Monthly Archives: May 2020

eNews – Week 5, Term 2 2020

Issue no. 16Enews-banner

W5 - Banner

From Our Director of Early Learning

National Reconciliation Week – In This Together

This week, our School recognised and acknowledged the significance of Reconciliation Week. Our journey as Australian citizens to be in this together gives focus to building relationships and understandings as communities that value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, histories and cultures.

KM ELC photoOne year ago, we erected three flag poles on the ELC grounds. Each day, we proudly fly our flags, demonstrating our commitment to embedding the values of walking side-by-side in our daily practice. The ELC children can tell you the significance of the flags and why we fly them.

Our journey to become a reconciled nation means we all have a part to play. Educating our youngest citizens is key and, in 2017, we actively began this journey with Kaurna elder Tamaru. He has taught us so much about our land, culture and language. As a regular member of our community, Tamaru has not only worked closely with the children but also the adults. It is essential that the adults understand and demonstrate respect in their practice and find authentic ways to deliver this learning to our children and families.

With a daily Acknowledgement to Country said in both traditional language and our own language, we understand that our land is shared land, a land that has many stories to teach us, and a land that we have shared responsibility for. Tamaru guides our learning using the mother land as the teacher. For us, this is Ferguson Conservation Park, our neighbouring conservation park. It is also in our gardens where we grow native plants that are sustainable and useful for both eating and medicinal purposes. Tamaru has taught us so much!

We are proud to use our everyday practices to show the extended community how embedded Kaurna culture is in our ELC life. Making a short video gives visibility to the wider community of the understandings Tamaru has instilled in the ELC. Our educators give great value to this work and we are extremely honoured to be leading the way in this area as one of the first ELCs in the State to embed Kaurna culture into daily rituals.

We continue to travel on this journey and recognise the responsibility we hold, not only as the educators in children’s lives, but also as citizens of our land.

Kate Mount
Director of Early Learning

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Team Triumphs at Ethics Olympiad

W5 - Ethics Team

Congratulations to a talented team of Saints Girls who this week claimed 1st place in an online Australasian Ethics Olympiad!

As a result, they’ve been invited to compete in the China Australia Ethics Olympiad next month.

“Recently, it seems as though all exciting events and activities have the words ‘cancelled’ or ‘postponed’ attached to them. But, here at Philosophy Club, we’re busy preparing for a range of competitions!

On Wednesday, a team of five girls from our School competed in the Australasian Ethics Olympiad – online. In a surprisingly seamless Zoom meeting, we discussed an array of ethical issues with students and judges from around the world. For all of us, and particularly for the girls currently studying Philosophy, this was an amazing experience that enabled us to gain new insights into others’ beliefs and values. It also provided a great platform for us to share our own opinions with others.

We were thrilled to learn we were the highest point scorers and are now looking forward to competing in the China Australia Ethics Olympiad in late June.”

Srishti Sharma
Year 12 student

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Reconciliation Through Dance

W5 - Dance

Over the past fortnight, the Year 10 Dancers have been marking Reconciliation Week through dance with a guest artist, Kaine, who has been a dancer for five years with Bangarra Dance Theatre.

As the dancers embark on a project with the Year 10 Drama students exploring stories of the Stolen Generation through The Arts, Kaine not only shared his knowledge of indigenous dance but also his personal story: “My mother was taken when she was two years old. She had no knowledge of her culture or language. It’s because of this that I found dance, exploring my cultural identity through movement.”

I look forward to sharing snippets of the end product with our School community in the coming weeks, raising awareness of the impact of this time in Australia’s history.

Kate Burnett
Head of The Arts

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New Design for Year 8 Arts

W5 - Art

This year, The Arts Faculty has changed how The Arts electives are taught in Year 8. Each Arts elective is now taught in a seven-week intensive course, exploring the creative practices of four disciplines: Dance, Music, Drama and Visual Arts. The Arts curriculum offers a balance of practical and theoretical learning and opportunities for independent and group work. Students participate in practical courses that explore the innovative and artistic elements of each discipline. After they’ve rotated through all disciplines, they will use the remaining time to plan, create and present a production that harnesses the skills explored.

This approach has been influenced by Project-Based Learning (PBL). PBL is a student-centred educational approach that encourages individuals to demonstrate their understanding and skills by creating a product or presentation for a real audience. When approaching Arts in this manner, the aim is to increase the students’ engagement in a topic due to increased individual choice and creative input.

In Visual Arts, students explore the considerations for costume design and what can be communicated through clothing. The girls will demonstrate their ability to communicate certain traits of a character through the design. The works pictured were designed and created whilst the girls were working remotely. They are paper headpieces for a chosen character and utilise a range of paper sculpture techniques.

The headpieces pictured were created by (from L to R) Heidi Gong, Zoe Pool and Hope Sanders-Wills.

Kirsten Mansfield
Art and Design Teacher

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CLOTHES SHWOP: We Need Your Help!

W5 - Clothes Shwop

Did you know that Australians are the world’s second largest consumers of fashion? On average, we each consume 27kgs of new clothing and textiles every year. Most of this ends up in the bin after less than a year. Members of the School’s Environment Club would like to change this!

The Environment Club is focusing on sustainable fashion. This will culminate in our ‘Clothes Shwop’, in which students can donate old clothes for tokens, and cash-in these tokens to take new clothes in return! If you have old clothes you don’t want anymore and are happy to donate or exchange for other items, then please support this worthy cause. Any remaining items will be donated to a women’s charity.

Collections will take place outside of the Junior School Library at lunch every Tuesday and Thursday leading up to the actual ‘Clothes Shwop’ where you will be able to choose pieces from the donated clothing. The first ‘Clothes Shwop’ will be held on Thursday and Friday in Week 5 of Term 3 in the Drama Room.

Bring in your old clothes, help the environment and make your wardrobe that bit more exciting!

Sara Peak
Environment Club Captain

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Classic Saints Girls: Portrait Series Now on Instagram

W5 - Instagram

Photography plays an important role in capturing moments of school life here at Saints Girls, with wonderful imagery featuring across our social media pages, website, eNews, Saints Alive, Yearbook and more. Recently, the Year 9 students were invited to participate in a special black and white portrait series to be showcased on our Instagram page.

The girls were asked, ‘What brings them happiness at school’, and then a photo shoot was held to capture them in their element. They selected a wide variety of activities, from cello and dancing, to soccer, netball and science. The students were given a range of photos to choose from, and we have recently published the first seven images on our Instagram page.

Follow us at instagram.com/stpetersgirlsschool to view these special portraits.

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Saints Café Full of Beans Once More

W5 - Saints Café 2

After a short break, Saints Café is back up and running this term. The café team, consisting of 25 dedicated Year 10 students, is working on a rotating roster to serve hot drinks from the Food Tech Deck every Tuesday and Thursday morning from 7.30 to 8.15am.

The café gives the girls a small taste of the hospitality industry and is a great opportunity for them to develop skills that they can carry into casual or part-time work while they finish school and post-school. Each shift, they are required to set up the café, manage the orders and finance and, most importantly, make coffees on our small, but reliable, one group coffee machine.

Please support the girls this term to get your morning coffee fix. We have a range of milk including dairy, soy, almond and lactose-free, and all coffees this term are discounted at only $2 for a small cup and $3 for large.

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Special Brass Class for Year 4 Music

W5 - Music

On Wednesday during Home Group, our Year 4 students were fortunate to enjoy a performance from our Brass Ensemble. This group is made up of students from Years 7 to 12 and is under the direction of our Brass Teacher, Warren Heading.

The girls performed two pieces for the Year 4s and gave advice on practice as well as some reflections on their own musical journeys. The Year 4s are half-way through the band program, studying a brass or woodwind instrument of their choice.

The Year 4s are looking forward to performing in the Years 2, 3, 4 Music Concert at the end of Term 3 on the afternoon of Thursday 17 September.

Sally Rounsevell
Director of Music

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St Peter’s Girls’ Piano Eisteddfod 2020

W1 - Piano Eisteddfod

In Week 8 of Term 2, the Arts Department will hold St Peter’s Girls’ Piano Eisteddfod. It is open to all Junior and Middle School students who play piano, and will be held on Tuesday 16 June from 8.45am in MB120.

Girls will have the opportunity to perform a piece to a panel of judges who will critique their performance based on accuracy, technique and musicality for their specific music level.

This year, we will not hold a recital but will instead invite 10 students of varying levels to perform in a virtual recital which will be shared online.

This is a great opportunity for girls to perform in a supportive environment and receive some valuable feedback.

Girls are asked to play one piece that best displays their musicality and technical ability at their own musical level. There will be no minimum or maximum time limit. While the Eisteddfod provides our top piano players with a platform to perform, the aim is to give performers of all levels the opportunity to participate.

Please notify the Arts Department if your daughter would like to be involved by Friday 5 June. She will then receive a time slot to perform in the Eisteddfod. Students will be notified by email if they have been chosen to have their piece recorded following the Eisteddfod.

So get busy practising, and we look forward to hearing all of our amazing piano players!

Sally Rounsevell
Director of Music

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Bus Tap Card Reminder

Please note that all School bus students must use their student ID cards to tap on and off each time they board and alight a School bus service to comply with our new tracking system.

Also, a reminder that all students from Years 3 to 12 can now use their student ID cards for point-of-sale transactions at the Tuck Shop and School Shop.

To register for the service and ensure funds are available on the cards, parents need to use the flexischools program, which already facilitates the School’s online Tuck Shop. For instructions on how to set up an account and add funds, watch the first 30 seconds of this video. To access flexischools, log in to the myLink Parent Portal and select the ‘Tuck Shop’ tab on the top menu. When registering, search for the School’s name, remembering to add the apostrophe in St Peter’s.

For information on transaction fees and other costs, click here.

If you have any queries regarding these new systems, please contact our System Business Analyst Bronwyn Ledgard via bledgard@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au or 8334 2264.

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Road Safety Appeal

The School has recently received reports of poor driver behaviour including speeding, tailgating and vehicles parked across residential driveways in surrounding streets. Road safety and courtesy is everyone’s responsibility and is of the utmost importance in a school setting. We appeal to all of our families to take extra care in our car parks and on the roads for the safety of our students, parents, staff and the wider community.

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Apply Now – National Youth Science Forum 2021

W3 - Science Forum

Are you in Year 11 and love STEM subjects? If so, you should consider applying for the National Youth Science Forum’s Year 12 Program! The @NYSFoz is a 10-day residential program full of visits to high-tech STEM facilities and hands on-workshops. You’ll get stuck into some serious science and meet industry mentors, all while hanging out with a community of 200 other like-minded science-loving students. Applications close on 14 June 2020. For more information and to apply, go to the NYSF website: www.nysf.edu.au

Saints Girls’ students Faye Ma and Ellen Zhang attended the forum earlier this year. Here are some words from their experience:

“An unforgettable time where you will meet lifelong friends, immerse yourself fully in the world of STEM and come out with a greater understanding of what you want to do in the future.” – Faye Ma

“NYSF has been life-changing for me. Not only have I been inspired by this experience, but I have taken away a wealth of new knowledge and amazing friendships.” – Ellen Zhang

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Do You Have a Connection to Woodlands Girls’ Grammar?

Year 11 Scholarship Information

The Elaine Balfour Ogilvy Scholarship is for girls who are planning to enter Year 12 next year, who attend an Anglican school and whose mother, grandmother or great grandmother attended Woodlands Girls’ Grammar School. It was created by the Woodlands Old Scholars in honour of an old scholar, one of the Australian Army nurses who died in the horror of war after the fall of Singapore.

Applicants need to post an introductory letter and four copies of their CV to:

The President
Woodlands Old Scholars’ Association
39 Partridge Street
GLENELG SA 5045

Applications close 24 July 2020

Interviews will be conducted in Term 3, giving the panel a chance to have an informal chat with the girls. We will be assessing attributes such as presentation and enthusiasm and will take this opportunity to see certificates and awards which substantiate the CV.

If you have any enquiries, please contact me via sorrell.lou@gmail.com

Louise Sorrell
St Peter’s Woodlands Old Scholars’ Association President

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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 from Apple 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, non-porous 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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eNews – Week 4, Term 2 2020

Issue no. 15Enews-banner

W4 - Banner

From Our Deputy Principal / Head of Middle School

Importance of Co-Curricular Program Reflected at Pocket Points Assembly

One integral part of the holistic education that St Peter’s Girls provides is our rich and varied co-curricular program. We want our students to embody our core values of courage, creativity and compassion beyond the classroom. Co-curricular activities enable our girls to be creative, display courage in challenging circumstances and naturally develop compassion for others through working in a team environment.

Richard Lisle inside 220As we move through the South Australian roadmap for easing health restrictions, it’s been great to see students returning to more and more sports training sessions, with a view towards competitive fixtures later in the term. Whilst I know that some parents may have been enjoying the break from the pace that a full set of school and club sports might bring to weekends, it’s clear that the girls have really missed the social and competitive release that their chosen sport gives them.

The ‘Witness the Fitness’ resources continue to be widely used by the girls, and I know that our younger students have loved watching skills drills filmed for them by our senior girls. These are excellent resources that will be used well after we return to a full co-curricular program.

With our Music Department running a full suite of ensembles, with some modifications for social distancing, our thoughts now turn with great anticipation to imagining what level and scale of live performance might be viable in the months to come.

This week, we were able to formally celebrate the co-curricular achievements of many Middle and Senior School students at our first Pocket Points Assembly for the year. The Pocket Points system reinforces our School values, alongside other strengths including initiative, commitment and teamwork, by recognising students for their efforts and contributions in co-curricular activities. Each activity and the subsequent contribution from our girls results in points being awarded. At every 60 point milestone, girls are entitled to have a ribbon or special stitching added to their blazer pocket. Further details on how points can be received in over 50 co-curricular activities can be found in the Pocket Points policy.

This usual ‘marker’ is, I hope, the first of many familiar events and activities that usually punctuate our school year returning to the calendar. With girls eager to contribute to a full range of activities, sports, ensembles and clubs, we look forward to them being able to display their creativity, show compassion when things don’t quite go as planned, and make courageous decisions.

Richard Lisle
Deputy Principal / Head of Middle School

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A Message From Our SRC Prefect

W4 - Prefect Article 3

Since the beginning of the year, the letters ‘SRC’ have ceased to stand for the ‘Student Representative Council’. Rather, in 2020, SRC has stood for ‘Seriously Ready for Change’. Why? Because change is what the SRC committee strives to achieve. Our aim is to serve as the voice of the student body and enact change to make our School an even more enriching environment.

Each fortnightly meeting, the 22 Middle and Senior School representatives bring enthusiasm and willingness to discuss the ideas and suggestions put forth by their peers. The SRC has discussed various topics ranging from conducting lunchtime activities such as Pilates and yoga sessions, to the possibility of updating our uniform and even introducing sleep pods! To get a sense of the support the students have for a particular idea, the SRC representatives have distributed surveys and conducted votes within their classes, which has been extremely useful in determining which ideas are worth moving forward with. Each item discussed has been followed up with relevant staff and communicated back to students, ensuring they know that their questions have been answered. While some changes are being implemented in the short-term, others are being considered for the future.

The SRC has also taken an active approach in providing feedback to staff about our online learning experiences. Meeting with teachers such as Mr Scoggins and Mr Coulter, the SRC has ensured that there is clear communication between students and staff concerning our learning platforms and how students feel different online resources could improve our approach to learning.

The SRC’s current projects include introducing more practical seating arrangements around the School grounds such as tables, benches and bean bags which the students can use during recess and lunch, or even during an outdoor lesson. We are also in the process of creating a video to promote the School’s new Tap Card system.

I am extremely pleased with the engagement and enthusiasm demonstrated by each SRC rep at our meetings. They are passionate about making a difference and are committed to representing every girl. We look forward to revealing our exciting upcoming projects in the near future – one in particular I’m sure will increase School spirit!

Lucy White
SRC Prefect

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For Our Friends at Sherborne Girls

W4 - Sherborne Girls

Since 2014, our girls have had the chance to undertake a three-week exchange to Sherborne Girls in the beautiful county of Dorset in the UK. In recent years, that experience has also been offered to teaching staff.

Whilst some of our students were able to spend time at Sherborne in January, their exchange partners’ visit here has had to be postponed. With our friends and colleagues still in lockdown, we put together a few messages of support:

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Classic Saints Girls: Portrait Series

W4 - Portraits

Photography plays an important role in capturing moments of school life here at Saints Girls, with wonderful imagery featuring across our social media pages, website, eNews, Saints Alive, Yearbook and more. Recently, the Year 9 students were invited to participate in a special black and white portrait series to be showcased on our Instagram page.

The girls were asked, ‘What brings them happiness at school’, and then a photo shoot was held to capture them in their element. They selected a wide variety of activities, from cello and dancing, to soccer, netball and science. The students were given a range of photos to choose from, and we look forward to sharing their selected images across two Instagram posts in the next fortnight.

Follow us at instagram.com/stpetersgirlsschool and keep an eye out for these special portraits.

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Year 5s Discover World-Changing Scientists

W4 - Year 5

In Year 5 this week, we have been exploring famous scientists throughout history such as Archimedes, Albert Einstein and Aristotle. The girls noticed that there have also been many female scientists who have made a significant impact on our planet due to their scientific discoveries and extensive research, such as Katherine Johnson and Marie Curie. The girls worked collaboratively to create a poster which provides a snapshot into their chosen scientist’s valued contributions to science, as well as their background, character strengths and legacy. They had to consider the layout and include detailed information sourced through online research. To accompany this, they each delivered a short presentation, verbally articulating their newfound knowledge, sharing their findings and gaining an appreciation for all of the scientists who were studied.

Stephen Hawking, one of the scientists who featured in this study, has a number of inspiring quotes. This one in particular seemed appropriate given the current state of our world, and it certainly resonated with the girls:

“However difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do, and succeed at. It matters that you don’t just give up.”

Sarah Mulraney and Shelley Hampton
Year 5 Teachers

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Have You Heard the Word in Reception?

As part of our daily Linguistic Inquiry, the Reception girls thoroughly enjoy exploring the many different words that appear on the THRASS Chart. This week, we focused on the digraph /th/, and the girls noticed there were two phonemes that used the same grapheme: ‘thumb’ and ‘feather’.

We read the story Feathers for Phoebe by Rod Clement and responded to the text by creating our own Pete Cromer-inspired birds using oil pastels, food colouring liquid and watercolour paint.

Meg Karvonen and Alana Lesiw
Reception Teachers

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Radical Robots Invade Maths Class

W4 - Year 6

As part of Mathematics, the Year 6 students have demonstrated the proficiencies of problem-solving and reasoning while bringing to life Radical Robots!

They were tasked with designing and creating a 3D robot that children would love. The robots had to be no taller than 30 centimetres, incorporating at least five different prisms and pyramids constructed from their own designed nets.

The Year 6 Teachers

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St Peter’s Girls’ Piano Eisteddfod 2020

W1 - Piano Eisteddfod

In Week 8 of Term 2, the Arts Department will hold St Peter’s Girls’ Piano Eisteddfod. It is open to all Junior and Middle School students who play piano, and will be held on Tuesday 16 June from 8.45am in MB120.

Girls will have the opportunity to perform a piece to a panel of judges who will critique their performance based on accuracy, technique and musicality for their specific music level.

This year, we will not hold a recital but will instead invite 10 students of varying levels to perform in a virtual recital which will be shared online.

This is a great opportunity for girls to perform in a supportive environment and receive some valuable feedback.

Girls are asked to play one piece that best displays their musicality and technical ability at their own musical level. There will be no minimum or maximum time limit. While the Eisteddfod provides our top piano players with a platform to perform, the aim is to give performers of all levels the opportunity to participate.

Please notify the Arts Department if your daughter would like to be involved by Friday 5 June. She will then receive a time slot to perform in the Eisteddfod. Students will be notified by email if they have been chosen to have their piece recorded following the Eisteddfod.

So get busy practising, and we look forward to hearing all of our amazing piano players!

Sally Rounsevell
Director of Music

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Bus Tap Card Reminder

Please note that all School bus students must use their student ID cards to tap on and off each time they board and alight a School bus service to comply with our new tracking system.

Also, a reminder that all students from Years 3 to 12 can now use their student ID cards for point-of-sale transactions at the Tuck Shop and School Shop.

To register for the service and ensure funds are available on the cards, parents need to use the flexischools program, which already facilitates the School’s online Tuck Shop. For instructions on how to set up an account and add funds, watch the first 30 seconds of this video. To access flexischools, log in to the myLink Parent Portal and select the ‘Tuck Shop’ tab on the top menu. When registering, search for the School’s name, remembering to add the apostrophe in St Peter’s.

For information on transaction fees and other costs, click here.

If you have any queries regarding these new systems, please contact our System Business Analyst Bronwyn Ledgard via bledgard@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au or 8334 2264.

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Apply Now – National Youth Science Forum 2021

W3 - Science Forum

Are you in Year 11 and love STEM subjects? If so, you should consider applying for the National Youth Science Forum’s Year 12 Program! The @NYSFoz is a 10-day residential program full of visits to high-tech STEM facilities and hands on-workshops. You’ll get stuck into some serious science and meet industry mentors, all while hanging out with a community of 200 other like-minded science-loving students. Applications close on 14 June 2020. For more information and to apply, go to the NYSF website: www.nysf.edu.au

Saints Girls’ students Faye Ma and Ellen Zhang attended the forum earlier this year. Here are some words from their experience:

“An unforgettable time where you will meet lifelong friends, immerse yourself fully in the world of STEM and come out with a greater understanding of what you want to do in the future.” – Faye Ma

“NYSF has been a life-changing experience for me. Not only have I been inspired by this experience, but I have taken away a wealth of new knowledge and amazing friendships.” – Ellen Zhang

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CLOTHES SHWOP: We Need Your Help

W3 - Clothes Shwop

Did you know that Australians are the world’s second largest consumers of fashion? On average, we each consume 27kgs of new clothing and textiles every year. Most of this ends up in the bin after less than a year. Members of the School’s Environment Club would like to change this!

This term, the Environment Club is focusing on sustainable fashion. This will culminate in our ‘Clothes Shwop’, in which students can donate old clothes for tokens, and cash-in these tokens to take new clothes in return! If you have any old clothes you don’t want anymore and are happy to donate or exchange for other items, then please support this worthy cause. Any remaining items will be donated to a women’s charity.

Collections will take place outside of the Junior School Library at lunch every Tuesday and Thursday leading up to the actual ‘Clothes Shwop’ where you will be able to choose pieces from the donated clothing. The first ‘Clothes Shwop’ will be held on Thursday 4 and Friday 5 June in Week 6 in the Drama Room.

Bring in your old clothes, help the environment and make your wardrobe that bit more exciting!

Clothes Shwop Poster

Sara Peak
Environment Club Captain

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Do You Have a Connection to Woodlands Girls’ Grammar?

Year 11 Scholarship Information

The Elaine Balfour Ogilvy Scholarship is for girls who are planning to enter Year 12 next year, who attend an Anglican school and whose mother, grandmother or great grandmother attended Woodlands Girls’ Grammar School. It was created by the Woodlands Old Scholars in honour of an old scholar, one of the Australian Army nurses who died in the horror of war after the fall of Singapore.

Applicants need to post an introductory letter and four copies of their CV to:

The President
Woodlands Old Scholars’ Association
39 Partridge Street
GLENELG SA 5045

Applications close 24 July 2020

Interviews will be conducted in Term 3, giving the panel a chance to have an informal chat with the girls. We will be assessing attributes such as presentation and enthusiasm and will take this opportunity to see certificates and awards which substantiate the CV.

If you have any enquiries, please contact me via sorrell.lou@gmail.com

Louise Sorrell
St Peter’s Woodlands Old Scholars’ Association President

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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 from Apple 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, non-porous 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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eNews – Week 3, Term 2 2020

Issue no. 14Enews-banner

W3 - Banner Image

From Our Deputy Principal / Head of Senior School

It has been wonderful to have the girls return to school and their energy and enthusiasm has been a welcome relief for many staff. What has been apparent to us all, is that we are far more grateful for what we previously took for granted. Simply, being back in the classroom and back together is a far more valued experience.

#EMPOWHER Update

Communication works for those who work at it
Communication is a constant and vital aspect of school life. Improved learning outcomes are often achieved in a classroom environment where there is clear communication between the teacher and their students. A teacher who is Kate Mortimerable to clearly articulate lesson objectives, explanations, instructions and feedback is one whom students may label as a ‘good teacher’. Conversely, students who ask for help when needed, who participate in class discussions and who ask critical questions of the content significantly enhance the learning environment. Of course, the learning conversations that take place in classrooms, whilst natural, are often complemented by the retelling of stories or events that occurred over the weekend, in the last lesson or at lunch time. With that said, there is more often than not a few students or teachers who will ensure a couple of jokes make it into the lesson, generally to enhance the learning.

However, there are many other conversations that are just as important as those that take place within the classroom. In particular, in the third week of each term, every girl meets with her Home Group teacher for a 1:1 discussion. The girls prepare for these in advance and are asked to identify what has been going well and set personal goals of how they can improve. The goals are not limited to academic performance, but include those linked to social, emotional and physical health. The staff also track these goals across the year, which adds value to the conversations. This is the fourth year that we have rolled out the 1:1s, and this week, I have been impressed with the ability of the girls to explain how they navigated the challenges of the past term and set actionable steps of how they intend to meet their future goals. I encourage you to talk with your daughter about the goals she has set for herself this term.

Witness the Fitness

Whilst we have returned to sport training this week, I must thank the Prefects for their efforts in the promotion of ‘Witness the Fitness’. This was, of course, our online initiative aimed at keeping the girls active. Thank you to the Prefect Team, who designed a follow-along workout, and to Olivia Goldsmith (Kennion House Captain) and Millie Wilkin (Sport Prefect) for their performances in our other online resources. If you are keen to challenge yourself and improve your fitness, please take advantage of the resources below.

Witness the Fitness – Session 1
Witness the Fitness – Session 2
Witness the Fitness – Session 3
Witness the Fitness – Session 4
Witness the Fitness – Session 5
Witness the Fitness – Session 6

Kate Mortimer
Deputy Principal / Head of Senior School

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Day in the Life: Our School Chaplain

W3 - Bassett Profile

School Chaplain and Humanities Teacher Thomas Bassett sat down with us to talk about why he chose to pursue teaching, his various roles at Saints Girls and his postgraduate study.

A staff member since 2017, Thomas currently has a Year 8 Home Group, helps run the APEX Club and, in his spare time, plays the piano and guitar!

To find out more about Thomas’s journey here at Saints Girls, check out this video:

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Touching Tributes for Mother’s Day

W3 - Mother's Day Tribute

To celebrate Mother’s Day, our girls paid touching tributes to the wonderful women in their lives.

Year 9 student Eliza Monaghan wrote a heartfelt poem, which was underscored by other moving messages from grateful daughters:

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Zephyr Quartet Star Stretches Our Strings

W3 - Extension Strings

Yesterday, the Extension String group was extended in the truest sense, under the guidance of guest conductor Hilary Kleinig from the highly acclaimed Zephyr Quartet.

Hilary is a multidisciplinary musician who works as a performer, composer, curator, producer and educator. As a composer, she has written commissioned works for the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Adelaide Chamber Singers and the Adelaide Youth Orchestras. She has served on the New Music Network Australia board, joined the Artistic Advisory panel of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and is the Creative Producer of Musica Viva’s Sessions Concert Series in Adelaide.

Hilary’s Zephyr Quartet firmly believes in the power of the string quartet as a medium to communicate and explore complex relationships between society and art. As such, Hilary pushed the Extension Strings to explore their instruments in ways they had never thought to, encouraging them to improvise, communicate with each other, and use unconventional string techniques to tell a story. Hilary challenged the girls to experiment in ways that would be deemed ‘wrong’ in terms of traditional classical training. Students worked on imitating sounds; screeching cats, ambulance sirens, the grinding of gears, waves crashing on the shoreline, and many more. These sounds were then used in free-form improvisation to weave together a story. The girls rose to the challenge beautifully, and over the next few weeks will continue to work on creating a soundscape which will then be used as a SACE performance piece. We hope to air this to you soon.

Enchante Goes International

The current global climate has had a profound impact on musicians from all over the world as concert halls, jazz clubs and theatres close down, eliminating all possibility of a live audience. While this has been frustrating for musicians and music educators alike, the upside has been the development of methods of sharing music and, more specifically, concerts online. This has seen the rise of the ‘Virtual Concert Hall’, which allows musicians from all over the world to put together a concert.

Congratulations to our vocal ensemble Enchante whose recent recording work has now been accepted into an international virtual concert hall curated by the American Choral Directors Association.

Sari Noble
Choral Director

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Cross Country Athlete’s Runaway Success

W3 - Daisy

W3 - Walking 2My name is Daisy Braithwaite and I am a Year 8 student. This week, I was awarded the SA Athletics U14 Female Road, Cross Country and Walks Athlete for the 2019/20 season. I was so excited to be nominated, and couldn’t believe it when I won!

Last season, I won the 3km race walking at the VIVA All Schools Championships and the Athletics State Championships. I was part of the Little Athletics State Team that travelled to Hobart where I competed in the 1500m and the walk; I was also Captain which was a great honour. I have represented the State at Cross Country every year since I was 10 and love the challenging courses and training. I train most days of the week, mostly running but with some cycling, race walking and swimming too.

I hope I can start training with my teammates again soon and compete in cross country later in the season.

Daisy Braithwaite
Year 8 student

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Mother’s Day Gift Boxes

W3 - Food and Hospitality

The Stage 2 Food and Hospitality class recently celebrated Mother’s Day with the creation of gift boxes for their mums. The girls worked collaboratively and used their broad range of skills to design and create the boxes. The boxes were full of a range of artisan products that were created, labelled, packaged and preserved by the students. The students also sought support from a range of community members who created aspects of the boxes.

“The elements within the gift box were carefully planned to cater for  the enjoyment of our mothers with some products suitable for dietary  requirements such as gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan. A personalised card was included in each box which outlined the contents of the hamper and all ingredients used”. – Mia Taliangis

“The gift boxes were kindly made with recycled materials and donated by my grandpa, Jack Walls, who has been a qualified cabinet maker for 60 years.  These boxes were helpful in executing the overall presentation of the gift box.” – Chelsea Walls

The individual, laser-cut labels were expertly crafted by our Art and Design Teacher Kirsten Mansfield.

The creation of the gift boxes was certainly a highlight of the year for the class and their mothers. I would like to thank all those who assisted us with the creation of these boxes and congratulate the girls on an amazing effort with the production of a beautifully presented hospitality-standard gift box.

Jenni Manson and the Stage 2 Food and Hospitality students

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Our New Media Hub: Lights, Camera, Action!

W3 - Media Hub

Our new Media Hub is now being fitted-out with equipment, and some small groups are utilising the advanced technology for more than just film.

Along with other renovated areas in the Sarah Wing, the small studio space is receiving advanced equipment from all around the world. This equipment includes cameras, lenses, microphones, lighting, rigs, teleprompters and lightboards to create an industry-simulated environment for the girls to learn and experience from. With current professional specifications, the studio has been designed to cater for just about any job or project that the girls request.

The Lightboard (pictured) is used to film presentations that require handwritten explanations and drawings in a natural way without using extended post processing techniques. Staff use this for instructional design and rich content delivery for ‘flipped’ classroom videos.

The student co-curricular group APEX which produces SaintsTV is being trained to use this equipment as it arrives, and is helping to show others the magic of film and visual entertainment.

Garth Coulter
Head of Digital Learning and Technology

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Mum’s the Word for Year 4 Designers

W3 - Year 4 3

Last Friday, the Year 4s busily created gifts and cards for Mother’s Day. Mrs Coulter tapped into her creativity and prepared all of the materials the girls needed to make bright and happy tassels for mums to put on their handbags! The girls also made cards with a poem of love and appreciation written inside. They enjoyed making these but, even more, they loved presenting them to their mums on Sunday.

“My mum is an amazing cook and can turn anything scrappy into something scrumptious!” – Ruby Kelly

“My mum is compassionate and very kind. She helps me.” – Karishma Agrawal

“The great thing about my mum is that she shares her love with everyone.” – Addison Green

“My mum inspires me to try new things and she is really strong.” – Eleanor Bartter

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CLOTHES SHWOP: We Need Your Help

W3 - Clothes Shwop

Did you know that Australians are the world’s second largest consumers of fashion? On average, we each consume 27kgs of new clothing and textiles every year. Most of this ends up in the bin after less than a year. Members of the School’s Environment Club would like to change this!

This term, the Environment Club is focusing on sustainable fashion. This will culminate in our ‘Clothes Shwop’, in which students can donate old clothes for tokens, and cash-in these tokens to take new clothes in return! If you have any old clothes you don’t want anymore and are happy to donate or exchange for other items, then please support this worthy cause. Any remaining items will be donated to a women’s charity.

Collections will take place outside of the Junior School Library at lunch every Tuesday and Thursday leading up to the actual ‘Clothes Shwop’ where you will be able to choose pieces from the donated clothing. The first ‘Clothes Shwop’ will be held on Thursday 4 and Friday 5 June in Week 6 in the Drama Room.

Bring in your old clothes, help the environment and make your wardrobe that bit more exciting!

Clothes Shwop Poster

Sara Peak
Environment Club Captain

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Bus Tap Card Reminder

Please note that all School bus students must use their student ID cards to tap on and off each time they board and alight a School bus service to comply with our new tracking system.

Also, a reminder that all students from Years 3 to 12 can now use their student ID cards for point-of-sale transactions at the Tuck Shop and School Shop.

To register for the service and ensure funds are available on the cards, parents need to use the flexischools program, which already facilitates the School’s online Tuck Shop. For instructions on how to set up an account and add funds, watch the first 30 seconds of this video. To access flexischools, log in to the myLink Parent Portal and select the ‘Tuck Shop’ tab on the top menu. When registering, search for the School’s name, remembering to add the apostrophe in St Peter’s.

For information on transaction fees and other costs, click here.

If you have any queries regarding these new systems, please contact our System Business Analyst Bronwyn Ledgard via bledgard@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au or 8334 2264.

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Apply Now – National Youth Science Forum 2021

W3 - Science Forum

Are you in Year 11 and love STEM subjects? If so, you should consider applying for the National Youth Science Forum’s Year 12 Program! The @NYSFoz is a 10-day residential program full of visits to high-tech STEM facilities and hands on-workshops. You’ll get stuck into some serious science and meet industry mentors, all while hanging out with a community of 200 other like-minded science-loving students. Applications close on 14 June 2020. For more information or to apply, go to the NYSF website: www.nysf.edu.au

Saints Girls’ students Faye Ma and Ellen Zhang attended the forum earlier this year. Here are some words from their experience:

“An unforgettable time where you will meet lifelong friends, immerse yourself fully in the world of STEM and come out with a greater understanding of what you want to do in the future.” – Faye Ma

“NYSF has been a life-changing experience for me. Not only have I been inspired by this experience, but I have taken away a wealth of new knowledge and amazing friendships.” – Ellen Zhang

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Year 2s Turn on the Water Works!

W3 - Year 2 3

Excitement was high as the Year 2 girls undertook a ‘Water Walk’ to identify water sources and uses as they discover how the Earth’s resources are used in a variety of ways. ‘Water Works’ is the current Year 2 Science focus as part of the ‘Sharing the planet’ Unit of Inquiry. Many water access points were discovered including the rainwater tanks, fire hydrants and even toilet cisterns! Water is collected in gutters and drain pipes, which flow to the stormwater system. Water is used in the School grounds in many different ways; the swimming pool being a favourite!

Once the girls took their photographs, they used a School map to identify the location of each photo and created a key to differentiate between water source, collection and usage.

Our water detectives have undertaken a similar experiment at home to investigate the ways water is accessed and used, and are comparing these findings to the ways children around the world access and use water with the view to discovering how this affects daily life.

Kathryn Clark and Rebecca Greenhalgh
Year 2 Teachers

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Year 11s Brainstorm with Our Youngest Students

W3 - Year 11 Psychology 1

This week, the Year 11 SACE Psychology class teamed up with the ELC and Year 1 students to investigate Piaget’s theory of cognitive development.

They carried out a number of activities together and recorded their thoughts and reasoning. It was great to have the younger students come up to the Science Centre to work with the older girls, and much fun was had by all.

Craig Byrne
Head of Science

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Do You Have a Connection to Woodlands Girls’ Grammar?

Year 11 Scholarship Information

The Elaine Balfour Ogilvy Scholarship is for girls who are planning to enter Year 12 next year, who attend an Anglican school and whose mother, grandmother or great grandmother attended Woodlands Girls’ Grammar School. It was created by the Woodlands Old Scholars in honour of an old scholar, one of the Australian Army nurses who died in the horror of war after the fall of Singapore.

Applicants need to post an introductory letter and four copies of their CV to:

The President
Woodlands Old Scholars’ Association
39 Partridge Street
GLENELG SA 5045

Applications close 24 July 2020

Interviews will be conducted in Term 3, giving the panel a chance to have an informal chat with the girls. We will be assessing attributes such as presentation and enthusiasm and will take this opportunity to see certificates and awards which substantiate the CV.

If you have any enquiries, please contact me via sorrell.lou@gmail.com

Louise Sorrell
St Peter’s Woodlands Old Scholars’ Association President

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St Peter’s Girls’ Piano Eisteddfod 2020

W1 - Piano Eisteddfod

In Week 8 of Term 2, the Arts Department will hold St Peter’s Girls’ Piano Eisteddfod. It is open to all Junior and Middle School students who play piano, and will be held on Tuesday 16 June from 8.45am in MB120.

Girls will have the opportunity to perform a piece to a panel of judges who will critique their performance based on accuracy, technique and musicality for their specific music level.

This year, we will not hold a recital but will instead invite 10 students of varying levels to perform in a virtual recital which will be shared online.

This is a great opportunity for girls to perform in a supportive environment and receive some valuable feedback.

Girls are asked to play one piece that best displays their musicality and technical ability at their own musical level. There will be no minimum or maximum time limit. While the Eisteddfod provides our top piano players with a platform to perform, the aim is to give performers of all levels the opportunity to participate.

Please notify the Arts Department if your daughter would like to be involved by Friday 5 June. She will then receive a time slot to perform in the Eisteddfod. Students will be notified by email if they have been chosen to have their piece recorded following the Eisteddfod.

So get busy practising, and we look forward to hearing all of our amazing piano players!

Sally Rounsevell
Director of Music

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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 from Apple 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, non-porous 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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Code Camp After-School Sessions

The Code Camp team has been working around the clock to create a new online program that encapsulates the fun and engaging learning environment children across Australia have come to expect when attending one of our courses. The holidays have given us a great opportunity to test our online courses with over 2500 students taking part. We are confident we have the formula right!

We will be running our online sessions on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons and also on Saturday mornings, so families have a variety of times to choose from. Children will be supported through the tutorials with our Live Tech Support Team which is made up of our very best facilitators.

The program, which is available now, is one session per week for eight weeks. Due to our reduced facilitator costs, we want to pass those savings on to parents. As such, the new online after-school price is $160.

Parents can book via https://www.codecamp.com.au/online-after-school-programs

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eNews – Week 2, Term 2 2020

Issue no. 13Enews-banner

W2 - Banner Image

From Our Director of Teaching and Learning

N Scoggins - webNever have teachers been more pleased to see their students in class again than at the start of this term. The past two months with all of the upheaval and ongoing uncertainty have been challenging for everyone. In the spirit of positive thinking though, I will add that, from an educational perspective, they have also been reassuring in some ways.

Firstly, we have been able to demonstrate that we can adapt quickly and can leverage the technology and platforms already in place to deliver a different learning model when the need arises. Secondly, we have been reminded that there is no such thing as a perfect virtual substitute to being in a classroom (or laboratory, or gym, or rehearsal room) with a dedicated and charismatic teacher. The social aspects, the immediacy, the spontaneous moments of comedy – in-class learning delivers all of these things and more in a way that is hard to replicate. Even a short break from the ‘traditional’ model of schooling has provided a salient reminder of this fact. Finally, adversity has a habit of bringing out the best in people, and the students, teachers and other staff have demonstrated this in multiple ways. The students embraced remote learning very quickly and were sat keenly in their virtual classrooms often before the teachers had been able to walk between the real ones. The teachers adapted to changing circumstances on a regular basis and, at the halfway point of the holiday, stoically switched their focus back from preparing remote learning activities to a normal school start (or at least something close to it). The flexibility and resilience shown by all has been outstanding.

Some other brief teaching and learning updates: the student feedback surveys that I mentioned in my last update will be completed towards the end of this term. In the meantime, we will have some valuable feedback from the online learning questionnaires to reflect and act upon. The Parent-Teacher Interviews this term will continue to be conducted over the phone and, once again, I acknowledge everyone’s flexibility in adjusting quickly to the new process. Lastly, our Middle and Senior School teachers will spend some time next week looking more closely at our lesson observation processes and how we can maximise the scope for ongoing learning from each other through focused formal and informal classroom visits.

Here’s to another term of rich learning experiences for us all!

Nigel Scoggins
Director of Teaching and Learning

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Enchante Creates Global Harmonies

W2 - Enchante

This year to celebrate Generations in Jazz, Enchante created a virtual choir recording of our free choice piece ‘Zemabia’. This piece has no words and requires the singers themselves to impart meaning through the use of vocal ‘scat’. The recording was posted on our St Peter’s Girls’ Facebook page and has been a huge hit with over 16,000 views to date! We were also excited to note that it is now being viewed by renowned vocal Jazz educators in America including Kerry Marsh, the composer and arranger of this piece. This is what he had to say:

“OH MY!! OH MY….. This is fantastic! Like really, really fantastic! I will share this with my Facebook community right away. Huge congratulations for putting together such a cool performance…. Well sung, well planned and edited video production! Top of the top, St Peter’s! Thank you so much for this…..”

Other comments included:

“So great! What a fantastic way for the girls to see themselves and each other performing like this” – Sally Cameron (Idea of North)

“Brilliant! How hard is that song?!!” – Noelene Howis

“Amazing what is being achieved with the challenges faced” – Cherie Forbes

“Wow, just beautiful.” – Mavi Jass

We hope you enjoy our video.

Sari Noble
Choral Director

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Supporting Our Friends at Kent Place School

St Peter’s Girls shares special bonds with our exchange schools overseas, including the wonderful Kent Place School in New Jersey.

While the current global situation has postponed all of our planned exchange visits, we remain connected with our foreign friends.

Our Kent Place exchange students and staff from the past three years took some time out to send uplifting messages of support:

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Anyone can #WitnessTheFitness!

W2 - Prefect Article

I’ve realised that I’m not the super sporty, athletic type. After school, you won’t find me on the basketball courts, but instead rehearsing with Senior Strings, or studying in the Library. I’ve also realised, recently especially, the importance of fitness, and try to integrate it into my everyday routine. The same can be said for my HL Maths class – after school we like to Microsoft Teams and exercise together. What I’m trying to say is: you don’t need to be at a certain athletic ability or know how to do all the moves to #WitnessTheFitness. It’s designed with the goal of making fitness as fun and realistic for you girls as possible.

With that being said, Hayley from the Communications Team and the Prefects have been working as hard as possible to produce some amazing content for you all. We recently filmed a HIIT workout with only eight rotations guaranteed to get your heart rate up and those endorphins flowing. Give it a go, your body will thank you for it!

On another note, keep an eye out for Term 2’s Prefect initiative. In Term 1, we challenged the girls to do the small but meaningful. This might’ve been opening a door for someone or smiling at passers-by. For Term 2, we challenge you to think of the bigger picture.

This week, the girls were given a look into the lives of students from all around the world. We asked our exchanges and friends from interstate, Japan and the US to document their typical day in the life. For some, this involved herding cattle, and for others, commuting from empty train stations. I hope this video makes you think about how others are coping in these confusing times. The rest of the term will be different than usual no doubt, but I challenge you to maintain perspective and realise just how lucky we are in this healthy community at Saints.

Faye Ma
International Student Prefect

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Business Insight from Passion for Fashion

W2 - Business Innovation
 
Year 12 Business Innovation this week heard from leading Adelaide fashion designer Sally Phillips on what it takes to create your own clothing brand and run a successful business.

Sally certainly modelled all of the School’s values of courage, creativity and compassion as she overcame the challenges of launching her own business as a 20 year old.

The Year 12 Business girls were able to gain valuable insight into how to find a niche market and navigate turbulent times, such as the current economic climate.

Andrew Rosser
Business Director

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Talented Trail Runner Leads the Pack

W2 - Trail Running
 
Congratulations to Year 5 student Zalia Valmorbida who entered the Ultra Runners South Australia – Summer Series, competing in short course races and placing 1st in the U12 girls’ category.

W2 - RunningTo qualify for a place, competitors had to complete a minimum of three out of the four races, which varied from 8 – 10km on a mix of single/fire trails.

Zalia entered three races and came 1st in each of them.

“I got in to trail running a few years ago when my family was living in Townsville, and I used to climb Castle Hill with my mum to challenge myself and to walk my dogs. Castle Hill is really rocky and steep, so it was fun to climb.

I prefer trail running to road running because I like going out and seeing all the forests and environment around me, and it is more interesting than running around the road where cars and buildings are.

My typical race is about 9km long with 250m elevation, and it takes about an hour to finish the race. The hardest thing about racing is the pressure at the start; it makes me nervous but it is worth the feeling you get at the end when you cross the finish line. I don’t really train much, I just stay active and do swimming lessons and sometimes a 5km park run. I would encourage more girls to get into trail running because it helps you stay fit and it teaches your brain you are capable of many things further than what you thought was possible.” – Zalia Valmorbida

Great effort Zalia!

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Stage 2 Biology Under the Microscope

W2 - Stage 2 Biology 3
 
In Stage 2 Biology, we are learning about cell biology including the organelles found in eukaryotic cells.

We have been using light microscopes to explore the internal structures of a variety of cells, even our own cheek cells! Seeing the differences between plant and animal cells was interesting and brought the diagrams from our textbooks to life.

It was beneficial to be in the laboratory as it allowed us to develop a deeper understanding of how our cells work to keep us alive.

Amelie Eaton
Year 12 student

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Vote of Confidence from Year 6

W2 - Year 6

In Year 6, our Transdisciplinary Theme for Term 2 is ‘How we organise ourselves’, with the Central Idea of how government systems and decisions impact the broader community.

The students have begun by exploring federation, democracy and the importance of having a voice. We have drafted bills to be discussed and, later in the term, we will be voting on the most relevant and important law to affect change.

The Year 6 Team

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Saints Girls’ Grit at Boot Camp Challenge

W2 - PE

The Stage 2 PE girls began their Performance Improvement task this week with an introduction to Obstacle Course Racing (OCR). Luke Williams (aka ‘Ninja Luke’ from Ninja Warrior) runs SA Base Camp which specialises in training novice to elite obstacle racers at its facility in Semaphore.

Fortunately, he was able to set up a 3km course around our campus for the girls to complete. Elements included heavy water carries, battle ropes, balance beams, weighted crawls, climbing walls and large tyres, with significant run sections in between. Luke explained the layout of the course and a warm up was completed before the starter’s siren sounded. Beginning with 30 laps of the tennis court whilst crawling under a net each lap, the girls’ heart rates shot up instantaneously, but they recovered and steadied throughout the rest of the course.

We will now train for six weeks with a focus on a specific element they wish to improve, e.g. aerobic endurance, before attempting the course again, expecting to achieve an improvement on their time.

Dan Searle
Head of PE, Health and Outdoor Education

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Science a Blast for Year 5 Inquirers

W2 - Year 5 2
 
In Year 5 this week, we continued our exploration of Science as part of our Unit of Inquiry, ‘Bazinga’. The first line of inquiry is all about exploring the use of scientific method. The girls have learnt about what they need to include in a scientific method, as well as constructing their own hypothesis and putting it to the test.

Our first experiment went off with a bang, as four packets of Mentos were released into four different 2L soft drink bottles. As a cohort, the girls predicted that the Mentos would create a chemical reaction, making the soft drink fizz, forcing the liquid inside each bottle to expel at various heights. Prior to conducting the experiment, we discussed the variables involved, with the girls identifying the independent, dependent and controlled variables. Their theory was that the soft drink with the least amount of sugar would expel the least amount of liquid. They were surprised to have been proven wrong, observing that the Coke Zero and Diet Coke created the highest ‘fizz’ and quite clearly expelled the most liquid. This allowed them to evaluate their hypothesis, results and critically analyse the experiment, commenting on improvements that could be made if they were to conduct it again.

The girls are looking forward to participating in further experiments including an exploration of matter, involving the melting of different types of chocolate, and a light experiment where they will discover the Science behind shadows.

Shelley Hampton and Sarah Mulraney
Year 5 Teachers

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St Peter’s Girls’ Piano Eisteddfod 2020

W1 - Piano Eisteddfod

In Week 8 of Term 2, the Arts Department will hold St Peter’s Girls’ Piano Eisteddfod. It is open to all Junior and Middle School students who play piano, and will be held on Tuesday 16 June from 8.45am in MB120.

Girls will have the opportunity to perform a piece to a panel of judges who will critique their performance based on accuracy, technique and musicality for their specific music level.

This year, we will not hold a recital but will instead invite 10 students of varying levels to perform in a virtual recital which will be shared online.

This is a great opportunity for girls to perform in a supportive environment and receive some valuable feedback.

Girls are asked to play one piece that best displays their musicality and technical ability at their own musical level. There will be no minimum or maximum time limit. While the Eisteddfod provides our top piano players with a platform to perform, the aim is to give performers of all levels the opportunity to participate.

Please notify the Arts Department if your daughter would like to be involved by Friday 5 June. She will then receive a time slot to perform in the Eisteddfod. Students will be notified by email if they have been chosen to have their piece recorded following the Eisteddfod.

So get busy practising, and we look forward to hearing all of our amazing piano players!

Sally Rounsevell
Director of Music

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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 from Apple 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, non-porous 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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Code Camp After-School Sessions

The Code Camp team has been working around the clock to create a new online program that encapsulates the fun and engaging learning environment children across Australia have come to expect when attending one of our courses. The holidays have given us a great opportunity to test our online courses with over 2500 students taking part. We are confident we have the formula right!

We will be running our online sessions on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons and also on Saturday mornings, so families have a variety of times to choose from. Children will be supported through the tutorials with our Live Tech Support Team which is made up of our very best facilitators.

The program, which is available now, is one session per week for eight weeks. Due to our reduced facilitator costs, we want to pass those savings on to parents. As such, the new online after-school price is $160.

Parents can book via https://www.codecamp.com.au/online-after-school-programs

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eNews – Week 1, Term 2 2020

Issue no. 12Enews-banner

W1 - Banner 3

From Our Principal

juliashea_web-200x300-200x300I’ve had many people ask me over recent weeks how difficult my job has been. No matter the challenges that surround you, it’s important to take time and reflect on the reasons you chose your vocation. I firmly believe that good Principals are motivated by a moral imperative that has at its heart a commitment to the care and development of each and every student. For me, that commitment is underpinned by a belief that all of our girls have the capacity to truly thrive across multiple domains when provided with the right conditions and opportunities. I will always seek to put a compelling narrative around any decision that I make, outlining why our girls are better off for following the chosen path. If you make successful student learning the central consideration in all aspects of your leadership, then the job isn’t really that difficult.

We’ve had a wonderful start to the term. With almost full attendance in many year groups and just a few girls absent from class in others, our teachers and students have loved being back in the classroom. I’d like to thank all of our parents for embracing the new guidelines around drop-off and pick-up, and commend our wonderful Prefect Team and Year 6 Leaders for being on hand to assist our younger girls each morning as they enter the school grounds.

The Sarah Wing refurbishment was completed over the term break. The wing houses three new Junior School classrooms with breakout spaces, a versatile area for the Learning Strategies and EDGE teams and an amazing new space for our IT Department, including a media hub complete with green screen. Work has now begun on refurbishing classrooms at the eastern end of the Junior School corridor. That project will be staged throughout the year and is due to be completed by the commencement of 2021. Similar to the Middle School, the finished product will harness natural light and transparency so that our teaching and learning will be visible; flexibility; and a design that will bring the ‘outside in’ so that we embrace the beauty of our natural surroundings, particularly on the southern side overlooking Ferguson Park. Our Junior School will then be a hive of activity in which the key elements of space and pedagogy will be intertwined; a place in which our girls will be inspired to explore and engage.

In staffing news, Randal Irvine joins us to teach Technology whilst Monique Green is on maternity leave. We welcome Emma Smerdon back to the Science Department to cover for Chris Carey who is on leave throughout Term 2, and Jacinta Hriskin back to the Arts Department to teach Dance until Kate Burnett returns in a couple of weeks.

It’s so great to have the girls back! I know we moved into the remote online environment for just seven days, but without the girls’ energy and laughter resonating throughout the School, it seemed even longer. I’ll continue to keep you updated as authorities review the social distancing measures currently in place, as this will impact IGSSA sport in particular.

Best wishes for a healthy and successful term.

Julia Shea
Principal

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Enchante Celebrates GIJ Virtual-Style!

W1 - Enchante

Generations in Jazz has been a highlight of our Music calendar for many years. Although we have previously placed 1st in the Division 1 Small section, this year was set to be even more exciting, as it was to be Enchante’s first appearance in the elite Division 1 Large section. Very few schools (mostly Performing Arts schools and specialist Music schools, who rehearse daily) attempt this challenging division.

Enchante worked extraordinarily hard to be able to perform at this level, and confidently mastered the incredibly difficult and complex set piece ‘Middle Ground’. While it was disappointing for all that the Jazz festival needed to be cancelled, we wanted to take the most positive route we could to celebrate the huge progress we have made in skill development. We decided to do GIJ virtual-style! During the holidays, each student recorded their part individually for both the set piece and our chosen piece in order to support social distancing guidelines. We then stitched the parts together to create two recordings, one of which includes video footage. This was a bigger than expected undertaking, and particular thanks go to David Goodwin, our talented accompanist, and now, recording expert and video editor! A shout out also to our talented soloists Emeshe Robson, Georgie Raftopoulos, Stella Rasheed and Choral Leader Izzy Norman; an extra special thank you to Izzy who showed outstanding leadership throughout the process.

Both recordings will be released via the St Peter’s Girls’ Facebook page. Watch out for our special multi-screen video to be launched tomorrow when the GIJ competitions would have taken place. The set piece recording is also available below. We hope you enjoy!

Sari Noble
Choral Director

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Hats Off for Return to School

During remote schooling at the end of last term, Year 12 students were invited to participate in a local version of our popular global hat throwing video. We had many dogs get involved, and even a chicken and a horse! It was a fun way for the girls to remain connected and show that whether they are in a classroom or at home, they are and always will be Saints Girls. Check it out:

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Good Sports Put Skills to the Test

W1 - PE 3

At the start of Term 2, all PE classes from Years 4 – 9 are participating in skills and fitness testing. The skills tests assess catching, throwing and kicking. Girls will complete four tests: punt kick, overarm throw, kicking accuracy and catching. These tests will measure their efficiency in coordination, accuracy and power.

The fitness tests assess cardiovascular endurance, muscular endurance and power, and balance. Students will complete five tests: 12 minute Cooper run, plank hold, maximum push ups, stalk stand balance and standing broad jump.

We will use the results to identify areas for improvement and the tests will be conducted again later in the year to monitor the level of progress.

Katherine Perkas
Physical Education Teacher

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Year 5 Girls Clued Up with Science

W1 - Year 5

Year 5 was abuzz with excitement this week as we commenced our new Unit of Inquiry affectionately called ‘Bazinga’. The Central Idea of this unit is ‘Understanding of Scientific Knowledge is constantly evolving and has an impact on people’s lives.’

To provoke the girls’ thinking about scientific methods, a ‘crime scene’ arose in Ms Hampton’s room complete with barrier tape and clues left by the ‘criminal’. The scenario was proposed that someone stole Ms Hampton’s handbag, and three potential suspects were listed. Each had detailed alibis and there were specific clues in the room: a dropped scarf, some hair, a boot print and a daily planner. Our clever forensic scientists worked hard to assemble a case study and wrote up a full report complete with photographs about their thoughts. This created a great deal of curiosity, critical thinking and enthusiasm for our unit.

Whodunnit? You’ll have to ask the Year 5s!

Shelley Hampton and Sarah Mulraney
Year 5 Teachers

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Startling Simulation for Year 9 Health

W1 - Health

As part of the Year 9 Health curriculum, students have been learning about alcohol and other drugs, looking at how the abuse of such substances can reduce their chances of ‘Being the Best they can Be’.

One activity involves students wearing various ‘Drunkbuster’ goggles to simulate the effects of alcohol and drug consumption on body systems. Students attempt everyday, simple and safe tasks including walking along a line, walking around a garden path, catching a ball and stacking cups. The goggles imitate the impairment effects of reduced alertness, slowed reaction time, confusion, visual distortion, alteration of depth and distance perception, reduction of peripheral vision, poor judgement and decision-making, as well as a lack of muscular coordination.

This was a surprising and informative activity for the girls.

Sonya Risbey
Physical Education/Health Teacher

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Year 4 Girls Full of Beans

W1 - Year 4 Plants 2

Last term, the Year 4s commenced the Unit of Inquiry, ‘Sharing the Planet’. Our Central Idea is ‘Living things depend on each other and the environment to survive.’ We planted borlotti beans which had been soaked in water. Firstly, we gave the beans warmth, nutrients and water, and watched for germination. To begin, growth was small but, over time, some of the little plants have flourished.

The students have enjoyed the scientific focus of this unit and they are currently learning about symbiotic relationships. The girls have also undertaken research looking at factors which affect interdependence such as the consequences of a world with fewer bees, uncontrolled weeds, severe bushfires and excessive deforestation.

It has been exciting to observe the girls’ enthusiasm and watch as they pose questions and seek answers. Many of them are committed to taking action to find out what they can do to address some of the problems the environment faces.

Shane Davidson, Olivia Coulter and Rebecca Riley
Year 4 Teachers

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World of Food’s Slice of Heaven

W1 - World of Food
 
This week in World of Food, we continued to upskill and research the range of foods that we now call Australian cuisine. Lemon meringue pie was this week’s recipe challenge which involved three elements that must be achieved to perfection.

The Year 10 girls capably accomplished these and you can see them above perfecting the meringue topping which is an essential component of the dish. They even had time to experiment with a bit of colour and creative piping on their pies.

Jenni Manson
World of Food Teacher

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St Peter’s Girls’ Piano Eisteddfod 2020

W1 - Piano Eisteddfod

In Week 8 of Term 2, the Arts Department will hold St Peter’s Girls’ Piano Eisteddfod. It is open to all Junior and Middle School students who play piano, and will be held on Tuesday 16 June from 8.45am in MB120.

Girls will have the opportunity to perform a piece to a panel of judges, who will critique their performance based on accuracy, technique and musicality for their specific music level.

This year, we will not hold a recital but instead will invite 10 students of varying levels to perform in a virtual recital which will be shared online.

This is a great opportunity for girls to perform in a supportive environment and receive some valuable feedback.

Girls are asked to play one piece that best displays their musicality and technical ability at their own musical level. There will be no minimum or maximum time limit. While the Eisteddfod provides our top piano players with a platform to perform, the aim is to give performers of all levels the opportunity to participate.

Please notify the Arts Department if your daughter would like to be involved by Friday 5 June. She will then receive a time slot to perform in the Eisteddfod. Students will be notified by email if they have been chosen to have their piece recorded following the Eisteddfod.

So get busy practising, and we look forward to hearing all of our amazing piano players!

Sally Rounsevell
Director of Music

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Virtual Mother’s Day Stall

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The Parents’ and Friends’ Association is holding a virtual Mother’s Day Stall where all of our Junior School girls are able to purchase gifts online for mums, grandmothers or other special women in their lives.

We have a variety of wonderful gifts available for $5 each. They will be wrapped and delivered to class teachers on Friday 8 May.

To order gifts, visit www.trybooking.com/BJMAW. Purchases close 7 May 2020.

Please contact the P&F via stpetersgirls.pandf@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Bronwyn Bartter
Parents’ and Friends’ Association President

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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 from Apple 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, non-porous 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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Code Camp After-School Sessions

The Code Camp team has been working around the clock to create a new online program that encapsulates the fun and engaging learning environment children across Australia have come to expect when attending one of our courses. The holidays have given us a great opportunity to test our online courses with over 2500 students taking part. We are confident we have the formula right!

We will be running our online sessions on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons and also on Saturday mornings, so families have a variety of times to choose from. Children will be supported through the tutorials with our Live Tech Support Team which is made up of our very best facilitators.

The program, which is available now, is one session per week for eight weeks. Due to our reduced facilitator costs, we want to pass those savings on to parents. As such, the new online after-school price is $160.

Parents can book via https://www.codecamp.com.au/online-after-school-programs

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