Issue no. 20
From the Principal
I was reminded last weekend just how multi-dimensional a Saints Girls’ education has become. On Friday afternoon I watched our Australian Rules football team take on Pulteney in their first ‘home’ game at Payneham Oval. Our girls didn’t take a backwards step. They were hard at the ball, laid some solid tackles and went on to record a hard-fought 23 point win. I jumped in the car and moved seamlessly from watching a tough physical sport to viewing amazing artworks at the official opening of Arts Alive. Our Junior School girls had spent the day proudly showing their parents and grandparents works of art based on a STEM theme. Then on Saturday night, I watched three of our girls compete in the final of the Rostrum Voice of Youth public speaking competition at Parliament House, with Holly Wallman-Craddock winning the Junior Division and Zaina Khan winning the Senior Division. It reinforced the point that there is no stereotyping at Saints Girls. Be they academic, sporty, artistic, musical or exhibiting eloquence – all pursuits are valued and all are recognised. We have an environment in which our girls can be themselves at their best. And that’s what makes Saints Girls such a special place.
Building Works
Our Middle School girls had their final lessons in the old classrooms today. At the start of next term they will move into the brand new facility. Whilst there’s still a lot of work to be done over the holiday break, it looks amazing. With flexible spaces, breakout areas, an abundance of natural light, transparency between rooms, views over Ferguson Park and direct access to the oval, our girls will be inspired to explore and engage. Whilst the internal works will be completed by day one of Term 3, the external works are running slightly behind schedule. Access to the new stairs and lift will not be available until late August. In the interim, girls will enter the building via the double door outside the Junior School Library and use the internal staircase in front of Student Services to move upstairs. There will be a number of opportunities for parents to view the new facility next term. We can’t wait to show you the colour, choice, flexibility and complexity that underpins the wonderful design.
Traffic Flow and Pick-up Procedures
Despite the extension of the Bell Yett Reserve car park, there is still significant traffic congestion at the conclusion of the school day. From the start of next term, the Mid-Year Reception class will finish at 3.15pm each day, 15 minutes prior to the rest of the School. The girls, accompanied by their teacher, will walk to the designated drop-off and pick-up zone. Parents will be able to drive through and collect their daughters. In order for this to work effectively it’s imperative that all drivers are aware of the following:
> Cars must not be parked in the drop-off and pick-up zone;
> Drivers must not exit their car when in the drop-off or pick-up zone. If your daughter is
not in the designated area when you arrive to collect her, you must find legal parking
before exiting your car and coming to look for her.
> Senior staff will be on duty. If you are asked to move on, please do so. It may be
necessary to circle the block and rejoin the pick-up line;
> Girls must always enter or exit from the passenger side of the vehicle;
> Our girls’ safety is paramount and hence the driver’s full attention is required. Please
refrain from talking on your mobile phone whilst using the drop-off or pick-up zone.
> Out of consideration for others in line, girls should ‘load up’ quickly, allowing the traffic to move smoothly through the zone.
I appreciate that pick-up time can be a source of frustration. However, if we all adhere to the guidelines above, it can be a positive experience!
Teaching Staff News
We wish Olivia Coulter all the best as she commences maternity leave. Heng Wang returns from her maternity leave next term so we bid farewell to Lin Nie and thank her for her contribution to Saints Girls. Similarly, Sarah English returns from maternity leave at the start of next semester. As mentioned previously, Vicky Charlton has decided to retire at the end of this term. We wish Vicky and her family well as she enters the next exciting phase of her life.
Finally I wish you all a safe and enjoyable holiday and look forward to welcoming the girls back on Tuesday 25 July.
Julia Shea
Principal
Arts Alive 2017 went off with a BANG!
Held last Friday, with over 500 visitors including grandparents, parents and special friends, this Junior School exhibition was electric!
This year’s theme was STEAM: a celebration of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics through the Arts. Each Junior School artist created an individual artwork that explored, connected or demonstrated an aspect of one or more of the STEM disciplines.
The artists encouraged the audience to view their artwork as a metaphor….
“Throughout the exhibition we encourage you to view Art as a ball of wool. Art (the wool) is the connector and the integrator.” – Maddy Lisle.
“It winds in and around, wraps and intertwines and has been the vehicle behind all our projects.” – Stella Rasheed.
Exploring STEM in their art lessons each week promoted wonder, critique, inquiry, creativity and innovation. Art has a magical way of releasing students’ imagination and opening their minds to new perspectives, identifying alternatives and solving problems in an experimental way. When creativity is provoked, encounters with the world become newly-informed and exciting connections are made in their own unique way.
“In Art, we learn about making things stronger and higher and sticking things together.” – Amy (Year 2)
“Art comes into a lot of things like Technology and Maths, because it gives you different ways to problem-solve.” – Amelia (Year 6)
From our youngest artists’ exploration of texture and colour through microscopic photography, to laser cut Australian animals, magical sound sculptures, stop animation movies, digital illustrations, engineered flying birds and 3D printed flora, the exhibition was a feast for the senses, as well as a representation of Art as meaningful platform for STEM learning.
Sarah Casson
Junior School Art Teacher
Transition to St Peter’s Girls Reception: Hat Ceremony
“Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away.”
– Dr Seuss
“As children make transitions to new settings (including school) educators from early childhood settings and schools commit to sharing information about each child’s knowledge and skills so learning can build on foundations of earlier learning. Educators work collaboratively with each child’s new educator and other professionals to ensure a successful transition. In partnership with families, early childhood educators ensure that children have an active role in preparing for transitions.” (The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia)
At St Peter’s Girls Early Learners’ Centre we are committed to ensuring that any child leaving our community has a smooth transition to their new environment. We feel this is an essential part of a child’s foundation to their education. We aim to work in partnership with the new educational setting where information is communicated to the educators to provide a seamless transition for both the child and their family.
Next term, a group of ELC girls will be joining the St Peter’s Girls Reception Learning Community in the Junior School. Many of the girls’ journeys at St Peter’s Girls first began when they attended playgroup as a young toddler or the two year old program in the Stonyfell Room. Over the past few weeks, the girls have been reminiscing about the special times that they have had throughout their time at the ELC and the special friendships that they have made along the way. The girls have engaged in transition visits where they have had the privilege of meeting their new School teacher, Meg Karvonen. The girls have returned to the ELC after their transition visits beaming with excitement and eagerness to share their experience with their teachers and peers. Transition visits are extremely important for the children to familiarise themselves with their new environment, teacher and peers. It is also a wonderful opportunity for the children to have time to discover School life and begin to recognise new expectations.
The ELC children are formally welcomed into the St Peter’s Girls’ School community at a School assembly and presented with a very special gift from a member of the School leadership team. When communicating with parents and families of children involved in this presentation in the past, they have placed high importance of the sense of community and belonging that this gives the children when entering a new environment. Children and families’ sense of belonging in a setting is strengthened by the transition practices that identify and place the child at the forefront.
On Monday 26 June, the ELC girls ‘moving up the path’, along with their peers and teachers, attended the School assembly, another component in their transition journey to School. Ms Suzanne Haddy, Head of Junior School, presented the girls with their special gift of a school bag and hat to celebrate their transition. We were thrilled to share this special moment with them and, as you can see by the photographs, the children were beaming with pride. We wish all girls a wonderful start to School next term and look forward to hearing more about their continued journey at St Peter’s Girls.
Kirsty Porplycia
Saints Girls shine at public speaking competitions
Rostrum Voice of Youth State Final
Some of the finest young speakers in Australia descended upon Parliament House last weekend to compete in the State Final of the Rostrum Voice of Youth public speaking competition for secondary school students. Year 8 student Holly-Wallman Craddock competed in the junior section and Year 10 students Aditi Tamhankar and Zaina Khan were senior finalists. Whilst it was an extremely tight competition, we are thrilled to announce that Zaina and Holly were winners of their respective sections, which is an unprecedented accomplishment! The poignant, stirring and thought-provoking words took the spellbound audience on a rollercoaster of emotions. The National Final is being held in Brisbane on 29 July. Good luck girls!
Burnside Probus Club public speaking competition
Year 11 student Brooke Oliver represented Saints Girls at the annual Burnside Probus Club public speaking competition on Tuesday 20 June, where she was an outstanding ambassador. Brooke impressed the adjudicators with her ability to articulate her ideas on the ‘Lottery of Life’, probing the topical nature vs nurture debate. She competed against a number of schools including Pembroke, Marryatville High School and Seymour College.
Catriona Davies
English Teacher
Year 9s take home third place at the National da Vinci Decathlon
What an amazing four days! The girls and I flew out on Saturday morning, arriving after an uneventful trip to the site of the competition, Knox Grammar School. After a plane trip that consisted of revising for Science and Maths tests, a coach journey of story writing, the girls were hungry so we set off in search of food. A lovely Thai lunch gave us time to relax, chat and prepare for the competition ahead.
Throughout the trip we stayed in a boarding house that belonged to one of the local schools. It was a brief trek over hill and down dale from Knox Grammar School, but it did ensure that we got our daily exercise and maintained our fitness levels. At the boarding house, we discovered that yet another task lay ahead of us, thankfully this one was not being graded. Bed making is not a strength of the da Vinci Decathlon team to say the least, unless you consider the comedy factor!
The next day was amazingly busy with the students facing four papers before they’d even had morning tea! A further two followed before lunch and a final two after tea. There was barely a spare moment and all hands were needed on deck to solve the wide array of mind-bending problems that crossed the da Vinci Decathlon table during that day. By the end of day one, the girls had tackled Mathematics, Science, English, Creative Producers, Code Breaking, Ideation, Cartography and Engineering.
Quickly it became clear that no da Vinci Decathlon day would be complete without a hot chocolate and music, be that a ‘rager’ in one of the rooms or a rousing rendition of oceans around the piano! The girls went to bed every night exhausted but laughing.
Day three was an early start and a bus journey into Sydney where we toured around The Rocks, Goat Island and Hyde Park barracks. By the end of the day, the girls had answered over a hundred questions and walked an amazing 25,000 steps and were more than ready for free time. After a bit of shopping it was home time, dinner and yet another task, this time in Art and Poetry.
The girls stormed through a further quiz and on to our final night which consisted of more piano playing, hot chocolate, yoga and the odd student getting locked in their bedroom. But no trip would be complete without the pleasant high pitch of a faulty fire alarm quietly ringing out all night.
Our final day started with a wake-up call of trucks and the warning sound of a reversing vehicle. The girls were ready and eager to hear the results of the competition but not before the final event which was the General Knowledge quiz. That dealt with, it was time for a final morning tea and a morale boosting ‘teacher speech’ from myself. So I covered all the bases, told them all how proud I was of their effort and how I didn’t mind if we won or lost, it was the taking part that mattered!
Well, little did I know how incredibly proud of them I was going to be. Sitting waiting for the results, I practiced all the positive things I could to say to the girls, how I would clap, the look on my face and the careful positive tone I would use. As they started calling out the different categories all my practices to soften the blow became redundant, as we slowly amassed a staggering five certificate places. These included a first in Engineering, a second in Ideation and Code Breaking and two thirds in Art and Poetry, and Science. This incredible result meant an overall placement of third in the Year 9 competition, a first we think for any school in SA to be placed at the national event, and a first for St Peter’s Girls.
Our journey home was jubilant with medals worn through the airport and even onto the plane. There was much delight taken in explaining to the flight attendants the competition and the awards achieved.
These girls dedicated hours of research, practice and revision before school, at lunch, weekends and even in the holidays. It paid off; every code they had to learn, every poem they wrote, every map reference and calculation they solved led to this moment. Well done girls!
They didn’t get there on their own so a big shout out to all those teachers who helped coach them in specialist areas and the parents who brought them to early practices, weekend and holiday sessions.
Congratulations team and, watch out, because St Peter’s Girls is on the da Vinci Decathlon map to stay.
Becca Burton-Howard
Gifted and Talented Teacher
In the Arts Centre with Year 8CDA
In Year 8, Dance is studied for one term per class as part of the Arts rotation. The students learn technique in the style of Jazz, research the history of the genre and apply their new skills to developing a class routine.
In addition, the students are given many opportunities to explore their own movement style through composition tasks. They use the elements of Dance (space, time, relationship and dynamics) to create original movement sequences.
As part of their assessment this term, the students worked in small groups to create appropriate vocal choreography in the style of Motown. It was exciting to see the girls engage with music from this era such as the Supremes, Jackson 5 and Marvin Gaye, and further develop their knowledge about vocal choreography in the 1960s and how this has evolved today.
Dance provides a very collaborative, unthreatening, experimental environment for the girls where they are encouraged to challenge their creativity and try new things.
Kate Burnett
Dance Teacher
“My favourite aspect of Dance is it is relaxed and is really fun. The subject allows me to be active and work with other students in my class.” – Kellie Bested
“I like Dance because it is completely different to any other subject and really fun for me. My favourite aspect is the musicality and feel of each style of Dance. The subject allows me to express my feelings with no judgement.” – Stephanie Smalls
“I like Dance because I can express myself and relax in between other stressful lessons during the day. My favourite style is contemporary and hip-hop. The subject enables me to learn Dance in a more detail way other than just dancing, like learning the right techniques for each style and going into depth about the history and background of that style.” – Candy Feng
“I like Dance because it allows me to express my emotions through different styles of movement and dance to what my heart is feeling. It allows people to have fun and try new things.” – Charlotte Stewart
Reception Recital
Over the past nine weeks of Term 2, Year 11 students Amira Shahin and Sindhu Nedumaran have been rehearsing with the two Reception classes to create a Reception Recital:
At the beginning of the term we assigned ourselves nine weeks, in which we would spend a lunchtime with each class. By the end of the term, including the extra rehearsals that took place on the stage, it amounted to 25 rehearsals with both of the Reception classes.
Although we were very excited to spend time with the Receptions, we were also quite nervous as we had never worked with so many young children before. Therefore, we wanted to make this experience something the girls would thoroughly enjoy and remember. So, after listening to many songs, we decided to sing ‘Let it go’ (Frozen) and dance to ‘You’re never fully dressed without a smile’ (Annie) for one class, and for the other class we decided to sing ‘Tomorrow’ (Annie) and dance to ‘How far I’ll go’ (Moana).
To begin with, we taught both the classes their songs which they were going to sing. However, this proved to a bit more difficult than we originally thought, as we overlooked the fact that these girls were only starting to read and therefore could not read the lyrics. Nevertheless, they managed to learn the lyrics with great enthusiasm and we were soon able to move on to the dances.
We each choreographed and taught a dance to the respective class. This was definitely a new skill which we developed, as neither of us had any previous experience in choreographing or teaching children! We gained valuable skills and had a lot of fun throughout the process, and after rehearsing a few times on the stage, the performance drew near.
On 28 June, both classes took to the stage in the Arts Centre to perform their song and dance in front of their families and teachers. The girls performed to the best of their abilities with eagerness and huge smiles across their faces. We could not be prouder of the Reception girls and the effort they have put into the recital. We will definitely miss spending time with them and we are extremely grateful for the opportunity and for all the help and support from parents and teachers along the way.
Sindhu Nedumaran and Amira Shahin
Year 11 students
Business and Enterprise excursion
The Year 12 Business and Enterprise class attended the Adelaide City Council Business and Enterprise Centre as part of their assignment investigating the requirements involved in setting up a cafe in the Adelaide CBD. They were addressed by a number of experts including Sergio Mattiazo, Adelaide City Council Business and Enterprise Centre Director, Rebecca Rutschack, Council Planning Officer, Michael Grey, Managing Director, DFK Gray Perry, Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors, Julia Schinella, DW Fox Tucker Lawyers and Leon Trento, Murray and Trento Associates, Director, Patent and Trademark Attorneys. The girls participated in a guided walk to the Peel St Business Hub and were addressed by James Findlay, Community Manager. En route they visited and interviewed a number of cafe owners to complete their business experience.
Gabriele Trobbiani
Business and Enterprise Teacher
Year 1 classes explore food
Throughout Term 2, whilst discovering how the world works, the Year 1s explored a central idea that food can go through stages of production to meet people’s needs. After a visit to Platform 1 Farm and the Little Sprouts program at the Botanic Gardens, as provocations to stimulate their interest, the girls learnt about growing their own food and investigated the difference between raw and processed food. This led to them gaining an understanding of the systems involved in producing and processing food. It proved to be an engaging topic, complementing a unit of inquiry we undertook earlier in the year, by further enriching the students’ knowledge about the role invertebrates play in food production. Each student demonstrated her new learning by creating a flow chart to describe how one food goes through a journey from ‘paddock to plate’.
Through experiential learning such as growing cress and a snow pea plant and cooking a variety of food, to viewing and hearing about where different food comes from, combined with immersion in factual text, the students were able to build enriched knowledge and understanding about this topic. A time-lapse video of fruit and vegetables disintegrating proved to be intriguing to many of the girls and was viewed more than once! It led to conversations about the importance of recycling vegetable scraps and composting in home gardens. We used newly acquired skills in using PicCollage to photograph the contents of each lunch box on two separate occasions then analysed how much raw food was there compared to processed food. This led to a discussion on the importance of eating a healthy diet and a suggested plan of action for each student to assume greater responsibility for packing her lunch box each day. Throughout this Unit of Inquiry the students displayed the PYP attributes of successful learners: being an inquirer, a good communicator, thinking and reflecting and when tasting a range of foods, like vegetables (for some) being open minded and risk-takers!
Alana Lesiw and Liz Sandercock
Year 1 Teachers
Maths at the Adelaide Central Market
On 27 June, Year 5 ventured out on a gourmet Maths excursion. This was an integral summative activity which culminated in an inquiry into money, discounts and budgets. Girls worked in small collaborative teams with parent helpers to design a budget for two days for a family of four, using products found at the Adelaide Central Market. The girls were asked to try keep “costs” under $100, whilst still finding foods that were nutritious and high quality. The task involved much mathematical discussion and calculation of amounts. Girls presented their final data and budget as a powerpoint, using photos taken on their iPads.
No visit to the market would be complete without actually eating something there; those smells and colours are so good! Girls ventured into the Food Hall and sampled various foods from Asia. This involved them budgeting their own $10 to ensure they had value for money. Amazingly, most found enough money left over to purchase a few lollies!
Shelley Hampton and Shane Davidson
Year 5 Teachers
Year 4 classes study decision-making systems
During the last four weeks of this term, the Year 4 students have been focussing on the central idea that, ‘Societies have different systems for making decisions that influence the lives of citizens.’
We started this Unit of Inquiry by hearing from our Principal Julia Shea and also Head Prefect Uthpala De Silva about some of the decision-making processes that they are involved in. Following that, we investigated some other decision-making systems such as absolute monarchy, consensus and representative democracy.
On Monday 26 June, we visited Burnside Town Hall to learn more about how Local Government is run. In the Council Chambers, Mayor David Parkin answered many of our questions and showed us his office called the Mayor’s Parlour. In the Library, we watched an information video about the services that Burnside Council offers.
Some interesting facts we learned were:
“Burnside Council has a home assistance program to help elderly people with cleaning their houses.” – Charlotte Udall
“If there were 6 ‘yes’ and 6 ‘no’ votes in a Council meeting then the Mayor gets to decide.” – Mabel Cook
“The first Chairman of Burnside was Dr Penfold in 1856.” – Elysia Scarr
“At local council meetings there are 12 councillors who debate and sort out issues.” – Coco Dimond
We really liked:
“The Mayor’s Parlour because it was interesting seeing photos of all of the Mayors.”
“When I got to wear the Mayor’s ribbon with all the badges on it .” – Sophie Bafile
“Being able to know how decisions can be made.” – Grace Stewart
“How they have seats in the Council Chamber so that other people can listen to the meetings.” – Nicole Wang
“Meeting the Mayor in the Council Chambers because it was cool to be in a meeting area where they discussed ideas.” – Charlize Lim
“The Burnside Council do a lot more than you think. They do planning, rubbish removal, cleaning roads, and picking up dead animals from the roads!”
– Alannah Godfrey
“I really like how we all got to sit in the councillor’s chairs and that Caroline and Mayor Parkin spoke in a confident voice and explained things clearly.”
– Arabella
Rebecca Riley Dillon and Louisa Mitchell
Year 4 Teachers
2018 HASSE Space School International Study Program
I am pleased to announce that St Peter’s Girls will be involved in the 2018 HASSE Space School International Study Program. Through our partnership with the Alliance of Girls Schools of Australasia (AGSA), our students have the unique opportunity to join other girls from participating Alliance schools on this once in a lifetime, Science and Technology-based experience at NASA in the USA.
The program is tailored to expose the girls to women who are leaders in Science and Technology. It will give them access to NASA facilities and training programs, while learning foundation personal and leadership skills to apply through their school years and beyond.
More details will be emailed to you at the beginning of Term 3. In the interim, please find more information at www.ivicon.com.au/alliance
Please keep 15 August free as there is a one-hour information session about this international study program to be held at Seymour College’s Centre of Performing Arts.
Brian Parsons
Acting Director of Teaching and Learning
Meet the Writers Festival
Each year the South Australian English Teachers’ Association hosts a Meet the Writers Festival for students from South Australia in Years 7 to 12. This year’s festival was held on Thursday 22 June at the Adelaide Convention Centre, where YA authors conducted a series of workshops enabling students to attain valuable guidance on writing. Authors attending this year included Isobelle Carmody, Andy Griffiths, Rosanne Hawke, Stephanie McCarthy and Phil Cummings.
Feedback from the girls was glowing!
“A group of avid readers and their teacher Mrs Davies headed to the Convention Centre to ‘meet the writers’. We listened to fascinating author Isobelle Carmody speak about her childhood experiences that led her to writing stories. We all then headed to our first small-group author session with many of us choosing Andy Griffiths, a famous Aussie author whose hilarious books are a favourite among many. We were able to purchase books and get them signed – an exciting experience! We also heard Andy Griffiths speak to everyone with his funny, interesting speech that involved decapitation of childhood toys to foster our imaginations! We then headed back to school after a thoroughly enjoyable and exciting afternoon.” – Elise Cornfield
“The excursion was definitely worthwhile, I enjoyed every minute of it. There were authors I met that I had never heard of before, which was an absolute privilege. I loved how there were a variety of different authors with their own unique writing skills. I learnt useful tips on how to be a great writer. I would definitely recommend this opportunity for anyone who can do it as it is a great experience.” – Portia Maerschel
“At the festival we didn’t just meet the writers, we became the writers! As we listened to incredibly informative (not to mention hilarious!) speeches from writers like Andy Griffins and Isobelle Carmody, we grew as writers. It was an afternoon full of learning and laughter, and left us yearning to go home and read (or write) a good book!” – Holly Wallman-Craddock
“All types of authors from a range of differing genres were at the festival – from fantasy to graphic-novel. The diversity made it a thoroughly enjoyable and mind-opening experience, which definitely left us inspired to write and read more.” – Hattie Maerschel
Catriona Davies
English Teacher
Years 5/6 Netball Interhouse
On Wednesday 28 June, the Year 5/6 netballers concluded their season with their first Netball Interhouse.
In Round 1 Selwyn took on Kennion and defeated them 6 goals to 3. Kilburn and Patteson played in a high scoring affair, with Kilburn coming away with the points winning 11 goals to 9. Round 2 saw Patteson and Kennion fight it out with only one goal separating them at the end of the match, Patteson winning 6 goals to 5. Selwyn had a harder time against Kilburn and although the play through the court was excellent, they couldn’t finish off with goals and Kilburn made it two wins from two matches defeating Selwyn 5 goals to 0.
Going into Round 3, Kilburn needed to win or draw to take home the trophy, and Patteson needed a win and for Kilburn to lose and they would be the winners.
Patteson took on Selwyn and, in another closely-fought match, managed to come out triumphant 5 goals to 4. Now it was up to Kilburn and Kennion to decide the winners! Kennion hadn’t had a win yet and came out very determined to rectify this. They moved the ball well and their goalies finished off nicely. At half-time they were up 3 goals to 1. The cheering was deafening in the second-half; with the Interhouse trophy on the line, all the girls got behind either Kilburn or Kennion! Kilburn dug deep and managed to peg back the deficit and the game ended in a draw which was all Kilburn needed to take out the win!
Congratulations to all the girls who took part in the Interhouse and all the matches throughout the season. Games were played in the right spirit and you all showcased your skills to the best of your ability. A huge thank you to Anna White, Ailani Cox, Sarah Wishart and Olivia Kelly who umpired the matches on Wednesday and to Ava Loechel who also umpired for the teams throughout the season.
Finally, to the wonderful, talented and dedicated coaches and student coaches who gave up their time to train these girls – thank you! The skills on display this week are a testament to the work you have done with the teams this term. The girls were lucky to have you.
Year 6 Blue – Karen Braund and student coach, Sarah Matheson
Year 6 Silver – Sue Jones and student coaches Tahlia Towers, Brooke Elliott and Sivi Sivasuthan
Year 6 White – Amy Wishart, Sophia West and student coaches Ammi Yagnik, Georgie Bafile and Molly Lucas
Year 5 – Ally Reade, Charlotte Parker and student coaches Ruby Bouhamdan and Olivia Kelly
Alice Johnswood
Director of Netball
Spotlight on 9B netball
Following on from our article on 7B Netball, we visited the 9B girls on the same weekend, and asked them to provide a few words about how they are enjoying Netball and why they love the sport:
“I have been playing Netball for seven years now. I play shooter/defender of the Year 9B team but my favourite position is GS. This year our B team has drastically changed with only four girls from the Bs last year. We have welcomed Emma, Stella, Ellen and Paris from the Cs, Sophie who is new to the School and Lucy, who is new to the sport! Nevertheless, we smashed Concordia College in round one. Sadly, in the second round we went down; the game clearly highlighted the fact we are a newly-formed team as we struggled to work together. But, our team has great potential, especially with our talented coach, Denni. I am really looking forward to spending the rest of the season improving with each other.” – Charlotte Sellars
“I have been playing Netball for six years, starting at my old school. This year I am in the Year 9B team along with Ellen Zhang, Charlotte Sellars, Lucy White, Sophie Stewart, Paris Greene, Stella Clark, Emma Matheson and Lucy Young. There has been great change since last season with new coaches and new team mates. Denni, our new coach has taught us many new skills and has helped us improve our technique. I am very excited to continue this journey with my team this year and hoping we can develop a great relationship.” – Clair Kao
“I have been playing Netball for seven years now and I originally played goal keeper and goal defence. I now play goal shooter and goal attack. Netball is one of my favourite sports and I love how team-oriented it is. My team is making great improvement and they are all really funny and amazing girls.” – Emma Matheson
“I’ve been playing Netball at Saints for two seasons and it is a sport I thoroughly enjoy playing! The coaches and all involved are so nice and supportive of our efforts on the court, regardless of the score or outcome. I love playing with my team because we all rely on each other and build great friendships and teamwork skills.” – Lucy White
Receptions explore music
This term in Reception Music, the girls have been developing their ensemble skills by playing songs on the xylophone. Through playing as a group, they have investigated the relationship between high and low pitch, increased their hand-eye coordination, improved their aural acuity and developed their skills in playing on the beat. There was also a strong focus on connecting their music playing with their literacy skills by linking their knowledge of letter names to the notes on the xylophone both visually and aurally. The Receptions hope to share some of their songs with the Junior School at an assembly next term.
Winter Interhouse Meal Deal
The Winter Interhouse will be held on Saturday 12 August, and to feed the hungry players and supporters, the Saints Sport Support Group is providing breakfast!
Parents, give yourselves the morning off from making breakfast and let us do it for you.
Orders can be collected from the BBQ area, just follow the yummy smells from 8 – 10.30am.
This year we’re offering delicious sausages in bread, egg and bacon sandwiches, and a variety of beverages. Food options start at $2.
To purchase your Winter Interhouse Meal Deal please visit www.trybooking.com/QOQF
Kirby Shaw Concert and Workshops coming to Saints Girls
In Week 3 of Term 3 (12 and 13 August) Saints Girls will be hosting American arranger Kirby Shaw. He is recognised as one of the most prolific arrangers of Choral Jazz and pop music of our time and we are truly honoured to have him in Australia and lucky enough to host him here at Saints Girls.
Our Concert Choir, a 60-piece choir made up of Middle and Senior School students, has the opportunity to workshop with Kirby on Friday 11 August between 12.15 – 1.45pm and then be a part of the Kirby Shaw Concert on Sunday 13 August in the Arts Centre.
As part of this concert there will be a combined finale with all the other School and Community Choirs who are participating in this amazing event. Kirby has requested an Aussie BBQ for dinner so everyone is invited to stay between the rehearsal from 4.30 – 5.30pm and concert at 7pm for a BBQ dinner.
Tickets for the concert will go on sale soon through trybooking.
The Long Lunch
Join us on a Greek Odyssey at the St Peter’s Girls’ Foundation Long Lunch
Sunday 24 September 12 noon – 5pm
Held at a secret location on the St Peter’s Girls’ School grounds
Early Bird $100 (book before Tuesday 25 July)
Book at trybooking.com/PMZS
Auction Items needed
The St Peter’s Girls’ Foundation is also seeking donations for our silent auction to be held at The Long Lunch. If you or a family member have any products or services you are able to donate, we are happy to promote your business. Every item counts and any donations will be greatly appreciated. Without the generosity of our community and our amazing volunteers, these events would not be possible. Thank you in advance for your kind and generous consideration.
Please contact Melissa Westgate 8334 2244 or mwestgate@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au if you have any queries and items can be dropped off to Melissa in the Community Relations Office.
Focus School Portraits
Visit the Focus School Portraits to check out the photos taken of some of our groups including Prefects, Year 6 Leaders, Tech Leaders, SRC both Junior School and Senior School – 8’ x 10” (20cm x 25cm) prints can be purchased for $22.
The Generations photo is a beautiful reminder, and this is one of the largest groups of students we have had in this photo – we even had our ELC friends be a part of it.
To access photos:
> Visit www.focusschoolportraits.com
> Click on the Events Photography tab
> Click on St Peter’s Girls’ logo
> Click on Open Gallery
> Type in password (SaintsGirls)
> Ppen gallery and click on 2017 Extra Curricular Groups
Fiona McGregor
Community Relations Office
Term 3 Important Music Dates
Week 1
Alliance of Girls Schools 5.30 – 7.30pm Wednesday 26 July in the Arts Centre
Week 2
FAME – The Musical performances 3 – 5 August 7pm in the Arts Centre
Week 3
Kirby Shaw Workshop 12.15pm Friday 11 August in MB120
Kirby Shaw Workshops Saturday 12 August in the Arts Centre
Kirby Shaw Concert Sunday 13 August in the Arts Centre
Week 4
Year 12 Drama Production Arts Centre
Percussion Performance 6 – 7pm Thursday 16 August in MB120
High Tea Fundraiser 2 – 5pm at The Grand Hotel
Week 5
ABODA Band Festival 23 – 25 August at Westminster School
Week 6
Thursday Club Concert and SACE Stage 2 Ensemble Performance Summative
7 – 9pm in the Arts Centre
Week 7
SACE Dance performance Arts Centre
SACE Stage 2 Music Performance 6.30 – 9.30pm in MB120
Week 8
FOA meeting 7.30pm in the Arts Office
Week 9
Year 2/3/4 Music afternoon 2.30 – 3.30pm in the Arts Centre
Week 10
Year 5 Production The Lion King in the Arts Centre
Sunday Mail City-Bay training (parents are invited, too!)
Are you interested in regular training for the Sunday Mail City-Bay? The School will be offering training for students (Year 4 and up), staff and parents on Wednesday mornings and afternoons. The training will be an eight-week program for those looking at running the 3km, 6km or 12km events. The Sunday Mail City-Bay will be held on the Sunday at the end of Week 8.
Please contact Dan Searle if you are interested in attending the training. The Sunday Mail City-Bay is a fundraiser for our House Charities and this is a great opportunity to get yourself in great shape for the event!
While we are discussing parents and students training together for the Sunday Mail City-Bay, below is some information about an important initiative called AusPlay which talks about the correlation between parents’ engagement in sport and their children’s involvement as a result.
What does AusPlay tell us about parents and kids? It is well known that parents’ activities and behaviours strongly influence the way children develop. Recent AusPlay results confirm a high correlation between a parent’s engagement in sport and that of their child, indicating that active parents can be a positive influence on their children. 72 per cent of children who have at least one active parent* are physically active in organised sport or physical activity outside of school compared with just 53 per cent of children with at least one inactive parent*. Active is good, sporty is better. We know that kids with active parents are more likely to be active. Being an active parent is a good start—but being involved in organised sport is even better, and there are lots of ways that parents can be involved. Nearly 90 per cent of kids with at least one parent* who plays and volunteers in sport are active in organised sport or physical activity outside of school. Those who only play without being involved as a volunteer in sport are also much more likely to have active kids compared to those parents who are not involved at all.
Please click here for more information about AusPlay.
FAME – The Musical tickets on sale now!
Book early to secure great seats!
Do you want to live forever? Do you want to learn how to fly?
Here’s your chance! Tickets for FAME – The Musical are now on sale! Come share in this 80s-inspired, pop musical extravaganza!
Performance dates: 3 – 5 August 2017 at 7pm
Place: St Peter’s Girls’ School, Arts Centre
Ticket prices: Adult $15
Student/Concession $10
Family (2 Adults/2 Children) $35
Visit www.trybooking.com/QDGU to book your seats to see this great show!
Academic Report Access
With the latest Academic Reports out this week, a reminder for parents to access them via our new Parent Portal myLink.
Once you’ve logged in and arrive on the Welcome page, click the ‘Community Portal’ tab in the top menu. On the next page, click on ‘Current Report’.
For more details on using myLink, watch this instructional video:
To log in to myLink, your username and password are the same as you would’ve used for the old Link portal. You can contact helpdesk@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au if you need any assistance.
The site will be continually updated and we look forward to cementing it as the key information hub for parents. We hope you enjoy using myLink!
New to the School Shop
Cosy and warm jackets for Junior School students
* Waterproof with hood & fleecy lining
* Sizes 4-12
* Price $45
Clearance Sale – navy tights (x/tall size only – 170-185cm) normally $10 each – now $6 each or 2 for $10
Entertainment Book
The 2016 | 2017 Entertainment Membership expired on 1 June 2017
As a Mothers’ Club fundraiser, part-proceeds from every book sold will go to the exciting redevelopment of the outdoor areas surrounding our new Middle School.
If you would like to buy a book, you can fill out the form at the Front Office or simply go online. Order your Entertainment Book here!
The Entertainment Book and new phone app offer our community members a great way to try out restaurants and activities around SA, save money and, at the same time, support our girls.
Thank you in advance for your kind support and consideration.
Your Mothers’ Club Committee
Learn how to build your own iPhone app!
Are you looking for an indoor school holiday activity?
St Peter’s Girls’ School will be hosting Code Camp Spark for students in Years 2 – 7. Code Camp runs 17 – 19 July from 9am – 3.30pm. Cost for Code Camp Spark is $350 for three days.
Code Camp Information Flyer
Visit the Code Camp website for more information
Visit the St Peter’s Girls’ School booking page
Sports News
All students are once again reminded to check notice boards for team selections and other relevant information pertaining to their sport. If you have any further news items or sporting success stories, please email them through to me at nfuller@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au.
SOCCER
Wednesday 21 June
Open A – Saints 1 drew with Pulteney 1
Open B – Saints 3 defeated Pulteney by forfeit
Middle A – Saints 1 defeated Pulteney 0
A great game by the girls, with them getting their first win of the season. After weeks of good performances and unlucky results they were finally able to fight out the game after scoring midway through the second half. The girls dominated the game and could’ve won by more if they had been more clinical in front of goals but, overall, a fantastic performance. Vincent Talladira (Coach)
Middle B – Saints 0 defeated by Wilderness 2
The team showed improvement again but were unlucky in the loss. The girls created numerous chances in front of goal but could not score. Wilderness were able to convert their chances early in the second half, which gave them the win. Keep working hard, girls. Manni Katopolis (Coach)
Year 7 – Saints 1 drew with Seymour 1
The team played their best game of the season and showed good improvement from the last time they played Seymour. Some great defending and midfield play enabled a solid performance. A special mention to Mia Dodd who was goalkeeper for the whole game and did a great job. Well done, girls. Kosta Bakopanos (Coach)
JUNIOR NETBALL
Wednesday 21 June
Year 6 White – Saints 5 defeated by Pembroke Blue 23
The girls were enthusiastic and played well, especially in defence, with Montana Melisi making some really good intercepts. The plays that we practised at training were done very well. The players should remember to work on driving towards the ball and making strong passes to players who are free. Georgina Bafile (Student Coach)
Year 5 – Saints 7 defeated by Wilderness Green 15
The week was the girls’ final game for the season and each girl played exceptionally well. We had some great goals from Marcella Tolley, Ayla Blaskett and Lydia Burrough this week and the mid-court worked really well together to get the ball moving down the court. We’d just like to also say thank you to Marcella for filling in for our team this week. Overall, the girls have improved so much since their first game and should be proud of their achievements. Ally Reade and Charlotte Parker (Student Coaches)
JUNIOR HOCKEY
Friday 23 June
Year 5/6 – Saints 2 defeated Wilderness 1
AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL
Friday 23 June
Saints 4.8 (32) defeated Pulteney 1.3 (9)
Saints faced Pulteney in a re-match from three weeks ago where Pulteney won narrowly late in the game. Saints, playing at their new home venue hosted by Norwood/Payneham Union and wearing their new playing tops, were bolstered by a large crowd. It was a tense start and Pulteney scored the first and only goal of the first quarter. In the second, Saints started to gain some ascendency with some strong tackling and Jasmine Ledgard taking a number of strong marks in the forward line. When the forward did not mark, it was Saints’ smaller players who worked hard to gain possession as soon as the ball hit the ground. It was an opportunist goal by Thandi Murada to post Saints’ first goal to allow Saints to lead by a point at half-time. Many rotations were made, with a number of players standing out once again and contesting the ball strongly and Willo Fowler, Chanel Stefani, Holly Cunningham, Charlie Kelly and Grace Dawson all having an impact.
Saints dominated the second half, with Thandi Murada adding to her tally and scoring all of Saints’ goals while restricting Pulteney’s opportunities. A strong team performance in defence allowed Saints to run out comfortable winners. – Neil Fuller
BADMINTON
Saturday 24 June
Another successful weekend, with six of our seven teams convincingly defeating their opposition. Congratulations to the B, C and D1 teams who are undefeated so far this season. Well done to Gloria Gao who played her first match for the A team and won both her singles and doubles. All players mentioned below won both singles and doubles on Saturday. I look forward to our teams continuing their skill development and positive match play in Term 3. – Sonya Risbey (Badminton Coordinator)
Open A – Saints 6 defeated Pulteney 0
Best Players: Emily Murdoch, Cate Neale, Erica Reid, Gloria Gao
Open B – Saints 6 defeated Immanuel 0
Best Players: Laura Sivewright, Amy Li, Lola Dimond, Charlene Lee
Open C – Saints 6 defeated Immanuel 0
Best Players: Mahala Truscott, Georgia Bowden, Sophia Casanova Clarke, Michelle Yeoh
Open D1 – Saints 6 defeated Immanuel 0
Best Players: Amelie Dunda, Candy Feng, Nicola Jones
Open D2 – Saints 5 defeated Westminster 1
Best Players: Tiffany Zhou, Meredith Li, Ashley Rogers
Open E1 – Saints 6 defeated Seymour 3
Best Players: Millie Han, Lauren Hernan
Open E3 – Saints 0 defeated by Wilderness 9
HOCKEY
Saturday 24 June
Open A – Saints 1 defeated by Seymour 5
Open B – Saints 0 defeated by Seymour 1
LACROSSE
Saturday 24 June
Under 15 – Saints 3 defeated by Brighton 14
Under 11 – Saints Blue defeated North Adelaide by forfeit
Despite the opposition not having enough players, Saints played a scratch match which enabled them to continue working all the things they have been learning at training. All players are definitely improving and we hope this continues. Sophie Auricht (Lacrosse Captain)
Under 11 – Saints White 1 defeated by Burnside 9
This was another tough game for the girls. Burnside were older, more experienced and aggressive. Despite this, Saints continued to try and run the ball down the field and pass the ball to a free player. There were some perfect passes and a number of shots on goal that only narrowly missed. Special mention goes to Alannah Godfrey for scoring our goal and Grace Jones for goalkeeping in the first half and Mabel Cook in the second. Courtney Tasker (Coach)
NETBALL
Saturday 24 June
Open A – Saints 33 defeated by Seymour 42
Open B – Saints 25 defeated by Seymour 77
Open E (Year 11) – Saints 25 defeated Seymour 17
Year 10A – Saints 30 defeated by Seymour 59
Coming out after exam time, the girls seemed tired and this showed on court early. To the team’s credit, they played the best they could under the circumstances and it was great to see the girls continue to fight through all four quarters. Grace Russo (Coach)
Year 10B – Saints 11 defeated by Seymour 54
Well done to the 10B girls this week, understandably tired after exams, they came out and put their best effort forward. The girls communicated well on court which resulted in the entire team playing a sound game. Seymour presented a very competitive team and given the energy levels of our girls, I am proud of the way the 10Bs faced their opposition. Grace Russo (Coach)
Year 9/10C – Saints 16 defeated Wilderness 12
The Year 9/10 team had their first win of the season last weekend against Wilderness. The girls fought hard for the whole match, never letting their opponent back into the game. We showed great defensive pressure all the way down the court, which resulted in a huge number of turnovers. The game was low-scoring because of this defensive pressure by both teams. Emily Braggs (Coach)
Year 9A – Saints 63 defeated Seymour 24
The girls had a great start to the game, especially in defence, with Tilly McCormack and Hannah Freeman getting many intercepts which allowed us to have many shooting opportunities. With a great first quarter, we had a 16-point lead, giving us a positive and optimistic mind-set to play well for the rest of the game. The mid-court brought the ball down well with strong passes, which then enabled the shooters to shoot, which was extremely consistent. It was great to be able to successfully use many of our centre pass strategies, which we had previously learnt in training. Great work from Charlotte Sellars who shot some impressive goals. Overall, an amazing game by all the girls, being one of our strongest so far! Sarah Wishart (Year 9)
Year 9B – Saints 21 defeated by Seymour 22
This week’s game against Seymour was a close one with great defence from the girls. We were able to move the ball down the centre-third well in the first and second quarter but our passing accuracy dropped by the third and fourth quarter, and a few shooting opportunities were consequently missed. However, all the girls put in a great effort and, despite losing to Seymour by 1 goal, it was an entertaining and well-played match from the 9Bs! Ellen Zhang (Year 9)
Year 8A – Saints 41 defeated Seymour 25
The girls had a fantastic game this week and the pressure applied the whole way down the court in the first quarter put them in front and they only continued to get stronger throughout the game. The girls worked together as a team and their support for each other encouraged each player to achieve her goals for the game. Best player this week goes to Keeley Fahey. She had a breakthrough game and made a huge difference, securing many intercepts. Well done to all the girls; it was one of their best games so far and they should be proud of their constant improvement. Sophia West and Amy Wishart (Coaches)
Year 8B – Saints 15 defeated by Seymour 35
The girls played a strong opponent in Seymour. The attackers were able to bring the ball down and get the shot on many occasions. Saints’ defence was strong and they were able to get many rebounds; however, Seymour intercepted a lot of balls. Overall, the girls should be proud of this term, as they have improved each week. Special thanks for Sophie Barr for filling in from the As, and best players go to Ailani Cox and Keely Flannagan with her strong defence. Sophia West and Amy Wishart (Coaches)
Year 7A – Saints 12 defeated by Seymour 29
The Year 7A netball team played Seymour on Saturday and our defensive play was strong across the court but we struggled to convert the ball time and time again, resulting in limited opportunities to score. The final score did not reflect how hard the girls tried; it just reinforced our need to play smarter. Michelle Blackburn (Coach)
Year 7C – Saints 22 defeated Scotch 12
Another exciting match from the 7C team on Saturday. The girls all contributed to a convincing win with multiple turnovers and an extremely strong defence. Special mention to Letitia Page-Thomson who excelled in centre and wing attack. All the girls should be proud of their sportsmanship and team spirit. It was a pleasure to coach them in Sarah’s absence. Lee Walker (Parent)