Monthly Archives: March 2016

Enews – Week 8, Term 1 2016

Issue no. 8
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From the Deputy Principal/Head of Senior School

KerrySkinner_webNext Wednesday is one of my favourite events on the calendar – Choral Night!!

I am always so impressed with how the Year 12 students work with the Years 7 to 11 girls and present musical performances of such a high calibre. They only have 12 rehearsals to practise the hymn and House songs. Over the last two weeks, the School walls have heard Send down the fire of your justice arranged in a variety of ways and ABBA songs have also been sung, with some clever interpretations, in preparation for this highly contested event.

The learning that occurs in such events is so varied. I see students standing out in front of a whole group speaking, directing or conducting. I have seen students, who have never danced before, having a go with some crazy moves and then also feeling comfortable enough to input their ideas into the choreographic process. Younger students and older students work together on a common goal, and instrumentalists learn music quickly and are required to be on fully focused at every rehearsal.

On the evening we will also have two wonderful Old Scholars, Lucy Mount (2015) and Rachel Simmons (2015), return to share their musical talents with us. This allows our adjudicator, Sarah Lloyde, time to reflect and assess the Houses’ presentations against the criteria. Sarah is well qualified for this task and she has worked both nationally and internationally as a singer. She also made it to the top 16 of Australian Idol in 2007 and worked with many professionals in the music industry. I am positive she, too, will be in awe of what our girls are capable of doing.

Behind the scenes the Year 12 students have undergone numerous pressures, juggling their academic studies with this activity. So how have they developed the values we espouse that a Saints graduate will achieve? How courageous are they? It takes very brave people to stand on stage doing things that feel so unfamiliar to them. Not only are they undertaking roles that push them outside their comfort zone, but also they are doing this in front of their peers and then in front of parents. Underpinning the whole event is the development and enhancement of creativity. The girls are required to solve problems, working within an artistic and musical framework. It is with compassion that they support each other, because it is not an individual event; no one person gets all of the accolades. It is the House that shares the joy of winning. Having said that, I have observed in all competitions that Saints girls respect the fact that all students have put in hours of hard work and they acknowledge all as winners.

The camaraderie and House spirit are omnipresent. Year 12 students should be proud of their hard work. I encourage parents, as the audience on Wednesday evening, to remember that this event is yet another display of how our students are encouraged to be risk-takers and be proud of what your daughters can achieve.

I wish every House an enjoyable evening and all I can say is: ‘Mama Mia’, ‘Take a Chance on Me’. I hope all Year 12 students enjoy their evening of being a ‘Dancing Queen’ and I hope to see as many parents as possible join us – not at ‘Waterloo’ – but the Town Hall!

Kerry Skinner

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BEBRAS Computational Thinking Challenge

bebrasAs a part of the new Digital Technologies curriculum, students in Years 7, 8 and 9 participated in the international BEBRAS Computational Thinking Challenge. The aim of the challenge is to promote computational thinking amongst students. Computational thinking provides students with the skills to analyse a problem and facilitate solution development. Having computation skills enables students to have an understanding of techniques such as decomposition, pattern recognition, abstraction, evaluation and algorithms. Correctly applying these techniques will help students to successfully use, design or innovate with technology.

Students can work individually or in small groups to complete 15 questions in 50 minutes. Students are encouraged to collaborate with group members, classmates and their teachers throughout the problem-solving process. One sample question from last year’s challenge is ‘Loading Lisa’.

One of the many ways the BEBRAS challenge supports the implementation of the Digital Technologies curriculum at St Peter’s Girls’ School is by empowering students to solve real world problems with digital solutions. Digital Technologies students in Years 7, 8 and 9 will participate in the challenge again in September this year; the challenge is also open to any students in Years 3 – 12.

Monique Green
Digital Technologies & Coding Teacher

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The French Easter Story

yr2-easterIn France church bells work hard. They chime for church on Sundays. They chime for holidays. Some church bells chime to let people know what time it is – like clocks do.

If the church bells are silent, children wonder what has happened.

The church bells are silent for two days each year. They stop ringing on the Thursday before Easter Sunday. They don’t ring on Good Friday. That is the day that Jesus was crucified. They don’t ring on Saturday but they do ring out again joyfully on Easter Sunday morning. Jesus has risen from the dead.

French children are told that the church bells stop ringing before Easter Sunday because they have flown to the city of Rome to see the Pope and to collect Easter eggs for French children. The children believe the bells drop the eggs over France as they fly back for Easter Sunday.

Saints girls love hearing the story of Easter in France. They have a good understanding that many people have many different beliefs and that it is fine to believe in different things about Easter and other important events. It is during such discussions that our girls show an open mind and a willingness to accept the differences between peoples and cultures. Even though most of the students still prefer the Easter bunny story they can accept that it’s okay for people to believe in stories such as the Easter bells if they wish.

“On Easter Friday and Saturday the church doesn’t ring bells and on Easter Sunday they ring bells joyfully. When they ring, the bells drop Easter eggs in people’s gardens. I like the French Easter story because it is nice.” – Iszabella Lochowiak

“The bells drop the eggs down.” – Rose Downie

“The bells go off on Easter Friday and they leave to see the Pope and they go and collect Easter eggs and they ding and ding and ding and then all the Easter eggs fall down. The end.” – Annie Goldsmith

“In France the bells ring every day, apart from on Good Friday and Easter Saturday. They go to Italy and get Easter eggs. On Easter Sunday they drop Easter eggs all around France and then little kids get them. Little bells put the eggs in the house.” – Sydney Di Marzo

“I like that the bells ring on Easter Sunday and the eggs fall out of the bells.” – Emily Bates

Joyeuses Pâques

Nina Ferraro-Martin
French Teacher

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Year 5 experience at Sovereign Hill

yr5-camp

The field trip to Sovereign Hill is a highly anticipated Junior School experience which the girls love and this year was no exception. The learning leading up to the camp is always interesting as Australia’s history unfolds through research, literature, click-view presentations and provocations designed to extend the girls’ thinking.

Although the bus trip was long, the girls enjoyed stopping at parks along the way to have recess and lunch breaks.

After finally arriving in Ballarat, the girls were assigned their dorms and excitement built as they made their own ‘base camp’ in each room.

The first two days are always exciting as costumes are delegated, fitted and the girls morph from 21st century ‘it’ girls to proper little ladies of the 1850s who don’t run (for fear people think them unruly) and parade down the main streets of Sovereign Hill with their hands clasped tightly together and petticoats not revealing any ankles (which in those days would have been unforgivable).

In the Schools Program each Year 5 class is assigned a school, St Alipius (5OC) and the Ragged School (5SD), which most orphans attend. Sir and Ma’am ensured the girls behaved appropriately and divided them into the bubs, Years 2 – 5 and the older girls who were being suitably groomed for marriage (the thought of which was mostly abhorrent to the Saints girls).

The girls did, however, enjoy the lessons – using an ink pen, learning the alphabet backwards, writing in an old-fashioned cursive and greeting visitors who were fascinated to see our students acting and behaving like children of the 1850s.

The highlights of the camp were many and varied, from swimming at the Ballarat Swim Centre one night for relaxation to taking part in many interactive shows: Trapped which was about miners experiencing the horrendous conditions whilst mining for gold, the Red Hill Mine which contained the huge gold nugget replica of the one found in Ballarat and, of course, the ‘piece de resistance’ that was the $16 million spectacular Blood on the Southern Cross, which was truly an unforgettable experience of life of the goldfields and the Eureka Stockade, which facilitated the beginning of democracy. The MADE Museum of Democracy was also fascinating with its interactive displays and the girls marvelled at the chance to see the restored original Eureka flag.

For down time one night we all enjoyed a melodrama performed in the Victoria Theatre.

The girls were impeccably behaved and whilst they missed loved ones, they approached each learning experience with enthusiasm and open-mindedness. We were so fortunate to have Marion Littlewood, a local historian who has written books about the goldfields, to lead a tour through the Gold Museum, explaining the wonderful S. T. Gill paintings. Her knowledge of the local area from an historic and mythological perspective was phenomenal.

Again, this year’s experience was so positive on many levels, with the girls displaying resilience and maturity. We hope they’ve had a chance to share their learning with you.

Shane Davidson and Olivia Coulter
Year 5 Teachers

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Year 7 camp

yr7-camp1

All Year 7s had the opportunity to head to Robe for a week of tenting and adventure. The girls loved the chance to go adventure caving at Naracoorte Caves, donning helmets with head torches as they scrambled underground. Many enjoyed camping in tents and bushwalking to their campsite in Little Dip Conservation Park also. The girls took part in a basic skills kayaking course before heading out for a journey around the lakes within Robe. Throughout the week, all staff commented on the enthusiasm the girls displayed with each activity and are looking forward to their Year 8 camp next year.

Dan Searle
Head of PE, Health & Outdoor Education

yr7-camp2

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Making connections with language

Year 4 Japanese (W7)One of the wonderful aspects of being an ELC to Year 12 school is that the girls have many opportunities to interact with students of different ages.

In the ELC this term the Hallett Room children (4 year olds) have been learning the names of animals in Japanese and also how to express the sounds those animals make. So, when the Year 4 Japanese students prepared a play about the Chinese Zodiac and included the names of the animals and the noises they make in Japanese, the Hallett Room children seemed the perfect audience.

Practising and performing the Zodiac play has been part of the Year 4 curriculum for a number of years. However, with the introduction of the Intensive Languages Program this year, the extra lesson time has meant that the Year 4 girls could make changes to the script and really own their parts.

They had tremendous fun making simple masks and accessories to distinguish their characters and practised their parts very earnestly in preparation for the performance. The Hallett Room children made the trip up to the ‘Big School’ and watched the play in the Humzy Theatre. The younger children were entranced by the performance and the older girls loved having a ‘real’ audience to whom they could present their hard-practised work.

We look forward to more partnerships between different year levels as the year progresses.

Cindy Pitkin
Head of Languages

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Entertainment Books are coming!

entertainment-booksWe’re very excited to be fundraising with Entertainment™ this year. Order your NEW 2016 | 2017 Entertainment™ Books and Entertainment™ Digital Memberships from us today and 20% of the proceeds contributes towards the refurbishment of the Middle School!

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.

Order via www.entertainmentbook.com.au/orderbooks/161p201

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Conducting for Choirs with Timothy Sexton

spaa-choirs

On Tuesday 1 March Timothy Sexton, CEO of the State Opera and musician/conductor extraordinaire, shared some valuable and practical techniques in choir conducting with a number of our Year 12 students, as well as two enthusiastic Middle School girls. Tim also gave the workshop participants a great deal of ‘food for thought’ about how they need to direct and interact with their choirs. In a warm and humour-filled workshop, the students gained enormously from the very specific information delivered; the girls were both intrigued and amused by the rhythmic and coordination challenges presented to them.

“The conducting course was a great experience and has given me a basic knowledge on the essentials of conducting.” Jo Dal Pra (Year 12)

“I didn’t realise how much it depended on the shape you make when you conduct.” Charlotte Bleby (Year 8)

Amanda Kimber
Head of Arts

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Strategic Planning: parent forums

Thank you to all parents who recently took part in our online survey to provide your opinion on a range of issues at the School. Your feedback is very important to us and will be used as we move forward.

Our new strategic plan will outline the way forward for the School over the next three years. This document will provide a clear path of improvement across a number of areas to ensure we continue to deliver excellence in education to our students.

While the survey results are being collated and analysed, I would now like to invite parents to attend our open forums to discuss in details areas of specific concern or in need of improvement.

Parents are invited to contribute to areas such as the academic, co-curricular and well-being domains. This is a vital way for us to hear your feedback and discuss ideas in an open and transparent way. Please attend the session/s that interest you most:

> Monday 4 April – Academic
> Tuesday 12 April – Well-being
> Thursday 14 April – Co-curricular

Each session will begin with a brief overview of what we have achieved in each area over the past two years, and our initial thoughts about where we would like to head in the future. We will then open the forum for broader discussion.

All sessions will be held in the Humzy Theatre from 7pm.

To assist with catering, please RSVP at www.trybooking.com/KTQB.

As always, if you have an idea, issue or topic to raise with me, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly at jshea@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au or to make an appointment, please call 8334 2226 to arrange a convenient time.

I look forward to seeing many of you at these forums over the next few weeks.

Julia Shea
Principal

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Dads Night Out: get your earlybird ticket

Dads Night Out Enews

The inaugural Dads Night Out, ‘A Night on the Green’, will be held on Friday 1 April.

Come along for a great evening, bring a friend and enjoy some barefoot bowling at the Toorak Burnside Bowling Club.

7–11pm, Friday 1 April 2016
Toorak Burnside Bowling Club, 25 Giles Street, Toorak Gardens

To book, visit www.trybooking.com/KRNT.

Includes finger food and prizes. Drinks can be purchased on the evening.

Don’t forget the earlybird special: $30 tickets available before 29 March 2016! Tickets sold after this date will be $35.

It’ll be a fun and social evening. Remember – no bowling experience is necessary! This fundraising event is hosted by the Mothers’ Club.

Don’t forget to return your raffle tickets

We have some fabulous prizes ready, so don’t forget to return your raffle tickets to the Development Office before Wednesay 30 March to be in the running! There are plenty of prizes on offer, with the winner set to receive a fantastic four burner barbecue and meat platter – just what any Dad needs!

The Mothers’ Club would love to offer you the opportunity to promote your business at this event. If you have a product or service that can be donated for a raffle or auction prize, please let us know. Contact Emma on emmarob@bigpond.net.au.

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Vacation Care: The more, the merrier!

JS Vacation Care Enews

The next instalment of our Vacation Care program is coming up during school holidays and we’d like to extend a warm welcome to primary school aged children from the wider community to attend. Students are welcome to invite friends or siblings to share in the range of enriching activities for both girls and boys.

Junior School program – for children in Reception to Year 6

Join us for a day at the movies, a trip to the Adelaide Zoo or at a Teddy Bears Picnic. Learn to make pizzas and pikelets, create digital animation and master magic tricks that enthrall! Whatever the choice, children can enjoy a range of planned play and leisure activities, practise social skills and solve problems in a safe and relaxed atmosphere.

How it works

Your child can attend as few or as many days as needed, for full or half days, to suit your schedule and commitments. Simply pre-book the days you would like your child to attend and enjoy Vacation Care at St Peter’s Girls.

Dates

>  Week 1: Monday 18 April to Friday 22 April
>  Week 2: Tuesday 26 April to Friday 29 April

Download the April 2016 Vacation Care Program for details.

To book, visit www.stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au/vacationcare

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Camp Gallipoli

Camp-GallipoliCamp Gallipoli will be held on the night of 24-25 April this year (Wednesday night, Week 2 of the Term 1 holidays).

Through the Year 6 trip to Canberra and the Australian War Memorial and the Year 9 History curriculum’s focus on World War One, there is a very strong incentive for involvement in this event, but this is also a great opportunity for wider involvement of students and families from the whole school community.

What is Camp Gallipoli?

The Camp Gallipoli Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation established to help preserve, foster and perpetuate the unique Spirit of ANZAC commemorations. The aim is to educate students about the service and sacrifice made by Australian and New Zealand soldiers throughout World War One and conflicts since.

Following the inaugural event at Morphettville Racecourse in 2015, Camp Gallipoli has moved to the Wayville Showgrounds this year and is inviting St Peter’s Girls students and families to participate in this unique commemorative event. Each venue nationwide has an historic link to Gallipoli, World War One and other theatres of war.

As part of the promotion for this year’s event, Camp Gallipoli is offering each student two tickets as part of a package which can be activated upon online payment. This promotion will be sent home through each Home Group this week. There has been a significant reduction in ticket prices for this year ($54.95) for students, parents, teachers and community members. It promises to be a great night of community spirit, live entertainment and reflection, closing with the Dawn Service on 25 April.

If you have any queries about the event and the material distributed to each student, please contact Ms Fox at ruby@campgallipoli.com.au or 1300 951 951. Furthermore, if you have questions about how Camp Gallipoli complements the School’s curriculum, please contact me via email at: gdingwall@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au.

Gregor Dingwall
Head of Humanities

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Choral Night 2016: tickets now on sale

Choral Night Enews

Choral Night 2016 is just a few weeks away. We hope Years 7–12 families can join us for this annual highlight on the School calendar.

Tickets are now on sale to all families. A few tickets are still available, so get in quick!

Time: 7pm (doors open 6.30pm)
Date: Wednesday 30 March 2016
Venue: Adelaide Town Hall, 128 King William Street, Adelaide
Tickets: $10 each (a maximum of four tickets per family applies)

Visit www.trybooking.com/HAQC to book.

We hope to see as many parents as possible join us for what is sure to be a fun and entertaining evening.

For further information, contact the Development Office on events@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au.

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School Shop update

From next term, students will need to change their uniform from Summer to Winter.

Students will be required to wear their winter uniform from the first day next term.

If you require a winter uniform fitting, please contact the School Shop on 8334 2228 to arrange an appointment.

We will only be open for limited hours during the second week of school holidays.

Sue Burnett
School Shop Manager

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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.

bankingRemember 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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Legally Blonde Jnr

legally-blondeStart the April school holidays with tickets to the SHANE DAVIDSON PRESENTS production of Legally Blonde Jnr.

Sometimes blondes get a bad rap but this dynamo blonde shows that with a goal and a little revenge, anything is possible. LEGALLY BLONDE Jnr, adapted from the famous movie starring Reece Witherspoon, is the story of Elle Woods who finally makes it to Harvard Law School to prove a point. She gets the upper hand and after her boyfriend rejects her, she wins the day by taking the lead and proposing to her new beau.

The show is one of the most outrageous, comical and ‘out there’ musicals you’re likely to see. With its big production numbers and over-the-top humour, you will love Elle, her dog Bruiser, and a huge cast. The audience even gets to join in the Bend and Snap.

Lead roles taken by Saints Girls students include Isabelle Norman as Paulette, Rose Pittman as Vivienne, and Dimity Pittman as aerobics queen, Brooke Wyndham.

Before the main show there is a PRE-SHOW featuring 40 children aged 8 – 12 years of age performing songs from Matilda, Annie, Oliver! and Into the Woods.

Performances are: Friday 15 April at 7pm, Saturday 16 April at 1.30pm and 7pm, Sunday 17 April at 4pm. Tickets are disappearing and some shows are already 60% SOLD OUT so get in quickly! Bookings: contact Shane Davidson on 0411 121 960 or shanedavidson@internode.on.net

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Promoting sport and physical activity at Saints – a short benchmarking survey

The Saints Sport Support Group is seeking to understand the part sport and physical activity plays in the life of students and parents alike. Please take the time to complete our short (less than 5 minute) survey to provide your input.

> Take the survey now

The SSSG comprises parents and School sports captains and its purpose is to assist the PE and Sports departments to promote sport participation throughout the School. We believe that:

  • there are lifetime benefits for individuals from being involved in sport or some form of regular physical activity, and we seek to encourage participation long after sport becomes non-compulsory;
  • retention rate is all about finding ways in which students can participate or contribute from an early age, or by helping students to find a sport or physical activity that they enjoy – this includes coaching, umpiring or refereeing;
  • a greater understanding of the benefits of physical activity among parents, and their greater involvement in their daughter’s sport or physical activity, is a key component to developing lasting understanding of the value of staying physically active.

The SSSG currently fundraises to help the School by:

  • purchasing certain sports equipment needs.
  • subsidising coaching and refereeing courses for students – we seek to assist with developing the quality and depth of the coaching provided to your daughters and to support leadership development opportunities for senior girls.
  • subsidising coaching and refereeing courses for parents – we believe that there are opportunities to utilise the expertise of parents to improve skills whether this be as part of a regular coaching commitment, or through individual coaching sessions.

The survey we are asking you to complete aims to:

  • understand the extent to which school and non-school sport and physical activity is already part of family life for students and parents of the school.
  • provide a benchmark from which to gauge program success over a period of time measured in years.
  • gain feedback from the school community about whether our focus aligns with perceived needs, and if not to give parents and students a chance to comment.

Parent participation in the SSSG is open to anyone and should you wish to help, please ask the Development Office for further information.

> Please take the survey to let us know your thoughts

Sue Neale
Saints Sport Support Group Chair

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Weet-Bix TRYathlon

Are you interested in doing your first triathlon at the Sanitarium Weet-Bix Kids TRYathlon on Sunday 17 April?

Entering its 18th year, the TRYathlon continues to inspire school students from across Australia to get moving in a friendly and supportive environment. Kids of all abilities aged 7 – 15 can go at their own pace and cross the finish line a champion.

You can join the St Peter’s Girls team when entering online at http://try.weetbix.com.au/.

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SA Athletics Academy

Athletics Academy Flyer A4The SA Athletics Academy will commence on Sunday 10 April 2016.

The Academy has four squads; Bronze, Silver, Gold and the Target Talent Program (TTP).

It doesn’t matter whether you are new to athletics or you’ve been competing for a long time, the SA Athletics Academy is perfect for all! The Academy caters for everyone and aims to assist children to further their skills in all track and field events. These sessions are delivered by highly skilled and experienced coaches.

The Silver, Gold, and Talent Target Program (TTP) Squads have education theory sessions each month. These sessions aim to provide children with the extra knowledge and understanding to ensure that they continue to follow the athletics pathway to success!

The Academy is a great opportunity for children to develop their running, jumping and throwing as it can assist them with any other sport they play.

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Rowing season wraps up

Head of the River 2016

rowing-hor

Head of the River is always a big day for the girls, and the 2016 HoR topped off a season that really put us on the map of school rowing. We had 10 crews competing, from Juniors through to our First VIII. The day started with the girls arriving early, unloading the boats, getting them rigged and making sure everything was ready to go. There is always an excitement about HoR and with many of our crews an optimism that they will be up there at the pointy end of the race. Many parents, friends and girls from the School came down to support, which was great. I know the girls love it when they hear “Saints” being yelled from the bank. All the heats were run first thing in the morning and all of our crews made it through to the A finals, which was brilliant. We had many successes at HoR, with 6 of our 10 crews getting places, and with 2 of them, the 8Ds and 9Bs, getting Gold Medals. It is great reward for all the hard work, dedication and commitment that the girls put in over the season. I would like to THANK everyone, from the girls who make the program what it is, all the parents for their support and Friends of Rowing for everything that they organised on the HoR day.

We ended the day with our Head of the River Dinner in the Arts Centre. It was a fantastic night and very special THANKS go out to Annette Khoury who organised much of it. We had Ned Kinnear, who has rowed for Australia as well as South Australia and has gone on to be a doctor, as our keynote speaker. He was very inspiring talking about the dedication, commitment and resilience needed to make it to the top not only in his sport, but also to become a doctor. It is a night when we recognise all the girls and their great achievements over the season. We also farewelled Andrew Hannon, our amazing FoR President, and applauded all the brilliant coaches that we have. To say that it was a great way to finish the season would be an understatement. So again, THANKS to everyone who made the evening happen; it was fantastic. Bring on 2016/17!

Nationals

The day after Head of the River, the First VIII, Simon Lane (Coach), Emily Hage, Sophie Terp and I headed off to Nationals in Penrith, NSW. It was the first time Saints had sent an VIII to Nationals so it was all very exciting.

While we didn’t progress to the final in our U19 Womens VIII+ heat on the Tuesday, we rowed our fastest time for the season (6mins 55secs), and the girls were really happy. Our Schoolgirl VIII heat on the Thursday was tough and although we put up a great effort we struggled in the last 500m to hold it with the bigger, more experienced girls crews. Again, this meant going through to the repêchage on the Friday.

Sophie Freeman has also been rowing in a coxless four made up of our four strongest Juniors in the State. Though they only trained a few times before this regatta, they won a Bronze Medal, with Sophie steering for the first time. In the afternoon when we arrived at Penrith, it was blowing a massive head wind, which wasn’t ideal for us as a lighter, younger crew. We went out and gave it a good go and were around the mark for most of the race but again the bigger crews drew away to the finish. With no semi-final for us, it was straight into the C final on Sunday morning.

A new initiative in the regatta program, the 500m sprint was held on the Saturday and, with a tail wind, conditions were in our favour. The girls made a huge effort and came second in their heat, qualifying for the final. Held only one hour after the heat, the final started and the girls surged early, slipped back, then regained their position to win silver.

In the C final on Sunday, the girls had a great start again, pulling away from the other crews almost out to a length. The crew from Melbourne started to gain but our girls held and then went forward again. It was beautiful to watch as they crossed the line in first place.

The day wasn’t over for Sophie Freeman, Carys Jones and Isobella Hannon; they still had their State races. Sophie and Carys came fifth in their women’s youth VIII race and Isobella, who coxed the men’s youth VIII, also came fifth.

Congratulations to all.

Ben Flannagan
Director of Rowing

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Sports News

Sports Hoodies

If your daughter would like a sports hoody for winter, the deadline has been extended by one week. Forms can be collected at the PE office, signed and returned. Embroidery of sports is at an additional cost.

Basketball – Wednesday 16 March

Open A – Saints 4 defeated by Immanuel 96
Unfortunately, Saints faced a high quality opponent. Without Captain Jo Dal Pra (Rowing) and Sarah Matheson (injured) the girls tried their best but were no match for a tall and skilled opponent. Peter Krantis (Coach)

Junior Softball – Wednesday 16 March

Year 6 – Saints 5 defeated by Walford 6
Credit goes to Ruby for filling in – she has never played softball and did an amazing job. Chloe Porter and Emily Bryce also stood out with their batting in a closely fought contest. Jasmine Ledgard and Lydia Smalls (Coaches)

Teeball – Wednesday 16 March

Year 4/5 – Saints 21 defeated Pembroke 15
After a break from training, the girls came back with a strong batting and fielding innings, bringing in seven runs and limiting Pembroke to only one run. This pattern continued and the girls only surrendered seven runs in one innings (but this was probably due to the scorching heat, rather than ability!) Despite the break in training, the girls have improved on their batting from the previous week, which is heartening to see in our youngest players. Claire Hale (Coach)

Tennis – Thursday 17 March

sprt-tennisSaints was represented at the Secondary Schools Tennis Tournament by Emily Loh, Annabel Baldwinson, Clair Kao and Neve McCormack. This tournament is open to any student in the State and often attracts some of the best players including those from specialist schools such as Marryatville and Henley High School. All girls performed very well, with Emily Loh defeating Annabel Baldwinson in the consolation final. Well done, girls. Neil Fuller (Supervisior)

Water Polo – Thursday 17 March

Open A – Saints 7 defeated Wilderness 0

Open B – Saints had a bye

Year 7/8 – Saints 14 defeated Loreto 8
Saints Girls continued their undefeated start in Water Polo. All players performed their best, working as a team to get the final result. Goal scorers of the game were: Alyssa Woolley with 6 goals; Fiona Lethbridge with 5 goals; Olivia Goldsmith with 2 goals and Harriet Maerschel with 1 goal. Great job by all players! We hope to continue our winning streak for the remainder of the season. Harriet Maerschel (Year 8)

Junior Tennis – Friday 18 March

Saints 5/6 Advanced White – Saints 4-16 defeated Wilderness Green 2-9
Singles: Maiya Jakupec 4-0, Isabelle Gilroy 1-4, Georgia Langley 4-1, Chloe Venning 1-4

Year 5/6 Advanced Blue – Saints 4-24 defeated Wilderness Orange 2-9
Singles: Sienna Glazbrook 4-0, Willow Stewart-Rattray 4-0, Olivia Slivak1-4, Sophie Dansie 3-4

Year 5/6 Advanced Silver – had a bye

Year 6 Blue – Saints 2-13 defeated by Pulteney White 5-22
Singles: Adele Eaton 3-4, Sivanthi Sivasuthan 4-2, Anushka Rajbhoj 1-4, Emily Elston 0-4, Caitlin Walker 4-1

Year 6 White – Saints 1-14 defeated by Cabra 5-26
Singles: Azaan Singh 2-4, Efua Yawson 2-4, Charlotte Adams 4-2, Charlotte Parker 1-4

Year 5 White – Saints 4-19 defeated Scotch Gold 1-9
Singles: Monika Ceplitis 4-0, Alicia Toh 4-1, Lucy Schirripa 34

Year 5 Blue – Saints 6-28 defeated St Andrews 0-3
Singles: Eleanor Humphrey 4-0, Bridgette Leach 4-0, Madison Harrex 4-1, Ruby Kirwan 4-2

Softball – Saturday 19 March

Open A – Saints 9 defeated Mercedes 7
After winning a midweek knockout game, sending us to finals, we were faced with a tough game. Although starting off slow, we worked together as a team to come back, winning the game. Once again Ruby Oliver produced exceptional pitches which helped us to strike out players from the opposition. Lydia Smalls did very well in the batting box with an awesome hit getting her to third base and scoring vital runs home. Skills were perfected even in the outfield with a great catch by Ella Robinson. All girls should be extremely proud of their consistent efforts each week as we are clearly improving and working well together as  a team. A day of knockout finals next week will be sure to test us and we hope to come home with a winning shield. Georgia Naughton (Captain)

Open B – Saints 12 defeated by Pembroke 17
sprt-softball2
Our Open B grade Softballers played a great match against Pembroke’s A grade team. All players played with great enthusiasm and impressive batting. There was an inspiring reflex catch from India Deere and Kate McKellar-Stewart proved to be a very good shortstop. Jessie Rundle

Middle C1 – Saints 4 defeated by Pembroke 14
This week the girls were able to put into practice the fielding strategies we had worked on at previous trainings. With good attempts at covering runners on second base and making chains connecting the outfield, the girls pulled these off successfully. A special mention goes to Alice Girdler on third and Poppie Goldsmith on second for their fantastic out at second base, and Harriet Maerschel for her strategic running. Mimi Long (Coach)

Middle C2 – Saints 9 defeated by Scotch 16
sprt-softball
It was another tough game for Saints this week, coming up against strong competition in Scotch. Despite this, there were some very positive moments, where team batting was strong and the girls played not for themselves, but for the team. Louisa Reid had her debut in the pitching circle for Saints and was very successful, having a high strike rate. With only one game left for this term, the team has come very far since the start of the season, with major improvements in fielding and batting. Claire Hale (Coach)

Tennis – Saturday 19 March

Division 1 – Saints 5-33 defeated Seymour 1-18
Singles: Neve McCormack 6-3, Chelsea Staples 3-6, Daveena Dhillon 6-2, Georgina Thrower 6-1

Division 2 Blue – Saints 5-32 defeated Wilderness 1-21
Singles: Shamilla Dhillon 6-5, Mahala Truscott 6-4, Lola Dimond 6-2, Taj Shahin 6-3

Division 2 White – Saints 1-16 defeated by Immanuel 5-32
Singles: Olivia Wilkinson 1-6, Rose Pittman 2-6, Annabelle Langley 2-6, Sophie-Louise Shearwood 2-6

Division 3 Blue – Saints did not play

Division 3 White – Saints 4-29 defeated Seymour 2-19
Singles: Emily Downie 2-6, Amelie Eaton 6-1, Aleisha Elliott 6-2, Orla Clayton 6-2

Division 4 Blue – Saints 6-36 defeated Wilderness 0-2

Division 4 White – Saints 4-27 defeated Scotch 2-24
Singles: Sivani Sivasuthan 6-0, Stella Clark 6-5, Charlotte Stewart 0-6, Yunfei Ma 6-5

Volleyball – Saturday 19 March

Open A – Saints 2 defeated Wilderness 1
Despite losing the last set, the Open A volleyball team played a good game against Wilderness. Serving was particularly good, and the girls continued to show great enthusiasm on the court. Work at the net was also very well done, and the girls managed to ‘scramble’ to win several points. It’s great to see the knee pads getting some use! Abbey Goodwin must be commended for some terrific ‘kills’, whilst Uthpala DeSilva was able to serve several run-ons, allowing us to gain much needed points. Georgia Howe and Mila Loechel (Captains)

Open B – Saints 3 defeated Wilderness 0 (25-21, 25-21, 26-24)
The Bs had another strong performance last weekend, accounting for Wilderness 3 sets to nil. All girls were switched on from the first point, allowing us to control the game early, and we played with an enthusiastic spirit. Madison Bateman was again excellent in the front court, and Emma Fogarty and Sophie Schultz followed her lead, hitting many spike winners against our opponents. Ava Loechel and Charlotte Carney provided passing consistency. With one game left this term, we hope to finish on a high note before the winter break. Dan Searle (Supervisor)

Open C – Saints 0 defeated by Wilderness 3
Although the Open Cs had opportunities in the first two sets, they were not able to capitalise, and it proved costly. Kate Landon tried her best. Better team communication was needed and hopefully the girls can finish the season on a high after the Easter break. Dan Searle (Supervisor)

Middle A – Saints 3 defeated Wilderness 0 (25-18, 25-20, 25-20)
The girls started the game on a good level and continued to lift their skills even further throughout the three sets, which enabled another fantastic win this week against Wilderness. Everyone in the team was serving accurately and great pressure at net was shown by Charlotte White, Zhijun Li and Brooke Elliott. Overall, everyone in the team played a great game and each individual improved throughout the game, resulting in another great win this week. We look forward to our next challenge ahead! Ellana Welsby and Eliza Falconer (Coaches)

Middle B – Saints 2 defeated Wilderness 1 (25-18, 28-26, 20-25)
This was a fantastic game for practice against a very evenly matched team. It was a solid first set, but a low energy game for both teams, with most of our points gained from the amazing serving by all girls on court. Everything changed for a gripping second set, with everyone backing up each other and showing off their skills at 3 hits. After winning the game, we utilised the third set’s real-game situation to practise and perfect this 3 hit combination. Some star points included Ebony Lohe’s great blocking and tipping the ball at net, as well as Amelie Dunda and Jiayi Wang backing up their team-mates to keep up the rally. Middle Bs are undefeated so far – well done! Ellana Welsby and Eliza Falconer (Coaches)

Middle C – Saints 1 defeated by Wilderness 2 (23-25, 25-20, 23-25)
The girls played a great game this week and unfortunately just came short of a win. All the girls showed improvement this week, with excellent movement by Gemma Schaedel, Sara Peak and Katelin Calandro and great serving from Charlotte Bleby, Paris Greene and Zhangyu Han. Poppy Kirwan and Ruoyu Han also worked hard to put pressure on at the net. Overall, the girls should be proud and we look forward to seeing further improvement in the weeks to come. Well done, girls! Ellana Welsby and Eliza Falconer (Coaches)

Basketball – Monday 21 March

Middle C1 – Saints 26 defeated Concordia 24
Saints had the best first half of the season so far with the help of Isabelle Norman scoring a massive 10 points early on. The girls were able to consistently set up their zone defence, causing many turnovers, as well as move the ball down in attack to set up many successful scoring opportunities. We had multiple scorers this week, including Isabelle Norman, Siena Kulinski, Emily Downie, Thuhansa Hattotuwa, Kellie Bested and Emanuelle Russell. Player of the match goes to Kellie Bested for her continuous defensive pressure down the court. She listened to the coach, caused multiple turnovers and strongly contributed to the girls holding a slight lead at the end of the match. Fantastic team effort in the first half, girls, and another good win! Vanessa Brooks (Staff Supervisor)

Middle C2 – no match

Tennis – Monday 21 March

Open A – Saints 6-36 defeated Pulteney 0-12
Singles: Yasmin Glazbrook 6-0, Tiana Glazbrook 6-0, Jade Leyden 6-2, Olivia Teh 6-5

Open B – Saints 6-36 defeated Pulteney 0-11
Singles: Olivia Harby 6-5, Emily Loh 6-1, Clair Kao 6-0, Neve McCormack 6-0

Enews – Week 7, Term 1 2016

Issue no. 7Enews-banner

From the Head of Middle School

RichardLisle_webOur Global Exchange program aims to foster a deep understanding of, and appreciation for, cultures and peoples around the world. It provides the opportunity for St Peter’s Girls students to come into contact with a range of opinions, experiences and backgrounds. It helps our students learn about the complexities and interconnectedness of the global society in which we live, whilst allowing them to compare their own culture with that of another country. Importantly, our exchange program gives our students a chance to discover more about themselves and appreciate their place in this world in a way that can only be achieved by stepping outside their comfort zones.

We currently offer three reciprocal exchanges for students in Years 9 and 10 to schools in the UK, Japan and Canada.

Recently, three exchange students from Canada returned home to Montreal following six weeks of being part of St Peter’s Girls’ School.

exch1Carsyn Meloche, Charlotte van Dyke Talbot and Grace Nizzola made the decision to apply for the exchange last year after being shown a presentation and some beautiful pictures of our School and Adelaide. The girls then did their research, and spoke with their teachers and a number of students who had been here last year. They were advised that the exchange was a great idea.

The girls were surprised to be given the opportunity to be involved with the program and they couldn’t wait to get on the plane to head to Australia.

exch3Carsyn said, “It is such a great privilege to be a part of this program. My parents thought it was an excellent idea, and they backed me completely. I feel really proud to have discovered another side of myself while I’ve been here. I’ve been around new people in a new environment and I’ve really had to learn about myself and stretch my personality in ways I didn’t know were possible.”

The girls arrived from Miss Edgar’s and Miss Cramp’s School in Montreal and the learning started instantly. Grace said, “It has been so great to come here to Adelaide together. We came here not really knowing each other, but now we have a very special bond together. It’s amazing! I’ve realised it’s possible to change friendship groups and develop other sides of our personalities. I had to learn to be more social and understand other people’s points of view.”

This experience has broadened the students’ horizons. They are now used to being out of their comfort zones and they feel this experience has given them skills to build on in future.

Charlotte said, “I loved the students here at Saints. They were so welcoming and beautiful to be around. They really made an effort to make us feel welcome and join their groups. The teachers were also really understanding and very helpful at all times.”

The girls are hoping their newly made friendships won’t fade over time, and they plan to use Skype to stay in touch as much as possible. Their visit came after four of our students spent 7 weeks at Miss Edgar’s and Miss Cramp’s school in Montreal during Terms 3 and 4 last year.

exch2On Sunday we welcomed 9 students from Senzoku Gakuen Girls’ School in Tokyo, Japan. These girls are attending classes with students in Years 9-11, whilst staying with students studying Japanese from Years 8-11. The timing of the stay means they are already taking part in Choral Night practices, and will take part in the main event on Wednesday 30 March, shortly before returning home to Tokyo. They will also enjoy an Adelaide Easter long weekend with their homestay families. All those families hosting a student have the chance to return to Japan later in the year, along with all students studying Japanese in Years 9-11.

Matthew Van Etten, the visiting teacher from Tokyo, is clear on the benefits for the Japanese students:

“Seeing the world from a different perspective is often one of major goals of language learners. The opportunity to actually live that perspective is one few people have, and therefore part of why Senzoku Gakuen feels it is necessary to make it possible for our students to do just that.

As a Japanese girls’ school, Senzoku strives to provide its students with the ability to find possibility in anything they do. Studying abroad, even for a short time, can have such a lasting impact on each individual, but when done in a mutually beneficial partnership between schools, has a lasting impact on the entire school community. In the end, that is the entire point of an exchange; bringing schools and families from very different backgrounds one small step closer.”

All of our exchange partner schools share a hope that the students who participate in such exchanges keep their newly found perspective with them for the rest of their lives, and that they find a new level of self-confidence and a sense of accomplishment that no textbook or test could ever provide.

I am looking to extend our exchange program to enable more students to take part, and am currently in preliminary negotiations with a number of schools in the USA and in the UK. If you have suggestions for locations to which you feel an exchange would be popular, or contacts in an overseas school that might be of interest, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Richard Lisle

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Strategic Planning: parent forums

Thank you to all parents who recently took part in our online survey to provide your opinion on a range of issues at the School. Your feedback is very important to us and will be used as we move forward.

Our new strategic plan will outline the way forward for the School over the next three years. This document will provide a clear path of improvement across a number of areas to ensure we continue to deliver excellence in education to our students.

While the survey results are being collated and analysed, I would now like to invite parents to attend our open forums to discuss in details areas of specific concern or in need of improvement.

Parents are invited to contribute to areas such as the academic, co-curricular and well-being domains. This is a vital way for us to hear your feedback and discuss ideas in an open and transparent way. Please attend the session/s that interest you most:

> Monday 4 April – Academic
> Tuesday 12 April – Well-being
> Thursday 14 April – Co-curricular

Each session will begin with a brief overview of what we have achieved in each area over the past two years, and our initial thoughts about where we would like to head in the future. We will then open the forum for broader discussion.

All sessions will be held in the Humzy Theatre from 7pm.

To assist with catering, please RSVP at www.trybooking.com/KTQB.

As always, if you have an idea, issue or topic to raise with me, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly at jshea@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au or to make an appointment, please call 8334 2226 to arrange a convenient time.

I look forward to seeing many of you at these forums over the next few weeks.

Julia Shea
Principal

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SUBS students win national engineering challenge

subs-teamFour students from St Peter’s Girls’ School took out the National ‘SUBS in Schools’ engineering challenge in March.

The national high school competition, the ‘Future Submarine Technology Challenge’, was devised and piloted by Re-Engineering Australia, along with leading engineering companies and the State Government, to help students actively engage with Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths.

SUBS in Schools encourages students to work in teams to build a working model submarine that must perform a number of manoeuvres and meet set criteria. Teams must also develop a company portfolio, provide documentation of their design process and present a marketing plan as part of the challenge.

Emily Keough, Sophie-Louise Shearwood, and Fiona and Grace Dawson commenced their SUBS journey last year by participating in the program as part of a Year 10 elective subject. After winning the state finals in September, Team Athena continued refining their prototype and supporting documentation in preparation for the National Finals, which were held in Sydney.

Throughout the SUBS in Schools program, students learned about buoyancy, mechanics and electronics, while using advanced technology software and 3D CAD modelling. The program also involves project management and marketing skills.

A key component of the SUBS in Schools program is a mentoring opportunity with engineers and experts from the industry.

SAAB Australia partnered with St Peter’s Girls to provide ongoing support throughout the program. Our students worked with graduate engineers and experts to learn about the technology found in submarines, unravel the skills required to build a working prototype and problem-solve their design to produce the best result.

Throughout the project, the girls were fortunate to meet and speak with representatives from a variety of industry-leading organisations and it is these experiences that have left the girls most inspired for a future career in Engineering.

Following the success, the girls have been interviewed for a range of media articles, including pieces in The Advertiser and The Australian. Emily was also interviewed by 2GB’s Alan Jones.

Last week the students also presented their award-winning prototype to the Minister for Defence, Martin Hamilton-Smith, and spoke with him at length about the project, the challenges involved and the interest the girls now have in Engineering. Minister Hamilton-Smith presented the School with a small trophy to acknowledge the girls’ outstanding efforts.

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Spirit of Anzac Centenary Excursion – Year 9 History

anzac

On Wednesday of Week 6, the entire Year 9 cohort had the unique privilege of visiting the Spirit of Anzac Centenary Exhibition at Wayville Showgrounds.

The Exhibition is part of a national tour and is sponsored by the Australian War Memorial and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. Students were given a background briefing and had members of the armed services act as guides as they experienced the 14 ‘zones’ of the exhibit, which were rich in artefacts, interactive displays and digital re-creations of key campaigns in World War One.

Students had access to a hand-held GPS device which narrated each exhibit as they walked through each zone. While the exhibition was chronological and was primarily based on the period from Federation to the end of World War One, it concluded with a focus on Australia’s other conflicts and peace-keeping commitments up to, and including, the present day. Students were able to not only gain a genuine sense of the scale of the campaigns, such as the Battles of the Somme and Passchendaele, but were also moved by the personal extracts of letters and images associated with these experiences.

It was a timely opportunity for students as we approach ANZAC Day and offer students the chance to participate in Camp Gallipoli this year. The centenary of 1916, the year which saw Australia experience its greatest loss of life on the Western Front, is also a timely reminder of both the sacrifice and horrors of warfare.

Here are a number of student insights into the exhibition:

  • The Anzac exhibition was a wonderful experience to learn about those who have served our country in the present and past. – Anneliese Thomas
  • The Anzac Exhibition was very interesting and a good learning experience. There was a range of things to see, which made it fun and interesting. – Georgina Bafile
  • I really enjoyed the whole experience of the Anzac Exhibition. I liked how we could hear the story while exploring the artefacts of ANZAC. It was good how you could go through the exhibition at your own speed. – Hannah Lunn
  • The visual effects at the exhibition were amazing! The music and sound effects made the experience very realistic. – Anna Pryor

Gregor Dingwall
Head of Humanities

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Pi Day

pi-dayDid you know that Pi has been calculated to over one trillion digits beyond its decimal point?

Pi (Greek letter “π”) is the symbol used in Mathematics to represent a constant — the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter — which is approximately 3.14159. Pi Day is celebrated on 14 March (3/14) around the world.

This year some Year 10 girls chose a T-shirt design, which students in Years 9 to 12 could buy.

See if you can find something circular at home and try this:

  1. Measure the circumference with a piece of string
  2. Measure the diameter of the circle.
  3. Divide the circumference by the diameter

How close did you get to π?

Other ways of celebrating Pi-Day include making and eating a pie!

Matthew Durant
Head of Mathematics

Carolyn Farr
Year 10 Maths teacher

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Year 8 camp

yr8-camp

Year 8 students braved the weather on Kangaroo Island last week and returned to School on Friday with many exciting stories to tell. Our Outdoor Education program provided many great opportunities for the girls to visit unique and natural places, while also attempt a range of challenging activities. Below are a few reflections from the girls.

Class of 8DSE

yr8-camp-2Many of 8DSE’s favourite memories on camp were made while visiting the sand dunes at Little Sahara. We were all really excited about visiting because those who had visited before us had raved about how fun the sandboarding was. We arrived and we were greeted by extremely cold and wet weather. Although walking up the hills proved to be tiring, we all had fun rolling and sandboarding down. Without showers afterwards, there were many complaints about sand in places where we didn’t even know we could get sand.
While in Kangaroo Island, we were also excited about the Birds of Prey show we were lucky enough to see. We enjoyed meeting the different birds and learning about the different wildlife around Australia and Kangaroo Island in particular. Most of the girls were able to wear a glove and hold the birds on their arms. I think we all agreed that the two funniest parts of the show were when Jess was called up by the host and he said, “Yeah, you in the salmon,” when she was wearing a pink T-shirt. The other funny moment was when a turkey came out from the bushes and had a fight with one of the eagles while neither of the instructors was watching.

Zara Stefani

yr8-camp-3On camp one of the activities we were fortunate enough to participate in was snorkelling. Snorkelling was an amazing experience as we were able to see the beautiful marine life, including many fish and interesting sea plants. When we first stepped into the water we all thought that we were going to freeze to death. We even thought that our fingers were turning blue and were about to fall off. But as we started to swim we all forgot about how cold the water was because we were so focussed on the breathtaking marine life that was surrounding us.

Daniel Searle
Head of PE, Health & Outdoor Education

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Tutor Program proving popular

OIMG_6291ur new Tutor Program for Years 7-12 students is proving popular with students. It’s already providing excellent support for students as they navigate the complexities of their Middle and Senior School studies.

Our tutors are all recent Old Scholars, who’ve been carefully selected to cover key subject areas such as Maths, Science, English and Humanities. They are employed directly by the School.

Importantly, this is a free service provided to students so you can attend as many sessions as you need.

The tutors have access to course outlines and assessment requirements and provide clear feedback and reinforce understanding of subjects for students. They are also in direct communication with subject teachers if required.

If you are keen for your daughter to get involved with the tutoring sessions, which occurs before and after school, please contact me on 8334 2238 or email kskinner@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au.

Kerry Skinner
Deputy Principal & Head of Senior School

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Vacation Care: The more, the merrier!

JS Vacation Care Enews

The next instalment of our Vacation Care program is coming up during school holidays and we’d like to extend a warm welcome to primary school aged children from the wider community to attend. Students are welcome to invite friends or siblings to share in the range of enriching activities for both girls and boys.

Junior School program – for children in Reception to Year 6

Join us for a day at the movies, a trip to the Adelaide Zoo or at a Teddy Bears Picnic. Learn to make pizzas and pikelets, create digital animation and master magic tricks that enthrall! Whatever the choice, children can enjoy a range of planned play and leisure activities, practise social skills and solve problems in a safe and relaxed atmosphere.

How it works

Your child can attend as few or as many days as needed, for full or half days, to suit your schedule and commitments. Simply pre-book the days you would like your child to attend and enjoy Vacation Care at St Peter’s Girls.

Dates

>  Week 1: Monday 18 April to Friday 22 April
>  Week 2: Tuesday 26 April to Friday 29 April

Download the April 2016 Vacation Care Program for details.

To book, visit www.stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au/vacationcare

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Dads Night Out: tickets now on sale

Dads Night Out Enews

The inaugural Dads Night Out, ‘A Night on the Green’, will be held on Friday 1 April.

Come along for a great evening, bring a friend and enjoy some barefoot bowling at the Toorak Burnside Bowling Club.

7–11pm, Friday 1 April 2016
Toorak Burnside Bowling Club, 25 Giles Street, Toorak Gardens

To book, visit www.trybooking.com/KRNT.

Includes finger food and prizes. Drinks can be purchased on the evening.

Earlybird special: $30 tickets available before 29 March 2016! Keep an eye out for your invitation.

It’ll be a fun and social evening. Remember – no bowling experience is necessary! This fundraising event is hosted by the Mothers’ Club.

The Mothers’ Club would love to offer you the opportunity to promote your business at this event. If you have a product or service that can be donated for a raffle or auction prize, please let us know. Contact Emma on emmarob@bigpond.net.au.

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Camp Gallipoli

Camp-GallipoliCamp Gallipoli will be held on the night of 24-25 April this year (Wednesday night, Week 2 of the Term 1 holidays).

Through the Year 6 trip to Canberra and the Australian War Memorial and the Year 9 History curriculum’s focus on World War One, there is a very strong incentive for involvement in this event, but this is also a great opportunity for wider involvement of students and families from the whole school community.

What is Camp Gallipoli?

The Camp Gallipoli Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation established to help preserve, foster and perpetuate the unique Spirit of ANZAC commemorations. The aim is to educate students about the service and sacrifice made by Australian and New Zealand soldiers throughout World War One and conflicts since.

Following the inaugural event at Morphettville Racecourse in 2015, Camp Gallipoli has moved to the Wayville Showgrounds this year and is inviting St Peter’s Girls students and families to participate in this unique commemorative event. Each venue nationwide has an historic link to Gallipoli, World War One and other theatres of war.

As part of the promotion for this year’s event, Camp Gallipoli is offering each student two tickets as part of a package which can be activated upon online payment. This promotion will be sent home through each Home Group this week. There has been a significant reduction in ticket prices for this year ($54.95) for students, parents, teachers and community members. It promises to be a great night of community spirit, live entertainment and reflection, closing with the Dawn Service on 25 April.

If you have any queries about the event and the material distributed to each student, please contact Ms Fox at ruby@campgallipoli.com.au or 1300 951 951. Furthermore, if you have questions about how Camp Gallipoli complements the School’s curriculum, please contact me via email at: gdingwall@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au.

Gregor Dingwall
Head of Humanities

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Upcoming School Tours

Our next School Tour is scheduled for Tuesday 22 March at 9.30am. If you have family or friends interested in learning more about our School, please encourage them to attend our upcoming tour by contacting Jess Geraghty, Enrolments Manager via 08 8334 2215 or jgeraghty@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au or register online.

For families wishing to view the facilities of St Peter’s College and see their school in action, the next tour is available on Thursday 7 April 2016. For any enrolment enquiries at St Peter’s College, please contact Amanda Bruce, Admissions Manager, on 8404 0517 or abruce@stpeters.sa.edu.au.

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Choral Night 2016: tickets now on sale

Choral Night Enews

Choral Night 2016 is just a few weeks away. We hope Years 7–12 families can join us for this annual highlight on the School calendar.

Tickets are now on sale to all families. We encourage you to book your tickets early to avoid disappointment, as this is always a sell-out event.

Time: 7pm (doors open 6.30pm)
Date: Wednesday 30 March 2016
Venue: Adelaide Town Hall, 128 King William Street, Adelaide
Tickets: $10 each (a maximum of four tickets per family applies)

Visit www.trybooking.com/HAQC to book.

We hope to see as many parents as possible join us for what is sure to be a fun and entertaining evening.

For further information, contact the Development Office on events@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au.

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School Shop update

From next term, students will need to change their uniform from Summer to Winter.

Students will be required to wear their winter uniform from the first day next term.

If you require a winter uniform fitting, please contact the School Shop on 8334 2228 to arrange an appointment.

We will only be open for limited hours during the second week of school holidays.

Sue Burnett
School Shop Manager

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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.

bankingRemember 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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Sport news

Swimming – Primary School Sport Tuesday 8 March

Saints sent a small but talented group of swimmers to compete at the East Adelaide District Carnival. On a warm day all girls performed creditably, with many gaining places. Congratulations go to the following swimmers who were selected to represent East Adelaide at the State metropolitan swimming carnival; Emily Baldwinson, Poppy Marshall, Sophie Norman, Gemma Schaedel, Stephanie Smalls, Lily-Rose Spartalis.

Swimming – Secondary School Sport – Wednesday 9 March

Saints competed in the A Grade division of the Secondary Schools Sports swimming competition. Held over a number of nights, there are six girls’ divisions consisting of 56 schools from around SA. This year, Saints returned to the A grade, and finished a deserving fourth overall from the nine schools who competed.

Basketball – Wednesday 9 March

Open A – Saints 17 defeated by Pulteney 79

Although the girls lost, they never gave up throughout the match. Special mention to Chelsea Marchetti who never gave up under the basket. Peter Krantis (Coach)

Junior Softball – Wednesday 9 March

Year 6 – Saints 2 defeated by Pembroke 5

An unfortunate loss, however it was a great effort seeing as we only had seven players. There was a noticeable improvement from our last game, with everyone functioning a lot better as a team. Highlights of the game were Angela Mourtzios and Sophie Norman’s pitching, as well as Annabelle’s fantastic hit. Great job by all players and we look forward to next week’s game. Lydia Smalls and Jasmine Ledgard (Coaches)

Teeball – Wednesday 9 March

Saints 11 defeated by Wilderness 15

The team fought valiantly throughout the first innings, limiting Wilderness to only one run. Unfortunately in the next innings, the girls came a little undone. In the final innings the girls came back with seven runs, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough to secure the win. The game showed clearly that the girls have definitely improved their fielding this term, and now just have to look at batting. Claire Hale (Coach)

Saints 21 defeated Pembroke 15

After a break from training, the girls came back with a strong batting and fielding innings, bringing in seven runs and limiting Pembroke to only one run. This pattern continued and the girls only surrendered seven runs in one innings (but this was probably due to the scorching heat rather than ability!) Despite the break in training, the girls have improved on their batting from the previous week, which is heartening to see in our youngest players. Claire Hale (Coach)

Water Polo – Thursday 10 March

Open A – Saints 3 defeated by St Ignatius 11

sprt-wp-nmSaints A team was defeated by St Ignatius. The girls worked hard with some strong sections throughout the game. Everyones fitness and ball skills are improving which make for some good sections of play. However, we were unable to defend St Ignatius who had three strong and fast state players. As a team we are continuing to build on our strategy and skills as we work cohesively. The play wasn’t truly represented by the score and all players should be happy with the development they have made from trainings. Congratulations to all players and we look forward to our next game! Sarah Richards (Acting Captain)

Open B – Saints 7 drew with Sacred Heart 7

sprt-wp-akpThe B’s played a good game, and were unlucky to not come away with a win. The team continues to work together and the passing has improved which creates open play and shots on goal. With more experience and stronger defense the wins will certainly come our way. Sarah Richards (Acting Captain)

Year 7/8 – Saints did not play due to camps

Junior Tennis – Friday 11 March

Year 5/6 Advanced – Saints White 3-19 drew with Saints Blue 3-19

Doubles: Maiya/Tahlia Vs Mia/Sienna 3-6 and Chloe/Isabelle Vs Sophie D/Olivia 6-1

Singles: Maiya Jakupec defeated Mia Dodd 4-0, Tahlia Louca defeated by Willow Stewart-Rattray 1-4, Isabelle Gilroy defeated by Sophie Dansie 2-4, Chloe Venning defeated Olivia Slivak 3-2

Year 5/6 Silver Advanced – Saints 4-21 defeated Pembroke 2-17

Singles: Fleur Maris 4-1, Emily Baldwinson 1-4, Marina Viese Vivaldi 1-4, Olivia Slivak 3-2

Rowing – Saturday 12 March

Rowing Awards 2016

8A: Charlotte Creek

8B: Paris Robinson

8C: Eliza Hannon

8D: Sophie Kameniar

9A: Rachel Kameniar

9B: Sarah Carrodus

9C: Olivia Zito

10A: Olivia Compare

10B: Alexandra Reade

1st VIII: Olivia Habel

Director of Rowing Award Senior: Sophie Freeman

Director of Rowing Award Junior: Abigail Lisle

Service to Rowing Medal: Jo Dal Pra

Softball – Saturday 12 March

No Games – Exeat Weekend

Tennis – Saturday 12 March

No Games – Exeat Weekend

Volleyball – Saturday 12 March

No Games – Exeat Weekend

Basketball – Monday 14 March

No games due to Years 7 and 8 camps

Tennis – Monday 14 March

No Games due to Public Holiday

Tennis – Tuesday 15 March

Congratulations to the Open Tennis team who defeated Aberfoyle Park and Seaview High Schools in the State Secondary Schools knockout. The team will now contest the State Finals on Monday 4 April.

Swimming – Independent Girls Tuesday 15 March

sprt-swimmingThe annual Independent Girls’ Swimming Carnival (made up of 10 schools) took place at the SA Aquatic Centre at Marion. With the Years 7 and 8 swimmers available after being on camp, Saints were keen to try and improve from their fourth placing in the Secondary Schools event, with Seymour and Immanuel placing higher.

Led by Captains, Krista Ceplite and Elise Schaedel, there were outstanding individual results, but also some excellent teamwork, to provide a number of wins in relay races. Shania Morgan set a new 50m breaststroke record and the Under 14 girls established a new 4x50m freestyle relay record. At the end of the day Saints won the Under 14 and Under 15 age groups, which played a significant role in claiming the Di Medlin Swimming Shield for the first time since 1994.

  1. St Peter’s Girls 890
  2. Immanuel 873
  3. Seymour 868
  4. Wilderness 696
  5. Pembroke 518
  6. Scotch 468
  7. Westminster 375
  8. Concordia 337
  9. Walford 331
  10. Pulteney 289

Softball – Wednesday 16 March

Congratulations to the Open Softball team who defeated Aberfoyle Park 12-1 in the State Secondary Schools knockout. The team will now progress to the State Finals, to be played at West Beach on Thursday 31 March.

 

Enews – Week 6, Term 1 2016

 Issue no. 6Enews-banner

From the Chaplain

Lent: a time to reflect

N-Darke-200x300With Easter being quite early this year, we are already well into the season of Lent and about to commence our Holy Week and Easter events. From a Chaplain’s perspective, Lent isn’t the easiest season to place at the start of a school year. Traditionally, Lent is a time of repentance, abstinence, and prayerful reflection. As such, it stands in stark contrast to the lively, upbeat, and exciting atmosphere of Term 1 when most students are energised from their summer break, enjoying new opportunities, and having tremendous fun with events such as the Swimming Carnival, Choral Night, Formal, and all the festivities that come to Adelaide in March.

To step aside from all the activity, just for a few minutes each day, and take time to reflect is a challenge for all of us, not just the young. But our Christian tradition tells us that it’s important, and our IB learner profiles tell us that reflection is a vital attribute of learning. And it is perhaps when life is at its fullest, that we can gain the most from taking that time to reflect and connect with our true selves and our spiritual understanding.

Through our Chapel services we have reflected on themes such as ‘attitude of gratitude’, regret and forgiveness, love and compassion, justice and peace. We have practised stillness through meditative colouring of Christian labyrinths, and we have thought deeply about where we have come from and where we are going. Through it all, we have been constantly reminded of God’s love and forgiveness and the promise of new life. Lent prepares us to go forward in life, with a strong sense of letting go past mistakes and a real hope for what is to come. In that sense, Term 1 is the perfect time for Lent!

Rev’d Natasha Darke

RE-banner
Year 5s discussing themes and symbols of Lent as inspiration for ideas about how they could reach out to others in the School community.

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The Centenary of Anzac – Camp Gallipoli

Camp-GallipoliOn two occasions in Weeks 5 and 6, the College has been visited by Camp Gallipoli representative, Ms Ruby Fox, to promote the upcoming event on the night of 24-25 April this year (Wednesday night, Week 2 of the Term 1 holidays). Ms Fox addressed the Junior School at their assembly on Friday last week and the Year 9 cohort this week, prior to their excursion to the Spirit of ANZAC Centenary Exhibition on Wednesday. Through the Year 6 trip to Canberra and the Australian War Memorial and the Year 9 History curriculum’s focus on World War One, there is a very strong incentive for involvement in this event, but this is also a great opportunity for wider involvement of students and families from the whole school community.

What is Camp Gallipoli?

The Camp Gallipoli Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation established to help preserve, foster and perpetuate the unique Spirit of ANZAC commemorations. The aim is to educate students about the service and sacrifice made by Australian and New Zealand soldiers throughout World War One and conflicts since.

Following the inaugural event at Morphettville Racecourse in 2015, Camp Gallipoli has moved to the Wayville Showgrounds this year and is inviting St Peter’s Girls students and families to participate in this unique commemorative event. Each venue nationwide has an historic link to Gallipoli, World War One and other theatres of war.

As part of the promotion for this year’s event, Camp Gallipoli is offering each student two tickets as part of a package which can be activated upon online payment. This promotion will be sent home through each Home Group in Week 7. There has been a significant reduction in ticket prices for this year ($54.95) for students, parents, teachers and community members. It promises to be a great night of community spirit, live entertainment and reflection, closing with the Dawn Service on 25 April.

If you have any queries about the event and the material distributed to each student, please contact Ms Fox at ruby@campgallipoli.com.au or 1300 951 951. Furthermore, if you have questions about how Camp Gallipoli complements the School’s curriculum, please contact me via email at: gdingwall@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au.

Gregor Dingwall
Head of Humanities

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International Women’s Day

iwd-banner

On Friday 4 March, 20 Year 12 girls were invited to attend the annual International Women’s Day breakfast, hosted by none other than Senator the Hon Penny Wong. Upon arrival at the Adelaide Convention Centre at 7am, the girls found themselves surrounded by tables filled with fresh fruit and beverages, all set within suitably purple decorations and lighting.

The International Women’s Day Breakfast, established in 1993, celebrated its 23rd year, and did not disappoint those who attended. The morning was filled with delicious food, and even better speeches made by many respectable women. ABC Adelaide’s Sonya Feldhoff introduced Senator Wong, as she brought to light the issues women in Australia have faced.

Senator Wong opened our eyes to the great achievements our ancestors had made, and reminded us all that we would not be where we are in society if it weren’t for the women who came before us. Guest Speaker, Fran Kelly, respected radio presenter and current affairs journalist, challenged our thinking, as she presented the question of whether or not the term, ‘Feminist’, was “past its use-by date”. Fran discussed her view of feminism, and introduced us to issues such as wage differences, domestic violence and safety rights. Her passion for women’s rights inspired me to set higher goals, and understand what I can do to really fight for equality.

We were then given the opportunity to walk around and observe the stands at the breakfast. The information given to us developed our understanding of the discussions we had just heard, and really set in stone our opinions on equality and feminism. I would like to personally thank all those involved for such a wonderful opportunity to develop our understanding, and be given the chance to continue to help those women who are not as fortunate as us.

Isabel McMillan
Year 12

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Have your say: Strategic planning process

The online survey as part of our strategic planning process will close on Tuesday 15 March. In this survey, we are seeking your opinion on a range of issues at the School. Your feedback is very important to us and will be used as we move forward.

Our new strategic plan will outline the way forward for the School over the next three years. This document will provide a clear path of improvement across a number of areas to ensure we continue to deliver excellence in education to our students.

The survey is being conducted by an external provider and all responses will be kept strictly private and confidential. No member of the leadership team or Board will have access to your individual responses. We will be provided with a summary of collated results only. There are no right or wrong answers and we ask that you respond honestly.

Following this survey process, we will also be holding a series of open forums which you may like to attend. Parents will be invited to contribute to areas such as the academic, co-curricular and well-being domains. This is a vital way for us to hear your feedback and discuss ideas in an open and transparent way. Please mark these dates in your diary and attend the session/s that interest you most:

Monday 4 April – Academic
Tuesday 12 April – Well-being
Thursday 14 April – Co-curricular

Sessions will be held in the Humzy Theatre from 7pm. More information will be circulated next week.

As always, if you have an idea, issue or topic to raise with me, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly at jshea@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au or to make an appointment, please call 8334 2226 to arrange a convenient time.

I look forward to hearing your feedback.

Julia Shea
Principal

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Successful Saturday night at the Mary Mags Centre

mags-2St Mary Magdalene Church in the city has a Drop-In Centre which provides a three course meal every Saturday night for between 80 and 100 people who are unable to have a nourishing meal due to ill health or lack of resources. Volunteers from different organisations across Adelaide provide and serve food and St Peter’s Girls’ School is proud to be involved.

On Saturday 5 March, under the coordination of one of our parents, Susanna Anderson, the Senior School provided food and monetary donations to feed about 60 patrons. Staff at the Centre were overwhelmed with the amount of food donated, and as well as the nourishing food provided on the night, all the patrons were able to avail themselves of some takeaway packs.

mags-1A special comment on the night from many of the patrons was about the fantastic apple crumble which we provided for dessert and which was prepared by Mrs Manson and her Year 10 Kennion Home Group on Thursday morning.

A heartfelt thanks to all of the girls and their parents who helped make a difference in the lives of some of Adelaide’s most marginalised people. Also thanks to the parents who volunteered to help in the kitchen on the night and to Emma Mockridge, Sarah Richards and Abbey Goodwin who helped me on the night by serving food and talking to the patrons. Some of our senior girls help out each Saturday night during Term 1 and that roster has been coordinated by our Community Service Prefects, Mila Loechel and Ashleigh Jones.

If you would like to be involved, our next two Saturdays are 14 May and 19 November when the Junior and Middle School will be asked for donations.

Karen Alderson
Careers Counsellor

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ELC explores digital technologies

hallett

Last week Caterina Pennestri and I presented at the Morialta STEM Conference on digital technologies. The conference title was Inspire, Innovate, Integrate: STEM Education for the future. The preschool to Year 12 conference focussed on science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The keynote speaker from Google Australia gave a challenging presentation on inspiring young people to be the creators of tomorrow’s technology. This set the scene and it was clear why we were attending.

With our focus on Digital Technologies in the ELC, and indeed across the school, we are leading the way in developing critical, creative and caring thinkers. Our students will be designing their own careers in the future and it is our role to create learning opportunities that will challenge their thinking and encourage them to become problem-solvers. This requires the use of computational thinking skills that develop from the earliest stage of learning.

Across the ELC, we use a variety of technologies to promote these skills, including the robot, bee bots, iPads, cameras (including action cameras), data projectors and interactive tables. With the child as the leading force, we are able to construct our learning side-by-side. This creates a social interaction for the child, rather than the more traditional one-on-one model.

The ELC is supported in its work by the School’s e-Learning Coordinator, Ms Melissa Bray, who plays a lead role in our professional learning and implementation of technologies across all age groups.

In the ELC, everyday learning experiences are enhanced by the use of technology, rather than technology being the single focus. It is very much integrated across all learning areas, building children’s confidence and competence.

We are very excited about the learning that is to come and recognise the need to be a few years ahead of ourselves at all times!

Kate Mount
Director of Early Learning

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Mozart’s Magic Flute

flute-2If someone were to ask me six months ago if I liked listening to or watching opera, my response would be one that you would expect of a 15-year-old: no. However, after having the opportunity to spend a month doing work experience with State Opera of South Australia, my opinion on opera has changed completely.

A couple of months ago I was put in contact with Daniel Barber. Daniel is a Lighting Designer who has done designs for shows all over Australia. He was willing to allow me to come on board for the State Opera’s production of The Magic Flute. I first met Daniel at Novatech in mid-January, when I was invited to observe a pre-visualisation plotting session. This is where the lighting designer (Daniel Barber), Director and Lighting Operator discusses and visualise their ideas and plot the occasional lighting cue.

From then on, I was able to attend rehearsals at the State Opera Studio at Richmond, to see how all the elements of the production came together. I initially was only expecting to learn about lighting design from this experience; however, I also learnt about what is involved with being a director and a stage manager.

flute-1I first visited the Freemason’s Grand Hall on North Terrace on 9 February, where I was able to see the part of the process of turning the hall into a theatre. Then, until 17 February, I spent all the time I could at the hall, trying to learn as much as I could about lighting. It was amazing to see everything coming together and finally being able to see all of Daniel’s ideas being put into action. I learnt so much from this experience and I am now even more intrigued to learn more about lighting design.

I would like to thank Ms Shelley Hampton for helping me contact Daniel and supporting me throughout the work experience. I would also like to thank Mrs Karen Alderson and Mrs Kerry Skinner for helping arrange the work experience and also supporting me throughout the process.

Dominique Rigby
Year 10

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Hallett Room visits the city

hallett-exc

This term the Hallett Room children are exploring the central idea, ‘Children around the world have rights’. One of the key rights we are discussing is the right to be a citizen. We strongly believe that our children have the right to be citizens of Adelaide from birth.

Through our discussions on this topic, it was clear that the Hallett children thought that the City of Adelaide was a place for adults to go to work. Through playful deconstruction of their thinking, the children placed the adults in a circle having a meeting in the city and the children outside the city at a playground with the teachers. This was a powerful provocation for us.

We wanted to challenge the children, to find out if there really were no children in the city. As Lily quite rightly said, “If we go into the city to see if there are any children, then there will be children there, because we will be there.”

The investigation happened on Sunday 28 February, with the Hallett children and their families invited to explore the city of Adelaide with the Hallett Room educators. We walked through part of the city to gain the perspective of ourselves in our city, to find out if there are children there and if the city is a place for children.

At the same time we challenged the parents to think about the following question, “What does it mean for a child to have rights from birth?”

The excursion was magical. The children met in Hindmarsh Square, armed with cameras and clipboards to record their investigation. The accompanying parents watched, listened and provided the children with gentle provocations along the way. The atmosphere was incredible – a community of learners on a journey of inquiry.

As we arrived at the Rundle Mall fountain there was a man playing beautiful music on an electric classical guitar. The children were captivated. We also discovered the large balls sculpture, which became a place to discover the tympanic drum qualities of the balls, as well as a place to play with our reflections. At the end of the walk we had a picnic on the lawns in front of the museum. By the end of the excursion, the children knew that the city really is a place for children.

Sarah Croston-Melling
Hallett Room Teacher

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Upcoming School Tours

Our next School Tour is scheduled for Tuesday 22 March at 9.30am. If you have family or friends interested in learning more about our School, please encourage them to attend our upcoming tour by contacting Jess Geraghty, Enrolments Manager on 08 8334 2215 or jgeraghty@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au or register online.

For families wishing to view the facilities of St Peter’s College and see their school in action, the next tour is available on Thursday 7 April 2016. For any enrolment enquiries at St Peter’s College, please contact Amanda Bruce, Admissions Manager, on 8404 0517 or abruce@stpeters.sa.edu.au.

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Choral Night 2016

Choral Night Enews

Choral Night 2016 is just a few weeks away. We hope Years 7–12 families can join us for this annual highlight on the School calendar.

We encourage you to book your tickets early to avoid disappointment, as this is always a sell-out event.

Time: 7pm (doors open 6.30pm)
Date: Wednesday 30 March 2016
Venue: Adelaide Town Hall, 128 King William Street, Adelaide
Tickets: $10 each (a maximum of four tickets per family applies)

Year 12 parents now have priority access to book tickets and can access the Trybooking site using the password provided via email.

Years 7-11 parents can book tickets from Tuesday 15 March at www.trybooking.com/HAQC.

We hope to see as many parents as possible join us for what is sure to be a fun and entertaining evening.

For further information, contact the Development Office on events@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au.

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Gifted education information night

IMG_3118Parents of students in Reception to Year 10 are warmly invited to attend the launch of our Gifted and Talented Program, EDGE. EDGE stands for Extended, Differentiated and Gifted Education. The launch will be held at 6.30pm on Thursday 17 March in the Arts Centre.

The EDGE program is a culmination of staff professional learning, research and consultation on the nature of giftedness. We believe that a differentiated curriculum benefits all of our girls, not just the gifted and talented. Please join us to hear more about how the program will be put into action this year.

This evening will be an opportunity for us to share details of what we will be doing both in and out of the classroom to ensure our gifted students have an enriched and challenging curriculum.

It is our hope that the EDGE program will deepen and extend learning experiences, foster curiosity and creativity, and inspire a love of learning.

We look forward to seeing you on the night and sharing our vision for gifted education at St Peter’s Girls.

For further information, please contact Becca Burton-Howard on bburton-howard@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au or Meredith Beck on mbeck@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au.

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Dads Night Out: tickets now on sale

Dads Night Out Enews

The inaugural Dads Night Out, ‘A Night on the Green’, will be held on Friday 1 April.

Come along for a great evening, bring a friend and enjoy some barefoot bowling at the Toorak Burnside Bowling Club.

7–11pm, Friday 1 April 2016
Toorak Burnside Bowling Club, 25 Giles Street, Toorak Gardens

To book, visit www.trybooking.com/KRNT.

Includes finger food and prizes. Drinks can be purchased on the evening.

Earlybird special: $30 tickets available before 29 March 2016! Keep an eye out for your invitation.

It’ll be a fun and social evening. Remember – no bowling experience is necessary! This fundraising event is hosted by the Mothers’ Club.

The Mothers’ Club would love to offer you the opportunity to promote your business at this event. If you have a product or service that can be donated for a raffle or auction prize, please let us know. Contact Emma on emmarob@bigpond.net.au.

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School Shop update

From next term, students will need to change their uniform from Summer to Winter.

Students will be required to wear their winter uniform from the first day next term.

If you require a winter uniform fitting, please contact the School Shop on 8334 2228 to arrange an appointment.

We will only be open for limited hours during the second week of school holidays.

Sue Burnett
School Shop Manager

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Junior School banking reminderbanking

Don’t forget that Wednesday is School Banking day and students should bring in their weekly deposit.

For every deposit made at school, no matter how big or small, students will receive a cool Dollarmites token. Once students have individually collected 10 tokens they can redeem them for an exclusive School Banking reward item in recognition of their continued savings behaviour.

Thank you for supporting the School Banking program at St Peter’s Girls’ School.

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Come and support us at Head of the River

The countdown is on for the Head of the River, to be held on Saturday 12 March at West Lakes. Students, parents and families are invited to attend and support our girls from the edge of the rowing course.

This year a bus will be provided from School to West Lakes for students wishing to attend.  45 seats are available and students can book at the School Shop by Thursday next week.  The bus will depart at 7.15am and return to Saints Girls by approximately 12.15pm.

This year’s rowing is expected to be bigger and better than last, with the girls’ lead-up training being exceptional. Please come along to attend this historic regatta and support our rowers.

As with previous years, spectating students are expected to wear full School uniform, including hat. If the weather is cool and an outer garment is required, students must wear their blazer.

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Sports News

Basketball – Wednesday 2 March

Open A – Saints 15 defeated by Scotch 40
Saints got off to a slow start against Scotch. It was good to see the girls’ movement down the court and effective use of fast breaks. The second half was a much better half and showed how much potential the team has. A special mention to Abbey Goodwin who worked hard all game and managed to get many turnovers. Josephine Dal Pra (Captain)

Junior Softball – Wednesday 2 March

Year 6 – Saints did not play

Teeball – Wednesday 2 March

Year 4/5 – Saints did not play

Water Polo – Thursday 3 March

Open A – Saints 1 defeated by Pembroke 7
Open B – Saints 6 defeated by Walford 7
While both teams have been training hard and working on capitalising on our scoring opportunities we did not work as a team. Pleasing improvement from our Year 10 players in the Bs kept us in the game against Walford as we hit the lead late in the final quarter, only to give up a goal on the siren. Best in As: Antonia Kirsten-Parsch, Grace Sampson. Best in Bs: Belen Swart and Katherine Woolley. Lynne Spry (Supervisor)

Year 7/8 – Saints 10 defeated Pembroke 9
A great match played against Pembroke, with Olivia Goldsmith scoring the winning goal in the final seconds. The top goal scorer was Alyssa Woolley with three goals. Everyone played an amazing game, especially our goalies, Alyssa Woolley, Saskia Jonats, Olivia Goldsmith and me. Hopefully, we can bring up another win against Loreto next game. Fiona Lethbridge (7/8 Captain)

Junior Tennis – Friday 4 March

Saints 5/6 Blue v Saints 5/6 White Advanced
Doubles: Sienna/Georgia v Emily/Tahlia – 3:6
Singles: Sienna Glazbrook defeated Tahlia Louca 4-0, Georgia Langley defeated by Emily Baldwinson 0-4

Year 6 White – Saints 1-8 defeated by St Ignatius 5-23
Singles: Chloe Venning 4-3, Lara Slape 0-4, Charlotte Hocking 0-4, Primrose Robinson 2-4

Year 6 White – Saints 2-12 defeated by Cabra 4-19
Singles: Caitlin Walker 0-4, Adele Russell 4-3, Sivanthi Sivasuthan 4-2, Emily Elston 2-4

Rowing – Saturday 5 March

We did have the School State Champs over the weekend, in which there were fairly trying conditions. Our Juniors have continued to keep up their impressive rowing and have been getting many places. Our Year 7/8s were generally rowing against girls older than them and were putting up great efforts; this shows huge promise for the future. I would like to mention the 8D crew, who have only been racing since Murray Bridge, winning their C Final – you couldn’t wipe the smiles off their faces.

A big CONGRATULATIONS goes out to the 9B crew who won their State Championship final, which really is reward for them and all the hard work they have been putting in. 9C Crew who have only recently had Zoe Wilmshurst join them are getting better with each row; they just need to put it all on the line this weekend and who knows what could happen? The 9A crew are getting closer to the pointy end, coming fourth in their final, but they are not far off; they need to leave nothing out on the course at Head of the River.

The 10B crew had a great result on Sunday, coming second to Walford, sticking with them the whole way and just letting them go just before the finish. They have been really improving each week and I would love to see them up there on Saturday, fighting it out again. The 10A crew have had bit of a rollercoaster ride over the past couple of weeks and I am hoping that they can put everything behind them and just focus on having fun and a fantastic row on the weekend; who knows what could happen:)

The First VIII didn’t row on Saturday; it was a race for lanes so Simon decided to give the girls a rest. This meant that we drew one of the outside lanes on Sunday for the final, which as it worked out will be the lane they are rowing in Head of the River, i.e. Lane 2. The girls came out and had a great row, finishing second to Seymour, so hopefully this gives them all the confidence moving into the weekend and on to the Nationals. Ben Flannagan (Director of Rowing)

On Saturday Imogen Parkinson, Hannah Keough, Paris Robinson, Sophie Johnson and Abigail Lisle competed in two races. In the girls’ heat they pushed really hard and came first. In the second race, after a few complications, the girls went from last and finished in second. The girls did amazingly well and should be proud. Abigail Lisle

The 9Bs, consisting of Emily Brophy, Sarah Carrodus, Olivia Law and Eve Habel, all rowed a very good heat, coming first with a tight win and progressing to the 8/9B final. The final was very tight between Saints, Walford and Loreto. We broke away from Walford at the 500m mark and the finish was intense, going stroke for stroke with Loreto. With a last big effort we broke away and earned a well-deserved first place, becoming state champions. So well done, girls; you deserved every bit of success. Zoë Scobie

Our crew on the Saturday consisted of Grace Edwards as Cox, Wilhelmina Fowler as Stroke, Chanel Stefani as 3 seat, Grace Packer as 2 seat and Alexandra Reade as Bow. Facing Scotch, Pembroke and Walford we knew it would be a tough race. We got into it and pushed Walford the whole way. On Day 2 of the Championships, Chanel was unable to race so we had Rachel Kameniar fill in for us. As Scotch wasn’t in our race, we knew we had a fighting chance to come first or second. It was a great race, pushing against Walford the whole time, and we led until the final sprint, when Walford just managed to get ahead. We were still pretty happy finishing second and are all looking forward to next weekend to try and finish on a high. Grace Edwards

Softball – Saturday 26 February

Cancelled due to heat

Tennis – Saturday 5 March

Cancelled due to heat

Volleyball – Saturday 5 March

Cancelled due to heat

Basketball – Monday 5 March

No games due to Years 7 and 8 camps

Tennis – Monday 7 March

Open A – Saints 6-36 defeated Wilderness 0-9
Singles: Yasmin Glazbrook 6-0, Tiana Glazbrook 6-0, Jade Leyden 6-4, Olivia Teh 6-2

Open B – Saints 4-30 defeated Wilderness 2-20
Singles: Olivia Harby 6-2, Emily Loh 6-2, Sarah Richards 1-6, Neve McCormack 6-1

Other News

Netball school holiday clinics
Netball SA are providing School Holiday Netball Clinics to all players aged 5-16 years, with the chance to be coached by State Premier League Players and accredited Netball SA Community Netball Coaches. Clinics focus on ball handling skills, attacking, defending, centre court, goal shooting, circle defence, footwork, small-sided games and most importantly they are FUN! Go to www.sa.netball.com.au > Participate > Players (Look on the players’ page list)

Future Stars camp
This two-day program gives players aged between 11 and 16 years the chance to develop their netball skills and work alongside some of South Australia’s most respected netballers and coaches.

Participants will receive a specialist technical coaching session conducted by Adelaide Thunderbirds Head Coach, Michelle den Dekker, Assistant Thunderbirds Coach, Kristy Keppich-Birrell and Thunderbirds players, Kate Shimmin and Maddy Proud. Specialised physical coaching sessions will be run by athletes, Erin Bell and Leigh Waddington, and you will hear from Australian Champion and Thunderbirds Captain, Renae Ingles, about her Netball journey. Players will learn about what it takes to be an elite athlete, plus be coached by Nationally Accredited Coaches, enjoy competitive match play and receive a 2016 Future Stars Camp singlet. Go to www.sa.netball.com.au > Participate > Players (Look on the players’ page list)

Enews – Week 5, Term 1 2016

 Issue no. 5Enews-banner

From the Head of Junior School

Suzanne-Haddy_webIt has been an incredibly busy but happy start to the school year. As I reflect on the first five weeks, and consider what has been achieved and the events that have taken place in a relatively short space of time, I am again grateful for the dedication of our staff, the positive and friendly nature of our girls, and the strong sense of community that exists in the School to which I now belong.

Learning in the Junior School during the first few weeks of term has been rich and thought-provoking, with fascinating units of inquiry providing abundant learning experiences across a variety of disciplines.

The Reception girls are settling so well into school routines. They have made such significant progress during the first few weeks of school and are already celebrating their improvement in so many areas. They have been developing their skills in being a good friend, listening attentively and following instructions, along with learning skills and strategies for reading, writing, sorting, ordering, counting and classifying. I thank our Reception teachers, Michelle and Louise, for running an informative and enjoyable literacy and numeracy information evening this week and the many parents who came along to find out a little more about what we do at School and how the girls’ learning can be supported at home.

Our Year 1 students have been thoroughly enjoying their newly furnished classrooms. Their learning spaces are now more flexible, with a variety of table shapes, chairs and stools, along with moveable digital display screens that are bright and clear. The girls are managing their ‘independence’ days brilliantly and are well and truly big schoolgirls now. One of the highlights of the term so far for our Year 1s happened this week, as they watched a butterfly emerge out of its chrysalis after a long wait while it was a caterpillar, as part of their study about invertebrates and life cycles. It was quite an awe-inspiring moment and it sparked an enormous amount of discussion and led to some very careful and creative recording.

The Year 2 classes have been completely absorbed in their unit of inquiry about Space. The girls’ skills of questioning, then finding, presenting and reporting information, are getting an excellent workout and there is quite a buzz in their classrooms as new information is gathered and explored. The Space Dome visit was certainly a highlight of this unit – when the stars and planets came to the Arts Centre!

Our Year 3 classes have delved into their studies about animals, environments and endangerment with three contrasting excursions to The Urrbrae Wetlands, Monarto Zoo and The Adelaide Zoo. The girls’ creativity has been put to the test as they have created interesting ways to present their learning, using digital technologies, posters, mobiles, and 3D models. They are looking forward to presenting some of this learning at our Junior School Assembly in Week 9, from 8.40am on Friday 1 April. You are warmly invited to attend.

Year 4 girls have been learning a lot about themselves and others, in relation to how teams work, the skills required for a team of people to successfully work together, alternative emotional responses to a variety of situations, and looking at issues from different perspectives. They have enjoyed two Challenge Mornings with Year 4s from PAC who are currently undertaking a similar unit of inquiry. Working in groups to play games, undertake a team quiz, create a protective encasing for an egg to be dropped from the first floor balcony, and building the tallest tower using dry spaghetti and marshmallows all provided girls with an insight into the skills and strategies that are more and less successful when trying to achieve a shared goal.

The current Year 5 unit of inquiry has been leading up to their camp at Sovereign Hill, which they have been enjoying this week. Research into life during the Gold Rush era of the 1800s has been a focus as they learn about our use of natural resources and effects on the environment, society and culture. During their week away, the girls have adopted alternative personas, taking on a character from the mid-1800s and considering what life may have been like for people working in and around the early gold mining towns of Australia. We look forward to having them back in the 21st century next week!

Year 6s are learning about leadership currently, as they take on their responsibilities as leaders in the Junior School and develop the skills they will need to run the Peer Support program with the Years 2 to 5 students. They are discovering some of the traits of successful leaders from our past, and considering ways in which they can be ‘good’ leaders, who lead with creativity, courage, compassion, dedication, humility and integrity.

Attitude of gratitude – watch this space!

Before I sign off from this week’s edition of the Enews, I want to let you know of a challenge that I have set the Junior School girls for this year, and that is to approach every day with an ‘attitude of gratitude’. I spoke briefly about this at our Meet the Teacher evening, where I outlined some of the benefits we experience when we express gratitude. I shall be developing this theme further throughout the year in Chapel, Assemblies and when I’m wandering through corridors and classrooms.

Suzanne Haddy

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Strategic planning process underway: have your say

Parents will have now received a link to an online survey as part of our strategic planning process, seeking your opinion on a range of issues at the School. Your feedback is very important to us and will be used as we move forward.

Our new strategic plan will outline the way forward for the School over the next three years. This document will provide a clear path of improvement across a number of areas to ensure we continue to deliver excellence in education to our students.

The survey is being conducted by an external provider and all responses will be kept strictly private and confidential. No member of the leadership team or Board will have access to your individual responses. We will be provided with a summary of collated results only. There are no right or wrong answers and we ask that you respond honestly.

Following this survey process, we will also be holding a series of open forums which you may like to attend. Parents will be invited to contribute to areas such as the academic, co-curricular and well-being domains. This is a vital way for us to hear your feedback and discuss ideas in an open and transparent way. Please mark these dates in your diary and attend the session/s that interest you most:

Monday 4 April – Academic
Tuesday 12 April – Well-being
Thursday 14 April – Co-curricular

Sessions will be held in the Humzy Theatre from 7pm. More information will be circulated closer to the time.

As always, if you have an idea, issue or topic to raise with me, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly at jshea@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au or make an appointment. Please call 8334 2226 to arrange a convenient time.

I look forward to hearing your feedback.

Julia Shea
Principal

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Last chance: Buzz Book data update

Buzz Book 2016 coverHave you provided your consent to be included in this year’s Buzz Book?

All changes and consent must be completed today.

 

If you do NOT submit your consent, your information will NOT be included in the Buzz Book this year. Both contacts will need to provide their individual consent.

We have moved to an electronic system for this year’s update process. To review your contact information, and provide your consent for your family’s details to be included in the Buzz Book, please complete the following steps:

> Log in to the Link Portal using your individual username and password
> If you can’t remember your password, click on ‘Forgot your password’ so that it can be emailed to you
> Once logged in, click on the Buzz Book tab
> Check your details and tick the items you wish to be included in the Buzz Book
> Your consent will be saved
> Repeat the process for any other daughters/children you have at the School
> If changes are required, email admin@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au and confirm your consent to be included in the Buzz Book.

 

If you experience difficulties using the Link Portal, please contact link@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au or phone 8155 5791.

Thank you for your assistance in keeping the School’s records accurate. We look forward to distributing the Buzz Book as soon as possible.

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Intensive Languages program update

This year marked the launch of our new Intensive Languages Program at Saints Girls.  Already, after only a few weeks, the Languages staff can see the benefits for our students of the extra time spent on language learning. Here are some snapshots of what is happening in some of the classrooms.

Junior School French

Junior School French students have been moving along at a fantastic pace now that they have an extra lesson a week. While not all students work at the same speed, it has given students who are very eager to learn more the opportunity to move further with their second language choice at such a crucial time when their brains are at the perfect developmental stage. For other students, it has meant that they have that extra lesson to consolidate their learning and help them with recall of new vocabulary.

Excellent school programs are also founded on excellent relationships between students and teachers and the intensive lessons have certainly allowed these relationships to deepen as we are seeing classes more often.

Reception and Year 1 Chinese

Reception Mandarin At the start of Term 1, Reception students in Chinese class are currently working on the Unit, ‘What is in China?’, in which they explore different cultural things in China, such as lanterns, chopsticks, dumplings etc. Students are enthusiastic in finding out things which are different from their home culture.

Year 1 students are focussing on the unit, ‘Animals’. They explore the topic through the Chinese Zodiac story, so they learn the language and the culture at the same time. Students are engaged in a range of classroom activities, such as puppet play, the game Go Around the World, and Simon Says.

With the Intensive Language Program introduced this year, students receive more opportunities to practise the language and explore the culture in more depth. The increased learning time reinforces their learning of the language and it also increases their enthusiasm of the language as well as their understanding of the culture. Now I have more and more students yell out Chinese words when they see me!

Heng Wang (Chinese Teacher, Reception and Year 1)

Year 2 French

In Year 2 French classes, students have almost achieved a term’s work by Week 5. With links to the PYP, students have learnt the names of different planets and have been able to answer questions about them in French. We have also learnt the song, Au clair de la lune,and kept up the practice of essential conversational phrases. The students have enjoyed being able to pursue their language learning in a way that makes this subject a more meaningful part of their educational journey.

Year 3 Chinese

 The girls in Year 3 Chinese class are doing a fantastic job. They love all the learning activities, including working on worksheets, singing songs, doing crafts and playing games. They are very keen to learn and sometimes they even teach themselves. Only within 4 weeks, the Year 3 girls have already been able to use basic greeting words, tell people their names, count from 0 to 100 in Chinese and sing a numbers song as well as a ‘good friend song’. They can also write the numbers in Chinese characters and the handwriting is very beautiful.

Isabel Feng (Chinese Teacher, Year 2&3)

Year 4 Japanese

 4SH JapaneseIn Year 4 Japanese, we have been working on oriental zodiac role play in Japanese. We are looking at the language in the script more closely than in previous years and students are making their own sentences and adding lines in their script, which we have never had time to do before.

The highlights of intensive language classes I have noticed so far, now that they are exposed to the language more regularly, are:

  • the level of engagement is much higher
  • the students are using the language more comfortably and confidently in class
  • they are discussing about language more deeply – reflecting on their own language, developing an understanding of how language forms
  • they are making connections with their prior knowledge more often (e.g. the students remembered the word, ‘atama’ (‘head’), and I told them ‘ii’ means ‘good’; then they figured what ‘atama ga ii’ (‘clever’) meant by themselves)
  • the students are finding their own way of developing their language skills (e.g. some students have come up with interesting mnemonics)

Ayako Uchikawa (Japanese Teacher, Year 4)

Year 5 Japanese

The Year 5 Intensive Japanese program has begun with great enthusiasm. From day one, students have eagerly involved themselves in their language learning through activities such as contributing to the online Wonder Wall and creating Japanese Journals. The Japanese Journals have been especially rewarding as students use iPads to create their own reference materials. In doing so, they have not only been considering language, but also meaning, context and pronunciation.

Overall, it is clear that the increase to four lessons a week has allowed students to learn with both great breadth and great depth, and we are all looking forward to where this learning will take us in the coming year.

Amanda Gunawan (Japanese Teacher, Year 5)

Year 6 French

In my Year 6 French class I think one of the biggest differences is in the general confidence of the class to be able to speak in French. They practise speaking most days, since we have a lesson most days, and many are able to speak with pronunciation that is far more accurate than a normal beginner as they have more regular reinforcement of correct pronunciation.

Alex McKay (French Teacher, Year 6)

Year 6 Japanese

In Year 6 Japanese, we are using the extra time to concentrate on learning the hiragana alphabet. Although the girls learned a number of the characters last year, one lesson a week does not allow frequent enough contact with the script to be able to use it confidently. Our aim is that by the end of Term 1, we will be learning all new words in hiragana, without having to write the English pronunciation. This is very unusual for a primary school language class, and is only possible due to the frequency of our lessons.

The girls also have much more constant interaction with spoken Japanese and, as a result, like to use the phrases they have learned wherever possible. It is wonderful teaching students who are so keen to learn and the success they are experiencing through being able to use the language frequently further feeds their motivation. It will be an exciting year!

Cindy Pitkin (Japanese Teacher, Year 6)

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Gifted education information night

IMG_3118Parents of students in Reception to Year 10 are warmly invited to attend the launch of our Gifted and Talented Program, EDGE. EDGE stands for Extended, Differentiated and Gifted Education. The launch will be held at 6.30pm on Thursday 17 March in the Arts Centre.

The EDGE program is a culmination of staff professional learning, research and consultation on the nature of giftedness. We believe that a differentiated curriculum benefits all of our girls, not just the gifted and talented. Please join us to hear more about how the program will be put into action this year.

This evening will be an opportunity for us to share details of what we will be doing both in and out of the classroom to ensure our gifted students have an enriched and challenging curriculum.

It is our hope that the EDGE program will deepen and extend learning experiences, foster curiosity and creativity, and inspire a love of learning.

We look forward to seeing you on the night and sharing our vision for gifted education at St Peter’s Girls.

For further information, please contact Becca Burton-Howard on bburton-howard@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au or Meredith Beck on mbeck@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au.

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New piano in residence

IMG_3087It was with great excitement last Friday that I supervised the instalment of our new baby Grand C1X Yamaha Piano into MB 120, the new Music Studio. The piano, affectionately known as ‘Stubby’, was the final piece of the puzzle to be fitted into our new purpose-built second music room.

Last year we sadly farewelled Fiona Hale (nee Burton, Patteson ’86), Old Scholar, parent, ex-President of the Friends of Arts and strong advocate of Music at Saints Girls. At Fiona’s funeral an amount of money was collected to go towards the purchase of a piano for the Music Department, and ‘Stubby’ is the eventuality of Fiona’s ongoing ambition to support Music at Saints Girls.

To celebrate our new piano, we will be holding a piano competition. During Week 9, I will be holding an open forum at recess times for all piano players to come along and perform one piece. From this performance, 10 students will be chosen to perform in an evening recital on Wednesday 18 May in our new Music Studio. I can think of no better way to celebrate this wonderful addition to our music resources at Saints Girls.

Sally Rounsevell
Director of Music

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Choral Night 2016: save the date

Choral Night Enews

Choral Night 2016 is just a few weeks away. We hope Years 7–12 families can join us for this annual highlight on the School calendar.

We encourage you to book your tickets early to avoid disappointment, as this is always a sell-out event.

Time: 7pm (doors open 6.30pm)
Date: Wednesday 30 March 2016
Venue: Adelaide Town Hall, 128 King William Street, Adelaide
Tickets: $10 each (a maximum of four tickets per family applies)

Tickets must be pre-purchased online before the event and we will include details in next week’s Enews. As in previous years, our Year 12 parents will have priority access to book tickets before general access is opened. Stay tuned for further details.

We hope you can join us for what is sure to be an amazing evening.

For further information, contact the Development Office on events@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au.

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Come and support us at Head of the River

The countdown is on for the Head of the River, to be held on Saturday 12 March at West Lakes. Students, parents and families are invited to attend and support our girls from the edge of the rowing course.

This year a bus will be provided from School to West Lakes for students wishing to attend.  45 seats are available and students can book at the School Shop by Thursday next week.  The bus will depart at 7.15am and return to Saints Girls by approximately 12.15pm.

This year’s rowing is expected to be bigger and better than last, with the girls’ lead-up training being exceptional. Please come along to attend this historic regatta and support our rowers.

As with previous years, spectating students are expected to wear full School uniform, including hat. If the weather is cool and an outer garment is required, students must wear their blazer.

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Dads Night Out

Dads Night Out Enews

The inaugural Dads Night Out, ‘A Night on the Green’, will be held on Friday 1 April.

Come along for a great evening, bring a friend and enjoy some barefoot bowling at the Toorak Burnside Bowling Club.

7pm, Friday 1 April 2016
Toorak Burnside Bowling Club

Includes finger food and door prizes. Drinks can be purchased on the evening. Raffle prizes will also be drawn.

Earlybird special: $30 tickets available before 29 March 2016! Ticket sales will open next week. Keep an eye out for your invitation.

It’ll be a fun and social evening. Remember – no bowling experience is necessary! This fundraising event is hosted by the Mothers’ Club.

The Mothers’ Club would love to offer you the opportunity to promote your business at this event. If you have a product or service that can be donated for a raffle or auction prize, please let us know. Contact Emma on emmarob@bigpond.net.au.

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Give our new robot a name: entries open

NAOMany of you will remember Thomas the robot who was loaned to the School as part of a pilot educational project last year. Thomas captured the imagination of the students and as a result of their fundraising activities, the Parents’ and Friends’ Association were able to purchase a NAO Humanoid Robot for the School.

The new robot has remained nameless for long enough and so the time has come to name it. At the recent Twilight Cinema, the P&F launched a naming competition. The competition is open to all students to enter their suggested name for consideration.

Please put your suggestion on one of the available slips, together with a gold coin donation, and return them to the Development Office by 7 March 2016. A shortlist will be presented to Ms Shea who will decide on the final name.

Now is your chance to go down in St Peter’s Girls history, so get thinking and maybe it will be your suggestion that makes it.

Ed Parker
P&F President

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Tutor Program proving popular

OIMG_6291ur new Tutor Program for Years 7-12 students is proving popular with students. It’s already providing excellent support for students as they navigate the complexities of their Middle and Senior School studies.

Our tutors are all recent Old Scholars, who’ve been carefully selected to cover key subject areas such as Maths, Science, English and Humanities. They are employed directly by the School.

Importantly, this is a free service provided to students so you can attend as many sessions as you need.

The tutors have access to course outlines and assessment requirements and provide clear feedback and reinforce understanding of subjects for students. They are also in direct communication with subject teachers if required.

If you are keen for your daughter to get involved with the tutoring sessions, which occurs before and after school, please contact me on 8334 2238 or email kskinner@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au.

Kerry Skinner
Deputy Principal & Head of Senior School

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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.

bankingRemember 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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Swimming Carnival

swimming

The 2016 Swimming Carnival was once again held at the Adelaide Aquatic Centre and was enjoyed by Years 4 to 12 students and a large number of supportive parents. Selwyn took out the McGill Shield as overall winners for the first time since its inception in 2002 and were the overall winners for the first time since 1997.

McGill Shield
1st Selwyn, 2nd Patteson, 3rd Kilburn, 4th Kennion

Junior School Shield
1st Selwyn, 2nd Patteson, 3rd Kilburn, 4th Kennion

Middle School Shield
1st Kilburn, 2nd Selwyn, 3rd Kennion, 4th Patteson

Senior School Shield
1st Selwyn, 2nd Kennion, 3rd Patteson, 4th Kilburn

Year Level Winners

Year 4 – 1st Charlie Norman PAT and Marcella Tolley SEL, 2nd Claudia Pearce SEL, 3rd Dani Cox KEN
Year 5 – 1st Poppy Marshall SEL, 2nd Emily Bryce SEL, 3rd Sophie Dansie SEL
Year 6 – 1st Emily Baldwinson KEN, 2nd Mia Humphrey SEL, 3rd Sophie Norman PAT
Year 7 – 1st Steph Smalls PAT, 2nd Gemma Schaedel SEL, 3rd Lily Rose Spartalis KIL
Year 8 – 1st Lucy Young KIL, 2nd Annabel Baldwinson KEN, 3rd Hattie Maerschel KEN
Year 9 – 1st Nicolette Miller, 2nd Grace Sampson KIL, 3rd Rose Pittman KIL
Year 10 – 1st Thandi Murada KIL, 2nd Erin Barrera SEL, 3rd Antonia Kirsten Parsch SEL
Year 11 – 1st Shania Morgan PAT, 2nd Rachael Disney KEN, 3rd Mikaela Georgiadis KEN
Year 12 – 1st Krista Ceplite SEL, 2nd Tash Hammond SEL and Elise Schaedel SEL, 3rd Sophie Schultz KIL and Ally Murray KEN

Champion Swimmer – 4 x 25 Individual Medley

Junior School – 1st Emily Baldwinson, 2nd Poppy Marshall, 3rd Sophie Norman
Middle School – 1st Lucy Young, 2nd Annabel Baldwinson, 3rd Grace Sampson
Senior School – 1st Krista Ceplite, 2nd Shania Morgan, 3rd Thandi Murada

Swimmer of the Day

Junior School – Emily Baldwinson
Middle School – Lucy Young
Senior School – Krista Ceplite

Records

An amazing 25 New Records were set in the day, proving Saints has a very strong contingent of swimmers

Year 4 25m Butterfly – Marcella Tolley SEL 21.03sec
Year 4 25m Freestyle – Marcella Tolley SEL 17.25sec
Year 5 50m Breaststroke – Poppy Marshall SEL 44.94sec
Year 5 25m Backstroke – Annie Bui KEN 21.81sec
Year 6 50m Butterfly – Emily Baldwinson KEN 36.99sec
Year 6 50m Freestyle – Emily Baldwinson KEN 32.50sec
Year 6 50m Breaststroke – Emily Baldwinson KEN 43.73sec
Year 6 – 4 x25m IM – Emily Baldwinson KEN 1:21.88
Year 7 25m Freestyle – Portia Maerschel KEN 14.93sec
Year 8 25m Freestyle – Paris Robinson SEL 16.25sec
Year 8 25m Backstroke – Paris Robinson SEL 18.66sec
Year 8 50m Freestyle – Lucy Young KIL 29.16sec
Year 8 50m Backstroke – Lucy Young KIL 34.52sec
Year 10 25m Freestyle – Emily Webb PAT 16.16sec
Year 10 25m Backstroke – Charlie Kelly SEL 18.89sec
Year 11 50m Breaststroke – Shania Morgan PAT 34.17sec
Year 11 25m Backstroke – Isabelle Norman PAT 19.87sec
Year 12 50m Butterfly – Krista Ceplite SEL 30.93sec
Year 12 50m Freestyle – Krista Ceplite SEL 28.43sec
Year 12 25m Freestyle – Stella Tunno 19.74sec
Year 12 25m Backstroke – Georgia Howe KEN 19.26sec
Years 7, 8, 9 Freestyle Relay – Kilburn 56.29sec
Years 10, 11, 12 Freestyle Relay – Selwyn 57.23
Years 7, 8, 9 Medley Relay 1:05.67
Years 10, 11, 12 Medley Relay 1:05.17

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Sports News

Basketball – Wednesday 24 February

Open A – Saints 11 defeated by Wilderness 21
Despite the loss, the girls managed to carry the ball down the court well. Dropping off in the second half saw Wilderness take the lead and carry on to win the game. A special mention to Isabella who carried the ball with confidence and attacked the basket with aggression. Josephine Dal Pra (Captain)

Triathlon – Wednesday 24 February

triathlon

Saints sent 6 teams to the Secondary School State Teams Triathlon, which, for the first time, also included a Primary division for Year 7 students. All teams competed exceptionally well, adding to the history of this event.

Saints were also represented individually by Thandi Murada (Intermediate) and Matilda Braithwaite (Junior) who placed 6th overall.

Team Results:

Intermediate Team won the BRONZE medal: Erin Barrera (Swim), Thandi Murada (Cycle), Beth Cross (Run)

Junior Team 1 finished third: Grace Sampson (Swim), Rachel Banham (Cycle), Rose Pittman (Run)

Junior Team 2 finished 4th: Hattie Maerschel (Swim), Matilda Brathwaite (Cycle), Millie Wilkin (Run)

Junior Team 3 finished 5th: Annabel Baldwinson (Swim), Ella Waltham (Cycle), Portia Maerschel (Run)

Primary Team 1 won the GOLD medal: Alyssa Woolley (Swim), Sophie Barr (Cycle), Sophie Kameniar (Run)

Primary Team 2 won the BRONZE medal: Louisa Reid (Swim), Olivia Kelly (Cycle), Violette Maris (Run)

Junior Softball – Wednesday 24 February

Year 6 – Saints had a bye

Teeball – Wednesday 24 February

Year 4/5 – Saints 15 defeated Walford 13
After a defeat last week, Saints came back strongly against Walford. A visible improvement in batting and fielding allowed for the accumulation of runs and holding Walford back. Many outs were made by Saints, and many were also complex ways of getting a runner out. Overall, the team is improving extremely well and is looking forward to a week off this week! Claire Hale (Coach)

Water polo – Thursday 25 February

Open A – Saints had a bye

Open B – Saints 11 defeated Sacred Heart 1
With many new players joining the Open Water Polo, it was a new experience playing in a bigger and deeper pool at Adelaide. All of the girls combined well and demonstrated great skills which provided the team with an excellent first result. Best players: Lucy Cox and Antonia Kirsten-Parsch. Lynne Spry (Supervisor)

Year 7/8 – Saints 14 defeated St Ignatius 3
The girls excelled in their first game, winning against St Ignatius. As the team has four experienced players and four who are new to this sport, this was an outstanding achievement. All girls displayed great teamwork in demolishing their opponents, with Alysa Wooley and Fiona Lethbridge being the standout players for the game. Special mention should be made of the girls who spent time in goals and ensured that only 3 goals were scored against them. Well done, team! Heather Lines (Supervisor)

Junior Tennis – Friday 26 February

No games due to Swimming Carnival

Rowing – Saturday 26 February

Year 9A – The crew, consisting of Zoe Vine Hall, Rachel Kameniar, Amy Rice and Brooke Weymouth, had some successful races. We won our heat with a time of under four minutes and then placed fourth in the A final. Although we didn’t place, or get a time we were aiming for, a lot was learned in this one race. All of the girls are training harder and preparing for a hopeful win at Head of the River. Amy Carrodus (Coxswain)

Year 9B – The 9Bs placed first in both their heat and final on a beautiful Saturday at West Lakes. Their fierce Saints Girls determination and focus pushed the crew past some tight competition to stay true and follow through to the end. Our crew of Emily Brophy, Sarah Carrodus, Olivia Law, Eve Habel and Zoë Scobie, and coach, Carri Welsby, continue to work together to give it all we have each race. Zoë Scobie (Coxswain)

On Saturday my crew (Kate Reade, Emma Carrodus, Hannah Freeman and Scarlett Hocking) had two races which were back-to-back. We came 4th in the first race and a very close 2nd in the second. The girls need to work on not talking in the boat and keeping their heads in the boat. Charlotte Creek (Coxswain)

On Saturday I coxed 2 different crews. My first crew of Imogen Parkinson, Hannah Keough, Paris Robinson and Sophie Johnson won, with all of the girls working so hard throughout the race. The second race was immediately afterwards and was a Year 9 Division. The crew worked hard but unfortunately came fifth; however, the girls still tried their hardest.

The final race, with Scarlett Hocking, Emma Carrodus, Paris Robinson and Kate Reade, was in a Year 9 Division again and they tried really hard to finish third. Overall, the day was great and everybody achieved something. Abbie Lisle (Coxswain)

Softball – Saturday 26 February

Open A – Saints 7 defeated Concordia 0
This week there was yet another fantastic game played by the whole team. Ruby Oliver and Tori Gilroy performed an amazing double play from an outfield catch by Ruby, with the second out being a tag at second base. Once again, both pitching and catching was a key part of our game, helping us gain another win. Imogen Parker always does a great job behind the home plate, receiving Aroha’s constant strikes. Our last fielding innings was amazing, with Ruby Oliver in the middle of the diamond pitching. Only 3 batters came to the plate that innings as we were able to work together to get each batter out before they reached first base. Well done to Ruby for a great game! Batting also had good results, with Jasmine Ledgard hitting an outstanding home run. I am extremely proud of all the girls for their efforts on both Tuesdays and Saturdays and it is obvious that we are continuing to improve, forming good friendships and working our way to winning the Shield. Georgia Naughton (Captain)

Open B – Saints 15 defeated Concordia 2

Open C1 – Saints 18 defeated St Michael’s 15
Although up against an older, more experienced team, the girls were not afraid to face a faster pitch and there was strong batting with exceptional work in the field and at the plate. With obvious improvement in their fielding, it was clear that the girls were thinking about each play and the actions to be taken. A special mention must go to Steph Smalls who caught a difficult ball at right field and Louisa Reid for her reliable fielding in the outfield. Best player goes to Portia Maerschel for her pitching, stops and strong batting. Well done to everyone for an exciting win! Mimi Long (Coach)

Open C2 – Saints had a Bye

Tennis – Saturday 26 February

Division 1 – Saints 2-24 defeated by Wilderness 28
Singles: Neve McCormack 6–2, Chelsea Staples 1–6, Georgina Thrower 2–6, Violette Maris 6-2

Division 2 Blue – Saints Blue 3-18 defeated Saints White 0-7
Singles: Shamilla Dhillon defeated Mahala Truscott 6-2. Rose Pittman defeated Annabelle Langley 6-1

Division 3 Blue – Saints 4-27 defeated St Ignatius 2-23
Singles: Sophie Shearwood 6 – 4, Sivasuthan 6 – 1, Cheri Wong 3 – 6

Division 3 White – Saints 5-33 defeated Seymour 1-9
Singles: Lilly Alexander 3-6, Taj Shahin 6-0, Emily Downie 6-0, Amelie Eaton 6-0

Division 4 Blue – Saints 5-33 defeated Seymour 1-12
Singles: Aleisha Elliott 6-0 (forfeit), Faye Ma 6-2, Orla Clayton 6-1, Mia Rose Taliangis 6-0

Division 4 White – Saints 2-21 defeated Seymour 2-20
Singles: Charlotte Stewart 6-5, Natasha Lau 6-2

Volleyball – Saturday 26 February

Open A – Saints 3 defeated Immanuel 0
The Open A girls played a terrific game against Immanuel. After a strong start, they continued to work together as a team, and played effectively both defensively and offensively. Passing was done particularly well, and it was great to see so much movement on the court. The girls should be commended for fantastic covering. Additionally, the way in which the backcourt setter is used is continually improving. Mikaela Georgiadis must be applauded on a fantastic block, winning us the last set of the game. Georgia Howe and Mila Loechel (Captains)

Open B – Saints 2 defeated Immanuel 1
The Open Bs defeated Immanuel, finishing the game strongly with a dominant display in the last set (25-7). The girls took some time to warm up in the first set, with their calling and passing costing too many points. Fortunately, this was only a malaise as Maddy Bateman had a break-out game, the ‘jumping bean’ blocking and hitting anything in her area. All girls served strongly and there was some great passing from Ava Loechel and Charlotte Carney. Dan Searle (Supervisor)

Middle A – Saints 2 defeated Immanuel 1 (25-22, 21-25, 25-15)
The Middle A team are looking really strong with 3 wins to date – this week to opposition, Immanuel! The match went to a flying start, our serving and three hits helping us to get ahead by 10 points and win the set. The lower energy and confidence in the second set improved by the end of this set but not enough for a win; unfortunately, it was the lack of calling that lost us the set. Finally, the third set was the most intense set to date. Brooke Elliott’s blocking at net and backup on the court was fantastic, as well as Ruby Bouhamdan’s spectacular serving this set. The girls worked as a cohesive team and incorporated everything talked about in training to demonstrate textbook play and win the game by a convincing 10 points! Absolutely amazing job with the three wins so far; well done, team! Ellana Welsby and Eliza Falconer

Middle B – Saints 2 defeated Immanuel 1 (25-19, 25-18, 17-25)
The girls had another great win this week against Immanuel. Some excellent serving from Katelin Calandro and Georgie Bafile allowed us to gain a good lead early in the first two sets. Amelie Dunda and Asha Short provided some fantastic movement and backup on court that presented the team with some great hitting opportunities. Sophie Lemire also showed some excellent pressure up at the net. The girls played a great game and should be very proud of their efforts this week! Ellana Welsby and Eliza Falconer

Middle C – Saints 0 defeated by Immanuel 3 (21-25, 21-25, 9-25)
The Middle Cs had really good three hits to start the game, with great energy and backup; however, it was the failure to call for the ball that cost us the few points in this first set. The second set continued in a similar fashion, with a strong comeback in the end of the set but not enough to win. Millie Han’s consistent deep in the court serving proved a challenge for the opposition to return over the net, and she must be commended on a great game this week. Unfortunately, the girls had lost a lot of confidence and energy by the third set, failing to get to the ball in time for a return. Hopefully, we can begin next week like we started in this game. Ellana Welsby and Eliza Falconer

Basketball – Monday 29 February

Middle C1 – Saints 26 defeated Immanuel 12
The girls had their first win as a team in two years. From the start the girls played extremely well as a team, with their team defence allowing them to keep Immanuel to a low score. All nine players put in 100 percent for the full 40 minutes. Well done, girls; keep working hard! Peter Krantis (Coach)

Middle C2 – Saints 6 defeated by Walford 14
It was the first match for the C2 team this week. The girls did well in the first half, causing many turnovers which led to Kellie Bested scoring our first two goals. During half-time, we spoke about numbering up in defence and ensuring everyone has an opponent. Natacha Zisos Troupakis and Mahala Truscott did particularly well in this area, always getting in front of their player in defence and applying constant pressure. Well done to Alice Liang who was our only scorer for the second half, as well as Maddy Tilley for using her height to provide a target in attack. Vanessa Brooks (Coach).

Tennis – Monday 29 February

Open A – Saints had a bye

Open B – Saints 6-38 defeated Scotch 0-12
Singles: Olivia Harby 7-5, Emily Loh 6-1, Clair Kao 6-0, Sarah Richards 6-1