From the Chair of Council

To be Human is a Skill

Barker’s students are encouraged to look Beyond the Mint Gates, an aspiration to develop practical and adaptable Global Competencies.

Machines (eg computers) have significant cognitive capabilities and can do many jobs. It is possible that up to 40% of Australian jobs will not exist in 10 – 15 years. The good news is we all have competencies anchored in what makes us human, such as our creativity and our curiosity, which enable skill sets to set us apart from machines. They might embrace, for instance, the arts, or perhaps some wonderful new ideas in the sciences, in philosophy, in great literature, or in an innovative business strategy. It might also be about our ability to show empathy and tolerance to others or to be a good communicator, or it might be about our capacity to perform a highly unpredictable role. School Education is about future proofing students with these Global Competencies for an increasingly complex world: • Critical thinking and problem solving; • Communication; • Creativity and imagination; • Collaboration; • Citizenship; • Character. The School Council works in conjunction with the Head and his Executive so that there are resources and facilities within the Barker community to equip our students with the six Cs. In respect of the curriculumbased learning domains in the Pre-K to Year 12 teaching programs, Barker strives for integration and collaboration, and for the programs to be complemented by a diverse range of student cocurricular activities and experiences; eg in the various summer or winter sports, school leadership positions, Cadets, Performing Arts, Robotics, Duke of Edinburgh, Crusaders, Debating, School clubs, or in student participation in social justice, community service or international opportunities. The Head reports consistently and comprehensively to the School Council on these matters. We know how important it is for students to find an activity or experience which helps them grow emotionally, spiritually, physically and socially, so they can feel connected by particular groups/clubs/events and so they can contribute to a sense of belonging to the whole community. It also helps students to develop their capabilities and to identify their competencies in the context of employment opportunities well beyond their schooling years. This is why Barker has a Careers and Counselling Service open and available to support students as needed. Drawing upon their time at Barker, we want students to have an optimistic mindset about occupations to which they are best suited within a Jobs Cluster: 1. The Generators – interpersonal interaction, retail, sales, hospitality and entertainers; 2. The Coordinators – administration and service tasks; 3. The Informers – information, education or business services; 4. The Carers – mental or physical health and wellbeing of others including medical and personal support services; 5. The Artisans – manual tasks related to construction, production, maintenance or technical customer service; 6. The Designers – science, mathematics and design to construct or engineer products or buildings; 7. The Technologists – skilled understanding and manipulation of digital technology. It is very much a case, as British columnist and radio presenter Katherine Whitehorn, once put it: 'Find out what you like doing best and get someone to pay you for doing it.'

David Charles (75) Chair of Council

Endurance

Endurance can only be grown when we stretch ourselves. We may want difficult times to end quickly, but endurance is only developed when challenges are stretched out.

Sydney lockdown was announced in the middle of the June holidays. By the time of writing it had been extended to include all of August and we find ourselves in an extended period of online learning. Here are some reflections on this experience, inspired by the Olympics. One of my favourite Olympic flashback moments is the story of the Tanzanian marathon runner John Akhwari. He competed in the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, which were held at altitude. Having not trained in those conditions, Akhwari cramped midrace, later he fell, badly wounding his shoulder and dislocating his knee. It was more than an hour after the winner broke the tape that Akhwari entered the stadium. The crowds had left, and the medal ceremony had commenced, yet a buzz rippled through those who remained as Akhwari dragged himself around the track. Upon finishing he said to the eager news crews, “My country did not send me 5,000 miles to start the race; they sent me 5,000 miles to finish the race.” With news of an extended lockdown, you may feel like Akwari felt mid-race, but as we grow through this we grow in endurance, which equips us for every other aspect of life. We build habits, a mindset and a strength that we can only develop when things are challenging. And when we feel empty, here is a prayer from Romans 15:5-6 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus endured suffering and the cross with the knowledge that he was being obedient to God and loving others. It was his love for others that strengthened him to endure the darkest hours of history on the cross. So, as we serve our families and care for those around us (including ourselves), may God grow endurance in you. We will finish this race, we might have many kilometres to run yet, but we will finish and we will finish it together.

Rev Peter Tong Senior Chaplain

Junior School East – An Exciting Space For Senior Primary Classes

In Term 1, the new Junior School classroom precinct for senior primary classes opened with ten new classrooms, four refurbished classrooms and two new teacher hubs.

These spaces have been ideally designed for the open and flexible learning environments required for effective inquiry teaching. The senior primary classes have settled well into the new spaces. New furniture has been included in each classroom that is innovative and adaptable to suit the learning needs of students and the nature of the learning tasks. Late in Term 2, the additional outdoor spaces associated with the project were also handed over to the School. These spaces include the playground, with equipment and gardens, the bridge to Rosewood Oval from Level 2, the new tennis court surfaces on Courts 1 and 2 with access points to the Junior School, the undercover bus waiting bay on the south side of the building and the car park underneath the building. This new facility completes the classroom profile as we move towards the final year of the transition to full coeducation with girls in every year group from Pre-Kindergarten to Year 12. In the Junior School in 2022, 39% of the student cohort will be female. The transition has been extremely successful and with ratios of girls at well over 40% in each of the Pre-K to Year 2 grades, the overall ratio will reach 45% across the Junior School very quickly. We are extremely fortunate to have wonderful classroom facilities in the Junior School with all classrooms now in the one precinct and linked together. The classrooms are well designed and appointed to support learning and provide every opportunity for connection, engagement and learning growth. We are grateful for the support of School Council in realising the Master Plan for the Junior School.

Martin Lubrano Head of Junior School

Peachy the Therapy Dog

In 2020, the Junior School introduced Peachy the therapy dog to the Barker community.

Peachy and I (the dog handler) continue to train with Dr Brad Rundle, founder, director, and head trainer at Therapy Animals Australia. Dr Rundle has a PhD in Zoology and Genetics and is an expert in understanding and modifying animal behaviour. He is a qualified teacher and highly experienced in the school context which enables Peachy’s training to be targeted to the Barker College school environment. Therapy Animals Australia specialises in training assistance dogs to provide emotional support and companionship to students in schools. Therapy dogs must enjoy human contact and be content to be petted, cuddled, and handled by unfamiliar people. We continue to train Peachy in preparation for her to become a certified therapy dog. Dogs are not able to be authorised until they are one year of age. Peachy is now one and is working towards her certification assessment. Peachy really enjoys the company of others and in particular the students! Her training includes her showing good manners, demeanour and how well Peachy and I can work together. As the dog handler, there are certain commands that must be given to Peachy for her to respond to. Certification is the final hurdle in a dedicated process toward Peachy becoming an authorised therapy dog, and one which includes temperament assessment and command training. Once Peachy is authorised she will be promoted from her ‘in-training’ harness to an ‘Authorised Therapy Dog’ harness! A therapy dog is only able to work a maximum number of hours a day. Even for Peachy who is ‘in training’ this applies to her. It is important for Peachy to have a space where she can rest and play when on campus. Peachy has a purposeful space in the Junior School where she can do this. Peachy’s Playground is a designated area for Peachy and a place where students (and staff) can visit, say hello and spend time with Peachy. Peachy’s Playground is a happy place not just for Peachy but for all the visitors that come by to say hello.

Yvonne Howard Deputy Head of Junior School