issue 8 I 17 september 2021
Gutenberg Post
. PRIMARY CELEBRATES BOOK WEEK
. SPANISH ART PROJECTS YEARS 9 AND 10
. POSITIVES & negatives am online learning
. year 11 in-class assessments
. And much more ...
. class teacher day
GRÜSSE VOM SCHULLEITER
Liebe Schulgemeinschaft,
Term 3 liegt hinter uns und damit eine Zeit, wie sie die German International Schule Sydney noch nie erlebt hat. Ein Vierteljahr im vollem Lockdown. Und während wir alle die neuesten Entwicklungen in den Medien verfolgten, ging die Schule zu Hause und online weiter, für einige auch in der Preschool, in der Betreuung während des Schultags und in der Nachmittagsbetreuung auf dem Campus.
Wir kannten das schon ein bisschen vom kurzen lockdown im letzten Jahr und waren in mancher Hinsicht gut vorbereitet, z.B. durch unsere hervorragende IT-Infrastruktur, Online-Plattformen und Lernumgebungen, digitale Kompetenzen der Lehrkäfte und Angestellten und der Schülerinnen und Schüler. In all diese Bereiche hat unsere Schule über die Jahre kontinuierlich investiert, finanziell, aber auch persönlich, mit viel Zeit und Engagement auf allen Ebenen.
Und dann merkt man doch, dass das alles nur eine Basis sein kann, wie sich alles über ein Vierteljahr im Lockdown weiterentwickelt, und wie wichtig Lernen ist, für die Kinder, für die Erwachsenen, die sie begleiten und für die Organisation Schule.
Für mich zeigte sich gerade in den letzten Monaten wieder sehr deutlich, und das kommt natürlich nicht überraschend, sondern wurde einfach sehr präsent, dass gute Pädagogik viel mehr ist als akademische Wissensvermittlung. Welche Bedeutung neben der kognitiven Entwicklung der Kinder die sozial-emotionale, die motorische und die Persönlichkeitsentwicklung haben, die psychische Gesundheit der Kinder, ihre Resilienz, ihre Neugierde und Begeisterung, ihre intrinsische Motivation. All das wird in den Familien und im sozialen Umfeld entwickelt, aber auch in der Schule, und es ist mir persönlich und unseren Lehrerinnen und Lehrern sehr wichtig.
Es war keine leichte Zeit, aber ich bin überzeugt, da hat sich auch viel Positives entwickelt, und ich danke allen Kindern, Eltern, Lehrerinnen und Lehrern, Mitarbeiterinnen und Mitarbeitern für die gute Kommunikation, das gegenseitige Verständnis und die gegenseitige Unterstützung in dieser Zeit. So soll es bleiben und so werden wir auch im Term 4 erfolgreich sein.
Auch die Schulentwicklung insgesamt ging in Term 3 weiter, im Kleinen wie im Großen, von einem neuen Außengelände mit Klettergerüst für die Preschool bis zur strategischen Campusentwicklung. Ich freue mich sehr, dass der Vorstand entschieden hat, im ersten Schritt einer langfristigen Planung drei neue Klassenräume im Bushland hinter unseren Containern für das Schuljahr 2022 bauen zu lassen. Es werden mit die ersten Schulgebäude in ganz Australien in Vollholz-Bauweise nach Passivhaus-Standard sein. Damit adressieren wir kurzfristigen Platzbedarf, aber es ist auch mehr, gerade jetzt in diesem Term, wo anderswo große Zurückhaltung herrscht.
Es ist ein sichtbares Zeichen dafür, dass wir die German International Schule Sydney kontinuierlich und innovativ weiterentwickeln wollen, es ist ein Bekenntnis zum Lernen an unserer Schule und zur Schule als lernende Organisation, und - ein froher Blick in die Zukunft.
Schöne Ferien!
Lorenz Metzger
Schulleiter
gREETINGS fROM
THE PRINCIPAL
Dear Members of the school community,
Term 3 is behind us and with it a time that the German International School Sydney has never experienced before. A quarter of a year in full lockdown. And while we all followed the latest developments in the media, school continued at home and online, including Preschool, supervision and after school care for those who needed it on campus.
We had already learned from the short lockdown last year and were well prepared in some respects, for example, through our excellent IT infrastructure, online platforms and learning environments, digital skills of teachers, employees and students. Our school has continuously invested in all these areas over the years, financially but also personally, with a lot of time and commitment at all levels.
And then you realise that all of this can only be a basis for how everything will develop further with a quarter of a year in lockdown, and how important learning is for the children, the adults who support them, and the school as an organisation.
For me, it has become very clear, especially in the last few months, and of course this didn’t come as a surprise, but simply became very evident and visible, that good pedagogy is much more than just imparting academic knowledge. How important social-emotional, motor and personality development is in addition to the children's cognitive development, just how important the mental health of the children, their resilience, their curiosity and enthusiasm, their intrinsic motivation are. All of this is developed in families and in the social environment, but also in school, and it is very important to me personally and to our teachers.
It hasn't been an easy time, but I am convinced that many positives have also developed, and I would like to thank everyone - children, parents, teachers and employees - for the good communication, mutual understanding and mutual support during this time. This is how it should remain and this is how we will again be successful in Term 4, when, with the return to school under the given conditions, we will be facing new and different challenges.
School development as a whole also continued in Term 3, both on a small and a large scale, from a new outdoor area with a climbing frame for the Preschool to the strategic campus development. I am very pleased that the board of directors has decided to have three new classrooms built in the bushland behind our containers for the school year 2022 as a first step in long-term masterplanning. It will be one of the first school buildings in Australia in solid wood construction according to the passive house standard. We are addressing short-term space requirements, but it is more than that, especially now in this term, when there is hesitance elsewhere.
It is a visible sign that we want to develop the German International School Sydney continuously and innovatively, it is a commitment to learning at our school, to a school as a learning organisation, and -to a bright look into the future!
Have a great holiday!
Lorenz Metzger
Schulleiter
wellbeing
While COVID and the lockdown is challenging for all of us, at the same time the pandemic is also giving us some valuable learning and reflection opportunities:
Family and friends come first
There’s no place like the outdoors
Prevention is power
Hobbies are healing
Our minds matter
We are adaptable
Compassion, empathy, and patience matter
More stuff in life doesn’t deliver more fulfilment
We need to take mental health and wellbeing seriously
Keeping physical distance doesn't mean you need to be socially distanced
We have the capacity for resilience
Community is essential—and technology is too
Sometimes you need a dose of humbleness
Quick, globally co-ordinated action is needed to protect against universal threats
Changes in human lifestyle and behaviour can have a meaningful impact on the planet's health
Quotes from people about their learning opportunities during Covid:
We humans are fragile by ourselves. Our strength lies in being part of a community.
One of the most important things I’ve learned while we’re in isolation is to take care of myself and to devote more time to myself.
It taught me to love, to listen, to care, to respect and to help.
We learn how to live every day. We choose the path we will take.
With this in mind, enjoy your well-deserved break and hopefully see you soon on campus!
Nicola Hartley and Ulrike Miehle
Senior Secondary
(IB)
Senior Secondary (IB)
Junior Secondary
Junior Secondary
Primary
Primary
Preschool
Preschool
WHAT is HAPPENING AT GISS? | was ist los an der giss?
From our after school Care
From our
after school Care
During Book week ASC students had an opportunity to explore various genres such as Dr Seuss, Brothers Grimms and German comic books. The children were encouraged to bring their favourite books and read them in the reading corner. ASC educators provided book character themed dress ups. We had a lot of fun dressing up and creating extra accessories to the costumes. Following student’s suggestions, we had different book performances. Students used their creativity, imagination and knowledge of their favourite books to perform different roles. We also created bookmarks with different reading quotes and visited the GISS library.
During Book week ASC students were engaged in discussions about books by German and English writers and gained a better understanding of the importance of reading through a variety of activities.
