Monthly Archives: March 2020

eNews – Week 9, Term 1 2020

Issue no. 9Enews-banner

Week 9 Banner 3

From the Deputy Principal / Head of Middle School

Richard Lisle inside 220Parent-Teacher Interviews are some of my most enjoyable evenings in the School calendar. They may not have the glamour and excitement of Choral Night, the joy of a School Musical, or the pizzazz of Presentation Night, but in their own way, they always leave me feeling energised. They are a great opportunity to catch up with parents I haven’t seen for a while, to share some banter about the footy or the cricket, to get instant feedback on the service we provide, and to be able to help answer questions or solve emerging problems in a much more personal way than email does.

When we made the decision to conduct this week’s Year 7 Parent-Teacher Interviews by phone to support social distancing, I was consequently a little deflated. I knew that the social element of the evening would be lost, and I had doubts over the logistical possibility of connecting 60 sets of parents with 20 teachers by phone, simultaneously, for 7 minute phone calls across the 4 hours of the evening.

I have to say, that I left school at the end of the night even more buoyed than usual. Our staff and parents rose to the challenge beautifully, with professionalism, kindness, understanding, patience and a good deal of humour. As I called the parents of my Year 7 Mathematics class, I was greeted warmly from people’s lounge rooms, kitchens, workplaces and even from the car. As well as talking about student progress, parents took the time to share their gratitude for the work of our staff in these trying times, as well as giving me overwhelmingly positive feedback about the ‘PTI-by-phone’ process.

I missed the usual banter around the water fountain, the chance to remind Crows fans about who is currently sitting on top of the ladder. However, this was replaced with comments about the ability to cook dinner whilst talking to teachers, to be in pyjamas whilst hearing about History.

Whilst the value of face-to face contact should never be underestimated, it gave me great heart to see parents and teachers join together with a tangible sense of common purpose to find a way to make connections with each other and stay connected with the successes and challenges of our students. At a time when we’ve been forced to cancel or postpone so many events that give us joy, it was pleasing to have launched something new!

Richard Lisle
Deputy Principal / Head of Middle School

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Warmest of Receptions for Dedicated Staff

W9 - Reception
 
In a truly heart-warming gesture, our Reception girls decided to say a big thank you to all the staff at Saints Girls for going above and beyond over the past few weeks.

They printed ‘thank you’ posters and decorated them, and drew pictures of the many people they wanted to thank including Ms Shea, Ms Haddy, Mrs Smith, the Property Services team, the IT team, the Tuck Shop, our Registered Nurses, Lesley and Sarah at the Front Office, the bus drivers, the teachers and more. They have put the posters up on the classroom windows so people can see them when they walk past each day.

Thank you girls! For staff, this is just one of the many joys that makes us so proud to be part of the Saints Girls’ family.
 

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Saints Girls Shine for Harmony Day

W9 - Harmony Day

Our Junior School girls recently celebrated Harmony Day, embracing this year’s theme  that ‘Everybody Belongs’. Despite current global segregation and distancing, the girls have worked to promote what makes us all belong in this world and the joy of diversity. Classes have undertaken a variety of discussions and activities around belonging, caring, diversity, equality, peace and joy, which has culminated in the creation of a pledge chain. Every student has created a link in a giant chain on which they have written their pledge for 2020 to ensure everybody belongs. This has been emotional to read and uplifting in such difficult times. The chain now emblazons the Junior School corridor.

All girls were also given an orange ribbon to wear on their lapels to celebrate Harmony Day, and this has been a bright addition to the uniform.

Please enjoy this snapshot of our Harmony Day celebrations. May peace and joy be with you and your families at this time.

Shelley Hampton
Junior School Wellbeing Coordinator

 

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Introducing our Strings Coordinator

W9 - Music 3

We would like to introduce and welcome our new Strings Coordinator, Natalie Maegraith:

“I started learning viola at school when I was nine years old.

I had a wonderful teacher who instilled in me the love of music and the joy of playing. The first orchestra I played in was the Primary Schools’ String Orchestra. At the age of 12, I was awarded a Music scholarship at Marryatville High School. I spent my high school years and some of my university years learning from Keith Crellin, and playing in the Marryatville High School Orchestra and Adelaide Youth Orchestra, and then the Adelaide Youth Chamber Orchestra.

I completed a Bachelor of Music Performance at the University of Adelaide, studying with Keith Crellin, and then undertook a Graduate Diploma of Music performance studying with the late esteemed violinist Dr Jan Sedivka at the University of Tasmania.

I have taught violin and viola for 25 years at various schools and institutions including Sydney Conservatorium, Adelaide Open Music Academy, Saint Ignatius’ College, Prince Alfred College, Pulteney Grammar School, and in 2020, was awarded the position of Strings Coordinator at St Peter’s Girls’ School.

What I love about teaching in this role is being able to pass on the precious musical jewels I have been taught by incredible teachers, and pass them on to new students, who work hard and achieve their best on their instrument and enjoy contributing to the musical community at Saints.

I am the Strings Director of the Senior Strings, Intermediate Strings, Developmental Strings and Junior Strings groups at Saints. In addition, I teach about 30 private violin/viola lessons at the School.

I also perform as a casual member of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Adelaide Concert Orchestra, and various other ensembles.”

Natalie Maegraith
Strings Coordinator

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eSports a Hit with APEX Girls

W9 - eSports

Our APEX co-curricular club is now a part of eSports, which involves playing video games competitively as a team. We currently have some small teams preparing to participate in the FUSE Cup. This is a national inter-school competition, playing games such as Mario Kart, Rocket League and FIFA. With our new Nintendo Switch consoles, we will be participating in the Mario Kart segment of this competition. The event is being held online in Term 2.

A group of keen eSports’ girls get together every Thursday recess to meet for APEX, and we practise techniques and strategies most lunches, building skills and teamwork. If you are interested in joining events like this, email Mr Coulter for more information, or come along to our lunchtime practice sessions. As the eSports Captain, I would love to see even more new faces joining us.

Lysiane Franchi
Year 8 student

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Colour Explosion for Daring Visual Artists

W9 - Art
 
The Year 11 Visual Arts students were set the task of creating a painting inspired by the work of contemporary Adelaide-based visual artist Mariana Mezic. In recent years, Mezic has burst onto the art scene with her vibrant, whimsical creations. She produces vivid, large-scale paintings with an energetic and beautiful explosion of colour. Working with graphite pencil and languid acrylic paint, Mezic’s distinctive work features bold, hyper-realistic imagery surrounded by colourful and energetic scenes.

For their own creations, the Year 11 Visual Arts’ students were encouraged to use an original photograph for the imagery, but the characteristics of their pieces were inspired by the bold, colourful and embellished works of Mariana Mezic. Kendra Ware (pictured above) effectively utilised a range of media to create her mixed media artwork.

All of the students embraced and enjoyed the challenge.

Kirsten Mansfield
Art and Design Teacher

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Year 1s Put a Smile on Your Dial

W9 - Year 1a
The Year 1 students in Mrs Liddy’s class have been playing in the Measurement drawer of Mathematics. During explorations of clocks and time, the girls looked carefully at different clocks and their features. They were then challenged to use materials from the classroom to create a clock. Here are some of the girls’ comments:

“I noticed that there’s a pattern around the clock.” – Ava D

“Clocks don’t always have to be circles, they can be any shape.” – Mikayla

“I realised a clock only has 12 numerals on it.” – Emma

“I learnt that clocks sometimes have three hands. One’s called the hour hand, one’s called the minute hand and one’s called the second hand.” – Parker

“Cuckoo clocks have hands and, when it’s 3 o’clock, the bird comes out and cuckoos three times.” – Sanisha

“Some clocks look different, like alarm clocks.” – Eliana

“I noticed that the minute hand is on the 12 when it is o’clock.” – Harper

It has been a fun week exploring Mathematics in Year 1!

Michelle Liddy
Year 1 Teacher

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Year 2 Scientists Rise from the Shadows

Every hour on the hour across one day, Year 2 scientists collected data about the length and direction of shadows as part of the Central Idea that ‘People’s curiosity has encouraged them to investigate beyond our planet’.

Our scientists predicted that the shadows would change length and direction because the earth is rotating, so the sun looks like it moves across the sky. Each pair set up their experiment with a shadow stick and recording paper. They recorded the length and direction and observed the changes that occurred over the day. This data has been collated and presented in graphs as the girls apply scientific thinking to everyday life.

Kathryn Clark and Bec Greenhalgh
Year 2 Teachers

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Junior School Vacation Care

W9 - Vacation Care

Our next awesome instalment of Junior School Vacation Care is almost here. We have some great activities guaranteed to keep the children entertained through the break. With an array of on-site adventures, there is plenty of fun to be had.

Vacation Care Program – April 2020

Places are limited, so please click here to secure your booking now!

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Apple’s Cleaning Tips for iPads and Laptops

Apple products are made with a variety of materials, and each material might have specific cleaning requirements. To get started, here are some tips that apply to all products:

  • Use only a soft, lint-free cloth. Avoid abrasive cloths, towels, paper towels, or similar items.
  • Avoid excessive wiping, which might cause damage.
  • Unplug all external power sources, devices, and cables.
  • Keep liquids away from the product, unless otherwise noted for specific products.
  • Don’t get moisture into any openings.
  • Don’t use aerosol sprays, bleaches or abrasives.
  • Don’t spray cleaners directly onto the item.

Is it okay to use a disinfectant on my Apple product?

Using a 70 percent isopropyl alcohol wipe or disinfecting wipes, you may gently wipe the hard, nonporous surfaces of your Apple product, such as the display, keyboard, or other exterior surfaces. Don’t use bleach. Avoid getting moisture in any opening, and don’t submerge your Apple product in any cleaning agents. Don’t use on fabric or leather surfaces.

Here’s the full article from Apple: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204172

Of course, please check your device instructions for specific requirements.

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FREE Online Code Camp Program

The team at Code Camp has 50 experienced staff members ready to teach Saints Girls’ students how to code via online webinar classrooms. Topics covered in the lesson plans include loops, sequencing, iteration and animation.

While this is usually a paid program, Code Camp will be providing the online program to Saints Girls’ students for free.

Here is a copy of the digital flyer with the link where parents can sign up for free.

For more information, visit https://codecampworld.com

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Music and the Brain – The Ultimate Duet

With any move to online learning, a greater focus will be placed on students to participate in individual learning. To be successful, students will need to rely heavily on their executive function skills. What is executive function? Well, it is all the ‘adult skills’ we use in order to be successful in day-to-day activities.

Executive Function
Attention
Focus
Memory
Self-regulation
Empathy
Conflict resolution
Strategy
Planning
Time-management
Problem-solving
Teamwork
Spatial awareness

Recent research has discovered that students who undertake three or more years of one-on-one instrumental lessons and play in an ensemble have improved executive function skills up to one year over students who do not learn an instrument.

Check out the infographic that details the cognitive control skills that music learning develops.

For more information, check out https://biggerbetterbrains.com

Sally Rounsevell
Director of Music

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Notice from CommBank School Banking

Banking
The health, safety and wellbeing of our communities and our people is our first priority. Due to the rapidly developing situation with coronavirus, School Banking has been temporarily paused from 20 March 2020 until the start of Term 2. Please don’t bring your deposit book with your weekly banking to school at this time. We will notify you when banking will recommence.

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NAPLAN Cancellation

Due to the coronavirus response, Education Ministers have decided that NAPLAN will not proceed in 2020. The NAPLAN test window was scheduled to be held from 12 to 22 May.

The decision has been taken to assist school leaders, teachers and support staff to focus on the wellbeing of students and continuity of education, and because coronavirus impacts may affect the delivery of testing.

The full announcement from the Education Council can be found here.

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The Garden of Saintly Delights Cancellation

It was with a heavy heart that, due to the coronavirus response, we had to cancel The Garden of Saintly Delights which was scheduled for Sunday 29 March.

I would like to thank all the members of the Parents’ and Friends’ Association, the other community groups within the School and everyone else involved for all their hard work that went into the planning and organisation of our School Fair.

We have other events scheduled later in the year, so we hope you can come along and show your support for our community.

Take care

Bronwyn Bartter
Parents’ and Friends’ Association President

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Uniform Reminder for Year 4 Students

W5 - Winter Uniform

If your daughter is in Year 4, there are a few different uniform requirements that you may need to purchase before Term 2.

In the winter uniform, the pinafore is replaced by a skirt of the same fabric, so if the pinafore still fits, the bib can simply be removed. The grandpa shirt is replaced by a collared shirt and tie, and the junior blazer (cardigan) is no longer worn and is replaced by a navy blue jumper and a wool blazer.

Please contact the School Shop on 8334 2228 to arrange an appointment.

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eNews – Week 8, Term 1 2020

Issue no. 8Enews-banner

W8 - Banner 4

From the Deputy Principal / Head of Senior School

To Rise Above It

Kate MortimerThere is no doubt that the challenge to apply coronavirus social distancing measures has already had and will continue to have a significant impact on our School community. Whilst Saints Girls, as is the case with many other schools, has had to cancel a range of events and adjust our students’ teaching and learning, there is a glaringly obvious choice that we ourselves can make.

That is the choice ‘to rise above it’.

This does not mean dismissing the circumstances that are occurring around us, or to minimise the fact that life as we know it will continue to evolve in a way that we have not previously experienced. Rather, we each have the choice to focus on what we can control and to continue to celebrate the positive things that are happening within our lives.

So, whilst Choral Night had to be cancelled, prior to this, our Year 12 students were doing an amazing job leading the House rehearsals. We are not over-exaggerating to say that what had been achieved within the timeframe the girls had was certainly lining up to be an absolutely spectacular performance. We must also be grateful that we had the opportunity to come together as Houses, share small wins and many laughs on our journey to learn each song. It is these small wins that we must remember. Conversations, laughter and enjoying each other’s company have not been cancelled.

Year 12 also had the opportunity to perform their Choral Night dance in front of each other, and whilst everyone would have preferred to have done so at an evening performance, we need to anchor our gratitude in what is possible. Ms Shea still drew the order of performance for each House out of a hat, and the energy and spirit within the Arts Centre reflected the amazing bond between the year group and the staff. There may not have been a winner, but there was a wonderful vibe and the winning title remains open – should we manage to confirm an alternative date for Choral Night later in the year.

Today, Year 12 came dressed in their costumes for the Progressive Dinner, which was to have occurred later in the term. The theme of ‘childhood heroes’ proved to be as popular as we thought it would be. Also evident, given the range of clothes borrowed from parents, was that previous fashion trends provided endless entertainment for the girls of Saints.

Finally, not only have the Year 12s been able to showcase their School spirit throughout this challenging time, but the entire Saints Girls’ community has proven to be adept at managing society’s changes with a positive frame of mind. We have chosen ‘to rise above it’. Learning has continued and our girls and staff have demonstrated their resolve to make the most of every opportunity. Our School’s values of courage, creativity and compassion have come to the fore and will continue to guide our approach in the coming months.

Kate Mortimer (Deputy Principal / Head of Senior School)
Bella Bernardi (Head Prefect)

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Historic Result at Head of the River

W8 - Rowing
 
A huge congratulations to our 1st VIII Rowing crew who placed 3rd at a modified Head of the River event at West Lakes this week.

It’s the School’s best-ever result in this prestigious race, and follows our rowers’ stunning success at the recent State Championships where they performed a clean-sweep by winning all five of the divisions they competed in.

“On Monday morning, our Senior rowers competed in a modified Head of the River format. Sadly, the full regatta, which was scheduled for tomorrow, was cancelled in response to the coronavirus situation. However, the decision was made to run races for Senior crews in a spectator-free event. Unfortunately, this did not allow our Year 8 to 10 students to race, but vitally enabled the Year 12 students from all schools the chance to finish their final school Rowing season.

Under these unfamiliar circumstances, our 1st VIII claimed 3rd place, behind Seymour and narrowly behind Walford in 2nd. This was not the result our students had hoped for, but in time, I hope that they will reflect on the success they have achieved this season. This is the best result achieved by a St Peter’s Girls’ crew in this event and caps an already successful season that included their outstanding performances at the South Australian State Championships.

Thank you to Rowing SA for their support in running the modified event, as well as all of the Rowing Directors and Principals for their hard work in getting it off the ground and allowing our Senior rowers the chance to finish their school Rowing careers.”

Brynley Millward
Director of Rowing

Here are some moments from earlier in the Rowing season:

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A Message from the Kilburn House Captain

W8 - Kilburn House Captain Article

Choral Night 2020 – A Night in the Making

Choral Night is one of the most significant events at Saints Girls. It is a night of tradition, where the four Houses compete for choral glory after a dedicated rehearsal schedule. For the Year 12 cohort, it’s an occasion that becomes a lifetime memory.

Choral Night is about teamwork, dedication and having fun and I believe that all Houses have shown these traits and made the most out of this experience. As House Captain it has been a pleasure to see the Kilburn spirit go from strength to strength at each rehearsal and I am so proud of all that we have achieved. The Year 12 leaders have enjoyed the experiences and challenges of putting on the Choral Night show including choosing the House song, musical arrangements, musician selection, choreographing and learning the much-anticipated Year 12 dance (including props), costuming (very important bows!) and conducting, whilst juggling the demands of study.

Despite the disappointment of Choral Night not going ahead as planned, I am so proud of the Year 12 cohort in particular, of making the most of the opportunities it has presented us with. Our friendships have grown stronger, we are united as a team in leading the School, have had laughs and tears, but our spirit remains positive and hopeful that we will have a chance to showcase to the School community all that we have achieved. As individuals we understand the value of this experience and have learnt so much about ourselves and each other. Choral Night 2020 is a journey that we will never forget in our senior year at Saints Girls.

Tilly McCormack
Kilburn House Captain

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Year 5 Artists Strike Gold

W8 - Year 5

In Year 5 this term, we have been learning about the gold rush era in Ballarat, Victoria. The girls have explored the Central Idea, ‘The discovery of any resource has challenges, opportunities and consequences.’ In class, we have explored the social, cultural, economic, environmental and political effects of finding gold in Australia, as well as other places around the world.

The girls are currently in the midst of reading the novel A Banner Bold by Nadia Wheatley, which follows the life of a young girl living on the goldfields. This has allowed the girls to gain an insight into the hardships and conflicts that arose during this period in our history.

Most recently, the girls have undertaken an artist study of Samuel Thomas Gill, famously known as ST Gill, who was a painter during the gold rush. They’ve studied his works, drawing inspiration from the landscapes he painted of the Australian bushland to create their own depictions of life on the goldfields.

Sarah Mulraney
Year 5 Teacher

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Year 11s Belt Out Self-Defence

W8 - Blue Belt Testing

The Year 11 PE girls have completed their Blue Belt assessment in self-defence. Since Week 1, they have worked on their punch and kick routines, judo throws, partner sparring, defending random attacks and their favourite, push ups and sit ups (during the grading they had to complete 45 of each).

The girls developed excellent coordination across these skills and should be proud of their achievement. The self-defence unit sits within the first theory task where the girls looked at their acute responses to exercise and which warm ups work well, along with those that don’t, with data to back up their reasoning.

Dan Searle
Head of PE, Health and Outdoor Education

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International Women’s Day Breakfast

W8 - Breakfast

On 5 March, 18 Saints Girls were fortunate to attend the Adelaide International Women’s Breakfast, joining 2500 empowering women at the Convention Centre.

We heard an inspiring speech from the guest speaker, Elizabeth Broderick, who is the Australian Sex Discrimination Commissioner. She motivated us to become more self-determined and optimistic about women’s rights, which are still a problem in society today.

It was an awesome, eye-opening experience which helped us gain confidence for equality to be achieved in the future.

Jessica Wishart and Sarah Wishart
Year 12 students

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SaintsTV Breaking the News

As part of the cinematography, filming and editing element of the APEX Club at Saints Girls, myself and a few friends created SaintsTV alongside our tech teacher Mr Coulter. SaintsTV is a news show for the School, covering special events, sports and The Arts. We also discuss the accomplishments and notices of our students. Being in the SaintsTV CORE team, we film, edit and produce all the episodes (with a little help from Mr Coulter).

We’ve been taught how to use the cameras and professional editing software, which proved to be a bit difficult at first! We all contribute to create the episodes. We’re all proud of how far we’ve come and what we’ve accomplished. I’m proud to be a part of the crew, and I can’t wait to see what SaintsTV will look like in the future!

Astrid Teague and Mary Stavrou
APEX Club members

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Saints Girl a Class Act in Netflix Series

W8 - Acting
 
Congratulations to Year 8 student Zoe Pool, who is currently appearing in the Netflix series Stateless.

“My experience with being on Stateless has been a wonderful learning opportunity. I had so much fun while filming this and I knew that I would enjoy doing things like this for the rest of my life. Stateless is based on a true story and shows the struggles of those living in detention centres around Australia. The TV show follows three people around their daily lives as they all encounter each other at a detention centre. One of the three main characters is a woman named Sophie who is struggling with mental health disorders and ends up running away from her home and pretending to be someone else in order to get away from her family. This brings her to a detention centre as the officers do not know who she is and where she’s from.

The second main character is a man and his family who fled Singapore and have tried to get to Australia as they believe it is a very safe country. On the way, they get stopped by officials and are also led to the detention centre. The third main character is a man who ends up deciding to work as an officer at the detention centre. He finds many things confronting at first as he discovers what is happening behind the fences of the detention centres. I think that this is a great TV show as it shows the real struggles that people face as they live in a detention centre. My role in the show is the niece of Sophie. Even though I am only in the show for a. small amount of time, I think it is worth watching anyway.

In the past, I have done a few professional jobs which have built up my experience. The first was when I was nine years old and was in the professional production of The Sound of Music playing the role of Gretel (the youngest von Trapp child). I loved performing in the show as it was a way for me to find my passion and love for performing and take it a step further. I was also chosen to play the main character in the documentary Missing. It was an amazing experience for me to find out what more photography-based acting was like. Missing was an interactive documentary on the SBS which showed the tragic event of Wendy Jane Pfeiffer’s abduction. This was a confronting piece for me to act out, but in the end, I enjoyed every single second of it.

In the future, I would like to further accomplish many other professional projects. I’m training for this by doing acting, singing and dancing lessons every week to improve my chances of being in a professional environment once again.

Zoe Pool
Year 8 student

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Deep Learning at Aldinga Reef

W8 - Excursion

Earlier this month, the Year 9 students visited Aldinga Reef as part of the Biology topic on ecosystems. In class, we had been learning about biodiversity within different environments, interactions between factors in an ecosystem and how energy flows in food webs.

At Aldinga, we conducted a field investigation of the coastline ecosystem and gathered data about how organisms interact with their environment. Exploring the beautiful reef ecosystem was an interesting and fun activity for all students. It was an incredible opportunity to spend the day at the ocean and study real-life ecology.

Eleanor Saies
Year 9 student

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School Immunisation Program

1st Visit Reminder for Parents of Year 8 and 10 Students – Monday 23 March 2020

YEAR 8
• 1st dose Human Papillomavirus (HPV) (Gardasil9)
• Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (DTPA) (Boostrix)

YEAR 10
• 1st dose Meningococcal B (Bexsero)
• Meningococcal ACWY (Nimenrix)

SCHOOL IMMUNISATION PROGRAM

Year 8 – 1st Visit
Human Papillomavirus Vaccine (HPV) and Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis (dTpa)

Year 10 – 1st Visit
Meningococcal B and Meningococcal ACWY

Eastern Health Authority (EHA – www.eha.sa.gov.au) will soon be visiting the School to commence the above vaccinations for those students with parent/guardian consent.

If you did not receive an immunisation consent form from your child, please ask for one at the School’s Front Office or contact EHA on 8132 3600.

If any information provided on the original consent form has changed or changes, please inform EHA immunisation staff before the date of vaccination on 8132 3600.

Please notify us if:

• Your child has already started the above program with another provider
• You wish to withdraw your consent
• Your child’s medical condition has changed

Remember: It is your responsibility to notify EHA of any change of information, particularly in relation to your child’s medical condition, on the day of immunisation or prior. A signed and dated note in your child’s diary from a parent or guardian presented on the day is acceptable.

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Notice from CommBank School Banking

Banking
The health, safety and wellbeing of our communities and our people is our first priority. Due to the rapidly developing situation with coronavirus, School Banking has been temporarily paused from 20 March 2020 until the start of Term 2. Please don’t bring your deposit book with your weekly banking to school at this time. We will notify you when banking will recommence.

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NAPLAN Cancellation

Education Ministers met today and decided that, due to the coronavirus response, NAPLAN will not proceed in 2020. The NAPLAN test window was scheduled to be held from 12 to 22 May.

The decision has been taken to assist school leaders, teachers and support staff to focus on the wellbeing of students and continuity of education, and because coronavirus impacts may affect the delivery of testing.

Consequently, the testing of the NAPLAN Online platform scheduled from next week has also been cancelled.

The full announcement from the Education Council can be found here.

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The Garden of Saintly Delights Cancellation

It was with a heavy heart that, due to the coronavirus response, we had to cancel The Garden of Saintly Delights which was scheduled for Sunday 29 March.

I would like to thank all the members of the Parents’ and Friends’ Association, the other community groups within the School and everyone else involved for all their hard work that went into the planning and organisation of our School Fair.

We have other events scheduled later in the year, so we hope you can come along and show your support for our community.

Take care

Bronwyn Bartter
Parents and Friends’ Association President

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Uniform Reminder for Year 4 Students

W5 - Winter Uniform

If your daughter is in Year 4, there are a few different uniform requirements that you may need to purchase before Term 2.

In the winter uniform, the pinafore is replaced by a skirt of the same fabric, so if the pinafore still fits, the bib can simply be removed. The grandpa shirt is replaced by a collared shirt and tie, and the junior blazer (cardigan) is no longer worn and is replaced by a navy blue jumper and a wool blazer.

Please contact the School Shop on 8334 2228 to arrange an appointment.

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Sports News

At Saints Girls, we love hearing about and sharing sports results and news, whether it be achievements at school or externally.

Please email details to nfuller@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au.

ATHLETICS

Little Athletics State Championships
Under 10 – Lauren Disney: 2nd 60m Hurdles, 1st 70m, 1st 100m, 2nd 200m
Under 13 – Charlotte McAuliffe: 5th High Jump, 3rd Long Jump, 1st 100m, 1st 200m, 1st 400m
Under 13 – Carys Kinsella-White: 8th Triple Jump, 7th 200m, 2nd 200m Hurdles, 4th 400m
Under 14 – Alice Braithwaite: 5th High Jump, 4th 1500m, 2nd 1500m Walk
Under 14 – Daisy Braithwaite: 5th 1500m, 1st 1500m Walk

BASKETBALL

Intercol v Walford
All matches cancelled

CRICKET

W8 - SportCongratulations to Year 6 student Lucy Lowry whose Eastern Metro Cricket team won the School Sport SA Girls’ Cricket SAPSASA State Carnival. They were undefeated all carnival. Well done!

SOFTBALL

All matches cancelled

TENNIS

All Year 7 – 12 matches cancelled

Junior Division 1 Blue – Saints 3-19 defeated Scotch 3-15
Singles: Sophie Blight 1-4, Alison Francis 4-0, Charlotte Thorpe 3-4, Mia Bennett 4-0

Junior Division 1 White – Saints 6-28 defeated Seymour 0-2
Singles: Chloe Richardson 4-0, Elodie de Wit 4-1, Emily Bates 4-0, Aleesha Gray 4-0

Junior Division 2 – Saints had a bye

Junior Division 3 Blue – Saints 3-17 defeated Pulteney White 3-14
Singles: Abbey Phillips 2-4, Eleni Schulze 2-4, Scarlett Parker 1-4, Ziyuan Qin 4-1

Junior Division 3 White – Saints 5-21 defeated St Andrews White 1-9
Singles: Stella Fuidge 4-0, Lucy Lowry 4-2, Elaine Chen 1-4, Anna Wang 4-0

TOUCH FOOTBALL

All matches cancelled

VOLLEYBALL

All matches cancelled

WATER POLO

All matches cancelled

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eNews – Week 7, Term 1 2020

Issue no. 7Enews-banner

W7 - Swimming

Saints Girls’ Swimming Triumphs

Saints Girls scooped the pool at this week’s IGSSA Swimming Carnival, winning the coveted overall shield for the fourth time in five years. The event featured swimmers across Years 7 to 12 from 8 of the 10 independent girls’ schools.

With the inclusion of a solid Year 7 team in Under 13s and a near full-strength squad to select from, Saints burst off the blocks and maintained this throughout the day, claiming the U14 and U15 age divisions, and retaining the Medlin Shield

“All of the girls swam their hardest and many posted new personal-best times with their incredible swims. The girls competed in individual 50, 100 and 200m races as well as Medley and Freestyle relays. The U14s and U15s were particularly strong, winning their age divisions. Saints Girls were also the overall champions, taking out the shield in a convincing win. Thanks to Mr Fuller and Holly Cunningham for supporting the team, and to all the Saints Girls who showed what determination and teamwork can achieve.” – Lara Wakeham (Captain of Swimming)

The State Secondary Schools A Grade carnival was also staged recently. With more than 50 schools competing in graded events, a slightly under-strength Saints performed with great distinction, finishing 2nd with 613 points, behind the winners, Seymour (656), but defeating schools such as Trinity College (570), Immanuel (568) and Henley High School (479).

Meantime, a number of Year 4 to 7 students took part in the East Adelaide district trials for selection to represent the district at the State Primary Schools’ Championships on 26 March.

A massive congratulations to all girls on their continued sporting success.

Neil Fuller
Director of Sport

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From the Director of Early Learning

W7 - ELC

Building Cultural Understandings in ELC Life

At St Peter’s Girls’ Early Learners’ Centre, we are active participants in the promotion of cultural awareness. One of our key 2020 ELC strategic goals is building the children’s cultural and ecological knowledge to develop a strong foundation for reconciliation.

The Early Years Learning Framework promotes the understandings of cultural difference and the necessity to develop skills to understand, communicate and interact with people across many cultures. We are demonstrating this through the value we place on building understandings around Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island culture.

We believe that genuine engagement provides children and adults with the time to build shared understandings that promote the perspectives of the other. This is why we consider it vital to nurture ongoing relationships with significant people who we can work alongside and learn from over time.

A recent example was a visit from Boori Monty Pryor who has been coming to share with us for four years. During this time, Boori has developed a strong connection with the children through storytelling and movement. He believes that these languages are pivotal tools for young children’s understandings. The Aboriginal stories, music and animated actions he shared gave us insight into his cultural heritage. The children remembered Boori from last year and warmly welcomed him and participated in the sessions with enthusiasm. Boori quickly established trust with even our youngest ELC learners.

We are fortunate to have Kaurna elder Tamaru working alongside the ELC community on a more regular basis. With a focus on Kaurna language, we have embedded Kaurna songs and rituals into our daily practice. We have learned a lot from Tamaru’s regular visits as he challenges us to think differently and to build understandings about our land. We no longer take for granted where we walk every day. We have appreciation and respect for our land and can describe many elements about it in depth. Our children are becoming the voices for reconciliation as they build their cultural and ecological knowledge.

We feel a responsibility to ensure we are providing these rich relationships and opportunities in the early years. Our work is intentional; we are educating our citizens to have an opinion and to be able to communicate and engage across culture. The flying of our three flags at the ELC is a daily reminder of the respect and genuine attitude with which we approach this learning. We hope it helps our wider community understand the importance of building this foundation for reconciliation. Our 2020 goal is going to assist us as we seek to progress our thinking and understandings in this important area.

Kate Mount
Director of Early Learning


Introducing the Choral Night Adjudicators!

W5 - Choral Night 2

We are delighted to announce the two adjudicators for Choral Night 2020!

Jen Frith

W7 - JenA passionate Arts creator, practitioner and educator, Jen has created belonging, acceptance and community for children and young people through youth arts over many years. Co-Founder of Chalk and Pelican Productions, Jen was recently inducted to the 2019 South Australian Women’s Honour Roll for her contribution to the Adelaide Arts’ community and has been selected as a workshop presenter for the 2020 World Congress for the International Association of Theatre for Children and Young People. Recently, Jen was the MC and panel host for the City of Campbelltown’s 2020 International Women’s Day celebration. Accolades for Jen and Pelican Productions include ‘Best Youth Production’, In the Heights, Theatre Association of South Australia 2020, Finalist (Arts) Women in Innovation awards 2018, 2017, ‘Best Show, Youth’, Bring It On: the Musical, Adelaide Theatre Guide Awards 2017, ‘Best Ensemble’, ‘Best Technical’, The Little Mermaid, Adelaide Theatre Guide Awards 2015. A finalist for children’s songwriting in the National Songwriting Awards, Jen’s passion for words is lived through original poetry and stories.

Kylie Green

W7 - KylieKylie completed her Diploma of Music (Voice), Flinders Street School of Music, in 1995 and a Bachelor of Music (Voice) from Adelaide University in 1997. During this time, Kylie played principal roles in over 16 musical theatre shows, and her love of music theatre became well-established. After university, Kylie taught voice in a number of schools and still enjoys teaching voice privately at ‘The Nest’. In 1999, she established the founding Kindermusik business in Adelaide where she taught music to children aged 0 to 5 years. This quickly grew into centres centres across Adelaide.

In 2004, Kylie met Jen whilst being part of the production team of The Wizard of Oz. It was here that Pelican Productions and Music Theatre Camp were born, beginning its first year in 2005 with 65 children. By 2019, this had grown to 500 children. Pelican Productions has since branched out to run ‘Sing Oz’, an adult musical ensemble for people who just love to sing, acting classes, Broadway chorus and vocal workshops in their new venue ‘The Nest’. Kylie co-produced Grease in 2013 and was the co-producer and musical director for The Little Mermaid in 2014. She co-produced Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Bring it On: the Musical, for which Pelican Productions won the Curtain Call for ‘Best Show, Youth Theatre’ in 2017, and has also co-produced and musical directed Annie, co-produced Seussical and is currently co-producing and musical directing The Lion King.

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Saints’ Rowing Flies the Flag for SA

W7 - Rowing

Congratulations to Year 11 students Clare Romaniuk and Sophie Barr, who have been selected for the 2020 South Australian State Rowing Team in two crews. They will compete at the Interstate Regatta (part of the Sydney International Rowing Regatta, Monday 23 – Sunday 29 March) in the Bicentennial Cup as part of the Women’s Youth Eight (an U21 crew). Then, in the school holidays, they will compete at the Australian Underage Selection Trials in NSW as part of the Women’s Pathway Eight crew (an U19 crew, where members must still be at school). To be selected into both crews is an outstanding achievement.

In addition to current students, a number of St Peter’s Girls’ Old Scholars have also been selected for the 2020 State Team. Carys Jones (Kennion 2018) and Amy Carrodus (Selwyn 2019) have been chosen for the Women’s Youth Eight alongside Sophie and Clare. Olympia Aldersey (Kennion 2011) has also been selected in the Queen’s Cup, and appointed Co-Team Captain. The presence of these Old Scholars on the State Team is a testament to the ability of the Rowing Program to foster a lifelong passion for the sport, and develop the mental skills necessary to perform at a high level.

The St Peter’s Girls’ Rowing coaching staff are also well-represented, with Director of Rowing Brynley Millward appointed as Head Coach of the Pathway Squad. Junior Coordinator Izzie Day has been appointed as Women’s Pathway Eight Coach, and Year 10 coach Thomas Stevens an Assistant Coach to the Men’s Pathway Eight. These appointments speak to the strength of the coaching team, and the ability of our Rowing Program to educate and develop high-quality coaches.

Good luck to all of our current students, Old Scholars and staff involved in the 2020 SA State Team. Go SA!

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Dramatic Assignment for SACE Students

W7 - Drama

The new SACE Stage 1 Drama course for 2020 requires students to form their own dramatic company. They are asked to name their company and develop a vision statement for their shared dramatic intent. The girls have created ‘Ten Point Five Productions’ and have written the following ‘Media Release’ to share with the community.

Ten Point Five Productions – Media Release

Katherine Kitching
SACE Drama Teacher

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State Track and Field Championships

W7 - Athletics
 
Congratulations to students Keeley Fahey (Year 11), Holly Cardone (Year 11), Daisy Braithwaite (Year 8), Amelia Lucas (Year 8) and Malaika McLeod (Year 7) who competed recently at the Athletics SA State Track and Field Championships.

Holly Cardone – U18: 100m 6th, High Jump 2nd, Long Jump 5th,
Keeley Fahey – U18: 400m Hurdles 2nd, High Jump 3rd, U20: High Jump 2nd, Pole Vault 3rd, Javelin 3rd
Amelia Lucas – U15: 100m 6th, 200m 4th, 400m 3rd
Malaika McLeod – U14: 800m 1st, 1500m 1st
Daisy Braithwaite – U15: 1500m 2nd, 3000m Walk 1st

Some of our Old Scholars also enjoyed outstanding results; Rose Pittman (Kilburn 2019) won the Open 400m and 800m, with Margaret Gayen (Patteson 2011) 1st in the 100m Hurdles and Long Jump, 2nd in the 100m and 3rd in the 200m, and Christine Gayen (Patteson 2014) won the Open Shot Put and placed 3rd in the 100m Hurdles, 4th in the Long Jump, Javelin and Discus, 6th in the 100m, while Anna Cross (Patteson 2016) finished 1st in the 10000m Walk.

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Volunteers – The Garden of Saintly Delights

W5 - The Garden of Saintly Delights

Sunday 29 March 2020 from 11am – 5pm

We are seeking community volunteers for our Garden of Saintly Delights Fair.

As in previous years, the success of this event rests on the School community coming together to lend a hand. Can you volunteer for an hour or two?

Positions and times available:

Talented Photographer:
To take pictures throughout the day

Set-up crew:
8.30 – 10.00am
10.00 – 11.30am

Various positions available during the event:
11am – 1pm
1 – 3pm
3 – 5pm

Pack-down crew:
5 – 6.30pm

Please email your name, contact information and availability to:

Anne Andrejewskis kaandre@bigpond.com or call/text her on 0416 010 993

Thank you in advance for your kind consideration and support!

Bronwyn Bartter
Parents’ and Friends’ Association President

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Friends of The Arts – Choral Night Raffle Fundraiser

W6 - Raffle Fundraiser 2

Our Friends of The Arts’ volunteers will be conducting a 50/50 raffle on Choral Night. The fantastic prize for one lucky winner will be 50% of the raffle ticket takings on the evening. The remaining 50% will directly benefit our Saints Girls and our Arts’ platform.

Tickets are $5 each (cash only) and will be on sale in the foyer of Influencers Church prior to the 7pm event commencement. The winner will be notified the following day by phone. We would like to encourage you all to bring a $5 note and buy a ticket on the night.

Thank you for your kind support.

Danielle Parker
Friends of The Arts’ President

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Uniform Reminder for Year 4 Students

W5 - Winter Uniform

If your daughter is in Year 4, there are a few different uniform requirements that you may need to purchase before Term 2.

In the winter uniform, the pinafore is replaced by a skirt of the same fabric, so if the pinafore still fits, the bib can simply be removed. The grandpa shirt is replaced by a collared shirt and tie, and the junior blazer (cardigan) is no longer worn and is replaced by a navy blue jumper and a wool blazer.

Please contact the School Shop on 8334 2228 to arrange an appointment.

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Saints Girls’ Rowing Rashies

W4 - Rowing Rashie

The School Shop is having a sale of the previous style of Rowing rashie – selling for just $45! Stock is limited, so act fast if you would like to purchase one. Please note that these can be worn at rowing training only, with the new version of the rashie expected to be worn at regattas.

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Sports News

At Saints Girls, we love hearing about and sharing sports results and news, whether it be achievements at school or externally.

Please email details to nfuller@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au.

BASKETBALL

Intercol v Walford
In the Basketball Intercol, the girls brought their best to the games. First up was the middle As. These girls played hard on the court and managed to come away with a win. They had some great rebounds along with a number of top shots. The Opens played an amazing game but, unfortunately, came home with a loss. It was a close game for the most part, however, they let Walford get away from them at the start. The girls played some of their best defence yet and made some great shots. The Middle Bs also had a close loss. This meant that Walford won the Basketball intercol. All the girls played really well and showed great school spirit when cheering for the other teams on the sidelines. – Emma Matheson (Captain)

Open – Saints 24 defeated by Walford 29
The girls played an amazing game – their best so far this season. Indy Dodd had some great shots in offence. We let Walford get ahead of us at the start and did our best to catch up in the second half, but were unsuccessful. – Emma Matheson (Captain)

Middle A – Saints 32 defeated Walford 15
After a slow start against an older and much taller team,  it looked as though it was going to be a tough game, as we only had 2 points at quarter-time. From there, the team lifted their defensive work rate, which created turnovers, and used their speed to perform layups. This allowed them to run away with it towards the end of the game. Very happy with the way we played. – Brenton Davies (Coach)

Middle B – Saints 10 defeated by Walford 14
Again, we played a much taller team and quiet physical, which caught us by surprise and led to the team being 10 to 2 points down at half-time. We then picked up our intensity and had most of the play. Unfortunately, we just could not make our shots and lost in a close one. – Brenton Davies (Coach)

Middle C – no game due to long weekend

SOFTBALL

Year 5/6 Blue – Saints 12 defeated Saints White 10
Another intense match-up against Saints White which provided a great game with lots of action. Both teams showed excellent hitting with a high score of 12-10. Saints Blue won the game in the second inning using their defensive skills to hold their lead. Fun game for all the players and a good week. – Jesse Dreswick (Coach)

Year 5/6 White – Saints 10 defeated by Saints Blue 12
What a great game! The score does not reflect the effort and skill shown by the team. Unfortunately it didn’t fall our way. Another fantastic batting effort – special mention to Phoebe Lucas for her two hits – a huge home run and double. We still need to work on some basic fielding skills – getting behind the ball and really taking the time to make an accurate throw. I would also like to mention Phoebe Fan for an outstanding catching effort. – Mimi Long (Coach)

Year 3/4 Blue – Saints 22 defeated by Saints White 29
Massive improvement from the last game; the girls were switched on and fielded very well. Well done to Meg Paul on taking an awesome catch and throw to first to get a double play in the first inning! It was great to see improvement from everyone, especially in the field. There’s another win coming soon!  Payne Sowter

Year 3/4 White – Saints 29 defeated Saints Blue 22
A much improved game for both teams since the last time we played each other. The score was tight throughout, with some key defensive stops in the 3rd inning providing much-needed breathing room. The offence was awesome, with some good aggressive base-running the spark to getting ahead. Stand outs from my view would have been Eleanor Bartter and Stella Fuidge, proving to be the key pitcher’s spot to first base combination that was needed to get some defensive stops. Overall, a thoroughly entertaining game to be a part of.  Daniel Di Tomaso (Coach)

TENNIS

No Year 7 – 12 games due to long weekend

Junior Division 1 Blue – Saints 2-18 defeated by Pembroke Blue 4-21
Singles: Sophie Blight 0-4, Alison Francis 3-4, Elodie de Wit 4-1, Mia Bennett 1-4

Junior Division 1 White – Saints had a bye

Junior Division 2 – Saints 1-7 defeated by Wilderness White 5-25
Singles: Lily Forby 0-4, Abbie An 1-4, Sophie Wiggins 1-4, Abbey Phillips 4-1

Junior Division 3 Blue – Saints 5-23 defeated Wilderness Green 1-17
Singles: Stella Fuidge 4-2, Eleni Schultze 4-3, Scarlett Parker 4-3, Emily L 4-3

Junior Division 3 White – Saints did not play

TOUCH FOOTBALL

No Year 7 – 12 games due to long weekend

VOLLEYBALL

No Year 7 – 12 games due to long weekend

WATER POLO

Open A – Saints 5 defeated St Michaels by forfeit

Open B – Saints 3 defeated by Seymour 16
The girls had a tough game this week, facing one of the stronger teams in the A grade, but every girl worked extremely hard to take every attempt on goal, as well as defend Seymour’s many advances. Best player this week was Alexia Politis, for her constant determination and ability in attack, where she supported her teammates through their attempts on goal, as well as scoring a brilliant goal from halfway herself. Overall a wonderful game, good work girls! – Fiona Lethbridge (Captain)

Open C – 19 defeated Sacred Heart 5
This week saw the girls have yet another amazing game, where they won by a goal margin of 14. With each attack, the girls made every attempt to create a strong set up, to give them as many opportunities to shoot as possible, while also being able to defend Sacred Heart’s own attempts on goal. Best player this week was Emily Whittaker, for her strong attacking skills, where she was top goal scorer with 5 goals, as well as winning all four swim-ups. Brilliant work this week girls, keep it up! – Fiona Lethbridge (Captain)

Year 7-8A – Saints 10 drew with St Ignatius 10

Year 7-8B – Saints 4 defeated by Loreto 17

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eNews – Week 6, Term 1 2020

Issue no. 6Enews-banner

Girls in Tech Expo 2020

W6 - Girls in Tech

In its third year, yesterday’s Girls in Tech Expo was bigger and better in 2020.

Our Innovation Hub set up on the oval was thriving with our eSports stand, eWaste jewellery-making, Sphero ball painting, virtual reality, laser cutting, digger simulator and cyber security.

Our Year 6 and 7 students and 100 girls from five local schools also enjoyed a series of hands-on workshops including designing prosthetic limbs, drone racing, robotics, hip hop beats and design thinking challenges.

It’s just another way in which our School is preparing girls for the careers of tomorrow.

Take a look at some of the tech-tacular highlights:

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Celebrating Inspirational Women

At Saints Girls, we strive to inspire women of character and influence who make their mark on this world.

To celebrate International Women’s Day and all of the wonderful women in our lives, our Year 4 students and staff shared their favourite role models:

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Head Prefect’s Empowering Call for Equality

W6 - International Women's Day
 
International Women’s Day is this Sunday. It is a day where we not only celebrate all the females within society, but also recognise the focal point in the movement of women’s rights, empowering females to understand their importance in the world.

This year’s theme is #EachforEqual which promotes the idea that gender equality must be addressed by everyone; everybody has a role and in order to achieve gender equality, everyone has to be involved. No matter gender, age, sexuality or differences, we are all on an equal playing field and have the right for our voice to be expressed and heard.

As a strong advocate for the development of women’s rights, I truly believe having both females and males collaborating together in society on an equal platform will allow us to achieve greater things and ultimately make the world a better place.

On Tuesday, I joined SRC Prefect Lucy White and Principal Julia Shea at an International Women’s Day breakfast held at Adelaide Oval. The morning enabled inspiring women to come together to discuss the importance of being a female today and encouraged the message that women can achieve anything they desire if they have a strong vision and work ethic. Specifically, influential speakers discussed the importance of women in technology, business and innovation as well as their journeys, challenges and opportunities as females in their industries.

The Prefects have worked together to create an Assembly recognising and appreciating International Women’s Day. To promote the importance of this event, the Prefects developed a documentary with students and mothers seeking their opinions on equality, how it has changed, and their aspirations and hopes for the future. We believe that the raw footage will be an eye-opener for the girls and will allow for a deeper understanding on the change in equality over the years. Additionally, we organised for Heather Lines, an inspirational Mathematics teacher here at Saints Girls, to speak to us about her journey as a woman in the Mathematics industry and how gender equality has changed in her perspective over the years.

If there is one message I would like to promote for not only the students but society as a whole, it would be that we need women. We need them for their strength, their power and their perspectives. We do not want to be better than men, we simply want to be equal. And with more minds communicating together, we can achieve greatness.

Bella Bernardi
Head Prefect

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From the Director of Teaching and Learning

We are already halfway through Term 1, so this is an opportune moment to remind you about some teaching and learning-related matters, and also to alert you to some new things on the horizon.

Engineering for Global Change (E4GC)

N Scoggins - webThis new subject is running for the first time in Year 10 this year. Designed and taught by a team of teachers from different disciplines, E4GC acknowledges that humanity will face increasingly complex challenges in the decades ahead relating to climate change, population growth, shifts in global power bases, and evolving social attitudes and trends across diverse groups around the world. Creative and agile solutions will be needed, and arriving at them will require collaboration, effective problem-solving approaches, and a good understanding of how various strands of engineering and cutting-edge technology can be applied (and maybe invented!). We look forward to seeing the students’ outcomes, and we will continue to refresh our curriculum offerings in this way to ensure they remain relevant and engaging.

Project-Based Learning (PBL)

A group of Saints Girls’ teachers participated in PBL training last year, run by the Association of Independent Schools of South Australia (AISSA). Not only did our staff upskill themselves quickly in this area, they went ‘above and beyond’ and worked together on a Year 10 project that was delivered successfully in Semester 2. The theme was human trafficking and the unit of work involved students from Dance, Art, and Justice and Society classes jointly producing a sensitive, though-provoking and visually-striking short film. The feedback from AISSA has been that our project showcased all that can be achieved through the PBL approach and is a model of ‘best practice’ for other schools to follow. The staff and students can be immensely proud of what they achieved in such a short space of time. More PBL projects are in the pipeline in 2020.

Continuous Reporting

A reminder that in Years 7 – 12, we operate the Continuous Reporting model. Progress reports for Years 7 – 11 will be issued at the end of this term, and full reports will be issued for Year 12. Grades and feedback comments for individual summative assignments can be accessed via myLink. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about this system or if you experience any difficulties.

Student Feedback Surveys

Later this semester, students will be sent a link to a set of surveys so that they can provide their teachers with some feedback about their learning experiences. Staff will then use this feedback to review and reflect and, if necessary, tweak existing practice to ensure they are always meeting the needs of the students, encouraging independent thinking, and keeping their classes engaged with relevant, hands-on activities.

Staffing News

Our School Psychologist, Nicole Letch, is on leave until the end of Semester 1. In her absence, the School has arranged a temporary, part-time Psychologist – Verity Clarkson. Please note that parents should contact the Head of Sub-School in the first instance.

Nigel Scoggins
Director of Teaching and Learning

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Saints Girls State Rowing Champs!

W6 - Rowing

Our rowers achieved a remarkable feat last weekend, bringing home no fewer than five State titles in the 2020 South Australian State Championships. The event is a two-day regatta that combines both school and underage events. It is the premier event of the club season, attracting the best school and club crews from the State.

Due to the competition schedule, the decision was made that our Junior and Intermediate rowing squads would train instead of competing. However, across the two days of the regatta, our Senior rowers were entered in five events: Schoolgirl Eight, Schoolgirl Coxed Four, U19 Women’s Eight, U19 Women’s Coxed Four and U19 Women’s Coxless Pair. Barring the heat of the Schoolgirl Coxed Four (where they placed 2nd), our Senior rowers were undefeated across the weekend.

This is the first time that St Peter’s Girls has won the Schoolgirl Eight at the State Championships, as well as being a historic medal haul for the School. These results are a credit to the hard work of our Senior rowers throughout the season, and bode well for the upcoming 2020 SA Schools’ Head of the River, which will be held at West Lakes on Saturday 21 March. All are welcome to come and support our rowers on the day.

Crews

SG8+ and U19W8+: Charlotte Creek (Cox), Clare Romaniuk, Hattie Maerschel, Portia Maerschel, Sophie Barr, Molly Bond, Emily Downie, Matilda Braithwaite, Simran Rai

SG4+ and U19W4+: Charlotte Creek (Cox), Clare Romaniuk, Sophie Barr, Portia Maerschel, Hattie Maerschel

U19W2-: Clare Romaniuk, Sophie Barr

Brynley Millward
Director of Rowing

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Adventures Abound on Year 7 Camp

W6 - Year 7 Camp

Last week, we arrived at school on Monday at 7.30am, ready for a jam-packed week of fun and adventures for our Year 7 Camp. As soon as we arrived at Robe, we were welcomed with delicious camp food and generous camp leaders. After heading to Long Beach for boogie boarding and beach cricket, we returned to base camp to set up tents, have dinner and settle in for a restful sleep.

The next morning, each class moved out to either adventure caving at Naracoorte, hiking through Little Dip Conservation Park or kayaking within the Robe waterways.

Adventure caving involved courage and persistence to move through small holes, tunnels and over rocks. Some girls had to really push themselves to achieve the challenges set. Hiking also had its own set of obstacles, with some of the journey through thick sand carrying a heavy rucksack. The hike flew by though, as we kept switching partners and learning more about new people within our Home Group. After completing the hike, we arrived at a stunning camp site with beautiful scenery and being able to hear the waves crashing on the nearby beach. The only downfall was a ‘long-drop’ toilet, which allowed us to appreciate how fortunate we are back at home. On this night, we used the food we brought from home to make some tasty meals in trangias. Lastly, we had the opportunity to learn a range of kayaking skills on the water. For those inexperienced, the conditions made it particularly difficult, but all girls improved throughout the sessions.

Camp was a fantastic experience that developed our resilience and ensured we don’t take our parents and our fortunate situations for granted.

Alannah Godfrey, Sapphire Moser and Levanya De Silva
Year 7 students

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Year 8 Camp Supports KI

W6 - Year 8

On the first day of Year 8 Camp on Kangaroo Island last week, we travelled to D’Estrees Bay where the girls had to pack rucksacks for their expedition. We set up camp at Wreckers Beach and the girls had to cook their own meals using trangias. The next day, we went on a 15km walk which had some spectacular views of the coast. After the expedition, the girls took part in some exciting activities and visits. These included Little Sahara for sandboarding, Clifford Honey Farm, Emu Ridge Eucalyptus Distillery and a birds of prey show at Raptor Domain. On the second to last day, all three classes spent the day together at the beach at Antechamber Bay, playing games and snorkelling. On the last night, there was a talent show with 8GACO being victorious!

It was a great camp to see all the girls getting along and building some terrific relationships.

Katherine Perkas
Physical Education Teacher

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Young Guns a Hit with the Ball

W6 - Tennis and Cricket
 
Congratulations to Malaika McLeod (Year 7) and Lucy Lowry (Year 6) on their selection into district sports teams in tennis and cricket, respectively. Malaika has been selected to represent East Adelaide in tennis at the School Sport SA Tennis Sapsasa State Carnival from 16 to 19 March. Lucy has made the Eastern Metro Sapsasa cricket team to play in the School Sport SA Girls Cricket Sapsasa State Carnival, also from Monday 16 to Thursday 19 March.

“I started playing cricket in Year 4. I enjoy playing because I like the atmosphere of the game and hitting the ball off my bat. I also enjoy bowling and getting wickets for my team. I am pleased to be chosen in this team because, last year, my team won the carnival and we have a good team this year. It is quite a tight competition and it is hard to get in.” – Lucy Lowry

“I feel honoured to be selected to represent East Adelaide at Sapsasa as a Saints Girls’ representative and I can’t wait for the competition day to arrive. I am extremely excited. I love tennis. It’s exciting in the sense that you never know what’s coming next. It’s a game that always keeps you fit, your mind occupied and to think on your toes to outsmart your opponent. Not only is this sport entertaining, but it is a great way to develop new friendships while keeping fit and healthy. I have made many new friends this year in a space of just a few weeks from playing tennis. I would definitely recommend this sport to anyone who wants to give it a go. When I play tennis, I feel free and happy. It’s as if all the world’s problems disappear along with mine. I jump into another world, where the court is my home. I’m happy and I feel like I belong.” – Malaika McLeod

Congratulations, girls!

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Equestrian Girls Ride High

W6 - Equestrian

For the first time in a decade, Saints Girls has two riders in the Equestrian Team: Imogen Lindh (Year 7) and Annabelle Knowles (Year 4).

Imogen rides two horses, Dexter and Lizzie, and competes in show jumping, dressage and showing. She lives on a farm in the Adelaide Hills and rides 3 or 4 times a week.

Annabelle rides her grey pony, Mystic, which she keeps at Kirby Park and rides regularly.

On 28 February, over 100 riders from 36 schools attended the Trinity College Gymkhana. It was delightful to see Annabelle at this event with her pony as this was her first interschool event. Unfortunately, Imogen was not able to attend as she was on school camp.

We look forward to seeing both girls thrive in the sport.

Pauline Noblet
Physical Education Teacher

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Head of the River Dinner 2020

Head of the River Dinner 2020 - 744 x 400

The Friends of Rowing invite all rowers, family and friends to join us to celebrate the efforts, improvements and achievements of our St Peter’s Girls’ rowers throughout the 2019/20 season. The annual Head of the River Dinner will be held in the function room at Next Generation on War Memorial Drive, overlooking the beautiful Torrens Lake. The evening will feature speeches from students and coaches about the season that has been, and will conclude with end-of-season awards being presented. The dinner includes a two-course menu and soft drinks. Other beverages will be available for purchase from the bar.

Next Gen Memorial Drive
War Memorial Drive, North Adelaide
Saturday 21 March 2020
6pm arrival for a 6.30pm start

Tickets
$45 per person via https://www.trybooking.com/BIYDS

Ticket sales close at 9am, Friday 13 March.

Please note, this event is mandatory for all current rowers.

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Volunteers – The Garden of Saintly Delights

W5 - The Garden of Saintly Delights

Sunday 29 March 2020 from 11am – 5pm

We are seeking community volunteers for our Garden of Saintly Delights Fair.

As in previous years, the success of this event rests on the School community coming together to lend a hand. Can you volunteer for an hour or two?

Positions and times available:

Talented Photographer:
To take pictures throughout the day

Set-up crew:
8.30 – 10.00am
10.00 – 11.30am

Various positions available during the event:
11am – 1pm
1 – 3pm
3 – 5pm

Pack-down crew:
5 – 6.30pm

Please email your name, contact information and availability to:

Anne Andrejewskis kaandre@bigpond.com or call/text her on 0416 010 993

Thank you in advance for your kind consideration and support!

Bronwyn Bartter
Parents’ and Friends’ Association President

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Choral Night 2020 – Tickets On Sale!

W5 - Choral Night 2

Thursday 19 March

Join us at 7pm on Thursday 19 March at Influencers Church in Paradise for Choral Night 2020!

One of the most anticipated events on the Saints Girls’ calendar, this year’s event carries the theme ‘Sisters of Soul’.

Purchase tickets via www.trybooking.com/BIQNI

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Friends of The Arts – Choral Night Raffle Fundraiser

W6 - Raffle Fundraiser 2
 
Our Friends of The Arts’ volunteers will be conducting a 50/50 raffle on Choral Night. The fantastic prize for one lucky winner will be 50% of the raffle ticket takings on the evening. The remaining 50% will directly benefit our Saints Girls and our Arts’ platform.

Tickets are $5 each (cash only) and will be on sale in the foyer of Influencers Church prior to the 7pm event commencement. The winner will be notified the following day by phone. We would like to encourage you all to bring a $5 note and buy a ticket on the night.

Thank you for your kind support.

Danielle Parker
Friends of The Arts’ President

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Women in Economics Forum

W6 - Economics
 
Economics students Faye Ma, Emma Matheson and Christina Song attended the Women in Economics forum addressed by Danielle Wood and Elizabeth Alvaro. Danielle has more than 15 years’ experience as an economist working in government, consulting and the not-for-profit sector. She is the national President of the Economic Society of Australia and the Chair of the Women in Economics Network. She is currently the Budget Policy and Institutional Reform Program Director at the Grattan Institute where her research and advocacy efforts focus on economic policy including tax and budgets and government integrity. Elizabeth Alvaro is an economist from Deloitte Access Economics. Together, they canvased important issues ranging from the impacts of COVID-19 on the Australian and world economies, UBER’s influence in the transport market, and the failing impact of decreasing interest rates in world economies. Both speakers reflected upon the growing demand for female economists and the desire within institutions to rectify the traditional gender imbalance in the field.

Gabriele Trobbiani
Economics Teacher

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Dance Artists Step to it at Stonyfell

W6 - Dance

Over the past few weeks, dancers from Years 9, 10 and SACE Dance have been fortunate to have guest artists visit to teach practical workshops. This is a wonderful way to give the girls experience with new styles by industry professionals. In Year 9, Penelope Shum has taught both classes the very foundation of hip hop dance and experimented with some choreography. She is very passionate about the history of the style and global dance trends, which has really supported the girls’ learning.

In Year 10, we welcomed back WAAPA graduate Joe Meldrum who is an expert in the Bob Fosse style which the girls are studying in Jazz. He is about to embark on a new contract as part of the cast of the Dolly Parton Musical 9 to 5, so we were lucky he could squeeze in a visit to share his passion and talent. Finally, the Stage 1 and 2 Dancers benefitted from a duo workshop with Jack Ziesing who dances with Dance North in Queensland but is also moving more towards the area of choreography, creating new works in Melbourne. He was a wonderful resource for the girls, sharing his own strategies for creating dance movement with our senior girls.

The value in having artists work with our students is invaluable and something that makes Dance at Saints so rewarding and memorable!

Kate Burnett
Head of The Arts

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Year 6s Get the Message on City Outing

W6 - Year 6

As a provocation for the Central Idea that, ‘People can create or manipulate messages to target specific audiences’ in the transdisciplinary theme, ‘How we express ourselves’, the Year 6 girls headed into the city to undertake a rotation of activities. They examined why they were drawn to particular advertisements in Rundle Mall, were shown indigenous artwork and asked to consider their messages in the Art Gallery of South Australia, and were led on an urban tour by our Junior School Art Teacher, Ms Wise. This was to photograph images that will convey messages in the Arts Alive exhibition.

Kim Butler-Nixon, Sarah Braithwaite and Louisa Mitchell
Year 6 Teachers

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Friends of Rowing Bingo Night

W6 - Bingo Night

On Saturday night, the Friends of Rowing hosted the inaugural bingo fundraiser at Harry’s Bar on Grenfell Street in the city. The event was well attended by more than 100 friends from across the School community, who enjoyed exciting games of bingo. A big thank you to Year 5 parent Russell Marsh-Smith who was our bingo caller and Richard Lisle who was our MC.

The night was a roaring success, with over $6000 raised, which will go directly to supporting the Rowing Program. A big thank you to Marcus Bernardi for his generosity in providing the venue, the spectacular grazing board, staff and for overseeing the night. Thank you to Oli Porter for helping put together the event and his generous donation of auction items. Also a special thanks to Ed Parker, Christine Ireland and Donna Sampson for assisting on the night.

Friends of Rowing appreciate everyone who attended to support our Rowing community.

Emma Robinson
Friends of Rowing President

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Pelican Productions’ Show Featuring Saints Girls

W6 - Musical
 
The magic of the African savannah is coming this April!

With a story that has captivated the imagination of audiences around the world, Pelican Productions is very excited to bring Disney’s The Lion King JR. musical to the Adelaide stage this April. The show will be featuring our students Victoria Thorp (Year 11), Sophie Blight (Year 6), Zoe Pool (Year 8), Aurelia Pyne (Year 6), Amelia McDonald (Year 6), Stephanie Andrejewskis (Year 8), Emma Pool (Year 9) and Hattie Xu (Year 11).

Transport yourself to the heartland of the African savannah and join Simba, Rafiki and an unforgettable cast of characters as they journey from Pride Rock to the jungle, and back again, in this inspiring, coming-of-age tale.

Don’t miss the sights and sounds of Disney’s The Lion King JR. this April 2 – 4 at The Arts Theatre, Angas Street, Adelaide.

“Doing Disney’s The Lion King JR. with Pelican Productions has been such a great experience so far, and I’ve loved every step of the way. Whether at a four-hour rehearsal or simply learning my lines at home, I’ve had a great time getting to know the show like never before! The rehearsals have truly grown my theatre experience and knowledge. I did Disney’s The Lion King JR. with Saints for my Year 5 Production and it has been great to see the similarities and differences between the two and to see how each production team’s interpretation can really change the show! I’m super excited for the shows and can’t wait to perform!” – Zoe Pool (Year 8 student)

Tickets are on sale now via www.pelicanproductions.com.au.

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Cowan Street Roadworks Next Week

Council road resurfacing works are scheduled to take place along Cowan Street from Lockwood Road to Hallett Road next Wednesday to Friday.

The contractor, Boral Asphalt, is requesting no on-street parking along this stretch on these days from 6am – 6pm.

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Uniform Reminder for Year 4 Students

W5 - Winter Uniform

If your daughter is in Year 4, there are a few different uniform requirements that you may need to purchase before Term 2.

In the winter uniform, the pinafore is replaced by a skirt of the same fabric, so if the pinafore still fits, the bib can simply be removed. The grandpa shirt is replaced by a collared shirt and tie, and the junior blazer (cardigan) is no longer worn and is replaced by a navy blue jumper and a wool blazer.

Please contact the School Shop on 8334 2228 to arrange an appointment.

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Saints Girls’ Rowing Rashies

W4 - Rowing Rashie

The School Shop is having a sale of the previous style of Rowing rashie – selling for just $45! Stock is limited, so act fast if you would like to purchase one. Please note that these can be worn at rowing training only, with the new version of the rashie expected to be worn at regattas.

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School Banking

Our School is excited to offer the Commonwealth Bank School Banking program to all students:

BankingSchool Banking is a fun, interactive and engaging way for young Australians to learn about money and develop good savings habits. Children who deposit money into their Youthsaver account through School Banking earn Dollarmites tokens, which they can save up to redeem exciting rewards.

Rewards available during 2020 are:
o Terry Denton’s Activity Book
o Mini Soccer Ball (size 2)
o Treetop Stationery Set
o Treetop Handball
o Tomato Seed Kit
o Magic Mist Drink Bottle
o Emoji Wallet
o Snakes & Ladders Game

School Banking is also a great fundraiser for the School, which receives a Regular Savers Contribution of $5 for every 10 deposits processed per student as well as an Annual Contribution which is based on the number of students who made at least one School Banking deposit in the prior year.

School Banking day is Wednesday. Each week, you need to hand your book to your classroom teacher.

If you are interested in opening a Commonwealth Bank Youthsaver account for your child, you can visit www.commbank.com.au/schoolbanking and click on the link to open a Youthsaver account.

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Sports News

At Saints Girls, we love hearing about and sharing sports results and news, whether it be achievements at school or externally.

Please email details to nfuller@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au.

BASKETBALL

Open – Saints 19 defeated by Scotch 31
The girls played a good game, getting back well in defence. Millie Wilkin made many intercepts and put some points on the board as well as Sivi Sivasuthan who made some great 3-point shots. The girls tried their best in defence but were unable to keep the score down in the second half. – Emma Matheson (Captain)

Middle A – Saints 32 defeated Scotch 28
This was a great win and the girls can be very proud of their efforts. We started well and were 4 points up at quarter-time, but for the next two quarters, we struggled and fell 8 points behind. Januri Wagaarachchi kept us close with 14 points including two 3-pointers. With four minutes to go in the last quarter, we were 8 down and a lift in defensive intensity saw the team score the last 12 points of the game to win by 4. We only had six players and everyone contributed. – Brenton Davies (Coach)

Middle B – Saints 41 defeated Scotch 10
We started slowly, but after quarter-time, our defence was fantastic, making it difficult for Scotch to advance the ball over halfway. This resulted in many turnovers and easy scores which was great to watch. Bella Sanders-Wills was a tower of strength on the boards all game and finished with 19 points, Emily McCorley had 10 points and Olivia Reynolds 8. Everyone contributed to a great win. – Brenton Davies (Coach)

Middle C – Saints 2 defeated by Concordia Gold 24
Having only five players made it difficult, and unfortunately, the result didn’t go our way. The girls all played amazingly well, and were resilient throughout. I am super proud at how well they are going and how much they have learnt. – Sharnee Jones (Coach)

SOFTBALL

Year 5/6 Blue – Saints 1 defeated by Seymour Blue 7
The girls faced a tough game against Seymour. Unfortunately, we did not get through the batting line-up completely, so some team members did not get to hit. This was confusing for some of the girls who quickly understood that the game is very hard sometimes and, although it may feel unfair, it is the game. With spirits still high, the girls set new goals for themselves and the team for the rest of the season and are eager to continue with training!  Jesse Dreswick (Coach)

Year 5/6 White – Saints 5 defeated by Seymour Green 10
Unfortunately, our fielding let us down, but on a positive note, batting is really improving and the girls are being much smarter with choosing which pitches to swing at. Congratulations to Phoebe Fan for a brilliant last inning of pitching and to everyone for base running. Stealing bases is exciting! – Mimi Long (Coach)

Year 3/4 Blue – Saints 12 defeated by Wilderness 20
It is great to see constant improvement but we need to work on maintaining concentration in the field. Hitting is still our strong point and we are getting plenty of runners on bases, so with improved fielding, we can stop the runners from scoring  Payne Sowter

Year 3/4 White – Saints 17 defeated Walford 14
Saints displayed some very good batting in the first two innings, with Eleanor hitting a home run. We played well in the field to keep the opposition scoreless in the third innings, winning by 3 runs. All girls are very enthusiastic and are making great progress with their skills.  Pauline Noblet (Coach)

TENNIS

The Open A and B teams played an amazing Intercol match against Walford, winning for the second year in a row! Each player should be extremely proud of their efforts! The Open A girls won 4-2, with Ruby Deakin and Britney Korir playing a competitive doubles, winning 6-4. A further congratulations to Britney Korir who also won her singles 6-0!

The Open B team also had a hugely successful outing, winning 6-0 – a massive improvement from last year’s Intercol! The Open Bs played well and with terrific sportsmanship. A very big congratulations to all girls. Well done! – Annabel Baldwinson (Tennis Captain)

Premier A – Saints 3-29 defeated Walford 3-22
Singles: Sienna Glazbrook 3-6, Tahlia Cahill 4-6, Ruby Deakin 6-2, Britney Korir 6-0

Premier B – Saints 6-36 defeated Walford 0-17
Singles: Annabel Baldwinson 6-0, Charlotte Staples 6-3, Ella Dnistriansky 6-2, Imogen Nienaber 6-5

Division 1 Blue – Saints 3-32 defeated Scotch 3-31
Singles: Georgia Mallick 5-6, Ariel Spartalis 6-5, Eva Young 5-6, Chase Hocking 6-5

Division 1 White – Saints 4-31 defeated Pembroke 2-21
Singles: Grace Beaumont 6-1, Bridgette Leach 6-0, Adele Eaton 6-3, Astrid Teague 2-6

Division 2 – Saints 2-19 defeated by Scotch 4-27
Singles: Sophie Abbott 2-6, Ayanna Roy 4-6, Zihan Huang 1-6, Helen Zhang 6-1

Division 3 Blue – Saints 5-30 defeated Immanuel 0-1
Singles: Sophie Blight 6-1, Tara Nedumaran 6-0, Nathara Perera 6-0

Division 3 White – Saints 5-31 defeated Scotch 1-17
Singles: Gloria Zou 6-1, Olivia Reynolds 1-6, Nicole Wang 6-0, Shirley Liu 6-1

Division 4 – Saints 3-21 defeated by Scotch 3-24
Singles: Amy Hu 3-6, Gloria Gao 6-1, Yang Yang Gu 6-1

Junior Division 1 Blue – Saints 3-19 defeated Seymour 3-16
Singles: Sophie Blight 4-1, Alison Francis 4-0, Charlotte Thorpe 2-4, Mia Bennett 3-4

Junior Division 1 White – Saints 6-28 defeated Concordia 0-1
Singles: Chloe Richardson 4-0, Elodie de Wit 4-1, Emily Bates 4-0, Aleesha Gray 4-0

Junior Division 3 Blue – Saints 5-21 defeated Seymour Green 0-7
Singles: Lucy Lowry 4-2, Amelia McDonald 4-1, Anna Wang 1-1 (ran out of time), Elaine Chen 4-1

Junior Division 3 White – Saints 6-24 defeated Seymour Blue 0-6
Singles: Eleni Schulze 4-3, Stella Fuidge 4-0, Scarlett Parker 4-2, Ziyuan Qin 4-0

TOUCH FOOTBALL

Open A – Saints 1 defeated by Wilderness 8
The Open A girls played a strong game against Wilderness. In the first half, the girls were able to keep the scores low due to good communication in the line defence, forcing many errors by the opposition. The girls also proved strong attacking skills up the field, despite the slipperiness of the ball, allowing us to gain lots of ground in minimal touches. Ehi Oyugbo caught the opposition offside, allowing her to break through and score the try. A huge thank you to Stephanie Smalls who played an amazing first game in the Open A division. – Hannah Freeman (Captain)

Open B – Saints 6 defeated Mercedes 0
The girls looked fast and skilful from the outset, with Amelia Pudney and Maggie Bailey’s speed worrying the opposition. Stephanie Smalls and Poppie Goldsmith worked well together in the middle and set up a number of tries. The play of the game came in the last few seconds when Maggie Bailey intercepted a pass and ran the length of the field to score a try. The girls looked to be playing with a renewed spirit and enthusiasm.  Dan Searle

Open C – Saints 6 defeated Wilderness 1
Our team attacked first after winning the toss. Cynthia He worked hard in attack, almost scoring in the first five minutes. In the first half, we were able to score four times, with Emma Carrodus scoring twice, followed quickly by Imogen Parkinson and Sophie Johnson. In the second half, closing the gaps in the wings restricted the Wilderness attack. We used out two subs effectively and were thankful to have Alice join our team this match. By taking the time for improved accuracy in our passes, our group was able to get back on side. Through this, we had better attack as a team.  Mitsuki Koyama

Middle A – Saints 1 defeated Loreto 0
The girls played a very hard-fought game against Loreto. It was tight and very even throughout. We were lacking in strong defence in the first half and Loreto beat us in the attack, but we managed to score a try. Isobel Yelland and Annie Warrick performed a skilful wrap and a dive try to win the match. We came out strongly in the second half, beating them in attack and defence. We need to work on our defence and communication out on the field, but it was a well-deserved win. Good job girls! – Annie Warrick

Middle B – Saints 7 defeated St Aloysius 1
The Middle Bs played a strong game in defence and attack. They brought the ball down the field and looked for the gaps to run though. Emma Pool played a great game, scoring 2 tries and bringing the ball down the field well. Mathilda Thomas scored 2 fast tries and there was also a great score by Phoebe Black. We are going to improve on working the ball around the try-line to score. The girls played great game and we are looking forward to our next one.– Mathilda Thomas

Middle C – Saints had a bye

VOLLEYBALL

Open A – Saints 3 defeated Woodcroft 0 (25-7, 25-11, 21-7)
With Woodcroft being new to the IGSSSA Volleyball competition, we were unsure of the competition we faced. We arrived early and were warmed up by the time our opposition arrived. The Open A team was all Year 9s but they were all fighters. Our strong serving with a large number of aces meant there was a lot of quick points, but the score did not show a true indication of the fight put up by Woodcroft, with some points being good rallies and Woodcroft chasing down balls. We again used the match as an opportunity to rotate players through unfamiliar positions to gain insight and understanding. The match was over pretty quickly, and I was happy that the team had put in every effort to ensure they used their skills and played smart volleyball. Girls played out of their comfort zone in the second and third sets with lots of learning opportunities. Training is the new battleground as the Open Bs have started their march in becoming a force to be reckoned with. We will be primed for Intercol against Walford in the next round, ready again to improve our skills and get the points for the cup. – Alistair Keough (Coach)

Open B – Saints 3 defeated Woodcroft 0 (25-15, 26-24, 15-3)
Welcoming Tilly back, although recovering from injury, she is a dominant, imposing force at the net. After a slow start, the team communication eventually came together and we started some decent plays with a number of jousts at the net going our way. We struggled with serving runs, with each player’s second or third set in a row always missing. Millie stepped up and set up the lead with a strong run of serves. With the first set seemingly dependent on getting serves, we expected more of the same in the second. Unfortunately, we missed a number of first serves, handing easy points to Woodcroft, and a slight anxiety came over the team when players stepped out of zones. Behind on the scoreboard, we called a timeout to settle the nerves and focus on team play. The first point after the timeout was magic to watch, with a great set put up by Millie for Sophie to spike confidently and win the point. Dayna got a run of serves and we were able to win the set in a very close finish. With time running out, we agreed to play the third set to 15. A blistering serving display of 10 serves in a row by Sivi followed by Charlotte meant the set was over extremely quickly. The team were really positive after being able to hold their nerve and come away with the win. Watch out Walford, we’re coming for you. – Alistair Keough (Coach)

Open C – Saints 3 defeated Seymour 0 (25-18, 25-19, 15-10)
The Open Cs came out very strongly. Their serves were more consistent than their opponents and this was key to taking the first set convincingly after a close start. In the second set, the girls’ confidence grew and they played much better volleyball with good team play allowing quite a few points to be won with 3 passes and spikes. This would be an area I’d encourage the team to keep developing. MVP was Gracie for serves that went deep into the opponent’s back court and put them under pressure to return, and an improved digging action showing more control in passing the ball to the setter. – Vicki Dent (Acting Coach)

Middle A – Saints 3 defeated Woodcroft 0
After a slow start to an early morning, the team woke up and played an awesome game of volleyball! Their enthusiasm grew as they became more confident with their serves and returns. They worked hard and played some good rallies, finished off with strong hits by Asha Eaton and Annabel Keough. It was a consistent and strong game by the girls. Go team! – Charlotte Cohen

Middle B – Saints 3 defeated Woodcroft 0
All of the girls were still a bit tired from camp but showed a competitive spirit from the start. It paid off, winning all three of their sets, starting with a strong 25-20 win. The second set was a bit tougher, but the girls started communicating really well and worked together to win 28-26. Due to time, the third set was short, going our way 15-11. The girls were very proud of themselves and happy with their game. – Jesse Dreswick (Coach)

Middle C – Saints 2 defeated Woodcroft 1
Middle C also had a great day, splitting the first two sets. Their first game also showed their early morning motivation, winning 25-21. Their second set was quite the battle and, despite their hard efforts, they lost it 24-26. The girls bounced back, taking their last set 25-19 and earning the win. I was very proud of the girls who arrived and worked hard without substitutions. They all have shown great improvement and it is fantastic to see. – Jesse Dreswick (Coach)

WATER POLO

Open A – Saints 10 defeated Wilderness 3
The girls had an eventful yet hard game with many exclusions and turnovers called against them, but everyone worked hard to support each other, leading to a win and one of the best games of the season so far. The best players were Sophie Dansie and Lara Wakeham. Sophie is new to the A grade team but is constantly showing why she deserves to be there. Her frequent and often successful attacks on goals help lead the team to victory, not to mention her left-handed skills! Lara is known for her lobs, and this game she showed how successful they can truly be. She was constantly completing many counter attacks, leading to two successful lobs. We had a four-way tie for top goal scorer, with Sophie, Lara, Lucy Young and Emily Baldwinson each scoring 2 goals. Good job this week girls! – Fiona Lethbridge (Captain)

Open B – Saints 2 defeated by St Ignatius 15
The girls had a tough game, facing one of the stronger teams in the A division. They are constantly developing their skills, while working hard together as team to score goals. The two goals scored this game were by Poppie Goldsmith and Alexia Politis, with Alexia scoring an amazing goal from halfway down the pool! Subsequently, both girls earned the title of best player this match for their efforts in both attack and defence. Keep it up girls! – Fiona Lethbridge (Captain)

Open C – Saints 16 defeated Walford 4
W6 - Water PoloThis match was the annual Water Polo Intercol against Walford, which saw Saints continue their four-year winning streak as champions. The girls played in good spirts throughout the match, where almost every girl had the opportunity to take a shot on goal. Best players were Ashlyn May and Eleanor Saies. Ashlyn had a top game as goalie, stopping the majority of shots; but the best moment for Ash was when she swam out of goals in order to pass the ball, but instead ended up shooting a goal from 12m, which went in! Eleanor had a brilliant game, where she was constantly supporting her team members in both attack and defence, while also getting many counter attacks, leading to her scoring 3 beautiful goals. The girls supported each other through the constant turnovers and counter attacks, allowing goals to be scored. Top scorer was Ayla Blaskett with 4, one in each quarter! I want to congratulate the girls on an amazing Intercol, but also thank Walford for being an awesome opposition, and I’m sure everyone is looking forward to next year’s match. Go girls! – Fiona Lethbridge (Captain)

Year 7-8A – Saints 7 defeated by Wilderness 9

Year 7-8B – Saints 3 defeated by St Ignatius 15

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