We have had a purposeful, fun-filled and connected few weeks in our Junior School, with a number of significant events taking place. Our Parent Teacher Interviews were held in Week 8 and were a valuable opportunity for our parents and class teachers to come together to discuss individual girls’ learning, wellbeing and social development, as well as to plan the next steps for growth across these areas. While we hold these conversations in Term 1, we always stress to our parent community the importance of making time to speak to their daughters’ teachers – should the need arise – at any point throughout the year. Our teachers will do the same. A strong and connected partnership between home and school is key in ensuring each girl’s learning journey is successful, rich and steeped in relationship.

NAPLAN

Our Year 3 and Year 5 girls concluded their NAPLAN testing window last Friday, completing standardised assessments in Writing, Reading, Conventions of Language and Mathematics. The NAPLAN provides valuable data for us as a school to analyse and inform our teaching and learning practices, as well as from one part of how we track learning data for individual students over time. We look forward to receiving and then distributing the results to our families in the coming months.

Harmony Day

Our ELC and Junior School Harmony Day celebrations were a wonderful success last Friday 24 March. Girls were invited to wear either orange or something that was culturally significant to them on this day. Gathering together for our assembly first thing in the morning was both a joyous and colourful sight. Girls wore the most beautiful outfits, inspired by their culture or sharing the message of Harmony Day. This was enhanced by the thoughtful and well-prepared assembly item shared by our Year 6 Citizenship Committee. After singing our Harmony Day song, ‘Everyone Belongs’, as a whole Junior School, classes combined for a rotation of Harmony Day activities. Girls engaged in activities related to cultural food, family heritage, designing logos, henna hand painting and cultural dancing—just to name a few. The day’s celebrations concluded with a Junior School House team picnic lunch.

Sports Day

Our Junior School Sports Day is fast approaching in Week 10, commencing at the Park Lands at 8.30am for our Years 3 – 6 girls, with our Reception to Year 2 girls joining us at 10.30am. A wonderful rotation of athletic events and team games is planned, with the day concluding after presentations at approximately 1.30pm. Dismissal for all girls is from the Park Lands at this time; however, should you require OSHC, please book your daughter in with Camp Australia for care from 1.30pm – 6.00pm.

Thank you all for a successful Term 1 and I would like to take this opportunity to wish each of you a safe, peaceful and enjoyable term break.

Year 4 Discovers the Hidden World of Composting

Please enjoy this reflection from Year 4 Teacher Ms Celine Zammit about the Year 4 classes' composting incursion:

Can an apple core turn into a carrot? Through the magic of composting, it can! On Thursday 16 March, Year 4 girls enjoyed participating in a play explaining the magic of compost and the wonders of the hidden world under the soil. In the play, the girls wore costumes and interacted using a script to re-enact food scraps being converted to healthy soil with the help of worms and mycelium and the elements of nature like water, sunshine and manure.

Year 4 also explored healthy soil using the power of our imagination. The girls held a handful of invisible soil in their hands and were amazed to discover that in their handful of soil, there is more microscopic life than there are humans living on Earth! We then pretended that the circular mat on the floor was this handful of soil, and we lifted the different layers of fabric and used a UV light to see the objects representing mycelium and small creatures living inside the layers.

The Year 4 girls were excited to share their learning about Composting and the Hidden World with students from Renaissance International School in Saigon through a Round Square schools collaboration. The Year 4 girls wrote recounts, annotated photographs and even produced a video to showcase their learning.

Year 1 Day Trip

Early in March, our Year 1s enjoyed a wonderful beach trip, and our Year 1 Teacher Ms Brenna Bence reported what they got up to:

On the first day of March, a bus full of very excited Year 1s headed to Kingston Reserve for a fun day at the beach. Our day was based on the children’s picture book, Magic Beach by Alison Lester. This rhyming story is beautifully illustrated and includes swimming, surfing and splashing and a variety of beach activities. As the sun tried to peek out from behind the clouds, the Year 1s built sandcastles, explored rockpools, created story stones and experienced a fabulous autumn day along the waterfront.

My favourite part of our day excursion was rock rambling, because I found four crabs and I got to hold them. – Monica

On our day trip to the beach, I loved being on the bus, recess and lunch because I could be with my friends and eat. – Sibella

I loved building a sandcastle with my friends. We decorated it with shells. – Catherine

I drew a starfish, mermaid, sandcastle and a boat on my story stones. – Ayra

The teacher found a really small crab and a big crab. I picked it up and it bit me on the pinky finger! – Mia

I liked finding shells and sea bugs. In one of the shells was a little crab. I got my shoes wet when we were rock hopping. – Amore

Class Representatives

We are pleased to confirm the following parents who have volunteered as the 2023 Class Representatives:

• Reception – Kate Pulford (Alexandra's mum) and Debra Fairbank (Indianna’s mum)
• Year 1 – Andrew Vanlint (Lottie's dad) and Sarah Naseem (Naba's mum)
• Year 2 – My Trang Ha (Emily's mum) and Alice Nassery (Lara's mum)
• Year 3 – Laura Carrocci (Florence's mum) and Fiona Lee (Aria's mum)
• Year 4 – Tanya Vallat (Rachael's mum) *We are still looking for one more parent to volunteer!
• Year 5 – Laura Carrocci (Serafina's mum) and Polly Tembel (Virginia's mum)
• Year 6 – Melanie Maughan (Amelia's mum), Amra Sabou (Ruby's mum), Xiuyu Yu (Hedy's mum), Cleo Cooper (Scarlet's mum) and Maggie Johannsen (Olivia's mum).

Class Representative contact details are available on each class list located on SEQTA Engage. Please look out for invitations to events sent from them via email and in your year level WhatsApp groups. If you are not in the group and wish to be added, please contact the appropriate parents above.

We are pleased to share class events already in action:

From the Reception Class Representatives

Please see the attached events calendar for the year, and please save the dates in your diary.

Kate Pulford
Reception Class Representative

From the Year 3 Class Representatives

Fiona Lee (Aria’s Mum, 3B) and Laura Carrocci (Florence’s Mum, 3M) are your Year 3 Class Representatives for 2023. We would like to invite all Year 3 parents and their daughters to the following events:

Sunday 7 May: Bounce at Greenacres, 10.00am to 12.00pm noon for an informal session. Please ensure you book for the Greenacres site and kindly advise Fiona on 0404192326 when you have done so.

Sunday 13 June: Little Picassos art class. Time and booking link to be provided in due course.

Term 4 Date TBD: Uni Loop walk and Brunch at The Lion.

Please feel free to approach Fiona or Laura with any queries or concerns you may have.

Fiona Lee and Laura Carrocci
Year 3 Class Representatives

From the Year 5 Class Representatives

Term 2:

Family Morning
Sunday 28 May
9.00am
Meet at Cnr Mackinnon Pde and Jerningham St, North Adelaide

Walk/Run/Ride the Uni Loop track followed by breakfast at The Old Lion.

RSVP via email no later than Sunday 30 April so that the table booking can be made.

Term 3 and 4:

Save the Date!

• Sunday 30 July: Dad and Daughter Day Out
• Sunday 12 November: End of Year Drinks

Here are also some free and fun events in our local community:

• 8.00am every Saturday: Nantu Wama Park Run, LeFevre Park, North Adelaide. Walk, jog or run 5km. More information can be found here.
• Saturday 13 May: Meander Market, Jerningham St, North Adelaide.
• Sunday 14 May: Mother’s Day Classic. Find out more and register for the Wilderness team.

We hope to see you there.

Laura Carrocci and Polly Tembal
Year 5 Class Representatives