Issue no. 38
From the Principal
For me, Christmas lunch finishes with a dessert in which tradition and taste collide. My Mum, even at 80 years of age, makes the most amazing plum pudding. Weeks before Christmas, she chops up the dried fruit, covers it in brandy and leaves it to marinate for several weeks. Using a recipe passed down from her Mum, the pudding is cooked in a cloth and left to hang for weeks prior to the big day. When the moment arrives, it’s placed in the centre of the table, showered in brandy and lit. As a kid, I remember being blown away by the sight of the intensely blue flame and trying to work out how the whole pudding didn’t go up in smoke! It’s served with Mum’s delicious homemade vanilla custard, again made with a recipe passed down from my grandmother.
Traditions, when done right, lend a certain magic, spirit and texture to our everyday lives. And they’re not just a unique way of celebrating an occasion, they’re also a way of bringing people together, a way of connecting generations. It’s my role to preserve our family traditions. After all, if I’m not doing it, who is? Hearing my girls ask Mum for those special recipes ensures that plum pudding and vanilla custard will be a constant in the Shea family Christmas celebrations for years to come.
Sometimes, as our families change, our traditions change with us, and that’s alright. There is no rule book for what tradition should look like, who you should share it with or how it should grow over time. Take Celebration Day as an example. As an “outsider” arriving four years ago, I had never seen anything like it. School uniforms cut up and transformed into interesting outfits, Year 12 girls running to their final Chapel through a guard of honour formed by our younger girls, staff “letting loose” on the Arts Centre stage as they attempted to re-enact the dances from Choral Night. I’m sure this isn’t the way Sister Scholastica farewelled Year 12 in her day! But it’s now become a tradition. It’s a fine balancing act, changing practices where circumstances warrant, yet at the same time steadfastly maintaining those things which have made Saints Girls so great.
So, occasionally we need to let go of the old adage, “We have to do it this way because we always have.” Certainly our longstanding traditions anchor us together, but this year, try to combine your favourite old traditions with a new Christmas tradition, tailor-made by you, just for your family. It will feel all the more special for being unique just to you.
Building Works
I’d like to thank all the girls for their understanding and patience through what has been a very busy year. Our Middle School has already been open for a semester and the new Library will open its doors on the first day of Term 1 next year. Construction of the Stott Wing balcony will commence this weekend and will also be completed for the start of next year. We have some renovations in other areas of the School happening over the break as well. The Year 10/11 locker room will have a much-needed overhaul and there will be some minor works around the Junior School Library. The newly polished pews will be returned to the Chapel in January, allowing our regular services to resume there in 2018.
Staffing
We have a number of staff taking leave in 2018 and others to bid farewell:
• A Saints Girls’ legend, Cassandra Moore retires after first starting at the School in 1984. A passionate Patteson Old Scholar, Cass will be sorely missed, but we hope to still see her around the School doing some relief and volunteer work.
• Louise Davies has been appointed as Director of the ELC at Investigator College. Whilst we’re very sad to see her leave, this is a wonderful opportunity for her and a much-deserved promotion.
• I congratulate Cat Davies on her appointment as Head of English at Endeavour College. Cat has made a significant contribution to Saints Girls in her short time with us, particularly in the area of Public Speaking.
• I thank Abby Davey for the 12 months she spent in the role of Head of Arts and wish her well in her move to Glenunga International High School.
• Matthew Wills finished up earlier this term to assume oversight of the national Philosothon competition.
• David Martin and Sophie Trevorrow have completed their short-term contracts. We were indeed fortunate to secure two such wonderful teachers at short notice.
• After six years in the job, Peter Swain retires from his bus driving role.
• We farewell a number of our fantastic co-educators from the ELC: Jenny Chiu, Galia Kay, Qian Pu, Elise Rynne and Emma Veitch.
• Olivia Coulter and Anne Kruger remain on maternity leave next year. Alex McKay begins her maternity leave and we wish her and Oliver all the best for the exciting times ahead.
• Shane Davidson takes some well-earned long service leave and returns at the start of Semester 2.
There are some terrific new members of staff commencing at Saints Girls in 2018 and I look forward to introducing them to you early next year.
End of Year Celebrations
Please take the opportunity to join us at Presentation Night this evening and Carols in the Cathedral on Monday. These are two special traditions in our School. It’s important that we come together as a community to acknowledge the wonderful achievements of our girls and celebrate the joy of Christmas. I’ve heard the girls rehearsing, and the music and choral work will be sensational, so do come along.
It has been an absolute privilege to lead the School in its 123rd year. I wish you a peaceful and joyous Christmas and look forward to welcoming you all back on Tuesday 30 January 2018.
Julia Shea
Principal
Hats Off to Newest Saints Girls
This week on Monday 4 December, we celebrated a treasured event as our ELC leavers took centre stage for our Hat Ceremony.
The presentation of a school hat and bag marks the transition from the ELC to the “big school”. Staff in the ELC and the Junior School work extremely hard to prepare our girls for what is a significant step in their education and personal development.
We wish our ELC leavers all the best for Reception in 2018!
Year 6 Graduation
On Wednesday 6 December our Year 6 students officially graduated from the Junior School. The ceremony was a celebration of all they have achieved during their primary years at St Peter’s Girls. We were entertained by musical performances, video presentations and reflections co-constructed by the graduating classes. Following the formal proceedings, the girls had the opportunity to share the wonderful work they had researched, designed and created for the Exhibition; the culmination of the IB Primary Years Programme.
Carols in the Cathedral
Carols in the Cathedral will be held at 7pm in St Peter’s Cathedral, North Adelaide on Monday 11 December.
Please note that students have their final school day of Term 4 today, however all students in Years 3 – 12 are expected to attend Carols in the Cathedral on Monday night.
We look forward to celebrating the festive season and the end of another successful year at St Peter’s Girls.
Scholarships for 2019
St Peter’s Girls’ School is currently inviting applications for Scholarships in 2019.
If you know anyone in your networks who may be interested, we have the following opportunities: Academic, Principal’s All-Rounder, Music, International Baccalaureate, Old Scholars’ Association.
For more information, click here, and take a look at this video highlighting our Music Scholarships:
Excellent Chapter for Reading Challenge
This year’s Premier’s Reading Challenge concluded in September with 100% participation by our Junior School and a significant increase in involvement by middle and senior students. Participation was inspired by the high energy and visually quirky promotions by Olivia Compare and Kate McKellar-Stewart at assemblies throughout the year.
Medals and certificates were handed out this week and, for some, special milestones have been met. Our Receptions received their certificates as first-time participants. Many in the Junior School were awarded bronze, silver, gold, legend or champion medals. Towards the upper end of the primary years, students were acknowledged as ‘Hall of Famers’, while many in the middle years became ‘Readers for Life’.
Special mention goes to our senior students who have participated for over 10 consecutive years. For Sarah Pols, Georgia Bowden, Kate McKellar-Stewart and Dominique Rigby, this is their 12th year completing the Challenge. And one student, Olivia Compare, is to be congratulated for achieving a new School record of 13 years.
Well done to all those who completed the Challenge in 2017.
Lisa Hollis
Premier’s Reading Challenge Coordinator
Saints Girl Rides Wave of Success
Year 7 student Imogen Elliott has featured regularly in Sports News for her success at various surfing competitions. We asked her to tell us a little more about her surfing and recent achievements in the sport:
“I started surfing five years ago after my Mum booked me into a school holiday program. I already did Surf Life Saving and really loved being in the water. I began entering a few local competitions and really enjoyed the competitive side of the sport.
We live at Southport, so every day when there are waves, I am in the water training before and after school. If there are no waves, I will either go for a run or do a skateboarding session. I also participate in the Athletics Development Program at school which helps with my fitness and leg conditioning training for surfing.
I have just represented South Australia in the Junior National Surfing Titles at Culburra, NSW and narrowly missed a finals position in the U16 Girls All Stars Category. Currently, I am the U14 Girls SA State Champion and placed second in the 2017 Open State Championship. I have also recently won the SA Wahu National Surfer Grom Competition, gaining selection to the AIS Hurley High Performance Centre on the Gold Coast for training in 2018. I will also be travelling to Bells Beach to train with the Victorian State Coach in January with a small group selected based on performance at Junior Nationals.
I love surfing as a sport and really enjoy the freedom of being in the ocean. It has also given me some great opportunities to travel both in Australia and overseas to surf in some amazing locations. Over the next few years, I hope to continue training, travelling and competing with the aim of entering the Women’s Qualifying Series by the time I finish Year 12 at Saints!”
Imogen Elliott
Year 7 student
Vacation Care Reminder – Don’t Miss Out!
Our next instalment of Vacation Care is almost here. We have just over five weeks of activities guaranteed to keep the children busy and active through the break. With a total of 10 excursions/incursions, there is plenty of fun to be had.
Some of our home-based days will include crafts, Christmas cooking, mask making and a high tea fit for royalty!
Please note there has been a change to the Vacation Care program – Tuesday 23 January will be an excursion to a Play Café and Wednesday 24 January will be the Magic Show incursion (these days have been swapped).
Read the full December/January Vacation Care program here
The booking period closed on 6 December 2017, however there are limited vacancies available on certain days. Please note there is a $5.00 fee for late bookings. Click here to secure your booking now!
Christmas Giving Tree at St Peter’s Girls
The Giving Tree was placed in the Arts Centre foyer with a very generous array of donations placed beneath it. Donations were packaged up today by some Year 5 helpers, and will be collected by AnglicareSA which aims to hand out over 1,000 food hampers and gifts to support families and individuals this Christmas who have no one else to turn to. They also provide Christmas lunch to 200 people at the Elizabeth Mission.
We thank all of our families who contributed food or gifts, and know they will be well received by those less fortunate than ourselves.
Winter Drive Makes a Splash
On Tuesday 5 December, the Winter Drive girls organised a lunchtime event to raise money for the shipment of donations to refugee camps in Lebanon. We ran a large stall with Krispy Kreme doughnuts and another stall where students could buy water balloons to throw at participating teachers. The day was a big success and we greatly appreciate all of the staff who were willing to give up their comfort and the students who were brave enough to launch water balloons at said staff in order to support the cause.
This was the Winter Drive’s last fundraising event of the year and the girls are so grateful for the School community’s continuous support; the overall effort turned out to be more successful than we ever imagined and, together, we were able to provide many Syrian refugee families with vital supplies for the winter.
Felicia Mi, Amira Shahin, Grace Edwards and Sindhu Nedumaran
The Winter Drive Team
Year 7s Make History in Junior School
Throughout Weeks 7 and 8, 7ADA and 7RMI have been visiting classes from Reception to Year 2 to share their learning on the topic of ‘Legacies’ from our unit on Ancient Civilisations. The aim of this exercise, other than the pure excitement of sharing a learning space, was to allow the Year 7s to present to the younger students something they had made for them, such as a series of picture books, museum in a box displays and board games. These were created so that the students could interact, ask questions and share their knowledge of what legacies ancient civilisations, such as Rome, China, Egypt and Greece, have left behind for modern society. This was an especially helpful exercise as the current Year 2 inquiry unit centres on how people from around the globe share an understanding of the world through stories.
As the images show, the students genuinely enjoyed the opportunity to spend time together, and share their knowledge and understanding of the ancient past. There was time for questions at the end of each session and the younger students made some excellent observations of what they had learnt.
Thanks to the teachers of 0MLI (Michelle Liddy), 1ALE (Alana Lesiw), 1LSA (Liz Sandercock) and 2KCL (Kathryn Clark) for making the Year 7s feel so welcome and allowing for such a dynamic learning opportunity at such a busy time of the year.
Gregor Dingwall
Head of Humanities and Year 7 Humanities Teacher
Music Theatre Camp Hits Right Note
Saints Girls will be honing their performance skills over the holiday break, with a large group of students participating in the upcoming Music Theatre Camp (MTC). It will be held over two weeks in the January school holidays for performers aged 8 – 19. It’s no surprise that MTC attracts over 450 singers, dancers and actors every year; it is a life-changing experience and definitely the most fun we have ever had. The thing we love the most about MTC is the amazing family of performers like us that we have become a part of. In a group of such confident, friendly people, it is hard not to have an absolute blast.
This year’s show promises to be nothing short of incredible and we are certain that all of the other performers are just as excited for the highlight of our year, MTC!
The line-up for this year’s performance, ‘Music Theatre Camp – Seize the Day’, is going to be a cracker and will feature a medley of stage shows including songs from the hugely popular Moana, Hair, Sister Act, Newsies, Hairspray and more.
Don’t miss MTC 2018 – January 18 to 21, playing at the Michael Murray Centre – Westminster College, Alison Avenue, Marion.
Come see Pelican Productions put on an extraordinary, family-friendly performance that showcases the brilliant young musical theatre talent in Adelaide. It’s not to be missed, see you there!
Click here to book tickets
Click here for a promotional flyer
Isabelle Norman
Year 9 student
Year 6 Performer Takes Centre Stage at Fringe
Year 6 student Cartia Lanzoni has landed a lead role in a show that will be staged as part of the Adelaide Fringe Festival. We asked her to tell us about this amazing opportunity:
“I am very excited to be performing in next year’s Fringe in Star Academy’s Show ‘The Revolting Children of Tomorrow’.
It’s set in New York City where my character Matilda meets Annie, and together they go on a journey to Broadway, chasing their dreams of becoming stars!
Along the way, they meet characters from several famous musicals who help them on their adventure.
It is a great opportunity for me to use performing skills that I have been developing for the past six years at Star Academy, and I have so much fun getting to sing, dance and act throughout the show.
‘The Revolting Children of Tomorrow’ has been created for children, but the whole family will love it with plenty of hit songs from Cats, The Blues Brothers, Grease and more! Our show is interactive and has many opportunities to sing and dance along!”
Cartia Lanzoni
Year 6 student
You can catch the show at Star Academy, 100 Grote Street, Adelaide from 23 – 25 February and 2 – 4 March. Tickets can be purchased via www.adelaidefringe.com.au.
The Garden of Saintly Delights
At this exciting event, our School gym will be filled with loads of fabulous stalls to suit all ages and tastes! We would love to offer individuals or businesses within our community the opportunity to purchase a 3x3m space.
The number of sites is strictly limited, so please contact Danielle via cdpal@bigpond.net.au to register your interest and to receive an application form.
Don’t miss out!
Code Camp at St Peter’s Girls’ School
St Peter’s Girls’ School will be hosting Code Camp Spark and Code Camp Ignite for students in Years 2 – 6 from 15 – 17 January 2018, 9am – 3.30pm. The cost is $349 for three days.
Code Camp Information Flyer
Visit the Code Camp website for more information
Visit the St Peter’s Girls’ School booking page