Welcome to Term 4 in the ELC
Welcome to Term 4! I hope you enjoyed some special family moments over the break. This term promises to be an exciting and busy time, filled with opportunities for community, celebration, and connection.
Staffing Update
We are thrilled to welcome Lorena Gallego to the St Peter’s Girls’ ELC team! Lorena will be joining us in the Stonyfell room, where her expertise and passion for learning will have a lasting impact. Lorena will be replacing Ellie Molfetas, who will continue to be part of our community in a casual capacity. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry, Lorena brings a unique perspective to early childhood education, infusing scientific curiosity and exploration into the classroom. Her deep understanding of child development will inspire and engage our young learners, sparking their natural curiosity and love for discovery. We are excited to see how her knowledge will enrich our children’s educational journey!
Celebration of Learning – Week 3
In Week 3, we will host ‘Celebrate Our Learning Week’ in the ELC. During this time, you are warmly invited to explore your child’s portfolio during drop-off or pick-up. Your child’s portfolio serves as a beautiful record of their learning journey, linking their achievements to the curriculum and early years principles,while providing a meaningful opportunity for reflection and celebration for families, educators, and children alike.
We encourage you to sit with your child in the Learning Community 1 Piazza, where they can proudly share their discoveries and growth throughout the year.
Pathway to School
It is an exciting time for our Pathway children as they begin their Reception Transition Visits. While we will be sad to see them leave the ELC for ‘big school,’ we are equally excited for the next stage of their learning journey and all the possibilities this will bring.
Supporting Transitions for 2026
As we look toward 2026, our focus will be on guiding children through key transitions. These moments play a vital role in a child’s development, building confidence, resilience, adaptability, problem-solving, and independence.
Celebrations form an important part of these transitions, acknowledging each child’s growth and helping them embrace new experiences with optimism and pride. This term, we look forward to celebrating key milestones with our families, including:
- LC1 Transition Celebration
- Celebrating Our Pathway to School
- ELC Hat Ceremony
Invitations will be sent to families whose children are participating in these events. We look forward to sharing these special moments together.
ELC Uniform Reminder
A friendly reminder that our ELC uniform is compulsory during both term time and Vacation Care. The uniform not only provides a smart and cohesive look for the children, but also simplifies the morning routine for families. It ensures that children are dressed appropriately for a day filled with adventures and messy play, as well as being suited to the weather, offering protection on sunny days. We appreciate your support in ensuring your child comes dressed in their uniform every day.
End of Year Celebration
Our End of Year Celebration on Friday 28 November will be a joyful event marking the culmination of a wonderful year. More details will be shared with families soon.
Vacation Care Information
The final day of Term 4 is Friday 5 December. Vacation Care will operate from Monday 8 December to Friday 19 December 2025, and reopen in the new year on Monday 5 January 2026. Further information and booking details will be provided later this term.
Planning ahead for 2026
If your child will be concluding ELC in 2026, we kindly ask that you inform us as soon as possible, if you have not already done so. Providing this information early is greatly appreciated, as it allows us to plan effectively for the year ahead and ensure consistency and continuity of staffing and group placements for all children. Thank you for your support and partnership in this process.
We look forward to a term filled with creativity, joy, and rich learning opportunities. In partnership with you, we will continue to support every child to thrive.
Liz Schembri
Director of Early Learners’ Centre
Term 3 Vacation Care
Learning Community 1
Wellbeing can foster care
As an extension of our Term 3 Unit of Inquiry, this Vacation Care period focused on ‘Wellbeing Can Foster Care.’ Our program was thoughtfully designed to engage children in meaningful, sensory-rich experiences that nurtured their understanding of wellbeing, creativity, and connection with nature.
Throughout the program, children explored the spirit of spring through sight, smell, and taste. The picture book ‘Planting a Rainbow’ served as a central provocation, sparking curiosity and inspiring children to investigate the vibrant colours of the rainbow through a range of mediums—including natural materials, art, and food.
Celebrating Colour Through Art and Nature
Children were invited to express their interpretations of a rainbow garden through diverse and open-ended activities. Using clay and dried flowers, they constructed three-dimensional garden scenes.
These experiences were enriched further through drawing and painting, inspired by observations of real flowers, and through loose parts play, which encouraged the creation of collaborative flower garden frame displays. These activities not only supported fine motor development and creativity but also encouraged observational skills and an appreciation for the natural world.
Exploring Wellbeing Through Food
Our ELC Community Garden and shared kitchen experiences played a vital role in exploring the concept of ‘eating a rainbow.’ Children participated in preparing healthy, colourful foods that reflected the diversity of nature’s palette. Activities included assembling fruit skewers and designing focaccia bread with a variety of, vegetables, and herbs. These culinary experiences promoted conversations around nutrition, seasonal produce, and self-care, linking food choices to overall wellbeing.
Throughout the program, children engaged in activities that supported learning across multiple developmental areas:
- Literacy: Through shared reading, storytelling, and descriptive language use
- Mathematics: In pattern recognition, counting, and measurement
- Creative Arts: Through drawing, painting, sculpting, and food design
- Scientific Inquiry: Observing plant life, engaging the senses, and exploring cause and effect
- Wellbeing and Social Skills: Promoting mindfulness, cooperation, and a sense of belonging
These experiences offered rich opportunities to promote children’s agency, build on their natural curiosities, and deepen their understanding of how care for self, others, and the environment are interconnected. This spring-themed program not only celebrated the beauty of the natural world but also reinforced the importance of wellbeing as a foundation for learning and growth. Through collaborative exploration, creativity, and joyful discovery, children developed a deeper sense of care—both within themselves and their communities.
Valentina Fernandes
ELC Key Co-educator and Vacation Care Leader
Learning Community 2
During the recent Vacation Care program, Learning Community 2 children explored creativity, sustainability, and cultural traditions through hands-on learning experiences inspired by their own ideas.
One of the most exciting projects was the creation of our Recycled Flower Garden. Children worked collaboratively, collecting and reusing plastic bottles and cups contributed by families to design and build beautiful flowers. This project encouraged teamwork, problem-solving, and environmental awareness, as children discussed how reusing materials can help care for our planet. Watching their ideas bloom into colourful ‘flowers’ reminded us that creativity and sustainability can truly go hand in hand.
Another highlight of the program was our Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration. The children enjoyed listening to ‘A Big Mooncake for Little Star’ by Grace Lin — a beautiful story that opened up conversations about family traditions, the moon, and cultural celebrations. Inspired by the story, the children took part in a hands-on cooking experience, making their own mooncakes using cookie dough and traditional wooden moulds. They also made their own lanterns to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, exploring patterns, colours, and shapes as they created bright, festive decorations. These experiences helped children appreciate cultural diversity and express their creativity in joyful ways.
Adding to the excitement, the children were treated to Mrs Young’s delightful puppet show, which sparked laughter, imagination, and storytelling. They also enjoyed Miss Elisabeth’s engaging ballet sessions, where they learned simple dance movements, rhythm, and creative expression through music and movement.
This Vacation Care period was filled with laughter, creativity, and meaningful learning. Through shared experiences, the children deepened their understanding of sustainability, diversity, and community — all while having plenty of fun along the way!
Catherine Jiang
ELC Key Co-educator and Vacation Care Leader
Celebrate our Learning Week
Monday 27 to Friday 31 October (Week 3) – The Piazza
In Week 3, families and treasured friends are invited to spend some time looking through their child’s Portfolio during drop-off or pick-up.
At the ELC, we celebrate and document each child’s learning journey. The portfolio is a celebration of your child’s achievement, linking to curriculum frameworks and providing meaningful assessment for educators, families and the individual child.
Work samples, photographs, transcripts of conversations and reflections provide a rich insight into learning and involvement in our inquiry investigations.
We look forward to seeing you at the ELC, enjoying this special time with your child and celebrating their progress.
Save the Date to our End of Year Celebration
To ELC Families,
Please save the date to our much-loved ELC End of Year Celebration on Friday 28 November, 5.15pm at St Peter’s Girls’ School. This community event is a favourite amongst our Centre, and a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the year with a picnic gathering, carols, food, and more. More information about this event will be announced in Term 4. We hope to see you there!
Important Allergy Reminder in the ELC
Several of our children live with allergies, and even small traces of certain foods can cause serious reactions. For this reason, we kindly ask that no outside food is brought into the ELC unless previously discussed with your child’s teacher. This includes children carrying food as they arrive in the morning. Our shared responsibility is to maintain a safe environment where every child can feel secure and cared for.
We greatly appreciate your support in this matter and thank you for helping us protect the health and safety of all children in our community.