Issue no. 37
In this edition
Aussie Nativity Captivates Crowds
Our Year 1 and 2 students captured the spirit of Christmas last night as they delivered the annual Nativity performance.
Based on the classic Mem Fox book Wombat Divine, the show featured many Australian animals as characters including kangaroos, galahs, and of course, a very special wombat.
Well done to all involved for getting the School community into the festive mood!
Season’s Greetings from our ELC
Our ELC children proudly entertained hundreds of people during the Carols on the Lawn spectacular last Friday.
The joy of Christmas was in overdrive as they sang, danced and drummed their way through festive hits!
Take a look at some of the magical highlights:
From the Director of Teaching and Learning
Enrichment Week
For Years 10 and 11, Week 8 is Enrichment Week. After receiving feedback on their exams early in the week, the students will then experience a mixture of activities. Year 10s will have an environment session in which, amongst other things, they will learn more about Ferguson Conservation Park and its historical relationship with the School. A large chunk of Wednesday will be spent at Norwood outdoor pool. They also get to participate in ‘The Amazing STEM Race’ on Thursday afternoon. On Friday, they will learn more about their chosen program for next year. Year 11 IB students will continue work on their Group 4 Presentations during the week and will also meet to review the year and look ahead to the second year of the programme. Year 11 SACE students will meet their Year 12 teachers in ‘head-start’ lessons. Add an International Film Festival and ice-skating into the mix, and you have a busy, varied and hopefully fun week!
Continuous Reporting
Parents of students in Years 7 to 11: please remember to check the latest teacher feedback via the myLink parent portal. As a key element of our move to continuous reporting, your improved access to this valuable information replaces subject teacher comments in the soon-to-be-released semester reports. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you are having any trouble accessing the feedback.
Nigel Scoggins
Director of Teaching and Learning
A Message from the 2019 Selwyn House Captain
To me, the purpose of a Prefect is to embody positive change within the School. The whole Prefect group is a team. We all have different positions but, setting aside our specific roles, we have been inducted as leaders of the School. The most effective Prefect groups are those that work as a team and use the strengths and skills of all members to achieve success and “be remembered”. Leaving a genuine legacy is something to which we all aspire. We want to have a positive impact on the School and to help the girls in ways that can be transferred to life after school. The idea is to model selfless leadership, always putting other students and staff before the needs of ourselves. In this way, we as a Prefect group are serving the School in the best way possible.
As the oldest girls, the Year 12s are all leaders in the School, and next year we will have a focus on leading as a grade. It’s important that we as Prefects give back to our year level and gain their support as a group. We need to inspire them to buy into our vision and support our initiatives. But we also need to show them our appreciation for their support. And this can be done in so many ways. It can be as simple as providing some ice cream at lunchtime, giving the girls a chance to take a moment to destress from the mayhem of exams and enjoy something they wouldn’t normally have.
As Selwyn House Captain, it is my job to bring out the competitive nature and good sportsmanship of the girls, and ensure the House is like a second home to every girl lucky enough to be in the ‘green team’. The House system has a long and proud history and is highly valued by the girls and staff alike. Upon arriving in Year 7 five years ago, the first question I was asked is, “What House are you in?”. Lesson after lesson, I would get asked this same question by almost every girl in the year level, showing how your House becomes an integral part of your Saints Girls’ identity.
So, there are four Houses, all with similar ambitions, the key one being to win the House Shield. But what does it mean to be a Selwyn girl? Everything that we do will be underpinned by our 2019 values of Participation, Passion and Pride. 2019 will be the year of the 3Ps! It is important we recognise these values and inspire all girls to show them. When girls show the 3Ps, they will be rewarded with a “shout out” at the start of every House meeting. Genuinely living by these values will unite us as a House, and a united team is a successful team. Each year, we have sought to strengthen the bond between our fellow Selwynites – now, we have a concrete plan as to how. Every activity or conversation had in Selwyn House will go back to core values of the 3Ps.
Early next year is Choral Night. The preparations for the hymn, House song and dance have already begun. The goal of the night is purely to have fun. We as a House want to get everyone on their feet enjoying the groove of the song we choose. Our plan is to choose a simple song and perfect it. This way, there will be less stress and more enjoyment. Choral Night will be a great way for Selwyn girls to show off our core values – through Participation, the girls will put their all into rehearsals; Selwynites will be up on stage on the night singing with Passion and showing their Pride for the House.
Next year, Selwyn will soar to new levels and I am very excited to be a part of it. Participation, Passion and Pride – that’s what makes a Selwyn girl.
Amy Carrodus
Selwyn House Captain 2019
Deep Inquiry on Reef Excursion
In Science, the Year 5 girls have been exploring marine ecosystems, learning about adaptations and human impact on our oceans. They have found this study fascinating and have been highly engaged with their learning, creating infographics to raise awareness about plastic pollution, climate change, habitat destruction and rising water levels. On Tuesday, we travelled to Port Noarlunga Reef, where the girls had the opportunity to embark on a guided tour along the shoreline.
Due to inclement weather and high tides, the girls were unable to walk on the reef. Instead, in a small boat, they coasted along the reef’s edge to have a closer look, curious about the reef’s surface and all of its inhabitants. They enjoyed learning about the formation of the reef, intrigued by the Dreaming story, detailing how a spear was thrown off a cliff by indigenous Australian Mullawirraburka, with the spear head breaking to form the reef, providing an abundance of fish forevermore. Following this, we ventured to Christies Beach where the girls undertook a ‘clean up’, collecting rubbish that had been dumped, sorting the items into recycling and landfill. The amount of rubbish we found was staggering and has definitely left an impression on the girls, building their appreciation for the importance of caring for our oceans, marine life and planet.
Sarah Mulraney and Shelley Hampton
Year 5 Teachers
Keys to Success for Young Pianist
My name is Elaine and I am 10 years old. I have been invited to perform at the 2018 AMEB Showcase and Awards Ceremony. I play the cello (7th grade), flute (7th grade) and piano (Certificate of Performance). I received an A+ for cello Grade 6, A for flute Grade 6 and A for Piano Grade 8.
I started piano when I was 4 years old, I began Flute when I was in Year 2 and I started cello in Year 3. I have won many music eisteddfod awards like the Special Winners Award Concert, Flute Duet Section 1st place, Piano 10 Yrs and Under 1st place, Flute 10 Yrs and Under 1st place, Cello 12 Yrs and Under 1st place (2017, 9yrs old) and Flute Folk song 10 Yrs and Under. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, ice-skating, art and crafts, and gymnastics.
Elaine Chen
Year 5 student
Laughs Galore at Drama Night
The Years 9 and 10 Drama classes performed their much-anticipated end-of-year productions The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon and Miss Polly’s Institute to an audience of friends and family on Thursday night.
Both casts and their crews should be commended on their participation on and off-stage, as the audience laughed their way through the comedies, which were written by American playwright Don Zolidis.
There were some standout performances and very memorable moments, including some wild improvisations and even a tear or two. Congratulations to all the girls!
Katherine Kitching
Drama Teacher
Junior School Vacation Care
Our next installment of 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.
December 2018 and January 2019 Vacation Care Program
Places are limited, so please click here to secure your booking now!
Upcoming Events
Year 6 Graduation
2pm Wednesday 5 December
Presentation Night
Friday 7 December
Adelaide Town Hall
Compulsory for Years 7 – 12
Students must arrive at the Adelaide Town Hall by 6.30pm. The event will conclude by 9pm.
Carols in the Cathedral
Monday 10 December
St Peter’s Cathedral
Compulsory for Years 4 – 12
Students need to arrive by 6.30pm and be collected by 8pm.
Year 8 Class takes on Japanese Flavour
As part of learning the Japanese language, our students also learn about the culture of Japan, as the two are intertwined.
One of the best ways to understand the Japanese philosophy of life is to consider the food. Japanese people believe it is important to look after the body you are given, and to take time to appreciate the beauty of the world, and both of these concepts are reflected in Japanese obento (packed lunches). While a quick search in your favourite web browser will produce hundreds, if not thousands, of incredibly detailed and artistic obento lunches, the main components are a variety of colours, as this reflects a range of different nutrients, and a lunch that is appealing to look at. These were the two criteria that the Year 8 students were given when they recently constructed their own obento lunches in their Japanese lesson. In actual fact, many of them did go the extra step and create cute little characters such as pandas and lions, and all of their lunches had a variety of colours from different vegetables and other ingredients.
The girls really enjoyed making their obento but I think the highlight was all saying “Itadakimasu!” together and then tucking in!
Pitkin Sensei
Japanese Teacher
French Feast of the Senses
On 14 November, the Year 9 French class went to La Lorientaise, an authentic French crêperie, to experience French culture and traditional food.
We each chose a different type of crêpe or French dessert, with choices ranging from classic chocolate to strawberry, which was thoroughly enjoyed by all students. Once at the café, we practised our French speaking skills by ordering our desired dessert in French. While we enjoyed our desserts, we completed a challenging quiz, unscrambling French words and then translating them into English. They ranged from words we learnt when we started learning French to words we learnt much more recently, and demonstrated to us the extent of our knowledge and growth within our endeavour into learning the French language.
The entire class appreciated the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the French culture, while also liking the delicious crêpes. C’était bon!
Taj Shahin and Sara Peak
Year 9 French students
Excellent Chapter in Premier’s Reading Challenge
This year, we celebrated several new milestones with our Premier’s Reading Challenge. Yet again, every student in Junior School successfully read their 12 books and are to be congratulated for this amazing effort. In Middle School, students in Miss Brooks’ class finished in record time, winning themselves the Krispy Kremes prize. Thanks goes to the Shahin Family for their kind donation. Not to be outdone, in Senior School, we had our first ever senior class all complete the challenge. Well done Year 10 Kennion who were also rewarded with a serving of Krispy Kremes.
Special mention needs to go to those girls who have continuously participated in this annual event. For the past 12 years, Isabella Bernardi, Hattie Maerschel and Shunem Josiah have been successful, whilst it was the 13th year for Sarah Pols, Georgia Bowen and Kate McKellar-Stewart. Olivia Compare has set the bar high having completed the Challenge every year for 14 years.
It is so pleasing to see so many girls engaging in reading.
Lisa Hollis
Head of Library and Information Services
Year 5s take Self Defence into their own Hands
Year 5 and 6 girls had the opportunity to participate in four self defence lessons in Term 4 with Mike, our expert from Golden Nights Martial Arts.
They learned and practised a number of self defence techniques and strategies in a practical setting.
The girls were very fortunate to receive these lessons and should be extremely proud of their efforts.
Vanessa Brooks
PE Teacher
The Garden of Saintly Delights – SAVE THE DATE
The Parents’ and Friends’ Association encourages you to ‘Save the Date’ Sunday 24 February for next year’s school fair, The Garden of Saintly Delights.
If you are interested in volunteering, please email stpetersgirls.pandf@gmail.com.
Also, if you have a business or know of any businesses that would like to be involved with the fair, we are looking for sponsors. Starting from as little as $250, you can have your company logo on one of the many fair attractions and advertising material.
Please contact us if you would like more details.
The Parents’ and Friends’ Association
Code Camp at St Peter’s Girls’ School
St Peter’s Girls’ School will be hosting Code Camp Spark (ages 7 – 12), 2D Game Makers (ages 7 – 12) and AR Creators (ages 8 – 13) from 15 – 17 January 2019 from 9am – 3.30pm. The cost is $349 for three days.
Visit the Code Camp website for more information
Visit the St Peter’s Girls’ School booking page
French Markets
Crêpes, cafés, fromage, baguettes and more is what you will find at the French Markets this weekend at Soldiers’ Memorial Gardens, Unley. Enjoy some French food, music and craft stalls and take your daughters along to order in French! Details via https://www.af.org.au/french-market/
Kids Movie & Disco: Supervised Lock-In
Friday 14 December from 6 to 9.15pm
For more information, please click here.
Sports News
We wish to extend our congratulations to Director of Sport Neil Fuller who has been given Life Membership of the Independent Girls Schools Sports Association (IGSSA).
Neil joined Saints Girls in 2008 and currently oversees 19 sports; he has been pivotal in the introduction of a number of sports to the School such as Lacrosse, AFL and Touch Football.
He coordinates and coaches the Athletics program with large numbers of girls training in the mornings, culminating with victory in IGSSA Athletics in 2017 and 2018. He has increased the professionalism and expectation of students committing to play a sport at the School, and has developed sporting programs through the Junior School to improve the quality of girls’ sporting abilities and knowledge when they reach Middle School.
Neil attends many committee meetings with various sports organisations, again ensuring that all students are given the best opportunity to thrive in sport. He has also taken on team manager positions of State Schools Athletics and Cross Country teams and SAPSASA district Hockey teams.
Neil has been involved in the introduction of Old Scholar teams in Netball and Soccer (and hopefully AFL soon), and worked with Walford to begin an Intercol competition between our schools. On behalf of Saints Girls, well done Neil. – Dan Searle (Head of PE, Health and Outdoor Education)
CHEERLEADING
Congratulations go to Chanel Palmieri who recently competed in the Australian All Star Cheerleading Federation National Championships on the Gold Coast. 1763 teams and 12,022 competitors, including the best from all over Australia, China and New Zealand, took part. For Chanel and her teammates, it was their first-ever Nationals; they performed exceptionally well and received no deductions to place third in their division!
TENNIS
Year 5/6 Division 1 – Saints 4-18 defeated Wilderness 2-11
Singles: Mathilda Thomas 1-4, Winnie Vartuli 4-0 (forfeit), Sophie Blight 4-3, Alexandra Nguyen 1-4
Year 5/6 Division 3 – Saints 6-24 defeated Seymour 0-4
Singles: Gloria Zou 4-2, Jerrie Wu 4-0, Emily Bates 4-1, Charlotte Thorpe 4-1
TOUCH FOOTBALL
Year 7/8 – Saints 6 defeated St Dominic’s 2
In the last game of the term, the 7/8s came away with a convincing win against St Dominic’s. Although it was a slow start with the girls struggling with the basics of rucking, drop balls and defending, by half-time, the score was even at 1-1. The second half of the game was a different story. We were strong in defence, putting pressure on the opposition to work to our advantage. In attack, the rucking was more organised and executed with speed, and it was good to see them reading the game, looking for opportunities to send a late sweeper to the wing. With the speed and skill of our players, the opposition became tired quickly. Try scorers were Madison Liddy (3), Ellie Humphrey (2), Pearl Richards (1). During the term, it has been great to see the individual development in each of the girls. They are a cohesive team who have played well together and are willing to listen and learn while enjoying the game. – Tracey Hunt (Coach)
VOLLEYBALL
Year 6 – Saints 2 defeated Seymour Purple 0
Lauren Parton and Charlie Piper put up a great defence and attack when playing in front and back court. The girls did not stop fighting for their points and performed at their very best while showing great enthusiasm. Ruby Adams and Ruby Powell were also fantastic as they served for almost 10 points in a set. – Ankita Rajbhoj (Coach)
Year 5 – Saints 3 defeated Seymour Green 0
The last volleyball match of the season was an excellent game. Saints displayed the improvement of each student in their volleyball skills. Serves, sets and digs have all dramatically improved. Overall, a great end to a fantastic term of volleyball. – Isabella Villani
WATER POLO
The Year 7/8 Water Polo team finished the season with two games played on Thursday afternoon. First up, they played against Pembroke in a very tightly-fought game. The lead changed several times with the final score being a 5-all draw. All the girls played very well and demonstrated good improvement in their game play, particularly in the area of defence. The second game was played against Wilderness, and Saints won 17 to 3. The girls played very well with almost all of them scoring at least one goal. The game was a great example of how much they have improved during the season. – Heather Lines (Supervisor)