation on Wednesday, 15 May, during their Wellbeing lesson.

Kelly Clunn and Natalie LaGarde

Assistant Principals - Wellbeing

Student Attendance - SMS communication to end

From Monday 20 May, we will no longer be sending SMS communications for absences and attendance. Instead, notifications will be sent to the Parent Orbit App and will also appear in the Parent Lounge.

If your child is marked absent from school and this absence is unexplained, you will receive a notification in the App and the Lounge.
If you know your child will be absent ahead of time or early in the morning, please use the App or Lounge to advise us.

Year 7 Vaccinations

Year 7 vaccinations will take place on Tuesday 14 May. Students are to wear their College sports uniform to school. Please ensure they eat a healthy breakfast.

If you wish to have your child vaccinated at school, please complete the online registration by Friday 10 May. Visit the NSW Heath website and follow the prompts to complete the School Vaccination Consent form. Vaccinations will only be provided at school if online consent has been received.

Year 8 and 11 students who registered and missed their vaccination at the previous clinic will receive an SMS from NSW Health advising parents of the catch-up dose.

Additional details will be in Daily Notices on Monday 13 May.

ISA Round 2 is this Saturday, 11 May. Team fixtures and bus information can be found in the Parent Lounge and on the Parent Orbit app under School Links >> Extra Curricular.

All buses will leave from the bus zone on Charlotte Street. Students leaving the College should be dropped off in the JFC car park.

Please check the fixtures on Saturday morning for WET WEATHER CANCELLATIONS to ensure your child's match is on.

The following games have been cancelled as of 3.30pm on Friday 10 May:

Boys Football

Chev 1

Chev 2

Chev 15A

Chev 14A

Chev 13A

Girls Football

Chev 1

Chev 2

Boys Rugby

Chev 1

Chev 16A

Chev 15A

Chev 14A

CAPALoT Ensemble Rehearsal Schedule

Our CAPALoT Ensemble Rehearsal Schedule is now available in the Parent Lounge and on the Parent Orbit app!

Check it out under School Links >> Extra Curricular.

Coach Phillips

Extra Curriculum Administrator

If you have a child currently in Year 5, please submit your application for enrolment in Year 7 2026 as soon as possible. Applications close on 1 June 2024.

We are receiving a high number of applications for this year group and we don't want our current families to miss out on a place. If you know any friends who are also hoping to enrol their children, please encourage them to submit their application now. Interviews will take place in July and offers of enrolment will be made in Term 3.

Please click here for a link to the online application form.

High School Musical

Tickets are now on sale for this year’s production of High School Musical. Come and enjoy our stage adaptation of the famous Disney hit film loved by children and adults alike - with a twist!

High energy and fabulously upbeat, this visual feast of a show contains inspiring messages about change and working together, making it a memorable experience for the audience, cast, and anyone within earshot!

With a huge cast of talented students and a live band supporting fabulous dance numbers and well-loved songs, this production doesn’t just “stick to the status quo!”, it will “reach for the stars!”

Session details:

7.00 pm, Thursday 20 June
7.00 pm, Friday 21 June
2.00 pm, Saturday 22 June
7.00 pm, Saturday 22 June

Click here to get your tickets early to avoid disappointment.

Sports Winterfest - Save the Date!

Exciting news: Sports Winterfest is back for 2024, and so are the fireworks!

Save the date in your diary – Saturday 27 July.

It again promises to be a full day of sport, fun and hospitality.

Additional information and a booking link will follow once further details are confirmed.

Southern Highlands Biggest Bake Off

We are delighted to be hosting Wilson Financial’s Southern Highlands Biggest Bake Off, to raise funds to support people affected by cancer.

The event will be held in McGrath Hall on Wednesday, 22 May, from 10.00am to 1.00pm.

There are a few ways that students and our wider community can get involved in the Biggest Bake Off:

Enter your baked goods into the competition to be judged by the best in the business, Gumnut Patisserie.
All our families are welcome to purchase tokens to buy some cake, fairy floss, raffle tickets, and a spin on the chocolate wheel. Please Note: Up to 200 Chev students will be able to attend in Break 1 on the day. Chev student tickets are at a discounted price, select the CHEV student token on the booking site. Only the first 200 students to book will be able to attend.

Click here for further details and tokens.

13 May - Year 12 Engineering Studies Excursion
13 May - Year 11 Agriculture Case Study
13 May - Year 11 Ancient History Excursion
13 May - Year 9 White Card Incursion
14 May - Year 7 Vaccinations
18 May - ISA Round 3
20 May - Year 10 Wilderness Excursion
20 May - Year 12 Chemistry Excursion
20 May to 23 May - Year 12 Wilderness Excursion
25 May - ISA Round 4
26 May - National Sorry Day
27 May - All students attend school (no Flipped Monday)
27 May - Science and Engineering Challenge
31 May - Athletics Carnival
1 June - ISA Round 5

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