Issue no. 21

From Our Principal

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Year 5s Amaze in Aladdin Jr.

Term 3 is finishing on a high note with our Year 5 Production of Aladdin Jr. Our girls have been showcasing their amazing stage talents, culminating in their final performance tonight.

The girls dazzled as they took audiences on a journey into a world of wonder and adventure in their spectacular performance including heroes, heroines, a genie and a magic carpet. Audiences were left toe-tapping and clapping with big smiles on their faces!

The Year 5 Production is a cherished highlight on our Performing Arts calendar as our girls develop courage, creativity and compassion through acting, song and dance. It also provides our students with rich insights into the many other elements involved in stage production.

Congratulations to our Year 5 stars and staff on such an outstanding show!

Tonight’s final performance starts at 7pm; tickets can be purchased at the door.

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Saints Success at da Vinci Decathlon Finals

On Saturday 23 September, two teams of St Peter’s Girls students from Year 7 and Year 9 headed to Sydney to represent South Australia in the National Finals for the da Vinci Decathlon.

The da Vinci Decathlon is an academic competition designed to challenge and stimulate the minds of school students. Students compete in teams of eight across 10 disciplines: Engineering, Mathematics, Code Breaking, Art & Poetry, Science, English, Ideation, Creative Producers, Cartography and Legacy; this year’s theme was ‘Flight’.

Our Year 9 team placed first in four categories: Code Breaking, Art & Poetry, Ideation and Creative Producers. This earned them third place overall and makes them the top all-girls Year 9/10 Da Vinci team in Australia for 2023. The Year 7s also performed well, placing second in Art & Poetry and third in Cartography, well done girls!

On Monday, all the teams participated in a Race Around Sydney, a friendly competition involving a range of activities along the theme of flight, such as hoop throwing, semaphore with flags, cheerleading and activities that relied upon teamwork for success.

It was wonderful experience for all of the girls, involving collaboration, creativity and competition. We look forward to next year’s State da Vinci Competition in May 2024.

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IGSSA Athletics Champions!

 

 

This week, Saints Girls took out The Reid Trophy at the IGSSA Athletics Carnival. 40 girls competed in the events and came out on top, beating Immanuel College by 45 points.

There were also some outstanding individual achievements, including Charlotte McAuliffe winning the Di Burge 100m Championship Trophy for the second year in a row and also getting a Championship Record in the Under 16, 200m. Charlotte now holds the record for the Under 14, Under 15 and Under 16 200m for IGSSA.

Elodie de Wit broke the record in the Under 15 3000m race, a record which has stood since 2010. The previous record holder was Sophie Linn – another Saints girl!

Saints also took out the pennants for Under 13, Under 14 and Under 15 age groups.

An amazing effort by all involved and very well lead by Athletics Captain, Amelia Lucas. Go Saints!

Alice Johnswood
Sports Administrator

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Community and Connection in the APY Lands

Our inaugural immersion to the APY Lands can be summarised using three words, community, connection and kindness. Ms Fryer, Mrs Burnett and five of our Year 11 students ventured 1200km north with an unwavering commitment to engage and learn.

The girls travelled to the schools located in the communities of Indulkana, Amata, Kenmore Park, Fregon and Ernabella. During the visits they taught Lacrosse, led STEM activities, played games and assisted with the styling of students for the Ernabella Dance.

Privileged to be taken out onto country, our girls showed the utmost respect, deeply listening to stories and being truly present at the beautiful landscapes they stood upon. They embodied our School values of compassion and courage wholeheartedly.

Our school communities will continue to connect through our shared love of dance and sport, strengthened now with a true understanding of our desires to both walk together.

We thank the members of the Adelaide Football Club, Adelaide Crows Foundation and Crimestoppers for supporting our School to travel alongside them.

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Year 9s Kangaroo Island Adventure

Last week, the Year 9 students travelled to the beautiful Kangaroo Island. The girls took part in a variety of activities and sightseeing opportunities each day, some of which put the girls well outside of their comfort zone. The cold wind and rain on snorkelling and boogie-boarding day was challenging but the girls persevered and were surprised by the skills they learned.

Fortunately, the weather was perfect for our two hikes, we observed how resilient and hardy the Australian landscape is, having endured multiple bushfires in recent times, the regeneration was incredible. We waited, without luck, at a small pool in Flinder’s Chase hoping to catch a glimpse of a platypus in the wild.

One of the highlights of the week was attending an incredible raptor show. The girls were given the chance to hold kookaburras, owls and other raptors whilst learning about the rehabilitation process for these precious birds. The star of the show was Spook, the one-year-old white owl, who walked across our laps allowing us to pat him. Much to our horror, this cute little thing managed to devour a whole mouse in one gulp at the end of his presentation, which sparked lots of screaming.

Visiting Remarkable Rocks gave the students an opportunity for some quiet, reflective time as we contemplated the power of the ocean and took in the breathtaking views. Admiral’s Arch allowed us time to understand the world of the sea lion and enjoy watching them relax and bask in the sun.

Finally, the Year 9s were required to prepare meals using a Trangia. Sometimes cooking went well into the night as students waited for rice to boil regretting their choice of carbohydrate as they enviously watched their peers eat gnocchi that conveniently cooked in two minutes. Popular comments on the experience included ‘hey, I’m cooking this at home!’ or ‘there’s dirt in my pasta’.

Overall, the challenges on Year 9 camp required the girls to function outside their comfort zone, overcome fears, take calculated risks, work together as a team and trust their classmates.

We were so very proud of the way the girls faced their fears, came together as a class and rose to the significant physical and emotional challenges. It was a journey that will be marked in their memories for years to come.

‘Camp was an amazing experience, I loved bonding with my class and the boogie boarding because it was so fun and enjoyable. At first, I was a bit scared going on camp but I am so happy I went because I had an amazing time and wish I was still there.’
– Evie 9ANKE

 ‘I really enjoyed visiting Remarkable Rocks, as it was a great experience and there were spectacular views.’
– Charlotte 9KABU

‘Personally, one of the highlights for me was when my class gathered around the campfire, sharing our stories and reflecting on our experiences promoting such a positive atmosphere whilst fostering long-lasting bonds between classmates.’
– Eliza 9SEN

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Year 10s Head to the Flinders Ranges

Last week the Year 10s went to the Flinders Ranges for camp. We were given the opportunity to complete a variety of activities, including bush walking, mountain biking, abseiling and rock climbing. We faced challenges such as the heat and the insane number of flies.

During the week, each House hiked up Mt Arden which bonded each Home Group together as the hike proved to be a struggle for many. Mountain biking was a very new and scary experience for most, and almost everyone did it without a fall. I really enjoyed creating new memories and friendships with people in my Home Group. On behalf of the Year 10 students, we would like to thank our camp instructors and teachers for supporting us and giving us this opportunity that we are all grateful for.

Ella Lawes
10KIL

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Year 12 Family Breakfast

This morning, Year 12 students and their families joined staff on Chiverton Lawns for a shared breakfast. Blessed with sunshine, coffee and good company, the morning was a wonderful opportunity to gather informally as we near the end of the schooling journey for our Year 12 cohort. It was lovely to reconnect with families and to see the girls relaxed and outdoors not worrying about final assignments or tests but instead laughing with friends reflecting on their time at school. Thank you to all who joined us and to those who worked tirelessly behind the scenes. Events such as these continue to add to the wonderful sense community we have here at Saints Girls, a community equally unique as it is special.

Lauren Sutton
Deputy Principal and Head of Senior School

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Saints Girls Compete eSports at Fuse Cup

Four pairs from St Peter’s Girls travelled to Pulteney Grammar School on Wednesday to compete in the Fuse Cup – Rocket League – eSports Tournament . What is eSports you may ask? A multiplayer video game played competitively for spectators, typically by professional gamers. What is Rocket League you may ask? Its soccer but with cars as players.

Mr Coulter, Mr Irvine and our school eSport captain Mya travelled with the team, with Andi and Cleo making it through to the quarterfinals. With home ground advantage, the team from Pulteney Grammar took home the Fuse Cup Trophy.

Most of our girls had never played the game before and having only three weeks training, each teammate put in a huge effort for an amazing trip. This event has been a great opportunity for each team.

This all followed on from our recent success with the Mario Kart Tournament held in Term 2 where again Andi finished 2nd overall. Keep an eye out for more APEX led competitions in the future!

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Voyage of Learning for Year 4

On Friday 22 September, the Year 4 students visited the South Australian Maritime Museum. The excursion linked with our central idea, ‘Exploration has led to discovery and change’ through the transdisciplinary theme, ‘Where we are in place and time’.

The students participated in several activities; viewing the museum’s current exhibition through a self-guided tour, a tour of a replica ketch, a presentation about Australia’s first encounters and a boat ride on the Archie Badenoch on the Port River, led by a man named James (not Cook, the students confirmed). The students enjoyed sketching figureheads, spotting jellyfish, navigating the museum and completing the scavenger hunt aboard the ketch. The students shared some personal comments regarding the excursion:

‘I am very glad I don’t have a sandbag for a pillow and mattress!’
– Ella

‘Caw caw went the seagulls as the Archie from World War II whooshed through the water.’
– Liza

‘In the lowest level of the museum we saw how the beds on the ships had changed over time. The quality was really bad. As soon as I sat on the bed, it was rock hard! I could not believe people had to sleep on that!’
– Faye

‘Ketches are types of ships, they can carry livestock such as sheep, cows and food. Did you know that some ships have cats on them to scare the mice/mouse away from the ship?’
– Esther

Zoe West and Olivia Coulter
Year 4 Teachers

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Adventure in the French Alps

On Monday 18 September, the Year 8 French classes visited the Palace Nova Cinema in Prospect to watch Belle and Sebastian: The Next Generation. This French film is about 10-year-old Sebastian reluctantly spending his school holidays with his aunt and grandmother in the beautiful French Alps. Sebastian soon learns how different farm life is compared to city life, which he has always known. Sebastian unenthusiastically helps his grandmother herd and take care of the sheep – but that’s all before he meets Belle, a massive mountain dog who has been mistreated by her owner. Ready to go to great lengths to fight the injustice and protect his fluffy friend, Sebastian spends the craziest and most memorable summer of his life fighting for what’s right. This film showcased country lifestyle in France, picturesque visuals of the French Alps, as well as providing authentic French in real-life conversations and contexts. The Year 8s thoroughly enjoyed this film and look forward to seeing more French films in the future.

Mack Atkinson
Year 8 student

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Year 8s Dance Their Way to Cultural Understanding

Last week our Year 8 Chinese students had an unforgettable experience as they participated in an exciting Chinese dance workshop. During this workshop, they learned how to use traditional Chinese fans and water sleeves for dance performances, compared different dance types from around the world, and successfully translated their newfound knowledge into a group dance choreography at the workshop’s conclusion.

This workshop provided not only an educational experience but also an opportunity for cultural exchange. Students were actively engaged in the lesson, acquiring skills and movements in Chinese dance, and immersing themselves in Chinese traditional culture. They demonstrated excellent teamwork and talent throughout the workshop.

Following the workshop, students gathered to enjoy bubble tea, adding a delightful flavour to their cultural experience.

The Chinese dance workshop was a fun and educational adventure, and students perceived it as an opportunity to deepen their understanding and respect for different cultures. We eagerly anticipate more cultural exchange activities in the future, enabling our students to continue growing and learning.

Yuhan Liu
Year 8 Chinese Teacher

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Enchante Originals Launches on Spotify!

It is with pleasure that we announce the release of Enchante’s E.P. Enchante Originals, now available on Spotify! Even more exciting is the launch of our video single which features Year 9 student Abigail Hawkes’ incredible composition, ‘Memory.’

This E.P. has been a labour of love for Enchante who have worked extremely hard perfecting their vocals to the high standards required for this musical platform. To our talented composers Emma Pool, Stella Rasheed and Abigail Hawkes, we thank you for allowing Enchante to work with you in seeing your musical dreams become a reality.

We are greatly indebted to David Goodwin who has been responsible for recording, production, mixing and mastering the E.P. and LS Creative Co. for producing our video single. Special thanks to Naomi Crellin for two of the amazing vocal arrangements and to Rachel Vanderzon for the stunning artwork.

Thank you also to our beautiful Reception students who are a prominent feature in our video; Lara Miller, Alessandra Chau, Molly Coulter and Anna Lucas, and to their parents Cara, Julie, Olivia, Garth and Jo for their assistance on the day of filming.

Without further ado, we hope you enjoy our newest video, ‘Memory’ presented by Enchante and composed by Abigail Hawkes.

Sari Noble
Choral Director

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Fundraising for Lisa Fahey Foundation

This week, Saints Girls have been honoured to support the Lisa Fahey Foundation; a non-profit foundation who extends financial assistance, kindness and support to families with a parent or caregiver suffering from cancer.

Old Scholar Amelia Fahey (Patteson 2011) and her father Steve visited the School and shared how the Foundation was established in 2005, in memory of Lisa Fahey and her wish to help families faced with cancer. Since its inception, the Foundation, which partners with the Royal Adelaide Hospital Cancer Centre and Cancer Centre at Flinders Medical Centre, has assisted more than 250 families with a parent or carer who has cancer. On Wednesday, the SRC hosted a sausage sizzle, ran various activities and wore a yellow accessory to raise funds for the Foundation, generating a total of $1,230. Well done girls!

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Friends of Rowing Season Opening Picnic

The Friends of Rowing invite you to attend the Season Opening Picnic on Sunday 29 October from 5 to 7pm on Chiverton Lawns. This event will be an opportunity to welcome our new and returning Rowing families for the 2023/24 season, as well as christen our newest boats!

All rowers are expected to attend, and Rowing families are encouraged. The event is open to the School community; Old Scholars and friends of the Rowing program are very welcome.

Tickets can be purchased here
$30 per adult, $25 per student/child

Tickets include nibbles, yiros and soft drinks. Refreshments will also be available for purchase.

Brynley Millward
Director of Rowing

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Jetsetting to Greece at the Ladies’ Night Out

The ladies who came out to the Regal Theatre last Wednesday night had a fun time catching up with a glass of bubbles and dreaming of travels to the Greek Islands with a screening of My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3.

Thank you to all those who came to support the Performing Arts Program at St Peter’s Girls.  Hopefully next year, even more of you will be able to join us for a fabulous night at the movies transporting us back in time to the 1920s in the beautifully refurbished Regal Theatre. Thank you to Alice Kennett for arranging the perfect venue for us.  Congratulations to the lucky raffle winners and thank you to Susanna Parkinson for her generous donations of OSX personal training sessions.

1^st prize: Carols in the Cathedral VIP tickets – Nadia Maione
2^nd prize: Choral night VIP tickets – Rebecca Trude
3^rd prize: OSX voucher – Isabelle Wilson
4^th prize: OSX voucher – Jo Curry
5^th prize: OSX voucher – Nadia Maione
6^th prize: OSX voucher – Karen Blight

For anyone who would like to join the Friends of the Arts and contribute to the Performing Arts community at St Peter’s Girls, please contact Fiona McGregor via fmcgregor@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au.

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Library Book Treasure Hunt

This school holidays, have a treasure hunt and see if you can help track down some lost library books. A few of the Library books have wandered of the shelves without being borrowed. It would be greatly appreciated if your child would collect any Library books from home (the ones on the book shelves, under the bed, in the wardrobe, or the toy box, in the car and anywhere else they may be hiding) and return them to the Library at the beginning of Term 4 or to the Front Office Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm during the school holidays.

Kate McBride
Library Technician

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Cyber Security Awareness Month

October is Cyber Security Awareness Month (CSAM), a time for all Australians to improve their cyber security knowledge and take action to protect their information and devices.

The theme for 2023, ‘Be cyber wise – don’t compromise’, encourages you to take 4 simple steps to be more cyber wise:

• Update your devices regularly
• Turn-on multi-factor authentication
• Backup your important files
• Use passphrases and password managers.

You can get involved by accessing the resources and guidance for Cyber Security Awareness Month 2023. Complete a quiz to test your cyber security knowledge, watch a video about Cyber Security Awareness Month and access guides to improve your cyber security.

Tracey Guyers
IT Manager

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School Shop Notice: School Holidays

During the school holidays, the School Shop will be open on Friday 13 October from 9am to 4pm.

Parents can also order items via our Online School Shop. This is accessible via the Flexischools platform which also administers our Online Tuck Shop. To sign in or sign up to Flexischools, click here. 

Regular School Shop Opening Hours

Monday to Friday: 8am – 4pm (closed for lunch 12 – 12.30pm)

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Vacation Care – October Holidays – Book Now!

Our next exciting instalment of Junior School Vacation Care starts next week! We have some great activities guaranteed to keep the children entertained throughout the October school holidays. With an array of excursions and on-site adventures, there is plenty of fun to be had.

Click here to view the program.

It’s not too late to book, so secure your spot now – Click here

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School Health Centre Notices

It is imperative that all medical information, including immunisations, is up to date on the School’s myLink parent portal.

Please follow this pathway to check and/or update details: myLink > Community Portal > My Details > select child name

If you have any questions, please email healthcentre@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au

COVID-19 Information

Please find the latest guidance from SA Health:

• It is strongly recommended that students stay home if they have cold or flu-like
  symptoms, and test for COVID-19.
• Whether they receive a positive or negative result, they should stay home until symptoms subside (usually five to seven days).
• While face masks are no longer mandated, they are an important physical barrier to help stop the spread of COVID, particularly when indoors.

If your child tests positive to COVID-19, please inform the School. Please also notify the School each day of absence, or provide the expected period of absence.

You can notify us via one of the following methods. Please include the name of the ELC Room, Class or Home Group. If emailing, feel free to ‘CC’ the teacher of the Room/Class/Home Group as well.

Email: attendance@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au

Text: 0428 601 957 (save to phone contacts as SPGS)

Phone: 8334 2200

For more SA Health information, click here

Please note that if your child is unwell, they should remain home until they have recovered, irrespective of the illness.

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Sports News

Sport Results

Wednesday 20 September – Friday 22 September

BASKETBALL

Year 4 – 6 Blue: Saints (4) v Seymour Blue (46)
Best Player: Maggie Will for being excellent on rebounds and worked with her team.
Superwoman: Amelia Birmingham for getting her first goal and being a key player bringing down the ball.
Coaches comment: The whole team were fantastic and have shown how much they have improved since their first game.

Year 4 – 6 White: Saints (2) v Wilderness Blue (47)
Best Player: Clementine Christo
Superwomen: I would like to name all the girls as superwomen today for playing and defending hard throughout the game despite only having 5 players and facing a much taller opposition, well done to Leqi (Grace) Lin, Ming Hei (Sophia) Lau, Jingyao (Esther) He and Jiaen Lu!

HOCKEY

Year 3/4: Saints (1) v Pembroke Blue (1)
Best Player: Claire Lucas
Superwoman: Emma Brooks

NETBALL

Year 4 – 6 Silver: Saints (21) v Concordia (19)
Best Player: Anisha Pahuja for playing in C for a half and turned the game. Dominated with her great defensive work and strong drive out of defence.
Superwoman: Grace Lau for great movement and reading off her teammates. Excellent connections on court when bringing the ball into attack.

Year 4 – 6 White: BYE

Year 4 – 6 Navy Blue: Saints (6) v Concordia (14)
Best Player: Emma Willington
Superwoman: Charlotte Layton

Year 4 – 6 Royal Blue: Saints (5) v Saints Skye Blue (12)
Best Players: Christie Psaromatis, Colette Palmieri and Grace Osborne
Superwoman: Ava Duldig for amazing leads

Year 4 – 6 Skye Blue: Saints (12) v Saints Royal Blue (5)
Best Player: Claire Xiao
Superwoman: Yeuying Ouyang and Alexandra Teh

Year 4 – 5 Blue: Saints (N/A) v Wilderness Blue (N/A)

Year 4 – 5 White: Saints (N/A) v Seymour White (N/A)

Year 3 Blue: Forfeit

Year 3 White: Saints (N/A) v Pembroke Red (N/A)

SOCCER

Year 4 – 6 Blue: Saints (N/A) v Saints (N/A)

Year 4 – 6 White: Saints (N/A) v Saints (N/A)

Junior School Interhouse

Junior School sport has wrapped up for another term. Our final training for Basketball, Netball and Soccer saw the girls come together in their House colours for a Winter Interhouse sport competition. It was an opportunity for the girls to have fun and showcase the skills they have learnt over the season in a friendly event.

Netball played a fast five games which saw Patteson going undefeated in the Year 5/6 competition, while Kilburn claimed 1st place in the Year 3/4 competition. Emily Ebert (Year 6) said, ‘It was a really supportive, fun environment and exciting to play in an interhouse competition because I got to play with new teammates.’

Soccer saw Kilburn as the overall winner. Arabella Morgante and Ella Zappia (Year 4) shared, ‘It was exciting to play against my friends and with a different team.’

In Basketball we had some combined teams, but Patteson won overall. Penny Coulter (Year 4) said, ‘It was fun to play with new people in my House.’

Hockey players also enjoyed their final training where they played fun games and shared food. Claire Lucas (Year 3) enjoyed it because ‘everyone was supportive and we had lots of fun!’

We’d like to say a big thank you to the parents, guardians, coaches, and student mentors who have been involved in Junior Girls Sport this term! We are looking forward to our summer sports starting up again in Term 4.

State Under 13 Hockey

This week, Claris Stolcman and Jess Woods played in the 2023 Australian Girls Under 13 Hockey Carnival in Newscastle, New South Wales. It was tough competition, with South Australia achieving one win, four draws and five losses. The win came against Tasmania and was scored by Claris late in the fourth quarter. Claris was also awarded player of the match in the draw with ACT. Both girls enjoyed the experience and will come away with wonderful memories from the tournament.

State Under 15 Lacrosse

In last week’s eNews, we wished Alannah Godfrey good luck with the National Under 15 Lacrosse carnival she played in this week, however Saints had six girls there representing SA at the carnival! As well as Alannah, Lara Maione, Chelsea Francis, Ruby Kelly, Mabel Cook and Ivy Pratt also competed. Lois Burton-Howard was selected as an alternate.

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Issue no. 21

From Our Head of Junior School

We’ve seen many wonderful examples of the arts embedded in learning across the School this term. One of the many advantages of creating transdisciplinary units of learning, as we do in the Junior School through the IB PYP, is the ability to provide opportunities for students to build strong, meaningful connections and deep understandings through multiple lenses. Often this is done by learning through a variety of modes, and by linking learning across curriculum areas. Learning in connected ways through the arts certainly nurtures specific skills within the arts subjects themselves, but it simultaneously allows students to experience different perspectives of a topic, creatively express their understanding, problem-solve, represent ideas in a variety of ways, and collaborate with others. The arts can challenge us, provoke us to respond, and enrich our understanding of ourselves, our history, cultures and communities. They contribute to the development of confident, active and engaged citizens.

Most recently, we enjoyed a fabulous artistic expression of classroom learning at the Year 1-led Assembly where the students took us through the seasons of the year with a musical and dramatic performance of the story ‘Hats Off’. Girls confidently presented their lines, worked together in groups to share accounts of their learning, and used songs and movement to entertain.

Our stunning Junior School Visual Arts Trail that delighted family members a couple of weeks ago, has continued to provide talking points through student-led conferences and parent teacher interviews this week. Watching and listening to the girls share their pride in their own work and the work of other students has been tremendous, as has hearing them explain the transdisciplinary learning that was attached to each year level’s artworks.

The benefits of learning a musical instrument are wide-reaching, with positive effects on other areas of learning and on our holistic social, emotional, and personal development. Our Year 2, 3 and 4 students demonstrated their learning through music on Monday afternoon with a concert showcasing their growth and talents playing recorder, string or band instruments, and we witnessed the joy that comes with collaborating and making music with others.

We are looking forward to a significant culmination of learning through the arts next week with the Year 5 production of Aladdin Jr. Students have shown persistence and determination as they have learned lines, stage directions and dances, while developing a deep understanding of the team-work and self-management required to perform large-scale musical theatre. Their understanding of different forms of theatre through history, and their individual character studies have enriched their appreciation of creative forms of expression and ways that different perspectives can be shared and celebrated.

The arts play a vital role in a Saints Girls’ education, and our students are richer for the experiences and learning they provide.

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Students Shine at SACE Music Concert

The SACE Music Concert last week was a wonderful celebration of our Stage 1 and 2 musicians. Not only was the evening filled with beautiful music but it also gave the music staff and students a chance to thank and honour the wonderful Year 12 musicians as they finish up their time at Saints.

Congratulations to all students involved.

Sally Rounsevell
Director of Music

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Junior School Musicianship on Display

It takes 10,000 hours of practice for someone to be considered an expert in a particular skill. Our Junior School girls have achieved around 50 hours of music making this year as they presented the Years 2, 3 and 4 Music Concert on Monday. The Year 2 recorder, Year 3 string and Year 4 band program concluded with its annual concert to parents and friends in the Arts Centre. As usual, the girls blew us away with their courage, creativity and compassion for their music, peers and themselves. Congratulations to each and every girl for their outstanding achievements.

Sally Rounsevell
Director of Music

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Charlotte Named IGSSA Sportswoman of the Year

Congratulations to Charlotte McAuliffe, who has been voted by all of the IGSSA Schools as the Sports Woman of the Year! A fantastic achievement for Charlotte, who was up against some tough competition from girls across other schools.

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Yang Yang Awarded IGSSA Badminton Player of  the Year

Congratulations to Badminton Captain Yang Yang Gu who finishes off her school badminton career at Saints undefeated in all singles matches since she commenced at the school in 2019. This is an unbelievable achievement and one that will be difficult to beat!

To top off Yang Yang’s outstanding year, she has been awarded the IGSSA Senior A Badminton Player of the Year award. Well done Yang Yang, so well deserved.

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Willow Recognised for her Contribution to Sport

Congratulations to Willow Stewart-Rattray who has been awarded the IGSSA Contribution to Sport award.

As a new award in 2023, the Contribution to IGSSA Sport Award is awarded to a Year 12 student recognising an individual who has made a significant and valuable contribution to school sport throughout their time at school.

Willow is a talented netballer, however, she has participated in 8 different school sports during her time at Saints Girls. She is a fierce competitor and is always willing to put her hand up to help with playing, coaching, umpiring and mentoring.

Willow has consistently been appointed to leadership roles at Saints, has received embroidery for Netball, Football and Touch Football, and was selected as Year 12 Netball Captain this year.

Willow has balanced school sport with external sport, featuring in State netball teams, pathway programs and development squads, as well as receiving a number of academic awards and embroidery for music. She strives to be her best and is an outstanding role model for her peers and younger girls at Saints.

Well done Willow!

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Year 5 Production – Next Week!

Step into a world of wonder and adventure at this year’s Junior School Production of Aladdin Jr!

Our Year 5s have been enthusiastically preparing to take the stage in their dazzling performance including heroes, heroines, a genie and a magic carpet.

Come along to see the Year 5s in action – we guarantee a fun night out which will have you toe tapping, clapping and leaving with a big smile on your face!

Thursday 28 and Friday 29 September
St Peter’s Girls’ Arts Centre

Click here to book your tickets now!

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Enchante Originals – Final Teaser Track

We are thrilled to share this tantalising teaser of Enchante Originals’ final track ‘Memory’, composed by Year 9 singer/songwriter, Abigail Hawkes.

Abigail shares, ‘When first tackling this song, I wanted to write about how I had always looked forward to the future, not realising I would later miss the past. As a child I remember looking up to older students, wishing I could be one of them but not fully understanding the burden of responsibilities that can come with growing up. It was complicated to filter through my ideas and thoughts during this process, but I am really happy with the final product. Working with Enchante to produce this original song has been such an incredible experience and I am so grateful for this opportunity.’

The countdown is now on to the full E.P. release! Keep your eye on the School’s social media accounts next week for an exciting showcase of the girls’ work.

Credits
Choral Director: Sari Noble
Vocal arrangement: Sari Noble
Instrumental arrangement : David Goodwin/Rod Ennis
Audio: David Goodwin

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Thursday Club Performance – Book Now!

Our annual EDGE Program ‘Thursday Club’ performance will be held at the Q Theatre on Halifax Street next Thursday 28 September, 5.30-7pm. Come along and enjoy beautiful contemporary vocal solo performances from students in Years 7 to 12,  accompanied by renowned Adelaide guitarist Mike Bevan.

Tickets are $10 – click here to book.

We look forward to seeing you there!

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Q & A with Samantha Keough (Music Prefect, Head Chorister)

What do you love about music/the arts?
What I love most about the arts is the opportunity for self-expression and storytelling. Everyone is able to create art or indulge in music at some level whether it be composing, performing or simply observing. The expression of emotion, society, politics and relationships can open minds to new perspectives, ideas and values, provoking communication and bringing people together. The sense of community that the arts can provide is also something I love – being surrounded by people who are as passionate and enthusiastic about the same things is such a great feeling and can be so inspiring!

What has your journey in music and the arts looked like over the years?
I started dancing when I was four, and my love for performing grew from there as I discovered that I loved to sing, act and draw. Both Junior and Senior School have given me chances to engage in these various art forms and improve my abilities. Now I sing and act in classes and co-curricular activities, but I draw only for fun – both situations bring me so much joy because it is a part of this passion for the arts I have fostered for years.

Why do you believe music is important both at school and more broadly?
The arts spark passion and channel it in a creative way which I think is extremely necessary in terms of having an outlet for emotions. This applies to both inside and outside of school. As school can be a stressful space for some people, the arts can be an escape from that. Teaching music to children is essential for their development as well as their entertainment. Music and the arts are stimulating, motivating, and can offer other pathways and activities for people who may struggle with academics. The arts have become ingrained into my daily routine and have given me so many opportunities to thrive and explore.

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School Shop: Summer Uniform Appointments

Summer Uniform Fittings are well underway. Our online booking system shows available time slots through to October. Middle and Senior School students are welcome to visit during their recess or lunch breaks.

Click here to access the calendar and select the time that best suits you (please include your daughter’s name).

Appointment times are filling fast, so your prompt attention is appreciated.

During the school holidays, the School Shop will be open on Friday 13 October from 9am to 4pm.

Parents can also order items via our Online School Shop. This is accessible via the Flexischools platform which also administers our Online Tuck Shop. To sign in or sign up to Flexischools, click here

Regular School Shop Opening Hours

Monday to Friday: 8am – 4pm (closed for lunch 12 – 12.30pm)

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Vacation Care – October Holidays – Book Now!

Our next exciting instalment of Junior School Vacation Care is almost here! We have some great activities guaranteed to keep the children entertained throughout the October school holidays. With an array of excursions and on-site adventures, there is plenty of fun to be had.

Click here to view the program.

Places are limited, so secure your booking now – Click here

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School Health Centre Notices

It is imperative that all medical information, including immunisations, is up to date on the School’s myLink parent portal.

Please follow this pathway to check and/or update details: myLink > Community Portal > My Details > select child name

If you have any questions, please email healthcentre@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au

COVID-19 Information

Please find the latest guidance from SA Health:

• It is strongly recommended that students stay home if they have cold or flu-like
  symptoms, and test for COVID-19.
• Whether they receive a positive or negative result, they should stay home until symptoms subside (usually five to seven days).
• While face masks are no longer mandated, they are an important physical barrier to help stop the spread of COVID, particularly when indoors.

If your child tests positive to COVID-19, please inform the School. Please also notify the School each day of absence, or provide the expected period of absence.

You can notify us via one of the following methods. Please include the name of the ELC Room, Class or Home Group. If emailing, feel free to ‘CC’ the teacher of the Room/Class/Home Group as well.

Email: attendance@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au

Text: 0428 601 957 (save to phone contacts as SPGS)

Phone: 8334 2200

For more SA Health information, click here

Please note that if your child is unwell, they should remain home until they have recovered, irrespective of the illness.

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Sports News

Sport Results

Wednesday 13 September – Friday 15 September

BASKETBALL

Year 4 – 6 Blue: Saints (6) v Seymour Purple (16)
Best Player: Edwina Cannon for great positioning and effort on a hot day.
Superwoman: Mathilda Begg defensively fantastic and helped repel many attacks.

Year 4 – 6 White: Saints (0) v Pembroke Yellow (46)
Best Player: Clementine Christo
Superwomen: Ming Hei (Sophia) Lau for playing excellent defence throughout the game and Jingyao (Esther) He for great rebounding especially against much taller opposition and dribbling.

HOCKEY

Year 3/4: Saints (3) v Seymour (5)
Best Player: Emma Brooks
Superwoman: Hazel Bigg

NETBALL

Year 4 – 6 Silver: Saints (19) v Westminster White (25)
Best player: Anisha Pahuja for limiting the influence of the tall GA and her 4 quarter drive up the court.
Superwoman: Sasha Connor for sharing the load of standing on the tall GA.
Year 4 – 6 white: Saints (9) v Immanuel (22)
Best player: All players, we only played with six in the team, and everyone tried new positions.
Year 4 – 6 Navy Blue: Bye
Year 4 – 6 Royal Blue: Saints (9) v Concordia (12)
Best Players: Michelle Zurauskas, Mikayla Rundle and Colette Palmieri.
Superwomen: Christie Psaromatis and Eliana Clifford for outstanding effort and continuous commitment.
Year 4 – 6 Skye Blue: Saints (6) v Westminster White (19)
Best Player: Yeuying Ouyang
Superwoman: Nishka Juneja
Year 4 – 5 Blue: Saints (0) v Pembroke Blue (20)
Year 4 – 5 White: Saints (N/A) v Wilderness Blue (N/A)
Year 3 Blue: Saints (7) v Saints Year 3 White (7)
Coaches comment: Draw, it was a fun game as both teams didn’t have enough players.
Year 3 White: Saints (7) v Saints Year 3 Blue (7)
Best Player: Matilda Mollison
Superwoman: Anya Khosa

SOCCER

Year 4 – 6 Blue: Saints (N/A) v Pembroke (N/A)
Year 4 – 6 White: Saints (0) v Wilderness (6)
Best Player: Samaira Soodan as she was stoic as always in defence.
Superwoman: Arabella Morgante for terrific effort and attitude, particularly as goalkeeper.

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Issue no. 21

From Our Deputy Principal & Head of Senior School

Years 7-12 came together today to acknowledge and celebrate R U OK Day. R U OK Day is a public health initiative that promotes and encourages people to stay connected and to start a conversation with someone simply by asking ‘Are you ok?’ Students and staff were provided with the 4 simple steps on how to best check in with someone. By asking the initial question ‘Are you ok?’, listening to the response, encouraging action and checking in with the person later on we can continue to build and foster a supportive community while also removing the stigma around mental health issues.

Under the guidance of the Prefect Group, students and staff learnt how to ask ‘Are you ok?’ in a variety of languages representing the many different cultural groups that make up the Saints community. Students took part in a positive affirming activity and then heard from Senior School Teacher Ms Mel Smith on the topic of mental health. The R U Ok Day assembly also complemented the Prefect Term 3 initiative of ‘Saints Stands 4 Support’. Students have been encouraged to contribute to walls of encouragement that each week focused on a new area of our community. It has been wonderful to see students take the time to write positive notes for Senior students going through final assessments, for their Houses during Spirit weeks, and for their peers.

In addition to the assembly, students in Year 11 and 12 also spent a Home Group this week writing letters for the not-for-profit organisation ‘Letters of Hope’.  Founded in 2018, Letters of Hope aims to spread kindness, raise awareness and break the stigma around mental health through sending handwritten letters to those who are going through a tough time. The simple act of writing a letter provided the students with yet another opportunity to reach out to someone in need, while also encouraging them to open up to their peers and teachers about their own wellbeing.

Lauren Sutton
Deputy Principal & Head of Senior School

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Colour and Creativity at Junior School Art Trail

Last week, we hosted our biannual Junior School Art Trail. Parents, grandparents, and treasured friends were invited to view the wonderful artwork by our Reception – Year 6 students. Guests enjoyed a magical journey through our School, viewing the colourful creations our young Artists have been busy creating.

Mid-Year Receptions created playful ink stained flowers, Receptions painted energetic and lyrical aerial landscapes, Year 1s coiled and joined clay to create a food safe plate,  Year 2s studied what it means to be a sustainable artist and constructed bird sculptures using recycled materials, Year 3s focussed on colour with their abstract flags, Year 4s up-cycled unwanted chairs and considered why so many famous artists use nature as their inspiration, Year 5s constructed and painted Arabic inspired lanterns and Year 6s were inspired by architecture around the world when creating their own building from clay.

During Terms 2 and 3, we were lucky to host Ballardong-Noongar artist Mya Damon as our Artist in Residence. She collaborated with Year 5 and 6 students to design seven large collaborative paintings. In connection to Reconciliation Week, Mya emphasised the importance of sharing histories, cultures and achievements. During their art lessons, all Junior School Artists had the opportunity to paint on their year level canvas.

A stand out favourite this year was the interactive ART letters on the lawn. Visitors and students were encouraged to create together with the coloured yarn, twisting, tying, braiding and finger knitting. Giant painted flowers could also be found on the lawn and gave an excellent photo opportunity for the girls’ special visitors.

The Junior School Art Studio had a large window mural on display, which was the result of the Year 6 Art Leaders’ workshop that was 100% student run.

It felt as if the School was splashed with colour from head to toe. It was a magical exhibition celebrating our youngest artists and their wild imaginations. One to remember!

Sarah Casson
Junior School Art Teacher

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Senior Girls Join in Job Chat

JobChat provided girls in Years 10 to 12 the opportunity to engage in conversations with Heidi, a midwife, and Caitlin, an ICU nurse, both employed at Flinders Hospital. These discussions proved highly beneficial for the students, as they gained a deeper understanding of the responsibilities of these professions, insights into university life, a grasp of the pros and cons, the differences between private and public practice, and a clear distinction between the two roles. Personally, it motivated me to consider pursuing both degrees simultaneously, thereby expanding my horizons and creating more opportunities, especially in rural areas.

Georgia Evans
Year 12 Student

It was great to hear from Heidi and Caitlin today. They were informative and provided detailed insight into the life of a nurse and midwife. They both elaborated on balancing Uni with a part-time job, as well as giving in-depth knowledge into a day in their life. They both talked about the benefits and rewards of working in the health system which has further pushed me to enter this field in 2024.

Olivia Slivak
Year 12 Student

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Classroom to Jungle: Year 3s Day of Discovery at the Zoo

 

On Friday 1 September, the Year 3 cohort ventured to the Adelaide Zoo as a provocation for our upcoming ‘Sharing the Planet’ unit of inquiry. The girls will be exploring the central idea, ‘Human actions can preserve or endanger living things.’

When visiting the animal enclosures, the girls took note of where each animal species is currently on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. This has become the world’s most comprehensive information source on the global conservation status of animal, fungi, and plant species. Sadly, they noted several animals are vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered.

In collaboration with their group, the girls enjoyed the freedom to plan out their visit, managing their schedule and responsibly gathering at meeting points throughout the day to hear Keeper Talks. Viewing the sea lions and penguins was a highlight for many, as they learnt about the status of these animals in the wild and the ways we can help to promote and support their conservation. It was a fun day had by all!

Sarah Mulraney & Monique McLeay
Year 3 Teachers

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Year 7 Excursion to the Living Kaurna Cultural Centre/Warriparinga

Last week, the Year 7 cohort visited the Living Kaurna Cultural Centre as part of their Humanities studies. While the unit being studied is Investigating the Ancient Past, students have been learning how local indigenous culture is part of the longest, continuing civilisation on earth. Participating in workshops run by local Kaurna elders was a great opportunity.

Here are some insights from students:

During our excursion we did 3 activities, the first activity we did was basket weaving and it was a very fun and calming activity. The second activity we did was creating seed bombs. These were made by adding dirt, graphite, water and either kangaroo grass seeds, wallaby grass seeds or lemon grass seeds. We then waited for it to harden at which time it would be ready to plant. For our third and final activity, we went out into the garden and were taught about many different plants and we ate some traditional mint and salt bush. We found out many things about other plants including lemon grass and pigface. Overall, our day was a very fun and interesting experience.
Eva (7RMI)

The excursion to Warriparinga was an incredible experience for the whole Year 7 cohort. We learned many things about the Kaurna people and how they survived without many resources. During the excursion, we enriched our knowledge about native Australian plants and cultural weaving. We all had fun, learned new things, and came back to school a bit smarter and more coordinated with needles and thread.
Aarcha (7ESKI)

Our intention for this trip was to learn more about practises from other cultures. Despite a walk being cancelled due to weather, each class was still able to experience two different workshops: making seed bombs to plant in our gardens, and weaving baskets. Additionally, we wore ochre on our heads and hands and took a tour of the garden. We were even able to smell, taste, and use some of the plants on our wounds! Even though these experiences were somewhat messy and challenging, they were also one-of-a-kind experiences that have further strengthened us as home groups. A massive thank you to Mr Dingwall, Ms Reid, Mr Mills, Mrs Burton-Howard and the Warriparinga staff for making this experience so memorable!
Tabitha (7ESKI)

Our excursion to Warriparinga was really fun and enjoyable. We got to learn about native plants, weaving and how to make seed bombs. The weaving was extremely fun because a lot of the girls in the class had already done it before, so it was a refresher, and for the new girls it was also a fun experience. We were able to use many different colours and the volunteer elder Aunty Janice was really kind and made us feel extremely welcome. When making the seed bombs we learned about another method of growing plants as well as learning about different seeds the majority of our class had never heard of before. After making the seed bombs, we ventured outside and got to see native plants as well as taste some of them.
Roslyn (7RMI)

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Year 7s Explore Biodiversity at the Zoo and Botanical Gardens

On Monday 11 September, the Year 7s were lucky enough to go to the Adelaide Zoo and the Botanical Gardens on a science excursion. There were a whole range of animals that we observed and we studied some of the adaptations that the plants and animals had made to make it easier for them survive in their habitat. Some animals we looked at included the sea lions which can swallow rocks to help them sink deeper into the water and the nocturnal animals who sleep during the day and come out at night to hunt. After our trip to the Zoo, we went to the Botanical Gardens where we looked at several different plant species. We looked at desert plants like cactuses, as well as tropical rainforest plants that have leaves with drip tips. We really enjoyed our day out and we hope that the year levels to come will be able to experience this great trip.

Ivy Pratt, Matilda Birmingham, Beatrice Tolley
Year 7 Students

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Payday for Ponytail Project

As part of our Service Learning Program, 16 of our students courageously took part in the Cancer Council’s ‘Ponytail Project’, which meant cutting off at least 20cm of their hair to raise money to support those affected by cancer.

Our School community raised $11,429 in total, which was donated to the Cancer Council. The hair was donated through an organisation called ‘Sustainable Salons’ which uses donated hair to create wigs for people undergoing cancer treatment.

This week in Assembly, we were lucky enough to have Amy Roker from the Cancer Council speak to students about the effect that fundraising, like ours, brings to people across South Australia who have been impacted by cancer. She spoke about the impact that we have had on people through all stages of cancer from research, diagnosis, treatment, recovery, and ongoing support.

We thank everyone who took part in the Ponytail Project and those who supported the cause through the donation of time and money.

Thomas Bassett
Service Learning Coordinator  

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Thursday Club Performance – Book Now!

Our annual EDGE Program ‘Thursday Club’ performance will be held at the Q Theatre on Halifax Street on Thursday 28 September, 5.30-7pm. Come along and enjoy beautiful contemporary vocal solo performances from students in Years 7 to 12,  accompanied by renowned Adelaide guitarist Mike Bevan.

Tickets are $10 – click here to book.

We look forward to seeing you there!

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Enchante Originals – Song 2 Teaser

Enchante are excited to share the second teaser from their upcoming E.P. Enchante Originals, featuring talented Year 12 singer/songwriter Emma Pool, and her composition ‘Hold On.’

Emma says, ‘Composing songs means so much more to me as an artist than simply producing pieces of work. As someone who wrote a lot of poetry growing up, I have found song-writing an effective way to work through and express complicated emotions regarding various aspects of life. My piece ‘Hold On’ is a pop-contemporary piece which details the melancholic emotions associated with reaching out for help, despite battling drowning feelings of despair. I incorporated an intertextual reference to the nursery rhyme “Twinkle, twinkle, little star”, which becomes a lyrical motif throughout the piece and elevates the “old friend” in my lyrics as someone who was inaccessible and could only be admired from afar.’

Credits
Choral Director: Sari Noble
Vocal arrangement: Naomi Crellin
Audio Production: David Goodwin

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2023 Year 5 Production – Aladdin Jr

Step into a world of wonder and adventure at this year’s Junior School Production of Aladdin Jr!

Our Year 5s have been enthusiastically preparing to take the stage in their dazzling performance including heroes, heroines, a genie and a magic carpet.

Come along to see the Year 5s in action – we guarantee a fun night out which will have you toe tapping, clapping and leaving with a big smile on your face!

Thursday 28 and Friday 29 September
St Peter’s Girls’ Arts Centre

Click here to book your tickets now!

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Vacation Care – October Holidays – Book Now!

Our next exciting instalment of Junior School Vacation Care is almost here! We have some great activities guaranteed to keep the children entertained throughout the October school holidays. With an array of excursions and on-site adventures, there is plenty of fun to be had.

Click here to view the program.

Places are limited, so secure your booking now – Click here

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Ladies’ Night Out – Next Wednesday!

Date: Wednesday 20 September, Week 9
Venue: Regal Theatre, 275 Kensington Road, Kensington Park
Time: Foyer opens at 6.30pm (movie starts 7.30pm)
Movie: My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3
Cost: $25 per person
Raffle tickets: $5 for 1 ticket, $10 for 3 tickets

Grab your girlfriends, mothers and sisters and get ready for a fabulous night celebrating the power of family and laughter at our ‘Ladies’ Night Out’ with the highly anticipated My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3.

You’ll be welcomed onboard with a complimentary glass of bubbles and chocolate bar, ready to transport you to Greece with the hilarious Portokalos family as they embark on another antic-filled adventure.

Raffle tickets are available to purchase online with your tickets. Prizes include tickets to Choral Night 2024 and this year’s Carols in the Cathedral – waltz past the queues straight to your reserved seats with the VIP guests! We also have 4 x one month OSX Outdoor Group Fitness Training vouchers (each voucher is for one person and valued at $160 each) kindly donated by Susanna Parkinson (current Year 9 parent).

This wonderful community event is hosted by The Friends of The Arts group with all
proceeds going directly to support the many wonderful Arts programs Saints Girls enjoy.

Join us for an evening to remember.

To book tickets – click here

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The Lion King Experience Jr. Auditions

Auditions for Shane Davidson Presents The Lion King Experience Jr. are on Saturday 16 September at St Peter’s Girls’ School.

For further information please email – shanedavidson@internode.on.net

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School Health Centre Notices

It is imperative that all medical information, including immunisations, is up to date on the School’s myLink parent portal.

Please follow this pathway to check and/or update details: myLink > Community Portal > My Details > select child name

If you have any questions, please email healthcentre@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au

COVID-19 Information

Please find the latest guidance from SA Health:

• It is strongly recommended that students stay home if they have cold or flu-like
  symptoms, and test for COVID-19.
• Whether they receive a positive or negative result, they should stay home until symptoms subside (usually five to seven days).
• While face masks are no longer mandated, they are an important physical barrier to help stop the spread of COVID, particularly when indoors.

If your child tests positive to COVID-19, please inform the School. Please also notify the School each day of absence, or provide the expected period of absence.

You can notify us via one of the following methods. Please include the name of the ELC Room, Class or Home Group. If emailing, feel free to ‘CC’ the teacher of the Room/Class/Home Group as well.

Email: attendance@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au

Text: 0428 601 957 (save to phone contacts as SPGS)

Phone: 8334 2200

For more SA Health information, click here

Please note that if your child is unwell, they should remain home until they have recovered, irrespective of the illness.

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Sports News

Sport Results

Wednesday 6 September – Friday 8 September

BASKETBALL

Year 4-6 Blue: Saints (5) v Wilderness Blue (16)
Best Player: Yun Tong (Lianna) Lei for her aggressive rebounds and tenacious defence.
Superwomen: Penny Coulter for leading the team on attack and Zara Wilkie for her persistent defence.
Special thanks to Maggie and Edwina who both scored and team managed on their rostered off day.
Year 4-6 White: Saints (2) v Seymour Green (60)
Best Players: Leqi (Grace) Lin, Zara Millhouse
Superwoman: Ming Hei (Sophia) Lau for playing excellent defence throughout the game and getting some great steals and blocks!

HOCKEY

Year 3/4: Saints (0) v Seymour Green (4)

NETBALL

Year 4-6 Silver: Saints (23) v Westminster Green (14)
Best Players: Sasha Connor and Anisha Pahuja. Dynamite combo in defence! Butt to hip defence and ability to turn ball was exceptional. Work rate was maintained across all 4 quarters
Superwoman: Ruby Pahuja for the finesse on her passes. Something we’ve been talking about and practising at training. Played a real team-first game today
Year 4-6 white: Saints (9) v Concordia (33)
Year 4-6 Navy Blue: Saints (3) v Scotch Navy (20)
Year 4-6 Royal Blue: Saints (1) v Westminster Green (25)
Best player: Ava Duldig
Superwoman: Grace Osborne for excellent commitment to the game and her impressive improvement each week
Year 4-6 Skye Blue: Saints (6) v Immanuel (23)
Best Player: Alexandra Teh.
Superwoman: Alice Bigg
Year 4-5 Blue: Bye
Year 4-5 White: Bye
Year 3 Blue: Saints (0) v Pembroke Yellow (11)
Best player: Ran Wen (Rania) Gao
Year 3 White: Bye

SOCCER

Year 4-6 White: Bye

Success at SAPSASA Athletics Day

Last week, a number Year 4 – 6 girls were involved in the SAPSASA East Adelaide District Athletics Day. The girls took part in a range of events including, 100m, 200m, 800m, 1500m, long jump, high jump, shot put and discuss. Everyone who competed demonstrated the core values of a Saints girl, particularly courage. Several girls placed in their individual events which is an outstanding achievement, the results are listed below:

Poppy Davidson: 2^nd Discuss
Bonnie Qu: 1^st 100m, 1^st 200m
Sasha Connor: 3^rd Discuss
Ella King: 3^rd High Jump
Emily Robinson: 2^nd Long Jump
Lucy Dougherty: 2^nd 1500m

Bonnie Qu achieved amazing results placing 1^st in both the 100m and 200m sprint. Bonnie shared:

Why do you enjoy competing in athletics?
I enjoy competing in athletics because I get to set and achieve my goals. It gives me something to strive for and measure my progress against.

What is your favourite event?
My favourite event is 100m.

Did you enjoy the SAPSASA Carnival?
I did enjoy the SAPSASA Carnival, as I like the thrill of the competitions.

Are you looking forward to the Metro Carnival?
I am looking forward to the Metro Carnival – I am looking forward to seeing the skills of the many other people at the carnival.

Bonnie Qu and Emily Robinson will be progressing to the Metro SAPSASA Carnival. Good luck girls we wish you all the best! Congratulations to all the girls who were involved in the athletics day, it is truly astounding to see such involvement and participation in prestigious athletics events from young girls in our sporting community.

Amelia Lucas
Athletics Captain

Saints Girls Win Bronze at World Taekwondo Championships

Matilda Purvis (Year 6) and Phoebe Fan (Year 8) recently represented Australia in the 2023 World Taekwondo Cadet Championships (held 28 – 31 August 2023) and the G1 Bosnia and Herzegovina Youth Open Championship (held 2 September 2023) in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Australia had a contingent of just 20 athletes competing against over 700 athletes from 73 countries in the World Championships. The competition was tough, but Australia secured a Silver and two Bronze medals, making it the most successful competition since 2014. Matilda and Phoebe both managed to secure their first international medals in the Youth Open, each taking away Bronze in their respective divisions. An awesome achievement and honour to have 2 of our girls representing our Country in their chosen sport! Congratulations girls!

A Grade Badminton Final

The A grade badminton girls were fortunate enough to place top two of the season, allowing them to compete in the finals against Pembroke last Saturday. We were faced with tough opponents but our girls resiliently competed to achieve a score of 2-4. The girls fully utilised their skills that they’ve developed across the two terms to challenge their opponents. Despite the loss, our girls had gained invaluable experience and are ready to challenge the opponents in the next season.

The final game last Saturday closes my badminton journey at Saints. I am incredibly proud and privileged to team with this group of girls and be supported by our coaching team and staff. Best of luck to all the girls who choose to compete in future badminton seasons.

Xin Yi (Yang Yang) Gu
Badminton Captain

Aerobics Teams Perform at Nationals

Congratulations to two of our amazing aerobics teams who were invited to perform at the FISAF National Championships on the Gold Coast last weekend, following our previous success at the State Championships in July.

‘The Jets’ performed in the Secondary Pre-Choreographed (Phase 2) category whilst the ‘Black Widows’ performed in the Secondary Pre-Choreographed (Phase 1) category with the girls placing 7^th and 8^th in their respective divisions. As one of only three South Australian schools at this competition, the girls should be extremely proud of themselves demonstrating high levels of strength, flexibility and endurance throughout their routines.

We had a range of students from Years 7-12 competing, representing Saints to the highest of standards against fierce interstate competitors. Not only am I immensely proud of the quality of our performances but also of the way in which the Saints girls conducted themselves at competitions and supported each other throughout the year. It has been lovely to witness the bond between the older and younger girls strengthen throughout the competition season.

The Aerobics Program has seen amazing growth over the past few years, with around 45 girls initially enrolled at the start of this year! It is an exceptional achievement to have 17 girls travel to compete at nationals, I hope to see the Saints aerobics community continue to grow and thrive.

Amelie Zacharia Henley
Aerobics Captain

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Issue no. 21

From Our Deputy Principal & Head of Middle School

Last week I spoke with the Year 8 cohort to discuss the upcoming exam session. This will be the first concentrated examination period they will have experienced, so I wanted to impress upon them the reason why we have exams during the Middle Years.

I explained that whilst practicing exams during middle school might not seem like a top priority, it’s more crucial than they might think. Final exams in Year 12 might seem a long way off now, but there are a number of reasons why getting familiar with the format now really pays off in the longer term.

Regular practice with exam formats, question types, and time constraints builds confidence and reduces exam day anxiety. I stressed that taking small steps now in Year 8, in relatively low-stake exams, is a great way to become increasingly comfortable with study routines and exam pressures in the longer term, helping to optimise performance later on.

Middle school exams often have strict time limits. Practising exams helps students develop effective time management skills, ensuring they complete exams within the allocated time. Practice exams also reveal strengths and weaknesses. Understanding these areas for improvement allows our students to focus on what they need to learn better, seek help, and make necessary adjustments.

Repetition is a powerful tool for memory retention. Consistent practice reinforces knowledge, making it easier to recall information when it matters whilst exams often feature challenging questions that require critical thinking and problem-solving. Regular practice sharpens these skills, making students more effective problem solvers in various aspects of life.

I stressed the need to establish a well-organised study schedule covering all subjects and allowing ample time for revision. The 2023 Middle School Exam schedule and revision guides are available here. The girls have already started using these guides during #EMPOWHER sessions to plan their study.

We discussed study preparation and the need to prepare materials before engaging in a variety of study techniques. It’s important to have all the necessary study materials, including textbooks, notes, and practice exams, and organise them to avoid last-minute stress. Familiarising yourself with the format of the exams, including question types, mark allocations, and any specific instructions is also a crucial element of exam preparation.

There are many ways to study, but active study sessions based around smaller, manageable chunks with achievable goals for each study session have proven to be successful for generations of students.

Most study guides would suggest incorporating practice exams into a study routine, starting with easier questions and progressing to more challenging ones as confidence grows. However, it is equally as important to review answers carefully after practice exams to identify errors and understand why they occurred, which helps to avoid similar mistakes in the future.

We have allowed dedicated preparation time in lessons leading up to the exam period in Week 8, as well as time during the week between exams to continue to study. It is important that our girls don’t hesitate to ask for help when struggling with certain topics. Teachers, classmates, and online resources can provide valuable assistance.

Above all, however, I urged the girls to maintain a balanced sense of perspective when approaching these exams. Their main purpose is to help our girls take the first step on a long journey to exam comfort and low stress success.

I wish all our Middle School girls the best of luck for a calm, challenging yet enjoyable exam period. If we can take steps now (and make a few mistakes as well) that help us feel as well prepared as possible in the future, then it will have been time well spent.

Richard Lisle
Deputy Principal & Head of Middle School

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Introducing our Next Head of Middle School

I am delighted to announce the appointment of Mrs Emma Smerdon as our new Head of Middle School commencing January 2024.

Emma is a highly regarded staff member at St Peter’s Girls’ School. Her dynamic nature, humour, and integrity as an educator will be well known to many in our community, having taught across a range of subjects and been a key support for student wellbeing in her roles as Home Group and subject teacher.

Upon the completion of both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Environmental Management and Sustainability, Emma worked as a Business Development Executive at Capital Transport. She then chose to pursue her passion to teach, and after being awarded her Master of Teaching and gaining valuable teaching experience, she joined St Peter’s Girls in 2014. Her unwavering commitment to the ongoing development of relevant and up-to-date curricula and wellbeing programs which best serve our students has been highly valued by staff, students and families during her time at the School. This commitment to continual best practice is further reflected in her current study of a Master of Education (Learning and Leadership).

Emma’s extensive experience in the middle years and the respect she has established with our students, families and staff, set her in good stead to lead the Middle School Team in further strengthening our holistic education and the rich opportunities it offers our students across Years 7 – 9. Emma’s personal connection to the School as an Old Scholar, her deep knowledge of its history, and her progressive educational outlook will drive her future vision for our Middle School. She shares our passion for all girls’ education and advocates for the middle years being a time of growth founded in rounded learning experiences. Emma also holds a deep understanding of the value of connection, and the significance of fostering relationships that empower our girls to be courageous, creative and compassionate.

After an intensive recruitment process from a field of high-quality applicants, we are proud to be appointing a current staff member to this role and are excited for Emma’s contributions to further excel our Middle School. I know you will join me in congratulating Emma on her appointment.

Cherylyn Skewes
Principal

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SACE Dancers Take Centre Stage

I am very impressed with the way our SACE dancers worked together across different year levels and abilities this week to create a magical show ‘Welcome to Oz’. This production has been 3 terms in the making, and I am proud of every dancer’s ability to execute choreography and tell a story through performance. Most importantly, these dancers have shown incredible support for each other, celebrating improvement and success, and cheering each other on from the wings. Thank you to everyone who came along to support the dancers! What a wonderfully rewarding experience this has been for us all.

Kate Burnett
Head of The Arts

As a SACE Stage 1 Dancer this year, I have loved being part of the 2023 SACE Dance performance, Welcome to OZ. Although challenging at times, the rehearsal and preparation process has been extremely rewarding, seeing the choreography and concepts come to life. One of the highlights for me was using the light sticks for the first time in our hip-hop number; we were able to experience how production elements such as props and lighting can enhance choreography. I loved being a part of this performance and I am looking forward to performing in the years to come!

Alexandra Nguyen
Year 10 Student

Being a part of Welcome to Oz has been one of the most memorable experiences in my performing arts journey at Saints. I loved playing the role of the Tinman, my favourite number was the iconic ‘Ease on Down the Road’, the energy of this number was so much fun to perform. Collaborating with Mrs Burnett, The Stage 1 Dancers and my Stage 2 peers has allowed me to develop creativity and communication skills, all of which led to the amazing and entertaining performance the whole cohort was able to produce.

Daisy Kennett
Year 11 Student

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Saints Musicians Collaborate in Canberra

20 girls from our Senior music ensembles represented the School last week in Canberra for the Sisters of the Church Music Festival.

Throughout the week the girls were able to collaborate with our 5 sister schools from across Australia and New Zealand in music and social activities. A highlight being the 80’s dress up disco and visit to Questacon!

The girls were heavily engaged in learning repertoire for the concert on the Saturday evening and were lucky to work with some outstanding Australian musicians and conductors including Paul Jarman, who wrote several of the pieces featured at the concert.

One of the most rewarding parts of the event was collaborating with so many like-minded staff and students form across Australia and New Zealand. Our sister schools not only have their founding Community of the Sisters of the Church in common, the girls discovered over the course of the week that many of the students sitting alongside them in ensembles had similar experiences, hobbies, academic and co-curricular opportunities in their schools that we have at Saints.

On Saturday evening, our 20 girls were involved in numerous ensembles including the combined Festival Choir, Wind Ensemble, Stage Band and Symphony Orchestra.

Our Music Captain and Head Chorister Samantha Keough was one of the selected students to open the show with a vocal solo. Saints Girls also had their own featured item in the concert, we performed ‘We are St Peter’s Girls’ (our song about the school) and ‘He’s Everything’ from the movie Joyful Noise.

Sally Rounsevell
Director of Music

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Kilburn Spirit Week Reflection

In Week 6, the School community glowed bright with yellow to celebrate Kilburn Spirit Week! Throughout the week, all the Kilburn girls shared their House pride at School, with yellow ribbons filling the hallways. On Friday, girls also wore a yellow accessory and the Year 12s dressed up in yellow attire!

The annual Kilburn House Chapel was held on Wednesday to celebrate our House in 2023. The Chapel service started with a video compilation of interviews we conducted with of a range of Kilburn students and staff, which was a crowd favourite! As House Captain, I had the great honour of giving a speech sharing all the wonderful qualities of Kilburn House, reflecting on all our achievements this year!

We were fortunate to have Junior School House Captains Lydia Zhao and Evie Bowering share their love and passion for Kilburn. The service was also assisted by Deputy House Captain Bridgette Leach and Middle School House Captain Lexie Fishlock. Our talented Kilburn musicians Aurelia Pyne, Kimberley Psaromatis, Sophie Blight, Lara Maione, Jenna Maione, Lauren Parker, Nathara Perera and myself (supported by Georgia Evans) performed a beautiful rendition of The Beatles’ iconic ‘Here Comes The Sun’; a piece which we believe encapsulated the joy and brightness that Kilburn has. At the conclusion of the service, the Kilburn girls in Years 7-12 were treated with a delicious yellow cupcake, made by the Year 12 girls.

We finished off the golden week with the annual House Dinner on Friday night, the theme this year being Disney. The Year 11 girls worked tirelessly throughout the year to put this amazing night together, which included a delicious dinner, quizzes and games, and the Kilburn tradition of the Lip Sync Battle. It was fantastic to see a variety of iconic Disney characters fill the Arts Centre, and the costume efforts of all the students, staff and parents were awesome.

In conclusion, Kilburn Spirit Week was jam-packed with special traditions and celebrations. I loved seeing all the Kilburn girls show their House spirit. I would like to thank Bridgette Leach and Mrs O’Brien for all their assistance; the week would not have been possible without them and their passion for Kilburn. I wish all the Kilburn students and staff the best in the coming years, Kilburn is a truly special House that always shines bright.

We’re gold, you know it!

Zara Blight
Kilburn House Captain

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Book Week Literature Activities in the Junior School Library

Leading up to Book Week, the Year 1 girls were involved with the Children’s Book Council of Australia Sun Project. During Library lessons, they enjoyed the shortlisted books from the CBCA Early Childhood category, they completed creative responses to reflect their learning about each book. These included a mix of construction, drama, art and writing activities, such as making friendship postcards for each other, as well as using tangram pieces to make main characters.

The Year 6 Shadow Judging group of Erin, Jessica, Elizabeth, Lily N and Lili C-B met weekly to discuss the shortlisted books in the ‘Early Childhood’ category using the same criteria as the CBCA judges. The main areas considered were setting, plot, learning message, language, characters, perspectives, age appropriateness and design. The group had some great discussions while they ate lunch together in the JS Library. Their votes were included in the Shadow Judging Awards this Book Week.

The Year 4 classes enjoyed ‘Book Tastings’ in their Library lessons as a way to explore books in a range of the CBCA categories.  They enjoyed a book buffet, a book café and a book picnic, at which they read books both individually and together, as well as making a review pamphlet about their thoughts. The cohort voted in the Shadow Judging of the CBCA ‘Picture Book’ category.

Two Book Week displays in the JS Library were put together by Year 5 and Year 6 students.  For Year 5 the focus was on visual literacy techniques. In pairs, the students investigated specific aspects of books in the ‘New Illustrators’ category.  Their thoughtful analyses formed part of a colourful display. The Year 6 students worked in small groups to create table displays about each of the books in the ‘Eve Pownall – Information Books’ category.  These included facts, glossaries and simple craft activities that the younger students enjoyed trying out during lunchtimes.

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Enchante Originals – Song 1 Teaser

This week, we are excited to share a teaser of Enchante Originals’ ‘Right Back to You’, composed by Year 12 singer/songwriter, Stella Rasheed.

Stella says, ‘I have always been a lover of jazz and pop genres, and wanted to incorporate both styles into my composition. I chose to use the structure of a pop song with the addition of complex chords to produce a song which complemented both genres and utilised sophisticated harmonies. The lyrics reflect the story of a teenage girl who is navigating her first love, together with the thoughts and feelings she experiences.’            

Credits
Choral Director – Sari Noble
Arranged – Namoi Crellin
Guitar – Sam Leske
Keys and Audio – David Goodwin

Sari Noble
Director of Choirs

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Vacation Care – October Holidays – Book Now!

Our next exciting instalment of Junior School Vacation Care is almost here! We have some great activities guaranteed to keep the children entertained throughout the October school holidays. With an array of excursions and on-site adventures, there is plenty of fun to be had.

Click here to view the program.

Places are limited, so secure your booking now – Click here

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Ladies’ Night Out

Date: Wednesday 20 September, Week 9
Venue: Regal Theatre, 275 Kensington Road, Kensington Park
Time: Foyer opens at 6.30pm (movie starts 7.30pm)
Movie: My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3
Cost: $25 per person
Raffle tickets: $5 for 1 ticket, $10 for 3 tickets

Grab your girlfriends, mothers and sisters and get ready for a fabulous night celebrating the power of family and laughter at our ‘Ladies’ Night Out’ with the highly anticipated My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3.

You’ll be welcomed onboard with a complimentary glass of bubbles and chocolate bar, ready to transport you to Greece with the hilarious Portokalos family as they embark on another antic-filled adventure.

Raffle tickets are available to purchase online with your tickets. Prizes include tickets to Choral Night 2024 and this year’s Carols in the Cathedral – waltz past the queues straight to your reserved seats with the VIP guests! We also have 4 x one month OSX Outdoor Group Fitness Training vouchers (each voucher is for one person and valued at $160 each) kindly donated by Susanna Parkinson (current Year 9 parent).

This wonderful community event is hosted by The Friends of The Arts group with all
proceeds going directly to support the many wonderful Arts programs Saints Girls enjoy.

Join us for an evening to remember.

To book tickets – click here

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SACE Music Concert 2023

The SACE Music concert will be held on Thursday 14 September in the Arts Centre at 7pm.

The evening will feature our Year 11 and 12 Solo and Ensemble Stage 2 music students who will be completing their final assessment. Stage Band, Enchante, Bella Voce and Senior Strings will all perform alongside vocal performances from Samantha Keough and Zara Blight. Our instrumentalists Lauren Parker and Chomilka Hattotuwa will also feature.

We look forward to seeing you on Thursday Week 8 at 7pm.

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Thursday Club Performance – Book Now!

Our annual EDGE program ‘Thursday Club’ performance will be held at the Q Theatre on Halifax Street on Thursday 28 September, 5.30-7pm.

Tickets are $10 click here to book.

Come along and enjoy some beautiful contemporary vocal solo performances from students in Years 7 to 12,  accompanied by renowned Adelaide guitarist Mike Bevan.

We look forward to seeing you there!

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2023 Year 5 Production – Book Now

Thursday 28 and Friday 29 September
St Peter’s Girls’ Arts Centre
Tickets are on sale now! Click here to book.

Aladdin Jr. is a wonderful tale based on the story of Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp. This was one of the tales told by Scheherazade in the 1000 Arabian Nights.

The Year 5 students have been enthusiastically preparing to share this colourful story of adventure and romance with audiences. What’s not to love – heroes and heroines, an amazing genie and a magic carpet?!

We can guarantee a fun night out which will have you toe tapping, clapping and leaving with a big smile on your face!

Shelley Hampton
Director

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Scholastic Book Club Issue 6

Reading has a positive impact on the mental, social and emotional health of children. Encouraging reading for pleasure and giving children an independent choice is key to keeping them engaged in reading. Children are more likely to finish a book if they pick the book themselves. Enjoy reading some of the great titles in this issue such as The Lorikeet by Paul Jennings, Enola Holmes: The Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer and Zoo School by Heath McKenzie.

Due to popular demand, Scholastic have made available exclusively online The Hunger Games novels. They can be ordered on LOOP for $10 each using the following item numbers.

• The Hunger Games Item 460,
• Catching Fire Item 461,
• Mockingjay Item 462,
• The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes Item 463

You can place your child’s order at Scholastic Australia LOOP website or using the LOOP app, which can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play.

Browse Issue six here

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The Lion King Experience Jr. Auditions

Auditions for Shane Davidson Presents The Lion King Experience Jr. are on Saturday 16 September at St Peter’s Girls’ School.

For further information please email – shanedavidson@internode.on.net

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School Health Centre Notices

It is imperative that all medical information, including immunisations, is up to date on the School’s myLink parent portal.

Please follow this pathway to check and/or update details: myLink > Community Portal > My Details > select child name

If you have any questions, please email healthcentre@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au

COVID-19 Information

Please find the latest guidance from SA Health:

• It is strongly recommended that students stay home if they have cold or flu-like
  symptoms, and test for COVID-19.
• Whether they receive a positive or negative result, they should stay home until symptoms subside (usually five to seven days).
• While face masks are no longer mandated, they are an important physical barrier to help stop the spread of COVID, particularly when indoors.

If your child tests positive to COVID-19, please inform the School. Please also notify the School each day of absence, or provide the expected period of absence.

You can notify us via one of the following methods. Please include the name of the ELC Room, Class or Home Group. If emailing, feel free to ‘CC’ the teacher of the Room/Class/Home Group as well.

Email: attendance@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au

Text: 0428 601 957 (save to phone contacts as SPGS)

Phone: 8334 2200

For more SA Health information, click here

Please note that if your child is unwell, they should remain home until they have recovered, irrespective of the illness.

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Sports News

Sport Results

Wednesday 30 August – Friday 1 September

 BASKETBALL

Year 4 – 6 Blue: Saints (9) v Seymour Green (40)
Best Player: Edwina Cannon.
Superwoman: Lianna Lei. Special thanks to Violet Tulloch for scoring while in a moon boot!
Year 4 – 6 White: Saints (12) v Wilderness (32)

HOCKEY

Year 3/4: Saints (0) v Wilderness (3)
Best Player: Lana Rundle.
Superwoman: Claire Lucas.

LACROSSE 

U13 Blue: Saints (6) v Glenelg Blackhawks (4)
Congratulations on winning your semi-final and making it to the prelim final.

NETBALL 

Year 4 – 6 Silver: Saints (27) v Saints White 1 (3)
Year 4 – 6 White: Saints (3) v Saints Silver (27)
Year 4 – 6 Navy Blue: Saints (3) v Westminster Green (20)
Year 4 – 6 Royal Blue: BYE
Year 4 – 6 Sky Blue: Saints (3) v Scotch Navy (23)
Year 4 – 5 Blue: Saints (11) v Seymour Purple (8)
Year 4 – 5 White: Saints (1) v Pembroke Blue (8)
Year 3 Blue: BYE
Year 3 White: Saints (3) v Pembroke Blue (9)

SOCCER

Year 4 – 6 Blue: Saints (0) v Pulteney Navy (0)
Year 4 – 6 White: Saints (0) v Wilderness (4)

Saints Sport Week

The inaugural Saints Sport Week ran this week. An initiative of the Sports Captains, Saints Sports Week was a celebration of ‘all things sport’ at Saints. It was a way for our Sports Captains to give back to the sporting community, connect with girls across Junior, Middle and Senior School and provide some fun opportunities to engage in sports activities.

Throughout the week we had multiple Staff v Students activities. In the Middle and Senior School, the Open A Netball and Soccer teams took on a team of staff in their respective sports. Both matches were tightly contested with the students taking out Netball (21-18) and staff taking out Soccer (3-0). The leader board now stands at one-all, with Touch Football and Basketball to come in Term 4 during PE Week.

Our Junior School Teaching staff also participated in some Staff v Student activities for the first time ever on Wednesday! The staff and students faced off in both netball shooting and soccer goal-scoring activities. The students loved competing against their teachers and showing off their skills, while the teachers showed the students a thing or two and impressed with their abilities.

The final Junior School activity was aerobics, where the students and staff were taught a routine by our Sports Captains and then performed it for each other. While the skills on display were varied, the enthusiasm and enjoyment were ten out of ten across the board.

On Tuesday, our Year 7-12 girls heard from guest speaker Adelaide Crows AFLW player Anne Hatchard. Anne spoke of her experiences going from amateur to professional athlete, how the culture at the Crows has developed, and how important this has been to the team’s success. She recalled her favourite sporting highlight – the 2017 AFLW Grand Final win in front of a crowd of 50,000+ at Adelaide Oval – as a milestone in women’s sport and a shift in societal attitudes towards watching women’s sport.

For our Year 3 – 6 sports teams, we invited coaches and athletes from Basketball South Australia, Football South Australia, Hockey SA and Netball South Australia to run clinics during training sessions. The focus for these sessions was fun, teamwork and developing team connections. All the girls found these clinics exciting and something different from their normal training sessions.

Finally, the girls had the opportunity to share a nutritional fact with our Sports Captains and then choose a good pre/during/post-game snack to eat. There were a lot of great facts from the girls and they enjoyed tucking into bread and jam, fruit, yoghurt and milo!

Overall, it has been a brilliant week celebrating sport at Saints. The Sports Captains have done an exceptional job leading these activities, and leave a wonderful legacy for the 2024 Sport Captains to build on next year!

Alice Johnswood
Sports Administrator

Nikki Brennan
Health & PE Teacher, Junior School Sports Coordinator

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Issue no. 21

From Our Director of Teaching and Learning

At St Peter’s Girls’ School, our students are encouraged to challenge their thinking by being bold, robust and inquiring learners. Through our teachings and our culture, we inspire women of character and influence. As a school we understand the significance of academic rigour in not only shaping our girls’ current educational journeys but also in preparing them for life-long learning. Our approaches to learning are intentionally designed to equip students with the essential skills and knowledge that transcend the classroom, empowering them for the opportunities that lie ahead. We empower our girls to undertake a comprehensive and well-rounded course of study. Central to our approach is the cultivation of deep thinking and comprehensive exposure to a diverse curriculum, ensuring that our students possess both a solid foundation and a wide-ranging perspective as they navigate their educational journey and life beyond school.

In the ELC, our education practice is influenced by the Reggio Emilia philosophy which values every child as strong, capable and resilient. Throughout the ELC and Junior School, students complete the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IBPYP). The PYP aims to develop the intellectual, emotional and physical potential of each girl, in a secure and stimulating environment. Through the PYP our girls are encouraged to learn to appreciate knowledge, conceptual understandings, skills and personal attributes as a connected whole.

In the Middle School, teachers create learning experiences which are guided by the principles of our Academic Framework. In every subject students are encouraged to develop and reflect upon the signature skills of self-management, communication, collaboration, investigation as well as creative and critical thinking.

Upon entering the Senior School, students choose to complete the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE) or the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP). Both programs offer sound academic pathways and continue to foster our signature skills through to their completion.

Our girls make informed decisions to undertake SACE or the IBDP through understanding their styles of learning, the subject offerings, and requirements of each program. Both programs enable graduates to be primed to embrace the complexities and opportunities of a rapidly evolving global landscape. Our Senior students’ commitment to our School’s Senior Course of Study supports them in rising to the academic rigour required for them to truly reach their potential.

At the heart of our educational philosophy, we are inspired by our core values: courage, compassion and creativity. Our students enter our School as girls and leave as sophisticated and caring young women keen to make their mark on the world.

Kate Fryer
Director of Teaching & Learning

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Science Oliphant Success!

This year, 28 students from Years 3 – 12 competed in the SASTA Oliphant Science Awards. The girls submitted projects across a range of categories, including photography, posters, scientific inquiries, and scientific writing. Congratulations to Zoe Curtis (Year 6) and Arabella Morgante (Year 4) who were named as award winners in their categories. Zoe Curtis was named a winner for her scientific inquiry submission where she investigated movement and vibrations. Zoe was also named a winner for her photography submission where she photographed the movement of ooblek through vibrations. Arabella Morgante was named a winner for her scientific writing submission where she investigated insects and their use as food sources. Additionally, Ania Choi (Year 7) was highly commended for her programming submission ‘Magic Herbot’.

Zoe and Arabella will be recognised at the SASTA Oliphant Science Awards presentation night in October. Congratulations girls!

Sophie Dolling
Scientist in Residence

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Clean Sweep at Winter Intercol

During Week 6, our annual Winter Intercol took place against Walford. Our teams faced off against Walford in Aussie Rules, Badminton, Hockey, Netball and Soccer.

Soccer kicked off (pun intended!) the weeks matches with our Open A playing at Walford and our Middle A playing at Saints. As there were just two games for soccer, if the schools won one match each the overall winner would be decided on goal difference.

Our Open A’s played a tightly fought match, which was tense from beginning to end. Scores were locked away at one-all before Walford kicked the winner, ending the game with Walford 2-1 up.

It was now up to our Middle A’s to bring home the win and by two goals or more to secure the trophy! Fresh off their outstanding win in the Middle A Grade Final the week prior, the girls were full of confidence and came out playing attacking, dominant soccer.

The girls controlled the game from the first whistle, running out eventual winners 15+ to zero. An absolutely phenomenal performance from a very talented team. This super effort from both teams meant that Saints retained the soccer trophy from 2022. A great start to Intercol week!

Next up was Friday Night Footy at Payneham Oval. Seduced by offers of a free bus, free sausage and free drink (as well as the promise of a close game), crowd numbers were impressive and the girls got around the team to support with lots of great signs on display and cheering to be heard. Lead by the very vocal Ashlyn May, who despite being injured and not able to take the field still made her presence felt.

Saints kicked one early, but Walford replied just as quickly. Willow Stewart-Rattray and Chloe Porter got the ball moving into our forward line, but it was a challenge to score with Walford bringing the ball out of defence too easily. Quarters 2 and 3 saw not many scores but some great individual efforts from Ella Ridge, Jasmine Segredos and Phoebe Russell before the final quarter saw the floodgates open. Grace Richards started the party with an accurate finish before Georgie Owler put the icing on the cake with a goal kicked from over her head to seal the victory.

An outstanding win by the girls that was enjoyed by everyone who was there!

We now held two of the five Intercol trophies, so the pressure was on our Badminton, Hockey and Netball girls to get the job done on Saturday morning.

Our Hockey girls had played Walford twice in the season already, once in May where we defeated them 4-0 and then again at the School Sport SA State Hockey Championships where we just scraped over the line winning 1-0. So, we knew it was going to be tough, especially as Walford had held the trophy for the past two years.

The girls were focused from the get-go. We scored early and built from there, going into the three-quarter time break 3-0 up. Walford threw absolutely everything they had at us in the final quarter, including taking their goalie off to put in an extra scoring option but our girls held onto for the win 4-0. A complete performance and a fitting way to end the season for our hockey girls, who know what it means to play as one and show courage, creativity and compassion.

Our Badminton girls had a little bit extra on the line during Intercol, with our Open A’s needing a big win to give them the best chance of securing a spot in the Grand Final on September 9. They did not disappoint, with a huge win 6-10-176 to 0-1-81. Both Open B teams had dominant wins with Walford only winning one set across those three match ups. Our two C teams rounded out what was truly a dominant performance with Saints taking the win 5 matches to 1.

To top this off, we found out on Monday that our Open A’s managed the sneak into the top two and will now play Pembroke in the Open A final on September 9. Well done girls!

With Saints never having lost Netball Intercol the teams went in confident and ready to bring the trophy home for a sixth time and complete the clean sweep of Winter Intercol. A feat which has not been achieved since 2018.

With ten games being played across Middle and Senior School, Saints needed to secure wins in at least six of these matches to retain the trophy. After the early games concluded, Saints was up 5-0 and at the end of all the matches we had won Netball Intercol 9-0.

There were some great skills on display and it was wonderful to see our Open A’s win their first game of the year in what has been a really tough season for them.

Saints hold all five Winter Interhouse trophies! A fantastic effort from all the girls and coaches, and a lovely way for our Year 12 girls to finish their Winter sporting with the school.

Alice Johnswood
Sports Administrator

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Jazz Masterclass at Conservatorium

Last Tuesday, music students from Enchante who are currently completing SACE Stage 2 Solo Performance and SACE Stage 2 Ensemble Performance, as well as some students who are planning to undertake these Music subjects next year, experienced a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

International jazz sensation and multiple Grammy Award nominee Jazzmeia Horn was recently invited by the Helpmann Academy to travel to Adelaide, as part of an Arts initiative in partnership with the Adelaide University Conservatorium. Based in New York City, Jazzmeia is a vocalist, producer, activist, writer, and educator. Enthused as one of the “most exciting vocalists in jazz” by The New York Times, Jazzmeia Horn has been compared to vocal jazz greats such as Betty Carter, Sarah Vaughan, and Nancy Wilson.

Sari Noble
Director of Choirs

On Tuesday I had the privilege of attending a Secondary Schools Jazz Vocal Masterclass at the University of Adelaide, with Grammy award-winning singer Jazzmeia Horn. In this workshop, students had the opportunity to perform jazz repertoire for Jazzmeia. I was lucky enough to be chosen and performed Ella Fitzgerald’s ‘Misty’, in which I received advice from Jazzmeia on how to make the piece my own. Her suggestions regarding experimenting with improvisation, together with her demonstration were absolutely invaluable. I was grateful to absorb Jazzmeia’s knowledge and wisdom, as well as watch some up-and-coming jazz performers from different schools. It was a fantastic experience.

Zara Blight
Year 12 Student

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Enchante Announces Exciting New Project

Senior choir Enchante is working on a special project to help raise the profile of original music in Adelaide and to promote our own young emerging composers at Saints Girls. Enchante is excited to announce they will shortly be releasing a new E.P. (extended play). Entitled Enchante Originals, the E.P. will feature 3 compositions, each by one of Enchante’s talented composers. The E.P. will be available in the coming weeks on Spotify. You can also access our previous jazz album Enchante Live on this music platform. Stay tuned on our social media accounts over the coming weeks for song releases and updates!

Sari Noble
Director of Choirs

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SLIC Girls ‘Read, Grow and Inspire’

 

Each year, the Student Library Initiatives Club (SLIC) spend many hours in preparation for the Junior School Book Week Assembly. They READ through the nominated Book of the Year titles and write plays for the assembly in Week 5. Through rehearsals during many lunchtimes, they GROW their confidence in the performances they have created, refine scripts and take ownership of all the required staging elements from props and costumes to screen images. For the first time, this year’s Dress Rehearsal was shared with ELC children who were delighted with the performances. At the end of the last play, one child commented, ‘Can we see more?’ A great endorsement.

On August 25, the girls hit the stage performing Where the Lyre Bird lives (Ruby P, Hope, Alysa, Monica, Naadiya, Misha), Theres’s no such book (Ruby A, Naomi, Alice, Daisy), Bev and Kev (Kaylah, Jessica, Emily), Jigsaw (Annie, Mack, Emily) and Frank’s Red Hat (Ayla, Ashani, Sapphire, Malaika & Heidi). This year the girls were not only supported by Year 6 compares (Charlotte, Valencia & Lily) but also worked with a waddle of five penguins (Shruti, Ella, Elana, Pearl & Clara), actors for Katie and Kitty (Grace & Zoe), a playful dog (Brooke) and a regal Lion (Mathilda). Other Year 6 students (Sophia, Lianna, Willow, Eliza, Sophie & Scarlett) played an invaluable role as stage assistants ensuring the smooth transition between plays.

This annual event has significance in that the work done by this talented group of girls reaches out across the School, engaging our youngest members to Senior students. Their efforts truly INSPIRE all those who love reading. I would like to personally acknowledge how proud I am of their creativity, perseverance and commitment.

Lisa Hollis
Head of Library and Information Services

‘The Book Week performance is our favourite part of being involved in the Student Library Initiatives Club. We enjoyed embracing the theme ‘Read, Grow, Inspire’ which we were able to incorporate into creative performances adored by the ELC and Junior School students. The aspect of bringing books to life is what our audiences find so captivating while, as performers, engaging younger readers is truly rewarding. We also love the experience of seeing all the imaginative costumes the younger students wear that never disappoint. We can’t wait until next year!’

Jessica Zhang and Emily McCorley
SLIC Members

 

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Health Notification

To minimise the spread of illness across the School, we remind you to endorse good hygiene practices with your child(ren) at home, such as covering coughs and sneezes and frequently washing your hands.

If your child begins to display cold or flu-like symptoms, please follow the current guidance from SA Health:

• Students should stay home for 5 days if they have cold or flu-like symptoms, and test for COVID-19.
• Whether they receive a positive or negative result, they should stay home until symptoms subside (five to seven days). This includes avoiding high risk settings, OSHC, co-curricular activities, excursions and camps.
• While face masks are no longer mandated, they are an important physical barrier to help stop the spread of COVID, particularly when indoors.

If your child tests positive to COVID-19, please inform the School. Please also notify the School each day of absence, or provide the expected period of absence.

You can notify us via one of the following methods. Please include the name of the Class or Home Group. If emailing, feel free to ‘CC’ the teacher of the Class/Home Group as well.

Email: attendance@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au

Text: 0428 601 957 (save to phone contacts as SPGS)

Phone: 8334 2200

For more SA Health information, click here.

Please note that if your child is unwell, they should remain home until they have recovered, irrespective of the illness.

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2023 Year 5 Production – Aladdin!

Aladdin Jr. is a wonderful tale based on the story of Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp. This was one of the tales told by Scheherazade in the 1000 Arabian Nights.

The Year 5 students have been enthusiastically preparing to share this colourful story of adventure and romance with audiences. What’s not to love – heroes and heroines, an amazing genie and a magic carpet?!

Save the Date – Thursday 28 and Friday 29 September, St Peter’s Girls’ Arts Centre
Tickets go on sale next Monday 4 September – click here to book.

We can guarantee a fun night out which will have you toe tapping, clapping and leaving with a big smile on your face!

Shelley Hampton
Director

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Junior School Art Trail – Next Week

Artwork by Eliza Phillips (Year 6)

The 2023 Junior School Art Trail will launch next Tuesday 5 September (Week 7). Grandparents and treasured friends are invited to join us for this magical journey through our School, showcasing the imagination and creativity of our Reception – Year 6 artists.

Artworks include giant treasure maps, coiled ceramic plates, sustainable bird sculptures, abstract painted flags, upcycled chairs, hanging lanterns, ceramic cultural buildings and a collection of collaborative paintings.

The exhibition will be staggered across the day. Visitors are invited to arrive at the time scheduled for their youngest Junior School student in the family. Older Junior School students will join the tour scheduled for their younger sister’s year level:

• 8.45am – 10am: Mid-Year Reception and Reception (and older Junior School sisters)
• 10.30am – 11.45am: Year 2 and 5 students (and older Junior School sisters)
• 12pm – 1.15pm: Year 3 and 6 students (and older Junior School sisters)
• 1.45pm – 3pm: Year 1 and 4 students (and older Junior School sisters)

Parents are invited to view the trail with their daughters between 8 – 8.30am and 3.30 – 5pm, Wednesday 6 – Friday 8 September. We can’t wait to see you there!

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SACE Dance 2023 – Book Now!

The SACE Dance students have been preparing all year for their performance ‘Welcome to Oz’ which follows Dorothy and her friends down the yellow brick road towards the weird and wonderful Emerald City. Come along on 6-7 September at 7pm for a spectacular evening and see our talented Senior Dance students in action! Tickets are on sale now and close at 5pm on the day of each performance, click here to book.

An enthusiastic audience always helps our dancers to reach their full performance potential. Thank you for your support!

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SLIC reViews Issue 8 Out Now

The Student Libraries Initiatives Club’s Magazine: SLIC reViews Issue 8 is now available.

This issue celebrates Book Week and the fabulous writers and illustrators who contribute to Australian children’s literature. The girls had a fabulous week celebrating Australian literature with author talks from Margot McGovern to the Year 9 students, illustrator Lauren Mullinder teaching the Year 8 students about illustrating picture books and Miss Hollis leading the Year 7 students in Book Week bingo.

The student Libraries Initiatives Club and the Year 6 Library Leaders picked their favourite books from the shortlisted picture books to perform at the Book Week Assembly; Bev and Kev, Jigsaw, Where the Lyrebird lives, Frank’s Red Hat and There’s No Such Book. Jigsaw and Frank’s Red Hat were voted the favourite books for the Junior School.

Start reading now – click here

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School Shop Notice

School Shop Opening Hours

Monday to Friday: 8am – 4pm (closed for lunch 12 – 12.30pm)

Parents can also order items via our Online School Shop. This is now accessible via the Flexischools platform which also administers our Online Tuck Shop. To sign in or sign up to Flexischools, click here

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Absences from School

If your child will be absent from school/ELC or is arriving late or leaving early, please notify the School via one of the following methods:

Text: 0428 601 957

Email: attendance@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au

Phone: 8334 2200

Please ensure to include your child’s name, the name of the ELC Room, Class or Home Group and the reason for the absence ie illness/appointment/family/sport etc.

If notifying via email, feel free to ‘cc’ the teacher of the Room/Class/Home Group as well.

It would be appreciated if notification is received prior to 9am.

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