From the Principal  

Welcome to the 2024 School Year

Welcome to all families and students to the 2024 school year. I loved the positive vibe on all of our campuses over the past few days. We are delighted with the start for new Boarders who have made Calrossy their term-time home. I wish to extend an especially warm welcome to those who have joined us this year, trusting that all will flourish and grow in our special Calrossy environment. The students enjoyed a ‘spectacular’ commencement to school last week and we look to build on this in weeks and months to come. 

Parents are invited to join us for our Parent Information nights in the first few weeks, helping us in our important strategic goal of Learning in Partnership, recognising that when parents and schools work closely together, the outcomes for children are strongest. Participation in our P & F is also encouraged, as there is something powerful in getting to know the parents of the friends of your children.

“The Main Thing is Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing”

This is a favourite saying that summarises my approach to school life. Parents, students and staff all want the right conditions to promote flourishing young women and men. Life is complex but in Learning in Partnership, we all have to choose our ‘battles’ wisely, the things that we can do to make a difference to our learners. Each family will have different values and priorities, so our non-negotiables will vary. Regardless, it is important that they are decided upon early and communicated clearly. We can’t expect kids to read our minds. 

Here are six ‘battles’ that we at Calrossy Anglican School believe are worth having consistently this school year. Whilst these relate to family, they also have a big impact on learning and school life. May your battles be gently won!

1. Argue for sleep

If we want to improve a child’s life immediately, there is a silver bullet - sleep. Deep, restful sleep is essential for development, as well as mental and physical health. Many studies of Australian children have found that around a quarter of 12–15 year-olds, and half of 16-17 year-olds, don’t get enough sleep on school nights. Lack of sleep impacts the learning and management centres of the brain, and a child’s ability to manage their relationships and emotions. Primary students need 9 to 11 hours and teenagers should sleep from 8 to 10 hours for optimum rest. Adults can assist patterns of sleep through wind-down and sleep routines like screens off an hour before bed, a nice warm shower and then reading in bed. We can also reduce our kids’ intake of caffeine and sugar.

2. Argue for school attendance

Why?  What’s wrong with taking a day off now and then? If a child misses one day per fortnight of school, they will miss a whole year of education over the course of their twelve years. Apart from learning they also miss a year of socialisation, community connection, self-management, and the support of specialised professionals who have been employed to help you nurture your child.

Attendance is also important for the whole school day, rather than arriving late or leaving early. Part-time absenteeism may teach students they can opt out of the parts of life they don’t enjoy or find hard. That is not what we want for our kids; we want a life fully lived. Attendance is something at Calrossy this year that is a special focus and something we are looking to maximise.

3. Argue for family time

As kids get older, they crave more and more time with their peers. It is a natural process of gradually learning who they are in the social web of life. However, that doesn’t mean they should be allowed to disregard family, which is their home base and launch pad. Too often people believe it is natural to just let kids drift away because, “Well, they’re teenagers now”. Boundaries around family are okay. Trusted adults are usually better guides for kids than their peers. We make better decisions and give better advice (Generally!). That sort of influence is not born of overbearing discipline. It comes from connection so foster it. Mealtimes and special routines can maintain the strong family connection that supports growth for our students.

4. Argue for honesty

At Calrossy we are into developing character and experience has led me to learn that we cannot assume that kids will always be honest with us. Lying is a naturally acquired skill to avoid conflict and difficulty. If we want honesty, you must argue for it, role model it, and teach it. It leads to open communication and trust. That trust is essential. Honesty doesn’t mean there will be no consequences, but it does mean that adults will be a safe harbour.

5. Argue for ‘Sky time’.

Our kids need time outdoors (‘sky time’) as opposed to time under a roof. Sunlight and time outdoors increases a person’s sense of wellbeing and resilience. It can also counter some of the effects of mental ill-health, from indoors watching telly and looking at screens. University studies have found that just two hours in nature per week is enough to make a substantial difference. However, with ‘sky time’, it is a case of more is always more! Whilst we have lots of opportunities in our regional setting, getting off screens and outdoors has many benefits.

6. Argue for kindness

Last, but by no means least, argue for kindness… always. Children’s social interactions can sometimes be mean or thoughtless. They can be driven by the need to fit in socially. That need can compete with the need to be kind. Central to our school values is reminding our kids to be generous (as God has been to us) even when it is difficult. That means standing up for the child who is being bullied, sitting with the child who has lunch alone, and not judging others by their weakest moments, but by their best.

Final thought…

The battles we choose should keep our kids safe and healthy. They also tell our kids what sort of people we want them to be. We should choose our priorities carefully, be persistent, and don’t sweat the small stuff. We must devote our energy for the battles that matter and take courage – it is Calrossy’s year of courage. Keeping the main thing as the main thing is the main thing!

2024 Leadership Induction

Monday 12 February sees all Calrossy students commencing the school day on the William Cowper Campus, as we induct our 2024 school leaders at all levels of the school; Junior School, Calrossy 7 – 9 and Senior Secondary. Bishop Rod Chiswell is our guest at the Ceremony which will commence at 9 am. Parents and family of the leaders are specially invited to join with us to support our leaders as they formally commence their leadership journey and receive their badges as formal acknowledgement of their appointment.

Opening of the Annie Parr Building

Whilst our newest building on the William Cowper Campus has been in operation since January 2021, the Federal Government have finally approved an official opening. The School Board has named the building for Miss Annie Parr who was the Principal of Calrossy between 1930 and 1940. Miss Parr introduced the House System to the school and was a leader ahead of her time in introducing many innovations that supported quality Christian education. More on Miss Parr can be read via this link:

https://community.calrossy.nsw.edu.au/miss-annie-parr---headmistress-1930---1940

The formal opening ceremony will take place on Monday 12 February at 11 am and will acknowledge those who supported the construction of the building, our political reprsentatives who assisted in funding, members of our Calrossy Foundation who provided funding in addition to the $950 000 from the Federal Government and our School Captains Tom Aiken and Olivia Combes, who were the initial Captains of Calrossy 7 – 9 in 2021, at which time this section of the school was established around the new building.

New Staff at Calrossy

Welcome to the new staff joining Calrossy for 2024. These staff members are either replacing those who departed from Calrossy in 2023, teachers on Leave or have been added to our team to cater for the growth in our school:

Kelli Cato                      Deputy Principal and Japanese Teacher

Sam Anderson            Head of Calrossy7-9 and Christian Studies Teacher

Elizabeth Frazer         Science Teacher

Gabrielle Rankmore  English Teacher 

Deborah Pawsey        Science Teacher

Jane Pryor                    TAS/Primary Industries Teacher

Angela Wilde               Secondary Learning Support Teacher

Tracey Bradbery         HSIE Teacher 

Geoff Hall                     English Teacher

Sarah Heinz                 New Food tech assistant

Belinda Cook               Junior School Learning Support Teacher

Natalie Deacon           English Teachers

Scott Harris                  HSIE Teacher

Jade Taylor                    Junior School Teacher

Harry Pallett                 ICT and Audio-Visual Technician

Lisa Hinwood               Head of Enrolments and Community

Also returning are:

Brony Nielsen               Biology and Science teaching

Emma Armytage          Junior School

Marissa Hunt                HSIE Teacher

Parents will meet these teachers at Information nights and Parent events during the year. We will share details in future publications and newsletters. I look forward to the contribution of these staff in 2024 and beyond.

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. Colossians 3: 12-14

Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. 1 Timothy 4: 12-13

David Smith

Principal Calrossy Anglican School

Thriving in the Senior Years 

FREE Webinars for Parents and Years 10/11/12 Students

Calrossy is excited to announce a special program of four webinars for Years 10 to 12 students in 2024 to help prepare them (and their parents!) for the challenges of their senior years and the years beyond. We are committed to working in partnership to promote success for their students. These sessions will be in partnership with Kincoppal Rose Bay and Danebank schools in Sydney.

These webinar sessions will be delivered by two clinical psychologists, Dr Judith Locke, and Dr Danielle Einstein. Dr Locke is well known in educational circles, through her website (https://confidentandcapable.com/) and as an author of the Book, The Bonsai Child. Drs Locke and Einstein undertook some research with Calrossy Years 10 and 11 in 2023.

To suit parents and teens the four webinars for students (and parents) are being offered on Sunday afternoons between 3 to 5pm. These will be on a range of topics such as getting on the right track with schoolwork, motivation, a balanced life, and getting on together as children become adults. We will also have a few sessions on making screens enhance rather than detract from study and wellbeing. 

You will have to register for each webinar to participate. If any member of your family intends to join from a different computer, they will need to also register for it also, as one registration cannot be accessed by multiple computers.

The dates and registration links for Calrossy are: 

3-5 pm Sunday 11th February. Time management, motivation, and decisions post school. (Dr Judith Locke) 

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/7017064685455/WN_Np4x-HvtRp2-3cLXQXbtNg

3-5 pm Sunday 25th February.  Making screens work for you Part 1 (Dr Danielle Einstein)

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/4017064695905/WN_iWrzSCH4TReuOFTbbAFw7Q

3-5 pm Sunday 3rd March. Home harmony in the senior years and beyond. (Dr Judith Locke)

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/7017064698740/WN_TuXl9WH_SK-1QCs3TyMkAA

3-5 pm Sunday 10th March.  Making screens work for you Part 2 (Dr Danielle Einstein)

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/8917064702489/WN_e7m8mm7ATFmN0Nbo94kx8Q

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinars. You will also receive reminders for each webinar a week, a day, and an hour prior. 

The sessions are free to Calrossy students /parents and will provide support to our Senior students and their families in setting up for success in their studies and lives.