Issue no. 33
From the Director of Teaching and Learning
Exams can be a stressful time for students and parents, but this does not have to be the case. Here are some last-minute tips that may come in handy over the next few weeks:
• Students should plan to get to their exams early; this minimises the risk of rushing and accounts for any unforeseen delays or last-minute crises
• The brain needs some time to wake up in the morning, so having a shower and some breakfast is a good routine for students on exam mornings
• Before the exam, it is a good idea for the students to do a final check of the exam format – time, sections, whether there is a choice of questions etc. This can be done at the start of the exam itself, but there shouldn’t be any shocks or confusion at this point; the students should already be fully aware of what they are required to do
• Students should double-check that they have all of the equipment they need for the day, especially ‘one-off’ things like their Mathematics ‘note sheets’
• Getting a good night’s sleep before an exam is critical, so a normal bedtime is better than late-night cramming
• Some nervousness before an exam is normal, and there is evidence that a ‘healthy’ amount of nerves and the adrenalin produced by them can help the brain cope with the effort required in exams. Too much anxiety is counter-productive, and can be managed by taking some deep breaths and by ‘training the brain’ to use some perspective and to focus on more positive thoughts
• Students need to keep hydrated in exams, so check that your daughter has a full water bottle and remembers to drink from it!
• It is common at the start of an exam for students to feel as though they have forgotten everything. This is not the case! If they have revised effectively then it will all come back to them during the exam. Remind them of this
• Students often feel that they need to race straight into answering questions in their exams. Instead, they should take a few deep breaths, try to relax, read through the instructions and questions carefully, and then begin in a more calm, controlled and strategic manner
• Checking through answers at the end of an exam is time well spent, and evidence suggests that it can make a significant difference to the overall score/grade
• Your child is likely to get at least a little stressed at some point during their exams. Don’t rise to the bait when limits are pushed – untidy bedrooms and other issues can be revisited when the exams are over
• If you know of any strategies that help your daughters to stay calm, remind them before their exams. Tell them often that you love them, and wish them luck!
Nigel Scoggins
Director of Teaching and Learning
World-Class Rower Returns to Saints Girls
Saints Girls recently welcomed back Old Scholar Olympia Aldersey (Kennion 2011) to the School for a visit. Olympia won a Gold medal in the Women’s Four event at the 2019 World Rowing Championships in Austria, and is currently working towards her goal of competing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Rowers Molly Bond (Year 10) and Hannah Keough (Year 11) interviewed Olympia, who shared some valuable advice for our rowers and spoke about how she began rowing, how to overcome challenges while working towards a goal, and how it felt to win gold. Take a look at the interview highlights in this video:
Open B Basketball’s Winning Season
Congratulations to our Open B Basketball team for claiming the IGSSA B Grade pennant with a well-earned victory over Immanuel College.
“The girls had an amazing season with new coach Sarah Turnbull, winning most of our games easily, and faced only a few tough matches. After many seasons of only winning one or two games the new team worked well together and ultimately came away with the pennant after a tough and well-played game. Sarah Turnbull provided a great atmosphere in her first season as our coach, and worked with the players at training to develop skills and plays that allowed us to work together more and become more successful. The girls have grown immensely from their first game together and I couldn’t be more proud. The team was almost completely full of girls that were new to the team and some who were new to basketball. The girls all worked well together and the scoring was distributed across the whole team. Hopefully the team will continue their success with a very young team which included two Middle School players.”
Sarah Matheson (Year 12) and Emma Matheson (Year 11)
Staff Dance 2019
It’s one of the biggest highlights of the Celebration Day Assembly, and yet again, the audience enjoyed the dancing skills of our wonderful staff in their parting gift to our Year 12 students.
Many of our staff sweated through lunchtime and after school rehearsals in an attempt to replicate the slick moves from the Year 12 Choral Night dances.
If you didn’t catch the show live, then you’re in luck, as we’ve compiled a short snapshot of the dance in all its glory:
Year 3 Coastal Camp Adventures
Sand, sun, penguins, tribal teams, cuddling koalas and ‘Survivor’ challenges – these are just some of the highlights from Year 3 camp to Adare, Victor Harbor in Week 2!
We were lucky to have gorgeous warm weather and spent our days competing in water obstacles, beach activities and ‘Survivor’ challenges to earn tribal points and build our communication and teamwork skills.
Congratulations to The Crumpets (Selwyn) for their overall win! On our visit to Granite Island we were fortunate to see penguins, hear their squawks and see two fluffy chicks. Before heading home, battling the change in weather and crazy wind, we visited Urimbirra Wildlife Park where we patted koalas and fed lots of hungry kangaroos and wallabies.
Lizzy Mitchell and Mark Routley
Year 3 Teachers
Farm Fun for Year 2 Campers
Thursday morning was filled with the sound of excited Year 2 campers as they raced to school eager for their Narnu Farm experience as part of the ‘where we are in place and time’ unit of inquiry. This camp is the first of many amazing camp and outdoor opportunities at Saints Girls which allow our girls to develop independence, deepen friendships and engage in authentic learning experiences outside the classroom.
After waving parents goodbye, the Year 2 girls boarded the bus, ready for the adventure to begin. The first stop was Strathalbyn Playground and then onto Narnu Farm! Within minutes the girls were unpacked and they were ‘sun-safe’ ready for hand-ploughing, feeding the farm animals, and horse-riding! The girls were almost as entranced as Kit Kat (the resident cat), was with the eggs-periments and chicken hatchery. The fresh air made everyone very hungry and very sleepy. The girls were so excited to snuggle down inside their sleeping bags after their big day. The following morning was filled with the promise of a vintage truck ride on Elsie, a wilderness survival course and making butter!
This incredible camp has left our girls with many amazing memories and a treasure trove of new experiences and skills to feel incredibly proud of.
Kathryn Clark and Rebecca Greenhalgh
Year 2 Teachers
Saints Girls in the Mix!
In Year 11 Music this term the girls are studying music technology and composition. The class has been exploring recording and production techniques using GarageBand audio software.
The girls have composed their own songs, or instrumental pieces, and recorded their compositions using MIDI instruments, loops and USB microphone techniques. Once their parts are recorded the girls will learn to mix and produce the tracks using a variety of effects and production techniques. The final result will be a fully produced song…..Spotify here we come!
Robyn Habel
Music Teacher
Visit Our New Science Centre
With our new Science Centre now open for business, we welcome community members to join us for a tour of this transformational facility.
Featuring three purpose-built laboratories for Biology, Chemistry and Physics, four general labs, an expanded Visual Arts space and a new Junior School Art hub, the Science Centre will take teaching and learning to new heights.
Tour Dates
Monday 4 November 4 – 4.30pm
Tuesday 5 November 7.45 – 8.15am
If you would like to attend, please meet by the Junior School playground behind the Science Centre.
Barefoot Bowling
Join us for an afternoon of barefoot bowling! This is a fundraising event hosted by the Friends of Rowing and all School community members are welcome to attend.
Date: Sunday 1 December 2019
Time: 3pm onwards
Venue: Sturt Bowling Club
Corner of Trimmer Tce and Edmund Ave, Unley
Tickets $25 via www.trybooking.com/BGOGO
Includes entry, bowling fees, BBQ and nibbles. Drinks available for purchase at the bar.
Bookings close 9am Friday 29 November.
National Recycling Week
National Recycling Week is coming up between 11 – 17 November. To promote this, we will be encouraging our School community to take advantage of our e-waste recycling. If you have any e-waste items please drop them off into our two purple TechCollect bins. These bins are located near the entrance/exit to the School (in front of the Property Services sheds). They will be out for the duration of National Recycling Week. They will come out again on the first Friday of the new month.
The Environment Club
The Athletes Foot – School Rewards Program
The Parents’ and Friends’ Association are excited to be collaborating with the amazing team at The Athletes Foot Burnside by joining their School Rewards Program.
The School Rewards Program is a great fundraising opportunity, with $5 from every pair of shoes purchased being donated back to our school. This applies for each pair of shoes purchased for the whole family, across the complete in-store range of adults and/or kids sports, school, work and casual shoes.
So head on down to The Athletes Foot Burnside and check out their exclusive MyFit 3D fitting technology and the school approved range of shoes.
Please check with your school’s uniform policy to ensure shoes are approved before purchasing.
The Athletes Foot – School Rewards Program Information
Bronwyn Bartter
President
Parents’ and Friends’ Association
Charging for Charity – Cambodia Service Learning Trip
To support fundraising for the Cambodia Service Learning Trip, the fundraising team is selling portable chargers for just $40 via www.trybooking.com/BEYTR.
We are all very excited to take part in this trip, making life-long memories and seeing the impact of our fundraising in a community where we can improve the quality of life.
Community Golf Day
Don’t miss out on our upcoming Community Golf Day on Thursday 14 November. Individual players or teams of 4 are welcome.
It’s shaping up to be a fantastic day!
Register now: www.trybooking.com/ZZHE
If you have any questions, please contact Melissa Westgate via 0407 394 183 or email mwestgate@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au
Sports News
ATHLETICS
Congratulations to the following girls who competed in the South Australian All-Schools Championships:
Holly Cardone (Year 11) – Under 18 High Jump (Silver), Long Jump (6th), 100m (8th)
Keely Fahey (Year 11) – Under 18 100m Hurdles (Bronze), High Jump (5th), Pole Vault (Gold)
Olivia Kelly (Year 11) – Under 16 100m (14th), 200m (12th), High Jump (Bronze), Shot Put (8th)
Sophie Barr (Year 11) – Under 18 Discus (Gold), Hammer (Bronze), Shot Put (Bronze)
Lady Murphy (Year 8) – Under 14 80m Hurdles (4th)
GYMNASTICS
Congratulations to Year 3 student Maisy Ion who came third overall in the State gymnastics competition for Under 9. She received a Bronze for beam, floor and vault and placed third overall.
AUSSIE RULES
Year 5-6 White – Saints 0.6-6 defeated by Loreto 8.5-53
The Year 5/6 White football team played against Loreto in another hot Wednesday night at Park 17. Due to Loreto only having 10 girls, we played 9-a-side for the match which was excellent considering the hot temperatures. The girls got off to a slow start with Loreto kicking multiple goals early in the game, however, Saints picked it up in the last half where the ball stayed in our forward half for the majority of the game. Although no goals were scored for Saints, Olivia Ng and Januri Wagaarachchi both had great marks, to then have set shots for goals which only just missed. In defence, we had some great pressure from Lyra Cox, Levanya De Silva and Sophia Holoviak who made some awesome tackles to stop certain goals. Well done to all the girls in what was a tough match! – Lane Trenorden (Coach)
BASKETBALL
Open A – Saints 31 defeated Immanuel 26
The girls had an amazing last game taking out the IGSSA B Grade basketball pennant. Ashlyn May had an amazing offensive game scoring 13 of our 31 points and Emma Matheson played amazing defence. Sivanthi fitted well into the team and Paris, Millie, Indya and Bella all played extremely well, each scoring when they had the opportunity. The girls played well in attack and played strong hard defence. Overall a good game and a good way to end the season. – Sarah Matheson (Captain)
Middle A – Saints had a bye
Middle B – Saints had a bye
Middle C1 – Saints 33 defeated Pembroke 21
The girls played an amazing game this week to defeat Pembroke! They are beginning to bond well as a team and this is evident as they use each other’s strengths on the court. The scores were very close during the first half. We were behind at half time but the girls fought hard and created a very exciting second half to take the game. Lilli Bennett was the top scorer again this week with a total of 16 points, followed by Emily McCorley with 10 points, Bella Sanders-Wills with 6 points and Alyssa Trinh sinking her first basket as well. Fantastic effort by all! – Louise Neale (coach)
Middle C2 – Saints 2 defeated by Pembroke 33
The girls showed substantial improvements from last week and are all starting to get really involved in the game. Monica Isaac is finding great space in offense and Tiffany Wang and Yitong Chen have improved their defensive pressure significantly. Despite our best efforts we were beaten by a more experienced team, but the girls’ spirits remain high as they are eager to continue improving each week. – Louise Neale (Coach)
TENNIS
Year 8/9 Knockout
Saints’ team played in the second round of the knockout competition and faced a very difficult first opponent in Adelaide High School unfortunately going down 5-1. The team of Ruby Deakin, Maiya Jakupec, Imogen Nienaber and Charlotte Staples then rebounded with a strong performance to defeat Gleeson College 6-0. Unfortunately Adelaide High School also defeated Gleeson to proceed to the State Finals.
The Open A and B teams played a tough match against Pembroke, with the Open A girls losing 6-0 and the Open B girls losing 4-2. All girls tried extremely hard but faced formidable opponents. The overall scores do not reflect the hard-fought points and the determination of all the girls. All players gave Monday night their best efforts and never gave up. I look forward to next Monday’s match where the girls will play finals, with the Open As playing for third place and the Open B girls playing for seventh place. – Annabel Baldwinson (Captain)
Premier League – Saints 0-7 defeated by Pembroke 6-36
Singles: Ruby Deakin 2-6, Annabel Baldwinson 0-6, Maiya Jakupec 1-6, Emily Loh 2-6
Premier Reserves – Saints 2-17 defeated by Seymour 4-24
Singles: Imogen Nienaber 0-6, Charlotte Staples 2-6, Georgia Mallick 2-6
Division 1 – Saints 5-33 defeated Scotch 1-11
Singles: Ella Dnistriansky 3-6, Grace Beaumont 2-6, Adele Eaton 6-0 (forfeit), Bridgette Leach 6-0 (forfeit)
Division 2 – Saints 3-23 defeated Scotch 3-22
Singles: Ariel Spartalis 1-6, Sophie Abbott 0-6, Eva Young 6-2, Astrid Teague 6-2
Division 3 Blue – Saints 5-32 defeated Scotch 1-16
Singles: Lilly Alexander 2-6, Stella Clark 6-2, Victoria Thorp 6-0, Helen Zhang 6-2
Division 3 White – Saints did not play
Division 4 – Saints 2-25 defeated by Saints 4-30
Singles: Gloria Zou 6-1, Nathara Perera 3-6, Tara Nedumaran 6-5, Lydia Tolley 3-6
Junior Division 1 – cancelled due to rain
Junior Division 2 – cancelled due to rain
Junior Division 3 – cancelled due to rain
TOUCH FOOTBALL
Open A – Saints 0 defeated by Marryatville 5
Marryatville is a well-respected team and is considered one of the top teams in the school competition. However, Saints Girls were persistent and performed strongly in defence creating many turnovers. In the first half, the girls defended the ball enthusiastically with Marryatville only scoring two tries. The girls put in play strategies and set plays that were learnt during training. All the girls tried their hardest and kept their heads up with support from one another. I was really impressed with the game and the cohesion of the team. – Hannah Freeman (Captain)
Open B – Saints 3 defeated St Ignatius 0
In an impressive game against St Ignatius, the girls were able to come away with a confident win. All players worked together and created a strong rucking front that allowed us to quickly move the ball down to our tri-line. It was great to see the set plays that we have been working on in training allow Poppie Goldsmith to score 2 tries and Maggie Bailey to score 1. Overall the game was a great success and the development of skills such as defence will be focused on in upcoming trainings. – Maggie Bailey
Open C – Saints 4 defeated Wilderness 1
This week the Open Cs played a really good game. The team won with Aroha Munroe, Adele Russell, Kellie Bested and Lucy Benn scoring. The team’s strengths were defence, not allowing the other team to gain much ground and making sure that everyone was back on side. There was also some great rucking which allowed us to gain a lot of ground quickly. Overall, the team played a really strong game and it looks like it will be a good season. – Sophie Johnson
Middle A – Saints 6 defeated Marryatville 0
This week, the Middle As played an excellent game against Marryatville. The team improved from last week, with better speed in the attack and more communication and techniques in the defence. The scorers were Charlie Piper (1), Lauren Parton (2), Ellie Humphrey (1), Grace Richards (1) and Maddy Liddy (1), but a huge congratulations to the whole team for the improvement on last week. Great job team! – Maddy Liddy
Middle B – Saints 2 defeated St Michael’s 1
The Middle Bs played a great game against St Michael’s. For the first half our defence was really strong, and we stopped any attempt of tries that came out way. Going into the second half, Jasmine Segredos succeeded with a great run down the field to score a great tri. After they scored a Try on us, Apurva Ichalkaranje scored a great tri just getting through. The final score was 2-1. The girls played a great game in attack and defence. Next week we will be working on communication out on the field. – Mathilda Thomas
VOLLEYBALL
Open A – Saints 3 defeated Seymour 0 (26-14, 25-12, 15-8)
Seymour put up strong competition in set one and our girls had to be patient, play their own controlled game and trust in themselves and each other for the set to begin to go their way as it did in the final few points 26:24. Following set one, Open A played with more confidence, better tracking of the ball to make strong net defence and took the remaining sets convincingly 25:12, 15:8. MVP Ankita Rajbhoj. – Vicki Dent (Supervisor)
Open B – Saints 3 defeated Seymour 0
Seymour unfortunately had only 4 players, and had to play a forfeit game enlisting a few of their A-team players to provide our girls with a game that really tested their skills. Moving forward, the Open B team aims to work on pushing free balls deeper across the net away from opposition spiking returns. MVP was Tilly McCormack for good consistency in her passes and strong net play. Open B won by forfeit ….but points in the scratch match were 13:25, 25:22, 12:15. – Vicki Dent (Supervisor)
Open C – Saints 1 defeated by Seymour 2
The Open Cs has a strong start to the game with Sophie Norman’s strong serving winning us the first set confidently. Unfortunately, we dropped off in the second set, letting the opposition fight back. As a result, there was a lot of pressure going into the final set and sadly, despite a large effort from all the girls, we were not able to come away with the win. – Victoria Neale (Coach)
Middle A – Saints 3 defeated Seymour 0
The Middle As had another great win this week, maintaining their undefeated status for the year with only one game remaining. The girls remained composed throughout the whole game and continued to put the opposition under pressure. Sivanthi Sivasuthan had a great game, throwing her body at every ball in an effort to keep it off the ground. – Victoria Neale
Middle B – Saints 3 defeated Seymour 0
The girls started strong with acting captain Gracie Ganzis leading the girls in a Saints chant. The energy and enthusiasm stayed high throughout the three sets. Ruby Adams is to be commended on her fantastic serve, with Eliza Monaghan calling and moving to all the right spots. Great job all round. – Alana Glapa (Coach)
Middle C – Saints 3 defeated Seymour 0
The game still went ahead, despite Seymour not having enough players, with Lilli Bennett leading the team as Captain. All girls are to be commended on their skills on court with Kathy landing excellent serves while Drishti and Aveeshkha were not afraid to hit with a powerful dig! Job well done girls. – Alana Glapa (Coach)
WATER POLO
Open A – Saints 5 defeated Seymour 2
The girls had a tough game against Seymour, eventually securing the win by an advantage of 3 goals. The team worked hard to limit the attacks by the strong opposition players, maintaining a strong defence-based game. Best players were Saskia Jonats and Lara Wakeham. Saskia was an absolute powerhouse in goals, stopping almost every goal that came anywhere near her and managed to fend off a few lone attackers. Lara constantly gave 100% during the game and played a strong defence while also having many counter attacks. Overall, it was a really strong team effort! – Fiona Lethbridge (Captain)
Open B – Saints had a bye
Open C – Saints 0 defeated by Mercedes 15
The girls had a difficult game this week against Mercedes B Grade, but fought hard until the final whistle. The girls were extremely game-aware and worked hard together to stop many attacks on goals. The girls managed to get a penalty against Mercedes, and while unfortunately no goal was scored, it was amazing to see the team come together and support one another. Best player went to Ashlyn May who was amazing while in goals for the first half, where she stopped many attempts on goal. When coming onto field in the second half, Ashlyn showed her diverse skills and continued to work hard, and even managed to complete a spin that shocked all coaches due to the difficult nature of the skill which she accomplished with ease. Overall, it was an amazing effort by the whole team, and a great learning experience for the rest of the season! – Fiona Lethbridge (Captain)
Year 7-8 – Saints 11 defeated Loreto 10