It has been a happy and successful commencement to the 2025 School year in the Junior School, with learning and classroom routines well underway now we have concluded Week 3.

Thank you to those parents who attended our Junior School Parent Information Evening in Week 2. It is always so nice to see everyone, to come together as a community, and for our staff to meet and be able to share with you important information about your daughter’s learning journey for the coming year.

Junior School assemblies have now commenced for the year and remain on Thursday mornings at 8:40am in the Gym. You are warmly invited to attend any of these assemblies and, as always, you will receive notice of any assembly your daughter’s class (or committee for Year 6 girls) will lead. Assemblies conclude by 9am and you are welcome to pop into the Café for a coffee before or afterwards.

Year 6 Leadership Badge Presentation Assembly
Last Thursday 6 February saw us come together for our first Junior School assembly for the year. It was wonderful to welcome our brand new girls to the Junior School, including our very dear Receptions, as well as three new teachers: Mr Monda, who is teaching Year 5 and returning to Wilderness, Mrs Sippe , teaching Year 2 and Ms Thiele, teaching Year 1.

Along with celebrating being together for a new School year, we also congratulated our Semester 1 Junior School SRC group as they were presented with their badges by Mrs Arnfield and our Year 12 SRC Executive, Niya, Olivia and Miranda. Having nominated and been voted into their roles at the end of 2024, we look forward to this group of girls sharing their thinking and ideas as well as developing their skills as leaders over the coming two terms. I am pleased to share an excerpt from Semester 1 JSSRC President, Alexandrina Cao’s first speech, given at the assembly here:

My name is Alexandrina Cao and I am honoured to be your Semester 1 President for 2025.

I am incredibly grateful for this amazing opportunity to display my leadership skills. I am so excited to work with my team and to be a positive influence for our Junior School.

The opportunity awaits us as your 2025 Junior School leadership team to spread kindness and positivity. This year gives us the chance to foster a greater sense in our community.

With the Year Six cohort leading by example, I know that together we can make a positive impact. As your president this semester, I will support and encourage everyone of you, and I want all of you to be true to yourself and others. To make everyone welcome in our School community is also particularly important.

Year Sixes, this is our last year in the Junior School, so let’s work together to make the most out of it. As Audrey Hepburn once said, “Nothing is impossible because the word itself says ‘I’m possible!’.  

Thank you

The group of leaders are as follows:

Celebrations and class gifts
At Wilderness, we have a long history of enjoying celebrations together, including birthdays, cultural days and House Days. While this tradition is one we always hope to maintain, the Junior School staff team have noted a significant increase in the items being brought in from home and given out at School. While we understand the spirit of kindness and generosity with which these are given, going forward, we kindly ask that food items and party bags are not brought in.

While these gestures are generous and appreciated, they become difficult to manage with regards to allergy management as well as the volume of special treats being shared. As a community, we are building focus around celebrating in ways that are simply about being together and thank you in advance for your support in this matter.

Recess and Lunch
Hot Weather
With the very hot weather we have experienced in the first weeks of school, I wanted to take this opportunity to assure you that we have a clear procedure in place for indoor play for our girls in Reception to Year 6 in these circumstances.

Lunchboxes
We are holding a significant focus on caring for our School environment as well as our belongings. This has included reviewing our recess and lunch eating routines, purchasing new tubs for girls to place their lunchboxes and drink bottles in and ensuring the yard is tidy before play commences. This is working really well so far and we look forward to our Environment Committee girls presenting a year level each week with an award at assembly for having the tidiest area.

Once again, it is lovely to be back together for a new year. The Junior School staff and I look forward to working in partnership with you to ensure your daughters enjoy both a strong sense of belonging and a thriving and connected learning journey.

Warm regards,
Liz McCarthy
Head of Junior School

SPORT UPDATE
Wilderness sport is well and truly up and running this Term 1 Summer season! Our Junior sport competitions of Gymnastics, Tennis, Touch and Cricket have also begun despite some interruptions with the high temperatures. It’s always so pleasing to see our smallest girls giving their best during these sessions.

Junior School Sports Day 2024
In my last article of 2024, I missed some really special news to celebrate. Isla Tsonis broke 3 records at our Junior School Sports Day last year. Amazing!

Year 3 Long Jump
Isla Tsonis
3.05m (previous record 2.50m)

Year 3 400m
Isla Tsonis
1:28.67m

Year 3 100m
Isla Tsonis
17.06s (previous record 18.18s)

Congratulations
Aria Pasin was invited to train with the Australian Rhythmic Gymnastics team in Queensland over the holidays as part of the “Future Olympians” camp.

Aria is hoping to make the State team in May and attend Nationals in Queensland in July. Well done Aria!

Jonathon Koutsikas
Director of Sport and Recreation