Issue no. 12
From Our Director of Early Learning
Every Child Can Be A Powerful Mathematician!
Partnering with families and educators to form a shared understanding about learning is an ongoing priority in the Early Learners’ Centre. We invited Mathematics Consultant Lisa-Jane O’Connor (pictured above) to facilitate a session for families at the beginning of Term 2. This is a key part of our strategic approach to continuously improve the teaching and learning opportunities for all children and to provide a consistent pathway from ELC to Reception.
This session provided us with a richer understanding of the importance to believe that all children can be and already are powerful mathematicians. It is very important to emphasise our language about mathematics with children. These are such powerful conversations. Learning to understand the science of patterns, rules and relationships is complex. Lisa-Jane was pivotal in ensuring families understand that from birth, children are already engaging in mathematics. Pattern is an example of this, as a newborn baby is able to communicate the difference between familiar and unfamiliar adults (sorting and classifying). From eight months of age, babies are entering their world of numbers. As adults, we can be great leaders of this mathematical language, and we should strive to notice and name when children are acting like a mathematician.
Demonstrating a positive attitude to mathematics is key to all of this. Our young learners need to be surrounded with mathematical language in both playful and intentional ways. We need to be highlighting where they use mathematics in their lives and looking at play with a mathematical lens. This will assist in building a curiosity around mathematics and encourage children to develop a stronger interest.
Lisa-Jane works with the teachers and children in the ELC twice each term. The work that we have been undertaking alongside her has transformed the language and intention we use in the area of mathematics. There is a confidence and consistency now about how we can engage with the five mathematical drawers: Algebra, Geometry, Measurement, Data and Number. Our children have become pattern seekers and pattern resolvers!
When families were asked why they came to the session, they were quick to articulate their desire to be able to support their child, to learn alongside them and to work alongside the educators. Lisa-Jane shared that, in her home, a mathematical book (that is a story book with a focus on mathematics) is read regularly, and a page of a mathematical dictionary is included in the bedtime ritual. Giving emphasis to this area ensures we are embedding mathematical concepts and language from birth and not just placing focus on whether or not our children can write and count 1 to 20.
Everyone left the session feeling invigorated, and the educators were so thrilled to have families come along and want to be part of these collaborative activities with such a strong curriculum focus. We look forward to running another session in the future to continue our mathematical learning journey together.
Kate Mount
Director of Early Learning
Outstanding Reception for Youngest Saints Girls
Our 2021 Receptions are relishing the start of their schooling journey at St Peter’s Girls!
It has been a pleasure to watch their progress through their daily learnings and interactions as they develop their thirst for knowledge and embrace life as a Saints Girl.
Our Head of Junior School Suzanne Haddy shares how we set our girls up for success.
Year 4 Campers Head for the Hills
47 eager and enthusiastic Year 4 campers journeyed to Woodhouse Activity Centre in the Adelaide Hills this week for their active camping experience. The three-day program included a range of group and individual development activities. Through these fun experiences, students developed important personal and social skills such as being a good team player and building a growth mindset and resilience by persisting with challenges.
To link with our current Unit of Inquiry, ‘Living things depend on each other and the environment to survive’, we expanded our understanding of the natural world and practices that build a sustainable future. We are very appreciative to our Active Ed outdoor education leaders and Kaurna elder Tamaru for their knowledge, organisation and patience.
Highlights included cultural clay cooking, orienteering, ‘story of camp’ painting using Kaurna symbols, and of course, our Challenge Hill achievements which you can watch in the video below. Wednesday night created many laughs and memories for the girls as we ran a quiz featuring celebrities. As a treat on the final night, the girls enjoyed a movie with melted marshmallow smores!
The Year 4 cohort had a wonderful experience.
Olivia Coulter and Zoe West
Year 4 Teachers
Senior Drama Production – Next Week!
The Year 12 Drama and Theatre students are counting down to this year’s original production, The Second Commandment.
Telling the classical Greek tale of Narcissus and Echo, the play is an evocatively poetic exploration of self-love that aims to immerse the audience in a feast of sights and sounds.
With only two public performances at 7pm next Wednesday 5 May and Thursday 6 May, be sure to book your tickets via TryBooking now!
Michael Butler-Wills
Head of English/Drama Teacher
Close Shave for Fundraising Saints
This year, several students from the Middle and Senior Schools are participating in The World’s Greatest Shave taking place on Monday 17 May at Saints Girls. This community service initiative started small with three Year 12 students deciding to shave their heads for this cause, encouraging girls to ‘Be Bald and Get Involved’, but word soon got around and we now have 10 students and two teachers taking part!
The fact that so many girls are willing to lose their locks to support such an important cause is truly commendable and demonstrates the courage and compassion that we value so much. Emily Teague, a Year 11 student, explains her decision to participate:
There were two main reasons I chose to get involved in The World’s Greatest Shave this year. The first, and perhaps more obvious, was that it was a great opportunity to raise money and awareness for leukaemia as a school. Every new shaver has the potential to raise more funds which are donated to the Leukaemia Foundation, which supports those diagnosed with leukaemia and their families, in addition to continuing the search for a cure. Something I found particularly inspiring was the range of support the foundation offers; for instance, the emotional support services which are given to patients and families.
The second reason I chose to shave was to point out that hair isn’t everything. Cancer patients don’t get the luxury to choose whether to keep their hair, and especially for women, hair can be connected to our sense of self. Speaking to some of the many girls shaving their heads for this cause, it’s really scary; however, in doing so, we are showing solidarity with all of those who lose their hair through treatments.
So far, we have raised $11,000 and are well on our way to reaching our goal of $15,000, which will support 300 families dealing with the aftermath of a leukaemia diagnosis. However, we cannot reach this milestone without your help. If anyone wants to donate to this cause and support our own brave students and teachers shaving their heads, and the tens of thousands of Australians diagnosed with blood cancer every year, you can do so here.
To raise extra funds, our Stage 1/Year 11 girls prepared a range of delicious street foods to serve at lunchtime this week. It is inspiring to see our School community come together to support such a wonderful cause.
Sara Peak and Emily Teague
Students
Back to the Futures
During Week 1, the Year 7 Futures students were involved in the Academy for Enterprising Girls’ Workshop. This was facilitated by the Young Change Agents, a social enterprise that works with schools to deliver enterprising programs. The two-day program was an opportunity for students to understand and develop design thinking skills and use them to establish a social-enterprise business. The workshop concluded on Friday afternoon with each group pitching their business idea to a panel of judges who we thank for their time and expertise.
Marissa Schulze: Director, Rise High and Old Scholar
Anne Monceaux: Mayor of Burnside and Old Scholar
Beth Worrall: National Skills Program Lead, Microsoft
Dr Tanya Jayne: CEO and Co-Founder of Xaminai
Congratulations to the following teams who have been invited to participate in the Youth Incubator Program to bring their idea one step further to reality:
Winning team
Gender Bender
Problem: ‘School uniform is not gender-inclusive and is not comfortable.’
Solution: design a lookbook showcasing a suite of inclusive uniforms.
Lilly Cramp, Lucy Lowry, Ashmitha Ramesh, Izzy Tucker, Emily Bates and Eliza Brill Reed.
Runner up
No Colour
Problem: ‘I feel discriminated, I unconsciously discriminate. I need to learn about other races. I want to connect with others in my own and other races. I want to tell my story. I want to see if I am contributing to the issue and how I can help.’
Solution: a website that educates young people about racism and teaches them about other races through interactive stories, infographics and productions from other cultures.
Jiahui Zhang, Nethushi Ratnayake, Charlize Cameron-Chilver, Sophie Lively, Annie Goldsmith and Valerie Ng.
“It has been a very fun experience to have professional young women to talk to us about entrepreneurship and creating a business. This is a great learning tool for the future, as some of us may want to create a business to change the community. The Year 7s including myself were very grateful to receive this opportunity.” – Elodie de Wit
“The Year 7 cohort was fortunate to take part in the workshop where we were able to learn about entrepreneurship and creating our own business. We were so lucky to receive constructive feedback from the experts and have them assist us in the process. The course was divided into different sections with multiple activities, each one consisting of a new strategy. First of all, we were encouraged to brainstorm a topic and blurt out all our thoughts in limited amounts of time, pressuring us to think quickly and creatively. We learnt numerous skills such as problem-solving, pitching a topic, creating prototypes, designing logos/websites, making surveys, and we discovered how to compress our ideas. This experience was informative, enjoyable and gave us an insight into creating real-world businesses.” – Eliza Brill Reed and Eve Dillon
Monique Green
Digital Tech Teacher and STEM Coordinator
Women in STEM Breakfast – Thursday 13 May
Saints Girls is again hosting a Women in STEM Breakfast. The theme of this event is ‘Creativity; Cracking the STEM Code’. It will be held on Thursday 13 May with the aim of encouraging Senior School STEM enthusiasts to learn more about the people and roles in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. More than 30 women from STEM fields will be attending, so it will be a fantastic opportunity for our girls to network with other like-minded women. We also have four keynote speakers:
– Barbara Vrettos, Director, The Legal Forecast
– Dr Vanessa Pirotta, Wildlife Scientist & Science Communicator
– Alex Kaczmarek, Digital Evidence Specialist, South Australia Police
– Nicole Russo, Director of Product, Myriota
Students from Years 10 to 12 can register to attend the long breakfast which will be held from 8 – 10.30am. The event is being catered for by the Year 10 Food and Hospitality class.
The girls have been sent a link to register. If STEM is an area of interest for your daughter, please encourage her to attend.
Monique Green
Digital Tech Teacher and STEM Coordinator
Carolyn Farr
Careers Coordinator / IB Diploma Coordinator / Mathematics Teacher
Friendships Take Flight as Saints Unite
On Wednesday 21 April, our Year 5 and 6 classes visited St Peter’s College to work with their Year 6 students. This was an opportunity to foster friendships and understanding among the students and strengthen the relationship between our two schools. We undertook collaborative endeavours such as a scavenger hunt and a STEM-based challenge, as well as participating in physical activities and Mind Lab games. Lots of fun was had by all!
Kim Butler-Nixon
Year 6 Teacher
Budding Leaders Learn the Ropes
In Term 2, our Year 6 Leaders will be facilitating a program in the Junior School where all students will delve deeper into the character strengths of bravery, creativity, perspective and love of learning. In preparation for this, the girls undertook Peer Leadership Training on Tuesday.
This involved discussions and hands-on activities on aspects of group facilitation such as empathy, decision-making, problem-solving, non-verbal communication and reflection. Now armed with this knowledge and experience, the students are looking forward to implementing the program.
Kim Butler-Nixon
Year 6 Teacher
Reception French Class – Oui Love It!
In Reception French, we have been learning about the colours of the rainbow in French. The girls love learning songs and it is great to see them having fun moving and dancing to the music while singing in French! The actions in this song help everyone to remember the meaning of the words and to focus on each line of the song.
We have also used our colour words in French to describe objects in the room, our favourite fruits and the artworks students have created. Our favourite game at the moment is ‘Trouvez quelque chose…’ where students find different colours around the classroom. Why not see if your little French learner can tell you what their favourite colour is in French or which colours they can spot in your outfit?
Mairi Walker
French Teacher
IB EXPO 2021
Tuesday 11 May 5.30 – 7pm
Would you like to learn about the IB Diploma Programme? In Years 11 and 12, students can undertake the excellent and world-renowned IB Diploma. Before they do, it is important to understand the structure of the programme, as well as its courses and assessments, so your daughter can choose the pathway/courses that best suit.
Due to COVID restrictions, we were unable to hold this event in person last year. Hence, Year 9 and Year 10 parents are particularly encouraged to attend the IB information evening this year. The IB EXPO will be held on Tuesday 11 May from 5.30 – 7pm in the Middle School. As well as our Year 9 and 10 parents and their daughters, all members of our community and the public are also welcome.
As the IB Diploma Coordinator, I will present the structure of the Diploma, including differences with SACE and how universities recognise IB Diploma achievement. Another amazing way to understand the benefits and experiences that the Diploma offers is to hear from our graduates who have completed it and our students who are currently undertaking their Diploma. IB teachers will also be available to share their perspectives from a subject specialist point of view.
5.30 – 6.15pm
Carolyn Farr, IB Diploma Coordinator: What is the IB Diploma?
6.15 – 7pm
Parents and students can chat with current IB students, IB teachers, IB parents and IB graduates.
Year 9 and 10 students will also have smaller information sessions during this term; however, the IB EXPO experience is a great way to hear from different people all in the one place.
Please contact me if you have any questions. I look forward to seeing you and sharing my passion for this programme.
Carolyn Farr
IB Diploma Coordinator
Cake Creators Go Next Level
One of the creative and challenging assignments in the Stage 2 Food and Hospitality course is the construction of a contemporary cake suitable for the hospitality industry. The students researched the various designs of cakes with the aim of creating their own unique product.
The class participated in a master class with Tania Turnbull who creates her own cakes for sale; this enabled them to learn a range of valuable skills required for their final cakes. The girls also planned and ordered or sourced all aspects of the cake such as the decorations and ingredients. Consideration of the time available and appropriate storage and temperature control to ensure their creations were completed to industry standards was also very important.
Each student successfully created the many elements of their signature cake ensuring they complemented each other, resulting in a creative and artistic high-quality product reflecting contemporary design trends.
Jenni Manson and the Stage 2 Food and Hospitality Students
Media Hub Tour – Lights, Camera, Action!
We invite our Arts’ parents to come along and experience our new Media Hub!
It features industry-standard technology including advanced cameras, microphones and a production green screen. This dedicated hub combines theory with practice, supported by visiting media professionals and tertiary mentors.
As well as structured learning opportunities, Arts’ students who are particularly passionate about media production can book the facility and equipment to record, edit and deliver quality content with minimal set up time and a streamlined workflow.
Enjoy an information session and tour of our Media Hub with students Olivia and Jodi. Special thanks to Garth Coulter for organising this event.
Media Hub Tour for Arts’ Parents
Wednesday 26 May at 6pm or 6.30pm
For more information and to RSVP, please email Melissa Westgate via mwestgate@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au by Monday 24 May.
Confirmation at Saints Girls
Within the Anglican Church, confirmation is a time for an individual to take on the promises made on their behalf by their parents at their baptism. Simply put, confirmation is a public declaration of your faith.
This year, we will be holding a Confirmation Eucharist in Term 3, where Archbishop of Adelaide Geoffrey Smith will be confirming the candidates. In the lead up to this service, preparation classes will be held in Terms 2 and 3. These classes will cover the basics of Christianity and exploring the promises they will be making.
Confirmation is available for students in Year 6 and above.
If your daughter is interested in being confirmed or you have any questions, please contact School Chaplain Mr Thomas Bassett who will be passing on more details shortly about the confirmation process and the service.
Mother’s Day Virtual Stall
The Friends of the ELC are holding a Mother’s Day Virtual Gift Stall where all of our students from ELC to Year 12 are able to purchase gifts online for mums, grandmothers, aunts or treasured friends in their lives.
We have a variety of wonderful gifts available for $5 each. They will be wrapped and delivered to class teachers on Thursday 6 May.
To order gifts, visit http://www.trybooking.com/BQFGA. Purchases close at 5pm next Tuesday 4 May.
If you have any queries, please contact Fiona McGregor in the Community Relations Office via fmcgregor@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au.
Community at Saints Girls
Parents are a vibrant and pivotal 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. Please note the following Term 2 dates:
Saints Sport Support Group Meeting
Tuesday 4 May, 6.30pm, Elizabeth Pike Art Centre
Contact: Katie Lucas – Katie.Lucas@opencolleges.edu.au
Friends of The Arts Community Group Meetings
Wednesday 26 May, 6pm or 6.30pm, Media Hub Tour for Arts’ parents
Wednesday 26 May, 7pm, Elizabeth Pike Art Centre
Contact: Danielle Parker – dslparker@gmail.com
Friends of Rowing
Fundraising Working Group Meetings TBD
Contact: Ed Parker – edontheroadagain@hotmail.com
For more information, please contact me via 0407 394 183 or mwestgate@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au
Melissa Westgate
Foundation Manager
Last Call for Ladies’ Night Out!
The Saints Girls’ community presents: Ladies’ Night Out!
Join us next Friday 7 May from 7pm at the Feathers Hotel. Tickets are $50 each and include gourmet finger food and a drink on arrival.
Bookings close at 12pm on Monday; head to: www.trybooking.com/BPUEM
A fundraising raffle will be drawn on the night; tickets can be purchased online or with cash at the event.
For more information, contact Melissa Westgate on 0407 394 183.
Supported by the Friends of The Arts
Entertainment Membership
To support Saints Girls and purchase your membership, click here.
Terms and conditions apply. Go to https://www.entertainment.com.au/promotions
All Member offers are subject to terms and conditions. Check individual offers on the Entertainment Membership App or www.entertainment.com.au for more information. For all dining offers, it is optional for participating businesses to accept your Entertainment Memberships on all official Australian and New Zealand public holidays, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Valentine’s Day. © 2021 Entertainment Group.
School Shop Information
Second Hand Clothing
As it has been 3 years since the introduction of the new blazer, the School Shop is no longer accepting the old style blazer for second hand sale.
The old blazer is still able to be worn and the stock currently held on consignment will remain in the shop until the expiration date. Please contact the School Shop on 8334 2228 if you require any clarification.
Absences from School
If your daughter 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.
Please note that it is absolutely imperative to keep unwell children at home until they have recovered, even if symptoms are only 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.
COVID Measures
Please note the following information regarding our continued COVID response.
The School has a QR code tracing system to facilitate the safe return of parents on site, in line with wider government measures. Parents entering the campus to drop off or collect their children need to scan the QR code provided each time. This also applies to parents visiting the School for events such as parent information evenings or sports training/matches.
Parents and visitors with more formal appointments at the School, such as meeting a staff member, are still required to sign in/out at Front Office and also need to scan the QR code as well for SA Health tracing purposes.
Adults who do not have a device to scan the QR code need to write their details on the paper form provided in the Front Office.
Parents who remain in their vehicles in the main car park do not need to scan in, and students do not need to scan in as the School already tracks daily attendance.
Logistics around events will be shared in due course, dependent upon the latest advice. Attendance numbers, particularly for indoor events, will still need to be restricted to facilitate social distancing.
The following general requirements remain in place:
- Ensure adults maintain a distance of 1.5m from each other.
- Practise sound hand washing and other hygiene measures.
- Students should remain at home if they are unwell; please notify the School of absences by texting 0428 601 957, emailing attendance@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au, or calling 8334 2200.
We thank all of our families for your cooperation.