Message from Grant Andrews, Acting Head of Junior School

Dear Families,

“Dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.” – Walt Disney 

Grandparents’ Day is a special opportunity to strengthen family bonds, celebrate intergenerational connections, and foster learning. It provides an opportunity for our students to share their classrooms and their learning with their grandparents, and exchange stories and special moments, while also engaging in social skills and demonstrating respect. Yesterday not only created lasting memories but also highlighted the importance of family ties. It was a delight to see our students be such eager and welcoming hosts. Thank you to all teaching, maintenance and admin staff for their thoughtful and generous support of this special occasion and to Jill McPherson and her amazing helpers who ensured that our visitors enjoyed a lovely morning tea.

A big thank you to Mr Fox and the spectacular Voices for a stunning Easter Concert performance at the Senior School on Monday evening. It was lovely to see so many Junior School parents in attendance. 

Parent/teacher Dialogues
Over the next two weeks, some grades will be engaging in parent/teacher dialogues. Other grades will be offered the same opportunity in early Term 2. These are incredibly valuable checkpoint conversations to hear how your child is settling into the year across all areas of learning. As shared by Mrs Heather Brodie, Acting Deputy Head and Educational Development Team Coordinator, at the Parent Information Evening, the following discussion points may be helpful:

• What general strengths have you noticed in my child this term?
• What specific areas has he made progress in?
• What challenges is he experiencing currently? 
• What are his next steps or goals?
• Are there any particular strategies that you are using or suggest?
• Is there anything I can do at home to further support or encourage him?
• How is my child tracking relative to expectations? (towards/within/beyond)
• What goals has my child set for himself?
• Who does my son enjoy interacting with in the playground? 
• Are there any areas that you would like to see my child focus on next term?

da Vinci House Day
Next week, we look forward to our da Vinci House Day for Year 5 and Year 6 students. It promises to be an incredibly enriching day for our students as they will work together on various challenges. An enormous amount of time and preparation goes into these events and my thanks goes to all the staff involved – it is going to be an exciting, challenging and memorable day! 

We look forward to another busy and productive week.

Warm regards,

Grant Andrews
Acting Head of Junior School