Issue no. 21
From Our Head of Middle School
Careers and industries in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) are fundamental to Australia’s economy. The Department of Industry, Science and Resources recognises the vital role women play in STEM, where their ability to bring new perspectives and better problem-solving will lead to improved productivity across a range of Australian industries. From 2012 – 2022, women in STEM-qualified occupations increased by approximately 68%, with a proportion increase of 5% (from 10% – 15%) employment representation compared to males in these industries (Department of Industry, Science and Resources, 2022). At St Peter’s Girls, we know that tangible and relevant learning opportunities beyond the classroom are pivotal to exposing our girls to the diverse careers available in STEM.
Girls in Tech was an amazing event yesterday, which welcomed numerous industry leaders to our campus to showcase their current technology and research. By actively engaging with professionals and experts, our girls had first-hand conversations and the opportunity to ask questions about what life is really like in these jobs – whether it is as a researcher, an engineer, or a software developer. Weekly interactions with our Scientist-in-Residence, Lene van Schalkwyk, allows the impact of women in STEM to be seen – where her experience in research in Health and Medical Sciences and current completion of a PhD in Pharmacogenetics can inspire our girls to follow in her footsteps. Lene works with teachers by running activities in classes, as well as lunchtime sessions, so students can readily see ‘science in action’. These opportunities are supported by our Career.Ready program that runs from Years 7 – 12, where students are guided by our Career Advisors to explore the career pathways that interest them and suit their skills. We challenge our girls to apply their learning outside the classroom through a wide range of STEM activities and co-curricular opportunities, including the Science and Engineering Challenge, da Vinci Decathlon, numerous external Maths and Science competitions, and APEX Club.
Our students will be the problem solvers of the future. We need to equip them with the skills, knowledge and confidence to be able to creatively tackle the issues facing our world and have the courage to transform traditionally male-dominated STEM industries.
Head of Middle School
Important Dates
International Women’s Day: Friday 8 March
Public Holiday: Monday 11 March
Head of the River: Saturday 16 March
Choral Night: Thursday 21 March
ELC Coffee Van: Thursday 28 March
Good Friday: Friday 29 March
Easter Monday: Monday 1 April
Last day of Term: Friday 12 April
Tech Triumphs: Girls in Tech Day Ignites Passion and Curiosity
On Thursday 29 February, St Peter’s Girls’ School hummed with excitement as The Girls in Tech event commenced. A day for Year 5 and 6 girls, unfolded into a day of discovery and innovation that will be etched in the minds of our young learners for years to come. It began with a warm welcome from Ms Taylor, Head of Junior School, who set the stage for a day of technological marvels, further amplified by Mya, our APEX Captain, with an AI-powered video and a robotic dog that charmed the audience with its antics.
The spotlight shifted to Dr. Sarah Cannard, our keynote speaker, who is a Senior Space Engineer. She captivated the audience by talking about her lead work overseeing The Roo-ver – Australia’s pioneering Lunar Rover. Her address was inspirational and demonstrated where passion and perseverance can take you in the world of STEM.
Our School proudly hosted over 150 eager Year 5 and 6 students from local schools, including Burnside, East Marden, Magill, Marryatville, Stradbroke, St Raphael’s, and St Andrews. These young minds were immersed in a dynamic range of workshops that revealed the vast possibilities of technology. The Innovation Hub buzzed with activity, and ten organisations showcased their contributions to the tech world through individual workshops.
From the thrill of virtual reality experiences brought by interstate company Mindflight7 to the creative process of designing coding bracelets with BAE Engineering, the girls dove headfirst into modern technology. They empathised with real-world challenges in the University of Adelaide’s workshop and used Sphero robots to navigate the intricacies of automation in mining.
In the spirit of hands-on learning, our Makerspace became a playground of ingenuity where even biscuits and hot dogs were transformed under the precision of a laser cutter. The girls not only saw technology in action, but also tasted the fruits of their culinary labours in a food technology workshop by TAFE SA. Communication technology was demonstrated with an engaging podcast using the Poddiy system by APEX student Eva C, who interviewed Mr. Coulter.
Our APEX volunteers stood as exemplary mentors hosting drone and e-sports workshops, and our Year 6 Leaders guided the groups to their workshops and ensured the activities stayed on schedule. The day was a testament to the power of community and collaboration in fostering a passion for technology. We’re also thrilled to announce that Girls in Tech will be featured in Cosmos Magazine, published by The Royal Institute of Australia, bringing global recognition to an event celebrating the magic of technology and learning.
To all the girls who explored and learned with us, your enthusiasm and engagement were the true catalysts of the day’s success. You are the creators of tomorrow, and your journey into the world of STEM has just begun. Thank you for sharing this day with us and letting us be a part of your story. The future is bright, and it’s yours to shape.
Melissa O’Loughlin
STEM Innovation Leader
Swimming Carnival 2024 Results
McGill Shield
1st Kilburn (3665), 2nd Selwyn (3434), 3rd Kennion (3118), 4th Patteson (2800)
Junior
1st Kilburn, 2nd Kennion, 3rd Patteson, 4th Selwyn
Middle
1st Kilburn, 2nd Selwyn, 3rd Patteson, 4th Kennion
Senior
1st Kilburn, 2nd Kennion, 3rd Selwyn, 4th Patteson
Year 4 Aggregate Cup
1st Claire Lucas (Patteson)
2nd Mia O’Brien (Kilburn)
3rd Emma Humzy-Hancock (Kennion)
Year 5 Aggregate Cup
1st Emily Wang (Patteson)
2nd Penny Coulter (Kennion)
3rd Lucy Dougherty (Kennion)
Year 6 Aggregate Cup
1st Emma Gu (Kilburn)
2nd Amelia Birmingham (Selwyn)
2nd Hannah Woo (Patteson)
Year 7 Aggregate Cup
1st Kayla Medefindt (Kilburn)
2nd Natalia Quinn (Patteson)
2nd Emily Robinson (Kilburn)
Year 8 Aggregate Cup
1st Chloe Sturt (Kilburn)
2nd Meg Paul (Patteson)
2nd Milla Everitt (Kennion)
Year 9 Aggregate Cup
1st Ella Pearce (Selwyn)
2nd Lauren Fuller (Patteson)
3rd Annabelle Birdsey (Kilburn)
Year 10 Aggregate Cup
1st Holly Robinson (Kilburn)
2nd Genevieve Braithwaite (Kilburn)
3rd Chloe Richardson (Kennion)
Year 11 Aggregate Cup
1st Elysia Scarr (Selwyn)
2nd Alyssa Tran (Kilburn)
3rd Emma Everitt (Kennion)
Year 12 Aggregate Cup
1st Alice Braithwaite (Kennion)
2nd Daisy Braithwaite (Kennion)
3rd Ayla Blaskett (Kilburn)
Junior Champion Swimmer
Emily Wang (Year 5 Patteson)
Middle Champion Swimmer
Ella Pearce (Year 9 Selwyn)
Senior Champion Swimmer
Alice Braithwaite (Year 12 Kennion)
Junior 100m IM
Emily Wang (Year 5 Patterson)
Emma Gu (Year 6 Kilburn)
Hannah Wu (Year 6 Patteson)
Middle 200m IM
Ella Pearce (Year 9 Selwyn)
Chloe Sturt (Year 8 Kilburn)
Meg Paul (Year 8 Patteson)
Senior 200m IM
Elysia Scarr (Year 11 Selwyn)
Alice Braithwaite (Year 12 Kennion)
Emma Everitt (Year 11 Kennion)
Friendship Ninjas Show Kindness and Courage
On Friday 23 February, our Reception to Year 3 girls celebrated Friendship Day, which had our girls buzzing with excitement. The URSTRONG program is a focus in the Junior School in Term 1, as part of our #EmpowHER program.
The girls participated in special activities to commemorate the URSTRONG program and showcase their friendship skills. The girls loved the treasure hunt around the school, crafting friendship flowers, creating friendship ninja headbands, and sharing in the amazing dance! The kindness, care, and courage the girls demonstrated throughout the day was truly wonderful!
URSTRONG Parent Membership
We are proud that our Junior School is a ‘URSTRONG’ School’. This whole School friendship strategy connects our students, teachers, and parents with a common language around friendships.
Junior School parents are invited to take advantage of a free Parent Membership to access hundreds of resources. For more information click here.
We are also pleased to partner with the URSTRONG organisation to offer a ‘Language of Friendship’ parent and child online workshop on Tuesday 19 March at 6pm. This session will teach you and your children the skills and language to foster healthy, feel-good friendships. To register, click here.
Helen Smith
Deputy Head of Junior School
ELC Community Connect at Annual Picnic
Last Friday, the ELC held their Twilight Family Picnic on the picturesque Chiverton Lawns. There was a lot of anticipation from the children in the lead up to the evening; they were all very excited to bring their families to this special gathering. The formal part of the evening started with our Pathway children sharing the ELC Acknowledgement of Country. It was a proud moment to see the Pathway children so confident and passionate when sharing their respect for the Traditional Owners of the land and the enduring connection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to Country.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, families immersed themselves in the magic of the moment, setting aside the hustle and bustle of the week to forge meaningful connections, swap stories, and create cherished memories together. Cultivating community is at the heart of St Peter’s Girls’ ELC, and we are looking forward to many more opportunities to gather like this throughout 2024.
Liz Schembri
Director of Early Learners’ Centre
ELC – News from Learning Community 1
Cognitive Thinking Skills
At St Peter’s Girls’ ELC, we believe cognitive thinking is an essential life skill and it is of huge importance in our daily programming in LC1. Cognitive thinking is the development of knowledge and exploration; it is also an acquired skill of problem solving and figuring things out. When children play with others or individually, their cognitive skills such as thinking and rational thought, short and long-term memory, attention span and the stages of working memory are all being established.
True play harnesses many opportunities for children to grow rapidly in their cognitive thinking through problem solving, social connections and the power of imagination through the exploration of creativity. We also know that by developing these skills through play, cognitive thinking will enhance children’s mastery of academic knowledge and build motivation to learn later in life as adults. In other words, they need to be masters of play for all these cognitive functions to develop effectively.
This term, through the lens of our unit of inquiry, A new environment can inspire curiosities, we are delving right into cognitive thought and challenging children’s ability to grasp new concepts through the hundred languages. Here, children can harness their imagination to create new understandings and make new social contexts with others, while we observe the many changes within the ELC.
We are looking forward to unpacking more on our inquiry journey of curiosity of change through the lens of a creative mind as the year unfolds!
ELC – News from Learning Community 2
The evolution of our inquiry: Educators’ gaze verses and the child’s gaze
This term, our central idea has been ‘A new environment can inspire curiosities’.
At the beginning of the term, we naturally felt that the children in the Erindale room would focus on the current building works. This space has been a hive of activity as you can imagine, and we thought the busyness of the build would grab their attention. We have spent time discussing possible inquiry experiences and prefiguring where we could take this investigation. We began introducing this concept during our group times; however, as it happens a lot of the time when you are teaching young children, their attention was elsewhere.
The children have been drawn to the outdoor spaces with their attention placed firmly in the sandpit area. This space was constructed several years ago with children at the heart of the design. They can easily access and use water in their play and this space is such an import opportunity for sensory, imaginative, and messy play to occur. The element of the large, coloured rocks is a direct link to the Dreamtime Story of the Rainbow Serpent. This connection has now fuelled our learning and the children have been exploring the story of the Rainbow Serpent. Rather than directing our learning in an unauthentic way, we have and will always continue to observe, listen and respond to the focus of our children. We can see the deep literacy opportunities this inquiry has, and the children have been given the opportunity to listen to the story in many ways and have been encouraged to retell the story themselves through many creative outlets. This reflection of our learning has so far reminded us of what it means to listen and value the gaze of the child and to trust the direction that it led us in.
Choral Night 2024 – Save the Date!
Choral Night is one of the most anticipated events on the Saints Girls’ calendar, and this year’s spectacle carries the theme ‘Love’.
Save the Date – Thursday 21 March (Week 8)
Bookings will open on Friday 8 March, 4 tickets per family, further details to follow.
We look forward to the festivities and can’t wait to see what our girls have in store!
Bake Sale Fundraiser
Next Friday 8 March is International Women’s Day. International Women’s Day is a globally celebrated day that honours the achievements of women and raises awareness for equality. To highlight the importance of this day, the Prefect team will be hosting a bake sale on the food tech deck at recess time. Cupcakes will be $2 each.
The money raised will be donated to Catherine House, a special place that supports women experiencing homelessness in South Australia.
The stall will be cash only so make sure you bring your gold coins and come along and support this very important cause.
Daisy Kennett
Head Prefect
Sophie Ricciuto
Deputy Head Prefect
Head of the River Dinner 2024
The Friends of Rowing invite rowers, family and friends to celebrate the efforts, improvements and achievements of our St Peter’s Girls’ rowers throughout the 2023/24 season.
The annual Head of the River Dinner will be held at the Kent Town Hotel. The evening will feature speeches from students and coaches about the season that has been and will conclude with awards being presented. The dinner includes a two-course menu. Soft drinks and other refreshments will be available for purchase from the bar throughout the event.
Saturday 16 March, 6pm arrival for a 6.30pm start.
Kent Town Hotel (76 Rundle St, Kent Town SA 5067)
Tickets – $80 per person
Click here to purchase tickets.
Ticket sales close at 5pm, Monday 4 March
Please note, all rowers are expected to attend this event.
Brynley Millward
Director of Rowing
Shakespeare on the Lawn – Save the Date
Year 10 Arts students present to you Shakespeare on the Lawn, A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Save the Date: Friday 5 April from 5.30pm
Drinks and food available to pre-order.
Families and friends welcome, more details to come.
Dogs at our School
To ensure a safe and comfortable environment for all members of our community, we request you to keep your furry friends on a lead at all times. Furthermore, some of our students are fearful of dogs for a broad range of reasons and can become overwhelmed when they see a group of people and their dogs congregating together in the pick-up zone. We want each of our students to feel at ease and safe as they enter and exit our school grounds and ask you not to cluster together with your dogs. Through your conscious consideration of one another, our School will continue to be an inclusive environment for everyone.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
Parent Representative in the ELC
Would you like to be a part of shaping our vibrant ELC community? We are looking for Parent Representatives for each room and would love to hear from you.
As a parent representative you will:
- Be a contact point for parents who have children in the same room as your child, foster a warm and inclusive atmosphere, and welcome new families.
- Assist with and promote events and, if you are keen, organise an event/activity for the families from your child’s room. Our Communications and Community Relations teams can assist you with promotion, logistics etc.
- Keep up to date with the School’s building projects and current events to stimulate positive and engaging discussions within our community.
- Attend meetings twice a term. If there is more than one representative for your class, this can be rotated.
We are excited about working closely with our ELC representatives and building a strong, connected community. If you are interested, please speak to your child’s teacher. We will have an information session featuring our Director, Liz Schembri and Fiona McGregor, our dynamic Community Relations and Events Officer. We look forward to hearing from you.
Generations Breakfast and 130 Photo
We would like to invite our Old Scholar mothers and grandmothers, along with their children to participate in our Generations Breakfast and 130 Photograph event.
To acknowledge the Old Scholars’ connection and highlight the importance of generations in the School’s rich history, we will be capturing a moment in time with a group photograph of our current students with their Old Scholar mothers and/or grandmothers.
Please join us for breakfast on Chiverton Lawns, Thursday 7 March at 8am prior to the photograph with your child.
Our guest speaker Fiona Dorman (nee Khor, Patteson 1996), President of the National Council of Women SA, will also join us as we celebrate International Women’s Day.
*Attending students will commence the School Day in Lesson 2.
Please RSVP here by Friday 1 March 2024.
Shane Davidson Presents – Hairspray Jr
Good morning, Baltimore! It’s 1962, and spunky plus-size teen Tracy Turnblad has one big dream: to dance on the popular Corny Collins Show. With a cast of 50, over 200 costumes and sing-along songs such as Mama I’m a Big Girl Now, Timeless to Me, and You Can’t Stop the Beat, this show will delight the young and young at heart.
Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 March
Jeffreys Linn Arts Centre, St Peter’s Girls’ School
Click here to Book.
School Shop Notice
School Shop Opening Hours
Monday to Friday: 8am – 4pm (closed for lunch 12 – 12.30pm).
Parents can also order items via our Online School Shop. This is now accessible via the Flexischools platform which also administers our Online Tuck Shop. To sign in or sign up to Flexischools, click here
Absences from School
If your child will be absent from school/ELC or is arriving late or leaving early, please notify the School via one of the following methods:
Text: 0428 601 957
Email: attendance@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au
Phone: 8334 2200
Please ensure to include your child’s name, the name of the ELC Room, Class or Home Group and the reason for the absence i.e. illness/appointment/family/sport etc.
If notifying via email, feel free to ‘cc’ the teacher of the Room/Class/Home Group as well.
It would be appreciated if notification is received prior to 9am.
Sports News
Sport Results
Wednesday 21 February – Tuesday 27 February
BASKETBALL
Middle A: Cancelled
Middle C: Saints (38) v Pembroke Middle C Blue (3)
Middle D Blue: Bye
Middle D White: Bye
Senior B: Cancelled
Senior D: Cancelled
CRICKET
Year 3/4 Blue: Cancelled
Year 5/6 White: Cancelled
Senior A: Saints (1/107) v Seymour Senior A (6/49)
Best Player: Phoebe Lucas 28*(20) and 2/7
Super Woman: Winnie Vartuli played her first A game on late notice. Made 13*(12) and embraced the opportunity with a great attitude.
Senior B Blue: Saints (5/76) v Scotch Senior B (4/74)
Senior B White: Saints (4/83) v Walford Senior B (4/46)
Best Player – Charlotte Dodd top scorer in the batting with 20 (13) and bowled two incredibly tight overs conceding 0/2. Her bowling has improved significantly, bowling good lengths with genuine pace and bounce.
Super Woman – Ania Choi has continued to improve her bowling, fielding and especially her batting, which was on display with a beautiful pull shot that ran to the boundary!
TENNIS
Intermediate Blue: Saints (4/13) v Saints Intermediate Silver (1/7)
Intermediate Navy: Saints (3/8) v Intermediate White (4/11)
Beginner White: Saints (4/18) v Seymour Beginner Blue (2/11)
Senior Division 1.2: Saints (32) v Scotch 1 Navy (39)
Senior 3.3: Saints (33) v Scotch Navy 3 (35)
Best Player: Sylvie Flavel
Superwoman: Luna Dou
Senior 4.3: Saints (9/9/36) v Scotch 4 (0/0/1)
Senior Open A: Saints (21) v Wilderness (49)
TOUCH FOOTBALL
Middle A: Saints (3) v St Michael’s 1 (2)
Best Player – Kay
Superwoman – Maisie
Middle B: Saints (1) v St Michael’s 2 (7)
Senior B: Saints (0) v Seymour 3 (2)
VOLLEYBALL
Year 4-6 Blue: Saints (1/36) v Seymour 5/6 Green (1/31)
Best Player – Michelle Zurauskas served really well this week and when she was in setter position, she went for the ball, setting the ball high over the net.
Superwoman – Emily Oakes when she served, had good height and depth and often aced the other team.
Year 4-6 White: Saints (2/43) v Seymour 5/6 Purple (0/22)
Senior A: Saints (1/53) v Wilderness Senior A (2/63)
Best Player – Alannah Godfrey as consistently good setting and game play for the whole match.
Superwoman – Claudia Pearce – attended to support the team while injured.
Senior B: Saints (3/65) v Wilderness Senior B (0/46)
Best Player: Labrini Psaltis was consistent in all positions today, great serving and setting!
Super Woman: Ruby Adams played really well, put in effort throughout the game and showed great understanding by consistently helping to get three hits before putting the ball over the net. She had a few great servings runs as well!
Senior C: Saints (1/60) v Concordia Senior C3 (2/75)
Best Player: Christy
Super Woman: Ruby
Senior D: Saints (0/35) v 3/75)
Middle A: Saints (3/75) v Concordia (0/45)
Middle B: Saints (0/46) v Immanuel Middle B4 (3/75)
Middle C Blue: Saints (2/70) v Immanuel Middle C4 (1/59)
Middle C White: Saints (2/75) v Concordia Middle C3 (1/68)
Middle D Blue: Saints (1/54) v Concordia Middle C6 (2/66)
Best Player: Mel
Super Woman: Irrysa
Middle D White: Saints (0/36) v Immanuel Middle C3 (3/75)
WATER POLO
Senior B: Saints (8) v Seymour Senior A (8)
Senior C: Saints (8) v Sacred Heart 2 (1)
Middle A: Saints (0) v Loreto (15)
Sport SA Swimming Carnival
Our swimmers made the trek to the SA Aquatic Centre on Tuesday 27 February to compete against 9 other girls’ schools in the Sport SA Swimming Carnival.
Students were selected to compete based on the results from the School Carnival last week.
The girls did a fantastic job, placing third despite competing without an Under 13 category!
Saints Girls now turn their sights to the SAPSASA Swimming Carnival next week.
Saints Success at Rowing Regatta
Congratulations to our Saints Girls Rowers who competed at the School Premiership Series #3 Regatta at the weekend. Our Year 8 B and C crews both won their divisions, and our Year 9 A, B and C crews placed 2nd, 3rd, and 3rd respectively. The 2024 SA Schools’ Head of the River is on Saturday 16 March – Save the Date! Come along to West Lakes and support our rowers. We look forward to seeing what our crews can achieve!
Winter Sport Nominations Closing Soon!
Don’t forget to get your Winter sports nominations in!
All Winter sport nominations will be done via Clipboard. Please click here for instructions on how to navigate Clipboard for your daughter. Nominations close on Sunday 3 March.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Alice Johnswood
Director of Sport