Dear Families
Last week, Kirsty Porplycia and I wrote an article for an educational publication on the impact of COVID-19 on our Centre. It was an opportunity to reflect on how we persevered through a very challenging situation. As I mentioned at the end of last term, there were many positives that emerged, with creative and critical thinking at the centre of all of these.
In the first two weeks of this term, welcoming new children and families, I have so much to be thankful for and proud of. Firstly, I would like to consider our big idea for the year – The Language of Welcome. This idea has guided our values, our pedagogy and our daily practices. It has been a compass for us to reflect upon all year and it is being put to the test this term. It is not only how we welcome new families into the Centre, but also how our spaces and rituals welcome our children.
We have been amazed at the depth of welcome demonstrated by our existing children to our new children. This includes new children starting at ELC and our transitioning children joining Learning Community 2. Earlier this week as I was entering the Stonyfell Room with two new children, a child who commenced at the beginning of the year quickly grabbed their name tags and was ready to help me with the welcome ritual. There is no doubt that this type of agency and welcome from a two and a half year old is exceptional. It demonstrates a strong sense of identity and belonging, and a desire and understanding of the importance of welcome. Miss Angel and I just looked at each other as we both witnessed this, recognising the magic unfolding before our eyes.
There are many wonderful examples that I could share but I would like to also mention the exceptional ELC staff team. This year, they have had to demonstrate flexibility, they have been confronted with changes and have experienced enormous uncertainty. To their credit and their ability to believe in the Centre’s ethos and culture, they have emerged this term stronger and more resilient than before. It is their commitment and passion to their work in Early Childhood Education that enables them to be the team they are. The layers that build this strong foundation are so important, and we know that each Learning Community has very strong leadership to support the team’s growth. Our children are so fortunate to have these quality educators working alongside them.
We are excited for the term ahead and look forward to sharing it with you.
Kind regards
Kate Mount
Director of Early Learning
Important Dates
Monday 3 August: Parent Information Evening
Monday 14 – Tuesday 22 September: Parent-Teacher Conversations
Parent Information Evening
We invite you to our Information Evening on Monday 3 August from 5 – 6pm to learn about daily life within our two Learning Communities.
We strongly encourage new families and those with children who have recently transitioned into Learning Community 2 to attend.
Learning Community 1 and Learning Community 2 Educators will present the significant elements of their teaching and learning strategies for the semester ahead. Families will also be invited into the Learning Community spaces to experience ELC life through the eyes of their child.
Have You Returned Your Portfolio?
We hope you have enjoyed reviewing your child’s portfolio with documentation of their learning throughout Semester 1. Sharing your child’s learning journey is pivotal to us at the ELC. Therefore, we ask that you please return your child’s portfolio so we can continue utilising this as a tracking tool throughout Semester 2.
We invite you to provide us with feedback on the portfolio, as always, appreciating our shared partnership.
Literacy in the ELC
As part of the ELC’s Strategic Direction, we are addressing key academic areas including Literacy and Numeracy. As a Centre, we are reflecting on what we are currently offering and how we can further improve.
Literacy is a vital strength and a passion of many of our educators. We recognise the importance of ensuring that language development is carefully monitored, and intentional and spontaneous experiences are offered. It is important for us to monitor each child’s development and to be in regular communication with you, the family. Together, we can ensure that children are gaining the skills necessary to build a strong early literacy foundation.
Kate Mount
Director of Early Learning
Welcome Back Playgroup Families!
We have thoroughly enjoyed having our Playgroup families back at the ELC and sharing special times together once again. Our group times have included creative play, group singing and dancing, craft experiences and, most importantly, the opportunity to connect with other families with young children.
If you or someone you know is interested in joining our Playgroup sessions on a Tuesday or Wednesday morning, please contact our ELC Finance and Enrolments Officer Sarah Elliott via selliott@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au.
Friends of the ELC Morning Tea
It was wonderful to connect with new and existing ELC families at today’s Friends of the ELC Morning Tea.
We enjoyed a beautiful morning of sunshine on Chiverton Lawns, with barista-made coffees and delicious baked goods provided by the Friends of the ELC.
We look forward to connecting further with families as the year goes on.
Find Out What Happens Throughout
the Day at ELC
The ELC Learning Community Home Page is a dynamic online sharing space that invites you to participate in the communities’ learning as it happens. We use this tool to communicate important information with families and provide a window into the children’s life at the ELC, as educators share documentation of teaching, specialist lessons and spontaneous moments.
Accessing myLink for the first time:
- Visit https://mylink.stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au
- To set your password, click the link located below the sign in section
- Your user name was emailed to you upon your child’s commencement (see Helpdesk contact details below if you cannot source your user name)
- Enter your unique user name, click ‘Next’
- Enter the security code sent to your mobile
- 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 the Learning Community Home Page through myLink:
- Access myLink as per the 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 user name and password again)
If you have any issues accessing or navigating myLink, please contact the IT Helpdesk via helpdesk@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au or 8334 2227.
ELC’s Online Etiquette Policy:
Please note that the ELC Learning Community Home Page and ELC News contain images and videos 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，
很高兴又迎来了我们的新一学期。在过去一周里，我们的园长和Kirsty Porplycia老师为一个教育出版刊物撰写了一篇关于COVID-19对我们幼儿园的影响的文章。这对于我们来说是一次很好机会去反思我们如何应目前极具挑战的情况以及它对我们社区所产生的影响。其中最为核心的部分是而关于创造力和批判性思维。
这周，我们进入新学期，我们欢迎新加入的孩子们和家庭，还有我们的教师团队的回归。我们这一年的重要理念在于“欢迎”这一词。通过这个理念来指引我们的教学的价值观和我们的日常教学实践，包括如何欢迎我们的新家庭以及我们如何通过空间和日常仪式来欢迎我们的孩子们。
在这个学期初，新来的小朋友们和过渡到二学习社区的孩子们，让我们感到惊讶。比如，我们现有的小朋友们对新来的小朋友表现出热切的欢迎，他们帮助新来的孩子们很快找到他们的名字贴。而这对于来自一个两岁半，今年初刚刚来到幼儿园的孩子而言，是非同一般的。它展示了一种强烈的认同感和归属感，以及对“欢迎”这一理念的重要性的诚意和理解。
而今年，我们出色的教师团队也展现了他们的高度灵活性和韧性，来面对这些改变以及经历的巨大的不确定性。老师们对于幼儿教育工作的投入和热情，组成了这样一个优秀的教育团队。在这个坚实的团队里，每个学习社区都有非常强大的领导来支持团队的成长。我们的孩子很幸运，有这些优秀的教育工作者和他们一起工作。
我们很期待这学期的到来，也很期待未来与大家分享。
Emma works in Learning Community 2 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9am – 5pm.
Sustainability in the ELC
Deciding what to plant as we moved into winter was a collaborative decision made by all the children in Learning Community 2. They researched together what grows in the cooler weather, voted on the most favoured to eat and assisted in ordering the seedlings from Property Services. Excitedly, the children prepared the soil, dug the holes and planted the seedlings. Throughout Term 2, the children visited the garden often to observe the changes, water and feed the vegetables, and keep an eye out for caterpillars!
Last week, Amelie observed, “The broccoli is huge!” We then decided it was time to harvest. Using magnifying glasses, we explored the stems and florets, “They look like trees“, Alessandro shared. After closely inspecting the broccoli, the children were invited to choose a green palate of paints, pencils and crayons to record their observations. We roasted the broccoli for afternoon tea, “It was crunchy and yummy“, shared Ethan.
Green and Clean Question of the Day: How do you cook broccoli at home?
Staff Spotlight
Georgia joined our ELC team this year. She brings with her several years of experience and has proven to be an invaluable member of Learning Community 1. Georgia has outstanding personal skills and has shown her strengths in organisation, supporting the community in many ways. The ELC staff and children love having Georgia on board!
What is your teaching background?
I have worked in early childhood for eight years. While working, I completed my Diploma of Early Childhood Education and I am currently studying my teaching degree at Swinburne University.
Why are you passionate about working with children?
Working with children has always been a passion of mine. Seeing them develop and grow in so many ways over the course of their time at the ELC makes working with young children so amazing. And, of course, the smiles.
What makes the St Peter’s Girls’ ELC special?
The Learning Community model in the ELC makes it special and unique. Having a combination of children of different ages in one classroom has so many benefits for everyone. Working as a community alongside the other classrooms means we get to know each individual child, which I love!
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I enjoy taking Clifford, my Australian Shepherd, for walks and going out for breakfast.
News from Learning Community 1
Welcome to Term 3! It is wonderful to have new children and families among us. Each and every one of you brings something unique and special to our community and we embrace the chance to learn from each other. In the Stonyfell and Bell Yett Rooms, we have many beautiful songs and stories that have become part of who we are, and our older children have been delighted to share these with our new friends. This is a way for us to welcome one another each day with joyful and familiar rituals.
Many of our rituals are opportunities for the children to develop their literacy skills. The Early Years Learning Framework explains literacy as the capacity and confidence to use language in all its forms including talking, listening, viewing, reading and writing, but also music, dance, storytelling, visual arts, and drama.
In our Morning Meeting, the children sing songs in both English and Kaurna language. They call each other to the palti circle (Kaurna for a meeting place) with the words ‘ngyunkina, miyana’ (Kaurna for boys and girls). Throughout the day, they are exploring symbols in a variety of contexts and learning that they have a particular meaning, including Kaurna symbols, Chinese characters and the alphabet. They are developing their fine motor skills as they hold pens and paint brushes to copy the symbols or to create their own with loose parts in the Atelier.
This term, we are continuing to create exciting oral storytelling experiences based on Aboriginal Dreamtime stories. These include ‘The First Sunrise’ and ‘Tiddalik the Frog’. We use different materials to create drama and understanding, so the children are watching, listening, comprehending and retelling what they are learning. The children’s clear enjoyment and enthusiasm to participate are evidence of their confidence and engagement.
“Positive attitudes and competencies in Literacy and Numeracy are essential for children’s successful learning. The foundations for these competencies are built in early childhood”
– The Early Years Learning Framework
We can see and hear that the children have rich opportunities for building their literacy skills at home with you, their first and most important teachers. We hope that soon you will become familiar with our stories, songs and symbols as your child carries these precious experiences from their days at ELC back home to you.
Mel Angel and Annabelle Redmond
Learning Community 1
News from Learning Community 2
‘If you welcome someone, you greet them in a friendly way when they arrive somewhere.’
– Collins Dictionary
As we welcome a new term in Learning Community 2, it is important that we reflect on the ways that we welcome children into their new or existing learning environment. Our foyer welcome ritual allows each child to receive a personal welcome from a member of staff and be escorted into their room with independence and agency. Having this greeting in the morning sets an important tone for the day in our Learning Community.
An important element of quality early childhood education is the relationship that children have with their teachers and co-educators. These relationships give children a sense of belonging and support their emotional, social, physical and cognitive development.
We have observed something extra special since our foyer ritual was put into place, and that is how children welcome each other. There has been more intentionality around how the children greet each other. They are making more time to greet, to welcome, to offer assistance and find an experience of interest together. Children seem to be more in tune with their classmates. They are identifying those who might need extra support to organise themselves to begin their day successfully and immediately begin to offer assistance. New friends who have transitioned to Learning Community 2 are learning routines and rituals quickly through peer-to-peer scaffolding and role-modelling.
In the ELC, we place importance on language and literacy development. Over the past two weeks, we have identified numerous literacy-based experiences, rituals and tools that are used during the transition from home to ELC. Children fondly identify their name tag to place on their locker, and many friends are eager to help others find their tag. This term, we have seen an increased motivation from the children to independently sign in and record their name and proudly share with an educator their success. We continue to welcome the group at Ban Ban Balya’s (group times) by recording ourselves using symbols on the Palti Circle, embracing our Kaurna connections.
We look forward to an exciting term ahead and we encourage you to keep up-to-date with our investigations and research via the Learning Community 2 Home Page.
Kirsty Porplycia, Nell Tierney and Laura Reiters
Learning Community 2
Absences in the ELC
Student Absences
Please notify the School via one of the following methods for late arrivals/early departures and absences, ensuring a reason for the absence is included.
Text: 0428 601 957 (save to phone contacts as SPGS)
Email: attendance@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au
Phone: 8334 2200 or phone the relevant room as per the contact list below.
Please include the relevant room teacher when sending via email.
ELC Room Contacts:
Bell Yett – 8155 5777
Ferguson – 8155 5776
Hallett – 8155 5775
Stonyfell – 8155 5778
ELC Immunisation Policy
Under the Government’s No Jab No Play policy, families must meet immunisation requirements to attend the ELC and receive the Child Care Subsidy. Families are required to provide all approved immunisation records to the ELC. Further information is available by clicking here.
Children who are suffering from illnesses such as those listed below must be excluded from ELC in line with our Exclusion Policy.
Influenza
Chicken Pox
Conjunctivitis
Diarrhoea
Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease
High Temperature
Infectious Hepatitis
Measles
Meningitis
Mumps
Rubella (German Measles)
Scabies
Scarlet Fever
School Sores (Impetigo)
Upper Respiratory Tract Infection
Vomiting
Whooping Cough