Issue no. 33

Staff Dance 2020!

It’s one of the biggest highlights of the Celebration Day Assembly, and yet again, the audience was blown away by the dancing skills of our wonderful staff in their parting gift to our Class of 2020.

If you didn’t catch the show live, then you’re in luck, as we’ve compiled a short snapshot of the dance in all its glory:

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From Our Director of Teaching and Learning

Continuous Reporting (Middle and Senior Schools)

A reminder that grades and feedback comments for summative tasks can be found via myLink. Clicking on the ‘Marks’ tile for each of your daughter’s listed subjects will take you to a continuous reporting page that will show grades and comments. You can select semester or full-year views. These comments and grades provide an up-to-date picture of your daughter’s progress and can be used to stimulate some discussions at home about ‘how school is going’.

Project-Based Learning (PBL)

In previous eNews updates, I have mentioned our moves towards a more ‘project-based learning’ approach in Years 7 – 10. Our Year 8s are becoming increasingly expert in this more independent and hands-on method. This semester, they have participated in a cross-curricular ‘Healthy Girls’ project (as reported briefly last week), which involved the Science, HPE and Technology faculties. The task was to raise awareness by devising a campaign about what it means to be healthy, focusing on diet, exercise and sexual health. Ideally, PBL units feature a ‘launch event’; in this case, it took the form of a talk by Old Scholar Eleni Vosnakis (Kilburn 2011), who is Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Adelaide United W-League team. On Friday of Week 1 this term, the girls ran an expo-style event for the rest of the Middle School to showcase their campaigns, which included videos, websites, infographics and recipe cards. The Year 7 and 9 students were invited to walk through and interact with each of the groups, asking questions so the Year 8s could share their knowledge and advice. The Year 7 and 9 students were also asked to provide some ‘peer-assessment’ feedback. The Year 8 students spoke very positively about the use of PBL and increased engagement levels. Certainly, the expo was a colourful and lively way of presenting the students’ work.

In a similar vein, the Arts subjects have adopted a ‘project-style’ approach in Year 8 this year, which will culminate in student-devised multimedia performances in Week 6. Having observed a class in action last week, I can vouch for the enthusiasm, responsibility and creativity the students demonstrate when the PBL approach is used. I am sure that the final performances will be suitably impressive showcases.

Exams

Year 12 final exams started this week and continue for the next two weeks. The students have coped brilliantly with the year’s disruptions and uncertainties, and I’m sure that their ‘can-do’ attitude and resilience will see them triumph in these final exams.

Last year in eNews, we published some last minute exam tips and I thought it was worth sharing them again:

• Students should plan to get to their exams early; this minimises the risk of rushing and accounts for any unforeseen delays or last minute crises.

• The brain needs some time to wake up in the morning, so having a shower and some breakfast is a good routine for students on exam mornings.

• Before the exam, it is a good idea for the students to do a final check of the exam format – time, sections, whether there is a choice of questions etc. This can be done at the start of the exam itself but there shouldn’t be any shocks or confusion at this point; the students should already be fully aware of what they are required to do.

• Students should double-check that they have all of the equipment that they need for the day, especially one-off things like their Mathematics notes.

• Getting a good night’s sleep before an exam is critical, so a normal bedtime is better than late-night cramming.

• Some nervousness before an exam is normal and there is evidence that a ‘healthy’ amount of nerves and the adrenalin produced by them can help the brain cope with the effort required in exams. Too much anxiety is counter-productive and can be managed by taking some deep breaths and by ‘training the brain’ to use some perspective and to focus on more positive thoughts.

• Students need to keep hydrated in exams so check that your daughter has a full water bottle and remembers to drink from it!

• It is common at the start of an exam for students to feel as though they have forgotten everything. This is not the case! If they have revised effectively, it will all come back to them during the exam. Remind them of this.

• Students often feel that they need to race straight into answering questions in their exams. Instead, they should take a few deep breaths, try to relax, read through the instructions and questions carefully, and then start in a more calm, controlled and strategic manner.

• Checking through answers at the end of an exam is time well spent, and evidence suggests that it can make a significant difference to the overall score/grade.

• Your daughter is likely to get at least a bit stressed at some point during her exams. Don’t rise to the bait when limits are pushed – untidy bedrooms and other issues can be revisited when the exams are over.

• If you know of any strategies that help your daughters to stay calm, then remind them before their exams. Tell them often that you love them, and wish them luck!

Nigel Scoggins
Director of Teaching and Learning

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Noteworthy Honour for Our Director of Music

 
Each year, the Association of Heads of Music in Non-Government Schools (AHOMINGS) nominates dedicated and passionate music teachers for the award of ‘Long service and Noteworthy Service’ to the profession. This year, I have been lucky enough to receive this award.

2020 marks my 19th year of teaching in non-government schools throughout Adelaide. It is wonderful to be recognised by my peers and receive this award for the hard work and many hours of dedicated teaching and performing I have put in to ensure my students get the best music education and support I can give them.

In particular, this award recognises the extra associations and activities I have been involved in throughout my career including supporting American arrangers and teachers Kirby Shaw and Steve Zegree to run workshops and concerts in Adelaide, being on the advisory board of the AMEB (Australian Music Examinations Board in Adelaide), current President of AHOMINGS and a Sergeant in the Australian Army Band Adelaide.

It is such an honour to be able to pass on my love for music to generations of young people though my role as a music teacher, and it is so rewarding to see my students grow in confidence and passion for music through the opportunities and teaching that I can offer.

Sally Rounsevell
Director of Music

Congratulations to Sally on this special achievement and thank you to all of our talented Music staff for the amazing opportunities you provide our students.

Here’s a look back at some of Sally and the team’s highlights in recent years:
 

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Cycling Champs Lap it Up

For the first time, Saints Girls had three students enter the School Sport SA Cycling Championships, with Daisy Braithwaite 3rd, Alice Braithwaite 4th (both Year 8) and Carys Kinsella-White (Year 7) finishing in 5th place to earn our School the B Grade champions trophy.

Each rider competed in a Time Trial over 5km, a Points Race where riders accrue points on places every two laps over a 15 minute period, and then finally, a Criterium which is a strategic race of 15 minutes and the two laps with strategic attacks taking place to try to create a break or tire your fellow riders.

Thanks to the parents for providing supervision and allowing the girls to contest the event.

Daisy Braithwaite
Year 8 student

Pictured L to R are Alice Braithwaite, Carys Kinsella-White and Daisy Braithwaite

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Farm Adventures on Year 2 Camp

The air was filled with excitement last Thursday as the Year 2 girls headed to Narnu Farm for their first camp!

After a terrific play at Strathalbyn for Recess, we arrived at Narnu Farm ready for a truck-load of fun. In the afternoon, everyone went horse riding…even the teachers! We enjoyed Wilderness Survival and built our own shelters. Elsie the vintage truck was a highlight as the girls explored the paddocks and fed the horses. Before dinner, we got to hold baby chicks and feed the farm animals, including the new baby calf! After dinner, Animals Anonymous visited and we met an 80 day old baby bettong and a clever little sugar-glider! Friday morning started very peacefully with quiet reading before breakfast and then we learnt how to hand-plough and churn butter.

This camp provided authentic experiences within our ‘Where we are in place and time’ unit of inquiry about what farming was like in the past and how technology has helped to change daily life. Most importantly, it is a wonderful opportunity for our girls to develop their independence in a safe environment, while encouraging greater connections with their peers and with our inquiry learning.

Kathryn Clark and Bec Greenhalgh
Year 2 Teachers

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Profound Poet’s Prizewinning Presentation

Last Thursday, I attended the SAFTA and Alliance Française Poetry Presentation night held at the Burnside Community Centre.

I received a certificate and prize for coming 2nd in the State for my category (Year 6/7). I learnt the poem off by heart in one night when my brother was on camp. I practised it a lot and managed to annoy my sister with it!

Overall, it was a very enjoyable experience.

Bettina Dal Cin
Year 6 student

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Whale of a Time on Year 3 Camp

What an adventure!

Last week, the Year 3 girls went on camp to Adare in Victor Harbor where they competed in tribal challenges, learnt about native wildlife and hit holes-in-one. The first day was filled with exploring playgrounds, learning about whale species and identifying them in the water, competing in beach challenges and enjoying a marvellous movie night.

We woke early the next morning to start our tribal challenges where each House worked together to try to win the ultimate prize – chocolate sprinkle cupcakes! Congratulations to Kennion – The Blue Whales on their 2020 victory. We then went for a walk around Granite Island and made connections with our history unit, exploring the significance of Encounter Bay in Australia’s history. The evening kicked off the inaugural Glow Golf Tournament with holes-in-one scored around the course and glow stick jewellery the fashion choice for the night.

Before heading home, we visited the Urimbirra Wildlife Park where we patted koalas and fed lots of hungry kangaroos and wallabies. It was a terrific camp and all the girls had a blast!

Lizzy Mitchell and Mark Routley
Year 3 Teachers

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Toys from the Past Delight Girls of the Present

Learning through play allows students to explore, discover and pose theories about the world around them. The Year 2 in-house activity run by the Australian Museum of Childhood with Alan Griffiths was an amazing opportunity for the girls to investigate the way toys from the past move.

They considered the materials that were used and compared these to the toys they play with today. They were amazed that toys could move in so many interesting ways without batteries!

This incursion is the provocation to our ‘Push and Pull’ Science unit as we begin to understand forces as part of our central idea that ‘Learning about the past helps us understand the present and imagine the future.’

Kathryn Clark and Bec Greenhalgh
Year 2 Teachers

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Sports News

AUSSIE RULES

Year 5/6 White – Saints 52 defeated Walford 48
Despite missing some players, the team had a great second performance and is constantly improving. There was some great leadership shown by Emily Bates and Lucy Tulloch which helped lift the girls. Goals: Grace Marsh-Smith (3); Izzy Tucker (2); Emily Bates (1). – Milli Gentle (Coach)

BASKETBALL

Open – Saints 19 defeated by Seymour 33
The girls played a great match but couldn’t keep up with the Seymour transition offence. We managed to get back in the game in the second half with some great scores by Millie Wilkin, Paris Robinson and Chi Chi Zhao. Thanks for an enjoyable season girls and a massive thank you to our Year 12s Millie, Paris and Emma Matheson for their commitment, encouragement and enthusiasm all year! – Sarah Turnbull (Coach)

Middle A – Saints 25 defeated by Westminster 42

Middle B – Saints 11 defeated by Westminster 22

SOFTBALL

Middle – Saints 12 defeated by Seymour 19
The girls took on Seymour playing an amazing game, however, could not come away with a win. Grace Ran and Nellie Ion both played great games in the field and had two terrific catches. Daniela Vari also had another top batting game. Impressively, each girl was able to have a good hit throughout; a massive improvement from the last match! – Kellie Bested (Softball Captain)

Year 3/4 Teeball – Saints (no game due to Year 4 camp)

TENNIS

The Open teams both had comfortable wins over Westminster with 5 sets to 1. Unfortunately, Sienna Glazbrook and Charlotte Staples were out for this round, however, Ella Dnistriansky stepped up from the Open Bs and helped Tahlia Cahill out with playing doubles. Ella had a fantastic game and worked extremely well with Tahlia, managing to take out the set. Britney Korir and I had a comfortable win in our doubles. Tahlia, Britney and I all played well and managed to win our singles, ensuring victory. In the Bs, Grace Beaumont again adjusted to joining the Open level, and Bridgette Leach was also outstanding filling in this round. It was a successful afternoon with lots of great tennis being played. – Ruby Deakin (2021 Captain)

Premier League – Saints 5-30 defeated Westminster 1-14
Singles: Tahlia Cahill 6-3, Ruby Deakin 6-0, Britney Korir 6-1

Premier Reserves – Saints 5-33 defeated Westminster 1-13
Singles: Ella Dnistriansky 6-2, Imogen Nienaber 3-6, Grace Beaumont 6-0, Bridgette Leach 6-1

Division 1 Blue – Saints 3-30 defeated Immanuel 3-24
Singles: Georgia Mallick 2-6, Ariel Spartalis 5-6, Eva Young 5-6, Adele Eaton 6-3

Division 1 White – Saints 4-27 defeated Wilderness 2-27
Singles: Soph Ryan 6-4, Bridgette Leach 6-2, Malaika McLeod 6-5, Astrid Teague 0-6

Division 2 – Saints 4-31 defeated Immanuel 2-21
Singles: Ayanna Roy 6-1, Sapphire Moser 6-2, Sophie Abbott 6-4, Zihan Huang 2-6

Division 3 Blue – Saints 3-20 defeated by Immanuel 3-26
Singles: Chloe Richardson 0-6, Alison Francis 6-2, Olivia Reynolds 0-6, Shirley Liu 6-4

Division 3 White – Saints 5-33 defeated Immanuel 1-18
Singles: Gloria Zou 6-3, Elodie de Wit 6-2, Tara Nedumaran 6-0, Lydia Tolley 3-6

Division 4 – Saints 2-16 defeated by Immanuel 3-16
Singles: Nathara Perera 2-4, Amy Hu 4-0, Kaylah Park 4-0, Claudia Henschke (no opponent)

Junior Division 1 – Saints 3-23 defeated Seymour 3-18
Singles: Sophie Blight 1-4, Emily Bates 4-1, Charlotte Thorpe 3-4, Mia Bennett 3-4

Junior Division 2 – Saints 2-13 defeated by St Ignatius 4-17
Singles: Sophie Wiggins 4-0, Stella Fuidge 0-4, Scarlett Parker 0-4, Chelsea Francis 4-1

Junior Division 3 – Saints 2-9 defeated by Pembroke White 2-10

TOUCH FOOTBALL

Open A – Saints 2 defeated by Pembroke 3
The Open A girls played a strong game against Pembroke. In the first half, Ruby Richards was able to score a great first try, putting the girls in a good mindset. Our line defence was outstanding where the girls were able to stop many tries. Wraps and scoops learnt at training were put into play, resulting in another fantastic try by Madison Liddy. Although Pembroke was up, the girls stayed enthusiastic and determined throughout the match to keep the score close. – Holly Cardone (2021 Captain)

Open B – Saints 0 defeated by St Ignatius 5
The girls played a great yet challenging game against St Ignatius’ A grade. It was our first match playing all together as a team, yet we communicated well and worked together throughout the entire game. Even with our tough competition, we all stayed positive, helping each other out and putting in some strategies from trainings. Led by Isobel Yelland and Annie Warrick, our attack was strong going down the field; however, we did struggle to set up defensively on the line and that is how St Ignatius scored. This has given us something to work on during trainings leading up to our next game. Great effort girls. –  Phoebe Black

Open C – Saints 3 defeated by Pembroke 4
A young Open C team played Pembroke, a team mainly made up of Year 10s and 11s. The girls played a much better defensive game using more shooters to prevent the attack from scoring. Mathilda Thomas scored an early try, boosting the confidence of the team, and scored another try later on. Poppy Oswald worked hard on the far wing, stopping the attacking team from breaking through the wing. She went on to score an exciting final try to close the margin, however, time ran out before we could equalise. This was a vast improvement from our last game. – Kate Hunt

Middle A – Saints had a bye

Middle B – Saints 5 defeated by Wilderness 6
The girls played very well. The defence struggled at the beginning but slowly improved, and by half-time, we were only behind by 1, the score being 2-3. Our attack was quite strong but we missed a few chances to score. Amelia Lucas and Carys Kinsella-White both scored 1 try each, Charlotte McAuliffe did an amazing job and scored 3. Amy Dillon kept strong defence against the opposition and the middle players did a good job on rucking the ball forwards. We could work on our defence a bit more as a couple times we had large gaps which they used to their advantage. – Naomi Singh

Middle C – Saints 2 defeated by Mercedes 9
The team played a challenging game. Although we did not win, we improved at moving the ball up the field and getting it towards the try line with faster ball movement from roll balls. Next time, we can try to use better strategies with our passing, and we can be louder with calling our teammates’ names. Try scorers were Sophia Langley and Annabel Ryan. – Sophia Langley

VOLLEYBALL

Open – Saints 3 defeated Wilderness 0 (25-23, 25-19, 25-18)
We started the morning with a slow warm-up, meaning we began the match with little energy, resulting in small errors which led Wilderness to win some easy points. During trainings, we have been working on hitting more through the middle. This was evident in the match as we were taking more opportunities in the middle with stronger skills and more confidence. Special mention to Toni Christiansen and Anna White whose serving gained us enough points to get ahead of Wilderness so they weren’t able to catch up. We were missing Clair Kao, who has some amazing serves which would’ve given us more opportunities to take a better lead. Although we could’ve pushed harder throughout the match to eliminate the errors, it was clear that our team had a stronger skillset and a better understanding of the game. We finished with a comfortable 3 set to 0 win, but we need to start future matches with more energy and want to fight as we are up against two very technically strong teams. Keep up the great work! – Georgina Keough (Captain)

Open B – Saints 2 defeated Wilderness 1 (25-20, 25-20, 22-25)
We welcomed Eliza Monaghan to her first game in Open Bs and she slotted in nicely. Rotating all players on in the first set to make sure everyone is awake and moving and ready to go, we changed into our back court setting system in the second set, which we won. While working through and tweaking different rotations in the third set, we came close to a 3-0 win, but were very happy with a 2-1 win in the end. Joss Forster and Sivanthi Sivasuthan served strongly and Sophie Norman kept everyone motivated and enthusiastic. A fantastic team effort with all playing well! – Alistair Keough (Coach)

Open C – Saints 1 defeated by Wilderness 2 (23-25, 25-14, 7-15)

Middle A – Saints 2 defeated Wilderness 1 (25-18, 22-25, 15-7)
The girls recorded their first win of the term in a competitive game. They started a little unsure, losing the first few points, but then grew stronger to win the set. In the second, communication between players faltered and this resulted in dropping points, but they turned this around in the third set, taking the first 5 points to set up the final score. – Milli Gentle (Coach)

Middle B – Saints 1 defeated by Wilderness 2
After some confusion and lack of numbers, Saints faced most of the Wilderness A team and played amazingly well in the first set. Unfortunately, Wilderness improved and our girls felt the pressure which affected their positive play and communication in calling for shots. Overall, it was a good game playing a stronger opponent and with no subs. – Milli Gentle (Coach)

Middle C – Saints 2 defeated Wilderness 1 (20-25, 25-18, 25-20)
A great come-from-behind win for the team showing lots of energy and loud voice when attacking the ball. All girls showed improvement from Week 1 and a willingness to make an effort to get to balls. Players demonstrated persistence to work hard which paid off in closing out the final set. – Katie Dancer (Coach)

Middle D – Saints 0 defeated by Concordia 3 (10-25, 13-25, 17-25)
The girls again improved consistently throughout the game as they gained confidence, and did a great job at serving and working together as a team. – Ava Loechel (Coach)

Year 6 Blue – Saints 0 defeated by Seymour Blue 0-3 (15-25, 18-25, 9-15)
With this being the first volleyball game for some, the girls played incredibly well. They were excited to start the game and focused on the warm-up. Charlize Cameron-Chilver and Bettina Dal Cin served some amazing balls, winning us many points throughout. Millie McDonald, who has previously played in a club volleyball team, was incredibly helpful on court, assisting the other players if they needed help. Eala Arthur-Slattery did some great work at the net, setting balls back over if they came to her. This was Sienna Dellapace’s first volleyball game, however, her understanding of volleyball developed quickly during the match. Although it didn’t result in a win for Saints, it was a high-energy game and the girls listened intently to feedback and then put it into play. Great work girls! – Georgina Keough (Student Coach)

Year 6 White – Saints 1 defeated by Seymour Green 2
The girls played very well in a super close game. Seymour started very strongly with a large lead in the first set, while the girls began to get into their groove at the end of the set. In the next, Seymour started to drop off which the Saints Girls took advantage of. With strong serving and great rallying, the girls managed to claim the second, making it 1-all. Unfortunately, Seymour brought back their intensity and were able to take the third, despite tremendous effort from our girls. Overall, it was a really great start to the season and all the girls played extremely well. – Ruby Deakin (Student Coach)

Year 5 Black – Saints 2 drew with Wilderness 2
Excellent performance for the team’s first volleyball game of the season! Even though we drew, we started off with a win in the first set. Izzy Huf, Imogen Pearce and Grace Marsh-Smith served really well and cheered on the team. The girls communicated and played together as team well, especially for their first game. All players had a positive attitude and were so eager to win. Next game, girls can improve on digging, setting and serving, and hopefully we will get a win! – Sivanthi Sivasuthan (Student Coach)

Year 5 Silver – Saints 0 defeated by Wilderness 2
All the girls played really well, but unfortunately, Saints lost. Despite this, the girls should be more than proud of how they performed. Each and every one of them takes on board the feedback I provide. The game play on court demonstrates their enthusiasm and strong communication. Nishka Soodan served really well with consistency which was great to see. Ella Pearce made good sets to other team members which set up some spike opportunities. Iris Ran, Emily Shi, Zalia Valmorbida and Amy Wang had really solid digs and passes both over the net as well as to other players on the team. All the girls worked really well together and cheered each other on which brought a strong sense of teamwork and encouragement. Some improvements to work on are serving and trying to get 3 hits which will help the girls set up for some good hitting opportunities. At training, we will work on the improvements needed and build a team where all players are passionate about volleyball and come to each game ready to have fun and win. – Toni Christiansen (Student Coach)

WATER POLO

Open A – Saints 26 defeated Wilderness 1
What a sensational game! The girls dominated in both attack and defence even when the mercy rule was played and Wilderness had two more players in the pool! It was awesome to see everyone scoring at least 2 goals, with Lara Wakeham and Emily Baldwinson scoring 6 each! A special shout-out to Poppie Goldsmith for shooting a wicked backhand in the fourth quarter. An excellent team effort girls! – Saskia Jonats (2021 Captain)

Open B – Saints 6 defeated St Ignatius 5
Saints played a very tough game with a lead of only 1 goal at the end of each quarter. The girls had a very solid defence and demonstrated excellent perseverance. With some strong and accurate shots, goal scorers were Lady Murphy (3), Willow Stewart-Rattray (2) and Emily Whittaker (1). Best players were Lady for leading the team with her experience, and Isabelle Tran for her strong swimming and fight for the ball. Awesome game girls, great job! – Saskia Jonats (2021 Captain)

Open C – Saints 12 defeated Walford 4
The girls continued their dominance this season with a convincing win over Walford. They played with aggression in both attack and defence, producing countless steals and counter-attacks. Special mention to Alice Braithwaite for her strong swimming and being the leading scorer with 5 goals! Also, to Willow Stewart-Rattray for showing commendable technique and reflexes in goals. It was great to see the girls improving on their communication in the pool and their ability to work closer as a team. Awesome game girls! – Saskia Jonats (2021 Captain)

Year 7/8A – Saints 7 defeated Loreto 1
The girls played a great match to start the term, working well together as a team. Best players were Sophie Ricciuto and Mathilda Thomas. Sophie’s ability to drive for the ball into clear space was effective in moving the ball down the pool quickly. Mathilda showed versatility by playing a strong game in attack and also falling back into defence where she blocked many opposition shots at goals. Good job girls! – Nikki Miller (Coach)

Year 7/8B – Saints 1 defeated by Pembroke A 17
This was the first match of the term, and for some girls, it was their first-ever game of water polo. Despite the scoreline, the girls played the whole game with a positive attitude and were able to develop a sense of how a water polo game works. I look forward to seeing the girls’ improvement in future games as they gain confidence and a greater understanding of match play! – Nikki Miller (Coach)

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Issue no. 32

Farewell to Our Class of 2020!

Today, we said farewell to Year 12, and what an action-packed and emotional week it has been. There is no doubt that the girls made the most of each day, with a range of different themes and some unexpected pranks. I must thank the staff for their patience, in particular those whom the girls dressed up as on Monday. Interestingly, Mr Stuart and Miss Gaskell featured heavily and should be recognised for providing the girls with items from their own wardrobes. You don’t get much more supportive than that. End of year pranks are always an interesting topic and there is a wide range of tolerance between schools. I can safely say that we do sit at one extreme. Specifically, we are very close to the ‘high tolerance’ end of the spectrum. This is perhaps one of the great things about Saints and is very much reflective of the close relationship between the girls and the staff. There are also very few schools where teachers are willing to star in a play written by the students, the purpose of which is to poke fun at them. Not to mention the Staff Dance, which does require weeks of lunchtime rehearsals.

Tonight, the girls will join their parents and the staff at the Valedictory Dinner, which is a wonderful closure to their daily lives as Saints Girls. It is important to reflect upon their efforts in what has been such a challenging yet remarkable year. Despite the cancellation or restructure of many events, the girls demonstrated great resilience and showed many younger girls how to pivot from disappointment to appreciation. They led from the front, creating videos to motivate younger girls during online learning, and they continued to participate widely in the co-curricular program. Most importantly, they cared. They cared about each other, about their teachers, about their parents and about the experience of all younger girls. Their inclusive leadership, their energy and endless enthusiasm have left a footprint that will be remembered for years to come.

On behalf of the School, thank you girls. You will be missed.

Kate Mortimer
Deputy Principal / Head of Senior School

A send-off tradition is the Year 12 run through the School watched on by staff and younger students; take a look at the Class of 2020 in action:

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Congratulations to our 2021 Student Leaders

There were moving scenes at the School on Wednesday as our 2021 Student Leaders were inducted in a Chapel Service where they were presented with their badges of office by our outgoing Prefects.

Families watched on with pride as our new Prefects and other leaders pledged to serve St Peter’s Girls with distinction.

It was a touching occasion, and we can’t wait to see how the girls lead the School in 2021.

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Head Prefect Reflects on Saints Girls’ Journey

2020 Head Prefect Bella Bernardi sat down and had a chat with her very first teacher here at St Peter’s Girls, Mr Shane Davidson. Bella, who joined Saints Girls in Year 5, spoke about her memories of the Year 5 Production, looked back on a class photo from 2013, spoke fondly of her fellow Year 12s, and gave a warm shout-out to Deputy Head Prefect Ellie Anderson.

“The beauty of Saints Girls is that it’s not just a school, it’s a community. Saints inspires young girls to become independent women who are ready to take on the world. It’s been an honour leading the School. I am so proud of all the community this year for taking on the challenges of 2020, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Saints Girls!” – Bella Bernardi (Head Prefect 2020)

Check out the video highlights:

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‘The Last Blue Sock’ – A Tribute to Our Class of 2020

 
At today’s Celebration Day Assembly, the Year 12 girls were farewelled with a video presentation. Titled ‘The Last Blue Sock’, the video explores the emotions surrounding graduation and leaving Saints Girls through the eyes of a dark blue winter sock. Combining both sentimental moments and comedy, the presentation was a fitting way to send off an amazing cohort who have embraced life at Saints Girls.

For those who were not able to attend the Celebration Day Assembly (and for those wanting to watch again!) please enjoy the video:
 

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Strings Success on Show

Last Friday evening, students from Reception to Year 12 who play a string instrument participated in our annual Strings Concert under the direction of Natalie Maegraith, our Strings Coordinator. Our live audience was entertained with music of classical, romantic and current contemporary composers. This included cellist and composer Hilary Kleinig, who was our special guest for the evening. It was wonderful to see so many young students participating in the Strings program, enjoying their music and producing outstanding results at the concert.

Special mention must go to Extension Strings for the performance of ‘The Rain in Your Shadows’ and Angel Li for her outstanding rendition of Vivaldi’s ‘Winter’.

Sally Rounsevell
Director of Music

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Golden Notes at ABODA Band and Orchestra Festival

 
Congratulations to all of our musicians who participated in the ABODA Band and Orchestra Festival in Term 3. This year, the competition became a virtual event due to health restrictions. Each ensemble was recorded during their rehearsals at school, and judges viewed the videos and then recorded their own feedback for the girls to watch, read and listen to. Saints Girls received some excellent feedback and achieved very strong results in all sections.

Under the direction of Strings Coordinator Natalie Maegraith, our Junior, Developmental and Intermediate Strings all came away with SILVER awards and our Senior Strings achieved GOLD. Our Percussion Ensemble, directed by Nick Parnell, achieved SILVER as did Developmental Band, conducted by Miss Rounsevell. Our Stage Band, also directed by Miss Rounsevell, competed in Division 1 Big Band, and Little Big Band, directed by Mr Heading, entered the Novice Big Band section with both achieving SILVER awards. A further congratulations to Concert Band who achieved a GOLD in the Intermediate Concert Band section.

A fantastic achievement for the 150 girls who participated in this festival.

Sally Rounsevell
Director of Music

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Community Unity at P&F Family Day

 
What a beautiful afternoon we had for our inaugural P&F Family Day last Sunday, the sun shining right on cue as people arrived with picnic rugs to enjoy delicious food, laughter and friendship on Chiverton Lawns.

We were so lucky to be able to come together in these uncertain times, and it was a lovely reminder of what an amazing community we have here at Saints Girls.

Tours of the new Media Hub were a highlight of the day. The P&F will be presenting a cheque at our AGM on Monday 16 November with funds raised from the event to go towards the Media Hub fit-out.

Thank you to our awesome team of volunteers who made the day possible and also to our sponsors L’Abruzzesse, Chesini House and Mercato for supporting this fantastic event.

Bronwyn Bartter
Parents’ and Friends’ Association President

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Healthy Girls

During Science in Term 3, the Year 8 girls have been working on a PBL unit called ‘Healthy Girls’ as part of the body systems topic. The task was to raise awareness by creating a campaign about what it means to be healthy, focusing on healthy diets, exercise and sexual health. The girls have worked with Health, PE and Food Tech to combine ideas and create a real-world context for the concepts discussed in Science.

The project culminated with the girls running an expo to showcase their final campaigns, which include videos, websites and infographics, during Home Group time. The Year 7 and 9 students were invited to walk through and interact with each of the groups, asking questions so the girls could share their knowledge and provide feedback to the Year 8s.

Well done girls on all your hard work.

Clare Gaskell, Craig Byrne and Christine Smith
Science Teachers

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Welcome Support from Good Sports

The Saints Sport Support Group (SSSG) aims to help increase student involvement in sporting pursuits, whether as participants or in a coaching or officiating capacity. This is not just for competitive reasons, but because physical activity is positive for health and wellbeing and that a lifelong foundation for this should be instilled at a young age. Through fundraising and support, our committee strives to make sport something that all girls want to be a part of throughout their years at school and beyond.

The SSSG meets once a term and welcomes any parents with an interest in joining our group. If you would like to do so, please contact me.

Katie Lucas
President
Katie.Lucas@opencolleges.edu.au

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Sports News

SOCCER

Congratulations to Grace Stevens (Year 7) and Chloe Richardson (Year 6) who have been selected in the U14 FSA State Soccer squad. The selection process began with over 100 nominated club players attending. The girls succeeded through all four trial stages which ran over a two month period.

SOFTBALL

Middle – Saints 22 defeated Scotch 6
For the first game of the season, the girls put up a strong performance against Scotch College, coming away with a convincing win. Daniela Vari had an outstanding batting game, hitting 2 home runs for the team. Ashlyn May and Nellie Ion were amazing in the field with awesome games at pitcher. A great catch was taken in centre field by Yvanda Qu. The girls played wonderfully together and I can’t wait to watch them further improve over the term. – Kellie Bested (Softball Captain)

SWIMMING

2020 South Australian Short Course Swimming Championships
Elysia Scarr – 20th 50M Backstroke, 23rd 100M Breaststroke, 23rd 50M Freestyle, 22nd 50M Breaststroke, 15th 100M Backstroke, 14th 50M Butterfly, 27th 100M Freestyle

TENNIS

Premier League – Saints 3-25 defeated by Pembroke 3-31
Singles: Sienna Glazbrook 1-6, Tahlia Cahill 6-5, Ruby Deakin 6-3, Britney Korir 3-6

Premier Reserves – Saints 3-25 defeated by Pembroke 3-28
Singles: Annie Baldwinson 2-6, Charlotte Staples 4-6, Ella Dnistriansky 6-3, Grace Beaumont 6-5

Division 1 Blue – Saints 6-36 defeated Pembroke 0-16
Singles: Georgia Mallick 6-5, Ariel Spartalis 6-1, Eva Young 6-5, Adele Eaton 6-1

Division 1 White – Saints 4-34 defeated Pembroke 2-25
Singles: Grace Beaumont 6-5, Malaika McLeod 6-1, Soph Ryan 4-6, Sapphire Moser 6-2

Division 2 – Saints 0-5 defeated by Concordia 6-36
Singles: Ayanna Roy 0-6, Sophie Abbott 1-6, Zihan Huang 1-6, Gloria Zou 1-6

Division 3 Blue – Saints 6-36 defeated Pembroke 0-3
Singles: Tara Nedumaran 6-0, Yang Yang Gu 6-0, Olivia Reynolds 6-1, Lydia Tolley 6-0

Division 3 White – Saints 6-36 defeated Pembroke 0-7
Singles: Chloe Richardson 6-0, Elodie de Wit 6-1, Alison Francis 6-0, Shirley Liu 6-2

Division 4 – Saints 1-24 defeated by Concordia 5-34
Singles: Nathara Perera 3-6, Kayla Park 2-6, Amy Hu 3-6, Freya Hermann 5-6

TOUCH FOOTBALL

Open A – Saints 1 defeated by Marryatville 4
The girls started the season with a tough match against Marryatville, who are considered one of the top teams in the school competition. However, they remained positive and performed strongly in defence, forcing Marryatville to miss out on multiple tries. Set plays and strategies learnt at training were put into play which led to Hannah Freeman scoring a great try in the first half. – Holly Cardone (2021 Captain)

Open B – Saints 3 defeated by Wilderness 6
The girls played a quality first game back against Wilderness! Our attack was strong rucking up the field, resulting in 3 tries – well done to Ellie Humphrey and Willow Stewart-Rattray. Throughout the game, we did struggle to score and find opportunities due to inadequate communication. We also have to work on our defence when stopping the opposing team from scoring, but for the first game back and playing at a higher level for most of the team, it was a positive outing. Good job girls! – Annie Warrick

Open C – Saints 0 defeated by St Michael’s 6
The game was a great opportunity for us to develop as a team, with some girls playing their first-ever match. Although we lost, the girls showed promising signs of improvement as the game progressed. They particularly improved defensively in the second half, with St Michael’s only scoring 2 tries compared with 4 in the first. Looking forward to the season ahead; the Open Cs will be focusing on improving defensive tactics and attacking pace in training over the coming weeks. – Emily Teague

Middle A – Saints 1 drew with St Ignatius 1
The girls played a great game considering it was our first for the season. A mention to Mathilda Thomas for scoring our try of the match. The girls did really well in defence, limiting our opposition from scoring. They played an amazing game and I look forward to the season ahead. – Charlie Piper

Middle B – Saints had a bye

Middle C – Saints 0 defeated by St Michael’s 4
With a number of girls playing their first game, the team found it difficult to deal with the opponent’s attack early on. Easy tries in the first half put us under pressure, but the girls responded and improved throughout the game. Dani Cox and Chloe Cardone were excellent contributors, rucking the ball forward and leading the team in defence, and Emily Ketteridge made some skilful runs in attack. The girls will learn plenty from this first effort and come back stronger in the next match. – Dan Searle

VOLLEYBALL

Open A – Saints 2 defeated Westminster 1 (25-14, 17-25, 25-13)
Arriving at Westminster unsure of the opposition’s strength given the school’s tradition as a powerhouse in volleyball, we focused on our warm up while sizing up the opposition. Even though Westminster had a very tall player, we felt confident of our team cohesion going into the match. With early strong serving and match play, we quickly found rhythm and claimed the first set. Volleyball has a strong mental element and match momentum can swing rapidly. Taking it too easy on the opposition in the second set, we found ourselves stuck in a rotation that we struggled to ‘dig’ ourselves out of. Gifting Westminster the second and with only 10 minutes to go, the senior players steadied the ship and took the third set easily. Special mention to Clair Kao with strong serving, and a great team effort to take home the win. Keep up the awesome effort!

Open B – Saints 2 defeated Westminster 1 (25-16, 25-15, 22-25)
Two Open A Westminster players backed up to play Open Bs but that didn’t dent the confidence of our Open B squad, primarily made up of Year 10s. We stuck to our traditional system and dominated the net using the 3 to set up plays to gain advantage. The opposition had a sniff at the start of the first with scores equal to about 13-all, but our girls served strongly and powered ahead to take the first set easily. A slow start in the second by Saints allowed Westminster to take the lead. Samantha Keough stepped up and served 11 straight, with Westminster having real trouble returning. Closing out the match winning the first two sets, and with only a small amount of time left, the girls changed to a new system of backcourt setting we have been practising. Giving Westminster a 5-0 lead, the girls worked hard and with a valiant effort, came back to almost win the third. A fantastic team effort and all played well!

Open C – Saints 1 defeated by Concordia 3 (14-25, 14-25, 17-25, 13-11)
Saints played well throughout each set but just couldn’t string a series of points together. Efua Yawson had some excellent serves and Zara Blight showed good positioning when at the net. Saints pushed Concordia in the third set, going down 17-25, with Rebecca Holloway and Charlotte Adams teaming together to set up a number of rallies. Eliza Monaghan had a solid game, adjusting her shot selection when receiving to great effect. One area highlighted for improvement is in calling for the ball and then being ready for the second and third shots. – Neil Fuller (Supervisor)

Middle A – Saints 0 defeated by Westminster 3 (15-25, 17-25, 20-25)
The girls started a little uncertain of their abilities, however, as each set progressed, so too did the skills. It was an exciting start to watch them work together and see things we can continue to improve. Special mention to Anna Venning and Annabel Keough who proved to be great leaders. – Milli Gentle (Coach)

Middle B – Saints 0 defeated by Westminster 3 (6-25, 12-25, 15-17)
Good to see some improvement as we moved through the course of the game. We were very inconsistent in the first set, but improved greatly throughout. The girls started to understand spatial awareness on the court and realised the importance of the ‘ready position’ when receiving serve. Moving forward, the focus is on consistency in serving and technique through this and creating communication on court instead of watching the ball hit the floor. – Katie Dancer (Coach)

Middle C – Saints 0 defeated by Westminster 3 ( 4-25, 19-25, 8-15)
A very similar slow and inconsistent first set, however, working through rotations and understanding the importance of using our 3 touches and controlling the ball was comprehended well throughout the last two sets. Great improvement shown in both confidence and voice. Moving forward, the focus will be on transition and control over the ball. – Katie Dancer (Coach)

Middle D – Saints 0 defeated by Concordia 3
Saints were a little slow to get started but showed improvement through each set with Angelina Hii having some great serves. The team stayed positive and consistently worked on trying to have 3 hits. Eliza Monaghan stayed and was a great team member, leading with her experience. Rita Ling, Lily Zheng and Elena Liu all contributed and improved throughout the game. – Neil Fuller (Supervisor)

VOLLEYBALL

INTERCOL v Walford
Open A – Saints 3 defeated Walford 0 (25-20, 25-19, 15-13)
After arriving at Walford, the Open A and B teams put on blue ‘war paint’ to lift the School spirit and draw our focus to the Intercol matches. Analysing the Open A opposition during warm up, there was a clear height difference between the teams. Instead of letting this intimidate us, we knew that blocking and covering were going to be big focuses during the match. Walking on court before the first point, energy was high. Missing one of our stronger players in Ruby, Anna stepped into the setting position. Serving was strong throughout, winning plenty of points. The opposition fought back, putting up a good fight and making each set close. Coming from behind in the last set, we performed well under pressure, remained focused and pushed through to take a very tight win. Overall, it was an intense, high energy game. The team’s cohesion was heightened with the addition of a win from the Open Bs, allowing Saints to take home the Intercol Volleyball trophy once again. Really well done to those who played at Intercol! All of the girls are super excited for the rest of the season! – Georgina Keough (Captain)

Open B – Saints 3 defeated Walford 0 (25-14, 25-19, 25-17)
Saints started strongly with Joss Forster winning numerous shots with powerful serving. Milly Brett showed great net awareness in both attack and defence, with Sivanthi Sivasuthan putting Walford on the back foot with shots into the back court. In the second set, Dayna Petruzzella joined the serving club, winning 7 points straight to create a lead mid-way through the set, and Chloe Venning and Milly Brett made some critical point saves. In the third set, all girls played really well using 3 point shots regularly, with Samantha Keough setting well and allowing Sivi, Joss and Dayna to all hit winners. A well-earned win. – Neil Fuller (Supervisor)

Middle A – Saints 1 defeated by Walford 2 (24-26, 25-21, 16-25)

WATER POLO

Open A – Saints 14 defeated St Ignatius 5
What an awesome start to another season of water polo! In a hard-fought game, Saints reigned triumphant over St Ignatius with an impressive win. It was great to see the girls working really well together to create many counter-attack opportunities and a very strong defence. A special shout-out to Ashlyn May who played a spectacular game in goals! Her strong saves and passes were truly commendable. Best players were Stephanie Smalls and Lara Wakeham for playing an unbeatable defence and shooting some incredible goals. An amazing effort girls!

Open B – Saints 5 defeated by St Michael’s 12
The girls had a very strong first half, down by just 2 points at half-time. It was awesome to see incredible fight for the ball in both attack and defence, especially considering it was the first game many had played in the Open B division. Lady Murphy had an awesome match in attack and defence, setting up successful attacks and showing leadership in the pool. In goals, Willow Stewart-Rattray used her strong legs and quick reflexes to block shots. A very impressive effort girls, well done!

Open C – Saints 15 defeated Loreto 3
Saints played a solid game which led to a very impressive 12 point win over Loreto. The girls worked brilliantly as a team to produce lots of quick passes and shots as well as some awesome steals. A special mention to Ashlyn May who scored a goal from the other side of the pool as goalie! Claudia Pearce played a very strong offensive game filled with many successful counter attacks and shots. Alice Braithwaite also played a brilliant game by winning every single swim up at the start of each quarter and always being a passing option. A very strong and convincing win for the girls – go Saints!

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Issue no. 31

From Our Principal

As many countries battle a resurgent coronavirus, the World Health Organization has warned of ‘pandemic fatigue’ threatening our ability to tackle the virus. Whilst fatigue can be measured in different ways, it’s only natural after months of restrictions on daily life that some of our Victorian relatives and friends in particular are feeling apathetic and demotivated. It’s a reminder to us of how lucky we have been and how important it is that we adhere to the guidelines of SA Health so that we can continue to enjoy our relative freedom.

I appreciate that some of you are finding our remaining restrictions frustrating. However, Term 4 is filled with many major events, and to keep those events viable, I ask that you continue to observe the following:

• Students should remain at home if they are unwell.

• Physical greetings are discouraged.

• Parents must continue to physically distance, particularly at drop-off and pick-up. For this reason, we request that parents do not walk their daughters to or from their classrooms but continue to drop them off and meet them on the path next to the car park or at the Hallett Road entrance. I’m aware that some parents are disappointed that this restriction remains in place. However, the School is not in a position to monitor the social distancing of parents in school grounds before and after school. There will be an allocated COVID marshal at all formal events to ensure social distancing is maintained. Our Prefects are doing a wonderful job of greeting our youngest girls each morning, and the strengthening of the bond between our Senior and Junior School girls has been one of the ‘silver linings’ of the crisis with which we’ve been faced. Front Office and the Uniform Shop remain accessible. If you have organised to meet with a staff member, please sign in at Front Office and they will come over.

• As an indoor venue, the Gym remains subject to the rule of one person for each two square metres. The number of spectators remains capped, and in line with SA Health guidelines, there will be a sign-in sheet at the entrance to support contact tracing.

• If attending an event in the Arts Centre, please enter and exit the foyer promptly. There is insufficient space to gather and chat in large groups, so again, please be cognisant of the social distancing requirements.

We are very much looking forward to Celebration Day, the graduations of our Year 6 and Year 9 cohorts, ELC Hat Ceremony, and the Year 1 and 2 Nativity. Due to restricted space in the Arts Centre, each student will be limited to inviting two guests to these functions. It will be necessary to leave some seats empty to ensure social distancing between families. We will be live-streaming the events on Celebration Day, and Year 12 families will receive those details shortly.

The ELC Christmas celebration is an outdoor function. We will have a COVID marshal on site to assist families in maintaining a distance of 1.5m from other families.

Unfortunately, the tight restrictions in St Peter’s Cathedral mean we are unable to hold our annual Carols service there this year. Instead, we will hold two services in our School Chapel: one for girls in the Junior School and one for girls in the Middle and Senior Schools. Sadly, numbers will still need to be restricted. Further details will be made available in the coming weeks.

When the severity of the restrictions became apparent in March, we secured the Influencers Church in Paradise to host Presentation Night. The venue is huge, and even with social distancing in place, we can have an audience of up to 1000 people. Given this has now also morphed into Choral Night, I do hope we can have as many attendees as possible and farewell the Class of 2020 in style. Let’s lift the roof off that place! Once again, we will notify you when bookings open.

Finally, best wishes to our Year 12 girls as their schooling journey draws to a close. In a year where ‘pivot’ is the new buzzword, our girls have been adaptable, understanding and genuinely grateful for the opportunities they’ve been given. It has been an absolute pleasure to walk beside them this year, and I look forward to the laughter and the inevitable tears that Celebration Day will bring.

Have a wonderful term!

Julia Shea
Principal

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Saints’ Choirs Hit New High

 
This year, the Australian National Choral Association held its inaugural Southern Stars showcase, an online festival of choral music with applications submitted by video entry. This event is the choral equivalent of the ABODA band and orchestra competition.

We are very excited to announce that Enchante, Concert Choir and In-Ta Jazz all secured the Gold award! Enchante was awarded overall championship winner of the Advanced Contemporary Division, with Georgie Raftopoulos taking out the Best Soloist award. The adjudicator was highly complimentary of this ensemble, describing their performance as ‘world-class’.

A further congratulations to In-Ta Jazz who were the overall championship winners of the Intermediate Division. Their set was described as ‘honestly stunning’ by the adjudicator and will be featured in a showcase concert held by ANCA on Monday 26 October at Noarlunga Theatre. To purchase tickets to the concert, visit https://www.countryarts.org.au/events/southern-stars-choir-showcase-live-2020/venue/hopgood-theatre/

To top it off, our Junior Choir recorded a Silver placing and received a special judges’ award for ‘an excellent demonstration of young singers achieving high vocal standards’.

Congratulations to all of our choristers.

Sari Noble
Music Teacher

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Year 5 Campers Head for the Hills

 
There was much excitement as Year 5 finally set off on camp after health restrictions prevented the annual study tour to Sovereign Hill from going ahead earlier this year.

The girls were treated to a three-day Hills adventure, staying at Old Woodhouse Manor. During this time, they visited Cleland Wildlife Park and Mount Lofty Botanic Garden as part of a Science study on Adaptations. They also loved touring Melba’s Chocolate Factory at Woodside where they nearly bought them out of supplies, before visiting Hans Heysen’s house, The Cedars, as preparation for a unit of study in Art. Their final afternoon was spent shopping in Hahndorf, including a visit to Beerenberg Farm. Another camp highlight was riding the tube slides at Woodhouse and playing cricket, boules and finska.

We are very proud of the girls’ behaviour and were complemented by staff at Cleland and The Cedars on what well-mannered, intelligent students we had.

Shelley Hampton and Sarah Mulraney
Year 5 Teachers

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Clean Sweep for Lacrosse Champions

 
Congratulations to our U13 Lacrosse team who won their Grand Final on Saturday 26 September. Despite the challenges of 2020, the girls had a remarkable season, finishing undefeated as Minor Premiers before taking out the Grand Final.

They played a very close, competitive match against North Adelaide Lacrosse Club, resulting in a 9 – 7 win! Using their skills effectively and efficiently, as well as the tactics practised throughout the season, the girls were able to stay ahead on the goal score. They worked exceptionally well, hustling hard for every ground ball to gain possession. Their effort to get back and defend on their fast breaks was excellent, resulting in many turnovers.

A special mention to Best on Field Emily Bates in goals for making many saves both in the air and on the ground. Goals scorers were Alannah Godfrey, Cleo Hart and Zoe Pool with 2 each, and Madi Dornbusch, Claris Stolcman and Savannah Walls with 1 each.

Well done girls!

Jamie Cox
Coach

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P&F Family Day – THIS SUNDAY!

Sunday 18 October from 12 – 4pm

Join the Saints Girls’ community on Chiverton Lawns for our P&F Family Day!

Tickets include pasta, pizza and a glass of wine or soft drink. Additional drinks and gelato will be available for purchase. There will be kids’ activities and roving entertainment to enjoy.

BYO chairs, tables and/or picnic rug.

Ticket Prices
Adult $20
Child $15
Family of Four $50

Book at: www.trybooking.com/BKUAL

We look forward to seeing you there!

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Media Hub Tour

 
In 2020, the Parents’ and Friends’ Association has been fundraising towards our new Media Hub.

The School’s Head of Digital Learning and Technology Garth Coulter and Foundation Manager Melissa Westgate will be at the P&F Family Day this Sunday to take interested members of our community through the state-of-the-art Media Hub from 1.30 – 2.30pm. Please find Melissa at 1.30pm on Chiverton Lawns if you would like to enjoy a tour.

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Dedicated Debaters the Talk of Town

 
Initially, it looked as though there would be no Debating season in 2020, but in Term 2, Debating SA launched an abridged competition, consisting of four rounds and then a finals series. St Peter’s Girls entered 10 teams across Years 7 – 12.

Our Year 8 Blue team (Stephanie Andrejewskis, Dani Cox, Emily McCorley, Zoe Pool, Naomi Singh and Jessica Zhang) finished top in the State for their year level and consequently competed in the Grand Final, held at Nazareth Catholic College on the first Saturday of the holidays. The topic was ‘that the Department of Planning Transport and Infrastructure should agree to the request from PETA’ (involving the erection of a roadside memorial in tribute of chickens that perished in a truck fire), and our team had the Affirmative side. The girls debated very well, in front of five adjudicators. The result was a split decision, three votes to two, in favour of the opposition. The girls will be awarded a silver medal by His Excellency the Governor of South Australia at a special awards ceremony on Friday 30 October.

Congratulations to all debaters for an excellent season and especially the Year 8 Blue team for making it to the Grand Final.

Cindy Pitkin
Year 8 Debating Supervisor

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Netball Academy Star Recruits

 
The Netball Academy Program uses the national ‘Develop a Diamond’ curriculum to provide a development pathway for identified players aged 14 – 16 years. Participants can use the opportunity to showcase their skills for a chance to be selected for Phase 2, 17 and under State trials. Back in February, Willow and myself were amongst 200 other keen netballers hoping to be selected for the Adelaide Netball Academy, and we were successful.

After eight months of training, despite COVID setbacks, the Academy Games were ready to commence. On day one, all nine academy squads from around SA had the amazing opportunity to learn new drills and skills with professional players and coaches. On day two, our team was ready to play a series of important minor round games. Willow and myself were joint in defence in GD and GK respectively. We managed to work well together, keeping other teams’ goals to a minimum. After five games, we only lost one to the Northern Academy, which had us sitting 2nd on the ladder with two more minor round games to complete. On day three, we faced Northern Academy in the Grand Final and managed to come away with a massive 14 point win over our biggest rivals which was an impressive achievement.

We have been extremely fortunate to work together in such an amazing team. Although I will be too old to compete in the program next year, I wish Willow all the best in continuing to pursue her amazing netball.

Olivia Kelly (Year 11) and Willow Stewart-Rattray (Year 9)

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Angel’s Sublime Online Performance

 
I have been invited to play for the Recitals Australia lunchtime concerts ever since I was 9. It has been such a rewarding experience and this year was no different in that sense. Although the concert was live-streamed with only a small audience attending, I still thoroughly enjoyed the experience and will never forget it. Performing for a livestream is quite different to a live audience. It is more difficult to portray the true emotion of the music; as a result, I had to work stylistically and exaggerate dynamics in certain sections of the piece.

Music continues to uplift people globally to hopefully bring the light at the end of the tunnel.

This is the link to my performance:

https://recitalsaustralia.org.au/whats-on/lunch-hour-series-archive/

Angel Li
Year 9 student

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Bushfire Action Plan

With warmer weather upon us, it is timely to remind families about the School’s Bushfire Action Plan.

The policy was developed in consultation with the CFS, MFS, Education Department and other stakeholders to ensure staff and students are prepared in the event of an emergency. A fire drill was held today where staff and students assembled in the Arts Centre which is the nominated Bushfire Ready Building.

For more information, you can access our Bushfire Action Plan on the myLink parent portal by clicking the ‘School Documents’ menu item, followed by the ‘Whole School’ tab.

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Car Park Courtesy

The School has again received complaints about traffic blocking Stonyfell Road for lengthy periods during drop-off and pick-up. If the car park is full and you are unable to enter, circle the block until it is clear to enter, find a park elsewhere or, where age-appropriate, meet your daughter in a surrounding street. Unless special circumstances apply, parents of girls in Years 2 to 12 should not enter the car park to collect their daughters prior to 3.30pm. Parents of girls in Reception and Year 1 have exclusive use of the pick-up zone prior to this time for safety and traffic reasons.

Please also refrain from turning right into or out of the car park, and please do not queue in the car park’s lanes as this often prevents drivers who are legally parked from exiting.

We have also received complaints about cars being parked too close to driveways or across from other vehicles in surrounding streets, making it extremely difficult for residents and other road users to navigate.

We ask all community members to please show consideration for others; thank you for your cooperation.

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Entertainment Membership

Purchase your Entertainment Membership today and support us to reach our fundraising goal for 2020. Simply order online via our School’s page: www.entertainmentbook.com.au/orderbooks/161p201

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Bronwyn Bartter on 0402 392 609.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Parents’ and Friends’ Association

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Sports News

LACROSSE

U13 Grand Final – Saints 9 defeated North Adelaide 7

HOCKEY

Amelia Lucas (Year 8/U15) and Winnie Vartuli (Year 7/U13) have been selected for the Fire High Performance Hockey Academy and will join the SA Fire Touring State teams in Mount Gambier on 30 October. They will be competing against country and interstate teams. This is a great achievement, with these girls being selected from more than 40 players in each age group for teams of 15.

NETBALL

Congratulations to Olivia Kelly (Year 11) and Willow Stewart-Rattray (Year 9) who represented Adelaide Metro in the 2020 Netball Academy Games. They teamed in defence throughout the tournament and kept the opposition scoreless in the second half of the team’s successful Grand Final campaign.

SWIMMING

Well done to the following girls who competed in the 2020 South Australian Short Course Swimming Champions in the holidays. Great effort! – Lara Wakeham (Swimming Captain)

Alice Braithwaite – 2nd 200 Backstroke, 10th 100 IM, 9th 200 IM, 4th 50 Backstroke

Emma Everitt – 2nd 100 Butterfly, 1st 400 Freestyle, 3rd 50 Freestyle, 1st 100 IM, 1st 200 IM, 1st 100 Freestyle, 1st 200 Butterfly, 1st 200 Freestyle

Poppy Marshall – 6th 100 Butterfly, 1st 200 Breaststroke, 5th 100 IM, 4th 200 IM, 1st 50 Breaststroke, 14th 400 IM, 7th 50 Butterfly, 1st 100 Breaststroke

Meg Paul – 52nd 50 Freestyle, 62nd 50 Backstroke, 44th 50 Butterfly

Ella Pearce – 54th 50 Freestyle, 44th 50 Backstroke, 24th 50 Breaststroke, 34th 50 Butterfly, 13th 100 Breaststroke

Lauren Pearce – 5th 50 Freestyle, 14th 100 IM, 6th 50 Backstroke, 8th 100 Freestyle

Emily Tolladay – 14th 50 Freestyle, 10th 100 IM, 16th 50 Backstroke, 15th 100 Freestyle, 6th 50 Breaststroke, 10th 100 Breaststroke

Alyssa Tran – 6th 50 Freestyle, 2nd 100 IM, 5th 50 Backstroke, 6th 100 Freestyle, 3rd 50 Breaststroke, 9th 50 Butterfly, 4th 100 Breaststroke

Isabelle Tran – 2nd 100 Butterfly, 3rd 50 Freestyle, 9th 100 Backstroke, 5th 100 IM, 7th 200 IM, 7th 100 Freestyle, 7th 200 Butterfly, 7th 50 Butterfly, 1st 50 Butterfly, 8th 100 Breaststroke

Emily Whittaker – 3rd 200 Breaststroke, 3rd 50 Breaststroke, 4th 100 Breaststroke

Tara Young – 4th 100 Butterfly, 4th 400 Freestyle, 3rd 50 Freestyle, 4th 200 Backstroke, 3rd 100 IM, 5th 200 IM, 3rd 100 Freestyle, 2nd 50 Butterfly

BASKETBALL

Open – Saints 23 defeated Pembroke 22
The girls played a great first game back with a strong first half delivering an early lead. They worked well in defence by sticking to their players, making it hard for the opposition to score, and made great space in offence, opening up the basket. The girls let it go a bit in the second half, giving the lead over to Pembroke, but with a strong last couple of minutes, they managed to bring it back. They played the best I have seen yet this season. – Emma Matheson (Captain)

Middle A – Saints 13 defeated by Pembroke 56
Both Middle A and B teams came up against two strong Pembroke sides. The Middles As fought the entire match and never gave up. Their best quarter was in the fourth during which they doubled their score. – Katherine Perkas (Coach)

Middle B – Saints 2 defeated by Pembroke 70
The Middles Bs also had a tough game. They kept playing all the way to the end with special mention to Isabella Sanders-Wills with a nice mid-range jump shot, and excellent defensive pressure from Emily Holloway. – Katherine Perkas (Coach)

TENNIS

The Open A and B teams had an amazing start to Term 4 Tennis, playing an incredible fixture against Pulteney Grammar School. Each player should be extremely proud of their efforts! The Open A girls won 5-1, with Ruby Deakin and Britney Korir playing a magnificent doubles, winning 6-0. A further congratulations to Britney and Tahlia Cahill who won their singles 6-0!

The Open B team also had a successful return, winning 5-1. An outstanding effort! Congratulations to Imogen Nienaber and Charlotte Staples for winning their singles 6-1. The entire team played well and demonstrated terrific sportsmanship. – Annie Baldwinson (Captain)

Premier League – Saints 5-32 defeated Pulteney 1-13
Singles: Sienna Glazbrook 2-6, Tahlia Cahill 6-0, Ruby Deakin 6-4, Britney Korir 6-0

Premier Reserves – Saints 5-35 defeated Pulteney 1-12
Singles: Annie Baldwinson 5-6, Charlotte Staples 6-1, Ella Dnistriansky 6-2, Imogen Nienaber 6-0

Open Knockout
The Open A team of Sienna Glazbrook, Tahlia Cahill, Ruby Deakin and Britney Korir competed in the rescheduled Open Knockout State Finals. With six schools entered, the day started with two pools of three, with Saints recording one win (Victor Harbor) and one loss (#1 ranked Marryatville). This meant Saints faced Immanuel in the 3rd and 4th play-off. The hot conditions did not favour tennis players, and with fatigue setting in, unfortunately Immanuel prevailed with Saints finishing 4th overall. The girls certainly played some terrific tennis throughout the day and should be proud of their efforts. – Neil Fuller (Director of Sport)

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