Welcome to Term 2
Dear Families,
We warmly welcome you back to Term 2. We hope this message finds you well and refreshed after a restorative break. As we begin a new term together, we look forward to a continued journey of discovery, growth, and connection, and to deepening our partnerships with each of our ELC families.
Staffing Updates
We are delighted to welcome Jess Harmer to the ELC as our Enrolments and Operations Officer. Jess brings a wealth of experience across a range of educational settings. Should you have any enrolment enquiries, Jess can be contacted at [email protected].
We are also pleased to share that Liz Luppino will be stepping into the role of Key Co-educator for extended hours within Learning Community 1, leading the afternoon session from 3:30pm. As a familiar and valued member of our community, we anticipate this will be a seamless transition. We are grateful to Olivia Parente for the work that she has done previously in this role. Olivia will continue working alongside Stonyfell team in her co-educator role.
A gentle reminder to families of the importance of signing children in and out each day. This is essential for maintaining accurate attendance records, supporting Child Care Subsidy requirements, and most importantly ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all children in the event of an emergency.
Term 2: Unit of Inquiry
Our Unit of Inquiry this term explores the central idea: “Communities grow through communication, shared ideas, and coming together.”
Through this inquiry, children will engage in collaborative experiences, dialogue, and shared investigations, supporting them to co-construct knowledge, develop a strong sense of belonging, and recognise the ways their ideas and contributions shape the collective community.
Key Events and Experiences
- ELC Photo Sessions (Week 3): Please click here to view the schedule
- Mothers and Treasured Friends’ Afternoon Tea: Friday 8 May at 2pm – a special opportunity for children to celebrate important people in their lives.
- Celebration of Learning (Week 3): Families are invited to explore children’s portfolios and reflect on Term 1 learning.
- Ferguson Conservation Park Gathering (Week 6): Held during National Reconciliation Week, embracing this year’s theme, “All In.” This provides a wonderful opportunity for families to connect and learn together on Kaurna land. We will be joined by former Cultural Liaison Officer, Kendall Fitzgerald.
Pathway to School
As the term progresses, our Pathway children will begin preparing for their transition to Reception. This is an important and exciting milestone, and we will mark this journey with a series of meaningful experiences, including the Hat Ceremony on Monday 22 June. We look forward to supporting each child as they move towards this next stage with confidence.
Health and Wellbeing
We wish to inform families that a member of our school community is currently undergoing medical treatment and may attend school on occasion. Due to their treatment, they are at increased risk if exposed to infectious illnesses such as chickenpox, measles, or mumps.
We ask for your support in ensuring that if your child is unwell or displaying symptoms of a contagious illness, they remain at home and that the school is notified promptly. This helps us protect the health and wellbeing of all students in our care.
Keeping Safe: Child Protection Curriculum
Throughout the year, children will continue to engage in the Keeping Safe: Child Protection Curriculum, delivered by educators who have undertaken specific training. This curriculum supports children to develop an understanding of safety, respectful relationships, and protective strategies through age-appropriate learning experiences.
We value ongoing communication with families and encourage you to reach out if you would like further information or to share anything that may support your child’s participation.
Key Dates
- 5 May – ELC Photos (Learning Community 1)
- 6 May – ELC Photos (Playgroup)
- 7 May – ELC Photos (Learning Community 2)
- 8 May – Mother’s and Treasured Friends’ Afternoon Tea, 2pm
- 4–8 May – Celebration of Learning Week
- 29 May – Reconciliation Week Gathering at Ferguson Conservation Park
- 1 June – Mid-Year Reception Transition Visits Commence, 8:45am-12pm
- 8 June – Public Holiday (ELC Closed)
- 9 June – Junior School Twilight Tour, 5:30pm-6:15pm
- 9 June – Erindale Teaching and Learning Evening, 6:30pm-8pm
- 15 June – Mid-Year Reception Transition Morning, 9am-12pm
- 22 June – ELC Hat Ceremony, 12:15pm
- 25 June – Celebrating Our Pathway to School, 2pm
- 29 June – Vacation Care commences (until Monday 20 July)
Thank you for your continued partnership and trust. We look forward to a term filled with rich learning, meaningful relationships, and joyful moments alongside your children.
Liz Schembri
Director of Early Learners’ Centre
Vacation Care
Learning Community 1
Welcoming environments can nurture relationships and build a strong sense of identity and community.
Our Vacation Care inquiry extended the children’s ongoing inquiry from Term 1—exploring how the body connects to environments, spaces, and shared experiences.
The Body in Relation to the Senses: Smell and Taste – This term, our focus turned to the sensory experiences of smell and taste as pathways for connection, memory, and identity. The kitchen and community garden became rich, living classrooms where children engaged in hands-on, meaningful exploration. Through collaborative cooking experiences, such as preparing lemon mint tea, baking cinnamon coconut cookies, and creating oregano and rosemary focaccia, children were not only experimenting with ingredients but also sharing stories, preferences, and cultural connections linked to food.
These experiences were thoughtfully extended into the community garden, where children planted herbs including mint, oregano, and rosemary. This process deepened their understanding of sustainability, care.
In the Stonyfell room, children revisited these sensory encounters through visual expression. Still life drawing and painting of herbs and flowers encouraged close observation and curiosity. As an extension of seasonal celebrations, cocoa painting offered a unique sensory medium, blending creativity with the familiar scents and textures associated with Easter.
Imagination, Identity, and the Body
The dramatic play area was transformed into a hairdressing salon, inviting children to explore identity, self-expression, and care of the body. Through role-play, children experimented with hairstyles on mannequins and peers, negotiating roles, sharing ideas, and engaging in collaborative storytelling. This space fostered social connection and imaginative thinking, while also prompting deeper inquiry: Why do we visit the hairdresser? What does it mean to care for our bodies?
Through sensory exploration, creative expression, and shared dialogue, children continue to develop a strong sense of identity and belonging within our learning community.
Valentina Fernandes
Learning Community 1 Co-Educator and Vacation Care Leader
Learning Community 2
Over the April Vacation Care program, children in Learning Community 2 were immersed in a rich and meaningful exploration of art, nature, and identity, guided by a Reggio Emilia approach where children’s ideas, curiosity, and creativity were at the heart of our learning.
A key focus this holiday was exploring the work of Yayoi Kusama, often known as the “Queen of Polka Dots.” Inspired by her immersive and playful installations, children participated in a collaborative art experience where they transformed an all-white space by adding vibrant, colourful dots. This evolving artwork encouraged children to express themselves freely, while also contributing to a shared creation, highlighting the beauty of collaboration, individuality, and connection.
Continuing this artistic journey, children explored Kusama’s iconic pumpkin artworks. With the support of our wonderful chef, who sourced a variety of real pumpkins, children engaged in hands-on painting experiences. They carefully observed the different shapes, textures, and colours of the pumpkins before transforming them into their own unique art pieces, combining observation with imagination.
As the season gently shifted into autumn, children became increasingly aware of the changes in the natural environment. They collected fallen leaves and natural materials, using them as tools and inspiration to explore representations of the human body. Through drawing, arranging, and creating, children revisited their understanding of body parts, using nature as a medium to express their ideas, demonstrating the many “languages” through which children learn and communicate.
Our exploration of Autumn also extended into the kitchen, where children engaged in rich, sensory cooking experiences. With thanks to Lenswood Apples for their generous donation of fresh apples, children had the opportunity to work with seasonal produce in meaningful ways. Observing the Autumn harvest of apples and pears, they participated in preparing and tasting food, using all their senses, touching, smelling, cutting, and tasting. These shared experiences supported children’s understanding of seasonal foods and healthy eating, while also fostering a strong sense of community and belonging.
Throughout the program, children were given time and space to revisit ideas, collaborate with peers, and express their thinking in diverse and meaningful ways. It has been a joy to witness their creativity, curiosity, and growing connections to the world around them.
We are incredibly proud of the children’s engagement and the thoughtful ways they contributed to our learning community. Thank you for your continued support—we feel privileged to share these learning journeys with your children.
Catherine Jiang
Learning Community 2 Co-Educator and Vacation Care Leader
Dear ELC Families,
Join us on Friday 8 May at 2pm to celebrate the Mothers and Treasured Friends’ Afternoon Tea in the ELC!
Our Centre will be celebrating Mother’s Day and the inspirational women in the children’s lives including mothers, grandmothers, and aunties.
Make your bookings by Monday 4 May.
We hope to see you there!
ELC Mothers and Treasured Friends’ Afternoon Tea
Friday 9 May, 2pm in the ELC