Issue no. 30
From Our Principal
Knowledge is power, but knowledge without action is powerless…
The OECD (Learning Compass 2030 details an aspirational vision for the future of education. When students finish school, they should leave not only with the knowledge, skills and attributes to conquer the next phase of their lives, but also with the self belief that they can positively influence both their lives and the world around them. This notion of student agency is about our girls ‘acting rather than being acted upon, shaping rather than being shaped and making responsible decisions and choices rather than accepting those determined by others.’ Agency can be exercised in many contexts: moral; social; economic; creative. Owing to Taylor Walker, moral agency has dominated the sporting headlines of late.
Following his racist remark about a fellow footballer, Walker said, ‘I’m going to educate myself, which is going to take some time, because I want to be better for it and I want to influence people around me because there’s no place for racism in society.’ He’s said it clearly – there’s no place for racism in society. He’s already been educated. So many great footballers have been his teachers: Nicky Winmar, Adam Goodes and Eddie Betts. Still, more education isn’t the answer alone. He has been educated, but what has he learnt? Racism destroys people. It nullifies them, with the hurt being both devastating and seemingly unending. Walker knew that, he’d learnt that. Yet he still made the comment. Knowledge is power, but what is the point of learning if it doesn’t change the way you act, think or live your life?
Saints Girls is a wonderful School and we educate our girls across multiple domains in the classroom, on the sporting field, on the stage, behind the video camera and more. But Taylor Walker’s behaviour has reminded us again that education is simply the start. Acting and shaping to positively influence others is the next step, and as a community, we must constantly challenge our girls to actually take that step. And that’s what I love about working here, that our girls do take the lead in demanding urgent action; that they empower themselves to learn about and shape the world around them. We often talk about thinking outside of the box when it comes to solving the world’s problems. Walker pigeonholed a section of our community based on the colour of their skin and their cultural background. He popped them in a box and closed the lid. My hope is that Saints Girls’ graduates won’t just think outside the box, but will be busy blowing the box wide open.
Have a wonderful break and I look forward to welcoming the girls back to Stonyfell on Monday 11 October.
Julia Shea
Principal
Deputy Principal / Head of Senior School Appointment
I am delighted to announce that Lauren Sutton will be joining St Peter’s Girls as Deputy Principal/Head of Senior School in January.
Lauren is the Director of Students at Mary MacKillop College, an all-girls’ school in Kensington, where she has performed various leadership roles for the past decade. She is a graduate of Flinders University with a Bachelor of Education and Arts (Secondary), and more recently, a Master of Education (Management and Leadership). The latter provided her with the opportunity to research the impact that risk-taking and building resilience has on wellbeing for female adolescents.
Educated at Siena College, Lauren appreciates the value and importance of girls’ schools, and has a particular interest in student leadership, student agency and student voice. She is also extremely passionate about health and fitness, and has a long association with netball including time in the State League. As a coach and player, she upholds the value of a team approach to leadership.
Lauren’s extensive background in girls’ education, pastoral care, wellbeing, health and leadership provides the perfect fit for our girls, and I have no doubt that she will seamlessly establish herself as an inspiring educator, role model and mentor at Saints Girls.
Warmest congratulations to Lauren on her appointment. We look forward to introducing her to our families in the new year.
Julia Shea
Principal
Rave Reviews for Year 5 Production
Term 3 is finishing on a high note with our Year 5 Production of Singin’ in the Rain JR. Our girls have been showcasing their amazing stage talents, culminating in their final performance tonight.
Described by some as the greatest movie musical of all time, the classic story has been brought to life on stage featuring Tinseltown magic, comical sketches, dazzling costumes and show-stopping tunes.
The Year 5 Production is a cherished highlight on our Performing Arts calendar as our girls develop courage, creativity and compassion through acting, song and dance. It also provides our students with rich insights into the many other elements involved in stage production.
Tonight’s final performance starts at 7pm; tickets can be purchased at the door.
Congratulations to our Year 5 stars and staff on such an outstanding show!
Top Term 3 in Our ELC
The end of Term 3 is a time to reflect and celebrate the progress we have made so far. Many of our children have just completed their first term, either of ELC or in a new Learning Community.
Have a look back at some of the fabulous highlights of Term 3 in our ELC:
Foundation Long Lunch
Thank you to those who attended and supported our fourth Foundation Long Lunch last Sunday here in our very own Gym. Together, we raised close to $90,000 towards our $1M goal to give Saints Girls a new Gym sooner; a fantastic result.
When I look at the huge puzzle that makes up The Long Lunch, every piece is instrumental in making this event a success. Jeremy Schultz, the Chair of our Board, commented on how amazing it is to have so many community members contributing to and involved in making this event happen. It has been my pleasure working with all of you. Thanks again to our many volunteers, sponsors, businesses and people who donated auction items, and our MC, chefs and staff for giving your time, products and/or services so generously. I hope you will all consider being involved again in the future!
If you haven’t watched the live stream from the event, you can still view it here: St Peter’s Girls’ Foundation Long Lunch 2021
Best wishes for a lovely school holiday break, and I look forward to seeing many of you at our Saints Girls’ Family Day on Sunday 17 October on Chiverton Lawns.
If you have any ideas or would like to be involved in the planning of this event, please get in touch with me via mwestgate@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au.
Melissa Westgate
Foundation Manager
Year 10 Camp in Flinders Ranges
Last week, the Year 10 cohort headed for the Flinders Ranges for their five-day camp. We participated in many activities such as hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing and abseiling.
This camp challenged us to push beyond our comfort zone as well as supporting members of our Home Group, allowing us to learn and grow from these experiences. We had a very enjoyable time getting to know our Home Group and sharing memorable moments together.
Annie, Chloe and Lady
Year 9 Camp on Yorke Peninsula
The Year 9 girls tackled their Challenge Camp at Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park on Yorke Peninsula last week. We camped for five days and four nights, taking part in a variety of challenges over the week.
The three classes started and finished at different points around the park, and we were challenged by bushwalks, abseiling and problem-solving tasks. We finished the week with a fun talent show and s’mores around the campfire.
Throughout camp, the girls performed activities that pushed them, resulting in new mindsets for challenges.
Sophie and Daisy
The Science Behind Healthy Girls
During Science in Term 3, the Year 8 girls have been working on a unit called ‘Healthy Girls’ as part of the body systems topic. The task was to raise awareness by creating a campaign about what it means to be healthy, focusing on healthy diets, exercise and sexual health. The girls have worked with Health, PE and Food Tech to combine ideas and create a real-world context for the concepts discussed in Science.
The girls ran an expo during Home Group to showcase their final campaigns which included videos, websites and infographics. The Year 7 and 9 students were invited to walk through and interact with each of the groups, asking thoughtful questions and providing valuable feedback to the Year 8s.
Well done girls on all your hard work.
Emily Gough, Roger Mills and Christine Smith
Saints of Service Cook for a Cause
Well done to Alice and Daisy Braithwaite who recently took part in the City of Burnside’s Cooking for a Cause. This free, four-week course is offered to those who live, work, study or play within the City of Burnside and are of high school age.
The sessions teach participants how to cook healthy and nutritious meals which are then delivered to various organisations for the homeless in Adelaide via OzHarvest.
Alice and Daisy have completed the course as part of their participation in the Duke of Edinburgh Awards. They enjoyed the opportunity to learn new cooking skills and to help others.
View the Burnside Council article here.
Year 6 STEM to the Rescue
Over the past couple of weeks, students in Year 6 have had the opportunity to work with the team from Lumination who are experts in educational STEM experiences. As the girls had been working through their ‘How the world works inquiry into extreme natural events’, they were asked to consider how technology could be used to respond to different disasters.
Students were given the opportunity to do a deep dive into learning how drones are used to solve real-world issues in a simulated setting. They were led through the design thinking process on disaster management whilst using drones, and practised drone flights in manual and coding modes. They were also asked to propose and design potential drone solutions. A challenging and fun day for all!
Year 6 Teachers
New Organ Players Pipe Up
Mark Joyner, the current pipe organ teacher at Saints Girls, was educated in music at Melbourne University. He went on to complete a teaching certificate and spent 40 years as a music instructor at schools such as Pembroke and Melbourne Grammar. After leaving his full-time teaching position in 2017, he now teaches piano and organ at our School, Walford and Loreto, and plays the organ for Chapel at Saints Girls and St Peter’s College.
Our pipe organ looks fantastic in our Chapel and sounds wonderful when it echoes off the walls. The organ is a great instrument that every girl could learn to play. Mark says it is the ‘king of all instruments’ and can increase your appreciation of music while delighting you with its gorgeous sound. Mark suggests that you should have some piano experience and good hand-foot coordination to study the pipe organ as it is played with both hands and feet.
Year 5 student Evie Murphy has started learning the instrument in weekly 30-minute lessons with Mark. She is having a great time and Mark is keen to teach even more students from our School, which is why you should be bold and give it a go!
To express your interest in learning the organ, email Ms Rounsevell via srounsevell@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au.
Zoe, Jasmin and Abigail
Students
Sports Lunch 2021
St Peter’s Girls’ Foundation is thrilled to present the 2021 Sports Lunch on Friday 12 November from 12 – 4pm at the Alma Tavern, Norwood.
Enjoy an exclusive afternoon of sporting insights and a sports panel discussion with football icon Mark Ricciuto, Olympic and World Champion Rower Olympia Aldersey (Kennion 2011), and Executive Director of Events SA Hitaf Rasheed (Selwyn 1986).
The afternoon includes a delicious 3-course meal and drinks package, and funds raised will go towards our new Gym!
Be quick to secure your tickets via TryBooking.
Family Day Fun
Join us on Sunday 17 October for the Saints Girls’ Family Day!
From 11am to 2pm, Chiverton Lawns will host a fun-filled afternoon including a dodgeball competition, live mural painting, coffee van and food trucks.
Whilst this community event is free to attend, we ask families to please book tickets for our planning purposes via TryBooking.
Proudly brought to you by the St Peter’s Girls’ Foundation
Growth and Development Education Evening
You are warmly invited to the Kidz Biz Growth and Development Education Evening on Tuesday 26 October in the Arts Centre.
Kidz Biz Growth and Development Education is for both students and their parents. The sessions are designed to be fun, informative and easy to understand. It is highly interactive, providing parents/guardians and students with an introduction to basic personal growth and social development education. Traditionally known as the ‘Birds and the Bees’, these sessions will be presented in a manner that is not awkward or threatening, where students can learn about the human body and the amazing things it can do. The evening will be broken into two sessions for the following year groups, and the cost will be covered by the School.
Years 2 – 4
Where Did We Come From? – 6 to 6.50pm
• Myths about where babies come from
• Conception
• Fertilisation
• The nine month foetal development
• The birth process
Years 5 & 6
What’s Happening To Me? – 7 to 7.50pm
• Puberty (physical and emotional)
• Body image and media influences
• Dealing with parents
We hope to see many parents and students attend these valuable sessions.
Suzanne Haddy
Head of Junior School
Shane Davidson Presents Legally Blonde JR.
Shane Davidson Presents the OMG musical of 2021, Legally Blonde JR., from 8 – 10 October in St Peter’s Girls’ Arts Centre. Sophie Norman stars as the fashionista legal-eagle Elle Woods, supported by an amazing cast of 40 talented actors and singers including nine Saints Girls. This production is full of show-stopping numbers and even two real dogs! Great fun for all ages.
Four performances only:
Friday 8 October, 7.30pm
Saturday 9 October, 2pm
Sunday 10 October, 4pm and 7.30pm
Tickets via TryBooking
LEGALLY BLONDE JR. – Music and Lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin and Book by Heather Hach. Based on the book by Amanda Brown and the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer picture. Licensed exclusively by Music Theatre International (Australia).
Junior School Vacation Care
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.
September/October 2021 Vacation Care Program
Places are limited, so click here to secure your booking now!
Friends of Rowing – Season Opening Picnic
The Friends of Rowing invite you to attend the Season Opening Picnic on Sunday 24 October from 5 to 7pm on Chiverton Lawns. This event will be an opportunity to welcome our new and returning Rowing families for the 2021/22 season, as well as christen our newest boats! Special guests will be in attendance, with more details to follow.
All rowers are expected to attend, and Rowing families are strongly encouraged. The event is open to the School community; Old Scholars and friends of the Rowing program are very welcome.
Tickets can be purchased via https://www.trybooking.com/BUECQ
$25 per adult
$20 per student/child
Tickets include nibbles, yiros and soft drinks. Refreshments will also be available for purchase.
Brynley Millward
Director of Rowing
Strings Concert – Book Your FREE Tickets Now!
Saints Girls’ Music students are excited to present the Strings Concert. The evening will feature Junior, Intermediate and recent ABODA Gold Award winners Senior Strings, soloists and special guest composer/performer Belinda Gehlert.
Join us at 6pm, Friday 15 October in the Arts Centre.
Book your FREE ticket via www.trybooking.com/BUGDY
Adelaide Wind Orchestra Presents Splinter
Rock, Funk, Metal, Electronic Dance Music (EDM), Gospel and Soul music become symphonic in AWO presents Splinter at Elder Hall at 7.30pm on Friday 1 October.
We are offering free tickets for students to see us live, using the promo code STPETERSGIRLS
Book here: https://www.trybooking.com/BTPRV
Comprised of only instruments made of metal, Michael Daugherty’s aptly tiled ‘Motown Metal’ opens the program and harks back to rhythms and sounds of 1960s’ Detroit. ‘Come Sunday’ by Omar Thomas is a response to the largely absent voice of African Americans in the modern wind band idiom. It is both frenzied and joyous, familiar and enthralling, drawing on Gospel, Jazz and Blues influences, finishing with the energetic and toe-tapping ‘Shout!’
Holly Harrison describes Splinter as a ‘Mosaic or stylistic patchwork’, and this reflects the pieces that combine splinters of Rock, Funk and other popular contemporary musical styles.
Capping off the program, Matthew Hindson’s ‘Requiem’ mourns the loss of Sydney’s nightlife back in 2015 under strict lockout laws, now sadly ironic in 2021.
Joining Adelaide Wind Orchestra in a special performance is the Adelaide Saxophone Orchestra and features many, if not most, of Adelaide’s leading single reed players and saxophonists including some ASO guest stars performing David John Lang’s new composition, ‘Yuluna Loop’.
7.30pm, Friday 1 October
Elder Hall, University of Adelaide
Conductor – Bryan Griffiths
Michael Daugherty – ‘Motown Metal’
David John Lang – ‘Yuluna Loop’ (World Premiere)
Omar Thomas – ‘Come Sunday’ (Australian Premiere)
Holly Harrison – ‘Splinter’ (Australian Premiere)
Matthew Hindson / Paul Mac – ‘Requiem for a City’
Parents and Year Level Representatives Information Meeting
At the start of Term 4, all parents are invited to attend an information/collaboration meeting in person or on Zoom with Principal Julia Shea and our Community Relations staff. Parents will be updated on upcoming community activities and will hear from Julia. This will give parents an opportunity to get involved in our community events, ask questions, offer advice and provide constructive feedback. For more information, please contact me via 0407 394 183 or mwestgate@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au
Save the date for our Community Meeting in Term 4
Monday 11 October, 6 – 7 pm, Senior Art Room (in person)
Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86191635897?pwd=TnQ3TFAwdXZXcGs0K25VOVJ6YWhsUT09
Meeting ID: 861 9163 5897
Passcode: 625321
Community at Saints Girls
Parents are a vibrant and integral part of the St Peter’s Girls’ community.
Many opportunities are available to become involved with the School, connect with other community members, and build strong and lasting friendships.
Friends of The Arts Community Group Meeting | Term 4
Wednesday 20 October
7pm
AGM
(location TBD)
Contact: Danielle Parker – dslparker@gmail.com
Saints Sport Support Group Meetings | Term 4
Tuesday 19 October
6.30pm
Senior Art Room
Tuesday 7 December
6pm
AGM
Feathers Hotel
Friends of Rowing Group Meetings | Term 4
Tuesday 19 October
6.30pm
Senior Art Room
Tuesday 16 November
6.30pm
Senior Art Room
Contact: Ed Parker – edontheroadagain@hotmail.com
Melissa Westgate
Foundation Manager
School Shop – Summer Uniform
With the end of Term 3, it’s time to dig out that summer uniform and see if it still fits for the start of Term 4.
During the school holidays, the School Shop will be open on Thursday 7 and Friday 8 October from 9am to 4pm.
Entertainment Membership
To support Saints Girls and secure your Entertainment Membership, click here.
Terms and conditions apply. Visit www.entertainment.com.au for more information.
Absences from School
If your child is going to be absent, late to school or leave early, please use one of the following methods to notify the School providing student name, class/Home Group and reason:
Text: 0428 601 957
Email: attendance@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au
Phone: 8334 2200
Feel free to include the class/Home Group teacher when emailing. It would be appreciated if notifications could be made prior to 9am.
It is absolutely imperative to keep unwell children at home until they have recovered, even if symptoms are mild. This is not only for their own health and safety, but for that of all students and staff.
We thank all of our families for their cooperation.
Sports News
IGSSA ATHLETICS
Our IGSSA Athletics team narrowly missed out on retaining the Shield after a spirited day of track and field. Although Immanuel came out on top overall, Saints had some fantastic results including 5 IGSSA records, pennants in U14 and Open divisions, and Lakara Stallan taking home the Di Burge 100m Championship Trophy as the fastest girl on the day.
VOLLEYBALL SCHOOLS CUP
Our Open A, Open B and Middle A teams recently competed in the SA Volleyball Schools Cup, the first time Saints Girls has entered this three-day tournament. Our teams had been training throughout Term 3 to prepare for the challenging matches to come. The Open B and Middle A teams competed against Brighton and Heathfield, both special interest volleyball (SIV) schools, and put in their best efforts but were unsuccessful in making a final. The Open As finished 1st in the pool rounds on Friday to then compete against Hallett Cove in the Semi-Final. Saints took the first two sets with ease and decided to step back in the last set to recover for the next challenge. In the Grand Final, they competed against Concordia who have won the IGSSA Volleyball tournament for the past two years. Concordia started fast in the first set, but our girls rallied and fought back hard. Our slow start left us too far behind to completely catch up, and the set was lost 16 – 25. We started much better in the 2nd set with a more positive mentality going in. With amazing serving, we were able to put up a great lead and win the set 25 – 18. Another strong start from Saints in the 3rd left Concordia starting to break down while we put away some fantastic serves and hits. Being the first team to reach 8 points to swap ends was the motivation booster we needed to play our absolute best, taking the set 15 – 8 to win the Grand Final 2 – 1.
It was great to see all the girls progress and develop their skills and knowledge of volleyball across the three days, which was one of the major goals we set for the tournament. I’m so proud of all teams, especially the Open As for this great achievement and where it may lead Saints’ Volleyball in future. I hope to come back next year and assist you all on your volleyball journeys. A huge thank you to our coaches Antonio, Shaun and Alistair who have led us through this season to get where we are today. – Georgia Keough (Volleyball Captain)
SAPSASA STATE ATHLETICS
Congratulations to the Saints Girls who represented East Adelaide at SAPSASA Athletics. Some fantastic results led to East Adelaide finishing 3rd overall.
Isla Fahey
800m – 4th
1500m – 4th
Lauren Disney
100m – 1st
200m – 1st
Long Jump – 9th
Audrey Fox
800m – 4th
1500m – 3rd
Sophie Wiggins
Shot Put – 4th
Phoebe Lucas
Long Jump – 7th
Elodie de Wit
1500m – 1st
Chloe Richardson
200m – 8th
800m – 2nd
Long Jump – 5th
JUNIOR NETBALL
Year 3: Saints 1 v Pembroke 16
Year 4: Saints Blue 20 v Pembroke 2
Year 4: Saints White 13 v Seymour 7
STUDENT SUCCESS
Burnside U15 Lacrosse, which includes six Saints Girls, had a dramatic victory in their Grand Final which went down to overtime and ‘Golden Goal’, with the girls finishing on top 14 – 13.
HOLIDAY TENNIS COACHING
Tennis lessons can be arranged during the school holidays. All lessons can be run at the School.
If your daughter has put her name down for tennis in Term 4 and would like to build her confidence, this is a good chance for her to improve her skills or a specific part of her game.
For more details, contact Matt via 0412 855 073 or ford.matt@bigpond.com.