Issue no. 21
In this edition
From Our Principal
It seems like such a short time ago that I was welcoming you to another exciting year here at Saints Girls, and as Term 1 concludes I can’t help but reflect on what a great start to the year we have had. I have been fortunate to witness so many examples of the dedication and achievements of our students, and I am incredibly proud of every one of them.
Term 1 has been marked by numerous exciting events such as Girls in Tech, our Swimming Carnival, Choral Night, the Head of the River, the Summer Intercol, and just last week our Year 10 production of Shakespeare on the Lawn.
Throughout this term, I’ve seen our girls consistently demonstrate the values of our School – Courage, Creativity and Compassion. Whether it is through their commitment to the academic challenges of a new school year, acts of kindness towards their peers, or their willingness to take risks and to be involved in co-curricular opportunities, our students really show what it means to be true representatives of our School’s culture.
The annual Girls in Tech event was a resounding success. We had the privilege of welcoming experts from the tech industry, alongside girls from local schools for a day dedicated to all things STEM. Thank you to our exhibitors for their engaging workshops. Special thanks to our dedicated staff for their hard work in ensuring the event’s success, and to the students whose enthusiastic participation made the experience truly unforgettable.
The Year 4 – 12 Swimming Carnival held at the Adelaide Aquatic Centre, was a day filled with team spirit, fierce competition, and enthusiastic participation. While Kilburn claimed first place, every girl shone throughout the day whether it was competing individually, in a team medley, or cheering on their fellow Housemates.
While our older students were competing and having fun in the pool, our students in Reception to Year 3 were celebrating Friendship Day at Stonyfell. The girls participated in special activities to reinforce the URSTRONG program, a focus in the Junior School in Term 1 as part of our #EmpowHER program. They showcased their friendship skills by participating in a treasure hunt, crafting friendship flowers, creating friendship ninja headbands, and performing a collective dance.
Our 80th Choral Night saw a historic turnout, with Kennion securing victory. Choral Night is one of the most anticipated events on the Saints Girls’ calendar. This year the theme was ‘Love’ and the quality of the singing was extraordinary, remembering that the choirs are not filled with choristers. The Year 12 dancers amazed the audience and caused much angst for the staff who as tradition demands, will present sections of the four dances to the students at the Year 12 final assembly in October. The most impressive aspect of all was the camaraderie demonstrated between our students. When each House performed, the girls from the other Houses supported their presentations wholeheartedly. There is no question as to why Choral Night was sold out this year (1,700 tickets reserved), as it is indeed a unique Saints Girls spectacle.
Our achievements at the Head of the River were remarkable. Our teams showcased exceptional skill, with first place victories in the 7/8B, 7/8C and 7/8D crews, while our 8/9B and 8/9D crews secured second place and our 8/9A crew proudly claimed third. This year also marked a historic moment as Saints Girls won the Rowing Intercol for the very first time!
Our achievements in rowing were just the beginning of a successful Summer Intercol with Saints Girls taking home the Trophy against Walford across five different sports, firstly Rowing, then Basketball, Cricket, Tennis and Volleyball. The girls showed admirable determination and energy in all sports and were greatly encouraged by the cheers and support of fellow students and their families.
Our ELC staff and students have also been very busy this term, many of them learning in different locations to accommodate the building works. I have been impressed by the children’s ability to adjust to these changes and to see these accommodations as an opportunity to embrace change and build resilience; two qualities which will be much needed by our future world citizens. The renovations that have been undertaken in the ELC, have not only resulted in a very attractive façade for our Centre but the children will also be the beneficiaries of the high-quality facilities and newly created learning spaces. I would like to thank and congratulate the ELC children and our Property Services Team for the beautiful Fairy Garden that they designed and constructed at the entrance to our centre.
Last Friday, our Chiverton Lawns became the stage for some real fairies as our Year 10 students brought Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream to life. This was another Arts spectacular with Chiverton House lit up as the backdrop for one stage, and a swing hung from the Himalayan Cedar tree creating another performance space. The lighting, staging, sound, dancing and acting made for a most memorable evening for upwards of 200 family members who enjoyed wood oven pizzas and picnic boxes prepared by our Food of the World students as they watched quality theatre, produced by talented students and staff in an enchanting setting at our very own School.
Last month I shared with you the progress of the North West Build. I deeply appreciate the feedback and thoughts our community has shared. We have complied your questions into FAQ’s, available on our website. Click here to view FAQ’s. We are now in the final stages of the design process and look forward to sharing with you the final renders of the building once this process is completed.
Finally, I would like to once again, congratulate our students and the Music and Dance staff for the production of the video Girls which was released on International Women’s Day in March. This poignant and powerful collaboration showcased the artistry and talents of the students at St Peter’s Girls’ School. Watching this video brings a tear to my eye every time. I am not only moved by the sheer talent of our students, but it encapsulates so profoundly the Courage, Creativity and Compassion that are the foundations of our girls’ School. The video has been shared 141 times (a record for Saints Girls), with over 38,000 impressions and an overwhelming number of comments.
As we conclude another term, I wish to thank our staff for their ongoing commitment to excellence, making Saints Girls’ a leading school in the education for girls. Heading into the term break, I extend my best wishes to each member of our community and thank you for your continued support and active involvement. May you enjoy this time with your families and loved ones, and I look forward to the opportunities and adventures that await us in Term 2.
Cherylyn Skewes
Principal
Important Dates
Last Day of Term: Friday 12 April
Vacation Care and ELC Vacation Care: Monday 15 April – Friday 26 April
Anzac Day Public Holiday: Thursday 25 April (ELC and Vacation Care Closed)
Start of Term 2: Monday 29 April
Sports Day: Friday 10 May
A Midsummer Night’s Dream- Celebrating the Work of Our Year 10 Students!
Last Friday evening, Chiverton Lawns were buzzing with excitement as families set up picnic spots and settled in for an evening of Shakespeare. The music ensembles set the scene with their harmonious flutes and strings and the beauty of Chiverton House and our gardens was in full display, decorated by the Visual Arts students to represent a magical fairyland. The wonderful Friends of the Arts served beverages and people tucked into delicious picnic boxes created by Jenni Manson’s Year 10 World of Food students. The smell of wood oven pizzas wafted over the Lawns as our School community had a chance to catch up with their friends and families. It was such an amazing sight to see!
Undertaking Shakespeare is never an easy task. I was blown away with the progress that the Year 10 Drama students made under the guidance of Katherine Kitching. From the early rehearsals to the end performance, their confidence, clarity and commitment to their character showed enormous growth. The Stage 1 Dancers were responsible for all the choreography throughout A Midsummer’s Night Dream. With different strengths and abilities, they worked diligently to create a variety of performances which showcased creativity and diversity. From eerie fairies, to learning the Zorba and an energetic Hip Hop routine to end the night, their ability to create interesting dance work and teach and support one another was impressive.
As the sun set, the way our School was illuminated was simply breathtaking. Scott Lorian’s creative and technical genius was certainly on display and took this production to a level of immense professionalism.
A huge thank you to the Property Services Team, Fiona McGregor and Jeanne Phillips, as well as the incredible Arts staff who all worked so hard to bring this play to life in the great outdoors. Katherine Kitching and Kirsten Mansfield- thank you for everything you do for our students!
Kate Burnett
Head of The Arts
Congratulations to Our Year 9 Leaders
Last week at assembly, I had the pleasure of announcing our 2024 Year 9 Leaders and presenting them with their badges. They are not only expected to support our School’s values of Courage, Creativity, and Compassion, but to take active roles in School life, bringing energy, enthusiasm, and creativity to their positions.
Kennion
House Captain – Isabella Blake
Sports Captain – Zoe White
Kilburn
House Captain – Ruby Marschall
Sport Captain – Phoebe Lucas
Patteson
House Captain – Lauren Fuller
Sports Captain – Neffy David
Selwyn
House Captain – Isla Fahey
Sports Captain – India Goodall
Library Captains
Mack Atkinson, Shwethakie Karunarathna, Lily Forby
Reconciliation Action Plan Ambassadors
Tia Bal, Jasmin Cetinkol
Arts Leaders
Hannah Beaumont, Emma Sayers, Matilda Simonis, Zara Perrone
Music Captains
Jana Song, Molly Liu, Samantha Li, Chen Chen Han, Leia Hui, Chloe Chan
Chapel Leaders
Naomi Meng, Annabelle Birdsey, Skyla Hutchinson, Nishka Soodan
Events Leaders
Lola Storer, Jie-Xi Tam, Wei Ning Khoo, Charlotte Hocking, Imogen Wallace, Scarlett Parker, Matilda Wilkin, Charlotte Catchpole, Grace Mayen, Nathalie Randeniya
I know you will join me in congratulating all students on their appointments.
Mrs Emma Smerdon
Head of Middle School
The Story of St Peter’s Girls’ School
Our Year 3 girls have been hard at work learning about the 130 year history of St Peter’s Girls’ School. They have been investigating different sources of information to uncover the stories and facts behind our wonderful School. They had a special visit to the School museum, a local history walk, and have also been treated to Old Scholar guest speakers, Lynne Spry (Selwyn 1974) and Emma Smerdon (nee Bailey, Patteson 2005).
The girls were thrilled to showcase their learning in a moving performance at the Friends of the Founders Day Chapel Service. They told ‘The Story of St Peter’s Girls’, dressed in the uniforms from over the years, with a backdrop of photographs from the earliest days of the School. Their singing and dancing raised the roof of the chapel to remind all of us that the work and spirit of the Founding Sisters lives strong in us today.
Sarah Mulraney
Year 3 Teacher
Monique McLeay
Year 3 Teacher
Girls Win the Day at the Battle of the Saints
In Week 9 the Year 12 Debating team faced students from St Peter’s College on the novelty topic, ‘fake tan is amazing’. After a heated debate, the girls came out with the win of a 5-2 margin from the adjudication panel. It was great to see the support from a large audience of students across the Middle and Senior School (some of whom had never even been to a debate before!) We hope that this support can continue as we kick off the Debating season in Term 2. We look forward to further competition with St Peter’s College and other schools in the official SADA competition. The girls should be extremely proud of their efforts in what was a highly entertaining and exciting debate. Well done to all involved!
Emily McCorley
Debating and Public Speaking Prefect
Year 4s Explore the Botanic Gardens
On Wednesday 3 April, the Year 4s embarked on an excursion to the Adelaide Botanic Gardens as part of our ‘Sharing the Planet’ unit of inquiry. Our trip provided numerous opportunities for students to delve into the intricate interconnectedness that exists within the plant world.
As we wandered through the greenery, students witnessed the symbiotic relationships plants have with each other and the environment. From the towering River Red Gums providing shade and shelter to the delicate flowers attracting pollinators, every plant plays a vital role in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem.
One of the highlights was a guided tour led by Trent Hill, an Aboriginal storyteller and educator, who shared his knowledge about the traditional uses of trees and plants by Aboriginal people.
Throughout this unit of inquiry, students have gained a deeper understanding of the importance of preserving and protecting our plant life. They have been inspired to take action in their own lives to promote sustainability and conservation.
Jane Angove and Olivia Coulter
Year 4 Teachers
Year 5 Students Visit Parliament
On Wednesday 3 April the Year 5 students were fortunate to visit Parliament House as part of our Inquiry unit ‘How We Organise Ourselves – Focusing on Australian Democracy’.
Our local member for Bragg, Jack Batty MP, showed us around the two chambers in the South Australian Parliament. Jack took us through the basic information of Parliament House, Democracy and a little bit of his role as a politician.
We slowly and quietly walked through the building as other members of Parliament House were working. We went into the red chamber first, the Legislative Council. Followed by the Green house, the House of Assembly. We were fascinated by the origins of our Parliament from England and the traditions as well as the roles of people, including the speaker and how the politicians vote for new bills which can only be passed by the Governor.
Shane Davidson
Year 5 Teacher
Saints Girls Team Up with the Tjindu Foundation
Empowering Aboriginal Youth through STEM
We are thrilled to announce a heart-warming initiative undertaken by St Peter’s Girls’ School Reconciliation group for the Tjindu Foundation, an organisation dedicated to creating positive change for Aboriginal children.
In a recent collaborative effort, our students, under the guidance of Ms. Kendall Fitzgerald, our Cultural Liaison Officer, have come together to pack microscope kits for Tjindu and donate microscopes that are surplus to our needs. This initiative is part of our Reconciliation Action Plan, reflecting our commitment to fostering an appreciation and understanding of Indigenous cultures. Kendall, a proud Kaurna/Narungga woman, brings invaluable knowledge and experience, enriching our students’ learning through her role. The microscope kits, complete with various supplies, are intended to inspire and educate Aboriginal students in the fascinating world of science, particularly in studying plants and cells.
We aim to nurture global citizens who value justice, respect, and intercultural understanding through these efforts. This gesture of support and collaboration signifies more than just an educational donation; it is a step towards bridging gaps and nurturing a relationship of mutual respect and understanding. Together, we are taking meaningful steps towards reconciliation and empowering the next generation of leaders in our communities and beyond.
Melissa O’Loughlin
STEM Innovation Leader
Kendall Fitzgerald
Cultural Liaison Officer
ELC – New Environments can Inspire Curiosities
This term, our ELC community has embraced the recent changes to their learning environment by drawing on the Reggio Principles of using the environment as a third teacher. Take a look at what our Learning Community 2, Pathway Ferguson and Pathway Hallett children have been up to!
Chloe Skoss and Tori McDonnell
Pathway Ferguson and Pathway Hallett Educators
It’s Oliphant Science Award Time!
What Can You Expect?
🔬 Real-Life Investigations: Conduct and report on scientific inquiries in real-world settings.
🎨 Unleash Creativity: Explore your interests, talents, and creativity through science.
🧠 Expand Knowledge: Develop a deeper understanding of science concepts and principles.
🌍 Share Your Work: Showcase your projects to a broader audience and inspire others.
Why Participate?
🏆 Prizes Galore: Win a variety of prizes including cash prizes!
🚀 Career Insights: Discover the vast array of career opportunities in science and technology.
💡 Innovation & Inquiry: Foster innovation, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
🌐 Tech Integration: Embrace new technologies, including ICTs, to enhance your learning experience.
🎉 Open to All: Any and all students are encouraged to participate.
Categories to Explore:
🌱 Citizen Science: Sponsored by the University of Adelaide, engage in scientific projects that involve the public in data collection, analysis, and problem-solving.
💎 Crystal Investigation: Delve into the fascinating world of crystals and explore their properties through scientific investigation.
🎮 Games: Develop educational games that make learning science fun and interactive for players of all ages.
🛠️ Models & Inventions: Sponsored by the Australian Institute of Energy, design and create models or inventions that address real-world challenges or showcase innovative solutions.
📽️ Multimedia: Combine your scientific knowledge with your creativity to produce engaging multimedia presentations that communicate complex concepts in an accessible way.
📸 Photography: Sponsored by the SA Museum, capture the beauty of science and nature through stunning photographs that tell a story or convey scientific concepts.
🖼️ Posters: Design visually captivating posters that communicate scientific ideas, research findings, or experimental results.
🤖 Programming, Apps & Robotics: Sponsored by Defence Science and Technology Group, showcase your programming skills by creating apps, software, or robotics projects that tackle scientific problems or enhance scientific exploration.
🔍 Scientific Inquiry: Sponsored by the University of South Australia, conduct scientific investigations into topics of interest and present your findings in a clear and concise manner.
📝 Science Writing: Sponsored by Flinders University, hone your writing skills as you communicate scientific concepts, research findings, or personal insights through articles, essays, or creative writing pieces.
Click here for more information on the categories.
How to Get Involved?
Click here to complete the application form and share your project idea and plan by Monday 13 May 2024.
There will be weekly check-ins Mondays at recess in SC304.
Click here to learn more!
ELC – News from Learning Community 2
A Reflection from the Erindale Room
This term the children in the Erindale room have been exploring the story of the Rainbow Serpent. As the term progressed, this exploration shifted from the focus of the dreamtime story and the connection to our outdoor environment towards creating representations of the serpent using a range of creative languages. The children were offered a range of materials to explore including:
- Painting
- Drawing
- Collage
- Wool
- String
- Beading
These materials were carefully chosen by the Educators to capture the child’s imagination and allows them to build on their creativity. We believe it is important to offer a range of materials that give children the freedom to express themselves as well as to explore and create their own unique representations. Many of these have been documented in your child’s portfolio, and it has been a joy to share these during our Parent Teacher Conversations over the past few weeks. These materials have also been intentionally chosen to build on the children’s fine motor skills and ability to manipulate small materials and build the muscles in their hands.
To celebrate our term’s inquiry, this week the children worked on a collaborative artwork inspired by the Rainbow Serpent combining all these creative languages. We will gift this piece of art to our new rooms to hang as a reminder of this learning and our connection to this important symbol.
Laura Reiters
Learning Community 2 (Erindale Room) Educator
Farewell Celebration for Mrs Jordan
This week, our Year 1 classes hosted a beautiful party for Mrs Jordan, who is going to be starting maternity! We wish Mrs Jordan all the very best. We will miss her but can’t wait to meet bubs!
ELC Mothers and Treasured Friends’ Afternoon Tea – Book Now!
Dear ELC families
Join us on Friday 10 May at 2pm to celebrate the Mothers and Treasured Friends’ Afternoon Tea in the ELC!
Our Centre will be celebrating Mother’s Day and the inspirational women in the children’s lives including mothers, grandmothers, and aunties.
Click here to book by Tuesday 7 May.
We hope to see you there!
ELC Mothers and Treasured Friends’ Afternoon Tea
Friday 10 May
2pm in the ELC
The Fall Guy – Don’t Miss the Opportunity of Two Chances to Secure VIP Seats
Bring your girlfriends, mothers and sisters and join us for an unforgettable night of action and comedy as Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling entertain us with an ‘epic story of cosmic proportions’.
You’ll be greeted on arrival with a complimentary glass of bubbles and chocolate, ready to sit back and enjoy the show.
Date: Wednesday 19 June 2024 (Week 8)
Time: 6.30 pm for 7 pm Movie
Movie: The Fall Guy
Venue: Regal Theatre, 275 Kensington Road, Kensington Park SA 5068
Cost: $25 per person (includes bubbles and chocolate on arrival)
Raffle tickets: $5 for 1 ticket, $10 for 3 tickets
Early-bird offer: Purchase your movie tickets by 19 May for a chance to win an ‘early-bird-only’ special prize draw.
Our coveted raffle prizes are returning, including tickets to Choral Night 2025 and Carols in the Cathedral 2024. Waltz past the queues straight to your reserved seats with the VIP guests!
Raffle tickets can be purchased online with your movie ticket and will also be available on the night. Get your tickets before 19 May to be in the running for our fabulous EXTRA prize just for early-bird purchasers – a bundle of 2 tickets for Choral Night 2025 and 2 tickets for Carols 2024. Even better, you’ll still be in the draw for all other prizes on the night, including 4 tickets to Carols in the Cathedral and 4 tickets to Choral Night 2025 or one of three $100 vouchers for The Family Cook, generously donated by Victoria Braithwaite (current Year 10 parent).
This wonderful event is hosted by The Friends of The Arts community group. All proceeds go directly to support the many wonderful Arts programs at St Peter’s Girls’ School.
Please join us for an evening to remember.
To book tickets – click here.
Years 4-12 Sports Day Notice
On Friday 10 May (Week 2, Term 2), the Year 4-12 Sports Day will be held at the SA Athletics Stadium. The day will begin at 8.30am and will conclude by approximately 3.15pm.
Students who usually travel on school buses will be transported directly to and from the venue, departing from and returning to their regular stops. School Bus Drivers will inform families of any expected changes to pick-up and drop-off times.
To assist other families, we are offering a special bus service to transport students from School to the SA Athletics Stadium and back. Buses will depart School at 7.45am and return by approximately 4.15pm. All other students will need to be dropped off at the SA Athletics Stadium in the morning and picked up from there in the afternoon.
We encourage all girls to compete in a number of events, with their preferences being discussed in PE lessons and House meetings. Sports Day is to be treated like a normal School day; therefore, attendance is compulsory for the whole day. If a student is unable to participate in their events, a note must be emailed to Miss Katherine Perkas via kperkas@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au
The Friends of Sport will be running a raffle with excellent prizes on offer. They will also be selling House merchandise prior to the day. To purchase raffle tickets or pre-order merchandise Click Here. Orders will close at 5pm, Monday 6 May.
Thank you for your support as we count down to another epic Sports Day!
Katherine Perkas
Head of PE, Health and Outdoor Education
Vacation Care Bookings are Open!
Our next awesome instalment of Junior School Vacation Care is almost here. We have some great activities guaranteed to keep the children entertained through the break. With an array of excursions and on-site adventures, there is plenty of fun to be had.
April 2024 Vacation Care Program
Places are limited, so secure your booking now – click here
Winter Uniform Appointments
A reminder that it’s time to check Winter Uniforms ready for the start of Term 2.
To avoid long wait times on the first day back at School, click here to book a School Shop appointment to purchase any Winter Uniform items required.
Alternatively, School Shop items can be purchased online via the Flexischools platform.
School Holiday Opening Times
Tuesday 23 April, 9am – 4pm
Wednesday 24 April, 9am – 4pm
The School Shop will resume regular hours on Monday 29 April.
Monday to Friday: 8am – 4pm (closed for lunch 12 – 12.30pm).
Sports News
Senior A Water Polo Grand Final
After remaining undefeated throughout the term, our Senior A Water Polo team earned a spot in the Grand Final. The Grand Final would be played against St Domonic’s and having not played them in the rounds due to forfeiture, the girls went into the game unsure what to expect from the opposition. Saints Girls’ maintained a positive mindset throughout, hitting the front early and building on their lead throughout the match, demonstrating strong defensive and attacking skills from all players.
The whole team has come so far since the start of the season and improved so much as a team. This was definitely shown during the game, resulting in an outstanding 16-2 win.
Well done to all players and coach!
Lacrosse SA Junior Carnival
Well done to Violet Tulloch, Jiaen Lu, Olivia Ianniello, Clementine Christo and Mimi (Amelia) Birmingham on their efforts at the Lacrosse SA Junior Carnival, winning the final in a dominant display of skill!
Throughout the day, the girls were very keen to learn and implement new skills and demonstrated fantastic teamwork, sharing and passing the ball between themselves as they worked it to goal. In some matches, the ‘mercy rule’ was implemented, which meant Saints Girls’ needed to come back to halfway and the opposition were allowed to play with extra players on the field. The girls understood why this was implemented and demonstrated brilliant sporting behaviour throughout the day.
Coach Rebecca Halloran said, ‘skills learnt during the day included ground balls, catching and throwing, dodging, movement around the goal, cradling, defensive positioning, stick tricks and shooting styles.’
Thank you to Rebecca and Miss Brennan for attending the carnival. Great job, girls!
SAPSASA Swimming State Championships
It was a successful day for the Adelaide District Swimming team, in which Emily Wang, Amy Liau and Mia O’Brien were a part of, winning the SAPSASA State Metro Division 1 Championships!
Emily Wang placed 3rd in the 10 Year Old Girls 50m Freestyle, getting a new Personal Best in doing so, with a time of 36.73. Emily finished 4th in the 50m Breaststroke, before teaming up with Mia O’Brien in the 4x 50m Freestyle relay, where their team placed 1st! In the 11 Year Old 50m Breaststroke, Amy was quick off the blocks but didn’t quite place in what was a very strong heat!
Well done to all girls on their contributions to the team!
My First Ever Triathlon
On the weekend, I competed in my first ever triathlon!
In the morning, I woke up at about 5am to be ready for the race which started at 7.45am. I felt nervous and excited.
When we arrived, I walked down to the flags on the beach and started to warm up. When I touched the water, I was shocked how freezing the water was.
The man counted down “4, 3, 2, 1,” and we all lined up horizontally. He shouted, “go,” so I sprinted down to the water. As I hit the water, I lifted my legs as high as I could to skim the water. I passed two lifeguards and knew I had almost finished the 50m swim.
I ran up the sand and removed my cap and goggles. At the transition area, I grabbed my
t-shirt and pulled it onto my soaking wet body. Squeezing my sandy feet into my shoes, I slid my helmet on and grabbed my bike. Once the 2km ride ended, I unclipped my helmet and started the 500m run. The finish line was in sight, so I sped up until I was at full speed. I dashed through the finish line.
Overall, I came 1st in my age category (ages 7-9), 4th in the female category and 6th overall (out of 30 kids)!
Mia O’Brien
Year 4 Student