eNews – Week 7, Term 4 2022

Issue no. 37

From Our Head of Junior School

School is a particularly busy place at the moment. It’s the time of the year where we have one foot in this year and the other in next. Junior School students have been busy finishing off learning assessments, getting ready for celebrations that mark the end of another school year, welcoming new 2023 friends for their Visit Day and feeling a mix of emotions about ends and beginnings as the sun finally shines in readiness for the summer break.

Last Friday morning, we enjoyed a delightful beginning to the festive season as our Reception students shared their Christmas Assembly with their families. Songs had been practised, scripts learned and movements rehearsed. Their performances belied their age, and left us with smiles on our faces and joy in our hearts.

Our ELC families came together on Friday evening for a lovely celebration of the end of the year. The children performed songs they had been learning this term, and families enjoyed picnics and the opportunity to be together.

We welcomed many new students on Tuesday for our Orientation and Step Up Day, and this provided everyone an opportunity to start getting to know the girls who will be joining us next year, and to begin contemplating the year ahead. Our new Receptions enjoyed their final Transition Visit, and the Welcome to Middle School evening yesterday was a great opportunity for current and new families to become acquainted.

Following yesterday’s wonderful Year 9 Graduation, the Year 6 Graduation today saw students marking the end of their time in Junior School, and the transition to the next stage of their schooling. It was wonderful to reflect on their growth and development since starting at Saints Girls. Following the Graduation, the girls shared their Exhibition with their families. Year 6 students have worked industriously over recent weeks preparing their Exhibition work which showcases skills and attributes they have developed during their time in the Junior School. Using the 17 Sustainable Development Goals as a provocation, they have thoughtfully considered an issue of concern for the healthy development of our community or planet. Year 6 students from PAC visited earlier in the week to learn from the girls’ projects and to provide an audience for our students to practise giving explanations of their learning.

Our Year 1 and 2 students are busily rehearsing their Nativity, which they will present next week. This is always such a special time and we are looking forward to coming together to share the story of Christmas as told by some of our youngest students. We also have the ELC Hat Ceremony, Carols in the Cathedral and Presentation Night to look forward to, all of which are true markers of the end of another school year.

So, an ‘event-full’ but joyous time at Stonyfell currently, where we regularly reflect on the good fortune we have to work and learn in our wonderful, busy School.

Suzanne Haddy
Head of Junior School

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Congratulations Year 9 Graduates!

Congratulations to our Year 9 girls on their Graduation, marking their transition from Middle to Senior School.

This event is a chance for parents, staff and fellow students to celebrate the achievements of every Year 9 throughout their Middle School journey. The audience was entertained by excellent musical performances from In-Ta Jazz, as well as a captivating flute solo by Year 9 student Jerrie Wu.

A special video was also played during the ceremony, featuring some of the highlights of Year 9 in 2022.

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Dancers Dazzle at Choreography Evening

Congratulations to our Year 9 and Stage 1 Dancers who performed to a captivated crowd in the Arts Centre this week for their Year 9/10 Dance Choreography Evening.

In their final performance for 2022, they presented their own group choreography using the dance skills learnt throughout their course. The focus was to communicate important, relevant themes to the audience in order to make them feel or think about something; after all, this is what The Arts are all about.

I was so proud of what the girls achieved in just six weeks. Their creativity, passion, maturity, teamwork and confidence were all on display on stage. Well done girls!

Kate Burnett
Head of The Arts

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Reception Christmas Assembly Highlights

Last Friday, our Reception girls brought festive cheer and lit up the Arts Centre stage at their Christmas Assembly.

Check out the highlights video.

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ELC End of Year Celebration

Our wonderful ELC community gathered on Chiverton Lawns last Friday to celebrate the end of another fantastic year. It was a beautiful evening with picnic rugs, delicious food and the joyful sound of children singing festive songs.

A big thank you to all of our ELC families who attended this special community event.

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Season’s Feastings from Food & Hospitality

As part of our final assessment for Food and Hospitality this year, our class came together to produce Christmas hampers for our loved ones. These consisted of traditional kourabiethes, gingerbread, Christmas tea and many other treats.

The task was a great opportunity to participate in different aspects including planning, designing, cooking and baking to ultimately create a final product. We are all delighted with the outcome and are excited to work on similar projects next year.

Stella Rasheed
Year 11 student

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Gift of Music for Gracious Groom

Congratulations to David Goodwin, our Artist in Residence and accompanist extraordinaire, who is getting married tomorrow! As a little gift and a way to celebrate this special event, our vocal ensemble Enchante put a twist on ‘Here Comes the Bride’, performing it as a surprise for Dave live on Tuesday morning.

Behind the scenes, the girls also very swiftly put together a recording of their unique rendition for the rest of our community to enjoy. Special thanks to Garth Coulter who helped us with our secret mission in recording the audio and assisting with the use of the green screen in our Media Hub. Another special thanks to Enchante who managed to learn this extremely difficult few bars in record time.

Best wishes Dave!

Sari Noble
Music Teacher

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Podium Finish for Ethics Olympians

Congratulations to two teams of our Middle School girls who placed 2nd and 3rd in last Friday’s State Ethics Olympiad! This competition has become increasingly popular, with a total of 15 teams from all over SA and NT. It consists of three rounds judged by members of the Australian Philosophy community including our own Old Scholar, Holly Wallman-Craddock (Selwyn 2021).

The girls have been training for this event over the past few months, meeting before school and during lunchtimes to explore some of the ethical issues that were presented by the competition committee. Looking at stimuli such as ‘Jaws’ and ‘Coach Carter’, they had to unpack ethical problems such as, ‘Is it important for friends to help one another even when it is hard?’, and, ‘Is following orders an excuse for doing the wrong thing?’ Finding the best solution was challenging and took a lot of critical, creative and collaborative thinking. Unlike debating, Ethics demands that the girls look at all angles, even those they might not agree with, to gain a deeper understanding of the issue.

As a result of their success, one of the teams will compete at the National Ethics Olympiad in February. A big thanks to Jessica Zhang and Maddy Liddy who coached these girls, providing excellent motivation and tutoring. And a special mention to Chelsea Francis and Olive Dawson who are both in Year 6, but competed in the Middle School team. Good luck girls!

Becca Burton-Howard
EDGE Coordinator

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Dragon Boat Racers Make a Splash

Last month, Year 7 and 8 Background Chinese students went on an excursion to West Lakes and tried out dragon boat racing. We were joined by students from St Peter’s College and Pulteney Grammar. For many of us, it was our first time dragon boating.

We split into groups with students from the other schools, giving us the chance to socialise and make friends. While on the water, we learnt how to gain speed and work as a team whilst having fun splashing each other! Once we started to race, it was quite intense as everyone was shouting so it was hard to concentrate, but in the end, everyone was able to focus on their rhythm and timing. Another group won because they were shouting numbers to keep them in the right rhythm.

When we finished, we went to a Chinese restaurant in Chinatown, ordering delicious noodles, Chinese porridge and rice. We were also able to treat ourselves with bubble tea which we loved very much. By the time we came back and finally sat down, our bodies all started to ache from the dragon boating. Altogether, it was such a fun day. We all learnt so much and we really wish we can do something like that again! – Jana Song (Year 7 student)

The trip was a great experience and we were put with people from other schools which made it interesting. We got to learn a lot about the dragon boats. We had to work together really carefully and stay in time to make sure we didn’t capsize. Afterwards, we went to Chinatown and got some really yummy food and bubble tea. – Chen Chen Han (Year 7 student)

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Happy Campers Hit the Harbor

Last week, the Year 3 girls spent an adventurous three days in Victor Harbor, staying at beautiful Adare House.

The focus of the camp was on teamwork, personal challenge and friendship. There were smiles for miles as we enjoyed a ride on the horse-drawn cart across the Granite Island Causeway, an exhilarating boat trip through the waves to see dolphins and seals, twilight mini golf and a visit to Urimbirra Wildlife Park. Working in tribes, the girls also competed in Survivor-style challenges and beach games, testing their resilience, collaboration and problem-solving.

We returned from camp happy, tired and full of wonderful memories and new friendships.

Monique McLeay and Sarah Mulraney
Year 3 Teachers

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Middle and Senior School Textbook Reminder

Booklists for 2023 were released online by Box of Books (for Years 7 – 12) on Wednesday 16 November for parents/guardians to complete and submit by Friday 9 December.

Ordering before the due date ensures your daughter’s order is prioritised for delivery prior to the commencement of the 2023 school year.

Steps in ordering textbooks:

1. Visit Box of Books Shop to log in to your existing parent/guardian account or create a new account if it is your first purchase.
2. Add each student, including school email as well as nominating the school and year group.
3. Select the items you wish to purchase from the booklist shown.
4. Use the checkout to organise postage direct to your nominated address and complete payment.

If you have any problems accessing booklists, please phone the Box of Books Customer Support Line: 1800 326 657

For all Middle and Senior School curriculum-based enquiries, please contact the relevant staff member.

Lisa Hollis
Head of Library and Information Services

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Carols in the Cathedral – Next Week

St Peter’s Cathedral, North Adelaide
Tuesday 6 December
Students to arrive at 6.30pm (unless advised otherwise by the Music Department)
Doors open at 6.45pm, event commences at 7pm and concludes at 9pm

Carols in the Cathedral is a compulsory event for students in Years 5 – 12

Illustration by Isabella Ding (Year 9 student)

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Presentation Night – Next Week

Adelaide Town Hall
Friday 9 December
Students to arrive at 6.30pm (unless advised otherwise by the Music Department)
Doors open at 6.45pm, event commences at 7pm

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Friends of Rowing – Christmas Dinner

Sunday 11 December
Lakeside Function Room, Lakes Resort Hotel
141 Brebner Drive, West Lakes
5pm arrival for 6pm start

The Friends of Rowing invite the Saints Rowing community to attend our ‘Christmas Dinner’ on Sunday 11 December, from 5 – 8.30pm at the Lakes Resort Hotel. Traditionally, this is held in Renmark as part of the Riverland Regatta, but with the relocation of that event to the Port Adelaide River, so too has this function been relocated.

The Christmas Dinner is an opportunity for the Rowing community to socialise and celebrate the end of the year. The event will include a two-course meal, with grazing platters on arrival. Beverages and refreshments will be available for purchase.

Tickets can be purchased via TryBooking: click here

Ticket sales close 5pm Monday 5 December

Brynley Millward
Director of Rowing

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Friends of Rowing – Wine Fundraiser

Support the development of the Rowing Program at St Peter’s Girls’ School by purchasing from a fantastic selection of wines:

• Lambert Estate – Barossa Valley
• The Lane – Adelaide Hills
• Bird in Hand – Adelaide Hills
• d’Arenberg – McLaren Vale

Vintages are subject to change. In the event of wines being in short supply, we will contact you. Prices are only available for this fundraiser. Each wine can only be ordered by minimum purchase. Prices are inclusive of GST.

Purchases can be made via TryBooking – click here

The campaign runs until 11 December 2022 (no orders after this date can be accepted). Orders to be collected on Sunday 18 December from 11am – 3pm at St Peter’s Girls’ School. Wine can be collected after Sunday 18 December by prior arrangement; please contact Fiona McGregor, Community Relations – Events Officer via 8334 2225 or fmcgregor@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au

Liquor Licence: #203237

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Professional School Photo Offers

Offer 1 – $88 digital package (unlimited number of photos)
To view the photos, visit events.focusschoolportraits.com/gallery/18679717/
Select Gallery
To access, use the password: SaintsGirls
Email Mark at orders@focusschoolportraits.com.au, quoting the photo numbers and event. He will be in contact with you to finalise the order.

Offer 2 – $27 per printed photo
The Special Groups offer includes photos of House Captains, Generations, Originals, Year 12 cohort and the Year 12 image from the Chiverton Balcony
Visit www.focusschoolportraits.com
Select School Portraits
Enter access key: 7XE7K6YB

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Mark via orders@focusschoolportraits.com.au or 8389 9002.

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Junior School Vacation Care – Book Now

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.

December 2022 / January 2023 Vacation Care Program

Places are limited, so secure your booking now – click here

Please make your booking requests via the link above by 2pm Friday 2 December, as each booking made after this time will incur an additional $5 fee.

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Health Notifications

The School has been notified of a case of chickenpox (varicella) and a case of school sores (impetigo).

Chickenpox (Varicella)

Common signs and symptoms include a slight fever, fatigue, stomach ache, and itchy and blistered rash or spots.

Symptoms usually appear 14 to 16 days after exposure. If your child is diagnosed, they must be excluded from school or ELC during the contagious period which lasts until all blisters have crusted over.

For more information, click here.

School Sores (Impetigo)

School sores are a superficial skin infection caused by Staphylococcus or Streptococcus bacteria, or sometimes both. They are most common in children. The bacteria can easily spread to other parts of the infected person’s body or to other people directly by contact with sores or indirectly by contact with contaminated clothes.

School sores appear as flat, yellow, crusty or moist patches on the skin, usually on exposed parts of the body such as the face and legs. They are extremely infectious while there is discharge from the sores. If your child is diagnosed, they must be excluded from school or ELC until appropriate treatment has commenced. Any sores on exposed surfaces should be completely covered with a dressing.

For more information, click here.

As always, if your child is unwell, they should remain home until they have recovered, irrespective of the illness.

If your child will not be attending school/ELC due to illness, please notify the School via one of the methods listed in the absences article.

Lara Waltham and Sarah Wilkinson
School Registered Nurses

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COVID-19 Information

As you may be aware, a number of COVID-19 requirements have been lifted including mandatory isolation for those who test positive. Notwithstanding this, SA Health encourages anyone who is ill to stay home until the symptoms have cleared (usually five to seven days).

As there is no longer a set COVID isolation period, you must notify the School each day your child will be absent, or provide the expected period of absence.

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School Medical Information Reminder

It is imperative that all medical information, including immunisations, is up to date on the School’s myLink parent portal.

Please follow this pathway to check and/or update details: myLink > Community Portal > My Details > select child name

If you have any questions, please email healthcentre@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au

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Road Safety Alert

The School has received reports of concerning driver behaviour on Hallett Road. This includes holding up traffic while waiting for cars to leave in order to park near the ELC, performing risky u-turns and parking in bus zones.

As our staff have no jurisdiction over public roads, the School will be asking the police to conduct regular patrols at peak times.

We implore all of our community members to support road safety and show courtesy to others.