From the Junior School

From the Head of Junior School

Last year we were fortunate to receive a grant for an Artist in Residence and this week our Year 2 and Year 4 girls have been working with Josh Langley, illustrator and author, to learn about the artistry in illustrations. The girls were set the challenge of creating an illustration to convey a message of kindness. Our Year 2 girls designed characters to represent kindness and our Year 4 girls contemplated who they want to be as they grow up; the qualities and strengths they see in themselves and plan to grow.

Wind in the Willows

Good luck to our phenomenal Year 6 students and staff who have been working so hard over the past weeks to prepare for our trip down the riverbank with Mole, Ratty, Toad, Badger and many more loveable characters. Every girl in Year 6 has been practising and working collaboratively to bring this musical to life. I look forward to watching the performances on both Thursday and Friday evening.

Saturday Sport this term

Thank you to all our girls who represented our Junior School in Saturday sport this term. Thank you to our parents too who have supported their daughters in these sports. We know the many skills sport builds in young children, skills they will need and use throughout their education and careers. Whilst I know we all lead busy lives, I encourage all our families to help their daughter commit to at least one term of Saturday team sport each year.

Leadership opportunities for 2024

In the coming weeks, our Year 5 girls will have the opportunity to apply for one of these leadership opportunities for 2024:

Kindness Captains – 4 positions

House Captains – 4 positions per House

Student Representative Council Captains– 4 positions

STEM Captains – 4 positions

Sustainability Captains – 4 positions

Chapel Captains – 4 positions; 2 per semester

Please watch this video created by some of our 2023 Captains explaining these leadership roles.

Let’s Get Creative Day – Thursday 16 November

At our Arts Festival day we will be creating a market place for our girls in Year 3 to 6 to sell items they have created. All proceeds from the sale of their items will go to the College charities – Wayside Chapel, Dignity and The Smith Family. There has been a lot of interest from the girls and as such a sign up form has been created for expressions of interest. This form will close on the last day of this term – Friday 22 September.

Kindergarten Windows into Learning

A wonderful teddy bear’s picnic was held today with our Kindergarten girls and their families. The girls enjoyed using everyday recycled materials to create their spring and winter scenes. They loved being able to share with their parents and friends how changes in the weather impacts plants and animals.

Year 1 and 2 Windows into learning

Thank you to the Year 1 and 2 parents and friends who came and shared the girls’ learning at Windows into Learning last week.

Year 1 enjoyed the challenge of reusing and repurposing a two litre milk bottle as a part of their Marvellous Materials unit where they first explored different types of materials and their properties before using the Design Thinking Process to create their original designs. The girls and their family helpers enjoyed using their creativity to make a variety of amazing items from wind chimes, doll houses, pencil holders and portable gardens.

Year 2 explored area and multiplications in a shared Mathematics lesson taking inspiration from “The Lost thing” by Shaun Tan to create their own robot or lost thing with body parts of a given area. The robot inspired movement break was a popular part of the lesson for girls and their families!

Academic Learning Discussions – Monday 18 September

A portal notice has been sent out to K-6 parents to book an Academic Learning Discussion via Edval. These discussions will take place online with your daughter’s Compass Teacher. A reminder no students are to come to school on this day. Please note that all Co-Curricular activities will run as normal on this day.

Social Action Expo – Kate Giles – Lead Co-ordinator K-3

It was an absolute privilege to see the passion and enthusiasm from the 6 girls who attended the Social Action Expo at The King’s School. The girls heard from a variety of different speakers from charitable and service organisations and were inspired by the student led projects from other schools which included environmental initiatives, awareness campaigns and local and international service projects. The ideas were flowing for our own Social Justice Club are now flying!

“I thought hearing about Cana Farm was really inspiring how they gave people a chance to work and spend time there for a new start. It would be amazing to go and visit there”- Ellie Lau (Year 6)

“I was inspired by the school that went and helped the homeless people in the city. Seeing people the same age as us giving food and help to the homeless made me want to do that too”– Safina Burgess (Year 5)

Thank you to Emily Long, Ellie Lau, Grace Neal, Charlotte Lau, Safina Burgess and Isabelle Lau for representing our College at this event and for sharing your determination to make a difference.

Kindness to our Environment – A note from our Sustainability Captains; Oriana Fenton and Richielynne Xiong

As a part of our focus on kindness to the environment and our determination to reduce, reuse and recycle, we are encouraging all girls from K-6 to create artworks (sculptures, pictures or other artworks) using recycled materials. Please bring artworks into the Junior School office by the end of this term.

A message from Lara Bird, Deputy Head of Junior School – Academics

ICAS Results

Parents can access their daughter’s results by following the steps below.

Students that have sat ICAS at your school before can find their TAP-ID and PIN on the back of a previous years’ certificate. Simple!

Students that have lost their previous ICAS certificate or sat ICAS at your school for the first time this year, can request it via our TAP-ID and PIN request form here.

All students and parents can then view their results via the Student Results Portal here.

ICAS Certificates will be posted to the School and will be sent onto parents.

A message from Kurt Schweinberger – Deputy Director of Co-curricular Performing Arts (K-6)

The Junior School PJ factor is back, and we are looking forward to seeing students in Years 3 to 6 create exciting and entertaining performances that are focused on the theme of being CREATIVE!

“Creativity is defined as the ability to create something new through the use of your imagination, mind and experiences”

As part of the Junior School “Let’s Get Creative Festival” (Thursday 16 November), we will be selecting a group of students from each house to perform at the festival. Reflecting on the above image, we are encouraging students to think outside the box and create a performance that extends their individual talents to create something new and imaginative.

Students may only enter ONCE as either a soloist or as part of a small group.

Solo performance link

Group performance link

Registrations close tomorrow Friday 15 September (Week 9).

K-2 Play Around the World – Maria Lee, Junior School Performing Arts Teacher

Throughout Term 3 students in Kindergarten to Year 2 were involved learning and playing games from various parts of the world. This program were aimed to provide opportunities for children to learn about different cultures and traditions through play.

For tomorrow and next Friday 22 September, please send your daughter in her winter or summer uniform as Kindergarten to Year 2 Play Around the World has now finished for the term.

Year 4 Family Camp at Vision Valley – Registrations are now open!

Year 4 Parents and their daughters are invited to attend the PPA Family Camp at Vision Valley on Saturday 21 to Sunday 22 October 2023.

This camp is open to one or both parents and their Year 4 daughter only (other siblings are not permitted to attend).

Parents will have the opportunity to meet other families and spend quality time with their daughters camping in the great outdoors at our beautiful bushland campus.

Places are limited and all parents must provide a valid WWCC to Vision Valley prior to attending.

Bookings are now open! Click here to book.