Welcome to Term 3
We hope you all enjoyed a restful and refreshing break. A special welcome to the new children and families joining our Early Learners’ Centre this term. We are delighted to have you as part of our community.
We are excited to introduce three new Co-Educators to our ELC team, each bringing rich experience, warmth, and a strong commitment to early childhood education:
- Flavia Almeida joins the Pathway Hallett team on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, stepping into the role previously held by Monique Gannon. Flavia holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, a Graduate Certificate and Masters in Special Education, as well as a Certificate III and Diploma in Early Childhood Education. Most recently, she worked at Immanuel Early Learning Centre and brings a depth of knowledge and a passion for inclusive education.
- Rhythm Dahal joins the Stonyfell team, replacing Adele. Rhythm brings experience from early years settings in Sydney and holds a Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education. She has also completed multiple university degrees, reflecting her strong academic background and commitment to lifelong learning. Her warm, relationship-focused approach aligns beautifully with our Centre’s values.
- Elisabeth Ordyski joins the Pathway Ferguson team on Thursdays and Fridays. Elisabeth has been working as a Co-Educator at St John’s Grammar School in Belair and holds a Bachelor of Psychological Science. She is currently completing her Master of Early Childhood Education and brings a thoughtful, curious, and caring presence to her work with children.
Celebrating Professional Contributions and Achievements
As part of the Reggio Emilia Conference: Landscapes of Collaboration, our Centre was one of only two sites in South Australia selected for a study tour. We welcomed educators from across Australia and overseas, who were deeply impressed by the intentionality and depth of practice demonstrated across our ELC. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive.
Three of our ELC staff including Caterina Pennestri, Elina Qian, and Monique Gannon also presented at the conference. Their presentation, Walking With Us: Narratives of Collaboration, offered a powerful reflection on the transformative impact of nature-based learning and the importance of deep listening and observation in understanding children’s thinking. It was a moving and thoughtful contribution that highlighted the richness of reflective practice.
In addition, Caterina played a key role in the planning and delivery of the exhibition, The Mosaic of Marks, Words, and Materials – a standout feature of the conference. This exhibition reminds us that children’s early marks are far more than scribbles, they are sophisticated expressions of imagination, thought, and communication.
We are also thrilled to share that Elina Qian has now been formally recognised as an Atelierista through Reggio Children, Italy. This is a significant and well-deserved achievement. Elina’s work inspires us daily through the thoughtful environments she curates and her intentional, responsive engagement with children’s ideas and learning processes.
Vacation Care
Our Vacation Care program was full of rich and meaningful learning experiences. We extend our thanks to Wolita Harding, Valentina Fernandes, and Catherine Jiang for their thoughtful leadership and for supporting continuity and consistency across the school break.
Upcoming Events
We have a busy and exciting term ahead, including Science Week, Book Week, and our beloved Fathers and Treasured Friends’ Afternoon Tea.
Wednesday 6 August
ELC Teaching and Learning Evening, 6pm
Monday 11 August to Friday 15 August
National Science Week: Decoding the Universe
Melissa Lee, our STEM Innovation Leader, will visit the ELC to guide science investigations. On Thursday and Friday, families are invited to join us in the Piazza during pickup to explore hands-on science provocations with their child.
Monday 18 August to Friday 2 August
Book Week: Book an Adventure
Wednesday 20 August
Book Week Parade
Children are invited to come dressed as their favourite book character. A coffee van will be onsite offering complimentary coffee.
Friday 5 September
Fathers and Treasured Friends’ Afternoon Tea
Tuesday 16, Wednesday 17 and Monday 22 September
Parent Teacher Conversations
29 September to 10 October
Vacation Care
Please note that the ELC will be closed on Monday 6 October for the public holiday.
We look forward to another term of joyful learning and meaningful connections. If you have any questions or would like to discuss anything further, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Warm regards,
Liz Schembri
Director of Early Learners’ Centre
Celebrating NAIDOC Week in Learning Community 1
This Vacation Care, NAIDOC Week provided us with a meaningful opportunity to deepen our understanding of and appreciation for First Nations and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Inspired by this year’s theme, ‘The Next Generation: Strength, Vision, Legacy,’ Learning Community 1 turned to Ferguson Park as a focal point for connection and creativity. The book, ‘Our Dreaming,’ reminded us that through storytelling, we can gain valuable knowledge from the past.
We explored the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags, learning about the meaning behind their colours and designs. The children showed a particular interest in the Aboriginal flag, quickly identifying that black represents the Aboriginal people, yellow symbolises the sun, and red reflects the earth. Using materials sourced from Ferguson Park and the ELC, we created loose part designs, further strengthening our connection to Country.
This experience revealed the depth of knowledge our children hold about their land, especially their familiarity with Ferguson Park. As a group, we reflected on the park’s lasting influence on our ELC community. Together, we embarked on a collaborative art project—a large canvas inspired by Ferguson Park. We revisited the creative works and experience of past ELC friends to spark ideas and gather inspiration. The children shared their stories of Ferguson Park and had a clear vision for what should appear on the canvas: Woodli, Palti Circle, trees, people, Gnun Gnum, grass, and golden wattle. It was heartwarming to see their joy and curiosity as they noticed similarities between their current experiences and those of past ELC friends. Over several days, we worked together as a team to bring our artwork to life, and the children felt a strong sense of pride in their collaborative creation.
Our ELC Community Garden also played a role in our NAIDOC Week celebrations. We harvested herbs, saltbush, and lemon myrtle to prepare delicious bush food, such as saltbush and rosemary damper and lemon myrtle cake.
NAIDOC Week gave us so much to celebrate, learn from, and reflect upon. It connected meaningfully with our Term 2 inquiry: ‘Stories Can Enhance Wellbeing.’
As we begin a new term, we will continue to reflect more deeply on our ELC Acknowledgment of Country—strengthening our commitment to caring for Country, people, and animals. This ongoing reflection helps us honour the land we learn and play on, and deepens our understanding of what it means to live respectfully on Kaurna Yerta.
Valentina Fernandes
ELC Co-Educator and Vacation Care Leader (Learning Community 1)
Creativity and Exploration in Learning Community 2
What a wonderful few weeks we’ve had in Vacation Care! This holiday break has been filled with creativity, exploration, and meaningful connections to nature, culture, and community. The children engaged in a series of rich, child-led experiences that brought their interests to life.
NAIDOC Week: Creating with Meaning
In celebration of NAIDOC Week, children explored the colours and symbolism of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags. Using sticks, white wool, and spray bottles filled with vibrant colours, they created meaningful artworks while learning about cultural identity and connection to land. These beautiful pieces were inspired by children’s recent fascination with spray painting and their growing understanding of cultural symbols.
Nature Dyeing with Autumn Leaves
Drawing on their love for nature and curiosity about colours, children collected fallen leaves and plant materials to explore natural dyeing. They experimented with crushing and imprinting leaves to create earthy artworks inspired by the colours of Country. This experience deepened their respect for the land and First Nations ways of using natural resources for storytelling and creativity.
Cooking with Care: Damper and Winter Soup
Cooking was a highlight of the program! Children prepared traditional damper and a hearty winter soup, bringing warmth to chilly days. Their enthusiasm for peeling vegetables, mixing ingredients, and sharing the final meal showed strong cooperation and pride. These experiences opened opportunities to talk about culture, tradition, and how food brings people together.
Our Recipe Book: Recalling the Pumpkin Soup
Following the soup-making session, many children wanted to recreate the recipe at home. This led to a collaborative experience where they recalled ingredients, quantities, and methods. They observed real vegetables, drew and labelled them, and helped create a visual recipe list. We also explored different ways of representing the ingredients by using an overhead projector to cast shadows of the vegetable shapes onto the wall, sparking wonder and providing new perspectives. This experience encouraged observation, reflection, and artistic expression, while celebrating their shared cooking journey.
Caring for Country: Quail Habitats and Homes
After our recent chicken and quail hatching experiences, children reflected deeply on our Acknowledgment to Country and how we can care for all living things. They designed and built nests, shelters, and even playgrounds for the quails using salt dough and wire. These creations were later baked and painted, offering a tangible way to honour their promises to care for the animals and the land.
Drawing Stories: Chickens, Quails, and Homes
Our collaborative drawing project brought together children’s love of animals and storytelling. On a large canvas, they created detailed images of chickens, quails, their homes, and imaginative environments. This experience celebrated children’s creativity, teamwork, and their ability to express complex ideas visually.
We are so proud of the children’s creativity, thoughtfulness, and enthusiasm throughout this holiday period. Each experience reflected their unique voices, interests, and deepening understanding of the world around them. It has been a joy to watch them collaborate, care for Country, and celebrate culture and community through play and inquiry.
Thank you for your continued partnership and trust. We feel truly privileged to be part of your child’s learning journey and look forward to many more meaningful moments ahead.
Catherine Jiang
ELC Co-Educator and Vacation Care Leader (Learning Community 2)
ELC Teaching and Learning Evening
Dear Families,
We warmly invite you to our Teaching and Learning Evening at the ELC.
This will be an opportunity for you to visit your child’s room to see the environment and gain a better understanding of the teaching and learning within our ELC context. Parents and guardians will also hear a presentation from the teaching team about how we plan and implement our units of inquiry.
As this is a formal presentation, we recommend parents/guardians only attend this event. Please also note this event is for all families, excluding families and children in the Erindale room.
Wednesday 6 August 2025
6.30pm, in your child’s Learning Community
St Peter’s Girls’ ELC
Warm regards,
Liz Schembri
Director of Early Learners’ Centre
ELC Book Week Parade – Save the Date!
To Families,
The ELC Book Week Parade will be held on Wednesday 20 August (Week 5). This year’s theme is Book An Adventure.
Book Week is an exciting time for our youngest learners as it celebrates the magic and significance of reading and storytelling. Books transport children to new worlds, fostering creativity and imagination. They play a crucial role in supporting language, cognitive, social, and emotional development, laying the foundation for early literacy and instilling a lifelong love of reading.
All children are invited to dress up as their favourite book character for the Parade!
The Parade will commence at 9.30am on the Chapel Path, behind the ELC in the School followed by a shared story time. Please ensure your child is signed in and dropped off at their class by 9am if they are attending on the day of the Parade. If your child does not usually attend on this day, they are still welcome to participate in the Parade; however, due to staffing requirements, you will need to stay and take your child home afterwards.
Families and treasured friends are warmly invited to join us and enjoy the Parade. To help us celebrate our Book Week Parade, a coffee van will be available to enjoy a complimentary coffee to mark this special occasion.
We kindly ask that families:
- Avoid bringing hot drinks into the ELC.
- Do not exit through the ELC after the event to ensure the safety of all children. Instead, please exit via the School path that runs alongside the Chapel and leads to Hallett Road.
- Please note that babycinos will not be available due to allergy considerations.
There will be books available for your family to purchase as a donation for the ELC. Your family’s name will be featured on the inside cover of the book to remind us of the special gift and your ongoing support of our community.
We look forward to seeing you at the Parade and celebrating the magic of reading together!
Warm regards,
Liz Schembri
Director of ELC
Artwork by Jess McGeachin | © The Children’s Book Council of Australia.
Parent Representatives for Semester 2, 2025
Would you like to help shape and strengthen our vibrant ELC community?
We are currently seeking Parent Representatives for each class for Semester 2, 2025. This is a wonderful opportunity to support your child’s learning community, connect with other families, and help foster a warm, inclusive environment.
We warmly welcome more than one representative per room, as this provides a fantastic support system and allows responsibilities to be shared.
As a Parent Representative, you will:
- Be a key point of contact for families in your child’s class and help create a welcoming and connected atmosphere.
- Assist with and promote events – and if you’re interested, even help organise an event or activity for your class. Our Communications and Community Relations team will support you with promotion, logistics, and planning.
- Stay informed about school initiatives and current events, helping to spark meaningful conversations across our community.
- Attend brief meetings twice per term, with flexibility to rotate if your class has more than one representative.
We truly value the contribution of our Parent Representatives and look forward to working together to build a strong, engaged community. If you are interested or would like to learn more, please speak to your child’s teacher.
We hope you’ll consider getting involved; we’d love to have you on board.
ELC Uniform
Dear Families,
Our ELC uniform not only supports a strong sense of belonging, but also ensures children can participate safely and comfortably in all learning experiences, from outdoor exploration to excursions at Ferguson Conservation Park.
Wearing enclosed shoes is especially important to support active play and keeping children safe as they move through a variety of environments.
We appreciate your support in maintaining these expectations and encourage you to reach out to your child’s teacher if you need assistance with uniform items or clarification on what is required.