Issue no. 15

From the Deputy Principal/Head of
Senior School

This week I was privileged to attend a women in leadership event presented by the Committee for Economic Development (CEDA) as part of the Women in Leadership Series. Meredith Beck (Director of Teaching and Learning) and I accompanied Georgina Sarah (Head Prefect), Madison Bateman (Deputy Head Prefect) and Megan Jenssen (SRC Chairperson). The facilitator was Professor Marie Wilson, Pro Vice Chancellor, Business and Law, University of South Australia. Judith Crompton, Chief Commercial Officer, Virgin Australia, and Lara Polini, Chief Executive, Australia and New Zealand AECOM, shared their insights and understanding of the importance of innovation and the critical role that gender diversity plays in their businesses.

To define innovation, they concurred that it meant new ideas and the pursuit of creativity. Both women explored the importance of listening to people, and acknowledged that the best ideas are often formed from within their workforce. This resonated with the girls and me as the Year 12 leadership team works well. During their fortnightly meetings they share their ideas and explore what they are doing within their portfolios. This open dialogue and ‘face time’ allows them to fully explore their capacity to lead and learn what is happening in all areas of the School. They listen to each other and work collaboratively to create new ideas.

I have also been most impressed about how the Student Representative Council (SRC) are currently working on consolidating the uniform rules for the Middle and Senior Schools. Conversations have occurred in Home Groups, which help to form ideas that the representatives have brought to the full SRC. The SRC is currently finalising this document to present to Ms Shea and the Heads of Sub-Schools. They have listened to each other and collaborated, and I look forward to hearing their thoughts and recommendations.

The speakers also explored how to keep momentum and maintain morale as leaders. This year the Full School Assemblies have been run by the senior students. In their planning days prior to the commencement of 2016, they indicated their desire to take ownership and model leadership to the student body. The momentum has grown to the point where they are solely responsible for welcoming, presenting and inviting guest speakers, and the student body respects their leadership.

Of interest at the forum was the question posed about ‘new thinking’ and where they saw their businesses progressing. ‘Technology’ was the response from both women. The use of apps and the ability to have and provide instant connection and information were presented as a crucial development of the future. Drones were emphasised as having the ability to access areas and information and that the field of engineering, design and construction will only grow as the demand increases. This event provided our senior leaders, as nearly new graduates, with the opportunity to hear what innovative women are doing in the world of business.

A leader’s capacity to implement change requires perseverance and vision. I could not go past sharing this example with the community. Currently, Amira Shahin, Freya Ware and Holly Steer in Year 10 have been working tirelessly developing a business plan on an innovative idea, named ‘Saints café’. The girls have presented their plans to Senior Leadership and are now looking at ensuring they can staff their dream with other Year 10 students. They report to a Board consisting of the Senior Leadership Team, and their mentor teacher, Sarah Casson, has supported them in this journey. This week they employed Year 10 students, trained their staff and will have a trial run with senior students and staff at Friday lunchtime.

We wish these students every success in this venture and I admire their innovation and entrepreneurial skills.

Kerry Skinner
Deputy Principal/Head of Senior School

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Music Update: Recap from the Piano Recital

The past two weeks have been a very busy time for the staff and students in the Music Department, with four performances being held across our sub-schools. Last Wednesday we had our piano recital celebrating the purchase of our new piano and featuring 11 girls from Years 1 to 10 performing some extremely high quality and entertaining piano pieces. The event, held in MB 120, was well attended with over 50 parents and students enjoying our new music studio and Yamaha piano. The second half of the concert featured guest pianist, Ashley Hribar, who delighted us all with three amazing contemporary piano pieces ‘christening’ our new piano for us.

On Sunday afternoon students from Years 8 to 12 performed at St David’s Church, presenting an hour-long concert to parents, friends and the local church community. Compared by our Music Captain Amelia French, it was a lovely opportunity to hear the development of many of our scholarship and senior music students supported by Sue Mears, our highly talented and musical accompanist.

On Monday we held a jazz night in our new music studio, enjoying this new performance space by utilising the intimate, purpose-built space and adding couches, lamps and cafe tables to create a club-style atmosphere for our performers. Parents and friends enjoyed a night of amazing Jazz music from girls in our Thursday Club, the Jazz Vocal Quartet and the Senior Rock Band, supported by professional musicians, Mike Bevan, Logan Watt and Robyn Habel. This night is quickly becoming a ‘must-see’ event on our Music calendar.

And finally, on Tuesday girls from Reception to Year 7 were entertained by ‘Kaboom’, a touring percussion duo who entertained the girls with wonderful percussion music, crowd participation and even choreographed percussion compositions. Our Senior Percussion Ensemble also made an appearance, hoping to motivate some of our students to join our new percussion ensemble. Our first ‘come and try’ rehearsal will be in MB 120 on Wednesday lunchtime, Week 5, for any girls in Years 5, 6 or 7 interested in being a member of this new group; no experience is necessary.

Tickets go on sale shortly for the Winter Concert. This year we have over 170 girls participating. It is sure to be a wonderful night of music showcasing the talents of our girls.

Sally Rounsevell

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The Scholastic Book Fair

The Scholastic Book Fair will be held next week in the Junior School Library.  It will open before school from 8am, at lunchtime and after school until 4pm.The fair encourages students to become ‘reading creatures’ of habit. The theme, Monster Book Fair: Reading Is So Much Fun, will see children, families and teachers become thrilled as St Peter’s Girls transforms into a special place where fun, friendly, imaginary monsters encourage reading.

With all of this over-the-top fun, students are bound to find the perfect books for themselves.

 

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School Banking Account Opening Day

St Peter’s Girls’ School is excited to offer the Commonwealth Bank School Banking program to all students.

The School Banking program provides children with an opportunity to deposit money into their Commonwealth Bank Youthsaver account at School each week. The program is about how often your child makes deposits, not how much they deposit.

To encourage regular savings behaviour the program offers an exciting Rewards Program. Every deposit earns your child a Dollarmites token, and once they’ve collected 10 tokens they can redeem them for a reward.

The rewards available during 2016 are:

• Flying Snake Tail  
• Wildlife Writer Set
• Mud Splat Handball
• Outback Pat Bag Tag
• Backtrack Eraser Pen
• Jump and Skip Rope
• Bush Fly Fan
• Wriggly Glow Worm

We will be holding an Account Opening Day at our School:

Time: 9am-10am after Assembly
Date: 3 June 2016
Location: Arts Centre Foyer

If you are interested in opening a Commonwealth Bank Youthsaver account for your child, please bring along your current driver’s licence or another form of photographic identification.

Alternatively, you can open an account at your local branch. All you need to bring is your current identification as well as your child’s birth certificate. If you are an existing Commonwealth Bank customer and have NetBank, you can open an account online.

If you would like to know more about School Banking, information packs are available from the Front Office or you can collect one from your local branch. Your closest branch is at Burnside Village.

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Pru is coming to St Peter’s Girls’ School!

Pru is coming to talk to us about the Commonwealth Bank School Banking program.

The School Banking program includes an exciting and exclusive Rewards Program that encourages students to get into the habit of saving regularly.

Every time your child makes a deposit at School they receive a silver Dollarmites token. Once students have individually collected 10 tokens they can redeem them for an exclusive School Banking reward item in recognition of their regular savings habits.

Pru will be excited to see you all on 3 June 2016.

Remember, School Banking day is every Wednesday.

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Vegemite and Jam Drive

This term the Year 10 Kennion girls will participate in a Vegemite and Jam Drive. The donations will support the Kennion house charity, Kickstart For Kids. All Home Groups from Reception to Year 12 are encouraged to participate by bringing in jars of vegemite and The donations will support the Kennion house charity, Kickstart For Kids. All Home Groups from Reception to Year 12 are encouraged to participate by bringing in jars of vegemite and flavoured jams. The Home Group which brings in the most grams of jam and vegemite will win a pizza lunch at the end of the term. The jars that are donated will be given to the Kickstart For Kids school breakfast programs. These programs run in many schools across the state. Currently, the Year 10 Kennion girls run a breakfast program in a primary school every Thursday. The volunteers prepare breakfast foods for the girls and boys who may not have had breakfast that morning. The Year 10 volunteers also have the opportunity to talk and get to know each of the students. Occasionally, they will also read them books and teach the younger primary students simple spelling and maths. We are looking at expanding this program soon, so that Year 8s and 9s will be able to experience this as well.

We appreciate the support of the St Peter’s Girls community in helping us to raise donations for this amazing charity.

Alexandra Reade, 10KEN

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Attention all shoppers: Join our trip to Melbourne

Join us for the first ever St Peter’s Girls Shopping Trip to Melbourne!

In conjunction with Peregrine Travel, parents are invited to join this fabulous trip to Melbourne.

This all inclusive package includes return flights, transfers and 5-star accommodation located in the heart of the city. Stroll to theatres, restaurants and laneway bars. Docklands, the Paris end of Collins Street, Southbank, and South Melbourne are all close by.

Also included is an exclusive ‘Money Can’t Buy’ after-hours shopping experience at Myer, with drinks, food and a private stylist!

Event Details:

Date: 13 – 14 August 2016
Price: Only $695.00 per person.

Funds raised will go towards the redevelopment of the Middle School Redevelopment Project.

Tickets can be booked via www.trybooking.com/LEPB or contact Blaga on 0448 650 130 for more information.

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Mothers unite to enjoy a night out

On Friday 13 May the Mothers’ Club hosted their annual Mums Night Out at the beautiful home of Shan Bau. This year we were blessed by the weather gods, and did not have to contend with a downpour, as we have in the past!

70 Saints Girls mothers attended the evening, raising $6000. This will go towards the Middle School redevelopment.

Events such as this are not successful without the outstanding generosity of our community. I would like to take this opportunity to thank our raffle prize donors: Blaga Dimauro, Amelia and Oliver Porter, Anna Dimond, Tracey and Stuart Hunt, Jo Fidler, Carmen and Douglas Gautier, Kerry Reade, Ashvini Rajbhoj, Nilanthi Di Silva, Barney Habel, plus Orbe Salon at Norwood.

The ladies were certainly well fed on the evening with food donated by: Amelia Porter, Natalie Elliott, Kerry Reade, Susanna Anderson, Nikki Reid, Emma Bradshaw – Rustic Gourmet, and Leanne White. Plus: Woolworths Marryatville and Foodland Norwood.

Thank you to the Mothers’ Club for your help in putting together another fantastic Mums Night Out, and especially to all those who attended.

Emma Robinson

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Host Families Needed

Following the successful Junior School Korean cultural exchange program which has been operating over the past 10 years, the School has again been invited by Oden International to be part of this program during Term 3 this year.

The 2016 program will follow the same format as previous years’ and involves hosting a Year 4 or Year 5 student for a seven week period. The students will attend St Peter’s Girls during this time and will be accompanied by an Oden staff member, Ms Kris Lee, who visits the School daily to support the girls. The students will be arriving on Saturday 23 July 2016 and will depart on Monday 12 September 2016. It is anticipated that 4 – 6 students will be participating in the program in 2016.

To enable planning for this valuable program, we require families from our School community to host these students during their stay in Adelaide. Families will be reimbursed $270 per week for the student’s care, and an information and orientation program will be provided to families that are hosting.

If you are interested, please contact Jess Geraghty on 8334 2215 or email jgeraghty@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au.

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Sports News

If you have any further news items or sporting success stories, please email them through to me on: nfuller@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au.

Junior Netball

Year 6 Blue – Saints 12 defeated Seymour Green 7

The Blue team played their second game of netball for the season and the girls played an amazing game. The best players for this week were Adele Eaton for her incredible defence and Mia Humphrey for her great work as centre. However, we would like to congratulate all the girls on their teamwork and individual game play. Chanel Stefani and Ava Loechel (Coaches)

Year 6 White – Saints 9 defeated by Seymour White 29

This week saw an impressive improvement in play, with our girls controlling possession of the ball as well as having a strong presence on court for the duration of the game. Saints brought enthusiasm and determination to the court once again, and made coaching and watching an absolute joy. Well done to our shooters, Kate Hunt, Chase Hocking, Eva Young and Charlotte Adams, and to Deepali Asundi who handled the ball a few times in only her second ever game of netball. Grace Russo (Coach)

Year 5 Blue –Saints 44 defeated St Andrews 0

The girls put in another great performance this week. Each girl gave their best effort and worked together to maintain consistency across the whole game. All the girls should be proud of the sportsmanship they showed. Our shooters were very accurate, which helped us to have such a strong win. As well as this, defenders were strong and kept the ball out of the opposition’s third. Georgia Naughton (Coach)

Year 5 White – Saints 25 defeated Wilderness Green 1

The girls had a really good game, their shooting was incredible and their defence was strong. Players in the mid-court also did a good job of bringing the ball down the court to provide opportunities. The coaches were really pleased with the girls’ ability to apply their knowledge and new skills from training within the match. Rachel Kameniar (Assistant Coach)

Open Soccer

Open A – Saints 2 defeated Concordia 0

The Open A soccer team kicked off the season with a great win against Concordia. All the girls showed great determination and fought hard until the final whistle to pull off a convincing win. Special mention to our goal scorers, Olivia Law and Dominique Rigby.  We hope to continue our strong form throughout the season. Krystina Dianos (Captain)

Open B – Saints 2 drew with Concordia 2

The team started the season with a draw against Concordia. The girls played well for the whole game. A special mention to Sara Possingham who dominated the midfield and also Ruby Oliver and Wilhelmina Fowler who were solid in defence. Overall, a great team performance. Keep up the good work! Peter Krantis (Coach)

Middle A – Saints 5 defeated Woodcroft 1

Saints kicked off the 2016 season with a solid win over Woodcroft. Right from the start of the game our forwards, Amelia Woods, Chloe Deieso, Amy Carrodus, Sarah Matheson and Matilda Braithwaite, applied maximum pressure to the opposition by passing the ball between themselves to open up Woodcroft’s defence. Meanwhile, our defensive players, Siena Kulinski, Rachel Banham, Eleanor Anderson, Harriett Gilroy, goalie Isabel and Tahlia were able to repel almost every opposition attack on our goals and then kick the ball downfield to our forwards. All the girls in the team played a vital role in this victory, and their efforts capped off a very successful start to the year. Goal Scorers: Amelia Woods 2, Amy Carrodus, Matilda Braithwaite, Chloe Deieso. Best Players: Amelia Woods, Siena Kulinski, Amy Carrodus. Mr Morton (Staff Supervisor)

Year 7 – Saints 1 defeated by Concordia 9

The girls came up against a very good side in Concordia. It was the girls’ first game on a bigger pitch and it took them a while to adjust to the size. They never gave up. Remain positive, girls, and keep working hard at training!
Alessandro (Coach)

Cross Country – East Adelaide Carnival

Saints sent a small but strong group pf runners to the East Adelaide District Carnival held in the Parklands adjacent Prince Alfred College. Molly Dwyer got the day off to a great start winning the 10-Year-old age group with Dani Cox running very well to place 15^th overall.  Noa Goddard then made it two wins for Saints when she won the 11-Year age group. Emily Baldwinson 5^th, Eleanor Humphrey 8^th, Fleur Maris 10^th and Lily-Rose Spartalis 12^th ensure that Saints were prominent in the top place getters. In the 12-Year age group Portia Maerschel finished 7^th closely followed by Imogen Elliott in 8^th. Our lone runner in the 13-Year-old girls event Sakia Jonats placed 8^th overall. Neil Fuller (Director of Sport)

Minkey Hockey

Year 4/5 – Saints 7 defeated by Seymour 8

Overall, this was an extremely close game and both teams played extremely well! I was impressed with both the defensive and attacking efforts throughout the game, with strong passes and dribbling being a highlight. Best players this week were Bridgette Leach and Helen Zhang, who both showed great skill and continually used the width of the pitch throughout the game! Great effort, girls! Alice Tyson and Kate McKellar-Stewart (Coaches)

Badminton

Congratulations to all the girls on yet another successful round of games and the Open A
team for their two consecutive wins. We really appreciate the commitment shown by all the girls at training sessions, along with their enthusiasm to deliver their best on Saturday mornings. We can already observe many technical and tactical improvements in the girls’ games and hope they continue this good form throughout the season. Kritika Mishra and Alice Powell (Co-Captains)

Open A – Saints 4 defeated Pembroke 2
Best player: Emily Murdock

Open B – Saints 5 defeated Pembroke 1
Best players: Cate Neale and Laura Sivewright

Open C1 – Saints 2 defeated by Pembroke 4
Best players: Amy Li and Lola Dimond

Open C2 – Saints had a bye

Open D1 – Saints 2 defeated by Pembroke D 4
Best player: Amelie Dunda

Open D2 – Saints 2 defeated by Pembroke F 4
Best player: Candy Feng

Open E – Saints 3 defeated by Pembroke 5
Best players: Meredith Li and Ashleigh Rogers

Hockey

Open A – Saints 9 defeated Pembroke (B) 0

Saints put in a strong performance, only allowing the ball into our defensive half briefly and when it did, our defenders tackled well; there was also an excellent save by Gracie Edwards. The game consisted of strong teamwork, with goals by Natasha Hammond (4), Lara Khoury (2), Paris Dudley, Olivia Teh, and Alice Tyson. Excellent attack and efforts throughout the game by everyone! It was positive to see the improvement being shown and some skills that were being taught at training coming off during the game. We look forward to improving again this week. Dan Searle (Supervisor)

Open C – Saints 3 defeated Pembroke 0

Saints fought well, using complex skills that they have been focussing on during training sessions. It was exciting to come off with a win, proving that the girls are combining well as a team. Well done to all the girls who played, especially Renee Lawrence who was strong over the ball in the defence, clearing it out successfully many times. Sophie Fry (Captain)

Lacrosse

Under 18 – Saints 10 defeated by Burnside 19

After a great performance last week, the girls faced strong opposition in Burnside. Harriet Maerschel (Year 8) and Millisent Wilkin (Year 8) were again dominant through the midfield and on the scoreboard with 5 and 4 goals respectively, with Kate Reade (Year 8) also contributing a goal. They were well supported by Sophie Auricht (Year 10) and Olivia Compare (Year 10), who also spent the first half of the game in goals. Georgia Nairn (Year 10) collected a number of possessions out of the centre draws and ran the ball with confidence out of defence, setting up our attacking play. The girls again worked hard as a team, with persistent pressure and intensity throughout the game. To their credit they won the thirs quarter comfortably and looked set for a strong finish. Sarah Lowe (Coach)

Under 15 – Saints 11 defeated Sturt 5

Many girls have improved their defence, especially Abigail Lisle (Year 8) who knew the right time to slide towards the opposition in order to stop them from shooting goals. Scarlett Hocking (Year 8) also played great defence by showing aggression and doing many checks on the other team. Harriet Maerschel (Year 8), Millisent Wilkin (Year 8) and Portia Maerschel (Year 7) all did a fantastic job running confidently with the ball in midfield and attack. Kate Reade (Year 8) showed great skill in attack by shooting spectacular goals. All of the girls should be very proud of themselves for getting their first win of the season. Lucy Martin (Coach)

Under 13 – Saints 12 defeated Glenelg 5

All players had a good game on Saturday, with a comfortable win over Glenelg. Portia Maerschel put on a dominant display through the midfield, particularly in the centre draws. Saskia Jonats was excellent in defence, intercepting passes from the opposition and getting back with speed to help out. Dani Cox collected some fantastic ground balls, and there was excellent scoring by: Willow Stewart-Rattaray (4), Stephanie Smalls (3), Saskia Jonats (3) and Portia Maerschel (2). Portia Reppucci (Captain)

Netball

Open A – Saints 41 defeated by Pembroke 47

An all-round good effort from Saints against a very physical Pembroke team. We will focus on our passing and delivery of the ball under pressure conditions at training this week to prepare for our game against Westminster. A special mention to Olivia Habel for her strong intercepts and work in defence. Josephine Dal Pra and Madison Bateman (Co-Captains)

Open B – Saints 33 defeated by Pembroke 38

This week proved to the girls how hard work has rewarded us with success. Though it wasn’t a shield game, the girls came out fired up and showed a dramatic improvement in teamwork in the first two quarters. The shooters were amazing, with a high percentage of their shots going in, while the defenders applied a lot of pressure in the goal third. A special mention must go to the centre court players, Chelsea Jones, Georgia Bateman and Alexandra Murray, who connected the success at both ends of the court. Unfortunately, we couldn’t maintain the intensity but I’m sure that all the players agree that by winning our first two quarters of the season, it is evident that there is potential in the coming weeks. Alexandra Murray (B Captain)

Open C – Saints 11 defeated by Pembroke 23

The team showed great improvement this week, despite going down to Pembroke. It was a great full court effort from all players, with fantastic defensive pressure down the court. With players out injured the girls were able to adapt to unfamiliar positions and kept up an amazing effort throughout the game. I was particularly impressed with the encouragement the girls gave each other both on and off the court, showing promise for a few amazing games to come. Sarah Miller (Coach)

Year 10 – Saints 11 defeated by Pembroke 34

Year 9A – Saints 49 defeated Pembroke 25

The girls played really well this week. Everyone was working well together and finding space, which made it easy to get the ball down the court quickly. The Saints defence was very strong, getting a lot of turnovers and making it hard for Pembroke to enter the goal circle. The attackers had a great first half, allowing Saints to get in front. Although Pembroke put up a tough fight in the third quarter, Saints managed to extend their lead in the final quarter. Overall, a very good job, girls! Nicolette Miller (Year 9)

Year 9B – Saints 23 defeated by Pembroke 30

It was a strong game played by both teams. We really picked up as the game went along, improving our defence and efficiency in getting the ball down the court. Although we didn’t win, it was still a solid second game for the season, and we’re looking forward to improving further in the next game to come. Well done girls! Hannah Brown (Year 9)

Year 9C1 – Saints 38 defeated Pembroke 29

Congratulations to all the girls on their performance this week and having another great win! We tried many combinations on the court and all girls were willing to try some new and unfamiliar positions. Throughout the game we had great work in defence, with Zoe Wilmshurst, Zoe Vine Hall, Brooke Weymouth and Olivia Law working very well together. Our shooters and mid-court players also played a very good game by working collaboratively around the goal ring. Overall, it was a great game played by all! Ellana Welsby (Coach)

Year 9C2 – Saints 11 defeated by Pembroke 52

The score does not reflect how well we played as a team, with the girls starting with a strong first quarter. The shooters, Ebony Lohe and Marley Banham, worked well together. The girls remained positive throughout the game, despite having very little of the ball; this positivity included encouragement to their teammates. The girls should be proud of their efforts, as they continued fighting to the end against a very strong side. Chelsea Stamato (Coach)

Year 8A – Saints had a bye

Year 8B – Saints 33 defeated Pembroke 8

The girls worked cohesively as a team, and it was great to mix positions up and see where the girls shone. Attackers worked brilliantly to get the ball into our goal end quickly and precisely around the circle. Our defending girls held the opposition, and were able to put immense pressure on them as the ball came down the court. Best players to Charlotte Sellars for her impeccable shooting and Olufunto Komolafe for her defensive pressure and defensive rebounds. A special thank you also to Emma Matheson for filling in for the team this week. Emily Wishart (Coach)

Year 8C – Saints 13 defeated Pembroke 3

The girls got off with a strong game this week and used their skills from practice to secure a win. The passing was accurate and the girls were strong in defence. Overall, the players showed great determination and made positive efforts on court. Best players go to Emma and Charlotte, who both played an amazing game in attack. We are very pleased with the win and the girls should be proud of their achievement. Amy Wishart and Sophia West (Coaches)

Year 7A – Saints 25 defeated Pembroke 18

The team took what we worked on at training last week and delivered it at Saturday’s game against Pembroke. Tight defence all the way down the court meant that we had ample opportunity to open up the court and move the ball down well in to our attack. A special mention to our goalies, Amelia Pudney and Ella Waltham, who moved beautifully in the circle together, securing our win.
Michelle Blackburn (Coach)

Year 7B – Saints 10 defeated by Pembroke 12

The girls showed a lot of improvement this week. Ball movement was a lot more fluid at times; however, this was only for patches of the game. With more consistency the girls will find it easier to score. Our shooters did an excellent job, converting the majority of our opportunities. As was the case last week, the defensive side of the game was excellent, making it a challenge for Pembroke to score. Best players: Thuhansa Hattotuwa and Sara Peak. Roger Mills (Coach)

Issue no. 14

From the Director of Teaching and Learning

National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN)

Even if your daughter is not a Year 3, 5, 7 or 9 student, you are no doubt aware that the compulsory NAPLAN assessments were conducted across the nation last week. Over 1 million students sat the tests. Amidst this backdrop, there was debate through the media as to the merits of this type of test. Questions were again raised in terms of the detrimental effect it has on learning and teachers, with their focus for the tests taking away from other areas of the curriculum. There was also concern about the unnecessary pressure on young students.

Furthermore, there was discussion about the validity of this snapshot being used to measure a student’s performance in numeracy and literacy. Surely, authentic assessment involves a more holistic approach. Assessment can provide the foundation for skills development, and be a learning experience, as well as a measurement of what students know. Schools achieve wonderful things that cannot be measured in a NAPLAN assessment.

Rob Randall, the chief executive of the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), which runs NAPLAN, said that the testing is important because it “allows us nationally to see how well we’re going (in literacy and numeracy), we see NAPLAN complementing what schools have, but giving that national reference point”.

The discussion continued as teachers and students quietly carried on with the business of teaching and learning, whilst completing this annual obligation.

Parents have the choice to withdraw students from the NAPLAN; however, in my experience at St Peter’s Girls, this option is rarely exercised. Can we therefore assume that, like the School, parents do value the information that the NAPLAN adds to understanding their daughter’s skill development and progress? We know that the NAPLAN is only a small part of the picture, and that as teachers we look to many sources of information to improve teaching, and that assessment is best linked to learning and is not just a measure.

Certainly, as a School we celebrate the impressive achievements of our students in NAPLAN. The girls themselves take this type of assessment in their stride, no doubt due to the careful explanations of the process by their teachers and support of their parents. I am sure many parents sent their daughter off to school with the words, “Just do your best”. As one parent said to her daughter, “It doesn’t measure things that are special about you.”

When one walks the corridors during the NAPLAN assessment week there is an air of calm, quiet determination and concentration. It is a different kind of three days in the life of the School, but a part of life’s experience.

Whether you believe that quality classroom assessment devised by the student’s teacher has higher validity than an external assessment or see NAPLAN as an important milestone in the student’s academic life, it seems that NAPLAN is here to stay.

Meredith Beck
Director of Teaching and Learning

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St Peter’s Girls students showcase their efforts at SUBS in Schools

Team Athena, current Australian SUBS in Schools National Champions, were invited to showcase their efforts at the recent Defence Teaming Centre Awards Ceremony hosted at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.

During the evening the girls had the opportunity to interact with many political and industry leaders, including SA Premier Hon. Jay Weatherill MP. The girls were thrilled to find a willing audience keen to hear about the program. All in attendance walked away from the showcase amazed at the level of knowledge the girls already had in submarine design.

The girls from Athena, Emily Keough, Sophie-Louise Shearwood, and Fiona and Grace Dawson, will soon be heading off to the NASA Neutral Buoyancy Facility in Houston, Texas, to participate in the MATE (Marine Advanced Technology Education) ROV Competition. Their goal will be to showcase their efforts in SUBS in Schools to the world.

We wish Team Athena all of the best as they prepare for their big event in Houston.

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Vegemite and Jam Drive

This term, the Year 10 Kennion girls will participate in a Vegemite and Jam Drive. The donations will support the Kennion house charity, Kickstart For Kids. All home groups from Reception to Year 12 are encouraged to participate by bringing in jars of vegemite and flavoured jams. The Home Group which brings in the most grams of jam and vegemite will win a pizza lunch at the end of the term. The jars that are donated will be given to the Kickstart For Kids school breakfast programs. These programs run in many schools across the state. Currently, the Year 10 Kennion girls run a breakfast program in a primary school every Thursday. The volunteers prepare breakfast foods for the girls and boys who may not have had breakfast that morning. The Year 10 volunteers also have the opportunity to talk and get to know each of the students. Occasionally, they will also read them books and teach the younger primary students simple spelling and maths. We are looking at expanding this program soon, so that Year 8s and 9s will be able to experience this as well.

We appreciate the support of the St Peter’s Girls community in helping us to raise donations for this amazing charity.

– Alexandra Reade, 10KEN

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Attention all shoppers: Join our trip to Melbourne

Join us for the first ever St Peter’s Girls Shopping Trip to Melbourne!

In conjunction with Peregrine Travel, parents are invited to join this fabulous trip to Melbourne.

This all inclusive package includes return flights, transfers and 5-star accommodation located in the heart of the city. Stroll to theatres, restaurants and laneway bars. Docklands, the Paris end of Collins Street, Southbank, and South Melbourne are all close by.

Also included is an exclusive ‘Money Can’t Buy’ after-hours shopping experience at Myer, with drinks, food and a private stylist!

Event Details: 

Date: 13 – 14 August 2016
Price: Only $695.00 per person.

Funds rasied will go towards the redevelopment of the Middle School Redevelopment Project.

Tickets can be booked via www.trybooking.com/LEPB or contact Blaga on 0448 650 130 for more information.

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Have you booked your tickets yet?
ELC Art Exhibition: The Rights of the Child

The St Peter’s Girls community is invited to attend the Early Learners’ Centre Art Exhibition for 2016: The Rights of the Child.

Our launch celebration will be held in the evening on Wednesday 25 May and we hope parents can join us for what will be an enjoyable event to celebrate the children’s artwork.

Event details

From 5.30 – 7pm on Wednesday 25 May 2016
Arts Centre, St Peter’s Girls’ School
Tickets: $50 Family (up to two adults, includes drink on arrival and finger food)
Additional adults $10
Book via http://www.trybooking.com/ERJV

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Host Families Needed

Following the successful Junior School Korean cultural exchange program which has been operating over the past 10 years, the School has again been invited by Oden International to be part of this program during Term 3 this year.

The 2016 program will follow the same format as previous years’ and involves hosting a Year 4 or Year 5 student for a seven week period. The students will attend St Peter’s Girls during this time and will be accompanied by an Oden staff member, Ms Kris Lee, who visits the School daily to support the girls. The students will be arriving on Saturday 23 July 2016 and will depart on Monday 12 September 2016. It is anticipated that 4 – 6 students will be participating in the program in 2016.

To enable planning for this valuable program, we require families from our School community to host these students during their stay in Adelaide. Families will be reimbursed $270 per week for the student’s care, and an information and orientation program will be provided to families that are hosting.

If you are interested, please contact Jess Geraghty on 8334 2215 or email jgeraghty@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au.

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 2016 Census is recruiting in your local area

The Census of Population and Housing is occurring this year on 9 August 2016.

The Census provides important information about the Australian population. The data it produces is used to support funding decisions for services and infrastructure, including education.

The ABS is currently looking for 2,000 field officers across South Australia to undertake important Census field work. Experience has shown that hiring local members of the community provides the best results for the ABS and positively influences the way the Census is carried out in the area.

If you are community-minded, comfortable using a computer, mobile or tablet device, are an Australian Citizen or have the legal right to work in Australia, then jump online and apply today via abs.gov.au/careers.

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Interhouse Cross Country

In near perfect conditions, students from Reception to Year 9 competed in the annual School Cross Country fun run. Many thanks to all those students who fundraised on the day. All students who participated received House points that went towards the Cross Country Shield.

Overall House Points: 1^st Selwyn 499, 2^nd Kennion 409, 3^rd Patteson 363,
4^th Kilburn 361

Year level placegetters were:

Reception – 1^st Lauren Disney (KEN), equal 2^nd Eleanor Bartter (PAT), Stella Fuidge (PAT), 3^rd Lois Burton-Howard (SEL)

Year 1 – 1^st Isla Fahey (SEL), 2^nd Abbie An (PAT), 3^rd Imogen Pearce (SEL)

Year 2 – 1^st Alyssa Piantedosi (KIL), 2^nd Sydney Di Marzo (KIL), 3^rd Emily Bates (KIL)

Year 3 – 1^st Isabelle Birch (PAT), 2^nd Lucy Kitching (KEN), 3^rd Carla Massicci (KIL)

Year 4 – 1^st Molly Dwyer (PAT), 2^nd Claudia Pearce (SEL), 3^rd Marcella Tolley (SEL)

Year 5 – 1^st Willow Stewart-Rattray (PAT), 2^nd Fleur Maris (KIL), 3^rd Eleanor Humphrey (SEL)

Year 6 – 1^st Imogen Elliott (KIL), 2^nd Emily Baldwinson (KEN), 3^rd Chase Hocking (PAT)

Year 7 – 1^st Portia Maerschel (KEN), 2^nd Stephanie Smalls (PAT), 3^rd Rose Young (KEN)

Year 8 – 1^st Olufunto Komolafe (SEL), 2^nd Annabel Baldwinson (KEN), 3^rd Emma Carrodus (SEL)

Year 9 – 1^st Rose Pittman (KIL), 2^nd Grace Sampson (KIL), 3^rd Hannah Brown (SEL)

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Sports News

If you have any further news items or sporting success stories, please email them through to me on: nfuller@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au

Hockey

Congratulations to Hockey Captain Natasha Hammond (Year 12) who has been selected in the South Australian Country Women’s team to play in Darwin in July.

Junior Netball

Year 6 Blue – Saints 17 defeated Walford Blue 2  

What a great start to the season! The girls brought all their skills to the court and worked cohesively as a team. The great work of Isabelle Gilroy and Sophie Norman in the goal circle resulted in many goals. The defence on the court was equally as impressive, with Chloe Venning making some great intercepts. All the girls should be very proud of this outcome and we hope that this is only the start to what should be a successful season. Coaches: Chanel Stefani and Ava Loechel

Year 6 White – Saints 1 defeated by Walford Gold 43

I was incredibly proud to see great teamwork and sportsmanship displayed during the game. The girls took on feedback readily and enthusiastically, which saw the entire team improve significantly over the course of the game. Well done to all players! Thank you to the parents for the support and to the student coaches for their great work. Grace Russo (Coach)

Year 5 Blue – Saints 25 defeated Wilderness 2 

The girls all played extremely well together in their first game of the season. Everyone put in their best efforts in all areas of the court, assisting in multiple turnovers. Both ends of the court were very active, with defenders blocking the opposition from scoring and shooters adding goals to the scoreboard. Passing and footwork were very strong during the entire game. The girls should all be very proud of their efforts and look forward to the rest of the games this year and working towards improving and refining their netball skills further. Georgia Naughton

Year 5 White – Saints 8 defeated by Wilderness Red 12

The girls were impressive in their first game of the season, and even though we didn’t win on the scoreboard, we were able to show our skills and some great teamwork. Rachel Kameniar (Assistant Coach)

Badminton

It was a great start to the season with four of our teams winning their games. Our captains, Kritika Mishra and Alice Powell, are very supportive, and will report on the team’s results each week. We have many new and keen players and I look forward to another successful season. Sonya Risbey

Open A – Saints 5 defeated Westminster 1  

Best players: Emily Murdock, Kritika Mishra, Alice Powell, Nancy Huang

Open B – Saints 2 defeated by Immanuel 4  

Best players: Catherine Neale, Laura Sivewright

Open C1 – Saints 5 defeated Immanuel 1  

Best players:  Amy Li, Lola Dimond, Jiale Hu, Connie Wang

Open C2 – Saints 3 defeated Wilderness (C2) 3 

Best players: Sophia Casanova Clarke, Amelie Dunda, Michelle Yeoh

Open D1 – Saints (D1) 4 defeated Saints (D2) 2  

Best players:  Maddison Tily-Brooks, Ashleigh Rogers, Candy Feng, Amelie Dunda

Open E – Saints 3 defeated by Westminster E 6 

Best players: Natacha Zisos Troupakis, Millie Han

Hockey

Open A – Saints had a bye

Open B – Saints 0 drew with Immanuel 0

At Seacliff, the girls played an even and entertaining game against Immanuel. The first half was even at both ends, although Immanuel had the better chances but were often denied by Carla Lawrence in goal. Alice Girdler and Renee Lawrence played well in defence, with Olivia Goldsmith, Charlotte Creek and Emma Carrodus giving plenty of run and support through the midfield. Saints had a number of chances in the second half, with some narrow misses and Katherine Woolley also made some significant clearances from goal in the second half. Neil Fuller (Supervisor)

Lacrosse

Under 18 – Saints 17 defeated ETP/Pembroke 6

Saints had a fantastic first game of the season by dominating ground balls and possessions throughout the game. Our defence pressured opponents, had good checking skills and created turn overs at critical moments. Attack players maintained possession with good passing near the goal area and they showed poise for some great goals. The girls shared the ball around and it was an excellent team effort. Scorers were Hattie Maerschel (5), Portia Maerschel (3), Millie Wilkin, (2) Emma Auricht (2) Sophie Auricht (2) Ally Reade (1), Kate Reade (1) and Olivia Compare (1). Best players were Millisent Wilkin, Olivia Compare, Harriet Maerschel and Portia Maerschel. Ayako Uchikawa (Supervisor)

 

Under 15 – Saints 4 defeated by Glenelg 14

Despite the tough opposition, all of the girls were eager to play. Millisent Wilkin (Year 8) did a wonderful job running in mid-field and getting past her defender. Millisent also fought hard for every ground ball; her persistence was admirable. Kate Reade (Year 8) and Abigail Lisle (Year 8) did well in defence by going to the player with the ball and stopping her from shooting. Isabelle Norman (Year 8) was impressive in goals as she saved a number of very powerful shots. Finally, Portia Maerschel (Year 7) continuously worked hard to get the ball from centre. Although the girls did not win, they certainly improved their skills and teamwork from last week. Goal scorers were Chelsea Walls (Year 8), Millisent, and Stephanie Smalls (Year 7). Best player was Millisent Wilkin.
Lucy Martin (Coach)

Under 13 – Saints had a bye

Minkey Hockey

Year 4/5 – Saints 8 defeated Wilderness 1

All the girls played a great match to start off the season with a substantial win! Our tackling and dribbling were extremely strong and we maintained a great attitude and communication throughout the game, allowing us to get the upper hand on Wildy. Best players were Molly Dwyer and Bridgette Leach, who worked really well together in the forward line and enabled us to score several goals. Great job to all the girls for an awesome win to start the season! Alice Tyson & Kate McKellar-Stewart (Coaches)

Netball

Open A – Saints 45 defeated Scotch 27

The first shield game of the season was a success for the Open A team. Full court pressure resulted in many turn overs that enabled Saints to take the lead, particularly in the second half of the game. A special mention to Grace Dawson who worked tirelessly on an experienced attacker to keep her involvement in the game to a minimum. We look forward to developing as a squad as the season continues to ensure further success. Josephine Dal Pra and Madison Bateman (Co-Captains)

Open B – Saints 17 defeated by Scotch 54

It was pleasing to see the improvement from last week for the Open B netball girls. Each girl contributed to the flow down the court. Ella Robinson was a great addition to the team throughout the centre court and in the goal circle, while Georgia Naughton managed to force turnovers many times at the defensive end. Allexandra Murray (B Captain)

Open C – Saints 6 defeated by Scotch 54

This week saw a huge improvement in the way the girls played. They presented a much more cohesive team, displaying some great passages of play and implementing techniques worked on during training. Each week sees more refined play by the entire team. Scotch brought a tough side and our girls were under constant pressure. As the game progressed, the play became more polished and was focussed on our goal third, which was great to see. Grace Russo (Coach)

Year 10 – Saints 25 defeated Wilderness 7

It was a tough first quarter, however the longer the game went on, the more composed the girls were. This enabled us to have a good win over a tough Wilderness team. The girls took on all advice given and executed that on court. Overall the girls played an outstanding game.
Alana Coppock (Coach)

Year 9A – Saints 35 defeated Scotch 30

The girls started slowly and were down at the end of the first quarter. However, by half-time they were in front, and kept it that way for the remainder of the match. The defence, attack and midfield all played excellently and managed to keep the opposition under pressure for the entire game. The shooters (Brooke Elliott, Sivani Sivasuthan and Nicolette Miller) shot very consistently and accurately throughout the match. Overall, a great game played by both teams! Amelia Wood

Year 9B – Saints 16 defeated by Scotch 24

In defence the girls played strongly and were able to keep their opponents out of the goal circle. The centre court girls also played well, helping to get the ball down to the attacking end. The shooters moved well around the goal circle, although the shooting accuracy needs some improvement. Overall, the girls played very well. Georgina Bafile

Year 9C1 – Saints 22 defeated Wilderness 4

The girls played a great game against Wilderness this week for their first official game of the season. We started off a bit ‘rocky’ in the first quarter; however, the girls responded well to points from the coaches and played much more confident netball throughout the rest of the game. All down the court we saw some great ownership of positions and all the girls played very well as a team. This was a great start and I look forward to a great season ahead! Ellana Welsby (Coach)

Year 9C2 – Saints 7 defeated by Immanuel 27

Despite the loss, there were lots of promising aspects to the game. The girls’ strong defence allowed them to have the ball for a lot of the game and by working on connecting their attacking, the girls will be a much stronger side. The girls are working well as a team and this shows on court due to the encouragement and voice they are giving each other. They should be very proud of themselves and the season is looking promising. Chelsea Stamato (Coach)

Year 8A – Saints 37 defeated Scotch 10

It was a strong first round of the season for the girls coming away with a convincing win. During the first quarter, the goalies worked exceptionally well together to give Saints a 12-4 lead at quarter-time. Throughout the match, both defenders and centre court players were tight on their opposition and caused many turn overs. Special mention to Hannah Freeman, who got seven clean intercepts, as well as many touches on the ball when she was coming into the defensive circle throughout her three quarters on the court. Overall, a very good team effort and a great win! Vanessa Brooks (Coach).

Year 8B – Saints 27 defeated Scotch 9

The 8B girls played another terrific game, with the defenders able to hold Scotch to a small window of opportunity for scoring, and for the majority of the time our defenders did not allow the ball into the opposition’s goal third at all! In midcourt and attack the ball moved well, and it was clear that all the girls were focussing, and evidently improving, on their ability to lead for the ball. Once again, our shooters were brilliant and maximised all of their scoring opportunities, and the girls around them assisted well with positioning in the goal circle. Best players this week: awarded to Charlotte Sellars and Lucy White for their contribution to the game, and for playing a strong attacking and defending game. Emily Wishart (Coach)

Year 8C – Saints 14 defeated by Pembroke 14

The girls got off to a good start this week but due to inaccurate passing could not secure a win. However, all players showed great determination and their effort was evident on court. Best players go to Ellen Zhang and Paris Greene, who both played an amazing game in defence. Despite the loss, the girls played well as a team and should be proud of their first game. The girls all showed great potential and we are looking forward to the season ahead. Amy Wishart and Sophia West (Coaches)

Year 7A – Saints 23 drew with Scotch 23

The Year 7A team made a good start to their first game of the season against Scotch College. The team dominated in the first half of the game with strong defence down the full length of the court and a well-coordinated attack. The second half saw Scotch pick up on their attack, resulting in Saints falling behind by 3 at the end of the third quarter. Teamwork and steady nerves saw Saints claw their way back to finish with a draw. Michelle Blackburn (Coach)

Year 7B – Saints 6 defeated by Scotch 14

Shooting efficiency was excellent; however, limited supply to our attack hindered our scoring ability. Defence also stood up extremely well all day, and showed great resilience under pressure. Ball movement and player movement will be a focus at training over the next few weeks. Best players: Sara P, Harriett Gilroy, Lily-Rose Spartalis. Roger Mills (Coach)

Knockout Athletics

Saints entered 2 teams in the State knockout athletics. The strong intermediate team won their division and have earned an invitation to attend the National All Schools knockout to be held in Canberra in December. The team consisted of Rose Pittman, Jasmine Ledgard, Rachael Disney, Hannah Brown, Jemimah Simpson, Thandi Murada, Jessica Schaedel and Zoe Wilmshurst. The junior team of Charlotte Sellars, Millisent Wilkin, Harriet Maerschel, Amelia Wood and Olufunto Komolafe finished in fifth place.

Soccer

Middle B – Saints 5 defeated Pembroke 2 

The girls started the season with a convincing win. The team dominated from the opening whistle and maintained full concentration for the full game . Special mention to Ashley Piper and Lily Alexander who both had good games. Peter Krantis

Issue no. 13

From the Head of the Middle School

It was great to connect with parents at the Strategic Planning Forums at the end of last term, as well as at Parent-Teacher evenings in Week 1. One of the joys of working in a community such as ours is that parents are happy to offer constructive feedback and ask useful questions, as well as seeking help from our expert team of class, subject and Home Group teachers.

Having spoken to the Middle School Home Group teachers after Parent-Teacher interviews, and after they had also spoken to their students about the results of the Student Surveys taken last term, it was clear that a few common themes have developed. The most common ones were about clarity and advice with relation to homework expectations, tutoring and sleep.

Homework

In the Middle School we operate a homework timetable which all students have access to via Canvas, our online learning management system. Canvas also provides each student with a calendar, in which homework and assignment details are displayed as a result of having been set by the teaching staff. As students progress through Middle School, the length of homework gradually increases.

• Year 7 : 60 minutes (divided between 3 or 4 subjects)
• Year 8 : 80 minutes
• Year 9 : 100 minutes

Students are encouraged by their Home Group teacher to reflect upon the work they complete in their diary, so they are able to discuss with their teacher what they found easy, hard, or unable to complete in the allotted time. Parental support in making sure students are not spending excessive time on each task is extremely useful so that our students learn to work efficiently with regard to success criteria or rubrics, whilst also helping to prevent the onset of unhelpful perfectionistic tendencies.

Tutoring

This week all students were shown how to book a before or after school tutorial session with one of our excellent recent Old Scholar tutors, using an online booking facility. Parents, students and teachers are reporting that this service is helping to transform the learning habits and outcomes for students, and I encourage parents to discuss the potential benefits of accessing this service with their daughters. We all sometimes need some extra support, feedback from a different source, or the challenge of questioning from a different viewpoint.

Sleep 

Experts recommend that school age children regularly need between 8 and 12 hours sleep a night to remain healthy, develop well and function effectively and efficiently (depending on their age). Sleep is crucial to allow students to face the intellectual, physical and emotional challenges that being an adolescent at school provides. Much recent research has also shown the detrimental effect on the production of the sleep-inducing chemical, melatonin, that the so called ‘blue light’ emitted from screens has, especially those held close to the eyes, such as phones and tablets. Many parents enforce a ‘screen free’ period before bedtime, which has many positive consequences. Apart from allowing the body to produce melatonin more effectively, time away from screens also allows us to relax, become less stimulated, and ready ourselves for sleep. Having a rule that personal electronic devices should not be charged in bedrooms, but in a central visible place in the house, also ensures that our young people can ‘switch off’ not only from school work, but also from their connected world. Updates, notifications, iMessages and social media postings late at night can not only be distracting, but can sometimes cause anxiety, which then has an impact upon sleep.

We have a dedicated, compassionate and knowledgeable team of Middle School Home Group teachers who are happy to discuss these or any other concerns that you may have, however small you think they might be. Nicole Letch, our School Psychologist, also regularly consults with parents on a range of issues, including organisation difficulties, anxiety, friendship issues and teenage ‘boundary pushing’.

I look forward to seeing many of you in person this term either at formal school events, or on the side of a sporting venue, when I’d be keen to hear any feedback you may have about the issues raised here, or any other aspect of the Middle School.

Richard Lisle

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Musical success at Generations in Jazz!

On Friday 6 May, 28 of our talented young music students travelled to Mount Gambier to participate in the annual Generations in Jazz Music Festival. This festival is the largest of its kind in Australia, bringing together schools from every State to celebrate jazz, and to experience the finest professional musicians in the genre from Australia and overseas. This year was bigger than ever with over 271 bands and vocal ensembles, and a total of 107 schools involved. All in all, over 3700 students participated in the competition section of the festival. Feature artists for concerts and workshops included James Morrison, The Idea of North, Australian music icon, Kate Ceberano, renowned New York vocalist and trombonist, Wycliffe Gordon, and the North Texas One O’clock Lab Band, who have received 6 Grammy nominations and made more than 60 albums.

St Peter’s Girls competed in both the band and choir competitions, with Enchante achieving 1^st place in their division and awarded $1000 in prize money. Of very exciting note was the placement of our newly formed jazz vocal quartet who ranked 4^th in a field of 35 choirs and received an Honourable Mention and special congratulations from very impressed adjudicators. Head Chorister, Chelsea McGuinness, won the most promising jazz vocalist award and was given $1500 to contribute to professional development activities to pursue her career in singing. The stage band performed particularly professionally and, as with every year, once again improved upon their ranking within their division.

Here is what our students had to say:

“Having never been to Generations In Jazz, I had no idea what to expect. When we arrived at the site for the first concert, I was incredibly excited to see who would be performing, and I was blown away by the overwhelming talent of professionals such as James Morrison, Wycliffe Gordon and The Idea Of North. Sunday’s workshop included the opportunity to work with Kaichiro Kitamura, a Japanese vocal percussionist, which was incredibly entertaining and gave us enormous insight into the extremely difficult art of vocal percussion. Over the course of the weekend, the music I heard was absolutely incredible, and I can safely say I discovered a new love of jazz music.” –
Laura Bleby

“Generations in Jazz was an incredible experience for all the girls involved. The sheer amount of talent evident across the weekend was inspiring. As Year 8 vocalist and trombonist, Isabelle Norman, said, “It was the best thing I’ve ever seen!” I am so lucky and privileged to have had the opportunity to attend this festival for eight years, and all the staff and students involved this year made for an incredible final year. I cannot thank Miss Rounsevell, Mrs Noble, Ms Nicole Bates and Old Scholar, Erin McKellar, enough for making this incredible experience a reality for the girls.” – Amelia French

“Being in my final year of competing in Generations in Jazz, I found myself reflecting upon this incredible and invaluable experience, through which I have learned so much about Jazz. I would strongly encourage future girls to seize this amazing opportunity when offered to them, as I can guarantee that this event will allow you to explore and improve your understanding and abilities, and instil within you an underlying respect for what is such an influential genre within Music.” – Chelsea McGuinness

Sari Noble

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Book now! ELC Art Exhibition: The Rights of the Child

The St Peter’s Girls community is invited to attend the Early Learners’ Centre Art Exhibition for 2016: The Rights of the Child.

Our launch celebration will be held in the evening on Wednesday 25 May and we hope parents can join us for what will be an enjoyable event to celebrate the children’s artwork

Event details

From 5.30 – 7pm on Wednesday 25 May 2016
Arts Centre, St Peter’s Girls’ School
Tickets: $50 Family (up to two adults, includes drink on arrival and finger food)
Additional adults $10
Book via www.trybooking.com/ERJV

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Piano Recital: Wednesday 18 May

The School’s inaugural piano competition was held last week as a way of celebrating the purchase of our new baby grand piano. Following the competition, 12 wonderful student piano players were selected to perform at the upcoming piano recital on Wednesday 18 May at 7pm in MB120. They include:

• Ziyuan Qin 1RGR
• Lauren Pearce 3AK
• Aojin Chen 1RGR
• Alyssa Piantedosi 2SB
• Lara Maione 3AK
• Guo (Gloria) Zou 4SH
• Yishi (Helen) Zhang 5OC
• Georgia Evans 5SD
• Ebony Morelli 7RM
• Cheri Wong 7AMC
• Emily Loh 8SEN
• Mary Brownridge 9AST

The recital will also feature guest performer, Ashley Hribar. Ashley is a solo artist, improviser and composer. He has given live broadcasts for ABC Classic FM radio and is the winner of the 2005 International Gaudeamus Interpreters Competition in Amsterdam and the 2008 Michael Kieren-Harvey Scholarship. Ashley has since worked with numerous composers, including Felix Kubin, Helmut Lachenmann and Matthew Shlomowitz.

We encourage anyone with an interest in piano to come along and enjoy this wonderful free concert.

Sally Rounsevell

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Meet ‘Tex’, our NAO Humanoid Robot

As a result of its fundraising activities at the end of 2015, the Parents’ & Friends’ Association was pleased to present the School with its own NAO robot, and during Term 1 a competition was run to name it.

We received many entries and from these a  shortlist was put forward to Ms Shea. Following a scientific process of student applause, the most enthusiastic response was reserved for the local hero, Tex.

Congratulations to Grace Stewart from Year 3MRO who suggested the winning name. She will carry the bragging rights as the student that named our new robot during her time at St Peter’s Girls. Well done, Grace!

Ed Parker

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ELC Update: Tales from Reggio Emilia, Italy

From 17-22 April I was privileged to be one of 400 people from 41 countries who attended the Loris Malaguzzi International Centre in Reggio Emilia, Italy. The Early Learners’ Centre has been greatly influenced by the Reggio Emilia Project for a number of years and St Peter’s Girls has made an ongoing commitment to further our understanding and knowledge of this approach to education.

Reggio Emilia is an education city that promotes civilised co-existence of people around the world through its innovative educational programs. On the first day of the Study Tour, the Mayor of Reggio Emilia shared with us the history of the schools which were born through the courage of the women in the town who were looking to rebuild their community after the devastation of World War II. I felt a strong connection as I reflected on the beginning of our School, also founded by a group of courageous women.

The principles of the schools are based on their strong image of the child as being capable and competent and a possessor of rights. One of the many rights of children is a right to a quality school, not just any school. This image of the child is supported by their image of learning, which focusses on the learning processes rather than the content. It is underpinned by their innovative pedagogy and curriculum, thoughtful environments, documentation of learning and ongoing research. Throughout the week we attended lectures, visited the preschools, infant toddler centres and schools where we could see the teaching and learning in action, and had many opportunities to further ‘unpack’ these principles with like-minded educators from around the world.

The common thread throughout the week was the idea of the teacher as a learner. Carla Rinaldi, executive consultant for Reggio Children, eloquently explained this: The real task of the teacher is learning to teach. The child teaches us. The child teaches us the humility of learning and the beauty of learning.

I have returned to Adelaide with a deeper understanding of the role of teacher as researcher. My challenge is to create a context for learning that invites children and educators to feel curious, ask questions, research and retry, and construct hypotheses and theories and try to verify them through creative languages of expression.

Leanne Williams
ELC Key Educator

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Weetbix Come and Try-athlon

At the end of Term 1, a number of girls participated in the ‘Weetbix Come and Try-athlon’. The girls had a wonderful morning and enjoyed the chance to attempt a new sport with hundreds of other participants. Some of the girls that participated were Anushka and Ankita Rajbhoj, Ruby and Matilda Bruun, Adele Eaton, Madeleine Andrejewskis and Claudia Pearce.

Dan Searle

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Support St Peter’s Girls’ School by
moving your home loan to BankSA

BankSA has partnered with St Peter’s Girls’ School in offering our school community a great fundraising opportunity. If you’re keen to take your support to the next level while potentially saving yourself money, then this program is for you. We’ve made it really easy to further support the School, while also making sure you’re getting the best possible service and a great deal on your home loan.

To date, we’ve raised over $12,000!

If you’ve been thinking about a new place for your home loan – either to get a better rate or if it’s just time for a change – then using your home loan to support St Peter’s Girls’ School is a great option.

Not only will you get a great rate with BankSA, but you’ll also be supporting St Peter’s Girls’ School, as each BankSA home loan allows us to make a charitable donation in your name of between $1,000 and $6,000. As the SPG Building Fund has DGR status, you may be entitled to claim a tax deduction as a result of this donation.

It’s that simple

• The more home loan referrals… the more money BankSA will donate to the School
• Donation paid at settlement of the home loan
• Unlimited donation potential

Both St Peter’s Girls’ School and BankSA have a proud history in South Australia and a strong sense of community. Fostering partnerships like this enables us to support our school community and our School. By permitting BankSA to make a charitable donation in your name, you will be helping to ensure that we continue to foster girls who have a strong sense of self and who are independent, creative, critical thinkers, engaged and community-minded.

To discuss further how BankSA can assist you and make a charitable donation in your name, simply contact Michael Chrisan.

BankSA Partnership contact:

Michael Chrisan
Mobile: 0414 350 225
Email: chrisanm@banksa.com.au.

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School reminders

In the interests of student safety, we would like to encourage all visitors to report to the Front Office to sign in and out. Parents dropping into the School must sign in after 8.45am and before 3.15pm.

Car park and traffic management

The new extension to the Bell Yett car park was completed over the holiday break. Ongoing landscaping and fencing work will continue over the coming months. We hope the additional space alleviates some of the congestion around the school at peak time

The start of a new term provides an ideal opportunity to remind members of the School community about the importance of complying with the guidelines the School has developed for our car park. We want to ensure the safety of all members of our community.

The most important points to remember are:

• keep the car park entrance and exit zones clear
• use the set down and pick up zones appropriately during peak times
• obey speed limits when driving through the car park
• allow traffic flow, the car park entrance and exit zones must be kept clear at all times. Please do not queue across these areas.

In peak times, do not park in the set down and pick up zones for extended periods. When cars overstay in this area, the car park quickly becomes gridlocked, also bringing traffic on Stonyfell Road to a standstill.

Drivers must observe the 10 kilometre per hour speed limit at all times in the car park, whether entering, exiting or travelling through it. Speed limit signs are clearly displayed in prominent locations and, in order to ensure the speed limit is observed, speed humps were installed two years ago.

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OSHC Update

St Peter’s Girls is pleased to offer an Out of School Hours Care Program, including Before School Care, After School Care and Vacation Care for Primary school age students. The program aims to enrich the children’s well-being and development as they engage in a range of planned play and leisure experiences. The variety of experiences will allow them to feel happy, safe and relaxed while they interact with friends, practise social skills, solve problems, engage in new activities and learn life skills.

The Child Care Benefit and the Child Care Rebate are available for those who are eligible.

Out of School Hours Care runs from Monday to Friday during term time in the Food Technology Centre.

> Before School Care 7.30am – 8.30am
> After School Care 3.30pm – 6pm

Registrations are warmly welcome from new students. Click here for more information.

For all enquiries, please contact OSHC Coordinator, Rebecca Kranz on:

> Phone 8334 2299
> Email rkranz@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au

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Attention all shoppers: Join our trip to Melbourne

Coming soon, a group of St Peter’s Girls parents will embark on our first ever group shopping trip to Melbourne.

Keep the dates free: Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 August.

More information will be distributed early in Term 2. Numbers are strictly limited.

Enquiries can be directed to Blaga on 0448 650 130.

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Get involved in Junior School Banking

You can get involved in the School Banking program by opening a Commonwealth Bank Youthsaver account at any Commonwealth Bank branch, over the phone on 13 2221, or via NetBank if you are an existing customer with NetBank access.

Remember to take in identification for you and your child (driver’s license and birth certificate). You will receive a Dollarmites wallet and deposit book that your child will use to participate in the program.

Our school receives $5 when a student makes their first ever School Banking deposit and 5% on every deposit made through the school (to a maximum of $10 per individual deposit).

Thank you for supporting our school and helping to teach your child the benefits of saving regularly.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia ABN 48 123 123 124. Call 13 2221 at any time. As this advice has been prepared without considering your objectives, financial situation or needs, you should, before acting on this advice, consider its appropriateness to your circumstances. Full terms and conditions for transaction and savings accounts are available from any branch of the Commonwealth Bank and should be considered in any decision about the product. If you have a complaint in respect of this product, the Commonwealth Bank’s dispute resolution process can be accessed on 13 2221.

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Sports News

The official start of the Winter Season gets under way this week. All students are once again reminded to check noticeboards for team selections and other relevant information pertaining to their sport.

If you have any further news items or sporting success stories, please email them through to me on: nfuller@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au.

Sport fixtures

Winter sport draws for Term 2

> Badminton
> Hockey
> Junior Basketball
> Junior Hockey
> Junior Netball
> Netball
> Soccer

Surfing

Congratulations to Imogen Elliott who took out the third round of the State Titles on Saturday to become the U14 girls State Champion. Conditions were super challenging with 3 – 4 foot waves but very clean, which made for a great comp at The Point, Middleton. Imogen has now been offered a place to represent SA at Nationals at the end of November at Philip Island in Melbourne.

Touch Football

As part of their studies, the Year 12 PE class participated in the State Knockout touch football tournament held at Touch Headquarters, Greenhill Road, on Tuesday.

The girls played a number of close matches, having a number of tight losses to Golden Grove, Unity and Wilderness, 1-0, 2-1, 3-1, as well as a draw against Adelaide High 2-2. The girls played with enthusiasm and energy early on and improved markedly in each round before tiring in the last match. It was a great learning experience for them, having only played one competitive game before Tuesday, and they will now play in a Wednesday night touch competition throughout the remainder of Term 2. This is in readiness for their moderation later in Term 3. All girls performed well in parts of games and understood the stamina required to play, as there are so many explosive efforts expected across a game.

Hockey

Open A – Saints 0 defeated by Trinity 5

After losing nine Year 12s from last year’s team, this was our first game with a much younger team. Saints played much stronger in the second half, only letting one goal in. There are many positives from this match and players are feeling much more confident. Congratulations to Olivia Teh for winning the best-on-ground award as well as good performances from Carla Lawrence along with Kate McKellar-Stewart and Olivia Goldsmith in their first A grade game. Tash Hammond (Captain)

Open B – Saints 8 defeated Trinity 1

Saints played a fantastic game, with Katherine Woolley scoring three goals while other goal scorers were Charlotte Creek, Lucy Steele Scott, Annabelle Black, Olivia Goldsmith and Amelie Eaton. The girls were in control from the opening whistle and managed to string together a number of wonderful passing passages. Emma Carrodus used her speed to good effect, often beating her opponent to the ball, while Alice Girdler and Renee Lawrence were generals in defence, and Alyssa Woolley and Aroha Munroe performed well to complete a convincing performance. We hope to continue in this vein next weekend. Dan Searle (Supervisor)

Lacrosse

Under 18 – Saints had a bye

Under 15 – Saints 2 defeated by Brighton 19

It was a tough and challenging first match of the season. Sophie Auricht (Year 10) showed great intensity when getting ground balls and running with the ball in midfield. Harriet Maerschel (Year 8) did a great job in centre by winning many centre draws. Millisent Wilkin (Year 8) also ran well in mid-field, which enabled her to get away from her defender. Olivia Compare (Year 10) played well in defence, as she stopped several opposition players scoring goals. A big well done must also go to the two girls who played goalie – Scarlett Hocking (Year 8) and Hannah Keough (Year 8). Chelsea Walls (Year 8) scored both goals. Despite losing, the girls played well considering they have been put into Division 1 with skilful opposition. Best players were Olivia Compare and Sophie Auricht. Lucy Martin (Coach) 

Under 13 – Saints 11 defeated St Aloysius 10

The girls started the season off extremely well, given quite a few were playing their first ever game. Portia Maerschel (Year 7) began in centre and managed to win the ball consistently. Around the circle Stephanie Smalls (Year 7), Dani Cox (Year 4) and Mabel Cook (Year 3) all fought hard for the ball and quickly ran into attack. At half-time the girls were down by five goals and needed to work on having the confidence to shoot and place their shots around the goalie. Saskia Jonats (Year 7) and Jenna Maione (Year 4) did very well in defence and midfield by sticking to their players and being determined to get ground balls. Willow Stewart-Rattray (Year 5) went in goal in the second half and saved many shots that helped win the game. Goal scorers for the match were Portia, Stephanie, Dani, Saskia and Jenna. Well done to all! Lucy Martin (Coach)

Netball

Open A – Saints 50 defeated Walford 33

A great start to the season for the Open A team who displayed an outstanding performance against a competitive Walford side. It was a great full court effort from all players, with good defensive pressure down the court. The win shows a promising future for the season ahead. A special mention to Sophie Freeman for numerous intercepts and good defensive pressure that assisted with the large margin. We look forward to the successful season ahead. Josephine Dal Pra and Madison Bateman (Co-Captains) 

Open B – Saints 20 defeated by Walford 60

The start of the 2016 Open B netball season was challenging, as it was the first game in which the girls had played a team. Given that many of us played in positions we were unfamiliar with in the last quarter, it was promising to see the improvement towards the end of the game. Jessie Rundle did an excellent job in defence, getting many rebounds, while Chelsea Marchetti maintained her fantastic movement in the ring.
Ally Murray (B Captain)

Open C – Saints 18 defeated by Walford 41

The team played a good first match, which was not reflected in the score. Walford presented a tight, competitive team that we found difficult to match. Our girls stood united the whole game and took on feedback readily, which resulted in an improvement as play continued. Despite the result, Saints showed they could be a promising and cohesive team that I am excited to coach! Grace Russo (Coach)

Year 10 – Saints 10 defeated by Walford 45

The Year 10s played a spirited game against Walford, with a determination to finish the game as a strong side. The girls’ positive attitude proves that they have a promising season ahead. Grace Russo (Coach)

Year 9A – Saints 20 defeated Walford 11

Year 9B – Saints 18 defeated Walford 14

Year 9 C1 – Saints 12 defeated by Walford 20

This week the girls played a great first game against Walford. The girls were up against a tall side; however, they adapted their play well and some great passages of play were seen throughout the game. Congratulations to all the girls on their first game and I look forward to coaching this great group of girls this season. Ellana Welsby (Coach)

Year 9 C2 – Saints 17 defeated Walford 14

The girls have started their season with a win against Walford that was set up by a strong first quarter. The girls were able to get out and in front and keep this lead for the game. They were able to produce results and overcame Walford’s strong defensive pressure, resulting in a well-earned win. The girls played exceptionally well as a team and should be very proud of their first game. The rest of the season looks very promising after this week’s efforts. Chelsea Stamato (Coach)

Year 8A – Saints 27 defeated by Walford 29

Well done to all players for a very competitive first match. We led for the first three quarters, only going down to Walford in the final quarter. As this was a trial game, I moved the players around at each break, trying different combinations and players in a variety of positions. Considering this, the girls did well to adapt and maintain a high level of play for the entire match. I was impressed by the girls’ willingness and ability to be flexible with positions and I am excited for the upcoming season. Vanessa Brooks (Coach).

Year 8B – Saints 25 defeated Walford 16

The girls started strongly in their first game playing as a team, but as the opposition got warmed up, the girls had to pull together to keep their lead. All played well, and considering we only had seven players, all had to play positions that were not their preference. Regardless, they all proved themselves, and some even found new positions where they shone most! Best players to Clair Kao and Imogen Parkinson for their determination throughout the game no matter their position, but all girls should be extremely proud of their efforts and starting the season on a high! Emily Wishart (Coach)

Year 8C – Saints 23 defeated by Walford 26

The girls played very well for the first three quarters and were in the lead. However, in last quarter Walford came back strongly and the girls could not secure the win. The girls played well together as a team and we were impressed by the positive attitude, even when we came down in the last quarter. We are looking forward to the upcoming season. Sophia West and Amy Wishart (Coaches)

Year 7A – Saints 20 defeated Walford 8

The team made a solid start to the season by defeating Walford 20-8. Teamwork and a determination to not turn the ball over at every opportunity was our main strength and resulted in very few goal opportunities for Walford. A great start to the season! Michelle Blackburn (Coach)

Year 7B – Saints 14 defeated Walford 7

The girls played a great first game, with the first half being a closely fought battle. With Saints up by one goal at the end of the first half, the girls pulled away in the third, dominating the quarter, and then maintained the pressure through the final quarter to come out on top. Defensively, the girls were excellent, but most impressive was the way that some girls stood up and shone in unfamiliar positions. Roger Mills (Coach)

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Issue no. 12

From the Principal

Welcome back to Term 2.

Well, it’s that time of the year again – Federal Budget week – and with an election on 2 July I’m sure we all took more than a cursory interest.

Education funding is, of course, at the forefront of my mind. I’ve written before about the ramifications for South Australia in funding only four of the six years of the Gonski agreement. Hence, I was interested to see what the major parties were putting on the table. For those of you that haven’t had time to delve deeply into the facts and figures, I thought I’d provide a brief summary. Please note that I am referring to the policy statements on funding only.

Prior to the budget announcement, this was the situation. The Gonski model was to be implemented over six years to 2019. Every student in Australia was to be fairly funded in accordance with his or her educational needs, regardless of state or territory. Each State negotiated a different pathway but all were to arrive at the same point by the end of 2019. South Australia’s deal with the Commonwealth was heavily ‘back-ended’, whereas other states and territories, in particular the ACT, negotiated their major funding increases in the first part of the six year period. The details below, prepared by AISSA, indicates South Australia’s position at the end of 2017.

Additional funding needed for SA Independent schools to break even with other States by 2017:

• Australian Capital Territory – $28,443,127
• Tasmania – $21,930,504
• Victoria – $20,379,607
• Western Australia – $19,186,294
• Northern Territory – $18,329,483
• Queensland – $15,208,926
• New South Wales – $12,465,861

The South Australian pathway means that South Australian non-government school children will receive the lowest level of Commonwealth funding in Australia.

The policies of the Australian Labor Party and the Australian Greens remain to fully fund the Gonski model. If they implemented this policy, all states and territories would be at the same point at the end of 2019. Labor’s plan is available here.

The Liberals have announced that for the 2018 to 2020 school years, recurrent school funding will be indexed by an education-specific indexation rate of 3.56%, with an allowance for enrolment changes. The Government’s announcement equates to an additional $1.2 billion from 2018-2020 in comparison to its previously communicated position. The Government has also announced an additional $118.2 million to support students with disability for 2016 and 2017.

Given the additional funding is to be tied to a needs-based distribution model, it is not clear at the time of writing whether all schools will receive indexation of 3.56%. A copy of the Government’s plan is available here . As this indexation model works on 2017 funding levels, South Australian Independent schools would continue to receive comparatively less government funding simply because they are located in South Australia.

Clearly, like you, I’m not in a position to know whether or not either of the two major parties would successfully implement their policies if elected. But as a mother first and Principal second, nothing but equity in educational funding across the states is acceptable. My children – our daughters – deserve nothing less.

Scholarships

Previously, only current students entering Year 8 were eligible to apply for an academic scholarship. Following a review of our processes, I’m pleased to announce that there will now be a number of opportunities for current girls to apply for these scholarships. Offers will continue to be made based on performance in the ACER scholarship examinations, as that is the fairest way in which to compare internal and external candidates. Information relating to applications may be found on our website.

Staffing

There have been a number of changes in staffing at the commencement of Term 2. As Anne Kruger takes maternity leave, it is my pleasure to announce Deb Cope has joined St Peter’s Girls for the rest of the year. Following a very thorough recruitment process, our 2016 Mid-Year Reception teacher will be Alana Lesiw. Alana will spend Term 2 with us prior to formally commencing her position as Mid-Year Reception teacher from Term 3. She will spend significant time in each current Reception classroom, supporting student learning under the direction of their teachers, while gaining insight into our Reception programs and the routines and practices within the School. She will also spend some time in the ELC, getting to know the Mid-Year Reception students and enabling them to form relationships with her before they begin school in Term 3.

We welcome Nick Rylander to the Development Office. Our Communications, Manager Eliza Lanson will commence maternity leave at the end of this month and Nick will cover Eliza’s role during this period. In addition, Melissa Westgate joins the team in the role of Foundation Manager. Melissa will work closely with our community groups and coordinate the School’s Fundraising Committee.

Amanda Kimber has accepted a position as Project Officer, Learning Improvement, with the Department of Education, commencing in Week 5 this term. We wish Amanda well and thank her for her wonderful contribution to Saints Girls.

Julia Shea

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Year 6 Canberra Study Tour

On Monday 4 April, 46 excited students and four teachers boarded a plane in Adelaide bound for Canberra. This five-day tour was jam-packed with the sights and sounds of the national capital. The study tour brought to life the inquiry unit on Civics and Citizenship, based on the Central Idea, ‘A government based on democracy allows its citizens to express themselves’.

The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the National capital as part of their Civics and Citizenship education. To assist families in meeting the cost of the excursion, the Australian Government is contributing funding under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program towards those costs. The rebate is paid directly to the School upon completion of the excursion.

One of the Canberra highlights was a visit to Parliament House. The girls visited both chambers of Parliament and participated in a role play where the students debated a bill. The girls were given various roles, including Speaker, Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition and various ministers.

Our guided tour of the Australian War Memorial and, in particular, the refurbished World War I exhibit, as well as seeing the Wall of Remembrance and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier further enriched the girls’ appreciation of the Anzac spirit.

They also participated in a rocket workshop at the Ian Potter Technology Centre. In pairs the girls designed and made a rocket out of paper and card. This was then tested and finally modified to achieve the optimum distances when launched.

The girls especially enjoyed visiting the Australian Institute of Sport, where they participated in a tour of the facilities and a range of hands-on activities.

Some other points of interest were attending Questacon, visiting the Royal Australian Mint where the girls made their own coins, the Portrait Gallery, the National Archives and the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex at Tidbinbilla. It was here that the girls viewed a range of images from deep space and were given an inspirational talk about women in space and the important role they could play in the future.

Visiting Old Parliament House, taking part in our voting process at the Electoral Commission and a tour of Government House, where the girls were lucky enough to meet the Governor General, Sir Peter Cosgrove, all added to their experiences.

Since the trip the girls have been using the inquiry process to research topics of interest which were sparked by their experiences while they were in Canberra.

We greatly appreciated the support and assistance of Mrs Pauline Noblet and Mrs Helen Smith and we enjoyed watching the girls engage, absorb and enjoy so many of the activities during our week away in Canberra. It was a pleasure to take them away.

Quotes from Year 6 girls:

“In Canberra we went to Tidbinbilla Deep Space Communication Centre where we saw extremely large satellite dishes, objects they use in space and a video explaining the size of our earth compared to the rest of the planets, sun spots and how we can be involved. We learnt about how our universe works and we all loved the experience”. – Charlotte Adams

“Going to the Australian War Memorial was an amazing and emotional experience. We split into groups and toured around the memorial. The most amazing thing was ‘The Unknown Soldier’. This is a large tomb with the body of an unknown soldier in it. The soldier represents all of the men who fought and whose bodies were lost. There was also the Roll of Honour with the names of all of the known soldiers who died while in service. We could buy a poppy and put it in the wall. It was a truly mind-blowing experience and I think that we were all touched by it”. – Annie Bradshaw

“Going to Parliament House was an amazing experience that helped us learn more about the Senate and the House of Representatives. It was also fun to participate in the role play and to see the process of how a bill is passed in the House of Representatives”. – Adele Russell

“The rocket workshop in Canberra was an amazing experience which helped us to get a deeper insight into engineering and physics. We were able to construct our own rockets and shoot them into the air at an unique angle using a special machine. Then we collected all the data and figured out what was the best angle to shoot from. This was an amazing experience for everyone and what we learnt will stay with us for the rest of our lives”. – Georgia Barclay

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Reception artists shine

Inspired by their Term 1 Central Idea, ‘People play different roles in the communities to which they belong’, Reception Artists explored the role of an artist within the community.

“The people that draw themselves are artists”, said Tabitha. “Ms Casson is an artist”, said Heidi. “They (Fringe artists) were doing pretty, artist things out there with the lights”, Gabby reflected, after watching a video of the Fringe Illuminations on North Terrace.

• After experiencing, enjoying, showing curiosity and asking questions about
  numerous artworks and the artists that created them, the Reception girls started to realise that they are, in fact, artists too.
• “I am an artist because I make lots of things at home”, said Matilda. “I like being an artist because I always draw”, said Abbie.
• After discussing WHY artists make art, we discovered that sometimes artists create artwork for a specific audience (Arts PYP). The girls recognised that Ms Haddy was new to the Junior School ‘just like us’ and noticed that her new office needed some art for the bare walls. Questions were sent to her, asking her what her ‘favourite things’ and ‘colours’ were. Once they received the replies they began to create, with Ms Haddy in mind.
• Still inspired by the Fringe Illuminations the girls chose to use the light projector to help them paint their designs onto the two collaborative canvases. Ms Haddy was very surprised and happy.

Sarah Casson
Art Teacher

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School reminders

In the interests of student safety, we would like to encourage all visitors to report to the Front Office to sign in and out. Parents dropping into the School must sign in after 8.45am and before 3.15pm.

Car park and traffic management

The new extension to the Bell Yett car park was completed over the holiday break. Ongoing landscaping and fencing work will continue over the coming months. We hope the additional space alleviates some of the congestion around the school at peak time

The start of a new term provides an ideal opportunity to remind members of the School community about the importance of complying with the guidelines the School has developed for our car park. We want to ensure the safety of all members of our community.

The most important points to remember are:

• keep the car park entrance and exit zones clear
• use the set down and pick up zones appropriately during peak times
• obey speed limits when driving through the car park
• allow traffic flow, the car park entrance and exit zones must be kept clear at all times. Please do not queue across these areas.

In peak times, do not park in the set down and pick up zones for extended periods. When cars overstay in this area, the car park quickly becomes gridlocked, also bringing traffic on Stonyfell Road to a standstill.

Drivers must observe the 10 kilometre per hour speed limit at all times in the car park, whether entering, exiting or travelling through it. Speed limit signs are clearly displayed in prominent locations and, in order to ensure the speed limit is observed, speed humps were installed two years ago.

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OSHC Update

St Peter’s Girls is pleased to offer an Out of School Hours Care Program, including Before School Care, After School Care and Vacation Care for Primary school age students. The program aims to enrich the children’s well-being and development as they engage in a range of planned play and leisure experiences. The variety of experiences will allow them to feel happy, safe and relaxed while they interact with friends, practise social skills, solve problems, engage in new activities and learn life skills.

The Child Care Benefit and the Child Care Rebate are available for those who are eligible.

Out of School Hours Care runs from Monday to Friday during term time in the Food Technology Centre.

> Before School Care 7.30am – 8.30am
> After School Care 3.30pm – 6pm

Registrations are warmly welcome from new students. Click here for more information.

For all enquiries, please contact OSHC Coordinator, Rebecca Kranz on:

> Phone 8334 2299
> Email rkranz@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au

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Mums Night Out

Only one week to go until the Mums Night Out! Following on from the success of the Dads Night Out, the Mothers’ Club are excited and looking forward to hosting another fabulous event. This is a wonderful opportunity to get together with other Mums from school and have a proper catch up, rather than the usual quick ‘hi / bye’ in the car park.

There will be delicious canapés, beverages and, of course, the candy bar!

Plus, there is a beautiful door prize for those attending, and many raffle prizes to be won! So don’t miss out, as tickets are capped!

Date: Friday 13 May from 7-11pm
Venue: 61 Hewitt Avenue, Rose Park
Tickets: $55 – Includes a glass of champagne on arrival, finger food and door prizes.

Click here to book your tickets!

Hope to see you there!

Emma Robinson
Mothers’ Club President

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Save the Date: ELC Art Exhibition: The Rights of the Child

The launch celebration for the ELC Art Exhibition: The Rights of the Child will be held in the evening on Wednesday 25 May. We hope you can join us for what will be an enjoyable event to celebrate the children’s artwork.

Another exciting event that the ELC will be holding is the Grandparents and Special Friends Afternoon Tea.  We hope to see many guests join us for this special community celebration, to be held from 1.30pm.

Parents wishing to attend the evening launch can book tickets via www.trybooking.com/ERJV.

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Support St Peter’s Girls’ School by
moving your home loan to BankSA

BankSA has partnered with St Peter’s Girls’ School in offering our school community a great fundraising opportunity. If you’re keen to take your support to the next level while potentially saving yourself money, then this program is for you. We’ve made it really easy to further support the School, while also making sure you’re getting the best possible service and a great deal on your home loan.

To date, we’ve raised over $12,000!

If you’ve been thinking about a new place for your home loan – either to get a better rate or if it’s just time for a change – then using your home loan to support St Peter’s Girls’ School is a great option.

Not only will you get a great rate with BankSA, but you’ll also be supporting St Peter’s Girls’ School, as each BankSA home loan allows us to make a charitable donation in your name of between $1,000 and $6,000. As the SPG Building Fund has DGR status, you may be entitled to claim a tax deduction as a result of this donation.

It’s that simple

• The more home loan referrals… the more money BankSA will donate to the School
• Donation paid at settlement of the home loan
• Unlimited donation potential

Both St Peter’s Girls’ School and BankSA have a proud history in South Australia and a strong sense of community. Fostering partnerships like this enables us to support our school community and our School. By permitting BankSA to make a charitable donation in your name, you will be helping to ensure that we continue to foster girls who have a strong sense of self and who are independent, creative, critical thinkers, engaged and community-minded.

To discuss further how BankSA can assist you and make a charitable donation in your name, simply contact Michael Chrisan.

BankSA Partnership contact:

Michael Chrisan
Mobile: 0414 350 225
Email: chrisanm@banksa.com.au.

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IPSHA Junior Orator Competition

Towards the end of Term 1, Year 5 students had the opportunity to participate in this year’s IPSHA (Independent Primary School Heads’ Association) Junior Orator Competition. All Year 5 girls prepared a speech on one of several set topics and presented it to their peers and teachers. Six girls were then chosen to represent their year level in the preliminary (internal) round of the competition during which they needed to present both their prepared speech and a short notice speech. Bronwyn Gautier, Poppy Marshall, Adelaide Murphy, Georgia Parsons, Ruby Richards and Willow Stewart-Rattray all presented extremely well and confidently managed the task of preparing an impromptu speech in just 20 minutes. The Junior Orator Competition is a fabulous opportunity for students to consider and practise attributes of engaging speech-making and we congratulate all of our Year 5 girls on the high quality of their presentations. Poppy Marshall gained first place in the preliminary final and will be representing the School at the semi-finals in May. We wish her all the best. We thank Mrs Olivia Coulter for coordinating the Junior Orator Competition at Saints Girls this year.

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Generations in Jazz this weekend

Good luck to the 28 girls travelling to Mt Gambier to participate in this year’s Generations in Jazz Festival. This year we have 2 choirs competing, as well as our Stage Band. The Jazz vocal quartet, featuring Chelsea McGuinness (Yr 12), Tiffany Babidge (Yr 10), Sarah Brownridge (Yr 11) and Hannah Brown (Yr 9), will compete in Div 2 and Enchante will compete in Div 3. There are over 60 choirs participating at GIJ from across Australia this year. Stage Band is entering Div 2 and will be one of 30 bands in this Division this year. There will be over 4000 students attending the Festival, the biggest attendance yet. The girls are looking forward to sharing their performances with other like-minded students and getting feedback from music legends such as James Morrison and Kate Ceberano.

We wish our performers all the very best.

Sally Rounsevell
Director of Music

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Entertainment Books are coming!

Once again, the Mothers’ Club is offering community members the chance to purchase an Entertainment™ Book or Digital Membership and help raise money for the School.

We’re pleased to partner with Entertainment™ again this year, where 20% of the proceeds contributes towards the refurbishment of the Middle School!

By now, all families from ELC to Year 12 should have received a letter outlining the order process. A book will be sent home to each family next term – at which point you can decide whether to return it or provide payment.

If you would prefer not to receive a book, please complete the form at the bottom of the letter sent home.

You can also submit a pre-order before 16 April 2016 and you will receive over $170 worth of additional offers that you can use right away!

Entertainment™ Memberships are packed with thousands of up to 50% OFF and 2-for-1 offers for the best local restaurants, cafés, attractions, hotel accommodation, travel and much more.

Available as a traditional Entertainment Book – or – Digital Membership on your smartphone, your Membership gives you over $20,000 worth of valuable offers valid through to 1 June 2017.

You can pre-order today at www.entertainmentbook.com.au/orderbooks/161p201

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Join our piano competition

The School’s inaugural piano competition was held this week as a way of celebrating the purchase of our new baby grand piano.

Ten students from across the Junior, Middle and Senior School will be chosen from the competition to perform on our new grand piano at our recital on Wednesday 18 May at 7pm in MB 120.

We look forward to the final performance on Wednesday 18 May. Please join us for what will be a lovely evening.

Sally Rounsevell
Director of Music

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Attention all shoppers: Join our trip to Melbourne

Coming soon, a group of St Peter’s Girls parents will embark on our first ever group shopping trip to Melbourne.

Keep the dates free: Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 August.

More information will be distributed early in Term 2. Numbers are strictly limited.

Enquiries can be directed to Blaga on 0448 650 130.

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Get involved in Junior School Banking

You can get involved in the School Banking program by opening a Commonwealth Bank Youthsaver account at any Commonwealth Bank branch, over the phone on 13 2221, or via NetBank if you are an existing customer with NetBank access.

Remember to take in identification for you and your child (driver’s license and birth certificate). You will receive a Dollarmites wallet and deposit book that your child will use to participate in the program.

Our school receives $5 when a student makes their first ever School Banking deposit and 5% on every deposit made through the school (to a maximum of $10 per individual deposit).

Thank you for supporting our school and helping to teach your child the benefits of saving regularly.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia ABN 48 123 123 124. Call 13 2221 at any time. As this advice has been prepared without considering your objectives, financial situation or needs, you should, before acting on this advice, consider its appropriateness to your circumstances. Full terms and conditions for transaction and savings accounts are available from any branch of the Commonwealth Bank and should be considered in any decision about the product. If you have a complaint in respect of this product, the Commonwealth Bank’s dispute resolution process can be accessed on 13 2221.

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Sports News

The official start of the Winter Season gets under way this week. All students are once again reminded to check notice boards for team selections and other relevant information pertaining to their sport.

If you have any further news items or sporting success stories please email them through to me on: nfuller@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au.

Summer Interhouse – Friday 24 April

The annual Interhouse Cross Country was held in near perfect conditions for students in Reception through to Year 9 and participation of the event was very high, as was the spirit within each House.

It was Kilburn who took out the overall Junior teeball title with the Middle/Senior results going:

Tennis – 1^st Kennion, 2^nd Selwyn, 3^rd Patteson, 4^th Kilburn

Basketball – 1^st Kilburn, 2^nd Kennion, 3^rd Patteson, 4^th Selwyn

Volleyball – 1^st Kilburn, 2^nd Kennion, 3^rd Selwyn, 4^th Patteson

Softball – 1^st Kilburn, 2^nd Patteson, 3^rd Kennion, 4^th Selwyn

Athletic News

Congratulations to Sophie Barr (Year 7) who in the holidays competed at the National Little Athletics Championships. While not achieving a personal best, she finished 4^th overall in the discus.

In the last week of term the Years 8-12 Athletic team successfully won promotion from Division A2 into the premier A1 division for next year. Students who placed in the top 3 in their events were:

Madison Batemen – Open 100m 3^rd, Open Triple Jump 3^rd, Open Long Jump 1^st

Rachael Disney – Under 16 100m 2^nd, Open 200m 1^st, Under 16 400m 1^st

Rose Pittman – Under 15 100m 1^st, Under 15 400m 1^st, Under 15 800m 1^st

Millisent Wilkin – Under 14 100m 3^rd, Under 14 400m 3^rd

Holly Cunningham – Open 200m 2^nd, Open 1000m Steeplechase 2^nd

Charlotte Kelly – Under 16 Hurdles 2^nd

Zoe Wilmshurst – Under 15 Hurdles 2^nd, Under 15 Shot Put 1^st, Under 15 Discus 1^st

Funto Komolafe – Under 14 Hurdles 3^rd, Under 14 High Jump 3^rd

Jemimah Simpson – Under 15 200m 2^nd

Thandi Murada – Open 400m 2^nd, Under 16 800m 1^st

Bethany Cross – Open 1500m 2^nd,

Anna Cross – Open 3000m 2^nd

Hannah Brown – Under 15 Triple Jump 2^nd, Under 15 Long Jump 2^nd

Jessica Schaedel – Under 15 High Jump 1^st

Jasmine Ledgard – Open Shot Put 1^st, Under 16 Shot Put 1^st, Under 16 Discus 1^st, Under 16 Javelin 1^st

Charlotte Sellars – Under 14 Shot Put 2^nd, Under 14 Discus 2^nd, Under 14 Javelin 2^nd

Abbey Goodwin – Under 16 Javelin 2^nd

Nicolette Miller – Under 15 Javelin 2^nd

Hockey News

The Burnside Hockey Club is looking for junior hockey players aged between 8 and 15. If you are keen to try a new sport and play club hockey, then this is for you. All matches are played on Sunday mornings.

Training – is conducted at Prince Alfred College hockey pitch, The Parade West, Kent Town, on Thursday evenings – U9 and 11 between 5 and 6pm and U14 between 6 and 7pm. If you are interested, please email or call  Kate Holland on kate.holland@csiro.au or
0437 741 544.

Swimming News

Congratulations go to Emily Baldwinson, Lily-Rose Spartalis and Poppy Marshall who have all been named in the South Australian team to compete at the School Sport National Championships to be held in Darwin in September. Apart from individual races, it is an outstanding effort that all 3 will team together to swim in the Medley Relay.

Term 2 events

• Friday 6 May – Soccer skills commence (Reception to Year 6)
• Saturday 7 May – Badminton, Hockey and Netball matches commence (Years 7 to 12)
• Monday 9 May – Gymnastics commences (Years 3 to 6)
• Wednesday 11 May – Junior Netball matches commence (Years 5 and 6)
• Friday 13 May – Interhouse Cross Country (Reception to Year 9)
• Friday 13 May – Junior Hockey/Minkey matches commence
• Monday 16 May – Knockout Athletics (Years 8 to 11)
• Wednesday 18 May – Soccer matches commence (Years 7 to 12)
• Thursday 19 May – East Adelaide SAPSASA Cross Country (Years 4 to 7)
• Saturday 21 May – Aerobics preliminary finals
• Thursday 9 June – State Cross Country Championships (Years 4 to 12)
• Saturday 25 June – Aerobics state finals