Welcome to the 2023 school year! I am very much looking forward to welcoming you and your daughters back to school on Wednesday. To our new families, I am so pleased you are joining us at Wilderness and I hope that this beginning is a positive and enriching one. Please do not hesitate to reach out to your daughter’s class teacher or myself should you have any questions or concerns. To our continuing families, I look forward to sharing another year working in partnership with you, supporting your daughters as they grow, learn and thrive.

Reception to Year 6 Parent Information Night

I would like to invite you to attend our Reception to Year 6 Parent Information Night, to be held on Monday 6 February at 6.00pm in the School Gym. The evening will begin together, to hear general information about the Junior School, specialist lessons and co-curricular offerings. Parents will then move to their daughters’ classrooms, where class teachers will share information about their specific year level, teaching and learning routines, upcoming events and expectations. As this is a Parent Evening, we respectfully request that children do not attend this event.

Reception Morning Tea

Reception parents are warmly invited to attend a welcome morning tea from 8.30am on Wednesday 1 February. This will be held in Hender Hall and will be with myself; Rebecca Williamson, Assistant Head of Junior School – Early Years; and our Principal, Belinda Arnfield.

Arrival and Dismissal Time

I am very happy that we will be returning to our pre-COVID-19 finishing time of 3.25pm this year. You may remember that at the beginning of the pandemic, we moved to conclude the day in the Junior School at 3.15pm to reduce the number of people gathering at one time. The commencement of the school day remains the same at 8.30am, with classrooms opening at 8.10am.

Girls can be left at school from 8.00am onwards each day, when yard supervision commences. Girls are not permitted to arrive before this time (unless a co-curricular activity requires so). Girls will be supervised on Hawkers Road at the conclusion of the school day until 3.50pm, after which time they will be taken to After School Care. Families will receive accounts from Camp Australia for any After School Care attendance.

Junior School Assemblies

Junior School assemblies are held each Thursday morning in the School Gym, commencing at 8.40am and usually concluding by 9.00am. Parents are most welcome to attend. Our first Junior School assembly for the year will be held in Week 2 (Thursday 9 February). Every year level will have an opportunity to host an assembly throughout the year and you will be invited to attend when it is your daughter’s year level’s turn.

Once again, I look forward to commencing our year together and working with you and your daughter. I hope to see you at our upcoming events. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact either your daughter’s class teacher or myself should you have any questions.

Stationery Reminder

Families in the Junior School whose stationery and book packs were delivered to their homes are asked to please bring the entire pack into school on Wednesday morning. The class teachers will sort and organise the packs to suit the structures they have decided upon for each year level. Please do not cover books as this will also be done at school.

School ID Photographs

On Monday 6 February, Event Photo will be taking School ID photos in the Gym for all girls.

Please view the following schedule to see when your daughter is required to be in the Gym to have her photo taken.

Girls are required to wear their Summer uniform.

Girls who are absent on Monday will have their photo taken at another time.