To our wonderful ELC community,
It is my great pleasure to announce the appointment of our new St Peter’s Girls’ ELC Director, Ms Liz Schembri.
Liz is a highly-skilled teacher, successful leader and advocate for early childhood education. Her career includes teaching appointments at St Andrew’s School, Emmaus Christian College and Holy Family Catholic School here in South Australia, in addition to spending 10 years at the Beijing City International School where she trained in the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB PYP) and was involved in the development of the school’s new Early Childhood Centre.
Upon her return to Australia, Liz spent two years teaching at St Francis de Sales College at Mount Barker before leading the team as a Professional Pedagogy Coach, mentoring and working alongside staff to implement inquiry learning into classroom practice. She then led the building and development of the new Alive Catholic Early Learning Centre and was appointed as the Head of Early Learning, Alive (Mount Barker).
Liz has a diverse range of experiences as a leader and educator across early learning to Year 7 with roles such as Professional Pedagogy Coach (R – 6), Years 3 – 6 Leader and Literacy Coordinator. She brings an incredible dedication and skillset to the role of ELC Director, and a strong belief in the important relationship between indoor and outdoor learning experiences and the way these lend themselves to inquiry and nature play, based on the Reggio Emilia approach. She has a passion for developing quality future-focused education programs for our youngest learners and recognises the importance of each child’s unique learning journey.
Liz says, ‘My experiences have helped me to develop a deep understanding of current methodologies and practices in education and what a learner needs to be successful now and into the future. In the early years of development, it is crucial that we understand and implement a holistic program planned with purpose and intent that honours a child’s need for connection and belonging, and nurtures and builds on their natural curiosity and capacity to learn.’
I am equally delighted to announce Sera Boccaccio has accepted the position of ELC Manager. Sera has been a part of our community since she was 10 years old, coming down to the ELC to volunteer while she was a student at St Peter’s Girls’ School. Over the years, she developed a passion for working with young children and consequently chose this area as a career pathway, first studying a Certificate III in Children Services and then completing a Diploma in Early Childhood and Care. Sera has been a pivotal part of our ELC team since 2014, and we are extremely honoured to have such a passionate and experienced Old Scholar to help guide and support our ELC team.
Whilst we look forward to the wonderful work Liz and Sera will perform within our ELC community, we also take the time to thank Henrietta Balnaves and Caterina Pennestri for their immense contributions to our ELC this year as ELC Manager and ELC Educational Leader respectively. They have been dedicated mentors to the rest of the ELC team, constantly striving for educational excellence, best practice and teamwork of the highest calibre. Under their guidance, the children’s learning has continued to be of an incredible standard as demonstrated in our fantastic ELC News videos and articles, and we thank them for this as they prepare for a detailed handover with Liz and Sera. We will continue to enjoy Caterina’s educational expertise as she returns to her role of ELC Atelierista. Henrietta will spend the first term working alongside Liz, ensuring a smooth and thorough handover period, and the Stonyfell Room before she embarks upon a new adventure for the remainder of next year.
We congratulate Liz and Sera on their appointments, and look forward to introducing Liz to our amazing community in the near future.
Kind regards
Suzanne Haddy
Head of Junior School
Important Dates
Monday 5 December: ELC Hat Ceremony
Friday 9 December: Last day of Term 4
December 12 – 23: Vacation Care
Exploring the Language of Food
At St Peter’s Girls’ ELC, we invite the children to learn through different experiences and with all their senses. We value the ‘Language of Food’ as a vehicle to understand the cycle of food from garden to plate, supporting healthy eating choices and cultural awareness.
Cooking with children offers many educational benefits including building knowledge of other cultures, special celebrations and traditions, promoting social skills and boosting confidence.
Following a recipe and mixing ingredients can teach mathematical concepts such as fractions, geometry, quantity, volumes and measurements. Understanding a recipe improves comprehension and expands children’s vocabulary by naming ingredients, tools and verbs.
During the process of cooking food, children discover chemistry principles while the ingredients change and transform, and following step-by-step instructions to achieve a finished result ignites a sense of pride and accomplishment.
Creating dishes is a sensorial learning experience that inspires discovery, curiosity and the joy of being together as a community.
‘But we must not forget that one of the most important links between people and food is the principle of pleasure; the pleasure that derives from using the senses but also the pleasure of discovery, the pleasure of manipulating raw materials to create foods, the pleasure of play and the pleasure of company, which at the table becomes conviviality.’ – Reggio Children Publication ‘The Languages of Food recipes, experiences, thoughts’ by Reggio Children
Reminder: Our ELC End of Year Celebration is Tomorrow!
Join us for our ELC End of Year Celebration tomorrow at 5.30pm on Chiverton Lawns. Singing will commence from 5.45pm.
We encourage families to bring a picnic basket and rug, and set up your space on the lawns (see map below for optimal viewing positions).
Children are invited to wear their Christmas party clothes. We can’t wait to see you there!
Good Sports Rally at R to 3 Sports Morning
Last Friday, our R to 3 Sports Morning was the perfect crescendo to our celebration of PE Week. The excitement levels are always high as the girls showcase what they have been learning throughout the year to staff and families.
The focus of the event is on fun and participation. In this age group, building positive experiences of being physically active helps foster a love for PE and sport, one that we hope will last for their entire lives. The girls participate in a host of games, each harnessing a different FUNdamental movement skill. They compete in their Houses to develop teamwork while also fostering healthy competitiveness.
Exciting New ELC Uniforms
We are excited to announce our ELC will be rolling out a new custom-designed uniform from mid-December 2022. This beautiful new range takes into consideration the unique sizes, proportions and needs of our youngest community members, giving our ELC children a smart, cohesive look, and simplifying the routine of getting dressed in the morning.
2023 will be a phasing-out period, where children can continue to wear pieces of the old ELC uniform to supplement their outfits, giving families time to purchase the new garments.
From 2024, the new ELC uniform will be compulsory for all children to wear during their time at the ELC. Children will need to wear both the top and bottom pieces (t-shirt; shorts; long sleeve top; long pants). A plain navy-coloured long sleeve top will be permitted to be worn underneath the t-shirt. For summer and high UV periods, children will wear the new ELC bucket hat, and for cooler periods, there will be new ELC vest and jacket options to replace non-ELC jackets, jumpers and vests.
These new items will be available for purchase from our School Shop in mid-December, and we look forward to seeing the children proudly wear their new ELC attire.
Suzanne Haddy
Head of Junior School
Vacation Care Bookings Close Soon!
Vacation Care bookings are now open and will close at 5pm on Monday 28 November. Families can book via www.trybooking.com/CEEME. Please note: Due to staffing requirements, any changes made after the booking closing date will incur the full day’s fee.
Vacation Care will run from Monday 12 to Friday 23 December, and will be closed from Monday 26 December. Vacation Care will reopen on Monday 9 January and run until Friday 27 January, with Term 1 beginning on Monday 30 January. Please note: Thursday 26 January is a public holiday and the ELC will be closed.
ELC Giving Tree
In a special ELC tradition, and as part of the Saints Girls’ Anglicare Christmas Appeal, we are once again partnering with Anglicare SA for our annual ELC Giving Tree.
ELC families are invited to bring a gift from Monday 21 November to place under the ELC Giving Tree for a child less fortunate.
Gifts could include books, board games, craft sets, Lego, musical instruments, footballs and soccer balls, toy cars and dolls.
Please note, all items must be new, not wrapped and placed under the ELC Giving Tree by
Monday 5 December.
Thank you for your participation in this special giving tradition.
Sun Safety in the ELC
As the weather starts to warm up, please ensure your child brings a broad-brimmed hat each day they attend ELC. If you do not have an ELC uniform hat, we ask that you pack another broad-brimmed hat for your child to wear. As we move into the warmer months, it is extremely important that we adhere to our policies and procedures. If your child does not have a hat, they will be asked to play under the shaded areas or indoors.
We encourage you to apply sunscreen on your child prior to arriving at the ELC so they are ready for the day. Sunscreen application is undertaken regularly at the ELC; if your child requires an alternative sunscreen, please provide this to your child’s teacher.
We also ask that your child wears their correct ELC uniform, and refrains from wearing dresses or singlets where their shoulders are exposed. Appropriate footwear is also required and we ask that children wear sneakers or sandals that have a backing to them. For visits into Ferguson Park, long pants and closed-toed shoes are required.
2023 ELC Enrolment Requirements
We are working through our intake offers for next year and need to ensure our current families have their allocated days in place.
Please notify me ASAP via selliott@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au if you require an amendment to your days moving forward in 2023, or if you are leaving the Centre at the end of this year.
We understand that families may need to take extended periods of time off throughout an ELC year for special circumstances. We do still charge for any booked days when your child is enrolled in the ELC. In line with the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) service, children are allowed 42 CCS ‘absent’ days per year, with any number of days following this incurring the standard daily rate of ELC without subsidy. Please keep this in mind and let me know if you intend to be absent for an extended period of time.
Sarah Elliott
ELC Enrolments Manager
COVID-19 Information
As you may be aware, a number of COVID-19 requirements have been lifted including mandatory isolation for those who test positive. Notwithstanding this, SA Health encourages anyone with symptoms to get tested and stay home until symptoms have cleared (usually five to seven days).
As there is no longer a set COVID isolation period, you must notify the School each day your child will be absent, or provide the expected period of absence.
Please notify us via email or text:
Email: attendance@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au
Text: 0428 601 957 (save to phone contacts as SPGS)
Phone: 8334 2200
If children are displaying symptoms, it is mandatory that we send them home. SA Health guidelines advise that symptoms include:
- Fever (a temperature of 37.5˚C or higher) or chills
- Cough
- Loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Tiredness (fatigue)
- Runny or blocked nose
- Shortness of breath (difficulty breathing)
- Nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea
- Headache
- Muscle or joint pain
- Loss of appetite
The School is no longer required to record details of COVID-19 cases for SA Health; however, there is still a requirement for South Australians who test positive using a RAT to report their result to SA Health online.
Close contacts should continue to monitor for symptoms, get tested and stay home until symptoms have cleared.
For more information, click here.
As always, we will keep you informed of any updated advice.
Please note that if your child is unwell, they should remain home until they have recovered, irrespective of the illness.
来自黄老师的信息
对于我们精彩的 ELC 社区，
我很高兴地宣布任命我们新的 St Peter’s Girls’ ELC 主任 Liz Schembri 女士。
Liz 是一位技能高超的教师、成功的领导者和早期儿童教育的倡导者。她的职业生涯包括在南澳大利亚的圣安德鲁斯学校、以马忤斯基督教学院和圣家天主教学校任教，此外还曾在北京城市国际学校任教 10 年，在那里她接受了国际文凭小学项目 (IB PYP) 和参与了学校新的幼儿中心的开发。
回到澳大利亚后，Liz 在 Mount Barker 的 St Francis de Sales College 任教了两年，之后作为专业教育学教练领导团队，指导并与员工一起工作，将探究式学习实施到课堂实践中。然后，她领导了新的 Alive Catholic 早教中心的建设和发展，并被任命为 Alive 早教部负责人（巴克山）。 Liz 在早期学习到 7 年级期间拥有丰富的领导者和教育者经验，担任过专业教育学教练 (R – 6)、3 – 6 年级领导者和扫盲协调员等职务。她为 ELC 主任的角色带来了令人难以置信的奉献精神和技能，并坚信室内和室外学习体验之间的重要关系以及这些基于雷焦艾米利亚方法的探索和自然游戏方式。她热衷于为我们最年幼的学习者开发面向未来的优质教育计划，并认识到每个孩子独特学习之旅的重要性。
Liz 说：“我的经历帮助我深入了解当前的教育方法和实践，以及学习者现在和未来需要什么才能取得成功。在发展的早期阶段，至关重要的是我们要理解并实施一个有目的和意图的整体计划，以尊重孩子对联系和归属感的需求，培养和培养他们天生的好奇心和学习能力。 我同样高兴地宣布 Sera Boccaccio 已接受 ELC 经理一职。 Sera 从 10 岁起就成为我们社区的一员，在她还是圣彼得女校学生的时候就来到 ELC 做志愿者。多年来，她对与幼儿一起工作产生了热情，因此选择了这一领域作为职业道路，首先学习了儿童服务三级证书，然后完成了幼儿和护理文凭。自 2014 年以来，Sera 一直是我们 ELC 团队的重要一员，我们非常荣幸有这样一位充满热情和经验丰富的老学者来帮助指导和支持我们的 ELC 团队。
在我们期待 Liz 和 Sera 将在我们的 ELC 社区中完成出色工作的同时，我们也花时间感谢 Henrietta Balnaves 和 Caterina Pennestri 今年分别作为 ELC 经理和 ELC 教育负责人对我们的 ELC 做出的巨大贡献。他们一直是 ELC 团队其他成员的敬业导师，不断追求卓越的教育、最佳实践和最高水准的团队合作。在他们的指导下，孩子们的学习一直保持在令人难以置信的水平，正如我们精彩的 ELC 新闻视频和文章所展示的那样，我们为此感谢他们，因为他们正在准备与 Liz 和 Sera 进行详细的交接。随着 Caterina 重返 ELC Atelierista，我们将继续享受她的教育专业知识。 Henrietta 将在第一个学期与 Liz 一起工作，确保顺利过渡，并在明年剩余时间开始新的冒险之前与 Stonyfell Room 一起工作。 我们祝贺 Liz 和 Sera 获得任命，并期待在不久的将来将 Liz 介绍给我们令人惊叹的社区。
Suzanne Haddy
Head of Junior School
Emma Huang works in Learning Community 1 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9am – 5pm.
News from Learning Community 1
As we explore celebrations in Learning Community 1, we have been sharing stories, traditions and rituals. The children have been supported to develop their understanding of who we celebrate with, what makes these occasions special and how each individual, family and community has different, unique celebrations.
We have provided opportunities for children to explore how a range of different cultures celebrate. Over the past fortnight, Ms Huang and Ms Qian have shared how they celebrate the Moon Lantern Festival. Children have been engaged in role play, cooking experiences, storytelling and the creation of traditional symbols of celebration. We have also explored all the ways we can celebrate birthdays – songs, rituals, parties, cake, gathering with loved ones, presents and foods that are shared.
Through the sharing and exploration of celebrations, children are developing their cultural competency, increasing their awareness of others, their appreciation and inclusion of diverse beliefs, and developing their own self-confidence. Children have also been able to develop their awareness of commonalities in celebrations. Many celebrations are shared with loved ones, have special foods and meals that bring people together, and have shared stories, traditions and symbols connected with these celebrations.
As we prepare for our ELC End of Year Celebration, we have been investigating all the different ways that people around the world celebrate during the festive season. We have been researching the reasons and stories behind many of the significant symbols of Christmas including the star, Christmas colours, Father Christmas and the story of the Nativity. We have been practising for our performance and are looking forward to sharing this significant ELC celebration with you all tomorrow.
Jessica Guimaraes and Jess Catt
Learning Community 1
News from Learning Community 2
In Learning Community 2, there are many unique places within the ELC that children will remember forever. These spaces are a part of their everyday life. These places will be part of the children’s own stories and will be imprinted into their memory of the ELC. We want to ensure the community knows the history of the ELC and the deep meaning that each place preserves.
Over the past few weeks, we have been celebrating the history of the ELC. One particular space we have explored this week is the Hallett Garden. It is rich in history, meaning and symbolism. Within the garden, there are Kaurna symbols everywhere waiting to be discovered, and markings from the dreamtime story of the rainbow serpent, focusing on the growth of the land and the garden.
We recorded some of the children’s knowledge of the Hallett Garden:
- ‘The serpent is from the dreamtime story that the Kaurna people say.’ – Axel
- ‘The snake has lots of colour, that gives colour and the big poles have colour too.’ – Chloe
- ‘The serpent made all the land and all the mountains, it was flat. Our garden is up and down too.’ – Amy
- ‘The rocks over near the tap are coloured like the rainbow serpent.’ – Noah
- ‘The tap is next to the sandpit and the Serpent goes around and around.’ – Rose
- ‘The outside tap is the waterhole from the story, and the rainbow serpent helped make the water.’ – Harvey
- ‘The rainbow serpent is in this path here down to the Wodli.’ – Clarice
- ‘The rainbow serpent is everywhere in the garden, here too, up to the canoe.’ – Georgina
From here, children began to draw and recreate the dreamtime story of the rainbow serpent over many days. They were captivated by the spaces out in the garden and their meaning. We encouraged children through this interest of the serpent to create their own using circles to symbolise the moving snake. This took in numeracy and fine motor skills to colour, cut and count the parts of the serpent.
Come wander around and join us on this journey of discovery into the history of the Hallett Garden.
Nell Tierney, Kathy McCabe and Laura Reiters
Learning Community 2
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:
Each parent has an individual username to access our myLink Parent Portal. Please note that the username is your ID number followed by @stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au Your ID number has been provided to you in an email from the School If you have not accessed myLink before or have forgotten your password, please follow these steps:
- Visit https://mylink.stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au
- Sign in with your parent username
- Click on ‘Forgot my password’
- Make sure the ‘email’ address is your parent username, type in the code, then click the blue ‘Next’ button
- Enter your mobile number registered with the School, with the area code (Australia is +61), dropping the 0 at the beginning (e.g. +61 400000000). Then select ‘Text’
- Enter the security code sent to your mobile number
- Enter the password you would like to use and click ‘Finish’
- Return to the login screen at https://mylink.stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au to access myLink
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 our IT Hub 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.
Absences in the ELC
If your child will not be attending ELC due to illness or otherwise, please notify the School via one of the following methods and include the name of the ELC Room.
If emailing, feel free to ‘CC’ the teacher/s of the room as well.
Please also provide a reason for the absence as the School requires this for government reporting purposes.
Text: 0428 601 957
Email: attendance@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au
Phone: 8334 2200
ELC Room Contacts:
- Stonyfell – 8155 5778
- Bell Yett – 8155 5777
- Ferguson – 8155 5776
- Hallett – 8155 5775
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