Library

Winifred Berry and Handbury Libraries

Renovation update:

Things have moved at a great pace with the assistance of past students Jakob Bradbeer and Pat Stratmann, an arrangement for which I am very grateful, thank you Dr Hirst.  We have nearly relocated everything and are currently semi functional in the space near IT. It’s amazing how big the space is without any furniture in it.

By Friday afternoon we need to be ready for the builders to move in on Monday and start the destruction phase. This may have its drawbacks but it will all be worth it in the end!

Microsoft Skype-a-Thon 28th and 29th November:

Every year in late November there is a massive education event right around the world with students and teachers participating in a range of Skype sessions as a means of collaborative education.

Troy Waller, who is the Melbourne Microsoft Learning Consultant, put forward our school as an option for a session with Microsoft’s Vice President, Anthony Salcito. This offer has been taken up by Anthony, and we will be talking with him on the 28th.

We will be one of three Australian schools as can be seen on the schedule below:

3pm - 3:30pm 28th

10am - 10:30am 29th

Australia

Hamilton

Hamilton College

3:30pm - 4pm 28th

9:30am - 10am 29th

Australia

Cairns

St Therese's Catholic Primary School

4pm - 4:30pm 28th

11am - 11:30am 29th

Australia

Melbourne

Dallas Brookes Primary School

Background

On November 28th and 29th, Microsoft is hosting a Global Education Skype-a-Thon. Over the 48 hours, classrooms will connect to other classrooms and guest speakers around the world using Skype and contribute to reaching the goal of over three million virtual miles travelled.  You can find more details at www.skypeathon.com. We expect thousands of educators to participate, bringing students from all over the world together to celebrate global learning. This could include playing Mystery Skype with another classroom, connecting with a guest speaker or even taking students on a virtual Field trip. As part of this event, Anthony Salcito, will be staying awake for >36 hours to make special calls into classrooms around the world. Anthony’s schedule right now starts at 11am on November 28th PST and finishes 11:30am November 29th PST, calling into over 40 schools around the world without sleeping.

Logistics Next Steps and Actions

Permission Forms - You should already be aware that participation in Anthony’s calls requires each parent to sign a form for their student and have this returned to Microsoft. The reason for this is that we are recording all of Anthony’s calls so we can produce the wrap up video. You can see a sample here from last year. The footage may also be used in materials to support the event. Microsoft requires us to get permission forms signed from parents to do this.

This will be a one-off opportunity for students to engage with someone who works in such a critical global role with products that we all use every day.

We are offering all students on this campus the opportunity to be selected to participate through lodging an expression of interest detailing why they want to be involved. Miss Waldron and I will then select the best requests.

Students will be emailed an application form tomorrow.  The permission form is attached to this newsletter and no student will be involved without having applied, been selected and having provided a signed permission form by 3.30 on Wednesday the 22nd November. The signed permission form is critical as the sessions are recorded and will be used promotionally by Microsoft.

Mrs Margaret Simkin