From the Director of Early Learning
Dear Families
At St Peter’s Girls’ Early Learners’ Centre, reconciliation is a part of our daily practice. Living by values such as compassion and inclusion, we work intentionally to find the similarities in our human race and celebrate the diversity of who we are and the different stories we have. Last week in the ELC, we marked the significance of Reconciliation Week in our culture by raising three flags – an Australian flag, an Aboriginal flag and a Torres Strait Islander flag – and participating in a traditional smoking ceremony with our Kaurna elder Tamaru. We have installed three flagpoles within the grounds of the ELC to serve as a daily reminder of our identity.
As part of the School’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), a group of senior students wanted to fly the three flags alongside some of our ELC friends during the smoking ceremony. We have worked in partnership with the students to make this a reality, and the significance of this moment with the flags really demonstrates the whole School’s understanding and acknowledgement of this important week. In addition, the ELC has written its own Reconciliation Action Plan and this sits alongside the School’s plan.
In the ELC, we are teaching the children the Kaurna language and heritage. The children enjoy learning another language, and love the sounds of the words and the connections they can make to their beautiful Ferguson Park. This is the place where the language is made real for them, as it is within this context that they truly begin to understand the significance of our land and what it can teach them.
We believe we have a responsibility to be at the forefront of reconciliation, educating our youngest students and their families alongside ourselves. We are taught everything we know from our Kaurna elders, in particular Tamaru, whom we have developed a strong relationship with. Tamaru is now a significant part of our ELC community and believes that working side-by-side in an authentic way will have a significant impact on the future for the next generation. As the adults in their lives, we have a responsibility to have an open dialogue with our children, educating them as they grow and deepening their understanding of the culture, land and world they are growing up in.
It has been an honour standing in Ferguson Park each morning last week, listening to each group of children and educators confidently recite the Acknowledgement to Country in Kaurna. We know we have created something very special in our ELC by embedding reconciliation into our daily practice, and we recognise that these values of reconciliation and compassion are paramount.
Please watch our video below to see a glimpse of these special moments and meaningful connections.
Kate Mount
Director of Early Learning
Save the Date
Monday 10 June: Public Holiday (ELC closed)
Monday 24 June: ELC Hat Ceremony
Monday 1 July: Vacation Care begins
Late Pick Ups
It has come to my attention that a few families are collecting their children late from the ELC. The ELC closes at 6pm. Please be advised that this is a very important operational factor that must be adhered to.
I ask that families ensure they enter the ELC no later than 5.55pm in order to allow the time required to sign out, collect your child and their belongings and exchange information about your child’s day. The doors officially close at 6pm sharp.
Kate Mount
Director of Early Learning
Vacation Care Bookings
Vacation Care booking forms will be sent home this week. If you haven’t received yours, you can download the form here.
Please note that we have a three week break commencing on 1 July, and Term 3 begins on Tuesday 23 July.
Mid-Year Reception Transition Visits
This week, the Hallett friends who will be starting school next term began their Mid-Year Reception Transition Visits. They spent the morning in their new classroom, meeting their new teacher and Ms Haddy, the Head of Junior School. These transition visits are such a valuable and important process for the children, and we look forward to showing you their journey in the coming weeks.
Kate Mount
Director of Early Learning
Warm Clothing for our Park Visits
Each week, we spend time in Ferguson Park. As the cold weather is already upon us, please ensure your child has appropriate clothing and shoes on their ELC attendance days. This includes a warm jacket, pants or leggings, and closed shoes or boots. The children love being outdoors; it is so good for their learning and wellbeing!
Thank you.
ELC Team
Welcome to our New Staff
This term, we have welcomed two new staff to our ELC community: Emily Downie in Learning Community 1 and Josh Romeo in Learning Community 2. Emily has a Diploma of Early Childhood Learning and brings 10 years’ experience working within childcare centres in private schools, and Joshua has a Bachelor of Early Childhood Learning. Please join us in welcoming them into our special community, and feel free to ask them any questions you might have.
Kate Mount
Director of Early Learning
ELC Ladies’ Day Out
Every year, we come together to enjoy a fabulous Ladies’ Day Out and this year was no exception. Two buses headed off to Golding Winery last Sunday, and although the sun wasn’t shining, there was certainly nothing but joy among the group. We celebrated community, friendship and our common purpose – the children!
We were blessed with a beautiful venue that accommodated our group. We enjoyed a delicious lunch and wonderful raffle prizes that were shared among many. Thank you to everyone who donated a prize to this day.
The Friends of the ELC did a fabulous job organising everything to make the day such a success. Thank you to this amazing group of volunteers who fuel our community with their fabulous events.
We had such a lovely time and we hope you can join us next year!
Friends of the ELC
Tree Removal
As families are aware, the tree in the Hallett Garden at the front of the ELC has been sectioned off since October as a safety precaution. After much deliberation with Burnside Council, we have collectively agreed upon a safe and sustainable method to remove the tree. This will be actioned by the council on Saturday 8 June. The children are aware of this, and have taken the time to thank and farewell the tree.
We thank you for your understanding as we have facilitated these important safety works over the past months.
Kate Mount
Director of Early Learning
End of Term Morning Tea
In celebration of the end of another fantastic term, the Friends of the ELC would like to invite you to join us for a coffee and croissant morning tea on Thursday 27 June at 8.30am. We hope you can join us in building strong connections between our families and the ELC community.
Friends of the ELC
Friends of the ELC Community Garden
The Friends of the ELC are fundraising to improve and extend the ELC outdoor learning space by creating a Community Garden for harvesting fruits, vegetables and herbs.
You can help us by generously donating any of the following:
- A monetary gift to help us purchase equipment
- Your time to help with gardening
- Any expertise you may have in this field
- Any gardening equipment (e.g. pavers, gardening vouchers, tools, etc.)
There will be a donation box in the ELC foyer. Thank you for your support!
Friends of the ELC
Saints Girls has arrived on Instagram!
St Peter’s Girls is proud to launch our newest social media offering to celebrate our wonderful community.
We look forward to sharing exciting images and cutting-edge videos showcasing life at Saints Girls. Be a part of the action and follow us via @stpetersgirlsschool or by clicking here.
Accessing your Child’s Canvas Page
Your child’s Canvas homepage is a dynamic online sharing space that invites you to participate in your child’s learning as it happens. It provides a window into your child’s life at the ELC as educators share intentional teaching, specialist lessons and spontaneous moments.
We can share videos and images directly with parents that capture the rich learning experiences in which your child is engaged throughout their time at the ELC. The Canvas home page also enables us to share more of the process of learning, rather than just the end product.
Your child’s Canvas page is accessed through the myLink Parent Portal. If you have not accessed myLink or your child’s Canvas page before, please follow these instructions:
Accessing myLink for the first time:
- Visit https://mylink.stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au
- To set your first password, click the link below the sign in section
- Enter your username, click ‘Next’
- On the next screen, enter the security code emailed to you
- Enter the password you would like to use and press submit
- Return to the login screen at https://mylink.stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au to access myLink
- Several instructional videos are available via the Welcome page if you click on the ‘HELP’ menu tab.
Accessing Canvas through the myLink parent portal:
- Access myLink as per above instructions
- Click on the ‘MYLINK HOME’ tab
- Click on your child’s name tab
- Under ‘Class Contacts’ click on the ELC room name (you may need to enter your parent username and password again)
If you have any problems accessing or navigating myLink, please contact the IT Helpdesk via 8334 2227 or helpdesk@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au.
Photo Etiquette:
Please note that your child’s Canvas home page and Portfolio will contain some images and video footage of other children. We therefore ask that you do not copy or share images or videos, especially on social media, if they contain other children.
来自黄老师的信息
亲爱的家长朋友们，你们好：
上一周是“和谐社会周”，对我们ELC来说是十分重要的一周。作为ELC的标志，我们升起了代表澳洲这片土地的三面重要旗帜，这也是我们未来ELC小朋友学习认知的重要部分。
在ELC我们会向小朋友教授土著语言和土著文化。小朋友们十分喜爱学习土著语言。这样的学习过程，让他们深刻体会Ferguson Park和他们生活的这片土地与他们日常学习息息相关。也正是这样美好的衔接，让他们明白这片土地是他们重要的学习源泉之一。
我们有义务让孩子们了解和谐社会的重要意义。在我们的ELC社区，土著老师Tamaru亲身教授许多真实的、来自我们古老土著人们的文化。小朋友的学习，也正是建立在他们对于自己真实的生活文化，土地和世界的理解之上。
由于天气渐渐转凉，进入冬季。请家长朋友们为小朋友们准备一件暖和的外套以便他们参与到日常的公园探访。
另外，这个学期的假期日托班时间是7月1日到7月22日。我们的假期日托表格这周会发给大家，请家长们及时填写并交回给所在班级的老师们。
健康建议：
由于目前澳洲各州流感多发，如果小朋友有表现出流感的症状，比如发烧在37.5度或者之上，或者他们服用了任何退热止痛药物（由于这些药物也会引起一些胃部不适或者呕吐症），请家长朋友们让小朋友们请假在家好好休息。这将有助于小朋友的恢复以及保证我们ELC为小朋友建立健康学习社区。
Emma works in Learning Community 2 on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9am – 5pm, and Jade works 11am – 6pm every day in Learning Community 1.
Learning Community 1
News from the Stonyfell Room
How do we bring an awareness of Reconciliation Week to very young children? As citizens of our community and our country, they have the right to know what is happening in their world. All week, we have been engaged in special activities that highlight reconciliation between all Australians, recognising that Aboriginal people deserve our complete commitment to walking together in a respectful relationship. As educators of young Australians who are the leaders of the future, we want to support the development of skills and dispositions that will help them to achieve harmony across our land.
In Learning Community 1, the children already have a bank of knowledge and understanding of Kaurna language and culture, inspired by our friendship with Kaurna elder Tamaru and his teaching. Because of this, Reconciliation Week has been something that is a natural continuation of their learning, with the experiences we have shared being authentic and meaningful. Even when Tamaru is not present, the children love to speak, sing and communicate in the Kaurna language. It is very common to hear children singing in what, for some, is their third language:
“Nyngkina, Miyana, Nyungkina, Miyana!” – Mingzu and Olivia W.
This simply means, “Boys and girls! Boys and girls!” and is a way of bringing the group together. Yet for the children, it is so much more fun to sing it in the Kaurna language than English! And we know that when learning is fun and interactive, we can concentrate for longer. The children have also become experts at recognising Kaurna symbols that communicate information:
“It means a girl, like me.” – Aanya
“Clapsticks.” – Georgie
“It’s like a caterpillar.” – Mila Z
“It’s a symbol.” – Sofia L.V.
“My honey ant.” – Mila H.
“Tamaru sticks.” – Isla
“Nyunkina miyana.” – Amy
The development of their literacy skills through this process has been phenomenal.
Raising the Aboriginal flag in our ELC garden following the smoking ceremony by Tamaru last Tuesday was exciting, giving our whole School community an opportunity to celebrate the steps we are making towards reconciliation. Throughout the week, we invited children to contemplate the three colours of yellow, black and red in a variety of contexts. This provided a foundation for the discussion at the end of the week about the flag and what it represents:
“Yellow. It’s a Palti Circle.” – Kary
“The sun.” – Angie
“The black – it’s the sea.” – Maddie A
“The night. And that can be dark.” – Alessandro
“The scared.” – Edith
“It’s night.” – Sam
“The ground. Yurta.” – Maddie A
Our two and three year old children are a source of joy and inspiration to us in the way they are embracing one of the oldest living cultures on Earth and bringing it with them on their journey into our future. We are so proud of the direction they are choosing to take us.
Mel Angel
News from the Bell Yett Room
Strength lies in differences, not in similarities
Week 5 in the ELC saw us acknowledge Reconciliation Week. We marked the occasion with a Welcome to Country from our Kaurna elder and friend Tamaru, who led a smoking ceremony and helped us to raise our Australian, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island flags for the first time. We recited our acknowledgement to land and sang our Niina Marni Hello song. The ceremony was an important and moving moment for the ELC and wider School community.
What was a significant week on the Australian calendar felt like any other week for our children who have the values that sit behind reconciliation embedded in their every day. The term reconciliation is a complex one for children of this age, but one that can be learnt. We associate reconciliation with a feeling of belonging and an understanding that we do not need to be the same to belong.
Each day in our Morning Meetings, we have a discussion about how we are feeling. Within these conversations, we have begun talking about our little group that makes up the Bell Yett Room. We talk about it simply and frankly:
- Do we look the same?
- Do we have the same family?
- Do we live on the same street?
…But are we still friends?
- Mishali likes this, but Walter doesn’t… can they still do something together?
- Is it okay for Aimee and Liam to like different things?
- Can they still help each other?
The conversation is simple but meaningful in its consistency. We are practising the “21st century” social skills necessary to participate fairly within a range of groups. We are building:
- Awareness
- Acceptance
- Respect
- Open mindedness
In our ELC community, we constantly look for opportunities to embrace and celebrate diversity but, most importantly, to develop the understanding that diversity within communities is natural. Diversity is what makes our community unique, our own.
Annabelle Redmond
Learning Community 2
News from the Ferguson Room
Living Reconciliation – Everyday Actions Moving us Forward Together
- What is reconciliation?
- What does it mean to us?
- How does it look at the ELC?
Last week was Reconciliation Week across the country. We entered this week with joy and excitement. Each morning, the ELC community entered Ferguson Park and stood on the Kaurna Yerta (country) sharing the Acknowledgment to Country. These words were written by children from the ELC in 2015, and hold deep meaning and ongoing commitment to enact reconciliation for us every time it is said. We raised our flags on our new flag poles and we welcomed Tamaru to lead a smoking ceremony and Welcome to Country. These events were special to this week; however, we believe that Reconciliation Week is not just an event, it is something that we are living every day.
What does Living Reconciliation look like?
This term, ‘Living Reconciliation’, was shared by our dear friend and Kaurna elder Tamaru. It demonstrates how we are working continually together in partnership with the Kaurna culture, building our understanding and knowledge as we walk side-by-side.
The children across Learning Community 2 have been actively engaging in many aspects of the Kaurna culture for some time now. We are continually building on our language skills and learning new words that support our learning. This term, we have been re-engaging with Ferguson Park, and this space has become a vehicle for building our language skills as well as deepening our connection to nature. The children have been confident to include the Kaurna language in their explorations and discoveries.
The children in the Ferguson Room are currently in the process of creating an information book about Ferguson Park, and our aim is to include our understandings, knowledge and language of the Kaurna culture. This will become a clear representation of ‘Living Reconciliation’.
We walk side-by-side together every day.
Laura Reiters
News from the Hallett Room
Ninna Marni,
We thank the Kaurna people for our land.
We welcome you to play with us at the ELC and Ferguson Park,
sharing the land and the plants.
We will look after everything on the land; the people and the animals.
Last week, the ELC community celebrated Reconciliation Week. This is an opportunity to reflect on our ongoing work towards reconciliation as we walk side-by-side with the Kaurna people, sharing our history, stories and culture. We began each day in Ferguson Park sharing our Acknowledgement to Country. We look forward to this new tradition becoming part of our morning ritual.
Last Tuesday, we welcomed Tamaru, our friend and Kaurna elder. He began the day with a traditional smoking ceremony, burning eucalyptus leaves before blessing all the people present and the flags.
“We haven’t had a flag before.” – Olivia C
“I like the flags. Tamaru will love them.” – Aubrey
“The Kaurna people were actually the first people to live in Adelaide, that is why we have the Aboriginal flag.” – Jessie
“When the Aboriginal people see the flags, they will know that the ELC is a safe place for them to come and play.” – Mia
“When people see the flags, we are showing that we love Australia, the Kaurna people and the Aboriginal people.” – Elijah
We continued the day collaborating in Learning Communities, sharing Kaurna language and Dreaming stories.
Throughout the week, we explored different ways of engaging with the Reconciliation Story, deepening our understanding about our history through empathy and respect. Through role play, mark-making and storytelling, the children shared their feelings and reflections. On Friday, Tamaru joined us for a picnic lunch in Ferguson Park and the children were able to reveal their connections and share the narratives they created of his people and the land.
“The Aboriginals lived on the land. They made a shelter for their home.” – Mathea
“The Aboriginal people are swimming in the water. They are having fun.” – Scarlett
“The house is called a Wodli. It is made from sticks.” – Eloise
“There was an Aboriginal, they were the first on the land. They lived in a Wodli and they swam to get fish to eat. Someone came on the water, the English people. They took the land from the Aboriginal people. The Aboriginal people were so sad. Then one day, they shook hands and said sorry”. – Crystal
Through learning about Aboriginal culture and perspectives, the children are developing values that foster respect and inclusivity in their daily lives.
Nell Tierney and Leanne Williams